Natural Disasters Strikes: I stockpiled like crazy! - Chapter 226

Chapter 226: Crystal Water Facility Mission (6)
The convoy rolled to a stop outside the water pump station. The battles against the herons had drained many of the Tier 1 awakeners.

Lan Fuyou impatiently slapped his hand against the car door. “Hurry up and clear the station! I want to wash off this sweat!”

He had to take a short walk because the road wasn’t wide enough for the car to pass. The vehicles were parked outside the gate.

“Go check it out!” Lan Fuyou ordered, his voice thick with impatience. “See if anything’s inside!”

The Thorn Team stiffened.

Check it out?

They had been quick to latch onto Lan Fuyou’s thigh, but facing the unknown? That was another matter. The Thorn Team leader forced a dry laugh and took a step back.

“Boss Lan, wouldn’t it be better to let those with, ah, more experience handle this?” His eyes darted towards the weaker teams—those who had just fought tooth and nail against the herons. Some were still catching their breath, their faces pale from exhaustion.

“Exactly!” One of the members chimed in, a sly grin curling his lips. “With their skills, they’ll be more efficient. We wouldn’t want to mess things up, right?”

The shamelessness was astounding!

“These bastards!” Zhao Lin clenched her fists. They hadn’t lifted a finger in the fight against the herons, yet now they wanted the tired ones to scout.

Liu Ming exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders, his gaze cold. “Dogs that only know how to bark when it’s safe,” he muttered under his breath.

Dai Yu, still wiping blood from her hands after healing several people, narrowed her eyes.

The Thorn Team leader scoffed.

Lan Fuyou didn’t care who went inside as long as the job got done.

He couldn’t let his dog enter—if something went wrong, there would be no one left to protect him. It was better to use cannon fodder!

Finally, under the Thorn Team’s threatening gazes, a group was forced to step forward. Their leader, Luo Guang, clenched his fists before pushing the metal gate open. Behind him, his four teammates trembled helplessly.

“Nice, buddy!”

“Good boy! I like obedient ones the most.” The Thorn Team leader patted Luo Guang’s shoulder with a cunning smile.

Helpless, Luo Guang and his team braced themselves slightly under the grip, the darkness ahead making them gulp.

The Thorn Team smirked from the sidelines, fully content to let someone else take the risk.

Then, before Luo Guang could move—

A clear, calm voice rang out.

“I’ll go.”

Everyone turned.

A tall figure stepped forward from the side, moving with steady confidence. She was dressed in a black assault uniform, her face obscured by a black mask, revealing only a pair of sharp, assessing eyes beneath her hood.

It was Nanzhi.

“Sister Nan, I’ll go too!”

“Stay here.” Nanzhi said.

Lin Weihao detected the playful tone in her voice and immediately realized she was scheming something.

Before Yu Baoyin could latch onto Nanzhi like a leech, Feng Ran caught her collar—just like an owner grabbing a cat.

Yu Baoyin pouted.

Beside Lan Fuyou, Lu Jian frowned. Something about the figure—the way she spoke, her eyes—it stirred something faintly familiar in his mind.

His brows knitted slightly as he studied her. He had definitely heard that voice before. But where?

Luo Guang and his team were immensely relieved. They quickly ran out.

The Thorn Team was surprised that someone actually volunteered. What was even more surprising was that she was one of the people riding the Hummer. Nevertheless, as long as they are not the ones going inside, they were happy.

Dai Yun, on the other hand, was confused. Why did Zhao Lin and the woman’s team members just stay back instead of following her inside?

Five minutes after Nanzhi disappeared into the darkness, she stepped out unscathed, brushing dust off her shoulder as if she had merely taken a stroll inside. Her voice carried across the night air.

“It’s safe.”

A collective exhale of relief rippled through the weaker teams.

“And,” Nanzhi added, lifting a sealed plastic crate, “there are supplies inside.”

The moment the word “supplies” left her mouth, the Thorn Team’s eyes gleamed like hyenas spotting fresh meat. Without hesitation, they run past Nanzhi, their greed undisguised.

“Move aside!” the Thorn Team leader sneered trying to push her out of the way.

Nanzhi stepped aside before they could even touch her.

The others gritted their teeth, barely holding back their frustration. These shameless bastards! They were always afraid of danger, but the moment supplies were mentioned, they rushed in!

The Thorn Team swaggered inside, laughing mockingly.

But before they could start looting—

Squelch!

A wet, sticky sound echoed in the night.

Then—screams.

“Ahhh!”

“Get it off me!”

“What the bloody heck is this?!”

The Thorn Team’s screams shattered the night, followed by frantic thrashing and panicked gasps.

Everyone outside stiffened. Instinctively, they backed away, reaching for their weapons.

A few seconds later, the Thorn Team stumbled out, their faces twisted in horror.

And clinging onto them were slick, writhing leeches.

Nanzhi emerged behind them, tilting her head slightly. Her voice was calm and unhurried.

“Ah…” She let out a small, mocking hum. “It was a bit dark inside. I must have missed them when I checked. Thought they were supplies.”

Some people stifled their laughter.

If you’re going to make an excuse, at least fix your expression! With that kind of face, no one would believe you!

Dai Yun’s expression changed.

Nanzhi had gained another little fan.

Lan Fuyou was disgusted by the leeches and quickly barked, “Don’t come near me! Quickly get them off!”

Lin Weihao lips curled.

Feng Ran and the others loudly laughed.

Hmph. These punks dared to take advantage against them earlier!

Even Luo Gang and his team found themselves smiling.

Half an hour later, the last leech was killed. The air was filled with the acrid stench of burnt alien tissue. Since the leeches were only Tier 0, it was easy to clear them out.

By the time the last leech was removed, the Thorn Team was left panting, their faces covered in burns and blisters.

The Thorn Team clenched their fists, their faces dark with fury as they glared in Nanzhi’s direction.

This grudge… they would remember it.

Now that the danger was cleared, the teams entered the pump station to inspect the supplies.

The inside was damp and smelled of rust and mildew. The floor was littered with debris, old maintenance manuals, and broken equipment. Against the walls, metal cabinets stood half-open, their contents covered in dust. A few rusted lockers and toolboxes were scattered around, along with an old workbench covered in spare parts and wires.

Nanzhi brought them to the storage room where crates of sealed water bottles were stacked—around a hundred crates in total. They had likely been undelivered before the flood.

Aside from that, they found food in the broken vending machines and a small cafeteria.

There were also cans of diesel fuel stored in the back, possibly meant for backup generators.

Unexpectedly, aside from a small amount of snacks and diesel, Lan Fuyou generously divided the supplies equally.

On the other hand, Nanzhi was more interested in the machines inside and the water tanks. Before she left, she had already stored them in her inventory.

There was a small resting area for workers.

A small time passed, and the night was quiet—save for the occasional crackling of the fire and the distant howl of the wind.

Nanzhi sat cross-legged near the fire, Lin Weihao beside her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Lan Fuyou’s team gathered together, discussing something.

She could also feel heavy gazes on her.

It was the Thorn Team. Their eyes swam with cunning thoughts.

Earlier was just an appetizer. If these people targeted her and her friends again—

She wouldn’t let them off.

Suddenly, as everyone was preparing for supper, a desperate cry carried through the night air.

“…Help…”

At first, some dismissed it as the wind playing tricks.

But then, it came again—clear and closer.

“Please…! Help us!”

Due to the unfamiliar environment and the earlier encounter with leeches, everyone remained on high alert. At the sudden sound, they instinctively grabbed their weapons and rushed to the entrance.

Nanzhi and her team quietly followed, staying at the back to observe.

The flashlight beams cut through the darkness, illuminating five staggering figures approaching the water pump station.

Their clothes clung to their bodies, dripping wet, as if they had just crawled out of a river. Water streamed from their sleeves and pant legs, pooling beneath their feet. Their movements were sluggish, almost unnatural, as if they were struggling to stay upright.

Lan Fuyou’s expression twisted in alarm. What if something was chasing them?

“Close the door!” he ordered sharply. “Don’t let them in!”

At that moment, Lan Fuyou’s driver and a few of his men took a closer look and stiffened in shock. One of them hurriedly leaned in, whispering into Lan Fuyou’s ear, “Emperor, those are the scouts we lost four days ago!”

Lan Fuyou’s brows shot up. “Huh?” His voice dropped into a suspicious murmur. “Are you sure?”

The driver nodded firmly.

Nanzhi, standing nearby, heard everything.

Lan Fuyou’s expression shifted in an instant. His previous alarm vanished as he suddenly straightened his back, clearing his throat. With an air of exaggerated generosity, he declared, “On second thought, I am a magnanimous Emperor! These people must be exhausted and starving! Open the door and let them in!”

The crowd fell into a stunned silence.

Everyone’s lips twitched.

Nanzhi: That’s rich, coming from you.

Despite their unspoken complaints, Lan Fuyou’s command was obeyed. The heavy metal door creaked open, allowing the five figures inside.

The moment they crossed the threshold, their bodies gave out.

One after another, they collapsed onto the cold concrete floor, unconscious.

Lan Fuyou frowned but quickly covered it up, waving his hand. “Take them inside and get them settled!”

His men hurried to carry the unconscious scouts away.

Nanzhi, however, remained still. Her sharp gaze drifted toward the entrance, landing on the wet trails left behind by the five figures. The water seeped into the cracks of the floor.