"I've been living in a remote village. There's a cave where I resided with a few locals. Sadly, they passed away one by one, leaving me alone. Out of necessity, I ventured out, looking for others like me. Luckily, I stumbled upon a team that took me in." Zhou You's story was a blend of truth and fiction. Nobody would believe that he lived in the mountains by himself for ten years, let alone how he made it out of the Yunlan mountain range on his own.

The staff clearly didn't believe him, questioning how someone living in a cave could have such a healthy complexion. However, they didn’t press on. Finding survivors was good news.

"Is there any way I can check if my family is still around?" Zhou You originally had a separate household registration from his family, but he still remembered his parents' ID numbers.

"Sorry, we don't offer that service here. You can inquire at the inner city's registry office... Here's your new ID card. Please keep it safe. In case of loss, you can get a replacement at the nearest registry office for a fee of ten points. Also, our Jiangnan Base provides subsidies for new residents. You can obtain some basic supplies for free and inquire about low-rent housing at the neighboring agency."

"Thank you." Zhou You received his new ID, a wristband, which he promptly wore. It seemed quite secure.

The staffer handed him a booklet, "This explains how to use the ID. It's a universal pass now. You'll find it hard to get by without it."

Expressing his gratitude, Zhou You followed Shao Qi out of the hall. Shao Qi asked him to extend his hand and directly transferred 500 points to his card.

Zhou You, watching his balance jump from zero to five hundred, queried, "What's this for?"

"Your salary. That's for the first month. Consider it an advance. Make sure you work hard."

Zhou You, not fully understanding the concept of the points, simply accepted with a grin, "Thanks, boss. So, where are we headed now?"

"Let's grab some food!" First, Shao Qi led him to park the armored vehicle in a designated parking area. Such vehicles weren't allowed inside the city, only on the outskirts.

The vehicle's contents remained untouched. Zhou You quickly checked his backpack. The little white tiger was still snoozing inside, only waking up when he was taken out.

"You seem quite fearless," Zhou You remarked in surprise. "Didn't they inspect the vehicle?"

"They have no right to inspect my belongings."

"But isn’t the car Bear Yi’s? They recognized it earlier."

"Oh, I said I found it on the road. Didn't I find you too? What I find becomes mine. Is there a problem?" Shao Qi said with a straight face, talking nonsense.

"That works? What you find becomes yours? They don't hold you responsible?"

"Responsible for what? It's the law of the wilderness: what you find is yours. Even the law doesn't consider this theft. Besides, I have the privilege to use resources in emergencies."

"What's your real identity?" Zhou You asked, referring to the identity Shao Qi uses when out and about. He was sure Shao Qi was Marshal Shao, but he wouldn't use that title openly.

"Want to know? I won't tell you!" Shao Qi teased, waving a hand and saying, "Let's go. We'll mooch a meal at the military canteen."

Zhou You knew he was using a military identity, but was surprised when the identity he presented was the Chief Engineer of the Central Sixth Military Factory. It sounded impressive.

Of course, if his guess was right, Shao Qi's real identity would be even more impressive.

"Greetings, Commander!" After checking the credentials, a soldier saluted Shao Qi and informed the military leadership via the intercom. The arrival of the Chief Engineer from the Central Military Factory was significant. Was he here to strike a deal with their base? Suddenly, the Jiangnan base was unusually busy.

To those watching, Zhou You looked like Shao Qi's assistant or porter. Even the guards didn't recognize him. When Cheng Zi'ang came to greet them, he began to question Shao Qi's identity.

"Engineer Shao, hello. I am Cheng Zi'ang, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Jiangnan Military Region. Please follow me. Our commander is at a meeting in the inner city today. Do you have any instructions for us?"

"Oh, Ren Zhiyuan isn't here?" Shao Qi glanced at Zhou You, then told the deputy, "I came for two things. First, to meet the migrants you received today. They helped me on the road earlier, and I haven’t properly thanked them."

Cheng Zi'ang was unaware of this. It was only after a guard whispered in his ear that he realized they had welcomed a group of thousands that day. Since Li Hongxi's group wasn't planning on settling at the Jiangnan base, it hadn’t been reported. They intended to provide some supplies and send them on their way. Workers saved by the group were already sent home by the military.

"Why wasn't I informed of such a significant event?" Cheng Zi'ang was frustrated. The Jiangnan base was in need of more people, and retaining this group would've been an accomplishment.

"Let's go. I'll take Engineer Shao to meet them and learn about their journey. Traveling from the southernmost part to here couldn't have been easy."

Li Hongxi and his group were undergoing medical exams at the military hospital. Many in the convoy were in dire need of medical attention and would benefit from a thorough checkup and treatment.

The members of the exploration team were all physically fit. After their check-ups, they gathered outside, discussing how to request supplies. They were running out of both ammunition and food.

"This Jiangnan military base doesn't seem too affluent. Will they provide us with supplies?" Wu Yong asked worriedly.

"We're not asking for much. They promised to reward us for helping those workers. How can they not afford this much?"

"But judging by their reception, do they seem grateful?" Wu Yong was not asking for special treatment, but they had only been greeted by a single soldier, making it hard to negotiate any terms.