69: Tiandong Base

The scorching sun blazed, but looking up from the ground, one could only see a golden halo through the dust storm.

The strong wind didn't cool the air; instead, it felt like being in a steamer, with scorching, dry air and raging dust storms that seemed to squeeze out the last drop of water from one's body.

The houses lining both sides of the street were densely packed and indistinct; the former prosperity, which had been just days ago, now felt like centuries away.

Humans, once abundant, seemed to have suddenly become rare animals, hard to find, while the Infected crawled everywhere in the dust storm.

In this dust storm, three people were pushing forward against the wind.

"This damn weather is killing me," Wu Zhenhai said, bare-chested. He untied the shirt from his waist, wrung it out, letting water pour down, then tied it back on. He took out a bottle of mineral water and drank it in one gulp.

"Drink less. You've already gone through two packs on this journey. Supplies are scarce now, so even with water, you shouldn't waste it like this," Chen Pingliang's short figure was wrapped in a black overcoat, wearing a flat-brimmed fedora.

"You have an F-rank extraordinary clothing hat, so it's easy for you to talk. If you give me that hat, I guarantee I won't drink a single bottle of water for the rest of the day!" Wu Zhenhai complained, feeling resentful. Among the three of them, he was the only one without extraordinary clothing, forced to endure the sun. He felt like he was turning into cured meat.

"This damn weather!"

"Let's go a bit further. There's a supermarket ahead. We can rest there first," Tang Ping said.

The three had been on the move for most of the day, and it was now two in the afternoon.

They were not far from Xi County. They decided to find a place to rest and eat something.

Entering the supermarket, they found it relatively intact, with doors and windows still present. After pulling down the rolling shutter, the noisy apocalypse finally quieted down.

"Damn it, how did the world turn into this hellish state? If it stays like this forever, how can anyone live?" Wu Zhenhai cursed.

Tang Ping tore open a pack of compressed biscuits and ate, "At least there are Shelters. When the Shelter upgrades to a high level, it might become an apocalyptic fortress."

Chen Pingliang shook his head, "Upgrading to a Level 2 Shelter requires 10 shelter fragments, Level 3 needs 100, and Level 4 needs 1000. These things aren't easy to get."

Wu Zhenhai gnawed on a dry steamed bun and mumbled, "I wonder if humanity will ever be able to return to the world."

Chen Pingliang tore open a bag of bread, "Probably not. Most likely, we'll live in bases and Safe Zones. I wonder how the official Safe Zones are doing now."

"The situation isn't as good as we imagine," Tang Ping sighed softly. "Right now, most of those Safe Zones are underground air-raid Shelters. For a large number of Survivors, they are incredibly crowded and small, and food, water, and security are all problems.

Once an Infected infiltrates, such a dense population will inevitably lead to a disaster. The final outcome, I'm afraid..."

Wu Zhenhai and Chen Pingliang fell silent.

Indeed, in the first three days, there were still widespread calls for Survivors to go to Safe Zones.

Now, it had shifted to supporting the vast number of Survivors in establishing their own Survivor Bases nearby.

Originally, they were also going to a Safe Zone, but they were stopped by the far-sighted Old Town Mayor.

Later, the base established in Shangyang Town was put on a hot seat by a group of ungrateful people. The Spark Base's high-ranking officials, led by the Old Town Mayor, took the opportunity to step aside, shed this burden, and chose the better Xiaolang Mountain to re-establish the base.

Everyone thought the Old Town Mayor loved his people like his own children and left heartbroken after being forced out, but they didn't know that the Old Town Mayor was the one who was terrifyingly calm.

"Alas, I wonder how those people are doing now," Chen Pingliang sighed slightly.

Wu Zhenhai scoffed, "Why care about them? Now that those leeches who only knew how to suck our blood are gone, everything I eat tastes great.

Before, in that base, we worked twenty-four hours a day, collecting supplies to feed them, and what good did it do? They even kicked us out."

"If you ask me," Tang Ping took a sip of water, "you protected them too well, making them completely unaware of what they were going through. They still thought this was just an ordinary natural disaster. In this apocalypse, how can you manage thousands of people without some iron-fisted methods?"

"Not only must they clearly realize that so-called equality for all and guaranteed food and clothing are things of the past, but they must also feel awe and fear towards Talent Users!"

Chen Pingliang sighed, "Yes, a new era has arrived, and the old order is no longer suitable. Unfortunately, many people still don't understand."

"Time will teach them," Tang Ping said slowly.

It will teach them to recognize themselves, to recognize that human life is no longer noble, that no one will pay for their lives anymore, and no one will escort their lives.

The only one who can protect them is themselves.

While the three were resting, they heard a group of people outside.

"Hurry up, damn it, stop dawdling! If you keep dawdling, I'll beat you to death!"

"Alright, Old Mao, don't kill them. We're still counting on these women to exchange for food."

"I know, I'm not stupid. I'm holding back, just enough to make them cry for their parents, only superficial injuries."

"Brother Dong! There's a supermarket ahead. Should we go in and see if there are any supplies!"

"Go in and take a look."

A knife slashed through the rolling shutter, and the dust storm immediately poured in, followed by a crowd of people.

Tang Ping looked over calmly. There were three men, all Talent Users. Behind them were seven women tied with ropes.

The women were disheveled, with brutal bloodstains on their bodies, but their faces were intact.

The youngest of these women were only seventeen or eighteen, and the oldest only twenty or thirty, yet they were dragged into the supermarket like sheep, with only numbness visible in their eyes.

The apocalypse was so clearly displayed before the three of them.

So much so that Wu Zhenhai's eyes turned bloodshot.

"You're asking for death!"

His body swelled, muscles bulging, and he punched the leading man.

"Brother! We didn't mean to intrude, we'll leave right now!" The man exclaimed, thinking Wu Zhenhai was angry because they had trespassed on his territory.

Wu Zhenhai didn't hold back. The man was fast and managed to dodge.

Seeing the opponent about to attack again, Brother Dong also angrily said:

"Brother, I am the Second Leader of the Tiandong Base. Are you trying to go against our Tiandong Base!"

"What kind of damn Tiandong Base are you talking about? I'm going to beat you bastards to death today!" Wu Zhenhai's anger surged. From these women, he seemed to see his wife and daughter, far away, thousands of miles away. Would they also end up like this?

No!

"Alright, since you don't know what's good for you, don't blame me for being impolite!" Brother Dong's eyes were fierce, and his body instantly shimmered with a metallic luster.

Then, their fists violently collided.

Wu Zhenhai and Brother Dong both retreated simultaneously.

Brother Dong's heart pounded with fear, and the intense pain in his arms sent a shiver down his spine, making him want to retreat.

So strong, this person is even stronger than him!

Wu Zhenhai also narrowed his eyes. This Second Leader of the Tiandong Base had some skill.

But, not much.

Wu Zhenhai's body suddenly grew taller, gradually touching the ceiling under Brother Dong's terrified gaze.

"You, you!" Brother Dong's legs went soft. Absolutely, this was definitely a Talent higher than his C-rank Talent, Steel Skin!

"Bastard, die." Wu Zhenhai grabbed Brother Dong's head.