Chapter 74

The three had been in there for a long time, so long that Jian Chu could no longer sit still. He wanted to go in several times to see what they were doing in there and why they hadn't come out for so long. Just as he was squatting at the entrance of the cave to listen to the sounds inside, he heard the sound of boxes dragging the floor, and he immediately became excited: "They are back."

Mu Nan also ran over and squatted to look into the cave. He could see the light slowly approaching, but the first thing that popped out was a dog's head. But this time Mu Nan was far away and knew there was a dog inside, so he was not scared.

Before people came out, boxes of things were pushed out first. Qin Huai pulled Mu Nan away, and went forward to help Jian Chu and Song Jia pull the boxes out. The things inside were probably stacked very densely and were not light in weight. The already damaged cardboard boxes obviously could not withstand the dragging all the way and were about to fall apart.

The three of them took out more than five boxes of things in total, most of which were canned food. This was mainly because these were the only edible foods that could be found. However, there were many types of canned food. In addition to corn, there were also some meats, luncheon meat, braised pork, and even canned fish. Mu Nan bought most of the canned food, but this canned fish was really not on his food list. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to seal the fish meat in a can with soup in it. There were also some canned fruits, but the canned fruits were made of light-proof materials, not glass bottles, so they were well preserved. At least the ones they took out should have been checked and there was nothing damaged.

Jian Chu said, "Is that all? Do we need to go in again?"

Xu Ming shook his head. "No need to go in again. These are the things left. If there are more, we won't be able to take them on the way. But there are indeed quite a lot left. Let Brother Xu know later. Rather than letting others know about the looting and causing an accident, it's better to let the soldiers handle it."

There were five big boxes, three of which were filled with canned food, and the box that was brought out at the beginning. The other two boxes contained some melted rock sugar that was stuck together, but they were all sealed in the cans, so even if it melted, it did not leak out. There were also some flour, corn flour, and even many bags of mung beans and soybeans. A total of six boxes of things, it was a huge harvest. If they hadn't been unable to carry so much food on the road, they really wanted to empty out all the stock. Unfortunately, people should not be too greedy. Being too greedy will only lead to nothing, so it is enough to take some things that you can currently bear.

There were a lot of things, but they couldn't make too much noise when dividing them, so they simply hid behind the marble counter, and each family went out to divide the things, while the others stood guard in front to prevent anyone from hearing the noise and running over to check what was going on.

Jian Chu whispered, "These were found by your Niu Niu. We wouldn't be able to find them without Niu Niu, so you guys pick them first." He looked at Qin Huai and Xu Ming, and seeing that they had no objection, he gestured to Song Jia and Wu Zheng, asking them to go to the back and pick first.

Wu Zheng said: "It's okay, there are a lot of things, even if we take them all, we can't take them all, let's pick together."

Qin Huai said to Jian Chu, "I'll give it to you. Go get it. We should be eating together on this trip anyway. We just need to load it into two trailers to avoid damaging the wheels if we load it into one trailer."

Jian Chu thought so too. Anyway, the five of them were currently tied together, so there was no need to divide the extra gains so clearly. If they really had to divide them so clearly, they would not be able to pay off all the small solid fuel stoves and various insect repellents and disinfectants that Qin Huai and the others brought.

So Wu Zheng and Jian Chu went to the back to divide the food. Wu Zheng picked out most of what they wanted and the rest was for Jian Chu and his friends. They took what they could carry, and gave what they couldn't carry to the soldiers, so that nothing would be wasted.

Wu Zheng and his team didn't take much, not because of anything else, but because their equipment was not that good. They even went downstairs in slippers, and didn't know there would be an earthquake. They were led downstairs by the anxious Niuniu, and the earthquake happened before they even left the community. They had nothing on them, only their cell phones and door keys. But the building they lived in collapsed, so what was the use of keys? Their cell phones were also discarded because they had no power. But there were many important things in them, such as photos, and nostalgia for the time before the end of the world, so they didn't throw them away.

The food that was later handed over to the military was all collected by searching through the ruins with Niu Niu. When they knew that the first group of people were going to the university town, they almost immediately signed up. They didn't know what the future would be like if they stayed, so it was better to leave. Maybe there were fewer people there and they could endure life a little longer. The only thing they took with them was a tattered cart they found in the ruins. Although it was also a cart, it was nothing compared to the car of Qin Huai and his men. The wheels were loose and it felt like they would fall off after a few more towings. They even prepared cloth. Once the trailer collapsed, they would use the cloth to carry the few foods on the road. Therefore, they couldn't ask for too much canned food, as they couldn't carry it even if they asked for it.

After making sure that they really didn't want the things and were not just being polite, Jian Chu collected all the things. Even though their two trailers were full, there was still some space if they squeezed in. Bags and the like could be hung on the handrails of the trailers, which freed up space inside. Anyway, it was so crowded that most of the canned food with rock sugar and flour was stuffed in. The small amount that was left couldn't fit in any more, so it had to be handed over.

When Old Xu was called over, he thought something was wrong and said with a smile, "We found such a corner, so you guys better be alert. Don't let those of you in the corners fall behind when we gather and can't hear any movement."

This was purely a joke. Given Qin Huai's alertness in their team, it was impossible for them not to notice that everyone had left.

Qin Huai asked, "If we hand in our items now, can we exchange them for points that can be used to redeem items later?"

Old Xu glanced at their trailer. Although it was a bit dark and hard to see clearly, it was still bulging with stuff. He thought they thought it was too heavy, so they wanted to hand in some of their own stuff. So he said, "Yes, it depends on what you hand in. We don't accept daily necessities now. Everyone is carrying a heavy load, especially the military logistics. They have to pull such a large cart to supply so many people with food for at least a month. If they add more daily necessities, they can't handle it."

Qin Huai smiled and said, "It's OK if I can." Then he looked at Yu Zibai and Xu Ming and said, "Take Brother Xu to have a look. As for how to divide the points, we can discuss it later. But Niuniu is the hero, so they will take the lion's share."

Yu Zibai and Xu Ming had no objection. Yu Zibai said, "I'll go. I'm already dirty anyway." Then he looked at the Wu Zheng brothers and said, "Who of you will go with me?" The five of them were on good terms and were considered a group, but they had only just met the two brothers today. In order to prevent them from thinking too much, it would be better to have their family provide a witness to the handing over of the supplies.

Wu Zheng waved his hand nonchalantly: "No need. Thanks for making another trip." He didn't want to get involved any more, and since he intended to make friends with them, he had to be generous and open about some things. Acting stingy and afraid of being taken advantage of would only affect subsequent interactions.

Old Xu looked at them: "What's going on?"

Yu Zibai took the flashlight and said, "Hand over the supplies and I'll take you to have a look. You can find some time to move the rest yourself."

Old Xu got a little excited when he heard this. If the word "move" was used, then the quantity would not be small. In the current situation, as much food as possible would not be too much. If the quantity was really too large, they could contact the military on the spot and have someone come and move it back immediately.

Old Xu went in for a long time before coming out with Yu Zibai. Although he knew that they would quietly call him over and would definitely not spread the sound of supplies in the ruins behind, he still reminded them again. As for when to come to get the things, Old Xu would naturally find Shi Yuanfei, who was in charge of their team this time, to discuss it. He had just counted the number of things inside and there were dozens of boxes. It would take some time to move them. They still had to weigh whether to take them away or wait for the military to tow them away.

Anyway, now that this matter has been handed over, the rest has nothing to do with Qin Huai and the others. When Old Xu left, he also took a few cans of meat that they dragged out from the trailer but couldn't fit into the small trailer. They haven't eaten meat for a long time, so he took a few cans to satisfy the cravings of those little guys.

After working for most of the day, they always lay down with a full harvest. Mu Nan handed wet wipes to Jian Chu and the others. They were all dirty, so they just wiped them a little. Seeing Song Jia directly opened a can of meat to feed Niu Niu, Mu Nan asked, "Does it usually follow you to eat like this?"

Song Jia nodded: "Although I bought a lot of dog food for it, it all collapsed in the ruins. There is nothing I can do. It's good to have something to eat. But I have to avoid people when feeding it. There are always some people who have something to say."

Mu Nan was about to chat, but Qin Huai pulled her over and pressed her down on the mat: "Go to sleep, it's already dawn, you won't be able to sleep for long and you have to get up."

Mu Nan lay on the mat and yawned as soon as he lay down. Qin Huai looked at him: "Do you want to go to the toilet again?"

Mu Nan shook his head: "I don't want to."

Qin Huai: "Then go to sleep. What do you want to eat when you wake up? Do you want to eat tortillas?"

Mu Nan: "What kind of tortilla?"

Qin Huai described it to him: "Mix corn kernels with flour, add sugar if you want sweet, add salt if you want salty, spread it into a pancake, and you can also fry a few slices of luncheon meat, sprinkle some cumin and chili powder, and roll it in the corn tortilla to eat."

Before Mu Nan could say anything, Jian Chu at the side could not help but say: "Brother Qin, we are fleeing, not staging a doomsday event." Although it was not a serious broadcasting tone, the slightly magnetic, low and whispered description made people hungry just by listening to it.

Qin Huai chuckled, Mu Nan turned his head to look at Jian Chu and laughed too, Yu Zibai also lay down with his head supported and laughed, listening to Jian Chu's complaints, it was as if he had returned to the days when he couldn't go out because of the smog, the only difference was that back then he could smell the delicious food from next door, now he was craving food listening to the description of his neighbor.

After waking up, Qin Huai had made the corn tortillas he had mentioned. The luncheon meat was not actually that good, but it was still very fragrant after being fried in oil, not to mention the cumin sprinkled on it for seasoning. Even though they had deliberately chosen a corner, many people still came over to take a look following the smell, which made those people indignant. Their escape was in hell mode, but for others it was outing mode. There was indeed a gap between people at all times.

But no matter it is greed or envy, it is just greed. Although people now know that food will become less and less, there has always been food supply in the camp. Even if they are unwilling to exchange labor for meal tickets, they can find a lot of things by digging through the ruins. The food may not be so good, but they are not so hungry that they will go crazy and scramble for food when they see it.

So in the face of the tempting aroma of meat, even if some people can't resist it, they will at most ask if they can exchange it with gold, silver, jade or something like that. Even if some people are eager to rob, it's just a thought, not to mention that the other party is a group of big men who don't look easy to mess with, and the soldiers are still watching them. Although the frame they grew up in under the red flag has some cracks, it has not been completely broken. At least now they dare not do anything that crosses the moral bottom line.

Of course Qin Huai and his men could not exchange gold, silver, and jade articles. There was no benefit in exchanging them except to reduce the weight. But they were happy to do so when they met people who wanted to exchange water for some luncheon meat. Although water was heavy, they could not do without water on the journey. They would rather have less food and more water. After all, washing and brushing teeth were also essential. It was not that they were pretentious, but personal hygiene was really important. The saying that you would not get sick if you ate unclean food was purely bluffing. Whenever possible, try to keep things on your body and that you can eat cleanly to reduce the possibility of getting sick.

But there were not many people who could exchange water for luncheon meat. Only two middle-aged men who also had a lot of luggage came over to exchange for a few slices. What they exchanged were all processed and fried, just a few slices of meat. If they directly exchanged a bottle of water for a can of food, they felt it was a bit of a loss.

Jian Chu said as he ate a burrito with luncheon meat in it, "We can't be so ostentatious in the back. I'm afraid if we continue to be so ostentatious, we'll be attacked by everyone."

Yu Zibai: "We lost a day yesterday, and now the staff has been reduced. We will probably speed up the journey later. I'm afraid we won't have that much time to cook."

Just as Yu Zibai said, the walking speed did increase a lot, but more and more people couldn't bear it. Having been attacked by rats, many people were afraid that this would happen again. Those who had brought some long-sleeved and long-trousers clothes put them on. It was hot, but it was better than losing your life. Yu Zibai and others also put on protective clothing and raincoats, and even Xu Ming put on his long-sleeved clothes and pants.

Jian Chu smiled and said, "Our team's equipment has been upgraded again."

Xu Ming: "It's really hot."

Jian Chu: "There is no other way. Just bear with it for the sake of survival."

Song Jia, who was standing next to him, was already drenched in water from the heat. He was still wearing a ragged short-sleeved shirt. He glanced at them and couldn't help but say, "You guys even have a fan hat to fan yourself. That's great."

Mu Nan was afraid that Qin Huai would get dehydrated by the heat, so he would switch hands with him from time to time to pull the cart. Yu Zibai and Xu Ming would switch hands with each other, and Jian Chu would help Mu Nan and the others to switch hands. After all, Mu Nan's physical strength was very poor, and Jian Chu felt that it was good enough for him to be able to walk steadily on his own way in protective clothing, and adding a trailer would be a bit too much for Nan.

The first few days were indeed the most difficult. Their legs were sore and weak that they could not adapt, and they were weak and dehydrated from excessive consumption along the way. Those who were strong on the outside but weak on the inside almost collapsed, either fainting from the heat or from the physical exhaustion, and could only walk with the support of some soldiers.

Mu Nan saw that another person seemed to have fallen in front of him, so the whole team had to stop for a while to rest. He was busy feeding Qin Huai with salt water with ice cubes to replenish the lost salt. He was sweating profusely, and he was really afraid that Qin Huai could not hold on: "I'll pull it for you later, you take a rest."

Qin Huai shook his head: "No, I've almost adapted to it now. It's not as hard as it was at the beginning."

Seeing that everyone else was resting, Mu Nan said, "Eat some fruit to relieve the heat and replenish sugar."

Qin Huai shook his head: "Just take care of yourself. If you feel dizzy or have chest tightness, be sure to tell me that you can't bear it, okay?"

As the two were talking, another person fell down not far from them. Xu Ming, who was fanning the person to cool him down, asked them to move away immediately and called the soldiers over.

Mu Nan, who was hiding far away, looked over there. When the man fell down, because of Xu Ming's shouting, the people who were originally standing next to him also hurriedly stepped back, and even dared not to step forward. Jian Chu also asked curiously: "What's wrong? He seems to be in pain?"

Qin Huai frowned slightly and said, "Some documents I've read before record the symptoms of plague, including shortness of breath, vomiting, groin pain, and impaired consciousness, which are very similar to this person's symptoms."

The man who fell to the ground was holding his lower abdomen and twisted in pain. His whole body was even twitching and spasming, and something like white foam kept coming out of his mouth. He looked quite scary.

Hearing Qin Huai say this, the others quickly took several steps back and held their masks tighter.

The soldiers came over soon, but the man obviously did not have symptoms of heatstroke or dehydration, so they did not dare to approach him and could only wait for the military doctor to come.

After almost an hour of tidying up on the spot, the man was carried to the back, and a military doctor took the temperature of everyone with a forehead thermometer. Some of those with high temperatures were taken to the back. Those who were sick or had signs of illness were at the back. Those who just had high temperatures naturally didn't want to go, and they didn't have masks. If they stayed at the back, they might get infected even if they weren't sick. They shouted that it was just too hot, so their temperatures were a little high.

But no matter how much he shouted, it was useless. The military doctor comforted him, "Not all the people in the team behind are sick. We have separated the sick and the healthy. Those of you with high temperatures are just being kept at the back for observation for 24 hours. Once your temperatures drop, you can return to the team."

Those people were still unwilling, but in order to protect the lives of more currently healthy people, several soldiers forcibly delayed those whose temperatures were a little high. As mentioned before, all kinds of situations could happen along the way, and once they were infected and sick, they would have to be abandoned. This was something that had been repeatedly stated before departure, and there was no point in making a fuss now.

Mu Nan calculated that it had been almost seven or eight days since they set out, but half of the people had already been reduced. Although nearly a hundred people had retreated due to being scared by the rats, more than twenty of them had fallen ill. Those who were completely beyond help had no choice but to leave them where they were and give them some food. Although giving up a living life was a very difficult thing for both the soldiers and the military doctors, they had to do it and could only do it.

After the whole team started moving again, they became more and more silent. Some people even wondered whether their choice was right or wrong, and whether they should have stayed in the camp. However, they had already walked out of one district. If they worked harder today and tomorrow, they would be able to walk out of the second district. If the road conditions ahead were slightly better, they might be able to reach the university town by crossing another district. Now they were stuck in the middle, and there was no choice but to move forward. If the road conditions were bad, they might have to bypass another district. The prediction made before departure was that if everything went well, they could reach the university town in half a month, but if things went wrong, it would take an indefinitely longer time.

After a difficult night, everyone followed the soldiers leading their teams very experiencedly to find a building sheltered from the sun to settle down. However, after sitting for a while, Lao Xu took the forehead thermometer to measure the temperature of everyone one by one. If the temperature was too high, the person would be transferred. Fortunately, most of the people in their team were in good physical condition and no one was infected or sick yet. This made Lao Xu feel a little better. After all, after so many days of getting along, he could almost call out the name of everyone in the team. Seeing those people he knew being abandoned halfway, he was also very tormented.

After taking off his protective suit and wiping his body with cooling wipes, Mu Nan sat on a mat to enjoy the breeze, watching the two brothers who would choose to sit not far from them every time they took a break, fiddling with the wheels of their trailer. After fiddling for a while, with a snap, the wheel that had been on the verge of falling off for several days was completely scrapped.

Song Jia almost burst into tears on the spot. Although it was very hard to drag the small broken car, it was better than carrying a heavy load. But now the small broken car was scrapped, and they could only carry the food and water on their backs.

Jian Chu gave them an idea: "You can make a small cloth bag and let Niuniu carry it."

The two looked at Niuniu who was lying obediently beside them. Song Jia sighed heavily: "Niuniu is covered in fur. I'm afraid she's hotter than us." He was still reluctant to let Niuniu carry the burden forward.

Jian Chu looked at them and couldn't help but turn back to Yu Zibai and asked, "Can our wheels still hold up?"

Yu Zibai checked both wheels and said, "It looks OK at the moment. I hope the road ahead will be easier to navigate. Let's hold the car for a while longer."

Qin Huai spread out the map. "If the road behind us is not too badly damaged, it will be easier to walk on the avenue. We have already reached the area near the Third Ring Road. I took a look and found that although the road they chose is a bit of a detour, they are all on the newly built avenue."

Mu Nan: "Isn't the newly built road seriously damaged?"

Qin Huai explained: "It's not that newly built roads are not damaged seriously, but the newly built and opened sections of roads are not so densely populated. Look at this area, almost all of them are new real estate projects, but because the roads are not open, even if you buy a house, the occupancy rate is not high. This side is all new land construction planned later, and the roads are all eight-way roads. Those buildings facing the street are also separated by a green belt on the road. Even if they collapse, there will be fewer obstacles on the road, so the road behind will be much easier to walk."

Jian Chu nodded: "That's right, I'm familiar with this road, my school is in this area, the main road is sparsely populated, there are a lot of open spaces, the small road is more densely populated, but the main road is definitely easier to walk on."

Mu Nan sighed: "It would be nice if we could drive a car." He also has a motorhome in his space, but unfortunately the motorhome can't move on this road.

Jian Chu: "A four-wheeled vehicle can't go, but a bicycle should be able to."

Mu Nan: "But we don't have it either."

Jian Chu pointed to a place on the map and said, "If we can pass by here, maybe we can have it."

Mu Nan actually had trouble understanding the map, and didn't know where he was referring to: "Why is there a car here?"

Jian Chu: "I go to school in this area, I'm very familiar with this place. There's a greenway in front, it's a semi-roundabout building, it used to be a tourist attraction, there are single and double bikes for rent, there's a place to put luggage behind the double bikes, I used to work here, responsible for renting and recycling those bikes, I know which warehouse those bikes are parked in by the residents in this area, if I'm lucky, maybe I can find one I can ride."

The premise is that the villagers did not sell those cars as a means of transportation after the heat wave, but they were probably only single-seater cars. Double-seater cars may still be available. If not, they can only continue on Route 11.