Chapter 301 | Chapter 302 | Chapter 303
Chapter 301: Wu Yue’s Dissatisfaction
Wu Yue was not inexperienced—he was simply growing impatient because of his dangerously low account balance.
But Bai Yu, who used to be gentle, obedient, and considerate, had changed after becoming the commander stationed independently in Flower City. This made him very uncomfortable.
In his eyes, she had always been a quietly admiring younger girl next door, someone with a touch of girlish charm who followed his lead in everything. Yet now, although his order was somewhat urgent, it was by no means impossible to carry out—so why was she openly rebutting him?
Wu Yue grew serious.
“So this is the result of your time guarding Flower City? Logistics in today’s society is not like ancient times thousands of years ago. It’s only a routine exploration mission—can’t you even complete logistical preparation within a day?”
“Commander Bai, I’m very disappointed in you.”
He was already in his early thirties. The faint melancholy that always lingered around him gave him a particularly steady and composed aura. Saying this in such a measured tone only made him seem more inscrutable.
Bai Yu raised her head.
According to her usual way of maximizing benefit, she should have responded gently, offering him a sweet, compliant smile.
But she had fought hard, calculated carefully, and finally secured her current position—wasn’t it precisely for the freedom to stand her ground now?
Her face still held that familiar, gentle smile she often showed in Flower City. Yet beneath that warmth was a newfound steadiness—completely different from the past, when she seemed dependent on Wu Yue.
She replied patiently:
“General Wu, under normal circumstances, our logistics department remains on standby throughout the winter for wasteland exploration missions.”
“But we only received news of your visit last week, and only confirmed the exact timing yesterday—and you arrived last night.”
By convention, when a Sentinel commander mobilizes, both the city’s Defense Army and Sentinel Army must fully cooperate, and wasteland operations should ideally maintain 60% troop deployment.
This figure is five times that of ordinary clearing missions, designed to maximize efficiency.
As everyone knew, a strong commander alone could control a vast battlefield. The more personnel under their command, the more efficiently operations could advance.
Back when General Lin was still active, such large-scale clearing missions occurred once or twice every quarter, each time pushing exploration deeper into the wasteland.
Bai Yu continued calmly:
“A 60% troop deployment places significant pressure on logistics. In addition, city defense forces must be reassigned.”
“To ensure everything runs smoothly, we need at least three days to coordinate supplies and transport. The more thorough the preparation, the smoother the operation—this is an indispensable process.”
Wu Yue’s lingering headache cleared instantly, but hearing these words from Bai Yu made it hard for him to accept.
Not long ago, she had needed to rely on him even to secure a recommendation for her commander position. Yet now she openly opposed his orders with such firmness.
His brows furrowed.
“Commander Bai, are you accusing me of not reporting my decisions to you beforehand?”
Bai Yu: …
For a moment, she almost said yes.
In the military, all decisions rely on frontline information—of course it should be reported.
But with the wasteland expedition imminent, internal conflict between leaders was unacceptable.
Moreover…
She was still the subordinate. Wu Yue’s fault was not entirely irrelevant.
She took a slow breath and said evenly:
“You misunderstand. What I mean is that logistics lacks sufficient experience in this matter. We may need you to be a bit more accommodating for two days.”
After this exchange, Wu Yue’s irritation from the financial stress gradually subsided.
He leaned back on the sofa, pinching the bridge of his nose, then sighed deeply, his tone softening with familiarity:
“You’re still too young, lacking experience. Logistics is the top priority. After being here so long, you still haven’t improved their efficiency?”
“Little Yu, you need to work harder.”
Bai Yu: …
She smiled.
“You’re right.”
She called for her secretary to bring a tablet, intending to discuss wasteland arrangements. But Wu Yue stared at the screen, lost in thought, then suddenly asked:
“Has Flower City completed its population registration?”
Seeing her puzzled expression, he explained:
“I’m looking for someone very important. Last time I came, it was too rushed. I heard the population registration had just finished and might not have been uploaded to the network yet. Since I have time now, please help me check.”
Bai Yu remained composed.
“According to the municipal office, network integration has already begun and should be complete by now. If you can provide basic information, I can contact the relevant departments immediately.”
Wu Yue sighed and looked at her with a complicated expression. After hesitating for a long time, he said:
“The person I’m looking for… you might not want to help me find her. But for me, that past is hard to forget.”
A faint crease formed between his brows, carrying layers of hidden sorrow—as if his past held countless unspoken stories. Anyone hearing it would feel sympathy.
But Bai Yu listened and found only two words in her mind:
Ridiculous.
Her expression did not change.
“So—do you have her basic information?”
Wu Yue glanced at her, then smiled.
“Don’t overthink it. I just want an answer. The past is already past.”
Bai Yu maintained her composure with great effort, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.
Wu Yue’s expression briefly dimmed, then recovered. He said quietly:
“Her name is Huai Yu. She was my first love in university. We broke up the year of the catastrophe.”
Huai Yu?
Bai Yu frowned.
The name sounded familiar.
After thinking for a moment, she recalled that during her visit, Zhou Qian had called his younger sister “Little Yu” most of the time—but once or twice, he had said “Huai Yu.”
But…
Her brows tightened further.
Because she clearly remembered that girl—fair, slender, delicate, only reaching her chin, with bright, sincere eyes that made her instantly likable.
Most importantly, she looked no older than twenty.
A twenty-year-old girl—what age would she have been six years ago?
Surely she couldn’t have been Wu Yue’s university girlfriend.
Chapter 302: Sunflower Seed Brother
Wu Yue frowned slightly, his expression distant, sinking into his own sentimental thoughts.
Bai Yu took a deep breath, thinking to herself that there were indeed shameless adult men who relied on their looks—admittedly, Wu Yue was refined and quite handsome—to coax middle or high school girls into relationships.
She herself had experienced early romance, but being fourteen or fifteen and dating someone in their twenties—that really crossed a line.
Just thinking about it made her nerves tighten. Her polite smile and inner irritation were completely at odds.
“General Wu, which ‘Huai’ and which ‘Yu’? How old is she? Do you know her place of household registration? With slightly more precise information, we should be able to find her quickly.”
Wu Yue’s melancholic mood was interrupted. He vaguely sensed Bai Yu’s irritation—girls were like this, weren’t they? Unable to stay objective when emotions were involved.
But it didn’t matter. He knew Bai Yu was actually a good girl.
So he replied:
“Huai as in ‘to hold,’ Yu as in ‘surplus.’ But she didn’t really like that name—she might have changed it to Yu as in ‘jade.’”
“As for age… she should be almost thirty now. Her birthday is in July.”
“Household registration… she was registered at the Flower City orphanage.”
Bai Yu carefully noted everything down, quietly letting out a breath of relief. At the same time, her disdain deepened.
They had been together for years. The girl was an orphan. And they broke up the year of the catastrophe.
There was a lot hidden in that.
For example—how unbearable must things have been for a girl with no family, in a world where death could come at any time, to choose to break up with her long-time boyfriend?
In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through Bai Yu’s mind.
But from the very beginning, the country had enforced strict order, so society never truly collapsed. Even abilities first awakened among those with the strongest physical condition and collective awareness—soldiers, athletes, researchers.
So although the early days of the catastrophe were chaotic, things remained relatively stable. The real issue had been the explosive growth of wild plants, making transportation extremely difficult.
In such circumstances, if they broke up, she most likely stayed in Flower City.
But… being alone, there was also a strong chance she was no longer alive.
Bai Yu closed her notebook.
“I’ll make some calls now. Please wait.”
She had wanted to ask what he planned to do if she found the person, but recalling their earlier mismatched conversation, she sighed inwardly. After calling her secretary, she opened her tablet again.
“The wasteland exploration plan in three days will tentatively cover…”
……
Meanwhile—
Huai Yu had no idea about Bai Yu’s mental suffering. Sitting in the passenger seat, watching the increasingly wild and primitive scenery outside, her mood grew brighter and brighter.
“You’re that happy?” Zhou Qian glanced sideways while driving, noticing her relaxed posture, content expression, and the joy radiating from her as she stared out the window.
Huai Yu nodded. “Of course! Going out makes me happy, seeing so many plants makes me happy too.”
Then she added, “Brother Zhou Qian, I haven’t fully learned how to drive yet. If you get tired, just stop and let me take over.”
Zhou Qian thought to himself—this isn’t ‘not knowing how to drive,’ this is being too daring to drive. The moment she touched the wheel, she pressed the accelerator and refused to let go.
After several attempts near home like that, he ended up worrying about the car, the fuel, and most importantly, his own life. He had decided it was better to just serve as the driver.
Some people were simply born to be pampered—manual labor just wasn’t for them.
Huai Yu had no idea about his inner complaints. Her apology was sincere, but… forgetting about her feet while remembering her hands when driving—wasn’t that normal?
Zhou Qian had already replied:
“Just focus on cracking your sunflower seeds. If I get tired, I’ll stop. We’ve only been driving for two hours—not even close to tired yet.”
Huai Yu sighed.
“Two hours and we’re still not at the wasteland outskirts. We still have to detour around Sanqing Mountain. If only we could drive straight from the Rose Corridor to the wasteland!”
Then they could go in and out freely anytime.
But the Rose Corridor, along with Sanqing Mountain and the surrounding hills, formed a natural barrier—protecting Flower City from invasion while also limiting Huai Yu’s route.
Zhou Qian felt a bit regretful too, but it didn’t matter. Driving was the easiest part of wasteland exploration. Huai Yu’s ability was what truly mattered.
“We’re here.”
He slowed the car.
“See the checkpoint ahead? Take out the permit—they’ll stamp it.”
Huai Yu quickly opened her bag.
After thinking for a moment, she grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds as well.
Xiao Kui and its family had been ridiculously productive—huge flower heads, but the seeds themselves stayed the same size. One flower could yield a whole basin of seeds. At home, they stored them in layers of plastic bags and sacks—more than enough to snack on endlessly.
Now, facing the stern guards ahead—
One of them extended a hand toward the driver’s window. “Identity verification.”
Another extended his hand toward the passenger side. “Permit. Just the two of you? Private trip or registered exploration team?”
“Private trips require special approval. Otherwise, you’re just going to the wasteland to die and burden others. Think carefully.”
“We’ve thought it through!”
Zhou Qian remained serious, handling things by the book.
Meanwhile, Huai Yu placed her fair little fist into the guard’s palm. When she opened her hand—
A cascade of sunflower seeds spilled down.
The guard: …
He stared at the seeds, momentarily speechless. After a pause, he said:
“Take them back. We are not allowed to accept bribes.”
But Huai Yu was already smiling sweetly.
“Brother, it’s just a small handful of seeds. A couple bites and they’re gone—does that really count as a bribe?”
“Here!” She handed over the permit briskly. “We’re fully compliant—no need for special favors. It’s cold outside. I roasted these myself, they’re really fragrant!”
Faced with her bright smile, no one had the heart to refuse.
Zhou Qian, hearing her familiar sweet talk, couldn’t help glancing at her again.
Sure enough, the usually stern officer couldn’t withstand it. He quietly closed his hand over the seeds while taking the permit with the other, inspecting it carefully.
Then his expression softened slightly.
“Wait here.”
He strode toward the office area. Soon, with a firm stamp, the permit was returned.
“Thank you, Brother!” Huai Yu’s eyes sparkled.
The officer hesitated, then said:
“We just received news. General Wu will begin inland exploration from Zone C9 in three days.”
“If you plan to go deeper, it’s better to wait at the outer area, then enter from Zone 3 and follow the main force. It will be much safer.”
Chapter 303: The Lake
This was a public itinerary, not a secret. Within a few days, everyone would hear about it anyway. Yet the call had come less than half an hour ago, and he was already sharing such information…
Huai Yu’s face lit up with pure delight. “Wow! Really? Thank you, Brother!”
Zhou Qian, however, stared at her, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu.
Back then… what had Huai Yu called him?
The guard on duty couldn’t help but blush slightly. His gaze softened as he looked at Huai Yu. Meanwhile, Zhou Qian started the car. Amid Huai Yu’s cheerful farewell, they slowly passed through the gate, until the tall structure faded from sight.
“He’s such a nice person!”
“Now we know Wu Yue’s movements and can avoid him. But Brother Zhou Qian, is it really okay for him to tell us that?”
Zhou Qian hummed. “The Marshal’s itinerary is public before entering the wasteland. It’s not against regulations.”
Not against regulations—but the man had clearly gone out of his way to help. As expected, once Huai Yu opened her mouth, people would be completely charmed.
For example… him, still working hard as the driver.
So—
“Don’t just eat sunflower seeds by yourself. I want some too.”
Huai Yu turned to look at him, then turned back. “Unsafe driving makes Da Pang nag. Brother Zhou Qian, Da Pang stutters, don’t make things hard for it!”
Zhou Qian: ???
He took a deep breath and fixed his gaze on the road ahead.
After passing the first checkpoint, they had officially entered the wasteland outskirts. The road was no longer wide and flat, instead winding through sparse woodland. Compared to deeper areas, the forest here was thinner, and with daily patrols, it was relatively safe.
That was—so long as the driver didn’t crash into a tree.
After a turn, the forest suddenly opened up. On both sides of the road, layers of golden leaves glowed in the late autumn light. When the window was lowered, a sharp chill filled the air.
Late autumn giving way to winter—everything was quiet.
Suddenly, Huai Yu poked Zhou Qian. When he glanced over, she opened her palm.
“Brother Zhou Qian, sunflower seeds for you.”
He felt a soft touch in his palm. Looking down, he saw a neat pile of shelled seeds resting there obediently.
He couldn’t help but smile.
Then, with one motion, he tossed the whole handful into his mouth.
These were salted seeds Huai Yu had specially prepared. The plum-flavored batch had failed due to stale ingredients, but these simple salt-roasted ones were fragrant, slightly sweet, and savory—deeply satisfying with every bite.
As he chewed, Zhou Qian thought—with how thoughtful Little Yu is, it’s no wonder I get completely charmed too.
Forget it. Driving was fine. She was so small that even sitting in the driver’s seat, her view wasn’t complete. Better not force her.
Golden trees rushed backward on both sides, and ahead lay an open lakeshore. At the far end of the lake, a small waterfall trickled down. Another familiar checkpoint stood by the shore, still guarded.
Zhou Qian slowed the car. “Want to stop and take a look?”
“This is a well-known landmark on the wasteland outskirts. Once you step here, you’ve officially entered. From here on, mutated creatures will start appearing.”
Huai Yu nodded. After Zhou Qian parked and handed over their IDs and permits, she looked around curiously and asked:
“Brother, are you stationed here all the time?”
The guard was checking their documents. He nodded, then couldn’t help glancing at her again. “Private trip?”
The permit already indicated this, so without waiting for an answer, he looked at Zhou Qian, his expression stern.
“Have you thought this through? The wasteland isn’t somewhere you can just come and go. The girl might not understand, but you’re already this old—don’t you know better?”
Zhou Qian, “this old”: …
Huai Yu burst into laughter. As if by habit, she grabbed another handful of sunflower seeds and handed them over.
“Brother, I’ve noticed you’re all really nice! My Brother is also very nice—thank you! I’ll just take a look outside and go back!”
The handful of seeds was stubbornly persistent. When he didn’t take them, she even tried to stuff them into his pocket. In the end, he gave in, his expression softening.
“Just look around the outskirts. Without experience, dealing with mutated creatures is very difficult.”
“Also, bring plenty of supplies. It’s better to spend extra points than regret it later.”
Huai Yu nodded obediently, looking carefree as if she truly only planned to stroll around.
The guard returned their documents. “Do you know the routes? Straight ahead is Zone C9, right leads to A8, left to D7.”
“I suggest you head slowly toward C9. In a few days, the Marshal will start from there. Early exploration and clearing will be handled by the Defense Army.”
Zhou Qian nodded. “Understood.”
But Huai Yu suddenly raised her hand high. “I have somewhere I want to see—I’ll go to A8.” Anyway, they couldn’t go to C9, and they shouldn’t waste the guard’s kindness.
The guard didn’t object, only added, “Areas before A6 are relatively safe. Try not to go deeper.”
After they left the checkpoint, Huai Yu asked curiously:
“How many checkpoints like this are there? Why is everyone so nice?”
Zhou Qian’s expression softened. “They’re all from the Defense Army. Of course they’re good people.”
“From here on, there’s a checkpoint for every zone. Our permit only allows us within explored areas. As for unexplored zones—there are no checkpoints there yet.”
Huai Yu nodded happily, then sighed.
“The scenery here is so beautiful. The lake looks like a huge sapphire… Brother Zhou Qian, is that waterfall always this small?”
As she spoke, the car jolted slightly.
Since entering the wasteland, these small bumps happened often, making Huai Yu worry the chickens might actually lay eggs in the back.
But Zhou Qian was used to it. He glanced at the rearview mirror.
“It’s the dry season, so the water flow is small. In late spring and early summer, after heavy rain, when the lake clears up, the waterfall pours down in full force. The water is like a mirror—very beautiful.”
It was rare for him to sound poetic. That waterfall must truly be stunning.
Huai Yu felt a surge of anticipation.
Unfortunately, their trip was planned for a month. If everything went smoothly, they would return just in time to prepare for the New Year.
And every trip required a permit. She probably wouldn’t get to see the spring scenery.
“Should’ve bought a camera from Boss Tang…”
She muttered to herself, then pulled out a piece of dried meat from her bag.
Since she didn’t have proper vacuum packaging, the marinated spicy jerky was wrapped in foil. The soft rustling sound filled the car as she opened it.
“Brother Zhou Qian, do you want some?”
But in the next instant—
A gray-blue shadow flashed past the window at lightning speed!
