It's quite simple to remove a car wheel.
They didn't have a jack, but Yao Wei did have a tire wrench in her car.
As the saying goes, strength works wonders. Yao Wei used the wrench to remove the screws from the hubcaps, put them away, and then Lu Xi'an directly lifted the car for Yao Wei to remove the tire.
Aside from a rope, there wasn't anything else useful in the pickup truck.
Lu Xi'an guessed that the rope was originally meant for tying people up, but now it was just right for tying the tire.
There was a wheel rack specially designed for placing wheels at the rear of Yao Wei's car, but it was already used to secure an air conditioner unit.
So they had to secure the "new tire" they seized from the enemy's car atop their own, tying it down firmly with the rope from the pickup truck, and got into the car, ready to leave.
Before getting into the car, Lu Xi'an also removed the keys from the pickup truck and took them into their vehicle.
Yao Wei was a little confused: "What good does this do?"
Lu Xi'an smiled and said, "What if these three's comrades have a spare tire? Wouldn't they be able to drive after us again?
"Confiscating their keys is the only way to make sure the car is completely out of commission."
Yao Wei felt that Lu Xi'an was being a little excessive.
She had already blown out one tire and removed another. Who could possibly be so well-equipped as to have two usable tires?
Then she heard Lu Xi'an add, "Besides, this thing can also be used as a hidden weapon. Don't you agree?"
Yao Wei nodded in agreement.
Lu Xi'an did have a habit of collecting hidden weapons.
But just then, the roar of an engine came from up ahead.
The sound was somewhat familiar, like the one from the man who was hauling goods earlier.
But Yao Wei didn't hesitate to lean out from the passenger seat and aimed her gun.
— This time she had given the driver's seat to Lu Xi'an, while she sat in the passenger seat with the gun to ensure their safety.
"Screeeeech—"
The sudden braking made the approaching sedan slide a long way on the road, the tires almost smoking.
The familiar sedan appeared again, and a man's voice came from the loudspeaker on the roof: "What the hell!"
After exclaiming, the man quickly shouted: "Don't shoot, I mean no harm! I was originally trying to lead them away, but since they didn't chase me, I hurried back.
"Those people are lunatics, attacking everyone they see without discrimination, simply inhuman. Bro and sis, don't you think so?"
Lu Xi'an didn't have a loudspeaker, so he had to shout back at the man: "Indeed. But we don't need any of your stuff, you'd best leave quickly."
The man replied, "Sorry, bro, I didn't notice earlier that there's a sis with you in the car. The stuff I took before is definitely not what you need.
"But I've got other good stuff, could make things interesting..."
Lu Xi'an: "Leave now or I'll start shooting."
"Alright, alright."
The man quickly revved up the car and slowly drove past Yao Wei's vehicle.
As the two cars passed each other, the man held the steering wheel with one hand and raised the other outside the window, saying:
"Bro and sis, see, I mean no harm, no need to get nervous and accidentally fire a shot."
As he finished speaking, the two cars parted ways. The man's voice came again from the sedan's loudspeaker: "Also, those guys set up a barricade ahead, you can't get through here.
"I was going too fast earlier and nearly braked too late, ended up running over their ground spikes and wrecked a tire.
"Look, they even shot at the back of my car, and I didn't have time to check, not sure if there's a hole or not."
Lu Xi'an twitched his mouth.
Now he understood why the guy didn't just turn around after seeing the situation here.
He glanced in the rearview mirror at the back of the car, and sure enough, saw two small round holes, with the edges dented inward irregularly, apparently from bullet shots.
He looked over at Yao Wei, saw her nod, and didn't hesitate to turn the wheel, heading after the sedan.
As their car drew alongside the sedan, Yao Wei already retracted her body, leaning sideways in the passenger seat, aiming at the man inside the sedan.
The man just retracted his hand back to the wheel and, seeing this, quickly raised it again: "Bro and sis, let's talk this out, there's no need for conflict, let's keep the peace and prosper."
His words and actions were all meant to show weakness, but Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei dared not let their guard down.
Lu Xi'an had learned how to read people, and this man, with his straight posture and slightly uneven but not yellow teeth, was most likely also a Neo-Human.
Being a Neo-Human themselves was reason enough to be wary.
Yao Wei asked: "Who are those people?"
The man replied: "I don't know much, only that they're from Liangshui Village, and don't get along with the people from the county.
"I went to the village for business, but once they found out I had also been to the county, they suddenly turned on me. Luckily, I ran fast, or I'd have been in for it.
"But I feel that even without that reason, they would've still acted.
"Those people are unscrupulous, far worse than the ones from the county.
"If they were decent, they wouldn't arbitrarily change targets, regardless of whether I went after you, bro and sis, don't you think so?"
Understanding the situation, Lu Xi'an asked again: "Where are you planning to go?"
The man replied: "Just finding a random spot to hide for a while.
"I was planning to head south from the west, but now, the road west is for sure blocked by Liangshui villagers, I can't drive through.
"There aren't many roads west, they just need to set up a few checkpoints, heavily blocked. But I can't bring myself to abandon the car and travel on foot, so I'll have to hide for now.
"Oh, and bro and sis, just a reminder, don't head back to the county either.
"County folk may be better than those from Liangshui Village, but not by much, they aren't exactly law-abiding.
"If we were able to come and go freely, without causing trouble, that's one thing.
"But given the current situation, they'll definitely team up with Liangshui Village, harass us, wear us out, exhaust us, then seize our resources."
Lu Xi'an said, "Didn't you say they don't get along?"
The man replied, "But that doesn't stop them from joining forces against us. We are few, yet have resources. Liangshui folks are plenty, and may not be better off than us.
"Once we're worn down, they can contest over our resources by strength or luck.
"We are Neo-Humans, naturally at odds with them. Though we don't see it that way, they sure do despise us."
Lu Xi'an stopped questioning.
Up ahead appeared a fork in the road, one leading to a rural path, the other still on the county road. Lu Xi'an said: "Choose a road."
He had no intention of traveling the same path as this man.
The man replied: "You decide, I'm fine either way. But before parting, how about we do a trade? I've got some good stuff left."
Saying this, he took out something from the car, "Look at this, a remote-controlled drone! I got it from a refugee from the south.
"Though it doesn't have much power left, it should still be usable a few times.
"When you want, you can send the drone ahead to scout the surroundings, ensuring safety. So, how about this thing?"