Chapter 138 Fish Soup and Rice Cakes

Chapter 138 Fish Soup and Rice Cakes

"His surname is Guan, and he's a lightning-type. Could he be the legendary Captain Guan from Zhongzhou, known as the pinnacle of combat power with both wind and lightning abilities?" Pan Jiuhong, handing tools to Lu Siyuan under the car, looked up and asked, "Didn't you ask where he's from? His accent is hard to pinpoint."

Lu Siyuan shook his head: "It's hard to say. He's very guarded, so I didn't press further to avoid offending him. Didn't you say you've seen videos? Can't you confirm?"

Pan Jiuhong sighed regretfully: "The videos online all show him in a helmet, sunglasses, and a full-body suit. You can't see his face."

Lu Siyuan said, "I've seen the statistics from the Psychics Association. Although lightning-types are rarer than other psychics, thousands are still registered. And many psychics from various bases are said to be unregistered. It's probably just a coincidence of the same surname."

A skinny man poked his head out from under the car: "What a joke! A general who dominates a region comes out on the highway to save people for a king-level crystal core. Even the most far-fetched post-apocalyptic road romance movies wouldn't feature such a plot. Hasn't our little sister's dream of stardom come true yet?"

Pan Jiuhong glared at the skinny man: "I'm a director! I studied directing!"

The skinny man grabbed a flashlight and crawled back under the car, still laughing: "Director Pan, are you moonlighting as a screenwriter?"

Pan Jiuhong tried to explain: "Look at his presence, no actor could capture that..."

The skinny man said, "Daydreaming in broad daylight, what a gem."

Pan Jiuhong angrily retorted: "You don't understand anything..."

Lu Siyuan intervened: "Alright, Ding Qing, focus on repairing the car. If it's not repaired by tomorrow, we'll be in trouble. Where are Zuo San and Zuo Si?"

Pan Jiuhong replied: "They went to cook. There's a kitchen here, and they gathered some firewood to steam buns."

Cornmeal sour vegetable buns—just thinking about them made their mouths water with sourness. They had eaten too many, and had no appetite left. But the corn was mutated, very expensive. Psychics have high energy needs, so being able to eat this was already a blessing.

Lu Siyuan thought for a moment: "Steam the pack of sausages we found today and take it over to Captain Guan. Also, bring the gasoline we promised earlier."

Pan Jiuhong said, "Alright."

Pan turned and walked to the back. Lu Siyuan bent down and asked Ding Qing: "Can you fix it?"

Ding Qing replied: "No big problem. Luckily, we found replacement tires from another car in the parking lot earlier. Once I replace the tires, it'll be fine."

Lu Siyuan stood outside, looking around for a while, when suddenly he caught a whiff of a delicious aroma.

Even Ding Qing couldn't help but speak from under the car: "Have Zuo San and Zuo Si improved? What are they cooking? It smells amazing! Is it fish soup? Did we catch fish today?"

===

Fresh big fish, cut into chunks, first fried in oil and then boiled into a milky white soup, with dried tofu added. This was something Qin Sheng brought for hot pot during the New Year. Zhou Yun had praised it and saved a lot.

The fish was a mutated black carp. Today, while passing by a frozen lake on the road, during their lunch break, Comet barked at the lake, so they tried ice fishing. Catching this mutated fish delayed their arrival at the destination, but small surprises during the journey seemed to bring joy.

Guan Yuanfeng watched as Zhou Yun's slender fingers sprinkled dried goji berries into the boiling soup pot, reflecting on his own changes. In the past, such deviations from plans and loss of control would have made him very uncomfortable, even causing him to flare up in anger.

If any team member caused a plan to fail to execute perfectly, they would face severe punishment. But Zhou Yun was different.

Had he changed his temperament unconsciously after being disabled and discharged from the military? Was it the clean snow, the frozen lake, the vast wilderness, and Zhou Yun's focused fishing that had captivated him?

Zhou Yun poured a bowl of steaming hot fish soup and handed it to him. Guan Yuanfeng took it and was about to drink when Zhou Yun quickly stopped him: "What's wrong? It's hot! What are you thinking about?"

Guan Yuanfeng: "..."

He awkwardly put down the soup bowl and crossed his legs: "I was thinking about what we need to do when we reach Hailong City tomorrow."

Zhou Yun took a spoon and stirred the soup in the bowl to cool it down: "I looked up information about that base online. It's on a mountain, an ancient city built by a chieftain, like a fortress, easy to defend and hard to attack. That's why it became a base."

"The city lord is a woman named Lin Lingling, a wind-type psychic, said to be already at the fourth level. I heard she was a tour guide before the apocalypse, very familiar with the area. After the apocalypse, she used wind to push zombies off the mountain, organized tourists to save themselves, and later gathered more and more survivors there. She was elected as the city lord."

Guan Yuanfeng: "...You've done quite a bit of research."

Zhou Yun smiled: "I've done a lot of research. Tomorrow, we'll enter the city and settle in, stock up on food, gas, and other supplies, then explore the city, buy some unique seeds, plants, and such. The morels here are excellent, and the pickled chili sauce is also worth buying. After staying for a day, if it's fun, we'll stay a few more days, rest and plan our next move before setting off again."

Guan Yuanfeng said: "Stay for a few days? Won't that delay our schedule?"

Zhou Yun laughed: "The important part of traveling is the journey itself. If a place is fun, stay a few more days. It's not like we're in a hurry to get somewhere important." The two volcano beasts might not even be around, and more importantly, it's about being on the road with Guan Yuanfeng.

He picked up a spoon and handed it to Guan Yuanfeng: "Drink the soup, I'll go out and pour some for Comet." He had made another pot of stew for Comet.

Guan Yuanfeng suddenly took hold of his wrist, pulled him into his arms, and leaned down to kiss him.

Zhou Yun: "..."

This was the staff dormitory room at the gas station, furnished simply with a bed, desk, bookshelf, dining table, and other basic furniture. The single dorm was a bit cramped.

Outside, it was already dark. The room had been tidied up, a camping lamp was hanging by the window, and the bed freshly made.

Guan Yuanfeng was sitting on an old-fashioned rattan armchair in the dormitory, holding Zhou Yun. The weight of two grown men made the rattan chair creak under the pressure.

Zhou Yun was held tightly and kissed deeply for a while, almost out of breath.

After a moment, Guan Yuanfeng released his lips, both of them still wanting more. Zhou Yun's hand rested on Guan Yuanfeng's neck, feeling the strong pulse of his artery. He looked down at Guan Yuanfeng, who was getting more excited, and chuckled: "Why suddenly..."

Guan Yuanfeng said: "I've been holding back all day."

In the confined space of the vehicle, each other's presence, the casual chats, the laughter, the fishing by the lake—every move of the other tugged at his heart. This was a journey that belonged only to the two of them. Indulging in unplanned things was refreshing. Is this what traveling is like? He had joined the military at eighteen and had never strayed from the rules or enjoyed leisure time.

He caught the faint scent of lotus on Zhou Yun, held his hand, and gently stroked his long, soft fingers.

Zhou Yun's lips were red from the kiss, and his eyes were shining. He was moved by Guan Yuanfeng's actions and gently caressed him in return. Guan Yuanfeng loosened his grip slightly, pulling Zhou Yun's hand to his mouth, lightly biting his fingertips.

Zhou Yun felt the heat of Guan Yuanfeng's mouth, and when his fingertips touched his tongue, his whole body warmed up. He pulled his fingers back, brushing Guan Yuanfeng's lips. Though he was also stirred by Guan Yuanfeng's unexpected boldness, he restrained himself and comforted Guan Yuanfeng: "Let's eat first. I'll go out and feed Comet."

He grabbed the soup pot and a bag of dog food and headed outside. It was already dark, and Comet was sitting under a tree by the car, looking around alertly. When it saw Zhou Yun come out with a dog bowl, it immediately perked up and came over.

Zhou Yun patted its head, signaling it to be quiet, and poured the hot fish soup into the dog food, mixing it evenly. The cold air quickly cooled the freshly mixed dog food. Comet immediately came over and started eating eagerly.

After a few bites, it suddenly lifted its head and barked.

Zhou Yun looked up and saw the female member of the Four Seas team approaching with two male members. One was carrying a small pot, and the other was holding a plastic bucket of oil.

Pan Jiuhong was surprised to see him but quickly regained her composure. So there was a companion in the car. She smiled and said: "Hello... This is some steamed cornbread we made. Thank you for your help today. It's a small token of our appreciation..."

She hesitated because as she approached, she saw large chunks of fish in the dog bowl under the tree, the rich aroma of the fish soup, and the dog food mixed with white rice, carrots, meat, and sweet potatoes. Their meal was clearly far superior to theirs.

She awkwardly added: "And here's a can of gasoline. The conditions on the road are poor, please don't mind..."

The one carrying the pot, Zuo Si, swallowed his saliva and emphasized: "There's sausage."

Zhou Yun glanced at the pot, which contained golden cornbread stuffed with pickled vegetables and a few shiny sausages. Knowing they had done their best to express gratitude, he smiled: "Thank you, please wait a moment."

He reached out and took the pot without refusing. When he entered the dormitory, he saw that Guan Yuanfeng had gone into the bathroom. The sound of running water indicated he was taking a shower.

Guan Yuanfeng called out from the bathroom: "What's going on?"

Zhou Yun replied: "It's the team members from earlier, bringing oil and food." He sounded concerned: "Don't catch a cold." There was no water at the gas station; he had used his psychics to fill a few buckets with water and placed them in the bathroom earlier. The freezing weather meant the water was cold.

Guan Yuanfeng said: "It's fine."

Zhou Yun served the cornbread and sausages but then filled their pot with fish soup, which had just been cooked with rice cakes until soft, and the flavor was just right. He carried it out and handed it to the male team member with a smile, saying, "We just happened to cook some fish soup as well. Try it out."

The man, Zuo Si, took the fish soup and, upon seeing the large chunks of fish and rice cakes floating in the milky-white broth, his eyes widened. "It'd be even better with some spicy and sour soup..."

Pan Jiuhong smiled and said, "Thank you, young man. I'm Pan. Our car is fixed now, and we're heading back to Hailong City tomorrow. If you two are also going to Hailong City, we'd like to treat you to a meal there as a token of our gratitude."

Zhou Yun shook his head with a smile. "No need, we have other plans. No need to be so polite. Everyone has it tough when traveling, so helping each other out is only natural."

Pan Jiuhong felt a pang of nostalgia upon hearing words that were once commonplace before the apocalypse. "People used to say that, but now, only psychics dare to travel outside, and those willing to help are rare... Not to mention others, even we ourselves are hesitant to save people, so we're truly grateful to you."

Zhou Yun asked, "How is Hailong City? Are the city gate taxes high?"

Pan Jiuhong replied, "Not high! It's one crystal core per person. Hailong City is very lively. The City Lord, Lin, is very kind and democratic. The city is run by its residents. I came here as a tourist but then awakened my psychic powers. I went back to the Tianfu Base once, but found it overcrowded, with heavy taxes and a hard life. My family was gone... so I came back here to settle down."

She eagerly recommended, "Hailong City is on a mountain. Although small, it's very peaceful. We've organized wood psychics to grow crops on the mountain, and everyone has their own tasks. The collected resources are split evenly, and everyone earns contribution points. The city has a great vibe. If you two haven't found a place to settle yet, Hailong City is definitely the best choice."

Zuo Si, holding the steaming soup, added, "Our fermented spicy fish and sweet-and-sour lamb are delicious! You gotta try them when you visit. You won't find authentic ones elsewhere!"

Zuo San chimed in, "The lamb noodles are great too, and so is the braised chicken. There's also glutinous rice cake, which is convenient to carry on the road."

Zhou Yun smiled, "Thank you, we'll definitely try them when we get there."

After exchanging a few more polite words, Pan Jiuhong didn't ask for their names or origins, only mentioning that they had clean hot water and that they could come to them for anything they needed. Then she left with Zuo San and Zuo Si.

Lu Siyuan and Ding Qing were surprised when they saw the pot of fish soup and rice cakes. "They're so generous?"

Pan Jiuhong explained, "They're not by themselves. There's another companion in the car. A polite, gentle man, but his demeanor suggests he's also a psychic."

Zuo San said, "Even their dog's eating better than us."

Ding Qing retorted, "Didn't you see that dog pulling zombies today? You're a Fire psychic, and you can't even keep up with a dog."

Zuo San: "..."

Zuo Si quickly defended his brother, "My brother doesn't eat much, and when we brothers team up, we're stronger than that dog."

Ding Qing swiftly picked up a fish head with his chopsticks. "It's freezing out, and you still can't even conjure an ice arrow. You should be ashamed... What a joke..."

Zuo Si tried to explain, "There aren't many who can conjure ice with water psychic abilities." He then added, "Let's toss in some fermented chili sauce to the soup. Save some rice cakes for the boss. Don't eat them all."

Lu Siyuan, accustomed to the constant bickering among his team members, interrupted, "No wonder they're bold enough to travel with just two people and a dog. They must be strong. I wonder where they're headed."

Pan Jiuhong said, "It would be great if we could recruit them to stay in Hailong City. I heard from City Lord Lin that Zhucheng has been trying to send troops to take over Hailong City and make it an official base. If we had a few more strong psychics, Zhucheng wouldn't keep eyeing us."

Ding Qing sneered, "Take over? Last year, we gave Zhucheng so much corn and sorghum for free, while our own people were starving and eating wild roots. Meanwhile, they were throwing banquets during the New Year, all of them fat and well-fed. If they really took us over, we'd just be bled dry."

"At the city lord meeting, they talked about promoting products and took a lot of chili, Sichuan pepper, and tea from us, claiming they'd sell them in Zhongzhou. But we haven't seen a single penny from the sales."

Pan Jiuhong said, "If City Lord Lin had attended that meeting and signed the contract, we wouldn't be constantly threatened by Zhucheng now."

Lu Siyuan shook his head. "If City Lord Lin had gone, Hailong City would have been taken advantage of. The emperor is far away, and it was right not to attend the meeting. Zhongzhou has no control over local affairs now, and Zhucheng has troops stationed there. It's only a matter of time before they send troops here too."

Pan Jiuhong murmured, "If that Brother Guan were General Guan, that would be great. They say he's upright and hates evil. He would definitely put Zhucheng Base in its place."

Ding Qing, not looking up from his food, said, "Don't dream about it. I read online that he returned to his hometown and built a big city called Abyss. The walls are lined with cacti, and it's much bigger than Hailong City. Hailong City is too small for anyone to care about."

Pan Jiuhong sighed, "The emperor is far away."

Lu Siyuan, however, said, "I think it would be better to persuade City Lord Lin to take us all to that Abyss. A tree dies when moved, but people thrive on change. I heard that place is developing well, with good benefits."

Zuo Si said flatly, "The food over there is too bland, probably not to your taste."

Pan Jiuhong replied, "City Lord Lin can't bring herself to leave the people of this city, it's been three years..."

===

On the other side of the gas station, after dinner, leaving Comet in the car to watch over it, Zhou Yun finally managed to get Guan Yuanfeng, who had just taken a cold shower and had cool skin but was still fiery in some places, into his embrace.

The thrill of moments like these on the road was a far cry from being at home.

The discomforts of travel and wariness of unfamiliar places were drowned out by the thrill of this secret indulgence.

Zhou Yun liked Guan Yuanfeng at this moment, temporarily relieved of all responsibilities, focusing solely on him.

He carefully held back, not letting Guan Yuanfeng get what he wanted too easily, while teasing the visibly tense Guan Yuanfeng, "Isn't General Guan supposed to be in winter training every day? Your stamina isn't up to par."

Guan Yuanfeng leaned down, tearing off the vines wrapped around him, his broad chest pressing down with a sense of oppression, holding Zhou Yun's arm, leaving clear finger marks on his fair skin. He didn't speak, letting his actions show Zhou Yun what peak physical strength was like.

Feeling Guan Yuanfeng's more intense and bold movements, Zhou Yun was kissed breathless, his toes curled tight, yet he still dared to provoke, "Didn't have enough for dinner, lacking strength?"

Guan Yuanfeng gripped his ankle, slowing the pace instead, his hand sliding down, kneading his calf, "Relax, don't cramp up later, it seems you're the one lacking exercise." Always the one eager to try new things but also the first to cry uncle.

Zhou Yun: "..." The taunt had been turned back on him. He pulled back his leg, his foot resting on Guan Yuanfeng's iron-hard thigh, about to say something when Guan Yuanfeng suddenly pressed down on him, intensifying his assault when Zhou Yun least expected it.

Zhou Yun soon couldn't speak, lost in wave after wave of passionate kisses, his scattered mind still wondering who would pull out military tactics at a time like this—how ruthless.