Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Survivors of the Air-Raid Shelter

At that moment, Hu Sanhan suddenly sensed something unusual. He frowned and said, “Wait, I feel like there are traces of someone having survived here, and it was quite recent!”

Chen Yi noticed as well and gestured for everyone to be quiet, listening carefully to the sounds around them.

Sure enough, faint breathing could be heard from deep within the air-raid shelter.

“Who’s there?” Chen Yi called out, gripping his double-edged blade tightly.

A moment later, a disheveled, filthy figure emerged from the shadows. The person’s clothes were in tatters, their face covered in grime—hardly recognizable as human at first glance.

Despair was etched in his eyes, but the moment he saw Chen Yi and the others, tears streamed down his face.

“At last… I’ve finally seen people again…” he choked out, then broke down sobbing.

Chen Yi stepped forward and spoke gently, “Don’t be afraid. We’re not your enemies. Can you tell us what happened here?”

The man sobbed for a while before speaking haltingly, “We… we’re a group of survivors. We’ve been trapped here for months.”

“The monsters outside are terrifying. We could only hide in the shelter…”

“How many people are still here?” Lu Kai asked urgently.

“About… about thirty or so.”

“They’re all very weak; some need medicine.”

“There’s some food here, but when the monsters were around, we didn’t dare go out,” the man said, wiping his tears.

Hearing this, Chen Yi felt a pang in his heart. These survivors needed immediate help.

“Everyone, split up and gather all usable supplies. We need to rescue these survivors as soon as possible.”

The team moved quickly, organizing the supplies from the shelter and following the survivor deeper inside.

In the dim light, they saw more survivors—haggard, filthy, all appearing extremely frail, some barely clinging to life.

“Quick, give them food and water!” Chen Yi ordered, while instructing Lu Kai to check on the injured and sick.

Lu Kai bustled about, providing simple medical care and reassuring them, “Don’t worry. We’ll take you out of here.”

An elderly man grasped her hand, his voice hoarse, “Thank you… truly, thank you…”

“Don’t worry. Our New Island Base never gives up on anyone,” Lu Kai replied with a smile. “As long as you’re willing to join New Island, everything else can be resolved.”

Gradually, the survivors regained some strength and expressed their gratitude to Chen Yi and his group.

Chen Yaxi flashed a sweet smile. “No need to thank us. My brother taught me to help those in need.”

Hearing his sister’s words, Chen Yi felt warmth in his heart. He patted her head and said, “That’s right. We must work together to make this world better.”

Just then, a team member hurried over with a report: “Boss, we found some strange equipment—it looks like experimental instruments.”

Chen Yi’s brow furrowed. “Show me.”

Following the member to a corner of the shelter, he found several complex devices arranged for some kind of research.

Hu Sanhan leaned in for a look. “These things aren’t ordinary. Maybe someone was conducting experiments here?”

“It’s very likely.”

“It seems this place was more than just a refuge—it hides deeper secrets,” Chen Yi thought.

He then turned to the others. “Right now, our top priority is to ensure these survivors are evacuated safely.” Chen Yi stood at the entrance of the shelter, gazing at the darkening sky, his mind racing.

The battle on the island was over, but the tasks ahead were just as daunting.

He addressed his team: “Move quickly—get all supplies and survivors onto the warship. We set sail tonight.”

Lu Kai nodded. “Understood, Boss. I’ll make the arrangements.”

He rushed off to assign tasks to the others.

By nightfall, all supplies and survivors had been safely transferred to the ship.

Standing on the deck, Chen Yi looked at the exhausted faces and felt a measure of comfort. At least, in this apocalypse, he’d done what he could.

“All right, everyone prepare to sail!” Chen Yi announced.

The ship slowly left the island, heading for New Island. The sea breeze brushed across everyone’s faces, carrying with it a note of chill but, more importantly, a sense of hope.

By the time they reached New Island, it was already deep into the night. The pier was ablaze with lights; the residents of New Island, having heard the news, had come to welcome them.

“Welcome back!” Zhou Jianguo stepped forward and shook Chen Yi’s hand. “You all worked hard.”

Chen Yi smiled in response, “Thank you. With you here, we can rest easy.”

Zhou Jianguo glanced at the survivors. “These people need to be settled quickly. I’ve prepared housing—they can stay there for now.”

“That’s a relief,” Chen Yi exhaled. “But we’ll need further planning to prepare for the future.”

Zhou Jianguo nodded in understanding. “Don’t worry. I’ll make detailed plans tonight. We should be able to accommodate four or five hundred people.”

“Thank you,” Chen Yi said, clapping him on the shoulder. Then he turned to the group. “Everyone, rest for now. Tomorrow we’ll hold a meeting to welcome our new members and clarify our direction.”

The next morning, a crowd gathered in the New Island square. Chen Yi stood on the stage, looking at the expectant faces below. Taking a deep breath, he began to speak.

“Fellow survivors,” his voice rang out, reaching everyone’s ears, “first, I want to thank you all for your efforts during these difficult times.”

“It’s because of you that New Island has become our shared home.”

Warm applause broke out below; pride and joy shone on every face.

“Today, we welcome thirty new members.”

Chen Yi gestured toward the group and continued, “They have endured countless hardships, but at last, they’ve found safe harbor with us.”

“I hope everyone here will reach out and make them feel the warmth of home.”

A young girl stood up, her voice trembling, “Thank you all. If it weren’t for you, we might have died in that hellish place.”

“You’ve truly given us hope!”