Chapter 355 - 172: People in the Sand

Chapter 355: Chapter 172: People in the Sand

The men exchanged another glance, their expressions growing even more somber.

The one who had spoken opened his mouth, but no words came out. The others remained silent, their faces a mixture of complex emotions—disappointment, confusion, and a hint of worry.

They had waited a year, and finally, an outsider had arrived. But this outsider hadn’t brought the good news they had hoped for. Instead, he brought this unsettling development.

Ming Pearl Port had lost contact. The military unit that had once given them hope might no longer exist.

Xu Mo watched their expressions, a heavy feeling settling in his own heart. He knew what this news meant to them—it meant their hope was shattered. It meant they might never be able to return to Jiangzhou.

"You..." Xu Mo began, wanting to offer some words of comfort, but he didn’t know what to say.

Just then, the normal-looking young man suddenly spoke up.

"Sir, why don’t you come back to our camp with us?" he said. "Our leader will definitely want to see you. He knows more than we do and might be able to tell you more about that unit."

Xu Mo looked at him.

"Is your camp far?"

"Not far, not far at all." The young man shook his head repeatedly. "By car, it’s only about half an hour away."

Xu Mo thought for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright, I’ll go meet your leader."

A smile appeared on the young man’s face. He turned to the others and said, "I’ll take him back to the camp then. You guys continue hunting?"

"Go on, go on." The man who had first asked the questions waved his hand. "Be careful on the road."

The young man nodded, then walked over to Xu Mo’s car, pulled open the passenger door, and sat down, his eyes filled with curiosity.

Xu Mo started the engine and drove in the direction the young man indicated.

In the rearview mirror, the other men had returned to their original spots. They raised their spears and stared down at the sand, resuming their search for something.

The SUV drove through the desert, its wheels cutting deep ruts into the sand.

The young man sat in the passenger seat, a little reserved at first, but he soon relaxed. He peppered Xu Mo with questions: where he came from, what he had seen along the way...

Xu Mo answered them one by one, while also asking a few questions of his own.

"What’s your name?" Xu Mo asked.

"My name is Shi Lei," the young man said. "The ’Shi’ for stone, and the ’Lei’ for three stones piled together. My mom said she hoped I’d be as solid as a rock."

Xu Mo nodded.

"How long have you all been living in the desert?"

"About a year or so? Anyway, we fled not long after the apocalypse started. We lived on the edge of the desert for a while before moving to our current camp. I can’t remember exactly how long, but it’s been a while."

"How many people are in your camp?"

"Fifty or sixty, I think," Shi Lei said. "Men and women, old and young. Not many elderly people or children, though. Most of us are young people like us."

Xu Mo was silent for a moment, then asked a question that had been on his mind.

"Are you happy here?"

Shi Lei was taken aback for a second, then he smiled.

"Yeah, I am," Shi Lei’s tone was natural. "Of course I’m happy. Life is a bit hard, but everyone’s great. I’m happier here than I was in the city."

Xu Mo looked at Shi Lei and saw sincerity in his eyes.

This wasn’t an act; it was genuine contentment. The young man truly felt that life here was good, that this place was his home. This put Xu Mo’s mind at ease.

The fact that ordinary people and Mutants could coexist peacefully in this camp meant there was no discrimination, no exclusion. For Xu Mo, this was good news. It at least proved that in this post-apocalyptic world, normal people and Mutants weren’t destined to be enemies. They could coexist, help each other, and live together like a family.

"That’s good," Xu Mo nodded.

Shi Lei looked at Xu Mo and suddenly asked, "Xu, have you met other Mutants? The bad kind?"

Xu Mo glanced at Shi Lei and didn’t hide the truth.

"I ran into some just a few days ago. They specifically attack passing survivors. Their methods are brutal."

Shi Lei’s expression became complicated, as if he were recalling something unpleasant.

"I’ve heard our leader talk about it," Shi Lei began. "He said some Mutants out there have turned bad, that they prey on ordinary people. He said they had no choice, that they were forced into it. He told us we must never become like that. No matter what happens, we have to remember we’re still human."

"Your leader is right," Xu Mo nodded.

Shi Lei smiled but didn’t say anything more.

The car continued through the desert, crossing one patch of sand after another. Shi Lei occasionally gave Xu Mo directions. After about an hour, the scenery ahead changed abruptly.

It was a relatively flat expanse of sand, surrounded by low dunes that formed a natural basin. In the center of the basin stood a number of structures.

To call them buildings wasn’t entirely accurate; they were more like shelters cobbled together from all sorts of materials. They were arranged in a circle, enclosing an empty space in the middle. The open area showed traces of several campfires and a few stone stoves.

Figures could be seen moving around the structures. Some were organizing things, others were cooking. A few children were running around, chasing each other playfully, their laughter faintly audible.

This was the survivors’ settlement. Shi Lei said they called it the sand pit. The meaning was straightforward: a nest in the desert. Though simple, it offered protection from the wind and sand, a place where people could settle down with peace of mind.