Saving Unpermitted

Chapter 68: Meeting

The atmosphere inside the underground stronghold was somewhat heavy.

As the players gradually regained their consciousness, the initial excitement faded away, and restlessness began to set in. Hu Yan followed Shu Jun’s instructions to continue delaying time, but this was not a long-term solution. The players had set aside seven days for the festival events, and now there were only two days left. After these two days, everyone had their own arrangements on the “other side” and would be eager to “go home”. If they couldn’t stabilize people’s emotions, the situation could easily spiral out of control.

Hu Yan didn’t have much ambition or power. After following Shu Jun, he hadn’t faced many setbacks either. He did have talent, but he preferred to stay in his comfort zone and rarely extended himself.

Now that he became a team captain, the iron hat was firmly placed on his own head. Hu Yan finally realized how difficult it was to lead a team properly.

Not to mention soothing the emotions of others, he himself was unwilling to accept that “this is a war”. The peaceful life was too intoxicating, and despite his anger, he missed his previous life. At this point, a plate of fresh fruit, a scoop of ice cream, or a bubble bath were all luxuries, only to be experienced in dreams.

If it weren’t for Shu Jun’s insistence on pulling him back to the real world, he would instinctively deny reality. Even if he accepted it, it would be shattered jade for a lifetime; indulging until the end was also an option, and there were many others who chose the latter like him.

Seeing Luo Duan taking action, Hu Yan felt a sense of fear.

Luo Duan could surely guess the mindset of people like him and would take them to the brink of destruction. Fortunately, Shu Jun appeared and gave him a glimmer of hope for a good ending. However, he had no idea how Captain Shu would handle this mess. Shu Jun was only interested in tactics and disliked playing politics. Hu Yan was worried to the point of a headache.

He sighed while eating, sighed while showering, and wished he could sigh even in his dreams.

The breakfast ration consisted of packaged compressed biscuits and a mouthful-sized nutrient solution. Each team leader had someone open the wooden crates and distribute them individually. The water in the ruins was running and was relatively clean, but not hot, so they had to figure out a way to heat it themselves. The corridor lights were dim, and mutated insects occasionally collided with the light bulbs, making a soft clicking sound.

Hu Yan sat melancholically on a wooden crate, nibbling on the biscuit, and reminiscing about the hot milk and pastries on the “other side.”

“Why are you here?” Hearing a voice, Hu Yan looked up. Yu Jin was carrying a cloth bag and casually walking towards the conference room.

“It’s well-ventilated here,” Hu Yan instinctively replied, then realized that Yu Jin was a “human”. However, this person had always been kind to the players, so he couldn’t be angry at him.

“Why are you here?” He couldn’t be bothered to change his tone and casually asked.

Seeing his usual reaction, Yu Jin breathed a sigh of relief and raised the bag in his hand. “Here, canned meat from my private stash. I heard from Dr. Ai that there are a few people here with poor health, and just consuming nutritional supplements isn’t enough.”

“That’s thoughtful of you.” Hu Yan got off the crate.

“Besides, the people from the Old Fourth will be here later, and I have to attend the meeting.” Yu Jin turned, his lone eye scanning around. “Shu Jun, ah, let’s just call him Gray Claw. Gray Claw asked me to come. After all, I’m the head of this settlement.”

“Oh, I see.” Hu Yan still felt awkward and couldn’t find a topic. Yu Jin looked at him for a while. His broad face showed some concern as well.

“The synths have been kind to me, and you’re also reasonable. We have a friendship, yet it’s come to this. When all these thirty thousand people come to their senses, what will happen to the people in the settlement?”

Yu Jin’s gaze darkened a bit, shaking his head.

Yes, Hu Yan thought in his heart. They ultimately represent two different groups. Including the self-interests of the Old Fourth, how could Shu Jun gather this handful of sand together?

Half an hour later.

The meeting room in the underground settlement was well maintained, with good ventilation and no unpleasant odors. The walls were coated with a light-colored layer of material, and the air wasn’t uncomfortably damp. Although the room didn’t have many intimidating devices, it was bright and spacious, creating a comfortable atmosphere.

In the center of the room, there was a long rectangular table with four chairs on each side. Two narrow chairs were placed at the front, and behind them was a portable screen. Currently, the screen only displayed the time, with the rest of it blank.

Hu Yan and Yu Jin entered the room together and awkwardly chose seats at a distance from each other. Five people from the Old Fourth arrived, all wearing strange masks with dice-like dots on them.

Hu Yan took a few extra glances at the masks, which had dots ranging from two to six. Even the colors followed the pattern of a dice, with only four dots being blood-red.

Ignoring the seated Hu Yan and Yu Jin, the five individuals from the Old Fourth took their places at the table, displaying distinct differences in status. The person wearing the mask with two dots had the best position, while the person with six dots sat in a corner.

The room fell into complete silence, and the members of the Old Fourth also appeared distant from one another. Everyone stared at the time, waiting for the meeting to begin.

Finally, Shu Jun walked into the room with someone by his side.

He didn’t wear a mask, exposing his face openly. The individuals wearing masks hesitated for a moment and began whispering among themselves. Hu Yan had known Shu Jun’s identity from the beginning, but his attention was focused on the person next to Shu Jun—someone who had a sturdy and handsome figure, slightly taller than Shu Jun himself, resembling the Mr. “Family Member”.

The Family Member wore a mask with a blood-red dot, giving off an eerie feeling.

The “One Dot” from the dice had finally appeared.

Hu Yan felt a bit dizzy. In <Erosion>, he had always acted together with Shu Jun, but when did the captain get involved with the people from the Old Fourth?

“That’s the captain’s mask.” Two Dots spoke up in a sharp and uncomfortable tone, revealing a young male voice. “Our captain is a woman.”

“I’m just borrowing it,” Smoke responded coldly. “This is the captain’s authorization document. Take a look for yourself.”

As he spoke, he threw a card out. The card flew directly to the front of Two Dots and was signed with a flamboyant “Ai”.

Two Dots nodded with a meaningful expression but didn’t say anything further. He turned his gaze to Shu Jun. “Is this the captain of the Blackbirds? Wasn’t he dead?”

“I faked my death by accident.” Shu Jun wasn’t thrown off by the other party’s tone and changed the topic swiftly. “I called you all here today for one thing—to rely on your assistance when the players calm down, gradually bringing people to other settlements.”

“Captain!” Hu Yan stood up anxiously. “Leaving aside how to stabilize them, we can’t separate!”

Two Dots crossed his arms and looked at Hu Yan with interest.

“We won’t be divided and fall apart. The original squad structure will be maintained, with around two thousand people per settlement.”

Shu Jun clapped his hands.

“There are dozens of settlements around Y City. Finding suitable hiding places won’t be a problem. Settlements have a large population flow, so hiding in the woods is the best approach. Lao Hu, with thirty thousand people gathered together, the consumption of food, water, and daily necessities is not a small number. Given enough time, it will inevitably be discovered. If we’re all gathered together, it will also be easier for Y City to catch us. And when that time comes…”

At this point, Shu Jun glanced at Yu Jin.

“When that time comes, everyone in this settlement will be implicated.”

“But… if someone in the settlement exposes us at that time, won’t we all be finished?” Hu Yan clenched his teeth.

“We’ll discuss that later.” Smoke spoke with an unquestionable tone. “Just in case, I will arrange the fastest retreat route.”

“But…”

“I’m not sending you to fight,” Shu Jun said calmly.

Hu Yan stood frozen in place.

“From now on, everyone’s goal is to concentrate their efforts on self-preservation. Once everyone knows the truth and I ask them to protect humanity, wouldn’t that be like pouring cold water on a hot pan?”

The whispers among the members of the Old Fourth grew louder, but Shu Jun ignored them.

“During this process, everyone should work together with the people in the settlement to live their lives as best as they can. As for Blackbirds and Groundwater, I have other arrangements.”

“Then who will deal with the command center? To put it bluntly, our lifespan is limited. The command center can afford to wait, but we can’t.”

“That’s a secret. Lao Hu, important tactics can’t be exposed prematurely.” Shu Jun winked mischievously. “Rest assured, I have my ways.”

“As for the players’ lifespan… we already have someone working on researching it, and she has achieved some good results,” Smoke continued.

Both individuals exuded a reassuring aura, and while Hu Yan’s heart was still uncertain, he felt a strange calmness.

“What about the settlement?” Yu Jin glanced at Hu Yan and raised his hand. “What benefits can we get? Well, it’s not that I’m asking for anything from you… How should I put it? It’s not likely that the leaders of every settlement have connections with the players. If you want to stay here for the long term, you’ll need some leverage. Even if I convince the people here, I’ll need some good excuses.”

“Protection and resources,” Shu Jun’s expression became serious. “Apart from the policy issues at the command center, settlements struggle to develop due to two main reasons.”

“The residents either have congenital defects or acquired disabilities, resulting in limited labor capacity… Living near the erosion zone accelerates their health deterioration.”

“Whether they live an honest life or scavenge in the erosion zone, they are susceptible to attacks from mutant creatures, leading to casualties.”

Two Dots from the Old Fourth tilted his head slightly, showing some interest. “That’s true. What’s next?”

“We will provide anti-erosion medication. Although it cannot cure serious illnesses at this stage, it will certainly help prevent erosion in daily life. In the future, more effective new equipment will be available, surpassing the effectiveness of purifiers, but only synths can use them.”

Shu Jun had already discussed related topics with Zhu Yanchen. With Sigma and Luo Duan lurking around, they hadn’t been idle during the Reunion Festival.

Zhu Yanchen obtained some data on the “Suppression” ability and had already begun weapon trials. The situation was similar to the medication—they were easily compatible with synths, but further development was needed to make them usable by ordinary humans.

The players themselves possessed “anomalies”, which could be easily transformed into “suppression”. Even if they weren’t powerful, small-scale “suppression” was much more effective than the current purifiers.

This was a valuable bargaining chip.

“As for the attacks from mutant creatures, that’s even easier to deal with.” Shu Jun smiled faintly and tapped the table with his claw. “For us, low-level mutant creatures are no threat at all. Those that can still interact with humans can join exploration teams or border patrols—of course, all of this must come with compensation.”

Medication and suppression could save lives, and hunting mutant creatures could earn money. In the current tense situation, trading these for rewards and a place to stay was quite a profitable deal.

Even if someone in the settlement exposed them, the small team would just retreat. It would be the informant who harmed everyone’s interests and undoubtedly faced a grim outcome.

Yu Jin scratched his head. “I don’t have any objections. It sounds good to me.”

“Let me mention the benefits for the Old Fourth while I’m at it.”

The Old Fourth was purely profit-driven, and Shu Jun didn’t plan to wait for Two Dots to ask. He continued directly.

“You know, a batch of machinery has been sent to the Old Fourth’s merchant caravan recently. You can use it to establish underground bases in various settlements. A few people can hide, while the majority can be used as warehouses, saving a considerable sum. Additionally, with player assistance, the settlements will prosper, and you can benefit from it—after all, you can take the opportunity to sell complementary products for medications and equipment.”

Those machines were bought by Zhu Yanchen himself, so they couldn’t let these people take advantage for free.

“It’s just a small profit.” Two Dots didn’t sound interested. “It’s not worth taking such a big risk.”

As expected.

Shu Jun and Zhu Yanchen exchanged glances, their smiles deepening.

“What if we make the Tang Family disappear?”

This time, not only Two Dots, but Three, Four, Five, and Six Dots also froze in place.

“Embarrassingly enough, I only recently learned about the Old Fourth’s affairs.”

Shu Jun stood up from his chair, walked over to Two Dots, and casually sat on the edge of the table. His black claws slid across the surface, leaving behind faint marks.

“The Tang Family dominates trade and monopolizes various cities. You small fries have a close relationship with the settlements just to get their leftovers. Have you ever thought about what would happen if the Zhu family’s new type of synthetics appeared and started being widely used in various aspects… Do you think you’ll still have a meal to eat?”

“The Tang Family hasn’t bothered with you because the benefits from the settlements are too mediocre. But if they don’t lack manpower, they naturally wouldn’t mind swallowing the mediocrity. When the Tang Family’s tentacles extend to the settlements, the Old Fourth might not exist anymore. Either you’ll be incorporated or forced into bankruptcy.”

Shu Jun leaned down; his gray-white eyes filled with coldness.

“You helped us originally just to protect yourselves. I understand that very well. A little ‘small profit’ is a great addition. But greed is good. I like greedy people.”

After speaking, he glanced, intentionally or unintentionally, at Zhu Yanchen.

“A’Yan is also a senior member of the Old Fourth. He can guarantee—we will ensure that the Tang Family collapses. Is the price enough now?”

“Hearing this…” Two Dots remained silent for a long time before speaking again. “Mr. Shu, are you not only seeking to protect synths, but also planning to overthrow the command center?”

“Yes.” Shu Jun raised a finger and made a quiet gesture near his lips. “I know what you want to ask, but unfortunately, I cannot disclose the details of the upcoming plan.”

“The Old Fourth is not a military force, and we don’t have that much trust between us. This guarantee…” Two Dots took a deep breath, about to raise an objection.

“Greed is best with some limits.” In a corner invisible to Zhu Yanchen, Shu Jun’s pupils contracted as he lowered his voice. “I have many ways to coerce you, but for the sake of someone’s face, I still want to get along with you all.”

Two Dots froze, feeling something cold and moist circling his ankle before vanishing like a ghost. He couldn’t see what it was, but he could guess to some extent.

The Old Fourth received information that among the rebellious synths, there was one—or maybe several—who could manipulate erosion to a certain extent and trigger an Erosion Storm. If this person could…

He immediately swallowed his objections and decided to stop there. “…I have no objections.”

Anyway, even if the synths couldn’t eliminate the Tang Family, they wouldn’t suffer any losses. It was better to stay away from this monster.

Shu Jun nodded in satisfaction.

Seeing Two Dots convinced, the other representatives didn’t oppose any further. After negotiating the details with them for over an hour, the members of the Old Fourth signed the agreement and slowly left.

Apart from Shu Jun and Zhu Yanchen, only Yu Jin and Hu Yan were left in the room.

“Now that the troublesome people are gone, I’ll just say it directly.” Hu Yan glanced at Yu Jin and then turned his head. “Team Captain, can we really overthrow the command center? The resources are concentrated in the cities, and the three major families will do everything to preserve their positions. On our side, it’s either the synths or those who haven’t received much education—”

“Who are you referring to?” Yu Jin stood up, raising his voice.

“Uh, I mean those who may not be suitable as leaders.” Hu Yan changed his wording halfway. “Not to mention the three major families, even the ordinary people in the city won’t accept it. The number of people in the settlements is too small, and without new firewood, the fire won’t burn for long.”

“That’s why I kept the two of you here.” Shu Jun smiled. “Those people from the Old Fourth are too money-oriented, but I can trust the two of you. Come on, A’Yan, take off your mask.”

Shu Jun’s words were full of pride, and it was hard not to notice.

Zhu Yanchen raised the corners of his mouth behind the mask, then smoothly removed the mask.

Yu Jin sat back on his chair, sweat forming on his forehead, and the legs of the chair produced a series of squeaks from friction. Hu Yan’s gaze scanned Zhu Yanchen’s face, from eyebrows to mouth, and from mouth to nose. A stifled scream escaped his throat.

Is there anything scarier than finding out your sister-in-law is a man?

Yes, when your sister-in-law is a member of the Old Fourth.

But is there something even more heartbreaking?

Of course, Hu Yan was witnessing it right now.

Their team captain, at some point, had gotten involved with an important NPC—who happened to be their nominal superior, a marshal from one of the three major families.

…He even called this person “sister-in-law” in front of Zhu Yanchen multiple times. Thinking of Marshal Zhu’s cold and aloof personality, Hu Yan felt a strange sadness welling up in his heart.

“Lao Hu, A’Yan has helped me a lot along the way. To be honest, I can talk to you here mostly thanks to him. With him around, the citizens won’t be instigated by Zhu Sheng to fight to the death,” Shu Jun said.

“He mentioned family and relatives,” Yu Jin stared at Zhu Yanchen, shifting the topic away from tactics. “Isn’t he your boyfriend, right…”

As a born-and-raised human, he was just as shocked as Hu Yan.

“Nonsense!” Hu Yan responded in shock. “Team Captain, that’s just a coverup, right? You’re only trying to hide Marshal Zhu’s identity—”

“He is indeed my boyfriend,” Shu Jun said calmly. “But don’t worry, Lao Hu. I’m not foolish enough to prioritize him over everything else.”

Hu Yan let out a choked cry.

“…You shouldn’t have said that.” Zhu Yanchen sighed, placing his hand on Shu Jun’s shoulder. “I am part of the Zhu family, and this could potentially affect some players’ perception of you.”

“Your identity won’t be revealed to too many people, so the impact isn’t significant. As for Lao Hu… he has followed me for so many years. It’s better than letting him figure it out on his own.”

Hu Yan vigorously shook his head, wishing he didn’t know anything.

“I’m not worried anymore,” Yu Jin said dreamily. “Marshal Zhu has this attitude, and Marshal Yi Ning is good to us. Regardless of who wins in the end, the settlement won’t suffer… Oh no! Wait! Didn’t you give a speech recently about producing new synths—”

“That wasn’t him,” Shu Jun chuckled and shook his head. “It was just an actor arranged by Zhu Sheng.”

“Oh… Oh, I see…”

“So, you want to eliminate Zhu Sheng and have Zhu Yanchen take the leadership position,” Hu Yan muttered, his gaze towards Zhu Yanchen gradually changing. After a moment, he moved closer to Shu Jun and spoke in a low voice.

“Team Captain, are you sure he’s not using you? Once he takes the stage, he could change his stance, and we’ll be left with nothing.”

“You don’t need to trust the ‘Madam’.” Shu Jun couldn’t help but laugh. “Just trust this marshal.”

With that, he stopped teasing and said, “Or rather, do you think I would prioritize personal matters over your lives?”

Hu Yan was momentarily stunned, and his breath relaxed slightly. “Team Captain…”

“It’s alright. You never needed to understand me in the first place. If you don’t believe it, you can still take people and run away later.”

“…I believe you.”

“Thanks.” Shu Jun smiled and patted the back of Hu Yan’s head. “To be honest, it’s good that you have a questioning mind. If you accepted everything without hesitation, I would be worried instead.”

“Now it’s time to meet my little team leaders. Let’s go, Madam, ah, A’Yan—”

Zhu Yanchen: “…”

Y City, Command Center.

Zhu Sheng stood silently on the research floor while researchers ran around him, sweating profusely, resembling a school of fish swimming through glaciers. Finally, someone walked up to Zhu Sheng with small steps, panting heavily.

“Zhu Lao, there is still no news from the settlement. The 30,000 people haven’t been found. And… the previous black-robed figures have also disappeared…”

“How are the restoration projects in the city going?” The old man’s voice was steady, devoid of any panic.

“Still… progressing smoothly.”

“Not bad.”

“However, there are no results yet regarding the research on synths and the Erosion Marsh.” The person wiped away their sweat. “I remember that Marshal Zhu was involved in related matters before. Should we reach out to him…?”

“No need.”

There was no need to reach out. His true son had long since passed away, turning into a set of white bones in the erosion zone.

“Open up full access to the database, including the Zhu Rong Memorial Hall, and let everyone search for information while strengthening security.” Zhu Sheng placed his hands on the top of his cane. “That’s it. Those who haven’t finished their tasks should continue.”

The tip of the cane tapped against the ceramic floor, making a faint sound. After walking a short distance, Zhu Sheng halted his steps.

“In addition, pass on my instructions. Continue exploring the settlements and keep an eye on them,” he whispered softly. “The synths aren’t foolish. With a team of 30,000 people, they will either be taken to desolate lands with no way back or find a place to hide.”

He looked towards the flickering fluorescent lights, then slowly closed his eyes, as if the lights were blinding his vision.

“Compared to the number of people, the true calamity lies in the one who can control and manipulate those 30,000 people.”

The author has something to say:

Indeed, he is a great calamity, and moreover, he is your son-in-law.