C133 All the Resources Were in Their Hands and They Were Happy to Carry the Truck(1)

"Bing, check this out!" As they walked into the electronics store, Tang Bing had just zeroed in on a solar water heater when Zhao Dagang excitedly slapped his shoulder.

"What's up?" Tang Bing spun around to find Zhao Dagang pointing at a massive LCD TV on the opposite wall, his face lit up with excitement. Irritation bubbled up inside Tang Bing as he saw his friend's antics. "Get it straight, we came for the solar water heater! Plus, we've already grabbed a computer; we don't need a TV!"

"But Bing, imagine it mounted on the living room wall with a DVD player. When we're eating or just chilling, we could all watch movies together!" Zhao Dagang pitched the idea with a buzz in his voice. "It's gotta be more enjoyable than watching alone, don't you think?"

"How do you come up with these ideas?" Tang Bing was exasperated. "Bro, we're trying to survive the apocalypse, not play house!"

"Bing, we're up against life and death every day. Why shortchange ourselves, right? If we can live well, why choose to suffer?" Zhao Dagang gave him a pleading look, blinking earnestly. "I've always dreamed of having a TV this big at home, to watch whenever I feel like it. Come on, Bing, make my dream come true!"

"You always want more!" Tang Bing was at his wit's end. Were they really following him to survive, or to indulge in the finer things in life?

Despite his frustration, Tang Bing was a softie at heart. In the end, he caved and helped Zhao Dagang load the enormous LCD TV and its accompanying DVD player onto the truck.

The sight of the colossal TV took Sun Meng and Liang Hui by surprise, sparking a wave of excitement.

The group picked up the pace, quickly loading the solar water heater onto the truck. Sun Meng and Liang Hui practically cleared out the store, stuffing every disc they could find into sacks and heaving them onto the vehicle. They then raided a computer shop, taking anything usable, from movie and game discs to computer equipment, even including ethernet cables and routers. Although the internet was a thing of the past, setting up a local network was still a breeze.

Faced with teammates like these, Tang Bing was at a loss for words! He was all about survival, yet he couldn't help but admire these folks who still found ways to enjoy life in a world overrun by zombies.

"Bing, we're all set! Can we head out now?" With the supplies loaded onto the vehicle, the trio had dutifully finished their tasks. Zhao Dagang spoke up eagerly, "Let's get back early and connect the water supply to the house. With any luck, we might be enjoying hot showers tonight."

"Absolutely!" Sun Meng and Liang Hui nodded vigorously, their eyes brimming with anticipation.

Tang Bing was just as eager to return, but the sight of the numerous electrical appliances in the car made him doubt whether one generator would suffice.

Particularly those seven or eight water heaters; even with just six people using them, the power draw would be significant, wouldn't it? Since there was no solar power available tonight, they would have to rely solely on the generator. And with the addition of these computers and the oversized LCD TVs, he decided it would be best to secure the materials for another generator, just to be safe.

With that thought, he promptly told the others, "Hold on a moment!"

"Bing, what's up?" The three looked on, confused, as Tang Bing hopped out of the car.

Once out, Tang Bing glanced around and then bolted to the top floor of the electronics store, where he took out his binoculars to survey the area.

In the distance, there was a gas station that had exploded for some unknown reason, now a ghastly sight. Flames were shooting out in all directions, with continuous smaller blasts fueling an ever-growing inferno. Nearby power lines had been caught in the disaster, sparking wildly.

Not a single soul could be seen there, but the deafening blasts had drawn the town's horde of zombies. They marched en masse toward the conflagration, utterly indifferent to the flames consuming them.

Nearly every zombie in the town was converging on that spot, mindlessly walking into the fire, effectively sealing their doom.

They were mindless zombies, after all, drawn only by the noise.

Among them was an oddly shaped zombie, likely a mutant. Predictably, it too was foolishly heading straight into the flames.

The gas station's relentless explosions had lured nearly all the zombies away, making the surrounding area much safer by comparison.

Tang Bing quickly scanned the vicinity, spotting no survivors, and turned his attention to finding the items he needed.

Before long, he discovered a public parking lot not far off, filled with a variety of cars of different sizes, models, and brands.

Building a generator is simple, but it requires a powerful engine to operate. He had to strip the engines from these cars and take them back to generate more power!

"Bing, what's the matter?" Zhao Dagang asked with urgency as Tang Bing got back to the vehicle.

"It's your fault!" Tang Bing fired up the bus. "With all these electrical appliances, I'm worried one generator won't cut it, so I need to scavenge for more parts. Everyone hold on, we're heading to a parking lot up ahead!"

"Ah? But that's where the zombies congregate..." Liang Hui expressed her concern.

Tang Bing pushed the bus forward. "No need to worry! I've scoped it out, and all the zombies have moved towards the gas station. They won't be back anytime soon. I'll quickly dismantle a few engines, and then we'll all make our escape!"

With Tang Bing's decision final, the rest had no choice but to comply.

They reached the parking lot swiftly and parked on the outer edge.

"Stay in the car and wait for me. I'll be back as fast as I can!" Tang Bing grabbed a wrench and stepped out of the bus.

"Hold on!" Sun Meng unbuckled her seatbelt and hurried after him. "Bing, I'll keep watch for you!"

"Keep watch for what?" Tang Bing was at a loss for words. "There's not a single zombie in sight."

Sun Meng wondered how he could be so sure there were no zombies around. Could he actually have some sort of superpower? Despite feeling restless sitting in the car, she continued to follow Tang Bing. "Well, if there are no zombies, can I take a look around?"

"What's there to look at?" Tang Bing asked, his brow furrowed.

"There could be valuable stuff in those cars!" Sun Meng suggested. "If we find any useful supplies, we could take them with us!"

"Take them with us?" Tang Bing responded, exasperated. "Do you have the car keys?"

"Nope!" Sun Meng shook her head. "But you're going to dismantle the car, right? If we strip the exterior, won't we be able to access the inside?"

"Uh..." Tang Bing was momentarily speechless. She had a point. When he removed the first layer of the car's shell, the items inside would indeed remain intact. It was only when he dismantled it further, down to the second layer or the car's framework, that those items would vanish.

"Bing, let's scout around first. Maybe some car doors are left ajar!" Zhao Dagang, with Liang Hui in tow, suggested, "Plus, that security office over there might have other goodies!"

Seeing the trio restless, Tang Bing reluctantly agreed, "Fine! Just stay close to me, got it?"

"Understood!" They dashed into the parking lot.

After Tang Bing used his perception to ensure the area was secure, he grabbed a wrench and began dismantling the nearest car.

The intact cars had a high chance of yielding engines and batteries. Soon enough, he had seven or eight small engines of varying quality, from ordinary to exceptional.

With time to spare, he decided to strip down all the cars in the lot.

Amidst the work, Zhao Dagang returned with Sun Meng and Liang Hui, lugging a large cardboard box, their faces alight with excitement.

"Bing! We struck gold!" Zhao Dagang called out as they approached.

Tang Bing paused and eyed them curiously, "What did you find?"

"Come and see!" Sun Meng exclaimed, beaming, "This stuff is amazing!"

They set the heavy box down before him, and Tang Bing peered inside to find an assortment of batons, flashlights, net guns, and high-voltage stun guns.

"Wow!" Tang Bing was taken aback. Such equipment in a small-town parking lot security office? Unbelievable!

"Bing, check this out! It's all top-notch!" Zhao Dagang beamed.

Tang Bing picked up a few items for a closer look.

The steel batons had decent attack power and were easy to carry, fitting into pockets and potentially effective against zombies. However, they were no match for a mace or a pistol!