Countdown: Humanity's struggle to survive against yesterday

Chapter 47 Meeting Jiang Ning

The tunnel has a good ventilation system and excellent visibility.

The group drove forward without feeling any sense of oppression, just like driving normally into a tunnel on a highway.

After passing through a checkpoint, the view suddenly opened up, and even the light was the same as during the daytime outside.

If the group hadn't already known they were inside Mount Taiqing, the scene before them would have felt like entering the largest aviation terminal in the country.

Lu Xue observed her surroundings, but she didn't know how big Mount Taiqing was.

But as soon as she entered the lobby on the first floor, she found that the view was very open. The lobby was divided into five floors with an open space in the middle. There were many people walking back and forth on each floor, and the lobby on the first floor was particularly lively.

For a moment, she felt like she was going to go shopping.

"This floor is the living area, with everything you need for eating, drinking, and entertainment!"

Seeing the expressions on their faces, like Liu Grandma visiting the Grand View Garden, Zhou Yunci proudly declared once again.

"The second floor is for various materials rooms, the third and fourth floors are dormitories, the fifth floor is the administrative area, the Luoshu Brain is underground, and some laboratories are also underground."

"Wait a moment……"

Su Mian felt annoyed when she heard Zhou Yunci's proud tone. She secretly wondered how he became a political commissar and why he always wanted to show off.

He stopped looking at the underground research base and asked directly, "Where is Jiangning?"

"Yes, Political Commissar Zhou, let's go find Jiangning first!"

Zhang Jimin also withdrew his gaze from looking around and asked the question.

"Can we smoke?" Sun Fumin yawned. "Old Zhou, we've been traveling all day, so take us to see Jiang Ning first! After we meet him, you can give us a proper introduction to this place."

When Zhou Yunci heard Sun Fumin call him Old Zhou, the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

Looking up at Sun Fumin, I saw that he had a cigarette in his mouth and looked listless, obviously suffering from a craving for cigarettes.

"In theory, smoking is not allowed in public places, but there are designated smoking areas..."

"despair……"

The lighter made a striking sound.

Sun Fumin took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, his face full of comfort.

After taking a puff to satisfy his craving, he noticed Lu Xue staring at him, so he quickly handed her the cigarette pack. "Excuse me, would you like one too?"

"No, no, no..." Lu Xue quickly waved her hand, "I don't smoke."

Su Mian waved to disperse the smoke. She was a little dissatisfied at first, but when she saw Sun Fumin's nonchalant attitude and Zhou Yunci's cold expression, which clearly showed that he was on her side, she stopped talking.

"Sun Fumin..."

"arrive!"

Sun Fumin quickly put a cigarette between his fingers, gave Zhou Yunci a forced military salute, and then grinned:

"Political Commissar Zhou, don't be angry. You said it yourself, it's just theory. In reality, the people around you probably don't mind, and they don't care how much you smoke, right?"

As he spoke, Sun Fumin looked at Zhang Jimin first, "Old Zhang, stop pretending, don't you want a bite?"

Zhang Jimin's lips twitched, and he shook his head with a wry smile. However, his interruption lessened his earlier unease.

"Pfft..." Lu Xue couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

"You two beauties don't mind, do you?" Sun Fumin asked with a grin.

"I don't mind, I don't mind!" Lu Xue waved her hand hurriedly, not even noticing that her tense nerves were slowly relaxing.

Su Mian didn't say anything, but shook her head helplessly, thinking to herself, "This guy is probably a real character! Jiang Ning invited him here because he's thick-skinned and has a carefree personality, which can help alleviate the boredom of the future research process."

Just then, I suddenly heard someone shouting in the distance, "Brother Fumin, Old Zhang..."

Upon hearing the sound, Sun Fumin and Zhang Jimin quickly turned their heads and saw a familiar figure a hundred meters away.

"Hey, Xiao Ning!"

Sun Fumin deftly threw the cigarette butt at his feet, stomped it out, and swaggered towards Jiangning.

Jiang Ning couldn't help but smile when she saw his unruly appearance.

This childhood friend is still the same. Although he runs a small supermarket and a mahjong parlor in his hometown and seems to be a carefree person all day long, Jiang Ning knows that he has a big heart and is not afraid of big occasions.

In short, as long as he isn't embarrassed, it's others who are embarrassed.

In contrast to him was Sun Lingmin, a fellow villager who was always loud and boisterous in the village. He couldn't wait to show off whatever others were talking about, but when it came to formal occasions, he was the most timid one.

Sun Fumin stepped forward and gave Jiang Ning a brief hug, then lightly punched Jiang Ning's shoulder and winked, saying, "Well done, Xiao Ning, you have good taste in women. These two girls are really pretty."

After saying that, he pointed at Su Mian and Lu Xue without any restraint, "You're really bold. Aren't you afraid that Xiao Wei will be furious with you when she finds out in the future..."

"Forehead……"

Jiang Ning blushed and glared at Sun Fumin, "Don't talk nonsense..."

"Okay, okay! I understand..." Sun Fumin raised an eyebrow, looking like he knew what he was talking about.

Sun Fumin's voice was very loud, and since the hall was quiet at the moment, it was hard for anyone present not to hear their conversation.

Zhang Jimin stood still, smiled subtly, and shook his head. He had figured out Boss Sun's personality and knew roughly how to get along with him in the future.

Su Mian was alright; upon hearing Sun Fumin's words, she merely frowned slightly, her eyes remaining cold.

Lu Xue's delicate face immediately turned red.

"Old Zhang..."

Jiang Ning walked up to Zhang Jimin, raised his fist, and the two bumped into each other hard, then looked at each other.

Jiang Ning didn't say anything about how hard it was for you to abandon your sister-in-law to help me.

Since the other party is already here, saying these things would seem pretentious.

Between men, sometimes not many words are needed; like now, the two of them just smiled at each other.

After greeting Zhang Jimin, Jiang Ning looked at Lu Xue with a complicated expression: "Xiao Xue, I didn't expect you to actually agree to come!"

Lu Xue gave an awkward smile: "Brother Jiang, I'm sorry I didn't have the courage to see Sister Wei off on her final journey." After saying that, she fell silent.

Jiang Ning nodded slightly, not delving into the topic. "The fact that you're willing to come shows that you've always had Wei-jie in your heart. Let's not bring up the past anymore. Let's wait for Wei-jie together."

"Yes!" Lu Xue nodded vigorously.

When it was Su Mian's turn, Jiang Ning carefully examined her. This time, she wasn't wearing a white coat, but a blue and white checkered mountaineering suit, brown Martin boots, and a backpack slung across her waist. Combined with her short hair, she looked even more neat and tidy.

Jiang Ning then extended his hand and calmly said, "Welcome, Ms. Su..."

Su Mian seemed not to see Jiang Ning's outstretched hand. She simply adjusted the backpack slung across her chest and calmly said, "Don't welcome me yet. I need a reason why you invited me here. After all, we don't seem to know each other very well."

These words immediately created an awkward atmosphere in the room.

"Cough cough"

Jiang Ning couldn't help but cough twice, looking quite embarrassed.

Even Zhou Yunci, who was standing to the side, looked at Jiang Ning with curiosity upon seeing this scene, and at the same time glanced at Su Mian, thinking to himself, "This little girl is wild; she always manages to shut people up with her words."

Then he said loudly, "Master Jiang, I've brought the person to you. I'll leave the rest to you. I have other things to attend to and will be leaving now."

After saying that, he turned and left without waiting for Jiang Ning's reaction.

He took two steps, then turned back and stopped, looking at the cigarette butt Sun Fumin had thrown on the ground. He pointed to an electronic bracelet on his right wrist and said, "Big brother, big brother, there's a cigarette butt here. Come and clean it up."

"Yes, Political Commissar Zhou, your location has been pinpointed. I'll head over right away."

After finishing his speech, Political Commissar Zhou looked up at Jiang Ning and the others, flicked his wrist, and left with a smug expression.

A short while later, ten seconds after he left, a robot shaped like a Calabash Brother quickly drove up from the side.

He first circled around the crowd, and when he saw the cigarette butt on the ground, he grabbed it and inhaled it from the bottom of the cigarette butt, then swayed away.

"Wow, this is interesting! It's more fun than a household robot vacuum cleaner!" Sun Fumin stroked his chin, staring intently at the gourd-shaped robot.

"You have ten seconds. If your reason doesn't satisfy me, I can leave with Political Commissar Zhou."

Su Mian glanced back at Zhou Yunci's slowly departing figure, then turned back to look at Jiang Ningdao.