After eliminating most of the trailing zombies, Yu Xi ran back to the front of the vehicle. She jumped off the car, used the [High-Temperature Perfume] to melt the lock on the iron gate, and kicked it open, while complaining to the system: “Four settings are indeed powerful, but half a bottle was used up in such a short time. If I use the fifth setting, a whole bottle would probably only last one or two minutes. No wonder it only costs 6 star coins. Thumbs down!”
【……】
She knew the Star House system wouldn’t reply to such complaints. Now that the gate was open, she drove the RV onto the outer road, then got out with her Tang sword to clear the remaining zombies.
This RV area had too many zombies. If the gate wasn’t locked quickly, more zombies would keep coming out. She wasn’t afraid of the zombie horde, just heartbroken about the star coins.
She had spent 6 star coins to buy a new bottle of [High-Temperature Perfume], leaving her with only 26 coins. She felt poor.
Yu Xi was heartbroken over her star coins but couldn’t resist the lure of the RV. Plus, the camping base and the wetland park were in the same direction, so she had marked it on the map earlier. After assessing the situation and finding it feasible, she decided to act.
This area had a lot of zombies, but she could move from the outer buildings and trees to the RV area by using rooftops and the terrain.
She had previously used the buildings, trees, and rock formations to navigate and eliminate the zombies near the RV. After ensuring the RV was clear of zombies, she drove it to the gate.
However, this cost her half a bottle of [High-Temperature Perfume].
She vented her frustration on the remaining zombies, wielding her Tang sword with swift, precise strikes, quickly taking down five or six zombies.
More zombies emerged from inside the gate. Zhao Zheng and Leng Mian, who had been momentarily stunned, stepped up to help. Zhao Zheng used his machete to chop, while Leng Mian stabbed with her knife. Their combined efforts quickly cleared the area.
Father Yu had intended to help, but found it unnecessary.
Yu Xi noticed the familiar faces in the car that had arrived earlier. She didn’t stop them from helping.
Together, they swiftly dealt with the last few zombies. Yu Xi then retrieved a chain and lock from her vehicle (Star House storage) to secure the gate.
She turned to face Zhao Zheng and Leng Mian.
Perhaps because of their recent teamwork or Yu Xi’s calm demeanor while facing dozens of zombies, Zhao Zheng and Leng Mian felt a surge of determination.
Since the apocalypse began, they had felt constantly oppressed, repeatedly forced to compromise and flee.
Everyone wanted the RVs in this area, but after the severe casualties and the subsequent lockdown, no one dared to entertain such thoughts.
Seeing someone successfully retrieve an RV from a zombie-infested area was a powerful reminder that it was possible to defy fate and move forward.
Yu Xi weighed the Tang sword in her hand, looking at the two silent individuals, and spoke slowly: “Did you see everything just now?”
Zhao Zheng nodded, and Leng Mian nodded as well, still silent.
Yu Xi frowned slightly, considering whether to issue a threat. However, she realized it might not be necessary.
Although the [High-Temperature Perfume] was extraordinary, there were more effective flamethrowers in reality. They were just bulkier.
And since they had only crossed paths, if she left now with a different vehicle, would they really follow her?
As she pondered, Leng Mian suddenly moved towards her. Yu Xi, wary, prepared to draw her sword, but Leng Mian lifted her T-shirt to reveal a healing wound on her pale, slender waist. The wound, hastily covered with a bandage, was still bleeding: “This is from the first time I went to kill zombies. I wasn’t strong enough and got cut by something sharp. I lost a lot of blood but didn’t pass out. I still managed to kill the zombie and find food.”
Leng Mian then turned around to show her bruised lower back: “This is from when I was shoved into the corner of a counter during a supply run at a supermarket. I later beat up the person who did it and took my share of the supplies.”
She bent down and rolled up the leg of her sweatpants, revealing her swollen calves with rope marks: “Earlier, I was spending the night in a store when someone tried to assault me. They gagged me with cloth and tied up one of my legs with a rope. There were others sleeping nearby, but no one helped. When they tried to undress me, I broke the rope and kicked them where it hurts most.”
Yu Xi’s gaze softened gradually.
“Since accepting this apocalyptic world, I haven’t cried once.”
Leng Mian’s tears had dried up when she saw her father turn into a zombie, locked in the study, roaring. “I’m not telling you this to gain your sympathy. I just want to show you that even with these injuries, I killed four zombies today. I know it’s not much, and I know I’m not strong enough yet. But I will keep striving to become stronger. I won’t be a burden to anyone. So, if you’re leaving, could you take me with you? I want to follow you and become stronger.”
Zhao Zheng looked at Leng Mian, his eyes filled with shock and sympathy. When he first encountered her, he knew she wasn’t doing well in her previous group; otherwise, she wouldn’t have asked to join his. He knew her father had turned into a zombie, her stepmother and stepbrother had fled with the supplies, and she was left to fend for herself. But he didn’t realize that behind those simple words, “fend for herself,” lay such scars and hardships.
Wu Meiling had argued with him several times over his concern for Leng Mian, accusing him of caring more for other girls than for her, of not valuing her feelings and pain.
But seeing Leng Mian’s wounds now, he realized how much a girl could endure.
Leng Mian, like them, was a high school senior. Before the apocalypse, she might never have killed a chicken, let alone a zombie.
But adversity forces growth. Some people curl up and hide in their self-made utopias, while others face their fate head-on, living each day with clarity and resilience despite the pain.
In the few days they had spent together, Leng Mian had never once complained about her situation. As they slowly moved from the city towards the outskirts, scavenging for supplies and fighting zombies and other groups, she had never once hidden behind them.
Suddenly, Zhao Zheng realized that his dilemmas over brotherhood and romantic interests were trivial.
The world had already turned upside down; why should he be stuck in petty emotions and interpersonal issues?
He also wanted to be like Yu Xi, becoming stronger and pushing forward against fate.
Ten minutes later, Yu Xi’s father and mother, following her instructions, took a quick shower in the RV’s bathroom, changed into clean clothes, and packed away their dirty, zombie-bloodstained clothes to be discarded. They then began transferring the supplies used to cover their tracks from the jeep to the RV, organizing and cleaning the interior, and setting up the beds with mats, pillows, and light blankets.
The RV was compact, resembling a small truck with an integrated bed. The cab and the cargo area were connected, with a curved extension above the cab featuring a skylight, serving as the bed space above the driver’s seat.
The interior was well-maintained, with most items being about 80-90% new.
The cargo door was located mid-right. Upon entry, there was a C-shaped seating area with a table in the center to the right front.
Beyond that was the driver’s area, with a large bed above it, equipped with a skylight and bedside lamp. During the day, the bed could be pushed up to reveal a flat-screen TV beneath. At night, the bed could be pulled down and curtained off for a comfortable sleep.
To the left of the door was a small kitchen with a flip-up sink, induction cooktop, refrigerator, and microwave. Under the sink and cooktop were drawers, cabinets, and a hidden trash bin. The area also had windows with adjustable blinds for good lighting.
Above the refrigerator was the microwave. To the right, towards the back of the vehicle, there was a small, fan-shaped area partitioned off to include a bathroom with a shower. This area also had a window and an integrated washing machine.
At the very back of the RV was a double bed. While not particularly large, it could barely fit two people. Next to the bed, there were windows, a bedside lamp, and outlets for charging. The bed also had curtains for privacy.
The RV’s electricity could come from several sources. Typically, as long as the vehicle was running, it would generate power. The rooftop solar panels and the wind turbine at the back of the RV also helped to provide some electricity. Additionally, the onboard generator and lithium batteries could supply power. Of course, the best option was to recharge at a dedicated RV campground, which would solve all electricity issues at once.
Yu Xi knew that the wetland park they were heading to had such an RV campground, equipped with a large generator. She planned to test it and see if they could recharge there. This was why she had been so determined to get an RV. Sleeping in a tent felt unsafe, whereas an RV provided both security and privacy.
Their journey from S City had been even more difficult than Yu Xi had anticipated. The roads were filled with traffic jams, and people hidden throughout the city had begun to emerge. They had to deal with both zombies and other humans.
They had encountered a woman pretending to be a pregnant lady lying by the roadside, a man banging on their car door with a knife demanding they give up their vehicle and supplies, and children being controlled by adults to cry and beg for help. They had witnessed elderly couples being bitten by zombies while trying to help their children get into cars, entire supermarket zombies being released due to someone’s stupidity, a mother using her body to shield her child from a zombie bite, couples helping each other, and spouses turning against each other.
Food, blood, hunger, protection, conspiracies, robberies, greed, selflessness—various scenes unfolded one after another. Initially, Father and Mother Yu sighed and wondered if they should help some people. But gradually, as they saw more and learned about the complexities and darkness of human nature, they became silent.
The journey from their community to the campsite took three days. During these three days, Father Yu got out of the car to help Yu Xi kill zombies, and Mother Yu repeatedly cleaned the blood and flesh off the car windows with a towel. Previously, they had no appetite, unable to eat even plain steamed buns. But now, they could eat rice balls, fried pork chops, and chicken soup in the car.
Adversity fosters growth. Facing the apocalypse, away from the protective buildings, they adapted in just two or three days. Yu Xi felt a bit relieved.
If she were the only one trying, even if she could safely get them to the shelter, what would they do when she had to leave after completing her mission? Although they were just task targets, Yu Xi had developed feelings for them due to their resemblance and care for her, similar to her parents in her original world.
This task was different from the last one. The deepening relationships tied her more to this world. She didn’t know if she could leave as decisively as last time when the system announced the task’s completion. So, before that moment, she wanted to prepare everything for them as best as she could and hoped they would quickly adapt to the apocalypse.
After moving everything from the jeep, Yu Xi tossed the car keys to Leng Mian: “Do you know how to drive?”
Leng Mian honestly replied, “I’ve seen others drive, I can learn.”
Zhao Zheng chimed in from the side, “I’m a good driver. I can drive and also teach her.”
Yu Xi glanced at him, “I’m leaving today, not staying here.”
“Alright, I’ll go back and pack some supplies,” Zhao Zheng said, ready to head back to his car.
Yu Xi: …?
“Wait,” Yu Xi called out to him, “I never said I’d take you along.”
Zhao Zheng: …
“There are too many people with you. I can’t handle that,” Yu Xi bluntly stated.
Zhao Zheng quickly explained, “It’s just me!”
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