Chapter 39 Dining Out at the Official Survival Base—Three Hundred Contribution Points for a Meal?

The album clearly displayed the blueprint from a few days ago when Xiaoyi and his team had come to install the heating equipment and improve the wiring for the elliptical generator. According to this, any ordinary person who had a basic grasp of repair and installation could easily replicate it. It was simple and straightforward.

"Do you like electrical things?"

"I do. It keeps us warm, and generates electricity," Jiang Xi explained, counting the benefits, his face still full of excitement.

Jiang Huan nodded. In the apocalypse, the greatest challenge was survival. She could ensure all her brother's material needs, but when it came to his spirit...

She had an idea, but decided to ask for her brother's opinion first. "If I find you a teacher in this field—a really skilled one—would you want to learn?"

"Go to school?" Jiang Xi hesitated. "Go back?"

Being his elder sister, Jiang Huan immediately understood the odd question. Jiang Xi meant going back to that special school he'd attended.

"No, we'd bring a teacher here. You could have lessons every day, just for a little while, and if you're happy, you could study longer."

Jiang Xi touched the album and nodded. "Study hard."

Afterward, he looked at Jiang Huan expectantly.

Jiang Huan paused, then replied, "Strive to improve every day?"

"Yes!" Jiang Xi was delighted, as if they'd completed a secret code together, grinning widely.

Having settled the idea of hiring a tutor, Jiang Huan considered making a trip to the official survival base. It wasn't that she doubted Li Yupeng and Xiaoyi's ability to teach Jiang Xi, but these two were occupied with the communications work in their community. She needed someone patient, with decent technical skills, who could come every few days or even stay for a while.

After learning her plan, Xiaoyi offered to recommend someone. "We originally came as a group of three with our teacher. One left after meeting an old acquaintance on the road. Another stayed at the base because his girlfriend refused to let him go, and he didn't want to follow my mentor outside. When the ice first descended, everyone believed the official base was the safest place."

Jiang Huan decided to check it out first. Since Xiaoyi was willing to recommend someone, at least the professionalism was assured.

Jiang Huan was always quick to act, and by the next day, she was ready to depart.

Wugang seemed in high spirits, chatting happily with Li Xiuguo, who had just arrived at the community. They stood by the entrance, next to a yellow school bus that had undergone a rough transformation—reinforced tires, barbs fixed to the body, one-way film on the windows so no one could see inside.

Seeing Jiang Huan get into the courier van's passenger seat, Wugang assumed she was heading out for supplies and invited her to join him.

"I'm going to the official base today. Last time at the hospital, I exchanged some contribution points, so I want to see if there's anything I need," she explained.

So she was going to trade goods; Wugang had to give up the idea.

Jiang Huan got in, Xiaoyi followed, and as she started the engine, the vehicle rumbled out.

Li Xiuguo, curious about Jiang Huan, asked for more of her personal information.

"Anyway, if you interact normally, she won't disappoint you. In fact, she's a good person in this apocalypse. But if you cross the line, I can't guarantee she'll remain as gentle as she appears," Wugang cautioned, unwilling to reveal more. It was a warning.

With Xiaoyi guiding her, Jiang Huan arrived smoothly at the official base. It had once been a military compound, now occupying a mountain, sprawling over a vast area. From the entrance, she could see all sorts of makeshift dwellings scattered throughout.

Guards at the gate stopped the courier van. Jiang Huan braked and jumped out. "Hello, I'm from Xingcheng Community's survivor point. I accumulated four hundred contribution points at the hospital recently and would like to exchange them for supplies."

After checking her card, both she and Xiaoyi were allowed through.

No sooner had Jiang Huan entered than a chubby young man approached, offering to guide her in exchange for a little food—just a few biscuits.

Jiang Huan had inquiries, so she agreed to the deal.

With someone to accompany her, Xiaoyi said, "I'll go find my mentor. Shall we meet at the gate later?"

"Let's meet there. I want to try the food at the base's restaurant," Jiang Huan replied, spotting a shop with a brightly lit sign made of colored LED lights, standing out vividly.

Both the guide and Xiaoyi paused.

A meal there would cost at least two or three hundred contribution points—enough for a family to eat for a month.

Jiang Huan strode ahead, and after hesitating, the guide followed. If she dared to enter, she must have enough points.

Pulling back the thick thermal curtain, she was greeted by the aroma of food and a comfortable warmth. Jiang Huan, dressed warmly with heat packs and a windproof jacket, felt fine outside, but inside, the heat immediately enveloped her. She removed her hat and mask and took a seat.

She picked a spot behind a stone pillar, the cheapest corner on that floor.

The guide sat with her. Soon, someone came over to ask what she wanted.

Jiang Huan asked for the menu and saw that all dishes could be slowly heated—grilled fish, soups, stews, dry pot dishes, all kept warm with alcohol blocks. There were also hot pot and large set meals, heated with small charcoal stoves.

She'd had breakfast, but eating a bit more wouldn't hurt. She ordered fruit-flavored grilled fish, potato stew with meat, dry pot potato slices, seafood porridge, a portion of dragon fruit juice, and three bottles of beer.

"Two hundred sixty for the meal, twenty for service, totaling two hundred eighty. If you need takeaway, that's extra," the server declared, her tone brusque. In the days before the apocalypse, such a restaurant would have been smashed for this attitude. Most places used to round off the bill and offer free takeaway; now, everything cost extra.

But with the disaster, the rarity of such dishes was proof enough of the restaurant's value. No one could complain about the price. Jiang Huan paid with her card. The potato slices, potato stew, and drinks came first, followed by the grilled fish and seafood porridge.

Even if the service wasn't friendly, the waiter dutifully explained, "The grilled fish is ready, but let the soup and vegetables simmer a bit longer. The seafood was just added to the porridge, so it's best to wait before eating."

"Thank you." Jiang Huan tasted the food. It was decent, though the vegetables had an odd flavor—probably from being frozen.

"Hmm? Aren't you eating?" Jiang Huan looked at the guide, who was swallowing nervously, face turned away.

Wide-eyed, he replied, "I—I can eat?"

Jiang Huan was puzzled. "I never said you couldn't. But it's better to use serving chopsticks, and there are two more people who'll probably eat later—otherwise, we won't finish it all."

The young man hurried to thank her, took the serving chopsticks, and placed a small portion in his bowl, savoring the taste with closed eyes. "It's delicious."