RIACMET chapter 201

 

The weather was unbearably hot. Along the way, they saw many zombies spontaneously combust and fires caused by the extreme heat. They could collect a good number of crystal cores just by handling them.

In weather this severe, the only people out on the road were official teams or strong superpowered squads with balanced attributes. Usually, when these groups crossed paths, there was an unspoken agreement not to provoke each other.

That’s why delivering aid during this period was relatively safe.

Even if there were exceptions, they weren’t the type to act irrationally or resort to violence.

For example, now that night had fallen, they had set up camp in an open area with a decent view and were resting. Not far from them, a convoy of four modified vehicles had also stopped.

Recognizing them from the words “South City Base Rescue Team” painted on their truck, the other side sent over two brawny men carrying half a sack of zombie crystal cores. They asked if the group could exchange the cores for supplies, so their team wouldn’t need to go all the way to South City Base.

After a brief discussion, Cheng Jing and Chu Yi agreed to the exchange. They had already prepared for situations like this.

According to the terms proposed by the two men, the transaction was made at South City Base’s standard exchange rates.

They also extended an olive branch, mentioning that South City Base was currently recruiting people with superpowers under favorable conditions and inviting them to join.

The other group seemed quite interested, especially when they heard that, once the extreme heat had passed, the base would have potions to improve soil quality. They said that, once they had saved up more crystal cores, they would bring them to the base to trade and reunite with their teammates.

For now, they planned to collect as much as possible while the heat kept most people off the roads.

After trading supplies, the convoy didn’t linger. They said their goodbyes and drove off.

Chu Yi assigned five soldiers to take turns on night watch so that they would all be well-rested for driving during the day.

Since leaving the base, Yang Kai, who used to be cheerful and humorous, had become unusually quiet. During breaks, aside from eating and occasionally discussing the travel route with his teammates, he would go off alone to smoke.

No one dared to disturb him. He’d heard more than enough comforting words, and everyone around him had said their piece. He understood the logic, but that didn’t mean he could forget.

Cheng Jing and Jiang Nian had both experienced something similar, so they knew how he felt.

The difference was that they had a chance to make up for it and redeem each other. Yang Kai didn’t.

There was no way to fully recover or let go. He had to navigate his grief and find a way to keep living.

…

Before the apocalypse, Guanshan City was known for its mountains and rivers. Its ecotourism industry had thrived. Guanshan Prison was located at the summit of a mountain, far from the city.

The mountain wasn’t very tall. It was rocky, with sparse vegetation. Three sides were steep cliffs. There was only one path up and down. A high wall surrounded the prison. It was a classic stronghold—easy to defend and hard to attack.

After the apocalypse, the whole area looked desolate. From above, the situation was easy to assess at a glance.

As long as the infected inside the prison were under control, its remote location made it a decent shelter.

Jiang Nian had a map of Guanshan City, but it didn’t show the exact location or route to the prison.

As they got closer, Tang Ji happened to be behind the wheel. Chu Yi sat in the passenger seat and deployed a drone to scout the area, as he had done on previous missions. He also broadcast their identity and purpose.

This was all to avoid misunderstandings or unnecessary conflict.

The drone buzzed softly as it rose. As it approached Guanshan Prison, Chu Yi adjusted its altitude and activated broadcast mode.

But the moment it flew above the prison, a sharp hissing sound erupted.

“Something’s wrong!”

Chu Yi immediately sensed it. As soon as he spoke, the remote control failed. Then, they saw black smoke spewing from the machine. The machine lost balance and crashed straight into the prison wall.

In the last frame sent back, a few people caught a glimpse of the open yard where inmates usually exercised. A large number of people were pacing around inside.

“What the hell? There’s a no-fly zone here?”

Tang Ji blurted out.

Chu Yi, who had just lost his drone, looked grim.

“There should’ve been a warning to evacuate the area before enforcing a no-fly zone. That’s how it’s supposed to work.”

He had calibrated the drone’s altitude properly and clearly announced their purpose. There was no way the people inside didn’t hear him. This was deliberate.

Jiang Nian interrupted.

“Forget the no-fly zone for now. It’s not normal for that many people to be outside in this kind of heat.”

What’s considered “normal” behavior often depends on the environment.

“Oh, right…”

Tang Ji immediately caught on. After a moment, he added, “But judging from how they’re moving, they don’t look like zombies. Besides, isn’t it strange for so many zombies to gather together without making noise? When I got infected and turned, all I wanted to do was bite people and scream. It was just instinct.”

After Jiang Nian spoke, Tang Ji couldn’t help but recall those pitiful people from before. He felt a mix of sorrow and bitter amusement.

“When something feels off, it usually means something is wrong. Let’s be careful.”

Chu Yi used the walkie-talkie to inform the vehicles behind them that the drone had been jammed.

Cheng Jing scanned the area with his telescope, but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. There were no guards at the prison entrance. The newly renovated gate was shut, and everything was eerily quiet.

The vehicle soon made a turn and pulled into a flattened stretch of land that had been rebuilt atop the mountain. There was a temporary parking area on either side, and the heavy iron gate of Guanshan Prison stood at the far end.

Cheng Jing lowered the telescope and said,

“Park the vehicle outside—don’t get too close…”

Before he could finish, the tightly shut door suddenly opened. Two armed men in camouflage vests and dust masks stepped out. They waved, signaling to the group that it was okay to enter.

Tang Ji gently tapped the brakes and asked,

“Brother Cheng, the gate’s open. Should we go in?”

Cheng Jing shook his head without hesitation.

“No, didn’t Minister Wang say so? If we find anything unusual, we’ll act accordingly. We’re the official rescue team. Is that how people who need help are supposed to act? Just wave us in? Do we have no dignity?”

No matter how you looked at it, the prison had “shot down” their drone—clearly a warning.

This meant that, from that point on, they could proceed however they saw fit.

Chu Yi agreed with a cold snort.

“Exactly! They act all fake, pretending to need supplies, but this is just shameless!”

Who were they trying to boss around? They should be dragged back to South City Base and made to move bricks!

Jiang Nian nodded in agreement.

In the end, Tang Ji parked the vehicle just under a hundred meters from the prison gate. The two trucks behind them did the same.

The two men standing at the prison gate simply watched them for a while. Then, without saying anything, they turned and walked back inside. The heavy gate slowly closed behind them.

Everyone got out of their vehicles. Cheng Jing and Chu Yi gave quick instructions and basic positioning orders, and the team began moving forward.

Just as they were worried that the other side might become dissatisfied and cause trouble, the sound of a child crying suddenly rang out from within the gates.

To be precise, it was the cry of a newborn baby—high-pitched and delicate. And there wasn’t just one.

None of them had expected infants that young to be present. Everyone’s expression grew serious.