Ch 85: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Huge shoutout to Ren for the Ko-fi support and being super awesome!! ◝(ᵔᗜᵔ)◜

“That’s actually a pretty good idea.”

Leaving Red City Base required far less scrutiny than entering. When entering, strict checks were in place—blood tests to detect zombie infections, searches for hazardous materials like mutated animals, plants, or zombie remains. Only official research personnel were allowed to bring such things into the base.

But leaving? Much looser regulations. They wouldn’t even bother checking the trunk. If they stuffed those two inside and smuggled them out, it would just be another case of two missing people in the wasteland. In this world, you could take off your shoes and socks tonight, but who knew if you’d even have feet to put them back on tomorrow? People dying or disappearing wasn’t unusual, and the base never conducted population counts. Two missing individuals might never even be noticed.

“Alright, we’ll do that. Tie them up tight, gag them, and just keep them hidden for the short time we pass through the gates. They shouldn’t be able to cause any trouble.”

As they discussed the plan, a noise suddenly came from outside. No one rushed to check. Instead, they held their breath and listened closely.

Two fast knocks, three slow ones—five in total.

Qu Weiwei finally exhaled in relief and opened the door. “Boss is here.”

Sure enough, it was Shen Qing.

With everyone now gathered, they could leave at any time. Qu Weiwei went through all the preparations with Shen Qing, then added, “We’re also planning to recruit two high-level ability users to go with us. Just the few of us heading to Zizhou—it’s too risky. We’ve already chosen a pair. One is a fifth-tier fire ability user, the other is a sixth-tier ice ability user. They’re a married couple, and their price isn’t too high.

“But they have a condition. They either want half their payment upfront, or they want us to temporarily take in and protect their family—three elderly relatives, one child, and a younger brother in his twenties. Ideally, they’d like us to bring them here.”

Qu Weiwei was hesitant.

In truth, she felt either option was acceptable. Their supplies were all stored in Song Kaiji’s space, so there was no risk of being robbed while they were away. And if they sheltered the couple’s family, they could even provide some company and support for Mother Tang.

“No way!”

Shen Qing had been indifferent to most of Qu Weiwei’s arrangements until now, but he immediately rejected this idea.

“Pay them half in advance, but under no circumstances should we bring anyone to our home.”

After a brief pause, he turned to Mother Tang.

“When we’re gone, try not to leave the house if you don’t have to. Keep the doors and windows shut. Safety is the priority.”

His tone was firm.

The attempted burglary by the Wang family had shaken him. He had appeared calm and decisive while handling the situation, but the fear and panic he had felt at that moment were something only he himself knew.

Their house didn’t store any supplies, but outsiders didn’t know that. If someone thought they had a stockpile and tried to harm Mother Tang because of it—who would hold them accountable?

Now, Mother Tang staying home alone was just like Miao Shi had been back in the village. Red City Base had decent security, but Shen Qing would rather be overly cautious than risk something happening to her.

His abrupt intensity took everyone by surprise. Not the decision itself, but his attitude.

Shen Qing had always been the boss, but he was a gentle one. He rarely displayed such a sharp, unyielding demeanor.

“Then we won’t let them come,” Song Kaiji immediately responded, sensing Shen Qing’s unusual reaction. He even threw a glance at Mother Tang, who quickly picked up on it.

“I won’t leave. I’ll stay inside, watch some dramas, clean up the place. As soon as you guys leave, I’ll push the sofa and table up against the door.”

Shen Qing nodded. He realized he had reacted too strongly. “…I’m sorry.”

“You’re not wrong, though,” Song Kaiji reassured him. “It’s the apocalypse—being cautious is necessary. And honestly, their request is unreasonable. If we all leave and only Auntie is here, how is she supposed to take care of an entire family? We’re better off just paying them in advance. It’s the safest option.”

Qu Weiwei changed the subject. “Also, Chen Jiaxi’s son has been discharged from the hospital. Their family rented a place in the tin-roofed housing area.”

Then she glanced toward the bedroom. “She came by a few times, saying she wants to go to Zizhou with us.”

“She mentioned that those two—” she motioned toward where Li Liang and Li Li were being held, “—are being dragged along unwillingly. She thinks they won’t be honest with us under these conditions. If she comes, she might be able to get more useful information out of them.”

Shen Qing rubbed his forehead, deep in thought. Chen Jiaxi’s reasoning was quite sound, and having her along could be beneficial in searching for people once they reached Zizhou.

“Did she set any conditions?” he asked.

“No conditions.” Qu Weiwei shook her head. “She said she wants to repay us and won’t ask for anything in return. Her son’s situation was critical—if he hadn’t received timely treatment, he wouldn’t have survived. Now, her husband, though an ordinary person, is strong and physically fit. He managed to get a job building the city walls and earns three coarse grain cakes a day. Her eldest son is also very sensible and takes care of the younger one.”

Because Shen Qing had covered their entry fee in full, Chen Jiaxi’s family still had some crystal cores saved up. If they were frugal, they could get by at the base for a while.

Even though Chen Jiaxi had said she didn’t need anything, Shen Qing wasn’t someone who liked to take advantage of others. He had Qu Weiwei send her fifty crystal cores along with some extra food to ensure her children were well taken care of while she was away. That way, she could leave with them without worries.

Once everything was in place and everyone had gathered, they set off for Zizhou in the early afternoon.

The two recruited ability users and Chen Jiaxi could all drive, so they took turns at the wheel. Before leaving the city, the ice ability user passed by the trunk and seemed to hear something inside. However, he didn’t ask any questions.

They had chosen an eleven-seat luxury van for the trip—a spacious and high-end vehicle with top-tier interiors. It even had a water purifier, a car stereo, and a projector. When they had found it back at Yucai Academy, they had all taken a liking to it. Now, as the vehicle cruised smoothly along the road, Song Kaiji sat in the back with Shen Qing, keeping an ear out for any movement from the trunk. Only after they had successfully left the base did they finally relax.

Shen Qing leaned back against his seat, his expression dark and brooding.

Song Kaiji hesitated. He knew Shen Qing didn’t like people prying into his affairs, but seeing him like this, he couldn’t help but ask, “Did something happen to you? You got really worked up back there…”

At first, Shen Qing shook his head. Then he sighed and nodded slightly.

It was hard to describe. Logically, there had been no real loss—he had reacted quickly, sent Miao Shi to her mother’s home, and even taught Miao Yu how to make a crossbow for self-defense. And yet, ever since the incident, there had been a lingering unease gnawing at him.

That unease had flared into outright anxiety when Mother Tang found herself in a similar situation.

“…My mother, when I wasn’t home, she was almost in danger.”

Shen Qing had never voiced this fear to anyone before. He didn’t even know who he could talk to about it.

His rational mind told him not to say anything, but now that Song Kaiji had asked, the words just spilled out.

He had been holding everything together, pushing himself to grow stronger, to stay sharp, to keep learning and improving. But even he had moments when he felt exhausted. When he felt afraid. When he wished he had someone to confide in.

In his village, he hadn’t really had any friends.

When other gers were playing shuttlecock and handkerchief games together, he had already been running up and down the mountains just to find enough to eat. Growing up, the only person he could talk to was Miao Shi. And even then, there were things he couldn’t tell her—because if he faltered, if he showed any weakness, Miao Shi would crumble, too.

He was her pillar.

And what was Song Kaiji?

A friend?

Shen Qing wondered. Was this what it was like for Miao Shi and Second Aunt Lian—someone you could rely on in times of trouble?

Maybe it was okay to share things with Song Kaiji every once in a while.

“I hate myself sometimes,” Shen Qing murmured. “For not being strong enough. For not being smart enough. Why is it that anyone thinks they can take advantage of me? Why is it that this world is full of terrible people?”

He pressed the back of his hand over his eyes.

He thought to himself that Song Kaiji probably found him childish.

Song Kaiji had grown up here, studied at university—wasn’t that even better than being a scholar? In his own world, no one would dare to bully someone from a scholar’s family.

Looking at Shen Qing now, Song Kaiji’s heart ached.

He didn’t know what to say to comfort him. He didn’t even fully understand Shen Qing’s circumstances—he had no idea where his mother lived. He had assumed she was somewhere safer than the base.

Otherwise, why wouldn’t Shen Qing just bring her to the base?

But she wasn’t safe?

Song Kaiji didn’t understand, but he could feel Shen Qing’s emotions.

He and Qu Weiwei had been living off Shen Qing’s generosity. Later, Tang Wenjie and Mother Tang had joined them, all depending on Shen Qing.

To them, Shen Qing had always seemed strong, decisive, brimming with energy despite his small frame.

But now he realized—Shen Qing carried a burden, too.

He wasn’t always as confident as he seemed.

Yet before Song Kaiji could figure out what to say, Shen Qing lowered his hand.

It was as if that brief moment of vulnerability had never happened.

His fear, his frustration, his need to vent—gone in the blink of an eye.

His usual determined expression was back.

“It’s fine. Things will get better. I’ll figure it all out.”

Then, he smiled at Song Kaiji. “Thanks for listening.”

Shen Qing didn’t need comforting words.

His past had shaped him into someone who believed he couldn’t rely on anyone else. Mountains crumbled. People ran. In the end, you could only rely on yourself.

If he was strong enough, all these problems would be solved.

And what he needed from Song Kaiji wasn’t advice—what could someone who didn’t even know about the other world offer him?

He just needed a place to unload his emotions sometimes. That was all.

But to Song Kaiji, that brief smile felt like a knife to the heart.

---

The journey continued.

After about forty minutes, they finally reached the highway. The further they went, the worse the road conditions became.

Zizhou had always been a small city under Red City’s jurisdiction. Its pace of life was slow, its population small. If not for its rich underground mineral resources, it wouldn’t have even been a prefecture-level city. It was surrounded by mountains on the east and west, plains to the north, and a river to the south.

Before the apocalypse, the drive from Red City Base to Zizhou would have taken three to four hours.

But now?

There was no working GPS, and the highway was littered with abandoned vehicles, forcing them to stop frequently.

Each time, they had to clear a path, either by moving the vehicles aside or dealing with the zombies trapped inside.

Fortunately, they had Song Kaiji.

With his upgraded space ability—now 100 meters long, 100 meters wide, and 3 meters high—he could store far more than before. Instead of pushing cars, he could simply absorb them into his space and later scavenge them for supplies.

And it paid off.

Many people had tried to flee with all their belongings when the apocalypse first broke out. They died along the way, turned into zombies, but their supplies remained.

Meanwhile, the two hired ability users had initially expected this journey to be a grueling battle for survival.

But the moment they saw the team’s iron cage tactics, they were stunned.

They quickly adapted, joining in the strategy.

By the time night fell, they had covered only a third of the way.

Spotting an abandoned gas station—long since drained of fuel—they decided to use it as a resting spot. After clearing out the zombies inside, Tang Wenjie sealed the doors and windows with metal plates.

Everything of value had already been looted, leaving only scattered furniture and debris. Qu Weiwei and Tang Wenjie tidied up a bit, and then Song Kaiji pulled out thick blankets for everyone.

Even the hired couple and Chen Jiaxi got their own.

Then, as hot, fragrant meals were retrieved from the space storage, the ice ability user, Ge Bingbing, couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow… Coming on this mission with you guys is way too easy. Not only do we get paid in crystal cores, but we even get this kind of treatment?”

They had fought a lot of zombies today.

But with the iron cage tactics and Qu Weiwei’s vines acting as barriers, the risk had been drastically reduced.

And since they got to keep whatever crystals they harvested, even Chen Jiaxi had ended up collecting quite a few.

“If Zizhou wasn’t so far away, we’d almost feel guilty for taking this kind of payment.”

“You guys still recruiting? How about we join your team?”

Holding a steaming bowl of celery and shredded pork over rice, Ge Bingbing’s husband, Sun Cheng, looked tempted. Teams offering this kind of treatment were rare finds in the apocalypse.

“We’ll see after this mission.”

Shen Qing neither accepted nor refused. The two of them had decent abilities, but they had only been working together for a day. He still needed time to observe their personalities and conduct.

“Bring them up too. No need to keep them down there.”

Tang Wenjie acknowledged the command and went down to fetch them.

After leaving Red City Base, they had taken Li Liang and Li Li out of the trunk. Perhaps it was the change of environment, or maybe Li Liang realized that Song Kaiji wasn’t going to let him off. He had behaved himself for a few days but had now started cursing again.

“Song Kaiji, you ungrateful bastard! You cowardly piece of trash! You only have the guts to bully your own family—why don’t you go after the person who slashed the tires? It wasn’t me who killed Uncle and Auntie! My parents were in that car too, so why don’t you go after them instead? You treat me like this, but Uncle won’t forgive you even in death!”

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