Since Bandy's group and everyone else wanted Rico's grub not to follow them, the latter waited on the city's outskirts for some time while checking Rico's condition periodically.
After two hours, Zayn asked Rick to teach him to drive a vehicle. They would go to the underground city base in question, following in the footsteps of a little gift that Rick left in Bandy's truck.
"Ugh, this is pretty hard to learn. Driving a vehicle is tough, but you control this huge machine without a hitch for hours. You're really great, Rick." Zayn followed Rick's instructions, but he could only drive the truck at a slow speed.
"Well, you're practicing driving for the first time using a truck... It'll be easier if you start with a regular car first. So, want to give up?" Rick rested his head against the backrest.
He glanced at the girl in the co-pilot seat. Angie didn't want to share a seat with him, so he could only stand at the back while giving instructions to Zayn as a driving instructor.
"No, I'm good. I'll be good at controlling a machine like this quickly. Hello, truck, I'll beat you!" Zayn had made up his mind. He was sure that he could drive fast.
It took him another hour to get used to it and find the right moment to drive the truck properly. Although the one-hour journey was not something smooth. It made all the passengers a little nauseous. The truck engine also died several times in the process.
"You're not that bad. Your driving skills are enough to drive a car without turning the engine off. However, I'd prefer not to be a passenger in your vehicle, Zayn." Rick covered his mouth as he felt nauseous from one hour of shocks and jolts.
"Hm, I think this is enough. I'll practice my driving skills again independently until I'm proficient. We've arrived at mile twenty. Let's change the driver." Zayn moved to the co-pilot seat next to Angie.
"???" Angie looked at Zayn curiously.
"I already know the basics of driving. I will improve my skills soon. Sorry for making you nauseous on the way." Zayn smiled apologetically.
"..." Angie didn't quite understand what Zayn was talking about, but she nodded as if she understood. Zayn has had enough of playing around with this big machine.
"Hop. You still alive, Rico?" Do you feel nauseous? Rick hopped into the driver's seat. He would drive his truck again.
"Ugh, I'm already feeling quite dizzy from the trip. However, I feel better than I was a few hours ago." Rico leaned against the iron wall while holding his head.
"It's good that you're feeling better. We're going to the underground city base, and we just need to say you're a sick, disabled person. Please play your part well later, Rico." Rick raised his hand.
"Yes, I broke my arm. I was in the hospital when the zombie apocalypse happened. It's only temporary, okay? I'm not permanently disabled." Rico protested.
"Yes, yes... I can still see traces of salt glistening on the road. So, we are still on the right path." Rick squinted his eyes as he took a closer look at the road.
"It's just an overpass. We can't go the wrong way..." Zayn rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, the real challenge is when we get to the city streets. Eh, they go there, huh." Rick turned the steering wheel, and their truck came off the flyover. They were close to fourteen miles, and the use of the salt trail would come in handy from there.
As they entered the city streets, zombies roamed all over the place. However, their numbers are quite rare and far from each other.
Rick's truck hit the zombies on the road and crushed them.
"Rick, let's leave our truck somewhere hidden. We can't come in a truck similar to Bandy's group. We're going to follow the salt trail on foot." Zayn suggested a suggestion.
"That sounds good. We can't just leave our armored truck to them. I'll find an underground garage then." Rico glanced left and right. He found a hotel building and went there.
After the truck was parked in the underground garage, everyone got out and walked down the road to the salt trail.
"I feel weird." Rico scratched his head with a complicated expression.
He was sitting on a big trolley next to a big backpack and a bundle of weapons. He was treated like an item.
"Don't complain too much. You can't walk properly yet, and we need to find the underground city base before dark. We don't know the exact location yet." Tom laughed dryly as he pushed the trolley.
"We only have three rifles..." Rico muttered under his breath.
"It's okay. We brought more than twenty swords and knives here." Tom pointed to the big bundle of sharp weapons.
"Everyone, prepare your swords. At least take two or three with you just in case. Keep your rifles and train your arms to slash zombies' heads." Zayn unsheathed his longsword when he saw several zombies on the road ahead.
"Roger!" Everyone rushed to take an additional sword or knife with them. Everyone has two guns to take with them to kill the zombies now.
"!~" Angie was still relaxed. She wouldn't get involved because these humans could handle those zombies with Zayn's weapon gifts.
"Then go and show your manliness. The number of opponents is six. Get rid of the threats that are in front of you." Zayn raised his longsword and gave his orders.
"O-oh!" Someone shouted excitedly. He feels like a swordsman now.
Yet, another person slapped the noisy guy's back. "Don't shout, fool."
The orders had already been given, and they also wanted to test their arm's strengths. Nine people came forward carrying swords and long knives to slash some zombies' heads.
"They're okay." Zayn lowered his longsword and then rested his other hand on his katana on his waist.
"!~" Angie grabbed Zayn's hand because they always held hands when exploring places together.
Rico and Tom just looked at it from behind and shook their heads with a subtle sigh. The couple once again went with their lovey-dovey moment.
"Hya! Die!"
"Don't get stained with stupid blood."
"Ugh, I'll take my jacket off!"
Six zombies were eliminated after being decapitated by nine people working together. A person's clothes were stained with blood, and he immediately threw away his stained jacket.
Everyone continued their journey without being faced with any significant obstacles. Apparently, the soldiers in the underground city base were regularly cleaning up the city's zombies.
"Rick, there's a blockade up ahead. We've come a long way, haven't we? Where are the salt trails on the road?" Zayn looked around, but he could no longer see the traces of salt glistening on the road.
"Oh, dammit! I was too excited about killing zombies with my newly acquired swormanship. Has the trail perhaps been blown away by the wind?" Rick slapped his forehead. The wind blew, and he blamed it instead.
"Anyway, we're lost now, right?" Zayn shook his head.
"Hmm!" Almost everyone looked at Rick with a glare.
"Ahahaha... We can try to find the sound of vehicle engines. Those soldiers must be using military vehicles to explore the city, right?" Rick laughed dryly and suggested a suggestion.
"That's a good idea. My senses of sight and hearing are pretty good for something like this. Let's find the higher ground for monitoring first." Zayn looked around and found a tall tower not too far from them. He could see stairs leading up, and they needed to get there.
*Dor* *Dor* *Bam* *Bang!*
By the time Zayn's entourage was close to the high tower, gunshots rang out in the next block. Everyone looked at each other and agreed to check the sound source. The soldiers might be there.
"Squad one, retreat. We will blow up that beast with a bang." The captain gave his order and signaled the explosives team to get ready.
"Roger." The soldiers in squad one immediately retreated to a safe distance. Still, they didn't stop shooting to keep the beast monster in place.
The explosives team aimed their rocket grenade launcher at the terrifying beast monster and immediately fired several explosive rockets at it.
*Swoosh* *Swoosh* *Boom!*
An explosion occurred, and the billowing smoke blocked everyone's view. The beast monster could not be seen, but the following furious roar gave a clear sign.
"Roar!"
The terrifying beast lunged out of a puff of smoke and swung its sharp claws at the nearest human.
*Clang!*
Another soldier tried to block the claw attack with his thick steel shield, but he bounced back a few meters instead.
The zombified bear monster pounced on a soldier's head before hunting down another.