"After discussing it, we decided that if everyone else was grabbing, we had to grab too. If we didn't, we'd starve. So, each of our six class leaders picked two strong, capable people, a total of eighteen of us, to go to the supermarket and loot for daily necessities," He Fan continued his story.
"We went at two in the morning. The power system had already collapsed, there were no streetlights, and most building windows were dark. Many people were walking around with torches, and cars were speeding erratically. I personally saw a luxury car crash into six people at an intersection, and only two managed to get up and limp away."
"We first walked along Jin Yi Road towards the supermarket. Halfway there, gunshots rang out, and I could see bullets flying. We changed our route to Jin Er Road, but there, several cars were on fire in the middle of the road, flames reaching three stories high, with hundreds of armed people smashing shops. We detoured again and finally reached the supermarket. It was chaos inside, with all sorts of people grabbing items from the shelves. Some used sacks, some used cardboard boxes, and others just snatched shopping carts from people."
"We joined the looting, trying to grab food. We were only halfway through when the store employees came out. Without a word, they opened fire on us with submachine guns. The second class leader was right next to me. I saw half of his head disappear instantly. Many people died right away. I quickly ducked behind the bottom shelves to avoid the bullets. After a while, the shooting stopped. I thought the employees were reloading, but the supermarket became chaotic again with people looting. I poked my head out and saw the employees slumped over the counter, motionless. Someone was searching their bodies, probably for the warehouse keys."
"In the end, we only managed to grab one sack of biscuits and drinks. We had actually filled several shopping carts, but adults snatched them away once they were full. The first class leader, furious, pulled out his pistol to retaliate, but he was shot through the chest with a large-caliber shotgun. I went to him and held him. He opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything before he died. For orphans like us, what words are there to say when facing death? Anyway, by the time I brought the supplies back to the orphanage, the guns were gone, and only six of the people I took out were left."
"All the other class leaders were dead, leaving only me to manage the other orphans. I told everyone that trading twelve lives for a sack of biscuits and drinks was a terrible deal. This sack was all our food for the foreseeable future. Everyone should stay together and not go anywhere. I believe the military will rescue us eventually; it's just a matter of time."
"You can certainly trust us," Li Nannan nodded. "You will take the earliest available flight and be sent to live on Jiang Ye Star. It's a newly developed planet with only a few small cities. You will grow up there, and it will be easier to gain wealth once you are older."
"Will we be given food when we get there?" He Fan wasn't concerned about the future.
"There will be a boarding school that provides food and accommodation, and teaches you knowledge," Jiang Ye said. "You will definitely be fed; you don't need to worry about starving."
"It all sounds good, but it's like our orphanage. The food expenses allocated by the city were pocketed by the cooking aunties. According to city regulations, we children should have had three dishes and one soup for every meal, but in reality, we grew up drinking gruel and only got a little meat on holidays," He Fan said expressionlessly. "The poorer the place, the less food there is. To ensure people like us don't go hungry on Jiang Ye Star, unless we know a high-ranking official on Jiang Ye Star, I won't feel at ease."
"It's far away, yet close at hand," Li Nannan smiled.
"Are you a high-ranking official on Jiang Ye Star?" He Fan's eyes lit up slightly as he looked at Li Nannan.
"I'm not, but he is," Li Nannan patted Jiang Ye's shoulder as he drove.
He Fan was clearly surprised and looked at Jiang Ye. "Are you a high-ranking official on Jiang Ye Star? Can you take care of people like us?"
"My name is Jiang Ye. Guess why Jiang Ye Star is named Jiang Ye Star?" Jiang Ye smiled.
"Then, when we arrive on your planet, please take good care of us," He Fan said.
"No problem," Jiang Ye replied. "When you get to school, if you find that your food rations are being withheld, come find me. I'll shoot the people who are withholding your food expenses."
"Thank you so much, respected Mr. Jiang. Can we pinky swear?" He Fan extended his finger.
"Of course, respected Mr. He," Jiang Ye extended a hand and pinky swore with him.
The rescue vehicle traversed the long expanse of grassland and finally arrived at the temporary airport.
Air Force ships were waiting. The ships were silver-white, shaped somewhat like giant Xs. Soldiers holding guns stood at the entrance, and medical personnel in white uniforms were busy with stretchers. Two rescue vehicles were already parked under the ships, unloading people. There were healthy individuals, but more were patients.
Jiang Ye went to check the numbers. Including the children he had brought, there were now a total of 483 injured. Among them, over a hundred were patients picked up from the roadside.
A total of 50 vehicles were rescuing people from the city. If all went smoothly, they should be able to rescue several thousand people a day.
It sounded like a lot, but for a city of five million people, it was like a drop in the bucket.
Jiang Ye returned to the vehicle. Li Nannan was drinking water.
"Let's go, one more trip," Li Nannan said.
"I have an idea. Can we broadcast the location of this evacuation point throughout the city? If there's a radio signal, use the radio. If not, paint it on the walls. There's always a way to notify everyone," Jiang Ye said. "Transporting them vehicle by vehicle is too troublesome. My team only has fifty vehicles."
"It won't work," Li Nannan shook her head. "You went into the city once just now, didn't you notice? The city is no longer a modern society; it has regressed to a barbaric era. The strong prey on the weak, and those with weapons kill those without. These five million people have been divided into predators and prey. Most people are prey, trapped in the city, needing rescue teams with armed firepower. And the patients are immobile."
"Also, you don't need to worry about not being able to rescue everyone. This city won't have only one rescue team; the military will send more people. You will encounter other rescue teams later, so remember to verify their identities," Li Nannan said. "Drive, let's go into the city again, and then I'll be leaving. You can handle the rest yourself."
Jiang Ye could only nod. He tapped the screen, and the rescue vehicle's engine roared to life, speeding across the grassland.
Before they even entered the city, a voice came from the car's audio system.
"This is Che Zhen. There are rioters attempting to control the South City Hospital. Local police are engaging them. Requesting support! The rioters are all wearing blue scarves on their faces. Shoot anyone with a blue face!"
There was also the crackle of gunfire, more intense than popping beans.
A coordinate popped up on Jiang Ye's screen, along with an option to "Drive to this location."
He decisively clicked it.