Chapter 354: Chapter 339: She Recognizes That Face

How could a large, official farm not have ability users stationed to guard it?

Setting aside general security concerns, what if the numerous plants on the farm were to mutate?

"Well..."

When Gu Xi asked about the ability users on the farm, Huo Changzhou looked very troubled.

He glanced at Tang You with feigned hesitation before explaining in a helpless, low voice, "It’s like this, Miss Gu. As you know, there was a major earthquake in City A a few days ago... so the joint command group requisitioned all the ability users from our farm."

He paused, stealing a glance at Gu Xi’s expression, and added, "They also took our farm’s entire output from the past several days."

’So they can just blame any massive deficit on disaster relief? This earthquake was certainly a huge help to some people!’

Hearing this, Qi Xiang was so angry she almost had to laugh.

’Looks like they came prepared.’

Qi Xiang and Yang Chi exchanged a look. Yang Chi gave an almost imperceptible flick of his wrist and shook his head slightly at her.

Just then, Wei Heng suddenly spoke up. "This joint command group is...?"

Huo Changzhou explained, "The joint command group was formed after the earthquake. It’s a civilian organization led by the military and the base administration, in collaboration with some charitable organizations in City A, created specifically for disaster relief..."

’A civilian organization?’ Qi Xiang raised an eyebrow at the man she sarcastically called Mr. Huo. ’Is he taking us for idiots?’

’Never mind how a disaster relief group led by the military and the base could possibly be a civilian organization!’

’And how could a supposed civilian organization requisition all the ability users from a large, official farm?!’

’It’s fucking ridiculous!’

After hearing this, Gu Xi just nodded and said nothing.

Seeing her react so calmly made Huo Changzhou’s heart pound with dread.

If Gu Xi had gotten angry or asked a few more questions, the excuses they had prepared could have been put to use.

But now that Gu Xi wasn’t asking anything, it would be awkward for him to volunteer more information.

’A smart person knows better than to over-explain.’

As they spoke, the group arrived at the farm’s guesthouse.

After personally arranging their rooms, Huo Changzhou politely took his leave.

"This Mr. Huo is certainly something else." Wei Heng watched Huo Changzhou’s hastily departing back, then turned to Tang You with a grin. "Wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Tang?"

Tang You forced a stiff, hopeless smile. "Miss Gu, I really can’t get involved in the farm’s affairs."

"Now you’re just being modest, Mr. Tang," Qi Xiang said, giving him a meaningful look.

’City A’s situation was indeed unique, and it was true that Mr. Tang’s authority as base leader was constrained from many sides. But to say he couldn’t even control a single farm? That was just absurd!’

Tang You wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He looked up at Gu Xi, about to say something more, but Gu Xi suddenly cut in, "It’s been a long day, and everyone’s tired. Let’s all go back to our rooms and get some rest."

With that, Gu Xi pushed open her door.

Tang You looked from side to side and saw Wei Heng and the others heading to their own rooms. He couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh before dejectedly finding his own room.

「Half an hour later.」

Wei Heng and the others came to Gu Xi’s room.

As soon as he entered, Yang Chi lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "Gu Xi, I have something cool to show you."

"Show me what?" Gu Xi asked, walking over.

"Wei Heng, your place is in the kitchen. I want the hot pot extra spicy," Yang Chi mumbled, pushing aside Wei Heng who was sitting next to him. He then shifted to one side of the sofa to make room for Gu Xi before opening his personal terminal. Placing his hands before the Light Screen, he began to work rapidly.

Wei Heng: "..."

To the side, Qi Xiang grabbed a large apple from the fruit bowl. CRUNCH, CRUNCH. She walked past Wei Heng, casually nudging him aside, and went straight over to stand behind the other two. Leaning with both hands on the back of the sofa, she peered over curiously.

Wei Heng, who had been pushed aside: "..."

Gu Xi felt the atmosphere was a little strange for some reason.

She looked up and saw Wei Heng standing to the side with his arms crossed, watching them with a deadpan expression. ’What’s wrong with him?’

Gu Xi thought for a moment, then pulled out two large boxes from her storage space, along with... a huge pile of unprepared food.

Wei Heng: "..."

Wei Heng lifted his eyes to look at Gu Xi.

Gu Xi: "...Are we still missing something?"

Wei Heng: "...No." He then picked up the items from the floor and, resigned to his fate, went to the kitchen.

At that moment, a blurry shadow appeared on Yang Chi’s Light Screen.

"Here it comes," Yang Chi said, clapping his hands in excitement.

"Is that...?" Gu Xi watched as the shadow on the Light Screen gradually resolved into the back of a woman. The woman looked left and right, then furtively opened a door and squeezed inside.

Yang Chi said smugly, "I hacked into the farm’s surveillance system and stumbled upon this. Oh, right, that’s Mr. Huo’s dorm room..."

Qi Xiang’s interest was instantly piqued. Seeing that the woman had gone inside, she quickly asked him, "...Can you switch the video feed to inside the room?"

Yang Chi nodded proudly. "No problem, hang on." As he spoke, his ten fingers flew as he manipulated the controls in front of the Light Screen.

Gu Xi looked at the excited Yang Chi, then at the gossipy-looking Qi Xiang, and remained silent for a long time.

"Is it going to work? That Mr. Huo of mine might be an idiot, but he wouldn’t install a camera in his own dorm room, would he?" Qi Xiang mumbled, taking a bite of her apple as she stared at the black screen.

"Don’t worry," Yang Chi said confidently, tapping the Light Screen. "I hacked his personal terminal... what personal terminal doesn’t come with a built-in camera?"

The black Light Screen suddenly distorted, and then... two blurry, entangled figures appeared on it.

Qi Xiang and Yang Chi’s eyes widened in unison, both of them staring in shock. They murmured, "...So intense..."

Just then, the camera angle shifted to focus on the woman’s face.

When Gu Xi’s gaze fell on the woman’s face on the Light Screen, her pupils contracted. She knew that face.

At the same time, Qi Xiang also noticed something. Cupping her chin, she muttered, "Why does that woman look so familiar?" She just couldn’t place her at the moment.

Just then, the two people on the Light Screen separated. The woman picked up her clothes from the floor, threw them on casually, and looked up to say something to Huo Changzhou, whose expression changed drastically.

Qi Xiang frowned slightly and tapped Yang Chi on the shoulder. "Can you get the audio from the scene?"

Yang Chi looked troubled. "I’ll try."

Qi Xiang stared at the screen and muttered to herself, ’I really should’ve learned to read lips...’

Just then, the aroma of the hot pot base began to drift out from the kitchen.

"I actually know a little lip-reading." Wei Heng, who had just turned the heat down to let the bone broth simmer, took off his apron and walked out of the kitchen. When his gaze swept over the image on the screen, he instinctively raised a hand to cover Gu Xi’s eyes.

Gu Xi: "..." ’There’s really no need for that. I’ve seen things much more explicit than this.’

’In the worst years of the apocalypse, many people did whatever it took to survive, living like animals with no sense of shame.’

Gu Xi had seen too much; she had long since grown used to such things.

But Wei Heng still shot Qi Xiang a disapproving glare. ’How could she let Gu Xi watch something so inappropriate?’

Qi Xiang rolled her eyes. "Making a big fuss over nothing."

Just then, a voice suddenly came from the video feed—

"The old man’s intention is that Li Ming is probably a lost cause, so that thing must be delivered into Gu Xi’s hands."