After learning the rules for entering the Quarantine Zone, all the Survivors realized they had been completely exploited by the Military.
Whether they entered the Quarantine Zone or left the city, all the supplies they had struggled so hard to obtain would belong to the Military.
Those with hot tempers immediately flew into a rage, denouncing such overbearing conditions and declaring they would never accept them.
However, some people, upon hearing that if they did not choose to enter the Quarantine Zone now, they might never be able to get in later, said nothing more and silently returned home to pack their things in preparation for entering the Quarantine Zone.
It wasn’t that no one thought of protesting through demonstrations or destruction, but this time, the Military did not continue to tolerate the protesters.
Instead, they took swift and decisive action, arresting people directly and punishing them severely for disturbing public order during special times, revoking their eligibility to enter the Quarantine Zone and expelling them from the city immediately.
Such chilling tactics instantly made those who wanted to fish in troubled waters behave themselves, not daring to come out and cause trouble again.
Although the conditions for entering the Quarantine Zone seemed incredibly harsh to Americans who valued freedom and democracy, for all those who had long been living in fear and anxiety, it was still an excellent safe haven.
Even if there was much resentment in their hearts, they could only silently accept the fact.
However, some were unwilling to just work for others’ benefit, resolving not to hand over their supplies.
Instead, they chose to find a hidden place in the city to hide, wanting to wait until everyone else had entered the Quarantine Zone before leaving.
And so, time slipped away quietly and unnoticed while everyone harbored their own thoughts.
…
In the blink of an eye, a week passed by in a rush.
Accompanied by the noisy construction sounds every day, a wall dozens of meters high was erected in Dallas, covering a full one-fifth of the city’s area.
On the wall, “FEDRA” was written in red spray paint…
During this time, some had packed their luggage, ready to enter the Quarantine Zone at any time.
Some had already found a hiding place and moved all their supplies in early, just waiting for the Military to enter the Quarantine Zone.
Others felt incredibly disappointed in this “New America,” choosing to give up everything here and left the city with their families and a few supplies.
Although some chose to leave, the majority still wanted to enter the Quarantine Zone.
Looking at the endless sea of people around them, everyone knew that the number of people the Quarantine Zone could accommodate was limited, and a group of people would certainly be allocated to other Quarantine Zones.
There was no other way, as Dallas was a key location in the south-central region.
Since the entire southern region had fallen, most refugees chose to gather here, which caused the population to be oversaturated.
After the high wall was initially completed, hundreds of Soldiers waited in the Administration Offices of various districts, ready to set off to record information at the Survivors’ settlement areas throughout the city as soon as the time came.
Dozens of police cars on the streets, with loudspeakers mounted on top, drove slowly around the city, broadcasting the latest notice: “Attention, please have your ID cards or identification cards ready.
Proceed to the nearest registration center at 9:00.
We will register your information and determine through a lottery whether you will be sent to other Quarantine Zones.
If anyone chooses to voluntarily go to other Quarantine Zones, please apply at the nearest Management Office.
We will prioritize arrangements based on your requests…” Brian stood on the side of the street, listening to the content broadcast by the loudspeakers on the Military vehicle slowly driving past.
His eyes followed the movement of the vehicle until it disappeared at the end of the road, and only then did he slowly withdraw his gaze.
He glanced at the time on his watch; it was only 8 o’clock.
He turned his head to look at the street by the side of the abandoned Factory.
The information recording center was empty.
Clearly, the time had not yet arrived, so the recording personnel had not gone there.
After a slight hesitation, he lifted his feet and walked towards the Management Office two blocks away.
At this moment, on both sides of the street, everyone was closely watching the time, waiting to rush to the registration center after 9 o’clock.
Looking at their anxious faces, Brian understood their thoughts.
A few days ago, no one knew who had spread the rumor that anyone who confirmed their identity among the first five thousand would be commended as enthusiastic activists and automatically entered into the Quarantine Zone, avoiding the risk of being transferred to other Quarantine Zones due to a lottery.
Although people knew that this was mostly a rumor, some were still willing to believe it.
Even with the Military escorting them to other Quarantine Zones, no one knew the situation outside now, so who would dare to take the risk of leaving the city?
It was better to try their best to stay; that was the best policy.
…
In the Military Management Office district.
This was originally just a local bank in Dallas.
The arrival of the virus caused it to be temporarily closed, but later, as the number of Survivors nearby increased, this bank was requisitioned by the Military to serve as an office for unified management of this area.
“They wouldn’t lie to us, would they?” “Why don’t you go ask first?” “Forget it, forget it, I…
I’d better wait a bit before going in…” At this moment, a dozen men and women were gathered at the entrance of the Management Office.
They whispered to each other, pushing their companions in front of them, saying they should let others go in first.
For a long time, no one took a step forward.
A large number of Survivors who had fled from the southern region were gathered in Dallas.
Most of them actually had no relatives in this city and did not want to stay here at all.
However, forced by the fear of the Infected outside, they dared not leave the city.
Thus, these people could only silently accept that their future would be spent in the Quarantine Zone of this strange city or being sent to other unfamiliar places.
But just today, through the Military’s broadcast, they learned that as long as they volunteered to go to other Quarantine Zones, arrangements could be prioritized according to their requests.
However, they were afraid that the Military was deceiving them with words and that they might be forced to “volunteer” to go to other Quarantine Zones after entering.
But they were really unwilling to stay here, so holding onto a glimmer of hope, these dozen people gathered outside the gate of the Management Office, but none of them dared to be the first to go in.
Two fully armed Soldiers stood stiffly at the entrance of the Management Office.
They looked down coldly at the dozen people who had been hesitating at the bottom of the steps for nearly half an hour, a look of disdain flashing in their eyes.
It was clear that if they were not on duty, they would definitely drive all these people away.
Just as these dozen people were hesitating, an Asian boy of about twelve or thirteen years old walked past them.
In the surprised eyes of these people, he walked up the steps in two or three strides and pushed open the door of the Management Office to walk inside.
A Soldier standing at the entrance tilted his head slightly, watching the calm boy walk past him, then looked at the adults still shrinking at the bottom of the steps, curled his lip, and muttered, “A bunch of losers, not even as good as a child!” Cling!
Pushing open the glass door of the Management Office, a pleasant chime sounded.
Brian found that apart from a few administrative staff and a few guarding Soldiers, there was no one else inside.
However, this was also within his expectations.
First, the Military had just started broadcasting the news, so most people must not have heard it yet.
Second, just like the group outside, they were afraid of being deceived by the Military again.
Brian walked to the counter and sat down under the surprised gaze of a staff member, asking, “Hello, if I volunteer to go to other Quarantine Zones, can I choose where to go myself?” Looking at the half-grown child in front of him, the staff member recovered from the surprise just now and didn’t pay too much attention.
There were indeed children in Dallas who had escaped from the Infected zone alone.
They had no adults accompanying them.
If no kind-hearted person took them in, they could only survive in this city alone.
Perhaps the one in front of him was one of them.
It wasn’t that the New Government ignored these children, but everything would only be arranged after entering the Quarantine Zone.
After all, children were a valuable resource for the future.
“Sit down.
First, tell me which place you want to go to.” “Washington.” Hearing that this child actually wanted to go to the capital city, the staff member’s hand, ready to check on the computer, paused significantly.
Then she slowly shook her head and said, “We don’t have the authorization to let people go to the capital.
If you have any…
special status, I can report it for you.” “Oh, I see.” Brian nodded, his face showing little surprise.
After all, Washington was the capital.
At this moment, I’m afraid countless people were breaking their heads to get there, so how could it be his turn?
As for the special status the other person mentioned, he guessed it should be the children of high-ranking officials or important Scientific Research personnel.
“Then is there any place I can go to that is very close to Washington?” After thinking for a moment, he asked his second question.
“Hmm, let me see…” Hearing this reasonable inquiry, the staff member nodded, lowered her head to check on the computer, but a moment later she looked up, looking at the child with some pity, and said, “The furthest place we can reach from here is Greensboro, but they are no longer accepting Survivors.
The only places closest to Washington that you can go to now are St.
Louis and Memphis.” Remembering these two place names, Brian stood up and walked to a wall hanging a map of the United States.
His eyes kept searching for the locations of St.
Louis and Memphis on it, and his expression gradually darkened because these two places were simply too far from Washington.