Chu Yu looked regretfully at the hot pot before him. To be honest, he hadn't had a proper meal in years since the apocalypse descended.
Eating had become more of a mechanical process, like his former teammates complaining about the unpalatable food in the barracks, saying the purpose of eating was simply to survive.
It hit the nail on the head.
But now, even the food they used to find disgusting was a rare delicacy.
"I had hoped to have a good meal," Chu Yu sighed deeply.
"I know you are all very curious about me, and I don't deny that I have many secrets. But I cannot tell you these secrets, or rather, even if I did, they would be of no use to you. Our positions have been different from the very beginning."
After Chu Yu spoke, he scooped a plate of meat into his bowl. Xu An, however, was beginning to understand Chu Yu's meaning.
Because Chu Yu had been with the Southern Base from the start, and his words indicated his stance.
No matter what Chu Yu did on the Lighthouse, there must be sufficient benefits driving him.
And the issue of differing positions that Chu Yu mentioned was just as he said.
Rather than saying they wouldn't become enemies, it was more accurate to say they were never friends.
Their positions were different from the outset, and his stance on the Lighthouse shifted with the changing circumstances of the Lighthouse and the position represented by the person behind Chu Yu.
"So, this really has nothing to do with you?" Zhou Haimei couldn't help but ask.
Chu Yu didn't explain or get angry, he just smiled faintly.
"What I said earlier was to tell you that my actions on the Lighthouse are not as free as you imagine. Regarding Weng Quan, I know some inside information, but it has nothing to do with me. The person behind me is also interested in Weng Quan's laboratory."
Midway through his sentence, Chu Yu turned to Qin Chuan. "This depends on what interesting information Captain Qin Chuan can uncover. I can exchange the information I have for what you find."
Xu An and Zhou Haimei were like two onlookers waiting for gossip, watching Chu Yu and Qin Chuan constantly bidding their stakes on the table.
Having said this much, Qin Chuan felt there was no need to keep anything hidden.
He simply opened his mouth and said, "I found something in Weng Quan's head. It was a kind of blue, glowing mycelium. And that thing seemed to have a life of its own. After simple calculations and comparisons, it seems capable of absorbing human life force."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked shocked, but only Xu An's expression flickered with momentary daze before he, like the others, displayed a look of profound incomprehension.
Chu Yu's face showed no reaction, as if he had long known about the existence of the mycelium. This surprised Xu An greatly.
He had thought that only he knew about this mycelium, but had it already spread to the Lighthouse in places he was unaware of?
"You said earlier that thing has the possibility of absorbing human life force? Do you have any photos?"
To confirm, Xu An couldn't help but ask Qin Chuan if he had any specific pictures.
Qin Chuan nodded, brought up the communicator on his arm, and enlarged the photos taken in the dissection room for Xu An to see.
The moment he saw the faintly glowing blue filaments, Xu An felt a strange sensation.
These things were similar to, yet different from, the small mushrooms he possessed.
They had the same characteristics and were both mycelial organisms, but the small mushrooms in Xu An's space had a more serene and gentle feel.
However, the mycelium before him showed no vitality at all, as if it were trying to seize others' life force to enrich itself.
Qin Chuan noticed the strangeness in Xu An's eyes, but with so many people present, he had no opportunity to inquire and remained silent.
"I believe you all know that the initial research plan for the Lighthouse was built with Xia Jin's participation. Similarly, from the very beginning of the plan, Xia Jin requested to exchange his knowledge and theories for a place on the Lighthouse, similar to a concession. He wanted to build his own laboratory. Do you know about this?"
Qin Chuan nodded. As a core enforcement member of the Lighthouse, he was privy to such secrets.
However, Zhou Haimei and Xu An were somewhat bewildered. Zhou Haimei had heard about the first part, but she knew nothing about the latter.
Seeing the confused look in Xu An and Zhou Haimei's eyes, Chu Yu patiently explained.
"At that time, the Lighthouse gave Xia Jin a lot of money, but Xia Jin didn't accept a single penny. He only exchanged it for a laboratory and demanded that whoever was in charge of the Lighthouse in the future would grant Xia Jin ownership of that laboratory for life, without any changes, even after his death."
"With you knowing this, I need you to tell me something else."
"I believe you must have heard that the original China actually built four structures similar to the Lighthouse. This was the predecessor to humanity's earliest moon landing plan. After the apocalypse crisis struck, we changed the moon landing plan to a human inheritance plan."
The four of them ate and talked. Even Qin Chuan was somewhat unclear about these past events, and now he listened with great interest.
However, Qin Chuan was also cautious. Much of what Chu Yu was saying were top-secret matters known only to the highest leadership. Who was Chu Yu, and why did he know all these secrets?
Chu Yu paid no mind to the probing looks from the others. In fact, if one were to count, his military rank was many levels higher than Qin Chuan's.
The reason he knew so many secrets was simply that he had personally participated in all these events.
"Four bases similar to the Lighthouse were built. Our initial idea was not to abandon all our compatriots. After detecting the anomalies in the Arctic and Antarctic circles, to prevent a once-in-an-era tsunami caused by melting ice caps and sea level rise, we intended to launch all four Lighthouses into the sky."
"But someone stood up to stop us."
"Was it Xia Jin?" Xu An interjected.
Chu Yu was not surprised that Xu An knew, and simply nodded calmly.
At this point, the other two also offered their thoughts.
"Is it because of that heart? What exactly is that thing? It looks terrifying. However, if, as you say, there were four Lighthouses, then it's possible, because Xia Jin only has one heart and cannot power four bases simultaneously."
Upon hearing this, Chu Yu gently shook his head, as if to completely overturn everyone's perception.
"No, it was actually possible."