Chapter 17: Strange
A Tu was startled that he actually jumped. Jumping back one step, he subconsciously released his power. Until he realized that the thing in front of him was a human and not something else, did he relax and let out a breath. “We are an investigation squad from the survivors of S City’s survivor base. We were just passing by this area, is it possible for us to lodge with you for a night?”
That person used a strange gaze to give A Tu a glance, then opened her mouth to speak. “Sure, sure. But what is a survivor base?”
A Tu looked around at his surroundings. “Is it okay if you let us in first, then I can explain everything to you?”
“Come in.” That person retreated and allowed Shao Qing and the rest to enter. Shao Qing knitted her eyebrows as she entered. She had a feeling that the person’s gaze was a bit too strange, as for why it was strange, Shao Qing wasn’t able to pinpoint it.
After entering, Shao Qing and the rest realized that it was a big courtyard that they were in. Within the courtyard, there was a dried up thin woman carrying a child, facing towards the doorway with a lifeless look in her eyes.
She was wearing an outer coat, loosely slung over her shoulders with more than half of her chest hanging out in the air. From her neck until her stomach, traces of purple scars could be seen.
When Shao Qing and the rest arrived by her side, the woman squeezed her child to her chest in alarm and continuously uttered: “Don’t eat my child, please don’t eat my child…”
It was then that Shao Qing realized what she was squeezing to her chest was absolutely not a child. Instead it was a tiny filthy quilt for a bed wrapped around a small pillow.
Shao Qing’s gaze quickly became cold, not saying much. On the contrary, the person leading the way made haste in saying: “She’s a lunatic. Her child was probably bitten by her man and turned into a zombie. Seeing that she was so pitiful, we offered her some shelter and care.”
“She is somewhat good looking.” After the man from the young couple mumbled these few words, his wife immediately slapped him hard.
Entering the house, the person leading the way let out a loud yell. “Boss, there’s some survivor base people that has come.” Following his yell to his boss, several gloomy and cold looks landed on Shao Qing’s body.
Within the house there were quite a few people. Leaning unsteadily from side to side, a majority of the people there were super skinny and wore shabby clothing. However, the boss he called out was instead wearing neat and tidy clothes, looking as if he was trying to put on airs.
“Survivor base?” The boss walked over. Seeing him up close, he looked fairly upright, except for the triangular pair of eyes he was born with. When he smiled, his eyes narrowed making it look treacherous no matter how you look at it.
After walking over, he first drew out a cigarette. He handed one over to A Tu, one over to Gu Chuan, one over to the man from the young couple, and one over to Yan Hanqing. Gu Chuan and Yan Hanqing did not accept it while A Tu and the husband accepted the offer.
A Tu smiled a bit, then happily stated. “Since the arrival of the apocalypse, I don’t know how long have I gone without smoking these rare goods.”
What A Tu said was the truth. Since the apocalypse, people barely had enough to eat, where on earth would they be able to find cigarettes to smoke.
The boss brought his lighter over to A Tu to help him light his cigarette. After lighting up his cigarette, he laughed. “Would these beautiful women also like a cigarette?”
Gu Panpan and the woman hurriedly shook their heads and hands to express that they didn’t want to smoke a cigarette. The boss also did not force it and beamed. “I have also heard that there was a survivor base ahead. Constructed pretty well, I’ve always wanted to bring my group of brothers over there. However, we have a lot of people. Once we start journeying towards the survivor base, who knows how many brothers would die. Thus, we still haven’t tried to go there. However, now that we met you guys, you guys definitely have some skill to travel out here. Could I bother you guys to escort us to the survivor base?”
The man from the young couple patted his chest. “No problem!”
Regarding his rash response, not even mentioning Gu Chuan, even Gu Panpan knitted her eyebrows and frowned, reproaching him for speaking out too quickly.
“Since that’s the case, that would be the best. Please come in and take a good rest tonight. We will have to leave early tomorrow morning.” Leading the way, the boss allowed the man who was leading earlier to show them to the rooms inside where they could rest.
After waiting for the person who was guiding them to leave, Gu Panpan began to speak. “What were you doing agreeing so quickly?”
“We’re going back to the survivor base anyways, we are at an advantage anyways.” The man says as if it was a matter of course. “Besides, bringing them wouldn’t be a bother anyways.”
“You are a bother.” Gu Chuan coldly stated.
“What do you mean?” The man stared at him blankly, but Gu Chuan wasn’t going to bother with him anymore. Directly going to the corner, he sat down. Shao Qing also brought Yan Hanqing to find an area to sit down.
The man feeling a bit awkward, didn’t continue to say anything.
Quickly, night time arrived. A person came knocking on the door to ask Shao Qing and the rest to join them for dinner. The group then followed them down. Shao Qing took Xiao Baozi out of the back knapsack she was carrying him in. Holding him against her chest, she took out a milk bottle from her bag.
Within the milk bottle however was not milk powder, instead it was the chicken stock she had made previously. She removed the layer of oil on top, so when the time came to heat it up, it would be ready to drink. As well, Xiao Baozi didn’t even really need the soup to be heated anyways. He originally wasn’t a normal human, so he wasn’t scared for the cold to reach his stomach.
Xiao Baozi held on to the milk bottle, not letting go, while Shao Qing sat by the table. By the table sat two people. One was the boss while the other was a dirty looking youngster. Everyone else was sitting in the corner gnawing on some rations.
“Wow, there’s meat!” The young couple’s eyes lighted up with excitement. After all, since the apocalypse, they had barely had any chances to eat any meat.
On the tables besides meat, there were also green vegetables. A full four dishes and one soup.
Although this arrangement if seen before it wouldn’t be considered anything special, it is the apocalypse now. This would definitely be considered a luxurious meal.
The boss made an inviting gesture. “Everyone has travelled far to get here and are my guest. Please sit and don’t be polite.”
The Gu siblings and Shao Qing looked each other in the eye, then noticed that the other party’s eyes have gradually dropped in temperature. It was only that young couple and A Tu who were still extremely happy and excited.
“Everyone please eat, don’t be polite.” The boss smiled, picking up a piece of meat, he then placed it inside the bowl in front of Shao Qing.
