Chapter 0040: Gathering at the Tower to Discuss the Rescue Plan

As the door opened, a group of people filed into the room, with Li Sheng being supported by Cheng Chao and Lao Luo at the forefront. Ye Lu, Ning Nan, and Liu Bingyu, along with the recently arrived Yu Shujie, followed closely behind. Thankfully, Di Ping's suite was spacious, so the influx of people did not make the room feel overly crowded.

"Please, everyone, have a seat."

Di Ping, observing the anxious and complex expressions on everyone's faces, could already guess the reason for their visit. With a sigh, he gestured for everyone to sit down. The old-fashioned European-style wooden sofas in the living room allowed for comfortable seating, and Di Ping reclined in his wicker chair, swirling his purple clay teacup in his hands, his eyes scanning the faces of the group.

Once everyone had settled into their seats, a heavy silence descended. No one spoke at first; each person appeared deep in thought, their heads bowed, as if pondering something.

"You all know what's going on, right? Let's hear your thoughts," Di Ping finally broke the silence.

For a moment, everyone exchanged glances, their expressions varied, seemingly unsure how to begin. Eventually, all eyes turned to Di Ping, their gazes filled with anticipation.

"No, I disagree with going to rescue them. It's far too dangerous! What if something happens to Di Ge?"

Suddenly, Yu Shujie stood up, her voice urgent and her face flushed with emotion. She was visibly agitated, even angry.

"Then... what about those people? There are over a thousand of them..."

Fatty abruptly stood up as well, his expression anxious, his eyes fixed on Di Ping with an intense look of expectation.

"Damn you, Fatty! Are you trying to get Di Ge killed?" Yu Shujie snapped, her face contorted with anger as she glared at Fatty. "Whoever has the ability should go! Why must Di Ge risk his life?"

"I... I didn't!"

Fatty, now even more flustered, stammered as he tried to explain, his face turning red and his words coming out in a rush.

"You didn't? You didn't suggest Di Ge go and save them? Do you even know how far that place is? Do you have any idea how dangerous the journey is?" Yu Shujie interrupted, pointing a finger at him in fury. "And there are dozens of mutated dogs there! How is Di Ge supposed to deal with that alone? Are you trying to get him killed? If you're so brave, you go and rescue them!" Her words came fast and sharp, like a barrage of fire, causing Fatty to stagger backward, his forehead drenched in sweat.

Di Ping stood frozen for a moment, surprised by Yu Shujie's strong reaction. She was usually so gentle, but now she resembled a mother hen fiercely protecting her chicks from an eagle.

Feeling a bit awkward, Di Ping nervously rubbed his nose. It was a bit unexpected to be so fiercely protected by a woman. For a moment, he felt a warmth deep within his chest.

"I... I didn't! I didn't mean to harm Di Ge!"

Fatty, now completely panicked, stammered even more, his face red with embarrassment.

"Fatty, sit down..."

At that moment, a weak voice interrupted, it was Li Sheng, who had been silently observing the commotion. He weakly chastised Fatty, though his speech seemed to cause him discomfort, as he grimaced in pain and drew in sharp breaths.

Upon hearing Li Sheng's voice, Fatty finally stopped his defense. He glanced around at the furious faces of Yu Shujie and the others, and suddenly realized something. The way everyone was looking at him was off... Suddenly, he understood, his face turned pale, and he cast a pleading glance at Di Ping.

"Di Ge! I..."

"I know, Fatty, sit down for now," Di Ping interrupted, raising his hand to stop him from speaking further.

In truth, Di Ping understood that Fatty never intended any harm. Fatty was simply an anxious person who, upon hearing the news, had rushed to suggest that Di Ping, being strong, could go and save them, without considering the dangers involved. Now that Li Sheng had pointed things out, Fatty realized the weight of his actions. He had been too hasty, and in doing so, he had inadvertently placed Di Ping in a difficult position.

Though Fatty often acted impulsively, he was not a fool. Once he thought it through, he realized that he had been unfair to Di Ping. By urging him to go, he had put Di Ping in a moral dilemma, a situation where his actions would likely cause harm.

Di Ping's words brought some relief to Fatty. Still, when he looked at the others, he felt a pang of regret. His usual playful, carefree demeanor had completely vanished, replaced by an awkward silence. It was a stark contrast to his normal self.

"Yu Jie, you should sit down too," Di Ping said softly, finally addressing the still-angry Yu Shujie after Fatty had sat down. "Fatty didn't mean anything by it; he's just overly anxious. Don't be too hard on him."

Yu Shujie, realizing she had overreacted, blushed and quickly sat down, lowering her head in embarrassment. She felt as if everyone was now watching her with strange eyes, making her feel even more uncomfortable. She wasn't Di Ping's special someone, so why had she acted so possessively? The thought made her ears burn with shame.

Although Di Ping found Yu Shujie's embarrassment somewhat amusing, he couldn't help but feel touched. It felt good to know that someone cared so deeply.

"Di Ge! I also don't think we should go rescue them!"

Suddenly, Cheng Chao, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

"Oh? Cheng Ge, what's your opinion?" Di Ping, though surprised by Cheng Chao's response, asked without showing it.

Cheng Chao seemed to hesitate for a moment before finally speaking, his tone serious. "Di Ge, we're too weak right now. There are only a handful of us, and our combat ability is practically nonexistent. Without you supporting us, we can't even think about surviving. And even if you go, we don't have the strength to save so many people." He paused, his voice rising. "We don't have enough food, security, or personnel to carry out such a rescue. How can we even think about saving others?"

Di Ping looked at Cheng Chao, impressed by his words. He knew that Cheng Chao, as a former soldier, held strong values about protecting others and upholding duty. Though no longer part of the military, he still adhered to those principles. However, for Cheng Chao, coming to the decision not to rescue those people must have been a difficult internal struggle.