Chapter 157 — Before the Holiday
Although they were operating under the philosophy that “serving the people is serving ourselves,” even Luo Xun wasn’t entirely sure whether completing this mission would actually earn them the promised points and rent exemption for the month.
Still, the group of miserable workers drove their junk truck, carrying large brooms and shovels, toward the work site.
It was quite a rare experience being post-apocalyptic sanitation workers.
Especially after discovering that beneath one massive snow pile was an equally massive heap of garbage accumulated since winter began…
Fine.
Only then did they realize this mission was basically a giant scam.
Aside from physical labor, it consumed almost no resources at all.
The only issue was that “surprises” occasionally appeared while working.
Those “surprises,” of course, referred to the zombie rats hiding inside trash heaps and snowdrifts.
There weren’t many of them, but while clearing several smaller snow piles they still encountered two zombie rats that suddenly sprang out.
And while cleaning one especially enormous garbage mound, a zombie bird unexpectedly burst out from inside.
Fortunately, they had already fully prepared both mentally and physically before coming.
The moment the zombie bird jumped out—before it even had time to spread its claws and screech—a barrage of abilities blasted over and flattened it instantly.
The sanitation crew shoveled snow and garbage while trying to entertain themselves with thoughts about “serving the people.”
…Alright, that goal was a little too noble for them.
Better to think of it as protecting their future quality of life and reducing trash buildup so epidemics wouldn’t break out later.
While happily shoveling garbage, Luo Xun suddenly heard his phone ringing.
He stopped swinging the oversized shovel, pulled out the phone, and after seeing the caller ID quickly stepped aside to answer.
“Captain Li?”
Sure enough, the cafeteria manager’s voice came through.
“Xiao Luo, do you still have vegetables over there? The cafeteria urgently needs some right now.”
Luo Xun blinked, then replied with a slightly pained tone:
“Captain Li… there’s really no way for us to supply vegetables at the moment.”
“You know what happened the last few days. Those zombie birds flew into the base and smashed almost every higher-floor window.”
“We barely survived those two days, and before we could even repair the windows, the zombie siege started and we got pulled into defending the walls…”
“We haven’t even had time to clean up the apartment yet. Most of the vegetables that were left froze to death. We really can’t sell vegetables for the time being.”
“Aiyo… what can you do…” Captain Li sighed.
Honestly, he had already guessed this might happen.
In fact, before making the call he wasn’t even sure it would connect.
The fact that Luo Xun himself answered meant either his team was exceptionally strong or he had been incredibly lucky to survive the zombie bird attack.
Vegetables…
Even the military’s own vegetable-growing buildings had their windows shattered by zombie birds, freezing and destroying most of the crops.
If he weren’t truly desperate, he wouldn’t be contacting Luo Xun at all.
Still, regardless of whether Luo Xun’s team survived through luck or strength, people like them were worth maintaining a good relationship with.
You never knew when they might prove useful later.
“Alright then, I won’t bother you further for now. But once things recover and you’ve grown new vegetables, the cafeteria still wants them! We’ll talk again later?”
A major incident had occurred inside the military camp last night.
For someone like Captain Li, who previously knew nothing about it, keeping his current position now required demonstrating value to the new leadership.
Otherwise, he could easily be replaced.
Since Luo Xun couldn’t help, he would have to contact other former suppliers.
After all, Luo Xun’s family wasn’t the only household capable of growing vegetables indoors.
Some families lacked his planting scale and couldn’t grow many “normal” crops.
But now?
Even abnormal vegetables were acceptable.
After hanging up, Luo Xun returned to Yan Fei’s side.
“What happened?” Yan Fei asked quietly.
“Captain Li wanted to buy vegetables. I turned him down.”
Their vegetables had indeed been affected by the zombie bird attack—but not in the way Luo Xun claimed.
It wasn’t that most of their crops had frozen to death.
It was simply that they hadn’t had time to care for them properly.
Well… some had frozen.
Apartment 1601, where Li Tie’s group lived, had served as their battlefield during the zombie bird assault.
They had opened the windows to fight, and afterward all the plants were pushed together in one place.
Cold air entered continuously, causing many crops to grow poorly.
And because they feared any visible light might attract more zombie birds, after sealing all windows with metal they hadn’t used supplemental grow lights either.
As a result, most vegetables had suffered badly these past few days.
Several solar panels near the combat areas were also damaged during the fighting.
Those would need replacing too.
In short, they had plenty of problems at home already.
But more importantly—the real reason Luo Xun refused Captain Li’s request was obvious.
The entire base had suffered massive losses.
Even the military’s vegetable farms and greenhouses were damaged.
So how could their family somehow remain completely unaffected and still supply vegetables normally?
At first, during the military’s urgent shortage, nobody would think too deeply about it.
But later?
If someone remembered…
that could easily become trouble.
Luo Xun understood this clearly, and Yan Fei immediately grasped his meaning as well.
Just look around.
How many surrounding buildings were still intact after the snow-clearing?
How many small two-story houses built by earth-type ability users before autumn were still standing?
If everyone else’s homes were destroyed while your household somehow continued growing healthy vegetables without issue…
that would attract far too much attention.
Selling small amounts might be alright.
Selling large quantities?
That was simply asking for trouble.
The nerd squad continued enthusiastically clearing snow and debris in their assigned district while occasionally smashing zombie rats.
Around noon, when they finally stopped to rest and eat lunch, the base gradually became lively again.
More and more people cautiously emerged from their homes, constantly watching the streets for zombie rats.
Fortunately, the rats still seemed somewhat afraid of daylight.
Unless someone accidentally disturbed their hiding place like Luo Xun’s group had done, they generally preferred remaining hidden in dark corners no matter what.
These newly active survivors had goals similar to those from before:
houses whose owners had died out completely, and relatively intact empty apartments.
Watching one group rush from the east side into a residential area to the west, only to return later carrying various supplies with delighted expressions, Luo Xun sighed faintly.
Right now, his family already had nearly everything they needed.
There was no reason to profit from the dead—at least not at a time like this.
But if this were his previous life?
He might very well have done the same thing.
Just probably not so brazenly.
It took Luo Xun’s team two entire days to complete their assigned cleanup before returning to the mission hall to submit it.
Only the following afternoon did they receive confirmation that the mission had passed inspection and that they could collect their points—as well as this month’s rent exemption.
Only after the points were safely in hand did everyone finally relax.
At least the work hadn’t been for nothing.
As for the political turmoil among the base leadership…ordinary survivors remained completely unaware.
In fact, even before all this, many survivors had no idea who actually controlled the base.
Was it one person?
Several people?
What were their names?
So even if power quietly changed overnight, nobody noticed anything unusual.
Only after completing the emergency cleanup mission and beginning repairs on their damaged equipment—while also checking how many solar panels had been destroyed—did Luo Xun and the others casually turn on the radio to pass time.
And only then did they realize something shocking.
It was still late January.
And New Year’s was almost here.
The zombie birds and zombie siege had caused nearly everyone to completely forget about the holiday.
Only after hearing “Today is the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month” from the radio did they suddenly realize—
It was already this time of year?!
“We should at least prepare a little and celebrate the New Year properly,” Xu Mei suggested.
“Yeah! Dumplings! Dumplings!” He Qiankun immediately raised his hand excitedly.
“Mutton dumplings!”
That sheep they had hunted earlier smelled incredible.
Just imagining dumplings made from that meat was enough to make him drool.
“We’re definitely making dumplings,” Luo Xun laughed.
“And dumplings won’t smell as strong as hotpot either, so we won’t have to worry about the scent drifting outside.”
“We can also make some things we don’t usually eat…”
“Like stew-style hotpot—not boiling hotpot.”
“We can fry potatoes, tofu, and mutton coated in batter, then simmer everything together…”
It sounded a bit like stew, honestly.
But the soup could be drunk afterward, or poured over rice.
“Sounds great!”
“Hotpot and dumplings!”
Everyone had been surviving on simple meals for days.
Now that things had finally calmed down—and since the weather remained freezing cold, making trips outside the base unnecessary for the moment—their thoughts naturally turned entirely toward food.
After all…their freezer was still packed full of meat.
At this point, most people still alive inside the base could probably enjoy a decent New Year.
Yes, they had lost people.
Yes, the buildings had suffered heavy damage.
But in truth, the food left behind by the dead was exactly what allowed the survivors to endure this brutal winter—and perhaps survive the hungry spring still to come.
Thank you for reading 🙂 I hope you all liked my translations. If you enjoyed my work, please consider buying me a Ko-Fi 😉
