From Apocalypse Boss to Farmer: My Vegetables Make Me Stronger!-Chapter 176 - 167: Heredity

This whole thing was indeed a dirty move.

Shen Zhennan also felt he owed Gu Xi an apology, but for the greater good... for now, he could only let the conflict temporarily focus on Gu Xi.

"Gu, do you feel wronged?" he asked, looking up at Gu Xi.

Gu Xi thought for a moment, then nodded. "A little, but it’s not that bad. Those rumors... they can’t hurt me."

Besides... public opinion is a blade, but it’s a double-edged one.

"Ye Nan and Qin Yi have been training well lately. They should be able to hold their own soon." After a pause, Gu Xi added, "There are a few other ability users who are almost there, too."

When that time comes, actions will speak louder than words, and the rumors will naturally fall apart on their own.

And some people, I imagine, will have to face the consequences of the public backlash.

Shen Zhennan roared with laughter after hearing this. This girl was broad-minded; he liked that about her.

’If only his son weren’t such a disappointment,’ he thought.

Once he finished laughing, he looked up at Gu Xi and said with a completely serious expression, "Gu, I haven’t had lunch yet. Could I trouble you for a few ears of corn?"

After speaking, this formidable, heavy-hitting general, known throughout the military for his ferocity, secretly gulped. He shot his own son an incredibly disdainful look, then turned back to Gu Xi, thumped his chest, and promised:

"Don’t you worry, I’m nothing like certain people who not only eat their fill but also take leftovers. Just a full lunch will be enough for me."

Shen Yue, who had just been subtly thrown under the bus and insulted by his own father: "..." ’I really must have been picked up from the ruins by the old man, wasn’t I?’

Half an hour later, Gu Xi glanced at the now-empty large pot on the ground, then at a certain general who had secretly loosened his belt buckle for the nth time, and finally, she looked at Shen Yue.

’No wonder a certain someone can eat so much. It’s hereditary.’

Shen Yue: "..."

...

「Half a month later.」

The military posted a link to a live broadcast on the official forums. In it, Qin Yi and Ye Nan, working together under the guidance of research personnel, successfully cultivated a pumpkin seedling that had undergone reverse evolution.

A few days later, the military released another video. In this video, a Thunder Ability user and a Wood Element ability user worked together to successfully cultivate a cabbage plant that had also undergone reverse evolution...

This opened the door for ability users to intervene in the reverse evolution of plants.

As more and more crops successfully underwent reverse evolution, the era of nationwide land reclamation and planting officially began.

The entire Central Base began to radiate a vibrant sense of life, completely different from before.

And the previous rumors, which had been detrimental to both the military and Gu Xi personally, fell apart on their own.

At the planting base on the city outskirts, many ability users had sheepish expressions on their faces when they saw Gu Xi. Meanwhile, some of those who were known for making cynical remarks behind her back were now frequently "running into" her and trying to curry favor...

"Here they come again..." Qin Yi glanced at the group of people waiting in the distance and quickly pulled Gu Xi onto a side path, muttering under their breath, "With all this time on their hands, they’d be better off downloading a few more instructional videos from the intranet..."

Qi Xiang pursed her lips. She had only arrived at the planting base yesterday but had already encountered similar situations eighteen times.

It was endlessly annoying.

Fortunately, they would be leaving Central Base soon.

But apparently, someone didn’t want Gu Xi to leave.

On the night before their departure, Zhou Jing suddenly sought out Gu Xi. "I hear you’re going to City A?"

"Yes." Gu Xi nodded. "Is something wrong?"

Zhou Jing lifted her eyes and stared at Gu Xi, looking her up and down several times as if seeing her for the first time.

After a long moment, she finally made a decision. "Gu Xi, if I were you, I absolutely would not go to City A at a time like this."

"Why?" Gu Xi raised an eyebrow.

Zhou Jing lowered her gaze and bit her lip. "Do you know why I was transferred back to Central Base?"

Gu Xi thought for a moment. "Because I left South City?"

Zhou Jing: "..."

"Zhou Jinyu transferred me back to Central Base to be Ye Xin’s assistant. It wasn’t to cause trouble for Ye Xin; it was something the two of them had planned in advance."

Zhou Jing said this quickly, then looked up at Gu Xi. "They want to use me to threaten my mother and make her help them find the batch of things hidden in Area 0569."

She didn’t want to completely fall out with Zhou Jinyu, so she had no choice but to tamper with the plane, forcing the flight to Central Base to make an emergency landing midway. Then she deliberately delayed on the road for many days, only returning to Central Base after Ye Xin had already left.

But even so, Zhou Jinyu still wanted to send her to Ye Xin’s side.

Gu Xi was a little surprised after hearing this.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked calmly.

Zhou Jing’s eyes flickered. "Didn’t you have Yang Chi investigate my background?"

Gu Xi stated bluntly, "But Yang Chi was never able to find out who your mother is."

Zhou Jing averted her gaze. "Don’t go to City A. That’s all I have to say. You’re on your own."

With that, she put her black cloak back on and turned to leave.

"Wait." Gu Xi stopped her. "How did you know there was something hidden in Area 0569?"

That was something even she and Li Ming had only just recently deduced.

How could Zhou Jing have known in advance?

Her status in that organization shouldn’t be that high.

Zhou Jing’s steps faltered for a moment. She was silent for a second. "...Someone told me."

Gu Xi didn’t ask who that person was. Instead, she asked, "Then when did you find out this information?"

Zhou Jing: "Half a month ago."

’So, after Ye Xin left Central Base?’ Gu Xi frowned slightly. In that case, Zhou Jing’s earlier story didn’t hold up... because the timeline didn’t add up.

Zhou Jinyu’s transfer of her to Central Base had happened over a month ago.

At that time, Zhou Jing hadn’t received the information yet. So how could she have known that Zhou Jinyu’s plan to transfer her back was premeditated with Ye Xin, intending to use her to threaten her mother to help them find the things hidden in Area 0569?

Both the timeline and the logic were off.

Gu Xi was certain that Zhou Jing’s purpose in coming to see her tonight was definitely not as simple as she claimed.

After thinking for a moment, she decided to take a bold gamble. "So, did that person tell you what exactly is hidden in Area 0569?"

Just as she expected, Zhou Jing’s back stiffened abruptly.

But she still didn’t turn around, only offering a cryptic reminder, "No matter what’s hidden in Area 0569, that’s no reason for you to walk into a trap."

After Zhou Jing left, Gu Xi contacted Li Ming.

Both of them felt that what Zhou Jing had said tonight contained a rather large amount of information.

It was well worth pondering.

The next morning, just as Gu Xi and the others were preparing to head to the airport to meet up with Wei Heng, they suddenly received a notice. The plane that had been arranged for them had failed its final pre-flight inspection and could no longer fly.

Shen Yue’s expression immediately darkened.

When he had taken the supplies over yesterday afternoon, he had someone inspect the plane, and there were no problems at the time.

But now, just before takeoff, a problem had been found.

It was obvious that someone had tampered with it.

Immediately after, Qin Yi also received a message: Qin Shi had been injured during an operation to clear out mutated plants and had been taken to a nearby secondary camp.

Although the injuries weren’t serious, the conditions there were primitive and transportation was difficult. She definitely wouldn’t be able to return in the next few days.

Shen Yue’s expression grew even uglier.

Qin Shi wasn’t originally supposed to go on this mission, but Mr. Zhou had come to him that day, hoping to borrow a high-level ability user...

Since it was a military cleanup squad and the location happened to be on their way to City A, Shen Yue had agreed to lend Qin Shi out.

He never expected this was what they had waiting for him.

’Some people are truly master schemers!’

Beside him, Gu Xi’s expression also gradually darkened.

Just now, after learning about Qin Shi’s accident, she had sent several communication requests to Wei Heng in a row, but no one had answered...