Silent Sanctuary

The cave was large, revealing a tunnel. It sloped downwards all the way, and at the end, there was a road that turned back, appearing to lead to the bottom of the reservoir only after the turn.

However, Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei didn't need to go that way; it was likely a tunnel for vehicles.

Before them, next to the tunnel entrance, was a staircase leading down, with a turn. It was only twenty to thirty steps down.

This was for people walking.

The cave was pitch black, and Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei could only see everything clearly thanks to the light emitted from Doggy's eyes.

They didn't rush down the stairs, lingering at the cave entrance for a long time.

On one hand, they moved all the rubble from outside into the cave and erased any tracks on the ground to prevent anyone from following them in.

On the other hand, they were also observing the situation inside, to see if this former shelter was still suitable for people to enter.

The shelter was built underwater, so the requirements for ventilation, pressure resistance, and other aspects should have been very high.

After so many years, Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei weren't sure if it was still suitable for people to enter, or if the air was still breathable.

Lu Xi'an instructed Doggy to give a warning, then carefully blocked the outermost part of the opening they had dug with stones. Once he confirmed it was secure, he felt relieved.

Now, the entrance they had dug wouldn't be discovered, and they could easily break through to get out without worrying about being followed.

Also, having worked in the cave for so long without any physical abnormalities, it should be fine.

They then went down the stairs and paused again to feel the surroundings.

Breathing was still unaffected, and the area below was intact, with no signs of collapse.

With this, the two were completely at ease.

The tunnel below now had a pedestrian walkway, and the two only needed to follow Doggy's light and walk along the walkway through the tunnel.

The tunnel wasn't too long. After walking for a while, Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei saw a descending rolling shutter door. There was also a metal door on the pedestrian walkway.

The metal door had an electronic lock, which had run out of power after so long. The lock cylinder could only be removed from the inside, and there was no way to power it from the outside, so Doggy was helpless.

Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei had to try and open the rolling shutter door.

Fortunately, the two had immense strength. With their combined effort, they actually managed to lift the rolling shutter door.

Crawling underneath and releasing the door, the heavy rolling shutter door fell to the ground with a "boom." The vibration beneath their feet made them worry if this would cause a collapse.

Fortunately, the interior of the shelter was quite sturdy. The collapse they had witnessed earlier was only an external one.

It was just that the fallen rocks outside were too numerous and too large. The people who survived back then likely lacked the necessary tools and didn't have a Mechanical Dog to help them find weak points in the collapsed area, so they were powerless.

Thus, this underground shelter remained sealed until today, only to see the light of day again after Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei arrived.

He wondered if there was anyone inside?

Lu Xi'an thought to himself, and together with Yao Wei, followed Doggy inside.

Behind the rolling shutter door was a parking lot, which was completely empty, not a single car in sight.

Lu Xi'an felt a bit regretful. If they could find a car here, he wouldn't have to rely so much on Yao Wei.

He and Yao Wei followed Doggy across the parking lot and saw a small elevator room. However, the elevator had no power, and even if it did, they wouldn't dare to use it.

Fortunately, behind the elevator room, there was another staircase leading down.

Going around to the stairwell, for convenience, Lu Xi'an directly picked up Doggy and held it in his hand, as if holding a flashlight.

Doggy's eyes glowed, illuminating the path downwards for Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei.

The stairs wound around several times before reaching the actual underground shelter.

The shelter also had an electronic lock. Fortunately, this lock was in the unlocked state and was not closed.

Lu Xi'an asked Doggy to turn off its light and go in to scout first, to confirm if there was any danger.

Of course, while Doggy was searching, he and Yao Wei stood guard at the entrance, providing cover with their guns.

Inside was empty and dark, as dead and cold as a morgue. Even the slightest sound was incredibly clear, as if amplified by a loudspeaker next to their ears.

When Doggy moved, the sound of its wheels turning became extremely loud.

This sound was completely inaudible from the outside.

The sound of the wheels seemed to have an echo, or perhaps it didn't.

After a while, a light finally appeared, which was somewhat blinding.

Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei had to squint, but at least they felt slightly more relaxed, confirming it was safe.

"Doggy, come here."

Lu Xi'an called the Mechanical Dog back, and then, led by Doggy's light, they began to explore.

Upon entering the shelter, the first thing they saw was a large space supported by several pillars, resembling a place for gatherings or meals. The tables and chairs were in disarray and had been overturned.

A television was mounted on the wall, covered in dust, and they didn't know if it could still be turned on.

Beyond the main space was a row of rooms, some with doors open and some closed. The furnishings were very simple—

Each room had two bunk beds, one on each side, separated by a table. The outer sides of the beds were propped up by cabinets, filling the room.

It looked like a dormitory, with each room able to accommodate eight people.

But these places should still be uninhabited, empty inside, with neat beds and open cabinets.

Lu Xi'an and Yao Wei went into each room, opening the desk drawers, which were also empty.

"If this place has enough supplies, and the water, electricity, and sewage systems are all functional, then we could stay here."

Lu Xi'an said.

But Yao Wei remained silent, continuing to check room by room.

In the middle section, the two discovered the bathrooms.

They went in to take a look. The sewage system was temporarily fine, but after use, it couldn't draw in new water to replenish.

The water stored here for an unknown amount of time already had a moldy smell, very unpleasant.

And when they turned on the faucets, no water flowed out. Despite being under the reservoir, right next to such an abundant water source, the water supply was broken.

Lu Xi'an sighed.

But Yao Wei said, "It's broken."

Whether it was an illusion or not, Lu Xi'an always felt a hint of happiness hidden in Yao Wei's tone. Because she deliberately suppressed it, it wasn't easy to discern.

"Yeah, it's broken."

The two came out of the bathroom and continued forward. The other side also had a row of dormitories, empty and uninhabited.

But when they reached the innermost part, Lu Xi'an discovered a skeleton lying on a bed in the back of one of the dormitories.

The sheet beneath the skeleton seemed to have been stained with blood long ago, dark red and dry, making them uncomfortable.

A fruit knife lay on the floor by the bed. There was blood on the knife, long dried and brittle, forming cracks.

"The way he looks, it seems like suicide."

Lu Xi'an said.

Yao Wei nodded.

Was it because the exit was blocked, the shelter was empty, and he despaired and committed suicide?

Or something else?

But these past events no longer mattered. Neither Lu Xi'an nor Yao Wei had the inclination to speculate about the past.

The two found quite a few things in the dormitory where the person had died: clothing, wrappers from chocolate bars, instant noodle bowls with solidified soup, and packaging from other foods.

These items allowed the two to confirm—

This shelter did, in fact, have supplies!

Please support! Is anyone there?