Bai Wen had no choice but to house everyone in the bunker first, planning to build proper accommodations once materials were sufficient. Although he could convert crystals into materials, that would be too wasteful—something he couldn't bear to do.
Every day, he dispatched Marine Corpsmen and SCVs to Pi County to clear out Zombies while simultaneously gathering resources. The three-meter-tall SCVs, with their massive frames, made light work of collecting scrapped vehicles. Soon, new dormitories were completed.
When everyone saw the finished dormitories, they couldn't help but gasp. These weren't just dormitories—they were practically a Steel Fortress!!
The entire structure was built from steel, complete with numerous firing ports. The main gate's steel plating was a full ten centimeters thick, sturdy enough to withstand even artillery fire.
Once everyone moved in, they felt an overwhelming sense of security.
After everyone was settled, Bai Wen returned to the command center. Glancing casually at the Vespene Gas reserves, his eyes widened in shock.
Vespene Gas was supposed to accumulate at a rate of 1 point every 3 hours. From last night until now, it should have been 16 points. But what was going on with the current count? Was the system malfunctioning?
Staring at the 320 Vespene Gas points, Bai Wen wondered if he was seeing things.
"Officer, what's going on here?" Bai Wen asked, dumbfounded.
"Commander, since the day before yesterday, the purity of the Vespene Gas has been increasing. Currently, we're collecting 6.6 Vespene Gas per hour!"
"6.6 per hour?" Bai Wen was overjoyed. It had to be the effect of that meteorite fragment!
"Immediately construct a Tech Lab!" Bai Wen ordered excitedly.
"Understood, Commander. Constructing the auxiliary building Tech Lab requires 50 Crystals and 25 High-energy Gas. Construction initiated. Estimated completion time: 3 hours!"
Bai Wen felt a wave of satisfaction. Suddenly, he thought of the elusive Ghosts—the units capable of deploying nukes—and immediately added, "Also, construct a Ghost Academy to unlock Ghosts!"
"Understood, Commander. Ghost Academy requires 150 Crystals and 50 High-energy Gas. Construction initiated. Estimated completion time: 6 hours!"
Watching the circular structure slowly take shape on the command center's screen under the SCVs' construction, even the usually composed Bai Wen couldn't help but feel a surge of ambition. With the Ghost Academy, he could produce Ghosts—and with Ghosts, dealing with the Zuo Mountain Safe Zone would be a breeze!
Once the Tech Lab was completed, he could also produce Marauders—those three-meter-tall, heavily armored, firepower-heavy brutes! And the Reapers, experts in ambushes and rapid response, would be perfect for raiding enemy bases!
Following the SCVs' suggestion, he also constructed a Sensor Tower. This tower could detect activity within a ten-kilometer radius, alerting him immediately if any strangers or Zombies entered.
By the time Bai Wen left the command center, it was already 5 PM. Along the way, he saw SCVs reinforcing the walls, while Huifei and the others were busy helping with farm work.
When they spotted Bai Wen, they nervously greeted him. Li Dan, in particular, gazed at him with undisguised admiration. If Di Yan hadn't held him back, he would have rushed over to kneel in reverence.
Huifei wasn't as reserved. She approached Bai Wen and asked, "What should we do next? I don't think those people will let this go. Should I go to S City to keep an eye on them? If anything happens, we can prepare in advance!"
Bai Wen pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Be careful on the road. Take weapons with you. Your mission is just reconnaissance. If anything happens, come back and inform me immediately!"
"Understood!" Huifei responded and immediately ran toward the armory.
Bai Wen suddenly remembered something and turned to ask, "By the way, what's your surname?"
Huifei's body stiffened slightly, and without turning her head, she replied, "Uh... I'll tell you when I get back. I'm leaving now..."
With that, she quickened her pace.
Bai Wen found it very strange—was a surname really something to keep so secret? But he didn't dwell on it and went back to his room to rest.
...
On the outskirts of S City stood a large prison that housed serious criminals. Since the virus outbreak, the prison had been affected but not severely. The inmates inside began to riot, led by Eagle Lord, who had gained extraordinary abilities. They killed all the guards and took over the prison, naming it the Zuo Mountain Safe Zone.
Thanks to the prison's unique structure, they successfully fended off the Zombie attacks and survived the apocalypse. Later, they began actively hunting Zombies and gathering survivors from S City, growing their influence steadily.
Not long ago, they also wiped out the Black Cloud Zone, acquiring a large batch of standardized equipment, making their strength unprecedented.
Inside the massive conference hall of the Zuo Mountain Safe Zone, a large chair was placed on the podium—the seat of their leader, Eagle Lord!
Eagle Lord was a bald-headed man in his forties, burly with thick eyebrows and big eyes. At the moment, he was sitting on the chair, teasing two young women until they were breathless and flushed with desire.
In the hall stood over a dozen burly men, each with a fierce and menacing appearance, their faces covered in scars. Long Er, who had lost an arm and looked pale, stood in the center of the hall, his head lowered in fear.
"Ah, Second Brother, you've spent years hunting geese, only to get pecked in the eye this time. You've been unconscious for so many days, and we had no idea what happened. Now that you're awake, why don't you tell us exactly what went down?" Eagle Lord looked at Long Er with a mocking gaze.
"Eagle Lord, here's what happened. I took some men to that mine and found several beautiful women. Just as we were about to capture them, an incredibly terrifying Zombie appeared—at least Level 5! Then everyone died, and I was the only one who survived, losing an arm in the process!" Long Er said gloomily.
"A Level 5 Zombie?" Eagle Lord's eyes flashed, and he asked, "What about that Safe Zone?"
"I don't know. But while we were fighting the Zombie, they ran away. I doubt anything happened to them."
Eagle Lord nodded. Though Long Er's story had many holes, he didn't think Long Er was lying—not because Long Er feared him, but because there was no need.
What would Long Er gain from lying?
Eagle Lord turned his gaze to another burly man. "Diao Da, it's your turn now. Take enough men and weapons, kill that Zombie for me, and search that mine thoroughly. Make sure you find those people and bring them all back!"
"Don't worry, Eagle Lord. Leave it to me," the man said, casting a disdainful glance at Long Er.
Long Er seethed with resentment, but speaking up now would clearly be unwise, so he kept his mouth shut, gritting his teeth in secret while sneering inwardly, "I wonder what kind of expression you'll wear once you meet those people."
Long Er had his own calculations. After this outing, nearly all his men had been wiped out, leaving him no longer capable of standing toe-to-toe with Diao Da!
He had deliberately concealed the truth this time just to screw Diao Da over! If he managed to succeed by some stroke of luck, he could simply shift all the blame onto that Zombie—claiming they'd been targeted by it and hadn't noticed such matters at all.
(End of chapter)