Chapter 341: Not One Has a Good Brain!

"No, no, I even took a few extra laps, hehe."

Xiao Xuejian got out of the vehicle, greeted a few companions, then said: "Boss, I delivered your message. Zhang Su's response was vague, but he sent back a gift."

"Not refusing is good news, and returning a gift is even better—what is it?"

Gong Chengming never expected the other side to agree so readily; if they had, he'd have grown even more wary. In this world, empty promises are easy, and any promise can be reversed at the last moment. As long as contact is established, the rest can be handled later.

"Three raccoon dog pelts!"

Xiao Xuejian happily pulled three glossy, soft raccoon dog pelts from the back seat of the Coolway.

"Whoa!"

One team member sighed, laughing: "Only country bumpkins care about this stuff. The Alliance warehouse is piled high with mink coats no one wears—who wants this?"

"Exactly!"

Another team member chimed in, pinching the pelt and sneering: "Boss, Zhang Su is way worse than you at giving gifts!"

"Right! You, Boss, think ahead—you considered the situation on Tianma Isle and carefully selected supplies. Zhang Su just sent what he thinks is valuable, without a single thought for our real needs. Total waste."

Another member nodded in agreement, his face showing dissatisfaction.

Gong Chengming stroked the soft pelt, glanced at them with deep meaning, and smiled: "You've all picked up some of the Alliance's bad habits. I don't know if your combat skills have improved, but your flattery has become truly refined."

Clearly, Gong Chengming was deeply displeased with their remarks.

"It's just that…"

"No, no."

"We're just being honest."

The five team members all chuckled awkwardly under Gong Chengming's gaze.

"I ask you, Xiao Xiao—what did you do after receiving Zhang Su's gift?"

Gong Chengming had no patience for small talk and got straight to the point.

Xiao Xuejian shrugged: "I told him these things were precious—worth a fortune on the market."

"Ugh…"

Gong Chengming slapped his palm with the back of his hand, shook his head, and spoke like an old veteran: "You showed weakness."

The others exchanged glances, not understanding what Gong Chengming meant.

"What do you mean?" Xiao Xuejian asked, embarrassed.

"This was clearly Zhang Su testing you. You actually thought he was an idiot? He led people out of the city fighting all the way—he knows better than anyone what's valuable and what's not in the city."

Gong Chengming sighed, lips pressed tight. He had plenty of fierce fighters, but not one sharp mind. He'd picked Xiao Xuejian as the best among the dull, yet even he fell short.

"Then… what should I do?"

Xiao Xuejian felt deflated. Before Gong Chengming spoke, he hadn't thought much of it—but now, the more he reflected, the more awkward it felt. Zhang Su's half-smile had turned into a mocking sneer.

He wasn't truly embarrassed for himself—he was worried this blunder might delay the Boss's important mission. That would be a grave mistake.

"It's a minor issue. Zhang Su probably won't care that much. As long as there's profit, we're friends. Let it go. Let's head back! Oh, remember to load the supplies!"

Gong Chengming placed the raccoon dog pelts back in the vehicle, then paused, picked up one, and draped it over his neck before walking toward his own car.

…

"Hey, past it, past it…"

On the road to Kuanzhuang, Su Xiaoya watched as Zhang Su showed no sign of slowing, driving straight north. She grew anxious.

The Big Dog following closely behind the FJ Land Cruiser also didn't stop, rolling past the intersection.

"Burp~."

Zhang Su let out a burp, his breath reeking of scallions. His breakfast of scallion pancakes had been dry but tasty. Seeing Su Xiaoya gesturing wildly at the intersection, he waved:

"What's the rush? We just left—we've got to handle business first! Besides, we'll need to pick up supplies in Kuanzhuang. You planning to drag everything around? Don't you know how much fuel that wastes, let alone the risk of being robbed?"

Su Xiaoya frowned, adjusted her ear muffs, and fell silent—she had to admit Zhang Su made sense.

The vehicle rolled northward. The fields on either side lay barren and empty. Occasional zombies shuffled. The road still bore the tracks of yesterday's tank treads. Bare tree trunks and withered grass dotted the landscape—all of it desolate.

"Hmm… this car looks so high-end. Can we play some music?"

Su Xiaoya found the silence terrifying. Aside from wind and tire noise, there was no sound—not even a living creature (zombies didn't count). A creeping loneliness settled over her.

"It's only for radio. Music? You'd need to pair a Bluetooth phone—but I didn't bring one with songs."

Zhang Su explained.

"I really want to hear something. Everything's dead silent—it feels like we're the only two cars left in the world. So lonely."

Su Xiaoya pressed her face against the cold glass, looking sorrowful—typical moody teenage rebellion.

"Only a kid like you would waste thought on useless feelings. We're trying to survive. You want sound? Fine—here!"

Zhang Su turned on the speaker, tuned randomly. Static crackled, then the Survivor Alliance's broadcast came through as usual—same message, but now with a new date, still following the Gregorian calendar. Probably to reassure listeners the Alliance was still functioning, not just looping a recording, hoping to draw more survivors in.

"Could we maybe go into the city sometime? Last time we went to Qincheng was during summer vacation. I'd planned to go to Xianluo Island with classmates this National Day…"

Hearing the Survivor Alliance's broadcast, Su Xiaoya's gloom lifted. A spark of vitality returned to her face.

"You still think this is the old world? 'Go for a walk'? No chance anytime soon. If temperatures keep dropping, we'll cut back on all movement. You think the only threat is zombies? Cold hurts us just as badly!"

Extreme cold posed a massive threat. The temperature now hovered around minus twenty degrees. Even before the disaster, outdoor work would've been reduced at this level—if it dropped further, people would minimize outdoor activity entirely.

"Alright." Su Xiaoya knew she lacked knowledge and readily accepted advice. She asked: "Has Tianma Isle broadcasted anything to the outside?"

Zhang Su shook his head: "Not yet."

"Why? Afraid more people will attract more zombies?"

Su Xiaoya had roughly grasped the zombies' attraction mechanism.

"That's only part of it!" Zhang Su pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. "Every time Tianma Isle's population grows, I'm extremely cautious. I won't take people like Lei Youliang—ambitious and dangerous. I won't take those who give up and wait to die. I won't take those who refuse orders and think they know best…"

He glanced at Su Xiaoya, seeing her wide-eyed, odd expression, and asked: "Does it sound complicated?"

"Yeah…" Su Xiaoya sighed, twisting her fingers. "Managing a camp really isn't easy…"

Zhang Su paused, surprised. He hadn't expected this girl to say something so thoughtful. He inhaled his cigarette, smiled faintly, and said nothing.

Moments later, Su Xiaoya pointed at the radio: "Can I tune it?"

"Go ahead."

Zhang Su shrugged.

Su Xiaoya copied Zhang Su's actions, slowly turning the dial—as if afraid she'd miss a signal.

Zhang Su watched her careful movements and said: "No need to go so slow. If there's a signal, you'd spend all morning tuning just one full circle."

"It's fine. I've got nothing else to do. I'll take my time."

Su Xiaoya finally had something to do. She didn't want to finish quickly. She turned the dial with focused care.

The car passed flower fields and a church. Zhang Su glanced at the church's upper window, recalling his first visit there, when suddenly—through the radio's static—he heard a faint, distorted human voice. He couldn't make out the words, but he was certain: it was a person speaking.

"Don't move!"

Zhang Su raised his hand to stop Su Xiaoya. "Someone just spoke. Did you hear it?"

"Did I?" Su Xiaoya asked curiously, then reversed the dial slightly.

"Tang! #￥……Ping District#￥%"

"Listen—that's it!"

Zhang Su's expression turned serious. This time, the voice was much clearer. Still buried in static, but unmistakably human—if you weren't deaf, you'd hear it.

Su Xiaoya tensed up, whispering carefully: "Could this… be other survivors calling for help?"

"I don't know!"

As he spoke, Zhang Su turned on his right indicator, pulled over, and began carefully adjusting the radio.

Thump. Thump.

Before Zhang Su could figure out the radio, Lu Yubo and the others in the rear vehicle ran up, knocked on the window, and stared at him with questioning expressions.

Click.

Hearing the door unlock, they quickly opened the doors and slid into the back seat.

Lu Yubo saw Zhang Su focused on the radio and asked: "What's up, Boss? Any news?"

"Yeah. Just heard something. Got it. Don't speak. Listen!"

The Survivor Alliance's broadcast came through clearly—this time, the poor reception was due to the sender's faulty equipment.

After tuning, the message finally became clear. A crisp, well-articulated female voice echoed through the cabin.

"Year One of the Catastrophe Era, January 15th. The Tang City's largest survivor organization, Zhengdao Society, greets all listeners. The weather is freezing—stay warm! I'm announcer Qingqing. Allow me to introduce Zhengdao Society to all survivors still wandering the wasteland!"

"Zhengdao Society's headquarters is located on Kaiyue Road, Kaiping District, Tang City. We currently have nearly three thousand two hundred forty-five members. Our community is unmatched in Tang City and across hundreds of kilometers—perfectly organized in military defense, medical care, food, entertainment, and education. We are now focused on restoring industry."

"We believe this well-developed community can become the home you've dreamed of in this apocalypse. Zhengdao Society warmly invites all handsome men and beautiful women—whether you're a three-year-old child or an eighty-year-old elder—if you're willing to join us, you'll find your own place here!"

The one-minute broadcast ended. After several seconds of silence, it began repeating in a loop.

(End of Chapter)