Chapter 155: The Mountain City

Early in the morning, the faint mountain mist lingering among the forested peaks had not yet dissipated. Old Li emerged from his small cabin, carrying a basket woven from tree branches, pocketing his daily rations, and holding a small trowel. He closed the wooden door behind him with a casual pull. There was nothing of value inside the cabin, leaving Old Li with no cause for worry. If anything could be called valuable, it would perhaps be the multicolored grass he had carefully dug up and tended in a pot—that was undoubtedly his most precious possession.

"Now, what was that thing called again?" Old Li tapped his forehead, shook his head, and muttered, "Look at my memory. In New City, didn't they call it something like Nuwa? Ah, yes, Nuwa grass. I really am getting old; I keep forgetting names." Shaking his head, he touched the radio in his pocket with the tender care one would give to a priceless treasure.

It was this tiny radio that had opened Old Li’s eyes to a world of knowledge. Take these multicolored little plants, for instance—if not for the New City radio broadcast, who would have known they were called Nuwa grass? Such Nuwa grass grew in abundance all around Mountain City. In the past, only the young women of Mountain City would pluck a few to decorate their crude homes; other than that, no one knew what purpose they served. In Old Li’s mind, its status was only slightly higher than that of roadside weeds, essentially useless all the same.

Yet things were different now. According to the introduction on the New City radio broadcast, this humble Nuwa grass was causing a sensation in New City, rapidly becoming the object of cultivation among its residents. This phenomenon reminded Old Li of his father’s generation, when speculative crazes over orchids and other plants had yielded fortunes. A single small orchid could be bid up to several thousand yuan a pot. Presumably, New City was currently engaged in the exact same kind of speculative frenzy over this Nuwa grass.

Old Li shook his head and sighed inwardly, "New City is truly wonderful. While we are still struggling just to fill our stomachs, the people there already have the leisure to speculate on such useless flowers and grasses." At this thought, a wave of yearning for New City washed over him. Surely, that place must be a paradise amidst the apocalypse.

The entire Mountain City was now well aware that New City was sparking a craze for this Nuwa grass. At first, it seemed like nothing special; everyone simply dismissed it as a broadcast feature on New City lifestyle, paying it little mind. But who could have predicted a sudden shift in the wind? According to hints dropped by the radio station, a merchant caravan from New City would soon be heading out to various settlements to acquire this plant! Although the broadcast explicitly stated that transactions would be conducted via barter, the news still left everyone momentarily stunned before erupting into a frenzy.

Consequently, this once-ubiquitous Nuwa grass instantly became everyone's latest obsession, and every last stalk of it around Mountain City was dug up. In an apocalypse severely lacking in both material and spiritual comforts, the explosive impact of this news can easily be imagined. Who wouldn't want to dig up a bit more Nuwa grass to trade for a few items of their liking? According to the radio broadcast, New City’s merchant caravan was bringing along vast quantities of daily necessities.

Driven by this frantic digging craze, every single patch of Nuwa grass in the surrounding areas of Mountain City was excavated and transplanted back into homes following the methods introduced by New City.

As the Nuwa grass around Mountain City was depleted, anyone wishing to continue harvesting it had to venture far beyond the city's defensive perimeter. Under these circumstances, the authorities of Mountain City simply established a dedicated unit to protect the gatherers, escorting them away from the city to harvest across various mountain peaks. Of course, there was no free lunch in this world; a fifty percent cut of the harvest left every gathering resident feeling both infuriated and forced to accept the reality. After all, keeping the remaining half still amounted to an income, didn't it?

The protective gathering unit set out at eight o'clock in the morning. Missing this departure time meant forfeiting any chance of gathering Nuwa grass for the day. Therefore, anyone hoping to improve their living conditions rose early, just like Old Li, armed with their small gathering trowels and sacks designed to cradle the Nuwa grass.

Old Li was already getting on in years, so digging around the immediate outskirts was about all he could manage. Originally, he had no desire to go out and harvest Nuwa grass, but the mere thought of his son forced him to grit his teeth and persevere. The reason was simple: Old Li had heard that among the multitude of daily necessities brought by the New City caravan was a solar-powered multifunctional insulated lunch box.

Before the apocalypse arrived, Old Li had owned one of these solar-powered multifunctional insulated lunch boxes. It had cost just over six hundred yuan and was exceptionally convenient to use. Its heat retention was superb, and it featured a freshness-preservation function that kept stored items fresh while piping hot. If meals were placed inside, they would remain as fresh the next day as the moment they were put in.

It was already December, and the weather was steadily turning cold. As winter approached, Old Li could not bear the thought of his son enduring the bitter wind outside without a single mouthful of hot water or warm food. Thus, for the sake of this multifunctional insulated lunch box, Old Li had to dig up as much Nuwa grass as possible, ensuring he wouldn't fall short of the required quantity and miss out on the trade.

Many people shared Old Li's sentiments, so during the gathering phase, most conversations revolved around what items they ought to trade for and how much Nuwa grass would be required to get them. When Old Li shuffled down to the foot of Mountain City, beneath a massive banyan tree, a large crowd of gatherers had already assembled. They stood about in groups of three to five, conversing loudly.

As Old Li approached, a sharp-eyed young man spotted him and trotted over with a wide grin. " Grandpa Li, everyone's talking about this rumor that New City is coming to acquire the Nuwa grass. Is it even true? You're the most well-read person in all of Mountain City when it comes to New City; everyone behind your back calls you the 'New City Expert.' Tell us what you think to put everyone's minds at ease. Otherwise, digging away like this leaves us with a nagging doubt. What if New City doesn't show up to buy them? Not only will we have wasted our effort, but we'll also miss the window to tend to our crops in the fields. The crops are heading out right now, you know."

Many others crowded around, chiming in, "Yes, Grandpa Li, tell everyone properly. People are starting to lose their nerve."

Old Li remained unfazed. He pulled out an old-fashioned pocket watch, checked the time—7:45, with fifteen minutes until departure—and slipped it back into his pocket. He gave a light cough, and the entire area instantly fell silent, every eye fixed upon him. Old Li spoke, "I fully understand how everyone is feeling. Let me ask you all a question: what is your impression of New City?"

Everyone chuckled. The same young man piped up, "Grandpa Li, aren't you joking with us? In our hearts, New City is a paradise, the very symbol of a prosperous metropolis." The young man made no effort to conceal his longing for New City as he continued, "I heard everything there is just like Wangtian City back before the apocalypse. Is that place anything like this dump of ours? With nothing at all—it’s practically primitive society."

"Since you all believe New City is like paradise..." Old Li paused, then asked, "Then what is there to worry about? They aren't lacking these things; what they lack happens to be this very Nuwa grass. Precisely because of that, they will definitely come. We just don't know the exact time yet. Gathering a bit more can never be the wrong move; come the day, you might even be able to trade for an extra item or two of your choice."

"But why on earth would New City want this Nuwa grass? Just to decorate their homes? That's a bit hard to believe, isn't it?" The one raising this question appeared to be a shrewd-looking middle-aged man, who hoisted an iron shovel over his shoulder and twirled the handle.

Old Li glanced at him and replied, "I didn't believe it at first either, but later on I came around, simply because New City is paradise. We lack food, but people in New City have grain to spare. We haven't smelled the scent of meat in years, but for all we know, people in New City might be eating meat at every meal. How does that saying go? 'Satiated and warm, one turns to idle pleasures.' They're well-fed with time on their hands, so naturally they look for amusing things to play with. This Nuwa grass just happens to be fortunate enough to catch their eye. Naturally, we can't compare to Mountain City, but while they play with their flowers and grass, we can take advantage of it to earn our daily necessities."

At the thought of New City's myriad benefits, everyone felt their hearts stir. A few bold youths spoke up without reservation, "Who knows where New City is located? If we did, even if there were mountains and seas of zombies outside, we'd still go try our luck and see if we could reach New City. Staying here, sooner or later we'll either starve to death or be killed by zombies. What's the point of living like this? What meaning is left?" The words of these young men instantly plunged everyone into deep, silent thought. Old Li murmured softly, "Perhaps the arrival of this New City caravan is an opportunity..." He raised his gaze toward the approaching protection unit and shook his head, saying, "They're here. Don't speak carelessly, everyone—watch out lest they overhear you."

With the arrival of the protective unit, the previously clustered crowd scattered like startled birds, instantly falling silent and dropping the topic entirely.

Just as the gatherers departed, atop the highest peak of Mountain City stood a massive stone fortress. From this vantage point, the entirety of Mountain City could be taken in at a single glance, especially looking out into the distant scenery where mountains and rivers seemed trampled beneath one's feet, evoking an overwhelming sensation of ruling over the world.

At this moment, Zhang Yikuang stood with a mild expression before the balcony of the vast fortress, gazing down at the boundless mountain ranges below as his hair fluttered gently in the breeze. Standing with his hands clasped behind his back, he suddenly turned around and said to his seven subordinates who stood at attention inside the conference hall, "Do you know what the very first thing I do every morning upon waking is? It's looking out over this land below, savoring that sensation of having all creation trampled beneath my feet."

Zhang Yikuang smiled, walked slowly over to the head seat in the conference hall, seated himself deliberately, and continued, "Especially when I see the terraced fields carved out at the foot of the mountain, with residents busily scurrying about like ants—that feeling becomes even more intense, making me believe I hold absolute mastery over everything in this world." His tone abruptly shifted. "Yet lately, I have lost that feeling entirely. The reason is this damned New City."

Without the slightest warning, the previously mild Zhang Yikuang violently clenched his fist and slammed it onto the conference table, producing a resounding *bang* that echoed throughout the vast hall. "Can someone tell me what the hell is going on with this damned New City? Where are they? Why haven't the so-called experts in the technology department even been able to locate New City's position?"

Under this roar, none of the seven subordinates dared to draw a heavy breath; they simply stood rigid, keeping their heads bowed. Zhang Yikuang pointed directly at the subordinate standing at the very front and commanded, "Zhong Anyong, you answer me."

Zhong Anyong felt his heart leap into his throat. He hurriedly replied, "Reporting to the Commander, it’s not that the technical department is incompetent; rather, New City's concealment technology is simply too sophisticated. However, this subordinate recently heard word that New City is about to dispatch a caravan to acquire a plant called Nuwa grass. Perhaps we can use this to track down their location."

"Nuwa grass?" Zhang Yikuang frowned. Of course he knew of this plant; it used to grow everywhere around the edges of Mountain City, but lately not a single stalk could be seen—they had all been dug up by the city's residents. "What on earth do they want with this Nuwa grass? Is it really a resident cultivation craze, just like they claim? Heh, has New City lost its mind? It's the apocalypse, and yet they're playing around with some botanical fad? Damn it, do they have an endless supply of grain? How can they have such leisure to play with these things?"

Calming his emotions, Zhang Yikuang settled back into his seat and addressed the standing men, "Sit down, all of you. Today, we're going to discuss this caravan dispatched by New City. You should all understand my intent quite well: Mountain City lacks supplies in many areas. Business delivered right to our doorstep is infinitely easier than fighting off zombies. Let's come up with a plan—whether we should raid them or conduct business with them amicably."

The seven seated subordinates were taken aback by Zhang Yikuang's words. Zhong Anyong bravely stood up and said, "Commander, wouldn't that be unwise? We have no inkling of New City's strength. To rashly devour their caravan like this would surely invite their retaliation."

"I am well aware of that logic, which is why I asked you here to discuss it—to see if there's a way to swallow up the caravan without letting New City suspect us," Zhang Yikuang said. "What's hardest to pin down right now is when the New City caravan will appear and when they will reach Mountain City. Doing anything right around Mountain City is obviously out of the question. Are we just going to let an opportunity like this slip through our fingers?" Seeming to talk to himself, Zhang Yikuang shook his head and said, "Never mind, let's let them off for now."

Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Their Commander's intentions were notoriously hard to gauge, and his thoughts spanned the wildest reaches of imagination. Yet no one dared assume he was easily fooled; over the past two years, every single person who had thought that way had ended up as zombie food. The governance of Mountain City resembled the warlord era of the Republican period, and for reasons unknown, Zhang Yikuang maintained an exceptionally strict requirement for military posture, resulting in his subordinates always wearing impeccably neat uniforms.

Realizing that these subordinates were deeply afraid of him, Zhang Yikuang offered a smile and said, "Don't be nervous, everyone. Let's discuss what we should prepare before the New City caravan arrives to ensure this trade proves advantageous to Mountain City."

Meanwhile, Xie Han was leading the caravan along a secondary road, driving toward the western side of Wangtian City. If their navigation held true, it wouldn't be long before they reached their current destination—a settlement anchored around a giant peak. Naturally, Xie Han was unaware of the Mountain City Commander's machinations. Through the command vehicle's surveillance system, he was simply scanning the desolate landscape around them. The thermal scanner on the command vehicle had been activated long ago, ensuring protection against any human ambushes.

Xie Han felt plenty of confidence regarding this second sortie. Judging from the images captured by his Sky-Patroller drone, while dangerous bases did exist, the caravan's current armed strength meant that even if they couldn't overpower an opponent, escaping would pose no real difficulty. Moreover, the Sky-Patroller units mounted behind the transport vehicles would make anyone acting rashly deeply regret moving without fully understanding the situation.

The terrain in this region was relatively flat, and the zombie population was somewhat dense. Upon hearing the roar of the caravan's engines, the zombies surged forward one after another. Regrettably, before they could even get close, their heads were blown apart by automatic rifle fire. As for zombies further out, by the time they managed to close the distance, the caravan had already left them far in the dust.

After half an hour of driving, a massive peak came into view far in the distance. At Xie Han's command, the long-range observation system on the command vehicle activated, zooming in on the scenery atop the giant peak. Looking at the screen, one could see dotted residential buildings clinging to the giant peak, and occasionally residential structures built right into the massive trees covering the mountain. Needless to say, they had finally reached their destination.

"Everyone, keep your spirits up..." This settlement was clearly incomparable to a simple mountain valley, so Xie Han dared not take it lightly. Under his command, the caravan shifted formations, placing armored vehicles with ferocious firepower at the vanguard as they slowly drove toward the giant peak.

Despite being seven or eight kilometers away, the expansive field of vision around the giant peak made the serpent-like convoy easily visible. In an instant, alarm sirens wailed across Mountain City. Instead of panicking, the residents poured out of their homes in wild ecstasy, relying on the height of the giant peak to strain their eyes toward the massive convoy, which could now be vaguely discerned as mere shadows.

Upon confirming it was a massive convoy, the entire giant peak boiled over into chaos. Shouts and barks of command merged into a cacophony as residents scrambled back into their homes, carefully dragging out the Nuwa grass they had gathered. In the minds of every resident, only New City could possibly organize such a massive convoy in the apocalypse. Thus, they firmly believed this was indeed the New City caravan.

Regardless of everything else, the previously dreary Mountain City instantly burst into vibrant life with the appearance of the convoy.

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