Before the apocalypse, the elderly often went to supermarkets or malls, not necessarily to buy things, but to stay warm in winter or cool in summer. Not just Grandma Ling, but all elders generally had this habit. Before the apocalypse, Grandma Ling was a regular visitor to supermarkets and malls.
You might say they didn't really go just to sit and cool down. Even ignoring the mall, the supermarket alone… every shop had discounts every day. Elders naturally liked to stock up. It was this habit that helped Ling Jiang's family survive the earliest, hardest days.
Now, thinking back, after the apocalypse began, Grandma Ling really had not gone to these places again. Knowing the base had them made anyone's heart itch with curiosity.
The supermarket could wait, though. It was next to the cafeteria, so they could visit while eating. No need to make a separate trip. The mall, however, was farther. Walking there allowed them to see the scenery, and it had more things to browse. It was worth taking time to explore.
Ling Jiang held Grandma Ling with one hand and Qiao Qiao with the other as they headed toward the mall.
The mall…
Naturally, it was open for business. Even though the base had been forcibly split in two, as long as it was now connected, and the base people had not made them leave, work went on. The protective shield was gone, and there was no heating along the way. Honestly, it was freezing.
The H city base was built on a mountain. Every step upward felt like climbing. At the top, the temperature was even colder.
The mountain path and low temperatures would have been too much for someone like Grandma Ling, over eighty years old. A few steps would have exhausted her. But since drinking the Spirit Spring water, her body had become strong. She climbed with light, powerful steps. After walking for a while, she felt no discomfort and moved with calm ease, almost like basking in spring breeze.
Ling Jiang could not help but exclaim, "Grandma, your body is so much stronger than before."
"That's right. The old house we lived in had six floors and no elevator. Every two floors, I had to rest halfway before continuing. Going down was always so hard. But now, I barely feel it." Grandma Ling smiled. "Of course, I cannot compare to you young people, but my body is much better."
Since Lan Jin said the Spirit Spring water was unlimited, everyone replaced their drinking water with it. Drinking constantly, they did not become immortal, but they stayed strong and rarely sick.
Ling Jiang had only Grandma Ling left in the world. Naturally, she hoped Grandma Ling stayed healthy to accompany her for a few more years. Seeing her so much stronger brought joy.
The mall excited the elderly and child immediately. Whether buying or not, walking and browsing was natural for women. They wandered around the small mall for almost an hour. The final result was—
They bought nothing.
It was unavoidable. Lan Jin's space held everything. If they bought anything, they would be nagged upon seeing it again later.
After finishing the mall, Ling Jiang took them to the cafeteria. Previously, they might have waited in the hall, but now, without heating, she could not let the old lady and child freeze.
They headed straight to the cafeteria. Seeing the time, Ling Jiang quickly ordered some meals. Soon, Lan Jin and the others returned to the base.
They had not brought much: a few changes of clothes and fees for the elderly, child, and dog. Of course, the amount could not be exact; too neat would look suspicious. Lan Jin estimated 185 jin of food, enough to process it without trouble.
The number could be adjusted. Extra food could be converted to contribution points and credited to her residence permit.
After completing the official residence procedure and paying for two people and a dog, the six people and one dog officially became members of the H city base.
Brother Zhang happily returned the residence permits to Lan Jin. "Leave the dog below for now. After dinner, I'll take you to process your residence at the housing. While eating, review the base rules carefully."
Having lived in the base a little, they knew some of the rules. Everyone in the base was under unified militarized management and had to follow the rules strictly.
For example, at 7:00 a.m., the wake-up horn sounded, like a modern alarm clock. When it sounded, everyone had to get up.
7:00 to 8:30 was for getting up and breakfast. 8:30 to 11:30 was morning work. 11:30 to 1:30 was lunch and rest. Afternoon work ended at 5:30 p.m., and 5:30 to 7:00 was dinner.
This was the schedule for administrative work. Other jobs with shifts followed their own hours, but meal times remained unchanged, since cafeteria staff needed breaks.
Residents needed to work unless they had many contribution points. Free people were rare.
Besides strict schedules, there were rules. Three mistakes meant expulsion. Once expelled, whether from the military or official base, one could never return. The base decided the severity of mistakes. This was similar to pre-apocalypse rules. Severe crimes, especially misconduct, were treated seriously.
Harassment or teasing carried double punishment, sometimes instant execution. Such things did happen early on. No other base matched the military base's zero tolerance. As humanity's last hope, the women here had reproductive duties and could not be harmed.