I can upgrade the shelter-Chapter 502 - 500: The Trapped Rescue Team

"How’s the situation outside now?" Hu Jie asked the Flame Country soldier guarding the door.

She was a member of the Flame Country rescue team sent to Lucia, working together with Lucia’s medical staff at a medical research facility in Lucia Capital to analyze the virus strains collected, hoping to produce the vaccine.

But the process of creating a vaccine is a tedious and time-consuming task, and despite the full efforts of medical researchers from both countries, the research progress was not fast.

So when the riots occurred, they had only just completed the virus strain’s attenuation work.

This also resulted in them being trapped inside the medical research facility alongside Lucia’s medical researchers.

Luckily, this research facility was built during the Suyia era and possesses good defense capabilities. After the soldiers responsible for guarding the facility sealed several main entrances, the facility was temporarily cut off from external contact, preventing the rioters from breaching defenses in the short term.

Although temporarily safe, being cut off from external contact also meant they were trapped.

People outside couldn’t get in, and those inside couldn’t get out.

The research facility does have some supplies stored, but these supplies are only enough to sustain everyone for less than a week, which is not very long.

"It’s still chaotic outside, those rioters are trying to break through our defenses." The Flame Country soldier at the door told Hu Jie, with a stern expression on his face, but still comforted her, saying: "Dr. Hu, you’d better go inside. We are guarding here, there won’t be any problems."

Apart from a few Flame Country soldiers from the rescue team, most of the soldiers at the door were from Lucia.

Compared to the Flame Country soldiers brought by the rescue team, Lucia’s stationed soldiers far outnumbered them and were mainly responsible for defense tasks; Flame Country soldiers only provided some assistance due to their smaller numbers.

However, if one looks at their equipment, the Flame Country soldiers’ gear far exceeded that of Lucia’s soldiers.

Assigned to protect the research facility were special forces from Lucia, all equipped with specially-made polar cold-weather clothing.

This type of polar combat gear is only equipped by high-latitude countries like Lucia, offering excellent cold protection.

Yet, this cold-weather clothing specifically designed for polar combat pales compared to the Protective Suits and Exoskeletons worn by Flame Country soldiers, looking outdated.

Lucia’s cold-weather clothing is made of special fabrics, providing good protection against cold, water, and a certain degree of cut resistance, making it excellent combat attire; but it’s still just clothing.

Compared to the Protective Suits of Flame Country soldiers, which feature automatic heating, life monitoring, protection against water, air filtration, and more, the visual difference alone is striking.

Not to mention, the Flame Country soldiers are equipped with the latest military Exoskeletons and Electromagnetic Rifles.

Such gear, resembling science fiction movies, is the envy of Lucia’s personnel; as fellow soldiers, who wouldn’t want reliable and cool gear?

Despite being equipped with such powerful gear, Flame Country soldiers still lack the confidence to protect the rescue team members during an evacuation from the research facility and break through the blockade back to the Ark.

Even with cooperation from Lucia’s soldiers, they find it extremely challenging.

In part, this is because the research facility is underground, and the main exits are likewise underground. Though there are above-ground exits, they’re sealed off by meter-deep snow, making departure from there no easier than fighting their way out.

To leave, one must face the rioter blockade, and the fact that most external access is through underground tunnels further restricts soldier movements.

After all, underground tunnels are far easier to block than surface routes; a little obstruction can seal them completely.

So now, whether Flame Country’s soldiers or Lucia’s soldiers, all they can do is defend the research facility, seek external help, and wait for reinforcements to arrive and break through.

Hu Jie was aware of the situation; in fact, upon discovering the rioters, Lucia’s soldiers with the help of Flame Country soldiers sealed the facility and sent distress signals to Lucia’s government.

However, Lucia’s government is also in turmoil, with insufficient troops due to the epidemic, necessitating the deployment of forces from military bases outside the Capital into the city for reinforcements.

And this takes time.

According to Lucia’s government’s response, the bases outside the Capital are also experiencing epidemic infections, and while reinforcements can be dispatched, it will take at least three to five days for troops to reach the Capital, suppress the riots, and rescue those trapped.

Enduring such a length of time is still manageable for those trapped inside the research facility; although supplies are limited, lasting three to five days is possible.

However, everyone, though silent, harbors concerns about whether Lucia’s government can quell the riots, and if reinforcements will indeed arrive after three to five days.

Before the disaster, such concerns wouldn’t have existed.

After all, despite its decline, Lucia remains a major power, one of the five giants of Bluestar, and a skinny camel is still bigger than a horse; not having reinforcements after three to five days for trapped hostages is unthinkable.

But under current circumstances, doubts exist regarding the degree of force Lucia’s government can mobilize.

Especially given Lucia’s previous efforts dealing with the ancient virus outbreak, deploying significant manpower which led to many becoming infected, severely reducing the manpower available to Lucia’s government.

Medical staff trapped in the research facility are well aware of these issues, casting a shadow over their minds.

Furthermore, another concern is the epidemic itself.

This ancient virus, once disseminated, has mutated, enabling rapid transmission among people.

Lucia’s government previously ordered the lockdown of all shelters, allowing the virus to spread rapidly within a shelter, but overall preventing wider dispersion.

Now, everyone is caught in riots, and those with the strength to riot mostly comprise remaining healthy individuals or mildly symptomatic patients.

Under these circumstances, the epidemic is bound to erupt; even if Lucia’s government suppresses the riot, subsequent epidemic issues remain unresolved.