Chapter 60: The Base (4)

"We have successfully looted the local hardware shop that Mathew told us to, we also put them in the village" Lily reported with a proud smile. She was holding a large backpack that was bulging with items.

"Woah! I saw the village being under construction now, the village will be our new home right!? I can't wait!" Nana exclaimed with excitement. She was bouncing on her feet, looking at the houses that were being renovated and decorated.

"Yeah, me too" I said and smiled back at them. I was happy to see them safe and sound. They had grown so much since we first met. They had become powerful and reliable members of our group. They had also become leaders of their own group, consisting of teens and some adults. They had proven themselves to be capable of going on expeditions like this. They had earned the respect and trust of everyone. They were like family to me.

While I was busy planning the layout of the base, and helping with the construction. The other groups were busy looting the nearby places for materials and resources. They had different targets and destinations, depending on their skills and knowledge.

Shana, Sarah, and William led a group that went to the nearby villages. The villages had been looted before, but this time they were not looking for supplies. They were looking for furniture. They wanted to make the houses more comfortable and cozy for the people who would live in them. They searched for sofas, beds, tables, chairs, cabinets, and anything else that could make the houses feel like home. They loaded the furniture on trucks and trailers, and brought them back to the base.

Jenny, Andy, and Rex led another group that went to the Agricultural Equipment Dealerships. Jenny knew this place well, because her grandfather used to buy equipment there all the time. She knew where to find the best tractors, plows, harvesters, and other machines that could help us with our farm. She also knew where to find the spare parts, tools, and manuals that could help us maintain and repair the equipment. She guided the group to the dealership, and they took as much as they could. They drove the equipment back to the base, or towed them with trucks.

The other groups did the same, looting every place they could find, until someone else got there first. It was a race against time, as we were not the only ones who wanted to survive. They went to places such as supermarkets, pharmacies, libraries, factories, and warehouses. They looked for things such as food, medicine, books, materials, and goods. They brought back everything that could be useful or valuable for our base. They contributed to our survival and prosperity.

While Souta and his group were busy expanding their population and their base, the former students from his school were having a meeting in the principal's office. They were the ones who Souta saved from their school, they had survived and formed their own group and even saved Souta. The class president, Jana, the assistant chief of the soldiers, Kisse, and the chief of the soldiers, Garp, were discussing their current situation.

"Looks like Souta and his group managed to loot the nearby town, villages and other places with resources nearby," Jana informed the others, showing them a map with marked locations. "They have been very active and aggressive in their scavenging missions."

Kisse snorted dismissively, "Huh! They probably lost a lot of people while doing it! They are reckless and foolish!"

Garp shook his head and interjected, "I don't think so, reports from the people that trade with them said that they saw many new faces from the group, it seems like his group is growing and becoming much powerful. They have also improved their weapons and equipment."

Kisse glared at Garp and retorted, "Why do you always defend him? Are you in love with him or something?"

Garp laughed, teasingly saying, "Oho? Are you sure that I was the one in love with him? Hmm?? Maybe you are just jealous of him!"

"What are you talking about, old man? I don't love him! I just hate how cruel he is and how he treats us. He abandoned us and took everything from us. He is our enemy!"

Jana intervened, "Let's stop talking about him. He is not our problem right now. We have our own issues to deal with." They fell silent, she then continued, "We have already cleared the town, and many survivors have joined us. Thanks to your training, Garp, they can now handle zombies without any problems. Our main concerns now are food and ammo. We are running out of supplies. We need to find more sources of food and ammo, or we will starve and die."

Garp nodded and suggested a plan, "My idea is to loot the next town next to us. It is not too far, and it is not too big. It should have some stores and houses that we can raid. Any suggestions or questions?"

Kisse raised his hand and asked, "Why the nearby town? Isn't the town there also small like here? Why not loot the shopping district in the city? It should have more stuff and variety."

Garp replied firmly, "Stupid! The shopping district is full of zombies! It is a death trap! If we loot that place, there's a high chance we'll be overwhelmed. We don't have enough people or firepower to clear that place. The nearby town is the best option since the nearby places have already been cleared by Souta and his group. They have done the hard work for us. We just need to take advantage of it."

Jana agreed, saying, "He's right. Looting the next town is the best option for us right now. We can get some food and ammo, and maybe some other useful items. We can also scout the area and see if there are any other survivors or threats. We can also avoid any confrontation with Souta and his group, since they are busy with their own projects."

They all agreed to the plan and prepared to move to the next town, eager to secure more resources for their survival. They hoped that they would find enough food and ammo to last them for a while. They also hoped that they would not run into any trouble or danger. They did not know that their fate was about to change.