The cave was spacious, astonishingly it was a tunnel. It sloped downward all the way, reaching the end where there was a road that turned around, looking like it led to the bottom of the reservoir.
However, Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei didn't need to go that way, which seemed to be a tunnel for vehicles.
Right in front of them, beside the tunnel entrance, there was a staircase going down, with a turn; it took only twenty or thirty steps to reach the bottom.
This was meant for pedestrian use.
The cave was pitch-black, Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei relied on Gou's glowing eyes to see everything clearly.
They didn't hurry down the stairs, lingering at the entrance for quite a while.
On one hand, it was to move those stones outside in, erasing any marks on the ground to prevent anyone from following them inside.
On the other hand, it was also to observe the situation inside, to see if this former shelter was still suitable for people to enter.
The shelter was built underwater, so aspects like ventilation and pressure resistance likely demanded high standards.
So many years had passed, Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei were both unsure whether it was suitable for human entry and if breathing was still possible.
Lu Xi'an instructed Gou to provide signals, then cautiously blocked the outer side of the newly opened entrance with stones, only feeling relieved when it was confirmed there was no problem.
Now they didn't have to worry about their excavated entrance being discovered, and they could easily break out without fearing being followed in.
And after working inside the cave for so long, no abnormal physical conditions had appeared, which probably meant there was no issue.
So they went down the stairs and paused for a bit.
Their breathing was still unaffected, and everything below remained intact; the path was open with no signs of collapse.
This way, the two felt completely reassured.
The tunnel below had a pedestrian walkway; they just needed to follow Gou's light along the walkway down the tunnel.
The tunnel wasn't very long; after a while of walking, Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei saw a fallen roller shutter gate, accompanied by a metal door on the walkway.
The metal door had an electronic lock, but after such a long time, it was out of power. The lock core could only be dismantled from inside, so there was no way to supply power to the lock, leaving Gou helpless.
Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei had to try to open the roller shutter gate.
Fortunately, the two of them were strong enough; with combined effort, they managed to lift the roller shutter gate.
Squeezing through the bottom, releasing the gate afterward, the heavy roller shutter slammed to the ground with a "bang," sending a tremor beneath their feet, leaving them worried whether this might cause a collapse.
Thankfully, the interior of the shelter was still quite sturdy; the previous collapse only affected the exterior.
However, the rocks outside were too many and too large; the remaining people back then probably lacked the necessary tools and didn't have a mechanical dog to help find the weak points of the collapsed areas, leaving them powerless.
Thus, this underground shelter remained sealed until today, only seeing the light again with their and Yao Wei's arrival.
Do you think there's anyone inside?
Lu Xi'an wondered, proceeding with Yao Wei and Gou further inside.
Behind the roller shutter gate was surprisingly a parking lot, empty with not a single vehicle.
Lu Xi'an felt a bit disappointed; if he could find a car here, he wouldn't have to cling to Yao Wei.
Following Gou, he and Yao Wei crossed the parking lot, discovering a small elevator room. However, the elevator was out of power; even if there was power, they wouldn't dare use it.
Fortunately, there was still a staircase behind the elevator room going down.
Approaching the staircase entrance, for convenience, Lu Xi'an directly lifted Gou up, holding it like a flashlight.
Gou's eyes shone brightly, lighting up the path down for Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei.
The staircase took several rounds before reaching an actual underground shelter.
The shelter had yet another electronic lock. But fortunately, this lock was in an unlocked state, not closed.
Lu Xi'an instructed Gou to turn off the lights, first going in to scout the area to confirm there was no danger.
Of course, while Gou searched, he and Yao Wei were covering at the entrance, holding guns for protection.
The inside was empty and ominously cold, like a morgue where even the slightest sound was incredibly distinct, as if amplified by a loudspeaker at the ear.
Even the sound of Gou's wheel turning became extremely loud.
This sound was completely inaudible outside.
The wheel sound seemed to carry an echo, yet it didn't also.
After a good while, light finally appeared, somewhat blinding.
Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei had to squint, but at least their spirits slightly relaxed upon confirming safety.
"Gou, come here."
Lu Xi'an called the mechanical dog back, then under Gou's illuminated lead, began exploring.
Upon entering the shelter, they first encountered a large space supported by several pillars, resembling a gathering or dining area, with chairs and tables disorganized and overturned.
A dusty television hung on the wall long unused, uncertain whether it could be turned on.
Beyond the space was a row of rooms, some doors open, some closed, the setup extremely simple—
Each room contained four bunk beds, two on each side, separated by a table with wardrobes at the bed heads, filling the room.
It looked like a dormitory, each accommodating eight people.
Yet, these places appeared unoccupied; inside was empty, the beds neat, with wardrobes open.
Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei went room by room, opening desk drawers, finding them emptied.
"If there's enough supplies here and water, electricity, and sewage systems are okay, theoretically it could be livable."
Lu Xi'an remarked.
But Yao Wei maintained silence, continuing to inspect room after room.
Midway through, they found the restroom.
They entered to check; sewage seemed temporarily okay but after use, water couldn't be pumped back up for replenishment.
The stored water, unknown for how long, already smelled moldy and unbearable.
The row of faucets, despite being next to a plentiful reservoir, were unable to draw water due to broken supply.
Lu Xi'an sighed.
Yao Wei simply commented, "Broken."
Was it a mere illusion or not, Lu Xi'an felt Yao Wei's tone carried a hint of joy, suppressed and hardly discernible.
"Yeah, broken."
The pair left the restroom, continuing forward to find another row of empty dorms.
But at the innermost part, Lu Xi'an discovered a bed in the dorm had a skeleton lying atop it.
The sheets beneath the skeleton appeared stained with blood long dried and hardened into dark red rigidity, unsettling.
A fruit knife lay on the floor beside the bed, speckled with blood now dried to brittleness and forming cracks.
"Looks like he committed suicide."
Lu Xi'an remarked.
Yao Wei nodded.
Was it due to a blocked exit, left in solitude within the shelter, despairing to suicide?
Or was it something else?
But these past events were inconsequential now; neither Lu Xi'an nor Yao Wei had the mind to speculate the history.
In this forsaken dorm, they discovered many items: clothing, chocolate wrappers, instant noodle bowls with hardened soup stains, and other food packaging.
These findings confirmed——
That the shelter indeed had supplies!