Chapter 98

Yao Xiaoyue was extremely frightened. She had already become a third-level supernatural being, yet she couldn’t break free from Qin Yue’s restraint. Was she going to die here today?

No, she was a reborn person, blessed by heaven. She hadn’t achieved anything significant yet, hadn’t made a name for herself through the ages, and she hadn’t even retrieved the jade pendant’s space. How could she die in this place? She didn’t want to die, and she didn’t understand why Qin Yue suddenly attacked her. Even if she initially had suspicions of intentionally deceiving him, people should not bear grudges to such an extent. She just wanted to strengthen herself before others became stronger, to enhance her own abilities. Was that wrong? Moreover, she hadn’t kept it a secret from him; she just planned to tell him after some time. Why did he hold such a grudge against her? Even to the point of wishing her death?

Yes, she wasn’t as naive as Jiang Nian, who was willing to reveal such secrets to everyone without hesitation. She admitted that Jiang Nian had done a thousand times better than her and had saved countless people. She couldn’t be as selfless as Jiang Nian, but she just wanted to protect herself. Was that wrong?

Furthermore, during this period, she thought she had treated Qin Yue well, and he actually turned against her! At this moment, Yao Xiaoyue couldn’t help but regret it. If she had known today, she should have killed him instead of saving him!

But in an instant, the zombie tiger had already reached her, and Yao Xiaoyue, in her despair, felt overwhelming hatred! At the same time, the restraint controlling her body finally disappeared, and she immediately retreated, creating a water curtain for cover. The zombie tiger pounced on the water curtain, and she rolled away several times, narrowly escaping disaster!

The surprise of surviving the ordeal made a smile appear on her lips. Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she suddenly froze and screamed in pain.

– It hurts!

She looked down and saw a bloody, large knife protruding from her abdomen. She turned her head and saw the man’s ferocious face.

“Do you want me to be your scapegoat? Dream on! Let’s see who dies first?”

Yao Xiaoyue gritted her teeth in hatred, conjuring a water ball to throw at the man. He drew his long knife and dodged, his face filled with malice. Meanwhile, another zombie tiger lurked nearby, smelling the blood and pouncing once again.

Yao Xiaoyue was seriously injured; her strength and supernatural abilities were rapidly depleting, and she was falling behind. She was bitten by the zombie tiger several times, her body covered in bloodstains. The man beside her was constantly looking for an opportunity to escape, but Yao Xiaoyue didn’t want him to get away either. For a while, she couldn’t break free, and her wounds kept increasing.

Qin Yue remained expressionless. Yao Xiaoyue had now tasted the bitterness of betrayal, a feeling that wasn’t pleasant. Unfortunately, she was capable of feeling pain, hatred, fear, and regret, but when she did things to others, she did so without mercy, acting as if it were only natural and never realizing her own wrongdoing. It was laughable.

Such a shameless person, someone who did all sorts of evil without surprise, naturally made Qin Yue more wary. He smirked and thought that Yao Xiaoyue wouldn’t make it out alive today.

When Li Ming and his team arrived, most of the group here had already died, and the few survivors were heavily injured. They worked together to kill the zombie tiger, and the logistics team carried the injured away on stretchers. Captain Li’s face was dark, torn between the pain of losing so many people and his frustration that these individuals had not followed orders and ventured deep into the danger zone. If they had listened, there wouldn’t have been so many casualties on the first day.

Li Ming looked around but didn’t see any sign of Qin Yue. Of course, he didn’t see Yao Xiaoyue either. He learned from a surviving teammate that they had been chased by a zombie tiger and went elsewhere. Captain Li quickly led a team to search for and support them. He also passed on orders to avoid advancing recklessly, warning of the consequences if they did.

Li Ming didn’t join Captain Li’s team in searching for Yao Xiaoyue and the others. Instead, he returned with the injured. Not long after, Qin Yue arrived. He didn’t seem to have changed much, leaving Li Ming somewhat uncertain. He approached Qin Yue and whispered, “How is it, Yue-Ge?”

Qin Yue replied, “It’s fine. What about Jiang Nian?”

Li Ming said, “Jiang Nian and Cai Cai are clearing zombies on the front lines. Captain Li’s team ordered us to take care of the injured.”

Qin Yue nodded and turned to look for Jiang Nian. After taking a few steps, he turned back and said, “Don’t let Jiang Nian know about this incident. Keep it to yourself. Apart from you and me, no one else should be informed.”

Li Ming was puzzled. “Yao Xiaoyue is so wicked; District Chief Jiang would understand if she knew about it.”

“In any case, I won’t tell, and you can’t either.”

“Alright.”

Li Ming scratched his head and watched Qin Yue’s back. So, what happened in the end?

Jiang Nian only found out later that a group of people had ventured deep into danger and encountered two mutated tigers, resulting in heavy casualties. Most of the team members were dead or injured, and she heard that the team leader and deputy team leader had died at the jaws of the zombie tigers. When they were found, their bodies had been so mangled that not even a complete human figure could be reconstructed. However, the zombie tigers didn’t escape unscathed either; one was barely clinging to life, with severed limbs, crawling, and holding a severed arm in its mouth. After being found, its throat was cut.

Captain Li’s team brought back all the sacrificed personnel. Burials were impossible in this world, as the corpses would likely be devoured by zombies as soon as they hit the ground. They were all cremated on the spot, and their names were carved on the warning wall for commemoration.

The heavy losses on the first day undoubtedly dealt a severe blow to morale. Because of this incident, Captain Li’s team and Shen Dongming became even stricter in setting rules and regulations. In such dire times, life was precious, and every battle was a life-and-death struggle with no exercises or second chances. There was no room for carelessness. Even the self-organized group of supernaturals had to follow orders; otherwise, they would be a weaker force, and they couldn’t afford to be lenient.

Because of the lessons learned from past experiences, no one opposed this decision, as it was all for their safety.

When they returned in the evening, Jiang’s mother and Qin’s mother had been waiting at the entrance of the Happy Community. They finally breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Jiang Nian, Qin Yue, and the others returning together. Jiang’s mother said, “I heard there were two zombie tigers in the south of the city, and they killed so many people. I was so worried!”

Jiang Nian comforted her, saying, “Don’t worry, we’re all fine.”

Jiang’s mother wiped her eyes and said, “It’s good that you’re all safe. It’s a blessing from heaven!”

Qin’s mother patted Qin Yue’s shoulder and said, “Since you’re all fine, go back quickly, change your clothes, rest, have a hot meal, and relax. You must be exhausted today.”

Qin Yue nodded.

Before having dinner, Jiang Nian stuck to her usual routine and went to check on the big, fat pig that was kept in the underground garage. If she could find a breeding pig, she could have a litter of piglets, ensuring an endless supply of meat!

She smacked her lips, and Qin Yue saw a glint in her eyes, prompting him to laugh and say, “I’ve heard that there’s a livestock farm nearby. When the rodent issue is resolved, I’ll go check it out.”

Jiang Nian shook her head and said, “That’s too dangerous. A pet store caused us a lot of casualties. Going to a livestock farm might be even riskier. Don’t take unnecessary risks.”

Qin Yue assured her, “Don’t worry, I know my limits, and I’m not willing to die.”

Jiang Nian smiled and waved her hand, saying, “Actually, it doesn’t matter if we don’t have pigs. I still have dried fish, right, Cai Cai? It’s just that Cai Cai lacks a light touch when it comes to catching fish. Otherwise, we could raise a bunch of fish, maybe even dig a pond, and have a fishing source for the future!”

Cai Cai barked, “Meow!”

Qin Yue: “…”

He couldn’t help but smile indulgently, feeling a strange sympathy for Cai Cai.

…

The large-scale zombie rat infestation was mostly cleared out, and after a week, they no longer appeared in large groups. Instead, they scattered and fled in all directions. The rat crisis was temporarily resolved. The authorities tallied the casualties and distributed consolation materials accordingly. Injured individuals received free medical treatment, and if there were children among the deceased’s family members, the government would take care of them until they reached adulthood. For households with only elderly individuals, monthly supplies were provided to ensure their livelihood.

Three months later, the southern area of the city was finally completely cleared. General Shen also officially renamed the northern safety zone as Dragonfly Base, the world’s first survivor base with over a million people.

After nearly half a year in the post-apocalyptic world, the government had time to react. They not only established the Dragonfly Base in the imperial city but also dispatched military units to search for survivors within a wide range. They consecutively set up two more survivor bases and restored communication.

Jiang Nian would join missions when there was something to do. In her free time, she watched over the pig farm. Thanks to Captain Li’s team’s luck, they actually managed to capture a breeding pig while on a mission. They found it near the livestock farm but didn’t dare venture too deep. They observed from a distance, and the pig walked right into their trap.

The moment that pig entered the city, many people saw it, and it left them salivating. Their minds were filled with images of pork belly, twice-cooked pork, red-braised pork, Dongpo pork… Strangely, despite the foul smell, the sight of the pig made everyone think it was incredibly delicious!

Jiang Nian checked on the pig every day, not because she wanted to witness piggy romance but because her big, fat pig was pregnant. There were over a dozen piglets in its belly. Jiang Nian, her parents, and everyone in the Happy Community visited the pig daily, hoping that the pig would give birth soon. Then they could exchange meat for supplies with Jiang Nian, making their mouths water at the thought.

With the establishment of the safety base, production and supplies became top priorities. Jiang Nian joined many missions in the southern part of the city, accumulating seeds for crops and fruits. Her jade pendant space was now almost entirely planted. They had no shortage of goods, but the one thing they lacked was real gold.

As for Qin Yue, his extraordinary abilities and powers led many super abilities to follow him after a few missions. Although he didn’t officially join the military, he became the leader of a team with a substantial number of talented individuals.

Qin Yue had changed significantly, but one thing remained constant: his preference for staying by Jiang Nian’s side. It was hard not to notice, especially for Shen Ran, who would get angry every time he saw Qin Yue sticking close to his “Jiang Jie Jie.” He thought Qin Yue had ulterior motives and that he was taking advantage of how good Jiang Jie Jie was.

Even Jiang Nian’s parents and younger brother felt that Qin Yue’s feelings were quite unique and often subtly asked Jiang Nian what she thought. They liked Qin Yue because he was capable and kind to her. How could they not appreciate him? Even Jiang Yuan had developed a sort of sweet admiration for Qin Yue after several challenges and defeats.

Jiang Nian didn’t have any special feelings. Qin Yue might be the male lead, but with the nation in crisis, she, as someone forgotten by the God of Wealth, had no time to think about her own love life.

Of course, it was all about taking on more missions and acquiring more gold. In this world, you had to rely on yourself for sustenance; others were unreliable.

It was a tough situation. = =