Two years later.
The federal government had finished clearing away the uncontrolled evolved creatures and established a safe zone in the suburbs. Its area was approximately one-tenth the size of the original city.
The roads between cities were cut off and overrun with wild beasts, making communication extremely inconvenient.
Fortunately, although the government had made mistakes during the early stages, it later took decisive and appropriate action, saving the lives of many residents.
The safe zone’s current population was approximately twenty per cent of what it had been during the city’s most prosperous period.
Although living conditions were somewhat worse, industry had begun to recover, and the entire city was functioning again.
There was only one slight difference from the old era:
People now had to bring their pets to work.
Early in the morning, Wang Wei took his Chinese domestic cat to work at the food-processing factory.
He worked as a security guard.
The job was quite easy. He only needed to drive away strangers, promptly raise the alarm whenever something happened, and occasionally register visitors’ names.
In reality, Wang Wei was merely an assistant responsible for minor tasks.
The true security guard was his cat…
The cat lay on the ground, its body approximately the size of an adult tiger.
Even an ordinary yawn made it look as though it were preparing to devour someone.
Wang Wei thought that in the past, he had worked hard to earn money and support his family.
Who could have expected their fortunes to reverse?
Now, the cat worked hard and earned money to support the household.
It supported not only him but his parents as well.
To be honest, it was rather difficult for a single job to feed three people and one cat.
Furthermore, after the cat’s body grew larger, its appetite became enormous.
Fortunately, his cat had once lived as a stray and was particularly skilled at fighting. It had unexpectedly managed to secure a job at the food-processing factory!
After the apocalypse, a food-processing factory was no longer part of a declining industry.
Wild animals had devastated the crops, causing grain production to plummet. Even the entire safe zone did not possess particularly large food reserves.
To obtain enough food, everyone worked conscientiously and diligently.
As a result, food-processing factories were treated with exceptional importance.
Anyone who managed to obtain a job there could boast about it with considerable pride.
Wang Wei leaned against his domestic cat as though reclining on a sofa.
The cat had a good temperament and neither avoided nor resisted him, simply allowing him to lie there.
For the umpteenth time, Wang Wei sighed inwardly about how fortunate he had been to adopt his cat.
Without it, his entire family would have been bitten to death by rats long ago.
Even if they had somehow survived, their lives would have been miserable.
They certainly would not have been able to eat, drink, and live leisurely as they did now.
While he was lost in emotion, a girl of around seventeen or eighteen approached.
Wang Wei knew that she was a new employee named Xu Shan. Before the apocalypse, she had only recently begun her first year of senior high school.
Whether before or after the apocalypse, someone who had not graduated from high school would ordinarily struggle to find employment.
However, what could anyone say when she owned both cats and dogs?
Wang Wei had heard that despite her young appearance, she kept five cats and six dogs at home.
She was practically a winner in life!
He gazed enviously at his new colleague while thinking:
Why hadn’t he thought of raising more cats and dogs back then?
“Brother Wang, please take care of me from now on,” Xu Shan said.
Although she owned many pets, she had an excellent temperament and was neither arrogant nor impatient.
“No problem.”
Wang Wei agreed immediately, resolving to establish a good relationship with her.
Two Shiba Inus followed beside Xu Shan.
They sniffed around and looked everywhere, their eyes filled with curiosity.
Xu Shan allowed her pets to sit beside the wall before asking curiously, “I heard the owner of the food-processing factory isn’t even thirty years old. Is that true?”
“Of course it’s true.”
The moment Wang Wei mentioned their boss, his expression became filled with respect.
“Not only did he possess incredible foresight and open a food-processing factory before the apocalypse, but he also raised two or three hundred German Shepherds at home.”
“Two or three hundred! And they were all German Shepherds! That’s probably what people mean when they say someone has a gold mine at home.”
Xu Shan tilted her head and thought for a long time, but she could not imagine what it would look like to keep two or three hundred German Shepherds as pets.
She muttered quietly, “I’ve never seen that many German Shepherds, but I have seen more than a hundred heroic pigs.”
It was said that during the early days of the apocalypse, the government had successfully established the safe zone largely because of the assistance provided by the heroic pigs from a pig farm.
To express gratitude, the government supported them, and they continued fighting on the front lines to protect the public.
Xu Shan had once been fortunate enough to encounter those heroes.
At the time, only one thought filled her mind:
*As expected of heroes. They look especially delicious…*
Of course, she quickly realised that such thoughts were deeply disrespectful towards the heroes and immediately banished them.
More than a hundred heroic pigs…
Wang Wei instinctively swallowed.
With difficulty, he said, “When you have time, you could find some people and form a team to hunt outside the safe zone.”
“As far as I know, porcupine meat tastes quite good. Golden pheasants would also work.”
After the government established the safe zone, all non-domesticated evolved creatures had fled into the wilderness.
Those who were strong and fortunate could return from a single trip with a considerable amount of prey.
Although Wang Wei also craved meat, the heroic pigs were out of the question.
They had rendered meritorious service and benefited everyone in the city.
“Wild hunting? Sure! I’ve wanted to try it for a long time.”
Xu Shan’s eyes brightened as she eagerly asked her senior colleague for more details.
She planned to visit the wilderness when she had time and hunt something to improve her meals.
…
After the apocalypse, numerous new industries emerged.
There was, for example, the livestock industry.
The Su White Pig was a newly evolved breed. An adult sow could give birth to more than ten piglets in a single litter.
They were not picky eaters, grew rapidly, had a high proportion of lean meat, and possessed only average fighting strength.
They were extremely suitable for large-scale farming.
Then there was the hunting profession.
Some residents were unwilling to work for others. Therefore, to fill their stomachs, they left the safe zone with their pets.
The wilderness was filled with opportunity, but it was also extremely dangerous.
A hunter might leave and never return.
Alternatively, they might successfully avoid danger and obtain valuable spoils with ease.
Whether they brought back animal cubs, wild plants, or captured prey, a successful haul could allow a hunter to live comfortably for an entire week.
Consequently, even though everyone knew that the wilderness was dangerous, numerous residents still left the safe zone without hesitation.
In recent years, the safe zone’s population had continued declining precisely because many people had ventured outside to try their luck and never returned.
There were also professional animal trainers.
Whether the problem was as minor as a pet losing its appetite or as significant as determining its evolutionary direction, professional trainers could examine the symptoms and offer different recommendations.
Then there were modern pharmacies.
They gathered medicinal herbs that had evolved after the apocalypse and processed them into pills and ointments.
Not only could these products assist pets in evolving, but they could also significantly reduce the dangers of exploring the wilderness.
…
Circumstances were constantly changing, but people always found ways to adapt.
In the central district of the safe zone, a pharmacy had not yet opened, but a long queue had already formed outside.
With nothing else to do, the customers began chatting.
One person said, “The ointment from this shop is extremely effective! The moment you apply it to a wound, the bleeding stops!”
Another said, “Their sugar pills are delicious! I have no idea what ingredients they use.”
“No matter how picky your pet is, all you have to say is, ‘Finish your food obediently, and you’ll receive a sugar pill afterwards.’ The pet immediately stops being picky.”
“They’ve also released a new Spirit-Nourishing Pill,” someone behind them interrupted. “They say that if pets eat enough of them, it can raise their evolutionary level.”
The first two people turned around in surprise.
“Is that true? Why haven’t we heard about it?”
The third person rolled his eyes.
“I just said it’s newly released.”
The person who asked laughed awkwardly, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Only after the words left his mouth did he remember that he visited merely once every two weeks.
Even if the shop released a new product, it would take him a long time to hear the news.
However, after thinking about it, his heart began burning with excitement.
A pet’s evolutionary level could increase!
It would become increasingly powerful!
Wouldn’t that make it easier to find employment in the future?
Even if the pet could not find a job, they could still hunt outside and obtain food.
At the very least, they would not need to beg anyone for help.
Another person looked hesitant and asked uncertainly, “Everything in this shop is so valuable. Won’t someone target it?”
If the shop were forced to close, the customers would be the ones who suffered.
“Who would dare?” the third person scoffed.
“The owner’s German Shepherd is a retired police dog that received specialised training!”
“Besides, while living in a shop like this, do you think it eats only a few medicinal pills?”
“A few days ago, I personally watched the guard dog swallow a Spirit-Nourishing Pill and evolve directly into a new species!”
“It could walk upright on two legs, and its claws were extraordinarily sharp. It didn’t look like a pet dog anymore. It resembled the legendary werewolf!”
“It appears that the Spirit-Nourishing Pill is extremely effective.”
As he spoke, the man instinctively touched his pocket and began feeling uncertain.
Should he buy one and test it?
Inside the shop, Gao Xuan and Gu Xinghang sat opposite each other and drank tea.
Although Cola could walk upright, he still preferred lying down.
At that moment, he was stretched across the sofa, his tail swaying lazily as he looked exceptionally comfortable.
Beside the sofa, a German Shepherd more than two metres long gazed up at Cola, its eyes filled with admiration.
The fragrance of tea filled the room.
Gao Xuan sighed softly.
“These days, very few people can obtain good tea.”
Gu Xinghang smiled.
“If you like it, I’ll give you everything I have stored.”
Gao Xuan lowered her eyes, her feelings somewhat complicated.
She had never expected that despite all the changes in the world, he would continue treating her exactly as he had before.
Gu Xinghang possessed numerous pets with extraordinary fighting strength.
Combined with the food-processing factory and his vast grain reserves, his status within the safe zone was exceptionally high.
As long as he wished, countless beautiful women would willingly throw themselves into his arms.
Yet he refused them all and stubbornly continued pursuing an impossible target.
Gao Xuan took a sip of tea and deliberately changed the subject.
“I heard that over the past few years, you sent trained German Shepherds to wealthy families as bodyguards and made a considerable fortune.”
“It was a voluntary arrangement between both sides,” Gu Xinghang said seriously.
“I never forced anyone. A transaction only occurred when both parties agreed.”
“In truth, I believe paying money to avoid disaster is an extremely worthwhile exchange.”
“So many people possessed great wealth but still had to confront death. That was true misfortune.”
Gao Xuan thought that in a chaotic era, wealth was not only useless but could easily attract unnecessary trouble.
If Gu Xinghang had not provided German Shepherd bodyguards, some people would have died long ago.
And now…
As far as she knew, several families had repeatedly explored the wilderness under the protection of German Shepherds and eventually found bear cubs.
If they continued lying low and carefully raising their pets, they would eventually have an opportunity to rise.
“The world is unpredictable.”
Gao Xuan sighed quietly.
“The current situation is barely stable. At least we can finally breathe more easily.”
“It’s only temporary peace.”
The rising fragrance blurred their vision as Gu Xinghang’s deep, mellow voice sounded at the appropriate moment.
“I received information that someone’s many-banded krait has developed protruding lumps on its head.”
“Before long, it may grow straight horns and evolve into a flood dragon.”
“Someone else’s carp has already grown dragon whiskers and evolved into a fish dragon.”
“And among the large number of green budgerigars I raise, one is exceptionally intelligent and can breathe fire.”
“It may eventually evolve into a divine creature resembling a phoenix.”
“Humanity once defeated countless species and became the dominant force on Earth.”
“That does not mean it will continue dominating in the future.”
“Humanity might become extinct before evolution has even reached its midpoint.”
A thoughtful expression appeared in Gao Xuan’s eyes.
“The only thing that never changes is change itself.”
Would animals continue evolving, develop extraordinarily high intelligence, and turn around to enslave humanity?
Once individuals obtained absolute physical power, would humans begin fighting among themselves?
With strange beasts appearing everywhere, what would the world eventually become?
Or perhaps biological evolution would end here.
Humanity might barely maintain order and gradually return to a peaceful and stable life.
…
Gao Xuan could not say.
The future was filled with unknowns.
All they could do was remain calm amid constant change and live each day as peacefully as possible.
-The End
**Author’s Note:**
Even after the situation stabilised, humanity could not return to the past.
Instead, people had to explore their way towards a new century.
This ending is not the conventional type in which “human determination conquers nature” or “humanity overcomes every difficulty and ultimately achieves victory.”
…
It is acceptable to promote positive messages about the government and praise it, but you must not casually criticise it…
Many of the scenes I wanted to write involved government actions, so I will not expand upon them.
This is a medium-length story: the beginning and ending are included, while the process is abbreviated.
The author is timid and afraid of receiving an unexpected visit from the authorities, so I refuse to do anything dangerous.
**Nomad:**
Many-banded krait
Carp
So, what did you think of this novel? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
It was nice translating something short for a change. I didn’t have to memorise an entire political system, twelve different kingdoms, and a magic system with fifty-seven rules just to understand what was happening.
The ending was okay for me, although I would have preferred the pre-apocalypse and post-apocalypse sections to be a little more evenly balanced, rather than the post-apocalypse arriving in the final chapter like, “Surprise! We’re here now!”
I also would have loved more romance and a few extra chapters. Then again, the author made it very clear that this wasn’t meant to be a serious project, so I can’t complain too much. The concept was still really refreshing, and I think it could have been developed into something much longer.
For anyone who prefers longer novels, I have a few others you can check out too!
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