Chapter 62: Into a Post-Apocalyptic Superpower Novel, Day 14

Chapter 62: The Fourteenth Day of Being Thrown into an Apocalyptic Superpower Novel

An Yi did not notice Ji Zishi's emotional state. He thought for a second, then said, "I've found that today's mutant plant is very different, not just in its regenerative ability, but in its presence."

Ji Qin's smile faded, and she nodded. "Yes, I felt it too."

An Yi nodded slightly. "Never heard of a mutant this strong before. If we hadn't happened to encounter it today, if it kept growing, the outcome would be a disaster..."

He paused. "Are mutants evolving like crazy? Will there be more powerful ones in the future?"

"Maybe... we should beef up patrols and strengthen the base's defenses."

"After all, the mutants don't even hide their hostility toward humans."

As he spoke, he hoped to guide Ji Qin into strengthening the defenses, so that when the mutants attacked the base, they would be better prepared and not suffer as many casualties as in the original story.

Thinking this, he glanced at the somewhat silent Ji Zishi beside him.

For example, the person beside him.

Otherwise, that key might get broken.

Ji Qin pondered for a few seconds. "You're right. We can't rely on past experiences to judge future threats."

She felt that An Yi's suggestion made a lot of sense. The old defense methods probably won't cut it anymore. This time it was a fungal carpet; who knows what it will be next time?

What else might be hiding in places they don't know about?

This time they were lucky that the Second Squad encountered the fungal carpet. The squad had high combat skills, especially An Yi and Ji Zishi, who were very strong.

If an ordinary squad or a scavenger team had encountered it, let alone solving it, they might not even have had a chance to get out and send a message.

After talking with An Yi, Ji Qin left to return to her teammates. Before leaving, she invited An Yi to attend the meeting after returning to the base. Was this an invitation for him to join the core team?

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After the short break, even though everyone was still tired, everyone had recovered basic mobility.

An Yi and Ji Zishi got back into the vehicle.

"Captain, headcount complete, all present, ready to depart."

"Then let's go, return to base."

"Yes!"

Engines roared to life one after another, the convoy regrouped, and they began to drive away from the ruins filled with the smell of smoke and char.

Their seats were the same as before. Just the driver had changed; the previous driver was wiped out from manning the flamethrower, which was much more tiring than driving.

The convoy departed in full force.

Ji Zishi still sat close to An Yi.

He saw An Yi resting his eyes, his previously pale cheeks from overexertion now regaining a bit of color, and his breathing steady and deep. He felt a bit relieved and asked softly with concern, "How do you feel? Has your mental energy recovered a bit?"

An Yi opened his eyes, turned to him and smiled. "Yeah, I've recovered quite a bit."

He was kinda surprised too; his mental energy seemed to recover way faster than normal.

Meanwhile, Ji Zishi next to him was trying to look tough, but his face still lacked color, showing obvious fatigue, still pale—well, his face was anything but small—dead white.

Upon hearing this, Ji Zishi visibly relaxed, his shoulders relaxing a little.

However, perhaps it was the fatigue finally fully flooding in after relaxing, or some subconscious impulse, he somehow found himself blurting out without thinking in a tone of complaint he didn't even notice, almost like muttering:

"Ah~ I'm so tired~~" His voice trailing off lazily, whining like a spoiled kid.

An Yi: ??????

He suddenly turned his head, looking at Ji Zishi with a nearly scrutinizing, thoroughly puzzled gaze.

This guy... has he been possessed by something weird?

Ji Zishi's ears grew hot under An Yi's gaze, but for some reason he didn't retract that sudden "weakness."

He shifted his gaze, then slowly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, tilted his furry head and firmly rested it on An Yi's shoulder, mumbling again vaguely, "I'm really tired..."

After saying that, he stopped moving completely, as if he had instantly entered standby mode.

An Yi: ...

His body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

The teammate next to them, who had also been dozing, was startled by the commotion.

He cracked an eye open and saw his captain leaning on An Yi's shoulder like a giant human koala. His eyes nearly bugged out—since when did the captain adopt this style? That's so not his style!

Dingzi looked at Ji Zishi, then at An Yi, and snickered twice.

An Yi lowered his eyes, looked at the head that was assertively occupying his shoulder, and was silent for two seconds.

Then, with a blank expression, he reached out, precisely grasped Ji Zishi's forehead, and with a little force, attempted to push the head back to where it should be—the cold window glass on the other side.

Pushed, Ji Zishi's head tilted; he immediately turned to look at An Yi, a flash of shame and embarrassment at being rejected crossing his mind.

But bros before... embarrassment? He pushed that feeling down and turned it into a kind of assertiveness: "What? I'm really tired!"

His tone was forceful, trying to cover up his nervousness. After saying that, he plopped right back onto An Yi's shoulder at lightning speed, even adjusting his position like he was pushing his luck, as if it were his exclusive pillow.

An Yi felt the heavy weight on his shoulder and the warmth of the other's body, looked at the face close by with eyes closed but eyelashes slightly trembling, obviously pretending to sleep, and asked softly once more, "Are you really that tired?"

This guy usually took a hit and bounced right back to fight for another three hundred rounds.

"My ability is drained."

Ji Zishi still had his eyes closed, he murmured against An Yi's shoulder, accompanied by a sigh that sounded kind of pitiful, "My head hurts a little..."

He was laying it on way too thick, blunt and clumsy. An Yi had never seen this side of him; it was pretty adorable.

A hint of a smile appeared in An Yi's eyes. He didn't push him away this time, patted the big head on his shoulder, and said, "Alright, go to sleep. Get some good rest."

The return trip was unexpectedly calm; they were not attacked by any mutated plants or animals.

When Ji Zishi woke up again, the first thing he noticed was the dim sky through the car window, and the driver had changed shifts.

Then, he became acutely aware of his current situation—he was almost entirely leaning on An Yi.

His head was securely pillowed on An Yi's shoulder, and even more absurdly, his own arm had naturally looped around An Yi's slender waist, in a posture as intimate as an embrace, and he'd actually slept like a log like that!

Ji Zishi: "!!!"

Did he really sleep so restlessly?

His cheeks went red in a flash; Ji Zishi felt it hard to breathe, his scalp prickled with heat!