The Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Female Lead is Mine [Transmigration Into a Novel] - Chapter 98

The vehicle slowly entered the base and stopped in the open space at the entrance.

Xie Zhitian and a few others got out of the car with the flow of people and then, under the guidance of Yisha, walked toward the interior of the base.

The base’s perimeter was enclosed by a fence of metal poles as thick as a bowl, about two meters high, which could provide some resistance against the xenomorphs. The interior was a remodeled mountain village, divided into an office area and a residential area.

“The office area is mainly for the technical staff who are responsible for overall planning. The main task of the modified soldiers is to stand guard, protect the people, and ensure smooth mining operations. This way is the residential area. Houses with a sign on the door are occupied, and you can choose any of the empty ones.”

Yisha, with a backpack on, skipped along, leading everyone forward. “One house can accommodate about 4-5 people. The internal structure is all similar, so just pick a location. If you see one you like, just tell me.”

Xie Zhitian looked up and saw that many houses already had signs on their doors. It was quitting time, and soldiers and workers were returning one after another, creating a lively and noisy atmosphere. Seeing this group of newcomers dragging their luggage, many people gave them friendly smiles and a slight nod.

“Yisha, we’ll take this one.”

Two girls had found an empty house they liked and said to Yisha.

Yisha responded, took a sign out of her backpack, and stuck it on the door. Then she took out a padlock and a key. “Here you go. The small warehouse in the courtyard has plenty of supplies and food. If you need anything else, you can also go to the warehouse in the office area to get it.”

She added with a bit of embarrassment, “The lock is a bit simple, but we’re all comrades, so you don’t need to worry so much.”

The girls took it and smiled. “We have nothing to worry about.”

Most of the people who voluntarily joined the modified human program had a pure heart and were willing to dedicate their lives to the country and humanity. Moreover, the soldiers who came here to face the xenomorphs were all top-tier modified humans; it was unthinkable that anyone would steal from a comrade.

Yisha instructed, “Every house has electricity and is equipped with an electric heater, but it’s best not to use too much electricity for anything other than heating. The conditions here are limited, and the power system is not very stable. The circuit might melt if it’s overloaded.”

The girls readily agreed. “Got it. Saving electricity is a must; we’ve long been used to it.”

In the apocalypse, electricity was a precious resource no matter where you went. It was already a great feat that Jurisdiction 53 could provide so much electricity for so many soldiers, and no one would dare to waste it.

Xia Fufeng looked at the people coming and going and asked Yisha, “Has the mining operation gotten on track now? What exactly do we need to do?”

Yisha replied, “Pretty much. Today is the third day of resumed mining, and we’ve figured out the basic work. You all can rest today. Tomorrow morning, a broadcast will gather everyone to arrange work shifts.”

Her gaze swept over Nian Gao on Xia Fufeng’s shoulder, and she exclaimed, “Is that a fox? It’s so cute!”

“It’s a fox. Its name is Nian Gao,” Xia Fufeng had a good impression of Yisha and eagerly moved closer. “You can pet it.”

Yisha hesitated but couldn’t resist the temptation and reached out to pet it twice.

The other soldiers nearby felt their hearts itch, and with Xia Fufeng’s permission, they also came over and gently petted it. Surrounded by a group of beautiful girls, Nian Gao seemed very happy, its tail wagging nonstop.

Seeing everyone so happy, Xia Fufeng got into the mood and said to Nian Gao, “Come on, perform a handstand for everyone.”

Xie Zhitian: …

A dignified beast, yet it couldn’t escape the fate of performing tricks.

Fortunately, Nian Gao was cooperative. After a moment of stiffness, it obediently performed a handstand and a somersault as Xia Fufeng requested, which drew another round of cheers.

Xie Zhitian and the others also quickly chose a house. It was a simple single-story house with two bedrooms and a small courtyard in the front. They got a lock and a sign from Yisha. Just as they were about to enter, Tang Zhuoran suddenly pointed in a direction behind them. “What’s that?”

Xie Zhitian stopped in her tracks and looked in the direction Tang Zhuoran was pointing. She saw a few workers walking toward the office area, about a few dozen meters away. Following behind them was a line of low, black silhouettes, moving clumsily and inflexibly.

“Oh, you mean those things in the back?” Yisha looked and understood. “Those are the robots from our mining area; they help with the mining.”

Luo Yang’s eyes widened in surprise. “There are robots here?”

Before the apocalypse, artificial intelligence had already emerged in this world, and robots were involved in various industries, so they were not uncommon. However, after the apocalypse, people could barely protect themselves, so they didn’t have time for machines. Most AI was designed for daily life, not combat, so they were mostly destroyed in the fight against the xenomorphs.

People had once thought about using robot soldiers to fight the xenomorphs, but since the previous robots were for production and daily life, there was no precedent for combat use. They lacked experience, and it was difficult to control the AI for effective combat. In addition, the circuits were severely damaged, and power was scarce, which was not enough to support the consumption of robot soldiers for a long time, so this plan was put on hold. The AI disappeared as if it had never existed.

“Of course! Jurisdiction 53 and 54 were originally major industrial zones.”

Yisha said proudly, “Yucheng was also one. Every year, we produced many robots for the country to assist with life and production. Now that the situation is stable, we must leverage our advantages and get back to our old business.”

Luo Yang asked curiously, “How many robots are there here?”

Yisha replied, “There aren’t many yet. After layers of screening, the first batch put into use numbers in the dozens. After all, the facilities now are not as complete as they used to be. The process of production, manufacturing, and quality inspection has been slowed down; we have to take it one step at a time. Safety is more important than efficiency.”

She looked at the group of robots following closely, a smile on her face. “But even so, they can be of great help during the mining process.”

Tang Zhuoran sincerely praised, “That’s impressive.”

In many jurisdictions, even basic appliances had not yet become widespread, but Jurisdiction 53 had already started using robots. It was clear that having a solid foundation was a huge advantage over starting from scratch.

After bidding farewell to Yisha, the group first tidied up the room inside and out. The small warehouse at the courtyard entrance was stocked with rice, flour, oil, large chunks of meat, and easy-to-store vegetables and fruits like potatoes and cabbage. The northern winter was a natural refrigerator; they wouldn’t spoil for a week or two.

In addition to the luggage they brought, Xie Zhitian took out many daily necessities from her spatial pouch, making the two bedrooms as cozy and comfortable as possible. While she and Luo Yang tidied up outside, Tang Zhuoran and Xia Fufeng went into the kitchen and cooked tomato and egg noodles for dinner.

The electric heater was on in the room, and the heat quickly rose. A bowl of hot soup noodles was incredibly comforting.

The group ate and chatted, while Nian Gao gnawed on some beef jerky nearby, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

“I put three layers of quilts on each bed, plus a sleeping bag,” Xie Zhitian said after drinking the last bit of noodle soup. “There are two electric heaters; we’ll move them into the bedroom when we sleep.”

Luo Yang nodded. “I saw the windows were a bit drafty. I’ll nail them shut with some wooden boards before bed, so it shouldn’t be cold tonight.”

Xia Fufeng suggested, “How about we go to the warehouse in the office area?”

Tang Zhuoran’s chopsticks paused, and she turned her face to look at her. “Are you missing anything?”

Xia Fufeng pointed to the little fox gnawing on beef jerky. “Nian Gao seems to really like the jerky here, but there’s not much left at home. I want to go to the warehouse to see if they have more.”

Tang Zhuoran agreed. “Okay, I’ll go with you.”

Luo Yang glanced out the window. “Let’s all go together. It’s a bit late.”

Although it was generally safe inside the base, they were new, so it was better to be cautious. After all, this place was outside the jurisdiction, in an area with no protective walls.

“Yes, it’s safer with more people,” Xie Zhitian immediately agreed. “And I wanted to go out and look around anyway since I’m not familiar with the roads yet.”

Xia Fufeng was very happy and once again ordered Nian Gao to perform a handstand in public as a sign of gratitude.

By the time they set off, it was completely dark. The entire base was immersed in a vast darkness. The lights from the windows of the low houses appeared as scattered specks of light, like fireflies in a forest.

The wind howled, and the bone-chilling cold stung their skin. Fortunately, the group was prepared with hats and scarves, wrapped up tightly, with only their eyes exposed.

The temperature at night had dropped a few more degrees than during the day. Other than the soldiers on guard at the base’s perimeter, they didn’t encounter anyone on the way. The few of them had a good sense of direction and quickly arrived at the office area’s warehouse by following the map.

There were two female soldiers standing guard at the warehouse entrance, holding weapons. Seeing people approaching, they nodded and greeted them, “Hello, do you need any supplies?”

Xia Fufeng straightforwardly explained her purpose. “I’d like to ask if there’s any of that small, jerky in the warehouse. It should be beef.” She gestured with her hands. “About this size.”

“Yes, there is,” the soldier on duty said enthusiastically. “Just a moment, I’ll go in and find it for you. How much do you need?”

Xia Fufeng thought for a moment. “Just one pound.”

Although Nian Gao was a vital combat force, she didn’t intend to spoil it too much. The jerky was meant to be a snack, and it shouldn’t be a luxury all the time.

The female soldier said, “No problem.”

She picked up the lamp hanging at the entrance and walked into the warehouse, searching through rows of shelves.

Xie Zhitian asked the other girl, “We don’t need to register to take things?”

The girl was stunned for a moment, then smiled. “No, you don’t. The supplies here are for the soldiers. Take as much as you need. If it’s not enough, just report it, and Jurisdiction 53 will replenish it in time.”

Xie Zhitian felt a sense of awe. They were also here to help, but the treatment here was a world apart from what they experienced in Jurisdiction 33. No wonder the soldiers she had met since entering the jurisdiction were in good spirits, even though the work here was not easy. They were clearly very satisfied with the material conditions here.

The jerky was quickly retrieved and handed to Xia Fufeng. The amount was clearly more than one pound, feeling heavy in her hand.

Xia Fufeng thanked them, and just as they were about to leave, they suddenly heard footsteps and voices. Soon after, two lights appeared on the path not far away, gradually approaching them.

As they got closer, they could see that the newcomers were two women, one in front of the other. The one in front had long hair over her shoulders and a slender figure wrapped in a long black down jacket. She was pretty but had no expression on her face and walked quickly toward the rest area. The one behind her was a bit shorter with a bob cut, looking to be in her early twenties. She looked anxious, chasing after the woman in front and saying something.

Although the short-haired girl hesitated and didn’t continue speaking after she noticed people nearby, the half-finished sentence she had said before was clearly heard by everyone.

“Dr. Meng, if you don’t take action, then I’ll have to question your true purpose for being here and whether you are…”

Facing the varied expressions on everyone’s faces, the woman called Dr. Meng remained emotionless. She just gave a slight nod as a greeting and then swept past like a gust of wind.

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