Amidst the growing unease, even Tian Xiaoyu approached Chen Du once again to purchase weapons.
"Chen Du, you've surely heard about the Sheriff eliminating the first mutated zombie creature, haven't you?" Tian Xiaoyu asked cautiously.
Chen Du quickly responded, "Of course I did. The chat channels are abuzz with it—how could I miss something like that?"
Tian Xiaoyu then sent over a string of messages.
"Today, we were ambushed by a horde of zombies. Zhang Hao abandoned me without hesitation and fled. Fortunately, I still had the combat supplies you sold me earlier; otherwise, I wouldn't have survived."
Chen Du narrowed his eyes slightly.
It was infuriating that Zhang Hao had somehow managed to survive this long unscathed. His selfish nature remained unchanged, which came as no surprise.
"What's the point of keeping someone like him around? Use the weapons I provided to eliminate him," Chen Du suggested coldly.
Tian Xiaoyu sighed helplessly.
"Zhang Hao has always been extremely cautious, and I'm not skilled in combat. He's constantly aware of his surroundings, and I lack both strength and precision when it comes to fighting. Taking him down won't be easy."
"But lately, he's been talking about joining larger groups. It might be best if we part ways now," she added.
Chen Du's eyes narrowed further. After all these days, his own power had grown significantly. It was time to settle things with Zhang Hao.
"When Zhang Hao finds a new group, let me know. I'll send him a special gift," Chen Du said with a hint of menace.
Soon, he received a reply.
"It should be within the next few days. He's been relentlessly trying to persuade me to join other teams, especially after seeing the Sheriff's police station kill the mutated creature. He can't conceal his eagerness any longer."
Chen Du thought for a moment. The most urgent matter now was to obtain the antiviral serum. Waiting a few more days shouldn't cause any major issues.
"By the way, do you need more combat supplies? You must have exhausted most of them after escaping the zombie horde today," Chen Du asked.
Tian Xiaoyu sent a nodding emoji.
"I was actually planning to buy some from you. I need Molotov cocktails, crossbow bolts, and an Enhanced Arming Sword."
Chen Du opened the trade window and placed the items. After completing the transaction, he ended the conversation with Tian Xiaoyu and returned to the villa district.
He ventured outside to test the power of the Enhanced Arming Sword and later listed it on the trading platform. Unknowingly, he stayed in the wild until noon.
Upon returning to the shelter, Chen Du saw Xie Li sitting on the living room sofa, engrossed in watching TV as soon as he entered. The TV was connected to a hard drive, playing programs like Animal World.
Chen Du was surprised. After all, the TV hadn't worked before. He hadn't expected Xie Li to fix it. Watching TV in such an environment felt incredibly comforting, occasionally evoking a deep sense of nostalgia.
"How did you manage to get the TV working? I tried for a long time but couldn't figure it out," Chen Du asked curiously.
Xie Li hugged Chen Du's arm and smiled. "It was just a problem with the circuit board, nothing major. I gave it a try, and it worked."
"Impressive!" Chen Du gave her a thumbs-up.
"But how did you learn to repair TVs?" Fixing electronics was a specialized skill, not something just anyone could master.
Xie Li shrugged casually. "I've watched others repair it a few times, so I picked up a bit here and there. This time, I got lucky—the problem wasn't too complicated. If it had been worse, I wouldn't have been able to handle it."
They cuddled together on the sofa, watching TV and munching on potato chips. For a fleeting moment, it felt as though everything they'd experienced over the past few days had been nothing more than a dream.
But just then, loud banging erupted from upstairs.
"Hey! Is anyone there? I'm starving!" Bai Xi shouted loudly.
Chen Du had almost forgotten about her. He glanced upward and asked, "Has she been behaving herself? Has she caused any trouble?"
"She tried to escape once," Xie Li replied nonchalantly, shaking her head. "But with me keeping an eye on her, she didn't succeed."
"That girl really doesn't know how to behave," Chen Du muttered under his breath.
"Well, let her stay hungry for a while. Maybe it'll teach her a lesson."
The two continued watching TV as if oblivious to Bai Xi's incessant yelling. Only after her voice grew hoarse did they finally send her a bottle of water and a pack of instant noodles.