From Apocalypse Boss to Farmer: My Vegetables Make Me Stronger!-Chapter 186 - 177: A Better Choice

After Gu Xi returned to her room last night, she locked herself inside.

Both Qi Xiang and Wei Heng keenly sensed that something was wrong with her mood—she was giving off a faint sense of anxiety.

Obviously, it had something to do with the small box Wei Heng had brought back.

Or more accurately, with what was inside the box.

Qi Xiang and Wei Heng were a little worried, so they contacted Shen Yue and the others overnight. They didn’t know what was in the box, but based on their understanding of Gu Xi, she had never been an impatient person.

So, for the sake of today’s assessment, the group stayed up all night. They went over the candidate information that Yang Chi had gathered in advance, strategized for hours, and came up with several backup plans.

Thanks to their thorough preparations, the daytime assessment went relatively smoothly.

In the end, the military picked and chose from the talents sent by the various factions, selecting a total of 18 people. They took every aspect into consideration, demonstrating an incredibly high level of skill in balancing everyone’s interests. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

That night, Wei Heng stopped Gu Xi. "This is for you."

Gu Xi looked down, staring at the Blood-colored Shura Mask he was handing her. After a long moment, she looked up at Wei Heng. "Why are you giving this to me?"

Wei Heng pushed the mask directly into her hand, meeting her gaze without hesitation. "Because Shen Yue and I both believe it will only realize its greatest value in your hands."

Gu Xi subconsciously tightened her grip on the mask, her knuckles turning white.

’I was wondering whether I should tell Wei Heng and the others,’ she thought. ’But I never expected... they’ve already guessed.’

...

Many people were keeping a close eye on this assessment.

Ye Nan was one of them.

After the selection results were announced, the area Gu Xi’s team was assigned to patrol was also made public. Ye Nan stared at a page on the official forum for a long time before finally contacting Ye Xin.

"Mom, the place Gu Xi is leading the team to this time is also near City A." Ye Nan looked at her mother on the Light Screen, who was as charming, young, and beautiful as ever. She mustered up her courage to voice her thoughts. "I..."

"Xiaonan, you don’t want to go?" Ye Xin frowned at her daughter on the other side of the Light Screen. She thought for a moment before saying, "I won’t force you. But Xiaonan, you must understand, if you don’t use this opportunity to leave the Central Base, it will likely be difficult to do so later."

Now that she was far away from Chen’s sight, thousands of miles away, Chen wouldn’t easily let Xiaonan leave. He was using her to keep Ye Xin in check and obedient.

This was undoubtedly the best opportunity.

Ye Nan lowered her head, finding it hard to speak.

She admitted that Gu Xi was a good person, but she had her own pride.

Looking at her daughter, Ye Xin sighed internally.

She only had one daughter, Ye Nan. To keep her away from the dirty business of the Abnormal Ability Research Institute, she had sent her to the Special Service Team for protection long ago.

’It seems... this child is still too inexperienced.’

’If there’s no one to protect her in the future...’

A parent’s love for their child makes them plan far into the future. Ye Xin thought for a moment and said, "If nothing unexpected happens, the military should be assigning the Special Service Team as the escort unit this time..."

"You mean, Jun Han will be going too?" Ye Nan bit her lip. She knew Ye Junhan didn’t like her, but how could she just let go of someone she’d liked for so many years?

Ye Xin watched as her daughter’s eyes lit up for an instant, only to quickly dim again. She narrowed her own eyes slightly.

She didn’t deny that Ye Junhan had been the fallback plan she had arranged for her daughter from the very beginning.

But now, Ye Xin had a better option.

’In this world, who could be more reliable than Xiaoxi, than their former captain?’

’No one.’

’There never will be.’

Besides, Gu Xi had always been clear about her grievances and favors. Even if she knew about the wrong things Ye Xin had done in the past, she wouldn’t take it out on Xiaonan.

On the other side of the screen, Ye Nan bit her lip, looking at her mother as if she wanted to say something but was holding back. "Mom, I..."

They say a mother knows her daughter best. Ye Xin frowned slightly. "You want to organize your own team to go out?"

Ye Nan nodded silently.

She gathered her courage and looked at her mother, her gaze gradually becoming determined. "Mom, I want to try again."

Ye Xin didn’t ask what her daughter wanted to try. She simply stared at her calmly for a moment before agreeing.

Half an hour later, Ye Nan submitted her application form.

Zhou Jinyu soon learned of this and felt it was a good opportunity.

He called Ye Xin and questioned her with feigned fury, "Why are you letting Xiaonan go out? Ye Xin, you should know how dangerous it is out there! She’s your only daughter!"

"Zhou Jinyu." Ye Xin looked at the man on the other side of the Light Screen, calmly organizing the experimental data in front of her. She spoke meaningfully, "So you do remember that she is *my*... only daughter."

Ye Xin deliberately stressed the word "my," her gaze toward Zhou Jinyu filled with blatant mockery and provocation.

"Ye Xin, must you be like this?" Zhou Jinyu closed his eyes, his expression pained.

He looked up and rubbed his weary brow. His usually gentle face showed a hint of helplessness and unconcealed pain. "I know I have no right to interfere in Xiaonan’s affairs, but now..."

"Since you know you have no right, why come looking for a scolding?" Ye Xin nonchalantly raised an eyebrow, taunting, "Zhou Jinyu, it’s been so many years, and you still haven’t kicked that habit of enjoying playing the father."

Zhou Jinyu’s face instantly darkened.

No man could tolerate that.

Ye Xin’s words reminded him of the past. Back then, in order to climb the ladder, he had indeed done some... humiliating things while shouldering a heavy burden.

"Do you hate me that much?" Zhou Jinyu’s voice was bitter. His hands, hidden under the desk, were clenched into tight fists, the veins on their backs bulging.

"Tsk." Ye Xin raised an eyebrow slightly, elegantly arranging the long hair that fell in front of her. "Zhou Jinyu, it’s been so many years. Can’t you show a little improvement?" ’We’re both thousand-year-old foxes, who are you putting on an act for?’

’Besides, I’ve long grown tired of this gentle and devoted act, okay?!’

Zhou Jinyu stared intently at the woman opposite him, his expression gradually softening.

Ye Xin watched the man, raising an eyebrow and sneering. ’So, he’s not going to pretend anymore?’

Sure enough, Zhou Jinyu soon reverted to his usual gentle public demeanor. "Ye Xin, you don’t have to provoke me deliberately. You and I both know it won’t be easy for Xiaonan to leave the Central Base right now."

Not unless she goes with Gu Xi and acts as their eyes and ears.

Otherwise, the Chen sisters wouldn’t agree.

Ye Xin leaned back slightly in her chair, not the least bit anxious. "Then I won’t trouble you to worry about it. Xiaonan’s organizational affiliation is still with the Special Service Team. We’ll just follow the normal procedures."

But Zhou Jinyu stared at her and said, "Ye Xin, I know you don’t trust me. But this time, I really want to help you. After all, all these years, I’ve always treated Xiaonan as my own daughter..."

Across the screen, Ye Xin glanced at him and suddenly smiled. "Alright. Then tell me, how do you plan to help me?"

Zhou Jinyu had originally thought it would take a great deal of effort to persuade this woman, but he hadn’t expected her to suddenly change her attitude. He couldn’t help but hesitate, and for a moment, the lines he had prepared beforehand seemed difficult to say.

Seeing this, Ye Xin raised an eyebrow and looked over, mocking him openly, "What, is Mr. Zhou changing his mind again?"

Zhou Jinyu looked at her, was silent for a moment, then said, "I will show you my sincerity."

After the call ended, Zhou Jinyu summoned Zhou Jing and told her to prepare to leave for City A with Ye Nan’s team in a couple of days.

Zhou Jing was taken aback. "Didn’t we say before... to go with Gu Xi’s team?" ’Everything has already been arranged on the City A side. With this sudden change of target, it will probably be hard to explain when I get back.’

Zhou Jinyu gave his daughter a cold look and warned, "Gu Xi’s team members have already been confirmed. Countless eyes are on the positions next to her right now. As for her team... don’t even think about it."

Zhou Jing lowered her eyes. "But Ye Nan is Ye Xin’s daughter. I’m afraid Mr. Chen won’t agree..."

Zhou Jinyu pushed up the glasses on his nose. An astonishing light gleamed in his eyes, hidden behind the lenses, as he said meaningfully, "Ye Nan isn’t just Ye Xin’s daughter..."

’That man has been hiding for so many years. It’s about time he showed his face.’

Zhou Jing looked up in astonishment, feeling as if she had just heard an incredible secret.