42: Don't move, let me touch it.

The next morning, Doggo and Qiu Wuhui took the Metal Zombie out to gather supplies.

Early in the morning, Shen Yuan came over. Dressed in a form-fitting cold-weather suit, she knocked on Tian Ming's door.

Their Shelter's leader was good in every way, but he loved to sleep in, often until late morning. Tian Ming reluctantly opened the door. A cold wind swept in, and the weather outside was gloomy.

"What is it?" Tian Ming asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Leader, can you take me out of the Shelter for a trip?" Shen Yuan looked at Tian Ming, her eyes clear, asking with a hint of pleading.

"What's the matter? Didn't I get you the server you wanted? And the airship will have to wait until you build the floating satellites." Tian Ming was internally resistant. It was only November, and the weather was already so cold; he really didn't want to go out.

Shen Yuan pouted. The reason she wanted to go out was because she had received a radio distress signal. The person who sent the signal had included their name and precise coordinates.

Every day, Shen Yuan's antenna received many distress signals, but she usually ignored them. However, this person was different; through radio contact, she discovered that this person was an excellent communications expert. If she came to the Shelter, she would definitely be a great help.

Tian Ming looked at Shen Yuan's unhappy expression, and considering she had indeed solved many major problems recently, he could only sigh helplessly and say, "Alright, tell me, what do you need me to take you out for?"

Shen Yuan picked up her modified radio device and handed it over. It had a small screen displaying her conversation with the person.

"See for yourself. This person is Zhang Mengqi, a communications expert. She and a dozen others are trapped in the telecom building next to Crescent Lake. They're almost out of supplies."

Tian Ming frowned and said, "Crescent Lake? Isn't that in the southernmost part of Donghai City? Going there means crossing the entire Donghai City area. The journey is too long and unsafe."

Tian Ming looked at the conversation details, simultaneously assessing the value of rescuing these people. An expert in an industry, combined with his ability to manipulate matter, could essentially rebuild that industry.

After reading all the chat logs, Tian Ming returned the modified radio communication device to Shen Yuan. With a thought, his clothes transformed into carbon fiber protective gear. This protective gear couldn't be cut by knives, but it couldn't absorb impact damage. However, for Tian Ming, it was enough.

"Let's go, I'll take you," Tian Ming said.

The value of these people was undeniable. With them, communication base stations could be built, and then sent into the air by floating airships, enabling regional communication.

Old-fashioned radios could also do it, but the signal was unstable, and the transmission bandwidth was too small. If the Shelter had real-time communication, devices could be interconnected, and the Shelter's material distribution and management would improve significantly.

For a better future, Tian Ming felt that it was worth risking the rescue of these people.

"Is Doggo there?" Tian Ming asked into the walkie-talkie.

"Leader, Doggo and Qiu Wuhui have gone out. They went to collect supplies," Director Han's voice came through the walkie-talkie.

"I didn't tell him to go out. Why did he go out?" Tian Ming was a bit displeased. As the Shelter's head steward, Tian Ming had told Doggo that he didn't need to risk going out.

"Originally, Qiu Wuhui and the Metal Zombie were supposed to go, but Qiu Wuhui was very resistant, believing it was a suicide mission. So, Doggo went with him."

Upon hearing this, Tian Ming's face immediately darkened. He said, "Who told Doggo to take the initiative and go with him?"

Director Han said, "I'm not sure, they left early this morning."

Tian Ming said coldly to himself, "Alright, Doggo, you went out without telling me. I'll deal with you when I get back!"

Then, Tian Ming instructed Director Han over the walkie-talkie to look after the Shelter.

Seeing Tian Ming's stern face, Shen Yuan asked meekly, "Leader, when are we leaving?"

"Do you have anything else to pack? Go pack it up, and then we'll leave now."

Shen Yuan shook her head and said, "No, I just need to bring a radio device to stay in contact with them."

"Don't move, let me touch you," Tian Ming said, extending his hand towards Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan immediately took two steps back, saying warily, "Leader, please have some self-respect. I, Shen Yuan, am not that kind of person. If you dare to disrespect me, I'll kill myself right here."

For a girl, how could she not be scared when her leader suddenly acted like this? He was fine a moment ago, but now he suddenly wanted to touch her and told her not to move. Who could bear that?

Tian Ming rolled his eyes and said, "I'm taking your measurements to make you a carbon fiber protective suit. What did you think I wanted to do? You're a 'flat chest.' If I really had that intention, Wan Yu, Lin Yue, and those women Qiu Wuhui brought, which one isn't bigger than you?"

Tian Ming's words were a bit hurtful. Shen Yuan was not bad-looking, but she wasn't exactly well-endowed. When she heard Tian Ming being so blunt, she said unhappily, "Who are you calling a 'flat chest'? I have some, alright!"

"Have some? Haha, where? Show me?"

"Go to hell!" Shen Yuan said angrily. This leader was simply unreasonable.

"If you don't want to, then fine. I don't care anyway."

Seeing Tian Ming walk away, Shen Yuan's face turned red with anger, but she still reluctantly followed him. Shen Yuan followed Tian Ming expressionlessly to the Shelter's parking lot. Tian Ming got into a car and waved to Shen Yuan.

"What are you standing around for? Get in the car."

Shen Yuan got into the car very reluctantly, a sullen look on her face.

He started the car and drove off. Most cars now were electric, but because Qin Biao used to be in logistics, he preferred gasoline cars. So, the usable cars left in the Shelter were all gasoline cars.

After the zombie outbreak, energy was already scarce, but gasoline was a hydrocarbon. For Tian Ming, he could synthesize ten or eight barrels of it with a flick of his hand.

"Leader, you must apologize to me."

Tian Ming's lips curled into a sneer: "Apologize? Why should I apologize?"

"Because you said I was small. A man commenting on a woman's body, that's wrong, that's an insult, do you understand?"

Tian Ming shook his head and said, "I don't understand. I was just stating a fact."

"You! ..."

"Me what? Isn't it a fact? Look at yourself. You can look down and see your own waistband. Was I wrong?"

"As a man, you should have some gentlemanly conduct, right?" Shen Yuan was still unwilling to give up, arguing vehemently.

Unexpectedly, Tian Ming retorted, "Gentlemanly conduct? What is gentlemanly conduct? Can gentlemanly conduct be eaten in this world full of zombies? You're also in my Shelter. If you were in another Shelter, try that. Forget an apology, it's questionable whether they'd even treat you like a human."

Shen Yuan suddenly fell silent because she couldn't refute him. As the leader of the Shelter, Tian Ming allowing the people in the Shelter to live like humans was already a blessing. Her attempting to talk about dignity in front of him was simply nonsense.

After entering the city, some zombies wandered the streets. Because the weather turned cold, there were significantly fewer zombies on the streets. Many unevolved zombies became food for their kind. The zombies active in the city now had more or less embarked on the path of evolution.