Chapter 24 Communication
Night, deep and inky, completely swallowed the remnants of the brief but fierce battle of the day. Outside the fortress, the ravaged snowfield faded into darkness, with only the occasional whistling of the cold wind whistling through the scattered ladders and weapons. The wounded mob and the unconscious vulture had been stealthily dragged away by their comrades after nightfall, leaving behind several pools of frozen, blackened blood, like ugly scars on the earth.
Inside the fortress, the lights shone brightly. It wasn't a celebration, but a calm, deliberate observation following a period of high alert. The control room's screens continued to flicker, most of the images switched to night vision and thermal imaging modes, closely monitoring the surrounding mountains and forests. The energy system's load had increased slightly, but the curve remained stable.
A faint, lingering smell of gunpowder and burnt rubber, mixed with the scent of cleaning agents, still lingered in the air—after the battle, Su Ran meticulously wiped every inch of the shooting observation post and cleaned up the scattered arrows and shell casings.
On the dining table lay a detailed plan of the fortress and its surrounding terrain, drawn by Wen Yu earlier. Scattered beside it were several pens of different colors, a notebook, and two cups of steaming ginger tea—freshly brewed by Su Ran, who said it was to ward off the cold and calm the nerves.
Wen Yu and Su Ran sat facing each other. Wen Yu had already changed out of his combat uniform, into dark gray loungewear and a black turtleneck cashmere sweater, which accentuated his broad, straight shoulders and gave him a cool and aloof air. He leaned back slightly in his chair, one hand casually resting on the edge of the drawing, his fingers long and slender with distinct knuckles, his fingertips unconsciously tapping a coordinate on the drawing. His expression was calm, but a hint of sharpness lingered between his brows, his gaze fixed on the drawing, focused and deep in thought.
Su Ran sat opposite him, having changed into clean clothes. She wore a light beige knit sweater with the collar neatly buttoned up to the top, making her neck appear slender and her chin delicate.
His hair was still slightly damp, softly clinging to his forehead, and his face was flushed with a faint blush from the bath and hot tea, the paleness from the battle gone. He sat upright, holding a warm teacup in both hands, his long eyelashes drooping, his gaze following Wen Yu's fingers as they moved across the blueprints, his expression unusually focused.
"Today they mainly attacked the west and north flanks, probing the flanks and rear ventilation openings," Wen Yu said, his voice low but clear and steady in the quiet restaurant, as if reviewing a military operation. "The ladders are rudimentary, but there are many people. The firearms are only a few old-fashioned hunting rifles and crossbows, lacking accuracy and firepower; their main purpose is deterrence and disruption."
Su Ran nodded slightly and whispered, "They seem to be very afraid of your bow and arrows and crossbows, and that last thing... the thing that makes a sound and lights up." He was referring to the stun grenade.
"Asymmetric advantage," Wen Yu succinctly commented. "We are outnumbered, but we have the advantage of range, accuracy, and defense thanks to our fortifications. They are numerous, but lack heavy weapons and assault capabilities, and can only rely on sheer numbers and harassment."
He picked up a red pen and drew several circles outside the west and north walls: "Here, and here, these are the areas where they attacked most fiercely today, and also the areas most easily covered by long-range weapons. Our defensive focus is fine."
Su Ran looked at the red circles, bit her lower lip as if hesitating, then mustered her courage, extended a slender, white finger, and pointed to an area on the back side of the drawing, near the ventilation opening: "Here... the place where they tried to pry open the ventilation opening today. Although they didn't manage to pry it open, if they bring more professional tools next time, or if there are more people, and they attack several such weak points at the same time... we might not be able to handle it."
Wen Yu looked up at him, her gaze scrutinizing him: "What do you think?"
Su Ran felt a little nervous under his gaze, her fingers twitching slightly, but she continued, "I... I was thinking, could we set up some... automatic or triggered small traps in these relatively'soft' areas that are not easily covered by the main firing position?"
"For example?" Wen Yu asked, leaning forward slightly to show he was listening.
Encouraged, Su Ran's eyes brightened, and he spoke a little faster: "For example, behind the ventilation vent fence, install a tripwire device made of very thin fishing line or steel wire, connected to... connected to a loud bell, or a small flashing device? If someone pries or cuts the fence, it will trigger the alarm. Even if it doesn't hurt anyone, it will give them a scare, and we'll know where the trouble is." He paused, then added, "Also, there are some places with thick snow at the base of the wall, and they might try to dig from underneath. Could we... bury some barbed wire, or some wood thorns coated... coated with a plant sap that causes itchy rashes, under the snow in those areas? Not lethal, but enough to make them uncomfortable and deter them from lingering."
As he spoke, he picked up his notebook from the side, turned to a page, and saw a few simple diagrams drawn in pencil. Although they were naive, the ideas were clear. "And this," he pointed to a sketch in the notebook that resembled a bear trap but had a simpler structure, "can be made from discarded springs and steel plates. It doesn't need to be too strong, just enough to clamp a foot. Bury it in a camouflaged pit under the snow. If someone steps on it, they might not break a bone, but it will definitely hurt so much that they can't walk."
Wen Yu listened quietly, his gaze shifting between Su Ran's earnest face and the imaginative sketches. He hadn't expected Su Ran to come up with these ideas. They weren't particularly clever, even somewhat "rustic," but they were perfectly suited to their current situation: limited resources, insufficient manpower, and a need to maximize the difficulty and cost for the invaders at the lowest possible cost.
In particular, those non-lethal but annoying little traps are often more effective than directly lethal weapons in terms of psychological deterrence and delaying time.
"Good idea," Wen Yu affirmed, picking up a blue pen and marking the locations Su Ran had mentioned on the blueprint. "Trip-tripping alarms and ground obstacles can be set up as soon as possible. The animal traps need a more robust trigger mechanism to prevent accidental injury to animals or malfunction; I'll modify that."
When Su Ran saw that he had adopted her suggestion, a smile of undisguised pride immediately bloomed on her face, her eyes crinkling like a child who had stolen candy.
But he quickly composed himself and continued earnestly, "Also... today they used damp cloths to cover their noses, which wasn't very effective, but it shows they're trying to deal with the gas. Could we prepare something else next time? Like... chili powder mixed with talcum powder, and then spread it using a drone? Or, could we create some extra-slippery ice near the wall?"
As Wen Yu looked at Su Ran's delicate brows furrowed slightly in thought, and at her eyes that shone with intelligence under the light, the string of "acceptance" in his heart was gently plucked.
This seemingly delicate and vulnerable young man not only managed to stay calm and provide support with a slingshot in critical moments, but also reflected rationally after the battle, proposing practical and feasible improvement plans. His value has long surpassed that of a "cook" or a "gardener."
"Sure. We have chili powder and talcum powder in the warehouse, but the drone spraying module needs to be debugged. The ice traps require precise control of the water temperature and location to avoid affecting our own activities." Wen Yu responded one by one, his tone one of equal discussion rather than condescending command. He put down his pen, picked up the now lukewarm ginger tea, took a sip, and felt the spicy warmth slide down his throat.
"You," he looked at Su Ran, his gaze deep, "are you very interested in these things? Or have you… come across them before?"
Su Ran paused for a moment, his blush deepening. He lowered his head somewhat shyly, his fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of his teacup. "Well... it's not really like we've ever been in contact. It's just that before... I lived alone, and sometimes I would overthink things, read random books, watch movies and stuff... I felt that if... if something happened, I'd have to think things through." His voice trailed off, becoming almost inaudible, clearly not wanting to dwell on the "past."
Wen Yu didn't press further. Everyone has a past they don't want to touch, especially in this apocalyptic world. He then began to recount his story, his voice steady, as if stating objective facts:
"In the apocalypse, the core of defense is not to kill every invader, but to increase the cost and uncertainty of their attack, making them feel that it is not worth the effort. Strong fortifications are the first line of defense, long-range precision strikes are the second line of defense, and various unexpected troubles and costs are the third line of defense. Today they have tasted the bitterness and dare not use force again in the short term. But they may change their strategy, such as long-term siege, or look for other weaknesses."
Su Ran immediately looked up and listened attentively, like the most diligent student.
"We're not afraid of a long-term siege. We have enough energy, food, and water to sustain us for a long time. But we need to be careful about internal attrition and psychological factors," Wen Yu continued. "Finding weaknesses is simply a matter of doors, windows, ventilation, drainage, and… people." His gaze fell on Su Ran, carrying a hint of warning.
Su Ran's heart skipped a beat, and she nodded solemnly: "I understand. I will not leave the fortress without permission, nor will I open the door for strangers."
"Hmm." Wen Yu nodded slightly. "Furthermore, in the apocalypse, information is of paramount importance. Knowing who the enemy is, how many there are, what equipment they have, and what their intentions are is often more important than blindly engaging in a head-on fight. Today's drone reconnaissance and surveillance have given us the initiative."
"Then... what if they come next time with more people, or with more powerful weapons?" Su Ran couldn't help but ask, her eyes filled with worry.
Wen Yu's eyes were calm and unwavering: "Then upgrade the defenses according to the situation. The fortress has a preset reinforcement plan. If necessary, we can abandon the outer perimeter and retreat to the core. Remember, our primary goal is to survive, not to defend every inch of land. Only by preserving ourselves can we look for opportunities."
His words were calm, even somewhat cold, but every sentence revealed the most fundamental survival wisdom honed through the struggle for survival in the apocalypse. Su Ran listened intently, the slight relaxation and optimism that had arisen in her heart due to today's victory being suppressed again by these words, replaced by deeper vigilance and contemplation. But at the same time, a strange sense of security also arose spontaneously—Wen Yu was so clear-headed, so methodical; following him, it seemed that even the greatest crisis could be dealt with.
As night deepened, the ginger tea had long since gone cold. The blueprints were now densely marked with different colored pens. The discussion ranged from specific trap setups to optimizing resource reserves, then to psychological adjustment during prolonged confinement, and even what to plant in the sunroom next season.
Their conversations were brief, often punctuated by short silences. But these silences weren't awkward; rather, they were a quiet space for shared reflection or processing of information. Wen Yu found that communicating with Su Ran was effortless. This young man was quick to grasp concepts and often offered insights from unexpected angles. Although he appeared gentle, he possessed an inner resilience and intelligence, like a supple reed that bows low in the wind but straightens again afterward.
Su Ran felt that Wen Yu seemed more willing to talk tonight than usual. Although he still had the same expressionless demeanor and calm tone, he could sense that Wen Yu was earnestly sharing his experiences and discussing issues with him, rather than simply giving orders or informing him. This feeling of being treated as an equal and listened to attentively warmed his heart, even more so than the cup of ginger tea.
When the digital clock on the wall showed that it was past midnight, Wen Yu closed the blueprints and put the pen caps back on one by one.
"That's all for today. Go and rest. Starting tomorrow, we'll gradually reinforce the outer perimeter according to the discussed plan." He stood up, his tall figure stretching long in the lamplight.
Su Ran quickly stood up and tidied up the cup and notebook. "Yes. Mr. Wen, you should get some rest too."
Wen Yu walked to the door, paused for a moment, and without turning around, his voice sounded somewhat low in the quiet corridor: "You did very well today."
After saying that, he left the restaurant and disappeared around the corner of the corridor leading to the control room.
Su Ran stood there, clutching the notebook and the cold cup in his arms, the words "Well done" echoing in his ears, and the blush that had just faded from his face quietly crept back up. He looked in the direction Wen Yu had left, and a faint, sweet smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.
Tonight, there was no thrilling battle, only a lamp, a picture, two cups of tea, and a deep and peaceful conversation.
But some things quietly grow in these simple conversations and tacit understandings, more profound and comforting than the camaraderie forged in war.
The crisis has temporarily subsided, and the night is gentle. Inside the fortress, two hearts that were once separated and hesitant have unknowingly drawn closer together amidst the shared crisis and pragmatic planning.