Chapter 1241 Reunion after a long absence

Hearing that signature loud voice and boisterous greeting, Zhou Guihong's formulaic enthusiastic smile instantly became more genuine, and a rare warmth, typical of old acquaintances meeting, even flickered in his eyes. He took two steps forward and laughed loudly:

"Chong! Long time no see! You look great, you're doing very well in Chongqing!"

The person who arrived was Lu Chong. He strode off the special train, his tall figure casting a long shadow under the platform lights.

He wasn't wearing civilian clothes either, but rather a crisp general's field training uniform. He looked travel-worn but was full of energy, with an undisguised, triumphant smile on his face, the kind of smile that belongs to a victorious general.

"Haha! Gui Hong, stop insulting me! Compared to you, the 'Grand Eunuch' who's always by the leader's side, strategizing and planning, I, Lao Lu, am just a roughneck running errands!"

As he spoke, Lu Chong mischievously patted Zhou Guihong's shoulder with considerable force, but Zhou Guihong didn't budge, only smiling.

The two were indeed old acquaintances. Back when Gu Chengyuan was still a battalion commander, Zhou Guihong was his battalion clerk, while Lu Chong was just a daring and hot-tempered infantry platoon leader.

Along the way, one became the head of the secretariat of the theater command, and the other became the commander of a military region and the commander of an elite group army, with vastly different job responsibilities. However, the friendship they shared in the early days of fighting side by side and following their leader to rise to power has never faded.

"Running errands and fighting?" Zhou Guihong shook her head with a smile, her tone sincere:

"Chong, you're being too modest. During the Chongqing Campaign, the commander praised you a lot for daring to fight tough battles and winning them. Now you not only hold the Chongqing Military Region in your hands, but you also serve as the commander of the newly formed 3rd Group Army... This is incredibly impressive, and you're unique in our theater!"

"Hey! I love hearing that!" Lu Chong didn't mince words, grinned, and then lowered his voice, saying enviously, "But seriously, Gui Hong, I still envy you, being able to be by the commander's side every day!"

As he spoke, as if remembering something, he suddenly said to Zhou Guihong:

"I know you used to like fiddling with your pile of liquor when you had nothing to do, so I had someone search for it before I came."

"You know what Chongqing was like before the apocalypse. Its economy was one of the best in the entire southwest, so apart from heavy industry, it enjoyed all the luxuries!"

"I brought you some wine this time, not much, I'll have someone put it in your car later!"

"What kind of wine?" Upon hearing this, Zhou Guihong's interest was immediately piqued.

"They're all foreign stuff, I don't know anything about them. Anyway, they taste like pee. I only remember one that seemed pretty famous, was it called McCarren or something like that?" Lu Chong waved his hand impatiently.

"Anyway, you can go back and see for yourself. There's not much stuff, just a few dozen boxes. Next time, if I'm not in such a rush, I'll just get you a whole train carload!"

Listening to Lu Chong's nouveau riche attitude, Zhou Guihong felt envious. These local military commanders from BYD were really something else!

Unlike before the apocalypse when they were confined to military camps, after the apocalypse, power extends along with the military presence, becoming virtually limitless, granting them immense control over the people and resources within their defense zones...

To put it bluntly, even a small company commander, a small platoon leader, or even a small squad leader, as long as they have their own garrison area, they are the emperor of that garrison area!

However, this envy was only momentary. Zhou Guihong was quickly moved by Lu Chong's gift-giving method, which was like throwing bricks with great force. Not only did the other party remember her hobby, but he also won by sheer quantity without any regard for martial ethics. How could anyone not be moved?

He didn't refuse and accepted it readily, laughing, "Alright, then today I'll represent the organization in beating up this rich guy! I'll put this gift in the organization's warehouse!"

"I always say the beverage section in the government canteen is missing something, like some imported liquor, hahaha—"

...

However, the relaxed and familiar small talk did not last long.

Almost at the same time the two men burst into laughter, a subtle, almost imperceptible change occurred in the atmosphere near the special train carriage behind him.

The guards who had disembarked with Lu Chong had silently and swiftly taken over the security of the platform area.

They worked seamlessly with the guards brought by Zhou Guihong, completely surrounding the area and blocking the view of all unrelated personnel.

Lu Chong's smile faded slightly, and his gaze fell on the newly opened door of carriage number 2.

Zhou Guihong keenly noticed the subtle change in Lu Chong's gaze and the surrounding atmosphere, and naturally shifted her gaze in that direction.

Under the watchful eyes of several highly vigilant guards, Jia Daiquan, dressed in the uniform of the Supervision Bureau and with an unusually solemn expression, was carefully guiding a person down the steps of the carriage with an almost protective yet extremely cautious posture.

That was a... girl.

She wore an ill-fitting, stained, gray coat, her hair was disheveled, and her appearance could even be described as quite shabby.

She kept her head down, seemingly at a loss with the steep steps beneath her feet and the unfamiliar surroundings, her movements slightly stiff.

However, just as she was about to step onto the platform, a late-night draft happened to blow through—

The wind lifted the tangled strands of hair on her forehead, revealing her face, which had been mostly hidden.

hum-

Zhou Guihong felt as if her mind went blank for a moment!

As the director of the secretariat of the war zone, he accompanied Gu Chengyuan to countless important occasions and came into contact with all sorts of people.

After the apocalypse, through his work, such as the previous "Xishan Light Cavalry" cultural troupe, he had seen quite a few "beauties," including some who were truly naturally beautiful or had been carefully sculpted.

but……

The face before him was completely beyond his previous understanding and aesthetic sensibilities!

It is a kind of "beauty" that cannot be accurately described with any known ornate language; it transcends all worldly standards such as skin color, facial proportions, and temperament.

Under the cold white lights of the platform, her skin had an almost inhuman, jade-like paleness and translucency, as if it would shatter at the slightest touch, yet it contained an indescribable vitality.

Every line of his facial features was exquisitely crafted, and together they created a breathtaking harmony and... divinity?

What's most captivating are her eyes; she's slightly raising her eyelids, seemingly lost in thought due to the vastness of the platform and the lighting.

Those were...purple eyes, not the seductive look of colored contact lenses, but like the purest amethyst, or like an abyss containing nebulae—pure, empty, yet burning with some indescribable, primal flame of life deep within.

When Zhou Guihong was unconsciously swept over by her gaze, she even felt her heart skip a beat uncontrollably. An instinctive throbbing, originating from the deepest part of her life and as if she had encountered a higher level of existence, instantly swept down her spine.

This is not desire, not appreciation, not even amazement... but a kind of almost trembling attraction and... a vague sense of awe awakened at the genetic level?

Zhou Guihong quickly composed herself and forcibly suppressed the strange tremor in her eyes, but the shock in her eyes could not be completely concealed.

He looked at Lu Chong and found that the other man was also staring intently at the girl, his earlier carefree smile gone, replaced by a complex expression of wariness and inquiry.

Jia Daiquan was on high alert, almost using his body to shield the girl from everyone around her, while whispering something to her quickly, seemingly trying to comfort her.

The air on the platform suddenly became incredibly heavy and subtle because of the arrival of this uninvited guest.

The chill of the night seemed to deepen with her arrival...

"This?" Zhou Guihong turned her head and looked at Lu Chong with a solemn expression, her eyes unconsciously carrying a hint of scrutiny.