Let's Play a Game Together

The dormitory buildings were not built very tall because there were so few people and it was not easy to find an open space in the jungle. Therefore, the base adopted the method of small area and reduced occupancy rate to save resources.

Xiao Yao ran up the stairs, turned several corners along the staircase, and arrived at the dormitory corridor.

The women's and men's dormitories are separated only by a thin ceiling. The women's dormitories are built one floor above the men's dormitories. Each dormitory can house several people, and with just two floors, hundreds of survivors can be accommodated.

By the way, the cleanup team was assigned better dormitories in another building because they needed to train.

It was very convenient for Xiao Yao to get from the entertainment hall on the first floor to her dormitory. She happily held the osmanthus flowers that "A'Luo" had given her, thinking to herself, "This is really a big step forward."

This was the first time A'Luo had ever given her something.

As expected of a professional Magician before the virus outbreak, A'Luo always manages to create surprises whenever he chats with people, like this flower... which doesn't exist in the base.

Xiao Yao hadn't smelled the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms in late autumn for a very, very long time.

With an irrepressible smile on her face, she quickly arrived at the dormitory door and swiped her card to open it.

To her surprise, there were people in her dorm room. She had just greeted her roommates at the entertainment hall, and logically, since her roommates were downstairs, the dorm should have been empty.

But as soon as she opened the door, she saw a tall and slender figure from behind. The person had a ponytail, was wearing the cleanup team's combat uniform, and had a tall and straight figure. She must be a very cool older sister.

Until the person turned their head.

Xiao Yao was stunned for a moment, at a loss for what to do.

This isn't the older sister; it's a man.

Or perhaps it's A Ling, a newcomer who recently joined the cleaning team and is quite well-known in the girls' private circles.

No, how can a guy go into the girls' dormitory?

Xiao Yao's first thought was this question, followed by even greater confusion. "Hello? Why are you in my dorm?"

The Lingren looked at the girl in front of him, his gentle and cool gaze slightly lowered, landing on the osmanthus flower that was emitting a faint fragrance.

He smiled and said gently, "Sorry for being so abrupt. You must be Xiao Yao? Our cleaning team needs to talk to you about something urgent, so I came to your dorm without your permission, but I didn't expect you to be here... I was just about to look for you somewhere else."

Xiao Yao immediately understood.

It's normal that the cleanup team needs her. She's in charge of making the team's clothing and equipment, and the cleanup team members always find fault with her, or they'll come up with this idea today and that idea tomorrow. They're really making things difficult for her, the maker.

It's like being a service provider constantly being nitpicked by the client.

"Speak, what is it? If you can finish quickly, please explain here what changes need to be made... If it takes a long time, please allow me to go down and tell my companions." Xiao Yao was very polite. After all, no matter how terrible the cleaning team was, the guy who came to see her today A Ling, was a handsome man who had never caused her any trouble before.

She was still thinking about delivering potato chips to Carlos, but she couldn't let it interfere with her business. If they needed to talk for a long time, she would go downstairs first to deliver the potato chips to Carlos, and then sit down to have a serious chat with A Ling.

The Lingren nodded. "No need to rush, I only need to say a few words."

Xiao Yao was instantly relieved.

Instead of getting to his so-called business, the Lingren expressed his interest in the osmanthus flower. "This flower is quite beautiful; it's hard to find this season."

"This was given to me by A'Luo. Oh, right, if I remember correctly, you and he arrived at the base on the same day, just at different times, so you didn't get on the same bus." Hearing A Ling admire the osmanthus flower, Xiao Yao immediately became interested, and said with a hint of pride, "A'Luo is Magician, right? Flowers that come out of season are even more amazing, aren't they! Last time I saw him give the dorm manager gardenias."

The dorm supervisor was a 50-year-old man, who was said to be the uncle of the base manager. He loved tending to flowers and plants, and Carlos managed to win him over on his very first day.

Upon hearing this, the Lingren withdrew his attention from the flower.

He looked at Xiao Yao with a half-smile, "You seem to really like... A'Luo?"

"Hey, isn't this something everyone already knows?" With the apocalypse upon us, there's no point in hiding feelings anymore. After all, enjoy each day as it comes; you'd really regret it if you missed out. Xiao Yao is a very straightforward person and admitted it very readily.

The Lingren's smile deepened.

Clearly, the cleanup team had nothing to do with Xiao Yao.

He'd just seen Xiao Yao and Carlos seem quite familiar with each other... and since the opportunity had come to him, he wouldn't be polite.

Carlos lingered in the same spot for a while, greeting different people and even winning a few Yugi.

He had a feeling that the Lingren knew he was there, perhaps watching him from some dark corner, plotting something.

However, the Lingren is more adept at concealing his presence. Carlos's teleportation, taking advantage of injuries, and substitution all rely on the flexibility of spatial power, while the Lingren's curse power is truly silent and stealthy.

After playing two rounds of a fighting Yugi similar to King of Fighters with the people in the next dorm and winning, the girl from earlier finally came back.

The dormitory doesn't prohibit eating snacks regularly; it's just that the cafeteria is only open for a short time. Xiao Yao brought over two bags of potato chips with a smile on her face, and amidst the cheers of those around her, she shoved the chips into Carlos's arms.

Carlos looked Xiao Yao up and down, and said jokingly, "Why did it take you so long to go to the dorm? If you had come any later, you would have only seen a starving me."

"Huh? Really?" Xiao Yao was taken aback, then curled her hair a little shyly. "You, you didn't notice I changed my clothes? I wore the same clothes all day, and they were a bit dirty."

The implication was that she had changed her clothes so she could look her best when meeting Carlos, which caused her to be a little late.

Carlos didn't notice anything unusual, so he relaxed for the time being, gave up his Yugi spot to someone else, sat down on the sofa next to him, and tore open a bag of potato chips.

All the potato chips in the city were expired, without exception.

However, this world is technologically advanced, and the base has people with new abilities that only emerged after the spread of the virus. The special feature of Base 51 is that it can restore expired food to normal, which is said to be a special ability of a logistics manager.

This is a benefit that no other base offers.

Xiao Yao sat down next to him with a smile, glanced at the Yugi, and said, "I finally finished cleaning up the latest batch of combat suits for the cleanup team and got three days off. I've had plenty of free time these three days."

She was clearly implying that Carlos could ask her out.

However, she also knew that Carlos was very popular at the base and maintained a very friendly relationship with most men and women, but he was a bit aloof and never crossed any lines with anyone.

So, Xiao Yao had no intention of getting Carlos to respond to her hint. She pointed to the Yugi next to her and said, "I saw you playing this and you seemed really good at it. I've never played it before. Can you teach me? I mean, after you finish eating."

Carlos, who was going to stay there until curfew and lights out anyway, nodded casually.

Then he sensed something strange.

When did Xiao Yao start watching him play Yugi?

When she returned, he had already finished playing.