At that moment, the off-road vehicle suddenly jolted.
Tong Sui was jolted awake and opened his eyes.
When he saw Jiang Hua, who was so close that he could almost reach out to him, looking dazed and staring back at him, he blurted out, “Captain Hua?”
Jiang Hua paused briefly.
He raised his gaze, and the depth in his eyes seemed to scorch Tong Sui. Only then did he realize that the two of them were rather too close, and his pale cheeks flushed slightly.
Jiang Hua said, “You fell asleep just now and leaned over on your own.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry!”
Tong Sui obediently shifted back and leaned against the other side of the seat, falling asleep again.
Jiang Hua turned his head, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes.
He looked towards Wang Tao, who was driving.
“Can you drive a little more steadily?”
Wang Tao replied, “……”
Was it not because you were too stubborn yourself?
After the off-road vehicle had traveled some distance, a cluster of buildings came into view. This survivor base was originally an abandoned school. The surrounding supermarkets had ample supplies, and the original enclosed walls provided security.
After the apocalypse, it became a refuge for survivors.
The original school gate had been transformed into a guard post, and a ring of iron mesh was added to the walls.
When the guards at the post spotted their convoy through binoculars, their eyes lit up instantly.
To have this scale of vehicles in the apocalypse was a symbol of strength. One of the guards quickly ran down to muster some strong men to block the entrance.
The lead middle-aged man knocked on the car window and said, “We don’t take in survivors here anymore.”
Wang Tao lowered the window, “We are a task force from the North China Base, just passing through. We hope to stay for one night.”
The men exchanged glances, eyes filled with the same greed.
North China Base.
That was the largest safe base, and these people must be quite affluent.
The lead man said, “You can stay, but we can’t let you stay for free.”
“Of course,” said Wang Tao, “You can make your demands.”
The men huddled to discuss, their chatter growing impatient.
Finally, the lead man said, “We don’t ask for much—just a thousand pounds of food and five hundred crystal nuclei. After all, you have so many people.”
“What?” Wang Tao was shocked by the man’s greed, “Are you okay? We just need one night of stay. Do you think we are easy prey?”
The man’s face darkened. “After all, we need to provide protection for you. How can this be considered too much?”
“Forget it, we won’t stay then.” Wang Tao said, glancing back at Jiang Hua.
Jiang Hua nodded.
As Wang Tao was about to raise the window, the middle-aged man suddenly pressed his hand down to stop it.
“You’ve come this far, how can you just leave?”
Vines extended out to block the window, and the lead man ominously stated, “If you intend to leave today, you must leave your goods.”
He glanced towards the backseat and noticed Tong Sui, “And that kid too, I want him.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a stunning bolt of lightning descended like a warning.
It struck the ground next to the men, leaving charred marks on the surface.
The final bolt struck the vines directly.
“Ahhh!”
The lead man screamed in agony.
The vines were akin to a part of his body; he staggered back, clutching his heart and spitting out blood.
The others stared in disbelief, “There’s actually a lightning ability user?!”
The back window lowered, revealing a pair of cold eyes staring at them, like a beast ready to tear them apart. “Do you still have any demands?”
“N-no, no, it’s fine.”
The men hurriedly opened the iron gate, fearing that even a second longer might lead to the same fate.
They successfully drove the vehicle inside.
The school building had been converted into dormitories, clothes were drying in the corridor, and the playground was entirely utilized for planting crops, where some older individuals were hard at work.
They got out of the vehicle.
Tong Sui was the last to step down, glancing around at the surroundings.
The crops in the field had sprouted well and seemed to be growing nicely. If they followed the normal growth cycle, they should be able to harvest soon.
But according to the original plot, before the harvest season arrived, these foods would mutate.
The effort they were putting in now would be futile.
Yet Tong Sui did not voice this out.
In extreme environments, everyone clings to their last hope. It was only after the mutation truly occurred that people would start believing.
The men who approached them spoke respectfully, “You all have worked hard on the journey. Our cafeteria may be simple, but if you don’t mind, it’s no problem to fill your bellies.”
The team members all looked towards Jiang Hua; without his instruction, no one dared to respond lightly.
Jiang Hua nodded.
“Please follow me,” the man said with a flattering smile. “I will take you there.”
As Tong Sui followed the group, he soon heard a scolding voice from behind, “What are you looking at? Get to work! Anyone who fails to meet today’s target won’t get any food!”
The people in the fields quickly lowered their heads and continued with their tasks.
The cafeteria in the base, while not abundant, was certainly better than the food they had cobbled together on the road.
The food was just out of the pot, steaming hot.
Tong Sui felt a rare spark of appetite.
He ordered two dishes but didn’t eat too quickly.
By the time he had finished most of the meal, he could no longer manage the fruits and milk that the cafeteria had specially prepared for them.
Tong Sui glanced at the man standing nearby with a beaming smile.
After learning of Jiang Hua’s strength, these people had certainly made a complete 180-degree turn in their attitude.
Jiang Hua looked at them, “Do you have any extra rooms?”