Rotting Land: Survive

The four squads boarded the trucks one by one, then the roaring of the heavy freight truck immediately sounded.

Zhao Yunhai slowly drove the truck out of the factory area, then turned right and headed east.

For the factory workers, this was the first time leaving the factory area in nearly a month. The fresh air around them and the joy of returning to nature soon eased their inner fears.

The truck still buzzed noisily. Zhao Yunhai had tried to find the damaged part, but his meager mechanical skills left him helpless, and he ultimately gave up.

So, considering the current instability of the truck, everyone decided that this mission would proceed with two vehicles, and the harvesting location would be as close to the factory as possible.

In this way, if the truck broke down, they could still walk back to the shelter.

Hu Xiaodong glanced at his wristwatch with a serious expression; according to the plan, he needed to stop the convoy within 10 minutes of leaving the factory to ensure they could swiftly retreat in case of emergencies.

So...

As the watch pointed to 7:20, Hu Xiaodong slapped the roof of the truck and shouted loudly, "Old Zhao, stop the truck!"

Upon hearing the call, the truck slid a short distance due to inertia before coming to a complete stop.

Once the truck was fully stationary, Hu Xiaodong climbed onto the roof and stood still, staring into the fields to search them thoroughly.

Influenced by him, the remaining people in the truck started looking around vigilantly as well.

Soon, three "bloodthirsty zombies" hidden deep in the fields were discovered by the group.

"There! There! And there!" Tang Xiaoquan pointed three times, confirming with Hu Xiaodong, then...

"OK, Uncle Zhao, Qiang, Dazhuang, Wu Chao, you four go down and take care of those three creatures; the rest, stay in the truck on standby!"

"Alright, grab your gear, let's get to work!" This was the command they had been waiting for. Wang Qiang stretched his arms, swung the truck's tailgate open, and jumped down first.

Four people against three zombies - for Wang Qiang and his battle-hardened companions, this was a task as easy as reaching into a bag.

With hardly any effort, the four of them quickly knocked down the three creatures.

Holding up a victory sign, Wang Qiang enthusiastically motioned for everyone to get off, eager to start the real work!

Indeed! Seeing the fields full of golden, ripe rice, even those employees still somewhat worried about safety couldn't help but feel eager to begin.

However, Tang Xiaoquan didn't immediately call everyone into the fields.

Why?

Very simply, precautionary measures!

Having been ambushed by crawling zombies before, he opted for yet another thorough search of the fields for safety.

"Qiang, Uncle Zhao, please spread out in a horizontal line, 5 meters per person!"

Looking at each other in confusion, Wang, Zhao, and the other two gathered in the field, unsure of Tang Xiaoquan's intention.

But given the order, he must have his reasons, so without hesitation, Zhao immediately instructed the three young men beside him on how to position themselves.

Once they were lined up, Tang Xiaoquan quickly jumped down from the truck and said to Acity and Wen Quanxin, "Let's go! We're heading down!"

Entering the field, Tang Xiaoquan also arranged his team in a horizontal line, crossing positions with the others. From afar, it looked like an inverted trapezoid.

After completing these arrangements, Tang Xiaoquan finally took a deep breath and gave his final command: "Listen up, we'll walk towards each other. Keep an eye on our surroundings, especially underfoot. Got it?"

"Alright! Got it!" Wang Qiang impatiently waved his hand and started moving regardless of the others.

Hu Xiaodong didn't join the team but stood on top of the truck. According to the plan, his role was to utilize the truck's height for vigilance, to alert everyone in the field in case of danger.

From this vantage point, he could clearly see everything happening in the field, and the irregular trapezoid of seven people was gradually shrinking in his view.

When the last person reached the centerline, Tang Xiaoquan signaled the end of the inspection.

Finding no zombies was certainly a good start; without delay, everyone turned back towards the truck.

"Please gather according to your previous groups and follow your respective captains. We'll now delineate the harvesting area!"

To be honest, this was Tang Xiaoquan's first time commanding such a large-scale "campaign." Though there were only about ten people, it was still a considerable challenge for someone as inexperienced as him.

Taking a deep breath, Tang Xiaoquan tried to calm his anxious mood, picked up the cardboard placed on the truck, and quickly began sketching.

With a few strokes, a rectangle comprising four rows appeared on the cardboard. Tang Xiaoquan raised the cardboard high above his head and called to everyone, "Look here! I've divided the area in front of us into four parts. Each group will be responsible for one from south to north. Additionally, each group must assign a person to transport the harvested rice back to the truck. That's the basic plan; if anyone has questions, feel free to ask now!"

The workers' expressions were tense, which was understandable given it was their first time. Even Tang Xiaoquan recalled feeling terrified when he first left home.

After waiting a moment with no objections raised, Tang Xiaoquan wasted no time and issued the command to begin the operation.

Out of 18 people, with Hu Xiaodong remaining on the truck for lookout, the remaining 17 each took their tools and weapons and charged into the fields.

Whether due to fear or strict discipline, once in the fields, Tang Xiaoquan noticed that the members of his group closely followed him, as if falling behind might lead them to be lost in the golden expanse.

He glanced to the side and saw that Zhao and Wang's groups were doing the same, which surprised Tang Xiaoquan; he had anticipated potential chaos but was pleasantly surprised...

For now, the situation was optimal. At least everything thus far had gone smoothly, but who knows if things might continue to remain this peaceful?