Ch 187: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Leaving the Red City base, Chen Jiaxi led several hundred mid-to-high-level ability users back to their small base first. Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve, and today’s operation was a complete success. They had collected a lot of valuable supplies, so naturally, they had to distribute some rewards to those who participated. Good meals also needed to be arranged for the upcoming New Year celebrations.

There were no casualties on Shen Qing’s side during this mission, but among the hundreds of ability users, more than twenty were injured and needed immediate medical attention.

Meanwhile, Shen Qing and Song Kaiji drove around their newly acquired territory with Qu Weiwei and Tang Wenjie. The main reason for securing such a large area was to include the cave within their perimeter. Upon closer inspection, they found many unexpected resources within their new domain. South of the airport, there were a few budget hotels and a convenience store. Further west, large farmlands concealed several small villages, a tiny gas station, and a small-scale farm. Before the apocalypse, it seemed to have primarily raised fish, ducks, geese, and other aquatic products, with several fish ponds on the premises.

However, the ponds were now filled with either dead fish or mutated creatures. As Shen Qing and the others stood by, discussing what could be done with the ponds in the future, a nearly one-meter-long mutant fish suddenly leaped out. It had rows of densely packed shark-like teeth and tiny, lizard-like limbs, almost biting Shen Qing’s calf.

Song Kaiji immediately sent out a wind blade, slicing off half of the mutant fish’s head. A foul, rancid smell emanated from the exposed flesh as the fish fell back into the pond. Yet, the other creatures in the water showed no hesitation—after a brief splash, the nearly one-meter-long fish was quickly devoured, leaving the surface calm once again.

“Good grief,” Qu Weiwei grimaced, feeling nauseous as she quickly pulled the others back. “No one comes here often. Who knows what kind of monsters are breeding in this pond? Let’s just go. Even if we fish them out, we can’t eat them anyway.”

Shen Qing, however, was considering another possibility. If he gathered more ability users to clear the pond and had water-type ability users purify the water, then brought in fish and ducklings from Lantang Village to raise, would they mutate as well? The fish in the pond had likely mutated due to the X1 virus infection from the heavy rain at the start of the apocalypse, but the fish and ducks he brought in wouldn’t have that contamination.

If it worked, their small base could gradually become self-sufficient, and they could finally eat fresh meat again.

As this thought took shape, Shen Qing glanced at Qu Weiwei and Tang Wenjie. After going through the power struggle at the Red City base together, their bond had undoubtedly grown closer and stronger. In the future, while developing their base, Shen Qing would inevitably need to obtain things from Anping County that weren’t available here—such as unmutated fish, ducklings, or even piglets. His origins were just an open secret among those familiar with him.

Thinking about the blood samples Song Kaiji had extracted in the space, Shen Qing decided to reveal the truth about the other world to Qu Weiwei and Tang Wenjie. He trusted them. Though he wasn’t entirely certain about Qi Zhan, he believed Tang Wenjie would have his own judgment on whether to tell Qi Zhan and whether Qi Zhan was trustworthy.

After circling around, they found themselves back beneath the artificial mountain at the amusement park.

“Wait, why are we back near the Red City base?” Qu Weiwei and Tang Wenjie followed Shen Qing and Song Kaiji up the rocky slope, growing more curious.

The next second, Shen Qing and Song Kaiji stepped into a cave—and vanished before their eyes.

Both of them widened their eyes in shock. Song Kaiji poured their blood onto a large stone, and in an instant, the mountain wall disappeared, revealing the cave entrance. Inside, Shen Qing and Song Kaiji stood waiting.

“You… you guys…” Qu Weiwei was so stunned she couldn’t speak. After a long pause, she shuddered, glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then yanked Tang Wenjie into the cave. “You really dare to share such a big secret with just the two of us?!”

They had long known that the Red City base’s research lab suspected Shen Qing came from another dimension. In fact, they had also somewhat believed this theory based on his behavior. But for Shen Qing to lay it all out so directly, it was both shocking and exhilarating—it meant they were truly trusted.

After the initial excitement came curiosity. Tang Wenjie and Qu Weiwei peered deeper into the cave, wondering what kind of world Shen Qing came from. A peaceful world without zombies?

Shen Qing pulled out two sets of clothes from his storage space and handed them over. Fortunately, he had stored a few outfits meant for Miao Chunlei, though they looked a bit old-fashioned on Qu Weiwei. But there was no choice—she had to make do. Looking at the garments, the two quickly realized the truth.

“Oh, so it’s an ancient world.”

Shen Qing and Song Kaiji first took them to visit the East Mountain Manor. The estate was grand, luxurious, and opulent. A quick thought later, they understood—no wonder Shen Qing was so obsessed with collecting gold and silver. In the apocalypse, he traded food for gold and silver, then brought it here to spend. That was an incredibly lucrative deal.

Tang Wenjie, however, froze as a sudden realization struck him. He remembered when he first met Shen Qing, the man had asked him to refine silver ingots. He had always assumed it was some kind of special training by a clever boss. But now… had Shen Qing really just wanted the silver ingots??

The estate was filled with servants, all bowing respectfully to Shen Qing and Song Kaiji. They addressed Song Kaiji as “Master” and Shen Qing as “Young Master.” The two newcomers wandered around in amazement—and to their astonishment, they even ran into Zhang Sujuan.

They had suspected that Zhang Sujuan had been taken somewhere safe, but they never expected it to be a completely different world!

But what shocked them even more was—

“A baby?! You two had a baby?!”

So that was why their boss had disappeared for months—he was having a child? They had even worried about Song Kaiji being dumped, only to find out Shen Qing had been on paternity leave.

Wait. Was there some kind of male pregnancy magic in this world?

Zhang Sujuan was delighted to see Qu Weiwei and Tang Wenjie. When she noticed their utterly dumbfounded expressions, she was even happier—see? It wasn’t just her who was shocked. Anyone who heard about this would have their jaws drop!

After learning more about this unusual world, Tang Wenjie was deeply amazed, while Qu Weiwei accepted it rather quickly. She was well-read—what was so strange about the concept of gers?

But after the shock came curiosity. They urged Song Kaiji and Shen Qing to take them on a tour. So, they hitched a carriage and took a short ride around the village before heading to Anping County.

Upon arriving, however, they were slightly disappointed.

The county town was nothing like the elegant, picturesque cities depicted in historical dramas. The streets weren’t filled with people in flowing, ethereal hanfu but rather a small, somewhat worn-down, and not particularly clean settlement.

“Of course,” Shen Qing chuckled. “This is just a small county town. The prefectural city is much better.”

He had watched plenty of historical dramas. The intricately carved palaces and mansions in those shows were either imperial residences or the homes of high-ranking officials in the capital. Anping County couldn’t compare. Even the most luxurious establishments he had seen in the prefectural city, such as the brothels and entertainment houses, still fell short of the elaborate sets in television dramas.

“But this place is safe,” he added. “There are no zombies, no political scheming like in the Red City base. I’ve bought several houses and shops in the county, as well as a good amount of land and a few workshops in the village. The reason I brought you here is to offer you a choice—do you want to live here?”

To Shen Qing’s surprise, both Tang Wenjie and Qu Weiwei declined.

If it had been when they first met Shen Qing, they might have jumped at the opportunity to escape the apocalypse and settle in a safe place. But after everything they had been through, they were no longer weak, powerless survivors at the mercy of others. They had powerful abilities and a new base they were helping to build.

After a moment’s hesitation, Tang Wenjie spoke up. “Can I send my mom here instead? She and Aunt Zhang are quite close. Ever since Aunt Zhang left, my mom keeps mentioning her.”

There was another reason as well. Tang Wenjie’s mother and Qi Zhan didn’t get along. She had been strongly opposed to Tang Wenjie dating Qi Zhan, and though she had relented after their breakup and reconciliation, she still wasn’t happy about it. If they saw each other less, it might improve their relationship—or at least, the distance might make the heart grow fonder.

Shen Qing had been unsure about what to do regarding Qi Zhan, but seeing that Tang Wenjie had no intention of telling him about this world, he decided not to bring it up either. As for Mother Tang, he had no objections and immediately agreed.

Meanwhile, Qu Weiwei wiped her mouth. They were currently at Shen Qing’s northern residence in the county, having ordered a few sweet dishes from a nearby shop.

“My predecessors fought for gender equality for centuries, shedding blood, sweat, and tears for it. Now that I have such strong abilities and can survive on my own, I refuse to go back to a patriarchal feudal society.”

She placed a hand on a nearby pomegranate tree. Instantly, it bloomed and bore fruit, the branches now laden with large, ripe pomegranates.

Even if Shen Qing’s household treated her well, just knowing she might face discrimination outside, or that she would have to kneel before officials, was unbearable. Song Kaiji and Tang Wenjie could take the imperial exams and earn status, but as a woman, she had no such path.

“But!” she grinned. “I’d love to visit now and then!”

While ancient cuisine lacked modern seasonings, it had its own charm. Even before the apocalypse, few places spent so much time and effort preparing food. The rare few that did were far beyond Qu Weiwei’s pre-apocalypse budget.

Like this red bean double-skin milk in front of her—she had never tasted anything so rich and creamy. The milk was pure, not watered down, and the red bean paste was incredibly smooth. No modern instant bean paste could compare!

“Thank you, Boss, for treating me as one of your own and allowing me to experience the wonders of another world,” Qu Weiwei said with a bright smile. Tang Wenjie also grinned in agreement.

But the post-apocalyptic world was still the one where they were born and raised. Now that they had their own base and no longer faced threats to their lives or survival, their connection and sense of belonging to that world remained strong.

Shen Qing fell into thought and later, when he was alone with Song Kaiji, he quietly asked, “Do you still feel a stronger sense of belonging to that world? Living here for my sake, does it make you feel out of place?”

Putting himself in Song Kaiji’s shoes, Shen Qing understood this feeling well. Even though he had built great power and wealth in the apocalypse, in his heart, Lantang Village was still his true home. Developing his business in Lantang Village was his top priority. Before fully committing to his relationship with Song Kaiji, he had even prepared himself to run away at any moment.

Song Kaiji cupped his face and rubbed it gently. “It’s not like I can never go back, right? I can stay there whenever I want. And don’t be fooled by what Xiao Tang said—once he sends his mom here, do you really think he won’t come stay for at least a week or so every month?” After all, back in university, Tang Wenjie went home every weekend without fail.

“Baby, you’re overthinking it.” Song Kaiji hugged Shen Qing from behind, pressing a kiss to his ear. “As long as you’re here, as long as Quan Jie’er is here, and now that my mom is here too—wherever you all are, that’s where I belong.”

…

After spending some time exploring the county town, Tang Wenjie and Qu Weiwei prepared to leave. The next two days marked New Year’s Eve and the New Year itself—the first New Year since their base was established. They considered it an important milestone and even forced Shen Qing, as the city lord, to make a short speech on New Year’s Day to boost morale.

As they exited through the front gate of Shen Qing’s northern residence, they happened to run into a small group of gers strolling toward the Cuihua Shop. Among them, one stood out—dressed in simple, plain clothing, yet with an ethereal beauty. His features were delicate and refined, his skin flawless, and a striking red mark between his brows added a touch of brilliance, enhancing his natural charm. His appearance was pure and effortless, more breathtaking than even Xie Miyun, the beauty officially recognized by Gold-Tooth.

Qu Weiwei’s gaze immediately locked onto him, trailing after him for quite some time. Fortunately, she was a woman, so no one found her staring inappropriate. Still, the ger in question seemed a bit uncomfortable under her intense scrutiny and shyly raised a silk handkerchief to partially cover his face.

Qu Weiwei only looked away when he disappeared into the shop, then turned to glance at the red mark between Shen Qing’s brows. She had learned by now that this was the mark of those who could bear children in this world. Under her breath, she muttered, “…If women could marry such stunning gers and have them bear children, I’d be willing to settle down here too. A free beautiful wife and a child—who wouldn’t want that?”

Shen Qing, who overheard her by accident: ???

What?? Was his hearing playing tricks on him???

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