Chapter 384 Encounter on Route 375
The two-day trek was still quite grueling for Bai Zhongqi, but the Chancellor, who was fond of luxury, did not really focus on hurrying. He had set the auto-cruise program for the Agent, and he himself began to taste various desserts on the Sacred Falcon with Zero.
Although there were still a lot of animals on the grassland, many were creatures that did not exist on Earth. Dinosaurs that hopped like kangaroos in groups of twos and threes, huge starfish-like creatures that occasionally surfaced in the water, these were all native to Taoran Star, and they looked quite exotic.
However, Bai Zhongqi had already seen many planets, so he was somewhat used to these strange creatures by now, and he had no desire to explore these ordinary creatures.
On the second day, the caravan encountered something interesting.
Several disgustingly looking "people" squatted on the ground, tearing apart the corpse of a dead creature with a deer's head and a cow's body without any manners.
The sound of the caravan moving was obviously noticed by them, but these guys had no intention of moving and were focused on eating the meat raw.
Bu glanced over there and said to Bai Zhongqi, "A group of Stiff Ghosts."
Bai Zhongqi looked at those who somewhat resembled zombies, but were clearly not completely devoid of reason, and he became a bit interested.
"The appetite of Stiff Ghosts is very strong, and they only do not attack humans when they are in the process of feeding," Bu explained.
"Don't you exterminate them?" Bai Zhongqi asked.
Bu shook his head and said, "Although Stiff Ghosts attack humans and feed on them, they still discern which humans can be their prey, and they won't provoke those they cannot afford to provoke. Moreover, the presence of a group of Stiff Ghosts suggests there may be more nearby. If we fight and kill some Stiff Ghosts, it might draw more from nearby, and that would be even more troublesome."
Bu continued, "Of course, this doesn't mean we are completely safe from these disgusting creatures. If they cause trouble, we will make them die miserably."
Bai Zhongqi pulled his hood forward, "To me, they are no different from the dead bodies they feast on."
The caravan did not stop at all and detoured around the Stiff Ghosts, continuing towards Bei Mountain.
As the caravan moved further away, the Stiff Ghosts gathered around the food simultaneously lifted their heads and looked in the direction the caravan had departed. Their eyes were yellowish or greenish, creating an especially eerie sight. Eating raw meat and their tattered and decaying bodies made them look extremely unsettling.
The Stiff Ghosts jumped up and then headed in another direction, swaying their somewhat clumsy bodies as they left.
On the caravan's side, even though there were several powerful aliens like Bai Zhongqi, Bu remained extremely cautious, not wanting to provoke additional trouble. But sometimes, even if you don't go looking for trouble, trouble will come looking for you.
On the mandatory route to Bei Mountain, there was a low stone hill group with sparse vegetation, a road split the profuse hills leading to Bei Mountain. Bu explained to Bai Zhongqi that this road was already in existence before the nuclear war and it was one of the least facilities still in use on this planet today.
Only today, on this road, Bu saw some nail roadblocks set up, and beyond the roadblocks, a sparsely standing group of figures.
These people were dressed somewhat like those from the Hunting Group, only their clothes were more tattered, patched up all over. The few, seemingly in charge, in the middle, however, were better dressed, donning fairly suitable leather jackets.
One guy with a Mohican hairstyle was wearing a spiked wristband, giving off a somewhat punk, fierce vibe. He held up a large sign, painted with a big X.
"Stop the car!"
The not-so-tall leader with a buzz cut but thick beard shouted out.
Bu's eyelid twitched, and he quickly said to Bai Zhongqi, "These people are bandits."
Bai Zhongqi was somewhat surprised. "The surface here is fraught with danger, hardly anyone moves around, although there's no shortage of monsters. If they are bandits, who are they going to rob? The Shelter? Your shelters are basically impenetrable from the outside unless they can be breached from within, right?"
Bu explained, "They're bandits now, but that doesn't mean they always are. It happens to be the time when the big market is about to convene. Many shelters are heading to Bei Mountain with lots of valuables, each convoy having good stuff. These bandits might just be regular hunters from other shelters, but at this time, they choose to rob as the returns may be more lucrative than trading. If they find robbing too difficult or not rewarding enough, or they encounter difficulties, they might change back, becoming the good hunters from the shelters."
Bai Zhongqi nodded, saying, "Alright, regardless of their origins, they've chosen us as their targets now."
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The convoy slowly stopped before the roadblock, and the hunters from Shelter 101 readied their rifles from their motorcycles, while others on the two SUVs aimed their roof-mounted machine guns at these bandits. However, the bandits were obviously prepared, having set up solid barricades on both sides, and even had recoilless guns positioned within these barricades.
"Damn, these people even have cannons," Bu muttered.
For any shelter, heavy artillery is extremely valuable. However, not all shelters have the technology to produce cannons, and even if they do, the materials required are scarce. Although some pre-nuclear war cannons still exist and are usable, each shelter still possesses very limited artillery.
The bald, short bandit leader, holding a megaphone, shouted to the people of the convoy, "Folks, sorry, but you'll have to pay a toll to pass through here."
Bang angrily said, "These bastards."
Bai Zhongqi signaled Bu to remain silent and rode his motorcycle to the front of the line. He raised his voice and called out, "If we don't pass through here, then we don't need to pay the toll. We will just turn around, goodbye."
As he turned the handlebar to leave, the bald, short bandit leader was stunned, having never expected that they might just not pass through, wondering how to change his demand for a toll.
The bandit leader became frantic, lifted his gun, and fired a shot into the air, shouting, "Don't go, you have to pay if you're here."
Bai Zhongqi responded, "You said the toll was for passing through, and now you want money even if we don't pass?"
The bandit leader stammered, "That's right, if we want money, you have to give it."
Bai Zhongqi laughed heartily and asked, "If I want your life, would you give it?"
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