10: Chapter 10, District 1 Housing

"Follow me, we will get settled in the Area 1 dormitories first, and training will only start tomorrow. You are in for a rough time then."

Zhao Hu flashed a smile. Since Wang Ting and the others had become members of the Guard Team, it meant they were now their own people, so things naturally couldn't be like before.

This was the first time Wang Ting had walked out from the Floor World. They arrived at the deepest part of Scarecrow Farm; this was the temporary residence of the Guard Team, with wooden houses and fences flanking both sides, and the wooden house at the very back being Fan Da's residence.

Beside the wooden house, a security door emitting a white light stood abruptly there, with no walls or support on either side, as if it had simply been thrust there.

This was the 'Stairs', the passage connecting the real world and the Floor World.

"Go on in. I have already reported it to the brothers outside."

The security door was covered in rust, and its mottled paint had peeled off, resembling the last remaining trace of a building abandoned for decades.

He passed through the security door, and his figure appeared in a long, dim corridor. Footsteps echoed in the stairwell as he walked down step by step, finally seeing the familiar building entrance.

It felt like a lifetime away...

This was Wang Ting's first time returning from the Floor World. Only ten-odd days had passed, but it seemed as though everything had changed.

The dry air was mixed with yellow sand. Guard Team members armed with live ammunition looked at the ten people walking out along with Zhao Hu, Wei Dong, and the others, nodding slightly.

"You guys can have some free time. Come over tomorrow for team training. The training period is not long; we have missions to go on—exploration, hunting, escorting... If you don't train well, people will die."

The first half of the sentence was spoken to the members of their squad. After the rotational harvest, there would likely be many outgoing missions, and that was precisely the most dangerous part.

The second half was a reminder to Wang Ting and the others. This was also the first time they mentioned the true mission of the Guard Team—how to manage Scarecrow Town and survive in the wasteland.

"Understood, Captain. Everyone came through it this way."

Several accompanying team members grinned widely, then strode toward other directions in Area 1, their figures disappearing from sight.

"Follow me."

Zhao Hu led the crowd through Scarecrow Town. Half of the dilapidated houses had collapsed while the other half barely supported themselves. Some were built from wood, while others were sheet-iron houses surviving from who-knows-what era.

Survivors cowered wretchedly in corners, secretly watching Zhao Hu lead the group past.

Wang Ting was very familiar with these gazes. Not long ago, he had actually been one of these survivors.

The wanderers newly joined to the town searched for a sense of security like restless animals.

But hunger and big sticks would make them behave, accept the camp's arrangements, build rammed-earth walls to construct the Shelter piece by piece, dismantle waste and metal products to re-forge them, or organize them well for the Supplies Group to trade with other survivor Shelters...

The apocalypse did not support idlers. Even in this barren, relatively parched wilderness, the Shelter still tried to have them reclaim farmland and plant crops or vegetables, except that the harvest on this barren soil was far inferior to the Floor World—Scarecrow Farm.

The internal environment of Area 1 was noticeably cleaner than the area where the wanderers were located. The houses on both sides showed obvious signs of repair, adopting a structure combining sheet iron and wood. Although they looked crude, they fit the wasteland environment much better.

Compared to the area where the survivors lived, the place where the Guard Team lived was evidently much sturdier and neater.

Zhao Hu led the group deeper into Area 1, introducing things as they walked.

"Currently, the Guard Team has a total of 331 people, and with you guys added, it is only 341. Of course, this number also includes some family members of Guard Team members living here, but the number is less than a third. Some family members are themselves members of other groups within our Guard Team."

People came and went in Area 1 from time to time, faintly accompanied by one or two children chasing and hitting each other. They greeted Zhao Hu at the front.

Wang Ting couldn't help thinking: 'Perhaps in this precarious wasteland, starting a family might not be a good choice.'

Survival was the eternal pursuit of every individual.

If one could not even manage to survive well oneself, not everyone was willing to shoulder this heavy responsibility. Especially in this not-yet-fully-developed Shelter town.

However, people at the captain level should have started families, right?

He looked at Zhao Hu; judging by his high-spirited appearance, he clearly did not look like an unrestrained person.

Zhao Hu did not notice his scrutiny and continued introducing.

"The entire Guard Team is divided into four parts. The Medical Group has a total of 10 people—very few in number, and there is only one who can truly be considered a doctor."

"The Maintenance Group has 30 people. They are responsible for mechanical repairs—vehicles, weapons, and power equipment are all handled by them. Their skill level is alright; Boss Fan brought them over from Jumu City and other Shelters."

"The Supplies Group has 50 people, responsible for coordinating all current supplies of our Shelter, making 'commodities', and trading with other Shelters. They are the stewards of our Shelter. If you want to leak a little good stuff from their hands, you can build a good relationship with them, preferably getting cozy with Zhou Chao."

Zhou Chao was clearly a management personnel of the Supplies Group and had a certain amount of scheduling authority; otherwise, it would be impossible to leak some good stuff out in this apocalyptic era.

'I wonder if there are any living monsters inside the supplies?'

Wang Ting had a sudden flash of inspiration. Among the things coordinated by the Supplies Group, besides food, ammunition, and equipment, there must also be monster materials. In special circumstances, there might not be a lack of times when monsters were captured alive.

"Guard Team members' contribution points and excess energy blocks can be exchanged for supplies at the Supplies Group, but the supplies that can be exchanged are limited—at most you can treat yourself to a good meal or exchange for a private weapon."

Having finished talking about the Supplies Group, Zhao Hu slowed his pace slightly and continued, "Combat Group members are the most numerous; almost all the rest are Combat Group members, divided into a total of six main squads, each fully controlled by 6 captains. Wei Dong and I are two of them. Generally, when going on a mission, a complete team won't be dispatched; usually, it consists of 7 combatants plus 1 person each from maintenance, medical, and supplies, forming a group of about 10 people to carry out the mission. Only during large-scale trades or monster-clearing operations will a complete team be dispatched."

"About how many people are in a main squad?"

Wang Ting looked at Zhao Hu and suddenly asked aloud.

Zhao Hu paused slightly, then said, "About 30 people, though there are more or less. Boss Zhao doesn't set it that strictly, and people always die from time to time."

Zhao Hu spoke very coldly, making people feel uncomfortable.

"We're here. This is the dormitory for you 5 people. The Supplies Group should have prepared your things."

Zhao Hu pushed open the door of a wooden house, and a smell of dust hit his face. Sweeping his gaze across the room, inside were five crude beds and an old, tattered quilt on each bed.

There seemed to be something else on the beds.

Wang Ting's gaze fell on the beds. On top of each tattered quilt lay a crude booklet. He picked one up, flipped open two pages, and suddenly a look of surprise appeared on his face.

"This is..."

Zhao Hu glanced over and said, "Boss Fan specially asked the Supplies Group to prepare these. They're all handwritten things, fearing you guys would lose your lives in this wasteland. Take a careful look at them—they are simple introductions to anomalous monsters, so you don't capsize in the gutter when you go on missions later. Also, one of the tasks for your training is to kill monsters for practice."

After giving his instructions, Zhao Hu pushed the door open and walked out.

The expressions of the five people inside the room were each different.

Fu Xing's expression was quite calm, and he didn't show much other abnormality.

However, the three people including Ding Yu and Huang Han changed their expressions slightly. Killing monsters—that was extremely dangerous.

Only Wang Ting's eyes flickered with excited light. He hadn't expected such a good thing?

Anomalous monsters—that was his goal.

The thing in his hand instantly became even more precious. What kind of lightning-avoidance guide was this? It was clearly a startup guide!