C9 Removing Hidden Dangers

"Zeus, pull over."

"Sure thing, sir."

Gu Ming instructed Zeus to stop the vehicle and then stood up.

"What's the matter, dear?"

His wife and Zhang Tine looked at him with concern, prompting Gu Ming to smile reassuringly.

"Just stay put for a bit. I need to take care of something."

"Daddy, I want to come too! I want to play outside."

Nannan, having been cooped up in the car for too long, clamored to join him.

Gu Ming lifted her into his arms and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Sweetheart, Daddy has some work to do, but I'll be back before you know it. Can you stay here with Mommy and your big sister? Or maybe you'd like to go outside and play with them?"

"Babe, Lucky will stay with you. You all can take a stroll outside the car while I'm gone."

"Just be careful, okay?"

Ye Xiaomei, ever perceptive, guessed that her husband was off to handle the thugs' cronies. She felt helpless; despite having taken the gene drug, she knew that enhancing her abilities required daily physical training. Otherwise, improvement would only come with time. She resolved to dedicate time each day to exercise so she could be of use to her husband in this post-apocalyptic world. She was aware that the gene drug cost a hefty 1,000 energy points in the battlefield store system, and she could only imagine the effort and time her husband would need to amass such a sum.

After entrusting Nannan to his wife, Gu Ming headed to the workshop at the back, retrieved his electric motorcycle, opened the rear door, and set off.

Regarding the safety of his wife and daughter, he was confident Lucky could handle it. Unless they encountered an extraordinarily freakish mutated creature, there was nothing to worry about. He trusted that Zhang Tine and her sister wouldn't stir up any trouble; his judgment had always been solid.

The ride back to the original spot took half an hour. Along the way, Gu Ming dispatched some zombies that were stuck in cars—easy pickings. He didn't spot the two female survivors and wondered whether they had fled back to the thugs' hideout or somewhere else entirely.

If they had returned to the hideout, the thugs' allies would surely be on high alert. Not that Gu Ming couldn't handle them, but it would complicate matters. However, if they had fled elsewhere, he might be able to eliminate them before the thugs could regroup and prepare.

Gu Ming scanned his surroundings and noticed a small path beneath the highway. The tracks on the road suggested it led to the thugs' hideout.

He effortlessly hoisted his electric scooter down to the path and, once mounted, Gu Ming followed it to the base of a hill. He parked the scooter by the roadside, planning to ride it back upon his return.

Reaching the hilltop quickly, Gu Ming could see a small mountain village two kilometers away, nestled among fields of farmland.

He pulled out his binoculars for a closer look. There were no guards at the village entrance, just a clutter of cars and debris, likely a precaution against zombies invading at night.

Halfway down the path, Gu Ming detoured through the fields, cautious of encountering villagers.

He soon reached the outskirts of the village, where the houses were evenly spaced—a clear sign of a resettled new rural community.

Despite the barricades, Gu Ming easily climbed over them, undetected.

Stealthily advancing, he drew a silenced pistol—his weapon of choice against his own kind, as it proved effective for both combat and deterrence.

Approaching the village center, Gu Ming heard voices. He slipped into a house, finding the door unlocked and the interior empty. From a second-floor window, he observed many people laboring in the village square, overseen by armed guards.

The laborers appeared undernourished, their movements lethargic and sluggish. It looked like the thugs planned to encircle the village center with a wall—a prudent, if cruel, measure.

Gu Ming scrutinized the scene: only one overseer carried a gun; the rest were armed with knives and other weapons. The large building at the heart of the village was likely the village committee, potentially harboring more thugs. A nighttime strike would be ideal, but Gu Ming couldn't afford to wait—he had already lost precious time, and he was anxious about his parents' welfare back home.

Gu Ming decided to launch a swift assault. His physical condition had reached seven times that of an average person, and with a week's worth of training, he felt nearly on par with a seasoned soldier king. Handling a dozen or so ordinary thugs shouldn't pose any problem.

Creeping along the edge of the building, he was relieved to find no patrols in sight. Gu Ming quickly closed in on the lone armed thug, took aim with his pistol, and squeezed the trigger.

"Thwack—"

A headshot. The thug collapsed. Gu Ming surged forward, unleashing five shots before they could even register what was happening.

"Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack—"

Each bullet found its mark. The remaining thugs snapped to action—four charged at Gu Ming, while another screamed for help, attempting to flee into the building.

"We're under attack, help!"

Without hesitation, Gu Ming dispatched another with a single shot. His pistol now empty, he narrowly dodged an incoming fire axe with a sidestep. In one fluid motion, he sheathed the pistol and drew his Tang sword, the blade arcing through the air. With a swift chop, he severed the axe-wielder's head, which gruesomely tumbled to the ground.

Truth be told, even the most ruthless Doomsday thugs, accustomed to countless killings, had never witnessed such swift and emotionless slaughter. Gu Ming's demeanor was chillingly indifferent, as if he had merely squashed an ant.

"Who are you? Why are you killing people so recklessly?"

The three remaining thugs, visibly shaken by Gu Ming's ferocity, hesitated. One, brandishing a knife and sporting yellow-dyed hair, shrieked like a street punk.

"Hmph!"

Gu Ming, aware that more thugs lurked inside the building, spared no time for chatter.

With explosive force, he swiftly dispatched the three with his knife before they could react. Ignoring the fallen bodies and the bewildered laborers, he resheathed his sword, reloaded his pistol, and approached the building's entrance. Silence hung in the air as he cautiously stepped through the doorway.

"Drop dead!"

A large knife swung from the side, wielded by an ambusher who wasn't quick on his feet. Gu Ming easily sidestepped and fired without a second glance. At such close range, the man was practically begging for his end.

"Puff!"

...

In no time at all, Gu Ming had dealt with everyone in the building who was armed. And for those without weapons, a quick identification by the dozen or so women inside was all it took to pinpoint the culprits. Among the ringleaders was the brother of the one Gu Ming had eliminated on the highway. But delving into these people's histories held no appeal for him, and he promptly exited the building.

Gu Ming paid no mind to the remaining survivors, nor to the hopeful looks in their eyes. Inside the building, he had spotted an abundance of supplies, including a significant stockpile of food. The zombies in the village had been mostly eradicated by the thugs, ironically the only commendable act they had managed. But the idea of leading these women to a new life? He harbored no such interest.

Under their watchful eyes, Gu Ming departed the village. His wife and daughter were waiting, and he was intent on returning to them.