Chapter 321: The golden fruit 32.

"You could have done that at the building."

"I was conserving energy."

"You used enough power to move twenty cars."

"That is still conserving energy compared to fighting."

Yan Cijin laughed.

They descended.

The underground garage was dark.

The air smelled of oil, mold and something rotten.

Bai Li slowed.

A zombie screamed from somewhere between the concrete pillars.

Then several responded.

Yan Cijin drew her blade.

"Here we go again."

The first zombie came from the ceiling.

Yan Cijin cut it before it touched the motorcycle.

Another came from behind a pillar.

Bai Li drove directly toward it.

At the last second she leaned aside.

Yan Cijin cut it as they passed.

The garage became a brief storm of movement.

There were far more zombies than expected.

Some crawled across car roofs.

Some hid beneath vehicles.

Some moved through the ceiling vents.

Bai Li used the motorcycle itself as a weapon, dodging between pillars while Yan Cijin struck at anything that came close.

At one point three mutants surrounded them.

Bai Li stopped.

Yan Cijin stepped down.

The three mutants attacked together.

One clawed at Bai Li.

She caught its wrist.

Another attacked Yan Cijin.

Yan Cijin turned and cut through its abdomen.

The third opened its mouth.

A green projectile formed.

Bai Li lifted her foot.

She kicked.

The mutant flew backward through two parked cars.

The projectile vanished.

Yan Cijin looked at Bai Li.

"That was excessive."

Bai Li shrugged.

"It was ugly."

They continued deeper into the garage.

Then Bai Li stopped.

She recognized the spot.

A concrete pillar stood near the far wall.

A faded blue line was painted on the floor beside it.

She walked to the wall.

There was a maintenance door.

Behind it was a small storage bay.

Bai Li opened it.

The Kawasaki’s parked space was still there.

Yan Cijin looked at the empty marked area.

"You really left the motorcycle here."

"Yes."

"Before everything happened."

"Yes."

"And you remembered the exact place."

"I remember everything."

Yan Cijin smiled.

"That must be annoying."

"It is sometimes."

Bai Li walked back to the motorcycle.

She inspected it quickly.

The machine had survived surprisingly well.

The tires still held pressure.

The body was dusty but intact.

Yan Cijin ran a finger over the fuel tank.

"Nice."

Bai Li looked at her.

"Do not touch it."

"You are possessive."

"It is mine."

Yan Cijin laughed.

Bai Li opened a system panel.

[Fuel source available.]

[Crystal cores detected.]

She reached into her storage space.

Fifty crystal cores appeared in her hand.

Yan Cijin looked at them.

"Fifty?"

"The system needs them."

"That seems expensive."

"It is a motorcycle."

"Yes. A very demanding motorcycle."

Bai Li placed the cores into the system interface.

A pulse of energy passed through the machine.

The engine vibrated.

The Kawasaki came alive.

Its headlights cut through the darkness.

The sound echoed through the underground garage.

For a moment the noise felt almost cheerful.

Yan Cijin smiled.

"Now that sounds familiar."

Bai Li mounted the motorcycle.

She adjusted the mirrors.

Yan Cijin climbed onto the pillion.

Her hands rested lightly at Bai Li’s waist.

Bai Li glanced back.

"You can hold tighter."

Yan Cijin raised an eyebrow.

"Are you worried I will fall?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"The road is bad."

Yan Cijin smiled.

"Sure."

She wrapped her arms around Bai Li more firmly.

Bai Li stared ahead.

Her ears turned slightly red.

Yan Cijin did not notice.

The motorcycle accelerated up the garage ramp.

They burst back onto the city road.

The journey had nearly ended.

But neither woman knew that the most dangerous thing on the road was no longer the zombies.

As they approached the final intersection, the streetlights came on.

One by one.

Then all of them.

The dead city suddenly became bright.

Yan Cijin narrowed her eyes.

"That is not normal."

Bai Li slowed.

"No."

Every abandoned car in the nearby parking lot turned on its headlights.

Hundreds of lights illuminated the road.

A low hum spread through the asphalt.

The mall stood ahead.

The doors were still closed.

But the roof was no longer empty.

Several dark figures stood along the edge.

Bai Li looked at them.

Yan Cijin raised her blade slightly.

The figures did not attack.

They waited.

A voice came from the mall speakers.

"Bai Li."

Bai Li stopped the motorcycle.

Yan Cijin looked at her.

"You know them?"

"No."

The voice came again.

"We know what you seek."

Bai Li’s expression remained calm.

Yan Cijin’s fingers tightened around the handle of her weapon.

The voice continued.

"The fruit on the top floor."

The two women exchanged a look.

Bai Li turned toward the mall.

"What do you want?"

A laugh came through the speakers.

"Nothing."

The lights above the entrance flickered.

"We only wanted to make sure you arrived."

Yan Cijin’s expression hardened.

"It is a trap."

Bai Li nodded.

"I know."

"Then why are we still here?"

Bai Li looked at the mall.

"Because we were coming anyway."

Yan Cijin smiled.

"That is true."

The speakers went silent.

The dark figures on the roof disappeared.

The cars shut off their headlights.

The road returned to darkness.

Bai Li started the engine again.

She drove toward the mall.

The closer they came, the stronger the energy became.

The vines around the building moved even though there was no wind.

Crystal growths pulsed with faint light.

The giant glass doors at the front stood open.

Beyond them was a vast dark hall.

Bai Li stopped a short distance away.

The road directly in front of the entrance was clear.

No zombies.

No people.

No traps visible.

It looked almost peaceful.

Yan Cijin stepped off the motorcycle.

She looked at the entrance.

"We are here."

Bai Li switched off the engine.

For several seconds neither moved.

The entire journey had been twenty kilometers of ruined roads, zombie hordes, survivors, monsters and the strange convoy that had followed them.

Yet the final moment felt strangely quiet.

Yan Cijin looked at Bai Li.

"Ready?"

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TO BE CONTINUED.