Chapter 258 We’re so stupid.

Right in front of the three of them stood several survivors, all dressed in tattered and worn-out clothes. They were lined up in straight, orderly rows as they waited patiently to collect their portions of watery rice. Surprisingly, despite the miserable appearance of the base and the poor quality of the food, many of them wore expressions of happiness and relief on their faces, as though simply having something to eat was enough to make them grateful.

The sight left the three newcomers completely stunned.

“What were you both expecting? A paradise?” the white-haired man asked with a mocking tone, followed by a loud burst of laughter. His hands remained folded firmly over his chest as he looked at the couple. “If you want a base where you don’t have to work and can simply sit around doing nothing, then you should already know that the living conditions you’re about to experience aren’t going to be comfortable. It’s not like you’re walking into a five-star hotel, anyway.”

“Oh, my goodness! Let’s all calm down,” the woman quickly interrupted, trying to ease the tension between them. She swallowed hard as she stared at the survivors standing in line. “I guess the people out there are probably those who offended the commander, which is why they’re being punished. Or perhaps they’re people who are infected, but the commander still couldn’t bring himself to completely cast them away.”

“Exactly, sweetheart,” her husband replied, immediately agreeing with her reasoning. “Fiercehunter Base isn’t described as being this poor. Let’s move closer to the soldiers and get ourselves checked. Once we’re cleared, we’ll be allowed deeper into the base, where we can meet the survivors who aren’t infected.”

The woman nodded in agreement.

“That’s probably the best thing to do.”

Together with the white-haired man, the couple proceeded toward the massive gate of Fiercehunter Base. The closer they got, the more intimidating the heavily armed soldiers surrounding the entrance appeared.

“Yes! Stay back!” one of the Fiercehunter soldiers suddenly shouted the moment the three approached.

The couple immediately stopped in their tracks.

Without wasting any time, two other soldiers dressed from head to toe in transparent nylon protective gowns approached them. One carried a thermometer while the other held several medical supplies and testing equipment.

“Stand still,” one of the soldiers ordered sternly. “We’re going to examine all three of you.”

The couple and the white-haired man obeyed without hesitation.

The soldiers carefully checked their temperatures and examined them for any visible signs of infection. Every movement was precise and professional, making it clear that this procedure had been repeated countless times before.

After several tense moments, the soldiers confirmed that all three had normal body temperatures.

“Normal,” one of the soldiers announced.

The woman immediately released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

The soldiers then proceeded with the next stage of the inspection. Nylon gowns were placed over the three newcomers, covering their clothes and bodies as a precaution against possible contamination. They were also given medication, which they swallowed immediately.

None of them dared to refuse.

They had already noticed the soldiers positioned on the roof, their weapons aimed directly at them. More importantly, a small red laser dot could be seen moving across their bodies, making it painfully obvious that they were being watched from above.

Refusing the medication wasn’t an option.

If they resisted or attempted to cause trouble, they would most likely be shot dead on the spot.

Once all the necessary procedures had been completed, the soldiers stepped aside and allowed the three of them to enter Fiercehunter Base.

As they passed through the gate, the three newcomers couldn’t help but observe their surroundings more carefully.

The condition of the base was far worse than they had imagined.

There were makeshift structures scattered throughout the compound, while numerous survivors moved around carrying buckets, food containers, and various tools.

“There’s no need to be scared,” the husband reassured his wife as he reached down and gently held her hand. “We’ll be led farther into the base, where the other survivors who have already passed the infection test are staying.”

He glanced around before continuing.

“As you can see, only the three of us are wearing these nylon gowns. I believe that means the people who pass the test are given these gowns and then taken deeper into the base. We should just follow the soldiers and see what happens.”

The woman nodded slowly, though the uneasy expression on her face remained.

They continued walking until a soldier approached them from behind.

“All right, here are your tents.”

The soldier tossed a folded tent toward the couple. Before they could even react, he threw another tent toward the white-haired man.

“You’ll have to set them up yourselves.”

The couple stared at him in disbelief.

“Since you’re married, you can share the same tent,” the soldier continued, pointing toward the couple’s tent. “The white-haired guy gets his own until he finds a partner.”

The white-haired man’s eyebrows immediately twitched.

“Seriously?”

The soldier ignored his reaction.

“You’d better set them up quickly. After that, get some food for yourselves and rest. Tomorrow, you’ll be assigned different types of work. Everyone who stays in Fiercehunter Base has responsibilities.”

“What?!” the couple exclaimed in unison.

They stared at the soldier as though they had just heard the most ridiculous thing imaginable.

The soldier, however, didn’t bother explaining further. He simply turned around and walked away, leaving the three newcomers standing there with the tents in their hands.

For several seconds, none of them spoke.

“Did I hear that right?” the woman finally asked, her eyes widening in disbelief. “We’re supposed to build the tent ourselves?”

Her husband slowly looked down at the tent in his hands before looking around the base.

“The living conditions in Fiercehunter Base aren’t even remotely okay, and on top of that, we still have to work?” he complained, his voice filled with disbelief. “Like, seriously? We have to build our own shelter, find our own food, and then work tomorrow?”

The woman clenched her fists tightly.

“I can’t believe we actually abandoned Hope Base for this.”

Her voice trembled with regret as she looked toward the direction they had come from, even though the massive gate now stood between them and their former companions.

“Can you still remember the kind of supplies they had?” she asked her husband. “Can you still remember their skills?”

Her husband remained silent.

“They could fight monsters, gather supplies, protect the base, and they actually knew how to survive in this world,” she continued, her regret becoming more obvious with every word. “Those kinds of people wouldn’t be afraid to leave the base and face monsters just to obtain more supplies. And those supplies would definitely be used to take care of the survivors and the people living there.”

She lowered her head and sighed deeply.

“We were so stupid. We left a place where we were protected, fed, and surrounded by capable people just because we thought Fiercehunter Base would offer us something better.”