22. Enter the base

The light of dawn was like diluted blood, slowly seeping into every corner of the wasteland. When the first pale ray of light fell on the rocky makeshift camp, the air was filled with an almost frozen silence. Xingchen curled up in his sleeping bag with his back to everyone, as if he wanted to hide himself completely in the shadows. His thin back was stretched straight, and even his breathing was suppressed to the point of being barely audible. He was shrouded in a layer of visible loss and self-isolation. Su Lin looked at his stiff back, and a complex sigh welled up in his heart, mixed with pity, helplessness, and a hint of vague worry. He knew that what he said last night was too blunt, but in this end of the world, ambiguous tenderness is sometimes more destructive than cold rejection.

Ah Yan scratched his flaming red hair irritably, his eyes flickering back and forth between Su Lin's calm profile and Xingchen's huddled back. He opened his mouth, as if to say something to break the suffocating silence, but in the end, he only bit hard into the compressed dry food in his hand, making a crisp crunching sound. Mu Lin quietly adjusted his collar, his movements still elegant, but deep in his gentle eyes, there was an imperceptible deep thought. He was keenly aware of the abnormality in the air, but chose to remain silent, only occasionally casting a glance at Su Lin with a subtle hint of concern.

Lei Qing was the first to stand, his tall figure casting a long shadow in the morning light. His gaze was sharp as he gazed at the increasingly distinct gray-black line on the northern horizon. "Pack your things and get ready to go." His voice was low and steady, devoid of any emotion. "We should be there before noon."

As the SUV restarted, the outline of the Northern Base gradually grew larger. It was no longer a vague mark on the distant horizon, but a real, awe-inspiring steel barrier. Constructed of concrete and specialized metals, the wall, tens of meters high, was covered in bullet holes of varying depths, charred burn marks, and crude welds from later reinforcements, like a giant book silently recording the brutal history of defense.

"Tsk tsk, this wall is really impressive." Ah Yan leaned against the car window, his tone a little disapproving, "I wonder if it's as impressive inside as well."

Mu Lin shook his head slightly. "The larger the scale, the stricter the rules. I hope the order here is more civilized than at Blackrock Base."

As the vehicle approached, details of the base's entrance gradually became clear. The lone open alloy gate, like the sharp teeth of a giant beast, slowly cracked open with the dull hum of its motor. A long line stretched before the gate, winding like a dying centipede. Most of the group consisted of sallow, skinny refugees, their clothes ragged, their eyes dull, and they shivered in the chill of the early morning wind. Several guards in uniform dark gray uniforms patrolled the line, their weapons glinting coldly in the rising sun.

"Damn, how long will this queue take?" A Yan knocked on the car window impatiently.

Lei Qing calmly observed the layout of the entrance. "There are at least three checkpoints and a heavy weapons platform. Everyone, be mindful of your words and actions."

As their SUV slowly approached the checkpoint, it immediately caught the guards' attention. A guard captain, a man with a light scar on his face, stepped forward and tapped on the car window with his knuckles. His movements were mechanical and cold: "Stop! Everyone get out and be inspected!"

The five of them got out of the car one by one, and immediately felt countless eyes on them. There were scrutiny from the guards, prying eyes from the refugees, and even inexplicable gazes from the shadows.

"Identification." The captain of the guard extended his hand expressionlessly.

Lei Qing calmly replied, "I came from the south. I lost my ID while fleeing."

The captain's sharp eyes swept over the five people, lingering on Su Lin's face for a moment: "Name, ability, and supplies."

"Lei Qing, strengthen your strength."

"Ayan, fire element."

"Mu Lin, Ice type."

When it was Su Lin's turn, he paused and said, "Su Lin, Space Department."

The guard captain raised an eyebrow at him and quickly wrote down the information on the registration form. When asked about Stardust, the boy lowered his head and said in a voice as thin as a mosquito, "Stardust... doesn't have any special abilities."

"Ordinary people?" The captain's pen slammed heavily on the paper. He glanced up at Xingchen's frail figure, a flicker of undisguised contempt in his eyes. He wrote the word "ordinary people" on the registration form with such force that it practically pierced the backing of the paper.

The subsequent examination procedure was tedious and tedious. The ability test was conducted using a crude energy sensing device, and Su Lin secretly thanked the device for its inability to accurately identify the type of ability. The physical examination was hastily completed by staff in white coats in a makeshift tent.

"All weapons, vehicles, and supplies must be registered," the guard captain said, pointing to a nearby registration counter. "Base regulations require an entry tax and administrative fee equivalent to three days' worth of supplies."

Ah Yan was furious when he heard this: "Three days? Why don't you just go and rob them?"

The captain sneered and pointed the registration board at the refugees lined up behind him: "Too expensive? You can wait outside like them. Or turn around and leave now."

Mu Lin held down A Yan, who was about to lose his temper, and said gently but firmly, "We will pay."

After paying a considerable amount of precious materials, they finally got temporary identity cards - Lei Qing, A Yan, Mu Lin and Su Lin got blue metal cards with numbers and simple ability information engraved on them; Xingchen got a rough gray wooden card with only a lonely number on it.

"Blue badges allow entry to the secondary area, while gray badges are restricted to the outer areas," the staff member handing out the badges said without looking up. "You'll find your own accommodations. The rules are posted on the notice board at the entrance. Any violations will be at your own risk."

The heavy alloy gate slowly closed behind them with a dull thud, as if completely isolating the two worlds. The scene inside the gate stunned everyone.

The first thing that caught my eye was a vast open area, dotted with military camps, warehouses, and training grounds. Columns of soldiers marched in measured steps, and the air was filled with a solemn, murderous aura. Beyond this area lay the so-called residential area, but the stratification here was shockingly stark.

On the outermost perimeter lay a densely packed shantytown, overflowing with sewage and a pungent odor. Countless ordinary people, pale and gaunt, huddled in shabby shacks, their eyes blank, no different from the refugees outside. Further in, the more tidy prefabricated housing complex offered slightly better living conditions. The core area, built around a few intact high-rise buildings, was shaded by trees, the streets were clean, and there were even patrolling guards, a stark contrast to the outer areas.

"Tsk, it really is another place where people are treated differently based on their status." A Yan spat in dissatisfaction.

A cold-mannered civilian staff member led them to a small room on the edge of the prefabricated housing complex. The room was only about 20 square meters, with only a few simple beds and an old table inside, making it extremely crowded for five people.

"How are we going to live here?" Ah Yan got angry the moment he saw it. "Five of us have to squeeze into this shabby place?"

The guide said impatiently, "Blue ID cards allow you to apply for better rooms, but you need to exchange them for contribution points or supplies! Grey ID cards are just like this! It's up to you if you want to stay or not!"

After settling in, they decided to split up and get to know the base. Lei Qing went to the mission hall, A Yan and Mu Lin went to the trading area, and Su Lin took Xingchen to explore the surrounding area.

Just walking down the street in the prefabricated housing area, Su Lin felt the gazes of countless people. Some were curious, some were amazed, but more often they were evaluating and calculating. There were even a few well-dressed, somewhat powerful-looking psychics who openly sized him up and down with greedy eyes, whispering among themselves.

At a simple material exchange point, when Su Lin was about to exchange some compressed biscuits for some common medicines, a middle-aged man wearing an administrator's uniform and with greasy eyes came over with a smile.

"New here? Spatial abilities? Not bad, not bad." The man smiled hypocritically, but his eyes were glued to Su Lin's face. "I'm the material distribution manager for this area, my last name is Wang. If you need anything, you can come to me. The price is negotiable..." As he spoke, his hand seemed to be about to pat Su Lin's shoulder casually.

Su Lin took a step back swiftly, avoiding the other party's touch, his eyes turned cold: "I won't bother you anymore."

Administrator Wang's hand fell empty, his face stiffening slightly before he forced a smile. "Don't be so formal. I see it's not easy for you to carry around a gray-branded burden." He lowered his voice, "Be my friend. From now on, I'll ensure you and your people live comfortably in this area. How about it?"

Xingchen was so angry that his face turned red, and he subconsciously stood in front of Su Lin.

Su Lin restrained the impulsive Xingchen, not wanting to cause trouble right after arriving. He gave Administrator Wang a cold look, said nothing more, took the small amount of medicine he had exchanged, and quickly left with Xingchen.

Behind him, he could still hear the administrator's dissatisfied snort and muttered curses: "...You don't know how to appreciate my kindness!"

On the way back to their temporary residence, Xingchen kept his head down, his fingers tightly clenched around the corner of his clothes. Su Lin could feel his body trembling, not only with anger, but also with fear.

"Don't be afraid." Su Lin said softly, "We won't stay here long."

Xingchen raised his head, his eyes glistening with tears: "Brother Su Lin, this place... this place is even scarier than outside."

Su Lin didn't answer, merely tightening his grip on the medicine. Behind these walls, it wasn't paradise. There was order, but it was cold and rigid; there was safety, but it came at a high price; there were classes, and they were clearly divided. And from the very beginning, their life at the northern base had been shrouded in a shadow of oppression.

When they returned to the small room, Lei Qing had already returned, his expression grim. "The missions with high payouts are life-threatening. The safer missions require connections and contribution points," he said simply.

Not long after, A Yan and Mu Lin returned, both looking unhappy. "Damn it! Those profiteers are taking advantage of us!" A Yan angrily said.

Mu Lin was relatively calm. "Everything here revolves around contribution points. Without them, even our basic survival would be a problem."

The five of them sat in silence in the crowded room. Outside the window came the sound of the base patrol's footsteps, uniform and unquestionable in their authority. Within these high walls, they felt for the first time a pressure far greater than that of the outside world.

As night fell, lights across the base gradually lit up, illuminating the world within the walls. However, beneath this bright light, everyone clearly realized that they had entered not only a refuge, but also a cage full of unknown challenges.