On the very night Zhang Tie woke up, he and his older brother put on a show.
In the evening, Zhang Tie dressed and drove a military vehicle left at the hospital by the Iron-Blood Battalion. With his left hand still somewhat immobile, Zhang Tie used his right hand to steer the vehicle. After dressing, no one could tell that he had been injured.
This steam-powered car was very easy to drive. It only had one gear: neutral, forward, reverse, brake, and accelerator. The accelerator was, of course, the terminology used before the Great Cataclysm. In more technical terms, it was simply a pressure-regulating pedal for the car's boiler, which controlled the output power of the steam engine at the front of the vehicle.
Steam-powered cars are easy to drive and can reach speeds of over 100 kilometers per hour in the city. The only drawback is that starting the engine takes at least half an hour each day. After the boiler is lit, you have to wait for the pressure to rise to a certain level before you can start the car. However, the good thing is that the car only needs to be started once a day. The rest of the time, you just need to add coal and water to the fuel hopper and water inlet regularly, and empty the ash from the automatic ash discharge box every day.
The Iron-Blood Battalion was the most mechanized battalion in the 39th Division. Zhang Tie's 3rd Platoon of the 5th Iron-Blood Battalion alone had five vehicles at its disposal. Three of these were semi-covered wheeled armored personnel carriers, and the other two were five-seat military convertible off-road vehicles. As the platoon leader of the 3rd Platoon, Zhang Tie was even assigned a dedicated off-road vehicle because he was hospitalized. The Iron-Blood Battalion left the vehicle at the hospital for Zhang Tie's convenience.
Driving the military vehicle, Zhang Tie carried the gold coins he had taken from Samira's wallet. He drove directly to a rice shop in Black Flame City, bought two bags of rice, and had them put in the back seat. After paying, Zhang Tie drove back to his house.
On the way home, Zhang Tie felt incredibly cool driving the car. Zhang Tie little vanity was satisfied once again.
Zhang Tie guessed that his family was having dinner at this time. After honking the car horn twice, Zhang Tie didn't get out of the car but shouted from inside, "Brother, open the door!"
The older brother, who had already discussed it with Zhang Tie, opened the door and came out as soon as Zhang Tie called out, feigning surprise. "Oh my, you've learned to drive! Come on in, we're having dinner!"
"No, I've already eaten. I just happened to be out on business today and picked up two bags of rice on the way. That way you won't have to go buy any more. You can take the rice off the bus first, I have something to do, so I won't go inside!"
"Okay!" the two brothers said, exchanging winks as Zhang Yang unloaded the two bags of rice from the car. Zhang Tie's parents, having heard the commotion, came out of the house.
Zhang Tie flashed a bright smile, waved his right hand vigorously at his parents, and said, "Mom and Dad, I brought you some food! How about that? Isn't your son amazing? I've even learned to drive!"
When Zhang Tie appeared at their doorstep unharmed and smiling, Zhang Tie parents indeed showed a relieved smile.
"Hurry home and eat!"
"No, Dad, I'll take you for a drive another day. I've already eaten; I went out to run some errands today and picked up two bags of rice to bring over!"
" Guoguo, are you alright?" Mom asked, already getting ready to come over. "I heard you had an accident during your duel today!"
Zhang Tie's left hand rested on the steering wheel, while his right hand forcefully pounded his chest. "I'm fine, what could possibly happen? There were a lot of people at school that day, and there was a small disturbance. Your son is alright, but I was almost swallowed whole by a bunch of girls. Some people clashed with the soldiers the Military Control Committee sent there to maintain order, and they were later arrested. Mom, you should go home now. I have something to do today, I'll come back to see you another day!"
As Zhang Tie spoke, fearing his mother might notice something amiss when she arrived, he waved his hand, stepped on the gas, and drove off.
Seeing that her son was alright, Zhang Tie 'Zhang Tie mother breathed a long sigh of relief. She had been at home for the past two days, and Zhang Tie Zhang Yang had told her Zhang Tie Zhang Tie was fine, which she had believed. However, she was only shocked today when she heard someone mention the Zhang Tie incident while she was out buying groceries. Few people had actually witnessed the incident at school, so many versions of the story circulated. Some said a Norman Empire officer clashed with onlookers during a duel; others said the Norman Empire officer was assassinated; still others said soldiers from the 39th Division went on a killing spree at the Seventh Middle School; and some even claimed the Gregory Family had plotted a conspiracy that led to the 39th Division surrounding Lineage castle and declaring martial law in Black Flame City. Zhang Tie's parents had heard a ton of rumors these past two days, unsure of which were true and which were false, only filled with worry for Zhang Tie.
Seeing Zhang Tie drive back safely, the two finally felt relieved.
Zhang Tie didn't want his parents to worry about him.
After finishing his performance at home, Zhang Tie prepared to return to the hospital because he needed to have his dressing changed that evening.
Because it was dinnertime, there weren't many pedestrians on the road, making driving exceptionally smooth. The scenery along the road rushed past, and Zhang Tie seemed to have rediscovered that feeling of running in the wind. In this exhilarating moment, Zhang Tie spotted what appeared to be Mother Theresa. Mother Theresa, dressed in a green nun's habit, was standing by the roadside with a group of children beside her. Zhang Tie Zhang Tie's car sped past her in an instant, covering more than twenty meters.
With a screech, Zhang Tie slammed on the brakes, leaving a seven- or eight-meter-long black tire mark on the cement road of Black Flame City. Zhang Tie reversed, backing up to thirty meters behind.
It really was Mother Theresa!
Along the road, more than a dozen children stood by the roadside. One child held a donation box in his hand, while the other children held pots of flowers and plants. Another child held up a sign that read, "We are hungry!"
Mother Theresa stood in the middle of the group of children, leading them in soliciting donations from passersby. Kind people would receive a potted plant from the children.
By this time, the lamplighters of Black Flame City were almost out, and there were few pedestrians on the road. The group of people standing by the roadside collecting donations looked particularly desolate.
Zhang Tie jumped out of the car and walked over. The children looked at him, and although Zhang Tie was wearing a military uniform, all the children recognized him.
This is the Rice Soup Brother who used to deliver delicious rice soup to the Orphanage of Compassion every week...
"Brother Rice Porridge..." Zhang Tie Zhang Tie was instantly surrounded by a group of children. Looking at these children, their faces pale and sickly, the oldest only ** years old, the youngest only four or five, and then at the sign that read "We are hungry," Zhang Tie couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. With grain prices in the entire Black Flame City having doubled, even his own rice wine business was struggling. Zhang Tie could easily imagine the current situation of Mother Theresa's Orphanage of Compassion.
When she saw Zhang Tie, Mother Theresa's smile was the same as before, but after two months apart, Mother Theresa seemed to have become much more Zhang Tie.
"Brother Rice Soup, can you bring us rice soup again? We haven't had any good rice soup for over a month!" A little girl of six or seven years old tugged at the hem of Zhang Tie's military uniform and said timidly. Upon hearing the word "rice soup," all the children surrounding Zhang Tie swallowed hard, their bright eyes fixed on Zhang Tie.
"Sweetie, your brother will bring you some delicious food in a little while!" Zhang Tie gently stroked the little girl's head.
Mother Theresa came over. Unlike the children, Theresa understood the meaning behind Zhang Tie's military uniform. After more than two months apart, she couldn't believe that the naive boy who used to bring rice soup to the Orphanage of Compassion had transformed into a lieutenant officer in the Norman Empire. Even Zhang Tie's entire demeanor had changed significantly.
" Mother Theresa!" Zhang Tie greeted Mother Theresa she approached.
"It seems that God's will has begun to manifest in you!" Mother Theresa walked over and gave Zhang Tie a warm hug.
"How many days have these children gone without a proper meal?"
"For the past month, the food allowance for these children has only been enough to barely feed them half full each day. Moreover, the Orphanage of Compassion has reduced the number of meals from three to two per day. There's no other way, so I have to bring them out to raise funds. If this continues, these children will develop health problems. The children I've brought out are the healthy ones. There are still some children in the Orphanage of Compassion who don't even have the strength to walk!" Mother Theresa said sadly.
What does the Orphanage need most right now?
"Food, salt, and preferably a little sugar and alcohol!"
"Granny, do you believe me?" Zhang Tie looked earnestly at Mother Theresa.
"Of course, child!"
"Then, you go back to Orphanage of Compassion with these little ones now, boil some water, and clean the storeroom. I'll bring these things over in a little while!"
Mother Theresa looked deeply at Zhang Tie, then kissed him on the Zhang Tie again. She said nothing, but her eyes were slightly moist. Mother Theresa knew that the children in the Orphanage of Compassion were finally saved...
Zhang Tie patted the heads of the little ones around him and smiled, "You all go back to Orphanage of Compassion with Granny first, and tell your friends Orphanage of Compassion to get ready. Your brother will bring you something delicious right away, okay!"
"Okay!" The little ones nodded, their eyes shining.
Zhang Tie said no more, waved to the people, turned around, jumped into the car, stepped on the gas, and drove off... Only after watching Zhang Tie disappear at the end of the road did Mother Theresa call out and return to Orphanage of Compassion with the little ones who had been standing there for almost a day. (To be continued, please search for the novel for better and faster updates!)