Although Gu Xi had been raised as a human weapon since she was a child, she was still a kid, and kids throw tantrums sotis.
Back then, Li Ming and the others would secretly coax her with all sorts of fruits and little snacks.
She never expected to taste Ming’s cooking again after so many years.
Gu Xi looked down at the walnut crisps in front of her and couldn’t help but smile.
The little green sprout sensed its master’s mood and eagerly rolled up a piece, lifting it to her lips.
Gu Xi took a bite... then frowned slightly. ’This doesn’t seem like Ming’s cooking, does it?’
’But maybe it’s just because the ingredients are different now?’
Forcing herself to ignore the sour, astringent taste that filled her mouth, Gu Xi slowly and deliberately finished the walnut crisp, savoring it.
A nostalgic look appeared on her face.
anwhile, hundreds of miles away in Farm House No. 9527, a sleeping Wei Heng noticed his personal terminal beep.
He raised his arm and glanced at it, his eyes hazy with sleep.
It was a ssage from Mr. Ye.
Ye Junhan: [Is the oven working well?]
Wei Heng was a bit dumbfounded.
It was true that he had only gotten the oven by pulling so strings with the Special Service Team, but why was his captain ssaging him in the middle of the night just to ask about that?
’It just feels a little weird.’
Wei Heng thought for a mont and replied: [Thanks, Captain. It’s working great. I even used it to bake bread today...]
Only after sending it did Wei Heng belatedly realize sothing:
The captain had been contacting him rather frequently lately. And he seed to be concerned with small, everyday matters—for example, what dishes he had cooked each day.
Wei Heng ran a hand through his ssy hair. ’Could it be that the captain is secretly a foodie?’ he thought.
At this thought, his sleepiness vanished. He tentatively sent another ssage.
This ti, however, Wei Heng watched the screen show that the other party was typing for a long ti, but his ssage was ultimately t with silence. By morning, he still hadn’t received a reply from his captain.
Wei Heng: ’Just... a little weird.’
On the other side, Ye Junhan stood in the thick of the night, frowning at the oven in front of him, looking sowhat angry.
That batch of walnut crisps... hadn’t turned out very well.
But that wasn’t the point.
The point was... what had possessed him to throw them in there in the first place?
...
"01, do you have any idea what you’re saying?" Zhang Cheng said, his face dark, to the black-robed, masked figure on the Light Screen opposite him. "Zhou Jinyu is trying to work with Gu Xi now. He’s clearly developing ulterior motives. You’re stopping from reporting this to the BOSS. If sothing happens in the future, can you take responsibility for it!"
"Or could it be..." His gaze turned sinister as he stared at the person on the Light Screen. "Have you been bought by them, too?"
The masked figure sneered. "Zhang Cheng, do you really think there’s anything in this world that can be hidden from the BOSS?"
Zhang Cheng frowned slightly. Out of the cara’s view, his hands clenched into tight fists. "What are you trying to say?"
The masked figure let out a few sinister cackles. "Zhang Cheng, the BOSS ordered you to personally handle that farm outside the city, but you leaked the information to Gu Xi instead. Were you trying to wash your hands of the matter and save your own skin?"
Zhang Cheng’s expression flickered. "I didn’t. I just..."
But the masked figure cut him off with a cold laugh, his voice grim. "You were just worried that if things went south, the organization would throw you out as cannon fodder? Worried that after Zhou Yi takes office, your position as deputy base commander might not be so secure?"
A fine, dense layer of cold sweat had already begun to form on Zhang Cheng’s forehead.
He took a deep, quiet breath and tried to argue, "I just wanted to test the girl’s abilities..."
"I’m afraid it wasn’t just her abilities you wanted to test, was it?" the masked figure on the Light Screen scoffed mockingly.
"Yes." This ti, Zhang Cheng looked up and admitted it openly. "I admit, I was indeed very curious about her origins. After all, the BOSS seems to pay special attention to her. That’s why I..."
"I’d advise you not to do anything unnecessary," the masked figure said coldly. "Otherwise, the BOSS will be displeased."
He paused, then added, "Don’t think that just because the BOSS only gave you a warning last ti, the matter is over."
"Zhang Cheng, don’t forget how you got everything you have now!" the masked figure warned ominously.
Zhang Cheng took a deep breath. "I haven’t forgotten. That’s why I took the risk of contacting you after I learned Zhou Jinyu went to Gu Xi for a collaboration."
"You should know, ever since Zhou Yi took office, there have been many more eyes on ," Zhang Cheng said with a frown. "It’s even possible that this very call is being monitored by Zhou Yi..."
The masked figure, however, was completely unconcerned, even arrogant. "So what if it is?"
His attitude made Zhang Cheng sharply aware of sothing.
He took another deep breath and calmly returned to the original topic. "But you have to understand, Gu Xi’s abilities have been proven, and Zhou Jinyu is from the Abnormal Ability Research Institute. If the two of them team up..."
But the masked figure interrupted him with a light laugh. "Wouldn’t that be great?"
’Gu Xi had been reluctant to go to the Central Base, and Plan Number One had been stalled. The BOSS was already growing dissatisfied.’
’Unexpectedly, in a sudden turn of events, Zhou Jinyu had co to her on his own initiative. This provided them with a perfect opportunity.’
’But there was no need to explain any of this to Zhang Cheng.’
’Even though Zhang Cheng was the deputy commander of South City Base and held significant power, the masked figure didn’t give him a second thought.’
"But don’t forget, that girl is also getting very close to the military. Shen Zhennan even sent his only son to her side," Zhang Cheng said, frowning. "And a man like Zhou Jinyu has always been an opportunist. If he were to switch sides..."
"At that point, I’m afraid so things will be impossible to hide," Zhang Cheng reminded him cryptically.
"And so what?" the masked figure on the other side replied, completely unconcerned. "Are you worried Zhou Jinyu will leak our secrets?"
’Then let him talk.’
’After all—’
’Zhou Jinyu never knew the real secret.’
...
The next morning, Gu Xi and the other two returned to Farm House No. 9527.
"Gu Xi, are you really planning to work with Zhou Jinyu?" Wei Heng, who had been waiting outside the door since early morning, strode up to her as soon as she got out of the car. He frowned. "That Zhou Jinyu... working with him is like asking a tiger for its hide. You..."
"Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing." Gu Xi had already thought it through. ’Since I have to return to the Central Base sooner or later, why not ride on this Mr. Zhou’s coattails?’
Wei Heng’s brow was furrowed in clear disapproval.
Gu Xi thought for a mont and said, "I’m planning to make a trip to the Central Base soon."
"To the Central Base?" Wei Heng was taken aback. "Why so suddenly? Is it because of the seeds, or did Zhou Jinyu say sothing?"
"No, it’s because I have a friend..."
Hearing this, Wei Heng quickly held up a hand to cut her off, sighing. "Alright, you don’t have to say any more. I get it."
For Gu Xi, "friend" was a code word for "secret."
Wei Heng looked at the young woman he’d taken in, sighed with a complicated expression, then opened his personal terminal and started muttering to himself, "I wonder if I can even apply for that much energy on short notice..."
Travel was difficult in the post-apocalyptic world. They didn’t have the clearance to request a plane, and if they drove themselves, there were many other things to prepare besides just energy.
Wei Heng started to worry. The journey would be a rough ride for over half a month. He wasn’t sure if Gu Xi’s body could handle it.
And then there was the food situation...
Back ho, Da Hong and its little buddies would also need to be properly taken care of...
Just then, Qi Xiang suddenly let out a sound of surprise. She looked up at the others and said, "Zhang Cheng says he’s also going to the Central Base in a couple of days. He asked if I wanted to bring anything back for my family."
What a coincidence.
Gu Xi and the others exchanged a look.
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