Chapter 371: Returning 1.

"About twenty kilometers from here."

Yan Cijin nodded.

"Then we should probably start moving."

"We are moving."

"I mean properly."

Bai Li glanced at her.

Yan Cijin pointed at the road ahead.

"We’ve been walking for long enough."

Bai Li looked at the road.

Then at Yan Cijin.

Then she smiled.

"I almost forgot."

Yan Cijin narrowed her eyes.

"Forgot what?"

"My motorcycle."

Yan Cijin stopped walking.

"You have a motorcycle here?"

"Yes."

"Here?"

"In the underground garage."

Yan Cijin stared at her for a second.

"You never told me that."

"I did."

"When?"

"Before we entered."

"I thought you said you had a way back."

"I do."

Yan Cijin crossed her arms.

"And that way back is a motorcycle you casually forgot to mention?"

Bai Li smiled.

"I didn’t forget. I just wasn’t thinking about it."

"You fought a giant golden tree, collected five magical fruits, and only now remembered the motorcycle."

"That sounds about right."

Yan Cijin sighed.

"You really are something."

Bai Li turned back toward the mall.

"Come on."

Yan Cijin followed.

They did not need to return to the upper floors. The underground parking garage had a separate vehicle ramp on the eastern side of the building, partly hidden behind a collapsed service wall. Bai Li had used that route when she first came to the mall and had left the Kawasaki there after deciding to continue on foot.

The ramp was dark.

The metal shutter at the entrance had been forced upward by something large enough to bend its lower edge.

Bai Li looked at it.

"Looks like something got in."

Yan Cijin raised her crossbow.

"Or got out."

"Either way, we should be careful."

They stepped inside.

The smell changed immediately.

The open air and cold morning wind disappeared behind them.

The underground garage smelled of wet concrete, oil, rust, and old dust. Water dripped from a cracked pipe somewhere near the ceiling. The sound echoed through the empty levels.

Bai Li moved slowly.

Yan Cijin stayed close.

A faint scraping noise came from deeper inside.

Bai Li stopped.

Another scrape.

Then silence.

"Three," she whispered.

Yan Cijin nodded.

They advanced.

Three zombies crawled from behind a row of abandoned cars.

One was missing an arm.

Another had half its face torn away.

The third had somehow become trapped between two vehicles and was dragging itself forward by its hands.

Bai Li did not even draw a weapon.

She walked forward.

The first zombie lunged.

She stepped to the side and drove her palm into its chest.

The force sent it crashing into a parked car.

The second attacked immediately.

Whisperfang appeared.

One clean slash.

The zombie fell.

The trapped one tried to pull itself free.

Yan Cijin quietly fired a single crossbow bolt.

The garage became silent again.

Bai Li looked around.

"That was easy."

Yan Cijin lowered the crossbow.

"You’re disappointed."

"A little."

"You need rest."

"I need breakfast."

Yan Cijin laughed softly.

"You and your breakfast."

They continued deeper.

The garage was enormous.

Several levels were connected by wide ramps, and rows of abandoned cars filled most of the spaces. Some vehicles had been smashed together. Others were covered in thick layers of dust.

Bai Li finally stopped beside a black motorcycle.

There it was.

The Kawasaki Ninja 400.

Even in the dirty underground garage, it looked sharp.

The bodywork was mostly clean.

The tires were intact.

The black paint caught the weak light from the emergency lamps.

Yan Cijin stood beside Bai Li and stared at it.

"You weren’t joking."

"No."

"You actually left this here."

"Yes."

Yan Cijin walked around it.

"It’s in surprisingly good condition."

"I left it somewhere dry."

"You were planning to come back."

"I knew I would."

Yan Cijin touched the handlebar lightly.

"It looks fast."

"It is."

"Can you still start it?"

Bai Li smiled.

"Let’s find out."

She rested one hand on the motorcycle and closed her eyes for a moment.

The system appeared in her mind.

A familiar interface.

Simple.

Cold.

Silent.

Bai Li gave the command.

The system responded immediately.

Fuel reserve unavailable.

Bai Li did not care.

"Use fifty crystal cores."

A brief pause. ℯℯ𝑙.

Then the familiar response appeared.

Fifty crystal cores accepted.

Fuel conversion complete.

Mechanical ignition available.

Bai Li opened her eyes.

The motorcycle’s dashboard flickered.

Once.

Twice.

Then the engine came alive.

The sound filled the underground garage.

It was not loud enough to be deafening.

But after so much silence, it felt enormous.

The engine settled into a deep, steady growl.

Yan Cijin’s eyes widened.

A smile appeared on her face before she could stop it.

"Oh."

Bai Li looked at her.

"Like it?"

Yan Cijin nodded.

"Very much."

Bai Li climbed onto the motorcycle.

She checked the controls.

Everything responded normally.

The engine was smooth.

The brakes worked.

The tires were fine.

Even the fuel gauge showed a full reserve after the system conversion.

Bai Li looked over her shoulder.

"Get on."

Yan Cijin hesitated.

"Do you know how to ride with someone behind you?"

Bai Li gave her a look.

"Of course."

"You looked too confident when you said that."

"I am confident."

"That’s exactly what worries me."

Bai Li laughed.

"Come on."

Yan Cijin climbed onto the pillion seat.

For a moment she sat upright, keeping a little distance between them.

Bai Li looked back.

"You’re going to fall if you sit like that."

"I’m fine."

"When I accelerate, you’ll regret saying that."

Yan Cijin frowned.

"Then tell me before you accelerate."

"I am telling you now."

"That doesn’t count."

Bai Li smiled.

"Hold on."

Yan Cijin placed her hands lightly around Bai Li’s waist.

Neither woman commented on it.

Bai Li looked forward.

The motorcycle rolled slowly toward the ramp.

The sound of the tires echoed through the garage.

As they started climbing, Yan Cijin leaned slightly closer.

"Bai Li."

"Hmm?"

"Don’t drive like an idiot."

"I never do."

"You absolutely do."

"Trust me."

Yan Cijin was quiet for a moment.

.

.

.

TO BE CONTINUED.