章節 53: Chapter 49
As the sky gradually lightened with the dawn, the sound of gunfire in the town gradually faded away, but the flames continued to burn the houses, although with much less intensity than before.
With the fall of the last infected person outside the defensive line, it marked the end of the crisis for the entire convoy.
Looking down from the sky at the entire town of Vaskom, one could see that the battle from last night had turned half of the town into ruins.
At this moment, the streets of the town were bustling with people, their faces filled with joy and excitement, showing a sense of relief after the ordeal.
Perhaps facing death together and experiencing this crisis side by side had brought everyone closer. Compared to when the convoy had just set out, people were now more open to chatting with each other, even with strangers.
Now, whether soldiers or civilians, they would engage in conversation with each other, even exchanging greetings. The convoy, devoid of its initial aloofness, perhaps made everyone realize that only by sticking together tightly could they survive in this dangerous world.
Whether it was the soldiers and civilians who fought all night or the women and children who hid in their homes in fear, almost everyone had spent the night without sleep, enduring through the night.
Although the crisis had passed, there were still many matters to attend to, and most people couldn't rest immediately.
Firstly, the casualties needed to be accounted for. Despite successfully overcoming the crisis with the advantage of the barricade, the number of casualties was still significant. Including those who died in combat with the infected, the total casualties were around three hundred and fifty soldiers and over a hundred civilians either dead or infected.
Secondly, there was the issue of handling the soldiers and civilians who were injured or bitten during close combat with the infected. Overnight, some wounds had already begun to rot, with dark circles forming around the eyes. Although it might seem harsh, those who had already been infected by the cordyceps fungus could not continue with the convoy.
Furthermore, to be on the safe side, Commander Harry ordered a scan of everyone to ensure there were no hidden dangers.
Those who had already been infected knew their fate, even if they left with the convoy, they couldn't escape death. They might even pose a threat to the safety of their loved ones and friends.
Since death was inevitable, some chose to stay behind. They took out pen and paper to write their last words, letting those who left deliver the envelopes to their quarantined loved ones. Some bid their final farewells to their loved ones in the convoy, embracing each other in pain and sorrow, entrusting their final wishes.
Next was the issue of supplies. The primary task of their convoy was to clear the infected along the way, ensuring the safety and accessibility of the roads. Every time they passed through a location, they left relevant messages for the convoy behind.
Although they had eliminated a large number of infected during this crisis, the fuel in the tanker truck was still a concern. Apart from the dozens of gasoline-filled Molotov cocktails they had thrown out initially, the subsequent fires had mostly spread on their own.
However, the quantity of ammunition was somewhat worrying. Nearly a third had been expended during the battle, which would be detrimental for the journey ahead. Some even proposed going to the Sheriff's Port quarantine area for resupply.
But this suggestion was quickly vetoed. With all the military and civilians entering the quarantine area, the remaining areas of the town had already become infected zones. They couldn't risk another siege by the infected by entering the town again.
After some deliberation, it was decided to continue according to the plan but with strict control over the use of ammunition and collecting as much as possible along the way.
Lastly, there were those who had hidden in houses, avoiding the fight against the infected, intending to evade combat. Because of their resentment for disciplinary actions, they attempted to seize supplies during the chaos caused by the infected. Each one of them was apprehended and collectively escorted to the town center.
Of course, the fate of these individuals would not be pleasant. The cowardly ones would be expelled, their food and weapons confiscated. They would be left with the infected in the town. Whether they could leave would depend on their permission or until they all turned into infected.
As for those who sought revenge and attempted to seize supplies during the chaos, although the leader had died, the remaining ones were bound and brought to the central square, where they were sentenced to death by shooting for crimes such as murder and endangering the safety of others.
Among the soldiers executing them was Tracy, who, upon seeing the multicolored hair, felt a sense of familiarity. When she walked closer and saw Kim, who was crying in fear, she exclaimed in surprise, "You dared to go and rob the truck! I thought you didn't have the guts for it. I underestimated you. Impressive!"
With that, she didn't pay attention to what Kim said behind her and turned away, walking back into the formation, raising her rifle and aiming at the target in front.
In the end, except for Chad, who deserved his punishment, the remaining five who shouldn't have died like this, succumbed to their own resentment and greed, amid the angry and mocking insults from the crowd, collapsing helplessly to the ground, their heads blown off.
When everything was settled, it was nearing noon, and the convoy couldn't afford to delay any longer. The high-pitched horn signaled the start of preparations, and they would depart in ten minutes.
As they bid farewell to those left behind in the town, the convoy headed back in the direction they had come from.
Since the remaining three directions of the town, whether main roads or other small roads, were mostly blocked by the infected, and the scene was too bloody and violent, coupled with the fire, they needed to leave the town first, circle around, and re-enter the highway.
Inside the bus, except for the driver who was initially assigned to sleep, the rest of the people were extremely exhausted. They immediately fell into a deep sleep as soon as they leaned back in their seats, and some of the men's snores were deafening.
Brian listened to the snores silently, feeling helpless. Damn, not even letting people sleep properly.
Then he glanced slightly sideways at the last row of the bus, where a black woman was lying unconscious.
Originally, there were no seats in parallel inside the bus, but after most people witnessed her heroic deeds and were grateful for her saving them, coupled with the crisis last night, the bus had freed up quite a few seats. So, they voluntarily vacated three rows to let her rest comfortably.
With his arm around Sarah, Brian leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. He found it strange that the soldiers had clearly seen the shotgun barrels last night, yet no one raised any questions. This puzzle had been lingering in his mind.
Unable to figure it out no matter how hard he tried, he decided not to dwell on it anymore. After all, what's done is done. Maybe those soldiers really hadn't realized it?
Although the flames from the town last night couldn't be seen, after leaving the town, they discovered that there was already a section of snow layering up on the highway, and looking at the snow still falling outside, showing no signs of stopping, it seemed they had to accelerate for the road ahead, or they might get stuck once the snow became too thick.
The convoy took a bumpy detour from a small road
outside Vaskom town, driving for about half an hour before re-entering the highway.
Not far ahead, they arrived at a town called Greenwood. Seeing the bloodstains and ruins mixed with snow on the ground and the foul smell emanating from the air, it was evident that there had been a considerable number of infected here. Combined with the distance between Greenwood and Vaskom, everyone understood that the infected here might have all originated from this town.
Shortly after entering Greenwood, the convoy suddenly came to a halt, causing those who had already fallen into a deep sleep to sit up from their seats and look around anxiously.
Unable to help it, the experience from last night had left a shadow on everyone's psyche, making them a bit paranoid.
However, Tracy, upon receiving the news, immediately informed the people in the bus about what had happened ahead, relieving everyone's tension.
It turned out that halfway through the convoy's journey, over a dozen survivors appeared, blocking the road and calling for help.
After the convoy had waited in place for about fifteen minutes, it was unclear how the negotiations went ahead, but the survivors said they would join the convoy and head to Atlanta.
After confirming that these people were not infected, over a dozen of them were separated and sent to the bus. They would need to be observed for a while and couldn't be packed into one bus.
As the door slowly opened, Brian saw a muscular middle-aged man, a charming brown-haired girl, and a despicable man with a rooster comb head walking up from outside.
The appearance of the three attracted the attention of everyone, and they began whispering and casting curious glances at the new survivors.
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