Chapter 50: Eerie Villagers

The broken section of the bridge was jagged, with fragments of steel and concrete still protruding from both sides.

With the expressway impassable, they had no choice but to find an alternate route. After consulting the map for a while, they saw that if they drove back about ten kilometers and exited the expressway, there was a road that could bypass the bridge.

“It’s a bit strange,” Fu Jingmo said, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. “Why would the bridge be broken? Who has time to blow up a bridge while fleeing?”

Lin Mu looked up and saw that the gap indeed looked like it had been caused by an explosion, which explained the scattered debris on the road.

But with only one alternate route available, they had no other choice.

“Let’s go. It doesn’t matter. Whoever should be afraid might not even know what’s coming,” Fu Jingmo said lazily, turning his gaze to the window.

His demeanor, seen by Lin Mu, was impressive. Fu Jingmo faced everything with an unstoppable confidence, making nothing seem like a big deal.

He Ze got out of the car to inform the people in the bus of the situation and instructed the driver to turn around.

Lin Mu reversed a bit, bypassed the bus, and took the lead, guiding them back the way they came.

In less than half an hour, they reached the location indicated on the map. The road sign at the exit was tilted and barely legible.

This road was in poor condition, originally just an ordinary highway but now unusually fragmented.

The sides were full of cracks. Lin Mu’s car could manage by staying in the middle, but the bus behind, driven skillfully by Old Zhang, struggled more.

The heat was oppressive, and the car windows were wide open. Lin Mu looked outside. On both sides of the road, waist-high wild grass swayed in the wind.

Apart from their two vehicles, there were no signs of life. The world had become so silent that if not for his companions, Lin Mu might have wondered if he was the only person left.

Ahead, they encountered a river, and looking up, they saw the broken bridge above. This road ran right beneath the highway bridge.

The road was strewn with chunks of concrete that had fallen from the bridge above, creating numerous potholes.

Lin Mu slowly brought the car to a stop. If they cleared the debris, they might be able to pass.

However, he turned to Fu Jingmo, and they exchanged a glance—there were people.

In the grass on both sides, Lin Mu keenly sensed the presence of others. The exact number was unknown, but they were hidden.

But with Fu Jingmo by his side, Lin Mu wasn’t afraid.

Fu Jingmo raised an eyebrow, opened the car door, and stepped out with his long legs, walking over to the bus.

He knocked on the bus door with a laid-back, almost rogue demeanor. Old Zhang opened the door. “What’s up, Mr. Fu?”

“There are rocks on the road ahead. All the men need to get out and clear them.”

Though he and Lin Mu could easily clear the debris, some signs on the roadside made him want to take a closer look.

The miners all got off the bus and obediently started moving the rocks.

Lin Mu and Fu Jingmo sat on a large stone by the roadside, watching.

He Ze scratched his head, got off the bus, and glanced at the rocks. “What’s up, Brother Fu? Isn’t this just… mmph, mmph.”

Lin Mu stuffed a piece of biscuit into He Ze’s mouth, giving him a sidelong look to indicate he should stay quiet.

He Ze chewed the biscuit. Hmm, it was pretty good—chocolate-flavored.

After swallowing the biscuit, He Ze leaned in closer and lowered his voice, “What’s going on?”

“Just wait, there are people here,” Lin Mu replied.

As soon as he finished speaking, a few sturdy men emerged from the grass, not as fierce-looking as Lin Mu had imagined.

“Hey there, guys. Stuck, are you? Need a hand?”

The four men wore simple linen clothes and army-green rubber shoes, carrying hoes and wicker backpacks. They placed their backpacks on the roadside, revealing some sweet potatoes and potatoes inside.

Seeing the newcomers, the miners, equally simple in appearance, smiled. “Sure, big brothers, give us a hand. Some of these rocks are pretty heavy.”

The newcomers tossed their hoes aside and eagerly helped move the stones, while Lin Mu, Fu Jingmo, and He Ze watched quietly.

After helping move a couple of rocks, one of the men, dressed in a blue cloth shirt, couldn’t contain his curiosity. He walked over, wiping sweat from his neck with a towel, and squatted next to them. Recognizing that these three were the leaders, he wisely chose to address the seemingly approachable Lin Mu.

“Hi, young brother, my name is Zhou Fuyou. Where are you headed? How are things outside?”

His gaze was simple and pure, just like that of an ordinary villager.

Lin Mu turned his head and smiled, “Brother Zhou, we’re trying to get to Wushi. The bridge up there collapsed, so we had to take this road.”

“Oh, that bridge just collapsed a couple of days ago. The noise was terrifying. We live in the valley behind those mountains and didn’t dare come out to see. It’s only today that we came out to dig up some of our potatoes,” Zhou Fuyou explained, pointing to the mountains behind him.

Lin Mu turned to look. Indeed, between the two large mountains, there was a hidden area, likely where they lived.

“We live in a village called Zhaoshan Village. Hardly anyone ever comes by. We’ve heard that the outside world is full of those living dead, it’s dreadful.”

Lin Mu nodded and continued the conversation, “Yes, it’s terrifying outside right now. You seem to be safe here in the mountains.”

“Yes, yes, exactly. It must have been tough for you coming from outside. If you don’t mind, why don’t you rest at our village for a day? We just dug up some potatoes and sweet potatoes, and we could have them for dinner.”

Zhou Fuyou’s face was full of enthusiasm, his expression one of genuine concern. If they were ordinary people who had been walking for days, they would likely be tempted by the offer of food and shelter in the village.

“Hey, we’re all from Z Country. In tough times, we need to help each other out.”

Lin Mu glanced at Fu Jingmo, then at the miners moving rocks ahead, and asked, “Everyone tired? How about we rest at Brother Zhou’s village for the night?”

Brother Zhou gave everyone a sincere smile, “Our village has plenty of homegrown vegetables, and we’ve got some cured meats and sausages. If you don’t mind, you can stay with us for a night. We’re all family, and we need to support each other in these times.”

Hearing about cured meats and sausages, the miners, who had been a bit hesitant, suddenly lit up. Since the apocalypse, they had been surviving on wild vegetables in the mine.

The thought of savory cured meat with rice made their mouths water immediately.

Understanding that the final decision lay with Lin Mu and his group, the miners all turned their gaze toward the three of them who were sitting on the rock.

“Alright, Brother Zhou is so hospitable. Everyone, get back in the bus and gather your things. We’ll rest at the village tonight and set off again tomorrow,” 

Lin Mu said, standing up from the rock. He then turned to Old Zhang, “Find a flat spot and park the vehicles in the grass.”

The miners, delighted, happily got back on the bus to gather their belongings, which were mainly the weapons Lin Mu had instructed them to always keep with them.

He Ze was utterly confused. No way, no way, even he could tell there was something off about these people. Were Mumu and Brother Fu crazy, or had they lost their minds? Why were they following these people?

Could it be that they were craving the cured meat???