Chapter 37: Sudden Onset of Winter

Chapter 37: Sudden Onset of Winter

It felt like winter had arrived straight from summer. The sky turned dark, and the temperature dropped sharply.

On their way back to the residential area, snow started falling more heavily. Thick, heavy clouds loomed overhead, as if something ominous was brewing.

By the time they returned to the residential area and began unloading, the wind began to howl, bringing a bone-chilling wind that swept through every corner.

Tiny snowflakes began to drift down from the sky. Streets, trees, and buildings were soon covered with a thin layer of white snow, and the entire world seemed to be dyed in silver.

In the empty streets, zombies shuffled through the snow, unaware of the cold, their hungry growls echoing through the deserted city, making it appear even more eerie and desolate.

Guan Yuanfeng and Zhou Yun quickly unloaded the supplies. Zhou Yun first covered the beehives with blankets, then closed the windows but left a small gap for the bees to come and go. He also added some honey to the hives and placed a space heater in the room. He took care of the rabbits separated from Yuexi Number 3, with everything focused on keeping warm.

They headed back to the 30th floor, where Zhou Yun quickly put on a down jacket before heading up to the rooftop.

The two of them busily added thick cotton curtains to the livestock pens, covered the cages with quilts, and turned on the heaters to prevent the sudden drop in temperature from making the animals sick. There was no time to prepare food, so Guan Yuanfeng first poured some dog food for Comet.

The sudden heavy snow disrupted Zhou Yun's plans for stockpiling and harvesting vegetables. There were still many sweet potatoes, potatoes, and pumpkins left unharvested in the vegetable plot on the rooftop. Zhou Yun immediately took a hoe to dig up all the vegetables.

Guan Yuanfeng: “……”

He said, "Actually, it wouldn't matter if we didn't harvest them. Everything else that should have been harvested has been. We can cover them with some straw to protect them from the snow."

Zhou Yun said, "These mutated pumpkins are valuable. Once the ground freezes, it will be hard to dig. We should harvest all the vegetables to feed the pigs and rabbits."

He had been reluctant to dig them up, wanting to let them grow a bit more and save the seeds. But now that it had snowed, they would really be ruined if they froze.

Guan Yuanfeng: “……”

He also took a hoe and helped. They turned over the roots, sweet potatoes, and potatoes, throwing them into baskets.

Zhou Yun picked up a potato and, seeing that it was larger than usual, wondered, "I remember the variety of potato I bought wasn't supposed to grow this big."

The variety he had chosen was small, round, and floury, perfect for roasting and filling the air with a sweet fragrance. It was a late-maturing variety with a long growth cycle, drought-resistant, and had a delicate texture that could rival expensive potato varieties.

How did they get so big? He hadn’t used any chemical fertilizers.

As he examined the potato closely, Guan Yuanfeng suddenly pulled him back hard, a hoe already landing on the ground in front of him.

Startled, Zhou Yun focused and saw an ugly, dark brown, snake-like creature had been severed by Guan Yuanfeng's hoe, writhing in the mud.

The creature's robust body was moist and smooth, with a dark red sheen, covered in tiny concentric rings. The front was a light white, and it had a well-developed mouthpart, with rows of tiny bristles on either side of its body.

After being severed, it quickly burrowed into the ground, leaving only its hind part writhing, its pointed dark tail appearing both tough and elastic.

Guan Yuanfeng said, "I don't know what this monster is. Step back a little."

Zhou Yun hesitated for a moment and said, "This looks like... an earthworm..."

Guan Yuanfeng: “……”

Was there such a thick earthworm?

After examining it for a while, Guan Yuanfeng also recognized it: "This is... mutated?"

Zhou Yun said, "I bought a pound of earthworms and put them in the ground this summer... Premium mountain earthworms, hardy and vigorous... The seller boasted they were genuine mountain earthworms, perfect for fishing bait, farming, or drying for medicine.

Now it seemed... the seller's claim was indeed true. It looked like they were genuine mountain earthworms...

He said with a smile, "We should treat it like a treasure. It seems my potatoes grew so big thanks to it."

The mutated earthworm—what a find! This mutated earthworm has incredible vitality; it can survive even if cut in two! One becomes two, two become four, and soon he’d have countless mutated earthworms! Perfect for farming!

He hurriedly grabbed a planting box, which contained decaying leaf soil prepared for cultivating red fungus some time ago. He happily said to Guan Yuanfeng, "Fortunately, we turned the soil; otherwise, with this snowfall and the temperature dropping, the ground would freeze, and this mutated earthworm might not survive."

"This decaying leaf soil was originally for cultivating red fungus. Earthworms are saprophagous creatures and need loose, moist soil. It's a perfect match to raise earthworms while cultivating mushrooms. By next spring, we might have plenty of mutated earthworms."

"If we raise enough, we can also try using them for medicinal purposes. You know earthworms, right? They’ve been clinically used to dissolve blood clots with good results." The earthworm's lumbrokinase has a special affinity for blood clots and can prevent coagulation, which is great for blood vessels.

"With mutated earthworms, the medicinal effect might be even stronger. We'll see." Traditional medicine believes that earthworms can clear heat, calm convulsions, relieve asthma, dredge collaterals, and remove blood stasis. They're effective in treating cardiovascular diseases like strokes, as well as tuberculosis.

Zhou Yun couldn't help but look forward to the future. "If we can raise more, maybe we can use them to fish for mutated fish... You know, live bait is essential for winter fishing, right? With mutated earthworms, we might catch some really good mutated fish."

He babbled on, enthusiastically placing the two sections of the mutated earthworm into the red fungus planting box, letting it settle into the loose, moist soil, and then moved it to the greenhouse.

Guan Yuanfeng listened silently. He was used to Zhou Yun's scatterbrained thoughts by now.

Zhou Yun easily immersed himself in his own world, with wild associations, yet he still patiently shared his knowledge, joy, and happiness with Guan Yuanfeng.

He had a feeling that if it were someone else, Zhou Yun wouldn't bother explaining all this.

Zhou Yun always looked at him with a smile and kindness in his eyes.

It felt like they'd known each other for years, even though they had only met this summer.

By the time they finished harvesting all the vegetables on the rooftop, it was completely dark, and the temperature had dropped sharply. The outdoor thermometer read minus fifteen degrees, and the snowstorm was intensifying.

Looking out from the rooftop, Guan Yuanfeng saw the raging snowstorm, like an enraged beast, covering the sky and earth. The distant mountains and waters had become blurred.

Is this the end of the world? Guan Yuanfeng couldn't help but think. If ordinary people suddenly encountered such a temperature drop, with no food outside and zombies lurking, how would they survive?

Zhou Yun briefly checked the wind turbine and other equipment on the rooftop, ensuring everything was secured. Seeing Guan Yuanfeng still standing on the rooftop looking into the distance, he called out, "Let's go down? It's too windy, and it's very late. How about a hotpot?"

Guan Yuanfeng turned his head in response and followed him downstairs, his eyes reflecting a mix of complex emotions as he looked at Zhou Yun's energetic figure.

At that moment, the food Zhou Yun had stockpiled, including the pigs, sheep, and rabbits they raised, made them feel safe.

There were also the heating supplies, gasoline, diesel, and coal they had collected from the city, all of which were obviously very useful.

In this weather, it was impossible to go out. Otherwise, one would have to face the roaring winds and the onslaught of ice and snow, sub-zero temperatures, zombies unaffected by the cold, and obstructed traffic conditions. Even psychics would find it difficult. And psychics needed significantly more food.

Without sufficient warm clothing, food, and energy sources like electricity, gasoline, and coal, the consequences would be dire.

They were also raising Comet.

Danlin City was completely deserted. In those unknown survivor camps far away, he hoped they could hold on and more people would survive.

He wished these harsh winter conditions would end soon.

The wind turbine ensured the electricity was running, and the house was warm and cozy.

Zhou Yun set up an induction cooker on the dining table, found a pot to add water, and cut the freshly caught mutated fish and lamb, which he had started thawing earlier, into large chunks. He prepared a fish and lamb soup base for the hotpot.

Guan Yuanfeng selected cabbage and pea shoots from the vegetables they had just harvested, washed them, and picked a few potatoes to peel and slice.

As he sliced them, he watched Zhou Yun take out a pack of fish dumplings, a pack of duck intestines, a pack of tripe, and a pack of sweet potato vermicelli from the freezer. He remembered seeing Zhou Yun process the harvested sweet potatoes into vermicelli. Then, Zhou Yun closed the freezer and took out dried bamboo shoots, wood ear, hundred-leaf fungus, daylily, and mushrooms from the cabinet.

Despite taking out so many things, Zhou Yun couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. "Too bad the red fungus hasn't been successfully cultivated yet, and then the snow came. Otherwise, I would have tried it in the hotpot."

He suddenly snapped his fingers and turned to Guan Yuanfeng. "Hey, I just thought of something."

Guan Yuanfeng, seeing the intense and eager look in Zhou Yun's eyes, couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. "What is it?"

Zhou Yun said, "Do you know the saying? 'Thunder in the sky, mushrooms on the ground.' Scientific research has proven that lightning does have a role in promoting fungal growth. If we zapped the red mushroom patch with a few lightning bolts..." He fell into thought. "I'll have to try that another day."

He was truly experimental in spirit.

Guan Yuanfeng: "..."

The pot of creamy lamb soup began to bubble, the steam rising in delicate swirls as the rich, savory aroma of the broth filled the room, mingling with the deep, hearty scent of slow-cooked meat.

While Guan Yuanfeng was still cutting the duck intestines, Zhou Yun turned on the TV and casually picked a food documentary to watch. He then slid half a plate of thinly sliced mutated fish meat into the pot, followed by a small dish of tofu.

The fresh and juicy mutated fish meat was particularly elastic, having been caught fresh that day. As soon as it changed color slightly, Zhou Yun picked up his chopsticks and plucked the pink fish slices from the boiling broth, dipping them in a sauce of vinegar and mustard before popping them into his mouth, his eyes closing in satisfaction, a look of pure pleasure on his face.

Although Guan Yuanfeng wasn't very hungry, watching Zhou Yun enjoy the meal made him think the mutated fish must be delicious. He served Zhou Yun a bowl of lamb soup. "Have some soup to warm up your body first. Once the potatoes are put in, the taste will change."

The large chunks of tender lamb in the hot soup warmed the entire body when drunk.

The sweetness of the potatoes and the elasticity of the sweet potato noodles were soft and delightful to the palate.

The duck intestines only needed a quick dip in the boiling broth before being served with sesame oil, vinegar, and a spicy kick from chili and Xiaomi pepper, giving them a satisfyingly crisp texture.

For those who preferred the refreshing numbness of prickly ash, they could dip it longer in the prickly ash oil, which Zhou Yun had fried from green peppercorns. Guan Yuanfeng particularly enjoyed it.

The fresh cabbage and pea shoots, perfectly scalded, had fully absorbed the broth's umami flavor.

Outside, the wind howled like a wild beast unleashed in the endless night, its icy breath tearing through the darkness with a ferocity that seemed ready to tear apart anything in its path.

But inside, just beyond the window, the dining room was bathed in soft, warm light. The heater hummed quietly, and the heat from the hotpot made the room cozy, causing Zhou Yun to shed his winter jacket and flush with warmth.

The bubbling broth in the hotpot made a satisfying gurgling sound, and the steam rising from it carried the scent of the food, slowly rising and appearing particularly enticing under the light. The rich aroma of lamb soup permeated the entire house, bringing warmth and reassurance.

The dog, having just finished its meal of lamb and fish soup, sat by the table, wagging its tail. Despite its massive size, it had a charming, endearing clumsiness about it.

The TV played softly in the background, the deep, soothing voice of the narrator describing the intricate processes and rich flavors of various regional dishes.

It felt like any ordinary, peaceful night at home—just like the ones Guan Yuanfeng remembered from before. Yet, strangely, it was the end of the world.

After finishing the meal and cleaning up, it was quite late at night. The electric water heater couldn’t handle both bathrooms at once, and with the recent snowfall, the rooftop rainwater filter tank could freeze, possibly cutting off the water supply. Guan Yuanfeng let Zhou Yun shower first while he tidied the table and washed the dishes.

Zhou Yun, with his water psychic abilities, wasn't afraid of a water outage. He showered first, changing into a thick winter fleece pajama, carrying a bucket of dirty clothes and tossing it into the washing machine. Using his abilities, he filled the machine with water and reminded Guan Yuanfeng, "I’ve already aired out the winter bedding from the department store and put it in your closet. Don’t forget to grab it so you stay warm tonight. If you don’t want to turn on the heater, it’s best to use the electric blanket. The winter clothes are all in there too."

Guan Yuanfeng nodded in response. He wasn't afraid of the cold and casually grabbed his usual summer pajamas to shower. After washing, he threw his clothes into the washing machine, pressed the start button, checked that the dog was already asleep in its bed, and saw that Zhou Yun had closed his door, likely asleep. He then returned to his room, opened the wardrobe, and planned to take out the bedding.

Opening the wardrobe, a faint aroma of mugwort hit him.

For a moment, he was speechless, overwhelmed by the unexpected level of care and attention to detail.

All the winter clothes were neatly hung in the wardrobe, from lightweight down jackets to heavy wool coats, arranged by length and color, from darkest to lightest.

At the top of the wardrobe, the winter bedding was neatly stacked in zippered dust covers, each clearly labeled: 'Duck Down Autumn Quilt,' 'Goose Down Winter Quilt,' 'Wool Mattress,' 'Silk Summer Quilt,' 'Electric Blanket,' and 'Air Conditioning Blanket.'

The thermal underwear and other essentials were neatly folded in the side drawers, each item carefully labeled, washed, and folded by Zhou Yun.

The wardrobe was like a miniature, perfectly organized world, where every item had its fixed place, reflecting Zhou Yun's inherent and meticulous sense of order. It exuded a detailed yet non-intrusive, and even somewhat adorable, sense of control.

He was completely astonished; due to the hot weather, he had only worn a few items from his suitcase and hadn't even opened the large wardrobe. He subconsciously thought it still contained Zhou Yun's family's belongings and had been reluctant to rummage through it.

His tall stature allowed him to easily retrieve the quilts from the top shelf and lay them on the bed. A clean aroma of mugwort filled the air. These days, they had been fishing by the reservoir, so it must have been Zhou Yun who took the time to wash and sun the quilts while he was out fighting zombies and gathering supplies.

Guan Yuanfeng laid out the wool mattress, put on a bed cover, and, not accustomed to the feel of an electric blanket, only took two goose-down quilts to cover himself with. The quilts were light and soft, carrying the fragrance of sunlight. Although the cold wind howled outside, he felt warm and cozy as if he were basking in the afternoon sun, and soon fell asleep with a drowsy warmth.

The next morning, he woke up at eight o'clock. He drew the blackout curtains and looked out at the weather. It was still dark, though usually it would have been bright by then, but the snowstorm had not stopped.

He put on a down jacket and opened the balcony door, and the icy cold wind rushed in immediately.

Stepping out onto the french balcony, he looked out. As far as the eye could see, everything was a vast white expanse. Snowflakes whirled wildly in the gale, like countless ghosts drifting in the air, carrying an eerie and mysterious aura.

The cold seemed to rise from the depths of the earth, bringing with it snow and biting cold.

It looked like the snowstorm wouldn't stop anytime soon. In the past, this would have been the time to organize against the snow disaster and evacuate affected people.

But now, the world was empty, leaving only them forgotten here.

Guan Yuanfeng soon felt chilled to the bone and knew he couldn't afford to get sick and cause trouble for Zhou Yun. He returned inside, closed the doors and windows, and after washing up, went to the living room.

Zhou Yun was in the kitchen, still wearing the same dark blue fleece pajamas, with a beige apron tied around his waist. The steady and restrained aura he usually carried had transformed into something more domestic.

He was intently weighing ingredients on a kitchen scale, with several containers beside him. Holding a bag of white sugar, he checked the reading and added a bit more. Guan Yuanfeng walked over and asked, "What are you doing? Can I help with anything?"

Zhou Yun looked up, smiled, and showed him the white sugar. "Since we're stuck inside with nothing to do, I thought I'd try baking pumpkin bread with the pumpkin we harvested yesterday."

He then pointed to the bread maker beside him with great care. "This is your family's bread maker, a fully automatic latest model. It's quite expensive, and I've been meaning to try it out."

Guan Yuanfeng glanced at the bread maker. "Should we make some other dishes? Maybe some porridge?"

Zhou Yun shook his head. "You go exercise. I've already started cooking beef mushroom soup, and there's rice ready. It's cold, and the attic is too cold for archery. Fortunately, we gathered some archery targets earlier. We can still work out at the gym on the 28th floor."

Guan Yuanfeng said, "Alright, I'll go feed the pigs first."

Zhou Yun smiled. "Okay, wear more layers. It's cold on the rooftop. I've placed an energy-saving stove in your attic and cooked some potatoes and vegetables we dug up yesterday. It's cold, and there aren't many fresh vegetables left, so you can add some pig feed."

"But... maybe we should consider slaughtering one of the pigs. It's almost the New Year," Zhou Yun said to Guan Yuanfeng eagerly.

The three of them—two psychics and a dog—had substantial meat consumption! They couldn't survive on just fish. The frozen pork and beef they had stored had been mostly consumed over the past six months, leaving only some of the best-preserved sausages and bacon.

With the New Year approaching, the pigs they raised had grown fat enough, and it was time to slaughter one to conserve supplies.

Guan Yuanfeng was taken aback... the New Year...

This would be his first New Year since returning to his hometown, but his family was no longer here. Yet, he wasn't alone. There was someone to spend the New Year with him.

His gaze fell on the brand-new bread maker.

Growing up on a farm, his family always slaughtered a pig for the New Year celebrations. Since joining the military, he had always been busy during the New Year and rarely visited home. Later, after being honorably discharged due to injuries, his parents sighed and told him his younger brother was getting married. His sister-in-law was from the city, had studied abroad, and was pampered. She had never done household chores. The in-laws had initially been proud of their son-in-law's military merits and medals.

Now that he was disabled and clearly needed care for the rest of his life, it was an inconvenient time as the wedding was approaching. Although the in-laws understood his honorable discharge, people might still find it burdensome if he lived at home and could change their minds about the marriage. His family had already given a substantial dowry, and the other family was well-off. If they wavered and decided to break off the engagement, it would be hard for his brother to find such a good match. They asked him to live in a nearby housing complex first.

After his brother and sister-in-law were married, had children, and their relationship stabilized, they would gradually allow him to move back in with them. After all, they were in the same neighborhood, so it wouldn't make much of a difference.

At that time, he had just been discharged from the hospital and was still struggling with chronic pain. Though his heart was cold, he had already resigned himself to being a burden and agreed without argument.

He never expected to stand up again, gain powerful psychic abilities, and... have someone to celebrate the New Year with, and even plan to butcher a pig together.

He watched Zhou Yun pull out the steamed pumpkin from the pot and methodically mashed them with a spoon, mixing them with the flour that had been weighed earlier. He added yeast, sugar, and salt, his movements orderly, exuding a calm and composed demeanor.

Zhou Yun probably noticed his gaze and looked up, smiling, which brought him back to his senses. He realized he had been entranced watching Zhou Yun make bread, likely because his actions were so pleasing to the eye and flowed so naturally.

He turned and carried a water bucket to the rooftop, and sure enough, near the attic of his house, Zhou Yun had moved the efficient stove close to the pig and rabbit pens. The exhaust pipe vented outside, and he had cooked a large pot of pig feed, including potatoes and cabbage.

This setup ensured that the livestock wouldn’t be too cold and saved on heating.

Guan Yuanfeng fed all the livestock and saw that fresh grass, vegetable leaves, and radishes had been placed in the rabbits' and sheep's troughs. The overnight manure had already been swept and sent to the sealed compost barrels, indicating that Zhou Yun had been here early in the morning.

He was always diligent and responsible, brimming with energy and never showing signs of fatigue. Always optimistic and emotionally stable. Having someone like him as family was truly a blessing.

Guan Yuanfeng went to the attic and ran five kilometers to warm up, then smelled the bread's aroma permeating the room, a unique scent combining the sweetness of pumpkin and the fragrance of wheat.

He went downstairs and saw the bread had been taken out and placed on the dining table. The bread's shape was perfect, brushed with honey, sprinkled with sesame seeds, emitting an enticing aroma.

Zhou Yun took a table knife, sliced the bread, and revealed its soft, cloud-like interior, which also contained a pumpkin cream filling. It looked both delicious and tempting.

Zhou Yun was very satisfied, pinched a slice of bread, tore it open to show the snow-white, elastic bread threads to Guan Yuanfeng, and was very proud. "It’s got great texture—really successful! Praise technology; even doing it manually wouldn’t yield such perfection. This auto-bread maker is indeed worth the price."

Guan Yuanfeng: "..."

Zhou Yun handed him a slice of bread. "Have breakfast. The snow is still heavy; after I finish eating, I’ll go downstairs to check on the villa’s situation."

Guan Yuanfeng said, "The plastic film was all covered yesterday; it should be fine."

Zhou Yun drank a mouthful of milk and stuffed the fried egg from the table into his mouth. "It’s snowing; we’re idle anyway."

Guan Yuanfeng looked at him thoughtfully. "How about we clean up the gym on the 28th floor and I’ll make a training plan for you?"

Zhou Yun was stunned. "Ah?"

Seeing the shock in Zhou Yun’s eyes, Guan Yuanfeng couldn’t help but want to laugh. "I mentioned before that I’d teach you how to shoot. Actually, self-defense, climbing, and running are all very useful. Especially now, in such troubled times. Your physical condition is good, but you lack some skills. With proper training, your chances of survival will be higher. Since there’s nothing much to do in winter, why don’t I teach you?"

He added, "I have a lot of experience leading troops. I can make a training plan tailored to your physical condition. You can trust me; you’ll definitely improve."

Zhou Yun: "..."

He swallowed a mouthful of bread with difficulty. "After we butcher the pig, we’ll need to prepare the bacon and sausages... and the sweet potatoes need to be cut and dried into strips. The winter melon we harvested earlier, I want to make winter melon candy. The herbs in the herb garden seem to have mutated, and I want to do some experiments... I also need to practice calligraphy and read every day..." His eyes met Guan Yuanfeng’s with a smile, his voice gradually lowering. "Actually, I’m not as idle as you think..."

He just wanted a cozy winter at home, comfortably playing games and reading books... "Coach, I really don’t want to go through boot camp."

Guan Yuanfeng smiled at him. "I’ll guide you through it; it won’t be too hard. In this apocalyptic world, physical fitness and combat skills are too important. Running a second faster gives you an extra second to survive."

Guan Yuanfeng didn’t often smile, but he was particularly gentle and relaxed in front of Zhou Yun.

It was hard for Zhou Yun to refuse under Guan Yuanfeng’s gaze, so he finally mumbled, "Alright, I guess..."