MTL - How to Feed an Abyss!-Chapter 24 Cookies and Flowers

The second day of the warning was as dull as ever.

The iron door of the room is tightly locked, and only those who go to the public toilet or those who are short of breath are allowed to go out, and only one person can go out at a time. Shi Yuan also felt bored, sitting on the bed with his tail in his arms, carefully taking care of the scales.

"Hey," Zhou Pingan hugged the basin of snow and stared in a daze all morning, then chatted with Shi Yuan again, "What creature infected you? How did you become like this?"

"I don't know," Shi Yuan said, "it might be a demon."

Zhou Pingan rubbed his chin and looked at him: "It does look alike, but is there really such a thing in the world?"

Shi Yuan didn't know either.

Since people call the abyss the creation of demons, it seems that there is no problem in saying that an abyss that has become a spirit is a demon.

It was such a boring morning. Occasionally, there would be tremors on the ground, and the entire shelter would vibrate. It was hard to tell whether it was a group of monsters marching, or a bombing. At this time, people were all restless and said nothing. The room is too narrow and there is almost no place to stand. They can only nest on the steel bed. In Zhou Ping'an's words: "This bed is like a coffin, with a cover, it can send us directly to the ground."

In the dark, someone was crying softly.

Shi Yuan couldn't tell who it was, it might be the newly married couple, or the thin old grandmother. The crying disappeared quickly, and everything returned to silence, only the earth was trembling.

After evening, the tremors did not return.

After another 3 hours, the mechanical female voice broadcast: [90 minutes of free time will start now, please residents nearby]

The green light above the metal door came on, and everyone smiled in relief.

"What does this mean?" Shi Yuan asked Zhou Ping'an.

"The fighting is over and the situation is stable, so the alarm has been downgraded." Zhou Ping'an said, "It's only temporary, we may have to come back to the room at any time." He stood up and stretched his waist, "I'm going out for a walk , but it suffocated me to death."

The iron door of the room opened, and many people went out.

Shi Yuan also went to the corridor, looking around, the corridors on the upper and lower floors were full of people. No one spoke loudly, and the small and low voices of conversations were mixed together, buzzing like a swarm of bees.

After five minutes in the corridor, Shi Yuan couldn't take it anymore.

There are too many humans here!

No matter looking up or looking down, it is a dark place, shoulders rubbing against each other, and you can even hear each other's breathing - Shi Yuan hates taking the bus, and the shelter is like a giant bus, full of people Humanity.

Anthropophobia can only be alleviated, not cured.

Just as Shi Yuan was about to return to his room, he heard someone calling him, "Oh! Shi Yuan!"

He turned his head, and Cheng Youwen came over with his crutches, dragging his disabled right leg, a little surprised: "Which room are you assigned to?"

"5202." Shi Yuan replied, "What about you?"

"5204, right next to you." Cheng Youwen said, "Xia Fang is at 5211, Wolfgang and Tracy are at 5215."

When the alarm was raised, they were all near the theater and had entered the shelter through similar entrances, and the rooms were allocated nearby, so they lived so close together.

"Where is Qin Luoluo?" Shi Yuan asked, "Where is she?"

"I didn't find it, it should be nearby." Cheng Youwen said, "Look, my legs can't move much. If you're fine, why don't you go find her?"

Shi Yuan: "Okay."

Cheng Youwen glanced at the tip of his curled tail, and then remembered something: "Are you nervous?"

"a little bit."

"It's okay, it's okay," Cheng Youwen said, "You can see that we can move around freely so quickly, which means the battle is going well."

He thought Shi Yuan was nervous because of the warning.

"Forget it, forget it," Cheng Youwen said suddenly, "I'd better go find Qin Luoluo with you."

He was a little uneasy.

Shi Yuan remembered that Tracy had mentioned that Qin Luoluo's parents died during the I-level warning. At that time, Abyss No. 1 was agitated, and monsters attacked a small city, which was Qin Luoluo's hometown.

The small city was destroyed.

Today, the nightmare is repeating itself in Gleaner City.

Cheng Youwen was limping on crutches, and began to pant after a while. Shi Yuan walked slowly with him.

Cheng Youwen panted and said, "Are you worried about Lu Tinghan?"

Shi Yuan immediately woke up: "I don't know Lu Tinghan, I only know Lu Tingting."

Cheng Youwen: "..."

He really didn't expect that after so many days, Shi Yuan was still firmly upholding the lie... Did he really not realize how clumsy it was? !

Who doesn't know Lu Tinghan, they are not blind!

However, the other party was Shi Yuan, so he really couldn't be more serious, so he said helplessly: "Okay, okay, Lu Tingting is Lu Tingting. Your Tingting is also on the battlefield, right?"

"Yes." Shi Yuan said.

"He is a very powerful person, and he has done a lot of things that the alliance can't even imagine." Cheng Youwen said, "I have always opposed him in power, but I can't deny his ability." He sighed softly, "I-level warning is very Dangerous. Shi Yuan, even for you, I hope he is safe."

"Thank you." Shi Yuan said in surprise, and paused for a few seconds, "But I really know Lu Tingting."

Cheng Youwen: "..."

as long as you are happy.

They walked around the corridor for a long time, but they still didn't see Qin Luoluo.

"It's weird, how could she be assigned so far away..." Cheng Youwen muttered.

He walked past [5179] dragging his goat's hooves, and suddenly seemed to feel something, retreated to the door of [5179], and looked inside.

There was only one person left in the room. The long-haired woman was sitting on the edge of the bed, facing the door sideways, with the pale light falling on her shoulders.

It was Qin Luoluo.

She is not the same as usual.

Qin Luoluo is always beautiful, with exquisite makeup and a fox-like smile. She is extremely picky about her appearance, and has a stockpile of cosmetics—the production line has long since stopped, most of them are expired, and she uses them anyway.

Just like what she said to Shi Yuan, she wants to stand on stage and want the attention of the whole world.

Now that the makeup was gone, some great, tidal nightmare seized her, her face pale and her lips chapped.

Visible haggardness and panic.

Cheng Youwen's eyes widened and he froze at the door, panicked for a moment and at a loss what to do.

Shi Yuan asked, "Aren't you going in?"

"Ah, uh, uh," Cheng Youwen finally came to his senses, "Go, let's go together. What's the big deal? Why is she like this? There's nothing to worry about in the first place. You said she is too..."

"I won't go in." Shi Yuan said.

Cheng Youwen was taken aback: "Why?"

Shi Yuan said, "I'm not good at comforting people, and besides, don't you like her?"

Cheng Youwen froze completely.

He knew that other people in the troupe could more or less see the clues, but the secret that had never been revealed was exposed like this, and he didn't know how to react.

To refute? to deny?

Shi Yuan looked at him seriously and sincerely, he couldn't tell a lie.

Cheng Youwen nodded indiscriminately, said "um" softly, and walked in with a cane.

Shi Yuan returned to his room.

Several people had already returned, and the old lady on the opposite bed pulled Zhou Pingan, listening to the love story between him and his girlfriend with great interest.

"My grandson, Shanshan—" After Zhou Ping'an's story was finished, the old woman said in a drawn out voice, "If he is still alive, he will be just as old as you. He is a brave warrior."

She said that her Shanshan was naughty since she was a child. She jumped up and down at the age of 6 and said she wanted to be a soldier. She became a sprint champion at the age of 10. She went to the Union Military Academy at the age of 14. She went to the front line at the age of 18. At the age of 24, she was in the wasteland 300 meters west of the outpost. After fighting for three days and three nights, the gun in my hand ran out of bullets.

"Shanshan was rescued by his comrades," the old woman said. "His infection is too serious and there is no rule of law. I could have seen him for the last time. If it weren't for the euthanasia bill, the generals on land would be too bad, so bad." ..."

Zhou Pingan hurriedly comforted her, and explained to her: "Grandma, there is a reason for the land general to sign this bill. These years are the low period, but the loss of war has never stopped. With the current strength and resources, if Bringing every critically ill patient back to the city is too costly. We have to look to the future, this is a protracted battle."

"But, if you don't see it, you won't see it." The old lady lowered her head and wiped her tears. "I don't even have the last face... It's a crime. I don't know what will happen in this war, and how many children will suffer."

Zhou Pingan was speechless, not knowing how to comfort her, and finally said: "Grandma, don't be sad, we can win." He pointed to Shi Yuan, "His boyfriend is on the battlefield, he is a very powerful Where is the commander?"

So, the old lady held Shi Yuan's hand tightly: "I hope he can be safe and lead us to victory. Good boy, you will be happy."

Shi Yuan lowered his head and looked at those old hands, which were full of wrinkles and scars.

He didn't say that the commander was the land general she hated, but whispered, "Thank you."

The activity time was over, everyone returned to the room, and began to wait for a long time.

For the next five days, everything repeats itself. Most of the time they stay in the house, occasionally have free time to move around, and occasionally hear the broadcast of the battle situation.

The cold female voice said: [Today, the southeast outpost of the main city defeated the insect infection wave, and the defense line is currently being rebuilt...]

[The speech of Admiral Su Enqi is broadcast as follows: "During this critical period, I implore everyone to remain calm and maintain confidence. I have experienced several such battles, and I know very clearly and definitely that the 'Clarion' does not Not scary, we can win this battle, we will win. You are the toughest and strongest people I have ever seen, and you must unite in times of crisis..."]

[On the evening of December 1st, Admiral Lu Tinghan visited the front line of the main city in person to direct the battle]

[On December 2nd, Admiral Lu Tinghan further analyzed the behavior pattern of the "Horn" and made a breakthrough in defensive tactics...]

[On December 4th, the fourth wave of large-scale infected creatures was repelled, and the alliance army stood firm and started the next defense plan]

[At 8:00 p.m. on December 4th, Admiral Lu Tinghan promulgated new defense guidelines, with the third outpost as the center, a new line of defense was fully established, ready to face the No. 2 abyss infection cluster]

For a long time, Lu Tinghan and Su Enqi have been equally divided, each has their own strengths, and their achievements are equal. In this war, people quickly noticed that Lu Tinghan occupied an absolute dominant position.

Perhaps Su Enqi is really old and has transferred more power and trust;

Perhaps Lu Tinghan has grown to the point where he can monopolize the power without anyone's command and assistance, his decision is the best solution.

Or maybe both.

Shi Yuan listened carefully to the radio every day, so as to understand what Lu Tinghan was doing.

He doesn't understand guns and military affairs, nor does he understand the power struggle within the alliance. All he knew was that Lu Tinghan led the alliance army, and was moving forward step by step, whether it was a bright tomorrow or the end of the world.

There are always tremors from the ground, and the most serious ones are almost like landslides and ground cracks.

Dizziness, tinnitus, vertigo.

There was a huge roar mixed with crying, and the lights in the room were shaking, as if it was the end of the day.

Shi Yuan hugged the pillow and sat on the bed, seeing anxious and frightened faces. They were exactly the same as Qin Luoluo at that time.

Shi Yuan didn't understand their fear, so he could only comfort them as much as possible, handed them tissues when someone was crying, searched their stomachs, and told some jokes he heard from the troupe—he never knew the point of those jokes, but He knew that humans would be happy to hear about them, so he wrote them down.

People were amused by him, but Shi Yuan became entangled instead.

The battle was urgent, and the monsters were his own kind, but he didn't want these humans to die either. He wanted that impossible peace, and he was caught between the cracks, listening to the screams of monsters and the sobbing of people at the same time, overwhelmed.

Another late night, when the old lady was sitting by his bed and comforting him, Shi Yuan said, "I don't belong here."

The old lady was surprised: "What are you talking about?"

"I don't belong here." Shi Yuan said again, coiling himself up with his tail.

If he hadn't promised Lu Tinghan, he wouldn't have come to the shelter at all.

He wants to go back to the wasteland.

He wanted to go back to Lu Tinghan's side, to be held in his arms and patted his head.

"Why do you say that?" The old lady took his hand, "Shiyuan, you are a good boy. I have never seen you who are so patient, pouring hot water for everyone, handing tissues, and telling funny things, You still hear us nagging so much. Didn’t you help Xiao Zhou take care of Hua just now?”

When Shi Yuan looked up, he happened to see the couple. The young couple smiled at him—the wife's eyes were always red, but she was amused by Shi Yuan's jokes several times.

And the young people in another corner liked "The Martyr" very much. They recognized Shi Yuan on the first day, and chased him to ask about the troupe, and never tired of it.

Everyone else knew him too.

"Of course you belong here." The old woman said with certainty, "We all like you. Be happy, and when your commander boyfriend comes back, I don't want to see you sad."

She mentioned that "boyfriend" many times, and sent her most sincere wishes every time.

Shi Yuan whispered, "What if that commander is the person you hate the most?"

The old grandma looked at him, and after a few seconds, she understood everything.

She said: "Shi Yuan, then I will also bless him as well."

In the evening, everyone sat around together. The couple talked about the story of Fengyang City. They said that there are huge solar panels and windmills, and the energy towers and power plants can't see the end. , So the long night lights up the lamp.

"Any city is good." The young wife said, "I still prefer Gleaner City. I came here to see wheat fields and stage plays. There are too few people who can persist in artistic creation." She looked at Shi Yuan with a smile, "You acted really well, I didn't even recognize you before."

"I recognized it at a glance!" Another person said, "I've watched two episodes of "Martyr"!" He pulled Shi Yuan and asked, "Hey, isn't your leader very fierce? Look at his expression." It's not easy to mess with, I wanted to ask him for an autograph before, but I just didn't dare to go."

"Mr. Wolfgang is just not very talkative." Shi Yuan said, "He is a very gentle person, and he will definitely be willing to sign for you."

The man was very happy and kept saying that he would go to another show.

"When?" Shi Yuan asked him.

The man thought for a while: "I hope it's tomorrow."

Low laughter came from all around.

The grandma talked about Shanshan again, saying that Shanshan likes to eat cookies very much, and she often brings a few with her. She secretly slipped a piece to Shi Yuan, and said, "This is the last piece, I made it myself."

That night, the ground shook and the mountains shook, and the singing of the "horn" echoed above the sky. Every time there was a tremor, there was a loud bang, and there was always the sound of various cups, pans, and heavy objects falling to the ground. . Shi Yuan nestled in the corner of the bed, took out the cookies, and ate them in small bites.

There are dried fruits on the cookies, which are sweet and sour. He guessed it was the kind of fruit called "blueberry".

There was a rustling sound from the bed, Zhou Ping'an asked, "What are you eating?"

"Cookies." Shi Yuan replied, "Grandma gave them to me."

"Why didn't she give it to me!" Zhou Ping'an's eyes widened. "Is it because my love story is not good? Why does she only favor you!" He turned over abruptly, jumped onto Shiyuan bed and sat side by side with him, "Hurry up Give me a taste, give me a taste."

Shi Yuan broke half of the biscuit for him.

"What kind of fruit is this?" Zhou Pingan asked, "Strawberry?"

"I think it's a blueberry." Shi Yuan replied, "Look, it's blue."

Zhou Pingan: "I've never seen a strawberry, can't strawberries have blue color?"

Shi Yuan was very embarrassed: "I haven't seen it either." He thought for a while and compromised, "Well, this may be a blueberry, or it may be a blue strawberry."

"Forget it." Zhou Pingan smiled, "It's delicious."

The earth was shaken, they nestled in the corner of the shelter, and ate half a cookie in small bites.

Zhou Pingan said: "One day I want to see strawberries with my own eyes. I mean, the ones that are planted in the ground in large tracts. I can pick whatever I want. My girlfriend will definitely be happy."

Shi Yuan said, "Then if you see it, please tell me if there are any blue strawberries."

"Of course!" Zhou Pingan agreed, "One day I will know." He arched Shi Yuan's shoulders, winking, "There are too many things in this world that I want to understand, I don't know." Will die, at least not today."

Shi Yuan: "Because of blue strawberries?"

Zhou Pingan said: "Yes, and this delicious cookie." He pointed to the bottom of the bed, "And that potted flower. I want to give it to someone I like."

When the tremor ended, it was already late at night, and the radio said: [Admiral Su Enqi made another speech regarding the current situation: "...I want to reiterate that the alliance has experienced too many wars, and the situation has been extremely unfavorable,'Humans "Death theory" was once popular, but we have indeed come through, ushering in these 20 years of stability. At any time, we can proudly say: We have tried our best to do our best..."]

【"We have a clear conscience and want to take back our homeland."】

Two days later, Zhou Ping'an's longing for Xue Jian opened.

Shi Yuan was awakened by his exclamation, and Zhou Ping'an shouted: "It's blooming! The snow is blooming!"

Everyone had been looking forward to seeing each other.

Everyone loves Lianmengmenghua, and its flower language "hope and unyielding love" is also popular among the people. Unexpectedly, the warning came suddenly, and it was destined to miss the first batch of flowering.

This may be the only bouquet of flowers in the entire refuge, and it was brought here by accident. Zhou Ping'an is looking forward to it blooming every day.

It's a pity that the conditions of the shelter are limited, and Xuejian should have opened a few days ago. Perhaps because of the lack of light, it has remained silent, making Zhou Ping'an suspect that it will never open again.

But now it blooms snow-white petals, layer upon layer, with faint fluorescence, so white that it is almost transparent.

Call it a miracle.

Zhou Ping'an's voice woke everyone up.

Soon, everyone rubbed their eyes and gathered around.

New things happen once in a thousand years. Zhou Ping’an’s yelling voice attracted a lot of people, and people from the next door ran over. Men, women, old and children crowded together, three circles inside and three circles around the small flowerpot.

The power was cut off long ago in the house, Shi Yuan sat in front of the flowerpot, and saw their faces illuminated by the shimmering light of the petals. Perhaps the light is too weak, their facial lines are very soft, one by one strange faces, one by one gentle face, their eyes are so bright.

"It's blooming!" they said, smiling unconsciously.

Then they chattered.

"Xuejian can be opened in this kind of place."

"Yeah, there's not even sunlight here...it's really amazing, it must be a good sign."

"It's so beautiful, did you grow this yourself? How did you bring it into the shelter?"

Zhou Pingan explained: "I was planning to give it away." He looked at Xuejian, "I didn't think of it either."

I have been eating compressed food for almost 10 days, and I feel uncomfortable just smelling it. There is a strange smell in the drinking water. They gathered in this small room to watch a flower bloom.

Shi Yuan saw the inscription on the wall again.

On the wall next to his bed is written: [Everything is meaningless, we are all mortal]

And another line of lettering in the far corner, which he has been ignoring, quietly floated up in the twilight of the night, like a shy fish.

It says: [The world is beautiful, we live to die]