Chapter 105

Chapter 105

"I know..."

Cheng Jing understood Department Head Wang's implication, as he shared the same thoughts. After careful consideration, he gave a firm reply:

"I’ve briefed Xia Lei on some of the details here. Rest assured, the experts from the 'Experimental Research Division for Special Phenomena Management' will arrive safely at the South City Base."

The research team was traveling with the military, and his younger brother was one of the leaders of the group. It was only natural for the military to choose the South City Base, which was under military leadership. Given their trust in the national armed forces, the research team’s experts would have no objections.

"With your assurance, I can finally set my mind at ease. This reassurance isn’t just for me—it’s for the entire South City Base."

Department Head Wang’s already thunderous voice rose another notch in excitement.

Recently, the base’s higher-ups and the research institute had been overwhelmed by this matter, which had no clear answers. The research institute, in particular, had researchers calling almost daily to inquire about the brain-enhanced Superpowered individual. Some who knew bits of information even urged him to verify the details directly with Cheng Jing.

If the South City Base weren't so tightly run, chaos might have erupted.

Cheng Jing nodded humbly.

"Actually, I wanted to wait until they confirmed an approximate arrival time before reporting to you."

His brother had only mentioned that the team would enter the base before the extreme heat arrived but hadn’t specified an exact date. This made him tread carefully to avoid trouble, so he hadn’t jumped the gun.

"Ah..."

Department Head Wang sighed helplessly.

"If it weren’t such a critical matter, I wouldn’t be so anxious. I hope you understand... If you encounter any difficulties in the base or have any requests, you can speak to me directly. I’ll do my best to accommodate and assist you."

As a soldier, he normally avoided showing panic, but lately, he had truly been running around like crazy.

The government had already issued a standard order to all bases:

No matter which base the brain-enhanced expert joined, other bases were obligated to provide manpower and resources in support, as this concerned humanity's survival in this apocalypse.

If they failed to retain the brain-enhanced expert, the base’s entire research team could fall apart.

No one wanted to do all the work just for others to reap the benefits. To prevent their hard-earned research from being handed over, people would inevitably rethink which side they're on.

"Thank you."

Cheng Jing graciously accepted this offer.

He had been contemplating that if studying the zombie virus inevitably required dealing with Jiang Nian’s Superpower, then at the very least, the initiative should remain on their side.

So far, things were going according to plan.

Yang Kai had quietly teamed up with several members of the Li family to keep tabs on Xia Weiwei’s movements. They knew she had been using S Base's perks to poach and recruit Superpowered individuals within the base.

Those who had accepted her benefits had already been flagged. They could leave quietly with Xia Weiwei, but if they caused trouble, they would be taken care of on the spot.

Everyone maintained a surface-level peace, waiting only for certain individuals to arrive.

Once they finished discussing this, Department Head Wang started brewing tea again, and Cheng Jing knew there was more to come.

Sure enough, once a fresh pot of tea was ready, Department Head Wang changed the subject:

"The weather is getting steadily hotter. Experts have basically confirmed that extreme heat is coming. You mentioned this before—pretty sharp of you. Now, every outpost is making preparations."

"Many people can tell the climate's out of whack. If there's extreme cold, there's a high probability of extreme heat and other disasters. It wasn't just me who said it."

Cheng Jing's tone was calm. After experiencing extreme cold, people had indeed become much more sensitive. He'd only made a reasonable observation. If anyone deserved credit, it belonged to Jiang Nian.

Department Head Wang gave a noncommittal grunt:

"As you can see, with more and more people entering the base, the pressure from all sides keeps growing. If extreme heat arrives, it'll make the shortage of already scarce water and food supplies even worse."

Cheng Jing nodded:

"Yes, indeed. This is a problem all bases will face."

According to Jiang Nian, in his past life, the extreme heat had started in mid-July and ended around late October—lasting over two months, with temps peaking at 72.

Normally, temperatures fluctuated between 66 and 72 degrees, matching the extreme cold's sub-zero temperatures—which was downright creepy.

At other times, people could be required to trade ration points for supplies, but during extreme weather, they'd have to rely on the base's aid to survive.

At that point, it'd all hinge on each base's stockpile of resources and whether they were willing to distribute them. On this point, he trusted the Southern City Base.

"..."

Department Head Wang looked at him and suddenly leaned in seriously:

"The further we go, the scarcer resources become. Every outpost urgently needs replenishment of renewable resources. The experts and researchers in the labs are pulling all-nighters. Superpowers like yours—energy-based and water-based—will become especially precious."

The population was increasing rapidly, and the base needed an adjustment period. But it had only been a few months since the extreme cold, and rescue teams from various outposts were still constantly searching for survivors outside.

On top of that, they had to regularly clear zombies in the surrounding areas. The base's internal infrastructure was still incomplete, and renewable resources were lacking.

Under these circumstances, extreme weather would claim many lives—even within the base.

As the infrastructure head of the Southern City Base, no wonder he was sweating bullets.

"..."

Cheng Jing remained silent. The conversation had taken a sharp turn, and he couldn't read where Wang was going with this yet, so he didn't dare say too much.

Department Head Wang let the silence hang. He poured him more tea and continued:

"I know you provided some solid tips to the authorities in Qingyun City, which were very effective in surviving the extreme cold. So, if you have any suggestions regarding the current situation in the base, I hope you'll share them."

"Well..."

Cheng Jing hesitated. For one thing, the Southern City Base, with its military management, wasn't like back in Qingyun City. And back then, all those suggestions had come from Jiang Nian—he'd just been passing along.

Moreover, most of the information Nian Nian knew in his past life had come from central broadcasts and the words of people like Chen Yue and Xia Weiwei.

He only knew the theories and hadn't witnessed the practices firsthand, so he couldn't shoot his mouth off. Decisions had to be made after careful discussion and analysis based on real-time conditions.

Seeing his hesitation, Department Head Wang emphasized again:

"Facing such disasters, humanity is still learning through trial and error. Losses are inevitable. You don't need to have any reservations. If you propose something, the base will weigh all the angles. No matter the outcome, we won't blame you."

The military has its own built-in way of doing things, but times have changed, and it is essential to consider other suggestions.

"...Alright."

With things at this point, Cheng Jing pondered for a moment before nodding and, in turn, asked for his input:

"Since you trust me, please give me some time. After discussing with my teammates, I’ll put together everyone’s thoughts for your reference. How does that sound?"

"Fine, I’ll wait for your update."

Department Head Wang also knew not to rush things. After speaking, he exhaled lightly and took a sip of tea, and that took care of the second issue.

Cheng Jing let out a quiet sigh of relief. His nerves had been tense since arriving, worse than facing zombies.

After a quick knock on the door, a guard entered with a plate of sliced watermelon, placed it on the coffee table, and quickly left.

Department Head Wang grabbed a slice and handed it to him:

"Here, have some watermelon."

"Thanks, you shouldn't have."

Cheng Jing thanked him and took it carefully. But after taking a bite, his expression froze:

The flesh was bright red and juicy, yet the taste was weirdly tasteless—clearly superpower-grown. He was all too familiar with this flavor, as most fruits he’d eaten recently tasted the same.

Suddenly it clicked, and he instinctively glanced at Department Head Wang, who nodded while eating:

"If the taste seems familiar, that’s because it is. This watermelon came from Xiao Kai. I saw his fridge was packed with fruits and vegetables, so I took one. He said you gave it to him."

Cheng Jing was speechless.