Chapter 80

Chapter 80

"..."

Jiang Nian stared at him for a moment, confirming his seriousness, then sobered up and said solemnly:

"Brother Jing, it's not that I can't bring myself to do it, nor that I don’t want revenge. I just know my own limits and don’t want to hold you or anyone else back... Everyone is living well now, and it’s not worth ruining that peace just to avenge my past life."

If he had the fighting skills of Brother Jing or Zhao Lei, revenge wouldn’t need anyone to talk him into it—but he doesn’t.

Moreover, Xia Weiwei’s identity is tricky. At the very least, they can’t just go after her.

So in his plan, avoiding trouble is the best approach until he can ensure revenge won’t burden those around him.

Say he’s cowardly or weak—this is how he thinks.

This is reality, not some hero’s world. He’s no OP protagonist with the power to catch blades barehanded or take on an army solo.

His enemies aren’t just one person, but a group, even involving base factions.

Charging into revenge all fired up but with no capability would only force others to fight for him—isn’t that just another form of emotional blackmail?

"Then let’s work out a solid plan. You should trust me and the others more. We’re not afraid of being burdened. If Huang Qian and the others knew the truth, Xia Weiwei would probably already be dead."

Cheng Jing understood his concerns. Those who’ve been reborn carry too many reservations—outwardly, he acts all easygoing, yet inwardly sensitive and conflicted. It worried him.

"Heh..."

Jiang Nian imagined their teammates’ personalities and couldn’t help but laugh:

"Exactly because I know how good everyone is, that’s why I don’t want to do it."

"Jiang Nian."

Cheng Jing took his hand, stood up from the sofa, and got down on one knee in front of him, looking up:

"Don’t forget—you’re the one who saw the apocalypse coming and saved us. The peace we have now is because of you. Even if it’s guilt-tripping, you shouldn’t feel any guilt."

Perhaps due to family influences, this man was quick to catch on to everything except relationships with those close to him—there, he was cautious and a little dense.

Cheng Jing had noticed long ago. Psychologically, it was a sign of lacking love, though the man himself remained unaware.

"Brother Jing..."

Jiang Nian’s eyes stung.

Cheng Jing squeezed his hand:

"Just tell me whether you want revenge or not. Let me handle the rest."

Good guys always get the short end. Caring too much about others’ feelings is just screwing yourself over.

"I do!"

Jiang Nian answered without hesitation. Of course he did—sometimes, nightmares still brought back that past-life hell.

"Good!"

Cheng Jing said, voice steady.

"Then let's do it. Let go of all moral guilt and trust the choices you've made in this lifetime. Mom would be happy watching from heaven."

"Yeah."

Jiang Nian nodded. Yes, he should trust the loved ones and teammates he had personally chosen in this life.

Back when his mother was critically ill, Chen Shanmin had visited twice after lending them 20,000 yuan (~$3,000). He didn’t know exactly what they had discussed, but it was likely out of concern for him being left alone in the world.

So, when his mother passed away and Chen Shanmin called to invite him over for a change of scenery, he didn’t refuse.

If not for the apocalypse, if Chen Yue hadn’t been infected, everyone could have lived peacefully. But things didn’t go as planned—being forced to choose between two evils was always the hardest.

"..."

Once they agreed, Cheng Jing seized the moment to say:

"If you don’t want to see Xia Weiwei, you don’t have to. I’ll deal with it."

Jiang Nian composed himself, thought for a moment, and shook his head:

"No, I’ll see her. Now that she’s here, she’s probably told Chen Yue about our situation. I need to be prepared."

Meeting Xia Weiwei would help confirm the basics before making plans. If he couldn’t avoid it, he’d face it head-on.

Xia Weiwei had come with Yang Kai and Zhou Li—he’d also need to probe their intentions.

"..."

Just after three in the afternoon, Jiang Nian had originally planned to go with Cheng Jing to the command center, but unexpectedly, Director Wang, Zhou Li, and Yang Kai arrived in person.

The two guards accompanying Director Wang brought housewarming gifts, which they placed inside before standing guard at the door.

Zhou Li held a file folder, while Yang Kai came empty-handed.

Xia Weiwei and Liang Yunhao didn’t come with them.

Faced with this sudden visit, both Cheng Jing and Jiang Nian were caught off guard.

Their guests, however, were relaxed and at ease, settling onto the living room couches and chairs without waiting for an invitation.

After exchanging pleasantries, Zhou Li and Yang Kai joked enviously about how they didn’t have to worry about electricity—Superpowered individuals with energy abilities had such an advantage.

After chatting for a while, Director Wang, dressed in a starched military uniform, cut to the chase:

"Since we’re all familiar with each other, I won’t beat around the bush. Mr. Liang and Ms. Xia went to visit the research institute’s research greenhouses, so we’ll hold a small internal meeting first."

He then gestured to Zhou Li and Yang Kai and introduced them:

"Zhou Li, newly appointed head of the Base Rescue Department, and Yang Kai as deputy. From now on, they’ll oversee the daily arrangements and assignments for the Southern City Base rescue teams. This is just an advance notice—official documents will be released in a few days."

His voice was booming and resonant, his expression steely and commanding—the bearing of a born leader.

As one of the base’s highest-ranking officials, Director Wang’s words carried undeniable weight.

Though surprised, Jiang Nian and Cheng Jing picked up on the subtext. They shared a look, nodded, and responded without further questions.

After briefing them and introducing Zhou Li and Yang Kai, Director Wang turned the conversation to them.

First, he commended their successful mission the day before. Though his tone was formal, his words were fair, going into specifics.

He then singled out Zhou Li and Yang Kai, indirectly praising their team for contributing many useful strategic ideas to the authorities both before and after the apocalypse, helping to resolve numerous thorny issues.

Cheng Jing occasionally responded with a word or two, while Zhou Li and Yang Kai backed him up.

Jiang Nian listened attentively with his head lowered, waiting for the higher-up to drop the real agenda—Department Head Wang wouldn’t have come just to praise them.

Sure enough, after half an hour of pleasantries, once everyone was more relaxed, Department Head Wang got right down to business:

"All this is to let you know that we’ve seen and officially documented your team’s consistent efforts in aiding both the authorities and ordinary civilians. Though the collapse of order has delayed timely commendations, you can bet we won't forget them."

"Department Head Wang, that's too kind. We never sought any rewards. Faced with such a catastrophe, we just stepped up where we could," Cheng Jing replied calmly and earnestly.

As a former soldier, he believed it was his duty to stand on the frontlines in times of disaster. In such chaotic times, he was content to lead his team in maintaining stability and protecting those around them.

Unless absolutely necessary, he didn’t seek excessive rewards from the authorities.

His teammates were on the same page, which was why they followed him.