As soon as they exited the city gates, they saw a convoy of vehicles heading in the same direction—toward N City.

Bai Shu glanced at the mission briefing. After their team confirmed their participation, the headquarters had provided a personnel list. The five teams involved were the 3A Special Operations Team, Golden Eagle Team, Rose Team, Cheetah Team, and White Dove Team.

Unlike their team, which only had five members, the other teams each consisted of around ten people.

"Who would’ve thought? Even the Rose Team is joining. I bet Jin Chuanqiong is going to be fuming," Bai Shu remarked with a hint of amusement, holding a tablet that displayed the personal information of each team member.

Chen Xiaofei chuckled. "It’s a good thing Captain Mu Mei is here. Someone needs to put that guy in his place. And with Captain Mu leading the charge, this mission is as good as done!"

The Rose Team was a unique combat unit made up of nine incredibly strong women.

Mu Mei, their captain, was known for her straightforward and bold personality—a true badass.

The rest of her team members were all plant-based ability users, each with remarkable strength.

Meanwhile, Xu Duoduo was diligently studying the profiles of the other teams on her tablet, trying to familiarize herself with everyone. Her little brain was working overtime, almost to the point of overheating.

Eventually, she leaned back in her seat, taking a break to look out the window. Outside the base, the scenery was barren. All the trees were dead, and the roads were so dry that the car kicked up clouds of dust as it drove along.

The wind carried the dust everywhere, a clear testament to how dry and desolate the environment had become.

"It’s only been a few days since we last went out, and it already feels like we’re living in a desert. The contrast between the base and the outside world is like night and day," Chen Xiaofei sighed.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Inside the base, even after enduring typhoons and other disasters, life always seemed to bounce back quickly.

With the help of mutants and logistics teams, the base was constantly being repaired and revitalized. Plants were regrown, damaged structures were fixed—within the walls, the base was like a paradise.

But the outside world was a stark contrast: bleak, terrifying, and rapidly losing all signs of life.

Qin Luo, who had been listening to the latest report on zombie activity, chimed in, "That’s why we can’t stay in the base for too long. It dulls our sense of danger."

For ordinary people, as long as they stayed within the base, they could almost live as if the apocalypse had never happened.

The base had designated specific areas for ordinary humans, free from the presence of mutants. These areas were equipped with jobs, schools, and even factories built from salvaged materials.

Life for them was relatively safe, aside from the lack of internet.

But this sense of security was fragile.

When danger struck, ordinary people had no means of defending themselves and could easily perish.

Qin Luo disliked this false sense of security. He preferred to keep his team sharp, constantly honing their skills. Otherwise, they too would eventually fall victim to the tide of evolution.

Wang Weihu and the others agreed wholeheartedly. This trip to N City was also an opportunity to stock up on supplies.

The journey ahead was a long one, and they traveled non-stop.

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The five teams didn’t interact much, each focused on pushing forward.

Three days earlier, the research institute in N City had sent out a distress signal. However, assembling personnel, preparing weapons, and planning a rescue route had delayed their departure.

Now that they were on the move, they had to make up for lost time.

At one point, Qin Luo switched places with Wang Weihu, moving to the middle row to rest while Wang Weihu took over driving. Chen Xiaofei moved to the front passenger seat.

"The areas around the base have been scavenged multiple times already. They didn’t even spare the metal roofs—look at that factory over there," Chen Xiaofei commented, pointing out the window.

Everyone glanced in that direction.

Xu Duoduo also noticed that the factory’s roof was completely gone, stripped clean along with its steel framework. Everything had been dismantled and transported back to the base.

After taking a sip of water, Qin Luo explained, "That’s how the scavenging process works. First, we rescue people. Then we prioritize food and medicine. Finally, we gather any usable materials."

It was a systematic approach, done in waves. If the base ever ran out of resources again, they might even start dismantling bricks from buildings. Nothing would go to waste.

"At this rate, the outside world will only become more resource-scarce. If we want to secure more supplies, we’ll have to venture farther and farther out. We need to stock up while we still can," Qin Luo concluded.

Xu Duoduo nodded in agreement, even whistling in approval.

Her primary goal for going out was to hoard supplies.

Although her spatial storage already contained plenty, the competition for resources was fierce. Delaying even a moment could mean losing out to contamination or destruction by mutated creatures.

Better to store everything safely in her space.

Qin Luo’s gaze naturally drifted toward her. Seeing the little zombie in her frilly dress still made him feel a bit shy. It had taken him days to get used to her new look.

"Well, well, someone’s looking sharp after eating a mutation core. Look at those bright little eyes," Qin Luo teased her out of habit.

The little zombie puffed up her cheeks in annoyance, glaring at him. This bad guy always made fun of her!

Qin Luo couldn’t help but laugh heartily, clearly enjoying her reaction.

Despite the lighthearted banter, the team couldn’t shake a heavy feeling. The desolation of the outside world was a constant reminder of how dire things had become.

Humanity’s presence was fading, retreating entirely behind the massive walls of the survivor bases.

From the front passenger seat, Chen Xiaofei remarked, "It’s terrifying, isn’t it? Feels like we’re living in a post-apocalyptic movie. Except this is real life. Who knows how many people have already died?"

The emptiness outside wasn’t surprising.

Bai Shu adjusted his glasses. "The satellite system was partially restored yesterday. If you check the latest satellite images, you’ll see the global situation—everything has gone dark."

In the past, satellite photos showed a world lit up with countless points of light, each one representing human civilization.

Now, it was just vast stretches of darkness.

Only the bases emitted any light, a stark contrast that left everyone feeling somber.

Qin Luo pulled out the last of his milk tea from his storage card and handed one to the little zombie. "There are fourteen left. Anyone else want one?"

The little zombie’s eyes lit up with joy as she cradled the oversized cup. It was still slightly cold, the ice cubes clinking inside. Just as she realized there was no straw, Qin Luo instinctively unwrapped one and inserted it into her cup.

He had grown used to taking care of her.

Big Doggo giving milk tea to the little zombie and even inserting the straw = Big Doggo is good.

He wasn’t a bad guy anymore.

Big Doggo was a good thing.

The little zombie happily sipped her milk tea, practically bubbling with joy in the back seat.

Qin Luo distributed the rest of the milk tea, and each team member received a cup. The sweet treat lifted their spirits, easing the gloom brought on by the bleak landscape outside.

Chen Xiaofei took a big sip of his classic pearl milk tea, chewing on the tapioca pearls as he sighed contentedly. "Sweet things really do heal the soul."

Qin Luo had noticed the team’s low morale and decided to cheer them up with milk tea. It worked like a charm—everyone seemed more energized.

Feeling quite pleased with himself, Qin Luo thought, *What a thoughtful captain I am.*

*Sigh! I’m just too good!*

The little zombie stared at him intently, her gaze unwavering. Qin Luo coughed awkwardly. "Drink your milk tea. Why are you staring at me like that?"

Her steady gaze made him feel a little embarrassed, his face growing warm.