"The sky's getting dark, but we're at the base now. This vehicle isn't suitable for going in. We're planning to skate in," Ling Jiang explained briefly.
Right after she spoke, the combination of ice skates and a skating cart appeared before everyone.
In her bag, Lan Jin had packed a twenty-jin bag of rice, ten packs of instant noodles, four bottles of mineral water, and five packs of compressed biscuits.
Once everything was ready, the group appeared at a relatively hidden spot they had just found earlier.
After making their final preparations, they glided toward the base.
Their strange mode of transport quickly caught the attention of the gate staff. One of them spotted the skates and cart from a distance and exclaimed with excitement, "Look over there! Someone's actually skating here!"
"Skating here? How's that even possible?" His words instantly drew the attention of the other workers nearby.
When they walked closer and got a better look, one of them let out a whistle. "Wow, it really is ice skates and a skating cart. That's pretty cool."
"What's so cool about it? The base is so far away. If they came from the city center, it would take them days to skate here."
That made sense when you thought about it.
But soon, the man stationed at the gate waved them off impatiently. "Back to work. Stop gawking."
Of course, work still had to be done, but that didn't mean the excitement was over. As the four skaters drew nearer, the workers' curiosity became even more obvious. Even the people standing in line to register ahead of them started watching.
When Lan Jin's group finally approached, someone couldn't hold back and called out, "Hey, did you really skate all the way to the base?"
The four exchanged a quick look. Lao Gao gave a short nod, then ignored the onlookers.
The registration process was a little slow. Lan Jin had assumed that by now, most people planning to move into the base would already be inside, but that wasn't the case. The two vehicles ahead of them in line were also there to check in that very day.
By the time it was their turn, half an hour had passed. Fortunately, the base had heating from the entrance onward. Without it, standing outside in such low temperatures for thirty minutes would have been unbearable.
A worker stationed at the entrance checked their temperatures. That was routine, since most people who had eaten insect powder showed abnormal body heat. The base was meant to be a safe living zone, so naturally, they couldn't risk letting anyone dangerous slip in.
Once their temperatures were confirmed to be normal, they moved a little further inside to a small five-square-meter window. Two staff members worked there, handling registrations.
A young man in his twenties asked, "Do you still have your residence permits? We'll use those to register you."
All four nodded. "Yes."
They each pulled their residence permits from their pouches.
The man scanned each card, confirming their identities, then began to explain. "There are two living arrangements in the base. One is long-term residency, the other is temporary. Are you planning to settle here permanently?"
Lan Jin asked, "What's the difference?"
A man from behind the window stepped closer and explained, "Since you're local residents, the current policy gives you a three-day free stay. Whether you choose long-term or temporary, those three days are free. During that time, you'll be placed in the communal dormitories.
Each dorm holds about a hundred beds, with men and women separated. In those three days, water in the restrooms is free, but it's recycled water and not safe to drink. For drinking water and meals, you'll need to go to the base cafeteria, and those require contribution points.
If you're only staying for the free three days, there's no housing fee, and you can use other facilities simply by paying with contribution points. But if you plan to stay long-term, the costs vary depending on the type of housing you want. We can discuss that later if you decide to stay."
He added, "Since your residence permits are in good condition, you won't need to replace or update them. You can use them right away."
They had no intention of staying long-term, so Lao Gao said directly, "No need. We'll go with temporary."
The staff seemed a bit surprised. With the gear they were carrying, it looked as if they were making a final, desperate push to survive. It hadn't occurred to him they might still plan on leaving.
Since they chose temporary, the process was simpler. After handing back the cards—now activated with permissions—the worker led them aside for further instructions. "These cards are valid for three days. After that, their functions will automatically expire.
You can come and go freely during those three days. Each person uses their own card, and it only allows one person per entry. You'll also need to scan your card to access the dormitory gates. Treat the residence permit as important—this is standard in almost every base."
Even though the J City base wasn't large, it was still officially run, so its facilities were similar to other bases.
In fact, it wasn't small either. The base was a circular building about twelve stories tall. The entire first floor was for staff operations, divided into a living zone and a shopping zone.
To the left of the entrance was registration and, next to it, a counter for exchanging contribution points. Further along was a large rental area for housing.
The staff member explained that taking the central stairs would lead to the cafeteria. The second floor served large shared meals, while the third floor allowed ordering smaller, cooked dishes—though those cost more contribution points.
From the fourth floor upward, there was a shopping center. It wasn't crowded, but it had everything one might need.
The residential area began from the second floor on the opposite side of the building and extended to the twelfth floor, with other sections mixed in between.
The second floor housed the men's dormitory, and the third floor the women's. Above that were single rooms, double rooms, and even suites, all available for rent with contribution points.
Lan Jin and the others had no need for such accommodations, so they didn't bother asking about the prices.