Zhang Jili originally wanted to make this desiccated zombie his lackey, perhaps to have it help carry some things.
As it turned out, this desiccated zombie was incredibly fragile.
Whenever he asked it to carry something, it would either snap a leg or break an arm. Once broken, it would reattach the limb itself and continue carrying.
No matter how ruthless Zhang Jili could be, he didn't have the heart to make it carry things anymore...
So, he essentially adopted a pet.
Actually, the desiccated zombie liked Shen Jiaxue more, but Shen Jiaxue didn't like it, so Zhang Jili considered the desiccated zombie to be his pet now.
The construction of the prison base was becoming more and more complete. Coupled with the fact that many ability users had leveled up, the base was gradually becoming formalized.
Yan Jiasui divided the base into four groups: the reclamation group led by offensive ability users, the logistics group consisting mainly of ordinary people, the research group made up of experienced professionals, and finally, the inspection group composed of sensory ability users.
It was only after continuous attempts and analysis during this period that Yan Jiasui slowly formed these four groups.
A shelter pavilion was also built not far from the base, containing a small amount of water and food. This was mainly to attract other people to enter the base.
Yan Jiasui sent out a lot of information, using fresh vegetables and canned meat to attract talents who were previously doctors or agricultural experts.
The base's ranks gradually grew stronger.
The temperature in the desert was still very high, but it was noticeably lower than before. The end of their line of sight was no longer shimmering heat waves, but a faint touch of grayish-green. The expressions on everyone's faces were somewhat excited.
The most excited of all was none other than Zhang Jili. Sure enough, in the apocalypse, you really have to follow the right people!
He heard Shen Jiaxue say that the captain was a very good person and wouldn't make ability users do menial chores. Even before arriving at the base, Zhang Jili had already started looking forward to meeting that captain.
Just how great must that captain be to make Shen Jiaxue say such things?
After all, she was someone who rarely took an interest in anything or anyone.
Ji Zhaoxi sat in the shadow of the truck, earnestly eating a tin of canned luncheon meat.
Pei Yufeng leaned nearby, loading bullets into his gun. He couldn't help but glance at Ji Zhaoxi. He looked away, his Adam's apple bobbing.
Holding the can, Ji Zhaoxi's face suddenly turned red. She glared at Pei Yufeng: "What are you doing?!"
Pei Yufeng coughed uncomfortably and continued loading bullets.
When exactly could they get rid of this thing? Before, he just didn't dare to touch her, but now he didn't even dare to think about it...
As Ji Zhaoxi drank some water, Pei Yufeng skillfully took the can from her hand and finished the rest.
Desiccated zombies would appear from time to time on the road. Pei Yufeng couldn't distinguish which one was Zhang Jili's pet, so he would just attack them all together every time.
Several times, Zhang Jili hugged his pet, his heart aching so much that he couldn't help but shed tears: "This is a life too, you know."
Between the electrocutions and the kicks, its bones were already fragile, and now they were even more shattered.
The zombie hugged Zhang Jili, bawling loudly.
It became even more terrified of Pei Yufeng, so scared that the moment it saw him, it would immediately lie down and bury itself.
In the dead of night in the desert, the cold wind blew incessantly, letting out mournful howls.
Pei Yufeng hugged Ji Zhaoxi tightly from behind, burying his face deeply in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent.
Ji Zhaoxi had originally fallen asleep, but she was jolted numb by the empathetic resonance in her mind. Her voice carried lingering sleepiness, mixed with a trace of lust.
"Stop thinking about it, I'm so sleepy..."
Buried in Pei Yufeng's arms, she was exhausted to the extreme. She felt her entire body burning up, so hot that she couldn't sleep at all.
Pei Yufeng didn't say a word. Ji Zhaoxi felt her body grow even hotter. She opened her eyes and glared at him, and Pei Yufeng glared back fiercely.
"You always force me to do things I can't do," he complained.
"Sleeping in the same tent as the person I like, how could I possibly not think about anything?"
The next second, Pei Yufeng conceded defeat. He sighed and hugged her tightly: "Alright, alright, I'll stop thinking about it. Go to sleep."
It was agonizing, truly agonizing!
Since he couldn't think about those things, Pei Yufeng started thinking about other things, like his future life with Ji Zhaoxi. Thinking about it, he fell asleep happily, and Ji Zhaoxi finally got a peaceful night's sleep.
The next day, Ji Zhaoxi and the others continued their journey towards the base.
The number of people in the desert began to increase, moving in groups, and people constantly asked them for the direction to the base.
"Is the new base Sister Jiasui built really big?" Ji Zhaoxi asked curiously.
Otherwise, why would so many people be going there?
Zhang Jili suddenly started getting nervous too. He was still only a beginner-level ability user; surely the captain wouldn't look down on him, right?
"Sister Zhaoxi, do you think I can get in?" Zhang Jili asked worriedly.
Ji Zhaoxi nodded: "Definitely. Sister Jiasui is a really great person."
She had never seen her reject anyone.
Finally, the end of the desert was intercepted by a dark green barrier. The front of the vehicle entered the shade of the trees directly. The dry heat in the air gradually dissipated, replaced by a sense of moisture.
Ji Zhaoxi was overjoyed: "I can finally see Sister Jiasui."
Pei Yufeng glanced at Ji Zhaoxi beside him and let out a muffled laugh.
Ji Zhaoxi turned her head sensitively: "You're laughing at me again!"
Pei Yufeng drove the car, his eyes full of amusement: "Silly."
Ji Zhaoxi scoffed: "Since you're driving, I won't hold it against you."
Ji Zhaoxi turned around and smiled: "Jiaxue, you and Sister Jiasui will be able to meet very soon."
Zhang Jili peeked at Shen Jiaxue while petting the desiccated zombie's head.
Shen Jiaxue took a few vampire vines out of her bag and smilingly placed them in Ji Zhaoxi's palm: "Zhaoxi, please give these to Jiasui for me. They will help her ability level up. I'll be getting off the car shortly."
Ji Zhaoxi frowned deeply: "Why? Aren't you going to see Sister Jiasui? She must miss you a lot."
Shen Jiaxue didn't speak, just smiled and shook her head.
Ji Zhaoxi felt it wasn't her place to keep asking, but she felt a bit disappointed.
She had originally thought Shen Jiaxue would enter the base with them.
Zhang Jili lowered his head, picking the sand off the zombie's body, remaining silent with red eyes.
Shen Jiaxue sighed and patted his shoulder.
Zhang Jili choked out, "Do you really have to go?"
Shen Jiaxue shook her head: "I do."
As the car passed through the final stretch of the misty forest, the prison base abruptly appeared, spanning across the center of the forest. The walls were made entirely of concrete and welded steel plates, with a massive trench in front of them.
Many people stood by the edge, all of them shocked by the scale of the base, unsure of how to get across.
Pei Yufeng stopped the car, and Shen Jiaxue got out with her backpack.
"This is as far as I go. It's been a great pleasure spending this time with you all," Shen Jiaxue smiled.
Looking at the teary-eyed Ji Zhaoxi and Zhang Jili, she gave them a helpless hug.
Ji Zhaoxi wiped her tears: "Jiaxue, you will definitely find a team where you can unleash your full potential."
Zhang Jili choked up: "If you're ever truly unhappy, come find us."
Shen Jiaxue's eyes were also a bit red. She cleared her throat: "Alright, alright, let's leave it at that. We'll meet again if fate allows."
Pei Yufeng gently wiped away Ji Zhaoxi's tears and nodded at Shen Jiaxue. "Farewell."
Shen Jiaxue shouldered her bag, taking one last, deep look at the base.
It was truly wonderful. The base she had built was now so much larger than anything they had originally imagined.
Weaving her way through the crowd, Shen Jiaxue walked into the forest without ever looking back.
