Chapter 217 Arrival at the Watchtower Base

On the way there, they didn't feel the long journey because they flew. On the return trip, they switched to trucks. They had to evade zombies and hide their tracks to avoid being hunted down. When they encountered bad road conditions, they had to risk getting out of the trucks to clear them. The convoy took nearly three days to enter the jurisdiction of the "Watchmen" base, with many stops and starts.

When they were halfway through the journey, almost everyone in Lin Xi's truck breathed a sigh of relief.

Lu Wei did not mutate, and his body temperature gradually dropped to a level that could be measured by a thermometer.

"That's great, Brother Lu, can I listen to your breathing too?"

After watching Lin Xi check her breathing and heartbeat, Liang Hui recklessly stepped forward to tease her.

Lu Wei glanced at him.

"Huh? I'm handcuffed, I can't hit me." Liang Hui took a step back.

He was teetering on the edge of self-destruction.

Lin Xi's gaze also fell on the handcuffs, and she said what she had been wanting to say: "Since there is no mutation, let's take off the handcuffs."

Wearing handcuffs is extremely uncomfortable, whether at work or resting, not to mention the psychological pressure.

Liang Hui and Xiang Xin both expressed their agreement.

Lu did not hesitate.

Lin Xi gave him another injection of a delaying agent. Regardless of whether the vaccine was successful or not, it could produce some antibodies in the human body. Lin Xi wanted to delay the spread of the virus and try to make Lu Wei produce antibodies.

Liang Hui added another powerful dose of advice: "It's alright, Brother Lu. Even if you've mutated, we can still take you down."

Lin Xi raised an eyebrow. Who comforts people like that?

She couldn't help but sigh to Liang Hui: "I think you're really getting carried away."

She analyzed carefully, "Mutations have warning signs. If you have a tendency to mutate, we will definitely take measures."

Three votes to one vote, the minority obeys the majority.

Someone wanted to handcuff himself, but everyone wanted to set him free.

The convoy passed through several checkpoints to enter the "Watch" base. Liang Hui and Xiang Xin got out of the car first to direct the group.

Lin Xi quietly guarded the refrigerated box containing the vaccines, while Lu Wei beside her was already wearing a uniform with military rank insignia.

Each base has two checkpoints: one for testing strips and another for checking for mutations. Lu Wei had already reported his situation to his superiors, who, in addition to being shocked, opened a secret inspection channel for him to prevent the information from being leaked.

But what lies beyond the secret checkpoints, nobody knows.

After the crowd dispersed somewhat, the people secretly sent by the Watchtower base arrived at the truck where Lin Xi was:

Is Major General Lu here?

The two stood up, and Lin Xi solemnly picked up the refrigerator and got out of the car before Lu Wei, always walking ahead of Lu Wei.

The person who came to meet him was a middle-aged man in his forties. He had come specifically to pick up Lu Wei. Seeing Lin Xi walking ahead of Lu Wei, he couldn't help but be curious. He first introduced himself: "My surname is Wang, my given name is Jun, and I am the current commander of the Watchtower Base."

Lin Xi noticed his shoulder insignia; like Lu Wei, he held the rank of Major General, which made her realize that the Watchtower Base valued their situation.

Lin Xi introduced himself with neither arrogance nor servility: "I am Lin Xi, the current dean of the Dawn Research Institute."

When she introduced herself, she used a title that she had previously been reluctant to mention.

Wang Jun knew she was a researcher when he saw her clothes, but he didn't know that such a young person was the director of the Dawn Research Institute.

"Research team, please proceed from this side..."

Lin Xi: "I was with Lu Wei the whole time."

With so many people around, she didn't explain herself clearly, but Wang Jun understood that Lin Xi meant that she had been monitoring Lu Weizi since he was infected, and now she would accompany him for testing.

At this moment, a staff member came over and reported: "The research institute is missing an important sample among the items it brought."

The first-generation vaccine that has already been developed.

Wang Jun glanced at the refrigerator in Lin Xi's hand. She was standing in front of him with the refrigerator in her hand, half of her body blocking Lu Wei's view.

"Understood." He dismissed the staff and personally led Lin Xi and Lu Wei to the secret passage.

In a secluded little room, only a researcher wearing a white coat was waiting. The man looked to be about fifty years old and, like Song Heng, appeared to be a highly respected person.

They were people sent by the Watchtower Base specifically to check on the situation on the ground.

This room, the watchtower, contains a professor, a major general, Lin Xi, and Lu Wei.

It's clear that the confidentiality measures were well done, demonstrating considerable sincerity.

The professor introduced himself: "I am Gao Zhixing, Dean Lin, this is the security checkpoint."

"Hello, Professor Gao." Seeing the other party's courteous treatment, Lin Xi lowered her guard and politely responded to the greeting, but she took a half step back. "Let Major General Lu go through security first."

Although the check takes place in a secret room, the security procedures are nothing more than two: test strips and brain scans.

Unsurprisingly, Lu Wei's zombie virus test result was still "weakly positive".

Although they had been warned of this outcome beforehand, Gao Zhixing and Wang Jun still looked at Lu Wei with solemn expressions.

Lin Xi's test result was negative.

She stood beside Lu Wei, carrying a cooler: "I personally monitored Lu Wei from the time of infection to the time of vaccination. Lu Wei currently shows no signs of mutation. Our team has been focusing on vaccine research, and we finally had some preliminary results recently. Lu Wei is my first vaccine trial participant, and I will stay with him to continue observing the subsequent trial results of the vaccine."

The implication is that she and the vaccine are with Lu Wei.

All bases have double security checks. Anyone who tests positive or whose brain scan shows abnormalities will be executed on the spot to prevent future problems. Even if Lu did not report any special circumstances in advance, there is no guarantee that he will be able to enter the base.

After everything that has happened, Lin Xi no longer easily trusts others; the only person she can rely on is their small doomsday group.

Allowing infected individuals into the base was indeed a difficult task for the Watchtower, but she had to ensure Lu Wei's survival. She would oversee the safety and behavior of the first vaccine trial participant, ensuring he was not in danger and that others would not be affected.

They are comrades who have gone through thick and thin together. Lu Wei may lose his authority or even his personal freedom in the new base due to infection with the virus. Their team of four needs someone to quickly fill in and support the family.

She was given protection and support at Dawn Base before, and it's the same now that she's doing those things.