Ch 32: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Sometimes, the village chief would call meetings to discuss important matters concerning the village. For example, how to stagger the use of the threshing ground during the autumn harvest, how to allocate water during droughts, how to organize queues for making sweet potato vermicelli in the winter, and how to handle public property in the village. All of these required careful planning in advance to prevent chaos when the time came.

However, these meetings were always attended by the heads of households, the men responsible for their families. Even if there was an issue that needed to be communicated to every household, it was usually Madam Guixiang who would go around delivering messages the next day. Never before had Shen Qing, as a ger, been called to attend such a meeting. So both Miao Shi and Shen Qing were quite surprised when they heard the news.

The messenger was a young wife who had run all the way over. Upon entering the house, she was first given a bowl of hot water by Miao Shi. It was already the end of the eleventh lunar month, and the mornings and nights were freezing. Her hands and feet were stiff from the cold after her run, but after downing a bowl of hot water, she finally started to warm up. Her eyes unconsciously swept over the table, and she sniffed the air before remarking with envy, “You all eat really well here!”

Was eating eggs a daily occurrence for them? In most households, when hens laid eggs, they were either sold or exchanged for salted goods. Only children or pregnant women occasionally got to eat one, and even then, it was usually boiled or steamed—who would use oil to fry them like this? A big bowl of scrambled eggs with chives, glistening with oil, filled the whole room with an intoxicating aroma.

Lately, the village had been abuzz with talk about Miao Shi. Not only did she refuse to sell the eggs from her own chickens, but she was even buying eggs from other households. Some said it was because she lacked elders to keep her frugality in check, while others envied her and Shen Qing for finally living well and freely.

Miao Shi smiled, “The child works hard all day; of course, he needs good food to replenish his strength. Otherwise, where would he get the energy? Just the other day, he got injured hunting a wild boar, lost so much blood. Our household depends on Qing Ge’er to survive—how can I not take good care of him?”

As far as the villagers knew, Shen Qing still worked as a woodcutter, climbing the mountains every day to chop wood or gather wild produce to sell in the county.

The young wife nodded in agreement and clapped her hands. “That’s true! That’s actually why the village chief is looking for Qing. Didn’t he kill a wild boar in the mountains before? Well, someone spotted wild boar tracks near the village today—looks like there’s a whole group of them. The chief thought since Qing Ge’er has experience hunting wild boars, he should come help discuss what to do.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Qing immediately put down his bowl, grabbed his jacket, and rushed out. “Wild boars? I’m going right now!”

Wild boars invading the village was no joke! In winter, food in the mountains became scarce, and wild boars would come down to ravage the fields. By this time of year, winter wheat had already been planted—if the crops were destroyed, the loss would be devastating for the farmers. Crops were their lifeblood! Not to mention, if a wild boar charged into the village and injured a child, the consequences would be even worse.

Even though Shen Qing no longer owned any land, his deep-rooted respect for crops made him dash toward the village chief’s house without hesitation.

The village chief was thinking along the same lines. Judging by the tracks, the boars were still hovering around the outskirts, but once they started destroying fields, it would be too late. It was better to take the initiative. He planned to gather hunters from nearby villages and organize a hunt. “We still have some funds in the village’s communal account, but it might not be enough. I think each household should pitch in a little. We can also ask Hunter Liu—he’s from our village, so he probably won’t ask for payment. We’ll just make sure he gets a larger share of the pork afterward.”

The village had communal farmland that was rented out, and the collected rent was used for public expenses and supporting the elderly and weak. The workshop where they made sweet potato vermicelli, for example, was built using village funds. At the end of the year, orphans and the elderly would also receive some grain from this communal account.

According to the rules of the surrounding villages, even if they hired hunters, only half of the boar meat would stay in the village—the other half would be split among the hunters.

The moment money was mentioned, the previously enthusiastic villagers fell silent. The chief, knowing their temperaments well, didn’t push them. “Think it over carefully. If the boars come down and ruin our crops, the losses will be far greater than a few coins. Each household only needs to contribute a few dozen wen.”

He wasn’t worried himself—his land wasn’t near the mountain, so his fields wouldn’t be affected.

After a long silence, a young man finally spoke up, “Chief, why should we be paying for this when Shen Qing is the one who lured the boars here?”

The chief was stunned for a moment, unsure how to respond. Just then, Madam Guixiang came in with a teapot to refill everyone’s cups. Hearing this, she immediately frowned. “Wang Liuzi, what kind of nonsense are you spouting? Why drag Qing Ge’er into this? What does he have to do with the wild boars coming down from the mountain?”

Wang Liuzi shrank back slightly—he was a generation younger than Madam Guixiang and had always been a little afraid of her. But his stubbornness made him press on, “Why doesn’t it concern him? He killed one of their young and made a fortune off it, eating meat while the rest of us have none! Now the big ones have come for revenge!” He sneaked a glance at Madam Guixiang and muttered, “I know, Aunt, you’re close with his family. They gave you sweet cakes and invited you over for dinner, so of course, you’re taking his side. But why should we be the ones paying for it? He caused this mess—why should we all chip in? What, does money grow on trees for us?”

As soon as he said this, a few other young men in the crowd voiced their agreement. It was unclear whether they genuinely believed Shen Qing had provoked the wild boars or if they were simply looking for an excuse to avoid paying.

Unlike the older generation, who mostly praised Shen Qing for being hardworking and filial, the young men of the village had a very different opinion of him—especially those of his own age group.

This annoying ger had been overshadowing them since childhood! Many of the men present had been beaten by Shen Qing when they were younger. Now that they had grown up, gotten married, and were old enough to represent their families at village meetings, their resentment toward Shen Qing had not diminished in the slightest.

Back when they worked the fields, their families often compared them to Shen Qing, saying he was more capable than them despite being a ger. And now, no one in the village could claim they had the guts to face a wild boar head-on with just a machete and actually win.

But Shen Qing could! Not only did he manage to kill a wild boar, but he even brought it back and sold it at a bargain price to the villagers. For days, they had to endure hearing the older generation praise Shen Qing to the heavens, as if he, a mere ger, had outshone all the men! And now, he was even being called to attend the village meeting. Why should a ger be sitting among men at a village council?

Rather than admit their own incompetence, they directed all their frustration toward Shen Qing—blaming him for being too showy, too arrogant, and for not acting like a proper ger. No wonder he was still unmarried despite being of age!

Hearing Wang Liuzi’s words, especially when he brought up how the village chief’s family had accepted gifts from Shen Qing, Madam Guixiang’s face turned red with anger. She was just about to lash out at him when the village chief pushed her aside, saying, “Enough, pour the water and go back out. This is men’s business—no need for women to interfere.”

After all, this was an official village meeting, and while he favored his wife, he couldn’t break the village customs too blatantly. However, after sending Madam Guixiang away, the village chief turned to Wang Liuzi and the others. “Shen Qing killed that wild boar how long ago? Almost a month? And now, suddenly, the big ones have come seeking revenge? What, if wild boars show up next year too, are you going to blame Shen Qing for that as well? Do you even hear how ridiculous you sound?”

Wang Liuzi choked on his words, unable to come up with a reasonable response. He could only mutter, “I just know that the village chief’s family took Shen Qing’s gifts, so of course, you’re biased toward him!”

The village chief was already annoyed by Wang Liuzi’s nonsense, but the fact that he had indeed accepted Shen Qing’s gifts made his face turn red with frustration. Just as he was about to say something, he heard a commotion outside, followed by Shen Qing’s voice: “No need to trouble yourself, village chief.”

The thick cotton door curtain was lifted, and a gust of cold wind rushed in. It seemed to have started snowing outside, and a light dusting of snowflakes clung to Shen Qing’s hair and eyelashes, glistening under the candlelight. He had jogged all the way over, his forehead slightly damp with sweat, but as he stood at the entrance, listening to Wang Liuzi’s words, his heart grew colder and colder.

He had always known that the other young men in the village didn’t like him, but he never expected them to go so far as to pin the wild boar trouble on him. Worse yet, Wang Liuzi had even dragged the village chief into it.

The worst part was that so many others were blindly agreeing with him!

Shen Qing brushed the snow off his hair, though the warmth of the room had already started melting it, leaving droplets of water on his fingers. He shook them off and said, “I don’t think the village needs to spend money, nor do we need to hire other hunters. How many wild boars are there based on the tracks? I’ll go up the mountain in the next couple of days and take care of them myself.”

He then turned to the village chief. “But if I do it alone, the village won’t be getting any of the meat. Same as last time—if anyone wants some, they can buy it from me or trade with grain.”

The village chief and his wife were so shocked that they couldn’t even speak. Madam Guixiang immediately tried to dissuade him, “Qing Ge’er, don’t say such reckless things!” No matter how much she admired Shen Qing and believed in his abilities, she couldn’t imagine a single person taking on an entire herd of wild boars. Even the most experienced hunters wouldn’t dare boast about something like that!

But Shen Qing simply shook his head. “I’m not speaking out of anger. Unlike some people who lack the ability and can’t stand others being more capable than them. Just because someone else is better, they act like it’s a personal attack! If I say I’ll do it, I’ll do it.”

In less than a month, with deliberate practice and observation, Shen Qing had already learned how to argue effectively and even throw in some sarcasm.

His words hit Wang Liuzi’s sore spot directly, turning his face green with anger. He shot up from his seat, shouting, “What are you bragging about?! You’re just lucky you managed to kill a half-grown boar! If you’d faced a fully grown one, you wouldn’t even be standing here! You think you can take on a whole herd? More like they’d tear you apart first!”

Shen Qing sneered. “I’m talking to the village chief. What does this have to do with you? I’m going to hunt wild boars, not you—so why are you acting like you’re the one about to die?” His gaze sharpened as he challenged, “If you think I can’t do it, why don’t you go up the mountain and try? Or better yet, let’s go together and see who kills more. The loser has to kneel and bow to the winner—how about that?”

Wang Liuzi’s lips trembled, but he couldn’t bring himself to accept the challenge. As much as he didn’t want to believe Shen Qing could kill wild boars, there was always that tiny chance that he could…

Shen Qing didn’t let up and took another step closer. “Or, to make it simpler, we can just settle this outside, one-on-one.”

At that, Wang Liuzi shrank back even further. Maybe Shen Qing couldn’t take on a wild boar, but when it came to a fight, he had beaten Wang Liuzi more times than he could count! He was even two years older than Shen Qing, yet he had never won a fight against him.

With the entire village’s men watching, if he got beaten up in front of everyone, what dignity would he have left?

Seeing him cower back into his seat, Shen Qing rolled his eyes and muttered, “Coward.”

That said, he wasn’t just boasting. Well, maybe he was a little angry… but Shen Qing wouldn’t have claimed he could kill all the wild boars if he didn’t have a plan.

If all he had was his compound bow, there was no way he’d be reckless enough to make such a claim. Wild boars lived in groups—sometimes ten to twenty in a herd, at minimum six or seven. Fully grown wild boars were nothing like the juvenile one he had killed before. A few arrows wouldn’t be enough.

However, since traveling frequently to the post-apocalyptic world, he had come across something even more powerful than his bow—guns.

That day, Song Kaiji had planned to take him for a tour around Red City Base and treat him to deep-fried starch sausages. Red City Base had been built around an amusement park, incorporating nearby hotels, a resort town, and even a few residential neighborhoods. Over time, they had added fortified walls, turning it into a well-organized settlement.

In just over half a year, the base had developed into a miniature city, with an inner and outer district. The inner city housed high-ranking officials, powerful ability users, and wealthy residents, featuring well-preserved buildings, including private villas. The outer city, on the other hand, was a mix of everything—shops, market stalls, and government-constructed metal shelters for the less fortunate.

Despite the diverse population, the base’s strict enforcement ensured order. Crimes like theft, assault, and even harassment were met with severe punishment, maintaining a level of security that encouraged people to live inside rather than in the lawless outskirts.

This was why Song Kaiji was willing to spend extra to stay inside the base—safety was worth the cost.

And it was inside this base that Shen Qing had first witnessed the terrifying power of firearms.

That day, the two of them were waiting in line for a blood test at the base entrance when suddenly, at the end of the queue, a person who had just joined the line started convulsing and collapsed onto the ground. Within seconds, they mutated.

The crowd erupted in panicked screams and scattered in all directions. Song Kaiji immediately grabbed Shen Qing’s hand, intending to run, but before they could even take a step, a loud “bang” echoed from behind them.

The infected person, who had just begun to rise with twisted movements, suddenly had a bloody hole blasted through their forehead. After a couple of twitches, they fell motionless to the ground.

The patrol guards stationed at the city gate quickly rushed forward—some carrying away the body, others disinfecting the area.

Song Kaiji then noticed that Shen Qing’s grip on his hand was tightening. Looking over, he saw that Shen Qing was staring—whether in fear or excitement—at the shooter who was only a few meters away behind them.

“That’s the new recruit in the city gate security squad,” Song Kaiji whispered into Shen Qing’s ear. “I heard he’s some second-generation rich kid, here to gain ‘experience’ before climbing the ranks. You better be careful around him—don’t get on his bad side.” Then, he added with a sigh, “Shooting at such close range… must be nice to be rich.”

Bullets were expensive! Song Kaiji had several guns, but that was because, at the start of the apocalypse, weapons were so scarce that many people fell victim to zombies due to a lack of firepower. After Rainbow City Base was established, a batch of firearms was quickly mass-produced. Nowadays, while not everyone had a gun, they were no longer considered rare.

The guns themselves weren’t even that costly anymore, but bullets were a different story—one crystal core could only buy one bullet. If someone wasn’t a good shot and couldn’t take down a zombie in one go, they would be at a loss since a single zombie typically only yielded one crystal core.

That was exactly why, despite owning guns, Song Kaiji primarily used a crossbow to kill zombies. Guns were great for emergencies, but using them for regular hunting was a waste.

However, Shen Qing wasn’t looking at the person—his attention was entirely on the gun in their hands! This was his first time seeing a weapon even more powerful than his compound crossbow, and he was so shocked that he couldn’t even speak. He couldn’t begin to imagine how unstoppable he would be in the deep mountains and forests if he had something like that!

“The thing he’s holding… do you have one?” Shen Qing whispered into Song Kaiji’s ear.

“Yeah, huh? Didn’t I show you before?” Song Kaiji sounded unsure.

Shen Qing fell silent. Even if Song Kaiji had shown him before, he wouldn’t have recognized it! To him, it would’ve just looked like a black lump of metal.

With a flick of his wrist, Song Kaiji made a brand-new handgun appear in his palm. It was clear it hadn’t been used much, and the magazine was full.

Shen Qing immediately reached out to grab it, but Song Kaiji hesitated. “Do you even know how to use it?”

Shen Qing: …

By now, Song Kaiji had gotten used to Shen Qing’s silences and could sometimes even guess what they meant. He chuckled and teased, “Oh? So you don’t know how, huh?”

A mischievous thought crossed Song Kaiji’s mind—there was hardly anything more satisfying for a college guy than making a buddy call him “daddy” when teaching them something cool.

But when he met Shen Qing’s deep, dark eyes, the words on the tip of his tongue twisted and turned before he swallowed them back down. Instead, he averted his gaze and said, “Call me ‘Ge,’ and I’ll teach you how to use it.”

◦°˚(*❛‿❛)/˚°◦