Chapter 200: Enemies Meet
Xu Sa approached Lu Weiyi. Lu Weiyi raised a mental barrier as Xu Sa whispered what he had found out: “The wealthy squad has four big teams and eight mid-sized teams. The leaders are all Liu Dali’s sons and daughters. The eldest son Liu Dong has three teams, the second son Liu Xi has two, the third son Liu Nan two, the fourth son Liu Bei is ordinary with a bad reputation, and the youngest daughter Liu Mo has one.”
“Each mid-sized team has around fifteen to twenty people, all top-level ability users. Underneath them are countless small squads, mostly ability users. Their base is filled with ability users. Ordinary people there are either family members or dependent on the ability users.”
“Liu Cheng is under Liu Dong,” Xu Sa lifted his eyelids and glanced at the young man bickering with Wang Wu. “This is his superior, He Kai, Liu Dong’s trusted aide. He came over to thank us for our help and to invite us into the base.”
A few words later, He Kai had dealt with the boastful Wang Wu.
“Ning, you saved dozens of us. Our captain sincerely invites you to the base. Please introduce your captain,” Liu Cheng said as he parted with Ning Yuan. Inside the base, they ran into Liu Dong’s group returning from hunting zombies.
Seeing their truck full of dug-up supplies, Liu Dong asked about their rescue. He then had He Kai invite them inside. Liu Cheng had no choice but to accompany them.
Ning Yuan pointed at Lu Weiyi. “Let me introduce—this is our captain, Lu Weiyi.” Then he turned to He Kai. “This is He Kai of the wealthy squad.”
He Kai raised his eyebrows in surprise, carefully scrutinized Lu Weiyi, trying to find evidence that they were lying.
Lu Weiyi nodded politely and then asked, “Is this a thank-you?”
He Kai was speechless at such straightforwardness and could only nod. “Liu Cheng is impulsive. Without your help, they probably would have been wiped out. Our captain is very grateful for your aid and wants to invite some of you to stay temporarily at the base.”
“Yeah, over thirty lives, definitely deserving thanks,” Lu Weiyi bluntly agreed, then added, “But no need to go inside the base. We need some supplies. Can you help collect them? We’ll trade with other goods.”
“Supplies are easy. We can discuss specifics at the base,” He Kai said.
Being inside an unfamiliar base was unwise, especially without knowing their true intentions.
Lu Weiyi said, “We won’t all go. Xu Sa, Ning Yuan, Liu Rui, Antonio—you four make the trip.” All four were capable and trusted to handle the diplomacy.
“Okay,” Ning Yuan immediately agreed, then smiled at He Kai. “The team can’t run without the captain. I’ve been wanting to visit the base anyway. Mr. He, please take good care of us.”
He Kai looked at Lu Weiyi, who was already taking care of the child in his arms, and was certain that he had no intention of going along. Moreover, he remained suspicious that Lu Weiyi was really the team captain, since the man gave off no ordinary vibe at all—he seemed more like a pampered young master.
So He Kai didn’t press the invitation any further. After all, if Liu Bei wanted someone and they didn’t take him, they would only be inviting endless trouble. They could make their move later.
Carrying Zhuang Ai Yi back, the temporary residence was already prepared. Zhuang Mingxu sat in his wheelchair watching the direction Lu Weiyi returned from. Nearby, Wu Yue, Gu Qingji, and Gu Qingyue were talking with refugees arriving from the settlement while also advertising the supplies they needed.
“What’s going on?” The distance wasn’t far, and although Zhuang Mingxu couldn’t hear what was happening, he could see the situation at the base.
“Liu Cheng’s superior invited us to the base. I let Ning Yuan and the others go,” Lu Weiyi said. “Did someone cause trouble?”
“Someone came begging, but they got scared off.” A group of clean and well-off looking people were easy targets for beggars, who would quickly attract more if given anything. Charity in the apocalypse could be deadly. If they didn’t establish authority from the start, they’d be devoured in no time.
Lu Weiyi didn’t ask for details and pushed Zhuang Mingxu toward the tent, asking, “Where do you want to sleep tonight? Tent or the truck?”
Zhuang Mingxu hesitated briefly, and Lu Weiyi answered for him: “The tent, with Ai Yi.” Mingxu usually slept in the truck for a quick escape if anything happened, but any normal person wouldn’t want to stay in a truck for long—it was like being in prison. Seeing the cold weather, Zhuang Mingxu preferred sitting outside, which meant he was uncomfortable but unwilling to bother others, forcing himself to adapt. Lu Weiyi didn’t want Mingxu to feel that way, especially since they could face danger anytime on the road. “I’ll keep watch tonight,” Lu Weiyi said, so others could sleep peacefully.
“Hey, Weiyi, is someone after you?” Wu Yue, who had been helping Gu Qingyue advertise for supplies, handed over a note.
Lu Weiyi had just arrived and hadn’t made enemies yet, so he shook his head. Zhuang Mingxu was quicker and took the note first. The small characters read: “Run fast, Liu Bei wants to target space users.”
“A kid just slipped this to me,” Wu Yue raised his eyebrows. “The only space users in our team are you and Mingxu, and Mingxu’s been here all along…”
Zhuang Mingxu also looked up at Lu Weiyi, who casually said, “Oh, that person said they had their eye on me.”
The note crumpled tightly in Mingxu’s hand. Lu Weiyi felt his breathing briefly tense but then normalize. Mingxu looked at Lu Weiyi with an unreadable expression. “What did he do?”
“He invited me over. I ignored it,” Lu Weiyi said plainly, as if it were irrelevant.
“I just inquired a bit. The Liu family branches in the wealthy squad are all space ability users. The outside world says it’s genetic, but I found out before the apocalypse Liu Dali was in the jewelry business, involved with some foreign jade mines. I think they all have jade pendant spaces,” Wu Yue explained. “They must have lots of jade stones. Should we try to trade some from them?” Seeing jade, they always wanted to trade for it—not just because they liked it, but everyone understood its value. They just didn’t say it outright.
Lu Weiyi’s eyes lit up. Jade stones were equivalent to space for him. “Yes. Also, find out who else has space.” Jade space could be seized, but not without a reason…
“Bro—” Lu Weiyi was thinking of how to find an excuse when Lu Xi’s voice came, tinged with anger.
“What’s up here?” Lu Weiyi waved. Wu Yue, sensing a private talk, said, “I’ll go ask around and see if I can get some.”
“Mm, and meat, oils, sauces, and seasonings too,” Lu Weiyi added. Locals like this one, similar to Li Ji back then, definitely had supplies.
“Okay,” Wu Yue responded and left.
Lu Xi ran up angrily, breathing heavily as if he’d run a few miles. “Bro, I saw my enemy.”
“Huh?” Lu Weiyi was confused there was an enemy here too. He glanced at Zhuang Mingxu; both looked to him for an explanation.
“It’s the classmates who sold me out back then,” Lu Xi was angry and aggrieved. “They’re under the wealthy squad. Liu Mo is Liu Dali’s youngest daughter. Now that everyone else awakened their powers, they’re in her squad. I just saw them enter the base. It’s them—they traded me for supplies from the Capital back then. I thought they’d gone back, but they came here instead.”
Lu Weiyi was just thinking about finding an excuse to cause trouble when it was handed to him. “What do you want to do?”
“I… I…” Lu Xi had imagined many times taking revenge after seeing them again. But he hadn’t suffered much and was saved by Lu Weiyi. Having not experienced much darkness, he still felt some mercy. He opened his mouth but lost some of his anger and confusedly asked, “Should I… kill them?” They were classmates who once got along before the apocalypse.
Lu Weiyi ruffled his hair. “Think it over. Tell Brother Wu Yue their names and let him investigate what they’re doing now. Since you saw them, maybe they saw you too. Maybe someone will come after you before you even act.”
“Mm,” Lu Xi nodded, dejected, and turned to leave.
As Lu Weiyi expected, when Lu Xi saw them, they also saw him. After all, such a well-off squad stationed at the base’s entrance would attract attention. That glance made them notice Lu Xi earlier.
Their first reaction was panic. Everyone knew a little about Lu Xi’s background and feared retaliation.
“What now? Lu Xi’s dad is a high-ranking officer. If they really hold a grudge, who here has that kind of power?” The suggestion to sell Lu Xi back then came from He Jun. Jealous of Lu Xi’s talent and annoyed that the girl he liked kept praising Lu Xi, he grew resentful.
At the very moment things happened, a surge of pent-up dark thoughts burst out from the heart, urging the others to push Lu Xi out.
“Calm down,” Jing Yang frowned and scolded, glancing at the driver and then giving a subtle signal to He Jun.
Only after entering the living quarters did Liu Mo come out to greet them. Jing Yang smiled and kissed her, then ordered the others to go downstairs to organize their things.
Although this team technically belonged to Liu Mo now, the real decision-maker was her boyfriend Jing Yang. The moment he learned about Liu Dali’s influence, he confessed his feelings to Liu Mo and confirmed their relationship.
Relying on Liu Mo’s wholehearted loyalty, Jing Yang managed to get a jade space from her. Coupled with his dedication to cultivating his abilities, he had become one of the eight B-level ability users in the wealthy squad.
After leaving Lu Xi behind, they had followed the direction of the Capital and encountered some incidents on the way. Some were abandoned and died; in the end, only four remained. Another girl, an ordinary person, had now joined He Jun.
The three went into a room and made sure no one was around. Jing Yang then told Liu Mo, “Mo Mo, we just saw Lu Xi.”
