The man walking in front explained to Li Zhonglou, "Beast tides erupt every six months, which is unavoidable. These passages limit their large-scale influx into Iron Forest."
As the man spoke, the iron gate ahead slowly opened to the sides, revealing a deep passage to Li Zhonglou's eyes.
Upon seeing the bottomless passage, he immediately understood the man's meaning. The thickness of the surrounding wall was astonishing, and the walls on both sides were made of visible, special iron. Forget beast tides; even a nuclear bomb would be harmless to those inside.
After the three entered the passage, incandescent lights suddenly illuminated overhead, and the iron gate behind them slowly closed, demonstrating extreme caution.
Li Zhonglou noticed that in this passage alone, there was a small dark opening every few meters. He didn't need to think twice to know what was inside.
After walking along the passage for several hundred meters, the space ahead suddenly widened.
It was a vast space, similar to a bunker, filled with strange and peculiar machinery of unknown purpose, and busy figures moving about.
A squad of soldiers surrounded the three, questioning and verifying their identities. When their leader heard the man say he was taking Li Zhonglou into the beast nest, his face showed a look of inexplicable surprise.
"Going in now? Haven't you received the news yet?"
The question caught the man off guard. He quickly shook his head, "Did something happen inside again? It's not the beast tide season right now."
The soldier leader looked at Li Zhonglou with pity and said, "It's not the beast tide season yet, but there's already been a riot inside. I advise you to let him go in alone. Most of the people on the first floor have already evacuated."
Upon hearing this, the faces of the two men from the dark department changed drastically. They immediately turned their gaze to Li Zhonglou, their expressions troubled. "We can't help you this time. You'll have to handle it yourself."
Li Zhonglou frowned and asked, "Isn't this considered a special circumstance? Do I still have to go in?"
"The rule is from today to tomorrow. Even if it can be changed, a beast tide season doesn't end in a day or two. Can you afford to wait?"
The man's meaning was clear. After all, the contestants had time limits. If Li Zhonglou couldn't complete his punishment quickly, he wouldn't be able to continue with his competition.
As the man spoke, his face was filled with sighs. This news was undoubtedly a disaster for Li Zhonglou, and they were helpless.
While the three were hesitating, the soldier leader urged them, "Make a decision quickly. If you're leaving, leave together. If you're going in, I'll send someone to escort him. In three hours, everyone in the base will have to evacuate."
The two men could only turn their gaze to Li Zhonglou.
Li Zhonglou was not a fool. He wouldn't blindly plunge into such an unclear situation. He directly refused, "I won't do something that leads to certain death."
However, just as he finished speaking, the soldier leader's expression suddenly changed. His earphone seemed to have received an order. He immediately disregarded the three and shouted loudly in all directions.
"Quick! The beast tide is coming! Close the passages! Everyone defend the bunkers!"
At this, the entire interior erupted in commotion. Before Li Zhonglou and the other two could react, an iron gate in the passage behind them suddenly closed, cutting off their escape route.
"Brother, what does this mean? We haven't even gotten out yet!"
"Get out? No one can leave now! The energy for the base and all its outposts hasn't started charging yet. If this wave of beast tide gets out, can you bear the consequences?"
The soldier leader glared, then treated the three as prisoners and ordered six armed men to escort them into an iron bunker.
Only then did Li Zhonglou realize that those strange machines were actually sturdy bunkers. Not only were they equipped with various daily necessities, but a large pile of guns and ammunition was also stacked in the corners.
As the bunker door closed, the three immediately felt stifled. They also noticed several machine gun ports.
"Damn it! What kind of situation is this? I still need to rush to the trial area!"
It was only then that the men from the dark department understood their predicament – they were locked up!
"Lao Gao, stop talking. You're making me annoyed too."
Of the two men from the dark department, one was named Shang Gao, and the other Chen Guang. Both were from Captain Lei's team.
As they were talking, Li Zhonglou had already surveyed the surrounding situation.
The space in this bunker was only a few square meters. Apart from the supplies and ammunition, there was barely enough room to lie down. However, Li Zhonglou found that the material provisions were extremely abundant.
Various compressed foods and high-energy drinks were enough for three people for half a month.
The ammunition consisted mostly of bullets, likely for the two machine guns.
The only way to see outside the entire bunker was a small window above the machine guns, the glass of which looked thick just by sight.
Li Zhonglou's heart sank.
From the current situation, it was clear this wouldn't be resolved anytime soon, otherwise, they wouldn't have prepared so much food here.
But his most pressing concern was time; he couldn't afford to waste it. So Li Zhonglou directly asked.
"How can we get out?"
"In this situation, get out for what? It's good enough if we don't die. Do you even understand what a beast tide is!"
Shang Gao, who had been quite agreeable before, had now completely lost control. In a fit of rage, he kicked at the reserve rations.
Li Guang, who was calmer, explained to Li Zhonglou, "This kind of situation can't be resolved in less than two or three days, and that's if our safe house isn't breached."
Li Guang sighed deeply as he spoke. The safe house he mentioned clearly referred to the bunker they were currently in.
Li Zhonglou immediately stated, "I can't wait that long. Are there any other ways to solve this?"
"Other ways? If you have the ability, just kill your way to the third level of the beast nest." Shang Gao replied impatiently.
"What do you mean?"
Li Guang sighed again and explained, "Actually, the origin of every beast tide is due to the riot on the third level. If those monsters on the third level can be quickly suppressed, then the beast tide will naturally be resolved."
The third level?
Li Zhonglou fell silent. His understanding of the beast nest was too superficial.