Infinite Ebullience
Chapter 1561 - 23: The Encirclement

Chapter 1561: Chapter 23: The Encirclement

Fang Zhiwen is a white, rich, and beautiful girl, scoring at least seventy out of a hundred, and she also knows how to exploit her feminine charm. In the past, this worked wonders against men, but today, she hit a snag.

Tang Zheng didn’t even spare a glance at Fang Zhiwen, as he used his hand to shield his eyes from the sun, surveying the wilderness around him. His gaze stretched to the horizon, which was without a clear boundary or noticeable reference object, leaving him unable to even choose a direction.

The ignored Fang Zhiwen felt somewhat irate; after all, she was used to commanding people and naturally revealed an unsatisfied expression on her face.

"Tang Zheng, is there anything we need to do? We’re duty-bound!" Shen Jiashu was very composed, which actually reassured the classmates more, as they were relatively more familiar with him compared to the stranger, Tang Zheng.

"Take care of yourselves, look more, talk less, do less; try to minimize meaningless actions. For example, right now, you should be sitting down to conserve your strength, not wasting saliva discussing pointless matters," Tang Zheng said as he walked around the dried-up lake, looking for animal tracks.

"Heh, don’t underestimate me, I’m at least a backpacking enthusiast, and I’ve participated in several outdoor survival activities!" Shen Jiashu returned with a mildly embarrassed but firm reply. He had always been the center of attention, either as the class monitor or a student union member. He was not used to being commanded like this, so he felt somewhat rebellious.

"Whatever!" Tang Zheng didn’t argue; clashing with newbies was beneath him.

"Tang Zheng, don’t be like that, we’re all classmates, working together and putting our strengths together will make it easier for us to survive," Fang Zhiwen sighed when she saw a few students roll their eyes at Tang Zheng. His words were too self-righteous and offensive.

"Group Leader Tang, which way should we go next?" Gao Shuang asked mockingly, "Our safety is in your hands now!"

Tang Zheng did not reply.

"Cough cough, survival experience is something that accumulates over time. It’s no surprise if Tang Zheng doesn’t know this," Shen Jiashu seemed to be making excuses for Tang Zheng, but in fact, he was belittling him. "We should find a water source first."

Bai Guo watched these students, dumbfounded. Where did they get such confidence? Indeed they were the type of people who are full of themselves but lacking in ability. Without suffering some consequences, they will never learn their lesson.

"Let’s go!" Tang Zheng called out, starting their journey.

"Don’t be rash, walking onto the prairie so carelessly, other than wasting energy, there is no benefit!" Shen Jiashu shouted.

"Tang Zheng, don’t be impulsive," Fang Zhiwen advised, thinking Tang Zheng was only trying to act tough.

"Let’s go, he probably won’t make a mistake," Xie Danyun said and followed Tang Zheng’s pace. Although they hadn’t spent much time together, the impression he left on the whole class was that he was very reliable.

Some newbies followed, but others stood still.

"You say we need to find water? How?" Bai Guo couldn’t stand it anymore and looked back to question.

Shen Jiashu, facing a prairie that only had weeds, couldn’t answer. His knowledge of survival was all hearsay, and his outdoor living experiences were nothing more than an excuse to pick up girls.

"Just observe those footprints. While you flap your gums, Brother Tang has already taken care of it!" Bai Guo defended Tang Zheng’s image. If it were anyone else, he wouldn’t have bothered speaking out.

The newbies suddenly understood and hurried after Tang Zheng, leaving behind a deflated Shen Jiashu standing there. He took several deep breaths to suppress the anger bubbling in his stomach.

"I’ve humbled myself so much, what more do you want?" Shen Jiashu felt that Tang Zheng was too proud and not team-oriented.

Tang Zheng wasn’t actually thinking so deeply about it. His Group Members were not with him, which worried him a lot. How could he have the spare energy to care for these alumni whom he had barely spoken a few words to?

Walking on the boundless primeval grassland was torture in itself, as the knee-high wormwood brushed against the legs of those newbies who were not wearing Protective Clothing, leaving trails of blood and causing them to frown repeatedly.

Only the howling sound of the strong wind could be heard, the silence made the newbies feel Panic, so they started chatting as if it was the only way to gain a slight sense of security. However, as time went by, they quieted down again.

After walking for two hours, the physiological effects of heat, dry coughs, and hunger started to erode the bodies and nerves of the newbies. They began to complain in their hearts, and their secretive glances towards Tang Zheng started to carry resentment.

"Tang Zheng, is this the correct path? Can we find water?" Fang Zhiwen licked her cracked lips, swallowing instinctively, but there was no saliva, causing her throat to ache painfully.

"Speak less!" Tang Zheng looked into the distance, hoping to find some prey to replenish the newbies’ nutrition. They were almost reaching their Limits; he estimated they would need to rest after another ten li.

Bai Guo sighed. With Tang Zheng’s character, he certainly wouldn’t abandon them. How much more burden would that add to him?

"Tang Zheng, do you have anything to drink?" The overweight woman’s body teetered, asking for the third time.

"No!"

It was the same response, but this time, the overweight woman raised doubts.

"That Wristwatch of yours seems to be a space Equipment, right? I’ve seen you give Xiu Ru something before. Don’t tell me you didn’t store any water?"

The woman’s words made everyone turn their gaze to Tang Zheng’s Wrist, and upon hearing the word ’water,’ their thirst seemed even harder to endure.

"Just give us a sip, just one sip, we promise not to waste it," the overweight woman coughed, playing the sympathy card, "Even if not for the sake of my ten-year friendship with An Xiuru, as a stranger, help me out. If I keep going like this, I will die."

The overweight woman knew An Xiuru for three years—closer than acquaintances, but definitely not the type to share every secret.

"Hold on just a little longer!" Tang Zheng was most worried about these kinds of people, because their words really agitated the rest of the newbies.

"Tang Zheng really has no water!" Bai Guo said helplessly. "If he had any, he would have given it to you all by now."

The fat woman refused to give up. When one tactic failed, she came up with another, pretending to be exhausted and falling to the ground.

Most of the newbies around her dodged and glanced over, then continued on their way, though a few helped her up.

"Ignore her, keep walking!" Tang Zheng looked back and saw the fat woman’s facial expressions and muscle reactions; he knew she was feigning it.

The fat woman was planning to continue her act, but the indifferent expression on Tang Zheng’s face made her panic. After pleading a few times and seeing them walk over fifty meters away, she finally could not stand it anymore and got up.

At that moment, the fat woman hurled all the malicious words she could think of at Tang Zheng.

"Look, what is that?" On the horizon, besides a few lone trees, some black dots appeared. Fang Zhiwen was excited, "It looks like a herd of wild buffalo."

The newbies were thrilled, wishing they could eat them on the spot.

"Let me treat you all to steak!" Shen Jiashu patted his M4A1 rifle and joked, easing the atmosphere.

"Shut up, all of you. If anyone scares away the herd of wild buffalo, they’ll have to answer to me!" Sun Guofeng shouted and hastened his pace.

This time, without Tang Zheng reminding them, everyone sped up, except for the fat woman who really couldn’t keep up and fell behind by a hundred meters.

"Wait, wait for me!" The fat woman was sweating profusely, her calves aching from walking too hastily, and she fell to the ground.

"I still have a piece of chocolate, let her have it," Bai Guo said, seeing the miserable state of the fat woman and unable to bear it.

"No need!" Tang Zheng shook his head. With the wild buffalo in sight, it was wasteful to consume emergency food now. "Put in a little more effort; ahead there’s buffalo blood to drink!"

"They’re so big, can a rifle kill them?" Fang Zhiwen was worried as she looked at the unknown wild buffalo that were bulkier than elephants, weighed over three tons, and resembled war chariots.

"Why don’t we let Tang Zheng use the rifle? He’s a good shot!" Xie Yundan suggested, but unfortunately everyone fell silent, not willing to surrender their weapons.

"No need, I have this." Tang Zheng pointed to his straight knife. "Ladies, stop. Be careful not to get injured when the buffalo charge."

"What should we do? Do we form a circle?" Sun Guofeng licked his lips, already impatient to begin the slaughter.

"Tang Zheng, you take command!" Finally, Shen Jiashu did not lose his head and knew his own weight.

"Decide among yourselves. Take this opportunity to train. The troubles in the future will be even harder than this." As alumni, if possible, Tang Zheng wanted to take them back alive.

Having humbly spoken, Shen Jiashu then unyieldingly took command. It was the first time the newbies were on a hunt, and they were excited.

Sun Guofeng and Zhang Xinzhong each led a trio, circling half-round to block the herd of wild buffalo’s escape route.

"Remember to spread out, try to extend the defensive range, and don’t let the wild buffalo escape!" Shen Jiashu was cunning, assigning alumni by his side and letting unfamiliar newbies waste energy moving.

Sun Guofeng was dissatisfied, but knowing the overall situation was out of his hands, he didn’t challenge it to Shen Jiashu’s face.

"Xie Yundan, pick a few girls and go over there with me!" Tang Zheng obviously wouldn’t idle around. Seeing Shen Jiashu’s arrangements, he guessed the potential trouble spots.

"But we don’t have weapons," Le Song complained, looking dejected.

"Brother Tang won’t let you get hurt!" Bai Guo flicked her wrist, opening a folding knife—her weapon.

"The rest of you rest. Bai Xia, watch them!" Shen Jiashu waved his hand, keeping low. "GO, GO, GO!"

The herd of wild buffalo didn’t take these humans seriously at all, calmly grazing.

"Killing two is enough; we can’t eat more than that." Tang Zheng identified his prey, focusing on those fattest bulls.

Bang, bang, Shen Jiashu’s gunshots acted as a signal, tearing through the grasslands.

The struck wild buffalo did not fall but joined the startled herd in fleeing. These creatures were swift, and from a high altitude, they appeared like a patch of moss sticking to the plain.

Zhang Xinzhong’s team panicked at the sight of the rushing herd and opened fire; after emptying their bullets, the direction of the buffalo herd did not change, which terrified them, and they turned to run.

"Idiots." Shen Jiashu cursed, but all his bullets missed their mark.

The female musketeer appeared beside Tang Zheng and, following his instructions, attacked the wild buffalo. True to being from the Shooting series, she scored a direct hit!

The newbies cheered at the sight of the fallen buffalo, ready to collect their prey, when suddenly a piercing scream startled them.

Bai Guo turned around to see a saber-toothed tiger pounce next to the fat woman, biting off one of her arms, and several others emerged from the thigh-high wormwood and charged towards Sun Guofeng and Bai Xia’s group. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.)