Chapter 50: Making Iron Flowers
[Grass Don’t Float]: I’m running out of raincoats… Does anyone have extras to sell me? Every time I step out of the car, I have to put on a new one. They wear out way too fast. I can’t keep going like this.
[Northeast Daniel Wu]: Damn it… How are we supposed to survive? Clean water is already scarce, and my last few bottles were ruined by the acid rain… It’s over.
[Information Office Director]: Hey, have you guys heard? They say the members of the Elite Group have access to secret tips, which is why they’re leveling up so fast.
[Bouncing Archer]: Really? What kind of tips?
[Northeast Daniel Wu]: Brother, if you know something, please share! Can I buy it from you?
[Capybara]: Can money really buy life-saving tips? If so, count me in too.
[Information Office Director]: It’s not just life-saving—I heard it can completely change your game. And did you see? Jiangzhehu Inheritor just listed a massive batch of supplies in the trading hall. You better hurry, or they’ll be gone in seconds!
[Grass Don’t Float]: Thank goodness I was quick—I managed to snag a pack of raincoats! Awesome, I can survive for a few more days now.
[Brother Meng]: How does this Jiangzhehu Inheritor have so many supplies? I heard she’s just a young girl. Can’t we just rob her?
[Northeast Daniel Wu]: @Brother Meng, are you blind? Can’t you see her profile? She drives a Level 3 vehicle and belongs to the Elite Group! You dare rob her? Don’t you value your life?
[Brother Meng]: I heard the main elite group has five hundred people. A big shot like Lin Huai wouldn’t waste time micromanaging every single person. Besides, Jiangzhehu Inheritor’s Level 3 ride was probably just looted during the chaos of the server merge. How else could she level up so fast? Her combat skills don’t match that car—it’d be much better off in my hands.
[Capybara]: @Brother Meng, you’re quite brave. Go ahead, let’s see if you can actually take anything from her.
Ordinary survivors had no idea a smaller, private Elite Squad existed. Some only knew that Lin Huai rarely spoke in the large five-hundred-player group and seldom involved herself in minor disputes or scuffles between members.
Because of this, Brother Meng assumed that if Jiangzhehu Inheritor were killed, Lin Huai wouldn’t bother stepping in.
Meanwhile, inside the private Elite Squad chat:
[Jiangzhehu Inheritor]: Boss, there’s a guy named Brother Meng—he seems to be a remnant from If You Don’t Submit, Fight’s gang. He announced he’s coming to kill me and take my supplies.
[Bone Ashes Mixed with Rice]: Don’t worry. If he actually shows up, tag me immediately. I’ll be there in three seconds.
[Dragon Emerging from the Sea]: I’ll come too. Don’t be afraid.
[Old Wang from Building Materials]: Oh boy, a dog-hunting mission! You definitely have to count me in this time!
[Bone Ashes Mixed with Rice]: …It’s just one guy. Is it really necessary for all of us to jump him?
[Cute and Sparkling]: Exactly. All of you showing up would just be giving him too much credit.
[Milk Tea Seven Parts Sugar]: I’ll stay behind and prepare medical supplies for everyone.
[Hungry Spirit Blue Knight]: Haha, how could the Three Knight Brothers miss out on hauling loot?
[Flash Delivery Yellow Knight]: I… I want to come too!
[Fastest Hand at SF Express]: It feels like there are a few too many of us…
[Peace and Violence]: I’ll sit this one out. I don’t want to slow everyone down.
[If You’re Bad, Practice More]: Boss, count me in! I’m really good in a fight!
[Jiangzhehu Inheritor]: They’re here… Five vehicles just pulled up behind me! Help, help, save me!
The chat went dead silent. Nobody typed another word, but right before Jiangzhehu Inheritor’s eyes, the highway began to expand rapidly. Within three seconds, several new lanes materialized out of thin air.
Driving her Level 3 off-road vehicle, the young woman floored the gas pedal to pull ahead. She couldn’t help but marvel at the sight—she had never seen such a ridiculously wide highway in her life.
The Elite Squad brought eight vehicles, Brother Meng’s gang had five, and with her own lane, there were fourteen lanes running side by side. The road was wide enough to host a huge outdoor dance festival or even a full molten-iron fireworks show.
Just as her thoughts drifted, a series of deafening crashes and crunching metal echoed from behind, followed by a shower of bright sparks bursting across her rearview mirror.
Wait… are they actually striking molten iron back there?
She slammed on the brakes and turned around to look.
Brother Meng’s five vehicles hadn’t even gotten close to her before Lin Huai and the crew cut them off completely.
Dragon Emerging from the Sea’s Sabertooth had been upgraded to Level 3, looking like a battle tank from a distance. The armored beast rammed straight through their formation, and a single blast from its mounted cannon blew one of the enemy cars apart in a blinding eruption of fiery sparks.
At the front of the wreckage, Brother Meng was slumped over the windowsill of his off-road vehicle, coughing up blood and begging for mercy. The massive green jade coffin was resting directly on top of his crushed roof.
The coffin was terrifyingly heavy. Dropping straight from the sky, it had flattened the reinforced cab, leaving Brother Meng pinned against the door frame, spitting red.
The other members of the squad barely had a chance to attack; they simply helped block the escape routes.
Old Wang from Building Materials had parked his heavy truck sideways across the road, cutting off any chance of retreat for the remaining Level 2 cars.
Right beside him stood Fastest Hand’s reinforced delivery van—armored like an eighteen-wheeler—alongside two small, heavily modified box trucks, forming an impenetrable wall of steel.
Wearing her acid-proof suit and corrosion-resistant boots, Lin Huai hopped out of the hearse. She walked into the middle of the road, her tone completely calm. “The teleportation talismans only last ten minutes. Hurry up and strip their supplies. Take whatever they have; kill anyone who resists.”
Dragon Emerging from the Sea added, “Right. And remember to record a video when you execute them so we can post it in the main hall as a warning!”
Old Wang from Building Materials flashed an “OK” gesture. Turning around, he drove his combat dagger straight into the forearm of a yellow-haired thug. A wide smile rested on his face, but his eyes were like ice. “Hand over everything in your inventory. Considering you’re just an accomplice, I might let you keep your life!”
The yellow-haired man trembled with sheer panic. Having barely survived the slaughter at the town earlier, he immediately fell to his knees, sobbing. “I’ll give you everything right now! Please don’t kill me! I was forced into this—I didn’t want to come at all! I just wanted to keep my head down and survive, but Brother Meng forced us to follow him!”
The other three captives quickly dropped to their knees as well, begging frantically. “Us too! Brother Meng made us do it! We’ll never do it again, please let us go!”
Standing to the side, If You’re Bad, Practice More let out a disappointed sigh. “Tsk, tsk, tsk! Can’t you show a little backbone? At least stand up and trade a few blows with me. Surrendering this fast gives me zero sense of accomplishment. It’s so boring.”
As for the rest of the gang, one car had been blown to pieces by Dragon Emerging from the Sea’s cannon, while Brother Meng himself was still pinned under the coffin, choking on blood.
Lin Huai walked over, grabbed Brother Meng by his hair, and jerked his head back. Her voice was flat and devoid of warmth. “Hand over your inventory supplies, and I’ll give you a quick, clean death. I’ll even collect your body for you.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Otherwise, I’ll leave you pinned right here. The scent of fresh blood will draw the zombies and river ghouls out of the water to feed on your flesh. You’ll be wide awake, watching them chew away at your bones piece by piece.”
Brother Meng, however, glared back with stubborn defiance. He didn’t believe her words at all. He had never heard of zombies devouring the living, nor had he ever seen monsters crawling out of the river.
