A Post-Apocalyptic Journey to Another World

Zhang Xi left the wolf droppings stall, left the market area, and went to the counter area. He was quickly attracted by a brand-new off-road motorcycle, a Yamaha XTZ-850.

The vehicle features a jet-black body with red, streamlined stripes on the headlight covers. The wheels are relatively small, and the body is raised high off the wheels. The engine is mostly exposed. The streamlined body and exposed engine create a rugged yet sophisticated and complex feel, a favorite among off-road enthusiasts.

However, Zhang Xi wasn't an off-road vehicle enthusiast; he just needed a means of transportation. The salesperson enthusiastically introduced the motorcycle, explaining that it was a favorite among private search teams and was extremely cheap, although fuel had to be purchased separately.

Zhang Xigang negotiated a price with the salesperson: one gold bar, a small can of gasoline, and a free off-road motorcycle.

Just as he was about to pay, two gold bars suddenly fell onto the counter, followed by Li Chengyu's shrill voice: "I'll take this motorcycle!"

Zhang Xi turned around and saw Li Chengyu, whom he hadn't seen in a long time. The guy was still dressed so extravagantly. He glanced at the two gold bars on the counter, then turned to leave.

But Wang Ruilong stopped him, took out three gold bars and threw them on the counter, saying nonchalantly, "Li Chengyu, is your hand better? I hope he won't get hurt again!"

These words struck a nerve with Li Chengyu, and he was about to explode, but looking at the M500 slung across Zhang Xi's waist, he hesitated. After a moment's hesitation, he pulled out two more.

Now Wang Ruilong was out of options; he only had these three left. Zhang Xi couldn't let Wang Ruilong suffer a setback. He reached deep into his backpack, rummaged around for a while, and finally pulled out two gold bars and a few gold beans. After hesitating for a moment, he put one on the bag and added a few more.

The once quiet counter had now gathered a large crowd, and everyone could tell that two groups of spoiled brats were showing off their wealth. As the saying goes, those who enjoy watching a spectacle aren't afraid of things getting out of hand, and some even started cheering.

Li Chengyu had a natural fondness for being the center of attention, whether for good or bad reasons. As long as there were onlookers, it satisfied his strange vanity. He secretly planned to force these two idiots to hand over their gold bars, then back out and let them use five gold bars to buy a beat-up car, bankrupting them.

Thinking of this, he added another one without hesitation. But when he looked defiantly at the two people in front of him, he was stunned by their actions.

Without a word, Zhang Xi and Wang Ruilong swiftly collected the gold bars and gold coins, then turned and left. They chatted as they walked, oblivious to everyone else around them.

"The weather is nice today!"

"Yes, the weather is beautiful!"

When Li Chengyu realized something was wrong, he discovered that the saleswoman's speed was not much slower than Zhang Xi's. With a sweep of her arm across the counter, the five gold bars disappeared. Then she smiled and said to Li Chengyu, "Congratulations, sir, this collector's edition motorcycle is now yours, and a can of gasoline is also included."

Li Chengyu reached out and took a step towards the counter, but was stopped by an armed security guard who said, "Sir, every transaction here is recorded by video and audio, which is enough to guarantee the safety of your items and is verifiable. So, would you like us to deliver them to your door?" As he spoke, the security guard inadvertently raised the muzzle of his gun slightly higher.

Several security guards, also armed, moved almost imperceptibly toward them from a distance.

The people who come here are all wealthy and powerful, and it is precisely because of this that Li Chengyu helplessly realizes he is doomed to suffer this humiliation. He knows who the owner of this place is. Li Chengyu seems to see his father's belt lashing his body.

In the distance, Li Xianda muttered to himself, "He's not very bright, but at least he's in the right position. Maybe he can be trained. Sometimes it's not a bad thing for subordinates to be a little slow."

The black market service was quite good; for customers like Li Chengyu who spent "generously," they even offered door-to-door delivery. Zhang Xi also bought two small gas cylinders, each weighing only about thirty pounds, which he carried home by hand.

These two gas cylinders, if used sparingly, are enough to last for two months of hot meals. After all, there's still electricity for short periods, and the natural gas hasn't been completely cut off yet.

……

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, a steady stream of off-road vehicles began heading towards the outskirts of the city. These were all well-off groups; most people were still on bicycles or walking—they were all going to try their luck.

Zhang Xi was dressed in combat gear, carrying an assault rifle, with an M500 slung across his waist, and his nano-bulletproof vest was already worn close to his body. He mounted a nearly new, all-black off-road motorcycle and headed towards the outskirts. The jet-black Amber sword, as always, was tucked into Zhang Xi's arms.

Zhang Xi's destination was Liaocheng, 200 kilometers from Pingyuan City, where Old Zhao lived. He planned to go there to warn Old Zhao, give him a gift, and then return. Of course, he would also take the opportunity to cause trouble for that wolf descendant who relieved himself anywhere. That stupid wolf would soon learn that even for a wolf, relieving itself anywhere would bring it trouble.

They passed many checkpoints along the way, and the soldiers did not stop Zhang Xi, letting him drive out of the city.

The motorcycle traveled further and further from the city, and the population dwindled, with only the occasional adventurer or two appearing. This sparse population didn't mean a lack of life; on the contrary, the reduced human activity, coupled with the ever-invading elemental energy, had made the vast rural areas vibrant with life!

Although it was winter, nourished by the primordial energy, wild grasses sprouted tall, cracking through the thinner sections of the concrete pavement. As humans left, other life forms in nature began to slowly occupy these areas, gradually erasing the traces of human civilization.

The motorcycle quickly drove onto a provincial highway that ran along the famous Maling River. The once black and smelly Maling River was now crystal clear. Moreover, it was not frozen, and with Zhang Xi's eyesight, he could even see schools of fish in the river. After the chemical plants shut down, the Maling River recovered its vitality at an astonishing speed.

Several people were nervously catching fish by the river. They were nervous for a reason: they wanted to eat the fish, but some fish in the river that didn't belong there also wanted to eat them.

The motorcycle wasn't going very fast, and after about two hours, they finally arrived at Xiangzhuang. To Zhang Xi's surprise, the journey went quite smoothly; after all, it was morning, and even beasts from another world prefer to move at night.

Zhang Xi parked his motorcycle in the courtyard of a house on the edge of Xiangzhuang. The house was a courtyard house, with a yard of about 200 square meters, and the house was a two-story building. Even though it was in the countryside, it was clear that the family was well-off.

The gate and the door to the house were both damaged, and the yard was overgrown with weeds. Zhang Xi pushed open the door and entered the room, carefully checking it from top to bottom to ensure the safety of this temporary place of shelter.

The room was in a terrible mess, clearly having been ransacked more than once, and anything of even a modicum of value had been taken.

Zhang Xi carried the motorcycle up to the second floor, then swung his hand axe, collapsing the stairs and destroying all the doors and windows to make it appear as if the house had been completely ruined. Although it was troublesome, it would be safer for the motorcycle this way; after all, it wouldn't be good if he returned after dealing with the Wolf Clan and found his vehicle gone.

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