After finalizing everything, the mother and daughter left the residential area of the low-rent housing district.
Many residents rushing to leave the base were moving in a hurry, each carrying large woven baskets on their backs.
The two of them asked around as they made their way to the Information Hall, and soon arrived at a circular building of roughly 1,000 square meters. From a distance, it resembled a scaled-down version of the Bird’s Nest stadium [1] “Bird’s Nest”, Beijing’s National Stadium, nicknamed for its woven-lattice steel exterior jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2742489_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2742489_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
This was the busiest time of day, and people were constantly coming in and out of the hall. Jiang Zhi even spotted some physically strong Evolvers among the crowd.
Unlike ordinary people, who were exhausted and malnourished, these Evolvers had far better physical condition and mental vitality.
It had been a long time since Jiang Zhi had seen such a lively scene, and watching the scattered groups of people gave her an odd feeling of being at a market.
The mother and daughter squeezed into the hall. As soon as they entered, they saw a huge mission bulletin screen suspended in the center of the main hall.
Information was scrolling across it one item after another, overwhelming to take in.
“Collection mission for Collection Zone 8: middle-aged women preferred, base transport provided.”
“South Gate city wall construction: 7 hours per day, two meals provided.”
“Eastern Red Wilderness Exploration Team recruiting a mechanic, monthly salary 800 points, interview required.”
…
From others nearby, they learned that the base was organized in concentric zones radiating outward from the center: Collection Zone (within 20 km), Alert Zone (30 km), and Danger Zone (beyond 50 km).
The Collection Zone consisted of cleared wild areas secured by the base’s expansion teams and was currently the main source of food supply.
Ye Qingyun was somewhat tempted.
These tasks offered high freedom, you could go on your own and keep all the food you collected, or take the base’s transportation, in which case 20% of the harvest had to be handed over.
If the mission itself was issued by the base, there would also be point rewards.
Ye Qingyun couldn’t help saying, “Ah Zhi, how about we take a collection mission? Look, collecting 100 jin of chicken-vine grass gives 300 points.”
Jiang Zhi’s attention was on the bulletin screen. “We can, but—Mom, the one you liked has already been taken.”
Ye Qingyun froze and looked up, and sure enough, that mission listing had already disappeared.
She sighed in disappointment. “There are so many people in the base. How are we supposed to get any good missions?”
Jiang Zhi said, “Mom, most people form teams or go with family. They have people waiting in line and others keeping watch… If they want a mission, they just signal and someone in line registers it for them immediately. New arrivals like us can’t compete with them.”
Ye Qingyun looked around and realized it was exactly as Jiang Zhi had said.
“That works, next time bring your brother along and we’ll do the same.”
Jiang Zhi wanted to say that even if their family of four coordinated, they still wouldn’t be able to compete with others.
Like local strongmen, the more capable teams had already made arrangements with the Information Hall staff in advance. Good tasks would never rotate to ordinary people like them.
But she didn’t want to dampen her mother’s enthusiasm, so she pretended she hadn’t heard.
After failing to find a suitable mission, Ye Qingyun stayed by the bulletin board for a while longer.
Most of the later listings were group collection missions for gathering food in the collection zones, with the occasional missing-person notice mixed in.
In the end, Ye Qingyun gave up on taking missions and instead took Jiang Zhi to the service counter.
The two of them spent 80 points to post a missing-person notice.
Ancheng Base currently had a population of several million, roughly comparable to a small city. It was divided into four districts corresponding to the east, south, west, and north gates, each with its own Information Hall.
Their missing-person notice would be displayed across the screens of multiple Information Halls for one day.
After paying, Ye Qingyun looked at the notice displayed on the bulletin screen and murmured, “I hope your aunt and uncle can see it.”
“Don’t worry, Mom. As long as they’re in Ancheng Base, we’ll find them sooner or later.”
Before the apocalypse, the Jiang family had all been locals of Ancheng. If they weren’t here now, there was only one possibility, they hadn’t survived the disaster.
How could Ye Qingyun not understand that?
Back at the shelter, their family of four had spent every day focused on surviving, with no spare energy to think about anything else. Now that life had stabilized a little, they naturally began to long for reunion with their relatives.
But Ye Qingyun wasn’t someone who dwelled on things. Once something needed to be done, she did it, beyond that, she would leave it to fate.
Leaving the crowded bulletin area, the two of them went to the recruitment counter next door to learn more about job postings in the base.
But after a rough look, most of the jobs would only keep people from starving, they were all temporary positions.
In the end, mother and daughter came to the same conclusion: if they wanted to eat properly, they still had to go outside the base to scavenge.
“Scavenging” was the common term used in the base, but in reality it meant going out to collect mutated plants in the wild.
Every day, the base would send Evolvers to clear out safe zones for residents to gather resources.
There were already more than ten cleared safe zones, and different plants matured at different times, allowing periodic harvesting that barely kept people from starving.
Jiang Zhi silently memorized the directions of those fourteen safe zones, planning to check them out when she had time.
After that, the two of them also gathered information from staff about land purchase policies, which matched what Auntie Zhu had said.
At present, there were only seven or eight vacant plots left in District D.
At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before they were all taken as well.
Buying land here was similar to buying a house in the past, it required careful consideration of the plot’s location, after all, they were very likely to settle in Ancheng Base for the rest of their lives.
Without hesitation, Ye Qingyun made the decision to go see the land directly.
Under the guidance of a staff member, the mother and daughter toured the self-built housing area and found that, compared to the tightly packed low-rent housing blocks, the spacing here was much more comfortable.
Most importantly, the entire self-built housing district was enclosed by a 1.8-meter-high mud wall built by the base, separating it from the rental housing area outside and to a certain extent ensuring both safety and privacy for residents.
However, after taking a look around, Ye Qingyun was not satisfied. The plots for sale were only a little over 100 square meters, with the smallest being just 50 square meters.
She frowned slightly. “There aren’t any larger plots?”
Upon hearing this, the staff member’s smile became noticeably more sincere. “Of course there are. We still have three plots over 200 square meters.”
He unfolded a base map and pointed at it. “These two plots, one is 230 square meters, the other is 350 square meters. Both are in good locations.”
Jiang Zhi leaned in to take a look, then casually glanced at the radiation spots visible under the staff member’s wristband before withdrawing her gaze.
Ye Qingyun waved her hand decisively. “Take us to see them.”
Jiang Zhi quietly glanced at her mother.
As expected of Mom.
That kind of confidence, who would ever guess they were completely broke right now?
The mother and daughter followed the staff member for a while. In the distance, they could faintly see a structure resembling a city wall.
Although it couldn’t compare to the outermost defensive wall of the base, it was still visually about fifty meters high.
“What is that used for?” Ye Qingyun asked.
Xiao Wu explained, “That’s used to separate District B and District D.”
Ye Qingyun frowned. “Why build such a high wall inside the base?”
Xiao Wu smiled and said, “At the beginning, our Ancheng Base wasn’t this big. It only expanded outward later because too many people were taken in.”
In other words, this wall was the original city wall of Ancheng Base.
Ye Qingyun suddenly understood. “So you’re saying the base might continue expanding in the future?”
Xiao Wu quickly distanced himself from the implication. “Whether it expands or not depends on the leadership. People like us don’t really know.”
The mother and daughter walked while observing their surroundings, feeling a bit like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden [2]“Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden”, from the classic novel Dream of the Red Chamber, describes a simple country person gawking, wide-eyed and out of her depth, at a grand and … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2742489_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2742489_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
The entire self-built housing area was much larger than they had imagined. Most of the houses were wooden and looked quite crude, generally occupying just over a hundred square meters, with the largest only a bit over two hundred.
Some homes were small but built from yellow mud bricks, making them stand out noticeably.
Ye Qingyun sighed, “Looks like no matter the era, there’s never a shortage of wealthy people.”
They had learned that all building materials had to be sourced by oneself, or purchased from the base if convenience was preferred.
No need to ask to know how expensive that would be.
Especially mud bricks, rumor had it they cost 50 points each. Building even a modest house of several dozen square meters would easily cost tens of thousands of points.
After going back and forth to compare several plots, Ye Qingyun finally settled on a vacant plot of nearly 300 square meters near the perimeter wall.
Aside from the inconvenience of insects near the wall, she was fairly satisfied.
But if it weren’t for that drawback, this plot wouldn’t still be available.
An hour later, Ye Qingyun painted a grand and unrealistic promise for the staff, firmly stating that she would definitely return to buy the land, before leaving with Jiang Zhi.
On the way back, Jiang Zhi couldn’t help asking, “Mom, are we really buying such a large piece of land?”
Ye Qingyun said, “Last night when you two went out, your dad and I discussed it. If we can manage it, we still want to buy a bigger one. That way, if we ever find your grandparents, there’ll be enough space for them too. We can slowly earn the materials for building the house. Before that, we still have our camping tents to use, so there’s no rush.”
“But isn’t that plot too close to the rental housing area? Isn’t it unsafe?”
“Don’t worry. When the time comes, we’ll build a higher wall on the side facing the perimeter wall, and then have your dad and your brother find some thorny branches to hang on it.” Ye Qingyun pointed at several nearby houses. “See those? They may look small and use pretty average materials, but they’re kept very clean. The owners are diligent people.”
People who aren’t lazy or malicious usually aren’t bad neighbors, and living next to them saves a lot of trouble.
Jiang Zhi thought it over and gave her mother a thumbs-up. “Mom really has good judgment.”
Ye Qingyun smiled with a hint of pride. “The most important point I haven’t even mentioned yet. Zhi, do you remember the base map we saw at the hall earlier?”
Jiang Zhi nodded. “I do.”
“Ancheng Base has been expanding eastward all along,” Ye Qingyun said confidently. “This place may seem remote now, but the base will definitely keep expanding outward.”
In other words, this area would appreciate in value. Once they were able to move into District B, they could even sell this place and make money.
As expected, experience counts for everything.
Ye Qingyun had previously been a head nurse, she was methodical in her work and had a sharper sense for things than most people.
She sighed. “I just don’t know how much land we can afford with that car. If we can really get that 300-square-meter plot, even if we don’t run into your grandparents, you and your brother will at least have a place to live when you get married.”
Jiang Zhi was momentarily speechless.
Even in a wasteland era, there was still talk of marriage pressure?
“Mom, you worry too much. We can barely get enough food and clothing right now. Besides, what if my brother can’t even find a wife?”
Ye Qingyun tapped her lightly on the head with a smile. “You little girl, don’t curse your brother like that.”
“Alright, I’ve mostly taken care of the important things. I’m going to the base store to buy some food.”
Only after walking a few steps did she notice her daughter wasn’t following.
“What is it?”
Jiang Zhi’s eyes drifted away.
Ye Qingyun immediately understood and chided her affectionately, “You’re such a big girl and still thinking about playing around.”
Jiang Zhi held onto her arm and acted spoiled. “Mom, I just want to look around a bit.”
Ye Qingyun couldn’t do anything about her. “Fine, fine. Go on then. Come back early, and don’t wander off aimlessly.”
Jiang Zhi chuckled. “Mom is the best.”
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