People eating people. The phrase echoed in the quiet air, chilling the blood in their veins.

The artificial flood that Wang Chen encountered during his evacuation from Harbin had been overwhelmingly fierce, its inundation spilling across almost the entire urban area. Although the water receded rapidly, Harbin's terrain was predominantly flat, and the autumn season there was remarkably brief. The duration and intensity of sunlight fell far short of what was experienced in the south. Consequently, the true state of the drainage remained uncertain—nobody could tell how many subsurface cavities were left behind by the receding waters, nor which areas had failed to drain altogether before freezing solid with the onset of winter, splitting the earth and forming jagged fissures. Unless detailed manual and equipment-based surveys were conducted next spring after temperatures rose and the ice thawed, the specific geological condition of the urban area would remain a mystery.

From a geological perspective, Harbin had already disqualified itself as a candidate for the new capital. After all, the city's underground fortress network had been repeatedly constructed and excavated across four distinct historical periods: the Japanese and Russian colonial era, the War of Liberation, the period of anti-Soviet and anti-revisionist preparation, and the ten-year turmoil. With its layered and convoluted structural labyrinth, no one knew for certain how deep it went. Ever since the reform and opening up, the city had suffered an average of at least three ground collapses per year. In the most absurd instance, during the construction of a simple subway line, even before any collapse occurred on the metro itself, ground subsidence struck seven times in nine days due to construction vibrations just a hundred meters off the line, resulting in two deaths and two injuries. Rebuilding such a compromised geological structure as the new capital after it had been soaked by the Songhua River? Not even the highest leadership would consent to that unless their minds were filled with mush.

Yet, the necessary diplomatic and administrative procedures still had to be observed. Furthermore, alongside geological surveys, Harbin required biological research. At the very least, they needed to ascertain whether mutant rodent species, known for bursting through human torsos, would fail to appear in sub-zero temperatures or experience severely delayed mutation rates. If the freezing cold truly managed to arrest those rectal-boring rodents in their embryonic stages, whereas Xi'an continued to suffer from a constant succession of torso-bursting horrors, the top leadership might well hold their noses and change their minds, establishing Harbin as the new capital after all—at the worst, they could simply prioritize the development of a new district. After all, over recent years, every successive administration in Harbin had developed a new district; while the population shrank, the urban area expanded threefold.

Hearing Yang Xiaohua's report, Tu Hongye sank into deep contemplation. Naturally, the others found it inconvenient to disturb him until the bubbling of the porridge boiling in the pot broke his train of thought. Lifting his head, Tu Hongye made his decision. "Tomorrow, if the weather clears, the logistics personnel and the first squad will stay behind to secure the thermal insulation of the machinery repair hangar. No matter what, having a warm shelter makes things comfortable for everyone. The rest of you will accompany me to check out the nearest human activity site first. Weng Dachun, lead the warriors with the airborne tracked vehicle to scout the route. Wang晨, take the Mengshi vehicle and stand ready to support the tracked vehicle. I'll swallow my pride and ride in the third vehicle. In short, everyone must exercise extreme caution. I reiterate: whether staying behind or heading out, in territory like this, there is no need to observe any engagement rules. If you spot movement, you may shoot first and ask questions later. Remember! Safety and a safe return are paramount. If any casualties occur among the survivors, I take full responsibility!"

"Understood!"

Watching the resolute expression carved upon Tu Hongye's chiseled face by the campfire's glow as he proclaimed sole responsibility, his striking, exotic pupils reflecting points of firelight, Yang Xiaohua had to scream internally: he is just so damn handsome!

At midnight, the north wind howled, whipping blizzards and powdery snow straight through dawn and half the morning. With nothing pressing to do, taking advantage of the subsiding snowstorm in the late morning, Cheng Wu, with the assistance of others, used an ultrasonic detector to scan the perimeter of the airfield. The results were quite favorable. Although the airport had a long history, no hidden underground spaces were detected. Moreover, the terrain here was relatively elevated, surrounded by farmland and nurseries. During the previous flood, the inundation had been minimal. Overall, it was a remarkably decent place to settle down.

The only drawback was that the surroundings of the airport were far too open. Aside from the machinery repair hangar and a few buildings, there was virtually no cover. Beyond the dilapidated perimeter wall lay endless stretches of fields and nurseries. Should a zombie horde erupt with the arrival of warmer weather, other than retreating into structures like the hangar, survivors would be forced to run in circles across the vast, open terrain, carefully avoiding being cornered and becoming a feast for the undead.

As noon approached, the wind and snow finally ceased. Beneath a brilliant blue sky, the blanket of white was pristine. The crisp air was undeniably biting, its inhalation into the nasal cavity bringing a long-absent, sharp sting to Wang Chen. Yet, thanks to the freezing temperatures, the lingering, teeth-grinding, soul-numbing stench of putrefaction that usually haunted the air was entirely gone. If not for the sporadic, prone, humanoid snowdrifts dotting the landscape—reminding the survey team that the world remained locked in an apocalypse—everyone might have been lulled into the illusion that the outbreak was already a thing of the past.

The hours of wind and snow had reduced the number of heat sources detected earlier by Yang Xiaohua down to three, with the closest one still ten kilometers away, situated right near the city center. To be thorough, Tu Hongye decided to proceed with the original plan and investigate the locations where the heat sources had previously vanished.

Along the route, they encountered several road collapses, though none were severe enough to impede vehicle passage. The first suspected heat source was a gas station, where nothing was found save for the remnants of a campfire. The heavy snow had completely obliterated any potential traces of activity, leaving no indication of how many people had sheltered there.

The only comforting thought was that, at the very least, some living survivors remained within urban Harbin.

The second heat source proved even less fruitful than the first; heavy snow had collapsed a sheet-metal shack, and clearing it away would take days. Receiving a negative reading from the life detector, Tu Hongye decided to abandon the search there and head toward the third heat source, hoping for better results.

Progressing along the main thoroughfare toward the city center, Wang Chen, seated in the front passenger seat, appeared somewhat absent-minded. Having lived in Harbin for over twenty years, he had actually visited the Liming Market area only a few times. Yet, the occasional sighting of various storefront signs bearing the name Harbin and the relatively antique European-style buildings, overlapping and contrasting with the memories in his mind, stirred a subtle wave of melancholy in his chest. As residential houses grew more frequent and high-rises denser, more familiar sights began to enter his field of vision, and Wang Chen finally lost his composure, his eyes turning red.

The soldier driving the airborne vehicle remained silent, striving to project an absolute absence of presence. A slender, delicate hand reached out from behind Wang Chen's shoulder, offering a tissue. Sheng Qingru understood the adage that a true man does not easily shed tears, so she refrained from uttering a single superfluous word, choosing instead to offer encouragement through this quiet gesture.

Wang Chen accepted the tissue without expressing thanks. He briefly wiped away his tears, reached back to pat the back of Sheng Qingru's hand to signal that he was fine, and just in time, Yang Xiaohua's voice chimed through the headset: "Take a right at the intersection ahead, drive straight, and you'll see the botanical garden's perimeter wall. This is the only low section of the wall, making it easy to climb over."

The third heat source was located beside the Heilongjiang Forest Botanical Garden—or more precisely, it comprised two activity sites situated very close to each other, likely established by the same group of survivors, which was why Yang Xiaohua had grouped them together.

The driver turned the vehicle as instructed, the tracks grinding audibly against the accumulated snow. The landscape trees on either side of the road, half-buried under snowdrifts, swayed gently as the airborne vehicle plowed through the drifts, sending large quantities of loose snow cascading from their crowns to dance in the chilly wind, creating a picturesque, hazy winter tableau.

The falling snow somewhat obscured the vision. Just as Wang Chen, long accustomed to snowy vistas, had this landscape-spoiling thought, he suddenly caught a flash of movement in the rearview mirror—something seemed to have fallen from a tree. Just as he opened his mouth to shout for a halt, Tu Hongye's voice crackled through the headset: "Stop!"