Chapter 220 - 145: Riverfront Pier, Survivor Faction (2)
Chapter 220: Chapter 145: Riverfront Pier, Survivor Faction (2)
But many industries couldn’t just be shut down at a moment’s notice.
Any domestic production that couldn’t be absorbed was shipped overseas, and it was all finished goods like Fine Steel and Special Steel.
Beyond that, the other cargo in the containers was also well worth searching for.
If they got lucky and found tons of grain, the future task of taking in and managing Jin City’s hundred thousand-plus survivors would go much more smoothly.
Most of the obvious granaries everywhere had already been looted and emptied; an overlooked pier like this was perhaps a veritable gold mine in the apocalypse.
As everyone followed Lin Feng, they entered the dense cluster of containers. After weaving through over a thousand of them, they finally saw human figures inside a logistics management building.
Without Lin Feng using his Mind Sensing to pinpoint their location beforehand, finding the building that housed the survivors on this massive pier would have been quite an ordeal.
To avoid causing a panic, Lin Feng only took a few Tier Two Awakeners with him. The rest of the main force was left under Shen Jie’s command, waiting and observing from a hidden position in the rear.
As Lin Feng’s group approached openly, the survivors on patrol inside the management building immediately spotted the outsiders and quickly alerted the others.
By the time Lin Feng’s group reached the main entrance, they could see several survivors huddled behind it, clutching pistols and shotguns. With tense expressions, they shouted out a challenge:
"Are you more routed defenders from the Wu City front?"
Lin Feng frowned slightly and retorted:
"The Wu City front hasn’t been broken. Where did you get the idea it was routed? We’re here to investigate the situation with the Jiangbei Zerg Race invasion."
"Are you survivors from here? Or are you remnants of a scattered Federation unit in hiding?"
The people behind the door exchanged glances. They noted the full-body Battle Armor worn by Lin Feng’s group, which marked them as anything but ordinary soldiers. Finally, a middle-aged man in a blue uniform stepped forward from the group, shotgun raised, and spoke:
"We fled here from the North. The Zerg Race up there expanded to the riverfront county, then stopped advancing. They haven’t crossed the Great River to enter Chang City on the opposite bank."
"So, we set up a temporary camp here to gather supplies from the pier. We also hunt Swarms occasionally to build up our strength."
Lin Feng nodded. The man was wearing the standard uniform of a peace officer, and he was also a Tier One Early Stage Awakener.
An Identification scan confirmed he was just a regular human.
At that, Lin Feng lowered his guard and continued to ask:
"Why did you think we were routed troops from Wu City? Have you met people from the other bank before?"
Observing the high-quality armor worn by Lin Feng’s group and the fearsome weapons they carried, the middle-aged man knew his people couldn’t possibly resist them. He wisely lowered his weapon and began to explain with a sigh:
"My name is Chen Hai. I used to be the armory captain for the Tai City security brigade. I’ve been retired for many years now."
"Are you here looking for that patrol from yesterday? Some of them are already dead, though..."
"But they brought that on themselves..."
Hearing the keyword "yesterday," Lin Feng’s eyes narrowed. As a thought struck him, he cut off Chen Hai’s explanation:
"The Thirteenth Division, which was defending the Wu City front, has withdrawn. I’ve taken over their remnants and the mission to resist the Zerg Race invasion..."
"The new recruits who didn’t want to stay, I let them go their own way. That was just yesterday at noon."
"So, the people you encountered weren’t my soldiers. You have nothing to worry about."
Hearing this, Chen Hai let out a long sigh of relief, his whole demeanor visibly brightening.
"That’s good, that’s good..."
Lin Feng looked up at the cluster of containers to the side.
"I need to gather some supplies—food and steel. In exchange, I can send you away from here to the safety of Jin City, farther back. Alternatively, you can volunteer to join my team. I’ll provide food and shelter, and I’ll even handle the Zerg-killing to help you with your Awakening."
Chen Hai swallowed hard. He was struck by the generous terms, offered in such a casual tone. With their overwhelming power, they didn’t have to be so accommodating at all.
He then asked in a low voice:
"May I ask... your Awakening level?"
Lin Feng turned back, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"I am a Tier Two Awakener. And so are they."
Chen Hai gasped. ’No wonder I wasn’t able to get a read on their auras when I first came out.’
’They couldn’t just be Enhanced People. And if they were Tier One Awakeners, the power gap between those of the same tier shouldn’t be this large.’
Hearing Lin Feng’s answer, Chen Hai no longer hesitated.
"I hope you can send the survivors here, especially the women and children, to a safe zone. As for the rest of us, we want to follow you and join the fight."
Lin Feng hummed affirmatively, then asked:
"Do you have any of the pre-apocalypse cargo manifests?"
Just then, one of the Tier Two squad members stepped forward, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, and offered one to Chen Hai. Then, he waved a hand toward their rear.
Receiving the signal, Shen Jie led the main force into view.
Seeing over a hundred fully armed soldiers appear, Chen Hai’s limbs went numb, and the cigarette pinched between his fingers nearly dropped to the ground.
He immediately broke out in a cold sweat, overcome with belated fear.
’Clearly, if I had refused to cooperate moments ago,’
’what I would have received wouldn’t have been a cigarette.’
Taking a deep breath, Chen Hai quickly replied:
"Yes, yes, we do! They’re in the office on the second floor. I’ll go get them for you right now."
Following Chen Hai, the group entered the building.
In an open area to one side, about a dozen young men in military uniforms lay on the ground, their hands and feet securely tied.
They were battered and bruised all over, their faces swollen as they lay unconscious.
But Lin Feng could still vaguely recognize a few of the faces.
Lin Feng recalled that when he had dismissed the recruits yesterday, he had taken back their rifles but let them keep their issued Red Armor.