Zhou You wasn't sure how long this situation would last, but he was determined to persevere. To him, the little white tiger had become family.

Shao Qi and his group waited by a slope outside the city gates. Song Xingzhen got off his vehicle and asked, "Aren't we going inside to meet Mr. Zhou?"

"No need, he can handle it."

"But that's a mutant white tiger. It's young, yet its power isn't something a regular high-grade mutant creature can match."

"You said it yourself, it's still young and hasn't reached its peak. It's not as fearsome as you think." Shao Qi appeared completely confident, leaving Song Xingzhen concerned but unable to argue.

Before long, an armored vehicle approached from the ruins' direction. Only then did Song Xingzhen realize they had a vehicle, explaining why they were meeting so far out.

The car came to a stop. Shao Qi waved as he boarded Zhou You's vehicle, taking the driver's seat. He led the way, keeping a car's distance from the last truck. They couldn't see the little white tiger inside.

"Aren't you going to name it?" Shao Qi asked, glancing at the lazily lounging white tiger in the rearview mirror. "Just calling it 'little white' seems to undersell its grandeur."

"I'm not sure any name would do it justice. And I hesitate to name it, fearing it'll be harder to let go once it has a name."

The journey from Da Gu base to Yangcheng base was much smoother. They frequently encountered other teams, and supply stations appeared at regular intervals — a more organized setup than the Jiangnan base.

Many in the convoy were injured. They rested a full day at the first supply station before setting out again. Martial artists recover faster than average people, so with proper medicine, their wounds healed quickly.

A few days later, Young Master Wang was back to his old tricks, constantly teasing Li Yunxi and Miao Miu. While Li Yunxi tried to ignore him, Miao Miu didn’t hesitate to give him a beating, making him avoid her from then on.

"Scoundrel!" Miao Miu said with a smirk, cracking her knuckles.

In the end, Young Master Wang dared only to provoke Li Yunxi. Perhaps he thought she was gentler and more attractive. He couldn't resist visiting her daily, as if drawn by her beauty.

Li Yunxi used to be fiery but had become more restrained over time. She tolerated Wang for a while due to his influential status in Yangcheng base. But eventually, she lost her patience and kicked him into a ditch, snapping, "You're too young to be so lecherous. If you dare make such obscene remarks again, I'll castrate you!"

Faced with mutated beasts, Wang would run. But he wasn't afraid of a confrontation with a woman. After crawling out of the ditch, he tried to pick a fight with Li Yunxi. Others, like Song Xingzhen, looked on with disapproval, wishing they could throw Wang back to Da Gu base to be fed to the wild beasts.

"Bring it on!" boasted Li Yunxi, now a junior martial artist. Her diligent training was evident, and it didn’t take long for her to beat Wang into submission. He pleaded for mercy and, ultimately, crawled back to the truck, injured.

"Serves him right!" the bodyguards whispered among themselves in approval.

Chapter 115: Entering Yangcheng

"We're here. This is Yangcheng base," said Shao Qi, parking the car. Zhou You leaned out of the window, gazing up at the towering city walls.

Unlike any other wall he'd seen, this one was made entirely of steel, glistening in the sunlight. It seemed covered with a thin, hazy layer. The entrance gate was flanked by a five-story watchtower. Each level had artillery placements, and there were far more guards than at Jiangnan base, evident by their military attire.

"Yangcheng is strictly managed. All newcomers must register. Just tell them you’ve always lived in Jiangnan base," Shao Qi advised Zhou You.

"Okay, and what about Little White?"

"That depends on how influential Young Master Wang's father is."

Zhou You eyed him curiously, "You're entering Yangcheng as an engineer? Aren't you afraid someone might recognize you?"

Shao Qi flashed his ID, "I am genuinely a senior engineer. As for my other identities, they're top-secret. Nobody can access them."

Zhou You chuckled, realizing he was overthinking.

Many people were queuing at the city gate, eager to explore on such a fine day. After being cooped up all winter, almost four months, nobody wanted to stay indoors any longer.

"Dad! We're here!" Young Master Wang suddenly jumped off the truck and ran ahead. Everyone watched as a middle-aged man in a traditional suit embraced him. Their reunion was so heartfelt it was almost tearful.

Zhou You raised an eyebrow, commenting, "Now I see where Young Master Wang gets his arrogance. He's a mama's boy."

"Spoiling a child like that is a recipe for disaster. It's surprising to see Wang Mang, who's so influential outside, act this way towards his son."

Feeling the security of his father's presence, Young Master Wang broke down, reliving the hardships and near-death experiences of the journey, crying uncontrollably in his father's arms.

Shao Qi couldn't stand it any longer and said to Song Xingzhen, "Excuse me, there are people waiting outside the city. It's disgraceful to keep them waiting with so many eyes on them."

Song Xingzhen felt equally embarrassed and explained, "Our leader lost his wife many years ago. This is his only cherished son, so he tends to spoil him."

"That's unfortunate for him. Once he passes away, there will be no one to look after his son. I doubt the boy would last a day on his own."

Everyone agreed. But after all, it's a personal matter, and they couldn't interfere. Seeing that time was running out, Song Xingzhen reluctantly approached the two, pointing at Shao Qi and his group, and whispered something.

Wang Mang finally composed himself and, with his son, came over to express his gratitude. When he saw Shao Qi and Zhou You standing side by side, his gaze merely brushed past Zhou You, finally resting on Shao Qi.