Chapter 299: A Long and Arduous Path
Chapter 299: A Long and Arduous Path
In Tiesi Village, Lei Jiang isn’t the only one interested in Anran. Among those with their eyes on her is Tang Jianjun, the elderly man sitting in the departing car. Tilting his head, he asks the young man beside him, "I heard Zhan Lian found his ex-wife and daughter?"
The young man, dressed in a neat military uniform, has strikingly handsome features. Lowering his eyes slightly, he nods and replies, "He found them, but he placed them in District 4."
"The younger generation is truly remarkable." Tang Jianjun sighs inexplicably, his gray hair reflecting the passage of time. There is a trace of envy in his voice as he turns to the young man and asks, "Boxun, what do you think our team will eventually become?"
Zhang Boxun—that’s the young man’s name. He has been by Tang Jianjun’s side even before the apocalypse. Originally, he had only accompanied Tang Jianjun back to his hometown for a visit after the older man retired. But fate had other plans.
When the world collapsed, Zhang Boxun intended to return home to find his family. But when Tang Siluo and Luo Feifan arrived in Tiesi Village, he learned that Tang Siluo was the only survivor from their military compound. With that knowledge, he no longer needed to go back—his family was gone. So, he made his decision: he would stay and stand by Tang Jianjun.
He, Tang Siluo, and Luo Feifan all grew up in the same military compound. Zhang Boxun and Tang Siluo are of similar age, while Luo Feifan is the eldest of the three. In their youth, Luo Feifan was their "boss," leading them with the arrogance of someone who stood above the rest.
But time changes people.
Now, Zhang Boxun doesn’t have much connection with Luo Feifan beyond their shared past. As for Zhan Lian, there’s even less familiarity. They aren’t even acquaintances who exchange nods in passing.
Tang Jianjun doesn’t need to spell it out—Zhang Boxun understands what he’s getting at. Tiesi Village is growing, and if they want it to thrive, they can’t afford to let capable people slip away.
After a moment of thought, Zhang Boxun replies, "It depends on what we want. Are we trying to improve humanity’s living conditions? Or are we aiming to dominate the world?"
Before he can finish, Tang Jianjun raises his hands, gnarled like old tree bark, and waves them dismissively.
"I’m too old for that. I spent my whole life climbing the ranks, and now that I’m here, I see it wasn’t worth the struggle. Ruling the world is too exhausting. The future belongs to you young people—I don’t want you to walk the same path I did."
He has played the games of politics and power in the military. If Tiesi Village expands, he has no interest in competing for dominance.
Seeing this, Zhang Boxun drops the subject of world conquest and instead says, "If we’re only looking to improve humanity’s survival, then Tiesi Village isn’t ready. Human nature is selfish, and greed runs too deep. It won’t be an easy road."
Even now, just going out for supplies is a mess. The leaders of the thirteen survivor teams operate independently, each guarding their own resources like hoarders afraid of losing even a crumb. Every decision turns into an argument that never reaches a resolution.
The road to humanity’s survival is long and arduous.
That said, there’s no need to concern themselves too much with the other survivor teams. They have their own people and resources—if they want food, they will have to fend for themselves.