Ch 208: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

Shen Yunxuan was quite pleased because she could feel an increase in faith energy. The people she had rescued, after witnessing her smooth transaction with Thunder Base and seeing how respectfully the leader treated her, became even more devoted to her.

She suddenly realized she had found a new way to collect faith energy, which could directly enhance her cultivation. How could she not be happy about that?

However, she did not take them back to Blazing Flame Base. Although it had been a base before and could be cleaned up for use, for these people, it was still a painful memory. Moreover, the few ability users who had escaped knew the base’s structure inside and out, meaning they could launch a surprise attack at any time.

Instead, Shen Yunxuan planned to take them to a new location to establish a fresh base—one farther from Thunder Base. This would allow for greater territorial expansion in the future, enabling them to hunt more zombies and collect more crystal cores.

On the way, she started chatting with a few locals about city buildings, asking which structures were the sturdiest.

This question puzzled them. They were just ordinary people living their daily lives—how would they know about such things? But suddenly, one person remembered something:
“Minghua School! I saw a news report about it before. It’s a very expensive private school—tuition costs 200,000 a year! So everything in the campus is top-notch, and the buildings are all earthquake-resistant.”

“A school?” Shen Yunxuan thought for a moment and realized it was a perfect choice. It had walls, dormitories, a cafeteria, a sports field, offices, and warehouses. If the restrooms and showers could be repaired, it could even be a relatively comfortable base.

She checked the map and saw that the school’s layout was square and compact, located in a newly developed suburban area. Behind the school was a large expanse of empty land. While the other three sides had buildings, they were not in densely populated areas.

The school was situated right between two cities, meaning they could collect supplies from both areas. There was also a highway—once cleared, it would make it much easier for ability users to enter the city and gather resources.

Driving from Thunder Base to the school would take around six hours—twice the distance from their previous location. But overall, it matched Shen Yunxuan’s vision perfectly. She had the locals guide her and set out for Minghua School!

Meanwhile, she marked locations on her map, asked for more details, and then left the convoy to act alone.

To establish a base, many essential facilities were needed. Generators were available at the school, and daily necessities could be found in the logistics department and dormitory buildings. Basic supplies could be gathered over time after settling in, but research equipment would be much harder to find.

Had she known she would need to build her own base, she definitely wouldn’t have helped Professor Lin destroy Blazing Flame Base’s machines.

Before leaving, Shen Yunxuan emptied her storage pouch of food, filling several vehicles to free up more space. Fortunately, they had enough vehicles; otherwise, there wouldn’t have been enough room to load everything.

Seeing so much food, the first reaction from the group was excitement, followed by a deep sense of relief. These foods hadn’t expired! Most of the food they usually ate was long past its expiration date. Now, they understood why Shen Yunxuan had sold Blazing Flame Base’s supplies to Thunder Base—she had even better stockpiles herself.

Shen Yunxuan first went to several hospitals and disease control centers in the city. She was short on time, so she didn’t fight zombies—she simply moved at high speed, gathering all kinds of medical equipment and storing them in her space pouch. She also collected large amounts of medicine, even grabbing operating tables. She wasn’t an expert in this field, so her strategy was simple: If it looks useful, take it.

Next, she went to University Town. This area was swarming with zombies—there were zombies everywhere. She quickly located several university laboratories, collecting not only medical equipment and chemicals but also various research documents. Who knew? Some of them might be useful.

For now, that was all she could find. She had no way of knowing if the city had an actual research institute—the map certainly didn’t show one. Time was limited, and even collecting these items took her several hours. Once she was done, she immediately used qinggong to rush to Minghua School.

The newly developed suburban area was in surprisingly good condition. Despite years of the apocalypse, the sparsely populated region had suffered relatively little destruction. Compared to the inner city, it was a refreshing sight.

By the time she arrived, the group was hard at work clearing out zombies. Schools, after all, housed a significant number of people—teachers, students, staff. Fortunately, since this was an elite private school, it didn’t have the same overcrowding as public schools. Additionally, after years of the apocalypse, those who had initially survived had long since fled, and many zombies had wandered out of the campus. Their job was simply to clear out the remaining ones.

Shen Yunxuan observed for a while and noted that most of the zombies were low-level. Any high-level ones that had evolved probably left long ago. She immediately mobilized metal- and earth-ability users to reinforce the school walls, using steel bars, concrete, and stone to raise and thicken the outer barriers, transforming them into watchtowers. The upper sections were designed with spaces for sentries to patrol and hide if necessary.

She then assigned wood-ability users to extract crystal cores from zombie corpses and fire-ability users to burn the bodies.

As she issued commands, she remained vigilant across the battlefield. If anyone was in danger, she used spiritual power to protect them. If a level-three zombie appeared, she personally took action to eliminate it, leaving the level-one and level-two zombies for the soldiers to use as training.

Professor Lin and the other ordinary people stood on the truck, watching as the zombies in the campus fell one after another. They saw Shen Yunxuan calmly directing everyone, and for some reason, their hearts settled down.

This place wasn’t even a real base yet. Nothing had been established. They had only known Shen Yunxuan for two days. But they felt at ease. Maybe it was because, after surviving in the apocalypse for so long, Shen Yunxuan was the most capable leader they had ever met, and also the kindest.

They had no ability to roam freely in the apocalypse. They didn’t know if stronger people existed elsewhere in the world. But in the years they had lived in this region, the person who had earned their deepest admiration and loyalty was Shen Yunxuan.

There had been some people in the group with their own little schemes. But precisely because of those schemes, they didn’t dare to follow Shen Yunxuan into the unknown, choosing instead to stay at Thunder Base. Those who were willing to follow her into an uncertain future were all people of decent character.

At this moment, as they watched the ability users fight through the campus while they themselves could do nothing, they felt ashamed and uneasy, restless with a sense of uselessness.

Professor Lin, the oldest among them, saw their expressions and said, “There’s no need to rush. The base will need people in every aspect. As long as we do what we can, we will be making a contribution.”

His words offered some comfort, but only a little. Most of them still felt lost. What could they do? Even if Shen Yunxuan had a serum that could awaken abilities, it was far too precious—there was no way she would use it on them.

Thinking back to their days at Blazing Flame Base, many of them looked grim. As cruel as the Blazing Flame Base had been, the truth was that as ordinary people, they often had no idea how they could survive in the apocalypse. It was a despairing feeling, being powerless and unable to see a future.

As they were lost in thought, Shen Yunxuan and her team finished clearing out the zombies in the school. After triple-checking every corner to make sure there were no stragglers, she finally had the trucks driven into the campus and shut the gates.

Professor Lin and the others stepped down from the trucks. The moment their feet touched the ground, they felt an odd sensation—like they had arrived home. The thought startled them, making them feel both amused and panicked. How could this feel like home? They hadn’t even properly looked around the school yet.

But before they could dwell on it, Shen Yunxuan called everyone to the cafeteria for a meal.

A few water-ability users thoroughly washed the cafeteria tables and floors. They also cleaned all the pots, pans, and utensils with detergent, making sure everything was sanitary. Since these items had been stored in the kitchen, they were not contaminated. Fire-ability users then cooked a large amount of instant noodles, boiling eggs, and heating up sausages—each person received a big bowl of noodles with two eggs and a sausage.

It was a simple meal, something utterly ordinary before the apocalypse. But as they ate, many of them had tears in their eyes. Some even sobbed softly. How many years had it been since they had a hot meal like this, with both eggs and meat?

The ordinary people stole glances at the ability users and noticed something even more emotional—they were all eating the same meal. There was no special treatment for anyone. The fog in their eyes thickened, because for a moment, it felt like they were back in the world before the apocalypse. Everyone was treated as equals, as human beings.

It was at that moment that Professor Lin finally understood why he had chosen to leave the safety of Thunder Base to follow Shen Yunxuan. It was because she treated everyone with respect. She did not divide people into ranks or classes. She treated everyone as human beings, just like before the apocalypse. That was something almost impossible to find in this world—a leader who was worth following, even if it meant risking everything.

For the young men and women who had been forced into terrible situations, the emotions were even heavier. All of them had suffered, carrying deep psychological scars. But Shen Yunxuan and the fifty soldiers by her side looked at them without disdain or pity. They simply saw them as people. That alone made them feel safe and gave them a sense of ease they hadn’t had in years.

After everyone finished eating, Shen Yunxuan said, “We’ll be leaving tomorrow morning. The base is still lacking many things, but they can be added over time. Don’t take unnecessary risks. I’ll come back in the future, but I can’t guarantee when. Next time, I’ll bring more advanced research equipment.”

Professor Lin immediately nodded and added, “Shen, you all need to be careful out there. Safety comes first—equipment is secondary.”

Shen Yunxuan smiled. “Same to all of you—safety first. Our base won’t cause trouble, but we also won’t be afraid of it. Focus on living well. Moving forward, the research here will focus on three things: strengthening human abilities, eliminating the zombie virus, and restoring soil fertility.

No matter the circumstances, the experimentation on super soldiers is forbidden. The more dangerous things become, the more we must maintain our moral boundaries. Only then can humanity achieve true victory. Understood?”

The dozen or so researchers sitting nearby were shaken by her words. They immediately straightened up and, as if by instinct, answered in unison, “Understood!”

Shen Yunxuan’s research goals were exactly what they had always dreamed of working on. Their once dull, lifeless eyes now sparkled with light.

Afterward, Shen Yunxuan began assigning tasks.
Some people were to register names, take inventory of supplies, and allocate living spaces.
Others were to draft the base’s rules, laws, and reward-punishment system.
A third group was assigned to thoroughly search the entire campus, gather useful supplies, clean dirty areas, and discard anything that couldn’t be used.

Everyone quickly got to work. The school was indeed very well built, with high-quality materials, excellent interior design, and an overall luxurious feel. The library had a vast collection of books, which could be used for study or to pass the time.

The campus also included a gymnasium, swimming pool, and an auditorium, covering both fitness and recreational activities, with fully equipped facilities. Even the physics, chemistry, and biology labs were housed in a separate laboratory building, which was perfect for use as the base’s research center. Some of the equipment inside was still in good condition and could be used immediately, and the layout of the building was very practical. After touring the place, Professor Lin couldn’t help but smile.

Shen Yunxuan placed all the equipment she had gathered at the entrance of the building, instructing people to clean and register everything before handing it over to the researchers for allocation and setup.

After designating a warehouse, she stored all the food, medicine, and half of the military supplies inside. Then she said, “I won’t be leaving any crystal cores here. If you need them, you’ll have to go outside and hunt for them.”

Since her homeworld didn’t have crystal cores, she needed to take as many as possible back to see if they could serve as a new energy source.

Qi Zhan immediately responded, “Don’t worry, Shen. We’ll not only find crystal cores for ourselves but also collect extra for you.”

Shen Yunxuan nodded. “From now on, you’ll be in charge of managing the base as its leader—”

Before she could finish, Qi Zhan interrupted, “I can manage things, but I’ll only be the deputy leader. Shen, you should be the leader. That’s what everyone wants!”

“Yes! That’s what we all think!”

“Shen, please be our leader!”

Shen Yunxuan looked around and saw that everyone was indeed looking at her with anticipation. She thought for a moment before saying, “I won’t be able to visit often. The last time Sister Hong saw me was several years ago, and I really can’t say when I’ll be able to come back next.”

“It’s fine. We’ll develop the base well and wait for your return,” Qi Zhan said firmly. In the research facility, he had suffered countless times, on the verge of breaking down. Ever since Shen Yunxuan saved him and gave him the chance to take revenge, his loyalty to her had become absolute. He didn’t know if there would be long-term side effects from his condition, or how long he would live, but he only wanted to dedicate the rest of his life to serving Shen Yunxuan.

Shen Yunxuan patted his shoulder. “Alright! I’ll be the leader, and you’ll be the deputy leader. I’ll leave this place in your hands, and whenever I have the chance, I’ll bring more supplies.”

“Understood!” Qi Zhan and the others smiled. Whether Shen Yunxuan was here or not, it seemed that just having her as their leader gave them peace of mind and a sense of belonging.

A base that didn’t even have a name yet already felt like home to them. The feeling was strange but also exciting—like they were restoring order to humanity and rebuilding a peaceful society. It was a thrilling prospect.

Shen Yunxuan took out everything she could from her spatial storage—solar-powered flashlights, solar lighters, and other survival gear. She had also collected some generators when scavenging for research equipment, and she left all of them at the base.

At that moment, Qi Zhan came over to tell her that her office and living quarters were ready and invited her to take a look. Shen Yunxuan hadn’t expected them to prepare these, but she followed him to check them out. The office was the former principal’s office—grand and luxurious, with a beautiful view from the window. However, she declined the prepared living quarters. Since there was a small rest area inside the office, she decided that was enough.

She was already used to resting in her office. It was just a place to sleep, so there was no need for anything extra, especially since she wouldn’t be visiting frequently. Having a designated space in the office was sufficient.

The dormitories consisted of two-person and four-person rooms. Since there were only a few dozen people at the moment, she let them choose freely—either staying alone or rooming with people they trusted.

While Shen Yunxuan was touring the base, Qi Zhan followed closely, which made her reflect for a moment. When she had initially released the test subjects from the Blazing Flame Base, it was partly out of compassion but also a strategic move—to let them take revenge and keep the Blazing Flame ability users occupied while she had time to save others and escape. Everything had followed its natural course.

But she hadn’t expected Qi Zhan and his group to wipe out most of the Blazing Flame ability users, hand over all the crystal cores and supplies to her, and swear loyalty to her. It was a completely unexpected reward, a perfect example of good karma. Just as they had completely lost hope in life, they encountered Shen Yunxuan, and they saw her as their salvation.

Through the power of faith, Shen Yunxuan could feel their unwavering loyalty, which made her all the more invested in building up the base. Once the walls were reinforced, she cut her finger and used her blood to draw symbols on the walls and main gate. The blood runes flashed momentarily before vanishing, leaving no visible trace. But from then on, the walls and gates would be indestructible—even a rocket launcher wouldn’t be able to break them.

Next, she took out the ancient artifacts she had collected, selecting a few top-grade jade pieces and smashing them. Using the jade fragments, she created a massive spirit-gathering formation around the base.

She then transcribed the basic cultivation technique and the Fragrant Swan Steps she had developed and handed them to Qi Zhan, instructing Gao Lang and the others to teach them to everyone.

In this apocalyptic world, since abilities were fueled by spiritual energy, this cultivation method would allow ability users to absorb energy from the environment rather than relying solely on crystal cores. Practicing the Fragrant Swan Steps would enhance their speed to the level of a speed-type ability user.

The ordinary people cheered excitedly and immediately took on a serious attitude toward learning.

Shen Yunxuan gave Professor Lin some serum injections and soil purification powder. He was so excited that he wanted to start research immediately, but she stopped him and told all the researchers to learn the Fragrant Swan Steps first. At the very least, they needed to be able to run if they encountered danger.

That night, no one slept. Everyone was busy learning qinggong and cultivation methods. By dawn, Shen Yunxuan bid them farewell and took all the special forces soldiers to the gymnasium.

Everyone assumed they were holding a meeting, so they didn’t disturb them. However, after several hours passed and no one came out, they started to worry. When they went to check inside the gymnasium, they found it completely empty—there was no one there!

Qi Zhan was startled. “Where is the leader? Quick, spread out and search for them!”

The group immediately searched the entire campus, inside and out, but found no trace of them. There were no signs of departure, no tire tracks, and the gate hadn’t been opened. No one had even seen Shen Yunxuan or the soldiers leave the gymnasium.

The long-haired man suddenly spoke up. “Could it be a teleportation array?”

Everyone turned to look at him, making him swallow nervously before explaining his guess. “The leader can draw talismans, and when we were hiding in the shop before, a group of people suddenly appeared on the street. We never saw where they came from, nor did we hear the sound of trucks, as if they had just materialized.

And now they’ve vanished without a trace—maybe they used a teleportation array? It’s probably similar to the talismans she draws.”

Everyone exchanged glances, feeling that his guess was highly plausible. Since Shen Yunxuan had already bid them farewell, it didn’t really matter how she left. Though they felt a sense of loss, their focus quickly shifted to the base that still needed to be built. They threw themselves back into work with renewed determination.

They were going to make this base strong so that when their leader returned, she would see the results of their hard work! They wanted to prove to her that they weren’t useless, that they were capable, and that they would never let her down!

Shen Yunxuan’s brief visit to the fourth-level apocalypse plane had already changed the fate of two major bases. She worried a little about them but had done all she could. She could only hope that they would hold on until her next return.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go back immediately after returning home, but the problem was that she had collected too many crystal cores. She was bound to advance to level five, and once she did, even if she returned to the apocalyptic world right away, it would be a level-five plane.

Advancing from level four to level five meant an increase in danger. Time would pass differently, and she couldn’t simply go back after just a few days. This was something she had no control over.

Back in the transversal chamber, everyone felt a bit out of place. Their nerves had been stretched tight for so long—constantly fighting zombies, barely sleeping, always on edge. Now, returning to the absolute safety of a peaceful world, they found it difficult to adjust.

Elder Xu and Elder Chen had been waiting for them. The moment they saw their state, they became worried. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Xu Wenyu hurriedly did a headcount. “No one’s missing, but why do you all look like you’ve lost your souls?”

Shen Yunxuan was the first to recover. Smiling, she removed the pinhole camera and said, “You’ll understand once you watch the footage. This time in the apocalyptic plane, we faced several dangerous situations, but fortunately, we all made it back safely. I even established a base over there. Next time, we’ll have a place to stay. But first, we need to go through full decontamination. We absolutely can’t bring any apocalyptic viruses back.”

Hearing this, everyone became tense and immediately proceeded to the disinfection chamber. The staff conducted the decontamination process with exceptional care, while all the bureau’s experts gathered to ensure no viruses had been brought back.

When Shen Yunxuan took out everything from her storage space, everyone was surprised. Compared to previous trips, the amount of supplies she brought back this time was significantly less. But when they saw the pile of crystal-like objects that resembled gemstones or diamonds, curiosity took over. The items were immediately sent for decontamination, and each lab was given a few crystal cores to study.

Shen Yunxuan suggested that everyone who had returned should get a good night’s sleep and take a day off, while the bureau reviewed the footage to understand what had happened.

The special forces soldiers quickly left to rest after receiving permission, but Shen Yunxuan had no intention of resting. Instead, she sought out Elder Xu for a private conversation.

“Grandfather, I discovered something incredible during this trip!”

Elder Xu chuckled. “What is it?”

Shen Yunxuan lowered her voice. “I found that when I became the leader of the Tianxing Base and those people worshipped and believed in me, my strength grew stronger.”

Elder Xu froze for a moment before immediately turning serious. He realized just how crucial this discovery was. If they could establish a similar status for Shen Yunxuan in their home plane, it could directly enhance her strength!

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆