Shen Feng sat in the living room with Yu Renshu and Chu Chaoyan, chatting idly. He Lifeng kept asking questions, eager to know how Shen Feng had been doing outside. However, Shen Feng downplayed it, saying, "Nothing much, just led some people in a war, killed a bunch of zombies, and then retook Luzhou."
He Lifeng shook her head helplessly and said, "It's not that simple. You're not telling the truth."
Shen Feng smiled and replied, "I'm really not lying. It was quite easy for me outside. You're just worrying unnecessarily. I'm all grown up, I can take care of myself."
However, Chu Chaoyan began to expose him. She slowly walked over and sat beside Shen Feng, then quickly lifted his shirt. "Auntie, look," she said, "Shen Feng's scars are proof. He faced danger twice and almost died!"
Shen Feng hadn't expected Chu Chaoyan to do such a thing. Caught off guard, his shirt was lifted. He panicked, quickly grabbing Chu Chaoyan's hand and explaining to his mother, "She's talking nonsense. I'm going to take her to talk privately."
Shen Feng then dragged Chu Chaoyan back to his room and whispered, "Can you stop causing trouble? I didn't want my family to worry, and you've spilled everything. If you talk nonsense later, I'll spank you!"
"Didn't you say you don't hit women?" Chu Chaoyan asked weakly.
"I don't hit people in front of others, but if you push me too far, I will," Shen Feng said sternly.
Chu Chaoyan quickly replied, "I know you don't want your parents to worry, but you should also know that sometimes, if you don't tell the truth, they might worry even more. As the saying goes, 'A tree may prefer to remain still, but the wind will not cease; a son may wish to care for his parents, but they will not be there.' In this doomsday, anything can happen at any moment. So, when it comes to parents, it's best to tell them the truth!"
Shen Feng sighed and shook his head at her explanation, saying, "Many people believe this is the end of the world, but I don't! As long as we kill all the zombies, the world will be mostly peaceful. Even mutated animals won't be able to threaten humans, so it's not as dangerous as you imagine. Sometimes, we shouldn't let our parents worry."
Chu Chaoyan pursed her lips and said nothing, but she felt that Shen Feng was treating his parents like outsiders. It was too much to not even share his hardships outside.
Chu Chaoyan herself had lost contact with her parents during the zombie outbreak, likely having died outside. She now understood the pain of losing parents, feeling like a rootless duckweed, completely adrift. Seeing Shen Feng not being truthful, she couldn't help but push him, only to find he had his own reasons.
Seeing Chu Chaoyan fall silent, Shen Feng thought his threat had worked. He walked out of his room, intending to continue talking with his mother.
However, the moment Shen Feng stepped out of the room, he was surprised to find Yu Renshu sitting beside his mother. Yu Renshu had also lifted her clothes and was pointing to a wound on her abdomen. "That sword went right through me, and then it pierced Shen Feng as well. Fortunately, we had doctors at the base to stitch our wounds, otherwise, we would have died."
Shen Feng looked at Yu Renshu helplessly and said, "Why are you adding to the trouble?"
Before Yu Renshu could speak, He Lifeng looked up and reprimanded Shen Feng, "You dare say that! After experiencing such a dangerous situation, you're acting like nothing happened. Do you even consider me your mother?"
After speaking, He Lifeng gently stroked the scars on Yu Renshu's body. Although the scars had faded during her evolution, He Lifeng could still feel the pain her son must have endured when the sword pierced his body. It was true that people's hearts were like a wall between them; who would have thought that Shen Feng's two life-threatening experiences were both at the hands of humans, while zombies posed no threat to him.
At this moment, Yu Renshu looked up and raised an eyebrow at Shen Feng, as if in challenge.
Helpless, Shen Feng sat down and opened his phone, searching for useful information on underground websites. He didn't want his parents to worry, but Yu Renshu and Chu Chaoyan, whom he had brought along, kept spilling the beans. He was fed up and wished he hadn't brought them.
In Shen Feng's room, Chu Chaoyan found a stack of comics. Bored, she picked up a few and went out to read them. She unexpectedly discovered that comics were quite interesting, much more visual than books. However, comics had their drawbacks; many things that could be expressed in text couldn't be conveyed in comics.
As evening approached, there was a knock at the door. Shen Feng quickly got up to open it, guessing it was his sister, Shen Yu.
Shen Feng gently opened the door and saw his sister standing outside. Shen Yu was also surprised that it wasn't her mother who opened the door, but her younger brother, Shen Feng. She was carrying a bag of rice, some cabbage, and tomatoes.
Upon seeing Shen Feng, Shen Yu was startled. She put down the groceries, reached out, and felt his face, asking, "When did you get back? Why didn't you say anything?"
As she felt his face, Shen Yu pinched Shen Feng's ear and said angrily, "I told you not to go study out of town, but you didn't listen. Now you're back home, you know you were wrong, right?"
Shen Feng quickly replied, "Sister, don't do that. We have guests at home. Give me some face. Besides, I'm back now, aren't I?"
When Shen Feng decided to study out of town, his family was reluctant. After all, the whole family was in Rongcheng. If Shen Feng went to study elsewhere, they wouldn't see each other for a long time. Shen Feng actually went to Luzhou to get away from his family, as he felt suffocated staying home all the time. He chose to study in a new place to experience a different life.
However, Shen Feng didn't want to dwell on the past. If he hadn't gone to Luzhou, he wouldn't have met his senior sister, and he would have missed out on a perfect romance! It was a blessing in disguise. Shen Feng felt his current situation was quite good; at least he could make his own decisions about his life.
Shen Feng picked up the rice and vegetables from the floor and brought his sister back into the house. Shen Yu then saw two unfamiliar girls sitting in her home and immediately began to guess which one was her brother's girlfriend. She had heard that her brother liked his senior sister, so the girlfriend must be the slightly older one!
Yu Renshu and Chu Chaoyan also looked towards the door as Shen Yu entered. They saw a woman with long, shoulder-length hair walking in. Her facial features bore a slight resemblance to Shen Feng. She was wearing a round-necked sweater and tight pants, which accentuated her perfect figure. It seemed this was Shen Feng's sister! Yu Renshu and Chu Chaoyan couldn't help but observe her closely, as if trying to remember Shen Yu's appearance.
Later, He Lifeng prepared to cook, and Yu Renshu and Chu Chaoyan quickly went to help in the kitchen. Shen Yu sat beside Shen Feng and started talking.
Shen Yu was most curious about who her brother's girlfriend was. She quickly asked, "Of those two girls, who is your senior sister? Is it the one with the big chest?"
Shen Feng shrugged and said, "Guess!"
Shen Yu pointed at Yu Renshu and said softly, "Then I'll guess it's her. She looks a bit older."
Shen Feng shook his head, "It's not her. She's my friend, a doctor."
Shen Yu suddenly realized and pointed at Chu Chaoyan in the kitchen, saying, "Then it must be her. She looks about your age."
Shen Feng still shook his head, "She's also my friend, the granddaughter of a professor. She knows a lot about literature and history."
Shen Yu frowned, grabbed Shen Feng's ear, and said, "Why didn't you tell me your senior sister wasn't coming? You made me guess for so long. Why didn't you bring your wife home? Instead, you brought two friends. Are you trying to be a playboy?"
Shen Feng quickly explained, "Don't pinch my ear, or it'll go soft! I came to Rongcheng this time to fight. After the war, I have to go back to Luzhou. My senior sister is still guarding Luzhou, so I couldn't bring her back!"
Shen Yu suddenly remembered that it was mentioned that there would be a battle with zombies soon. Connecting this with Shen Feng's current identity, she frowned and said, "I thought you returned to Rongcheng to abandon the dark and turn to the light, but I didn't expect you were just here to fight. You've really disappointed me."
Saying this, Shen Yu's face showed displeasure. She had actually thought her brother would stay after returning to Rongcheng, but he was only here for a short visit and would clearly return.
However, after hearing his sister say that, Shen Feng couldn't help but ask, "Sister, what do you mean by 'abandon the dark and turn to the light'? When did I become the dark?"
Shen Yu realized her words were inappropriate and whispered, "Let me tell you, you absolutely must not speak of this outside. Actually, your civilian groups are considered rebels by the higher-ups. Although you've recaptured cities, you retain strong autonomy, making it difficult to command you. You're all ambitious people. The higher-ups aren't dealing with you now because the enemy is the zombies."
Shen Feng's brows furrowed immediately. "I'm a rebel? I really don't understand. I didn't receive any support, and I recaptured cities with my own people, yet these people upstairs consider me a rebel!"
Shen Yu quickly said, "Just know this, and don't say anything outside! Also, I advise you to quickly bring your wife back to Rongcheng after you return to Luzhou, and firmly stand with us from now on. You won't go wrong."
Shen Feng's face showed a mocking expression. "Stand with you? Like you, having your water and electricity restricted, communications restricted, and still having to work every day? If that's the case, I wouldn't have come to Rongcheng!"
Hearing this, Shen Yu became angry. She stared at Shen Feng and said, "Don't you understand? Your civilian groups are like bandits. If you don't obey the higher-ups, you'll be eliminated sooner or later. It's not too late to turn back now!"
"I think you've been brainwashed, Sister!" Shen Feng said calmly, looking at his sister's angry face. "In your eyes, any group that doesn't accept orders is a bandit. But have you considered the people at the bottom? The weak at the bottom are all waiting for rescue, but the rescue is delayed! The groups that recaptured cities did so initially for self-preservation. Now you call them bandits. Do you think your condescending attitude is appropriate?"
"Self-preservation is fine, of course, but if you form your own government and don't accept orders, then it's definitely rebellion. What else is it if not banditry?" Shen Yu didn't back down and continued, "The country will not abandon anyone, nor will it abandon any of its people. Recapturing every city takes time. As long as you trust the country, the country will eventually rescue you."
Shen Feng let out a cold laugh and then asked, "Then tell me, why recapture cities first, instead of rural areas? Why recapture the eastern regions first, instead of the western regions? Why recapture plains first, instead of mountainous areas? Tell me!"
Shen Yu hadn't expected her brother to ask this question and really hadn't thought about it. She could only perfunctorily reply, "There must be a priority system. You can't force it..."
"Enough!" Shen Feng said sternly. "If you don't know why, I'll tell you. It's because people have a hierarchy! Rural areas are destined to have fewer resources than cities. The west is naturally inferior to the east, and the poor are always inferior to the rich. You have a job now, and you think I'm a bandit, but have you ever thought about the unfairness of this world? Then you have no right to demand how others should act! I will not return to Rongcheng in the future. I will go to Luzhou. I want to lead a group of people to pursue the life we desire!"
"You say it so eloquently, but in reality, your civilian groups will do anything!" Shen Yu also became angry, her voice gradually rising. She pointed at Shen Feng's nose and said, "I've read a lot of information. Many so-called survivor bases are just exploiting people at the bottom. Some ability users have three wives and four concubines and are still not satisfied, constantly capturing beautiful women as maids. Some people kill the weak at will, and even more spread cults, misleading people to their deaths. These are all things done by civilian groups!"
Shen Feng sneered, "That's a generalization. At least in Luzhou, I protected the elderly and children, built city walls to protect people from zombie threats, and rescued people everywhere to free them from suffering. No one starved, and no one was turned away. Everything I did was good. Yet, you call me a bandit. Don't you even look at where you live? Resources are insufficient, young men are sent to other provinces to fight, and now, when a crisis arises, you call me to fight together, yet even the camp is monitored. Is this your so-called good place?"
"That's still better than your so-called civilian groups!" Shen Yu retorted, unconvinced. "My position is absolutely correct. No matter how scarce resources are in Rongcheng, it's for saving more people. Rongcheng has already saved tens of millions. The young men went to other provinces to save others. On the other hand, your civilian groups contribute little but constantly demand resources, causing trouble for the country!"
In the living room, Shen Yu and Shen Feng, the siblings, began to argue, while in the kitchen, He Lifeng was slowly cooking.
Yu Renshu couldn't help but ask, "Should we go and persuade them? Why are they fighting?"
He Lifeng smiled and said, "The siblings have been like this since they were young. Don't worry about them. As long as they don't hit each other, it's fine. They'll be back to normal by dinnertime."
Chu Chaoyan couldn't help but say, "The siblings have a really good relationship."
He Lifeng knew her children best. Therefore, she didn't care what they were discussing. They always argued, even when they were children watching TV. They would quickly return to their usual selves and wouldn't stay angry for long.