Ch 173: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

So much pain…

Shen Qing always thought he had a high tolerance for pain, but at this moment, he felt like his entire body was being torn apart. The midwives’ hands kept pressing and kneading his belly, the dull pain so intense it nearly numbed him. Outside the window, the battle raged on, while inside, the midwives kept calling to him, urging him to inhale and exhale… But the chaotic noises around him seemed to be drifting further and further away. His consciousness wavered, and in the end, he could only see the midwife’s mouth opening and closing, yet he could no longer hear a single word…

His vision blurred as his mind slowly slipped into darkness.

No, something was wrong—he hadn’t lost consciousness.

Shen Qing bit down on the tip of his tongue, the taste of blood filling his mouth.

The world before him was both familiar and unfamiliar—it was the three-bedroom, two-living-room layout of his space pendant. But at this moment, the house was becoming transparent, revealing brown earth and a vast blue sky.

Had he… entered the space?

Shen Qing was jolted into alertness.

Neither he nor Zhang Sujuan had ever been able to physically enter the space before—they could only retrieve items from it. This was a completely new experience.

Instinctively, he rushed toward the spiritual spring, scooping up a handful of water to drink.

He didn’t notice that his movements were completely unrestricted. His pregnancy belly was gone.

This was just his consciousness, not his physical body.

However, just as he brought the spring water to his lips, the water seemed to take on a life of its own, transforming into a stream of white light that surged into his body. At the same time, the pool of spring water on the ground shrunk bit by bit, as if that white light was the concentrated essence of the entire spring.

By the time the white light had completely filled Shen Qing’s body, the once-sprawling spring had shrunk to the size of a well, with only a shallow layer of water remaining. The entire three-bedroom, two-living-room house also disappeared, revealing the true vastness of the barren land in the space.

In the next second, Shen Qing heard a distant cry of joy from one of the midwives:

“it’s in position! The baby’s head is out—it’s coming out!”

And with that, Shen Qing was forcefully ejected from the space.

When he opened his eyes again, he was still lying on the birthing bed.

The midwives around him gasped in excitement—he had woken up!

Just moments ago, Shen Qing had looked as though he had passed out, which was extremely dangerous. A mother who lost consciousness during labor couldn’t cooperate, making it a life-threatening situation for both the baby and the parent. But now, not only had the baby repositioned correctly, Shen Qing himself had also regained full awareness—this child was about to be born!

Sure enough, in less than fifteen minutes, a baby’s first cries filled the room.

Shen Qing felt completely different from before—there was no lingering pain at all. He felt as if he could get up and run two laps without a problem. He knew that the spiritual spring had saved him.

This spring, condensed from Li Aiguo’s dying wish, had once saved his beloved Zhang Sujuan. And now, it had saved Shen Qing and his child.

The midwives quickly wiped both Shen Qing and the baby clean, wrapping the newborn in a soft swaddle before carefully placing the child by his side. One of the midwives hesitated before softly saying, “congratulations, young master Shen… you’ve given birth to a daughter.”

She had been brought in from the city and was unfamiliar with Shen Qing’s temperament. After all the risks and suffering, the child turned out to be a girl, not a son. In most families, this would mean half the usual reward for the midwives—if they got rewarded at all.

She glanced at the window, still hearing the commotion outside, and regretted taking this job.

But Shen Qing didn’t care at all.

With great tenderness, he reached out and gently caressed his daughter’s tiny face.

Newborns were never particularly pretty—red, wrinkled, and resembling a little monkey. But Shen Qing’s eyes were filled with deep affection as he studied her, convinced that her face shape resembled Song Kaiji, her eyes resembled his own… and as for her nose… well, it was still too flat to tell.

But he only took a brief moment to admire her before composing himself and turning to the midwives.

“help me move to the bed near the window,” he instructed.

Even though he felt completely fine and could get up himself, tradition dictated that new mothers must rest properly after childbirth. Since he could afford to stay still, he would.

The bed near the window was where Haitang had been sleeping these past few nights.

The midwives exchanged glances—they understood that Shen Qing wanted to see the battle outside.

The weather was cold, and Shen Qing had just given birth, meaning he absolutely could not be exposed to the wind. However, Zhao Youwei’s forces consisted of able-bodied men, while Wu Guixiang’s side was made up of women and gers. Even though Miao Chunlei had armed them, they were still at a disadvantage.

Right now, the only reason blood hadn’t been spilled was because everyone was from the same village—and no matter how good or bad a person was, most people didn’t have the stomach for outright murder. But injuries were piling up fast.

If things continued like this, the fight would inevitably spill into the house.

After a brief hesitation, the midwives followed his orders, wrapping Shen Qing in thick blankets before carrying him over, still swaddled in his bedding. They bundled him up with extra quilts and thick robes, leaving only his eyes exposed.

“Young master, should we open the window?” one of them asked.

Shen Qing shook his head. “no need for that. There are some things under my bed—fetch them for me.”

One midwife hurried to retrieve the items, returning with several wooden components and a basket of arrows.

Shen Qing swiftly assembled the wooden pieces into a crossbow.

Instead of opening the window, he simply punched a small hole through the paper window screen, just large enough for him to aim through without letting in the cold wind.

Peering through the hole, he took in the battlefield outside.

Miao Chunlei was fighting like a madwoman, swinging her long sword wildly. The two dogs circled her, barking fiercely at anyone who dared approach. The blade was long and sharp, and no one was willing to risk charging in just yet.

But beyond the courtyard gate, things were looking grim.

Many of Wu Guixiang’s people didn’t have proper weapons—most of them were armed with farming tools, which were being easily snatched away before the wielders were pinned to the ground and beaten.

The situation was becoming more and more desperate.

Shen Qing took a few quick glances before locking onto the strongest fighters on Zhao Youwei’s side. He called out to Miao Chunlei, “Mother, move aside!”

Miao Chunlei was stunned for a moment, but her body instinctively followed the order, shifting to the side. The next second, an arrow flew past where she had just been standing and struck one of Zhao Youwei’s men directly in the knee.

The man let out a scream and dropped to one knee. The fulang he had been pinning down was stunned for a brief moment before grabbing a rolling pin from the ground and beating him senseless.

Then came a second arrow. A third…

One after another, bodies collapsed all over the courtyard, filling the air with wails of pain.

Miao Xing and Miao Wang, who had been desperately defending themselves, were momentarily at a loss—how had their enemies suddenly disappeared?

The final arrow was aimed at Zhao Youwei, who was limping away. Shen Qing fired, striking his good leg.

Wu Guixiang was the first to react, her face lighting up with joy. “Qing Ge’er is amazing! He just gave birth, and he still managed to take down a whole courtyard full of people!”

She quickly called out to the uninjured women and gers, “Get some rope! Tie these bastards up!”

Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she peeked her head into the room. “Wait, did the baby come? What is it?”

Shen Qing had already looked away, instructing someone to cover up the hole in the window. “Send the doctor to check on the injured in the village. Get them medicine and bandages as needed. Put the cost on my tab.”

The elderly doctor, who had been hiding in the kitchen the entire time, had never even stepped into the birthing room. A midwife hurried off to relay the message. One fulang had dislocated his arm, one aunt had a gash on her forehead, but most of the injuries were just bruises and scrapes—painful but not life-threatening.

By now, Miao Chunlei had also snapped out of her daze. Forgetting about the courtyard, she rushed inside.

But as soon as she reached the main hall, she hesitated, afraid the cold air on her body would affect Qing Ge’er and the baby. So she quickly warmed herself in the kitchen before stepping into the room.

Inside, Shen Qing was holding his child, gazing at the baby with pure affection. He looked nothing like someone who had just crippled ten men—he was practically glowing with motherly love.

Seeing Shen Qing safe and sound, Miao Chunlei’s eyes welled up with tears again—this time, out of sheer relief.

She wiped her face and leaned in for a closer look at the baby. “What did you have?”

“A girl,” Shen Qing said, clearly delighted. “Mother, prepare the red envelopes for these midwives, as well as for the doctor. They worked hard today.”

This birth had been particularly difficult due to Matchmaker Wei’s interference. The midwives had been sweating profusely as they worked to help him deliver safely.

Miao Chunlei smiled sincerely. “Girls are wonderful. Daughters are warm and caring.” She immediately went to fetch the money.

She had already prepared red envelopes in advance, but now, right in front of the midwives, she grabbed a handful of silver and stuffed extra into each pouch. “You all worked so hard today. My ger was able to give birth safely thanks to you.”

The midwives hadn’t expected such generous rewards for delivering a girl. Overjoyed, they quickly accepted the money, showering the room with auspicious blessings.

Just as the room was filled with warmth and celebration, a sudden commotion erupted outside.

A commanding male voice shouted, “Nobody move! Get down! Stay where you are!”

Both Miao Chunlei and Shen Qing froze.

Then came Zhao Youwei’s desperate cries: “Great magistrate! Save me! They’re trying to kill us! Please, save us! My leg—my leg!”

Miao Chunlei ran outside and was shocked to see a squad of officers rounding up the women and gers who had been tying up their enemies. Others were checking on the wounded.

Shen Qing had only arranged for the doctor to treat their own side—he hadn’t bothered with Zhao Youwei’s men.

Now, Zhao Youwei, Shen Zhigao, Wang Liuzi, and the rest were groveling on the ground, sobbing and pleading for justice.

Lian Ou was also kneeling with his hands over his head, but he knew something was off. Gathering his courage, he peeked up and spotted Lin Ning riding a mule behind the officers.

Immediately, he waved frantically. “Ning Ge’er! We’re over here!”

Noticing that Lian Ou recognized Lin Ning, the officers ignored him.

Lian Ou rushed forward. “This is a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding! The people you’ve arrested are on our side! The ones lying on the ground are the real criminals!”

Lin Ning blinked. “Huh? Huh??”

How were they this capable in a fight?

From a distance, he had seen bodies strewn all over the courtyard and had nearly lost his mind. He assumed the villains had overpowered them and that Qing Ge’er had already been captured.

That was unthinkable—Qing Ge’er had just given birth!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He had immediately ordered the officers to seize the criminals and had ridden ahead himself, with Lian Rong and the others still trailing behind in the carriage.

Lian Ou looked slightly embarrassed. “…We weren’t doing that well at first. They had us pinned down. But then Qing Ge’er started shooting arrows, hitting all their legs, and we managed to turn the tide.”

Lin Ning muttered, “Of course it was Qing Ge’er… giving birth and fighting at the same time…”

He quickly ordered the officers to release the captives and joined the others in tying up Zhao Youwei’s group.

Zhao Youwei was furious. “They’re the ones who tried to kill us! Why are you arresting us? Look at our legs!”

Even in the worst droughts, when villages fought over water and ended up in brawls, the magistrate would punish both sides equally. But now, this county magistrate’s ger was clearly showing favoritism!

Not only had Zhao Youwei failed to kill Shen Qing, failed to seize the village chief position, and failed to take over the workshop, but now even his last good leg was injured. His resentment boiled over.

He glared at Lin Ning and spat, “You’re abusing your power! Oppressing the people! Corrupt official! Corrupt official! I’ll report you—I’ll take this to the prefecture!”

Lin Ning’s expression darkened.

That insult was directed at his father.

He wanted to snap back that, of course, he was siding with Qing Ge’er—why would he take Zhao Youwei’s side? But he couldn’t say that outright. If he did, it would ruin his father’s reputation.

His father was out on inspection with Miao Yu and Tieshan. These officers were people he had secretly convinced his mother to send.

Their actions had to uphold his father’s reputation, not tarnish it.

Lin Ning sneered. “Abusing power? Let’s be clear—where are we? This is Shen Qing’s home. Who owns the land and house? Oh, that would be Miao Chunlei. So tell me, who are you, and what right did you have to break in? You stormed into a widow and her ger son’s home, and you dare claim we’re unjust for arresting you?”

Zhao Youwei was momentarily speechless before snapping back, “We were following Shen Zhigao! He’s Shen Qing’s father! If he brought us here, then we had the right to enter!”

That was precisely why he had bothered bringing the useless Shen family along—so they could claim legitimacy.

“And besides, Shen Qing is an unwed ger with a bastard pregnancy! No village would tolerate that! According to village rules, he should be drowned!”

“Qing Ge’er isn’t unwed! He’s married—you just haven’t seen his husband!” Lin Ning shot back.

He wasn’t sure of the exact details of the village, so he didn’t dare say more.

Miao Chunlei, however, stormed inside and rummaged around before coming back out with a document.

“Bullshit! Shen Zhigao and I divorced ages ago! The child is mine—our ties are severed! He has no right to bring anyone into my house! What, are you saying divorce papers are useless? That every divorced woman and ger should still be at the mercy of their ex-husbands? Keep dreaming!”

Zhao Youwei could read a few characters, and when he saw the household registry in Miao Chunlei’s hand, his eyes widened in disbelief, his face turning redder and redder. After a long pause, he suddenly snatched the document from Miao Chunlei’s hand and shoved it into his mouth.

“I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it!!”

Miao Chunlei: “…”

Lin Ning: “…”

Everyone else: “…”

Miao Chunlei was completely stunned, filled with instant regret as she helplessly looked at Lin Ning. “H-he ate it! Does our household registry still count?”

Ahhh, she shouldn’t have held it so close to Zhao Youwei!

Lin Ning burst into laughter. “Let him eat it! The official red-sealed document is recorded in the government’s archives. If it’s lost, we just apply for a new one. At most, we have to deal with some grumpy clerks. What, does he think eating it makes it invalid?”

Only then did Miao Chunlei relax. Annoyed, she kicked Zhao Youwei. “Believe whatever you want. There are plenty of things in this world you don’t believe in.”

Lin Ning then exchanged a glance with the officer leading the soldiers. The man cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“You lot,” he declared, “attempted to rob a wealthy merchant of Anping County, broke into a private residence, and attempted murder. Master Shen has been personally commended by the county magistrate for benefiting the people and was even awarded an honorary arch. And yet, you lot completely disregarded that! Take them all to prison!”

Zhao Youwei, dumbfounded, fell silent, while the others began wailing and begging for mercy. They all claimed that they had been deceived by Zhao Youwei and hadn’t known that Shen Qing was no longer a villager.

The officer remained stern. “The village chief of any district is supposed to be appointed by the government. The only reason the county magistrate allowed you all to choose was because he doesn’t have time for such trivial matters and doesn’t know your village affairs well. But did you really think you could change the village chief whenever you wanted? That it was up to whoever you pleased?”

Zhao Youwei’s face turned even paler as he listened.

“Zhao Youdang has served as village chief for years without any major mistakes. Whether it was collecting grain taxes or organizing labor, he did his job well. And yet, you can’t even manage your own household—your own brother doesn’t respect you.” The officer frowned.

This man had come to the village before during labor collections, and Zhao Youdang had interacted with him several times. Now, hearing his words, Zhao Youdang was so ashamed he couldn’t lift his head.

“Fine then. Given your past good service, you’ll remain as village chief,” the officer continued, before glancing at Wu Guixiang and advising, “In the future, listen to the advice of those in your household.”

Zhao Youdang responded with a bitter smile, but Wu Guixiang was overjoyed.

Wasn’t this practically official recognition that she was the one calling the shots now?

Excited, she turned to Lin Ning, who discreetly winked at her.

Congratulations to Wu Guixiang, the first woman to achieve “behind-the-curtain rule” in Lantang Village!

Once the situation was mostly handled, Lin Ning let the officers finish up and rushed inside to check on Shen Qing.

Shen Qing was in excellent condition—not at all like someone who had just suffered through a difficult labor.

Lin Ning immediately started showering him with praise. “Qing Ge’er, you’re amazing! I feel like I didn’t even need to come! By the time I got here, the battle was already over!”

“Not at all. It’s good that you came,” Shen Qing sighed.

Zhao Youwei had been willing to drown him, but Shen Qing wasn’t willing to take a life. Though he had shot them in the legs, none of them had died. But what now? Were they supposed to just recover and go back to village life, constantly crossing paths?

Shen Qing wasn’t cruel enough to kill them, but he also wasn’t generous enough to let them stay. Even if Lin Ning hadn’t arrived, he had already planned to send them to the authorities.

“Could you speak to the magistrate?” Shen Qing asked. “Have them exiled somewhere far away to reclaim wasteland or something. Out of sight, out of mind.”

Before coming, Lin Ning had been worried about showing too much bias toward Shen Qing and getting in trouble with his father. He had only intended to protect Qing Ge’er, bring him to the county safely, and make sure he wasn’t harmed.

But now, he felt completely reassured.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I didn’t realize your household registry had already been changed. Since you’re no longer a villager, their attack on you counts as an assault and attempted robbery of a city merchant. My father will definitely convict them. Exile is already a light punishment.”

They chatted for a bit longer, then took turns praising Lian Rong for her bravery and quick thinking in going to the county for help.

Lian Rong hung her head shyly. Truthfully, she felt a little useless—she had run all that way, but Qing Ge’er had handled everything himself.

After that, they all gathered around the bed to look at the baby.

She was a quiet little girl, probably exhausted from the difficult birth. She had only cried when she was first born.

The family’s sheep had already given birth, so they had warm sheep’s milk ready in the kitchen. After drinking it, the baby fell into a peaceful sleep.

“What a considerate child,” Miao Hexiang said. “She knows her mother has important things to do and isn’t making trouble.”

Lin Ning and Lian Rong, however, both frowned, scrunching up their faces. Even Lian Ou looked slightly hesitant, as if he wanted to say something but held back.

None of them had experience with newborns. They all thought newborns were… not very good-looking.

Red, wrinkled, and monkey-like.

Qing Ge’er’s husband probably wasn’t very handsome, was he?

Sigh.

At Red City Base, Song Kaiji suddenly sneezed. He rubbed his nose and muttered to himself, “Qingqing must be thinking of me.”

He had been counting the days—Qingqing should be giving birth around now.

Song Kaiji tilted his head back and gazed at the sky, his expression full of worry.

Qu Weiwei glanced at him in exasperation. Shen Qing had been gone for months. She was starting to suspect Shen Qing had finally dumped Song Kaiji for good.

After thoroughly inspecting a crate, Qu Weiwei gestured to Song Kaiji. “Everything looks fine. Pay up.”

They were currently at the black market.

Inside the crate was a layer of grenades and landmines—over seventy in total. These were highly sought-after, expensive goods. The seller grinned when he saw Song Kaiji pay without hesitation.

“Another batch of good stuff is coming in soon,” the seller said. “Interested?”

Song Kaiji nodded. “Yes. However much you have, I’ll take it all.”

Last time had been a lesson.

The research facility had already developed shackles to suppress abilities. If they encountered that situation again, they would need firepower to fight back.

Lately, Song Kaiji had been interacting more with Chen Jiaxi. He didn’t fully agree with her methods, but she had a point—they were all still too young, too naïve, and not ruthless enough.

Maybe Chen Jiaxi didn’t fully approve of them either…

Next time they ran into trouble, he wouldn’t hesitate. No more taking chances. No more worrying about who was in the crossfire.

The next time, if they encountered a threat—whoever it was—he would throw grenades first and deal with the aftermath later.

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