The sun had barely risen, yet it was already scorching the asphalt. Even sitting still, everyone felt sticky, let alone after carrying supplies and fighting their way here, everyone was drenched in sweat, with wet patches visible even on their underwear.
They finally reached the dock, only to find no sign of their ship. One of the team members, unable to bear it any longer, took off his shirt. "Weren't they supposed to wait for us here? Where are they? If we keep waiting, not only will the zombies catch up, but we'll also roast out here."
An Minghui sternly replied, "Put your shirt back on. We've trained in even hotter weather before, and we made it through. What's different now?"
"Captain, no offense, but I swear it's hotter than ever," another member added. "There aren't many cars running these days, so with less carbon monoxide in the air, it shouldn't be this hot."
"It's not carbon monoxide, it's carbon dioxide," An Minghui corrected, wiping the sweat off his face. "Anyway, even the ladies aren't complaining, so you guys should quit whining."
At that, the team glanced at Hao Jian and Lian Ru Ning, who were equally drenched, their hair so wet it could be wrung out. One of them commented, "Women really are something else. How can they stand having long hair in this heat? I could never manage it."
Lian Ru Ning maintained an awkward but polite smile. Who said she wasn't hot? For the first time, she actually considered cutting off her long hair. However, in this apocalypse, she couldn't complain or act delicate, lest she reinforce the stereotype that women are fragile.
Hao Jian, on the other hand, remained silent. She pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to Lian Ru Ning, then she distributed more bottles to An Minghui and the others.
Everyone was astonished to see her pulling out bottle after bottle, like a magician producing items from a bottomless bag. "Didn't expect you to have so much stuff in your pack!" they exclaimed.
Remembering how decisively she fought zombies and how fast she could run, they had assumed her backpack only carried clothes. Turns out she had been carrying quite a load. Reflecting on their own complaints, the men silently put their shirts back on, choosing to say no more.
Damn it, how could they let a woman outdo them!
---
While everyone was lost in their thoughts, an old fishing boat finally appeared. After An Minghui confirmed their identities with the crew, he called everyone to board.
The fishing boat wasn't large, and the deck had several tanks filled with live, flopping fish. It seemed that the boat's main job was still fishing, with transporting them being just a side gig.
The crew explained that they were headed to the university town to deliver the fish. That’s why they were late.
Lian Ru Ning curiously asked, "Aren’t there rivers near the university town? Why not just fish locally?"
"Who knows? We go to the river mouth or even out to sea to catch these every day, and they insist we bring them fresh. At least they pay the old rates for buying the fish. We don't need money, they'll trade us food and supplies," one crew member explained.
Hao Jian understood and asked, "Did they specifically request live fish?"
"Yes, they did. We even have to load water from where we catch them, or they won’t accept it," the fisherman added.
An Minghui’s subordinates were puzzled. "How do they even know if the water is from the same place?"
"I have no idea," replied the fisherman. "One of my buddies got busted for not using the right water and they refused to buy his fish after that."
One of the team members wanted to ask more, but An Minghui cut him off, "That's enough. Stop prying."
Both he and Hao Jian understood that these fish were likely for scientific research. As for how they could tell the water's origin, the research center must have made some breakthroughs. Most of the crew were just fishermen, and it was uncertain whether they could be trusted with sensitive information. Better not to discuss it.
The team member shrugged and switched topics, this time asking An Minghui, "Captain, how did we even get in touch with this boat?"
They had assumed it was an official transport, but it turned out to be just a fishing boat, with crew members who didn't seem fazed by the weapons they were carrying.
"It was arranged by higher-ups. I don’t know the specifics," An Minghui responded.
"Well, this isn’t our first time ferrying folks like you," the fisherman chimed in. "The officials give us supplies, and we come pick you up."
An Minghui raised an eyebrow and asked, "So, you'll do this for anyone who gives you enough benefits?"
"That’s impossible! We’ve signed a contract with the authorities. If we carry passengers without their authorization, we’d be breaking the contract and could end up in jail."
"Are there many people like you working for the government?"
"Yeah, pretty much everyone who owns a boat has been hired. Otherwise, we’d all starve to death!" The crew member laughed. "Hey, life is way better now than it used to be!"
The group was taken aback. "How is this better than before?!"
The crew member shrugged at their reaction. "Fishing is fishing, but back then, the money we made from selling the fish wasn’t even enough to cover a single trip’s fuel, tools, and maintenance costs. Now, we don’t have to worry about selling the fish. Fuel and repairs are all taken care of, and as long as we’re on the boat, we haven’t run into any zombies. My wife, who used to worry about me not bringing home enough to eat, doesn’t dare to think about anything else now. Life’s much better!"
“...”
The group fell silent.
For many people, the survival of humanity was less important than their immediate livelihood. Just like the survivors they had once rescued in a residential community, hiding in safe zones, stretching out their hands, waiting for government aid, and saying that life now seemed better than before.
Some team members started to doubt: What the hell am I risking my life for?
Afraid that the crew’s passive attitude might infect his team, An Minghui quickly sent the crew member away, then addressed his team, “While we’re out here fighting to protect the people, there are definitely comrades elsewhere risking their lives to protect our families. We need to believe in our country and trust that they’ll find a solution to this virus.”
Some team members regained their fighting spirit, while others remained silent.
Hao Jian leaned back in her chair, casually resting her legs on Lian Ru Ning’s lap. After getting an annoyed glare from Lian Ru Ning, she merely responded with a flirtatious wink.
Lian Ru Ning, seeing her shamelessness, just rolled her eyes but didn’t push her legs off.
After their silent flirting, Hao Jian sneered, “People who think life is better now will be the first to be eliminated.”
Everyone turned to her as she continued, “Survival of the fittest. Once they’ve outlived their usefulness, who would waste resources to keep supporting them? When that time comes, they’ll know what true hell looks like.”
Once scientists figure out how the virus affects vertebrates, they won’t need fishermen anymore. These fishermen will have to adapt to this world all over again, but by then, they’ll be too far behind and disconnected. They’ll be quickly eliminated.
The group shuddered, feeling that Hao Jian made sense. Although they were fighting for survival, at least they had combat skills, knowledge of the outside world’s situation, and a fighting chance to survive.
Moreover, the government needed them for tasks and to maintain order. No matter what, they wouldn’t be the ones discarded. But if they gave up now, they’d also lose their value to the authorities and be abandoned sooner or later.
An Minghui glanced at Hao Jian and secretly gave her a thumbs-up.
He hadn’t spent much time with these team members, so if he were overly strict or tried preaching to them, they might rebel against him. It was better for an outsider to bluntly state the harsh truths, they were more likely to listen that way.
He also had some suspicions about these crew members. But with the government's limited resources, they often had to rely on hired help. The government might be able to control these people to some extent but couldn’t always keep tabs on their actions and mindset.
---
The boat quickly left and entered the waters of Southern City. There were indeed other boats sailing, including patrol boats.
As they approached a once-thriving and bustling route, a patrol boat came alongside to check their fishing vessel. After confirming that they were armed because of their escort mission, they were allowed to proceed.
Hao Jian had a work permit from the Hong Kong Command Center's security department, given by Wang Zishao. It featured the latest anti-counterfeiting technology. A special machine could scan it to read the chip containing her personal information.
Wang Zishao had explained that this permit was newly developed after the authorities took note of "Wujio." It was equivalent to a new form of ID. Initially, only officials at various levels would use it, followed by a six-month plan to issue new IDs to everyone in the various shelters. As for survivors out in the wild, they wouldn’t have this chance.
In other words, six months later, anyone without this new ID would face constant government inspections and harassment, leaving members of hostile or external threat groups nowhere to hide.
Lian Ru Ning, though lacking such a permit, had her national ID and student ID. Plus, she was acting with the escort team, so there were no suspicions.
After passing through more dangerous areas, they quickly reached Shengyu Island.
Shengyu Island was an isolated island split in two by a river. The left side, near the university town, had docks and a container yard, while the right side had villages and farmland.
However, it was clear that the river was fenced off with high iron nets to prevent villagers from crossing. The dock was guarded by heavily armed security, comparable to a government building.
The military academy dock where they disembarked was equally fortified.
Having gone through this process before, neither Hao Jian nor Lian Ru Ning panicked when guns were pointed at them.
After verifying their identities, Lian Ru Ning initially intended to head to the science center but realized these people weren’t An Minghui. They would definitely question how she knew Lian Qingmiao was there.
However, her father’s status as a university professor became useful. She requested to go into the university town to find her father at South China Sea University, with An Minghui vouching for her.
The guards, who had initially refused due to the university town’s lockdown, softened upon learning her father’s status. “The university town was invaded by the zombie virus long ago, but you can leave your father’s information with us. We’ll check if he’s on the survivor list.”
Lian Ru Ning complied, providing her father’s details. They were allowed to wait.
Their stay on the island was limited to 24 hours, and they couldn’t wander freely. Lian Ru Ning could only watch the fenced-off area from the docks.
That area was both familiar and alien. Just over a month ago, she was there, preparing for summer camp, walking every inch of that place.
Now, after the lockdown, the grass was unkempt, growing wildly, with no students strolling or tourists visiting. Only high fences and stern guards remained.
Hao Jian remarked, “I think this area isn’t just a new military base, there must be an arms factory too. That’s probably why they’re so strict about not letting anyone stay over 24 hours or roam freely.”
Lian Ru Ning thought it over. It did seem like the perfect spot for development.
The river provided a natural barrier, minimizing zombie threats, thus saving manpower on defenses. Patrol boats ensured no criminals could approach undetected. The area’s clear zoning supported both administrative functions and arms production, while the docks and adjacent shipyard greatly enhanced their transport capabilities.
Soon after, the guards informed them, “After verification, Professor Lian Qingmiao is still alive and on the island.”
Lian Ru Ning anxiously asked, “Can I see him?”
The guards replied, “We’re not unreasonable. Of course, you can.”
They even provided transport to the science center, while Hao Jian waited at the former Southern City University administrative building, now the Southern City Refugee Management Office.
Taking advantage of this downtime, Hao Jian decided to level up.
Indeed, she had long met the requirement of killing twenty zombies for her next upgrade. But she had postponed it while thinking through things on the boat. Now, she had accumulated 2,013 experience points and 4,185 credits, with the system persistently prompting her:
“Host, would you like to upgrade to Level 5?”