Chapter 119 Exclusively published on Jinjiang: 'Monster' Enters the City, All Sides Avoid It...
The four hovercars stopped about a kilometer away from the county town.
Upon discovering the wealth of the villagers in Yunlu Village, Cheng Yi immediately approached Chen Bing to discuss making a deal with them, only to be told that the deal had already been agreed upon.
Besides the food and crossbows he had his eye on, there were also raincoats, vacuum-packed items, and other unusual things.
Li Tie took out the carts from the caravan that were full of supplies and let Chen Bing and Lu Xuan trade them. The spices and medicinal herbs on the carts were quickly exchanged for more and more practical supplies.
The guards looked at the supplies that would last them a long time and couldn't be happier.
When it comes to survival, food is definitely the most reassuring thing!
Chen Bing asked, "So, are we going to hide these carts like before, and then take them into town by oxcart?"
Upon hearing this, the caravan members immediately showed expressions of regret.
Are you not going to sit down yet? We haven't arrived yet.
After riding in the magical hovercar that makes you feel like you're on flat ground, then making them ride horses or oxcarts... don't ask, the answer is just that it's uncomfortable.
Lu Xuan waved his hand: "Too much trouble, I won't hide it anymore."
Chen Bing was puzzled. Was stopping the car just to complete the transaction before entering the city?
Of course not.
Soon, the villagers enthusiastically got back into the cars, separated by men and women, and pulled the curtains closed.
Cheng Yi asked, puzzled, "What are you doing?"
Before returning to the RV, Lu Xuan casually left a message: "Change your clothes."
Everyone in the caravan: "?"
The guards exchanged bewildered glances. What did this mean?
Didn't you already wear that raincoat? Why do you need to change clothes?
Someone whispered, "Could it be that she wanted to change into more worn-out clothes to avoid being spotted once she enters the city?"
The others gave the speaker a look that said, "Are you stupid?" and all looked at the hovering bus.
With such a large vehicle in front of you, even if the people of Yunlu Village are dressed like beggars, do you believe them or do you believe I am the emperor?
"What else could it be?"
As more and more people got off the bus after changing their clothes, they seemed to understand why.
The villagers, who used to wear their own unique styles, have all changed into black combat uniforms with silver trim, looking very cool. And the able-bodied men and women are all carrying an alloy crossbow!
Wearing the same 'uniform' and standing in a row, the feeling it gives is immediately different.
Dressed like a beggar? Not at all.
When you arrive in a new place, you naturally want to show your best side and make a dazzling debut.
Although the villagers had never actually seen blood except when hunting, the caravan guards were so startled by the sudden burst of energy and imposing presence in the villagers' eyes that they instinctively took a step back.
Chen Bing's eyelids twitched.
If the other side had been in this posture when they encountered Yunlu Village, he probably wouldn't have let his guard down so easily, and would definitely have run away when he found an opportunity.
At the same time, he was extremely grateful that he hadn't had any wicked thoughts or gotten into conflicts with these people.
Yang's gaze was drawn to the valiant women holding small, exquisite alloy crossbows, and she couldn't help but glance at them again and again.
Cheng Yi is quite different.
His main focus was on Lu Xuan.
Before the RV was brought out in Yunlu Village, he and his employer were completely unaware of Lu Xuan's family, or rather, Lu Xuan's uniqueness.
After all, Lu Xuan's appearance wasn't that of a handsome, extraordinary, and unforgettable beauty.
But at this moment, looking at Lu Xuan dressed in black, with a tall and straight posture and a calm gaze as if he didn't care about anything, no one would think that he was just an ordinary villager from a small village.
Cheng Yi also noticed that Lu Xuan's clothes were noticeably different from the others.
Especially the strange outer garment worn over it, which resembled a cloak but wasn't quite one (a long, stand-up collar trench coat), made the person stand out even more in the crowd, impossible to ignore.
The fans in the live stream were also watching with shining eyes, throwing out all sorts of jokes they had learned from ancient live streams.
[Streamer: I'm not pretending anymore, I'm a big shot, I'm coming clean.]
The three-year period has ended; why don't you all quickly welcome the Dragon King back to his throne!
Hahaha, you guys are really something.
Ignoring the group of idiots in the live stream, Lu Xuan said, "I've changed my clothes, let's go into the city."
The villagers boarded the vehicle again as family units, and also invited the caravan to board together.
The caravan members had mixed feelings. Did they really have to drive the hovercars in like this?
This must have terrified the disaster victims in the city... Huh?
Thinking about it this way, I actually got a little excited.
They've already been scared once, so it's hard not to hope that others won't 'sink with them'.
We should share embarrassing moments together!
...
"My God, what is that?!"
"Monster, monster——!"
"Help—!"
Four enormous hovercars suddenly appeared at the city gate, and the disaster victims inside the city were horrified, screaming in terror as they fled in panic.
The guards who were originally stationed at the city gate collapsed to the ground, their legs giving way beneath them. They then fled in panic, leaving the refugees to watch helplessly as these monsters stormed into the city without any resistance.
Other disaster victims who were further away and hadn't figured out what was going on were about to ask what had happened when they saw the lead floating bus and many living people 'trapped' inside the glass windows. They cried out in alarm, "A monster is eating people—! Run—!"
Other disaster victims on the street scrambled back home, some living too far away, and in their haste, they took refuge in the nearby abandoned houses.
They frantically blocked the entrance with the badly damaged door, then peeked out through the drafty window, their eyes filled with lingering fear and... the inescapable human thirst for knowledge.
Was that really a monster?
I don't see anything that looks like eyes or a mouth.
The four 'monsters' didn't run far before they stopped and started 'spitting people' out. One 'monster' even spit out dozens of people in one go.
The disaster victims were speechless.
That monster can really eat!
wrong.
They vomited it all out, and the person seemed perfectly fine. Maybe it wasn't some kind of monster?
Moreover, these people didn't look like ordinary people; they were all carrying weapons and looked like they were not to be trifled with.
The timid disaster victims instinctively shrank back.
But soon, these secretly observing disaster victims saw a middle-aged man casually wave his hand, and several carts full of luggage suddenly appeared on the open ground!
Disaster victims: !
Magic! ! !
He really is a monster!
Some disaster victims had a different focus than others. They stared intently at the luggage, whose contents were unknown, wondering if there was food or other necessities inside.
They sniffed desperately, trying to smell the food, but all they smelled was dust, mud, and rainwater, and their faces showed disappointment.
Immediately afterwards, the monsters behind started 'spitting' out again.
This time, however, what was 'vomited' was not people, but cattle and horses, live cattle and horses!
From the dilapidated houses on both sides of the street, the sounds of something being tripped and clattered could be heard, and some tightly closed windows were opened. The emaciated disaster victims stared at the cattle and horses of the caravan with greedy and longing eyes, swallowing their saliva frantically.
So many succulents!
Chen Bing hadn't expected the people of Yunlu Village to be so reckless, changing things so easily and not afraid of causing trouble at all.
However, thinking that he would be able to go home soon, Chen Bing was quite eager to return and didn't care about anything else.
After having Cheng Yi re-lead the oxcart, he said to the people of Yunlu Village, "My home is in the north of the city. I've been away from home for several months and I'm really worried about my family's situation. The guards in the caravan also need to go and find any living family members as soon as possible, so I won't stay any longer."
At this point, Chen Bing said somewhat apologetically, "I don't know the current situation in the city, so I can't take on the responsibility of arranging accommodations for everyone..."
Li Tie chuckled and said, "We don't lack supplies, and finding a place to settle down shouldn't be difficult. Boss Chen, you can go ahead. Don't you and Ah Xuan still have a deal to complete? After you settle down, it shouldn't be too hard to find out where we're staying."
Chen Bing nodded.
That's really not difficult. With such a large entourage, the whole city will probably receive the news soon, and it will be very easy for him to find someone later.
Chen Bing glanced at Lu Xuan and said, "Then I'll take my leave. I'll do my best to get what you need as soon as possible."
He would exchange the seeds he bought for others when they ran out; in short, he had to get his hands on the vacuum packaging machine!
The caravan members quickly left with several cartloads of goods.
With fewer outsiders around, the villagers of Yunlu Village looked around excitedly and started discussing among themselves.
Zhang Chengming sighed, "If it weren't for the earthquake, we probably would never have had the chance to come here in our lives."
Li Jingshen agreed, "The farthest place I've ever been before was Baisong Town. I've never even been to the county seat of our county." Let alone other county seats.
Wu Yang observed the shops along the street and said, "Many of these shops have collapsed, and the doors and windows are broken and have not been repaired. They should be abandoned and no one lives here anymore."
Occasionally, you can hear noises inside, which are people who were just frightened by them and temporarily ran in to hide.
Li Tuo blinked, scratched his head, and said, "No one's open any of the shops here. Are there any brokers left in town? If no brokers recommend where we'll stay, are we just supposed to find some empty space and ask Brother Lu to set up a safe house for us?"
Lu Xuan said calmly, "Just ask one of the disaster victims."
After he finished speaking, his gaze swept precisely towards the house where people were hiding.
Just as I was considering whether to randomly grab someone, my gaze swept across a small alley and I noticed a handsome young man of about sixteen or seventeen who looked rather clever and was secretly peeking in our direction, seemingly hesitating whether to come over.
When they met eyes, Lu Xuan was clearly startled, but after a slight hesitation, he gritted his teeth and walked over.
Miao An carefully walked to within five meters of the hoverbus and stopped. He put on a slightly stiff and awkward smile and asked, "Gentlemen, would you like a guide? My name is Miao An. I'm a local from the county and I know this place very well. I can tell you about Yangshan County and even arrange accommodations."
As he spoke, he glanced at the women and children in the crowd, especially at a woman whose belly was clearly protruding and who was pregnant. His anxiety subsided somewhat.
When viewers in the live stream saw the newcomer, they jokingly said that he was the guide NPC after the streamer and his group changed locations on the map.
Lu Xuan raised an eyebrow at Miao An, guessing that the other party was probably someone who appeared after the earthquake to provide basic services for newcomers. Calling him a guide NPC would be quite accurate.
It's unclear whether the other party simply saw that they had no shortage of supplies and came to earn some extra money on their own initiative, or whether they also had additional purposes such as reminding them what they shouldn't mess with in the city, finding out where the newcomers came from, assessing the dangers, and providing intelligence to the forces in the city.
These guesses only flashed through Lu Xuan's mind.
He casually tossed a steamed bun made of millet flour to Miao An and said, "Then tell us what you think. If you tell us something we like, you'll get your share of the benefits."
Miao An was surprised by their generosity; they immediately offered soft, fluffy steamed buns that were still warm to the touch!
He quickly stuffed the steamed bun into his coat, and with utmost enthusiasm, patted his chest and assured them, "Thank you, sir! Don't worry, I'll tell you everything I know without reservation!"
Having received the benefits and finding that the other party's attitude was not as bad as expected, Miao An's expression became much more relaxed, and he became bolder.
Before starting his explanation, he glanced at the hoverbuses, which were at least twice his height, and couldn't help but ask, "What are these? Are they really monsters?"
"What monster? Nonsense." Lei Yan, standing next to Lu Xuan, said unhappily, "This is our car."
Zhang Chengming, on the other side, said, "Didn't you see that we just came out from inside?"
Miao An stammered, "But I didn't see any oxen or horses pulling the cart."
Xiong Mao scoffed, "Who says only carriages pulled by oxen and horses are carriages? Our carriages are far more advanced than oxcarts and horse-drawn carriages, is that so wrong?"
Miao An hesitated, but surely no car would float in the air? Was it really not a ghost car?
He touched the steamed bun that was very noticeable in his arms, but in the end, he didn't dare to say those words.
Lu Xuan said, "Ask less of what you shouldn't ask, and say what you should say."
Miao An quickly suppressed his curiosity. "Shall I tell you about the situation in the city first, or should I take you to find a place to stay? I see there seem to be some people still in the car. Could you tell me how many distinguished guests there are in total? I'd like to think about whether there's a suitable place to arrange things."
Lu Xuan said, "There are less than 150 people in total, so there's no need to arrange them all in one courtyard. Three or five large courtyards, or a cluster of small courtyards next to each other, would be fine."
"So many people." Miao An swallowed hard. "It's indeed difficult to find a place, but there are quite a few well-preserved empty houses in the east of the city. One house can easily accommodate fifty or sixty people, and even more can squeeze in. Finding two or three large houses should be enough to settle everyone." (And the car.)
Lu Xuan nodded: "Take us to see the house."
Except for a few people who stayed outside and walked with Miao An, the other villagers got back into the cars, and the four cars followed behind them, moving forward at a snail's pace.
When Miao An saw these strange carts actually moving up close, he couldn't help but feel a little scared, but in order to get more steamed buns, he forced himself to remain calm and started talking about things in the city.
The earthquake killed people, and then came the hottest season. The city's response was roughly the same as that of Chen Bing's caravan, the only difference being that Yangshan County was a northern city, and more people knew how to dig cellars and were able to hide inside more quickly.
Unlike people in the countryside who habitually hoard large amounts of food, city dwellers avoided starvation by scavenging from their neighbors who had perished in the earthquake, as well as from other collapsed houses in the city.
An earthquake wiped out nearly a third of the city's population in the blink of an eye, but the supplies that these people originally owned also became ownerless, indirectly enriching others.
Compared to those who starved to death, more people died of thirst and heat in the past two months.
The water supply here is not as plentiful as in the south. After the drinking water and well water dried up, the number of people who died of thirst was almost equal to the number who died in the earthquake.
If it weren't for the fact that so many people had died and there wasn't a shortage of manpower to clear the ruins and dig for supplies, the county town wouldn't have been willing to accept the surrounding disaster victims.
Miao An said, "After the earthquake, many people from surrounding villages and towns came to seek refuge. Some of the villagers initially wanted to save their crops, so they worked themselves to the bone every day to water the fields before the nearby rivers dried up."
At this point, Miao An curled his lip, "People can't even get water to drink, and you're still watering the crops? In the end, you don't save the crops, and you even get heatstroke and die. It's all for nothing. In the end, the remaining people still have to leave the parched land and come to the county town to find a way to make a living."
"If the water wasted in the fields had been saved for drinking, perhaps no one would have died."
Li Tie and others could understand this.
For farmers, the harvest from the fields is more important than their own lives. If losing their own life can save the lives of other family members, they will be willing to risk everything when necessary.
Unfortunately, this drought is much more severe than before, and it cannot be solved by just killing a few people.
Miao An said, "I heard that someone died because they lived alone, and no one found out for several days. It wasn't until several days later that someone passing by smelled the rotten smell of cooked meat and discovered the body. By then, the outer layer of skin was completely cooked, and because it was so hot, it was rotting and infested with maggots..."
Whether it tastes good or looks good, anyone who sees it with their own eyes would throw up their dinner from the night before, if they had eaten the day before.
The villagers of Yunlu Village looked rather unwell upon hearing this; the undigested lunch they had eaten not long ago seemed to be churning in their stomachs, making them vomit...
Miao An continued, "Some people in the city thought that the south might not be so dry, and since they had relatives to seek refuge with, they went south a long time ago. I don't know if they found their relatives successfully."
Li Tie asked, "What about the government offices? Is nobody in charge? Has anyone from above come to provide disaster relief?"
Miao An chuckled: "There are terrifying underground fissures everywhere now. Even if the government wanted to send people to help with the disaster, they wouldn't be able to, would they? They might not even be able to take care of themselves."
The drought isn't just affecting them; whether you're an officer or a soldier, you'll still be exhausted in the face of high temperatures.
Those officials were too busy finding places to escape the summer heat and save their own lives to care about the disaster victims.
Looking at the still desolate street that was nearing its end, Wu Cheng asked, "So now the people in the city are surviving by scavenging for unclaimed goods every day? What about the shops? Are they all closed and not doing business?"
Miao An said, "Some shops are open, but they're not here, and most of them aren't privately owned. The original shops mostly didn't sell necessities after the disaster, so even though they're open, nobody comes in."
"The shops whose owners died, and the goods stockpiled in their shops and warehouses, except for a very few clever people who acted quickly and hid some, were all collected by several forces in the city. Ordinary people couldn't get any unless they found a way to join those forces."
Over 90% of the shops still open are run by various factions selling off supplies they've collected. These supplies can be purchased with gold or silver, or through barter. Using gold or silver is extremely expensive; a simple coarse grain cake costs over a hundred coins, and water is the most expensive, a small bowl costing one tael of silver. Most people barter.
Food doesn't make up a large portion of the unclaimed supplies. The rest can be exchanged for ready-made dry rations at the shop, saving people the trouble of cooking for themselves in the sweltering heat.
However, water was too expensive, and the supplies that the disaster victims painstakingly found were almost all gone, leaving them barely scraping by.
"Fortunately, it's been getting cooler and cooler since about two weeks ago, and it's even raining!" As he said this, Miao An's voice and expression became noticeably cheerful, and his face, which had been haggard from the extreme heat, brightened up considerably.
He gestured wildly as he said, "When the first rain came, everyone in the city went crazy with joy. They rushed outside, crying and shouting, searching everywhere for basins and bowls to catch water. If they couldn't find any, they would just tilt their heads back and drink the water in big gulps. Some even lay on the ground enjoying the feeling of being soaked by the rain."
He himself was one of them.
He still remembers the indescribable feeling of happiness when the rain moistened his chapped lips and skin.
Miao An made a point of observing the changes in the expressions of the villagers in Yunlu Village. Seeing that they were moved but did not seem to feel much empathy, he knew that they probably had never really lacked water before.
Miao An's eyes darted around, and he rolled up his sleeves to show them his arms. "Look, these are all sunburned. Almost everyone who survives in the city looks like this now."
The villagers gasped when they saw the horrific state of Miao An's arm.
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Author's Note: This is the second update today, and there will be another update at 6 PM this afternoon!
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