Rotting Land: Survive

Derek said "you" three times, but never managed to continue, mainly because he saw Old Zhao’s emotions starting to become unstable again, his chest rising and falling dramatically. Bi Dahu worried that Old Zhao would erupt, so he leaned in first. Tang Xiaoquan also spoke up to remind him, "Uncle Zhao, control yourself! Calm down!"

"I am very calm now!" Old Zhao roared at Tang Xiaoquan, and then glared angrily at Derek with his eyes wide open, "Speak! What were you going to say? What’s wrong with me?"

The sudden raise in Old Zhao’s tone truly startled Derek, "I, I, I just wanted to confirm whether you are Zhao Yunhai, because Lina has reminded me more than once that her father is named Zhao Yunhai."

Upon hearing this, everyone was completely stunned. They looked at each other, mouths half open, unable to speak.

Especially Wen Quanxin, who felt his worldview was about to be turned upside down. Could such a coincidence really happen, where they accidentally caught a thief at midnight, only to realize it led them to Old Zhao’s daughter.

Only Tang Xiaoquan remained calm as he looked at Old Zhao, because compared to confirming Old Zhao’s daughter’s identity, Tang Xiaoquan was more concerned about Old Zhao’s current psychological state.

Having also experienced the disappearance of a loved one only to then mysteriously receive related clues, Tang Xiaoquan could fully understand Old Zhao’s emotional fluctuation at this moment.

"Old Zhao! Are you okay!"

Old Zhao didn’t reply, he just hung his head, no one could see the expression on his face, nor did anyone know what he was thinking at this moment.

And this made Tang Xiaoquan even more worried, "Old Zhao! Listen, no matter what, your daughter’s identity is already confirmed. You must control your emotions, pull yourself together. Remember, she’s waiting for you to rescue her!"

The words shocked Old Zhao into reality. Tang Xiaoquan’s final comment, "She’s waiting for you to rescue her," prompted a sudden jolt throughout Old Zhao’s body.

Slowly raising his head, Old Zhao seemed somewhat exhausted, and after taking several deep breaths by force, he replied indifferently, "I, I’m fine."

"OK! It’s good if you’re fine! Trust me, we will get Lina out!!" Tang Xiaoquan said firmly, always remembering Old Zhao’s positive attitude when he learned about his parent’s whereabouts, a memory that Tang Xiaoquan found unforgettable.

He had always wanted to report it, but there was never a suitable moment. Today was undoubtedly a perfect opportunity bestowed by heaven; Tang Xiaoquan would not miss it.

Steadying himself, Tang Xiaoquan helped Old Zhao back to his seat, then proceeded to approach Derek, extending his right hand.

Derek looked at Tang Xiaoquan’s outstretched right hand, somewhat unsure.

Tang Xiaoquan had no choice but to speak up, "Sorry, I misunderstood you initially due to your actions. I hope you don’t mind. Come, get up."

Upon hearing Tang Xiaoquan’s words and seeing his gentle smile, Derek cautiously extended his palm and then was pulled up by Tang Xiaoquan.

"Sit down!" Tang Xiaoquan gestured for Derek to sit, casually pulling over a chair next to the table.

Observing Tang Xiaoquan’s actions, Wen Quanxin was somewhat displeased.

His mind was racing: Although this kid knows Old Zhao’s daughter, it doesn’t eliminate his bad intentions. Quan, you’re usually so astute, why are you so quick to trust now?

Tang Xiaoquan naturally wasn’t aware of Wen Quanxin’s thoughts, even if he did, he wouldn’t change his approach.

He never truly trusted Derek; his courteous demeanor was simply due to seeing some value in the young man.

He needed to use a friendly attitude to dispel Derek’s guard, thereby further understanding the opposing faction’s situation, in order to draft an action plan to rescue Zhao Lina, who was trapped in a dire predicament.

As Derek slowly sat down, when he was finally settled, it felt like a great weight had been lifted from his heart.

Tang Xiaoquan casually walked over to the cabinet, took a white porcelain bowl, filled it with clear water, and then walked over to Derek, speaking with tremendous kindness, "Here! Lil’ Derek, drink some water while it’s warm, you must be very thirsty after talking so much just now."

Derek was indeed extremely thirsty; after a night of operating in the dark, ambush, and saying so much, he hadn’t had a single drop of water. He was parched and desperately thirsty.

So when Tang Xiaoquan brought the water over, before he even finished speaking, Derek lifted the porcelain bowl and started sipping.

"Haha, no rush, there’s plenty of water, don’t scald yourself."

Ignoring Tang Xiaoquan’s concerns, Derek took one sip after another, slowly and contentedly savoring the refreshing water.

While Derek was enjoying this moment, Tang Xiaoquan seized the opportunity to ask, "How is Zhao Lina doing now?"

"Her? Not very well!" As soon as these words came out, Derek stopped what he was doing, realizing he misspoke, he reflexively glanced at Zhao Yunhai in the corner.

Sure enough, upon hearing his response, Old Zhao’s once listless eyes flared up with rage.

Derek hurriedly corrected his wording, "She, overall she’s alright, it’s just... you know the severe shortage of supplies in our place, we..."

"Aren’t you one of them? They’re counting on you for supplies! If you say you protect Zhao Lina, why would she be without food?" Due to his preconceptions, Wen Quanxin remained hostile towards Derek, so if his words showed the slightest error, he would immediately attack.

"No, no, no! You misunderstood! It’s true that I’m protecting Demmi and Zhao Lina under the pretense of those ’Japanese’ students gathering supplies. But that doesn’t mean that the supplies I gather will automatically be shared with us. You need to understand, I am already doing my best to ensure they aren’t violated, let alone discuss the distribution of goods, this... this..."

If he could ignore Wen Quanxin’s position, Derek would have yelled out, "Are you stupid or what!"

"Damn! A bunch of nonsense! I think you’re just a coward!"

"That’s enough! Xiao Wen, say no more. No one’s going to think you’re mute!" Tang Xiaoquan turned back with a glare at Wen Quanxin, signaling him to shut up.

After stopping Wen Quanxin, Tang Xiaoquan turned his attention back to Derek, heaving a heavy sigh, "Alas, you really have a hard time, Lil’ Derek, it’s tough dealing with those guys, isn’t it?"

"Actually, it’s not that bad. I spend most of my time collecting supplies outside. You know, to feed more than ten of them, by myself..." Shaking his head, Derek’s face showed a look of helplessness, "After returning to school, I generally just nest in the room with Demmi and Lina, rarely interacting with that bunch of bastards. If one day the world returns to its previous state, I will definitely drag that group of animals to court!!"

At this point, Derek seemed a bit agitated, his fists clenched tightly, the tips deeply embedding into his palms.

This detail somewhat surprised Tang Xiaoquan, indicating this young man’s true nature might not be entirely bad. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)