Translation review

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The outline of Yuanjiang City under the dull yellow sky looked like a silent, slumbering giant beast.

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The outline of Yuanjiang City beneath the dull yellow sky resembled a silent, sleeping giant.

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Brother Dao stood on the warehouse rooftop of the logistics park, half a cigarette between his lips, squinting toward the city center.

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Brother Dao stood on the rooftop of a warehouse in the logistics park, half a cigarette between his lips as he squinted toward the city center.

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Among the high-rises over there, the blurred silhouettes of colossal figures loomed—their outlines indistinct, yet carrying a suffocating pressure that made one's heart clench.

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Among the high-rises there, the blurred silhouettes of colossal figures loomed. Their outlines were indistinct, yet they radiated a suffocating pressure that made one's heart clench.

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Unlike the damp, sticky Tiannan, there were no sea-crawling demons here, but the threats on land were in no way weaker.

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Unlike damp, sticky Tiannan, there were no sea-crawling demons here, but the threats on land were no weaker.

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What was even eerier was that these past few days, nine out of ten of the teams sent out to scavenge supplies had gone without a word.

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What was even eerier was that, over the past few days, nine out of ten teams sent out to scavenge supplies had disappeared without a word.

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A loss rate like this was practically unheard of.

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A loss rate like that was practically unheard of.

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They'd fought their way all the way from Tiannan to here, passing through Wangjin and Rongcheng—which of those places hadn't been a living hell?

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They had fought their way here from Tiannan, passing through Wangjin and Rongcheng. Which of those places hadn't been a living hell?

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But as long as one didn't stupidly charge into a zombie horde, there was no way to end up this unlucky.

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But as long as they didn't stupidly charge into a zombie horde, there was no reason for them to be this unlucky.

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Were the monsters in Yuanjiang more terrifying, or were these things themselves growing more and more dangerous as time passed?

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Were the monsters in Yuanjiang more terrifying, or were these things becoming more dangerous as time passed?

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A chill shot up his spine to the back of his skull. Brother Dao took a fierce drag, the cigarette tip glowing and fading in the dusk.

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A chill shot up his spine to the back of his skull. Brother Dao took a deep drag, the tip of his cigarette glowing and fading in the dusk.

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There was no more time to waste. He had to get his hands on a large stockpile of supplies as fast as possible, then continue north.

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There was no more time to waste. He had to get his hands on a large stockpile of supplies as quickly as possible, then continue north.

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He had a feeling that if he dragged his feet any longer—until these monsters began spreading beyond the city—there really would be nowhere left to go.

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He had a feeling that if he delayed any longer—until these monsters began spreading beyond the city—there really would be nowhere left to go.

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The north... they had to make it to the north! There had to be a way to live there!

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The north... They had to make it to the north! There had to be a way to survive there!

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Just as he was weighing whether to pull his people together and force a push into the city center, grab supplies, and get out, a commotion sounded from downstairs.

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Just as he was debating whether to gather his people, force their way into the city center, grab the supplies, and get out, a commotion rose from downstairs.

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Brother Dao started, stubbed out the cigarette, and hurried downstairs.

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Brother Dao started, stubbed out his cigarette, and hurried downstairs.

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In the open ground before the warehouse, a battered truck had just pulled up and shut off its engine, and more than a dozen survivors jumped down from it—part of the people who had gone missing a few days ago.

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In the open ground in front of the warehouse, a battered truck had just pulled up and shut off its engine. More than a dozen survivors jumped down from it—some of the people who had gone missing a few days ago.

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Brother Dao led Skinny Monkey and the others up to meet them. One look, and the anger in his chest flared up with a whoosh.

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Brother Dao led Skinny Monkey and the others over to meet them. One look was enough to make the anger in his chest flare with a whoosh.

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Well, well. Every one of them was ragged and dirty, but their faces shone with grease and their steps drifted—a clear sign they'd eaten and drunk their fill.

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Well, well. Every one of them was ragged and dirty, but their faces shone with grease and their steps were unsteady—a clear sign that they'd eaten and drunk their fill.

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This wasn't the look of people who'd run into danger; they'd plainly found a “big granary” and stuffed themselves before remembering to come back.

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This wasn't the look of people who had run into danger. They had plainly found a “big granary,” stuffed themselves, and only then remembered to come back.

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“You still know how to come back?!” His roar made everyone who had just gotten off the truck flinch.

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“You still know how to come back?!” His roar made everyone who had just climbed out of the truck flinch.

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“The rule was—back before dark, no exceptions! Where's the discipline? Fed it to the damn dogs, have you?”

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“The rule was to be back before dark, no exceptions! Where's your discipline? Fed it to the damn dogs, have you?”

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Then the fury on Brother Dao's face instantly turned to grief and remorse, and his tone grew heavy: “Do you have any idea how worried I was while you were missing these past few days? We are a convoy—we are a family!”

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Then the fury on Brother Dao's face instantly turned to grief and remorse, and his tone grew heavy. “Do you have any idea how worried I was while you were missing these past few days? We are a convoy—we are a family!”

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“When you go out there taking risks, didn't you ever think about your brothers worrying for you back home? How could you bear to let your family live in fear?”

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“When you go out there and risk your lives, didn't you ever think about your brothers worrying for you back home? How could you bear to let your family live in fear?”

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Skinny Monkey, at his side, chimed in with an ugly grin. Slowly, he drew a handgun from inside his coat, tossed it in his hand a couple of times, and swept his gaze over the crowd like a viper.

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Skinny Monkey, standing at his side, chimed in with an ugly grin. Slowly, he drew a handgun from inside his coat, tossed it from hand to hand a couple of times, and swept his gaze over the crowd like a viper.

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“Right! Every time you go out, it's never just yourselves who have to suffer.”

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“Right! Every time you go out, it's never just you who has to suffer.”

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“We're family, got it? While you're out there hiding from danger, living the good life, didn't it ever cross your minds how painful it is for the family when you don't come back in time?”

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“We're family, got it? While you're out there hiding from danger and living the good life, didn't it ever cross your minds how much it hurts the family when you don't come back on time?”

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Skinny Monkey flashed a grin, showing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and let the gun barrel sway ominously: “You know, these past few days you were gone, your old man here nearly cried himself blind.”

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Skinny Monkey flashed a grin, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and let the gun barrel sway ominously. “You know, while you were gone these past few days, your old man here nearly cried himself blind.”

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He raised his head, his face full of terror and grievance: “We found a big supermarket! The warehouse inside was piled full of supplies—and no zombies watching it!”

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He raised his head, his face full of terror and grievance. “We found a big supermarket! The warehouse inside was piled high with supplies—and there were no zombies guarding it!”

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“But the moment we ran in, for some reason the zombies in that whole area went berserk, like they'd rioted, and sealed off every road!”

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“But the moment we ran in, the zombies in that whole area went berserk for some reason, as if they had rioted, and sealed off every road!”

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“We were trapped! If we'd forced our way out, people would have died, and we still couldn't have brought the supplies back!”

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“We were trapped! If we'd forced our way out, people would have died, and we still wouldn't have been able to bring the supplies back!”

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“But those supplies were exactly what the convoy was in desperate need of! So... so we made bold to wait two extra days up there, and only dared to come back after the zombies had scattered!”

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“But those supplies were exactly what the convoy desperately needed! So... so we took the liberty of waiting two extra days up there, and only dared to come back after the zombies had scattered!”

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He crouched down to look Wang Hai in the eye, his gaze like a falcon's, fixed hard on the other man's pupils, as if trying to see through every thought in his mind.

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He crouched down to look Wang Hai in the eye, his gaze as sharp as a falcon's, fixed on the other man's pupils as if trying to see through every thought in his mind.

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“Of—of course!” Wang Hai's skin crawled under that stare. He was so frightened he plopped down onto the ground, his face bloodless.

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“Of—of course!” Wang Hai's skin crawled under that stare. He was so frightened that he dropped onto the ground, his face bloodless.

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Brother Dao was satisfied with this cowardly display.

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Brother Dao was satisfied by this cowardly display.

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In the apocalypse, it was the cowards whose lives were easiest to hold in hand.

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In the apocalypse, cowards were the easiest people to keep under control.

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What's more, only this many of the missing had come back—the rest had probably already filled zombie bellies. He couldn't bear to waste these precious “consumables.”

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What's more, only this many of the missing had come back. The rest had probably already filled zombie bellies. He couldn't bear to waste these precious “consumables.”

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His gaze traveled past Wang Hai to the truck's cargo bed, and his tone eased: “Alright, get up. So, what good things did you bring back?”

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His gaze traveled past Wang Hai to the truck's cargo bed, and his tone eased. “All right, get up. So, what good things did you bring back?”

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Wang Hai, as if granted amnesty, scrambled to his feet, hurried to the back of a truck, and pulled off the tarp in one go.

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Wang Hai, as if granted amnesty, scrambled to his feet, hurried to the back of the truck, and pulled off the tarp in one motion.

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Inside the cargo bed, case upon case of neatly stacked instant noodles, cartons of bottled water, and canned goods piled up like little mountains, looking especially tempting in the dim light.

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Inside the cargo bed, case after case of neatly stacked instant noodles, cartons of bottled water, and canned goods were piled up like little mountains, looking especially tempting in the dim light.

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Hearing that, Wang Hai hastened to explain with an ingratiating smile: “Brother Dao, we had no choice. If we hadn't eaten our fill, how would we have had the strength to drive the truck back?”

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Hearing that, Wang Hai hastened to explain with an ingratiating smile. “Brother Dao, we had no choice. If we hadn't eaten our fill, how would we have had the strength to drive the truck back?”

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“I know that. Was I blaming you? Huh?” Brother Dao waved his hand impatiently, clearly in a much better mood.

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“I know that. Was I blaming you? Huh?” Brother Dao waved a hand impatiently, clearly in a much better mood.

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This bunch of trash had gotten pretty lucky, after all—they'd actually found a good amount of supplies.

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This bunch of trash had gotten pretty lucky, after all. They had actually found a good amount of supplies.

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“Probably grabbed along with the stuff while loading,” Wang Hai said, bending his back in a stoop. “I'll throw it out right away.”

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“Probably grabbed it along with the other stuff while we were loading,” Wang Hai said, bending at the waist. “I'll throw it out right away.”

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Seeing that Brother Dao was in high spirits, Wang Hai's eyes darted, and he sidled closer, lowering his voice mysteriously: “Br—Brother Dao, there's still a whole lot of supplies at that place!”

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Seeing that Brother Dao was in high spirits, Wang Hai's eyes darted around. He sidled closer and lowered his voice mysteriously. “Br—Brother Dao, there's still a whole lot of supplies at that place!”

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He, of course, understood Wang Hai's little scheme—the man just wanted to settle things once and for all, so he wouldn't have to risk his life scavenging for supplies again.

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Of course, he understood Wang Hai's little scheme. The man simply wanted to settle things once and for all, so he wouldn't have to risk his life scavenging for supplies again.

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“Good!” Brother Dao slapped his thigh and agreed readily. “Rest up tonight. Tomorrow at dawn, the whole convoy sets out!”

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“Good!” Brother Dao slapped his thigh and readily agreed. “Rest up tonight. Tomorrow at dawn, the whole convoy sets out!”

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“N-no, nothing,” Wang Hai shook his head hastily. “I'm just too excited. Thinking about how no one will have to go hungry from now on, I just... I just...”

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“N-no, nothing,” Wang Hai said, shaking his head hastily. “I'm just too excited. Thinking about how no one will have to go hungry from now on, I just... I just...”

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Brother Dao laughed heartily, satisfied. He reached out, draped his arm over Wang Hai's shoulder, and squeezed hard, looking for all the world like he was opening his heart: “No need to be nervous.”

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Brother Dao laughed heartily, satisfied. He reached out, draped an arm over Wang Hai's shoulder, and squeezed hard, looking for all the world as if he were opening his heart. “No need to be nervous.”

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“This time, you've done a great deed! I can see you're quick-witted, and your leadership skills aren't bad either. From today on, you're Brother Dao's own brother!”

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“This time, you've done a great deed! I can see that you're quick-witted, and your leadership skills aren't bad either. From today on, you're Brother Dao's own brother!”

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A mood of revelry spread among the crowd. The supplies brought back today were enough for everyone to eat their fill.

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A mood of revelry spread among the crowd. The supplies brought back that day were enough for everyone to eat their fill.

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Brother Dao sat by the fire, basking in the flattery of his underlings, already planning in his mind to empty the warehouse tomorrow and then lead the convoy straight out of this godforsaken place, bound for Gangshan.

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Brother Dao sat by the fire, basking in his underlings' flattery. In his mind, he was already planning to empty the warehouse the next day, then lead the convoy straight out of this godforsaken place, bound for Gangshan.