The sky had grown dark, and the further they went, the more desolate the surroundings became. The road was devoid of any greenery, resembling a barren desert.
The wind and sand lashed around them, and in the distance, a massive structure could be vaguely seen.
“There’s the base!”
“Finally here. Once we get back, I’m definitely taking a proper shower.”
Wang Ni and the others were rough men; they didn’t care about a few days without bathing. But with Le Huan in the group, who always seemed fresh and clean, they felt as if any unpleasant odor on themselves might offend her.
Everyone was excited. The base was their home, filled with people they cared about. After being away for so long, they were eager to return.
Zhao Yan’s expression remained calm. He had no parents, no attachments. No—he did have Le Huan. Just the thought of going on a mission while she waited for him at the base made his blood boil with excitement.
He wrapped his arms tighter around her; the more he held her, the more he liked the physical contact. Only by keeping her close in his arms could he fill the emptiness in his heart.
As they drew closer to the base, a solid, thick earthen wall encircled the outer layer, standing tall in the desert. Inside, it looked like a fortified residential area. From a distance, the grid-like layout resembled pigeon towers.
Wang Ni saw Le Huan’s curiosity and explained, “That’s the Refugee Camp. Only those who contribute enough supplies can have spacious living areas inside. Most residents are the elderly and women with children, and they can barely maintain their lives by working.”
“So if you don’t work, you can’t live there?” Le Huan couldn’t imagine how such a cramped place could accommodate people. If it were her, she’d die trying to survive the first night.
Wang Ni looked troubled. “Not exactly. You can stay, but only by working can you earn the wages to buy food.”
Le Huan understood immediately: no work, no food.
Seeing her worry, Zhao Yan spoke: “We’re not staying there. I have my own place in the base.”
“Yes, yes, Miss Yu, don’t worry. Team Leader is very influential in the base. You won’t have to worry about money—he’s super rich!” Wu You jumped in eagerly.
The vehicle finally reached the base entrance. A few guards saw that it was a base vehicle and got out to inspect it. Everyone entering had to be checked for the zombie virus. Even after five years, countless infected people still existed.
Outside, the wind and sand raged. Zhao Yan looked at Le Huan’s bright, delicate face and wrapped a prepared silk scarf around her, leaving only her sparkling eyes visible.
Base management was strict, but someone like Zhao Yan, a top-tier figure in the base, was exempt from inspection. Naturally, Le Huan, under his protection, was also exempt.
A short-statured guard saw Zhao Yan bringing in a slender woman and his eyes lit up. Although she was wrapped tightly, it was clear she was beautiful.
If she weren’t with Zhao Yan… maybe he could have had a chance. Zhao Yan, uninterested in women, might have sent her to the Refugee Camp instead. The thought alone made Zhao Yan’s gaze toward Le Huan even more possessive.
Le Huan hadn’t felt such disgusting looks in a long time. The time with Zhao Yan had made her forget how often she had been harassed before.
【Le Huan, this person radiates a lot of malice. Watch out.】 66 warned disgustedly.
Le Huan was about to slap him, but Zhao Yan’s fist was faster. With a single punch, he knocked the guard to the ground.
“I don’t like people staring at my woman.”
Zhao Yan’s expression darkened. Seeing the guard openly leering at Le Huan, he wanted to tear him apart.
The head guard heard the commotion and rushed over. Wu You and the others, having completed their checks, also arrived. Seeing Zhao Yan’s stern face, the guard quickly smiled apologetically and made a gesture, signaling someone to drag the fallen guard away. No questions needed—anyone who offended Zhao Yan didn’t belong in the base.
Once inside the base, everyone returned to their respective homes. Zhao Yan led Le Huan to a two-story small building. Similar buildings surrounded it, but the area was quiet. Upon entering the yard, they saw that the house wasn’t large, but it was tidy and organized. The first floor contained a living room and kitchen; the second floor had three bedrooms.
Though small, it had everything necessary. Zhao Yan’s home was well-stocked, even with two potted plants on the windowsill.
Le Huan had assumed Zhao Yan’s home would be empty and impersonal. It turned out he was someone who loved life.
A small bookshelf in the living room held pre-apocalypse study materials and books. Le Huan flipped one open:
“You’re still studying English?”
“…That’s Calculus.”
【Pfft】
Zhao Yan thought it was time for Le Huan to study. She looked only seventeen or eighteen. Before the apocalypse, that was middle school age—still naive and inexperienced. He and Le Huan were worlds apart.
Le Huan’s expression remained unchanged. She had always been a poor student. Even in college before the apocalypse, she had struggled academically. Her father had even used influence to get her in.
Zhao Yan prepared Le Huan’s bedroom. It was spacious and bright, with a small balcony for sunbathing.
“I want new clothes. I’m tired of these two outfits.” Le Huan complained. She never wore a single outfit more than three times.
“Alright, I’ll have someone make them for you.”
“I want a walk-in closet, with a full-length mirror and a dressing table.”
“Okay, I’ll set it up in the next couple of days.” There happened to be an extra room for Le Huan.
“The balcony also needs a rattan chair, like the one in the small village.”
Le Huan had fond memories of that rattan chair. With a soft cushion, it was extremely comfortable.
Zhao Yan patiently accommodated all her requests. He liked that Le Huan treated this as her home—so if she ever left, she would remember the effort he put into arranging it.
Watching Le Huan look around the house, Zhao Yan felt a surreal sense. The time with her felt like a dream. She had boldly entered his world without resistance or complaint.
She didn’t belong in this world. Zhao Yan feared that one ordinary morning, she might disappear. He even laughed at himself for feeling such panic—it was pure overthinking.
Shaking off his thoughts, he let Le Huan rest and took the stack of fabric he brought back to have clothes made.
“I’m not tired. I want to go out for a walk. Staying home is so boring.” Le Huan was fed up with only eating and sleeping.
Zhao Yan, worried she would get bored, went out with her.
Along the way, they saw many people. The base wasn’t small, and the population was significant. Zhao Yan explained that in just the past two years, the base had accepted over fifty thousand people. All houses were built upward as much as possible. Zhao Yan’s area, ordinary small buildings, was considered the “rich district” of the base.
He repeatedly reminded Le Huan not to go out alone. The base had plenty of unsavory people, and he worried she might get bullied.
They arrived at a residential area, another collection of buildings, but unlike the Refugee Camp, these were spacious, two apartments per floor. Everything was categorized into different ranks.
Le Huan was fascinated by the elevator. Even in the apocalypse, the base’s water and power infrastructure was fully functional. Anywhere humans gathered could develop quickly.
“Whose house are we visiting?” she asked, looking around.
“Wu You’s.” The elevator dinged, and upon arriving, they knocked on the door.
The door was opened not by Wu You but by a tall, strikingly beautiful girl. She stepped aside, expression neutral: “Please come in.”
Wu You’s voice came from inside: “Who’s there?”
Seeing Le Huan and Zhao Yan, Wu You exclaimed in surprise: “Team Leader! Miss Yu, you’re here! Come in, sit down!”