She closed her eyes briefly, forcing herself to push away the wave of pity threatening to overwhelm her. There was no time to dwell on the tragic end of a man she would never know.
The world was merciless, and survival left no room for mourning. She could only pity him.
Before she could contemplate more about his death, the system's voice distracted her.
[Rare item detected. Host should collect it.]
Liora looked at the rare item as the system spoke. The arrow was pointing at a strange box made of an unusual material. It had various compartments and was quite big.
Liora touched it to feel the texture of the strange item, but the item disappeared just as she touched it.
[Rare item collected: Automatic Instant Noodle Machine.]
Before Liora could ask the system more about this strange item, she heard many footsteps outside the warehouse.
"Ahh!" Zhou Yinuo shrieked as soon as she stepped inside the warehouse. Chen Wei and Liang Zihan didn't shriek, but they covered their mouths. The scene was horrifying, even for them. They had seen countless deaths, and it no longer affected them much, but seeing a six- to eight-year-old body rotting was enough to make anyone uncomfortable.
Zhou Yinuo removed her gaze from the body and walked toward Liora. "Are you alright? Did you get hurt anywhere?" she asked with a worried gaze, starting to check Liora's body.
Liora's heart warmed at Zhou Yinuo's concern. She shook her head to indicate she wasn't injured anywhere.
Chen Wei and Liang Zihan also breathed a sigh of relief and started checking the warehouse.
The warehouse wasn't big. It was probably used to store extra items for the supermarket. However, they became delighted to see that the boxes stored here were filled with items. Not a single box was empty.
Liora, Zhou Yinuo, Chen Wei, and Liang Zihan began to open the boxes, their earlier unease gradually replaced by excitement. The sight of boxes stacked neatly in the small warehouse gave them a glimmer of hope.
This could entirely change their situation at the base. As they began inspecting the contents, their expressions shifted to pure delight.
Liang Zihan pried open the first box and let out a laugh. "Canned food! And it's not expired!" He pulled out a few cans of beans, soups, and preserved meats. "We're eating good tonight!"
Chen Wei's face lit up as he opened another box. "This one has rice, flour, and sugar! Enough to last for weeks if we ration it." He ran his hand over the tightly sealed bags like they were made of gold.
Zhou Yinuo was next to find a treasure. "Look at this!" She held up a package of instant coffee, followed by several boxes of tea bags. "We'll finally have something warm to drink in the mornings."
Liora also pulled open many boxes and found them filled with soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and other hygiene items.
Chen Wei's excitement grew as he pulled out an unexpected find. "Look at this—batteries and flashlights! And there's even a portable power bank!"
Liang Zihan laughed. "Don't forget this!" He revealed a box filled with medicine and first-aid supplies—bandages, antiseptic, painkillers, and even antibiotics. "This could save lives."
Zhou Yinuo opened another box, and her eyes widened. "Snacks!" She pulled out a bag of chips, chocolate bars, and even vacuum-sealed dried fruits. "I don't even remember the last time I had chocolate."
Liora couldn't help but smile at Zhou Yinuo's childlike enthusiasm. She leaned down to open another box and found it filled with warm clothing, including jackets, scarves, and gloves.
The group couldn't contain their joy. Liang Zihan slapped Chen Wei on the back. "We're going to be heroes when we bring this back to the base!"
"No, we can't bring it to the base."
Everyone stopped and looked at Liora with surprised gazes, silently asking her why?
Liora sighed inwardly and began explaining.
"You can see just how valuable these items are. People can die for this. These items can make anyone rich at any time, but there is also a chance that we gain nothing from this."
"If we bring these items to the base, the base will only reward us with extra points. And then what? After a few months, we'll be living the same life as before." Liora said seriously and looked at everyone's serious expressions.
She could only hope they weren't naive enough to give all the items to the base, who treated them like trash.
Chen Wei wore an expressionless face; no one knew what he was thinking. Liang Zihan and Zhou Yinuo exchanged nervous glances, and they suddenly found themselves lost. Their minds short-circuited, not knowing what to do.
"Are you suggesting that we should hide the items for ourselves?" Zhou Yinuo asked timidly. She could have never thought of something . She was scared of what would happen if the base found out about it and decided to kick them all out of the base.
"I am not suggesting it; I am asking you to do it."
"But what if the base finds out about it? Then we'll all be doomed." Liang Zihan pulled at his hair in sheer frustration. He couldn't decide what to do.
"But where will we hide all this? We can't hide it in the base. The chances of being discovered there are too high," the silent Chen Wei suddenly said, startling both Zhou Yinuo and Liang Zihan.
Both of their protests and worries died after receiving a nod from Chen Wei. Even if worry and fear clouded their minds, they still trusted Chen Wei with their hearts.
Liora smiled lazily, her eyes holding amusement as she watched their interaction.
"You are right, but where will we hide the supplies?" Chen Wei voiced his concern in a serious tone.
Liora straightened her back and asked with a playful smile, "Do you trust me?" The trio nodded instantly without thinking.
Liora clapped her hands, then leaned down and whispered softly, "That's it. Don't worry—I have a way. But it's up to you to decide—whether you trust me or the base?"