Chapter 173 – Cooperation
Was Mai Dong really bringing people to seek refuge at their base?
As it turned out, Mai Dong really was bringing people to their base for refuge.
But that wasn’t the main point.
The main point was that among the group, there were people from the Fireseed Base!
To most people, the Fireseed Base was like a legend.
That base was one of the largest in China, reportedly with a population of over 300,000 people.
Not only did the Fireseed Base have a lot of people, but it also retained the main military power of the country.
After their base had made contact with the Fireseed Base, they had received a lot of support from them.
Honestly, if it weren’t for the distance, Xia Lu Nong would have loved to visit the Firessed Base himself, to see what this advanced base with the latest technology was really like.
Xia Lu Nong hadn’t expected that before he and Kong Zhi could make the trip, people from the Fireseed Base would come to them instead.
There were three people from the Fireseed Base: two men and one woman. They all had a sharp, disciplined air about them, likely military personnel.
One of the men greeted them first. “Hello, you must be Xia Lu Nong and Kong Zhi?”
As he spoke, a smile appeared on his face, and a deep dimple formed on one cheek, softening his otherwise stern features.
Next to him, Xia Huo Qu nodded and introduced them, “Yes, this is my younger brother, Xia Lu Nong, and his partner, Kong Zhi. Xia Lu Nong, Kong Zhi, this is Major Leng Changkong, and these are Captains Ming An and Zhao Mingfeng.”
Xia Lu Nong hadn’t expected that these two also had military ranks.
This fact revealed a lot, such as the structure of the Fireseed Base.
After quickly processing this information, Xia Lu Nong smiled a little shyly and extended his hand for a handshake, saying, “Hello.”
Kong Zhi, with one arm around Xia Lu Nong’s shoulder, extended his other hand to shake theirs as well, apologizing, “We were just cooking, so we smell a bit like grease and smoke.”
“No worries,” Leng Changkong laughed heartily. “We already smelled it earlier. Did you fry some meat? It smells delicious.”
Yan Xi Nian, seizing the moment, smiled and invited them, “Since we’ve run into each other, why don’t you all join us for a meal at my place? Come on, let’s go.”
Leng Changkong quickly waved his hand, “No need. We brought our own rations. It’s tough for everyone, and we shouldn’t eat your food.”
Xia Lu Nong felt a bit more warmth toward him after hearing that and smiled, warmly inviting them, “Guests are guests; there’s no need to be so formal. Please join us for a meal. Especially you, Brother Mai—didn’t we agree long ago that I would treat you to a meal? Finally, I have the chance.”
Mai Dong chuckled, “I didn’t expect you to still remember that.”
Yan Xi Nian had originally planned to head to the cafeteria to grab some food for everyone, but hearing Xia Lu Nong’s offer, he said, “Xia Lu Nong is quite the chef. Now that he’s spoken, there’s no need for anyone to be shy. Come inside—it’s cold out here, and we can talk more inside.”
Xia Lu Nong’s home rarely hosted guests.
Even Ba Niu and the others, who helped around, had only visited a few times.
As they entered the house, everyone noticed how neatly it was kept, with a vase of roses arranged on the table, which made their eyes light up.
Leng Changkong discreetly observed the home’s interior, and the smile in his eyes deepened.
In times like these, having the luxury to arrange flowers in a vase showed that their living conditions were quite good. It also indicated that the family likely had a pleasant personality—at least, they appreciated life.
Xia Lu Nong and his brother shared a strong mutual understanding. Just from his brother’s expression, Xia Lu Nong could tell that he had a positive impression of these guests, and the conversation was likely going well.
With this in mind, Xia Lu Nong went upstairs and brought down a bottle of snake wine, saying, “We caught this snake ourselves this past fall and used it to make snake wine. It hasn’t had much time to age, but the flavor is already there. Try some today and see if you like it.”
Mai Dong laughed upon hearing this, “I’ve heard about this. It’s considered one of the best treats in the neighboring bases. I didn’t expect we’d be lucky enough to try it today.”
Xia Lu Nong set out the bowls, saying modestly, “You’ve had your fair share of fine things. This snake wine is nothing special—it’s just something fun from the wild.”
Before the great disaster, Xia Lu Nong had still been in school and wasn’t used to socializing, nor was he particularly skilled at it. However, he found today’s guests to be likable, and they were easy to get along with. As a result, the meal ended with everyone in high spirits, and Xia Lu Nong learned a lot of new things during the meal.
It was only now that he discovered that the disasters had significantly changed country’s geography.
They were currently located in the southeastern part of the country. Due to the disasters, tectonic plates had fractured, and seawater had flooded in, turning their area into a peninsula.
The peninsula was relatively isolated, and those who could leave had already done so.
As a result, their base was one of the last in China to establish contact with others.
The Fireseed Base had survived since the start of the great disaster and had developed well. Now, it had the capacity to begin reaching out to other bases.
The Fireseed Base used gentle methods in its outreach. When they made contact with other bases, they didn’t make any special demands and mostly offered guidance, assessing the conditions of those bases.
Yan Xi Nian and Xia Huo Qu weren’t interested in becoming rulers, so their interaction with the Fireseed Base had been smooth.
As for the rest of the base, when they heard that people from the Fireseed Base had arrived, most were excited.
In China, many people still harbored a deep sense of national pride and were eager to know how their fellow countrymen were faring.
Xia Lu Nong appeared somewhat shy and innocent on the surface and didn’t often express his opinions, but in reality, he had his own ideas and wasn’t as easy going as people might assume.
He found himself liking how Leng Changkong and the others conducted themselves.
That evening, the family held a small meeting.
Xia Lu Nong asked, “Brother, aside from conducting research, did the Fireseed Base discover anything else? They won’t pose a threat to us, right?”
“What kind of threat could there be? They’re so far away, and we don’t have much here to offer anyway,” Xia Huo Qu reassured him. “They’re mostly here to investigate. We had previously sent them a radio message about the mutation issues, including mutated plants, which they’re particularly interested in. They came specifically to gather more data.”
Xia Lu Nong lightly tapped the table with his fingers, saying, “As long as there’s no conflict, it’s fine. I’m just worried that there could be some deeper conflict, and if that’s the case, we might have no choice but to flee.”
Yan Xi Nian laughed, “Don’t overthink it. Our base is fair and just, and we’re small. Look at Black Gold Base and Yacheng—they’re both major powers now, and the Fireseed Base hasn’t done anything to them.”
Xia Lu Nong looked at Yan Xi Nian seriously, saying, “We might be a small base now, but once the plains below the mountain are fully developed, we won’t be small anymore. Didn’t Mai Dong and the others come here seeking refuge? In the future, as more people arrive, our base might not be any less significant than the Black Gold Base, right?”
“That’s true,” Yan Xi Nian agreed. “With your help, we’ll definitely surpass Yacheng in three to five years.”
Xia Lu Nong humbly replied, “It’s mainly because you and my brother have good foresight and laid a solid foundation. That’s why we’re able to develop so well now.”
Kong Zhi interrupted their mutual compliments, asking, “Why did Mai Dong and his group come together? Are they going back?”
Yan Xi Nian’s expression grew more serious. “Mai Dong acted as a guide, bringing his comrades here under the escort of the Fireseed Base. They’ve essentially defected from the Black Gold Base and won’t be returning.”
Kong Zhi asked, “We didn’t get a chance to ask this afternoon, but how many people did they bring? Can our base accommodate them?”
Yan Xi Nian nodded, “They brought 354 people in total, and they’ve all been settled on the plains below the mountain. Over the next few days, we’ll have them bring in bricks from elsewhere and build houses down there, so living there will be easier in the future.”
They had been settled here for almost two years, clearing the area of most dangers. Without the threat of mutated plants and animals, it was relatively easy for regular people to scavenge bricks and materials from the ruins.
Mai Dong and his group could all transform into half-beasts, and their strength was undeniable. With them around, safety was pretty much guaranteed.
Curious, Xia Lu Nong asked, “Why did they suddenly decide to come here? Could they no longer stay on the outskirts of the Black Gold Base?”
Xia Huo Qu replied calmly, “Mai Dong and the others have never liked the way things are run at the Black Gold Base. When they heard that we’ve made significant progress in developing the plains below the mountain, they wanted to come over. They happened to meet people from the Fireseed Base, and with their help as intermediaries, they took the opportunity to come here.”
Seeing their curiosity, Yan Xi Nian briefly explained the current situation.
Mai Dong and his group had joined their base, accepting both the protection and the responsibilities that came with it.
Xia Lu Nong had no objections. After all, no matter how powerful their abilities were or how much material wealth they had, without more people, none of it mattered.
He sincerely felt happy for Mai Dong and his group. “Now that Mai Dong and the others have joined our base, no one will force them to do anything, and they don’t have to be on edge anymore.”
For a beastman, staying in a half-beast form was, of course, partly voluntary. But if it weren’t for environmental pressures, who would willingly abandon comfort and stay in such an awkward state?
Xia Lu Nong wouldn’t be willing to do that himself, and he figured others probably wouldn’t either.
Another thought came to Xia Lu Nong. Looking at his brother, he asked, “It’s fine for most things, but our base has a lot of secrets. Should we consider selectively hiding some of them?”
Xia Huo Qu shook his head. “What secrets do we have to hide? We’ve already revealed most of our cards, except for the meteorite. The meteorite concerns all of humanity. Personally, I suggest we don’t hide it.”
“While I don’t have any objections, I just—” Xia Lu Nong paused, glancing at his brother and then at Yan Xi Nian. “Brother, why do I feel like you have an unusually high opinion of the Fireseed Base?”
