Chapter 51: Preparing the Stronghold

Chapter 51: Preparing the Stronghold

Jinjicun village was deserted, with many houses in a state of disrepair. Windows and doors were broken, and the crumbling earthen walls were entwined with weeds and vines.

The spring sunlight slanted across the land, and though the distant mountains remained as beautiful as ever, the village was silent and desolate. The smoke from cooking fires, the laughter of children, and the farmers busy at work were all gone. The surrounding fields had long been abandoned, overrun with weeds. The wilderness had silently encroached upon what was once human territory.

On the desolate threshing floor, Comet was racing around, frolicking and darting everywhere.

Qin Sheng stood in the center of the threshing floor, feeling awkward, not knowing where to put his hands and feet.

Zhou Yun stood beside him, pointing at his arm. "With your metal-based psychic power, you can concentrate it on any part of your body to metallize it, enhancing your physical defense. This is the most basic protective skill."

Qin Sheng extended his arm, and sure enough, it took on a metallic sheen, as if cast from metal. "Yes, I first discovered my ability when my arm suddenly hardened, and I realized I had awakened my psychic power."

He opened his palm and then suddenly clenched his fist, causing a sound of air being split. "After my arm turns metallic, my punches do indeed carry more force. I was unbeatable in human fights. But this ability is only suitable for close combat. It works barely against zombies, but you have to be careful to avoid their attacks."

He said somewhat embarrassedly, "I was thinking that if I absorbed the metal-based crystal core you mentioned, I could metallize my whole body and charge into a horde of zombies without a care. Currently, my ability level is low, and the duration and area of metallization are limited, so it doesn't feel very useful."

Zhou Yun nodded and added, "This is still a solid strategy. In the apocalypse, most psychics are relatively weak. Your ability to close in and attack gives you an edge over many psychics."

Qin Mu seemed to ponder something. "What Dr. Zhou means is that our enemies aren't limited to just zombies?"

Zhou Yun looked at him. This guy really could pick up on his unspoken thoughts. He had indeed been thinking about Qin Sheng's path to dominance in his previous life. Many psychics had been reluctant to fight him.

Qin Sheng said, "What about the flying knives?" And that over-the-top "Raining Storm of Pear Blossoms..."

Zhou Yun handed him a scalpel. "Try to control it, use your psychic power to drive it toward the target."

Qin Sheng took the scalpel, weighing it in his hand. He closed his eyes, and after a while, his arm and fingers took on a metallic sheen, but the scalpel remained still.

Zhou Yun couldn't help but chuckle. "Take your time practicing. First, try to use your psychic power to reshape this scalpel. Or, find a short blade or dagger that you're most comfortable with, and start by reshaping it into something like a needle or a cone. When you can do that freely, you'll be able to command them to attack your opponents directly."

Qin Mu said, "Imagine these metal objects as part of your body, obeying your commands, and not as something foreign."

Zhou Yun glanced at Qin Mu. "Ah Mu is incredibly perceptive. After you were scratched by a zombie, did anything change?"

Qin Mu was startled. "What kind of changes?"

Zhou Yun said, "Being scratched by a zombie and not turning into one, yet still surviving, might have awakened a psychic ability in you. It's unlikely, but possible."

Qin Mu was taken aback and fell into deep thought. Zhou Yun asked, "Do you know Ba Duan Jin?"

Qin Mu: "..." Why is this doctor jumping from topic to topic?

Zhou Yun thought for a moment, then went back to his RV and found a disc, handing it to him. "Go learn it. It's recommended to promote this within your Laojie Gang. It's great for physical fitness in the apocalypse."

Qin Mu looked at the disc, which was labeled "Ba Duan Jin National Sports General Administration Command Version (Official HD)". He was speechless looking at Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun continued, "Xiao Sheng should practice it too."

Qin Sheng: ???

Zhou Yun looked at the sky. "It's time to head back. I'll come again next month, and you can deliver the goods then."

Qin Mu hurriedly asked, "There's one more thing to discuss with you. If we plan to make all future exchanges here in Jinjicun, we'd like to station some people here to establish a stronghold for the Laojie Gang. This way, no one would dare to disturb this place, and it would be much safer for you when you come. We can fix up the place and station some people here. It's feasible. The gangs outside Beiming City have all set up safe points to receive teams returning from outside missions and to save on city entry fees. We've been planning to do the same."

Zhou Yun said, "Go ahead and do it."

Qin Mu said, "When you come in the future, there will inevitably be our brothers here. If they see you, we'll try to keep it within the circle of trusted members."

"No problem, if we have enough hands, we can also raise some livestock and grow crops here."

"Ah?"

"Take a look around," Zhou Yun said, turning his head to survey the area. "We've got good land here. Get a soil-turning machine, plant some vegetables and crops. There's a well and a river, and even a fish pond. We can put some easy-to-raise fish in it. Then build a higher platform to keep the chickens, ducks, and pigs. Zombies won’t be able to climb up, making it relatively secure."

He pointed at the village's stage nearby, probably used for celebrations, movies, or performances in the past: "That platform. With some modifications and a ladder that can be removed after use, zombies won’t be able to climb up."

Qin Mu was surprised by his immediate planning for the village, "But... it’s not easy to plant things now. Seeds need to be exchanged for credits... And most of the Laojie Gang are fishermen; they might not know how to farm."

Zhou Yun said, "I have vegetable and crop seeds. I'll bring them next time. Start by fixing up your living quarters, raising the walls, tilling the soil, and constructing a livestock pen on this elevated platform. When I bring the seeds next time, I'll teach you." He had just hatched a bunch of ducklings, and there were quite a few rabbits, with another mother rabbit pregnant.

Qin Mu thought about it and found Zhou Yun's plan to be meticulous and feasible. With food and shelter, the people from Laojie would be more willing to stay here without paying taxes... He couldn't help but admire and agreed, "Alright, I'll arrange this."

Zhou Yun waved to call back the Comet that had run off, preparing to leave.

Qin Mu looked at Comet who had returned from running around, its tongue hanging out as it circled Zhou Yun's feet. Its enormous size was surprising; even standing on all fours, it towered over Zhou Yun’s waist. "I heard Xiao Sheng say that this fire-type mutated dog belongs to Doctor Zhou? Does it have a name?"

Zhou Yun nodded, "Yes, its name is Comet."

Qin Mu said, "What a great companion. No wonder Doctor Zhou feels safe going out alone. In that case, should we set aside some fire crystal cores for you?"

Zhou Yun was indifferent, "It's up to you."

Qin Mu observed his expression, "Is it true that once psychics reach a certain level, absorbing crystal cores becomes less effective?" Nowadays, the psychics in the base were still looking for attribute upgrades, but this doctor only wanted high-level and king-level crystal cores. Was it because his and the mutated dog's psychic levels were already higher than those in the base?

Zhou Yun looked at him and nodded, "So Xiao Sheng should focus on training. You can use the opportunity from selling medicine to collect more fire crystal cores."

Qin Mu nodded, "Actually, it's not the best time to go out to sea recently due to the weather. Selling medicine also requires our attention. I'll start preparing, but it would be more suitable to go hunting at sea around June or July. By then, Xiao Sheng's psychic power should be stronger, making it safer."

Zhou Yun nodded, "That works."

Qin Mu confirmed again, "When we sell this medicine, even if we start distributing it among ordinary people, it will eventually attract the attention of the city lord's mansion. Can we cooperate with the Gong family?"

Zhou Yun said, "You can decide that. The Beiming Base is under their control, so there's no need to confront them. With the Gong family, just say the goods are from the Central Base, and you're the exclusive distributors. You can negotiate the profits with them. You can give them 20% from my share, and you split the rest three ways. Let them handle part of the distribution and manpower. I'll take 40%, but the Zombie Attractant and Zombie Repellent must remain low-priced for ordinary people."

Qin Mu nodded, secretly amazed by the other's wisdom and sophistication.

Qin Sheng said, "This medicine has started to gain some fame recently. We're overwhelmed here. Luckily, today my brother can return to the base legitimately, claiming he found an opportunity at the Sanchu Base and secured supplies from the Central Base. With my brother helping, I'm much more relaxed. I've been thinking about quitting the city lord's mansion guard team. It's too much of a waste of time."

Qin Mu said, "No need. I'll handle it. Your position in the guard team will deter others from interfering with our business. Otherwise, relying solely on the Laojie Gang wouldn’t be enough to protect Doctor Zhou’s medicines. We need to leverage the Gong family’s reputation."

Qin Sheng looked frustrated, "You don't know, brother. They've started assigning search missions to all guard teams, requiring every team to go out of the base to search for supplies in the small counties near Beiming. If you don’t participate, you’ll be fired. For those of us without connections, we're assigned to particularly remote cities, full of zombies and dangerous. There's not much to find, and we might not return for days. We won't be able to take care of the business here."

Zhou Yun was intrigued by this, turning to look at him, "Which cities were you assigned?"

Qin Sheng reached into his guard uniform pocket and pulled out a printed paper, "Look, our team is responsible for four cities. The roads are terrible, and there are many zombies. It might take half a year to search them all, and we'll need to recruit more people."

Zhou Yun took it and glanced at it, seeing Danlin City prominently listed. He smiled slightly, "Take it. These battles will help enhance your psychic abilities and provide opportunities to promote the medicine. Let your brother handle the medicine sales. It'll be fine."

Qin Sheng widened his eyes, "Eh?"

Zhou Yun handed the list back to him, "I'm heading back now."

Qin Mu nodded, "If you have any needs, feel free to come to us."

Zhou Yun said, "Alright."

He returned to his vehicle, unloaded the boxes of medicine he had brought this time, gave some instructions about the key medicines, and then got into the RV and drove back to Danlin City.

Qin Mu and Qin Sheng watched the car disappear into the distance before Qin Mu said, "Let's head back. After we return, I'll gather some people and start repairing this outpost tomorrow so that other gangs won't take it over."

Qin Sheng grumbled, "Building the outpost isn't exactly thrilling, but you still want me to stay in the guard squad. I have no freedom at all."

Qin Mu said, "Haven't you noticed? The cities you're assigned to probably include the small city where Doctor Zhou lives, which is why he told you to take the mission."

Qin Sheng was surprised, "What do you mean? I thought he was from another base."

Qin Mu shook his head, "He's making medicine, but we haven't seen this type of medicine on the market. Producing medicine requires equipment and a lot of raw materials. It seems he's using some kind of herbal medicine and is able to mass-produce it without being detected. That means he must have a hidden production site, and there's likely a team supporting him behind the scenes."

"Every time he comes over, he drives. It seems like he can make a round trip in a day, which means it's probably some small town that the major bases couldn't search before the apocalypse."

Qin Mu continued, "When you go out to search for supplies, if you find him, make sure to cover for him. And you must secure that place firmly so that no one else discovers his residence. This is the only way to ensure the safety of our supply chain."

Qin Sheng was taken aback. Qin Mu said, "Moreover, Doctor Zhou is right. You need more battles with zombies to boost your abilities. It seems that Doctor Zhou is planning to go on a sea hunt."

Qin Mu lowered his voice, "In this apocalyptic world, the tough survive. Xiao Sheng, you need to get tougher as soon as possible."

Qin Sheng looked down at the scalpel in his hand, "I'll do my best..."

Qin Mu smiled and whispered, "Doctor Zhou is a good man."

The two brothers got into their own jeep and returned to Beiming Base, entering through the main gate openly and heading back to the old town area. When they unloaded their luggage, the neighbors and customers waiting at their shop saw Qin Mu.

"Qin Mu's back?"

"What's it like at Sanchu Base? Are the taxes high?"

"Did you bring back supplies? Do we have any zombie repellent left? I want ten packs!"

"I want ten packs of traps. These things are so convenient for catching zombies. Add a beast trap, and you can collect several crystal cores in a day."

"How far is it from Sanchu Base to here? Is the road easy to travel?"

Qin Mu smiled, "I'm back. Sanchu Base is similar to our place here. Although it's an official base, we still have to pay taxes. The supplies are back, and we have enough. The road was rough; it's all ruined. Many sections of the highway were impassable, so we had to take detours."

He answered everyone's questions. He had always been popular, and the neighbors gathered around. Some looked at Qin Mu with concern, "Brother Qin, you don't look too well. Are you sick?"

Qin Mu said, "I have a severe cold. It was rough on the road, and there was no place to see a doctor. I'm finally home and need to rest for a while."

"By the way, we have many new medicines this time, including cold granules. Everyone should stock up."

Qin Sheng opened the gate, and the customers rushed in. "Qin the Second, you should hire someone to sell the medicine. My third brother can help you. We don't need a salary, just a few packs of traps each month."

Qin Mu smiled, "I'm planning to select a few people, prioritizing our old town neighbors. Those interested should let me know. We’re setting up an outpost for the Laojie Gang near the highway. Wages and meals will be provided."

The neighbors all exclaimed, "Me! Me! My family can do it!"

Someone asked, "Do you need women? My sister is very capable!"

Qin Mu said, "I'm mainly looking for people who can farm and grow vegetables, raise chickens and ducks."

The crowd erupted. "My second daughter is excellent at raising chickens and ducks. She handles everything at home."

"The highway? Is it safe? What if there are zombies?"

"Do we need to live there? What if there's a zombie horde?"

"Farming? Will we need to pay taxes?"

There were countless questions, and Qin Mu patiently answered each one with a smile. "We'll make sure it's safe. We'll clear the area first, build walls, and construct tall buildings. We'll live upstairs, just like at the dock. If there are zombies, we'll hold the high ground and wait for help."

"We need to plant some rice and vegetables. The supplies from the base are way too pricey now."

"If we plant outside, everyone stands to gain with so many people helping out."

"Seeds? We've got that covered. You don't need to prepare your own. And if you have quality seeds or livestock like chicks and ducklings, we'll purchase those from you."

"Can you plant peppers? That's great."

"You have a lot of sea duck eggs that can be hatched? Oh yes, Uncle Zhang, your family used to specialize in selling sea duck eggs. We'll take them."

Qin Mu patiently recorded the registration details of the applicants while Qin Sheng efficiently sold the medicine. It was already evening by the time they finished, having been so busy that they didn't even have time to drink water. They had just managed to send off the last of the customers waiting in line to buy medicine when they began to put today's new stock on display.

As soon as they had put up the price tags and efficacy descriptions, they saw someone else approaching the door. "Beast! I heard you took the day off? Is your brother back?"

Qin Sheng looked up to see several members of the guard team. He was a little unhappy. "What are you calling me?"

The leader scratched his head and smiled. "Alright, Qin Number Two, alright?" His eyes fell on Qin Mu. "Big bro, you're really back? Awesome!"

Qin Mu smiled. "Zhang Tao, are you here to buy medicine?"

Zhang Tao said, "Yeah, I heard Qin Sheng's got some killer zombie repellents and traps here. They're really good. Many other teams are using them. We finally finished our guard duty today and came to buy some."

Qin Mu said, "What medicine do you need? Since you're Qin Sheng's colleagues, we'll give you a discount."

Zhang Tao made a big purchase. "Ten packs of each. I saw the neighboring team use them, and they're really effective! Where do you get these awesome supplies from? They're not sold anywhere else in the market. Why aren't you selling them at a higher price?"

Qin Mu laughed. "We aim for low prices and high volume. But we have a purchase limit of three packs here, so here you go."

"Three packs won't cut it. Oh well, guess everyone will just grab their limit." Zhang Tao then looked at Qin Sheng and said, "It's a pity you didn't go out today. Lord Gong was in a great mood and handed out fat bonuses to all the guards on duty."

Qin Sheng said, "Did you see that Wu Zhou? Is he a good match for Miss Gong?"

Zhang Tao laughed. "Hehe, Miss Gong had a frosty expression all day, as cold as ice. But she's still as beautiful as a celestial being. Wu Zhou is handsome too. They really do look like a perfect couple."

Qin Sheng sneered. "Hasn't she always been like that? She looks down on us like we're her servants. Every time we go out, she bosses us around like we're her slaves. Lord Gong is very humble and kind to us lower-ranking people. He's also very righteous. I don't know how his daughter turned out like this."

Zhang Tao laughed. "She's a young lady from a wealthy family and is so beautiful. People always fawn over her, so she's a bit arrogant. But the biggest drama today was when Miss Gong's ex-boyfriend showed up. Haha, that was really something!"

Qin Mu was surprised. "Miss Gong has an ex-boyfriend?"

Zhang Tao said, "Luo Yunkai. I really don't know what he's so proud of. The Luo family has fallen into decline, and now with the apocalypse, money has become worthless. How can they still be considered prestigious? He's just an ordinary person with no psychic abilities. I heard his younger brother awakened water psychic powers. But he's always putting down psychics in front of Miss Gong, saying that water psychic powers are useless, only good for washing hands."

Qin Sheng packed the medicine and handed it to him. "Hasn't Luo Yunkai always been like that? It's just that Miss Gong adores him. He's not even that good-looking, honestly. I don't know what Miss Gong saw in him. He even gave her attitude. Once, he stood her up when they had planned to go fishing on a speedboat, leaving all of us waiting with Miss Gong for half a day. What a total waste of time. Now, it's too late. Miss Gong is marrying someone else, and he's acting all high and mighty, regretting it."

Zhang Tao laughed heartily. "That's not all. Half a month ago, Miss Gong started dating a psychic. When Luo Yunkai found out, he got angry and even returned the gifts Miss Gong had given him."

Qin Sheng was surprised. "And then?"

Zhang Tao said mysteriously, "Miss Gong cried all night, burned those gifts, and the next day, she immediately settled on Wu Zhou. The wedding date was set immediately. Lord Gong was so happy that he started sending out invitations without delay."

Qin Sheng said, "Haha, what happened after that? How did Luo Yunkai look at the wedding?"

Zhang Tao said, "His face was ashen. He just stared at Miss Gong. Miss Gong didn't talk to anyone and only came out for the ceremony before going back. But Lord Gong took Wu Zhou around to toast each table. Everyone gave Lord Gong face and didn't cause any trouble."

Qin Sheng said, "Pure rich people drama."

"Zhang Tao said, 'Who says otherwise? That Wu Zhou was pretty much the same as us, but now he's suddenly the son-in-law of Master Gong. They say he's been put in charge of the city management department.'

Qin Sheng, losing interest, only asked, 'Has your team started the mission to gather supplies outside?'

Zhang Tao replied, 'That's why we're buying medicine, isn't it? It's a hassle, but we have to do it. Otherwise, the whole team gets disbanded. But with this medicine of yours, it's much more convenient. We're really set to leave this week.'

Qin Sheng said, 'I'm planning to go out too.'

At this point, another team member came over and asked, 'Captain Qin, your Tumor Dissolving and Revitalizing Pills, they're said to inhibit tumor growth and relieve pain and can be taken long-term. Is that true?'

Qin Sheng replied, 'Why don't you try it and see? It's not expensive. Ten crystal cores will last you a month. A single session with a light-type healer costs fifty crystal cores.'

The team member nodded, looking deeply troubled. 'It's for my father. He has stomach cancer. They removed half of his stomach, but the cancer still spread. He says he's in pain every day. The light-type healer said there's no real way to treat metastasized cancer, just that the pain is unbearable. Even painkillers are expensive and hardly provide any relief now.'

Zhang Tao said, 'Give it a shot. I'll cover the ten crystal cores for you. Let your father take it. Maybe it'll help.'

The team member, moved, said, 'Thank you, Captain. I have the ten crystal cores. As long as it works... though it seems like it needs to be taken long-term?'

Zhang Tao replied, 'Even if you take it for a year, that’s just 120 crystal cores. You were willing to spend fifty crystal cores on a healer, so this is nothing.'

The team member, voice low, said, 'If he can make it through another year, that’s good enough...' His eyes reddened.

Zhang Tao patted his shoulder. 'Look, the traps and repellents are effective! This medicine will be too!' He handed the crystal cores to Qin Sheng. 'Give him a bottle to start with. When we go out to gather supplies tomorrow, we'll get more crystal cores, and if we find any more painkillers, they're all yours.'

The team member nodded, visibly emotional. 'Thank you, Captain. I'll do my best.'

Qin Sheng handed him the medicine. 'Take it. It'll definitely work.' Even the zombie poison from my brother was cured by Doctor Zhou. My brother is perfectly healthy now.

Watching Zhang Tao, even someone in his position knows how to use medicine to build goodwill. In this apocalyptic world, emotional debts are the hardest to repay, and sometimes you have to pay with your life.

Doctor Zhou, who saved my brother, called it just business... He could've asked for repayment for his kindness, but he only spoke of cooperation. He could've sold it at a high price, but instead, he limits purchases and prices.

He's truly a man of compassion and skill, a good man."