In the apocalypse, the environment had been extremely harsh on both people and human nature. Surviving was already difficult for humans, let alone dogs. Honestly, dogs existed in the base too, but most were previously domesticated, non-aggressive dogs. The one Lan Jin had brought over was different. Not only was it large in size, but even at a glance, one could tell this dog's aggression was extreme.
Before he could speak, Lan Qiaoqiao stepped forward and said, "Uncle, you cannot say that. Nana hear, no happy."
Looking at the face that bore a few similarities to Lan Jin, he realized this must be the daughter Lan Jin was bringing along. But what did she mean just now? Dogs could understand humans, yes, but could they really get the details like this?
Still, glancing at the dog, he noticed its eyes carried a hint of hostility.
Brother Zhang thought it might be his imagination and instead tried to tease the little girl in front of him.
He came out from inside, squatted down in front of Lan Qiaoqiao at the doorway, and asked, "How do you know that what I said would make it unhappy? Are you its owner?"
Lan Qiaoqiao nodded very seriously and said, "Yes, I its owner."
Naturally, a little owner counted as an owner. No matter what others thought, Nana recognized her.
But wait—what was the dog's name? Brother Zhang asked, "Nana? This dog is called Nana? Who gave it the name?"
Lan Qiaoqiao turned and pointed at Lan Jin behind her. "Mama."
Lan Jin smiled and said, "Qiao Qiao, this is Uncle Zhang. Remember to call him Uncle Zhang when you see him."
Lan Qiaoqiao flicked her eyes at Lan Jin, then looked at Brother Zhang and sweetly called out, "Uncle Zhang."
Hearing that, Brother Zhang felt a little flustered and touched. He awkwardly said, "This… so formal? But about the dog, the name seems too random. It's a Rottweiler, so just call it Nana? Also, is it male or female?"
"Male."
Still an unneutered male. Thinking of this, Lan Jin immediately asked, "Does the base do neutering?"
Brother Zhang froze. In the apocalypse, why neuter? What was needed was reproduction. He quickly stopped her, "No, no, absolutely not. Uh, I will discuss with you later. You handle the paperwork first, then we can talk."
Lan Jin nodded without saying anything further.
Meanwhile, Huang Jinghe and Lao Gao had already moved their luggage onto the security checkpoint platform. After passing inspection, those returning from outside would also go through layered security checks before the base staff allowed them inside.
After entering, Lan Jin and Ling Jiang took out the residence permits for the elder and the child. But the dog had no permit. Lan Jin asked, "Brother Zhang, the dog has no residence permit, but I have a dog certificate for it. Is that okay?"
"Okay. Give me the dog certificate, and I will apply for a residence permit under your name. This will make future entry easier, and it can be used elsewhere too."
As soon as Brother Zhang finished speaking, Nana excitedly barked 'Woof, woof,' clearly as if he understood. Brother Zhang found it hilarious.
Nana barked loudly, instantly drawing the attention of anyone who hadn't noticed her yet. Lan Jin hurriedly scolded, "Lower voice."
Nana, just about to bark again, closed his mouth and glanced at Lan Jin sideways, unsure what to do. Lan Jin glared and said, "How did I teach you at home? So many people here. If you bark too loud, you might scare them. Bark softly, remember? Can you bark softly?"
Nana looked at her, then thought with his dog head for a moment, and softly went 'Woof.' He then looked at Lan Jin again, as if asking, "Is this okay?"
Of course it was fine, as long as it didn't bother anyone. Lan Jin said, "Right, just like that. If people are around, you must only bark this volume. Understand? Respond."
Nana softly barked 'Woof' again, showing he understood.
The training scene between human and dog was not only entertaining for Brother Zhang but also for the staff nearby. The staff paused for a while until Lan Jin finished disciplining Nana, then returned to their work.
Although Nana was big and plump, he was obedient. Lan Jin told him to sit, he sat. Told him to stand for a photo, he stood. Whatever Lan Jin said, he obeyed. A trained, obedient dog like this was irresistibly cute.
After the dog certificate was done, the next issue was how long they would stay.
The staff asked, "Will you stay temporarily or long-term? Need dorm or rent a place? Pets cannot enter capsule dorms. Long-term stay also has different fees."
Bases with military backgrounds had a three-day free stay. Lan Jin and the others had not considered long-term living before, so they had never asked about fees. But now, they would likely stay longer, so some questions needed answers.
There were three types of bases in total: private, official, and the official one they were currently in.
Besides the official base providing three free days, the other two types charged fees even for temporary stay.
The official base was among the first established and built earliest. It was jointly managed by provincial and municipal authorities. The base that came to pick them up by car earlier was an official base. Its residency threshold was low enough that even early residents could afford it, so it had the most people among the three types.
Smaller cities could accommodate tens of thousands, larger cities hundreds of thousands. But as population increased, chaos was easy to follow. Those who didn't join early generally avoided staying long later.
Thus, private bases emerged.