Apocalyptic Gratitude Duck - Chapter 14

Qiao Yanyu and Kexin lay concealed in waist-high grass, a large boulder providing cover to their left. The moderate slope allowed them a clear view of the teeming crowd gathered in the square below.

Suddenly, footsteps approached from beside them. Kexin held her breath, her duck-like beak nervously tugging at the hem of her master’s clothes.

Qiao Yanyu tensed, glancing sideways.

“They make us hunt every day and give us barely enough to eat. Who’d willingly work for that bastard?”

“Quiet down! If Big Fei hears, we’ll get another brutal beating.”

“We lost another few dozen brothers today. Not a single one of his men died. Are our lives worth less than theirs?” He suddenly lashed his whip viciously at the bound figures behind him, venting his anger. “What are you all staring at? No matter how worthless my life is, I’ll outlive all of you!”

Behind him stood five or six men and women, all genders represented, securely tied together. The whip struck with pinpoint accuracy, tearing flesh and drawing agonized screams. They couldn’t even dodge.

“Big Fei said to keep them alive. Don’t whip them to death.”

“Got it. They won’t die anytime soon.” The man gave a few more half-hearted lashes before carelessly sheathing his whip. “Do you really think these people will be enough to block that Great Parrot?”

“Does it matter to us whether they succeed or fail?”

“Let’s move. We don’t want to be late for the headcount.” The two men quickened their pace, urging the others behind them toward the square below.

Qiao Yanyu and Kexin exchanged a glance, then stealthily followed at the back of the group.

After handing over their prisoners, the two men approached the former security booth in the nearby park.

“Steel Cannon! Big Fei!” They knocked on the door, bowing and scraping in greeting.

Big Fei?

Qiao Yanyu recalled Punk mentioning this man. To achieve his goals, he would feed living people to Mutated Beasts—a man as treacherous and ruthless as they come.

“What do you want?” Steel Cannon asked, his face darkening.

“We’ve met today’s quota, but my throat’s a little scratchy…” The man beside him said, putting on an act.

Flustered, Steel Cannon pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took out a few, and tossed them to the two men. “Fine, get lost! Can’t you see I’m discussing business with Big Fei?”

The two men pocketed the cigarettes and grinned cheekily as they slunk away.

Steel Cannon turned and went back inside, yanking off his cap with visible frustration. “Punk and those guys still haven’t shown up. They’re probably hiding somewhere, slacking off. I should never have taken them in. They’re useless at work, but damn good at begging for favors.”

“What’s the rush? They can’t run forever. When they get back, we’ll teach them a lesson with the vines. They’ll learn to behave. How many did we capture today?” Qin Dafei lounged with his long legs on the table, lighting a cigarette and slowly exhaling a smoke ring.

He casually flicked his wrist, and the thick, brown vines behind him writhed like serpents. Each vine was covered in blood-red veins tied into knots, and their serrated edges bristled like the jaws of wild beasts waiting to devour prey.

A flicker of fear stirred in Steel Cannon’s heart. He forced a smile and flattered, “Big Fei, your vines are even thicker than before. After a proper beating, those little thugs will never dare slack off again.”

“We captured over a hundred today. There were none left on the streets, so we had the brothers raid several residential areas. We busted down doors and dragged out all the survivors. We scored some good loot.”

Qin Dafei nodded approvingly. “Are they obedient?”

“Listen up, I did exactly as you said. I told them you wanted to build a Safe Zone and needed help clearing the area. I promised rewards for good work and even returned their belongings. They were all over it, scrambling to get in your good graces.”

“Among them were several pretty women. I’ve stationed them at the apartment building.”

Qin Dafei stubbed out his cigarette, a smirk playing on his lips. He clapped Steel Cannon on the shoulder. “Good job. Tonight, after we get the Golden Pomelo Fruit, you can pick one of the women from the apartment. Don’t say I never treat you right.”

Steel Cannon’s face lit up with excitement. “Thanks, Big Fei! Brother will definitely lay his life on the line for you from now on!”

“Brother trusts you,” Qin Dafei said, slinging an arm around Steel Cannon’s shoulders, his expression sincere.

As Steel Cannon thought about the Golden Pomelo Fruit, he suddenly lowered his voice and asked cautiously, “Big Fei, that fruit today smelled even stronger than before. The Great Parrot on the tree has been watching it constantly, and other Mutated Beasts are nearby too. The Zombies are also gathering in the area. This morning, I saw a Level 2 Zombie emerge from the ruins. It had an arm as thick as a tree trunk. What if our people can’t break through when the time comes?”

Qin Dafei said proudly, “My vine has communicated with me. That fruit won’t ripen and fall for another half-hour. By then, the zombies and mutated beasts will be locked in fierce combat. We’ll wait until they’re both exhausted, then strike.”

So Qin Dafei knew the fruit would ripen today because the vine behind him had informed him. Kexin understood the situation, but couldn’t help feeling a twinge of envy. If only I had a reliable informant like that, she thought.

Her sidekicks in her previous life had been uniformly stupid, each one dumber than the last. They knew how to work hard but never used their brains. It always made her feel disheartened.

“It’s like the mantis catching cicadas, unaware the shrike lurks behind,” Steel Cannon gushed, unable to resist a bit of flattery. “Big Fei, your strategy is truly ingenious!”

“But what if those people rush in and get bitten by zombies?” someone asked.

Qin Dafei sneered. “A bite’s perfect. We can chop off their heads and harvest the Zombie Crystals.”

His ambition and greed were laid bare. Qiao Yanyu cursed inwardly. If this fool hadn’t been so clever, that Mutated Parrot wouldn’t have been fattened up so thoroughly.

The mutated parrot had snatched a golden pomelo fruit from the fierce battle, expending a significant amount of energy. Just then, Qin Dafei delivered more human heads to replenish its energy. Empowered by the fruit’s effects, the parrot’s eyes turned bloodshot, and it proceeded to wreak havoc on all the survivors in the town.

We had to eliminate the mutated parrot before Qin Dafei could reach it!

Qiao Yanyu led Kexin away silently, swiftly heading towards the Central Garden where the golden pomelo fruit was located.

The intoxicating aroma of the fruit grew stronger, and the sense of danger intensified.

Qiao Yanyu gradually slowed her pace, remaining vigilant as she stared at the fire-lit pomelo tree ahead.

Within a five-meter radius around the tree, low-level zombies devoid of pain perception swarmed, while mutated beasts formed an outer ring, their roars shaking the heavens.

Yet, within a one-meter radius at the center, a vacuum zone had been carved out.

The mutated parrot’s aura was terrifying. Its two-meter-long wings blazed with crimson flames. With each fiery wingbeat, scorching flames erupted upward, instantly entangling the relentless waves of approaching zombies.

Even Qiao Yanyu, standing at a distance, felt the searing heat waves assault her face. Her expression changed abruptly as she swiftly retreated with Kexin.

The mutated parrot continued to circle low around the pomelo tree, its piercing cries echoing across the sky.

Screech!

It was an Advanced Mutated Beast’s sonic attack!

Kexin’s pupils constricted as a sudden, intense, needle-like pain shot through her head.

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