Chapter 83 – Finding a Way Out of Food Shortages

Ge Zhongping was displeased. His earlier rush to approach Di Ping was motivated by a desire to establish a strong rapport with this powerful young man, but before he could say much, Han Zhongguo had interrupted by stepping in and taking over the task of introducing the base's leadership to Di Ping.

Moreover, Di Ping seemed to show more warmth toward Han Zhongguo than to him. Did he know about the things Ge Zhongping had done? Who could have told him?

As this thought crossed his mind, Ge Zhongping's gaze narrowed, and he looked at Yue Lie and Liu Han, who were standing behind Di Ping.

If Di Ping knew anything about him, it could only be from these two. Otherwise, Di Ping's indifference toward him, coupled with his more cordial treatment of Han Zhongguo, was puzzling. Ge Zhongping's eyes glinted with malice as he considered the situation.

Di Ping, still unable to fully mask his displeasure, couldn't hide his feelings toward Ge Zhongping, even though the old fox seemed unaware of the underlying tension. Nevertheless, Di Ping had already mentally sentenced Ge Zhongping to death in his mind; the moment he had the chance, he would show no mercy to such a scoundrel.

At that moment, a few more people approached, and gradually, the fear among the others began to subside as they gathered around Di Ping.

"Come, come! Mr. Di, let me introduce you to a few more people!"

Han Zhongguo smiled and took Di Ping's hand, eager to introduce him to the newcomers.

"Mr. Han, please, no need for such formality. You can call me Xiao Di or Di Ping," Di Ping replied, sensing Han Zhongguo's genuine warmth and allowing him to lead the way while speaking with a smile.

"Of course, of course! In that case, I'll call you Xiao Di!" Han Zhongguo laughed heartily, clearly growing fonder of this young man.

However, not everyone was pleased. Ge Zhongping watched as Han Zhongguo and Di Ping conversed warmly, with Han even taking over the task of introducing Di Ping to the base's management. His expression darkened, his thoughts turning to darker paths as malice stirred within him.

"Xiao Di, this is the other leader of the base, Lu Guoliang!"

Han Zhongguo gestured to a man walking at the front of the group as he introduced him to Di Ping.

"Hello, Mr. Di," Lu Guoliang said, smiling warmly as he extended his hand.

"Mr. Lu, it's a pleasure," Di Ping replied with a smile as he shook Lu Guoliang's hand.

Yue Lie had mentioned Lu Guoliang before, though there hadn't been much information. He was said to be a neutral party who didn't get involved much in the base's affairs, which made Di Ping look at him with greater interest.

Lu Guoliang was of average height, around 1.7 meters tall, lean in build, and wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. His complexion was fair, and he wore a gentle smile.

Despite his refined appearance, Di Ping knew better than to underestimate him. People who had spent years in political circles were rarely simple. If Di Ping dismissed him as just a scholarly figure, he would be the one at a disadvantage.

Han Zhongguo then continued introducing the others, including Lu Hai, whom Di Ping had already met.

Lu Hai left a strong impression on Di Ping—he came across as a blowhard, speaking in a drawling voice with an air of crude arrogance that was far from the demeanor of a high-ranking official.

"Now that the crisis is over, what are your plans?" Di Ping asked, unable to wait any longer as the others tidied up the mess.

"Xiao Di," Han Zhongguo said, his voice becoming heavier, "The mutated dogs are no longer a problem, but the real issue for the base remains."

With that, Han Zhongguo pulled out a cigarette and offered it to Di Ping, his tone gravely serious.

"What issue?" Di Ping asked, taking the cigarette but not lighting it. His gaze remained fixed on Han Zhongguo, who was now tapping the cigarette pack.

"Food," Han Zhongguo replied after a pause, exhaling the words slowly.

"Yes, Xiao Di, our base has run out of food. Many people are still hungry," Ge Zhongping added, his voice laced with concern as he joined the conversation, continuing to address Di Ping as "Xiao Di." However, Di Ping did not respond and lowered his head, deep in thought.

It occurred to him that Yue Lie and Liu Han had mentioned before that the base's food supplies were running low, and that they had been trapped here for days.

"With night falling, it's probably too late to search for food now. The nearby supplies have likely been cleaned out. If we want to find food, we'll need to go farther," said Secretary-General Lu Guoliang with a sigh, adjusting his glasses as he looked at Di Ping with a sense of helplessness in his eyes.

Di Ping remained silent. He understood the gravity of the situation. If the base sent people out to search for food and they ventured too far, their safety would be compromised. Sending them out now would be tantamount to a death sentence. As for him, how much food could he collect on his own? It was already afternoon, and the longer he stayed outside, the more dangerous it would become once darkness fell. The night in the city was terrifying, and he had no idea what dangers might await.

Everyone fell silent, with only the sound of people cleaning up the clutter in the background. Di Ping absentmindedly twisted the cigarette between his fingers, watching the tobacco fall from the paper.

"Food?"

"Food?"

He repeated the word over and over, his gaze drifting aimlessly.

Suddenly, his eyes brightened as they fell upon the darkened corpses of the mutated dogs on the ground. A sudden realization struck him—wasn't dog meat a common food before the apocalypse?

Could this meat be eaten now?

Some people had said that if dogs had eaten human flesh, their meat was unsafe, but what about dogs that had eaten feces? Didn't some people still eat that?

At this point, with everyone on the verge of starving, who could afford to worry about such things? Di Ping's only concern was whether the meat from the mutated dogs could be eaten and whether it was poisonous.

Should he have someone test it? Di Ping's thoughts raced as he stared at the mutated dog corpses on the ground.