Early the next morning, Xie Lingruo's group set off without even having breakfast—they wanted to shake off Xu Ke's group.
So, they ate snacks in the car instead. Xie's father and Coach Yu took turns driving and eating.
According to the map, they were now only 30 kilometers away from Anshi Base. If all went smoothly, they would reach it by nightfall.
What they didn't know was that shortly after they left, a horde of zombies, attracted by the scent of humans, found that village.
The village's defenses were weak, and it was quickly overrun. Most of the villagers were slaughtered, with only a few managing to escape.
As for Xu Ke's group, they fled in panic. But in the chaos, they ended up running in a random direction, which coincidentally put more distance between them and Xie Lingruo's party.
Zombies had swarmed the village because a high concentration of people naturally attracts them.
On the way to Anshi Base, several people tried to stop their SUV—including a woman holding a child.
But Xie Lingruo's group ignored them and drove straight past. They weren't saints here to save the world. They still remembered how Zhou Yi's team had been hurt after trying to rescue others. In the apocalypse, there's no room for a bleeding heart.
In a world this brutal, you couldn't rely on others—you had to stand on your own.
Xie's father was a bit softhearted, especially when he saw little children no older than four or five. But he loved his own children more.
Back when he left home, he didn't even inform the Xie family clan, because those people used to fight tooth and nail over profit. And now, in these desperate times, he needed his son and daughter to protect him.
He had no choice but to steel his heart and avoid becoming a burden.
Along the way, they encountered scattered zombies. Xie Lingfeng, who was driving, avoided them when possible. If not, he'd just run them over.
Thanks to their quick response, the road remained relatively safe. A few days later, things wouldn't be so quiet.
By 3 PM, they finally arrived at the base. Looking at the tall walls and armed soldiers guarding the gates, they instantly felt safe.
Since they arrived early, it didn't take long for them to get to the front of the line. Entering the base required paying 10 jin (~5kg) of food per person—either grains or snacks.
Thanks to the payment Zhou Yi gave them earlier, Xie Lingruo covered Coach Yu's entry fee as well, paying with 40 jin of cheap rice.
The food tax was understandable. Maintaining such a large base without resources was pure fantasy.
Luckily, Xie Lingruo's group had plenty of supplies, so entry was easy.
But for the desperate civilians flooding in, things weren't so kind. One auntie even threw herself on the ground, screaming and wailing, hoping to guilt her way in.
But the armed soldiers remained unmoved, their eyes cold and detached. Faced with that expression, even the auntie didn't dare act up further.
Others tried to force their way in, shouting:
"We're law-abiding citizens! The food you eat and the weapons you carry were bought with our tax money! And now you extort us like this? Where's the justice?!"
As one man charged forward, a nearby soldier swiftly took him down with a joint lock, pressing him to the ground.
Then, an officer appeared, his gaze cold and sharp:
"If you want to enter the base, pay the supplies. If not, leave. Xiao Liu, throw this troublemaker into the labor camp."
At the mention of the labor camp, the crowd instantly quieted.
Just the name sent chills down their spines—it clearly wasn't a nice place.
After that, everyone lined up obediently, abandoning any funny ideas.
The labor camp was the team responsible for building walls and housing within the base. Most of them were criminals, or people with no abilities who voluntarily joined in exchange for food.
The base was led by a commander from the military's southern division. He knew that only iron-fisted rule could maintain order in times like these.
However, he didn't yet realize that some powerful ability users would soon refuse to follow rules, leading to chaos and the collapse of base order.
Once entry fees were paid, every new arrival had to be quarantined in tents for 24 hours before being allowed inside.
This rule came after an incident where someone, bitten by a zombie, lied about it. A few hours later, they turned inside the base, killing over 50 people. Most of those attacked also turned, with only one lucky person awakening an ability.
Since then, regardless of status, everyone from the outside had to go through quarantine.
Because they arrived by car, staff directed Xie Lingruo's group to a designated parking area. She immediately stored all their supplies and gasoline in her space, fearing someone might steal them during isolation.
As for the car? They weren't worried. It was filthy and covered in zombie splatter, plus the gas tank was empty. No one would bother with it.
After securing everything, Xie Lingruo went to the quarantine tents.
However, men and women were separated, so she was on her own. Most of the women there looked spiritually dead, eyes vacant and numb.
So Xie Lingruo picked a secluded corner and stayed alert.
She had no plans to sleep that night—just in case someone turned, she needed to react immediately.