Chapter 232
The concrete bridge before them was at least ten meters wide, spanning a twenty-meter river.
Not only did it have separate lanes for vehicles and pedestrians, but it was also equipped with high railings on both sides.
Even sitting on top of the RV, Hong Li couldn’t see the river below, meaning the piranhas in the water had no chance of jumping over the railings onto the bridge.
Compared to the old, shaky suspension bridge, this concrete structure was not only far grander but also exponentially safer. It hardly seemed like something built in the wasteland era.
Had this bridge really been constructed in just a few days?
How had these two young men managed to accomplish such a feat?
Hong Li was filled with awe. She wanted to jump down immediately to inspect the details of the bridge but was afraid she might fall behind if she did.
Suppressing her excitement, she decided to return tomorrow for a closer look.
The RV rolled across the bridge and slowly disappeared into the distance. A while later, a few more people appeared on the bridge.
Although Hong Li had instructed the guards to return to the mountaintop base, some curious townspeople had followed along the concrete road.
By now, night had fallen. The moonlight spread like a silver veil over the land.
The townspeople stared at the bridge, utterly frozen in place.
In all their years, they had never seen such a structure!
After their initial shock and even fear, someone finally gathered the courage to step onto the bridge.
The solid concrete surface felt as firm as the ground beneath their feet. Excited, he began running and jumping, and upon seeing this, others followed suit.
“Look! The piranhas can’t get up here!”
Someone climbed onto the railing and peered down at the mutant piranhas leaping out of the water.
Not only was the bridge sturdy and spacious, but it was also high enough that the piranhas couldn’t even reach the underside, let alone threaten travelers as they had with the old suspension bridge.
“Crossing the river is going to be so much easier now!”
“Who built this bridge? And where does this road lead?”
“Judging by the direction, it looks like it leads to Desolate City.”
“Let’s go! Let’s follow and see for ourselves!”
Previously, the journey from Jufeng Mountain to Desolate City took at least two days one way.
But now, Tang Yu’an and his team had picked up the people around 5 PM, and by 9 PM, they had already arrived at the gates of Desolate City Haven.
And that was with Zhou Qi driving cautiously. Had he driven faster, the trip would have taken even less time.
Hong Li, who had spent the whole ride atop the RV, was flushed with excitement rather than cold.
She jumped down from the roof just as Zhou Qi opened the door, allowing the babysitters to step out with the children, followed by the planters.
By this time, night had fully set in. Hidden behind the protective barrier, Desolate City Haven was invisible to the naked eye—except for Tang Yu’an.
To everyone else, all they saw was a desolate ruin.
The group stared blankly at the dark, empty road ahead, feeling the chill of the night wind seeping into their bones.
Why had these two young men and their Mountain Lord gone through so much trouble to bring them here?
“Don’t just stand there—keep walking,” Tang Yu’an urged.
Old Chen glanced at his companions, then at the hesitant babysitters, and finally took the first step forward.
At his age, with his son likely lost forever, what else did he have to fear?
He moved forward slowly, and as his figure faded into the distance…
His foot suddenly hit something—a threshold-like bump. Stumbling, he instinctively took a few quick steps forward to steady himself.
When he looked up again, a building with a sign that read “Desolate City Grocery Store” had abruptly appeared before him.
At the same time, startled screams erupted behind him.
Old Chen spun around.
A fully armed patrol squad had suddenly materialized, charging toward the group with an imposing presence.
Startled, some of the children began crying, their wails mixing with the babysitters’ screams, throwing the scene into chaos.
Tang Yu’an quickly spoke up to comfort the children.
As Old Chen stood there, unsure of what to do, a somewhat familiar voice called out from behind him.
“Old Chen, is that you?”
He turned toward the sound and saw that the grocery store’s door had somehow opened. A few people in gray clothing stepped out, among them a figure both familiar and strange.
It was an elderly woman with kind eyes and a warm smile.
She wore neat, well-fitted clothing, her face lined with the marks of time, yet under the dim lighting, her complexion appeared surprisingly rosy.
But what struck Old Chen the most was the energy she radiated.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t recall knowing someone like her.
As he stared in bewilderment, the old woman walked closer, waving a hand in front of his face with a hearty laugh.
“What’s the matter? Don’t recognize your Auntie Guo?”
Old Chen gasped. “Ah! You’re Granny Guo!”
Granny Guo nodded with a chuckle and took his hand. “I heard you all were rescued, so I’ve been waiting. Finally, you’ve arrived!”
She looked toward the group still standing outside the barrier.
By then, the earlier chaos had calmed.
Because Tang Yu’an had already gained their trust by caring for the children, his presence alone was enough to reassure them.
Granny Guo held Old Chen’s hand firmly and strode toward the barrier.
To those still outside, it looked as though the two had suddenly materialized out of nowhere.
While the patrol squad found it unsurprising, the babysitters and planters were once again shocked.
“A’Liang, Xi Que, Qing Hua, Bai He!”
Granny Guo called out to them one by one, her eyes welling up with tears. “You’re all here!”
The four remaining cultivators stood there in a daze. The youngest female cultivator was the first to recognize her.
“Granny Guo, is that really you? How are you here? And why do you look… so different?”
They looked at the energetic, robust old woman before them, unable to imagine that she was the same Granny Guo who had once suffered under the rule of the warlords, just like them.
Granny Guo wiped away her tears and chuckled. “You’ll understand soon enough.” Then, she turned to look at Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi.
Zhou Qi gazed at her and said softly, “Granny, we’re back.”
“It’s good that you’re back. It’s really good!”
Granny Guo patted his arm and said, “You’ve grown again.”
A smile appeared on Zhou Qi’s face, and beside him, Tang Yu’an also stepped forward and said, “Granny, I’ve grown taller too!”
Granny Guo chuckled and reached out to touch his head. “Yes, I can barely reach your head now.”
Tang Yu’an bent his knees slightly, lowering his head into her palm with a grin. “Now you can reach!”
Seeing the close relationship between Granny Guo and the two boys, the cultivators finally started to relax a little.
Soon, after chatting with Zhou Qi and Tang Yu’an, Granny Guo turned back to her old friends. “Come on, I’ll take you into the settlement.”
“It’s late now, so it’s not a good time to tour the gardens. I’ll take you around tomorrow.”
She spoke as she walked.
“Don’t worry, no one here will exploit you. As long as you follow the rules, you can live freely. You don’t have to fear natural disasters or mutant creatures.”
Granny Guo turned to look at her old colleagues and friends.
Having spent time together in the past, their bond was naturally different from others.
They looked much more aged and worn than she remembered. Even Old Chen, who was younger than her, now looked about the same age.
It was clear they had suffered a great deal in the past two or three years.
Back then, when she had managed to escape with Kangkang, it wasn’t just Old Li’s help that made it possible—these old friends had played a part too.
Thinking of this, Granny Guo said, “You should settle in first. I’ll cover your rent for now. Focus on recovering your health before you start working.”
The cultivators were stunned.
“Really?”
“We really don’t have to work immediately?”
Granny Guo glanced at them and asked, “Did anyone make you work while you were at the garrison these past two days?”
The younger cultivators shook their heads, but Old Chen frowned. “That’s not the same…”
“Trust me, our settlement is truly different from other places.”
As they continued walking, Granny Guo explained, “In our settlement, no one will force you to work. You’re cultivators, so you can rent a piece of land here.”
“You only need to hand over 60% of your harvest as rent. The remaining 40% is yours to keep.”
Old Chen and the others stared at her in disbelief, as if she were speaking nonsense. Or perhaps… they were dreaming.
“We… we actually get to keep 40%?”
Back in Jufeng Mountain’s plantation, cultivators had to hand over everything they grew. They weren’t even allowed to touch the crops—the overseers strictly controlled everything. Each time they finished using their abilities to accelerate growth, specialized personnel would come to harvest.
Although they were given enough food to survive, the constant use of their abilities left them drained of nutrition.
That’s why they all looked older than they really were—living like livestock, day in and day out.
“Why would I lie to you?”
Granny Guo pointed toward a section of farmland visible in the moonlight. “See that area? That’s mine. I’ll take you there tomorrow.”
Old Chen and the others noticed that the land was covered with cloth, though they weren’t sure what it was for.
But soon, they realized something else.
“Wait… Is it warmer here?”
They hadn’t even entered a building yet, but the temperature around them already felt much warmer than when they first stepped off the vehicle.
Granny Guo smiled and nodded. Her eyes softened as they landed on a small tree by the roadside—a Lan Hu sapling that had been nurtured today. It had already grown over a meter tall.
“You’ll see soon enough. There are plenty of things in our settlement that will leave you amazed.”
Hearing her repeatedly say “our settlement,” Old Chen and the others were surprised. Could there really be a place in this world that made her feel such a strong sense of belonging?
They fell silent, deciding to observe with their own eyes.
As they walked, Granny Guo suddenly said, “Oh, right. Our settlement has a tradition—I should tell you about it.”
Old Chen and the others immediately straightened their posture, ready to listen.
“That old man who came out with me earlier—do you still remember him? Old Li?”
“Of course. Wasn’t he a famous hunter back in the day?”
“Yes, that’s right. He’s now one of the administrators of our settlement. He…”
Granny Guo began to tell them a story at a leisurely pace.
The younger cultivators listened attentively. Having grown up in the plantation, they knew little about the outside world and had few sources of entertainment. Hearing stories like this fascinated them.
But the more Old Chen listened, the stranger he felt.
Sure, the story was interesting, but… was it really necessary to tell it at this moment?
This “tradition” of the settlement seemed a little… odd.
Of course, he did genuinely respect the two young leaders.
After spending several days in the settlement and realizing there was no hidden agenda, their kindness became something he couldn’t ignore.
The weak and weary cultivators slowly made their way toward the buildings.
Meanwhile, around them, residents carrying children rushed past.
The remaining fifty children were soon gathered on the first floor.
Old Li had already brought down the AI system from Room 501 to register them.
They were officially assigned to a household, meaning they would now be recognized as children of the settlement, all siblings under the same roof.
Those who already had names were registered immediately, while those too young to speak or lacking names were given temporary identification numbers, to be changed later.
Xiaotian was one of the few children with a name—and one of the older ones among them.
Looking at the little boy with a big head and a thin, frail body, Old Li asked him as he recorded his name, “Do you want the surname Zhou or Tang?”
The little boy stared at him blankly.
“Just pick one,” Old Li said gently.
The boy only caught the last two words and nervously responded, “Tang…”
“Good.” Old Li smiled and patted his head. “From now on, your name is Tang Xiaotian.”
Tang Yu’an watched as the boy was led away by a resident to wait and couldn’t help but ask, “Grandpa, why not let them take your surname, Li?”
He knew Grandpa Li was giving these children surnames to help them feel a sense of belonging to the settlement.
But he thought it didn’t have to be his or Brother Qi’s surname.
Old Li didn’t reject his idea outright. Instead, he said, “If I meet a child that I feel a connection with, I’ll let them take my surname, Li. But for the others…”
He said firmly, “They must take either Zhou or Tang—only from your surnames.”
Seeing that Old Li wouldn’t budge, Tang Yu’an scratched his head and didn’t argue further.
Whatever Grandpa said was final—when it came to managing the settlement, Grandpa’s experience was far greater than theirs.
Once the 50 children were registered, it was the turn of the plantation workers.
They didn’t quite understand why this process was necessary, but when they heard the term “household registry,” a strange expression flickered across their faces.
Granny Guo watched them, already guessing what they were thinking, but she didn’t say much.
They had been powerless for so long—most of them had family members in Jufeng Mountain, either controlled or monitored.
Now that the Li Li gang had been destroyed, their families should be free.
Right now, they were unwilling to reveal their family ties simply because they still didn’t fully trust the settlement. But given time, they would surely take the initiative to bring their loved ones here.
When they took the elevator, Old Chen finally understood why registration was needed.
At 69 years old, he got to enjoy the privilege of taking the elevator, while Qinghua and the others had to climb the stairs.
Their rooms were assigned on the sixth floor—Old Chen and A’Liang shared one room, while the three female plantation workers shared another.
The children’s room was made by converting the largest suite—knocking down all the walls except for the bathroom.
A heated brick bed had already been set up for them to sleep on, covered with clean bedding. When a single fire stone was thrown into the heater, the room quickly warmed up.
To help care for them, eight caretakers also stayed in the same room. Even sleeping on the floor was far more comfortable than anything they’d had back in Jufeng Town.
As they all lay down in their blankets, it still felt like a dream.
Except for the youngest children, none of them could sleep.
Tang Xiaotian was one of them.
Could he really live in such a warm and comfortable place from now on?
Would he never have to worry about being driven out, going hungry, or freezing again?
Could he… really have a home?
Looking at the moonlight outside and listening to the howling cold wind, he felt a sense of security he had never known before.
Slowly, exhaustion took over, and he finally fell asleep.
By the time he woke up the next day, the sun was already high in the sky. The caretakers were calling the children one by one for breakfast.
Tang Xiaotian jolted awake—only to discover… he had wet the bed!
The six-year-old boy panicked immediately.
He sat frozen in place, overwhelmed, until a caretaker walked over. Flustered, he stammered, “I-I’ll wash it myself…”
“No need, that’s my job,” the caretaker replied gently.
But before she could finish speaking, Old Li’s voice came from the doorway.
“Teach him how to wash it.”
Old Li had just come in from outside, his hands clasped behind his back.
Surveying the messy room, he frowned. “From now on, children over five years old must learn to take care of themselves—including cleaning, eating on their own, and bathing themselves.”
Even though the settlement was getting better, they were not in a position to spoil the children.
The caretakers were mainly there to care for the youngest ones.
Then again, in a wasteland like this, any child who managed to survive had already learned how to fend for themselves, even at just a few years old.
Tang Xiaotian scrambled off the bed, his small hands clenched into fists.
“Grandpa Li, I’ll wash it properly! Please don’t kick me out—I won’t do it again!”
Hearing his desperate plea, Old Li reached out and ruffled his hair. “No one will kick you out. But you have to follow the rules.”
“Now go change into clean clothes. After breakfast, I’ll explain the rules to you all.”
Tang Xiaotian wiped away his tears and followed the caretaker to get changed, his face full of shame as he looked at his wet pants.
He swore to himself—he wouldn’t wet the bed again!
Meanwhile, Old Li glanced around the room at the 50 children and let out a small sigh.
Eight caretakers still didn’t seem like enough…
His eyes landed on the swaddled babies.
Perhaps he could find willing residents to each take in one child?
As Old Li pondered how best to raise this group of children, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi had just returned from the alternate dimension.
They teleported back to the RV—just in time to see Hong Li roaring away on her motorcycle.
Her figure quickly disappeared down the road.
Xie Zhaori stood in place, watching her leave with envy.
Until he paid off his one-million-point debt, he could only remain in the settlement—otherwise, there was the risk of having his memories erased.
“Meow—”
Just then, Black Pearl leaped in through the window.
She looked exhausted, yawning repeatedly, too tired even to tease the little red bird.
“Black Pearl, aren’t you taking care of the cubs? The leopard mother seems to be looking for you,” Tang Yu’an said.
Black Pearl twitched in surprise.
Sure enough, when she turned, she saw the leopard mother strolling along the settlement’s outer wall with her two cubs.
The little leopards looked around anxiously, calling out again and again.
Black Pearl’s ears twitched, and then it decisively turned around and burrowed into Tang Yu’an’s pocket to hide.
It was the first time Tang Yu’an had seen Black Pearl act like this.
It seemed like it had no intention of taking care of the cubs anytime soon.
Zhou Qi glanced at his watch and said, “Uncle Tang and the others should receive the Spirit Storage Bags today.”
“Wow! That means we can get a reply from Mom and Dad tomorrow!” Tang Yu’an said excitedly.
Having already celebrated his 15th birthday in the alternate dimension, the teenager had grown to 1.75 meters tall. Though he was still as cheerful and lively as ever, he was gradually shedding his youthful immaturity.
He hopped into the passenger seat and said to Zhou Qi, “Let’s go! Time to check on Lu Yan!”
Zhou Qi smiled, nodded, and after making sure Tang Yu’an had fastened his seatbelt, he drove the RV down the concrete road, speeding off into the distance.
Who knew what the situation with Lu Yan would be like?
*
MR168845 Dimension
“Mom! Mom—”
Tang Xueyun woke up to the urgent calls of her daughter.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she was met with her little girl’s tearful face.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” Tang Xueyun asked in alarm, momentarily disoriented, thinking she was still in the middle of a dangerous escape. She quickly sat up.
They were currently inside a magical tent, and it had already been ten days since they had obtained this miraculous shelter.
“Mom, you’re bleeding…” Tang Yuxin sobbed. “Are you going to die?”
Tang Xueyun, relieved to see they were still safe inside the tent, lowered her head—and only then did she notice the bloodstains on her pants and the large red patch on the bedsheet.
Since the apocalypse had begun and they had started fleeing for survival, she hadn’t had a period. Seeing this familiar sight again left her momentarily dazed.
Even the little black orb floated over and wrote a message asking if she needed medical treatment.
Tang Xueyun shook her head. Seeing her daughter still crying, she quickly comforted her, “Mommy is fine. This is just a normal biological process, not an injury.”
After hearing that, Tang Yuxin finally stopped crying, though she still looked worried.
“Where’s your dad?” Tang Xueyun asked.
“Dad’s cooking.”
Tang Xueyun could hear the sounds from downstairs. She nodded, intending to get up and clean herself, when she noticed she was still clutching a drifting bottle in her hand.
That’s right—she had picked up another bottle in her dream.
Thinking of her son, who hadn’t sent a message in several days, Tang Xueyun quickly opened the bottle and pulled out the spatial bag inside. Delighted, she said, “Look! Your brother sent us something again!”
“Wow! Really?”
Tang Yuxin’s eyes lit up, and she eagerly asked, “What did Brother send us this time?”
“Why don’t you open it and see?” Tang Xueyun handed her the bag.
“Okay!”
Tang Yuxin excitedly took the Spirit Storage Bag and opened it—only to glance inside and immediately shut it again.
The excitement and anticipation on her face froze.
