39 Global Evolution
Abu moved swiftly, leaving Cheng Tianbi and Liu Fengyu far behind in the blink of an eye.
Cong Xia felt the wind blowing against his face, and his eyes struggled to stay open. He was afraid that this big cat would throw him out or that the backpack would break and he would fall down.
Cong Xia followed Abu and experienced the feeling of leaping over roofs and walls. They quickly climbed to the fourth or fifth floor, leaped down abruptly, and flew through the gap between two buildings separated by a dozen meters. Cong Xia's biggest impression at that moment was that this naughty kid was really good at playing.
But he was almost scared to death.
It turned out that the mountaineering equipment of this brand was reliable. Cong Xia was relieved when Abu finally put him down, and the backpack was still intact.
Cong Xia collapsed to the ground, his legs weak, his face pale, and his heart still pounding.
Zhuang Yao slid off Abu's tail and looked at him with a smile. "What's your name?"
Cong Xia gasped for breath and looked at him. "How old are you?" He couldn't really treat Zhuang Yao as a child, but he did look like a ten-year-old boy, and it made him feel confused.
"A genuine eleven years old."
Cong Xia struggled to stand up from the ground. "What do you want from us, exactly?"
"I already said, I need your help. Don't worry, I will give you a lot of good things and help you go to Beijing. I won't break my promise this time."
Cong Xia didn't believe him at all. He looked around, and Zhuang Yao brought him to a secluded villa area. "Why did you bring me here? Aren't we going to the cinema?"
"I need to prepare."
"Where is this?"
"My home. What's your name, anyway?"
Reluctantly, Cong Xia told him his name.
"Do you know how to cook?"
"What?"
Zhuang Yao led Abu and him towards a particularly large villa. "Cooking. You're already this old, don't tell me you don't know how to cook."
"I do." Cong Xia absentmindedly replied, his attention focused on observing the surroundings, looking for an opportunity to escape. He didn't want to become a hostage that threatened Cheng Tianbi and Liu Fengyu.
Zhuang Yao didn't even turn his head. "You better not play tricks. My IQ is higher than the three of you combined."
Cong Xia pursed his lips. This brat was really annoying, wasting such a cute face.
After entering the yard, Cong Xia noticed a huge cat nest.
The cat nest turned out to be a swimming pool. It was now filled with hundreds of blankets, looking incredibly soft and comfortable. There was a large canopy above the pool, and several heaters were even installed on the pool walls.
Cong Xia exclaimed, "Did you do all this by yourself?"
Zhuang Yao gave him a disdainful look. "Of course not, I hired people to do it. There are plenty of people on the street who work for a meal. He pointed to the villa. "I'm currently renovating this villa, opening a door at the back for Abu to enter. That way, it won't be too cold for him when the temperature suddenly drops."
"It has such thick fur, it won't be too cold in the first place."
"No, I'm afraid it will get cold." Zhuang Yao said earnestly, "I also plan to build an underground water circulation system in the backyard. Abu loves cleanliness, but there were large aquatic creatures in the river, so it hasn't had a proper bath since the apocalypse."
Cong Xia shook his head in astonishment. This child was incredibly resourceful.
After entering the yard, Abu curled up in the pool and fell asleep.
Zhuang Yao led Cong Xia into the villa.
Once inside, Cong Xia's mouth remained agape. The entire villa had been transformed into a small factory. The rooms were filled with all kinds of supplies, and perishable items were vacuum-sealed. The entire wall was piled with fuel like kerosene and gasoline.
Most importantly, there was electricity here.
"How did you transport all these things here?"
"Just a little at a time. I started stockpiling before the earthquake happened."
"What? Did you predict the earthquake?"
"A couple of days before the earthquake. I detected abnormal energy fluctuations in the direction of Qinghai. The earthquake bureau probably detected it too, but they didn't issue any warnings. At that time, I stocked up on some food and daily necessities. After the earthquake, I noticed that the food was rotting faster. So, before they started fighting over food, I had already bought a lot of it."
"Do your parents know about what you're doing?"
Zhuang Yao said coldly, "They're dead."
"You live here alone? With just a cat?" Somehow, Cong Xia suddenly felt a bit sorry for this child.
Zhuang Yao gave him a disdainful look. "Don't look at me with such a foolish expression."
Cong Xia sneered. This kid really wasn't likable at all.
Zhuang Yao said, "Follow me."
The two walked to a corner of the villa, and when Cong Xia followed Zhuang Yao inside, they entered the kitchen. Against the kitchen wall were three large freezers.
Zhuang Yao pointed to the freezers. "There's everything inside. Cook me a meal."
Cong Xia was taken aback. "Can't you find someone to cook for you?"
"They look dirty and might steal things. At least you're slightly cleaner."
Although Cong Xia didn't really want to cook for Zhuang Yao, he was eager to try the feeling of cooking human food in a human kitchen. Even if Zhuang Yao didn't let him eat, it would be fine.
Cong Xia opened the fridge and looked inside. A piece of frozen, vacuum-sealed beef immediately ignited his excitement. He said, "What do you want to eat?"
Zhuang Yao replied, "Anything is fine. Just a warning, don't even think about running away. The entire villa has a security system. Without me accompanying you, you won't be able to leave. If you get electrocuted by a high-voltage line, it's not my responsibility."
Cong Xia ignored him and decided to enjoy the pleasure of cooking today. Unfortunately, it was just the two of them here. It would have been great if Cheng Tianbi and Liu Fengyu were here too. Not only could he cook more, but he could also let them all taste the good food.
Cong Xia thawed several pieces of meat and fish separately in the microwave, closing his eyes and listening to the sound of the microwave rotating. It felt as if he had suddenly returned to civilized society, standing in his own small but well-equipped kitchen, quietly savoring the joy of cooking delicious food.
With a ding, Cong Xia opened his eyes and took out the meat, glancing at the lush wild grass and desolate scenery outside the window, sighing.
Suddenly, Zhuang Yao popped out from the kitchen doorway. "Hey, I want braised pork and fish soup with tofu in it."
Cong Xia helplessly said, "I thought you said anything would do."
"I just remembered." Zhuang Yao held two photos in his hand. "Cook according to the things in the photos, whatever is in the pictures, make them."
Cong Xia took the photos. They seemed to be pictures of food taken during a family gathering, with a table full of over a dozen dishes that looked very tempting. "There are only two of us, we can't finish all of it."
"Don't worry about it. Just make as much as you can. We can store the leftovers."
Cong Xia thought about it. He did have vacuum sealing and freezing equipment. He rolled up his sleeves, gathered all the usable ingredients, and enthusiastically started cooking.
That hour or so made him feel incredibly happy. It wasn't just the luxury of smelling the delicious aroma and sneaking a few bites, but more importantly, it helped him recall the once happy and peaceful life. In his two tumultuous months of wandering, these scenes, which had appeared countless times in his dreams, were actually happening again today.
The aroma filled the entire house, drawing Zhuang Yao over. He leaned against the doorway, silently watching Cong Xia busily moving around in his familiar apron, his bright eyes sparkling with indescribable brilliance.
In the end, Cong Xia cooked eight dishes and a soup, and just as he brought the food to the table, a freshly frozen mousse cake appeared in the refrigerator.
Zhuang Yao looked at the table full of dishes, his eyes gleaming.
Cong Xia said, "With so much food in your house, why did you lie to us about the sausages?"
"I don't know how to cook, so I've been eating ready-made food. I've finished all the ready-made food."
Zhuang Yao took a big piece of braised pork. The fatty and tender pork had a delightful color and taste. It was incredibly delicious. Zhuang Yao stopped talking and wholeheartedly focused on eating.
Cong Xia also didn't have time to talk. He was even hungrier and more eager than Zhuang Yao. He felt like he could eat all the dishes on the table by himself. He had once thought he would never have the chance to eat such a meal in his lifetime.
While eating, he couldn't help but think that it would be so much better if Cheng Tianbi and Liu Fengyu were here, sharing the delicious food with them. He had secretly stuffed some vacuum-sealed meat, vegetables, and fruits into his bag earlier. Those two probably hadn't eaten tomatoes and grapes for a long time.
Zhuang Yao seemed to have everything in his house, and his preservation techniques were evidently high-end. The fact that all the food was in uniform vacuum-sealed bags indicated that he personally stored them.
It looked as if the apocalypse had no effect on this kid. He was still living a civilized life.
Zhuang Yao had an astonishing appetite. There was no sign that his slim body could consume so much. When Cong Xia could barely move due to feeling stuffed, Zhuang Yao was still eating, as if compared to Cong Xia, he resembled a refugee who hadn't had a decent meal in two months.
After Cong Xia finished eating, he asked, "When are we going to the cinema? They must be waiting for us there."
Zhuang Yao glanced at him. "Are you so sure they will come? What if they abandoned you and ran away?"
Cong Xia was slightly startled, caught off guard by Zhuang Yao's question.
Because he had never considered this question. From the bottom of his heart, he subconsciously believed that Cheng Tianbi and Liu Fengyu would definitely come to the cinema to rescue him. He never thought that they would leave him behind. Because if it were Cheng Tianbi or Liu Fengyu who were captured, he wouldn't just abandon them and leave.
He never even thought about it.
Zhuang Yao snorted. "You trust them so much."
Cong Xia said, "They will definitely come."
Zhuang Yao smiled sarcastically. "You're so naive."
Cong Xia furrowed his brow. "What does naivety have to do with it? Haven't you ever trusted anyone?"
Zhuang Yao sneered, "Trust? The first time you trusted me, what was the result?"
"You are a stranger, and we are comrades. Let me put it in terms you can understand. The three of us are a community of shared interests. We have the same goal, so they won't abandon me."
"A community of shared interests?" Zhuang Yao looked at him with interest. "I don't detect any energy fluctuations from you. Only these two are mutants. To them, you're basically a burden. They not only have to protect your safety but also find food for you and endure the various limitations brought by your frail body. If they still insist on taking you along, I think there are only two reasons: either you have some emotional bond between you, or you serve a purpose." Zhuang Yao's eyes stared straight at Cong Xia. "Which one is it?"
If one were to examine it closely, perhaps it could be considered the second reason. After all, having control over the ancient jade allowed him to play a certain role in the team. But he didn't believe that was the main reason, at least not the only one. Even when he had nothing, Cheng Tianbi didn't give up on him. He believed that he and Cheng Tianbi, and at least Liu Fengyu, had some emotional connection.
Zhuang Yao became even more curious when Cong Xia remained silent. "Could you really have some special ability?"
"No, we are friends." Cong Xia thought he was concealing it perfectly, and indeed, he was doing a good job. It would be difficult for anyone who wasn't an expert to observe that he was lying.
But Zhuang Yao could. He could calculate the exact distance the muscles on Cong Xia's face moved and the specific values of his pupils contracting at the speed of a computer. He could even calculate how much Cong Xia's breathing rate had increased compared to the previous minute. Cong Xia was hiding something, and Zhuang Yao could see it at a glance.
Zhuang Yao chuckled lightly and didn't continue questioning. "It would be best if they came. I still need their help."
"What are you preparing? Let's hurry over there." Cong Xia was worried that the two of them would be concerned if they waited too long.
"I'm preparing some handy weapons and things I promised to give you." Zhuang Yao stood up and opened the zipper of a large bag in Cong Xia's direction. "I just finished preparing it. Take a look and inspect it. As long as you help me get the generator back, this bag will be yours."
Cong Xia crouched down and saw compressed biscuits, clean drinking water, batteries, water purification tablets, alcohol, medicine, salt, and other useful items in the bag. They might not be able to gather all these things even if they scoured the entire city, but Zhuang Yao had so many of them.
Excitement sparkled in Cong Xia's eyes.
Zhuang Yao zipped the bag closed. "Since you know where my house is, if you help me but I don't give you the items, you can come find me. Although you can't beat Abu, causing me trouble would be a piece of cake for you. I don't need unnecessary trouble."
That made sense. Cong Xia said, "I still want to see the car you mentioned."
Zhuang Yao smiled. "Follow me."
Zhuang Yao led him to another room on the other side of the first floor, and inside was indeed a peculiar-looking vehicle. The car stood over three meters tall, with a tire diameter almost as tall as Cong Xia. It had eight such tires, a large body that could comfortably accommodate two people lying down from head to toe, and easily seat ten people. It was painted in military green camouflage and had bulletproof tempered glass. It
looked incredibly cool.
Cong Xia circled the car and felt puzzled. "Are you willing to give this to us? You must have spent a lot of time building it, right?"
"Yes, but I don't need it myself, and what I'm currently lacking the most is electricity. Otherwise, many experiments cannot be carried out."
"But this thing is not very practical. It's too big, and relying on solar power alone can't guarantee normal operation. Gasoline is also a scarce resource that's hard to come by."
Zhuang Yao patted the tires. "That's right, it depends on whether you have the ability to ensure a gasoline supply."
Cong Xia glanced at him. "You're making things difficult for us. How do you expect us to guarantee a gasoline supply?"
Zhuang Yao chuckled. "Well, I promised to give it to you. If you can't handle it, it's your own problem."
As expected, it was a trick. Although the car was good, they couldn't obtain the gasoline to make it run. Relying solely on solar power was not enough. No matter how good it was, they couldn't take it with them. Cong Xia was irritated by his words. "You, kid, never speak the truth. No wonder you don't even have a single friend."
Zhuang Yao's expression changed slightly, and he coldly snorted, "Everyone in the world is stupid and unworthy of being my friend."
Cong Xia frowned and glanced at him. "Let's hurry up. It's getting dark."
Zhuang Yao looked at his watch. "It's almost time."
"What time?"
"The time when that gecko goes out to hunt." Zhuang Yao said while walking out.
Cong Xia followed him out of the house.
Zhuang Yao glanced back at him. "Put down the things you stole from the bag. Frozen items. Aren't they too heavy for you?"
Cong Xia felt embarrassed and had no choice but to place the items from the bag next to the large backpack. "How did you know?"
"Your load has increased." It could be calculated from the degree of shoulder deviation and the drooping of the bag.
Cong Xia increasingly felt that this kid was somewhat terrifying.
The two of them walked into the yard, and Zhuang Yao called out, "Abu."
Abu crawled out of its nest, stretched lazily with its pale purple eyes half-closed, and let out a meow-like sound of coquetry. Then it took a few steps and jumped in front of Zhuang Yao, extending its tail beside him.
Zhuang Yao straddled the tail and said to Cong Xia, "Get on."
Cong Xia hesitated for a moment, then carefully climbed up.
Just as he had just settled in, Abu suddenly flicked its tail, and the two of them were tossed into the air. Zhuang Yao, who was already accustomed to it, grabbed Abu's fur and sat securely, while Cong Xia exclaimed in surprise and nearly slipped off. Fortunately, he grabbed onto the fur in time and stabilized himself.
Abu's back was quite spacious, and its flesh was thick, as if sitting on a woolen cushion, very comfortable. Cong Xia truly envied Zhuang Yao for having such a beautiful and obedient evolved pet.
Zhuang Yao said, "Hold on tight. Abu!"
Abu gracefully leaped over the wall.
Cong Xia tightly held onto Abu's fur. Although the speed was fast, the fur was sturdy enough to hold onto. After stabilizing himself, he turned his head to see how Zhuang Yao communicated with Abu.
He noticed that Zhuang Yao tugged on Abu's fur to indicate which direction to turn.
This cat was truly obedient. Perhaps, in addition to its evolved size, its intelligence had also enhanced. At the very least, it seemed to understand human speech.
Zhuang Yao seemed to sense the gaze behind him and turned around, smiling at Cong Xia. "Isn't my Abu amazing? I've been raising it for three years, and when it first came, it was this small." Zhuang Yao gestured with his hand to show its initial size. "After the earthquake, it continued to grow bigger and smarter. But it has always been well-behaved." Zhuang Yao leaned on Abu's back, his eyes filled with tenderness.
Cong Xia suddenly realized that this cat might be the little boy's only friend and family.
39 Global Evolution
Abu moved swiftly, leaving Cheng Tianbi and Liu Fengyu far behind in the blink of an eye.
Cong Xia felt the wind blowing against his face, and his eyes struggled to stay open. He was afraid that this big cat would throw him out or that the backpack would break and he would fall down.
Cong Xia followed Abu and experienced the feeling of leaping over roofs and walls. They quickly climbed to the fourth or fifth floor, leaped down abruptly, and flew through the gap between two buildings separated by a dozen meters. Cong Xia's biggest impression at that moment was that this naughty kid was really good at playing.
But he was almost scared to death.
It turned out that the mountaineering equipment of this brand was reliable. Cong Xia was relieved when Abu finally put him down, and the backpack was still intact.
Cong Xia collapsed to the ground, his legs weak, his face pale, and his heart still pounding.
Zhuang Yao slid off Abu's tail and looked at him with a smile. "What's your name?"
Cong Xia gasped for breath and looked at him. "How old are you?" He couldn't really treat Zhuang Yao as a child, but he did look like a ten-year-old boy, and it made him feel confused.
"A genuine eleven years old."
Cong Xia struggled to stand up from the ground. "What do you want from us, exactly?"
"I already said, I need your help. Don't worry, I will give you a lot of good things and help you go to Beijing. I won't break my promise this time."
Cong Xia didn't believe him at all. He looked around, and Zhuang Yao brought him to a secluded villa area. "Why did you bring me here? Aren't we going to the cinema?"
"I need to prepare."
"Where is this?"
"My home. What's your name, anyway?"
Reluctantly, Cong Xia told him his name.
"Do you know how to cook?"
"What?"
Zhuang Yao led Abu and him towards a particularly large villa. "Cooking. You're already this old, don't tell me you don't know how to cook."
"I do." Cong Xia absentmindedly replied, his attention focused on observing the surroundings, looking for an opportunity to escape. He didn't want to become a hostage that threatened Cheng Tianbi and Liu Fengyu.
Zhuang Yao didn't even turn his head. "You better not play tricks. My IQ is higher than the three of you combined."
Cong Xia pursed his lips. This brat was really annoying, wasting such a cute face.
After entering the yard, Cong Xia noticed a huge cat nest.
The cat nest turned out to be a swimming pool. It was now filled with hundreds of blankets, looking incredibly soft and comfortable. There was a large canopy above the pool, and several heaters were even installed on the pool walls.
Cong Xia exclaimed, "Did you do all this by yourself?"
Zhuang Yao gave him a disdainful look. "Of course not, I hired people to do it. There are plenty of people on the street who work for a meal. He pointed to the villa. "I'm currently renovating this villa, opening a door at the back for Abu to enter. That way, it won't be too cold for him when the temperature suddenly drops."
"It has such thick fur, it won't be too cold in the first place."
"No, I'm afraid it will get cold." Zhuang Yao said earnestly, "I also plan to build an underground water circulation system in the backyard. Abu loves cleanliness, but there were large aquatic creatures in the river, so it hasn't had a proper bath since the apocalypse."
Cong Xia shook his head in astonishment. This child was incredibly resourceful.
After entering the yard, Abu curled up in the pool and fell asleep.
Zhuang Yao led Cong Xia into the villa.
Once inside, Cong Xia's mouth remained agape. The entire villa had been transformed into a small factory. The rooms were filled with all kinds of supplies, and perishable items were vacuum-sealed. The entire wall was piled with fuel like kerosene and gasoline.
Most importantly, there was electricity here.
"How did you transport all these things here?"
"Just a little at a time. I started stockpiling before the earthquake happened."
"What? Did you predict the earthquake?"
"A couple of days before the earthquake. I detected abnormal energy fluctuations in the direction of Qinghai. The earthquake bureau probably detected it too, but they didn't issue any warnings. At that time, I stocked up on some food and daily necessities. After the earthquake, I noticed that the food was rotting faster. So, before they started fighting over food, I had already bought a lot of it."
"Do your parents know about what you're doing?"
Zhuang Yao said coldly, "They're dead."
"You live here alone? With just a cat?" Somehow, Cong Xia suddenly felt a bit sorry for this child.
Zhuang Yao gave him a disdainful look. "Don't look at me with such a foolish expression."
Cong Xia sneered. This kid really wasn't likable at all.
Zhuang Yao said, "Follow me."
The two walked to a corner of the villa, and when Cong Xia followed Zhuang Yao inside, they entered the kitchen. Against the kitchen wall were three large freezers.
Zhuang Yao pointed to the freezers. "There's everything inside. Cook me a meal."
Cong Xia was taken aback. "Can't you find someone to cook for you?"
"They look dirty and might steal things. At least you're slightly cleaner."
Although Cong Xia didn't really want to cook for Zhuang Yao, he was eager to try the feeling of cooking human food in a human kitchen. Even if Zhuang Yao didn't let him eat, it would be fine.
Cong Xia opened the fridge and looked inside. A piece of frozen, vacuum-sealed beef immediately ignited his excitement. He said, "What do you want to eat?"
Zhuang Yao replied, "Anything is fine. Just a warning, don't even think about running away. The entire villa has a security system. Without me accompanying you, you won't be able to leave. If you get electrocuted by a high-voltage line, it's not my responsibility."
Cong Xia ignored him and decided to enjoy the pleasure of cooking today. Unfortunately, it was just the two of them here. It would have been great if Cheng Tianbi and Liu Fengyu were here too. Not only could he cook more, but he could also let them all taste the good food.
Cong Xia thawed several pieces of meat and fish separately in the microwave, closing his eyes and listening to the sound of the microwave rotating. It felt as if he had suddenly returned to civilized society, standing in his own small but well-equipped kitchen, quietly savoring the joy of cooking delicious food.
With a ding, Cong Xia opened his eyes and took out the meat, glancing at the lush wild grass and desolate scenery outside the window, sighing.
Suddenly, Zhuang Yao popped out from the kitchen doorway. "Hey, I want braised pork and fish soup with tofu in it."
Cong Xia helplessly said, "I thought you said anything would do."
"I just remembered." Zhuang Yao held two photos in his hand. "Cook according to the things in the photos, whatever is in the pictures, make them."
Cong Xia took the photos. They seemed to be pictures of food taken during a family gathering, with a table full of over a dozen dishes that looked very tempting. "There are only two of us, we can't finish all of it."
"Don't worry about it. Just make as much as you can. We can store the leftovers."
Cong Xia thought about it. He did have vacuum sealing and freezing equipment. He rolled up his sleeves, gathered all the usable ingredients, and enthusiastically started cooking.
That hour or so made him feel incredibly happy. It wasn't just the luxury of smelling the delicious aroma and sneaking a few bites, but more importantly, it helped him recall the once happy and peaceful life. In his two tumultuous months of wandering, these scenes, which had appeared countless times in his dreams, were actually happening again today.
The aroma filled the entire house, drawing Zhuang Yao over. He leaned against the doorway, silently watching Cong Xia busily moving around in his familiar apron, his bright eyes sparkling with indescribable brilliance.
In the end, Cong Xia cooked eight dishes and a soup, and just as he brought the food to the table, a freshly frozen mousse cake appeared in the refrigerator.
Zhuang Yao looked at the table full of dishes, his eyes gleaming.
Cong Xia said, "With so much food in your house, why did you lie to us about the sausages?"
"I don't know how to cook, so I've been eating ready-made food. I've finished all the ready-made food."
Zhuang Yao took a big piece of braised pork. The fatty and tender pork had a delightful color and taste. It was incredibly delicious. Zhuang Yao stopped talking and wholeheartedly focused on eating.
Cong Xia also didn't have time to talk. He was even hungrier and more eager than Zhuang Yao. He felt like he could eat all the dishes on the table by himself. He had once thought he would never have the chance to eat such a meal in his lifetime.
While eating, he couldn't help but think that it would be so much better if Cheng Tianbi and Liu Fengyu were here, sharing the delicious food with them. He had secretly stuffed some vacuum-sealed meat, vegetables, and fruits into his bag earlier. Those two probably hadn't eaten tomatoes and grapes for a long time.
Zhuang Yao seemed to have everything in his house, and his preservation techniques were evidently high-end. The fact that all the food was in uniform vacuum-sealed bags indicated that he personally stored them.
It looked as if the apocalypse had no effect on this kid. He was still living a civilized life.
Zhuang Yao had an astonishing appetite. There was no sign that his slim body could consume so much. When Cong Xia could barely move due to feeling stuffed, Zhuang Yao was still eating, as if compared to Cong Xia, he resembled a refugee who hadn't had a decent meal in two months.
After Cong Xia finished eating, he asked, "When are we going to the cinema? They must be waiting for us there."
Zhuang Yao glanced at him. "Are you so sure they will come? What if they abandoned you and ran away?"
Cong Xia was slightly startled, caught off guard by Zhuang Yao's question.
Because he had never considered this question. From the bottom of his heart, he subconsciously believed that Cheng Tianbi and Liu Fengyu would definitely come to the cinema to rescue him. He never thought that they would leave him behind. Because if it were Cheng Tianbi or Liu Fengyu who were captured, he wouldn't just abandon them and leave.
He never even thought about it.
Zhuang Yao snorted. "You trust them so much."
Cong Xia said, "They will definitely come."
Zhuang Yao smiled sarcastically. "You're so naive."
Cong Xia furrowed his brow. "What does naivety have to do with it? Haven't you ever trusted anyone?"
Zhuang Yao sneered, "Trust? The first time you trusted me, what was the result?"
"You are a stranger, and we are comrades. Let me put it in terms you can understand. The three of us are a community of shared interests. We have the same goal, so they won't abandon me."
"A community of shared interests?" Zhuang Yao looked at him with interest. "I don't detect any energy fluctuations from you. Only these two are mutants. To them, you're basically a burden. They not only have to protect your safety but also find food for you and endure the various limitations brought by your frail body. If they still insist on taking you along, I think there are only two reasons: either you have some emotional bond between you, or you serve a purpose." Zhuang Yao's eyes stared straight at Cong Xia. "Which one is it?"
If one were to examine it closely, perhaps it could be considered the second reason. After all, having control over the ancient jade allowed him to play a certain role in the team. But he didn't believe that was the main reason, at least not the only one. Even when he had nothing, Cheng Tianbi didn't give up on him. He believed that he and Cheng Tianbi, and at least Liu Fengyu, had some emotional connection.
Zhuang Yao became even more curious when Cong Xia remained silent. "Could you really have some special ability?"
"No, we are friends." Cong Xia thought he was concealing it perfectly, and indeed, he was doing a good job. It would be difficult for anyone who wasn't an expert to observe that he was lying.
But Zhuang Yao could. He could calculate the exact distance the muscles on Cong Xia's face moved and the specific values of his pupils contracting at the speed of a computer. He could even calculate how much Cong Xia's breathing rate had increased compared to the previous minute. Cong Xia was hiding something, and Zhuang Yao could see it at a glance.
Zhuang Yao chuckled lightly and didn't continue questioning. "It would be best if they came. I still need their help."
"What are you preparing? Let's hurry over there." Cong Xia was worried that the two of them would be concerned if they waited too long.
"I'm preparing some handy weapons and things I promised to give you." Zhuang Yao stood up and opened the zipper of a large bag in Cong Xia's direction. "I just finished preparing it. Take a look and inspect it. As long as you help me get the generator back, this bag will be yours."
Cong Xia crouched down and saw compressed biscuits, clean drinking water, batteries, water purification tablets, alcohol, medicine, salt, and other useful items in the bag. They might not be able to gather all these things even if they scoured the entire city, but Zhuang Yao had so many of them.
Excitement sparkled in Cong Xia's eyes.
Zhuang Yao zipped the bag closed. "Since you know where my house is, if you help me but I don't give you the items, you can come find me. Although you can't beat Abu, causing me trouble would be a piece of cake for you. I don't need unnecessary trouble."
That made sense. Cong Xia said, "I still want to see the car you mentioned."
Zhuang Yao smiled. "Follow me."
Zhuang Yao led him to another room on the other side of the first floor, and inside was indeed a peculiar-looking vehicle. The car stood over three meters tall, with a tire diameter almost as tall as Cong Xia. It had eight such tires, a large body that could comfortably accommodate two people lying down from head to toe, and easily seat ten people. It was painted in military green camouflage and had bulletproof tempered glass. It
looked incredibly cool.
Cong Xia circled the car and felt puzzled. "Are you willing to give this to us? You must have spent a lot of time building it, right?"
"Yes, but I don't need it myself, and what I'm currently lacking the most is electricity. Otherwise, many experiments cannot be carried out."
"But this thing is not very practical. It's too big, and relying on solar power alone can't guarantee normal operation. Gasoline is also a scarce resource that's hard to come by."
Zhuang Yao patted the tires. "That's right, it depends on whether you have the ability to ensure a gasoline supply."
Cong Xia glanced at him. "You're making things difficult for us. How do you expect us to guarantee a gasoline supply?"
Zhuang Yao chuckled. "Well, I promised to give it to you. If you can't handle it, it's your own problem."
As expected, it was a trick. Although the car was good, they couldn't obtain the gasoline to make it run. Relying solely on solar power was not enough. No matter how good it was, they couldn't take it with them. Cong Xia was irritated by his words. "You, kid, never speak the truth. No wonder you don't even have a single friend."
Zhuang Yao's expression changed slightly, and he coldly snorted, "Everyone in the world is stupid and unworthy of being my friend."
Cong Xia frowned and glanced at him. "Let's hurry up. It's getting dark."
Zhuang Yao looked at his watch. "It's almost time."
"What time?"
"The time when that gecko goes out to hunt." Zhuang Yao said while walking out.
Cong Xia followed him out of the house.
Zhuang Yao glanced back at him. "Put down the things you stole from the bag. Frozen items. Aren't they too heavy for you?"
Cong Xia felt embarrassed and had no choice but to place the items from the bag next to the large backpack. "How did you know?"
"Your load has increased." It could be calculated from the degree of shoulder deviation and the drooping of the bag.
Cong Xia increasingly felt that this kid was somewhat terrifying.
The two of them walked into the yard, and Zhuang Yao called out, "Abu."
Abu crawled out of its nest, stretched lazily with its pale purple eyes half-closed, and let out a meow-like sound of coquetry. Then it took a few steps and jumped in front of Zhuang Yao, extending its tail beside him.
Zhuang Yao straddled the tail and said to Cong Xia, "Get on."
Cong Xia hesitated for a moment, then carefully climbed up.
Just as he had just settled in, Abu suddenly flicked its tail, and the two of them were tossed into the air. Zhuang Yao, who was already accustomed to it, grabbed Abu's fur and sat securely, while Cong Xia exclaimed in surprise and nearly slipped off. Fortunately, he grabbed onto the fur in time and stabilized himself.
Abu's back was quite spacious, and its flesh was thick, as if sitting on a woolen cushion, very comfortable. Cong Xia truly envied Zhuang Yao for having such a beautiful and obedient evolved pet.
Zhuang Yao said, "Hold on tight. Abu!"
Abu gracefully leaped over the wall.
Cong Xia tightly held onto Abu's fur. Although the speed was fast, the fur was sturdy enough to hold onto. After stabilizing himself, he turned his head to see how Zhuang Yao communicated with Abu.
He noticed that Zhuang Yao tugged on Abu's fur to indicate which direction to turn.
This cat was truly obedient. Perhaps, in addition to its evolved size, its intelligence had also enhanced. At the very least, it seemed to understand human speech.
Zhuang Yao seemed to sense the gaze behind him and turned around, smiling at Cong Xia. "Isn't my Abu amazing? I've been raising it for three years, and when it first came, it was this small." Zhuang Yao gestured with his hand to show its initial size. "After the earthquake, it continued to grow bigger and smarter. But it has always been well-behaved." Zhuang Yao leaned on Abu's back, his eyes filled with tenderness.
Cong Xia suddenly realized that this cat might be the little boy's only friend and family.
