Rotting Land: Survive

Old Xu’s announcement startled the survivors who were sleeping, and everyone groggily asked what was happening, while some lifted the curtains to look outside.

As soon as they heard Old Lin repeat the message "about to arrive at the shelter," the whole vehicle instantly boiled over with excitement.

Home, for humanity, is always the most important haven. Originally drowsy and fatigued, the survivors now seemed to have been injected with a stimulant, feeling thoroughly invigorated.

Old Lin quickly spoke up to suppress everyone’s joy, instructing them to return to their positions as Lei Tong and others secured the doors and windows on both sides.

After all, tales of joy turning into sorrow are not few, and Old Lin didn’t want any mishaps right at their doorstep.

"Hey, all teams, attention, Tang, Xiaoxin, and I will go inside first to recon the situation. You guys stay outside and wait for news. Over!"

Although Old Zhao and the others have already cleared the shelter, two weeks have passed, and no one knows the condition of the village.

It’s possible zombies have sneaked into the village; even if there aren’t any zombies, other survivor teams might have settled in.

If our team rashly enters, there’s no saying we won’t be mistaken for invaders, possibly leading to conflict.

That’s why Xu Renjie proposed to drive into the village to recon first, to minimize potential dangers.

"Old Xu, I’ll go in with you! Over!" came Hu Xiaodong’s voice over the mic. He felt it wasn’t very safe for Old Xu to enter alone, and two vehicles moving together would offer more mutual support.

To this, Old Xu decisively rejected: "No, you and Old Zhao stay here. I’ll go inside. Over!"

Undoubtedly, the most crucial among the four vehicles is the public bus, so Xu Renjie had no reason to leave it isolated on the street.

The saying goes, ’the more, the better’, and Xu Renjie would only feel assured by investing all efforts into the bus’s protection before he leaves.

Understanding this wasn’t the time to be coy, the understanding Hu Xiaodong kept silent and instead took out his cleaver, keeping vigilant.

"Old Xu, be careful! Update us promptly with any situations! Understood? Over!" Old Zhao reminded, feeling uneasy.

Honestly, he was quite confident in the site he had chosen; if he were to go in himself, he might not have such concerns.

But for some reason, when it involved Old Xu, Tang Xiaoquan, and the others, his heart couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

He hoped everything would go smoothly without any mishaps!

"Got it! Old Xu, it’s up to you to keep an eye outside! Over!"

After speaking, Old Xu put down the handheld radio, released the handbrake, engaged the gear, and once the vehicle started, turned left into the village road.

Just as Tang Xiaoquan described when he returned that day, the village road was indeed shabby. The bumpy surface made driving feel like riding a roller coaster, with Old Xu tossed up and down incessantly, almost shaking last night’s dinner out of him.

In the end, Old Xu had to slow down, and after about two minutes, having traveled the long, rugged kilometer-long village road, a row of low-rise houses appeared in his sight.

"That’s the place!" Tang Xiaoquan timely pointed out.

"OK! Stay alert! Xiaoxin, you keep an eye on the back too!"

"Received, Captain!"

Li Xiaoxin opened the observation ports on both sides, eyes firmly fixed outside the vehicle.

The escort vehicle passed the first house smoothly. Following Tang Xiaoquan’s instructions, Old Xu maintained a speed of around 10 mph.

Though this place indeed appeared impoverished, as they ventured deeper, everywhere Old Xu looked was ruinous.

However, it’s undeniable that, even in this dilapidation, with proper planning, this could become a decent foothold for them.

Old Xu honked the horn; he wasn’t worried if this would attract zombies. To put it plainly, he did this to test if there were zombies in this area.

He definitely didn’t want the main group to be surrounded by zombies once they moved in. If that’s bound to happen, he’d prefer it happening now.

"Old Xu, what do you think?" Tang Xiaoquan glanced out the window, asking casually.

Old Xu replied calmly, "It’s nice! Pretty good! Just a lot of areas need improvement."

"Indeed, once we move in, I suggest we hold a meeting soon to discuss and address some issues with everyone."

This thought had been on Tang Xiaoquan’s mind since the migration. Last time, due to a rush and lack of manpower, he, Old Zhao, and Qiangzi were powerless.

But now that the main group has relocated, many matters must be expedited.

What’s necessary should be built, and what’s needed should be constructed, striving to make this place look somewhat decent.

After all, after such a long period of wandering, Tang Xiaoquan knew the whole team longed for a place they could truly call their own, and perhaps this village could be it.

Old Xu nodded, "A team meeting must be held, and not just held, but held soon. I think once we finish checking, we’ll gather everyone for it!"

Old Xu was resolute and decisive; years of military life had long fostered his habit of handling affairs without delay.

With Old Xu’s endorsement, Tang Xiaoquan’s anxious heart naturally settled, knowing that as long as this man by his side was vigilant, he had nothing to worry about.

"Beep! Beep! Beep!" Every so often, Old Xu would honk the horn.

The noise of the horn echoed through the open fields, reaching the ears of the remaining three vehicles a kilometer away.

"Hey, Old Lin, is Old Xu and his people okay? Is he honking to signal something?" Worrying, Wen Quanxin moved closer to Lin Junfu, his weary face filled with concern.

Old Lin patted Wen Quanxin’s shoulder, replying with a smile, "Don’t worry, Xiao Wen, if anything happened, Old Xu would definitely notify us via radio. As for the horn sounds, I reckon it’s Old Xu checking if there are zombies in the village."

Wen Quanxin nodded in realization, playfully raising his thumb, and commented with a hint of jest, "They say you older folks have eaten more salt than we young ones have eaten rice. It really seems true. Old Lin, I salute you!"

Old Lin was taken aback for a moment, then rolled his eyes at Wen Quanxin, chuckling as he said, "You brat, always messing around with me! Alright, go back to your seat and don’t wander off without a reason."

"YES, SIR, I understand, I’m heading back to my post right away."

Watching Wen Quanxin’s cheerful retreating figure, Old Lin shook his head with a wry smile, then turned his gaze towards the fork in the road, his brows furrowing once again.

There shouldn’t be any problems, right?! Hopefully, everything goes well!

At this point, if anything goes wrong with the village preventing them from entering, it would be a massive blow to the entire convoy.

Moreover, there’s nowhere close by to seek refuge, and looking elsewhere isn’t an option.

Worse yet, you never know when a blizzard might hit.

And being trapped on the road at this junction, the potential dangers are self-evident. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please head to m.qidian.com to read.)