Chapter 47 Inspection and Crisis-No apocalipse, estoques bilionários de suprimentos e domínio total da construção em terras devastadas!(A lua segue o barco que navega.)

Jiang Qiyu stood in the center of the base courtyard, holding a hand-drawn map as her gaze swept over the gathered residents. The morning light spilled across her shoulders, sharply defining the profile of her cheek. Her voice was clear, cold, and resolute, cutting through the early morning mist: "Today, I am going to inspect Site Number One, and I need a few people to accompany me. Those willing to go will be rewarded with a can of food."

Before her voice had even faded, a commotion immediately stirred within the crowd. The temptation of canned food was immense in the apocalyptic world, especially since the base's food reserves were not yet fully abundant. Nearly everyone raised their hands, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Shi Chao immediately brought his heels together, nodded vigorously, and turned to stride toward the base's utility room. Soon, he returned carrying several makeshift targets cobbled together from wooden boards and straw, setting them firmly upon the open ground of the base before stepping aside to stand at attention.

Jiang Qiyu crossed her arms over her chest, walked calmly to the side, narrowed her eyes, and coldly observed each person about to take up a firearm.

The assessment began. The first to step forward was a middle-aged man wearing an old shirt washed to a pale hue, his forehead beaded with fine sweat. He walked slowly to the firing line, took a deep breath, and gripped the gun handle with both hands, yet his hands trembled slightly and uncontrollably. Clenching his teeth and striving to steady himself, he pulled the trigger. With several loud bangs, the first three shots missed entirely, and only the final shot managed to barely clip the bullseye. The middle-aged man let out a long sigh of relief, his face displaying an expression of both release and slight embarrassment.

Next, a young girl stepped forward. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, and her eyes held a mixture of tension and determination. Mimicking the posture she had observed earlier, she grasped the gun with both hands, turned her body slightly, and adjusted her breathing. Her movements appeared somewhat unfamiliar, every step executed with careful caution. After three gunshots, two of the three bullets steadily hit the target.

The last to step up was a brawny man of formidable stature, his muscles bulging prominently. He picked up the gun with an air of indifference and pulled the trigger on a whim. With a loud crack, the bullet struck a tree outside the target, shaking down a few leaves. The man frowned, unaccepting of the result, and fired several more shots in succession, but the outcomes remained unsatisfactory; the bullets either veered off course or vanished without a trace.

Jiang Qiyu silently noted everyone's performance. This was the result of recent training, and individual differences were already beginning to manifest.

Ultimately, she selected three companions with relatively better marksmanship: the young girl Xu Momo, Li Dalin, and Zhang Yu, who had previously gone to the supermarket to scavenge for supplies.

"The three of you will come," she nodded, her tone devoid of excess emotion. "Get ready, we depart in ten minutes."

---

The group boarded the base's sole modified off-road vehicle and drove toward the Egret Lake Water World. Jiang Qiyu sat in the front passenger seat, holding the map in her hand as her gaze swept from time to time over the scenery outside the window. Scenes of the Dawn Base from her past life surfaced in her mind—it possessed rigorous security forces, patrols, and even specialized reconnaissance squads. Although the Vimo Base currently had few people, she knew these organizations had to be established ahead of time.

"Commander, what is our main objective in inspecting the Egret Lake Water World this time?" Xu Momo, sitting in the back row, could not help asking.

Jiang Qiyu did not turn back, her voice calm: "There are abundant timber resources there, making it suitable for establishing a logging camp. Furthermore, the terrain is elevated with an open field of vision, which can serve as a future defensive stronghold."

---

An hour's drive passed quietly amidst a tense atmosphere, and the vehicle came to a steady halt at the entrance of the Egret Lake Water World. This was a vast expanse of wetland. Looking out, rolling green hills stretched into the distance, with layers upon layers of trees growing wildly and lushly, their thick foliage tightly enveloping the mountain bodies.

The air was permeated with the damp scent of vegetation—a unique fragrance blending the earthy aromas of soil with the fresh tang of plants, weaving its strands into the nasal passages and instantly evoking the exuberant vitality of nature.

Jiang Qiyu pushed open the vehicle door with crisp, decisive movements, stepping out of the cabin with an upright posture. Her gaze, akin to a precise scalpel, swept across her surroundings swiftly and sharply, missing not the slightest detail.

Tilting her head back slightly, she took a deep breath. While absorbing the surrounding environment, she drew from her jacket pocket the manual that she had repeatedly perused, its corners slightly curled.

She flipped quickly to the page recording observation standards. Immediately afterward, cross-referencing the contents of the manual, she began her observations in an orderly fashion.

First, she carefully inspected the ground conditions, squatting down to gently brush away the weeds with her hand to check for strange footprints, animal feces, or other abnormal traces.

Then, she raised her head to look at the sky, observing the flight trajectories and gathering patterns of the birds to determine whether potential hazards existed in this region.

"Old Li, go measure the area of this zone," she pointed toward the wetland ahead. "Xu Momo, record the types and density of the trees. Zhang Yu, you are responsible for security."

The three moved into action swiftly, while Jiang Qiyu stood upon a higher rock, using binoculars to survey the distant mountain terrain. Her mind was already beginning to map out the future logging camp and defensive fortifications.

Silence reigned across the apocalyptic landscape, broken only by the dull crunch of the off-road vehicle grinding over the cracked earth. Suddenly, a shrill and chaotic cry pierced the stillness, resembling countless piercing whistles that drove straight into everyone's eardrums.

Hearing the sound, Jiang Qiyu looked up, her pupils contracting instantly. Dense flocks of aquatic birds were flying toward them with a momentum that blotted out the sun. Their numbers were immense, layered one upon another, completely obscuring half the sky and allowing the sunlight to filter through the gaps with difficulty, casting mottled shadows across the earth.

"Get in the car, quick!" Jiang Qiyu shouted immediately, her voice laden with urgency and alarm.

---

The group snapped to their senses, running desperately toward the vehicle. The sound of the aquatic birds' massive wings beating grew closer and closer, each impact striking heavily upon everyone's hearts. The air was thick with a chilling sense of unease, binding them tightly like an invisible net.

Jiang Qiyu leaped into the front passenger seat, Old Li pressed his foot hard down on the accelerator, and the vehicle surged forward violently.

The flock of aquatic birds flew almost skimming the roof of the car, their piercing cries ringing painfully in everyone's ears. Xu Momo clutched the car door handle tightly, her knuckles turning white, her complexion pale: "These birds... why are there so many?"

Jiang Qiyu pressed her lips into a thin line and did not answer. Staring intently into the rearview mirror until the flock of aquatic birds vanished completely, she finally relaxed her tense body slightly and slowly expelled a turbid breath.

"It seems this wetland is not as peaceful as it appears on the surface," she murmured softly, her tone carrying a hint of gravity.

---

On the return journey, silence hung inside the vehicle. Jiang Qiyu's mind continuously replayed the scene that had just unfolded, and she secretly resolved within her heart: the development of the base must be accelerated, and the formation of the security and patrol forces was an even more urgent priority.

"Upon our return, I will begin selecting members for the security force," she spoke suddenly, breaking the silence. "The three of you, if willing, may join with priority."

The three exchanged glances, excitement and anticipation flashing in their eyes.

"We are willing!" the three answered in unison.

Jiang Qiyu nodded, her gaze fixed upon the gradually clarifying outline of the base in the distance.