Chapter 96 - 87: Jiang City: 802561

Chapter 96: Chapter 87: Jiang City: 802561

As the dark green SUV followed the stream of traffic toward the brightly lit complex, a new sound cut through the whistle of the wind and the roar of the engine. It was a clear, steady announcement, looping over a loudspeaker:

"Returning Scavengers and residents with identification, please enter the base in an orderly fashion through the left channel. First-time visitors and survivors without identification, please park your vehicles in the designated temporary waiting area to the right of the base entrance and await identity verification and registration. We welcome any compatriots who abide by the rules and are willing to contribute to the continuation of humanity to join the Jiang City Shelter system. I repeat, returning Scavengers..."

’Scavengers?’ Xu Mo’s fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel. He was briefly surprised by the term but quickly understood its meaning. It was an apt and vivid description, likely referring to those survivors who were based in the shelter but went out into the ruins and wastelands to collect any useful resources. From weapon parts to scrap metal, from still-edible sealed food to useful books and documents—anything untainted and of value was a target for their ’scavenging’. The emergence of this term itself signified the solidification of a new social division and way of life.

The vehicle pressed on, and the entirety of the Sixth Forward Base unfolded before Xu Mo’s eyes. The closer he got, the more profound his shock became.

From a distance, it had just seemed brightly lit and fairly large. But seeing it up close, he finally understood the true meaning of an apocalyptic fortress armed to the teeth.

The base’s perimeter was a concrete wall he estimated to be over fifteen meters high, topped with menacing barbed wire. Machine-gun pillboxes protruded at regular intervals, the black holes of their muzzles poking out from firing slits, coldly surveying the world beyond. Tall watchtowers stood like giants at key points along the wall, equipped not only with searchlights—he could also faintly make out the silhouettes of snipers.

And this was just the basic setup.

What left Xu Mo nearly speechless was the sight of artillery pieces on reinforced platforms, covered by camouflage tarps. Their thick, long barrels angled toward the sky, exuding a terrifying deterrent force. Further in the distance, he could even see the treads and turret silhouettes of several tanks, along with the launch racks for multiple rocket launchers—weapons he had only ever seen in movies! Though most of the heavy equipment was dormant, their very presence was a silent declaration: the firepower here was enough to crush any enemy that dared to approach, be it a zombie horde or any other monstrous thing.

’This firepower... is simply absurd!’ Xu Mo was secretly stunned.

Xu Mo had originally thought that with his strength at the Cowhide Realm of the Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training, while he couldn’t run rampant, he at least had considerable power to protect himself. But this jungle of steel and gunpowder before him was an instant, sobering reminder of how insignificant individual martial strength was.

The defenses of the Cowhide Realm likely couldn’t withstand even a second of heavy machine-gun fire, an artillery barrage, or a saturation rocket strike. He would be vaporized in an instant. In the face of such overwhelming firepower, an individual’s courage seemed so feeble.

However, this immense military presence also created a strange sense of security. He looked at the vehicles returning to the base and the people they called Scavengers. Though their faces were weathered and their eyes wary, their clothes stained with blood and grime, they were all strictly following the announcer’s instructions. They lined up and submitted to inspections in an orderly fashion. No one shouted, no one cut in line, and no one dared show the slightest hint of defiance. Overwhelming force was the most direct and effective cornerstone of order.

’This is the only way it works,’ Xu Mo mused.

Only under the threat of absolute violence could relatively stable rules be established, allowing the rudiments of human society to survive. Chaos was the keynote of the apocalypse, but order was the hope for civilization’s revival.

Following the signs, Xu Mo steered his SUV out of the main traffic flow and turned right into an open area enclosed by a simple fence—the temporary waiting area. A few vehicles, looking even more battered than his own, were already parked there. More numerous were the people, gathered in small groups, sitting on the ground or resting against their luggage.

As Xu Mo drove into the waiting area, a staff member hurried toward him. The man wore a standardized deep blue uniform—slightly faded but clean—and an armband that read "Guide." His face held a practiced, yet polite, smile.

"Hello, survivor. Welcome to Jiang City’s Sixth Forward Base." The Guide’s voice was clear and steady. "Please park in any available space, then bring your personal belongings to the rest area over there." He pointed to a large, illuminated shed made of prefabricated panels nearby. "You’ll wait there for registration and screening. Once you’re registered, you’ll receive an ID, and then you can enter the main base area."

Xu Mo nodded, lowered the window, and asked, "Excuse me, how long does registration take? And, my vehicle..." He glanced at his own SUV with its shattered windshield and obvious bullet holes. The thing would stick out like a sore thumb wherever it was parked.

The Guide, who seemed accustomed to seeing vehicles in all states of ruin, answered without batting an eye, "Registration is quick. It’s mostly just recording basic information and a brief interview. As for your vehicle, once you have your ID, you can drive it into the base. We have designated public parking and repair shops inside. Of course, that requires a payment of Contribution Points." He paused before adding, "If you have any questions about the rules, a short film plays on a loop in the rest area, and the registration officers will explain things as well. Don’t worry; as long as you follow the rules, the base guarantees the basic safety of all its legal residents."