Chapter 008 Temporary Residence (I)

Xing Zhixin hesitated for a moment and advised, "There will be more people in the city, and there may also be zombies"

Xing Zhixin thought for a moment and also felt that he had no significant role compared to the past. He then climbed back into the car and took his seat in the driver's position. Next to him, Zhuo Anni shifted uneasily towards the outside, remaining silent. Xing Zhixin did not appear particularly menacing, but he was just an ordinary person, unlike Cheng Bin, who easily garnered goodwill. Moreover, his large stature made him seem imposing; the presence of a stranger of such size always stirred a sense of unease.

"You stay here." Cheng Bin shook his head, noticing that he did not look as well as he had said. The back seat of the Great Wall pickup was not spacious, and Xing Zhixin was quite tall, leaving no room to stretch his limbs. It was not just a matter of not having a place to rest; one could not expect bruises to heal either. He pointed to the spot where he had just been sitting and said, "You drive and follow me." Without waiting for Xing Zhixin to respond, he jumped onto the back of the pickup, rummaged through his belongings, and pulled out a Type 56 semi-automatic rifle before jumping down again. It was not just a matter of not having a place to rest; one could not expect bruises to heal either. He pointed to the spot where he had just been sitting and said, "You drive and follow me." Without waiting for Xing Zhixin to respond, he jumped onto the back of the pickup, rummaged through his belongings, and pulled out a Type 56 semi-automatic rifle before jumping down again

Xing Zhixin shook his head in disbelief. There are health clinics in rural areas; although the doctors' skills are not commendable, the commonly used medications are quite comprehensive. Does he really think that rural people are still stuck in an era where they rely solely on endurance when they fall ill? Moreover, this area is the main rice-producing region of Heilongjiang. While the conditions in most rural areas may not match those of developed regions, they are not significantly worse than those in cities. The primary difference lies in the government's investment in public facilities. He wanted to hold on to his opinion, but it was clear that Cheng Bin did not wish to spend the winter in the countryside. If he insisted, Cheng Bin might very well leave him and Hou Jia here. Xing Zhixin was uncertain whether this place was suitable for survival. After losing the SUV, he did not want to move using a farm vehicle in heavy snow, and fuel reserves were also a concern in rural areas, as fuel supply stations typically only exist at the township level. Thus, he chose to remain silent.

He did not respond to Xing Zhixin's words, only giving a slight sound of acknowledgment. When Xing Zhixin and the other person opened the car door and got in, a considerable amount of cold wind blew in, causing the temperature inside the car to drop significantly. Zhuo Anni rummaged under her seat and pulled out a blanket, handing it to Le Tao for him to wrap around himself. Xing Zhixin, being large in stature, squeezed Le Tao to the side once he got into the car. Although they had both tried to wear as many clothes as possible, the wind by the door was quite strong, and Zhuo Anni was worried that he might get cold.

They quickly circled to the south side of the county town and, across a stretch of farmland, saw the factory that Zhuo Anni had mentioned.

"It's not too far, I suppose," Cheng Bin said casually as he put away the telescope. "There must be an entrance to the highway here; once we get on the highway, it won't be more than 200 kilometers to Harbin."

He pushed open the car door and jumped down, and Xing Zhixin followed him out. This surprised Cheng Bin; although he had not specified who should drive, he still vividly remembered how Zhuo Anni had parked the pickup truck across the road. In comparison, Xing Zhixin crashing the car into a tree could be considered a skill, so he actually hoped that Xing Zhixin would take the initiative to assume this task. Unexpectedly, he did not understand his intention and followed him out instead. The two exchanged glances, and Cheng Bin's gaze fell on Xing Zhixin's leg: "How is your leg?"

Cheng Bin couldn't help but glance at him. It was evident that this person was quite adept at learning from lessons; having suffered a loss once, he no longer trusted humanity. To be honest, he had also contemplated this issue, even listing the respective advantages and disadvantages of the options of going to the city versus staying in the countryside. However, unlike the common methods employed by others, he had assigned weights to each option in advance. As a result, the city clearly outweighed the countryside. In fact, this disparity had always existed; often, the idea of rural areas surrounding cities was merely a desperate measure. Therefore, he shook his head and said to Xing Zhixin, "You can't just eat and sleep; what will you do if you fall ill? There are hardly any medicines available in the countryside."

Xing Zhixin cautiously drove the pickup truck closer. He had little experience driving in snowy conditions, and having just had an accident today, he was particularly careful. Cheng Bin had found a dirt road, which was quite rare after the rural road construction project; it was likely that this road only led to the small factory below. The wheels pressed against the snow-covered dirt road felt much more stable than before, at least they no longer slid from side to side, which made Xing Zhixin feel a bit better. However, the road was flanked by endless fields, unlike the highways that had protective trees on either side, making it feel like driving on a bridge without guardrails. Xing Zhixin began to worry that he might veer off the road.

The people in the car fell silent, just as Xing Zhixin had mentioned earlier. Each person was aware that there were hidden dangers in the town, and worse still, they did not know what type of danger they were about to face

Cheng Bin strongly agreed with this opinion. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Do we need to go into the city?"

Cheng Bin sighed, realizing that these individuals did not possess any decision-making abilities, and seeking their opinions was merely a waste of time. He then started the car, preparing to move forward a bit more, when Zhuo Anni suddenly said, "Take the detour along the highway; there is a factory area on the other side of the city." She looked at Cheng Bin and added, "We spent the night there the day before yesterday."

Basically, when women are allowed to choose items, the gains are often much greater than expected. However, when it comes to discarding items, it is hard to say how efficient the process will be, especially in situations where supplies are scarce. Hou Jia finds it difficult to part with anything; as the saying goes, a broken home is worth a fortune. When she left home, every item was carefully selected. Now, having to choose again is truly a challenge. If it weren't for Xing Zhixin quickly making a decision for her, she would most likely have chosen to tow the SUV behind the pickup truck.

Then we need to find a sheltered place said Xing Zhixin, as he looked out of the car windows but found nothing. The frost on the windows was already quite severe, making it impossible to see outside without wiping them. He said with concern, We need to find a house; we cannot spend the night in the car tonight

Xing Zhixin shook his head. The proposal to go to Harbin indeed tempted him, but he did not consider himself a person with a spirit of adventure. He preferred to be more cautious, so he opposed it, saying: "With such heavy snow, the expressway is surely closed."

Cheng Bin grunted in response, wondering if there were still traffic controls in place. However, to be honest, he was not particularly keen on taking the highway, as there were too many vehicles there. Many accidents had occurred in various places during the disaster, and although more than a year had passed, numerous areas still remained in a deplorable state. Yet, that was not the main reason for his aversion to the highway. The primary reason was that highways typically do not indicate the villages along the route, which was quite inconvenient for Cheng Bin, who often needed to replenish supplies.

Cheng Bin had little interest in this proposal. "Tunzi" is a term used in Northeast China to refer to rural areas. These villages can vary in size, but in Cheng Bin's impression, the rural conditions in Northeast China, far from the cities, are still quite rudimentary. He actually preferred to find a larger city to spend the winter, where it would be easier to gather supplies, although this would also come with greater risks.

The heavy snow concealed all traces on the ground, and Cheng Bin could not find the way back, so he had no choice but to stop the car on the highway. No one knew what lay beneath the snow-covered farmland; if it were the stalks of harvested corn, puncturing a tire would be exceedingly easy, and the pickup truck was not designed for off-road conditions. He did not want to risk a flat tire nor get stuck in a ditch. Thus, he looked at the colored steel house and asked, "How do we get past?" No one knew what lay beneath the snow-covered farmland; if it were the stalks of harvested corn, puncturing a tire would be exceedingly easy, and the pickup truck was not designed for off-road conditions. He did not want to risk a flat tire nor get stuck in a ditch. Thus, he looked at the colored steel house and asked, "How do we get past?"

Cheng Bin stopped beside the signpost, took out a miniature telescope from his pocket, and looked ahead. Unfortunately, the snow was too heavy, and visibility was very low; all he could see was a vast expanse of white. After hesitating for a moment, he finally asked, "Should we spend the winter here or go to Harbin?"

"I will go with you," Zhuo Anni said simply. As she spoke, Le Tao, curled up in the blanket, visibly shivered, but unfortunately, Cheng Bin, with no eyes on the back of his head, was oblivious to it. Hou Jia moved aside when Zhuo Anni covered Le Tao with the blanket, pressing closely against Xing Zhixin. At that moment, she had just shifted back and clearly sensed Le Tao's unusual behavior. However, she was also in a state of mental unrest and had no time to ponder these matters. She merely glanced at Xing Zhixin and exchanged a look with him. Hou Jia moved aside when Zhuo Anni covered Le Tao with the blanket, pressing closely against Xing Zhixin. At that moment, she had just shifted back and clearly sensed Le Tao's unusual behavior. However, she was also in a state of mental unrest and had no time to ponder these matters. She merely glanced at Xing Zhixin and exchanged a look with him.

Harbin?" Xing Zhixin was taken aback and exclaimed, "That's too far.

Zhuo Anni looked out the window in confusion and hesitantly said, "It seems there is a road over there." This time, Xing Zhixin did not respond. It appeared that Cheng Bin was always seeking opinions, but in Xing Zhixin's view, his questions were more like rhetorical ones. One could tell his intentions from his actions after receiving an answer; before asking, this person already had an answer in mind, and he merely sought to obtain the desired response. Xing Zhixin did not wish to speculate on others' intentions, so he simply kept his mouth shut. His questions were more like rhetorical ones, and one could tell his intentions from his actions after receiving an answer; before asking, this person already had an answer in mind, and he merely sought to obtain the desired response. Xing Zhixin did not wish to speculate on others' intentions, so he simply kept his mouth shut.

He thought for a moment, pushed open the car door, and jumped down. Just a moment ago, he had been in the car and hadn't felt it, but now that he was out, he realized that the snow on the road had already reached his ankles. The part of the tires of the pickup truck that was on the road was almost completely buried in snow. He looked up at the sky, feeling the coolness of the snowflakes falling on his face. The snow showed no signs of stopping, so he returned to the car, closed the door properly, and said, "We can't go any further. If this snow continues for a while longer, we will be stranded on the road." He looked up at the sky, feeling the coolness of the snowflakes falling on his face. The snow showed no signs of stopping, so he returned to the car, closed the door properly, and said, "We can't go any further. If this snow continues for a while longer, we will be stranded on the road."

"The distance is not indicated above." Cheng Bin, with sharper eyes than Xing Zhixin, had already noticed the road sign and frowned as he said, "I don't know how far it is."

This county town is not large, with a radius of about one to two kilometers. The highway passes through the town, but there is also a road of the same grade that bypasses the town. Therefore, Cheng Bin chose not to enter the town and went around it directly. In fact, when Zhuo Anni and her group passed through here yesterday, they made the same choice. There is no need for anyone to rashly enter a city with a complex situation.

Xing Zhixin moved a bit, smiled slightly, and said: "It's all right"

In fact, Cheng Bin had no intention of seeking the opinions of others. He noticed that Xing Zhixin had stopped speaking, so he directly bypassed that intersection and continued driving forward. His judgment was correct; after traveling another ten kilometers or so, a crooked sign appeared by the roadside, indicating that FT County was just ahead.

This response was largely within Cheng Bin's expectations. Although the recent temperatures have indeed been quite abnormal, no one actually anticipated that it would snow in September. This heavy snowfall disrupted everyone's plans, and he was no exception. In the face of such harsh natural conditions, any wishful thinking is akin to suicide. Therefore, the solutions that Xing Zhixin could think of were certainly also within Cheng Bin's consideration. In fact, after much contemplation, he truly could not come up with a better solution. If it had not snowed, he might have been able to take the risk of heading south for a few days, hoping to find a place with a relatively better climate, given that he had a vehicle. However, with this snowfall, he had to abandon such thoughts and focus on figuring out how to survive through the winter.

Xing Zhixin smiled slightly and thought to himself that Cheng Bin must be a child who grew up in the city. This low-grade road was originally designed to connect villages, and there was no intention to accommodate outsiders during its design. Naturally, it would not indicate distances like the signs on the highways. He leaned against the glass and tried to look outside, but the temperature was too low, and frost had already begun to form on the glass. He said, "Should we go take a look"

Cheng Bin watched as Xing Zhixin drove down the kilometer, signaling him to maintain a slow speed and follow closely behind. He then moved forward, still swaying side to side as before, but the range of his movement had significantly decreased, only creating enough width for a pickup truck to pass through. To be honest, with Cheng Bin's way of walking, it was impossible to move quickly. Xing Zhixin, maintaining first gear, quickly closed the distance between the two of them. Cheng Bin had no choice but to release the accelerator, attempting to move forward at idle speed. However, the resistance on the road was too great, causing the vehicle to jolt and come to a complete stop. Xing Zhixin hurriedly pressed the accelerator, but the engine unexpectedly stalled, making him feel immediately anxious.

First, let's find a place to settle down. Xing Zhixin hesitated to respond; he had already considered this question many times. In many post-apocalyptic literary works, characters wander everywhere, but in reality, this is a very dangerous behavior. It is no longer like before the disaster, when there were various means of transportation available, and as long as one had money, food and accommodation were not a concern. If it were not for the zombies appearing in his previous residence, he would not have left. Now, what he most hopes for is to restore his former life. However, this seems to be a luxury wish. The winter in the north has suddenly descended upon them, and heaven will not grant them a few more months to prepare for housing, especially after the SUV was damaged, forcing him to discard too many daily necessities. If someone had asked him this question before the disaster, he would have waved his hand dismissively and said, 'Heaven won't let the blind sparrows starve.' But now it seems that heaven may not have the time to concern itself with such trivial matters. Although his eyes are not blind, he truly feels lost regarding the future.

Hearing Zhuo Anni's words, Cheng Bin nodded and did not speak. He could see in the mirror that the two adults behind him exchanged a meaningful glance, but he was too lazy to explain to them. Such matters only become more complicated the more one elaborates; it was better to let them think for themselves. Generally, those who enjoy gossip are often lacking in imagination. With just a trivial matter, the more they ponder, the sooner they will forget it. Thus, he simply remained silent, started the car, and continued to drive forward. It was better to let them think for themselves. Generally, those who enjoy gossip are often lacking in imagination. With just a trivial matter, the more they ponder, the sooner they will forget it. Thus, he simply remained silent, started the car, and continued to drive forward.

In fact, it is not that Hou Jia is unaware of this famous saying, but the gossiping spirit of young women burns fiercely, rendering any famous quotes trivial. Otherwise, there would not be so many stories passed down through the ages. Thus, when Hou Jia heard Xing Zhixin's warning, she was taken aback and obediently closed her mouth while moving things.

Soon, a lower-grade road appeared ahead; it was a rural road constructed after the village connectivity project. Such roads are very common in rural areas and often cannot accommodate two vehicles passing each other simultaneously, necessitating the construction of passing platforms at intervals. Xing Zhixin pointed to a sign by the roadside and said: "It is a village."

It is said that everyone who has spent a few years in society will advise newcomers entering the workplace with the phrase "mind your own business," indicating the broad applicability of this principle. Due to his personality, Xing Zhixin has little insight into the intrigues and power struggles; however, after two decades in society, no matter how enlightened one may be, one inevitably becomes accustomed to the realities of life. It is certainly impossible for him to lack any social experience, but such knowledge is largely intuitive and not everyone can distill it into motivational wisdom. Moreover, wisdom of this kind always has a context-specific aspect, and when quantified and put into writing, it will never retain the same flavor as the original. Therefore, if one were to speak of imparting experience, Xing Zhixin could only offer the advice "mind your own business" as something he can articulate.

Cheng Bin did not urge her until she had covered Le Tao with a blanket, and then he asked, "What about you?"

Le Tao clearly did not like strangers very much, so he shrank into a corner. Cheng Bin was uncertain about what Le Tao had seen, but at least from his demeanor, the little guy seemed to have a strong awareness of keeping his distance. Of course, Cheng Bin had no particular feelings for the young boy and would not spend too much energy on Le Tao. Soon, Xing Zhixin had packed his things and let Hou Jia sit in the middle of the back seat, while he took the side. After getting into the car, he thanked Cheng Bin again. Cheng Bin responded lightly and asked, "What are your plans?"

Four people watched as Cheng Bin strode purposefully towards the direction pointed out by Zhuo Anni, carrying a rifle on his back. His manner of walking was peculiar; he trudged through the snow with his feet, and soon, two long grooves appeared on the snow-covered road, revealing the concrete surface beneath. Xing Zhixin pressed the horn, questioning whether he should follow, but was waved off by Cheng Bin. After walking for a while, Cheng Bin finally left the road, trudged forward for several more steps, and then began to move back and forth laterally. Once he confirmed that he had found the small path, he waved for Xing Zhixin to bring the car over. Xing Zhixin pressed the horn again, wondering if he should follow, but was once more stopped by Cheng Bin's gesture. After walking for a while, Cheng Bin finally left the road, trudged forward for several more steps, and then began to move back and forth laterally. Once he confirmed that he had found the small path, he waved for Xing Zhixin to bring the car over.

Cheng Bin did not go to help; instead, he sat back in the car, coldly watching Xing Zhixin limping as he loaded things into the vehicle. He assessed Xing's values in his mind and concluded that, for the most part, Xing Zhixin was a relatively decisive person. Cheng Bin felt fortunate that he had not picked up a weakling. He had seen many people who were overly cautious and indecisive. Those without opinions might be good people, but they would certainly not make good partners. Cheng Bin's shoulders were not broad, and he questioned whether he could bear too much responsibility. Cheng Bin felt fortunate that he had not picked up a weakling. He had seen many people who were overly cautious and indecisive. Those without opinions might be good people, but they would certainly not make good partners. Cheng Bin's shoulders were not broad, and he questioned whether he could bear too much responsibility

Cheng Bin glanced at Xing Zhixin. The latter nodded at him, clearly somewhat tempted. It sounded like a factory located on the outskirts, which was quite a good option for them.

I will go take a look. Since only Zhuo Anni spoke up, Cheng Bin no longer insisted on nominal democracy and immediately made a decision, saying: "You all drive and follow me." Even if Zhuo Anni did not mention it, the road she referred to certainly exists. Therefore, it is impossible to navigate a large area solely by going around the fields. However, the exact location is worth discussing, as this snow is causing significant delays