Annie notified everyone that the Red Alert system covered every Red Alert unit. With just one command, all Red Alert soldiers could be made aware.
Xu Qiang and Wang Zhan, the two of them rushed out into the rain towards the parking lot. They started up a vehicle and returned to the entrance of the cafeteria.
One was a three-wheeled motorcycle, the other an off-road vehicle called a Lynx.
When Xiao Fan walked out, the soldiers had already loaded several bags of prepared food into the back of the Lynx.
This vehicle was nimble, but unfortunately the load capacity was too small. It could only carry this much food.
When the survivors saw Xiao Fan was leaving, they immediately ran over and gathered around him, babbling away as they tried to get him to take them along.
Xiao Fan looked back at the survivors: "I'm going to an area with even more zombies to carry out a mission. Are you sure you want to go with me?"
Hearing this, they all shut their mouths. They had wanted to tag along in order to stay alive. What did carrying out a mission have to do with them?
It would be better to stay in this cafeteria. At the very least there was food and drink here, and they could hold out for a couple months.
Not everyone thought this way, like old man Tianyuan Boss for example. He felt that Xiao Fan and the others must be trying to leave the city, and were just making excuses not to be followed.
He wanted to leave, but Xiao Fan didn't seem very approachable, so he didn't speak up.
Just as Xiao Fan was about to get in the vehicle, Xiao Tian came over dragging the corpse of the dead Mastiff, barking a few times.
"Commander, it seems Xiao Tian wants us to bring the dog's corpse along."
Xiao Fan glanced at Xiao Tian and nodded: "Then bring it. I trust Xiao Tian."
The two soldiers forcibly stuffed the Mastiff corpse into the back.
"No lights. We have a map, don't give off any light."
Xiao Fan looked back once more at the cafeteria. He didn't know if he would ever return to Shenhai after this trip, but he probably wouldn't be coming back here.
His gaze fell upon old man Tianyuan Boss. Xiao Fan suddenly jumped down from the vehicle again and went to stand in front of him.
Under the other's astonished gaze, Xiao Fan stretched out his left hand in a handshake gesture.
Tianyuan Boss was somewhat flattered. Although he wasn't used to shaking with the left hand, Xiao Fan had a gun on him. Naturally he would give him face. Perhaps he could say something nice and this young officer would take him along when they left.
After they shook hands, Xiao Fan swiftly pulled back both hands.
With a click, the gold watch on Tianyuan Boss's wrist came off.
Xiao Fan tucked the gold watch into his pocket and turned to get back into the vehicle: "Move out!"
The vehicle roared and swiftly left the hospital!
Tianyuan Boss stared dumbfounded at his empty wrist as rainwater streamed down his face to the corners of his mouth, leaving a faint salty taste. There was also a slight heat.
He had thought they were going to shake hands, but instead this soldier had smoothly stolen his several hundred thousand yuan gold watch. Was this how soldiers behaved?
But this person was clearly strong in martial force, so he didn't dare curse out loud. Amidst the sound of rain, only he could hear his own mumbled words.
"I bought a watch last year.....I bought a watch last year....."
********
Exchanging that gold watch for over 150 gold had also improved Xiao Fan's mood.
The Lynx drove up front with Xu Qiang at the wheel and Xiao Fan in the passenger seat, directing their advance using the map. Four infantrymen sat in the back.
Further back was the three-wheeled motorcycle driven by Wang Zhan, with one infantryman riding pillion. The military dog Xiao Tian sat cockily in the sidecar.
Rain poured noisily down as the vehicles left the hospital gates.
No need for headlights, the map showed everything within a hundred meter radius. As long as Xiao Fan was here, the other Red Alert soldiers could also share this map.
Automatically avoiding obstacles, the vehicles forged ahead arduously along the road edges.
Their target was the northwest, where the Bao River was located.
When they passed the first zombie by the roadside, Xiao Fan involuntarily held his breath and concentrated his attention.
Ten meters away, the zombie showed no reaction!
Eight meters, still no reaction!
Not until they reached five meters did Xiao Fan, who had been observing the zombie the entire time, notice it slowly twist its head to look in their direction.
The vehicles raced past. The zombie seemed to have noticed something, shuffled its feet to take a step, but was soon lost again amidst the sound of rain and stood bewildered in its original spot.
"It's confirmed that the rain has a significant impact on zombies outdoors. Initial confirmation of safe distance, five meters."
This was during a downpour. Xiao Fan estimated that if it hadn't been pouring, the safe distance would be even greater.
"Speed up. Take any road you can and get through as fast as possible. We don't know when this storm will end. We have to reach the riverside before daybreak."
The vehicles revved up in power and began quickly advancing.
Quick was a relative term here, as some sections of road had sidewalks that could be traversed while other areas were completely blocked off by vehicles even on the sidewalks.
Luckily his eight soldiers were strong enough that for smaller obstructing vehicles, they could push them out of the way when working together.
For vehicles they really couldn't budge, they used the Lynx to ram through.
Whenever this happened, the military dog Xiao Tian would play a sentry role. As soon as any zombie came near, it would swiftly pounce and kill the zombie in the shortest amount of time.
Due to the rain, zombies farther away could barely make out the commotion here, and thus were unable to form a horde to surround them.
Although the journey was extremely bumpy, they managed to safely travel four kilometers without incident.
It took a full five hours to travel those four kilometers!
It was now 5 AM in the morning.
Standing atop the vehicle, Xiao Fan could vaguely make out the distant white glimmer of the wide river.
Just one more kilometer and they would reach the riverside.
But then Xiao Fan suddenly realized the rain was letting up!
If not for the weakening rain, there was no way he could have seen the great river from a kilometer away given the dark pre-dawn light.
"Oh no! The rain is stopping!"