The off-road vehicle crushed through the mud covered with dead branches and leaves, stopping steadily.
On the relatively flat open space ahead, Shane was already directing everyone to pitch tents and set up Camp.
Several dilapidated cars formed an irregular semicircle, temporarily serving as a cover.
Ling Feng had no intention of going over there at all.
Turning the steering wheel hard to the left, he drove the car directly twenty meters away from the vehicle convoy.
This area was sandwiched right between several thick pine trees, offering an exceptional location that allowed him to see the movements over there clearly without being easily disturbed.
" Click. "
He pulled out the car key and pulled up the handbrake.
Ling Feng pushed the door open and got out, reaching back to pull open the rear door.
The two sisters stepped out of the vehicle cabin one after another, stretching their sore necks.
Andrea crossed her arms over her chest, turned her head to look at the group not far away who were hurriedly and clumsily pitching tents.
Carol was sticking her butt out as she hammered tent pegs into the ground, while Dale had set up a large sun umbrella beside the RV.
" So, where are we sleeping tonight? " Andrea turned her face, her gaze falling on Ling Feng.
Having fled in such a rush, aside from two pink suitcases filled with a change of clothes, their other survival supplies were practically zero.
Ling Feng spread his hands. " In the car. "
" In the car? " Andrea rubbed her temples, looking somewhat headache-ridden. " Don't you have things like tents? With a place this small in an off-road vehicle, how are three people supposed to squeeze in? "
" Don't expect too much from me; I ran out here on a moment's notice myself. Where am I supposed to conjure up tents for you? " Ling Feng leaned against the car body, felt out a marlboro and lit it. " But if I go out scavenging for supplies in the future, I'll keep an eye out for tents. As for now, we'll just have to make do. "
Before Andrea could complain, Ling Feng's fingers holding the cigarette tapped twice against the dark black car window glass.
" The only good news is that I've applied a high-light-transmittance one-way reflective film to this car. You can see outside clearly from the inside, but if anyone outside wants to look in, they'll only see a bunch of tree shadows. "
Ling Feng exhaled a pale blue puff of smoke, walked over to the driver's side, opened the door, and fiddled with the control panel on the side of the seat.
" Besides, this car has enough space. "
Along with the subtle hum of the motor turning, the backrests of the front driver and passenger seats slowly tilted backward, seamlessly splicing together with the rear seat cushions.
The originally narrow cabin instantly transformed into an extremely flat, large leather bed.
" Stuffed the luggage under the floor mats, and three people lying flat won't be a problem at all. " Ling Feng patted the leather seat.
Seeing this scene, both sisters stopped talking.
Actually, if you really think about it, sleeping in a car is definitely much better than sleeping in a tent.
Out here in the remote wilderness, sleeping in a flimsy canvas tent, any slight rustle outside could scare someone half to death.
But staying inside this thick iron shell, as long as you press the central lock and keep the doors and windows tightly shut, that sense of security from being protected is irreplaceable.
" I think it's pretty good. " Amy was the first to express her opinion.
The little girl didn't feel any awkwardness at all about three people sleeping in the same space. Instead, she eagerly ran to the back of the car to get the luggage, ready to rearrange the space inside the cabin.
Ling Feng walked over to lend a hand, helping to pick up the bulky pink suitcase.
The two of them grasped the suitcase handle at the same time. Ling Feng's fingers naturally covered the back of Amy's hand, taking the opportunity to gently stroke her fair skin a couple of times.
Amy's hand shook abruptly, two flushes of red instantly blooming on her cheeks. She didn't pull her hand back, just lowered her head and muttered softly, " I, I'll take it... "
" Hey! Hello! "
Right at this moment, a somewhat timid voice came from the side of the car's front.
Ling Feng turned his head.
The person arriving was a young Asian youth wearing an old baseball cap backwards, clad in a delivery uniform printed with a pizza shop logo.
This person was rubbing his hands together, his face carrying a bit of curiosity and obvious nervousness.
Glenn.
Andrea and Amy were also attracted by the voice, looking over together.
After noticing the other person's appearance, Amy leaned close to Andrea's ear, her voice lowered: " Sis, look, this person is like Ling, he's also Asian. "
Andrea looked Glenn up and down.
His skinny build, timid posture, and that washed-out pizza shop uniform further exuded an aura of someone who could be bullied at any moment.
" Give it a rest. " Andrea rarely spoke ill of Ling Feng, instead curling her lip disdainfully at a moderate volume. " Just look at this kid's demeanor, can he compare to Ling? They're completely not on the same level. "
Having witnessed the brutal scene of Ling Feng dismantling Merle's joints with one hand and kicking a two-hundred-pound strongman flying with a single kick, Andrea's evaluation criteria for men had skyrocketed straight up.
The delivery kid in front of her standing together with Ling Feng had absolutely no comparison.
Amy nodded decisively in strong agreement. " There's indeed no comparison. "
The two women thought they were speaking very quietly, but the open space around them was quite quiet, plus the distance between the two cars wasn't far to begin with, so these disparaging words completely fell into the ears of Glenn and Ling Feng.
The air suddenly fell silent for a few seconds.
Glenn's hands had originally been rubbing the corners of his clothes, but now they froze mid-air, neither putting them down nor holding them up.
He chuckled awkwardly with a full face of embarrassment, wanting to pretend he didn't hear, but the tips of his ears were already completely red.
Being compared like this face-to-face and being belittled to worthlessness—although he felt somewhat displeased in his heart, he couldn't refute it.
After all, Ling Feng's solid muscles and the exaggerated sniper rifle on his back carried an overwhelmingly strong sense of oppression; even if he were given three sets of guts, he wouldn't dare talk back to him face-to-face.
" Something? " Ling Feng ignored the two women whispering to each other and looked down condescendingly at Glenn.
Glenn quickly snapped back to his senses, pointed toward the Camp over there, and tried hard to make his tone sound friendly: " Um... I'm Glenn. Earlier I saw you guys didn't go over to pitch tents, so I came over to see if you needed any help. "
" Not needed. " Ling Feng directly refused.
" Oh... " Glenn awkwardly scratched the back of his head, not walking away. Instead, emboldened by curiosity, he asked what was on his mind: " Buddy, judging by your looks, are you also from Kimchi Country? "
As soon as these words came out, Ling Feng's brows instantly knitted into a knot.
What he hated most was others associating this face—which possessed supreme orthodox Eastern aesthetics—with that country that even stole kimchi everywhere.
" Stop right there. "
Ling Feng extended a finger, making no effort to conceal the disgust in his tone: " Don't lump me together with a country like that. I am a pure-blooded Long Countryman. "
Glenn was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up, his tone exuding thick envy: " Long Countryman? Wow, I've always heard from friends who have been there that Long Country is extremely prosperous, with high-speed rails and delicious food everywhere, a really magical place! I always wanted to save up money to go see it, but unfortunately in this ghost of a world right now... "
Speaking to the end, Glenn's emotions noticeably dipped. Looking at his own filthy delivery uniform, he sighed helplessly.
With the world practically ending, traveling to the East had completely become an extravagant hope for the next life.
Ling Feng took a step forward, his broad palm patting directly onto Glenn's slightly thin shoulder.
This forceful and heavy pat almost made Glenn kneel onto the ground.
" Since you don't have the chance to go, stop thinking about so much useless stuff. " Ling Feng withdrew his hand. " What you should be considering right now is how to survive until tomorrow in this wilderness where people can die at any second. "
Glenn rubbed his aching shoulder, nodding dryly over and over, completely daring not to talk back anymore. He turned around and scuttled dejectedly back to the main group.
" What did he come for? " Andrea leaned against the car door, watching Glenn's receding figure.
" A kind-hearted person. " Ling Feng couldn't be bothered to evaluate this delivery kid who currently wasn't of much use. He turned around, preparing to continue arranging the space inside the car.
The sun was about to set at this moment, and dusk filled the entire sky.
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