"No, no need," the voice quickly said. "I have a car, it can start normally, I just can't drive it right now."
The voice sounded anxious. It sped up its words and suddenly started to cough, indicating a serious injury.
Bai Ye curved his lips. He had confirmed the information he wanted. Yes, it was absolutely for the better rescue of the other party!
Bai Ye said, "I can see Red Rock Mountain. A green military jeep, right?"
The other party said with difficulty, "Right."
Bai Ye asked, "Is it close to the road, or off-road?"
The other party replied, "It's off the road, in the desert, but not very far off."
Bai Ye nodded. "Okay, please wait, I'll be right there."
Bai Ye put down the walkie-talkie, then left the restaurant and unhurriedly entered the supermarket to look for water and food. After filling the saddlebag of his motorcycle, he left the gas station.
Rescuing someone, there's no rush. The car and the gasoline won't run away. No, it's the other person's tenacious vitality. Bai Ye believed that the other party could hold on until he arrived. Bringing food and water was also for better assistance. What if they were hungry or thirsty?
He was such a good person!
Back on the road, Bai Ye rode forward.
Red Rock Mountain was easy to spot. He could see it by looking ahead on his motorcycle. It was a prominent landmark. According to the other party's description, it should be near Red Rock Mountain. Bai Ye needed to look at Red Rock Mountain from a distance, which led him to conclude that the other party should be further ahead on Highway 404.
After about an hour and a half, Bai Ye entered the desert area and headed towards Red Rock Mountain. He soon saw a dust-covered jeep.
Bai Ye stopped his motorcycle and approached the car. The passenger door was open, and a man in his forties sat inside, his eyes closed, already unconscious.
"Hey!" Bai Ye patted his cheek. "Wake up."
The man's eyelids fluttered. He struggled and said, "Water, water..."
Bai Ye went back to his motorcycle, got a bottle of mineral water, poured some into the man's mouth, then poured some into his own palm and slapped it on the man's face.
A moment later, the man finally showed signs of life and slowly opened his eyes. "Are you from the settlement?"
"Mm, you can think of me that way." Bai Ye glanced at the man's chest, where there was a name tag. Bai Ye smiled. "Vic James?"
Vic nodded with difficulty.
Bai Ye asked, "What happened to you?"
Vic said with difficulty, "I'm from the Stek Factory. We were ordered to escort a batch of supplies, but on the way, the Undead, leading the Road Knights, attacked us. They killed all my colleagues. I barely escaped."
Bai Ye nodded. "You really are lucky to be alive."
Stek Factory was a weapons factory. Because it held a large number of weapons, it formed its own power after the apocalypse.
As for the Undead the man mentioned, Bai Ye knew about them. After the apocalypse, the whole world collapsed, humanity was gone, and slaughter descended. A group of people established order in the desert. Their leader called himself the Undead, and led his followers to take up arms, driving modified terrifying vehicles and rampaging through the desert. Some factions did everything they could to transport supplies out of the city, while the Undead's goal was to seize the supplies that they had managed to transport out of the hands of the zombies.
Bai Ye asked, "What do you need me to do for you?"
Vic said, "As long as you can send me back to the factory, I will give you a reward. There's food and drink. Oh, right, the radio said you are a survivor settlement, correct? The company can arrange personnel to escort the people from the settlement out. You can work at the factory and receive the protection of the Stek Factory."
Bai Ye suddenly laughed. His gaze fell on the cigarette pack in the man's breast pocket, and he unceremoniously took it out. He opened the pack, took out a crumpled cigarette, put it in his mouth, and lit it.
Exhaling a smoke ring, Bai Ye looked at Vic. "Do you want me to light one for you?"
Vic looked at Bai Ye in surprise, then shook his head. "No, I don't think I need it. I'm not in a state to smoke right now."
Bai Ye nodded. "Mr. Vito, forgive me for being blunt, but you just lost a batch of supplies. Even if you get back to the factory, you'll likely be held accountable. Yet you promise me water and food? And protection for the settlement survivors? Do you think your company is a charity? Who among those who survived the apocalypse is kind? And besides..."
Bai Ye glanced at Vito's waist. Blood had completely soaked Vito's clothes. His face was pale, his lips bloodless, and his eyes unfocused. Due to blood loss, Vito was on the verge of losing consciousness.
Bai Ye continued, "Do you really think you can hold on until we leave the desert if I drive you away now? I don't have any anti-inflammatory medicine, nor do I have any tools to stitch your wounds. In fact, I don't even have bandages."
As Bai Ye spoke, he took a deep breath and exhaled a smoke ring.
"The only mercy I can offer you is a quick end to your life," Bai Ye said thoughtfully. "Or perhaps, to hear your last words?"
Vic fell silent. He had been waiting for rescue, hoping to survive, but Bai Ye had hit him with the cruel reality.
Vic wanted to get angry at Bai Ye and yell, but he knew he couldn't. Moreover, Bai Ye was speaking the truth.
A moment later, Vic said, "Give me a cigarette."
Bai Ye smiled, took out a cigarette, and put it in Vic's mouth. After Bai Ye lit it, Vic coughed violently.
Bai Ye patted Vic's back. "Slow down, it's okay. Enjoy your last moments before you die. Oh, right, I also have alcohol. Vodka and whiskey. Which one do you want?"
Bai Ye went back to his motorcycle, took out two bottles of alcohol, twisted off the caps, and handed them to Vic.
Vic seemed to have given up on himself. He picked up the bottle and drank greedily, and then...
Cough, cough, cough...
Vic started coughing incessantly, and he could even see blood entering the bottle, dyeing the liquid red.
The next moment...
"Those damned Chaos, damned Road Knights, damned Undead..." Vic no longer cared about his injuries and roared with anger, venting his emotions. He threw the bottle to the ground and said, "I won't let these bastards off, even as a ghost!"
Then...
"You have received a revenge quest."
"Revenge Quest: Help Vic achieve revenge and recover the stolen supplies. Quest reward: Death Strike x1."
Bai Ye was stunned for a moment, then a smile crept onto his lips.
This situation had suddenly become interesting!