72 Cambrian Consciousness Part 1
Chen Shao jumped off the carriage and squinted at Wu Yu, smiling. He said, "Brother Wu, it's been a long time."
Wu Yu smiled lightly and remarked, "Chen Shao, we've only met once."
"Not only that, I've only seen you once, but you've seen me several times," Chen Shao chuckled.
"If you insist on saying so, it's hard to say how many times you've seen me," Wu Yu replied.
Chen Shao laughed heartily, saying, "Don't make it sound like we're spying on each other. I'm not interested in men. Come on, please come in. Wu Laodi, you've been hiding somewhere all the time. Your skin has turned pale. Have you been lacking vegetables and fruits for a long time? Come, taste the food in my restaurant."
Wu Yu smiled faintly. "Free things, of course, I won't be polite."
Chen Shao looked at Abu and shouted, "Everyone, come down. The cat won't fit inside."
Wu Yu also looked at Abu, staring unblinkingly as the five people slid down from Abu. His gaze swept over each of them and finally fell on Cheng Tianbi.
Cheng Tianbi also looked at him expressionlessly.
Chen Shao loudly said, "Please."
The group entered the restaurant one by one. Zhuang Yao called out, "Abu," and then pointed to the entrance.
Abu obediently walked to the side of the door and lay down, closing his eyes for a nap.
The long-haired beauty covered her mouth and smiled. "Such a beautiful kitty. It's the largest mutant creature I've ever seen, and it's so well-behaved."
Zhuang Yao said, "Then you must not have seen the creatures in the water."
She hesitated for a moment, then laughed: "Let me correct myself. I meant the ones on land."
Cong Xia surveyed the restaurant.
The restaurant was well-maintained, clean, and tidy. The newly replaced milky-white wallpaper looked very fresh. Even in the previous civilized era, this restaurant had a distinctive style, not to mention in this post-apocalyptic world full of ruins and desolation. The restaurant gave people a feeling of time travel.
There were no extra customers in the restaurant. A long rectangular table was placed in the center, covered with pristine white tablecloth, and the number of cutlery was just right.
The thin and tall man exchanged a few words with the restaurant server. Chen Shao invited everyone to take their seats and proudly introduced, "I had a stake in this restaurant before the apocalypse. If I didn't take over, it would have been abandoned like other public and commercial facilities. Although I can't guarantee that you'll get the same quality of food as before, at least in all of Chongqing, the ingredients I provide here are the best."
Wu Yu nodded: "Chen Shao knows how to enjoy life."
"These are insignificant things. If Brother Wu wants them, they are within easy reach."
Wu Yu smiled and shook his head.
The server brought tea for everyone.
Chen Shao sat in the main seat, Wu Yu and Cheng Tianbi sat facing each other, and Cong Xia sat next to Cheng Tianbi. Cong Xia picked up the tea and was about to take a sip when he realized it was too hot, so he put it back down.
Wu Yu looked at Cong Xia and smiled. "Is it too hot?" He reached out his hand towards Cong Xia.
Just as his fingertips touched the teacup, Cheng Tianbi suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist, staring at him coldly.
Wu Yu also lifted his chin slightly and looked at Cheng Tianbi. Chen Shao squinted his eyes and observed the two.
Wu Yu lightly tapped the teacup with his fingernail, and the delicate ceramic teacup made a crisp sound. He explained, "This way, it will cool down a bit."
Cong Xia glanced at the amber-colored tea. The steam that was floating above it had disappeared, and there was a thin layer of ice on the surface of the tea.
Cong Xia calmly looked at Wu Yu. What was this person trying to do? Display his power? Establish dominance over them?
The scene fell into silence, and Cheng Tianbi's hand had not been withdrawn. The two remained in a stalemate.
Wu Yu looked at Cheng Tianbi and softly said, "You're quite fast, as expected of a speed-enhanced mutant." He intentionally emphasized the last few words.
Cong Xia tugged at Cheng Tianbi's clothes from under the table.
Cheng Tianbi let go of his hand, pushed the teacup aside, and said to the server behind him, "Get some fresh hot tea."
Wu Yu remained composed, saying, "True, tea should be drunk hot."
Chen Shao clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Truly, you are a natural force-enhanced human. This ability is truly marvelous. I wonder when Brother Wu will have the time to show us your skills and broaden our horizons."
Wu Yu casually replied, "Commander Chen manages things well. The cannibalistic creatures in the city have almost disappeared. I really don't have any need to intervene."
Chen Shao let out a long "Oh,” and added, "After Zhao Jin's death, Brother Wu has no opponents left in Chongqing. Indeed, there's no need for you to intervene. It's lonely at the top, isn't it? Do you feel a bit lonely?"
Wu Yu chuckled softly, replying, "A little."
"Then why did you invite them? Are you looking for someone to spar with?"
Wu Yu shook his head, "I just want to see who was capable enough to kill Zhao Jin."
Chen Shao laughed, "Just want to see? Brother Wu, you're quite interesting. After seeing it, what do you plan to do? Don't tell me you want to win them over."
Wu Yu looked at Chen Shao sharply: "They won't stay in Chongqing, so what's the point of winning them over? Chen Shao, you understand this better than me, don't you?"
Zhuang Yao took a sip of orange juice especially served to him by the server and leaned his chin on his hand as he looked at Wu Yu and asked, "How do you know we won't stay in Chongqing?"
"If you wanted to stay in Chongqing, you wouldn't have caused chaos as soon as you arrived. If you had long-term plans, you wouldn't have taken the risk of killing Zhao Jin the very next day," Wu Yu paused, "Actually, I'm quite curious. Who made the decision to kill Zhao Jin?" Although he was asking everyone, his gaze had already shifted towards Cheng Tianbi.
Cheng Tianbi calmly replied, "It was me."
Wu Yu smiled. "Indeed, great courage accompanies great skills. I've had a skirmish with Zhao Jin before, although it was inconclusive. But even I wasn't confident in eliminating him."
Cong Xia said, "We didn't act alone. It took the two people of our group to kill him. You've been staying in Chongqing for so long, perhaps you haven't seen the outside world in a while. Is Zhao Jin really as formidable as you think, or is it just your assumption?"
Chen Shao and Wu Yu looked at Cong Xia with surprise.
This seemingly fragile young man actually spoke such sharp words without any fear when facing them. It truly caught them off guard. If it weren't for the fact that he genuinely emitted no energy fluctuations, it would be hard to believe that he was just an ordinary person.
Cong Xia's intention behind these words was to make Chen Shao and Wu Yu uncertain about their true strength and make them wary.
Chen Shao said, "Since the apocalypse, I haven't been to places outside of Chongqing, but I regularly receive news from Beijing. Could it be that I have become a frog in a well, and there are experts everywhere outside?"
Cong Xia said, "That's not entirely true. At least as far as natural force-controlling evolved humans go, we've only encountered one so far, and Zhao Jin isn't the most dangerous enemy we've encountered. Perhaps you've overestimated him."
Wu Yu stared directly at Cong Xia and asked, "Natural force-enhanced humans, have you really only encountered one?"
Cong Xia maintained eye contact, "Just you."
"I heard you came from Guizhou."
"That's correct."
Wu Yu smiled lightly, and the meaning behind that smile was unfathomable.
At that moment, the servers lined up and began serving the dishes. The variety of dishes was abundant, with rich colors and flavors, and they were exquisitely presented, making one's mouth water.
Chen Shao smiled and said, "Try it. The fish was caught from a river just yesterday. It was an ordinary tilapia that grew to over two meters long. But after all, it's food meant for people, so it's not aggressive. The broccoli and bamboo shoots were grown in my plantation and picked just an hour before serving, very fresh."
Seeing such delicacies, everyone's appetite was aroused, and they began eating without hesitation.
Wu Yu tasted a piece of fish and said, "Chen Shao, your life hasn't changed much compared to before."
"Life is short. If we can enjoy nature, we should. Who knows when our lives will end."
Wu Yu smiled, "Indeed, this disaster came upon us in the blink of an eye."
Chen Shao put down his chopsticks and scrutinized Wu Yu with a keen gaze: "Brother Wu, we shouldn't beat around the bush. Now that I've brought those people to you, why don't you quickly tell me the purpose of meeting them? They won't stay for long, and I'm curious to hear what plans the renowned and solitary Brother Wu has in mind."
Wu Yu replied casually, "Just want to get to know them."
Chen Shao's expression changed slightly. Wu Yu was not giving him face at all. It was clear that he was hiding something, and he didn't even bother to fabricate a decent lie. How could he not feel annoyed? He spoke with a somewhat harsh tone, "If that's the case, then Brother Wu, get to know them quickly. In a few days, I'll personally escort them out of the city."
Wu Yu ignored him and continued eating his food.
During the meal, Wu Yu and Cheng Tianbi didn't exchange any words, but they sat facing each other with a guarded expression on their faces.
Zhuang Yao had been asking Chen Shao for various things at the table, especially condiments and other easily preserved and portable items.
If those onlookers outside knew that they had just had an uneventful meal, I wonder what expressions they would have. This meal not only left them disappointed but also left Chen Shao feeling frustrated.
After finishing the meal, Wu Yu left on his own, as if he had just come to enjoy a free meal.
Chen Shao looked at Cheng Tianbi and asked, "Who do you think is stronger, him or you?"
Cheng Tianbi cautiously replied, "He is."
Chen Shao snorted, "Not necessarily. Wu Yu is a master of disguise. Now, my eyes are everywhere in the city, so he can't come looking for you. But once he goes outside the city, he will definitely come looking for you. I hope you will take care of yourselves and leave. If we meet again, it's hard to say whether we'll be friends or foes."
Zhuang Yao sneered, "We never planned on coming back."
"That's for the best." Chen Shao left with his people.
Abu led the group towards the hotel.
On the way, Cheng Tianbi said in a deep voice, "Chongqing is about to change. We need to leave within two days."
Cong Xia said, "You should rest for a few more days to heal your injuries."
Zhuang Yao shook his head, "No, he's right. Chongqing is about to undergo a major change. This time, many people will die. We must leave quickly. The city is most stable when three forces coexist, but now that Hongwei Gang is gone and Qingyan Gang cannot accommodate the Frost Society, Wu Yu won't just sit and wait for death. We can't get involved in their struggle. Today, Wu Yu came to test our relationship with the Qingyan Gang."
Tang Yanqiu said, "If we leave, will the people in the industrial park be in danger?"
"If we stay here, the people in the industrial park will be in danger. They will become leverage against us. If we leave, there's no reason for them to waste manpower dealing with the people in the industrial park."
Tang Yanqiu sighed.
"Prepare over the next two days, and we'll leave early the day after tomorrow."
Liu Fengyu lay on Abu's back, rubbing his face against its soft and fragrant fur, lamenting, "We can never have a peaceful time for long before we have to leave again. The good days are always so short." The days of being able to take baths, sleep in beds, and have food and drink were coming to an end.
Zhuang Yao said, "The next stop is Mount Emei in Sichuan. According to the agreement, we’ll accompany Tang Yanqiu back home." He turned to Tang Yanqiu and asked, "Are you sure you can find your way home once we reach the border?"
Tang Yanqiu replied confidently, "Yes, the Tang family has a special way of marking. Regardless of how the vegetation and trees change, as long as the terrain remains the same, I can identify it."
72 Cambrian Consciousness Part 1
Chen Shao jumped off the carriage and squinted at Wu Yu, smiling. He said, "Brother Wu, it's been a long time."
Wu Yu smiled lightly and remarked, "Chen Shao, we've only met once."
"Not only that, I've only seen you once, but you've seen me several times," Chen Shao chuckled.
"If you insist on saying so, it's hard to say how many times you've seen me," Wu Yu replied.
Chen Shao laughed heartily, saying, "Don't make it sound like we're spying on each other. I'm not interested in men. Come on, please come in. Wu Laodi, you've been hiding somewhere all the time. Your skin has turned pale. Have you been lacking vegetables and fruits for a long time? Come, taste the food in my restaurant."
Wu Yu smiled faintly. "Free things, of course, I won't be polite."
Chen Shao looked at Abu and shouted, "Everyone, come down. The cat won't fit inside."
Wu Yu also looked at Abu, staring unblinkingly as the five people slid down from Abu. His gaze swept over each of them and finally fell on Cheng Tianbi.
Cheng Tianbi also looked at him expressionlessly.
Chen Shao loudly said, "Please."
The group entered the restaurant one by one. Zhuang Yao called out, "Abu," and then pointed to the entrance.
Abu obediently walked to the side of the door and lay down, closing his eyes for a nap.
The long-haired beauty covered her mouth and smiled. "Such a beautiful kitty. It's the largest mutant creature I've ever seen, and it's so well-behaved."
Zhuang Yao said, "Then you must not have seen the creatures in the water."
She hesitated for a moment, then laughed: "Let me correct myself. I meant the ones on land."
Cong Xia surveyed the restaurant.
The restaurant was well-maintained, clean, and tidy. The newly replaced milky-white wallpaper looked very fresh. Even in the previous civilized era, this restaurant had a distinctive style, not to mention in this post-apocalyptic world full of ruins and desolation. The restaurant gave people a feeling of time travel.
There were no extra customers in the restaurant. A long rectangular table was placed in the center, covered with pristine white tablecloth, and the number of cutlery was just right.
The thin and tall man exchanged a few words with the restaurant server. Chen Shao invited everyone to take their seats and proudly introduced, "I had a stake in this restaurant before the apocalypse. If I didn't take over, it would have been abandoned like other public and commercial facilities. Although I can't guarantee that you'll get the same quality of food as before, at least in all of Chongqing, the ingredients I provide here are the best."
Wu Yu nodded: "Chen Shao knows how to enjoy life."
"These are insignificant things. If Brother Wu wants them, they are within easy reach."
Wu Yu smiled and shook his head.
The server brought tea for everyone.
Chen Shao sat in the main seat, Wu Yu and Cheng Tianbi sat facing each other, and Cong Xia sat next to Cheng Tianbi. Cong Xia picked up the tea and was about to take a sip when he realized it was too hot, so he put it back down.
Wu Yu looked at Cong Xia and smiled. "Is it too hot?" He reached out his hand towards Cong Xia.
Just as his fingertips touched the teacup, Cheng Tianbi suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist, staring at him coldly.
Wu Yu also lifted his chin slightly and looked at Cheng Tianbi. Chen Shao squinted his eyes and observed the two.
Wu Yu lightly tapped the teacup with his fingernail, and the delicate ceramic teacup made a crisp sound. He explained, "This way, it will cool down a bit."
Cong Xia glanced at the amber-colored tea. The steam that was floating above it had disappeared, and there was a thin layer of ice on the surface of the tea.
Cong Xia calmly looked at Wu Yu. What was this person trying to do? Display his power? Establish dominance over them?
The scene fell into silence, and Cheng Tianbi's hand had not been withdrawn. The two remained in a stalemate.
Wu Yu looked at Cheng Tianbi and softly said, "You're quite fast, as expected of a speed-enhanced mutant." He intentionally emphasized the last few words.
Cong Xia tugged at Cheng Tianbi's clothes from under the table.
Cheng Tianbi let go of his hand, pushed the teacup aside, and said to the server behind him, "Get some fresh hot tea."
Wu Yu remained composed, saying, "True, tea should be drunk hot."
Chen Shao clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Truly, you are a natural force-enhanced human. This ability is truly marvelous. I wonder when Brother Wu will have the time to show us your skills and broaden our horizons."
Wu Yu casually replied, "Commander Chen manages things well. The cannibalistic creatures in the city have almost disappeared. I really don't have any need to intervene."
Chen Shao let out a long "Oh,” and added, "After Zhao Jin's death, Brother Wu has no opponents left in Chongqing. Indeed, there's no need for you to intervene. It's lonely at the top, isn't it? Do you feel a bit lonely?"
Wu Yu chuckled softly, replying, "A little."
"Then why did you invite them? Are you looking for someone to spar with?"
Wu Yu shook his head, "I just want to see who was capable enough to kill Zhao Jin."
Chen Shao laughed, "Just want to see? Brother Wu, you're quite interesting. After seeing it, what do you plan to do? Don't tell me you want to win them over."
Wu Yu looked at Chen Shao sharply: "They won't stay in Chongqing, so what's the point of winning them over? Chen Shao, you understand this better than me, don't you?"
Zhuang Yao took a sip of orange juice especially served to him by the server and leaned his chin on his hand as he looked at Wu Yu and asked, "How do you know we won't stay in Chongqing?"
"If you wanted to stay in Chongqing, you wouldn't have caused chaos as soon as you arrived. If you had long-term plans, you wouldn't have taken the risk of killing Zhao Jin the very next day," Wu Yu paused, "Actually, I'm quite curious. Who made the decision to kill Zhao Jin?" Although he was asking everyone, his gaze had already shifted towards Cheng Tianbi.
Cheng Tianbi calmly replied, "It was me."
Wu Yu smiled. "Indeed, great courage accompanies great skills. I've had a skirmish with Zhao Jin before, although it was inconclusive. But even I wasn't confident in eliminating him."
Cong Xia said, "We didn't act alone. It took the two people of our group to kill him. You've been staying in Chongqing for so long, perhaps you haven't seen the outside world in a while. Is Zhao Jin really as formidable as you think, or is it just your assumption?"
Chen Shao and Wu Yu looked at Cong Xia with surprise.
This seemingly fragile young man actually spoke such sharp words without any fear when facing them. It truly caught them off guard. If it weren't for the fact that he genuinely emitted no energy fluctuations, it would be hard to believe that he was just an ordinary person.
Cong Xia's intention behind these words was to make Chen Shao and Wu Yu uncertain about their true strength and make them wary.
Chen Shao said, "Since the apocalypse, I haven't been to places outside of Chongqing, but I regularly receive news from Beijing. Could it be that I have become a frog in a well, and there are experts everywhere outside?"
Cong Xia said, "That's not entirely true. At least as far as natural force-controlling evolved humans go, we've only encountered one so far, and Zhao Jin isn't the most dangerous enemy we've encountered. Perhaps you've overestimated him."
Wu Yu stared directly at Cong Xia and asked, "Natural force-enhanced humans, have you really only encountered one?"
Cong Xia maintained eye contact, "Just you."
"I heard you came from Guizhou."
"That's correct."
Wu Yu smiled lightly, and the meaning behind that smile was unfathomable.
At that moment, the servers lined up and began serving the dishes. The variety of dishes was abundant, with rich colors and flavors, and they were exquisitely presented, making one's mouth water.
Chen Shao smiled and said, "Try it. The fish was caught from a river just yesterday. It was an ordinary tilapia that grew to over two meters long. But after all, it's food meant for people, so it's not aggressive. The broccoli and bamboo shoots were grown in my plantation and picked just an hour before serving, very fresh."
Seeing such delicacies, everyone's appetite was aroused, and they began eating without hesitation.
Wu Yu tasted a piece of fish and said, "Chen Shao, your life hasn't changed much compared to before."
"Life is short. If we can enjoy nature, we should. Who knows when our lives will end."
Wu Yu smiled, "Indeed, this disaster came upon us in the blink of an eye."
Chen Shao put down his chopsticks and scrutinized Wu Yu with a keen gaze: "Brother Wu, we shouldn't beat around the bush. Now that I've brought those people to you, why don't you quickly tell me the purpose of meeting them? They won't stay for long, and I'm curious to hear what plans the renowned and solitary Brother Wu has in mind."
Wu Yu replied casually, "Just want to get to know them."
Chen Shao's expression changed slightly. Wu Yu was not giving him face at all. It was clear that he was hiding something, and he didn't even bother to fabricate a decent lie. How could he not feel annoyed? He spoke with a somewhat harsh tone, "If that's the case, then Brother Wu, get to know them quickly. In a few days, I'll personally escort them out of the city."
Wu Yu ignored him and continued eating his food.
During the meal, Wu Yu and Cheng Tianbi didn't exchange any words, but they sat facing each other with a guarded expression on their faces.
Zhuang Yao had been asking Chen Shao for various things at the table, especially condiments and other easily preserved and portable items.
If those onlookers outside knew that they had just had an uneventful meal, I wonder what expressions they would have. This meal not only left them disappointed but also left Chen Shao feeling frustrated.
After finishing the meal, Wu Yu left on his own, as if he had just come to enjoy a free meal.
Chen Shao looked at Cheng Tianbi and asked, "Who do you think is stronger, him or you?"
Cheng Tianbi cautiously replied, "He is."
Chen Shao snorted, "Not necessarily. Wu Yu is a master of disguise. Now, my eyes are everywhere in the city, so he can't come looking for you. But once he goes outside the city, he will definitely come looking for you. I hope you will take care of yourselves and leave. If we meet again, it's hard to say whether we'll be friends or foes."
Zhuang Yao sneered, "We never planned on coming back."
"That's for the best." Chen Shao left with his people.
Abu led the group towards the hotel.
On the way, Cheng Tianbi said in a deep voice, "Chongqing is about to change. We need to leave within two days."
Cong Xia said, "You should rest for a few more days to heal your injuries."
Zhuang Yao shook his head, "No, he's right. Chongqing is about to undergo a major change. This time, many people will die. We must leave quickly. The city is most stable when three forces coexist, but now that Hongwei Gang is gone and Qingyan Gang cannot accommodate the Frost Society, Wu Yu won't just sit and wait for death. We can't get involved in their struggle. Today, Wu Yu came to test our relationship with the Qingyan Gang."
Tang Yanqiu said, "If we leave, will the people in the industrial park be in danger?"
"If we stay here, the people in the industrial park will be in danger. They will become leverage against us. If we leave, there's no reason for them to waste manpower dealing with the people in the industrial park."
Tang Yanqiu sighed.
"Prepare over the next two days, and we'll leave early the day after tomorrow."
Liu Fengyu lay on Abu's back, rubbing his face against its soft and fragrant fur, lamenting, "We can never have a peaceful time for long before we have to leave again. The good days are always so short." The days of being able to take baths, sleep in beds, and have food and drink were coming to an end.
Zhuang Yao said, "The next stop is Mount Emei in Sichuan. According to the agreement, we’ll accompany Tang Yanqiu back home." He turned to Tang Yanqiu and asked, "Are you sure you can find your way home once we reach the border?"
Tang Yanqiu replied confidently, "Yes, the Tang family has a special way of marking. Regardless of how the vegetation and trees change, as long as the terrain remains the same, I can identify it."
