Chapter 120: 120, House arrest

Tonight's darkness seemed less unbearable than usual, with thousands huddled around their respective bonfires, tossing innumerable sweet potatoes into the flames. Gradually, the entire camp was enveloped by an intoxicating, sweet aroma. In the night, this desolate wasteland appeared suddenly lit by countless lanterns, their yellow glow flickering uncertainly, while many watched the bonfires with anticipation, where the sweet potatoes remained uncooked. Those tubers must have been as large as wine bottles, yet Chen Wudi devoured three in one sitting, leaving Ren Xiaoxu stunned—he suddenly realized Chen Wudi's reason for seeking him as a master was likely to bankrupt him! Chen Wudi wiped his mouth and glanced around at the circle of people: Ren Xiaoxu, Wang Fugui, Yan Liuyuan, Xiao Yu Jie, Wang Dalong. "What are you staring at?" Ren Xiaoxu shot him a sidelong glance. "Master, don't you think our team is missing something?" Chen Wudi said. Ren Xiaoxu paused: "Missing what?" Chen Wudi's gaze lingered between Yan Liuyuan and Xiao Yu Jie: "We still lack a White Dragon Horse." Yan Liuyuan and Xiao Yu Jie immediately looked displeased, though Chen Wudi had his principles—"You don't need to look at me like that; neither of you is the White Dragon Horse. I won't recognize just anyone." At this moment, Wang Fugui and Wang Dalong felt uneasy again—could they truly be Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing?! "..." Ren Xiaoxu felt a pang of melancholy; his team had once been quite normal, yet since Chen Wudi joined, everything had taken a strange turn. Still, what surprised Ren Xiaoxu was that this madman, Chen Wudi, possessed his own internal logic—but why had the other party chosen to recognize him as a master... He ignored Chen Wudi, silently calculating everyone's appetite. The sweet potatoes should last another two days or so, and they wouldn't spoil even if left out all winter. Though carrying them while traveling would be tiring, as sweet potatoes were rather heavy. Now, they were perhaps only a hundred kilometers from Wall 109. A normal person could walk about forty kilometers a day if they traveled eight hours, and maybe fifty if they pushed harder, but Wang Fugui, Wang Dalong, and Xiao Yu Jie might struggle physically. Xiao Yu Jie had spent the afternoon using needles and thread to lance the new blisters on Yan Liuyuan's feet. Yan Liuyuan sat quietly, watching her profile, suddenly feeling it was wonderful to have such a sister. By now, the refugees' blisters had already rotted and formed scabs, only to rot again. Survival was not merely about "how many kilometers one could walk in a day." Thus, Ren Xiaoxu estimated they would need at least three to four days to reach Wall 109. If they conserved the sweet potatoes, they wouldn't even need to seek new food. Suddenly, Ren Xiaoxu heard Jiang Wu's voice not far behind: "Everyone, hold on a bit longer—we'll reach Wall 109 soon. Make sure to carry the sweet potatoes we dug this afternoon; walking may be tiring, but it's better than starving." The students had passed the stage of longing for home and fragility; these greenhouse flowers were learning to grow strong. Someone suddenly asked, "Teacher, can we really make it to Wall 109 safely?" "We certainly can," Jiang Wu said. "As long as we follow that boy, we will." At that moment, some students gestured subtly for Jiang Wu to look behind. When she turned, she happened to meet Ren Xiaoxu's gaze. "Ah!" she quickly turned back, as if the bonfire had burned too brightly, leaving her cheeks flushed. Jiang Wu lowered her voice to the students: "Why didn't you warn me?" "Haha," the students laughed. "Teacher's face is red." Watching this scene, Ren Xiaoxu suddenly thought humans must be the most adept at finding joy amid suffering—give them a glimmer of hope, and they would choose to live. Not long after, the students on Jiang Wu's side began singing softly, like campus ballads. Ren Xiaoxu listened, entranced; he too had once wished to be born in a carefree wall, enjoying all its comforts. Of course, life within the walls was probably no longer so comfortable. Far off, at the Qing family's stronghold, Luo Lan smelled the distant sweet potato aroma. He ate the single-soldier rations stored in their vehicle, sighing: "These poor folks really know how to live..." Beside him, Luo Lan's aide asked, "Boss, do you think your brother will send someone to rescue you?" "Hard to say," Luo Lan sighed. "I'm more worried about him—Jing Mountain was in trouble when he was still inside. Now Qing Zhen's fate is uncertain too." The aide muttered quietly, "I think Boss Qing won't be in danger; he's always been steady in his actions." "Steady for what?" Luo Lan sighed. "This time, an accident happened anyway. Though earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are natural disasters, beyond human control." "Do you think Wall 112 might have the same problem as ours?" the aide asked. "After all, the distance is similar—if we couldn't withstand the earthquake, they couldn't either." "Exactly," Luo Lan mused. "Wall 112 probably collapsed too. The Qing family has lost two walls in one fell swoop. Qing Zhen might face severe punishment within the family." "But it's not our fault," the aide whispered. "Anyone would have collapsed." "Qing Zhen had too many enemies within the family," Luo Lan said. "And he killed many from other families recently. The family probably worries he's hard to control, so they'll sideline him for a while. But it's only temporary—the Qing family still needs Qing Zhen to do things. Others can't do them as well... or rather, they aren't as ruthless." At this moment, Qing Zhen walked along the mountain path, his face already blackened by the volcanic smoke, his image long since shattered beyond repair. Xu Man, beside him, held a satellite phone: "Boss, the family's chairman wants you to take the call." They had already left the volcanic cloud's coverage, and the satellite phone was functional again. "Tell them I'm busy," Qing Zhen replied irritably. Xu Man hesitated but relayed the message. After a few seconds, he looked at Qing Zhen: "They demand you go to Wall 111 for investigation immediately upon leaving Jing Mountain. You're not allowed to leave Wall 111. Walls 112 and 113... are gone." "Tell them I understand," Qing Zhen replied nonchalantly. After Xu Man hung up, he said, "They're going to detain you?" "It's been ages since I last returned to Wall 111," Qing Zhen said. "Call Lu Yuyuan at Wall 109 and have him send someone to search for Luo Lan." Xu Man hesitated: "That's a Li family-controlled wall. Lu Yuyuan, as its manager, might not have much authority." "He still has the power to dispatch private troops. Wall 109 is closest to Wall 113, so if Luo Lan is safe, he'll definitely go to Lu Yuyuan. Tell him—if he can't find Luo Lan, he dies." Xu Man suddenly realized Qing Zhen didn't seem like someone about to be detained by the family. Moreover, the bond between Qing Zhen and Luo Lan, the brothers, seemed stronger than rumored.