The urban area after the apocalypse was very quiet. There were no noises from traffic, no sounds of people living and talking. Despite the astonishing variety and quantity of life in this area, the sounds they produced were often pitifully scarce. This was partly due to the ability of trees to absorb sound.
Xu Song and Yue Zheng found themselves near a small building where the silence was almost deafening, with hardly any sound except for the rustling of leaves swaying in the wind.
After driving away various creatures that might cause trouble and dealing with those who persistently rushed to their deaths, they successfully entered the green-covered small building.
“This is the garage,” exiting through a side door on the first floor, the two found the door leading to the garage—now the main gate outside the garage was tightly entwined with various vines, making it inconvenient to enter.
If everything went according to plan, the two off-road ambulances should be inside.
Opening the door and using an emergency flashlight to sweep the almost lightless entire garage, the two unexpectedly, yet not unexpectedly, discovered, “No cars…”
After all, those two vehicles were functional means of transportation, very sturdy and durable. After the apocalypse, anyone who knew there were cars here might have come and driven them away.
Continuing up the stairs, the equipment in several labs was still intact, and the equipment they needed was also undamaged.
“What should we do?” The items were here, but the two cars were nowhere to be found. In other words, these things could not be taken away at all. The volume of the equipment was not small and couldn’t fit into Xiao Shu’s tree hole.
“Lock the doors and windows; let’s go to the military base behind.” While they didn’t find what they were looking for, it was within their expectations.
Although the two cars were crucial, the medical equipment on the vehicles wasn’t something they really needed—they were all medical rescue equipment, and what they needed were testing equipment. Even if they got the cars, they would need to modify them.
Taking down the several swallows hanging from Xiao Shu’s head, cleaning and salting them, and then hanging them back on Xiao Shu’s head to dry, Xu Song and Yue Zheng roasted one of them and had a simple dinner with the dry rations prepared by Mother Xu.
After spending a night in the small building, the two set out again and checked the situation at the nearest military base.
Five days later, a military truck with a specially made jeep in tow struggled to reach the entrance of Base B on a road overgrown with weeds.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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This result was within expectations. The equipment, weapons, and the off-road ambulance they brought back could now enter the modification stage, but…
“The equipment left in the urban area, can we think of another way? As for those bases that require passwords, fingerprints, and such to open, we will provide solutions.”
Yue Zheng frowned, pondering for a while before looking up, “I can try again, but Xu Song needs to stay at the base. On one hand, he needs to modify the off-road vehicle, and on the other hand, he can start learning how to use those instruments with the researchers.”
“That’s not a problem,” Elder Wu nodded. “I will assign some people to go with you into the urban area, and together, you can bring things out.”
The contents stored in these laboratories and bases were equally important. Such things, especially equipment, were prone to wear and tear! Those imported devices from abroad were originally impossible to produce domestically, let alone after a significant decline in production capabilities in the post-apocalyptic era.
These items were precious to the base.
Yue Zheng nodded, “Alright, let’s do it as soon as possible. You arrange everything so that we can move at any time.”
Before leaving Area A, the two left the military truck and off-road vehicle in the place designated for modification. Carrying their belongings, they headed towards the open space that served as their temporary residence.
Xu Song was a bit concerned, “Can you handle going into the urban area with them?” The urban area now resembled a newly born primitive forest. Without their supernatural detection abilities, they wouldn’t know how many dangers and traps they might encounter on the way.
Yes, traps. Many plants and animals disguised themselves as harmless, quietly lurking on the unavoidable path of passersby. One misstep, and they would drag the passing creature into a deadly trap.
Yue Zheng turned to look at him, a gentle smile on his face, and he tightened his grip on Xu Song’s hand, “Don’t worry. Occasionally, I need to take action on my own too. Besides, the sooner you learn those things, the sooner we can leave the base. Xu Song, you and Xiao Shu are blessed with abilities like biological radar. While it’s convenient to travel with you to avoid certain dangers, at the same time, it limits our reaction capabilities when facing crises.”
Of course, this didn’t mean he would intentionally seek excitement, but occasionally, he needed some training.
“Now, you need to supervise the modification of those devices onto the car and learn various knowledge. It’s not suitable for both of us to go out on adventures. Besides, my ability also has a certain reconnaissance function, just not as convenient as yours. Moreover, doing these two things separately will be faster, and with you at home, I can feel at ease. I’ll take Xiao Shu with me.”
Listening to his words, even if Xu Song was unwilling, he could only nod in agreement. If Yue Zheng was just a simple spatial ability user, he would definitely be reluctant to let him go on an adventure with those people.
Returning to the open space, various makeshift buildings had already been erected. The two found their way to the area near the RV. The surroundings were still enclosed with boards and the like, and faint laughter could be heard from inside.
“Mom, we’re back.”
Hearing the sound, Mother Xu, who was playing cards with Luo Wen’an and others, raised her head in surprise and stood up, “When did you come back? Is everything okay?”
Speechless, Xu Song glanced at the portable dining table they usually used for meals, pointing at the playing cards on top, “These cards… where did they come from?”
“We found them in the urban area before.” Luo Wen’an casually replied, curiously looking the two up and down, “Good, no missing limbs or less legs.”
Wang An slapped him, “Who talks like that?”
“Who asked those who went out to find food these days, as long as they go a bit further, to come back missing something?!”
The two children were back, and Mother Xu went full force to prepare food. Before returning to the base, Xu Song and Yue Zheng had taken out some of the prey hidden in Xiao Shu’s tree hole and placed it in the car. When they came out of Area A, they had it all on them. Now, it was the right time to give it to Mother Xu to replenish the family’s consumption.
Honestly, if it weren’t for the presence of Tian Cheng, their food would have been tight again these days. The meat stored at home wouldn’t be enough for the whole family, plus the consumption of Abu and the others.
Fortunately, Luo Wen’an and the others only ate with Mother Xu every noon. Although the consumption was not small, it was still much less than that of a mutated beast. For Mother Xu and them, the consumption was limited.
Carrying those mutated beasts, they placed a portion in the car, and Mother Xu took the rest to the makeshift stove set up outside along with Liu Shishi. The outdoor stove burned dried branches of plants grown by Tian Cheng, giving off a pleasant fragrance.
Curious, Luo Wen’an and the others inquired about the situation outside. These days, they occasionally went out, mostly staying near the base to find edible food. Hearing that Xu Song and Yue Zheng went to the urban area, they were all quite surprised.
“… Those mutated birds have also reached the urban area. Fortunately, they don’t gather in large numbers, but there are quite a few of them,” explained Xu Song as his mother brought the prepared dishes.
The aromatic mutated rice, delicious meat soup, along with stir-fried vegetables, were a feast for two men who had been eating “roasted, dry rations, dry rations” for several days. At this moment, all their attention was focused on the food.
Before they could finish their meal, Yue Zheng’s wristwatch beeped again. Looking at the message, it was from Elder Wu, who had already arranged the list of personnel going out with him. They were scheduled to start modifying the off-road ambulance the next morning.
“Tomorrow morning, let’s go to Area A together. I’ll go out with the team, and you stay there to organize that information,” Yue Zheng said.
Xu Song nodded at the news. Mother Xu, on the side, exclaimed, “Going out again?!”
Helplessly, Xu Song explained to his mother, “Before, it was just the two of us. Many things couldn’t be brought back, so Brother Yue needs to go into the urban area with them and guide them.”
Wanting to say something, Mother Xu sighed in the end, “Be careful, both of you.”
Two people? Going into the urban area?
Luo Wen’an and the others exchanged astonished glances. They thought that Yue Zheng and Xu Song had entered the urban area with other teams or even military units before. But now, it seemed that it was just the two of them previously?! After scouting, they were now bringing the military back into the urban area?!
After eating their fill, and while the others were curious about the situation in the base these past few days, they learned that the East Zone had been mostly built, but it would take some time before it was completely occupied. In the open space, there were several small conflicts and disputes, but fortunately, the corner where they were, with the sign of Team 0246 on the car and the three mutated beasts guarding, did not attract much trouble. The unaware crowds blocked by the wooden boards dared not come and cause trouble.
As for those who went out to search for supplies? With the situation outside being so chaotic, hardly anyone dared to go far and return intact.
Especially hearing that there seemed to be mutated birds settling near the base, the threat from above was even more terrifying. Many people, while only paying attention to the dangers at their feet, were directly carried away by the shadows from above…
“Ah, life is not easy,” Luo Wen’an sighed in summary.
Certainly, life was not easy, but humanity still had to strive to survive.
Uhhh. The shadows from above is pretty freaking scary…