Chapter 476: Farewell
“They’re fighting over nobodies?”
“Well, the real goal is the Blaze Team’s resources.” Zhuang Mingxu held a thin sheet of paper and asked Lu Xiao, “What have the Blaze Team members in Capital been doing lately?”
“They went out zombie hunting.” The Capital faction kept a close eye on all outsiders. “Wen Jing said he had to personally send his master off before returning. Since they were given free rein, someone suggested they take the opportunity to hunt zombies and earn some crystal cores.”
Zhuang narrowed his eyes into slits. “Looks like the Blaze Team is really done for. Wen Jing’s never shown mercy when it comes to cutting off loose ends.”
“You mean—”
“Report!”
Lu Xiao’s question was cut off by a voice calling from outside.
“Come in.”
A guard entered, saluted Lu Xiao, then gave Zhuang Mingxu a glance.
“News from where?”
“The Blaze Team,” the guard replied.
“Oh? Speak.”
Lu Xiao looked over at Zhuang Mingxu, who already had an all-knowing look on his face.
“Report, Major General. The Blaze Team was ambushed by zombies. Both the captain and vice-captain are confirmed dead. The rest suffered heavy casualties.”
“All dead?” Lu Xiao was surprised. Zombies around Capital had been heavily thinned out by the base’s people. Though their numbers were still considerable, high-level ones were rare. Ling Zhaoyang and Ling Shengge’s abilities weren’t weak—they should’ve at least survived.
“Survivors confirmed both are dead.”
“Got it. You may go.”
Once the guard left, Lu Xiao looked at Zhuang. “You think this was Wen Jing’s doing?”
“Without a doubt,” Zhuang replied. “They didn’t even try to hide it. I’d bet by noon, we’ll hear that the Wen family’s daughter has taken over the remaining forces under the title of ‘widow.’”
The reason Zhuang Mingxu and Wen Jing were able to be called friends was largely because they were the same kind of person. If their roles were reversed, Zhuang would’ve made the same move.
“He even announced earlier that Wen’s daughter was pregnant—generously claiming that as long as Ling treated her well from now on and had more kids, all past transgressions would be forgiven.”
Lu Xiao recalled Wen Jing’s first day arriving, when he’d publicly beaten Ling Zhaoyang while calling himself the brother-in-law. Many had commented at the time that Ling was lucky to marry into such a powerful family and to be able to give the Wen family a future heir in these apocalyptic times.
“We still don’t know whether the problem lies with the man or the woman. Best approach,” Zhuang paused to sip his tea, “is to try as many times as possible.”
Lu Xiao caught the implication and suddenly turned to him. “You mean the Ling siblings aren’t dead?”
“Ling Shengge will definitely be killed. She humiliated the Wen family too deeply—there’s no way they’d let her live, not with how vengeful they are.”
Zhuang leaned back comfortably on the couch. “As for Ling Zhaoyang—if it were me, I’d fake his death. Better to have him quietly doing what he’s meant to do.”
Like… serving Miss Wen properly.
And, perhaps, making more children.
Lu Xiao’s gaze settled on Zhuang with calm intensity, which made Zhuang uneasy. He quickly poured Lu Xiao another cup of tea. “Uncle, if there’s something you want to say, please just say it. You’re looking at me like that—it’s unnerving.”
“Afraid you’ve done something guilty?” Lu Xiao accepted the tea, but jabbed with his words.
Zhuang gave a wry smile. “Uncle, our base has a ton of ability users who look up to Xiao Yi like he’s some kind of idol. They cheer just seeing him. Do you really think I’d dare mess around?”
“Who knows,” Lu Xiao muttered, sipping the tea. It was made from a mutated tea plant they’d brought on this trip. It had a warming, revitalizing effect—clearly high-grade.
His nephew, true to form, hadn’t said a word about it, just made sure he had the best of everything. It reminded Lu Xiao of the time before the apocalypse, when he’d visit on leave. Zhuang Mingxu would always prepare gifts for him then too.
The memory softened him a bit, and he asked directly, “I heard you plan to bring back that woman you sent away earlier?”
She was a woman who’d already had a child—much like Ling Zhaoyang, minus the gender.
Zhuang’s heart sank. He wasn’t sure if something he’d said earlier had triggered Lu Xiao’s righteous instincts as a soldier. But lying to Lu Xiao was like planting a landmine—one that would definitely go off if uncovered. Worse, it would damage his reputation.
He carefully replied, “Yes, her man and kid are in the base. She’s Li Zhuang’s brother’s partner, so I asked around…”
Seeing Lu Xiao’s skeptical expression, Zhuang guessed he already knew about Dong Hongyuan refusing to stay with He Mei. Bringing her back now… didn’t look great.
During his moment of silence, Lu Xiao placed his teacup on the table with a crisp “tap” and said coldly, “I don’t care what you’re bringing her back for, but…”
“You’d better not do anything that would betray Xiao Yi.”
Zhuang Mingxu froze for a moment, then let out a relieved laugh. “Uncle, what are you thinking? I’ve never placed much importance on having children.”
Coming from a family like the Zhuangs, he never had high hopes for offspring. Even Zhuang Aiyi had been born as part of a calculated move to tie down Lu Weiyi, whose situation was improving back then. Otherwise, before the apocalypse, he would’ve commissioned countless surrogate children already.
“It better be that way.”
Realizing Lu Xiao was worried about that, Zhuang Mingxu relaxed even more. “The reason I brought her back is to conduct some research. I want to see if she might help with the fertility problem.”
Zhuang Mingxu had built a solid reputation with Lu Xiao over decades. After the reminder, Lu Xiao didn’t press further and instead asked, “Has the research institute made any recent progress with zombie energy?”
Zhuang shook his head. “At first, they assumed it was a virus and focused on medical treatment. Later, they realized it was more like an intangible energy. That prompted them to bring in more physicists and chemists—but the shift in focus wasted quite a bit of time.”
“I checked before I left. They reported that zombification occurs because the energy rapidly alters the human body, similar to radiation exposure before the apocalypse—but faster and more direct. To resist it, there are two key approaches:”
“One, expel the energy from the body as soon as it enters.
Two, repair the organs and tissues infected by the zombie energy.”
“That brings the focus back to medical science. Since experts from different disciplines struggle to fully collaborate, they’re still figuring things out through trial and error. As for when there’ll be results…”
Zhuang sighed. He didn’t have a definite answer either.
Although the research institute studying zombie energy was located in the Half Moon Bay Base, it was staffed by the top scientific talent from all other bases. It was the best they had.
Even with full support in terms of equipment and materials, progress remained slow.
“Is it because they’re from different bases and not working together?”
“There are some troublemakers—I dealt with them. But most of the top experts are purely focused on their research and don’t engage in politics.” Zhuang recalled how the researchers, despite having no abilities, would stubbornly argue with collection teams over materials, pushing ability users to the brink. Their earnestness and naïveté almost made them endearing.
Lu Xiao thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Have you considered involving Zhuang Mobai?”
Even if his character was questionable, no one could deny that he was a genius.
“I’ve been considering it,” Zhuang admitted. “But… that man is hard to control.”
He had managed to maintain a spotless image for over ten years under Zhuang’s nose. Letting him out again might cause irreversible damage to the base.
Lu Xiao understood his concern and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. “Xiao Yi still lacks some leadership and management skills. Thanks for holding the fort.”
“We’re all family. No need to divide things so clearly. Xiao Yi… he’s had it rough too.”
Back in the early days of the apocalypse, Zhuang hadn’t realized how thoroughly Lu Weiyi had changed. But now, after years of watching him, he understood—Xiao Yi was a young master who had only ever wanted to be left alone.
But now, with no one left to shield him—and burdens all around—he had no choice but to harden himself and carry the weight for others.
Every time Zhuang Mingxu saw him return from a mission, sitting alone on the beach with the sea breeze in his face, looking at peace, he’d feel a pang of guilt.
When he had taken him away from Capital, he had promised him a life free of worry.
Now, he knew he had failed to deliver on that promise.
In the middle of this quiet moment, Zhuang noticed that Lu Xiao also looked a bit remorseful. Remembering that this trip was to help Lu Xiao, Zhuang quickly shifted the topic.
“Uncle, I’ll be leading the team back tomorrow. I’ll leave Aiyi and Taotao here. Once Xiao Yi and the others return, I’ll bring them back then.”
“Don’t worry, I rarely leave the base these days. I’ll personally look after the kids.” Lu Xiao patted his chest to reassure him. “You, on the other hand—why don’t you stay and go back with Xiao Yi?”
“The base still needs someone in charge. I can’t be away for too long. Xiao Yi has assigned someone to protect me during this trip, so there’s no need to worry. Besides, the underground passage only takes a few hours. The Pingjin Base team will be traveling with us, so even if there’s danger, we’ll manage.”
“Alright, I’ll see you off tomorrow.”
The next morning, after having breakfast with the kids, Lu Xiao used the excuse of “familiarizing” them with things and brought them with him to the office, while Zhuang Mingxu returned to the villa to prepare for the journey home.
Just as he expected, it wasn’t long before word arrived from Mengbei Base: Miss Wen had, as the widow and mother-to-be of the heir, taken over most of the Blaze Team’s resources.
Whatever was left wasn’t enough to form a new team or even live comfortably. And right at that moment, Miss Wen offered to let those people stay in the Blaze Team. It was like laying down a golden path.
Many chose to stay, and everyone knew exactly what was going on.
