Chapter 101: Revisiting the Old Place

Gong Xiao had guessed his intention—that his dive was merely to confirm his plan. She took a swift stride and landed steadily on the raft. Xu Xuehui and Xu Haishui followed.

Xu Xuehui had finally replaced the iron hammer with the baseball bat Gong Xiao had given her as a weapon.

Ding Longyun untied the rope mooring the raft, then jumped into the water. He placed his hands on the raft and asked, “Su Li, which direction are we going?”

Xu Haishui looked surprised and couldn’t help but ask, “Brother… Brother Ding, why don’t you get on the raft?”

Ding Longyun glanced at Xu Haishui and ignored him. Gong Xiao explained, “Brother Ding gets seasick. He starts to feel nauseous the moment he gets on a raft.”

Xu Haishui made a sound of understanding and then closed his mouth, unsure what else to say.

“That way. That’s where Xuehui used to live. It’s close. Let’s check that building first.” At Su Li’s direction, Ding Longyun laughed and said, “Got it, let’s go.” He pushed the raft with his hands, kicking off the building wall with his feet, propelling the raft forward.

Su Li retrieved the paddle from under the raft and began to row, controlling the direction.

Xu Haishui rushed forward. “Brother Su, let me do that.”

Su Li didn’t look at him, simply shaking his head to decline the help. “You all keep an eye on the water around us to avoid a surprise attack.”

Xu Haishui said, “Don’t worry, Brother Su. Most monsters rest during the day. As long as we don’t disturb them, we generally won’t be attacked.”

Su Li paddled in front, controlling the direction, while Ding Longyun swam behind, pushing the raft. Carrying four people, the raft moved quickly toward a nearby building.

That building was where Xu Xuehui had lived, and it was the closest structure to them, only about 300 meters away.

The journey was smooth and uneventful. The raft quickly reached the other 30-story building 300 meters away—Xu Xuehui’s former home.

Fifty meters away from that building stood another 30-story building, which was where Su Li had previously lived.

Su Li suddenly changed his mind. The raft did not stop at Xu Xuehui’s building. Instead, it circled it and headed toward his own former building 50 meters away.

Ding Longyun, pushing the raft, asked, “Su Li, why the change of plans?”

Su Li smiled and said, “Let’s check out my place first. I thought I’d show you the apartment where I used to live.”

He didn’t state the real reason. Just now, he had noticed Xu Xuehui standing silently on the raft, looking at her former home with a lost expression.

Seeing Xu Xuehui’s reaction, Su Li realized she might be emotionally triggered, recalling the terrible events of the past and her father’s death there. He should have thought of that sooner.

So, he made a spur-of-the-moment decision and controlled the raft toward his own building.

Hearing Su Li’s explanation, Gong Xiao looked skeptical, but she didn’t say anything. Ding Longyun laughed heartily: “What’s the point of seeing where a man lives? It’s not a beautiful woman’s boudoir. If it was Gong Xiao’s bedroom, I might be interested.”

Gong Xiao glared at Ding Longyun. “Uncle is being inappropriate.”

Ding Longyun immediately protested, “We are all young people. Why am I the ‘Uncle’?”

Gong Xiao pursed her lips and ignored him.

The 50-meter distance was covered quickly. Su Li controlled the raft’s speed, gently bringing it to a stop by the window of the building’s corridor.

Ding Longyun let out a long sigh of relief. “Finally! I’m exhausted.”

Su Li set the paddle down, picked up his machete, grabbed the window edge, and vaulted through the window, landing in the corridor.

He was very familiar with this corridor. He felt a moment of deep emotion, having left alone and now returning with companions.

Gong Xiao tossed him the rope. Su Li pulled the rope, drawing the raft close to the wall, and then tied the rope securely.

Ding Longyun slowly climbed out of the water and onto the raft. Pushing the raft for 300 meters had taken its toll, and he was tired.

“Su Li, what now? Are we really going to go see your bedroom?”

Su Li smiled faintly. “You said yourself there’s nothing to see in a man’s bedroom, so we won’t bother.”

He then looked at Gong Xiao. “Gong Xiao, you stay here with Xuehui. Or better yet, go up to the roof, the ground is more open there. Brother Ding, Xu Haishui, and I will go down and check the situation. If it really is a monster nest, we’ll figure out how to lure the monsters up.”

Gong Xiao raised her eyebrows slightly, her eyes fixed on Su Li. She looked displeased. “Su Li, you’re always being so patronizing! Why are you leaving Xuehui and me behind again? Why do you always assume we women are inferior to you men?”

Su Li replied, “It’s not safe for Xuehui to be alone up there, and it’s not suitable for her to go underwater, so I arranged for you to stay with her.”

Gong Xiao’s lips parted, ready to argue, but Ding Longyun quickly intervened with a laugh: “Let’s swap roles. I’m honestly tired from swimming so far. I’ll stay and rest with Xuehui. You two go underwater.”

Seeing Ding Longyun break the tension, Su Li didn’t insist. He said, “Then let’s go with Brother Ding’s plan.”

Gong Xiao immediately brightened up. “That’s better.”

Ding Longyun used the raft to climb through the window and joined Xu Xuehui in the corridor.

Su Li, Gong Xiao, and Xu Haishui were now ready to dive down and explore.

“Su Li, should we wait here or go to the roof?” Ding Longyun asked Su Li.

“Let’s wait here for now. But you two should be ready. If there are many monsters, we’ll go straight to the roof.”

“Understood.” Ding Longyun waved the steel rod in his right hand. He chuckled, “My rod is itching for a fight. I’m just waiting for those monsters to boil out of the water.”

Xu Xuehui looked at Su Li and the other two who were already in the water, and suddenly spoke: “Be careful.”

Her big eyes were full of concern.

Su Li smiled faintly. “Don’t worry. You be careful too.” He then took a deep breath and sank into the water.

Gong Xiao’s swimming skills were exceptional. She moved gracefully and sank instantly to the space between the submerged 29th and 28th floors.

Su Li slowly sank, peering into the situation on the 29th floor.

Xu Haishui remained silent, simply following the group’s plan. Holding his short spear, he followed about two meters behind Su Li.

On the 29th floor, Su Li saw several floating snakes.

The snakes were dark yellow, covered in white spots of varying sizes. They were coiled up, making it hard to judge their length, but the thickest part of their bodies was at least the size of a human arm.

There weren’t many—Su Li counted about seven or eight. They floated motionless, coiled up quietly inside the rooms of the 29th floor.

(End of Chapter)