Chapter 1114 - 1102: The Snow Has Stopped

Chapter 1114: Chapter 1102: The Snow Has Stopped

The next day, heaven finally opened its eyes—the howling blizzard that had raged for nearly two weeks finally came to an end.

Lin Junfu stepped outside and could hardly believe what he was seeing.

"It stopped! It really fucking stopped!"

Excited, thrilled—more than anything, it felt like a long?stifled breath finally venting out of his chest.

Old Zhao came out behind him, face unreadable, murmuring quietly, "Stopped is good, stopped is good..."

Yes. As long as the snow stopped, it was good. Compared to the excitement back at the camp, the members of the Survivor Squad at the convoy’s campsite were tense and busy.

Ever since Wang Qiang and Luo Baochun noticed the snowfall weakening last night, no one had really gotten any sleep.

By the time dawn came, that initial burst of excitement was already gone.

Following Hu Xiaodong’s experience, Luo Baochun continued inspecting and servicing the vehicles.

These things were both their travel guarantee and the team’s lifeline; they had to be absolutely foolproof.

The others grabbed every spare moment to clear the piled?up snow off the vehicles.

"No idea when this snow is actually gonna melt, huh?"

The snow had stopped, but the thick accumulation on the road still kept the Survivor Squad from setting out.

At Hu Xiaodong’s sigh, Tang Xiaoquan replied calmly, "Should be soon. As long as the weather stays clear like this, odds are we can roll out tomorrow."

After the heavy snow, long?lost sunlight spread across the sky—that was the Survivors’ only crutch. Just as Tang Xiaoquan said, as long as the weather stayed clear, picking a day to depart wasn’t unrealistic.

"Hope so. If we can leave tomorrow, Hua and the other guy won’t have to suffer as long."

Right then, Hua Biao and Duan Chengwu were flying over the snow on their skis.

With the blizzard gone, visibility around them finally cleared.

You had to admit, the snow?covered outskirts were truly beautiful. If they weren’t on such an urgent mission, staying to take it in would’ve been one of life’s great pleasures.

Too bad Hua Biao and Duan Chengwu were in a rush to finish the rescue; they didn’t have that kind of leisure, and they hadn’t slacked off just because the snow stopped.

The two of them had set out at first light, their goal simply to reach the ruined city as early as possible.

Habit, really. With their military backgrounds, their view of time was fundamentally different from normal people.

They say time is life—right now that saying fit perfectly.

Once the vehicles were checked and the snow cleared, the convoy’s Survivors immediately found themselves with nothing to do.

The only thing they could do was wait—wait for the weather to help melt the snow, wait for the right moment to depart.

But that wait didn’t last all that long. Heaven seemed to sense the Survivors’ earnest prayers: after the long day passed and the new one arrived, the sky stayed clear, and most of the snow on the ground had already melted away.

Departure. No point in hesitating. They didn’t know what things looked like outside, but leaving one moment earlier was still leaving earlier.

Who knew when the weather would turn again? If another blizzard rolled in, that would be...

"Just like we agreed the day before yesterday—Wen, Baochun, you two take the big truck back to camp. Leave the light truck here. Once you finish the handover at camp, you come back for it."

With that big truckload of supplies heading home, the Survivor Squad’s assigned outing would be complete.

Luo Baochun had no objections; Wen Quanxin, however, grumbled a little. "Heh, Hu?ge, you really don’t need me along?"

Hu Xiaodong smiled faintly. "What do you think? I already spelled everything out at the meeting. You need me to nag you through it again?"

"Uh, no, no, no need. I’ll go, I’ll go, all right?"

Watching Wen Quanxin’s defeated expression, Hu Xiaodong couldn’t help laughing and shook his head.

He’d barely enjoyed that for a few seconds when a low male voice spoke from behind him. "Hu?ge, shouldn’t we ask Huo?ge what he thinks?"

Hu Xiaodong’s brows pinched together slightly. He turned to glance at Tang Xiaoquan, then sighed and nodded.

They headed together to Huo Yuankai’s vehicle. Hu Xiaodong peered at the window and called, "Huo?ge, open up, we got something to talk over."

Quickly, the window rolled down. Huo Yuankai stuck his head out, a questioning look on his face. "Uh?uh, ah?ah?"

"Oh, nothing major. Luo and the others are heading out in a bit. I just wanted to ask how you’re thinking about the matter we brought up yesterday... about the kid..."

Huo Yuankai nodded, waving his hand repeatedly.

Seeing that, even though Tang Xiaoquan didn’t know exactly what the gesture meant, he was sure of one thing—Huo Yuankai had agreed to Hu Xiaodong’s proposal.

Yes, Huo Yuankai had indeed thought it through.

Having the kid with him felt safer, but truth was, what they were about to do was way too dangerous.

He’d already lost contact with three children; if this one ended up sprouting wings too, then...

"Don’t worry, Huo?ge. The kid’ll be fine over there. I’ll tell the brothers to look after him."

As he finished, Hu Xiaodong immediately waved Wen Quanxin over.

Wen assumed something had changed in his favor and hurried over, plastering on a fawning grin. "Hehe, Hu?ge, what’s up? Got orders? You changed your mind and you’re keeping me here?"

Hu Xiaodong shot him a helpless look and laid a hand on Wen’s shoulder. "You’re pretty sharp. I do have a job for you."

"Hehe, just say the word. What’s the task?"

"Gai Yan is going back with your truck. Your job is to keep him safe. How’s that—any problem?"

"This..."

Before he could get the words out, Tang Xiaoquan nudged Wen Quanxin subtly from behind.

Wen took the hint and nodded.

Back at camp, Tang Xiaoquan had already used his spare time to fill everyone in on Huo Yuankai and his people.

So Wen had at least some idea where this man stood.

"Okay then. Huo?ge, we’ve explained everything. Gai Yan’s in his hands now. If anything comes up with the kid later, just go after this punk for answers."

Jesus. What did I do to deserve this? Not only am I not allowed to tag along, now I’m being stuck with babysitting duty?

What am I supposed to be, huh? A daycare worker?

That’s what he thought to himself, but outwardly Wen Quanxin thumped his chest. "Relax, Huo?ge. You can trust me with the kid. You don’t know, but back in the day they used to call me ’Kid King.’ Any kid with me, that’s a guaranteed no?problem."

"Heh, you’ve even got a title. Great, then I’ll leave Lian?lian to you too."

"Get lost! You, you pussy?whipped bastard. Don’t you dare count on me to babysit your wife’s job for you!"

"All right, enough. Three sentences and not one of them serious. Huo?ge, don’t listen to these two clowns. Anyway, since you agree to let Gai go with the truck, have him come down."

At that, Huo Yuankai turned to look at Gai Yan beside him; the boy clearly didn’t want to leave.

After a round of patient persuasion, Gai Yan finally climbed down from the vehicle, reluctant.

"Be careful on the road. If something happens, don’t panic. Remember, people come first. If you have to, dump the cargo."

"Got it, Hu?ge, we’ll be careful. It’s you I’m more worried about—take care on the next part."