Chapter 298 | Chapter 299 | Chapter 300
Chapter 298: Preparations Before Departure
Da Pang trembled all over!
As a big, plump ginseng with no self-defense ability besides burrowing into the soil, it had lived in comfort at Huai Yu’s doorstep for so long that it had almost forgotten what danger felt like.
Now, hearing that it might be sliced up, dried, stewed, and boiled into soup, all its countless whiskers began to shake.
“I—I—!”
It scrambled in its pot, wrapping its many whiskers tightly around Huai Yu’s arm.
“I w-want to go!”
Even if it wasn’t very useful and kept losing “hair”… its life was more important!
The big ginseng hugged itself tightly in distress.
Huai Yu quickly hugged its pot as well.
“Okay, okay, you’re coming! Just not the walker—we’ll get you a planting box. You’re not allowed to run around.”
“The wasteland is huge and dangerous. If something grabs you, I won’t even know where to look.”
Da Pang nodded vigorously.
“I—I d-don’t like m-moving anyway!”
Huai Yu: …
That statement was questionable. The one running around all day—was that Ke Taro?
Anyway, everything at home that could move had been arranged. They even packed a large bag of sunflower seeds—not for eating, but for marking locations. The edible ones hadn’t been fried yet—they still needed a few more days of drying!
Day by day, they prepared.
By the end of October, deep autumn arrived. After a cold autumn rain, Huai Yu’s home finally lit its fires.
In the living room, a small stove always held a kettle of boiling water.
Outside, in the renovated shed, a large brick stove was built against the wall. Within it, a big water tank was enclosed by bricks for insulation. As long as the fire kept burning and water was replenished, the tank would always hold warm water.
Next to it stood a simple shower room made of brick.
On the day it was ready, Huai Yu went in and bathed thoroughly—for a full hour. When she came out, her whole body felt soft and light, as if she had lost a bit of weight.
There was nothing better than a proper hot bath.
On the other side, rows of nests were arranged.
With autumn chill creeping in, the new nests were raised on brick bases, layered with old quilts, worn clothes, and dry grass. Combined with the warmth from the adjacent stove wall…
For once, even tireless Ke Taro lay comfortably for most of the day.
Not to mention Da Zai and Er Zai—who didn’t even have fur.
Their bodies still looked like sparse, spiky sea urchins. As departure approached, Huai Yu even hesitated, wondering whether to wrap them in thick cotton coats.
But for now, the most important task was drying the pork.
Huai Yu checked the dried meat on a large stove tray and sighed:
“I wonder if we’ll even be able to chew this…”
It was a real concern.
Because no one was sure if wild boar was edible, explorers handled them casually—kill and done.
No bleeding, no proper treatment. The boars ran wild in the forest, uncastrated. The meat had a strong gamey smell and tasted unpleasant.
Worst of all, it was incredibly tough.
Even before the disaster, wild boar meat was hard to chew. Now it was like iron.
If not for the sheer size of the animal, Huai Yu wouldn’t have bothered.
But after stewing it for half a day, Zhou Qian struggled with all his might and still couldn’t chew through a single piece of lean meat.
His body had evolved—but not his teeth.
Who could he even complain to?
The boar weighed nearly 200 kilograms. Huai Yu had purified it too—throwing it away would be too wasteful.
So she went through a long process: stew, braise, dry, then cook and roast again—until all the lean meat was shredded into soft, floss-like strands.
Now, adding a handful to porridge, stir-fries, or wraps gave good flavor.
Everything was finally ready.
Only one last tray of shredded meat remained to be dried.
Zhou Qian put on his coat.
“Little Yu, let’s leave tomorrow.”
Huai Yu nodded.
“Okay. I’ll harvest what I can today, then arrange for Kuang Biao to water the fields.”
Since they didn’t know how long they’d stay in the wasteland, and winter meant little rain, Huai Yu made arrangements after the autumn rainfall.
She allowed Kuang Biao’s roots to extend around the house.
Bamboo shoots sprouted in late autumn, growing into full bamboo overnight—then had their tops cut.
Now, rows of sparse bamboo stood in the garden trenches. They would draw water from the channels and release it through small holes Zhou Qian drilled into the stalks.
It wasn’t perfect. The watering wasn’t even—just barely enough to keep the vegetables alive.
But that was enough.
Winter crops were naturally drought- and cold-resistant. As long as they survived, Huai Yu could restore them later with her ability.
This preparation was just a precaution.
Zhou Qian finished putting on his boots.
“I’ll go to the administrative hall to check the garrison’s plans. You go inform Gao Ming.”
His stove wasn’t installed, and the roof still leaked. No one knew if he was even in good condition.
But since they were taking all their valuable things to the wasteland, out of respect for Boss Tang, they wouldn’t stop him from coming over to borrow supplies if needed.
Huai Yu nodded.
In fact, she already knew Gao Ming had caught a cold.
The rose in the black ceramic vase was still flourishing—branches spreading, flowers blooming and falling while new buds formed.
The vase sat on the only table in his living room. To the left was his bedroom, to the right his workspace.
That very night after the roses were delivered, Huai Yu had already begun dreaming of everything inside his house.
Though the dreams were dark, without light or meaningful details—and though she still couldn’t fully control it—she had confirmed one thing:
The Lin Xuefeng she had seen in her dream was real.
Somewhere in the wasteland, he was still barely holding onto life.
Because of this, both she and Zhou Qian had become more determined than ever.
Now, after the autumn rain, temperatures dropped sharply.
The two trees by the pond—one tall, one short—were gradually turning yellow.
The once constantly flowing filtration water now only filled two jars a day.
The peach tree Huai Yu had nurtured by the pond had lost all its leaves.
Even the last lotus leaves in the pond had withered—already harvested by Huai Yu to soak and steam rice.
Chapter 299: Distraction
Everything at home had been packed neatly and cleanly. Potatoes, radishes, and sweet potatoes had all been dug up and taken along.
Huai Yu looked around her home. This trip to the wasteland… she wasn’t without unease.
At the moment Zhou Qian closed the car door, she finally couldn’t hold back and asked:
“Brother Zhou Qian, about the dream I had of Lin Xuefeng… should we tell Commander Bai?”
Zhou Qian fell silent for a moment, then shook his head.
“Little Yu, you can’t explain your dream. The research institute has studied all abilities thoroughly. You can be special, but you can’t exist outside the system.”
“Your dreams, your control over the Rose Corridor, your cultivation and purification, the mutations and uniqueness they bring… all of it lies outside what they can grasp.”
“I’m just an ordinary person. I can’t fight against something that big. So between General Lin and you—you will always be my first choice.”
Seeing Huai Yu’s dim expression, he leaned out of the car window and rubbed her head.
“Besides, you’ve already done everything you can to save him.”
His tone grew serious.
“If General Lin is really at the center of the wasteland, even if you report it, no one will be sent.”
Because that would be a path certain to end in death.
Politicians weigh gains and losses. The military has factions. A fallen hero is the most perfect ending.
If he brought trouble instead, his past glory would become a blade hanging over everyone’s heads.
Everyone admired General Lin. In a true life-or-death situation, many might sacrifice themselves to protect him. But for a baseless dream, for a faint possibility—no one in this world, except Huai Yu, would make such a sacrifice.
And only someone as sincere and pure-hearted as her could possess such courage.
Huai Yu didn’t know his thoughts, but she wasn’t foolish. She understood what he meant.
Her expression softened, and she smiled.
“Brother Zhou Qian, I know who truly cares about me. I’ll listen to you.”
Zhou Qian smiled. The scars on his face moved with it, making him look more vivid. He pressed her head firmly.
“Let’s go. Get moving.”
……
At the administrative hall, Bai Yu looked at the message in her inbox. The warmth faded from her expression.
She pressed the call button.
“Notify all Sentinel Army units. Tonight at eight, General Wu Yue will arrive in Flower City by helicopter. All off-duty personnel are to follow me to the rooftop of Flower City Tower to receive him.”
The Sentinel Army and the Defense Army were not the same system, but given General Wu’s status, many Defense Army members also mobilized that afternoon.
As Zhou Qian parked outside the administrative hall, he heard people in line chatting excitedly, hoping General Wu would clear out Sanqing Mountain and the wasteland around Flower City.
Zhou Qian frowned.
Tomorrow would only be November. Why was Wu Yue arriving so early?
Then he relaxed.
He remembered how long the man had stayed last time—banquets one after another. Surely there would be plenty of social obligations again. If he and Little Yu left early, they could avoid him.
Even so, thinking about Huai Yu’s past, his mood still darkened.
He went to queue for an appointment, and then saw Bai Yu descending the stairs in full formal uniform, leading her team.
Her face still carried that gentle, approachable smile. She looked young yet composed, giving an excellent first impression.
But to Zhou Qian, it felt more like a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
The next moment, Bai Yu sensed his gaze and looked over.
For an instant, her eyes were sharp, her expression cold. When she turned, Zhou Qian felt his scalp tighten and his back prickle.
It was like a faint current ran down from the top of his head—a strange sensation.
He froze for a moment.
Then Bai Yu smiled again, the corners of her lips lifting, the muscles around her eyes softening into faint lines.
This smile was different from before.
This one was real.
Zhou Qian felt slightly uneasy, but he returned the smile.
As soon as he did, someone nearby glanced at him, then quickly looked away—his scars pulled with the movement of his face.
In this world, everyone carried wounds, but his scars were especially grim. The blood back then had carried neurotoxins. Even with Huai Yu’s sharp blade, the healed flesh had become raised and jagged.
Zhou Qian was used to it.
Even the aunties on the bus had more courage than this.
And thinking of the eggshell blade Huai Yu had recently brought him—custom-made through the construction department—his mood lifted again.
“Rare to see you distracted when you see me,” Bai Yu’s voice sounded in front of him.
Zhou Qian snapped back to reality. Before him was once again her warm, approachable smile. The discomfort faded.
“I was thinking about something else. Commander Bai, thank you for the permit. We’re planning to head to the wasteland tomorrow.”
Bai Yu nodded, then asked again:
“Are you really sure you don’t want to come with us?”
There was a trace of regret in her eyes.
“You don’t need to worry about causing trouble. As a commander, I have my own affiliated team. Quality over quantity—I haven’t filled all the positions yet.”
“You can follow with your own vehicle. As long as you don’t act recklessly or expect rescue, it won’t affect anyone.”
Her words were thoughtful, but Zhou Qian thought of Huai Yu and still refused.
“No. We have our own pace. And Little Yu has never been to the wasteland. If she joins a disciplined military team right away, I’m afraid she’ll feel pressured.”
Pressure…
Bai Yu paused, then smiled again.
“I don’t think she’s the type to fear pressure. Sometimes, you should let go a little.”
“Zhou Qian, don’t treat girls like greenhouse flowers. Even the smallest moss, when it wants to bloom, will do so with all its strength.”
“She seems stronger than moss.”
Zhou Qian paused, then nodded.
“Exactly. That’s why I’ll take her to the wasteland to adapt.”
Bai Yu nodded.
Looking at this man—dark-skinned, scarred, quiet yet steady and reliable—she smiled again.
“It’s good to have the desire to improve yourself. After all, the most reliable thing in this world… is yourself.”
“Safe travels.”
She gave him a nod, adjusted her cap, and strode forward.
Ahead of her lay her own battlefield of ambition.
Chapter 300: Departure!
When Zhou Qian returned to the Rose Corridor, Huai Yu had already packed all the potatoes stored in the bamboo tunnel into boxes. The radishes were buried in sand inside baskets. Once Zhou Qian came back, he only needed to carry them onto the vehicle.
Although they had prepared all kinds of vegetables, it was mostly for disguise—just in case. If they really needed food, Huai Yu could grow it on the spot. Otherwise, even if they filled the entire back compartment, it might barely be enough for a round trip.
At the beginning of November, the temperature dropped sharply. Even though vegetation across the country was still relatively preserved, the drastic reduction of plant life meant extreme summer heat and winter cold were unavoidable.
By the lunar calendar, winter had not yet begun, but by evening, the temperature had already fallen to just 2°C.
Huai Yu sat by the stove, turning the sweet potatoes roasting on top. In a stainless steel basin beside her was their warm dinner. In the largest pot, freshly dug radishes had been washed, chopped, and stewed together with chewy strips of wild boar meat.
No matter what, it was a proper meal—meat and vegetables both. These past days, the two of them had been eating well, their lips rosy and their bodies full of vitality.
She checked her shoulder bag again. Her eggshell blade was wrapped layer upon layer in boar hide and secured tightly. The bundle of ginseng whiskers she had collected was tied with red string and sealed in a plastic bag.
After thinking for a moment, she added another outer layer, then stuffed in a handful of Ke Tai Lang’s “Ke-lang balls” before carefully hanging the bag around her neck.
If something happened, the bag might not stay with her—but wearing it directly would be safer.
After going through everything again and again, she was finally satisfied she was fully prepared.
As night fell, the familiar sound of a car came from outside. Huai Yu skillfully set out the bowls and chopsticks. After a heavy door slam, Zhou Qian washed his hands with warm water from the outdoor stove before entering, bringing a chill with him.
“It’s really cold. Little Yu, did you pack all your clothes?”
Huai Yu nodded. “Packed, all packed!”
Items were stacked one by one, ready to be loaded. Tomorrow morning, after breakfast, they could set off immediately.
“Brother Zhou Qian, did you find out when the Sentinel Army plans to head into the wasteland?”
“No.” Zhou Qian shook his head. “Didn’t have time. General Wu is arriving tonight at eight by helicopter. Everyone’s busy welcoming him. I guess the earliest they’ll move is three days later.”
Three days…
For the Sentinel Army, that gap meant little. But since they planned to take remote routes, they only needed to avoid crossing paths on the outer cleared roads.
Huai Yu said nothing more and poured him a cup of hot water. Zhou Qian rubbed his hands, then took out a notebook.
“Chen Xing called me over earlier and copied this map for me. It’s from their previous expeditions—detailed records of areas near the outer-middle zones of the wasteland.”
Such maps were extremely valuable for those who had never entered the wasteland. Huai Yu leaned over to look and quickly became impressed by Chen Xing’s drawing skills.
Well…
Only slightly better than her own crude sketches.
She even suspected these maps required some internal team method to interpret.
But Zhou Qian had already been briefed. He tucked the notebook into her bag.
“I remember it. I’ll explain along the way.”
In the small room, the two quietly ate what might be their last peaceful meal of the year. Both felt a faint mix of anticipation and unease about the journey starting tomorrow.
With that feeling lingering, Huai Yu woke up early the next morning before dawn.
Outside, Zhou Qian was pushing her bicycle deeper into the storage shed. The two met eyes and smiled.
The stove had only a few embers left after a night unattended. Since they would leave after breakfast, Huai Yu didn’t add coal this time. Instead, she tossed in some dry firewood.
Soon, the room warmed up. Oil heated in the pan, and she poured in the prepared batter. The fragrance of egg pancakes quickly filled the air. Zhou Qian sat down with a plate, ready to eat.
At 7:30, Zhou Qian placed Ke Tai Lang into the vehicle. Da Zai and Er Zai, their spiky bodies curled in, were set into their warm nest. The chicks chirped as they wandered around the small compartment, and the three hens soon picked out a spot to lay eggs at noon.
Zhou Qian chuckled.
“No need to lay eggs. No matter how good the shock absorption is, your eggs won’t stay intact. You’ll just crack them in the car.”
The hens ignored him. They usually followed Da Zai and Er Zai. If those two didn’t say to stop, how could they hold it in?
At worst, they’d wait until the car stopped.
Da Pang carefully clung to the railing with its whiskers, trying to look outside. But Zhou Qian had already secured the rainproof canopy.
“There are ventilation holes. You can look out from there.”
Otherwise, with the wind and cold while driving, how could they endure it?
Huai Yu grabbed a handful of peanuts and placed them at the edge of the field.
“Xiao Tian, we’re heading out. We’ll be back after a while. You eat first.”
Inside its burrow, Xiao Tian: …It never said it was waiting for her anyway.
Eight o’clock.
Huai Yu closed the passenger door.
Destination—the wasteland!
……
At the same time, Wu Yue woke up in the Sentinel Army camp, his expression serious. The faint dizziness from last night’s drinking still lingered, but the poverty-level account balance displayed on his communicator sobered him instantly.
“Commander Bai,” he said, his tone unusually formal.
Bai Yu was slightly surprised.
Was the city’s reception not good enough yesterday?
But before she could dwell on it, Wu Yue continued:
“The temperature has dropped. Flora and fauna are entering dormancy or reducing activity. We shouldn’t waste time staying in safe cities.”
“Prepare the troops. Notify everyone—we depart tomorrow.”
Bai Yu’s lips still held a faint smile, but her eyes darkened.
Even with her patience, she couldn’t help but remind him:
“General Wu, a Sentinel Army deployment—especially a long-term, large-scale wasteland expedition—is not an emergency operation.”
“Logistics alone require at least three days of preparation.”
“If we leave tomorrow, resource allocation won’t keep up. There will be many complications along the way.”
