7.2

Qiao Chen drove by two supermarkets. Unfortunately there were a lot of zombies in them. This was year two of the apocalypse. There'd be nothing left in there even if there weren't any zombies.

Qiao Chen used the system to pull up a map of the immediate area. He examined it carefully, but didn't find anywhere he wanted to go. Then Qiao Chen pulled up maps of the surrounding areas and checked them. He found a large nut orchard in an area that was relatively nearby.

Nearly everything mutated when the apocalypse began. Plants and even animals had mutated to some degree. Mutated flora and fauna were poisonous and couldn't be consumed. Vegetables and fruits were the ones that mutated the most, so they were no longer edible. Fortunately, like humans, there were a small variety of plants that didn't negatively mutate into a poisonous version. These positively mutated plants would be able to provide calories and nutrients dozens of times better than their non mutated counterparts. Nuts were one of these few plants that mutated in this way.

People thought of nuts with their pre-apocalypse perceptions: Easy to carry and convenient to eat. However, it wasn't very filling and wasn't high in nutrients. This meant that there weren't many people who actively searched for nuts. Qiao Chen knew that even if people knew that nuts weren't negatively affected by the mutations, there should be enough for him to forage for to sustain himself off of for a while.

It took Qiao Chen about four or five hours to drive to the nut orchard. He looked that the fuel gage and figured that there shouldn't be any problems if he needed to escape. All he needed to do was find a way to avoid the high level zombies on the road and he'd be fine. Qiao Chen looked up at the sky. He also had the day and the big bright sun on his side for now. Therefore, Qiao Chen was positive he would be able to escape any low or intermediate leveled zombies if he encountered them.

Qiao Chen could only go one step at a time for now. If he couldn't find a way to survive out here, then he'd have no choice but to seek refuge at a base. Then he'd have to slowly find his lover's whereabouts from there. Qiao Chen wasn't worried about this either. His healing ability had been activated now. No base in their right mind would even think about turning him away.

As Qiao Chen traversed the route towards the nut orchard, he encountered several high leveled zombies. Qiao Chen was able to maneuver his way to safety and successfully avoided them. These high level zombies not only had extremely powerful attacks, but they had also gained some sort of sentience. This meant that they were far more harmful than the low level zombies that only relied on instinct. In fact, if he were to face a high level zombie at this moment, he was sure that he'd have no chances of beating it.

Fortunately for Qiao Chen, he had a system that helped showed him the way. His system was even like a navigator. It automatically rerouted him onto the safest possible path, so he didn't burn too much daylight while on the road. His journey to the orchard was relatively smooth if he ignored the few times he was nearly overturned by some high leveled zombies.

Qiao Chen finally reached area where the nut orchard was located. However, the closer he got to the orchard, the stranger he felt. There was this indescribable feeling that grew stronger and stronger the closer he got to the nut orchard.

Qiao Chen scanned the horizons. There hadn't been a single zombie for the past half hour now. This was very abnormal. Qiao Chen silently wondered, 'Could there be a high concentration of zombies in the orchard?'

Qiao Chen rolled to a stop. He was hesitating on whether or not he should continue to the orchard, but he had already burned so much daylight just to get here. It'd be a huge waste if he just left now empty handed… but his intuition was warning him. Qiao Chen's intuition was telling him that he had already entered into some very dangerous territory. If he continued forward, then the dangers would only increase.

Qiao Chen was in the middle of his thoughts when two high leveled zombies suddenly burst out of the blue and leapt onto his car. Qiao Chen slammed on the gas and swerved the car around in an attempt to throw the zombies off the car roof.

The zombie smashed its hand against the car windshield. The glass caved from the zombie's strength and shards of glass flew in from the impact point. Qiao Chen blocked the flying shards with arm as he continued to swerve the car in a circle. He tried to create as much momentum as he could. It was difficult, but he was finally able to throw the zombie off the roof. Qiao Chen faced the exit and was just about to slam on the gas again to escape, but even more high level zombies suddenly appeared in his path. They ran forward with their mouths dripping with drool. Qiao Chen couldn't help but feel scared even with those several lifetimes he had lived. This was still a terrifying situation.

There were over a dozen high level zombies blocking his way. Qiao Chen grabbed the fire extinguisher from the passenger side floor. He sprayed out the dry chemicals from within. Then he used his other hand to attack any zombie that came near him. He couldn't stay in the car any longer. If all these zombies decided to attack him at the same time, then that'd be it. They'd drag him out of the car and torn into pieces as they feasted on his flesh.

Qiao Chen gritted his teeth. He grabbed the backpack and the half canister of gas from the back seat. Then he climbed onto the car roof. This was the end anyways. Qiao Chen didn't want to be eaten alive, so all he could do now was just burn himself to death. He couldn't complete the mission in this world, but that didn't matter right now. He needed to return to his world and reincarnate into a world where he could obtain the soul fragment.

Qiao Chen dumped the gas all over the car and his body. Then he took out the lighter he saved for this scenario. Qiao Chen steeled himself and placed his thumb on the igniter. He was about to light up the flame, but the zombies began exploding one by one before he could continue. It looked like they were being hit with cannonballs as their guts and flesh flew through the air.

Qiao Chen was stunned. He heard movement coming from behind him. He was about to turn his head to look when a strong arm wrapped around his waist. Then that person held onto Qiao Chen and jumped away from the car. Qiao Chen barely had time to stabilize himself before he quickly turned to look at the person who saved him. Qiao Chen only needed to take a single glance at the man's face to recognize him. Then he immediately threw himself into his man's arms and tightly hugged him. Qiao Chen's heart was pounding.

Long Ao looked at the man hugging him with some surprise. He had only saved the guy's life- quite easily too. Why would this person immediately glue themselves to him? He was even hugging so tightly that Long Ao couldn't just toss the man away from him.

Qiao Chen hugged his lover from this lifetime tightly. He didn't care whether or not they knew each other. He didn't care if this would make his lover think he was weird. All he needed right now was comfort. He couldn't suppress the previous panic, grievances, and adrenaline pumping through his body. His beloved was here.

Long Ao felt Qiao Chen's uneasiness and seemingly a sense of dependence for him. He didn't immediately push Qiao Chen away even though he felt a bit confused. He casually flicked some more lightning balls towards the zombies and easily took care of them. The other high leveled zombies retreated and fled once they realized they couldn't beat the newcomer that their lunch was clinging to.

A large modified truck drove over. A big man with a squared face stuck his head out from the back and said, "Team Dragon. There seems to be something wrong with our strong boy over there. He looks stuck. Let's go and help him out."

Long Ao patted Qiao Chen's back and reassured him. "It's okay. You're safe now."

Qiao Chen's mind finally calmed down and stabilized. He slowly let go Long Ao and gave him an embarrassed look. After all, they were strangers right now…

Long Ao pushed Qiao Chen into the back of the car and then hopped in with him.

Qiao Chen saw stacks and stacks of burlap bags. The contents should be nuts from the orchard if he guessed correctly. He turned his head and watched Long Ao. Long Ao held onto an electronic device while discussing something with a few other men dressed in military gear. Qiao Chen didn't disturb them and found a corner to sit in.

Long Ao completed assigned orders. He looked up to see Qiao Chen staring at him. The second Qiao Chen's eyes met his, he looked away. Long Ao looked at Qiao Chen's side profile. He didn't know why, but he suddenly felt that this person was quite the interesting fellow.

The vehicle soon stopped in front of a large warehouse. Long Ao jumped out with several other people. They quickly disappeared at the warehouse's entrance. Qiao Chen was left in the back of the car with two other soldiers guarding it.

The two soldiers watched on as the Dragon team rescued the single Qiao Chen. There were no other people with him in the car. They couldn't help but feel puzzled by this. There were zombies running through the streets of their world now. It was dangerous for anyone to be traveling out on their own. Furthermore, this single person came to the nut orchard that was infested by high leveled zombies. It was quite obvious that this person was sent on a suicide mission.

"Did you get separated from your group?" The soldier with the med kit asked with some curiosity.

Qiao Chen didn't verbally reply. He just shook his head in disagreement.

"Don't be scared. We're all good people, seriously." The soldier encouraged. He thought that Qiao Chen was afraid of them and didn't dare to tell the truth.

The other soldier knocked him on the head and said, "That line doesn't make you sound like a good person."

"Then you talk and show him that we're the good guys." The soldier with the med kit rubbed his head and retorted.

"My name is Xu Qiang. His is Da Shan. May I ask for your family name?" Xu Qiang replied with a bright smile.

Da Shan took the opportunity to knock Xu Qiang on the head and complained, "You smile so obscenely. You don't look like a good person at all."

Qiao Chen couldn't help but laugh. Then he asked, "Did you two used to do comedy?" It was rare for these kinds of soldiers to maintain such a bright and lively spirit while surviving a zombie apocalypse.

"We're both soldiers. We haven't done any comedy or anything like that." Da Shan replied embarrassedly as he scratched his head. "You haven't introduced yourself yet."

"My last name is Mu." Qiao Chen said.

"Oh, Mr. Mu. Where were you coming from, and where were you going?" Xu Qiang asked.

Qiao Chen really wanted to reply that he was just a poor monk who came from the Eastern Tang Empire and was journeying to the west to obtain Buddhist sutras to pray and worship. Unfortunately for him, this wasn't the time or the place. This was a completely different world, so they probably had different empires and dynasties than what he was used to. Most of the worlds he visited did have some historical events overlap. However, this world did not have the great literary classic "Journey to the West". The two soldiers wouldn't get his reference, so Qiao Chen just said, "I have nowhere to go."

Da Shan and Xu Qiang glanced at each other. Both of them had the same thoughts and doubted Qiao Chen's reply. However, when they thought about how their world had turned upside down and how people died and mutated zombies daily… The two soldiers assumed that he had probably lost his relatives and companions and actually meant it. They were worried about reopening old wounds, so they dropped the topic.

I wasn't long before Long Ao and his group carried to injured people out of the warehouse. They carried the two wounded to the back of the vehicle. One of the soldiers had Da Shan take out some sort of medicine form his med kit and inject both with it.

Da Shan examined the two wounded soldiers. Then he looked back up and said, "Their injuries are too severe. I'm afraid they won't be able to make it back to base with this medicine alone."

Their base was too far away. By the time they returned to the base and found someone with healing abilities, and then it'd be too late. The two soldiers would have long died from their wounds.

Long Ao frowned and looked at the two soldiers lying on the vehicle floor. They were already turning black and blue. The rest of soldiers also looked sad and anxious as well. They already experienced the loss of several of their fellow soldiers over the course of the two-years-and-counting zombie outbreak. They all prepared themselves in the event of their deaths. However, it was still painful to watch on as their comrades died. No matter how much they steeled themselves it was still saddening to see their brothers-in-arms die.

"These stupid nuts weren't the cost of our brothers' lives." Zhang Gang exclaimed. Then he punched the vehicle wall. There was a loud noise from the impact, but it didn't hurt as much as the pain in his heart. He had long thought that this nut mission was a worthless journey. In the past two years, his fellow brothers in arms had died for things that were considered worthless before this damned zombie outbreak.

Qiao Chen was still sitting at the corner of the vehicle. He didn't say anything while everyone was busy. However, now he stood up and offered, "I can take a look."

Everyone looked at Qiao Chen the second he started talking. Long Ao looked at Qiao Chen with some doubts and asked, "Can you save them?"

Qiao Chen activated hi healing ability and his hand began to emit an ethereal white glow. "I have a healing ability."

All the soldiers moved aside for Qiao Chen to begin healing. Inwardly, they were all thinking 'If you had the healing ability, then why didn't you say it earlier? What was the point of watching this tragedy play for so long?'

Qiao Chen ignored their burning gazes. He walked over to the wounded soldiers and knelt down. Then he ripped open their clothes covering the wounded area. Finally, Qiao Chen placed his hands on the wound and began healing them.

The soldiers all sighed a breath of relief when they saw Qiao Chen's hands glow once more and the wounds heal quickly. They did a double take and thought about it some more. It was odd for Qiao Chen, someone with a precious healing ability, to be out and about on his own. Healers didn't have much attack or defense capabilities. If a base sent out a healer to be on their own, then they might as well have executed them.

Long Ao was also staring at Qiao Chen's profile. However, he wasn't thinking the same things as the other soldiers. He had been entranced by Qiao Chen's jade like face. Then he remembered how the man had suddenly thrown himself into his arms and a sense of déjà vu suddenly emerged. It had felt as though they were reunited after being lost for so long. A strange nagging feeling told him that Qiao Chen had come specifically for him. That same feeling also told him that this was someone who was dear to him…

All of the wounds the two soldiers sustained were healed with Qiao Chen's treatment. Their discolored complexions slowly recovered back to a normal human's pigmentation. Qiao Chen's healing capabilities shocked everyone in the vehicle. Even the strongest healer at their base couldn't compare to Qiao Chen's great healing ability.

Qiao Chen returned back to his seat in the corner once he finished healing the two soldiers.

Long Ao saw the soldiers' complexion return to normal and figured that they would be fine. He walked over to Qiao Chen and called out, "Hey Superglue."

Qiao Chen looked ip and asked, "Who me?"

Long Ao nodded. He played it off like he hadn't just called Qiao Chen some random name.

Qiao Chen's face darkened. His man in this world still had the habit of giving people weird nicknames… Qiao Chen replied, "It's not Superglue. The last name's Mu."

'Oh." Long Ao nodded and continued, "Superglue Mu"

Qiao Chen finally realized that Long Ao walked over here to tease him. Qiao Chen looked away and ignored him.

"Where were you headed?" Long Ao asked as he observed Qiao Chen's profile. A healer with zero offensive ability wouldn't have been able to survive until now. He should have been staying somewhere safe before.

"I'm by myself, and I have nowhere to go." Qiao Chen looked back at Long Ao and answered.

Lon Ao didn't really believe Qiao Chen's answer. However, something inside him breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Qiao Chen's reply. He didn't even know what was going on in his own mind. He didn't want to let Qiao Chen leave even if he did have a place to return to.

"Then you can come back to the base with me. I'll take of you afterwards." Long Ao intended to say the first sentence, but suddenly blurted out the second one…

Qiao Chen 'thought for a bit' before he 'reluctantly' replied, "All right."

Long Ao looked at Qiao Chen's beautiful yet prideful looking face once more. He resisted the urge to caress Qiao Chen's silhouette and asked, "What's your name, Mu?"

"Mu Chen."

The other soldiers heard Qiao Chen's reply and felt like they caught two birds with one stone. Not only did they obtain two cases worth of nuts, but they even picked up a strong healer along the way too. They had definitely hit the jackpot for this excursion.