Chapter 39: On the Road Again

That night, everyone sang and danced, enjoying the feast of wine and meat.

While they were having a great time, the villagers next door were feeling quite frustrated. They had lured thousands of zombies, but the group next door managed to kill them all in just three days. Moreover, they had wine and meat every day, while the villagers could only endure hunger.

The next morning, after breakfast, everyone started packing up to leave. Before they departed, Wang Bin took out a bag of rice and left it in the house.

"Wang Bin, what are you doing?"

"Thanking them for luring the zombies for us!"

"They trapped us with zombies, and you’re thanking them?"

"They didn’t harm us, did they? Besides, I grew stronger because of the zombies they attracted. This bag of rice is nothing to me, so giving it to them doesn’t matter. In the apocalypse, life is hard for everyone. I just hope they can survive a bit longer."

"Alright, it’s your rice. Do as you wish!"

Seeing they couldn’t persuade Wang Bin, everyone followed him.

To keep his secret, Wang Bin didn’t immediately take out the Jinbei Van. Instead, he walked a long distance until there was no one around before bringing it out.

Everyone was delighted to see the Jinbei Van. With the van, they wouldn’t have to walk anymore. Although the roads were littered with abandoned vehicles, making driving difficult, the van’s high chassis and powerful engine allowed them to take side roads instead of highways.

The Jinbei Van was spacious, with a seat for everyone and plenty of room for other items. Everyone was in high spirits.

Wang Bin drove the Jinbei Van along the rugged path. Occasionally, abandoned vehicles blocked the way, but they worked together to push them aside and continued. Though not as fast as on a highway, it was much quicker than walking and much safer.

After Wang Bin and the others left, the villagers rushed into the house they had stayed in. Upon reaching the third floor, they immediately spotted the bag of rice.

"Look, there’s a bag of rice here!"

"How is there rice here?"

"No idea. Did they forget to take it?"

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"Impossible. Rice is so precious; how could they forget it!"

"Did they poison the rice to kill us?"

"Come on, they have so many guns. If they wanted to kill us, it would be easy. Why go to such lengths!"

"Exactly, even if the rice is poisoned, I’d still eat it. I haven’t had rice in years!"

"Right, eating white rice is worth it, even if it means dying!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s start cooking!"

"Yes, let’s cook. I want a big bowl of white rice!"

"Why wait? Start the fire!"

The villagers, overjoyed, gathered firewood and started cooking right in the house Wang Bin and his group had stayed in. As they ate the white rice, many shed tears, crying out that they had wronged them, yet they were still treated kindly.

With the Jinbei Van, Wang Bin and Officer Miao took turns driving, stopping and starting on the small road for two days, covering seven hundred kilometers.

In the past, this distance would have taken half a day on the highway. But now, they were on side roads, frequently blocked by abandoned cars and zombies, slowing them down. However, walking this distance would have taken at least two weeks.

"There’s no road ahead!"

Hearing Officer Miao, Wang Bin went to the front to take a look and asked her to stop the van. He climbed onto the roof to survey the area.

The path ended at a small mountain village, with no road beyond it.

"Get off, and bring your luggage."

"What about the van? Should we take the gasoline and find another vehicle after descending the mountain?"

"No, you forget, I can make the van appear and disappear. We can bring it out again once we find a road."

"Wang Bin, your ability is truly amazing!"

"It’s alright. Everyone, grab your luggage, and let’s go on foot!"

"After two days in the van, my legs and backside are sore. It’s good to stretch them!"

Bao and Little Nan quickly grabbed their luggage and got off the van.

To avoid suspicion, Wang Bin had bought everyone a backpack, each containing some food and water. This way, even if someone noticed them, they wouldn’t be alarmed by the sudden appearance of so much food.

Once everyone was off the van, Wang Bin stored the Jinbei Van back into the System space.

"Wang Bin, shouldn’t we rest in the village?"

"No, it’s still early, and I brought tents. We can camp in the mountains overnight."

"Alright, let’s go then!"

Hearing Wang Bin mention the tents, everyone felt reassured. Previously, without tents, they had been bitten by mosquitoes at night.

The mosquitoes in the apocalypse were much worse than before, causing large, itchy welts with every bite. Although not deadly, the itching was unbearable, and Wang Bin hadn’t brought any anti-itch ointment, so they had to endure it. Now, with tents, they didn’t have to worry about mosquitoes or rain at night.

As dusk approached, they reached the peak of a mountain and saw a vast plain with a large city on it.

"Wang Bin, are we going into the city?"

"I’m considering it."

"Oh, what’s your thought process?"

"If we’re just looking for a settlement, we should bypass it. But there are things I need in the city."

"Gold?"

"Yes, gold and high-end jewelry. Our food doesn’t appear out of thin air; it’s obtained through equivalent exchange. If we want a steady supply of food, I need to acquire gold and jewelry to trade for more food for everyone."

"Since you’ve said that, why hesitate? Let’s go into the city."

"But I don’t know if there are gangs like the Mad Sand Gang in the city. Entering might be dangerous, and someone could die."

"It’s okay, we have guns. As long as we’re careful, we should be fine."

"Maybe. Let’s rest here tonight, and I’ll think it over."

"Alright, take your time. I’ll help them set up the tents!"

"Okay!"

Officer Miao left Wang Bin to help the others with the tents.

After she left, Wang Bin sat alone on a large rock at the mountain’s peak, gazing at the distant, shadowy city.

In the past, he would have entered the city without hesitation to collect gold and jewelry. But now, with Guan Xiaoyue, Officer Miao, and others by his side, he felt responsible for their safety.

Yet, without collecting gold and jewelry, he couldn’t participate in the System’s lottery. He urgently needed to replenish ammunition, but the only way to obtain it was through the System’s lottery.

Each lottery draw required a hundred kilograms of gold, which was no small amount. Even then, there was only a fifty percent chance of getting an item, and even if he did, it might not be what he needed, like the time he got spicy strips. Spending a hundred kilograms of gold for a pack of spicy strips was infuriating.

Fortunately, the System brought good news: it could be upgraded after spending five thousand kilograms of gold. Once upgraded, the System would open a marketplace, allowing him to directly exchange gold and jewelry for goods. Therefore, he urgently needed to find five thousand kilograms of gold to upgrade the System.

Caught between the System and everyone’s safety, Wang Bin found it difficult to decide.