38: The barracks were laid, and the county town fell.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Barracks Foundation Laid, County Town Falls

The afterglow of the setting sun swept past the Beishan Transmission Tower, stretching the shadow of the steel door halfway up the mountain. Lin Zhou supported the weak-kneed Su Xiao as they walked up the mountain path back to the Fortress with his father. The evening wind, carrying the scent of blood, made Su Xiao shiver uncontrollably.

Most of Lin Zhou's attention was focused on the system screen in his mind: red alert barracks (Basic Version) deployment confirmed, site selected next to the threshing floor in the center of the Fortress, automatic formation in 12 hours, energy points consumed 2000, remaining energy points 860.

When the three returned to the Fortress, his mother was already busy in the kitchen. Since the Apocalypse broke out, the rice, flour, oil, cured meat, and dried goods they had stockpiled proved invaluable. Now, flames danced on the stove, and the aroma of stewed meat mixed with the sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes, dispelling some of the gloom of the Apocalypse.

His mother brought a bowl of steaming Corn Porridge and several shiny Cured Meat Pancakes to the fire, and handed Su Xiao a cup of warm Honey Water. “Child, eat something quickly to fill your stomach. It’s all stuff we stockpiled ourselves, eat without worry.”

As the warm food went down, Su Xiao's strained nerves suddenly relaxed. Tears hit the rim of the bowl, splashing tiny droplets.

Only when her emotions stabilized slightly did Lin Zhou speak softly, “Tell us about the County Town.”

“It was the County Hospital that had trouble first.” Su Xiao's voice trembled, her fingers digging tightly into the corner of her clothes. “Three days ago, people in the Fever Clinic suddenly went mad and started biting others. Those bitten would mutate within minutes. The police came, but handgun bullets barely made the Zombies stumble. What was worse, even the people maintaining order got infected, making it impossible to organize any resistance.”

His father frowned deeply. “Just how many Zombies are there in the County Town?”

“There are at least several hundred in the suburbs where we lived, and there will only be more in other districts where buildings are denser and people are more numerous.” Su Xiao shook her head, her eyes filled with despair. “My dad brought us here to watch the sunrise a while ago and knew there was an old, rarely visited Fortress in the mountains. After the County Town descended into chaos, he took me and two dozen Neighbors, hiding and running all the way, escaping into the mountains.”

“My dad said the mountains are remote, and it would be harder for the Zombies to find us, so we might have a chance to live.” Her voice choked up, and she wiped away tears. “Zombies run about as fast as normal people, but they never tire, and their sense of smell is incredibly sharp. We hid and ran for two days and two nights, but we were spotted by a small group of Zombies that we couldn't shake off. People kept falling behind, getting tackled...”

At this point, Su Xiao's shoulders shook violently, and tears streamed out: “In the end, it was just the two of us, father and daughter. When we reached the steel door halfway up the mountain, I couldn't run anymore... My dad... he pushed me away and threw himself into the Zombie Horde, just to buy me those few seconds...”

The sobbing was drowned out by the crackling of firewood, and silence fell by the fire. Lin Zhou and his father exchanged glances, the seriousness in their eyes deepening—to protect his daughter, that middle-aged man chose to use his own flesh and blood to pave the final path to safety for her.

Relying only on the father and son and a Machine Gun Fortress, they would eventually be worn down by the endless Zombie Horde. Fortunately, the Barracks was about to take shape, which became their last source of confidence.

Lin Zhou brought up the system training options and pointed at the screen, speaking in a deep voice:

- Basic Conscript: 100 energy points/person, equipped with Type 95 Assault Rifle + 200 rounds of ammunition (automatically replenished at 0:00 daily) + Stab-Proof Vest, 1 hour training time, specialized in Position Defense and Clustered Firing.

- Military Dog: 200 energy points/dog, equipped with Armor + Scent Enhancement Module, 30 minutes training time, specialized in Tracking and Early Warning.

“With 860 energy points remaining, I plan to train 6 Conscripts, consuming 600 points, and 1 Military Dog, consuming 200 points, leaving 60 points for reserve.” He looked at his father. “From now on, we'll stick to the old division of labor: we'll specialize in going down the mountain to hunt Zombies and farm energy points, leaving the defense of the line to the Conscripts. Mom will be responsible for everyone's food—the stockpiled supplies are enough to last a while. Lin Xi and Su Xiao will pair up to take turns keeping watch on the mountaintop.”

“It's too tiring for Lin Xi to keep watch alone. Two people rotating shifts allows them to rest and look out for each other. Using the Walkie-Talkie to report any movement is much more efficient,” Lin Zhou added.

His mother nodded from the side. “Don't worry, the stockpiled goods are enough to last us several months. Once the Barracks is built and there are more people, I'll figure things out.”

Su Xiao suddenly looked up, a glimmer of light flashing in her red eyes. She nodded vigorously, her voice choked with tears but extremely firm: “Lin Xi and I will definitely keep a close watch down the mountain and won't miss anything!”

Just as they were talking, Lin Xi ran back, clutching a Walkie-Talkie. Seeing Su Xiao, she curiously leaned over to observe her. Lin Zhou handed the extra Walkie-Talkie to Su Xiao: “This is my sister, Lin Xi. You and Lin Xi will be a team for watch duty from now on, changing shifts every three hours. Don't overexert yourselves.” “Okay, Lin Xi,” Su Xiao replied. “Don't worry, big brother!” Lin Xi nodded forcefully, reaching out to pat Su Xiao's shoulder. “Sister Su Xiao, tonight I'll bring you some Cured Jerky to eat. It's really delicious!”

The two girls of similar age sat side by side by the fire. Su Xiao looked at the smile on Lin Xi's face; although her eyes were red, a slight curve appeared at the corner of her mouth.

The night deepened. The kitchen light was still on; his mother was stewing another pot of Meat Soup to reserve strength for tomorrow's operation. The white light next to the threshing floor grew brighter, and the steel silhouette of the red alert barracks slowly took shape, resembling a lurking beast in the darkness.

Lin Zhou leaned against the stone wall, staring at the countdown on the screen. In 12 hours, the Barracks would be fully formed, and they would possess their first batch of real Fighting Power. Only then would this clearly divided war of survival in the Apocalypse truly begin.

And in the darkness outside the Fortress, pairs of murky eyes were staring intently at the dimly lit Fortress, as a small group of Zombies, attracted by the smell of blood, slowly and persistently approached the Fortress.