Chapter 32: The Seventh Shelter, Liu Wenxin
The news of the extreme cold outbreak spread like a bomb among the crowd, causing a huge stir and widespread panic.
People were in disbelief. After all, the temperature outside the shelter was already unbearably high, and it was still rising every day.
Under such circumstances, who could have imagined that a deadly cold wave was approaching?
However, Su Ning was not shaken by the voices of doubt around her. She remained highly vigilant and silently thought to herself: “Right now, I have no supplies for surviving in extremely cold conditions. I can’t just wait for death. I must pay more attention and collect cold-resistant materials the next time I enter the instance.”
Her eyes were firm, clearly showing she was ready to face the challenge of the extreme cold.
Meanwhile, another group of people was facing an unexpected predicament.
Gu Cheng’an had originally planned to meet Liu Jianjun from the Sixth Shelter, but the meeting had to be postponed again.
Ma Feng sighed helplessly, lamenting, “What bad timing. We just happened to arrive during the chaotic period of the Sixth Shelter, giving ill-intentioned people a chance to exploit the situation.”
An Ruoru gently twirled her hair and glanced worriedly at Gu Cheng’an, asking, “Boss Gu, what should we do now? Should we continue to prepare for the discussion on the planting soil issue? We haven’t completed the task General Gu assigned us. Are we just going to sit here doing nothing?”
Her voice was filled with anxiety and unease.
Ma Feng also stared intently at Gu Cheng’an, eager to know their next move.
Gu Cheng’an responded, “The Seventh Shelter is currently short on all kinds of supplies. We must establish cooperation with the Sixth Shelter on the planting soil issue. Since the Sixth Shelter just opened, it’s bound to be chaotic at first. Let’s wait patiently for an answer from the higher-ups.”
An Ruoru looked displeased, “We’re official representatives from the Seventh Shelter, yet this is the treatment we get?”
As she spoke, she looked at the insect biscuit in front of her with disgust, feeling nauseated.
The insect biscuit was yellow-gray in color. It didn’t have the appearance of insects, but if someone hadn’t told her it was made from bugs, she would never have guessed.
Ma Feng shrugged and said indifferently, “You’re still being picky? Are you too full or something?”
Without hesitation, he picked up the biscuit and took a big bite.
To his surprise, it didn’t taste as awful as expected. Instead, it had a slightly scratchy texture going down the throat and made a crisp sound when bitten—like eating a biscuit.
Seeing this, An Ruoru’s expression twisted with disgust. She immediately shoved the plate of insect biscuits toward Ma Feng and said sharply, “Since you love them so much, eat them all!”
Then she quickly pulled out bread and water from her backpack and began eating by herself, clearly refusing to touch the insect food.
Ma Feng rolled his eyes and mocked, “You think you’re still some pampered little princess? In times like these, we’re lucky to have food at all.”
An Ruoru snorted and ignored him. She tore off a piece of bread and offered it to the silent Gu Cheng’an, saying gently, “Boss Gu, here, this is for you.”
However, Gu Cheng’an didn’t take the bread. Instead, he stared thoughtfully at the insect biscuit on the table, deep in contemplation.
“This insect biscuit… our Seventh Shelter should learn from this. Its existence can clearly help solve the food shortage problem for disaster victims.”
As the son of the director of the Seventh Shelter, Gu Cheng’an naturally sought to adopt the strengths of other shelters to make up for his own shelter’s weaknesses and build a better facility.
While chewing, Ma Feng muttered, “These insect biscuits are definitely worth learning from. Ever since those Insect Mushrooms appeared, the number of insects outside has skyrocketed. We’ve dealt with a ton of bugs on the way here.”
Hearing the word “bugs” again, An Ruoru completely lost her appetite.
“Can we not talk about bugs anymore?”
With that, she left the room altogether.
Because people had begun moving into the Sixth Shelter, many were now trading their unused belongings in the plaza in front of it.
With protection personnel present, people felt safe enough to barter their goods.
Su Ning was also wandering the area, hoping to trade for something useful—or even get lucky with a great deal.
She browsed the stalls, but perhaps due to the spreading news of the cold wave, cold-resistant gear had become extremely scarce. She couldn’t even find the previously unwanted winter clothes.
“Su Ning!”
Just as she was checking out the items at one of the stalls, someone suddenly called out to her.
She turned around and saw Researcher Yan waving enthusiastically. She walked over to greet him.
Two people stood beside him—presumably his wife and daughter.
“Researcher Yan,” Su Ning said.
He adjusted his glasses and gently introduced her to the woman beside him, “This is Su Ning. You’ve probably heard your father mention her. Many of the problems in the base were solved thanks to her. Don’t be fooled by her young age—Su Ning is extremely capable.”
Su Ning smiled awkwardly, “You’re too kind, Researcher Yan.”
She looked at his family.
Researcher Yan smacked his forehead, “Almost forgot—this is my wife, Liu Wenxin.”
He patted the little girl clinging to his leg, “And this is my daughter, Yan Xinyue—Yueyue.”
The girl shyly peeked out from behind her father to look at Su Ning.
When Su Ning saw Liu Wenxin, a familiar figure—Liu Jianjun—flashed through her mind.
She quietly admired Yan Wentao for being able to win over Liu Jianjun’s daughter.
“Hello, I’m Su Ning.”
Liu Wenxin smiled gently, “My father has spoken about you. Thank you for your help. If it weren’t for your information on the Insect Mushrooms, our medical team would’ve had a tough time.”
Researcher Yan looked at Su Ning and asked, “What are you doing here? Looking to trade as well?”
Su Ning used her backpack to cover her actions as she reached into her scavenger bag and pulled out a Yulu Sweet Fruit, handing it to Yueyue, “Here, a little gift from me.”
The girl’s eyes lit up as she looked at the fruit, but she didn’t immediately take it. Instead, she looked to her parents.
As a researcher, Yan Wentao was immediately intrigued by the unfamiliar fruit. His curiosity flared, trying to identify something new in it.
But Liu Wenxin, knowing her husband’s tendencies, smiled and accepted the fruit on her daughter’s behalf, thanking Su Ning.
Then she smiled and asked, “Can I call you Su Ning?”
Su Ning nodded slightly, signaling her agreement. She was pleased to be forming a good relationship with the Liu family. After all, if a single Yulu Sweet Fruit could lead to such goodwill, it was definitely worth it.
(End of Chapter)
