Chapter 243: It Came for Liu Panpan
In the end, Aunt Kang led the cleaning crew to tidy up the area.
The family from the broken car successfully received four barrels of water.
The barrels were a gift from Taoyang.
The two children couldn’t resist and immediately crouched beside a barrel, gulping down mouthfuls of water. They drank so fast that they choked.
Even though the coughing was uncomfortable, their smiles were brighter than the scorching sun.
The mother’s eyes welled up as she patted their backs. “Slow down, slow down. We still have more.”
The older child’s eyes sparkled.
“Mom, not only are the houses in Taoyang beautiful, but the water is delicious—it doesn’t even hurt my throat.”
Hearing this, the mother felt a pang of sadness. Her children had never drunk clean water in their entire lives.
The younger one nodded along with his brother, flashing an innocent smile.
“Mom, the uncles from Taoyang aren’t bad. Before, people always chased us away, but the uncles from Taoyang didn’t hit us. They even gave us water to drink.”
The couple’s eyes turned red.
At first, they had thought Taoyang would simply drag them away along with their car.
Or, like other base organizations, beat them up first—beat them until they were scared, until they were too afraid to resist, forcing them to move on their own.
They looked at the four barrels of clean water, then at Taoyang’s towering walls and buildings. Suddenly, Taoyang didn’t seem so distant or unapproachable anymore.
The woman carefully took out a dented plastic bottle from her tattered bag, submerged it in a barrel, and filled it up. Handing it to her husband, she said:
“Dongyang doesn’t lack water. Find a chance to go to Yuncan. This bottle of water might be able to trade for two decent tents. The kids and I will wait here for you.”
With two tents, they could sell the remaining water for some Federation credits. That would be enough to buy the kids a pair of shoes—this heat was scorching the ground, making it unbearable to walk barefoot.
Then, they could buy some dry food. Once they were healthier and not just skin and bones, she could get her husband some new clothes.
With those clothes, he could go to Dongyang and find a job.
And even after all that, they’d still have some savings left…
The woman’s eyes sparkled with newfound hope.
Before this, their lives had been nothing but despair.
They were too skinny and dark-skinned—no one would hire them. Worse, there was always the risk of being tricked by outlaws and used as bait for zombies.
No job meant no income. No income meant starvation and homelessness. Starvation would make them even thinner and weaker, pushing them further into an endless cycle of misery.
But now, these four barrels of water were like nectar from the heavens, breathing hope into their bleak existence.
That afternoon, when Su Tao went to check on the land, not only had everyone moved out, but the entire area had been thoroughly cleaned.
There was nothing left except sand and dirt.
Some survivors had even asked Meng Xiaobo to deliver a small gift to her.
“What’s this? It’s so pretty.” Su Tao picked up a glittering stone, curiously inspecting it.
Meng Xiaobo scratched his head. “That family said it’s some kind of gemstone. Not worth much, just a little something for you to play with.”
Old Mei glanced at it and let out a surprised oh.
“A ruby. Before the apocalypse, it was quite valuable. After the apocalypse, though, it’s hard to cash in. You can’t eat it, and only the rich collectors in Changjing still see any value in gemstones.”
Hearing this, Su Tao felt embarrassed to accept it and wanted Meng Xiaobo to return it.
Old Mei suggested, “No need to return it. That gemstone is useless to them—at best, it’s just a sentimental keepsake. If you like it, keep it, and send them something practical instead.”
Su Tao did like the gem quite a bit. After thinking it over, she agreed and had Meng Xiaobo bring them some long-lasting instant food and a case of bottled water.
The person who had gifted her the gemstone never expected to receive so many life-saving supplies in return. These items were far more precious than the gem he had given away. Overcome with emotion, he teared up and repeatedly expressed his gratitude.
From a distance, Su Tao saw him bowing so deeply that his waist nearly touched the ground.
In that moment, she thought—perhaps, within her ability, she could do something for these people.
Maybe all they needed was a small piece of bread, a sip of water—just enough to give them a sliver of hope to keep going.
But there had to be a system in place. Reckless kindness would only bring her endless trouble.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone.
When she answered, Shi Zijin’s low, solemn voice came through:
“Who posted this missing person notice?”
Su Tao replied, “It was Liu Panpan—the caregiver who has been looking after Old Mei. You’ve met her before. The person in the photo… is it Bone Wing?”
There was a long silence on the other end before Shi Zijin finally confirmed, “It’s him.”
The “man” who had killed Zhuang Hu—he would recognize him even if he were turned to ashes.
A chill crept into Su Tao’s mind, sending an icy buzz through her thoughts.
“It’s after Liu Panpan. For now, I’ve placed her under my jurisdiction. But what do we do next?”
Bone Wing wouldn’t give up so easily.
As long as Liu Panpan was alive, it would keep hunting her down.
