I'm Hoarding for the Apocalypse

233 Addressing Him as Brother

That night, Du Yue and He Xing gradually fell asleep amidst the children’s laughter. The next day, Du Yue and He Xing, who had a good night’s sleep, woke up feeling refreshed. They were used to getting up early, so it was only around 6:30 when they finished washing up and left the room.

Du Yue thought that she had woken up very early, but she heard from the residents of the base that Yu Xinya had long gone out to sea with Wan Dapeng and some young men to fish. Apart from surprise, Du Yue was also full of admiration for everyone in the base. When she left with He Xing, the people in the base even sent them out the gates with great enthusiasm.

When they drove away from the base, Du Yue felt as if a lifetime had passed. This small base, which had also been tormented by natural disasters, was short of supplies, but everyone’s heart was in one place, and the atmosphere was friendly and generous. They were willing to contribute and help each other. This unremarkable little base was like an unpolluted pure land in the apocalypse.

Du Yue could not help but look back. The car had already driven some distance. When she looked back, all she could see was thick fog, and she could not see the base. “You feel like staying longer?” He Xing asked, smiling.

!!

Du Yue looked away and shook her head with a smile. “No, I just think that the people in this base are quite cute. I hope that they can continue to live in peace and happiness.”

He Xing did not say anything after hearing this. The world was constantly changing, and natural and man-made disasters never stopped. No one knew how long their stable lives would last. Even if He Xing did not say it, Du Yue knew it in her heart. However, Du Yue had always believed that one had to be prepared for the worst in the post-apocalyptic world, and at the same time, be hopeful about life.

Du Yue pulled herself out of her thoughts and took out the map. “We’re new here, so don’t worry about it. It’s safer to drive slowly.” Zuo Mingdong had given them a map, and they had downloaded various electronic maps in advance before they set off, so they were not afraid. However, after the earthquake, many of the landmarks had been destroyed. Now, it was foggy outside, so it was easy to get lost.

Fortunately, both of them had a good sense of direction, and they were more cautious, so they did not end up taking the wrong path. However, even if they did not go the wrong way, the two of them were busy all the way until the afternoon before they finally arrived at the entrance of the second base. The first base was built in Qinghe City’s summer resort, but the second base was different. It was an expanded military base by the sea.

The gate in front of Du Yue and He Xing was built later. The difference between the first base and the second base was that the second base was divided into an inner city and an outer city. After entering through the gate, one would be in the outer city of the base. This was mentioned in the information that Zuo Mingdong had given them.

He Xing drove the car to the gate of the base. There were three other cars waiting in front of them, so they had to queue up at the back. After about ten minutes, it was finally their turn. He Xing drove the car forward for a distance and was stopped by the security guard. “Use the card.”

There was a card-swiping machine at the gate of the base, just like the one in an underground parking lot. Only by swiping the card would the boom gate be raised and the car could pass. He Xing rolled down the window halfway and passed a cigarette to the guard. “Brother, we’re new here, and we don’t have a card yet.”

When the man saw the cigarette, his face was full of surprise. It had been three years since the apocalypse, and he had not touched cigarettes or alcohol for a long time. Although He Xing had only given him one cigarette, it was enough to make him happy. Most importantly, cigarettes had been discontinued a long time ago. Anyone who could still get their hands on cigarettes must be capable.

The man took the cigarette from He Xing’s hand excitedly, and the smile on his face grew brighter. “It doesn’t matter. The second base welcomes everyone to join. If one doesn’t have an official resident card, one can get a temporary identity card after paying two catties worth of food, which will allow one to enter and leave the base at will for two days. However, this card can only be used for passage. You’ll have to find your own way to eat and stay in the base.”

Du Yue and He Xing frowned at the man’s words. After the extreme cold, the first base canceled the rule that people had to pay with food when entering the base. They would even go to the city to search for survivors regularly and bring them back to the base. The second base was on par with the first base in terms of reputation. Why did they still need to pay with food to enter?

If it was before doomsday, two catties worth of food was not a problem for everyone. However, it had been three years since doomsday. In these three years, the farming industry had declined, and everyone had problems with food. How could they casually take out two catties of food? The entrance fee was a little too expensive just to enter the second base for two days.