Chapter 27: The Doomsday Chariot

The middle-aged man, You Dehai, was a senior technician at a car repair shop. Before the apocalypse broke out, he lived next door to Ye Nan. The two knew each other and had a good relationship. Ye Nan had not expected to run into You Dehai here.

At present, Ye Nan still lacked a heavy-duty apocalyptic war truck—one capable of easily ramming through Level 1 zombies—which he needed for safe travel and to reach Donghai University to rescue Li Siqi’s sister. You Dehai’s expertise in vehicle modification was exactly what Ye Nan needed to realize this goal. Beyond that, given their past connection, Ye Nan was determined to save him.

In the distance, You Dehai was being forced by a bald, burly man at gunpoint to enter a convenience store to scavenge for food. Clutching an iron rod, You Dehai quickly cleared out the zombies inside and began moving water and food to the vehicle.

The bald man urged him, "Hurry the hell up! Toss two more cases of water in and let's move; the zombies are closing in."

You Dehai felt a surge of panic and accelerated his pace. As he was about to board the vehicle with a case of water in each hand, several zombies rushed over and surrounded the truck.

"Damn it!" The bald man broke into a cold sweat. Ignoring everything else, he fired his gun, killed the zombies in front of the vehicle, and slammed on the gas. The truck shot off like an arrow, disappearing in an instant.

You Dehai was terrified. The zombies had arrived, and the gunshot had attracted even more. With the bald man having abandoned him before he could even get inside, he was as good as dead. "Wait for me!" You Dehai screamed, his voice raw with desperation, but it was useless. The bald man paid him no mind and drove away.

As the zombies swarmed in, You Dehai felt the depths of despair. What was he to do?

At that critical moment, a loud gunshot rang out. A bullet sped through the air, shattered the windshield of the truck, and struck the bald man in the head. Blood sprayed everywhere. It was Ye Nan who had fired.

The vehicle veered off the road and crashed with a thunderous boom. Between the sound and the scent of blood, the zombies that were about to attack You Dehai were largely distracted and swarmed toward the bald man instead. Ye Nan drove his Hummer over while continuously firing to take down nearby zombies, quickly reaching You Dehai.

"Brother You, get into the convenience store!" Ye Nan shouted as he stepped out of the vehicle.

You Dehai was still dazed. He had thought he was a goner, but the bald man had been shot, and the commotion had drawn the zombies away, while Ye Nan had cleared the rest. He was safe. When he realized it was Ye Nan, his surprise grew.

"It’s you!" You Dehai exclaimed, his face lighting up with wild joy; he wanted nothing more than to give Ye Nan a huge hug.

"Let’s get inside the store first," Ye Nan said.

"Right," You Dehai agreed.

They entered the store, pulled down the metal shutter, and sprinkled seasonings from the shelves near the entrance to mask their scent, making it harder for zombies to track them. Once done, they were finally safe.

You Dehai patted Ye Nan on the shoulder, unable to hide his excitement. "Brother Ye, you're still alive! Thank god. By the way, what are you doing here?"

"I was out scavenging, and when I saw you in trouble, I took a shot," Ye Nan replied.

"Your aim is incredible," You Dehai said. "That guy has been torturing me lately, leaving me covered in wounds."

Ye Nan learned the situation: when the apocalypse broke out, You Dehai was working at the shop. He and his surviving colleagues had cleared out the zombies, and they had managed to survive by scavenging from a nearby convenience store. Eventually, the supplies ran out, and as they prepared to head out, three thugs—escaped convicts who had looted a police station—raided the shop. Because they were armed, You Dehai and his coworkers were forced into servitude, suffering constant abuse and dangerous scavenging missions. Over the past few days, his colleagues had died one by one, leaving only You Dehai among the captives.

Ye Nan sighed. By comparison, he was much luckier; he had awakened special abilities, lived in a safe house, and had several women by his side, lacking nothing. "The bald man I killed—he was one of the three, right?" Ye Nan asked.

"Yes," You Dehai replied.

"Good. Now, you’re coming with me to the repair shop to finish off the other two. Then, you’re going to help me build an apocalyptic war truck. I have a major use for it."

You Dehai hesitated, frowning. "They have guns. We might not be able to take them."

"I have a gun too, and I can give you one." Ye Nan didn't hesitate to hand a firearm to You Dehai.

You Dehai was stunned. In the apocalypse, the value of a gun was immeasurable, yet Ye Nan gave him one without a second thought, showing the depth of their bond. He was moved, but still warned, "Those two are vicious criminals. Even with guns, it’ll be tough."

"Don't worry, I'm an Esper." Ye Nan raised his hand and released a bolt of lightning, shattering a glass display shelf. You Dehai’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"Think of it as having a superpower," Ye Nan said confidently. "Still a problem?"

"No problem at all!" You Dehai cheered.

"Good. To be safe, we’ll scout the shop first and strike when the time is right," Ye Nan decided.

You Dehai suggested, "They take turns napping. One sleeps while the other stands guard. We can take out the sentry while the other is asleep."

"Great idea. You distract the guard, and I’ll use my ability to take him out," Ye Nan agreed.

After finalizing the details, they waited until noon, opened the shutter, boarded the Hummer, and drove to the repair shop. Ye Nan scouted the area, then had You Dehai pull up to the gate to knock while he laid in wait.

"Brother Daqing, open up! It’s me, You Dehai. I’ve brought supplies," You Dehai shouted, holding a large bag of food.

Inside, Zhao Daqing peered out with his gun raised. Seeing only You Dehai and a different vehicle, he grew suspicious. "Where’s the bald guy? Is he dead?"

You Dehai sighed inwardly; Zhao Daqing was sharp. "We were scavenging at a store, and he was bitten by a zombie. I tried to save him, but I couldn't..."

Zhao Daqing aimed his gun at You Dehai. "I know him—he’s a coward. He would never have stepped out of that car. Tell me the truth, did you kill him?"

"I wouldn't dare! He had the gun!" You Dehai feigned fear, shouting, "Daqing, let me in! It’s dangerous out here!"

"No, not until I know what happened," Zhao Daqing replied.

"Fine, I'll throw the food in first," You Dehai said.

As Zhao Daqing lowered his gun to catch the bundle of bread, Ye Nan vaulted over the wall. Zhao Daqing realized his mistake and reached for his weapon, but Ye Nan was faster. A bolt of lightning surged from his palm and struck Zhao Daqing in the forehead. He collapsed, his head scorched, dead instantly.

Ye Nan opened the gate and let You Dehai in. "Brother Ye, your power is incredible," You Dehai said, kicking the body in frustration. "This dog deserved it."

"Keep it down," Ye Nan cautioned. "There’s still one more."

They crept toward the sleeping quarters. Finding the door locked, they climbed through a window. The curtains were translucent, revealing a figure sleeping soundly on the bed. Ye Nan aimed his gun and fired. The man died instantly, never knowing what hit him.

After a thorough search revealed no one else, You Dehai breathed a sigh of relief. "Brother Ye, thank you. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"We go way back. You and your wife were always so kind to me," Ye Nan said. "By the way, where are your wife and your son, You Wen?"

You Dehai sighed. "They should still be at our rented house. We lost contact when the world went to hell."

"Don't worry," Ye Nan said. "I'll go find them and bring them to you safely."

You Dehai was overcome with emotion, his voice trembling. "Thank you... thank you."

"Do you still want to build that war truck?" Ye Nan asked.

"I have a semi-finished one," You Dehai said. "A rich kid brought it in before the world ended—a high-end Mercedes motorhome. I’ve already reinforced the chassis and added steel plating. It’s a beast."

When they reached the vehicle, Ye Nan was stunned. It was a massive six-wheeled Mercedes RV, armored and imposing, looking like a true war machine. Inside, the luxury was intact, with enough space for three people to live comfortably.

"Satisfied?" You Dehai asked.

"More than satisfied," Ye Nan replied. "This is exactly what I need."

"It's only half-finished," You Dehai noted.

"No problem," Ye Nan said. "I'll bring your family here, and we'll finish this together."

"I don't know how to repay you," You Dehai said. "Whatever you need, just ask."