To Stel, the appearance of this tricycle was a godsend!
If the tricycle could start,
He could drive it back to the supermarket and transport all the supplies home.
"Well, well, I thought you two were complete fools, but it turns out you might be useful."
Stel was pleasantly surprised.
He was about to approach the tricycle to check its condition.
However...
To his surprise,
The couple was also heading for the tricycle.
They went to the tricycle's rear seat, and their hands reached through the railing,
Moving back and forth,
Producing a rustling sound.
What were they trying to do?
Stel curiously walked over to check.
What he saw surprised him: the zombies were storing a large amount of food and snacks in the back of the tricycle.
The snacks they brought to the boy earlier were likely from this stash.
But since they had turned into zombies,
It was difficult for them to accurately control their hands.
Their hands moved like paddles in water,
But they couldn't grasp the food.
So that's why...
Stel finally understood why it took them so many days to bring food to the boy.
It took the couple a lot of effort just to successfully carry food.
Not to mention that on the way back, there could be other unforeseen incidents.
Stel ignored them.
He opened the tricycle's door and sat inside.
"Good, good, the key is still here..."
Although the tricycle had stalled, the key was firmly inserted in the ignition.
Stel grabbed the key and turned it gently.
"Vroom vroom vroom—!"
The tricycle started instantly,
Its engine making a familiar sound.
Fantastic!
The worry on Stel's face turned to joy.
The tricycle could start!
He immediately jumped out and inspected the rest of the vehicle.
After a thorough check,
Stel felt completely reassured. Despite its shabby appearance,
Everything was functional.
It could run smoothly.
Moreover, the battery was still well-charged.
There was even a charger in the back.
Very convenient.
"Now I just need to drive back to the supermarket and load up the supplies."
With that, most of his task was complete.
However, as Stel was testing the vehicle, more and more zombies began to gather from all directions.
Including the two zombie spouses still rummaging through the tricycle.
Stel decided it would be best to clear out all the zombies,
Ensuring a safe departure without damaging the tricycle.
He didn't want to lose his hard-earned vehicle and have to search for another one.
First, he approached the couple and swung his steel blade around their necks.
Swish!
Their heads fell to the ground.
After dealing with the elderly zombie couple, Stel turned to the surrounding zombies,
Starting to clear them out.
Ten minutes later,
The area was almost free of zombies.
Some were not completely dead,
But they had lost the ability to move.
They lay on the ground, twitching.
"Damn, clearing out these pests took so much time."
Stel wiped the murky blood off his blade and sheathed it at his waist.
He returned to the tricycle.
He glanced disdainfully at the liquid on the windshield.
A milky fluid with a foul smell.
Stel frowned.
He rummaged through the vehicle,
And finally found a towel, which he used to wipe the windshield clean.
He threw the towel out of the vehicle.
The stench inside lessened.
Stel inserted the key and turned it, the tricycle started immediately.
He glanced at the dashboard to check the battery level.
"Hmm, the battery is still full. Not bad."
"Vroom vroom vroom—!"
The tricycle roared to life, spewing black smoke from the back.
The wheels turned, and it sped forward.
Since the original route was blocked by a truck,
Stel had to find an alternate path,
Taking a longer road to loop back to the supermarket.
Along the way,
"Damn, these zombies are everywhere."
No matter where he went,
There were zombies everywhere Stel looked.
Some areas had many zombies, others fewer,
Even in the corners.
But since these zombies weren't blocking the tricycle's path, Stel didn't need to bother clearing them.
"What the hell is that!"
Stel suddenly hit the brakes,
Staring intently at a spot by the roadside.
There was a zombie.
At the zombie's feet was another zombie's corpse.
Clearly,
That zombie had been killed by a human,
As it had its neck severed.
Dead.
Such a scene was nothing new to Stel,
But the living zombie was different.
It was crouching down, taking bites out of its dead companion's body.
"Damn zombies, do they even eat their own kind?"
The thought sent a chill down Stel's spine.
He had previously speculated
That the reason zombies didn't attack him might be because they saw him as one of their own.
Since zombies don't attack each other,
That's why Stel remained unscathed.
But what he saw now greatly shook his belief.
Could zombies attack their own kind?
With this unsettling thought, Stel felt a chill at the back of his neck.
If that were the case, he needed to confirm if zombies would attack him.
"Swish!"
Stel drew his steel blade, resting it on his shoulder.
Ready to stab the zombie at any moment,
He kept his other hand poised over the tricycle's horn.
"Phew—!"
Stel took a deep breath,
Hesitated for two seconds, then pressed down hard.
"Beep—!"
"Beep—!"
The loud horn echoed through the entire street.
Swish!
Swish swish!
All the zombies instantly turned their heads to look in Stel's direction,
Including the one feasting on its companion.
Stel's gaze remained fixed on it.
His eyes cold and calculating,
Like a hunter waiting for prey to approach.
Simultaneously, Stel gripped his steel blade tighter,
Preparing himself for anything.
Finally, the feasting zombie stopped its meal.
It turned to look at Stel.
"…!"
In that moment, the zombie's body moved,
But it didn't attack Stel.
Quite the opposite,
The zombie took two steps back.
"Didn't attack me?"
Stel was taken aback,
His grip on the steel blade relaxed considerably.
Why didn't this zombie attack me?
Could it be it doesn't attack its own kind?
No, that couldn't be it!
Stel glanced at the half-eaten zombie corpse.
Since zombies could eat their own kind,
They would naturally attack each other.