51 Global Evaluation
Under Zhuang Yao's command, they assembled the generator. Zhuang Yao spent most of the evening modifying the power of the generator, and then officially integrated it into the power supply of his small production workshop.
Zhuang Yao's first task was to upgrade the power system of the Road Bully. He planned to convert it into a hybrid vehicle that runs on oil, electricity, and solar power. He calculated the load capacity of the Road Bully and realized that they could carry a maximum of fifty liters of gasoline. If they used a hybrid power system with oil and electricity, along with solar energy, it could solve their energy problem for the first month on the road. After that, they would have to rely on finding gasoline along the way or simply abandon the vehicle.
Cong Xia and Zhuang Yao worked on modifying the vehicle, while Cheng Tianbi spent her days producing bullets with Liu Fengyu. Zhuang Yao's supply of metal materials was running low, so they had to transform these materials into useful weapons before they set off.
The four of them worked overtime, sleeping for only three or four hours a day.
After a week, the optimization and transformation of the Road Bully were basically completed. Zhuang Yao not only improved the power system but also adjusted the interior space. The Road Bully could now accommodate four people to sleep and had a larger cargo space. Additionally, the Gatling gun installed on the roof was reinforced and equipped with shock absorption, making it a very powerful all-purpose transportation vehicle. It integrated various practical functions such as transportation, cargo carrying, rain protection, insulation, and attack capabilities. Most importantly, it could travel under harsh road conditions.
On the other side, with the help of machinery, Cheng Tianbi and Liu Fengyu manufactured a large number of various types of bullets. However, explosive rounds that required special modifications and grenade rounds with extracts of "Corpse King" flowers and digestive liquid bullets had to be made by Zhuang Yao himself due to their complexity.
Zhuang Yao had been busy from morning till night for several consecutive days, with dark circles under his eyes and a pale face, looking extremely tired. Cong Xia felt sorry for him and tried to persuade him to rest several times. At most, he would lean on the sofa and take a short nap before getting back to work.
It wasn't until ten days later that they completed all the preparations, sealed the supplies in the vehicle, and waited for the next day to depart at dawn. Only then did Zhuang Yao finally collapse into a deep sleep.
Cong Xia hugged him tightly in the room and returned to his own room with Cheng Tianbi.
Taking a deep breath in the room, Cong Xia sighed, "It's the last day."
This was their last day staying in a warm and safe house, enjoying comfortable hot showers and freshly cooked food. In a few hours, they would embark on a dangerous journey and leave themselves to fate.
How they wished this beautiful dream would never end. Cheng Tianbi didn't say anything, but at this moment, everyone felt a sense of gloom.
They each took a shower separately.
When Cheng Tianbi came out of the bathroom, Cong Xia had just finished organizing things. He smiled at Cheng Tianbi and said, "I've washed your clothes and put them in your bag. I've also organized the essential items. Let's go to bed quickly and cherish this last night sleeping on a bed."
Cheng Tianbi sat on the edge of the bed, looked deeply at Cong Xia, and whispered, "Your hair has grown longer."
Cong Xia touched the ends of his hair and said, "It has grown a bit. How about you help me trim it?" It was just a joke from Cong Xia, as he didn't expect Cheng Tianbi to actually offer, without hesitation, "Sure."
Cong Xia was quite surprised and quickly took out a pair of scissors, draped a bed sheet over his shoulders, and said, "Go ahead."
Cheng Tianbi fiddled with the scissors and said, "I've never done this before."
Cong Xia laughed, "It's okay. Even if you mess up, what difference does it make? No one's watching."
Cheng Tianbi extended his slender fingers and lifted a strand of Cong Xia's hair. Unintentionally, his fingertips brushed against Cong Xia's neck, and Cong Xia felt a warm sensation where they made contact.
With a single snip, a small bunch of hair about half the length of a finger fell to the ground.
Cong Xia gently closed his eyes, using senses other than sight to perceive Cheng Tianbi. He used his sense of smell, hearing, and touch to carefully sense Cheng Tianbi's presence in the air around him. They were very close to each other, which made him feel particularly reassured.
Cheng Tianbi's deep and appealing voice, with a hint of pure masculinity, said, "How short should I cut it?"
"Whatever you think doesn't look bad."
Cheng Tianbi remained silent for a good half minute. Just when Cong Xia thought he wouldn't speak again, Cheng Tianbi suddenly said, "You don't look bad."
Cong Xia was taken aback for a moment and couldn't help but let a smile curl up on his lips.
A few minutes later, Cheng Tianbi lowered his hand and said, "Alright, go take a look."
Cong Xia brushed off the hair on his neck and checked himself in the bathroom mirror. It was a neat and tidy cut, and he was quite satisfied. He smiled at Cheng Tianbi and said, "Not bad, it looks good. Thank you."
Cheng Tianbi looked at his cheerful smile, feeling a slight warmth in his heart.
Cong Xia shook his head, "Come on, let's go to sleep."
Both of them lay in bed, but found it difficult to fall asleep.
Suddenly, Cheng Tianbi asked, "What do you think the Puppet Jade would look like?"
Cong Xia sighed softly, "I hope it's not like the Ancient Jade. How many secrets are there in the world? The more we know, the more we don't know."
"Have you found any records about the Puppet Jade in the Ancient Jade?"
"Not yet. We've been busy these days, and I hardly had any time to enter the void. Even when I managed to find some time, I didn't gain any insights. The Ancient Jade didn't mention anything about the Cambrian Consciousness either. But I have a feeling that maybe the Ancient Jade did mention a lot of things, but the terminology used by that old man when preserving the information in the Ancient Jade differs too much from the present, so we just can't understand it. Regardless, one thing is certain: this Ancient Jade is connected to the Cambrian Consciousness and the Puppet Jade."
"The kid is right. We need to obtain a piece of the Puppet Jade. It can unravel many mysteries, especially the connection between your neutral energy and the Puppet Jade," Cong Xia said in a solemn tone.
"I think the Puppet Jade is not a good thing. It's like a short-term enhancement, similar to injecting stimulants. Moreover, those who rely on the Puppet Jade for strength will definitely be unwilling and unable to give it up. After all, so many people are vying for the Puppet Jade. If someone who possesses it is too weak, they'll only end up being slaughtered. So, the owner will become more and more obsessed and dependent on the jade. No wonder it's called the Puppet Jade," Cong Xia continued.
Cheng Tianbi fell silent for a moment and said, "Your role will surpass that of the Puppet Jade."
Cong Xia turned to look at Cheng Tianbi and smiled, "Tianbi, do you really think so?"
"Well, the Puppet Jade is an inanimate object, but you are alive. Just imagine, if the energy of the Puppet Jade can make people around it stronger, then it must be releasing energy. And if you can actively absorb the neutral energy of the Puppet Jade, what would happen?" Cheng Tianbi explained.
Cong Xia's eyes lit up, "I hadn't thought about that, but if I can really absorb the energy of the Puppet Jade, my energy would be endless, and I wouldn't need to search for mutated creatures on the brink of death."
Cheng Tianbi's idea excited Cong Xia. Unconsciously, his desire for the Puppet Jade grew stronger.
"Yes, with an endless supply of neutral energy, you can heal any injury and selectively strengthen us, rather than passively receiving the catalysis of neutral energy like those who possess the Puppet Jade," Cheng Tianbi explained.
Cong Xia widened his eyes, "We can think of it, so Zhuang Yao must have thought of it too. No wonder he said that we would actively seek to seize the Puppet Jade."
Cheng Tianbi whispered, "The Puppet Jade is a massive temptation."
Cong Xia felt a chill run down his spine.
They hadn't experienced the wonders of the Puppet Jade yet, but just by imagining it, they were already filled with endless longing for it. Those who already possessed it must be incredibly obsessed, while those who didn't have it would be desperately yearning for it. Cong Xia could almost see a distant battlefield in the north, where a new round of bloody and brutal conflicts would unfold among the human factions, surpassing his imagination.
Although Cong Xia had always been uneasy about this distant journey, it was only now that he truly felt a deep-rooted fear. Until this moment, he could still mock the somewhat greed-driven young man who turned into a puppet of the jade. But now, he also harbored an infinite craving for the Puppet Jade.
Puppet Jade, Puppet Jade, can it turn everyone into its puppet...
Seeing his furrowed brow, Cheng Tianbi softly said, "Don't think too much. What's meant to come will come."
Cong Xia forced a smile, "Tianbi, it seems like you have no fear at all. I've never seen you afraid. I envy you."
Cheng Tianbi said calmly, "Fear is a useless emotion we create ourselves. There's nothing to be afraid of in the first place. At worst, it's just death."
Cong Xia sighed, "If everyone thought like you, then we would live without fear."
Cheng Tianbi closed his eyes, "Let's go to sleep."
Cong Xia turned over, facing Cheng Tianbi, and whispered, "Tianbi, no matter what happens, we have to survive together."
Cheng Tianbi softly responded with a gentle "Hmm."
Cong Xia slowly moved closer to Cheng Tianbi until he could smell the scent of soap on him. It was a luxurious and comforting scent that he could never get enough of, even for a lifetime.
Soon, they would embark on their journey.
51 Global Evaluation
Under Zhuang Yao's command, they assembled the generator. Zhuang Yao spent most of the evening modifying the power of the generator, and then officially integrated it into the power supply of his small production workshop.
Zhuang Yao's first task was to upgrade the power system of the Road Bully. He planned to convert it into a hybrid vehicle that runs on oil, electricity, and solar power. He calculated the load capacity of the Road Bully and realized that they could carry a maximum of fifty liters of gasoline. If they used a hybrid power system with oil and electricity, along with solar energy, it could solve their energy problem for the first month on the road. After that, they would have to rely on finding gasoline along the way or simply abandon the vehicle.
Cong Xia and Zhuang Yao worked on modifying the vehicle, while Cheng Tianbi spent her days producing bullets with Liu Fengyu. Zhuang Yao's supply of metal materials was running low, so they had to transform these materials into useful weapons before they set off.
The four of them worked overtime, sleeping for only three or four hours a day.
After a week, the optimization and transformation of the Road Bully were basically completed. Zhuang Yao not only improved the power system but also adjusted the interior space. The Road Bully could now accommodate four people to sleep and had a larger cargo space. Additionally, the Gatling gun installed on the roof was reinforced and equipped with shock absorption, making it a very powerful all-purpose transportation vehicle. It integrated various practical functions such as transportation, cargo carrying, rain protection, insulation, and attack capabilities. Most importantly, it could travel under harsh road conditions.
On the other side, with the help of machinery, Cheng Tianbi and Liu Fengyu manufactured a large number of various types of bullets. However, explosive rounds that required special modifications and grenade rounds with extracts of "Corpse King" flowers and digestive liquid bullets had to be made by Zhuang Yao himself due to their complexity.
Zhuang Yao had been busy from morning till night for several consecutive days, with dark circles under his eyes and a pale face, looking extremely tired. Cong Xia felt sorry for him and tried to persuade him to rest several times. At most, he would lean on the sofa and take a short nap before getting back to work.
It wasn't until ten days later that they completed all the preparations, sealed the supplies in the vehicle, and waited for the next day to depart at dawn. Only then did Zhuang Yao finally collapse into a deep sleep.
Cong Xia hugged him tightly in the room and returned to his own room with Cheng Tianbi.
Taking a deep breath in the room, Cong Xia sighed, "It's the last day."
This was their last day staying in a warm and safe house, enjoying comfortable hot showers and freshly cooked food. In a few hours, they would embark on a dangerous journey and leave themselves to fate.
How they wished this beautiful dream would never end. Cheng Tianbi didn't say anything, but at this moment, everyone felt a sense of gloom.
They each took a shower separately.
When Cheng Tianbi came out of the bathroom, Cong Xia had just finished organizing things. He smiled at Cheng Tianbi and said, "I've washed your clothes and put them in your bag. I've also organized the essential items. Let's go to bed quickly and cherish this last night sleeping on a bed."
Cheng Tianbi sat on the edge of the bed, looked deeply at Cong Xia, and whispered, "Your hair has grown longer."
Cong Xia touched the ends of his hair and said, "It has grown a bit. How about you help me trim it?" It was just a joke from Cong Xia, as he didn't expect Cheng Tianbi to actually offer, without hesitation, "Sure."
Cong Xia was quite surprised and quickly took out a pair of scissors, draped a bed sheet over his shoulders, and said, "Go ahead."
Cheng Tianbi fiddled with the scissors and said, "I've never done this before."
Cong Xia laughed, "It's okay. Even if you mess up, what difference does it make? No one's watching."
Cheng Tianbi extended his slender fingers and lifted a strand of Cong Xia's hair. Unintentionally, his fingertips brushed against Cong Xia's neck, and Cong Xia felt a warm sensation where they made contact.
With a single snip, a small bunch of hair about half the length of a finger fell to the ground.
Cong Xia gently closed his eyes, using senses other than sight to perceive Cheng Tianbi. He used his sense of smell, hearing, and touch to carefully sense Cheng Tianbi's presence in the air around him. They were very close to each other, which made him feel particularly reassured.
Cheng Tianbi's deep and appealing voice, with a hint of pure masculinity, said, "How short should I cut it?"
"Whatever you think doesn't look bad."
Cheng Tianbi remained silent for a good half minute. Just when Cong Xia thought he wouldn't speak again, Cheng Tianbi suddenly said, "You don't look bad."
Cong Xia was taken aback for a moment and couldn't help but let a smile curl up on his lips.
A few minutes later, Cheng Tianbi lowered his hand and said, "Alright, go take a look."
Cong Xia brushed off the hair on his neck and checked himself in the bathroom mirror. It was a neat and tidy cut, and he was quite satisfied. He smiled at Cheng Tianbi and said, "Not bad, it looks good. Thank you."
Cheng Tianbi looked at his cheerful smile, feeling a slight warmth in his heart.
Cong Xia shook his head, "Come on, let's go to sleep."
Both of them lay in bed, but found it difficult to fall asleep.
Suddenly, Cheng Tianbi asked, "What do you think the Puppet Jade would look like?"
Cong Xia sighed softly, "I hope it's not like the Ancient Jade. How many secrets are there in the world? The more we know, the more we don't know."
"Have you found any records about the Puppet Jade in the Ancient Jade?"
"Not yet. We've been busy these days, and I hardly had any time to enter the void. Even when I managed to find some time, I didn't gain any insights. The Ancient Jade didn't mention anything about the Cambrian Consciousness either. But I have a feeling that maybe the Ancient Jade did mention a lot of things, but the terminology used by that old man when preserving the information in the Ancient Jade differs too much from the present, so we just can't understand it. Regardless, one thing is certain: this Ancient Jade is connected to the Cambrian Consciousness and the Puppet Jade."
"The kid is right. We need to obtain a piece of the Puppet Jade. It can unravel many mysteries, especially the connection between your neutral energy and the Puppet Jade," Cong Xia said in a solemn tone.
"I think the Puppet Jade is not a good thing. It's like a short-term enhancement, similar to injecting stimulants. Moreover, those who rely on the Puppet Jade for strength will definitely be unwilling and unable to give it up. After all, so many people are vying for the Puppet Jade. If someone who possesses it is too weak, they'll only end up being slaughtered. So, the owner will become more and more obsessed and dependent on the jade. No wonder it's called the Puppet Jade," Cong Xia continued.
Cheng Tianbi fell silent for a moment and said, "Your role will surpass that of the Puppet Jade."
Cong Xia turned to look at Cheng Tianbi and smiled, "Tianbi, do you really think so?"
"Well, the Puppet Jade is an inanimate object, but you are alive. Just imagine, if the energy of the Puppet Jade can make people around it stronger, then it must be releasing energy. And if you can actively absorb the neutral energy of the Puppet Jade, what would happen?" Cheng Tianbi explained.
Cong Xia's eyes lit up, "I hadn't thought about that, but if I can really absorb the energy of the Puppet Jade, my energy would be endless, and I wouldn't need to search for mutated creatures on the brink of death."
Cheng Tianbi's idea excited Cong Xia. Unconsciously, his desire for the Puppet Jade grew stronger.
"Yes, with an endless supply of neutral energy, you can heal any injury and selectively strengthen us, rather than passively receiving the catalysis of neutral energy like those who possess the Puppet Jade," Cheng Tianbi explained.
Cong Xia widened his eyes, "We can think of it, so Zhuang Yao must have thought of it too. No wonder he said that we would actively seek to seize the Puppet Jade."
Cheng Tianbi whispered, "The Puppet Jade is a massive temptation."
Cong Xia felt a chill run down his spine.
They hadn't experienced the wonders of the Puppet Jade yet, but just by imagining it, they were already filled with endless longing for it. Those who already possessed it must be incredibly obsessed, while those who didn't have it would be desperately yearning for it. Cong Xia could almost see a distant battlefield in the north, where a new round of bloody and brutal conflicts would unfold among the human factions, surpassing his imagination.
Although Cong Xia had always been uneasy about this distant journey, it was only now that he truly felt a deep-rooted fear. Until this moment, he could still mock the somewhat greed-driven young man who turned into a puppet of the jade. But now, he also harbored an infinite craving for the Puppet Jade.
Puppet Jade, Puppet Jade, can it turn everyone into its puppet...
Seeing his furrowed brow, Cheng Tianbi softly said, "Don't think too much. What's meant to come will come."
Cong Xia forced a smile, "Tianbi, it seems like you have no fear at all. I've never seen you afraid. I envy you."
Cheng Tianbi said calmly, "Fear is a useless emotion we create ourselves. There's nothing to be afraid of in the first place. At worst, it's just death."
Cong Xia sighed, "If everyone thought like you, then we would live without fear."
Cheng Tianbi closed his eyes, "Let's go to sleep."
Cong Xia turned over, facing Cheng Tianbi, and whispered, "Tianbi, no matter what happens, we have to survive together."
Cheng Tianbi softly responded with a gentle "Hmm."
Cong Xia slowly moved closer to Cheng Tianbi until he could smell the scent of soap on him. It was a luxurious and comforting scent that he could never get enough of, even for a lifetime.
Soon, they would embark on their journey.
