Ch 68: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Shen Qing dumbfoundedly accepted the bracelet.

Wasn’t the whole point of asking Tang Wenjie to directly shape the silver into a yuanbao so he wouldn’t have to cut it into small pieces for melting? When he left, the ingot was already taking shape—so how had a perfectly good silver block suddenly turned into a bracelet?

Tang Wenjie was still eagerly showcasing his work. “Thanks to your guidance and my own repeated practice, I can now control metal with extreme precision and accuracy.” As he spoke, he summoned his two original metal weapons. With his ability now at a higher level, the once chopstick-sized metal spikes had grown as thick as marker pens.

Focusing his power, Tang Wenjie activated his ability. The two metal spikes began to tremble slightly before slowly splitting in half, transforming into four chopstick-sized spikes. He continued pushing his limits—each of the four spikes once again split in two… and then again… repeating the process four times until, at last, sixteen thin, skewer-like metal spikes floated in front of Shen Qing.

Sweat was beginning to bead on Tang Wenjie’s forehead, but he still had enough energy to keep the spikes moving, making them dart in different directions through the air.

This was the hardest part to control! The apocalypse had only broken out less than a year ago, and ability users had awakened even later. Everyone was still figuring things out on their own, with no standardized training methods. Among metal ability users, apart from Tang Wenjie himself, no one else had been able to control multiple spikes at once. Most metal users focused on increasing their accuracy and attack speed instead. Their main weapon, a metal spike, could be retrieved and reused—so as long as their attacks were fast enough, they could still take down multiple zombies efficiently.

However, Tang Wenjie’s speed was just as impressive. The sixteen spikes whizzing through the living room ceiling were proof of that. It wasn’t too difficult to make them all move in the same direction, but directing each one along a unique trajectory required an entirely different level of mental control. Tang Wenjie had to divide his concentration, controlling each spike separately. When he first trained this ability, he had suffered severe headaches—because splitting one’s mental focus into so many separate threads was anything but easy.

Once Tang Wenjie pushed through the initial challenges, he quickly realized the benefits. Now, sixteen metal spikes followed their own trajectories through the air before colliding against the iron plate in the living room—used for Qu Weiwei’s ability training—piercing it with finger-sized holes before swiftly returning to his palm.

This meant he could simultaneously kill sixteen zombies.

Song Kaiji pondered for a moment, recalling a classic passage from a wuxia novel. “So, does that mean you can make your spikes fight each other? If your left-side spikes attacked your right-side spikes, would the outcome be under your control, or would it be determined naturally, based on instincts, leaving even you uncertain of the result?”

Tang Wenjie tried visualizing the scenario while sensing his mental energy, and his brain practically short-circuited. A dull pain pulsed in his head. “…Are you trying to kill me?”

“How could I dare?” Song Kaiji laughed, waving his hand. “You’re the strongest fighter in our team now. I should be sucking up to you instead. When we go on missions, I’ll be relying on you for protection.” His spatial ability wouldn’t unlock offensive skills until it reached a much higher level. Until then, he was just an ordinary person who could only wield guns and crossbows—far weaker than ability users in direct combat.

Shen Qing, however, wasn’t focused on that. His mind lingered on the thin spikes and the intricately patterned bracelet in his hand. After some thought, he asked, “Can you make your spikes even thinner?”

Tang Wenjie pulled a pained expression. “I mean… I can… The thinnest I’ve managed is as fine as a strand of hair.” After all, he could carve delicate patterns into the bracelet, so forming ultra-fine strands wasn’t impossible. He demonstrated, producing a few hair-thin metal threads for Shen Qing to see. They were indeed as fine as hair but just as flexible.

“The problem is, they lack hardness and can’t pierce through iron plates. Also, right now, I can’t control more than sixteen spikes at once—that’s my current limit.”

But Shen Qing wasn’t thinking about thinner, sharper spikes for attacks. Watching the fine metallic strands, he suddenly recalled the net he used when hunting wild boars. If Tang Wenjie could weave a net out of metal instead of rope, it would be far sturdier and could change shape at will. Wouldn’t that make it possible to trap zombies?

Just like setting traps for wild boars, what if they created metal traps to lure zombies in?

Everyone in the room fell silent. Song Kaiji, Tang Wenjie, and Qu Weiwei had grown up in a modern society, far more educated in academics than Shen Qing. But before the apocalypse, they had only been college students. Their limited knowledge of hunting and trapping came from video games—they couldn’t compare to Shen Qing, who had spent his life in the mountains and learned from seasoned hunters.

Still, they weren’t slow-witted. Qu Weiwei immediately realized, “If I gather enough vine seeds, I could weave nets too, trapping zombies inside and killing them slowly.” However, vines would be far more fragile than a metal net. Still, the technique would allow her to protect herself even if she got separated from Tang Wenjie.

Song Kaiji, however, had another idea. “Why bother trapping zombies? Since our abilities let us manipulate nets at will, why don’t we just trap ourselves instead?”

Shen Qing, Tang Wenjie, and Qu Weiwei: !!!

Qu Weiwei muttered, “Could it be… you’re a genius? You must be Einstein—no, you’re both geniuses! How are you two so smart?”

If they enclosed themselves in a protective net, zombies wouldn’t be able to reach them. Meanwhile, they could still attack through the net’s gaps using crossbows and firearms. With Tang Wenjie and Qu Weiwei’s abilities, they could even create a second, larger net around the zombies to prevent more from swarming in, ensuring they weren’t overwhelmed.

Moreover, having a metal net would make collecting zombie cores much safer. They wouldn’t have to worry about being ambushed while retrieving cores, unlike before when Tang Wenjie barely had time to extract them while fleeing.

The idea was so exciting that even Qu Weiwei, who had no desire to go zombie hunting, was suddenly eager. What once seemed terrifying now felt like an effortless way to farm crystal cores. “Boss, when are we heading out on a mission?”

Since being “sponsored” by Shen Qing, their team hadn’t gone on a single mission. What kind of ability team lived like this? Every day, they just cultivated vegetables, sold produce, scavenged for gold and silver, trained, and ate well… Honestly, they were living better than before the apocalypse. At least in the past, they had to wake up early for work. Now, they controlled their own schedules, trained whenever they wanted, and if they were too lazy to sell produce, Mother Tang could handle it alone.

They were living way too comfortably!

Shen Qing nodded. “I was actually planning to bring up a mission. I need to discuss it with you all.” He reached into his chest pocket but hesitated, not taking out the books Tongsheng Miao had given him. Instead, he cautiously asked, “Do you guys know San Zi Jing (Three Character Classic)?”

All of them had been to university—of course, they knew it. But Shen Qing’s phrasing made them a little uncertain. Song Kaiji hesitated. “You mean Ren Zhi Chu, Xing Ben Shan (At birth, people are fundamentally good)?”

Shen Qing: !!!

That’s it! His guess might actually be correct! Struggling to suppress his excitement, he continued, “What about Bai Jia Xing (Hundred Family Surnames) and Qian Zi Wen (Thousand Character Classic)?”

“Zhao, Qian, Sun, Li; Zhou, Wu, Zheng, Wang?” Qu Weiwei responded. “I’ve heard of Thousand Character Classic, but I don’t know it by heart. Weren’t these books used for children’s education in ancient times?”

Shen Qing nodded repeatedly. “Yes! That’s exactly what I’m looking for, along with other beginner reading materials for children. Also… books about ancient times.”

But as he said that, he realized something—since arriving in this world, he had never seen any books. The apocalypse had forced people to flee for survival—who would take books with them? Anyone with the strength to carry extra supplies would rather bring food, daily necessities, or gold.

The Red City Base authorities had sent teams to salvage important books, preserving knowledge for the future since the apocalypse had no clear end in sight. However, they had only collected a limited number of books with scientific or historical value. For most survivors, literature and education had become irrelevant luxuries.

If Shen Qing wanted books, he would have to venture into zombie-infested ruins. “Are there any bookstores around here?”

“Bookstores? Libraries?” Song Kaiji glanced at Shen Qing, deep in thought. This area had been suburban before the apocalypse, but there were residential complexes, so a bookstore should exist. The problem was, without maps or internet access, they had no way to look it up.

At that moment, the local, Tang Wenjie, thought for a moment and said, “I don’t know about bookstores or libraries, but about six or seven kilometers from here, there’s No. 9 Yucai Middle School. This whole district was a resettlement area for displaced families. My second aunt’s family was relocated here, and my cousin went to that school.” Thinking of his lost relatives, Tang Wenjie became even more eager. “Schools always have libraries, and there should be bookstores nearby too. Boss, should we check it out?”

Shen Qing instinctively looked at Song Kaiji. Seeing no objections, he nodded. “Then let’s head for No. 9 Yucai Middle School.”

And just like that, their next mission was set. Everyone returned to prepare, and no one pried into why Shen Qing wanted books. He was their sponsor, giving them food, shelter, and crystal cores for training—of course, they would fulfill his requests without question.

Besides, a six-to-seven-kilometer journey wasn’t particularly dangerous. The base regularly dispatched teams to clear nearby zombies, ensuring security. The area likely had only a few stray zombies roaming around—not too many, but just enough to make it a perfect training ground for their fledgling team.

Only Song Kaiji hesitated for a moment before shyly asking Shen Qing, “Why are you looking for children’s beginner reading books?”

Of course, it was for himself. Shen Qing’s current literacy level was even lower than that of a child who had just started learning to read, so he naturally had to start from the basics. He glanced at Song Kaiji with some confusion before remembering that, in this world, it seemed that everyone could read. Even Tang Mama, a middle-aged woman who, in his village, would have been completely illiterate, could recognize all the characters on that flat, rectangular object she called a “phone.”

Shen Qing had already learned that the best lies contained partial truths. After a brief thought, he said, “My mom’s… my mom’s close friend has a daughter, about seven or eight years old, who needs to read.”

He was referring to Lian Rong, Second Aunt Lian’s daughter. Of course, if he managed to get the books and Lian Rong wanted to learn, Shen Qing would be happy to teach her.

Song Kaiji inexplicably felt a sense of relief. As he suspected, Shen Qing, who was even younger than him, couldn’t possibly have a child of his own—it must be for a relative. But then… he lowered his eyes. Shen Qing’s mother, his mother’s friend, and that friend’s daughter—where were they? Why had Shen Qing never brought them to the team?

Was it because he didn’t trust them enough yet? Or was there another reason?

Shen Qing, on the other hand, observed Song Kaiji more closely. After spending time in Anping County, dealing with shopkeepers who subtly pried into his background, Shen Qing had developed a sharp instinct for when someone was probing. He could tell that Song Kaiji was also trying to figure him out.

If it had been those nosy people from Anping County, Shen Qing would have turned and left immediately. But Song Kaiji… Shen Qing pressed his lips together, feeling a little soft-hearted. “…I once asked you if you wanted to come with me. You said you had to wait for your family.”

Song Kaiji froze.

Shen Qing smiled slightly. “So, you missed your chance to meet my mother. But maybe in the future. For now, don’t ask.”

Looking back, Shen Qing regretted extending that invitation to Song Kaiji. That day, he had been overwhelmed with emotions and had suddenly realized many things that had never occurred to him before—like why the villagers constantly tried to suppress his appearance, or why, just because he had a single pregnancy mark, he was expected to be inferior to men.

Why was a good appearance considered handsome on a man but ugly on a ger?

The fact that he could now see these issues clearly wasn’t entirely due to Song Kaiji, but it had all started when Song Kaiji held up that mirror in front of him.

Caught in a whirlwind of emotions, Shen Qing had impulsively invited Song Kaiji. But he hadn’t thought it through—if he really brought Song Kaiji to his world, how would he explain it? How would he introduce him to the villagers?

Song Kaiji had no household registration, no property. Was he supposed to live with Shen Qing?

Then… what would that make them?

Fortunately, Song Kaiji hadn’t accepted the invitation, sparing Shen Qing from having to confront these difficult questions. Though he had felt a tinge of disappointment at the time, he was also deeply relieved. Now, he was an even different person than he had been then.

In this world, he could control Song Kaiji and the others with resources. But if he took them back to his world, where food scarcity wasn’t an issue, his advantage would vanish.

Then, what would a group of powerful ability users do? Shen Qing had no way of predicting that. More importantly, how would they treat him—the only person who knew where they truly came from?

What would he use to control them then? That fragile bond of camaraderie?

Feelings were the most unpredictable and unreliable thing in the world.

At this moment, Shen Qing was genuinely grateful that Song Kaiji hadn’t accepted. If, in the future, their bond grew strong enough—strong enough that Shen Qing could be certain they would never betray or harm him—then it would be a different matter. But for now, until he had grown strong enough to protect himself and until he fully understood the connection between these two worlds, Shen Qing had no intention of revealing anything about himself to the people here.

Song Kaiji stood in place for a long time, stunned. He could feel it—Shen Qing was different from when they first met. Having his little schemes seen through so easily left him embarrassed, but at the same time, it sparked a bit of hope.

Shen Qing had once opened his heart to him, and it was Song Kaiji who had let the opportunity slip away. But even now, Shen Qing hadn’t completely shut the door—there was still a chance.

A chance for what?

Song Kaiji’s heart pounded suddenly.

“Don’t just stand there,” Shen Qing said. “We have a mission tomorrow. Isn’t there a lot to prepare? How are we getting there? Are we riding that two-wheeled thing… the bicycle? Or something else?” He had seen Song Kaiji ride that vehicle multiple times, sometimes carrying him, sometimes carrying that healing ability user.

Song Kaiji snapped back to reality. As the only non-combat ability user in the team, logistical tasks naturally fell on his shoulders. “We’ll drive. I’ll go rent a car. Wait, no—I don’t have a license. Damn, I need to ask Old Tang and Weiwei if they have one.” He smacked his forehead and turned to leave, then suddenly looked back at Shen Qing. “Wait… you’re coming too?”

As far as he knew, Shen Qing was an ordinary person.

“Of course,” Shen Qing replied. He was eager to see the books and the school in this world. It was a great opportunity to learn more. Besides…

Shen Qing knew that zombies wouldn’t attack him.

But he had no intention of revealing that to the team. He planned to stick close to Song Kaiji. As long as the zombies targeted Song Kaiji, the others would naturally assume they were after him too. And with Tang Wenjie’s metal net, there wouldn’t be any real danger, right?

Shen Qing blinked at Song Kaiji and grinned. “You’ll protect me, won’t you?”

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