Chen Yexun was gently nudged awake by Chu Yao.
He opened his eyes.
The interior of the vehicle was no longer pitch-black; a gray, chilly light filtered in, signaling the arrival of early morning.
His immediate reaction was to reach for the fruit knife beside him, his eyes swiftly scanning the cabin.
What he saw made him pause.
Li Chengyu was actually awake, sitting propped up on the opposite side with his head bowed, looking pale as he fiddled with his phone.
“Brother?” Chen Yexun immediately shuffled over, keeping his voice extremely low.
“How are you?
Is your head still hurting?” Li Chengyu looked up, forcing a smile, though his weakness was obvious.
“You’re awake?
I’m fine…
at least it’s not hurting like hell anymore.” He raised a hand to lightly touch his temple.
“It just feels burning hot inside, and I’m a bit dizzy…
But it won’t affect my mobility.
Don’t worry.” He spoke lightly, but Chen Yexun sharply noticed his eyes losing focus occasionally, drifting into brief moments of vagueness.
Like hell I won’t worry, Chen Yexun thought as his heart sank.
These were obvious symptoms of an uncured concussion.
Would it really not affect his mobility?
If he suddenly blacked out during an escape, that would be a true catastrophe.
However, there was no time for proper rest now.
Every second counted.
The supplies at the gas station were like a lighthouse in the dark; if they arrived late, it was highly likely to be plundered clean by other survivors or…
worse things.
He checked his phone: 6:00 AM.
He had actually slept for four hours?
He immediately looked at Chu Yao.
Chu Yao seemed guilty, keeping her head low and dodging his gaze.
Chen Yexun leaned in and said in a voice meant only for the two of them, “Next time we set a schedule, stick to it.
You can’t afford to be softhearted on night watch, okay?
Everyone’s life depends on it.” Chu Yao gave a slight nod, her voice barely audible.
“I saw how terrible you looked…
I just wanted you to sleep a bit longer…” Chen Yexun said nothing more; now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.
He gestured toward Li Chengyu instead and asked, “When did he wake up?” “About…
two hours ago.
After he woke up, he rubbed his head.
He seemed coherent enough when he moved, so I asked him how he felt.
He said he was just a bit dizzy and fine otherwise, so I…
didn’t wake you.” Chen Yexun nodded.
He gathered Li Chengyu and Chu Yao close, succinctly explaining the plan he had devised last night in the briefest terms.
Heading to the gas station more than ten kilometers away, as well as the backup plans for the service area and the driving school.
Both listened intently.
However, the moment Chen Yexun finished speaking, an awkward and conflicted look washed over Li Chengyu’s face.
“Yexun…” he began hesitatingly, his voice dry.
“Um…
I…
I might have to go somewhere else first.” Chen Yexun looked at him in surprise.
“Where?” Li Chengyu didn’t speak.
He silently handed his phone over, the screen displaying a WeChat chat history with his father.
Chen Yexun took it and skimmed through quickly.
The records showed that just a few hours ago, his father had sent a message asking about his safety.
The first thing Li Chengyu did upon waking was reply, reporting that he was safe and lying that he was hiding somewhere secure with two companions, then urgently asking about his parents’ situation.
His father’s reply was a temporary relief: his mother was with him, and when the disaster first broke out, his father had decisively driven home.
Now both were hiding at home, safe for the time being.
But the top-down photo of the residential complex park sent immediately after shattered that sense of safety instantly.
In the photo, several figures could be vaguely seen tied to handrails while a crowd of lunatics surrounded them, “cheering and playing.” The last message was his father’s plea: “Don’t come back.
It’s not safe here.
Live well.” After reading it, Chen Yexun sighed inwardly, handed the phone back directly, and snuffed out his hope in an icy tone: “After looking at this picture, do you still think we can cross half the city and charge into a nest of lunatics like that?
We almost died just escaping from the mountain.
How is this any different from suicide?” “I know!” Li Chengyu grew emotional, though he forcibly kept his voice low.
“I understand all that, but I just need that axe.
You guys can follow the original plan and head to the gas station…
We can split up.” “Split up?” A trace of mockery entered Chen Yexun’s voice.
“Fine.
Even if your luck is godly enough that you actually hack your way all the way to your residential complex—then what?
Do you think that bunch of lunatics won’t follow you upstairs?
Won’t they realize which door hides fresh new toys behind it?
Li Chengyu, you aren’t going to save people; you’re indirectly getting your parents killed.” These words were like a bucket of ice water dumped over his head, causing Li Chengyu to freeze instantly, his face turning even paler.
He clearly hadn’t considered this layer.
Yet the conflict in his eyes didn’t dissipate.
He clutched his hands tightly.
“But…
those are my parents!
I can’t…
I can’t just hide here doing nothing when I know they’re alive, watching them wait to die.” A tense silence settled over the cabin.
Chen Yexun looked at him, took a deep breath, and softened his tone slightly, though he remained composed.
“I have a suggestion.” “Your parents are safe right now, right?
Ask them how long the food and water at home will last.
If they can last for a while, then we shouldn’t go die right now.” “We’ll follow our plan first—survive, secure enough food, and find better weapons.
Once we’re well-equipped and more confident, we’ll cut our way back to save them.
Right now, we have no food and no proper gear.
It’s not the time.” Chu Yao beside them immediately chimed in softly, “That’s right, Mr.
Li.
If we go back later to save them, I…
I’ll definitely come help too.” Li Chengyu looked at Chen Yexun’s calm yet firm eyes, then looked at Chu Yao.
The reckless impulse raging in his chest was finally suppressed by more realistic considerations.
He hung his head dejectedly, and after a long silence, let out a heavy sigh.
“…Alright.” He gave a bitter smile, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
“Back when we played *Hell Driver*, you were always carrying me…
I guess it’s still the same now.” Chen Yexun twitched the corner of his mouth, ignoring the remark.
He bent down to pick up the axe on the floor, but instead of chopping at the tree right away, he did something that confused the other two.
Using the flat side of the axe blade, he swept the scattered glass shards and metal debris on the floor into the largest hole in the cabin floor.
The debris clattered down, landing on the dry leaves and broken branches below with a crisp crackling noise.
Chu Yao flinched and asked softly, “W-Why do that?” Chen Yexun motioned for her to stay quiet.
The three held their breath, waiting silently for a full two or three minutes.
Below, everything was dead silent, showing no signs of anything being alerted.
Only then did Chen Yexun truly relax.
He walked up to the main trunk of the tree penetrating the vehicle frame, balanced the axe in his hand, his gaze sharp.
“If we want to get out, we need to trim it down first.”