The Chef Rules the Last Days
Chapter 181 - 179: Departure

Chapter 181: Chapter 179: Departure

"Brother, welcome back safely," he patted Lu Chen on the shoulder.

He had just returned from Yan City not long ago; his team had suffered casualties and had not yet recovered. Otherwise, Rong Bai would have chosen to go with them.

Lu Chen seemed to know what he was thinking and extended his hand; the two shook hands, "Keep an eye on things for me."

As for what to watch, Rong Bai glanced at the nearby Jiang Residence, understanding without words, and solemnly nodded.

Su Mo hugged everyone once before taking Lu Chen’s hand and getting into the car with Jianxiong.

This was the first time ordinary people in the Outer Ring had seen such a large convoy.

On one side was the Jiang Residence’s convoy, and on the other was the Lu Family’s convoy. Lu Jin sat in the car, his attention caught by the movement of the nearby vehicles as he glanced over.

Two emaciated figures used their last bit of strength to rush in front of the familiar modified car upon seeing it.

Upon seeing the newcomers, Su Mo frowned deeply—it was Su Huaguang and Mrs. Su.

Only a month had passed, yet the two of them were already so emaciated that their cheeks were hollow, resembling skeletons.

"Son, save your parents, we’re going to starve," Mrs. Su kept pounding on the iron net outside the car window.

Su Mo rolled down the window, her face expressionless, "Didn’t I give you food?"

"Those damned people took it all away, daughter, just give me something to eat," Mrs. Su cried with snot and tears streaming down, the sour smell from her body causing Su Mo to frown.

"How did you survive when I wasn’t here?" Su Mo turned her head; she no longer felt any emotional ups and downs from her foster mother’s desperate cries.

"Your dad hurt his hand, and I couldn’t find any work, please have mercy," Mrs. Su was about to kneel and kowtow as she spoke.

The commotion caused by these two, Su Huaguang and his wife, made the soldiers’ glance at the people in the car turn odd.

Leaving one’s own parents to die in the Outer Ring was not something to be proud of, and that was precisely the effect Su Huaguang and his wife wanted.

The air around Lu Chen grew colder, but Su Mo took his hand, "Wait for me a bit."

It was just a matter of outperforming in acting, and Su Mo’s face was naturally deceptive. She simmered emotions for a moment before opening the door and getting out, once again capturing the attention of those around her.

The girl who stepped out of the car had reddened eyes, her small adorable nose slightly red, and her tiny face looked pitiful, appearing like the one who had been bullied.

Most of the people in the Jiang Residence’s convoy recognized Su Mo; the ferocity with which this woman fought was completely unlike her current demeanor.

Su Mo pretended to wipe away tears and with a clear voice called out loudly, "I have already given you six months’ worth of rice out of mercy. You squandered it all in just one month, what more do you want?"

Su Huaguang approached her, his eyes misty, "My son died because of you! What more do you think I want!"

Su Mo felt, she was actually quite unlucky, the people around her, whether friends or family, always liked to impose their misfortunes onto her. Her expression darkened, a genuine tear rolled from the corner of her eye, "I’ve lived for twenty years, besides feeding me, what have you done?"

Mrs. Su was speechless, her crying stopped, and upon thinking about it, it really seemed to be true, but Su Huaguang was relentless, "I still ate rice at my house! What you’ve given isn’t enough!"

Tears mixed with a smile appeared on Su Mo’s face, "Haven’t I paid it back? Isn’t the money my brother took from me over the years more than enough for the leftovers I ate at your house?"

Mrs. Su defiantly stiffened her neck, "You still ought to support us."

"I, who was picked up, haven’t spent a penny of the family’s money, haven’t eaten a meal from the family, what right do you have?" Su Mo wiped away her tears, her expression bleak.

Picked up was indeed an interesting notion, the crowd’s gaze subtly shifted, the scales in their hearts clearly tilting.

Mrs. Su and Su Huaguang were at a loss for words, but their son had died, and all their hopes now rested on their adopted daughter. Left with no other choice, they began to create a scene.

The surrounding soldiers couldn’t bear to watch anymore and lifted the elderly couple, throwing them out towards the vehicle.

"Enough, how could you treat a fine young girl this way? Just scram."

"Let me go!" Mrs. Su and Su Huaguang, weakened by hunger, could only struggle in vain.

"Quickly get rid of them, we have other important matters to attend to."

"She already gave you half a year’s supply of rice, truly insatiable."

Everyone despised the couple’s behavior. Their commotion spread rumors all over the Outer Ring, which were finally put to an end by Su Mo’s crying.

Afterward, Su Huaguang and his wife would forever lose their privilege to enter the pedestrian street that connected the Second Ring and the Outer Ring.

Su Mo got into the car, sniffed, and felt much better.

Lu Chen, however, was heartbroken for her and personally bent down to kiss the tears still hanging on her eyelashes.

With the show over, Lu Jin withdrew his gaze, his interest piqued, while Li Chuan leaned close and joked, "Lu Chen’s woman isn’t bad, huh?"

Lu Jin glanced back at him, his eyes full of contempt, "Once we’re out, take care of yourself. If you die, I won’t be responsible."

Li Chuan shrugged and sat back down.

Su Mo noticed the huge convoy nearby, "Are they going with us?"

Lu Chen nodded.

Su Mo fell silent. She understood that the trip to Southern Island had to yield results. In other words, the leadership of Tanghai City was right in front of them; it was a matter of who would seize it first.

The base gate slowly opened, and the familiar, rotten smell filled the air. Su Mo looked at the half-ruined world outside as the convoy slowly started moving.

The comfortable days were over.

They had to reach Tanghai City on the coast within three days, where people who would help them board a ship to Southern Island were stationed.

Su Mo saw the detailed map of Southern Island for the first time. Looking at the route on it, she asked, "Is it a tropical island?"

Lu Chen nodded, "The lab is located underground in the middle of the island. No one has ever reached there."

Thus, strictly speaking, this map was only half-explored. Southern Island had lethal miasma, so each of them was equipped with various antidotes in their luggage.

In the rainforest, there were plenty of insects and wild animals, especially under mutated conditions. Su Mo could understand why so many people never returned; even for them, this trip was likely to be more perilous than fortunate.

Jianxiong drove their vehicle at the front of the convoy, listening to the two chatting behind him. He responded gruffly, "We’ll definitely come back safely. Boss, then you’ll have to throw a wedding at the villa for the young lady."

Su Mo laughed at his words. She hadn’t thought about a wedding; after all, surviving was the most important thing these days.

Su Mo might not care, but Lu Chen truly took the notion to heart and silently filed it away.

The massive convoy sped along the road, kicking up thick dust.

Once they left the protective zone of Tanghai City, the number of zombies noticeably increased, and gunfire within the convoy was constant.

They only had three days to reach Tanghai, so the pace was kept relentlessly high.