"It's quite simple, really. I can set up another laboratory outside the base. We can find a basement in a residential area, which would be even safer."
"That's not the right way to think about it, Xiao Lin. Your safety is paramount. This base cannot function without you. You could very well delegate the research to others. While your martial arts are excellent and your ability level has risen, it's still zombies we're dealing with. What if you're not careful and get bitten..." The person in charge remained visibly displeased.
"I'm already an ability user; I won't get infected. And I'll be cautious. If my research is successful, then everyone will have hope of awakening their abilities." Lin Yan spoke with utmost seriousness. She wasn't joking; she could guarantee people would awaken their abilities, though it might be painful. What she needed to do now was see if she could alleviate that pain.
"Even so, your safety must come first!" The person in charge did not want Lin Yan to be in danger. Lin Yan had helped their base immensely, to the point where without her, their base wouldn't exist. If everyone had to choose, they would likely prefer to forgo abilities rather than see Lin Yan in danger.
"How about this: I'll train a few people to build a laboratory outside and extract samples for me. I'll still conduct the experiments within the base." Lin Yan relented, seeing no other option. After all, she knew the person in charge meant well for her. While she could ensure her own safety, it was better to be safe than sorry.
Just as Lin Yan was finding assistants to help extract samples, Yun Chang and his group drove onto the road leading to the small town. The closer they got to the town, the fewer zombies there were. They also saw many people busy in the distance. Upon reaching the vicinity, they realized the people were constructing city walls. Before entering the town, they were stopped.
"We've come to seek refuge in Taoyuan. Is this Taoyuan Base?" Yun Chang rolled down his car window and said to the person who stopped them.
"This is Taoyuan Base, but everyone entering from outside must stay in the quarantine zone for one day. We cannot allow infected individuals in. However, ability users are exempt from quarantine." He explained clearly, and Yun Chang and the other three heard him distinctly.
"Rest assured, all four of us are ability users, and we won't be infected." Yun Chang, seeing how organized things were, felt his choice was likely correct.
"Then please step out. We need to disinfect your vehicle." The person at the entrance called out to his companion.
"Please go over there to register."
"We have quite a bit of supplies in the car. You won't secretly take them, will you!" Wang Zhixue asked, a bit worried. He was always straightforward, saying whatever came to mind. Yun Chang didn't stop him; after all, it was better to be upfront. They were at the entrance, new arrivals, and even if they offended someone, it was better than losing their life-sustaining supplies.
"Don't worry," the person replied, seemingly experienced with such situations. "We'll also register everything you bring. If anything is missing, you can file a complaint with the government affairs hall."
"You can file a complaint?" Gao Yang was also surprised.
"What is the government affairs hall?" Yun Chang caught an important piece of information from the man's words.
"The government affairs hall is where you register identities and receive missions. You'll understand when you get there. For now, please step down to register. Ability users need to demonstrate their abilities." The person wasn't impatient. Yun Chang and the others complied and got out of the car. One of the man's companions then asked Yun Chang for the keys and drove the car into a building on the other side.
While Yun Chang and his companions were registering their information, they were surprised to find that the gate registration used computers, and they were even photographed. Soon, they were given temporary passes with their photos on them.
"They actually have electricity here!" Wang Zhixue whispered, his tone full of surprise.
"Not only electricity, but probably internet too." Gao Yang watched as the person directly entered their information and created the passes. He had a rough idea of the pass's purpose, but he was unsure what to expect at the government affairs hall. However, they exchanged glances; just within this short time, they were filled with curiosity about Taoyuan Base.
"Your car will be parked here for now. We'll send a vehicle to take you to the government affairs hall. Once you're assigned living quarters, you can retrieve your car."
"Thank you!" Yuan Kai felt that this place was truly different from the outside world in the apocalypse.
Upon reaching the government affairs hall, they underwent further registration. They had expected that as ability users, they would be highly valued by the base, but to their surprise, everyone they encountered treated them with a rather indifferent attitude. Although they found it strange, they didn't show it and instead observed the unfamiliar base with keen attention.
"Are you planning to stay long-term or just temporarily?" the registration officer asked the four of them.
"What are the conditions for long-term residency, and what about temporary stays?" Yuan Kai inquired.
"For long-term residency, I can register a residence for you. However, this requires you to have a stable job. Since you are all ability users, finding work should be relatively easy. For instance, the earth ability of the person here can assist in building defensive fortifications, which you likely saw when you entered. For temporary stays, we offer some simple single rooms. These do not require points, but you will need to exchange for food three meals a day, and you can only stay for a maximum of ten days."
"What are points, and how do you exchange them?" Wang Zhixue asked curiously.
"Points are the currency of our base. You can exchange them for supplies, or for zombie cores. If you plan to stay long-term, your wages will be in points. You can also take on missions to earn points."
"Don't ability users receive any preferential treatment?" Gao Yang frowned. The officer's words implied that ability users could find work easily, but there seemed to be no special favors for them.
"Is being able to enter the base early and not requiring quarantine not preferential treatment? Even our own base members who go out for a while need to be quarantined upon return." She knew what they meant by preferential treatment, but ability users were not that uncommon in Taoyuan Base. Since martial arts cultivation began, people didn't rely much on abilities, unless someone lacked talent in martial arts but awakened an ability, then they would be more valued. However, Teacher Lin said that abilities would become more powerful in the future, but that was a matter for the future. Currently, abilities paled in comparison to the destructive power of martial arts. Still, some abilities were indeed convenient. Among the four people present, there was a rare lightning ability user, and she wondered if it could be used for power generation. Limited electricity was a real pain; coming home meant rationing usage, or the breaker would trip, rendering it unusable. It was much better here in the hall, where electricity was not restricted, and there was even air conditioning!