“The great Dao prevails, the world is for all, selecting the virtuous and capable, emphasizing good faith and cultivating harmony…”

Long Yuehong sat in the back row on the left, holding a book and reading in a low voice.

After finishing this passage, he raised his head and looked forward with a puzzled expression:

“Team Leader, why doesn't the company teach this ancient text?

“Has no one remembered it?”

The book in his hand was exchanged for food from Water Encirclement Town.

At this time, the afterglow of the setting sun was strong, forcing Jiang Baimian to put on her sunglasses.

She thought for a moment and said casually:

“I read it in extracurricular books when I was a child, which shows that many people still remember it.

“It's just that the company's senior management may not want everyone to study this ancient text, lest they all pursue a utopian society, which is not conducive to management.”

“Isn't that a bit much?” Long Yuehong expressed his opinion, “Although the company has not achieved the world being for all, selecting the virtuous and capable, at least it ensures that everyone has somewhere to end their old age, the strong are employed, the young are cared for, and, uh, the lonely, widowed, orphaned, disabled, and sick are all provided for.”

Halfway through, he forgot the words and had to look down at the book again.

Jiang Baimian laughed:

“There's a saying called nip it in the bud.

“Look, even employees like you who haven't been working for long know that the people above often abuse their power for personal gain and appoint people based on favoritism, which shows that everyone still has a scale in their heart. They don't dare to object openly, but they are pointing fingers in private.

“If generations accept ideas similar to a utopian society, how will they play? How will the big boss smoothly transfer power?”

Long Yuehong was somewhat persuaded, but still felt it wasn't that serious:

“No one should directly oppose the higher-ups, right?

“Everyone is quite satisfied with the current situation.”

Compared with the many wilderness settlements in the Ashlands, the interior of “Pangu Biology” is stable and peaceful. As long as everyone works hard, they will have a certain degree of reward and don't have to worry about starving to death.

“Not necessarily.” Jiang Baimian said as she turned the jeep and drove along a small river.

Long Yuehong immediately laughed:

“How could anyone be willing to make such a great sacrifice just to fight for rights for everyone?”

After asking this rhetorical question, he subconsciously looked at Shang Jianyao next to him.

He suddenly remembered that this friend and colleague often talked about saving all of humanity.

“Some do.” Shang Jianyao looked at him with bright eyes.

“…” Long Yuehong felt that he couldn't argue with this guy, so he changed the subject and said, “Aren't you sleeping?”

During this period, Shang Jianyao would take a nap every day from time to time, as if he had entered a period of intermittent hibernation.

Long Yuehong didn't find it strange. For the past half month, they had been on the road every day, with basically no other life. Besides sleeping, chatting, and physical exercises, what else was there to do?

“I was a little tired, so I woke up to rest for a while.” Shang Jianyao said something that sounded very strange but truthful.

He had been traveling in the “Sea of Origins” recently, looking for a second “island.”

“So sleeping isn't resting for you?” Long Yuehong joked.

He suddenly had a flash of inspiration and looked at Jiang Baimian's back again:

“Team Leader, then why does Water Encirclement Town teach this lesson? You've also seen that their higher-ups have their own little plans. They don't want the world to be for all, and they don't want people to care only for their own parents and children…”

Jiang Baimian “hmmed” and said:

“It's probably to prevent this from happening that they put similar articles in the classroom.

“Different intentions lead to two different choices.”

Bai Chen, who was in the passenger seat, glanced at the team leader and said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft:

“Actually, it's not that complicated.

“When Water Encirclement Town was first established, they used whatever textbooks they had. No one thought too much about it, and then it became a tradition.”

Jiang Baimian wanted to give Bai Chen a resentful look, but her sunglasses completely blocked her gaze.

She laughed dumbly:

“You can't tear down my platform when I'm talking about principles!”

When she said this, she was in a good mood because Bai Chen's condition had recovered well.

She thought that Tian Erhe's death would take Bai Chen a long time to recover from. As a result, the day after the handover and leaving Water Encirclement Town, Bai Chen showed no signs of being abnormal, only a little depressed.

In recent days, she had been no different from before.

Jiang Baimian understood this very well:

Which wasteland wanderer hasn't seen life and death?

As long as they don't directly collapse or have psychological problems, they will soon not be affected by similar events in their daily lives. Of course, maybe a long time later, when they think back, their hearts will still ache faintly.

After ending this topic, the jeep fell silent again.

After such a long half month, what else was there to talk about?

Long Yuehong then looked out the window and saw the low-hanging leaden clouds, the withered yellow wilderness, the brown soil, and the distant mountains and trees.

Besides these, there was nothing. Not to mention humans, even animals were reluctant to show their tracks.

This was the winter of the Ashlands.

Looking at such scenery for a long time was really depressing and annoying.

In order to get to Weed City as soon as possible and avoid possible dangers, the “Old Task Force” had been choosing similar places all the way, and it had been a full half month.

—They didn't take the usual route and detoured very, very far, and were delayed for many days due to changes in the environment and bad weather in some places.

“When will we meet people?” Long Yuehong exhaled slowly.

If this continued, he felt that he would go crazy one day.

“And then? Will you chat with them?” Shang Jianyao asked with some excitement.

“Uh…” Long Yuehong thought carefully and felt that he shouldn't be so rash. “I just want to see other people. Otherwise, I'll feel like the entire Ashlands is only us four.”

“Then who will you choose? For the sake of human reproduction, you must make a sacrifice.” Shang Jianyao seemed to be imagining Long Yuehong's hypothetical scenario.

Just as Jiang Baimian was about to stop this guy from continuing, Bai Chen suddenly said:

“In this season, it's better not to meet people in the wilderness.”

Long Yuehong also had some experience and said thoughtfully:

“The wanderers who still enter the wilderness in such cold weather have no food?”

“Yes. Moreover, their food is severely insufficient.” Jiang Baimian answered.

She then sighed:

“At that time, it's fine if they try to rob you, but if they kneel by the roadside, holding their children, begging bitterly, do you save them or not?

“If you choose to save them, how many days of food can you give them? How many can you save along the way?

“After saving them, if they feel that they still can't get through the winter and decide to take the opportunity to rob you, or even kill you and turn you into food reserves, what will you feel?

“Even if they are grateful and don't do this, they turn around and destroy other people you've saved, even more pitiful people, for food and to get through the winter, will you blame yourself?”

These rhetorical questions were like sharp arrows, accurately piercing Long Yuehong's heart, causing his lips to move, unable to answer.

“Not a single one can be saved.” Bai Chen answered for him, “Our food is only enough for us to eat until Weed City, and it's winter now.”

“Unless you're willing to starve yourself to death, it's better to turn a blind eye.” Jiang Baimian added.

She smiled self-deprecatingly:

“The power of an individual cannot save the Ashlands.

“The founders of the 'Salvation Army' decided to unite and establish an organization with equal status and the goal of saving all of humanity after experiencing similar events time and time again.

“They hoped to use a strong collective to rebuild social order and production systems in the fastest possible time, and then use this to accommodate more wanderers, produce more food and other materials, and snowball.

“What a pity…”

She lamented that the “Salvation Army,” which was established by idealists, eventually fell as well.

“There will always be successors.” Shang Jianyao replied with a solemn expression.

Jiang Baimian didn't continue this topic. She pursed her lips and said heavily:

“It's time to think about what to eat tonight.”

Hearing this, Long Yuehong's expression immediately collapsed, and Shang Jianyao didn't raise his hand to wipe the corner of his mouth either.

Their only three choices were:

Energy bars, compressed biscuits, and military canned food.

Although there were different flavors and types, they were ultimately energy bars, compressed biscuits, and military canned food.

After repeating these things every day for more than half a month, they couldn't help but feel bad and even a little nauseous when they heard similar topics.

“When we go back this time, I definitely don't want to eat canned food again.” Long Yuehong said sincerely.

Those canned foods were indeed delicious, but who could stand eating them every meal, every day?

Seeing that no one answered, Jiang Baimian looked at the setting sun hanging on the horizon and turned to Bai Chen and said:

“Are there any suitable wilderness wanderer settlements nearby?”

Although the map given by the company had marked several of the more famous settlements in this area, Jiang Baimian felt that it was more direct, convenient, and appropriate to ask Bai Chen.

“Besides trading food, what other requirements are there?” Bai Chen asked directly.

She was very sure that the team leader was not the kind of person who would change her itinerary just to change the menu.

Jiang Baimian laughed:

“We'll be in Weed City in a day or two. We have to make some preparations in advance.

“We can't just swagger into the city, can we?

“Even if the 'Life Ritual' cult is not that extreme or that powerful and hasn't obtained the information that we're going to Weed City, we have to consider the factors that caused the disappearance of the other 'Old Task Force.'

“So, it's better to find a suitable wilderness wanderer settlement and make some necessary disguises, such as mixing in with the merchants who are going to Weed City to trade.”

Clap clap clap, Shang Jianyao applauded sincerely. Long Yuehong also sincerely praised the team leader for being meticulous and comprehensive.

Bai Chen nodded lightly:

“I understand what you mean.

“Then let's go to the nearby 'Rootless' camp.

“They should all be here in winter.”

“Rootless?” Long Yuehong asked with a puzzled voice.

“Are they all eunuchs?” Shang Jianyao followed up.

Jiang Baimian also said with great interest:

“I've heard of the 'Rootless,' but I don't know much about them. What's the specific situation?”

Bai Chen smiled slightly:

“You'll know when you see them. They are not sub-humans, nor are they eunuchs. They are just a group of normal humans with very unique customs and habits.”

“Oh, you've even learned to keep us in suspense.” Jiang Baimian joked, “Which way should we go?”

Bai Chen had already sat up straight and began to point the way seriously.