Lao Gao shook his head. "Impossible. Even if it rains again, it can't be an insect rain. There's no way so many bugs gather up in the sky just to fall down a second time."
"But even if it's other mutant creatures, that's already enough trouble. I just hope we can reach the new base safely this time," Ling Jiang said.
Whether they could really reach it smoothly though, that was another story.
Something else weighed on Ling Jiang's mind. "You know, I've been wondering. The Capital city base already has way better equipment than the other bases. But here, everything still gets eaten away by acid rain. What if the new base gets corroded too? What if we get there and there's nowhere left to live?"
One of the soldiers in the truck spoke up. "No way. The materials around the new base are different. That kind of problem won't happen. It's absolutely safe there."
Hearing that firm tone, the others couldn't help feeling hopeful.
"Before we set off, I was so worried. If that's true, then great. I just want us to settle down properly this time."
"Yeah, I heard that once we get there, all the bases will merge and everyone will live together. It shouldn't get chaotic, right?"
"How could it? No matter where we used to live, as long as it's a military base, it'll follow the military's rules."
For those who were already used to strict discipline, there was nothing to adapt to. But for ordinary survivors who'd have to adjust to new rules all over again, that wouldn't be easy.
"You're right. What's there to complain about? The day the apocalypse started, I lost my home. Wherever the base is, that's where I'll stay. As long as I'm alive, I can get used to anywhere, and any management."
"Exactly. Being alive is already enough. Who cares where we live."
…
After the insect rain, nature finally hit pause. But people who'd been injured by mutant creatures earlier started showing symptoms of fever.
Watching one survivor after another collapse, Captain Zhou rubbed his temples. "What the hell, why are they burning up? We've been bitten before too, and nobody got a fever then."
"Are you sure it's from the bites? Maybe their bodies are just weak. Too much sun, too much heat, maybe it's heatstroke," Lao Gao said. "Look, some people got bitten too and they're not running a fever."
"Some were bitten earlier, some later, and everyone's immunity's different. Judging by the way this is spreading, I'd say they'll all get fevers eventually," Captain Wang said, frowning.
The worst part wasn't just the fever. Once it set in, patients ached all over, and the slightest movement made them vomit uncontrollably. The first one to show symptoms didn't take it seriously, and dropped dead before they realized how dangerous it was. That caught everyone completely off guard.
As more and more people fell sick, they had no choice but to stop moving.
They were only a day away from the new base. Now, who knew when they could get moving again.
Captain Zhou and Captain Zhang spoke privately to the four of them. "Honestly, staying put isn't a bad thing. If this illness spreads and we carry it into the base, the new base might not survive either."
If that happened, there'd be no place left to shelter the last surviving humans on Blue Star. Discovering it halfway was actually the lesser evil.
"So what do we do now?" Lan Jin asked.
"Since we can't move, we'll stay put for a few more days. At least until everyone who's going to get a fever shows symptoms. But we still need to send word to the new base. And our medicine's running low. We'll need help," Captain Zhou said. "We've never dealt with anything like this before. Let's see if the new base has a solution."
After some discussion, they decided Captain Wang would be the one to go.
He gathered some uninjured soldiers and a few ability users, then started packing immediately.
Ling Jiang asked, "When are you leaving? What about the four of us? Do we stay here?"
Captain Zhou had never planned to let them go. He nodded. "You'll stay. It's too dangerous outside, and all these people need someone to watch over them. The new base is only a day's trip away. That's not long, nothing major should happen."
"Alright, we'll stay then."
…
Not long after, Captain Wang left with his group.
The trip took a full day and night, but nothing unexpected happened. They reached the new base, the A City base, without incident. Just like other bases, the first step of entry was testing. Since the first symptom of anything was usually a fever, body temperature checks came first.
Once every soldier was confirmed healthy, the gatekeepers asked, "Why are there only so few of you from the Capital city base?"
Captain Wang explained, "It's not that. We ran into a lot of trouble on the way. By the way, have the official base forces all arrived yet?"
"Not yet. Why, do you need help?"
Captain Wang laid out everything that had happened during the journey, and before he left. But the truth was, the people at the new base had never faced such things either. So they asked, "What exactly do you need right now?"
"I came to report, and Captain Zhou and Captain Zhang suspect the sickness is contagious. So we need fever medicine."
They didn't know if it would work, but anything that could reduce fever was essential.
The base guards sent word inside. A while later, someone brought out several bags of medicine. They also sent a squad to follow Captain Wang's group back. "If you need more supplies, we can send people to fetch them."
Before they left, one of the guards handed Captain Wang a satellite phone. "The old system broke down, and with the weather getting weirder, our signals failed. We did try to contact you, but you were probably already on the road, so we never reached you. Take this phone. If you run into something you can't handle, call us directly."
They didn't bother to explain where the new base was. Every satellite phone had built-in positioning, and since the Capital city base evacuees only had one road to take, moving slowly meant they wouldn't miss anyone.
Captain Wang put the phone away. "Alright. If we need anything, we'll call. And if the weather turns strange again, please contact us first."
"Yes."