Chapter 35: The Woman Calling for Help

Whoosh!

Ye Nan swung the Lightning Sword, slashing out with a single strike.

The Level 2 zombie crossed its arms to block the blow. While it must be said that its defensive power was indeed much stronger than that of a Level 1 zombie, it still could not withstand Ye Nan's blade.

Puchi!

The Level 2 zombie's arms were nearly severed by Ye Nan, a testament to the ferocity of the strike.

Roar!

The Level 2 zombie was thoroughly infuriated by Ye Nan. This time, it took the initiative, swinging its massive arms to smash down at him. Had that blow landed, even with Ye Nan’s current physical constitution, he would have undoubtedly been severely injured.

However, Ye Nan’s reflexes were lightning-fast. Almost the instant the zombie’s attack descended, he dodged, his swift figure moving like a bolt of lightning and leaving an afterimage behind.

Swish!

Channeling all his strength into the Lightning Sword, Ye Nan leaped high into the air and, gripping the hilt with both hands, brought it down with a savage slash.

The power behind this full-force strike was terrifying; it sheared off the Level 2 zombie's arms and sent them crashing to the ground. Deprived of its limbs, the zombie’s combat effectiveness plummeted, and it was no match for Ye Nan. A few more strikes severed its head, and he took the crystal core from within.

For some reason, he felt this core was a bit different from the others. He didn't dwell on it too much, though; once absorbed, his strength would surely improve further.

You Dehai gave a thumbs-up and laughed heartily, "Brother Ye, you’ve made progress again in just a day."

Su Tao also praised him, "As expected of the man I chose; simply amazing."

You Dehai looked at Su Tao and asked, "And this is...?"

"She is my girlfriend, Su Tao." After introducing her, Ye Nan introduced You Dehai and his family of three to her.

You Dehai remarked, "Only an ability user like Brother Ye could find such a beautiful girlfriend as Miss Su."

Ye Nan replied cheerfully, "Of course. Brother You, I brought you some cooked food this time; see if you like it."

"Brother Ye, you’re too kind. It’s enough that you came; why bring food?" Though he said this, You Dehai was quite expectant.

Ye Nan had You Wen help him carry the large box out from the car. It was packed with cooked food in takeaway containers, looking appetizing enough to make one’s mouth water. The repair shop had a refrigerator and a generator, so even with power outages, the food wouldn't spoil. Ye Nan had brought a whole box so they could eat their fill.

"My goodness, is this the braised intestines from Donglin Grand Hotel? Are they still in business?" Wu Fangfang asked in surprise.

Ye Nan explained, "I went to the supermarket and grabbed some frozen intestines, then had the shop’s two chefs prepare them."

Wu Fangfang said, "So that’s it. It seems I’m in for a treat."

You Dehai sighed, "I feel bad constantly taking advantage of Brother Ye."

Ye Nan replied, "What are you talking about? You helped me a lot in the past; it’s only right that I return the favor."

You Dehai said, "Brother Ye, the Doomsday Tank is more than halfway finished. It’ll be completely done in a few days. Let me take you to see it."

"Alright." Ye Nan nodded and said to Su Tao, "Come on, Peach, let me show you my Doomsday Tank. I guarantee you’ll be surprised."

Su Tao grew interested and smiled, "I’m looking forward to it."

When she saw the modified heavy-duty RV, Su Tao was indeed stunned. The explosive lines and the menacing appearance gave off an intense sense of impact. She fell in love with the vehicle immediately, exclaiming with delight, "Oh my god! If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe an RV could be modified like this. It’s like a war machine; it’s so extravagant!"

"Come on, let’s go up and take a look," Ye Nan beckoned.

Compared to the last time, the modifications were more refined, and the interior was even more luxurious, featuring leather sofas and a Simmons mattress. One could imagine that living inside would be incredibly comfortable.

Su Tao lay down on the large bed, looking intoxicated. "It’s so comfortable; I don't want to get up once I lie down."

Ye Nan smirked, "Soft beds have their perks. Once this RV is finished, we can do 'that' inside... hehe, it’ll definitely be interesting."

Seeing Ye Nan’s wicked smile, Su Tao quickly caught his drift. Her face flushed a light red, and she retorted, "You’re always finding ways to take advantage of me. You’re such a nuisance."

"But do you like it?" Ye Nan kissed her on the cheek.

"I do," Su Tao murmured, looking down in shyness.

Seeing her shy yet indignant expression, Ye Nan felt a surge of desire. He pinned her down, his hands becoming restless as they wandered over her gorgeous physique, currently clad in yoga wear.

"No, let me go," Su Tao pouted playfully.

"I won't," Ye Nan replied.

Su Tao, teased to the point of no return, began to lose herself in the moment. Just as the atmosphere inside the vehicle was about to reach its peak, Wu Fangfang’s anxious voice drifted in from outside.

"Little Ye, there’s trouble outside! That big zombie from earlier smashed the gate, and quite a few others are rushing in. The gate is about to collapse!"

Hearing Wu Fangfang, Su Tao snapped back to reality and hurriedly pushed Ye Nan away. Knowing the situation was urgent, Ye Nan didn't tease her further. He stepped out of the vehicle and told Wu Fangfang, "Don't worry, Sister Fang, I’ll go check it out."

Arriving at the gate, You Dehai and You Wen were trying to clear the zombies, but as ordinary people, they were struggling.

Ye Nan stepped forward, "Let me handle this."

"Alright," You Dehai said, as he and his son stepped back to make room for him.

Ye Nan summoned the Lightning Sword. With every swing, a zombie was sliced in two. In just a few moments, he had eliminated all the zombies that had broken through.

You Dehai praised, "Brother Ye, you really are something."

Ye Nan said, "Let’s reinforce the gate and install wire fencing around the factory perimeter to prevent them from getting in again."

"Good idea. I’ll go bring over a few more cars to block the gaps later; that will add an extra layer of security," You Dehai agreed.

The three of them set to work. By noon, they had finished reinforcing the entire repair shop. Even Level 1 zombies wouldn't be able to break in, and as long as they didn't encounter another Level 2, they could rest easy.

At noon, they heated up the food Ye Nan had brought for a grand meal. The chefs’ skills were excellent, and everyone praised the food as they ate. Thinking about being able to enjoy such meals in the future, everyone was in high spirits.

After lunch, Ye Nan asked You Dehai, "Brother You, do you know if there’s a gas station nearby?"

"A gas station?" You Dehai was taken aback.

"Yes. My fuel consumption is quite high, and since we’ll need power once the grid goes down, I’ll need even more. I can siphon gas from cars, but that won't last long, so I want to prepare early."

"I see. There is a gas station nearby, not far from here. You can check it out." You Dehai gave him the address.

"Alright, thank you." Ye Nan thanked him and got into the Hummer with Su Tao.

The trip was uneventful, and they soon arrived at the gas station. Ye Nan checked it carefully; there was plenty of fuel left, enough to last him a long time.

Just as he was about to start, a woman came running from the distance, followed by several men. She was quite pretty, dressed in an office lady’s professional attire—a white shirt with the top two buttons undone, revealing a fair and proud cleavage, paired with a tight skirt and black silk stockings, adding a unique charm.

The woman looked panicked, running while shouting, "Help! Someone save me!"

The group of men followed, their leader shouting, "Stop right there!"

The woman quickly reached Ye Nan’s side and said anxiously, "Sir, can you please save me? I’ll do anything!"

Ye Nan asked, "Anything at all?"

"Yes! Please, they aren't good people. They’ve been holding me prisoner, beating and scolding me. I barely managed to escape, and I really don't want to go back." She tugged her collar down slightly, making her cleavage even more prominent.

The leader of the group of men spoke up, "Kid, are you trying to stick your nose into my business?"

Ye Nan shook his head, "Sorry, do whatever you want. I have no connection to this woman."

Both the woman and the men were surprised, clearly not expecting such a reaction from Ye Nan.

Su Tao whispered, "You're an ability user anyway, why not just save her?"

"I’m going to teach you a lesson today: don't meddle in things you shouldn't," Ye Nan said, appearing indifferent and showing no intention of intervening.

The woman pleaded, "Sir, please, save me!" She moved closer to Ye Nan, even rubbing her chest against his arm.

But at that moment, she pulled a short dagger from her sleeve and lunged at Ye Nan’s chest with extreme speed.

Ye Nan, as if he had expected it all along, used two fingers to effortlessly pinch the blade.

"You!" The woman was stunned. This man was powerful. She realized she had miscalculated and tried to retreat, but it was too late.

Ye Nan kicked her away. She flew back and slammed into the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood; it was clear she wouldn't survive.

The leader’s expression changed, and he asked in surprise, "Kid, how did you figure it out?"

Ye Nan snorted coldly, "She said she was being held prisoner, beaten and scolded, but she doesn't have a single wound, and her mental state is excellent. She doesn't look like someone who hasn't been fed. So, she’s obviously in league with you, trying to pull a fast one on me. Too bad you picked the wrong person."

Su Tao finally realized what was happening, her face burning with shame. She had actually asked Ye Nan to save the woman, nearly falling into their trap. She realized that in the apocalypse, one really needed to be extra cautious. If Ye Nan hadn't been an ability user, he might have been hit by that strike.

Close, that was close. Su Tao patted her chest, feeling a lingering fear.

The leader said, "Kid, since you’ve figured it out, we’ll stop pretending. You killed my woman—tell me, how are you going to compensate me?"

"Oh?" Ye Nan found it amusing. "Why don't you tell me how I should compensate you?"

The man pointed at Su Tao and said, "Give me your woman, and I might spare your life. Otherwise, heh heh!"

"Otherwise what?" Ye Nan asked.

"Otherwise, I’ll crush your bones one by one!"

"Fine. If that’s how you want to die, I’ll grant your wish." Ye Nan lunged forward, grabbed the man, and squeezed his hand hard.

Crack!

"Ahhhhh!" A blood-curdling scream echoed, enough to make anyone’s skin crawl.

Ye Nan grabbed the man’s other hand and squeezed again.

"Ahhhh!" The man screamed, cold sweat pouring down his face.

"Save the boss!"

"Everyone, attack! Kill this kid and take his woman!"

Several thugs rushed forward, swinging steel pipes and iron rods at Ye Nan.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The next moment, they were all sent flying, coughing up blood. A Level 2 ability user was not someone these ordinary people could handle.

"Boss, we were wrong! Spare us!"

"We won't do it again, please let us go!"

"Have mercy!"

These people realized they were no match for the powerful Ye Nan and knelt to beg, hoping for a chance at survival.

Ye Nan asked, "Where is your base?"

One of the thugs replied, "At a nearby generator factory."

Ye Nan jolted, asking eagerly, "Are there many generators inside?"

"Yes, diesel, gasoline, even solar-powered ones," the thug said.

"Well, well. Talk about luck—it was right under my nose," Ye Nan thought, delighted. He dragged the thug into a corner and whispered, "What’s the address?"

"103 Tianhe Road," the thug answered quickly.

"Is anyone else there? Any ambushes?"

"No."

"Are you lying to me?"

The thug said bitterly, "In this situation, how could I dare?"

"How many people have you scammed with this trick?"

The thug hesitated for a moment before admitting, "Over twenty. We got a lot of food that way. The boss saw your woman and the Hummer and got greedy."

"So, over twenty lives. Fine, since you’ve done nothing but evil, go to hell." Ye Nan pierced the thug’s heart with his sword.

Ye Nan then walked over to the rest, shouting sternly, "That man tried to lie to me, so I killed him. I hope none of you lie to me, or you’ll face the consequences."

He dragged another thug into the corner and asked the same questions; the answers matched. It seemed the first man hadn't lied. He did the same with a third thug, and the result was the same.

Satisfied, Ye Nan said haughtily, "Those who kill should be prepared to be killed. When you decided to mess with me, you should have been ready for the consequences."

Without mercy, Ye Nan killed them all, then began to collect the fuel. The tanks were buried underground. Finding the siphoning process too slow, he decided to use his ability to break open the ground and move the tanks directly into his Lightning Tower for better efficiency.