From Apocalypse Boss to Farmer: My Vegetables Make Me Stronger!

The fact that she still possessed this tiny sliver of human emotion was all thanks to Li Ming and the others. They had worked tirelessly for over twenty years, ever since she was a child, just to painstakingly maintain it for her.

She might look like a normal person now—able to talk, laugh, eat, and sleep—but in reality, aside from the few people like Li Ming who could still stir her emotions, Gu Xi was cold to the core.

In the past, she had been indifferent to everything in the world, not even caring about her own life or death. It was only in the year or so since she’d woken up, after living a somewhat normal life with Wei Heng and the others, that she gradually began to signs of a living person’s vitality.

But at her core, she was still the same emotionally detached Gu Xi she’d always been.

As for her origins, and her parents...

To be honest, aside from a passing mention from Li Ming, Gu Xi had never known who her parents were. Even the name "Gu Xi" had been bestowed upon her by the people at the research institute.

The Gu Family... meant nothing to her.

She truly had no interest in her own origins.

Avenging her mother was out of the question.

When Li Ming told her that name and made her remember that date all those years ago, it was only because he wanted her to know that she was human—born of a human—not the monster they all called her, a creature who only knew how to kill, more terrifying than a zombie.

Because she had a mother, she was a person.

It was as simple as that.

But she didn’t know how those people had found out about that date, or the name Huo Zhen. ’Maybe Li Ming was planning something, or maybe...’

She didn’t want to think of people as being so complicated and vile.

’But some people seem awfully keen on forcing a revenge plot on me, don’t they?’

Gu Xi sighed and tossed aside the dry twig in her hand.

’Being forced into this revenge plot is so damn annoying.’

’I’d rather be back in South City, farming.’

... Gu Xi suddenly froze.

’That’s not right.’

In all the years past, she seemed to have never felt this emotion called irritation. But since waking up this time... especially after returning to the Central Base... Gu Xi silently recalled that she had already been annoyed several times now.

She subconsciously raised a hand and pressed it over her heart.

Her heartbeat was still steady and strong, but her emotional fluctuations had become much more pronounced lately.

Gu Xi didn’t know if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

For a moment, she felt a little lost.

A small green sprout quietly emerged, twirling around her fingertip.

The vast underground space was eerily quiet. Aside from the CRACKLE of the fire, no one spoke.

Qi Xiang nudged Wei Heng with her arm.

Wei Heng gave her a slight shake of his head.

Just then, Gu Xi suddenly looked up and asked, "What did Shen Yue arrange for Yang Chi?"

The Research Institute’s convoy had been picking up a strange signal. Besides Ye Nan, who was a primary suspect, Zhou Jing had also always been a person of interest. That’s why, before the great earthquake, Yang Chi had used the excuse of needing treatment for internal injuries to get into Ye Nan’s medical vehicle, where he was tasked with monitoring that signal.

After the great earthquake hit, Yang Chi lost contact with all of them.

When Gu Xi suddenly asked, Wei Heng paused for a moment before slowly shaking his head. "Shen Yue didn’t say. But since he was willing to place Yang Chi with the Research Institute, I figure the kid can take care of himself..."

Gu Xi nodded. Yang Chi was smart, and given his status, the Research Institute wouldn’t dare touch him unless they wanted a complete falling out with the Shen Family.

She raised her arm and glanced at the time.

One in the afternoon.

It had been over six hours since she led her people from the temporary camp. But if the base’s Guard Team and the Research Institute wanted to make a move, this... probably wasn’t enough time.

Thinking of the human cocoons still hanging from the trees, Gu Xi keyed her walkie-talkie and exchanged a few words with Yang Liu.

When she ended the call, she turned back to find Qi Xiang and the others all staring at her.

Gu Xi said, "...Didn’t you all hear that entire conversation? Why is everyone staring at me?"

She even offered a small smile.

But the hearts of Wei Heng and the others sank. To suddenly learn about an origin like that... how could any normal person possibly smile in a situation like this?

Qi Xiang sighed to herself. "Gu Xi, it’s still early, and we’re not heading back to camp just yet. Why don’t you go get some rest?"

There had been too much going on these past few days, and Gu Xi hadn’t gotten much sleep. It wasn’t good for her to keep pushing herself like this.

And then there was the matter of the Gu Family... Although Gu Xi seemed calm now, something like this was bound to take an emotional toll.