CHAPTER 353: CHAPTER 332: FRIENDS WALK TOGETHER FOR A LIFETIME

After dismantling everything that needed to be taken apart, Luo Ping turned around and asked Lu Shou, "Do you want these iron sheets? You can use them to build a shed, which can shield against the wind and rain."

"Ah... oh..."

Lu Shou responded blankly, as if he hadn’t quite processed it and wasn’t sure what he had been thinking just now.

Seeing his response, Lu Xi’an said, "Then why not let us handle it? We’ll carry the car bodies back directly."

As he spoke, he lifted one of the cars, effortlessly, without much exertion.

Yao Wei was about to lift another one, but Tang Er stopped her.

"Let me do it."

Tang Er said, then went over and lifted another one.

Chou Nu wanted to tell Lu Xi’an to pass the car he was lifting over to give him a break, but Lu Xi’an refused, saying, "It’s fine, I got it. Lifting this doesn’t take much effort."

Chou Nu knew that Lu Xi’an was telling the truth, so she didn’t argue further.

Seeing the way Lu Xi’an and Tang Er handled the cars, Luo Ping exclaimed, "Wow, the Type A Neo-Humans are really something! If we had known, we wouldn’t have bothered dismantling the cars piece by piece! We could have just carried them back together first!"

Lu Xi’an responded, "You didn’t think of it, did you?"

Luo Ping patted his head and said, "True, I didn’t think of it. My brain’s a bit off today; I failed to consider things thoroughly more than once. I’ll have to pay attention in the future."

Lu Xi’an didn’t waste any more words with him, saying, "Let’s go, head back." Then he took the lead, carrying the car back with Tang Er.

Yao Wei didn’t get in the car, carrying Gou in one hand and a sniper rifle in the other, walking beside Lu Xi’an. As for the drone, she didn’t have a free hand to carry it, so she just placed it on top of the car Lu Xi’an was lifting.

Then Chou Nu and Chai Xin followed along.

Chou Nu said she wanted to see if she could help out in a moment. If they needed someone to lift the car body, she could lend a hand. As for Chai Xin, she purely wanted to stick with Lu Xi’an and Yao Wei.

This girl was clever and perceptive, knowing that after this battle, their time together wouldn’t be much, and soon they would part ways. So she just wanted to seize every moment to stay by Lu Xi’an and Luo Ping’s side.

The others all got into the car to ride back first.

Luo Ping sat in the front passenger seat, even poked his head out to wave and greet Lu Xi’an, "Big brother, big sister, we’ll head off first and prepare food at Lu Shou’s village for you guys!"

Lu Xi’an waved back, "Alright, take your time. No rush. Don’t bring us half-cooked meals when we get back."

Luo Ping’s voice had already moved a bit further ahead, "Don’t worry, big brother, we won’t."

After Luo Ping and their two cars wobbled away, Chai Xin walked alongside Lu Xi’an and Yao Wei and asked, "Big brother, big sister, where are you heading next?"

Lu Xi’an replied, "We’ll probably go to Caiyang Mountain?" As he spoke, he turned to glance at Yao Wei, waiting for her confirmation.

"Yeah."

Yao Wei nodded without objection.

Lu Xi’an then continued, "After this battle, we realized we’re a bit lacking in strength.

"To avoid a situation again where we encounter opponents we can’t handle, we need to upgrade ourselves.

"So we plan to retreat to Caiyang Mountain, train until we’re strong enough, and then venture south with confidence."

Hearing what Lu Xi’an said, Chai Xin couldn’t help but widen her eyes, "Big brother, big sister, you call this weak?! You thrashed those two people like it was nothing!"

Lu Xi’an explained, "Because there are even stronger people in the south. We’ve discovered some things there, left behind by injured individuals.

"We can confirm that those items belonged to two formidable people, both Type A Neo-Humans, and they should be even more powerful than us."

"Ah!"

Chai Xin couldn’t help but slightly widen her eyes, opening her mouth but unable to say anything for a moment.

She always thought big brother and big sister were the most formidable people in the world, even before Boss Liang and Xu arrived, she believed that. She was filled with confidence in them. Now, hearing there were people even more formidable, she couldn’t quite believe it.

Lu Xi’an continued, "And don’t forget, we still have markers on us. Who knows if venturing further south, there might be others who have consumed Fungus Stone and survived?

"Consuming Fungus Stone doesn’t require any skill, it’s all about determination and luck.

"If the south has people like in Northern County, venturing there would be like walking naked, constantly exposed to others’ views.

"It would be terrifying to sleep uneasily, wouldn’t it?

"So we plan to go to Caiyang Mountain, where to the west was Xuan Xiaocao, who we’ve already eliminated; to the south was Northern County, which we also dealt with; to the north is us, relatively safe.

"And as I mentioned before, it guards East Island, there’s water on the mountain, no worries about food and drink, it’s convenient to live."

"And we can meet often!"

Chai Xin suddenly realized, feeling happy, she said, "Luo Ping mentioned going to Caiyang Mountain, and then trading with people from East Island. So, I can often go with Luo Ping later!"

"That’s right!"

Lu Xi’an laughed.

Yao Wei also laughed along.

Not just them, Tang Er, Liu Hua, and Chou Nu, who were walking with them, also started to laugh, thinking this was just great.

Even with the car lifted, they walked briskly and quickly returned to the Healing Village.

The villagers at the Healing Village saw all the Neo-Humans returning safely, none missing, and were overjoyed. They then brought out all the food they had collected and stored over the past two days, and started to cook cheerfully.

All the Neo-Humans joined in. Tang even said he would get some meat, inviting Yao and Bottle to go hunting with him.

This month or so was enough for Tang to become very familiar with everyone. Besides, with him and Yao working together, one could control animals and the other could turn invisible, making hunting quite easy.

Tang also had ants, although not as good as Liu Hua’s flying ants, but very useful at this time, spreading out under his control to find traces of prey.

Lu Xi’an and Tang Er put down the car and joined the bustling crowd.

Lu Xi’an and Yao Wei contributed the remaining items in the car—though due to that big pre-war feast, there wasn’t much left, only oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar.

When they brought out these condiments, Lu Xi’an went to find Luo Ping and said, "Next time you bring me some stuff from the base, okay? Otherwise, I’m going to run out here. Yao Wei and I plan to retreat to Caiyang Mountain afterwards."

—Of course, those condiments surely wouldn’t be used up immediately, especially the sugar. But Lu Xi’an mentioned it anyway. He was worried about not holding out on Caiyang Mountain.

Luo Ping, who was talking with Lu Shou, widened his eyes upon hearing Lu Xi’an’s words: "Whoa, you’re going into seclusion for cultivation! When you come out, you might be invincible!"

Lu Xi’an said speechlessly, "You’ve been reading too many martial arts novels."

Luo Ping laughed. As he turned his eyes, he suddenly saw Lu Shou hesitatingly glancing his way, looking uncertain about whether to come over.

So he just called out, "Mouse."

Lu Shou then gritted his teeth and walked over.

Luo Ping said, "If you have something to say, just say it. Why so hesitant?"

Lu Shou was still hesitant: "I don’t know if I should say it..."

Luo Ping said, "That’s up to you. I can’t make the decision for you."

Lu Xi’an looked at Lu Shou and then at Luo Ping, thinking to himself. But seeing Luo Ping had no intention of speaking first, he closed his mouth and didn’t interrupt.

Luo Ping was very patient, neither driving Lu Shou away nor urging him, just waiting patiently.

After a long while, Lu Shou seemed unable to hold back anymore and finally said, "Mr. Luo, I want... I want... I want to bring my people here to join you..."

He was stuck here, afraid of saying the second part, "I don’t know if you can agree," and getting a direct "no" from Luo Ping.

Unexpectedly, Luo Ping straightforwardly responded, "Sure, why not? We’ve been together for a month. I know you and your people. With good people like you joining, we’ll definitely welcome it."

Lu Shou was moved, and this big man who looked like Mike was choked up: "But I... I used to..."

Luo Ping interrupted him: "The past is the past. The future is the future. No need to mention the past."

Lu Shou then fell silent.

Soon, Tang and Yao returned with a large and a small prey. Everyone slaughtered and cooked them, sitting together under Luo Ping’s and others’ leadership, no distinction between Neo-Humans and ordinary people, feasting joyfully.

This meal was bustling with excitement. Everyone was happy, chatting while eating, with none of the world’s tension and restraints.

After eating and chatting, Luo Ping, still unsatisfied, led a song: "How can we forget old friends, and not miss them in our hearts..."

This song was already popular at the 923 Base. Once he started singing, everyone else kept the beat and sang along: "Old friends cannot forget, friendship lasts forever..."

Lu Shou and Tang were slightly dazed, and then unknowingly, clapped along. Afterwards, the ordinary folks did the same.

The song wasn’t difficult, mostly repetitive, and gradually, as they sang, they also joined in: "Long live friendship, friends, long live friendship..."

After the song ended, everyone was still unsatisfied, and Luo Ping looked at Lu Xi’an: "Brother, any more songs?"

Lu Xi’an didn’t hold back, immediately saying, "Sure, I’ll sing another one." After thinking for a while, he thought of a song and began to sing: "These years, alone, through the wind, through the rain, with tears, with mistakes, still remember what to insist..."

As they sang, somehow, everyone seemed to learn it too, joining in: "Friends walk together for life, those days will no longer exist, one word, a lifetime, a lifetime’s friendship, a cup of wine..."

"Friends were never lonely, one word and you’ll understand, there’s still hurt, there’s still pain, still moving, still me..."

After singing, Chai Xin curiously asked, "Big brother, what is wine?"

Lu Xi’an smiled and patted Chai Xin’s head, ruffling her already messy hair into a bird’s nest, saying, "We’ll find some for you to drink when there’s a chance later."

"Okay, okay!"

Chai Xin nodded repeatedly.

Tang, originally sitting with Yao and Bottle, suddenly got up and sat next to Luo Ping, saying, "Hey Luo, I don’t want to just hang solo anymore. Can I join you guys? Feels awesome being with you all."

"Sure, no problem."

Luo Ping grinned, agreeing readily.

After agreeing, he then turned to Lu Shou, saying, "Look at him, then look at you."

Lu Shou: "..."