171: Infiltrating the Xuanlong Gang

Inside the moving car, Zou Ping said to Tian Ming, "Boss, the largest civil defense facility entrance is in North Park in the city center. The last time I went in, I almost died there. The management of the Xuan Long Gang are all thugs, and their leader, whose specific name is unknown, has the nickname Tyrant Dragon."

Tian Ming nodded slightly and asked, "How many people are in that place? What are their rules for capturing people?"

Zou Ping gave a bitter smile and said, "That's not very clear, because I have Ability Users. When I was captured, I was assigned to the patrol team. The entire Xuan Long Gang is a filthy and dirty place. Not only do they capture people, but some zombies who have evolved intelligence also send survivors they catch to this place."

Hearing Zou Ping say this, Tian Ming immediately felt it was incredible. If zombies caught survivors, they wouldn't eat them on the spot but send them to the Xuan Long Gang. It was simply unthinkable.

"Boss, don't disbelieve it. The intelligence of those evolved zombies is definitely not inferior to that of ordinary humans. If they catch survivors and bite them to death on the spot, they can only eat one meal. If they are kept in the Xuan Long Gang, it's a steady stream."

Tian Ming smiled faintly: "I didn't say I don't believe it. Some time ago, two Corpse Kings led more than 30,000 zombies to attack our Shelter."

"What happened then?"

"I killed one Corpse King, and the remaining Corpse King fled with the zombies," Tian Ming said casually.

When Zou Ping heard him say that, he immediately felt more confident. Someone who could kill a Corpse King was definitely a top-tier Ability User.

Before long, Tian Ming's car had arrived near North Park. A human skin mask appeared in Tian Ming's hand.

Tian Ming handed the human skin mask to Zou Ping and said, "Disguise yourself, so you won't be recognized. Let's not alert them yet. The Xuan Long Gang and the zombies are colluding to keep humans captive. If we want to save people, we can't use brute force, lest they become desperate. Once we're inside, everything must be according to my instructions."

Zou Ping nodded and said, "No problem, I'll listen to you."

"Good, then let's first wander around North Park and try to get caught by them."

Tian Ming and Zou Ping wandered around North Park for over an hour, just like ordinary survivors, carrying large backpacks and searching for food in the surroundings.

They did encounter one or two zombies, but they weren't strong, just ordinary zombies. In such cold weather, they were basically frozen stiff. Only evolved zombies were more resistant to the cold; those with even a slight evolutionary trend wouldn't be frozen stiff.

They deliberately lingered near them, but no one came to capture them. Tian Ming's patience was slowly wearing thin as time passed.

He said to Zou Ping, "Forget it, let's just go straight to them. It's almost dark, and they definitely won't come out anymore."

Zou Ping nodded, and the two walked through the snow towards the entrance of the underground civil defense facility. The entrances to such underground air raid Shelters are usually tunnel mouths or basements of public buildings. There is an underground shopping mall beneath North Park in the city center. The entrance to the air raid Shelter is connected to the mall.

The two entered the underground shopping mall via the stairs. It was pitch black inside, with no lighting. But not far away, there was a faint light, and occasionally the roar of machinery could be heard. This place must have been expanded, as to sustain so many people living inside, not only did it need expansion, but also oxygenation and ventilation, otherwise they would suffocate.

The guards at the entrance heard footsteps inside the mall and noticed someone approaching them.

"Who are you?"

A sharp shout came from ahead, followed by a beam of bright white light shining towards Tian Ming.

Tian Ming squinted his eyes, the strong flashlight shining directly into them. The feeling was incredibly uncomfortable.

"I'm a resident from nearby. My family ran out of food. I came out to look for food."

Soon after, more than a dozen guards in black padded jackets rushed over. They held stun guns, and the leader carried an extra-large, powerful flashlight. In such bright light, Tian Ming couldn't even see their faces clearly.

"Brother, your flashlight is too bright. I thought there was no one here!" Tian Ming said with a chuckle.

"Since you're here, don't go back. Come to us, Brother Long guarantees you'll have plenty to eat and drink." The leading man waved his hand at the others, and the men standing beside him immediately seized Tian Ming and Zou Ping.

Neither of them resisted, and they were escorted by several men into the underground air raid Shelter. As soon as they entered, heavy leg chains were immediately put on them.

It was less a Shelter and more a prison. The people here were disheveled, each with heavy leg shackles, and their clothes were ragged. But the temperature here was decent, at least around twenty degrees, though the air had a heavy odor.

There were nearly a thousand people inside, some confined in iron cages, apparently frequent escapees. There were also many children and elderly people. But they all looked miserable; some even had their entire feet rotted away.

The women here were barely clothed. A member of the patrol team was openly engaging in intimate relations with a woman wearing leg shackles, in full public view.

The woman's dirty face was streaked with dried tears, but she was expressionless, with no light in her eyes, numbly enduring the abuse.

Tian Ming frowned. This place was truly hell. The guard escorting him was puzzled by Tian Ming's calm demeanor.

Normally, people brought in would either cry and beg for mercy or tremble in fear, but these two today were extremely cooperative, making them feel it was abnormal.

"Brother, you're good, aren't you scared?" The guard said as he walked.

Tian Ming replied coldly, "What is there to be scared of?"

"You've got guts. Newcomers all have to be interrogated. You need to seize the opportunity. Either be like me, a guard or a maintenance worker, or become 'piglets' like them." The guard said with a chuckle.

"Piglets?" Tian Ming's eyes were full of questions.

"Here, there are only two kinds of people: one kind can move freely and do as they please. The other kind are slaves, wearing leg shackles, with a fixed range of activity. They don't have to think about anything; they'll get food at meal times. They just need to donate blood once every 20 days."

"Piglets are those kept in cages. They just wait to die and don't need to waste food. These are sick and can't be cured. Their last bit of value is squeezed out, and then they become food for zombies." The guard spoke very calmly, as if all this was only natural.

"Do people die here every day?" Tian Ming asked.

"More or less. But if newcomers like you are lucky, you can survive, after all, we still need fresh blood. You look sturdy. Come find me after you pass the interrogation; I find you more agreeable." The guard's tone was filled with cruelty and indifference.