Chapter 13: The Interceptor
The Grand Duke Tatran Highway stretched for thousands of kilometers, winding through sparsely populated land. Infrastructure in North America was poor; the roads were narrow, and no one bothered with the tangled woods and wild grass flanking them. It was reminiscent of rural roads back in his previous life, though these were somewhat wider.
Li Changsheng stopped in a remote wilderness, a place so desolate that not even wandering corpses could be found, let alone people. Only seven or eight abandoned cars were scattered across the highway, left askew with no sign of their owners, clearly forsaken.
Ahead, two small cars blocked the narrow lane, leaving just enough space between them for a compact vehicle to pass. With the RV’s width, forcing their way through would either require someone to get out and move the cars or simply crash through. The slopes on either side were steep, and detouring held unknown risks.
At that moment, two figures hid furtively ahead of Li Changsheng’s group, crouched behind an abandoned SUV. One was a burly middle-aged man dressed as a Western cowboy. Behind him hid a young white man of about twenty, with golden curls, clutching a long-barreled hunting rifle. Both watched Li Changsheng’s party warily, the young man’s hands trembling as he nervously rested his gun on the older man’s shoulder.
The middle-aged man was named Tara. He turned to the younger man behind him, “Columbus, I’ve always had a feeling you’re a bit of a sly scoundrel. Today, I see I wasn’t wrong.”
Columbus remained unfazed by Tara’s harsh words, “Why would you say that? What makes you think so?”
Tara’s face flushed red with anger, “Damn it, shut your mouth! And get your barrel off my shoulder!”
“Oh, Tara, calm down. ‘Survival Rule Eleven: Move quietly.’ We’re still in danger, those two are watching us...” Columbus shifted his gun away but continued to hide behind Tara.
Tara gritted his teeth, “Hell, I regret taking you along, you little bastard.”
Suddenly, Columbus said, “Hey, look, another Asian is coming. Asians are usually pretty honest. Maybe they aren’t bad people—should we try talking to them?”
Tara snorted, “I don’t mind, go ahead, if you’re not afraid that bald guy with the gun will shove your head up your own ass.”
The bald man Tara referred to was More.
To Tara, More was the very image of a gangster, the sort you couldn’t expect to have a conscience in this damned apocalypse.
On the other side, More waved his gun and pointed ahead. “Boss, Daryl and I were driving, and these two ran faster than rabbits when they saw us, ducked behind a car with their guns. Didn’t even give us a chance to say hello. I bet they’re robbers.”
Li Changsheng’s eyesight was excellent now, and he scrutinized the pair. Unlike the highway bandits from the movies, these survivors looked anxious and not at all like seasoned robbers. Puzzled, he looked at Daryl and asked, “Daryl, is it just as More said?”
Daryl shrugged, “Only trust about twenty percent of what More says. I think those two are probably scared of More. Just now, he stuck his hand out the window and waved his gun around like some show-off. I almost wanted to smack him myself.”
It seemed plausible.
Li Changsheng shot More a glare, and More shrank back, frightened.
Ignoring More, Li Changsheng instructed, “Alright, you two distract them up front. I’ll circle around and take their guns. If they fire, take them out.”
With that, Li Changsheng slipped behind the car, his silhouette vanishing. In a swift leap, he disappeared into the woods beside the road.
Daryl and More had just begun discussing their plan when they looked back and saw Li Changsheng was already gone.
“Where did he go? Damn, the Boss is as elusive as a ghost!” Daryl, who once made his living hunting, was skilled at tracking in dense forests, yet even he couldn’t spot any trace of Li Changsheng.
Shaking his head, he turned to More. “More, didn’t you want to negotiate with those two? Go on then!”
More, still annoyed by Li Changsheng’s earlier glare, snapped, “Shut it, Daryl. Always exposing my weaknesses—now you’ve got me killed. The Boss is so petty... Forget it, I’ll just do my job.”
He climbed atop an abandoned car and called out to Tara and Columbus, “Hey, you two! Are you survivors?”
Tara pulled down the brim of his cowboy hat, stood up, and raised his rifle cautiously. “Yes, at least for now. Who are you? Where are you from?”
More replied, “We’re from the south. You don’t look like locals either. Maybe we should team up. Strength in numbers, after all.”
He shot Daryl a covert glance, and Daryl, catching on, quietly took aim.
Tara let out a cold laugh, “Thanks, but my principle is to rely on ourselves.”
From More’s vantage, he suddenly caught sight of a dark shadow and chuckled, “Hey, cowboy, have you seen God?”
Tara thought More had lost his mind, but a sudden chill crept up his spine. He heard a whistle behind him and turned to see a figure appear out of nowhere—it was Li Changsheng.
“Damn, there’s someone behind us!” Tara instinctively swung his rifle around.
Li Changsheng snorted, “I despise being threatened with a gun.” Using his left foot as a pivot, he swung his right leg in a powerful whip kick. Tara was sent flying several meters, crashing into a nearby car with a heavy thud.
Columbus tried to resist, but Li Changsheng stepped forward, seized his rifle, lifted it, and kicked him to the ground.
“Mistake, mistake! I surrender!” Columbus cried as Li Changsheng fixed his gaze on him, hurriedly raising his hands as he lay on the ground.
“Smart choice.” Li Changsheng grunted, then ordered both men to kneel with their heads down, keeping them covered with his gun.
Daryl and More rushed over, tying the pair together with rope.
Andrea drove the car over, and Amy hurried to Li Changsheng’s side, worried. “Boss, are you alright?” She circled him, afraid he might be hurt.
Li Changsheng waved her off, “Just a couple of petty thieves, nothing to it.”
“Boss, you’re amazing.”
Li Changsheng smiled gently, then instructed More, “Keep an eye on them. I’ll check the surroundings to see if they have any accomplices.”