C8 Main Task Changed!

The next morning, the sun had already climbed high in the sky. Lee Kai sat on the ground, his hand idly sliding back and forth across the dirt. His other arm propped up his thigh, his fist supporting his chin as he gazed at Zhu Ying, who was still deep in slumber.

"Ah!" Zhu Ying finally stirred, her first words upon waking were, "Auntie Wang, why didn't you wake me up today?" She stretched languidly, her eyes scanning her surroundings in a sleepy haze. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, her mind snapped into clarity, and she took in her surroundings with renewed focus.

She caught sight of Lee Kai seated on the ground, an embarrassed expression crossing her face. Noticing that Lee Kai seemed to be lost in thought, she called out, "Hey! What are you doing?"

"Nothing much. Did you sleep well?"

"I slept fine. You were just..."

"It's about six in the morning. The sun hasn't been up for long, so we have a few hours left before we leave this world. Do you think we should head out?" Lee Kai asked directly.

Zhu Ying shook her head. "I think it's best we don't venture out. It's safer, right? I believe we should safely navigate our first world, get a lay of the land before we can better ensure our survival, don't you think?"

Lee Kai offered no response, instead sitting motionless as if he were a statue. Zhu Ying, seeing that he remained silent, decided to let the matter rest. The rest stop lapsed back into silence.

...

Roughly an hour later, the distinctive sound of a car engine broke the quiet. The two, previously idle, sprang into action like birds startled by an arrow. Zhu Ying gripped her pistol, crouching slightly behind the counter. Lee Kai, meanwhile, clutched his shotgun, not bothering to load it as he cautiously approached the door, peering through the crack to survey the outside.

"Oh? Other survivors? It looks like there might not be too much danger, but we still need to be careful. We're close to completing the main task, and it's crucial that nothing goes awry now." But a second later, Lee Kai tensed up.

"If I don't think about it, there's no problem. But the moment it crosses my mind, trouble arises."

He glanced at the Task Pane, a touch of frustration evident in his demeanor. He had been ready to leave this place, but now it seemed that was no longer an option. Why did things have to go awry now?

Main Task: Survive 24 hours (Completed)

Main Task 2: Safely follow the caravan to locate the world's main character.

Mission Reward: +1 attribute point

Mission Failure: Elimination

Lee Kai glanced back at Zhu Ying, who was behind the bar. She stood up, holstering her revolver. "Looks like we won't be needing to fight after all. Our mission is simply to accompany this group, isn't it?" she remarked.

"Yeah," Lee Kai agreed, though neither of them seemed eager to step outside and greet the newcomers. The people outside were keeping a close eye on them from a short distance.

"Up ahead, there's a rest stop. I checked the area earlier; aside from two deceased zombies, there was also a naked corpse with its head severed. Judging by the body's condition, it wasn't a zombie before death."

"So, you're suggesting that the rest stop ahead might be dangerous?"

"Exactly, it's quite possible."

"Well, we have no choice but to check it out. We've got a lot of people in the car and we need supplies. Let's just be cautious." After a brief discussion, four individuals drove over in a car.

Watching them disembark, Lee Kai pondered for a moment before turning away from the entrance. He approached Zhu Ying and said, "I think there's something off about this mission, and even the one before it."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"Even though we've only just joined this platform, I believe that if it were this straightforward, anyone with a cool head could make it through safely. Think about it, there wasn't any real danger before, right?"

"So what are you getting at?"

"There are two possibilities. The first is that the missions are progressively intensifying. Initially, they're designed to help us get acquainted with the world, then they gradually become more challenging until we achieve the platform's ultimate goal. The second possibility is that this world exists solely for the reward, kind of like a beginner's tutorial in a game—easy to pass with a small prize to give you a taste of what the platform is all about. The next world, however, is where the real danger begins. Does my reasoning sound plausible to you?" Lee Kai looked intently at Zhu Ying.

"You make a valid point, but could you clarify?" Zhu Ying asked with a hint of curiosity.

"It's blocked inside. We've checked all around; every exit is sealed. It looks like there are people who have managed to survive in there," L.J. reported in a hushed tone after completing a circuit and joining Carlos.

Despite previous speculations, finding that two people had survived in this place was quite fortunate. Carlos approached the door and gently knocked a few times, calling out, "Hello, is anyone there?"

There was no response. After a few seconds, he knocked again, "Anyone?"

"Who are you?" came a man's voice from inside.

"We're part of a guard unit looking to gather more survivors," Carlos explained to his companions with a glance.

"Guards? Where did this guard unit come from?"

"We organized ourselves with the goal of surviving longer," Carlos replied calmly, showing no sign of impatience.

Silence fell over the rest stop, suggesting those inside were pondering their next move. After a few minutes, the sound of objects being moved could be heard. Then, with a creak, the door was pulled open from the inside, and a man appeared before Carlos and his group. "Come in, there are no zombies here," he said, and Lee Kai stepped inside.

Carlos and the others entered, surveying the area with concern. The presence of two survivors likely meant a scarcity of supplies.

Unlike Lee Kai, who was accustomed to interacting with others, Zhu Ying could read the expressions of Carlos's companions. After a brief reflection, she addressed the unspoken concerns, "We only arrived here yesterday and have done a cursory search of the room. You're welcome to take another look." She then turned to Carlos, "Judging by the current situation, we might be able to survive a bit longer, right?"

"Haha, it seems so. Where are you folks from, and what brings you here?"

"Do we have to answer that? It's not exactly a pleasant story. Just know that we're not zombies. Do you need to check us for wounds, or do we not meet your guard unit's criteria?" Zhu Ying asked, shaking her head.

"Oh, my apologies, I was just curious. No offense intended. And no need for an examination. Why don't you come with us when we leave? Staying here, you won't last much longer. With us, at least, you'll have a better chance of survival," Carlos offered, his tone laced with regret. After all, in these times, who didn't carry a burden of sorrowful memories? He realized he might have been too forward.

Suddenly, a clattering noise erupted from the room. The group exchanged glances, each swiftly grabbing their weapons. Lee Kai moved quickly toward the sound, shotgun at the ready.

"Hey, hey, come check this out! Guess what I found?" L.J.'s voice echoed from within. At the sound of his voice, the tension eased among them. The tone suggested good news; if they had encountered zombies, speaking would have been a luxury.

They entered the room with a newfound lightness in their step and saw L.J. pushing aside a sizable double bed, revealing a modestly sized hole beneath it, filled with an abundance of food.

"Huh? There's food hidden here?" Zhu Ying exclaimed in astonishment. L.J. glanced at her, her beauty and level one physique making her the epitome of an ideal partner. He chuckled and explained, "I noticed some tracks around the bed and decided to investigate. Looks like our luck is holding up."

"It must have been one of those two zombies," Lee Kai mused, presenting a theory that quickly gained consensus. "Probably thought that even in death, he shouldn't let anyone else benefit, so he hid the food." Everyone nodded, understanding that not everyone is altruistic.

"Let's get this food to the car. Once we've cleared this place out, we need to head to our next destination," Carlos instructed. The others sprang into action.

Carlos watched as Lee Kai and Zhu Ying joined in to help and gave L.J., who had just risen to his feet, an appreciative nod. L.J. grinned playfully and, as he walked out, turned to Zhu Ying following behind him. "Hey, beauty, could you tell me what's up with the dead guy outside? His head's been chopped off. It's quite gruesome."

"Oh, that guy? He was with us initially, but last night he tried to make a move on me, so we took him out. To prevent him from turning into a zombie, we decapitated him," Zhu Ying explained nonchalantly.

L.J.'s face registered surprise at her straightforward recounting of events. "This lady is clearly not one to be trifled with."