Chapter 8
Fang Xiaoyu has been living on the highway for twenty-seven days.
At that time, most of the supplies in the car had been gone, and there was only one can of fuel left in the trunk, with half of the fuel tank remaining.
You can imagine how excited she was when she saw the service area sign for the second time.
But when she excitedly drove into the service area, she was instantly dumbfounded.
The gas station was littered with empty oil drums, the convenience store had rows of empty shelves, and the repair shop looked like it had been robbed, with not a single car wash nozzle or hose in sight.
Is this the second service area we've encountered after driving for a full 27 days?
The difference is just too big!
Unwilling to leave, Fang Xiaoyu began a thorough search.
Used empty garbage bags? They look fairly clean, I'll take them.
A bundle of safety rope? Take it.
Half a pack of chewing gum left? Not bad.
There were no further pleasant surprises after that.
Even an ant's leg is still meat; it's better than nothing.
After mentally preparing herself, she popped a piece of chewing gum into her mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and the refreshing minty flavor instantly invigorated her.
Supplies are scarce here, but at least there are rooms with showers, so you don't have to shower in fear and it's good to be refreshed before setting off.
Do it as soon as you think of it.
Fang Xiaoyu quickly found a clean set of clothes in the car, and took the bag containing toiletries to the rest area.
As soon as she entered the room, she realized she had been too optimistic.
The rooms here are vastly different from the outside. They are piled high with all sorts of garbage bags, packaging bags, and crumpled paper. The floor is covered in large patches of black grime, obscuring its original color. There are no blankets on the beds, and the sheets are black, yellow, and moldy.
There was also an indescribable foul smell in the air.
Fang Xiaoyu was immediately scared away.
She opened the door to the last room, holding her breath beforehand because of the shock from the previous room.
Sure enough, the room wasn't much better; the bathroom and other areas were so filthy that you couldn't even step inside.
Fortunately, I've never seen any flies or mosquitoes here, otherwise the sensory impact would be even greater.
Fang Xiaoyu screamed inwardly.
What did the last person in this room do? It's like a garbage dump, how could anyone sleep here?!
She struggled to choose one of the two rooms, then frowned as she waded through a pile of trash, forcefully pushing open the window to let in fresh air.
Then he went back to the car, put down the clean clothes, covered his face with a cloth to cover his mouth and nose, and went back to the room, intending to temporarily set up a clean bathroom.
To my surprise, when I turned on the tap, there wasn't a single drop of water inside.
Fang Xiaoyu came out with a sour face, taking deep breaths of fresh air.
After a while, she picked up the gas pump without much hope and sprayed it into the tank.
Huh, there's still fuel?
After a series of devastating blows, a pleasant surprise finally arrived.
Fang Xiaoyu quickly filled up the gas tank, thinking that it would be good to fill it up completely.
However, they were too happy too soon. When the tank was filled to three-quarters full, not a single extra drop of fuel could be squeezed out of the fuel nozzle.
After a series of setbacks, Fang Xiaoyu had lost her temper.
Forget it, let's not waste our time here. The next service area will be better.
Just as she was about to give up and leave, she suddenly sensed something strange about her surroundings, as if... the air was restless?!
Fang Xiaoyu looked around but found no problem.
It's just an illusion.
She chuckled, looked up, and then froze.
The roof of the building, which was perfectly fine just a moment ago, is now melting like ice cream?!
Moreover, the melting speed is not slow. Nearly half of the roof of the breathing room rest area has disappeared, and the walls, beds and the unmistakable garbage inside can be clearly seen.
As if it were just the beginning, the melting contagion spread from the rest area to the surrounding area, reaching convenience stores, repair shops, and finally gas stations.
Fang Xiaoyu stared at this strange sight with her mouth agape. She only came to her senses when the rest area was still melting on the ground.
She threw down the oil nozzle in her hand, opened the car door and plopped down in, not even having time to fasten her seatbelt. As if her butt was on fire, she stepped on the gas and sped off.
Fortunately, the dissipation rate at the service area couldn't keep up with the speed of the car, and it wasn't completely gone by the time she safely returned to the highway.
But Fang Xiaoyu, staring at the rearview mirror, didn't dare to stop immediately. Instead, she ran several hundred meters more before daring to turn around.
By this time, the huge service area behind had disappeared without a trace, and even the previous signs had vanished.
With a hint of curiosity, Fang Xiaoyu parked the car, got out, climbed the nearby stone steps, and looked back into the distance.
The large area that used to bulge out from the road is gone.
The entire service area seemed to have been silently wiped away by an unseen force, or as if it had been licked clean bit by bit by an invisible entity, leaving not even a single extra stone block behind.
Fang Xiaoyu swallowed hard and moved her toes back a little.
For the first time, with her feet firmly planted on solid ground, she felt that the road looked so welcoming, and the solid surface made her feel so safe.
Did it disappear because I used up the last drop of oil?
Another difference from games is that items don't respawn when they're gone.
New questions arose in my mind.
What would have happened if I hadn't left in time?
Will they be "thrown" back onto the highway? Or will they disappear along with the service area? Or will they fall from the sky along with their vehicle?
Unfortunately, there was no one around to help answer my questions at that moment.
Fang Xiaoyu guessed that they would most likely be "thrown" back onto the highway.
Otherwise, the two experienced mentors would surely remember it vividly and wouldn't forget to remind them.
However, there is another possibility.
That's because they never lingered at service areas, so they never encountered anything like it. And those who had encountered it before are all gone from this world.
Thinking of this, and then feeling the cool spring breeze brushing against the back of her neck, she couldn't help but shiver.
Hopefully, the latter's guess is wrong, and hopefully no one will actually risk their life for a one-third chance.
Sniffling as she returned to the car, Fang Xiaoyu caught a glimpse of the safety rope and a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
Why keep struggling with the highway? Why not just make a suitable tool to get down from it?
What lies below might be the present world, where there will be a signal, allowing you to contact rescue and return home!
My mind was suddenly opened up.
Fang Xiaoyu's breathing became heavy, and she began to feel excited about this inspiration.
Then she thought of another possibility.
What if this weren't the real world? That vast green sea must teem with countless birds and beasts. In comparison, the highway seems much safer.
But what if? What if we really can go back?
How could Fang Xiaoyu be willing to waste her time and grow old here?
She tossed and turned countless times at night, imagining what to do next and what the future would hold.
They were also worried about the limited space in the small white cart, wondering how they could make a living if collecting supplies continued to be so difficult.
She couldn't imagine what the rest of her life would be like if she spent one, two, ten, or twenty years on this highway.
I don't want to skip the process without even trying and just live a retirement-like life like my two mentors.
Although driving is tiring, water is inconvenient, food is scarce, and she gets startled awake by noises in the middle of the night... she has adapted to all of these.
But she wanted to go back as long as there was even the slightest chance or possibility.
She longed to return to the world where she had family, abundant resources, and countless forms of entertainment. She wanted to return to a world where, once she closed the door, she didn't need to worry about whether a car suddenly appeared carrying good or bad people, and she could simply lie on her soft bed and sleep peacefully.
The question remains: what vehicle should we use to get down? Flying, gliding, or crawling?
For flying, like a hot air balloon?
This doesn't seem too difficult. A sturdy basketball hoop, a few parachute lines, and a large parachute, then fuel to heat it up, and slowly deflate it to descend.
But what if it's not built sturdily, gets out of control halfway through, leaks air unexpectedly, or suddenly falls... or it suddenly rains or there's thunder and lightning on a sunny day... how can you save yourself?
Just as the outline of a hot air balloon appeared in her mind, Fang Xiaoyu remembered the distant sea of trees below and the hot air balloon darting wildly out of control in the sky, being struck by lightning from time to time. It was as if she had been doused with a bucket of cold water, and she shook her head repeatedly.
No, no, no, this road is not safe.
Then use a slippery one?
What is the working principle of an elevator? How much weight needs to be added to stabilize the elevator and prevent it from wobbling? How is the lifting mechanism constructed? Does it have one, two, or three pulleys?
Another bucket of cold water was poured on.
Fang Xiaoyu scratched her head.
I have absolutely no recollection of anything.
Ten minutes later, she gave her barren brain a break and began to make a wish: she hoped to one day find a bookstore with books for all subjects. Or perhaps an engineering genius would come along, and she would become his apprentice, collect materials together, help hand him tools, and even shout "666!" (a Chinese internet slang term for something awesome or impressive).
But now there are no books for her to learn from, and no engineering experts to lend a helping hand. What should she do?
Climbing down is relatively simpler and safer.
But at this height, her arm strength alone wouldn't be enough to support her as she slowly climbed down; she'd have to use her brain.
For example... how about getting a rope ladder?
Climbing a rope ladder is slower and more tiring, but it's better than just sliding down a rope. At least if you realize something is wrong, you can climb back up.
Thinking about this, she suddenly realized that it was the best idea imaginable.
Because before confirming the current height, it was unknown whether the rope length was sufficient or whether it would allow her to succeed on the first try.
If they fail to reach the ground even once, they must return for adjustments.
With the goal of collecting more materials, she couldn't stay in one place; she had to keep moving forward.
Moreover, pulleys and lifting devices can only be installed in fixed positions; they are not easy to remove or install anywhere.
A rope ladder is still the best. One end is tied to the vehicle, and the other end is swung down for easy and quick access. It also provides an escape route. With a separate safety rope for added protection, it's perfect.
We just didn't have enough safety ropes; we'll have to be more careful to collect more in the future.
After making up her mind, Fang Xiaoyu wasn't in a hurry to drive. After finishing her meal, she picked up the only safety rope and began to study it.
After tying several knots, she successfully created a knot to thread the stick through, ensuring that the stick wouldn't fall out after being inserted.
To reinforce her memory, she practiced several more times to ensure she could clearly remember how to tie the knot.
Since she didn't have a stick to use as a ladder, she stuffed several empty mineral water bottles into the knot, planning to replace them with a rolling pin when she found one.
After stuffing it in, Fang Xiaoyu had another inspiration.
When the rope ladder is installed, a supply bag can be hung at intervals on both sides of the ladder. It can be filled with water or food. This will not only add weight to the ladder, provide supplies along the way, but also reduce the burden on yourself. It's a win-win-win situation!
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but praise herself, thinking how clever she was.
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