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

Chapter 424 - 409: Hostile Visitors

The vast room was utterly silent—so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The assistant’s mind had wandered off to who-knew-where, and the old man beside him seemed to be dozing off.

After a long while, the old master of the Gu Family opened his cloudy eyes as if just waking up and spoke slowly. "There’s no rush on this matter. I trust that boy, Ashen. As for the rest... never mind. Let’s wait until things in City A are settled."

The usually taciturn assistant looked up in surprise. If the old master said so, it meant something was definitely happening in City A.

But the crucial point was that, as the old master’s personal assistant, he knew absolutely nothing about it.

It was clear this old master didn’t trust him as much as the outside world seemed to believe.

But the assistant hid his shock well, and his expression quickly returned to normal. He bowed his head slightly and answered, "Yes." After the old master gave a listless wave, gesturing for him to leave, he turned and departed obediently.

He looked utterly docile.

Just before the door closed, the old master of the Gu Family’s seemingly drowsy gaze remained fixed on his trusted assistant. In that moment, no one knew what the old gentleman was truly thinking...

「Meanwhile, at A City Base.」

Qi Xiang, lounging lazily on the sofa, nudged Shen Yue—who was similarly slumped on another sofa—with her elbow and jutted her chin toward the person opposite them.

’What?’

Shen Yue yawned and lazily cracked his eyes open to look.

Qi Xiang rolled her eyes, gesturing for him to look across from them. ’Look at Ye Junhan. Even sitting on a hard bench off to the side, his posture is ramrod straight. Even the hand in the black tactical glove resting on the scabbard at his waist exudes a cold aura. And then look at you...’

’The crust in the corner of your eye, the suspicious trace of drool at the corner of your mouth, and this bonelessly lazy posture... I can’t even stand to look at you.’

’How are you supposed to compete with him looking like that?’

’It’s a good thing Gu Xi isn’t here to see what a slob you are. Otherwise... you’d have lost completely on looks alone.’

Of course, Qi Xiang didn’t actually care who won or lost. She’d already latched onto her powerful patron, Gu Xi, long ago. It was just... Shen Yue was part of their Farming Team, after all. He was one of them. In his current state, wasn’t he embarrassing their whole team?

It had to be said, Miss Qi took her image very seriously.

Shen Yue glanced across at him, then looked away, gave a lazy shrug, and let his eyelids droop again.

’So sleepy.’

’He hadn’t slept in days. What was so wrong with taking a quick nap while he had the chance?’

’As for his image?’

’Oh, please. People who are constantly fighting in the wilds don’t have an ’image’ to speak of.’

Frustrated by his apathy, Qi Xiang jabbed him again. She wished she could just splash a handful of cold water on his face to make him wash up properly. ’No matter what, you can’t lose to an outsider!’

But Shen Yue was far too exhausted to pay her any mind.

He simply rolled over, crowding her into the corner of the sofa.

Qi Xiang was speechless.

’Serves you right for losing to an outsider,’ Qi Xiang thought, huffing at his back. She grabbed a nearby throw pillow, deciding it was best to put him out of sight and out of mind.

The outsider, Ye Junhan, impassively took in their silent squabble. A finger on the hand resting on the scabbard at his waist tapped gently.

Suddenly, he lifted his gaze to the window.

At the same time, Shen Yue—who moments before had been a lazy, disheveled mess sprawled out asleep across three spots on the sofa—shot to his feet.

Even Wei Heng, just emerging from the kitchen, tore off his apron.

Qi Xiang froze for a moment, then felt a gentle breeze brush past...

’Gu Xi is back!’

Qi Xiang quickly stood up and rushed to her side. "Gu Xiaoxi, you’re finally back! Are you okay?"

"I’m fine." Gu Xi took the water Wei Heng offered her and took a sip. It was lemon-flavored, a little tart.

After finishing the water, she saw everyone looking at her. She thought for a moment before saying, "The Gu Family’s compound is deserted."

This result took everyone by surprise.

Two words immediately popped into Qi Xiang’s head: ’A mole?’

She instinctively glanced toward Shen Yue.

Shen Yue sat bolt upright and raised an eyebrow. "What are you looking at me for?"

Qi Xiang gave a dry laugh. ’Look at you, all prim and proper now.’

’Hmph. Men.’

Gu Xi’s gaze fell on the man sitting in the corner. She was a little surprised. "Why are you here?"

The tapping of Ye Junhan’s fingers on the scabbard at his waist stopped. He looked over, his expression unreadable. "I came to get you."

’Get me?’

The word choice was... delicate.

Gu Xi raised an eyebrow slightly, just as Shen Yue explained from the side, "An investigation team came down from the Central Base. They said they want to ask you a few questions about the situation..."

’An investigation team?’

’The stir they’d caused in City A recently was significant, so it was impossible the higher-ups hadn’t noticed. And since certain people couldn’t gain any advantage through Li Ming, it wasn’t surprising they’d decided to target her instead.’

’It’s just...’

"What do they want to know?" Gu Xi lowered her gaze, turning the empty glass in her hand.

’An investigation team? Their timing is certainly convenient.’

"What else could it be for?" Qi Xiang scoffed from the side. "Some people are just being utterly shameless about it."

The corner of her mouth curled up, though it wasn’t clear who she was mocking.

Shen Yue glanced at her but ultimately said nothing. The investigation team included people from the military—and even his family’s old master had come personally.

That was precisely why Shen Yue couldn’t accompany Gu Xi—to avoid any appearance of impropriety. Left with no other choice, he had sought out Ye Junhan.

Although Ye Junhan was also from the military, his background was... well, complicated in its own right. But at least, at a time like this, his presence was more appropriate than Shen Yue’s.

Just then, Ye Junhan rose and strode over. "Let’s go," he said, his gaze lowered.

They shouldn’t keep the investigation team waiting, lest they give them grounds for complaint.

Gu Xi herself didn’t care about giving people something to gossip about.

But at its core, everything she was doing was in service of her simple, original dream: to one day walk in the sun, safe and without a care, to eat and drink well by occasionally tending a small plot of land, and to get a good night’s sleep every night. She had no intention of opposing the entire state machine.

「Half an hour later, Gu Xi arrived at the A City Base Administrative Building.」

Tang You personally met her at the main entrance to lead her to the large conference room on the top floor.

The members of the investigation team were waiting for her there.

Before Gu Xi’s arrival, the investigation team had already brought in several of A City Base’s former administrators for routine interviews.

"Miss Gu," Tang You began, not knowing if any of the investigation team’s spies were nearby. He couldn’t say much, so he just gave her a quiet, cryptic reminder, "Unfortunately, Li and the others aren’t at the base right now. As for the files you requested, I’ve already prepared them..."

The Li he mentioned was one of the new city administrators Gu Xi had appointed after taking over in City A.

They were her people.

But now, these same people had been conveniently sent away.

Gu Xi nodded and glanced at the heavily guarded doors of the conference room. "Who’s in there now?"

"Mr. Zheng from the Logistics Department." After speaking, Tang You seemed to recall something. He paused, then added, "Oh, you probably don’t know him. After you came to A City Base, Mr. Zheng retired, citing illness."

In other words, this Mr. Zheng, whom Gu Xi didn’t know, was not one of her people.

In fact, it wasn’t just Mr. Zheng. From what Tang You understood, none of the people the team had interviewed before Gu Xi’s arrival were current City A administrators. They were all managers who had been replaced after Gu Xi came to power.

....Anyone with eyes could see what this lineup meant. The investigation team had come to City A with ill intent.

Tang You’s face was etched with worry, and he kept stealing nervous glances at Gu Xi.

Gu Xi walked forward and calmly pushed open the doors to the conference room.