Volume One Mutation Chapter Sixty-Four Answer Me!

The next morning, Liu Cong ceased transmitting energy into Liu Qingqing’s body and began to get up and wash. The previous night, he had agreed with the two commanders to have breakfast together. As a junior, it would not do to rise too late and keep them waiting.

After dressing neatly, Liu Cong approached the bed. Seeing her sleeping soundly, he gently tucked the quilt around her and left the room.

At dawn, Safe Zone No.1 was already alive with activity; silhouettes moved everywhere. In Liu Cong’s eyes, it was like a normal human city before the apocalypse. The entire zone was shielded by a massive transparent dome. Outside, snow lay thick and white, yet inside, it was eternally spring. Lush greenery spread everywhere, new buildings stood tall, roads as wide as those outside, and shops lined the streets, all speaking silently of the peace found here.

It was hard to believe all this had been built in barely a year. Only now did Liu Cong truly appreciate the formidable construction capabilities of China.

He lived in the very heart of the safe zone, a place reserved for dignitaries and the elite—either wealthy individuals who had, single-handedly, donated vast resources to the government, or high-ranking officials. Residence here was a mark of status, and so the environment was noticeably better: more greenery and carefully tended landscapes. Stepping outside, the first thing Liu Cong did was take a deep breath of the fresh air.

The garden-like houses resembled small villas, pleasing to the eye. Liu Cong’s own home was a luxurious, vacant villa, built urgently for his sake—it was now officially his property, a privilege many envied.

As he walked out, the two sentries at the gate saluted him. Liu Cong nodded in acknowledgment and followed the same route he had taken the night before, taking in the surroundings and musing to himself, “It is only when something is lost that people learn to cherish it. Before the apocalypse, people wantonly cut down forests and destroyed vegetation. Now, with the end times upon us, such things are treasured more than ever.”

At the heart of the garden stood the city hall of Safe Zone No.1, and beside it, a small park with artificial hills, a babbling brook, and a small pavilion poised above the water.

Liu Cong followed the path to the pavilion. From a distance, he could already see shadows moving within. He quickened his pace.

Zhang Quanyou, spotting Liu Cong hurrying over, laughed heartily, “There you are, young man! You’ve kept us waiting long enough!”

“Commanders, you two are up so early! I thought I was already early, but it seems I’m still late. My apologies for keeping you waiting,” Liu Cong said with a note of embarrassment.

Li Yu was setting out bowls and chopsticks on the table. “Don’t mind him, we’ve only just arrived ourselves. When you get old, you get used to sleeping early and rising early. It’s normal for young people to sleep in.”

“Haha, I was just joking!” Zhang Quanyou chuckled, patting the bench beside him. “Come, sit here. Breakfast will be ready soon. We thought you’d sleep a little longer.”

Liu Cong sat down, looking at the prepared dishes and feeling a strange sense of déjà vu, as if he had returned to the days before the apocalypse, sharing a meal with family.

“Xiao Liu, go and let them know we can start eating,” Li Yu called to a nearby guard.

The guard answered and trotted off, soon returning with several attendants in white uniforms, each carrying food containers. Under Liu Cong’s surprised gaze, the small dishes from the containers quickly covered the table.

“That’s enough, you may go now,” Li Yu said.

Li Yu ladled out a bowl of porridge each for Liu Cong and Zhang Quanyou before serving himself. “Let’s eat!”

Zhang Quanyou, eyeing the food, seemed to spot something and his eyes lit up. Without ceremony, he grabbed a plate of meatballs, placed it before himself, and grinned at Liu Cong. “Looks like I’m in luck today! My favorite meatballs. Don’t even think about snatching them from me.”

Liu Cong just smiled. Li Yu shook his head, “Those were specially prepared for Liu Cong. You can’t have them all to yourself.”

Liu Cong replied, “Commander Li, it’s fine. I’m not particularly fond of meatballs.”

Zhang Quanyou divided half the plate for Liu Cong, his face beaming. “Eat up! These are a rare treat. Who knows how many more times we’ll get to taste them.”

Li Yu snorted, “Just be glad you’re eating them now. Liu Cong, take them—don’t be shy. Getting a bite from this old fox isn’t easy.”

Watching the two commanders, their hair tinged with gray, bicker on his behalf, Liu Cong felt a surge of warmth. He no longer stood on ceremony, picking up a meatball and popping it into his mouth.

“How is it? Tasty?” Zhang Quanyou asked, grinning.

“It’s delicious!”

“Haha! Eat as much as you like. But don’t just eat the meatballs—the other dishes are good too,” Li Yu added, laughing.

The atmosphere lightened, and the three of them ate together, quickly finishing all the food on the table.

After the attendants had cleared away the dishes, Liu Cong finally asked, “Commanders, is there a new task for me this time?”

Li Yu and Zhang Quanyou exchanged glances. Li Yu spoke first, “That’s right. Your battle footage has already spread across the globe. Everyone is amazed and envious that China has a sword immortal like you. A few days ago, Japan suffered a major crisis. The mutated creatures coming ashore from the sea there are appearing in numbers dozens of times higher than anywhere else in the world. The Japanese islands are on the brink of collapse. They want to evacuate their population to our country, but they can’t manage it alone. They hope you can go help them.”

Zhang Quanyou added, “At first, I was against sending you there. It’s far too dangerous. But Japan’s former Prime Minister had secretly placed many spies in our government, becoming a serious threat to our nation’s security. The last missile incident was their doing. Their offered reward is a set of advanced technical documents and, more importantly, this list of spies.”

Liu Cong was shocked. “The missile incident was their doing? We thought it was just a case of negligence.”

Zhang Quanyou nodded. “That’s right. One of their technicians cracked our defense system and altered the missile deployment data. We still don’t know if their target was that T4 creature or the G15. After the mission, the technician committed suicide.”

Li Yu’s expression was grave. “If they could do it once, they could do it again. We cannot give them another opportunity. Next time, it might be every military district, every safe zone in our country that’s at risk.”

Liu Cong now fully understood the gravity of the situation. Spies were never simple, and those in high positions could have access to vital state secrets without anyone realizing it.

Li Yu continued, “But the situation isn’t as dire right now, because the man they answered to, Abe, is dead.”

“How did he die?” Liu Cong asked.

“Supposedly, he went mad and shot himself, but I doubt it was that simple. In any case, it’s not our concern. With Abe dead, the list fell into the hands of the new Prime Minister, Masao Nakamura, who now uses it as a bargaining chip for rescue,” Zhang Quanyou replied.

“The problem is, we must get our hands on that list. Unless these people are rooted out, we’ll never know peace. On a small scale, they undermine our government; on a larger scale, one day, our descendants could end up being led by a Japanese infiltrator!” Li Yu said, his brow furrowed and his tone bitter. Since learning about these traitors, he’d hardly slept a night.

“Liu Cong, are you willing to go to Japan?” Zhang Quanyou asked gently, his tone softening. “Think carefully before you answer. It’s extremely dangerous there, and we cannot guarantee your safety. If you refuse, we won’t hold it against you. In fact, that’s what we would prefer.”

Li Yu, recalling the vote a few days earlier, sighed. “Yes, if you don’t go, we won’t force you. It’s better for you to stay and protect your own country.”

Liu Cong was silent, pondering under the commanders’ earnest gazes. After a while, he followed his heart, smiled, and gave his answer. “Commanders, I am willing to go to Japan!”