January 17
Before eleven in the morning, everyone had finished breakfast and begun dividing up the day's work.
Huaxiu was assigned to stay home: tidying the house, guarding their base, building up the rooftop garden, and organizing the supplies stored throughout the building.
There was also the frail Doris, who still had little to no combat ability.
That left the other two.
Inside Xiangzi's equipment room, they were suiting up and receiving weapons.
"Brent, take this. Miranda, this one's yours. This time it'll be the three of us going out. Doris and Huaxiu can stay behind."
Fully geared up, Xiangzi handed over the weapons she had just bought from the system shop for her two newest companions.
Brent accepted hers first. The moment the rifle touched her hands, delight flooded her face. She ran her fingers over every inch of it with open reverence.
It was a Remington M24 sniper rifle. According to Xiangzi, it had been recovered from the body of a fallen Japanese airborne soldier during one of her scavenging trips.
The weapon was an improved model based on the Remington 700. It fired 7.62×51mm NATO rounds, used a bolt-action mechanism, weighed 5.4 kilograms unloaded, measured 1.09 meters in length, and had a five- to ten-round capacity. Its effective range was around eight hundred meters. Xiangzi had even mounted a 4–16× scope on it for her.
"This… is really for me, Miss Xiangzi…?"
"Take it. We'll be working together from now on."
Brent truly had not expected Xiangzi to be this generous. Handing a firearm to someone she had only known for such a short time—wasn't she worried Brent might simply put a bullet in her?
The truth was, Xiangzi really wasn't that worried.
From what she had already observed, Miranda was clearly Brent's anchor. If Brent turned on her, it would directly endanger Miranda as well. Xiangzi intended to bring that pampered young lady along as part of the team's frontline operations. If Brent failed to kill Xiangzi in one shot, then everyone would die together.
And besides, Xiangzi was no longer exactly human.
Just moments ago, when she had been buying weapons for Miranda and Brent from the system shop, she had briefly wondered whether she was making a mistake—whether this might end in her being killed by the people she armed.
Then she opened a blind box.
And the answer came immediately.
Xiangzi had won big.
With this new trait, she no longer needed to worry about something as petty as being shot in the back. That was why she could hand over ranged weapons so confidently.
[True Bullet Time:]
Yes, exactly what you think it is—but limited specifically to bullets fired from ranged weapons. Shells, crossbow bolts, throwing spears, grenades, and the like are not included.
Whenever you are being aimed at by a bullet, a safe-evasion prompt will appear.
Your body will then enter an extreme performance state measured in milliseconds, lasting thirty seconds.
Daily limit: May only be triggered twice per natural day.
There were limitations, yes, but it was more than enough.
In the real world, a skill like this could only be described as absurd. The ability to dodge bullets that normally came without warning was the same as having two extra lives.
Miranda, by contrast, received a knife and the metal spear from the airdrop. On top of that, Xiangzi fitted her with a riot suit and helmet she had purchased from the system.
The result was unmistakable: Miranda had become a heavily armored frontliner.
The only problem was that her chest made the armor fit awkwardly. Once she began putting it on, the rigid riot gear squeezed her painfully enough that Xiangzi had to step in and help.
Under Xiangzi's hands, the noble young lady finally managed to wrestle herself into the heavily protective suit.
Some amount of accidental contact, naturally, proved unavoidable.
During the fitting, Miranda's face flushed red. A small, involuntary sound escaped her lips.
"Mm—"
Even through layers of fabric, the faintest brush of contact made her feel as if electricity had run through her.
This girl is that sensitive?
Xiangzi wasn't stupid. There was no need to ask. Miranda's blushing face said everything.
Then Xiangzi helped her strap on the flamethrower.
That was because she had considered the danger posed by infected insects. If a swarm of those tiny horrors ever came buzzing straight at them, they would be a nightmare to deal with.
So Miranda had been given an Italian T-148 flamethrower as her support weapon.
[Italian T-148 Flamethrower:]
Caliber: 40mm
Maximum range: 60 meters
One full load supports 15–18 bursts of flame, though 15 is recommended for optimal performance.
Fuel capacity: 15 liters
It used compressed nitrogen as its propulsion system, allowing flexible control of fuel flow and supporting both burst-fire and continuous spray modes.
Integrated tank:
The fuel container and compressed gas bottle were merged into a single anodized aluminum-alloy unit, with a total loaded weight of 25.5 kilograms—roughly 30% lighter than older models.
Modular design:
The fuel hose used a ball-bearing joint, improving flexibility and seal reliability. The muzzle's arc ignition system produced only a faint blue glow, giving it strong concealment capability.
Environmental performance:
Water-resistant. The tank could still operate normally after exposure to moisture.
Safe. No recorded incidents of accidental tank explosions.
Low recoil, easy to control, capable of repeated bursts.
Its weaknesses were also clear: the flames lacked concentration, the burn temperature was somewhat limited, and fuel efficiency suffered under repeated use. In actual combat, it was hard to make full use of all eighteen bursts.
Still, those flaws were acceptable.
After all, it had never been meant for large enemy targets.
It was for infected insects, rats, birds, and other such swarming nuisances. For that purpose, it was more than sufficient.
They needed to get moving. There was still that outstanding exploration task to clear. Multiple special locations—not exactly difficult.
And while they were at it, they could search for fuel and a fuel-powered generator. Solar generation in a Japanese winter simply wasn't enough.
"Check your gear. We're heading out."
Buckles snapped shut. Packs were loaded. Necessary equipment was secured in place.
Then Xiangzi's three-woman team arrived downstairs.
She had already assigned everyone their place in the formation.
"I'll handle medium- and close-range infected. I'm the main firepower. Brent will observe distant threats and deal with them precisely from range. Miranda takes point, draws aggro, wears the heavy armor, and fights with cold steel."
"We understand, Captain Xiangzi."
Brent and Miranda even gave Xiangzi a mock-serious salute, which made her laugh.
"All right. Let's go."
Everything prepared, Xiangzi Squad—move out.
Infected… we're here to harvest you.
Carefully following Xiangzi out through the dense defensive maze surrounding the safehouse, the others couldn't help but feel uneasy. The minefields and the razor wire were terrifying in their own right.
Once outside, they mounted the human-powered tricycle and rolled forward. The point of bringing it wasn't speed—it was cargo capacity.
They intended to haul back as many scarce supplies as possible: fuel, water, medicine, tool sets, machinery…
Which meant their destination this time was—
the commercial district to the west of the residential blocks.
They sped along the main road until they reached the edge of the business area.
The trip itself was uneventful. There were not many infected on the streets, and the few they encountered could be dealt with easily using melee weapons.
"We're here. Miranda, take point. I'll stay behind you. Brent, go up to the second floor of that building across the street and watch the area. Stick to the plan."
Before Brent had even fully braked the tricycle, Xiangzi had already vaulted off the back. Miranda, burdened by her heavy gear, had to wait until the vehicle came to a stop before climbing down.
"Please be careful, both of you!"
"Don't get long-winded. You be careful too. Once your sniper nest is set up, watch your back."
That was the reality now.
The infected were not their only enemies. There were hostile humans as well.
Though Xiangzi still didn't know exactly what equipment the Apostles were carrying, one thing was certain:
they had guns.
They had to be careful.
"Mm."
After signaling to the two women moving into the street, Brent clutched her sniper rifle, carried the launcher on her back, and ran lightly toward a three-story shop near the far end of the commercial strip.
Meanwhile, Xiangzi and Miranda had already begun dropping infected one after another. Most of the corpses littering the street were headless. Those skewered by Miranda's spear were… rarer. Not nonexistent, but rare enough to barely count.
Miranda had only just started using a long spear, and it showed. Though spears were among the easier polearms to pick up, she still handled it clumsily.
The basics were simple enough: predict the enemy's movement, aim the point in their path, and thrust when they came close, using the penetrating power of the spearhead to wound them.
Simple in theory.
But Miranda had absolutely no practical experience.
Faced with infected staggering and lunging toward her from different angles, none of the elegant forms of spear combat existed. No lines of thrust like dragons striking. No sharp combinations. She simply swung the weapon in panicked, ungainly motions driven by instinct.
Watching from behind, Xiangzi found herself growing nervous.
A stupid teammate could be far more dangerous than a clever enemy.
Sure enough, just as Xiangzi cut down an infected charging from the flank, Miranda's delayed thrust nearly skewered Xiangzi herself from behind.
"Miranda, aim before you thrust! Flailing around like that is inefficient. Don't panic. A single infected can't bite through armor that thick, and I'm right here. Slow down. Stay steady."
At last, Xiangzi couldn't take it anymore. If Miranda kept fighting like this, she would never improve.
"I'm sorry. It won't happen again." Miranda's voice came out muffled by the sealed riot helmet.
She didn't want to fight like that either. But to her, these charging infected were terrifying. Whenever one slammed into her spear, the impact shuddered up the shaft and through her hands.
Xiangzi could not understand where all of Miranda's earlier poise had gone—the composed, mature young lady she had seen during their flight and in their first conversations.
At this rate, things couldn't continue. Fine. She would train the girl properly.
From here on, unless absolutely necessary, Xiangzi wouldn't step in.
"Hand me the spear. I'll show you once. Watch carefully."
They exchanged weapons. Xiangzi took the spear and immediately went looking for an unfortunate target.
She gripped it in both hands, twisted from the waist to add force, aligned her body, held the shaft upright before her chest, and drove the point forward in a straight thrust.
The spearhead punched clean through an infected's shriveled skull.
"Rrgh—!"
The creature let out one last broken cry before Xiangzi yanked the spear free. Its body collapsed with a wet thud, and Xiangzi turned toward the cluster of infected now rushing over at the sound. A disdainful smile tugged at her lips.
"Good. This is what fighting should feel like. Nice! Miranda, watch how a spear is actually used!"
She moved boldly among the infected, tracing arcs with the spearhead, sweeping and lifting. As she thrust, she snapped the shaft sideways, using its natural flex to alter the direction of attack and broaden the area she covered.
Precision was not her goal.
Maximum damage was.
Like an autumn wind sweeping fallen leaves away, she tore through them. One body after another dropped to the ground. In just a few exchanges, every infected facing her had been sent to its death.
"What incredible combat technique… Miss Xiangzi is amazing."
Miranda was genuinely stunned.
Xiangzi could shoot at range, fight in close quarters, use all manner of equipment—where did one even find a woman this capable?
"It's nothing special. No need to praise me. Did you learn anything? Your turn."
She shook blood and bits of flesh from the spearhead and returned it to the awestruck Miranda.
Me? Do that?
Under the weight of Xiangzi's live demonstration, Miranda felt a crushing pressure as she took the weapon back.
Holding her own Miaodao again, Xiangzi thought, as always, that swords were more fun.
After learning a few basics—thrusting and lifting—Miranda finally began to understand how to use the long weapon properly. She wasn't physically weak to begin with, and soon enough she drove the spear through a lesser infected.
Hah—what do you know? My spearwork's actually pretty good!
Proud of herself, she straightened a little.
"Come on. We found the place."
But Xiangzi's attention was already elsewhere, leaving Miranda's little moment of triumph hanging in the air.
There it was.
A large appliance store.
Xiangzi brightened at once and hurried toward it, dragging Miranda along with her.
Finding the place hadn't been easy. Xiangzi didn't usually go out much, so she had only a rough sense of where the various stores in town were.
Since they were heading into an enclosed, poorly lit interior, Xiangzi switched to her M4A1 assault rifle and turned on both her headlamp and the tactical light on the handguard.
No point getting caught off guard indoors.
Miranda opened the valve on the flamethrower. A dragon of fire stood ready.
After quickly killing the infected wandering near the entrance, the two women rushed inside.
Shelves lay toppled in disarray. Once-pristine appliances were now buried beneath dust. The air was thick with rot. Had the bodies of those who died here already decayed this badly?
Under the sweep of her light, Xiangzi calmly put bullets through the heads of the infected remaining inside. As they fought off attackers while searching for their target supplies, things felt almost relaxed.
It was so easy that they even had time to talk.
Wasn't this a little absurd for the apocalypse?
"This is weird. There are only ordinary infected out on the streets. Not a single special infected anywhere."
That thought had been nagging at Xiangzi for a while. The streets had been strangely empty all the way here, and the special infected were nowhere to be seen. Thinking back to those anti-human cultists she had encountered earlier, she couldn't help wondering whether the Apostles had rounded them all up and led them elsewhere.
"It does feel unnaturally quiet," Miranda agreed, stepping over a dried corpse on the floor. "There aren't many infected in the store either. It's nothing like the siege conditions from a few days ago."
"Either it's the calm before something bad, or all the infected have moved south. Either way, keep—"
Xiangzi abruptly cut herself off.
"What was that?"
She had heard something strange off to the side.
"Where?"
Miranda, whose hearing was worse than Xiangzi's even at the best of times—and who was currently wearing a thick riot helmet—had heard nothing at all.
"There's definitely something. Miranda, get the flamethrower ready. We may need it."
Before she even finished speaking, Xiangzi swung her light toward the source and saw a reinforced safety door behind one of the fallen display racks.
Something on the other side was shaking it.
The noise grew louder.
The metal began to deform.
This time even Miranda heard it.
Then—
everything changed in an instant.
The door burst inward.
Their brief leisurely phase ended on the spot.
A huge swarm of moth-like creatures came surging through the opening in a maddened cloud, wings buzzing as they rushed toward the two women.
Each was bigger than an ordinary bird. If not for those unmistakably insectile wings, Xiangzi might have doubted they were bugs at all.
These were exactly what she had feared:
infected insects.
Good thing they had brought the flamethrower designed to counter them.
"Damn it! Fire, Miranda! Fire! Don't let them get close!"
Dropping the spear into Xiangzi's hands, Miranda dropped to one knee, gripped the nozzle, and pulled the trigger. A high-voltage arc ignited the gel fuel pouring from the muzzle.
A long dragon of flame burst free of its artificial prison and spread its fury through the room.
At a range of sixty meters, it covered half the store. Everywhere it touched, fire bloomed. Most of the appliances—made largely of polymers—began to melt and warp.
The stink of burning flesh and scorched material filled the air.
In the roaring firelight that illuminated the store's open floor, Xiangzi stood behind Miranda, the heat washing over her face as she guarded the woman's back.
By now, the blast and flames had drawn infected from outside. Xiangzi raised her rifle and shot them down one after another.
Fighting and retreating together, the two women finally reached the entrance.
Yet the insects kept pouring forward, throwing themselves into the flames.
Why were there so many?
Standing in the doorway with the flamethrower, Miranda cut a valiant figure, holding the line alone.
But through the heavy smoke, Xiangzi could still see more swarming shapes behind the first wave.
This needed stronger medicine.
"Miranda, get back! Time for these bugs to taste my little pineapple!"
Xiangzi pulled out a pineapple-shaped grenade and hurled it into the store. A few seconds later, under the grenade's delayed fuse, a deafening explosion ripped through the building.
The doorway became a tunnel of violence.
Shockwave, flames, superheated air, shattered debris, and blackened chunks of burnt insect carcass blasted outward in a storm.
Xiangzi and Miranda had thrown themselves flat against either side of the entrance and avoided injury, though their clothes were now smeared black with soot.
When the blast died down, there was no movement left in the smoke.
Farther inside, objects soaked in sticky burning fuel still crackled with fire, but the swarm itself had been utterly annihilated.
Of course, that entire floor of the store was now useless.
The supply run was a complete failure.
They would have to move on and search other shops.
Xiangzi unscrewed her canteen and was just about to take a drink when more infected, drawn by the thunderous blast, came charging from every direction.
Miranda was preparing to unleash more fire. Xiangzi was already swapping magazines.
Then an even louder sound cracked through the air behind them.
One problem had not even ended before another rose.
That sound was Brent's Remington M24.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Worried, the two women quickly gunned down the infected nearest them.
Brent—what happened over there?
The street beyond was hidden behind buildings, lost in a fog of urban blind spots. Desperate for an answer, both women broke into a run, gear bouncing wildly against their backs as they sprinted back the way they had come.
Standard Loadout of the Three-Woman Team
Takashiro Xiangzi
Primary weapons: M4A1 assault rifle, Miaodao
Secondary weapons: G18C automatic pistol, tactical dagger
Support weapon: MK2 grenade
Protection: light anti-stab vest, riot helmet, knee guards, wrist guards
Miranda
Primary weapons: alloy spear, riot arm-shield
Secondary weapon: dagger
Support weapon: Italian T-148 flamethrower
Protection: full heavy riot armor
Brent
Primary weapon: Remington M24 sniper rifle
Secondary weapon: Italian Force 99/2002 pistol with replenished ammunition
Support weapon: M72 LAW disposable rocket launcher
Protection: homemade soft armor, sports helmet
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 126)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter130)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter89)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter157)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 133
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 125
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 84
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 143
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 115
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 99
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 53
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 75
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 75
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 52
Uma Musume: I Want All 51
I Can Copy Unique Skills 53
A Guide to Aid in the Underwor 26
Summoning an Evil God, but the 27
Supernatural Multiverse 27
My Harem Is Indescribable 26
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