Both Beard and Skinny were seasoned drivers. Based on the tire pressure and the truck's handling, they judged that the Box Truck was heavily loaded, certainly packed with goods.
"Look, didn't I say the food would come to us?" A glint of excitement flashed in Skinny's eyes.
They automatically assumed a group of survivors had gathered a massive amount of supplies and was returning fully loaded.
"I wonder if they got any cigarettes in there." Beard looked expectant.
As the Box Truck approached, they saw clearly: a beautiful girl was in the driver's seat.
"Well, running into us is just her bad luck!" A savage look crossed Skinny's face. He slowly started the Semi-Truck, waited for the right moment, and floored the gas.
The truck cut across the road, blocking the Box Truck's path entirely.
Screeeech~~~
Seeing the sudden block, Sophia slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched against the pavement, leaving dark skid marks.
The Box Truck stopped abruptly, less than three feet from the Semi-Truck.
"That was close!" Sophia felt a rush of adrenaline.
The sudden stop jolted the entire truck, and due to inertia, Tank was thrown forward with a Thud in the back.
He immediately sulked. He decided Sophia would have to earn that five-star rating back on an installment plan…
Ethan, however, remained unfazed. He didn't need a brain to know what was happening.
Sure enough, two men jumped down from the Semi-Truck, their arms wrapped in duct tape and newspaper, gripping bloodstained steel pipes.
"You two! Get out of the truck now!" Beard yelled immediately.
Sophia looked at them and understood the situation. In the apocalypse, humans often preyed on one another; these men had one goal: survival at any cost.
"Boss, what should we do?"
Ethan said nothing. He noted the men's makeshift gear—it was very similar to Kyle's crew, who had previously attacked his supermarket. They likely came from the same location.
He glanced in the distance and spotted a Construction Site.
That must be the 'Takeout Headquarters.'
Ethan couldn't be bothered with this caliber of scavenger. He handed the matter over to his Minions.
The two middle-aged men were completely unaware of what was about to happen.
They swaggered toward the Box Truck with leering smiles.
"Hey, pretty thing, don't be scared. Big Brother here will take good care of you." Skinny said crudely.
At that moment, the Athlete zombie's neck snapped up in the cargo area. Her interest was piqued.
Pretty thing?
Did someone just call me?
Take good care of you.
I would love for a human to take good care of me…
These two humans seem so warm.
She immediately forced the rear door open and jumped out.
Skinny had just reached the cab door, ready to smash the window if the driver didn't comply.
"Well, hello! You're even prettier up close. If you cooperate nicely, maybe I'll let you live."
"Co…operate. Hehehehehe~~"
A chilling, strange laugh suddenly rang in the man's ear.
It was clear the Athlete had consumed enough meat to evolve further; beyond basic cries and laughs, she could now repeat simple sounds.
Hearing that sound, the man's hair stood on end. He spun around.
He saw the Athlete's skinny figure, her face split by that eerie smile.
"Take… care."
The Athlete blurred forward, rushing toward him like a gust of wind. Her speed was extreme, leaving faint afterimages.
"Holy Sh*t!"
The man was terrified. He tried to swing his steel pipe, but the Athlete was too fast. She tackled him to the ground, sliding three or four meters along the pavement.
"Beard! Get over here and help!" Skinny yelled, struggling violently.
But Beard ignored him, instead heading toward the back of the truck.
"Cigarettes! I need cigarettes! Gotta find some first…"
"You… AAH—!"
Skinny started to curse, but a sharp pain shot through his neck. He had received the Athlete's 'good care.'
Now, he was really hurting…
Beard rushed to the back of the Box Truck, figuring it must be filled with supplies: cigarettes, maybe some Bourbon, and tons of good food.
He couldn't wait any longer. He yanked the rear door open.
But all he saw were two zombie faces.
The PhD zombie was observing him with intellectual curiosity, seemingly amused.
Tank was still in a foul mood, figuring his recent unsettling bump must be the fault of this Dumbass at the door.
Beard's eyes were wide, and he froze entirely. Clearly, his beautiful fantasy had not materialized.
The cargo bay held two terrifying zombies!
But a second later, he seemed to realize something. He quickly took the half-smoked cigarette from behind his ear, lit it, and took two deep drags. Surrounded by a cloud of smoke, his face wore a look of utter contentment.
Then, a massive hand grabbed him and forcibly dragged him into the truck bay.
The area fell silent again in a matter of seconds.
Sophia, sitting in the cab, grimaced. Tragic. Utterly tragic. These two must have skipped checking their horoscope before leaving the house, daring to block her Boss.
At that point, Ethan finally spoke.
"Go to the Construction Site next to us."
"Oh… right." Sophia quickly agreed.
She didn't know why they were going there, but as an Employee, she knew her role: the Boss goes where he wants, and the Employee doesn't ask questions.
Sophia restarted the engine, drove around the blocking Semi-Truck, and headed toward the Construction Site.
The work area was enclosed by blue Sheet Metal. The main entrance had already collapsed.
There were numerous zombie corpses around, mangled by car tires, with scattered limbs and bloodstains—a gruesome sight.
The Box Truck followed the established tire tracks and drove in.
Ethan analyzed the situation: this site likely housed many survivors, forming a small settlement. Kyle's crew had tried to mess with him before, and now these two roadblockers—they were all probably based here.
Third time's the charm. To avoid further disruptions, Ethan decided to permanently eliminate the entire settlement.
Receiving the 'Hunting' signal, the three Minions jumped out of the truck, their expressions once again manic. They thought how great it was to follow the Alpha. They always found prey and always ate their fill.
The Construction Site was quiet. All the local zombies had been beaten to death and cleared out. The people here must have decent fighting skills.
Ahead stood a partially built Unfinished Building, looking desolate. But tucked into one corner of the property was a strange structure.
The entire building was poured from reinforced concrete, thick and heavy, with no windows. Even the main door was made of thick Steel Plate. There was no glass, only a few fist-sized ventilation holes.
The structure was three stories high and quite large, looking incredibly solid—like a fortified bunker.
Clearly, this was a specific defense built to ward off the zombies.