The World Turned into Zombies, So I Went Back to the Countryside to Farm 85

Chapter 86: The Morning Sun

Qingshan held An An, feeling her body temperature gradually slipping away. She watched as her body went limp in her arms, and the scarlet in her eyes finally faded a little.

She opened her mouth and, with her remaining hand, wiped away the blood that was constantly flowing from the corner of her lips, her eyes filled with disbelief.

“An An, An An…”

Her words were still on her lips when the blade came, passing through her throat and straight to her spinal cord.

Wen Zhao forcefully pulled out the knife that was stuck in her neck. Blood splattered, and a large amount of blood spurted from Qingshan’s neck.

Her hand, which was holding An An, loosened. Like a slow-motion replay, she fell face down on the ground.

Her fingers were still twitching, and bloody foam mixed with black fragments was constantly flowing from the corner of her mouth. Qingshan struggled to stand up, but she found that her vision was getting blurrier and blurrier.

She opened her eyes wide and saw Jiang Zao running towards her against the light, her hair flying in the air.

Her eyes were smiling, just like before.

A hint of a smile also appeared on Qingshan’s lips. She struggled to raise her hand, stretched out her arm, as if she wanted to grab something.

“Zao’er, you… you asked me before… if my real name was Qingshan… I… I told you from the beginning… my, my name is Qingshan… not the Qingshan of ‘I see the green mountains as so charming’…” [1]

“But the Qingshan of ‘I see all living things as grass and trees, only when I see you do I see the green mountains.’ That night, I really regret… not having finished my words… you, can you tell me… did you ever…” [2]

“Love, ever loved… me…?”

The hand she had stretched out ultimately brushed past Jiang Zao.

The two people who had survived a disaster held each other tightly in the morning sun. Jiang Zao rested her chin on Wen Zhao’s shoulder, gently closed her eyes, and tears fell silently.

Qingshan looked at her empty fingertips and started to cry and laugh. She could gradually no longer speak. The blood that was seeping from under her was almost dyeing the ground red, and her vision was also getting darker and darker.

Isn’t… isn’t it light?

Why… why is her world getting darker and darker?

“Mom… don’t cry.”

“Daughter, let’s go home for dinner.”

“Commander Zhu, wherever you say to fight, we will all follow you.”

…

In her daze, Qingshan saw a series of smiling faces walking towards her. The shadow of the setting sun pulled them further away.

Qingshan’s gaze fell on the tall figure. She watched as she turned her head and smiled slightly at her.

“Qingshan, then you can call me Zao’er in the future. It’s my nickname. Only my grandmother and my best friend can call me that.”

Qingshan’s outstretched arm slowly fell.

Until darkness enveloped her.

Maybe… maybe what she had been chasing, what she had wanted, what she had been willing to risk everything for, she had once briefly possessed and then it had vanished in an instant.

Just like the end of a grand movie, a romantic first meeting often does not have a good ending.

If this were a movie, then its theme should be:

You are the only misstep in my orderly life.

“The zombies are here. Let’s go.”

Li Mi had brought two horses that could still move from the camp. Jiang Zao let go of Wen Zhao and looked at Yan Zhen, who was lying on the ground. She walked towards her step by step.

She was still holding an ice axe in her hand, and blood was still dripping from the tip. Yan Zhen swallowed and shrank back a little.

She knew that she had betrayed her, and it was precisely because of her betrayal that their escape plan had failed.

Wen Zhao and Jiang Zao had also paid a heavy price for this. Perhaps… after dealing with Qingshan, it would be her turn.

Yan Zhen closed her eyes tightly.

But a gentle voice came from her ear.

“Get up. We should go.”

She opened her eyes in disbelief. In front of her was Jiang Zao’s outstretched hand. She looked up along her palm.

Jiang Zao nodded gently at her.

She tentatively reached out again, touched her fingertips, and was then pulled up with force, standing up straight.

Wen Zhao mounted her horse and also held out her hand to Jiang Zao.

Jiang Zao turned around, and together with her lover, she rode on the same horse, through the mountain of corpses and the sea of blood, towards the place where the morning glow was rising.

“Giddy-up!” The two people behind her also followed.

Dewdrops were swaying on the blades of grass in the early morning. White flowers were in full bloom on both sides of the road. The morning mist that rose in the forest was like smoke from a chimney.

The four of them rode together.

Jiang Zao turned her head and looked at Yan Zhen.

“So should I call you Doctor Yan or Doctor Lu?”

Yan Zhen smiled slightly. At this point, she had nothing to hide. “When did you find out?”

“It was that night. I took you back and saw your old name tag under the cabinet. Something you couldn’t bear to throw away after so long must be very important to you.”

On the name tag with “Attending Physician” on it, the name “Lu Wen” was written in the name field. That was her former name.

“You can still call me Yan Zhen. I’m used to it.”

Yan Zhen pulled the reins, looked up at the rising sun, and the light shone through the forest, on them.

Wen Zhao put her arms around Jiang Zao from behind and rested her chin on her shoulder. “So my Little Zao knew from that day that our escape plan was doomed to fail.”

“Yes. If I had known this secret, then Qingshan must have known it long ago. With such a big handle in her hands, she would definitely have used it to the fullest.”

“I could never figure out why Doctor Yan, who was so capable, still had to be at her mercy. At that moment, all my questions were answered. But at that time, the arrow was already on the string and had to be released. I was also under strict guard and couldn’t go to find you.”

Everything was settled, and they were about to head for a new life. Jiang Zao’s tone was also rarely light.

“I could only prepare for the worst. Among us, at least one of us had to get out alive. Compared to me.”

“A-Zhao, I hope that person is you.”

“I’m a gambler. I can only bet on the little bit of memory I have of Qingshan and her last shred of conscience that has not yet been extinguished.”

“It’s just that I didn’t expect that you would come back at the risk of your life, that Little Mi would be quick-witted and poison most of the people in the camp with poisonous mushrooms, and that Doctor Yan would also rush out to help me at the critical moment.”

“From this point of view, my luck is very good, although I have never won the lottery before.”

“Silly girl, meeting you is the luckiest thing that has ever happened to me.”

Wen Zhao tightened her arms with affection, completely embracing her. The warmth of her embrace again made her eyes slightly red.

“You know, I won’t go. I promised you, wherever you go, I’ll go. We’ll never be separated.”

Little Mi was holding Kele in her arms. For so long, a bright smile that belonged to a child had finally appeared on her face.

“Of course. I still remember Grandma used to remind us not to eat poisonous mushrooms. I remember it very clearly.”

Yan Zhen also looked at Jiang Zao.

“Even though I saved you, I also betrayed you. Have you really thought it through… to forgive me?”

Jiang Zao pursed her lips and smiled slightly.

“I know you have your difficulties. Instead of blaming you, I should go and get justice from the mastermind.”

“Our grandmother also said that the more dangerous the situation, the more we should unite all the forces that can be united. An eye for an eye will not make this world a better place. Love and hope will.”

Jiang Zao turned sideways and looked into Wen Zhao’s eyes.

“Besides, someone once told me a long time ago, judge by actions, not by heart. No one is perfect if you judge by heart.” [3]

Wen Zhao remembered that it was the year she had just arrived at Yuanxi Village. Jiang Zao had secretly taken Kele out to hunt early in the morning and had sprained her ankle on the mountain. She had carried her back from the mountain.

It was from that time that the two of them gradually had each other’s shadow in their hearts and slowly began to truly trust each other.

A tear slid down the corner of her eye.

“Little Zao, you really don’t blame me for hiding my identity from you? At that time, when I was unconscious, I heard you say you wanted to throw me out to feed the zombies. I couldn’t betray the life that Little Wen had left for me.”

“Later, when I wanted to find a chance to confess to you, I found that I had already fallen deeply in love with you. My self-esteem made me…”

Jiang Zao raised her finger and gently pressed it against her lips.

“Whether you’re a commander or a criminal, to me, you’re just my A-Zhao. That’s all.”

The tears in Wen Zhao’s eyes finally burst out.

But Jiang Zao smiled playfully again.

“Then now, what do you want me to call you? A-Zhao or Little Xiao… this name is not bad either.”

She pondered.

But Wen Zhao just gently held her head.

“Whatever you want. Anyway, a name is just a code. No one can truly define who we are, except for ourselves.”

Yan Zhen covered Little Mi’s eyes with her hand.

“Children shouldn’t look.”

Li Mi shouted and pulled her hand away.

“Who said I’m a child? I’m much more amazing than you!”

Yan Zhen rolled her eyes and muttered.

“Yes, yes, a little thing that’s not even as tall as me, can’t even ride a horse, and still needs to be held to sit steady…”

“Yan Zhen!!!”

“Call me big sister!”

Yan Zhen gave her a rap on the head.

A faint smile also appeared on Jiang Zao’s face, who was behind her. After exchanging a long kiss with her lover, her cheeks were also slightly red. She gently lifted Wen Zhao’s head, which was resting on her shoulder.

“A-Zhao, we should go.”

Wen Zhao did not react.

The smile on Jiang Zao’s face slowly disappeared.

She seemed a little in disbelief. She tentatively called her name again and tremblingly raised her hand to check her breath.

“A-Zhao?”

The moment she finished speaking.

Wen Zhao had already closed her eyes, her body tilted, and she had let go of the reins, slowly falling from the horse’s back.

“A-Zhao!”

***

It was still that small wooden cabin.

Jiang Zao rushed in and carried her to the bed. Yan Zhen fumbled to cut open her clothes, and she was instantly stunned.

Her body was covered in wounds. There was almost no good flesh. Besides the whip marks that were oozing blood, there were also all kinds of knife wounds and scratches… and even shrapnel embedded in her flesh. She had come all the way here relying on her wisdom and combat experience, and had single-handedly wiped out the 113 members of the camp’s patrol team.

When she stood in front of her again, Jiang Zao had only felt lucky. It wasn’t until this moment that she saw the truth.

A person who was already covered in wounds, how could she not be injured after fighting all the way in a heavily guarded camp?

In the end, Wen Zhao was holding on by faith, step by step, to find her.

And she had even had a big fight with Qingshan.

Yan Zhen was also a little flustered because of her anxiety.

“I told her not to continue fighting. If this goes on, she will die of heart failure sooner or later! She wouldn’t listen and had to go and save you. Is that how you treat a doctor’s words?!”

Jiang Zao’s eyes widened in disbelief. She looked at her blood-stained palm. It was just because she was wearing dark clothes that it was not obvious in the night. It wasn’t until she was put on the bed that she found that the blood that was constantly seeping from under her had almost soaked through the mattress.

Yan Zhen’s words had awakened her from a dream.

“Help! Turn her over!”

“Little Mi, go and get some water quickly.”

Jiang Zao didn’t have time to wipe the tears that were falling from the corners of her eyes and turned Wen Zhao’s body over with her.

Yan Zhen tore off the clothes on her shoulder but was suddenly stunned. Her hand had not yet been put down, but there was a hint of a daze in her eyes.

“What’s wrong?!”

It was too late for her to block Jiang Zao’s line of sight.

Jiang Zao pounced over and saw at a glance a deep claw mark on her shoulder and back. Her four limbs instantly turned cold, and a chill spread throughout her body.

She took two steps back in disbelief.

“How… how can it be… is… is that time…”

Her mind flashed with the scene of her saving herself from Qingshan’s hands and cutting off her hand.

So… so at that time, she was out of strength, and her movements were half a beat slow. Although she had saved her, she had also been scratched by Qingshan’s sharp nails.

No one had noticed that Wen Zhao, who had always been so graceful with a knife, had stumbled and had to support herself with the Mountain Stream Snow to stabilize herself.

She had also not mentioned this to anyone and had been enduring the torment until now. So she… she had been so anxious to explain to her on the horse, and had not even waited for them to reach a safe place. She was afraid that she would never have the chance to say what was in her heart.

Li Mi rushed in with a basin of water and saw this scene.

“Big sister, the water is here…”

She was about to put it by the bed when Yan Zhen grabbed her.

“Don’t go over!”

Li Mi also saw the claw mark on her back.

She remembered that her brother had only been scratched a little by her mother’s nail and had turned into a zombie that night. But the one on Big Sister Wen’s back was so deep and was still oozing blood.

The basin in Li Mi’s hand fell to the ground with a clang.

Yan Zhen used the cloth torn from her clothes to tie a rope, and one end was about to be wrapped around Wen Zhao’s wrist.

Jiang Zao opened her arms and stood in front of her, her face covered in tears.

“No… I beg you… don’t do this to her…”

“She, she’s not a zombie.”

“Jiang Zao!” Yan Zhen was also anxious and roared.

“Zombies will retain a moment of memory or instinct when they first mutate. If she mutates, none of us can stop her!”

“If she mutates, I will personally… deal with her.”

Jiang Zao choked and looked at the unconscious Wen Zhao on the bed.

“But she’s not… yet.”

Yan Zhen’s lips moved. The moment she saw her tears burst out, she compromised.

“I know. You move aside. We have to stop the bleeding first.”

“Gauze.”

Jiang Zao took her small bag. When Yan Zhen had come out of the camp, she had only brought a small amount of medicine and equipment.

Li Mi ran to get another basin of water.

The used gauze was soaked in the water, wrung out, and used repeatedly. Soon, a large basin of water had turned light red.

When all the wounds were wiped clean and hemostatic powder was sprinkled on them, including the claw mark.

Yan Zhen touched her carotid artery. The pulse was still very weak. She took out the last shot of adrenaline from her bag.

This was what she had managed to steal from the church when the people in the camp were all suffering from vomiting and diarrhea due to poisoning.

She took off the needle cap and injected it into Wen Zhao’s heart bit by bit. “You know, this is all I can do to help her.”

She looked at Jiang Zao, who was already lying by the bed and holding Wen Zhao’s hand tightly. She stood up and said no more.

“I’ll go outside for some fresh air. Call me if you need anything.”

Little Mi also wanted to go over but was held back by her.

“Let the two of them be alone for a while.”

In the corner of Little Mi’s eye, Jiang Zao had already picked up the clean gauze from the bedside and was wiping the blood from Wen Zhao’s face bit by bit.

Her eyes also turned red. She followed Yan Zhen out, closed the door for them, and sat under the corridor, burying her head in her knees.

A small sob echoed in the forest.

“Why… why… we finally escaped… I thought… I thought we could go back to Yuanxi Village, just like… just like before… a family together…”

Wen Zhao’s throat moved, and she slowly placed her hand on her shoulder.

“A-Zhao, you’re always like this. You won’t say anything no matter how much you suffer, for fear that I’ll feel burdened after I know…”

Just now, Yan Zhen had only cleaned the wounds on her body to stop the bleeding and save her life.

Jiang Zao wrung out the gauze and once again cleaned the blood from her body from head to toe. She wiped the dirt from her face bit by bit, revealing that originally delicate and handsome face, and went back to wash the gauze.

She picked up her hand again with a gentle motion and even cleaned the dirt in the cracks of her fingers and under her nails.

Perhaps because she had suffered too much, Wen Zhao’s hand was not at all like the hand of a woman in her thirties. It was rough and chapped. Besides the thick calluses in her palm, there were also some small cuts that had already healed, leaving deep and shallow white marks.

Jiang Zao’s hand also had the same cuts. They were the scars from when she had made the cheval de frise in Yuanxi Village before, from the file and the bamboo splinters.

It was just… not as dense as on Wen Zhao’s hand.

She thought of Kele’s little house, and the strings of wind chimes in front of her door and on the stairs that had guided her when she was blind.

Jiang Zao couldn’t help but burst into tears. She pounced on her and hugged her body, crying out loud.

But Wen Zhao never raised her hand again, gently stroked her head, and gently called her “Little Zao.”

To tell her to “stop crying.”

The light in the forest was getting dimmer and dimmer.

The sky was cloudy again.

After a long time.

Just as Yan Zhen thought that today would pass like this.

The wooden door opened with a creak.

Jiang Zao walked out.

“About the Pandora virus, you must have a way.”

“What way do I have…”

Before she could finish, her collar was grabbed.

Jiang Zao’s eyes were frighteningly red.

“You’re from the base’s research institute. You must know something!”

“Jiang Zao, don’t be so stubborn. Do you want to see her become a half-human, half-ghost thing? Instead of that, it’s better to…”

“I can’t! I can’t! I thought I could… but I just… can’t…”

“She became like this to save me. How can I bear to… stick a knife into her body…”

Jiang Zao, who had personally dealt with Li Mi’s brother and countless mutated and about-to-mutate zombies, at this moment, the hand that was grabbing Yan Zhen’s collar slipped, and she gradually bent down, and tears fell on the ground drop by drop.

“Qingshan was also infected, and she was fine! A-Zhao… A-Zhao must also be fine… I have nothing left… please, please tell me the truth and save her.”

Yan Zhen supported her arm so that she would not fall any further.

“Do you think that living like Qingshan is still living?”

“Qingshan is Qingshan, and A-Zhao is A-Zhao. If it were A-Zhao, she definitely wouldn’t have become like that!”

“I’m not telling you for your own good. Do you think the survivor base is so easy to get into? It’s full of zombies now! And there are many second-tier infected!”

Seeing her begging so humbly, Yan Zhen couldn’t help but have her eyes turn red. She tried to make her sober up with a heavy heart.

“Look at you now. I don’t want you to take the risk!”

Wen Zhao was seriously injured, and she was not much better off. Don’t forget that she was also a patient and needed to rest.

Jiang Zao finally broke into a smile through her tears.

“It’s okay. I’m willing to do anything for A-Zhao.”

“Even if it might cost you your own life?”

Although Jiang Zao was light, she nodded without any hesitation.

“When she came back to the camp to find me, she blocked Qingshan’s attack for me and saved me from danger several times. She definitely didn’t think so much. I’m the same.”

“If it weren’t for her, the one lying on the bed now should be me.”

She looked through the door panel and at the room again.

“Before I come back, please take good care of her.”

Translator’s Notes

[1] “I see the green mountains as so charming…” (我见青山多妩媚) – This is the first half of a famous line from a poem by the Song Dynasty poet Xin Qiji. The full line is “我见青山多妩媚，料青山见我应如是” (wǒ jiàn qīngshān duō wǔmèi, liào qīngshān jiàn wǒ yīng rúshì), which translates to “I see the green mountains as so charming, I expect the green mountains see me the same way.” It expresses a deep, mutual appreciation and connection with nature. Here, Qingshan is clarifying the meaning of her name.

[2] “I see all living things as grass and trees, only when I see you do I see the green mountains.” (我见众生皆草木，唯有见你是青山) – This is a popular modern romantic phrase that plays on the classical line mentioned above. It means that while everyone else is ordinary like grass and trees, only the beloved person stands out, as majestic and beautiful as the green mountains.

[3] “Judge by actions, not by heart. No one is perfect if you judge by heart.” (论迹不论心，论心无完人) – This is a classical Chinese saying, often attributed to Confucian thought, which emphasizes that a person’s character and morality should be judged based on their observable actions and their consequences, rather than their internal thoughts or intentions, because no one’s inner thoughts are perfectly pure.