The World Turned into Zombies, So I Went Back to the Countryside to Farm 15

Chapter 15: The Search

After dinner, just as she put down her bowl and chopsticks, Jiang Wuni hammered her lower back and said, “Zao’er, can you wash the dishes? I’ve been bending over and moving things all day, and my back is killing me.”

“Alright. I’ll put a plaster on for you later.”

As people get older, their bodies are not what they used to be. Besides high blood pressure and high cholesterol, Jiang Wuni was also diagnosed with cervical spondylosis and a herniated lumbar disc during her physical examination last year. The doctor said these were common ailments for the elderly, especially since she had been doing farm work, bending over and looking down for years.

After washing the dishes, Jiang Zao applied the plaster for her, but then she suddenly remembered something she had been too busy to think about recently.

“How much of your blood pressure medication do you have left?”

Jiang Wuni’s eyes darted away.

“I still have a box.”

“Really?”

“Why would I lie to you?”

“You have to take your blood pressure medication on time. I’ll go out and find some for you when the rain stops.”

“I know, I know. It’s rare that it’s raining and I don’t have to keep watch. You should go to bed. Look at those dark circles under your eyes, and you’re still lecturing me!”

After pushing her out the door, Jiang Wuni walked to the bed, opened the drawer, and perhaps because she was tired from the day’s work, her hand was trembling slightly.

She sighed, and with a trembling hand, she took out the last pill, tore open a corner of the aluminum foil, took out the pill, and carefully cut it in half with a pair of scissors, then put the other half back.

Wen Zhao was woken up in the early morning by the sound of an argument from the second floor.

When she got dressed and went up, Jiang Z-ao was holding an empty blister pack and threw it on the floor.

“If I hadn’t come in to check on you this morning because you weren’t up yet, I wouldn’t have known that you’ve been secretly cutting the pills in half. What’s the use of taking them like this! Don’t you know that if you don’t take your blood pressure medication regularly and in the right dosage, you’ll…”

“What will happen, what will happen! I’ve had high blood pressure for so many years and I’m still alive and well! What are you yelling about so early in the morning! How is half a pill not a pill? Can’t I still take it?!”

“That was before! This is the apocalypse, we don’t have good medical conditions! Didn’t I say I would go and find medicine for you?! Why don’t you believe me!”

“I…”

Jiang Wuni was overcome with anger. Just as she was about to speak, her vision went dark, and her body swayed. Wen Zhao quickly supported her.

“Don’t talk for now. Lie down and rest.”

Jiang Zao also anxiously leaned over her bed. “Jiang Wuni…”

Jiang Wuni gripped her hand tightly, her eyes red.

“It’s not that I don’t want to listen to you. There are so many man-eating monsters outside. I don’t want you to go to your death! Zao’er, be good and stay at home. Grandma is already old…”

Jiang Zao rested her forehead on the back of her hand and was silent for a while. When she looked up again, she pulled her hand out of hers, stood up, her eyes red, but her expression was exceptionally firm.

“I have to go.”

“You… you might as well just kill me! I’m telling you! Even if you find the medicine, I won’t take it!”

Seeing this, Jiang Wuni felt another surge of anger and clutched her chest, cursing and groaning.

Jiang Zao went back to her room without looking back.

After Jiang Zao left, Jiang Wuni stopped cursing and tightly gripped Wen Zhao’s hand. “Little Zhao, you… you persuade her. I really don’t want Zao’er to take risks for me. I’m already halfway in the grave. She still has a long life ahead of her. If anything happens to her, I won’t be able to rest in peace even if I die.”

Jiang Zao returned to her room and packed her equipment. She threw everything she could think of that might be useful—tablet, binoculars, paracord, flashlight, lighter, multi-functional outdoor shovel—into her backpack. Finally, she slung her bow and arrow over her back, picked up her ice axe, and prepared to go out.

When she opened the door, she didn’t expect to see Wen Zhao standing there.

“If you’re here to persuade me, please move aside.”

“No, I’m going with you.”

“You…”

Jiang Zao was stunned, not expecting her to say that.

Wen Zhao added, “I think our chances of success will be higher if we go together. What do you think?”

“You’re injured.”

“It’s not a problem. It’s just my left hand. You said the wound on my abdomen can be stitched up.”

“It’s very dangerous.”

“Then I have to go even more. You said there’s no such thing as free help in this world, right? Let me do something for you.”

Wen Zhao saw her lower her eyes and bite her lip without speaking.

“I’m not trying to get my gun back, don’t worry. Even without this, it’s what I should do.”

Jiang Zao’s expression softened slightly. “You can go, but don’t hold me back. I won’t take care of you.”

Wen Zhao chuckled. “Alright, you call the shots. But we have to fill our stomachs before we set off.”

Time was tight. Jiang Zao took out two bags of military self-heating rations. Wen Zhao couldn’t help but exclaim, “You even stockpiled this.”

“I bought it on a whim when I was buying instant food.”

Wen Zhao glanced at the locked storage room door and said nothing.

While they were eating, Jiang Zao briefly explained her plan: to ride directly to the clinic in town, break down the door, and get the medicine.

Wen Zhao thought it was inappropriate.

“Didn’t you say the first place to have an outbreak in your town was the clinic? There must be a lot of zombies there.”

Wen Zhao’s finger swiped across the offline map on the tablet. “And hospitals have bulletproof glass. It would make too much noise if we just smashed it. Is there a clinic in your village?”

Jiang Zao thought for a moment. “There is, next to the village committee’s activity square. It’s very small, and usually, no one goes there. I’m not sure if they have blood pressure medication.”

Wen Zhao handed her the tablet.

“We can try our luck. If not, we’ll think of something else. And didn’t you say that most of the people in your village are elderly people who were left behind? They usually have these kinds of medicine at home.”

Seeing her expression, Wen Zhao comforted her again, “I know you want to solve this once and for all, but we don’t have any equipment, supplies, or support right now. Grandma also hopes you won’t take risks. Do these things only after ensuring your own safety.”

There were only a dozen households in the village, with about a hundred people, while the population of the town was several times that of the village. Once they were surrounded by zombies, their chances of survival were slim.

Jiang Zao went into the house in silence and brought out some protective gear.

“These were a gift when I bought the bicycle. Put them on, you might need them.”

The two of them put on helmets, elbow pads, knee pads, goggles, and masks, covering themselves from head to toe.

Wen Zhao went into the kitchen and hesitated for a moment between a wood-chopping knife and a grass-cutting sickle, finally choosing the wood-chopping knife, which was sharpened to a gleaming white.

Although Jiang Zao was reluctant to reveal too much of her strength in front of Wen Zhao, the situation was urgent. To ensure the safety of their operation, she still took out her drone and conducted an aerial reconnaissance of the entire village.

This was the first time Wen Zhao had seen the full view of Yuanxi Village. It was a long, narrow terrain nestled in a valley, with a gurgling stream flowing through the center of the village. The houses were arranged in an orderly and scattered manner. It was early summer, and the alpine rhododendrons were in full bloom, a riot of purple and red, a beautiful sight.

If it weren’t for the zombies, this would be the time for the villagers to plant their crops. Every household would probably have smoke curling from their chimneys, instead of the dead silence that now prevailed.

There was not a single living person in the fields.

Only a vulture, when the drone flew over, keenly raised its head and stopped foraging.

Jiang Zao gradually lowered the altitude and flew towards the clinic at the entrance of the village.

The clinic was on the village committee’s activity square. This was the gathering place for the villagers during village activities, a large courtyard. Besides some fitness equipment, there were no other obstructions. It was usually used by the villagers to dry grain.

It seemed that there was nothing unusual. There were no zombies wandering outside. It seemed they had all returned to their nests.

After searching for a while, Jiang Zao operated the drone to return.

After the drone landed steadily in her hand, she folded the propellers.

“Let’s go.”

***

Although it was raining, the zombies would not come out during the day, and the sound of the rain covered their footsteps well.

The two of them avoided the houses and took the small paths. They soon arrived at the village committee’s activity square.

The clinic was the second room on the left after entering the gate, next to the village committee office.

Wen Zhao observed for a while. There was no movement in the courtyard. She crouched down and was about to get up when Jiang Zao pushed her down again.

“There are no zombies outside during the day, so they must be inside. I don’t know what happened to you on the highway, but I have to remind you that those zombies are no longer human.”

Wen Zhao pursed her lips and nodded solemnly. “I know. Since we’re working together, you have to trust me too.”

After Wen Zhao finished speaking, Jiang Zao was about to sneak along the wall to the window of the village committee office when someone pulled her sleeve.

Jiang Zao turned her head and whispered, “What!”

“Since we’re working together, I still don’t know your name. I can’t just keep calling you ‘hey,’ right?”

“Jiang Zao, Zao as in morning.” Jiang Zao shook off her hand and looked back ahead. Just as she was about to get up, someone pulled her back again. Wen Zhao quickly passed her and went ahead.

“I’ll take the lead.” Wen Zhao tiptoed along the wall to the window of the village committee office.

She crouched under the window, raised her head, and only revealed her eyes to take a look. There were about three zombies inside, standing against the light, swaying their bodies. Because they were so close, she could even hear the “he he” sounds coming from their mouths.

Wen Zhao made a “3” with her fingers to the back. Jiang Zao nodded and also tiptoed over.

There was only one door between them, so the two of them had to be extremely careful. Fortunately, they passed the window without any incident.

The door of the clinic was locked. Wen Zhao looked through the window and saw that it was pitch black inside. Jiang Zao handed her a flashlight. Through the light of the flashlight, they could see some medicine boxes scattered on the floor, and the IV stands were also lying in disarray. There were black and gray marks on the ceiling and walls from being burned.

Wen Zhao’s brow furrowed.

“The situation is not good.”

“What’s wrong?”

“You’ll know when we get inside.”

She gently pushed the window. Fortunately, the incident had happened suddenly, and the person inside hadn’t locked it.

Wen Zhao leaped in and landed lightly. Jiang Zao followed closely behind. Wen Zhao helped her up, and seeing that she was also safely inside, she turned back and gently closed the window.

The entire clinic was dim, gloomy, and there was a layer of stagnant water on the floor, emitting a foul smell.

The chandelier on the ceiling had fallen and landed on the counter. The display case glass was shattered, and the medicine boxes were also burned.

Jiang Zao finally understood why Wen Zhao had said that.

She strode over in disbelief and rummaged through the ashes. Cold medicine, gastrointestinal medicine, anti-inflammatory drugs…

After a lot of effort, she finally found a box of the kind of medicine Jiang Wuni usually took. She picked it up, but only half of the instruction manual was left.

Wen Zhao picked up a blister pack from the stagnant water on the floor.

“It’s been soaked for too long. It’s better not to take it.”

After a brief moment of disappointment, Jiang Zao did not lose heart. She opened her backpack and started stuffing the still-edible medicine inside.

“Don’t waste it. Take everything we can use.”

As the two of them were working, a familiar “he he” sound suddenly came from the infusion room inside.

Jiang Zao’s alarm bells went off. She gripped the ice axe in her hand and was about to go in when Wen Zhao stopped her.

“I’ll go first.”

She lifted the half-curtain with her wood-chopping knife and suddenly froze on the spot.

“What’s wrong?”

Jiang Zao followed her and took a look.

On the hospital bed lay a disfigured “person.” The body was charred black from being burned, the limbs were as thin as sticks, and in some places, the white bones were exposed, emitting a foul stench. There was not a single piece of good flesh on the face, only the bloodshot, red eyeballs could move. Hearing the noise, a “he” sound came from the mouth that could no longer open. It was clear that it had already mutated.

Wen Zhao picked up a half-burned ID card from the ground and vaguely recognized the old woman’s former appearance from the photo on it.

“She’s from your village, quite old.”

Wen Zhao picked up a half-burned cigarette box from the burned bed frame. “The fire most likely started from here.”

But a paralyzed, disabled old woman in bed couldn’t possibly be smoking. It was very likely that the family member who was taking care of her was smoking by the bed. When they fled, they didn’t have time to put out the cigarette butt, and it fell on the bed, causing the fire.

There was a trace of pity in Wen Zhao’s eyes. “Why didn’t they take her with them? She’s so old…”

A sarcastic smile touched Jiang Zao’s lips.

“There are no filial sons at the bedside of a long-term patient. They probably wished she were dead. Of course, it’s a different story if she had a pension.”

Wen Zhao sighed softly and turned to leave. “Let’s go.”

As they were talking, the old woman made an urgent “he he” sound and turned her head with difficulty in their direction. As she moved, a large piece of scalp that was stuck to the steel frame tore off, and yellow pus flowed out.

Jiang Zao stood still. “She’s better off dead than alive like this.”

Wen Zhao realized what she wanted to do and still felt a little pity. “Jiang Zao…”

“If she were still conscious, she would probably want me to do this.” Jiang Zao stared at the old woman’s red, bloodshot eyes and drew the dagger from her waist.

“You go out and wait for me.”

After it was all over, Jiang Zao picked up a relatively clean blanket from the floor and gently covered the old woman’s face.

“Let’s go.”

While waiting, Wen Zhao found an iron box under the counter outside. It had a red cross on it. Inside were a few syringes, two boxes of penicillin, and some gauze and bandages.

These were all good things.

Wen Zhao stuffed everything into her backpack. “Let’s go.”

The two of them tiptoed out of the window and returned the way they came. They only started talking after they reached the dirt road outside the village activity square.

The rain was getting heavier, and there was fog on the distant mountains. The two of them crouched under a tree to take shelter from the rain.

“Do you know which other family in the village has blood pressure medication? It’s too time-consuming to search house by house. The light is already bad on a rainy day, and the zombies might come out early. We have to be back before four in the afternoon to be safe.”

Jiang Zao glanced at her watch, a trace of anxiety in her eyes.

“I know. Let me think.”

She looked at the distant mountains shrouded in clouds and mist, her mind racing. When her gaze moved to the tallest building in the village behind the village committee, a piece of gossip Jiang Wuni had once told her flashed into her mind like a bolt of lightning, becoming a life-saving straw at this moment.

“Do you know who I saw at the clinic in town today? The village chief’s wife! She was right in front of me in line. I thought she looked so familiar!”

“When she wasn’t looking, I took a peek at her medicine box. It’s the same kind of medicine I usually take, and there’s also something called ‘island element,’ I don’t understand it.”

“Insulin,” Jiang Zao had replied nonchalantly on the phone at the time.

“What’s that for?”

“Diabetes.”

Jiang Wuni had slapped her thigh in sudden realization. Besides high blood pressure, this was the most mentioned thing in the health programs she loved to watch.

“That’s a rich person’s disease. Serves her right for eating big fish and big meat all day!”

Jiang Zao pointed. “We’re going to the village chief’s house.”