Ye Fan faced the daunting reality of having to cover a considerable distance to reach his home.
He currently found himself situated in the southern region of Coal City, and his destination lay in the northeastern corner—a journey that demanded traversing most of the city.
His residence, nestled in Chengguan Town, constituted a northeastern suburb of Coal City. Technically considered a county town, its practical location existed in the urban-rural fringe.
First and foremost, Ye Fan needed to chart a course homeward.
Navigating this task without radar would prove challenging, but with the assistance of radar technology, the process became significantly more manageable. A scan with a five-kilometer radius unveiled a clear display of his surroundings.
"You can't walk on the road outside the door. The path with the least traffic and the fewest zombies is to head north, pass through the park in the middle of the street, and then proceed towards Fifth Avenue. The road is under construction there, with relatively fewer zombies."
Ye Fan could only observe this far; anything beyond his current scope remained unseen.
Looking back, he saw the Su sisters bidding farewell at the door, with the two newly created mobilization soldiers tasked with their protection.
At Villa No. 66, Gao Dongliang waved to Ye Fan upon noticing him.
Ye Fan acknowledged them with a nod, leading the team forward toward the barbed wire fence in the north of the villa area.
The wall, standing at approximately 1.5 meters, interconnected with cement pillars. Xu Haoran took the lead, effortlessly leaping over the wall. Chen Chuan, Luo Fei, and the mobilization soldiers followed suit.
Even the medical soldiers and Xiaotian made the leap effortlessly.
Ye Fan, choosing not to climb, instead relied on a measured jump using the cement pillar. Successfully clearing the obstacle, he, in satisfaction, waved his hands behind him.
Exiting the villa area led to a park in the center of the street—an open space devoid of many survivors during the biohazard outbreak, making it a refuge with few zombies.
"Remember, avoid unnecessary gunfire in the city. The sound attracts hordes of zombies. With no vehicle escape available, shooting should be left to Xu Haoran if necessary."
The soldiers nodded in agreement, securing bayonets where possible.
Approximately hundreds of zombies roamed the park, many appearing elderly.
"These old folks, once stumbling, are now more vigorous and alert. Their scarlet eyes betraying a vitality that defies their age."
"Move forward!"
Xiaotian surged ahead, swiftly taking down an old zombie by biting its throat mid-air.
The troops advanced, mobilization soldiers wielding bayonets, efficiently clearing the park. In such an open space, the soldiers maintained a safe distance from the zombies, rendering them unthreatened despite their considerable numbers.
Ten minutes later, the park was devoid of zombies, and Ye Fan collected modest gold and silver jewelry—about 100 gold from over a hundred zombies, averaging to a gram of gold per zombie.
Ye Fan converted the earnings and pressed on with the team. Leaving the park and crossing the crosswalk would lead to Fifth Avenue, currently under construction with a limited number of vehicles and zombies.
"Proceed cautiously, minimize noise, and advance step by step."
Ye Fan reiterated his order, ensuring a slower yet safer progression.
At this gradual pace, Ye Fan and his team covered nearly two kilometers in an hour. However, they encountered their first challenge upon entering the city.
The intersection of Fifth Avenue and a parallel road loomed ahead, and the road construction extended only up to this point.
The intersection resembled chaos, with vehicles tightly packed and no clear path. Climbing on the car roofs appeared to be the only option.
In the abandoned traffic, remnants of bones and zombies wandered among the vehicles.
"Choose wisely: north to the second hospital of the People's Hospital—undoubtedly a zombie nest—or east, taking the ground with an underground passage below, leading to a small commodity clothing street and eventually Yida City, also known as Yida Amusement Park."
Ye Fan opted to consult the red alert page, checking the radar display to find the next path.
Upon activating the radar, Ye Fan felt a sudden unease. The vast number of red dots on the radar screen, spanning a radius of ten kilometers, overwhelmed him.
In this extended area, over 200,000 zombies lurked—a revelation highlighting the imminent dangers in the city.
The hospital to the east displayed an overwhelming number of red dots, while the underground street to the north brimmed with countless red dots as well.
"Forget it, let's stay on the surface. Venturing into the underground street might lead to an escape issue if we encounter danger."
Ye Fan abandoned the idea of capturing the silver jewelry store, acknowledging the current team's inadequacy against the zombie horde.
Ordering the team to head east, Ye Fan led them not through the middle of the street, but along the sidewalks. The soldiers flanked both sides, Xiaotian leading the way, and Ye Fan and the medical soldiers forming the center.
Moving forward cautiously, Ye Fan soon faced another challenge—an intersection with Fifth Avenue and a parallel road, still under construction.
This time, the road was blocked only halfway, leaving half of it accessible for vehicle traffic. Consequently, fewer vehicles passed through, and the zombie count was relatively lower.
"Minimize noise, proceed steadily."
Ye Fan issued the order once more, and the team progressed steadily along the street. Though slower, the approach ensured safety.
At this pace, Ye Fan and the team covered almost two kilometers in an hour. They reached the gate of Yida City as noon approached.
"Phew! This slow pace is vexing, but things will be more manageable now. After passing through Yida City, it's just two blocks to the residential area. The zombie count there is lower than on the main street."
"Once through the residential area, we head to Airport Road for a quick exit from the city."
Ye Fan walked diagonally, anticipating a faster journey through the relatively prosperous area.
Now, they needed to traverse Yida Amusement Park, climbing over the wall behind it.
"The amusement park mainly attracts children and their mothers. Even if they turn into zombies, they won't pose much of a threat. It's an opportunity to level up my soldiers and collect supplies along the way."
Ye Fan planned strategically. Mothers bringing children to the amusement park likely hailed from well-off families, often adorned with jewelry.
After hours of
intense fighting, Ye Fan's earnings exceeded 500, and he hoped to find valuable items in the amusement park.
Yida City loomed ahead, featuring a central arch adorned with cartoon patterns and animated sculptures scattered throughout.
The parking lot stood in disarray, evidence of an explosion, with cars rendered pitch black.
Due to the explosion, no zombies were present near the entrance. Ye Fan and the team proceeded toward the main entrance.
Shortly into the walk, Xiaotian halted abruptly, exhibiting signs of heightened alertness.
"What's wrong? Are there many zombies nearby?"
Reacting swiftly, Ye Fan led the team behind the guard room, activating the radar screen.
Dense red dots covered the radar, prompting Ye Fan to reconsider the plan.
Within the five-kilometer radius, the entire Yida City Amusement Park appeared on the screen, filled with an overwhelming number of zombies.
As Ye Fan checked, a green dot emerged deep within the amusement park.
"White denotes our red police unit, blue for survivors, red for zombies, and purple for mutants. This green dot—the supply box!"
Ye Fan's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Since obtaining a mining truck at the beginning of the apocalypse, Ye Fan had not come across a second supply box until now. Unexpectedly, Yida City harbored a new one.
"Sir, we found a supply box with a refresh time of 48 hours. Please pay attention to its collection!"
Ye Fan nodded eagerly, zooming in on the map to pinpoint the supply box's location.
Confirmed to be at the Ferris wheel in Yida City, it lay 1.2 kilometers away in a straight line.
"Let's go get the supply box!"
Ye Fan was about to proceed eagerly when Xiaotian whined, indicating something amiss.