Chapter 460: Eternity 21.

But I don’t know whether I could be useful

once we’re there."

"You can be useful in ways that don’t involve fighting," Yan said. "You

know her. You can recognize things about her situation that we might

miss. You can help us understand what she’s not saying. And you have

been learning to protect yourself. You won’t be a burden."

Mother Yan looked at her daughter, then at Bai. There was gratitude in

her expression, but also a fear she could not completely hide. "You’re

both sure?"

"Yes," Bai said.

"As sure as we can be," Yan added. "We haven’t seen the road yet, so I

won’t pretend we know everything. But staying here won’t help us learn

what happened to her."

Mother Yan was quiet for several seconds. Then she nodded. "All right.

We’ll go. But we do it properly. We don’t leave without checking every

supply, and we don’t let enthusiasm make us careless. If I think

something is wrong, you have to listen to me."

Bai nodded at once. "Agreed."

Yan’s eyes widened slightly at how quickly Bai had accepted the

condition. She turned toward Bai. "You know that means she can order you

to stop working and eat lunch, right?"

"That’s not what I meant," Mother Yan said, though a small smile had

returned to her face.

"It could mean that," Yan replied.

Bai gave her a warning look. "Don’t make me regret agreeing."

Yan’s smile grew. "You would never regret agreeing with my mother. She’s

very persuasive."

Mother Yan laughed, and the sound eased something in the room. For a

moment, the decision did not feel like a departure from safety. It felt

like the family had chosen a direction together. They would leave the

apartment, but they would carry its routines and the care they had built

into the vehicle with them.

Lili had been listening quietly, though she did not understand all the

details. When she heard that they were going to find Aunt Lan, she

raised her head. "Is she someone we know?"

"She’s someone very important to Mother Yan," Yan explained. "She is a

friend who needs our help."

"Will she come home with us?"

Mother Yan’s expression softened in a way that made her look younger.

"That’s what we’re hoping for."

Lili thought about this, then returned to folding the cloths. "I’ll

bring my little toolbox. Maybe she needs something fixed."

Bai reached over and gently tapped the top of the child’s head. "We’ll

pack it, but you’ll only use it if there’s a safe job for you."

"I know."

"And you’ll listen when we tell you to stay close."

Lili nodded firmly. "I will."

The decision had been made. Now it needed to become a plan.

The Caravan in the Basement

The specialized caravan had been prepared long before the call, though

most of its equipment had not yet been used on a journey this long. Bai

had made sure it was stored in the basement where the building’s old

parking spaces continued into a deeper garage level. She had chosen the

location because it was sheltered from the street and could be reached

without taking the vehicle through the main entrance. In the first days

of the apocalypse, she had quietly inspected the garage, removed the few

zombies that wandered through it, and reinforced the route between the

parking level and the building’s service ramp. Afterward, she had

returned to the caravan again and again, checking it, reorganizing it,

and making small changes that only she seemed to notice.

The next morning, she brought Yan down to inspect it with her. Mother

Yan stayed upstairs with Lili to finish the household inventory, but she

promised to join them once the first round of checks was complete. Bai

and Yan walked down through the service stairs, carrying a checklist, a

tool bag, and a small emergency light. The lower they went, the cooler

the air became. Dust had settled along the walls, and the smell of

concrete mixed with an old trace of engine oil. Somewhere in the garage,

water dripped steadily from a pipe.

Yan glanced toward the sound. "That wasn’t dripping the last time we

came down."

"It started yesterday. The leak is in the line that runs along the

western wall. I’ll fix it after we check the vehicle."

Yan shook her head slightly. "Of course you know exactly where it is."

"I looked at it yesterday."

"And you didn’t fix it yesterday because?"

"I was working on the water system upstairs."

"There are only twenty floors and one of you. I suppose that’s a

difficult schedule to manage."

Bai gave her a sidelong look. "You could try doing less talking and more

carrying."

Yan lifted the checklist. "I’m carrying this very important document."

"Then carry it carefully. The fate of the caravan is in your hands."

"I see. You’re trusting me with the fate of our entire journey. That’s

touching."

"Don’t get used to it."

Yan laughed and followed her around the corner. The caravan stood in its

reserved space, its reinforced body blending into the dim light. It was

larger than an ordinary recreational vehicle, with a strong frame,

protected wheel wells, and reinforced panels over the most vulnerable

parts of the body. The outer surfaces were built to take impacts from

loose debris and the occasional collision with something too large to

avoid. The windows were protected by shutters that could be closed from

the inside. The tires were thick, and the suspension had been

strengthened for uneven roads. There were no bright markings or

decorative additions to make it stand out. Bai had wanted something that

would carry the family safely, not something that would attract

attention from every survivor who saw it.

Yan walked slowly around the vehicle, inspecting the sides while Bai

unlocked the main door. She had seen it before, but the caravan still

impressed her. Its design suggested a level of preparation that went far

beyond a vehicle assembled by someone who had only recently realized the

.

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TO BE CONTINUED.