The two followed closely behind Miss Su, their gazes quickly sweeping around the room, touching here, looking there, their faces full of disbelief.
This place, for them, was simply paradise!
Compared to the dog kennel they had been huddled in before, this place was clean, spacious, and even had a soft sofa!
“Miss Su,” Li Xinhu stooped, pointing to the tall man beside him who was still looking around, appearing as if he’d never seen the world, his voice carrying a hint of flattery and obsequiousness.
“His name is Li Kui, he’s a distant relative of mine. He’s an honest and simple man, just a bit slow, but he can definitely work! If there’s any dirty or tiring work, just tell him!”
Li Kui grinned simply, revealing a mouthful of yellowed teeth from long-term malnutrition. His two large hands nervously wiped repeatedly on his tattered pants, appearing uneasy.
Miss Su hummed, not even lifting her eyelids, acknowledging his words.
Xiao Han peered downstairs, frowning.
“Lu Da Shao, I have a bad feeling.”
“What is it?”
Xiao Han lowered his voice, almost whispering, “There are quite a few people downstairs, shadowy figures, coming and going, but damn it, not a single one of them is gathered chatting! Every single one of them is walking with their heads down in a hurry, as if their feet are greased, like they’re avoiding some plague god! It’s eerily quiet!”
Upon hearing this, Li Kui immediately puffed out his chest, as if going to battle, and volunteered loudly:
“Mr. Lu! Miss Su! How about Li Ge and I don’t sleep tonight! We’ll take turns standing guard downstairs for you! We guarantee that if there’s even the slightest disturbance, we’ll know immediately! If anyone dares to cause trouble, Li Kui won’t allow it first!”
Lu Shiyan finally opened his unfathomable eyes, sweeping a faint glance at him. His gaze was calm and unruffled, yet carried an undeniable authority.
He gently shook his head, his tone brooking no argument:
“No need, save your energy.”
Miss Su took this opportunity to turn and enter the bedroom, intending to organize her spatial supplies.
Ever since dealing with Hong Jie’s group, especially after experiencing that brief but extremely dangerous fight, the mysterious energy within her seemed to have become much more active.
However, she had been on the move all this time and hadn’t found a suitable opportunity to investigate it thoroughly.
She sat cross-legged on the bed, closed her eyes, and her consciousness sank into her body.
The warm energy had grown much stronger than before. From a small ball that only covered her abdomen, it could now cover her entire upper body.
The night in Central Base was exceptionally quiet, with only occasional dog barks and the shouts of patrol members.
Miss Su focused on sensing the flow of energy within her body when suddenly, she felt the fetus in her abdomen move gently.
She abruptly opened her eyes, her hand instinctively covering her lower abdomen.
That’s right, the fetus did move just now!
This feeling was wonderful and unfamiliar, like a feather gently brushing her heart.
The bedroom door was gently pushed open at this moment.
Lu Shiyan stood at the doorway, moonlight streaming in from the window, outlining his slender silhouette.
“What’s wrong?” He walked to the bed and sat down, his voice softer than usual.
“The fetus… moved,” Miss Su said softly, looking up at him.
Lu Shiyan’s expression froze slightly, then he extended his hand, hovering in mid-air for a few seconds.
“May I?” he asked.
This was the first time he had actively wanted to touch her belly.
Miss Su nodded, took his hand, and gently placed it on her abdomen.
The two remained silent, feeling the faint pulse of life in the darkness.
Suddenly, there was an urgent knocking sound from outside.
Lu Shiyan immediately got up, one hand on the gun holster at his waist.
“Who is it?”
A flat male voice sounded from outside the door: “Captain Pan sent us to deliver some things to you all.”
Pan Yong.
The name flashed through Lu Shiyan and Xiao Han’s minds.
The two exchanged glances, understanding each other implicitly.
When they first entered the base, they had noticed that the head of the guards at the entrance seemed to be Captain Pan’s subordinate.
It seemed that from the moment they stepped into the base, their whereabouts were already known to this confidant of Lei Laohu.
Li Xinhu and Li Kui suddenly became nervous, their limbs somewhat stiff.
They didn’t know who Pan Yong was, but judging by his title, he must be a significant figure in the base.
Xiao Han opened the door a crack.
Two men in base uniforms stood at the door, holding several bulging packages.
Both men wore standard smiles, but their gazes undisguisedly swept quickly around the room, passing over everyone, finally lingering for a moment longer on Lu Shiyan.
“Captain Pan is very relieved that you all returned safely, and he specifically instructed us to bring some small gifts, a token of our respect,” the tall man said, his tone polite, and he handed the packages inside the door.
When the packages were opened, the fresh vegetables still carried the fragrance of soil, large pieces of meat glistened with oil, and there were also several boxes of common medicines nearby.
In this apocalypse, where food and clothing were scarce, the weight of these items was not light.
“The base has been a mix of good and bad recently, and it’s not peaceful. Since you’re new here, please be extra careful in everything,” the shorter man continued, his words not fast, but containing hidden meanings. “Some people don’t play fair and have dark intentions. Don’t accidentally get yourselves caught up in something.”
The tall man added: “Captain Pan has always valued people with true abilities. The Captain said he wants to make time tomorrow to meet with you all and catch up. It won’t take up too much of your time.”
The two men put down the items and left without lingering.
The entire process was swift and clean, subtly conveying a sense of everything being under control.
The door was closed again, and no one spoke in the room for a moment.
Xiao Han locked the door with a crisp click.
He chuckled, his tone playful: “This Pan Yong, he’s really persistent, isn’t he? Again and again, he wants to pull us onto his side.”
Lu Shiyan beckoned to Miss Su, and the two approached the packages, examining them carefully.
The vegetables were fresh, the meat color was good, and the medicine packaging was unopened.
“Wait,” Miss Su suddenly stopped, pulling out an extremely small folded slip of paper from the bottom of a box of cold medicine.
Unfolding it, there were only a few words: “Net cast, Tiger in danger, proceed with caution.”
A Mo also came over, staring at the words on the note, his brows tightly furrowed: “What does this mean? Net? Tiger?”
Lu Shiyan took the note, his fingertips moving almost imperceptibly, a faint spark of electricity flashed, and the note instantly turned to ashes, fluttering down.
“In the base, Lei Laohu and Scorpion’s factions are secretly competing. Pan Yong is on Lei Laohu’s side,” Lu Shiyan’s voice was not loud, but it was clear and impactful. “This gesture of his is both a show of goodwill and a test.”
Xiao Han leaned against the wall, idly tossing a folding knife in his hand: “How does he know our whereabouts so well? This information is too well-informed, isn’t it?”
“The guards at the entrance,” Miss Su’s mind recalled the scene when they entered the base. “They probably were waiting there for us to walk into their trap from the very beginning.”
Li Kui lowered his voice, carefully interjecting: “I heard that the living quarters in the base are divided into different grades. The fact that we could live in Zone A as soon as we arrived means we were probably already targeted by those above.”
“Pan Yong has been watching us since we entered the base. I suspect he knows our background, and perhaps… his ability might even be able to peek into others’ abilities,” Lu Shiyan’s voice remained steady, but when he said this, it was like a huge stone dropping into calm water.
