Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

"What?!"

"Taking the train?! You...you've already paid your 'ticket'?!"

Wang Xiao's yawn froze halfway down his face, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at Xu Xiaoyan. He then turned to look at Xie Yingtang, as if he had heard something unbelievable. Although Xie Yingtang was composed, a flash of great surprise crossed his eyes. He had clearly not expected Xu Xiaoyan to act so quickly and to have completed the transaction on her own.

Wang Xiao suddenly grabbed Xu Xiaoyan's arm, his voice trembling with surprise, "Xiaoyan! What did you use to make the deal?"

Seeing the two people's shocked expressions, Xu Xiaoyan smiled and said with a hint of relief, "It's cigarettes. Luckily, he was willing to accept this. If he had asked for a large amount of food or other supplies that we urgently need, I really wouldn't have been able to provide them in time." She casually glossed over the source of the cigarettes.

Xie Yingtang took a deep breath and quickly processed the information. He looked at Xu Xiaoyan with gratitude in his eyes. "Xiaoyan, thank you so much this time. Consider these two packs of cigarettes as a loan from you. We'll definitely find a way to pay you back when we have the chance." His tone was very serious.

Xu Xiaoyan waved her hand, indicating that he didn't need to worry about it. Then, her expression turned serious, and she raised a more crucial question: "Now we have a choice in front of us. After we reach the next survivor base, should we stop here and settle down there, or..." She paused, her gaze sweeping over the two of them, "or follow that Jiang Shan and continue to Linchuan? He quoted a price. If we go to Linchuan, the three of us will need to pay another six packs of cigarettes. I'd like to hear your opinions."

Wang Xiao scratched his head and looked at Xie Yingtang.

Xie Yingtang was silent for a moment, his gaze drifting to the faint outline of military vehicles in the distance before returning to Xu Xiaoyan and Wang Xiao. He slowly spoke, "The situation at the next base is unclear, and it might not be much better than our previous ordeal. Since Linchuan is the largest base in the country, its order, resources, and security should theoretically be the highest. Although the cost is considerable, it's worth the gamble." He paused, then looked at Xu Xiaoyan, "Do you have six packs of cigarettes left?"

Wang Xiao immediately chimed in, "I think Lao Xie is right! Instead of struggling in a small place, why not try our luck in the biggest place! Xiao Yan, do you have enough cigarettes? If so, let's go to Linchuan!"

Xu Xiaoyan herself preferred to go to Linchuan. Now that her companions agreed, she stopped hesitating and nodded decisively, "Okay! Since you all agree, let's go to Linchuan together! Luckily, I brought a carton of cigarettes with me, which should be enough."

The target was set! Without further delay, the three quickly gathered up their belongings scattered on the ground, walked through the crowd of people sitting or lying down, and headed straight for the third-to-last military truck in the middle of the convoy.

When they arrived at the back of the train, Jiang Shan was waiting there. Upon seeing them, he simply nodded slightly, gesturing for them to board. The carriage was covered with a dark green canvas awning, and the light was somewhat dim. The three of them grabbed the cold railings one by one and climbed up with some difficulty.

The scene inside the carriage was better than they had expected. Most of the space was occupied by armed soldiers who leaned against the carriage walls, some resting with their eyes closed, others talking in hushed tones. Their discipline was evident. Only in a small area near the rear of the carriage were seven or eight ordinary civilians like them sitting scattered around. They all looked exhausted, but compared to the people walking outside, they showed less despair and fear.

Seeing that the proportion of soldiers in the vehicle was dominant, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief. With so many soldiers present, the basic order and safety inside the vehicle should be guaranteed, and at least they didn't have to worry about being robbed or harassed by other survivors on the vehicle.

The forced march of a day and a night had already exhausted their physical strength and energy. Now, in a relatively safe environment where they did not have to move themselves, a heavy sense of fatigue swept over them like a tsunami, almost drowning them.

Without much conversation or even a glance at the carriage, the three of them tacitly sat down in an empty seat near the back of the train, a little further away from other passengers, clutching their heavy backpacks tightly to their chests or using them as pillows.

Xu Xiaoyan was soon enveloped by an even stronger drowsiness. She adjusted her position, made sure her backpack was safe, and then closed her eyes.

Wang Xiao almost fell asleep the moment his head hit his backpack and started snoring softly. Xie Yingtang was also extremely tired, but he still managed to stay awake and scan the situation inside the carriage, especially the condition of the passengers. After confirming that there was nothing unusual for the time being, he slowly closed his eyes.

The bumpy ride as the car came to a stop woke the three of them from their deep sleep. Xu Xiaoyan rubbed her eyes and glanced at her watch in the dim light filtering through the gaps in the carriage. It was seven o'clock in the afternoon. They had actually slept for almost a whole day in the car. The long sleep had made their stiff bodies a little sore, but their mental fatigue had vanished.

Wang Xiao was the first to stretch out, his joints cracking softly. He let out a long sigh of relief, a long-lost sense of ease on his face. "Phew—finally a good night's sleep! My bones are practically melting from all that sleep. Let's hurry and take a walk around before it gets completely dark."

The suggestion was immediately agreed upon by Xie Yingtang and Xu Xiaoyan. There was no point in sitting in the car waiting for dawn; they had to actively find food to replenish their reserves.

Xu Xiaoyan jumped out of the car first, found Jiang Shan who was checking the tires next to the car, and confirmed that they would depart on time at six o'clock the next morning.

After receiving the confirmation, the three of them did not delay any longer and immediately left the area where the convoy was temporarily stationed. Looking around, the convoy was parked in a relatively open valley, with the silhouettes of rolling black mountains on both sides. At this time, the sky was almost completely dark, with only a crescent moon casting a cold and weak light, barely outlining the contours of the environment.

Xu Xiaoyan took out an old-fashioned flashlight from her backpack (actually from her spatial storage), pressed the switch, and a dim beam of light pierced the darkness, becoming their only source of light. "Let's go, watch your step," she whispered, as the beam swept across the uneven ground ahead.

With no better option, the three decided to venture up the nearest mountain. Using the limited light from their flashlights, they began to climb. The night forest was full of unknowns. The loose rocks and tangled tree roots underfoot caused them to stumble from time to time. The flashlights could only illuminate a limited area. All around them was boundless darkness and the rustling of leaves in the wind. In the distance, the occasional cry of an unknown owl added to the eeriness.

They searched every nook and cranny that might hold food—under trees, in rock crevices, in withered grass—but after more than an hour, all they could see were withered yellow grass swaying in the night wind, bare tree branches, and some inedible ferns. There was not a trace of the wild fruits, fungi, or small animals they had imagined.