Chapter 75: The Second Path of Exile 17

The next morning, two medical staff arrived at Ye Liuyun’s home to collect a blood sample from Lu Li.

Ye Liuyun explained, “The dossiers of surrogate mothers from all major oases have been entered into the central database. If Little Li’s mother was a surrogate, a simple blood test will allow us to match her to her biological mother through the database. This is the fastest way.”

Shi Xianyu accompanied Lu Li throughout the blood draw. Lu Li behaved sensibly; when she saw the needle, she neither cried nor fussed.

The staff, accustomed to dealing with children, rewarded Lu Li with a piece of candy after finishing their work and praised her for being well-behaved.

Not long after they left, a psychologist arrived at the house. Her surname was Zhang, a woman in her forties with a kindly, smiling face that made her seem approachable and warm.

Dr. Zhang did not conduct a formal psychological assessment on Lu Li. Instead, she sat on the living room sofa and chatted casually, trying to avoid putting any psychological burden on the child.

After about half an hour, she seemed to sense Shi Xianyu’s lack of trust in the environment here and suggested that Shi Xianyu take the child to visit the care center, to help Lu Li become familiar with the place where she would be living in the future.

Shi Xianyu readily agreed; she did want to see the environment for herself.

Ye Liuyun laughed, “I won’t go with you. I still haven’t had time to report back to my team. I’ll come pick you up once I finish my work.”

Dr. Zhang responded graciously, “Captain, please go take care of your report. Once the visit is over, I’ll personally escort Ms. Shi and little Lu Li home. The smooth operation of the oasis depends on the captains risking their lives; leave these small matters to us.”

Ye Liuyun seemed used to such compliments and smiled with an air of ease. “Everyone has their role to play; it’s all for the sake of building the oasis.”

Shi Xianyu added quickly, “Don’t let us delay your work. Little Li and I can go.”

Ye Liuyun got up to leave, and before stepping out, winked playfully at Lu Li. “Good luck, Little Li. Once you get to the park, you’ll make lots of new friends!”

Lu Li beamed at her with a sweet smile.

Dr. Zhang, watching Lu Li, said with a gentle smile, “She’s such a good child. After living alone for so long, it’s fortunate she hasn’t suffered any psychological trauma. It’s a pity she can’t speak, but once she adjusts to her new environment, I’ll apply to the higher-ups for her to have a full examination.”

Shi Xianyu stroked Lu Li’s soft hair, thinking to herself that if Lu Li’s voice could be cured, her life would be so much better.

Outside the door, Radish and Big Beard came looking for Ye Liuyun.

This community housed members of various squads, and the two of them lived nearby. Radish wanted to go inside and chat with Shi Xianyu, but Ye Liuyun grabbed him by the collar and dragged him over to the car to help with unloading.

They hauled out piles of animal hides, bones, and some unknown horns or spines, a jumbled heap, and loaded it all into a wheeled, rectangular metal box, then pushed it away.

“How wonderful,” Dr. Zhang sighed with satisfaction as she watched them leave. “It looks like another bountiful haul.”

Shi Xianyu asked, “What exactly are these things used for?”

Dr. Zhang smiled at her. “You don’t know, Ms. Shi? The hides and bones of these mutant beasts are precious nutrients. They can neutralize toxins in the soil and turn wasteland into fertile ground. Thanks to Captain Ye and the others, the oasis can feed so many people.”

Shi Xianyu was taken aback. “I never imagined mutant beasts could serve such a purpose…”

It seemed that everything in this world balanced and restrained each other. She had always thought the existence of mutant beasts threatened human safety, but it turned out they had given humanity a new way to survive.

But… why did mutant beasts have this effect? How did they come about? If toxic soil, water, and air caused animals to mutate, what about humans? Why hadn’t people mutated?

“We should head out, Ms. Shi,” Dr. Zhang said as she walked to the door, smiling at Shi Xianyu and Lu Li.

Shi Xianyu decided it was fruitless to speculate further. All she needed was to find Lu Li’s mother. As for the rest of the world’s mysteries, she’d best not worry herself.

…

On the way to the park, Shi Xianyu encountered the oasis’s third security checkpoint.

The park was encircled on all sides by tall protective walls, with only a single passage wide enough for two cars to drive side by side. Once cleared through the checkpoint, Shi Xianyu and Lu Li sat in Dr. Zhang’s car and entered the park—

Upon seeing the scenery inside, Shi Xianyu finally understood why Ye Liuyun always spoke of the oasis park with such longing, and why she so persistently encouraged her to let Lu Li live there.

Before her stretched vast woodlands, lakes, grassy fields, even the wind felt moist and gentle on the skin, carrying with it that fresh, natural scent unique to the great outdoors.

Compared to the arid, desolate world outside, this was another realm entirely, paradise itself.

From the rearview mirror, Dr. Zhang saw the amazement on Shi Xianyu and Lu Li’s faces. She smiled and said, “Right now, it’s time for the junior class’s activity period. I’ll go have a word with the teacher and see if Lu Li can join them for a trial lesson.”

“Thank you,” Shi Xianyu replied. “Are the children in the class all around her age?”

Dr. Zhang nodded. “Yes, the junior class is for children ages five to nine. The senior class is for ten to fourteen. Once they turn fourteen, they can enter the training camp.”

She paused, turned to glance at Lu Li, and asked with a smile, “In the training camp, you’ll have the chance to become a great warrior like Captain Ye. Little Li, do you want to be a warrior?”

Lu Li picked up her drawing pad and quickly wrote: When I grow up, I want to be a mother.

Dr. Zhang burst out laughing. “That’s a wonderful ambition! Good luck, Little Li!”

She then praised Shi Xianyu, “You’ve raised her well—such awareness at such a young age, she’s truly precocious and exceptional.”

Shi Xianyu gave a bashful smile, unsure of how to respond.

The car slowed to a stop in front of a building. Dr. Zhang pointed it out to them. “This is the training camp. Children over fourteen study desert combat here; it’s a required course. Outstanding students can become reserve warriors. If a child’s health isn’t suited for fighting, they can learn other life skills like medicine, repairs, or agriculture. People are an even more precious resource than water, so the oasis strives to nurture the potential of every child. Only then can the future of the oasis grow brighter and better.”

In no time, they arrived at the care center.

It was a large facility, divided into three separate areas based on the children’s ages, each with its own activity space. As Shi Xianyu led Lu Li inside, the sound of infants crying drifted over from the nursery section.

Dr. Zhang brought them to a large classroom and greeted the female teacher inside, “Teacher, I’ve brought a new child for her first visit. Would you mind letting her join a class to try it out?”