Ch 46: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Lantang Village had been in an uproar so many times recently that people had lost count.

When Miao Xing and Miao Wang carried a wild boar weighing over four hundred pounds down the mountain, the entire village was stunned.

What kind of person was this Shen Qing?!

Everyone here was born of flesh and blood, yet somehow, he said he could kill a wild boar—and he actually did?! Were his arms and legs made of iron?

Wang Liuzi stood there, eyes vacant, mumbling to himself in disbelief. “Impossible… This is impossible… It must have been luck. Maybe the wild boar ran into a tree and killed itself, and he just happened to pick it up. That must be it…” Unable to accept it, he rushed forward and demanded, “It was just luck, wasn’t it? It was only this one, right? There’s no way he killed the whole herd!”

Miao Wang glanced at Wang Liuzi and thought he looked utterly ridiculous, like a fool. Normally, he wouldn’t even bother talking to someone like this—what a waste of time!

But today, his pride in his nephew was overflowing, and the urge to brag was too strong. Feeling magnanimous, Miao Wang deigned to respond. Tilting his head back smugly, he declared, “One? Just one? Our Qing Ge’er killed fourteen! See that wound on its back? Stabbed with a knife! The entire wild boar herd was wiped out by Qing Ge’er. Your village is lucky to have such a capable ger!”

Lantang Village wasn’t the only one troubled by wild boars. If Shen Qing hadn’t taken on this task, the village would have hesitated to spend too much money. In the end, the village chief might have had to join forces with neighboring villages, splitting the cost of hiring hunters—and, of course, splitting the meat as well.

Now, Qing Ge’er had solved the problem single-handedly, saving the village a fortune in money and effort.

“Fourteen?!”

The crowd exploded. Forget Shen Qing being just a ger—even if ten seasoned hunters led an entire village’s able-bodied men up the mountain, they might not have come back unscathed, let alone killed fourteen wild boars!

Back when Hunter Liu’s father was still alive, the village had once organized a wild boar hunt. Several hunters led more than a dozen strong men up the mountain, yet two wild boars still managed to escape—perhaps this very herd was descended from those survivors.

Several of the village men had been injured back then, and Cheng Quezi’s limp leg was a lasting reminder of that day. He hadn’t even been wounded by a boar—he had rolled down a hill while trying to escape. There was no one to blame for that.

Now, Shen Qing had wiped out the entire herd. Who knew how many years the village would be free from wild boar trouble because of this? It was truly a great achievement.

At first, the villagers couldn’t believe it. But looking at Miao Xing and Miao Wang’s smug expressions—why wouldn’t they believe it? The brothers would soon bring down the rest of the wild boars. They couldn’t possibly lie about something everyone would see with their own eyes.

Shen Qing’s image in their minds instantly grew, even turning a little terrifying. People naturally feared what they couldn’t understand. They couldn’t imagine how Shen Qing had managed such a feat, so they began to feel a sense of reverence toward him.

Which suited Shen Qing just fine. He had wanted to establish his reputation—to make people wary of him. That way, his life in the village would be much easier, without unnecessary trouble.

“How did he even kill them?” someone muttered, staring at the gaping wounds on the boar’s back. It wasn’t like he rode on its back and stabbed it, was it? The more the villagers speculated, the more they built up Shen Qing’s legend in their minds.

Miao Wang nearly lifted his chin to the sky. “My nephew’s secret technique, his trade skill—do you think he’d just tell you all?”

The crowd broke into admiration. Some praised Shen Qing’s abilities, some tried to guess his hunting methods, while the more practical ones asked if his family would be selling meat this time…

Only Wang Liuzi stood frozen, his face alternating between pale and green.

One of the men who had been at the village meeting that day grinned mischievously and nudged him. “So, Shen Qing really did kill the boar. You lost the bet. Shouldn’t you be kneeling down to him now?”

Wang Liuzi’s face instantly turned beet red. “Who said I made a bet?! I never agreed to compete with him!” He was furious at Shen Qing for embarrassing him, yet also terrified that Shen Qing might use his wild boar-slaying skills to take revenge. The frustration and panic nearly made him cough up blood. Without another word, he turned and ran straight home.

Second Aunt Lian watched his retreating figure and spat on the ground. “Let’s see if he even dares to show his face again.”

Miao Shi arrived then, scanning behind Miao Xing and Miao Wang. Not seeing Shen Qing, she quickly asked, “Where’s Qing Ge’er? He didn’t get hurt, did he?” She trusted Shen Qing’s talk about the power of his gun, but looking at the boar’s thick bristles and razor-sharp tusks, she still worried as a mother would. “And you two left, and right after that, Miao Ren and Miao Yu arrived—with a big bag of money! I don’t know what nonsense those gossips in the village have been spreading.”

Still, she was deeply grateful to her sisters-in-law. Just from hearing a few rumors, they were willing to take out so much money. That kind of care was as good as what real sisters would give, and it moved Miao Shi to no end. She had vaguely heard that Li Yanzi and Miao Wang had a big fight recently, though she didn’t know what about. She decided that once she had time, she needed to talk to Miao Wang—if Li Yanzi could be so level-headed in serious matters, then no small disputes should make him hold grudges.

Miao Wang, completely unaware that his sister had already taken his wife’s side, grinned foolishly. “Qing Ge’er is fine! He’s still up on the mountain watching over the rest of the boars. And what are you worried about rumors for? Once we carry these down, they’ll shatter on their own. Just wait—word about Qing Ge’er taking down a whole wild boar herd by himself will spread even faster. Your ger is going to be the most capable person for miles!”

These words made a lot of men in Lantang Village feel deeply uncomfortable. But standing in front of this four-hundred-pound wild boar, none of them had the face to object—or even the courage to.

And this was just one boar. Many villagers already felt a subtle shift in their hearts.

By the time Miao Ren and Miao Yu arrived to help carry the rest, one boar after another was brought down to the small courtyard at the foot of the mountain. The villagers who had been asking about buying meat suddenly quieted. The ones who had been trying to get close to Miao Shi fell away. Even the bystanders watching the spectacle kept their distance.

When the last boar was finally moved, and Shen Qing descended the mountain, the people of Lantang Village—who had seen him every day since he was born—suddenly felt that Qing Ge’er looked different.

There was a new air about him, something imposing and a little terrifying.

Among all the villagers, the Shen family was the most shaken.

Because of the village chief’s prior warning, even though the Shen family wanted to join the spectacle, they didn’t dare approach, fearing that Shen Zhigao would get caught and punished with a beating. They could only eavesdrop from a distance. Even when they heard bits of gossip, they didn’t have the face to ask for details, so they just sulked in their own courtyard.

“You tell me, why didn’t Shen Qing have these skills when he was still at home, huh? Couldn’t he have brought us some benefits back then? The moment he left, he suddenly became so capable—selling firewood, hunting wild boars!” They cursed and grumbled, but as they spoke, a sense of fear crept in.

Especially for Shen Zhigao. He was immensely relieved that he had stopped hitting Miao Shi once Shen Qing had grown up. If Shen Qing could kill wild boars, what if he turned on his own father? How could he, Shen Zhigao, possibly fight back? He wasn’t even half as strong as a wild boar!

With that realization, the Shen family completely gave up any thoughts of laying claim to those wild boars. Before, they had only been held back by the village chief’s authority and the village rules. But now, they genuinely feared Shen Qing. Wild boars were worth a lot of money, sure—but you had to be alive to spend it.

Each family member had their own thoughts. Li Jiaofeng, rubbing her round belly, muttered with a sneer, “Isn’t it obvious? He was guarding against you all along. He had the strength and the means to make money, but he never used it for this family.”

Though she spoke with sarcasm, deep down, she was nervous. If Shen Qing had shown this kind of capability earlier—able to earn heaps of silver, able to bring home loads of meat—would she have been able to squeeze Miao Shi out of the household so smoothly?

And having meddled in Shen Zhigao and Miao Shi’s marriage, how would Shen Qing see her now? Would he take revenge on her?

Just then, the baby in her belly kicked, snapping Li Jiaofeng back to reality. What was done was done; there was no turning back now. She bit her lip and resolved to keep her distance from Shen Qing and Miao Shi from now on. Even if Shen Qing wanted to do something to her, she would make sure he never had the chance!

Now, only those truly close to Shen Qing were wholeheartedly happy for him.

Miao Wang excitedly rubbed his hands together. The front courtyard was practically overflowing with wild boars! “Qing Ge’er, what’s the plan? Are you selling them piece by piece in the village again, or taking them whole to the county to sell to butcher shops or restaurants? We have connections with an accountant at a restaurant—he can introduce you to the right people.”

“That would be a big help, Uncle.” Shen Qing wasn’t interested in spending more time selling the meat. Selling it in smaller portions might bring in more money, but for him, time was more valuable now. There was no point in going through extra trouble just for a few hundred extra coins. “We’ll take ten boars to the county to sell, and keep four for ourselves.”

“What do you mean, keep four?” Miao Xing frowned. “One is more than enough for you and your mother. How much can you two even eat?” A single wild boar could fetch two to three taels of silver—four of them were no small fortune.

Shen Qing still needed to raise a team in the apocalypse. Aside from trading for supplies, his own team members would need their meals improved now and then. But, of course, he couldn’t tell his uncles that. Instead, he said, “I’m thinking of starting some business. Having this meat on hand saves me from having to buy it. The weather is cold, so it won’t spoil—it’ll freeze solid just by leaving it outside.”

That wasn’t exactly a lie. One of the recipes Song Kaiji was helping him find required pork.

Hearing about business, Miao Xing immediately thought of the time Shen Qing took a load of radishes and cabbages from their family, supposedly to sell food at the docks. But it had been a month, and nothing had come of it. He was about to ask about it when Madam Guixiang cut in, “Alright, I’ll go get our mule cart. You’d better hurry—while the pork is still fresh, you’ll get a better price for it.” She started heading out.

Her mule could only pull two boars at a time, though. A round trip or two, and the sky would be dark. Best to get it done early.

“Wait a moment, Aunt.” Shen Qing stopped her, picked up his usual hatchet, and stepped into the courtyard. He picked a wild boar at random, raised the knife, and hacked.

One chop. Two chops. Three chops…

When Shen Qing was focused on his work, his face was completely expressionless. From a distance, Madam Guixiang felt an inexplicable chill. As she watched his knife rise and fall again and again, her little scheme—the thought of having Qing Ge’er as her son-in-law—was completely crushed under those repeated strokes.

This ger was good in every way—but he was not someone their family could handle. Not just her good-for-nothing son, but their whole family wasn’t a match for him. Watching him swing the knife over a dozen times, she could almost picture how he had taken down the wild boars. In that moment, she had the same thought as Miao Shi: What kind of man could possibly be worthy of Qing Ge’er?

Finally, with a heavy chop, he severed a quarter of the boar, including the hind leg. Shen Qing picked it up and handed it to Madam Guixiang. “Aunt, take this home. No need for me to make another trip. I’ve been working all day, and I’m really exhausted. Just clean it up yourself.” Then, with a few more swings, he cut off another quarter and handed it to Second Aunt Lian.

The boar had just been slaughtered, so its hide and bristles were still covered in dirt—it had been rolling in mud, after all. But no farmer would complain about that! Just a bit of washing and a quick singe over a fire, and it would be fine. A little extra water and a handful of firewood—nothing to fuss over.

Second Aunt Lian was thrilled! This huge chunk of meat had to be nearly a hundred pounds. Even in the best years, her mother-in-law would never buy so much for New Year’s. With this, she wouldn’t have to buy pork at all—just a bit of extra fat for cooking.

But then, a thought struck her. She made a cut on her portion of meat and turned to Miao Xing and Miao Wang. “Brothers, when you head back, take this portion to my mother’s house. If I bring the whole thing home first and then say I want to send some to my mother’s, my sister-in-law will definitely start complaining.”

Otherwise, she’d start making a fuss, demanding the same amount for her own mother’s family. Why should she get that?

Lately, since Shen Qing and Miao Shi’s lives had been getting better and occasionally giving gifts to Second Aunt Lian, her sister-in-law, Wang Shi, had been feeling resentful. The two women had been quietly at odds, and Second Aunt Lian could already imagine the praise she’d receive from her mother—and just how furious Wang Shi would be!

Miao Wang laughed heartily. “You’ve been clever since you were a kid! Don’t worry, I’ll make sure it gets there.”

The house was filled with warmth and laughter. Only Madam Guixiang, holding her chunk of wild boar meat, felt bittersweet. She was touched that Qing Ge’er still thought of her, always treating her with sincerity. But she also knew her little wishful thinking had no chance. There would be no mother-in-law relationship between them.

After a long moment, she finally managed a smile. “Thank you, Qing Ge’er. Aunt will always remember your kindness.”

Shen Qing smiled back. “Aunt has always been good to me too.” Then, remembering something, he added, “By the way, did you all hear that noise from the mountain earlier? Like rolling thunder?”

“We heard it!” Miao Xing slapped his thigh. “Everyone in the village did. At first, we thought it was winter thunder, that it meant a terrible blizzard was coming. But then the old folks checked the sky and didn’t see any signs. Some even said it didn’t sound like thunder—it was too rapid, not like normal thunderclaps.” Then he looked at Shen Qing. “Do you know what it was?”

“I was just about to explain to Aunt Guixiang.” Shen Qing grinned. He had already prepared his excuse—a perfect cover story.

Sometimes in the mountains, extreme weather like heavy rain and lightning can loosen the soil and rocks. Continuous erosion by rainwater or lightning striking nearby trees can indeed cause boulders to roll down. In more severe cases, it can even lead to landslides. There have been unfortunate incidents before—villagers caught in the mountains during a storm, unable to get down in time, were either crushed by falling rocks or buried in mud, leaving no chance of survival.

“But look at me, I’m perfectly fine, aren’t I?” Shen Qing joked before turning serious and addressing Madam Guixiang. “I’m just worried that some rocks might have been loosened by the wild boars but haven’t fallen yet. Maybe they’ll stay put for now, but who’s to say a strong wind one day won’t send them tumbling down? If someone gets hit, that would be terrible. I think it’d be best if you let Uncle Youdang know so he can warn the villagers—not to go up the mountain for the time being.”

Shen Qing’s eyelashes flickered slightly. “Especially in the eastern area.”

This was a serious matter, so of course, Madam Guixiang didn’t hesitate to agree. With winter settling in and snow on the ground, the mountain paths were already difficult to traverse, and few people were venturing up there anyway. It wouldn’t inconvenience anyone to stay away. She nodded quickly, “I’ll go back and tell your uncle right away!”

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