RIACMET chapter 136

 

Soon, they followed Xiao Qi to a large warehouse. The dog ran straight inside without glancing back once.

Most of the warehouse had collapsed from the back toward the front, leaving only about a hundred square meters of intact space. The light inside was dim, so they turned on their flashlights.

It was obvious—this was where Xiao Qi and his owner had “lived.”

In a deeper corner, they found a torn, dirty sleeping bag, empty food packaging, bags of dog food, and a pile of bottled water, all of which were covered in bite and claw marks.

Clearly, after his master turned into a zombie, Xiao Qi worked hard to survive on his own.

This also showed that the zombified master still returned here under Xiao Qi’s guidance.

Nearby were two large wooden crates, the kind used to pack fragile or bulky goods. Each side was about 1.5 meters long.

Xiao Qi carried the crystal core in his mouth and lightly tossed it into one of the boxes, making a soft thud.

“There’s no way there are more cores in there…” Jian Cheng guessed, his eyes wide.

Zhao Lei patted his shoulder.

“Judging by the sound, there are more cores inside.”

With that, he quickened his pace and walked over.

Inside one of the wooden crates was a stash of instant food—ramen, biscuits, and bread—along with prescription medicine, injectable vials, and a handgun that had once belonged to Xiao Qi’s master. The gun was broken and had no ammo.

The other crate was about a third full of crystal cores, all clean and neatly stored.

“His master must have collected these before losing his mind, and he kept the habit going,” said Zhou Rongbin, squatting down to hug the clever dog. Then he added, “Xiao Qi, we’re taking all this, including your share.”

Xiao Qi looked at him for a moment, then barked twice. Everyone took that as agreement.

With his consent, Jiang Nian used his superpower to purify the contents of both boxes, including the dog food. Only after confirming that nothing was contaminated by the zombie virus did he begin to organize and pack everything separately.

He handed the crystal cores to Cheng Jing for safekeeping. He also took responsibility for the rest of the items.

As the supplies disappeared one by one from the crates into their hands, Xiao Qi sat there, staring blankly and occasionally barking, seemingly confused.

Outside the small corner where Xiao Qi and his owner lived, they found nothing else valuable in the rest of the warehouse.

Without wasting time, they set off again before nightfall.

Zhou Rongbin played the recorder, and Xiao Qi followed, listening to his master’s voice and glancing back every few steps.

The drone flew another patrol round—still no signs of movement.

By the time they returned to their parking spot and set up a temporary shelter, it was completely dark.

Cheng Jing handed Zhou Rongbin the task of looking after Xiao Qi.

Zhou Rongbin happily accepted the job of being the “dog sitter”—he washed, fed, played with, and did obedience training with Xiao Qi.

It wasn’t easy to get a highly loyal military dog to adapt to a new owner and lifestyle.

Jiang Nian purified Xiao Qi several times. He couldn’t guarantee much else, but he could at least ensure the dog was free of the zombie virus.

While they ate, Zhou Rongbin rewarded Xiao Qi with a chicken drumstick. From now on, Xiao Qi was officially a member of their team.

They had plenty of lighting equipment. After dinner, the whole team gathered to unpack the day’s haul and review what they had encountered.

From the commercial area to the logistics park, it had been a fruitful day.

Tomorrow was their last day before returning to the base. Even without counting whatever they’d find the next day, they could say with confidence that it had been a successful mission.

After dinner and setting up the night watch, Lu Ningzhou activated the hidden barrier. Xiao Qi remained within the perimeter but refused to enter the tent with Zhou Rongbin; he lay outside instead.

Liao Yu brought him a bucket of ice. Dogs are more sensitive to heat than cold.

The other team members went back to their tents, but Jiang Nian and Zhou Rongbin stayed outside a bit longer to play with Xiao Qi.

Zhou Rongbin patiently taught Jiang Nian a few commands and tips on how to bond with Xiao Qi, not thinking anything of it.

Just as his former master had said, Xiao Qi was cheerful and friendly—not the loner type.

However, the more time they spent with him, the more heartbreaking it became. It must have been painful for such a lively, clever little guy to watch his master slowly turn into a zombie and lose the ability to communicate.

“……”

“Niannian, come help me for a second.”

Suddenly, Cheng Jing called out to Jiang Nian from inside the tent.

Zhou Rongbin asked, “What’s up, Brother Cheng? Need help?”

“Nope, I just need to find something in Niannian’s storage ring. You stay here and look after Xiao Qi,” Cheng Jing replied calmly. He glanced at Jiang Nian, then headed back into the tent.

“Alright, I’ll be quick.”

Jiang Nian smiled, patted Xiao Qi’s head, and said to Zhou Rongbin, “It’ll take Xiao Qi more than a day or two to adjust to a new partner, so don’t overwork yourself.”

With that, he walked toward the tent.

He was betting that Brother Jing hadn’t really called him in to find something.

No—he was definitely being petty and picking a fight.

Cheng Jing was sitting inside with a notebook and Xiao Qi’s master’s crystal core at his feet. He was taking notes on the power’s attributes. When Jiang Nian came in, he sat beside Cheng Jing and peeked at his writing.

The faint scent of freesia floated over. Cheng Jing’s breath slowed subconsciously.

Even though they used the same soap and shampoo, Jiang Nian still smelled nice.

“Brother Jing, what are you looking for?”

Someone had to break the ice, and Jiang Nian thought he was good at it.

“A wife,” Cheng Jing answered without looking up, scribbling in his notebook.

Jiang Nian knew Cheng Jing was still mad, but he shamelessly followed along.

“My brother already has a wife, yet he still comes after me. That’s irresponsible.”

Hah! I got goosebumps—ha!

“… ”

Cheng Jing’s hand twitched, and his pen punctured the page. He clenched his jaw and stared at Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian didn’t panic at all. He poked his cheek with a finger and said,

“Hey, I was out of it while I was sleeping, and you still messed with me? If I had turned my back, you could have turned me back around. I like how assertive you are, Brother Jing.”

They were both straightforward guys who were easy to win over.

Snap.

Cheng Jing closed his notebook and put it away. Seeing someone act dumb on purpose made him let out a quiet laugh.

“If I’d known that bringing you out here would make you act so cold, I would’ve left you at home to be the little boss.”

From the moment they left the base, this little brat had acted like a whole new person. No more clinging to him or acting sweet—he was bold and battle-ready. In just a few days, it felt like their connection had faded.

Jiang Nian rubbed his head against his shoulder.

“Brother Jing, calm down. This place sucks, and I don’t like outdoor battles…”

That was the truth.

“…”

Cheng Jing gritted his teeth in frustration.

“Am I not calm enough?! You sleep in your clothes every night and hide when I try to kiss you. Ugh!”

Jiang Nian knew he was wrong and didn’t want to argue. He grabbed Cheng Jing’s collar and leaned in to shut him up.

Cuddling should be enough. If you really want to apologize, actions speak louder than words.

Sure enough, Cheng Jing swallowed his unfinished complaints, took the initiative, and pressed Jiang Nian down, biting him hard.

At the same time, he reached out and turned off the tent light, covering the night lamp in the corner with his jacket.

It wasn’t pitch black, but it was dark enough that no one outside could see in.