Chapter 248
“Why would those two big shots trade precious food and water for those useless books?”
Lin Hui looked at the empty truck with no signs of abnormality and couldn’t help but ask.
“Who cares, as long as we have something to eat!”
Wang Xujun immediately sat down on the spot and opened the pack of compressed biscuits in his hand.
Inside the pack were ten small packets. He tore one open, revealing the biscuits inside. A faint grainy scent wafted up.
Lin Hui instinctively swallowed, no longer dwelling on the issue.
Wang Xujun didn’t eat it all himself. Instead, he carefully broke the biscuit into two halves.
Lin Hui reached out below, catching some biscuit crumbs that fell into his palm.
He swallowed hard, and after Wang Xujun handed him half, he couldn’t resist any longer and began to wolf down the biscuit.
Wang Xujun, however, ate very slowly.
The compressed biscuits, which had no flavor before the apocalypse, were something he would have scorned back then. They filled him up quickly but didn’t taste good.
Now, though, he savored each bite as if it were a delicacy. Each mouthful was carefully chewed, and he found himself savoring the flavor.
As he ate, his eyes began to moisten. However, Wang Xujun held it in, not letting the tears fall.
It wasn’t out of pride, but to conserve moisture.
Meanwhile, Lin Hui was devouring his portion and quickly choked. He hurriedly twisted open a bottle of mineral water, but when drinking, he only took a very small sip.
Swallowing the biscuit with the water, feeling something in his stomach, he couldn’t help but sigh in comfort.
He glanced at the remaining biscuits, his eyes revealing a longing.
He really wanted another piece.
But he held back. After all, having survived this long in the apocalypse, he wasn’t a fool.
Half a compressed biscuit could last quite a while. He couldn’t eat more. He had to resist.
At this moment, Wang Xujun also finished his half. Reluctantly, he licked his fingers, not caring how dirty they were.
“Let’s go, we should head back now.”
Lin Hui stood up, and Wang Xujun didn’t object. The two of them hid the biscuits, water, and salt in their clothes and left in a sneaky manner.
Though the death of the high-level aberrant creatures had temporarily cleared these two streets of any threats, they still had to be cautious of potential robbery.
Soon, they slipped into a house on the street.
It was an electronics shop. Since the apocalypse, electronics had become useless. Aside from some clear signs of damage to the cabinets and drawers, it seemed almost unchanged from before the disaster.
After all, the climate was still normal, and there hadn’t been any large-scale natural disasters like earthquakes or storms.
If it weren’t for the large number of aberrations, society’s collapse wouldn’t have been so rapid.
Of course, a few months had passed, and since no one had been cleaning, the shop was covered in dust.
As Lin Hui and Wang Xujun entered, a small head popped out from the corner.
“Brother, you’re back!”
A six or seven-year-old boy ran out, and Lin Hui held his head and ruffled his hair.
“Look, brother brought something back!”
“Is it biscuits?”
Lin Xiaoquan’s eyes lit up. Before the apocalypse, he had been a chubby little boy, but now he had slimmed down.
However, the extra fat had allowed him to survive for a long time in the apocalypse.
Lin Hui went to the kitchen, found a bowl, and broke half a biscuit into it. He added a bit of water to soften it, then let the boy eat it with a spoon.
The compressed biscuit had a slight salty taste, so there was no need to add salt.
“Brother, where did you find these biscuits?”
There weren’t many living people on their street. Besides the three of them, there was only a young couple at the end of the street.
They had searched every house, and the food was becoming scarcer and scarcer. They were barely holding on.
They had originally joined the self-defense team, but a few days ago, someone had tried to kill a teammate to eat meat. Although the attacker was killed, the team leader had strictly forbidden such actions.
However, in this apocalyptic world, trust was fragile. The tightly knotted rope had loosened after such an incident.
Lin Hui saw the atmosphere in the team becoming increasingly tense, so he ran away with his friend and younger brother.
After all, in the apocalypse, children were the easiest targets. He couldn’t bear the thought of returning and finding his only family member slaughtered.
He had already lost his parents; he couldn’t lose his younger brother too.
Seeing Lin Xiaoquan eat the biscuit mush with relish, Lin Hui thought again of the little girl who had followed the pillow-headed man.
He was sure he hadn’t been mistaken. The little girl was clean and fair, just like before the apocalypse…
“This was traded with someone else,” Wang Xujun answered Lin Xiaoquan’s question.
“Wow, what did you trade for it?”
“Books.”
Lin Xiaoquan froze for a moment. “Books? Those kinds of books?”
He pointed to a stack of magazines on a nearby cabinet.
Wang Xujun nodded. “Two really powerful big shots were collecting books, and we traded them about a dozen books for this food.”
“Wow! Can we trade more?”
Lin Xiaoquan licked the last of the biscuit mush from the bowl, then ran over to open a cabinet door. Pointing inside, he said, “There are so many books inside!”
The original owner of the shop had likely been a fan of novels, as the cabinet was stocked with classic martial arts novels.
Aside from the martial arts novels, there were also some books on electrical engineering.
“Should we try moving them tomorrow?” Wang Xujun asked, unsure.
Lin Hui nodded. “Let’s try again. While they still need stuff, we should trade more and stock up.”
“Should we find a new place to stay?” Wang Xujun asked again.
“You want to go near that truck?” Lin Hui immediately guessed his idea.
“Yeah,” Wang Xujun nodded. “Two high-level aberrant creatures died there. At least for the next month, no other aberrant creatures will come near. Plus…”
“Even though we can’t see those two big shots, they must be living nearby. If we run into danger, they wouldn’t just watch us die, right?”
It was always best to lean on the big tree for shade. To survive in the apocalypse, one had to learn to hitch a ride.
“If they can trade supplies with us for worthless books, it proves they’re good people,” Wang Xujun said firmly.
Before the apocalypse, they had been just two ordinary college students. The only reason they had survived this long was because there were good people in the self-defense team.
But…
As the supplies dwindled and no rescue came, even good people were starting to lose hope.
“Alright, I’ll go with you.” Lin Hui nodded.
At least staying safe for a month made moving worth it.
So they quickly packed, found a small trolley for moving appliances, and loaded the books from the cabinet onto it. They planned to push it over tomorrow.
Just as they finished packing and were about to rest, they heard a knock at the door.
The two exchanged glances, then cautiously took their weapons and carefully approached the door, opening a small crack.
Outside stood a pregnant woman with a large belly. Though she had survived a few months in the apocalypse, she didn’t look as thin as Lin Hui and the others. In fact, she looked in pretty good condition.
Lin Hui and Wang Xujun recognized her. Her name was Li Suqin, and she lived at the end of the street with her husband.
Of course, they knew about her ability.
This is also why she doesn’t look too thin, because she can photosynthesize like a plant—just basking in the sun and drinking water every day keeps her alive.
She had been with the self-defense team before, but after that incident, she and her husband felt it was no longer safe, so they moved out.
Since they often met, their relationship was decent, but they always kept their distance and didn’t dare to get too close.
This was the first time she took the initiative to come find them.
“Sister Qin, is there something wrong?” Lin Hui hesitated and asked.
“Huizi, do you have any medicine? Brother Li is injured, and his bleeding won’t stop. I had no choice but to come and ask you…” Li Ge is Li Suqin’s husband, whose full name is Li Yu.
Li Suqin’s eyes were filled with tears, and she spoke in a low, pleading voice, looking completely lost and out of sorts.
“Sister Qin, we don’t have any medicine here either…” Lin Hui frowned and looked at Wang Xujun.
Wang Xujun nodded at him, and only then did Lin Hui say, “Take us to see him. I know some first aid, so let’s see if it helps.”
“Okay… okay… thank you!”
Lin Hui instructed Lin Xiaoquan to hide in the cupboard and go to sleep. After locking the door, he followed Wang Xujun to the place where Li Suqin and Li Yu lived.
Before entering the house, they already smelled the strong odor of blood. Fortunately, the house was quite close to the gym, and it seemed like the smell from the mutated creatures had covered the scent, preventing new mutations from approaching.
When they entered, they saw Li Yu lying on the bed, his right calf mangled and bloody, as though a piece of flesh had been violently bitten off.
Li Suqin explained, “He went out to look for food in a farther place today, and came back injured in the evening.”
Lin Hui checked his wound. It looked like it had been bitten by a mutated animal.
He tied a piece of cloth around Li Yu’s thigh, but seeing him in such a dire condition, Lin Hui couldn’t help but sigh. With so much blood loss, it didn’t seem like he could survive…
Seeing his expression, Li Suqin’s face filled with despair, “Can’t you save him? He hasn’t seen the baby yet, he can’t die…”
Lin Hui felt disturbed by her crying, while Wang Xujun hesitated before saying, “There’s one more way.”
“What way?” Li Suqin was stunned, then grabbed his hand, earnestly saying, “Please tell me, I’ll do anything as long as it can save him!”
“Do you have any books?”
“Huh? Books?”
*
At the Magic Tent
After taking a bath, Tang Xueyun went to sleep with her daughter. Tang Sheng sat on the sofa, reading the books he received earlier that day, with the little black ball quietly sitting on his shoulder.
The dozen or so books, besides two popular science magazines, had only one comic version of the “Huangdi Neijing” (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon). He felt it might be useful, while the rest were mostly novels and essay collections.
Would An’an and the others need these books?
Tang Sheng was a little doubtful but decided to send them to his son when the next message bottle arrived.
Of course, he would have to read the novels first. Despite his son growing up a lot in the other world, he still remembered him as a junior high schooler, and some of the content might not be suitable for him.
As he read, he became a bit absorbed in the novel.
As one of the sources of spiritual nourishment, novels can indeed help people relax, immerse themselves in a fictional world, and temporarily forget the harsh realities.
Suddenly, there was a disturbance outside the tent.
The little black ball flew up and wrote on the board: [Dad, someone is outside.]
It was people, not mutated creatures.
Tang Sheng breathed a sigh of relief, closed the novel carefully, and cautiously went to the door to peek through the monitor.
The carriage door was opened, and the two young people from earlier in the day came again, this time accompanied by a pregnant woman.
They placed the books inside the carriage.
“Great Deity, if you’re still here, please help us. Someone is injured and needs medical supplies…”
Lin Hui said, but after waiting for a long time without a response, he exited the carriage and closed the door.
“Hui Zi, do you really think this will work?” Li Suqin still couldn’t believe it.
In such an apocalypse, who would be willing to exchange precious medicine for these seemingly useless books?
“We only traded for food this afternoon. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to get medicine,” Lin Hui said. “Right now, it’s a desperate measure. Let’s see what happens.”
At that moment, Wang Xujun suddenly pulled them aside.
“Quick, look!”
Since it was already night, the only light came from the moon, and when the carriage interior lit up, the light spilled out through the cracks.
There were indeed people inside the carriage!
This was what Tang Sheng had expected.
He turned on his flashlight, half of his body poking outside the tent, but his feet were still inside.
He was testing.
If the people outside decided to come in at that moment, he would immediately dive into the tent and wait for them to leave before moving his family.
Even before the apocalypse, there had always been many scammers, let alone in this current world.
He had promised Tang Xueyun that he would help others, but he would never let his family get into danger.
After three minutes of waiting and seeing that the people outside didn’t open the door, Tang Sheng felt relieved and stepped out of the tent toward the pile of books.
This pile of books was larger than before, with about 30 or 40 in total. There was also a note on top of the stack.
The note detailed the injured person’s condition and asked for urgent medical supplies.
Tang Sheng collected the books into the spatial bag, then took out the exchanged items, and wrote a reply on the note.
After some hesitation, he placed a flashlight on top of the note and went back into the tent.
*
Outside the carriage:
Li Suqin saw the light inside the carriage and instinctively tried to get closer, but was quickly stopped by Lin Hui and Wang Xujun.
“Don’t go. Wait a bit more,” Wang Xujun whispered.
They stayed outside, watching the flickering shadows inside the carriage, clearly seeing that someone was moving inside.
So, those two great beings really live in the carriage?
Finally, the light inside the carriage disappeared.
They waited a little longer before approaching the carriage door and opening it, only to find that the books they had left inside were gone.
In their place were a bottle of alcohol, cotton in a sealed bag, a roll of bandages, a packet of powdered medicine, and a row of pills.
There was also a flashlight.
Lin Hui picked up the flashlight, turned it on to check, then saw additional lines of text added to the note:
[I’m glad you didn’t open the carriage. If you had barged in, I would have left.]
[If you follow the rules, I welcome you to continue exchanging books for supplies, but be sure to pay attention to the content. I would prefer to see more useful books.]
[I don’t mind you bringing others, but be sure to tell them the rules here. Once someone opens the carriage door during a transaction, all exchanges will end.]
[That packet of powdered medicine is for stopping bleeding. Use alcohol to disinfect the wound, then apply the medicine and bandage it. If you have a fever, take one pill.]
[Good luck.]
Looking at the note, Lin Hui and Wang Xujun exchanged a glance, both seeing the joy in each other’s eyes.
The trade could continue, and they could tell others?
Li Suqin, however, quickly grabbed the medical supplies and rushed back, not forgetting that her husband was still waiting for her.
Wang Xujun followed her with the flashlight, while Lin Hui closed the carriage door again before catching up with them.
They ran through the night, still anxious to save someone, but the smiles on their faces couldn’t be suppressed.
If we can tell others, does that mean the Self-Defense Force people can come too?
With supplies, everyone should be able to eat well, so they shouldn’t fight over food anymore, right?
In such an apocalyptic world, we still need to stick together to survive!
*
Inside the tent.
Tang Sheng was listening to the sounds outside. After the three people left, he finally relaxed.
At that moment, he heard footsteps behind him.
Tang Sheng turned around and saw that Tang Xueyun had woken up at some point. She quietly walked over and asked, “Did someone come again?”
“Yes, someone was injured.”
He then explained what had happened earlier. “They’ll probably tell others and come back to trade again.”
Tang Xueyun nodded, then asked, “Do you need anything other than books?”
Tang Sheng was momentarily stunned and shook his head.
“Next time, let them bring something else, like a phone. Although An’an has a light brain, it was bought with points—how expensive is that?”
The food they traded away is definitely not as valuable as a light brain.
An’an’s world is much more backward than theirs, so if the phone could work normally, it would be enough.
“Other than phones, daily necessities like pots, pans, bowls, and other things—anything that An’an and the others can’t produce, we can trade for.”
“We need to be mindful.”
Tang Xueyun thought for a moment, then said, “Let’s ask An’an for a price list and mark how much each of these foods is worth in points. Though saving people is important, we have to consider the pressure from our son.”
The two kids in the other world already had a hard time. Tang Xueyun didn’t want to burden them further, so they had to keep the losses as low as possible.
Rescuing people also needs to account for the cost.
“Hahaha, Ah Yun, you’re absolutely right, you’re so clever!”
Tang Sheng laughed happily. This way, they could help more people survive while also easing their son’s burden. It was a great idea!
“Let’s also make a list, then. Think about what else we can trade.”
So, the couple sat on the couch and began brainstorming what things Tang Yu’an and the others might need that would also be easy for the people in this world to find.
*
On the road from Jufeng Mountain to Linhai Town.
After crossing the first bridge, Tang Yu’an and the others encountered another river, stopped to build again, and then continued their journey.
Meanwhile, the Star-chain fruit in Lan Hu Town had finally had its second harvest.
They set the RV to autopilot and then transported to Lan Hu Town.
This time, the harvest was slightly less than the first time, only bringing back 150,000+ points. However…
Tang Yu’an finally drew a point-doubling card yesterday!
[Employee “Zhou Qi” completed a profitable transaction with an old customer, points +312,458 (point-doubling card in effect), experience +1]
A single transaction earned 310,000 points!
Tang Yu’an’s point balance finally surpassed two million and was quickly approaching the three-million mark!
More importantly, the point-doubling card effect hadn’t ended yet.
They quickly went to Jufeng Town to trade with Hei Xiong for the bricks made in the past few days at the brick kiln.
Thanks to the increased production capacity, even though only a few days had passed since the last trade, the warehouse still had an extra 100,000 bricks.
With the point-doubling card’s effect, this brought Tang Yu’an more than 30,000 points.
By the next day, after adding all the employee profits, Tang Yu’an had actually earned more than 500,000 points, thanks to the point-doubling card!
“We’ve struck it rich!” He couldn’t help but cheer.
Unfortunately, because the Hai Jing was almost discovered last time, he didn’t dare store salt at home anymore, so there was less point income from the small deal with Little Hai Lan.
Otherwise, they could have made even more profit! Building a branch in Lin Hai Town was now imperative.
Since they started building the road, over half a month had passed in this world, and Lin Hai Town finally appeared in their sight.
During this time, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi had also spent more than half a year in the other world.
In another three or four months, Zhou Qi, who would turn 19, had begun to lose his youthful features and was becoming more handsome and heroic, fitting his age.
He used binoculars to observe Lin Hai Town and saw many guards patrolling the area outside the town.
Unlike other towns, Lin Hai Town seemed to be the wealthiest one they had seen—Lan Hu Town couldn’t compare because of its exclusionary policies.
“It feels like a small fortress,” Zhou Qi said.
It was also the town that resembled the original world the most. The guards clearly had good food and were well-trained elite forces.
Tang Yu’an, on the other hand, was looking at the map.
Since the RV was on autopilot, the fog within a kilometer of the vehicle was cleared away.
The map was covered in green dots, indicating a population much larger than Lan Hu Town.
They also discovered several small settlements along the road to Lin Hai Town, likely because Lin Hai Town had salt, so people were naturally gathering here.
After discovering these small settlements, they stopped paving the road.
After all, the fence at the foot of Jufeng Mountain hadn’t even reached the first bridge, so there was no need to draw Lin Hai Town’s attention at this moment.
“Should we get out of the RV and go over?” Tang Yu’an asked.
The RV was too large to enter Lin Hai Town unless they smashed through the town gate.
“How far is Guanyu Village from here?” Zhou Qi asked.
“I’ll check… Huh?”
Tang Yu’an was suddenly surprised. “Why isn’t Hai Jing in Guanyu Village?”
On the map, a noticeable trail had appeared in the fog around Guanyu Village, representing Hai Jing’s blue dot, surrounded by several green dots, heading toward their direction.
The destination seemed to be Linhai Town.
“Hai Jing is coming to the town to do business?” Tang Yu’an felt something was off and told Zhou Qi about it to discuss.
“Are the dots around him all green?”
“Yes.”
Zhou Qi furrowed his brows. “Then something must have happened.”
