Chapter 138: Inappropriate, Shouldn’t Have Accepted

Bian Changxi was stunned for a moment, then immediately furious.

These people actually had the nerve to complain? If it weren’t for Gu Xu, they’d be struggling just to survive—food, clothing, shelter, everything would be a problem. No one knew better than her how miserable things had been for the people of Jiangcheng in the previous life.

Qu Shangjin was spineless, and Hu Aiquan spent all day sucking up to the base’s top brass. How many of them genuinely cared about the people and fought for their interests? Back then, the people of Jiangcheng weren’t any better off than those mountain folk now stuck outside the base, homeless and hungry, pitching tents and scraping by. In fact, because there were so many people, crimes and all sorts of nasty incidents happened every day.

But now, in the area she’d just visited, the atmosphere was good, the environment peaceful—life was hardly any different from before the apocalypse.

So, is it really the mark of a great leader to ignore internal affairs, drag people out to fight every day, and then not even provide a place to eat or sleep when they return?

What’s even more ridiculous is that Gu Xu had worked hard to level the playing field—environment, status, opportunities—so that Jiangcheng people were no different from the locals. If you want to get ahead, why not organize yourselves? Does Gu Xu have to personally lead each and every one of you? Since when does a leader have to feed, clothe, and hand-hold everyone to make money?

Utter nonsense!

Lu Shaoyang noticed Bian Changxi’s cold, dark expression and seemed to realize he’d said the wrong thing. He hurriedly added, “Everyone knows Captain Gu and his team work hard. Really, it’s just a few sour grapes stirring things up—after hearing it enough times, people start to have doubts.”

“Sour grapes?” Bian Changxi’s lips curled slightly as she thought of something. “You mean people like the Bian family—also from Jiangcheng, but not enjoying the same treatment?”

Gu Xu had mentioned once that the Bian family had issues with him. Before the apocalypse, they’d been financial giants, with influence in both the military and government. Even after joining the base, they did pretty well for themselves. They’d split off from the main group and set up on their own, so naturally they felt superior. But now that Gu Xu had helped ordinary Jiangcheng people live decent lives too, that sense of superiority was gone. Instead, there was resentment—how dare you give all those resources to ‘inferior’ people and not to us?

She knew her uncle well enough.

So this was the root of the problem?

Lu Shaoyang stayed silent. Bian Changxi found it amusing.

What was even more laughable was that people were actually being swayed by this. Even someone as easygoing as Lu Shaoyang was starting to think Gu Xu was in the wrong.

Her expression cooled further, and she no longer wore her usual gentle smile. “I get it. People look to their leaders. Gu Xu and his team have never organized a major expedition outside the base, so everyone lacks confidence in the outside world. With fewer people going out, morale stays low, harvests are small, and no one dares venture into dangerous areas. Over time, this creates a sense of weakness, giving others something to gossip about. In the end, it’s all about the direction set from the top.”

Lu Shaoyang wanted to add that Gu Xu was also hoarding a lot of resources for other projects within the base, but Bian Changxi concluded, “But things have to be done step by step. Once Gu Xu has sorted out the base’s internal affairs, he’ll naturally move outward. I just worry that by then, people’s abilities won’t be up to par, and they’ll complain that he’s being inconsiderate again.”

Lu Shaoyang sighed inwardly. Bian Changxi’s words were full of support for Gu Xu. If he kept pushing, it would only breed resentment.

He stood up to leave, feeling dejected. Old Chief, I’ve done my best. With Gu Xu’s team, not to mention the core members—even Bian Changxi, who just arrived yesterday, is tough as nails. Their cohesion is incredible, and their loyalty to Gu Xu is absolute—there’s no opening at all.

Honestly, stirring up trouble or sowing discord wasn’t his style. He was actually quite satisfied with Gu Xu; Jiangcheng’s slow progress was surely just temporary. With Gu Xu’s decisive style, once he’s free to act, it won’t be the era of the base’s shock troops and field units dominating the outside world anymore. Inside the base, the entire market share will shift.

If it weren’t for his old boss Hu Aiquan coming to him, he wouldn’t have even broached the topic with Bian Changxi. As expected, it was a wasted effort. Far from making her doubt Gu Xu’s abilities, it only made them more united and determined.

Didn’t he see the fire in Bian Changxi’s eyes?

Then he suddenly felt relieved. Now that this was done, whatever lingering ties he had with Hu Aiquan were finished. From now on, he could focus on his medical work and not worry about these political games.

After he left, Bian Changxi sat in her chair, her expression still calm. Wu Dalang wheeled himself out and smiled, “Miss Bian, don’t let this bother you. Rumors and slander are nothing new. They can be a big deal, or nothing at all. Like you said, once the Captain takes action, those people will have nothing to say.”

He’d overheard their conversation from inside the villa, but didn’t speak up. Since he’d entrusted his legs to Bian Changxi, he wouldn’t question any of her decisions.

In fact, he was both surprised and moved. As soon as Lu Shaoyang started talking, he knew what was coming. With nowhere else to turn, people naturally targeted Bian Changxi as soon as she arrived. He hadn’t expected them to start with gossip before even trying anything more direct—truly self-defeating. But Bian Changxi’s unwavering support for Gu Xu was unexpected.

Many people said Gu Xu was only tough within the base, never bringing back any battle achievements. Otherwise, Zhu Yiming wouldn’t have had that attitude before.

Gu Xu had his own strategy for advancing or holding back. He didn’t need to explain himself to everyone. If people called him a coward or accused him of being power-hungry, so be it—the truth would come out in the end. But it was always heartening to have someone speak up for him.

Bian Changxi, however, didn’t respond. Instead, she sighed, “I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have accepted that truckload of supplies.”

“What?”

“That truck Bian Kuang sent over,” Bian Changxi turned to him. “I shouldn’t have taken it.”

Wu Dalang immediately understood. Bian Kuang was the eldest grandson of the Bian family’s main branch—quite influential. If he sent something to Bian Changxi, those in the know would see it as a cousin giving a gift, but outsiders might think Gu Xu was so stingy and incompetent that even his own people needed handouts from rivals like the Bian family. Even if they didn’t say it outright, it still felt like a benefactor-patron relationship.

Bian Changxi sighed. The Bian family and Gu Xu were at odds—Gu Xu had even mentioned it himself. So why hadn’t she taken it seriously? She’d even gone out with Bian Kuang, arm in arm, wandering around together. Didn’t that make her seem uncommitted?

Bian Kuang hadn’t thought it through, either.

It was fine for cousins to be close, but since they were on opposing sides, they needed to be more careful. Gu Xu had her stay in the villa to avoid just this kind of trouble.

Wu Dalang comforted her, “It won’t cause any real problems. As long as the Captain doesn’t mind, what can anyone else say?” But he also thought Bian Kuang hadn’t considered things carefully. If you want to be nice to your cousin, why not send some easy-to-carry crystal cores? Instead, you sent a whole truckload of supplies in broad daylight for everyone to see. Rumors aside, what would the rest of the Bian family think?

Even if you claim the supplies are your personal property, are you really separate from the family now? In a big family, there’s never such a clear line between ‘yours’ and ‘mine.’ In the end, it’s just ammunition for others, and the one who’ll suffer is Bian Changxi.

Bian Changxi brooded for a while, then pushed the matter aside and went to her new vegetable plot to sense the pulse of the seeds.

Lu Shaoyang was efficient. Soon, he personally brought over an old Chinese medicine doctor, who examined Wu Dalang and wrote a prescription. Anan went to the pharmacy to get the medicine, and before he returned, the Qiu brothers came back.

They arrived in a rush, and as soon as Qiu Yun got out of the car, he laughed, “We got it! We got it! Those colorful snakes were disgusting—so slimy! I need a shower!”

The group unloaded a box from the car. Inside was a pile of thick, multicolored, compound-leafed plants, giving off a pungent, spicy smell.

Qiu Feng asked Aunt Zhao to bring a basin of water. Liang Ziyin rolled up his sleeves, put on rubber gloves, and started washing the plants, reminding everyone, “Don’t break the skin—the sap inside is poisonous.”

The sun was still blazing. Looking around, he directed everyone to move the basins under the oilcloth. Aunt Zhao protested that there were plants growing there, but Bian Changxi quickly set up two red sunshades. “Use these—the sun’s too hot.”

Qiu Feng glanced at her, then had everyone set up the shades and squatted down to fiddle with the five-colored grass. “Do we use this directly?”

“Grind it into juice and drink it, then boil it for decoction. The residue can be used to wipe the body,” Liang Ziyin replied with a smile. But his words were vague—how much should be ground? How many times should it be taken? When should it be boiled, and how strong should the decoction be? Which residue—what’s left after grinding or after boiling?

Liang Ziyin smiled on the outside, but cursed inwardly. The note he’d been given only had a few lines, saying the details would be provided later. But today, when he went to find the person, they’d vanished. He was starting to suspect he’d been set up. But since the Qiu brothers had risked so much to gather the herbs, he couldn’t just admit he didn’t know how to use them.

He could only take it one step at a time. Even if something went wrong, as a wood-type ability user, he should be able to control the situation.

He said sheepishly, “Isn’t Chinese medicine always like this? This is my first time seeing five-colored grass, so I’m not really sure how to use it.”

Qiu Feng didn’t look pleased, but although Liang Ziyin had suggested the herb, he’d made it clear yesterday that he’d only heard it might be useful—how could anyone expect him to know the exact dosage right away?

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

He frowned slightly, looking at the strange leaves and the corrosive sap at the cut ends, worried that this experiment might go badly. Right now, Shadow was even more fragile than Old Wu.

First update of the day—two more to come, working hard to get them out...