Ch 162: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

The next day, when Shen Qing went to find Lin Ning, he unexpectedly heard similar reports about the wolves in Anping County. Apparently, the wolf pack hadn’t just been prowling near a few villages—it had even been spotted near Miao Qian Village and the outskirts of the county.

“My father has been troubled by this for days!” Lin Ning looked worried and a bit shaken. “A few nights ago, those wolves were howling so loudly that we could hear them inside the city. It freaked everyone out! Thank goodness for the city walls—otherwise, from the way they sounded, it was like they were ready to break in and start eating people!”

The wolves were also extremely cunning. When the county magistrate sent archers to hunt them down, they scattered and vanished the moment they saw a large group of people—cowards who only preyed on the weak.

Shen Qing recalled how the wolves had avoided Lantang Village because of the ongoing construction and human presence, choosing instead to target the more isolated Xiahe Village. He nodded in understanding.

“Now, my father has put up notices across the county. First, he’s warning people to go home before dark and not to wander into the mountains alone, especially children. Anyone who needs to gather firewood or forage must travel in groups of ten or more. Kids aren’t allowed to run around freely at all.”

“Second, he’s offering a bounty for hunters to track down and eliminate the wolves. But so far, only two people have volunteered. If it were just a lone wolf, maybe they could handle it, but who would dare take on an entire pack with just two men?”

Shen Qing thought for a moment. “I’ll sign up too.”

Lin Ning’s eyes widened in shock. “What? Are you crazy? Those are wolves!”

“This might actually have something to do with me.” Shen Qing wasn’t entirely sure, but he explained how he had exterminated the wild boar population. “Maybe wiping them out removed the wolves’ natural competition, which made them move into the area. I don’t know for sure, but my home is in Lantang Village—if there are wolves roaming around, I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”

Lin Ning was too stunned to speak. He had heard about someone who single-handedly wiped out a wild boar herd last year. His father had even bought a wild boar’s head to use as an offering during the ancestral rites—it wasn’t particularly tasty, but it looked mighty impressive. And now he found out that the “boar hunter” was Shen Qing?!

“I’ll go take the bounty notice now,” Shen Qing said as he stood up. Having something to focus on might help take his mind off the troubles in the apocalypse. There was nothing he could do about that situation—he just had to wait the full fifteen days. He took a few thick paper-wrapped bundles from his pocket and handed them to Lin Ning. “Give these to your father.”

“My father told me not to accept gifts from you…” Lin Ning mumbled. Magistrate Lin seemed to think Shen Qing was trying to bribe his way into his favor, which made him uneasy. He didn’t outright forbid Lin Ning from interacting with him, but he wasn’t exactly welcoming either. Curious, Lin Ning weighed the packages in his hands—they were surprisingly light. Unable to resist, he opened one.

“What’s this?”

Lin Ning had grown up in a farming family—he knew grain seeds when he saw them. But why was Shen Qing giving his father seeds? Weren’t all of Shen Qing’s gifts usually expensive?

“These are seeds I got from a trading trip. They yield more than double the usual harvest.” Shen Qing pulled out another sheet of paper—one that Song Kaiji had copied down for him, detailing the recipe for soil fertilizers. “Use these together for the best results.”

This revelation was even more shocking than the wild boar hunt. Lin Ning’s hands trembled as he held the instructions. After a long silence, he suddenly made a decision—he shoved the seeds and the recipe back at Shen Qing.

Shen Qing was surprised. “What, don’t you believe me?”

“I believe you,” Lin Ning said seriously. “That’s exactly why you shouldn’t give something this important to my father through me.”

Lin Ning was thinking fast. His father was already wary of Shen Qing—if he handed these over now, his father might not even take them seriously. Even if he accepted the seeds, his attitude toward Shen Qing probably wouldn’t change.

“But if you slay the wolves first… and then personally present this to my father when he’s honoring you for your bravery—” Lin Ning smirked. “Let’s see what excuse he’ll have then!”

Shen Qing had already prepared an excuse in advance: “Besides our dynasty, there are many other countries in this world.”

Lin Ning nodded—he was aware of this. Just last winter, around the time Shen Qing had hunted the wild boars, their dynasty had utterly defeated a neighboring southern kingdom in battle. As a result, that kingdom had sent two princesses for a peace marriage. But compared to their own dynasty, those were all just small frontier states. If such high-yield crops existed in those countries, would they still be so weak?

“It’s not those countries,” Shen Qing shook his head. “Beyond our neighboring small states, even farther west, there are many more countries. These places aren’t tiny like the ones around us—they’re as large as our dynasty, if not bigger.”

Shen Qing didn’t actually know what the full picture of this world looked like. But from the textbooks he had studied, he had seen world maps, so he mixed truth with fiction and said, “I met some merchants from those lands and traded for these seeds.”

Shen Qing’s words completely exceeded Lin Ning’s understanding. Countries beyond their neighboring states? He couldn’t even imagine what they were like. Curiosity burned in him, and he pestered Shen Qing for more details. “Those gifts you gave me—the things we’ve never seen before—are they from there too? Do people there dress differently? Do they look good?”

“Not just their clothes,” Shen Qing replied, half-truthfully. “Their hair isn’t black. Some have golden, brown, or even red hair. Their eyes come in all sorts of colors—green, blue, brown. They’re tall, with very pale skin, though some are very dark as well.” He was recalling the foreigners he had seen at Red City Base. “They don’t speak our language either—their speech is strange and incomprehensible.”

Sometimes, Song Kaiji and Qu Weiwei would accidentally say a few words in English. Although Shen Qing had never studied the language, he had picked up a few words. “They call greetings ‘hello’ and say ‘bye-bye’ when parting. Really odd.”

“Bye what? How polite is that?” Lin Ning didn’t understand, but it didn’t stop him from marveling at it. After the initial excitement, however, he felt a little dejected. “I’m really envious of you. You get to travel everywhere, see rare things, and even get your hands on such precious seeds.”

Even though his father doted on him, he could never live a life like Shen Qing’s. His father was considered open-minded enough to let him roam around town with Lin Zao, eating and exploring freely. Yet, even that had earned him gossip—people saying he was a country bumpkin who didn’t know proper etiquette.

Thinking about it soured his mood. “Some people are really ridiculous! They look down on me, yet they insist on inviting me to their flower-viewing parties. Then, once I’m there, they take every chance to mock me for being from the countryside, treating me like some clueless yokel. If they weren’t afraid of offending my father, they wouldn’t invite me in the first place. But what do they gain by insulting me after inviting me?”

Despite saying that, Lin Ning was clearly conflicted—otherwise, he wouldn’t keep attending those gatherings, knowing full well he’d be ridiculed.

“I just don’t understand why they have to host all these flower-viewing banquets and poetry gatherings. If you don’t go, you’re considered unsociable. Even my mother is frustrated. Household matters shouldn’t affect the men’s affairs, but they still do. If not for my father’s reputation, I’d love to punch every single one of them.”

Yet, in the end, he had still embarrassed his father. Lin Ning sulked. But what could he do? He was just a village ger, part of a newly wealthy family. It was bad enough that they secretly mocked him—what made him truly furious was how they also insulted his mother. That was something he couldn’t tolerate.

But etiquette, refinement, and manners weren’t things that could be mastered overnight.

Seeing his frustration, Shen Qing suddenly thought of someone. “If all you want is to attend these banquets without embarrassing yourself, I might know someone who can help.”

---

Jie Miyun hadn’t seen Shen Qing in a long time. Ever since his failed attempt to climb into Shen Qing’s bed, Shen Qing had felt awkward around him. After making things clear, he had sent Jie Miyun to a residence behind the county office to teach young women and gers basic skills. Since then, they hadn’t crossed paths.

The Jie siblings took their teaching seriously, and surprisingly, there were even two promising students who had picked up skills quickly. They weren’t studying for the imperial exams, just learning bookkeeping, basic arithmetic, and literacy—within another six months, they could likely start working in shops and helping Shen Qing with business matters.

Shen Qing thought that since Jie Miyun came from the family of a deputy magistrate, he and his sister carried themselves with a certain refined demeanor, even when not trying. Since County Magistrate Lin had entered officialdom, Lin Ning couldn’t avoid learning these things forever—at the very least, he needed to maintain appearances. If he introduced Jie Miyun to Lin Ning, it might actually help.

But that could wait. First, he needed to deal with the wolf pack.

---

Shen Qing went to Xiahe Village to find Hunter Liu, only to discover that he was one of the two hunters who had responded to the county’s bounty. The other hunter was from the county and wasn’t a professional like Hunter Liu, just someone who occasionally hunted near the outskirts to supplement his household. This time, he had joined out of desperation for the reward money.

Hunter Liu, on the other hand, was personally invested. The child taken by the wolves had been a distant relative of his fulang. Even if there was little interaction between families, a child’s death weighed heavily on the whole village—especially for those who were actually related.

“I heard that when you hunted wild boars, you set up traps. I only caught a few details, but I don’t know the specifics. Do you think those traps would work on wolves?” That was why Hunter Liu had come to Shen Qing.

Shen Qing shook his head and explained the mechanics of the traps he had set, carefully omitting the firearms. “I used a large bow instead. But wolves are far more cunning than wild boars. This method worked on boars—it won’t work on them.”

Hunter Liu, being an experienced hunter himself, knew this was true. He sighed in frustration.

“I do have a plan—but it requires a small team. These wolves are extremely cautious. If there are too many people, they’ll just hide.” From what Shen Qing had observed, this particular wolf pack was very careful—perhaps because they were new to the area. Some wolves were bold enough to attack even with only two or three humans and a few dogs present, but this group was different.

“Not even one more person?” Hunter Liu was eager to participate.

If he brought more people, how would he use his guns? Shen Qing refused firmly. “I need you to gather some strong young men and guard the mountain’s base. If any wolves escape, you need to prevent them from getting into the village.”

Xiahe Village was chosen for the ambush because the wolves avoided Lantang Village, possibly because they had already succeeded in taking a child from Xiahe Village. They might have marked it as an easy target, making frequent appearances there.

Hunter Liu was eventually convinced. The next afternoon, Shen Qing took two sheep and several freshly bloodied chunks of meat and, under Hunter Liu’s guidance, ascended the mountain.

Miao Yu and Tieshan also accompanied him. While Shen Qing was unfamiliar with this mountain range, Hunter Liu knew it well. The two carefully tracked the wolves’ movements until they found an open area with tall trees and clear visibility—an ideal spot where the wolves couldn’t easily hide.

Shen Qing selected a large, sturdy tree and tied one sheep at its base, placing another a short distance away. The fresh meat was set beside them. Then he turned to Hunter Liu, Miao Yu, and Tieshan. “You all should head back. When you hear a noise like rolling thunder, that means my trap has worked. Wait an hour before coming up to meet me.”

He carried a large bow—an intentional misdirection. He also held a cloth bag, its bulging shape concealing its contents. Hunter Liu glanced at him but didn’t ask further. A hunter’s tools were their livelihood—no one would casually reveal them.

Miao Yu, however, grinned, flashing white teeth. “I know! Last time, when Cousin hunted the wild boars, everyone thought it was winter thunder. I remember that sound!”

Shen Qing patted his shoulder. “Stay safe.”

Miao Yu carried a crossbow but kept it hidden. Wolves might not flee downhill, but this was also a way to send Hunter Liu away. Even Miao Yu and Tieshan were there mainly to ensure Hunter Liu didn’t secretly stay behind.

Once the three had left, Shen Qing climbed the tree and settled onto the thickest branch with the best vantage point.

He tossed the bow and cloth bag back into his space and retrieved a semi-automatic rifle, a silencer, a sniper rifle, and night vision gear, equipping himself completely.

Last time, when he hunted wild boars, Shen Qing had nearly run out of bullets by the end of it. The thought still gave him chills. But now, with his storage space fully stocked with weapons, he felt completely confident.

As night fell, the sheep tied beneath the tree seemed to understand that they were bait. They trembled violently, their bleating carrying a distinct note of fear. Hiding in the tree, Shen Qing occasionally imitated a wolf’s howl to lure the pack.

The trick worked well. The wolves, believing that one of their own had found prey and was calling for backup, soon appeared in the vicinity. Their eyes gleamed green in the darkness as they drew closer.

Shen Qing remained motionless, lying prone on the branch. This was different from hunting wild boars—wolves were intelligent. If he had set up a net trap like before, the wolves wouldn’t have walked into it.

Since there was no way to block off their escape, his only option was to lure them in as close as possible before taking them out one by one. Fortunately, wolves held grudges. If one of them was killed, the pack wouldn’t flee immediately unless they were at a complete disadvantage. They would try to retaliate. Only when they saw no hope of winning would they retreat, planning to return for revenge another day.

This particular pack consisted of six wolves, including one that was nearly mature and five robust adult wolves. The alpha was especially large and imposing.

They had discovered that the wild boars that once occupied this territory had long since perished. With the land now vacant, the nearby villages—full of humans and their livestock—became an enticing food reserve, too tempting to resist.

The wolves had grown fond of this territory and had no desire to return to their original domain. Hearing what they thought was a companion’s call, they eagerly approached, spotting the sheep and catching the faint scent of blood in the air, which heightened their excitement.

But unlike wild boars, who would recklessly rush forward for a feast, the wolves were cautious. They observed their surroundings and studied the sheep, as if questioning why the prey was conveniently positioned in such a spot.

The sheep, now under the scrutiny of the entire pack, cried out more pitifully than ever. Shen Qing held his breath, gripping his semi-automatic rifle, not daring to make a sound for fear of startling the wolves.

After a long pause, seemingly convinced that there was no immediate danger, the wolves finally started creeping toward the sheep. When they were just three to five meters away, Shen Qing pulled the trigger.

After spending so much time in the apocalypse, completing countless missions, his marksmanship had drastically improved. He wasted no shots—three bullets, three wolves hit. His accuracy, however, wasn’t perfect in terms of target placement.

The wounded wolves didn’t die immediately. They spun in place like tops before collapsing, twitching on the ground. Unlike wild boars, they didn’t let out tragic howls. Perhaps they knew their fate was sealed. Some lay still, resigned to their deaths, while others let out a few mournful calls, as if sending a final message to their pack.

---

“Got them!” Down at the foot of the mountain, Hunter Liu instinctively tried to rush up as soon as he heard the gunfire, but Miao Yu yanked him back.

“We’re supposed to wait,” Miao Yu reminded him firmly. “That was only a few shots. My cousin said we have to wait until the gunfire completely stops, then wait another full hour before heading up.”

Hunter Liu hesitated but eventually stopped, though he kept glancing toward the mountain, his admiration growing. “Your cousin is amazing… How long has it been? Just three shots, and that’s three wolves down?”

He had learned from his father, receiving formal hunting instruction. Yet somehow, Shen Qing—who had only secretly learned bits and pieces—was far superior to him. It left him feeling conflicted, but at the same time, he was proud that their region had such a capable man.

There were no traps, no pits—just a single large bow, and yet Shen Qing had managed to deal with the wolves.

---

The remaining three wolves immediately fled when their companions were shot. But through his night vision scope, Shen Qing saw that they hadn’t run far. After escaping the danger zone, they circled back and fixated on their fallen packmates.

The wolf king lifted its head and let out a long, echoing howl.

It thought it was safe, far enough from danger. But in the next second, Shen Qing switched to his sniper rifle and fired a single shot, piercing straight through the alpha’s heart.

The previously injured wolves had twitched and struggled for a moment before dying, but the alpha collapsed instantly, rigid and lifeless.

The two remaining wolves finally realized that their opponent was too powerful, one they had no chance of defeating. Until now, they hadn’t even seen their attacker—only that the shots had come from somewhere in the tree.

Exchanging brief, urgent signals, the two wolves abandoned their thoughts of revenge and turned to flee. But Shen Qing swiftly fired another four or five shots. Wolves in motion were much harder to hit, but in the end, he managed to wipe out all six.

Exhaling in relief, he waited in the tree for another ten minutes. No other creatures appeared. Apart from the sheep’s trembling bleats, the forest had fallen into absolute silence.

Shen Qing pulled several emergency lights from his storage space and set them near the sheep, keeping one in his hand. Then, he retrieved the wolf corpses that had fallen farther away and lit a bonfire—a deterrent for any hidden predators in the darkness. The area reeked of blood, and he didn’t want to attract anything else. The fire would keep most creatures at bay.

Following his usual routine, Shen Qing used a dagger to extract the bullets from the wolves’ wounds. Then, to cover his tracks, he either stabbed the wounds further or inserted arrows into them, making it look like a more traditional hunt.

Of the first three wolves that had been shot, one had already died, while the other two were still weakly gasping. Shen Qing didn’t take any chances. From a safe distance, he fired several crossbow bolts, turning the two remaining wolves into pincushions before approaching.

Better safe than sorry. Getting ambushed by an injured wolf at this point would be a disaster.

Once everything was handled, Shen Qing sat down beside the sheep, patting one of their heads. “See? I only used you as bait—you were never in real danger.”

What he didn’t realize was that, from the sheep’s perspective, Shen Qing was scarier than the wolves. The moment he touched it, the poor creature was so terrified it didn’t even dare to bleat.

---

When Hunter Liu, Miao Yu, and the others finally arrived, they were utterly shocked—they hadn’t expected the two sheep to still be alive.

“Take them back and take good care of them,” Shen Qing said with a smile. “They’ve done their duty.”

Hunter Liu was speechless, while Miao Yu dashed forward excitedly to inspect the wolf carcasses. His admiration for Shen Qing had reached an all-time high. “Cousin, you’re too amazing! My god!” He didn’t even bother asking how Shen Qing had killed the wolves—he simply assumed that his cousin was so incredible that the wolves had died just because he wanted them to.

His cousin was the greatest!

The group quickly carried the wolf corpses down the mountain. Miao Yu wanted to bang drums and announce the victory, but even without that, Shen Qing was already the hero of the entire region—especially in Xiahe Village, where the first victim had been a child from their community.

The grieving parents rushed over, first kicking and cursing the dead wolves before breaking down in sobs and bowing repeatedly to Shen Qing. The village chief, overwhelmed with emotion, immediately ordered a grand feast in Shen Qing’s honor. Shen Qing tried to refuse but was unable to, so he sat and exchanged a few words with the village chief. In truth, he had no appetite. After killing the wolves, the thick scent of blood was making him nauseous.

He found it strange. When he had hunted wild boars, he hadn’t felt this way. Perhaps life had been too good lately—back then, he had just started experiencing wealth, and seeing the boars had felt like staring at a mountain of meat. He had been more eager to eat than to worry about the blood.

It was Hunter Liu’s husband, a fellow ger, who noticed Shen Qing’s discomfort and quickly arranged hot water for him to clean up.

That night, Xiahe Village celebrated, and the next morning, the village chief arranged for a procession to carry the wolf carcasses into town, complete with drumbeats and fanfare, to present Shen Qing’s achievement to the county magistrate.

◦°˚(*❛‿❛)/˚°◦

Thandar: could Qing Ge’er be pregnant? Ahh this isn’t a good time. I wonder when ML can cross over.