Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter 32: Celebration

A table laden with an abundance of meat dishes did not make anyone’s mouth water; instead, each face was tinged with a sickly gray. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to eat meat—they simply didn’t dare. Did they not know what meat had become? The news had just announced that large quantities of genetically modified elements were found in animal meat. The mutations in animals, which led to their bizarre changes, came from these genetic shifts. People who consumed too much mutated meat began to attack others. No matter how much they craved it, no matter how their mouths watered, they simply couldn’t swallow it.

Zhu Anfu held his bowl, picked up a piece of meat, and popped it into his mouth. He glanced at Zhou Zhi and the others, all looking pale and uneasy. Only Wang Fei, Zhao Long, and Jin She joined him in eating. “Why aren’t you eating? Kang Kang’s cooking is delicious,” Zhu Anfu remarked, tossing another chunk of meat into his mouth. Unlike the others, Zhu Anfu had meat every day. In the space, Yu Chi Ankang had prepared plenty of beef jerky for him, and it tasted authentic. At first, they’d been afraid to finish all the meat, thinking that once the animals were gone, there would be no more. But after the separation of the space, a large number of poultry and livestock had surprisingly appeared, all now managed by Prince. Even Dou Dou would skirt around Prince. In the space, animal reproduction was astonishingly fast; every two or three days, there was fresh meat to harvest. Milk was collected twice a day. Thankfully, the space could keep everything fresh, or else even daily feasts would be too much to consume.

“Don’t you know that all these recent strange incidents are caused by animals?” Zhou Zhi finally spoke after opening his mouth several times, suspicion clear in his tone. He even wondered if their hosts were trying to poison them.

“You’ve been eating our food for so long—have you noticed any problems? Don’t tell me only mutant animal meat is dangerous. Are pesticide-free vegetables really untouched by chemicals? Even the rice and flour you eat—what are the chances they’re grown without fertilizer or pesticides?” Zhu Anfu rolled his eyes. “Eat if you want. If not, go hungry. Where’s that enthusiasm from just now?”

Jin She and Wang Fei exchanged glances, barely concealing their amusement. One was an online fiction editor, the other a die-hard web novel fan. They knew all about ‘space’ and such things. The food here was perfectly safe—no one would poison themselves. As for the others… their heads must be filled with wood knots.

Yu Chi Ankang quietly served himself a bowl of rice and ignored the rest. If they didn’t eat, there were always others who would. He had no intention of persuading them.

Zhou Zhi and a few soldiers looked at one another. In the end, none of them could withstand the delicious aroma of the meat. “Damn it, if there’s a problem, we’ll die together.” Zhou Zhi grabbed a drumstick and took a hearty bite. “Wow, this drumstick is so tender, so tasty—just like country chicken.” With Zhou Zhi taking the lead, the others followed suit, some reaching for braised pork, others for chicken legs. Yu Chi Ankang had prepared plenty of dishes, hoping everyone could eat their fill and gradually get used to having meat again.

Yu Chi Ankang found their wariness amusing. They’d eaten so many things from the river before, yet showed little concern. Why, then, did eating meat trigger such a reaction?

After the all-meat feast, no one felt unwell. They returned to work in the afternoon and enjoyed hot pot in the evening, faces glowing with satisfaction. The soldiers scheduled for gate duty abstained from alcohol; after a hearty meal, they went to rest, awaiting their shifts.

With preparations for the next day’s meals complete, everyone was in high spirits. They ate and drank well, and soon, the mechas would be ready. Their safety was no longer a concern. As for people from the Aerospace City, to borrow an old song lyric: “Fine wine for friends, hunting rifles for jackals.” They were unafraid.

After a restful night, the soldiers working in the factory were full of morale. They looked hopefully at the model that had been wheeled back, yet one thorny issue remained—they lacked materials. The factory had just enough for half a mecha; where would the rest come from? Leaving the factory, Yu Chi Ankang, holding the data analysis from Zhu Anfu and Jin She, headed to Zhou Zhi’s office. Without materials, it was like a skilled housewife unable to cook without rice.

“We need this much?” Zhou Zhi stared at the long list of material names. “Isn’t there another way?”

“We’ve dissolved a lot of rock, but the extract is minimal. We still have to source materials from outside.” Yu Chi Ankang rubbed his temples. “If we don’t find more soon, production will have to halt.”

Zhou Zhi frowned, knowing full well what a halt in production would mean. “I’ll see what I can do about these materials. No matter how skilled the technicians, without supplies, they’re just daydreaming.”

“Thank you for understanding.” Yu Chi Ankang stood to leave, but paused after a few steps. “Have you ever wondered why the new administrator of Aerospace City isn’t urgently contacting you or trying to find us?”

“He probably guesses we’re together. As for why he’s not in a rush…” Zhou Zhi waved the materials list. Even if he hadn’t thought of it before, he realized now: besides materials, there was also food. The administrator must assume they had little left, even if he knew they’d seized some rice and flour. Then there were the issues of vegetables and water…

“Have you considered taking the model out for a spin, filming it, and uploading the footage?” Yu Chi Ankang tilted his head, watching Zhou Zhi.

Zhou Zhi’s eyes lit up. “I get it. Instead of delivering ourselves to their door, let’s make them come to us—then we can pick the best among them.” He flashed a gesture at Yu Chi Ankang.

“Let’s hope by then, you can guarantee our safety. Some will cooperate, but others may resort to different means.” Yu Chi Ankang nodded at Zhou Zhi and left.

Defense. That was something he needed to ponder carefully. Zhou Zhi tapped the desk thoughtfully. Among their group of over twenty, Wang Fei and Zhao Long were the strongest fighters. Even if they didn’t want to admit it, the truth was they’d lost to the airborne soldiers. Perhaps, in private, they could speculate that the two had undergone different training in the future, boosting their abilities. But then, how could he explain Jin She carrying over a hundred pounds of rice from the warehouse to the kitchen without breaking a sweat? Since entering the cave, they’d all changed. Just days ago, a soldier remarked he seemed to have grown taller, sparking their realization. The reason was almost obvious.

Zhou Zhi hesitated for a long time before picking up his wireless card—he wanted to download some web novels about space.

“Da Da, Xiao Xiao, get ready. Go to the factory and wheel out the model—we’re going out to have some fun.”

Author’s note: