The World Turned into Zombies, So I Went Back to the Countryside to Farm 51

Chapter 51: Migration

As the saying goes, it’s easy to go up the mountain but hard to come down. The way down was only steeper and harder on the knees.

It took them a full three days to reach the small wooden cabin.

The first thing Jiang Zao did when she arrived at the small wooden cabin was to put down her bag and report their safety to Jiang Wuni and Little Mi on the walkie-talkie.

Hearing the long-lost voice from the other end of the walkie-talkie, Jiang Wuni and Li Mi were also happy for them.

“I never thought I’d have the chance to see someone climb Chongming Snow Mountain in my lifetime. My heavens, I wouldn’t even dare to think about it.”

Jiang Zao glanced at Wen Zhao and just smiled.

“I took a video. I’ll show it to you when we get back.”

“What about Little Zhao? Is everyone okay?”

Wen Zhao came over and bent down to the walkie-talkie.

“Grandma, Little Mi, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

“Then when are you coming back?”

“We’ll rest at the small wooden cabin for a day and then come back.”

“Eh, eh, alright. Then I’ll make you pancakes when you get back.”

After putting down the walkie-talkie, Jiang Zao looked at Wen Zhao.

“Why do you only report the good news and not the bad?”

“I don’t want to worry Little Mi and Grandma. It’s enough to be honest with you.”

Jiang Zao helped her sit down on the small bed. Wen Zhao’s left arm was in excruciating pain on cloudy and rainy days due to an old injury. After staying in the low temperatures on the mountain for several days, she couldn’t even lift it when she reached the small wooden cabin.

“Then aren’t you afraid I’ll worry?”

Wen Zhao looked up and smiled at her.

“You’ll be even more worried if I don’t say anything.”

“Really…” Jiang Zao muttered a few words and turned to go out the door. “I’ll go get some firewood and start a fire. I’ll boil some hot water to apply to it later, and then put on a plaster. Fortunately, I brought a plaster.”

It was not as cold at the foot of the mountain as it was on the mountain. With a fire, the room immediately became much warmer.

Outside, the snow was white, but inside the small cabin, it was as warm as spring.

Wen Zhao took off her clothes, wearing only the black short-sleeved shirt underneath, revealing her arms and beautiful shoulder and neck lines.

Jiang Zao wet a towel with hot water, wrung it out, and then wrapped it around her left arm, saying softly.

“In the end, this arm of yours has long-term consequences because of me…”

Wen Zhao gently tucked a stray strand of hair from her forehead behind her ear.

“What silly things are you saying? This was my own decision. It has nothing to do with you. You don’t have to feel guilty.”

“Wen Zhao…”

“Shh, let’s stop this here. Don’t say any more.”

Wen Zhao raised her index finger and gently pressed it against her lips. Feeling the softness from her fingertips, she couldn’t help but think of the kiss on the mountaintop, which was so beautiful that it made her heart flutter.

So much so that she still couldn’t forget it.

The fire crackled, waking the person from their dream.

Jiang Zao’s face turned red, and she quickly got up.

“I… I’ll go get another basin of hot water.”

Wen Zhao chuckled and let go of her. “Alright.”

After applying the plaster for her, Jiang Zao spread the egg crate mat on the floor, preparing to sleep on the floor. Wen Zhao grabbed her.

“You sleep on the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“How can that be? Your arm…”

“It’s much better with the plaster on.” Wen Zhao pulled her over without any explanation but didn’t notice the backpack at her feet. Jiang Zao’s body swayed, and she fell onto the bed behind her.

“Be careful.” Wen Zhao was quick and cushioned the back of her head with her hand. The two of them fell onto the bed together.

“Are you okay?”

Jiang Zao shook her head. The moment their eyes met, it was as if something invisible was burning, and the temperature in the room also rose.

Wen Zhao gradually felt a little thirsty. She licked her lips and wanted to get up from this somewhat awkward position.

“Little Zao…”

Before she could finish, she was pulled down by the collar.

Jiang Zao’s kiss was reckless, naive yet passionate. Wen Zhao also put her arm around the back of her head. The two of them tentatively, little by little, slowly tried, and gradually deepened the kiss.

She was the one who had initiated the attack, but her defense was gradually being broken. Jiang Zao was a little unwilling to be outdone. She propped herself up slightly, wanting to regain the initiative, but she was pushed forward and cornered.

There was no retreat.

She met her again, her hands on her shoulders.

Wen Zhao immediately held her waist tightly, making the two of them inseparable. The hand that was on her shoulder gradually moved to her neck.

After several rounds of back and forth, they were taking everything from each other. Jiang Zao gradually felt out of breath. When they separated, her originally pale lips were dyed crimson.

Her active retreat gave Wen Zhao more opportunities, so a dense rain of kisses fell behind her ear, sliding down her neck. Jiang Zao’s soft voice gradually changed its tone.

“Wen… Wen Zhao…”

The call of a lover was like a spell.

Wen Zhao woke up as if from a dream and forced herself to stop. She pulled up the clothes that had slipped to her shoulders and placed a comforting kiss on her forehead.

“Sorry… I was reckless.”

Jiang Zao looked around and said.

“I… I think… this bed is a little small… don’t you think?”

Wen Zhao reluctantly got up. “I know. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

As she turned around, her wrist was grabbed again.

“I mean, we can get some wooden planks next time and renovate it, and… turn it into a double bed.”

When the first ray of sunlight shone into the small wooden cabin in the morning, Wen Zhao also slowly woke up. Seeing the head that was lying on her chest, a gentle smile couldn’t help but appear on her lips.

Although this single bed was a little too narrow for two long-limbed adults, to let Jiang Zao sleep more comfortably, she could only lie on her side with her back against the corner of the wall, her arm under her head all night. At this moment, it was a little numb, but she was still reluctant to separate from her.

Not even for a second.

When Jiang Zao opened her eyes, a gentle kiss landed on her forehead. “Morning.”

“Morning.”

She closed her eyes again, a smile on her lips. The two of them held each other for a long time, whispering.

Although such a moment was precious, the rumbling from both of their stomachs made Wen Zhao gently pat her back.

“You can take a nap. I’ll get up and pack and make breakfast.”

When Jiang Zao got up, Wen Zhao had already gotten dressed, started the fire, and was stirring the pot on the stove.

A rustling sound came from outside the wooden cabin, as if some animal was gradually approaching and pawing at the door. Jiang Zao instantly picked up the ice axe by her pillow. Until she heard a familiar sound.

“Woof! Woof, woof!”

Wen Zhao went to open the door, and a yellow and black shadow pounced in, rubbing against her enthusiastically and whining.

Wen Zhao took its head off her face. “Alright, alright, Kele, it’s all saliva…”

Jiang Zao also opened her arms. “Kele—”

Before she could finish, Kele had already left her and jumped onto the bed, playing with Jiang Zao.

Wen Zhao stood up and looked at them, shaking her head helplessly.

After breakfast, the two of them and a dog set off for home. Kele looked back every three steps. Looking in the direction it was looking, a snow-white wolf was standing on a rock in the dense forest, watching. Beside it were three small wolf cubs. The female wolf raised its head and let out a loud call.

Kele also responded with a long “awoo.”

Jiang Zao patted its head.

“I thought you came specifically to welcome us. It turns out you were here to see your girlfriend. You just came to see us on the way, tsk, tsk.”

Kele was wagging its tail frantically. For some reason, Jiang Zao actually saw a fawning expression on a dog’s face.

Wen Zhao gently took her hand and intertwined their fingers.

“Why are you even jealous of Kele? Don’t you have a girlfriend now?”

Touching the identical ring on their fingers, Jiang Zao also smiled knowingly. “Then let’s hurry up. I’m starting to miss Jiang Wuni’s cooking.”

“Alright.”

Knowing that they were coming back today, Jiang Wuni had been kneading dough since early in the morning. Because there were no eggs, it was difficult for the batter to form. She could only add clean water to the flour in two separate batches, stir the batter evenly with chopsticks, and then set it aside to rise.

Li Mi also brought over the peeled potatoes.

Jiang Wuni placed them on the cutting board and cut them into even thin strips with a clang. She also took out a few pickled long beans from her treasured pickle jar, preparing to stir-fry a sour and spicy potato dish to go with the pancakes.

“Little Mi, high heat.”

“Eh.”

The two of them were busy in the kitchen when a noise came from the courtyard gate. Little Mi ran out to take a look and was overjoyed. “Grandma, they’re back!”

The long-silent small courtyard was finally filled with laughter again.

“You’re back? It’s good that you’re back! Quick, quick, wash your hands and get ready to eat!”

After dinner, Jiang Zao finally took a long-awaited hot bath. The fatigue of the past few days was swept away, and she returned to the main hall, feeling refreshed.

A fire had already been lit in the main hall, and it was warm.

Kele was dozing by her feet.

The family sat together, eating the chestnuts that Little Mi had picked from the mountain a few days ago, and sharing their experiences of climbing the mountain this time.

Looking at the videos and photos in the camera, a light also lit up in little Li Mi’s eyes.

“So beautiful. I really want to climb up and see it one day.”

Jiang Zao patted her head.

“You will. Maybe one day in the future, humans will no longer have to use their feet to measure the height of a snow mountain. Our Little Mi will climb Chongming Snow Mountain in another way.”

Jiang Zao’s casual remark at that time, she did not expect that it would become a prophecy one day in the future. When the young Li Mi had grown up and was piloting a flying vehicle, landing on the top of Chongming Snow Mountain.

That was a story for the next era.

After all, she was old. Jiang Wuni talked for a while and then went up to sleep. Wen Zhao also went to take a bath.

Only two people were left in the main hall.

Li Mi was still flipping through the photos in the camera until she saw the photo of them leaning against each other, the camera placed on the side recording a time-lapse video, and the kiss photo that was accidentally taken.

Jiang Zao snatched it away, her face slightly red.

“This, this… don’t look at the rest.”

Little Mi looked at the shiny wire-wrapped ring on her finger and came over with a mischievous look.

“Big Sister Wen also has an identical one on her hand. Big Sister Jiang, are you two together?”

Jiang Zao flicked her forehead.

“I knew I couldn’t hide it from you. But, you have to keep this secret for me. Don’t tell Jiang Wuni for now.”

“Why? Isn’t this a good thing?”

A mind that has not been disciplined is so good. It’s only natural to think that two girls being together is a matter of course.

Jiang Zao thought for a moment and said.

“This is of course a great thing for me and your Big Sister Wen. But Grandma Jiang is different. In the era she was born in, two girls being together was considered a great rebellion. Of course, this kind of thinking is completely wrong. It’s just that she’s already old, and her thinking can’t be changed in a short period of time. I’m afraid she won’t be able to accept it if I tell her directly and will get sick from anger. I’ll tell her myself when the time is right.”

Only then did Li Mi hold out her little finger. “Alright then. I’ll keep the secret for Big Sister Jiang. It’s a promise.”

Jiang Zao smiled and also hooked it.

“A promise is a promise.”

After Wen Zhao came out of the shower, there was still some hot water left. Li Mi was preparing to go and wash too. Before she left, she asked her to help fix the dusty DVD player at home. They had been gone for almost half a month, and Little Mi had been thinking about the cartoon she had found last time.

Wen Zhao wrapped her hair in a towel, squatted down, and pulled the DVD player out from under the TV, wiping the dust off it.

Jiang Zao handed her the toolbox.

“This old antique was bought by my grandfather back then. I don’t know if it still works.”

Wen Zhao fiddled with it a couple of times, plugged it in, and connected it to the TV. She pressed the switch, and a green light lit up on the DVD player’s display. The CD tray also popped out.

“It still works. Let me try a disc.”

Jiang Zao took out the disc and handed it to her. Wen Zhao put it in and pressed the switch. The tray slowly went in.

She went back to the sofa, sat down, and picked up a glass of water.

Although she didn’t like to watch cartoons, she still had a glimmer of hope. If it worked, she could find some other movies to watch next time she went out, which could also enrich their boring daily life in the apocalypse.

Just as she was thinking this, the next second, two intertwined female figures appeared on the TV.

Jiang Zao spat out a mouthful of water and choked, coughing.

Well, the cartoon has turned into an action movie.

And… and a lesbian action movie!

What kind of person! Likes to collect this kind of thing!

Wen Zhao was closest to the TV. The sudden close-up of the scene also scared her. Before any strange sounds could come from the TV screen, she fumbled to turn it off.

Jiang Zao quickly got up, feeling that she couldn’t stay here any longer. She went upstairs. “I… I’m going to bed.”

Wen Zhao looked at the disc in her hand as if she were looking at some kind of monster.

“Then… what about this?”

“Throw it away, throw it away.”

The next day.

Li Mi, who had just gotten up in the morning, rubbed her eyes and went downstairs, yawning. “Big sister, was the DVD player fixed last night?”

The two people in the main hall replied in unison.

“No/It’s broken/It can’t be fixed.”

Li Mi: “?”

***

Little Mi’s attention was soon drawn to other things, because they had to level the land before spring came.

The wheat field, which had been fallow for several seasons, was overgrown with weeds, and you couldn’t see the end of it.

They decided to clean up their own wheat field first before the severe cold came and use it as the first experimental plot.

The group got to work right away. Without a large harvester, they could only use sickles to cut them down row by row, working from morning to night.

Jiang Wuni was also bent over on the ground, picking up many of the fallen wheat grains. She didn’t care if these shriveled seeds could grow wheat. She just felt sorry for them, rubbed the dirt off in her palm, and picked them up first.

She held the root with her left hand and cut it with her right hand with a sickle in a smooth motion. The rows of already yellowed wheat and weeds fell down.

Jiang Zao pulled up a sturdy vine, tied it in a knot, and tied them together with her backhand, throwing them to the side.

Although it was the twelfth lunar month, everyone was sweating profusely. Wen Zhao had even taken off her jacket, tied it around her waist, and was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt, revealing her strong muscles. The back of her clothes was soaked.

They would go back for a simple meal and rest at noon, and then continue in the afternoon. They worked day and night for five days before they finished cutting the grass in the field.

There were still some wheat stalks left in the field. Jiang Wuni burned them on the spot, looking at the black smoke from the raging fire.

A hint of hope appeared in her eyes again.

“That’s more like it. The stalks still have to be burned. The hotter the fire, the better. This is the best fertilizer. It will burn all the pests in the field, and next year’s crops will grow better.”

Jiang Zao looked up at the snowflakes floating in the sky.

“A timely snow promises a good harvest. Let’s go. We’re going home.”

In a daze, the New Year’s Eve was almost here again.

Before the New Year’s Eve, Jiang Zao decided to go on another adventure. For one, to collect some supplies so that everyone could have a good New Year. For another, the task that Jiang Wuni had given her last time had not yet been completed. The village had already been searched. Because it was not the planting season, the villagers did not have any wheat or rice seeds at home.

She thought of going to the town again to see if she could find anything. Otherwise, even if the land was leveled, without seeds, they could not start spring planting.

There were several small shops in the town. Jiang Zao used to go there with Jiang Wuni to get soy sauce when she was a child. Sometimes she would also buy some seasonings or seeds there, so she was familiar with the way.

The old rule, the car was still parked outside the town. The group got out and walked across the bridge into the town. Kele used its nimble nose to lead them on a path with no zombies as much as possible.

They had always done this before, but now, although the few of them had taken many detours, they would inevitably encounter zombies. The difficulty of entering the center of the town was obviously much greater.

Jiang Zao shot another arrow and dealt with the zombie in front from behind.

Wen Zhao’s Mountain Stream Snow was also stained with blood. Along the way, it was inevitable that they would have a close encounter with a zombie.

Kele let out a soft “awoo” and drooped its tail, as if to say it wasn’t its fault.

Wen Zhao patted its head.

“I know. Kele has done its best. There are just too many zombies here.”

Hearing her say this, Jiang Zao felt that something was wrong and frowned.

“Don’t you think there are more zombies in the town?”

Wen Zhao had come face to face with the horde of zombies in the town and had a rough idea of their numbers. Although the number of zombies in the town was not small before, they were all evenly distributed, all near the hospital or residential areas in the center of the town. Unlike now, when they had only just entered the outskirts of the town and had already encountered so many zombies.

There was one almost every three to five steps. Fortunately, with Kele’s nose to warn them, and the fact that they were all skilled, they had managed to get through without any incident.

“It’s also possible that they’ve wandered over from the center of the town.”

The three of them were squatting by the base of the wall, talking, when Kele suddenly arched its back towards the back, bared its fangs, and looked ready to pounce, growling lowly.

The ground began to vibrate slightly.

Wen Zhao’s pupils shrank. She pulled them and quickly hid in a nearby shop. The main door of the shop had been smashed. They didn’t have time to find a new place and could only squat under the window.

Just as they had hidden, the horde of zombies also wandered over.

Jiang Zao’s heart was in her throat. Wen Zhao’s hand, which was holding hers, was also sweaty. Large beads of sweat slid down her temples, and she swallowed frantically.

Li Mi held Kele and covered its mouth, not daring to move.

Jiang Zao had thought that the zombies were coming for them, but who knew that the horde of zombies just roared and ran past the street outside the shop.

It wasn’t until there was no more movement outside that Wen Zhao carefully got up and motioned for them to wait here. She tiptoed to the door and peeked out.

“They’re gone. They’re all gone.”

A blank expression appeared on Li Mi’s face.

“Big sister, what are they doing? Why are they running around?”

Jiang Zao shook her head.

“I don’t know. Maybe they’re looking for prey or some kind of migration.”

In human history, there have been several major population migrations. These population migrations have accelerated economic development and promoted the transition of humanity from an agricultural civilization to an industrial revolution. In a sense, it is the movement of population that has promoted social progress.

Just like the several major human migrations in history, advanced life has an instinct to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, and will constantly adapt to the environment to ensure survival. When the number of prey in a region is not enough, they will migrate to other grasslands.

Zombies, as advanced life forms controlled by a virus, although they have lost their minds, their instincts are still there, and it is the same.

It was only later that Jiang Zao learned that it was this major migration of zombies that had dealt a heavy blow to the already precarious human civilization. The situation in the future would only be more difficult than when the disaster had just occurred.