Chapter 46

Traveling with a large convoy was much more convenient. They didn’t need to stop often to find road signs. When the road was blocked, they didn’t need to get off and clear it themselves. With hundreds of people in the convoy, they could handle it easily.

Moreover, there were so many of them that highway bullies and small robbery gangs wouldn’t dare show up when they saw the convoy.

The journey was incredibly calm.

After traveling with the convoy for a few days, Xue Ling felt like she was on a road trip before the apocalypse.

Wen Jiuze, who was enjoying himself behind the wheel, would only help when there were too many zombies blocking the way.

With so many people in the convoy, the noise they made caused the robbers to retreat, but it attracted the zombies. If they stayed in one place too long, the surrounding zombies would start to gather, drawn by the scent.

Zombies are sensitive to sounds, but even more so to human voices and smells.

Although Xue Ling hadn’t fully turned into a zombie, she wasn’t as sensitive to humans as her peers. She usually only noticed when the zombies around her started getting agitated.

However, the sensation of being followed by zombies is subtle, similar to how a lion can track its prey by scent across the savannah. The fresh traces and smells left behind by people are clear to the zombies.

Therefore, the base usually has to regularly clear out the zombies around it, otherwise it will easily be besieged by zombies. 

In the beginning, many small bases were destroyed due to inexperience.

The downside of a large convoy is that it attracts zombies. Initially, the zombies weren’t too numerous, and the base’s team and hired bodyguards could handle them easily.

But accidents were inevitable. When too many zombies attacked the convoy, some people in the long line made mistakes.

The ordinary people in the convoy, who had been well protected, were so frightened that they couldn’t even run, let alone help with the zombies.

Hearing screams from the convoy ahead, Wen Jiuze grabbed a knife and went to help.

When it came to killing zombies, even the most experienced captain in the team wasn’t as skilled as him.

Arriving at the last car in the convoy, he saw the door wide open. People inside were backing away, screaming in fear, throwing things at the zombie near the door to keep it from moving forward.

Wen Jiuze immediately realized that the door had been left open during a break. When the zombies attacked, the people panicked and failed to close the door, letting the zombies inside. Now, the zombies were blocking the car door and were feeding on the passengers.

Though he hadn’t fought much during the winter, Wen Jiuze was quick to act. Using his strength, he chopped off the heads of the two zombies by the car. He then stepped into the vehicle, grabbed the zombie by the collar, dragged it out, and killed it.

The people in the car were stunned. Their eyes widened in disbelief as they watched him grab zombies with his bare hands and kill them so efficiently.

If they hadn’t seen the struggle others had gone through to kill zombies, they would have thought that zombies were fragile, considering how easily Wen Jiuze dealt with them.

Wen Jiuze arrived just in time. No one in the car was injured, and he slammed the car door shut before rushing to help the others.

The people trapped inside took a while to recover from the shock. They rushed to the window to look outside.

“Isn’t he afraid of zombies? He actually grabbed them with his bare hands!”

“Who is that? Is he part of the convoy? I’ve never seen him before.”

“From the looks of him, he seems to be in the car that’s been following us. I also saw him with a woman earlier. When we were resting, I walked a bit farther and saw the two of them cooking beside their car.”

“Did you see that just now? He is amazing! Why doesn’t someone as skilled as him join the team?”

…

After dealing with a group of zombies, the convoy leader approached Wen Jiuze to thank him.

He had noticed someone following the convoy, but it hadn’t bothered him, so he hadn’t paid much attention. He didn’t expect this person to be so skilled.

“Thank you for helping. If it weren’t for you, several people might have died today. I think it’s not ideal for you to stay in the back car alone. Why don’t you join the convoy? I can help you get the same treatment as the other members. You wouldn’t need to maintain order like us, just help when there are too many zombies. What do you think? If you have any other requests, we can discuss them.”

Wen Jiuze had heard similar offers many times. He casually wiped his dagger and replied, “No need.”

He was simply following the convoy to take advantage of their protection and helping out whenever he could.

Wen Jiuze didn’t like taking advantage of others, and since Xue Ling had seen the group of zombies appear and surround the convoy, she had been looking ahead, seemingly concerned for everyone.

Though she hadn’t asked him to help, Wen Jiuze knew what she was thinking.

After turning down the offer, Wen Jiuze walked back to his car, which was a few dozen meters away from the convoy, under everyone’s watchful gaze.

He tossed the knife onto the seat and ripped off his leather gloves.

When killing zombies, he wore leather gloves to avoid accidentally getting infected through cuts on his hands.

Xue Ling was waiting for him in the car. As soon as she saw him return, she picked up the kettle and reminded him to wash his hands.

“No need, I was wearing gloves and didn’t get any… okay.”

However cold and aloof he was on the outside, back in his own car, he still had to be chased down to clean up.

Wen Jiuze squatted by the car with a kettle, washing his hands and taking a moment to clean off the splatters from killing zombies that had accidentally gotten on him.

“Did anyone get hurt or die in the convoy?” Xue Ling asked through the tablet.

“No, the captain said it was a good thing I showed up when I did.” He stood up, shook off the water on his hands, and jokingly asked, “How was I? Was I good?”

Although a little speechless, Xue Ling still praised him, “Of course, you’re great.”

Wen Jiuze snorted twice. Although his smile was faint, he looked very proud.

Wen Jiuze’s appearance in front of the convoy caused a little trouble.

During a break, a young girl from the convoy up front came over. She was the youngest granddaughter of a wealthy family that was part of the group.

Xue Ling was also sitting outside the car at the time. Since it was just her and Wen Jiuze, she hadn’t bothered with a mask or glasses. The moment she saw someone approaching, she quickly covered her face and hurried to hide inside the car.

Wen Jiuze stood up, his tall figure blocking her from view, and said to the girl who had approached too eagerly, “Stay back, don’t come any closer.”

The girl’s smile froze. She held up what she was carrying, looking hurt, and said, “Why are you so harsh? I came to thank you for your help earlier.”

“No need. Leave now,” Wen Jiuze said, feeling Xue Ling lean against his back. His tone grew more impatient.

The girl ran away crying.

Once the girl was gone, Wen Jiuze returned to his seat and found Xue Ling silently staring at him.

“Why? Were you scared by the girl who suddenly ran over?” he asked.

Xue Ling shook her head. She was thinking about how popular Wen Jiuze must be in the apocalypse, not only because of his looks but also because of the power he exuded.

It was hard not to admire him after seeing him kill zombies, especially when one lacked that ability. People would yearn for his strength.

“Do many people like you?” Xue Ling asked.

“You’re wrong. No one likes me. More people are afraid of me or dislike me,” Wen Jiuze replied.

“Why is that?”

“Because even if they feel some attraction at first, I scare them away quickly, and that initial feeling turns into dislike.”

Wen Jiuze had a simple meal and lazily sat next to Xue Ling.

Xue Ling seemed skeptical. “No way, you’re not that scary.”

Wen Jiuze didn’t say much.

If he had to explain, he would say that he wasn’t as patient or kind with others as he was with her. He hated wasting time on others, so he was always very harsh and indifferent. Every word felt like a subtle confession.

He only said, “You should know that not everyone has a good temper like you. Think about the times I made you angry. It’s normal for me to be disliked.”

Xue Ling: “…” That’s true.

Not long after the girl left, her brother came to apologize. He said his sister was young and didn’t know any better and that there might have been a misunderstanding.

This time, Wen Jiuze didn’t let him get close and drove him away, saying bluntly, “Come near me again, and I promise I won’t help you next time.”

The man walked away with a pale face. Before he left, he forced a smile and said, “Sorry to bother you.”

Wen Jiuze pointed at his back as he walked away and said to Xue Ling, “See? He’s probably cursing me for being eccentric, moody, and unfriendly.”

“Now you see why I said many people dislike me.”

Xue Ling nodded.

She understood. It wasn’t that people hated Wen Jiuze, but rather that Wen Jiuze hated people. He refused to engage with them and rejected any possibility of forming relationships.

Once the two people who had tried to get closer were dismissed, everything returned to normal. No one from the convoy came to disturb them, and both groups continued on peacefully.

As they headed north, the weather should have been getting colder, but spring was moving faster than expected, and the temperature was still rising day by day.

Xue Ling could no longer wear her thick cotton-padded jacket that covered her from head to toe, as it would only make her look even stranger and attract more attention.

To avoid being discovered as a zombie by the convoy ahead, Xue Ling rarely left the car during the day and only stepped out for some fresh air at night.

There were troubles when traveling alone and troubles when traveling with a group.

It is not completely free, but they are advancing very quickly. In just two months, they have reached the northern region.

Looking around, Xue Ling observed that the biggest difference between the North and their side was the absence of small bases.

Around Anxi City and Yu City, there are many small bases. Some are roughly the size of a residential area but can still be considered bases.

These small bases vary in quality, with loose management, often leading to sensational tragedies.

However, in the North, it is rare to see such small bases. While there are fewer bases overall, each one is relatively large.

The convoy had been traveling for ten days or even half a month. There were no living people on the road, only zombies. Finally, they reached the first base upon entering the North, and the ordinary people in the convoy were nearly in tears of joy.

Although they hadn’t reached their destination yet, they were thrilled to encounter living people. It felt wonderful to see a human base after passing through the long stretch of roaming zombies.

After such a long journey, it was inevitable that there would be casualties among the convoy. Some people had fallen ill and died on the road, and several were killed by zombies. The atmosphere grew heavier.

When traveling outside, vigilance was essential. If you wandered too far from the convoy, there might be a zombie hiding under a car on the side of the road, ready to spring up and attack. Most people wouldn’t have time to react before it was too late.

The people in the convoy were excited as they made their way into the base, requesting repairs. Wen Jiuze, who had been following behind, drove the car to the outskirts of the base and stopped in a dangerous area where zombies frequently appeared.

Xue Ling watched the convoy drive through the gate of the base, then turned back to look at Wen Jiuze and comforted him:

“It’s okay. With me here, you can sleep peacefully tonight.”