Apocalypse: After Being Reborn, I Stocked Up on All Supplies-Chapter 235 - Climbing Up the Branches is Not
Chapter 235: Chapter 235: Climbing Up the Branches is Not Suitable for Me
Chapter 235: Chapter 235: Climbing Up the Branches is Not Suitable for Me
Jiang Yan noticed it, and Jiang Ye naturally noticed it too.
As the few figures left the door and vanished into the snowstorm, he approached Jiang Yan and said,
“That Dr. Xue has a rather unique way of selecting people, doesn’t he? Could he have some special abilities?”
“Maybe.” Jiang Yan squinted her eyes.
The Dr. Chu, Chu Hui, they had encountered earlier—grandfather’s voice matched to a grandson’s face, with surgical scars still visible at the back of his neck—was enough to set one’s imagination racing.
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But right now, Dr. Chu’s voice sounded as young as her face, revealing no clues.
At the mention of Chu Hui, a heaviness settled in Jiang Yan’s heart.
Her mind flashed back to the figure of a person in black fighting the Mutated Rats outside the base.
This intensified her sixth sense: Su Dai and Ye Qing must be inside the base.
Unfortunately, this is Flame Base; not only is she a stranger in a strange land without any power or influence, she can only proceed step by step.
Even if she could later bribe some people with materials for information, she had to have a basic understanding of the situation first; otherwise, it was all too easy to fall into a trap.
Having thought it through, Jiang Yan quietly took a deep breath.
On the other side, once the selection process ended, the busy atmosphere inside the ice cabin suddenly quieted down.
Those not selected wore dejected expressions, and there were numerous sighs of disappointment.
Yet, no one left; they all waited for further instructions from the base.
After roughly two or three minutes, several staff members walked in through a small white wooden door on the side, carrying a stack of A4 papers.
Two staff members held signs marked “Station 1” and “Station 2” in their hands, which they hung on two separate areas of the ice wall.
The staff nodded from a distance at Zhao Yougong, then the lead staff member raised his voice and said:
“Those who need to sign a labor agreement, please line up in front of Station 1. The agreement contains standard terms; just sign your name and leave a fingerprint. After the agreement is signed, we will issue passes for the base, which will allow you to access jobs and accommodation within the base.
Those with materials for exchange, please queue up at Station 2. To clarify, entering the Outer City of the base requires a toll of ten jin of grain or fuel, and additional fees for rental housing and other services. Those with materials should prepare in advance.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a full line quickly formed at Station 1.
Station 2 also had a few people, but they were pitifully scarce.
“How about it, the two of you, have you decided?” Zhao Yougong walked over to Jiang Yan and Jiang Ye.
Jiang Ye gave an embarrassed smile and politely said, “Brother Zhao, I was a bit confused earlier and forgot to ask: does joining the base for defense include food and lodging?”
“That’s a given.” Zhao Yougong nodded.
“We’re not going to be staying in large bunks and eating water porridge, are we?”
“No, the treatment will definitely be much better than that.”
Jiang Ye paused for a second, then with a tilt of his chin towards the crowd lining up to sign the labor agreement, he asked with curiosity,
“By the way, Brother Zhao, there are so many people over there. Some of them look physically strong. Aren’t you planning to select a few?”
“No need,” Zhao Yougong shook his head, “It’s not about quantity, but quality. I’ve looked at those people, and they don’t really cut it for me, nor do I have a good feeling about them.”
Jiang Ye felt somewhat flattered, “Then I’ll be relying on Brother Zhao’s care and guidance from now on.”
Zhao Yougong smiled, “It’s no big deal.”
With that, Jiang Ye said no more. He quickly took his backpack off, flipped out the rat skin that he had offered to Jiang Yan – which she hadn’t accepted – and with both hands respectfully handed it to Zhao Yougong:
“Brother Zhao, this is a little token of my regard. Please, you must accept it.”
The rat skin, along with some food in the backpack and the cracked axe from before, were all exchanged for after he had pawned off his off-road motorcycle.
The motorcycle would have been quite valuable before the apocalypse, but now, it was nearly as good as a pile of scrap metal.
And there was good reason for that; with no fuel available, and everywhere blanketed in snow, it was less valuable than a mutated husky.
Zhao Yougong was already wearing mink fur, so he certainly didn’t lack for such things as rat skins.
However, the sign of respect and favor from the other party was something he appreciated, so he didn’t decline. Accepting the skin with a nod, he then turned to Jiang Yan, “Su Yaen, what about you?”
Jiang Yan smiled slightly, “If I may ask presumptuously, Brother Zhao, what does it entail to join the base’s defense? I noticed warriors on the ice wall earlier, all equipped with weapons. Is it like that?”
Hearing her question, Jiang Ye’s eyes lit up, “Ah, yes, Brother Zhao, do we also get firearms?”
Zhao Yougong shook his head: “We don’t. Only the formal defense forces have firearms. Besides, even if I gave one to you, you might not know how to use it properly, which would be a waste of resources.”
Jiang Yan silently chuckled to herself: No wonder, it seemed too casual for the base defense recruitment.
Jiang Ye was momentarily stunned, then questioned, “Brother Zhao, what do you mean by ‘they are formal’? What does that make us?”
Zhao Yougong smiled, took an interested look at both of them, and explained:
“You would be considered auxiliary. Think of it as a cooperative defense. The defense forces are comprised of regular soldiers, and cooperative defense is formed by civilian forces. Although fundamentally different, once you become part of the cooperative defense, you gain the opportunity to enter the Inner City and the Underground City. Ordinary people have no chance to enter those places.”
“Cough, having privileges isn’t so bad!” Jiang Ye smacked his forehead, then laughed again.
Jiang Yan was somewhat baffled by his train of thought.
Sometimes he was cautious and vigilant, other times he was carelessly confident.
“Su Yaen, what about you? Are you interested in joining?” Zhao Yougong once again extended an olive branch, “The two of you are young; honestly speaking, both the Outer City and the ground city, if they encounter a few more attacks from Mutated Giant Rats like today, they really won’t withstand it.
Only by having the chance to enter the Inner City and Underground City will you have more opportunities to survive. And besides, Su Yaen, you are a girl—” He intentionally trailed off, looking at Jiang Yan with a suggestive gaze.
Jiang Yan: “What?”
“All those in the middle and upper echelons of the base live in the Inner City and Underground City. There’s an old saying: ‘fortune comes to those near the water; the first to enjoy the sun are the flowers facing it’…” His words carried an overt innuendo.
Jiang Yan couldn’t help but laugh, “You flatter me, Brother Zhao. Climbing high isn’t really my style.”
“Nothing is suitable or unsuitable about that. Before or after the apocalypse, climbing higher using one’s own advantages isn’t a shameful act. To put it plainly, it’s just an exchange of equivalent resources.”
Jiang Yan didn’t understand why he was discussing this with her.
And such a topic was really quite out of place.
Beside her, Jiang Ye pretended to watch the people signing labor agreements, while his ears were pricked up to listen to their conversation.
In the meantime, a young man entered from outside.
“Brother Zhao, so you’re here!” The newcomer saw Zhao Yougong and a smile appeared on his face.
Jiang Yan’s brow wrinkled faintly.
That voice sounded somehow familiar.
Glancing over, she saw Kong Wu, covered in snow, approaching them.
