Chapter 22: What Lies Beyond the Mist

"What should we do with his body?"

Shao Cheng’s expression was ashen as he stared at the sofa, where Qu Zixuan’s blood had soaked into the fabric, congealing into blood-red ice crystals.

Outside, the day had fully broken. The events of last night had caught the three of them completely off guard. Faced with that brute, Fang Weiwen, they hadn't even possessed the ability to resist.

Wang Ruixiang was filled with regret. "If we had known, we should have fought them to the death from the start. They are bullies who fear the strong; they’re terrified of people who don't fear death. If we had, Qu Zixuan might still be alive, and we wouldn't have had so much of our food stolen."

Shao Cheng shook his head. It was too late to talk about that now. Leaving Qu Zixuan’s body here indefinitely was not a solution. Wang Ruixiang recalled that Zhao Weijie had placed his father’s body in an abandoned warehouse on the ground floor, but after so many days, that warehouse had surely been blocked off by drifting snow.

"Let’s just find a blanket to wrap him in and lock him in that room on the top floor." There was nowhere else for him to go.

Shao Cheng found a blanket, and together with Wang Ruixiang, they carried Qu Zixuan’s body upstairs. Once they had locked the door, Shao Cheng asked, "Now that we’re out of food and water, what are we supposed to do?"

Were they expected to go around robbing others like Fang Weiwen? Wang Ruixiang didn't know what to do either. "Staying here is a dead end, and there's no way to survive if we go out. It’s truly miserable."

The dark, heavy sky, laden with thick snowflakes, felt so oppressive it made them gasp for breath.

Having dealt with the intruders who broke into her home, Meng Ran felt her plant affinity increase. She began to take beef out of the freezer, cutting it into chunks to prepare a tomato-braised beef brisket.

"Mom, I think I heard someone come to our house last night." Nian Nian was sitting backward on her chair, holding a bright red apple.

"Three people broke in, but I took care of them. They were left out in the wind for so long that if they don't have medicine for the fever, they probably won't survive." Furthermore, the fact that they had risked their lives to steal suggested their own food supplies were insufficient. However, Meng Ran was more annoyed by the prospect that those three might turn into zombie-like monsters after they died. While they wouldn't infect others, dealing with them was a huge hassle.

She simmered the beef in a pot. Meng Ran hadn't been idle these days; she had retrieved an old-fashioned stove from her spatial dimension to cook, reverting to a lifestyle from the past.

The mist outside the courtyard gate had thinned slightly, but not enough for them to venture out and investigate what lay beyond. Meng Ran plucked an apple to satisfy her hunger; by tomorrow, the first batch of vegetables planted in the garden would be ready for harvest.

A knock sounded at the door. Meng Ran frowned. Someone else coming by at this hour? Were they like the guys from last night?

"Nian Nian, watch the fire. I’m going to go check." Meng Ran stepped out of the spatial dimension into the living room. The knocking outside was not urgent.

"It’s me, Mu Qiuyun."

A familiar voice drifted in, but Meng Ran still didn't open the door, only asking, "What is it?"

Pressing against the curved security door, Mu Qiuyun whispered, "Be careful. Fang Weiwen and his group have collected the unit numbers of everyone in this building who didn't come out to talk. They’re planning to loot them one by one." She lived just downstairs and had come specifically to tip her off.

"Thanks."

Meng Ran turned back. Fang Weiwen really did need to be dealt with as soon as possible; otherwise, his presence in the building would be a perpetual threat. However, this Mu Qiuyun seemed to know quite a bit, even knowing where she lived.

Meng Ran clenched her fists. Fortunately, her plant affinity had increased. If it were like last night, she might have a chance to take Fang Weiwen down. Once she could defeat him, perhaps she wouldn't have to worry about the people on this floor turning into zombies.

"Is that bad man coming?" Nian Nian asked upon seeing Meng Ran return; she had heard what Mu Qiuyun said.

"It’s him." The name Fang Weiwen had come up several times, and Nian Nian already knew what kind of person he was.

"Mom, don't be afraid. I can hear sounds from very far away. I can help." Nian Nian looked earnest, pointing to her ears.

"For the next two days, just listen for any movement over there. Leave the rest to me." Nian Nian nodded, taking note.

Meng Ran steamed some rice and stir-fried two side dishes to go with the tomato-braised beef. Mother and daughter enjoyed a steaming hot meal. With the stove fire burning brightly, Meng Ran drew water from the well to boil.

That same afternoon, after Mu Qiuyun’s warning, the third floor was the first to suffer. Nian Nian was startled when she heard the commotion. With wide eyes, she listened to the sounds of crying and furniture being smashed, followed by Fang Weiwen and his men leaving arrogantly with their loot.

"They've started stealing things." Nian Nian ran to Meng Ran, who was watering the plants, and recounted everything she had heard.

Meng Ran looked at the thriving cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, and potatoes. Tomorrow—she only needed until tomorrow to harvest these vegetables, and she wouldn't have to fear Fang Weiwen anymore. For now, she still had enough time.

At eight o'clock the next morning, Meng Ran got up, put on her cotton slippers, and went to harvest the vegetables. She worked until she was drenched in sweat, watching her affinity level steadily rise until it finally stopped at 10%.

Meng Ran placed the harvest into a basket and looked toward the courtyard gate. The original white mist had gradually dissipated. She stood up and walked toward it. Before she could even see what was on the other side, she smelled a pungent odor of manure, just like the scent from the two chickens in her coop.

Meng Ran covered her nose and mouth, waving away the last of the mist, and saw a livestock farm ahead. The appearance of this place took her completely by surprise. The pigs, cattle, sheep, and chickens were all penned separately, and the farm was significantly larger than the house behind her.

Hearing her footsteps, the animals seemed to glance at her before returning to their business, either dozing off or eating feed from the troughs.

"Oh my god." Meng Ran pinched her palm; the sting made the scene before her feel much more real.

"Oink, oink." In the nearby pigpen, a pig grunted, snorted up the last of the feed in its trough, and returned to its nest to sleep in contentment.

Nian Nian, woken up by the noise, came out in her pajamas and saw that they now possessed a small-scale farm. "Where did all these things come from?" Nian Nian’s eyes shone. Raising two little chicks had already been exciting enough for her, but she hadn't expected to see so many pigs, cows, and sheep.

Meng Ran pulled Nian Nian away, changed her clothes, and washed up before heading back inside. These animals were healthy and robust; if cared for properly, she would truly have no reason to worry about meat.

"It looks like I’ll need to learn how to slaughter pigs and sheep." Meng Ran rested her hand on her forehead. The sense of happiness had come too suddenly; the spatial dimension had truly given her a massive surprise.

"Let’s go out and have breakfast first." As Meng Ran left the farm, she saw the same mist appearing in front of it. It seemed she would need to increase her affinity further to unlock the next area.

The two returned to eat breakfast, only to hear the sound of a door being kicked.