Chapter 42

Su Hao didn’t mind.

This friendly attitude made many people unconsciously lower their guard.

A young woman in her twenties stood up from the ground, her voice hoarse as she asked, "Can I ask what kind of work it is?"

"Building houses, digging, and moving things."

Su Hao glanced at her and added, "They are all physical labor jobs, and anyone can do them."

The woman didn’t ask any more questions. She hesitated for a moment, picked up her backpack from the ground, squeezed out of the crowd, and walked to Su Hao.

"I... I’m not very familiar with these things."

She rolled up her sleeves, looking very tired, and said, "But I will do my best."

A faint smile appeared on Su Hao’s cold face. He turned around and pointed to Xin Yan, who was standing nearby on guard. "Go! She will tell you what to do. As long as you’re not too picky, you should be satisfied with our food. By the way, the beds here are very comfortable and clean, and there’s hot water."

The woman’s eyes immediately widened, her face full of surprise.

For someone who had been traveling for a long time and was extremely exhausted, nothing was more tempting than this. Without hesitation, she nodded vigorously and jogged over to Xin Yan.

With the first one, naturally, there would be a second, a third...

The crowd outside gradually shrank. Once the wall in their minds had a breach, more and more people began to climb over it, wanting to see the unfamiliar scenery on the other side. From the position and angle of the crowd, they could clearly see Xin Yan leading the first few people into the square on the side of the camp, lifting the waterproof tarp covering the pile of supplies. They loaded various items onto carts and transported them to the newly built warehouse.

Outside the wall, in the crowd, a dark-skinned man picked up his backpack and said to his companion, "They don’t seem like bad people. That young man with the gun was right; money is almost worthless, just like waste paper. Since that’s the case, we don’t have anything they would covet. We’re already starving, so we might as well rest here for a few days. The work is simple, just a bit labor-intensive, but at least we’ll have food and a place to stay."

Another man nodded, "They have guns, so we should be able to sleep soundly at night."

A voice of disdain immediately came from the side, "In my opinion, things aren’t as simple as you think. It’s easy to get in, but hard to get out."

These words made the two men hesitate. After a few seconds of silence, the man in the lead shook his head, glanced at Su Hao standing in the distance, and said, "I don’t think so. If they wanted to detain us, they wouldn’t need to go through so much trouble—remember, they have guns."

...

Despite being tired and hungry, nearly half of the people still refused to enter the camp due to various concerns. Su Hao naturally wouldn’t waste time explaining further. He left enough guards as usual and turned to leave.

At dusk, the weather was already slightly cool. The busy people put down their work and gathered in front of the newly built kitchen, queuing up to wait for dinner.

The main dish was still rice.

Due to the sudden addition of over forty people, it was too late to cook a proper meal. The logistics team had to quickly knead dough and make a lot of unleavened flatbreads. They were a bit hard but very fragrant.

The meat dish was stir-fried ham with dried chili peppers, and the vegetable dish was fresh stir-fried bean sprouts. One of the workers rescued from the construction site had previously run a tofu shop, and the tofu he made with an electric grinder tasted very good. The survivors also enjoyed having soy milk or similar beverages for breakfast.

The dining hall was a large room over a hundred square meters, with new tables, chairs, and cabinets brought from a furniture store. Apart from a few guards stationed at the room’s exits and advantageous positions, the other team members sat with the new arrivals, creating a lively atmosphere.

A large man was shoveling food into his mouth, mumbling, "Mm! It’s really good... It’s been almost a month, and this is the first hot meal I’ve had."

Next to him, a thin woman tore off a piece of flatbread and used chopsticks to pick up some ham and chili peppers to eat together. She chewed vigorously. Because she ate too much and too quickly, the unchewed flatbread got stuck in her throat, making her eyes bulge like a goldfish and her face turn red. The people across the table noticed something was wrong and quickly ran over to pat her back and pour her a few large gulps of water, finally dislodging the food. She then leaned back in her chair, breathing heavily like a dying old ox.

Su Hao sat at the table, watching the young woman who was eating heartily and was the first to enter the construction site.

She was probably around twenty, maybe younger. She wore a smoky gray men’s jacket and black athletic pants. Through the open collar, one could see her exposed collarbone and bra strap. She wasn’t wearing a shirt or T-shirt under the jacket, just a black cotton bra. Especially noticeable was a light pink rose tattooed on the upper part of her left breast, which was quite striking. She looked slender and very sexy.

"Pretty, isn’t she?"

She noticed Su Hao’s gaze lingering on her chest, smiled faintly, and took off her jacket without hesitation, revealing smooth, round shoulders. She said boastfully, "You men all like this."

Su Hao’s face remained calm. He picked up his water glass, took a sip, and said slowly, "Compared to those who have died, you are actually very lucky."

"Lucky? I don’t think so."

The woman, or rather, the girl, swallowed the last of her food, wiped her mouth, and reached for the cigarette pack on the table, hesitating before pulling back. She asked in a probing tone, "Can you give me a cigarette?"

Su Hao picked up the pack, took one out, and handed it to her. He lit the cigarette, took a puff, exhaled the smoke, and looked around at the people sitting nearby before his gaze returned to the girl. "What’s your name?"

"Lu Nuor. You can call me Nuor."

The girl’s熟练的抽烟动作丝毫不亚于几十年的老烟民。她偏着头，看了一眼坐在另一张桌子上的欣研：“她长得很漂亮。你女朋友？还是你老婆？”

This question surprised Su Hao. He continued smoking without answering.

"Can I stay here permanently?"

After a few seconds, Lu Nuor turned her head, tied her long hair into a bun at the back, and said seriously, "It’s nice here, and I’m not a lazy good-for-nothing. I can see that you and your girlfriend are good people. Let me... stay here!"

Su Hao continued to look at her, remaining silent. With his decades of experience from the future, he knew that at such times, the other person would voluntarily reveal many things of interest.

"I don’t want to keep walking with those people. I don’t know what’s really going on, and no one along the way can help. I killed a stinking, perverted monster with my high heels... sounds exciting, right? When I worked in a bar, I never thought I’d have to work as a laborer to earn a meal. I stole wallets from many dead bodies and got over two thousand yuan, but it was useless. But that’s good; at least those rich guys can’t force me to strip with a few red bills anymore. The streets are full of cars, and I liked a BMW, but I couldn’t start it without the key. I got a large diamond ring from a jewelry store, priced at 699,999 yuan. I took off my high heels and stabbed the rotten eyes of the jewelry store owner, smashing the window to get the ring. But it was useless; men just want to sleep with me, no one wants to marry me..."

Lu Nuor began to sob, becoming somewhat hysterical. Her voice grew louder, drawing the attention of those around her. Xin Yan walked over, sat down next to Su Hao, and looked at her with concern.

"I wanted to be a good woman. But God didn’t give me the chance. I couldn’t afford school and couldn’t find a decent job. Girls who sell drinks in bars are seen as prostitutes. To meet the monthly sales quota, I had to smile and drink with men. They made me drink as much as they wanted. Six packs of beer every night—sounds scary, right? Even a cow couldn’t drink that much. I tried to secretly spit out or pour out the drinks, but if caught, I’d be forced to drink more or even beaten. I finally found a so-called boyfriend who just gambled with the money in my bag. I was lying in the hospital with a bleeding stomach, and he sold my phone to play World of Warcraft in the internet cafe... Haha! Hahaha! Actually, this chaos is not so bad. Everyone is the same. No one is better than anyone else, and no one is richer. You know, some of those people outside are very rich. Listening to them brag on the road almost drove me crazy. They carry large bundles of cash, guarding them like thieves. It feels good to see them sitting outside, starving. They don’t have much food, and once they finish it, if they go hungry for a few more days, they might even crawl over to eat my poop. Hahaha! This feels good, really good—"

Though laughing, Lu Nuor’s face was nearly distorted, looking neurotic.

Su Hao looked at her for a long time, sighed, and said calmly, "As long as you maintain today’s work intensity, no one will ask you to leave."

Lu Nuor stared at his face, then looked at Xin Yan sitting next to him, and smiled.

Her eyes showed gratitude, and a sense of unprecedented relief and satisfaction.

...

The night sky in the wilderness was much clearer than in the city. Without the obstruction of various pollutants, the stars were more visible, forming the Milky Way in the sky, evoking beautiful love myths. Stories like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, about a rich and beautiful woman and a poor man, are almost impossible in reality, yet countless novels and TV series continue to use them as templates... After all, this is a world full of lies and deception, and it depends on whether you want to stay awake or be immersed in it.

A large crowd gathered at the entrance to the camp, surrounding Chen Kun, who was on guard at the post.

"Please let us in."

"Let someone who can speak come out and talk. We don’t ask for much, just food and a place to stay."

"We are all refugees, help each other. Maybe one day you’ll need our help."

The smell of food stimulated their empty stomachs. People who had been living on cookies and instant food for weeks couldn’t resist the temptation of cooked food and hot dishes. The unfinished gate allowed a clear view of the residential buildings inside. Although they couldn’t see the room interiors, the hungry could imagine spacious beds, soft pillows, and a cozy, comfortable scene.

Besides, Su Hao had mentioned earlier—“hot water.”

A very strange psychology began to spread rapidly among the crowd outside.

"Why can others go in, but not us?"

"I can pay. I have a few gold rings. Look, the watch is a genuine Rolex. Let me in! I’ll give it to you—"

"I’m willing to work now. Let me in."

Faced with the chaotic situation, Chen Kun repeatedly and patiently reiterated, "We’ll discuss any issues tomorrow. Don’t continue to gather here, and keep your voices down, or you’ll attract zombies."

This cold and sincere response had no effect. The crowd remained chaotic and noisy. They spoke excitedly to each other, like flies angry and flying around a piece of rotting meat, separated by glass.

Suddenly, a tall man reached out to grab Chen Kun’s gun. Another person grabbed Chen Kun from behind, pressing his head against the wall. This happened without warning. Chen Kun only heard the dull sound of his head hitting the concrete wall, felt his vision flip in his mind, and heard a buzzing in his ears.

He struggled to stay conscious, gripping the gun tightly. Chen Kun felt angry—being a first-stage enhanced person, he was stronger and faster than these people. They caught him off guard, thinking they were all the same and not enemies... Damn it!

In a normal situation, they wouldn’t stand a chance against me.

However, the sudden impact left his brain in a daze. Chen Kun struggled to focus his vision, trying to see clearly. He roared and struggled, but a thick stick was raised behind him and smashed into the side of his skull.

Everything happened too quickly, leaving no time to react. Chen Kun felt something wet and warm in his hair, which turned out to be blood. The redness seeping into his eyes confirmed this. It blocked the light, making everything look dim, but it couldn’t hide the cruel and violent faces... These damn bastards, they took my gun and were laughing.

Numerous punches and kicks landed on Chen Kun’s body. His brain, hit hard, left him unable to resist, and he could only curl up to protect his head and abdomen. Even so, he felt a very sharp object pierce his leg.

It seemed to be a knife, deeply embedded, cutting a long wound.

"Bang—"

The gunshot from the guard tower drowned out Chen Kun’s screams, followed by a sharp whistle that echoed throughout the camp. Several figures immediately rushed out of the houses, with Su Hao, who had just finished showering and was only in shorts, leading the way. His face was shocked and filled with uncontrollable anger.

The bullet pierced the head of the man holding the knife, who fell next to Chen Kun, motionless.

The crowd at the camp entrance hadn’t reacted yet when they were surrounded by fully armed team members. A few who tried to escape in the chaos were caught and knocked down with gun butts, lying on the ground in pain and moaning.

Everyone, including the newcomers who had entered the camp earlier, ran out of the houses. They stood by, dumbfounded, not realizing that the guards on the other two watchtowers had already aimed their machine guns at them. Any movement would result in immediate gunfire.

Su Hao held Chen Kun’s hand, his other arm supporting his back, lifting him up. Chen Kun felt intense pain, which made his stomach churn. His vision was blurry, and he felt himself being carried by someone, moving through the air, maybe being taken to the medical room... The feeling of not touching the ground was light, but his consciousness told him: he wasn’t dead, he was still alive.

Su Hao’s face was cold as ice. He calmly looked at the people in front of him, his anger ready to erupt at any moment.

Chen Deqing stood at the front of the crowd, his face pale.

He hadn’t expected things to get out of hand.

The original plan was simple—just gather and make a fuss, get the person in charge to come out, and then present facts and reason. Continuously pleading and begging to get them into the camp for a hot meal and a good night’s sleep.

In the eyes of the newcomers, these requests weren’t excessive—during the day, they had seen the waterproof tarp covering bags of rice and flour. There were also many empty rooms in the residential buildings, enough for everyone to have their own.

The plan was easy to implement, and Chen Deqing was confident it would work.

He had already anticipated that money had little purchasing power and had collected some valuable items like gold and silver jewelry and jade pendants. Along with the remaining packs of "Jade Creek" cigarettes in his backpack, he believed he could convince the man named Su Hao.

However, things didn’t go as smoothly as expected. Chen Kun was very stubborn, refusing any compromise. He rejected all the newcomers’ requests, refused to let anyone in, and refused to report to anyone. The crowd talked to him for almost half an hour, their tongues dry and mouths sore, tired and hungry, but could only watch those who had already entered the camp enjoying themselves... The contrast naturally led to anger and impulsiveness.

(Characters appearing in this section: Lu Nuor, played by the book friend "Nuo Mi Xi Tiao" (sounds like a tangyuan). Applause! Cheers! Saliva!)

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