#72 - Chapter 72 Let’s Have Hot Pot
In the afternoon.
Inside Green Source Base.
It was drizzling here as well.
Shallow puddles flowed on the ground. Occasionally, people with umbrellas hurried past, splashing small droplets of water.
The dust from the construction work of the past few days had finally been washed away by the rain, revealing the brand-new buildings.
Green Source Base hadn't been built for long to begin with, and with the recent addition of many new structures, it was filled with a fresh, newly-built atmosphere.
At the main entrance, Zhang Dong, a defense team member, was on duty during the day.
He had been a security guard at the Green Source Factory before the apocalypse.
Later, he joined the defense team and was often responsible for guarding the main gate of the base.
He was content with his current situation.
He had brought his wife to the opening ceremony, so he had family here.
Compared to others who were alone, he was doing well.
He had a teenage child and an elderly mother living in his hometown.
He and his wife had come to Guangnan Province to work.
Without education or professional skills, they could only take on jobs such as security guard and cleaning work.
Each month, they earned meager salaries and sent some back to his elderly mother to care for their child.
In this current world, he didn't know how his child and elderly mother were doing back home.
Going back was out of the question.
He and his wife could only hope that their family back home were safe.
Although they didn't dare to have too much hope.
They had grieved, but the couple had regained their spirits and continued to work hard for their lives, because they had to keep living, didn't they?
Besides, they were well aware that many people outside had died.
Being able to have enough to eat and sleep soundly was a luxury that survivors outside couldn't imagine.
Therefore, he was now on duty more diligently than before.
His wife was the same when she was building walls and doing other work, all to make this base, which sheltered everyone from the wind and rain, even stronger.
Today was the third day since Boss Qin and the others had left, and he didn't know when they would be back.
Zhang Dong still remembered Boss Qin often greeting him in the past.
The autumn and winter rain made him feel a little sleepy.
After thinking for a while, he reached into the chest pocket of his clothes and took out a tightly wrapped bag in a small plastic bag.
After carefully opening it, he took out a slightly crumpled cigarette.
These were the last two cigarettes he had left.
He had already smoked the previous ones. He was reluctant to smoke these last two, and only took them out to smell them under his nose to relieve his craving when he had a nicotine fit.
Now, only by making contributions could one have the opportunity to obtain things beyond the basic necessities.
He heard that the combat team had much better benefits in this regard.
They, the defense personnel, only had a little bit of contribution points each month.
Most people were also reluctant to use their valuable contribution points to exchange for cigarettes.
After the apocalypse, he almost quit smoking, which he had wanted to do before, all at once.
Smelling the familiar aroma of the tobacco.
His mind imagined the taste of the smoke entering his lungs and combining with the alveoli.
It was as if he had really smoked a cigarette.
After indulging in the sensation, he carefully put the cigarette back into his pocket again.
Keeping it close to his body.
This was his treasure.
Slightly perking up, he looked again at the fine rain outside the gate.
After a long time, his thoughts drifted again.
He didn't know what the future would hold.
Shasha shasha—
Suddenly, the walkie-talkie next to him made a sound.
Zhang Dong's drowsiness was instantly kicked away.
Coming back to his senses, he quickly picked up the walkie-talkie and pressed the receive button.
"This is the Green Source Combat Team, we are about to arrive at the base gate, please clear the gate area immediately." x2
The voice rang out from the walkie-talkie!
Zhang Dong remembered that this was the voice of Li Bowen, the captain of the combat team!
Boss Qin and the others were back!
Not daring to be negligent.
Zhang Dong quickly informed the other people in the base who were authorized to know about the situation!
And immediately turned on the remote control bell installed on the base wall in other places, clearing the area of the gate, the base's combat team would be back soon!
For a time, the entire Green Source Base was mobilized!
Their leading figure, and the strongest and most meritorious group of people, who had been out on a mission for several days, had finally returned to the base again!
Rumble rumble—
Before long, under Zhang Dong's gaze, the powerful engine sound of a heavy truck came from the distant intersection, and then one car after another passed through the rain and appeared in his sight!
The leader was none other than the boss's ride, the Saber-Toothed Tiger!
The gate slowly opened, and the convoy drove in in an orderly manner. This time, the returning convoy was relatively large, especially the two semi-trailers behind that were loaded with helicopters, which took up a lot of space.
It took a little time for all the combat team's vehicles to drive into the isolation zone of the base.
Qin's father had already heard the news and came over with Qin's mother and several managers.
They were worried about their son being out for a few days, and now that he was back, they could finally put their hearts at ease.
Standing on the wall of the isolation zone, he looked down at the convoy below that had become huge again, and the bulging things under the tarpaulin, wondering if their mission had gone smoothly this time.
He simply shouted directly at Qin Jin, who had already stuck his head out of the co-pilot seat of the Saber-Toothed Tiger below:
"A'Jin, did the mission go smoothly this time? Did anything go wrong? Is there anything you need us to do right away?"
Qin Jin, seeing the crowd of base personnel watching above, and feeling the wet clothes on his body that had been rained on, shouted to the top:
"It's a long story! Let's go in after the isolation is over. The harvest this time is good, clear out some space and warehouses immediately, we need to put things away."
"Also, have the kitchen prepare some ginger soup and other things to ward off the cold."
A series of affirmative responses came from above.
Soon, ten minutes passed.
There were no abnormalities in the convoy. Some team members had already gotten out of the car to check the back of the heavy trucks and semi-trailers, opening the back seats and tarpaulins.
Each time they came back, they needed to thoroughly check for safety, so that no humans or zombies would sneak into the supplies without them knowing.
It would be funny if they mixed into the base.
After the convoy left the isolation zone and drove into the real base, Qin's father and others put on raincoats and came over with umbrellas.
Qin Jin also briefly told them about the situation, and then let the combat team members who had no tasks go back to change clothes and rest first, and those who had tasks would cooperate with other base personnel to finish some work before resting.
It was already close to November.
The temperature had been hovering around ten degrees Celsius, and with the rain, these combat team members who had been busy for many days were prone to catching colds after getting wet, so they needed to pay special attention.
The next work was simpler. After learning that President Qin and the others had brought back many helicopters from outside this time, their expressions were wonderful.
They were surprised and even more delighted, and they were happy that the base was becoming stronger.
The things on the trucks and heavy trucks were unloaded in an orderly manner.
Especially the helicopters, the personnel driving the forklifts were even more focused and didn't dare to be careless, for fear of bumping these treasures.
If they were broken, there might not be a chance to repair them.
Qin Jin also learned about the situation in the past few days from several base managers. Everything was still proceeding according to plan, and nothing special had happened.
That's normal.
He was afraid that like before, as soon as he went out, some mentally problematic people in the base would come out to cause trouble again.
Then some of the things he had prepared in advance might have to let them "enjoy".
It wouldn't be needed for the time being.
After chatting with Qin's father and Wang Yang and others for a while, both sides had a clear understanding of each other's situation, and then it was time to prepare to receive and store the supplies.
Of course, tonight's extra meal was indispensable!
The combat team members had been out busy for a while and hadn't had many hot meals, so they had to treat themselves well when they came back!
Extra meal tonight!
Coupled with this rainy day.
Qin Jin decided that the combat team members would have a hot pot tonight to ward off the cold!
(End of this chapter)
