Apocalyptic Rebirth

103.Find the military camp

Zhang Yi and Uncle You, unable to speed up their snowmobile too much due to the harsh wind and heavy snow, maintained a speed of around forty to fifty miles per hour. After more than two hours, they finally reached the wilderness in the northwest.

Once they left the cluster of city buildings, they lost their landmarks. Covered by snow up to a dozen meters thick, almost everything on the ground was hidden.

Before them stretched a vast expanse of white. Uncle You stopped the vehicle by the roadside, repeatedly observing before confirming the direction. He pointed towards a protruding white peak in the distance, saying, "Thankfully, we have this as a marker! We're not far now, about five kilometers away."

Zhang Yi nodded, filled with anticipation.

They soon arrived at the foot of the mountain.

Sparse buildings rose here and there on the land, barely visible.

Uncle You commented, "We're close. As for the exact location of the camp... I need to check again."

"Alright, let's search carefully," Zhang Yi responded.

The two parked their snowmobile and started looking for the camp on foot. Military camps rarely had tall buildings; the dormitories were usually two to three stories high for quick assembly. The large area of the camp further complicated the search. Without Uncle You's guidance, Zhang Yi would have struggled to find it himself.

After some time, Uncle You spotted a building and his eyes lit up. "Found it!"

"Did you find the military camp?" Zhang Yi asked eagerly.

Uncle You shook his head, pointing at the building's golden sign, "Found a bathhouse!"

Zhang Yi's expression turned speechless, looking sideways at Uncle You.

Uncle You chuckled, "Don't be hasty! Finding this place means I can pinpoint the camp's location."

He explained to Zhang Yi. This bathhouse was run by his comrade, a place Uncle You often visited to catch up and enjoy the services.

"Inner Universe Bathhouse... Universe, huh? Brilliant!" Zhang Yi admired the sign, acknowledging the owner's creativity.

Curious, he asked, "A bathhouse near a military camp? Does that get any business?"

Uncle You laughed, "That's where you're wrong. The best business is right here! Military life is dull, and most soldiers don't have girlfriends. Young and energetic, they need an outlet."

"With nowhere else to spend their money, the soldiers look for places to use their allowances. Plus, they're fit, strong, and don't cause trouble. That's why they're popular with the bathhouses."

Uncle You's explanation was thorough, reflecting his experiences in the army.

Zhang Yi joked, "Doesn't the military leadership do something about it?"

Uncle You replied, "Officially, it's not allowed, but the leaders understand the soldiers' needs and turn a blind eye."

Pointing at the sign, he added, "As long as you see this, you know the approximate location of the camp."

Looking northward, Uncle You carefully scanned the horizon before suddenly pointing in a direction. "There! See that watchtower?"

Squinting, Zhang Yi finally spotted a small black dot in the snowy landscape.

"I see it."

Uncle You stated, "The military camp is right there."

Looking at him, Zhang Yi asked, "But the camp covers a large area, right? Even if we've found the camp, how do we locate their armory?"

Uncle You replied, "Years ago, I visited my old comrades and went into the yard. I remember the approximate location of the armory."

Eager, Zhang Yi said, "Let's go and check it out! If we know the general location, next time we can come with a digger and excavate."

The two mounted the snowmobile and sped towards the indicated direction.

Soon, Uncle You pointed out the approximate area to Zhang Yi.

"It should be around here. Ah, it's a pity, we came too late. It's all buried under the snow now!"

Uncle You looked somewhat guilty.

"Sorry, Zhang Yi. This might have been a wasted trip."

On their way, he had harbored hope that the area might not be completely buried. But seeing the site dashed those hopes.

Zhang Yi gazed intently at the snowy landscape, memorizing nearby landmarks that were still partially visible, such as a watchtower and an officers' building.

After taking note of these, he reassured Uncle You with a smile, "No worries, you meant well! Maybe we can come back when the snow melts, right?"

Uncle You nodded, smiling awkwardly.

Zhang Yi patted his shoulder, "Let's head back. It's getting late."

Considering the two to three hours it would take to return, they couldn't delay any further.

Uncle You agreed, "Alright," and hurried to start the vehicle.

......

Back in the residential area.

"Retreat, quick, retreat!"

Led by Li Chengbin, a group of neighbors hurriedly retreated from the 21st unit, the territory of the Mad Wolf Gang.

They suffered heavy losses during the attack, with more than a dozen casualties.

Despite their numerical advantage, they were at a disadvantage fighting on enemy turf, especially with the traps set up by the gang.

They did manage to kill five or six of the opposing members, a decent outcome considering the circumstances.

Given the severe cold, everyone was exhausted, making a continued assault unwise. Hence, they chose to retreat.

On their way back, Li Chengbin was counting on his fingers, pondering the rewards Zhang Yi would give him, feeling somewhat contented.

However, not everyone shared his mood, with faces filled with discontent.

"What's the point of this attack? Over a dozen people died for nothing!"

"Last time against the Tianhe Gang was the same. We lost more than we killed. At this rate, we'll all end up dead!"

"Are we just cannon fodder for Zhang Yi's vendetta? I nearly got my head chopped off!"

"Zhang Yi made us attack, yet he ran off with Uncle You. They're the strongest fighters but hide in the back."

These complaints came from a few middle-aged men in the group. Least involved in the fighting, they were the most vocal in their grievances.

Hearing this, Li Chengbin, walking ahead, frowned deeply and scolded, "Watch your mouth! Don't blabber nonsense!"

"If it weren't for Zhang Yi bringing us food, many of us in our building would have starved. And you're here complaining?"