The Scavengers

10 Month 15 Day Afternoon

In the communication room, Cheng Zai saw the two men coming, and waved to them with a bitter face.

Major General Zhang Hua and Lieutenant Colonel Ma Xiang were also in the communication room. They were arguing in low voices. Lieutenant Colonel Ma Xiang threw his military cap on the table.

There are other communication soldiers in the communication room, everyone is silent, and their faces look very bad.

Cheng Zai mouth-shaped to the two, he was the two who contacted in the bathroom on the pretext of going to the bathroom just now.

Xiao Mo didn't disturb the two people at the front, and quietly walked to Cheng Zai's workbench with Xue Lihong.The communication room is a place they often come to, and the guards let them in after asking about the process.

"Brother Xiao, why do you think there are so many things happening? It's like a wave of ups and downs!" Cheng Zai complained in a low voice.

"Normal." Xiao Mo smiled, "Haven't you heard that bad things attract each other? A group of people hide in the ground and release dark energy every day. Aren't a large number of unlucky events of the same nature as dark energy attracted? "

"Brother Xiao, you're still joking with me at this moment!" Cheng Zai called out in a low voice.

"No kidding, really. Is this the communication station that communicates with the outside world?"

"Yes. Brother Xiao, can you repair satellite communication equipment?"

"A little bit, have you checked it? Is it a software problem or a hardware problem?"

"It should be the hardware. I suspect that either the receiver has a problem or the wiring." Cheng Zai can also repair it himself, but only for simple repairs.

Xiao Mo put his hand on the communication platform, and said with a very serious face: "So, when encountering bad things, people must not just immerse themselves in negative emotions, but must find ways to cheer themselves up and be positive. It's like you go to play tennis, If you accidentally get hit by a tennis ball, you feel very painful, but if you just think about the pain and give up, you will only be hit more times. Then you will become more and more embarrassed. If you are with a lover or When superiors or partners come out to play, people will not sympathize with you when they see you like this, they will only laugh at you, and what you originally wanted to do may not be able to be done because of it. See, bad things add up!"

"Well, that makes sense."

"But if you concentrate on catching the ball, no matter how bad your skills are, you will improve a little bit, and even counterattack back. Others will think you are handsome when they see you working so hard. Once you make a good impression on others, Then what you want to do is already half successful. Maybe you will meet the right girl that day because of this, and from then on you only envy mandarin ducks and not immortals."

Cheng Zai took pleasure in his bitterness, "Brother Xiao, this chicken soup for the soul is good, I drank it."

Xiao Mo thought to himself, I am not cooking chicken soup for you, I am feeding myself!

I also know how to enlighten myself, not bad.Xue Lihong was quite satisfied with Xiao Mo's state. Although he decided to protect this person, if Xiao Mo himself gave up, he would have no energy to work hard, would he?

Major General Zhang also noticed them at this time, and walked this way with Lieutenant Colonel Ma.

"Why are you here? Has the virus carrier been checked?" Major General Zhang asked.

Xiao Mo had already constructed a three-dimensional map in his mind at this time, so he couldn't distract himself from answering for the time being.

Xue Lihong made a gesture of keeping quiet towards them.

Major General Zhang and Lieutenant Colonel Ma also saw that Xiao Mo seemed to be checking the communication console, but why did the other party close his eyes?

Lieutenant Colonel Ma couldn't help being curious, he directly took Cheng Zai aside, and asked him what was going on.

Cheng Zai told Ma Xiang that Xiao Mo would repair the communication equipment.Ma Xiang was surprised, he also thought Xiao Mo was a doctor.

"Have you checked the wiring?" Xiao Mo opened his eyes and raised his head to look for Cheng Zai.

Cheng Zai jumped over, "I'm about to go, I can't see it from the outside, so I can only check the ones in the base first."

"The communication station is fine. It should be that the line is damaged somewhere. I'll go with you." Xiao Mo turned his head and asked Xue Lihong for an energy crystal to put in his pocket.

"Xiao Xiao, are you sure?" Major General Zhang asked.

Xiao Mo, "I'm not sure if I can fix it, but I just want to help and take a look."

"That's great! Now I understand why General Qiu refuses to let you go. If you have technology and special abilities, if you are from my base, I won't let you go, no matter how much supplies you have!"

Xiao Mo's face became hot when he praised him, "I'm not sure yet..."

"We Huaxia people are good at everything, but we try our best to be humble when we shouldn't be humble. No matter whether it succeeds or not, Xiao Xiao, I, Zhang Hua, will never let you be busy in vain for your contribution to our base. You can't give more food and weapons. You guys, but we still have some alloy particles in stock. Last time you helped solve Bao Yuezhi’s case, and this time you helped to investigate the virus carriers, we should pay you according to reason. In this way, when you and Xiao Cheng come back later, Send it to you together! I'll check the inventory first." Major General Zhang laughed out loud as he said.Turning around, he called Ma Xiang again: "Old Ma, come here, let's talk again."

Major General Zhang spoke quickly, and when he made a decision, there was no room for Xiao Mo to intervene.

There were probably outsiders around, so Ma Xiang put away his anger, and went to continue talking with Major General Zhang about how to arrange the manpower.

Xiao Mo thought in his heart that he would not take it for nothing, so he didn't say anything to refuse.

"Major General Zhang, you want to find out where the mutant rats came from, which area they appeared in, and how many of them came in, right?" Xue Lihong said suddenly.

Major General Zhang and Lieutenant Colonel Ma looked at him together.

So did Xiao Mo and Cheng Zai.

Xue Lihong said; "Publish the mission, the mission rewards will be more generous."

Major General Zhang slapped his forehead, "Yes! Why didn't I think of it, we can issue a mission for people in the base to find the whereabouts of the mutant mice together."

Lieutenant Colonel Ma also laughed awkwardly, "I didn't expect that, I was stunned when I heard several bad news one after another just now."

Major General Zhang patted Ma Xiang on the shoulder, saying nothing.

Xiao Mo and Cheng Zai went out to check the line. At that time, the people in the communication room had no hope of resuming external communication. They thought Xiao Mo was just an ordinary technical maintenance worker.

Major General Zhang and Lieutenant Colonel Ma also thought so. Major General Zhang issued a ban order, expressly ordering everyone not to spread the news of the disconnection of communication.

Afterwards, the two top minds of the base began to convene the corresponding managers to discuss how to speed up the tunnel digging.

Now that the base is cut off from the outside world, the worst thing is that there are undead virus carriers inside at this time, and what's worse is that the mutant rats have also slipped in. The three worst situations happened together, and they can no longer follow the original speed. , and strive to dig through the tunnel safely.

Now how to get out with the fastest speed is the most important thing!

It is very troublesome to check the line, you have to test each node separately.

Cheng Zai led the two to climb to the farthest node through the pipeline.

Thankfully, the furthest node showed signal.

Cheng Zai yelled excitedly at that moment, but soon he turned bitter again.Even if the broken line is inside the base, it still takes a lot of time to find out which line is wrong.

"Look first, then talk." Xiao Mo signaled to go to the next node.

"I hope it's not broken inside the wall, otherwise we have to tear down the wall." Xue Lihong kept praying to various gods and Buddhas.

"Is there a wiring diagram? Bring it, let's check and test separately, so it will be faster."

"Yes, I printed it before I came out." Cheng Zai made a copy of the wiring diagram.

The three of them separated and made an appointment to contact each other through the walkie-talkie.

Xiao Mo lowered his head to look at the pipeline diagram, because there is Yucai Research Institute, the pipelines are of the highest specification, and the lines and distribution are very standard.

This also greatly facilitates the maintenance personnel to enter the pipeline for maintenance.

These pipes also have the function of ventilation. The only disadvantage is that if they are not properly managed, insects can easily enter. Some pipelines that have not been cleaned or maintained all year round may even contain biological waste such as dead cats, dogs, bats, etc.

"Let's check the pipes in the back building first?" Xiao Mo suggested.

Xue Lihong signaled him to wait a while.

"What are you doing?" Xiao Mo looked curiously at him squatting down, looking for something by the crack of the wall.

Xue Lihong looked up at him with a weird expression, "I didn't believe in the theory of double cultivation, but the facts tell me that maybe the exchange of essences that both parties are willing to do can really play a special role."

"Huh?" Xiao Mole said, "Xiaohong, are you planning to develop from martial arts to fairy tales?"

"Didn't you notice when we mated last time? During the process, I thought I would consume a lot, but I found out that you have been unconsciously repairing my state, and my essence is making up for your consumption. In other words, we have been consuming each other. Make up, do you think this is very similar to double cultivation?"

Xiao Mo was stunned for a moment, then his face flushed red.

"We have to do it again tonight, I need proof." Xue Lihong said seriously.

Xiao Mo wanted to refuse, but the young man looked at him with the eyes of "you reject me, you are murdering me", making him unable to say anything to refuse.

The young man continued: "The idea of ​​double cultivation is not unique to celestial beings. Since ancient times in China, there has been a theory of intercourse and double cultivation. According to ancient legends, the reason why Peng Zu can live to be eight hundred years old is because he is proficient in intercourse, which is the method of double cultivation. And there is also a saying in medicine that the process of making love is also a process of nutritional complementarity, the most obvious effect is that it can balance the endocrine of the human body, and it is more harmful to the body if you are alone."

Xiao Mo: "... Cough, what did you say just now played a special role?"

"Yeah." Xue Lihong finally got back to business, "Wait a while, I also realized that it's not long, and I need to practice."

"Oh." Xiao Mo didn't know what he was going to do, leaning against the wall and waiting for him.

Xue Lihong stretched out her palm, and rubbed her index finger and thumb together.

A faint special hormonal smell radiated into the air, the smell was very faint, Xiao Mo who was leaning next to the young man didn't smell anything, he just stared at the young man's movements curiously.

"Trash!" The system suddenly burst out such a sentence in Xiao Mo's mind.

Xiao Mo rubbed his brows, the system probably discovered something.

"Are you really not planning to recycle him? I can reward you with energy crystals at the cost of recycling a breeder of the same level."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, I don't intend to take back my partner." Xiao Mo replied forcefully in his mind.

"You will regret it." The system emphasized its tone, "You will definitely regret it."

Xiao Mo didn't hear it, just waiting for nothing to happen, he tried to lure the system and said: "Your Majesty, have you ever thought that after you complete the task, or if you fail to complete the task, your master may destroy you? Or format you?"

System: "I know what you want to say. You want to say that even if my master destroys me, you can still restore me. The price is to help you, protect you, and help you conceal your information, right?"

Xiao Mo didn't back down when he was told that he was desperate, but simply admitted: "Yes, you don't think we are hostile to him, and in the end we both lose or even die. Wouldn't it be better to choose cooperation and win-win?"

The system...began to self-check frantically again.

Xiao Mo waited for a while without waiting for the system to reply, but the other party's non-reply was a disguised answer, and Xiao Mo suddenly had some confidence in the future.

At this moment, creatures other than the two appeared in the corner.

It was a tiny black ant.

Xiao Mo thought of the little ant he saw outside the prison, and he wasn't sure if it was the original one, after all, all ants were the same in his eyes, only the size and color were different.

The black ant crawled out from the crack in the wall, its two tentacles kept shaking, and then it moved a little closer to the red in the snow.

Xuelihong rubbed her fingers faster, and the black ant circled around for a while, then paused for a while, with hesitation and doubts in her movements.

Xiao Mo straightened his body, and after only a short while, beads of sweat formed on Xue Lihong's forehead.

There seemed to be an indescribable fragrance in the air.

Xiao Mo thought he could smell it, but when he sniffed carefully, he couldn't smell anything.

After a big pause, the black ant suddenly stopped circling, but climbed to Xuelihong's hand in a very clear direction.

Xue Lihong closed her eyes, beads of sweat rolled down her temples.

Looking at Xiao Hong like this, Xiao Mo felt that his eyes were a little dazzled. He just looked at Xiao Hong's face as if it was a little cracked?No, it wasn't cracking, but some kind of pattern appeared?

There also seemed to be two small bumps on both sides of his forehead, as if something was about to protrude from them.

Just when Xiao Mo was about to get closer and observe more carefully, the young man snapped his eyes open and quickly stood up from the ground.

"You want to kiss me?" The young man squinted at him.

Leaning forward to take a closer look, Xiao Mo maintained the posture of leaning out his upper body, and smiled dryly, "No, I see your face looks like... um!"

The young man grabbed his upper body that hadn't been taken back, bowed his head and kissed him heavily on the lips, "Okay, let's do the rest at night. Now let's work first, boss."

Xiao Mo froze.

"Not enough? Let's do it again."

"Come on!"

Xiao Mo covered his mouth and jumped up, "Xue Lihong! Did you do it on purpose?"

The young man laughed.

Xiao Mo was stunned, he had never seen a young man laugh like this.

Plop!His heart suddenly missed a beat.

"Let's go, follow this ant, it knows where those mutant mice came from."

"But we're not looking for mutant rats." Xiao Mo's head was almost a paste.

"Stupid! How could a good line suddenly be damaged? Of course it was gnawed by those mutant rats. If you find the way for those mutant rats to sneak into the base, you can find the destroyed communication line."

Xiao Mo walked behind the young man for a long time before he realized and called out softly: "Can you communicate with ants? Is this your original ability, or is it a new ability?"

The young man didn't answer, but turned his head and smiled mysteriously at him, beckoning him to follow.

Xiao Mo quickened his pace to catch up.Ah, he remembered, the system was still watching, even if Xue Lihong wanted to tell him some secrets, she still had to be wary of the people watching the show behind the system.

System: "Warning! During system analysis...hormone gas molecules are close to Zerg...compound genes, garbage..."

"Your Majesty?" Xiao Mo felt that something was wrong with the system.

Xue Lihong aimed at him.

Xiao Mo patted his head, seeing no response from the system, he could only shrug at Xue Lihong.

Something flashed in Xue Lihong's eyes, and his expression was a little tangled for a moment, but he quickly returned to his usual indifference.

The black ants led them along the corner to the antechamber hole they had entered before.

This used to be the residence of the survivors at the beginning, and the conditions were very poor. Now that everyone has moved to the front building, this place is basically vacant.

Although the survivors have moved away for a while, the various smells left inside still exist, especially the smell of urine, which is very strong.

Xiao Mo and Xue Lihong covered their noses as soon as they entered.

"It turned out that when there were so many people living there, I didn't feel it very much. Once the people left, the smell became stronger." Xiao Mo said vaguely.

"I know how those mutated mice came here. The smell of human urine is no different from that of animals. It can be used to mark the territory or to show the sense of presence. The mouse's sense of smell is very sensitive, quite It is ten times stronger than that of dogs, after the mutation, even through the soil layer, cement and steel, it is impossible for them to miss such a strong smell."

"And they found the abandoned ventilation ducts?"

"Maybe it's the pipeline." Xue Lihong followed the black ant and stopped in front of a wall.

At the base of this wall, there is a small hole that is easily missed by the naked eye, especially when the light in the hole is poor.

"Is this where the mutated rat came out?" Xiao Mo took out the nail gun.

The nail gun has been remodeled by Xue Lihong. It is not only suitable for single click, but also suitable for group attack, and its range and strength have been increased.

In fact, this thing can no longer be called a nail gun. When necessary, even a sharpened chopstick can be fired with it.When there are no nails, putting glass shards in the pouch can also cause a lot of damage.

"Boss, take a look at the pipeline distribution map and see if there is any pipeline entrance nearby?" Xue Lihong pressed her ear to the wall and listened carefully to the sound coming from inside.

Xiao Mo kept quiet, opened the distribution map to check, and then pointed to a manhole cover on the ground.

Xue Lihong didn't know what she heard, her ears moved away from the wall, and suddenly she spit on the ground, and the leading black ant immediately crawled over.

Seeing that the black ants seemed to be licking Xue Lihong's saliva, Xiao Mo's expression changed =_=|||

Xue Lihong: "Hey, don't you eat honey? Do you want to know the detailed process of making honey?"

Xiao Mo: "Don't!" He always felt that once he said the normal process, he would never even think about eating honey again.

"You used to drink cat poop coffee, I saw you have it in the kitchen cabinet. In addition, there are ambergris, bezoar, dog treasure, chicken treasure, including your favorite pig intestines, the source and creation process of various human foods It's all inseparable from secretions and excretions."

"Brother, can you please shut up?"

Xue Lihong leaned over and touched his mouth, "Don't be jealous, I can feed you as much as you want."

Xiao Mo was so disgusted that he kicked the young man aside.

Not much gossip, the two of them really didn't want to drill into the underground pipes that smelled even worse, but there was no way.

The manhole cover is not a pipe, but a sewer. The inside is fairly wide, and you don’t have to bend over to walk when the snow is red, but it’s full of water. You can step on some sticky and slippery dirt when you go down.

Xiao Mo and Xue Lihong made a disgusted expression at the same time.Xiao Mo put on a miner's hat, and the lamp on the hat became the only light source in the sewer.

"The nearest pipeline entrance is just ahead, on your right." Xiao Mo pointed forward according to his memory.

Sudden!Xue Lihong pulled Xiao Mo behind her, quickly raised the nail gun and pointed it at the front of the darkness, "Who? Come out!"

As soon as Xiao Mo heard that there was someone in the sewer, he immediately entered a state of high alert - if it was a monster, with Xiao Hong's eyesight, he would have shot.

"Don't, don't shoot, Mr. Xiao, is that you? I heard your voice." A woman's voice that was not unfamiliar came from the darkness.

Xiao Mo felt that the voice was familiar, but he just couldn't remember who it was.

Xue Lihong didn't relax her vigilance just because she recognized the other party, she still pointed her gun at the front.

In the darkness, a figure slowly approached them.

Xiao Mo narrowed his eyes, and the black shadow was also on guard, walking carefully into the range of the light source.

"It's you?" Xiao Mo also recognized the other party.