After Bai Qingqing reached the third stage of her abilities, they hadn’t had a chance to search for vehicles or other means of transportation in the city warehouse. So the two of them had to walk to Zhou Village on foot.
The distance of two kilometers wasn’t too far, and an average person could probably reach it in a little over half an hour.
Outside Zhou Village, there was a tall city wall, along with wooden and iron spike nets. It was difficult for both zombies and humans to approach the village, making it a closed-off area.
If pedestrians wanted to pass through, they had to obtain permission from the villagers. The sentries saw two figures slowly approaching and cautiously picked up their firearms.
“They’re not zombies, they’re humans, a man and a woman.”
Fu Chen kept a safe distance from the obstacles while holding Bai Qingqing and raised his voice, “I have a friend in your village. Can you let us in?”
Once it was confirmed that the two were not zombies, someone quickly came to open the door and let them in.
The people of Zhou Village had lived off the mountains and relied on the water for generations. It was a village with its own indigenous culture, divided into two mountains to the south and north. Every household was nestled between the two mountains, and the roads formed a watershed.
From ancient times to the present, it was known as a utopia, yet it also instilled fear in people. If an ordinary person were to fall into these mountains, they would find it impossible to escape.
The houses built by the people of Zhou Village also had a distinct style. Every household was made of wood, and the courtyards were adorned with plants such as banana trees and camellias. The serene courtyards made people want to stay and relax.
The locals also dressed in distinctive ethnic attire. The men wore silver jewelry on their ears and carried curved knives as they surrounded the two individuals, asking, “What are your names?”
Fu Chen said, “I have a friend in your mountain village. I’ve come to find them.”
The guard showed no mercy and immediately demanded money, saying, “Anyone entering the village must pay.”
“How much?” Fu Chen asked calmly.
The man sized up the two individuals and said, “Twenty thousand for each person, cash or gold and silver only.”
In the impoverished mountains and treacherous waters, Zhou Village had closed itself off. Anyone passing through or staying had to pay a large sum of money. If they didn’t have money, they would have to come up with another plan.
Fu Chen took Bai Qingqing to the side and took out some gold and silver from his space. After waiting for a while, he handed it over to the gatekeeper and asked, “Is this enough? Can we go in now?”
Bai Qingqing obediently stayed by his side and didn’t say a word. With Fu Chen’s strength, as long as she followed him, she would be safe no matter where they went.
The gatekeeper questioned the authenticity of the gold, took a bite to test it, and smiled, “It’s real gold. Come on in. What’s your friend’s name?”
Fu Chen said, “Xiao Yang.”
A strange light flickered in the gatekeeper’s eyes as he laughed heartily, “So you’re friends with Brother Xiao Yang.”
“Can friends enter without paying?” Bai Qingqing asked.
The man’s face turned awkward, and he said, “No, rules cannot be broken.” He put away the gold and said, “If you want to stay, you’ll have to meet with the clan leader first.”
The man led the two of them into Zhou Village, and as soon as they entered the village, they saw the imposing modified vehicle. It was now chained, and no one could move it.
It seemed that the Thunder Squad was indeed inside Zhou Village. They wondered about their situation.
There were few people in the village, only some sturdy men patrolling with weapons. When they saw newcomers entering the village, they cast evaluating glances.
Bai Qingqing felt the uncomfortable and eerie gazes and couldn’t help but move closer to Fu Chen.
Fu Chen quietly held her hand and whispered, “Don’t be afraid.”
“I’m not afraid,” Bai Qingqing said in a low voice. “I have my big brother by my side.”
Fu Chen tightened his grip on her hand and pulled her along to follow the gatekeeper into an ancient building, which was the ancestral hall of the people of Zhou Village.
Several people were seated inside the ancestral hall, and an elderly man with white hair sat in the main seat. Judging by his age, he must have been over eighty, while the other men were around fifty or sixty years old.
“Are you the newcomers from outside?” the clan leader asked with a frail voice.
“Yes,” Fu Chen replied. “I have a few friends here.”
The clan leader asked, “What’s your friend’s name?”
“Xiao Yang,” Fu Chen said calmly. “I accidentally got separated from them and came here to find them.”
The clan leader instructed a young man behind him, “Huzi, take them to find their friends.”
The man named Huzi responded, “Yes, clan leader.”
As they walked out of the ancestral hall, Bai Qingqing finally felt a bit more at ease. Something felt off in the ancestral hall, as if they were being scrutinized like merchandise.
Huzi, wearing a vest and shorts, had a silver necklace with intricate runes around his neck, and his face was marked with red and green streaks.
As they walked, he said, “Your friends arrived the day before yesterday. They have all settled in the mountain village and don’t plan on leaving.”
A look of astonishment flashed in Bai Qingqing’s eyes. How could those guys be willing to stay in a small mountain village and not leave? There must be something strange going on.
Huzi led them along the winding road to the north of Zhou Village and encountered a group of people carrying wood halfway up the mountainside.
After not seeing each other for two days, the Thunder Squad had undergone a drastic change. Cheng Rui and Xiao Yang wore silver jewelry around their necks, with their strong upper bodies bare and wearing black lantern pants and cloth shoes. They were carrying two pieces of wood together.
Bai Qingqing looked at them with an admiring gaze and jokingly said, “Brother, it seems like they really don’t want to leave and plan to stay in Zhou Village and marry into the village.”
Fu Chen blocked her gaze and looked at Xiao Yang and Cheng Rui, asking, “When do you have time?”
Xiao Yang and Cheng Rui, still carrying the wood, replied, “Half an hour from now.”
Fu Chen nodded slightly and looked at Shen Mingxuan and Liang Zhiyu, who came down the mountain path. They hadn’t been spared either and had changed into ethnic clothing and attire.
These handsome men, due to their regular training, had bodies that rivaled male models. With their new attire, they each had their own distinct style, very eye-catching.
Bai Qingqing secretly chuckled. She hadn’t expected that the big shots who could call the shots in the apocalypse would end up staying in a small mountain village and carrying wood.
When Shen Mingxuan saw Bai Qingqing standing next to Fu Chen, a peculiar expression flickered in his peach blossom eyes. He didn’t target her with his usual sarcastic remarks.
Huzi brought the two of them to meet their friends and then took them to a wooden house, saying, “Unmarried men and women in our village have to live separately. Miss, you have to go to the south.”
Bai Qingqing thought to herself that’s why she hadn’t seen Bai Tiantian’s figure. The men were busy carrying wood, and she didn’t know if the women had any tasks to do. She showed a panicked expression and looked at Fu Chen. “Brother, I don’t want to be separated from you.”
“Little girl,” Huzi said, “don’t make it difficult for me. It’s against the rules of the village.”
Fu Chen’s dark eyes deepened, and he said, “Listen, go.”
Bai Qingqing lowered her eyelashes and pursed her lips. “Okay.”
She followed Huzi and walked south. Along the way, she surveyed the entire village. As the sun was about to set, the beautiful scenery of the day seemed somewhat eerie.
Huzi led her to the southern part of the village and told her to go up the mountain to the house where corn and chili peppers were hanging and sleep there.
“Host, would you like to receive a side quest?” the system asked as they walked.
Bai Qingqing continued walking and asked, “What are the benefits of completing a side quest?”
“The points earned from completing the quest can be exchanged for mutant plant seeds,” the system replied.
Bai Qingqing paused her steps and asked, “You mean the plant seeds that can be grown in the space?”
“Yes, Host.”
“Side quest initiated. Task 1: Help Awang meet Amei. Task 2: Make them a couple.”
“…” Are you sure you’re not teasing me, system?
Who is Awang, and who is Amei? She was unexpectedly doing a matchmaker task in the apocalypse. It was too absurd to comment on.
Oh well, she would endure it for the sake of quest points.
Following Huzi’s description, Bai Qingqing found a wooden house. She pushed open the fence and walked into the courtyard, where she happened to see an old lady carrying a bucket of water, slowly ascending the steps. Bai Qingqing quickly ran over. “Grandma, let me help you.”
The old lady heard the voice and smiled. “Thank you, you must be the new girl, right?”
“Yes, my name is Bai Qingqing.” Bai Qingqing carried the water up the steps, took a few steps into the room, and placed the bucket next to the water tank.
The old lady slowly entered the house and kindly asked, “Miss Qingqing, have you had dinner?”
Bai Qingqing and Fu Chen had eaten some dry food on the way and hadn’t eaten anything since then. Her stomach was indeed a little hungry. She shyly shook her head and said, “No.”
The old lady took out a piece of corn from the pot and said, “Here’s a corn for you to eat. I’ll go cook.”
Bai Qingqing took a bite of the corn. The sweet and tender yellow corn tasted delicious. She couldn’t help but take a few more bites and said, “Grandma, let me help you.”
“No need, I’m still capable of doing things. How can I let a guest do the work?” The old lady refused her kind offer.
Bai Qingqing chewed on the corn and looked around the wooden house. The room was simple, and the furniture was old but well-maintained.
During dinner, she asked the old lady, “Grandma, do you know who Awang is?”
The old lady put down her bowl and said, “Which Awang are you looking for?”
Bai Qingqing had a bad feeling. “Are all the men in the village called Awang?”
The old lady chuckled and said, “Young girl, if you’re in a relationship with a young man, didn’t he tell you his real name?”
“…Seems like he didn’t.”
“What about Amei?” Bai Qingqing asked with a sense of hopelessness. “Are all the girls in the village called Amei?”
“No, not all of them.” The old lady picked up some cured meat for her. “You’re too thin, eat more.”
Bai Qingqing was focused on completing her task and asked, “How many Awangs are there in the village?”
The old lady pondered for a while and finally said, after some effort, that there were three households with that name.
Bai Qingqing figured the old lady’s memory wasn’t very good, so she didn’t ask further. The next day, she woke up early and didn’t prepare breakfast before going out to find people.
If Zhou Village were developed into a tourist attraction, it would be beautiful. The picturesque scenery, fresh air, and golden sunlight shining through the thin mist made the mountain village particularly charming.
The faint sound of roosters crowing could be heard in the village, and smoke rose from the rooftops of a few households, finally bringing some signs of human activity.
Bai Qingqing didn’t know how long Fu Chen would stay in Zhou Village. To complete the task as soon as possible, she needed to find the people quickly.
She first went to the house closest to the old lady’s. After walking for a few minutes, she finally arrived outside the house and looked inside through the fence.
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