Back to the Southwest Base

Xing Feng and Yun Che had been away from the Southwest Base for 20 days. However, because they took a flight, not many people knew that they were gone other than some core members in the authorities. Not until everybody noticed that Peak people had disappeared for days in a row did they start to surmise that they had gone on a quest somewhere far away. At first, the military thought they had gone to the provincial city or a municipality, but Wei and Wang stayed put discreetly because what happened the last time still haunted them. But it had been more than half a month and Peak people were still nowhere to be seen, Wei Kan and Wang Wei were so regretful. They should have and could have done something while they were away but now, it was too late because Xing Feng and Yun Che might pop up at any time, even the next morning. Also, Mo Wenyang and the household team of Chaoyang led by Gu Mingxuan weren't easy to deal with. In conclusion, Wei and Wang had lost their best opportunity.

Although Wei Kan and Wang Wei were regretful, the jobs tasked to them weren't delayed in the 20 days. After the snow melted, the government took over the follow-up settlement work. The military allotted the lands as they promised two months ago reasonably to superfunction squads and civilians who had submitted the application. Seeds would need to be claimed in the military base but before that, a contract needed to be signed with the military: the folks must turn in half of the harvest as the payment for farmlands and the seeds, superfunction possessors only turn in 30 percent of the harvest because they helped with the quest to collect the seeds. If no gain, the military bears the losses. No one had a problem with the terms because they barely got enough food, most people had signed the contract.

Peak and Chaoyang signed a contract of twenty acres of farmland respectively. Initiated by Mo Wenyang, the three armies and the government had made an announcement: To express the gratitude for the contributions that Chaoyang and Peak made in the rat-fighting during the snow disaster, they aren't required to turn in any of their harvests. The entire base approved of the decision because, after all, they did have saved a lot of people's lives.

Available farmlands were limited, many people didn't get any. Some bold people formed up a group and asked the authorities whether the military could provide them with seeds if they plowed the lands by themselves and inquired about how much they would need to turn in. After discussion, the three armies and the government soon announced that everybody was encouraged to farm the uncultivated lands and that the military could provide the seeds and that both civilians and superfunction possessors would only need to turn in 10 percent of the harvest. The scheme undoubtedly motivated many people. To earth superfunction possessors, cultivating lands was a piece of cake but when they actually went to do it, they realized that the base faced Lingjiang River and was surrounded by mountain ranges, and outside the mountain ranges, there were cities again. So were they supposed to dig up the earth in the mountains? The mountains were full of mutant beasts. They were lucky the beasts didn't come to attack them, how could humans mess with the homeland of the mutant beasts?

Now, people figured out it was a trick. No wonder the military made such a large compromise. What's more, the military encouraged superfunction possessors to team up and go hunting in the mountains. They advertised how useful the mutant beasts were. Regular folks felt helpless, the superfunction possessors put their attention on Chaoyang. However, Chaoyang neither had no intention to exploit the mountains nor farmed their contracted lands in a rush. Chaoyang's buddy squads, Joy and Loser, followed their pace. And all the squad members said they knew nothing when being asked. People thought maybe it was because Captain Xing and Captain Yun weren't at home and had to quit being nosy. All they could do was farming and questing.

"Isn't that Captain Yun's vehicle?"

"It is. Are they back?"

"It's been 20 days, it's about time. When they're back, our life will get better."

"Yeah. Without Captain Yun, we would get shivery every time we went to the city. We have very few casualties if we do quests with them."

"Right!"

It was pretty hot in July, but in order to have some fresh vegetables, all superfunction possessors and regular folks were busy farming the lands inside the second wall. Some people saw a mini-coach in a distance through the barbed wire. Everybody stopped working. They figured it was Yun Che because other than him, no one would drive a mini-coach on a quest.

"Ugh, the good days are over."

All the soldiers guarding the wall were frustrated when they figured out who was coming as well. Their brief peaceful life would soon be over.

The 20-people limited mini-coach drove through the heaps of dead zombies and reached the barbed wire regardless. It drove right through the gate of the second wall because they were the residents here, they didn't need to wait in the line like newcomers. Zhou Zeyu drove the mini-coach to the front.

"Hey, you're all busy, huh? Haven't seen you in a long time."

There was only one gate on the second wall, the survivors in the queue were upset about people cutting in the line. But the complaints disappeared when they heard the flippant voice saying hello. No regular people would speak to the military like this. The doomsday had lasted for 4 months, even the proudest people knew when to stay humble.

"Why do you have to come back… Uh, where have you been?"

One major of Base Defense blurted his mind out but he immediately caught himself but he didn't feel awkward at all. The Base Defense never tried to hide the distaste for Peak and Chaoyang people anyway.

"Where? Well, the weather is hot, our captains took us on vacation near the sea. Look, I've got a suntan. The coastal life was nice. You know what, you should ask your boss to take you guys to the sea someday, the harsh weather here must have given you a pretty hard time."

Zhou Zeyu stuck half of his body out of the window. As he spoke, he showed his arm to the Base Defense soldiers as if he really had got a suntan. The Base Defense wouldn't take his word for it. The major replied in a cold tone of voice, "Alright, just move along. If you keep bragging, the wall is going to collapse."

The tone wasn't just cold, it even sounded hostile. If it was someone else, he would have gotten mad but Peak guys' cheeks were thicker than the wall. Zhou Zeyu wasn't offended at all, instead, he beamed back at the major. "OK, we're going inside. To be honest, my suggestion is really worth your consideration. It's not just fun by the sea, there's also endless seafood."

"Move, just move! Goddammit!"

The major had enough of his bragging and waved him off in exasperation as if he was driving away annoying flies. Zhou Zeyu scoffed and started the engine. Yun Che and the other guys were laughing inside the mini-coach. When they left Hanghai City this morning, it was still Yun Che and Xing Feng riding on the back of the eagle. They met some zombie birds but not as many as the crows that they encountered when they flew to the Coastal Base. He, Xing Feng and the two eagles effortlessly took down the dozens of the zombie birds. A bunch of zombie vultures did startle them but those birds were into carrion. They ignored Yun Che and flew straight at the zombies on the ground. In conclusion, it just took Yun Che and Xing Feng 4 hours to arrive in Lingjiang. When they nearly reached the base, Yun Che got everybody and the mini-coach, their trademark, out, and slowly headed back to the base.

"Officer, who are they? They went to the sea? They must be great figures, right?"

After the mini-coach went away, every Base Defense soldier gave off a sigh of relief in a dramatic manner. One superfunction possessor waiting in the line to get into the base watched the mini-coach in the distance and wondered, people behind him were intrigued. They were going to take shelter in the Southwest Base, so they surely would love to know more about this base. People who came to seek shelter here were mostly superfunction possessors, even if there were commoners, they were with superfunction possessors. After settling down in the Southwest Base, they would either form their own squad or find other squads to join in and if they were going to join a squad, who wouldn't want to join a strong one?

"Don't be nosy, you'll see after you live in the base."

After being irritated by Zhou Zeyu, the major took it out on the newcomers by gave them a scowl, the newcomers lowered their heads in fright. No one noticed that in the midst of them, the lips of an average-looking muscular fellow curved into a spiteful smile.

"Sir, did Captain Xing really take them to the sea?"

After browbeating the newcomers, the major left with his soldiers. One of his soldiers sounded the major out because he thought Captain Xing could take his men to achieve every possibility.

"Are you seriously taking Zhou Zeyu's word for it?"

The major scowled at the soldier. None of Peak members would tell the truth, even when that little boy said they were beating the bad guys, he was lying! They went to kill zombies. If you gave Peak too much credit, you would be screwed over before you could realize it.

However…

"You go report to the commander."

Regardless, the return of Yun Che and Xing Feng needed to be reported to the boss. Everybody, including them, was aware that how influential Chaoyang and Peak were in the Southwest Base.

They did the same thing all over again at the main gate of the base. But this time, everybody joined the prank by sticking their heads out and messing with the Base Defense soldiers. The mini-coach got into the base after they had enough fun. When the vehicle entered Section C, Yun Che had Zhou Zeyu stop by Joy Squad's building. They didn't visit Loser Squad though because Yun Che had no intention to meet Lei Dashan's wife.

"Oh, it is you, I thought there was something with my eyes. Quickly, come on in. My wife made some Chilly Jelly, eat some before you go home."

Right after Yun Che got off the mini-coach, Chen Hua and some Joy members came out to greet them. Chu Haoling was excited when he heard Chilly Jelly. "Sure we will. Come on, it's searing hot."

No matter how others saw them, Chu Haoling wrapped his arm around Chen Hua's shoulder, side by side, they walked into the house. Peak and Chaoyang all turned to Lu Haixuan who wore a sullen face. Chen Hua kept looking back at them as if he was expressing he didn't want any of this and that Chu Haoling did it at his own will.

"Captain…"

Joy members looked at Lu Haixuan, then at their poor captain helplessly. Not until Lu Haixuan strode forward and split them did everybody dramatically gave off a sigh of relief. Peak and Chaoyang knew what would happen when they went home: Chu Haoling would be a dead man.