7: I voted for this base.

"Seventh Sister is back!" shouted a burly man with a scarred face, a scraggly beard, and missing teeth. Needless to say, he was the sixth oldest in the squad.

"Sixth Brother, come help me get this pretty boy inside!" Cheng Xiao called for Sixth Brother's help.

"Huh? Are we eating human flesh tonight?" Sixth Brother grumbled a bit. But he still helped Cheng Xiao get Pan Han into the house.

Soon, all seven members of the squad gathered in the living room. They rarely lit a candle, but they did so now because they had very important matters to discuss.

"Seventh Sister, you just said this person has canned food and drinks?" The speaker was the squad leader, a former special forces soldier in his 30s named Qin Zhong.

"Yes, Big Brother, I couldn't resist eating his canned food and cola."

"What's his background?"

"He said he's looking for gold."

"Gold? What's the use of that!"

"He didn't say, just that he wants as much as possible."

"He's not a spy for the Iron Gang, is he?"

"Doesn't look like it. The Iron Gang's people are all dirty and look fierce. This kid is clearly not one of them!"

"Then is he from the Twelve Palaces?"

"The people of the Twelve Palaces are very arrogant, and they never hide their identity. He doesn't look like them either."

"So, we give him gold, and he gives us food? Is it that simple?"

"It should be that simple."

"Big Brother, we all live on the edge, with no guarantee of tomorrow. Why bother with so many questions? Whoever feeds us, we work for them," Sixth Brother said.

"Sixth Brother, you make a good point. Wake this pretty boy up!" Qin Zhong ordered.

A basin of cold water was splashed on Pan Han's face. He woke up shortly after.

He slowly opened his eyes and found a group of strange-looking people surrounding him. He looked around and spotted Cheng Xiao. Remembering being knocked out, Pan Han rubbed his aching neck, stood up, and found himself still a bit unsteady.

Cheng Xiao got him a chair. Pan Han sat down, feeling a little more comfortable.

"This is our rule, please forgive us," Cheng Xiao said, pointing to the back of Pan Han's neck.

"I understand," Pan Han nodded helplessly.

"This is our leader, and this is the employer, Lord Pan," Cheng Xiao introduced them to each other.

"Hello, Leader!"

"Seventh Sister brought you back and said she accepted your mission: finding gold!"

"Yes, I want as much as you have."

"What do you want gold for?"

"If I don't know the purpose, I won't do the mission?"

"That's not it. We're just curious why anyone would want gold in this apocalypse."

"I can't say for now. I'll tell everyone if there's an opportunity later."

"Alright, then let's not waste any more time. Seventh Sister just ate your canned food and cola. This counts as the first transaction. We have about 500 grams here. Sixth Brother kept some for gold teeth, so you can have the remaining 500 grams."

500 grams, a whole catty of gold! He could exchange it for more than a hundred thousand back home. All he used was a can of luncheon meat and a can of cola! Pan Han was overjoyed inside. But he forced himself to hold it in and not laugh out loud.

"No problem, deal!" Pan Han waved his hand grandly.

Sixth Brother placed the gold pieces in front of him. Pan Han put them into his backpack. Then he pretended to rummage inside and pulled out the remaining luncheon meat, cola, bread, chocolate, and other items.

"I want to make this a long-term business. This is the deposit for the next batch of goods," Pan Han said, pointing at the supplies.

Cheng Xiao's eyes widened, and she asked, "Where did you conjure these from? I searched your bag after you fainted."

Pan Han gave her a sidelong glance and said indifferently, "I have my ways. You just need to help me find gold, and I'll make sure you have enough food."

"Oh! Seventh Sister, look at you, how can you rummage through the employer's bag?" The speaker was another woman, in her 30s, extremely charming, with the air of a madam.

"Second Sister, I just wanted to see if he had any weapons."

"Lord, Seventh Sister didn't mean anything by it. She just wanted to ensure mutual safety. Don't worry, as long as there's food, we guarantee you'll have gold."

"That's right, our squad is known for keeping our word. Lord Pan, we officially accept the mission to find gold," Qin Zhong said. He looked at the supplies in front of him and realized that a patron had arrived.

"You agree quickly, but do you have a lot of gold?" Pan Han asked.

"Don't worry about that. This used to be a big city, with many people and much money, and gold was something everyone possessed. The amount certainly won't be small."

"Good, I believe you."

"Lord Pan, are you in a hurry? If you are, you can stay tonight, and we'll go find gold for you first thing tomorrow morning," Second Sister said, knowing it was a big job, and quickly took it on.

"Stay? That's a good suggestion. I don't have anywhere to sleep anyway."

"Alright! Seventh Sister, take Lord Pan to the second floor. Find a clean room and clean it up," Qin Zhong instructed Cheng Xiao.

"Understood, Big Brother," Cheng Xiao took Pan Han upstairs to the second floor.

The other six, after watching them go upstairs, immediately surrounded the food and began to eat. In fact, they hadn't eaten much for three or four days. No matter how strong you are, life in the apocalypse is worse than a dog's!

There were many rooms on the second floor, but they all looked dilapidated. Cheng Xiao chose a room with a floor mat.

"You can sleep here tonight. I'll keep watch at the door. Let me know if you need anything."

"Do you guys live by taking missions?" Pan Han asked.

"More or less. Sometimes we also go hunting."

"Hunting?"

"Haven't you ever hunted?"

"No."

"Forty kilometers southwest, there's a forest with many mutated wild boars and deer that can be hunted for food."

"So what kind of missions do you accept?" Pan Han asked.

"Murder, arson, human trafficking, eliminating large groups of zombies, searching for supplies. In short, any mission that can be exchanged for food, we accept," Cheng Xiao replied while wiping her gun.

Pan Han frowned upon hearing this. He was gradually realizing how terrifying this apocalypse was.

Beautiful as a flower, yet a ruthless killer!

However, in the apocalypse, the first to die are the bleeding hearts. Those who have survived until now have all killed to do so.

"Are there any missions you don't accept?"

"If we can't complete it, we don't accept it!" Cheng Xiao gave him a resolute answer.

He had thought they wouldn't kill the elderly and children, but he realized they only cared about survival.

Pan Han's last glimmer of hope was shattered.

From now on, he had to take this world seriously. He had to abandon all moral principles and strengthen himself.

"Very good! I need a team like this," Pan Han said with a serious expression.

"Give us food, and we'll risk our lives for you." Cheng Xiao was a bit confused about what this pretty boy was thinking. He spoke so hesitantly and vaguely!

"I'm investing in your base!"

"You're investing in what? Joining us? What skills do you have?"

"I want to invest in your base."

"Invest? I haven't heard that word in years."

"Yes, I need a base to accomplish what I need to do."

"Can you guarantee the food supply?" Cheng Xiao asked seriously.

"Yes!"

Cheng Xiao put her gun back in its holster and told Pan Han, "Go to sleep first. After we get the gold tomorrow, the leader will decide."