Chapter 182 Welcoming
When she was almost out of air, she gently pushed against his hard chest, her voice soft and seductive: "Stop...stop fooling around...if you keep fooling around, we'll really be late for today's important business..."
Shen Han reluctantly released her lips, but still held her tightly in his arms, his chin resting on the top of her head. His voice was terribly hoarse, carrying lingering desire and a hint of irritation: "I really want to ignore all those trivial matters..."
"What nonsense are you spouting!"
Josie glared at him, her cheeks flushed, but she tried to calm her own somewhat disordered breathing and heartbeat.
She knew very well that while indulging in tenderness was tempting, in this apocalypse, only by building a strong enough fortress and possessing enough power to deter all sides could she and those she cared about truly have a long and stable future.
She struggled for a moment, trying to get out of his arms, and prepared to gather more people.
But Shen Han held her even tighter: "Don't move. Listen to me,"
For the first time, his tone carried an undeniable firmness: "When the weather is nice, if you want to go out with me, I'll do as you wish. But now the temperature has plummeted and the snow is too heavy. It would be too much for you to suffer if you went with me, and I would feel sorry for you."
He stroked her long hair, his voice softening but still firm, "You stay here this time. Xie Jue and I will take an elite team and go quickly."
"If you can go, so can I. I'm not afraid of the cold."
"Sweetheart," Shen Han lowered his head and kissed her forehead again, "Wait for me here, okay?"
Seeing his concerned look, she swallowed the words that were about to come out.
"Then you must be careful and come back as soon as possible."
********
Shen Han's departure lasted for a full fifteen days.
Josie didn't have a moment's rest during those two weeks.
She was in charge of the central command and managed the base very well.
The vegetables and fruits in the planting area are growing well, lush and green, and the supply is gradually stabilizing.
Even more surprisingly, the last group of survivors from nearby villages who could no longer endure the hardship heard that there was a warm and safe haven here. Braving the severe snowstorm, they led their only remaining, emaciated chickens and sheep, and their families, to seek refuge here.
Josie personally met with each group of people who came to seek refuge, carefully inquiring about their backgrounds, observing their words and actions, and evaluating and selecting them based on her past experience and keen intuition.
Most of the honest and law-abiding villagers who were just trying to survive were left behind.
Looking at the increasingly crowded outer passage, Zhao Yan couldn't help but find Qiao Xi, his brows furrowed and his expression worried: "What if a few malicious people with ill intentions infiltrate our large-scale shelter of strangers?"
He had suffered greatly in the past and personally experienced betrayal by his companions, so he was particularly wary of such things and even somewhat stressed.
Josie stood at the observation window, looking at the bustling yet orderly crowd below, her gaze calm and clear: "Brother Zhao, I understand your concerns. But if we want to grow and achieve economies of scale, attracting people is an unavoidable step. Risks certainly exist, but we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater."
She turned around, her eyes sharp and resolute. "Look on the bright side, those with ulterior motives are ultimately a tiny minority. We only need to ensure the absolute security of the core area and the priority allocation of resources. Establish clear rules and set up an oversight team. Once someone is exposed and crosses the line, they will be dealt with severely according to the rules, without any leniency, and removed directly as a warning to others."
She paused, her tone tinged with a hint of helplessness yet a clear-headed resolve: "I don't have mind-reading abilities, and I can't see into everyone's heart. So, what we can do is establish ironclad rules and ensure they are strictly enforced. We need to make the vast majority of people willingly abide by them for the sake of immediate stability and future hope. At the same time, we need to ensure the strongest military force within our core team. In this way, even if someone on the periphery harbors disloyal intentions, they won't have the ability or the courage to stir up trouble."
After listening, Zhao Yan reflected on his own actions.
"I was being too one-sided."
Only when a company is strong enough can it withstand pressure when facing risks.
As a result, the base's population nearly doubled.
The core area remains heavily guarded, and non-core members are strictly prohibited from entering.
The outer passageways and makeshift shelters were crowded with newly arrived survivors.
Although the conditions are rudimentary and crowded, compared to the biting cold and the ever-present threat of zombies outside, at least there is stable warmth, a fixed amount of food, and a relatively safe environment.
Although people still looked pale and tired, a spark of hope had been rekindled in their eyes.
They cherished this hard-won respite and were filled with gratitude for the administrators who took them in.
"Miss Qiao, thank you for taking us in."
"Miss Qiao, is there anything we can do for the base?"
Josie braved the freezing cold to look out at the base gate three times a day, so she was already quite familiar with these outsiders.
"Those who are not in good health should take care of themselves first. After you are well, Lin Wei will arrange work for you. As long as you are conscientious and hardworking here, life will get better and better."
Hearing her say that, the survivors relaxed and were extremely satisfied with their current lives.
After speaking with the survivors, Josie went to the door to observe.
Every time she saw the world in a state of chaos and confusion, her heart sank a little further.
Worry coiled around her heart like vines, tightening ever more.
As she stared at the screen again, at that white world, several figures, almost entirely covered in ice and snow, staggering yet exceptionally determined, finally broke through the wind and snow and slowly emerged.
It was Shen Han and his group!
She quickly pressed the button to open the door.
As the base gates opened, Josie, ignoring the cold, quickly went to greet them.
Shen Han, who was walking at the front, immediately spotted Qiao Xi, who was wrapped in a thick down jacket and whose nose was red from the cold.
He quickened his pace, almost jogging over, and before Josie could speak, he pulled her tightly into his arms. Then he wrapped her completely in his thick, snow-covered coat, which was icy cold but warm, using his body heat to dispel the chill from her body.
"Why did you run out? Didn't I tell you to stay inside? It's so cold, what if you get frostbite?" His voice was weary from the long journey, but even more so, it was filled with deep concern and heartache. His breath instantly blurred the vision between them.
Josie buried her face in his cold collar, yet felt incredibly warm and at ease. Her voice came through muffled lines: "I saw the weather was getting worse, and you haven't returned by your due date. I was afraid something had happened to you..."
She lifted her head slightly from his embrace, her gaze passing over his shoulder to Xie Jue, who was directing his team to move supplies behind him.
The boy seemed to have grown taller, his figure even more upright, but his handsome face was frozen pale, his lips even turning blue. Only his eyes, when they saw her, instantly lost all the coldness and ferocity they displayed when facing zombies and strangers, becoming bright, as if filled with starlight.
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