Chapter 124: Infiltration

The man at the registration desk took her application form, then pulled out two identical cards, copied her name onto them, and handed them over.

The cards were rough to the touch, with the words “Mountain and Base” printed in bold.

“Keep your card safe. You’ll need it to get in and out from now on!”

As he spoke, the man glanced up at her casually.

And then he froze.

This girl… was stunning!

Delicate features, fair skin. What was that saying again?

Beautiful down to every strand of hair.

It couldn’t be more fitting for her.

He’d been manning the gate for days, doing the same repetitive work as if on a factory line, registering one gaunt, sallow-faced skeleton after another.

It was rare to see someone who actually looked good.

To be precise, even before the apocalypse, this kind of beauty and presence would have stood out anywhere.

Beauty always gets special treatment. The man’s attitude immediately improved.

He even offered her some friendly advice:

“Miss, once you’re inside, don’t go too far in. That’s where the leaders live.

Ordinary residents like us stay in the outer ring. Pay attention to the flags outside the villas—white cloth means there are beds available, red means it’s full.

Once you find an empty bed, just slot the card with your name into the clear holder at the head of the bed, and that bed is yours.”

An Nan frowned.

Shared dorms?

That’s not exactly convenient for getting things done.

She pulled a chocolate bar from her pocket and handed it over. “Big brother, are there any private rooms?”

The man eyed the chocolate, clearly tempted, but didn’t take it.

“You wish, little lady! I can’t get you a private room, those are—”

Halfway through, he caught sight of the dog sitting in the passenger seat.

It lounged there lazily, its white fur gleaming, plump and well cared for—a clear sign of meticulous upkeep.

The man’s expression changed instantly. He bent down, plastering on a flattering smile:

“Miss, I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize who I was talking to! If you want a private room, that’s absolutely no problem. It’s just… according to the rules, you’ll need to pay an extra fifty kilos of food.”

If a problem can be solved with money, then it’s not really a problem.

Fifty kilos of food was a lot for most people, but for An Nan, it was just a sack of rice—she had plenty.

But the man’s sudden change in attitude made her a little suspicious.

Just a moment ago, he’d insisted there was no way she could get a private room. One look at her dog, and suddenly it was possible?

Something was fishy.

An Nan gave him a cautious look. “I can pay the food, but I have a question.”

The man struck a helpful pose. “Ask away!”

“You just said it wasn’t possible. Why the sudden change?”

He understood immediately and explained, “The head of the base gave special orders: anyone who brings a pet gets special treatment!”

After all this time since the disaster, people could barely feed themselves—who had the spare food to keep a pet?

Not killing your own pet for food was already a sign of kindness.

Anyone who could keep a pet alive and well cared for had to be wealthy.

And, if you kept a pet, there would always be people eyeing it greedily.

If you could not only keep your pet alive but also protect it from being stolen and cooked, it meant you were truly powerful.

Right now, in all of Linbei City, there probably weren’t many people left who could afford to keep pets.

That’s why the head of the base made it clear: anyone who brings a pet to Mountain and Base is a VIP.

They get to stay in the inner villas, have their own private rooms, and even get to talk to the base’s top brass—they have real influence.

Their prospects in the base are nothing like those of ordinary workers.

After hearing the inside story, An Nan couldn’t help but admire the person in charge—he was pretty sharp.

Most people, when they saw someone with a pet, would just covet it. Few would actually feel respect.

No wonder this base was thriving.

Smart people always find their opportunities.

An Nan handed over fifty kilos of grain without hesitation.

After all, squeezing into a dorm with everyone else wouldn’t just make her work harder, it would also be inconvenient for Fugui.

She paid with the mixed grains she’d collected from Er Kui.

Sun Peng had stolen a bit from here, a bit from there, so there was all kinds of grain, in all sorts of quality.

An Nan couldn’t be bothered to sort it, so she just used it as currency.

While the man was in a good mood, she asked a few more questions.

“What’s the name of your base leader?”

The man replied, “The boss is Hou Jianming. The second-in-command is Zhu Dazhuang.”

An Nan thought to herself, That’s right, this Dazhuang is Er Kui’s brother—my target this time.

“But…” The man lowered his voice mysteriously. “Rumor has it the real boss behind the scenes is the Gu Group.”

An Nan was surprised. “The Gu Group?”

“Yeah! Why do you think there’s such a long line here? Everyone’s heard the news—knowing Gu Group’s strength, they all came to join.”

He glanced at An Nan in confusion. “You mean you didn’t come here for the Gu Group?”

An Nan shook her head. “I just wanted to find a strong base to live in peace. You guys seemed popular, so I came.”

She hadn’t expected the base to have Gu Zhiyu as its backer.

An Nan looked up at the huge sign above the gate.

No wonder it was called Mountain and Base—if you break down the character for “Yu” in Gu Zhiyu’s name, it’s literally “mountain” and “base”!

She frowned slightly. So Zhu Dazhuang was under Gu Zhiyu’s protection?

That complicates things…

Last time, she’d spread rumors about him right to his face. Now she was sneaking into his base to kill his subordinate. This grudge was only getting deeper.

But Er Kui was dead—she had to kill Dazhuang, no matter what.

Anyway, Gu Zhiyu was far away in his hillside villa. He’d never know it was her.

She’d used a fake name on the form. She’d just find an opportunity to act quietly, then slip away unnoticed.

No one would ever know!

After explaining everything, the man introduced himself.

“Miss, my name’s Ma Qiangzhuang. If you ever need anything, just come to me. I promise I’ll take care of it for you!”

Seeing the strong dog she brought, he guessed she’d have a bright future in the base and wanted to make a good connection.

Ma Qiangzhuang?

An Nan couldn’t help glancing at his muscular frame.

The name really suited him—easy to remember.

She smiled. “Alright, Brother Ma.”

Ma Qiangzhuang called over a coworker to take over registration, then brought out a bicycle.

“Miss, I’ll personally show you to your room. Just follow me.”

With that, he hopped on the bike and led the way.

An Nan started her car and followed right behind."