Super Gene Hunting Ground

Gazing into the distance, a few houses loomed vaguely in the distance.

After several minutes, Yang Xiao entered a vast open space, and beyond was a three-story high hall, magnificent and ancient in its air. The plaque on the door bore the gilded characters ”Shenming Mountain Sect,” with no mention of ”South Garden.”

There was no guard outside, presumably because South Garden now housed only over thirty young women. Given their limited manpower and the isolation of the place, there were hardly any visitors.

Yang Xiao dismounted and approached the door, knocking a few times as he shouted:

”Is anyone there? Is anyone there? Is anyone there?”

After waiting for a moment with no response and about to knock again, he was just about to raise his hand when, with a creak, the door opened. A young woman looked at Yang Xiao, taken aback for a second.

”Who are you looking for?”

Yang Xiao, with his hand raised, was about to accidentally slap the young lady’s face and promptly lowered his hand, smiling awkwardly:

”Miss, may I ask if Miss Lan Xin is here?”

”She is my senior sister. What do you need her for?”

The girl said, sizing up Yang Xiao from head to toe, a look of surprise in her eyes.

”What do you want with my senior sister Lan Xin?”

She asked.

”Ah, I am a friend of your senior sister.”

Upon hearing this, the girl seemed quite interested and asked:

”What’s your name? Where are you from?”

”My name is Yang Xiao, from Nanmu City. Could you please inform her?”

Upon hearing this, the girl’s expression brightened.

Last time, Yang Xiao had brought thirteen boxes of tissue paper, and all the sisters knew that Lan Xin had met a City King in the desert, whose name was Yang Xiao.

They might have forgotten other things, but they sure remembered the name Yang Xiao, who sent the tissue paper.

At the time the younger sisters had joked about it, saying that the ways of courting a girl had changed in the apocalyptic times, with tissue paper being the new trend?

This tissue paper joke had them chuckling for a month, and even now, they occasionally laughed over it.

The girl looked at Yang Xiao and started to giggle ”hehe...” leaving Yang Xiao with a bewildered look on his face.

At that moment, another girl came over, saying as she walked:

”Xue Mei junior sister, what are you laughing about?”

Then, when she saw Yang Xiao, her eyes lit up instantly.

She had been with Lan Xin to the desert, so of course, she recognized Yang Xiao. She immediately ran over and exclaimed with joy:

”Oh, it turns out to be Young Master Yang visiting, what an honored guest, quickly, come inside. Oh my, Xue Mei junior sister, why the daze? This is the good friend Senior Sister Lan Xin met in the desert, Young Master Yang.”

The girl known as Xue Mei junior sister blurted out in astonishment:

”Is it Young Master Yang who sent Senior Sister Lan Xin the tissue paper?”

Yang Xiao: ”.....”

Why does that sound so awkward?

The girl gave Xue Mei a glare and said:

”Go inform Senior Sister Lan Xin that Young Master Yang is here. I’ll take Young Master Yang to the guest room to rest and have tea. Young Master Yang, this way please, my name is Ju Yun.”

”Thank you, Ju... Yun junior sister.”

Yang Xiao almost said ”Ju Hua” junior sister.

Before the apocalyptic times, the term ’ju hua’ had been misused, and it was a habit Yang Xiao hadn’t managed to change.

He immediately followed Ju Yun through a side door of the great hall, down a long corridor, to a quiet courtyard with two houses.

Inside the courtyard were planted several wax plum flowers, white and red, all in full, vivid bloom.

In places like Nanmu City, Yang Xiao had not seen such brilliantly proud flowers for a long time. Nanmu City is in the Southern region, and after the onset of the harsh winter, many flowers had disappeared.

”These are beautiful flowers; you have a nice environment here!”

Yang Xiao remarked.

Ju Yun replied with a sense of pride:

”Our Shenming Mountain Sect’s Southern branch has been established for hundreds of years. Every living environment has been refined by generations of predecessors, giving it an ancient and quaint feel, yet still serene and pleasant. One year, ’World Geography Magazine’ came here and ranked it among the top fifty most beautiful scenic areas in the world.”

With that, Ju Yun ushered Yang Xiao into a room.

”Mr. Yang Xiao, please take a seat. I’ll brew some tea for you!”

Yang Xiao sat down by a table near the window and quickly glanced around the room’s furnishings.

It was a suite, and they were currently in the living room, which was furnished with classical wooden furniture.

The only thing that carried the breath of modernity was the use of glass in several windows of the house, making it clear that this was not a journey back to the ancient times several hundred years ago.

Sitting by the window, you could see the snowy scenery outside through the bright glass.

From where Yang Xiao sat, he could easily see the blooming wax plum flowers in the courtyard.

Ju Yun seemed very happy about Yang Xiao’s visit and was very attentive, quickly bringing a kettle of boiling water from the kitchen to brew a cup of tea for Yang Xiao.

”Mr. Yang, this is our unique Snow Lotus Tea from Divine Mountain. Please have a taste.”

”Is it made from Snow Lotus?”

”Not entirely, it’s the leaves of Snow Lotus, and a bit of Snow Lotus flowers are also added. It’s only available to very esteemed guests.”

Yang Xiao smiled and said:

”I feel extremely honored.”

Ju Yun, worried that Yang Xiao might be cold, brought over a charcoal brazier with a few pieces of charcoal inside, emitting a faint red flame.

”Thank you, Miss Ju Yun.”

”Mr. Yang, you’re too polite. You’re a good friend of Lan Xin, and naturally, you’re our esteemed guest as well.”

Yang Xiao had been accustomed to a modern life with home appliances before the apocalypse, and after suddenly entering the post-apocalyptic world, he found everything unfamiliar – no television, music, movies, no water heaters, microwaves, washing machines, or computers. All the electric and information-based lifestyle products were gone.

Yet here, life remained the same, with no changes.

Yang Xiao had only stayed for a few minutes before he fell in love with this place, feeling a special sense of peace in his heart as if he had entered a haven away from the world.

...

Lan Xin was chatting with her junior sister Xiao Lan, when sister Xue Mei hurried over, eagerly saying:

”Sister Lan Xin, Sister Lan Xin,”

Lan Xin frowned and said:

”Sister Xue Mei, what’s the matter, why are you in such a panic? Take it slow, no rush.”

Xiao Lan added:

”Is there a snow leopard Monster invading?”

Xue Mei swallowed and said:

”No, it’s Mr. Yang who’s here, he’s looking for you.”

”Mr. Yang? Which Mr. Yang?”

”The one who gave you tissues, Mr. Yang!”

Lan Xin was stunned for a moment, then glared at Xue Mei and said:

”Why does something so mundane sound so unpleasant when you say it?”

Lan Xin was internally excited, her hand holding the teacup trembled slightly. She put down the cup and turned to leave.

”Xiao Lan, come with me to meet Mr. Yang.”

”Alright, Mr. Yang is here.”

Lan Xin turned her head back to give Xiao Lan a glare.

Xiao Lan stuck out her tongue, and Lan Xin let out a chuckle, her face blushing.

She hurriedly took a few steps, then stopped at the door, turned around, and instructed:

”Have the kitchen prepare some good dishes for tonight.”

Then she hurried off.

Xue Mei stood there dumbfounded, muttering to herself:

”Did I say something wrong? Wasn’t it just the tissues that Mr. Yang sent? Huh, Sister chided me for being flustered, but I think she’s even more flustered than me. The moment she heard Mr. Yang was here, her IQ dropped to zero; she didn’t even ask where Mr. Yang is before rushing over.”

So Xue Mei dashed out of the room and called out loudly:

”Sister, Mr. Yang went to the guest room.”

(Evening continues, blessings to all book friends for a happy and fortunate 2018, may everything go well! I hope everyone continues to support me in the new year, thank you!)