The Mechanic [BL]

[85]

Chapter 85 - The Ordinary World (8)

The freighter's battery was completely damaged and without replacement parts at hand, it was impossible to use the aircraft. Zhang Xun kicked the fuselage in frustration but his foot hurt from the impact and his face turned into a frown.

Diego and James knew that the aircraft was out of the question and that there was only one way out - to walk on two legs.

It was the worst possible scenario.

Enoch looked around and said, "Based on the latitude and longitude calculations and the terrain around us, we're probably near the Guadalupe Mountains in Texas. If we head Southwest, we can travel about forty kilometres a day based on human stamina, and we'll be in Mexico in five days, not far from Feathered Serpent City."

"Forty kilometres? We don't have much water or food left now, unless there's a supply station on the way." James scratched the beard that had grown considerably on his chin in annoyance.

Enoch said in his calm, steady voice, "Several major cities here were hit by devastating air raids during the Third World War, and with the dry land and harsh climate the population has been so thin that most towns have been abandoned. Add to that the recent increase in bandits and the chances of finding a supply station are slim."

Diego snorted with sarcasm in his voice, "Thanks for the encouragement."

"We'll have to try." Zhang Xun turned to look at them, his face covered in engine oil, but his eyes determined, "Staying here is a dead end whether we meet bandits or robot police."

They found some compressed food and a few bottles of drinking water from the dead driver's bags and two first aid kits in the cargo hold, all of which they stuffed into their bags. Enoch had the most endurance as a robot and was carrying four or five bags, almost like a walking luggage rack. The others also carried at least one bag each. Like ants, the four of them stepped into the endless wilderness before them.

As the sun rose to midday, the Earth seemed to be steaming with heat. Zhang Xun's legs trembled as he walked and his throat felt like it was on fire, but he couldn't drink the rest of the water in his bottle, fearing that they wouldn't find water again for the rest of the way.

James and Diego also looked tired, but Enoch, carrying a mountain of luggage in front of him, was still walking as fast as he could.

Zhang Xun suddenly envied these robots who could move around on solar power ......

Except for a short break at noon, they hardly stopped until the sun went down then they found a place near an exposed rock to stop and rest. Zhang Xun, who hastily ate the compressed food to satisfy his stomach, felt that there was probably nothing in the world that was more unpalatable than these polymer composite foods that focused on practicality and didn't care about taste. It was as if he was eating a broken brick.

As night fell, Diego was snoring loudly next to him and James was keeping watch a little way off. Zhang Xun was so tired that his legs were about to give out but he couldn't sleep because of the noise.

Suddenly, a pair of hands gently covered his ears and the thunderous snoring suddenly died down.

Zhang Xun lifted his eyes and saw Enoch's face appear upside down in his field of vision. Blue, glass bead-like eyes in the light of the stars and moon seemed less like the dry and mechanical texture, and more similar to the vitality of a soul.

Zhang Xun became aware that some kind of audio was coming from the palm of Enoch's hand, just offsetting Diego's snoring and all the white noise in the surrounding wilderness. He marvelled at the comprehensive sophistication of the service droid's programming and curiously reached out to grasp Enoch's hand.