As the vehicles finally came to a halt, Brother Zhang, who had been unconscious since they fled down the mountain, stirred awake with a faint groan.
The military doctor sighed. "You really chose the right time to wake up."
Brother Zhang blinked in confusion. Once he stepped out of the vehicle, he realized they were in a different place. Though unfamiliar at first glance, it somehow felt familiar. He asked, "So we all made it out alive? Lan Jin and the others are back? Mission complete? If we've already come this far, doesn't that mean another day's drive will get us back to base? Are you packing up to leave?"
The military doctor looked helpless. "We only just stopped. We're setting up camp. Don't talk yet, listen to me first."
The doctor quickly pulled Brother Zhang back into the car and explained everything that had happened the night before. Only then did Brother Zhang learn the truth. They had been driving through the night without stopping, finally halting only now. Everyone was injured, some heavily.
More than that, if he had not heard it from so many eyewitnesses, Brother Zhang would never have believed such nonsense: green plants that grew from the soil tearing their roots free to chase and attack people.
"So what you're saying is, the lake has been dealt with. But while doing that, some of the plants pulled themselves out of the earth and chased us down the mountain.
They attacked just as we were leaving, and in the end it was Lan Jin and the others who ran down and electrocuted the plants. That's how you were saved, but everyone was injured to varying degrees."
The military doctor nodded. "That's right. Regular guns were useless against them, no matter how hard we fought. Unless it's a weapon of mass destruction, only abilities can harm them. And we weren't carrying anything of that scale.
Thankfully, Lan Jin arrived in time. You didn't see her yesterday. She was running so hard she could barely breathe by the time she got back. She sat right next to you, sucking oxygen for ages before she recovered."
Brother Zhang asked quickly, "Where are they now? I don't see them."
"They're asleep. It was too dangerous to sleep during the first half of the night, so the four of them took turns guarding the back of each car. Only when nothing happened by dawn did they finally dare to rest.
Our vehicles only just stopped, so camp is being set up now. Everyone must rest today. Not because the body can't take it, but because the mind can't."
Even though this squad had no abilities, every one of them had gone through hellish training before. They had endured impossible missions and brutal hardships. But that kind of hardship was still different from this.
Now that there was at least some chance to rest, why force people to the breaking point? Stopping here, drinking hot soup, eating a proper meal, and then moving on would not hurt.
Brother Zhang understood this reasoning. He had never been harsh with his people. "We still have some chickens left, right? Cook all of them. Let everyone eat properly. We'll rest, but we won't stay the night. Once we finish and nap a bit, we'll head back to base. It's safer there."
The doctor did not object. It was Brother Zhang's role to make decisions anyway. "Fine. You arrange it. It's still early. Two shifts for rest, then we leave after noon."
Once the doctor confirmed Brother Zhang's injuries were not serious, he no longer hovered around him. After all, many others were far more badly hurt, and he had to change their bandages.
Brother Zhang walked a round to inspect, then announced the plan to the team.
No one objected. Compared to being outside, everyone longed for the safety of the base.
…
Lunch was curry, but this time every last chicken was cooked into it. The fragrance was completely different from the plain curry they had eaten before.
The rich aroma carried far. It was enough to rouse the four who had been sound asleep.
Lan Jin climbed out of the car first, followed soon after by Ling Jiang, Lao Gao, and Huang Jinghe. The four of them walked straight to the giant pot, staring hungrily at the bubbling curry.
Seeing who they were, the cooking squad member did not chase them away. Instead he asked, "The curry chicken rice will be ready in a moment. Do you want to eat now? I can serve you first."
The four immediately nodded without hesitation. "Eat. Now."
"Yes, starving here."
…
Not long after, each of them held a large bowl of steaming curry chicken rice.
They found a corner to sit together. Just as they began to eat, Brother Zhang walked over. Seeing them already halfway through their meal, he asked, "So you've rested. No problems with your bodies?"
Lao Gao chuckled. "You should be more worried about yourself. We're fine, really. Just sleepy, and very hungry. Yesterday we barely ate at all."
He was not exaggerating. The four of them had only had a proper meal in the morning. By noon, they had snatched a few bites of compressed biscuits, nowhere near enough for their large appetites, especially after so much exhausting fighting. That single ration and a light breakfast had long since burned away. By nightfall, they were ravenous.
In truth, it was not only the four of them. The entire squad was the same, though their "activity level" was not as extreme. Hunger gnawed at everyone. Which was why bowls were emptied so quickly, and rice ran short. More noodles were cooked and mixed with curry. By the end, nearly every stomach was round and full. The tension of the previous night's battle faded with the meal.
After food came another round of rest. By noon, the convoy was once more on the road back to base. The return journey was shockingly smooth. In fact, not a single mutated beast appeared. The silence of the road was so unnatural it left many uneasy.
Lao Gao kept peering out the window, not spotting even a shadow. "This is too peaceful. Makes it feel unreal, like danger is waiting ahead."
Ling Jiang laughed. "Danger my ass. You're just still rattled from before. What's wrong with peace? When we first arrived at the base, it was just like this, safe and calm. You didn't call it unreal back then."
Lao Gao muttered, "That was different."
True, they had not yet seen the bizarre horrors of the world back then. But Ling Jiang's words still made sense. Not every place could be filled with constant danger. Near the base, there should still be safety.
…
The sky darkened again. At last, around eleven at night, their vehicles rolled to a stop in front of the base gates.
Lan Jin exhaled softly. She really had missed the warm air of the base. "Once I'm back inside, I'm turning on the heater. I'll finally get a proper night's sleep. Tomorrow, I'm skipping breakfast. I want to sleep until I wake up on my own."