Chapter 124 On the Road

The next day, before dawn, the convoy set off again in the drizzle and mud.

The road conditions were worse than the day before, with some sections flooded up to knee-deep, and potholes and debris hidden beneath the murky water. The convoy had to frequently detour or wade through the water at an extremely slow pace.

Around 10 a.m., the worst-case scenario occurred. Ahead lay a concrete bridge with obvious cracks in the surface, and one side of the guardrail had collapsed. Qin Li ordered the convoy to stop at a safe distance from the bridgehead.

The scouts reported that the bridge structure had been eroded by continuous rain, raising doubts about its load-bearing capacity, and that it posed an extremely high risk for fully loaded military trucks to pass through.

“We’ll take a detour.” Qin Li looked at the map, his brows furrowed. “The nearest passable bridge is thirty kilometers away, and we’ll have to cross an old town area marked as ‘moderate risk’.”

This means it will take at least half a day longer and there is a possibility of encountering combat.

“Could we reinforce it partially?” Ruan Ning stepped forward. She pointed to the relatively intact parts of the bridge and the riverbed beneath it, where the water had risen but the current wasn’t too rapid. “My water-based ability can temporarily ‘freeze’ the water near the critical cracks, forming ice supports, but the strength and time are limited. If you have earth-based or metal-based ability users to cooperate, perhaps you can temporarily strengthen the structure and pass through quickly.”

Qin Li glanced at her, and without hesitation, immediately ordered: "Special Ability Support Team, cooperate with Captain Ruan! Engineering Team, prepare reinforcement materials quickly! Armored vehicles will cross the bridge first for testing!"

Three soldiers immediately stepped forward from the ranks. One of them pressed his hands to the ground, causing the soil and gravel near the bridgehead to rise slightly, filling the loose parts of the bridge foundation. The other soldier ran his palm across the cracks in the bridge surface, and a glimmer of light flashed as the broken steel bars were barely "glued" together and tightened.

Ruan Ning focused his mental energy, and the water vapor in the air that came into contact with the cracks in the bridge quickly condensed, forming rough ice spikes that got stuck in the cracks and temporarily stopped them from expanding.

"Quickly! Cross the bridge! Bicycles should pass one by one, maintaining intervals and a constant speed!" Qin Li commanded over the radio.

The armored vehicle slowly drove onto the bridge. Everyone held their breath. The bridge groaned under the weight, but the icicles and temporary reinforcements worked. The armored vehicle safely reached the other side.

Next came the first military truck, then the second... By the time it was Ruan Ning's turn, the ice shards had already begun to melt, making a faint cracking sound.

"Speed ​​up! Don't hesitate!" Ruan Ning shouted to Sun Hong, who was driving the vehicle.

The van shuddered as it sped across the bridge. Just as the rear wheels left the bridge deck, a section of ice shattered completely, causing a small piece of concrete to collapse into the river and splash up murky water.

It was a close call. After the entire convoy had passed, the cracks in the bridge had noticeably widened, but it was no longer relevant to them.

This little incident drained a lot of the spiritual energy of both the superpowered individuals and Ruan Ning, but it also fostered a greater tacit understanding between the two teams in facing crises together.

As we passed through the old town in the afternoon, the anticipated encounter occurred. It wasn't zombies, but a horde of mutated rats that had adapted to the rainy environment, becoming slimy and faster. They swarmed out of the damp sewers and ruins in astonishing numbers.

The army's firepower was effective, but the rats were too small and too agile.

At the critical moment, the newly awakened fire and lightning ability users joined forces to create a small-scale barrier of fire and electricity, effectively blocking the densest surge of the rat swarm. Lin Yan and Zhou Min, along with Sun Hong and other women with combat experience, used long weapons and simple shields to pick off any remaining rats.

The battle was brief but intense. Afterwards, everyone was covered in mud and the foul-smelling bodily fluids of the mutated rats. Two soldiers sustained minor injuries, and a woman on Sun Hong's side was bitten. She was immediately injected with the universal antiviral serum she carried and placed in isolation for observation; the serum was provided by Qin Li and his team.

In the evening, the convoy failed to reach the designated rest stop and had to temporarily set up camp on a slightly elevated pebble beach.

The rain continued to fall, and everyone was soaked to the bone and utterly exhausted. The army produced more tarpaulins, built relatively sturdy shelters, and then started a fire to cook noodles.

Sun Hong and her team also brought out pots and pans and prepared a simple meal. The water was still provided by Ruan Ning.

Ruan Ning sat near the edge, slowly eating. Qin Li walked over and handed her a small piece of chocolate wrapped in waterproof paper. "To replenish your energy," he said softly, then sat down next to her, also looking at the endless rain outside.

"Thank you." Ruan Ning took it but didn't eat it immediately. "Today went fairly smoothly."

"Your people are more capable in combat and learn faster than I expected. Although they don't have any special abilities, they remain calm in the face of adversity and haven't held us back," Qin Li said frankly.

"It was forced out of me by desperate circumstances," Ruan Ning said calmly.

After a moment of silence, Qin Li suddenly asked, "How much do you know about the Northwest Base?"

"Not many. All I know is that it's one of the large survivor settlements run by the military, and it's said to be relatively well-ordered."

Qin Li nodded, then shook his head: "There is order, but the waters run deep. Various forces and research projects are intertwined." He glanced at Ruan Ning meaningfully, "When you get there, you may not be able to find peace."

Ruan Ning gripped the chocolate tightly in her hand, the wrapper making a soft rustling sound. "I knew," she thought, having had a premonition all along.

“My maternal grandparents live in a relatively quiet family area in the inner city. They are protected, but that also means there are many eyes watching them,” Qin Li continued, lowering his voice. “After we get to the base, I will arrange a private meeting. But until then, you need to keep a low profile.”

"clear."

After a brief exchange, Qin Li got up and left to patrol and guard the camp.

Ruan Ning broke off a small piece of chocolate and put it in her mouth; the sweet and slightly bitter taste melted on her tongue. She looked out at the dark, rainy night.

The road was still long, and the rain hadn't stopped. The "safe zone" they were about to reach might conceal a vortex even more complex than zombies and torrential rain. She touched the pendant beneath her collar; it was still icy cold.

My mother's face had become somewhat blurry in my memory, but at this moment, it seemed exceptionally clear.