Chapter 212 The Poor Kid in the Apocalypse 42

Shen Ci calmly assured them that people are gathered together little by little, and society is repaired little by little.

If you have everything, why would you need to hire people?

"Skills?" The middle-aged man paused for a moment, then asked instinctively.

"Yes, does it mean I need to know how to kill zombies? I... I'm strong enough, but my parents are old."

Shen Ci shook his head and explained.

"Not entirely. Killing zombies is a survival skill that everyone needs to learn."

I'm asking about life skills! What did people do before the apocalypse? Electricians, plumbers, doctors, nurses, carpenters, bricklayers.

Even farmers who know how to cultivate the land and teachers who know how to teach are needed now! We cannot hide forever; someone must stand up and find ways to rebuild order and restore production!

Otherwise, once the food in the city runs out, everyone will starve! We have all the land in our shelter, we have seeds, and as long as everyone is willing to work, we will have a continuous supply of food!

The apocalypse has been here for so long that most people have become accustomed to living in such a corrupt world and have almost forgotten what the world was like before the apocalypse.

Shen Ci's words awakened them at this moment. Rebuilding and restoring production were both unfamiliar and shocking to them. Now, everyone had only one common goal: to survive.

But nobody seems to think about rebuilding the world. Shouldn't that be the government's responsibility?

The middle-aged man's eyes lit up. He excitedly turned to look at his family, exchanged glances with them, and immediately spoke.

"I can drive! I've been driving trucks for over ten years! My wife used to be a textile factory worker, she's very skillful! My dad is a farmer, he's farmed all his life! My mom is a great cook! My son, my son is fast, he can help deliver things!"

He listed all the skills his family members possessed. None of them were highly educated, and they had lived ordinary lives before the apocalypse. But now, these skills seemed to be even more useful.

Shen Ci was worried that he didn't have enough manpower!

"You can drive? That's great! See that abandoned bus over there? Go check it out. If it's drivable, we'll use it to pick people up!"

She took a small can of spare gasoline from her car. The middle-aged man introduced himself as Wang Jianguo and quickly went to check the bus. To her surprise, apart from being out of gas, the bus was actually in pretty good condition!

After filling up the tank, the engine was still running. I don't know where this car used to be parked, but it didn't get damaged by the sun.

"Master Wang, follow behind my bus in your bus! Keep the horn playing, and stop to pick up any survivors you see!"

Shen Ci made the arrangements.

"Okay! Don't worry!"

Wang Jianguo gripped the steering wheel. This feeling of having work to do made him feel at ease, much more comfortable than spending his days in his bedroom collecting supplies and fighting off zombies, constantly on edge.

This long-lost sense of order makes one feel as if they have returned to a time before the apocalypse.

Thus, a strange convoy was formed, with Shen Ci's SUV leading the way, broadcasting recruitment information, followed by a bus full of hope.

They moved through the quiet streets of the city, their loudspeakers blaring, trying to make sure the remaining survivors could hear them—in those unknown corners, in the ruins, and from some windows.

Some survivors who heard the noise peeked out.

Whenever someone flagged down his car, Shen Ci would repeat similar phrases, emphasizing skills and rebuilding. Many people were initially skeptical, but once they got on the bus, they immediately received several individually wrapped loaves of bread and a clean bottle of mineral water.

What more could you ask for?! They're already well-fed and clothed, and people are willing to risk their lives for them, let alone just going to the base.

"They really give you food!"

"Thank you! Thank you!"

"We haven't found food for two days, and we almost couldn't hold on any longer."

Shen Ci watched them wolf down their food, and also checked to see if there were any restless individuals.

"This is just the beginning. Once we get to the base, if everyone works together, we will not only be able to eat our fill, but also live a better life."

This is our intention to recruit more soldiers, and we ask that you believe in our determination to rebuild our homes.

This base, this shelter, wasn't built for me alone, but for all of us survivors.

If anyone doesn't want to stay, they can leave now. I won't force anyone to stay, but you won't be there to enjoy yourself; everyone will need to do something.

By the end of the day, the bus was packed full, carrying more than thirty people, men and women, young and old. All of them had anticipation on their faces, and there was a different look in their expressions than in the post-apocalyptic world—hope.

Shen Ci led the convoy back to the suburbs, pointed to the place she had already chosen, which had many vacant houses and open farmland, and announced to the people in the car.

"This is our new starting point, Dawn Base! There are empty houses to live in and large tracts of land to cultivate!"

I will lead everyone to personally build this place into a new, self-sufficient home that can withstand zombies!

Since high technology is unusable, we can only return to the agricultural era; survival comes first.

A stir ran through the crowd. Some people couldn't help but feel disappointed when they saw how primitive the place was, without even a wall to keep out the zombies.

Shen Ci had anticipated this, and she loudly addressed the crowd through a megaphone.

"I know there's nothing here right now! But we have hands, feet, and brains! Now, please line up to register!"

Tell us, what did you do before? What were your special skills?

She, Da Bao, and Wang Jianguo's family, who were among the first to join, began registering everyone, focusing on selecting individuals with special skills.

“I used to be an electrician, and I was in charge of all the electrical circuits in the neighborhood!” said a thin man wearing glasses.

“I’m a nurse, and I know some first aid and nursing skills.” A woman with a tired face but a determined look in her eyes raised her hand.

"I am a carpenter. I can help repair houses and make some tools."

"I can fix cars. As long as there is gasoline, most cars can still be driven."

"I'm a pro at farming! With so much land here, we're sure to get plenty of crops, so we won't have to worry about food."

Shen Ci carefully recorded every useful talent she discovered. She also registered those without special skills and arranged for them to participate in basic labor.

In short, no one can live off others; when the apocalypse arrives, won't it eliminate a group of people?

After registration was completed, it was still early. Shen Ci knew that he had to immediately show everyone change and hope in order to stabilize people's hearts.

"The first thing to do is build a wall!"

She led dozens of strong men, carrying axes, machetes, and saws collected from the city, and pointed to a small grove of trees not far away.

"Our first line of defense will be made from these trees! We'll cut down the trees, sharpen them, and make them into wooden fences or barricades. If we can find barbed wire, we'll use that too."

These zombies are stupid. As long as we can stall for time, we outnumber them and can easily eliminate them.