Chapter 389: Chapter 389

Snake Spirit, flicking its tongue, acknowledged, "Google Maps couldn’t possibly make such a big mistake. The town’s gone... We really can’t guarantee that the straight-line distance is still 200 kilometers."

Monkey, however, vehemently objected, "Do we really have to walk another 15 kilometers back to the Canal? That would waste half a day, and we don’t have any supplies right now; we must find food! Besides, that area is too dangerous. The salvage operation will continue for several days, and it’s surely swarming with their people. They’ve just had over twenty boats’ worth of supplies stolen. If we’re discovered, just imagine the consequences of their fury! The entire Canal is filled with their boats, making it even riskier for us to walk along the river. Helicopters are also constantly patrolling. What if we’re spotted by one?"

It was true. Did they really want to turn back and walk such a long way, just for a mere possibility, while they were all still starving?

"Walking another 15 kilometers will ensure we return to Luckasa the way we came, 100 percent," Jing Shu countered. "Can your route guarantee that we’ll definitely reach Luckasa after another 200 kilometers? What if we still can’t reach it after another five hundred kilometers and get trapped?"

Jing Shu added, "Old Yang encountered this exact situation last year. He clearly reached Wu City but couldn’t get through, delaying him for over a month. Aren’t you afraid of facing this again and wasting ten to fifteen days? That would be an even bigger waste of time than backtracking! And you don’t have enough supplies. If you get trapped in these mountains, you might not even survive."

This wasn’t some pre-apocalypse survival game with abundant oases and wildlife. This was the apocalypse! Finding even an insect to eat in the darkness was difficult.

"If we backtrack, there are no towns upstream along the Canal. Since the American population is sparser there, it’s even less likely we’ll find supplies or vehicles. Taking your route means we’re 100 percent on foot. We won’t encounter people, so we can’t get supplies or vehicles, and we’ll face life-threatening dangers. We’ll waste at least four or five days. But with this route, even if there are deviations, we’ll pass six or seven towns. Surely we can find people and vehicles then, right? And it’s safer," Monkey argued forcefully, standing up.

Jing Shu narrowed her eyes, gazing at the massive mountain range. Her experience told her this was at least a major tectonic uplift. It meant not only climbing mountains but also encountering many dangers.

During the Great Migration in the fifth year of the apocalypse, tectonic plate shifts had reshaped the entire world. From Wu City to Hua Xia Hainan, they had encountered such situations countless times. If not for the Tyrant’s uncanny foresight and decisiveness, far more than half of them would have perished.

Of course, this was a lesson learned through blood and tears. Even now, as powerful as she had become, the shadow of such mountains still loomed over her.

After the third year of the apocalypse, they learned it was better to backtrack than to attempt crossing these suddenly manifested mountain ranges. These places teemed not only with invading creatures from dark species but also with all sorts of other dangers.

"Then, let’s split into two groups." Jing Shu licked her lips, pulled a bottle of mineral water from her pack, and gulped it down before continuing, "You all continue forward. I’ll go back along the Canal. That’s final."

Monkey snorted. Patting Ah Huang, who was exhausted with its tongue lolling out, he said, "Fine, let’s split into two groups."

Tan Ke slammed his heavy weapons and gear onto the ground with a CLANG. "First, we’re a team, so we can’t act alone. Second, we’re on a mission. Old Yang already divided us into two groups, so a third shouldn’t be formed. As temporary leader, I must ensure everyone’s safety. Since there’s a disagreement, let’s vote."

Lingling raised her hand. "I stand with Mirror. Her assessment of situations and dangers has been very accurate lately." This update ıs available on 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡✶𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚✶𝙣𝙚𝙩

Little Black wailed, "I choose Monkey! I really don’t want to walk for four or five days! Oh, my heavens!"

Snake Spirit slowly moved to Jing Shu’s side. "I believe in Mirror’s judgment."

All eyes turned to Tan Ke. He hesitated for a moment, then said, "As temporary leader, my first consideration is everyone’s safety. I have to say, Monkey’s suggestion does seem safer than Mirror’s. I’m with Monkey."

So, it’s a draw?What now?

A dangerous glint appeared in Jing Shu’s eyes. She clenched her fists and said impatiently, "In that case, let’s fight. Whoever has the bigger fist decides."

Monkey immediately recoiled two steps in fright. If this were the day they boarded the plane, I’d definitely teach this girl some manners!

Tan Ke cleared his throat. "How about a coin toss? Any objections?"

Fine. A coin toss rarely met objections. When no one could persuade the other, they could only leave it to fate. Only Jing Shu frowned; she hated leaving things to chance!

Snake Spirit tossed a coin. It spun wildly before landing on the ground with a soft CLACK. Jing Shu squinted, focusing intently. Despite using all her abilities, she still couldn’t discern if it was heads or tails. It seems I’ll have to guess, she thought.

"Heads," Jing Shu stated calmly.

Monkey shrugged. "Tails for me, then."

Snake Spirit moved its hand. Light struck the coin, slowly revealing tails.

Jing Shu slung her luggage over her shoulder and strode forward. Fat Chicken had to scramble its feet furiously to keep up with her pace. Monkey chuckled, "Let’s go, Ah Huang."

Her teammates followed, continuing onward. The plan remained: press forward, straight to Luckasa. Hijack any vehicle, rob any person, scale any mountain. No turning back!

I was wrong, Jing Shu thought, clenching her fists. If I had demonstrated my overwhelming strength earlier, if I had pinned these adorable yet idiotic teammates against a wall and ground them into submission... then maybe today there would’ve been no coin toss, no leaving things to fate. I could have been like the Tyrant—my word is law, unyielding. Some might have disagreed, called me brutal and undemocratic, but no one would have dared to object. Anyone who objected would have been ground against the wall. That way, we could have avoided many dangers, and I would have felt more at ease. This is the last time. From now on, I’m changing how I do things.

Jing Shu gazed at the mountain before them, as if seeing the endless, rolling ranges beyond. "Truly, this is fated," she murmured. "One cannot defy the will of Heaven."

Jing Shu and her group ventured into the mountains. The temperature immediately plummeted by five or six degrees. Everyone hugged their damp clothes tighter and occasionally stomped their feet to keep warm. Only Jing Shu, snug in her old, thick, cotton-padded coat, still felt a little warm.

The mountains were bare, save for a few scattered, blackened, dead trees. A quiet cough seemed to echo in the stillness. There were no animals, no birds, yet occasional chilling cries drifted through the air.

The path changed from smooth, hard-packed earth to a jumble of massive stones. After walking for over an hour, they still didn’t feel like they had truly entered the mountain’s depths, even though its peaks loomed right before them.