The Special Service Team reported directly to headquarters. Although Ye Junhan was cold and unsociable, he was not entirely ignorant of the power dynamics within the military.
East City the Liu Family and the Jingdu Gu Family were related by marriage. It was said that Mr. Liu’s second wife was a daughter from the Gu Family.
The Jingdu Gu Family had been a top-tier influential family even before the apocalypse. Rumor had it that after the apocalypse began, the Gu Family had contributed greatly to the establishnt of the Central Base.
Even the establishnt of the Abnormal Ability Research Institute was initially funded by mbers of the Gu Family.
But the Gu Family kept a low profile. After the Central Base was established, they receded from the forefront of power and gradually beca less known.
However, in the past year or two, Ye Junhan had been secretly investigating certain matters and had managed to dig up so information about the Gu Family...
For instance, the eldest daughter of the Gu Family who had discreetly married into the Liu Family back then—the current Mrs. Liu—was actually just an adopted daughter.
After confirming this matter was related to the Liu Family, Ye Junhan frowned and asked Shen Yue, "Are you sure this is the place?"
"I’m sure." Shen Yue nodded. "The old man said the higher-ups have been investigating this lead for a long ti. The Chen sisters’ secret lab should be near this factory."
And this factory... Shen Yue judged from the state of the nearby plants that it must have been abandoned only recently.
"They’ve probably already moved. Waiting a little longer won’t make a difference. Let’s go in after daybreak." After speaking, Shen Yue looked up at Ye Junhan.
’The people have probably been moved, but if we wait, we might be able to lure out a big fish.’
’This was probably the old man’s intention in having him reveal this location at this specific ti.’
’But what Shen Yue wasn’t sure about now was whether this address was ant for Gu Xi or for Ye Junhan?’
’The old man’s intentions were becoming harder and harder to fathom.’
Ye Junhan nodded, cast a deep look at the earthen building ahead, and turned to walk back toward the camp.
Shen Yue ambled along behind him, took a deep breath, and said casually, "Wei Heng’s cooking has improved again. I wonder if Gu Xi saved my favorite part, the fish tail..."
Ye Junhan didn’t break his stride, rely glancing ahead impassively.
On one side of the camp, Zhao Qingxiao, holding a large bowl in one hand and two cans in the other, walked up to the command vehicle, placed the cans on the hood, and knocked on the door.
Yang Liu rolled down the window and eagerly took the large bowl from him. Without even using chopsticks, he started pouring it directly into his mouth.
"Where are Xiaoliu and the others?" he asked indistinctly while keeping his eyes on the Light Screen connected to the drone.
To avoid being distracted on duty, he had closed the vehicle door as soon as he slled the aroma from outside, and Xiaoliu and the others had extended their patrol route by a few miles.
Zhao Qingxiao opened the cans for him. While letting out a burp, he secretly swallowed a mouthful of saliva. He handed the cans and chopsticks to Yang Liu. "Don’t worry, Dongfang went to deliver theirs."
’Dongfang is a fast runner, so he should have delivered it all by now.’
On the other side, Chen Jia was helped out of a vehicle by her colleague. She rubbed her lower back, the unbearable ache instantly pulling her from her daze.
Looking at the pot of milky-white fish soup in front of her, Chen Jia was utterly astonished. "This is..."
"Ms. Chen, Miss Gu had soone send this over," her colleague said. After a pause, she added in a low voice, "It’s a private contribution from Miss Gu. The other two groups didn’t get any..."
Chen Jia nodded. Although she hadn’t known Gu Xi for long, she knew that while the young woman might seem a bit cold and didn’t talk much, she was actually very kind-hearted.
From the brown sugar eggs before to the fish soup now, the young woman was never stingy when it ca to taking care of them, the research staff.
’But...’
Chen Jia looked up at the distant encampnts of the Research Institute and the Guard Team.
’The young woman is still too young, after all. This undisguised preferential treatnt will probably cause trouble for her.’
’I’ll have to find a chance to give her a reminder.’
Wei Heng slipped out of the crowd and found Gu Xi. He handed her the fish soup he was holding and sat down silently beside her.
Gu Xi took it and tilted her head to look at him. "What’s on your mind?"
Wei Heng looked like he wanted to say sothing but held back. He didn’t actually agree with Gu Xi revealing her spatial ability at a ti like this, but he didn’t know how to put so things into words.
Because after Gu Xi revealed her ability, the ones who were currently benefiting were his own forr comrades-in-arms.
In the end, Wei Heng just raised his hand and gently patted Gu Xi’s head, gesturing for her to drink the soup. "It’s nothing. Drink up. It won’t taste as good when it gets cold."
Not far away, Qi Xiang and Qin Yi, who had secretly followed, stared in shock at Wei Heng’s action.
Qin Yi even subconsciously pulled Qi Xiang aside, about to hide.
Qi Xiang was also a bit dazed. ’Wei Heng and Gu Xi... no, wait. Did I miss so juicy part of the story? Sothing feels weird.’
"Alright, stop hiding. I saw you," Wei Heng said, looking up and glaring at the two of them irritably.
Qi Xiang thought, ’What are you glaring at? Trying to show off how big your eyes are?’
She pulled Qin Yi over, plopped down confidently on Gu Xi’s other side, and batted her big eyes, looking both charming and playful. "Captain, I ate too much hot pot just now, and I’m feeling a little greasy~"
Others could drink so waterlon juice to cut the grease, but Qi Xiang had developed a psychological aversion to it recently and couldn’t even stand the sight of the stuff.
’So... Captain, how about so after-dinner fruit?’ Qi Xiang nudged Gu Xi’s arm.
Gu Xi thought for a mont, then took out a few bunches of lush green grapes from her space.
Qi Xiang’s eyes imdiately welled up with grateful tears. She hugged Gu Xi’s arm and nuzzled against it. "Gu Xi, you’re the best."
Then, she turned and patted Wei Heng’s shoulder, giving him a critical once-over before offering a reluctant encouragent, "Actually, you’re okay too, I guess."
Wei Heng: "..."
Beside them, Qin Yi looked from one to the other, then silently picked up a grape from the bunch and popped it into his mouth.
Qi Xiang also grabbed a bunch with a grin.
The moonlight was lovely tonight. Although the surrounding wild grass was a bit tall and looked sowhat creepy, the four of them sat side-by-side, enjoying the night breeze and eating grapes in perfect harmony.
Qin Yi looked down at the grapes in his hand and said suddenly, with a hint of sadness, "It would be nice if, one day, everyone could eat grapes like these."
Gu Xi looked up toward the horizon, her gaze calm and profound.
"That day will co," she said, turning back to the others.
Since the beginning of the apocalypse, after humanity had endured the ravages of the zombie virus and countless natural and man-made disasters, could they truly return to the peaceful and prosperous age of the past?
The group fell silent for a mont. Just then, the personal terminal on Gu Xi’s wrist vibrated. She glanced down; it was a reply from Li Ming.
’At this hour...’ Gu Xi frowned slightly and opened the ssage.
Li Ming: [Xiaoxi, don’t overuse your blood.]
’She hadn’t told Li Ming about drawing her blood, so how did he know?’
’Ye Junhan?’
But for so reason, Gu Xi felt it wasn’t him.
She suddenly thought of soone else... Ye Nan.
’Yesterday, when she was drawing blood, Ye Nan had been very anxious. Later, he sent her a private ssage, reminding her to get more rest because of the bumpy road...’
Just then, another ssage arrived from Li Ming.
[Xiaoxi, listen to .]
Gu Xi stared at the two ssages, not replying right away. She tossed the last grape in her hand into her mouth, chewed it slowly, and only then typed back a reply: [Ming, don’t worry, I know my limits. But there’s sothing I want to verify for myself.]
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