220: Chapter 220 Garage

"This is it!"

This was an underground garage on the edge of a defense zone. It had been reinforced, and the entrance was very well-hidden.

All the load-bearing walls were reinforced with an extra layer. A white-painted T-80... the paint job looked rather careless, with red showing through some of the gaps.

"It's my first time seeing a live T-80 in person," Li Ming whispered, before being smacked hard on the back by Maria. "Since it's your first time? I thought you were more well-traveled than that."

"Not necessarily." Li Ming shook his head and set down his gear. "Hmm..."

Maria looked around. "You can sleep at my place tonight."

She pointed to a mattress in the corner.

"Is that where you usually sleep?"

"Uh, pretty much?"

"Then never mind." Li Ming refused immediately. "I can even sleep on the tank's upper glacis."

Maria was taken aback for a moment, then laughed.

Kate emerged from a corner. "Maria! Can I have a few bottles of Coke?"

"Of course... NOT!" Maria replied. "Drinking Coke every day—aren't you afraid of getting osteoporosis?"

"Oh, come on! Those are just rumors! Rumors!"

"Anyway, the answer is no... we'll talk later."

"Fine..."

Although Kate kept staring at the crate of Coke on the storage locker at the rear of the tank turret, Maria remained firm, and she could only give up resentfully.

"...So, Li." Maria looked again at Li Ming, who was setting his rifle aside. "Do you need..."

"No need, I have my own ways."

"Alright then, I'll leave you to it." Maria went to the back of the tank, took a stool, and opened the engine compartment for routine maintenance.

Li Ming simply set up a hammock for himself; he would be staying here tonight.

Then he started fiddling with his homemade stove again.

"What are you doing?"

Maria looked up; she didn't know what he was tinkering with.

"Uh... I'm setting up a stove."

"Huh?" Her face instantly went pale. "No, no, no! ...My place is full of explosives!"

"Huh?"

Li Ming stopped immediately and looked around.

Maria jumped off the stool and ran to the side, pulling down a tarp in a dark corner.

Wow, shells.

Wow, explosives.

Wow...

"Why is there even white phosphorus, hey! Hasn't this been banned by conventions long ago?"

"You think I don't know? This is what we captured!"

"Damn. This land might be dying, but it's never short on drama, is it?"

"How should I know!"

Li Ming flattened his half-finished stove and acted as if nothing had happened.

"Do all xia people love cooking? Why was your first instinct to set up a stove?"

"Because..." Li Ming paused. "I'm still not used to cold food. For xia people... for the xia army, timely hot food supply is an important factor in ensuring morale and physical fitness."

"As if I wouldn't know that..." Maria was stunned, then laughed bitterly. "But if we're here eating and drinking well, what about the others?"

"The sick have the right to priority nutrition."

Li Ming glanced at her. "How much longer do you think you can hold on? I don't believe you don't feel anything at all."

This time, Maria was silent for a long while.

"Let me guess, those vitamins and such I gave you—you probably handed them over to the logistics department, didn't you?"

"Mhm..."

"See, it's not hard to guess at all." Li Ming stood up. "The physical exertion of tank crews is even greater than that of regular soldiers. Even if your physical fitness is like a superman's, you can't withstand this kind of ordeal."

"..."

"Kate shouldn't have this many... explosives over at her place, right?"

"Hmm? Why ask that?"

"I need to set up a stove."

"Uh... ahaha..."

"As for Elsa... I don't know where she is now, and to be honest, with her 'stay away' vibe... I'm still a bit afraid of her."

"I couldn't tell, you actually..."

She looked at his head wrapped in gauze and fell silent again.

Li Ming sat down on a stool with great effort. He had just fallen from over a dozen stories; it was pure luck he hadn't been shattered. As for the actual situation...

Logic had already screamed itself hoarse.

He had probably broken several bones. As the adrenaline faded, it was already impressive that he could speak normally.

"I'm going out for a bit," Li Ming said, standing up with difficulty and leaving the underground garage.

Seeing his state, Kate, who was squatting to the side kicking stones, exchanged a look with Maria and then followed him.

"Li Ming! Wait up!"

"Hmm?" Li Ming didn't stop.

"Didn't you want to check out my place? It's fine with me..."

"That works, I'll go set up a stove at your place..."

"Perfect, I was planning to tell you something..."

"Uh... go ahead..."

Watching them leave the garage, Maria shook her head and continued her work.

How much longer could they hold on? She no longer had an answer to that question. Maybe until tomorrow, maybe longer...

——————

"Huh?"

Elsa looked at the floor, which had been blown into a mess, and felt a headache.

"So where did he go? He couldn't have actually been blown away, could he?"

Originally, she was to convey an invitation from command for him to come to the camp and discuss further matters, but now...

Where was he?

With a question mark in her mind, Elsa began to walk back.

"...Oh, anyway, I'm counting on you!"

That was Kate's voice. "She actually seems a bit more relaxed in front of you..."

"How is that possible?"

Oh, so he was here? With Kate?

She followed the source of the sound.

She saw Li Ming and Kate.

When did they meet?

Another question mark appeared over Elsa's head, but for some reason, she quietly followed them without interrupting.

Then she watched him follow her... to her garage.

Was this right? That's supposed to be top secret! Or rather... Elsa, whose thoughts were worsening, hurriedly followed.

Arriving at the bunker, she knocked on the door of her protective shelter.

"Coming! Is that Elsa?"

"Yeah, it's me... just checking in on you," Elsa said as she walked in.

Glancing at Li Ming, who was hard at work installing a stove, she fell silent for a moment. "Kate, what is he..."

"His place got blown up. He originally planned to install this stove at Maria's... well, you know how it is, ahahaha..."

"I don't want to be blown to the sky just yet," Li Ming chimed in. "Anyway, that's the situation. Hello, Elsa."

"I don't believe I've told you my name," Elsa said, narrowing her eyes.

"She just called it out."

Ah, right.

Elsa seems a bit dazed, Li Ming thought as he looked at her delayed reaction.

...

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