The Hope Convoy's Hope

Chapter 32

Inside the BMW X7, Lin Yi watched the scene outside at leisure, a cigarette between his lips.

Liu Chuan's Land Rover drove out and back in again, over and over, as though he hoped enough attempts would reveal a way to leave the service station.

In truth, after leaving and returning the first time, Lin Yi had already realized that they probably couldn't get out.

The Aberration here wasn't as simple as they had imagined.

The means this Aberration used to trap them were extraordinary. They drove straight ahead only to loop back, without experiencing any hallucinations. That could only mean the service area had undergone some change they knew nothing about.

Lin Yi preferred to think of that change as the influence of some kind of rule.

And within the service area, there might well be an unknown rule:

They could not leave the service area!

Of course, that was only Lin Yi's guess, because he had another, more terrifying suspicion.

The entire service area might be the Aberration.

There might not be any so-called rule at all.

Perhaps the Aberration simply didn't want anyone who entered the service area to leave, causing this supernatural looping phenomenon.

Neither possibility was good news for Lin Yi.

After all, he didn't know how to leave safely either.

In the end, the Land Rover obediently pulled into the space between Lin Yi's and Ji Qingcang's vehicles. Liu Chuan got out alone with an umbrella and stood there in a daze.

The others in the convoy had already set up the Rain Shelter. Under the envious gazes of the Hope Convoy, the women began taking vegetables, meat, and other ingredients out of the coolers to cook.

Lin Yi called to Liu Chuan through the window, "Get ready to eat first. Let's fill our stomachs and see what happens tonight."

"All right!"

After answering, Liu Chuan returned to his vehicle.

This time, instead of spying on the members of the Survival Rules Convoy, he turned his attention to the Hope Convoy inside the service station.

Wang Xufei sat with three Sequence Transcendents, discussing how to handle the night ahead.

Their four faces appeared in the pink mist, and the sound of their conversation emerged as well.

"We'll do the same as yesterday tonight, each of us covering one area. This time, we have to get a clear look at how people are disappearing."

Wang Xufei looked grim and sighed. "More than a dozen people have already disappeared. If this keeps up, I'm worried the others in the convoy will break down."

"You shouldn't be worrying about how many people have disappeared. You should be worrying about supplies!"

Shen Qingqing's expression darkened, and she said with unmistakable contempt, "Saint Wang, we're almost out of food. Figure out how to fill our stomachs!"

They had been here for three days, and their supplies were being consumed much faster than before.

On top of that, Wang Xufei couldn't bear to let the other convoy members go hungry, so he regularly gathered everyone to pool their food and divide it equally.

As a result, the Sequence Transcendents received no better treatment than the ordinary people, who actually needed more food.

Some even resorted to moral blackmail, insisting that they be protected and kept fed.

Yet Wang Xufei insisted on playing the saint. He would eat compressed biscuits himself and give his food to anyone who needed it.

He called it bringing everyone hope.

Now the Hope Convoy was running out of supplies. To Shen Qingqing, that meant despair.

"Chuchu, what are we eating today?"

Wang Xufei turned awkwardly toward the other twin.

Shen Chuchu frowned slightly and said quietly, "Captain, we can only have one piece of chocolate each today. If we eat any more, we'll have to go hungry later."

At her words, Wang Xufei sighed inwardly. Supplies had become a major problem after all.

Just then, a potbellied man in a suit stepped out of the crowd, his arm around a woman with a shapely backside.

The man carried himself like someone who had spent time in government.

The woman...

She didn't look like a decent sort.

"Xiao Wang, it's nearly noon. Isn't it time to hand out lunch?"

With an air of superiority, the man smiled and said, "I won't eat much today. Have someone prepare a serving of instant noodles for me, with two eggs and a sausage. And get me two packets of biscuits..."

"I want instant noodles too, with a sausage!"

The woman in his arms immediately chimed in.

The two acted as though they were ordering at a restaurant.

Wang Xufei stood and bent slightly at the waist, smiling apologetically. "Minister Qian, our convoy has run out of supplies too. All we can do now is have some chocolate to tide us over."

"Chocolate? How is that supposed to fill me up?"

The man snorted. "Then bring me twenty pieces to try first. Xiao Wang, you need to take this seriously. Only then can I put in a good word for you when we reach the settlement in the North."

"Yes, yes. Don't worry, Minister Qian. I'll arrange everything."

Wang Xufei looked every inch the deferential subordinate, his bent back seeming even less capable of straightening now.

Beside him, Shen Qingqing's face turned icy. Apparently unable to stand it any longer, she sprang to her feet and delivered a vicious kick to the official.

"Eat, eat, eat! You eat more than anyone every damn day, and you're useless for anything else!"

Shen Qingqing snapped, "And you, Wang Xufei, you spineless coward! If your [Watcher] Sequence weren't somewhat useful, my sister and I wouldn't even bother with you. The apocalypse is here, and you're still bowing and scraping. Who knows if that Qian bastard will even survive to the end!"

With that, she hauled her younger sister to her feet and headed outside, her expression cold.

She had finally seen it clearly: Wang Xufei was hopelessly spineless.

If the sisters kept following him, sooner or later they would starve to death while fleeing.

Rather than face despair in the Hope Convoy, they would be better off joining the Survival Rules Convoy. Its captain had the [Watcher] Sequence too, and it seemed to have plenty of supplies.

At least the Sequence Transcendents in the Survival Rules Convoy appeared to enjoy a sufficiently high status.

Wang Meng glanced at Wang Xufei as well and sighed. "Ah... you can keep playing along with these ordinary people. I'd rather entrust my hopes to someone else."

With that, he stood and followed them outside.

Compared with Wang Xufei, who couldn't even straighten his back, the Survival Rules Convoy that Liu Chuan belonged to seemed to offer a better chance of survival.

"What are you doing? Do you have any respect for the law?"

The man who had been kicked got to his feet and cursed at them. "This is betrayal! You're betraying the people! Once we reach the North, I'll make every one of you regret this!"

Then he turned his gaze to Wang Xufei and asked coldly, "Xiao Wang, what do you say? Are you leaving too?"

"Of course not!"

Wang Xufei put his smile back on and hurriedly said, "Please get some rest, Minister Qian. I'll go prepare your food. The Hope Convoy's hope doesn't rest on those few people. If they want to leave, let them. No harm done, no harm done..."

Inside the Land Rover, Liu Chuan watched Wang Xufei groveling in the image. For a moment, he felt as though he wasn't living through the apocalypse...