415 The Road Back, A Bumpy Ride Around and Across the Mountains (2/2)

The very few stores on the road were rather looted cleanly. If it was obvious that the owners tried to keep their things, it would be fine. However, everything that was not edible or usable was still left. There was also the difference between the dust gathered on the tables and counters.

If things were left untouched for a long time, the thickness of dust would rather look evenly spread. However, the spots where the dust was rather thin clearly left the mark where some food containers were placed before. This made it obvious that whoever took the items did it after a long while.

Furthermore, in Mark's estimate, the thinness of the dust at those spots indicated that the items were taken not long ago. Probably a few days or so. Of course, it was still not sure. Maybe a week or more had passed already.

It made everyone wonder if someone passed by this place in the same direction they were going.

With those thoughts, they continued on the road.

As they went deeper this isolated road, the sceneries had gone contrary to what they expected. The more they continued, the more structures and houses they saw on the roadside.

Of course, it was quite understandable if anyone tried to think why.

There as barely anything along the road. However, business and work opportunities exist at the ends of this road where tourist locations existed. Anyone who knew their priorities would surely live near these locations.

However, it also meant that more animals present as these places were where they found more humans as food. Because of that, Mark and his group encountered more animals along the way. It was a pity that they could not carry any more carcasses and they could only leave the dead animals by the roadside.

Still, Mark had to do some inventory sorting and made Gifre prioritize carrying more things than fighting. It was because some of the animals they killed had useful body parts such as spiny scales or hard shells. Even if these parts could not be used as weapons or armor, these could still be used for traps and other things.

Midway, they finally reached the highest point they could go on this road. It was not because it was a dead end. In fact, Makaira-Daraitan Road still continued up the mountainous path. However, as they reached the forked road, they needed to take Daraitan Road that would go down the hill.

This was the final stretch of road before they would reach the very same barangay where Mark first met Miracle and some of the [Blood Children].

Nevertheless, they noticed something which made them traverse the road more carefully.

In the middle of the dust-covered road, footprints could be seen. Not animal footprints but footprints that belonged to humans. Furthermore, the footprints did not only belong to a single person but a group. As Mark investigated, there were seven different footprints according to the print left from their shoes.

It also seemed that they had traversed this road several times before as the same footprints could be seen going different directions and at different times. It was very probable that these were the same people that scavenged the stores along the way. However, those stores were probably scavenged first as Mark did not notice footprints in those areas.

Even though they became careful, it was actually unnecessary. They did not encounter any ambush or humans along the rest of the way.

After a few minutes, they finally saw the clearing allowing them to see the mountain ranges in the northeast. In front of them, the part of the very same Agos River that flowed northwest of New Infanta Settlement could be seen.

Being a tourist location and a resort area, the scene by the riverside was soothing.

Well, it was like that if the rule out the fact that they could see the wreckage of a large passenger plane just on the other side of the river.

Unfortunately, they had no time to enjoy this scene yet.

As such, the whole group crossed the river in their vehicles.

There was a wooden bridge that allowed medium-sized and lighter vehicles to cross. As for the lorry, however, they had to make it across the shallow part of the river. The river was rocky which made it easier for them to cross despite feeling uncomfortable. In the least, they did not get stuck because of mud.

Finally, they entered the vicinity of Barangay Daraitan.

Mark could not help but scratch his head.

After they cleaned up this place during scavenging and training, it seemed that some people stumbled here. It looked like the owners of the footprints decided to live in this place this while when he went off to fetch Mei and the others.

Furthermore, there were more of them. From what he could detect, there were actually thirty people. They occupied the small elementary school northeast of the barangay.

Well, he had no problems with it as long as they were not hostile. He would not hesitate to eradicate them if they made an idiotic move.

Of course, the lookouts of the new group also spotted them. They were ready to fight in case Mark's group were to attack first. Still, they were hesitant as Mark's group did not look like easy pickings at all and more of a threat just with Gifre alone. Rather, they seemed that they did not want to fight at all.

Seeing Mark's group was just passing by, the lookouts sighed in relief. Still, they were confused as to why a group of vehicles would go to a direction that was supposed to go up the mountains. Sure enough, these people thought of the road leading up to a base of survivors there.

Exiting from the east side of Barangay Daraitan, they had to traverse a long dirt road along the rocky riverside.

Seeing the end of that dirt road that was supposed to be a dead-end, Mark smiled.

Huey and the others surely did their job properly.

A road that was not there before was properly made. It was one of the tasks he left for them since it would be troublesome to travel without a good road to traverse up the mountains.

It was not the best kind of road, still, it was better than nothing.

After two more hours of a bumpy ride and uncomfortable, Mark and his group finally arrived at the base between the two mountains.

The scene there as they arrived, of course, made Mark scratch his head and frown at the same time.