pdf-ebookys Chapter 1179
Chapter 1179
She paused, her voice lowering, revealing a rare hint of emotion: "But after so many years of wandering at sea, experiencing so many wars and disasters, how could I possibly not have suffered?"
In the end times, who can truly remain unscathed?
Behind those seemingly glamorous facades often lie untold wounds.
Lin Wei was used to appearing strong and capable in front of others, but now, in front of her long-lost old friends, she finally let down her guard a little.
Qi Mingyu remained silent for a moment. He was not good at saying comforting words, and his personality had remained the same all these years.
Seeing the desolation in Lin Wei's eyes, he thought for a moment before speaking, "By the way, A-Zheng is also with us. You can meet him later."
Upon hearing this, a hint of disappointment flashed in Lin Wei's eyes.
After all these years, he's still the same, always so clueless about romance, always able to precisely avoid the response she wants.
She turned her head, her beautiful dark eyes looking directly at him, a hint of reproach mixed with hurt: "You're always like this, never offering me a single word of comfort! Knowing I'm so sad, I..."
She suddenly stopped before she could finish speaking.
In the crowd, Zhou Shuwan was looking this way, her eyes gentle, without the slightest hostility, only a hint of curiosity, as if she was waiting for Qi Mingyu.
Lin Wei looked away and said softly, "She's very beautiful. You have good taste."
Qi Mingyu followed her gaze and saw Zhou Shuwan standing next to Captain Ma, a faint smile on her lips. The sunlight shone on her, making her look so gentle that it was hard to look away.
His lips involuntarily curved upwards, his eyes filled with tenderness: "She's wonderful, I'm really lucky."
It was a happiness and contentment that came from the bottom of one's heart, undisguised and needing no disguise.
Looking at the light in his eyes, Lin Wei suddenly felt a complex mix of emotions, including envy and a vague sense of loss.
"I promised the teacher that I would take good care of you in the future." Qi Mingyu's voice interrupted her thoughts: "I didn't have the chance before, but after this, no matter what difficulties you encounter, you can come to me."
Lin Wei's heart skipped a beat. Her beautiful eyes flickered as she looked at him and asked, "Any difficulties are acceptable?"
Her gaze was too direct.
Qi Mingyu avoided her gaze and said in a low voice, "You've encountered difficulties with food or resources, or you've encountered some kind of danger..."
"Heh." Lin Wei chuckled softly, her tone tinged with self-deprecation. "Look at my current position on the Kunlun. I'm the research team leader. How could I possibly encounter difficulties with food and resources?"
At this moment, much of her mature and capable demeanor faded, and she resembled the willful and stubborn niece of her teacher from over a decade ago.
Qi Mingyu opened his mouth as if to say something, but Zhou Shu waved to him from not far away, indicating that it was time for him to go over.
The expedition team is ready to board the vessel and will be leaving soon.
Qi Mingyu quickly said, "We can talk about it later. I should go back now."
After saying that, he didn't linger and strode quickly toward Zhou Shuwan.
Lin Wei stood still, quietly watching him walk to Zhou Shuwan's side.
Zhou Shuwan naturally took his arm and smiled at him.
Qi Mingyu lowered his head to meet her gaze.
The moment the two smiled at each other, everything around them seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the unspoken understanding and deep affection between them.
Afterwards, Qi Mingyu and Zhou Shuwan followed Captain Ma and the members of the expedition team onto the shuttle boat.
The shuttle boat slowly departed from the Kunlun and headed towards the Nanyang warship.
Lin Wei remained standing on the observation platform, the sea breeze blowing her long hair and brushing against her cheeks.
She watched the shuttle boat get further and further away until it became a tiny black dot before slowly turning her gaze away.
Han Ze had walked up to her at some point. Seeing her forlorn expression, he asked softly, "What's wrong? Did you have a bad chat with an old acquaintance?"
Lin Wei shook her head, her face regaining its usual composure and calm, as if she hadn't been the one who had just been so emotional.
"It's nothing, it's just that we haven't seen each other for so long, so I'm feeling a bit sentimental."
She turned to Han Ze, her tone regaining its usual efficiency, "The expedition team has left, and we should go back to discuss the follow-up matters. Captain Qin is still waiting for our report."
Han Ze nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
He knew Lin Wei's personality; there were some things she didn't want to talk about, and no matter how much others asked, it was useless.
The shuttle boat cut through the shimmering waves and steadily headed toward the fortress.
More than half an hour later, the shuttle boat docked smoothly at the pier.
As soon as they boarded the ship, Captain Ma led Zhou Shuwan, Qi Mingyu and others quickly toward the command cabin.
Hearing the commotion, Captain Chen turned around and looked at everyone: "How's the inspection going? Is it worthwhile to cooperate with the Kunlun?"
"Captain Chen, this inspection has been very fruitful," Captain Ma said solemnly.
He recounted in detail what he saw and heard on the Kunlun, from the lightweight and efficient generator to the water-saving and high-yield distillation module, and the ample supplies in the storage compartment.
Captain Chen listened quietly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table as he fell into deep thought.
After a long while, he raised his head, his gaze finally landing on Zhou Shuwan, and asked calmly, "Dr. Zhou, after your interactions, do you think Kunlun truly wants to join the Mid-Sky Fortress?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Shuwan pondered for a moment.
“I think they are 80 percent sincere,” she said slowly. “What they have shown is a strong willingness to cooperate and an urgent desire to survive on the island. Those new technologies are their ‘bargaining chips’ to make us believe that they are capable of fighting alongside us and surviving together in the apocalypse.”
Eighty percent sincerity!
That's already quite a lot!
Captain Chen nodded: "Okay, I understand. You've all worked hard this time. Go back and get some rest and adjust your condition. I will convene a meeting with senior management to discuss the follow-up matters and make a decision as soon as possible."
"Yes, Captain Chen!" Captain Ma saluted, then turned and left the command center with Zhou Shuwan and Qi Mingyu.
Stepping out of the command center, the sunlight outside was a bit dazzling. Zhou Shuwan raised her hand to shield her eyes and let out a long sigh of relief.
Although the half-day inspection was tiring, it was very rewarding, especially in that she gained a clearer understanding of the capabilities of the Kunlun, which also gave her more expectations for the future.
"Let's go home." Qi Mingyu gently took her hand.
Zhou Shuwan nodded and let him lead her toward their dwelling in the fortress.