Chapter 57—Gas Station stand-off

by Bocchan13

It came as no surprise to anyone that they were being followed. Wang Cheng and Lu Jingxiu acted as look-outs, trying to span their spiritual energy outwards. The enemy was very well hidden, and seemed to be following them on foot. It was unlikely to be a high level zombie, so it was a most probably a person with passive abilities.

Song Yu took out his temperature detector, trying to see any movement. But like a satellite resonance, the detector jammed.

“Is this a trap?” Everyone was getting into their zone, which starkly contrasted to their joyful conversation an hour ago.

Lu Jingxiu saw a car coming at their side, his voice dangerously low.

“Yeah.”

“Be careful of any spike strips.” The landscape was not the greenery of the mountains anymore, rather than barren desert. The orangey-red roads were surfaced with sandy rocks, easily hiding traps.

The gas station was currently no man’s land, and hasn’t dried up quite yet because there were only small bases around. Some had actually tried, but the gas station was smack-dab in the middle of three small bases that chose to just share it, only as a peaceful alliance.

So people from each three bases took charge in protecting it. Song Yu saw people holding guns at the gas station as well as a lookout barn in the south-east. He could see only eight people, excluding the ones in the cars and the ones hiding.

Yu Ci slowly came to a stop, right when several dirty people came out from seemingly nowhere. Lan Zhou had dealt with many of these kinds of people. They wanted profit, and would get it by any means necessary.

Lan Zhou got out, his clean rubber suit, sparkling weapons and washed hair was a stark contrast to the dirty people. Some of them eyed his suit greedily, whilst others looked at the beautiful gun and baton strapped on his lean thighs.

A young boy who had on a thin shirt, his ribs poking through whistled highly. The whistle echoed, showing that the young boy had a sound ability. Not even a second later, someone came out of the gas station store.

A man in a long coat came out. Dirtied with brown and black spots and sporting a grizzled beard and yellow teeth. He had sunken sallow eyes and a vest, tying his look to look like a bad western. He looked to be in his mid-40’s, but you could see the muscled bulging from under his coat.

“Well what do we have here? You guys are looking pretty well for someone in the apocalypse.”

His deep voice was accented with A country’s northern dialect, but easily understood. Lan Zhou nodded his head.

“We want no trouble. We’re willing to pay for the gas. Negotiations are possible.”

The man rubbed his chin, flakes of something coming out of his beard. He smiled, cocking his head to one side.

“And what are you willing to sell? Your car is more valuable than your life, those pretty wheels can be taken off to sell and…” The grizzly man looked Lan Zhou up and down, noting down his handsome features.

“You can be sold off for a pretty penny as well.”

Lan Zhou smiled.

“I can sell you information.”

The man guffawed, poking his little finger in his nose.

“What info do you have that we don’t already know? This gas station is already taken by three bases. I’m gonna be nice and let you guys go with the clothes on your back. But…the car and everything inside stays with me.”

Lan Zhou narrowed his eyes.

“I’m gonna be reasonable and ignore what you just said. If you are underestimating me, you are vastly mistaken.”

The man sneered, and spit at Lan Zhou’s shoes.

Inside the car, Song Yu watched with rapt attention. Seeing this cliché line-up of a bad western movie he had to shake his head.

“Is this guy stupid? If someone is so clean and sporting a car like this, wouldn’t that indicate how strong he is?”

Lu Jingxiu shook his head.

“People are dumb and can’t see past their greed, but this is tactical. This wily old fox is probably smart enough to notice it and want Lan Zhou to sweeten the pot. They wouldn’t have been this long in the game if they weren’t cautious. ”

Wang Cheng suddenly jerked his head to the right, “There are more people coming from the outer perimeter. Someone must have tipped them off.”

Song Yu could also vaguely sense more people coming in. If they didn’t do things fast, then they would be surrounded.

“Well, if things don’t do well…then we fight.”

Yu Ci and Lu Jingxiu smiled evilly and cracked their knuckles. Song Yu was also quite…excited. Killing people wasn’t exactly on his list of things to be proud of. In fact, his moral compass had passed the point of no return in his previous life.

But, he didn’t know what their story was. If they just stole from people—that was fine. But to kill, rape, or eat was a bottom line Song Yu could not condone. If these people showed that they were at least human…then Song Yu would let them live.

The old man could sense a deadly aura from the car. He didn’t know who was inside it, but it was enough to trigger his lookouts to find him.

Du Win used to own a farm in the outskirts of N City, when the apocalypse happened, his wife and daughter were killed, the only thing he could do was cry in his small home, ultimately getting an ability. He could see people’s auras. Not like how dangerous they were…but the power level a person had. The darker the color, the more powerful they were.

 He endured for a year until three bases were made. His house was the epicenter between the three bases and closest to the gas station. When the three bases fought, he decided to claim the gas station and the three bases ultimately agreed to a peaceful co-operation with Du Win as the lookout.

All of the people who were scrapped out of the base or had a disability were sent over to him, causing him to have a merry band of lovable idiots.

Du Win could see Lan Zhou’s aura, which was…black. The very first time he had ever seen that color on a person. Almost three years of the apocalypse had taught him to never cower under pressure, and to swindle anything they could. But this was a gamble. If they wanted to fight, they had to no choice but to go all out.

Du Win spit once more on the ground, before continuing.

“Then sell me a deposit first. If the information is satisfactory, then we can negotiate.”

“Deal.”

Lan Zhou looked back at the car. The door opened, exposing Wang Cheng. Wang Cheng could be considered above average in the looks department. But it was his vibrant and smiling eyes and affectionate laugh that got him some girlfriends.

His presence caused the motley crew to stare on in envy as his also clean appearance contrasted with theirs. Wang Cheng gave Lan Zhou a box before sidling next to him.

“Oooh, are you selling him to me? I’ll take care of him for ya.”

Lan Zhou ignored the quip and opened the box. In the box was a piece of the rubber reinforced wall in Song Yu’s home. He had taken a few pieces under Song Yu’s suggestion.

“We have the technology to reinforce walls that can withstand a zombie hoard.”

Lan Zhou’s voice broke through the wind and directly into Du Win’s ears.

Eyes widening, he looked at the car with its shining glass and military grade steel. These people…were legit.

Du Win was glad he hadn’t done anything yet. His poker face was extremely well done as he devised in his head, a plan of what to do. This information…was priceless. Du Win could sell this information for so much more than a car.

But if he wanted to sell it, he’d have to kill them.

The dark trembling aura from Lan Zhou was enough to make him scared. The only person higher than a Level 4 was only a passive skill. He wouldn’t be able to kill them.

Lan Zhou and Wang Cheng waited a bit until they heard Du Win laughing uproariously.

“Hahahaha! Come in! Come in! Let your other friends join you. Let’s discuss this a bit deeper. If you can pay, you can get your gas.”

Lan Zhou just nodded and took back the box. Under Du Win’s greedy eyes, the box disappeared in Wang Cheng’s space.

Du Win took that to note Wang Cheng’s ability. If they had this space ability user…

Lan Zhou beckoned the people to get out of the car. One by one, each person came out. Yu Ci was extremely tall and robust, his tight rubber suit showing off his muscular body. In contrast to the tiny sound ability user, they were like night and day.

Du Win and several others in their crew watched as another person came out. Lu Jingxiu looked handsome and dangerous. One dirty girl even gasped as Lu Jingxiu’s deep eyes scanned across the area. But it was Xiao Zi and Song Yu that made everyone gasp.

Song Yu was wearing his tight bodysuit, his black eyes gleaming with hints of blue, showing his sculptured face and curly hair. Xiao Zi came out looking like a white lotus, his golden framed glasses magnifying his dazzling eyes. As the palest of them all, his delicate visage sent some desperado’s into overdrive.

Du Win whistled in appreciation at this group. However, his eyes widened as he saw Song Yu. His aura…was entirely white.