Chapter 91: Explains
Liu Juan’s eyes darted around for a second before she leaned in close to Jiang Lin, a broad, ingratiating smile plastered across her face. “Miss Jiang, congratulations! Um… if we run out of water later down the road, can we still come to you to trade for some? We’ll make sure to exchange goods for it!” She was savvy enough to know that begging for handouts was unrealistic, but framing it as a fair “trade” sounded far more reasonable.
Jiang Lin gave her a sidelong glance, then looked past her to the parched, exhausted faces of the other survivors. Her heart softened, and she gave a small nod. “That’s fine. If you really need it.”
With that settled, she turned and walked over to Wang Li. Seeing the woman awkwardly cradling her child in one arm while hauling a bulky canvas bag with the other—her knuckles white from the strain—Jiang Lin proactively reached out. “Sister Wang, let me carry Niu Niu for you so we can head over together.”
Wang Li handed over her sleeping daughter with profound, careful gratitude. “Thank you so much, Miss Jiang. Sorry for the trouble.”
The two women made their way side by side toward the sleek black recreational vehicle parked in the distance.
Spotting them from afar, Li Yu immediately stepped out to greet them with a warm, beaming smile. “Sister Li, Linlin, you’re finally here! Perfect timing—Brother Chu and Brother Jiang are around back. I’ll take you over to introduce you!”
Wang Li and Jiang Lin traded a brief, nervous look, their eyes betraying a flicker of anxiety. Giving stiff, hesitant nods, they followed close behind Li Yu toward the rear of the RV.
Around the other side, by the vehicle’s drainage panel.
After finishing their lunch, Chu Yang and Jiang Jue had driven the RV to a secluded, empty stretch of wasteland before unscrewing the release valves for the black and gray water tanks.
Murky wastewater, thick with accumulated grime, gushed out onto the sunbaked earth, quickly soaking into the dry soil and leaving behind a dark, damp stain.
Once the tanks were thoroughly drained, Jiang Jue leaned down to tighten the heavy drainage cap, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against a smear of sticky sludge.
Chu Yang didn’t say a word. Turning around, he smoothly retrieved half a bucket of clean water from his spatial storage, grabbed a plastic ladle, scooped up a generous amount, and held it out to Jiang Jue with a bright, crisp grin: “Brother Jiang, wash your hands.”
Jiang Jue lowered his dark eyes, glanced at the clear water in the ladle, and ducked his head, methodically scrubbing the grime from his fingers.
Watching the clean water rinse away the dirt, Chu Yang couldn’t resist the urge any longer.
The scorching sun overhead made his scalp prickle with intense heat. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead and nose like a broken string of pearls, even soaking into his lashes and clinging stickily to his eyelids. It was profoundly uncomfortable.
Licking his dry, chapped lips, he flashed an easy smile. “Brother Jiang, pour some for me too. I want to rinse the dust off my hands and splash my face to cool down.” As he spoke, he dipped another ladleful of water and pressed the handle firmly into Jiang Jue’s grip.
Taking the scoop, Jiang Jue tilted his wrist with steady precision, letting a cool, steady stream of water cascade over the backs of Chu Yang’s hands.
Chu Yang let out a contented sigh, scrubbing the dust from his palms before cupping a handful of water and splashing it vigorously over his face.
The crisp chill instantly banished the sweltering heat from his skin, washing away more than half of the irritable restlessness in his chest.
Right then, Li Yu’s voice carried over from around the corner: “Brother Jiang! Brother Chu! Sister Li and Linlin are here!”
Hearing the call, Chu Yang looked up, glistening water droplets still clinging to his cheeks and jawline.
Li Yu rounded the vehicle, leading Wang Li alongside Jiang Lin, who was holding little Niu Niu in her arms.
Noticing how nervously Wang Li was twisting the hem of her shirt, Chu Yang quickly shook the excess water from his hands. Deliberately softening his tone, he offered an open, welcoming smile: “You must be Sister Wang, right? Li Yu told us all about your incredible culinary skills—she said the aroma alone could make a person drool! From here on out, our squad’s meals are in your capable hands. Just focus on cooking with peace of mind. Neither you nor Niu Niu will ever go short on food or water. Our team will never mistreat our own people.”
Overwhelmed by his enthusiastic warmth, Wang Li waved her hands in flustered modesty, nodding repeatedly as her voice trembled with emotion: “Thank you… thank you so much, Brother Chu… and thank you, Captain Jiang! I promise I’ll put in every ounce of effort to make sure everyone eats well at every single meal!”
As she finished speaking, little Niu Niu stirred, awakened by the chatter. The toddler opened her groggy eyes, her dark, grape-like pupils blinking around the circle. Catching Chu Yang’s warm, smiling face, she copied her mother in a soft, milky voice: “Thank you, Brother Chu…”
Chu Yang’s heart melted on the spot. He couldn’t resist reaching out to give Niu Niu’s chubby cheek an affectionate pinch, chuckling, “You’re very welcome, little one!”
Pulling his hand back, his gaze naturally shifted toward Jiang Lin. He had opened his mouth to greet her with the same friendly smile, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught Jiang Jue standing beside him—face completely impassive, the atmospheric pressure around him dropping to a terrifying freeze. Chu Yang swallowed the warm words on the tip of his tongue, settling for a brief, polite nod in her direction instead.
Jiang Jue’s calm gaze swept indifferently past Jiang Lin before locking onto Wang Li. His chiseled face remained an unreadable mask as his thin lips parted. When he spoke, his deep voice carried an unmistakable, commanding authority:
“Since you have joined the squad, you are considered one of our own. The rules of our team are simple: first, never betray your teammates; second, never hoard or misappropriate vital team resources for yourself; third, follow orders during all operations without question.”
He paused, his cold eyes sweeping over Lin Xiao, Wang Qiang, and the others who had gathered around, the chill in his tone deepening: “If you ever feel our goals no longer align, or if you decide you want to leave, tell me upfront and I won’t stop you. But if anyone ever dares to stab us in the back…”
The unspoken threat hung heavy in the air.
A sharp shiver ran down the spines of Wang Li and Jiang Lin. Their hearts hammered against their ribs, and they instinctively held their breath.
“These rules apply to every single person here,” Jiang Jue added, his voice as cold as ice.
Lin Xiao immediately puffed out his chest, declaring proudly, “Don’t worry, Boss! Our loyalty is ironclad!”
Wang Qiang and Su Mubai gave firm, solemn nods of agreement. Though young, Little Yu clenched his small fists and nodded vigorously alongside them, terrified that the others might doubt his resolve.
Seeing the atmosphere freeze over, Chu Yang hastily stepped in to smooth things out, clapping his hands with an easy laugh. “Alright, alright, now that the rules are laid out, everyone knows where the boundaries are, and that’s what matters.”
He glanced up at the sun gradually dipping toward the western horizon, then scanned the open wilderness with a faint furrow in his brow. “This clearing is far too wide open—there’s practically zero cover. Setting up camp out in the open leaves us completely exposed to mutant beasts and zombie packs once night falls. Let’s pack up our gear and hit the road. If we can secure a solid, fortified shelter before dark, everyone can get a proper night’s sleep.”
Turning to Wang Qiang, he instructed, “Qiang, head over to the other survivors and tell them to pack up their belongings so we can roll out.”
“On it!” Wang Qiang replied, turning on his heel to head toward the refugee vehicles.
Before long, a flurry of hurried rustling broke out among the survivors. People scrambled to gather their remaining bags and piled into their vehicles, the worn-out engines revving to life with a sputtering, rhythmic roar.
