CH 54

The factory is brightly lit, with several lights outside the door, and two forklifts, trucks, and other various objects have been parked outside.

Inside the plant, there are four electric generators visible to the naked eye, but only one of them is currently in operation. A dozen workers, whether operating the equipment or checking and repairing the engines, etc.

“Is there only one unit operating all day?” Hao Jian asked.

“How is it possible? The power of this one unit produces 15,000 kilowatts per hour. How many people do you think live in this huge city of Xinghua? During the day, four units are needed to operate at the same time, and at night, because everyone needs to rest, we stop three units for maintenance and only run one. It should be able to supply power in only some areas.”

“Is only this hydropower station still generating electricity?” Hao Jian asked again.

Hu Dan shook his head, “I heard that there are still some power plants that are not within the transmission range of the Heshui hydropower plant, but unlike us who generate power for free. The relevant power plant workers there occupy the power plant because they want to demand benefits in exchange for the use of electricity.”

Peng Mao has finished eating steamed buns and he was a little angry, “Sooner or later, this kind of looting will be taken care of by the heavens!”

“You also believe this kind of ‘you reap what you sow’ words.” Hao Jian answered him mercilessly.

Hu Dan asked back, “Does Miss Hao mean that no one can clean them up?”

Hao Jian pondered for a moment, “Just like one of the problems your team needs to solve, which is the lack of manpower, the number of soldiers is too small. And because of the zombie virus, the rebellion, the cult forces, and other reasons and the loss of a lot of people, there are already many places that you naturally can’t look after, let alone take care of the current chaotic situation. So in the short term, your power is limited. At least those who took advantage of the fire can’t wait for you to clean up.”

Although the government quickly made instructions to deploy rescue work, their primary task is still to maintain basic stability as well as rescue the population. Their ability to crack down on illegal and criminal behavior is limited.

Many people and forces will take advantage of this period to rebel, such as the ‘Wugui’ organization. Only when the violent organizations stabilize cant the government formulate new countermeasures and focus on maintaining stability while seeking recovery and development.

So until then, all the order in the world will be chaotic, violent, and vicious incidents, and many more will be staged in turn.

Those workers who occupy the power plant to demand benefits before giving electricity might be exterminated by people or organizations more capable than them. Because it’s an apparent need, it will attract more people to fight for it to the death.

Especially when they find that military organizations haven’t punished them, their desires and ambitions would swell to the point of recklessness and trampling on the law, turning this zombie doomsday into a man-made apocalypse.

“Aren’t you too pessimistic?” Peng Mao commented.

“Optimism and pessimism depend on how you view the world. If it’s in terms of the overall picture, every city has forces like the military who come out and protect us, good people who are kind enough to rescue each other, and groups who organize themselves to survive. Because of them, there’s still hope for salvation and there could be developed for the better.

But acts like killing for food, raping women without the need to fear legal restraints, controlling resources for profit, or the desire to gain fame and fortune. . . All of these acts also happens in times of peace, but these scenarios run rampant during the apocalypse.”

Hu Dan applauded, “Miss Hao is really worthy of studying anthropology. Seeing these things more thoroughly than most people.”

The fact that Hao Jian was studying ‘anthropology’ was mentioned only by Lian Ru Ning just now, yet Hu Dan said it so naturally that Hao Jian didn’t know whether if he’s trying to say that she’s cold-blooded or deliberate. But thinking about it, it’s still more likely to be deliberate.

“Many people understand that and they also know that they’re incapable of controlling the fate of others, so they choose to give in. Were the refugees in the airport instigated because of ignorance? Not necessarily. In fact, a significant number of them gave up their right to choose. They will kill others – either the military or bad people – and choose to submit to the winning side and live humbly.”

“We were able to protect them while those people would only see them like ants. But they still chose the side that sees them as mere ants.” Hu Dan grinned with a slightly mocking expression.

“I think they probably didn’t even think at first that the security line provided by the military would be destroyed because of their riot – because the government quickly organized a powerful team to protect them, they lost the ability to judge the immediate danger. By the time they realized the mistake they made, they didn’t have the courage to make amends, so they eventually submitted to those who have enslaved them.”

Hu Dan’s expression became cold, “Such people don’t deserve our protection.” Suddenly, he turned his head towards Hao Jian and said with a smile, “As much as I want to say that, I can’t betray this uniform and break the oath I’ve sworn under my badge and our flag.”

Peng Mao felt that he was gradually unable to keep up with their thinking and couldn’t interject, so he said, “I’m done digesting my food, so I’ll go back to rest first.”

Both Hao Jian and Hu Dan didn’t care much whether he left or not, because Peng Mao had done nothing to be suspected of so far.

And the topic they talked about involved the government’s attitude towards ordinary people who are involved with ‘Wugui’ or those who are abusive. If Peng Mao was indeed acting abnormal, he would’ve found a way to gather more information instead of going back like this.

To read the official translation, kindly visit: triple’w’ dot nihilumcreations dot wordpress dot com slash the-system-sent-me-an-object-end-of-the-world

But as soon as he left, Hao Jian and Hu Dan discussed more topics.

“There should be more than just the soldiers here, right?” Hao Jian’s gaze swept over the personnel within her sight.

“If you’re asking that, aren’t you worried that I’ll think you’re here to spy on the situation?” Hu Dan rhetorically asked.

“If Chief Hu wants to think so, then there is nothing I can do about it. But I can’t refrain from asking simply because I’m afraid you’ll suspect me, after all, this is about my plan.”

Hu Dan was interested, “I think your confessions are quite consistent. They said that they’re going to the southern city. The female student is looking for her parents, the fitness instructor is following you as his means of survival because he has no relatives, and the graduate is also following you because he thinks you’re reliable and fears that someone would be taken advantage of in the last days. . . But what about you? Is there any reason why you should venture to the southern city?”

“For the sake of my beloved girl. Didn’t Chief Hu hear it all?”

“. . .” Even someone as scheming as Hu Dan was choked at her shamelessness.

Also ‘beloved girl’, do you think you’re writing a love song?

“Hey, if you know that there are surveillance and eavesdropping devices in the room without investigating them, no one would believe that you’re not a spy.”

“It’s actually very simple to know about this. After being told that the suspicion is removed, the average person’s vigilance will be greatly reduced. Coupled with the other party randomly choosing their room arrangements, the average person will subconsciously feel that there is no problem with the room. But in fact, although we freely chose the rooms, it was actually guided.”

As soon as Hao Jian passed through the hallway of the second floor, he found that some rooms would have some miscellaneous things placed at the entrance, or clothes hanging out to dry. After seeing these things, people would subconsciously think that it was occupied and thus avoid choosing these rooms.

In addition, the room they live in is empty, except for a bed, there is only a table and a chair. Anyone will think that no one lives in it, and thus chose the room.

“Since there are only less than two adults left, how come there are so many rooms where people live? So since you guided us to those rooms, there must be some kind of equipment in there.”

Hu Dan couldn’t help but applaud again, “Normal people don’t count how many rooms have people living in them. How cautious are you to even notice these details?”

“I’ve played too many investigative games that I subconsciously do it.” Hao Jian said.

“Games?” Hu Dan grinned, “But this is not a game. We have already suffered once, we can’t let people think that this place can be easily breached again.”

Hao Jian pondered for a moment, “Have those soldiers from the airport retreated here to join you?”

“How much do you know?”

“All I know are the things that were orally told to me, after all, we only arrived at Xinghua City today.”

“Your companions have told me honestly about this. Then, can you tell me why did you think of coming to the hydroelectric power station?”

Hao Jian and Hu Dan had already left the plant and were standing on the walkway just a wall away from the flood relief section. behind them were the figures of people who were busy and in front of them were mottled walls.

A distant light stretched their figures as they leaned on the railing and watched the gurgling water flow by.

“Because I wanted to check something. . . Originally, the soldiers had nothing to do with me and I didn’t want to get involved either, but since I already know the dangers of ‘Wugui’, for me to avoid all this trouble along the way next time, I have to understand what dangers would exist around me.

“It’s unfortunate that we’ve only arrived yet they’re already on to us. My abilities are limited and the only way I can think of to get out of this is probably through you guys, so I took a chance and came to find out some information about them.”

Of course,. there was another reason that couldn’t be revealed. She wanted to come here to see if she would trigger any hidden quests.

Hu Dan asked, “Then what makes you think that I will let you get this information? You know, the more you know, the more dangerous it will be when you face ‘Wugui.”

Hao Jian thought for a moment and asked the question she really wanted to know since they first came here, “Is it that there’s a traitor among your superiors?”

Hu Dan was silent as he took out a cigarette, this time actually lighting one up.

After a while, he said, “I haven’t been smoking inside the camp for a while since I’ve quit already, but recently, I started smoking again because of these incidents.”

He glanced at Hao Jian, “You should know that under normal circumstances, I can’t easily let someone like you leave, because once you’re exposed, you won’t only bring danger to yourself, but also threaten my team.”

Hu Dan’s remarks confirmed that there was indeed a traitor among his superiors, and at the same time, he also made an exception for Hao Jian and explained the problems that were now occurring in the government, military, and even various other agencies.

Their military team suspected that someone had eavesdropped on their operation arrangements since the food transport team lost contact, but they didn’t think that it wouldn’t be from their side at first. Later, they reported several times that they had detected the movement of ‘Wugui’ but their reports didn’t reach the top. It was then they realized that something was wrong.

Originally, they were ordered to go to the airport for rescue, but after thinking about it, he contacted the commander of the airport military team without his superior’s knowledge and made a plan to quickly evacuate to the hydropower station.

Only after the fall of the airport base did they determine that there were indeed traitors among his superiors and that there had been a collapse of power. The fall of the airport base may be the result of their mutual collusion.

Hao Jian suddenly figured out why ‘Wugui’ could develop and grow rapidly within a short period of time. Someone must have used it as a tool to seize power and clear the obstacles in their way.

“How dare they bring the ‘US secretly supports terrorists for the sake of hegemony’ here. These people wanting power is crazy.” Hao Jian shook her head, “And, did you find out who they are?”

“It’s not our responsibility to take care of such complicated matters, but we have now changed the communication password and encrypted the frequency band. It won’t be so easy to eavesdrop anymore.”

How they contacted them and how to ensure that they would not be passed on by the traitors again is a scope beyond what Hao Jian knows.

To read the official translation, kindly visit: triple’w’ dot nihilumcreations dot wordpress dot com slash the-system-sent-me-an-object-end-of-the-world

“Therefore, apart from you and me, this matter shouldn’t be known to a third person. Otherwise, once we appear on the government’s radar, we will be easily exposed to ‘Wugui’. For us who act alone, without better self-defense capabilities, all that awaits us is danger. . . is that what you mean?”

After hearing this information from Hao Jian, Lian Ru Ning calmly analyzed it.

“That’s right.”

Lian Ru Ning asked again, “Then why did you tell me?”

Why did Hao Jian trust her so much when she was just an acquaintance she met on the way? She didn’t think that because Hao Jian liked her that’s why she trusted her for this simple matter. Besides, she wasn’t sure whether Hao Jian did like her.

“I had hoped you didn’t have to learn these things since you’re only the safest if you don’t know anything, but we’ve stepped into this quagmire together. It would be more dangerous for you to not know this information.”

Lian Ru Ning sighed. Sure enough, this is the answer that best fits Hao Jian’s personality. What the hell was she expecting?!

“Of course, there is another reason. I trust junior sister and think that junior sister possesses enough intelligence to figure out a way to avoid the danger.”

Lian Ru Ning pursed her lips, looking at Hao Jian’s smiling appearance, and asked, “What about you? Knowing these things, what price do you have to pay?”