Rotting Land: Survive

Chapter 549 539: Night of Terror (12)

Hu Xiaodong's explanation was out of sheer helplessness, as at this moment, they couldn't just get off the vehicle and enter the carriage when the timing wasn't right, and it would pose a danger to their breakout.

So, in desperation, Hu Xiaodong could only decide to stay on the roof of the vehicle.

"Hey! Hu! Xiao Zhang, hurry down!" Seeing no sign of Hu and Zhang for a while, Wang Qiang, who was fiercely guarding the door, was visibly anxious.

In response, Hu Xiaodong, after saying, "We're staying up here, you close the door," went on to bang on the roof vigorously, then shouted loudly, "Old Xu, what are you waiting for? Drive!"

Upon hearing this, Old Xu couldn't care much anymore, because under the pressing circumstances, if they didn't leave now, nobody would be able to.

"Hold tight, I'm going to drive!" Nobody could hear what Xu Renjie shouted, but the sudden start of the vehicle caused the survivors to sway left and right.

Standing by the side door, Wang Qiang, who had just finished urging them, hadn't even had time to steady himself, and was knocked onto the packages behind him by a powerful bump.

The truck charged into the horde of zombies, with mechanical force ruthlessly crushing those ignorant of death trying to block the way.

In such a confined space, any driving skills were futile for Xu Renjie, and only by ramming through was there a chance of survival.

The windshield continually adhered with grimacing, decaying faces, and the relentless zombies waving their arms kept advancing forward, the "bang bang" sound incessant.

Meanwhile, Tang Xiaoquan and the others confined in the container weren't faring any better. Although the thick iron concealed them from zombies, sparing them from attacks, the incessant pounding on the vehicle's body and the scraping of iron skin made the claustrophobic space unbearable.

Particularly for Li Zhong, who encountered this scene for the first time, he was so terrified he covered his ears with his hands, attempting to lessen the dreadful sounds.

Of course, the worst off were Zhang Zhicai and Hu Xiaodong on the roof, experiencing both the pain of being smashed around and the constant risk of falling off due to the swinging force from the vehicle's impact.

Hu Xiaodong clung desperately to the edge of the carriage, a scene worthy only of dramatic films and TV shows.

Luckily, thanks to his regular workouts, he possessed a sturdy physique. Otherwise, anyone else might have been flung off the vehicle, exhausted.

The entire breakout lasted a full 15 minutes, from opening the doors of the beauty salon to all members boarding and breaking out. Although the Survivor Squad abandoned a city management vehicle and a few supplies, everyone survived unscathed, a "thank heaven" miracle.

Returning to the main road, the Survivor Team did not go directly back to base, as their mission this time was not completed.

Had it been in the past, after such a terrifying experience, Tang Xiaoquan and the others would have undoubtedly chosen to go home.

But Xu Renjie was different; as a soldier, completing the mission was the primary goal.

Moreover, with fuel so precious now and going out such a challenge, it was better to complete everything in one trip than to risk deferring it to later.

After all, the weather was getting colder, and no one could predict when rain or snow would come.

After simply explaining his intention to the other squad members over the radio, Xu Renjie's proposal was immediately unanimously approved by the team.

But before that, Old Xu still stopped the car to let Hu Xiaodong and Zhang Zhicai get down. Once everyone adjusted their seating, he restarted the vehicle, heading to the next mission location.

This assignment was at Wei Yang's invitation, considering the cultural construction of their base, Wei Yang thought the station should be supplemented with some books.

To be honest, if this were to reach the ears of an ordinary survivor, they would laugh till their teeth fell out.

After all, in this apocalypse, with food and drink being issues, who has the mind to consider reading?

Even within the Survivor Team, many felt Wei Yang's suggestion was meaningless.

But Xu Renjie, Zhao Yunhai, and Tang Xiaoquan disagreed, particularly after the team emphasized sustainable development. They increasingly recognized that as a fundamental aspect of humanity, the spiritual aspect must not be discarded.

Otherwise, in the future, can we only pass time playing cards and boasting?

Besides, the young Fangfang needs education too!

Knowledge changes fate; humans should never give up the pursuit of knowledge.

Only by doing this can there be hope against the current rulers of Earth: zombies!

To find a bookstore in a city is honestly not difficult.

But large bookstores like Xinhua Bookstore definitely wouldn't be within the survivors' range as visiting such crowded places is akin to courting death.

Thus, the survivors chose a private shop and drove there.

As usual, it was a secluded alley, spotlessly clean, devoid of makeshift stalls seen in other alleys. Despite more than four months having passed, it still remained tidy.

"Let's go! This is the one, let's go in." Xu Renjie parked the vehicle steadily and led Wang Qiang, Wei Dazhuang, and Li Zhong inside the shop.

The store had excellent lighting, and various books were clearly visible. Near the large glass windows, a few plastic chairs were thoughtfully placed by the owner for customers to rest and read.

The survivors split into two teams: one with Wang Qiang and Wei Dazhuang, mainly picking entertainment books.

The second team, Li Zhong and Xu Renjie, focused on collecting professional books and children's literature.

After the tasks were assigned, the two teams promptly got into action.

Maybe due to its secluded location, the shop hadn't been hit by zombies.

After making a round, the survivors discovered no dead bodies, not even the common bloodstain marks.

This situation made the survivors wonder how many such serene places still exist in the world.

The books were moved to the vehicle one stack at a time, essentially ownerless goods, taken under the finder's principle. Except for the professionally-minded Li Zhong, other survivors grabbed anything they could.

Being in the city, the longer you stay, the more dangerous it becomes.

After filling up the entire compartment, the survivors finally set foot on the return journey.

The return trip always seems shorter than the way there, probably because of the saying "homeward bound is swift." Perhaps that's why people say physical distance is reduced by longing.

Leaving the bookstore, the survivors traveled for about an additional 15 minutes when the sky over the county suddenly darkened, heavy clouds covered the sky, and then big raindrops started falling, hitting the windows with loud pats.

Tang Xiaoquan instinctively glanced at the sky, then leaned obliquely against the window, watching the torrential rain pour down. (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit qidian.com to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)