"Are you guys the base? You're just bandits!" an enraged voice boomed from the entrance.
What's going on? Luo Xiaole quickly got dressed and rushed out to check.
"What's the difference between this and that small base before? Aren't you all just robbing others for supplies? You must be in cahoots!" Luo Xiaole found the voice somewhat familiar.
As she rounded the corner, Luo Xiaole saw the man at the entrance arguing with several soldiers.
She focused her gaze and recognized him instantly – it was the stubbled man with the desk lamp weapon she'd met at the military base on the road! The one who had helped her distribute weapons! She hadn't expected him to be alright and to have arrived at Luocheng Base.
"Exactly, guys, what you're doing isn't right! Cars are one thing, but demanding all our supplies? That's really hitting us where it hurts!" Luo Xiaole knew this voice too well. It was Luo Shu! He stood with his hands on his hips, his small belly protruding, speaking up for the stubbled man.
Luo Xiaole let out an "Oh," realizing they had finally arrived. She understood now. Not only were they demanding cars at the entrance, but they also wouldn't allow anyone to keep any supplies from their spatial storage, even assigning a space-ability user for inspection.
Luo Xiaole observed the base entrance with some curiosity, a hint of suspicion furrowing her brow. This was different from the rules Zhou Shoushan had established before. Furthermore, upon closer inspection, the soldiers at the entrance had been replaced; they weren't the familiar faces from the past couple of days. What was going on…
"What's all the commotion?" a strange male voice suddenly cut through the argument. "At Luocheng Base, rules are of utmost importance." A young man emerged from the guard post at the entrance. He wasn't tall, and his attire wasn't opulent, but it was clear the fabric was of good quality. While everyone else looked travel-worn, he had taken the trouble to dress up, his unusually clean collar setting him apart. Luo Xiaole narrowed her eyes; his subtle hint of being a rich second-generation felt similar to Qin Mingyang's style… Truly an unpleasant person to think about.
"This is Young Master Zhou Kaifeng of our Luocheng Base! Keep your eyes open and obediently hand over your supplies according to the rules. Afterward, at Luocheng Base, you'll receive many good missions and earn more points, which will improve your lives. Understand!" Zhou Kaifeng was accompanied by a sycophantic flat-haired man who was now shouting.
Upon hearing this, others realized they couldn't afford to offend this influential figure. Since the rule was to hand everything over, they would comply. After all, they could receive more supplies by taking on missions within the base later.
"Greetings, Young Master Zhou. When did the rules at the Luocheng Base entrance change to require all supplies to be handed over?" Luo Xiaole yawned and stepped out from the shadows, approaching the base entrance.
"Xiaole!" Luo Shu's shout could be heard for miles. Luo Xiaole waved enthusiastically at him and walked over. Lin Xia and Nie Yuan also approached from behind. Luo Xiaole counted them; yes, thankfully, everyone was here!
"Heh, I thought it was someone else. So, it's the guy who lives off my father's generosity," Zhou Kaifeng sneered, looking Luo Xiaole up and down. "I really don't know what my father sees in you, just a weak little sprout. I never thought my discerning father would be wrong about someone. Humph." Zhou Kaifeng clearly held a strong dislike for Luo Xiaole. He'd heard that Zhou Shoushan had even given Luo Xiaole a lot of points – such a waste!
"In this day and age, any Tom, Dick, or Harry dares to speak up to Young Master!" The arrogant flat-haired man continued to mock Luo Xiaole obsequiously. Hearing the man's voice, Lin Xia's smile towards Luo Xiaole suddenly vanished. She immediately sidestepped and a sharp gust of wind slashed forward, aimed directly at the man. Just as the man was about to be hit by the wind blade, "Seeking death!" Zhou Kaifeng, standing beside him, waved his hand, and an invisible shield suddenly appeared, blocking them. The wind blade was instantly deflected, slicing sideways and cutting a nearby tree in half.
"You dare touch my people!" Zhou Kaifeng's eyes blazed with ferocity. With a flick of his finger, "Take down that woman who doesn't know her place!" Several soldiers menacingly surrounded them. Luo Xiaole now saw it clearly; the soldiers who had been there before had all been replaced by Zhou Kaifeng's men today. So, he was secretly pocketing profits from Zhou Shoushan in this way…
"Hold on…" Luo Xiaole's voice was clear and loud. "Commander Zhou's previous rule was to only confiscate cars, not supplies, right? Since Luocheng Base claims to provide supplies, why collect them now only to redistribute them later?" She spoke each word logically and deliberately, intentionally raising her voice so those behind could hear.
Others around them thought this made sense. If the previous rule was indeed as she stated, and everyone else had complied, they would have endured it. But if only they were required to hand over supplies, wouldn't that be incredibly unfair? Suddenly, the others became disgruntled. "How can this be? The people before didn't have to hand them over, so why should we?" "Unfair!" The entire crowd erupted.
"Young Master Zhou wouldn't want this to escalate and reach the Commander, would he?" Luo Xiaole stepped forward, her gaze fixed on him. Zhou Kaifeng was inwardly furious; this little sprout was choosing to make a scene! But he thought of his plans outside the city and clenched his fists, unable to afford a significant setback that would expose his recent activities to his father. "Very well, Luo Xiaole, is it? I'll remember you." His eyes were filled with malice. "Leave." He uttered a single word and, with a wave of his hand, led the soldiers and turned away without hesitation.
Luo Xiaole, however, stared at his retreating back, not relaxing in the slightest. He wasn't the pampered good-for-nothing she had imagined. He had shown no hesitation and had backed down directly when faced with such a situation. He wouldn't be easy to deal with… Being targeted by someone like him meant she would have to be careful from now on.
"That flat-haired guy…" Lin Xia walked over, taking a deep breath as if to calm herself. "He's from the Azure Dragon Gang." Her gaze shifted to Luo Xiaole. "What!" Luo Xiaole exclaimed. "My father was murdered due to his betrayal, and then that guy joined the Azure Dragon Gang. That's why I've been tracking them here." Her eyes held suppressed rage.
"It's not convenient here. We'll talk more inside later," Luo Xiaole patted Lin Xia on the shoulder. She glanced in the direction Zhou Kaifeng and his group had departed, her expression filled with doubt… Zhou Kaifeng… why would he be involved with people from the Azure Dragon Gang? Did Zhou Shoushan know about this?
…
The group first went to the small courtyard where Luo Xiaole and the others were staying to rest.
"Xiaole! You've been staying here these past couple of days? It's so clean and comfortable!" Zhou Xiaojun exclaimed, looking at the bright and spotless room with exaggerated surprise. After being chased by zombies all the way, they hadn't stayed in such a clean room for a long time.
"Today, I'm going to eat five bowls of rice! And I want to eat Xiaole's braised pork!" Nie Yuan, having spent more time with them, had become livelier.
"You wish, eat that much and you'll end up as fat as Luo Shu! Look at his belly!" Zhou Xiaojun pointed at Luo Shu and teased Nie Yuan.
"Yes! My belly is indeed large. The stomach of a prime minister can hold ships, otherwise, how could I tolerate you, you rebellious son!" Luo Shu retorted with a smile, gritting his teeth. Their banter brought laughter to everyone, and the courtyard instantly became lively and harmonious.
Luo Xiaole leaned against the wall, smiling happily along with them. Suddenly, a cold wind blew past. She felt a wave of chills wash over her, followed by a sharp pain in her wrists and an aching weakness in all her joints. This time, she could barely even walk… Damn it… Luo Xiaole gritted her teeth. Her physical condition, unnoticed during the escape, had worsened. The chronic illnesses accumulated during her difficult past seemed to surge like a tide, even more severe than before. According to the system's requirements, she had to unlock the entire item section before she could unlock the next stage: the body modification section. It seemed she needed to accelerate her leveling up.