C16 Entering the Vaulter Base

Yan Cheng nodded, his voice hushed, "As the apocalypse looms, the most crucial asset remains human talent. Whether in logistics or combat, researchers are indispensable. To develop new cultivation methods and more powerful weapons, you can't expect these soldiers to handle R&D. Granted, not everyone in the school is necessarily talented – take you and me, for example!"

Lang Zhe rolled his eyes at this, but Yan Cheng, undeterred, went on, "Still, there are high-caliber students like Huang Qiu. The likelihood of finding talent here is significantly higher than in other places. Plus, it's easier to manage people within the school environment, certainly more so than those out in society."

Lang Zhe couldn't help but concede that Yan Cheng had a point. The students in the school surely didn't have as many varied ideas as those shaped by the broader society.

As they traveled, the military officers cleared a path, shredding nearby zombies with their weapons while diligently collecting the crystal cores.

"Cheng, you've got an eye for this. See, even the soldiers are gathering those zombie crystal cores!" Lang Zhe praised, flashing a thumbs-up.

"Obviously!" Yan Cheng replied, unabashedly proud, though he left out the fact that his awareness of the crystal cores was thanks to the system.

"You're full of yourself!" Lang Zhe teased.

Yan Cheng just smirked and stayed silent, diving into a game. This time, he didn't lose right away, but after picking up a shotgun, he immediately felt queasy!

People with 3D motion sickness experience exacerbated symptoms when playing first-person 3D games in a moving vehicle.

Huang Qiu patted Yan Cheng's back, asking, "You're playing on your phone while carsick?"

Too drained to respond, Yan Cheng wished he could tell her that he wasn't actually carsick.

After a long, unsteady journey, they finally reached a city encircled by towering walls. Their large group had attracted numerous zombies along the way, and although the military did their best to protect them, some people were still injured or even devoured.

Upon seeing the imposing city walls, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a glimmer of safety.

"This city wall is so crudely built!" Lang Zhe stepped out of the vehicle, eyeing the structure before him with a critical eye.

"It's impressive that they managed to build such a city wall in such a short time!" Yan Cheng remarked.

"How could they possibly achieve this so quickly?" Huang Qiu gazed at the city wall before her, puzzled.

"What if the government had prior knowledge?" Yan Cheng replied with a smile, then proceeded to follow the troops into the city.

Huang Qiu was utterly shocked by his words. The government had known? For how long?

Once inside the outer city wall, the officer announced, "Everyone, please remain here. Recruitment for the inner city can happen at any time, and that's your opportunity to get in. If you wish to enter on your own, you'll need to provide resources and crystal cores."

There were numerous tents around, with many people sitting on the ground, their faces numb.

"Recruitment is starting!" someone suddenly yelled, prompting everyone to dash toward the recruitment square.

"This is madness, isn't it?" Lang Zhe exclaimed.

"Madness? I don't see it that way. If you were starving for two days and someone told you there's a way to get food, you might act even more desperately than they are!" the officer replied with a chuckle. "Come on, your supplies will grant you access to the inner city, where you can reside for a month in a single-person dormitory. The conditions are rough, but at least it's shelter. If you're looking for something better, you can trade resources or crystal cores for it. Young man, you've got an eye for opportunity!"

Yan Cheng and the others followed the officer inside, where a soldier was assigned to show them to their accommodation.

They soon reached a modest ten-story building that looked to be a pre-apocalypse residential complex, still relatively clean and tidy from the outside.

The soldier approached the lobby entrance on the first floor and informed the gatekeeper, "These three will be staying for a month."

"Got it, rest assured, I'll take care of it!" the gatekeeper responded cheerfully.

Once the soldier had left them with the gatekeeper, he departed.

"You all must be students, right?" the gatekeeper began, "But to have the military arrange accommodation for you is quite the feat!"

"You've got keen eyes indeed. We were fortunate to take over a supermarket, which is why we're enjoying these perks!" Yan Cheng responded.

"Got it. Allow me to introduce myself—I'm Tang Ming, the gatekeeper around here!" Tang Ming said, introducing himself.

"Brother Tang, could you fill us in on the details of this base? We've just arrived and aren't familiar with the local rules," Yan Cheng said as he offered an apple.

Tang Ming's eyes lit up at the sight of the apple. "Absolutely, I'd be happy to. Even though I'm always here at the gate, I'm well-informed about what goes on outside."

"Please, do tell," Yan Cheng urged, showing his eagerness to learn.

"The perimeter of this base was only finished yesterday, though I heard construction started three days ago," Tang Ming explained. "But that's not what's important. What matters are the rules here. First off, you can't just go around killing people. And second, if the base is under threat from a zombie tide or an attack from another base, you're expected to contribute and defend."