Chapter 141: Human Pack
None of the four expected that bamboo leaves could be used to make tea.
As they sipped the bamboo leaf tea, Yan Xi Nian couldn’t help but marvel once again. “We really underestimated Xia Lu Nong’s powers.”
Xia Lu Nong responded modestly, “Not really, not really.”
“Yes, really,” Xia Huo Qu chimed in. “Your ability is probably one of the most powerful of this era. When we have the chance, we should study it more thoroughly.”
“That might take a while,” Xia Lu Nong replied. “The base is still in a state of rebuilding, and who knows when we’ll have the resources for research.”
Yan Xi Nian, hearing this, said, “Last year, our base was just established. This year, we’ve already explored the surrounding areas, so maybe next year we can visit the Fireseed Base—the strongest remnant in this era.”
Xia Lu Nong’s eyes lit up. “Are we going next winter?”
Yan Xi Nian answered, “Depends on how busy things are next year. We’re not short on food, so we might even be able to leave in the summer or fall.”
Xia Lu Nong’s eyes gleamed with anticipation. “I hope we can make the trip next year.”
Yan Xi Nian added, “Don’t forget we still owe the Honeysuckle a visit. Next year, we can check on it and then head to the Fireseed Base. With these bamboo storage tubes, it’ll be much easier, even without a vehicle.”
Xia Lu Nong nodded.
After finishing their tea, they examined the newly grown bamboo tubes. Without filling them with water, it was hard to estimate the capacity inside.
Xia Huo Qu said, “Let’s skip the water test. The remaining moisture could affect the preservation of items. Since we’re fishing, let’s just stuff it with fish and see how much it can hold.”
The bamboo tube was large enough to fit whole fish inside.
Yan Xi Nian measured it with his hands and laughed, “That’s a good idea. Once the fish freeze solid, we can stuff them in. They should last ten days to two weeks.”
Xia Huo Qu agreed. “Alright, let’s finish breakfast quickly and get back to fishing. There’s plenty of fish in the river. After setting aside the dogs’ share, we should be able to fill two bamboo tubes.”
Upon hearing this, Xia Lu Nong immediately exclaimed, “Brother, I’ll join you in catching fish!”
Xia Huo Qu glanced at him. “Didn’t you just use your powers? Aren’t you tired?”
“I’ll nap later, but first I want to help with the fishing. When it comes to finding fish, my sense of smell is better than the dogs, and I can talk!”
Xia Huo Qu patted his lower back lightly. “Good for you, comparing yourself to the dogs.”
Xia Lu Nong laughed and eagerly followed his brother and the others to pull in the nets.
The nets were full of fish and shrimp. Apart from the ones that were heavily mutated, most were edible. Even if they didn’t eat the fish with the strong, fishy taste or tough flesh, the dogs were more than happy to devour them.
They stayed by the river for five days and caught tens of thousands of pounds of fish.
Aside from one particularly fierce fish, they only packed two bamboo tubes full, totaling more than ten thousand pounds of fish. The rest were left for the dogs.
Roughly half of the fish they caught went to the dogs, which seemed fair.
The dogs dug holes and burrows, hiding most of the fish while leaving some as their daily rations, frozen by the riverbank.
Xia Lu Nong had grown fond of the dogs and even considered taking a few with them when they left.
But the dogs didn’t agree.
Especially the large yellow dog that led the pack—it clearly expressed its desire to continue leading the group and living in the area.
The dogs had become accustomed to their current lifestyle and enjoyed the thrill of living off the hunt.
Xia Lu Nong and his group didn’t force the issue, but they regretfully said goodbye to the pack of dogs.
The dogs were also reluctant to part with them. On the day they left, the dogs chased after their car for a long distance.
Xia Lu Nong’s eyes reddened as he leaned out of the car window, waving at the dogs. “Goodbye! We’ll come see you again if we get the chance!”
“Woof, woof!”
“Our base is in the southeast. If you ever run into trouble, you can come find us!”
“Woof, woof!”
“Go back now! Don’t follow us anymore!”
Xia Lu Nong shouted into the wind, his eyes and nose both red—whether from sadness or the cold was unclear.
The dogs followed their car for over ten kilometers. Gradually, more and more of them fell behind. Finally, the large yellow dog, after seeing them around a mountain, also stopped and sat by the roadside, watching them leave.
When Xia Lu Nong pulled his head back inside the car, his eyes were full of tears.
Kong Zhi wrapped his arm around Xia Lu Nong’s shoulders, gently patting his back.
Xia Lu Nong buried his face in Kong Zhi’s shoulder, not lifting his head.
Neither Xia Huo Qu nor Yan Xi Nian said anything to him.
Their truck drove on.
The snow hadn’t melted, and the soft layers had frozen solid, making the road increasingly slippery.
Seeing that it was getting too difficult to manage, Xia Lu Nong had no choice but to use his powers to grow some tough vines, wrapping them around the wheels to provide some grip.
Yan Xi Nian, gripping the steering wheel and staring ahead, said, “It feels like the weather is getting worse. I wonder how things are going at the base?”
Xia Huo Qu replied, “There are plenty of capable people at the base. It’ll run just fine without us; we don’t need to think too highly of ourselves.”
“That’s true,” Yan Xi Nian agreed. “In that case, let me rephrase. I wonder how our pigs, cows, and sheep are doing? In winter, we really need some red meat.”
Xia Lu Nong, still somewhat downcast, replied, “The fodder was prepared well in advance. I told He Shu Hui that if necessary, just feed them beans. They won’t go hungry.”
Yan Xi Nian nodded, “The pigs and cows in the base should be fine, but I’m not so sure about the sheep.”
Xia Lu Nong said, “Those sheep will eat anything. If they get really desperate, they’ll probably head up the mountain.”
“If they go up the mountain, they’ll be hard to find again,” Yan Xi Nian said. “But there’s no point worrying about it now. We’ll just have to take things one step at a time.”
The four of them made small talk, taking turns driving and resting.
On the way, they raided five gas stations, storing up enough fuel to run the heater comfortably as they continued toward the Black Gold Base.
By the afternoon of the next day, they could start to make out signs of human activity along the roadside.
The people lived in houses that had existed before the disaster. Most of the buildings appeared to have been repaired and reinforced, and the people living inside were likely quite strong.
Xia Lu Nong and his group even spotted some defensive fortifications and noticed gun barrels sticking out from some of the houses.
The sight was nerve-wracking.
They woke up Yan Xi Nian and Xia Huo Qu, who had been resting in the truck bed, and the four of them remained on high alert.
Fortunately, though the houses had weapons pointed out from them, the inhabitants showed no sign of aggression.
Their truck passed safely under the watchful eyes and gun barrels along the road, though cold sweat formed on everyone’s backs.
Yan Xi Nian, staring out of the truck window, quietly said, “This won’t do. It’s too risky. During the day, it’s manageable, but at night, someone might take advantage of the chaos to attack us. We need to find a safe place to stop, rest, and replan our route.”
The others agreed.
Kong Zhi turned the wheel. “Let’s find a small, uninhabited village nearby.”
“Good idea,” Xia Huo Qu said. “We’ll be cautious.”
Kong Zhi steered the truck down a side road.
Soon, they noticed even more people along the smaller road.
In some villages, people were even living in tents.
It was evening, and many had lit campfires in the snow. Among them were quite a few elderly people and children.
It was midwinter, and many of the people were poorly dressed, eyeing the passing strangers warily.
Xia Lu Nong, also on high alert, looked at the strangers in the distance with mixed feelings.
As he watched them, they were also watching him.
Xia Lu Nong’s features were quite delicate, his eyes strikingly clear and bright, giving him a gentle demeanor.
One of the burly men outside met his gaze and shouted, “Hey, brother! Where are you headed? It’s getting dark; why not stop and rest here?”
Kong Zhi slowly pressed the brake, cracked the window open slightly, and asked, “What do you have here?”
“We’ve got hot water! Rooms! Even a parking lot!” the burly man, sensing an opportunity, shouted more enthusiastically. “We guarantee your safety! You’re heading to the Black Gold Base, right? We’ve even got exclusive information!”
The truck came to a slow stop.
Kong Zhi turned to Xia Lu Nong and asked, “Xia Lu Nong, can you sense whether we’re in any danger here?”
Xia Lu Nong took a moment to focus before shaking his head. “Doesn’t seem like it.”
Kong Zhi then turned to Xia Huo Qu and Yan Xi Nian in the back. “Huo Qu, what do you think? Should we stay and rest, and maybe gather some intel?”
“Sounds good,” Xia Huo Qu said. “When he comes over, let Yan Xi Nian ask him some questions first.”
The burly man was solidly built and walked with long strides. In just a few minutes, he reached their truck and raised his hand in greeting from five or six meters away. “Need a place to rest? I see you’ve got a truck and some capable people—no need to worry about safety staying with us.”
Yan Xi Nian was amused by the man’s unique sales pitch. “Are you running a hotel here?”
“No way! This place barely gets any traffic—there’s no way we could run a hotel,” the man said. “It’s just me and a few buddies living here. There’s enough space, and we can make room for you. We’re just trying to make a little extra money and pick up some news.”
The man was quite straightforward.
Yan Xi Nian smiled and introduced himself. “I’m Yan Xi Nian. What should we call you?”
“My name is Xiong An Tian, but my friends call me Big Xiong,” Xiong An Tian introduced himself. “Where are you guys coming from? Judging by the condition of your truck, it looks like your journey hasn’t been too rough?”
Yan Xi Nian replied, “We’re from a small base to the southeast. With things quiet in winter, we decided to check out the Black Gold Base. Why are you living outside the base? Aren’t you worried about mutant plants and animals?”
Xiong An Tian sighed, “Of course we’re worried, but what choice do we have? The Black Gold Base is safe, but the taxes are ridiculously high. We work ourselves to the bone, and after paying taxes, we can barely afford to eat. So we figured we’d be better off living outside the base. Anyway, with so much traffic around here, all the dangerous or valuable mutant creatures have already fled.”
After chatting for a while, Yan Xi Nian observed that Xiong An Tian’s gaze was straightforward and that he didn’t seem to harbor any ill intentions. Confident in their own strength, Yan Xi Nian agreed to stay.
Xiong An Tian, thrilled to secure the business, said, “We run something like a homestay here. It’s five kilograms of rice or equivalent grain per person, per night. We provide hot water, bedding, and one meal. If you need, we can also service your vehicle, but that’ll cost extra.”
Kong Zhi drove, following Xiong An Tian to their settlement.
As Yan Xi Nian and Xiong An Tian walked ahead, Yan Xi Nian noticed children in the settlement and asked, “You invited us so eagerly—aren’t you worried we might be dangerous?”
“In times like these, if we didn’t have a good eye for people, we’d have died a thousand times over already,” Xiong Antian replied. “Besides, we’re under the jurisdiction of the Black Gold Base. There’s not much here worth coveting, and you wouldn’t risk getting hunted down by the base just for a small profit, would you?”
