Searching for Someone

Base 08.

In the cafeteria hall, Lu Han could neither sit nor stand still, pacing back and forth.

"Most of the day has passed. Why hasn't Zhang Ping come back yet?" he asked anxiously, his stomach in knots.

Munching on a compressed energy bar, Zhang Shouzhong quipped, "Senior Lu, you're only worrying now? What were you doing earlier?"

"..."

Lu Han fell silent.

For the sake of saving face, he had watched Zhang Ping leave without stopping him. Now, anything he said would be too late.

Cheng Xuejie lay slumped over the table and said, "Since Old Zhang's Fat Energy has returned, that means nothing should have gone too badly wrong with Zhang Ping's plan. Maybe something held him up."

"No, I'm going to find him. What if he's in danger and needs a hand?" The thought of something holding Zhang Ping up made Lu Han unbearably anxious. Finally, he gritted his teeth and spoke.

Liu Sishan said, "Wait. Let me go instead. Senior Lu, if you go and Zhang Ping comes back, we'll have to spend time looking for you. It's better if I go. Zhang Ping has a way to find me."

"Then I'm going too. Zhang Ping can find me as well, and I'd worry about you going alone," Cheng Xuejie said.

Zhang Shouzhong stood up. "How about I come along? It's not like I have anything else to do."

"Wouldn't that leave Senior Lu here alone? You stay," Cheng Xuejie objected, giving Zhang Shouzhong a meaningful look.

Catching her look, Zhang Shouzhong glanced at Lu Han, then sat back down. "All right. I'll stay here with Senior Lu, so Zhang Ping won't come back to an empty base."

He understood what Cheng Xuejie meant.

If they left Lu Han alone at the base, he would almost