Whether it was the base's team members or the regular residents, everyone threw themselves into the task. After five sleepless days, they finally extracted every crystal stone from the mutated creatures' bodies.
Almost the same day the work wrapped up, the base announced the opening of the A City Food Factory. It wasn't far either, just outside the gate, right next to the base. Even though it didn't take long to set up, none of the required procedures were skipped. And when it came to food safety, that was something nobody dared cut corners on.
In the apocalypse, medicine was already scarce. If anyone got sick from eating bad food, the base would be forced to waste precious medicine, something they couldn't afford.
Once the factory was built, people were assigned to their posts.
Since this was a new base and everyone had only recently moved in, there were plenty of jobs that needed filling. Those with experience were placed in positions they'd held before. Those without experience were assigned jobs suited to their health and physique.
Most women were placed inside the base, while the men were sent to the food factory outside. Truthfully, it wasn't discrimination—it was worry. The sight of mutated creatures could be terrifying, and the higher-ups didn't want women getting frightened.
As for people who'd refuse to work after being assigned… that almost never happened.
First, life in the base ran on contribution points. If you had enough points and could afford to spend them, you didn't need to work, and the base wouldn't force you.
Second, people with lots of points or resources could open their own shops in the commercial district. That was perfectly allowed.
After all, there weren't that few people with spatial abilities. Some could carry enormous amounts of goods in and out of the base by themselves. But for those without powers or wealth, these jobs were a lifeline. They came with free food and lodging, plus a monthly allowance of contribution points for daily expenses.
In short, as long as you were willing, you could survive comfortably inside the base.
…
While everyone was settling into routine life, Lan Jin and her group got busy with their own tasks.
Farming.
Running their shop.
The shop had been closed for several days, but once they reopened, it was like nothing had changed.
The planting area, though, wasn't so lucky.
Captain Zhang had kept them in the dark earlier, but now that they had time to catch their breath, the truth came out. When the four of them went to check the fields, they almost fainted on the spot.
The crops they'd planted had been destroyed again by mutated creatures.
Lan Jin pressed her hand to her forehead and sighed. "I just wanted to grow some vegetables. Why's it so damn hard?"
Huang Jinghe said, "Maybe we're just not meant to farm, Sister Lan. Let's forget it. Between running the shop and taking on missions, the contribution points we earn are already enough to cover us."
Farming was fun, sure, but he honestly couldn't take the heartbreak of seeing the crops die again.
Ling Jiang added, "Let's just stop. We'll spare farming, and farming will spare us. The crops have failed three times already. Even if it wasn't our fault, it still feels terrible."
Besides, if they wanted vegetables, they could grow them in their spatial storage. There was no need to rely on outside fields.
Lao Gao nodded. "Yeah, forget it. Three tries is enough. I don't have the patience for a fourth."
With the three of them united, Lan Jin couldn't argue. She gave in with a sigh. "Fine, fine. I only wanted to experience a harvest once. If vegetables don't want to be friends with me, then so be it."
They dropped the idea of farming completely.
But just then, Captain Zhang gave her a new task.
Taming the black panther.
Lan Jin groaned. "You've gotta be kidding me. You think I'm scarier than a panther? Why would it listen to me? What if it just bites my head off?"
The thought of her trying to tame a panther was funny enough that Ling Jiang laughed. "Go give it a try. If you manage it, it'll help everyone."
She threw back sarcastically, "I don't know how to tame anything. Don't you guys have dog trainers? Have them do it. A panther's not much different from a dog."
Captain Zhang shook his head. "Of course it's different. A dog is a dog, a panther's a panther. The problem is, everyone's too weak. The moment the panther roars, people scatter. There's no way to train it. But we noticed it's especially afraid of electricity. Probably because of you. That's why we want you to try."
She rolled her eyes. "The base has electric equipment. If it's scared of lightning, just shock it. What's that got to do with me?" But she didn't refuse outright. If the base had already decided, her objections wouldn't matter. So she sighed and asked, "Do we go now? Fine, let's take a look."
Pleased by her cooperation, Captain Zhang nodded and drove them to the animal training grounds at the back of the base.
…
The training area wasn't just for dogs. Other animals and even some manageable mutated creatures were being trained there. But none of those compared to the hulking mass that was the panther.
Lan Jin muttered, "No wonder I didn't notice at the gate that night. It was too dark. This thing's way bigger than I thought."
From the moment she walked in, the panther fixed its gaze on her. It was like it could smell her from a mile away.
The moment she stepped through the corridor and entered the training space, its eyes locked straight onto her.
Ling Jiang chuckled. "Look at that, it knows you."
Lao Gao teased, "Pretty sure it just holds a grudge."
Not just Lan Jin, but all the team members were surprised the panther seemed to recognize her.
She groaned. "See? I knew it. It hates me. If I get close, it's gonna pounce and eat me."
Captain Zhang reassured her, "Try stepping forward. The cage is reinforced and electrified. If it lunges, it'll shock itself before it touches you."
The panther had been shocked enough times to remember the pain. Normally it wouldn't dare throw itself at the barriers.
But as soon as it saw how close she was, it threw back its head and let out a deafening roar.