Chapter 123 A New Job in the Apocalypse
"Who are you?" William asked.
Seeing two unfamiliar men being led into the house by Candice, William frowned slightly.
In the post-apocalyptic world, strangers often meant danger.
However, William didn't sense any Evolving person aura from these two men; they were just ordinary people.
The taller man greeted, "Hello, we are from Hope Base."
The taller man in the lead spoke first, his expression more composed than his companion's.
Hope Base?
Hearing these words, Michelle immediately stood up and put down the knife she was using to cut pork.
Although she didn't know what a base was, the words Hope Base caught her attention. Her husband worked for the Hope government, and if the government had established a base, it was very likely her husband was there.
Candice had obviously brought the two men over for this reason. She looked at Michelle and then at William, saying softly, "Let's first get a sense of the situation over there. Seems like they're pretty strict with management.""
William sneered inwardly, 'Hope Base, of course, had strict management. That place would grow and eventually become the Cloud Mountain warband, but it would also be destroyed in half a year.'
"How was Hope Base established?" Michelle asked and was already feeling anxious. If it weren't for knowing she couldn't go far without William, she would have left the group to find her husband on her own.
Now, with these two people in front of her who might be from the same place as her husband, Michelle could no longer hide her anxiety.
The taller man named Anthony looked around the room, his gaze pausing on the processed pork before he answered, "It was established by the artillery battalion and the Hope Base government, gathering the staff from the government building, the soldiers from the artillery battalion, and survivors from nearby construction sites and neighborhoods."
Michelle's eyes lit up upon hearing this and she immediately asked, "Do you know Caleb Flores? He works in the Hope Base government office."
Before the apocalypse, Anthony and Donovan were ordinary citizens and had no contact with government officials, so naturally, they didn't know Michelle's husband. After the apocalypse hit, Hope Base was hastily established, and many things were still chaotic. It was even less likely they would know someone named Caleb Flores among thousands of people.
Seeing the two shake their heads in confusion, a trace of disappointment and gloom flashed in Michelle's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by hope. Since she had seen people from Hope Base, it meant the place was still safe, and her husband was likely unharmed.
After all, as a government worker, he would enjoy some privileges.
"Are you... hunting?" William asked.
This term might have only existed in movies, novels, or among the wealthy in peacetime, but now it was increasingly used and had become a 'job.'
Facing William's question, the two men immediately nodded in confirmation. They explained, "You know about Hope Base. It was just recently developed, facilities and all are not perfect. The base was established out of necessity, so resources are very scarce. Since the disaster started about ten days ago, essential stuff like food is already running low. If you don't want to go hungry, you either need those crystals from zombies and monsters' foreheads, or you need weapons and bullets. Otherwise, you're on your own to scavenge for food."
"So tough?" she remarked. Michelle was stunned, thinking about her husband who wasn't good at fighting, and couldn't help but worry.
Donovan, standing behind Anthony, sneaked a glance at the mature woman in camouflage, swallowing secretly. He had already been amazed by Candice's heroic demeanor and delicate features.
After entering, he saw a familiar young and charming woman, and now seeing the mature and voluptuous Michelle, Donovan couldn't help but admire the high quality of women in this team.
And he hadn't even seen Lucy, who was resting in another room. Otherwise, he would have been even more shocked.
Moreover, Donovan knew that not only did this group have high-quality female members, but they also had plenty of food. Look at what they were eating—mutant wild boar meat.
Everyone knew that the meat of mutant animals and plants could enhance physical fitness. This meat was several times more expensive than regular food at Hope Base, and they had thousands of pounds of it!
The more Donovan thought about it, the dizzier he felt. He didn't dare to think further. He knew that just this meat alone could provide the best life at Hope Base—a life without worrying about food and drink, with people serving you!
But he had no ill intentions because this group could kill the Pig King Landon and could easily kill him and a thousand others like him.
"What's the deal with coming here?"Jack, who was busy with the pork, looked up and asked.
"Well," Anthony touched his nose, a bit embarrassed. "I think you might want to go to Hope Base.We know the situation there well. We can take you in, and once inside, we can also act as guides for you, so you don't get scammed."
"Yes, Hope Base is a mess right now, full of dangers," Donovan added from the side.
"We've got our own legs and arms. Who needs you to lead us in?" Jack sneered. He didn't think the base was more dangerous than the Pig King Landon.
Anthony wasn't annoyed and patiently explained, "You guys don't understand Hope Base. The area outside is already surrounded by zombies and mutant animals. Normally, you can't get in; you need other ways to enter."
This statement surprised everyone. Hope Base was surrounded by zombies? Impossible to get in?
"Let's be straight. Right now, we have to use the sewers to enter and exit the base. Hope Base's drainage system was recently built with German technology, so it's spacious enough for people. But the network is complex, and you'll get lost in there if it's your first time. We thought we could act as guides and then..."
Glancing at the pork, Anthony's face turned slightly red, he said softly, "In return, we're thinking of getting two pieces of pork."
His voice was small, clearly not used to this kind of thing.
William wasn't surprised. In the post-apocalyptic world, this was a common way to support a family. The base's perimeter would be filled with traps and heavily guarded. Without a guide, approaching the base was very difficult.
"We... we have no choice. We have families to feed, seven or eight people including us," Donovan explained, head down, "Or... or one piece of meat will do..."
"Two pieces of meat each!" William decided, "But you gotta stay and help us deal with this meat first, then take us to the base."
The two men were overjoyed and immediately agreed. Each piece of meat weighed at least 5 pounds, so two pieces each meant 20 pounds of meat. This would be enough to feed their families for half a month at the base.
At this moment, a noise came from the pill room, and William's face changed and quickly rushed in.
