"Song Yu, Feng Xiaoyu, and the others want to join the Qingbei. Shouldn't be a problem, right?"

After clearly explaining the situation to Feng Xiaoyu and the rest, He Ying confirmed with Song Yu once again.

With a generous smile, Song Yu replied, "Of course, it's entirely voluntary. Even if they join Qingbei and later decide to leave, no one will stop them. However... until now, no one has thought poorly of Qingbei, and there's never been a precedent of anyone leaving..."

He still wanted to make one last effort. After all, He Ying's combat abilities were top-notch even within Qingbei.

But seeing that she remained unmoved, he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

In truth, He Ying wasn't worried that her refusal to join Qingbei would lead to her companions being looked down upon by the organization.

Before encountering them, Song Yu didn't even know He Ying existed, yet they still got along quite well. This showed that the act of seeking and accepting survivors was done with some sincerity.

It seemed that the other party had intentions to expand.

If that's the case...

They wouldn't easily abandon a person.

...

Feng Xiaoyu and the other two gathered together.

After discussing for a moment, the two male students hesitantly said to He Ying, "Senior, we still want to go... to Qingbei."

He Ying nodded, "That's a wise choice. I don't blame you. When we meet again in the future, I might even rely on you."

Saying this, she turned to Feng Xiaoyu and asked, "Xiaoyu..."

Feng Xiaoyu hurriedly responded, "Of course, I'll follow you, Senior."

He Ying nodded, not surprised by this answer. She had known Feng Xiaoyu even before the disaster struck. They had met during the sports meet, and although they were in different grades, they had competed in some events together, forming a kind of mutual understanding.

After the apocalypse, when they met again, their relationship naturally grew closer.

As for the other two male students, as He Ying herself had said, she held no grudge against them and even understood them to some extent.

Unlike Feng Xiaoyu, perhaps the male students had a stronger sense of pride. Always relying entirely on He Ying, a girl, wasn't something they wanted. Therefore, for them, joining Qingbei was not just about loyalty; it might be because they didn't want to continue burdening He Ying.

The matter was settled.

They were about to part ways.

However, Chen Mu suddenly asked Song Yu, "If we find ourselves in dire straits in the future, can we actively come to find you guys?"

His question left everyone a bit bewildered.

At this moment, even Feng Xiaoyu regretted her decision. She could see that the reason He Ying didn't want to join Qingbei was probably because of this senior named Chen Mu. Likewise, her reason for sticking by He Ying was because she trusted He Ying's judgment.

Moreover, Chen Mu's appearance, with his quiet and mysterious demeanor, gave off an unpredictable vibe.

But now it seemed that this guy wasn't so reliable after all.

He had just been rejected, yet he was asking such a question. Wasn't that lowering his worth after showing off?

Even Song Yu's group felt a bit uneasy, thinking, "Since you've already declined, how can you have the nerve to ask this kind of question?"

However, Song Yu was more composed than others. He still smiled and responded, "Our camp's location is quite discreet, and we can't divulge the specific details."Chen Mu asked again, "Do you have any contact points or secret codes? If someone wants to join but can't find you, what should they do?"

"Um... Sorry, due to the rushed circumstances, we haven't considered that aspect yet."

"Then, where does your reconnaissance team usually operate? Perhaps we might meet again in the future if fate allows."

"Well... that's also not convenient to disclose."

Chen Mu couldn't hide his disappointment, saying, "That's such a pity."

The scene of parting between the two groups was very harmonious.

He Ying and the others bid farewell to the two companions who were gradually moving away with Song Yu. Sun Yuan, who had been ignored all along, also waved his shield, seemingly not even considering whether he should also think about his future.

Before, Chen Mu had been cautious all along, fearing that Song Yu's group might suddenly attack them due to their rejection. It was only after the other party disappeared from sight that he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's go back too," Chen Mu said.

"Okay," He Ying nodded and then asked Feng Xiaoyu, "Is all the food finished from before?"

"There's still a little left. We didn't know when you and Sun Yuan would come back, so we didn't dare to eat too quickly."

"It won't be a problem in the future. I found someone to rely on."

"Rely on someone? You mean... Senior Chen Mu?"

Feng Xiaoyu glanced curiously at Chen Mu again because she found the previous incident a bit strange.

"Sort of."

"Then... please take good care of us in the future, Senior Chen Mu." Feng Xiaoyu performed a formal bow.

Sun Yuan, who had been silent all this time, interjected, "Senior Chen Mu is quite formidable, even comparable to... Senior He Ying."

Chen Mu smiled and said, "We're all classmates, and from now on, we're also companions. Since we're gathered together, let's help each other out."

"Yes, yes."

...

After walking quite a distance with his group of six, Song Yu turned to one of the male students beside him and said, "Xiao Lin, give the two new members a brief introduction about our Qingbei."

"Sure."

The male student named Xiao Lin nodded cheerfully.

The two male students who originally followed He Ying still felt a bit restrained and hurriedly said politely, "Thank you, senior."

Song Yu let the three of them talk and, with the remaining two, increased their pace, creating some distance. He then turned to the other female student beside him and said, "Immediately report what happened just now to your sister, and then ask the people from Class 4 in the camp. I want all the information you can gather about that guy named Chen Mu, the more detailed, the better."

The girl agreed and then slightly squinted her eyes as if resting them, but she still maintained the pace with the rest of the group.

After about a minute.

"My sister received the message and said she'll send someone to inquire."

"Okay, thank you for your help."

"It's nothing." This girl, who appeared somewhat delicate, seemed a bit fatigued, replying softly before falling silent.Another male student approached, first glancing at the three people talking behind them, then lowering his voice and asking, "Song Senior, do you want to secretly follow He Ying and her group to check their situation?"

Song Yu shook his head, "That guy Sun Yuan has enhanced hearing abilities, and none of us have powers to counter that. If we rashly follow them, it will be more trouble than it's worth."

"But I feel so unwilling."

"It's true that it's a pity we couldn't recruit He Ying, but for now, we're not enemies, and there's no need to strain our relationship. Maybe there will be another opportunity in the future." Song Yu said so, but still sighed, showing a hint of helplessness.

"What about that guy named Chen Mu... is there anything worth investigating?"

"Haven't you noticed how much He Ying trusts him?"

"Really?"

"If I'm not mistaken, the reason He Ying rejected us is because of him."

"I don't see anything particularly special about him. He seems kind of clueless."

"That's precisely why it's concerning." Song Yu sighed.

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