A Maybach on a rainy night? Talk to my Levadin!

“We arrived in the afternoon, and we had already eaten lunch, so they gave us dinner.”

A man wearing a felt hat patted the cloth bag in his arms, his voice filled with undisguised joy, "They asked me if I was going to eat it over there or bring it back. Of course I'm bringing it back! My little Donya is still waiting for me here!"

"Quick, show us what kind of food we have!"

The crowd suddenly became lively again, and several people reached out to lift the cloth bag.

I have thought about it and I am praying for you

"Hehe, I can't show this to you guys."

The man tossed his arm, laughed, and slipped through the crowd with light steps. "Want to know what we're eating? Why don't you just join the construction crew?"

"Hey, let me take a look. It won't hurt you to take a look..."

"Come on this!"

The man didn't even turn his head. "I know you too well. You'll probably sneak half of my food if you even glance at it! Go away, if you want to eat, go to the construction team yourself. What you earn yourself tastes the best! I need to hurry and deliver this to my daughter, Donya!"

Almost all the construction workers chose to bring their own meals back. They couldn't bear to eat them, so they wrapped the lunchboxes in cloth and held them close to their chests. The scalding hot food was warmed through the cloth, but it couldn't warm their hearts as much as the food itself.

Seeing this scene, those with quick minds started asking how to join the construction team, while those who had no intention of joining before began to get restless.

Putting everything else aside, the aroma of meat wafting from their side is truly unbearable.

Not to mention these people going on and on about prefabricated houses and new accommodation areas.

These words are like little hooks, tickling one's heart and making one's heart itch.

All that could be heard was the swaying of the infected in the camp. Their hands unconsciously touched the drafty sheds where they lived, and they felt as if Originium bugs were crawling all over their bodies, making them feel itchy and anxious.

……

"It seems to be working well."

Seeing that the camp was much more peaceful now than before, Zhao Zizhan came to Talulah's side and sat down next to her, supporting himself on the ground.

"Wow, this ground is really icy..."

"Hahahahaha!"

Talulah sat by the fire, watching his grimacing face, and couldn't help but laugh. "The frozen ground of Ursus is no joke, you have to be careful. I have a blanket here, you can use it to cushion yourself."

yi ling yi er er ba san ling jiu ba

As she spoke, she picked up a thick piece of felt from beside her and handed it over.

"Oh... thank you so much, you've been a great help..."

Zhao Zizhan took the felt and placed it under his buttocks, finally feeling that his demon orb had stopped turning into a spirit orb.

“I should be thanking you,” Talulah said, hugging her knees and staring blankly at the campfire in front of her.

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to do all this. If it weren’t for you, Alina wouldn’t have been saved, and the infected wouldn’t have had this opportunity… I never imagined we would be so close to our ideals… In any case, I owe you a thank you…”

Usuki

"Mr. Zizhan, you are a good person."

"Don't say that."

Zhao Zizhan waved his hand casually, "I'm just an ordinary person, I can't bear the title of 'good person.' I'm just doing this because of education and conscience, I can't stand seeing people suffer in front of me, so I'll help if I can. Besides, helping you doesn't take any risks for me, and it won't delay me in any way. I have the ability, so I did it. Moreover, everyone on Rhodes Island has contributed a lot, it's not just my achievement."

"yes……"

Talulah shrugged. "Whether it's you, Alina, or everyone on Rhodes Island, you've all worked hard to plan for the Infected, giving them a better life and something to look forward to tomorrow. But me? I used to always think about fighting for their rights with force, but I never gave them a single day of peace... The Reunion Movement under my leadership was simply... a complete mess."

She let out a sigh of relief and murmured, "Perhaps I really don't have any leadership skills..."

Zhao Zizhan looked at Talulah with some curiosity, only to see the dim firelight licking at her profile, casting a warm orange glow on the half of her face buried between her knees. Her eyelashes cast soft shadows beneath her eyelids, and the firelight softened the lines of her nose, even making her usually sharp jawline, which appeared somewhat resolute, appear gentler. This vulnerable, unguarded look was surprisingly attractive.

"Damn black snake, you've possessed Talulah's body again?"

Chapter 152.

Talulah's previously dejected mood was thrown into disarray by Zhao Zizhan's sudden action, even leading to an insecure self-examination. She subconsciously raised her hand to her chest, her fingertips touching the warm fabric, repeatedly sensing the energy within her body. The familiar, cold, oppressive feeling was gone; the traces of the black snake had truly disappeared. Only after confirming this did her tense shoulders slowly relax, a barely audible sigh escaping her throat, and even her breathing became smoother.

"Mr. Zizhan, you suddenly did this, you almost scared me to death..."

Zhao Zizhan scratched his head: "Hahaha, sorry, sorry, it's just that you really weren't like yourself just now." Zhao Zizhan apologized with a smile.

Doesn't look like me?

Talulah frowned, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing her cuffs, her tone serious and inquisitive, "Which part of it made you misunderstand, thinking that the black snake has possessed me again?"

"Ah...this..."

Zhao Zizhan's gaze drifted away. He couldn't very well say that it was because you were too feminine just now that he didn't think you were right, that would be too tactless.

"Because the Talulah I know never doubts herself. She is always angry, always striving, always full of fighting spirit, like an inextinguishable fire, leading everyone forward with high spirits."

Holy crap, bro, you even found an explanation for this! I'm awesome.

Upon hearing Zhao Zizhan's words, Talulah froze on the spot: "So, that's how you see me?"

"Why not? When you lead this group of disillusioned people to carve out a path for survival in the wilderness, you have already succeeded. But the wrong path is not your fault; it's just that you're in the thick of it and don't have enough experience to support you. Maybe when you reach my age, you'll have read more books and have better choices and ideas, but within this situation, breaking out is extremely difficult."

Talulah listened to Zhao Zizhan's words and seemed to understand something, but then she turned her head to look at Zhao Zizhan's excessively young face, lowered her head to think, and then looked up, hesitant to speak.

Finally, she couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Zizhan, how old are you?"

"Fifteen, what's wrong?"

Zhao Zizhan answered subconsciously, but immediately realized something was wrong. He realized he had unconsciously made a classic mistake that middle-aged men make, so he quickly tried to make amends: "Ah... don't worry too much about the details. In short, just remember that you did make a mistake, but it's not something you can control. Don't take all the responsibility on yourself."

"What you need to do now is to work hard to improve your skills and grow up. You need to realize that although the physical black snake has been driven away, the weakness, confusion, and extremism in your heart are also an invisible black snake. Face it, defeat it, and become a stronger version of yourself. Then the black snake will no longer be able to do anything to you."

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself. You have someone to consult now, right? Just ask me if you don't understand anything!"

Zhao Zizhan casually patted Talulah on the back, then pushed himself up and patted his own buttocks several times to brush off the snow.

He rubbed his lower back, glanced up at the tents in the distance, and casually added, "I'll go check on how the meeting is going. Don't sit for too long—it's cold in the snow, and sitting for too long can cause menstrual cramps."

Zhao Zizhan casually gave a word of advice, treating Ta Zi with the complete camaraderie of being friends with him.

But while Zhao Zizhan thought this way, Talulah's situation was different.

Her eyes were downcast, and the warmth of his patting her back still lingered on her fingertips. That warmth seeped into her skin through her clothes, making her feel a little flustered.

Although her relationship with Alina might seem a bit too much to outsiders, Tako is still a straight woman at heart.

In her heart, Alina was her best friend in this life, her best sister forever, her teacher who could teach her principles, and her older sister who would love her, but she was never her lover.

Alina felt the same way; her feelings for Talulah were more like seeing herself as a grown-up child who never truly grew up.

Currently, Alina is receiving treatment on Rhodes Island for Oripathy. She can't stay idle, and as soon as she recovered, she joined Raidian in helping take care of the children on Rhodes Island. The children, who were initially a bit shy, quickly grew fond of the gentle Alina. The children on Rhodes Island were treated to the grand occasion of two saints and two mothers living together.

In Talulah's life, the male elders were rarely reliable. Whether it was Wei Yanwu, Koschche, or her father, some were so stupid that it was frustrating, some were so wicked that it was chilling, and some were as stubborn as a pack animal that stuck to its own principles.

Now, a boy, passionate, capable, and knowledgeable, rescued Alina, helped her resolve the crisis in the camp, drove away the black snake, and found a new path for the infected. It seems that all problems can be solved in front of him. He is like water. If she herself is a burning flame that is afraid of scorching others, Zhao Zizhan is a pool of water—embracing her sharpness, soothing her unease, yet full of irresistible power.

He came here to solve his own bloodline ailment, yet he hasn't said a word to this day, only silently helping the infected with all sorts of problems.

He can be a bit clumsy, a bit unkempt, and even shiver from sitting on the cold ground, but this makes him seem exceptionally real, not like a fictional, untouchable hero.

I want to get closer to him, to hear him tell stories from books I've never heard before, to understand him, to learn about his ideals and struggles, and even... to hold this tenderness in my hands.

……

Rhode Island’s plan to upgrade and produce prefabricated housing was unanimously approved after taking into account market value and future development.

Even setting aside the fact that Zhao Zizhan is about to go to Longmen to do something big, just looking at the current situation of the large-scale land reclamation in Colombia, these lightweight and quick resettlement houses will definitely be highly sought after in the market.

Colombian pioneers flocked to undeveloped lands, urgently needing temporary buildings that could be quickly erected to meet basic living and working needs. Prefabricated houses, requiring no complex foundations and assembled by a few people in half a day, were a perfect fit for this fast-paced pioneering demand.

The pioneering future in Colombia is set to continue for quite some time, and the prospects for this deal are clearly visible.

Moreover, Rhodes Island has already expressed its intention to make Rembiton its main base of operations in the future.

For no other reason than that this might be the most suitable location for Rhode Island, a newly established pharmaceutical company, to begin its development.

First of all, Rembiton is rich in resources. Long before the industrial age, it was basically undeveloped by the outside world, and the outside world was unaware that there was any human activity here.

The largest known Originium vein to humankind, the Talgan Main Vein, meanders beneath this land. The dense crystals on the surface and the complex underground mineral deposits result in extremely frequent natural disasters by Rembiton, which deters many forces from venturing there.

In terms of the political environment, Rembiton's situation is also quite complex. Although the smoke of the four-nation war has dissipated, the shadow has not completely disappeared. All countries are busy with post-war reconstruction and power reorganization, and have no extra energy to invade this land on a large scale.

On this land, there are the native inhabitants of Rembiton who have lived here for generations and have long since broken away from the continental system; there are the descendants of abandoned people who were abandoned by the great powers and took root in desperate situations, and they are inherently alienated from external forces; there are also those enterprises and groups that are determined to break away from the control of the great powers and seek independent development. Rhodes Island, a pharmaceutical company that does not belong to any great power, brought a group of infected people who were also struggling to survive in the cracks. Coming to Rembiton was like finding an organization.

Things were even easier when the leader of this pharmaceutical company was a cute little Castor.

These prefabricated houses consume very little material and do not rely excessively on local resources; the assembly process is quick, and they can be disassembled quickly even in the event of a sudden natural disaster requiring relocation; moreover, the materials are recyclable, and the disassembled materials can be sent back to the industrial processing line to be transformed into mechanical parts, tools and other industrial products, perfectly matching Rembiton's "survival and development" model.

After several days of in-depth research by the industrial sector, a final solution was finally found: to directly use machine tools to add an industrial shell made of carbon to the existing plate structure. This way, even if it is impacted, the overall strength of the building will be guaranteed in Terra due to the external carbon rigidity reinforcement and the internal extension structure of metal layers and metal mesh. This has been personally tested by many operators.

Since that's the case, Kal'tsit can no longer continue to work on the island performing surgeries on Oripathy patients. Your biggest task now is to apply for a patent in Columbia, and at the same time, it would be best if you could recruit another batch of medical talent back.

Although no one said it, our Kal'tsit, being very understanding, packed her things and left on her own initiative, as if she had made up her mind.

With this matter resolved, the remaining task is for Rhodes Island's HR department to get busy. Following today's initial establishment of trust, a large-scale wave of new hires is expected within the Reunion Movement.

Before, I was a miserable nobody in Ursus, so poor that I had to eat tree bark and dig up grass roots. Now, paradise has come to me. With such conditions, I can eat as long as I work. After the doubts of those who were the first to try it were dispelled by their mouths full of oil and fat, the enthusiasm of these infected people will be incredibly surging.

PS: I was a bit short on word count by consistently posting 4000 words before, so I'll update more now O (╥﹏╥)O.

Chapter 153 The Old Man Fishing? A Fierce Dragon Crossing the River!

As Zhao Zizhan had predicted, after a night of fermentation, the number of recruits in the integrated camp experienced an unprecedented surge.

The next day, everyone started frantically asking the Reunion Movement's leaders how to join the construction team as soon as they woke up. Before long, Rhodes Island's temporary office area at the camp was packed with people. The wooden tables creaked from being squeezed together, and several eager figures were even perched on the trees in the distance. The veteran members of Reunion Movement shouted to control the scene, and with great difficulty, they managed to create a passage with ropes, barely restoring some order to the area.

"My fellow Rhodes Island native, what do you think of me?"

A middle-aged man carrying mineral crystals squeezed to the front, wiping his rough hands repeatedly on the corner of his clothes. "Although my mineral disease is on my back, I'm very nimble. I can carry timber and move bricks and stones without any problem, and it doesn't hinder my work at all!"

A young man in a gray cotton shirt immediately stepped forward, his voice tinged with urgency: "Yes, yes, I used to be an apprentice in the city. I know how to do carpentry and bricklaying. I've practiced all my skills! I don't need anything, just three meals a day."

"Look at me, look at me! I have two children at home. Please, have mercy and let me work too. I can do anything..."

"Everyone, please calm down! We will definitely help you resolve the job issue as soon as possible." Several Rhodes Island personnel officers stood on a platform, holding up a stack of number tags. "Please register in order. Everyone has a chance! We will start distributing numbers now. Those who have numbers, please line up in order. When your number is called, please come forward for consultation!"

The already busy HR staff are now facing an even bigger headache. It's not good not to hire these people, but hiring them all is even worse. How to manage the batch selection rules under the premise of hiring in batches is a very troublesome problem.

Among these people who are madly eager to work at Rhodes Island, there are naturally quite a few infected who have stirred up trouble in the past.

In the crowd, two men wearing dark scarves were talking in hushed tones. The tall, thin man's eyes darted around, and he tugged nervously at his companion's sleeve: "Isn't this a bit inappropriate? We caused trouble for the camp with the boss before. Do you think they'll take us in?"

"What are you afraid of!"

The short, stout man patted his arm, lowering his voice even further, "Although we heard from the boss that we had reached an agreement with the higher-ups, those noble gentlemen up there aren't really on our side. Only we infected brothers can truly understand our own people. Besides, that big sum of money those gentlemen mentioned is still nowhere in sight, but the food here is top-notch! Last night, when the returning workers were having dinner together at home, I secretly took a peek, and their food had meat, white rice, and even fresh vegetables!"

"Is there really meat? And vegetables too? Are you eating so well?"

The tall, thin man's eyes lit up, then he frowned again. "If we go and work for them now, and then quit, is it too late?"

"As long as we don't say anything, who will know what we did before? We're all just trying to make a living, so we'd definitely feel safer working under the infected brothers!"

"Then what about the boss's side..."

Age-appropriate bar

"Hey...why do you care so much about the boss? It'll corrupt your efforts, you know? I didn't approve of him dragging us into making deals with those big shots before. Which of those big shots treats us infected as human beings? They even let us infected harm our own people. But the boss said this time was different, so I believed him. But now? We did the work, but we didn't get much in return. On Rhodes Island, you get food just for doing the work. Anyone with a brain can figure out where we should go. Don't let loyalty ruin you, brother."

"Do you think you can live in peace just by using money stained with the blood of infected brothers? We didn't have a choice before, but now we do. Are we still going to go down this dark path?"

“You have a point… but I still think that if I really get elected, I should tell the boss, just to make things clear…”

"As you wish!"

The short, stout man patted him on the back and pointed ahead, "Hurry! It's our turn to get a number, hurry, hurry, or we won't get one..."

Zhao Zizhan held two resumes, looked at the figures in the crowd, and smiled without saying a word.

Now we've won over some groups and sowed discord among others. The remaining group has a very clear objective: what to do next?

……

The camps on both sides were bustling with activity like never before. On one side, drums and gongs resounded and crowds thronged, while on the other side, people were working hard, sweating profusely.

Upon hearing that they were being given houses to live in, these infected individuals worked incredibly hard. As soon as they arrived at the base, they were given a free shower and new clothes, which boosted everyone's happiness level. They even straightened their backs more as they walked. Wow, it really is true! The guys who came before us weren't lying to us!

When the morning quickly ended and lunch boxes were distributed around noon, the infected people were stunned by the delicious aroma alone.

Is there really such a good thing? Just by doing chores for me, I can eat such delicious food?