Chapter 50: Hunting in a Zombie World Without Zombies?

"So besides zombies, are there any other things in your world?"

Xia Jiuwei looked at Charles with curiosity.

"Of course."

Charles nodded.

"Both animals and plants have undergone varying degrees of mutation."

"But most of the time, all that really means is that farming has become much more difficult. There isn't much that's particularly interesting about it."

Finishing the last sip of his tea, he gently set the cup back on the table and leaned into the sofa with a weary sigh.

Looking at the two girls across from him, Charles already knew the answer.

He doubted the two of them would have much interest in a world like his.

After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke.

"Even if you aren't particularly interested in going back to Earth... Is there another way I could repay you?"

The two girls looked equally puzzled.

Xia Jiuwei tilted her head.

"When did I ever say I didn't want to go?"

Charles blinked.

"Huh?"

"I actually want to see how you've managed to survive in a world like that."

She held out her hand.

"If you're willing to be our guide and let us experience your everyday life, we can send you back right now."

Charles instinctively glanced at Lu Nian'an.

Still holding her teacup, she simply nodded.

Only after receiving her confirmation did Charles reach out and shake Xia Jiuwei's hand.

"Deal."

He smiled.

"Then let's get going."

"I can't wait."

The moment Xia Jiuwei spoke, the three of them disappeared from the manor.

Boots.

That was the very first thought that crossed Charles's mind as he was teleported.

When his senses returned, he found himself standing once again in the familiar world he knew—and somehow, his boots had been put back on.

He clearly remembered leaving them by the entrance of the manor.

Could everything that had just happened have been an illusion?

The thought had only just surfaced when he turned and saw the two girls standing beside him, immediately dismissing such a ridiculous idea.

The three of them stood beside a highway.

Sparse conifer forests stretched along both sides of the road, while towering snow-capped mountains rose in the distance, their peaks wrapped in year-round snow as wisps of mist drifted lazily around them.

The air was crisp and clean. Every breath carried the scent of snow mingled with pine resin, making it feel as though the entire world had been freshly washed.

"Wow... it's so beautiful."

Xia Jiuwei couldn't help but exclaim.

Holding Lu Nian'an's hand, she looked around excitedly before glancing up at her companion.

"Mm."

Lu Nian'an nodded gently.

"It really is."

After taking in the surroundings, she turned to Charles.

"This is... Switzerland?"

Charles froze for a second.

"Yes... but how did you know?"

"I've been here before."

"You have?"

Charles looked even more confused.

After giving it some thought, Lu Nian'an explained,

"You can think of it this way—there's another Switzerland that's exactly the same in a different world."

"And I've happened to visit that one."

Charles fell silent for a couple of seconds before deciding not to think about it anymore.

After all, trying to apply common sense to people who could conjure houses out of thin air and transport others between worlds seemed rather pointless.

"...Alright."

Seeing the familiar landscape around him, he led the two girls toward the off-road vehicle parked in the distance.

"I'm not entirely sure what kind of experience you're looking for."

Charles said as he opened the driver's door.

"But I have a suggestion. Why don't I take you along while I go about my usual routine? I can also explain what the world is like nowadays."

"What do you think?"

Xia Jiuwei considered it.

"So... what do you normally do?"

Charles climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine.

"For example, I'm about to hunt a mutated deer."

He looked back at them.

"Interested?"

"A mutated deer?"

Xia Jiuwei's eyes lit up. She immediately leaned forward from the back seat.

Seeing the curiosity on her face through the rearview mirror, Charles was suddenly reminded of the daughter waiting for him back home.

Without realizing it, his tone softened.

"Yeah. They're nothing like ordinary deer anymore. Their antlers are enormous and razor-sharp—sharp enough to ram straight through a normal sedan."

"I've seen someone gored to death by one."

He paused.

"And what's even worse... they eat people now."

Xia Jiuwei blinked.

"Deer eat people?"

"They do."

Charles gave a bitter smile.

"So these days, never judge any living creature by pre-apocalypse common sense."

"Though, on the bright side, venison has become one of the easiest wild meats to obtain."

He glanced at them through the mirror.

"So? Want to see for yourselves?"

"Sounds fun!"

Xia Jiuwei agreed without the slightest hesitation.

The scenery outside the window was breathtaking.

As the vehicle traveled down the highway, they occasionally passed winding rivers glittering beneath the sunlight.

Xia Jiuwei spent the journey gazing out the window, occasionally tugging on Lu Nian'an's sleeve so they could admire the scenery together.

After roughly two hours of driving, Charles pulled the off-road vehicle onto the shoulder.

He led the two girls to the back of the vehicle and began unloading equipment—a crossbow, bolts, several small bottles, and other hunting gear.

"We're going deer hunting from here."

As he sorted through the equipment, he lowered his voice.

"Try not to make too much noise."

"If an entire herd of mutated deer notices us... it won't be a pleasant experience."

After speaking, he picked up the crossbow and handed it to Xia Jiuwei.

"Want to give it a try?"

She accepted it and examined it carefully.

The weapon had an unmistakably modern design, quite different from the traditional bows she was familiar with.

Charles walked over to a nearby tree and carved an X into the trunk with his knife before returning.

After giving her a brief explanation of how the crossbow worked, he handed her a bolt.

"Give it a shot."

He pointed toward the tree.

"Just hit the mark."

Xia Jiuwei followed his gaze.

The tree stood about fifty meters away, and the carved X was fairly small.

She raised the crossbow, looked through the scope, and steadied the weapon in both hands.

Whoosh—

The bolt sliced cleanly through the air before embedding itself firmly in the trunk, only a few centimeters away from the center of the mark.

Xia Jiuwei pouted slightly at the result.

Charles, however, was already impressed.

For someone using a crossbow for the very first time, that level of accuracy was exceptional.

But before he could compliment her, Xia Jiuwei casually flicked her hand toward the tree.

A jet-black object shot through the air.

Thunk.

It struck dead center on the X, burying itself perfectly in the middle without the slightest deviation.

"Nia."

Xia Jiuwei turned toward Lu Nian'an, sounding more than a little pleased with herself.

"See? I'm pretty amazing, aren't I?"

Lu Nian'an reached over and ruffled her hair.

"You are."

Then, after a brief pause, she added with a helpless smile,

"But... maybe take a look at the situation first?"

As she spoke, she gently turned Xia Jiuwei's head.

Charles was standing there with an expression that was... difficult to describe.

"It's fine, it's fine."

He laughed awkwardly and waved his hand before walking toward the tree.

Once he got there, he first pulled out the bolt Xia Jiuwei had fired.

Then his eyes fell upon the black object embedded in the trunk.

Frowning slightly, he grasped it and pulled it free.

It felt unexpectedly solid in his hand, its dark surface gleaming faintly. It even resembled the Crystal Cores found inside zombie skulls.

He studied it quietly for quite some time before hurrying back.

Watching Charles return, Xia Jiuwei thought for a moment before handing the crossbow back.

"You should take this back."

"I'm not very good at using it."

Charles accepted it with a wry smile.

"For a beginner, your first shot was already excellent."

Xia Jiuwei pondered for a few seconds before arriving at a serious conclusion.

"Then I guess crossbows just aren't very practical."

Charles was momentarily speechless.

After all, the thing she'd casually thrown had pierced the exact center of the target.

Compared to that... a crossbow really did seem rather impractical.

The thought made him laugh helplessly.

He then took out the black object he had retrieved from the tree.

It was pitch-black like obsidian, perfectly straight and rigid, with a razor-sharp tip that resembled a dagger.

"This..."

Charles looked down at it.

Xia Jiuwei only gave it a brief glance.

"You want it?"

"You can have it."

"..."

Charles remained silent for several seconds before quietly placing it into his backpack.

After packing everything away, he prepared to lead the two girls toward the hunting grounds.

Before he could shoulder his gear, however, Lu Nian'an spoke.

"There's no need to make things so troublesome."

A black shadow quietly emerged beside Charles's feet and spread across the ground like a living creature.

The moment it brushed against the equipment, the crossbow, bolts, cooler, and the rest of the supplies vanished one after another.

Charles stared blankly before instinctively looking at Lu Nian'an.

"Don't worry."

Her tone remained calm.

"I'm just storing them for you."

"I'll bring them back whenever you need them."

Charles looked down at the now-empty ground, then back at Lu Nian'an's composed expression.

Once again, he decided to stop trying to make sense of things.

"...Alright."

Turning around, he resumed leading the way.

The three of them left the highway and slowly descended into the valley along the mountainside.

The conifer trees grew denser around them, while the forest floor became carpeted with soil and fallen leaves that crunched softly beneath their feet.

About five minutes later, Charles suddenly raised a hand, signaling the two girls to stop.

Then he pointed into the distance.

Beside a stream deep within the valley, dozens of small brown figures could be seen moving slowly.

"The herd is over there."