Aside from feeling a bit embarrassed by the stench on him and trying his best to keep some distance, Wu Xu spoke with utter sincerity. One could read that candid openness in his eyes.
The five people present stared calmly at him after listening.
"Nobody laugh, guys," Wen Jifei warned, trying his best to look serious. "Wu Xu went to scout out the situation, not get lost in the sewers."
Had he not said anything it might have been fine, but saying that made it impossible for anyone to keep a straight face.
"Pfft-kukuku..."
Laughter erupted.
Even Shen Yixiu laughed so hard her sheet metal clattered and clanged.
Finally, a flicker of embarrassment appeared in Wu Xu's eyes; he truly knew nothing about the outside world or modern life.
Then he stayed silent, as if waiting for everyone to finish laughing. But the others would laugh, stop, think about it, and burst out laughing again, going on without an end in sight.
He just sat there in silence.
"Alright, go take a shower first. Watch your wounds, and we'll eat after you're done." Finally, Han Qingyu held back his laughter, turned, looked around, and said, "Tangtang, why don't you take him over and give him a spare change of your clothes. As for the undergarments..."
"I'll go buy those for him at the living base here. I have US dollars on me," Wen Jifei said, standing up. Among the group, he was currently in the best physical shape.
Then, just as he took a step, he froze and stared blankly.
Except for Wu Xu, the other four were also stunned.
It was clearly just an ordinary remark, yet right now it suddenly filled them with emotion—because those two hundred and fifty dollars on Plague Chicken had been swindled from Little Caixin under the guise of naming rights when they first met, and he had never given them back.
In just a short ten-plus days, they had walked through life and death together and built trust, and now they were about to part ways.
Because they all served in Azure, Han Qingyu and the others would soon have to follow their squad to garrison duty, leaving almost no chance of meeting again in the future.
"When are you guys leaving?" Han Qingyu turned his head and asked.
Later that day, including the previously injured Luca, the teammates Yin Caixin had brought earlier had all arrived at the Nepal Front base, preparing to embark on their journey home.
"Tomorrow morning. People from our group of countries are taking a flight together." As Yin Caixin spoke, her eyelashes fluttered and the rims of her eyes turned red. "I'll miss you guys. When I get back, I'll write to..."
"What's there to miss? None of us died, so who's to say we won't meet again," Han Qingyu said.
Yin Caixin: "..." She glared at Han Qingyu, puffing her cheeks in annoyance.
"Let's order food. After we eat, we'll split the source energy blocks," Han Qingyu said, pretending not to notice.
The Nepal Front base was quite attentive to these geniuses from various countries. Before long, food was delivered by the logistics personnel.
Wu Xu came back too. As he walked, he kept his head down, zipping up his zipper under He Tangtang's guidance.
His height was roughly the same as He Tangtang's, but he was leaner, so wearing He Tangtang's clothes looked a bit baggy on him.
"Shoot, let me make another trip," Wen Jifei said, standing up when he saw this. "I forgot to buy him a couple more pieces. It's the dead of winter."
"No need." Wu Xu looked a bit uncomfortable, standing there and shaking his head. "No need."
"That's fine too. I still have a few pieces in my bag. I was just in a hurry earlier and didn't bring them down together," He Tangtang said as well. He then asked Wen Jifei to help fetch his backpack from upstairs, unzipped it, and said, "Wu Xu, pick for yourself. It's fine, whichever you like."
Wu Xu took a look and said, "This one."
At a single glance, he picked the Huaxia Front autumn/winter combat uniform—the dark grayish-black hooded trench coat. When he put it on, He Tangtang showed him how to put the hood on once, and he pulled it over his head, only taking it down when reminded that he didn't need it on right now.
Oddly enough, this clothing suited him remarkably well—it even suited his lack of expression; Wu Xu had no expression.
Han Qingyu looked at him and said, "Once we get to Azure, the army will issue you two of those."
Wu Xu looked at him and nodded, seeming to hold a trace of anticipation for the "Azure" Han Qingyu had repeatedly spoken of.
During the meal, he also kept his head down in silence.
"Not eating meat?" Wen Jifei picked up a piece with his chopsticks and put it into his bowl.
All five of them each placed a piece in his bowl, including Rusty Sister, who didn't eat food herself.
Whenever mealtime came around now, Shen Yixiu loved to sit by the table watching everyone eat and chatting together. Sometimes, when a few of them were rowdy and fighting over a dish, she became the most courted and flattered one, with everyone asking for her help.
Wu Xu looked at the meat in his bowl, then looked up and said, "Thank you."
After hesitating for a moment, he asked earnestly, "When are we going to fight someone?"
This seemed to be the first time he had taken the initiative to ask a question.
Everyone cracked a smile. He Tangtang, covered in injuries, chuckled and asked, "What, you're itching for a fight?"
Wu Xu nodded. "Yeah... with you guys."
He had never fought that kind of fight before—one where people stood shoulder to shoulder with him in genuine trust.
"Hahahahaha..." Laughter broke out again, leaving Wu Xu with a bewildered look in his eyes. Han Qingyu explained helplessly, "I actually don't like fighting. If I fight, it's only for source energy blocks. For now, there doesn't seem to be anywhere to fight."
Wu Xu looked at him, nodded, and went back to eating with his head buried.
After a moment, he said, "I have one."
Han Qingyu paused. "What?"
"I have places." Wu Xu raised his head and said, "I know three places. The clan leader originally wanted to rob them and even took me to scout them out. Later, afraid he couldn't win and would invite trouble, he held back."
All five people at the table leaned forward simultaneously. "Where?!"
This reaction showed that even Yin Caixin, who didn't usually place much value on source energy blocks, had been corrupted after ten-plus days with them.
"One is about two hundred li from our village..."
"We don't know where your village is!"
"...Yeah, I can't explain it well either. Anyway, it's around Yuzhou." Wu Xu thought about it and changed his approach, carefully describing the places he had passed, which mountains, which rivers, and what he ultimately saw.
And so, when he finished describing the first one...
The people at the table exchanged stiff glances.
Because Wu Xu had described a bunker-like structure in detail—its location and shape. Unless something unexpected was at play... it was likely an Azure reserve depot.
"Let's make a note of it and report it up. One of our reserve depots has been discovered." Han Qingyu was a bit disappointed, and asked Wu Xu, "Are the other two the same?"
Wu Xu shook his head. "The other two are also villages."
Then he described them. From what he said, they seemed to be two places similar to the Yu clan village—similarly secluded clans, but with source energy reserves.
So, should they raid them or not? Han Qingyu thought for a moment and said, "Once our wounds heal and we get a chance, we'll go take a look. No rush for now; for the moment, our source energy is barely enough."
Yin Caixin looked at him. "Barely?"
Wen Jifei answered for him, "For him, it might always be barely enough."
After the meal, with the door closed, the squad gathered to take stock of the spoils.
Aside from the two blocks they had already consumed in the trial grounds, there were still four metal blocks on the table.
Then there were the source energy blocks. Han Qingyu had snatched 47 blocks while dragging the Great Spike, and later they confiscated 91 blocks from the captives, totaling 138 blocks by count, though not all were full.
Converted into fully charged blue crystal blocks, it came out to roughly 80 blocks.
Casually picking out thirty full blue crystal blocks, Han Qingyu said, "Everyone take five blocks first, to use for daily training and nourishment."
Everyone took theirs, except Wu Xu. He seemed never to have seen anyone divide up source energy blocks like this. After agonizing for a long time, he took two, and then refused to take another no matter what.
The others looked at him and didn't push him further.
After that, Han Qingyu turned his gaze to Yin Caixin. "You're the one who brought us in this time. By rights, you're the captain, and we earned these things together. What do you think..."
*Clatter-roll.*
Yin Caixin reached out and pressed down on a metal block.
The metal block rolled slightly across the tabletop.
And crushed Han Qingyu's heart along with it.
Little Caixin looked slyly at Han Qingyu. "Are you going to cry?"
Chapter 147