Published: January 31, 2025
Sun Ruixing let out a helpless sigh as he watched the elderly man below speak increasingly absurdly, even dragging in the topic of whether he was a reactionary. A group of middle-aged women, who had never witnessed the cruelty of the apocalypse, chimed in without understanding.
“Enough, let me say a few words,” Sun Ruixing shouted loudly.
“Tomorrow, I will take everyone out, and I can only do my best to ensure everyone’s safety.” When his attempts to comfort fell flat, the situation forced Sun Ruixing to compromise.
“Don’t worry, little sun, we won’t cause you any trouble. Everyone, let’s eat,” Old Man Sun said with a grin, pleased with the outcome.
Seeing Sun Ruixing’s extremely frustrated expression, Wen Yu immediately understood that this man would inevitably be dragged down by this group of burdens.
After finishing their meal, Wen Yu greeted Sun Ruixing and walked directly to his room.
Just now, Wen Yu hadn’t had enough rest yet.
…
As night deepened, a round, large rat quietly poked its head out in the mountainous area surrounding Birch Forest Town.
Its long nose kept sniffing the surrounding scents, trying to find something edible, because this first-level mutated rat hadn’t eaten anything all day.
It wasn't due to a lack of food, but rather because the animal’s keen intuition warned it of a terrifying presence nearby, as if a giant that had slept long enough was slowly awakening.
The rat cautiously moved forward and then stopped in a deserted farmland.
An enticing smell wafted up from the ground; it was the scent of food.
Its two front paws hastily scraped at the dust on the ground. The mutated claws were exceptionally sharp, and before long, the large rat found its food.
It was a plant’s root, about 5 centimeters in diameter, long and slender, with finer roots wriggling on top.
The large rat paid no attention to what species it was; its hunger had driven it to lose its reason. It opened its mouth wide and ferociously bit down on the root in front of it.
However, it couldn’t bite through.
The plump rat wondered what kind of thing could withstand its sharp teeth.
As if a signal had been given, the plant’s root on the ground began to wriggle wildly. Before the large rat could react, the slender root coiled around its body like a snake.
The rat struggled frantically, but the plant tightened its grip. Then, dragging the struggling rat, it burrowed directly into the ground.
The rat’s shrieking gradually faded away, leaving behind a large pit in the ground. Soon, the surface began to ripple, and upon closer inspection, countless slender roots busily tidied up the trace left behind, and the farmland returned to calm once more.
…
In the gathering place, not far from the main house, a series of low, deep voices echoed in an independent courtyard.
“How is the preparation going?” a strange voice asked.
“All set. Tomorrow, the old man will risk his life to ensure Sun Ruixing's reactionary scheme does not succeed,” was the voice of Old Man Sun.
“Good, Old Man Sun is indeed a revolutionary of the old generation, having a sense of responsibility. The country will not forget you. This Sun Ruixing dares to try to occupy the mountain and disregard the laws of the country; this is a betrayal of the people, and the country will definitely not let him go,” the strange voice flattered Old Man Sun before starting to criticize Sun Ruixing.
“Here, Old Man Sun, take this. Tomorrow, once you and Sun Ruixing get on the vehicle, just light this incense, and then you won't have to worry about anything. The power of the country will definitely punish Sun Ruixing severely.” As the voice fell, the sound of rummaging followed, and the strange person handed something to Old Man Sun.
Old Man Sun took the incense, yawned, and walked straight back into the house. After all, the old man was feeling sleepy.
As soon as Old Man Sun entered the house, the voices outside rang out again: “Mayor Li, is this old man reliable?”
“What’s unreliable about him? These old folks are loyal to the country. Besides, with my status, as long as I’m under the flag of the nation, they will definitely listen to me. It’s really pitiful for Sun Ruixing, saved with great difficulty, only to be treated like an old master, and in the blink of an eye, he is sold out. Tsk, tsk. But then again, the enthusiasm for patriotism and the sense of belonging to the country truly seems to diminish with each generation,” Mayor Li said with a sigh.