Chapter 47 - 43: Departure

Chapter 47: Chapter 43: Departure

Ning He was led by Johnny and the barbecue shop boss into the backyard of the Black Panther Security Company.

A wide, open clearing unfolded before them. Seeing the heavily armed convoy standing at the ready, Ning He suddenly felt that the four-thousand-yuan tour fee was a bargain.

Two heavy off-road armored vehicles were positioned at the front, with another two at the rear. Their reinforced bodies featured front bumpers fitted with long, thick spikes that looked like rows of vicious fangs. Guarded in the middle was a large, modified sightseeing bus. It resembled an old-world RV, but it was entirely encased in a high-strength metal shell. According to Annie, the windows were military-grade glass, entirely bulletproof.

In addition to the vehicles, there was an armed mecha—something Ning He had only ever seen on television.

The mecha wasn’t in its combat form. Most of its body was folded up with only its head exposed, making it look somewhat like a tank, albeit much taller. A black panther was painted on its surface, and its cyan-black metallic armor gleamed with a cold, harsh light in the sun. The rows of heavy artillery muzzles mounted on its sides sent a shiver down Ning He’s spine.

Annie had mentioned that this type of mecha could transform, fly short distances, and boast formidable defensive and evasive capabilities. Years ago, when the Alliance established safe cities across the region, they had used these mechas to carve out safe territories. They had gathered survivors from all over, eventually forming human settlements like Beiluo City.

Nearly twenty men, dressed similarly to Johnny, surrounded the convoy, making their final checks and preparations. Johnny walked up to a man wearing a hat and exchanged a few words. The man’s expression remained calm as he turned his head to look at Ning He before walking over with Johnny.

"Johnny tells me you’re a Third-level Chef too?"

The man before her was around forty years old. A long scar ran from his chin all the way down to the left side of his neck. He had an ordinary face and wasn’t as burly as Johnny, but Ning He’s immediate instinct screamed that he was extremely dangerous. The moment his eyes locked onto hers, her hairs stood on end and her throat went dry—a visceral, instinctive reaction to an impending threat.

"Yes," she replied, swallowing hard.

The man chuckled. "A Third-level Chef not working in a restaurant? Why come here? Going out of the city will cost you at least two or three months’ salary. Is it worth it?"

Ning He’s scalp tingled. This man was far from simple; he had instantly guessed she had an ulterior motive.

"Boss, she works in the Mecha Academy cafeteria," Johnny chimed in.

The man raised an eyebrow, his gaze becoming even more meaningful.

Ning He steadied her nerves and gave a light smile. "I used to spend all my money on other people, but I ended up with nothing to show for it. Now, I’ve fixed that bad habit. I spend my money on myself. Dropping a few thousand to buy my own happiness? I think it’s worth it."

The man stared at her for a long moment. Though panic fluttered in her chest, Ning He kept her face perfectly composed.

After a while, the man smiled. "In that case... we’ve run into a bit of a situation today. The head chef we originally hired can’t make it. If you’re willing to help out and ensure we finish this job smoothly, we’ll waive your fee for leaving the city. Plus, we’ll give you an extra five hundred in compensation."

Beside him, Johnny looked surprised. He opened his mouth to say something but was immediately stopped by the man, forcing him to swallow his words.

Ning He sighed in relief and extended a hand. "You’re straightforward, Boss. It’s a deal!"

She would be a fool to reject such a lucrative offer. Besides, this arrangement would make it much easier for her to pull off her own schemes out there.

Looking at her outstretched hand, the man seemed slightly surprised. He took off one of his gloves and shook it. "Pleasure doing business with you."

With the matter settled, the man gave Johnny a few instructions and turned to leave.

Johnny looked at Ning He and curled his lip. "Just follow Uncle Hansha. He’ll tell you what needs to be done. Do a good job, and don’t embarrass me."

Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, Ning He put on a docile expression. "Got it. Don’t worry!"

Johnny shot a glance at the barbecue shop boss and walked away as well.

"Uncle, what do you need me to do now?" Ning He asked proactively.

Hansha smiled. "Our work doesn’t start until we’re out of the city. For now, just board the bus with the other guests. I’ll be in the vehicle back there." He pointed to the armored car directly behind the RV.

"Understood."

"Alright. I still have a few things to grab. Just wait here for a bit; we’re setting off soon."

Ning He nodded. She watched Hansha leave and stepped into a corner to wait.

About seven or eight minutes later, a group of people emerged from the direction of the VIP room. Annie led the way, and Ning He fell a step behind, trailing at the back of the group as they headed toward the sightseeing bus.

The group boarded the vehicle one after another. Its interior was lavishly decorated—a stark contrast to the shabby reception hall. There was a television, a refrigerator, air conditioning, and a wine cabinet. The seats were massage sofas, and each passenger was provided with their own pair of binoculars.

Annie settled each guest into their seats. A short, plump middle-aged man in a suit sat on the plush sofa at the very back. A family of three occupied the adjacent round table. Ning He and the remaining three passengers took seats at the bar counters by the windows on either side. Exactly eight people.

Ning He scanned her surroundings. Beside her sat a young woman with long brown hair, who looked to be in her early twenties. Behind the girl was a middle-aged man wearing glasses, and further down was a red-haired young man.

Wait, wasn’t that the young man she had run into the other day? It seemed they had agreed to let him tag along after all. It made sense. Who would pass up a chance to make good money? They just needed to keep a close eye on him.

Since everyone was strangers, no one spoke. Only Annie’s voice echoed through the bus.

"Respected guests, this culinary sightseeing tour will depart in five minutes. The journey will take approximately forty-five minutes. Drinks and snacks are provided on board. Should you require anything, please press the call button at any time, and I will serve you immediately."

Annie went over a few more safety precautions. As a first-timer, Ning He listened attentively. However, judging by the indifferent expressions of the others, they were clearly already familiar with the routine.

Once Annie finished her introduction, the vehicle started its engine. Ning He felt a small flutter of excitement. She was finally leaving the city.

The convoy slowly drove out of Seven Wolves Street. It wasn’t far from Beiluo City’s southeast exit, and ten minutes later, Ning He caught sight of the city gates. The walls towered about twenty meters high, and the gate was fortified with strict checkpoints. Ning He could see soldiers patrolling back and forth.

The convoy paused at the exit for less than five minutes before setting off again. The imposing walls gradually receded and shrank in Ning He’s vision. Soon, the densely packed, endless expanse of houses vanished, replaced by a vast stretch of barren, reddish-brown earth. For safety reasons, the five kilometers immediately outside the city had been designated as an isolation zone. Aside from the fortresses established by the Mecha Academy, there were no forests or any other terrain that could provide cover.

Ning He stared out the window for a while, but lost interest when she saw nothing but the naked wasteland. She withdrew her gaze and asked Annie for a glass of juice. Naturally, the bus didn’t serve freshly squeezed juice. It was merely a powdered beverage mix, but it tasted much better than the cheap drinks sold on supermarket shelves, clearly marking it as a premium product.

"Hello, I’m Jia Mei. Are you traveling alone too?"

The greeting came from beside her. Ning He turned to see the young woman with long brown hair looking at her with a bright, friendly smile.

"Hi, I’m Ning He. I’m just wandering around on my own since I have nothing better to do. Are you planning to paint?" Ning He asked, glancing at the large bag on the table and the bulky drawing board resting on the floor beside the girl.

Jia Mei nodded. "Yes, I’m going to sketch by the river. It’s been three months since my last trip out, and I was getting bored to death in the city. When I heard someone was organizing a tour, I rushed to sign up. Have you ever been out of the city before?"

Ning He wondered what kind of privileged life this girl lived to go out of the city just to paint.

"No, today is my first time," Ning He replied. "I’ve heard the forest is full of dangers, so I’m actually a bit nervous."

Jia Mei chuckled softly, her expression relaxed. "Don’t worry. The people from the Black Panther Company are highly professional. Besides, we won’t be going too deep into the forest. We’ll only encounter wild boars and wild bulls at most, which are easy to handle. Rest assured."

"That’s good to hear."

Jia Mei seemed thrilled to have someone to talk to, and she eagerly began sharing stories of her previous trips outside the city. As the two chatted, the scenery outside the window slowly began to change. Sparse trees flashed past the glass, signaling that the convoy had officially entered the edge of the dense forest.

The other passengers, who had been quiet the entire ride, began to stir. Some brought out their binoculars, others readied their cameras and video recorders, and some simply stared intently out the windows.

Ning He and Jia Mei’s voices gradually trailed off. Their attention was completely captivated by the unfolding scenery outside, losing themselves in the view.