Chapter 80: An Uninvited Guest

“Captain, do you really think there could be anything worthwhile here? Damn it, there’s not even a bag of instant noodles. What are we even doing in this godforsaken place?” A burly man grumbled under his breath.

“You talk too much, Wu. Since headquarters ordered us to come here, they must have their reasons. All we need to do is follow orders,” replied a man in military uniform, addressing the one who had just spoken.

Wu immediately quieted down, his complaints dying in his throat.

The man glanced at his now-silent subordinate, his eyes darkening. He said nothing more and continued searching through Kaiyuan Town.

Meanwhile, inside a room, Qin Yu and the others had heard Wu’s voice. They exchanged glances, rose to their feet, and made their way to the door.

No sooner had they stepped outside than they found themselves face-to-face with the group of men. The leader looked startled, clearly not expecting to find anyone in this desolate little town. He took in the four neatly dressed newcomers, then stepped forward and extended his hand to Xia Cheng. “Hello, my name is Chen Yang. I’m with the military, here on assignment. May I ask who you are?”

Xia Cheng shook Chen Yang’s hand with a carefree grin. “Captain Chen, nice to meet you. I’m Xia Cheng, and these three are Zhao Meng, Qin Yu, and Tao. We’re just here on vacation, you know, sightseeing.” He laughed awkwardly.

Everyone else wore an expression of disbelief—sightseeing? Did they think we’re fools? Who goes on vacation in the apocalypse, and to a place like this? Chen Yang realized they weren’t about to divulge their real reason for coming here. Could it be that their objective was the same as his own team’s? If so, things were about to get complicated. Chen Yang’s smile turned inscrutable as he sized up the four of them, quickly concluding that none of them would be easy to deal with. Even standing still, their posture betrayed no weaknesses.

Xia Cheng paid no mind to Chen Yang’s scrutiny. He frowned, annoyed that his intimate moment with his beloved had been ruined by these intruders. Damn them!

Qin Yu, meanwhile, took a closer look at Chen Yang. Although the loose military uniform concealed much of his figure, she could just make out the taut muscles beneath, and his seemingly casual stance was actually one of guarded readiness. The military’s wariness truly ran deep.

Breaking the silence, Chen Yang smiled and said, “We’ve only just arrived and haven’t found a place to stay yet. Would you mind letting us stay for a few nights?”

Qin Yu glanced at the front door, which had been damaged by zombies the night before, then looked back at Chen Yang. “If you want to stay here, go ahead. We’re leaving. Make yourselves at home. We’re new here too, so there’s nothing much we can do to help you.”

Chen Yang was briefly taken aback, about to say something, but Qin Yu and her companions were already walking away. He moved to go after them, but Zhao Meng tossed a fireball at his feet and said, “Our paths are different; there’s no need to force ourselves to travel together.”

Chen Yang stared at the charred patch on his trousers where the fireball had grazed him, his gaze growing even more intense as he watched Qin Yu’s group depart.

“Captain, should we follow them?” Wu stepped forward to ask.

Chen Yang shot him a sidelong glance. “No need. Let’s go inside and take a look.”

With that, he strode into the house, the others trailing behind. As soon as he entered, a faint aroma caught his attention. He surveyed the room, spotted the used bowls and chopsticks left by Qin Yu’s group, dabbed a bit of leftover rice onto his finger, and tasted it, his eyes growing even darker.

Wu, having seen this, asked, “Captain, what do you think?”

Chen Yang withdrew his finger from his mouth and replied coolly, “That group is far from ordinary.” After all, anyone who could still eat hot, cooked meals in the apocalypse was no simple character. It seemed that this mission would be far more interesting than he had anticipated.

Chen Yang’s smile turned almost sinister, and his subordinates shuddered—someone was bound for misfortune. Of course, none of them suspected that, before long, it would be their esteemed captain who bore the brunt of it.

Meanwhile, Qin Yu and her companions were also discussing the military team’s purpose.

“Why would the military come here? Is there some sort of treasure?” Zhao Meng, holding onto Xia Cheng’s arm, looked at Qin Yu.

Qin Yu lowered her head in thought. “Even if it’s not a treasure, it’s something worth the military’s attention. They sent a capable squad here—makes me really curious what it could be.”

“Me too,” Zhao Meng replied with a sly, cat-like grin. Suddenly, she turned to Tao. “Hey, Tao, you’ve lived in this town for so long—ever heard any rumors about a treasure or anything strange?”

Tao eyed the mischievous-looking Zhao Meng coldly. “I’ve lived here for years, but I never got out much. How would I know anything?”

Zhao Meng laughed awkwardly. “Oops, I forgot. Don’t be mad, Tao, I was wrong. How about I make you an extra helping of dumplings tonight?”

Tao stared at her with big, dark eyes. Just as Zhao Meng thought she was about to start a fight, Tao said, “Two helpings.”

Qin Yu couldn’t help but snort with laughter. What was with this adorable yet menacing vibe? Zhao Meng blinked, then resigned herself. “Fine, two helpings. It’s not like I’m the one providing the ingredients.”

Qin Yu’s smile froze. Right, she was the one supplying the food. Ah, but it was a strangely heartwarming feeling. She smiled helplessly, but her eyes were full of warmth.

Xia Cheng, watching the conversation drift further and further from the original topic, massaged his forehead in exasperation. It was true—whenever women chatted, they always went off on tangents. Here, a couple of sentences, and they’d already wandered off track. It looked like he’d have to step in.

“Ahem. Weren’t we discussing Chen Yang and his team? How did we end up talking about food?” Xia Cheng coughed.

“Right. For now, let’s wait and see what they do before making a move. In the meantime, let’s look for a place to stay,” Qin Yu said calmly.

“Ah! Our bags are still back at the old place. What should we do? Should we go get them?” Zhao Meng suddenly exclaimed.

“Is there anything important in the backpacks?” Qin Yu asked.

“Just a few sausages and some instant noodles. Oh, and the little gas canister you gave me—it’s probably almost empty, though,” Zhao Meng replied.

“I see. Do you think it’s worth going back for them?” Qin Yu asked.

“Me? I’d rather not,” Zhao Meng said, glancing at the downcast Tao.

Qin Yu looked at Zhao Meng, then at Tao, and gently patted Tao’s head. “Alright, we won’t go back. But we’ll have to make up for it in other ways later.”

Back in the original house, Wu spotted the small gas canister in the kitchen, along with the instant noodles and sausages in the backpack. Delighted, he rushed out to Chen Yang. “Captain, we can have hot instant noodles!”

Chen Yang looked at the excited Wu, puzzled. Without waiting for an explanation, Wu dragged him into the kitchen. Seeing the supplies, Chen Yang felt a surge of excitement himself. After all, it had been a long time since he’d last eaten something warm.