C9 Another Change in the Mission!

After making use of everything available, Lee Kai and Zhu Ying followed Carlos and the group back to the vehicle. With the engine coming to life, they departed from the rest stop that had provided them with safety.

Zhu Ying glanced at Lee Kai from the back seat. "Need to rest?" she asked. After a moment's thought, Lee Kai nodded in agreement, placed the shotgun on his lap, leaned back, and reclined in the seat, drifting off into a light sleep. Zhu Ying watched him and allowed herself a small smile.

As time slowly ticked by, the car continued its relentless journey throughout the day, with Lee Kai sleeping soundly. He did not stir. Zhu Ying kept a watchful eye on the convoy, gathering bits of intelligence. "There aren't many with the ability to fight—mostly ordinary people. If things turn out like Lee Kai predicted, our task might be somewhat easier."

The sun had arced through the sky, and it was now well past one in the afternoon. The sunlight bathed the earth as it always had, but the world was different now—far fewer humans were left to breathe the air freely. It was a time of sorrow, a time of struggle.

The car came to a halt, and Lee Kai's eyes snapped open, clear and sharp, devoid of any post-sleep grogginess. Peering through the window at the expanse of yellow sand, he asked, "What's happened? Why have we stopped?"

"It looks like there's a hotel up ahead. They've gone to scout it out," Zhu Ying replied, turning to smile at the now-awake Lee Kai. He nodded and gestured to her; she understood and closed her eyes to rest.

The pair had agreed to alternate their rest periods. No matter the time or the intentions of those around them, it was essential that at least one of them remained alert. This was why Lee Kai had insisted on resting earlier, despite not feeling particularly fatigued.

Stepping out of the vehicle, shotgun slung over his shoulder, Lee Kai approached Koala, the guard leader inside the car. "Just two people went to check? Is that enough? Maybe I should offer some help?"

Koala turned to assess Lee Kai, ready to lend a hand. Realizing he was serious, she smiled and reassured him, "No need. L.J and Carlos are quite experienced. You can trust that there won't be any trouble." She then turned back to him and added, "If you can, keep an eye on Kate if danger arises. She's a bit on the timid side." With that, she gently caressed the cheek of the girl sitting next to her.

Lee Kai glanced over but remained silent. He shut the car door and walked to the front of the vehicle, gazing at the hotel in the distance. He waited until two figures emerged from the hotel entrance, signaling all was clear, before he returned to the car.

Entering the room, he spotted a sultry black woman tending to L.J.'s wounds. Narrowing his eyes subtly, he turned his attention to survey the surrounding area. He had taken Zhu Ying's gun with him when he exited the car. Even though they had confirmed the area was safe, Lee Kai preferred to err on the side of caution and remained alert.

He paced the room several times before he finally relaxed, stowing the gun away. Sitting on a guest room bed, he mused, "Regardless of whether that guy was hurt by zombies, I need to keep my distance for safety's sake."

"The mission hasn't given me any completion signals yet, so I need to stick with this group. But I suspect I'm not far from encountering the main character. If my hunch is correct, the platform won't allow me to idle. It relies on people to generate its profits. Seeking the main character? That's just a sign that danger is drawing nearer, and the longer it takes, the more vigilant I must be."

As the search continued and the sky grew dim, Kate entered and cautiously approached Lee Kai, who was still seated on the bed. "They're starting to distribute food outside. Aren't you going?" she asked. After thanking the shy girl with a nod, Lee Kai walked past her and out of the room.

Lee Kai left the hotel but didn't head for the food distribution. Instead, he made his way to the car, quietly got in, and closed the door behind him. Seated, he pondered why the War Platform had chosen him. He wasn't unfamiliar with this genre, having read a couple of novels, though his usual pastimes were resting and gaming. But he did have some insight into this world.

"Isn't it usually people who've died that end up in places like this? I just took a couple of steps towards my gaming cockpit and ended up here?"

"Mm," Zhu Ying opened her eyes, immediately aware of someone's presence as she came to. She looked over at Lee Kai, who seemed lost in thought, and gently nudged him, snapping him back to reality.

"You're awake. Here's your gun," she said, handing it back to him.

"Any leads on the mission?"

"None, which is why I'm convinced this is just a newbie dungeon. It's a handout for beginners. As long as we're cautious, there shouldn't be any issues. We just need to follow the steps to clear it, much like those trashy online games where you click on a quest and complete a dungeon," Lee Kai explained, turning to face Zhu Ying.

"It looks like we won't encounter any major problems tonight. Get a good night's rest. Since it's newbie-friendly, it shouldn't take up too much time. Two days should be enough for someone with average mental fortitude to come to terms with all of this. If all goes well, I reckon we'll be out of this world by tomorrow."

"I hope you're right. I need to take care of something. I'll be right back."

"Taking a bath? Do you think there's water for that?"

"Do you take me for a fool? If I said I was going to take a bath, do you really think these people would keep me on the guard team? I'm going to relieve myself," Zhu Ying shot Lee Kai a look and then stepped out of the car, leaving him feeling somewhat awkward.

...

The next morning, Lee Kai and Zhu Ying were jolted awake by a faint scream. They immediately focused on the source of the noise.

"Kate? What's wrong?" Zhu Ying inquired, following Kate's pointing finger to look outside. Lee Kai squinted his eyes and instinctively flicked his finger.

"Crows? Why are there so many?" Zhu Ying stared at the countless dark shapes outside, momentarily taken aback, then turned to Lee Kai with a puzzled expression. Lee Kai stopped the twitching in his finger and gently tugged at Zhu Ying.

Zhu Ying's mind flashed back to Lee Kai's words from the day before, "Since we're mentally prepared, the time to leave this world must be close." She glanced at Lee Kai, took out her gun, and cautiously stood ready.

Koala grabbed her walkie-talkie and spoke into it, "Carlos, do you see what's happening outside?"

"Yeah, I see it. I think it's best if we drive off first," came Carlos' voice from the walkie-talkie.

Lee Kai grabbed the shotgun from his lap with a click as he chambered a round.

"Be careful later. Stay in the car and don't get out," Lee Kai instructed Zhu Ying and Kate. Koala chimed in, "Exactly. Listen to him. If anything goes wrong, do not leave the car."

The next second, the distinctive cawing of crows filled the air. An onslaught of noises bombarded Lee Kai's ears, causing the hairs on his body to stand on end. His grip on the shotgun whitened his knuckles.

As the vehicle started, dust billowed around them, obscuring the view. Koala's driving was impressive; she skillfully navigated the car out despite the conditions. But no sooner had she pulled out than she slammed on the brakes, glanced in the rearview mirror, and wheeled the car back towards the hotel.

Lee Kai didn't need to ask why; he too saw the situation behind them. The dust kicked up by the tires was so thick that the bus had crashed into a wire fence.

Countless crows were frantically trying to invade the bus, but the wire mesh over the windows prevented their escape.

"Carlos, help them out!"

"OK, understood."

With the crackle of the walkie-talkie, both vehicles made a beeline back towards the hotel. Meanwhile, the bus was reversing, having sustained no damage from the collision with the wire fence—it was still drivable.

But in the chaos, someone flung open the bus door and bolted out. The herd mentality took over, and seeing one person flee, others followed suit, eager to escape the perilous scene.

"Don't let them get off the bus. Block them and shut the bus door. Carlos, rescue those who got out and get them into your car!" Lee Kai had seen everything, and Koala, not one to turn a blind eye, quickly grabbed the walkie-talkie to give orders.

She didn't want to prevent people from returning to the bus, but with so many still on board, it was risky to jeopardize everyone for a few individuals. Besides, assigning tasks this way allowed Carlos to facilitate the rescue more efficiently.

Lee Kai didn't really want to get out of the car. You could say he was being selfish, but isn't that normal? Not everyone is a hero, after all. Most people's thoughts are selfish throughout their lives; it's just that some don't bother others with it.

Main Task 2: Follow the convoy and safely locate the world's main character (Completed) Attribute Point +1

Special Reminder: Attribute points can enhance your personal attributes. Please proceed to the Attribute Strengthening Hall for enhancement.

Main Task 3: Eliminate Alice

Time Limit: 6 hours

Mission Reward: Attribute Point +5

Mission Punishment: None