Chapter Fifty-One: The Safe Zone

Zhu Xingyu was always gentle and mild-mannered; this was the first time he had spoken so harshly to a girl. The problem was that Guo Ting was insufferable—she even wanted Qin Sheng to kneel and apologize. The matter had nothing to do with Qin Sheng in the first place, and Guo Ting’s relentless aggression was more than Zhu Xingyu could tolerate.

“You called me ‘Big Sister’?” Guo Ting pointed incredulously at herself, her eyes wide with disbelief. She was, after all, a young college woman; being called "Big Sister" by someone her own age was like rubbing salt into a wound.

“You were the one who started on Sheng, and we didn’t provoke you at all. Yet you scolded us,” Zhu Xingyu retorted, showing he wasn’t so easily appeased.

Jiang Miaomiao crossed her arms and snorted coldly. “Isn’t she just a dog that bites at random?”

Guo Ting couldn’t endure such words. She clung to Guo Jun’s arm, acting spoiled. “Uncle, did you hear them call me a dog?”

Guo Jun’s brows never once relaxed. If Qin Sheng got out of the vehicle now, it would inevitably attract attention, and he would be the one blamed. The crux was that it had all been stirred up by his own niece—no matter how he looked at it, the situation was a mess.

Qin Sheng naturally noticed this. Guo Ting had brought Guo Jun as her shield, most likely not daring to go too far for fear her uncle couldn't cover for her. If she got out now, it would alarm everyone, and those held responsible would not be herself, but Guo Jun and Guo Ting. If she wanted peace for the journey ahead, she’d have to show these troublemakers something upfront.

“So, Captain Guo, are you not going to let us leave?” Qin Sheng folded her arms, regarding the man blocking her path with calm amusement.

Guo Ting, a young girl, couldn’t possibly see what Guo Jun was thinking. She only wanted to teach Qin Sheng and the others a lesson, to let them know the consequences of crossing her.

Guo Jun kept silent, seeming to weigh his options.

Qin Sheng, for her part, had no intention of leaving. She raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her seat, curious what Guo Jun would decide.

This uncharacteristic behavior puzzled Zhu Xingyu and Jiang Miaomiao. If Qin Sheng were acting like her old self, she’d have already gotten off and found somewhere to stay. But now, faced with Guo Jun’s obstruction, she refused to leave. Clearly, she had her own plan.

Jiang Miaomiao and Zhu Xingyu exchanged a look: they shared the same thought.

“Well, Captain Guo? Have you made up your mind? Don’t waste everyone’s time,” Qin Sheng said with a mocking smile.

“Hurry up and let them go, Uncle. Let’s see if the zombies outside don’t devour them to the bone!” Guo Ting was getting impatient. Normally, her uncle was decisive and indulgent with her affairs. Why was he hesitating so long today?

“Sheng, when we leave, let’s tell Brother Lu Qingyan,” Zhu Xingyu suddenly suggested, invoking the influential Lu Qingyan.

At once, Guo Jun’s attitude shifted. His brow smoothed, and a greasy, fawning smile appeared on his plump face.

“My niece was a bit out of line. I apologize on her behalf. Given the perilous situation outside, I can’t agree to let the flowers of our nation face danger,” Guo Jun said smoothly.

At that, Qin Sheng raised her eyebrows, knowing she had achieved the desired effect.

“Uncle!” Guo Ting had expected her uncle to drive Qin Sheng and the others out, not apologize for her.

Guo Jun stopped Guo Ting with a gesture, signaling her to keep quiet. Even she, not the brightest, realized what he meant. She stamped her foot resentfully and moved aside.

“Thank you for understanding, Captain Guo.” Qin Sheng remained serene, her smile unwavering as she walked past Guo Jun and Guo Ting and returned to her seat with poise.

Jiang Miaomiao and Zhu Xingyu followed, sitting back in their places.

Now only Guo Ting was left in embarrassment, her scheming backfired. She glared at Qin Sheng with resentment but dared not make a move.

Qin Sheng ignored Guo Ting’s hostile gaze, closing her eyes to rest as if the matter did not concern her.

Within a few minutes, the vehicle was moving again. Even though the sounds of zombie hordes echoed along the way, none got near the convoy before being obliterated. Qin Sheng couldn’t help but sigh: heavy weaponry was indeed effective.

By the time they reached the safe zone, afternoon had already arrived. Qin Sheng, long awake, had carefully memorized the roads and landmarks they passed, just in case.

“We’ve arrived. Gather your belongings and follow me off the bus,” announced an officer as the vehicle stopped, instructing everyone on the disembarkation process.

Qin Sheng obediently got off. At the sight of the safe zone, she couldn’t help but nod in admiration. As expected from a pre-fortified city center, the security here far surpassed that of the school.

“Please line up at the inspection points. Once checked, you may enter,” the officer instructed.

As Qin Sheng queued, she observed her surroundings. This safe zone appeared to be a temporarily converted residential compound, its perimeter sealed with special materials, the defense formidable. For miles around, troops and heavy arms were stationed—any zombies would be annihilated before reaching the perimeter.

Though secure, the place felt more like a prison.

If Qin Sheng guessed correctly, once inside, they’d be locked in, with no telling when they’d next be allowed out.

“Do you think we’ll ever get out once we’re in?” Jiang Miaomiao whispered to Zhu Xingyu.

He shook his head—there was no telling.

The inspection line moved quickly. Soon, it was Qin Sheng’s turn.

A high-tech scanner swept over her.

“Safe. You may proceed.”

Qin Sheng nodded, cradling her belongings as she entered, waiting for Zhu Xingyu and Jiang Miaomiao.

All three passed safely.

“That’s odd. Didn’t my sister have a dagger with her?” Qin Mengchun, queuing nearby, voiced her confusion loudly enough to draw attention.

“Are daggers allowed in the safe zone?”

“Doesn’t seem like these scanners are much good—they couldn’t even detect a dagger.”

The murmurs grew, and Zhu Xingyu and Jiang Miaomiao cast nervous glances at Qin Sheng.

Qin Sheng remained unruffled. She’d taken the daggers from Jiang Miaomiao and Zhu Xingyu and stowed them in her dimensional space while still in the car. The scanners, no matter how advanced, would never detect them.

“What do we do? They really don’t have them,” the staff member who’d done the scan said awkwardly to his colleague.

His colleague could only shrug.

Because the scanner hadn’t found the daggers, the people behind began doubting the scanner’s reliability, refusing to be checked.

The crowd’s murmurs grew. Jiang Miaomiao and Zhu Xingyu were at a loss; they didn’t know how Qin Sheng had evaded detection, but if it was just luck, another scan would expose them for sure.

Qin Sheng sighed and stepped up to the staff again.

“Would you mind checking once more?” she said politely, smiling sweetly as she waited.

The two staff exchanged glances, scanned her again, and searched her manually. As before, there was no trace of a dagger.

Jiang Miaomiao and Zhu Xingyu were also checked.

This time, no one in the crowd spoke. Clearly, there was nothing on them—not even a sharp object, let alone a dagger.

“Does anyone still doubt it now?” the staff member called out.

The crowd fell silent.

Qin Sheng glanced coolly at Qin Mengchun, who had tried to stir trouble, the hint of calculation and coldness in her eyes unmistakable.

Qin Mengchun, catching Qin Sheng’s gaze, subconsciously moved closer to Li Chengbin. She wasn’t sure when it had begun, but she now felt a little afraid to face Qin Sheng—even fearful.

No, she couldn’t be afraid; Qin Sheng was just one girl with a few friends. What was there to fear?

“Chengbin, I’m a little scared,” she said, sidling up to Li Chengbin.

He wrapped his arms around her, comforting her for a moment before leading her to the scanner.

The staff member on duty was the same one who had just checked Qin Sheng. Seeing Qin Mengchun, he rolled his eyes in annoyance—if not for her, their workload wouldn’t have doubled.

A loud beep sounded as Qin Mengchun was scanned. Everyone’s eyes widened in alarm.

“Step back!”

“She’s got something.”

Qin Mengchun panicked, her voice trembling. “I didn’t bring anything—I’m clean!”

Li Chengbin, equally in the dark, hugged her and asked, “Mengchun, did you bring something?”

She shook her head frantically, on the verge of tears.

Soon, staff began searching her. Out came nail polish, cushion foundation, eyeshadow, blush—all laid out before her.

The onlookers were aghast. They were barely escaping with their lives—who had time to worry about looking pretty?

Li Chengbin hadn’t realized these items were contraband. He tried to reason with her gently. “Mengchun, it seems we can’t bring these things in…”

The thought of parting with her cosmetics made Qin Mengchun want to die.

“These are my treasures. Can’t I please take them in?” she pleaded pitifully with the staff, hoping for mercy.

Already annoyed, the staff member responded bluntly.

“You can take them—if you’re willing to leave with them. Don’t hold up our work. Thank you.”

Qin Mengchun’s eyes dimmed. With no other choice, she handed over her cherished items.