Chapter 76 - 73: Awesome
A row of heavy trucks, loaded with cement, were parked on the open ground, presenting an impressive sight.
Li Yu asked Second Uncle to direct everyone to carry the load. He, along with Li Tie, Zhao Dapao, and a few part-time workers, took two vehicles that could transport more people and went out.
Just as Li Yu was about to leave, he saw Ding Jiu wearing a vest, moving cement with exceptional enthusiasm. Despite having some injuries on his leg, it seemed not to hinder his movements.
Seeing this, Li Yu walked over and asked Ding Jiu to roll up his pant leg.
He saw a wound on the pant leg, 5 centimeters long and less than half a centimeter deep.
Although not deep, it was a cut from metal, which is very prone to tetanus infection. Li Yu had Li Yuan help treat the wound, and Ding Jiu looked moved, wanting to say something.
Li Yu raised his hand, speaking in an even tone, "Take care of the wound first, then continue moving the cement!"
Ding Jiu nodded, and his two daughters, hearing Li Yu's words, also stepped forward and said, "We can too, we'll move it together."
At this moment, Li Hang walked over, smiled at Ding Qingqing, and gave a thumbs-up, saying, "Awesome!"
Everyone glanced at Li Hang and saw his enthusiastic thumbs-up.
Thousands of thoughts raced through Ding Qingqing's mind; it was so embarrassing.
Li Yuan, who was bandaging Ding Jiu's wound, rolled her eyes at Li Hang's comment.
Her second brother's way of thinking was just too bizarre. What kind of atmosphere was this, praising such a situation as 'awesome'!
When he had just gotten off the vehicle, Li Hang saw Ding Jiu and his two daughters. He also recognized Ding Qingqing as a high school classmate.
Back then, Li Hang used to sit behind Ding Qingqing and often dozed off during class, then copied Ding Qingqing's answers during examinations.
Thick-skinned and daring, though not detail-oriented, their relationship was still quite good.
However, Li Hang always managed to put her in awkward situations. Although she had protested many times, Li Hang was not like most boys.
He seemed to never be troubled about his image in front of anyone, living in his world with his own set of ideas and principles.
For this reason, Ding Qingqing had no way to deal with him.
Li Yu, looking at Li Hang, said annoyedly, "You're going to move too, hurry up!"
After saying that, he didn't bother with the others any longer, got into Li Tie's car, and drove towards the gate.
The part-time workers sitting in the back row of the car didn't dare to utter a word.
They had seen Li Yu decisively shoot Manager Zhou and the others earlier that day. The killing aura from his whole body made them feel both respect and fear, as well as some gratitude.
"Which way do we go?" Li Yu asked as the vehicle got on the national highway.
One of the men pointed in a direction and said, "That way, the roads have been repaired now, all cement paved, and leads straight there. Our homes are not far from each other."
Li Yu nodded, and the vehicle slowly made its way to the indicated spot.
These people all lived near a village school, where the transportation was convenient, but it was also populated with many zombies.
At the foot of a building, several people got out of the car and saw zombies surrounding the area.
Li Yu handed out some knives to the men and dealt with around a dozen zombies in the vicinity.
"Don't scatter, search house by house. If we disperse and get surrounded by zombies, we'll be in trouble," said Li Yu.
The men nodded and walked towards one of their homes. After searching, nobody was found.
The front door was wide open, and things inside had been rummaged through; however, one man carefully noticed that the travel suitcase from his home had also been taken. Perhaps they had fled somewhere else, he hoped.
They then went to another three homes sequentially. In one, a man found his wife and young daughter lying on the bed, barely breathing and looking on the verge of starvation. The men carried them to the car and gave them some water. Checking their noses, they were still breathing, and the man cried tears of joy.
But the other two men weren't so lucky. Near their homes, they saw their family members who had turned into zombies.
....
Two vehicles arrived, empty on their departure, and on their return, only two more persons were added.
Inside the vehicles, aside from the man who had rescued his wife and child, everyone else plummeted into sorrow.
Some had died, but those remaining still had to live on.
To live on, there were things to be done.
Li Yu had fulfilled his promise, leading them back home to search for their families. Though some had found theirs, others would never see their loved ones again. But, Li Yu had done his best.
Inside the vehicle, facing this oppressive atmosphere, Li Yu didn't wish to speak.
All along the way, the only sound was the whistling of the wind outside the windows.
Upon reaching the base, Li Yu had the two people, barely clinging to life, taken up to the three-story building and fed a bit of food.
The man who had been constantly watching over his wife and child saw them awaken from their coma.
His eyes, like those of a tiger, brimmed with hot tears as he gratefully gazed at Li Yu.
Thump!
He knelt down straight away and said, "Thank you, thank you Director Li, for saving my family. From now on, my life is yours!"
Li Yu helped him up, neither responding to his words nor believing what he said. Just like before, he only trusted actions, not words.
He simply patted the man on the shoulder and then said, "Later on, you too come out and move cement, start by unloading."
The man nodded, and stood up to join his wife and child.
....
The other part-time day laborers who hadn't found their families also joined the team transporting cement.
In their grief, it seemed that only frantic labor could momentarily prevent them from sinking into sorrow.
In the afternoon, before 4 o'clock, everyone had managed to move the cement to spots where it wouldn't be rained on. Since the apocalypse, the weather had been capricious, with bright sunshine one moment and torrential downpours the next in less than a few minutes.
After finishing the task, Li Yu gathered the day laborers who had just arrived and their families in one place, beginning to explain a few matters to them.
"I need you to understand one thing, you all were saved by me. If you enter, then you must follow my rules, you must work and contribute. Of course, I won't mistreat you, and you won't go hungry. But, this place is under my leadership, you will do as you're told, any questions?"
None of the part-time day laborers raised any objections.
Before the apocalypse, working for Li Yu meant getting paid to do a job.
Now, with the apocalypse upon them, having one's life saved and being given food, it was only right to follow orders and work.
Thus, they all spoke up:
"Rest assured, Boss Li, you saved us and we're not ungrateful beasts...."
"Director Li, we'll listen to you...."
"Boss Li, you saved us and gave us something to eat, we will work for you!"
...
Of course, Li Yu didn't want to hear these words; it was just that some things needed to be made clear in advance. Li Yu briefly explained the base's rules.
He then arranged for them to stay in that same three-story building; fortunately, when it was built, these houses were constructed, albeit with simple decoration, but at least they had water and electricity, a rarity in the post-apocalyptic world.
After leaving that place, he glanced at the two surveillance cameras outside the three-story building, feeling somewhat reassured.
Although these people all seemed relatively honest and reliable, vigilance was indispensable.
Li Yu, Uncle, Li Tie, and Li Gang were always armed, even placing their weapons in their rooms while sleeping.
After leaving the building, Li Yu found Second Uncle, and after discussing with him for a while, he asked the aunt on duty in the monitoring room to keep an eye out and for Second Uncle and others to watch closely over these people's behaviors.