Chapter 127 Exclusively published on Jinjiang Literature City: Who told you our cars can only…
"How is it? Is the bridge still usable?"
"No, it's been raining too frequently these past few days. These planks weren't treated much to begin with, and several parts are damaged from being soaked. I guess we'll have to take them apart and put them back together, otherwise they'll easily break if people step on them."
"Then quickly find a spare board!"
"Carefully inspect the other undamaged planks as well. Add another layer on top of any planks that are too thin, otherwise all the work done today will be for nothing if they break."
While the people from the four major powers were busy inspecting the wooden bridge that had been built earlier, someone with sharp eyes suddenly noticed something rapidly approaching and exclaimed, "Look over there! Isn't that the strange vehicle that the newcomers are riding in?"
The leaders of the four major forces present perked up and turned to look. Sure enough, they saw a huge metal vehicle they had never seen before heading this way.
Most of the people present had only heard of hovercars, but few had actually seen one. When they saw the hovercar in person, they couldn't help but widen their eyes in amazement.
That's a really big truck!
No, it seems there are two?
The hovercar was as fast as ever. When it was first spotted, it was clearly hundreds of meters away, but in just a few breaths it was right in front of us, and... it seemed to have no intention of stopping at all?
Upon discovering this fact, the astonishment on the faces of the people standing before the crevice gradually turned to terror. "Quick, get out of the way—!"
"What are they trying to do! Are they trying to run us over?!" The people at the gambling den were furious and panicked as they dodged to the side.
As expected, the two menacing hovercars did not stop. Instead, they brushed past them to everyone's astonishment, passing directly through the more than twenty-meter-wide underground fissure that would have taken them a great deal of effort to cross, and easily reached the other side.
Everyone: "!!!"
Everyone present gaped open.
Are they dreaming?
This car can actually fly! It's not an illusion!
Chen Bing, who was also at the scene, slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "How come I never thought their cars could be used like this!"
Isn't this much more convenient than painstakingly piecing together a wooden bridge that is neither durable nor sturdy from countless planks and scrap beams?
Before they could fully process what was happening, the people on the other side got off the bus one after another and waved to them with smiles on their faces.
Viewers in the live stream: Hahaha! So arrogant! Absolutely arrogant!
The person on the other end: "..." How could anyone be so annoying?
Chen Bing didn't think there was a problem.
They have the ability, so what's wrong with them being a little arrogant?
If this car were his, he would not only fly over it in front of them, but also circle the city several times so that the whole city could see it!
After daydreaming for a while, Chen Bing quickly waved back to the other side and shouted loudly without any hesitation, "Brother Lu, Village Chief Li, could you give us a ride too? We're willing to pay the toll!"
The people at the county government office and gambling den not far away: "?"
What kind of local bully pays to outsiders for passage? Does this guy surnamed Chen even know how to talk?
Feng Hu, who was present in person, glared fiercely at Chen Bing, who was completely oblivious to the situation.
The local gentry and wealthy men all brightened up, not at all feeling that Chen Bing's words had lost face.
Faced with a large amount of supplies in the north of the city that could save more lives, what is face worth?
They could see that Yunlu Village was intentionally showing off its strength, or even trying to intimidate them, but so what?
These old folks were always on edge whenever they crossed the makeshift wooden bridge, fearing that if they weren't careful, the bridge would collapse and they'd fall into a crevice in the ground, never to be found dead.
There are clearly safer vehicles available, so what's wrong with letting Yunlu Village get some attention?
There was no response from the other side, but soon one of the hovercars started up again and returned to their side.
After the car door opened, Zhang Chengming, who was sitting in the front of the car, waved to Chen Bing, "Boss Chen, please bring your people up."
Chen Bing said happily, "Thank you, thank you! Second Uncle, Master Zhang, Master Miao, let's get in the car quickly."
Old Master Chen and the other local gentry thanked Zhang Chengming with smiles and quickly got into the car with a sprightly gait that belied their age.
"Young man, could you take us with you? We can also contribute supplies." Boss Wang Zheng and other wealthy businessmen quickly approached Zhang Chengming in the car, smiling broadly.
Zhang Chengming stared at them for a while, and after confirming that they were not from the other two factions, he asked them to wait and contacted the other side using his communicator.
After receiving the village chief's (Lu Xuan's) consent, Zhang Chengming nodded to them and said, "Okay, come on up."
The wealthy merchants glanced discreetly at the strange object on his wrist that could emit human voices, but outwardly feigned composure and lined up behind the local gentry.
As a 'veteran' with experience riding in cars, Cheng Yi immediately began explaining the layout of the car to the newlyweds as soon as he got on.
The seats that can be pushed back and reclined, the folding tables where food and water can be placed, and the hidden buttons by the windows that can conjure curtains to block the view inside and outside the vehicle—all these features drew exclamations of amazement from the new passengers.
In contrast, the chief镖师 (bodyguard/escort) and the accountant of the镖局 (escort agency) representing the county government, as well as Feng Hu who came in person, looked at the jubilant people inside the hovercar with very unpleasant expressions.
They had a grudge against Yunlu Village, so naturally they couldn't bring themselves to bow down to outsiders like those unscrupulous merchants.
Having grown accustomed to the flattery of those around them, they assumed that if the people of Yunlu Village didn't want to offend them too much, they would definitely give them a way out.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Chengming didn't even glance at them, and flew away with a car full of people from the other two factions.
The people at the county government office: "!"
Feng Hu and the people at the gambling den: "!" These damned bastards!!!
...
The distance was only about twenty meters; the people in the car had barely sat down and hadn't even warmed their seats before they arrived at their destination.
When we got off the bus, everyone's face was filled with a sense of lingering reluctance.
"There are such amazing cars in the world! You can't feel any bumps at all while riding in one!"
"This is the first time we've crossed a crevice so easily."
"Even the carriages of noble families are probably no better than this."
Li Tie stepped forward and asked curiously, "From what you're saying, you've been to the north of the city before?"
The local gentry and wealthy men guessed that he must be the village chief of Yunlu Village, and said with a friendly smile, "Of course, with such a large area and so many supplies left behind, how could we possibly leave it unattended?"
Old Master Chen shook his head and sighed, "It's a pity that it's always so difficult for me to come here."
The wooden bridge spanning the crevice was just the first hurdle; next, they would have to figure out how to climb over the ten-meter-high city wall.
There used to be a city gate on the north side of the city, but unfortunately the crack in the ground was where the original city gate was located, and the city gate and the entire surrounding street collapsed.
Furthermore, because the geology near the crevice was very loose and could collapse at any time, they could not easily approach it and could only climb ladders over the city wall.
When people climb up and down ladders, or when carrying goods up and down ladders, accidents are inevitable. In particular, ladders are very slippery after it starts raining, which greatly increases the probability of accidents.
The supplies in the north of the city are indeed plentiful, but they risk their lives every time they come to collect them.
Li Tie asked, "You said that the supplies in the north of the city are all unclaimed. Does that mean everyone in the north of the city died after the earthquake?"
“Of course not,” Old Master Chen explained. “More than half of the area in the north of the city consists of various workshops, with the remainder being some shops and a small number of residences. Most of the workshop workers live in the west of the city. When the earthquake struck in the morning, the workers hadn’t had time to leave their homes yet, so the number of people in the north of the city was the lowest in the entire city when the disaster occurred.”
"Some of these people died in and after the earthquake. Apart from some elderly and children who were unable to escape on their own, most of the remaining people managed to escape by building ladders."
These were the same people who first built the wooden bridge across the underground fissure, using the same ladders they had used when they dug it out.
However, there were too few ladders, and they were not pieced together very sturdily. Some of the people who came out of the city fell into the underground fissure and died, while others felt that crossing the underground fissure was too dangerous, so they simply gave up the idea of returning to the county town and left in another direction, disappearing without a trace.
[Ouch! For those living in the north of the city, this is truly a hellish start! So unlucky!]
[I finally managed to climb out, only to fall into a crack and die. Just thinking about it makes me despair.]
[It's uncertain how many of those who left will survive. If X can't find shelter from the scorching heat, they'll either die of thirst or starvation, or succumb to the heat.]
[Actually, you could choose not to go out. There are so many supplies in the north of the city; you don't need to worry about starving.]
Indeed, some timid people did choose to stay in the north of the city.
Those who were lucky enough to survive the extreme heat season were taken away by the four major powers in exchange for most of the resources they had looted during the extreme heat season.
Those who were unlucky naturally died in the north of the city, leaving behind only shriveled corpses, which were found and disposed of by the four major powers.
The people of Yunlu Village listened with sighs of regret.
The local gentry and wealthy landowners didn't linger in this atmosphere for long. They quickly recovered, and one of them even pulled Miao An aside, saying, "Speaking of which, my nephew hasn't caused you any trouble before, has he?"
Li Tie asked in surprise, "Miao An is your nephew?"
The way the villagers of Yunlu Village looked at Miao An changed instantly.
They had previously thought that Miao An, who was going to work as a guide at the city gate and whose arm was so intimidating, must not be doing very well. Who knew that he was actually a relative of the local gentry.
The viewers in the live stream were a little surprised, but then they thought that he was just the nephew of a wealthy man, not a big deal. It didn't seem to make much difference to the streamer.
Miao An himself said the same thing, "Boss Chen is also Old Master Chen's nephew. He is much more successful than me."
When Chen Bing was mentioned, the audience and villagers immediately shifted their attention to his family situation.
After finding Chen Bing in the crowd, the villagers looked at him with sympathy and asked, "Mr. Chen, is your house really separated by a crack in the ground?"
"Your family owns a caravan, so you must still have a lot of supplies at home. It seems that people from the county town have come here to plunder more than once. Do you still have your things?"
Chen Bing's lips twitched slightly, but he forced a calm smile and said, "Thank you for your concern. Most of the supplies should still be there."
He had already confirmed with his second uncle yesterday that the search of the northern part of the city began after the temperature dropped. The northern part of the city is such a large area, and his family happens to be located in a relatively remote area, so the four major forces haven't searched that far yet.
Aside from the damage caused by extreme heat, other durable items should still be intact.
Chen Bing turned to Lu Xuan, who had been silent, and said, "I came here today to retrieve my supplies. If all goes well, I should be able to find the pepper seeds. I wonder if we could trade some more supplies that we'll need later?"
Lu Xuan nodded. "Okay."
"This young man has a lot of supplies?" The two bosses from the wealthy business group, who had been eavesdropping for a long time, finally couldn't resist coming closer.
Mr. Zheng's eyes gleamed. "I've heard that your village has produced satiating nutritional supplements, giant vegetables with excellent taste, and vacuum-packed vegetables in the trading street. If you're interested, we're willing to pay a high price to exchange for a batch!"
"Boss Wang, Boss Zheng, isn't this a bit unfair of you?" Chen Bing said with displeasure, "Didn't you see I was talking to Brother Lu?" I was the first one!
The local gentry and wealthy landowners were also somewhat dissatisfied.
Mr. Wang dismissed it, saying, "Mr. Chen is joking. As the saying goes, 'When you meet, share half.' You can't possibly handle all the supplies from Yunlu Village by yourself, can you?"
Chen Bing sneered, "What do you mean by splitting it in half when we meet? You're the one who's joking. Judging from your tone, anyone who didn't know better would think you've already taken Brother Lu's things for yourself. No matter how many supplies Brother Lu has, they're his, and it's none of anyone else's business to covet them."
Mr. Wang said, "We didn't say we were going to force this young man. As long as the product is good, the highest bidder wins."
Lu Xuan had no ulterior motives towards the wealthy merchants who had never provoked him, and said directly, "I have plenty of supplies, including food, daily necessities, and clothing. As long as you can afford the price, I'll exchange as much as you want."
However, now is clearly not the right time to discuss business.
As they were talking, the people from the gambling den and the government office had already crossed the wooden bridge and were walking towards them menacingly.
Seeing that they still had the mind to gossip, Feng Hu, who was leading his men, couldn't help but feel his face grow even more gloomy.
He walked up to the crowd, first glaring fiercely at the treacherous local gentry and wealthy merchants, before coldly looking at the group from Yunlu Village.
"Our gambling den welcomes anyone with ability to join us. If you are willing to become my subordinates and work for me, I can forgive and forget any debts you incur that I owe my men. I can even let you use our ladders to enter the city. Each person who helps transport supplies will receive ten flatbreads as a reward. How about it?"
The other two forces: "..."
Villagers of Yunlu Village: "...?"
Viewers in the live stream: ? ? ?
What nonsense is he spouting?
[Putting aside the fact that those thugs were the ones who caused trouble and got humiliated, shouldn't asking for help transporting goods at least involve specifying the quantity of supplies found? Are you trying to appease a beggar with ten flatbreads?]
I knew these people were greedy, but I never imagined they were this greedy.
This isn't greed, it's stupidity! They're treating people like fools!
The local gentry and wealthy merchants never expected Feng Hu to say such outrageous and disrespectful things.
Old Master Chen snorted coldly, "It's not just you who have a way to get into the city. Village Chief Li, young man, don't worry, we have prepared a lot of rope ladders here, and we can share some with you."
Master Miao also took the opportunity to curry favor: "The supplies in the north of the city are all unclaimed. Whoever is capable can get them. There is no such thing as collecting for others. Whatever you find belongs to you personally."
Boss Wang Zheng nodded in agreement, "The supplies in the north of the city are countless, far more than ten pancakes."
Feeling humiliated in public, Feng Hu's face grew increasingly grim, and he opened his mouth to start cursing.
Lu Xuan spoke first, saying, "Keep the flatbread for yourself. We'll figure out how to get into the city ourselves."
“Yes! We have our own methods.” Li Tie and the other villagers nodded quickly.
The city wall of Yangshan County is not particularly high, but it is estimated to be about ten meters high. Just looking at that height up close is unsettling. It would be absolutely impossible for them to climb up it with a ladder without any safety measures!
Feng Hu was surprised that the people of Yunlu Village were so stubborn and refused to listen to reason. He said with disdain, "What can you do? Do you think you can grow wings and fly in?"
If you want to bypass them and build your own ladder, you'll have to see if he agrees.
The local gentry and wealthy merchants were also puzzled as to how they were going to get in.
Miao An's eyes caught sight of the hovercar that was much taller than them, and an idea struck him. He exclaimed excitedly, "I know! Are you going to climb up using the hovercar?"
The others paused for a moment, glanced at the height of the hovercar, and then their eyes lit up belatedly.
Yes! How come they didn't think of doing it this way!
The hovercar itself is about three meters tall, and it hovers for one meter. Standing on the roof of the car is equivalent to reducing the height of the city wall by two-fifths!
No, it's not just the hovercars; they could also build a raised platform to act as a buffer zone to reduce casualties!
Previously, due to competition from other forces, everyone was only thinking about getting in quickly to get more supplies, and there was no time to think about a more complete entry and exit process.
Master Miao and Old Master Chen exchanged a glance and sighed inwardly; they had acted too hastily.
Next time, we need to be fully prepared.
After Miao An reminded them, Feng Hu and the county government officials also discovered this ingenious trick, and their gazes toward the hovercar became even more intense.
Grandpa Chen and the others were just thinking about setting up the frame in advance next time, but Feng Hu felt that since there was a ready-made hovercar, why bother to make a frame?
Wouldn't it be faster to just snatch the car?
The villagers were unaware of Feng Hu's intentions and simply smiled mysteriously.
“We just took a car there; there was no need to climb the wall at all.”
Ultimately, no matter what method is used or how much the security level is improved, climbing over walls is still the dumbest method.
Everyone was puzzled. Miao An asked, "The city wall is so high, your car can only float one meter high. How do you get in?"
We can't just smash the city wall open, can we?
Even if the wall isn't as thick as it is tall, it's at least six or seven meters high, making it impossible for a car to break through.
Smashing it by hand would be too time-consuming.
Even if they manage to break through, it will ultimately benefit other factions for nothing.
Li Tie chuckled and said, "Who told you our car can only float one meter high?"
Soon, they waved to the others and got back into the car.
Under the astonished gazes of the city's forces, the hovercar rose steadily from a meter above the ground until it completely surpassed the height of the city wall, and then... flew directly into the city.
All four major factions: "!!!"
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