The White Olive Tree

Chapter 19

Li Zan and Song Ran continued their journey.

The later part of the road had extremely poor conditions. Many sections were damaged due to war, and the speed of their progress rapidly decreased.

Under the scorching heat, the journey was rough, and the intense heat and fatigue tested their endurance. After several hours of travel, scattered buildings gradually appeared in the distance on the barren plain. All were sand-yellow bunkers, with walls full of damage, some even having their roofs blown off. As they continued forward, the outline of a big city was outlined on the horizon, accompanied by faint sounds of artillery.

The two exchanged a glance, knowing that ahead was the city of Hapo.

Li Zan picked up a helmet and placed it on Song Ran's head. He instinctively tightened his grip on the gun and said, "Let's head south."

"Okay."

In the north and east of the city, the flames of war were raging, and the sounds of artillery could be heard from afar. Every now and then, they could see the thick smoke rising on the horizon. 

Song Ran couldn't afford to slack off, carefully driving around to the south of the city. Along the way, large areas of newly dug graves gradually appeared, and some deceased were even left exposed on the roadside, scorched by the sun.

Heading south, the sound of gunfire disappeared. However, Song Ran couldn't relax.

There were no signs of living people on this road, but when the car entered a street in the southern suburbs, figures appeared.

Feeling a sense of unease, Song Ran unconsciously took out her camera and placed it on the dashboard.

The scavengers were ragged, disheveled, haunting the streets like ghosts. Old people, men, women, children, all were dirty and destitute, either wandering aimlessly or curling up in corners.

As the car passed, the eyes of these people slowly turned, but there was no glimmer in them.

A melancholic and eerie atmosphere permeated the street.

Song Ran felt tormented, gripping the steering wheel tightly and slowly driving forward. A woman holding a child appeared on the roadside, her hands thin as bamboo poles due to prolonged hunger. The child in her arms was over three years old, with sunken eyes, struggling to breathe in the mother's arms.

Song Ran suddenly hit the brakes, without a second thought, she grabbed a backpack from the back seat.

Li Zan immediately stopped her, "Wait a minute!"

But before he could react, she had already opened the door and rushed out with the bag.

Song Ran took out a bag of bread and milk from the backpack, handing it to the woman.

The woman clutched her child tightly, her eyes filled with wariness.

Song Ran tried to force a smile, opened the plastic bag, inserted a straw into the milk, and handed it to her again. The woman hesitated before taking it, giving the milk to her child. The child eagerly sucked on the straw, and the woman tore the bread in half for the child while hastily eating the other half.

Unable to bear it, Song Ran pulled out another bag of bread from her backpack.

"Reporter Song!" Li Zan got out of the car and shouted to her.

Song Ran turned around, only to see that the scavengers from all around had gathered.

Men and women of all ages, their faces weathered, with hollow eye sockets deepened by hunger. They stared at the food in Song Ran's hands, extending their skeletal hands, slowly approaching, resembling zombies from Hollywood movies.