"Food is here!"
"I'm starving!"
A group of strong men in chef's uniforms pushed dozens of huge wooden buckets that were 1.5 meters tall into the hall. The crowd suddenly became restless. However, in the Reconstruction Area, discipline was everywhere, and order had long been engraved in their bones. No matter how hungry they were, they had no choice but to restrain their hunger and line up obediently.
Of course, the heavily armed soldiers nearby might have also served as a deterrent to a certain extent.
Luo Yuan also stood up and lined up with the crowd.
There were thousands of people in the hall, and even though there were dozens of wooden buckets, half an hour had passed by the time Luo Yuan and his team got their food.
For dinner, each person had two big pancakes, but the portion was very large. Both of them added up to a catty. The pancakes had a strange green color, and obviously did not look like flour.
"This is a cactus pancake. Looking at you, I'm sure you've never eaten it before." Zhao Yali said jealously when she saw Luo Yuan's hesitation.
Luo Yuan smiled awkwardly and asked curiously, "Cactus pancake! Is it made from cactus? "
Indeed, he had never eaten such a thing before. He lowered his head and took a bite, chewing slowly. The texture of the pancake was very rough, and when he swallowed, his throat felt a little painful.
With his Physique, he would not have broken his skin. It was just that his mucous membrane was far more sensitive than ordinary people's, and he felt pain when the hard food rubbed against him.
"Since it's called a cactus pancake, of course it's made from cactus starch. Our factory often eats this kind of thing, steamed, boiled, or fried. Anyway, we eat this kind of thing for three meals," Mu Wenwen explained when she saw Luo Yuan's embarrassed expression.
After entering the Reconstruction Area, the stable environment and peaceful life had greatly reduced her insecurity. She was much more cheerful than before, and now she could talk and laugh with the crowd. Compared to the expressionless face she had when she was fleeing, she was like a completely different person. Moreover, as her mentality changed, the mysterious feeling of non-existence had faded a lot. At least when she spoke, it did not feel strange anymore.
"Actually, we also eat cactus starch." Huang Jiahui explained shyly, "It's just that it's finer."
"The price difference is seven or eight times!" Wu Xiaoxiao muttered in a low voice. She was secretly speechless.
One had to know that ordinary cactus starch was not pure. There was still a small amount of fiber that had not been processed. Although the proportion was extremely low, this kind of huge plant that was hundreds of meters tall was everywhere in the desert. Its fiber supporting the body was several times harder than bamboo. Even if it had been ground into powder, it was still difficult to eat. However, it was cheap and in large quantities. Moreover, it could fill one's stomach, so it had become a common staple food in the Reconstruction Area.
As for the super fine starch, it needed to go through more than a dozen processes to completely remove the coarse fibers. The taste was almost the same as ordinary starch, and the price was comparable to that of level 3 mutated beast meat. Even though her husband had a good income, he was usually reluctant to buy it. As for ordinary workers, they could not afford it at all. She had never expected that someone would actually use it as a staple food.
Huang Jiahui blushed. It was all Luo Yuan's fault. She had gotten used to eating meat in the wild, and now she was eating it every day. He had to eat meat and vegetables for three meals a day. Moreover, he had been eating so much recently that he had to eat five to six days' worth of food every day. A few thousand dollars was a huge sum of money for ordinary people, but he had spent it all in just one month.
"Luo Yuan, tell us honestly, what do you do for a living?" Wu Xiaoxiao could not help but ask curiously.
"I've told you before, I'm temporarily unemployed," Luo Yuan said helplessly. Luo Yuan gulped down the last mouthful of food and took the glass of water that Huang Jiahui had passed to him. He said helplessly, "I'm fine.
A few of the women snickered!
"I don't believe you. It's fine if you don't want to tell me," Wu Xiaoxiao pouted and said. The snickering of those women further reinforced her judgment.
"You won't believe me even if I tell you the truth," Luo Yuan said.
At this moment, Secretary Zheng walked into the hall and looked around. Soon, he found Luo Yuan and the rest through his unique Soul Vision. He was shocked. In his unique Soul Vision, Luo Yuan was like a scorching sun in the sky, emitting an infinite radiance. Just by getting close to him, he felt like his soul was burning. Luo Yuan's strength was a few times stronger than the last time he saw him.
How long had it been?
He quickly calmed himself down and put on a warm smile, "Mr. Luo, I couldn't find you just now. I didn't know you were here. Mayor Wu has already arranged a room for you. Do you want to go over now?"
Luo Yuan was stunned. He could not just sit back and do nothing. He stood up with a smile and extended his hand, "Hello, Secretary Zheng. Isn't this too much trouble?"
"It's our honor to invite Mr. Luo. It's not trouble at all!" Secretary Zheng said quickly. He was flattered and shook Luo Yuan's hand. Although he had entered politics, he was still an evolved person. He was more respectful and passionate about power than ordinary people.
"We might have too many people. I'm not sure if we can arrange it, "Luo Yuan said, looking a little embarrassed.
"Seven? Of course, that's not a problem!" Secretary Zhen glanced at the crowd and patted his chest.
To be honest, talking to such a strong person made him a little scared. The difference in their strength was too big. He always had the illusion that if he answered wrong, he would die on the spot.
Perhaps the more he knew, the more he was in awe. Sometimes, he was not as calm as ordinary evolved people.
Wu Xiaoxiao and Sun Youde looked at Secretary Zheng's warm and almost flattering expression. They could not hide their shock. Who was this Luo Yuan? How could he have alarmed the mayor?
"Since Secretary Zheng has invited us, let's go," Luo Yuan said.
… …
Luo Yuan realized that there was another floor under the shelter.
"This floor is mainly a warehouse. There are a lot of supplies stored there. For example, food, drinking water, ammunition, oil, and so on. There are also some spare factories! Even if the shelter is completely closed, it can survive for six months to a year, "Secretary Zheng said.
Seeing everyone's strange expression, Secretary Zheng quickly said, "Of course, the ammunition warehouse is very far from the residential area. There are enough isolation facilities. Even if there is an explosion, it will not be affected. You don't have to worry."
Hearing Secretary Zheng's explanation, everyone could not help but feel relieved. Anyone who knew they were sleeping near the ammunition warehouse would be worried and unable to sleep.
"Secretary Zheng, do you know what happened outside?" Zhao Yali could not help but ask.
Luo Yuan was curious as well. He was afraid that it would not be a small matter since the incident had become so big. Maybe the entire Desert City would fall.
Secretary Zheng stopped walking and hesitated for a long time. Then he said softly, "This is a secret. Don't tell anyone about it. We don't want to cause panic among the people!"
Everyone's heart went cold, and they hurriedly nodded.
"We have received news from the top that the next super insect swarm will pass through here. The war started a few days ago, but the news is not good. Once the frontline falls, Desert City may be temporarily abandoned."
Luo Yuan looked a little serious. "That means we will be here for a long time."
Everyone's face turned pale.
"It's possible, but it's also possible that when the situation worsens, they will retreat to the city behind." Secretary Zheng said, "After all, the population of Desert City is about 100,000. There are so many machines and equipment. If they are not maintained, they will soon rust and become useless. The top will definitely not let them go to waste."
Although the Reconstruction Area had recovered a certain level of productivity, it was still not comparable to before the apocalypse. Some of the equipment could not even be produced. Every set of equipment had been rescued from the enemy-occupied area with a lot of manpower and material resources. Especially as time went by, the equipment in the enemy-occupied area had gradually been corroded and destroyed. It was no longer possible to search for materials and equipment like in the beginning. Now, every set of equipment was lost.
"But there is only one double track underground, and there are only two trucks. How can they transport so many people and equipment in such a short time?" Sun Youde said in his heart. His face was pale.
He was a person who had experienced the Great Migration. Once bitten, twice shy. He deeply understood the cruelty of life and death at this critical juncture. Machines first, talents first, women and children first.
At that time, countless people were cruelly abandoned. Those who resisted were killed by machine guns. Similarly, there were also countless people who died during the migration and were eaten by beasts. That cruel scene still haunted him in his nightmares.
Although the Reconstruction Area was relatively safe now, when it came to the critical moment, there would always be a priority.
However, when he thought about it, his status was different now. His importance was enough to be the first batch of people to migrate. Sun Youde could not help but feel relieved.
Secretary Zheng looked at him with dissatisfaction and said, "This is just my guess. The specific situation depends on the situation and the decision of the top. Even if the situation worsens, at least the shelter is still very safe. Even if not all of them can migrate, the rest of the people can survive for six months to a year with the resources here. Such a long time is enough for the Reconstruction Area to recover the lost land."
Everyone was relieved. After all, no matter how bad the situation was, it would not be that bad. At least it was safe here.
They continued walking for a few minutes and stopped near a warehouse. Secretary Zheng opened the door and there was a 30-40 square meter room inside. "This used to be an office area, but it was too big, so most of it was converted into a dormitory. Mr. Luo, you can stay here. Hot water and food will be sent soon. If you need anything else, you can look for me. I'm in Room 2033, which is nearby. Of course, you can also look for Mayor Wu. We'll share a room."
"We've already …" Wu Xiaoxiao was about to say that they had already eaten, but she was pulled by Huang Jiahui. She suddenly understood and quickly shut her mouth.
Huang Jiahui knew that with Luo Yuan's amazing appetite, the cactus cake he had eaten earlier was not enough for him. She was going to give him her leftover cake, but since the food would be sent over, there was no reason for her to reject it.
After Secretary Zheng left, they walked into the room. It was decorated like a student's dormitory. There were eight beds in the small space, enough to accommodate everyone. Besides that, there was also a bathroom.
Although the place was simple, in such a cramped and crowded shelter, they could not ask for more. It was even a little extravagant.
"I didn't ask just now. Huo Dong said that he would arrange a room for us. Why did you follow Secretary Zheng here?" Huang Jiahui pulled Luo Yuan aside and asked softly.
"He wants to arrange a room in the shelter. He's new here, so it's impossible for him to have such authority. I'm guessing that he has the support of the military!" Luo Yuan explained. He had been here for so long that his name was already on the list of the higher-ups in Desert City. It would be strange if the military did not come to recruit him.
"Do you have something against the military?" Huang Jiahui asked doubtfully.
"Of course not. It's just that I'm more familiar with the other side, so it's easier to get along with them." Luo Yuan smiled.
The military was tough, and it was their duty to obey orders. It had penetrated deep into their bones. Especially in such an environment, in the eyes of the military, everyone was a soldier, and the distinction between military and civilian was blurred. If they failed to recruit him, there would be no room for negotiation due to the conflict of ideology. In comparison, the government was more tactful and easier to get along with.
To be honest, he was used to being free and undisciplined. It was difficult for him to adapt to the strict military life. Moreover, on the battlefield, no matter how strong an individual was, it was still insignificant. However, Luo Yuan did not expect that even though he had consciously avoided it, he still could not avoid the trouble that he had to face.
In less than five minutes, there was a knock on the door.
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