Chapter 242: Encountering Xu Yi Again
“Come on, tell us more,” Ning Yuan said, clearly intrigued.
“It’s just the materials the country uses during various disasters—clothing, food, shelter, transportation, that kind of thing,” Lu Weiyi explained casually, then gave some examples. “Medical supplies, rescue equipment, on-site monitoring tools, oceanic meteorological and geographical devices, communication and command systems, various transport vehicles, fuels, generators, emergency supplies, and so on.”
As Lu Weiyi finished speaking, the only sound was Zhuang Ai Yi’s spoon clinking against his bowl as he ate. Everyone else was silent.
After a pause, Ning Yuan broke the silence. “Should we… head out tonight?”
“I… I agree,” Xu Sa raised his hand.
Immediately, everyone else followed suit, raising their hands and staring at Lu Weiyi like they wanted to drag him off to go right now.
“It’s not like heading out tonight will guarantee—”
“The sooner we see it, the sooner we can rest easy,” Ning Yuan interrupted, turning to Zhuang Mingxu. “Come on, give the word—your team needs you!”
Zhuang Mingxu chuckled and looked at Lu Weiyi. “Why not go early? Better to find out sooner than spend the whole night obsessing.”
With unanimous agreement, Lu Weiyi had nothing to say. The group, fueled with excitement, packed up swiftly and set off again toward the destination.
*
The next morning, before they even reached the supply point, they heard the sounds of fighting.
“Someone’s stealing our supplies!” Ning Yuan fumed, as if the supplies already belonged to them.
“Probably someone from the Capital. Regular folks wouldn’t know about this place,” Lu Weiyi said bluntly.
Ning Yuan crept closer with binoculars and sucked in a breath. Dozens of vehicles were locked in battle with a swarm of mutated vines. The vines twitched wildly; on one tendril hung a desiccated human corpse, shriveled as if all fluids had been drained.
Once the body was discarded, the vine lunged at its next victim.
Ning Yuan assessed the reach of the vines and returned quietly to the truck. “The entire supply point is covered by those vines. Zero chance of sneaking in.”
“How many people are on the other side? Can we take them out?” Lu Weiyi asked. He remembered they had succeeded in his previous life—otherwise, the supplies wouldn’t have been recovered—but he didn’t recall the details.
“There are over a thousand powered individuals that I can see. Not everyone’s engaged in fighting,” Ning Yuan said reluctantly. “And we can’t let anyone know we’re taking the supplies.”
With such a large stash, if people from the Capital caught wind of it, it would only spell endless trouble.
“I’ll go take a quiet look,” Lu Weiyi offered. Since the Capital’s people were blocked outside, it meant the supplies were still there—too tempting to resist.
Zhuang Mingxu grabbed his hand and shook his head. “This kind of confidential supply depot—there’s definitely surveillance.”
“Even earthquakes wouldn’t damage it?” Lu Weiyi asked, surprised.
“With major seismic activity, sure, the depot itself would be affected. But if it’s still intact, the monitoring systems are likely functional,” Zhuang Mingxu replied.
That complicated things.
Even if Lu Weiyi used his little green branch to silently retrieve the supplies, the system would still log the time, and a detailed investigation could expose everything.
“So, give it up?” The thought of their supply-starved island made it hard for Lu Weiyi to let go.
“Or we grab it and run? Wipe out all vehicle traces,” Ning Yuan suggested, nodding at a few military men. “They might not recognize us, and worst case, we double back and detour around the Capital.”
Zhuang Mingxu saw the unwillingness on everyone’s faces, clenched his fist, and made a decision. “Let’s do it.”
“Xiao Yi, circle around the back. Don’t alert the vines. Ning Yuan and Li Zhuang, monitor the situation and keep comms open. Once it’s in hand, we move immediately,” he instructed with a bold, all-in tone, unsure himself if it was the right call.
But giving up such a massive cache? It would ruin morale.
Lu Weiyi gathered his essentials and quietly slipped away from the truck, heading toward the supply point.
*
“He’s made a wide circle around to the back,” Ning Yuan reported from the grass with binoculars.
“He’s getting closer.”
“The vines haven’t noticed him.”
Everyone in the truck held their breath, waiting for updates. Even Lu Xi, who rarely left his second-floor lab, was watching and listening in with bated breath.
“He’s… started collecting,” Ning Yuan’s voice cracked with excitement, earning a chuckle from Li Zhuang.
“Sorry, sorry. Just a little hyped.”
“He’s not being attacked. Maybe those things don’t care about him.”
“Still collecting…”
“Circling around…”
“Now he’s moving to the other side…”
“First loop done.”
Zhuang Mingxu glanced at the time—49 minutes. He wiped sweat from his brow and turned to instruct, “Later, we need to erase all tire tracks—”
“What the hell, is he insane?” Ning Yuan suddenly shouted, cutting him off.
“What happened?” Zhuang Mingxu asked.
“He rushed to the front—looks like… he’s saving someone?” Ning Yuan’s uncertain tone made Lu Xi dart upstairs and spread his mental power outward.
He gasped, “It’s my dad—my dad’s hurt!”
“Team up—Qi Lin, carry me around the depot. Lin Tian, drive. Huang Rui, assist. Everyone else, move out. Coordinates—”
“Li Zhuang’s already gone. Lu Weiyi pulled him away from the vines. Dean might need you,” Ning Yuan’s voice crackled through.
“I’m going to the depot. If anyone asks, just say I took the supplies. The spatial storage is with me,” Zhuang Mingxu declared.
That said it all.
With the Zhuang family backing him in the Capital, there was a chance they could cover for him. Otherwise, Lu Weiyi would become the target of everyone.
“Execute my orders. We move now.” In that moment, Zhuang Mingxu became once again the steadfast backbone who never wavered.
“Daddy?” Zhuang Ai Yi called out in confusion.
“Be good, follow Uncle Lin. Daddy will be right back.” Zhuang Mingxu patted his head and climbed onto Qi Lin’s back. Now that Lu Weiyi had exited the attack zone, they could loop around the supply point. “Everyone else, follow me. We’ll take the same route Lu Weiyi used. Ning Yuan, lead the way.”
“Copy that,” Ning Yuan responded.
Lu Xi was already waiting outside, the young boy’s face full of anxiety. “Brother Mingxu, my dad…”
“Don’t worry, let’s move quickly,” Zhuang Mingxu said. “Can you hide our presence?”
“…Yes!” For the first time, Lu Xi felt ashamed of how weak his mental powers were, but he responded with all his might.
“Good. Let’s speed up. If you can’t keep up, ask for help,” Zhuang Mingxu instructed. Lu Xi’s psychic shield instantly enveloped everyone. Led by Ning Yuan, the group dashed along Lu Weiyi’s previous path.
*
According to the plan, Lu Weiyi should’ve left immediately after retrieving the supplies. But then he heard a voice from the command center that stopped him.
It was Lu Xiao’s voice.
Even though he knew that in his past life, Lu Xiao had survived this incident, seeing him now being hoisted into the air by a mutant vine that pierced through his abdomen was too much.
Family — even when you know the outcome, you still can’t help but worry about the process.
What if?
Zhuang Mingxu had already experienced a deviation. Lin Yimu, despite having no powers, was still alive. It wouldn’t be surprising if Lu Xiao didn’t make it.
Lu Weiyi silently unleashed a mental blade that severed the vine entangling Lu Xiao. He dashed forward, catching the falling man in his arms and sprinting toward the edge of the danger zone.
“Captain…?” Several soldiers battling the mutant vines turned and chased after Lu Weiyi.
“Stop right there!” a male voice roared — but it didn’t slow anyone down.
“Uncle? Uncle!” Lu Weiyi laid Lu Xiao near the capital convoy headquarters and shouted toward the crowd, “Where’s the healer?!”
The wound through his chest bled profusely. Lu Xiao’s eyes were wide open, his life ebbing away. He reached up and touched Lu Weiyi’s face, leaving a bloody handprint. “Weiyi…?”
“Uncle, it’s me. Hang in there. I’ll get a healer to treat you,” Lu Weiyi said as Lu Xiao’s teammates ran over.
“Captain!”
“Captain, are you okay?”
“Where’s the healer? Can’t you see someone’s dying?!”
A fierce man roared and stormed toward a truck.
“This is my nephew. Take—” Lu Xiao forced a smile and said to his teammates, “Take care of him.”
“Don’t worry, Captain. We’ll look after him like he’s our own nephew,” a young man said tearfully.
Lu Weiyi’s walkie-talkie was on. His mention of a healer wasn’t just for the surrounding people — it was also directed at Dean. He trusted Dean would arrive soon.
“Just hold on, Uncle. Help is almost here.” As Lu Weiyi spoke, he looked up — the man who had gone to fetch a healer had just stepped down from a truck. The man lazily stretched and looked up, annoyed.
But the moment he saw Lu Weiyi, he flinched, then instantly erupted with manic excitement: “Lu Weiyi—!”
Before he could finish, Lu Weiyi raised his hand, and a green vine instantly bound him and dragged him over.
Xu Yi’s eyes filled with terror as he was pulled to Lu Weiyi’s side.
Lu Weiyi grabbed his hand. “Heal him.”
“Hahaha… Lu Weiyi, you’ve finally fallen into my hands. I just—ARGH!” Xu Yi’s crazed laughter turned into a scream as Lu Weiyi coldly drew a sharp knife and sliced off his arm.
Everyone around was frozen in shock at the sight.
Some of Xu Yi’s teammates tried to approach but were stopped by a figure — Li Zhuang blocked them, casually flipping a gleaming triangular dagger in his hand, watching them with an amused yet dangerous smile.
Even the semi-conscious Lu Xiao’s eyes widened.
He suspected he was hallucinating before death.
Was this really his quiet, mild-mannered nephew?
Lu Weiyi grabbed Xu Yi by the hair, forcing his head back, staring at him coldly. “Xu Yi, you never learn, do you?”
With no emotion on his face, he moved the knife toward Xu Yi’s leg. “Do you know how people with shattered legs walk?” He abruptly stabbed the knife into his thigh.
