Ch 179: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Shen Qing and Song Kaiji’s expressions immediately darkened.

When it came to Shao Nan, if they had ever considered him a friend, that would have been too naive—giving themselves too much credit. Shao Nan was a key figure in the military, highly valued with limitless potential. They, on the other hand, were just a privately operated ability-user squad with some money, hoping to gain some protection in the base by aligning with the military.

At the very least, though, they had been cooperative partners, right? From their very first encounter, it was Shao Nan and his team who had sought Shen Qing’s squad for help in entering the hospital. Later, they handed over seeds, taught them the metal cage strategy—Shen Qing’s team hadn’t just sat around waiting for military protection; they had contributed a great deal.

And what did the military do in return? Not only did they fail to uphold their end of the bargain and offer protection, but when the research institute tried to capture Shen Qing, they even got involved. Shen Qing understood that Shao Nan might have had his hands tied—he was just a middle-ranking officer, not someone with decision-making power in the military. Orders from above were beyond his control. It was understandable that he chose to follow the military’s directives over siding with them.

But from that moment on, Shen Qing and the others had no reason to treat him kindly.

Besides, their new base was still under construction, and they didn’t want to be discovered by Red City Base so soon.

“What is he here to talk about?” Shen Qing asked.

Sensing the coldness in his tone, Yu Le shrank her neck and shook her head. “Sister Weiwei and Sister Jiaqian didn’t say. They were waiting for you two to make the decision.”

Shen Qing and Song Kaiji headed upstairs. The entire second floor was an office space, with a suite converted into a meeting room. Qu Weiwei and Chen Jiaqian were casually chatting while examining a few bottles and jars, paying little attention to Shao Nan. He sat awkwardly on the couch, and when he spotted Shen Qing and Song Kaiji approaching, his eyes immediately lit up.

He had been here several times, waiting for an opportunity to talk, but Shen Qing and Song Kaiji had been absent. Chen Jiaqian had only given him vague responses, saying she couldn’t make decisions—which was true. But Red City Base couldn’t afford to wait any longer, and Shao Nan was growing desperate.

He quickly stood up and took two steps forward but hesitated when he saw the unfriendly expressions on Shen Qing and Song Kaiji’s faces. Awkwardly, he stopped in his tracks and said, “I’ve come several times. Finally, I’ve caught you.”

This time, Shao Nan wasn’t just here for cooperation—he was here seeking help.

The arrival of the special envoy from the capital had completely changed the power dynamics in Red City Base. The military and the government had always been secretly struggling for control, not just in Red City Base but in other bases and even in the capital itself.

For the capital, it was naturally preferable if the bases below were controlled by their own people. That way, they could maintain influence and support them accordingly.

Previously, the government faction in Red City Base had controlled the food supply, using it to suppress the military. That arrangement suited the leadership in the capital just fine. But now, things had changed.

The military had set up its own farms outside of Red City Base. After exposing the corruption in the Third Farm, they had eliminated several mid-to-high-ranking officials in the government faction, seized control of the Third Farm and half of the research institute, and gained significant leverage.

Moreover, the success of the metal cage strategy had earned the military recognition across multiple bases, giving them an edge over the government faction.

Seeing this shift in power, the capital had sent a special envoy to intervene.

They weren’t just here to deliver supplies and connect the network system—they were here to quietly tip the scales. At first, they were subtle, merely excluding the military from discussions and issuing orders without consultation. But now, their intentions were clear: they couldn’t control the military with food anymore, but there was still salt, sugar, medicine, and gasoline—things the military couldn’t produce on its own.

The military frequently needed fuel for its missions. They also rescued survivors from the city, but many couldn’t afford the entrance fee, leaving them stranded in refugee camps outside the base. As the camp grew, so did the burden on the base, and occasional conflicts arose among the refugees. This had long been a source of contention between the military and the government, but now the government had found an excuse to restrict the military’s fuel supply. Their argument? It had been over a year since the apocalypse—there were hardly any survivors left in the city. The military didn’t need to keep sending teams in; instead, they should focus on clearing zombies around the base, making expansion easier and increasing security.

Of course, while rescuing survivors, the military also collected supplies from the city—one of their primary sources of income. The fuel shortage was a massive blow to them, not to mention the scarcity of salt, which was essential for survival.

That said, the government wasn’t looking to completely sever ties with the military. The base’s security still depended on them. However, the people in power needed to establish hierarchy—they wanted the military to return to its previous role as a subordinate force, taking orders rather than acting independently.

But the military had no intention of going back. They had tolerated the government’s actions, even made concessions on several issues, because they believed humanity’s survival in the apocalypse should take precedence over internal struggles. But now, even the military’s higher-ups had reached their limit.

“I know you have salt,” Shao Nan said. He wasn’t sure how Shen Qing had acquired it—whether through a trade with the Lan Province Base, by scavenging, or if the rumors were true and Shen Qing really had access to another world.

He had been aware of this small base for a while but had kept it secret. It had been running for several months, rapidly growing from a few hundred people to over seven thousand. For comparison, even with both government and military backing, Red City Base had only around ninety thousand registered residents—not counting the refugees outside the walls.

Song Kaiji and his team had frequently traded for fuel, diesel, generators, solar panels, and weapons on the black market—but never for food or salt.

“If you’re willing to supply us with salt and sugar, then once this is over… Chen Jiaqian will be the highest-ranking officer at the research institute. She will have full control over its direction, and Lu Yanghui’s fate will be entirely in your hands. Moreover, on behalf of the military, I can promise you that no one will ever investigate your secrets again.”

The military had never fully supported the operation to capture Shen Qing.

If Shen Qing had originally belonged to this world and carried an innate zombie virus antibody, then forcing him to cooperate with research—while inhumane—could be justified as a means to end the apocalypse and save humanity. It would have been a temptation hard to resist.

But it had already been proven that Shen Qing had no such antibodies. Capturing him wouldn’t contribute anything to vaccine development. The only reason left was to uncover his other secrets.

And even if Shen Qing truly was from another world, what exactly would capturing him achieve? What did they intend to do if they reached the other world? Would they simply trade for supplies?

The military did not support this.

A hundred years ago, their country had been invaded. Even if there was no outright invasion now, what if large numbers of people fled to another world to escape? Who could guarantee they wouldn’t bring the zombie virus with them?

Even with strict entrance screenings at the base, there were still cases where people with extremely long incubation periods slipped through the cracks. If even one infected individual reached the other world… it would be dragging an entire world into hell.

Chen Jiaqian hesitated. Before coming to this base, she had very much wanted to lead the research institute. But now, she suddenly realized she didn’t want to leave this small base at all.

It was still the apocalypse, yet the atmosphere here was completely different from Red City Base. Everyone worked hard, but outside of that, there was no sense of constant impending doom. People were exhausted, but it was a secure exhaustion.

She felt it, too.

She was about to refuse, but Shen Qing spoke first. “You think too highly of yourselves.”

Shao Nan was stunned.

“Lu Yanghui is someone we were planning to kill anyway. We don’t need your military’s charity to do it. And as you can see, we have our own base now—we don’t necessarily need to return to Red City Base. The positions you’re offering us hold no appeal.

“Salt is incredibly valuable in the apocalypse. And for the price of one Lu Yanghui and one research institute, you expect me to provide you with salt, without offering anything in return?

“Besides, your credibility with me is already nonexistent. Why would I fall for the same trap twice?”

Before Shao Nan could respond, Shen Qing continued, “I can sell you salt. But don’t talk about cooperation—this is a pure transaction. Cash for goods. The military isn’t completely out of bargaining chips, is it?”

“As for Red City Base… if you want to overthrow the government while we want Lu Yanghui dead, we can coordinate our actions. But that’s just mutual benefit—it doesn’t mean we’re allies.”

Despite his composed demeanor, Shen Qing’s palms were already sweating.

He wasn’t a native of this world. He didn’t fully understand how the military operated here. And even if he had known, this was the apocalypse—who could say if the military still followed the same principles as before?

Could anyone guarantee it?

Logically, agreeing to the deal was the safest option. The military had over eleven thousand soldiers, more than half of whom were ability users, including many high-ranking ones. They were Red City Base’s primary force.

Now that his own base had been exposed, if they turned hostile, the military could easily mobilize these eleven thousand troops to crush them and take over their base. Shen Qing’s seven thousand people included many elderly, weak, and disabled individuals. They wouldn’t stand a chance.

Of course, they could retreat to Lantang Village—but they couldn’t bring everyone with them. The base they had painstakingly built would be lost.

For now, they had to agree. But Shen Qing planned to use Shao Nan’s guilt and his own resources to negotiate for the best possible terms.

Shao Nan felt a hint of unease but still asked, “What do you want in return?”

Shen Qing looked at him. “Weapons.”

The military might be lacking in other supplies, but from the beginning of the apocalypse, they had established their own arms factory within Red City Base.

Shen Qing’s team primarily relied on abilities for combat, using crossbows as support, but their supply of firearms—especially bullets—was severely limited. Abilities might be enough to deal with zombies, but against other humans? Not necessarily.

Right now, Shen Qing’s team had around ten machine guns, six sniper rifles, twenty-something assault rifles, fifty handguns, about two thousand bullets, and a crate each of grenades and explosives. It seemed like a lot, but with a base population of seven thousand, it was nowhere near enough.

Originally, Shen Qing had planned to eventually take over Red City Base, but he hadn’t intended to act so soon. Given their current situation, that goal was still at least a year or two away—his newly recruited low-level ability users still needed time to grow.

But now, the military was offering him an opportunity.

Instead of rushing to take over Red City Base, Shen Qing thought, why not use this chance to strengthen his own base? Build it up to rival Red City Base first.

“I can provide you with salt on a long-term basis,” Shen Qing said. “Sugar too. Even grain, if we negotiate. But you need to supply me with equivalent-value weapons. And you must promise peaceful relations with my base—no conflicts.”

Shao Nan hesitated. He didn’t have the authority to make that decision.

His superiors were shrewd—they preferred to dangle empty promises. If they could lure Shen Qing back to Red City Base and recruit him into the military, then promotions and raises would keep him in line. Once he was part of the system, would there even be a need to split resources?

But now that Shen Qing refused to be used by them, if they had to offer real compensation, Shao Nan wasn’t sure if his superiors would agree. “I… I’ll have to report back and discuss it with my higher-ups.”

He said this, but Shen Qing could see the hesitation on his face—most likely, the answer would be no.

Shen Qing didn’t expose him and simply said, “If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t matter. It’s not like I have to establish my base here. If we really can’t work together, we’ll just kill Lu Yanghui and leave everyone here behind. We’ll go to Lan Province, to Chi City, to places where no one knows my past—”

Shao Nan didn’t know that Shen Qing’s cave entrance was right next to Red City Base.

Shao Nan shuddered, finally realizing that they had no real leverage in these negotiations. It was the military that desperately needed salt. And Red City Base wasn’t the only base in the world. As for this base—were these “Shen Qing’s people”? No, they were just ordinary Chinese citizens. They were people the military should have been protecting!

The military hadn’t been able to resist the government’s influence, forcing many civilians to live outside the city in refugee camps. Now, Shen Qing had taken in some of these people, given them food and shelter—was the military really thinking of using these people as leverage against him?

Shen Qing had no obligation to them!

The military hadn’t been able to eliminate the city’s entry fees, but Shen Qing was already doing it!

Shao Nan wiped his face and said, “I understand. I’ll do my best to make this deal happen.”

Shen Qing and Song Kaiji stayed the night at the new base.

They were in a suite of a four-star hotel. Shen Qing had never stayed in such a well-decorated place before. Compared to the plain apartments and villas they had rented at Red City Base, this was a completely different experience. The huge round bed, the luxurious bathtub, the floor-length mirrors, the colorful mood lighting—everything was new and exciting!

Song Kaiji watched him bounce on the big round bed and suddenly felt a secret thrill—there was something exciting about staying in a fancy hotel. He hesitantly crawled over.

“I kind of miss Quan Jie,” Shen Qing murmured, wrapping his arms around Song Kaiji’s neck and watching the crystal chandelier sway above them. “Do you think Shao Nan will agree to my terms?”

Song Kaiji thought for a moment. “Probably. But I bet they’ll try to shortchange us—give us low-quality goods at a discount.”

Shen Qing had lost trust in the military, but in truth, the military had also lost trust in him. Even if they had been the ones to betray him first, they would never hand over large amounts of weapons to someone they were no longer on good terms with. Shen Qing was wary of them, and they were equally wary of him. They wouldn’t let him grow beyond their control.

Shen Qing nodded and sighed. “If only the cave entrance could be moved, I wouldn’t even bother staying in Red City. Let them fight amongst themselves. When they realize they can’t handle things, they’ll come crawling back to me.”

As he spoke, he suddenly sat up.

Song Kaiji had been lazily leaning against him, enjoying the moment, and almost got pushed off the bed. “What’s wrong?”

“Did you notice how he looked at Weiwei?” Shen Qing asked.

A cold glint flashed in Song Kaiji’s eyes. “Not a chance. He can keep dreaming. Weiwei may seem carefree, but she holds grudges. Just look at how she handled the Third Farm.”

Especially in an apocalypse, where survival was harsh—if you wanted to win someone’s heart, you had to genuinely prove yourself. Shao Nan had been completely ruled out the moment he sided against them.

Besides, Weiwei was beautiful, strong, and had high-level abilities. Of course, many people would be interested in her. “Plenty of people look at Weiwei that way,” Song Kaiji added.

Shen Qing lay back down, unsure whether he wanted them to end up together or not. He sighed, “Love is such a complicated thing.”

Song Kaiji laughed and pinned him down on the bed. “You should focus more on your own love life.”

---

The Next Morning

Shao Nan returned bright and early, dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept all night. This time, he brought someone with him—a spatial ability user.

Shao Nan gestured for his companion to take out some sample goods. “Our leaders agreed, but since this is the first trade, we can only offer this much for now.”

He stated a number and the amount of salt he was asking for. Chen Jiaqian didn’t even need to calculate—she immediately recognized that they were offering only about 70% of the market price.

Just as Song Kaiji had predicted, they were stingy.

The guns they provided were outdated models. They were still functional, but it was hard to feel satisfied with the deal.

Yet Shen Qing didn’t say anything—he simply agreed without hesitation.

Shao Nan quietly exhaled in relief. He knew the price was unfair and had been afraid Shen Qing would refuse to cooperate. Their team had already been rationing salt, using only half the usual amount in cooking. The shortage was severe, but for some reason, his superiors insisted on playing hardball.

Luckily, Shen Qing didn’t make a fuss about it.

After discussing some final details and setting a date for action, Shao Nan left. Shen Qing and Song Kaiji prepared to take Zhang Sujuan back to Lantang Village.

Zhang Sujuan was confused about why her son was taking her somewhere. Qu Weiwei and Tang Wenjie were also curious—running off by themselves was one thing, but why bring his mother along?

Only Chen Jiaqian seemed to realize what was happening. Shen Qing had likely found a way to bring Song Kaiji—and now Zhang Sujuan—through the cave.

But she didn’t pry further.

Since arriving at the new base, she had noticed a stark difference. It was a tiny settlement, lacking in resources, nowhere near as developed as Red City Base. But despite this, her family’s standard of living had improved drastically.

Why had she and her husband fought so hard to climb the ranks? Just to ensure their child had enough to eat.

But with Shen Qing, there was no need to struggle like that, and they still had a good life.

She had never refused the idea of following Shen Qing—it was just that he hadn’t given her the opportunity before. Qu Weiwei and Tang Wenjie had been living comfortably for a long time, and she had envied them.

It wasn’t until she had been imprisoned and tortured at the research institute—steadfastly refusing to betray Shen Qing—that she finally earned a place by his side.

Should she blame him for not accepting her earlier? Their first meeting hadn’t been pleasant. Shen Qing had a sharp eye for people, and back then, she had indeed harbored selfish thoughts—she had even secretly peered into his memories. That was something naïve fools like Qu Weiwei and Tang Wenjie would never do.

Shen Qing had judged her correctly. If she had a harder time than Weiwei, it was no one’s fault but her own.

This was the price of being too clever.

But now, she had finally earned her place. She had lost her career in Red City Base and even risked her family’s safety to prove her loyalty. She wouldn’t take it for granted. She wouldn’t make the same mistake as Shao Nan—once trust was broken, it was nearly impossible to mend.

As long as she followed Shen Qing, she would be fine. She didn’t need to steal supplies from the other world—Shen Qing would bring them over himself.

---

Shen Qing and Song Kaiji arrived at the cave with Zhang Sujuan. As expected, she could see the cave entrance right away.

She peeked inside curiously. “What is this place? Why bring me here? What’s with all the secrecy?”

Shen Qing and Song Kaiji led her inside and finally told her the truth.

“Mom, Qingqing isn’t from this world. This cave leads to his world. We’re taking you there to live.”

Shen Qing pulled out a set of ancient-style clothing.

Zhang Sujuan froze. Wait, the research institute’s suspicions had been correct?

Thanks to those earlier rumors, she wasn’t too shocked. But Song Kaiji’s next words left her completely stunned.

“Qingqing’s world is ancient. That’s why you need to change into these clothes. We live in a village, but our house is a large estate up in the mountains. You won’t have to interact with the villagers if you don’t want to.”

“There are servants at home. Later, we plan to bring Weiwei and Wenjie over too, along with Aunt Tang, so you’ll have company. Qingqing’s mother is already there, and…”

Song Kaiji took a deep breath, his smile widening uncontrollably.

“This world has three genders—men, women, and gers. Qingqing is a ger. The reason he was gone for months… was because he was hiding here to give birth. To my child.”

“We have a daughter named Quan Jie. She’s your biological granddaughter, and she’s absolutely adorable! You’ll see her soon.”

Zhang Sujuan, who had initially been surprised but somewhat intrigued, gradually fell into complete shock.

What the hell? A child? Shen Qing gave birth to one?

A man… giving birth???

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