Chapter 73
Yan Fei patted Luo Xun’s back and spoke after the coughing subsided. "It’s normal to recruit people with abilities like Zhang Yi. After all, his ability is very strong."
Yan Fei felt that keeping the other as a doctor was a waste, going out to kill zombies would show the value of his power. However since Yan Fei himself was too lazy to go out and kill zombies and collect materials, he could understand Zhang Yi’s choice of working at the hospital.
Speaking of this matter, Li Tie and the others had big smiles on their faces. He Qiankun proudly revealed to Yan Fei, "Zhang Yi said our team name is good. He likes the idea of it and is now a member of our team!"
Yan Fei was silent for a while. His heart wondered what this "our team" was about? He thought back to some dust laden corner in his memories from long ago, Li Tie had wanted to combine the two groups to form some team...
"Right! Otaku team sounds pretty good!"
Right...Otaku team.
Yan Fei silently pondered, Otaku was not bad. During the apocalypse in his house on base, with his lover passing the days planting and working on the walls. Although there seemed to be nothing to pursue, he had already chased all pursuits before the apocalypse. This current sort of life was also good, if everything was scary, they could go outside to skill zombies and dig out crystal nuclei.
Han Li interrupted Li Tie and anxiously explained to the couple, "But those people said that they knew how to improve ability, if they use this as temptation..." Not just Zhang Yi, even Yan Fei could leave so he had no peace of mind.
That was right...There was that thing...So the main reason they were reporting to Yan Fei was because of this? These two people were the only ability users on their team, if they left with others...how would the rest of the group cope? The best way is for them to figure out the method and prevent other teams from poaching.
Yan Fei raised his eyebrows. "Raise ability? I know how to do that."
"Ah!?" The four person group looked at him. Yan Fei knew how to improve his abilities? Or he knew that some teams knew how to improve their abilities?
Yan Fei frowned and touched his chin while he mused, "Before I was too busy, I must have forgotten to mention it. I’ll tell him when he gets back."
Yan Fei quickly summed up the most effective ways to improve abilities, there were two methods: one was to completely empty their capacity before recovering, the second was to absorb crystal nuclei.
He suspected that what the Chaos team captain had said about the "method of ascension" meant absorbing nuclei. It was not a secret, the military had long since been using this method, perhaps they had not mentioned it. Zhang Yi would have not known from other channels, the information had not been passed around. Who let only him and Yan Fei be ability users on their floor? This sort of topic would not be mentioned when talking with the ordinary Li Tie and friends.
As for Zhang Yi...how often did that guy talk to people? His brain was too strange, Yan Fei said he was too lazy to try and keep up. Also too lazy to try and understand his thoughts.
Back in the room, the pair continued to work and finished brushing the wall very quickly. They had just eaten a meal and there were only two rooms left.
After the last room was painted, the two people smiled in relief. They opened the doors and windows before going to bed in order to dry the house.
Yan Fei set up a special iron bar to block the window, even if a thief wanted to quickly enter they could not. They could go home and rest at ease.
"They’ll have the materials tomorrow. Are you going to set up their place first?" After washing and returning to the bedroom, Luo Xun leaned against a wall and watched Yan Fei attack the iron ball in the room.
"Ah, first deal with his home. Last time you said that some places would better to rebuild? His home will be the test run." Yan Fei said breezily, there were two houses for him to practice on and take advantage of.
After finishing the two heating systems, Luo Xun’s house would be able to use the best solution.
Luo Xun could not help but laugh and nodded seriously, "According to Li Tie and the others, their house heats up slowly and uses up a lot of electricity. After looking at Zhang Yi’s home improvement situation, should be able to determine the best improvement method." His lover’s plan was acceptable and thus he completely showed his support.
The next evening, Zhang Yi came home earlier than usual with a truck loaded with metal materials.
Luo Xun’s eyes twitched after going downstairs. He could not help but ask, "How did you get so much metal?" There was enough metal for Yan Fei to work a day at the wall!
Zhang Yi narrowed his peach blossom eyes and laughed with a dazzling smile that gave people goosebumps. He raised a finger to point at the truck. "A patient." He gave a look of understanding. "Female helped a suffering person."
"...Which female patient was so blind, to send you a car of scarce material?" Luo Xun felt his eyes twitch, that lady was really blind!
Did she know how scarce metal was on base? Beautiful people were fortunate! Even if she wanted to lay in bed, had to hand over materials.
Zhang Yi waved his hands, "Her father seems to be responsible for the distribution of collected materials. Heard that I was looking for metal to renovate the house and gave me a car." He sighed deeply, "The rotten girl is really a good friend."
"Ah? Woman?" Luo Xun thinking he heard wrong was not to be blamed. What kind of good rotten female would be so generous to give metal urgently needed by the base under this kind of circumstances?
Zhang Yi raised an eyebrow and laughed meaningfully. "You did not hear wrong, no need for denial." After speaking, he turned to the car to see someone sneaking a peek. The person taking the chance to fish in troubled waters was sent three metres flying by a ball of wind.
Although Luo Xun wanted to ask Zhang Yi for more details, what would be the cost? A woman could bear the cost of giving him so many materials? He also...cough, liked men, would he be able to use this advantage?
But thinking of the horrors that might arise, things that are likely to be confided, even the possibility of being betrayed...He decided to continue living a strong and honest life.
Yan Fei’s face was not well as they climbed to the 16th floor – no other way, who let him be the only one with metal ability? Carrying the metal by himself was much faster than letting the others bring stuff up bit by bit.
He could control the metal suspended in midair, "floating" to the 16th floor. Due to the large amount of material that Zhang Yi had brought back, it could not be fully manipulated at once. Forced operation would only block the whole corridor.
Regretfully, Zhang Yi’s honey was too potent, the car had enough for two or three trips, Yan Fei could only persevere.
Luo Xun and Zhang Yi looked downstairs at the car together. Onlookers passing by watched while poor Yan Fei commanded the pile of material to slowly float towards the 16th floor.
"Are you returning the car later today?" Luo Xun pointed at the pickup truck half full of material.
Zhang Yi shook his head. "Drive back tomorrow morning."
Luo Xun patted his chest, he had thought the generous woman had even gifted Zhang Yi with a truck. "Don’t think all your materials will be used up."
Luo Xun looked at the rest of the material in the car. He was very clear on the total cost of the metal material used for Li Tie’s room. Zhang Yi had brought back too many materials, more than enough to renovate the apartment.
Zhang Yi carelessly waved a hand. "Other than plumbing, paving the floor and reinforcing the inside wall? The rest is for you, it’s useless to me anyway. Just get me some chairs like the ones in your home."
There was no furniture inside 1603, Zhang Yi only needed Yan Fei to use some of the metal materials for that. Although it was not bright silver like stainless steel, this kind if furniture was strong!
The appearance did not matter, if needed they could find Yan Fei to change the shape. Gifts for Yan Fei were also very simple, ordinary metal materials were okay, no need for precious metals!
The unfortunate Yan Fei had come downstairs again, using a hand to direct a portion of the material while wandering the corridor. Looking around, he huffed. "Oh-"
Startled, Luo XUn jumped and hurriedly looked around. Goodness, when had they become surrounded by so many people?
Who knew when, more and more lively people gathered around. Unlike the ones at the beginning who were trying to steal goods, these people simply came to see the commotion.
"Why are there so many people? Didn’t a lot of people moved out in the last two days?"
Luo Xun had a point, since the incident a few days ago, a lot of people had moved out of the inner city towards the outer base. The empty houses were now filled and people squeezed to find a place.
According to what others had said, the outer base houses were very large. Some areas had one person to a floor. If the military had not responded in a timely manner, many others would have done like Luo Xun, one person claimed an apartment as their own!
But outside the base, housing cost money, though originally groups of five or six people paid a lot to crowd in a room. Now a family of three would still pay the same amount, more cost effective at a glance.
While the two were standing around and talking, Yan Fei went up the stairs as someone walked out.
The two groups came face to face, it was the two female college students that Yan Fei had nailed when the two had assailed the 16th floor with tears.
The two girls did not look good, especially their hurt hand. Their faces were pale and they were sweating. It seemed they were heading downstairs and experienced a shock upon seeing Yan Fei floating so much metal at once.
The two girls leaned against a man, one on each side. The man reached into the uninjured girl’s collar and copped a feel in plain view of other people.
Seeing Luo Xun and the others standing at the door of the truck, the two girls jerked in surprise but quickly lowered their heads. The man beside them did not notice anything off and left in high spirits with a proud smile.
Behind them, two guys were holding a screen that seemed to have been removed from a window...
Luo Xun touched his chin, the gang this time was neither the females’ former companions or the ones from before.
Zhang Yi gave a glance at the group and laughingly smiled. "Looks like they found a patron and moved away."
The two women who had been robbed by the group had nothing in their home. There was only the two of them if they moved away with nothing of value, except those two windows?
Luo Xun nodded and muttered to himself. "Window screen...How could I forget about that?" How did he forget to collect something before the apocalypse? Maybe because in his past life the basement had no windows?
Zhang Yi looked at him. He wanted to find some window screens from someone else. "You can let your husband make you metal screens. A little denser but still usable, anyway he has nothing else to do."
Luo Xun’s eyes brightened. "Right! That could work!" He could save money instead of buying screens!
The unaware Yan Fei came downstairs to see his lover staring at him with shining eyes. He subconsciously looked down at himself – clothes were clean, was there something on his face?
The last batch of metal materials flew up, Zhang Yi left the car in a parking space and locked the doors. The three people climbed up to the 16th floor.
On the top floor, Luo Xun saw that the corridor already had a metal floor and Zhang Yi’s door had a giant hole with quite a bit of metal materials inside.
Zhang Yi rubbed his throbbing temple. "Was my door locked for nothing?"
Yan Fei was in front but had no time to bicker while manipulating the metal. Luo Xun who was in the middle laughed. "Want to go directly to my apartment? We don’t mind."
Zhang Yi waved a hand. "No need, anyway my door is no obstacle for your husband."
Luo Xun nodded. "Right!"
Yan Fei smiled, satisfied with Zhang Yi’s comment of "husband", he decided to make the floor stronger. Poor Luo Xun had long forgotten his resentment of wanting to be on top. Defaulted to "Yan Fei is his husband" regardless of external facts.
After putting away all the metal, Yan Fei remembered to say to Zhang Yi. "Right, there was something I had forgot to mention. You have heard that crystal nucleus can be absorbed for energy, it also has the role of upgrading one’s ability. In my experience, it is best to absorb nuclei after completely exhausting reserves. It seems the effect is better than directly absorbing."
Zhang Yi raised his eyebrows. "I heard that you can absorb the nuclei and have the ability to enhance abilities, it seems the army is using the method. Did you get some working on the wall?"
Yan Fei nodded and took out a small piece of stone from his pocket. It resembled an unpolished shard of glass. "You aren’t allowed to use these in the hospital?"
Zhang Yi shrugged. "We don’t need the power to heal? Why would they give. How do you absorb these things?"
"Using mental strength and absorb through the hand..." Yan Fei’s voice remained level.
The nucleus in Zhang Yi’s hand lit up with some cyan light along his head into his body. He had used it?! It had just been demonstrated.
Zhang Yi showed a rare embarrassed expression and waved with a smile. "Return to you."
He could only return it, the item was privately controlled and few people were willing to exchange. The army controlled circulation and distribution. He did not know where to buy things so he killed...
Should he go out of base tomorrow to hunt zombies? He could get one right away!
Yan Fei glanced at him with slight disdain. "Wait until you get some." He was not a monster, he would not dispute over a single nucleus. "If you are not planning on leaving base, you need to find ways to get some nuclei."
Zhang Yi touched his chin and slanted his head while wondering. "I’ll inquire about this when I return the car tomorrow, perhaps that’s a way. If not, I’ll find a chance to explore outside base."
The rotten woman was a good start, he could ask her with little effort. If not possible, then he would resign tomorrow, leave the base in search of crystal nucleus!
Zhang Yi was now afraid of leisure. Whether going to the hospital to do surgery or stitches, or going out of with base to cut zombies with his ability was a good way to vent. As he thought about it, was it more cost effective to go out and hunt zombies? In case of meeting someone with troublesome intentions, he could also cut them down! Ah ~ That was the best way to relieve stress and have fun!
Zhang Yi had been outside for a while before coming to base. But at the time he wanted to disguise himself as an ordinary person. He rarely used his power against zombies, only occasionally used his wind to attack during outbreaks. He greatly anticipated fully using his powers in order to hunt down zombies.
Seeing Zhang Yi’s eyes wander and his facial expression shift, Luo Xun knew where the other’s mind had gone. The two both looked at the pile of metal. "Deal with these today?"
Yan Fei shook his head. "Today’s exhaustion is more severe. Should be able to pave the bedroom pipes and floor after eating dinner. The rest will be put on hold until we get back tomorrow."
Zhang Yi waved a hand. "A day or two makes no difference. The door is unable to block you anyway so you can start when you return. Whatever gets done gets done."
Luo Xun kindly reminded. "You should pack away your valuables." He did not want to be bothered in the future.
Zhang Yi’s smile deepened and he glanced at Luo Xun. "Other than condoms, my home has nothing valuable. What I have you have, what I don’t have you also have. No need to hide. As for the condoms..." He trailed off and patted his pocket. "I carry them with me~"
Why was he carrying that with him? Was he ready to meet someone whenever...Cough, was the hat on Wang Duo’s head green?
Back in the house, Luo Xun began to prepare dinner. Yesterday’s bacon fried kimchi had a heavier taste so there was a lot left. Luo Xun set aside some quail eggs to cook and turned to the balcony.
Looking at the fewer lettuce leaves, Luo Xun patted his forehead. He took his mobile phone and compared last night’s photos. "Yan Fei! Take a look!"
Hearing Luo Xun’s voice, Yan Fei quickly put down the improved pipeline drawings and went to the other’s side.
"What’s wrong?"
"Look! This is the leaf I took a photo of last night, this is the present appearance!" Luo Xun enlarged the photos and pointed at the bottom shelf of lettuce.
"...There are fewer leaves." One could clearly see that there were no traces of the outermost lettuce leaves. It was a clear difference!
"There are no worms at home, even if there was one, it would not eat the whole piece of leaf. There is also a gap from the ground, unable to reach the leaves. Yesterday the leaves had no other marks..." Luo Xun’s face had a hint of tension.
Yan Fei also frowned and looked at the window. "When we go the doors and windows are shut. Nothing should be able to fly in to eat..."