Chapter 86

In the "Hyena" Lin Li's off-road vehicle, the driver didn't dare to glance at the boss beside him until they turned back into the street where the "Urban Smart Network Control Center" was located.

This glance made his heart sink, and a chill ran down his spine.

Lin Li had somehow slumped over in the passenger seat, his gray-green beret stained red, the stench and the smell of blood spreading.

"Boss..." The driver instinctively slowed down and called out.

Lin Li had no response.

It was only then that the driver finally realized:

The boss, who had been so full of confidence and had wiped out a subhuman settlement with a laugh, was really dead.

He had been sniped while dealing with a seemingly harmless four-person squad.

Moreover, at least six members of their team had died, and nearly half of the core members were lost.

This made the driver very anxious, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as he swallowed hard.

It wasn't until a water truck playing cheerful music passed by that he shivered and came to his senses:

"Anyway, the harvest this time is already enough. As long as we can escape the pursuit of that four-person squad, we can leave this city ruin by tomorrow morning.

"At that time, although we've lost the boss, the armored car, the heavy machine gun, and several members, we still have at least three vehicles, six or seven people, a single soldier rocket launcher, and enough firearms to maintain a decent firepower.

"After selling the items we've obtained, we can recruit five or six skilled wanderers from the wasteland, and we'll have a formidable and powerful team again.

"Although it won't be as good as before, it will be enough to bully the weak in the wasteland."

Thinking this, the driver's expression softened, even a hint of a smile appeared.

As long as he could seize the opportunity and establish his authority, he might become the next boss!

If Lin Li could do it, why couldn't he?

The driver's heart, which had been cold due to the boss's death, quickly burned with passion.

He turned the steering wheel and drove towards where the other members were.

...

The military green armored car moved heavily down the street, heading towards the intersection.

Long Yuehong, using the shooting position of the heavy machine gun and the bulletproof window, looked at the buildings on the side, idly counting how many windows reflected the light.

He didn't dare to stick his head out, afraid of being shot like the previous bandit members.

"There, look, there's an 'Unhearted'..." Long Yuehong suddenly spoke, pointing to the sky.

Jiang Baimian followed his gaze and saw a figure sitting on a concrete pole that supported the power lines, holding tools and repairing the equipment with great care.

It was a man, dressed in dark clothing, with a black pistol tucked into his waist, apparently picked up from somewhere.

"Was he one of those who attacked us before?" Jiang Baimian asked casually.

She was referring to the attack they encountered on their way to the "Urban Smart Network Control Center" with Qiao Chu.

"Can't be sure," Bai Chen shook his head. "There were too many 'Unhearted' at that time."

"Right, in such an urgent situation, how could you remember the features of so many 'Unhearted'?" Long Yuehong agreed.

"Never mind." Jiang Baimian looked up at the sky again. "He really looks like a skilled worker."

As she spoke, a large vehicle approached from the front.

The vehicle was massive, painted a conspicuous red, with six wheels, and looked very sturdy.

It drove towards the armored car along the road, which was mostly blocked by abandoned vehicles.

"What should we do?" Long Yuehong was a bit nervous.

This was a situation he had never encountered before.

"What else can we do? Do you want to crash into it?" Jiang Baimian glanced at him. "Although the armored car isn't afraid of such a situation, if we damage any parts and can't drive, we'll have to walk, which would be very dangerous."

Without waiting for Jiang Baimian's instructions, Shang Jianyao took the initiative to turn the armored car into a side alley, clearing the way.

"Wow, so rational?" Jiang Baimian asked, amused. "I thought you would charge forward and see who is tougher."

Shang Jianyao replied without turning his head:

"He's not worthy."

"..." Jiang Baimian was speechless.

Just as she was about to find another topic, the red vehicle had already passed by, heading towards the distance.

In the driver's seat, a male "Unhearted" wearing a thick green coat and a yellow helmet sat there, his expression blank but focused on the steering wheel.

To be honest, if not for the preconceived notion, Jiang Baimian wouldn't have been sure he was an "Unhearted."

The light from various sources fell, and the four members of the "Old Tune Team" fell into silence.

The armored car reversed onto the previous road, and occasionally, "people" passed by, making it seem lively.

As Jiang Baimian scanned the area, she suddenly saw a familiar figure.

It was a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a gray-blue robe.

Galan!

The Galan they had encountered in the wasteland!

"That Taoist..." Jiang Baimian whispered, signaling Shang Jianyao to stop the car.

She then opened the door and called out to Galan:

"Daozhang!"

Galan, who was walking along the roadside as if taking a stroll, turned her head and, upon seeing them, smiled:

"Destiny has brought us together again."

"Have you discovered anything?" Jiang Baimian got straight to the point.

Galan nodded:

"Leave as soon as possible."

"Why?" Jiang Baimian asked.

Galan looked up at the sky:

"There is the lingering aura of a Zhisui here."

The lingering aura of a Zhisui... Jiang Baimian and the others repeated the phrase in their minds, recalling the various anomalies in this city ruin.

"Which Zhisui?" After a few seconds, Shang Jianyao leaned to the side, blocking the door.

Galan sighed:

"Zhuang Sheng."

She then murmured:

"May the blessings of the Boundless Heaven be upon you."

"Why are you so sure?" Jiang Baimian asked quickly.

The blonde, blue-eyed Galan shook her head:

"Leave at dawn."

She didn't say more and walked away.

Jiang Baimian watched the Taoist's back for a few seconds, then pushed Shang Jianyao back to the driver's seat.

"Drive back to Jeep's location, and leave this city ruin at dawn." She said, closing the door.

The armored car continued to move forward in the bright world created by the streetlights and the glass of the buildings, heading back towards the tunnel.

On the way, they saw a man mechanically repairing a car, a woman continuously using a spatula on an empty pot, a child walking back and forth on the road doing nothing, and various "Unhearted" engaged in different activities.

They weren't too many, bathed in the yellow or white light, like shadows from the past, from the old world.

When another large vehicle passed by, pushing many abandoned cars to the side, Jiang Baimian sighed silently and said with a smile:

"I finally understand why the middle of the road is still relatively clear and passable."

"Perhaps there weren't many to begin with." Bai Chen gazed for a while. "The earliest 'Unhearted' would have driven their cars away and parked them in suitable places if they could do so now..."

As they spoke, the armored car returned to the street where they had started.

The signs with words like "Foot Massage," "Supermarket," "Barbecue," "Hot Pot," and "Convenience" were clearly visible under the streetlights.

The brownish-yellow stone arch at the entrance of the residential area reflected a golden glow, adding a touch of nobility to the remaining characters "Yang" and "Yuan."

Inside the seven or eight buildings, multiple windows emitted different lights, dispelling part of the darkness.

Returning to this familiar place and seeing this scene, Jiang Baimian and the others suddenly felt a sense of warmth and security.

"Turn in." Jiang Baimian slowly withdrew her gaze and gave the order.

Shang Jianyao followed her gaze and drove the armored car through the gate and into the area.

Because many roads were narrow, he parked the armored car near the Jeep.

"Should we stay in here tonight?" Long Yuehong felt the armored car gave him a sense of security.

Jiang Baimian smiled and said:

"If we were somewhere else, this would be the right choice.

"But in this city ruin, there are many 'High Unhearted' and powerful mutated creatures with very strange abilities. We could easily be affected, and it's hard to guard against them just by keeping watch.

"Moreover, such an armored car is too conspicuous and could easily become a target for hunters.

"At that time, the armored car won't protect us; it will become a steel cage that restricts us."

Long Yuehong was startled and asked:

"What should we do then?"

Jiang Baimian pointed to the building they had climbed earlier:

"Go there and find a room without any 'Unhearted' to hide in.

"When on watch, assign one person to monitor the Jeep and the armored car. If any creature approaches, shoot immediately.

"In short, use the Jeep and the armored car as bait."

Long Yuehong opened his mouth, wanting to praise the team leader, but realized it wouldn't be a good thing to say.

"Team leader, he thinks you're devious," Shang Jianyao offered help.

"I, I didn't!" Long Yuehong denied.

Jiang Baimian chuckled:

"Being devious is better than being stupid.

"Also, you should praise me for being smart and wise, understand?"

As they spoke, they got out of the armored car and took many cans, biscuits, and energy bars from the Jeep's trunk, putting them into their tactical backpacks.

This way, if they encountered a powerful enemy, they wouldn't have to worry about their food being destroyed by grenades.

After checking the surroundings, the four of them re-entered the first building's first unit.

Under the bright lights, they immediately saw an "Unhearted."

The "Unhearted" was in his prime, wearing a messy assortment of clothes.

His hair was dirty and messy but not too long, not reaching his shoulders.

At that moment, the "Unhearted" had just opened the door of a silver-black elevator and was holding tools, gripping the safety rope.

He lifted his head, looked at Jiang Baimian and the others with cloudy eyes, then quietly lowered his gaze.

"Is he maintaining and repairing the elevator?" Long Yuehong said after a few seconds of silence.

Jiang Baimian nodded:

"Seems so."

At this moment, Shang Jianyao suddenly spoke:

"I've seen him.

"During my watch, I saw him coming this way..."

He paused and added:

"Like a beast."

PS: Requesting recommendations on Monday. Also, I will be releasing a short micro-story in collaboration with Tencent in the next few days, just a few hundred words.