Chapter 19
Being physically weak had its advantages, too.
Fatty Lei furtively glanced around. Only after making sure no one was paying attention did he lean close to Lu Li's ear and whisper, "Brother Lu, I've got a couple of rumors for you."
"What rumors?" Lu Li asked curiously.
"More people came to the mall today, but we only intercepted four of them. Several others slipped into the supermarket on the basement level, but none of them came back out."
"So the Camp has four more people?" Lu Li asked, puzzled.
Fatty Lei waved a hand and explained, "No, those four went back. They're all the main providers for their families and couldn't leave them behind. They'll bring their families over tomorrow, though. We just don't know whether they'll make it to the Camp safely."
Fatty Lei looked worried. "Sigh, there are more and more people in the Camp, and we're using up supplies faster and faster. Who knows how much longer this place can hold out?"
"And more people are coming to the mall to gather supplies, too. I reckon the Camp's population will keep growing for a while."
For the Survivor Camp as it stood, more people weren't actually a good thing. Even Fatty Lei thought so, and the others in the Camp felt that way all the more.
But Lu Li knew perfectly well that Jun Shutong would never turn away anyone seeking refuge. She had an exceptionally strong sense of responsibility and couldn't bear to see anyone who needed help fall into despair.
"In that case, why don't you put warnings at the entrance telling survivors who don't know any better to stay out of the supermarket?" Lu Li asked, puzzled.
Fatty Lei complained, exasperated, "We put them up the day before yesterday, but some people just won't believe the warnings."
"Those guys probably thought we'd left the warnings to keep all the supermarket's supplies for ourselves. That's why they ignored them."
Lu Li: "..."
But putting himself in their shoes, if he were starving and searching a supermarket for supplies, he would probably ignore any warnings outside, too.
After all, if you were already starving to death and could barely stay alive, who had time to worry about danger?
"There's a plan for tonight. Make sure you show up. Sister Jun and I will both be going," Lu Li said.
"What? Tonight?" Fatty Lei exclaimed, then hurriedly lowered his voice to warn him. "It's even more dangerous at night than during the day! Can't we do it in daylight?"
"You'll find out when the time comes." Lu Li kept him in suspense without explaining anything.
After eight that evening, everyone Jun Shutong had selected gathered in her office.
The dim office relied entirely on the faint light of a single flickering candle.
"Lu Li, explain the plan to everyone," Jun Shutong said.
Lu Li nodded, then went over the plan to open the water tank's lid again.
"Going at night does let us avoid the bird Magical Beasts, but there are bat Magical Beasts at night. Are you sure nighttime is safer?" Fatty Lei was the first to question it.
He was among those most opposed to exposing themselves beneath the open sky. With his bulk, if any bird Magical Beast spotted him out there, he would probably be the first to suffer.
"But we have to take the risk. Otherwise, there's a very real chance we'll die of thirst," Lu Li said.
Yellow Hair demanded impatiently, "Then why do you have to bring Old Xu and me? Have a conscience. We just came back wounded for the Camp's sake."
He didn't dare question Jun Shutong, so he could only direct his anger at Lu Li. Beside him, Old Xu glared at Lu Li with the same venomous look.
"Two reasons." Lu Li held up two fingers.
"First, you're both depleted of blood and vitality right now. Those blood-feeding bat Magical Beasts won't make you their primary targets."
"Second, you carry the scent of that Ghost type Magical Beast. The bat Magical Beasts will think you're prey that a Ghost type Magical Beast has already claimed, so they won't prioritize you."
Old Xu and Yellow Hair: "..."
After hearing Lu Li's explanation, Fatty Lei had the vague sense that a sign reading "Danger" was hanging over his head.
He hadn't wanted to go in the first place. Now he wanted to go even less.
"Which brings us to the question: why do you have to bring me along?" Fatty Lei looked at Lu Li with a mixture of grievance and dissatisfaction.
You thumped your chest at dinner and said you'd look out for me. Is this how you look out for your old pal Lei? Please, go look out for someone else!
"Lei, as the saying goes, with greater power comes greater responsibility. You've kept the Camp running smoothly these past few days, but if you want to become its administrator, you have to make some contributions to it, don't you?"
"I asked you to come today precisely because I'm looking out for you."
Lu Li offered his earnest advice.
In fact, Lu Li really wasn't fooling Fatty Lei. He had discussed it with Jun Shutong during the day. Fatty Lei had handled the Camp's day-to-day affairs these past few days without making any mistakes.
Jun Shutong had long wanted to put Fatty Lei in charge of the Camp's daily operations, but out of consideration for democratic decision-making, she had been looking for an opportunity to make it official.
Tonight's operation was exactly such an opportunity for Fatty Lei.
Of course, Lu Li had also invited Fatty Lei partly because he intended to use him as a shield.
But sometimes, risks and opportunities went hand in hand. If someone wanted authority, they at least needed a contribution they could point to, didn't they?
Fatty Lei more or less understood what Lu Li and Jun Shutong meant.
Already fairly shrewd, Fatty Lei quickly weighed his options. If he let this opportunity slip away, Jun Shutong's opinion of him would surely drop considerably.
Once he left a bad impression on the person in charge, advancing any further would be difficult.
After hesitating for only a fraction of a second, Fatty Lei firmly declared his loyalty to Jun Shutong.
"Sister Jun, I'm willing to follow your arrangements." Fatty Lei sounded as resolute as if he were swearing some solemn oath.
Yellow Hair and Old Xu exchanged a glance, then nodded decisively and said in unison, "Sister Jun, we're willing to come along, too."
Jun Shutong nodded in satisfaction.
"In that case, let's get moving." Jun Shutong put on the Camp's only bulletproof vest and picked up its sole remaining police pistol.
"If bat Magical Beasts really do attack, you run first. I'll cover the retreat." Jun Shutong made her promise with a look of unwavering determination.
Fatty Lei and the others gazed at Jun Shutong, their eyes reddening with emotion. At that moment, she stood taller than ever in their hearts.
Seeing this, the corners of Lu Li's mouth lifted slightly. This was their Camp's lead-
er. This was Jun Shutong!
With everything agreed upon, the group took their tools and carefully made their way to the rooftop through the emergency stairwell.
The stairwell exit wasn't far from the water tank, only about a hundred meters away.
By the bright moonlight, Jun Shutong cautiously scanned their surroundings.
"There's no sign of bat Magical Beasts. Let's stick close to the wall and be careful. Try not to make any noise," Jun Shutong instructed the four people behind her.