"Teacher, what are you doing here?" Ye Shuyuan's inquiring voice could be heard before Yun Xiaoxiao had even approached.
Zhong Mingsheng also looked surprised to see Ye Shuyuan.
He sighed, "My wife and I came to Rong City to visit relatives, and we happened to be here when the zombie virus outbreak occurred. Later, we fled here with others."
"What about you? Did you just arrive?"
"Yes, I was trapped in the hospital before. They rescued me," Ye Shuyuan replied, turning her head to look at Lu Chen and the others, her eyes full of gratitude.
"Sister, who is this grandpa?" Yun Xiaoxiao walked to Ye Shuyuan's side, looking at Zhong Mingsheng with innocent curiosity.
Ye Shuyuan, of course, recognized Yun Xiaoxiao. She was naturally patient with the sister of her saviors.
She introduced, "This is my esteemed teacher, Mr. Zhong Mingsheng. He's the most authoritative expert in neurology in all of Hua Country and the director of the Jing City Neurology Research Institute."
Listening to Ye Shuyuan's introduction, Yun Xiaoxiao realized this was the big shot from her previous life!
As for why he was here now, while in her previous life he had been in the north, she figured someone must have come specifically to bring him back there.
Thinking about how such an accomplished person was now squeezed into this dirty and chaotic slum area, she felt it was quite a pity.
She smiled sweetly at Zhong Mingsheng with a friendly attitude.
"Grandpa Zhong, my name is Yun Xiaoxiao. These are my brothers. Would you like to leave this base with us and go live somewhere better?"
She expressed her thoughts directly.
Since the hospital had been integrated, the system had prompted her that she could start building a base.
As for improving the base, that could be done gradually after the base was established.
But as soon as she finished speaking, she was met with a scoff.
A man slightly younger than Zhong Mingsheng walked over from the neighboring tent. His features bore some resemblance to Zhong Mingsheng, suggesting they were blood relatives.
He looked at Yun Xiaoxiao and sneered.
"Little girl, what kind of joke are you making? In all of Rong City, Rongsheng is the only large base. Where else could have better conditions than here?"
"By asking my elder brother to go with you, aren't you just putting him in danger?"
"There are zombies everywhere outside now. How could there be any chance of survival out there?"
He fired off several questions, his tone full of disdain.
"Do you know there's a type of animal that likes to sit in a well and look at the sky? All it sees is the patch of sky above the well's opening, so it thinks the entire sky is only that big. In reality, the sky is thousands of times larger than it imagines."
Yun Xiaoxiao smiled slightly, pursing her lips.
Zhong Huainong frowned, "Are you calling me narrow-minded?!"
"Isn't that what you are?"
"Hmph!"
Zhong Huainong glared at Yun Xiaoxiao, then turned to Zhong Mingsheng.
"Brother, you're not really going to listen to this child and go with them, are you?"
"How can you trust a child's words? How capable can they be with just a handful of people? The Rongsheng Base has so many capable individuals, they could crush these kids easily.
Staying here is the safest option for us. Don't listen to a child's nonsense."
"That's right, brother," Zhong Huainong's wife, Wu Changlan, also chimed in to persuade him.
"Those monsters outside are so vicious when they bite people. Leaving this base would be a ninety-nine percent chance of death.
No matter what, if we stay here, the base serves as a barrier, and those monsters can't get in.
Plus, the base gives us three steamed buns every day to stave off hunger. At least we won't starve to death."
"Three steamed buns?" Yun Xiaoxiao pointed out mercilessly, "How long do you think you'll keep getting those three buns?"
"If I'm not mistaken, you used to get porridge too, right? Now the base has stopped giving you porridge. I bet it won't be long before three buns become two, and then just one..."
"You're talking nonsense! How could that be possible!" Wu Changlan angrily retorted.
"Why not? Why do you think the base would feed so many idle people? Where does their food come from? Are they producing anything?"
Yun Xiaoxiao's words left Wu Changlan speechless.
Zhong Huainong, however, sneered, "So, does this wonderful place you speak of have all these things?"
"Of course. As long as Grandpa Zhong comes with me, I can guarantee him three meals a day, with rice and meat at every meal."
"Ha! What a joke. You say it, and it's true? I might as well say I can eat roast goose every day. Little kids who tell tall tales will grow long noses!"
"Besides, my brother is getting on in years and can't kill those monsters. What use would he be to you?"
Hearing this, Zhong Mingsheng frowned slightly.
The words were harsh, but they were true.
He was indeed getting old and couldn't do much beyond his professional research.
"Little one, may I ask why you want me to leave with you?" he inquired.
Yun Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow, "The reason is simple. I need you to continue your research, that's all."
"Research?"
"That's right."
Zhong Mingsheng was full of surprise, but looking at Yun Xiaoxiao's determined eyes, he found himself believing her.
Trusting the words of a five-year-old child was crazy!
But his intuition told him that she was serious, and he believed he wouldn't be wrong to trust her!
He turned to look at his wife, Fan Wenying, who had been silent all this time.
"Wenying, what do you think?"
Though disheveled, Fan Wenying's face was gentle and kindly as she smiled at Yun Xiaoxiao.
"Little one, you want us to research a vaccine for the zombie virus, don't you?"
Yun Xiaoxiao nodded.
Fan Wenying gave Zhong Mingsheng a gentle smile. "I think we can give it a try."
She had seen Lu Chen and the others' abilities earlier. If they truly intended to establish a base, she fully believed they could.
Even if it wasn't as large as the Rongsheng Base or had worse conditions, she still thought it would be worth it.
Here, she felt like a useless parasite, without dignity or hope.
"Sister-in-law, have you gone mad? You're gambling with your lives!" Zhong Huainong frowned.
Fan Wenying chuckled lightly, "Isn't life just a grand gamble? It doesn't matter if we lose. We're old now, dying sooner or later makes little difference.
If we win, at least we can spend our twilight years with some peace and make ourselves useful. Who knows, we might even succeed in our research.
It's better than staying here, exposed to the elements every day, not knowing if we'll survive till tomorrow."
"Ah, you've been bewitched! You'll regret this for sure!" Wu Changlan shook her head.
Trusting a child's words was just too ridiculous!
Fan Wenying just smiled faintly, not arguing back.
Yun Xiaoxiao admired this calm and composed demeanor.
Zhong Mingsheng introduced her, "This is my wife, Fan Wenying. She's the most authoritative expert at the National Virus Research Center."
Yun Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up. It was a two-for-one deal!
She suddenly felt like she had struck gold.
The most accomplished in neurology, plus the most authoritative in virology.
With this couple, they might actually be able to develop a vaccine for the virus!
