Care Guide to Raising a Max Level Leaf in Apocalypse - 76
Stakes
After a moment of silence, Ji Jiu looked at the video and then at Hu Yan. “Was this shot recently?”
The slightly raised tone expressed his confusion.
This was clearly a normal high school campus from before the apocalypse.
The key was, before the apocalypse.
How could there still be such a harmonious school life after the apocalypse? The people inside, whether teachers or students, were very relaxed, without any shadow of having experienced the apocalypse.
He had almost forgotten what humans looked like living without the gloominess, living without the aftermath of the apocalypse.
This was a scene that could only be seen before the apocalypse.
The video continued to play without pausing, showing a clean corridor in a school. From the angle and stability of the video, it was clear that this was a surveillance perspective.
There was no trace left by the mutants on the clean corridor.
After the video played for half a minute, a crisp bell suddenly rang, indicating the end of class. In a strange scene, the classrooms in the video suddenly opened, and teachers holding books walked out, along with energetic high school students with smiles on their faces, engaging in lively and carefree interactions.
Si Yin Yuan interrupted the video, capturing a frame where a student was facing the camera, and read aloud with his excellent eyesight, “Sheng Sheng High School?”
Hu Yan pushed his gold-rimmed glasses. “Yes, it’s a nearby middle school.”
“Can we still contact the surveillance there?” Si Yin Yuan tilted his head slightly, and his golden eyes sparkled with faint light.
“Unfortunately,” Hu Yan sighed, “although I don’t know why the surveillance there suddenly became accessible, our signal here is too unstable. I’ve been trying to reconnect with that middle school since I found this video, but all attempts have failed.”
“Could it be an illusion?” Ji Jiu wondered. Many toxic mutants could create illusions. There was a mission in the guild to eradicate a large mushroom garden. Although these creatures did not attack actively, they created illusions with a bustling and vibrant environment, attracting people.
Hu Yan pondered for a moment. “We considered that possibility at the research institute, but currently, there has never been an illusion that can be captured on video. Illusions are fantasies generated in the human brain after being invaded. Moreover, the fact that there’s a signal in that surveillance is undeniable.”
Everything was pointing to a more absurd and unlikely fact.
Si Yin Yuan suddenly raised his hand and turned off the video. “I will go there today.”
Regarding the Blood Sect’s matter, they could only delay it for a few more days. Xiao Xiang also had a high fever due to the heavy snow, and without Xiao Xiang’s “Listener” ability, it was challenging to trace the Blood Sect’s movements. They were like mice, hiding and evading.
Hu Yan said, “This video was intercepted half a week ago, and the connection was lost after the base incident. We don’t know what it looks like now. This matter is too strange. I suggest you find a hunter familiar with that area to help.”
Si Yin Yuan pressed his temple. “There is indeed such a candidate.”
As far as he knew, that person had graduated from Sheng Sheng High School.
This was the first time Ji Jiu saw the owner hesitate to mention a certain hunter. Curious, he asked, “Who is it?”
Si Yin Yuan called out that name with thin lips, “Joker.”
…
The cat-eared girl at the front desk moved her cat ears and seriously searched through the recently registered travel list. Since the computer couldn’t be used after the base incident, the guild’s registration was done on paper. Every day, hunters came to pick up tasks, and the detailed travel records for a week were as thick as a book.
Ji Jiu stared at her furry-looking cat ears and couldn’t help but reach out to poke them.
The cat ears shook with each poke.
As if he had found a fun button, he poked several times in a row.
The cat girl, unaware, raised her head and regrettably said, “Unfortunately, he’s still on a mission and hasn’t returned.”
Si Yin Yuan asked, “He goes out to pick up tasks alone?”
The cat-eared girl looked down. “Yes, and he has been outside for five days.”
The reasonable time for that mission was one week.
If a hunter stayed outside beyond the reasonable time, they would temporarily be marked as missing. The task would be opened again, making it convenient for others to investigate.
Yu Feichen, who had just finished his meal in the guild cafeteria, approached. “Who are you looking for?”
“Joker.”
Yu Feichen immediately rubbed his goosebumps. “What do you want with him?”
“There’s a mission, and he should be familiar with the area.”
Yu Feichen frowned, considering the base had just encountered a tide of mutants, the Blood Sect issue was unresolved, and with so many external threats, undertaking an urgent mission at this time must be important.
He volunteered, raising his hand. “I’ll go with you.”
Ji Jiu, with a playful smile, said, “Sure, sure, we can also bring Guan Yin.”
Guan Yin, who was passing by after finishing his meal, looked confused.
They happily settled on the members for this mission, pulling Guan Yin along for the ride.
Throughout, Si Yin Yuan stood by like a wooden figure, wearing a cold expression.
The entire guild knew that Chief Si’s team was completely under the control of Ji Jiu. Now, the guild didn’t need to listen to Chief Si; they only needed to listen to Ji Jiu.
“Wait a minute?” The cat-eared girl suddenly swung her tail happily and raised her head. “Great news! I just checked again and found out that Joker’s mission is right near Sheng Sheng High School. You might run into him when you go there!”
Yu Feichen made a bitter face. “Barely qualifies as good news?”
It seemed that he wasn’t too eager to go on a mission with this person called Joker.
Ji Jiu felt even more curious about this unfamiliar person.
The news of the leader leaving the base caused many people to rush over, wondering what had happened.
Ji Jiu yawned, watching those people surround the owner and talk.
Some people tried to persuade him to stay in the base, but Si Yin Yuan directly refused.
Several former authorities also came over. Although the base had changed ownership, the original leaders still worked in their respective positions. This was one of the reasons why Si Yin Yuan could confidently leave the base temporarily.
The order of the base was gradually returning to normal. Even though they had just faced a tide of mutants, the survivors in the base hadn’t let down their guard. Si Yin Yuan didn’t want to take too many hunters along, only adding Feng Chuyao, Yu Feichen, and Guan Yin.
This number was sufficient, and they only needed an armored vehicle.
Ji Jiu, from somewhere, secretly brought a set of mahjong into the vehicle, setting up a mahjong table and starting a game.
Ji Jiu had good luck. Although he wasn’t very skilled at playing mahjong and only remembered the rules, he became the biggest winner.
Feng Chuyao and Guan Yin were defeated, shouting in protest.
A mission that was originally serious had turned into a scene resembling elementary school students on a field trip.
Si Yin Yuan: …
He stared at them with a serious expression.
Yu Feichen, emboldened with Ji Jiu present, became extremely daring. Since Ji Jiu was also participating, the leader wouldn’t bear to discipline the team.
Eventually, after observing the elementary school students play mahjong for half an hour, Si Yin Yuan joined as well.
With extreme proficiency, he shuffled the cards and raised an eyebrow, asking, “What are the stakes?”
Feng Chuyao replied, “Stickers on the face.”
After saying that, she took out a stack of small white stickers.
Yu Feichen already had his face covered in stickers, looking quite comical.
“Change it.” Si Yin Yuan’s lips curved up. “If you lose, you’ll undergo additional training for four hours.”
The words made everyone who had experienced Si Yin Yuan’s disciplinary beatings gasp.
Guan Yin, who sat on the side, began to feel extremely fortunate that he had voluntarily given up his seat to the team leader just now.
Yu Feichen humbly raised his hand. “Can I quit now?”
Si Yin Yuan, cold and merciless, said, “No.”
Guan Yin passed him a helpless look.
Ji Jiu, confused, asked, “What about me?”
Si Yin Yuan’s eyes flashed. “If you lose, you’ll voluntarily give me a kiss.”
It’s practically coercion!
Yu Feichen lamented.
I never thought you’d be like this, Captain!
Feng Chuyao’s expression twisted with excitement. This is a win-win situation—handsome guys with stickers.
Ji Jiu was very confident in his luck. “What if I win?”
Yu Feichen nodded in satisfaction. Yes, that’s right. This kind of momentum is necessary. The Captain is also human; how could he be proficient in everything?
Si Yin Yuan pretended to contemplate. “For the sake of fairness, if I lose, I’ll kiss you as well.”
The other three present gasped and couldn’t help but inhale sharply.
He knows how to play this game.
Ji Jiu was completely unaware that he had fallen into a trap. Regardless of winning or losing, he was going to be “bullied” a bit. He clenched his small fist and nodded.
It turned out that some people’s lives were like they were using cheat codes.
Si Yin Yuan calmly pushed his tiles. “Hu.”
Yu Feichen’s expression gradually became numb.
Feng Chuyao’s expression was a mix of pain and joy. Although she had to undergo additional training for four hours, she could still see them kiss, hey!
In the next moment, a golden flame surged, covering the two people completely, leaving no room for others to peek.
Little Grass dared to lose and dared to admit it. He quickly approached and kissed the owner on the mouth.
The speed was so fast that he accidentally bumped into him.
A crisp sound of teeth clashing echoed. Ji Jiu covered his mouth, eyes teary.
This was Little Grass’s first initiative after confirming their relationship, and it ended so abruptly.
Si Yin Yuan helplessly pulled him over, lifting his chin and examining. “Injured?”
Ji Jiu stuck out his pink tongue. “It hurts…”
He accidentally bit down during the collision.
If this didn’t bother him, he wouldn’t be a man.
Si Yin Yuan’s gaze darkened, lowering his head to kiss him. Any words he wanted to say were drowned in the intersection of their lips.
He used practical actions to give Ji Jiu, who didn’t know how to kiss, a lesson.
Only when Ji Jiu, panting, was released did the intense flames that surrounded both of them gradually dissipate.
The others had long gone, leaving the scene of eating dog food behind in a very tacit understanding.
Reluctant Feng Chuyao was also taken away by Yu Feichen.
Si Yin Yuan, in a very good mood, lowered his head and asked, “Hungry?”
Ji Jiu, with a red face, snuggled in his arms. Before he could get angry, his attention was diverted by this question, and he nodded with a pout.
Later, Ji Jiu took the mahjong set and put it away himself.