Chapter 39: More Than Friends

Chapter 39: More Than Friends

Half a month later, the snow finally stopped completely, and the sun came out. The soft sunlight bathed the snow-covered landscape in a thin layer of golden light, illuminating the silent winter.

After the snow cleared, Zhou Yun and Guan Yuanfeng went to the rooftop to maintain and inspect various devices, such as the photovoltaic equipment, wind power generators, and rainwater collection and filtration systems.

Since the water supply had been cut off, their water usage on the 30th floor had been primarily maintained by the rainwater filtration system.

After the snowfall, the water tank had frozen over. Fortunately, thanks to Comet, Zhou Yun would bring the dragon-like creature every few days to melt the surface ice with its fire. Guan Yuanfeng would then use his psychic powers to add more water to the tank, ensuring they had a steady supply of clean water.

On the rooftop, there were also various fish they had caught before. Back in autumn, they had caught too many mutated fish, which were inconvenient to store, requiring a lot of salt and seasoning to cure. Now, with the sub-zero temperatures, it was actually more convenient. Any fish left outside would freeze solid, saving them the need for a fridge. They could simply carry the fish back and place them on the rooftop or hang them outside the window.

Looking out at the reservoir from the rooftop, Zhou Yun saw that after the long snowstorm, the trees on the surrounding mountains had shed their leaves, and the near-ground weeds were buried under thick snow. The surface of the frozen reservoir shimmered with a silvery light, like a tranquil painting.

Zhou Yun, who had been loving the cozy indoor life, suddenly perked up. "The ice on the reservoir should be solid by now. How about we go ice fishing? We could catch a bunch of fish to store."

Guan Yuanfeng could tell that Zhou Yun was getting a little impatient with the constant training, but since Zhou Yun was willing to go outdoors, he was more than happy to accompany him.

They picked a date, prepared all the ice fishing equipment, and set off for the reservoir.

The road to the reservoir was blocked, and the off-road vehicle had a hard time getting through. The windows were covered with thick ice, but fortunately, they had Comet. Along the way, the dragon breathed fire, barely clearing the path for the vehicle to pass.

The midday sun hung high, casting a soft glow over the frozen reservoir. A brisk wind chilled their faces, but the sunlight sparkled on the ice like diamonds.

Standing on the ice, Guan Yuanfeng, dressed in a sleek leather cold-proof suit, wore waterproof gloves and gripped an ice drill tightly. The electric drill spun rapidly, and within two minutes, he had drilled a two-foot-diameter hole in the ice.

Zhou Yun sighed as he watched, "This ice layer is so thick."

Guan Yuanfeng said, "Yes, the ice is very thick, and we need to drill deep. I've never seen such cold weather before."

Once the ice was drilled, they began setting up the ice fishing tent. Their breath fogged up in the cold air, freezing almost instantly.

Both of them worked quickly, setting up a hexagonal ice fishing tent on the ice.

The tent had been retrieved by Guan Yuanfeng from a fishing specialty store in a market. It was an ice fishing tent known for its outstanding windproof performance and excellent insulation. The internal space was spacious, a favorite among winter fishing enthusiasts.

The interior of the tent was fully equipped, including a chimney outlet, allowing the use of a wood stove inside. The space was large, equipped with a portable gas heater and a moisture-proof warming pad. They also brought a gas canister and a camping stove, which could be used for both heating and warming water and food.

Normally, for ice fishing, people would just make a small hole and build the tent directly over it. But since their target was mutated fish, the hole needed to be much larger. Mutated fish were particularly fierce, and reeling them in would require a struggle, so they set up the tent next to the hole instead.

Fortunately, both of them, along with Comet, were psychic and didn't mind the cold.

Zhou Yun started by sprinkling chopped chives into the ice hole, a versatile bait he'd learned about from a fishing book. The chives were mixed with peanut bran and soybean powder. Since chive leaves were light, they would float on the water's surface for a long time before sinking, making it an excellent fish attractant.

Since they were targeting mutated fish, Zhou Yun had also crushed a mutated cactus and mixed it into the bait.

As the bait was sprinkled into the ice hole, the murky water below began to stir. At first, only a few quick fish darted around cautiously, but soon, more and more fish gathered from all directions.

Dark shadows darted through the water, creating ripples as the fish competed for the bait. It was like an underwater feast, with each fish fighting to grab a piece of the prize.

Comet, squatting by the ice hole, watched the water with bright, eager eyes, clearly tempted by the scent of the bait. Its thick, shiny fur made it look like a mountain beast, completely unfazed by the biting cold.

Zhou Yun hooked a sound-and-light-emitting fake lure onto the fishing rod and attached a net bag containing a crystal core. He then slowly lowered the rod into the ice hole. Guan Yuanfeng took the rod and said, "I'll watch the rod. You go rest in the tent for a while. The wind has made your face red."

Zhou Yun waved it off. "I put on some cold-resistant oil before we left, so I'm fine." He turned to tidy up and lit the camping diesel heater, immediately warming the tent.

He took a pot from the trunk, which still contained a pot of soup from the night before. The soup had frozen into a light yellow layer of oil. He placed it on the camping stove to heat. It was the leftover braised chicken with lion's mane mushroom soup from the previous night. In such cold weather, a hot soup would be comforting.

As soon as the aroma of the chicken soup wafted out, Comet, who had been watching the fish intently, quickly darted into the tent and nudged Zhou Yun, panting excitedly.

Zhou Yun gave its thick fur a good rub, feeling its warmth, like a natural heating pad. He leaned back against Comet and pulled out his e-reader to start reading. Comet laid down, making it easier for Zhou Yun to rest his head.

After about half an hour, the fishing rod suddenly sank, and Guan Yuanfeng felt a tremendous pull on the line. He immediately lifted the rod and reeled in, seeing a huge black fish—a snakehead—bite the hook. The fish was massive, with seven distinct stars on its head and a long, snake-like body covered in fine black scales. It was very likely a mutated fish.

Guan Yuanfeng pulled too hard, causing the mutated fish to slam into the ice and thrash wildly. The fish stirred up the water, making it murky and hard to see anything. Zhou Yun, who had rushed out, quickly said, "We need to tire it out for a bit. The ice hole's too small!"

But Guan Yuanfeng quickly zapped the fish with lightning, stunning it instantly. He dragged it out of the ice hole and threw it onto the ice, where it quickly froze solid.

Zhou Yun praised, "Your lightning control is getting more impressive. You can now stun the fish without risking burning it."

Guan Yuanfeng smiled. "It's a snakehead, and they're pretty pricey. They taste great."

Zhou Yun nodded. "Some people farm snakeheads specifically. They're very resilient creatures. Even if the river dries up, they can bury themselves in the mud, tail-first, with just their mouths exposed to breathe through their gills, and survive for several weeks. When the rain comes and the water returns, they come back to life."

As he spoke, he took out a knife and cut open the fish's head, finding a water crystal core inside. He laughed. "This reservoir is really big. I thought after catching so many mutated fish in the fall, we wouldn't catch any more in the winter, but here we are."

Guan Yuanfeng looked around and said, "Qingyun Reservoir is large." He paused, a hint of melancholy in his voice. "But I've seen even larger reservoirs, with thousands of islands... It used to be a mountain range, but after a dam was built to hold back the water, it became an island."

Zhou Yun chopped off the fish's head and said, "You must have traveled to many places." Clearly, this reservoir with its thousand islands held special memories for Guan Yuanfeng. It was obvious that Guan Yuanfeng, who loved the outdoors, must have felt really frustrated when he couldn't go out because of his disability.

Guan Yuanfeng took the knife from Zhou Yun's hand and said, "I have, due to mission requirements. Let me clean the fish. You go check the fishing rod."

Zhou Yun stood up and laughed. "Don't burst the bile sac; the fish guts are great for fertilizing plants."

Guan Yuanfeng waved him off. "No need to remind me."

They had plenty of experience cleaning fish after their autumn fishing expedition.

Zhou Yun gave another reminder, "Cut the meat from the belly first; we'll roast the fish."

Guan Yuanfeng couldn't help but laugh. "I got it. Go back to the tent."

Once the fish was mostly cleaned, Guan Yuanfeng brought it into the tent. Another bag contained the fish intestines and other parts to be used as fertilizer, which he carefully placed in a garbage bag and froze before loading it into the car's trunk.

After re-baiting the hook and placing the rod back into the ice hole, Zhou Yun called out to Guan Yuanfeng, "Come in and eat the grilled fish."

The smell of fish drew Guan Yuanfeng into the tent, where a cast iron griddle was set over the camping stove. Slices of fish, coated in batter, were grilled to a golden brown and released a mouth-watering aroma.

Comet was busy devouring its meal of mutated fish mixed with radish and chicken soup.

Zhou Yun passed Guan Yuanfeng a steaming cup of mushroom soup. Guan Yuanfeng took the enamel cup with a handle and sipped the soup. Although it was the same chicken soup from the night before, the addition of fresh mushrooms made it even more delicious. The rich, oily broth slid down his throat, providing a comforting warmth.

Zhou Yun handed two pieces of well-roasted fish to Guan Yuanfeng. Guan Yuanfeng took them and tasted a couple of bites. The outer layer of batter was surprisingly crispy and golden, and he couldn’t figure out how Zhou Yun managed to make the roasted fish taste like deep-fried fish. The inside was tender and juicy, with excellent texture.

Just as they had started eating, the fishing rod outside seemed to move again. Zhou Yun said, "You eat. I'll check."

He went out and saw that the hook had almost been pulled into the hole, but he managed to hold onto the rod in time. It seemed that, like them, the mutated fish couldn't find much mutated food in the winter and were more easily lured by the crystal core bait.

He slowly reeled in the line, patiently playing the fish. It was long and smooth, resembling an eel. Eventually, it leaped out of the water, its small, pointed head thrashing wildly before finally exhausting itself and allowing the line to guide it.

Zhou Yun pulled it up and placed it on the ice surface. Unlike the previous large fish that had frozen solid upon being stunned, this one continued to writhe and jump around. It was a two-meter-long mutated water snake.

Zhou Yun stepped back, slightly disgusted, afraid of getting wet. Comet, already full, came out excitedly, baring its teeth and playfully threatening the wriggling snake.

From inside the tent, Guan Yuanfeng struck the mutated water snake with a crackling lightning bolt, stunning it instantly. Zhou Yun took out his knife, ready to dissect the snake, and laughed. "It's so convenient having lightning abilities. No need to carry weapons when you're out and about."

The water snake was long and slippery, emitting a strong fishy odor. Zhou Yun wrinkled his nose and took out a pair of gloves from his pocket.

Guan Yuanfeng waved him off. "I’ll handle it in a bit."

Zhou Yun obediently put down the knife. He washed his hands by letting water flow out from the ice hole, scrubbing them clean before returning to the tent to dry them with a towel. He then began to carefully arrange slices of steamed buns, mushrooms, greens, leeks, and cabbage on the grill pan. He brushed seasoning and oil on them, sprinkled sesame seeds and dried shrimp, and soon the fresh aroma of grilled vegetables filled the air.

Guan Yuanfeng had grilled a few pieces of fish earlier and handed them to Zhou Yun with kitchen tongs. Zhou Yun only ate a couple of pieces before starting to cook noodles in the chicken soup. As soon as the noodles softened, he heard Comet calling again.

Guan Yuanfeng waved him to continue eating and went out to retrieve the fishing rod himself. This time, it was a plump golden carp. The fish, with its smooth and shiny golden scales, resembled a knight clad in golden armor. It thrashed its tail and opened its mouth, sometimes darting and sometimes pulling sideways, but it was quickly electrocuted and pulled up by Guan Yuanfeng.

As soon as the golden carp and the mutated fish were gutted for their crystal cores, Comet started calling again.

Another rod brought up a mutated flower carp weighing forty to fifty jin. Its fish head was so large that it got stuck in the hole. They had to use an electric drill to widen the hole before they could pull the hefty fish up.

After that, more mutated fish were caught one after another, followed by regular fish that jumped out of the hole and froze solid on the ice outside.

Guan Yuanfeng was somewhat surprised. Zhou Yun explained, "The ice layer is too thick, causing a lack of oxygen. The mutated fish were here before, so the regular ones probably didn’t dare to come up. Most of them are flower carps. It’s good weather to make dried fish, which tastes great."

Guan Yuanfeng, while handling the crystal core of the previously dissected mutated fish, asked, "Is there a difference between those dried fish you make?"

Zhou Yun replied, "Naturally dried ones taste better, especially when they're dried whole. It's different. The previous mutated fish were too large, so we could only cut them into pieces."

Comet was happily prancing around the fish, its tail wagging like a fan. Zhou Yun said, "Comet is very happy."

"It’s probably been cooped up too long," Guan Yuanfeng said as he gutted the flower carp and threw the intestines into another bucket.

Zhou Yun laughed, "Aren’t you just bored because I don’t go with you to fight zombies every day?"

Guan Yuanfeng, while picking up the fish and putting them into the bucket, said, "Zombies can’t be eaten. Of course, fishing is more fun, especially with you around."

Zhou Yun: "..."

He lightly coughed, "Are you saying I should’ve gone with you to fight zombies?"

Guan Yuanfeng came to his senses, "No, I meant that Comet likes you a lot."

Zhou Yun chuckled.

At that moment, the red sun was setting in the west, its residual light blood-red. The distant mountains shimmered under the cold light, blanketed in snow. Guan Yuanfeng, feeling a bit embarrassed by Zhou Yun's smile, turned to load the heavy buckets of fish into the car.

As the sun was about to set, fewer fish were coming, and the ice surface began to get windy, with temperatures dropping.

Guan Yuanfeng had finished handling the large fish and decided to pack up the fishing rods. He returned to the tent to finally eat the noodles he hadn’t had time to eat earlier and sent Comet out for patrol.

With the massive Comet outside, the tent suddenly felt much emptier, and Guan Yuanfeng finally stretched his long legs comfortably.

After finishing a bowl of delicious chicken noodle soup and a couple of grilled steamed buns, Zhou Yun poured some alcohol for him, saying, "Have some alcohol to keep warm."

Guan Yuanfeng took the cup, sniffed it, and wrinkled his brows, "Baijiu?"

He looked at the bottle in surprise, "I thought the wine you brew is all soft and mellow rice wine or grape wine? How do you have such strong baijiu?"

Zhou Yun smiled at him, "Many people say on the secret tips for winter fishing that bringing some baijiu can help keep you warm, so I brought some."

Guan Yuanfeng: "..." He had already realized this was their special wedding baijiu.

Zhou Yun drank a small cup himself, feeling a warmth slide down his esophagus into his stomach, immediately igniting a flush on his face. "I’ve heard about this for years, first time drinking it."

Guan Yuanfeng muttered, "I’ve never had it either."

Outside, the biting wind blew across the ice surface. It must have snowed a little more, with the sound of snow particles hitting the tent going "tap-tap-tap."

Guan Yuanfeng placed the wine back on the table. "Have just enough to stay warm, but don't overdo it and hurt yourself."

Zhou Yun saw that he wasn't drinking. "You're not drinking?"

Guan Yuanfeng said, "I'll be driving later, and I'm not feeling cold either. You drink."

Zhou Yun didn't say anything. It's the end of the world, with only zombies left on the roads. A couple of drinks wouldn't be a big deal. He suspected it had to do with unresolved feelings about his family, touching on a sore subject. But today, it felt like he needed some alcohol to broach what was on his mind...

Holding the wine cup in his hand, he hesitated, wondering if today wasn't the right time... Maybe he should wait for a better moment... He was willing to wait as long as it took.

Guan Yuanfeng had already noticed his expression and somehow sensed his melancholy. He gently explained, "We can't afford to be careless. I’ve been on missions where even a sip of alcohol could be dangerous."

"With things being so unstable out there, since you've already had a drink, I can't risk it. We only have each other to rely on now, so we can't both let our guard down. It's not that I dislike the wine."

Zhou Yun said, "...Alright, then you drink soy milk."

Guan Yuanfeng didn't refuse. He took a cup and poured some for himself, and then poured another cup of wine for Zhou Yun. "You drink."

Zhou Yun looked up at him. Guan Yuanfeng had a hint of guilt on his face, clearly feeling bad for not being able to join him, but he wouldn't easily compromise on his principles. Safety always came first in his mind.

Watching Zhou Yun down the drink in one gulp, his face flushed, Guan Yuanfeng couldn't help but indulge him a little, trying to lighten the mood. "Did you used to drink alcohol before?"

Zhou Yun replied modestly, "I occasionally made some wine."

He changed the subject. "Tell me about some of the missions you've been on. Any interesting ones?"

Guan Yuanfeng said, "There's not much to tell. They sound exciting, but most of the time, it’s just routine protection and patrol work. Every now and then, we handle pursuits or rescue hostages, but nothing too extraordinary."

Zhou Yun understood this was probably due to confidentiality rules. Even in the apocalypse, this man wouldn't drink and drive, and he wouldn't reveal classified information just because of the end of the world. The story about the foreign prince was likely something that happened abroad, which was why he could share it.

He cut to the chase. "Your leg? How did you get injured? You don't have to tell me if it's too personal."

Guan Yuanfeng smiled. "It's nothing. Just a mission. A landmine. A comrade made a mistake, and I went to rescue him. I got blown up and had to have a high amputation."

Zhou Yun asked, "Was the comrade close to you?"

Guan Yuanfeng gently said, "It's not about how close we were. I was the team leader. It was my responsibility."

Zhou Yun frowned, not commenting further. His gaze fell on Guan Yuanfeng's outstretched leg. "Any issues with your leg recently?"

Guan Yuanfeng shook his head. "No."

Zhou Yun’s fingers brushed against Guan Yuanfeng’s knee, then quickly withdrew, his brow furrowed with concern.

Under Zhou Yun’s touch, Guan Yuanfeng felt his leg become more present, as if it were suddenly more real. He swallowed. He couldn't help but feel that Zhou Yun's attitude today was hiding something unsaid.

But Zhou Yun just gazed at his leg, his eyes lingering almost tangibly.

Guan Yuanfeng struggled to speak. "What is it?"

Zhou Yun slowly said, "You need to take care of yourself, especially your legs."

Guan Yuanfeng said, "After losing them once, I’ll make sure to take care of what I have left."

Zhou Yun then asked, "Do you usually sign organ donation papers before missions?"

Guan Yuanfeng said, "...Yes, we do arrange some final matters, like wills."

Zhou Yun said, "Then consider these legs of yours healed by me. Can I ask that you not sign any body donation or medical research agreements without my permission?"

Guan Yuanfeng chuckled, "It’s the apocalypse, and I’ve already retired."

But he paused, because Zhou Yun was looking at him. Zhou had drunk a lot, and when he looked up, his eyes were exceptionally bright, as if washed by tears.

Zhou Yun remained silent, his gaze fixed on Guan Yuanfeng.

Guan Yuanfeng thought he was joking. Now that it was just the two of them, surrounded by heavy snow, having encountered no other living souls, in a situation with no end in sight, how could he suddenly bring up something so strange?

Yet, for some reason, Zhou Yun’s gaze touched him deeply, or maybe it was the hint of confusion and innocence in his slightly tipsy eyes that made Guan Yuanfeng feel protective.

He suddenly felt guilty and couldn’t bring himself to meet Zhou Yun’s gaze. His throat tightened, and he looked away. "I’ll definitely have to get your consent."

He promised, "My legs are yours. Only you have the right to study them."

Zhou Yun laughed, "You make me sound like some crazy scientist."

Guan Yuanfeng felt a sudden relief, and the inexplicable pressure lifted. He smiled at Zhou Yun.

Perhaps it was the first time in many years that he allowed himself to drink freely. Zhou Yun’s eyes seemed to carry a mist, the corners red and damp, his face flushed from a light intoxication, his mind a bit dizzy and slightly buzzed.

He knew that Guan Yuanfeng kept his word, and in the apocalypse, psychics were held in the highest regard. Since he had given his promise, no one could force a dual psychic with wind and electricity powers to participate in any research.

With the promise in hand, Zhou Yun felt a wave of happiness wash over him.

Guan Yuanfeng watched Zhou Yun’s joy and wondered how someone so sharp could be so easily pleased.

Zhou Yun then got up and walked out of the tent. Outside, it was almost completely dark, and the snow had lessened. After drinking, he still felt a burning warmth and wasn’t cold. Comet trotted over and nuzzled against him.

Zhou Yun patted its head, "Let’s go back." He turned to Guan Yuanfeng and waved teasingly, "Come on, Captain Guan, let’s hit the road!"