Chapter 1860 - 998

Oil City.

Dong Tai was somewhat exhausted, facing this stubborn child, he truly didn’t know how to handle the situation.

They tried everything, soft and hard methods alike, yet nothing got the child to open his mouth again.

It was already three in the morning.

Even indoors, the cold air from outside rushed in through the door and window gaps.

Looking at the child who had once again fallen unconscious, Dong Tai sighed.

He felt a bit reluctant, but for Oil City, for Big Camphor Tree Base, he hardened his heart.

He said to Xiao He beside him, "Splash water to wake him up!"

Splash!

A basin of cold water was poured onto the young boy’s face.

Xiao Yuan slowly awoke, his whole body burning with pain, the red whip marks stinging even more with the cold water.

"You might as well save your efforts, I won’t say a single word," Xiao Yuan said weakly.

Dong Tai sighed and said:

"Why bother? Even if you don’t speak, we can find out later where you came from. Your stubborn resistance is meaningless.

Do you think if you don’t speak, your family won’t suffer because of them?"

Xiao Yuan pressed his lips together, still refusing to speak.

Dong Tai powerlessly put down the whip in his hand, throwing it against the wall.

He said to Xiao He, "Help treat his wounds, don’t let him die, headquarters will send people tomorrow."

Xiao He nodded and said, "Understood."

Xiao Yuan heard their mention of "headquarters," and noted it in his heart.

Such nights are ordinary in many people’s eyes.

But for some, they are special.

Like the people in Oil City, Ju Tianrui, Dong Tai, and others, and the people like Meng Ge about ten kilometers away from Oil City.

Some were thinking about who sent this boy here, while the exploration team led by Meng Ge were worried about how the child was doing, whether he had gained the trust of the people in Oil City.

....

A night passed.

Early next morning.

Big Camphor Tree Base.

First Outer City.

Many people came out from the greenhouse, lining up to receive their daily food rations.

Those involved in constructing the Fourth Outer City were able to enjoy two meals of rations, but these meals counted towards their daily work points.

Therefore, excluding the two meal rations, the food they could actually carry home was very little.

A long queue of Cooperative Personnel formed to receive food.

While receiving food, some below were discussing.

"Why are they distributing rations from the morning today, weren’t they usually given out after work? This early distribution is a first."

"I heard it’s to accommodate the newcomers, many of them haven’t had food for days, didn’t you see them yesterday, barely having any strength left.

With them in such bad condition, they won’t be much help at work.

Perhaps the base considered this and decided to distribute food first so they can eat something and have strength for work later."

"Oh, makes sense now that you mention it."

"Stop chatting, keep moving forward, you two."

"Okay, okay, we’re moving."

........

Luo Shizhang, who had been listening attentively, felt a complex emotion surge inside him upon hearing those words from the two older cooperative personnel behind him.

This Big Camphor Tree Base, you could say it lacks compassion, yet everywhere is filled with compassion.

But if you say it has compassion, they waited until now to rescue them.

However, he understood one thing.

There’s no free lunch in this world, nobody owes you anything.

Being able to enter and receive shelter, having tasks to perform and food to eat, means owing gratitude to others.

Thinking of this, Luo Shizhang touched his own deflated stomach.

He hadn’t eaten in two days.

The grains Li Yu had left them were long consumed days ago.

Soon, it was his turn to receive food.

The food was quite simple, just two pieces of steamed sweet potato and a cup of thin porridge.

The sweet potato was fragrant, enticing his nostrils.

Swallowing his saliva, he took a small bite.

"Sweet, so sweet."

He ate in small bites, slowly chewing in his mouth, then swallowing.

People who have gone hungry are very appreciative of food.

They savor the feeling of warm food traveling down the esophagus, reaching the stomach, the unmistakable feeling of food being digested and providing strength.

But everyone has different habits.

Some received their food and quickly ate it all, drinking the porridge in one breath.

.....

In the duty room.

Li Yu sat before several people, Li Tie, Yang Tianlong, Xiao Jun.

He told them about yesterday’s latest developments.

Upon knowing he’d be sent to Southern Paradise, Xiao Jun had been too excited to sleep much last night.

Waking up in the morning, he didn’t feel tired, just full of energy.

Li Yu glanced at the three of them, and cautioned:

"In short, there are just two matters.

First, find out the identity of the person from Oil City, who sent them?

Second, visit Mr. Hu on my behalf, and also observe if they sent someone to Oil City.

Besides, you should be cautious, if you haven’t returned from Southern Paradise within three hours, we will start attacking Southern Paradise.

In case of an emergency, you can use this to threaten them."

The three nodded and said, "Understood!"

"Hm, in addition, I’ve asked Lao Yi to bring twenty-five combat personnel to assist you, you’ll take the helicopter over, the timing has changed, don’t wait until afternoon, prepare and head out shortly."