After nearly twenty days of trekking, they crested the final rocky ridge. At the horizon's edge, the "Hope" base marked on the map finally came into view.
It bore no resemblance to the orderly settlement they had imagined, nor did it display any signs of an official refuge, however dilapidated. Stretching across the gray-yellow wasteland stood a massive wall constructed of rough concrete, rusted steel, and dense barbed wire.
The wall towered, visibly over ten meters high, crowned with watchtowers where the muzzles of guns were faintly visible through dark openings. Its surface was covered in stains and bullet marks of varying depths, silently telling the story of battles fought here.
A grim atmosphere. That was the first impression of the "Hope" base. The sole entrance was a heavy metal structure flanked by guards standing at attention, their eyes cold and fixed on anyone attempting to approach.
A modest queue formed before the gate, composed mostly of gaunt, haggard survivors with frightened eyes, undergoing rigorous questioning.
Lu Zhao and Gu Xun exchanged glances, seeing solemnity in each other's eyes. This place was nothing like they had imagined.
They silently joined the end of the line. The air thickened with the stench of sweat, dust, and an invisible tension. When their turn came, a guard with a scar on his face barked rudely, "Name! Where are you from? Been bitten? Hand over everything you're carrying!"
Lu Zhao complied, setting down his backpack. Inside lay only an empty canteen, the steel rod, and a few tough, dry roots too unpalatable to eat, intended for discard. Gu Xun carried even less.
The guard rummaged through the worthless items, his gaze lingering briefly on Gu Xun's strikingly handsome face. A fleeting, almost imperceptible look of lechery flashed across his eyes before being swiftly masked by robotic indifference. "Go into the left shed for a body search!"
The so-called search shed was nothing more than a crude canvas tent. Inside, the men moved with brutal efficiency, practically stripping them naked to inspect every inch of their skin, confirming no wounds or concealed items.
They were then led before a slightly better-dressed man who seemed to be a minor leader. He held a peculiar-looking device with electrode pads.
"Hands up," the lieutenant commanded, his tone brooking no argument.
Gu Xun extended his hand first. The moment the device touched his skin, it emitted a faint beeping sound. A weak glow flickered on the screen before settling into an intertwined aura of pale blue and milky white.
The lieutenant's previously indifferent gaze shifted instantly. He sat bolt upright, staring intently at the screen before lifting his head to scrutinize Gu Xun. His expression blended astonishment and greed. "Affinity for water... and light? Healing-oriented?"
He immediately turned to Lu Zhao. As Lu Zhao placed his hand on the device, it emitted an unstable blue glow representing the wind element, accompanied by a sharp, piercing sound.
"Wind element, offensive-oriented, energy level... passable." The lieutenant's interest visibly waned. He waved his hand. "Record."
He turned back to Gu Xun, forcing a somewhat friendly smile. "You. Come with us. As for you..." He glanced at Lu Zhao. "Head to the outer settlement area and wait."
Gu Xun's brow furrowed slightly as he looked at Lu Zhao. Lu Zhao's heart tightened, and he instinctively tried to step forward, only to be gently but firmly nudged back by the butt of a rifle from a nearby guard.
"He's with me," Gu Xun stated calmly, his voice carrying an unwavering certainty.
The lieutenant raised an eyebrow, seemingly weighing the value of Gu Xun's unique ability. Finally, he snorted, "Fine. He's lucky. Confiscate their belongings, especially that map!" He pointed specifically at the map tube retrieved from Lu Zhao's backpack. "Take them to Sector B. Have him..." He gestured toward Gu Xun. "...go through the detailed registration process."
Their personal belongings were confiscated, including the steel bar that had long accompanied Lu Zhao. Escorted by several guards, the two passed through the heavy metal gate, formally entering the "Hope" base.
Beyond the gate lay not a land of hope, but the beginning of another unknown world—one filled with constraints. The shadows cast by the high walls enveloped them in a cold embrace.
Passing through the thick metal gate felt like entering another world. Inside was not an orderly refuge, but a vast, chaotic, layered structure.
They were led to the so-called "Zone B," a sprawling area within the high walls cobbled together from makeshift shacks, tattered tents, and abandoned shipping containers. The air thickened with the pungent stench of rotting garbage, sewage, and the overcrowded masses.
Most people wore tattered clothes, their faces gaunt. Their eyes were either blank, wary, or held a glimmer of desperate madness. This was the base's outskirts, a gathering place for the lowest-tier survivors, known as the "Dust Zone."
The guards escorting them arbitrarily pointed to an empty, half-collapsed shack, muttered, "Stay put. Someone will come for you," then left with a disgusted sniff.
The shack was low and gloomy, its floor covered in moldy straw, barely spacious enough for two people to curl up and sit.
"This place..." Lu Zhao looked around, his voice dry. The scene before him felt more suffocating than the wilderness. At least the wilderness offered freedom. Here, there was only the despair of captivity.
"Observe first," Gu Xun murmured, his gaze sweeping over the prying, hostile eyes outside the shack, his expression calm.
Soon, a man in a filthy uniform, a cheap cigarette dangling from his lips, approached carrying a registration board.
"Newcomers? Name, abilities, previous occupation?"
Gu Xun stated his name truthfully, detailing his water and light abilities, emphasizing his healing powers.
At the word "healing," the registrar's cloudy eyes lit up momentarily as he scribbled rapidly on the board.
When it was Lu Zhao's turn, the clerk heard "wind-type, offensive" and merely grunted impatiently, scribbling a few hasty marks.
"You," the clerk pointed at Gu Xun, "someone will escort you to the inner district tomorrow for reporting. Your abilities... arrangements will be made. As for you," he glanced at Lu Zhao, "report to the eastern assembly point tomorrow morning. You'll join the search team to scavenge supplies. Don't even think about slacking off. Fail to complete the mission, and you won't get fed."
The orders were delivered with no room for doubt. After the clerk left, the shack fell silent.
"They're splitting us up," Lu Zhao clenched his fists, his voice tinged with unease.
"Exactly as expected." Gu Xun's voice remained steady, though a hint of gravity lingered in his eyes. "My ability is a scarce resource here, but that also means it will be strictly controlled. Your offensive capabilities, in their eyes, are expendable."
That night, they shared the base-issued rations—coarse, sand-laced biscuits barely sufficient to stave off starvation—and drank murky water tainted with bleach.
Under cover of darkness, Gu Xun lowered his voice and quickly relayed his observations to Lu Zhao: "This base operates under a strict hierarchy. The outermost layer is the 'Dust Zone' where we are, housing ordinary people and low-tier ability users. We handle the hardest, most grueling work and receive the least resources. Moving inward is the 'Worker Ant Zone,' housing skilled craftsmen and technicians. Further in, separated by high walls, lies the 'Inner Zone,' where the base management, armed forces, and 'special talents' like me reside."
"The ruler here is called the 'General.' No one has seen his true face, but his orders are law. Armed 'Patrol Squads' and 'Elite Teams' maintain order—or rather, suppression."
"Healing-type ability users... I've heard scattered rumors that they're conscripted to serve exclusively for the Inner Zone residents and injured Elite Squad members returning from missions. But their movements are monitored, leaving them with almost no freedom."
Lu Zhao listened, his heart sinking with each word. This wasn't hope—it was another kind of cage, with survival as its chains.