Chapter 105: The Massive Oil Tanker

“Ding-ling...”
“Tick-tock...”

Cao Fusheng ventured alone deep into the underground of ZZ City, where the entire district’s drainage system intertwined into countless kilometers of endless looping tunnels.

He had to cover his mouth and nose with a mask just to navigate through this place.

His heightened sense of smell, usually an advantage, betrayed him now. The moment the stench hit, it nearly knocked the weathered wild man unconscious.

The water inside the pipes had almost completely dried up, leaving only puddles no deeper than ankle height. It was these stagnant pools, combined with decomposing corpses and a chaotic accumulation of garbage, that created the deadly odor capable of overwhelming any human.

For safety, Cao Fusheng retrieved military-grade bulletproof armor from his dimensional space—this was the first time he donned his full combat gear.

From the instant he entered, a chilling aura gripped him. Whether it was the oppressive atmosphere or a real lurking danger in the labyrinth of tunnels, he couldn’t tell.

Chu Wei, as the squad leader of the special operations unit, was intimately familiar with ZZ City, especially around the Tianzhu area, both above and below ground. Members of their unit had previously descended these very tunnels sixty meters below Tianzhu to clear out a large number of undead several months ago.

But no one knew what conditions were like now. After all, all the pipes were interconnected, with multiple entry points through which numerous predators could enter—especially the non-human variety. Such dark, damp, and narrow places were favored by certain creatures.

The entrance Cao Fusheng was at now was the closest to the New Mart Building. Although physically near the New Mart, it was a considerable distance from Tianzhu itself—almost three or four kilometers in a straight line above ground. Underground, however, the winding passages extended this distance even further and made the journey far more arduous.

Cao Fusheng gripped an iron rod in one hand, two combat knives hung at his waist, and his walkie-talkie was clipped nearby.

This was all the equipment he could safely carry—any spark underground could ignite the abundant methane gas, triggering a massive explosion. Even with ten lives, it wouldn’t be enough to survive such a blast.

“Shu Qing, do you read me?”

“Loud and clear. How’s the situation below? All good?”

“No immediate danger yet. If Shen Dong or Gao Yi detect anything, notify me immediately. And you two outside, stay safe. I’ve assigned Xiaoye to protect you. If things get desperate, let it lead you out.”

“Don’t worry. You don’t have to worry about us. Just make sure you come back unscathed.”

Cao Fusheng secured the walkie-talkie and pressed onward. No danger so far wasn’t a reason to relax—who knew what lurked beneath?

His only real advantage was his enhanced vision; without it, moving underground would be nearly impossible.

This was also why he adamantly opposed Han Shu Qing coming down with him. More people didn’t mean more safety—in fact, being alone maximized his chances of avoiding injury.

If only Han Shu Qing had stayed outside, he might have considered bringing her along. But with Chu Wei present, the two women could watch each other’s backs. As long as they didn’t provoke the undead or mutated creatures, survival was plausible.

Besides, though Chu Wei was unwell, she was still a capable special ops squad leader. Han Shu Qing might not be physically strong, but her quick thinking and wit made her an asset. Together, they formed an effective female team, capable of working without undue strain.

Cautiously, Cao Fusheng avoided stepping into puddles in the corridor. The splashing sounds could easily alert subterranean creatures.

Echoes in this environment carried far—quiet footsteps could transmit hundreds of meters away, potentially drawing unwanted attention.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the city.

“Where exactly are we headed?”

Shen Dong drove the armored vehicle at high speed, but the route was unfamiliar to the others. Gao Yi asked, puzzled.

“Old Man Gao, do you know what I did back in the Old Era?” Shen Dong, cigarette dangling from his mouth, sporting night-vision goggles, casually rested his hands on the steering wheel.

Gao Yi frowned in displeasure. “What’s that got to do with me? Everyone knows you’re the rich heir, spoiled rotten, with money to burn. You’ve got elite special forces experience and returned from overseas. You’ve said all this a million times.”

Shen Dong remained unbothered, speaking softly. “No, I mean, do you know exactly what our family business was back then?”

“Running a company,” Gao Yi answered.

“Right! A company. But our family’s empire included petrochemicals... I think Brother Cao once mentioned that the time it takes for a person to mutate from a scratch is longer than from a bite. I wonder how much longer I can hold out.”

“Wait, Shen Dong, what are you really up to? I still don’t understand your plan. Even if you said you wanted to charge into the undead horde for revenge, I’d follow you to the death. But now you just make us run around like headless flies. It’s not fair!”

Shen Dong seemed not to hear him, muttering to himself. “No matter what, my time left is short. I have to move faster. Before mutation, people get feverish, convulse, then fall into a coma—when they wake, they’re undead. Thankfully, I haven’t shown symptoms yet. I’ll hold on as long as I can.”

“Smack!”

Gao Yi, irritated, suddenly rapped Shen Dong’s head, tears glimmering in his fierce eyes.

“Heh... you’re overthinking. Here’s the plan: if I remember right, our factory still has a huge oil tanker fully loaded, locked away since the Old Era... So, I want to drive it out and take it all the way to ZZ City. I need your help. I can’t do it alone.”

His determined tone left Gao Yi speechless—this wasn’t the Shen Dong he knew before.

“Alright, even if your tanker is still there and hasn’t been taken, I don’t understand why you haven’t told everyone about your infection. Why all this secrecy?”

Shen Dong chuckled, “Old Man Gao, you wouldn’t understand. I’m Shen Dong—when I decide to go all out, even the gods have to move!”

“Fine, fine, I don’t get it, but I do understand that this ride with you won’t be easy.” Gao Yi pretended to relax, patting Shen Dong’s shoulder.

Shen Dong sighed. “We have to hurry. The depot isn’t far from ZZ City. If the road’s clear, a round trip would take about five hours. But when we return, you have to escort me. Don’t let this old wreck bite the dust halfway; dying a meaningless death isn’t my style.”

The towering man pondered: if he were like Shen Dong, could he be so unrestrained?

At death’s door, everyone’s final memories are always their regrets.