After Raising Monsters, I Was Loved by Everyone in the Wasteland – CH96

Chapter 96

“No rift named Dragon Remains?”

The unexpected news made Wen Xin pause briefly, though he didn’t feel deeply disappointed.

Before coming to the southern region, he had already prepared himself for the possibility of searching for years without finding anything. The fact that he had already reunited with two of the bundles was extraordinarily fortunate.

The armory members remained cautious in their conclusions.

“We couldn’t find it, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it doesn’t exist. After all, no one can claim humanity has explored every corner of the world.”

“Additionally, the maps and atlases we referenced are a few years old and haven’t been updated. It’s possible the Dragon Remains Rift is a newly discovered feature.”

They suggested, “Who did you hear about this place from? Perhaps you could return to that person and ask for more details. They might have additional clues.”

The next morning, Wen Xin set out for Mermaid Bay.

But as the blue whale had mentioned before parting, it had fallen into a deep sleep, and there was no telling how long it would remain that way.

Even Lan Tuan’s repeated calls did nothing to stir the calm sea.

The little walrus turned to Wen Xin. “Teacher isn’t answering me.”

Wen Xin patted its head. “It’s okay.”

He remembered that day when he had been flung out of the ocean; he too had called out desperately to the blue whale, only to get no response. This outcome wasn’t unexpected.

Still, Wen Xin had held onto a sliver of hope.

The blue whale’s information had proven reliable thus far, leading him to find Ah Zi at the Aurora Armory.

But with the armory’s investigation limited to the southern region, Wen Xin realized he might need to explore other regions to uncover further leads.

Ah Zi offered, “In time, the armory should be able to take over parts of Desire Market’s territory. I’ve asked them to keep an eye out, and they’ll pass along any new information.”

Ah Lü added, “Once we’re back, I’ll have the Eastern folks help search. We can ask Ah Jiu to check the Western region, and your brother can cover the North. We’ll find it eventually.”

Warmth spread through Wen Xin’s chest, filling him with gratitude.

Suddenly overcome with emotion, he scooped up all the bundles at once and plopped down onto the sandy beach. The bundles yelped in surprise as Wen Xin buried his face in their soft fur, hugging them tightly.

It was as if he had plunged into a warm ocean, the sensation melting away all his worries.

San San squirmed under the enthusiastic affection, letting out a pitiful squeak. “Wen Xin! Slow down!”

Ah Lü, unused to such frenzied attention, felt its tail stiffen into a near-perfect lightning bolt. Though the touches didn’t hurt, the sudden affection left it utterly flustered.

Lan Tuan, on the other hand, relaxed, half-closing its eyes in contentment. When Wen Xin scratched it a little harder, it even let out a soft, rumbling coo, as if encouraging him to keep going. “Grr… Grr…”

Ah Lü tried to edge away, only to find itself steadily pushed aside by Lan Tuan.

Turning to look, Ah Lü realized it wasn’t imagining things. Lan Tuan was deliberately squeezing closer to Wen Xin, ensuring it occupied the prime petting position.

“Such a sneaky fish!” Ah Lü thought indignantly. It abandoned its retreat and, filled with an unprecedented competitive spirit, jostled back for its spot.

Lan Tuan blinked innocently, and communicated mentally. “I thought you didn’t like being petted?”

Ah Lü puffed up stubbornly. “Who said I didn’t?!”

Ah Zi, sturdier than the others, wasn’t fazed by the rough treatment. Still, it kept an eye on Wen Xin, watching his expression. Seeing the warmth and joy in his eyes, it finally relaxed.

With Wen Xin’s left hand occupied by the blue and green bundles, San San seized the opportunity to claim the free right hand. Cuddling close, it rubbed against him until Wen Xin scratched under its chin. The red panda promptly collapsed into a soft heap, gripping Wen Xin’s wrist as it let out a contented sigh.

The sun shone brightly, reflecting off the glittering azure sea. The fine, creamy sand along the shore glowed with a gentle sheen.

Looking down at the adorable bundles in his arms, Wen Xin couldn’t help but smile. In that moment, he felt like the happiest person in the world.

Since they had already come to Mermaid Bay, Wen Xin and his four babies decided not to leave in a hurry.

Lan Tuan loved basking in the sun on the beach. With no tall buildings to block the sunlight, the gentle rays warmed its fur and left its entire body feeling cozy and relaxed.

The bundles rested their heads on Wen Xin’s lap as his long fingers gently combed through their fur, leaving a faintly ticklish sensation. It reminded them of when they were tiny—so small they couldn’t even make a sound. Back then, they spent their days curled up in incubators lined with heating tubes.

In those days, they knew nothing. No pain, no worries. Only a sense of comfort and serenity.

Around dusk, Wen Xin roused the slumbering bundles. His lap had gone a little numb from being used as a pillow, but he didn’t let it show.

Together, they went to visit the fishermen of Le Shui Village.

The fishermen had adapted well to life in the nearby community. Their ability to fish in the sea provided them with a steady livelihood; fresh seafood was a hot commodity wherever they sold it. But they hadn’t forgotten the destruction of their village. Harboring a deep-seated grudge, they kept asking around for news about Base One.

The praises they heard from others filled the fishermen with indignation but also the sobering realization that they alone couldn’t challenge Base One’s authority.

Le Shui Village had only been one of many in the southern region. Base One, headquartered far to the north, wielded immense influence. Its control and reach were terrifying to comprehend.

The village chief spoke to Wen Xin, his tone filled with hatred and the weight of a grim prophecy. “Those marauders act with impunity as if human lives mean nothing. The crimes they’ve committed won’t stop with a small place like Le Shui Village.”

Wen Xin also visited the nearby flea market.

The aftermath of the tsunami, with its towering waterspouts and thunderous roar, had been a spectacle impossible to ignore. Unsurprisingly, everyone at the market was talking about it. Their expressions betrayed a mixture of fear and disgust.

“Even tanks were sent in, and they still couldn’t kill that monster?”

The humans living in this area had no empathy for mutants. The blue whale’s presence kept them from freely approaching the coast or fishing in the sea, breeding resentment toward it.

Hearing that armed personnel—possibly military—had been dispatched, they had celebrated. But when the operation failed and the mutant remained unharmed, their disappointment turned to bitterness.

People grumbled and lamented. “Are these terrifying monsters really impossible to get rid of?”

“Soon, very soon. Base One is developing new weapons specifically to counter mutants—much more effective than anything before!”

“And what about the other bases? Are they doing nothing?”

“They… they’re probably working on something, but they’ll never match Base One.”

It was true. With Base One standing out as a shining example, no one even remembered the second or third bases.

Wen Xin had deliberately left the bundles behind for this trip. The conflict between humans and mutants was irreconcilable, and he feared they might become upset if they overheard.

What he discovered was worse than he had imagined. Nearly everyone wanted mutants to disappear.

Exhaling deeply, he was glad he hadn’t brought the bundles along.

He said nothing about the market’s hostility upon returning.

On the way back to the armory, Wen Xin sat in the driver’s seat while San San perched by a water bucket, counting the fish gifted to them by the village chief.

The fish were alive, flopping around in the bucket. For San San, who rarely saw live fish on land, it was a novelty. It blinked at the fish and asked, “They aren’t mutants, so eating them won’t help us. Should we keep them as pets?”

In the past, San San would have eaten anything it could get its paws on, given how hard survival was. But these fish were a gift—one for Wen Xin and one for each bundle, including itself.

San San still remembered the kind smile of the elderly fisherman who gave them the fish, and it hesitated to eat them.

Lan Tuan piped up, “These are sea fish. You’d need to add salt to the water and provide oxygen for the tank. That’s too much trouble—eating them would be easier.”

“Wen Xin’s good at cooking. His grilled fish is delicious.”

San San immediately recalled the taste of grilled fish from before, snapping out of its melancholy. Its mouth watered as it stared at the fish in the bucket. Stroking one gently with its paw, it solemnly declared, “Don’t worry. I’ll eat you properly—there won’t even be bones left.”

The fish, horrified by the statement, flailed in terror. Their tails splashed water everywhere, drenching San San completely.

San San froze, letting out a dazed “Ah.”

Unfortunately, Ah Lü, napping lazily nearby, was caught in the splash zone. Water drenched its head, and after a stunned two seconds, it shot San San a death glare.

“Two! Thirty! Three!”

San San whimpered, “Eep!”

Ah Zi, seated in the passenger seat, was engrossed in knitting. The knitting needles were taller than its small body, but it wielded them with practiced ease. Whether it was weaving, crafting clothes, or hammering metal, Ah Zi worked with the same intensity, though knitting carried a softer, more affectionate air.

San San scurried behind Ah Zi, clutching its head. “Ah Zi, help! Ah Lü is mad and wants to hit me!”

Ah Zi patted its head soothingly.

Ah Lü hissed menacingly, “You have the nerve to play with fish and water, but no courage to fight me? Get out from behind Ah Zi—you call this bravery?”

San San, indignant yet unashamed, retorted, “I’m a red panda, not a hero! If I come out, you’ll hit me. I’m staying here!”

Ah Lü lunged at San San.

The two bundles darted back and forth inside the car, creating utter chaos in the cramped space. Despite their small sizes, they managed to make the car feel like a battleground.

Eventually, Ah Zi, concerned they’d distract Wen Xin while he drove, intervened and put an end to the scuffle.

When they arrived at the armory, Wen Xin happened upon the scarred man delivering a shipment.

With Desire Market’s former rulers scared off, the power structure had crumbled, leaving a vacuum. Thankfully, the armory had acted quickly to take over a significant portion of the market’s operations, quelling unrest and preventing major incidents.

By opening access to the water supply for everyone—free of charge—the armory had stabilized the community.

The scarred man’s work remained unaffected, and the water shortage was resolved. Now, buoyed by good fortune, he radiated happiness, his usual stern face softened by a constant smile. Even the scar on his face seemed less menacing.

Seeing Wen Xin, the scarred man hurried over. “Mr. Wen.”

He only knew Wen Xin’s surname from overhearing the armory staff, who treated Wen Xin with visible deference. Sensing that Wen Xin was an extraordinary figure, the scarred man swallowed his pride to make a request—one concerning his younger cousin.

“He’s willing to do any job—manual labor, errands, even assisting you directly. Xiaoshu is a hardworking and grateful kid. Whatever you ask of him, he’ll do it without complaint,” he said, enthusiastically promoting his cousin.

Wen Xin remained calm. “The armory has taken over Desire Market, and management is reshuffling. There’s a labor shortage, and they’re hiring everywhere. Why come to me?”

The scarred man hesitated. “I… I don’t know. You just seem… different.”

Even in his wildest dreams, the scarred man couldn’t have imagined that the armory could produce intercontinental missiles. He didn’t grasp how expensive or difficult such a weapon was to manufacture, but he had heard the deafening roar of the explosion and felt the ground tremble beneath his feet.

If they had such a powerful weapon, why hadn’t they targeted Desire Market’s skyscraper directly? Was it out of compassion for civilians?

Impossible.

The scarred man scoffed at the thought. If the armory truly cared, they wouldn’t have hired so many rodent workers who went in and never came back.

Still, the question nagged at him.

Wen Xin was an outsider, new to the southern region. On the surface, he seemed unrelated to the missile’s creation or its targeted impact. Yet, the scarred man couldn’t shake the feeling that Wen Xin was deeply connected to it all.

He stared into Wen Xin’s eyes, which met his gaze calmly and steadily.

After a long pause, the scarred man finally blurted, “Do you… always look at people like that?”

Wen Xin: “?”

Realizing his words sounded foolish, the scarred man fumbled, searching for the right term: “Level-headedly”.

Wen Xin’s gaze lacked any condescension—it was always one of equality. Whether at the market gates or now, while the armory staff treated him with reverence, his demeanor never changed.

“Please, let him work for you,” the scarred man pleaded.

Wen Xin undoubtedly needed help, which was precisely why he hadn’t interfered in Desire Market’s collapse. Instead, he had Ah Zi prompt the armory to take control.

But Wen Xin wouldn’t agree solely on the scarred man’s word. He insisted on meeting the bespectacled youth, asking about his willingness, and personally assessing him.

A few days later, a white homing pigeon arrived from City Rose, carrying shocking news.

The first message: mutant evolution wasn’t a coincidence.

Secondary evolutions among mutants caused magnetic disturbances, and pollution zones—ranging from minor to severe—were now appearing worldwide. Humanity faced an unprecedented survival crisis.

Investigations into the source of these anomalies were ongoing.

The second message: vaccine X-4 had been developed. After administration, it offered a 60% chance of immunity to the zombie virus.

The developer? None other than Base One.

The canary had delivered this first-hand information, but it spread like wildfire, sparking global upheaval.

The first announcement filled humanity with dread, while the second brought tears of hope. People began revering Base One as a divine savior.

The calls for Base One’s guidance reached a fever pitch.

“I heard Base One is still recruiting volunteers for further vaccine development. If chosen, you can get vaccinated for free!”

“Really? Too bad the northern region is so far away.”

“Yeah, if only Base One were in the southern region. I’d sign up in a heartbeat. They say tens of thousands of people have already volunteered locally!”

The armory workers sighed wistfully. Wen Xin, meanwhile, opened another message delivered by pigeon mail.

[In City G, the ground has cracked open, revealing a black fissure over ten kilometers long. The fissure seems alive, pulling in any living creatures that come near. As of today, it continues to expand.]

[Base One is highly interested and has invited mercenaries and explorers to investigate.]