California is on the west coast of the United States, while Tennessee lies in the east. The distance between them is over three thousand kilometers. Add to that the fact that the roads were swarming with zombies, and it took the three of them a full two weeks to reach their destination.
There was no other choice. Along the way, they had encountered several waves of the undead. Even though the three of them could all be considered experts, facing hordes that numbered in the hundreds of thousands, it didn't matter if you were a master or a near-god—anyone could be reduced to bones and scraps.
"If I had known, I might as well have gone alone," Claire said irritably, her two huge panda eyes staring at the two idiots.
Jill turned her head, refusing to look at her, while Li Qingyuan leisurely held Jill in his arms, glaring at Claire with complete disregard.
"We've already been very restrained. Besides, the car is this small—are we really going to break up because of you?"
Claire felt suffocated with anger at their shamelessness.
Really?
She was driving at the front, and they were in the back.
And even if you're driving, couldn't you at least mind the noise? The horn was so loud it nearly made her lose her mind.
She had scolded Jill a few times at the beginning, telling her to watch the decibel level and not press the horn unnecessarily—it would ruin the car!
Unfortunately, Jill had no say in the matter.
Because the one pressing the horn was Li Qingyuan!
As an experienced driver, he naturally knew how to repair a car. A horn malfunction? A few tweaks, and it was fine.
So Jill could only hang her head in frustration. She really couldn't understand how this guy had so much stamina.
After two weeks of continuous driving, at first she could barely manage it. But as time went on, he grew even more energetic. These past few days, she almost vomited as soon as she got in the car!
"You shameless bastard!" Claire finally spat out between gritted teeth. Now she finally understood why Jill had that expression when she said she wanted to come with them.
But there was no turning back. She was already on this doomed ship; there was no jumping off.
"All right, let's get down to business. Have you found any survivors these past few days?" Seeing Claire's rising anger and Jill pinching her arm, Li Qingyuan decided it was best to change the topic.
After all, they had plenty of time; they could plan carefully later.
"Finding survivors isn't that easy. Even if there are still people alive, they've long fled to remote areas. Who would dare stay in the city?" Claire said through gritted teeth.
Everyone knew that the cities had far more zombies than the suburbs, especially in a vast and sparsely populated country like the U.S.
"Take it slow. We'll eventually find someone who knows something." The T-virus had only been spreading for a year, so there should still be a large number of survivors. It was only a matter of time.
Meanwhile, in Salt Lake City…
Alice, after killing zombies along the way and evading Umbrella Corporation's pursuit, finally arrived at KLKB—the car repair shop that Li Qingyuan and Jill had robbed two months earlier.
This repair shop had now become a gathering place for all survivors within a hundred-mile radius, with over a hundred people living there.
The leaders, however, were all women—a group of extremely tough women.
The woman in charge had only one arm and one leg, and she was blind in one eye. In other places, she would have been considered disabled.
Yet here, she had become the camp's supreme leader, running it with iron discipline and cold ruthlessness.
Anyone daring to cause trouble would be killed. For men, she even tore out and devoured some of their organs in front of everyone.
The name "Crazy Mag" was infamous throughout Salt Lake City. For male survivors used to chaos, she was even scarier than the zombies themselves!
"Hey, sister, are you here to join us? You seem skilled. If you want to join, I can take you to meet the boss!" Two female guards at KLKB asked as Alice parked her motorcycle at the entrance, holding submachine guns.
KLKB was always friendly toward female newcomers. Anyone seeking refuge would generally be accepted.
Men, on the other hand, had to pass various tests and checks. One failure, and they were turned away.
"No thanks. I just need to refuel. Could you also help me with some maintenance?" Alice shook her head. She couldn't stay in one place for too long—Umbrella discovering her whereabouts would be disastrous.
"Refueling and maintenance isn't a problem, but do you know the rules?" The guards paused for a moment before realizing what she meant.
"I've got compressed biscuits, canned meat, and 9mm bullets. Which do you want?" Alice offered her supplies to the guards.
In a post-apocalyptic world, Alice was impressed by this base and the capabilities of these women.
The deal was quickly made. Male mechanics immediately took her motorcycle for maintenance, while Alice sat and chatted with the female guards.
"You're incredible. I've traveled all over North America, and this is the first base I've seen like yours," Alice said generously.
There were many survivor bases worldwide, but one run by women like this was truly unique.
Excited by the praise, the guards began chatting with her. Most had been rescued by Li Qingyuan, so it wasn't long before the conversation turned to him.
"You mean, an Asian man named Li Qingyuan and a woman named Jill rescued you from those jerks?" Alice asked excitedly.
"The Jill you mean—is that Jill Valentine?"
"Yes! Do you know her?" The guard nodded eagerly. She and the others were deeply grateful to the two who had rescued them from hell. If Li Qingyuan hadn't left, as Jill had joked, all the women might have crowded onto his bed.
"We're friends. Can you tell me where they went afterward?" Since fleeing, Alice had not heard good news like this.
Jill was alive, and well—that truly relieved her.
"I'm not entirely sure, but Brother Li said they might be heading to Las Vegas." The guard led Alice to the center of the base, then gathered everyone for a hearty drink.
Since a friend of their savior had arrived, how could they not celebrate properly?
Of course, the guards wouldn't admit they wanted to drink themselves!
(End of Chapter)