Lyra reluctantly stepped out. The soldier, seeing Zephyr and Serena still inside, and Zephyr firmly in the driver's seat, yelled, "What are you doing? You can't park here! You're blocking traffic!"
"Sorry," Zephyr said. "I'll move it."
The soldier's expression softened slightly. "Yeah, pull it over so the dozer can push it off the road." He walked away, muttering, "Big sucker. Wonder if they can even push that thing."
They might have to take down the guardrail…
The armored vehicles, trucks, and soldiers at the checkpoint would eventually retreat. The road needed to be clear. The army's job was to evacuate survivors, not fight a losing battle against the horde.
Suddenly, a piercing air raid siren blared from the checkpoint. The soldier looked up sharply. The evacuees ahead turned, some breaking into a run, others freezing in place. A ripple of panic spread through the crowd.
"Don't panic!" a soldier shouted. "That's the final call, letting anyone left in the city know to come here."
The sound of gunfire intensified, drawing closer. In the distance, the dark mass of the horde was visible.
Even if someone heard the siren, they'd never make it through that…
These people were the lucky ones.
The soldier glanced back at Zephyr's van. "Siren's going. Not much time left. Hurry up…"
VROOM!
The soldier's head snapped around. The van roared to life, then swerved sharply toward the edge of the highway.
The evacuees, eyes previously fixed on the checkpoint, now stared at the van.
They watched, stunned, as it accelerated like a race car.
"Nice driving…whoa!" the soldier exclaimed.
The van showed no sign of stopping. It was heading straight for the guardrail!
CRASH!
As stunned onlookers gasped, the van smashed through the guardrail and plunged off the highway.
It bounced down the short embankment, landing with a jarring thud in the grass below.
"What the…" The soldier ran to the edge, along with several other curious onlookers.
Crazy driver. Drove right off the highway. Hope they weren't hurt.
But at least it solved the problem of moving the van. If they weren't injured, they could just walk back up.
The van wobbled, as if about to stall.
Then, with a lurch, it moved again, bumping across the grass, smashing through a flimsy fence, and onto the narrow country road beyond.
"What's going on?"
"What is he doing?"
As bewildered evacuees watched, the van steadily drove away down the country road.
The soldier gaped. They just…drove off?
Back on the highway, Lyra frantically waved after the van. She hadn't expected Zephyr to leave so…abruptly. The crash had startled her, but the van seemed okay, and hopefully everyone inside was too.
"Xiaotian, Zephyr, be careful!" she cried, her vision blurring as the van disappeared around a curve.
"Collision caused no damage to the base vehicle…base vehicle operating normally…" the Etherscope reported.
Zephyr glanced back at the highway.
The country road ran parallel to it. He could see the abandoned cars, the slow-moving crowd.
They were safe, for now. But as the initial panic subsided, the reality of their situation was sinking in.
Many were weeping. Even those who weren't crying wore expressions of grief and uncertainty.
Loss, fear, an unknown future…
As Zephyr watched them, Serena gazed out the window, her face etched with sadness.
People on the highway, soldiers and civilians alike, stared after the unusual van, momentarily pausing their grim tasks, watching it drive past.
Soon, the country road curved away from the highway. Zephyr still hadn't seen the military's front line, nor Li Yuxin, or anyone else he recognized.
He took one last look at the fleeing survivors, then turned the wheel, following the road as it curved away.
The van picked up speed, leaving the highway behind, and with it, the perceived safety of Sunken Island and the protection of the army.
"You said you know several routes. Can you be more specific?" Zephyr asked Serena.
He'd downloaded maps, but couldn't navigate with them effectively in this situation.
Leaving the highway meant increased danger, something he needed to minimize.
If Serena really knew the area, maybe she could guide him to a safer route.