Installed the water heater, and the showerhead in the bathroom finally entered proper use.
Mu Shan did not forget to install a plastic shower curtain.
She pulled the curtain closed, and abundant water flowed down from above, gradually soaking her body.
Steam rose, she closed her eyes, and felt every pore on her body breathing freely. The fatigue of the day dissipated, and she felt much more comfortable.
The shampoo’s fragrance was refreshing. Mu Shan washed her hair, wrapped it in a large towel, and then began washing her body.
After days of combat, although she had been extremely lucky and avoided serious injuries, her body inevitably had bruises here and there, blue and purple marks.
She wrung out a small towel and applied a hot compress to the bruises, not paying them much mind.
In these special times, she had faced mortal danger several times. Being able to survive was already something to count her blessings for.
After finishing her shower, the water heater’s remaining temperature showed 40 degrees. Upholding the principle of no waste, Mu Shan washed all the underwear and undergarments she had scavenged from the villa yesterday and hung them in the sunroom to dry.
She blow-dried her hair before noticing a red dot on the system friend interface, indicating unread messages.
The message came from an unexpected person, saying unexpected words.
[Zhang Haiyang (Office Rookie)]: Sis, wanna team up for the C City Research Institute side quest if you’re free? I guarantee to follow your lead!
Mu Shan rubbed her eyes. Why did it feel like she should be the one saying that?
“Your quest location is also the research institute?”
“Sis too? What a coincidence!!! I’m so happy, it’s fate!”
The other side was clearly very excited, sending a string of exclamation marks.
Mu Shan’s mouth twitched. She had a premonition it wouldn’t be that simple—perhaps the “super strong sixth sense” of a newbie rookie was at play again.
Mu Shan first contacted the old driver, who agreed and said he could provide a modified vehicle. In exchange, Feng Wei would not be responsible for main attacks.
So she immediately contacted the rookie, saying she had an experienced auxiliary coming along, but he needed to take point as the meat shield.
[Zhang Haiyang (Office Rookie)]: I can do it! Sis, I actually wanted to ask your opinion too. I know a player whose quest is also at the research institute. We’re one short—how about we all go together?
[Zhang Haiyang (Office Rookie)]: Oh, she’s an auxiliary too! With a group immobilization skill!
Mu Shan originally did not want to team up with strangers for quests, as it was hard to entrust her back to them. But the rookie’s last sentence changed her mind.
Her current skills were all single-target. If they encountered another zombie horde, a group immobilization skill would be very useful.
After some discussion, Zhang Haiyang agreed to relay contact to the other player, and the four arranged to meet at the park entrance tomorrow morning.
That night, Mu Shan packed her bags early and rested early. Before sleep, she prayed: hoped tomorrow would also be a day with shocks but no dangers.
Main Quest (Day 9)
It was still drizzling today, with rain mixed with strong winds, and very low temperatures—not suitable for going out.
The indoor thermometer showed 5 degrees Celsius. Mu Shan had already put on a thick cotton jacket, and for waterproofing and insulation, she layered a men’s leather jacket over it, bundled up like a brown bear.
Before setting off, she glanced at the flowerpot. The [melon seeds] planted had already sprouted—they should bear fruit by tonight.
The research institute was far away, and everyone lived scattered. Mu Shan had to wait for the car at the park entrance at 6:30.
But the moment she stepped out of the sunroom, she was startled.
Overnight, the water level in the park had risen nearly 20 cm, completely submerging the tires. This also meant her own little car would never drive again.
The small hill where the safe house was located now had only the very top patch of dry ground left.
She had to pile another layer of flood-control sandbags at the sunroom entrance door. But now it seemed like a drop in the bucket.
Her rain boots only reached mid-calf, no longer sufficient for the deepening floodwater.
Human feet could easily lose heat and lead to colds. Mu Shan did not want to gamble with her health, so she found large plastic bags used for packaging bedding, stepped into one per foot, and tied the openings tight at her waist with rope.
She then shoved her plastic-bag-wrapped legs into the rain boots—at least this would keep the dirty water from soaking her skin.
—No ugliest gear, only uglier gear.
The [Item Card: A Golf Club] from today’s card album came in handy. Mu Shan used the club as a cane in both hands, carefully probing the path ahead.
C City’s drainage system had completely collapsed.
Walking on the road, half her body was immersed in water. The murky flow hid the bottom, which was very dangerous—people could easily step into a hole or get swept into underwater currents.
The plastic bags could not insulate the skin. Even with thick socks, her feet soaked in the icy floodwater still made her feel her body rapidly losing heat.
If only she could find high-waist waterproof fishing pants.
Just from the small hill to the park entrance took Mu Shan ten minutes. The west gate’s non-motorized parking area was a chaotic mess—bicycles and electric bikes scattered and smashed, some even floating into the middle of the road.
No way to tell road from sidewalk anymore.
She could not help messaging the old driver, asking if he could still drive normally in this situation.
He replied quickly: No problem.
Fine, no problem then no problem.
Mu Shan found a bus stop shelter to avoid the rain—and to avoid the water, she stood directly on the bench seat.
Unsure of the side quest details, she prepared quite thoroughly this time: besides food, medicine, weapons, she brought two extra sets of clothes in case of emergencies.
The thermos was filled more than halfway with boiling water, with ginger slices and sugar for warming and warding off cold—it could maintain temperature for a long time in the virtual backpack.
After about ten minutes, a gray minivan sailed across the vast water surface, like a lone leaf boat in a river.
When it drew near, Mu Shan’s expression changed from (o-o) to (oOo).
It really was a “boat.”
This Wuling Hongguang had achieved the essence of a divine vehicle transformation: two rows of rubber dinghies protruded abruptly from under the chassis, floating the body on the water.
The rear exhaust pipe connected to an extended tube that reached straight to the roof.
The trunk opened to reveal a weirdly shaped paddle wheel mounted at the rear end, pieced together, embodying “illegal modification” to the extreme.
The type that would absolutely get towed by traffic police whether swimming in rivers or driving on roads.
Mu Shan climbed into the cabin and gave a thumbs-up to the old driver in the driver’s seat: “Impressive, really impressive.”
“Where’d you get this thing?”
“There’s a lake up north. A double-person little yellow duck tour boat drifted by the shore—I disassembled the parts and made an amphibious Wuling Hongguang.” The old driver yawned and waved it off. “So-so, limited materials, could only mod it like this.”
“If floods worsen later, this won’t hold up—we’ll have to rely on real boats.”
Mu Shan nodded and found a seat. She saw the rear paddle wheel slowly start, churning up murky water and foam.
That speed was indeed no different from a 50-yuan-per-hour lake tour “little yellow duck.”
The old driver, clearly spooked by the illusion loops, had specially installed an electronic clock on the rearview mirror to display real-time time—no more fear of anyone messing with his mind.
It was still early, the sky gray and overcast.
Raindrops pelted the windows, whipped by wind, endlessly scraped away by the wipers.
Zombies occasionally drawn by the noise from roadside shuffled over with difficulty, like toddlers learning to walk.
Mu Shan unhesitatingly headshot them one by one.
The old driver leisurely gripped the wheel, munching a sandwich wrapped in oil paper with one hand. This sandwich was clearly from the system mall: meat patty, fried egg, tomato slices, lettuce, and cheese, colorful inside.
Seeing this, Mu Shan took out her stir-fried bean sprout pancake roll and hot water.
Amid the “scenery” of flooded city and waterlogged zombies around them, the two looked just like commuters on a bus to work.
No need to worry about grace at a time like this.
Mu Shan had taken off her rain boots upon boarding. With thick socks and long johns inside, after wiping the water from the plastic bags, she rested her feet on the warm thermos—the temperature recovered quickly.
The Wuling Hongguang little boat stopped at a school entrance, where two people—one ahead, one behind—boarded from the gate.
Zhang Haiyang, dressed as a school janitor, raised his hand first in greeting: “Sis, good to see you again!”
He turned to Feng Wei in the driver’s seat, full of enthusiasm: “Uncle, hi!”
The yellow-haired young girl behind him smiled shyly at the greeting: “Sis.”
“Uncle.”
Mu Shan looked at the two, opened her mouth, then closed it.
The old driver also froze, speechless for a long moment.
An eerie silence filled the cabin.
Zhang Haiyang sensitively noticed the off atmosphere but did not know what went wrong.
At that moment, Feng Wei slapped the steering wheel and whipped around, spraying crumbs from the sandwich in his mouth.
“Uncle?! You calling me?? I’m clearly only thirty-seven!”
Zhang Haiyang froze, his honest face cycling through shock, confusion, disbelief, regret—nearly giving the old driver a heart attack.
“Sorry, sorry… I didn’t know your age, uncle—no… bro?” Zhang Haiyang hesitated.
Feng Wei rolled his eyes and turned back: Go to hell with your bro.
The three in the back sat down separately.
Mu Shan drew in her legs and looked at the new member of the temporary team beside her.
【Cannon Fodder Player 672369
ID: Li Mei
Profession: None】
The other looked like a typical twenty-year-old college student, clearly an introvert (socially anxious). After boarding, she sat next to Zhang Haiyang without speaking, just rubbing her hands low-head.
Both wore identical blue school janitor uniforms—standard issue, very waterproof.
From the driver’s seat, the old driver’s angry munching on the sandwich sounded like a beast feeding, but Zhang Haiyang seemed oblivious.
He just stared fixedly at the half-eaten bean sprout pancake roll in Mu Shan’s hands, suddenly finding his own biscuits unappetizing.
“Sis, did you make that pancake yourself?”
Mu Shan choked, answering: “No, I bought it for 5 coins each at a snack street.”
Zhang Haiyang was shocked: “Ah!”
“Which snack street is still open? I wanna buy some too!”
Mu Shan was speechless for a moment, not knowing where to even start critiquing.
She finished the rest of the pancake in a few bites, held the metal cup to warm her hands, and sipped the ginger sugar water slowly.
“Kidding, I made it myself.”
Zhang Haiyang grinned and leaned over: “Knew it. Sis, can you spare me two? I have money! We both haven’t eaten properly for days.”
Mu Shan was utterly speechless. She took out a plastic bag and handed it over: “Only one, I need to save some for myself. 2 gold coins, split it between you two.”
Zhang Haiyang happily paid, tore it in half, and gave some to Li Mei beside him.
Seeing them devour it like starving ghosts reincarnated, Mu Shan could not help saying: “Since you live in the school, the cafeteria should have plenty of leftover grain.”
Zhang Haiyang wiped his greasy mouth with the back of his hand and complained: “Don’t mention it. We entered the instance late—the school cafeteria was already emptied by others. The remaining ingredients were mostly rotten, and soaked in dirty water, totally inedible.”
“Now we survive on snacks students hid in desk compartments. Been eating spicy strips for two days.”
The modified car-boat slowly sailed onto the main road, surrounding buildings growing sparse. Besides occasionally spotting one or two players paddling bathtubs, almost no people in sight.
The vehicle bobbed on the rubber dinghies, swaying gently.
The yellow-haired girl Li Mei managed to sit properly and listen at first. A few minutes later, her face turned ashen, and she clutched the window, retching heartbreakingly.
“Urp—”
The old driver said darkly: “Seasick? No choice, endure it.”
The little paddle wheel clattered “splish-splash,” pulling the minivan like a small cart hauling an elephant.
Zhang Haiyang handed his little partner a tissue and heard Mu Shan ask: “Your quest location is also C City Research Institute—what’s the side quest?”
“Oh, my side quest is to find a researcher’s cause of death,” Zhang Haiyang answered straightforwardly.
Mu Shan was startled: “Sun Lizhou?”
“No, named Liu Dawei!”
She wondered, could it be that the players’ seemingly independent side quests actually intersected?
On the other side, Li Mei covered her mouth and struggled to speak. “My task is… urp, to find evidence of the research institute’s illegal… urp, animal experiments.”
“My side quest is to find the cause of death of researcher Sun Lizhou, and the reason why the zombie virus spread through the city.”
Mu Shan thought for a moment. “Alright, so now we can conclude that the C City Digital Medical Research Institute perhaps obtained some data through illegal experiments on animals. Possibility one: it developed the zombie virus. Possibility two: it discovered the virus and at least participated in one part of the research.”
“Because at least two or more researchers died, one of whom was a director-level cadre. Out of internal protection principles, the research institute’s leak of the virus to the outside should have been unintentional—they were caught off guard too.”
Zhang Haiyang raised his hand. “I agree!”
Li Mei, seasick, also raised her hand with difficulty.
The old driver, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke up. “Hey, girls, your side quests look pretty tough. It’s the ninth day today, good thing we came early—otherwise, it’ll probably be even harder later.”
Mu Shan caught the implication—was it that the floodwaters made travel difficult, or that the quests themselves would become harder? She hadn’t had time to ask.
Zhang Haiyang was the first to squeeze behind the driver’s seat. “Uncle, your ID starts with 3, so you must be an old player! Veterans carrying newbies and all—if life-threatening danger pops up, please save me! I’ve got money!”
“Get lost, kid—you’re clearly over thirty yourself!”