Brother Zhang explained, "That won't happen. Out of humanitarian concern, the base would never do such a thing."
Humanitarian concern, in the apocalypse?
Well, this matter was ultimately under her control. She could refuse, but every time Brother Zhang looked at Nana, it was obvious that if she said no, the base would keep bringing it up repeatedly. After weighing it carefully, Lan Jin said, "Let's try it. Nana has been with me since birth, I bought him before the apocalypse. We have a deep bond, like family. I hope that even for breeding, you won't harm him."
Seeing Lan Jin agree, Brother Zhang's face lit up with excitement. "Thank you. Don't worry, absolutely nothing will happen. Nana is so strong, the base wouldn't dare hurt him."
Still, Lan Jin wanted to clarify one point. "Nana eats a lot."
Brother Zhang, having seen Nana's meals, already knew. That huge bowl of dog food had shocked him the first time, but it was necessary for his health. And really, no matter how much he ate, the base could easily provide for a dog.
Lan Jin looked at Nana. "Nana, do you agree? This uncle will bring many female dogs, and you will have many little puppies. Do you agree?"
Nana understood human intent. He probably already grasped the meaning of the conversation with Brother Zhang.
Still, as a Rottweiler, he was very protective and obedient. Nana needed to hear Lan Jin's opinion, even if he wanted to agree secretly.
Seeing Nana's hopeful gaze, Lan Jin felt her heart ache and agreed on Nana's behalf.
"If you don't speak, I'll take it as consent. I will agree for you. Now, let's trim your fur first. Other things can wait."
Inside the pet hospital.
A pet doctor named Gong touched Nana's fur and asked hesitantly, "Do we really need to do this? Such beautiful fur, really shave it?"
This doctor was joking, right?
Lan Jin nodded firmly. "Yes, it must be shaved today."
Doctor Gong looked pained. "But it's such lovely fur."
"It didn't grow this thick before. It mutated during the extreme cold. It tolerates cold well but can't dissipate heat."
At home, when Nana had gotten off the sofa, almost the entire sofa was soaked with his sweat. From home to the pet hospital, sweat dripped from his fur constantly. Without shaving, there was no way to cool her down. Even Brother Zhang had to admit he couldn't stay unshaved.
Doctor Gong sighed for a moment. "Fine, shave him then."
Soon, a young man took Nana to the back for a bath and shaving, while Brother Zhang handled her residency paperwork.
Lan Jin asked, "Can Nana come by himself in the future? I can hang the residency card on him, and you can take care of everything. I won't have to keep running here."
"Laziness will be your death," Ling Jiang muttered.
It wasn't impossible. A young woman at the service desk explained, "You can buy a leash, attach it to his neck, hang the residency card there. The gate will scan automatically, and when he arrives, we'll see the card and record everything."
"Okay, I'll buy one."
The leash cost 30 contribution points and came in three sizes for small, medium, and large dogs. It could be adjusted as the dog grew. The attachment for the residency card was sturdy, making it perfect for Nana.
Lan Jin bought one without hesitation, and they waited outside for Nana to finish.
During a pause, Brother Zhang poured them some water and said, "There's one more thing. You are already base superhumans. Since you'll be staying long-term, I invite you to join the base's special training."
Special training?
They had never heard of it before.
Brother Zhang explained, "Special training gathers standout individuals for focused exercises. It covers agility, strength, endurance, and shooting. Your powers are strong, but experience and skill are lacking, so in a real problem, you'd be at a disadvantage.
One training session won't fix everything, but it's better than standing still. You'll also meet new friends."
Lan Jin asked, "Brother Zhang, when does the training start? It's over seventy degrees outside. Just standing outside risks heatstroke. Can we really train?"
Brother Zhang smiled. "The base isn't that harsh. We have indoor training facilities with air conditioning. Everyone training together is capable. We won't start and kill someone just because of the conditions. It's July now. Next special training is in August. It lasts two months. Schedule is 9 to 5 with lunch break, so meals aren't affected. After training, the base will assign a mission to test your skills. During training, no other missions are required."
He then pulled out his phone. "You all have phones. I'll send the registration page. Fill it out and submit. Don't worry, I won't harm you. Many people want this training but can't get in even with money. For you, joining once has no downsides."
Brother Zhang talked on his own, never asking their opinions. After sending the page, he hurried off, either busy or afraid of refusal.
They had no reason to fear this special training. In skill, Lao Gao and Ling Jiang were strong, but in experience, they lagged behind. Still, they wouldn't train against ordinary humans. Training for ordinary opponents wouldn't prepare them to handle mutants needing superhuman powers. Could it work? Would it help?
Lao Gao was unconcerned. "I'll check it out. If it's just that, we can go for fun. If it's serious, we'll refuse. No one can force us, right?"