Highway Survival: My Wuling Hongguang was crammed full of school beauties

Chapter 9 Sigma Man: He Doesn't Chase Girls, He Kicks the School Beauty Off the Bus!

Her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the cold, hard pavement, hugging her knees and burying her head in them. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and suppressed, devastating sobs escaped from her arms.

Will he come back? He won't come back... He's so cold-hearted, so ruthless... Why did I say those stupid things just now?

What about getting along, what about feelings... In this hellish place, what are those things worth? Can they buy you a safe carriage and hot food?

But...does it really have to be like that? Like an object, with a price tag, handed over without any dignity?

However, when another eerie rustling sound came from the darkness and nothingness not far to the left, as if it were right next to them, the fear of death and the unknown instantly overwhelmed everything.

Dignity? What does it matter when it comes to survival?

She was wrong, she was really wrong. Cao Shuang was right, this is the apocalypse! This isn't child's play!

Time stretched out infinitely in the extreme fear and icy despair, each minute and second feeling like an eternity.

Chu Yao didn't know how long she had been shivering in the darkness and cold wind—maybe only ten minutes, maybe half an hour. She felt as if her blood was freezing, and her consciousness was becoming hazy.

Just as she was about to be completely overwhelmed by boundless fear.

On the dark highway ahead, two familiar car headlights slowly approached from afar.

It's that Wuling Hongguang! It's back!

Chu Yao suddenly raised her head, and through her tear-blurred vision, the dilapidated bread truck came to a steady stop a few meters in front of her, like a savior.

The passenger window rolled down, revealing Cao Shuang's face in the back. He remained expressionless, simply looking at her calmly, as if she were a stranger.

"Want to get in?" His voice came through the car window, crystal clear in the night breeze.

"This is your last chance. Think about your position. If you get on board, follow my rules. If not, you'll stay here and fend for yourself."

There was no comfort, no explanation, not even mockery. It simply presented the final choice.

Chu Yao did not hesitate at all.

Almost the instant Cao Shuang finished speaking, she used all her strength to get up from the ground, and staggered because her legs were numb from squatting for too long.

But she ignored everything, stumbled to the car, opened the door, and jumped in as fast as she could. Then she slammed the door shut with a loud bang, as if trying to shut out all the darkness and terror outside.

She was curled up in the passenger seat, her chest heaving, gasping for breath, tears still wet on her face, her hair disheveled, looking utterly wretched.

But the inappropriate arrogance and scheming in his eyes had vanished without a trace, leaving only lingering fear and a resigned gloom.

Cao Shuang glanced at her, said nothing, and simply restarted the car, slowly driving forward.

The car was silent except for the steady hum of the engine.

Chu Yao hugged her arms, her body still trembling slightly, whether from the cold or fear, it was hard to tell.

She stole a glance at Cao Shuang's cold, hard profile, and her heart clenched again as she recalled the despair of being thrown into boundless darkness and terror.

She finally understood her situation completely. In this dog-eat-dog world, Cao Shuang was the only piece of driftwood she could cling to.

The price of seizing the driftwood is to completely abandon those unrealistic fantasies and ridiculous pretenses, and to recognize one's own position as an "accessory" and "resource".

Cao Shuang remained completely unmoved. Having experienced Liu Ruyan's utter betrayal and witnessed the cases on the channel where people perished quickly due to gullibility and emotional impulsiveness, he had long since seen through the true nature of humanity in the apocalypse.

Dating? Cultivating feelings? That's a luxury game in peacetime.

Here, the most stable relationship is one of shared interests, a clear exchange of giving and receiving.

It's true that he has desires for Chu Yao, but more importantly, she is a "connection" target recognized by the system, which can bring real enhancements.

What he wanted was her obedience, her dependence after she recognized reality, not some vague "feelings." That was too unreliable and too ridiculous.

After driving a distance, Cao Shuang stopped the car on a relatively quiet side of the road. He turned off the engine, leaving only a dim reading light on.

He turned his head again to look at Chu Yao. This time, his gaze was still direct, but it carried less of the previous deliberate coercion and more of an undeniable sense of control.

Chu Yao's body stiffened, and she subconsciously wanted to dodge again, but remembering the lesson she had just learned, she forcibly restrained herself, only her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes until her knuckles turned white.

She lowered her head, her long eyelashes trembling, her voice barely audible:

"I...I understand. Do it your way..."

Cao Shuang didn't say anything, but reached out and reclined the passenger seat back, the old machine making a "creak" sound.

Chu Yao gasped as the chair tilted back, leaving her half-lying on it. This angle left her with nowhere to hide and put her in an even more passive position.

Cao Shuang leaned closer, casting a shadow over her. His scent, faintly carrying the aroma of tobacco and a masculine aggression, wafted towards her.

Chu Yao closed her eyes tightly, her body stiff as a stone, her cheeks burning hot, and her heart pounding like a drum.

She could feel Cao Shuang's approach and smell his scent. Fear, shame, resignation... a mix of emotions overwhelmed her, almost suffocating her.

However, the expected violent tearing did not occur. Cao Shuang simply stopped at a very close distance, and his voice calmly rang in her ear:

"I'm sure you've noticed it too, my car is acting a bit strange."

Chu Yao suddenly opened her eyes and met Cao Shuang's eyes, which were very close to hers.

"I can keep driving without needing to refuel. You should understand what that means in this game."

Cao Shuang continued, his tone calm yet incredibly persuasive.

"You won't lose out if you follow me. I can help you survive, and live better than others. All you need to do is obey and... do what you're supposed to do."

Unlimited energy! Chu Yao's pupils suddenly contracted. All her previous doubts instantly became clear!

No wonder he dared to drive so recklessly, no wonder he didn't care about fuel consumption, no wonder he could pick up boxes back and forth without any restraint!

It turns out he really did have his greatest advantage: on this doomsday highway where fuel is the lifeline, unlimited energy means almost unlimited mobility, survivability, and room for development!

Their inherent tendency to admire strength was fully unleashed at this moment. If their previous agreement was out of fear and a lack of other options, now, a genuine sense of consideration and recognition was quietly emerging.

Cao Shuang has the strength and the trump card, and... although he is cold and direct, he does not seem to be tyrannical or unpredictable, and the terms of the deal are clear.

In a post-apocalyptic world where survival is uncertain, following a man like this might... truly be the best choice.

Once I understood this, the humiliation and struggle that had been weighing on my heart seemed to dissipate considerably.

She looked at Cao Shuang, her gaze still complex, but with less resistance.

She bit her lip, as if making a decision, and reached out with trembling hands to grab the hem of her T-shirt, about to pull it up.

"No need." Cao Shuang pressed down on her hand, the touch warm and firm.

Chu Yao looked up in surprise again.

Cao Shuang's eyes were deep and unfathomable, carrying an emotion she couldn't understand. His voice was lower.

"I like wearing clothes... I like wearing clothes."

Chu Yao's face instantly turned so red it was almost bleeding, but this time, she didn't try to refute or be reserved.

She loosened her grip on the hem of her dress and closed her eyes again, but her long eyelashes trembled even more violently.

Cao Shuang said no more and bent down...

(Three thousand words of detailed description are omitted here; please imagine a very old and shaky Wuling Hongguang.)

……