Chapter 305: Highway Robbery
The Four Greats’ convoys set off from Neutral Town, heading to Zhijin City Zhinnán District.
Their action was like a signal; the convoys and scavenger groups from Fuyuan, Changxing, and Xinma County sprang up like mushrooms after rain, excitedly advancing toward Zhijin City. Humans suppressed by the apocalypse for so long howled loudly in the wasteland, attracting the zombies and mutated beasts they feared in the past to emerge.
Using the large convoys’ firepower and crowds to annihilate them.
Death and blood instantly filled every building and every inch of land between the three counties and Zhijin.
When the first person exchanged a weapon from a large convoy using a freshly killed zombie, the crowd’s hunting enthusiasm reached its peak!
Humans seemed to return to the stage of cooperative hunting hundreds of thousands of years ago. Even if some died, many more were attracted by the high-value materials and supplies.
This was the first time humans attacked a large city after the apocalypse, and also a counterattack against the apocalypse!
Overlooking Zhixing Avenue, a large-scale modified vehicle convoy was heading toward Zhijin. Tires crushed the broken road, emitting “bang bang” muffled sounds. All vehicles bore a huge “black star” pattern.
A fat figure shuttled through the 60km/h vehicle flow at a speed unmatched by his build.
He climbed onto a modified off-road vehicle with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun welded on the roof.
“Bang,” he closed the car door.
Pang Ke shook his head. “A Long, you didn’t see it. These scavengers went crazy, using dozens of lives to pile-kill a butcher. If I hadn’t gone in time, they would’ve been beaten into meat paste!”
Li Xinlong sat in the back seat, looking at the paper map in his hand.
“To build a base city, we need to make some noise. This is our Black Star Convoy’s chance to rise.”
Pang Ke asked, “I thought we’d wait until the market ended before clearing. Why so fast?”
“The original plan was to clear during the market opening, just not on this scale. Everyone discussed having 200,000 scavengers clear a safe zone around Zhijin, then push deeper. But this time Black Kite proposed the Four Greats lead and push through at once, clearing road dangers. The market will stay open during this. If the plan goes smoothly, the Scavenger Market will be fixed in place.”
Pang Ke’s small eyes darted around. He asked doubtfully, “Was that worth discussing for over an hour? What did you mean by rise chance?”
“Black Kite proposed an interesting idea: whichever force has the most merit gets more say after the base city is built. They’ve planned the functional departments. Whichever contributes more picks positions first.”
Li Xinlong looked up, his eyes filled with undisguised ambition.
“The base city’s security system has internal and external divisions. Black Star must take one!”
Pang Ke nodded. “Anyway, A Long, you’re the brains. I back you, that’s it. By the way, I heard from other convoys outside that the armored train came, flattening Xinma County with fanfare. Wen Biao’s acting like a dog for someone now. What’s the train’s background?”
A dark glint flashed in Li Xinlong’s eyes. “Black Kite contacted them. The train won’t join the base city plan or stop in Zhijin. Ignore them.”
Pang Ke cautioned, “Just afraid they might play the mantis stalking the cicada…”
Li Xinlong sneered. “Then let the train test the Four Greats’ strength. Not that now. Go to the camp first, drop off my mom, have Director Nan leave some people to protect her.”
“Don’t worry, your mom is my mom. Even if I forget you, I won’t forget auntie.”
“…Get lost!”
……
At the convoy’s rear, a white RV was surrounded by four off-road vehicles and over a dozen motorcycles.
Two women sat on the bed at the back of the RV.
One of the Black Star Five Tigers, the Rouge Tiger, exclaimed in awe, “I thought the storm was terrifying enough, but there’s high temperature too, rising so fast. Aren’t tens of millions of people…”
Jiang Rong answered with a sigh.
“Sis, you’re amazing. If I were you, I’d be in despair and at a loss.”
Director Nan’s eyes welled with tears, her purple cuff covering her gorgeous red lips.
Jiang Rong smiled calmly. “You’re amazing too. Few female Tier 1 Evolvers at this stage.”
“Mine was piled up with convoy resources by Master Rong. Can’t compare to you, sis.” Director Nan looked surprised. “Sis, did you see other sisters on the road? Also Tier 1?”
Though after evolution, women’s strength disadvantage would be offset by various special abilities.
But before that, women lagged far behind men in survival and acquiring supplies, making female evolvers rare in the wasteland. Even in the entire Black Star Convoy with five or six Tier 1s, she was the only female evolver.
Further down was almost a cliff.
“Mm, after all, we’ve traveled a lot, so we see some.”
Jiang Rong said vaguely.
But counting carefully, there were quite a few female Tier 1 Evolvers on the train, and unranked numbers were also balanced.
Nearly one-third.
Director Nan suddenly looked out the window, then said apologetically to Jiang Rong, “Master Rong seems to have something for me. I’ll go out first.”
Jiang Rong smiled. “No problem, go ahead.”
Director Nan didn’t ask to stop, opened the car door, and slipped into an off-road vehicle carriage like a purple fish.
Seeing her son waving from inside the vehicle, Jiang Rong smiled back, then the off-road vehicle quickly merged into the front vehicle flow.
The smile on Jiang Rong’s face gradually faded.
The Black Star Convoy’s scale wasn’t smaller than the armored train. She knew how hard it was to sustain over two thousand people. Though worried about her son, she didn’t want to be a buzzkill mother.
Her son achieving this.
She was very happy.
Jiang Rong picked up the army green backpack beside her and pushed open the door into the driver’s cabin.
The originally quiet RV driver tensed up the moment she entered, eyes nearly glued to the rearview mirror, watching Jiang Rong step by step to the passenger seat. Sweat soaked his back.
“Watch the road.”
Jiang Rong reminded.
“Oh, oh…”
The driver fumbled with the steering wheel, nearly crashing into the following motorcycle rider.
“Training on the train was tough, right.”
The driver froze in his seat until the rear vehicle honked a reminder.
He didn’t even dare look at Jiang Rong’s complexion, only seeing his own ashen eyes in the rearview mirror.
“…Captain.”
Jiang Rong shifted her backpack, found a comfortable position. “Zhang Yi, this isn’t the train. You can use another title.”
“Sister Rong… are you taking me back?”
The driver’s voice grew weaker. The 1.8m man was like a mouse before a cat in front of Jiang Rong.
Because he was one of the two soldiers who escaped back then.
Jiang Rong shook her head gently. “That’s in the past. Old Wu was punished by the Train Conductor too, beaten into meat paste.”
At Old Wu’s mention, the driver’s face twitched, eyes surprised. “He’s dead?”
“Died miserably. After that, no more abusing subordinates.”
The driver stared blankly, mouth opening, unsure what to say for a long time.
Suddenly, “Then you… is the train moving against the convoys?”
“What are you thinking? I’ve left the armored train. Not that complicated. Just tell the Train Conductor.” Jiang Rong’s eyes showed emotion. “Won’t see the train again this lifetime. From now on, I’ll live guarding A Long. Right, A Long is the Black Star Convoy leader, my son.”
Zhang Yi’s gaze was complex. “Congrats, Sister Rong.”
……
With only a few main roads to Zhijin and not far, the Black Kite Convoy followed behind.
As one of the Four Greats, Black Kite’s convoy wasn’t as large as Black Star, only a dozen vehicles, but whether equipment, vehicles, or personnel morale surpassed Black Star and others.
That’s why Black Kite secured the top seat among the Four Greats with just the tip of the iceberg shown.
Inside the vehicle, Bo Qingqing wore a black tactical suit, legs crossed on the chair, thighs overlapping into a seductive curve.
Special services personnel in the vehicle stole glances at Director Number Two’s foster daughter.
In the Yan Bei Pass battle, the biggest loss wasn’t Director Number Three Mister Shu, but Director Number Two—even the person herself went missing.
Bo Qingqing completely lost shelter, no chance even to pull the tiger skin.
But she was smart, anticipated it all, and before things fermented, secured a position in the Special Services Department for herself. Though only Bronze Kite, it barely gave self-protection.
But only barely.
“I made an extra pour-over coffee. Interested in tasting?”
A young man with a Silver Kite badge on his collar approached, holding a porcelain white coffee cup that didn’t spill no matter the vehicle’s jolts.
His heterochromatic eyes lingered on Bo Qingqing’s curvaceous figure, greed undisguised.
“No, Adjutant Xing. I’m not sleepy now.”
Bo Qingqing’s cold face frosted over.
“No, I mean you can rest. I can handle such small matters.”
Adjutant Xing’s hand tentatively rested on Bo Qingqing’s shoulder.
Though only touching the cold tactical suit accessory, that near-touch of power excited him. No other woman gave this feeling—neither pre-apocalypse celebrities nor company-assigned female subordinates matched the conquest from Bo Qingqing’s status.
This was true nobility!
Even in world apocalypse, maintaining lifestyle and power like a golden phoenix.
If not for Director Number Two’s disappearance, a woman like Bo Qingqing wouldn’t come to him.
Even the pleasure from dozens of survivor women he played to death couldn’t match touching Bo Qingqing!
“I need to check convoy progress.”
Bo Qingqing abruptly stood and headed to the front of the vehicle.
A mere Silver Kite—if her mother were here, such trash wouldn’t dare look up when speaking to her!
Now she could only reject him tactfully.
Not even a harsh word.
And Adjutant Xing was the best-handled among his many “troubles.”
But Adjutant Xing followed closely.
Bo Qingqing hid disgust deep in her eyes, instinctively thinking of the figure who caused her fall.
That domineering Train Conductor sitting in the Lightning Pool center.
Emotions churned in her heart, but not hatred—rather an indescribable shock and wariness.
“Is the armored train still at Xinma County now?”
Bo Qingqing asked.
“Just a dying worm. Why ask about him?”
Adjutant Xing said disdainfully.
Bo Qingqing’s mouth twitched. Dying worm?
She wished she could drag this idiot into her memory scene to feel facing the Train Conductor’s terror!
“Per intel, the armored train left Xinma County today, heading toward Neutral Town to join the Scavenger Market.”
The staff reported.
Adjutant Xing flicked his crisp collar, smirking. “Armored train refused base city plan. Pity, I really wanted to see the Train Conductor’s appearance.”
Bo Qingqing’s pretty face flushed with anger, itching to strangle this idiot.
Seeing Bo Qingqing seemingly shy, he felt even smugger. “Pity we won’t see him again…”
“Won’t see him again later, so seeing him now isn’t late.”
A mocking voice appeared out of nowhere in the carriage.
Hearing the familiar voice, Bo Qingqing’s mind was struck by lightning, instantly blank.
Adjutant Xing’s coffee cup also dropped to the floor. He cursed, “Useless, wasn’t the shielding device on!?”
Staff fumbled in panic, the whole carriage in chaos.
Feeling the vehicle slow, Adjutant Xing drew his gun and cursed, “Why stop? Scared by one sentence to stop?!”
“The convoy ahead stopped.”
Bo Qingqing reacted, expression complex.
Rear vehicles unaware honked discontentedly, some sticking heads out cursing wildly.
Jinfeng Convoy’s off-road vehicles cut in from side roads. Old Xie hadn’t spoken when he saw his four Tier 1 earth wolves all staring toward the convoy front.
“Woo——”
A whale-like whistle sound overpowered all noises.
Like lowering background volume.
A colossal eight-to-nine-meters tall, sixteen-meters wide behemoth materialized in the sandstorm, tracks clattering forward across the street. Black Star Convoy vehicles panicked into building sides, some crashing into adjacent buildings, causing a chain of accidents.
But that was already lucky.
Vehicles crushed under tracks only emitted crunching wails.
In the moment Jiang Rong hesitated, Tier 1 Evolvers from Black Star, Fuyuan, and Jinfeng Convoys had rushed out.
“Is the armored train declaring war on all Zhijin forces?”
A burly bald man stood on a vehicle roof, shouting furiously at the armored train.
Jinfeng President glanced at him, saw it was Fuyuan Convoy’s leader, and held back Old Xie wanting to speak.
Signaled him to watch first.
“Declaring war?”
With this puzzled voice, everyone suddenly felt the pervasive sandstorm weaken, then cease in seconds.
Zhixing main road within hundreds of meters cleared abruptly.
Everyone then saw a black figure squatting on the front of the train, black long hair casually gathered at the back.
A heavy, liquid-like pressure instantly suffocated everyone.
