Chapter 164


    Jasper''s actions sent them tumbling aside in a panic,nding in a heap and cursing as they chased


    after the car, hurling rocks.


    Don''t underestimate this local beast of a car. Even a dent wouldn''t affect its function, now with the


    bulletproof ss.


    The closer they got to Swan Hill, the fewer hikers they spotted. It was as if these survivors simply


    vanished mid-journey.


    In the midst of this mystery, Ste noticed people climbing up the hills. That was right, carrying


    luggage and climbing mountains.


    Nightfall impaired visibility, and some unfortunate souls slipped and tumbled down the slopes,


    landing heavily by the roadside, motionless for a long time.


    Ste, with a sinking feeling, figured out the harsh reality and heaved a deep sigh. True to her


    prediction, Jasper turned off the air conditioning, rolling down the windows and letting the sweltering


    air rush in, instantly making the car unbearably hot.


    A few minutester, faint lights appeared in the distance. The road ahead was barricaded, just wide


    enough for arge vehicle to pass. There was a security booth by the side, and a sign with bold red


    letters hung in front.


    Single person, 5 pounds of grain.


    Small car, 10 pounds of grain.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Big car, 40 pounds of grain.


    A metal gate blocked the road, forbidding passage without the required grain. No wonder so many


    were risking their lives to cross the hills. This was more than a robbery; it was murder.


    Upon seeing a car approaching, five or six burly, bald men emerged from the booth. They were


    armed with knives, baseball bats, and riot forks. And the leader held a gun.


    "Stop the car!"


    Jasperplied, rolling down the window.


    Ste picked up a 10-pound bag of potatoes and handed it over.


    It was unclear whether it was the unpleasant smell of sweat, the sight of two weaklings, or simply


    their bad mood, but their eyes widened like brass bells, and with a fierce and malicious demeanor,


    they said, "20 pounds!"


    Ste frowned, "Isn''t it supposed to be 10 pounds?"


    The bald men, fearless and confident, waved their weapons, "The price just went up."


    Swallowing her anger, Ste, looking troubled and hesitant, reluctantly handed over another bag.


    The man took the 20 pounds of potatoes and tossed them into a nearby truck like waste.


    Ste nced at the truck, filled with toll collection. They not only collected from those heading to


    Swan Hill but also from those returning.


    A water tanker was just returning from Swan Hill, and the bald men took 20 pounds of salt and 20


    pounds of dried seafood from it.


    Ste noticed that the water tanker had a symbol painted on its front, and the driver shared a few


    words with the bald men. It was clear they were familiar with each other, and the driver was given a


    discount. In other words, if it were just a regr vehicle, they would charge even more.


    It was a lucrative business. They easily obtained several truckloads of supplies in a day.


    The metal gate was pushed open, and Jasper drove off.


    Noticing Ste''s silence, he exined, "Such tyranny ismon in the apocalypse. The police and


    army can''t keep up, and we are just ordinary people."


    Ste understood his point but didn''t respond. She moved to lift the curtain and saw Rosie and


    Cooper, already woken up by themotion, but remaining silent due to their usual cautious


    training.


    The dog moved forward, rubbing against its owner''s hand.


    "It''s okay now," Ste reassured them, petting their heads. "It''ll be daylight soon. You guys can


    continue sleeping."


    The air conditioning was turned back on, and the interior of the car cooled down.


    The morefortable it was, the more vignt they needed to be. Ste took out her night vision


    binocrs and continued to watch the surroundings.


    Suddenly, a figure darted out of the darkness, not avoiding the car, but instead elerating towards


    it.


    "Watch out!" As Ste warned, Jasper also noticed. Without stopping the car or slowing down, he


    charged forward.


    A loud thud, and the figure was sent flying. Immediately, a dozen men armed with clubs charged


    from the sides of the road, desperately chasing and hacking at the car.


    Unfortunately, two legs couldn''t outrun four wheels. They chased and cursed, gasping for breath


    and nearly fainting from exhaustion.


    Ste hadn''t expected that there would be toll collectors up front and fraudsters at the back.


    Even though Swan Hill was close to Griffith, no more than 50 miles to the beach and a mere hour''s


    drive, it was like navigating through a gauntlet for the survivors to reach the beach.


    With a car and ample supplies, it was already tough for them. It’d be much more difficult for the


    average survivors. Many didn''t even stand a chance to reach the beach, being drained of everything


    they had along the way.


    The attack was sudden, but both were safe thanks to their seat belts. Cooper and Rosie in the back,


    however, were rattled, yelping in pain. They clung to each other, enduring the pain.


    Rosie had a bump on her forehead, and Ste quickly found some medicine to apply.


    "I''m okay, Ste," Rosie was strong and even managed to give Ste a smile.


    Ste gently stroked her head, soothing her, "Don''t worry. We''ll be there soon."


    The rest of the journey was rtively smooth, with no more dangers encountered. Many survivors


    were descending from the hills, continuing their journey on the road.


    Half an hourter, the thunderous sound of crashing waves reached them. Rosie recognized it


    instantly and eximed excitedly, "Jasper, that''s the sound of the sea."


    She remembered her parents taking her to the beach where she dug for shells and collected sea


    snails, but her parents would nevere back.


    In her excitement, a sense of mncholy surfaced. Rosie hugged Cooper tightly, turning her head


    to hide her tears. Sensing her sadness, Cooper gently nuzzled his face against hers.


    Ahead, lights were illuminated. It was a checkpoint, manned by the military.


    With so many people flocking to the coast, the military had set up checkpoints, with quite a few


    people queuing at the entrance.


    Ste got out of the car to inquire and found out that they needed to get entry passes for passage.


    No grain was required, but ID registration was mandatory. Each person was entitled to an entry


    pass and could receive relief food for the first seven days.


    After about half an hour, it was finally Ste''s turn to register.


    An armed soldier approached, "Please open your car."


    Ste had prepared for this, hiding the muscr bodies of the dog and leaving only his head visible.


    Just a dog with two big eyes, looking weak, helpless, and pitiful, resting on the car. His eyes


    seemed to be pleading, "I''m so hungry. Can I have something to eat?"


    The soldier paused, stared at the dog head for a while, then silently closed the car door.


    They received three entry passes and hit the road again.


    Just then, the dawn was breaking, and the red sun began to rise from the end of the sea. The


    glorious rays painted the sea breeze, and the waves roared all around.


    The stunning sight was not only beautiful but also a reminder that another terrifying day was about


    to begin.


    The car drove along the coastal road, and the beach was faintly visible in the distance.


    Ste took out her binocrs and saw that the beach was not silver-white, but grey-ck, covered


    in tents, makeshift wooden huts, broken metal boats, rusty containers, and many survivors lying


    directly on the sand.


    People were everywhere, looking like a pile of soiled turnips.


    Beyond, rows of houses and shops were visible, with people sleeping in tents or out in the open on


    the streets.


    Before the disaster, this ce was a renowned seafood market,plete with sandy beaches and


    docks. It was a tourist hotspot,bining seafood trade with sightseeing. Now, it was teeming with


    people. Based on the blend of architecture and humanity, it wouldn''t be too far off topare it to


    an ant hill.


    Ste, firm believer in the adage ''never go into a fight unprepared'', had done her homework before


    venturing out.


    Austin''s seafood and dry goods were sourced from here. Monkey had advised her to keep her


    distance from the beach and the marketce. The area was rife with refugees, thieves,


    pickpockets, and robbers, even indiscriminate criminals. There were even stories of deranged


    individuals attacking anyone they ran into with a knife.