After taking a shower in the evening, Tang Zheng came to Xu Jingqiu's room.
After seeing Tang Zheng's true face, Xu Jingqiu was obviously stunned.
"This...Brother Tang, I'm sorry, I misunderstood before."
Tang Zheng waved his hand and smiled: "Nothing, it's a small matter."
"Then...Brother Tang, sit down."
Xu Jingqiu moved a chair for Tang Zheng and looked at Tang Zheng with bright eyes, with some anxiety and some hope in her eyes.
Tang Zheng knew Xu Jingqiu's thoughts very well. She was worried that he would take advantage of her, and hoped that he could take her away.
After all, it was better to leave with Tang Zheng than to stay in such a hopeless place.
However, Tang Zheng did not make a promise immediately, and instead chatted with Xu Jingqiu.
"I can call you Jingqiu."
"It's okay, Brother Tang, you can call me whatever you want."
"Haha, Jingqiu, the business was doing well before."
Having said this, Xu Jingqiu felt a little complacent and raised her head proudly: "Of course, my craftsmanship is second to none in the entire Nanhu Service Area, and my business is above average."
"It's really good. To say it's in the middle or above is a bit modest. I think it's at least in the top three."
Xu Jingqiu waved her hand: "It's not as exaggerated as Brother Tang said. My position is a bit disadvantaged. It is located on the edge and is a bit far away from the service hall in the middle. Those buses all have designated hotels, all near the middle, and they entertain a busload of guests. , that’s enough for me to earn in one day.”
Tang Zheng smiled: "That's not bad. We are about the same age. I still have nothing, but you are the boss."
Xu Jingqiu was a little embarrassed: "No way, Brother Tang is so powerful. He is the squad leader at such a young age."
Tang Zheng did not explain this problem. Everyone he saw in the apocalypse would misunderstand him as an imperial force, and he was too lazy to explain.
Xu Jingqiu asked again: "Brother Tang, where are you planning to go?"
"I'm going back to my hometown in western Sichuan."
"Oh, let's go west." Xu Jingqiu said, with a look of worry on her face.
"Is there any problem?" Tang Zheng saw something was wrong and asked.
"If you go west, Brother Tang may have to take a detour. The road to the west is impassable."
Tang Zheng was stunned: "No traffic? Is the highway blocked? It doesn't matter. Our car is a motorcycle, and ordinary traffic jams can't block us."
Xu Jingqiu shook her head, hesitated for a while, and then said with some difficulty: "It is indeed a traffic jam, but it is not the kind of traffic jam that overturned the car, but was blocked artificially."
"Man-made blockage? You mean, there are other survivors here?"
Xu Jingqiu nodded: "Yes, there are indeed survivors here, and there are quite a few of them. They are on the other side of the service area."
When Tang Zheng heard this, he noticed some problems: "Then why didn't you go over there?"
Xu Jingqiu showed a trace of resentment on her face: "The leader over there is the contractor of this service area and an imperial baron named Sun Meng. I don't like this person very much. When he came to my hotel in the past, he always said something He is unclean and wants to do something to me. I wish I could stay far away from him, how could I take the initiative to approach him, and..."
"And what?"
"After the apocalypse broke out, Sun Meng took his people and established a foothold at the toll station to the west of the service area, and began to take in survivors. Sister Axiang, who is next door to me, went to him, but a few days ago I I sent a message to Sister Axiang, and Sister Axiang said that Sun Meng doesn’t treat him as a human being at all, and the women there have become the playthings of Sun Meng and his group. I will not fall into the trap myself."
Tang Zheng's face was a little solemn. After the end of the world began, this kind of thing happened frequently.
As a weak woman, there is not much dignity and freedom left in this world.
This kind of thing is unavoidable. Even if Tang Zheng can't stand it, he can't control it.
But Xu Jingqiu said that the problem is serious when the road is blocked. If these people block the way home, it will be very troublesome.
"You said the road was blocked. How was it blocked?"
"It's like this. Sun Meng not only contracted the service area, he also had a toll station in the west. After the end of the world, he took his people back to the toll station, which was a little distance from the service area. He used the nearby Building materials were used to wall the toll station, leaving only one road to pass through, where he could intercept the survivors, collect supplies, and even rob people to strengthen his team."
"All passing vehicles will not pass by unless they leave something that satisfies him. He even killed several people there."
"So forget about cars, even your motorcycles, don't even think about getting through there smoothly."
After hearing this, Tang Zheng said, "Do they have guns?"
"Yes, not only are there guns, but the toll station is built very solidly, just like a bunker. It is impossible to break through forcefully."
As she said that, Xu Jingqiu took out her mobile phone, which contained photos taken by Sister Axiang.
It was originally an ordinary toll station, but the lanes on both sides were blocked by cement walls, and only one lane was still usable.
The road is also full of speed bumps, where the speed cannot be increased at all.
The most important thing is that above the toll station, a "gate"-shaped defensive building was built based on the original structure.
There are many shooting holes left on it and it looks like a bunker.
Tang Zheng couldn't help but frown a little. It was a bit tricky to have such a thing lying across the highway.
Do you have to accept the exploitation of these people when you go home?
Of course Tang Zheng would not accept this, but he still wanted to talk to that Sun Meng.
It's too late today. He will go over and take a look tomorrow morning.
After chatting with Xu Jingqiu for a few more words, Tang Zheng returned to the room Xu Jingqiu arranged for him.
It was obvious that Xu Jingqiu didn't want to stay here anymore, but Tang Zheng couldn't make a promise yet. At least he had to solve Sun Meng's problem.
...
After a good night's sleep, Tang Zheng woke up early the next morning at Xu Jingqiu's call.
It's been a long time since he slept so soundly. Even though he only slept on the sofa in the hotel room, Tang Zheng felt even more relieved.
After eating Xu Jingqiu's steamed buns and the porridge she cooked, I felt that my whole body had recovered.
Tang Zheng looked at the few soldiers around him and finally said: "Two of the new recruits will stay. The rest will follow me today and go to the toll station on the other side of the service area to see if there is any possibility of passing."
"Okay General."
Several soldiers nodded and began to sort out their equipment.
Some of their shabby military uniforms were cleaned and mended by Xu Jingqiu last night, making them look much cleaner and tidier.
This also made Tang Zheng fully realize the benefits of having a woman in the team.
After finishing sorting, the group left the South Lake Flower Hotel and started running to the other side of the service area.
The middle area of the service area is almost impassable.
The dense zombies make people not even think about taking risks.
Fortunately, the service areas are all built in the wild. It cannot be passed here, and it can be bypassed from the outer wilderness.
The group of people climbed off the highway and took a detour through the wilderness outside.
There is a simple auxiliary road here, which was built by Sun Meng and others at the toll station. It can bypass the service area, but it cannot bypass the toll station. The fork in the road is between the service area and the toll station.
There are also sporadic zombies wandering in the wilderness. These should be survivors who escaped after being bitten, but they mutated when they arrived here.
I encountered scattered zombies and killed them directly. I walked along the side road for several kilometers and finally came to the other side of the service area.
Tang Zheng saw the fortress-like toll station in the photo Xu Jingqiu showed him.
The service area is built in a mountainous area. There are high mountains on both sides of the toll station, making it difficult to pass through. The original road construction here also required a lot of effort to cut the road through the mountains.
If you set up a toll station here, you don’t have to worry about other cars going around it.
There is a gate more than three meters high at the toll station, which can only accommodate one vehicle.
Both sides were blocked, and above was the bunker with shooting holes.
There are not only shooting holes, but also windows for observation. Looking from a distance, you can even see figures walking back and forth inside to observe.
This place is about one kilometer away from the service area. Not only is it far away from the corpses, but it also blocks the road. It is indeed a unique geographical environment.
In addition, it is located at the junction of three provinces and is an important transportation thoroughfare. There will always be survivors who want to pass through here.
With him blocking the road like this, all those who wanted to get over had no choice but to abandon their cars and walk, living in the wilderness, other than accepting his exploitation.
Tang Zheng and the others got on the highway and were thinking about sending someone over to negotiate, but they didn't expect that they had been discovered.
I saw the window of the bunker was opened, and someone shouted: "What are you doing?"
Luo Fei took the initiative to stand up and shouted to the other side: "We want to go there, are there any conditions?"
The person over there replied: "Say your name? Which part is it?"
Luo Fei turned back and glanced at Tang Zheng. Tang Zheng thought for a moment and gave some instructions.
Luo Fei received the order and loudly said: "Our squad leader is called Tang Zheng. We are from the Royal Army, and the unit number is kept secret."
"Wait, then."
The person above answered, picked up the phone and started reporting to Sun Meng.
Sun Meng's location, in the courtyard next to the toll station, was also heavily guarded at the moment.
If it was ordinary people coming and going, the people on guard here could make the decision, but Tang Zheng and the others were said to be royal troops after all, and the people on guard did not dare to make private decisions and could only report it.
In the hall of the toll station yard, Baron Sun Meng was smoking.
After hearing the report from his subordinates, he immediately wanted to let him go.
After all, they are the royal troops, and nobles like them don't want to provoke them.
Just as he was about to give the order, he was suddenly startled.
"What did you say the squad leader's name was?"
"He said his name is Tang Zheng."
Sun Meng thought for a moment and took out his cell phone.
Open a group chat called the Empire Central and South Nobles Group. There were originally more than 200 people in the group chat, but there are not many people with their avatars still on.
After scrolling up a few times, I found a message.
[Baron Song Yinghao of Sanjiang: A deserter named Tang Zheng is wanted. This man killed the Lord's relatives with brutal methods. The opponent's team consisted of seven people and two dogs... 】
