Apocalyptic Gratitude Duck - Chapter 21

The sudden rain had just stopped, and a faint twilight seeped through the gray sky, its light spilling across the steps of the Red Heart Mini-Mart. Three dark heads, like frozen stone sculptures, lined up in a row, gazing toward the street corner.

“Boss, are we still waiting?” Li Youming asked anxiously, turning his head. “It’s almost evening.”

Zhang Ping frowned deeply, tightening his grip on the water bottle. “Wait another half-hour. If she doesn’t come, you two can go ahead. I’ll stay here all night.”

Chen Chuyue added, “I’ll stay with you, Boss.”

“I say we stop waiting,” Li Youming retorted. “Don’t you think she’s deliberately messing with us, making us waste two days here?”

Unable to remain crouched any longer, Li Youming stood up and turned to grab his backpack. “If you want to wait, go ahead. I’m out of here!”

Chen Chuyue grabbed his arm, coaxing him gently, “We’ve already waited a whole day. What’s another half-hour? Besides, having an ally is always better than having an enemy. If we’ve waited this long, we shouldn’t give her any ammunition.”

“I still don’t think that woman feels any guilt,” Li Youming grumbled. “Her voice might be soft, but she looks as cold as ice. People probably think we’re fools, waiting around like this!”

Li Youming was seething with resentment. Seeing that none of his teammates were swayed by his arguments, he punched the wall, chipping off a piece of plaster.

Zhang Ping, suffering from a headache exacerbated by the commotion, snapped, “Youming, when will you learn to control that temper of yours? You’re like a firecracker going off all the time. Can’t you just calm down?”

Li Youming, his nose turned up, was about to retort when Zhang Ping shot him a meaningful glance and retorted, “Do you really think you’re the only smart one here? That we’re all fools?”

Li Youming fell silent and slumped down onto the doorstep.

Zhang Ping had once been highly regarded by his gym’s owner, even becoming a partner. He’d always been quick-witted, and everyone respected his judgment. Li Youming knew he couldn’t outsmart him in a debate.

Sighing, Zhang Ping laid out his plan: “From now on, we need to stay calm and think things through. What Xiao Yue said earlier was right. We’ll wait for her for a day. Whether she shows or not, we’ll have kept our promise. If we run into her on the streets later, we’ll have a clear conscience. But if we miss her by half an hour and she accuses us of breaking our word, who will believe us? Even if we try to explain, who would listen?”

Li Youming lowered his head and vigorously scratched his scalp.

Seeing Zhang Ping about to start nagging again, Li Youming clenched his fists, unable to contain his frustration. He stood up and said, “I get it, Brother Ping. I’ll go patrol the area and check the intersection to see if she’s coming.”

“Go ahead.”

Li Youming left his teammates and headed toward the intersection. Unexpectedly, he was still halfway there when he spotted a young woman dragging a suitcase running toward them, five frenzied zombies hot on her heels.

Seeing she was about to be caught, he quickly grabbed a kitchen knife and rushed to her aid.

Meng Nuo saw Li Youming charging toward her with a fierce expression. She glanced back at the crazed zombies behind her, caught in a desperate dilemma—whether to run forward or retreat. She burst into tears.

“Drop the suitcase and fight the zombies!” Li Youming shouted from a distance, too far away to help immediately.

Hearing his command, Meng Nuo hastily tossed the suitcase and sprinted toward Li Youming.

The moment she ran, the five zombies lunged after her.

Li Youming’s scalp tingled with dread. Five zombies at once? I can’t block them all.

He unleashed a Blazing Fist, crushing the nearest zombie’s head, then sprinted after Meng Nuo.

As they ran, he shouted for the Boss to save them. Suddenly, the roar of a motorcycle engine echoed behind them.

What’s going on? Riding a motorcycle on a deserted highway in the apocalypse?

Before he could process the situation, an exceptionally flashy and sleek motorcycle zoomed past them.

A scorching blast of air brushed against Li Youming’s back. He turned his head and gasped, “Holy shit!” The five zombies chasing them had been reduced to five charred blocks of coal!

With a screech, the motorcycle skidded to a halt in front of them, leaving a black tire mark on the road.

Kexin, wearing a small tiger helmet, leaped off the bike and rushed to the charred remains. Using her tender yellow duck-like feet, she dug out the red crystals from the ashes and stuffed them into the small cloth pouch she was holding in her beak.

After retrieving all five red crystals, Kexin flew back onto the motorcycle, pouch still in her beak.

Li Youming’s eyes widened. Isn’t that the duck that usually follows the Big Boss? And it’s even bigger than before!

So, the Big Boss really is here!

Li Youming’s gaze fell upon Qiao Yanyu, who was driving the motorcycle.

Qiao Yanyu wore a black helmet and sat tall and straight on the bike. Her slender, straight legs supported the tall motorcycle without appearing delicate, but rather with an imposing presence, as if she had always been capable of handling this mid-sized bike.

The tears in the corners of Meng Nuo’s eyes hadn’t dried when she saw Qiao Yanyu on the motorcycle, and her eyes lit up with stars. “So cool~”

The words were already on Li Youming’s lips, but he realized Meng Nuo had stolen his line. He awkwardly rubbed his hands.

Qiao Yanyu hadn’t expected Meng Nuo to actually have the courage to come over. Though it was later than she’d anticipated, it was still good. Being chased by zombies was better than waiting to be bitten. This could be considered the first step in surviving the apocalypse.

She removed her helmet, shook out her long hair, and arched her slender eyebrows. Seeing Meng Nuo approach, she nodded kindly.

Meng Nuo wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand, barely able to contain her excitement. “I’m here now. Can I go with you?”

Kexin nodded her small head and tilted it to look up at her master.

The little tiger helmet, swaying up and down, blocked Kexin’s view, making her look even more like a silly little tiger. Qiao Yanyu couldn’t help but smile faintly as she reached out to unfasten the helmet’s clasp. Then she looked up at Meng Nuo. “Alright, let me introduce you to the others we’ll be traveling with.”

Her gaze shifted to Li Youming, and she nodded in greeting as Chen Ping and Chen Chuyue approached from behind him. “We encountered some delays and arrived a little late.”

Chen Ping had already sensed that Qiao Yanyu’s strength had increased significantly since their last encounter. He quickly waved his hand, speaking with genuine warmth, “No problem at all. Your presence alone is an honor for us.”

“Good. Since we’re traveling together, let’s introduce ourselves first. I’m Qiao Yanyu, and this is my friend Kexin.” Qiao Yanyu patted Kexin’s small head, making the introduction with deliberate seriousness.

Hearing the word “friend” from Qiao Yanyu’s lips again, Kexin puffed out her little chest proudly and let out a cheerful “Quack!” She loved this new term; it made her sound like a mature duck, not just a cute little pet. Little pets can act spoiled at home, but can friends still act spoiled outside?

“Of course!” Qiao Yanyu’s smile widened, her eyes sparkling with warmth as she gently stroked Kexin’s soft head.

Zhang Ping and his team stood speechless. They had initially thought Qiao Yanyu had pointed in the wrong direction, but witnessing the tender interaction between the woman and the duck, they silently closed their mouths.

They truly didn’t understand the world of the Big Boss.

But Meng Nuo seemed so delicate and fragile—how could she possibly be the Big Boss’s friend?

Qiao Yanyu quickly explained, “This is Meng Nuo, a pharmacy employee I met on the way. She’s joining us to Songyuan City.”

Meng Nuo stood awkwardly before the group, embarrassed. She hadn’t expected Qiao Yanyu to have other teammates, but seeing other women in the group instantly put her at ease.

True to her reputation as a top saleswoman, Chen Chuyue quickly put on a friendly smile, extending a warm welcome to Meng Nuo. “Meng Nuo, nice to meet you! We’re all fitness trainers, and we happen to be short on someone with medical knowledge. I’m Chen Chuyue, and these are my colleagues, Zhang Ping and Li Youming.”

“Ah… hello everyone! I brought you all gifts!” Meng Nuo waved and nervously rushed to retrieve her suitcase.

She opened it right in front of them, revealing it stuffed with various snacks: spicy strips, sausages, cola, chocolate, cookies, and more.

Then she pulled out a small, tightly sealed glass jar. Opening it, she said, “This is homemade watermelon jam I made myself. It’s really fragrant. I tasted it before leaving and it’s quite good.”

The group stared, speechless.

You’re supposed to be surviving the apocalypse, not vacationing in it!

It had been ages since anyone had seen such an innocent girl. As the simple yet incredibly tempting spicy strips were handed out, everyone gulped hard.

Ah, spicy strips—the devil’s delicious snack.

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