CHAPTER 912: CHAPTER 912 STOP

Not long after, they wrapped up the fight, wiping out the zombie horde that had been drawn to the supermarket. It took some time to collect the crystal cores from the corpses, but they weren’t about to leave them behind.

If others stumbled upon them, it would only be handing over free profit. Besides, now that crystal cores had become a form of currency, they had far more value than just being used to grow stronger.

With that in mind, Sparrow and his team spent another two hours clearing the area and harvesting every last core before finally driving out of the supermarket. Since they were already on the outskirts of the city, it didn’t take long before they reached the highway, and from there, the journey became far smoother and less taxing.

From time to time, a few zombies wandered onto the road, but Sparrow simply ran them over without a second thought.

Most of the abandoned cars along the highway had already been bulldozed aside, leaving a clear path ahead. All Sparrow had to do was follow it. There was no need to take an alternative route; he knew they could handle whatever dangers lay ahead, and besides, he wasn’t familiar with the side roads anyway. For now, this route was their only option.

They drove straight from City B to the farthest location on their list, which was Maple Leaf Town. The plan was to tackle the farthest target first, then head to Gale City, and finally return to City B.

Maple Leaf Town’s mission took priority over Gale City’s; according to the information that was given by Adam’s team, a mutated zombie there had drawn dangerously close to the shelter.

Even more disturbing, it was suspected of herding survivors and might feed on them one by one, as if rationing its food supply. That level of intelligence alone meant it would be far more formidable—and harder to kill—than any mutated zombie they had faced before.

Since they were already nearing Maple Leaf Town and night was falling, they decided to stop at a small village. Pushing farther in the dark would be suicidal; the night brought an even deadlier level of danger, so they could only find a resting place.

Sparrow drove into the small village’s entrance, unsurprised to find no survivors, only zombies wandering aimlessly through the streets. He brought the truck to a stop and turned to the others.

"Alright, everyone—clear the area, take out the zombies, and set up camp for the night. We move again first thing in the morning!"

"Yes, sir!" everyone responded in unison. While the rest spread out to hunt down the zombies, Sparrow took his time scanning the surroundings, and Vulture stepped out of the truck to join the sweep.

Clearing the village was crucial; if even a few zombies remained, they could cause trouble in the middle of the night.

One by one, the team eliminated every zombie inside and outside the village. After extracting the crystal cores from their brains, they hauled the corpses beyond the village’s outer part and set them ablaze, ensuring the stench wouldn’t linger near the camp.

While most handled the disposal, Grandpa and Grandma Alden, along with the STAUs, checked each house. The village’s homes were built with sturdy brick walls, but their flimsy doors and windows offered little protection, unsurprising, given that most residents had been elderly or children.

Fortunately, every roaming zombie had been dealt with, removing the risk of one breaking inside and disturbing their rest later.

They searched the houses for untouched supplies, but found none. The villagers had mostly relied on freshly harvested vegetables from their gardens and the livestock they raised.

Grandma and Grandpa Aldens discovered little of value as they searched from house to house, only a broken vat where water used to be stored, and an empty rice vat.

It seemed that during the villagers’ struggle against the zombies, the ceramic utensils had been shattered beyond use. The furniture was worn out, the futons damp and moldy, and many doors were creaky or even damaged.

It was clear there was nothing salvageable here. The vegetable gardens had long since wilted, and as for the livestock, most pens contained nothing but bones, while any mutated animals had already wandered off long ago.

Grandpa Alden let out a heavy sigh, his heart heavy at the sight of the village’s tragic end. He and his wife were already well into their later years, and most of the zombies they had put down here had been the elderly and children, a sight that gripped his heart with sorrow.

Yet, there was nothing he could do to change it, so he could only sigh again. His wife, sensing his downcast mood, gently patted his back in silent reassurance.

Finding nothing worth salvaging inside, the couple stepped back out and began setting up a campfire. Cooking indoors wasn’t an option; the stench of decay was overpowering inside, and the cramped interiors made it uncomfortable.

They had eaten a cooked lunch earlier and were now down to only nine pre-cooked meals per person. Since they had the time, they decided it was best to prepare more food now.

The STAUs took out ingredients from their storage space—meat, vegetables, spices, and even cookware—and began helping Grandpa and Grandma Alden prepare the meal.

One washed the vegetables while the other cut the meat into portions. Meanwhile, the rest of the team, having just finished burning the zombie corpses, explored the village and discovered a well.

They first checked its cleanliness, and upon finding the water clear, they used it to wash away the grime and zombie blood that still clung to them from the supermarket battle up to now. They hadn’t had the chance to clean up earlier, so the cool water was a small relief.

However, they were well aware that the well water could not be used for drinking. Their City Lord had warned them that all natural water sources were now contaminated.

Unless it came from a water-type awakened ability user or bottled mineral water, it was unsafe to recklessly drink anything else, especially for ordinary humans, who risked turning into zombies if infected. Only once they discovered a way to completely cleanse and filter out the zombie virus from a water source would they be able to drink freely again.

After washing up, they regrouped and organized a defense perimeter with a rotating guard schedule. The rest split into tasks—some pitched tents while others cleared out nearby houses. Those who preferred security chose to sleep indoors, while others opted for tents to avoid the moldy, musty stench lingering inside the buildings.

While tents were being set up and houses cleaned, another group assisted with cooking. Off to the side, several members trained quietly, focusing on calming their spiritual energy and strengthening their foundations in preparation for a safe breakthrough.

The awakened ability users who felt on the verge of leveling up were the most eager to train, and no one disturbed them. In fact, their comrades proactively stood guard to ensure their concentration remained unbroken; after all, the stronger their teammates became, the better it was for everyone.

Among those consolidating their spiritual energy and foundation were Clyde and Reeve, both already at the bottleneck to Level 1. Despite regularly consuming Scarlet Honey, their advancement took longer than expected, perhaps because they were both irregular awakened ability users, or maybe because their foundations weren’t yet stable and sturdy enough.

They took their time to properly consolidate and strengthen their base before attempting the breakthrough. Though their progress was slower than others, their strength was undeniable; few could match them in combat, and that reliability was one of their greatest assets.

Sparrow, perched on top of the truck, kept his gaze to the side, quietly observing everything happening around the village. Vulture soon returned from helping with the cleanup, the grime and dirt already washed from his body.

"You should take a rest and stop carrying all the weight on your shoulders," Vulture said, giving Sparrow a reassuring pat. He knew Sparrow wouldn’t say it out loud, but ever since the Young Madam had entrusted him with leading the group outside, Sparrow had been pushing himself hard, determined not to fail or disappoint their Young Madam and Master.

Vulture also recognized that, when it came to intellect, Sparrow was sharper than he was, which was why he didn’t mind following his lead. They were partners, after all, and where Sparrow lacked, Vulture filled in.

Though not as smart as Sparrow, Vulture had a strong gut instinct that often came in handy in dangerous situations.

Because he relied more on instinct than strategy, he didn’t carry the same heavy sense of responsibility. If Sparrow was like an arrow aimed to pierce through any obstacle, Vulture was more like the wind, moving with the flow and adapting as it came.

Vulture felt the need to remind Sparrow to breathe every now and then, or else he’d be consumed by the weight of his own responsibility and the pressure he placed on himself.