Chapter 534: These Men Can't Stay
Chapter 534: These Men Can't Stay
An Ran shrugs. “Have Zhang Boxun stand by and protect you, then you can go dig.”
Zhang Boxun, wrapped in a military coat, stands rigidly at the tunnel’s edge. At her words, his handsome brows furrow slightly. He walks over to the two women and asks, “Where are you going to dig?” Then, without further comment, he follows them.
“You just order him around,” Liang Ziyu chuckles, glancing at An Ran.
Spending so much time with her has clearly made Zhang Boxun into a remarkably obedient man.
But Zhao Ru still dislikes him. She snorts, tightens her fur coat around herself, and steps into the RV. The colder the weather grows, the harder it is for water and wood ability users. An Ran manages well enough with her down jacket and fleece-lined leggings, but Zhao Ru is far more extravagant. Along the way, she has scavenged a mink coat, thick fleece pants, and sturdy black cotton shoes. The other water ability users are similarly bundled up.
Even so, in this bitter cold, An Ran’s plants have slowed and lost vitality, and the water ability users can no longer produce as much water as before. Now it takes twice the effort to generate even a small amount.
Fatty’s earth ability users, however, remain unaffected. They dig with impressive efficiency.
Before long, one-tenth of the tunnel is cleared. Inside, the air is noticeably warmer, several degrees higher than outside.
As the sleeper car slowly pulls into the cave, Fatty leads his men in carving small alcoves along the cave walls. He seems determined to embrace the life of a true cave dweller.
An Ran exhales a puff of white breath, cups her hands inside her sleeves, and stomps her snow-booted feet. A car approaches, and she steps aside, noticing another vehicle parked opposite. Its door opens, and a man leans out to speak with Xu Li’er, who is standing by the roadside.
The man’s face is unfamiliar. He looks like a strength-type ability user who joined Fatty’s convoy a few days earlier—or perhaps someone they only encountered on the northbound journey. They aren’t close, merely traveling in the same direction. Because of the harsh weather, Fatty hasn’t spoken with him much.
This strength-type ability user has brought a small convoy of about ten people, complete with vehicles and supplies, trailing behind Fatty’s group. He has even handed two of his own “burdens” to Fatty.
An Ran dislikes him instantly. His face looks shifty, and the two women he gave over are sickly, malnourished, and seemingly unable to speak.
Fatty accepts them and places them in a prisoner transport vehicle, giving them food, water, and a bit of medicine.
But An Ran can’t shake the feeling that something is off. This man and his group often cast furtive glances at the other women in Fatty’s convoy.
Today, they have looked at An Ran several times. She makes up her mind to speak to Fatty—these men can’t be allowed to stay.
Looking back at the car, even from a distance, she can’t hear clearly, but she sees the man inside tugging at Xu Li’er.