Chapter 91: Is the porridge good?

"Let's go through the radiation zone. It just had a nuclear explosion, so there are the fewest bugs there, and there might not even be any. It's the safest way!" Li Yue, who was bald, pushed up his glasses and said.

"That won't work. Ordinary people will get sick or die if they go through the radiation zone!" Zhao Shanhe rejected the idea.

"They'll die faster if they encounter a swarm of bugs!" Li Yue countered.

"Listen to me, I suggest we go along the edge of the radiation zone, balancing both sides!" Huang Renkuan, who had been a local official in the Sunlight Era, said calmly. Unfortunately, he got separated during the evacuation.

Li Yue curled his lips. If it were the Sunlight Era, he would have tried to curry favor with an official of Huang Renkuan's rank. Now, he didn't need to hide much, but he didn't want to offend him too much. After all, if Huang Renkuan could survive and reach Jinling City, his dual identity as an awakened warrior would give him considerable power in the political arena.

"Xiao Tian, what's your opinion?" Li Yue poked Tian Weidai, who was still in his military uniform and dozing off, and asked.

Tian Weidai let out a startled "Ah," and looked at Li Yue and then at Huang Renkuan, before finally managing to say, "I, I'll follow Director Huang."

Huang Renkuan was very satisfied with Tian Weidai's answer, and a habitual smile appeared on his face, as warm and friendly as it used to be.

"Then it's settled. We'll go along the edge of the radiation zone, maintaining a safe distance. I'll lead the way!" Zhao Shanhe slapped his thigh, and the matter was decided.

Li Yue was somewhat resentful but had no choice. The cook hardly spoke or gave any opinions, the "witch" was busy spreading her faith, and Chu Yunsheng was new and didn't plan to ask for his opinion.

Even if he did ask, with Zhao Shanhe, Huang Renkuan, and Tian Weidai on the same side, they had the numbers, and it would be useless. Li Yue, though unwilling, was helpless.

"Short-sighted! You'll know how to die when you encounter a bug swarm!" Li Yue muttered quietly, but Chu Yunsheng heard it.

However, Chu Yunsheng didn't say anything or give any opinions throughout the discussion.

When he joined the group and approached the nuclear explosion zone, he discovered that due to the presence of the elemental energy, the radiation and other pollutants from the nuclear explosion had not spread. Instead, they were contained within a hemispherical area centered on the explosion site, with a clear boundary. Inside and outside were two different worlds.

He went in to test it himself. As soon as he entered, the Six Jia Talisman immediately activated its protection, shielding him from the radiation. But once he came out, the protection disappeared instantly!

Chu Yunsheng wasn't too surprised. The changes in the celestial tracks, the elemental energy, and even the ability to block sunlight, made it unsurprising that the radiation pollution was contained within the hemispherical area.

Li Yue's suggestion was to cross this spherical radiation zone, which would be the safest way to cover a certain distance.

Actually, they were already not far from Jinling City, no more than 150 kilometers. In the Sunlight Era, it would have been less than a two-hour drive.

Most of their time was wasted on avoiding bug swarms, taking detours, and dealing with roadblocks. For Chu Yunsheng, just the detours alone took several days!

Crossing the radiation zone was the shortest and fastest route. If they took a detour, they might encounter bug swarms and waste a lot of time.

But to cross the radiation zone, the awakened warriors were fine, but ordinary people couldn't handle it, which was why Zhao Shanhe rejected the idea outright.

Chu Yunsheng got off the car with the little tiger. It was time for dinner. The food was a mixture of cookies, snacks, and a tiny bit of chopped ham, mixed with water, similar to the porridge he had eaten at Dongshen University.

Even this meager food was treated as precious by the ordinary people who had hired them. Three men delivered it, followed by five or six children who watched the food with longing.

"Why has the portion decreased again? Yesterday there was half a slice of ham, and today just a few bits of meat? Call your captain, Old Cui. This wasn't what you promised!" Huang Renkuan, holding the bowl of porridge, complained angrily, though he drank it all quickly, choking on it but not spitting it out.

"Director Huang is right. When we were hired, you promised us full meals with meat. Now you're giving us this stuff. You're a bunch of ungrateful dogs!" Li Yue rolled his eyes and echoed Huang Renkuan's complaint.

One of the three men who brought the food turned red, as if he wanted to argue, but was held back by his companions.

"What are you staring at! Kid, if you anger me, you'll be in trouble!" Li Yue shoved the empty bowl into the young man's chest, pushing him to the ground, where he groaned and had a trickle of blood from his mouth.

"Yüquan, are you okay?" His companion quickly helped him up, worried.

"You damn brat! You dare to stare at me! I'll show you!" Li Yue, already upset about Zhao Shanhe's decision, lashed out, his fist filled with fire elemental energy, ready to strike.

"Wuzi, get out of the way!" Yüquan pushed his companion away.

Li Yue's fist didn't hit Yüquan but was blocked by Zhao Shanhe. Both were fire elementals, and as soon as they clashed, flames engulfed their bodies.

"Zhao Shanhe, this isn't your business. You'd better stay out of it!" Li Yue said angrily but didn't strike again, knowing Zhao Shanhe's strength.

"Mr. Li, if you hit Yüquan, will he survive?" Zhao Shanhe stood his ground.

"Such a stupid, arrogant brat deserves to die!" Li Yue spat, full of hatred.

At that moment, a middle-aged man in his forties, Yüquan's captain, Old Cui, ran over and slapped Yüquan repeatedly, shouting, "You disobedient brat! I told you to listen!"

After several hard slaps, Yüquan's hair was disheveled, and his face was swollen.

Wuzi, his companion, quickly grabbed Old Cui's hands, pleading, "Uncle, please stop, I beg you!"

Old Cui, panting, said, "Let go, don't stop me."

Yüquan stood up, pushing Wuzi away, and cried, "Uncle, hit me, hit me to death! We haven't eaten for two days and two nights. We've been drinking water to save food for them. Not to mention, Aunt Qin is pregnant. They're still not satisfied? Huh?"

Old Cui's raised hand paused in the air, unable to strike. Instead, he hit himself, the sound echoing loudly.

"Mr. Li, please be magnanimous. Yüquan is just a child, he doesn't know better. Please don't take it personally. I apologize to you!" Old Cui pleaded humbly.

"Mr. Li, let's just let it go. We're all on the same side!" Huang Renkuan said with a sarcastic tone.

Li Yue, whose anger had subsided due to Old Cui's submissive attitude, was enraged by Huang Renkuan's casual words. He was the first to speak up, and now Huang Renkuan was playing the good guy, making Li Yue look like the unreasonable one!

"Ah, since Director Huang has spoken, I'll give you face. This matter is settled. But, Old Cui, Director Huang just mentioned that the food portions are decreasing. This can't continue! I'm a rough person, but I noticed the decrease only because Director Huang pointed it out." Li Yue smiled slyly, shifting the topic to Huang Renkuan, who couldn't deny his own words.

"Mr. Li, Director Huang, the food... the food..." Old Cui stammered.

"I don't mind. I'm thin and don't eat much. Director Huang, however, hasn't suffered much. You continue the discussion. I need to rest after eating. Goodbye." Li Yue waved and calmly walked back to the car.

Huang Renkuan, put on the spot by Li Yue, had just taken a high moral stance, saying they were all on the same side. Now, Li Yue's comment about the food made it seem like he didn't care, and if Huang Renkuan insisted on more food, he would look even worse.

"Old Cui, if there's not enough food, you should have said so earlier. We're all on the same side. We can work together to solve the problem. Many hands make light work!" Huang Renkuan "seriously" criticized.

He was originally a timid person who would freeze at the sight of bugs, which is why he got separated from the evacuation forces. After awakening, he believed that if he could survive and reach Jinling City, his dual identity would ensure he would be reappointed to a high position.

But there would be countless officials who had fled to Jinling City, and he needed an opportunity to stand out. That's why he agreed to be hired by Old Cui, planning to make a big impact. If he could lead a group of civilians to safety in Shencheng, his reputation would soar, and he could create a heroic image for himself!

"Director Huang, you are, you are... thank you!" Old Cui, worried about the food situation, was grateful.

Zhao Shanhe seized the opportunity and immediately pulled Huang Renkuan into a discussion with Old Cui about the food. Zhao Shanhe, who had only drunk half of his porridge, shared it with the children.

The storm came and went quickly.

When Li Yue was about to strike, Chu Yunsheng had already activated his elemental energy to save the young man. But Zhao Shanhe intervened first, and he let it go.

Now, most of the gathered crowd had dispersed, and only the children were fighting over the empty bowls left by the other awakened warriors, licking the remaining bits of food.

Chu Yunsheng's bowl was still untouched. In his current stage of cultivation, the transformation of his body was less than one-fifth complete, and he needed both elemental energy and biological energy. The porridge provided insufficient heat, so he relied on the high-energy foods stored in his talisman.

He picked up the bowl and heard a timid yet hopeful voice from a thin, five- or six-year-old girl: "Uncle, is the porridge good?"