The next day, Ramón's group was placed in a special area within the prison facilities. The lie-detecting device used by Nara was highly effective.
The first thing she analyzed was whether they had any kind of trauma. In this case, the men and women were separated into different groups while a full evaluation was conducted based on the results.
Then, the questions designed to assess and verify their psychological state were part of a questionnaire that some of the survivors inside the prison had to answer from time to time. New questions were created, and many others were asked to ensure that everyone responded honestly, allowing for the collection of a greater amount of data.
After the survivors arrived at the prison, they had to spend two days in isolation and observation to ensure they were not infected. Once it was confirmed they were not, two days later, based on their previous evaluation results—taking into account incorrect answers and their behavior during this time—their profiles would be classified into four levels.
The results of this classification would play an important role in the evolution and security of the prison.
For those who posed minimal threats, a certain degree of freedom could be granted. They would then be observed for half a month before being re-evaluated to determine if they were fit to become soldiers.
If a survivor was identified as a potential problem, further investigation and analysis would be required. They would be divided into different levels of danger, and only after their details were sufficiently understood would they be granted a certain degree of freedom, followed by long-term observation.
If the risk was too high, to the point of being uncontrollable, a special team would be assigned to relocate the survivor to a much safer place outside the prison.
These procedures were what Jason applied to everyone he took into his group. Now that his community had grown too large for him to manage alone, he had people handling all these tedious tasks.
Two days later, Ramón and the others were finally released according to the program. They reunited with Nara, who provided them with more details about the place, informing them that their dormitory would remain the same. However, they would no longer be restricted inside the cells. While they would still be under someone's care, it would only be for half a month.
Ramón and the others understood well that this wasn't about an escort to protect them—it was clearly someone assigned to monitor them. But they also realized that these people's intention was to maintain the security of this place. In a situation like this, it was already incredible that they had been accepted at all.
Soon, everyone noticed that all the guards who had been living in their unit for the past two days had withdrawn, leaving only a single guard at the unit's door.
Ramón shared his thoughts with the others and decided to go outside and take a look.
Stepping out of the unit's door once again, several people were still surprised by what they saw with each step they took. These fortifications had obviously been built recently. From what they understood, nearly a year had passed since the end of the world, and the fact that these people had managed to build something like this was truly admirable.
Ramón glanced at the soldiers accompanying him, wanting to ask them some questions, but he hesitated. Still, considering the days ahead, he insisted on asking:
"Hello, can I ask you some questions?"
The soldier nodded and responded with an unusually friendly tone:
"Of course. In addition to being your companion, my other task is to be your guide. To make sure you understand what this place is, you can ask whatever you want."
The group exchanged glances, then Ramón looked at the soldier. At that moment, Jazmín whispered:
"Don't forget to ask if we can visit different areas of this base."
Ramón nodded discreetly, then turned to the soldier beside him and asked:
"I'm Ramón. I haven't asked for your name yet, so it'd be nice to know it."
The soldier smiled slightly and extended his hand to Ramón.
"Hello, my name is Glenn."
"Nice to meet you, Glenn. I'm Ramón, and these are my friends: Jazmín, Rosalinda, Juan, Gómez, and Tina."
Glenn and the others exchanged greetings, then he reminded them of something:
"First of all, I'm not actually a soldier—I'm just a survivor like all of you. Before ending up here, I was a pizza delivery guy."
"Don't be so nervous. While I'll be following you closely, your freedom won't be restricted. You can talk to anyone in this place. Of course, the other person has the right to refuse to talk to you. So, if you have any other questions, feel free to ask, but I suggest you first learn about this place."
Ramón nodded in appreciation and then asked his questions:
"Glenn, I want to ask—what's happening in this survivor base? This was supposed to be a prison, right? Who's the leader? And why is everyone so well-equipped?"
Glenn smiled slightly, then pointed to the main prison structure not far away.
"Wow, you have a lot of questions. I'll be brief in answering them. The leader of this place is named Jason. Many call him 'Captain' because he was a former soldier. As for what we're doing here, obviously, we're surviving."
"Most of the people here are regular survivors. This place was modified following the leader's intuition, and he mobilized everyone to achieve this outcome."
"How many of you are there?" Jazmín asked from behind Ramón.
Glenn thought for a moment and answered uncertainly:
"There are about 350 people here. I never really cared to know the exact number."
Hearing this, everyone nodded in understanding. Ramón, being the most observant, asked:
"In this place? Are there other places like this?"
Glenn scratched his head and said:
"Well, the class-two authority figures are working to establish new shelters to protect people in different locations."
"That's impressive..."
"Alright, let's not waste words. Come on, I'll show you something really exciting."
Everyone exchanged curious glances, and under Glenn's guidance, they were just as shocked as they had been the previous day. Glenn even told them that this shelter currently housed over fourteen tanks, thirty armored vehicles, two Apache helicopters, and three cargo helicopters.
Hearing Glenn's words, several people were momentarily stunned. Soon, they arrived at the main residential area. Unlike the unit they had been living in, the environment of the main residential area was simply breathtaking!
The interior had been almost completely renovated. The white walls and hard bunk beds of the individual rooms had been replaced with comfortable multifunctional bunk beds. The iron doors of each cell had long been removed, replaced by closed doors with wooden windows.
The floors were no longer gray and black concrete—inside, they had been replaced with wooden flooring, and the outdoor hallways were covered with tiles.
Along with the low-energy lighting system and underground water system, several people even spotted a bathhouse.
Ramón recalled returning to his room, looking toward the dark and damp prison beside him, and feeling an uncontrollable desire in the hearts of many people.
"Ramón, we have to stay here. We won't find a better place than this," Jazmín said seriously, looking at Ramón. They had been wandering for too long.
Some people beside them also looked at Ramón and expressed their thoughts.
Just as several people were engaged in a heated discussion, a sudden series of whistles echoed through the main courtyard outside!
Beep! Beep!