"At first, no one paid much attention. It was normal to have casualties when venturing out. But gradually, things started to feel off."
"Once, I saw the personal belongings of someone I'd met before on the base's public trading board."
"It was a baseball bat. I remember it because that person had mentioned being a former baseball player and that his bat was custom-made. After the apocalypse, it had become nothing more than a tool to smash zombie heads. But that person, along with a few other teams, went out to search for supplies and never returned."
Zhou Haimei asked, "Did that person not come back, or?"
"No, the entire team perished. I don't know about the others, but that baseball bat still had the person's custom signature on it. I couldn't have been mistaken."
A team that left no survivors, with no bodies seen, yet their belongings appeared a week later.
This couldn't help but raise suspicions. But in the apocalypse, there were no police. Even if Lin Zhuoran found something amiss, putting aside whether anyone would believe her if she spoke out, whom would they turn to for an investigation?
The trading board within the bunker was entirely anonymous. Once a sale was made, there were no disputes involved.
"And then?"
"Later, more and more people started disappearing from the bunker. But because new survivors arrived daily, the turnover rate was too high. Most people only used this place as a transit point. So, no one knew if those who disappeared had died or truly gone to other bases."
Xu An frowned after listening. "Are there any large survivor bases near your location?"
"Yes, if you head south continuously, there's a Southern Base. It's currently the largest known base."
After Lin Zhuoran finished speaking, Xu An suddenly realized where she was referring to.
In her past life, she had also visited the Southern Base. But later, due to an earthquake, a massive fissure opened directly beneath the base's foundations, forcing people to relocate.
However, it was precisely this relocation that caused many to flee.
Yes, flee.
"I haven't been to the Southern Base either, but I've heard their protective measures are very thorough. Do you know what kind of place it is?" Lin Zhuoran asked the two, her tone tinged with a hint of trial.
"Prison!"
"Prison!"
Xu An and Zhou Haimei spoke in unison.
The reason this place could become the largest survivor base was, without a doubt, the presence of firearms. Before the apocalypse, this was the largest prison in the south, holding a multitude of vicious criminals.
Xu An knew this from her past life's visit, while Zhou Haimei knew it due to her own background.
This Southern Base, famous in the previous life, was so named because a cache of military arms was left behind in the prison when the apocalypse struck.
After those prisoners broke free, they quickly gained control of the entire prison.
Along with their control came tyranny. The Southern Base, possessing a natural advantage, stood firm in a corner of the apocalypse. Its sturdy high walls and existing electric fences helped the Southern Base survive the initial onslaught of zombies.
Furthermore, due to the prison mess hall, they had stored a considerable amount of food. Not to mention the arable land that was already part of the prison for cultivation, which further secured their survival in the post-apocalyptic world.
Others might not know, but Xu An was aware that life within that prison in the initial years was far more comfortable than anywhere outside.
It was only later that it gradually transformed into a base for accommodating survivors. But what kind of benevolent people would emerge from such a place? Therefore, the Southern Base was truly a place of both love and hate at that time.
Lin Zhuoran was also surprised upon hearing this. She never imagined that the survivor base, which prided itself on being the most robust and secure, was actually a prison for inmates.
"Besides the Southern Base, are there no smaller bases near you?"
Xu An's car sped along, putting some distance between them and the zombies.
Lin Zhuoran shook her head. "There shouldn't be."
"With so many people missing, don't the people in your bunker go out to search for them?" Zhou Haimei asked.
Lin Zhuoran looked troubled. "As you know, we're a transit point at best. It's not really suitable for long-term survival. No one would waste their energy searching for a few missing people."
Xu An kept her eyes on the zombies behind her through the rearview mirror. Although some distance had been created, they were still relentlessly pursuing.
"Haven't you noticed that it's too quiet around your base?"
"What?"
"Even if your base is underground, with so many people gathered, it's impossible not to have a single zombie around. Yet, near your base, there are only a few rickety wire fences. Does that seem logical to you?"
Xu An's words made Lin Zhuoran realize something she hadn't considered before. Now, with the reminder, she also felt the illogical aspects of the situation.
When coincidences pile up, it's inevitably man-made. As these incidents were linked together, even Lin Zhuoran began to sense something was amiss.
"Are you suspecting our base?"
Xu An didn't answer Lin Zhuoran's question, but it no longer mattered. Lin Zhuoran herself had started to suspect the bunker, so why would she need anyone else's suspicion?
"I think I know why these zombies are relentlessly chasing us," Xu An said, taking out several masks from her pocket. After putting one on herself, she tossed the remaining two to the two behind her.
"Cover your mouths and noses. Something must have splashed onto this car, which is why these zombies are so persistent. I'll stop the car shortly, and you two quickly jump out the back door and run."
Lin Zhuoran and Zhou Haimei understood the urgency of the situation and didn't question why Xu An was distributing masks; they simply complied.
Xu An herself wasn't entirely sure. During her earlier encounter with that group, she had seen them all wearing masks that covered most of their faces.
It was early morning, and dense fog shrouded the surroundings. Even if the individuals had reasons to hide their true identities, there was no need to wear masks that covered their mouths and noses completely.
The only conclusion Xu An could draw was that these masks were somehow related to the zombies not attacking them. So, she had casually taken a mask from one of the deceased individuals.
It was a mask worn by the dead, somewhat unlucky.
At this critical juncture, no one bothered to dwell on such matters.
Just as Xu An and the others abandoned the car and fled, they saw another group of zombies rush out from the thick fog beside them.
From their appearance, it was clear that this group of zombies were ordinary, regular ones. Although Xu An couldn't clearly see the color of their pupils, their sluggish movements and aimless behavior indicated this.
This new group of zombies was not part of the same group that had been chasing them.
Lin Zhuoran let out a startled, hushed scream. "They, they're eating each other!"
"Damn it! How can these things eat each other?" Zhou Haimei had a grim expression on her face and turned away, unable to bear watching the gruesome scene.
Even Xu An, who had witnessed many harrowing events, felt her stomach churning at the sight, on the verge of vomiting.