Chapter 54: 5S Auto Repair Station at the Auto Camp, Professional Auto Modification...

The second after you selected "agree," a flash of white light appeared, and a figure appeared in the passenger seat.

The man was tall and slender, and the passenger seat was too narrow and long, leaving no room for his 1.8-meter-long legs. In an instant, the car was crammed full.

Fang glanced sideways.

Compared to the last time they met, Chu Zhao looked even thinner, with deep and sharp features, especially his silver-gray eyes, which highlighted a ruthless fierceness in the face of life-or-death struggles.

However, when he turned his head, the coldness in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a simple, "Long time no see."

Fang Zhiyi smiled at him: "Long time no see."

Before there was time for further pleasantries, a glaring reminder appeared on the screen.

【Notice! 】

You are about to be stopped on the highway for more than 5 minutes.

Below is a sign indicating danger and prohibition.

It goes without saying that lingering on the highway for too long can be dangerous.

Fang Zhiyi nodded to Chu Zhao, reached out and grabbed the gear shifter, pulled it down, then released the handbrake, stepped on the accelerator, and the car's engine roared as it started moving forward.

At the moment of startup, lines of data appeared on the windshield.

[Car]

[Level 0]

[Defense: 1]

Speed: 1

Health: 10

[Number of passengers: 2/2]

Fuel tank: 1 bar

Mileage: 0 (refreshed hourly)

Tire condition: Normal

Engine condition: Good

Cargo quantity: 0

Weather: Sunny

Temperature: 30℃

Fang Zhiyi glanced at it.

With a capacity of 2 people, does that mean the world is inherently about cooperation?

The thought flashed through his mind, but he focused on driving.

There were no other vehicles on the highway; the road was straight and empty, with endless wilderness on both sides, and occasionally a "No Entry" sign appeared on the barbed wire fence.

I floored the gas pedal, and the scenery on both sides rushed past. In the rearview mirror, the road I was driving on was shrouded in a thick fog, from which I could faintly hear eerie roars.

There is danger behind us.

You cannot turn back on the highway.

Fang Zhiyi drove a distance, but the car felt too stuffy, so she casually opened the window. Warm air rushed in, making her hair fly wildly.

He grinned broadly, rested one hand on the car window, felt the wind blowing in his face, and let out a cheerful shout.

It feels so good.

In the last century, everything was covered in ice and snow, a vast expanse of white. There was a lack of direct sunlight, and it was cold and lonely, making people depressed.

Now, driving along, feeling the wind, and chasing the sunrise, it feels like I could drive all the way to the ends of the earth.

Fang Zhiyi felt like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins, galloping recklessly across the vast grasslands. Lost in his own elation, he sang off-key, completely forgetting that there was someone else sitting in the passenger seat.

Coming to his senses, he realized that Chu Zhao had been staring at him the whole time, his eyes practically brimming with laughter.

Fang Zhiyi: "...cough."

Fang Zhiyi immediately sat up straight, staring blankly ahead, pretending to be focused on driving. But what he didn't know was that his hair was a mess from the wind, and his eyes were sparkling, which looked unexpectedly adorable to Chu Zhao.

With the car windows closed, the wind was blocked out, creating a closed space in the sedan. The two people sat inside, so quiet they could hear each other breathing.

"you……"

"I……"

Fang Zhiyi wanted to find something to talk about to break the awkward silence, but before he could open his mouth, he heard another voice at the same time.

Their eyes met for a moment.

He looked straight ahead and said seriously, "You go first."

Chu Zhao gestured with his eyes to the numbers on the dashboard: "The car can still go 45 kilometers. We need to find a gas station first. I saw the signs on the road. There should be a car camping site about 35 kilometers ahead."

Fang Zhiyi blinked: "Where?"

He was so engrossed in driving that he didn't notice any road signs.

Chu Zhao said, "You focus on driving, I'll gather information along the way."

That's the role of the co-pilot.

Road condition observation, navigation guidance, information transmission... everything is designed to assist drivers in driving better.

Fang Zhiyi nodded.

Chu Zhao asked, "What were you about to say?"

After this interruption, Fang Zhiyi forgot what she was going to say, and her face went blank for a few seconds: "Uh..."

Chu Zhao chuckled softly.

The two were actually very close, and a deep laugh penetrated their ears, bringing a tingling sensation.

Fang Zhiyi unconsciously shifted his shoulders, wanting to change the subject, but didn't know what to say. Finally, he said dryly, "How were you in the last survival world...?"

In the previous survival world, he was not with Chu Zhao.

He survived the harsh winter, while Chu Zhao survived the scorching heat. Different worlds, but both faced the same impending apocalypse and the struggle for survival.

Chu Zhao said, "It's very difficult."

In this apocalyptic heatwave, temperatures soar to 80°C under direct sunlight, making it impossible for any living organism to survive. Water sources have dried up, vegetation has withered, and spontaneous combustion frequently ignites wildfires. In addition to resource scarcity, mutated, heat-resistant monsters roam the land, bringing the chances of survival to near zero.

Chu Zhao frankly said, "There was a time when I almost couldn't hold on. Just when I was on the verge of death, I thought of you."

He briefly touched on the life-or-death struggle, saying, "What I was thinking at the time was that it was such a pity that I didn't get to see you conquer the doomsday game and become the king of the apocalypse."

Fang Zhiyi: "..."

Help.

These are the words he said during a bout of adolescent delusions, and now they're being repeated to his face—it's incredibly embarrassing.

Even without touching it, I could feel my cheeks burning.

"...So what?" he asked dryly.

Chu Zhao: "So, I survived and even caught up with you." He paused, "Don't worry, I won't be a burden to you, and I will do my best to help you pass the level."

Fang Zhiyi didn't make any pretentious refusal or feel embarrassed; instead, she accepted it calmly and naturally: "Okay."

The car continued speeding along the highway.

However, the current vehicle is only level 0, which limits its speed to a maximum of 40 km/h. The nearest car park is 35 kilometers away, requiring about an hour's drive.

There were no cars on the road, and the road was flat and open, but the scenery in front of you was unchanging, which could easily make you feel tired and numb.

Fang Zhiyi was a little sleepy, so she tried to keep her eyes open and look ahead.

Suddenly, a different view appeared on the road.

A hundred meters ahead, on the right side of the road, there were several clods of earth piled up, and withered yellow weeds were growing rampant.

Fang Zhiyi took a second look and discovered a treasure chest lying quietly in the mound of earth.

The treasure chest was a dull color, almost blending into the mound of earth; if he hadn't had sharp eyes, he wouldn't have noticed it.

[Bronze Treasure Chest]

He immediately perked up and drove to park his car next to the mound of earth.

Just as he was about to get out of the car to open the treasure chest, Chu Zhao stopped him: "I'll go get it." He explained, "If there's any danger, we can drive off immediately."

Fang Zhiyi has always been a lone wolf, bearing all dangers alone, and never thought that they could cooperate.

Thinking that this was acceptable, he nodded.

Chu Zhao opened the passenger door and got out.

The car was parked right next to the treasure chest, just two or three steps away; you could reach out and touch it.

Fang Zhiyi kept an eye on things from inside the car, keeping the engine running and the handbrake off, so that he could just floor the gas and rush out if any danger arose.

Chu Zhao arrived at the treasure chest and was about to open it when a piercing horn sounded behind him.

"careful!"

Looking up, a foul gust of wind blew by, and on the other side of the mound, a wolf, emaciated from hunger, stared intently, drool dripping from its mouth.

Steppenwolf

【15/15】

[Hunger] [Increased Attack Power]

Chu Zhao stopped moving, neither dodging nor avoiding, and stared directly into the eyes of the wasteland wolf.

Wolves are cunning and suspicious by nature. Once they reveal a weakness, they will pounce and bite fiercely. By looking back at them, you make them unsure of your strength and they dare not attack easily.

The standoff lasted for a moment.

The Steppenwolf stirred, letting out a low growl, and lunged forward eagerly.

Just then, a blinding beam of high beam shone down, landing squarely on the Steppenwolf.

"Awooo—"

The Steppenwolf howled as it was blinded by the light, and rolled on the ground with its eyes closed.

Chu Zhao seized the opportunity, grabbed the box from the ground, turned around and jumped back into the car. Before the door was even closed, the car roared off.

The Steppenwolf chased after the car for a distance, only to be sprayed in the head by the car's exhaust fumes.

Bang!

The car doors were closed tightly.

The car drove along a road strewn with gravel, and the chassis bounced.

Chu Zhao took out the treasure chest, opened it with a "click", and a bunch of props appeared inside.

Fang Zhiyi looked over and saw lines of text appearing on the windshield.

[Obtain 5 screws, 2 rubbers, and 100 parts]

Fang Zhiyi asked in surprise, "So many parts?"

Chu Zhao fiddled with it for a moment and said, "The parts are used as currency in this world." He analyzed, "This world is about surviving on city roads and there are car camps, so there should be some kind of means of exchange."

Fang Zhiyi: "Oh." He wasn't too concerned about that. No matter which world he was in, he had never lacked supplies. What he was more concerned about was—"How do I upgrade the vehicle?"

The car is currently at level 0, which is slow and has limited space. At first, it was novel, but after a while, I started to feel uncomfortable in various ways and urgently need to upgrade and renovate the space inside the car.

Chu Zhao: "I couldn't find the upgrade function." He touched this and looked that, searching all over the car, and actually found a flyer in the groove under the car door.

5S Auto Repair Station

Professional car modification and upgrades, free car washes and maintenance, branches at various car campgrounds.

[Get a 10% discount on your first purchase with this flyer]

Chu Zhao waved the flyer: "Looks like I'll have to go to a special place to upgrade."

Fang Zhiyi glanced at it.

Since we can't upgrade for now, let's gather more materials first. After all, you can't backtrack on the highway, and it would be awkward to arrive at the car camp without enough materials to upgrade.

As they continued driving, they encountered another treasure chest on the road ahead.

This time, the treasure chest looks different from the previous ones. It's not only a size bigger, but it also has a faint silver sheen.

[Silver Treasure Chest]

Fang Zhiyi didn't rush to approach, but instead adopted the title of "Snow Hunter".

Passive skill: Insight.

Tracks of prey were spotted nearby.

Because they weren't in snowy terrain, they lost their home-field advantage, and the [Snow Hunter]'s abilities were reduced by half, but it was still effective. Upon closer inspection, there was a ring of messy footprints around the treasure chest, along with some scattered bone fragments.

Looking around, behind the treasure chest, a pair of scarlet eyes lit up, instantly sounding an alarm.

Spotted hyena

【20/20】

Thanks to the abundance of educational videos online, spotted hyenas have become incredibly famous. Social creatures, matriarchal societies, scavengers, highly aggressive… they are dangerous and troublesome.

Relying on the Snow Hunter's exceptional perception, Fang Zhiyi was able to confirm that there was only one spotted hyena around the treasure chest, which put his mind at ease.

Time was of the essence, and without thinking, he said, "You drive, I'll go get the treasure chest."

Chu Zhao was about to say something when Fang Zhiyi interrupted him: "One time per person."

Since they are companions, putting aside other issues, we can't let one person bear the danger all the time.

Besides, he was confident he could escape unscathed from the spotted hyenas.

Fang Zhiyi's tone left no room for refusal, revealing a firm attitude. He needed to maintain a dominant position within the team, and even Chu Zhao couldn't change his mind.

Chu Zhao understood his meaning and had no choice but to accept the proposal.

The two switched places.

The car started moving again and approached the location of the treasure chest. When it was less than half a meter away, Fang Zhiyi got out of the car and quickly approached the treasure chest.

"Waaaaah—!"

The spotted hyena burst out from the corner, its over 1-meter-long body moving nimbly, becoming a blur. It showed no fear of humans larger than itself, and with a powerful push of its hind legs, it pounced, revealing its sharp teeth.

Fang Zhiyi instantly changed his title to "Dragon Slayer".

Active skill, Dragon Breath, use!

Its amber pupils narrowed and elongated, and a cloud of icy mist sprayed out. The spotted hyena rammed into it, instantly covered in a layer of frost, which slowed its movements.

Fang Zhiyi took the opportunity to pick up the treasure chest on the ground.

The silver treasure chest was so heavy that it was too heavy to lift with one hand. He held it in his arms and was about to turn back to the carriage.

Unexpectedly, just as I passed the frozen spotted hyena, I heard the sound of ice cracking in my ears.

The spotted hyena struggled violently, its face contorted in rage, barking wildly. Just as it was about to break free from the frost and regain its freedom, Fang Zhiyi needed to hurry and get into the car.

Chu Zhao was already prepared to drive away.

Unexpectedly, Fang Zhiyi paused and turned around to face the spotted hyena.

run?

We should strike while the iron is hot and finish it off!

Fang Zhiyi cleared all levels and was far ahead in every post-apocalyptic world, proving he was not the type to run away at the first sign of danger.

Sometimes, danger can also mean gain.

The frost on the spotted hyena's body had not completely fallen off. In its frostbitten state, its movements were not as agile as before, and its defenses had also decreased.

Fang Zhiyi made a quick decision, picked up the treasure chest in his hand, and smashed it down with all his might.

Under the [Snow Hunter]'s insight effect, the spotted hyena is full of openings.

The heavy treasure chest slammed precisely into the spotted hyena's lower back, immediately eliciting a scream.

The spotted hyena collapsed to the ground, its limbs twitching uncontrollably.

Fang Zhiyi gripped the treasure chest tightly, using it as a weapon, and attacked with all his might while the spotted hyena was incapacitated.

You killed the spotted hyena.

[Received 1 dog skin, 5 bones, and 3 meat]

Fang Zhiyi, panting, picked up the treasure chest and sat back in the passenger seat. He looked up and said, "Let's go."

You cannot stay on the road for too long; about 5 minutes will trigger a warning, and more than 5 minutes will trigger a hazard.

Chu Zhao silently stepped on the gas, leaving behind a pile of broken bones and debris.

Fang Zhiyi opened the silver treasure chest.

A flash of silver light.

[Obtained 8 screws, 4 rubbers, 1 gear, 1 powerful windshield washer fluid, 1 level 1 engine, 1 lost necklace, and 300 parts]

Screws, rubber, and gears are all materials.

Parts are the currency; after opening two treasure chests, the number has reached 400.

Fang Zhiyi picked up the other props.

Powerful windshield washer fluid

Clean your windshield to prevent fogging and ensure unobstructed visibility.

[Tier 1 Engine]

[Boost power, increase horsepower, let's go! Note: Do not replace it yourself; please contact a 5S store for upgrades and modifications if needed.]

The Lost Necklace

Who left it on the highway? Perhaps the owner can be found at a roadside campground.

Fang Zhiyi put away the props and felt the car slow down. Looking up, he saw a fork in the road ahead. The left side led to a wide highway, while the right side had a campsite sign pointing to a small path.

Highway 1 Campground

[Continue straight ahead for 500 meters]

Chu Zhao turned the steering wheel to the right, and the car entered a narrow road. The road was uneven, and a large sign hung at the end.

The neon lights came on.

Welcome to Highway 1 Campground!

The car pulled up to the camp gate and was stopped by a fence. A man with a brightly colored afro poked his head out of the guard booth and whistled at them.

50.

Fang Zhiyi: "What 50?"

The man with the afro chewed gum without saying a word and pointed to the signboard standing under the security booth.

Fang Zhiyi leaned over to take a look.

Highway 1 Campground Fee Guidelines

[Parking: 50 parts/vehicle]

[Overnight stay will incur an extra charge of 20 parts per vehicle]

Racing and horseplay are prohibited within the highway campsite; violators will be fined 1000.

We are not responsible for any scams encountered during transactions within highway campsites.

[...]

A whole row of densely written text.

In short, it means: I'll take your money, but I won't take responsibility; if problems arise, don't come to me.

Fang Zhiyi: "So expensive?"

I opened two treasure chests and only have 400 parts, but I have to hand over 50 as soon as I enter the camp.

The man with the afro leaned against the window of the security room, his nostrils pointing skyward, giving off an attitude of "take it or leave it."

Fang Zhiyi glanced inside.

The campsite is divided into two parts: a parking lot and shops.

Several cars were already parked in the parking lot, all two-seater chopped chili fish head restaurants, but no players were seen.

The shops on the other side were bustling with activity, with rows of signs for accommodation, restaurants, and general merchandise. The most eye-catching sign was for a 5S auto repair station.

To upgrade your vehicle, you must enter the camp.

...So be it if it's a bit pricey.

Fang Zhiyi steeled himself and prepared to pay.

Chu Zhao grabbed his hand, signaling him not to rush. He unbuckled his seatbelt with one hand and leaned out of the car window: "Brother, this is our first time here, and we don't know many of the rules." As he spoke, he handed him something.

The man with the afro stiffened for a moment, glanced around to make sure no one was looking at him, and then coughed lightly. "You guys are obviously new here, so it's normal that you don't know anything. But I feel a connection with you, so I won't charge you for parking. Well, you can only park for four hours, so hurry up and leave when your time is up."

As he spoke, he pressed a button, and the railing blocking the doorway lifted, opening the passage.

The car slowly drove into the camp.

Fang Zhiyi saw the man with the afro counting parts in the rearview mirror and asked in a low voice, "How much did you give him?"

Chu Zhao gestured a number 2.

A car with 20 parts that needs to be parked for 4 hours is much more cost-effective than a car with 50 parts that needs to be parked for a whole day.

After all, they couldn't stay in the camp all day.

Fang Zhiyi scratched his head.

He would have just paid for the parking; he would never have thought of bribing the man with the afro. He's good at one-on-one business, but not so good at interpersonal relationships, otherwise he wouldn't have gone back to open a fresh food supermarket right after graduation.

"How did you come up with that?" he asked.

Chu Zhao: "I have a title that allows me to see through NPCs' identities. He is a parking lot employee and has the authority to allow vehicles to pass."

Besides, the employees didn't get a share of the parking fees, but they did receive bribes.

It's a choice between two options; everyone knows which one to choose.

Time is limited.

As soon as they parked the car, the two of them wasted no time and went straight to the commercial area.

【Flower Pig Hotel】

White Bear Travel Agency

[General Store]

[...]

A series of shops were lined up, but they were all empty and had no customers. Fang Zhiyi glanced at them and went straight to the 5S store at the very back.