Chapter Twelve: Winning Over

"This matter is far more complicated than we imagine. Once the zombies gather in great numbers, we won’t even be able to retrieve their bodies. How are we supposed to track the number of kills?" Yang Chunxi said with concern.

If they couldn’t even get the corpses, how could there be any deal?

"Zombie corpses? When I took down that group earlier, did you see me collect their bodies?" Lin Lei countered.

"Weren’t they just vaporized on the spot?" Yang Chunxi asked curiously.

Like everyone else, he thought Lin Lei’s weapon was simply too powerful, reducing the zombies to vapor.

That was the only explanation for why Lin Lei would need to offer supplies in exchange for zombie corpses. His equipment was so fierce that nothing remained after he struck, so there was no trophy to present for reward. Thus, he had to buy corpses from others.

"You’re overthinking it. The corpses weren’t vaporized—I have a special method to collect them. Once you sign the agreement with me, I can collect the zombies you kill from a distance, and I’ll ensure everyone’s kill count is accurate. But the agreement only lasts two days, so you’ll have to make it count," Lin Lei explained.

With Lin Lei’s promise, Yang Chunxi decided to aim for a big haul. The battle would still take place at the canyon, but he sent word back to change the plan from an ambush to a direct engagement.

As Yang Chunxi analyzed Lin Lei’s words, he grew even more convinced of the mysterious power behind Lin Lei. A simple agreement could have such effects—this was nothing short of supernatural. He decided it was crucial to maintain a good relationship.

Thus, Yang Xueli became the liaison between the two sides.

With Yang Chunxi, an experienced professional, leading the lure, Lin Lei stopped bothering with small zombie packs. After half a day in this world, he was starting to get hungry.

He found a large boulder, sat down, and took out a pack of instant noodles. Crushing them up, he sprinkled the seasoning and ate them dry.

"Want a pack? My treat," Lin Lei offered generously, handing Yang Xueli a packet.

It was the first time in twenty-six years he’d ever treated a girl to a meal—instant noodles, eaten dry at that.

"Host, you’re really stingy. If not French cuisine, at least some barbecue, grilled skewers, or hotpot! With this attitude, you’ll never get a girlfriend," the system mocked.

Lin Lei ignored the system, knowing it was just trying to get him to spend more. What was wrong with instant noodles? In this world, instant noodles were a luxury—one pack could be traded for a zombie corpse.

"Thank you," Yang Xueli accepted without hesitation.

Those who survived in this world had long shed any softness or luxury. To them, every morsel of food was precious—a guarantee of survival.

Anyone willing to share their food unconditionally, regardless of character, was someone worth trusting.

"My brother wants you to stay at Ox-Head Mountain. He says you can name your terms," Yang Xueli said, taking the noodles but not eating right away.

A packet of noodles for a piece of intelligence—quite a profitable trade.

Lin Lei looked at Yang Xueli thoughtfully. "Any terms? Including you?"

A blush crept across Yang Xueli’s cheeks as she lowered her head in silence.

In chaotic times, life was cheap—especially for women, who often had no choice but to seek the protection of someone powerful.

Yang Xueli was strong in her own right, and with Yang Chunxi as her backer, she could still live in relative safety. Yet, even she could see the danger: Ox-Head Mountain had shrunk from a refuge for nearly ten thousand to fewer than eight hundred, and the zombies around them were growing stronger. Even her brother, whom she admired, was powerless.

Yang Chunxi wasn’t joking—if they had Lin Lei’s equipment, or support from the forces behind him, Ox-Head Mountain could rise again.

But they were too poor. What could entice Lin Lei to stay?

After much thought, only Yang Xueli herself came to mind.

To put it bluntly, to save Ox-Head Mountain, they were willing to pay any price.

"Enough. I’m kidding. I have my own mission and can only stay two or three days. Instead of trying to make me stay, you should make the most of this deal and gain as much as possible," Lin Lei said. He wasn’t a fool—her expression made everything clear.

He had no interest in political marriages, and he was just a traveler here; he couldn’t remain in this world.

Having seen plenty of disaster films, he knew there was darkness and ugliness everywhere in the apocalypse.

It was rare for a place like Ox-Head Mountain to still have some order. If he could help, he was willing—but as a captive husband? Best forgotten.

Spending eighty-eight contribution points a day just to chase a girl—he wasn’t nearly that extravagant.

On a small rise, Yang Chunxi scanned the zombie horde’s movements through binoculars.

The vanguard was less than a kilometer away, and behind it stretched a mass of zombies so dense the end couldn’t be seen.

No one knew exactly why zombies gathered and surged in waves, moving in one direction. The leading theory was that they possessed a special communication network; once enough gathered, the network would receive a unique signal, directing them toward its source.

The more zombies, the clearer their path; fewer zombies wandered aimlessly, the signal too faint to guide them.

Haifeng City didn’t have many zombies, but its central location on the continent meant waves of the undead regularly passed through.

Each time, some zombies would fall behind and linger in the city until, eventually, they joined another wave and moved on.

The survivors here were like janitors—after finally clearing one area, stray zombies would reappear in small groups a few days later.

Since it was impossible to kill them all, they could only hide.

This time, Yang Chunxi didn’t hide; instead, he lured the horde. Perhaps it was a sense of contract, or maybe just the drive for wealth.

"Everyone, spread out in a line, keep a hundred meters apart, and open fire on the horde. Remember: maintain a safe distance. If you’re surrounded, no one can save you!" Yang Chunxi ordered.

More than twenty people formed a line, each spaced a hundred meters apart—stretching the front to over two kilometers, forming an invisible net that caught most of the zombies.

Gunfire rang out in measured rhythm. The horde, previously meandering, grew agitated.

A zombie was shot in the head and, without even falling, vanished into thin air. The shooter paused, then understood. "So this is the power of the contract? Hard to believe!"

"Damn it! The plan’s flawed—without corpses piling up, the zombies are moving faster than expected! Contract the line and fall back to the canyon!" Yang Chunxi, at the center, realized the problem and ordered a retreat.

With the zombies vanishing instantly, there were no bodies to slow the horde, making his luring strategy less effective. Fortunately, the line was long enough; though there was no time to lure the main force, the four or five thousand leading zombies would not escape.