Chapter 1489: Zheng Kui Who Lost His Family

Family—Xia Qing couldn't think of anyone for the moment, but one good candidate came to mind. "How about Zheng Kui?"

Zhang Shi had often heard Lords 1 through 10 chatting on the walkie-talkie and had heard of Zheng Kui. "Is that the patrol member Brother Kui who delivers supplies to the territories?"

Xia Qing nodded. "Yes, that's him. When Ten-Sister and Eleven lived in the town ruins last year, they once hijacked a patrol car. The driver at the time was Zhong Tao, and the big-eyed, bearded guy in the passenger seat with the gun was Zheng Kui. He's an ordinary soldier, but his shooting and combat ability are both decent. In last year's third Killing Rain, his mother-in-law lost control and killed his wife, who had just given birth, and their daughter who wasn't even a month old. After that, Zheng Kui lost his will to live and made peace with sacrificing himself on any mission."

Zhang San, who was poking at the fire, spoke up lazily. "To have survived till now, his luck isn't bad."

"You're absolutely right—luck is an important factor in surviving to the eleventh year of the catastrophe." Xia Qing replied and continued her introduction. "Territory Two will be merged into Center Nine soon. After temperatures rise next spring, I'll recruit another batch of workers. Zhong Tao is currently persuading Zheng Kui to retire from the army and join. Zheng Kui lost all his family, including his daughter; Ye Yiyi lost her parents. The two of them forming a family would be a mutual redemption."

During the catastrophe years, many survivors who had lost family formed blended families. Kuang Qingwei and Zhu Li of Territory Six, and Wang Jun and Wang Shunkang of Center Nine, all came together this way.

Xia Qing continued her introduction. "Of the children the employees of Center Nine have brought with them, one-third are orphans left behind by fallen comrades, or survivors they picked up while on missions. So it's perfectly normal for Zheng Kui, who lost his daughter, to adopt an orphan, retire from the army, and go work at Center Nine."

When Zhang Shi lived in the town ruins, she observed Zhong Tao and Zheng Kui a dozen or so times and confirmed they weren't bad people and weren't very strong in combat. Only then did she take Eleven out to rob them of a batch of salt and clothing—things she had no way of obtaining from the Evolution Forest.

Zhang Shi was also quite pleased with this candidate. "Zheng Kui's magnetic field is very stable. When he saw me with a child, he voluntarily holstered his gun and even advised us to enter a safe zone to live."

Because of the goodwill shown by Zheng Kui and Zhong Tao, Zhang Shi, who had come looking for her family, didn't move away immediately after the robbery as she had before, and stayed on in that abandoned town.

Zhang Shi didn't take their supplies for nothing. The two green-light wild chickens that Zhong Tao and Zheng Kui later had the incredible luck to hunt when passing through the town ruins were both raised by Zhang Shi.

Because Zhang Shi sensed their goodwill and didn't leave right after the robbery, she received the message Zhang San sent over and made contact with Zhang San, step by step leading to where she is now. So, in the mysterious way of fate, Ye Yiyi and Zheng Kui also have some connection.

Zhang Shi requested in advance, "Sister Qing, can you find a chance to chat with Zheng Kui? I need to assess his current mental state."

Xia Qing nodded. "When he comes to deliver goods tomorrow, I'll chat with him at the south gate of the territory. If he's not suitable, we'll keep looking. Center Nine plans to recruit 150 employees. Going through the candidates this winter, we should be able to pick someone suitable."

Zhang San, holding a fire-stoking stick, looked up. "Aren't you only recruiting in February next year? The candidate list is already drawn up now?"

Xia Qing grinned. "With a golden signboard like you around, the number of people wanting to join our center is at least eight hundred, if not a thousand. After Tang Lu died, Brother Yue started pulling together a list and doing background checks."

I'm not the golden signboard—you are! Zhang San snorted. "I'm hungry!"

Zhang Shi immediately said, "The food is all ready. Brother San and Sister Qing, take your time eating. I'll dish some out and bring it back for Ye Yiyi."

Zhang San nodded and asked, "Would you like to develop toward a professional child psychologist? Your abilities are very well suited for it."

Zhang Shi had love and patience, was willing to put in the effort to study, and could use magnetic sense to judge a patient's emotional state—very suited to be a psychologist.

Zhang Shi decisively shook her head and explained sincerely, "A psychologist needs very strong psychological endurance and self-regulation ability. I have neither, so I can't handle this job. My current profession suits me just fine."

Zhang San, who was washing his hands, asked, "Wolf dentist?"

Zhang Shi smiled. "Not just a dentist. I've positioned myself as a cross-species general practitioner. I still have many shortcomings. I'll have to ask Brother San for plenty of guidance in the future."

Zhang San pulled out a disinfectant wipe to dry the water droplets on his hands, looking thoroughly impatient. "I can't guide you on this path, and I don't have the spare time."

Zhang Shi, who could sense human emotions, smiled, took the food, and left Xia Qing's house to return to the basement to tend to her patients.

Xia Qing invited her idol upstairs. "Brother San, shall we go eat in the second-floor living room? There are no animals on the second floor—it's clean."

Zhang San didn't object. Carrying a plate of steamed buns, he followed Xia Qing to the second floor to eat and asked, "Where's the site for your new house?"

Xia Qing replied, "Right behind this house."

"Living separately from the animals?"

"Can't separate them. I'll still live upstairs; Lao Da, Wolf Lao Er, and Little Feimao live downstairs."

Zhang San……

Xia Qing handed the chopsticks to her idol and asked curiously, "Brother San, was Ye Yiyi's cosmetic surgery done according to the preferences of the foster family Zhang Shi picked out?"

Zhang San took a bite of the dish Zhang Shi had cooked, his expression softening a little. "Mainly to distinguish her from the previous Ye Shiyi, so as not to expose her identity. Has Zheng Kui studied psychology professionally?"

Xia Qing nodded. "All the soldiers at our base have studied psychological first aid and life rescue knowledge, but I'm not sure how well Zheng Kui studied."

The next morning at ten o'clock, Zheng Kui and his partner drove a cart of daily necessities into Territory One-North, and the lord channel immediately livened up.

When the patrol car drove over, Zhang Shi took Ye Yiyi and hid behind the wild-grass wall. Xia Qing opened the south gate and walked out, only to find that the person driving beside Zheng Kui had changed again.

The gaunt-faced Zheng Kui stubbed out his cigarette, jumped off the vehicle, and greeted Xia Qing. "Sister Qing, Little Wang was killed on a mission. This is He Zhongyun, my new partner. From now on, the two of us will deliver supplies to everyone."

"Hello, Sister Qing. Just call me Little He. Here's the two kilograms of green-light salt you wanted." He Zhongyun jumped off the vehicle, stood beside Zheng Kui, greeted her respectfully, and handed over four bags of salt. Then, following the training procedure, he introduced the supply prices. "Salt is a controlled commodity. One jin of green-light salt is 200 credits. Are you paying with credits or exchanging with supplies?"

After Zhong Tao retired and joined Center Nine, Zheng Kui went through four partners. The first three—two died and one was transferred. He Zhongyun was the first new recruit Zheng Kui formally introduced to Xia Qing.

It seemed he was very optimistic about this shy new soldier. Xia Qing's expression softened a little. She handed over the vegetable basket. "Exchange with green-light vegetables. Split the extra vegetables between you and Brother Kui."

He Zhongyun looked at Zheng Kui, and only after seeing him nod did he accept the insulated bag Xia Qing was holding, overwhelmed. "Thank you, Sister Qing."

While He Zhongyun went to put away the vegetables, Xia Qing took the opportunity to talk to Zheng Kui about the job.