Chapter 245


    Thankfully, the ss was bulletproof, or Ste would''ve met her maker right then and there.


    Collin and the others were scared out of their wits, but Jasper kept his cool and focused on driving.


    He was impressively calm under pressure.


    The vehicle was heavily modified. Not only was the ss bulletproof, but the tires were puncture-


    proof as well.


    Of course, if it wasn''t for Collin and the others, Ste would''ve probably insisted on stopping and


    making sure those robbers were sent straight to hell. The criminal gang was everywhere, but the


    researchers and their medicine were more important. No need to stir up unnecessary trouble.


    When they arrived in Swan Hill, this once bustling metropolis, all that remained were a handful of


    sturdy buildings amidst a sea of broken ruins and the blinding re of sunlight reflecting off shards


    of ss. Its tragic history was even more harrowing than that of Griffith. Words and images could


    hardly do it justice.


    Destion, sorrow, and utter despair.


    Buildings had crumbled, walls had fallen, but there were still survivors holding on. They either lived


    in makeshift shelters or dug holes beneath the rubble. Ste turned away, not wanting to see any


    more of this tragedy.


    Guided by Collin, the Hummer pulled up to a building not far from the city center. The research


    institute had copsed, and this was a temporary recement they had found.


    As they returned safely, several staff members emerged from the building, "Did you find anything?"


    "We did, but it was extremely dangerous. We were lucky that some kind-hearted people helped us,


    or we would''ve been done for in Mount Greenwood."


    Collin thanked them again, making sure to tell Jasper which areas of Swan Hill were particrly


    dangerous and to be avoided at all costs.


    Jasper simply nodded, turned the vehicle around and drove off.


    Compared to Griffith, Swan Hill was rtively safer. It was not only home to the military


    headquarters but also had arger number of troops maintaining order.


    Due to numerous roadblocks, it took them an hour to leave the city and find the road leading to


    Lincoln.


    Ste didn’t want Jasper to be tired out, so she took over driving.


    During the extreme heat, nearby cities would travel to the military base in Lincoln for water. The


    road was well-maintained and much smoother than within the city.


    In the back seat, Cooper and Rosie were snacking and messing around.


    While they were with Collin and his team, they didn''t dare to eat even basic toast, let alone a


    hamburger or a hot dog. And even then, their food was rationed.


    Jasper was enjoying a meat sandwich, making sure to hand Ste one so she wouldn''t go hungry.


    "Arf!"


    "Jasper, I want one too."


    Jasper couldn''t help butugh. There was never a dull moment with these two.


    As Ste savored the sandwich, she turned on the car''s music and took a sip of her iced tea.


    Before she could swallow, Jasper suddenly warned, "Watch out!"


    Thankfully they were ustomed to such surprises, or Ste would''ve sprayed her mouthful of iced


    tea all over the ce.


    There was a sharp turn up ahead, and something seemed to be on the road. Jasper''s expression


    turned grave, "It''s a spike strip."


    No need to guess, they had run into professional robbers.


    These were unavoidable on the road to the military and official bases. It was a survivor''s hell and a


    robber''s paradise.


    Every day, numerous survivors and vehicles would pass by. These robbers could easily make a


    killing.


    Of course, they didn''t dare to target the water convoys from various cities, fearing reprisal from the


    military base.


    Actually, the military base did send troops to suppress the bandits, but these bandits were a


    frequent urrence.


    Many of them were survivors who wanted to seek refuge in the base. However, either they were


    robbed on their way, or they couldn''t hold on without any food. As a result, they grouped together


    and became bandits themselves, turning their weapons towards other survivors who were in the


    same predicament as they were.


    Ste mmed on the brakes and took out her binocrs. Sure enough, a spike strip, more than


    three meters long and covered with sharp steel spikes,y across the road. There wasn''t a speck of


    rust on it, indicating its frequent use.


    "Bang!"


    A sharp impact sound echoed, and a bullet mark appeared on the side window. It seemed they


    were not dealing with ordinary robbers.


    Ste''s temper red, and she took out her weapon and explosives from Arcadia. Since they didn''t


    want to give her a chance to be a good person, she would show them what she was capable of.


    But despite her anger, she remained rational and stayed in the car.


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    Rosie was also on edge, pulling out the gun Jasper had given her.


    She stayed in the car for 20 minutes, just testing their patience. If they were so confident in their


    spike strip, they could try to get Ste out of the vehicle.


    Eventually, the other side lost their patience. From around the corner, over twenty people emerged


    from behind a mound of dirt by the roadside.


    Men and women, armed with knives, steel pipes, and baseball bats. Their faces were cold, and their


    eyes were filled with malice.


    The leader, holding a homemade gun, walked towards the Hummer with a grim face.


    Jasper, with his eagle-like eyes, observed, "Apart from the leader, the others don''t have lethal


    weapons."


    A ragtag bunch!


    For the people in the car, perhaps, but the people outside didn''t think so. Their numerous sesses


    had made them arrogant.


    Since they had started their operation, they had never caught a fish as big as this one. The leader


    was particrly excited.


    A Hummer, the ultimate post-apocalypse vehicle, and it was bulletproof. With this, he would have


    nothing to fear. He could even take over other bases and grow stronger.


    Rosie was on high alert, "Jasper, there are people behind us too."


    Jasper turned around and saw another group of about sixteen or seventeen people armed with cold


    weapons about 50 meters behind them. Judging by their mutual wariness, these were two separate


    groups targeting the same prey.


    Great, they were sandwiched between two groups of robbers.


    Ste didn''t expect even a road robbery to turn out like apetition. Could those countless people


    heading to the base really make it there safely?


    The group in front, emboldened by the gun in their possession, didn''t think much of their


    competition. He waved his gun at Ste, threateningly, "Leave the vehicle and your food, and I


    might just spare your lives."


    The vehicle and supplies would be theirs, and the people inside would be left to the group behind


    them.


    "What did you say?"


    Ste wasn''t sure if they were just too used to pushing people around or if the people they had


    encountered before were just too weak, but their tone was incredibly arrogant. Suppressing her


    laughter, Ste rolled down the window, "I can''t hear you. You''re too far away."


    Encouraged by their numbers, they weren''t scared at all and walked another ten meters closer. In


    an attempt to intimidate them, they even formed a line, "Today''s your lucky day, I..."


    Before he could finish, Ste rolled down the window quickly and fired a round at him. With Jasper''s


    guidance, she had be a better shot. The bullet hit him right between the eyes.


    At the same time, Jasper lit the fuse on the explosive and threw it towards the group.


    Just as they were shocked by their leader''s sudden death, the explosivended at their feet. The


    turn of events happened too fast. Their minds couldn''t keep up, and all they could see was the


    steadily burning fuse.