Logistics

Luo Ping's back looked desolate yet resolute. The ruined steel jungle before him loomed so vast by comparison that even the white flag snapping in the wind could have held who knew how many people like him.

Lu Xi'an watched Luo Ping walk farther and farther away, then asked, "Do you think what he said was true?"

Yao Wei was watching Luo Ping leave too. Hearing Lu Xi'an's question, she replied, "I don't know." Her voice seemed calm and even.

But Lu Xi'an could still tell that beneath that calm exterior, she was somewhat moved.

In a world like this, people like him were truly rare. Even if they weren't on the same side, he still stirred something in them.

"How about we give him a little help?"

Lu Xi'an said.

Yao Wei turned to look at Lu Xi'an. "How?"

"He can come back to life, but we can't. We can't go risk our lives alongside him. What if we found a place and provided him with some backup?"

Yao Wei said, "All right."

Lu Xi'an smiled and honked the horn twice.

Luo Ping heard the sound and turned around.

Lu Xi'an waved him over. After hesitating for a moment, Luo Ping still walked back, looking frustrated. "What is it? I'd finally worked up some momentum, and you two ruined it in an instant."

Lu Xi'an asked, "If you go in this time, can you finish the job and make it out alive?"

Luo Ping grinned. "How would I know?" As he spoke, he patted his coat pocket, making the instant noodle packets inside go pap, pap. "At least I've still got some extra rations. With a couple more lives, I should be safer."

"Careful, you'll crush them."

"No problem. Once the fighting starts, they're bound to get crushed sooner or later. They're in bags, so I can still eat them."

"I'll leave the drone you gave me here. When you've used up your extra rations, if you still haven't finished the job, come back here. I'll control the drone to guide you to me, and I'll get you something else to eat."

Luo Ping's eyes lit up. "You don't have to go to so much trouble. If you've got any more dry rations, just give me some."

"Dream on! We're out of dry rations. Isn't a hot meal better than dry rations?"

"But let's get one thing straight: when you come here, you'd better shake off the people from the county seat. Otherwise, I'm not taking off with this drone."

He did still have some dry rations, actually. He was out of instant noodles, but still had a few expired bread rolls.

But convenient foods like those had to be saved for when they really mattered.

He and Yao Wei had plenty of white rice and dehydrated vegetables. They weren't far from the shelter, so once those ran out, they could go back and replenish their supplies.

Besides, there was water and plenty of trees nearby, so they weren't short on firewood.

So Lu Xi'an was willing to share his white rice and dehydrated vegetables, but not his dry rations.

Luo Ping looked worried. "What if I'm too badly hurt to make it here?"

"Would this spot work?"

"About right. I'm a Type B New Human, so I can keep going for a while even with only a breath left. I should be able to drag my corpse here."

"Then do your best to drag your corpse here. If things look safe, I'll bring you food."

"Great, great! No problem, I guarantee it!"

Luo Ping nodded repeatedly, then added, "Don't worry, you two. You're helping me this much, so I won't cause you any trouble. Once I get out, I'll bring you some good stuff."

Lu Xi'an smiled. "Good."

Then Luo Ping waved and turned around again, striding toward Fengcheng County's county seat.

Lu Xi'an drove to a relatively secluded spot beside a water source, with trees nearby. He had the dog scout the area before getting out of the car.

"Take the drone back to where we parked just now and hide. Once you see Luo Ping arrive, make sure there isn't too much danger, then take off and guide him over here."

Lu Xi'an gave the dog its instructions, and it operated the drone and left.

Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei divided the work clearly. Lu Xi'an made a fire and cooked, while Yao Wei stood guard with her gun.

Lu Xi'an hadn't told the dog to make sure nobody was following Luo Ping before bringing him over.

That was what he'd told Luo Ping, but if there weren't many enemies following him and Yao Wei could handle them, he didn't mind.

And whether or not anyone followed Luo Ping, having Yao Wei on watch would make them safer.

He chopped firewood, lit a fire, added the rice, fetched water, and cooked.

Lu Xi'an went through each step without much fuss, cooking the white rice and dehydrated vegetables together.

He didn't use any of the fresh rice he'd brought along. There had been a big bag left over from before, and they hadn't finished it in the last few days. A little remained, crammed into the car, and now was the perfect time to use it.

Gunshots sounded faintly in the distance. It looked like the battle had begun.

At first, there were only a few scattered shots. Then they stopped. A while later, they started up again, and after a while, stopped once more.

Then, a little later, they erupted again in a rat-a-tat-tat.

Lu Xi'an wondered if the guy had wolfed down both of his remaining bags of instant noodles.

They sure had a lot of bullets. Lu Xi'an envied them.

The rice and vegetables were cooked. Lu Xi'an had made extra, so he called Yao Wei over and they ate some together first. Plenty was left over.

The gunfire stopped again, and then there was no sign of anything for a long time. Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei weren't sure if Luo Ping had failed to drag himself over, so they decided to keep watching.

After a while, the drone's hum rang out. A man covered in blood came staggering over. Who else could it be but Luo Ping?

It looked like he'd dragged himself the whole way. There was even a hole in his head; he seemed to have been shot.

No one was following him, so Yao Wei didn't need to stand guard with her gun.

"It's fine. The bullet's already been dug out. I'll be back to full health once I eat something."

Luo Ping grinned, his uneven teeth stained red with blood.

It looked like the fighting had been intense.

"Then hurry up and eat."

Lu Xi'an was about to call Luo Ping over to eat.

But Luo Ping was very particular. He pulled out something and said, "I'm covered in blood. I don't want to get your pot dirty. Just put the food in this for me."

Lu Xi'an took a closer look. What Luo Ping had in his hand was a folded-up instant noodle packet.

He took it and filled it with cooked rice and dehydrated vegetables. Luo Ping took it back, scooped up the food with his hand, and ate in huge mouthfuls.

He polished off the whole bag of rice in no time.

"That hit the spot! I never thought you'd have such good stuff. Now I really have to bring back something good for you, or I'd be a terrible friend."

With that, Luo Ping promptly thumped to the ground and closed his eyes.

A moment later, sure enough, he was back to full health.

He pulled out two more empty bags—the ones he'd had left over—and said, "Could you fill all three bags for me? I'm going back to kick their asses! This time, I swear I'll bring back something good for you!"