C3 The Combat Skills Were All Fake!

After finishing his thought, he addressed Lee Kai again, "Do you really not know? That can't be right. Such a popular movie can't have gone unseen by everyone. Even if you haven't seen it, you should have at least heard of it."

"I'm starting to think that our Earths are not the same. In my world, we're familiar with the concept of evolution, but I don't recall ever hearing about this movie. Maybe I'm just out of the loop?" Lee Kai pondered for a moment before turning to Zhu Ying. "Have you ever heard of this movie?"

Zhu Ying looked at Lee Kai, puzzled. "Why is he asking me if I've heard of it? How does he know that I'm also unaware of this world's information? Could it be that..."

"You recognize me? So, does that mean you're from the same world as I am? Then why did you act like you didn't know me before?" Zhu Ying fired off several questions, but Lee Kai remained silent.

Zhu Ying met Lee Kai's gaze and managed to settle her agitated emotions. "I've never heard of such a movie either. The Alliance Headquarters never allows any films to include scenes of individual experiments. It seems like the concept of biochemistry is absent from our world, except in games."

"Is your world that tightly controlled?" Lee Chao asked, still processing Zhu Ying's statement.

"Could you tell me more about the plot of this movie?" Lee Kai inquired, turning to Lee Chao, who nodded in agreement, though he had no intention of disclosing everything he knew.

After Lee Chao recounted the movie's plot, Lee Kai nodded in understanding and then resumed his journey into the distance. Regardless of his knowledge about the movie's content, he needed to find shelter and, ideally, a weapon for self-defense. Lee Chao's narrative had made it clear that the weapons in this world differed from those in his own.

"Are they still using traditional gunpowder weapons? They must be different from the energy weapons in my world. But it's not a big deal. After all, my world has only been in the energy era for just over a century. I've even encountered such weapons in holographic games before." Lee Kai didn't dwell on the matter. His extensive gaming experience gave him a robust capacity to adapt to most situations.

Lee Chao chose not to divulge certain details, and Lee Kai didn't press the issue. People are inherently selfish; if someone withholds information, it often means there's a benefit to be gained. Besides, probing further would likely yield nothing but lies. It's better not to listen to such falsehoods, as they can cloud one's judgment.

Unaware of the drama unfolding behind him, Lee Kai continued on his path. Lee Chao's gaze flickered with emotion. Zhu Ying had warmed up to Lee Kai once she discovered they hailed from the same world. It was natural for her to feel a kinship, especially under such perilous circumstances.

Yet Lee Chao, who had harbored negative feelings toward Zhu Ying from the start, couldn't tolerate being ignored. He believed that since he had rescued her, she should be obedient to him. Her current behavior was, in his eyes, akin to betrayal. It might not be as severe as infidelity, but it felt similar in nature.

"No, this man has to die. If not, the beautiful woman beside him will never be mine," Lee Chao thought, unaware that fear was gnawing at his own heart. Despite knowing the upcoming plot twists, he lacked confidence in his survival.

The 24-hour ordeal had him on edge, but his anxiety had been masked by his lustful intentions toward Zhu Ying. If things had continued as they were, perhaps he could have remained fearless. However, Zhu Ying's sudden change in attitude sparked a crisis within him, leading to worry and confusion. The panic he had been suppressing was now threatening to burst forth.

Meanwhile, Lee Kai remained oblivious to the tension behind him. After another two hours of travel, he glanced up at the sky. "The sun's descent is just as I predicted, maybe even slower. This means the daylight will last even longer."

He found a spacious area to rest in the fields. Despite the physical toll of his journey, he knew he couldn't afford to let exhaustion overtake him in his search for safety.

Zhu Ying was also exhausted. Her shoes, though not high heels, were still impractical for the situation, having been chosen for a dressing room rather than rugged terrain. As she approached Lee Kai, about to speak, she was abruptly yanked away by Lee Chao. His forceful grip on her wrist caused her pain, and she frowned in discomfort.

Zhu Ying merely glanced at Lee Chao's face without uttering a word. Instead, she offered him a smile and then sat down to rest. Lee Chao was quite pleased with Zhu Ying's actions, though he couldn't help casting an annoyed look at Lee Kai, who was nearby.

Lee Kai noticed their exchange. "Hostility? But why?" He wasn't far off, and his vision was clear enough to catch the unusual glint in Lee Chao's eyes and his stern demeanor.

Sensing animosity, Lee Kai became cautious, his gaze shifting away from Zhu Ying. He had noticed her slightly agitated hands, always seemingly trying to take advantage of her, yet Zhu Ying deftly avoided it every time as if oblivious.

"You're really letting your desires cloud your judgment. You're just a regular guy. Do you really think you can take advantage of a star like Zhu Ying? Even now, when she's alone, she's savvy enough to have her own means of escape," Lee Kai mused. He had never underestimated her; after all, she had risen to stardom as a child actor and became a top-tier celebrity at twenty-one without a hint of scandal. She either had a powerful patron behind her or was adept at managing her relationships so cleanly that no one could spot any flaws.

Regardless of the case, Zhu Ying was certainly no pushover, which is why Lee Kai never entertained the idea of approaching her. After resting for a bit longer, he got up and continued on his way, paying no mind to the bickering duo behind him.

"Why should we follow him? You and I are safe together. This place is open, with no sign of zombies. We could just stay here for 24 hours and then leave. Why bother following that guy around?" Lee Chao complained to Zhu Ying with a look of dissatisfaction.

"Don't be upset. I know you're right, but I feel it's safer to stick together with more people. Besides, is there really any place that's completely safe in this world? If we follow him, we might even have a decoy in dangerous times, right?" Zhu Ying cajoled.

Pleased by Zhu Ying's charm, Lee Chao found her reasoning sound. After a moment's thought, he nodded in agreement with her suggestion.

Twenty minutes flew by, and the trio halted their steps, eyeing two zombies a short distance ahead. Lee Kai was motionless, having taken cover behind a sandbag upon spotting the undead. The shambling zombies remained oblivious to his presence.

"Is that a rest stop on the highway?" he mused, looking at the modestly-sized building.

"It must be. If so, it looks like we're only dealing with these two zombies. If we take them out, we'll have a safe place to rest tonight, and we might even find some food," Lee Chao chimed in, momentarily setting aside his concerns about Lee Kai's earlier threats.

He certainly wouldn't object to improving their situation, but he couldn't shake off the tremors in his body. With barely any fighting experience, the prospect of facing the zombies head-on filled him with dread. The fear hadn't been as acute during their escape, but now, as they contemplated engaging the zombies, his nerves were on edge.

Lee Kai was feeling the pressure too. Despite his regular workouts and the countless combat tutorials he had downloaded from the internet, he knew the true art of combat wasn't something one could simply find online. So, while his physical condition had improved, he hadn't mastered any genuine combat skills.

Yet, Lee Kai wasn't entirely lacking in fighting ability. The holographic game had provided more than just a means to repay a debt; it was a space to expand his mind, learn new skills, and hone his techniques. While other game studio members would sleep soundly after logging off, he would practice the moves he learned in-game. He wasn't as skilled as his virtual self, but he still had a decent level of combat prowess.

He had scrapped with street thugs before, and despite ending up with bruises, he had managed to take down nearly ten of them. The real issue now was that he had never taken a life, especially not that of a zombie.

"We need to come up with a plan. If we can avoid a fight, that would be ideal," Lee Kai concluded, reflecting on his limited abilities. He resolved to outsmart the zombies rather than engage them directly.

Lee Chao wholeheartedly agreed with Lee Kai's sentiment. The last thing he wanted was a confrontation with the zombies, convinced that doing so would likely result in a 90% chance of a fatal encounter. Hearing Lee Kai's strategic approach, he recognized the wisdom in choosing brains over brawn.

The trio deliberated on how to eliminate the two zombies without resorting to physical combat. Despite their lengthy discussion, they couldn't devise a viable plan. They were surrounded by an expansive desert, offering no suitable location for setting traps. Moreover, they lacked the necessary tools to construct any form of trap.