Around 2 PM on January 18th, two vehicles arrived at the entrance of the National Grain Group’s granary, where the metal gates remained tightly shut. No other vehicles, personnel, or even zombies were visible at the entrance. The granary spanned an area roughly the size of two middle schools, housing six colossal cylindrical structures that served as its primary storage silos.
“Why do I have a feeling there are still people here?” Leng Yu narrowed his eyes, drew his pistol, and stepped out of the vehicle.
“The surveillance camera at the entrance is still rotating,” Jing Lan observed, noting the camera’s lens tracking the slowly decelerating van behind them.
“Holy hell! There really are people inside!” Leng Yu exclaimed, startled.
“However, these types of surveillance cameras are designed to automatically track moving targets.”
As Jing Lan spoke, he exited the car and walked directly in front of the camera, swaying deliberately from side to side.
Only after the van had come to a complete stop did the camera pivot, focusing its gaze on the swaying Jing Lan.
The occupants of both vehicles disembarked.
“Leng Yu, have everyone form a defensive circle in pairs, maintaining vigilance.”
“Uh, we haven’t practiced that formation…”
Indeed, it made sense; even these lawless scions of wealth, despite hoarding a formidable arsenal, typically used their weapons for hunting and target practice, never bothering with systematic training for their subordinates. Moreover, a significant portion of their current team consisted of recently recruited individuals.
“Then just instruct everyone to observe their surroundings carefully, ensuring not everyone is looking in the same direction.”
As Jing Lan finished speaking, Hu Che, standing nearby, grumbled, “Is there really any need to be so paranoid? This is a place you chose to come to; are you afraid of your own decision?”
Though no one openly agreed with him, Jing Lan sensed that Leng Yu was implicitly allowing Hu Che to needle him. The man was truly irritating.
Leng Yu, who had been inspecting the iron gate ahead, quickly discovered that the fingerprint scanner on the guardhouse door next to it was still powered, confirming that the facility had not lost electricity.
“Is the power outage localized?” he asked, turning his head to Jing Lan.
“It’s likely emergency backup power. The granary operates on a fully intelligent management system, and given that grain is a strategic resource, it cannot become inaccessible due to a power failure. The facility also houses numerous devices for temperature control, pest extermination, and nitrogen gas infusion, so it undoubtedly possesses a large capacity backup battery system, capable of sustaining power for one or two months without issue.”
“So the granary is practically a fortress,” Leng Yu marveled.
A sudden unease settled over Jing Lan. Leng Yu’s analogy was remarkably apt: a fortress, an incredibly vital installation. The best-case scenario would be military control. Jing Lan had considered shouting into the compound from the main gate, but he swiftly dismissed the idea. Firstly, they couldn’t risk making too much noise, as no one knew if the granary staff had all turned into zombies. Secondly… Jing Lan harbored a nagging fear of the worst-case scenario: that unauthorized individuals, not affiliated with the military, had already gained entry. Furthermore, much like Leng Yu’s comparison, this ‘fortress’ was robust and secure; if anyone had established themselves within, they might prove unwilling to depart.
“So, how do we open the gate?” Hu Che queried, his voice laced with impatience.
Jing Lan replied, “There’s no electric fence above the main gate, likely because of its proximity to the guardhouse. We have a grappling hook on the pickup truck; I can climb over the gate and investigate. Since there’s power, I should be able to locate an internal switch to open it.”
Leng Yu then asked, “How will we transport the grain? Does the granary have a specific discharge point?”
“Typically, there’s a conveyor belt below that lifts the grain midway up, where a discharge chute then releases it from top to bottom. We can simply position a pickup truck underneath. Transporting 500 kilograms today shouldn’t be an issue.”
“That’s only enough for a week… In the long term, making weekly trips to transport grain will also present a fuel problem.”
“We can gradually expand our camp’s control, moving closer to the granary, or slowly relocate our people to the granary itself or its immediate vicinity. Two months should be ample time to accomplish this.”
Leng Yu nodded decisively. “That’s the plan. I’ll go in with you.”
Hu Che and a few others seemed displeased. “Boss, you’re just going to trust this greenhorn? What if he stabs you in the back?”
“Hu Zi, are you underestimating me?” Leng Yu retorted. “Just focus on guarding the outside. Or perhaps someone else should join us?” He pointed to a shorter man. “You, Little Zhao, you come in too.”
With practiced ease, Leng Yu hurled the grappling hook, snaring the top of the iron gate. He then pulled himself up the rope and peered over to the inner side of the gate.
“No movement! Let’s go in!”
The three vanguard members, equipped with their walkie-talkies, clambered into the granary compound using the grappling hook.
They had initially expected to find a switch to open the iron gate within the adjacent guardhouse, but to their surprise, the mechanism required a key, not a simple button. Evidently, the security level of this facility was exceptionally high.
Ironically, the trio now found themselves hoping to encounter zombies—specifically, a security guard zombie, as the key might very well be on its person.
Emerging from the guardhouse, the three noticed a three-story building deeper within the compound, past the six large cylindrical silos. It appeared to be an office building, a place where they might unearth something useful.
As they walked beneath the colossal cylindrical silos, Leng Yu gazed upwards, observing the structures. “Tsk, tsk, they’re all filled with rice, aren’t they? So close, yet we can’t open them.”
“If we were to open them haphazardly, rats and pests would swarm inside. But don’t worry, the main control room should be up ahead. From there, we can manage all grain ingress and egress for every silo. As long as there’s power, everything will be manageable.”
“Thank goodness,” Little Zhao, who had been listening intently, breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ve been so worried about food lately, which is why I insisted on coming this time. It seems things are going smoothly so far—hey, Boss, Brother Jing, look, there are a few trucks over there.”
Indeed, to their right, along the perimeter wall in their direction of travel, stood four large trucks: two tankers and two box trucks.
“If we can drive these trucks back, we could transport dozens, even hundreds of tons more grain!” Leng Yu exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement. “We wouldn’t have to worry about food for at least two months!”
“We just don’t know where the keys are,” Little Zhao interjected. “There’s no one here, not even zombie drivers. Could it be that everyone is in the office building?”
Jing Lan replied, “That’s not entirely impossible. The granary’s automation is highly advanced; many tasks can be completed entirely from a computer screen. While drivers are certainly needed to position their vehicles beneath the silos for loading and unloading, grain isn’t constantly being moved in and out.”
Even as Jing Lan articulated this, a persistent thread of unease remained unresolved within him. Regardless, security guards should be stationed within the guardhouse, and their abandonment of duty would constitute a grave dereliction, especially in such a crucial facility.
As for the drivers, Jing Lan meticulously observed the four transport vehicles. Drivers genuinely had no need to remain in their vehicles at all times; they might typically visit the office area to receive details about their next assignments or simply rest indoors.
But…
Something was amiss! Jing Lan stared intently at the four transport vehicles, a flicker of a distant memory seemingly confirming the incongruity of the scene before him. Perhaps it was years ago, when he and Keke had visited a border port market, where…
“An EQ2082 modified version, definitely a domestic product.” Keke had introduced the cargo truck before them at the time—its bed laden with heaps of Southeast Asian specialties. “But this type of vehicle is meant for export,” “exported to Southeast Asian countries.”
A shiver ran down his spine. Jing Lan hissed, “Something is wrong! Those trucks might not belong to the granary at all!”