Chapter 147: Your Doom Has Been Delivered (30)

Although the base was a safe haven, it certainly did not support survivors for free. Food was distributed only once every three days, so if anyone wanted to avoid starvation, they had to work and earn points to exchange for meals. Fang Sanqian and his companions had been here for quite some time. They had originally waited outside City B, hoping to wait for Ling Qiong. But unexpectedly, a group of people had suddenly arrived, and on top of that, they had drawn a horde of zombies along with them. The situation had been so chaotic that they hadn't even had time to start their vehicles. Afterward, they had followed the remaining survivors all the way to Base S. "Ms. Xu, when did you enter the base?" He had assumed they would never cross paths again. Never had he expected such a sudden surprise. "Today." Ling Qiong found a seat for herself, completely devoid of any stiffness or formality. An Changjing wasn't as nonchalant as Ling Qiong and remained standing in place. With her legs crossed and her chin slightly raised, Ling Qiong asked, "What was inside those crates just now?" Fang Sanqian poured water for Ling Qiong and An Changjing, looking puzzled. "Ms. Xu, why are you asking about that?" Cupping her mug without drinking from it, Ling Qiong curved her lips into a smile. "I'm just curious about what's inside those boxes." Fang Sanqian shook his head. "I have no idea what's in them." Those crates had remained strictly sealed the entire time. Their only task was to transport the boxes from the trucks to the designated location. Securing this job hadn't been easy for Fang Sanqian, but the point reward was very high, with the sole requirement being absolute secrecy. If not for Ling Qiong's inquiry, Fang Sanqian would never have breathed a word. "Where are they being sent?" Back inside his room, Fang Sanqian still acted like a thief, nervously checking the doorway before speaking. "I only heard it from others. They say there's a laboratory underground, and all those crates are being sent down there." "A laboratory?" Fang Sanqian wasn't entirely certain. "I only heard rumors; I don't know if it's true." With the zombie virus running rampant, it wasn't strange for researchers to study the virus. However, those crates... were deeply suspicious. Fang Sanqian asked again, "Ms. Xu, did you see the patrol guards outside?" "Mm." "They wear the exact same uniforms as those people we ran into last time." When he had first arrived at the base, Fang Sanqian had been terrified. Fortunately, nothing untoward had happened since. Ling Qiong mused, "You think they're with the same group?" Pulling up a chair to sit down, Fang Sanqian began to fill Ling Qiong in on the base's internal dynamics. The base had two leaders: one surnamed Zhao, and the other surnamed Wang. Consequently, the base was essentially divided into two factions. The execution squad that had shot at the survivors was under the direct command of the one surnamed Zhao.

"I also heard from some of the old-timers here that originally, only Leader Wang was in charge." "The faction led by the man surnamed Zhao arrived later. They had high-end weapons and equipment, and they forced Leader Leader Wang to surrender control of the base." "Leader Wang refused. After a bitter stalemate, the base ended up with two co-leaders." Despite the apparent surface tranquility of the base, undercurrents surged violently beneath. Leader Wang's people frequently brought survivors back. In contrast, Leader Zhao's men came and went constantly, yet never returned with a single survivor. Based on Fang Sanqian's personal observations, they seemed more responsible for the base's security infrastructure and scavenging for vital equipment. ... After leaving Fang Sanqian's quarters, An Changjing wanted to track down his companions, so he parted ways with Ling Qiong. Wandering back alone, Ling Qiong glanced left and right as she passed the storage area for the crates, then slipped swiftly into the shadows. Upon returning to the building, Ling Qiong saw Jiang Xunchu stepping out of a room accompanied by a man in a lab coat. Leaning against the corridor wall, she tilted her head to watch them converse. Jiang Xunchu's demeanor remained quite calm as he politely bowed in farewell. However, from the moment he turned around and walked past Ling Qiong, his gaze never shifted, continuing straight ahead without pause. At that instant, Ling Qiong knew something was wrong. "Big Brother," Ling Qiong called out, hurrying to catch up. Jiang Xunchu halted, likely expecting her to speak. Yet Ling Qiong said nothing at all; she merely slipped her hand directly into his palm. Jiang Xunchu showed no immediate reaction. After a dozen seconds or so, he tightened his grip around Ling Qiong's hand and led her downstairs. Quarters had already been prepared for them. Unlike the residential housing assigned to Fang Sanqian, these were quite upscale serviced apartments. It was a duplex, featuring a living area on the lower floor and bedrooms upstairs. Were these arranged out of someone's sudden burst of conscience? Nonsense. Ling Qiong had paid a hefty sum in points to secure them. Paying no heed to the environment, Jiang Xunchu immediately locked himself inside his bedroom. Ling Qiong thought, "..." She scratched her head. Fine then, she would let her dear little pet have some quiet time. Barging in now would only court annoyance. ... The next day. Emerging from her room while letting out a yawn, Ling Qiong ambled unsteadily toward the living room. Bottled water sat on the table. Twisting open a cap, she was about to take a drink when her peripheral vision caught sight of someone in the kitchen. Shuffling over, Ling Qiong hooked her chin over the edge of the doorframe and peeked half her head inside. Jiang Xunchu had changed into clean homewear, and eggs were sizzling in a pan, the appetizing sound echoing softly through the kitchen. Even his posture while frying eggs was extraordinarily handsome... truly worthy of being her precious pet. Sensing Ling Qiong's overly enthusiastic gaze, Jiang Xunchu turned his head to look, his eyes locking instantly with hers.

The young girl clung to the doorframe, exposing only half her head, her dark, clear eyes resembling black gems steeped in crystal-clear spring water. For a fleeting second, Jiang Xunchu felt as though he had been transported from the apocalypse back to a normal world. "You're awake," Jiang Xunchu withdrew his gaze. "Get ready to eat breakfast." He flipped the eggs in the pan and picked up a nearby plate. At that exact moment, his waist tightened abruptly as arms wrapped around him from behind. "You still have me." Even if your NPC daddy is gone, your player daddy will always be here for you. Jiang Xunchu's fingertips pressed against the edge of the plate for a long moment before he raised a hand to gently unwrap her arms. "I'm fine." Slipping past his arm, Ling Qiong stepped in front of him and embraced him head-on. "Are you really fine?" "..." Stepping back a pace to put some distance between himself and the stove, Jiang Xunchu said, "Yes, I'm fine. Let go of me." Ling Qiong stared at him for a moment before slowly relaxing her grip. There were only two eggs, which they split between them, accompanied by a piece of bread and a glass of milk. Having not noticed these provisions yesterday, Ling Qiong suspected they had been delivered this morning. She carefully separated the egg yolk from her share and slid it onto Jiang Xunchu's plate. "Not eating it?" Ling Qiong shook her head. In return, Jiang Xunchu separated the egg white from his portion and gave it to her. "Then eat this instead." Finishing her egg, Ling Qiong polished off the two slices of bread and finally drained the glass of milk. Satisfied and full, she melted comfortably into the chair. "I need to head out for a while later," Jiang Xunchu said, producing a mobile phone. "There's a signal inside the base, so phones work. Call me if you need anything; I'll probably be back rather late." Nodding obediently, Ling Qiong replied, "Alright, Big Brother." Giving her one last look, Jiang Xunchu carried the dishes into the kitchen. After pacing back and forth twice upon his return, he finally spoke. "Jiang Xunchu is my real name. I... wasn't intentionally lying to you." Out of caution after the apocalypse began, he had always used an alias. He had expected her to ask about it... yet she hadn't brought it up at all. Instead, her silence left Jiang Xunchu feeling a lingering sense of guilt. Ling Qiong, who had been engrossed in her phone, heard his words, rolled her eyes up thoughtfully, raised her head, and blinked her lashes. "Is Big Brother going to compensate me then?" Every tiny bit of favor she could squeeze out counted. Her pet was simply too adorable to let slip away! Jiang Xunchu was momentarily speechless. "...How would you like your compensation?" Catching his sleeve, Ling Qiong tilted her head up, tapped her own lips, and murmured softly, "A kiss from Big Brother will do." Jiang Xunchu fell silent.