Chapter 129: Is There a Match?

Inside the Sky Pillar, each level is vast, especially the restricted area housing the energy reactors located at the very core, where a single reactor spans over a hundred meters and stretches across dozens of floors.

They walked for several minutes, yet they had still not cleared the energy supply sector.

Cao Fusheng deliberately quickened his pace, falling into step beside Ruan Luoluo. She tilted her head and offered a subtle, knowing smile—a fleeting charm that was almost impossible to resist.

"Since Minister Ruan mentioned that you would be happy to answer our questions during this time, I’ll take you up on that," Cao Fusheng said, his demeanor entirely natural and unreserved.

He was no novice; he wouldn’t be caught stammering just because of a beautiful woman. Having spent years abroad on various missions, he had encountered all sorts of women and intimate entanglements, making him long since immune to such so-called beauties. Even a masterpiece of a woman like Ruan Luoluo was no exception.

Ruan Luoluo chuckled softly. "I heard you returned with one of our strike team captains. Tell me, did she never speak to you about the specific situation inside the Sky Pillar?"

"Chu Wei is a woman who understands the bigger picture. Do you really think she would spill all these secrets to me? When she was with us, all she ever talked about were the inviolable Laws of Survival, along with the distinctions between bloodline ranks, the Upper Citizens, and the Lower Citizens. Beyond that, I know nothing—in fact, I’m still quite confused about the Laws of Survival myself." Cao Fusheng laughed inwardly; she was trying to probe him.

Chu Wei might not even be alive, and yet here she was, still trying to indirectly gauge whether the girl had leaked any of the Pillar’s rules or current affairs.

Ruan Luoluo wore an expression that suggested this was exactly as expected. A flicker of flirtation danced in her eyes as she said, "Then which aspect would Mr. Cao like to start with? You won’t find anyone else in the entire Sky Pillar willing to give you a personal introduction, so I suggest you make the most of this opportunity, Mr. Cao."

She added, "Oh, and a friendly reminder: once you learn the secrets of the Sky Pillar, leaving again might prove quite difficult. You should think carefully."

Cao Fusheng burst into laughter. "Do you think I went to all this trouble and traveled all this way just to play the saint and save a Sky Pillar that has nothing to do with me?"

"I see. Then Luoluo understands your intentions."

"Let me start with an off-topic question: is Chu Wei still alive?" Cao Fusheng stared at her intently, casting a sidelong glance at Gao Yi. The latter immediately perked up, his gaze burning with anticipation.

Ruan Luoluo feigned a troubled expression. "That… isn’t handled by my department. However, I’ve heard she received treatment and is not dead yet, though she remains in a coma. Whether she recovers depends on how tough she is. It’s a miracle she’s held on this long; most people wouldn’t have survived such injuries."

"Phew..." Gao Yi let out a quiet sigh of relief. His tightly furrowed brow finally relaxed, and his mood visibly improved. As long as she wasn't dead, there was still hope.

"Oh, by the way, a little tip for Mr. Cao: the Minister of the Medical Department is a great beauty—absolutely stunning. She’s the goddess in the eyes of many men here," Ruan Luoluo said, flashing a playful look at Cao Fusheng, then stealing a glance at Han Shuqing, whose face had turned dark enough to drip ink.

"I see. Now, what exactly are these 'Laws of Survival'?"

She hadn't expected Cao Fusheng to ignore her bait entirely and cut straight to the point. After all, what did someone else's beauty have to do with him?

"As for the Laws of Survival, once your living quarters are assigned, you will each receive a handbook. It contains detailed definitions of the survival laws and the life formula, as well as daily regulations, floor maps, records, and consumption guidelines," Ruan Luoluo replied softly.

There was no real need for him to ask such basic questions; every survivor admitted to the Sky Pillar would eventually learn them. The Pillar wouldn't leave them to fend for themselves; they would have to adapt to everything here eventually.

It was just that Cao Fusheng’s group was a slight anomaly—the first outsiders to enter the Sky Pillar in months. Aside from the initial batches of people, the Pillar rarely accepted outside survivors. Even when they did, the screening process was rigorous, favoring those with pure bloodlines and specialized skills who could prove useful. As for other refugees or survivors, even if they wanted to take them in, they lacked the resources.

The Sky Pillar had to calculate its saturation point; exceeding it would jeopardize the overall ecological balance.

"It seems that was a redundant question. I suddenly recall something—back outside, I read a 'Survivor's Log' that not only marked the location of the ZZ City Sky Pillar but also claimed it could only support a maximum of ten thousand people..."

Ruan Luoluo pursed her red lips, pondering for a moment. "It seems you weren't far from ZZ City. Those so-called survivor logs are just publications we distribute. Don't take everything in them at face value—take the population count, for instance. Now that you're inside, how many people do you think the Pillar can actually hold?"

Cao Fusheng chuckled. "It seems Minister Ruan doesn't want to answer that. But looking at how vast the space inside is, ten thousand seems like a drop in the ocean."

"That is true, though it isn't exactly limitless. At the very least, it can be called a spark of humanity, and the population can't be too pathetic. On that note, I must thank you on behalf of the people of the Sky Pillar. Today, we owe you a great debt."

Hearing her response, Cao Fusheng lowered his head in thought for a moment before looking up abruptly. "Minister Ruan, are you married?"

"W-what?" Ruan Luoluo stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening. How dare he! How could he ask her something like that?

"I heard that in the Sky Pillar, assignments and marriages are all based on pairings, and free love isn't allowed. I was just wondering if you’ve been assigned a partner?" Cao Fusheng smiled pleasantly, his eyes full of sincerity.

"No. At my age, I should have been paired, but as a high-ranking official, I have the right to refuse. My schedule is simply too busy. It’s not just me; members of the strike teams also have the privilege of refusing assignments."

After saying this, Ruan Luoluo gave a charming, flirtatious smile. "Why do you ask, Mr. Cao? Could it be… that you want to sleep with me?"

Cao Fusheng dropped his smile and said blandly, "I’m a lazy man. I don’t bother with anything that isn’t handed to me on a silver platter."

Ruan Luoluo: "..."

Han Shuqing: "..."

Gao Yi felt as if he had swallowed a hundred thousand ants; he was so choked up he nearly gagged. The Captain was truly the Captain—that was a flawless retort!