"Long time no see, hehe! This is my little sister, Xi Xi—hey, hey!" Tank called out as they approached the villa.
"Get down already, stop fooling around." He stood in front of the massive tombstone, looking both helpless and fond as he watched his sister's antics.
Jing Shu squinted against the winter glare, watching the delicate, doll-like girl who had just been standing beside the towering man. In the next second, the girl's attention was caught by the enormous tombstone at the gate, and before anyone could react, she had already climbed several meters up the slick stone surface like a little monkey.
From a distance came her crisp, childish voice, ringing out in the cold air. "Brother, brother, is this the wall around a rich person's yard? It's so grand! How much food would this cost back in the Imperial Capital?"
Jing Shu laughed, the sound puffing into a cloud of white mist. "Land in Wu City isn't worth much. Even this whole plot wouldn't be enough to trade for a single bathroom in the Capital."
Tank scratched his head and chuckled. "These days, it doesn't matter if it's the Capital or anywhere else; half the buildings are gone. Every bit of land is precious now. As long as there's a house, it's worth something. But yeah, the Capital is too crowded, and the social classes are more rigid. Hardly anyone can own this much space anymore."
Eventually, the little girl climbed down, her red jacket bright against the gray winter light and the muted colors of the city. Jing Shu still couldn't figure out how she had moved so easily on that slick stone surface. Xi Xi tugged her collar straight, breathed out a puff of white mist, and then bowed politely toward her.
"Either way, I have to thank you, Sister Jing, on behalf of my dumb brother. You saved him more than once, and you even let him bring back my favorite eggs. We owe you a huge debt of gratitude. If you ever need help, just say the word."
Tank rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, only for his sister to kick his shin with a sharp thud. "Brother, that's no way to thank someone properly! Come on, bow!" She forced him into an awkward bow, making Jing Shu both amused and a little embarrassed by the sibling display.
"This is a little something we brought from the Capital," Xi Xi said, pulling out a small bundle filled with local specialties and a few new post-apocalyptic products.
One of them, "black worm ginseng," was a newly discovered species. The dried black worms could be ground into powder to make noodles. The texture was dry and brittle, and the taste was mild and a little bitter, but it was nutritious and rich in Anti-Dark Matter. People called it "the ginseng of the insect world." Grandma Jing actually liked it quite a lot.
They followed Jing Shu into the villa's backyard. It was freezing outside, but the yard felt like spring against their skin. Warmth and light filled the space, with sun lamps shining on rows of lush crops. Compared to the dark, frozen world outside, this place was like a paradise.
Fruit trees bloomed with delicate petals. There were apricots, peaches, and even coffee trees. Chickens, ducks, sheep, and pigs filled the air with life and noise. Everything looked peaceful and full of vitality, just like a cozy countryside farm.
"Wait a minute." Tank's jaw dropped when he spotted two fat geese fighting in the distance, their wings flapping hard. Their movements were oddly familiar, even though their massive size wasn't what he remembered.
He pointed toward the birds, stunned. "Those two…"
Jing Shu smiled, looking at the geese. "Yep, that's Da Hua and Gou Dan."
Xi Xi gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "Oh my god, it's only been a few months! How did they get this fat? Back in the Capital, we gave them all kinds of good food and they barely gained any weight. They were so picky too! How did you do it, Sister Jing?"
Jing Shu chuckled and didn't answer. A few days of hunger usually did the trick.
"And all these little ones… they're Da Hua's babies? That many?" Tank stared in disbelief at the flock of goslings following behind. It had been nearly three years since the apocalypse started, and the two geese had barely laid a few eggs total in the Capital. Now Jing Shu's place was crawling with goslings. Her home really did have some secret method for breeding.
In truth, this wasn't even all of them. Jing Shu didn't dare show everything at once; she wanted to show off a little, but not too much. Still, she hadn't expected the visitors to be Tank and his sister.
Grandma Jing came over, holding a string of goslings in her arms, her face full of deep wrinkles and joy as she walked toward them. "Eight goslings, all packed and ready for you. Come eat something first, no need to rush off."
Xi Xi's eyes went wide. She took the goslings carefully, as if holding treasures. They were soft and warm, their tiny hearts beating strong under her fingers. They looked nothing like the frail, sickly goslings bred in the Capital; these were full of life.
Tank scratched his head. "We had better skip the meal. We have got a long way back."
Grandma Jing frowned at the refusal. "You came all this way, how can you not eat? The food is ready. We have got all of Wu City's specialties. Young man, have a few roasted kidneys to build your strength, and little girl, eat more roasted meat. I have got baked sweet potatoes and cumin skewers for the road, and I will pack you some of my homemade egg noodles too. Just boil them when you get home."
Xi Xi swallowed hard. God, how long had it been since she had had food that smelled this good?
Tank looked conflicted. "We really are in a hurry, but maybe Xi Xi can eat a little. I will skip it. I have got something to discuss with Sister Jing anyway."
Jing Shu nodded. "Alright then. Xi Xi, go eat. Tank can stay and talk with me. Grandma, pack them some food for the road later."
The yard fell quiet again, peaceful and safe. This was one of the few pure places left in the apocalypse.
Tank didn't waste time. After briefly explaining the situation with Monkey and Monk, who were both alive but severely injured, he got straight to the point.
His team had gone to America. Three came back wounded, and the losses were devastating to the group.
He showed her a photo of some seeds on a digital screen. "These are the ones from the Capital. After months of testing, we still can't remove the radiation completely. Technically, they can grow, but the germination rate is low and there might be genetic mutations or other unpredictable results. Thing is, they don't want to waste these precious seeds, so…"
Jing Shu narrowed her eyes slightly. That was a loaded statement. She had warned them before that the seeds carried unique radiation. She could purify them, but it would cost extra time and resources. Back then, they had refused and said they would find their own solution. Months had passed, and now here they were again.
"Oh? So what do they want now?"
Tank's face turned red. "They're asking if you can still handle it… the way you said before."
Jing Shu smiled, her expression relaxed. "Of course."
Some people just had to hit the wall before realizing they had gone the wrong way.
Tank let out a deep breath of relief. "That's great."