Chapter 126: We Meet Again

Fugui had been happily out for a walk with her owner, but the moment she heard someone dare to shout at them, she immediately bared her teeth and let out a low growl, lunging forward.

As she got closer, the two men finally noticed that the newcomer was holding a fierce-looking dog on a leash.

Their tone instantly became much more polite. “Hello! Haven’t seen you before—are you new here? Sorry, but you’re not allowed in this area.”

It was only then that An Nan noticed both men had pistols at their waists.

This mountain base really was impressive!

She’d been out in the world for so long and only ever seen Sun Peng with a gun. Now, on her very first day in the base, she’d already run into two more.

Backed by the Gu Group, no wonder they were so formidable.

An Nan quickly tugged Fugui back to her side. “Fugui! Don’t lose your temper!”

Outwardly, she was scolding the dog, but inside, she felt a sense of accomplishment. All that training hadn’t been for nothing—Fugui was much fiercer than before.

This was exactly the kind of pet she wanted: soft and cuddly at home, but a real force to be reckoned with outside.

If these two didn’t have guns, she’d be tempted to let Fugui off the leash and see what she could do.

An Nan glanced at the three villas behind the iron gate.

So this was where Hou Jianming and Zhu Dazhuang lived?

She pretended not to understand. “I really did just arrive at the base. I was hoping to look around and get familiar with the place. Why can’t I go in here?”

One of the men replied, “This area is the private residence of the boss and the second-in-command. Without their orders, no one is allowed in.”

An Nan made a sound of understanding.

She’d guessed right.

Now she just didn’t know which of the three houses Zhu Dazhuang lived in.

One of the guards seemed interested in her dog and asked curiously, “What breed is your dog? I’ve never seen one like it…”

He eyed Fugui with confusion.

The dog’s face looked a bit like a French Bulldog, but Frenchies are small, and this one was clearly medium-sized. Maybe it was an American Bully? But with that fierce look, it also had a bit of a pit bull vibe…

An Nan wasn’t about to explain that Fugui was a mutated French Bulldog.

So she calmly made something up. “Hard to say, really. She’s just a mutt.”

Fugui immediately bared her teeth again.

Who are you calling a mutt?!

Of course, she would never bare her teeth at her owner, so she directed all her anger at the man who’d asked, growling as if she might pounce at any moment.

An Nan knew Fugui was displeased, and, holding back a laugh, changed her answer.

“She’s a mixed breed.”

Fugui: Well, that’s at least a little more respectful!

She calmed down and nuzzled affectionately against An Nan’s leg.

The man looked at the dog in surprise. “She’s really smart!”

Then, as if remembering something sad, his tone dropped. “I had two dogs myself. They were so cute! The disaster came so suddenly—I couldn’t save either of them…”

By the end, his voice was choked with tears.

The other guard patted his shoulder in comfort.

People who keep pets are usually soft-hearted. An Nan offered a few words of consolation as well.

Then she took the opportunity to get him talking. “Brother, the benefits here at our base must be great if you’re even issued guns?”

“Oh, no, not everyone gets one,” he replied, sniffling, but with a hint of pride on his face. “Only those most trusted by the bosses are qualified to carry guns! Besides the boss and the second-in-command, only six people have guns.”

An Nan played along, flattering him. “Looks like you two are the backbone of our base!”

“Not at all, not at all. We just have good leaders looking out for us,” he said, then glanced down at Fugui. “Miss, it’s tough in the apocalypse, but you’re still able to keep your dog so well. If you stick with our boss and work hard, you’ll definitely have a bright future!”

After a round of mutual flattery, An Nan asked, “Is your job tough? You have to stand guard all day, right?”

Seeing that An Nan was well-dressed and had a pet, the man figured she must be someone of means, and already considered her a future pillar of the base.

So he was happy to chat a bit more. “It’s not hard! Our boss really cares about us. We work in three shifts, so we don’t have to work long hours. You’ll see—there’s no better boss to follow!”

An Nan nodded, chatted a bit more, then left with Fugui.

As she walked, she sorted through the information she’d just gathered.

Zhu Dazhuang’s residence was guarded 24/7 by armed bodyguards.

Other than the two bosses, there were six people in the base with guns.

The guards worked in pairs, three shifts a day—exactly six people. These six must be the bosses’ trusted aides, responsible for their armed security.

Since the subordinates had guns, Hou Jianming and Zhu Dazhuang must have them too.

That meant there were at least eight guns in the base—a force to be reckoned with.

And from what she’d observed, the bosses not only had armed guards but also an electric fence. Clearly, they were cautious and afraid of death.

There might even be traps, surveillance, or other security measures inside the residences…

An Nan pondered all this as she continued her walk with Fugui.

There weren’t many residents in the inner circle, which showed how few people were considered VIPs by the base.

They probably didn’t judge just by whether someone had pets. The personal information everyone filled out before entering was likely another factor.

Anyone with special skills or professions would be valued.

She’d noticed earlier that the guards’ guns were rather crudely made.

They didn’t have the feel of official weapons—more like the homemade gun Sun Peng had.

With so many guns around, maybe there was a skilled gunsmith living in one of these inner villas.

If someone could make guns, they’d definitely know how to use them.

She glanced warily up at the surrounding windows.

Maybe there was even a ninth person with a gun…

This was definitely not a place to be underestimated.

After her walk, An Nan headed back home with Fugui.

Before she even reached the door, Fugui suddenly got excited, lunging forward so hard the leash went taut, dragging An Nan into a jog.

As they got closer, An Nan saw a pickup truck parked in front of her villa, with two laborers unloading goods and carrying them inside.

Huh?

A new neighbor already?

There seemed to be a black SUV behind the pickup, too…

Before she could get a closer look, Fugui was already charging into the house, barreling upstairs.

Afraid she’d trip on the stairs, An Nan quickly let go of the leash.

Fugui stopped at the second floor, dashed into the small lounge, and leapt onto the sofa—straight into someone’s arms.

She wriggled with excitement, making little whimpering noises as she snuggled up.

Damn, this familiar feeling of losing control…

An Nan stared in disbelief at the person on the sofa.

Gu Zhiyu?!

What was he doing here?

Gu Zhiyu grunted as the solidly-built Fugui crashed into him. To keep the chubby dog from getting too excited and running all over him, he had to hold her tightly in his arms.

Then he looked up and greeted An Nan.

“We meet again, An… beautiful.”"