Chapter 2883: Small Town Infrastructure Construction Proceeds Happily 02

Uncle Zhao gathered the news that the southern base had only released one agricultural professor.

Two young people followed behind him; one looked clever, about twenty, curiously sizing up Jin Chen and Yan Gugu.

The other was younger, about sixteen or seventeen, carrying a big pack and also holding a sharpened iron spear.

Huo Zhaoye's tone was still calm, after all, he knew he was receiving a scarce talent.

"Which of you two is Yan Gugu?"

The monkey beside him also chimed in, "Yeah, our boss heard only one professor came from the southern base, so why are there two?"

Yan Gugu brushed off the dust on his clothes, hearing this stepped forward, carefully pulled out an oilcloth bundle from his bosom, took out the paper and handed it over.

"I am Yan Gugu; this is the identity certificate and recommendation letter given by the southern base."

Huo Zhaoye took it, unfolded it, saw a blurry red seal still stamped on it, squinted at it, and muttered lowly, "Who wrote this? What bird-scrawl, like ghostly talismans."

From the side came Jin Chen's reminder, "You have it backwards."

Huo Zhaoye: "..."

He lowered his head to look again, his face a little embarrassed but he didn't flare up, silently turned the paper over; now it looked much better.

"Yan, Gu, Gu." Huo Zhaoye read each character aloud, nodded, closed the booklet and tossed it back to Yan Gugu, "All right, I know it's you."

Huo Zhaoye then looked at Jin Chen, "Who are you, kid?"

Jin Chen lowered his eyelids slightly, avoiding Huo Zhaoye's overly direct gaze, "My name is Jin Chen; I'm passing through, hoping to go to Clear River Base to the east—I didn't expect to encounter mutated wolves."

Before Huo Zhaoye could speak, Lin Xiaoshu, who was carrying a big pack, brightened up, "You can read characters! You just saw our boss had it backwards."

In these times, it's not common to see someone literate and cultured.

Most survivors struggle to stay fed and clothed; old-era books and documents are severely damaged, literacy has become a luxury, even "useless," and only people in some large bases still retain reading and writing ability.

Jin Chen lightly nodded: "I know a few."

His attitude wasn't warm, even a bit cold, but in Lin Xiaoshu's view, that actually fit his image of an intellectual—capable people having a bit of temper is quite normal!

The monkey leaned close to Huo Zhaoye's ear, "Brother Huo, this is a genuine literate and educated cultured person!"

"Those kids in our town running around all day isn't a solution; Third Uncle keeps saying that if we want a good life in the future, our heads can't be filled only with sand and fists—we need some letters too. Why not… bring him back with us?"

Huo Zhaoye heard this, stroked his chin and thought for a moment.

Third Uncle Qiao indeed often said that; he'd had enough of the losses from illiteracy, many good things left from the old world—diagrams, instructions, even prescriptions—because they couldn't be read, they could only be thrown away as scrap paper or wildly guessed at.

North Town wants to establish itself; it can't rely solely on strength.

Moreover, out in these wilds, abandoning such a seemingly weak scholar would basically be a death sentence if he later ran into mutated beasts or ill-intentioned drifters.

"Jin Chen, right? You said you want to go to Clear River Base? That place isn't easy to reach; the road isn't safe."

Huo Zhaoye continued, "If it's convenient, changing to another place to make a living is also fine."

"Our Peace North Town may be small and poor, but we have order and unity of heart. People like you, cultured individuals, we are very welcome."

These words may not sound polite, but this is already Huo Zhaoye's "sincere invitation."

Jin Chen's eyes flickered slightly as he stepped two paces toward Huo Zhaoye, closing the distance to less than a meter.

Although he was actually a bit taller than Huo Zhaoye, he looked frail; with his eyes down, his sense of fragility became more pronounced.

"Just now… thank you, you're right; without you, I might have been in trouble."

Huo Zhaoye couldn't help but glance at Jin Chen's face again, clicking his tongue inwardly—really, his looks… made it impossible not to notice.

"So, come back with us to North Town have a look? If you join our Peace North Town, I won't guarantee anything else, but your safety is assured—no need to worry at all. With me, Huo Zhaoye, around, none of that chaotic nonsense dares to enter the town and cause trouble."

Jin Chen, however, didn't immediately agree or refuse; he only said, "Can I first go take a look?"

Huo Zhaoye perked up at that—there's a chance!

"Of course!" Huo Zhaoye said cheerfully, "If you like it, stay; if not… well, we'll talk later."

He turned around and called to the monkey, "Monkey, fix the car; Xiaoshu, tidy up—don't waste those few wolves, take the skins and any usable bones."

"All right, Boss Huo!"

On the way back, Jin Chen and Yan Gugu were arranged in the back seat.

Huo Zhaoye sat in the passenger seat, Xiaoshu drove, and the monkey squeezed in between Jin Chen and Yan Gugu.

The car was a modified one; the engine noise was loud, the suspension poor, and it jolted badly.

The monkey was a chatterbox; right away he changed his address to "teacher" and tried to strike up a conversation with Jin Chen, asking this and that.

For example, where he came from, which base he had stayed at before, what he had read.

Huo Zhaoye glanced at him several times in the rearview mirror.

This person sat ramrod straight; even with the jolts, his back never slumped against the seatback, as the wind‑sand light outside swept across his face, faint and flickering.

Suddenly, the monkey let out a "huh" and pointed at the inner side of Jin Chen's right wrist.

"Professor Jin, what's this on your wrist?"

There was a pattern there, like an indecipherable symbol tattoo.

On Jin Chen's fair wrist, this dark red patch stood out starkly, even seeming eerie.

The monkey wondered curiously, "Is this the marking of some territory? It looks quite special."

Before he finished speaking, Jin Chen's reaction startled everyone in the car.

Only see Jin Chen jerk his hand back as if shocked, quickly pull down his sleeve, firmly covering his wrist—a motion so swift it bordered on panic, making his already pallid face turn even whiter.

He lowered his head, his bangs shielding his brows and eyes, then slowly lifted his gaze to stare straight at Huo Zhaoye watching this scene in the rearview mirror.

Huo Zhaoye felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest.

Like an unspeakable past he didn't want to speak of, it was suddenly uncovered and exposed to the scrutiny of strangers.

He stared at him, lips pressed white, forcing himself to support that wavering calm.

Good grief—Huo Zhaoye himself didn't know how he could read so much messy emotion from just those eyes.

Huo Zhaoye turned his body, propped his elbow on the seatback, also looked at Jin Chen's wrist hidden by the sleeve, his voice sinking, "What is that?"

He must ask.

He cannot bring a hidden danger of unknown origin, bearing a strange mark, back to North Town.

Jin Chen said nothing, merely gazing at him, the fragility and embarrassment in his eyes growing stronger.

Huo Zhaoye felt something off, his gaze dropping downward.

This person is almost pinching his wrist until it bleeds.

Huo Zhaoye: "……"

It made it seem as if he were bullying someone.

"…Alright!" Huo Zhaoye said in a hard tone, impatient, "Let go of your hand! I'm not asking anymore!"

"You'd better not have any ill intentions."

After several seconds, Jin Chen seemed to slowly recover.

He gradually loosened his clenched hand, fingertips slightly trembling as they lay flat on his knee, he lifted his gaze and looked at Huo Zhaoye once more.

Huo Zhaoye, sensing something, also turned his face, seeing Jin Chen lightly twitch the corner of his mouth toward him.

Huo Zhaoye froze for half a second, then clicked his tongue and looked out the window.

Tsk, he's good‑looking… his smile really is fucking different.

For the rest of the journey, no one spoke in the car; the monkey also sensed the awkward atmosphere and obediently kept quiet.