Chapter 32: Hometown

On the high-speed train, the carriage once occupied by the train crew held only a handful of zombies. Xu Haoran efficiently dispatched them with his silent pistol upon opening the door.

At the front of the train, Xu Haoran examined the dashboard and informed Ye Fan about a power issue.

"Sir, the circuit power in this car is under repair. Without power, the train can't operate," Xu Haoran reported.

This news brought a sudden headache for Ye Fan. The train was his quickest route home, and a non-functional train meant a potentially two-day journey for the 100-kilometer distance.

"Can't you fix it?" Ye Fan inquired.

"I can drive the train, but I can't repair it," Xu Haoran replied.

Considering his options, Ye Fan realized the only solution was to enlist the help of an engineer. Thankfully, he had enough funds from selling the sentry building. He promptly initiated the creation of an engineer on the Red Alert page.

"Sir, the engineer has been created. It will take ten minutes. Please wait patiently," Nana informed.

Ten minutes later, an elegant man in military attire, a hard hat, and carrying a large toolbox entered the carriage.

"Sir, Engineer Huang Jie is here to report!" he saluted.

Ye Fan reciprocated, "Tell me about your situation."

"Sir, engineers in Red Alert are scientific and technological units. They can repair, occupy, and have certain manufacturing and learning capabilities. However, their combat effectiveness is only equivalent to that of ordinary people," Engineer Huang Jie explained.

Curious, Ye Fan asked, "What can be repaired?"

"Can repair basically anything," Huang Jie replied.

"Can you repair this train circuit?" Ye Fan questioned.

"No problem, it will take half an hour," Huang Jie assured.

"Okay, let's go quickly," Ye Fan urged.

The engineer entered the cab and commenced his work, leaving Ye Fan to marvel at the complexity of the task before deciding to step back.

As the Red Police soldiers sat in the carriage, Ye Fan couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. These soldiers were his, loyal and ready for a special mission.

Nana spoke up, "Sir, the number of troops exceeds twenty. Please give the troop a quota."

Surprised, Ye Fan realized his forces had surpassed twenty. After counting, he discovered twenty-two individuals, including soldiers, medics, engineers, and military dogs.

"Sir, capacity refers to the fixed number of people in each battle sequence of the army," Nana explained. "The total number of combat units in a platoon should be thirty-two, excluding vehicles. As for the company... I'll wait until I reach the company commander."

Ye Fan decided not to make immediate appointments, opting to wait until his family was found and he reached the rank of company commander.

After a busy day, Ye Fan ordered the team to start eating. The Su sisters' buns, though cold, provided a satisfying meal.

Upon completion of dinner, Engineer Huang Jie finished his work, reporting to Ye Fan, "Sir, the circuit system has been restored, and the train can run."

Ye Fan, elated, instructed Xu Haoran, "Drive quickly, the target is Chengguan Town in Lingshui County."

"Understood sir, we'll be there in half an hour!" Xu Haoran responded.

The EMU started, gradually picking up speed. The distant zombies attempted to approach but couldn't match the train's pace.

As they sped through the landscape at over 200 yards, Ye Fan contemplated the significance of electricity in the post-apocalyptic world. He anticipated a decline in power plant functionality, foreseeing a return to a more primitive lifestyle for survivors.

Uncertain of the world's fate, Ye Fan remained determined not to witness its fall. He considered the importance of finding his family, but pondered the challenges that awaited afterward.

The train departed from the coal city, entering the wilderness before reaching a new town. Lingshui County and Coal City bordered each other, and Chengguan Town, Ye Fan's hometown, lay between them.

Although Chengguan Town lacked a high-speed rail station, Ye Fan, with his own people driving the train, could now stop directly in Chengguan Town.

Approaching the town's edge, Ye Fan opened the map, feeling a cold wave in his heart. His radar revealed his home as a bungalow without any blue light spots, indicating no survivors.

"Are they no longer here?" Ye Fan mused. However, he noticed a peculiar absence of red light spots, signifying no zombies in the house.

With a glimmer of hope, Ye Fan expanded the map, searching throughout Chengguan Town. To his surprise, he discovered numerous blue light spots at Donghua Restaurant in the western suburbs.

This revelation sparked optimism. The sizable number of survivors suggested a potential chance that his parents were among them.

"Let's go to the restaurant and have a look!" Ye Fan decided, leading his team towards Donghua Restaurant.