Chapter 230 Visit
Xie Tu didn't think much of it; given her current mental state, cutting off the connection would probably help her recover faster.
It was snowing heavily outside, and the base was located in the mountains, so the temperature was very low.
Both father and daughter are guides. Unable to withstand the cold weather, they wrapped themselves up in thick down jackets, scarves, and gloves, keeping themselves well-protected.
Xie Tu was only wearing a low-cut black coat with the collar open, revealing the short sleeves underneath.
The three of them standing together looked like they belonged to completely different seasons.
Minister Bai was also carrying gifts. The three of them chatted as they walked inside and took the elevator upstairs.
It was mainly Minister Bai and Xie Tu chatting.
Bai Yu listened listlessly, feeling utterly bored.
As Minister Bai was chatting, the topic suddenly shifted, and he started talking to Xie Tu about the current situation of the base.
Since the end of the Dark Ages, the population of Dawn Base has exploded.
In just twenty years, the population has surged from less than 100,000 to more than 360,000.
"The population of the base continues to increase this year, and the originally planned infrastructure and housing are far from meeting the current needs."
"Especially in shantytowns."
Minister Bai mentioned this casually, saying, "The shantytowns were originally set up as temporary resettlement areas, but now they have become the main residences for a large number of newcomers."
Sanitation and water supply are facing enormous challenges.
Rapid population growth brings not only these challenges, but also pressure on education, healthcare, employment, energy, and many other areas.
The base has introduced many new policies, with changes almost every year.
"The most important issues are still food and daily necessities."
Minister Duan: "With food shortages, the agricultural planting areas on the back mountain are being expanded again this winter."
They live in a mountainous area with steep terrain, making it difficult to expand their planting area.
Moreover, most of those soils are unsuitable for crop growth, requiring agricultural research institutes to irrigate with nutrient solutions and expend considerable effort to improve the land environment.
Soil improvement is not something that can be accomplished overnight; it requires long-term investment and perseverance.
It can't keep up with the consumption at all.
Starting a few years ago, the Shuguang base has been purchasing food from several other bases as a source of sustenance.
But the situation is the same for the other three bases now.
This year, Hope Base and Dawn Base have successively made plans to build new bases on the ground.
The main reason is the surge in population; the underground shelters can no longer accommodate everyone.
Under such circumstances, the other bases also did not have any surplus food to sell to the Dawn Base.
The base's grain reserves are being depleted very quickly.
Minister Bai said gently, "At the meeting two days ago, Minister Shao proposed to issue a reward to find the contaminated areas that remained before the apocalypse, and to organize reinforcements to go in and loot supplies."
They are all thousand-year-old foxes.
Minister Bai wouldn't bring this up with him for no reason.
Xie Tu remained calm and spoke in a low voice: "They're not easy to find. So far, the four major bases have only encountered two such contaminated areas."
One contaminated zone, designated 88, has been eliminated. The other, a three-star contaminated zone, was eliminated by Hope Base six years ago.
The logistics department's proposal was probably rejected by Minister Duan.
The sentries of the reinforcement troops belong to the operations department.
Unless Minister Duan gives his approval, the base's higher-ups cannot deploy those sentries.
Although Xie Tu doesn't handle internal affairs, he wields considerable influence within the base, even possessing veto power on certain crucial decisions.
Minister Bai's meaning was clear: he wanted him to step in and persuade Minister Duan.
None of the ministers were wrong; they just had different motives.
It's dangerous in the contaminated area.
Minister Duan has his own concerns.
If the intelligence is flawed, the sentries will face a near-certain death if they go in, and if something goes wrong, Dawn Base will suffer a devastating blow.
Minister Duan is responsible for the lives of the sentries.
Xie Tu said, "I understand the minister's concerns, but safety is always the top priority, and we can always find other solutions."
At that moment, the elevator doors opened.
Xie Tu, carrying breakfast and dragging large bags of things, was the first to step out of the elevator.
Minister Bai followed them out of the elevator, sighed, and said worriedly, "The year-end meeting is going to be a huge uproar again."
Bai Yu glanced at her father.
Clutching the gift she brought for Yun Zhao, she ignored her father and jogged to catch up with Xie Tu.
*
Xie Tu arrived at Yun Zhao's ward and first peeked inside through the glass.
The ward was dark, with no lights on, and a sense of tranquility permeated the dimness.
A figure lay quietly, seemingly still immersed in a dream, undisturbed by the outside world.
Xie Tu didn't want to wake her. He had to go to the operations department and would probably be very busy today, so he planned to take his things to the nurses' station.
As he turned around.
A slight noise suddenly came from inside the ward.
The person on the bed turned over, their eyelashes fluttering slightly, and slowly opened their eyes.
Seeing that she was awake, Xie Tu gently knocked on the door.
Bai Yu followed and unceremoniously pushed Xie Tu aside.
Seeing Yun Zhao sit up from the bed, Bai Yu tiptoed and waved to her happily through the glass.
Yun Zhao raised his hand in response, gesturing for them to come in.
She hadn't slept well; there were faint dark circles under her eyes, and her hair was slightly disheveled, with a few stray strands playfully falling beside her cheeks.
Thinking that friends were coming to visit, Yun Zhao perked up a little, got out of bed, and went to the bathroom to wash up.
When she came out, Xie Tu had already set breakfast on the table and was standing with his back to her at the door of the ward, unpacking the microwave oven he had brought.
Minister Bai stood at the door and asked gently, "How are you feeling?"
Yun Zhao thought for a moment and then told the truth: "My mental energy is somewhat disordered, and I feel extremely tired and unable to exert any strength."
Minister Bai, acting like a professional doctor, asked, "Have you experienced symptoms such as a splitting headache or emotional instability?"
Yun Zhao: "It happened for the first two days."
Is there any chaos in the spiritual realm?
Minister Bai: "How is the mental state?"
Yun Zhao answered each question.
She has not yet gained a clear understanding of the guide's abilities.
She was also afraid that using her abilities frequently in the contaminated area might leave some aftereffects and harm the little bluebird.
After learning about her situation, Minister Bai asked one last question, "Did you experience any confusion or dazed state during this time?"
Xie Tu, who was working, paused in his work.
I couldn't help but think of that dark noise reduction room in the contaminated area.
He heard Yun Zhao hesitate for two seconds before replying, "No."
She lied.
Minister Bai: "That's alright. The guide can only get through the mental overload on his own. If the situation is serious and there is a mental breakdown, inhibitors can be used, but those things have great side effects, so use them as little as possible."
In fact, a well-matched Sentinel can also help the Guide alleviate symptoms.
But this is an S-class guide.
Minister Bai's gaze seemed to fall on Xie Tu almost imperceptibly.
These two sentinels and guides, who are of the same species, have not yet undergone a compatibility test.
Yun Zhao was slightly taken aback. She remembered that Xie Tu had used inhibitors before, so she asked, "Side effects? What kind of side effects?"
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