Expressing Gratitude

"Craig, I know you're heading out to transport supplies. Can we join you? We're willing to take half the reward," Cecilia asked after consulting with others, all of whom were eager to participate in the supply run.

Resources in the icy and snowy wilderness were hard to come by, and returning to the base was no different. They figured they might as well take the chance. The reward for the supply run was a hundred kilograms of rice, and they were content with fifty.

Craig earnestly considered the proposal. The supply team had previously been attacked by bears, resulting in a shortage of personnel. With Cecilia and her group, they could fill this gap.

Since they were willing to accept half the reward, bringing them along seemed feasible. "If the rest of your team agrees, then join us," Craig agreed.

Compared to the slender Cecilia, Craig placed more value on the people accompanying her. Cecilia's face lit up, "Thank you, Craig. I'll go share this good news with them."

With Cecilia and her group, the supply team resumed its journey. Alice and Hurley, as usual, lingered at the rear without contention.

After less than an hour of travel, the road ahead was blocked. Two cars had overturned due to slippery conditions, leaving the owners helpless. The supply team had no choice but to assist in lifting the cars to clear the way.

Alice was about to get out of the car when Hurley approached from behind. "You don't need to get out; I'll take care of it."

Dozens of strong men easily lifted one of the cars. Alice stayed put, taking out a chocolate bar from her spatial storage to replenish her energy.

A gentle knock on the car window interrupted her thoughts. Alice rolled down the window, finding Cecilia standing outside. Without waiting for Alice to speak, Cecilia raised the basket in her hand, "The villagers insisted on giving me these supplies. I sorted out some and brought them for you.""I know you probably don't want it, but I feel awkward taking all the credit. Just take it." Cecilia beamed with a friendly smile and forcefully placed the basket into Alice's car.

She turned and walked away, not giving Alice a chance to refuse. Alice's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. In the end, she put the basket aside and took a cursory look. Inside were two big cabbages, a piece of bacon, and a few sweet potatoes. She vaguely remembered Cecilia not collecting much from the villagers, and giving her this much meant Cecilia had almost nothing left for herself.

Cecilia was indeed generous. In the apocalypse, there were not many people who could still think of others like this!

Not long after, the two overturned cars were moved to the side of the road, but the owners couldn't start them. Helplessly, they asked if they could join the convoy.

The car owner, Marquis, looked at Craig with pleading eyes. "We're out of supplies, and now our car is broken. Going back on foot is simply not practical. We know some self-defense, and we have weapons. Please, take us with you."

Another car owner, Octavio, pleaded similarly. Craig, however, didn't agree to let them join the supply team. "I can give you a lift for a distance, but our convoy has enough people; we don't need extra hands."

Marquis could only express his gratitude. So, two more people joined the convoy. Craig asked who was willing to accommodate them.

Octavio's gaze swept over all the vehicles in the convoy, finally settling on Alice's car. It looked the best, and sitting inside must be comfortable. Hurley, standing nearby, noticed his gaze and coolly remarked, "The owner of that car is a girl; it's not convenient for you to get on."

Octavio, feeling exposed, showed some embarrassment and retorted confidently, "I never said I wanted to ride that car. Why are you so worked up? Just looking is not a problem."

Hurley looked at him with cold, dark eyes. "You know what you're thinking."Craig knew the importance of the base to Hurley. He cleared his throat and diplomatically said, "He's not wrong. It's better for men to stick together." Finally, Craig casually pointed to two cars and added, "You can get on those."

After this little episode, the convoy continued moving forward. The advantage of trailing behind was that they didn't have to shovel snow; the vehicles in front had already cleared the road. The convoy moved at a slow pace, and Alice leisurely enjoyed her beef jerky in the warm and cozy car, feeling relaxed.

In the evening, the convoy passed through a village where every house was empty. "The villagers here probably went to the base. Since there's no one here, pick a room at random," Craig suggested. "We have about two hundred tools left on the journey. If we keep up the pace, we should reach in the next two days."

This statement brought some comfort to the tired individuals. The surrounding houses were frozen solid, and after some consideration, Alice decided to spend the night in the car.

The ice houses here were no different from Arctic ice houses, truly cold. People felt shivers upon entering. The advantage of staying in the village was the abundance of firewood. They piled up the whole house and, with collective effort, lit a fire. As the temperature rose, the chill gradually faded away.

Cecilia started a fire herself and threw in a few sweet potatoes. Soon, a pleasant aroma wafted through the air. She didn't want to enjoy it alone, so she offered, "Do you want to eat? But there aren't many."

Some politely declined, while others shamelessly went over and picked a big one. Cecilia didn't get angry; instead, she beamed at them, and her kindness was reciprocated.

Alice found a kitchen and started cooking, with Hurley assisting her. "Let's keep it simple tonight – stewed ribs with carrots and winter melon, and stir-fried shredded potatoes." The dishes were few, but the portions were plentiful, enough for the two of them.

"Sounds good."Hurley went to wash the vegetables, taking on the task of handling cold water. Alice, on the other hand, took charge of cooking. To prevent any unwanted intrusions that might affect their mood, Alice locked the kitchen door.

While Alice was busy, Hurley didn't idle either. Since there was no dining table in the kitchen, he brought over some bricks from the corner, stacked them up, and placed a thin wooden board on top, creating a makeshift table.

During the meal, Alice put a piece of ribs into Hurley's bowl. Hurley raised an eyebrow, wondering about the meaning behind the gesture.

"I overheard your conversation with that car owner," Alice explained, pursing her lips.Even if that person came over, Alice would have refused. However, with Hurley taking the lead and playing the role of the bad guy, she naturally felt grateful.

"Don't mention it. What's the big deal between us two?" Hurley casually replied, feigning nonchalance.

Alice didn't respond to that remark. Besides a friendship, what else could it be? For Alice, being acknowledged as a friend was a rare and significant thing.

Hurley also brought his own temperature-controlled box. He rummaged inside and took out a bottle of yogurt, then pushed it toward Alice. Such actions were no longer surprising to Alice. Suddenly, she had an idea and quickly walked to the stove. Seeing that the charcoal inside had not completely extinguished, she tossed in a few sweet potatoes.

"Later, take two back with you. If you don't want to eat them, use them to warm your hands," Alice explained, noticing his gaze.

"I'll eat whatever you cook," Hurley said as he picked two meaty ribs and added them to her bowl.