Chapter 313 | Chapter 314 | Chapter 315
Chapter 313: One Thing Subdues Another
Hot water was poured over the wild chicken. Along with it came that strong, gamey smell of wild meat. Zhou Qian had already fetched another basin of clean water.
While waiting for the water to cool, Huai Yu didn’t forget to remind him:
“Brother Zhou Qian, there’s a huge hornet nest in the forest over there. Don’t go that way.”
A hornet nest?
Zhou Qian frowned slightly. He guessed it must have appeared after the previous group left, so he nodded.
He had no intention of fighting hornets anyway. First, they didn’t produce honey—no point killing them. Second, they attacked in swarms, and even with his current combat ability, dealing with them would be troublesome. Third… who knew what kind of mutations they had? If they had some special ability, wouldn’t he just be delivering himself as food?
He turned and carried down that thick, plump slab of ice-lantern jade dew from the back seat.
“Get me another basin. I’ll slice out the flesh tonight.”
This stuff could serve as a hemostatic dressing in the wasteland—or even as drinking water.
Zhou Qian took out his eggshell knife and worked steadily, slicing off layer after layer of translucent green flesh.
Each slice varied in length, but the thickness was uniform. Through the gleaming green pulp, one could even see the reflection of the newly forged eggshell knife.
But these slices were very watery. Huai Yu had to squeeze each one dry and flatten them again. Meanwhile, Zhou Qian found some suitable twigs and hung each slice up to dry.
“The wind is strong tonight. After one night, most of the moisture should be gone. In a couple more rest stops, we’ll dry them again, and they should be ready to use.”
As for the squeezed-out juice in the basin…
He didn’t really want to drink it.
“Give it to the goose chicks. Where are they?”
Huai Yu sighed. “They think it’s too cold outside and won’t get out of the car. But Dabao and Erbao aren’t afraid—probably ran into the woods to play.”
Zhou Qian didn’t think much of it. Seeing the scalding water had cooled enough, he immediately started plucking the chicken—rough and efficient.
Up close, the feathers looked even more beautiful. Under the firelight and solar lamp, their iridescent colors shimmered vividly. Zhou Qian worked messily, while Huai Yu carefully picked out the most brilliant feathers and set them aside.
Plucking a chicken wasn’t easy, but Zhou Qian had done it many times before. Now he handled it with ease—chopping the chicken into pieces, tossing them into the pot to stir-fry. Beside him, Huai Yu prepared seasonings in perfect coordination, then dug out two large potatoes from the car.
“Wild chicken needs to stew longer. Brother Zhou Qian, you can tidy up first. After dinner, we can rest.”
Zhou Qian nodded and adjusted the seats.
“You sleeping in the back or reclining the driver’s seat?”
Huai Yu thought for a moment. “I’ll sleep in the driver’s seat.”
He was too tall—sleeping up front wouldn’t be comfortable. And the back wasn’t sealed at night, so even with the chickens, it wouldn’t smell too bad.
Zhou Qian agreed and went to tidy up.
When he stepped out of the vehicle, he checked the time—already 9:30 PM.
But…
“Little Yu, why haven’t Dabao and Erbao come back yet?”
Huai Yu, stirring the pot of chicken, paused.
The chicken was big, with tough bones and meat that wouldn’t soften quickly. But it had been purified well and was fresh—already smelling far better than anything they’d eaten before.
Hearing this, she froze.
“Yeah… why haven’t they come back to eat?”
She put down the ladle.
“I’ll go look—Dabao! Erbao!!”
Her clear voice had just rung out when Zhou Qian’s expression changed. He stepped in front of her instantly.
From the dense bushes ahead came chaotic sounds—like feet crunching dry leaves, pat pat pat…
Or like a swarm of locusts sweeping through.
“Hornets!” she realized.
Zhou Qian immediately pushed her toward the car.
“Get in! Close the door!”
Huai Yu didn’t hesitate. She scrambled in, then reached back to pull him along.
“Brother Zhou Qian, no need to fight hornets! No honey anyway! Getting stung is dangerous—it’s not worth it!”
But Zhou Qian stood firm.
“I’ll check on Dabao and Erbao—open the door!”
The moment he finished speaking, Huai Yu opened the door.
Zhou Qian rushed in like a gust of wind.
Bang!
The door slammed shut.
Outside, countless hornets slammed against the windows, buzzing wildly before dropping to the ground in dizzy spirals.
Huai Yu stared, stunned.
From the bushes, Dabao and Erbao came flapping back, wings shaking.
And suddenly—she understood.
Why Zhou Qian had been worried at first, yet so calm afterward.
Because against these hornets, Dabao and Erbao were the perfect counter.
One thing subdues another.
Under the car lights, the mutated hornets looked terrifying.
Their wings buzzed rapidly. Their black-and-yellow striped bodies, with bloated abdomens and narrow waists, created a chilling sight. Their forelimbs were jagged with barbs. Each one was as big as a grape!
In a swarm like this—if they stung someone…
Huai Yu felt a normal person would die instantly.
But no matter how fierce they were, they were useless against Dabao and Erbao.
The two geese were covered in sea-urchin-like spikes. The hornets couldn’t even get close before being impaled clean through.
And their sharp beaks weren’t just for chopping wood.
With precise strikes midair—neck forward, then back—a plump hornet was snapped into their mouths!
Huai Yu pressed against the window, dumbfounded.
For some reason, she thought of Zhou Qian eating peanuts.
—Tossing crispy, fragrant peanuts into the air, tilting his head back, catching them perfectly in his mouth.
He used to do that when relaxing.
And now, watching Dabao and Erbao gulp down hornets one by one…
It was hard to say they hadn’t learned from him.
Huai Yu couldn’t help turning to Zhou Qian.
He was rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
“Little Yu, you’ve eaten fried bee pupae before, right? Very fragrant. So if it’s not pupae…”
He looked almost eager to try.
Huai Yu: …
She sighed.
“Brother Zhou Qian, you really are someone who’s drunk Kelang tea and even Dabao’s foot-wash water. Now you want to try fried hornets too… I’ve never cooked that, and the fight isn’t over—we can’t go out.”
Even if the fight wasn’t over, it looked like Dabao and Erbao were already full.
Now the problem was—
The hornets wouldn’t leave, yet couldn’t defeat the geese.
They couldn’t get out.
And on the fire outside…
The big pot of chicken was still bubbling away.
Chapter 314: No Rush
The hornets were still outside, futilely trying to attack Dabao and Erbao. Meanwhile, Huai Yu and Zhou Qian clung to the car window, watching helplessly as the pot of chicken stew slowly boiled dry.
Despair filled their eyes.
But soon, even Dabao and Erbao couldn’t eat anymore.
Yes, they were mutated, strong and robust—but no matter how strong, their stomachs had limits. They had been swallowing one hornet after another, stretching their necks so much it felt like they’d develop cervical spondylosis… yet the swarm of hornets was still endless.
They were tired.
This luxury protein buffet was simply too much.
After gulping down the last bite, the two goose chicks waddled under the car, looking up at Huai Yu through the door—
“…Ah!”
…
“What are they saying?” Zhou Qian leaned over curiously.
Huai Yu thought for a moment and translated:
“Probably… ‘Mom, we’re sleepy. Time to sleep.’”
After all, their weakness was that they couldn’t fly, and the car compartment was too high for them to climb back in.
Zhou Qian: …
The fire had nearly died out, and the soup in the pot had reduced almost completely. What was once a rich chicken broth had turned into a dry braised dish. Zhou Qian fell silent for a long while, but still didn’t open the door.
Because as soon as Dabao and Erbao came over, the hornets followed.
The flapping and buzzing continued as they slammed into the car again and again. The reinforced windows couldn’t withstand a few pecks from gray magpies—but against these hornets, they still held up.
Wave after wave, the hornets crashed, fell dizzy to the ground, then rose again.
After several rounds, they finally gave up.
The buzzing faded.
Silence returned.
Only Huai Yu and the two goose chicks remained, staring at each other through the window.
After a while, she asked softly:
“Have they left?”
Zhou Qian listened carefully for a moment.
“Seems like it.”
They cautiously opened the car door. After standing there for a bit, no hornets came back.
Meanwhile, Dabao and Erbao still stared at them innocently—then suddenly turned and waddled into the bushes to relieve themselves.
Huai Yu didn’t even bother bringing them back yet. She rushed to the fire, quickly rebuilding it, then checked the pot—
Thank goodness. There had been enough water, so it hadn’t burned.
But the potatoes inside had completely softened. With just a light stir, they turned into thick mashed potatoes.
Then she looked at the basin of purslane and the planned shepherd’s purse with shredded pork…
“Well… it’s already like this. No point being picky. Let’s just eat.”
Zhou Qian put the two goose chicks—who had just finished their “important life matters”—back into the compartment, then lightly poked their sea-urchin-like feathers.
“Just like their owner.”
Expert at dragging things down.
But he forgot—their feathers only lay flat when facing Huai Yu.
Now, with a light poke, tiny beads of blood instantly formed on the tips of the spikes.
Zhou Qian: …
Alright, alright. Just like their owner—can’t even be criticized.
But when he turned back and saw Huai Yu bustling happily by the fire, looking at him with bright eyes, he couldn’t help but smile.
“Still edible?”
“Yes!” Huai Yu answered firmly. “The potatoes turned into mash, so let’s skip rice tonight, okay?”
The seasoning had been light for the stew—perfect now to serve as the main dish.
Zhou Qian had no objections. After all, he had even considered eating hornets earlier.
“Alright. Let’s eat, then rest early. I’ll sneak over there later to take a look.”
He was still puzzled.
How exactly did Dabao and Erbao manage to make the hornets hate them this much?
The nest was so high, and it was already cold and dark. It couldn’t be that they had caught a few stray hornets, eaten some, and let others escape to report back, right?
He couldn’t figure it out.
Despite the interruption, the mashed potato chicken tasted surprisingly good.
The stir-fried purslane, rich and savory, paired perfectly with the mild mashed potatoes. The wild vegetable pork porridge was also delicious.
After a long, exhausting day, both of them were hungry enough to eat in silence.
Huai Yu even showed him the eggs she collected earlier.
“We’ll eat these tomorrow morning! Boiled eggs, plus chicken and mashed potatoes—just enough.”
Then she suggested:
“Brother Zhou Qian, carrying a lamp into the forest at night is too obvious. Maybe don’t go. Let’s check tomorrow morning instead.”
Zhou Qian thought for a moment—and agreed.
That day had been both mentally overwhelming and physically exhausting.
After a simple wash, the two found their spots and quickly fell asleep.
Before drifting off, Zhou Qian couldn’t help thinking—
This trip into the wasteland… didn’t feel like the wasteland at all.
Back when he was with the defense forces, nights meant patrols and vigilance, days meant constant alertness—even in already explored areas.
But now, alone with Huai Yu…
Not only was he less cautious, he could even sleep soundly through the night.
The thought didn’t continue.
Because he, too, fell into deep sleep.
The late autumn night wind carried the scent of the wasteland.
Waves of rich osmanthus fragrance drifted through the air.
Everything grew quiet.
Even the insects and birds fell silent.
In her dream, Huai Yu was feasting on an osmanthus banquet.
Osmanthus honey brew, osmanthus lotus root, osmanthus water chestnut soup… even the tea was osmanthus black tea.
She felt satisfied—but also overwhelmed.
“Enough… enough…”
Too sweet. Everything was sweet.
Even if each dish wasn’t overly sugary, together it was too much.
She suddenly craved the savory stir-fried purslane from earlier… and the salty wild vegetable pork porridge.
“Little Yu! Little Yu!”
Someone was shaking her.
She opened her eyes groggily. Zhou Qian was already ready.
“I’m going to check the forest. Lock the car and don’t come out.”
Huai Yu rubbed her eyes and quickly sat up.
“Let’s go together. I know where it is. And that hornet nest is on a big osmanthus tree—if we have to fight, I can try asking the tree.”
She wasn’t sure the tree would respond—but what if?
That nest was huge. It wouldn’t be good for Zhou Qian to face it alone.
Zhou Qian paused.
“Alright.”
Then he added:
“Don’t lock the car. Stay behind me. If anything goes wrong, run back immediately. I left Dabao and Erbao nearby—they should be able to block for you.”
Huai Yu nodded, then grabbed the hem of her clothes and rubbed her face vigorously.
Instantly awake.
“Let’s go!”
Zhou Qian: …
After a moment, he said:
“Actually… we’re not in a hurry this morning. You could wash up first, then we go.”
Huai Yu: …
You could’ve said that earlier!
Chapter 315: The Osmanthus Tree
Since there was no rush, Huai Yu truly slowed down.
She boiled water, cooked eggs, reheated the chicken-and-potato mash… Even though aside from Dabao and Erbao, none of the others dared to get out of the car, the pace felt leisurely.
So much so that Zhou Qian almost forgot they were about to face unknown mutated hornets the size of grapes. Instead, after eating, he watched Huai Yu sorting through the colorful wild chicken feathers she had collected the night before.
“Stop fussing with those.”
They had been scalded in hot water—most of the oils were gone, and they’d rot quickly.
“I’ll get you prettier ones next time.”
Huai Yu sighed. “They’re just so pretty. Feels like a waste.”
She washed her hands again, then checked her coat, hat, glasses, and mask one by one. After that, she picked up one of the goose chicks and placed it inside the car—
So if she had to flee in a mess and hornets followed her back, at least she wouldn’t be fighting alone.
“Good baby! Mommy’s survival depends on you!”
She smoothed down its sea-urchin-like feathers.
Zhou Qian glanced at her completely uninjured hands, then at the tiny red dot on his own finger, and couldn’t help asking:
“So… stroking those spikes… what does it feel like?”
“That’s fur!” Huai Yu insisted. “Goose feathers!”
She had her own reasoning:
“At first I couldn’t understand either. But then I thought—Dabao and Erbao almost died inside the egg! It’s normal they didn’t develop fully. Once they grow up, their feathers will come in properly.”
Zhou Qian wasn’t convinced.
“Geese are considered adults at seven or eight months, right?”
Huai Yu: …
“I don’t know.” She thought for a moment. “I didn’t pay attention to that part in The Lover Out of Reach.”
Anyway—
Whether the geese grew proper feathers or not wasn’t important!
Right now, their target was that hornet nest in the forest!
Zhou Qian took the lead. Following Huai Yu’s directions, they soon passed through bushes and entered the cleared woodland.
Then—
He froze.
“Little Yu… you said there was a big osmanthus tree here yesterday. That tree… does it grow horizontally or vertically?”
Huai Yu: “???”
She hurried past him to look—
And froze as well.
Now she understood why the hornets had fought Dabao and Erbao to the death.
This… really wasn’t their fault.
Anyone who spent their entire savings buying a house, only to have a neighbor knock down a load-bearing wall and collapse the whole building, wouldn’t stay calm and polite.
Hornets were the same.
They had dignity too!
Right now—
The massive osmanthus tree had completely fallen to the ground.
The only reason it hadn’t fully collapsed was because its enormous body was propped up by nearby trees.
And that huge spherical hornet nest now hung suspended in midair—its bottom less than a few centimeters from the ground.
The entrance hole at the bottom was fully exposed.
Dabao and Erbao didn’t even need to stretch their necks—they could simply peck and destroy it.
And now, that completely wrecked entrance lay before Zhou Qian and Huai Yu.
Even though they weren’t the type to feel unnecessary sympathy for mutated creatures—
They both fell silent.
This time… the hornets really weren’t to blame.
Looking at the osmanthus tree—
The thick trunk was marked with clean, layered cuts. Each break was smooth and even—clearly made by Dabao and Erbao pecking again and again.
Neither of them spoke.
The forest was quiet, filled only with the rich fragrance of osmanthus.
After a night, many blossoms had already begun to wilt.
Zhou Qian slowly stepped forward and poked the silent hornet nest with a stick.
No movement.
Most likely, after their home was destroyed, the hornets failed to get revenge and had no choice but to relocate overnight.
Huai Yu felt a bit guilty.
After thinking for a moment, she reached out to touch the broken trunk.
“Then… I’ll grow another one?”
Zhou Qian paused, then nodded.
“Go ahead.”
They weren’t in a hurry anyway.
But Huai Yu had her own plan:
“It’s such a big tree—growing a new one will take time. Brother Zhou Qian, don’t just stand there. Get a basin and pick the osmanthus flowers!”
“They smell so good! Dry them and we can cook porridge or make tea!”
Zhou Qian sighed helplessly.
Before leaving, he glanced at the massive hornet nest.
“Taking this too?”
“…Yes.” Huai Yu nodded. “Put it next to Dabao and Erbao’s nest—to remind them not to overdo things.”
If the nest had remained, they could’ve lured the hornets multiple times and enjoyed several meals.
But now—cutting the tree entirely—
One grand feast, and it was gone forever.
What a loss.
Good thing no one else was around this rest area.
As Zhou Qian plucked osmanthus flowers, grumbling softly, he couldn’t help thinking—
If his old teammates saw this scene, they’d laugh themselves to death.
They’d probably tell this story every time they came to the wasteland.
Still…
“Little Yu, let’s not take the hornet nest. Hornets can track their nests. It must’ve taken a lot of effort to build this. If it attracts them again, that’s trouble.”
Huai Yu thought for a moment.
“Alright. We’ll leave it at the rest area as a warning.”
At least future travelers would know to inspect the area carefully.
By the time Zhou Qian filled a second basin with osmanthus flowers, Huai Yu had finally regrown a new tree from the trunk’s side branch.
It was only as thick as her arm, a little over a person’s height.
Since this osmanthus tree—both old and new—had no real consciousness, she couldn’t communicate with it.
But she could feel its joy.
Its branches stretched outward, blooming once again with delicate, fragrant pale-yellow flowers.
The scent filled the air once more.
Zhou Qian shook his head.
“Getting sleepy… Little Yu, this fragrance is kind of hypnotic.”
Huai Yu felt a little drowsy too, but—
“It’s fine. You only got sleepy after picking two whole basins—so it’s not that strong.”
Zhou Qian nodded and plucked the last cluster.
“That’s it. We’ve collected enough. No time to dry them now.”
“No problem.”
Huai Yu withdrew her hand.
“I’ll wrap them in gauze and tie them on top of the car. Let the wind and sun dry them along the way.”
But before that—
Zhou Qian should get some rest.
After all, he was the one who had been handling all that osmanthus.
