Chapter 394: Chapter 393: Asking Face-to-Face
In a desolate, spacious world, survival clearly hinges on one thing: food.
Based on Lv Bai’s current observations, there are no medium or large-sized animals, and the output from the entire city and surrounding areas can only sustain one to two hundred people at most.
How is it possible to sustain thousands of people?
Moreover, there are no signs of grain cultivation. Was it climate change that made it impossible to plant crops as in the pre-refugee camp era? Or is there another reason?
Lv Bai kept these doubts to himself, silently following Fire Radiance to an office door.
It was apparent that the person they called Dabiao had a prominent status in this settlement; there were two burly men in vests guarding the door.
Fire Radiance greeted the guards at the door familiarly, then explained his purpose for coming.
"Fire Radiance, you should wait with the kid for a while. I’ll go report to Dabiao."
One of the burly men scrutinized Lv Bai for a moment before turning around to push open the office door and walk inside.
A moment later, the burly man came out of the office, pointed at Lv Bai, and said, "Follow me, Fire Radiance, go about your business."
Following the burly man’s lead, Lv Bai walked into the office and finally met the Dabiao they spoke of.
Just from hearing the name, one might instinctively picture a hulking, tattooed underworld boss.
But in fact, this so-called Dabiao was instead a rather lean-looking middle-aged man.
He dressed neatly and wore scholarly-looking black-framed glasses, exuding no sense of hostility.
Anyone who saw him would think this man was an intellectual.
"Ah Zang, you can leave now. Don’t worry about me."
Dabiao waved to the burly man.
Ah Zang hesitated for a moment but didn’t disobey Dabiao’s order and obediently left the office, closing the door behind him.
Only then did Dabiao smile at Lv Bai and gesture, "Ah Zang has told me about your situation, let’s sit down and talk."
Lv Bai didn’t stand on ceremony and, as if at home, naturally sat on the chair opposite the desk.
Dabiao gazed at Lv Bai, a hint of nostalgia flashing in his eyes as he spoke shockingly.
"I come from Refugee Camp No. 76, and before leaving the camp, I was part of Can Society. If you have come from the camp, you should know what that organization is."
Lv Bai nodded without saying much.
Not detecting anything from Lv Bai’s expression, Dabiao continued, "Are you surprised, why is the situation on the surface entirely different from what’s recorded in the camp?"
"Indeed, the so-called Ice Age, the so-called underground shelter plan, all of it is an outright lie."
As he spoke, Dabiao’s tone became visibly more agitated: "It’s nothing more than a selfish betrayal of the entire human race..."
Dabiao’s voice grew so low it was almost inaudible, yet Lv Bai did not press further.
The contents recorded by underground shelters, combined with his observations since coming to the surface, make all this very intriguing.
It seems that those supporting the underground shelter plan are lying.
But if it is a lie, there are many issues with it.
Let’s not forget, given the resources and construction period reasons, at least half the people at the time were not eligible to enter the shelters.
From the standpoint of those in favor of the shelters, those billions of people had to be sacrificed for the continuation of humanity.
If the Ice Age truly came, those billions would indeed have no way to survive, but if it was a lie, then those billions scattered worldwide wouldn’t have led to the end of civilization.
Not to mention, in this current situation, where human numbers are pathetically low, forced to yield living space to plants.
Dabiao could see Lv Bai’s doubts, yet he seemed to intentionally keep Lv Bai guessing, shifting to a lighter tone for another topic: "I’m sure you’re curious about how the Linxi Settlement manages to survive with so many people."
This riddle-like approach frustrated Lv Bai somewhat.
When one gets frustrated, their behavior tends to become more direct.
He leaned forward, hands on the desk: "Are you saying the Master granted you food?"
Despite wearing a harmless smile, Dabiao inexplicably felt a sense of unease, like a creature at the bottom of the food chain facing its predator, his body instinctively tensed.
Dabiao swallowed subconsciously, raising his hands before him: "Friend, let’s sit down and talk calmly."
Lv Bai shook his head, speaking softly, "From now on, I ask, you answer."
"Friend, I appear approachable, that’s giving you face, but what you’re doing is a bit rude."
Despite being the Speaker of a several thousand-strong settlement, Dabiao merely sensed Lv Bai’s unpredictability and wasn’t genuinely afraid of him.
Confronted with these nearly threatening words, Dabiao’s expression cooled, as he called towards the office door: "Ah Zang! Come in."
Before the words were finished, the office door burst open, and two burly men stormed inside.
"Dabiao, did you call me?"
"Is it that the kid’s being unruly?"
Seeing his two aides enter, Dabiao spoke coldly: "Since words won’t suffice, we’ll converse in a way you understand."
Lv Bai didn’t look back, his smile growing even brighter.
"What a coincidence, I can handle a bit of fistwork myself."
...
Dabiao’s office.
Two burly aides, bruised and battered, kneeled on the floor, Dabiao sat slumped to the side, gaze vacant.
Lv Bai sat cross-legged on the desk, fingers tapping sporadically against the surface.
"Are you saying, before the shelter era, human leaders already made a deal with this so-called Master, agreeing to yield the surface and half the population to ensure the continuation of human civilization?"
Dabiao nodded numbly.
"Why? Since the Master has such ability, why would they need to negotiate with human leaders? There’s no need to tolerate so many living underground, is there?"
"Such secrets, I genuinely don’t know, brother." Finished speaking, Dabiao habitually shrank his neck, fearing Lv Bai might strike again.
"Alright then, I’ll ask directly myself."
Lv Bai stretched lazily, casually asking: "You serve this so-called Master, right? When does the Master come?"
Dabiao adjusted his glasses cautiously, replying, "The Master summons leaders from nearby settlements on the first of every month."
Lv Bai glanced at the calendar hanging in the office, starting to chuckle.
"Isn’t that tomorrow?"
