As the convoy continued to move forward, Xu An and the others finally managed to put a significant distance between themselves and the woman from earlier.
Surrounding them, aside from the crowd waiting to enter the sanctuary and the armed soldiers, were numerous individuals clad in matching protective suits, appearing to be workers. Under the command of a man in camouflage, they were constantly excavating something around a massive cylindrical structure.
Xu An withdrew her curious gaze. A hunch told her that this figure, so familiar, evoked an unsettling premonition!
After waiting all morning, it was finally their turn.
Before they could even disembark, a commotion erupted from the crowd ahead.
“Let us in! What right do you have to deny us entry!”
“We’ve already told you, you were bitten by zombies! There’s a risk of infection, and you need to go to the observation room!”
“You’re lying! When I came in, I was told that if I didn't mutate within half an hour, I’d be fine. I’ve been waiting in this line all morning; if I were going to mutate, I would have by now!”
“Why won’t you let me in!”
“Exactly! Why won’t you let us in!”
The inspection personnel in protective suits tried desperately to explain, but no one believed them. It was only thanks to the military’s intervention that a riot was averted.
“It’s not that we’re not letting you in, but that you need to remain under observation. This is for everyone’s safety…”
Before she could finish, she was interrupted by a small group of people. Their eyes were bloodshot, and they roared furiously at her.
“For everyone’s safety? You abandoned so many people outside, forcing us to fight both the heavens and monsters. Now you have the gall to tell me it’s for our own good?!”
“If it were truly for everyone’s safety, you wouldn’t have encrypted the information about the sanctuary!!!”
At these words, the previously chaotic queue fell into an instant silence.
It was so quiet that only the sound of breathing could be heard from the crowd.
No one dared to respond to the statement, and even the man who had spoken fell silent.
Xu An raised an eyebrow and snorted dismissively, watching the scene unfold.
It seemed that quite a few people knew about the sanctuary’s "selection criteria." The facade of peace they all tried to maintain had been ruthlessly shattered.
Sitting in the car, Xu An admitted to herself that she was also curious to hear the other party’s response.
Even if human nature was selfish, once one ensured their own safety, a strange sense of compassion would often arise. In ordinary, peaceful times, it was naturally everyone for themselves in the best way.
However, once core interests were involved, this meager compassion would immediately transform into a blade aimed at the other.
This was precisely the case with the man who refused observation, desperate to enter the lighthouse.
Even if he didn’t turn into a zombie, with the endless stream of people still queuing, no one knew if there would still be slots for him once his observation period ended.
He stood at the moral high ground, loudly questioning the place that offered him refuge.
“Why? Why can’t you save everyone?”
Why indeed?
Because “everyone” equated to “no one.” This was destined to be a zero-sum "game" of survival choices, one where coexistence was impossible.
“Why?” a deep, slightly magnetic voice sounded.
Xu An followed the familiar voice with her gaze. Even though she hadn't clearly seen the other person’s face that day, the voice remained vividly in her memory.
She muttered softly in the car, “Bad luck.”
Then, she turned her head away, no longer watching the spectacle before her.
Qin Chuan, in his military boots, strode forward. His voice was not loud, but it was powerful and resonant, enough for all the troublemakers around to hear clearly.
“Let me tell you why!”
“Everyone who sees the lighthouse for the first time is shocked. Is this truly the current level of technology? Not only are you disbelieving, but the engineers who witnessed the lighthouse being built couldn’t believe it either. It can be said that every person involved in the lighthouse project initially didn’t believe we could actually achieve it.”
“We, they, and the engineers who are still working tirelessly inside the lighthouse, debugging equipment, are gambling with humanity’s future for a miracle!” Qin Chuan pointed at the construction workers and the lighthouse.
“You ask us why we can’t save everyone, because we don’t have enough resources. Faced with a choice between everyone starving to death and saving a portion of humanity to continue its existence, we chose the latter! We gambled the faint unknown for the hope of tomorrow!”
“That is why this lighthouse is named Dawn!”
“Comrade, our information is encrypted, but we have never issued a directive that information about the sanctuary cannot be leaked.”
“Have you told anyone else about the sanctuary? Let me make a guess,” Qin Chuan said with a smile, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I suspect not, right? So, in what capacity are you questioning me?”
Qin Chuan approached the man step by step, without any intimidation or threats, merely stating facts calmly. Yet, the oppressive aura emanating from him made the man’s legs tremble inexplicably.
Every word Qin Chuan spoke struck a chord with the man’s long-lost sense of shame. Not only had he not told anyone about the sanctuary, but he hadn't even informed his own family and friends.
Selfishly, he had brought his wife and children, endured countless hardships, and fought desperately against zombies to get here.
But all he wanted was to survive; what was wrong with that?
The man’s body trembled, and under Qin Chuan’s interrogation, he slowly backed away. When he could retreat no further, he stumbled and fell to the ground.
In front of everyone, the grown man broke down into tears. No one blamed him, nor did they blame the sanctuary staff.
After all, most of them had done the same thing as the man. They were just fortunate enough not to have been bitten by zombies.
In a sense, they were all "accomplices."
Indifferently watching the "death" of the majority.
Xu An finally understood why, in the later stages of the apocalypse, the chosen people on the lighthouse were so united. Even when tormented to death by survivors, they refused to betray the lighthouse.
It turned out they had long since become like grasshoppers on the same rope. The lighthouse had saved them, but it had also confined them.
…
“Daddy!” At this moment, a five-year-old child rushed out from the crowd. He used his dirty little hands to vigorously wipe away the man’s tears.
“Daddy, why are you crying? Did someone bully you?” As he spoke, the little boy’s deer-like eyes were filled with anger. He looked at the crowd surrounding them and questioned loudly, “Why are you bullying my daddy?”
But no one answered him.
After delivering his lengthy and shame-inducing speech, Qin Chuan turned and left the scene without even a backward glance.
On what grounds should one who generously bestows favors stand so high?
After the man was forcibly taken away, order was restored to the scene shortly thereafter.
Xu An and the others, following protocol, disembarked for inspection. When informed by the staff that vehicles were not allowed on the lighthouse but could be mortgaged, Xu An unhesitatingly packed her belongings and mortgaged her Wuling Hongguang for 500 trading coins.
Next, the staff directed Xu An to walk through the security gate. After confirming that both of them and their dog were clear, they were allowed to proceed.
The staff, still somewhat affected by the recent commotion but forcing a smile, handed two electronic cards to Xu An.
“These are your identification IDs. Please keep these cards safe, as they cannot be replaced if lost. They are like your national ID. Your trading coins are also stored within. Simply swipe the card when you need to use them.”
“Upon first entry to the lighthouse, a deduction of 50 trading coins per person will be made. Newcomers will receive a three-day relief period. After three days, the lighthouse will no longer provide free food and accommodation. Trading coins can be exchanged for supplies. You will find the exchange standards at the entrance once you board the sky elevator. If you do not have excess supplies, you can also earn trading coins by participating in mining team labor.”
Xu An glanced to the side. “Are the workers currently under construction the mining team?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, thank you!”
As the words fell, Xu An, holding Gou Dan and with her mother beside her, stepped onto the sky elevator. The elevator slowly ascended, heading towards the lighthouse.
Along the way, the young boy who had questioned everyone remained by his father’s side, unwilling to leave. Xu An got a clear look at his face.
A flicker of surprise flashed across her expression.
“It’s him!”