Chapter 436 Deputy Battalion Commander Zheng
Yun Zhao looked at the person who had come.
There were seven or eight burly men, in their prime, the oldest of whom looked to be no more than thirty years old.
I hadn't seen the man in the lead yesterday.
He was burly and taller than the others by half a head, with a weapon at his waist, clearly a high-ranking sentry.
Resources were scarce outside, and most of the leaders of the refugee camps were powerful individuals.
That's understandable.
Without real power, you can't control capable people below you.
Xie Tu stepped forward and started a conversation with them.
"A list of people who migrated here over the past twenty years?"
Zheng Shao led a team to search for supplies yesterday, and only learned of the news when he returned in the evening.
He glanced at their tightly clasped hands and chuckled, “The list is indeed there, but as you know, Captain Xie, the personnel list is a camp secret. If it gets shown to you, the larger base might try to poach people from us, and we won’t be able to stop them.”
He said this in a joking tone.
In contrast to the attentiveness of the people behind him yesterday.
Zheng Shao's attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, and his tone was calm, yet he had his own considerations.
Xie Tu represents Dawn Base, and according to the girl beside him, the two seem to be looking for a guide.
Guides are scarce in large bases.
This is no secret.
Few guides can resist the allure of the benefits offered by large bases.
Zheng Shao couldn't help but suspect the two men's motives.
There are only a few guides in the entire Qinhuai Camp. If they are poached by larger bases, their situation will become even more difficult.
Xie Tu understood Zheng Shao's concerns. His expression remained unchanged, and his tone was calm: "We have some private matters to confirm and will not leak the list. If it is convenient, we hope to get your help."
The little bluebird let out its usual mocking laugh.
—"Pfft."
[Foolish sentry.]
Yun Zhao patted it reassuringly.
Zheng Shao didn't even glance at her, not even looking to the side.
Yun Zhao understood immediately; this person seemed to have already guessed her identity.
"With Captain Xie's words, there's naturally no problem."
Zheng Shaoguang, engrossed in his conversation with Xie Tu, laughed heartily as he led the way, saying, "Many people have come here in the past twenty years. I wonder who you are looking for? I'll have the sentries take you there with a list."
Xie Tu nodded: "Thank you."
Although Yun Zhao didn't have much hope, he still said the same thing.
She didn't want to miss any possibility.
The six or seven men behind them watched helplessly as Deputy Battalion Commander Zheng didn't bring up any important matters for a long time.
The group headed down the mountain.
Zhongshan has been a natural barrier for Nanjing since ancient times, with undulating terrain and dense forests.
Now it has been cleverly utilized, becoming a fortress for the survivors to live in.
Zheng Shao was very talkative. As they walked, he introduced the basic situation of the camp to Xie Tu. "Our Qinhuai Camp is the largest shelter in this area. We have a lot of people, but supplies have always been a big problem."
"The farmland at the foot of the mountain has only started to improve in the last two years, and most of the resources still have to be scavenged on the edge of the polluted area."
Zheng Shao: "We dare not go to the No. 344 contaminated area. We usually drive to No. 341, and occasionally we will go a little further to find some one-star or two-star contaminated areas to organize manpower to go in."
Speaking of which...
He smiled wryly and said, "Don't laugh at me, Captain Xie, but even low-level contaminated areas are a struggle for us. There are often casualties, but there's nothing we can do about it."
Zheng Shao spoke earnestly, but made no mention of the number of sentries and guides in the camp.
Xie Tu remained calm, his words carrying a hidden meaning, "In that case, have you considered organizing a relocation of personnel?"
Zheng Shao sighed, "Easier said than done?"
"The migration route is fraught with danger. Without sufficient armed protection, it's impossible to reach the major base."
"Moreover, it is by no means a simple task to get thousands of people to settle in a large base after they leave the land and resources they depend on for survival."
At the large base, points are required for everything from clothing and food to housing and transportation.
Most ordinary people cannot support themselves.
Without land, without resources, and without a decent job, the quality of life is even worse than here.
Xie Tu nodded in understanding, but did not respond.
He simply said, "Number 341 has been registered with the Dawn Base, and a combat team is expected to arrive soon."
Zheng Shao was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "This is a good thing. We would rather drive a little further than live in constant fear that it might spread at any time."
Many people behind him echoed his sentiments.
Even when you reach the mountainside, you can still see the rolling gray fog in the distance.
It's truly unsettling.
Yun Zhao stayed by Xie Tu's side without saying a word.
As you walk along the winding mountain road, you can see more buildings built against the mountainside.
These buildings are mostly clustered together, divided into areas, with many people out and about in front of rows of houses.
Yun Zhao looked up at the mountaintop.
A huge house stood there, its exterior walls made of thick concrete, and its roof was fitted with communication antennas and solar panels.
The mountaintop appears to be the core area of the refuge.
Zheng Shao suddenly changed the subject, "I heard that Captain Xie completed two five-star missions last year. Could you tell us what the base's attitude is towards these long-standing contaminated areas?"
The crowd behind him was startled; they were finally getting to the point.
Xie Tu saw through their little schemes and said calmly, "The five-star area is very dangerous, and we have no plans to do so this year."
He didn't say anything definitive.
But the meaning behind it is quite clear.
The four major bases are temporarily unable to handle the contaminated area No. 344.
The group of people were speechless with disappointment upon hearing this.
Is migration their only option?
During the conversation, we arrived at the archives room at the foot of the mountain.
Zheng Shao remained calm and composed throughout, speaking fluently and without revealing any emotion.
He asked someone to find the file list and handed it to Xie Tu.
"I have something to do later, so I won't be able to accompany Captain Xie in looking for people. I would like to ask Captain Xie and Miss Yun to join me for a casual meal tonight."
He then arranged for two sentries and a community steward to take them to the civilian area.
Xie Tu nodded: "Thank you."
*
Yun Zhao and Xie Tu ultimately did not stay for dinner.
After searching the entire shelter without finding anyone, Xie Tu used two magazines to exchange for some fresh vegetables, and the two then said goodbye and left.
I wonder when Minister Duan will urge us to go back.
Yun Zhao clearly didn't want to waste time.
Furthermore, the camp is short of resources and supplies.
The two had plenty of supplies, so there was no need for them to stay there and eat and drink excessively, wasting other people's food.
Xie Tu drove the military off-road vehicle southward.
“We’ll go directly from Zhenjiang, then detour through Xuzhou into Henan, and then go back through Hubei.”
"Okay, you can decide."
Yun Zhao sat in the car, took the map back, and drew an X on the places where Qixia Camp and Qinhuai Camp were located.
Along the way.
The car was getting closer and closer to the gray fog.
Pollution zone No. 344 is located between Nanjing and Zhenjiang, covering a vast area, with the polluted area occupying almost half of the urban areas of both cities.
Xie Tu took a detour, taking Route 346 to avoid the area.
There are many mutant species along the way.
Every few minutes, several monsters would appear in sight.
These monsters come in various shapes and sizes, covered in black slime, resembling a hybrid of humans and beasts. They walk on all fours, with raised backs covered in sharp bone spurs.
The levels range from level two to level seven.
Greenish-blue fluorescent light danced in the air.
Gunshots continued, and black, sticky liquid seeped out, dripping onto the ground with a sizzling, corrosive sound.
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