Chapter 62: Give Them a Hero

Quarantine was the rule, but Wang Hu still made things more convenient for Gao Yuan and the others.

It had been a long time since any new survivors had entered the shelter, so the quarantine room had become an idle guesthouse.

Gao Yuan and Luo Xingyu, along with Xiang Weiguo, were staying together in one room for the first time.

Speaking of which, Gao Yuan and the others had gotten used to the apocalyptic scenes of empty houses everywhere, so returning to the shelter where every single room was precious due to overcrowding brought some familiar feelings and excitement, but mostly discomfort.

The bed was very narrow, only one meter wide, which made Gao Yuan, who was used to sleeping on a large kang, quite uncomfortable. Also, it was now the dead of winter, and it was obviously impossible for the shelter to have heating, not even a stove.

Over two hundred thousand people, the coal and firewood needed for heating weren't a problem in the past, but now, the consumption had become an astronomical figure.

Nothing was abundantly available, and the same went for quilts, so everyone only had one blanket.

So how to keep warm? There were two methods, to endure it or to bear it.

But surprisingly, the quilts and bed covers in the quarantine room were very clean, exceptionally clean.

There were many discomforts, but since they were there, they could only settle down. However, it wasn't long before they slept that Luo Xingyu silently moved to Gao Yuan's bed as soon as Xiang Weiguo's snoring sounded.

They had no choice but to squeeze together.

Gao Yuan spent the coldest winter night since the start of the season.

The next day's breakfast was very rich, clearly with bigger portions and extra dishes, and it was even delivered to the quarantine room.

The person who brought the food was Nie Erlong, the volunteer who had received Gao Yuan and his group the day before.

"Eat your breakfast. Just to let you know, the battalion commander heard that you guys were here and specially instructed the mess hall to treat you privately, adding some pickles and also an egg for each person,"

Nie Erlong looked quite envious, and Gao Yuan felt somewhat embarrassed. He said with a smile, "Have you eaten, Director Nie? Why don't you join us?"

Nie Erlong hurriedly waved his hands and said, "No, no, no, you guys eat, I'll just leave after delivering the food. Someone will come to fetch you, probably around ten o'clock, to ask you to do a broadcast. I'll go now, and I'll bring you food again at noon. By nightfall, you will be able to end your quarantine. But you're definitely okay. If there was an illness, it would have shown up last night... cough cough, well, that's it for now."

After Nie Erlong left, Gao Yuan said to Xiang Weiguo, "Uncle Xiang, do you think we're benefiting without contributing here?"

Xiang Weiguo took a sip of rice porridge and said, "This is a small token of their appreciation. Just eat and be at ease. That's how the military folks are. All right, you guys also prepare well and think about what to say on the broadcast. There might be quite a few people waiting to listen. Don't be afraid, but don't take it too lightly either."

After finishing breakfast, at ten o'clock, Wang Hu came in person.

"If there's nothing else, let's head to the radio room now,"

Wang Hu was beaming with joy as he happily said, "I've announced it on the broadcast, everyone who can listen is waiting. You guys said a few words on New Year's night and then disappeared; now I told them you've come to Stonegate Second Shelter, and they still don't believe it. Once you start talking, they'll have to believe."

First, Wang Hu effusively praised Gao Yuan and Luo Xingyu before smiling at Xiang Weiguo and saying, "Commander, you should go too, they'll definitely want you to say a few words when the time comes."

Xiang Weiguo laughed heartily and said, "I'm certainly going to listen, but as for speaking, that's not necessary, everyone is not waiting for me."

When they were leaving, Xiang Weiguo and Wang Hu whispered something to each other at the front, and Gao Yuan followed behind, whispering to Luo Xingyu, "You talk more later, I'll just back you up, don't be nervous, really, don't be nervous."

Gao Yuan himself was nervous, but Luo Xingyu wasn't nervous at all.

Upon arriving at the radio room, they found that there were at least twenty people standing outside the door, while inside, except for a few soldiers, there was no one else.

In the radio room, there was a large table with a military radio set on it, and two chairs were placed in front of the table. Wang Hu gestured towards the chairs and said with a smile, "Please sit, please sit, let's get started, everyone's anxious."

Gao Yuan sat down and couldn't help but look at Luo Xingyu, who was clearly excited. After she sat down, and as the military officer in charge of the radio indicated they could begin, Luo Xingyu immediately said, "Hello everyone, I am Luo Xingyu."

Following the agreed procedure, Gao Yuan leaned in and said, "Hello everyone, I am Gao Yuan, we're both here to wish everyone a happy New Year, we wish you good health and all the best in the new year."

After the two of them finished their New Year's greetings together, Luo Xingyu loudly said, "Now, Brother Yuan and I are inside Stonegate Second Shelter, thank you all for your concern and blessings, we're both doing fine."

Feeling a bit odd, Gao Yuan couldn't help but sound a bit contrived when he spoke, but Luo Xingyu was gracious and showed no signs of stage fright at all.

Of course, this was due to their different upbringing; Gao Yuan had only ever spoken at class meetings, and had never had such a large audience, whereas Luo Xingyu, having been intentionally nurtured by her father, had seen plenty of big scenes.

Gao Yuan gestured for Luo Xingyu to speak, and after she nodded, pressing the talk key, she said, "If anyone has any questions, you can ask them now."

"Xiaoyu, hello, your voice is really nice to hear."

A very deep male voice complimented Luo Xingyu before laughing and saying, "I didn't expect you guys to really make it to Stonegate Shelter, I was hoping you could come to the Great Plains, over."

The rule was one question, one answer; no matter what the other person said, Luo Xingyu or Gao Yuan had to respond before the next person could speak, which is a characteristic of radio communication, unavoidable.

"Thank you for the compliment, Uncle, over."

Gao Yuan felt that Luo Xingyu would become the radio goddess, the kind you can only hear the voice of; as for himself, well, forget it, he probably wasn't of much interest to too many people.

However, to Gao Yuan's surprise, after Luo Xingyu finished speaking, the next caller spoke very seriously, "We are from Anxi Shelter, and I want to say to Gao Yuan, that you alone survived and also saved Xiaoyu, and moreover, protected her well, I admire you for that, I really do, you're a real man! If you ever get a chance, definitely come visit us in Anxi, I can say on behalf of all shelters in Anxi, we guarantee you'll be treated well, over."

Gao Yuan was stunned for a moment, then he pressed the talk key and said, "Thank you, over."

"We are from Suicheng Shelter, first time calling, hello Gao Yuan, I want to ask on behalf of many people, how did you save Xiaoyu, over."

Gao Yuan was surprised again, he thought for a moment, and said, "I gave her... ah, something to eat, and then..."

Xiang Weiguo nodded and moved closer to Gao Yuan, whispering in his ear, "People need a hero, let's give them one! The bad guys must get punished, and the good guys must get rewarded, ignore my presence, and tell the rest just as it happened! Speak!"

Gao Yuan took a deep breath and continued, "Then Xiaoyu was captured by some roaming scoundrels, I caught up with them and saved Xiaoyu, um, just like that, over."