You say the cataclysm only comes after you've cleared the entire dungeon?

The internet outage didn't affect Lou Fengyue much, since she managed to let her family know she was safe just before it was cut off.

With my older brother guarding the river and my parents wearing SSS-level armor, there shouldn't be any major problems.

Of course, the impact on other survivors is also minimal.

With the power outage going on for so long, my phone is practically useless now, probably lost somewhere somewhere.

Being rescued, taken to a safe area, and able to eat a meal and get a good night's sleep is already a great achievement.

When faced with life and death, who cares about whether or not they can access the internet?

The only ones likely to be affected are the official entities.

They still rely on the internet to access a lot of information and data, and occasionally receive messages from their superiors.

Everything is paralyzed and unable to function at this moment.

At 7 p.m., when Lou Fengyue returned to the safe zone with a truckload of "little piglets," she saw Du Gui sitting in the office, looking worried, talking to Qin Qian on a satellite phone.

This was the contact method they had agreed upon in advance; they exchanged each other's numbers.

However, they were unable to contact the provincial government, let alone receive any notifications from the central government.

Upon seeing Lou Fengyue enter, Du Gui's eyes lit up, and he greeted her like a familiar old friend, "You're back? How many did you bring back today?"

"Twenty-one," Lou Fengyue announced, pulling out the chair next to her with an arrogant posture, more haughty than an old man. "What are you talking about?"

"Regarding the new safe zone," Du Gui paused, glanced at Lou Fengyue, and then felt there was nothing he couldn't say, "Also, the internet was cut off today, and we've completely lost contact with the provincial government and the central government."

"Isn't that normal?" Lou Fengyue said nonchalantly, bending down to pick up an unopened bottle of mineral water from the center of the table, unscrewing it and taking a couple of gulps. "They probably don't have time to deal with you. Once they've really come up with a plan, they'll naturally find a way to contact you."

Du Gui nodded, put the satellite phone back on the table, and let out a long sigh.

"You're right. The whole country is in chaos right now, and the provincial governments are probably too busy to take care of themselves."

He looked down at the map spread out on the table, which had several locations circled in red and several lines crossed out, showing signs of repeated deliberation.

"The preliminary site selection for the new district is Qingshi Town, located at the border of Linjiang and Yulin. It has a high elevation, is backed by mountains, and has an open area in front. Construction has already started in Qinqian, and they say that several people with architectural backgrounds are helping with the planning."

Lou Fengyue leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingertips on a mineral water bottle.

She had already heard this news from her brother today.

"You'll need to find a temporary shelter until the new district is completed," she said. "This place won't last until the new district is finished."

"I know." Du Gui lowered his head, pondering the map, trying to find the most suitable place for the next settlement.

Lou Fengyue's gaze swept over his face subtly.

He wasn't as tall and robust as Qin Qian; he wasn't particularly tall, and his build could be described as lean.

Although they were soldiers of the same year, he looked younger than Qin Qian.

Only three days had passed since their first meeting, but he had visibly lost weight.

His cheeks were slightly sunken, and there were alarming dark circles under his eyes. It was clear that he hadn't slept a full night since he learned that he was going to be moved to a different place.

"Du Gui, do you think it's worth it?"

Lou Fengyue suddenly felt like asking this question, so she blurted it out.

Du Gui paused for a moment, then looked up with a hint of confusion at those calm eyes that held a hint of worry, before smiling.

He leaned back, his tense nerves finally relaxing for a moment.

"My dream since I was a child has been to be a soldier. I felt that dedicating my life to the country was the most glorious thing. Later, I did serve in the army for a few years, went on twenty or thirty missions, and suffered many injuries."

He rolled up his right sleeve, revealing a strong forearm with a noticeable gunshot wound near his elbow.

"Because of this, I was left with aftereffects; I can no longer hold a gun, so I had to retire."

"Now, you ask me if it's worth it..." He hesitated for a moment, then smiled, "It's more like it's become a habit, a responsibility etched into my bones."

Lou Fengyue stared at the gunshot wound for a long time, remaining silent for a long time.

He suddenly spoke up: "But times have changed, this is no longer your responsibility."

Du Gui lowered his eyes and sighed slowly: "I know, I'm not doing these things as a soldier."

"Why is that?"

"To win this war against the virus as human beings."

Lou Fengyue was stunned, her pupils trembling slightly.

Du Gui smiled and continued, "If humanity wants to win this terrible war, someone needs to lead the charge. I can't be at the forefront, but I want to do what I can to help more of my compatriots survive."

Lou Fengyue unscrewed the bottle cap, then tightened it again, and suddenly chuckled helplessly, "You and Qin Qian are quite alike."

"Birds of a feather flock together!" Du Gui laughed heartily. "Speaking of which, this is the first time I've ever seen you laugh."

Lou Fengyue rolled her eyes at him, and Du Gui laughed even harder.

Lou Fengyue pulled over the map, picked up a pen, and drew a circle in a certain area.

"Let's move here. There's a large supermarket within three kilometers, and it's close to the highway exit, which will make it convenient for both scavenging for supplies and future relocation. Besides, I cleared out this area today, and there aren't many zombies."

Du Gui leaned over for a look and pointed to an area next to him: "Wouldn't this be better? There are two office buildings here, which is convenient for working, and the survivors can also have enough space to live."

"Whatever you want." Lou Fengyue stood up, stretching and yawning. "I'm going to sleep. I have to go out tomorrow."

"Another one? Working so hard?" Du Gui raised an eyebrow in shock. "You've brought back nearly a hundred people these past few days, aren't you going to take a break?"

"Going back to my hometown." Lou Fengyue said these four words, turned around and walked towards the door, waving her hand without looking back.

Du Gui watched her retreating figure and couldn't help but smile. Suddenly, he said, "Hey, actually you're quite similar to us, except you're a bit stubborn."

Lou Fengyue stopped at the door and turned to look at him.

"Don't try to flatter me. I'm giving you face, but that doesn't mean I care about their lives."

After saying that, she left without lingering.

Du Gui pondered the meaning of the sentence repeatedly, then smiled knowingly.

Qin Qian is right, this ancestor is very difficult to please.

It can't be called good, nor can it be called evil.

But deep down, there must be some sense of righteousness.

Lou Fengyue returned to the SUV, slumped in the back seat, and spread out a small blanket to prepare for sleep.

Just as she was about to lie down, she saw two figures, one tall and one short, outside the window.

You can vaguely see Du Gui arm in arm with a woman who is over fifty years old, walking slowly toward the teaching building.

The dim light outlined their silhouettes, creating a warm-toned oil painting in a desolate world.

Lou Fengyue curled her lips into a smile.

She thought Du Gui must have felt it was worth it.