Chapter 24: The Deadly Reunion

“It’s nothing, bro! Look at me, I’m perfectly fine!”

Lin Muxue chimed in, “That’s right, Wen-ge. There’s a saying: ‘Great fortune follows those who survive great disasters.’ Look, in this apocalypse, when everyone’s struggling for food and drink, I have so much to eat and drink. Isn’t that great? Today is our reunion. I never thought I’d see you again—I’m so happy I could cry.”

She still couldn’t believe her family had really survived. It was wonderful!

After carrying the last person onto the platform, Lu Minli smiled and said, “I’ll go make you something to eat. You guys catch up.”

Lu Minli headed to the kitchen, and Sang Jingwen immediately pulled Sang Chu aside, eager to find out what had happened.

But Sang Chu spoke first, “Bro, you said Yi-ge went to the Deadly Reunion base to find me. What exactly happened with the supplies he brought?”

Lin Muxue interjected, “Exactly! That pervert at Deadly Reunion never said anything!”

Sang Jingwen explained, “A-Yi is the second-in-command at his base and handles supply exchanges with other bases. I told him you and Muxue were in Shangjing, and he happened to be heading there to trade with some ability users. There was nothing left to eat around here.

When he got back, he heard you were at the Deadly Reunion base, but they wouldn’t let anyone leave. Even if A-Yi was willing to trade supplies, they refused, and wouldn’t let A-Yi into the base either. He couldn’t stay long, so he had no choice but to come back first.”

“That damned Deadly Reunion!”

Lin Muxue was fuming with anger.

Sang Chu asked, “And after that?”

Sang Jingwen continued, “Most of the ability users in Shangjing are wood-type, and A-Yi went there to trade with them. But who could have guessed, Deadly Reunion claimed their base didn’t lack supplies. No one knows how many ability users they have, and they refuse to communicate with any other bases.

So, A-Yi was helpless. That base is like a fortress. If someone hadn’t come out and mentioned you were inside, A-Yi wouldn’t have been able to confirm it.

He learned from those people that you were about to be sent out on a mission, so he waited outside for a long time, but never saw you. In the end, he had to leave and come back.”

Lin Muxue suddenly remembered that there was a period when the base’s duty roster completely overlooked her—maybe that was when it happened.

Sang Chu realized it too. “I never thought it would be like this. Deadly Reunion is just too heartless!”

Lin Muxue agreed, “Exactly, Wen-ge! That Yi-ge even tried to trade supplies for me, but I never saw any of it!”

Sang Jingwen sighed helplessly, “A-Yi may be a level-three ability user, but Deadly Reunion has three as well, and their leader is a dual-type. Most of his subordinates are level-two ability users. There’s no way A-Yi could force his way in. When he came back and told me, he was pretty frustrated too. If it were closer, I might have been able to do something, but it was too far—beyond my reach. That’s why A-Yi and I were trying to figure out how to get you out!”

At this point, Sang Chu suddenly remembered the monkey incident. “Bro, wasn’t it because you and Lin Grandma left the base to look for me that your base leader suddenly went crazy? If you and Lin Grandma hadn’t been there, Yi-ge would have been the only one left to handle things.”

Sang Jingwen burst out laughing, “He totally overthought it! If it weren’t for wanting to keep the place going for A-Yi, I would have left long ago. His parents are in Xinshi. He wanted to save up some supplies and then go find them. I just wanted to find you and Muxue first, then head to Xinshi to find his parents.”

In the apocalypse, you can’t go anywhere without supplies, especially since he and Lin Grandma were just ordinary people.

Lin Muxue said, “But your base leader didn’t know that. Yi-ge is a level-three dual-type ability user. There’s no way your leader would let him go, right? So that’s probably why all that happened.”

Sang Chu nodded, “Very likely. Bro, do you know how long Yi-ge usually takes on his trips?”

Sang Jingwen shook his head, “The routes are always secret, and he usually leaves for about three months, but I don’t know how long he’s been gone this time.”

Suddenly, a delicious aroma wafted in, and Sang Jingwen and Lin Grandma’s stomachs both growled loudly.

Lin Muxue said, “I’m going to eat first! I’ll talk as I eat!”

“Yeah, bro, Grandma, let’s go eat.”

Lu Minli had tidied up, cooked some fish, stir-fried some greens, and made rice. The table was full of delicious dishes, making Sang Jingwen’s mouth water.

Lu Minli said, “Wen-ge, Grandma, hurry and eat. I’ve already picked out all the fish bones.”

The mutated fish not only tasted great, but also had almost no bones.

Sang Jingwen hadn’t had a proper meal in ages. He picked up his chopsticks, “Well, I won’t stand on ceremony then.”

“Bro, eat up!”

“Mm, Lin Grandma, you eat too!”

“Yes, yes, everyone eat, eat!”

After eating and drinking their fill, Sang Jingwen leaned back in his chair, rubbing his full belly, eyes fixed on the fruit left on the table.

With a hint of envy, he said, “Muxue, aren’t you full yet? You’re still eating!”

“Haha, Wen-ge, your stomach is so small! Look at me!”

She grabbed a watermelon and started eating it in big bites, slurping and saying, “So sweet! So juicy! It’s delicious!”

Sang Jingwen looked at her with mock resentment, while Lin Grandma laughed and patted Lin Muxue’s hand, “You…”

After finishing, Lin Muxue’s cheeks were stuffed like a hamster’s. She hugged Lin Grandma’s neck and said softly, “It’s so nice. Our family is together again!”

Sang Jingwen and Sang Chu’s parents had died when they were young, so they’d always lived together. Lin Grandma lived next door and often helped take care of them.

Lin Muxue and Sang Chu were the same age, so they’d always played together.

After Sang Jingwen and Sang Chu’s parents passed away, they survived by doing odd jobs and supporting themselves. Luckily, they lived in a small town, so life wasn’t too hard.

Otherwise, who knows if kids like them could have survived.

Once everyone had settled down, Lu Minli spoke up, “Wen-ge, this time I have two things to say. First, I’m not alone. Second, I’ve been thinking of setting up my own base. You’re more familiar with this area—can you tell me how many bases there are in Haishi?”

Sang Jingwen immediately straightened up, “There are indeed several bases in Haishi. Our Qingshan base is one. The boss is Du-ge, the second-in-command is A-Yi, a dual-type ability user. He has about ten level-two ability users, and around thirty level-one ability users. As for the number of ordinary people, I’m not sure. People die every day, or are killed by mutated beasts, so it’s hard to estimate. Among the five major bases, ours is about average.”"