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Chapter57
He sighed, "I can't be sure, but even if he survived, he must be seriously injured. We should be vigilant these few days."
Zhou You was more concerned about his own rewards, "Can we still earn points? How do we prove we eliminated the wanted criminal? Which department should we approach?"
Shao Qi pointed to his face, saying, "I am the proof!"
Zhou You looked at him disdainfully, "Isn't this process too casual? What if he isn't dead? Wouldn't you be providing false testimony?"
Shao Qi, feeling weak, leaned on him, "That's my problem! As a reward, you carry me to the car!"
Chapter 042: Traveling Together
The first rays of sunlight pierced the clouds, shining on Zhou You and Shao Qi. Zhou You helped Shao Qi into the car, catching a white tiger cub that jumped into his arms. He praised the little creature profusely. If it hadn't brought back a hedgehog earlier, maybe Master Wei would have run off by now.
Thinking of the hedgehog, Zhou You quickly rushed over to gather the spoils. The quills on the hedgehog were as hard as steel needles, definitely more useful than feathers. Regrettably, upon a light touch, the hedgehog's body collapsed instantly, its flesh vanished, and even its quills lost their luster.
"Such a ghastly demise. How on earth did Master Wei accomplish this?"
"It's probably due to the unique nature of his inner energy. Just as some animals possess venomous fluids, while others have corrosive ones, the energy cultivated from different martial arts techniques varies in its effects."
"Oh? What martial technique has Mr. Shao cultivated?" Zhou You inquired curiously.
Leaning back in the rear seat with his arms crossed and eyes shut, Shao Qi replied, “It’s rather impertinent of you to ask such a personal question, unless you're willing to trade with one of your secrets."
Zhou You immediately fell silent and took the driver's seat. Seeing Shao Qi in his current state, he knew the man wouldn’t be driving. But he had never driven an armored vehicle before.
A hint of a smirk appeared on Shao Qi's face, "Don't know how to drive?"
"Well, I am a beginner, I'll need a moment to figure it out."
With a slight flick of Shao Qi’s finger, a stream of energy hit a button, and a mechanical female voice echoed within the vehicle, "Would you like to activate the auto-drive feature?"
"Yes."
"Please input the destination."
Shao Qi pressed another button, and the armored vehicle began its journey, retracing the path they had come from.
Zhou You awkwardly gripped the steering wheel, feeling a bit redundant. He remarked, "The wonders of high-tech."
Debating whether or not to rescue Zhou You and his companion, internal disagreements arose among the explorers. Li Hongxi was torn, thinking it best to first escort the civilians to the base and then come out to search for them. Otherwise, if danger arose, they might risk everything.
Both Wu Yong and Wang Kunyu believed it was unnecessary to go. Firstly, they had no idea where the two had gone, and secondly, they didn’t know the strength of the opposition. Going might just add chaos.
Judging from the deceased, the attackers were formidable. That Shao Qi could defeat them even in his injured state demonstrated his prowess. Among their group, only Li Hongxi had superior martial skills; the others would be easily overpowered by a true master.
However, Li Yunxi proposed a rescue, "We've come this far, about to enter the human base. Now, we face human enemies, not wild beasts. Given Mr. Shao's capabilities, shouldn’t we be aligning with him? Even if we can't help, isn't it good to win his favor?"
Seeing the deputy leaders unswayed, Li Yunxi’s anger flared, "You’ve all been so valiant until now. Why the hesitation? Everyone knows Mr. Shao’s unique status. After the favors he owes us, shouldn’t we maintain our relationship?"
Wu Yong sighed, "Yunxi, you mentioned that our opponents are humans. Battling beasts was about survival, a necessity. But what about conflicts among our own kind? They weren’t targeting us, otherwise, we would have had casualties. We can't contend with Mr. Shao’s enemies. Why invite such major trouble?"
"Yes, Mr. Shao is influential, and I'd like to align with him. But to antagonize another powerful faction just for that? They might not harm Mr. Shao, but crushing our small exploration team would be easy. We've come so far, seeking a peaceful life. Do you really want to risk everything?"
Wang Kunyu was more blunt, scoffing, "Don't bother. She's just smitten. It's obvious she's taken with that Zhou guy. Ask your brother if he'd let you marry such an incapable fellow. Miss, this is the apocalypse. Be realistic or you’ll face hardships."
Furious, Li Yunxi swung her hammer, "Who I like or marry is none of your business. If you don't want to go, then don't. Am I not thinking of everyone's best interest?"
Li Hongxi chided, "Enough!" He looked around, saying, "It's getting late. Let’s move. We'll head to Jiangnan Base first. When I have time, I’ll organize a search for them. We're close to the base; they might have already gone there."
Once Wu Yong and Wang Kunyu left, Li Hongxi whispered to his sister, "I know you're fond of Zhou You, but maybe their departure had ulterior motives. They took that white tiger cub, and its value is clear. As long as it’s with us, there will be unrest. It’s good they left. As for your marriage, I trust you'll make the right choice."
Rubbing her head, Li Yunxi replied, "Brother, don't listen to their nonsense. How could I like Zhou You? He's even shorter than me."
"Do you have feelings for Mr. Shao?" Li Hongxi asked in surprise.
"Nonsense! Who could ever like him? He's never even given me a proper look. He always acts so superior. I wouldn’t be worthy enough to even touch his shoes. Do I look like I enjoy self-torture? How could I ever like someone like that?"