Chapter 297: Patrol

【System detects safe zone personnel return rate is 100%. Material consumption rate is below the warning line.】

When the cold, mechanical voice sounded in Lin Chen's mind, he was standing in the command room of the safe zone,

holding a patrol report in his hand, the pen tip sliding across the paper, leaving clear handwriting. The sunlight outside the window was very sufficient, shining in through the glass, landing on the documents on the tabletop, glowing with a faint halo.

Xia Nuan pushed the door and walked in, holding a folder, and placed it gently on the tabletop. "The defensive fortifications in all areas have been checked,

there is no damage, and the supplies have been replenished." Xia Nuan said, her voice very light, but carrying a hint of imperceptible relaxation.

Lin Chen nodded, put down the pen in his hand, and picked up the folder to flip through.

Inside was the supply list for each area—weapons, food, medicine, each item marked very clearly, the quantity sufficient, the classification clear. He flipped to the last page and saw a familiar name: Lin Hao, responsible for the patrol of the Dongmen, with the attendance status marked next to it: Normal.

【System prompt: The safe zone's overall operating status is good; the probability of the darkened personality awakening has dropped to below 1%.】

Lin Chen did not ignore the system's prompt; he just looked at the name on the folder,

the corners of his mouth twitching involuntarily. He remembered Lin Hao sitting in the cafeteria eating beef, remembered Lin Hao's back patrolling at the Dongmen, remembered that line of text from the family seal: 【Blood relative choice: Survival. Regret intensity: MAX. Hostility: 0】, and his heart suddenly became very calm.

"How is it over at Lin Hao's side?" Xia Nuan asked, her gaze falling on the name on the folder.

"Normal." Lin Chen said, his voice very steady.

Xia Nuan nodded and said nothing more. She walked to the window and looked at the scene outside. Team members gathered in twos and threes, some training, some repairing the wall, some playing with children, laughter and shouts mixed together, exuding a sense of vitality.

The door of the command room was pushed open again, and Lin Hao walked in,

holding a patrol record, his face devoid of any expression. He walked to the table, placed the record on the tabletop, and nodded at Lin Chen. "Everything is normal at the Dongmen; no traces of mutants have been found."

Lin Chen picked up the patrol record to flip through; the handwriting on it was very neat—time, location, patrol situation, each item written very clearly. He flipped to the last page and saw a remark: 【Perimeter barbed wire reinforced, no loosening】.

"Thank you for your hard work." Lin Chen said.

Lin Hao said nothing, just nodded, and turned to walk toward the door.

When he reached the door, he paused, looked back at Lin Chen, then looked at Xia Nuan, ultimately saying nothing, pushed the door, and walked out.

【System detects blood relative interaction is normal. Safe zone harmony index has improved by 30%.】

Lin Chen looked toward the door, then looked down at the patrol record in his hand.

He remembered what he and Lin Hao were like when they were children, remembered everything after the apocalypse broke out,

remembered those who were lost and those who were gained, and his heart no longer had the previous guilt and remorse, only a faint sense of relief.

Xia Nuan walked to his side and handed over a cup of water. "Drink some water."

Lin Chen took the water cup and took a sip; the warm water slid down his throat,

dispelling quite a bit of fatigue. He looked at the scene outside the window, looked at the busy figures of the team members, looked at the smiling faces of the children, and suddenly felt that such days were also quite good.

Just then, the communicator in the command room suddenly rang, the harsh sound breaking the peace in the room. Lin Chen picked up the communicator and pressed the answer button. "Team Leader Lin, an unknown signal has been discovered on the perimeter of the safe zone; the frequency is stable, as if it were some kind of encrypted communication."

Lin Chen's brows furrowed slightly. "Locate it."

"Already located; the coordinates are five kilometers west of the safe zone, and the signal source is moving."

Lin Chen put down the communicator, turned, and walked to the map, his finger landing on the position five kilometers west. That was a forest, where mutant sheep and new types of mutants had been discovered before; the terrain was complex and easy to hide in.

"Should we send someone to take a look?" Xia Nuan asked, her face showing a hint of vigilance.

Lin Chen nodded. "Notify the patrol team, strengthen the vigilance on the west side, and Lin Hao and I will go take a look."

Xia Nuan did not hesitate and immediately picked up the communicator to issue instructions.

Lin Chen picked up the rifle placed on the edge of the table and checked the magazine—the bullets were full. He turned and walked toward the door, just happening to run into Lin Hao who had returned. "There is a situation on the west side; let's go take a look together."

Lin Hao nodded and said nothing, just turned and followed Lin Chen's steps.

The two walked out of the command room and walked toward the direction of the west side. The sunlight shone on them, carrying a hint of warmth. The team members saw them and stopped their movements one after another, nodding at them in greeting.

When they reached the gate of the safe zone, the patrol team had already assembled, weapons in hand, their faces filled with vigilance. Lin Chen nodded at them. "Set off."

The team moved slowly and walked toward the forest on the west side. The road beneath their feet became more and more difficult to walk, overgrown with weeds, branches slanted, and from time to time they could see traces left by mutants.

After walking for about half an hour, the team stopped in an open area. The sound came from the communicator again. "Team Leader Lin, the signal source is in the cave ahead; the frequency has not changed."

Lin Chen raised his hand to signal the team to stop, and he and Lin Hao exchanged a look; the two walked one after another toward the direction of the cave.

It was very dark in the cave, filled with a damp smell. Lin Chen turned on the tactical flashlight, and the light beam illuminated the road ahead. He walked slowly into the cave, his gaze scanning the surroundings vigilantly.

Just then, the light beam fell on the end of the cave, where an old signal transmitter was placed, flashing red light continuously. Next to the transmitter was a note with a line of crooked words written on it: 【Survivor camp, coordinates XXXX, seeking cooperation】.

Lin Chen picked up the note and looked carefully at the coordinates on it. That was ten kilometers east of the safe zone, which had never been explored before.

Lin Hao walked to his side, looked at the words on the note, and his brows furrowed slightly.

"Survivor camp." Lin Chen said softly.

Just then, the signal transmitter suddenly emitted a burst of urgent sound, the red light flashing faster and faster. Immediately after, a line of numbers jumped out on the transmitter's screen: 666.

The numbers stayed for three seconds, then disappeared. The red light of the signal transmitter also gradually dimmed, stopping work completely.

Lin Chen looked at the numbers that had disappeared on the screen, then looked at the note in his hand, the corners of his mouth twitching involuntarily.

Lin Hao also looked at the screen, a hint of surprise appearing on his face.

The two said nothing, just stood in place, listening to the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves outside the cave.

After a while, Lin Chen put away the note and turned to walk toward the outside of the cave. "Notify the team to return to the safe zone and strengthen the vigilance on the east side."

Lin Hao nodded, picked up the communicator, and issued instructions.

The team returned slowly and walked toward the direction of the safe zone. The sunlight was still sufficient, shining on them, carrying a hint of warmth.

When they reached the gate of the safe zone, Xia Nuan was standing there waiting for them. "How is it?"

"Survivor camp, seeking cooperation." Lin Chen said, handing the note to Xia Nuan.

Xia Nuan took the note, looked at the coordinates on it, and nodded.

The three walked into the safe zone and walked toward the direction of the command room. The team members saw them and cast curious gazes one after another.

Walking into the command room, Lin Chen placed the rifle on the edge of the table and took a sip of water. He looked at the scene outside the window, looked at the busy figures of the team members, looked at the smiling faces of the children, and suddenly felt that such days could continue.

Just then, a faint prompt sound suddenly rang in his mind—not the system's mechanical voice, nor Chu Yao's voice, just a simple prompt, followed by 666. ===== CHAPTER 298 =====