Chapter 57: The Ungrateful Wolf Raised in Vain

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Entering the outer layer of the base only meant temporary safety for all survivors. If one wished to enter the inner base, another zombie virus check was required. But in truth, the current inspection was nothing more than grouping ten people together and locking them in a bare, empty room for a full day and night. If all were safe, they would be released; but if one among them mutated, the fate of the rest depended on their luck. If there was a strong person in the group, perhaps there was a chance of survival; but if it was only a group of defenseless people, they were likely waiting for death.

When Mo Yu, Jin Te, and their group arrived at the base, another group of survivors happened to drive through the gates as well. Judging by appearances, this group didn’t seem too harried by crisis, unlike Mo Yu’s side, where some were in tattered clothes and covered in dust.

Three sedans arrived, and from them emerged seven men and five women. One man, dressed in a black trench coat, went alone to talk with the personnel behind the barricades, seemingly inquiring about something. The other eleven stood or leaned idly against the cars. After a while, the man in black returned to his group and said something; a few of them glanced over at Mo Yu’s group with undisguised displeasure, as if they were pests.

“To hell with their ‘They’re about to mutate’ nonsense,” Mo Yu muttered, turning away in irritation, refusing to look in their direction.

Before long, the man in the black trench coat and another in a beige shirt with gold-rimmed glasses, who looked scholarly and refined, walked over. Soon after, personnel in protective suits led them all into a large, dark room to await their day and night of quarantine.

Before entering, Mo Yu had noted that this survivor base seemed to be the province’s only large sports stadium, with impressive grounds and likely decent facilities inside. The place they were in now resembled a security room, though it was clearly renovated and expanded. Debris littered the floor, and all windows were sealed except for a tiny vent, through which a slant of sunlight illuminated the dust swirling in the air.

“Ugh!” Several women—and even some of the men—pinched their noses. The air here was worse than outside! The metallic tang of blood, the stench of waste, the rot of fruits and vegetables: it was no wonder, Mo Yu thought, glancing at the tiny vent. With just that little opening, the place was virtually sealed off; how could the air possibly circulate?

Without a word, the group moved to the least filthy part of the room. Thankfully, the space was large enough that it wasn’t unbearable.

Mo Yu glanced up at the surveillance camera above, then lowered her head and played with little Li Jun’s hands.

“Hey, where are you guys from?” After about fifteen minutes of silence, someone couldn’t hold back any longer. Xu Dong and his group followed the questioner’s gaze toward the two men standing near Mo Yu, curiosity evident on their faces.

“We’re from the capital,” the gentle man in beige hurried to answer when his leader said nothing.

“The capital? We were just planning to go there!” Zhao Qingqing, standing very close to Mo Yu, quickly asked, “Isn’t the capital supposed to be the safest place? Why did you…?” Her tone was skeptical, and she edged even closer to Mo Yu, as if afraid of something. Mo Yu glanced at her, exasperation flickering across her face—since waking up, this woman hadn’t left her side for more than five steps. Turning her head, she met the black-clad man’s deep, dark eyes. Mo Yu’s heart gave a little shudder, and she looked down, not raising her head again until his gaze finally moved away.

“Yes, the capital is safe,” the man replied after a pause, his voice tinged with a faint smile. “We just have some things to take care of. The capital is safe for now, but who can say about the future, right?” His words made the others frown.

“So do you have important business here?” As expected of Nan Li, she asked the most private questions without hesitation.

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“That’s a secret, a secret,” the man replied, unwilling to say more. Jin Te tugged at Nan Li’s sleeve, signaling her to stop probing.

The room fell silent again. The sunlight from the window slowly faded, marking the passage of several hours. Those who tired of standing eventually sat down on the floor, caring little for the filth.

A sudden rumble of hunger broke the silence. Wang Xiaoxiao flushed bright red. “Sorry, I’m a bit hungry.” She was mortified, wishing she could vanish into the floor. But her stomach’s protest seemed contagious; soon, several others’ bellies were growling as well. The good-natured man smiled in amusement, his eyes full of laughter.

“Xiao Jun, are you hungry?” Mo Yu asked the child sitting quietly beside her.

“No…” Li Jun shook his head, though his voice was weak.

A trace of tenderness flashed across Mo Yu’s face. This child—clearly starving, belly growling—was still holding back. Was he afraid she’d abandon him, or that they’d run out of food?

Luckily, the staff hadn’t confiscated their bags, so Mo Yu and Jin Te began to rummage for food. Jin Te handed half a tomato and half a steamed bun to everyone except Mo Yu, Li Jun, and the two unfamiliar men. The others devoured the food ravenously. Li Jun glanced at them, then swallowed hard.

“Li Jun, come have dinner,” Mo Yu called, snapping Li Jun from his daze. As he blinked, he realized everyone was staring at… him? Their gazes sparkled with surprise.

Li Jun looked around, puzzled at what had startled them.

Li Jun: (There’s meat… my mouth is watering…)

Mo Yu placed a ziplock bag of cooked pork into Li Jun’s hands and squeezed his thin fingers. His hand felt nothing like her brother’s—how much hardship had this child endured? “Eat up,” she said, pulling out two roasted buns, a few more tomatoes, and two bottles of water.

“This is the last piece of meat I’ve saved for you. Eat it all.”

Li Jun didn’t know why, but his eyes suddenly stung, and tears began to fall silently. He said nothing, eating slowly and carefully.

“Wow, what a feast!” Mo Yu’s attention shifted to the less familiar man. She glanced at the remaining food in her bag and handed him two tomatoes. “Would you like some?”

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The man was startled, not expecting that he and his leader were included. He quickly accepted the tomatoes with both hands. In this apocalypse, tomatoes were precious—this girl was truly generous! He handed one to his leader, who nodded at Mo Yu in acknowledgment.

“You’re welcome,” Mo Yu replied.

The black-clad man: “-_-!” Did I even say anything?!

After Mo Yu finished eating, the room returned to silence. Night deepened, exhaustion crept in, and before long, the sound of soft snores filled the air. Even the two men closed their eyes, seemingly drifting into dreams. Mo Yu placed her bag between herself and Li Jun, held the boy close, and appeared to sleep as well.

In the deep black of night, only the surveillance camera’s red light blinked intermittently.

Time slipped by unnoticed. In a few hours, they would be allowed into the inner base! A little excitement stirred in Mo Yu’s heart. Unable to sleep, she lay with her eyes closed, thinking of her parents, her brother, her friends.

Suddenly, light footsteps sounded. Mo Yu frowned imperceptibly, but in the darkness, no one but her could see so clearly. Though her eyes were closed, her special ability allowed her to watch everything in a perfect 360-degree view. She saw Lin Hu’s figure pause before her, then turn his head. Mo Yu followed his gaze and saw that Jin Te, Zhao Qingqing, and Wang Xiaoxiao—who should have been asleep—were all staring with wide, anxious eyes. Lin Hu turned, as if steeling himself, and reached for Mo Yu’s bag.

“Damn it!” Mo Yu cursed inwardly. After all the food she had shared, they still set their sights on her possessions. How infuriating!

“Crack—!” Just as Lin Hu’s hand brushed the black bag, a searing pain shot through his heart.

“Overestimating yourself,” Mo Yu said coldly, her voice devoid of emotion. Beside her, the black-clad man’s lips curled in satisfaction.

Author’s note: Many thanks to the girls reading this story. Love you all.