Chapter 910: Blow It Up and Leave
Was it because they felt most people were already dead, and the remaining few weren't worth the trouble to save, so they simply let them go extinct, letting the epidemic disappear naturally?
Or was it that there simply weren't any effective medicines or vaccines for ordinary people?
If it was the former, the complex and dangerous terrain and the sparse, scattered population might not be worth the risk, but that would contradict the actions of W11 Base City and other base cities working together to find antibodies, which was clearly inconsistent.
Even a young man like him, who had become a player, naturally wouldn't sit by and watch his own family die.
From this perspective, only the second reason seemed plausible.
"Didn't you look for medicine for your family?" Xu Huo asked.
"Of course I did." A hint of disbelief appeared on the young player's face, but he couldn't say much more.
"You're not sure if the medicine you used had any effect." Xu Huo finished his sentence.
"I gave them all the suitable medicines I found, but the patches didn't disappear either." The young player said. "Just like those who were originally infected but didn't die."
This made it impossible to know whether they had naturally resisted the virus or if the medicine had worked. The abandoned base city also lacked the conditions for experimentation, so this matter remained unresolved.
"That's why I have to go to W37 Base City." The young player said.
Since Base City 37 was accepting infected natives, perhaps they had made progress on a targeted medicine or vaccine.
The aroma of rice drifted in from outside. The three children couldn't help but look out. Xu Huo said, "I have a few companions outside. If you want a ride, come out after you eat. I'll wait twenty minutes for you."
The young player looked at him in surprise, as if he couldn't believe he was letting it go so easily—no conditions, no asking for much practically useful information.
Actually, he didn't need to ask; their situation was clear at a glance. The young player had come specifically to take his family away, so he must have prepared ample food and water. Yet now they were starving in the desert. He must have shared some food with other natives, but the desert road was hard to travel. Maybe they got lost, maybe they used food to lure away enemies or hunters—in any case, they ended up in their current predicament.
When Xu Huo walked out of the archway, Ding Wei and Zhao Jiahui were approaching the vehicle from left and right. Neither dared to take off their protective suits under the scorching sun. While out looking for the way, their sweat had evaporated and re-formed countless times. When they returned, their faces were red and their lips pale, completely losing the calm composure they had when they first got off the car.
As soon as they got into the car, they couldn't wait to take off their protective suits and enjoy the air conditioning. Shangguan Xi in the front seat was talking to Xu Huo, "What's the situation up ahead?"
Xu Huo also took off his sweat-soaked protective suit, wrung out the water, and tossed it into the luggage compartment. "We're going to pick up a few people heading to W37 Base City."
No threat meant they were ordinary people?
Ding and Zhao, who had been roasted by the desert, became even more opinionated. "We don't know how many more days we'll be in the desert. Where would we get that much food and water for them... unless they have some?"
"A few kids." Xu Huo said. "We're going the same way anyway. Giving them a ride is no big deal. I'll cover the food and water."
Since he said that, the two in the back had nothing more to say. They had enough self-awareness to know that even if Xu Huo didn't share his food with others, he wouldn't share it with them either.
Shangguan Xi first asked Teacher Ai how many more days they had to travel. After getting a vague answer of three days, she turned to Xu Huo and said, "What's the big deal? A few kids won't eat much. Brother Xu, if you run short, I can chip in some."
Xu Huo nodded and smiled. "We've all just reached C-rank. Like you said, helping each other is only right."
Shangguan Xi glared at the two in the back seat who were eavesdropping before saying, "With Brother Xu saying that, I feel at ease."
Not long after, the archway disappeared. The woman, carrying the young player, led the three children toward the car.
"Let them sit in the last section." Ding Wei said.
Once they were on board, Xu Huo said to Teacher Ai, "Let's go."
The car started moving again. Having a guide who knew the way was indeed much more convenient. That afternoon, they passed through two areas active with mutants, but because they were prepared, they suffered little loss. Moreover, they found a good place to rest before the night's sandstorm arrived.
"You can drive the car into my prop space." The young player—Gao Chunfeng—voluntarily offered, taking out the archway.
Hiding inside the prop space within the archway could indeed avoid the wind and sand. This was better than having to move positions every time they rested, and it also allowed for early warnings.
Ding Wei and Zhao Jiahui each ate their own food, while Xu Huo's group cooked together. Because they had vegetables, Gao Chunling, who was good at cooking, even stir-fried two dishes.
This was different from the food Xu Huo had given her, but Gao Chunling said, "The kids don't eat much. Making less means we can have more meals."
Although players often ate on the go, they could always get a decent meal on the train. Xu Huo and Shangguan Xi barely touched the food, letting the kids have it all.
The three children, who took their mother's surname Gao, were named Gao Xiayang, Gao Xiayun, and Gao Xiayu. After getting permission from the adults, they wolfed down the food.
Teacher Ai at the same table was very quiet. The adults also looked away one after another.
They rested in the dining area for the night. Ding Wei chose a spot close to Gao Chunfeng and quietly struck up a conversation with him. But Gao Chunfeng was injured, and soon his eyelids drooped from exhaustion, responding to her questions only half-heartedly.
Ding Wei talked to herself for a while, and when she got no response, she stopped wasting her time.
The night passed without incident. Early the next morning, Xu Huo and the others got into the car first. Once Gao Chunfeng put away his prop, the car sped out of the falling sand area.
The wind was lighter that day, so the car moved faster. Around noon, a prone figure appeared ahead on the road.
The refraction of high-temperature air created visual illusions. As the car approached, the figure seemed to be moving, yet also seemed not to be moving—alive or dead, it was unclear.
Teacher Ai slowed down, but Gao Chunfeng in the back quickly said, "Don't get out of the car no matter what! That's human bait!"
It sounded unbelievable, but there were indeed people living in this desert area, making a living by robbing passersby.
Shangguan Xi said incredulously, "With the skill to rob players, they might as well go to a base city. What's the point of this?"
"Not everyone is willing to accept handouts from others." Teacher Ai suddenly spoke, then added, "There's probably a trap ahead. Should we change course?"
"No change of course." Xu Huo opened the car door, stepped out for a few seconds, then came back. He signaled Teacher Ai to drive. Suddenly, an explosion occurred in the middle of the sand area ahead. The shockwave sent sand waves surging in all directions. The towering waves were like a tsunami breaking open. A piercing alarm sounded inside the car. Teacher Ai instinctively wanted to turn the wheel.
Glancing at the figure ahead that had already gotten up and was running away, Xu Huo said, "Keep going forward."
(Chapter End)