Chapter 1406: I Just Want Peace

the other side.

Zhou Mei and Li Jian stood facing each other, and the air around them seemed to become stagnant because of this solemn farewell.

The brief silence was like an invisible barrier, standing between the two of them, but it was almost broken by the overflowing concern and reluctance.

Finally, Li Jian was the first to break the silence. His eyes were filled with deep concern, like a deep pool with no bottom in sight. The only person reflected in the pool was Zhou Mei.

"Meimei, the road ahead is long and full of dangers. You must be extremely careful. I..."

His voice trembled slightly, and the second half of the sentence seemed to be stuck in his throat, making it difficult to utter.

Zhou Mei raised her chin slightly, her delicate jawline looked even more resolute under the dim light, her eyes revealed a stubborn and unruly look, as if she was not facing an unknown danger, but an ordinary challenge:

"Don't underestimate me. I'm not as fragile as you think."

Although she pretended to be strong, the way she unconsciously clenched Li Jian's hand revealed her inner uneasiness and attachment.

Her fingertips turned slightly white, and she clasped Li Jian's palm tightly, as if she wanted to deeply imprint each other's warmth.

Li Jian looked at her, forcing a smile from the corner of his mouth, but it was uglier than crying:

"I know you're amazing, but I still can't help but worry. After you leave, I won't slack off. I will work hard to improve my strength and make every day count. I must be able to find you and reunite with you in City B."

There was a determined light flashing in his eyes, and that light penetrated his ordinary face, as if at this moment, he had made a solemn vow, an vow that belonged only to the two of them.

After hearing this, Zhou Mei felt mixed emotions.

She shook her head slightly, and a few strands of hair fluttered in the wind:

"You don't have to force yourself. This Jinling base also needs you to protect it well, so just stay here. Maybe one day, the mission will change, and I will come back here. If you run around, what if I can't find you when I come back? What should I do?"

Although her voice still had a hint of toughness, the slightly trembling tone was like a sharp sword, easily cutting through her disguised strength.

Li Jian felt distressed when he saw her trying to be brave.

He took a step forward, opened his arms, and hugged Zhou Mei tightly in his arms.

This hug seemed to want to merge Zhou Mei into his own bones and blood, making her a part of his body, never to be separated.

Zhou Mei's body stiffened slightly, then slowly relaxed, leaning on Li Jian's chest, listening to his strong heartbeat. That sound was like a silent comfort and promise.

Her hands unconsciously raised up and gently placed on Li Jian's back, with her fingertips slightly curled up, as if trying to grasp this moment of warmth and tranquility.

The two of them hugged each other quietly like this. The noise around them seemed to be blocked out by an invisible barrier. Only the sound of each other's breathing, some light, some heavy, intertwined together, and the pounding hearts, seemed to be telling of endless attachment and reluctance.

They all knew that after this separation, the mountains would be high and the waters would be long, and the return date was uncertain, but they also silently hoped in their hearts that no matter how far apart they were, no matter how time passed, this feeling would be like a candle in the wind, swaying but never extinguished.

At the same time, the rest of the members of the Fire Team and the Digging Team were also immersed in the sadness of parting and said goodbye to each other.

Lin Hai patted Li Shaochen's shoulder vigorously and said loudly:

"Brother, if I have a chance to come back, we will join hands and fight together. By then, we will let the zombies of this apocalypse know how powerful we are!"

Li Shaochen grinned. Although there was reluctance in that smile, it was more of an anticipation for a future reunion:

"Don't be lazy on this journey. You need to kill as many zombies as possible. Also, take care..."

Although the words are short, they are full of concern.

Sun Qi and Wang Chen were like a pair of bickering lovers, joking and teasing each other, trying to cover up the sadness in their hearts with laughter.

"You kid, don't steal my supplies while I'm away."

Sun Qi said this in a serious tone, but there was a hint of smile in his eyes.

"Tsk, I don't care about your little supplies."

Wang Chen curled his lips in disdain, but his slightly clenched fists revealed his inner tension and anxiety.

Qin Zimo and Tan Feng just looked at each other silently, but all their feelings were conveyed silently in this silence.

Their eyes met, and there seemed to be thousands of words flowing in them, but they didn't know where to start. Only the deep trust and reluctance, like an invisible bond, tightly connected them.

At this moment, Li Luo and Lu Jingcheng walked slowly towards the crowd with steady steps, preparing to say their final goodbyes to their relatives and friends.

Seeing them approaching, the three elders, Tang Mingcheng, Li Qing and Liu Mengyun, who had just had some free time, immediately gathered around them and came forward.

Shi Xinxin and Chu Yuanqing also followed.

Tang Mingcheng's brows were deeply furrowed, his eyes were as sharp as torches, and there was a mixture of worry and majesty in his eyes, pressing down on Lu Jingcheng and Chu Yuanqing like a substance.

"This time when we go to City B, we're entrusting our two precious girls to you. The journey is full of dangers, so you must do everything you can to ensure that they return safely."

As he spoke, his two hands unconsciously clenched into fists. The pressure emanating from his body made people dare not be careless at all.

Lu Jingcheng stood straight, like a pine tree standing proudly.

He met Tang Mingcheng's gaze with a firm and ardent look, and promised without hesitation:

"Uncle Tang, don't worry, I will do my best to protect them. Even if it takes everything, I will never let them fall into danger. This is my responsibility and my oath."

His voice was steady and powerful, every word was impactful, and the expression on his face was serious and solemn, leaving no room for doubt about his determination.

Chu Yuanqing also had a solemn expression, with veins bulging slightly on his forehead. He nodded solemnly:

"Uncle Tang, I will also do my best. I will always pay attention to their safety and not let them get hurt in the slightest!"

He straightened his back, his eyes full of firmness and determination, and looked directly into Tang Mingcheng's eyes, conveying his belief.

Seeing the two people's solemn promise, Tang Mingcheng's frown relaxed slightly, and the seriousness on his face eased a little.

His eyes slowly swept over Lu Jingcheng and Chu Yuanqing, and he said earnestly:

"You two children, be careful along the way. Don't just focus on protecting them. Your own safety is equally important. In this apocalyptic world, danger is everywhere. You must be able to adapt to the situation and return safely."

After saying this, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, with a hint of barely perceptible relief.

Tang Mingcheng's serious exhortation made the atmosphere on the scene a little depressing. Li Qing was a considerate and gentle person by nature, and she didn't quite agree with the fact that he was still so tense at a time like this.

She tilted her head slightly and gave Tang Mingcheng a look that seemed to say:

"It's already this time, and you're still so serious. You're just adding pressure to the children."

Then, Li Qing and Liu Mengyun stepped forward quickly and gently held the hands of the four children on the left and right.

Li Qing's hands were warm, she held them tightly, trying to keep her tone calm:

"Children, there are more dangers on this road than you can imagine. You must be extremely careful and never act impulsively. You are a team. You must take care of each other and help each other. Only in this way can you make it through smoothly."

But when he spoke the last part, his voice couldn't help but tremble slightly, revealing the worry in his heart.

Liu Mengyun continued:

"Kids, you all know how dangerous this world is. No matter what decision you make after you go out, you must think about the consequences first. Don't fight hard when you encounter danger, but find a way to deal with it. We are waiting for you here, hoping that you will come back safely."

Li Luo looked at the mothers, a bright smile appeared on his face, and he said easily: "Mom, don't worry, we will definitely come back safely, those dangers are nothing."

Shi Xinxin snuggled up to Liu Mengyun and whispered, "Mom, we will take care of each other. Everything will be fine. We will be back to be with you soon."

Lu Jingcheng looked solemn and determined. He took a step forward and said in a sonorous and powerful voice:

"Don't worry, aunties. Yuan Qingding and I will shoulder the responsibility of protecting you. Returning safely is our promise."

Chu Yuanqing also nodded heavily, his eyes sincere:

"Yes, we will always remain vigilant and respond to all challenges with caution, and live up to your trust."

At this moment, although everyone was shrouded in the sadness of parting, with each other's comfort and promises, their hearts were filled with more determination and hope.

As Li Luo's farewell to his family came to an end, the members of the Taobao Group, who had been waiting for a long time, slowly gathered forward.

They stood there, their eyes filled with attachment and reluctance, their feet seemed to be cast under a spell, each step was taken extremely slowly, as if this could make time go slower and delay the separation.

Everyone knew that it was unknown when Li Luo would return.

Maybe it will take months, maybe years, the unknown will be like a shadow, hanging heavy in everyone's heart.

So, they came here spontaneously early in the morning, just to take a closer look at Li Luo before she left, and to imprint her appearance deeply in their minds.

Li Luo looked up and saw the people surrounding him, feeling mixed emotions.

These people have followed her all the way, through thick and thin, and every face is extremely familiar.

From the initial few people to the current scale, the hardships and laughter along the way are only known to them.

They are no longer just subordinates, but partners who share life and death.

In the crowd, the mute He Qingguo stood quietly.

His hair has turned gray, and the wrinkles on his face are like marks of time, but his eyes are still gentle and firm.

Li Luo walked up to He Qingguo with a straight figure. She raised her head slightly, with a trace of guilt and reluctance in her eyes, and said softly:

"Grandpa, I'm sorry. I just came back and have to leave again. I can't accompany you. The base's affairs are already heavy, but I am always coming and going like this. But this mission is really unavoidable. You must take good care of yourself and don't work too hard. When I return after successfully completing the mission, I will definitely accompany you well."

The corners of He Qingguo's mouth rose slightly, revealing a kind smile. He slowly raised his hand and gently patted Li Luo's shoulder. His palm was broad and warm, carrying endless comfort.

At the same time, he opened his lips slightly, his voice slightly hoarse but steady and powerful:

"My dear granddaughter, don't say that. Grandpa knows it. You have your mission, and it's a big deal. Grandpa is waiting for your triumphant return. You just need to move forward with all your heart and don't worry."

Li Luo nodded upon hearing this, and tried to force a smile full of determination and hope on his face. Then he turned around and walked towards the other members with firm steps, ready to say goodbye to them.

When he arrived in front of Wei Wuzhan, Li Luo raised his head slightly, his eyes full of trust and respect.

Wei Wuzhan's posture is still upright, and the wrinkles carved on his face by time are like legendary stories.

At this moment, the wrinkles on his face smoothed out as he smiled, making him look even more generous.

Li Luo said softly:

"Mr. Wei, I'd like to ask you to take good care of our Taodou Group."

After hearing this, Wei Wuzhan raised his head and laughed out loud. His voice was as loud as a bell and echoed in the air, as if dispelling the sadness of parting.

"Girl Luo, with us here, nothing will go wrong with the Taodou Group. Just go without worry, we'll be waiting for your triumphant return."

His eyes were firm and warm, and when he patted his chest to make assurances, his chest rose and fell slightly, showing a reassuring strength.

Li Luo shifted his gaze from Wei Wuzhan to Wei Kexin standing beside him.

At this moment, her eyes softened a little, and her tone was as gentle as a spring breeze:

"Ke Xin, you should also take good care of yourself."

Wei Kexin's eyes were slightly red, but she still tried hard to force out a very bright smile.

Suddenly, she seemed to remember something important and hurriedly took out a few small and exquisite gadgets from her arms.

They turned out to be a few small and exquisite amulets, woven with vermilion strings. The strings were of uniform thickness, bright in color and rich in texture.

Each amulet is carefully strung with a small light green jade bead. The jade bead is round and smooth, and glows faintly under the light, adding a touch of elegance to the amulet.

The knots are woven with great detail. There is the Ruyi knot which symbolizes good luck and there is also the Tuanyuan knot which represents a happy reunion. Each knot is tight and symmetrical.

It can be seen that these amulets took a lot of time and patience to complete.

Wei Kexin held the amulets in both hands and walked quickly to Li Luo. With a hint of nervousness and anticipation, she gently took Li Luo's hand and carefully placed the amulets in her palm.

"Sister Luo Luo, this is the amulet I made for you. I hope it can bring you good luck. I hope it can always guard you like me and protect you on your journey."

Her eyes were sparkling, full of anticipation and reluctance to leave Li Luo.

Li Luo gently picked up the amulet, looked at it carefully, and touched the exquisite knots and warm jade beads with his fingers, with a sincere smile on his face:

"Ke Xin, you are so skillful! This amulet was made with so much care, and every detail was handled so well. I really like it. Thank you, it will definitely bring us peace."