Chapter 42: Confusion Under the Moonlight

Chapter 42: Confusion Under the Moonlight

Although there had been a small incident during the hotpot gathering, it didn’t prevent the teammates from continuing to enjoy their meal happily.

Su Jiaoning, with her light-based healing abilities, easily treated the wound on her face, which returned to its smooth and flawless state.

Everyone steered clear of mentioning the unpleasant incidents, instead focusing on praising the rich flavor of the goose meat, the tender rabbit meat, the smooth bamboo rat, and the sweet aroma of the wine.

After finishing the hotpot, Guan Yuanfeng, along with a few members, washed the dishes and cleaned up. Zhou Yun, on the other hand, took Dong Kexin, Zhang Qi, and Su Jiaoning, who had just unloaded their luggage from the helicopter, upstairs to arrange accommodations for the night. On the first floor, there was a guest room that had originally been prepared for elderly family members. Zhou Yun had already tidied it up for Deputy Captain Jiang and Zhang Qi.

On the second floor, there were two rooms: a master bedroom and a secondary bedroom, occupied by Guan Yuanfeng and Zhou Yun respectively. Although they mainly stayed on the 30th floor, they didn’t mention it at the moment with guests present.

The third floor originally had three rooms: a guest room, a yoga room, and a study. The guest room, which had a bed, was given to the only female member, Dong Kexin. Since Su Jiaoning preferred quiet, the study with a sofa bed was given to her.

The remaining room, the yoga room, was carpeted and spacious. Zhou Yun took Tang Anchen to the neighboring villa to get two large mattresses. They placed the mattresses together for Tang Anchen, Wu Jun, and Liao Jinsheng to sleep on.

Tang Anchen, with his immense strength, easily carried the mattress over. Zhou Yun then brought out brand-new, high-quality bedding that had been stored away and distributed them to the others. Privately, he also gave a box of carefully selected earth-type crystal cores to Tang Anchen, who turned red with excitement. “Are these really for me? Does Captain Guan know?”

Zhou Yun said, “He collected them with Comet. We don’t know any other earth-type experts, so you can have them. There are some lower-quality ones stored away too; you can exchange them for other things. You don’t need to absorb them if they’re not pure enough.”

Tang Anchen happily accepted the crystal cores and immediately began absorbing them eagerly. Zhou Yun thought to himself that with Tang’s size, he had always been underfed since the apocalypse, and his crystal core supply had been unstable. Once he had enough crystal cores to absorb, he would definitely make significant progress. With Guan Yuanfeng leading him, once he reached higher levels in earth-type abilities, he would be able to perform both offensive and defensive moves like summoning walls, meteor attacks, and sandstorms.

When they reached the study, Su Jiaoning was writing something at the desk. Seeing Zhou Yun bring in the bedding, she smiled and thanked him. “Doctor Zhou, you and Captain Guan are neighbors, right? In this post-apocalyptic world, living together does provide more security. But once we get to the Central Base, Captain Guan will probably be very busy.”

She looked at the bright red silk quilt in Zhou Yun’s hands in surprise. “What kind of quilt is this? It looks so festive.”

Zhou Yun laid out the bright red silk quilt with its intricate embroidery on the bed. “It’s from Captain Guan’s home. You can put the cover on yourself.”

Su Jiaoning touched the quilt cover. “It’s quite new. Hand-embroidered too. Thank you very much.”

Zhou Yun smiled. “I’m glad you’re satisfied.” Just repurposing it.

Su Jiaoning said, “When we get to the Central Base, I’ll recommend you to our research institute. I’m sure Captain Guan will be happy about that.”

Zhou Yun asked, “Is the institute researching psychic powers? Can someone who studied traditional medicine join? What’s the working mechanism at the institute? Are all the experts originally from the Central Base’s medical field?”

Su Jiaoning replied, “It’s an institute researching psychic powers. Not many medical experts have survived the apocalypse. Now, we’re recruiting elite experts from various bases. Traditional medicine is also acceptable. The institute is short-handed, and even assisting with experimental data is fine. Since you also have psychic powers, the benefits and treatment will definitely be excellent, and at the very least, housing will be secured. Various research groups would be willing to take you in.”

Zhou Yun asked, “Have there been successful results from psychic power stimulation experiments? Are they ready for clinical trials?”

Su Jiaoning said, “Further trials are required. We need volunteers and more powerful, higher-level lightning psychic abilities.” Only after I promised to convince Captain Guan did my mentor calm down.”

He felt a little wronged. “Without scientific research, how could we achieve continuous improvement? Captain Guan has already awakened his lightning psychic abilities, and since he’s General Tan’s trusted subordinate, he’ll definitely hold a high position in the future. How could we possibly harm him?”

Zhou Yun asked, “I’m curious. Your mentor seems very capable. What’s her name?” In his previous life, Zhou Yun had participated in research at Dark Valley and had never encountered this Su Jiaoning. If they had started trials so early, why had they completely disappeared later on?

Su Jiaoning said, “My mentor is Wu Yuru. She’s been leading this project for a long time without any breakthroughs. But I heard that there’s been some progress at the Zhen’nan Base. My mentor said that after I return, we’ll go there for an exchange and inspection.”

She expected Zhou Yun to recognize the significance of her mentor’s reputation in the biological field. However, Zhou Yun only seemed slightly lost in thought, as if he had never heard of her. Su Jiaoning realized that someone practicing traditional medicine in such a small hospital probably wouldn’t know much about academic circles, so he let it go. “In any case, Brother Zhou, if you stick with Captain Guan, your future prospects will be promising.”

Zhou Yun only nodded and, after giving a few instructions, left Su Jiaoning’s room. After arranging the accommodations, Zhou Yun came down and saw Liao Jinsheng energetically wiping down the dining table with a cloth. He greeted Zhou Yun happily when he saw him. “Doctor Zhou.”

Zhou Yun noticed that Guan Yuanfeng was gone, and Liao Jinsheng explained, “Captain Guan and Deputy Captain went out. They probably have something private to discuss.”

Zhou Yun saw how Liao Jinsheng looked cheerful and clever despite his innocent appearance, so he chatted with him for a while and asked about Guan Yuanfeng’s time as captain.

“So why did Su Jiaoning say she let Captain Guan down?”

Liao Jinsheng looked around and whispered, "Captain Guan lost his leg in a bomb explosion while rescuing someone. The captain forbade us from mentioning it... He said that no matter who it is, he would save any team member. Besides..."

Liao Jinsheng lowered his voice further, "His family has significant influence. His brother-in-law is now in the united government. Several family members hold influential positions, and they also have connections in other bases."

Zhou Yun asked Liao Jinsheng, "Did anyone from your team sign up for the psychic experiment that he mentioned?"

Liao Jinsheng shook his head, "We were all hesitant... Honestly, I was considering signing up. Since my parents are gone and I'm alone, if I could get psychic powers, it would be awesome. But Sister Dong warned us not to take risks, saying the power might be linked to the same source as the zombies. If you're not careful, you might turn into a zombie. I’m not married yet, and if there are any side effects, I’d regret it."

Zhou Yun nodded, "Your Sister Dong is right."

Liao Jinsheng grinned, "Of course. Captain Guan always said that for team matters, we should follow his orders, but for personal issues, we could listen to Sister Dong."

Zhou Yun asked, "What about your vice-captain?"

Liao Jinsheng replied, "The vice-captain excels at coordination but isn’t great in combat, making it hard for him to lead effectively. After Captain Guan retired, we never got a new captain, and Vice-Captain Jiang has been managing the team. Then... the apocalypse hit, and everything became chaotic."

Liao Jinsheng's eyes turned slightly red, as if recalling something sad, "The zombies were too powerful, and we lost several team members, with no one to replace them. The previous caretaker of the comet is also gone, and today when we saw the comet, we all thought of him. If the comet saw, he would be so excited. We've lost contact with our families, and the bases don't communicate much. The winter blizzards are too severe. We go on missions one by one and can't even take care of our families."

"When psychics emerged, our special task force became somewhat disorganized... Actually, this time, on one hand, we were worried about the captain and afraid he might not be taken care of. On the other hand, the base has become very chaotic, different from before. Everyone wanted to see the captain and get his advice on how to move forward."

He said in a low voice, "Everyone is at their limit, and in this apocalypse, we’re losing hope... We’re thinking of disbanding."

He looked at Zhou Yun with envy, "We all thought that the captain must be suffering here, and we were worried for a long time. Even though Captain Guan was once incredibly strong, he’s now living with a disability. Even though he was offered a well-paid teaching position at a military academy, he insisted on retiring and returning to his hometown. When the apocalypse broke out, we were extremely worried about him."

"Later, Captain Tan got in touch with him and heard that he was in a safe place with reliable partners, with enough food and water, and we were slightly relieved. But before that, we sent people to the nearest bases, Sanchu Base and Beiming Base, and neither had any information about him. Captain Tan became uneasy and sent us back to the captain's home at the beginning of spring to check on the situation."

"Now we know that the captain is living quite comfortably here, which is great. Outside... it's hard to even get enough to eat, and last year, people froze to death in the base..."

"In Central Base, they took in hundreds of thousands of refugees in winter. Other bases stopped accepting refugees. All the pressure is on Central Base now. General Tan is under pressure but still insists on rescuing and sheltering refugees unconditionally, distributing food... Other bases must also take on rescue responsibilities; otherwise, Central Base might face internal unrest."

"In this world... good people die early..."

"We think that General Tan might not be able to hold on much longer, even those who benefited from him are resentful. Psychics resent him for not giving them privileges, not ensuring a supply of crystal cores, and for imposing restrictions. Ordinary people resent him for continuing to accept refugees. Refugees resent him for inadequate rescue efforts."

"It's harder to be a good person than a bad one. If it weren’t for Captain Guan, we probably would’ve disbanded long ago..."

"We all thought that if we couldn't find the captain, and if something happened to him, our special task force would disband."

"Fortunately, the captain is still here, and he has awakened his psychic powers, his leg has healed too. It's really great!" Liao Jinsheng sighed with relief and smiled sincerely at Zhou Yun, "Seeing the captain gives us a sense of stability."

Zhou Yun smiled back, "You are all good people, very great."

Liao Jinsheng scratched his head, a little shy, "We're just following orders... We didn’t know what to do, but now with the captain here, it's better."

Zhou Yun looked at the table, which was as bright as a mirror, and the floor, which was clearly mopped and spotless, "You’ve done a great job cleaning. After such a long journey, you must be exhausted. Head upstairs and rest. There's hot water on the stove, wash up and sleep early."

Liao Jinsheng sighed, "I haven't had a good night's sleep since the apocalypse. With the zombies cleared by you and Captain Guan, it feels so safe here. I can finally sleep peacefully tonight!"

As he finished speaking, the door to the backyard opened, and Jiang Rongqian came in, holding a pack of cigarettes. He looked at Zhou Yun somewhat embarrassed, "Doctor Zhou?"

Zhou Yun nodded with a smile, "Captain Jiang, I was just telling Xiao Liao how hard your journey was and that you should rest."

Jiang Rongqian smiled, "Thank you, Doctor Zhou. The team has deep feelings for Captain Guan, and everyone is very emotional about the reunion. We've caused you a lot of trouble."

Zhou Yun smiled back, "Go, I just talked to Xiao Dong about the room assignments. There are guest rooms on the first and third floors, as well as a sofa bed and a folding bed. My and Captain Guan's rooms are on the second floor. If you need anything, just come to me or Captain Guan."

Jiang Rongqian sighed, "Captain Guan's house is really big. He once told us that he bought a villa in his hometown, planning to live with his family, and showed us photos of the interior design. Now seeing it, there are indeed many rooms."

Liao Jinsheng said, "Tang Anchen, Brother Wu Jun, and I are sharing a room. It's really comfortable—much nicer than where we were staying at the base."

After chatting for a bit, the two said goodnight to Zhou Yun and went upstairs.

Zhou Yun pushed open the back door and stepped out. The spring night air was filled with a faint fragrance of flowers.

The moonlight was like water, gently bathing the tranquil earth. A gentle breeze passed by, and the green leaves in the vegetable plot in the backyard rustled softly, shimmering under the moonlight.

After a few steps, Zhou Yun saw Guan Yuanfeng.

He was leaning against the stone table in the backyard, his left leg bent and resting on the table leg behind him, his right leg stretched out diagonally. His right thumb and forefinger pinched a cigarette, its tip glowing with a burning ember.

Guan Yuanfeng's head was slightly raised, and he slowly exhaled a puff of smoke. Behind the delicate tendrils of smoke, his expression was somewhat wistful, his cold, hard brows furrowed slightly over half-lidded eyes, his jawline taut.

In both his past and present lives, Zhou Yun had never seen Guan Yuanfeng smoke in his presence before.

Zhou Yun walked down the steps, and Guan Yuanfeng looked over warily. Seeing it was him, his first reaction was to extinguish the cigarette in a paper cup nearby. "They resting? Sorry to trouble you."

Zhou Yun said, "No need to be polite." He observed Guan Yuanfeng, whose sword-shaped brows were unconsciously knitted together.

He might not know it himself, but ever since he saw his soldiers again, an intangible aura of authority had returned to him. The composed calmness of a commander, the oppressive presence of someone who noticed every detail, the undeniable authority, and the stern seriousness that came from bearing responsibility and mission—all of it was back.

Zhou Yun reached out to take the cigarette on the stone table, but Guan Yuanfeng moved the cigarette pack out of reach. "Smoking isn't good."

Zhou Yun sat on the stone chair beside him, stretching out his long legs, crossing his ankles, and looking at Guan Yuanfeng. "What's bothering you?"

Guan Yuanfeng looked at the young doctor's exceptionally handsome face under the moonlight. He still carried a well-concealed, smoldering cold anger.

Guan Yuanfeng suppressed his urge to light another cigarette. "Tonight... I'm sorry. Su Jiaoning is thoughtless. People like him—privileged and self-important—are everywhere. You don't need to worry about him. I used to think of him as someone just here to pad his resume. He wasn't always like this; he's just a bit simple-minded. It's probably because, after the apocalypse, the status of psychics was elevated too much. He's a rare healer, and he works at some research institute. He's probably gotten used to everyone, even psychics, cooperating with their research."

Zhou Yun said, "No need to apologize to me because of outsiders."

His eyes fell on Guan Yuanfeng's abdomen, his voice soft. "You promised me. Your leg is mine. You won't sign any experimental agreements." He needed to confirm this again; he was furious tonight.

Guan Yuanfeng fell silent. So, that day, the doctor had already foreseen the future?

He asked quietly, "About the psychic awakening..."

Zhou Yun said, "I’m not sure." He truly had no way to ensure it would work on other ordinary people. He was still too weak. The success in his past life was because the other person was already a psychic who had their crystal core removed.

The success in awakening Guan Yuanfeng's psychic powers in this life was due to the experience from the previous life, knowing Guan Yuanfeng could have his psychic powers awakened and use the power of the crystal core even after an incompatible core transplant. As long as they found a more compatible crystal core, it would go much smoother.

But he had no confidence in attempting the graft on other ordinary people. He couldn't risk Guan Yuanfeng's comrades. He needed more strength, more resources, and gradual, safe, and steady progress.

If this method became known, it would be like opening Pandora’s box. Once opened, who knew what kind of demons would be unleashed. Zhou Yun, who could successfully perform crystal core transplants, would face unimaginable consequences. It was a terrifying prospect.

Guan Yuanfeng looked at Zhou Yun's cold expression and whispered a promise. "I promise not to tell anyone about the psychic awakening and not to let anyone or any organization study my body."

He looked at Zhou Yun, his expression softening. "Does that make you feel at ease?"

Zhou Yun's expression relaxed slightly. Guan Yuanfeng said softly, "Don't look at me with such wariness. Zhou Yun, trust me. I'm not someone who can't tell right from wrong or someone who doesn't know gratitude. I'm not unreasonable."

Even though he was far from the crowds, the conversation with his team members today already gave him a sense of the outside world. Psychics had quietly become a new power class.

And the appearance of a doctor who could successfully perform crystal core grafts would bring unimaginable consequences to Zhou Yun. He had to protect Zhou Yun.

Other people can be hell. Guan Yuanfeng clearly recalled the moment when Zhou Yun had subtly expressed his life attitude in front of him.

Zhou Yun lowered his lashes and fell silent.

Guan Yuanfeng had always known that Zhou Yun was full of enigmas, but he had consistently chosen to ignore them and not seek the truth.

Zhou Yun's intense sense of unease, his deeply ingrained insecurity, and his profound distrust of outsiders, coupled with a sense of loneliness that rejected society—Guan Yuanfeng had always vaguely sensed these feelings.

And at this moment, with outsiders present, he could feel Zhou Yun immediately putting up a protective wall around himself. He feared seeing Zhou Yun's vigilant expression, and his heart was filled with bitterness.

But what troubled and tormented him even more was another matter.

He rubbed his fingers, picked up a cigarette, rolled it between his hands, then set it down, feeling restless. "General Tan... is under a lot of pressure, and I... am afraid I will have to go back to help him."

"Central Base is under immense pressure for rescue efforts. They need a large number of personnel and cooperation from other bases; otherwise, they won't be able to accommodate all the survivors."

Zhou Yun nodded, his expression very calm. "Yes, I get it. When are you planning to leave?"

"We need a few days to restock some supplies," Guan Yuanfeng replied briefly, then fell into a long silence.

The chickens quietly roosted beside the coop, occasionally making soft cooing sounds. The lake rippled, shimmering with silver under the moonlight.

Everything seemed so harmonious and peaceful, as if time had stopped at that moment. The scent of spring filled the air, with the fragrance of earth and the hope of new life. This secluded island in the clouds felt like a peaceful retreat far from the chaos, allowing one to feel the gentleness and beauty of a spring night, completely forgetting the cruelty of the apocalypse outside.

Zhou Yun, like an all-powerful king, would not obey anyone's orders in this paradise. He was his own master.

Guan Yuanfeng recalled Zhou Yun's casual remark: "Snow doesn't last forever, and we're not the only ones left in this world."

He looked at Zhou Yun's cold, handsome face and asked in a low voice, "Are you coming to Central Base with me?"

He looked at Zhou Yun, longing for an affirmative answer. Zhou Yun looked up at him, his eyes bright.

But in that moment, he already knew the answer, and his heart sank with disappointment.

Zhou Yun looked at Guan Yuanfeng, his tone concise and affirmative. "Guan, I'm not going to Central Base."

Guan Yuanfeng looked up at him, his expression somewhat surprised but not entirely unexpected. The sudden outburst of anger from Zhou Yun at the dinner table had been a clear signal.

Zhou Yun wasn't the type to blindly follow orders. He was actually a person with a very strong personality and wouldn't cooperate with others. They got along well because Guan Yuanfeng had been accommodating him, but once he was unwilling, Zhou Yun would immediately distance himself.

Zhou Yun said, "I am fine here. I am used to being alone and don't want to travel far from home or get to know strangers."

Guan Yuanfeng looked at him without speaking.

Zhou Yun said, "Don't worry about me. I can handle myself just fine. I know Central Base needs you; you can go with peace of mind." How could one keep a hawk?

Captain Guan was always leading others, never himself.

It was only because of a broken wing that he had been temporarily kept on this isolated island of his. Once he regained the strength to fly, he would travel far.

Guan Yuanfeng was silent for a long time before saying, "If you ever change your mind... come to Central Base and find me."

Zhou Yun smiled. "Okay."

He stood up from the stone bench, wanting to return to his room. He was afraid that if he looked at Guan Yuanfeng's expression any longer, he would be reluctant to leave. He was like a lion about to be abandoned, his eyes filled with sadness.

But he had to harden his heart. Letting go temporarily was for long-term possession. He wouldn't go with him, otherwise, he would end up like those teammates, always following behind him.

Too many people followed him, with the commander forging ahead fearlessly. He needed to stand in front of him to always be seen by him.

Guan Yuanfeng stepped forward and grabbed his wrist. Zhou Yun turned to look at him. Guan Yuanfeng said, "I'll leave Comet with you."

Zhou Yun raised his eyebrows slightly. "Comet is a strong asset and would be really useful if you bring him along."

Guan Yuanfeng looked at him, his brows furrowed: "I can't leave you here alone; I’m not at ease."

Zhou Yun: "..." So, just how fragile does he think I am, that this strong man, a commander revered by so many, is still so worried at a time like this.

After a moment of consideration, he said: "I'm not as weak as you think... I still have the ability to protect myself, and not many people come around here. I usually stay on the top floor; no one will ever find me."

Guan Yuanfeng shook his head: "I'll leave Comet with you."

He tried to persuade Zhou Yun: "And as you've heard them say, Central Base is short on supplies, and food is scarce. I don't think Comet will even get enough to eat if it follows me, given its large appetite. It's better off staying with you."

The reasoning was so convincing that Zhou Yun couldn't help but smile: "Alright then."

Guan Yuanfeng breathed a sigh of relief and walked alongside him: "Make sure to take Comet with you wherever you go, safety first."

Zhou Yun said: "So, Captain Guan is this fussy?"

Guan Yuanfeng: "..."

Zhou Yun said: "Stay a few more days, I'll prepare some powders for driving away zombies and trapping agents. You'll find them useful in the future."

Guan Yuanfeng: "Thank you."

Zhou Yun said: "It's all for saving people — if anyone asks about the recipe..."

Guan Yuanfeng said: "I'll say I don't know, that I bought it at Beiming Base."

Zhou Yun looked at him, his eyes filled with amusement: "Captain Guan has made many promises to me."

Guan Yuanfeng said: "I will keep every promise, not daring to forget even for a day."

Zhou Yun looked up at Guan Yuanfeng, his gaze sweeping across the commander's sharp and defined features, without a hint of unnecessary softness.

Under his gaze, any slackness or mistakes were immediately apparent, any weakness, retreat, or slackness was not tolerated.

His subordinates revered him with genuine admiration. His presence was the team's anchor, an impenetrable shield. With him, his soldiers could charge forward, discarding all weakness and insecurity.

However, Guan Yuanfeng felt a pang in his heart under Zhou Yun's focused gaze. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he suddenly wanted to make a vague promise about an uncertain future. He wanted to say he would return soon, to stay with him, even though he knew with his usual rigor that it was unlikely, that the situation at the base was uncertain, and that once he left, he would likely be caught up in countless missions, unable to make promises he couldn't keep.

But his rationality was overtaken by another more overwhelming and impulsive emotion. He wanted to reassure the young man who had been by his side for so long, to tell him how important he was. He wanted to give the most important promise he could offer, one worthy of the person standing before him.

But what kind of promise would be worthy of this person? He hadn't figured that out yet.