Chapter 248: Water Sound

@Guesthouse 9th floor, Room 908.

In the shower room, water sounds rang.

Scalding hot water warmed the washroom, the light was bright.

Power comes from the Energy Core; as a system prop, it can almost serve as a universal battery, its effect similar to the Spirit Energy Conversion Tower.

Under the shower, Lin An lowered his head, thinking about the hunting route; the black dragon on his wrist lazily opened its mouth to take in the hot water.

He didn't intend to waste any time.

As an Awakened One, a brief rest can restore him to peak condition.

First, let Zhang Tie check for any other mutants; he then brings Mo Ling to explore the hospital.

If extra mutants are found, let Zhang Tie lure them all at once.

That saves the most time.

Outside the door, Mo Ling, half-asleep, clung to her pajamas, head tilted, dazed.

Lin An has hot water; she also wants to take a shower.

Xiong Hanzi and Gao Tian were in a room, rummaging through boxes and cabinets.

He had been to the guesthouse, but never slept in a room.

Like bandits entering a village.

He occasionally lifted the mysterious prop in his hand, opening it furtively.

Gao Tian's expression was helpless; he could only stand by the window looking outside, his gaze somewhat forlorn.

Room 901.

Wang Kun and Li Lei, both with solemn faces, each sat in a corner.

The atmosphere was heavy; the two had myriad worries on their minds.

After a long while, Wang Kun spoke slowly in a low voice:

"What do you think of that person called Chu An?"

"They actually want to hunt a second-level mutant; do you think that's real or fake?"

When out and about, Lin An instructed the team to call him Chu An to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Li Lei snorted coldly, looking at him as if he were an idiot:

"Do we even need to ask such a question?"

"Two Awakened Ones without heavy weapons want to kill a second-level mutant? And they want to find more? Do they really think they're Lin An?"

"They're both 'An', so they think they're capable too, right?"

"Laughable."

"Even Lin An would need to bring over a hundred people to handle a second-level mutant, and also require firepower support."

Wang Kun heard this and nodded hesitantly.

Although Long'an Base has never appeared, nor have they ever said how they dealt with so many mutants to complete the mission.

But during this time, amid various speculations, everyone tacitly accepted one explanation.

A hundred Awakened Ones, coordinating with artillery, tanks, or missiles, could complete the Safe Zone mission.

Otherwise, why would the system impose a hard requirement that establishing a base needs a hundred Awakened Ones?

Safe Zone, base.

Isn't that what the Military Region means? Connecting the two, it's easy to draw that conclusion.

As for Lin An, although no one knows his strength, most ordinary people think that a player who can command the Safe Zone must have strength surpassing everyone else.

Therefore, no one would think Lin An's strength is poor.

"Then what do you say, why are they doing this? I always feel that Chu An is a bit mysterious."

"With so much equipment on him, even if he's lucky, he must have hunted many mutants!"

"I think we still shouldn't underestimate them."

Wang Kun worries a lot; he is not as optimistic as Li Lei.

Although Lin An and company have shown no further threat, he still cannot let his guard down.

What if?

Who stipulated that in the apocalypse, Awakened Ones must help each other?

Li Lei, somewhat impatient, propped his hands on the chair and voiced his opinion:

"Who can't brag?"

"Don't look at that guy acting all aloof; I'm telling you, he just wants to use this aloof act to attract Bing Fourth Rank!"

"Isn't that how all those crappy novels are written?"

"Bing Fourth Rank is just too kind, with a simple mind, that's why she falls for his act!"

"What, just because the male lead is aloof, the school belle finds him interesting?"

"Look at him carrying a sword, that pretty-boy look."

"I guess he might be the son of some high official; you haven't noticed that the burly guy named Zhang Tie looks like a bodyguard or something?"

"Damn his mother, even in the apocalypse there are still people like this!"

Li Lei, indignant, hates nothing more than people with power and influence.

There are plenty of such people in the chat channel.

After all, the apocalypse hasn't been going on long, and many people are still used to following superiors' orders.

Even quite a few Awakened Ones are willing to protect some merchants and officials.

Societal inertia built over thousands of years isn't so easy to change.

Put bluntly, most Awakened Ones were ordinary people before the Apocalypse; increased strength does not mean improved mentality and vision.

Wang Kun nodded, tacitly accepting Li Lei's statement.

Although somewhat biased, he felt this was the closest explanation.

Second Level Mutants are terrifying; he knows this well—that thing is something present-stage players cannot contend with.

Not forming large teams, not using heavy weapons—what can we fight with?

Combined, Li Lei and I, with favorable timing and terrain, might manage to kill a low-level Second Level Mutant by fighting desperately, but one of us would surely die.

After suppressing his doubts, Wang Kun frowned and voiced his opinion:

"I think that's how it is."

"What you say is probably about right, but this group's goal is likely the hospital."

"Think about it—they happened to come here; around here, besides the hospital, what other supply points are there?"

"Eighty percent likely some major faction sent them to seize medical supplies—after all, these count as strategic goods!"

Awakened Ones don't get sick easily, but they can be injured.

At this stage, most Awakened Ones' physiques are still insufficient to be immune to all diseases.

Not to mention ordinary players.

Ordinary players, aside from their data panels, are no different from ordinary people.

Few possess skills.

Thus, medicines, anesthetics, and surgical supplies are in high demand.

Food is scarce; put bluntly, one can still grow it, or even resort to cannibalism.

But if there's no medicine, there's none; many Awakened Ones have relatives who also fall ill, and many regularly take medication.

Thus, the three most important ordinary supplies in the Apocalypse are medicine, food, and weapons.

Li Lei glanced at Wang Kun, and both felt a surge of dissatisfaction.

The hospital had long been treated as their turf.

The two joined forces to kill the ghouls, wasn't it just to clear out the hospital?

Especially Wang Kun, who still planned to haul a bunch of medical supplies to join his brothers.

Now that these outsiders are intervening, he won't easily give up.

Adding Fan Bing's situation, both pondered silently, then exchanged a glance, each understanding the other's thoughts.

Room 909.

Fan Bing sat alone on the bedside; beside her, an opened silver-white metal box was filled with various finely crafted high-end garments.

Her eyes flickered; after a moment's hesitation she picked up a black dress and walked toward the dressing table.

In the mirror, the woman gazed at her own face, her eyes calm.

She slowly slipped off her cheongsam, looking at her naked reflection in the mirror.

Snow-white, her flawless body possessed a strange beauty in the darkness.

Late night, cold and quiet.

"I don't believe it..."

She lifted the long hair on her shoulders; her slender neck like a proud swan, she murmured to herself.

"I will lose..."

Behind the wall the dressing table leans against, the sound of water never ceases.