Chapter 48: The Bizarre Cafeteria Number Three

Li Gang was tall and sturdy, but not a brute without brains.

He clearly sensed something unusual about Cafeteria No. 3, yet his confidence in his formidable strength left him utterly unafraid. Gripping his barbell baton, he turned to Dongfang Tian. “Dongfang, shall we go in now?”

Dongfang Tian pondered briefly, then glanced back at Guo Hanxue. “Hanxue, do you think we should enter?”

Guo Hanxue furrowed her elegant brows tightly. As the strongest among them, she instinctively felt a certain aversion to the place, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on why. Hearing Dongfang Tian’s question, she replied coldly, “You should be asking Jiang Yi. I’m not the team leader!”

She already suspected Dongfang Tian was subtly targeting Jiang Yi. Although she knew Dongfang Tian liked her, his behavior since the apocalypse increasingly annoyed her.

A shadow of gloom flashed in Dongfang Tian’s eyes as he looked toward Jiang Yi, his gaze filled with killing intent.

Jiang Yi, Jiang Yi—he was always name-dropping him. Dongfang Tian had been chasing Guo Hanxue for two years, yet he still couldn’t measure up to a pretty face who had only spent four or five days with her?

But Dongfang Tian’s strong self-control kept him from losing composure. He nodded slightly and said to Jiang Yi, “Jiang, shall we go in?”

Jiang Yi stared at the three-story Cafeteria No. 3. Of course, he had overheard their earlier conversation, but he was too lazy to care about this soap opera of unrequited love and jealousy.

That was until Li Gang angrily cursed from the side, “Are you deaf? Didn’t you hear Dongfang talking to you?”

Jiang Yi scratched his ear and then turned to sneer at Li Gang. “If he’s talking to me, why are you shouting? Is your voice too loud? Afraid you won’t attract zombies?”

“You!” Li Gang’s face flushed with anger as he raised his steel baton, ready to charge, but Dongfang Tian stepped in. He knew Li Gang couldn’t win a verbal fight with Jiang Yi. Besides, making a scene in front of Guo Hanxue was no advantage to him. Casting a meaningful glance at Jiang Yi, he smiled and said, “Captain Jiang, Li Gang’s temper is hot. I apologize on his behalf. So, what’s our decision?”

Jiang Yi curled the corner of his mouth. He despised Dongfang Tian’s type—too complicated to deal with. He shrugged nonchalantly. “You’re in charge of today’s operation. Make your call.”

Dongfang Tian nodded, shooting a warning glare at the still furious Li Gang, then turned his attention to the nearby cafeteria, deep in thought.

If it were purely for safety, he wouldn’t step inside. But to back down now, especially in front of Jiang Yi and Guo Hanxue, was unthinkable. After all, this was his first chance to show off in front of Guo Hanxue.

He gritted his teeth and looked Jiang Yi squarely in the eye. He had something planned for later—there was no way he’d give up now. Since they were going in together, no one would escape. With resolve, Dongfang Tian firmly waved his hand. “Everyone, get ready. Let’s go in!”

Li Gang was already impatient and charged ahead with his baton raised. Jiang Yi led Guo Hanxue and Qing Dou at the back of the group, his eyes gleaming with excitement. To him, places with trouble promised valuable experience—he wasn’t interested in places without danger.

Li Gang took point and pushed open the door of Cafeteria No. 3 with a shove.

A wave of foul stench hit them. Li Gang’s face darkened. As everyone entered with disgusted expressions, their faces turned pale. This was no longer the once-luxurious Cafeteria No. 3—it had become a hell.

Blood-red splatters coated the walls, floor, and tables. Severed limbs and rotting flesh lay everywhere. The once grand coffee hall on the first floor was devastated. Jiang Yi looked down at a decayed human head lying beneath his feet and frowned.

No matter how much they had anticipated danger, nothing prepared them for this shocking sight. Dongfang Tian’s expression was grim as he waved his hand. “Be careful. Don’t get bitten!” Though he wanted to retreat, he obeyed his own order, and the group cautiously advanced deeper into the cafeteria.

Unlike ordinary cafeterias, Cafeteria No. 3 was considered high-end, with a transparent coffee lounge on the first floor to serve patrons who wanted coffee and light office work.

Apart from a large reception counter at the front, the rest of the space was almost entirely visible.

Though limbs and corpses littered the hall, there wasn’t a single zombie in sight. Li Gang cursed and kicked a decayed head aside, then sulkily approached Dongfang Tian. “We’ve checked. There’s nothing on this floor.”

Dongfang Tian nodded but felt no relief. Instead, his heartbeat quickened, sensing that something was amiss.

He noticed Jiang Yi chatting leisurely with Qing Dou and Guo Hanxue and forced down his growing disgust. “Let’s head upstairs.”

The staircase to the second floor was wide enough for five or six people to walk side by side.

Li Gang led the way upward. Jiang Yi quietly asked Guo Hanxue, “Do you really feel danger here?”

Guo Hanxue’s expression had been troubled since entering the building. Shaking her head, she answered, “No. I don’t think the danger comes from inside this building. But I can’t say exactly where it’s from.”

Jiang Yi nodded in agreement. He trusted Guo Hanxue’s instincts because she was the strongest among their group of a dozen.

Compared to Dongfang Tian and Li Gang—both only empowered by a single zombie core—Guo Hanxue had absorbed a core, consumed potions, and gained extensive zombie-killing experience. She had reached her limit.

In this state, she was highly sensitive, her five senses heightened, her sixth sense acute. She could detect the slightest anomalies around her.

Since she said there was no danger in the cafeteria, Jiang Yi felt reassured. The group stopped before the second-floor cafeteria door and slowly approached.

Li Gang stood outside the closed door and suddenly turned to Jiang Yi. “Captain Jiang, since we’re acting together, it can’t always be us rushingI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.