The scavenging operation quickly made progress, and the survivors indeed found food and drink supplies in the abandoned vehicles.

However, contrary to Tang Xiaoquan's expectations, they did not find large quantities of rice and cereal, but rather collected plenty of instant foods like instant noodles and biscuits.

Upon further reflection, Tang Xiaoquan felt reassured. After all, at the beginning of the apocalypse, ordinary people instinctively believed that the virus outbreak was only on a regional scale.

So even when evacuating the city for shelter, most believed the government would quickly quell it, and life would soon return to normal.

Therefore, under such optimistic thoughts, they naturally wouldn't carry too many supplies, only enough for consumption on the road.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as expected; the pandemic's pace of development was much faster and more severe than imagined!

Tang Xiaoquan lightly took a bag of chips from the back seat and closed the car door indifferently.

It was already noon, the harsh sun arrogantly seated above the sky, making the earth steam in a dreamlike illusion; the near-hundred-degree ground temperature transmitted a heat flow into the feet, even through shoes.

Hot! This was the most genuine sensation every survivor felt, as sweat poured like rain, leaving them soaked to the skin.

As Wenquan Xin walked, he cautiously looked around, confused by the unsettling feeling that had persisted since arriving here.

At first, he thought he might be experiencing symptoms of heatstroke due to dehydration, but as time passed, he finally understood the reason for his nerves!

Quiet! It was too quiet here. Quiet to the point of eeriness!

Clearly, by the scale of abandoned vehicles and the surrounding chaos and blood marks, Wenquan Xin could almost certainly conclude that an attack by zombies on survivors had occurred here.

What puzzled him, however, was why there was no trace of any zombies here!

Could those creatures have sprouted wings and flown away? Lowering his gaze to the half-climbing human corpse inside the car, he sighed helplessly.

Wenquan Xin wasn't alone in his doubts; Hu Xiaodong also shared them. Positioned atop the GL8, his view was more expansive than others.

But frankly speaking, he hadn't initially noticed the absence of zombies, as no one wanted to be surrounded by those dry, terrifying bloodthirsty creatures day and night.

Thus, Hu Xiaodong focused more on contemplating the future direction of the team.

Until this period of idly standing guard, he increasingly sensed that something was amiss.

It's known that zombies can infect humans through bites, turning them into the same type; this point has been firmly verified by Tang Xiaoquan.

So, with so many vehicles, calculating at the minimum of one person per vehicle wouldn't amount to hundreds or thousands, but a few dozen zombies roaming here would be reasonable. Yet now...

Hu Xiaodong, looking around, saw only the five sporadic black figures of his group and piles of cold steel baking in the sun.

He dared not be negligent; the more pressing the moment, the higher the vigilance required.

Besides, to ensure timely support in a crisis, Hu Xiaodong called Wei Yang up to pass him the compound bow.

Holding the bow handle, Hu Xiaodong felt a hint of stability, and his previously suspended heart calmed slightly.

He gently drew a carbon arrow from the quiver and slowly placed it on the arrow platform, then furrowed his brow, continuing to watch the surroundings vigilantly.

The survivors' spoils were still expanding, and almost everyone's backpacks were stuffed to capacity, although they mostly contained scattered items, collectively forming a considerable scale.

Wang Qiang searched alone at the front, feeling particularly cheerful due to the lack of zombie sightings over the past few days. Coupled with the fruitful results of this period, he happily hummed a ditty.

"Zizz zizz~ zizz zizz~" The faint audio interference sound was heard just as Wang Qiang finished and prepared to start another tune.

He was unsure, as the sound came abruptly, almost lightning-fast, so Wang Qiang quickly stopped in his tracks, instinctively turning to check with his companions behind him.

However...he hadn't yet spoken when Tang Xiaoquan raised his right finger, interrupting him.

"Shhh~" Signalling everyone to be silent, Tang Xiaoquan perked up his ears, scanning the surrounding vehicles carefully.

He was certain the sound originated nearby, as none of his party of five could produce such a sound.

On the desolate highway, silence suddenly prevailed, with only a few occasional flies buzzing.

The audio interference sound unexpectedly disappeared, as if it had never sounded. But the stubborn Tang Xiaoquan didn't give up, still maintaining his motionless stance, confident his ears weren't mistaken; something must have created it.

Waiting is a torment, especially in a scorching summer afternoon when the heat scorches the skin like a roasting pig.

After a long period of impatience, Wang Qiang and others couldn't endure the heat any longer, deciding to abandon their wait. To them, that sound probably didn't exist, and even if it did, it was likely transient.

Stretching their legs and muscles to relieve the sore tension, they resumed their tasks at hand.

Time gradually passed, ticking by, and the departure of companions hadn't affected Tang Xiaoquan at all. He remained standing rigidly like a sculpted clay replica.

Perhaps touched by his sincerity, or maybe the sound's owner had grown weary of silence.

Either way, with Tang Xiaoquan's determined persistence, the "zizz" sound he had long anticipated finally resonated again.

Opportunities indeed favor the prepared; these words couldn't be more true! Suddenly moving his form, swiftly stepping forward, Tang Xiaoquan didn't miss the opportunity given by heavens this time. After seconds of sound localization, his gaze steadied on a nearby armed police-plated Volkswagen two meters behind him.

Found it!! He located the source of the sound!!

Suppressing the excitement within, Tang Xiaoquan hastened forward, feeling the "zizz" sound grow clearer with proximity...

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