IABI – Chapter 109 Humanity’s Counterattack (10)

Dawn was just beginning to break.

After the great battle, the base had gone an entire night without sleep. When Chi Xin walked out of the administrative building, she saw soldiers still moving back and forth between the city walls and the roads. On stretchers lay one injured person after another, their features indistinguishable.

They moved swiftly and quietly, as if long accustomed to such scenes.

A soldier noticed Chi Xin standing alone by the street and kindly stepped forward to warn her. “Miss, it’s still during curfew hours. You’d better hurry home—don’t let Major General Xiao see you…”

But when he saw Chi Xin’s face clearly, he froze on the spot.

Chi Xin also paused when she recognized him. Then a look of pure delight spread across her face. “It’s you!”

This young soldier was the one she had saved on the city wall—the one who had gone to fetch artillery shells and never made it back.

She had thought he might have perished in the tide of corpses. She never expected to see him here again.

As if she hadn’t noticed the awkwardness on his face, Chi Xin smiled and said, “It’s really great that you’re all right. I didn’t even dare to look at the bodies covered with white cloth. I kept thinking it was my fault you got killed.”

“N-no…” The young soldier’s face flushed red-hot. Thankfully, the sky hadn’t fully brightened yet, and coupled with his sun-darkened, rough complexion, he was relieved she probably couldn’t tell. “I—it was me who didn’t come back as agreed…”

“Don’t worry about it,” Chi Xin said naturally. “Things change in an instant on the battlefield. No one knows what will happen the next second. Seeing you safe and sound just makes me feel lucky. Don’t take it to heart.”

Her clear, gentle voice was like a pool of fresh spring water. The young soldier felt as though the dryness in his throat eased a little.

His expression relaxed slightly, though guilt still weighed on him. “I’m sorry. I was hit by a stray shell fragment and passed out on the spot. By the time someone woke me up, it was already over.”

“So that’s what happened.” Chi Xin was still smiling.

She felt that this young soldier was indeed very fortunate.

Seeing that she truly didn’t seem to mind, the young soldier gradually loosened up. He said, “After I woke up, all I heard was that a female warrior had captured the zombie king and saved everyone. It’s a pity I fainted and didn’t get to see her heroic bearing.”

Chi Xin merely smiled without saying a word.

A look of intense longing appeared on the young soldier’s face. “Everyone says the apocalypse can be saved now. As long as the zombie king is dealt with, and Professor Jing and the others develop a vaccine, this world will definitely return to normal… right?”

He looked at Chi Xin nervously. For some reason, he instinctively felt that she possessed a quality that inspired trust and loyalty. Seeing her made him feel even more at ease than facing a major general, and he subconsciously sought her affirmation.

“Yes,” Chi Xin replied gently. “Once the ‘zombie king’ is eliminated and a vaccine is developed, the apocalypse will end. It’s actually not that terrifying, and not that complicated.”

A hint of a smile appeared on the young soldier’s face. Then he said worriedly, “Miss, you should still go back first. You’re not part of the military. If Major General Xiao sees you…”

“If I see her, what then?”

Hearing that all-too-familiar voice, the young soldier froze for a moment. When he saw the person approaching from behind Chi Xin, his face changed drastically.

Chi Xin showed no surprise at all. After the person beside her stopped, she glanced sideways and said, “I didn’t know there was a curfew here. You brought that rule over from the military, didn’t you?”

Before Xiao Li could respond, the young soldier shuddered violently, snapped his heels together, and stood at attention with a sharp salute. “Major General Xiao!”

His uneasy gaze kept flicking toward Chi Xin, his face wearing an expression of heroic resolve, as if ready to face death.

It made Chi Xin laugh.

Xiao Li looked at the young soldier. Though their ages weren’t that far apart, the difference in their bearing was worlds apart.

“What’s your name?” Xiao Li asked.

“Major General, my name is Le Da,” the young soldier replied quickly, drawing his gaze back. “Le as in happiness, Da as in broad-minded.”

“A good name,” Xiao Li nodded. “Go do what you’re supposed to do.”

“Yes, Major General.” Le Da answered, but he didn’t leave immediately. He glanced uneasily at Chi Xin, clenched his teeth, and still spoke up. “Major General, this lady saved my life on the city wall. She’s just arrived at the base and doesn’t know your rules yet. Please don’t punish her.”

That earned him another look from Xiao Li.

“This lady didn’t just save your life,” Xiao Li said. “She saved the lives of everyone in this base. In the future, she’ll save the lives of everyone in this world. So there’s no need for you to worry.”

“Wha—” Le Da’s eyes went wide.

He suddenly realized something. With a sharp turn of his head, he stared straight at Chi Xin, as if trying to bore a hole through her with his gaze.

“You’re saying that so decisively—now I won’t even be able to slack off if I wanted to,” Chi Xin said with a smile.

“The radio message has already been sent out. By the time you think of regretting it, I’m afraid it’ll be too late,” Xiao Li replied with a faint smile. Seeing Le Da still staring fixedly at Chi Xin, he simply beckoned him over. “Le Da, since you’re this lucky, I’ll introduce her to you in advance.”

He gestured toward Chi Xin.

“This is the future supreme leader of Base A—Miss Chi.”

With his guess confirmed, Le Da trembled. His voice rang out across the street. “Third Legion, Fifth Detachment of Base A—Le Da reporting to Miss Chi!”

The young soldier’s voice was astonishingly loud. Immediately, everyone nearby stopped what they were doing. From that single sentence, they glimpsed the truth, and one after another, they turned their fervent gazes toward Chi Xin.

Chi Xin looked calm on the surface, but inside she desperately wanted to cover her face.

“You’re being way too dramatic,” she muttered through clenched teeth to Xiao Li, then maintained her smile and waved at everyone, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu.

On second thought, leaders on TV in her past life seemed to make appearances just like this.

“I was planning to announce this tomorrow anyway. Telling everyone a bit earlier doesn’t count as spreading false information,” Xiao Li shrugged, motioning for the others to continue their work. Then he turned back to Chi Xin. “Where are you planning to go? Have you decided where to stay?”

Chi Xin shook her head. “I’m not sleepy. I’ll just take a walk for now.”

Xiao Li nodded and followed beside her as they walked along the mist-filled streets of the early morning.

In any case, no matter where Chi Xin wanted to live, for him it was just a matter of a single sentence. She could decide whenever she liked.

He looked at Chi Xin’s profile as she walked beside him, his expression slightly dazed.

It was as if a dream he had had countless times at midnight had finally come true—she had stepped out of the dream and into reality.

Again and again he had fought with all his strength, again and again he had pushed himself forward, all for this very day: to be able to stand straight in front of her, to provide her with everything she needed.

He had done it.

“Xiao Li,” Chi Xin called.

For a moment, Xiao Li forgot time and place, just like when he had still been an ordinary soldier at the L Base. He snapped to attention and answered, “Here!”

“About the question I asked you just now—you still haven’t answered me,” Chi Xin said.

“Ah, yes.” Xiao Li came back to his senses. “The curfew order is meant to ensure more people’s safety. After all, the dangers inside a base sometimes aren’t limited to zombies.”

“Running a base must be exhausting,” Chi Xin said. “Being able to reach your current position in such a short time is impressive.”

Xiao Li blushed.

He pinched his thigh hard, silently lamenting how he had done so much mental preparation beforehand, repeatedly reminding himself not to blush so easily in front of Chi Xin anymore. Yet who would have thought that even though he could face a Zombie King head-on, the moment he stood before Chi Xin, his heart and face were still just as disobedient.

“No,” Xiao Li said. “When you have a goal in your heart, the struggle doesn’t feel so tiring.”

Right now, it was just the two of them alone. The joy of having his dream fulfilled made him revert to his true self. Though two years of life-and-death struggles had made his build and appearance far more mature, when he softened his voice while speaking to Chi Xin, there was faintly that same… youthful, almost milky quality from back then.

That, in turn, stirred up some distant memories for Chi Xin, and her expression softened even more.

“Oh, right, there’s something else I wanted to ask,” Chi Xin suddenly remembered. “What’s the deal with that Lian Tianrui? How could someone like that catch your eye?”

A trace of awkwardness appeared on Xiao Li’s face. “He… his situation is a bit complicated. He did a service for the superior officer who once promoted me. Before that officer passed away, he told me to look after him a little. So for some minor matters, I could only turn a blind eye.”

“Oh?” Chi Xin said lightly. “Blocking survivors outside and, before confirming whether they were infected, directly opening fire and killing them—does that count as a ‘minor matter’ too?”

If Chi Xin had turned around at that moment, she would have seen how utterly at a loss Xiao Li looked, to the point where he seemed about to cry.

“After you left this morning, I sentenced him according to military regulations—stripped him of his rank and reassigned him to the most basic troop type,” Xiao Li said softly. “Given how pampered he’s been all these years, I doubt he’ll last very long.”

What kind of “lasting” that referred to, Chi Xin didn’t ask further.

They didn’t have any particular destination in mind. They just walked along, chatting as they went. Xiao Li introduced each building to her, explaining what it was used for. Chi Xin realized that not only was this place far larger than the L Base, its layout was also much clearer.

In such a harsh environment, for a base to have schools, hospitals, dining facilities—everything—was truly remarkable.

It was easy to see just how much effort the Yu father and son had poured into this base.

“We really owe it to the Yu family,” Xiao Li said. “I only began to receive recognition gradually after returning from the L Base. From A City to the A Base, the Yu family has given far too much for this land. By the way, how is the L Base now? Did you hear anything about it afterward?”

Chi Xin was silent for a few seconds, then spoke plainly, “It’s gone.”

“Gone?” Xiao Li was taken aback.

That answer made Chi Xin think of the disgusting origins of the Feng Pushan Base, and she didn’t want to say more.

They walked on for a while longer. When the sky had fully brightened, children on their way to school began to appear on the streets.

It was clear that the children were very well protected. Even in such an environment, there was still pure joy on their faces. As they passed by, you could hear them asking one another whether their homework was finished.

This kind of ordinary life was the most extravagant happiness in the apocalypse, yet the A Base had managed to achieve it.

Chi Xin watched the children’s retreating figures and fell into a brief silence.

Xiao Li didn’t urge her, simply waiting there with her.

Only when Chi Xin withdrew her gaze and looked at the sky, now blazing with daylight, did she say, “Let’s head back.”

“Alright,” Xiao Li replied.

“The other bases,” Chi Xin suddenly spoke as they walked. “I’m not sure how many of them will come, or how many people will ultimately choose to ally with us.”

Xiao Li looked at her.

“But no matter how many there are, I will never abandon this place.” A resolute light shone in Chi Xin’s eyes, just like back when she had first arrived, kicked off the head of a high-level zombie, then turned to look at him. “I’ll stay with it, until the very end.”

They returned to the building. Chi Xin wanted to see whether Jing Xiubai and the others were still around. Unexpectedly, the moment the elevator doors opened, she heard Yu Xiang’s furious voice.

“Don’t you dare move—let’s fight three hundred rounds right here!”

Ding— The elevator doors slid open.

A young man in a casual suit stepped inside, still turning his head back as he spoke in a flippant tone, “Oh, come on, Yu Xiang. Even your brother and your dad give me some leeway, and you’re still here shouting about—”

Mid-sentence, he turned his head and met Chi Xin’s eyes.

The young man froze for a moment. His first reaction was actually to use the faint reflection on the elevator doors to check his hairstyle and collar.

Then, quite astonishingly, he automatically ignored Xiao Li standing beside her. Wearing what he clearly thought was a proper and handsome smile, he lowered his voice to a magnetic, gentle register. “May I ask where this young lady comes from? I’ve never seen such a beautiful flower like you in the base before.”

Yu Xiang’s curses were cut off behind the doors, sounding garbled and chaotic. Some scuffling noises followed, as if Yu Xiang wanted to rush out but was forcibly restrained.

“Ding Hongkai, do you know who you’re talking to?” Xiao Li asked calmly.

The young man called Ding Hongkai glanced at him lazily and snorted. “No matter who I’m talking to, it’s not your place, Xiao Li, to interfere. Let me give you some advice—soldiers should just wield their blades and guns properly. Don’t stretch your arms too far.”

Oh?

This was the first time Chi Xin had seen someone in this base dare to speak to Xiao Li like that. She couldn’t help but take a closer look at the young man.

He certainly looked the part. To be dressed like this at such a time, he was either truly capable—or his father was.

Judging by the looks of it, though, it was probably his father who was the capable one.

Ding Hongkai had no idea what Chi Xin was secretly mocking him for. When he saw her sizing him up, he immediately put on a dazzling smile. “Do you know who I am? I’m General Ding Zhao’s only son.”

He waited a few seconds. Seeing that Chi Xin showed no reaction at all, he continued, “There’s nothing interesting about this place anyway. It’s full of the stench of politics and power struggles. Come out with me—I’ll take you around and show you the empire my dad carved out.”

“General Ding Zhao?” Chi Xin looked toward Xiao Li.

“He was a former C-Country Supreme General,” Xiao Li said softly. “After the apocalypse broke out, he died on the battlefield fighting zombies.”

“Why are you asking him?” Ding Hongkai said impatiently. “If you want to know about my father, I can tell you as much as you like.” As he spoke, he reached out to grab Chi Xin.

However, the hand he extended was caught in an instant by Xiao Li. Ding Hongkai tried to struggle free, but Xiao Li’s grip was like iron pincers—he couldn’t move at all.

“Xiao Li, are you crazy? You dare go against me?” Ding Hongkai glared furiously. “If it weren’t for my father’s recommendation, you’d still be rolling around in some mud pit somewhere. Is this how you repay a debt of gratitude?”

“My repayment to Old General Ding is proven by the blood I shed,” Xiao Li replied coldly, his voice completely overpowering the lingering childish tone. “Not by letting you run wild here.” He flung Ding Hongkai aside. “Wipe your eyes clean and take a good look—this is Chi Xin! You should know what document is being issued today, right?”

“Chi Xin? That name sounds pretty spe—wait, what? Chi Xin?!”

Ding Hongkai suddenly realized that he seemed to have seen that name on the document he had casually tossed aside earlier.

Xiao Li didn’t even look at him. He directly blocked him off and made a polite gesture toward Chi Xin.

Just as Chi Xin was about to step forward, Ding Hongkai finally came to his senses and hurriedly followed after her again.
“Miss Chi is truly young and accomplished. I never expected you to be so beautiful in person. I wonder if you’d be willing to go out for a cup of coffee with me?”

At that moment, the meeting room door was flung open with a loud bang.

“I seriously can’t take it anymore. Even if Xiubai freezes me here, I’m still going to scratch that bastard’s face to pieces—huh? Chi Xin?”

Yu Xiang’s stream of curses came to an abrupt halt the moment he saw Chi Xin.

Ding Hongkai looked at Yu Xiang, then at Chi Xin, a bad feeling rising in his chest. “You know each other?”

Chi Xin gave a faint smile and strode right past him, walking over to Yu Xiang.

“Yu Xiang, didn’t you boast that you couldn’t possibly have any rivals in the base?” she said. “What, do you look down on me—don’t believe I can back you up?”

“Chi—” Yu Xiang froze for a moment. When he caught sight of Ding Hongkai’s ugly expression, he immediately reacted and put on an overly familiar, bootlicking grin. “How could that be, Sister Chi? I just figured not just anyone is worthy of you stepping in personally.”

“Miss Chi is here?” Mr. Yu’s voice sounded from behind the door. “Yu Xiang, hurry and invite her in.”

“I told you, just call me Chi Xin, Uncle Yu.” Chi Xin deliberately switched to a more intimate form of address. She walked in toward his delighted expression as if the people behind her didn’t exist at all. “I took a look around outside. I really like the city you and Big Brother Yu have been governing…”

Yu Xiang and Xiao Li followed her inside. The door slowly closed.

Left behind, Ding Hongkai stood where he was, his face flushing red and pale in turns.

“Chi Xin…” he muttered, a sinister light flowing through his eyes. “I don’t believe she’s really as amazing as those people hype her up to be. Sooner or later she’ll—right, I still have him to help me.”

He turned around and cast one last look at the meeting room.

“No matter how capable she is, she’s still just one person. Clinging to a place that’s on the verge of collapse—I’d like to see how long she can stay arrogant.”

Chi Xin had no idea about Ding Hongkai’s outburst. Once inside, she asked, “What’s the deal with that person?”

The few people in the room exchanged glances, all wearing similar bitter smiles.

“He’s just Old General Ding’s disappointing son,” Yu Xiang snorted. “Who would’ve thought that a general who spent his whole life on horseback for the country would leave behind such a punchable only seedling?”

“I used to serve under Old General Ding,” Xiao Li said. “It’s a pity…”

“His father’s merits are enough to let him live a life of food and clothing without worry,” Yu Shizhao said. “Just ignore him.”

Yu Xiang curled his lip dismissively. “He thinks he’s incredibly impressive. Wasn’t he here to help Lian Tianrui get acquitted?”

Xiao Li frowned. “He’s dissatisfied with my verdict?”

“Dissatisfied? That’s putting it lightly—that was outrage of the highest order,” Yu Xiang said. “You should’ve seen how arrogantly Ding Hongkai demanded we revoke the military order, as if the entire legion belonged to him.”

Xiao Li’s expression darkened. “I’ll handle it.”

Chi Xin had no intention of dwelling on that matter either. She glanced around. “Where are Congyun and Jing Xiubai?”

“Congyun went to look for her parents. Xiubai went to his father’s lab,” Yu Xiang said. “My brother just set aside a villa for you in the best area. You should go rest for a bit.”

“I’m not tired,” Chi Xin shook her head. “I’ll go find Han Zimo and the others later. For now, I’ll take a look at the lab.”

“Hey, wait!” Yu Xiang called after her as she turned to leave. “They’re probably already so busy they can’t keep their feet on the ground. You don’t understand research anyway—you won’t be able to help much. Better to conserve your energy. Once those external forces arrive, there’ll be plenty to keep you busy.”

Chi Xin thought it over and realized he was right.

She stopped insisting. Knowing they all still had many matters to handle, she didn’t delay them any further and went to find Han Zimo, Zheng Junzhi, and the others.

She was relieved to see that none of them had died. After some lighthearted banter, Chi Xin found a place to stay near the research institute.

Jing Xiubai was also called to the lab to help. Over the next few days, aside from the people she knew coming to see her, she refused to meet anyone else.

With her body having evolved to this extent, Chi Xin now required very little sleep. Even staying awake for two or three days straight didn’t affect her much. She sat beneath the trees in front of the institute from day until deep into the night, then came back again the next day to keep watch.

Three days passed like this, and not a single person emerged from the institute.

On the morning of the fourth day, Chi Xin went to her usual spot as always. This time, however, she saw someone.

When she saw the elderly man wearing loose training clothes, sitting right where she usually sat, she froze for a moment, thinking she must be mistaken.

“Little Chi Xin,” the old man greeted her first, smiling with narrowed eyes and waving. “Morning.”

Chi Xin scratched her cheek. “Professor Jing, is there any progress on Lou Chen’s side?”

Under her expectant gaze, Professor Jing shook his head.

“Come sit down first,” he said.

Suppressing her disappointment, Chi Xin walked over and sat beside him.

Seeing her lowered head, Professor Jing still smiled gently. “Young people—there’s a saying that good things take time. Sometimes, no news is good news.”

“I’m just too anxious,” Chi Xin took a deep breath. “I just don’t understand. Lou Chen only fainted—why hasn’t he woken up after so many days?”

“His condition isn’t as simple as just fainting,” Professor Jing said seriously. “What’s strange is that no matter what tools or instruments we use, we can’t affect his body at all. Even imaging only shows a phantom. That makes it impossible for us to judge his real condition, so we don’t dare administer any medication.”

Chi Xin frowned. “What does that mean?”

“If there weren’t a living, breathing person lying right in front of us, I’d start to suspect that his body might be fabricated,” Professor Jing sighed.

“But don’t worry. Our team is still working hard. We won’t miss any possibility that could wake him up,” he added. “After all, there’s a great deal tied to him.”

“Thank you for your hard work,” Chi Xin said. “Please… make sure he wakes up.”

Professor Jing nodded with a smile. Seeing the lingering worry in her expression, he reached out and brushed aside a branch hanging in front of her face. “Baibai told me everything about you.”

“Huh?” Chi Xin didn’t immediately realize who Baibai was. When it dawned on her, a trace of warmth rose up, easing some of the heaviness. “What did he say about me this time?”

“He said you carry righteousness in your heart, with a chivalrous spirit and gentle compassion,” Professor Jing looked at her. “I’ve never heard that child say so many good things about someone in one breath.”

Thinking of Jing Xiubai’s coffin-like expression, Chi Xin laughed out loud.

“Smiling is good. Smiling makes you even prettier,” Professor Jing chuckled. “Maybe it’s this kind of smile that infected Baibai, making him less resistant toward me, his father.”

Chi Xin gradually put away her smile.

“Don’t be nervous. It’s just that incident from his childhood that left something between us, until this return,” Professor Jing said. “That day, I still didn’t understand what caused such a big change in him. Now it seems—it’s because of you.”

“He simply realized that you are, in the end, his father,” Chi Xin said.

Professor Jing slowly shook his head. “I’m not pushing the credit onto you. The difference between having heart and not having heart is very obvious in a person’s state. And for those closest to him, it’s also very clear what caused that change.”

Chi Xin fell silent.

“It’s not a bad thing,” Professor Jing said. “But I do have a question I’d like to ask you. Don’t mind an old man being long-winded.”

“Please ask.”

“I know you’ve taken on a very troublesome responsibility now—the kind that scares me just hearing about it,” Professor Jing said lightly, though deep within his calm gaze lay profound clarity and wisdom. “I wonder—was it a moment of impulse, or do you have your own plan?”