Chapter 615 - Catching up. (1/2)
A catastrophe had ended with the arrival of the Wang Consortium’s troops. The people who were still alive could only count themselves fortunate, while the dead would soon be forgotten.
The entire stronghold was filled with wilted creeper vines. The gray vines and withered leaves scattered all over the ground made Stronghold 61 look bleak and desolate, like the stronghold were a newly formed ruin.
Ren Xiaosu felt that it would take a lot of time just to clean up the dead vines. To the Wang Consortium, their most significant loss was actually not the facilities in the stronghold but the people.
In this day and age, the consortiums were well aware that there would only be productivity with manpower.
When the creeper vine attacked the stronghold, it did not really damage the facilities at all. Even the power supply was untouched and communications were not cut off. Although there was a slight malfunction in the power grid during the period due to a lack of maintenance, the backup power supply was immediately activated.
Under such circumstances, the stronghold did not seem to have suffered any major losses in terms of structural damage.
However, it was undeniable that several hundred thousand people in Stronghold 61 had died. The people who supported the light industries, service industries, and commerce of the stronghold were all gone now.
Without heavy industries, there would be no core competitiveness. Without light industries, life would become uncomfortable and business would also decline.
Ren Xiaosu quickly led Wang Fugui and the others out of the stronghold. He brought everyone back to his own house and laid down the unconscious Zhou Yingxue.
Wang Fugui looked at the little courtyard house and said, “Xiaosu, have you been living here all this time?”
Ren Xiaosu thought for a while before saying, “Well, not really. I’ve been to many places, such as Luoyang City, Stronghold 73, 74, 63, and 62…”
Wang Fugui thought to himself, ‘Why do these strongholds sound so familiar?’ He remembered he had read the bad news of these strongholds in the newspapers. For example, the cave-in at East Lake in Stronghold 73, the nuclear strike on Stronghold 74, and the battle between the Anjing House and the Pyro Company in Stronghold 63…
“Xiaosu, other than Luoyang City, those places that you mentioned all seem quite dangerous.” Wang Fugui asked with concern, “Nothing happened to you, right?”
Ren Xiaosu comforted, “Don’t worry, I’m fine. I can’t say the same for others though.”
Wang Fugui and Jiang Wu were speechless.
Although he sounded really relaxed, Wang Fugui somehow felt that Ren Xiaosu must have gone through a lot of danger. He asked, “Xiaosu, how did you survive back then? Can you tell us about it?”
With a chuckle, Ren Xiaosu said, “After that spear pierced me through the abdomen, I was saved by some big shots of the Wang Consortium who happened to pass by. They were the ones who went to the Northwest to discuss the opening of the trade routes. At that time, they told me the spear had coincidentally pierced my appendix… and my other organs were not seriously injured….”
“App-Appendix?” Wang Fugui and the others were all dumbfounded. How could it be such a coincidence?
Actually, Ren Xiaosu thought of something after the incident. Perhaps the spear had only pierced his appendix because of Yan Liuyuan’s wish? But if it were really because of him, what kind of backlash would Yan Liuyuan have suffered?
He looked at Wang Fugui. “By the way, where’s Liuyuan?”
Ren Xiaosu swept his gaze over everyone. But after looking at all of them, he did not see Yan Liuyuan and Xiaoyu. “Old Wang, where are Liuyuan and Big Sister Xiaoyu?”