Chapter 76: Xue Dao’s Barking
Su Tao slapped Shi Zijin’s leg: “What are you talking about? Not only does he not have any intellectual problems, but he’s also very smart. He just hasn’t seen these things before. Are you done here? If so, go back and get some sleep.”
Shi Zijin looked at Lin Fang Zhi again. Seeing his genuine confusion, he said nothing more.
He only asked, “Where are you planning for him to sleep tonight? Should I take him with me?”
Lin Fang Zhi understood this, and his face changed drastically. He wanted to shake his head but didn’t dare.
Su Tao said, “Why are you so unlikeable to kids? Even Chen Xi and Chen Yang, who are so much older, get nervous around you. He’ll sleep in his own space tonight. Don’t worry about it.”
Only after Shi Zijin left did Lin Fang Zhi finally relax.
Su Tao was also tired. She returned his freshly washed and dried small blanket and pillow to him, “You should get some sleep too. I left a cup on the table for you. If you get thirsty at night, you can pour yourself some water. If you need anything, just knock on my door. Goodnight.”
Lin Fang Zhi hugged his things, nodded obediently, and watched her enter the bedroom and close the door. Then, in a voice only he could hear, he softly said, “Goodnight.”
Xue Dao sniffed him, then slowly went into the pet room and lay down on its own mattress to sleep.
The night grew deep, and the moonlight spread softly.
Lin Fang Zhi stared blankly at Su Tao’s bedroom door for a long time. Only when he heard the steady rhythm of her breathing did he finally disappear into his own space.
This was his first time sleeping on a bed.
So this is what a bed feels like—so soft, sinking into it, wrapped in warmth. It was so comfortable.
But it was also the first time he felt this place was too quiet. He couldn’t hear the comforting sound of her breathing.
Early in the morning, Su Tao yawned as she got up. As soon as she opened the door, she was startled by the scene before her.
Lin Fang Zhi was curled up at her door, wrapped in his small, tattered blanket.
The moment the door opened, the boy woke up immediately. His deer-like eyes widened, and he jumped up, retreating into a corner.
Su Tao quickly comforted him, “It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s me. Don’t be scared.”
Only then did the fear in Lin Fang Zhi’s eyes gradually fade away.
“Why are you sleeping out here? Was the bed uncomfortable, or was the sofa not comfy?”
Lin Fang Zhi could only shake his head, unable to give a clear explanation.
Su Tao sighed and patiently said, “Sleeping on the floor isn’t good for your health. You could catch a cold, and your sleep quality will be poor. Be good, okay? Next time, sleep on the bed or the sofa…”
As she gently nagged him, she continued checking her supplies for the upcoming trip.
Just as she reached downstairs, she ran into Qian Rongrong, who was out of breath.
“Peach Tao, I finally caught up! I was worried you’d already gone to Gate 3 to meet up with them. Here, take this.”
Su Tao took the bag from Qian Rongrong’s hand and asked curiously, “What’s this? Hey, your eyes are so red. Did you not sleep last night?”
Qian Rongrong touched her head, a bit embarrassed.
When Su Tao opened the bag, she found a leather gun holster and exclaimed in surprise:
“Thank you! Did you make this? That’s amazing!”
The design allowed it to be worn around the waist or thigh. The suede material felt both soft and sturdy.
Qian Rongrong’s face turned as red as a ripe fruit:
“I learned a bit from someone before. It’s not professional—just a hobby. A few days ago, I saw the photo of the gun holster you made for Grandma Cen. I thought I could give it a try. I hope it’s useful for you.”
Not only could Su Tao use it, but she also loved it. She strapped it to her waist right away:
“It’s both good-looking and practical. If it weren’t the apocalypse, my dear Rongrong would surely be a famous artisan.”
Qian Rongrong was so flustered by the compliment that she couldn’t handle it. She pushed Su Tao forward, “You’d better go now, Sister Tao. I saw Major Shi waiting at the gate for quite a while.”
At the main gate of Taoyang, Zhuang Wan, Old Mei, and others were leading a large group of tenants to see her off. They repeated their words of advice over and over, watching her car disappear before they finally dispersed.
“So mushy,” Guan Zining muttered as she continued driving.
The car had been retrieved from the repair shop last night, and the refrigerator in the trunk was already working.
The old man had also installed electric privacy curtains on the car windows, which could be remotely controlled to provide visibility inside but not from the outside.
The backseat could be fully reclined into a 1.2-meter-wide bed, with a sliding storage rack above for bedding and everyday items—a low-budget version of a mini RV.
Su Tao was quite satisfied. With Lin Fang Zhi’s spatial ability, maintaining a decent quality of life wouldn’t be an issue.
She took the crystal energy gun from her backpack and slipped it into the new holster at her waist. It fit perfectly and was easy to draw.
“Rongrong is such an angel. It’s not just useful—it’s stylish too.”
Her backpack also held three precious crystal cores. After some thought, she took them out and handed them to Lin Fang Zhi:
“Hold onto these for me.”
If they were stolen or robbed, she’d be heartbroken.
Lin Fang Zhi nodded, taking them and storing them in his spatial space.
At Gate 3, the Pioneer Army’s convoy was neatly lined up, waiting for departure.
This mission was significant, with as many as eight vehicles in the convoy. Four were large trucks meant for loading construction materials, medical equipment, and more.
Two trucks carried military supplies, and one was for personnel.
The last vehicle was the strangest, parked right in the middle of the convoy. It was fully enclosed, with no windows, and wrapped in an additional metal mesh.
This vehicle likely contained the evolved zombie “Bone Wing,” which had caused several bloody incidents.
Shi Zijin walked over in his upright military uniform, pointing to an empty spot in front of that vehicle, “Move your car over there.”
Guan Zining did as told and said to Su Tao, “See? I was right. Major Shi would definitely have you in the middle of the convoy. Before, that spot was always reserved for valuable supplies. Now, it’s you and that little monster.”
Su Tao replied, “When it’s time for afternoon tea, you can invite him to join us.”
Once the car was in position, Su Tao glanced at the heavily bound vehicle behind them. A chill ran through her, goosebumps rising on her arms.
“Hopefully, the monster inside stays quietly asleep for the entire trip.”
When all the vehicles were in place, Shi Zijin called all personnel down for a final mission briefing.
Amid the loud rallying cries, Su Tao suddenly spotted a face in the logistics support team—one that was both unfamiliar and familiar.
It was Jiang Jinwei.
Su Tao froze, suddenly feeling as if a lot of time had passed. The scenes from the Su family seemed to be fading from her memory.
She had almost forgotten about Jiang Jinwei. Only now did she remember that since she had lost her chance to take Su Tao’s place, Jiang Jinwei had been required to join the military. It wasn’t surprising to see her in the team.
In the midst of the noise, Jiang Jinwei noticed her too.
The teammate next to Jiang Jinwei followed her gaze to Su Tao and turned to ask, “Didn’t you say she was your sister? Why hasn’t she come to find you? Why don’t you talk to her and get on that middle vehicle? It’d be much safer, and maybe you’d even get special treatment.”
Jiang Jinwei knew this wasn’t genuine concern but rather a sarcastic jab, hoping to see her embarrassed.
She forced a smile, her expression cold, “I’m not interested. If any of you are, go ahead and kiss up to her.”
The teammates didn’t think much of Jiang Jinwei—they found her pretentious, overly dramatic, and sharp-tongued.
Hearing this, they all rolled their eyes and ignored her.
Su Tao acted as if she hadn’t seen Jiang Jinwei, shifting her gaze away.
Just a familiar stranger—there was no need to pay attention.
On top of the vehicle, Shi Zijin was nearing the end of his motivational speech. The crowd’s enthusiasm remained high. When he ended with “No regrets in death,” even Su Tao felt her blood boil.
However, just as the command to “depart” was about to sound, Xue Dao, who had been lying still, suddenly stood up. His body tensed, and he began barking loudly in a specific direction.
An alarm went off in Su Tao’s mind. She remembered Pei Dong’s warning—Xue Dao had been trained, with an evolved sense of smell. He was very familiar with Gu Mingchi’s scent and would bark if he got within a hundred meters.
Instinctively, she looked in the direction Xue Dao was barking.
On the wall of Dongyang City stood a man. His face was too far away to make out, but he was dressed in black, standing motionless against the light of their imminent departure.
Suddenly, Shi Zijin moved close, covering her eyes with one hand and half-hugging her as he pushed her into the car.
Xue Doa continued barking, baring his teeth, but he too was swiftly packed into the vehicle.
The horn sounded. The twilight faded in the east as the morning sun broke through the clouds, announcing the arrival of a blazing day.
The massive convoy roared forward, kicking up dust as it headed into the desolate and mysterious distance.
