Chapter 385: The Most Basic Hunger
Chapter 385: The Most Basic Hunger
The capable survivors have already fled to Xiangcheng. No one is willing to take responsibility for the old, the weak, the sick, the disabled, and pregnant women. In the apocalypse, these people are considered a true burden. And aside from the soldiers, no one bothers to care for them.
So, under Tang Jianjun’s orders, hundreds of soldiers, dozens of medical staff, and several large trucks loaded with the old, the weak, the sick, the disabled, and pregnant women are the first to break camp, leaving Tiesi Village and heading toward Xiangcheng along the national highway.
Those with the means follow in their own vehicles, grumbling and cursing all the way. The rest—those who don’t make it in time—are so angry they want to dig up Tang Jianjun’s ancestral graves, but it’s pointless. They can’t even get near Tang Jianjun, and they have no time to make trouble. Catching up is more important.
An Ran and her group are part of those abandoned by Tang Jianjun, still fighting and retreating as they go. They manage to hold on for about an hour before Doll starts fussing—cradled in Zhan Lian’s arms, wailing loudly. Clearly, she’s hungry.
The national highway is littered with cars. Some have been burned, others already driven away. The farther they retreat, the more desolate the road becomes.
An Ran takes Doll from Zhan Lian and spots Yun Tao by the truck in the distance.
The elemental ability users gradually become the backbone of the battle. Yun Tao, knowing he can’t contribute much on that front, leads Liang Ziyu and a few others to clear the road, breaking windows of abandoned vehicles along the way. They collect any remaining supplies and load them into the truck.
There are too many supplies for one truck, so Yun Tao finds a tow rope and attaches a van to the back. The van is also packed full. The original owners of those supplies are survivors who had escaped Tiesi Village. Some had ditched their vehicles when they got stuck and fled on foot.
Survival comes first—whatever supplies can be carried are taken, and what can’t be carried is left behind.
Carrying the crying baby, An Ran climbs into the truck and glances at Little Mint. Her cheeks are still flushed, but she’s in decent shape.
Seeing An Ran with Doll, Little Mint quickly figures Doll is either hungry or needs a diaper change and helps her find some diapers.
Yun Tao continues collecting supplies outside the truck.
While An Ran feeds Doll, she pulls off the soiled diaper, opens the window, holds Doll in one arm to feed her, and casually tosses the full diaper out to Zhan Lian.
“Put this on the head of one of the sensory zombies. It'll help lure a few away.”
Zhan Lian catches the heavy diaper, nods, turns, and runs toward the nearest copper-skinned sensory zombie. He slaps the diaper straight onto its head.
The copper-skinned sensory zombie spins in place, letting out a hoarse growl that quickly draws the attention of its kind. Though the zombies’ bodies are evolving, their intelligence hasn’t changed much. Their instincts are still at the most basic level, driven purely by hunger. Everything they do is in pursuit of blood and flesh.
The copper-skinned sensory zombie, with its face covered by the diaper, doesn’t know how to remove it. It keeps spinning in circles, following the human scent it can no longer see. It’s absurd… but strangely amusing. Oddly enough—it works.