The preparation for Changsha was surprisingly easy.
Dad and I learned how to ride a motorbike after a day of trial and error. And we planned out our route beforehand using the map at the village leader's place.
With all the foods smoked and packed into cans and bottles filled with water, we hit the road with the two motorbikes.
After driving for a day around the outskirts of Nanyang, we stopped at a rest stop that had been abandoned.
The next day, we hit the road again. Riding uninterrupted, as the highway was surprisingly empty.
There was no traffic, and all the abandoned cars had been shoved aside. Who did it? I wouldn't know. But we were more than happy to continue down the road.
Everything was just smooth sailing as we reached our second stop.
An abandoned gas station that we intended to fuel up at. Unforunately, none of the gas pumps were working, nor were there any spare gas cans.
Rather than continuing with our half-empty bikes, Dad and I decided to ride on our own for a bit, trying to find another nearby gas station that had gas.
After adventuring deeper into Xiangyang, we finally found a gas station that had a spare gas can inside.
We weighed our options as several zombies stood outside. In the end, we went in gun blazing, shooting my precious ammo before rushing inside the store.
With the gas can in hand, we bolted out back onto our bike, riding off into the sunset as we headed back to the abandoned gas station.
---
Loading the gas into the motorbike, we quickly realize we could make the journey in one single swoop.
When the next day arrived, it was exactly what we had attempted.
We just kept on driving on the highway, flooring the gas as we sped down the empty road. Along the way, I noticed a few tank track marks on the road.
It beca clear to that the reason for the emptiness was that, at so point, so sort of army had traveled on the sa road.
After half a day of driving, we finally made it out of Hubei and into Hunan.
We could see a large sign that said Changsha is 70 miles away—just a few more hours from reaching our destination.
"Can we take a break for a bit? My butt hurts." My younger sister complained as we reached the skirt of Yueyang city.
"Okay, okay... Dad! Let's take a break soon." I yelled as I began to slow down my motorbike.
"Okay... How about that hotel over there?" Dad yelled back as he pointed his finger into the distance.
"Sure!"
As we both began driving off the highway exit and towards the hotel pitstop, all five of us imdiately noticed so human activity at the front.
The lights were on inside, with barbed wire and wooden spikes blocking the front entrance.
"Shit, should we look for sowhere else?" I asked.
"No. Let's check and ask... They should know where that big settlent in Changsha is."
I agreed with Dad's statent as the two of us hopped off our motorbike, parking it before the barbed wire.
"Hello? Anyone in there? I just wanted to ask a question!" I yelled as the two of us waited outside.
After standing there for a few minutes, a man soon ca out of the hotel. His rifle in hand imdiately alerted both and Dad.
"Who the hell are you? Why are you here?" The man yelled back as he stood behind a pillar, noticing the rifle I had.
"We are refugees from the North. We just wanted to ask if there really is a big settlent at Changsha." I asked.
"Changsha? That's a city filled with zombies... You're probably looking for Zhongxiong's settlent. It's in Huarong County further south."
"Thank you!"
As we hopped back onto the motorbike, I quickly took out the map before finding Huarong County to be south of Changsha.
"Dad, do you think we can make it before the sun sets?"
"Hell yeah. I ain't trying to sleep out here for one more day." My Dad answered as he started up his motorcycle.
"Let's see then."
---
As the moon rose in the sky and the ti reached nine, we finally reached Huarong County.
Just as the man had promised, there was indeed a big settlent, albeit much different from what we had imagined.
There was no large wall of any sort. Only fences and guard towers every few blocks away from each other.
A massive swarm of farmland was filled with crops, with even people still working on the land despite it being so late at night.
Driving closer and closer to the entrance, we were soon stopped by several army n ard with rifles.
"Stop right there. Drop your weapon and identify yourself."
I quickly dropped my rifle before hopping the five of us all hopped of our bikes. We all raised our hands before Dad spoke up.
"We are refugees from the North. We are just looking for a better life."
"Refugee... Then, where did you get this gun from?" One of the soldiers questioned.
"My son was a part of the army before we were forced to flee Pingdingshan." My Dad answered.
All of the soldiers' eyes looked towards for a second before they finally lowered their rifles.
"You must be a soldier after the outbreak, aren't you?" A senior-looking soldier murmured as he picked up the rifle from the ground.
I nodded before he handed the rifle back into my hand. Patting on the shoulder before signaling to follow him.
I looked over to Dad, who waved at to just go. So I started following the senior soldier in front of .
"How's the situation in the North?" The soldier asked as we entered so sort of military compound.
I answer back with everything I know, from the Fujian soldiers to the collapse of Pingdingshan.
"That's a sha... Anyway, do you want to continue being a soldier, or do you want to live a normal life?"
As the soldier turned around, my mind went blank. I never really thought of what I was going after arriving at the settlent.
Seeing the hesitation on my face, he patted on the back before handing a piece of paper.
"This is your contract. You can co back to if you want to join... Rember to return the rifle next week if you are planning to stay here."
I nodded as another soldier ca in to lead back out of the compound, eting up with the rest of my family, who stood next to a soldier.
"Hello. I'm your guide. Think of just being here to help you around. I'm Chun Lin."
"I'm Zhaoxun."
---
The next few days, we learned about all the different jobs and places in the villages.
Notice I used the word 'villages', not village.
It turned out that Zhongxiong's settlent was a connection of villages all around Changsha.
As Chun Lin best put it, a strategy of "surrounding the cities from the countryside" of the 21st century.
We were eventually assigned the newer villages that they had secured. One that had a whole rural hospital after hearing my Dad's request.
The two motorbikes were also sold off to the army, landing us a hefty amount of money. Enough to buy a plot of land and new clothes.
It was a brand new start—a fresh start for all five of us. There was even a school for my younger sister to attend.
Everything was going great. Nothing could possibly ruin this mont for us... But there was one more thing I needed to do.
---
"You sure you want to join the army?"
I nodded. I handed the signed contract over to the senior soldier before I strapped my rifle back to the side.
"I don't have anything else to do, sir," I answered.
"You sure? How about your parent? Have you asked them about it? And how about that girlfriend of yours?"
"They are fine with it," I answered again.
"Very well."
After checking the signature, the senior soldier puts the paper back into a drawer before handing an insignia.
"Welco aboard, private. Private First Class Wang Ding will show you around."
I was quickly led out of the compound, heading inside a vehicle before being driven off to a hilly road.
Along the way, I could see more and more people working in the fields. So even wore soldier uniforms with their rifles still strapped to their back.
A loud sound quickly caught my attention, only to see a tractor flipping the rugged dirt over for farming.
Further into the distance, I could see a faint outline of a massive city. Almost twice as big as what I had ever seen in any part of my journey so far.
I soon learned it was the city that Zhongxiong's forces had been fighting for. The city that my family and I initially intended to head towards.
The city where I soon encountered the most painful mories.
Changsha.
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