Chapter 10, Stronghold

Lin Tao silently surveyed the buildings in the courtyard. The courtyard was not large, occupying at most an area of about one or two mu. However, on the way here, he had heard two girls mention that this place was originally a small food processing factory, and it had a fairly large basement. Thus, with food available and a place to evade the living dead, this small factory naturally became the preferred refuge for survivors, ensuring that they had safely lived to this day

Lin Tao furrowed his brow as he surveyed the environment of the basement. One could only imagine what a hellish scene it would be to have over 300 adults crammed into this basement, which measured only about 500 to 600 square meters. While the area was not small for a basement, the sheer number of people made it feel overwhelmingly crowded. Colorful bedding was haphazardly spread out, taking up nearly every inch of space, with most individuals using just one or two fabric curtains for makeshift privacy. The ceiling featured several ventilation holes, allowing beams of light to filter down, which provided some illumination and a hint of fresh air to the otherwise pitch-black basement. The area was indeed not small for a basement, yet the number of people was simply too great, with colorful bedding almost completely filling the space, and most only using a couple of fabric curtains for casual separation and concealment. The ceiling had been fitted with numerous vents, through which several shafts of light streamed down, bringing a semblance of brightness and fresh air to the dark basement.

Lin Tao always wore a faint smile on his face, walking alongside Old Hu with neither arrogance nor servility. The few people following behind looked at Lin Tao with curiosity, silently walking beside him, subtly creating an impression of surrounding him.

As for the women who make up more than half of the population here, most of them lean against the wall with a numb expression, devoid of the usual noise that women exhibit during normal times. Their eyes are hollow and lifeless, their clothes tattered, and many lie directly on the ground without even wearing any clothing. If it were not for the slight rise and fall of their chests, Lin Tao would have almost regarded them as the dead

Old Ma quickly led a few neatly dressed men out from the innermost room. It was evident that they were the prominent figures here. The first among them, a middle-aged man in a black shirt, wore a fierce expression and strode confidently at the forefront of the group

Following the dim light, there are several places where small braziers are hanging. In the sweltering heat of summer, they are certainly not used for warmth; rather, they serve to illuminate the gatherings of some bored men playing cards. The stakes for these men are mostly trivial items like white rice and yellow beans, with the highest bet likely being a pack of instant noodles. Yet, even while engaging in their favorite gambling pastime, they appear utterly devoid of spirit, listlessly staring at the cards in their hands. The stakes for these men are mostly trivial items like white rice and yellow beans, with the highest bet likely being a pack of instant noodles. Yet, even while engaging in their favorite gambling pastime, they appear utterly devoid of spirit, listlessly staring at the cards in their hands

After speaking, Old Ma hurriedly ran forward. At the innermost part, there was a room separated by red bricks and cement. Dim light faintly seeped through the windows, allowing a clear view of several figures moving inside. Unrestrained laughter and the seductive giggles of women could also be heard coming from within.

"Do you usually live in the basement?" Lin Tao asked Lao Ma, who was leading the way in front. Although there were two factory buildings and a dormitory in the courtyard, the shattered glass windows suggested that it did not appear to be inhabited by humans.

Lin Tao glanced around, bending down to follow Old Ma down the stairs. Immediately, a strong musty smell mixed with the unique odor of humans rushed towards him. Lin Tao frowned deeply, while Mikael, following behind, sneezed several times, displaying a look of disgust on his unattractive, dog-like face. Perhaps even he thought that the smell of decay would be much more pleasant than this.

Brother Lin, you take a look around first, I will go inside to inform our boss

The entire basement lacked a decent place to settle down. Lin Tao reluctantly found a small gap to stand in, his gaze indifferent as he looked around. Yet, even so, as a stranger standing there, very few people ever looked up to take notice of him.

Indeed! The old man nodded, dragging his rusty iron spear as he turned to Lin Tao and said: "No one dares to live on the ground, after all, the smell from these hundreds of people gathered together is overwhelming. Moreover, the women have to deal with that thing every month. Aside from going out to search for food and having an hour of fresh air each day, everyone basically stays below and doesn't dare to come out"

The man is approximately around 40 years old, and a shallow scar on the corner of his mouth gives him a somewhat fierce and menacing appearance. His slicked-back hair is meticulously styled, and beneath his deliberately unbuttoned black shirt, the grip of a dark black handgun is prominently visible

As Lin Tao was puzzled about how these people could move so quickly without stepping on the legs of the sprawled individuals on the ground, he noticed a middle-aged man approaching him with a familiar expression, wanting to shake hands. Lin Tao glanced at the dark, unwashed hand that had clearly not been cleaned for a long time and had no intention of shaking it. He simply nodded at the man and said, "Hello, just call me Lin Tao"

Ah... Hahaha... That man, without the slightest hint of embarrassment, casually slipped his hand back into his pocket, deliberately adjusting his shirt to make the black handgun more conspicuous. Then, with a smile, he said to Lin Tao: "My surname is Hu. Thanks to the brothers here, I am called Boss Hu, which makes me their elder brother! Come, come, Lin brother, let’s go inside and sit. It has been quite a while since we’ve seen outsiders, so we should get to know each other better today!"

"What is going on? Is the food here already insufficient?" Lin Tao asked with a furrowed brow

As the two engaged in a question-and-answer exchange, the group of four and a dog quickly arrived at a factory building in the north. The cement floor of the factory was relatively clean, but there were no visible machinery or equipment. Only a few rusted black iron cages were placed in the corner, faintly exuding a hint of blood.

Old Ma led the way and lifted a metal cover on the ground, revealing a section of a cement staircase that was not too deep. It seemed that this was indeed the entrance to the basement

It has never been enough, has it? Old Ma shook his head in frustration, probably because he found the stranger's chatter a bit excessive. He muttered, "The arrival of this cursed day coincided with summer, so no one stocked up on food in large quantities. The factory is no different; fortunately, there was a batch of processed spicy chicken feet that hadn't been shipped out. However, in less than six months, it will all be reimbursed to us. Sigh~ At first, everyone thought the government would come to the rescue, and there was no restraint in eating and drinking. Who would have thought it would drag on for more than a year? I guess even the rescuers have perished by now!"

The middle-aged man followed the direction pointed by the old horse and began to scrutinize Lin Tao, who was looking around from a distance. When he saw Lin Tao turn his face towards him, the middle-aged man suddenly let out a loud, exaggerated laugh and said, "Brother Lin, your esteemed presence is a great honor; I, Hu, have failed to welcome you properly!"