Chapter Forty-three: Liu Mengchao’s Reason (Part 1)

"I do not agree."
Liu Mengchao's words crashed down like a lightning strike on a clear day, leaving everyone stunned inside and out.
"Why?"
Li Xin couldn't help but press further.
"Because you're all too weak," Liu Mengchao replied, glancing first at Makoto Ito, then at Ye Yutian, and finally fixing his gaze on the bewildered Li Xin. "None of you have the ability to eliminate zombies with cold weapons alone. If we rashly use firearms, the deafening gunshots will make us a beacon for every zombie around."
"Moreover," Qi Xiaoxiao stepped forward to support Liu Mengchao, "it's not just the zombies who'll hear the gunfire. The members of the 'Patriots' League' will too."
"Qi Xiaoxiao is absolutely right," Liu Mengchao nodded with a smile and continued, "We'd be exposing ourselves, forced to confront two enemies at once: humans and zombies."
His words poured over Ye Yutian, Makoto Ito, and Li Xin like ice water, dousing their enthusiasm completely.
"So what should we do?"
"Wait. We wait for chaos to break out in the Takagi estate when the EMP pulse hits, and then we take our chance, slipping in amidst the turmoil."
"And you’re not worried we’ll get caught in the crossfire?" Ye Yutian still couldn't accept Liu Mengchao's plan. "We’d be sandwiched between both sides—"
"It’s not both sides," Liu Mengchao shook his head, "we align ourselves behind the Patriots' League, those right-wingers, and pick up the pieces once they’ve worn each other down."
"One party leads the charge, and when the other two are battered and bleeding, we slip in through the cracks," Qi Xiaoxiao added with a smile.
"So what now? Are we just supposed to wait here?" Makoto Ito asked.
"No, we split up," Qi Xiaoxiao replied, casting a glance at Saeko Busujima beside her. "We first find a safe place to settle. Then Liu Mengchao and Saeko Busujima infiltrate the Takagi estate together, at least to map out the grounds, and wait for the right moment."
The four of them, four Reincarnators, fell silent, their eyes on Liu Mengchao.
"We’ll follow Qi Xiaoxiao’s plan," Liu Mengchao said with a nod. Qi Xiaoxiao had left some things unsaid: compared to the more reliable Saeko Busujima, Takashi Komuro and Rei Miyamoto were unpredictable elements.
If those two went out with him to clear zombies on the streets, no one could guarantee they wouldn’t split off from the group. Should they get separated, by the time they reached the Takagi estate, they’d be facing a heavily armed group of right-wingers.
"So, everyone is clear on our plan?" Liu Mengchao asked, his gaze settling on each Reincarnator before him.
Their expressions were all different.
Li Xin was visibly tense. Whether she would survive this Reincarnation World depended on how many zombies she could kill on the final night. If she managed more than ten, she’d see the sunrise and live on.
Makoto Ito, on the other hand, had something else on his mind. His eyes flicked back and forth between Liu Mengchao and the others—Ye Yutian, Li Xin, and Qi Xiaoxiao.
Liu Mengchao smiled; evidently, the events of last night had shaken Makoto deeply, stirring up some very unpleasant memories.
Ye Yutian’s expression, however, was almost unnaturally calm.
Was it because of his points?
Liu Mengchao glanced at his own system panel.
"Ye Yutian, Points:"
Just a hair’s breadth from the positive. Apparently, the zombies he’d run over with the Hummer had been just enough to cover his dwindling Main God points.
"Alright, let’s get in the car."
Before anyone could react, Liu Mengchao slid into the vehicle. Inside, Alice’s face lit up on seeing him. She threw herself into his arms, laughing with delight.
"Big brother, big brother, where are we going next?" Alice asked, beaming up at him.
"Where to?" Liu Mengchao glanced at Takashi Komuro’s calm expression. "We’re going to Saya Takagi’s house."
At that, Takashi’s face changed.
Exactly the reaction Liu Mengchao wanted. If he didn’t give these characters from the story a sense of crisis, how could they put pressure on the Reincarnators when night fell?
He still only had 340,000 points in the jackpot.
That was nowhere near enough.
Click!
The car door opened. Liu Mengchao looked at Ye Yutian, taking deep breaths behind the wheel, and Makoto Ito sitting beside him, staring out the window.
Click...
The back door opened as well. Li Xin, face pale but smiling, took the seat opposite Liu Mengchao.
Rumble...
Ye Yutian pressed his right foot to the accelerator, and the Hummer roared like a stallion pawing at the earth, ready to bolt.
Tap! Tap!
Two crisp sounds echoed from the roof. Qi Xiaoxiao and Saeko Busujima were both light on their feet, their high heels making only a faint noise as they landed atop the car.
"Let’s go!" Liu Mengchao shouted with a hearty laugh.
"Right!"
Ye Yutian responded loudly, trying to banish his inner unease. He released the handbrake, and the Hummer finally thundered into motion.
The bank of the Jingchuan River was lined with a dike about ten meters high, slanting up from the water’s edge. From a distance, the white dike looked like a wall, separating the river from the city, dividing the whole space.
Suddenly, a flash of green darted from the dike.
First came two thick front wheels spinning and squealing in mid-air, then the shadowy undercarriage of the Hummer, which thudded heavily onto the road.
The four-wheel drive struggled, front wheels churning and leaving deep, blackened tracks on the ground.
At last, like a mountain climber, the Hummer hauled itself up and charged forward along the broad, flat avenue. Were it not for the derelict vehicles—abandoned when their owners turned into zombies—the sound of cherry blossoms fluttering in the wind, mingled with the car’s engine, might have made for a pleasant countryside outing.
"Takashi Komuro," Liu Mengchao asked, watching the man before him, "how do we get to the Takagi estate?"
"How?" Takashi echoed mechanically.
"Come now, I have no interest in exposing your lies," Liu Mengchao said with a smile that only grew wider, while Takashi’s face turned a deeper shade of green.
"I..." Takashi mustered his courage to meet Liu Mengchao’s eyes, but quickly looked down. "Saya Takagi and I have been classmates since kindergarten. There are two routes to her house. One is straight along the main city road, and you’ll see her mansion, towering like a castle."
"And the other?"
Liu Mengchao closed his eyes, refusing to meet Takashi’s gaze. He was certain Takashi wouldn’t dare lie to his face—he simply didn’t have the guts.
"The other road goes around the shrine, and then you’ll come out at the back garden."
"Very good!"
Liu Mengchao opened his eyes and saw that Takashi was sweating profusely from tension and fear.
"Wipe that sweat off, Komuro, the real show is only halfway through."