[Uchiha Bubble Milk Tea]: Blind person, you discovered the highlight.
"...Maybe?" Coach Wang suddenly felt unsure, looking at Zhou Yuan with suspicion. He then asked, "How do you know?"
"I've been surfing the internet for over ten years, is there anything in this world that I don't know?" Zhou Yuan's eyes deepened, three parts cold pride, three parts disdain.
"What's the third highest mountain in the world?" Coach Wang sneered, deciding to test him.
"Kanchenjunga," Zhou Yuan said proudly.
"What color are my underwear today?" Coach Wang hummed and asked another question.
"You've got eight legs, what kind of underwear do you wear?" Zhou Yuan frowned as he realized something wasn't right. He didn't expect Coach Wang, with his bold eyebrows and big eyes, to go out without wearing underwear!
"..."
Coach Wang was left speechless, about to say something, but stopped. The conversation ended there.
Lin Yebai glanced over, and indeed noticed that Coach Wang wasn't wearing pants, but quickly turned his gaze away. Realizing he had been a bit rude, Lin Yebai frowned slightly. Fortunately, no one had noticed this moment.
"Lin, let's go out and look for some food today," Zhou Yuan said, holding his growling stomach.
"Okay." Lin Yebai was also thinking of going out to explore.
"I still have instant noodles at home, I'll get them now. You guys eat first before heading out." Coach Wang scuttled quickly with his eight spider legs, bringing a bag of instant noodles, five packs in total, with a bowl for noodles.
"I don't really feel like eating this right now," Coach Wang added, bringing a few eggs along with it.
"I got it, next time, the corpse is still yours," Zhou Yuan said, his sharp eyes noticing more spider cocoons in Coach Wang's room.
"Not for direct consumption. The silk can absorb nutrients, like growing flowers," Coach Wang explained. His main skills involved spinning webs to trap people and heavy punches. Relying on his advantage of terrain, he could launch sneak attacks to avoid being killed by others of his kind.
But luck wasn't something that could be relied on forever. Eventually, he'd be killed by his own kind.
Fortunately, Lin Yebai showed up.
Coach Wang had been fortunate to survive and was happy to be on good terms with a powerful figure. He had quietly laughed under the covers after finishing last night's work, and now a foolish grin remained on his muscular face.
The instant noodles weren't opened yet, Zhou Yuan carefully inspected the ingredients before boiling them. There was some ham about to expire at home, and with two golden fried eggs, a simple but tasty breakfast was ready!
Lin Yebai knocked on Coach Wang's door and asked, "Can the fangs be removed?"
"Of course, Lin, if you want them, I'll take them off right now!" Coach Wang's tone was respectful yet warm, with a hint of excitement, ready to spring into action like a spring ballet.
Zhou Yuan, who was about to present the instant noodles, suddenly felt a sense of crisis. To his surprise, Coach Wang, who looked so innocent with his big eyes, was actually starting to lick up to Lin Yebai!
"I'm a hopeless gamer with ten and a half years of practice, skilled in instant noodles, fried rice, and ordering takeout," Zhou Yuan added.
"Lin, try my cooking!" Zhou Yuan placed the noodles on the table and handed him a pair of chopsticks, already planning to go out and grab some chicken, duck, or ribs to nourish Lin Yebai.
"Not bad," Lin Yebai said, giving his first approval of instant noodles.
Zhou Yuan's face lit up with joy, and when they were heading out, he grabbed a kitchen knife, asking eagerly, "Lin, I also want to learn knife skills. I've only ever cut ham before, do you think I still have a chance?"
"Sure."
"A kitchen knife enough? Should I bring a boning knife? A folding knife? Nunchucks?"
"Lin, your fangs are ready!" Coach Wang, pushing Zhou Yuan aside, proudly presented the sharp fangs he had taken from the Fang Beast. They had been washed clean and neatly arranged, ready to be offered to Lin Yebai.
"Good."
These fangs made for great hidden weapons, and Lin Yebai accepted them, keeping them on him at all times.
Coach Wang shut the door and joined them as they went out.
The convenience store outside the neighborhood had been emptied, and Zhou Yuan decided to go to the big supermarket. Most of the buildings were still intact, but the roads were stained with dried blood and scattered limbs, flies buzzing and rats scurrying everywhere.
Not long ago, this city was a bustling place. Now, it looked like it had been ravaged by beasts. There wasn't a single pedestrian in sight.
Zhou Yuan found a truck, Lin Yebai sat in the passenger seat, and Coach Wang squatted in the back of the truck, searching for supplies, which was also useful for transport.
"This truck smells like it carried pigs. What's that smell?" Coach Wang eyed Zhou Yuan enviously, wishing he could be the one driving. Unfortunately, with his eight spider legs, he couldn't fit in the driver's seat.
"Coach Wang, make do with it. There are so many cars, this is the only one that can fit you," Zhou Yuan tried to comfort him.
"The back of the truck smells like pig manure. Ugh..." Coach Wang complained.
Zhou Yuan's driving was shaky, the car jerking with every move, making Coach Wang complain even more.
Lin Yebai, expressionless, was amazed by the truck's construction. This world was truly remarkable.
Zhou Yuan, trying to get back into the groove of driving, turned on the radio. To his surprise, he heard fragmented announcements:
"Our city... migration... shelters... underground…"
"...Mutants…"
Zhou Yuan pulled over and switched cars several times before finally making out the full message on the radio:
"There have been large-scale mutations among the city's residents, and the decision has been made to temporarily migrate to underground shelters. Residents with normal minds should gather at Jiamao Square on August 4th..."
"The mutated residents have lost their humanity and feed on human flesh. Do not engage with them. If you haven't gone to the shelter, lock your doors and windows, and avoid going outside at night, as the moonlight may be the source of the mutation…"
"We call these mutated creatures 'Abnormal Species,' which are classified by strength. The newly mutated ones are classified as First-Grade Abnormals, slightly stronger than regular humans, but you can handle them without panicking."
"Second-Grade Abnormals possess intelligence, are cunning and ruthless, and have awakened special abilities. They are highly dangerous, and we advise staying away."
Zhou Yuan instinctively glanced at Coach Wang. Could he be a Second-Grade Abnormal?
"What are you staring at? If I were a Second-Grade Abnormal, would I be living like this?" Coach Wang was angry.
Lin Yebai glanced at Coach Wang's neck. Do the points for Second-Grade Abnormals differ from First-Grade Abnormals?
"I'm really not…" Coach Wang shrank back, looking pitiful.
Here's a translation of the passage into English:
[Deep Abyss Lord]: A trace of disdain flashed through the deep eyes.
[Soft Soft Cat Ears]: Old Wang can even knit sweaters and woolen pants. Keep him around, little one.
[Ordinary Me]: Stop calling him little one! The streamer is already an adult!
[Great Emperor of Change]: If only there was a way to feed him. Little one's breakfast was just instant noodles. That's not nutritious!
[Truth Above All]: You people call everything "little one"? The streamer is already a grown person! What's wrong with eating instant noodles? He looked so happy eating it…
Lin Yebai chose to temporarily disable the chat for three minutes.
"The city has yet to discover any advanced mutated beings, but they have appeared in other cities, causing massive destruction…"
The car radio repeatedly played these messages. Aside from mentioning Jia Mao Plaza, there was no specific location of the shelters, possibly to keep it hidden from the mutated beings.
It's been three days since the scheduled time, but Zhou Yuan still decided to wait until they gathered enough supplies before heading to Jia Mao Plaza.
"Although the moon doesn't emit light itself, it reflects sunlight, yet we can see it during the day…"
Zhou Yuan suddenly remembered this and looked up. He saw a faint red crescent moon in the sky.
"Lin Ge, was the moon red last night? I didn't notice."
"Yes," Lin Yebai replied.
The moonlight had been dim the previous night, vaguely tinged with a blood-like hue.
The mutated beings had attacked, but Lin Yebai hadn't paid much attention to it.
"Should I wear a hat?" Zhou Yuan started getting nervous.
"There's a green one here…" Wang Coach, looking like he discovered a new world, picked up a green hat from the ground and handed it to Zhou Yuan.
Zhou Yuan didn't hesitate and put on the hat, then crawled into the car, pulling down his short sleeves a little to shield himself from the moonlight.
Lin Yebai had already walked under the moonlight last night and wasn't as frantic as Zhou Yuan. He asked Wang Coach, "Before the mutation, were there any signs?"
"Yeah, extreme fatigue… no matter how much I sleep, I still feel tired," Wang Coach scratched his head.
Zhou Yuan yawned halfway and seemed dazed.
For a long time, Zhou Yuan remained silent, as if he had lost half of his soul. Only when they entered the shopping mall and found a top-tier gaming setup and two drones did he come back to life.
Many items in the mall had already been taken, but with such a large stock, there was still plenty left. The three of them split up on the same floor, pushing shopping carts and loading up.
As they left the mall, Zhou Yuan, dressed in a long windbreaker, wearing a hat, sunglasses, gloves, and scarf, looked completely covered up. Seeing Lin Yebai on the other side, holding a black umbrella, he suddenly felt like a fool.
"The sky is getting dark quickly. We should hurry back," Zhou Yuan glanced at his phone. It had been less than six hours since he woke up, and now it was almost night.
Outside the mall, there was a larger truck where all the collected supplies were transferred. Wang Coach finally left the pig-scented truck and squeezed into the new truck bed, feeling a little squashed.
The mall was quieter than the neighborhood, and they hadn't driven far when a wave of black creatures charged at them.
"What's that?" Zhou Yuan slammed the gas pedal, his eyes getting blurry.
"Giant rats," Lin Yebai glanced back.
"What giant rats?" Wang Coach couldn't see, only hearing the "squeak" sounds.
The car was already moving at high speed, directly in the rats' path. If they didn't change course soon, they'd get caught.
There was no possibility of turning as the buildings on both sides were too tall. They could only race against the rat swarm.
"Xiao Zhou, how long have you had your driver's license?"
"I've been driving it all over the place, but the car's a bit wobbly, and I've mistaken the gas and brake a few times. Don't tell me we're going to die like this!" Zhou Yuan answered.
The grinding sound of countless teeth coming together grew louder, getting closer and closer. Wang Coach still couldn't see what was happening, but could hear the rats banging into the back of the truck.
"I haven't taken the driving test, but I've been playing QQ Speed for seven years!" Zhou Yuan said confidently.
"As long as there's a turn ahead, we can survive. Don't worry!" Zhou Yuan spoke with utter conviction.