Chapter 121: Sunglasses

Early the next morning, the group met up.

As requested by Cheng Xianglong, Bai Ge provided him with an AK-47. This type of rifle was relatively common and not difficult to acquire.

"It has significant recoil, making accurate shooting difficult beyond 300 meters. If you fire in bursts, the accuracy drops even further," Bai Ge explained.

She had never worked with Cheng Xianglong before and didn't know the young, yellow-haired man well. She was slightly concerned that he might struggle, as the AK-47 was not the easiest weapon for a beginner to handle.

"I know. It has high firepower, which is great for close-quarters combat. What I need is to pick off zombies one by one," Cheng Xianglong said, happily stroking the body of the rifle and feeling its cold, sturdy texture.

"Oh? I didn't expect you to know so much about guns," Bai Ge remarked, looking at him with newfound respect.

"Well, I played a lot of games back in the day, so I know a thing or two. That's all theoretical, though; I haven't had much practical experience until now." Cheng Xianglong had only ever used two types of guns in his life and didn't dare to boast in front of Bai Ge.

They found a secluded corner in a nearby industrial building slated for demolition for Cheng Xianglong to test his weapon.

He shouldered the AK and fired a burst at a crumbling wall, leaving a fairly straight line of bullet holes as he felt out the actual handling.

Gunpowder smoke filled the air. Although Yi Chen and the others covered their ears, they could still feel their eardrums vibrating from the noise.

"Not bad at all!" Bai Ge was both surprised and delighted.

Cheng Xianglong’s posture and movements were not those of a layman, and the fact that he could manage his recoil so well right from the start showed he was extremely talented.

Some people are naturally gifted at certain things—like Ling Zhe, who could drive with death-defying speed despite never having formal training, or Cheng Xianglong, who possessed such a natural feel for firearms.

If he had an expert to provide more practical training and guidance, he would likely grow and improve with astonishing speed.

However, they didn't have the luxury of such conditions, nor did they have the time to let him practice any further.

The five-member team boarded their vehicle and headed toward the Dream Resort Hotel.

"Our group is getting bigger. Should we come up with a cool, imposing name?" Cheng Xianglong asked, his spirits high and his tongue loosened.

"A name? Is that really necessary?" Yi Chen asked, taken aback.

"Of course it is! A catchy name gives members a sense of honor and belonging!" Cheng Xianglong argued persuasively.

"Let's not. It sounds pretty silly," Bai Ge, who was driving, countered.

"What should we call it, then..." Ignoring Bai Ge's objection, Yi Chen was already starting to ponder.

"How about 'The Hottie Club'?" Chang Qing asked with a shameless grin.

"Can you be serious for once?!" Xue Man said, speechless. She was grateful that she was sitting next to Yi Chen and not that sleazy onion.

"How about 'Morning Light'?" Cheng Xianglong suggested, trying to butter up Yi Chen by using a homophone of his name.

"...Isn't 'Morning Light' a stationery brand?" Yi Chen vetoed the suggestion immediately.

"Haha, I didn't study much," Cheng Xianglong said, scratching his head in embarrassment. The flattery had missed its mark.

Bai Ge shook her head helplessly. These idiots were actually serious about naming the team, and what’s more, they were all terrible at it. What was she supposed to say?

The group chatted back and forth, and before long, they arrived at their destination.

The Dream Resort Hotel looked magnificent, with vibrant colors that lived up to its "dreamy" name. An array of colorful lights and Italian-style musical fountains shimmered beneath a glass dome, filling the entire area with a rich Mediterranean atmosphere.

The only flaw was the deathly silence.

The fountains were moving, and the lights were flowing, but there wasn't a single soul around.

Yi Chen couldn't smell blood or hear the roars of zombies. He vaguely sensed movement within the sealed hotel, but it wasn't distinct.

This was thanks to the ice wall Xue Man had erected before they left. The wall blocked scents and sounds while distorting his perception.

Yi Chen gathered his strength, preparing to shatter the ice and enter the hotel.

Xue Man noticed those unsettling, strange patterns appearing on his arm again and couldn't help but advise, "You don't need to do it. Chang Qing, you handle this."

"Since Manman insists, I’ll let you all get a glimpse of my abilities. That way, you won’t think my only redeeming quality is being handsome," Chang Qing hummed, bobbing his head.

Bai Ge and Xue Man exchanged looks, their faces darkening.

If Yi Chen had said that, they might have accepted it—after all, he was genuinely powerful and truly handsome.

Cheng Xianglong couldn't help but snap, "Damn it, it's not your fault you’re ugly, but being this repulsive is definitely on you!"

Chang Qing, having long since developed a thick skin, didn't pay any mind to Cheng Xianglong's words.

He unhurriedly reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of sunglasses.

With his purple leather jacket, rotund, short stature, and the steampunk-style sunglasses perched on his chubby, round face, Chang Qing looked inexplicably ridiculous.

"Ugh, my temper... I really can't take this!" Cheng Xianglong, thinking Chang Qing was just posturing, felt a mix of anger and amusement that made him want to pull his hair out.

"That is his weapon," Xue Man explained to the group.

"Sunglasses are a weapon?" Cheng Xianglong’s eyes widened. It was his first time seeing someone whose weapon wasn't a blade, gun, or club.

Yi Chen was also intrigued. He noticed the sunglasses were quite unique; they were double-layered.

Chang Qing stretched his limbs, bobbed his head a few more times to build up the anticipation, and after maximizing the tension, he gave a sharp shout.

Two beams of red light flashed through the sunglasses and struck the solid ice wall.

Crack! Where the red light touched, distinct thin lines immediately appeared!

Under the gaze of everyone, the ice wall shattered instantly!

"Impressive!" Yi Chen praised him sincerely.

He knew just how sturdy the ice wall was. Such a smooth, uniform surface was highly effective at distributing and neutralizing force, making it difficult for ordinary physical attacks to break.

Chang Qing wasn't just all talk; he clearly had some real tricks up his sleeve.

If this "laser eye" ability was this powerful, he could easily slice the entire hotel into pieces if he kept using it!

"Ouch... no good, I need to rest my eyes," Chang Qing said, flipping the outer layer of the sunglasses up to reveal a pair of plain lenses underneath.

"This...?" Yi Chen didn't understand what Chang Qing was doing.

"His ability cannot be sustained for long, or overusing his eyes will have severe side effects. The sunglasses are for unleashing his strongest power, while the plain lenses help him regulate his state back to that of a normal person," Xue Man explained, as she was familiar with Chang Qing's weapons and abilities.

"Wait, so if he wears the plain lenses, he can't even use his x-ray vision?" Bai Ge asked curiously.

"That's right," Xue Man nodded.

"You should have said so sooner! So there's a way to suppress his x-ray vision. Let's make him wear the plain lenses whenever he sees us from now on," Bai Ge said, feeling relieved.

"He can't keep the plain lenses on all the time either; his eyes can't handle the strain..." Xue Man said helplessly. These custom glasses were designed so that one layer suppressed his power and two layers activated it. Either way, it always had some impact on Chang Qing himself.