Chapter 86: Happy Farm
“We should first go to the farm to scout, see what the situation is, terrain and location and such.” Number 3 Leather Jacket man spoke up.
“Yeah, to avoid wandering around like headless flies later.” Lingering Fear added, “But we’ll still follow everyone’s opinion.”
Number 9 and a few players who wanted to stay exchanged a glance, all somewhat silent, and finally Number 9 spoke up,
“How about splitting into two teams? We’ll guard this camp. It’s desolate here, and there’s no other place to spend the night.”
The minibus was indeed the best choice. When night came, at least it was a shelter.
Anyway, how much reward this instance could yield in the end depended on one’s own performance. Those who didn’t want to go could just stay here and wait for messages—no problem, right?
“Alright.” Leather Jacket man nodded.
It might not be safe here, but they had already made it clear they wanted to stay, waiting for others to scout first—saying more wouldn’t help.
No one was familiar with this single-player instance; how they chose was their own business.
Yu Jiang didn’t speak, just stood with the team going to the farm. As a doomsday scavenger, knowing there was a farm ahead, how could she sit still?
Go, must go!
Not taking supplies when available would be too agonizing.
Just like that, the 10 people split into two teams.
Numbers 6, 7, 8, and 9—four players—stayed on the minibus to guard, while the remaining six followed the only road forward to explore.
The way was exceptionally barren, damp dry grass swaying in the cold wind, dense green plants in the distance obscuring the view.
Not to mention the farmhouse—not even half a roof tile was seen. The asphalt road underfoot, long untended by humans, was the only proof of human presence.
After walking half an hour, from feeling a bit cold to sweating all over, they hadn’t seen a single ghost shadow. But they had picked up quite a few dry branches from the ground.
“If the instance could stay this safe the whole time, that wouldn’t be bad.” Number 2 Big Sister smiled, carefully putting away the dry branches like treasures. “Firewood is pretty valuable now too.”
“Yeah. If we could dig up some wild vegetables, that’d be great. Not sure if there are any bamboo shoots here—wonder if there’s bamboo.” Number 10 Uncle sat resting on a roadside stone.
Yu Jiang suddenly spotted a piece of metal peeking out from the fallen leaves and wild grass on the ground.
She hurried over and used a wooden stick to poke it open—it was a car fragment with silver-gray paint, edges rusted.
Nearby was a broken road sign with the words ‘Happy Farm’, plus an arrow pointing front-left.
The others saw her actions and gathered around.
“It’s the shell next to the front wheel. Looks like it flipped sideways or hit something, fell off some years ago—edges are all brittle and crumbly.” Leather Jacket said.
Everyone searched nearby again and found more car fragments. The car paint matched the same vehicle, no doubt—it looked badly wrecked.
The main body was further back, already covered by weeds, grass even growing under the seats.
No telling what this car had been through—the car front was smashed almost flat like paper, completely torn apart in four pieces, no corpses seen.
No useful clues either. Everyone stopped wasting time, packed up the wood they’d picked, and continued forward.
Since they’d already seen the road sign, the farm wouldn’t be too far from here.
After walking about a kilometer, they saw another road sign—this time just a rundown wooden sign, words scrawled crookedly in red paint, giving an uncomfortable feeling just looking at it.
“Wasn’t the farm supposed to be here? Where’s the road?” Aftershock frowned.
Yu Jiang pointed to the front left—a weed-choked opening in cracked cement ground, exposing yellow mud beneath.
Waist-high weeds and shrubs, growing wildly untended, so that small path wasn’t visually obvious.
“Finally found it.” Aftershock took a deep breath.
Everyone checked their equipment again—mainly weapons and meds—then prepared to step onto that rundown, hidden small path.
Meanwhile, on the minibus.
The four players had sat inside the vehicle, door deliberately left ajar to keep watch on outside movements at all times.
Of course, they’d also arranged shifts, taking turns at the door position to guard.
Only one road, but this location wasn’t great—the minibus had no obstructions nearby, and they couldn’t see into the trees and grassland.
Guard outside the vehicle? Too obvious a target. Inside, they had blind spots.
At first everyone was very vigilant, restless on the vehicle, constantly standing up, getting off to circle around, afraid something might suddenly jump out.
Half an hour passed—calm and still.
One hour passed—nothing happened.
Two hours passed—it was already 2 p.m., the group scouting the farm hadn’t returned, not a sound around.
Besides wind rustling leaves and wild grass, and the minibus sheet metal creaking, just their own voices talking.
“So long and they haven’t come back, no one speaking in the instance channel either—did they find supplies?”
Number 6 player hesitated to speak, “Should we ask?”
The last exchanged message was from several dozen minutes ago—they’d said everything normal here, the other side said they’d found the farm entrance, still some road to go before arriving, situation unknown for now.
“Sure, ask. It’s been so long—they should have reached the farm by now. No idea what supplies are inside.”
Number 9 player said, then sent a message in the instance channel.
Though he really didn’t want to adventure, the instance monsters were clearly in the farm—outside, even wandering ones wouldn’t be too many.
But he was truly envious of the farm supplies, also afraid that team would get benefits and not tell them.
Not one of the four was unmoved by getting fewer supplies—they all wanted intel from the other team.
But the message sent, waited several minutes—like a stone sinking into the sea, no response.
Number 9 player sent another, waited a bit—still no reaction.
Just now they’d been glad to stay on the minibus for shelter from wind and rain, sitting pretty comfortably—now they were getting anxious.
Everyone stared at the instance channel, scrolling up again and again. Number 8 short-haired female player couldn’t help saying,
“Those six wouldn’t have planned it, deliberately not giving us messages? Or did they run into trouble?”
Number 9 player pondered a moment. “With that many people, and Number 3 Leather Jacket’s vehicle not bad, unlikely they’d get wiped without sending any message, right? More likely temporarily held up unable to reply, or not wanting to share.”
“Then we wait a bit more first, decide later whether to go or keep staying on the vehicle?” Number 8 player’s inquiring gaze turned to the others.
Everyone nodded—and right then, suddenly, two clear clanging sounds came into the vehicle.
The sounds were very close to them, like from the vehicle rear—unclear what made them.
The four instantly looked grave, hands simultaneously on weapons. Number 9 player lightened footsteps and breathing, heading to the last row.
There was a large windshield there, could see outside.
Number 9 player stood on the last row seats; one person each at the left and right windows watching, someone also watching the front windshield.
