Kingdom of Corrosion
Chapter 977 - 422: Searching for Oil (Part 1)

Chapter 977: Chapter 422: Searching for Oil (Part 1)

Baldy was very generous, donating 200 handgun bullets and 100 5.56 caliber bullets to support the oil search. After lingering at the base for half a day and making a hand-pumped oil pump, Xiaonv and Xiaoji took a hand-cranked cart with Shana and Lin Wu back to the Railroad Bridge Base.

Xiaoji: Male, 36 years old this year. He used to be a helicopter pilot, but four years ago, due to an injury to his right foot, he transferred to become a ground crew member, making him extremely familiar with helicopters. Helicopter steering rudders are controlled by the feet. Even today, Xiaoji still hobbles, and when the weather changes, his old injury becomes unbearably painful, so he can’t operate helicopters.

Shana, with her delicate thoughts, asked on the way back: "Xiaoji, Xiaonv, you both are among the first members of Veteran Base, right?"

Xiaonv nodded: "Yes."

Being older and more experienced, Xiaoji knew what Shana meant and honestly replied: "We’ve been infiltrated. It’s hard for us now to tell who are the ’wumao’ and who are the traitors." ’Wumao’ refers to people carrying wrong information—though their intentions are not necessarily bad, they are influenced by misinformation, resulting in a lot of dissent within the base. ’Traitors’ refers to those harboring unspeakable intentions.

Xiaoji continued: "The initial intention of Veteran Base was to accommodate veterans and establish our own community. However, whether it’s Little Hu, Baldy, or others, they lack strategic vision. To this day we don’t have our own charter. The core question is: why did we establish Veteran Base? Although the first veterans still hold main management positions, the lack of a charter makes them indecisive when facing choices."

Lin Wu was puzzled: "What charter?"

Xiaonv explained: "Our base and your base are friendly, often interacting. Suppose someone incites us to attack or sever ties with you—that obviously won’t do, because we have basic moral beliefs. Once we step out of these morals, suggestions like the one from Xiongba about base replacement and cooperation make us very uncomfortable."

Xiaonv: "From a benefit standpoint, we should do it. From a spiritual standpoint, many of our comrades died here, we should stand our ground here. From certain angles of justice, Xiongba’s decision to gather survivors and develop the community is correct."

Xiaoji added: "Assuming we had a charter, it might define our base as a logistics center, accommodating more veterans to build a home. No compromise, no retreat, not firing the first shot, and so on. Then, when facing major choices, there would be no choice. Does Railroad Bridge Base have a charter?"

"No," Shana shook her head, thought for a moment, and said: "It seems like there is one, that is basic moral beliefs. Suppose 200 gunmen attack your base, our assistance might be futile, but we would still go. It’s not about what benefits we could gain, but whether or not we should go."

Xiaoji chuckled lightly: "I stayed at Railroad Bridge Base for two days, and personally, I find the atmosphere at your base quite bizarre. You’re very optimistic, fearless, brave, and maintain the civility of a pre-apocalyptic society, unaffected by the law of the jungle or the dark forest law."

Shana politely exchanged a couple of sentences, then pressed: "Did Baldy send you two, meaning that some things are already irreversible?"

Xiaoji asked: "How so?"

Shana explained: "Basically, it’s impossible to change the fate of Veteran Base relocating, which for most of the people at Veteran Base is a good thing. And judging from your tone, you seem to be part of the hardliners, but not the majority."

Xiaoji nodded: "A considerable part of the population believes that relocating the base would benefit its development. For Veteran Base, enhancing its territory and population is crucial. Survivor’s Alliance has over a thousand survivors, able to replenish our manpower. As former soldiers, we find it hard to argue against Xiongba’s assertion that humanity must unite. Although I’m a hardliner, in reality, I lack persuasive power, because I can’t find arguments to convince them. The only argument is you."

Xiaoji continued: "We all recognize the good relationship with Railroad Bridge Base, and many are concerned that after we change bases, you will be directly threatened by Xiongba. Hence, at the meeting, several people expressed that if the Survivor’s Alliance threatens Railroad Bridge Base, they are willing to join and counter Xiongba."

This was touching, but Shana was on the verge of tears, as the people who expressed this clearly favored changing the base.

Given Xiaoji’s physical condition, traveling is not ideal, but still sending Xiaoji also shows that Baldy is not a hardliner, knowing that after relocating Veteran Base, the situation would be unfavorable for Railroad Bridge Base, he harbors deep guilt. Hidden in that is the implication that if Railroad Bridge is willing, they could accept Xiaonv and Xiaoji joining Railroad Bridge Base. Of course, it wouldn’t only be them; the first batch from Veteran Base is very clear about their stance.

From this point, Shana had a higher regard for Xiongba. He wasn’t a simpleton but a person with strategies and ideas. If she were not a player, moved by Xiongba sending medicine alone would be touching. Non-players naturally would feel Xiongba’s power and would practically consider survival rights. Even surrender could have many excuses, all about unifying humanity, and so on.

Under Shana’s subtle questioning, Xiaoji honestly admitted, steadfastly opposed to relocating the base were four people, not including the current commander Baldy. What worried Xiaoji more is that in recent days, survivors from the territories of the Survivor’s Base Alliance frequently contacted Veteran Base, hoping to join them.

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