Chapter 27

27. A Change of Leadership in Aerospace City

Those working far away in the munitions factory knew nothing of the affairs unfolding in Aerospace City. After spending the night in bed, Jin She already felt much better. The cave held no distinction between day and night—without the time displayed on her phone, no one would know whether it was night or morning.

The air inside the cave was cooler than outside, and the deeper one went, the colder it became. Fortunately, a large generator kept the air conditioning running, making the space comfortable rather than cold. When Jin She rose and left her room, she saw soldiers already jogging laps around the grounds. The scent of breakfast drifted from the kitchen.

As soon as Zhou Zhi saw Jin She emerge, he hurried over to greet her. “How did you sleep last night? Did the sound of running wake you?” he asked.

Jin She glanced at Zhou Zhi. If not for the lack of any inappropriate undertones in his gaze, she might have suspected him of something unsavory, given the expression on his face. “I slept well, thank you for your concern,” she replied, heading toward the kitchen. Zhou Zhi naturally followed. “Your eyes look swollen—did someone bully you? From now on, we’re all family here. If anything happens, just tell me. I’ll stand up for you. No one outside can push around someone under my protection.”

Whatever the sincerity behind Zhou Zhi’s words, hearing such kindness in this moment brought a rare warmth to Jin She’s heart. She hadn’t slept well the night before, plagued by nightmares. In just a few days, her life had swung from joy to sorrow. She dared not cry in front of others, especially not in a group of men. Though she kept her expression neutral, she feared that any sign of weakness would leave a mark.

Jin She said nothing, slipping quietly into the kitchen. Yuchi Ankang was kneading dough inside; two steamers of buns already sat ready, but knowing the soldiers’ appetites, he prepared two more. “You’re up? If you’re hungry, there’s milk in the pot—help yourself. There are pickles in the small jar, take some out. The buns in the steamer are fresh—the dough came out well, they’re nice and chewy.”

Jin She nodded, ladling herself some milk. There wasn’t much left. She lifted another pot’s lid; a fragrant soup simmered inside. She looked from the milk to the soup. “May I have some soup instead?”

“Of course. I thought you might not be well—the milk was especially for you. But if you’d like soup, that’s fine. I’d meant to bake some bread for you too, but you’re up so early.” Yuchi Ankang kneaded the dough with practiced strength—these were all instructions from Zhu Anfu. Otherwise, all his attention went to Zhu Anfu; he had no surplus care for others. Cooking a decent meal, making sure they didn’t starve, that was enough.

Jin She looked down at the milk, eyes reddening. She sniffed, fighting back tears. “You don’t have to go to special trouble for me…”

“You’re a girl. It’s only right to take care of you. Don’t think too much about it. No matter how chaotic things get outside, looking after the women doesn’t change,” Zhou Zhi joked from the doorway, surprised that Yuchi Ankang had managed to find milk, but remembering not to ask questions. No matter his curiosity, he kept it to himself.

“Could I save the milk for later? Maybe I’ll drink it during the day,” Jin She said, unable to resist the tempting aroma of the soup, yet not wanting to turn down their kindness.

Yuchi Ankang nodded, satisfied with the dough’s texture. He rolled it into strips, sliced it evenly, retrieved the steamed buns, and replaced them with the uncooked ones. Turning to Zhou Zhi, who was still lingering by the door, he said, “If you’re not busy, maybe check how much longer the soldiers will be training. Once they’re done, we can eat.” He washed his hands and removed his apron. “Jin She, once you see steam escaping from all sides of the steamer, start timing—fifteen minutes. I’ll go wake Anfu.”

Jin She nodded earnestly, settling into a chair, her suspicions about Yuchi Ankang’s mysterious “space” growing stronger. The soup was too fresh, with a hint of shrimp, and the pickles were exquisite. Coupled with his skill, Jin She—who’d had little appetite before—suddenly felt she could eat two buns.

Zhou Zhi scratched his nose, feeling a little neglected, and went outside to call in the soldiers. Who cared if they’d exercised enough? Eating was paramount. The soldiers rushed over, having been tormented by the delicious smells. With Zhou Zhi standing guard at the kitchen door, all they’d been able to do was crane their necks for a peek as they passed.

A bowl of soup, two large trays of buns, and a jar of pickles—by the time Zhu Anfu entered the kitchen, everything was gone. Jin She smiled apologetically, realizing she’d forgotten to set aside pickles for the two of them.

Yuchi Ankang knew how voracious these men could be. Opening a dark jar, he revealed more pickles. The others exchanged glances—seriously? They’d nearly fought over the pickles earlier, and Yuchi Ankang had hidden a whole stash. Looking at the remaining buns in the steamer, they rubbed their stomachs, already feeling hungry again.

After removing the buns, Yuchi Ankang glanced at those who hadn’t left, arching an eyebrow. They grinned sheepishly and hurried out—Yuchi Ankang’s stern demeanor had intimidated them. Zhao Long, Wang Fei, and Jin She remained, lounging in the kitchen. Yuchi Ankang said nothing, simply began preparing soup and set buns and pickles in front of Zhu Anfu.

“It’s not sweet,” Zhu Anfu remarked after a bite.

“I’ll add some milk tomorrow.” The soup was soon ready, and Yuchi Ankang sat beside Zhu Anfu. The three others sensibly took bowls and served themselves small portions, cautious not to take too much for fear of being chased out.

Jin She didn’t eat much—she wasn’t doing heavy labor, and overindulgence seemed inappropriate, not to mention fattening. No matter how delicious, she had to maintain her image. Zhao Long and Wang Fei ate their fill. The buns were already delicious—adding milk would only improve them.

After breakfast, Zhou Zhi sent two soldiers to clean the kitchen. Yuchi Ankang pickled more vegetables for the next morning, then returned to his room with Zhu Anfu. Before long, he brought out a heap of vegetables for the soldiers to chop for lunch. Once he’d finished, Yuchi Ankang finally made his way to the factory, where Zhou Zhi was already waiting.

Zhou Zhi’s men had no experience with the machines; they still needed the original munitions workers to keep things running. The special forces were unwilling to idle and followed the workers to learn. Yuchi Ankang sketched the parts he needed on the whiteboard—the workers were quick, but his standards were exacting.

While Yuchi Ankang busied himself in the factory, Zhu Anfu and Jin She found themselves with little to do in the living quarters. Several attempts to enter the factory were blocked, so Zhou Zhi brought out his personal laptop and even contributed a wireless card. The two wandered around before finding a spot—they needed to know what was happening outside, not live in isolation. Few people were online; in many places, someone might post a sentence or two, but that was all. Jin She logged into her chat app—none of her colleagues were online, and hardly any authors either. Even if someone was, Jin She wasn’t about to reach out—sheltering under others’ protection, she had no energy to worry about anyone else.

After browsing a few sites, a piece of news caught their eye: the leader of Aerospace City had been replaced, with the deputy taking over. Changing commanders at a time like this—what was going on? What had happened inside Aerospace City? The two exchanged glances and decided to mention it to Zhou Zhi at lunch.

When noon came, Yuchi Ankang returned to the kitchen to cook. Zhou Zhi and a few others turned the kitchen into a makeshift meeting room to discuss the abrupt leadership change. After much debate, no one could figure out the reason—some blamed Zhao Long and Wang Fei’s escape, others pointed to the grain stores. Zhou Zhi tapped the table repeatedly. “Starting this afternoon, the Fang Team will rotate shifts at the gate every three hours—four per group. If Old Tian himself comes, open the door and let him bring in one person. If it’s anyone else, pretend no one’s here. If they try to force their way in, the novel will immediately notify everyone to prepare for action.”

“Yes, sir!”

As the meeting ended, Yuchi Ankang’s dishes were ready: three stews. He’d considered stir-frying, but worried there wouldn’t be enough food, so stews were safer.

Lunch was quickly devoured, and everyone was given an hour to rest. Back in their room, Yuchi Ankang told Zhu Anfu to ready their weapons, just in case things turned violent. “I have to head back to the factory this afternoon. You and Jin She stay alert—keep your weapons with you. If things get really bad, knock Jin She out and take her inside.”

Zhu Anfu nodded firmly, nestled into Yuchi Ankang’s arms with a yawn. “Wang Zi is wandering around inside, but he’s adapting well—he’s organized the space very neatly.” He squeezed Yuchi Ankang’s hand. “What’s Zhou Zhi planning to discuss with them?”

“Whatever it is, if it involves us, they’ll need our agreement. The only ones we need to worry about are Zhao Long and Wang Fei.” Yuchi Ankang’s brow furrowed, recalling Zhou Zhi’s knowledge of Wang Fei’s mecha.

“I’m not worried about Zhou Zhi—my intuition is sharp.” Zhu Anfu trusted his own judgment. “I’m just guessing what they want to talk about. I don’t think Zhou Zhi would hand over Wang Fei and Zhao Long, not even us, no matter the benefit. Power and position hardly matter anymore.”

Yuchi Ankang checked the time. “Get some sleep. We’ve both been tense and haven’t rested well these past days.”

“I doubt I’ll sleep well. Give—” Zhu Anfu pulled out a piece of fruit. “Do you think Jin She has noticed any changes in herself?”

“She hasn’t yet, but she will in a few days. By then, she’ll think it’s from eating my cooking.” Yuchi Ankang divided the fruit into three portions. “I’ll take some to her.”

“Just call her over,” Zhu Anfu suggested, hopping off the bed to stand by the door. “Jin She, your friend’s calling you—come over for some gossip!”