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“This is why I came here,” Li Ying said to Lin Feng, her expression serious and her reporter badge prominently displayed on her chest.

“You were able to get in? I thought E City was completely sealed off,” Lin Feng questioned, skeptically inspecting the grilled fish Li Ying handed him, sniffing it to check for any signs of drugging.

“There’s no need to inspect it. If I wanted to do something, I would have done it while you were unconscious. E City is sealed off, but it’s a one-way barrier – you can get in, but not out. When I came by boat, the guards just glanced at me but didn’t stop me. However, they did prevent me from leaving.”

“Hmm?” Lin Feng looked puzzled. The fact that you can only enter and not exit didn’t seem logical, especially since the news had not mentioned anything about the quarantine zones being overtaken, which should be a crucial issue for the military to address.

“Do you have any understanding of the epidemic here?” asked Li Ying, noticing Lin Feng deep in thought.

“Understanding? What you see is all I know. The rest comes from watching your news broadcasts. I thought that reporters like you, who go around interviewing with microphones, would know much more than us who are trapped here.”

Tearing a piece off the grilled fish, Lin Feng chewed thoughtfully.

“My knowledge is based on official information, but some aspects didn’t add up, which is why I decided to come here,” Li Ying explained, pulling a filtration mask from her bag.

“That thing’s useless here.”

“I know. Before I met you, I had already encountered a mother and son at the destroyed bridge on the border. They filled me in on what’s happening here.”

Li Ying casually tossed the gas mask on the ground and picked up another grilled fish to continue eating.

“And where did that mother and son go?” Lin Feng inquired, not seeing anyone else but Li Ying. He wondered if they were the same pair he had seen at the gang’s hideout.

“They were shot, labeled as infected,” Li Ying said, her grip on the grilled fish trembling slightly.

“Is that so?” Lin Feng responded nonchalantly, continuing with his fish, annoyed by its bony texture.

“What do you mean, ‘is that so’? They were living people! Aren’t you supposed to feel outraged?” Li Ying, seeing Lin Feng’s indifferent attitude, expressed her anger.

“Stay here a few more days, and you won’t say that anymore.”

Lin Feng knew that not being able to accept the harsh reality was normal at first, though he wasn’t sure how long Li Ying had been here. Her last news report suggested it had been about a week.

“It seems you also have your own experiences and difficulties,” Li Ying observed, sitting back and raising her hands to warm them by the fire.

Lin Feng was impressed with her adaptability.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’ve interviewed all kinds of people, so nothing surprises me anymore. Some resent society, others complain about their families. You’re not particularly special,” Li Ying said with a smile to Lin Feng, who was still watching her.

“Oh, really? It seems you’re well-equipped to survive for a good while in this world.”

Thinking about Li Ying’s profession, Lin Feng felt somewhat reassured. She must have developed such strong adaptability from her constant movement in her previous city.

“By the way, your ears and tail… are they real?” Li Ying inquired, staring at Lin Feng and resting her chin on her hand.