Without any vehicles, everyone had to walk. As for Wang Bin's Jinbei van, he didn't dare to take it out; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to explain where the gasoline came from.
These soldiers were quite considerate towards the civilians, even sparing some of their own to care for the elderly, weak, and disabled.
The troop's pace was slow, which left Company Commander Zhao somewhat frustrated, but there was nothing he could do. Civilians weren't soldiers, and he couldn't hold them to military standards. Besides, his mission this time was to find survivors.
Everyone followed the main road heading east. As night fell, Company Commander Zhao led them to a sheltered hillside to spend the night.
They traveled light, so they didn't have tents and had to sleep on the grass.
Not long after nightfall, soldiers came to distribute food, giving each person a steamed bun.
Watching everyone around them devour the food, Wang Bin and his group were a bit taken aback, unsure whether to eat or not.
After some thought, Wang Bin quietly handed each of his group two pieces of bread and a bottle of water, while collecting the army-issued steamed buns to distribute to others nearby.
It wasn't that Wang Bin was stingy and unwilling to share his food; it was just that his supplies were limited and couldn't feed everyone. The main issue was that he couldn't explain where the food came from, so the best he could do was redistribute the army's food to help others.
People gathered plenty of firewood and huddled in groups around the fires.
Wang Bin and his group also made a fire, forming a circle. To lighten the mood, Wang Bin took out a guitar and played "Adios Andalucia."
The exotic melody was beautiful, drawing the attention of those nearby.
But before he could continue, Company Commander Zhao rushed over with his men.
"Stop playing, put your guitar away!"
"Why?" Wang Bin asked, puzzled, looking up at Company Commander Zhao.
Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
"You'll attract zombies!" Company Commander Zhao said, displeased.
"Is it really that serious?" Wang Bin was confused. They had played almost every night before, so why couldn't they play here? Besides, most of the zombies along the way had been dealt with.
"I can't explain it to you, but just try not to make too much noise at night! Sergeant Li, take some people and inform everyone not to make too much noise tonight!"
"Yes, sir!"
Seeing Company Commander Zhao's serious expression, Wang Bin realized he wasn't joking and put his guitar away, then quietly approached Company Commander Zhao to inquire about the situation.
"Company Commander Zhao, what's going on?" he asked, offering a pack of cigarettes.
"Sorry, I can't accept your things!" Company Commander Zhao was startled by the sight of the cigarettes, instinctively wanting to take them, but his strong military discipline held him back.
"It's fine, I have more!"
"Thank you, but the army has rules; we can't take civilians' belongings!"
"It's not taking, it's a gift!"
"Even gifts are not allowed!"
"How about this, can I at least offer you one?"
"Thank you!"
In the end, Company Commander Zhao couldn't resist and took a cigarette, but he didn't light it immediately. Instead, he held it under his nose, taking a deep sniff.
"It smells so good, it's been years since I last smoked!" Company Commander Zhao admitted honestly.
"Are your supplies really that scarce?" Wang Bin picked up on the issue from his words.
"Yes, we've been cultivating a plot of land to barely sustain ourselves, but there's no tobacco. Only when we go out on missions, if we're lucky, we might find some, but we haven't found anything in the past two years!"
"I see, we stumbled upon these by chance on our way here!"
"Cigarettes are valuable now; I'd suggest keeping them. When you get to the base, you can trade them for quite a few good things!"
"Thank you! By the way, you mentioned that noise at night could attract zombies. What's that about?"
"This isn't something I should be telling you, as it might cause panic. But seeing as you seem capable, I'll give you a heads-up. Recently, we've noticed that zombies seem to be getting smarter, attacking us in groups at night."
"Really, zombies are getting smarter?"
"I can't be sure, it's just a feeling! Bear with it for now, once you're at the base, you can sing and dance all you want!"
"Alright, thank you!"
"You're welcome, I have other matters to attend to. By the way, if we need your help, I hope you can lend a hand?"
"Don't worry, just let us know if you need anything!"
Company Commander Zhao seemed to have urgent matters and quickly left after waving goodbye.
Once he was gone, Wang Bin sat down and signaled everyone to gather around.
"I just spoke with Company Commander Zhao. He said zombies seem to be getting smarter and attack in groups at night. We must be prepared to fight and relocate at any moment. If zombies attack, don't panic. Stay together, hold hands, and don't separate. Stick close to Uncle Li, and the combat personnel should protect everyone and not split up. Understood?"
"Yes!"
"Got it!"
"Brother Wang, should we post guards?"
"No need, Company Commander Zhao will handle that. We just need to wake up quickly and prepare to fight if zombies attack."
"Understood!"
Hearing Wang Bin's words, everyone looked a bit tense.
Some civilians, unhappy with Company Commander Zhao's orders, argued with the soldiers, but were quickly silenced by his firm words.
"Those who don't follow orders can leave. We are only responsible for the safety of civilians who comply!"
Hearing Company Commander Zhao's strong stance, those people fell silent.
The army was their hope, and they wouldn't leave. Their arguments were just a test of the army's limits, hoping to gain more after receiving food from them.
In essence, they were testing the army's bottom line, hoping for concessions to gain the most benefits.
But they miscalculated. It was the apocalypse, and they faced a soldier like Company Commander Zhao, who had a firm attitude.
Hi everyone, if you like this novel and want to read more in advance, please support me on PawRead.
Discord:https://discord.com/invite/ua2A852bws