Chapter Fifteen: Strength Enhanced

Xie Han looked at the pitiable woman before him, amused. He truly couldn't fathom what was going through her mind—did she really think he would lose his temper over a simple meal? Perhaps someone who had endured over three years in the apocalypse might, but he had feasted on rich meats just yesterday. Why would he be upset over a bowl of plain rice, lacking even a hint of vegetables? Moreover, seeing the charred and half-raw rice in Qi Feiwu’s bowl, Xie Han found it hard to believe anyone could stomach such a thing.

Faced with the situation, Xie Han couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time. The sight of the burnt rice had already killed his appetite. He didn’t mind going hungry for one meal, so he simply declined, “Captain, I’m not hungry. Save the rice for Haiyang and the others instead.” Qi Feiwu, thinking Xie Han was still angry with her, grew even more anxious. She practically pressed the bowl to his lips, urging, “How can you not be hungry? We took your food last night. If you don’t eat something today, how will you have the strength to go on?”

Seeing her so flustered, Xie Han suddenly smiled and looked at her earnestly. “Do you know? Now you finally look like a real woman.” At his words, Qi Feiwu blushed a deep, enchanting red. She shot him a glare, set her bowl down, and said, “You... I’m not talking to you anymore.” With that, she turned and clambered down from the roof of the bus.

Xie Han burst into laughter and called out, “Feiwu, wait!” She hesitated, pausing mid-descent. “What is it?” Xie Han slipped his hand into his jacket, and under cover of the fabric, withdrew a can of Coca-Cola from his spatial storage, pressing it into her hand with a smile. “This is for you.”

Qi Feiwu stared blankly at the can in her hand, her face growing even redder. Whatever she was thinking, she didn’t utter a word of thanks. She hurriedly slipped the can into her pocket and scuttled down from the roof, disappearing into the bus without another word to anyone. Watching her retreat, Xie Han could only chuckle. In the apocalypse, a single can of Coke was perhaps more precious than a diamond necklace in the old world.

Not long after Qi Feiwu entered the minibus, her voice rang out, rallying the group. Everyone packed up their belongings and the team resumed its journey.

When Xie Han boarded the bus, Qi Feiwu tossed him a set of clothes she’d found somewhere, without saying a word, then quietly took the driver’s seat. She started up the minibus with practiced ease and drove on.

Only then did Xie Han remember his own clothes had long been ruined, soaked in black, putrid liquid, reeking unbearably. After removing his outer layer and putting on the clothes Qi Feiwu had given him, he settled next to Chu Tianhe and produced a pack of cigarettes, handing one each to Chu and Xu Qiang. The rest he tossed to the three elders. Thus, everyone in the bus—except Qi Feiwu and the three children—began to puff away, filling the cabin with a haze of white smoke.

Chu Tianhe swayed his head contentedly, sighing, “Three years—never have I felt so comfortable as today. Not only am I full, but I get to smoke such excellent cigarettes. This is bliss, true bliss…” He clapped Xie Han on the shoulder and said, “Brother, don’t take what just happened to heart. Let’s just say it was our fault. I, Chu Tianhe, apologize to you now.” With that, he clasped his fists and gave a deep bow.

Though Xie Han’s stomach did grumble, it wasn’t unbearable. Seeing a man like Chu Tianhe apologize so earnestly, how could he persist in holding a grudge? He patted Chu Tianhe’s shoulder lightly and replied, “No need to be so formal. We still have rice in the barrel. At worst, I’ll cook myself another pot later.” Chu Tianhe chuckled. In the apocalypse, going without water for days was nothing unusual. Seeing that Xie Han had let the matter go, Chu Tianhe was visibly relieved.

Xu Qiang, sitting nearby, suddenly remarked, “You’ve got some skill…” He must have noticed Xie Han’s ferocity. Few dared to engage zombies in close combat. The XR virus they carried meant that once a zombie got close, the risk of infection was high. One careless mistake could lead to a fate worse than death—a fate no survivor wished to contemplate. For this reason, unless absolutely necessary, no one willingly risked hand-to-hand combat with zombies.

Xie Han was well aware of these facts. But at the time, the situation had been desperately dire. With ammunition running low, close combat had been his only option. In hindsight, the thought terrified him. If possible, he resolved to avoid such fights in the future. Yet with the current shortage of ammo, what other way was there to fend off the undead?

The journey that followed was remarkably smooth. Occasionally, they saw a few zombies wandering the road, usually near the wrecks of abandoned cars—evidence that some had been infected while fleeing. When faced with small groups of zombies, conserving ammunition was paramount. They would simply drive through. If unlucky enough to encounter one blocking the road, the minibus’s impact at fifty kilometers per hour was more than enough to pulverize it.

Xie Han lay with his eyes closed, conversing with Zhou Ruomeng in his mind. From her information, he learned that his gene strength had increased by nearly half, reaching 975—a fact that filled him with excitement. Greater strength meant a higher chance of survival in this ruined world. Yet he still didn’t understand how gene strength was calculated.

When he voiced his question, Zhou Ruomeng covered her mouth with a light laugh. “Gene strength is measured in two ways. The first is proficiency in using your genetic powers—the more you use them, especially under intense conditions, the more familiar you become, and this familiarity is reflected in your gene strength. The second relates to killing zombies—defeating them provides a small increase. Of course, there is also an extreme method: unlocking your genetic potential.”

“What does it mean to unlock genetic potential?” Xie Han’s interest was piqued. If there was a way to quickly enhance his gene strength, his survival odds would soar. Zhou Ruomeng replied, “Genetic potential is similar to what you know as human potential, but it’s more advanced. Unlocking it is extremely dangerous and difficult—usually only possible when your life is on the line. Only then is there a chance for a breakthrough.”

At her explanation, Xie Han’s heart sank. So, unlocking genetic potential was a rare and unpredictable event, only likely when death was imminent. The very thought made him shudder. It was best if such a thing never happened to him.

Their journey continued smoothly, and by noon, they had already traveled two hundred and thirty kilometers, halfway to their destination.

After finding an open area to rest, everyone busied themselves with their assigned tasks. Xie Han had just settled on a roadside stone when Qi Feiwu approached, concern etched on her face. “Xie Han, the minibus is almost out of fuel. We’ve only got enough for about three more hours. We’ll have to find a gas station up ahead to refuel…”

But gas stations in the post-apocalypse were far from easy to access. Just an hour ago, they had passed one—dozens of cars jammed inside and even more zombies roaming about. If they weren’t so short on ammunition, Xie Han would have confidence in clearing them out, but their current supply was nowhere near enough to handle so many undead.

Xie Han frowned, sighing unconsciously. It looked like another grueling close-combat battle was unavoidable. He could only hope luck was still with them and that they would escape the encounter without infection.