Hello Kitty

Winnie was slightly stunned by Gavin's invitation.

"Boss, are you sure I won't be a burden? There are zombies over there."

As she spoke, Winnie pointed toward the small town behind the gas station.

In the two yards closest to them, three or four zombies in tattered clothing could be seen wandering slowly.

Although it was only a few zombies.

Zombies were like cockroaches; when you saw three or four, there was bound to be a whole swarm you hadn't spotted yet.

Though Winnie didn't understand that logic, her instincts were still warning her that this place was dangerous.

Watching Winnie's nervous expression, Gavin ruffled her hair and asked softly.

"What, are you scared?"

"No, of course not, I just..."

Faced with Gavin's inquiry, Winnie carefully explained.

"I'm just worried that Mom and I will become a liability."

"Relax, there isn't that much trouble here. As long as you two don't scream, trip over your own feet, or knock over shelves and freezers, there won't be any danger at all."

Gavin patted the kid on the head and nudged her back to get her out of the car.

Afterward, he and the kid both looked toward Doris.

Doris had long since shed her nightgown, changing into a fairly practical light blue tracksuit and white flat shoes.

Now, meeting Gavin's gaze, she gripped the small pistol in her pocket with her right hand and nodded nervously.

"I can do it!"

She spoke with extra effort, then reached into her pocket and prepared to step out of the car.

Noticing Doris's movement, Gavin glanced at her pocket and reached out to stop her.

Seeing herself blocked, Doris's body trembled.

Gavin gestured toward her pocket with his chin and smiled.

"What are you hiding in there? Mind showing me?"

"Ah? Oh, okay, Boss!"

Doris became instantly nervous. Biting her lip, she pulled the small pistol out of her pocket, gripping it tightly with her sweaty right hand.

Seeing the appearance of the handgun, Gavin couldn't help but chuckle and tease.

"A light pink Ruger LCP, wow, and with a Hello Kitty print too. A classic lady's pistol, though I'd recommend a Sig Sauer P320 instead."

Gavin tapped the little pink gun and said softly.

"Knowing how to use a gun to protect yourself makes you qualified, but in a situation where the environment is largely under control, Doris, we should try our best not to fire."

"Even if you're being chased by zombies, your legs are more reliable than a handgun. Remember my words: pistols are for dealing with people. I don't want to hear any gunfire in this gas station!"

At this, Gavin looked into Doris's eyes, causing her gaze to involuntarily dart away.

"I... I understand..."

Doris responded nervously.

Gavin nodded in satisfaction while helping her engage the safety on the pistol.

Patting the frame of the gun, Gavin smiled.

"Alright, don't be nervous. Put the gun away, go into the convenience store, and find what you and Winnie need. Grab some extra seasonings, too; your cooking is excellent."

"It's just not the right time to practice shooting yet. Once we reach my farm, I'll find time to take you and Winnie to practice your marksmanship."

With that, Gavin turned and walked toward the convenience store, while Doris and Winnie followed cautiously behind him.

In America, for middle-class families like Doris's, a handgun was truly an essential item.

However, a pink Ruger LCP was usually meant for elementary school girls; the print made it clear it was better suited for a child.

At the same time, William dragged a corpse out of the convenience store.

Passing by William, Winnie couldn't help but look at the zombie.

She happened to see the face that Gavin had mangled.

Seeing Winnie's footsteps falter, Doris grabbed her daughter's hand and whispered.

"Don't look at that, honey."

"No, I should look closely. I believe that sooner or later, I'll be able to handle zombies too!"

Winnie's face was a little pale, but her tone remained firm.

Not far away, Eugene heard Winnie's words, gave her a thumbs-up from a distance, and said.

"That's right, kid, act like a warrior! It might not guarantee you live longer, but it will definitely make you stronger!"

As the words fell, Eugene returned to Gavin's side and asked.

"Tsk tsk, big shot, what else do you need me to do? Keep watch, or haul stuff back and forth like the others?"

"By the way, what kind of guns do you have at your farm? Any sniper rifles? If you do, I could hold off at least two squads of invaders all by myself~"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Eugene, though my collection is quite comprehensive. I like to collect those little cuties."

Gavin patted Eugene on the shoulder and then pointed toward the store.

"Go move the cargo. Try to fill the RV's storage as much as you can."

"Shit, you're actually barking orders like a real commander. Fine, let this spotter degrade into a grunt digging trenches~"

Eugene grumbled as he entered "looting mode," starting with the shelf containing backup medicine and not even sparing the motion sickness pills.

Madison and William began packing various snacks in unison.

Doris quietly cleared out the store's feminine hygiene products, handing the bags to Winnie to take back to the RV as she went.

Although everyone remained tense, they didn't act as absurdly as people in movies, who always managed to knock things over despite trying to be stealthy.

Outside the store, seeing that everyone was methodical and relatively quiet, Gavin nodded silently and pulled out a cigarette to continue scanning for any signs of movement.

By the time the cigarette burned out, the zombies in the town still hadn't discovered them.

With that, Gavin flicked away the butt and went into the store to help with the hauling. After another dozen minutes of work, the RV's storage was nearly full.

Only then did a much more relaxed Doris approach Gavin and whisper.

"B... Boss, I didn't stock much in the way of vegetables or fresh meat in my RV, and this convenience store doesn't have any either."

"I'm afraid that after three meals at most, we'll be stuck eating bread, canned goods, oatmeal, instant noodles, and macaroni."

"Is that so?" Gavin replied with a smile at Doris's words.

"To think we can still have big meals like this morning for three more times—that's actually good news."

"As for the future, the farm won't lack food, so rest assured, Doris."

As he spoke, Gavin gave her shoulder a reassuring pat and then called everyone over.

Once they gathered around, Gavin pointed to the bed of the pickup truck and said.

"There's still plenty worth taking in the store, but our space is limited. We need to leave some room for emergencies, so it's time to go."

"Ha, finally done being a porter. Are we heading straight to Coskana now?" Eugene asked nonchalantly.

Gavin nodded and said calmly, "That's right. We already have a perfect backup camping spot: the wasteland near the feed distribution center."

"At the same time, our water and food supplies are quite sufficient; we expect to have enough for at least half a month."

"Next, we'll make haste to Coskana without stopping along the way. Once we confirm the situation there, if we're lucky, we'll reach the farm before noon!"

With that, Gavin waved his hand, and everyone returned to their respective vehicles.

Starting the Tyrannosaurus, Gavin took one last look at the zombies wandering in the distant town before slamming his foot on the gas.

They were less than twenty-five kilometers from Coskana. After passing a residential area and two smaller towns, Gavin saw the city of Coskana in the distance.

But... at the very first sight of Coskana, Gavin couldn't help but furrow his brows.

Because that city, located over three kilometers away, was currently billowing with thick black smoke, and Gavin could faintly hear the occasional sound of explosions.

This sight naturally made everyone in the RV secretly alarmed.

Doris couldn't help but clasp her hands to her chest and begin to pray silently.

Driving toward the smoke-filled city, Gavin continued for another six hundred meters before parking the vehicle on an overpass.

He stepped out, grabbed his binoculars, and stood by the roadside to observe the distant city.

The others climbed out of the RV and stood behind Gavin, looking worriedly at the city and his back.

Feeling the increasingly heavy breathing of his team members, Gavin suppressed his own unease, turned back, and smiled at them.

"Guys, the explosions are concentrated at the intersection of the Coskana railway lines, on the east side of the city."

"Even at three in the morning, there are trains running. As long as there are trains moving on the tracks, they will eventually run into trouble without anyone to operate them."

"In a city like Coskana, where the railway lines are a tangled web and the station planning isn't exactly great, it's natural for trains to have accidents."

"Don't worry, everyone. I had already anticipated something like this."

"Let me observe a bit more, and we'll find a way."