Chapter 721 - Rest Stop (1/2)

”There're boats.” As the team sniper and a human who had undergone the corresponding genetic modification, Bai Chen's ability to carry out long-distance recon was only inferior to Genava's.

Jiang Baimian removed the binoculars from her belt and brought them in front of her eyes. Shang Jianyao did the same thing.

The two of them quickly saw the black dots Bai Chen was referring to. There were indeed boats—boats made of steel, albeit crudely.

There were many humans on each boat. Some clearly had intact legs, but they could only crawl on the deck and cast their fishing net in different directions. Some had pointy heads, and they wobbled as they carried out simple jobs. Some had additional limbs and were busy steering the boats.

For a team like the Old Task Force—which had seen and experienced much in the Ashlands—the characteristics of those humans were so obvious that they could be recognized at a glance.

Deformers!

They were similar to Subhumans; it was a tragedy caused by all kinds of pollution. Deformers had it worse because the changes in their bodies were basically useless. Furthermore, they were all different, making it difficult for them to form a stable race.

They were like disabled humans. In the Ashlands where many people starved to death every year, it was very difficult to find a place that was willing to accept them. They could only wait to be eliminated by nature like some creatures in the theory of evolution.

The former Salvation Army treated everyone equally and didn't give up on them. However, they later stopped accepting new ones due to limited food.

To this day, such people were no longer seen other than in some areas with severe radiation pollution.

”I didn't expect there to be many Deformers living in this lake.” Jiang Baimian sighed with emotion as she observed. ”They seem to live off fishing.”

Shang Jianyao held the binoculars in one hand and stroked his chin with the other. ”The problem is: where do their boats get their oil?”

It was entirely possible that some of these Deformers could read Old World books and were self-taught, thereby having the skills to repair and maintain those boats. However, humans couldn't produce gasoline by merely rubbing their bare hands.

”There should be many islands in such a large lake. Maybe one or more islands have an oil depot built and have a lot of reserves,” Jiang Baimian casually said. ”It's also possible that caravans come here regularly and exchange fuel for specialties.”

She lowered the binoculars and latched them back on her belt. She then looked around and said, ”Let's continue forward for a while longer and not disturb these pitiful people.”

This was one reason. The other reason was that the fish in this large lake had succumbed to pollution and had severely mutated. Even if the Old Task Force stayed behind, they wouldn't dare to taste the local delights to reduce the expenditure of supplies.

Long Yuehong and the others naturally had no objections.

The Old Task Force's jeep followed the road by the lake that alternated between good and bad. After driving north for nearly an hour, they accidentally discovered a rest spot with a gas station beside a wide Old World road.

The building at this rest stop was well-maintained. Light even shone from the windows, dispelling the evening's gloom.

In the Old World, such rest stops definitely had a sizable parking lot. This place was no exception. About five cars sparsely filled up the otherwise empty car park.

”Why does it feel like we're back in the Salvation Army's hinterlands?” Long Yuehong—whose turn was to drive—said in surprise.

Jiang Baimian—who had always been empathetic—was already sitting in the backseat. She looked out the window and said, ”It even resembles some scenes presented in Old World entertainment.”

To encounter a rest spot with a gas station, a parking lot, a rest area, and all kinds of food and merchandise for sale after driving a long stretch of the highway…

Bai Chen pointed to the other side of the passenger seat. ”This place seems to belong to the Salvation Army.”

”Is that so?” Jiang Baimian didn't attempt to cross over Genava and Shang Jianyao to observe the situation on the other side. Instead, she patiently waited for Long Yuehong to turn the steering wheel. She then saw four people in the Salvation Army's black uniforms in pairs, patrolling the rest stop's entrance and parking lot.

These people either carried Red Maple assault rifles produced by the Salvation Army or the relatively common Short Neck submachine gun in the Ashlands. From their bearing, they did look like soldiers who had undergone formal military training and not bandits that lorded over an area.

”Isn't it said that the Salvation Army doesn't actually control Icefield?” Long Yuehong asked in confusion.

In other words, the Salvation Army only sent people to Icefield every summer to search for supplies and hunt wild animals. They didn't establish long-term settlements.

Shang Jianyao scoffed. ”There are exceptions to everything, just like how you're only 1.75 meters tall after genetic enhancement…”

”We'll know when we ask later.” Bai Chen interrupted Shang Jianyao's recital.

After the Old Task Force parked the jeep, they left Genava behind to guard the vehicle due to their unfamiliarity with this rest stop.

Shang Jianyao went straight to a team of patrolling soldiers and was about to press his hand to his chest and shout, ”For all of humanity.” However, one of the targets first pointed at the terrace houses in the rest stop with his elbow.

”Leave the questions for inside.”

He meant: Don't interfere with my patrol or distract the guards.

”Alright.” Shang Jianyao was still rather polite when facing the Salvation Army.

After entering the house, Jiang Baimian and the others' eyes lit up.