Chapter 226. Xishan Industrial Park

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     Aunt Zhang and Mama Wang were busy pickling radishes, cabbage, and salted duck eggs together when she heard a noise. Looking up, she saw Ye Mo and Wang Xue, who had just entered the courtyard.  

     Without even bothering to hear what the matter was, Aunt Zhang burst into tears of joy. “Xiao Mo, A’Xue, you’re finally back! Have you eaten? Look at you, you’ve lost so much weight from this mission!”

     “Really? Aunt Zhang, you’re too kind!” Wang Xue scampered over to help lift the large earthen jar, her words dripping with honey. “We’ve been eating well and doing nothing these past few days. We thought we’d gained weight!”

     “What ‘eating well and doing nothing’? Are you raising pigs?” Mama Wang retorted in mock disdain before turning to Ye Mo. “Xiao Mo, go see your grandmother. The old lady’s been waiting for you to come back!”  

     No sooner had she spoken than Grandma Ye happened to step out of the main room, with the anxious but cautious little rascal Bandit trotting at her feet, barking and whining as he led the way.  

    Ye Mo strode over in a few steps, naturally supporting Grandma Ye’s left arm. “Grandma, I’m back.”  

     “It’s good you’re back, it’s good you’re back!” Grandma Ye didn’t say much, nor did she scold her. Instead, she patted her hand in silent encouragement, some things were better left unspoken.

     In her eyes, no matter how reluctant she was to let go, Ye Mo was still a loyal child of China, dedicated to serving the nation. Their generation had witnessed the country grow stronger day by day, and deep in their bones, they carried a selfless love for contributing to their homeland.  

     At this point, Aunt Zhang and Mama Wang finally answered Ye Mo’s question.  

     Indeed, they were stockpiling supplies, preparing for the apocalypse, following some kind of online guide.  

     Many countries had chosen to disclose the reality of the Ancient Egypt dungeon to the public, and China was no exception.  

     This time, China’s Supernatural Investigation Bureau didn’t just mention the Ancient Egypt reality dungeon in the news broadcast, they explained it in great detail, almost live-streaming the entire process, including the elite survivor team.  

     They also revealed the impending apocalyptic crisis the world might face.  

     This made the Chinese people realize just how close the end of the world truly was. That simply not being a survivor wouldn’t shield them from danger, as ordinary people were still at risk.  

     Of course, this also gave some troublemakers an opportunity to stir up chaos.  

     But today’s China was not the China of the past. The Chinese military had a nationwide presence, and those who maliciously incited unrest were swiftly apprehended before they could cause real harm.  

     If someone were to ask online which place on Earth was the safest right now, without a doubt, over 80% of people would answer China, the remaining 20% would only disagree out of sheer malice and slander.

     China seized the opportunity to promote various martial arts schools and knowledge about awakening supernatural abilities, encouraging more people to head to martial arts center after work or school, -a places they had never visited before-, to test their potential.  

     Currently, China is the only country in the world with a nationwide system dedicated to helping its citizens enhance their abilities. People from other nations are practically green with envy, especially when they see some Chinese citizens taking such privileges for granted.  

     They practically want to scream: “Step aside, and let me come!”

     The number of foreigners trying to fly into China daily has skyrocketed, forcing the country to implement discreet crowd control measures and strictly screen incoming individuals. After all, some survivors can be quite extreme, just take a look at online forums.  

     Meanwhile, while praying for safety, the Chinese people have also fallen back on a deeply ingrained habit hoarding supplies for the apocalypse.  

     No matter how much the government reassures everyone that there’s enough food, clothing, water, and even appetite-suppressing pills to go around, supermarkets and markets across the country are still experiencing a shopping frenzy, especially for daily necessities, toiletries, and sports equipment.  

     Take the Ye family courtyard, for example. The amount of salt they’ve stockpiled could last them a hundred years, and their stash of body wash could keep them clean for at least a century—assuming the products don’t expire first.  

     Ye Mo & Wang Xue: …Alright then, as long as you’re happy!

     Seizing the opportunity, Ye Mo gifted each of them a storage jade bracelet, pre-filled with fasting pills, herbal remedy pills, antidote pills, defensive bracelets, and more. The defensive bracelets or jade pendants could be worn immediately, capable of withstanding attacks from ordinary survivors.  

     This time, Grandma Ye and the others couldn’t find a suitable excuse to refuse.  

     At noon, news broadcasts including CCTV reported joyous news: “The crisis of the Ancient Egypt reality dungeon has been perfectly resolved with the help of China’s top survivor, Mi Wenjing. The apocalypse will not occur. In gratitude, Middle Eastern nations have established diplomatic ties with China…” 

     The announcement sparked nationwide celebration.  

     China erupted in festivities as if it were the Lunar New Year. Beyond the internet, real-world celebrations broke out everywhere some places resounded with gongs and drums, others hosted lion dances, a few even held communal banquets, and some began erecting statues of a golden-masked figure in camouflage gear.  

     Rumors even spread of people setting up longevity tablets for Mi Wenjing, offering prayers and gratitude.  

     Though Ye Mo didn’t pay attention to these events, she became aware of them for two reasons: first, the uproar in Ma Jing Hutong and its surroundings, and second, because her light-based abilities surged in power, advancing in rank as effortlessly as eating or drinking, a direct result of her skyrocketing reputation.  

     By evening, the News Broadcast repeated the good news once more.  

     This time, the broadcast also showcased the nationwide celebrations and those in other countries. Some nations even used the platform to express their gratitude, flooding in with a series of thank-you messages and greetings. The News Broadcast ended up extending its runtime by quite a bit.  

     “……”  

     Ye Mo didn’t know what to say. She grabbed Wang Xue who was snickering uncontrollably and dragged her into the courtyard for a little “sparring.” Pure martial arts, no blades, swords, or fire spells.  

     Oh, and Ye Mo never hit the face. Wang Xue also never actually hit the ground—because Ye Mo would always catch her, lift her up, or hug her around the waist before she could fall.

     To Aunt Zhang and the others, it looked like two girls playfully roughhousing. Only Uncle Ling seemed to understand a little.  

     Wang Xue, bruised and nearly coughing up blood despite her enhanced physique, was on the verge of tears: “…Sister Jing, You’re just taking your shame out on me!”

     Ye Mo arched backward, dodging Wang Xue’s spinning kick, then landed a soft but precise punch to her back. Her tone was mild: “Am I?”

     Wang Xue, who nearly faceplanted, shook her head frantically: “No! Absolutely not!”

     Ye Mo knew Wang Xue was good at speed and flexibility, but her strength was a bit too low, and her lower body stability was also a bit lacking.

     Wang Xue: “…Compared to who?”  

     What began as a sparring session gradually transformed into a master-apprentice dynamic. To her own surprise, Wang Xue actually broke through a speed threshold, something that rarely happened through combat alone these days. It just showed how terrifying Ye•devil coach•Mo was.  

     Just then—  

     Boom! Crack! Bang!

     A deafening explosion made everyone look up. The nearby square had erupted in celebratory fireworks. And it wasn’t just the capital over half of the nation’s 663 cities joined in, some even extending to towns and villages.  

     The government-sponsored celebration served two purposes: to share the joy, and to amplify awareness, to wake the people up and unite them.  

     The night sky blazed with dazzling colors. Sitting in the courtyard, Grandma Ye watched it all with a contented smile, silently repeating a mantra to herself:  

     “Safety and happiness.”

     …

     The next day, Ji Li, with the help of Watson, had mostly recovered and went home to visit his family.

     Wang Xue was in seclusion for cultivation, and so was Watson. The inheritances they received from the Chimei Wangliang (demons and monsters) dungeon hadn’t been fully comprehended yet. If they fully understood them, both of their strengths could increase by another level.

     After breakfast, Ye Mo teleported to the Xishan Industrial Park in Zhangjiakou City.

     She no longer worked for Chuanming Group, even her resignation was handled by the Supernatural Investigation Bureau. So her destination wasn’t Chuanming Group, but a new spiritual energy industrial base specially established for her by the Chinese Supernatural Investigation Bureau.

     This base is divided into three major areas:

    • Spiritual Energy Technology Integration Research Area: For combining spiritual energy with technology.

     • Earth’s Spiritual Energy Technology Product Area: Products from this area can be used in reality, real-world dungeons, and team dungeons, but not in main dungeons.

     • Production Hub for the Survivors’ Forum’s New Store: Products from here can be taken into any dungeons.

     A few of Ye Mo’s former colleagues, those skilled enough to pass the bureau’s screening, had also been recruited, working in different zones to support operations.  

     For example, her former supervisor, Xie Xin, had shockingly abandoned his position as Engineering Manager at Chuanming Groupa nd joined the Supernatural Investigation Bureau’s industrial base, starting as a grassroots engineer. This required considerable courage, especially since the awakening of spiritual energy hadn’t even been publicly announced at the time.  

     Oh, and he even brought Ye Mo’s experimental team from Chuanming to lead the work in the Earth’s Spiritual Energy Technology Product Area.

     As it turned out, Xie Xin’s choice was the right one. Working for the Supernatural Bureau not only broadened his horizons and gave him a new purpose, but also fulfilled his true goal securing a future for his wife and child. 

     His wife later followed in his footsteps, resigning from Chuanming to work in logistics at the industrial base, and their child was even arranged to study in a martial arts sect.

     Ye Mo’s usual work area was completely different from Manager Xie’s. However, during the initial team-building events, she frequently ran into him. While others didn’t notice, Xie Xin, based on her habits, techniques, and manner of speech, recognized her even with her mask on.

     As long-time friends, and also trusting the Supernatural Investigation Bureau’s screening, Ye Mo didn’t deliberately hide her identity or use mental suggestion on Xie Xin, she tacitly acknowledged his awareness. They even talked privately.

     At the time, Xie Xin dramatically clutched his left chest, panting heavily, and exclaimed, “Damn, Lao Ye, I thought you were just having a hot streak. Turns out you didn’t just catch springtime luck, you secretly climbed Mount Everest.”

     Yes, since Xie Xin could discern Ye Mo’s identity and knew a lot about the survivor app, it wasn’t difficult for him to deduce the conclusion that Ye Mo = Maria = Chief Survivor. He was Ye Mo’s first friend who truly knew the truth.

     “Or maybe not just Mount Everest, more like you blasted straight out of the solar system!”  

     “Oh god, why can’t I tell anyone about this? I’m gonna explode from keeping it in.”  

     “Oh my God, the Chief Survivor used to be my subordinate… Nope, my heart can’t take this. Hey, Lao Ye, got any of those miracle heart medicines? Just a tiny billionth of a dose to save my life, huh?”  

     “Seriously, why did it have to be you, Ye Mo?”  

     “……”  

     Xie Xin couldn’t even stay seated, pacing around the break room like an overacting stage performer. Ye Mo, long accustomed to his dramatics, sipped her tea and watched his performance with detached amusement.  

     Only after she finished her cup did Xie Xin finally wind down, ending his one-man show with: “Damn, Lao Ye, you absolute legend. You’d better stay this legendary forever. My daughter, grandkids, and eighteen generations of descendants are counting on you for backup.”  

     Though she recognized the well-wishes beneath his words, Ye Mo had to admit, she’d still underestimated just how shameless Manager Xie could be.