Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Chapter 334 Deep in the Cave

After driving for about half an hour, the car in front stopped.

Xu Xiaoyan also stopped.

Looking out the car window, a huge underground space appeared ahead.

The space was at least several hundred meters wide and several tens of meters high, with dense stalactites overhead and a dried-up underground riverbed underfoot.

The military vehicles had stopped, and the soldiers were getting off and starting to set up camp.

Xu Xiaoyan looked around for a while, then found a spot on the side of the road and parked the car.

She glanced at the battery box, which had 68% charge remaining, and looked around to see that the civilian vehicles were also coming to a stop.

People groped their way in the dark, occasionally hearing the sound of car doors opening and closing and hushed conversations.

She got out of the car and, following the beam of the military personnel's flashlights, Xu Xiaoyan finally saw the entire cave.

The dried-up riverbed meanders forward, about twenty or thirty meters wide, with smooth rock walls on both sides, covered with traces of water flow.

But now, all that's left is a ground covered in sand and pebbles, gleaming grayish-white under the lights.

There are so many stalactites on the other side of the riverbed.

The stalactites hung down from the cave ceiling, densely packed, like countless upside-down stalagmites.

Some are as thin as a finger, some as thick as a tree trunk, and some are over ten meters long, almost touching the ground.

They huddle together, intertwined and scattered, cutting the space on the other side of the riverbed into fragments.

Let alone vehicles, even people have to bend over and turn sideways to carefully walk between those stone pillars.

You really can't drive on this riverbed!

Xu Xiaoyan withdrew her gaze and looked towards the military.

The military vehicles were parked in a row, and the soldiers were busy setting up camp.

Some people unloaded tents from the vehicles, some carried supplies, and some set up lighting equipment.

Several high-powered searchlights were turned on, their snow-white beams illuminating most of the cave and casting the shadows of the stalactites onto the rock walls, making them appear distorted and eerie.

A man who looked like an officer stood in front of an unfolded map, talking to several soldiers.

Some people were pointing at the map with flashlights, while others were looking up at the riverbed, as if planning their next route.

It seems the military is going to set up camp here and rest for a while.

Xu Xiaoyan felt that thinking too much was pointless. She was just an ordinary person following the convoy. She would just follow whatever the military arranged. Thinking too much would only scare her.

She turned and walked back to her van, opened the driver's side door, and took out a food container and some rice balls from the storage compartment.

The food container contained braised pork that had been stewed earlier, still with a little bit of warm broth.

She opened the lid, scooped out a piece with a spoon, and put it in her mouth. The fatty meat was soft and tender, the lean meat was not dry, and the soup was delicious with rice!

She leaned back in her chair and ate bite by bite.

My eyes were fixed on the caves outside the car window, on the light and shadow cast by the searchlights, on the busy soldiers, and on the civilian vehicles that had also stopped.

It was quiet all around, with only occasional whispers, the sound of car doors opening and closing, and coughs.

After finishing her meal, she wiped her mouth, put the empty box into her spatial storage, and then began to think about her business.

The military has set up camp, and it doesn't look like a simple temporary rest.

They brought so much equipment—setting up tents, searchlights, and studying maps—clearly they were planning to stay here for a while.

If the military is really prepared to abandon the vehicles and walk into the caves to find water, what will happen to these vehicles? They will definitely need to be guarded.

With so many military vehicles and so much equipment and supplies, it's impossible to take them all with us.

There will definitely be people on duty, guards, and people watching over the vehicles. Her car is parked here, so it should be fine.

However, she glanced at the solar panel on the roof of the car, which had been charging the battery pack these past few days, giving her the confidence to turn on the air conditioning, use electrical appliances, and live a little more comfortably than others.

Among those following the convoy were both good and bad people; she was a young girl, outnumbered and outmatched.

What if someone targets her solar panels and steals them while she's away? Who can she complain to?

If the military really has to abandon the car and cross the riverbed tomorrow, Xu Xiaoyan decides to put the car into her spatial storage.

Anyway, the cave is very dark, and those searchlights can't reach this corner at all. As long as she's not around, or when no one is paying attention, she can do it.

But what if the military doesn't abandon the vehicles? What if they find a water source in the cave and set up camp there?

Then she won't accept it and will just live in the car!

Xu Xiaoyan leaned back in her seat, going through all the possibilities in her mind. After thinking it through, she felt much more at ease.

The next morning, Xu Xiaoyan was awakened by a rustling sound.

The sound was very soft, but it was exceptionally clear in the silent cave, as if many people were moving around at the same time, talking quietly, or tidying up something.

She suddenly opened her eyes, crawled out of her sleeping bag, and peered out the car window.

It wasn't dawn yet; no, it wouldn't be dawn in the cave.

The searchlights had been turned off, leaving only a few emergency lights that emitted a dim yellow light. By that light, she could see that the army's side was already bustling with activity.

Many soldiers were assembling, carrying bulging backpacks that seemed to be full of things.

Some people hung water bottles, entrenching tools, and gas masks on their bodies.

Some were checking their equipment, taking their guns off their shoulders, pulling the bolts, and then putting them back on.

Some stood in a row, calling out numbers in low voices, but their voices still carried far in the empty cave.

Judging from this, it's highly likely they'll have to walk into the depths of the riverbed.

Yesterday she was still considering all the possibilities, and today the worst-case scenario has come to pass.

She didn't have time to think much, quickly crawled into the back of her small truck, concentrated her mind, and took things out of the space.

The first one is a large, dark green backpack. It's sturdy and durable, with thick shoulder straps, and can hold a lot of things.

The second item is an unopened single tent, which is lightweight and compact. When folded up, it only takes up a bundle, which fits perfectly on the side of a backpack.

The third is a compressed blanket. It's a thin, small piece, but when unfolded, it's enough to wrap around your whole body and has a very good heat retention effect.

Fourth, a flashlight, a powerful flashlight that can shine very far.

Fifth, instant noodles.

The sixth item is compressed biscuits.

The seventh one is Snickers.

Eighth, mineral water.

She took these things out one by one, trying not to make a sound. The space in the carriage was small, and if she moved too much, she would bump into the carriage wall. She could only move around cautiously.

After she finished taking everything out, she started stuffing it into her backpack.

First, stuff in compressed biscuits and instant noodles, flatten them, and place them against your back.

Stuff another Snickers bar into the gap.

The flashlight is placed on the side for easy access.

Put the bottled water in the side pocket of your backpack.

Roll up the compressed blanket and stuff it on top.

The tent was tied to the side of the backpack and secured with rope.

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