After returning from the tunnel exploration, the "72-hour" countdown hung over the heads of everyone in the safe house like an invisible sword.
Chen Shouzhou knew that relying on just the few of them to solve a mess that even "Sky-Curtain Biotech" couldn't handle in three days was nothing short of a fool's dream. They had to unite all possible forces.
As he was studying the map, researching potential nearby survivor settlements, A'Jie, on lookout in the watchtower, suddenly sounded the alarm.
"Chen-ge! Someone's coming! Five people, heading our way!"
Chen Shouzhou immediately grabbed his binoculars. In the distant ruins, five figures were approaching them at a steady pace. The leader was a burly man with a thick beard, broad shoulders, and a build like a brown bear. He carried a terrifyingly large hammer on his shoulder, homemade from rebar and a block of concrete.
Behind him followed three men and a woman, similarly equipped but with wary eyes. One of them, a girl who looked to be only sixteen or seventeen, clutched an old toolbox tightly. Another silent man carried a homemade firearm that looked quite potent.
"Well, it seems our neighbors have finally decided to pay a visit," Chen Shouzhou said, lowering his binoculars with a playful smile.
Before long, the group of five arrived outside the safe house's fence.
The burly leader, Shishan, used his giant hammer to tap lightly on the fence, producing a dull thud. He looked up, his eyes full of scrutiny and vigilance, and coldly sized up Chen Shouzhou, who was standing in the watchtower.
"Hey! You people inside, listen up!" his voice was rough and powerful. "My name is Shishan! I heard you've been having quite a party over here lately, setting fires and all. We came to see what kind of good stuff you have, and if it's worth us... robbing you for it!"
His words were filled with blatant threats and probing.
However, what greeted him was not panicked pleading or angry curses.
Chen Shouzhou slid down from the watchtower, swaggered out, and opened the fence gate, a smile brighter than the sun on his face, as if welcoming long-lost relatives.
"Well, well! Welcome, welcome! Welcome, esteemed leaders, for your inspection and guidance!" he said enthusiastically as he approached. "Brothers and sister, it must have been a long journey! Come on in, have some water, wet your whistles, and then you can decide whether or not to rob us."
Shishan and his group were clearly baffled by Chen Shouzhou's unconventional approach. They had expected a tense standoff, not an open invitation.
Ignoring their reactions, Chen Shouzhou led them to the open area in front of the warehouse, where Su Wan'er and Lin Mo had already prepared several bowls of warm, sweet-smelling sweet potato soup.
"Come, come, don't be shy, have a taste," Chen Shouzhou offered warmly. "These are sweet potatoes we grew ourselves in our safe house. All-natural, pollution-free, and they taste great!"
Shishan remained vigilant and didn't take the bowl. But the young girl behind him, Xiao Cui, who was clutching the toolbox, couldn't help but swallow. It had been too long since she had smelled such fragrant food.
Chen Shouzhou noticed this detail. He smiled and personally handed a bowl of soup to Xiao Cui.
"Young lady, that's a professional-looking toolbox you've got there," he said gently. "If you know how to fix things, I happen to have a broken water purifier that I've been struggling to repair."
Xiao Cui's eyes instantly lit up. She loved tinkering with machinery. She subconsciously reached for the bowl, but Shishan grabbed her hand.
"Xiao Cui! Don't fall for his tricks!" Shishan frowned and hissed.
Chen Shouzhou didn't insist. He shrugged and placed the soup aside. "Alright, no soup then. Well... how about you all come in and take a tour of our 'five-star' home?"
With an almost boastful tone, he led the skeptical Hammer Team on a tour of his sanctuary.
From the vibrant farmland to the well-stocked basement warehouse, to the simple but fully equipped medical room... with every step, the look of surprise on the faces of the Hammer Team members grew.
They couldn't imagine that someone could actually build such a complete and orderly sanctuary in this wasteland.
Especially when Su Wan'er, right in front of them, ground up some herbs and skillfully concocted a bottle of hemostatic spray that worked instantly, the previously silent Shishan finally couldn't help but speak.
"You... how do you have all this stuff? Especially that doctor..." his voice was filled with shock and disbelief.
Chen Shouzhou shrugged, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "How else? Luck, and a team of reliable companions who are more precious than gold."
He paused, looked at Shishan, and then his tone suddenly shifted, a foxy smile on his face.
"How about... Brother Shishan, you become my teammate too?"
Shishan sneered, the wariness returning to his eyes. "You think you can win my trust with a bowl of soup and a few words? I've seen too many marauders who look decent on the surface but are cannibals behind the scenes!"
"I understand," Chen Shouzhou nodded, as if he had expected this response. "Words are cheap. How about this—don't be in a hurry to leave. Just stay here for one day. See for yourself how we live. If you think we're unreliable, or that we're putting on a show, you can leave at any time. I won't stop you. How about it?"
This proposal made Shishan fall into deep thought. He looked at Chen Shouzhou's sincere and open eyes, then at the companions behind him, each with their own role, their eyes filled with hope.
He hesitated for a long time before finally gritting his teeth and nodding.
"Fine! Just one day!"
That day, Shishan and his group stayed at the safe house. He secretly observed Chen Shouzhou's every move, trying to find flaws in the details.
However, all he saw was Chen Shouzhou treating them like honored guests. At dinner, Su Wan'er served chicken and sweet potato stew, generously sharing half of it with them. That unreserved trust and sharing caused Shishan's heart to waver violently.
Night fell, and everyone gathered around the warm bonfire.
Chen Shouzhou began his "daily stand-up comedy" routine.
"Do you know why zombies always limp when they run?" he asked with a mysterious look.
The members of the Hammer Team initially kept straight faces, with an expression that said, "I'll just sit here and watch you show off."
"Because," Chen Shouzhou announced the answer himself, "their brains are no good, they can't tell left from right, so they always use the same arm and leg at the same time! Hahaha!"
The incredibly lame joke was met with awkward silence. But after a few seconds, Xiao Cui was the first to break, letting out a "pfft" of laughter. Then, the others couldn't help but follow suit. Even the perpetually stone-faced Shishan's lips curved slightly upwards.
Xiao Cui quietly sidled up to A'Jie and asked curiously, "Hey, your boss... was he really a vagrant before?"
A'Jie nodded proudly. "He is now. As for the future... who knows."
In the distance, the cat named Xiao Mai was perched gracefully on the windowsill. Its emerald-green eyes quietly watched the unfamiliar faces around the fire, its tail gently swaying behind it...