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24HR Supermarket.
Silence is in the air and a dampening of the melancholic silence stuffed the supermarket, making them feel as if suffocating. Ye Ke had turned off the bar phone. He did not wish to hear any more unexpected news to dampen the group's enthusiasm.
"Well, there's no need to be so desperate. There are refugee shelters as we speak. There is no way of knowing how many have escaped safely but I'm sure there are others who've made it out alive. Also, it may not be long before the research institute develops an antibody." The words he uttered, Ye Ke did not believe it and God knows it too. Ye Ke held the beer between his fingers and rubbed his temples with his knuckles.
"Antibody… Oh, don't you know that the research institute has another name?" Li Haoran smiled disdainfully. His words seemed utterly foolish.
"What name?" Ye Ke truly did not know. After all, he'd not place much attention in this aspect. Does the institute truly have any other name?
"Brick kiln."
"Eh???"
A few of them raised their guts in a knot.
What was this alias?
"A place where women are produced and used for local entertainment." Afraid that others would not understand him, Li Haoran bit his mouth and revealed the secret. Ye Ke and Su Nan quickly caught on and laughed, ironically criticizing him. Is it merely a place for people with power to be happy and have fun? Isn't it an institute for experts?
"Ye Ke, in fact, we are not desperate. There is a refugee shelter so we do have hopes in our heart but it's too far away from us. Reaching the blockade line would be a problem." Su Nan had always faced troubles and dangers with two approaches, figuring out the pros and cons to each of them. It is how he was able to eliminate all potential dangers.
He then touched the little girl's head, her eyes somewhat lonely. At any other time, with the exception of parents and relatives, children are always the face of trouble. They're too fragile, think, no ability to protect themselves, their immune system not yet developed so they get sick. They needed as much protection as others.
Most importantly, they're immature. They cry when in pain, cry when they are wronged, cry when scared, cry when feeling joy, anger, sorrow. They feel everything. It hangs on their faces.
Girl's like here who are quiet are a rare thing.
"Do you have a map of the city?" As the supermarket sells newspapers, it can be said they always have copies at hand, though no one usually buys it.
"Yes, I'll get it for you." Su Nan put Su Xiaoxiao on the ground. Free from the weight on his lap, he stood up and found a colorful magazine tucked away under the piles of unused newspapers.
Looking through, it was detailed. Fortunately, it wasn't a tourist map but a more natural detailed map designed for natives.
Ye Ke quickly found the location of his university then the location he was at now, the supermarket according to his escape route yesterday.
"Look, were over here." Ye Ke grabbed a pen and drew a circle. The group surrounded him in confusion, not able to understand the map. This sort of thing, not only do they need to know which is north, south, east, and west, they'd need to learn how map works in order to make judgements accurately and correctly.
"If the army's using a blockade line, this means in a short period of time, they'll mobilize a large number of troops. Various materials will be used to build a high wall and it is likely the main urban areas will be blocked. The blockade line should probably look like this." A black line framed two-thirds of the map, blocking only three sides and facing the ocean to the east.
"How did you know the army will use the blockade line like this? Did you guess it?" Though Li Haoran asked dubiously, the other had the same question in mind.
"I was a soldier and a very good one. I can do something like this though it's my limit but my guess should be ninety percent credible." Ye Ke did not lie. Shooting, obstacle courses, running, all this single events he'd fort done when entering the military shaped his experiences. When he left, the company commanded wanted him to stay. His development prospects in the military was considerably thought well.
"Alright. Continue." Hearing this, they had nothing more to say. They certainly knew less than him.
"Fortunately, were on the northern edge of the city. The scale of this map should be 1:300000, to say the least." He stuck his hand out on the map and found the rough estimated length of the map.
"We're only twelve kilometers away from the blockade line. In the past, it's only take half a day's walk to get to that distance but not it'll take even longer. As long as we are safe and careful, getting there should not be impossible." Ye Ke suddenly felt stuffy. He moved to the corner and put the beer down.
The others were silent. Su Nan and Li Haoran played around with the map. One judged the credibility of Ye Ke's words while the other was considering how to cross the street safely for twelve kilometers.
If they were to use his garbage can method, short distance should prove a probable feat. Just that, twelve kilometers is too long. If there was an accident, they'd not be able to escape in time.
Ye Ke sat on the edge, as far away from the group. He quietly lit a cigarette and puffed the smoke into circles of clouds. He hesitated whether he should fight or not. He'd already had something in mind of what to do but to do so, he must wear the "green cap and uniform".