Doomsday Stewed Salted Fish C41.2

Hey, first of all, thanks for reading my lousy Machine Translation. To be honest, I’d really like it if you guys corrected the mistakes I made. But please speak nicely and politely. My heart is not strong enough to read your too-harsh comments. Have a nice day. 🙂

Chapter 41. (2/2)

Uncle Wang’s eyes were filled with bloodshot veins. Meeting Gu Fan’s clear and innocent eyes, he bitterly asked, “Do you know what the bunkers are designed to withstand?”

Gu Fan didn’t know, only that the defenses here should be incredibly strong.

Uncle Wang looked towards the ceiling as if his gaze could penetrate the layers of metal and earth. “Bunkers are actually designed as nuclear shelters. When a beast tide attacks and humans must abandon the base, a nuclear bomb can kill all surface creatures within a twenty-kilometer radius centered on the base.”

With a heavy heart, Uncle Wang’s voice was low but not deliberately quiet, so all the children around heard him.

“Daddy!”

“I want Mommy back!”

“Grandpa…”

The cries seemed contagious, spreading among more and more people.

Gu Fan stood in a daze, her mind suddenly filled with memories of everyone she had met since arriving at the base. She even remembered the faces of the dignitaries Lu Ya had introduced her to during the celebration. Slowly, unrelated people faded away, leaving only Lu Ya and the Xinghe team: the cold and strong Lu Ya, the gentle and smiling Xinghe, the steady and reticent Taishan, the beauty-loving yet disinterested Qingteng, the culinary expert Fenghuo, and the pure and straightforward Meng Lianying.

A nuclear bomb, wiping out all surface life.

So, were they all dead, too?

—

Each bunker was equipped with enough food and water to sustain fifty thousand people for three days.

Uncle Wang gave Gu Fan a brief explanation.

The humans who survived the great radiation, whether ordinary people or power users, had developed immunity to trace amounts of nuclear radiation. As long as they held out in the bunkers for three days, they could resume surface activities. However, Jiangnan Base was no longer habitable, so everyone needed to quickly relocate to another city and establish a new base.

Uncle Wang also told Gu Fan that if people on the surface could hide in basements or other sturdy shelters before the nuclear bomb exploded, they had a high chance of survival, especially the power users.

Gu Fan thought of Taishan’s earth-based defenses. With Taishan’s abilities, he could create a sturdy shelter even without one.

This thought eased her mind somewhat.

Three days later, the military personnel managing the bunker had yet to open the door when someone knocked from outside — it was a power user.

Gu Fan finally emerged with the fifty thousand people from Bunker One.

As far as the eye could see, the entire Jiangnan Base had been leveled to the ground. The once-towering buildings were gone, and even some small mountains had lost their peaks.

Power users continuously flew overhead.

The power user responsible for receiving Bunker One’s occupants explained: “After the nuclear bomb exploded, some humans and beasts survived. During these three days, the power users have been clearing out remaining beasts and rescuing trapped people. You will first go to a temporary resting area, where a list of surviving people is being compiled, and you can check it to find your loved ones.”

As Gu Fan listened to the explanation, she scanned the flying power users.

“Next, power users aged sixteen and above, please step forward. A rescue team will come shortly, and you will assist them in their efforts.”

As soon as the words were spoken, the wood-based power users among the fifty thousand stepped forward, led by members of the Sheng family.

“I’ll go with you,” Lu Yao said, following Sheng Xi.

Sheng Xi held Lu Yao’s hand, but his gaze turned towards Gu Fan.

Just as Gu Fan was about to step forward, Uncle Wang suddenly grabbed her, speaking solemnly: “Miss Gu, I promised the Young Marshal to ensure your safety.”

Gu Fan softly replied, “Perhaps he’s lying somewhere, waiting for rescue.”

Gu Fan wanted to help rescue Lu Ya, the Xinghe team, and others she had interacted with.

When the beast tide attacked, she was powerless. Now that the most dangerous moments had passed, Gu Fan wanted to help.

Uncle Wang held her wrist, reluctant to let her go.

Just then, a dark shadow flew in from a distance at incredible speed, appearing before the crowd in the blink of an eye.

“Second Uncle!”

Lu Jingtian leapt up excitedly, his hoarse voice asking, “What about Great-Grandfather?”

Lu Ya’s expression was icy, unchanged from before the beast tide. His gaze swept over the people below, and he spoke in a mechanical voice: “To protect the base, Marshals Lu Sheng and Li Zhen sacrificed themselves.”

Lu Jingtian stood there in a daze, tears streaming down his cheeks like pearls.

Lu Ya glanced at Gu Fan beside Lu Jingtian and commanded in a military tone, “Gu Fan, come with me for the rescue.”

Gu Fan donned A-grade flight boots and took off.

Before she could reach Lu Ya, he turned and flew towards where the second ring once stood, maintaining a speed she could follow.

“I’m sorry for the loss of the Old Marshal,” Gu Fan said quietly as she caught up.

Lu Ya remained silent.

Gu Fan asked, “Your Lu family army…”

“Currently, over a thousand have returned.”

Now it was Gu Fan’s turn to fall silent.

Considering the nuclear bomb’s power, over a thousand survivors in the Lu family army seemed like a lot. However, the original Lu family army consisted of 250,000 elite troops. Most of those power users likely didn’t survive to witness the nuclear explosion and had already perished in the initial beast tide attack, right?

This beast tide battle was yet another apocalypse for Jiangnan Base.

In the face of the base’s downfall, every topic seemed heavy.

After flying in silence for a while, Gu Fan landed and looked at Lu Ya, tentatively asking, “Have you seen the Xinghe team?”

Faced with a collapsed building, Lu Ya sensed the distribution of metals underground as he replied, “Xinghe’s external injuries have healed, but he’s still unconscious. Fenghuo lost his right arm, and Lianying and Qingteng are helping with the rescue.”

Gu Fan asked, “What about Taishan?”

Lu Ya’s expression was emotionless. “He sacrificed himself.”

In Gu Fan’s ears, she could hear Taishan’s steady voice: “I’ll handle their defense, so don’t worry.”

The reassuring Taishan was gone, never to be seen again.

Suddenly, Lu Ya turned around, his face as cold as frost, seemingly indifferent to any event.

He looked at Gu Fan as if he were looking at an ordinary medical soldier: “Tens of millions of people have died, but now is not the time to grieve, there are more people waiting to be rescued.”

Gu Fan closed her eyes.

Just when Lu Ya thought she needed some time to calm down, Gu Fan suddenly pointed to a place fifty meters behind her: “There, ten meters underground.”