Chapter Eighty-Nine: The Choice

In the pitch-dark night, Xie Congzhou’s steps were not impeded in the least. His eyes seemed to possess their own nocturnal vision, carrying him smoothly to his first destination.

This was where the deputy in charge lived.

He knew the layout too well. So well, in fact, that he could see through exactly how this villain would arrange the use of every area.

This was the warmest place in Wanquan Manor. When the first batch of crops had been uprooted, new growth had still been left behind. By now, at least some of it must have sprouted. It was precious land; how could he not seize it for himself?

He scattered a few seeds. The moment they touched the soil, they took root and sprouted. He urged the earth’s vitality into them, and they grew at a visible rate, soon reaching the height of his shins, still stretching higher and higher.

Xie Congzhou slowly retreated and made for the gunpowder storehouse.

As soon as he arrived, he saw several sturdy men in warm clothing changing shifts.

He did the same thing here, dropping a handful of seeds. This time the seeds were entirely different. After their rapid growth, they began to lose all vitality, and once dried, they turned into the kind of tinder used as kindling. He stepped back. A dead tree nearby was tipped over by a single push, and when someone shouted in the distance, “Who’s there?”, he tossed down a lighter, set the dry grass and dead branches alight, and fled the scene at once.

The blaze drew everyone’s attention to the fire, and no one spared a thought to the footprints on the ground.

All the way on he went, until he reached the large house where the ordinary survivors were guarded. The guards, seeing the firelight, immediately opened the door and let everyone rush out to help extinguish it.

But Xie Congzhou had already mixed into the crowd and, in a few swift movements, brought three men to the ground. Then he called out several names.

“Xie Congzhou?”

“Xiao Xie, you’re back? And this is—”

“The fire was set by me. I’m taking you to another place. Grandpa and the others are waiting. Come with me quickly.”

“All right, all right. Thank you, Xiao Xie, for coming to fetch us.” The speaker was someone who usually had no real connection with Xie Congzhou, nor any particular closeness to him. None of them had expected him to risk his life to lead them away.

Staying here was more terrifying than the disaster itself. Every day they could barely get half a meal’s worth of food. Eating ice did nothing to stave off hunger and only gave them diarrhea. And once the diarrhea came, there was no medicine, no rest, not even a hot mouthful to eat. It was practically like living as slaves in some old television drama.

The lowest kind of slaves.

Xie Congzhou led seven or eight people away from the direction of the fire. As they ran, he realized the tremor beneath their feet felt wrong.

He was still trying to tell whether another quake was coming when he looked back.

He startled.

Everyone was following.

With no guards left and the fire still raging, the crowd had come pouring out in confusion, with no clear direction. Seeing the seven or eight people leaving with Xie Congzhou, others chased after them. Before long, the little group of seven or eight had become a marker of direction, and more and more people gathered around it.

They were all from the same place, had endured the same disasters. Xie Congzhou did not drive them away. At present, the most important thing was to get as far from here as possible.

Along the way, people kept stumbling and then scrambling back to their feet to keep up, terrified of being left behind in the darkness.

At last they reached the agreed-upon place. When Old Man Xie saw so many people arrive, his face was also full of shock.

So many people—how were they supposed to leave? The target would be far too large.

On the way, they had found a car, but it could barely fit ten people if they squeezed together. Even one or two extra would have to be stacked on top of one another. With this many people...

Xie Congzhou first pulled out the eight he had originally planned to take with him. They were reluctant to leave their closest family behind, and then six more people were added. That number was, in truth, no longer suitable for the previous car either.

“You’re leaving here? Where are you going? Is it safe there?”

“Xiao Xie, please let us go with you. We can take care of ourselves and feed ourselves. We only want a safe, peaceful place. Uncle has never asked you for anything. This time, I’m begging you.”

One plea after another came pouring out.

Xie Congzhou had never intended to stand by and watch them die. “There are too many people. I can’t take everyone in one car, and the bigger the vehicle, the harder it is to move in this kind of environment. I don’t object to us traveling together, but there are two things I hope everyone will remember and do.”

“Go on, Xiao Xie. We’re listening.”

At a time like this, who would still be picky about so much? It was probably just about obeying instructions and the like.

“First, the place I’m going to is one where I’ve met a very good person. I’m taking Grandpa, my younger sister, and the others to live together with her. There isn’t room for all of you, but the official side there is decent too. Since I want to avoid the people here, life over there will be a bit better than it is here. I’m telling you this clearly in advance.

“Second, the journey is a little far, so we must take vehicles. But the larger the vehicle, the greater the danger, so we should split into several cars if possible. My car will drive out of the city first. You head north, and when we find a suitable car, we’ll mark it.”

Some people hoped Xie Congzhou would let them ride with him. During this period they had been tormented by that villain, and their bodies were already worn down to the bone. They feared that if they had to walk such a long distance, they simply would not be able to endure it.

Xie Congzhou’s car could indeed carry only about ten people, so he did not agree to their request. “The car was planned for a set number of passengers from the start. Even they have to discuss leaving a few people to walk. Do you think it would be right for me to take you all in and drive them off the car?

“I can’t bear to watch you continue being enslaved over there. Helping you leave along the way is my choice, but I’ll only take you this far. If anyone wants to go back, turn around now. I won’t stop you.

“You chose to follow me of your own accord, but your lives are yours alone to bear. You must answer for them yourselves. That is all I have to say. We’d better get moving early—if we’re caught up to, then it really will be a matter of leaving everything to fate.”

Xie Congzhou helped Old Master Xie into the car. His daughter’s family also got in, but Xie Congzhou drove two of them back out.

The people he was trying to save kept wanting to bring along more and more others, and the number was getting too large. After carefully selecting and culling, the car was finally at capacity, and he started it and drove off.

He knew the road he had taken on the way here, and when leaving he also knew which places to avoid.

They drove for more than two hours. After a brief nap, they woke, turned back a little, and discovered that they were already ahead of the people at the front. Only then did they continue onward. Along the way, they came across two abandoned vehicles. Xie Congzhou tried to start them, but both were completely ruined.

“If we keep walking like this, our legs are probably going to be useless. Everyone’s clothes aren’t as thick as before.” Just as he was thinking of a solution, the houses not far ahead drew Xie Congzhou’s attention.

He closed his eyes and silently sensed it.

There was no life left there.

He paused for a moment, then lifted a foot and walked over. To his surprise, he found a small three-wheeled vehicle and some fuel. This thing could carry at least five or six people of ordinary build. Xie Congzhou drove it to the back and handed it over to someone in good physical condition who also knew how to drive. As for the cargo bed, he loaded in a few more people who were weak and on the verge of collapse.

In this stop-and-go manner, they spent a great deal of time on the road before finally reaching the vicinity of Star City Residential District.

There they nearly collided with a rescue team from the official base that had come out searching again. Seeing nearly a hundred people, the team did not waste words and took them all in.

Only Xie Congzhou’s group refused to leave, which puzzled the rescue team.

Xiao Fang recognized the man he had met once before and leaned close to his teammate’s ear to say a few words.

“Oh, so you’re here to join your girlfriend. Not bad, young man. Miss Jiang’s name is known around the base too. Following her may not be any worse than staying at the base. All right, then you can go. But this car...”

The squad leader speaking said, “Your vehicle is a good one. You can trade it for supplies or for a more spacious place to stay. If you need anything, come find me. My name is Ah Gui.”