Chapter 102: The Greatest Issue with Supplies

Having secured control of the starship, Du Yun’s mission was effectively complete. Calmly, she clapped her hands once and, smiling serenely amid Lia’s bewildered gaze, strode gracefully to stand beside their leader.

“Take control of the starship!” The leader, seeing Du Yun’s demeanor, understood she did not intend to command the vessel herself and promptly issued the order. Members of the S Squad, each equipped with a full complement of starship control personnel, immediately assumed their designated stations and began manual operation of the ship.

While the crew efficiently managed the starship’s controls, the leader’s concerns extended beyond navigation. She turned to Lia, Skinny Monkey, and Dong Tiechui to inquire about their supplies.

“Our provisions can support each team member for about ten days,” Lia reported, a faint trace of guilt on her face. Had it not been for her negligence that led to the attack by the Blue Light Starship, the supplies aboard the Haimeier would have sufficed for all to make two round trips to the Imperial Star.

“We have enough supplies left to last another five days,” Skinny Monkey added, accounting for the leader, Du Yun, and their group of four.

“My share only lasts these two days,” Dong Tiechui confessed, his face flushed red.

Originally, they had assumed that reaching the port and boarding the starship would resolve their troubles. Consequently, beyond essential foodstuffs, they had packed more items they deemed valuable. But encountering the terrifying Blue Light Starship had shattered their expectations; survival was uncertain, and concerns about nourishment were secondary.

Now that safety was assured, Dong Tiechui realized just how pitifully little food they had—two days was already an optimistic estimate. This thought weighed heavily on him as they journeyed toward the leader’s planet. If the trip took that long without food, they would likely arrive as corpses.

Du Yun, overhearing this, silently tallied the provisions stored in her compartments. Though enough to sustain herself for months, when divided among all, it amounted to little more than a drop in the bucket—insufficient to support everyone.

“Search the starship and confirm the status of food reserves,” the leader commanded upon hearing this. Glancing at Du Yun’s expression, she was nearly certain that neither her own team nor Dong Tiechui’s group possessed enough provisions to survive until their return to the Imperial Star.

“Understood!” Typically, the starship’s food and fresh water stocks are held in specific storage compartments. With the order given, someone retrieved the ship’s layout to locate these stores, while two others, under Dazhuang’s command, prepared to investigate personally.

“We’ll come along too! If there’s anything to move, we can lend a hand,” Dong Tiechui eagerly offered. Now that the leader had sufficient manpower, they themselves served no purpose beyond consuming supplies.

If they didn’t show some diligence, considering the overwhelming disparity in force, the leader might just leave them on this zombie-infested planet without a second thought. Worse yet, if they were thrown into the energy crystal warehouse and it was set ablaze, they’d die without even knowing how.

“All right, come with us,” the leader nodded. Dazhuang, naturally, would not refuse the extra help. Besides, he genuinely felt Dong Tiechui’s group had contributed little and was unwilling to support them idly.

Thus, Dazhuang led two team members, accompanied by Dong Tiechui and his group, toward the storage area.

Peach, being younger, had not been counted among the laborers. Yet, seeing everyone depart, her big, bright eyes darted left and right before she trotted along to follow.

Leading the way, Dazhuang and his team navigated by the map, quickly locating the storage room. However, since the starship was now unmanned, nobody could be sure if food or water remained inside.

As the door opened, Dazhuang suddenly felt his vision blur, as if something had swiftly flashed past him. Alarmed, he raised his weapon, ready to defend at a moment’s notice, only to find the room completely empty.

“Nothing here?” Dazhuang frowned and cautiously scanned the surroundings but detected no abnormalities. Meanwhile, Dong Tiechui arrived behind them. Seeing the barren storage, disappointment weighed heavily on everyone’s hearts, but there was nothing to be done—they prepared to report back.

Only Peach, her youthful curiosity piqued by the empty yet intriguing warehouse, sneaked inside. She hopped and skipped about, peering this way and that. Even after the others left, she lingered, fascinated by the immense starship.

Suddenly, a shadow streaked overhead and lunged toward Peach’s back. Just as it was about to touch her, another figure dashed forward faster, knocking the shadow to the ground before standing firmly behind Peach.

“Huh?” Peach turned around to see who was there. Her eyes blinked rapidly before breaking into a wide smile. “Brother Xiaoniu!”

“Brother Xiaoniu, you’re still alive? When I was in the town, I thought I saw you turn into a zombie. Are you okay now?” Peach recognized the man—it was none other than her brother’s childhood friend, who had grown up alongside her and later apprenticed under their father in town.

Previously, in Mulin Town, Peach had wept bitterly upon recognizing that one of the zombies was indeed Brother Xiaoniu. Yet now, unexpectedly, she saw him here again.

Just as Peach instinctively believed Brother Xiaoniu was safe, he suddenly lifted his head, revealing a pair of blood-red eyes. Though his face lacked a grotesque snarl, those unmistakably zombified eyes betrayed his true nature—a zombie.

“Ah! Brother Xiaoniu!” Peach was startled, her face paling. Before she could say more, darkness closed in and she lost consciousness.

As Peach collapsed limply to the ground, a shadow emerged from the darkness, eyeing her soft flesh hungrily. It licked its lips, preparing to seize its prey.

Had Du Yun and the others been present, they would have recognized this shadow as the third-level zombie that had escaped their grasp in the armory—now looking even more formidable and dangerous.

“Ho!” Brother Xiaoniu noticed the officer zombie’s movement and snarled fiercely, halting its advance. Carefully, he lifted Peach into his arms.

“Why don’t humans eat?” The officer zombie fixed Brother Xiaoniu with a stiff, questioning gaze.

“None of your business,” Brother Xiaoniu replied rigidly. Though his speech was halting, remnants of his human instincts and intellect remained.

Cradling Peach, Brother Xiaoniu’s figure became a blur, disappearing into the depths of the warehouse, leaving the officer zombie alone, staring after them with a confused and bewildered look.