It grew dark quickly. Once the sun had fully set, the temperature shifted abruptly, dropping significantly. The night wind whistled through the broken window frames of an abandoned building.
The two groups did not travel any further.
At Van Thieu's suggestion, they chose a nearby abandoned house to take shelter for the night. It had once been a family home; most of its windows were shattered, but the interior furniture remained intact despite being buried under thick dust—sufficient enough for a defensive position tonight.
The main entrance was temporarily reinforced with an overturned wardrobe. Lam Thanh Moc used her vines to secure the door, while Thanh Dao circled the house, setting up motion sensors; if anything tripped them, a bell would ring.
Few words were exchanged as they gathered in the center of the house to light a simple fire and eat. The small flame burned in the old living room, flickering in everyone's eyes. No one spoke loudly.
Van Binh squatted, using a dagger to pry open a food can while muttering, "With all that blood during the day, I wouldn't be able to sleep without a fire at night."
The fire-ability youth from Phan Tan Trung's team laughed. "If you stare at the fire, you'll have nightmares."
Van Binh glanced at him and smirked. "Really? Don't lie to me."
On the other side, Thuong Sinh leaned against the wall, his sword resting across his thighs and his eyes closed as if asleep. But no one in the room believed he was truly sleeping.
The youth immediately shut his mouth, and silence fell for a few beats, save for the crackling of the firewood. Van Binh took a bite, chewed slowly, and snorted.
"This kind of quiet is what's truly terrifying."
Lam Thanh Moc looked toward Thuong Sinh for a long moment. Having made a decision, she picked up a food container she had warmed near the fire and walked over to him.
"Here. You should eat something."
The whole group watched the scene, and Van Binh's eyes immediately lit up. He drawled in a loud whisper, intentionally letting everyone hear: "Oh, how rare. Normally, no one dares get near him when he's sleeping."
Lam Thanh Moc paused for half a beat but did not withdraw her hand. She placed the food down beside Thuong Sinh, her voice forced to remain calm. "It's just food."
Van Binh raised an eyebrow. "Sure, sure. Just food." His tone made it clear he didn't believe her.
Thuong Sinh opened his eyes. His gaze flickered over the food before looking up at Lam Thanh Moc.
"Thank you."
His voice was raspy, as if pulled back from a place far away. Lam Thanh Moc nodded and returned to her spot, her ears turning slightly red in the firelight, though the light was too dim for anyone to say for sure.
Van Binh watched her and clicked his tongue. "See, I told you. Even the 'Madman' has to eat, or he'll collapse before the zombies do."
Thuong Sinh opened the container. Steam rose, carrying the scent of ordinary canned food, but to him, it felt vivid. He ate slowly, silent and deliberate. In the corner of the room, Phan Tan Trung watched the scene, his eyes flickering with thought.
He isn't just a killing machine. At least... he still holds onto this.
Outside, the night wind blew. The night rolled on.
The next morning.
Light filtered through the shattered windows, illuminating the room which still smelled of last night's smoke. No one slept deeply; as dawn broke, both groups stood up to pack their belongings.
There were no long-winded morning greetings—only quick glances to confirm everyone was present. Outside, the wind was colder than expected. Autumn was approaching, bringing pleasant, cool weather that replaced the scorching summer heat.
Van Thieu spoke. "So, your group is heading straight back to the safe zone?"
Phan Tan Trung nodded. "Yes. Our mission effectively ends here. We will report the situation in full."
Van Thieu nodded back. "Thank you."
The two captains did not shake hands or exchange pleasantries. They simply stood opposite each other for a beat, a mutual understanding passing between them.
Van Binh hoisted his backpack and whistled. "Have a safe trip back. Don't leave any more 'blood baths' behind."
The fire youth from Trung's team gave a wry smile. "We don't have anyone like him." He glanced at Thuong Sinh.
Thuong Sinh stood nearby, adjusting the cloth wrap on his sword, his gaze fixed toward the Southwest. Phan Tan Trung stepped forward and stopped in front of him.
"Truly, thank you for this time."
Thuong Sinh looked at him and gave a very slight nod. "Travel safely."
Just two words. Phan Tan Trung said no more, turning to signal his two companions. The three turned their backs and walked quickly toward the East without looking back.
Van Thieu's group watched until their figures vanished behind the ruins. Van Thieu turned. "Let's move."
The group began their journey Southwest. The road ahead was unnaturally quiet. The morning passed peacefully; the path wasn't entirely empty, but stray zombies that appeared were cut down so quickly they barely made a sound. Thuong Sinh led the way; every step resulted in a decapitated corpse.
The group had grown accustomed to the rhythm. No one else took the initiative to kill; they simply maintained formation and observed, letting the "God of Slaughter" clear the path.
Van Binh shook his head at the sight. "Traveling with you really saves energy."
Thuong Sinh did not respond.
Near noon, as the sun rose high, the temperature climbed. The wind carried the scent of old gasoline and hot concrete. Thanh Dao moved ahead and stopped.
"There's a gas station up ahead."
A ruined gas station appeared at the intersection, its sign tilted and several pumps broken. Behind it sat an adjacent convenience store; though the windows were mostly shattered, the structure remained intact.
Van Binh's eyes lit up. "Oh man, paradise!"
He didn't wait for anyone, charging toward the store so fast that Van Thieu only had time to frown.
"Be careful!"
"I know!" Van Binh shouted back, his voice full of excitement.
Initial inspection showed that people had clearly visited the place before. The shelves were mostly empty, with only a few dented cans and little water remaining. But it was enough for a rest.
Van Thieu looked around and nodded. "We'll rest here for lunch. One hour."
Lam Thanh Moc began checking the perimeter, her vines creeping along the walls. Thanh Dao stood near the door, observing the outside. Thuong Sinh stood at the entrance, his eyes scanning the area—not for zombies, but for footprints. And there were quite a few.
Meanwhile, in a dark corner behind the store, a figure quickly ducked away. He watched the group enter, his eyes lingering on the two women for a long time before he licked his lips. Without hesitation, he turned and snuck away through the alley behind the station, heading toward a nearby abandoned building.
There, a group was gathered.
Their clothes were a mess, their weapons crude, and they smelled of blood and cigarettes. Leading them was a tall, thin man with dark bandages wrapped around his wrists and somber eyes. On his neck was a tattoo of a Green Snake.
"Boss!" the scout panted, bowing low. "A new group just arrived at the gas station."
The man narrowed his eyes. "How many?"
"Not many. They look like wanderers." He paused and whispered with a smirk, "There are two girls among them."
The man's lips curled slowly into a cold smile. "Let's go. Let's see how our luck is today."
The alley behind the station reeked of rotting trash. Five figures gathered, their boots making squelching sounds in the black puddles. The midday sun highlighted the old and new scars on their limbs.
"This looks like a good catch, eh?" a gold-toothed man smirked, twirling an iron rod.
The scout nodded eagerly. "Good catch. They look like a wandering group. And they have two babes."
"Just more wanderers looking for food," another said dismissively. "Daring to step into our territory... we can't let them leave easily."
The leader said nothing. He stood in the shadow of a cracked wall, lighting a cigarette, the smoke obscuring half his face. The green snake on his neck seemed to coil.
"How many people?" he asked.
"Five or six," the scout hesitated. "One guy looks a bit tough, carrying a sword."
"A sword?" one of them laughed loudly. "Who carries a sword for show these days?"
The Green Snake leader finally laughed. "Carrying a sword and surviving this long means he's either a fool or has some skill." He crushed his cigarette underfoot. "Doesn't matter. Wanderers are easy to handle. Three of you follow me, the rest circle the back of the station. Don't make a scene. Take the goods. If they're obedient, kick them out."
One licked his lips and whispered, "And if they aren't obedient, Boss?"
The leader shot him a cold, snake-like look. "Then don't leave a sound."
They chuckled, their eyes full of excitement. In their minds, this was just a group of tired, hungry people with no backing. A familiar "harvest."
Thanh Dao froze in the narrow aisle of the store. She didn't turn around, only tilted her neck as if listening to something far away. A thin wire tied to an empty can outside the window had just vibrated.
Very slightly. So slightly that anyone else would think it was the wind. But the midday breeze wasn't blowing from that direction.
Thanh Dao set a package down, her hand already touching the dagger at her waist. "People."
Her voice was very low, intended only for those closest to hear.
Van Thieu, who was checking a map on the old counter, stopped. Without looking up, he asked, "How many?"
"At least five. Someone is circling to the back."
The atmosphere in the store shifted instantly. Van Binh, who had just picked up a crate of instant noodles, froze. "Damn," he muttered, setting the crate down silently.
So Sinh retracted his claws and stood in the corner, crouching like a predator. Lam Thanh Moc said nothing, letting her vines creep along the shelves toward the back door. Van Thieu finally looked up, his expression calm.
"Has anyone revealed their identity?"
Thanh Dao shook her head. "Not yet."
After a beat of silence, Van Thieu said, "Then we'll act as wanderers for now."
Van Binh smirked. "Wanderers with a formation like this?" He glanced at Thuong Sinh.
Thuong Sinh stood near a broken window, the midday light casting a long shadow over his shoulder. He didn't move or draw his sword. He only tilted his head, as if listening to the wind.
One breath. Two.
"There's poison," he said, very softly, but the whole group heard clearly.
Thanh Dao was stunned. "Poison?"
"Yes," Thuong Sinh opened his eyes. "Very faint. On the wind."
No one asked how he knew; in this group, some things didn't need to be questioned.
Van Thieu lowered his voice. "Don't strike first. Let them reveal themselves."
Van Binh snorted. "Understood." He stepped toward the counter, intentionally making more noise by kicking an empty can. "Oh, there's still food here!" he shouted naturally.
Outside, footsteps slowed. Someone was listening.
Thuong Sinh placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. He didn't draw it, just kept his hand there.
The air in the store swirled slightly. Lightly. As if waiting for blood.