TSIAGBICATMWI Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Stealing Food

Lu Yunzhou and Lin Yi caught up on what happened after they left the military. Lu Yunzhou sighed, “I didn’t expect you’d also retire so soon after I did.”

Lin Yi laughed, “Yeah, if I’d known, I would have left with you. At least I’d have a companion.”

“How long have you been here?”

“A few days.”

“Didn’t try going inside?”

“Chen Zhiqiang and I explored the path a few times, but couldn’t figure anything out. And you see those delicate and weak ones over there? We couldn’t easily take them with us, so we’re stuck here for now.”

Lu Yunzhou turned to look at the three men and three women and asked, “Who are they? Do you have to bring them?”

Lin Yi also looked over there, his tone impatient. “I don’t want to either. See that skinny guy over there?”

Lu Yunzhou immediately spotted the small, thin boy Lin Yi was pointing at. He had delicate features and a captivating gaze, somewhat like Luo Shuyou, but his appearance and temperament couldn’t compare.

“Your boyfriend?”

Lin Yi punched him. “What are you talking about? I’m as straight as they come. He’s my half-brother. I didn’t live with them before. By the time I rushed back to save my mom, it was too late. My sentimental old mother tightly held my hand until her death, entrusting me to take care of this brother I’d barely even seen. What could I do?”

He sounded rather resentful when he mentioned his half-brother.

“What about the others?”

“Chen Zhiqiang I met on the road while escaping. He’s alright, good to have as a companion on the road. As for the rest, that man is Chen Zhiqiang’s teacher, we met him on the road and he came along, he’s somewhat useful. Those three women are supposedly the teacher’s students, I don’t know, not my business, just tagging along, not my responsibility.”

After explaining his side, Lin Yi asked, “What about you two? What’s the situation with them?”

Lu Yunzhou: “The tall one is Xie YunChuan, he’s alright, very strong, we don’t need to worry about him. The one in his arms is his little boyfriend, zero combat power, but we don’t need to worry about him either, Xie YunChuan will take good care of him.”

“Is the one in his arms injured?” Lin Yi, who had been paying attention to them, had noticed from the start that the person had been unconscious.

Lu Yunzhou paused for a moment, thinking carefully. He considered whether to tell Lin Yi about Luo Shuyou’s condition, but finally chose to hide it. “It’s nothing, he’s just weak. The weather’s been erratic lately, he’s fallen ill.”

Lin Yi didn’t suspect anything.

At night, because Xie YunChuan had to take care of the sick Luo Shuyou, they agreed that Lu Yunzhou, Lin Yi, and Chen Zhiqiang would take turns guarding during the first half of the night, midnight, and the second half of the night, respectively.

It was Lu Yunzhou’s turn to guard outside.

Lin Jinshu was too hungry to sleep. She had seen Xie YunChuan put a bag of food in the arms of the boy he was holding.

Now seeing that everyone was asleep and that Lu Yunzhou, who was guarding the night, was dozing off outside the door, evil thoughts arose. She quietly crept to Xie YunChuan’s side, taking advantage of the faint moonlight.

No one noticed. Seeing the food right in front of her, her eyes gleamed greedily. She reached out to grab it, but unexpectedly, the person in Xie YunChuan’s arms suddenly opened his eyes. A flash of red light appeared, and he bit at her. She was startled and immediately pulled her hand back.

Xie YunChuan was awakened. Opening his eyes and seeing a large face so close to his, he turned on his flashlight and scolded, “What are you doing?”

Everyone was awakened by the scolding. Lu Yunzhou thought something had happened and quickly came in to check. “What’s wrong?”

He saw a woman standing in front of Xie YunChuan, crying and explaining, “I… I was just too hungry, I’m sorry, sob sob.”

Xie YunChuan gave her a disgusted look and didn’t say anything, turning to Lu Yunzhou. His meaning was simple: your people, you deal with them.

Lu Yunzhou looked at Lin Yi, Lin Yi looked at Chen Zhiqiang, Chen Zhiqiang looked at the middle-aged teacher. Like a football, the responsibility was passed along until it stopped here. The middle-aged teacher, Wen Fan, came over to apologize to Xie YunChuan and then pulled the girl back to scold her softly. Xie YunChuan didn’t hear what he said, and he didn’t care.

The matter passed just like that.

“Shuyou, how are you? Are you hungry? Eat something.” Xie YunChuan tore open the bag of food that Luo Shuyou had been holding against his chest, breaking off small pieces to feed him.

After eating two bites, Luo Shuyou buried his head in his arms, unwilling to open his mouth again. Xie YunChuan coaxed softly, “Eat a little more, you haven’t eaten anything all day.”

Luo Shuyou turned his head away, wanting only to sleep.

Hearing this, Lin Jinshu thought resentfully, she hadn’t eaten anything all day either. Anyway, he wasn’t eating it, what was wrong with her taking a little of their food? Were they really that stingy?

She didn’t reflect at all on how precious food was in the apocalypse. Besides, even if they weren’t eating it, why should they give it to her? Especially since she was thinking of stealing it.

Lin Jinshu rubbed her index finger. It was slightly scratched, and a little blood came out. Luckily, she had reacted quickly, otherwise he really looked like he wanted to bite her hand off in one gulp.

Luo Shuyou refused to eat any more, and Xie YunChuan coaxed him to drink a little water before letting him sleep. The opened food wouldn’t last long in this hot weather, so he gave some to Lu Yunzhou and ate the rest himself. Anyway, they hadn’t had enough to eat these days.

The morning sun wasn’t too intense. Although the temperature remained high, it was better than the direct sunlight at noon. He had thought that being next to the dense forest, he would hear some sounds of birds and animals, but unexpectedly, everything was silent, which made Xie YunChuan feel that things were not good.

Lu Yunzhou came over with a machete and said to Xie YunChuan, “I’ll go in and scout the path with them first, you stay here and take care of Shuyou.”

Xie YunChuan directly packed up his things, picked up Luo Shuyou, and said, “No need, I’m going in directly. It’s up to you whether you come or not.”

Lu Yunzhou advised him, “We don’t know what the situation is inside, whether there are any dangers. Shuyou is like this, it’s unwise to take him in.”

“I have my own plans.” Xie YunChuan was unwilling to say more, and went towards the dense forest with Luo Shuyou. He felt something in the center of the forest attracting him, and he had to get that thing as soon as possible.

Lin Yi stood behind Lu Yunzhou and said unhappily, “What kind of friend is this? So arrogant. Why are you still following him? Ignore him, let’s go together.”

Lu Yunzhou glanced at him. “He saved my life, do you think I should follow him or not?”

“What? Are you just going to go in with him like that?” Lin Yi’s face was full of disapproval.

Lu Yunzhou patted Lin Yi’s shoulder and said in a deep voice, “You guys stay behind and observe, I won’t wait for you. Let’s part ways here.”

“Hey! You…!”