Zhou You rubbed a certain mark and whispered, "Hello...hello? Are you there? What are you? If you're there, give me a sign."

There was no reply. Zhou You patted his chest, murmuring, "Good, it would've been scary if there had been a response!"

Author's Note: Participating in a competition. Please bookmark and recommend!

Zhou You: "According to the protagonist's law, what I've got must be a treasure!"

Author: "Not necessarily."

Chapter 014: Looting the Dead

The convoy moved relentlessly, traversing the bumpy mountain roads. During a shift change in the observation room, a member remarked, "The kid on car 3256, what's his story? He's been sitting on top of it for hours."

"That kid? I know him, his name is Zhou You. Yun Xi brought him in. From what I've heard...well, let's just say he's naive. He'll know fear when he encounters a mutant beast." Li Yun Xi, the captain's younger sister, was very popular in the team. Rumors had been circulating about her special treatment of this ordinary man.

"If he's so special to the young miss, why was he placed in the last vehicle?"

"Who knows what the young miss is thinking? Maybe it was a random assignment...There were fewer wild beasts on the road today. Perhaps last night's disturbances scared them off." As Wang Jian'an put on his glasses and scanned the surroundings, he spotted a person lying ahead.

"Is that... a person?" Quickly grabbing the radio, he reported, "Captain, there seems to be a person about 300 meters ahead, uncertain if they're alive. Should we stop to check?"

Captain Li Hong Xi immediately replied, "No need to halt. I'll go have a look." With his weapon ready, he jumped off the vehicle. Running at a speed faster than the convoy, he soon reached the man lying on the road.

Cautionarily approaching with his pistol drawn, Li Hong Xi called out, "Friend ahead, if you're alive, give me a sign by moving your hand."

The man lay face down, revealing a scarred and wounded back. Looking at the severity of the injuries, Li Hong Xi doubted the man's survival. He pondered how the man ended up here. Could there be a human base nearby?

He proceeded forward, lowering his guard, and gave the "corpse" a nudge with his foot. As expected, it didn't budge. He spoke into his headset, "It's all clear; this one's deceased."

He lifted the "corpse," intending to move it off the road. Running over a fellow man, even if he was dead, seemed inhumane. But upon touching it, he noticed something unusual—it was warm.

He turned the body over and checked its pulse. There was a faint heartbeat. "How is he still alive after this?" he wondered aloud.

Seeing their leader bring the body back, a crew member from the armored vehicle asked, surprised, "Captain, why bring him along? Are we now in the business of burial duties?"

Li Hongxi spat in disdain, "Corpse? He's alive. I'm taking him to the medical vehicle. You all keep moving."

Finding a living person in these deep woods was a rare event. Everyone was curious about this man's identity.

"Doctor Zhao, we've got a live one," Li Hongxi called out as he hopped onto the medical vehicle. There was only one doctor left in the group. After a night of ceaseless work, he was resting on a makeshift bed.

Hearing the noise, he opened his eyes and mumbled groggily, "Another injury? I'm too old for these continuous disruptions. If it's a minor wound, get someone else."

Li Hongxi laid the man on an empty bed and said gravely, "It's not minor. He's at death's door. Take a look. If he's beyond help, I'll have him removed—to save medical resources."

Doctor Zhao, alarmed by the seriousness, quickly got up. After examining the man from head to toe, he remarked, "This man has an extraordinary will to live. Given the extent of his injuries, it's astonishing he's still alive. Whether he survives tonight, though, remains uncertain. Captain Li, should we administer medication?"

The limited medical supplies meant saving this stranger was a decision solely in Li Hongxi's hands.

Without hesitation, Li Hongxi responded, "Treat him! Whatever medication you need, ask Wu Yong. Use whatever is necessary—we must save him."

He had deduced that anyone capable of navigating through the Yunlan Mountains and sustaining injuries from a high-level mutant beast had to be skilled. Such an individual either hailed from a renowned family or the military. Saving him might lead to unexpected rewards.

"Alright, but he's quite hefty. Get that young man from last night to assist. He did a decent job with wound care."

"Zhou You?"

"I'm unsure of his name, but he's a hardworking lad in black sportswear."

Li Hongxi nodded and communicated via his radio, "Which vehicle is Zhou You in? Inform him to assist in the medical vehicle."

Ning Xufeng's voice replied, "Captain, it's Ning Xufeng. Zhou You is with me. I'll bring him right over."

Ning Xufeng then shouted at the figure on the roof of his vehicle, "Zhou You, the captain needs you in the medical vehicle. Come on down; I'll escort you."

Zhou You, snapping out of his trance, glanced at Ning, "No need. I'll head there myself." With that, he skillfully descended from the moving vehicle and sprinted towards the medical truck—a feat beyond the capability of an ordinary person.

Ning Xufeng squinted, pondering, "Has he been concealing his abilities?"

No, that couldn't be! Ning had never encountered a warrior with Zhou You's stature. A human, once transformed, typically undergoes a second growth phase, gaining height and a more robust frame. Even females would become more muscular after promotion. Zhou You's physique seemed ordinary.

Author's side note: Zhou You: "What's wrong with an ordinary build? Before the apocalypse, I had a model's figure!"