Chapter 488, I Have Intelligence to Report
Skeletons resembling ancient warriors, riding on tall, skeletal warhorses.
Their bones glimmered a ghastly white in the sunlight amidst the surrounding snow.
From the hollow sockets of their eyes burned a ghostly blue flame, like a battalion marching out of hell.
The skeleton cavalry charged fearlessly into the zombie horde, toppling waves of zombies. The decaying bodies were skewered on their lances and hoisted high.
Screams and the clatter of hooves interwove, creating a grim and eerie scene.
Skeleton cavalry?
The survivors behind the walls stared wide-eyed at the battlefield.
Their gazes revealed fear and disbelief.
Zombies had already turned the world into this hellscape.
Now, a group of mysterious skeletons appeared.
They seemed even more ferocious.
"What should we do? These skeletons are stronger than the zombies."
"Damn it! What's next in this nightmare?"
"It's over for us. We're all doomed."
If they were facing zombies, the survivors might have had a chance with their walls and pre-set traps.
But if the enemy were these fierce skeletons, survival was impossible.
Not to mention the cavalry, but even the skeletal wyverns circling overhead.
If they bombarded them as they did the zombies, no one would survive.
Humanity's greatest advantage over these undead creatures had always been its intelligence.
Now, even that advantage seemed uncertain.
On the battlefield.
After several rounds of charges, there were no zombies left standing on the road.
The remaining crippled zombies crawling along were crushed under the hooves of the skeletal horses.
The cavalry regrouped, their hollow eye sockets collectively turning toward the walls.
The survivors' hearts pounded like drums.
Their spines tingled with cold dread.
Then, the cavalry turned in unison and retreated in the direction they had come.
The skeletal wyverns in the sky also turned and left the area.
"They've left. They're gone."
"Looks like they didn't notice us."
"I remember hearing on the radio that survivors in other areas awakened abilities to control skeletons."
"How could it be that? Controlling skeletons and even summoning wyverns?"
Whoosh, whoosh!
Just as the survivors breathed a sigh of relief, the sound of vehicle engines echoed from afar.
The chatter stopped as they looked into the distance.
They saw a convoy escorted by skeleton cavalry speeding toward them.
Leading the convoy was a truck with an exaggerated ram bumper.
Flanking it were off-road vehicles equipped with machine guns and armored vehicles with mounted cannons.
The convoy quickly approached.
"What the hell, skeletons have a modernized army."
...…
From the convoy.
Xiaoxiao, responsible for scouting, flew back and dove into Wu Heng's body.
The scene from the rest stop ahead was shared with him.
Seeing this.
Wu Heng was a little surprised. A group of survivors was still alive here.
"Tell the convoy to slow down. There's a group of survivors at the rest stop. You'll go talk to them and learn their situation," Wu Heng said.
Qi Hancai, driving the vehicle, paused in surprise.
"Here?"
"Yes, about twenty people."
"Got it." Qi Hancai nodded and picked up the intercom, saying, "There are survivors at the rest stop ahead. Prepare to slow down and stop. Don't disembark immediately. First, confirm they're not a threat."
"Roger!"
"Understood!"
One by one, responses came through the intercom.
Wu Heng released Xiaoxiao again to continue scouting the area.
The previous night, Wu Heng and Qi Hancai had taken the train to Xinfu City.
After some discussion, they decided to head to the provincial capital today.
They didn't choose the train.
The provincial rescue team controlled the other end of the railway, so taking the train would require negotiations.
Moreover, they wanted to handle the military factory matter discreetly.
Once everything was resolved, they could reveal it.
Besides, keeping the roads between cities open was necessary for transporting various resources later.
So they chose the highway.
Along the way, with wyverns and cavalry clearing the path, the convoy had hardly stopped, traveling faster than expected.
Now, just before leaving the highway, they discovered survivors at the rest stop.
...…
The convoy pulled over on the roadside outside the rest stop.
Faintly visible were gazes peering over the wall.
Qi Hancai picked up the vehicle's loudspeaker microphone and said, "We're from the Xinfu City base, passing through your area. Come out and let's talk!"
The loudspeaker's voice boomed, spreading quickly.
The survivors in the base shuddered, glancing around to see if any zombies had been alerted.
Silently, they cursed these lunatics.
In such a time, who dared to recklessly shout through a loudspeaker?
"Brother Chuang, I remember the Xinfu City base has an Awakened who controls skeletons. They had a dispute with the provincial rescue team over supplies a few days ago."
Beside him, a rugged man with a thick beard furrowed his brows. "Are you sure it's them?"
"Xinfu City, controlling skeletons—it has to be them."
"Why would they come here?" Brother Chuang continued to observe the outside. Seeing that the convoy had no intention of leaving, with its armored vehicles fully equipped with machine guns, he said to a subordinate, "Tell them we'll talk, but in the middle area with fewer people."
"Uh, okay!"
The heavy gate opened slightly, and a man in a tattered cotton coat ran out.
Standing not far away, he shouted, "Our leader says we can talk, but meet in the middle with fewer people."
Qi Hancai got out of the vehicle, flanked by protective skeletons and two members in stab-resistant suits.
They walked to the middle ground between both sides.
From the rest stop, three people also came out to meet them.
...…
Wu Heng sat in the truck.
After confirming there were no issues and seeing the discussion begin, he disembarked from the other side.
He directed the skeletons to begin cleaning up the battlefield.
The bodies of the evolved zombies were dragged together.
Using [Raise Skeleton], he converted all the corpses into skeletons and stored the collected zombie cores in his spatial ring.
Then, he continued along the road, using [Battlefield of the Dead] to transform the remaining corpses.
One by one, skeletons rose, staggering toward the convoy.
The number of skeletons converted was considerable.
The trucks they had brought couldn't carry so many skeletons.
Wu Heng scanned the road.
Looking for any trucks or cargo vehicles they could use to load the newly converted skeletons.
At this time, Qi Hancai approached from behind.
She directly reported, "I've spoken with them. The 20-plus survivors in the shelter gradually gathered here. Their leader was a truck driver, trapped when the zombie outbreak occurred on the highway."
"A truck driver? What kind of goods did he haul?"
"Between the provincial capital and other locations," Qi Hancai replied.
Wu Heng thought for a moment and said, "Wouldn't a truck driver be more familiar with the routes?"
Qi Hancai's eyes lit up. "You mean he might know the situation near the factory?"
"Yes, take me to talk to him. If he traveled to various places, he must know something."
"Alright."
...…
At a sentry booth outside the rest stop.
In a cramped space, two groups of people sat facing each other.
Wu Heng, Qi Hancai, and a few skeleton attendants on one side, and three people on the other, led by a man in his forties with a long beard and slightly prominent jawbones.
"This is our leader," Qi Hancai introduced, then said to the other side, "This is Liu Chuang, the leader of the Pingxiang Service Center."
"Greetings, Leader. I've often heard about your shelter on the radio," Liu Chuang said enthusiastically, observing Wu Heng.
"Hmm, Leader Liu's base is also well-established."
"Compared to yours, it's far behind," Liu Chuang replied with a smile.
Wu Heng continued, "What are your plans for your shelter's development?"
"Development plans..." Liu Chuang muttered before replying, "First, we need to survive the winter. There's a lot of land on both sides of the highway, so we plan to grow some crops to sustain ourselves. That's about it."
Wu Heng raised an eyebrow slightly.
It seemed Liu Chuang intended to manage the base independently.
Without pressing further about the base, Wu Heng asked, "You were in the freight business?"
"Didn't study much. Just hauled goods to make a living."
"Do you know the routes and locations around Yangtong City?" Wu Heng asked directly.
Yangtong City was the provincial capital.
It was densely populated and the most developed city in the province.
Liu Chuang replied, "I've been all over Yangtong City. Tell me what you need."
"The Sanwu Industrial Group."
Liu Chuang's cheerful expression faltered. After some thought, he said, "I've heard of it, but I've never delivered there."
"We want to head there. Is there a convenient route to get there?"
"You're going there?" Liu Chuang sounded surprised but quickly regained his composure. "I do know a route... It's a dedicated road built for transporting goods to such specialized factories. It's smooth and avoids residential areas."
At this point, he paused.
His gaze lingered on the group opposite him.
"Draw us a map, and we'll give you 20 kilograms of grain. If you're willing to guide us there, we'll pay you five 50-kilogram bags of grain once we reach the location."
Liu Chuang's expression stiffened, and the two followers behind him instinctively swallowed.
Grain was increasingly precious this winter.
After a moment's hesitation, Liu Chuang said, "I'll go with you, but once we find the place, I'll head back."
"That's fine. Come with us," Wu Heng said, standing up.
Liu Chuang quickly added, "I need to make arrangements first. Wait for me outside."
Wu Heng nodded. "Don't take too long."
"Alright!"
Wu Heng and Qi Hancai left.
Members of the convoy approached quickly.
"Chief, Sister Qi, we found two operable trucks."
"Assign drivers to load the skeletons," Qi Hancai instructed.
"Understood."
The two trucks were quickly repaired and integrated into the convoy, with the newly transformed skeletons loaded into their beds.
...…
Inside the rest stop.
Liu Chuang returned with his men.
A follower hurried after him. "Brother Chuang, are you really going with them? The highways are full of zombies. Why take the risk?"
"Damn it, if I refuse, they might drag me there anyway. That guy's gaze is creepy as hell," Liu Chuang cursed, then added, "Tell the others. You two are coming with me."
"What? We're going too?"
"Stop whining. Do you want grain or not?" Liu Chuang barked.
"Uh, okay!" The two left to pass on his instructions.
Liu Chuang entered a room, shoving aside the woman stationed at the radio, and tuned to a private frequency. "This is the Provincial Rescue Team?"
"This is the Provincial Rescue Team. Please proceed!"
"I'm from the Pingxiang Shelter. We've been in contact before. I have important information to report."