Xiao Han's head was buzzing. Thinking back to the two times he had been impulsive enough to stand up for Xiao Lei at all costs, he felt strange and scared.
"Have you ever thought about why it was Xiao Lei?" Lu Shiyan said in a cold voice, "There are many people in the square who are more miserable than him. Why do you care so much about him?"
"I... don't know!" The veins on Xiao Han's forehead were throbbing, "When I saw him being beaten, my brain exploded and I couldn't control it!"
Su Wan handed over a bottle of water: "Calm down."
Xiao Han took a few gulps and closed his eyes to recall the brutality of the scorpion, the indifference of the people, Xiao Lei's frail figure, and... those eyes!
"No!" he yelled, "Xiao Lei's eyes are looking at me wrong!"
"What's wrong?" Lu Shiyan pressed.
"He couldn't tell," Xiao Han had a splitting headache, "It was as if... he had calculated that I would help him! He was even guiding me!"
The more he thought about it, the colder his spine felt. The feeling of having his emotions precisely calculated was chilling.
"In the square, Scorpion had just finished speaking harshly. I was indeed angry, but I didn't intend to rush forward." Xiao Han's voice trembled, "But when Xiao Lei was stopped by his 'mother', he turned around and looked at me... That look was too complicated! Then, I lost control."
Lu Shiyan's eyes were gloomy: "Is your emotional outburst related to Xiaolei?"
"It's almost certain!" Xiao Han punched the hardwood bed, making a dull thud. "It was even more obvious at the street corner! He saw us, but let that burly guy bully him. It was like he was putting on a show for us! Damn it! I was fooled by a little brat! What does he want to do?!"
Su Wan also thought of Xiao Lei's eyes that did not look like those of a child, and her heart sank.
"That Xiaolei and his 'seriously ill' mother live in Area C." Lu Shiyan said slowly.
Su Wan and Xiao Han understood what he meant immediately. In order to prevent Xiao Han from being affected again, the three decided to go to Area C to find out what was going on the next day.
At night, Su Wan tossed and turned and couldn't sleep.
The water in the central base is bottomless.
The book's introduction to the Central Base is vague, only mentioning that it was quickly destroyed by a mysterious force in the early days, but not much is said about the specific process and reasons, as if something was deliberately concealed.
Lei Lao Hu? Or someone else?
The more Su Wan thought about it, the colder her back felt.
What a hell of a situation this is.
She felt stuffy in her heart and got up from the bed. The lights were on in the living room and Lu Shiyan was sitting alone.
"Are you still awake?" he spoke first.
Su Wan nodded, sat down opposite him, and said in a tense voice: "Lu Shiyan, are we...really going to meet Lei Lao Hu? The Central Base is too weird, I'm afraid..."
"Are you afraid of being dragged into this?" He smiled, but there was no warmth in his eyes. "Want to leave?"
Su Wan was frightened by his gaze and mustered up her courage: "Scorpion, and what Xiao Han did today, both reveal evil nature. I want to find my father. Even though the Dawn Base is far away, it is safer than here. At least I can give birth to the child in peace."
Only in her father's territory can she feel truly safe.
Lu Shiyan reached out and brushed aside the strands of hair on her forehead, his fingertips feeling slightly cold.
"Do you think we can leave?" he asked, his lips curved coldly, "Scorpion just finished his big show, will he let us go easily?"
Su Wan's heart sank. Scorpion would never let them go.
"Besides..." Lu Shiyan looked out the window at the ink-colored scene, "Isn't it a pity that I haven't boarded the Lei Lao Hu boat to see the scenery yet?"
"You want to know how deep the water is in this central base, don't you?"
Su Wan raised her head suddenly and met his deep eyes, feeling even colder: "You really want to stir up this mess! It's too dangerous!"
"No buts." Lu Shiyan interrupted her, his tone irresistible, "Su Wan, remember, the more dangerous the place, the more likely it is to hide what we want."
His eyes fell on her lower abdomen, and his voice slowed down, but it was still loud and clear: "For example, the strength and capital for you and your child to survive in this apocalypse."
Su Wan's breath caught in her throat. He was right. Without strength, it would be difficult to move forward, let alone raise a child.
"As for Xiao Han," Lu Shiyan retracted his gaze, "he can't die."
He said with conviction.
"That Xiao Lei is quite interesting." Lu Shiyan tapped his chin with his fingertips. "He can affect Xiao Han's emotions. It's either a supernatural power, or... some kind of mental control method."
"Then shall we... go meet Lei Lao Hu?" Su Wan's voice was dry.
Lu Shiyan nodded: "Let's go tomorrow."
Seeing Su Wan's frown, he reached out and held her in his arms.
"Don't be afraid." His voice was above her head, "I'll take care of everything."
Su Wan leaned on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, and her uneasiness eased a little.
She didn't notice that at an angle where she couldn't see, Lu Shiyan's lips curled up in a cold and bloodthirsty arc.
The next morning, Lu Shiyan and the other two went straight to Area C. Xiao Han was still upset about what happened last night, his face was as dark as the bottom of a pot: "Are you really going to find that brat? Damn it, the thought of being fooled by a brat makes me angry!"
Lu Shiyan ignored him, and Su Wan comforted him, "Let's find the person first."
Area C was worse than expected, with a foul stench, dilapidated tents and numb figures everywhere.
"This place..." Xiao Han frowned and lowered his voice, "It's simply not a place for human beings to stay."
After finding out the approximate location, the three of them came to a shaky tent. Lu Shiyan raised his hand and knocked.
Lu Shiyan stepped forward and knocked. "Who?" A hoarse and extremely weak female voice came from inside, with obvious vigilance and a hint of exhaustion close to death.
"Looking for Xiaolei." Lu Shiyan's voice was calm.
There was a rustle inside, and the wooden door opened a crack, revealing a woman's pale face. It was the one from the square. She recognized Xiao Han, her hands trembled, and she almost slammed the door shut: "What... are you looking for Xiao Lei for?"
"Mom?" Xiao Lei squeezed out from behind the woman and saw Xiao Han and the other two. His body suddenly stiffened, and panic flashed across his eyes, which should have been clear. He quickly lowered his head and said timidly, "Big brother, big sister, why are you here?"
The timid look was exactly the same as before in the square and on the street corner. Xiao Han snorted coldly. It would be a pity not to win an award for such acting skills.
Lu Shiyan ignored Xiaolei's performance and looked directly at the woman: "Are you seriously ill?"
The woman subconsciously covered her chest and coughed violently, as if she was going to cough out her lungs. She bent over in pain, her voice so hoarse that it was almost inaudible: "It's an old problem... It's nothing serious..."
"Yeah?"
Xiao Lei suddenly raised his head, stood in front of the woman, and said courageously: "My mother is sick! She is dying! What on earth do you want to do?!" His voice trembled a little, but he tried to straighten his small chest.
Su Wan said softly: "Xiao Lei, we have no ill intentions. I just want to ask you, why did you want to provoke Xiao Han to take action?"
Xiao Lei's body shook violently, his face turned pale instantly, his lips trembled and he couldn't speak. His mother's face looked even worse, and she tried to pull him away, but he stubbornly broke free.
"I... I didn't..." Xiao Lei's voice was as thin as a mosquito's, and he stared at the ground.
"No?" Xiao Han laughed in anger, took a step forward, and said in a loud voice: "Boy, do you think I'm a fool? In the square, if you look at me, I will rush at you like a mad dog! What kind of magic did you awaken?"
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