Chapter 408: The Stepdad Arrives
Seeing the expression on Tang Bai’s face, Xu Wen knew exactly what he was thinking.
“The baby next door is a month old. This base gives out milk powder subsidies. Ask the delivery person if my kid took a share too?”
“I feel like your little one’s been squeezing milk powder out of that poor mom every month.” Xu Wen laughed behind her hand, and Liu Wan was grinning uncontrollably too.
“I was worrying all this time that you were living poorly, but you…” Tang Bai shot Xu Wen a look.
“Well, it might not sound great, but we really are doing fine. During the winter, both of us received subsidies from the base. We each got a set of thick winter clothes, and food has never been short. Now that spring farming has started, some of us have been assigned to the planting zones, and others joined the fishing teams. I’ve been assigned to the trade team with Pingjin Base, and the daily supplies are more than enough for us to live comfortably.”
“We were planning the first seafood trade with Pingjin Base in two weeks. I was even going to ask the base if Liu Wan could return with me at that time—but I didn’t expect you to come first,” Xu Wen said as he poured Tang Bai a cup of water and gestured for him to sit.
Tang Bai glanced around at the room and cast a look next door.
“The guy next door seems like a mercenary or something—crazy alert. You do realize where you are, right? This whole area is Half Moon Bay’s next-generation nursery. They care a lot about children here. There’s even an A-level ability user on security. If they didn’t want to let you in, your odds of sneaking in unnoticed… are pretty much zero,” Xu Wen didn’t say it outright, but the implication was clear.
“Alright, fine. Speaking of the base, there’ve been all kinds of rumors going around about how they’re upgrading people here. Got any inside info?”
“Nope. They’re being very tight-lipped. Only the early ability user squads know anything, and those are the teams that were here from the start, who’ve been through life-and-death together. The bonds are extremely tight. I’ll try to ask around for you.”
“Okay.” Tang Bai held his long-lost daughter, Tang Tingting, and told them about the current situation at Pingjin Base.
“Anyway, things are starting to blend. Regular people and ability users are gradually integrating. I’ve got my own team now. Why don’t you all come back with me this time?”
“I’m not going back,” Xu Wen said flatly.
Both Tang Bai and Liu Wan were surprised.
“I stayed before because no one else was there to look after Liu Wan and Tingting. But now, the base accepts ordinary people. You can openly keep them by your side—you don’t need me anymore. Besides, the base has already given me a job here, and I quite like it,” Xu Wen said.
Liu Wan was so anxious she began signing rapidly.
Xu Wen gently raised his hand to stop her.
“Also, they’ve only assigned me to handle trade between the two bases. I can still come see you guys anytime—it’s not like we’re saying goodbye forever.”
“You could do the same kind of work back there,” Tang Bai tried to persuade him.
“I know. But staying here also leaves the two of you a fallback. Last time when zombies besieged the base, an S-level zombie showed up. Things are only going to get harder in the future. Even with all the firepower Half Moon Bay had, they still paid a huge price. Just relying on Pingjin Base… it’s not enough.”
“By staying here, I can act as a bridge to keep relations good between you and this place. If—and I mean if—things go wrong back there, you’ll have somewhere to turn to.”
That level of foresight left Tang Bai unable to argue. He thought for a while and nodded.
“Alright. I’ll leave you a portion of crystal cores so things are a bit easier for you here. Now that we’ve restored the radio network, you can always write to me if anything happens.”
They quickly reached an agreement. Xu Wen gave the family space to reunite and went to stay with a friend.
The next day, Tang Bai gave the base 5,000 crystal cores, claiming it was to thank them for their care. Lu Weiyi cheerfully removed the bomb attached to his heart and agreed to start trade talks. Xu Wen was directly appointed as the liaison.
Tang Bai was shocked—he couldn’t tell if they were so strong that they didn’t fear betrayal, or if they were just that confident.
But Zhuang Mingxu saw right through his thoughts and laughed,
“It’s just one trade partnership. Captain Tang, you didn’t think Pingjin Base was our only trade partner, did you?”
That’s why they didn’t mind the tricks between him and Xu Wen. Plus, ever since word spread that Half Moon Bay had found a way for ability users to safely upgrade, the rumors had reached mythic proportions. Every base was dying to find out their secret.
Unable to get a share of the pie, building connections wasn’t a bad alternative—but unfortunately, the weapons at Half Moon Bay Base were no decoration. Pingjin Base had proven with hard facts that coercion would lead to no good outcome, so no one dared take risks anymore.
Now, the number of teams trying to build ties with Half Moon Bay was countless. No one would sweat over the gains or losses from a single squad.
“Heh… alright, I was overthinking it,” Tang Bai laughed.
Though each had their own agenda, in the previous battle, the information Tang Bai had provided was genuine. With his clear intent to form an alliance, the talks between the two sides went unusually smoothly.
By the time Tang Bai left, not only had they finalized a trade deal on mutated seafood and salt, he also managed to score another batch of seeds.
Shortly after sending them off, Lu Weiyi began leading his squad members who had not yet upgraded out on missions. After two months of intense pushing, he forced several A-class evolutions out of the military squads—White Miao, who usually didn’t even leave base, was forcibly upgraded to S-class.
When June arrived, Zheng Yi came to Half Moon Bay Base with a group of ability users from Lu Xiao’s faction. With him was also a specially invited neurosurgeon—since Gu Qingji was still unconscious.
In today’s world, talent was priceless, but someone had to foot the bill. Though the base offered benefits to intellectuals, if they couldn’t create equal value, they eventually became a burden.
With the lack of medication, other than surgery, most medical departments became dispensable. The majority of people were struggling just to survive, and severe illness often meant waiting to die.
Civilization had fractured. People who were once highly esteemed could no longer support themselves with just their past skills. The moment Lu Xiao started recruiting, they immediately joined without a second thought.
Aside from those who came with their squads, there were also relatives who had been found, along with a long line of civilians trailing behind the convoy.
They were all here to seek refuge.
Shen Xiuyin’s research required two types of rare metals. Lu Weiyi had taken a team out of town to collect them. He thought by the time he got back, the visitors would have left. Unexpectedly, they ended up staying over twenty days.
“Is Capital about to fall?” Lu Weiyi asked Zheng Yi with a surprised expression the moment he got out of the vehicle, dusty from the road.
“Haha! Brother Lu, you really don’t wish us well, huh?” Zheng Yi laughed heartily and slapped Lu Weiyi’s shoulder in a brotherly way. “Director Zhuang tested me and said there might be risks with upgrading right now. Best to wait a month for the zombie energy in my body to metabolize a bit.”
“And you’re not worried about leaving the base unattended?”
“No worries. You probably haven’t heard—just a few days ago, out of nowhere, the radio signals started coming back. Now there’s a window of time each day when the broadcast station can be used, so I can still communicate with my team. Plus, with Captain Lu and Officer Zhao holding the fort, nothing will go wrong.”
“Well then, welcome to stay longer at our base. Enjoy a different kind of life here.”
“Hahaha! Brother Lu, you’ve really changed. When I met you six months ago, you didn’t even know how to make polite small talk. And now you’re laying it on thick.” Zheng Yi, who was several years older and had spent many years in the military, found Lu Weiyi’s attempts at diplomacy adorable—like a child just learning to walk.
“Laugh all you want. Just be careful when it’s your turn to upgrade—I might trip you up.”
“Wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare! This big brother apologizes!”
“Haha. No time today, but let me get settled first. Then we’ll have a drink. I brought back a few bottles of aged liquor this time—heard from Zhuang Mingxu you enjoy a good drink. Let’s taste them together.”
“It’s a deal.”
After saying goodbye, Lu Weiyi rushed to the central island with his team. The moment he arrived, he headed straight to Lin Yimu’s room.
“Brother Mu, I need—” He said as he knocked and pushed the door open.
There sat Lin Yimu at a desk writing something. Li Qing was draped over him like he had no bones, face practically buried in Lin Yimu’s chest. It was obvious what they’d been doing.
Ever since last year, when Li Qing made his feelings clear, he had occasionally stayed at the central villa. At first, he was careful not to upset Lu Weiyi. But after Lu’s accident, no one paid much attention.
Now seeing them naked and intimate, even though Lu Weiyi had mentally prepared himself for them being together, a surge of emotion still flared up.
“What the hell are you doing—!”
He stormed forward, grabbed Li Qing’s arm, and flung him aside, shielding Lin Yimu behind him.
“Young Master, you…” Lin Yimu was stunned by Lu Weiyi’s reddened eyes, unable to understand what was going on.
Li Qing, having just come back from outside and now rudely interrupted mid-intimacy, was already annoyed. He was about to say something harsh—until he saw Lu Weiyi on the verge of tears. He immediately shut up, touched his nose awkwardly, and turned to Lin Yimu for help, “Instructor…”
“What’s going on? What happened?” Zhuang Mingxu’s voice came from downstairs.
Lu Weiyi usually went to report to him right away whenever he returned. But this time, hearing he’d headed straight for the central island, Zhuang Mingxu worried something was wrong and rushed over. Just as he entered, he heard Lu’s voice quivering with emotion.
Which was extremely rare.
He went upstairs and saw Lu Weiyi standing protectively in front of Lin Yimu, glaring at Li Qing with teary eyes full of grievance.
“What happened?” Zhuang Mingxu asked, turning to Li Qing for answers.
“He’s trying to steal my dad!” Lu Weiyi pointed at Li Qing, his chest heaving with fury, and complained to Zhuang.
Lin Yimu was stunned, then his eyes turned red too. He wanted to laugh and cry at the same time but couldn’t get a single word out.
“I didn’t! I swear I didn’t! I’m not trying to steal your dad!” Li Qing waved his hands frantically. He didn’t want an extra dad.
Zhuang Mingxu instantly understood. When Lu Weiyi had needed family the most, Lin Yimu had been there for him—tirelessly, selflessly. Now, seeing them like this was no different than watching your single dad bring home a stepmom.
