Ch 129: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

The next morning, Shao Nan and the others were surprised to find that Song Kaiji was missing.

“He had something to take care of and left ahead of us,” Shen Qing said casually. Since he put it that way, the others didn’t press for details.

After all, Shen Qing and his group were merely traveling with them for convenience—they weren’t obligated to report everything they did. Only the soldier who had been on night watch seemed puzzled. He was sure he hadn’t dozed off, so how had Song Kaiji left without him noticing?

Hou Weimin also glanced at Shen Qing a few times. The fact that Song Kaiji had left at this critical juncture made him think.

Sure enough, when they reached the base entrance and lined up for inspection, Song Kaiji reappeared, pulling Shen Qing aside to whisper something. At the same time, word of Shao Nan’s return had spread, and military personnel came to find him.

“We’ve already sent people to investigate the research institute,” the soldier reporting to Shao Nan said, “but they’re denying that their newly developed crops were crossbred with seeds acquired from outside. They claim the new varieties are still in development and will be released soon.”

The soldier wasn’t sure if the research institute was telling the truth—it all sounded very convincing. “Could there be a mistake in the intel you received?”

Shao Nan thought for a moment, glancing over at Shen Qing and Song Kaiji, who were huddled together, whispering.

After spending the past two days with them, Shao Nan found them to be trustworthy. But was it possible that they had also been misled by bad information?

Could that mysterious woman who had passed through Red City before leaving have been speaking carelessly, while Shen Qing and his team took her words too seriously?

Shao Nan wasn’t entirely sure. “And what does command say?”

“They suggest we take their seeds regardless. We’re prepared to offer them full ownership of a shop and a thousand crystal cores in exchange. Even if their seeds don’t end up contributing to the research institute’s work, as long as they can be stably replanted, Red City’s food supply will no longer be completely monopolized by the government, giving us more control over the situation.”

Even if the yield of these seeds wasn’t high, that wasn’t a problem—it would just mean putting more wood-type ability users to work.

The messenger relayed the higher-ups’ stance to Shao Nan:

“Besides, the research institute might not be telling the truth. Keeping the seeds on hand won’t put us at a loss. We can afford to wait—what if, when their deadline arrives, they still haven’t produced anything?”

Shao Nan nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, on the other side, government officials had also approached Hou Weimin with a similar request—to help secure the seeds from Shen Qing.

Hou Weimin held an unlit cigarette under his nose, inhaling its scent for a long while before sighing. “If the research institute is so adamant that they don’t need external seeds to develop new varieties, then does it even matter whether Shen Qing’s seeds are important?”

“They may not be important to the research institute, but they are very important to the government,” replied a squad leader from the government patrol unit. “Right now, the reason we have leverage over the military is because we control the farms and seeds. That’s what keeps them in check. But if they gain access to their own seeds and farmland, even if the yields are lower, they won’t be as easy to control.”

In areas outside of agriculture, the military already held several advantages over the government. They had numerous soldiers who fearlessly searched the outskirts of the city for supplies. Large quantities of crystal cores and essential goods—including gold bars from bank vaults—were acquired by the military and traded with the government for food. Moreover, because of the refugee crisis, the survivors outside the base were far more loyal to the military, who had saved them, and resented the government for denying them entry into the city.

If the military no longer needed to rely on the government for food, the government’s standing in Red City Base would plummet.

“If they willingly hand over the seeds, that would be ideal. Even if the research institute doesn’t need them, having more samples could speed up the process or even produce superior varieties. We are prepared to compensate them fairly. But if they refuse to hand them over… under no circumstances can these seeds fall into the military’s hands. Even if it means destroying them.”

Hou Weimin hesitated for a moment before letting out a bitter laugh and pointing at himself. “Me? You want me to handle this? You’re giving me too much credit. By the time I took my team into the hospital, they had already allied with Shao Nan. It’s too late now. Their combat power might not be the highest, but their defense is top-tier. They got all of us out of that hospital unharmed.

“First, I can’t make a move against them—it would be a disgrace after they saved us. Not to mention, we still need them to teach us their defensive tactics. Second, even if I did make a move, it wouldn’t work.”

Besides, destroying seeds that could help so many people just to maintain political power? Hou Weimin considered himself a seasoned official, but that was something he simply couldn’t stomach.

The patrol squad leader frowned. “No one said you had to make a move on them. But if there’s a way to win them over, it’s worth trying.”

Hou Weimin rolled his eyes. “Do you really think that’s possible? You and I both understand how important these seeds are to the military—so don’t you think the military understands it even better? If I were in their position, I’d be bending over backward to keep Shen Qing on my side. Hell, I’d even offer him an official position if he wanted one.

“And what about us? Can we offer him anything better than the military? If we try to take action against him, do you think Shao Nan and his people will just sit back and watch? If this turns into a full-blown conflict, the fragile peace between the government and the military will collapse.” He shook his head. “We already lost the initiative. If anyone still thinks they can win him over, be my guest. But I don’t have that kind of power.” He gave the patrol squad leader a pointed look. “Unless I’m given more authority—whatever the military offers him, I can double it.”

The squad leader frowned deeply. He was only here to deliver a message; he had no authority to make such decisions. But going back to report to his superiors now would take too long.

Meanwhile, they watched as Shao Nan and another officer walked over to Shen Qing and Song Kaiji. But to their surprise, Shen Qing didn’t immediately follow Shao Nan.

Upon hearing Shao Nan’s offer, Shen Qing smirked. Just as Chen Jiaxi had predicted, the research institute refused to admit its previous deception.

“They claim the new variety will be released soon?” Shen Qing mused. “Then they must have set a deadline. These seeds won’t spoil in storage, so why don’t we wait? If their deadline passes and they still haven’t developed anything, I’ll hand these seeds over to the military for free—I won’t ask for anything in return.”

Shao Nan was stunned. “You’re that confident the research institute is hiding something? If you give us the seeds now, we’re still prepared to offer you very generous terms.” A permanent shop in the city alone was worth a fortune.

But Shen Qing remained firm.

After a moment’s thought, Shao Nan chuckled. “Alright, I’ll report this to my superiors. What’s a few more days? Besides, you’ve already agreed to give us the seeds—we might as well use this time to start recruiting wood-type ability users.” He patted his pocket, where he carried the bag of canola seeds Shen Qing had given him. It was proof enough that Shen Qing wasn’t bluffing.

Shen Qing had even warned him, “Keep a close eye on that. Don’t let anyone sneak a few seeds away.”

Shao Nan scrutinized Song Kaiji. “You returned early—did you already know this would happen? Do you have a mole inside the research institute? What kind of grudge do you have against them?”

“A grudge?” Shen Qing pondered the question. “Not really.”

The research institute had bought vegetables from Qu Weiwei and managed to extract seeds from them—that was just their good luck. But then, according to Chen Jiaxi, they had tried to track down Qu Weiwei and planned to frame her for a crime, raid her home, and claim all the seeds for themselves—taking credit for the discovery.

But none of that had actually happened yet. So technically, there hadn’t been any direct conflict between them and the research institute.

But Shen Qing was unhappy. He hated the feeling of being vulnerable, of having what was his treated as if it belonged to someone else, ripe for the taking.

It reminded him of when he was weak—when boys in his village would steal fruit he had picked, just because they could. When he had tried to pawn a silver ornament, only to be falsely accused of theft by the shopkeeper, who had tried to intimidate and track him.

“No grudge,” Shen Qing said simply. “We don’t even know each other. Just think of me as someone who’s really stubborn about fairness.”

If he couldn’t get justice when he was weak, and he still couldn’t get it when he was strong, then what was the point of all his effort to grow and improve?

---

Under pressure from the military, the research institute reluctantly set a one-month deadline to produce a new crop variety. If they failed, the military would start recruiting independent researchers to join the development effort. They would also launch an investigation into whether the institute’s existing varieties—such as cabbage, radish, and celery—had truly been developed internally or were the result of crossbreeding with external seeds.

While the official deadline was one month, the military had already begun scouting for researchers. Unlike the scheming elites in the institute, the refugee camps were full of hidden talents—scientists who were brilliant at their craft but terrible at politics.

What had started as a simple effort to find a political backer had now escalated into a full-scale power struggle between the military and government, with all the pressure falling on the research institute.

Shen Qing’s team turned down several invitations from Hou Weimin, insisting that they would only send Tang Wenjie and Qu Weiwei to teach the cage defense tactic after the research institute delivered results.

During this time, Shen Qing made frequent trips between Anping County and the wholesale markets, nearly emptying out the entire supply of goods.

Yu Le had now become the team’s de facto logistics manager, efficiently organizing resources and personnel. She noticed Shen Qing’s growing obsession with trinkets and, while she never questioned it, she took the initiative to recruit a few young women from the outer-city refugee camps to help sort through the items.

One particularly observant girl asked, “I have a friend who used to be a craftswoman before the apocalypse—she made traditional hairpins and silk flowers. She’s in the refugee camp now, but she doesn’t have an ability… If you need someone like her, could you give her a chance? She doesn’t expect you to take care of her whole family—just let her work.”

Shen Qing had never heard of a zan niang (hairpin artisan), so he curiously asked about it. The moment he saw their work, he was stunned—the flowers they crafted were even more delicate and exquisite than those in the Cuihua shop he had visited in the county.

He immediately agreed to hire the girl. She could either work at the apartment with her friend in the outer city or take materials home to craft, getting paid per piece.

His house in Anping County, once filled to the brim with grain, was now stacked with small goods in every room. Shen Qing began considering purchasing another house—one to store more goods and, ideally, a storefront along the street where he could open a Cuihua shop.

Time passed in a cycle of transporting goods back and forth. In half a month, Shen Qing and his team had completely emptied the small goods wholesale market. Meanwhile, the research institute’s team, which had been sent to Lan Province, finally returned.

A heavy silence filled the research institute.

Dong Niu Yi Village and Xi Yaotou in Lan Province indeed had excellent seed varieties. The information Chen Jiaxi had reported was accurate. Even though Shen Qing’s team had already swept through the area, a significant amount of seeds still remained.

But the problem?

The only seeds left were the same varieties they already had—cabbage, radish, and celery. Not a single new variety was found.

How could this be?

“This must be sabotage—someone is plotting against us! It’s impossible for this to be a coincidence!” The head of the institute’s agricultural department was shaking. But no matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn’t figure out who was responsible.

Was it the military? But if the military had acquired seeds, they would simply establish their own farms. Why would they go through such a convoluted scheme just to make trouble?

People who have done wrong never see their own mistakes. If they fail to achieve their goals, they assume it must be due to outside interference.

They cursed the military for being power-hungry. They cursed Shen Qing’s meddling team, wishing they would just drop dead. They feared what would happen if the government’s upper echelon lost the gamble—how they would be held accountable.

But no one would admit fault. No one dared to acknowledge that they had been in the wrong from the start.

Regardless of their avoidance and denial, the one-month deadline eventually arrived.

Shen Qing didn’t fully understand the intricate political struggle between the military and the government, nor did he particularly care. He simply handed the seeds over to Shao Nan. As promised, the military publicly confirmed that the research institute’s previous three crop varieties had been developed through crossbreeding with external seeds.

The research institute underwent a major purge. Scientists recruited by the military were brought in, while many of the institute’s mid-to-upper-level officials were demoted to fieldwork. With so many vacant positions, Chen Jiaxi seized the opportunity, leveraging her abilities to climb into a mid-level role amidst the chaos.

A single event often hints at the larger picture.

With the research institute in turmoil, Red City Base appeared calm on the surface, but behind the scenes, its own ranks were being reshuffled.

Shen Qing paid little attention to these matters. Despite insisting that he didn’t need anything—after all, he had money—the military still granted him permanent ownership of a shop. Shao Nan personally delivered a banner, which was hung in the store as a formal commendation. With the military backing them, Shen Qing’s team gained some recognition in Red City Base. Though still relatively small, no one dared to provoke them anymore.

In the apocalypse, selling food would never be a losing business. Shen Qing decided to divide the store space into two or three sections to maximize usage. The main business would be selling fried starch sausages and gluten snacks. Alongside those, he would also sell fried tofu skewers, stuffed pancakes, and other grab-and-go street food.

Yu Le and Grandpa Ge handled the shop renovations, leaving Shen Qing with nothing to worry about. With that settled, Shen Qing planned to return to Lantang Village for an extended stay.

For the past several months, most of his attention had been on Red City Base. Even when he visited Lantang Village, it was always in a rush. The starch sausage workshop was nearly finished—it was just waiting for his return to finalize operations and launch the business.

“How long are you planning to stay?”

At night, Song Kaiji clung to him like an octopus, clearly unwilling to let go. They had only recently gotten together, still in the phase of burning passion, and now Shen Qing was already planning to leave.

Wasn’t this just asking for his life?! QAQ

“At least half a month,” Shen Qing estimated. Once the starch sausage workshop was up and running, the shop in the county would also need to open. He still planned to buy a large house for the Cuihua shop, which meant he would need to hire more servants… Ugh, so many things to do!

“Half a month to a month, probably?”

Song Kaiji let out a dramatic wail and buried his face in the blankets beside Shen Qing.

Shen Qing also felt reluctant to part with him. Seeing the fluffy back of his head, his heart softened. “Hmm… If I finish work early some days, I’ll come back here to sleep at night?”

Song Kaiji perked up, rubbing his face against Shen Qing’s arm. “Promise? I’ll stay home every night for the next half-month—I won’t take my squad out overnight.”

Shen Qing chuckled.

What man in the village would act like Song Kaiji, clinging to his ger like this? If others saw, they’d probably laugh to death.

But this was fine. Song Kaiji didn’t need to be like the other men in the village. He just needed to be exactly as Shen Qing liked.

And Shen Qing really liked him like this.

Lowering his head, Shen Qing kissed Song Kaiji lightly, only to be pulled into a deeper one. Song Kaiji was easy to please—just a little affection, and he brightened up instantly.

He kissed along Shen Qing’s neck, then slowly up his jaw, to his forehead, and finally, he placed a soft kiss right on the pregnancy mole between Shen Qing’s brows.

“I feel like this mole has gotten redder since we first met.”

Shen Qing felt a strange sensation as his mole was touched—almost unusually sensitive. He ran a hand over it and reached for a small mirror on the bedside table to take a look.

“It does seem a bit redder.”

He wasn’t entirely sure. People had always said his pregnancy mole was dull in color, a sign of poor fertility. Maybe it was just the lighting?

“Or maybe I used to be too dark, and now that I’ve gotten fairer, the mole looks brighter in contrast?”

Back when he lived with the old Shen family, he spent his days farming under the sun, his skin constantly peeling from the heat, darkened to a deep red-brown. Naturally, his mole wouldn’t stand out much.

But now? He didn’t have to work under the sun. Most of his time was spent indoors, and Qu Weiwei had taught him how to use various skincare products.

They had found a stash of cosmetics and skincare goods in the underground level of the wholesale market—no luxury brands, but still usable.

For example, different types of sprays—Qu Weiwei had taken to carrying a sunscreen spray and dousing him with it every time they went out. It was impossible not to get fairer.

So it probably wasn’t that the mole itself had changed color—he had just gotten paler. Shen Qing had never heard of a pregnancy mole changing color before.

Song Kaiji tilted his chin up, examining him for a long moment. “You have gotten a lot fairer. And even better-looking… I’m so lucky.”

He leaned in, pressing more kisses on Shen Qing’s pregnancy mole. Shen Qing squirmed uncomfortably, twisting and turning under the attention.

Then, with a mischievous grin, Song Kaiji flipped the blanket over them, rolling Shen Qing inside with him.

◦°˚(*❛‿❛)/˚°◦

Thandar: password locked chapter ahead. Please find the pw at the bottom of TOC.