That night, the lights outside the tent shone brightly. The slums, usually dark and silent, had become unusually noisy.
Qi Yanxin was too anxious to sleep, while Xu Zhi was remarkably relaxed. After considering the problems they might currently face and mentally preparing herself, she decided not to remain immersed in nervousness. She even had the leisure to comment that the army's food was not as tasty as Qi Yanxin's cooking.
Qi Yanxin wore a helpless smile after hearing that. "This food is much better than what we usually eat."
Xu Zhi blinked. "I couldn't tell."
Qi Yanxin did not know whether Xu Zhi was comforting her or truly thought her cooking tasted better. Sometimes, she felt that Xu Zhi might have once been a wealthy young lady. At other times, Xu Zhi's habits did not seem like those of a delicate young miss, but more like a child who had suffered greatly.
"All right, I'll take that as true."
Whether it was true or not, at least it was nice to hear.
It remained noisy outside, with footsteps constantly passing back and forth. Even so, Xu Zhi chose to lie down and try to sleep. The days ahead were unlikely to be easy, so it was best not to let physical exhaustion build up.
Early the next morning, Xu Zhi was awakened by a roar even more violent than the factory machines.
To be honest, she had long grown accustomed to sleeping amid noise during her days in the lower levels. But this morning, it felt as though some machine were pressed directly against her forehead, roaring away. Xu Zhi opened her eyes in confusion and looked toward Qi Yanxin. Qi Yanxin was pulling aside the tent curtain to look outside, then waved excitedly at Xu Zhi. She was