Chapter 41: Welcoming Guests with Fine Wine and Food

Chapter 41: Welcoming Guests with Fine Wine and Food

Juicy apples and snow pears were quickly sliced and placed on a fruit tray, sweet and refreshing. Additionally, a large plate of dates, peanuts, candied winter melon, and beef jerky, along with Zhou Yun's own fried pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and five-spice peanuts, were all arranged on the coffee table.

In the kitchen, the pressure cooker let out a hiss as it vented steam, and the aroma of braised pork, mixed with the fragrance of rice from an imported electric rice cooker, filled the entire living room.

Dong Kexin couldn't help but grab a handful of sunflower seeds to munch on. Unable to resist, she said, “Captain, your place is just like before the apocalypse.” With flowers, grass, a dog, and meat, life here was truly comfortable.

Guan Yuanfeng asked, “Is food really that scarce at the base?”

Jiang Rongqian replied, “With so many people, food is rationed. Winters are especially tough for supplies. Meat, sugar, and fruits can only be exchanged for contribution credits or traded for crystal cores on the market. But most people have to prioritize the most basic supplies like rice, noodles, oil, medicines, and vitamins. We can’t just eat as much as we used to.”

Seeing that although everyone seemed envious, they were all very restrained and only took some seeds and peanuts to eat, Zhou Yun picked up a beef strip from the table and handed it to Tang Anchen beside him. “Don’t psychics get any special treatment?”

Tang Anchen accepted the beef strip, looking somewhat uneasy as he glanced at Guan Yuanfeng. Only after Guan Yuanfeng nodded slightly did he smile shyly and start eating.

Jiang Rongqian said, “There is some. Housing is provided for free, and missions give double points. Psychics can keep half of the crystal cores they obtain from missions. Food supplies are doubled for psychics because they have larger appetites. But in reality, psychics also need to save crystal cores to exchange for mutated food. The rations aren’t really enough to satisfy them.”

Guan Yuanfeng asked them, “How many in our team have psychic powers now?”

Jiang Rongqian replied, “Two. Xiao Su has light-based psychic powers and is the most promising. He’s now a rare second-level psychic healer and is highly valued by the base. But the healers are all conscripted separately and aren’t assigned to fight with us. So Xiao Su isn’t part of our team anymore.”

Guan Yuanfeng nodded slightly. Su Jiaoning interjected, “My heart will always be with our team!”

Jiang Rongqian added, “This time, the medical unit was reluctant to let Xiao Su come, but he insisted on coming to pick you up, Captain.”

Guan Yuanfeng said, “If I had been able to contact you, just Xiao Tang coming would have been enough. The weather conditions aren’t good. It’s too dangerous for the helicopter to bring so many people here.”

Tang Anchen, feeling that Guan Yuanfeng trusted him the most, proudly grinned.

Jiang Rongqian continued, “We’ve wanted to come for a long time, but the base was newly established, and we had constant emergency rescue missions. Later, Central Base was chosen as the headquarters for the united government because of its ancient city walls, which provide natural defense. After relocating from the capital, we were besieged by zombies in the winter and had constant missions. The weather conditions weren’t favorable, so it wasn’t until spring, when the weather improved, that we were finally able to come.”

Guan Yuanfeng said, “I don’t blame you. I know you were all barely managing yourselves, and the weather was bad. I also told Captain Tan that I was safe here.”

Jiang Rongqian continued the previous topic, “Also, Xiao Tang has awakened earth psychic powers. He’s a fool with fool’s luck.”

Guan Yuanfeng looked at Tang Anchen in surprise. “Good, what abilities can you use?”

Tang Anchen scratched his head. “Earth psychic powers… aren’t very useful. I can only create walls, and I eat a lot. I rely on my brothers to help me get by each month. If you need any walls here, Captain, I can help you build them.”

The whole team erupted in laughter, and Su Jiaoning added, “Many psychic powers aren’t very useful in the early stages. Earth, wood, and water psychic abilities, for example, are mainly useful for growing food or building houses, making them more helpful in logistics. Combat abilities, like fire psychic powers and Captain Guan’s lightning psychic powers, are more useful. But now, research is being conducted on methods to awaken psychic powers in ordinary people, and some progress has already been made.”

Guan Yuanfeng looked at Zhou Yun, who asked Su Jiaoning curiously, “What is the Psychic Research Institute?”

Su Jiaoning replied, “It’s the Psychic Research Institute at Central Base. Psychics register as volunteers there and can receive free treatment and new medicine supplies. Captain Guan, as a valuable lightning psychic, and some rare dual psychics are highly sought after at the institute. The director would certainly meet you personally, along with my mentor.”

Guan Yuanfeng asked, “Are dual psychics very rare?”

Su Jiaoning replied, “They are. Central Base has only discovered two cases so far—one with water and wind psychic powers, and another with metal and earth psychic powers. Lightning psychic powers are powerful and can easily fend off zombies in the early stages…”

So rare… How could Zhou Yun have been so sure that he could transplant two different types of crystal cores into his body? This didn’t match his cautious and prudent personality… Unless he knew about dual psychic powers and had seen a dual psychic crystal core. But since the apocalypse, from the time Zhou Yun awakened his psychic powers, he had only been with me. How could he have known?

Guan Yuanfeng looked at Zhou Yun, who met his gaze with clear eyes and a smile on his lips.

Guan Yuanfeng felt a slight stir in his heart, recalling the strange test reagent Zhou Yun had made from blood during the surgery for Comet that night.

Zhou Yun had never mentioned that he possessed only water psychic powers.

The psychic powers he used during the operation on Comet didn't resemble water psychic abilities.

He asked, "Is the healing ability only associated with light psychic powers?"

Su Jiaoning explained, "Healing powers are mostly associated with light psychic abilities, though wood psychic powers do offer some healing benefits. The effects are weaker, and the upgrades are slower, but wood psychic powers excel at detoxification, especially for zombie bites and infections. However, because the upgrades are so slow, most wood psychic power users are engaged in base planting work, which makes earning contribution credits easier."

After her detailed explanation, she remembered the question she had asked Guan Yuanfeng earlier that went unanswered: "So, Captain, how did you actually awaken your psychic power? Captain Tan had mentioned that you didn’t have a fever and hadn’t awakened any psychic powers. Experts now conclude that, apart from the red fog, there's no other way to activate human psychic powers. If you have another method, Captain, that would be an exception!"

Lost in his thoughts, Guan Yuanfeng didn't respond, his eyes involuntarily shifting to Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun met his gaze calmly and gently, explaining to Su Jiaoning, "When the red fog descended, Captain Guan had been taking painkillers, so he didn’t develop a fever. His psychic power was already activated; he just didn’t realize it at the time."

Su Jiaoning exclaimed, "Ah, so that’s what happened! Captain, I gave you many painkillers back then, thinking you were hesitant to take them."

She immediately followed up with another query, "Did your legs recover immediately after your psychic power awakened? Or did they grow back slowly after the psychic power awakening? Was there anything special about it?"

Guan Yuanfeng’s eyes were still on Zhou Yun, but Zhou Yun had already shifted his gaze and answered Su Jiaoning, "He woke up with his legs fully grown."

Su Jiaoning frowned in confusion, "Was there anything special about his diet or the amputation site beforehand?"

Zhou Yun stood up and said to Tang Anchen, "Little Tang, could you help me catch a big goose? Everyone has come a long way; let's make a spring water stewed goose tonight."

Energized, Tang Anchen stood up, and several teammates started cheering, "Great! Goose meat for dinner!" Straightforward as always, Liao Jinsheng added, "Deputy Captain! Dr. Zhou has raised lots of chickens and ducks here! Dr. Zhou said we'll slaughter a sheep tomorrow, half for roast lamb and half for hotpot!"

Guan Yuanfeng instructed, "Everyone, head to the kitchen and lend a hand."

He also stood up, and although Su Jiaoning opened her mouth, wanting to ask more questions, she had no choice but to help with the preparations.

The villa’s kitchen and dining room were spacious and well-connected, with all-new imported appliances. Everyone marveled again at the setup.

Guan Yuanfeng led everyone to the kitchen and assigned tasks, directing them to the backyard vegetable plot to pick vegetables, peel potatoes and radishes, slice cucumbers, wash and cut vegetables, soak dried bamboo shoots, mushrooms, vermicelli, and daylilies, and prepare another pot of rice. Additionally, they started boiling water outside on an energy-efficient stove to prepare for plucking the goose.

When everything was nearly ready, Zhou Yun, along with Tang Anchen and Liao Jinsheng, brought over a large goose, a rabbit, and a chicken, all cleaned and prepared for cooking.

Jiang Rongqian frowned, "Dr. Zhou, no need to spoil them. We don’t need that much meat."

Zhou Yun smiled, "There are so many psychics, and you've all come a long way."

Straightforward as always, Liao Jinsheng added, "Deputy Captain! Dr. Zhou has raised lots of chickens and ducks here! Dr. Zhou said we'll slaughter a sheep tomorrow, half for roast lamb and half for hotpot!"

The group cheered in excitement.

Soon, everyone was bustling about. Zhou Yun directed them to prepare two pots—one for the spicy rabbit hotpot and the other for the spring water stewed goose. The chicken was prepared as salted fish steamed chicken. Zhou Yun selected a large slab of mutated fish jerky, slicing it to alternate with the chicken meat for steaming, creating a unique flavor.

The dining area was filled with rich aromas. The rabbit hotpot bubbled at the center of the table, its spicy red oil giving off a fresh scent. The goose meat, after stewing, was tender and flavorful, with rich and nutritious broth fully permeating every part of the meat, leaving a sweet aftertaste. The braised bamboo rat was colorful and fragrant, with tender meat that melted in the mouth.

On the side, chicken innards, goose wings, feet, tongues, intestines, and gizzards—once overlooked in the old world—were now prized additions to the hotpot. Fresh cabbages, radishes, pumpkins, potatoes, and pea shoots were washed and ready to be cooked, still dripping with the freshness of the field.

This scene reminded them of a regular pre-apocalyptic dinner, but now it felt like a rare luxury.

Even more unexpectedly, Zhou Yun directed Tang Anchen to bring up a glass barrel of wine from the basement. Large chunks of ice were submerged in the purple-red wine. Zhou Yun had added honey to the wine, enhancing its taste.

The Special Forces Team One gathered around the table, savoring a feast they hadn’t enjoyed in ages. Smiles crept onto their faces as they excitedly tasted each dish, laughing and talking, their faces glowing with satisfaction and joy.

The exhaustion from the long journey all the way from Central Base was soothed by this rich feast. Seeing that their captain had awakened his psychic power and his legs had healed, they were even more excited and vied to toast Captain Guan, creating an unprecedented lively and harmonious atmosphere.

After eating a few bites of the bamboo rat, Su Jiaoning looked at Guan Yuanfeng in surprise. "Captain, this bamboo rat seems to be mutated?"

Guan Yuanfeng replied, "It is."

Tang Anchen said, "The cured fish is also made from mutated fish! Doctor Zhou said they caught it at the nearby reservoir."

Su Jiaoning couldn't help but praise, "Captain, your lightning powers are super useful!"

Liao Jinsheng, sweating profusely and with red lips, said loudly, "When Captain returns, our Special Combat Team One will definitely reclaim the top spot. The Second Team has someone with fire psychic abilities and another with lightning psychic abilities, and they've been boasting that they're the real first team."

Guan Yuanfeng frowned. "Now there are only seven teams left in the Special Combat Unit. Why wasn't Captain Tan on the ship? Where are the others?"

There was a moment of silence at the table before Jiang Rongqian replied, "Captain Tan gave up his spot. Central Base is trying to reorganize and concentrate its forces to form a team of psychics. They didn't choose Xiao Tang and the others because they weren't up to their standards, so they stayed in our team."

Su Jiaoning said, "Forming a team of psychics is the trend now. Other bases are already doing it. Psychics working together can bring out more combat effectiveness. Captain, with your lightning abilities, who dares to claim the top spot if you say you're second? Even if you're not in the first team, you'll still look out for us."

Su Jiaoning looked at Guan Yuanfeng with admiration. "The base intends to send me on missions with the team, but my teacher said it's too dangerous. However, if the captain of the psychic team is you, I'll sign up to join the team."

Guan Yuanfeng fell silent. He looked at Zhou Yun, who was pouring wine for Tang Anchen. Zhou Yun seemed not to hear their conversation, carefully adding honey to the wine, his eyes slightly red.

Su Jiaoning noticed Guan Yuanfeng's gaze and, smiling at Zhou Yun, said, "Brother Guan is worried about Doctor Zhou? The base is desperately short of doctors. With your recommendation, Captain Guan, I can also recommend him, and Doctor Zhou will definitely be able to stay in the base's medical center. But at Central Base, living areas for ordinary people and psychics are kept separate. There will be fewer chances to meet because of frequent missions."

Tang Anchen looked over, surprised. "Doctor Zhou is also a psychic? He should be able to join our team."

All the team members looked surprised and turned to Zhou Yun. Zhou Yun smiled slightly. "It's not that impressive. Just some basic water powers—good for gardening and cleaning."

Tang Anchen said, "Doctor Zhou is very capable. He can freeze water into ice blocks. The ice cubes in this wine were just made by Doctor Zhou."

Dong Kexin praised, "That's impressive! It's difficult for water psychic abilities to condense into ice."

Zhou Yun and Guan Yuanfeng exchanged a glance, and Zhou Yun smiled. "Is it difficult?"

Su Jiaoning said, "Turning water into ice or wind into blades is tough. Some even say that ice abilities are a type of mutated ability and not all water psychics can condense ice. You need to absorb lots of crystal cores and spend a long time upgrading."

Guan Yuanfeng was reminded of the first time he saw Zhou Yun freeze a mutated eagle into a giant block of ice. How long had it been since Zhou Yun awakened his abilities? A month?

Guan Yuanfeng looked at Zhou Yun, but Zhou Yun didn't look back, only smiling as he poured wine for Dong Kexin. "Maybe it's because it was too cold a while ago."

Dong Kexin, drinking happily and seemingly a bit drunk, said, "Most psychics are arrogant. It's rare to find someone as approachable as Doctor Zhou."

For a moment, Su Jiaoning felt a bit embarrassed and looked at Guan Yuanfeng, who seemed not to hear, only asking them, "What are the missions for? Which other bases are there now? Are they all official? Who is in charge of the bases?"

Jiang Rongqian explained, "There's no real 'official' anymore. They've set up something called the Survivors' United Government, but each base manages itself. No one is willing to give up power. Central Base is only stable because of Captain Tan's leadership, but even he is having difficulties now... but it's all in chaos outside."

Su Jiaoning said, "Captain Tan is too rigid. Other bases are recruiting psychics aggressively, but he insists on tightening control and scrutiny over psychics. If we continue like this, Central Base will fall behind others. If we don't strengthen ourselves quickly, resources and talents will be hoarded by other bases, and even psychics will stop coming to Central Base. Without psychics to guard the base and lead missions to gather supplies, we won't even be able to ensure basic food and medicine for ordinary people. Who would still want to come to Central Base?"

Jiang Rongqian explained to Guan Yuanfeng, "Apart from Central Base, the official survivor bases include Lin Dong Base, Jing Nan Base, Xi Ning Base, and Zhen Bei Base. Each is managed by a base commander and has garrisoned troops. Technically, they're supposed to follow the United Government, but communication is spotty, and after a harsh winter, each base is struggling to survive. Those base generals are not to be trifled with; they only maintain a superficial peace."

"There are also smaller private bases run by survivors, often organized by psychics themselves. They recruit psychics and guards and manage their own resources. The Central Base government plans to establish a stronger armed force to bring these private bases under control and require them to accept refugees unconditionally."

Su Jiaoning said, "We should do that. If we don't strengthen ourselves quickly and allow other bases to hoard resources and talents, we won't even be able to maintain a stable life. Last winter, tons of private bases got overrun by zombies. We’re still welcoming survivors, but other bases only accept psychics and workers. The pressure is all on Central Base."

Su Jiaoning looked at Guan Yuanfeng. "Captain Tan will be thrilled to see you back with your lightning powers. He's in a difficult position now, isolated. When you return, you can help mediate. General Ye used to value you highly too. When I was sent to fetch you, he also told me to make sure to bring you back safely."

Guan Yuanfeng remained silent, but Jiang Rongqian said, "Captain Tan wasn't trying to pressure you... We should've come sooner, but the base was besieged by zombies all winter, and the snowstorms never let up. It was very hard; food was extremely scarce..."

Guan Yuanfeng said solemnly, "I understand. Captain Tan has always treated me with great kindness. I'm not in any danger here."

Wu Jun, who had been quietly eating, suddenly spoke up, "Captain, we don't want to reorganize or become cannon fodder for psychics."

The table fell silent again, and Zhang Qi, sitting next to Wu Jun, chuckled awkwardly. "Ah Jun is drunk. Captain has not only recovered but also gained psychic powers. He will definitely stand up for us. Our Special Ops Team One will remain the same as before!"

Dong Kexin smiled. "Captain is living it up here, eating well and enjoying himself. Why would he want to go back? I think it's better for us to stay here with the captain, don't you?"

Tang Anchen grinned. "Kexin is right! It's good here. Stick with the captain, and we’ll always have food on the table."

Liao Jinsheng asked bluntly, "What about General Tan, then?"

Jiang Rongqian scolded, "Nonsense! What about discipline?!"

Silence fell over the table again.

Su Jiaoning said, "Brother Jun! That's unfair! Every time someone from Team One gets injured, I’m always the first to treat them. When have I ever treated any of you as cannon fodder? I know many psychics, and they're just like ordinary people. They get hurt and feel pain, just like anyone else." She looked aggrieved.

"We take on more dangerous missions than ordinary folks and need crystal cores more than anyone, as well as high-energy psychic food... If I had combat psychic powers, I’d be leading the charge!"

Jiang Rongqian hurriedly smoothed things over. "You’re a medic. You’re different—you’re a priority for protection. Wu Jun was just drunk."

But Dong Kexin chimed in sarcastically, "The plan has already been circulated. Psychics are being assigned to battle teams and are responsible for the primary offensive roles. However, each psychic battle team is accompanied by a special ops team to assist with reconnaissance, rear-guard actions, and protecting logistics. When psychics run out of power, we’re the ones who have to step in during the most dangerous moments. If you don't want to go on external missions, you'll have to sign a voluntary agreement to undergo psychic activation experiments."

Su Jiaoning argued, "The psychic activation experiments are completely voluntary! And with us healers watching over them 24/7, we ensure there are no life-threatening accidents! So far, those who have undergone the experiments have shown no physical side effects. They just have to sign a non-disclosure agreement and keep the experiment details confidential. I can guarantee it’s safe!"

"Psychic powers represent the next step in human evolution! They are our hope to defeat the zombies! For the sake of all humanity and scientific progress, there will always be sacrifices. This is the inevitability of history, and we're already doing our best to minimize the damage to the human body!"

She looked excitedly at Guan Yuanfeng. "If the captain hadn't gained psychic powers and recovered his legs, my original plan was to persuade you to undergo the experiment. If the captain's legs hadn't healed, this would have been a great opportunity. Psychic powers are a new opportunity! With your physical abilities, you would definitely be the first to succeed in the experiment, making history as the first person to successfully awaken psychic powers..."

"Bam!"

A loud noise startled everyone at the table. Su Jiaoning screamed as the glass of dark red wine in front of her suddenly shattered, the sticky purple-red wine splattering all over her light beige sweater, even leaving a small cut on her face from the flying glass shards.

Zhang Qi, sitting next to her, grabbed a towel and wiped her down. "Be careful. Maybe the glass expanded and burst from the temperature change?" he said, then exclaimed, "There's some blood. A piece of glass cut your face. Go to the bathroom and clean it up, quick?"

Su Jiaoning, feeling a stinging pain on her face, grew frustrated and hurriedly got up to go to the bathroom, using her healing powers along the way. Jiang Rongqian had already gotten a broom to clean up the glass and asked if she was hurt. A flurry of commotion ensued at the table.

But Guan Yuanfeng's gaze had shifted to Zhou Yun. Zhou Yun had been smiling throughout the meal, quietly playing host to his teammates with an air of authority, treating Tang Anchen with particular kindness. Now, however, his expression had turned cold, his eyes and lips carrying a hint of frost.

He seemed to notice Guan Yuanfeng looking at him immediately, and their eyes met, Zhou Yun's gaze unflinching and cold.

Guan Yuanfeng knew he was angry.