Reborn One Week Before the Apocalypse

Chapter 368: Chapter 358: Joining the Team

"Xiao Jin, if someone knocks again, I’ll get the door. You’re still young and can’t tell good people from bad. You have to be careful when choosing a team. Picking the wrong one can lead to disaster."

After feeling much better, Aunt Hua carefully explained things to Tang Mo.

"The moment the door opens, they’re sizing us up, just as we’re sizing them up. We’re the old, the weak, and the young—no threat at all, so they naturally wouldn’t be polite. But did you see the people behind that big-bearded man? There were very few, I could only make out about twenty or so, and most of them were women—young, beautiful women at that. That’s not normal. His attitude was a dead giveaway, but even if he had been perfectly polite, I still wouldn’t have let you join his team."

In the few short seconds the door was open, Aunt Hua had managed to observe so many details.

You can learn from everyone. Tang Mo truly felt like she had learned a valuable lesson today.

Many conclusions could only be drawn from a lifetime of accumulated experience. Time grants wisdom, and Tang Mo’s own reserves were still lacking. She had a lot more to learn.

However, another learning opportunity soon presented itself. There was another knock at the door.

This time, Aunt Hua got up and opened it.

The man standing outside was a stark contrast to the previous one with the beard. He looked to be in his late twenties, dressed in a clean windbreaker and combat boots.

"Hello, how many are in your party?"

The man had clearly seen the banner Aunt Hua had written. As a team captain, he wasn’t about to pass up an opportunity to recruit new members.

Tang Mo peeked through the crack in the door and saw a massive crowd outside. There were men and women, young and old, and every one of them wore an anxious expression.

They were eager for people to join their group, but they were also eager for them to hurry up and not waste any more time.

"Four people. What’s the entry fee?"

Aunt Hua, clearly understanding that time was precious, didn’t waste a second and asked bluntly.

"Ten feedings’ worth of food per person. Fixed price. Where are you headed?"

"The food factory to the west. Is that on your way?"

For Aunt Hua to ask if it was on the way, she must have found the entry fee acceptable.

The food factory was a considerable distance away. Without a group, ten feedings’ worth of food would never be enough to get there.

The price was reasonable. While it was a heavy blow to Aunt Hua’s meager savings, it was unlikely they’d find a cheaper entry fee.

"Deal."

Their entire exchange was incredibly concise, without a single wasted word. Once they reached an agreement, Aunt Hua quickly joined the man’s group with her two children in tow.

The door to the hardware store was closed, its mission as a small, temporary safe haven now complete.

Only after shouldering her bag and joining the procession did Tang Mo realize just how large their new group was.

It was a massive, sprawling procession of fifty or sixty people. There were men and women, young and old, dressed in all sorts of attire. Most were traveling with their families, looking like a column of refugees.

The moment Tang Mo’s small party was absorbed into the ranks, the entire group set off.

As they walked, Aunt Hua and Tang Mo paid their entry fees.

Aunt Hua had originally intended to pay for Tang Mo, but after learning how well-stocked Tang Mo’s backpack was, she didn’t interfere.

The captain seemed like a decent man. Since Aunt Hua was always carrying Xiao Bao, who didn’t walk, he wasn’t charged an entry fee. Aunt Hua only had to pay for two people—herself and Er Bao. Still, that amounted to twenty feedings’ worth of food, a significant expense for her.

So, what constituted ten feedings’ worth? To put it in perspective, Tang Mo took out the instant noodle crumbs Aunt Hua had given her earlier. That counted as one feeding.

Tang Mo had planned to use the candies in her pocket for the remaining nine, one candy per feeding.

But Aunt Hua shot her a look, silently signaling her to use the instant noodles instead.

So in the end, Tang Mo paid with a handful of noodle crumbs and a full pack of instant noodles.

Tang Mo was a little embarrassed as she paid; after all, the noodle crumbs looked utterly pathetic.

The group leader, however, had clearly seen it all before. He didn’t show the slightest surprise and simply collected everything, putting it in his own backpack.

After all, food was so scarce now that anything edible was precious.

Besides, the Meat Dragons weren’t picky. As long as it was edible, it was all the same to them.

After collecting the "entry fee," the man started a conversation with them.

The group leader’s name was Zhao Huan. He had two brothers, and they had all been in the bodyguard business before. Now that the apocalypse was here, the brothers had started taking on escort missions to make a living.

They took jobs from wealthy households with food reserves, specifically "find-a-person" requests. They would accept multiple orders at once, then head out.

To conserve their own food supply, they started organizing these large groups. This way, they could collect entry fees from travelers while simultaneously completing their missions and earning those fees. It was a win-win, earning them money from two different streams.

Tang Mo couldn’t help but admire the brothers’ business acumen. Zhao Huan was the youngest of the three and the only one who had gone to college. He was the brains of the operation; his two older brothers, Zhao Tian and Zhao Yu, both deferred to him.

This time, they happened to have a "find-a-person" order at the food factory to the west, which made things convenient for Aunt Hua.

Aunt Hua felt her heart settle as she listened to Zhao Huan’s explanation. Even though the group’s policy was simply to lead the way, with no guarantees of survival, having leaders who were strong, capable, and former bodyguards was incredibly reassuring.

Moreover, the fact that the group included many elderly, weak, and young members further proved that Zhao Huan’s operation was a reliable one.

Aunt Hua’s judgment had been correct. Zhao Huan and his brothers were extremely experienced. They didn’t just trudge along blindly; they constantly studied the terrain to avoid areas where the Red-eyed Meat Dragons congregated, always choosing the most efficient route.

The brothers had a system: Zhao Huan and his second-eldest brother, Zhao Yu, led from the front, feeding the Dragons. The eldest brother, Zhao Tian, brought up the rear, constantly scanning for any mutant beasts charging from behind or the sides. If any appeared, they would be fed immediately to ensure the safety of the main group.

They would walk for half a day, then find a concealed spot for everyone to rest. Once rested, they would continue the journey.

Their pace was brisk, but no one complained. Everyone knew that the sooner they reached their destinations, the better. The longer they were on the road, the more Meat Dragons they would encounter, and the more food would be required.

Although Zhao Huan’s group charged a fixed price, if they ran out of food for the feedings, they would have no choice but to disband. Should that happen, everyone would be on their own. And so, not a single person complained of exhaustion; they all just gritted their teeth and pushed on.