A Night of Desperation

Chapter 162: Pollution 4

“`html

The black insects were still crawling around here, but their numbers were much less than on the outskirts.

It was only here that the silhouette cautiously lifted the luminous stone blanket, revealing a small, dirty face.

Lin Yiyi moved her lame leg around. The lump on her back had become tight and prickly due to the long journey, but she had long since gotten used to that.

Compared to these burdens, she was more curious about Yu Hong’s camp.

Even through the fence, she could see there was another circle of stone walls inside.

The walls weren’t high;with her height, she could barely see the scenery inside.

Three small wooden cabins surrounded a wooden pole with an electric lamp hanging from it. The bright white light radiated from the top of the pole, offering a faint sense of safety and warmth.

Even though she knew that this bit of light couldn’t really provide warmth, the warmth in her heart surged uncontrollably.

The light was also a key reason for suppressing the number of black insects nearby.

Stammering Yiyi continued forward, flipped over the fence, entered the outer courtyard, and slowly walked toward the inner courtyard.

She didn’t disturb anyone, just stopped at the side of the inner courtyard wall without going further.

Here, she could already hear the voices of the camp members inside the cabins.

An old man was teaching a little girl how to pronounce words.

Doctor Xu was gently stroking her belly, singing softly and tenderly,

Rushan was boasting to a young woman about the feats of his boss in the past. From his words, Stammering Yiyi learned that Yu Hong was the boss.

Standing by the courtyard wall, she bathed in the light, standing there for a good while.

Her purpose in coming back this trip was actually already achieved, and that was to confirm that Yu Hong was okay… as long as he was okay.

Stammering Yiyi knew that in such a desperate environment, trying to persistently investigate and find out the whereabouts of her father and grandfather, investigating the truth about her mother’s death, and finding the murderer, would be extremely dangerous.

So from the start, she only planned to quietly check the situation from outside.

If Yu Hong was in great danger, she would take him away. If he was safe… she would quietly leave on her own.

"You….!?” Yu Hong subconsciously took a few steps forward, immediately pulling a Radiation Hand Grenade from his pocket.

Buzz!

The invisible negative-value radiation exploded, covering a ten-meter area around them.

In an instant, large areas of black insects dissolved and disappeared, the negative value in the environment dropping to over seven thousand, then slowly rising.

Centered around them, a temporary circular vacuum area formed.

"Yiyi?!” Yu Hong stepped closer and finally saw clearly, under the moonlight, the pair of black eyes clear as gems.

"I… thought it was someone else chasing me!” Stammering Yiyi wiped the sweat off her forehead and said helplessly.

"You are really Yiyi??” Yu Hong became slightly excited, stepping forward and placing his hands on her shoulders.

Then.

Splat.

He lifted her high, turning her this way and that in the moonlight, examining her closely.

"This lump, this face, it really is you! Not an illusion.”

A smile unconsciously spread across his face beneath the helmet.

"Seeing you safe is good enough.” Lin Yiyi flailed and tried to get down, but was surprised to find that her strength seemed a bit less than Yu Hong’s???

What was going on??

How long had it been? What had happened to Yu Hong’s body?? What had he been eating?? Could it be that he too had undergone full-body enhancement??

Lin Yiyi was a bit dazed. Being turned and examined thoroughly made her temporarily forget to speak.

"Looks like you still have all your limbs.” After checking her over, Yu Hong nodded and smiled. “I was planning to hire people to find you, but you came back on your own. It’s perfect. Now that you’re back, don’t leave. I’ve got everything set up nicely here—water, electricity;we’re never in want of food. We can live very safely.”

"I need to… find my family.” Lin Yiyi struggled free and jumped down, speaking seriously. “I need to find my father… my grandfather! And, the one who murdered my mom!”

She stressed earnestly, particularly enunciating the last two words forcefully.

“….” Yu Hong’s smile froze on his face.

He was silent for a moment.

"Where will you search? How can you search alone in such a dangerous place? Come back to the camp. We can hire people to investigate outside. If we find more people, it’ll be much faster than you going alone.”

The outside was increasingly dangerous, and he didn’t want his best friend to take that risk.

"I’m working on research now, creating a lot of good things. We can use those to trade with people, hiring many people to investigate.” He urged her.

“…. This is my affair!” Lin Yiyi said seriously and loudly.

"My affair!”

She raised her head to look at Yu Hong.

"I want to! Find my dad! Grandpa! Mom!”

"Yiyi…” Yu Hong spoke again.

"I’m not afraid!” Lin Yiyi repeated. “If you want to help me, then… don’t try to dissuade me!”

“….” Yu Hong fell silent.

He recognized her determination. He had seen it when she saved him alone—that she was someone who, once determined, would see it through.

Wasn’t that why she’d saved him back then, because of this very character?

"If you stay, I might come up with a cure for your ailments.” he said softly.

"I want to go!” Lin Yiyi stubbornly replied. “If I don’t go now, it might be too late! The air… is getting worse.”

“…” Yu Hong was left without a word.

He finally understood how Doctor Xu felt back then.

Knowing full well the danger her actions would bring upon herself, but no matter how he tried to persuade, she wouldn’t listen.

Doctor Xu’s approach at the time was to support Yu, albeit reluctantly.

And now….

He reached out, removing the Radiation Hand Grenades from his body, handing them over all at once.

"Alright, I won’t persuade you, but I have these small things. I hope you can take them before you go, as they might be of some good help.”

"Also… my place is relatively safe. If you need any supplies, you can come to this camp to resupply. Say what you will, if you encounter danger, I can help you resist most of it here.”

"Will that work?” he asked in a low tone.