Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The RV gleamed silver-white, its roof outfitted with expansive solar panels. Reinforced with matching metal and its windows secured by railings, it stood fortified.

Xu Fang, running from the front to the back, realized the RV was about seven to eight meters long—if you included the driver's cab, it was roughly ten meters.

After circling the vehicle a few times, Xu Fang looked at Shen Xiuzhe with eager anticipation, "Boss, are we taking this RV back later?"

Shen Xiuzhe nodded, "We'll drive to Lin An’s place today. Tomorrow, you'll pick up Wu Shuangxue and her granddaughter from the base. Once ready, we'll set off."

"Can I drive it?" Xu Fang volunteered immediately, never having driven an RV before.

"Sure, we'll take turns driving once we're out of the city tomorrow."

Xu Fang took the keys from Shen Xiuzhe, dashed to the RV's rear entrance, and upon seeing the interior, his eyes widened in astonishment, "Boss, this must've cost a fortune."

The interior was lavishly furnished with all the essentials, resembling a small luxury apartment—certainly far superior to anything Xu Fang had lived in before the apocalypse.

Capable adventurers were actually quite wealthy, and Shen Xiuzhe, as one of the elites, had never worried about money. But now, no matter how much wealth one had, it was useless.

"It's not bad at all; the gadgets from Mech City are indeed top-notch. They've got all sorts of robots over there that can do household chores, drive, dance, and even fight — quite fascinating, really."

Xu Fang's eyes gleamed as he listened; he had never been to another city. Although Mech City was the closest to Dawn City, just driving there took over ten days. Many people spend their entire lives here without ever venturing out.

But the thought that it was the end times, with zombies rampant everywhere, made the situation in Mech City uncertain. Xu Fang finally regained his composure.

"I'll go start the car; you guys hurry up and get on." Xu Fang transferred the supplies from the old car to the RV and then dashed to the driver's seat. Shen Xiuzhe took Lin An into the back of the RV, with their pet Xiao Fu following closely.

Ouyang Dong looked around before deciding to sit in the passenger seat. There was room for two in the front, and he planned to take turns driving with Xu Fang.

As soon as Lin An entered the RV, Liu Hai's eyes started to sneak peeks everywhere.

"What's the matter, checking for cleanliness?" Shen Xiuzhe noticed his sly moves and casually ruffled his hair.

Lin An's hair was soft and smooth, a delight to touch. Shen Xiuzhe realized only after the fact that this time, the little zombie didn't dodge.

Just a few days ago, every time Shen Xiuzhe raised his hand, Lin An would reflexively duck and cover his head, and if anyone tried to touch his hair, he would shy away in fear.

But today, the little zombie didn't flinch or dodge, acting as if he didn't notice at all, his eyes still sneakily scanning the interior of the RV, like a rabbit dropped into a cage, stealthily observing its surroundings.

To verify whether this was truly Lin An's own will, Shen Xiuzhe extended his 'guilty' hands, vigorously ruffling Lin An's hair.

The soft hair became tousled, and if not for strong roots, Shen Xiuzhe's rough handling might have pulled out quite a bit.

Still, the little zombie did not evade, only slowly lowered his head, shaking it as if trying to throw off something bothersome from the top of his head.

He was indeed slowly recovering, and perhaps one day he could return to normal human thinking. Shen Xiuzhe felt that day wouldn't be too far off.

The RV started up, and Shen Xiuzhe, sitting on the couch with Lin An, could feel the bumpy road beneath them, but it was still within an acceptable range. Soon, however, there came a series of thuds from the front.

Xu Fang was driving the RV, initially mindful of the passengers at the back, so he drove slowly. But once they exited the underground parking lot and the zombies on the street surged towards the moving RV, his speed increased.

The reinforced front of the vehicle sent zombies flying one after another, unscathed. It seemed Shen Xiuzhe had indeed spent considerable effort on reinforcing this vehicle.

However, those sitting in the back didn't have it so easy. The vehicle swayed left and right, and Shen Xiuzhe wondered if Xu Fang was actually drifting. This was an RV, after all, with people inside.

Shen Xiuzhe and Lin An sitting on the couch were fine since the RV's furniture was securely fixed and wouldn't move around.

The only one who suffered was Xiao Fu, their pet.

The dog was still sniffing around the new environment when suddenly, with a sharp turn of the RV, Xiao Fu was comically plastered against the wall, baffled by the force of inertia.

Another sharp turn sent Xiao Fu staggering to the other side; if Shen Xiuzhe hadn't caught him, the poor dog might have kept swinging back and forth indefinitely.

Xu Fang had completely let loose. With no pedestrians on the road, just aimlessly wandering zombies, and cars pushed aside by those with special abilities and scavengers, he drove the RV unobstructed, wishing he could go even faster.

"My turn, my turn, let me drive for a while," Ouyang Dong pleaded eagerly, his eyes filled with envy.

Xu Fang drove two-thirds of the way before he stopped to let Ouyang Dong take over, while he himself headed to the back of the RV to explore, having only glanced at it briefly before.

Gazing at the bald head entering from the door, Shen Xiuzhe commented deadpan, "You're driving quite fast. One would think we're racing to be reincarnated."

It was then Xu Fang remembered their leader and Lin An were in the back; he could only scratch his head and chuckle sheepishly.

Ouyang Dong drove much more steadily; the ride was nearly bump-free.

Restless and wandering around the RV, Xu Fang marveled at everything and kept asking about the purpose of various items.

"Boss, what is this?"

"There's even a toilet. Won't the smell drift out when it's used?"

"You can cook here, too? But I'm not much of a chef."

"There's even a bed, wow. But there's only one; it's going to be awkward for us to divide it up. Boss, you and An-ge can have the bed, I'll keep watch outside for you."

Shen Xiuzhe reminded him, "Did you forget that Wu Shuangxue and her granddaughter are coming with us?"

"Right, so they take the bed, and we'll sleep on the floor?"

Even after arriving at Lin An's home, Xu Fang's excitement hadn't faded, as he kept talking to Ouyang Dong, who hadn't been inside the RV, about all its various features.

Usually, Ouyang Dong would join in the discussion, but today he was unusually silent.

"What's up with you? You haven't responded to anything I've said," Xu Fang asked, puzzled.

Ouyang Dong just smiled, "Nothing. I’ll prepare some extra fruit for you guys to take with you tomorrow."

"Huh? Why should we…" Xu Fang finally remembered that their pairing with Ouyang Dong was temporary, as he still had to search for his father.

Even though it was very likely that his father was no longer alive, Ouyang Dong was stubborn. He could persist in searching for his home for half a year without giving up. As long as his father remained unfound, he would never abandon the search.

Xu Fang felt a pang of reluctance. He was a man of deep loyalty and had come to regard Ouyang Dong as a comrade. Their parting was imminent, and who knew if they would ever meet again.

"Are you sure you won't come with us?" Xu Fang asked.

Ouyang Dong shook his head, "My dad might still be out there waiting for me."

Xu Fang clapped him on the shoulder. "You'll find your dad for sure."

As their farewell approached, the conversation turned sorrowful, ending with both men burying their heads in their hands, weeping bitterly.

A bald man and a heavyset man crying together made for an incongruous sight; intimidating figures to others when outside, now wailing unabashedly, devoid of any image of toughness.

Shen Xiuzhe stood aside, unimpressed and finding the display more noisy than moving.

"Enough, your crying should have its limit. The zombies outside are coming again. You two, go and deal with them," Shen Xiuzhe said coolly.

The two men looked up at Shen Xiuzhe, tears and mucus staining their faces.

Xu Fang was the first to respond, "But boss, we can't defeat the special zombies."

"Even if you can't, you must fight. What if you encounter one when you're alone someday? Are you going to just lie down and wait for death?"

Xu Fang thought of Ouyang Dong facing tomorrow alone, searching for his father amid the zombie-infested Dawn City, possibly encountering special zombies without anyone to help, and being overwhelmed.

"Dong, you must train your abilities well. With so many zombies out there, you have to be careful."

"Don't worry, I've been fine on my own for half a year. I'll train even harder to become as strong as the boss," Ouyang Dong assured.

Locking eyes, they were once again overwhelmed by emotion and resumed their tearful embrace.

Shen Xiuzhe's lips twitched with annoyance and finally, with a kick for each, he booted the two men out the door.

One a bald man with the look of a street thug, the other a rotund figure, they marched out with red eyes, ready to slay zombies with fierce determination.

This time, they faced a special zombie whose mutation was in its eyes, covered from head to toe with them, raising goosebumps on the men. Anyone with a phobia of clusters might have fainted on the spot.

The zombie could see from all angles, making it impossible to launch a surprise attack, and with its strength and speed far surpassing regular zombies, the duo struggled to cope.

Eventually, Xu Fang trapped the zombie with his earth-based abilities while Ouyang Dong destroyed its eyes using plant-based powers. Bereft of its greatest weapon, the special zombie finally fell to their combined efforts.

Both were so exhausted that they lay on the ground, gasping for breath, unable to get up.

However, after this battle, neither had the energy to ponder other matters and went straight to sleep as soon as they returned.

Before they could collapse, Shen Xiuzhe hauled them up, insisting Lin An wash them both in a roller washing machine before allowing them to rest.

Early the next morning, Xu Fang went to the base to pick up people, while Shen Xiuzhe and Ouyang Dong gathered supplies, a diverse collection ranging from down jackets to lighters, all essential for travel.

"Isn't this too much? It won’t all fit in the camper," Ouyang Dong remarked, eyeing the pile that seemed too much even if they stuffed the camper full.

"No worries, it'll fit soon."

After organizing the supplies, Shen Xiuzhe set about packing Lin An's belongings.

Lin An, being the key person to protect on this trip and a stickler for cleanliness, meant that clothes for all seasons had to be included.

Shen Xiuzhe, seemingly aloof and scornful as if to say 'all of you are beneath me', was in fact very meticulous, packing almost everything Lin An would need, including gloves and masks.

Previously worried about whether to bring these items, now he decided to take everything that could be useful.

Xu Fang returned soon, bringing along Wu Shuangxue and her granddaughter.

The elderly woman, with her head full of silver hair, waved at them in greeting. Beside her, the young girl, sporting short hair and a tomboyish air, bore a resemblance to Wu Shuangxue.

Both Wu Shuangxue and the girl had knives strapped to their waists and carried nothing in their hands, arriving empty-handed.

Entering Lin An's home, the old lady was the first to survey the surroundings, just like Shen Xiuzhe. As explorers, their first instinct in any new place was to observe their environment, a habit ingrained in them.

"This place is well-kept," Wu Shuangxue commented, standing erect while her granddaughter, wanting to offer support, was gently brushed aside.

"It's cleaned by An Ge. He's the most diligent zombie I've ever seen. Not a speck of dirt is allowed in the house, not even on us," Xu Fang bragged, having become familiar with the person he was escorting.

"That zombie?" Wu Shuangxue had recognized Lin An as a zombie at first glance yesterday. When discussing cooperation with Shen Xiuzhe, she openly shared about their special abilities and the meteorite.

It was her first time seeing such a zombie, indeed quite fascinating.

Xu Fang glanced around the room, noticing Lin An's absence. Given his usual habits, he was probably hiding in the wardrobe again.

"Oh, and this is my granddaughter, Wu Duo," she introduced, pushing the young girl forward. Wu Shuangxue continued with a smile, "She possesses space-related abilities."

Wu Duo nodded at the group, appearing around fourteen or fifteen but surprisingly composed. Even under the intense gaze of two seemingly menacing figures, she showed no sign of fear.

"Space-related supernatural ability!"

"But isn't Jiang Laixu the only one with the space-related supernatural ability?"

Indeed, upon hearing this, Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong were shocked, their eyes widened as they asked one after another.

Seeing that her grandmother had no intention of explaining, Wudo just stood there, watching their shocked expressions with a laugh, a hint of helplessness in her eyes, before she explained: "Actually, at the beginning of the apocalypse, Jiang Laixu wasn’t the only space ability user. My grandmother thought that while space abilities are convenient, they make one easily used and coveted by others, so she only told others I was an ordinary person. Once, when my grandmother went out for supplies, she discovered Jiang Laixu had killed another space ability user. After their death, a lot of supplies appeared out of nowhere, so since then, I've been pretending to be an ordinary person."

Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong heard from the boss that after Jiang Laixu was killed yesterday, supplies from his space fell from the sky, but they didn't expect the fact that killing a space ability user would drop supplies was something Wu Shuangxue told the boss.

It's likely that the space ability users in the base had all been killed by Jiang Laixu, which is why he, as the only space ability user, received so many privileges.

However, now they also have a space ability user, so they can take all the supplies with them.

Ouyang Dong also finally understood why Shen Xiuzhe said what he did yesterday.

Xiaofu looked up at the two new arrivals, took a few steps forward to sniff them, and wagged its tail at them.

"The dog has been raised quite well, to be able to be this plump in these times, it looks like it hasn’t missed many meals," Wu Shuangxue squatted down to scratch Xiaofu’s chin, and Xiaofu squinted its eyes in comfort.

"It’s also raised by Brother An, and he stockpiled a lot of dog food before the apocalypse, which is why Xiaofu is so chubby," Xu Fang added to the conversation once again.

"This is my brother Ouyang Dong, he’s a plant-based ability user. Look at his belly; it’s all nurtured from the fruits he accelerated the growth of."

Ouyang Dong greeted Wu Shuangxue and her granddaughter, and they all got along well, chatting so enthusiastically that it was quite heated.

Shen Xiuzhe had just finished packing Lin An’s things and came out to see everyone chatting non-stop as if reminiscing, and couldn't help but interject: "Come help pack up first, or we won’t be able to leave the city after dark."

Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong quickly went with Wudo to pack supplies, while Wu Shuangxue approached Shen Xiuzhe, expressing a wish to meet Lin An.

Although Shen Xiuzhe and Xu Fang both said that Lin An was a very special zombie, a zombie is still a zombie after all, without reason, without humanity, no matter how close the relationship used to be, once turned into a zombie, they are dead, with only a shell and the instinct to feed left. She wouldn't neglect the danger just because she felt a zombie was special.

Shen Xiuzhe, aware of her concerns, took her to Lin An’s room and opened the wardrobe.

The little zombie squatted there, hugging its knees as if bullied, looking pitiful.

Even with two living humans outside, it showed no interest, instead, it shrank its shoulders due to their intense gaze.

"You say he understands human speech?" Wu Shuangxue looked at the pitiable and small zombie in the wardrobe, who could indeed be mistaken for a human if not looked at closely.

"Yes, at present, he can only understand two words, but I feel his consciousness is gradually returning."

"Consciousness returning? Do you mean a zombie could possibly regain human consciousness?" Wu Shuangxue immediately asked.

"Not exactly, it seems to be just him. After all, becoming a zombie leaves only the instinct to feed, but Lin An has maintained his living habits all along, and even that dog he's kept for half a year is still doing well. Look at his demeanor; it's unlike any zombie I've ever seen. I think it's because he is uniquely special, and also because the meteorite provided him with energy, allowing his consciousness to slowly recover."

Wu Shuangxue looked thoughtfully at Lin An, then stretched out her hand with a warm smile, saying, "Hello, Lin An, I’m Wu Shuangxue."

Hearing his name, Lin An moved slightly, stealing a glance at the kind-looking old lady in front of him, but made no other movement.

Shen Xiuzhe's eyebrows raised slightly; the first time he opened the wardrobe, the little zombie was scared half to death, but now it even dared to size someone up. Was this because it was recovering? Or because it saw the other as a grandmotherly figure?

"Lin An? Could you help me out? I heard you’re a water ability user. I'm so dirty right now, could you help me clean up?"

On the road, Wu Shuangxue had heard from Xu Fang that whenever Lin An saw them dirty, he would roll them up in a water current for a vigorous wash, followed by a spin dry, just like a tumble dryer.

Lin An understood the word "dirty" and quietly glanced again at the other’s clothing.

Wu Shuangxue wasn’t actually dirty, it was just that her clothes were a bit old.

The next moment, a gentle mist enveloped Wu Shuangxue, casting a hazy glow around her. The mist brushed over her, taking away all the dust, even arranging her somewhat disheveled hair neatly.

Shen Xiuzhe watched Lin An in amazement; why did he feel this zombie was somewhat hypocritical?

In the face of Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong, it was an unforgiving tumble dryer; in front of him, due to fear, it didn’t dare to use a water twister, merely flushing with a stream of water, and Xiaofu received the same treatment.

Now, encountering Wu Shuangxue, it turned into mist, tenderly unbelievable.

Wu Shuangxue hadn’t expected Lin An to actually help her clean up, and her initially guarded heart let go of many of its concerns.

"If we encounter danger on the road, I will protect him first, but if he loses his humanity and wants to eat people, I will not be merciful. I killed my own son and daughter-in-law that way," said the usually jovial elder with a serious expression and a steely look in her eyes.

"I understand," Shen Xiuzhe responded seriously.

Once all the supplies were moved, only Lin An remained hiding in the wardrobe.

Xu Fang said, "Boss, let’s take the wardrobe too. Brother An is attached to this wardrobe. Xiao Dou's space is large enough to fit it in."

Shen Xiuzhe had already planned to take the wardrobe, knowing that whatever had happened to Lin An, the wardrobe likely held special meaning for him and must be brought along.

Lin An was taken

The small zombie, under everyone's watchful eyes, turned to run toward the wardrobe, only to look back and find nothing there.

Lin An: ?

After packing all the supplies, the group secured the doors and windows of Lin An's home, ready to leave the place.

Lin An seemed to sense that this departure was different from the usual scavenging trips, clinging tightly to the doorframe, unwilling to step outside.

"Does he not want to leave Chuxi City?" Xu Fang couldn't help but ask.

Shen Xiuzhe, observing the uncooperative little zombie and sensing his fear, stepped forward and whispered to Lin An, "Do you want to go to the wilderness? We are heading to the wilderness, and once we leave, we might not come back. If you don't want to go this time, there won't be another chance."

Logically, Lin An wouldn't understand these words, but his grip on the doorframe loosened.

For some unknown reason, Lin An had always wanted to explore the wilderness, and it seemed that even after becoming a zombie, this desire remained.

In the end, the little zombie was coaxed out of his home.

Xiaofu's belongings were packed, and with a red leash attached, Xu Fang led the excited dog into the RV, its tail wagging in anticipation of the journey.

Lin An, hiding behind Shen Xiuzhe, attempted to retreat to a corner upon entering the RV but was eventually seated on the sofa.

Xu Fang took the driver's seat, while Ouyang Dong, not boarding, drove the SUV previously loaded with supplies, planning to escort them out of the city before returning.

The RV led the way, with the battered SUV following close behind.

Ouyang Dong felt a heavy sadness; disliking such farewells, he drove behind, struggling to hold back tears.

Suddenly, something caught the corner of his eye.

As if by instinct, he immediately hit the brakes.

Turning his head in shock, he peered through the car window at a roadside phone booth, a small square space that could only accommodate one person. Inside stood a zombie, leaning against the glass door, seemingly wanting to get out but not knowing how.

Recognizing the figure at a glance, Ouyang Dong hurried out of the car and ran toward the phone booth.

The zombie, catching the scent of a human, snarled with its mouth open, trying to pounce on the person ahead but was blocked by the booth's glass.

It repeatedly lunged, smashing against the glass that hindered its advance, its dull grey skin and crimson eyes indistinguishable from the wandering zombies outside.

Ouyang Dong stood there, watching for a long time, before he tremblingly called out, "Dad."

Regrettably, the figure on the other side couldn’t respond, its expression grotesque and terrifying, its stiff body continually crashing against the glass.

Xu Fang, noticing the vehicle behind had stopped, also quickly pulled over; after all, Ouyang Dong had said just yesterday he would escort them to the city gates, it wasn't like him to leave halfway.

After stopping, Xu Fang realized that Ouyang Dong was standing in front of a phone booth, weeping as he watched the zombie inside.

Could it be that the zombie inside was...

He hurriedly got out of the car, approaching to see Ouyang Dong with tears streaming down his face, sighed, and patted his bald head.

Shen Xiuzhe and Wu Shuangxue also got out and immediately understood the situation. With nothing much to say, they stood by waiting for Ouyang Dong to vent his emotions, ready to help him deal with any surrounding zombies.

Perhaps having braced for the worst, Ouyang Dong dried his tears after a while and turned to the silent group that had stood by him, asking, "Can I come with you? I don’t want to stay here anymore."

Shen Xiuzhe nodded, "Of course."

"Then, can we make a detour? I’d like to bury my dad with my mom."

Ouyang Dong then bound his father with vines, and at this moment, his father was still opening his mouth, trying to bite him.

Near Lin An’s home, in a park, the group gathered by the grave of Ouyang Dong’s mother.

Xu Fang, looking at the animated zombie, hesitated before asking, "How are we going to bury this?"

Without responding, Ouyang Dong, with tears in his eyes, started digging with his hands, and Xu Fang quickly joined to help.

Once they had dug a grave deep enough for one, Ouyang Dong stopped, looked at his struggling father, and placed him into the pit.

They then covered it with earth.

Shen Xiuzhe: ...Something doesn’t feel quite right?

When all the earth was filled in, facing the two fresh mounds, Ouyang Dong broke down in tears.

As he was immersed in the sorrow of losing his parents, the freshly filled grave stirred, and a grey, withered hand emerged.

Xu Fang nearly choked on his own spit; Ouyang Dong's dad was crawling out!

Ouyang Dong, amidst his sobs, was startled by the sudden appearance of the hand and, incredibly, blew a huge bubble from his nose.

The zombie struggled fiercely, eventually clawing its way out of the grave, covered in dirt and debris, and lunged at the nearest person, Ouyang Dong, with a ghastly roar.

Having tied up his father again, Ouyang Dong, with tears in his eyes and a bitter smile, said to the now irrational zombie, "Dad, you don't have to scare me like this."

After coughing for a while, Xu Fang finally caught his breath and suggested, "How about we find an empty house to lock your dad in? He probably won't be able to get out."

Ouyang Dong fell silent for a moment, then shook his head: "I wasn't thinking clearly before. I just wanted to reunite my parents, but now that my dad has become a zombie, even if we lock him up, he might get out and harm people. You know, he's been a vegetarian all his life; if he knew he became a zombie and started eating people, he would be so upset."

Ouyang Dong then looked at Shen Xiuzhe: "Boss, can you use your powers to cremate him? I want to bury his ashes with my mom."

Shen Xiuzhe asked, "Are you sure?"

"...Yes, I'm sure."

With a slight movement of Shen Xiuzhe's fingers, a pure white flame ignited upon the zombie's body, and in the blink of an eye, it turned into a pile of ashes.

Ouyang Dong got a jar from Wudo and carefully collected all the ashes, reburied them in the original spot.

"Let's go, we can't look anymore," Ouyang Dong said, sniffling and turning away first, eyes red.

Leaving the battered off-road vehicle behind, Ouyang Dong took the passenger seat in the motorhome and managed a weak smile towards the others through the window: "Let's go."

The others quickly boarded the vehicle, and the motorhome started up again, departing without the off-road vehicle but with one more companion.

There was only one entrance and exit to Chuxi City, and the massive city gates had been left open since doomsday, with many vehicles piled up at the gate, blocking it.

It took the combined effort of several people to move the vehicles aside, clearing a path.

Afterwards, everyone got back into the vehicle, with Shen Xiuzhe driving and Xu Fang sitting in the passenger seat.

Looking at the endless road leading out of the city, Xu Fang suddenly asked Shen Xiuzhe, "Boss, when you went to see the base leader yesterday, did you talk about the zombie situation?"

"Yes, the number of zombies inside the city will only increase. I offered him a suggestion."

"What suggestion?"

"To abandon Chuxi City and lead the remaining survivors outside to establish a new city."

Xu Fang was stunned; "But there's nothing outside, right?"

"The essentials for establishing a city can be gathered from Chuxi City in due course. We've already managed a supply of food yesterday, and there's no shortage of survivors. Isn't that everything we need?"

"Will he take your advice?"

"I don't know. I just made a suggestion. It's up to them to decide what to do next."

Xu Fang felt a pang of nostalgia; after all, Chuxi City was where he had grown up. Now, it might even be abandoned. However, the thought of the remaining survivors living on to rebuild and create a new dawn in a new city offered some solace.

He hoped everything would go smoothly for those who remained.

In the midst of the boundless wasteland, a road connected Chuxi City with the City of Mechanics, and at this moment, a silver motorhome was traveling along it.

They had only been on the road for a few hours when they encountered a problem.

The road ahead was completely blocked.

A dense cluster of vehicles stood ahead, and zombies were inside them and around the road; the motorhome couldn't possibly get through. Clearing the cars would take a lot of time.

Shen Xiuzhe looked toward the wilderness beside them. Chuxi City was in the middle of a plain; apart from the constructed road, the surrounding terrain was uneven, with dry grass and plants covering the ground. Driving the motorhome off-road would be bumpy, but it was still more convenient than walking or clearing countless cars.

The window of the motorhome was opened, and Wudo called out to Shen Xiuzhe, "My grandma says she has a way to get across."

U Shuangxue had everyone, including Lin An and Xiao Fu, get out of the motorhome, and once they were all together, she said with a smile, "I anticipated this might happen, so I prepared other means of transportation."

Glancing at her granddaughter, Wudo stood by as she gestured, and three off-road motorcycles appeared, and she also casually stored the motorhome in her space.

Xu Fang hurried over and circled the motorcycles, ready to hop on and give them a try.

Shen Xiuzhe looked at U Shuangxue, who tilted her chin up proudly and said, "How about that? Experience does count for something, huh? These will be good even in the desert."

"Indeed, more thorough than I had considered." Shen Xiuzhe's mouth curled slightly in a genuine appreciation, but paired with his expression, it almost seemed sarcastic.

U Shuangxue thought: ...Now I see why this guy isn't well-liked at the base.

Three vehicles, just right for two people to ride together.

U Shuangxue took her granddaughter, Shen Xiuzhe took Lin An, and Xu Fang took Ouyang Dong and Xiao Fu.

No sooner had her granddaughter settled in than U Shuangxue, like an arrow released from a bow, sped off on the motorcycle across the wilderness.

Leaving behind only the roar of engines and a cloud of dust.

Shen Xiuzhe glanced ahead, then motioned for Lin An to sit in front of him, leaning against him.

Xu Fang, noticing his leader still adjusting his seat and then looking at Grandma Wu who had already sped off into the distance, couldn't contain his eagerness.

"Boss, let's go ahead!" Xu Fang called out and started the motorcycle.

With a whoosh and the roar of the engine, Xu Fang's red off-road motorcycle disappeared from sight.

Shen Xiuzhe watched the red blur vanishing into the dust ahead, then turned to see Ouyang Dong and Xiao Fu sitting on the ground, utterly bewildered.

"He'll probably come back once he realizes the person who was supposed to be behind him is gone," Shen Xiuzhe said indifferently.

Ouyang Dong, holding Xiao Fu, hadn't snapped back to reality yet.

He was sure he had been seated on the motorcycle a moment ago; how did he end up on the ground the instant the vehicle started?

Observing the two passengers who were unceremoniously left behind due to the sudden acceleration, Shen Xiuzhe readjusted Lin An's position, figuring that sitting in front should prevent this issue.

Soon enough, the red motorcycle zoomed back.

"What happened? I was talking to you while driving, and when I turned around, it was empty; scared me to death," Xu Fang complained, almost as if he was the one aggrieved.

Ouyang Dong stood up from the ground, stuffed the dog into Xu Fang's arms, and said expressionlessly, "You hold the dog; I'll drive."

"No way, I'm not done having fun..."

Xu Fang, clutching Xiao Fu, was unceremoniously squeezed to the back by Ouyang Dong, and the red motorcycle took off once again with a roar.

Shen Xiuzhe frowned deeply, looking at Xu Fang and Xiao Fu bewildered on the ground due to the inertia, and said discontentedly, "We're supposed to be on the road, not playing around."

Xu Fang felt wronged: "I wasn't playing. It was genuinely an accident just now, but Ouyang Dong did it on purpose, he's retaliating, left me on purpose here."

"Forget it," Shen Xiuzhe, picking up Xiao Fu, let the dog sit with its owner and then coldly drove off on the motorcycle.

His speed was moderate, Lin An subconsciously hugged the dog tightly, leaning against Shen Xiuzhe's chest, well-protected.

After Ouyang Dong had his fun riding around, he went back to pick up the bald Xu Fang.

The off-road motorcycles were incredibly fast, and along the way, they could see the nearby road littered with cars. On doomsday, many people tried to flee the city but ended up trapped here, either abandoning their cars to escape or being devoured by zombies.

It was only as the evening set in and the sky grew dim that they decided to stop.

The surroundings were no longer just a barren wasteland but were dotted with odd-shaped rocks and many evergreen shrubs that thrive all year round.

In the wilderness, nighttime is when various creatures forage for food, so they had to settle down and rest, careful not to draw any attention.

With the motorhome now in place, U Shuangxue and Wudo were busy preparing the evening meal, while Lin An continued her diligent cleaning, wiping surfaces regardless of their location, ever the industrious little zombie.

Shen Xiuzhe stood guard around the perimeter. Although the area was relatively safe and not frequented by wild beasts, vigilance was imperative, with no room for complacency.

Ouyang Dong and Xu Fang went outside to relieve themselves, deliberately choosing a spot far away. Having never left Chuxi City before, everything seemed novel to them, causing them to dawdle.

On their way back, Ouyang Dong suddenly spotted a spider.

The tiny creature perched on a stone, its body plump and its legs giving it a rounded appearance, but what was most striking were its unusually large eyes.

The glossy black eyes, both big and bright, reminded him of the animated spiders he had seen in cartoons as a child.

It had an adorably cartoonish quality.

"Hey, check out this spider," Ouyang Dong called out to Xu Fang.

"What's there to see about a spider?" Xu Fang muttered but looked in the direction Ouyang Dong was pointing.

Huh? It was indeed quite cute.

"Let's take this spider back with us; I've never seen one so adorable before."

"Sure, we could keep it. I've never had a spider as a pet before."

They approached the charming little spider, which was caught without much of a struggle into the palm of a human hand.

Xu Fang, looking at the spider he held, grew increasingly fond of it, continuously poking the small creature with his finger.

Ouyang Dong also watched intently but soon noticed another pair of shiny black eyes near where the spider had been. Another identical little spider was perched there, motionless.

"There's another one," Ouyang Dong reached out to grab it.

As he did, another appeared beside it, then a second, and a third...

Countless spiders, all with gleaming black eyes, seemed to be watching them.

A seemingly adorable creature, yet surrounded by countless spiders, loses all its charm.

The two clung together, looking around as spiders encroached from all sides. They gathered in swarms, multiplying and intensifying, their fear triggering their supernatural abilities.

Shen Xiuzhe kept a vigilant watch while the grandparents continued cooking in the RV, the little zombie tidied up, and Xiao Fu lay sleeping on the ground.

Suddenly, two almost simultaneous screams tore through the quiet night.

The little zombie shuddered with fright, the grandparents and Xiao Fu all looked up, while Shen Xiuzhe outside on guard frowned: "Those two must have tampered with something."