Chapter 419: Binding the Birth System to Become a Winner in Life Chapter 420: Daily Life of Gathering in the Wasteland (48)

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

"Year after year, we can finally have a comfortable New Year this year."

Outside, the cold wind howled; inside, warmth filled the room.

Shen Yao was busy from the moment she got up in the morning until she had prepared a table full of fragrant, colorful, and delicious dishes.

During this time, Cheng Qi and Manman had also lent a hand, and when the family of three formally sat down, they all wore happy expressions.

"Mommy, Mommy"

Manman waved her little hands, dressed head to toe in bright red, like a little red envelope.

Cheng Qi and Shen Yao had both changed into new clothes; Shen Yao even combed her thick bangs up, exposing her entire face.

Pouring the beverage she had made earlier from fruit, the family of three clinked glasses lightly and happily.

"Happy New Year, good health, and smooth sailing"

"Happy New Year, may all your wishes come true, and may things get better and better"

"New, New, Year, peace"

"......"

The entire base was filled with a sense of joy; although the Cold Season had not yet passed, and although this year's situation was more difficult than in previous years, the people living in this base unconditionally believed in the management methods of the base's upper echelon and were full of hope for every day to come.

In contrast, the Dawn Base a thousand li away was cold and desolate; everyone huddled in their homes, with no excitement or joy for the New Year.

Song Ling and Chen Jia had been busy preparing dishes for a while; because the Cold Season had come unexpectedly, although there was not a lack of food at home, they could no longer eat whatever they wanted as before.

"There's still over a month until the Mild Season; the grain left at home will barely be enough to eat."

Song Ling came out wearing an apron, complaining to Shen Jiancheng while processing frozen meat.

"What should we do? Otherwise, let me think of a way to secretly go to the Black Market and buy some."

Shen Jiancheng scratched his face; nowadays, the base's upper echelon kept tight watch, and besides the Exchange Center, the only place where grain could be bought was the Black Market located at the edge of the base.

But the Exchange Center had many people lining up to buy grain every day with purchase limits; their family of five, not counting a still-nursing infant, the other four adults had appetites that were not small.

Rather than pinning hopes on the grain that leaked through the cracks of the Exchange Center, it was better to make a trip to the Black Market; being cheated out of a sum would hurt, but it could truly solve the current problem of food and clothing.

After hearing this, Song Ling immediately shook her head, "No, we can't go to the Black Market for now; did you forget that your in-laws said a few days ago that a murder happened there?"

"We eat as much as our ability allows; we can't go there."

Otherwise, it would be a situation of losing both people and money; do you really think the Black Market is some good place?

Shen Jiancheng continued to ponder, but now the base's upper echelon had completely given up and stopped caring about the ordinary people in the districts near the City Gate, leaving them to fend for themselves; now there were complaints inside and outside the base, and what could he do himself?

Even for the sake of safety, the family had nailed thick wooden boards over the doors and windows of their home early on, fearing that strangers would break in and rob them.

You must know that District B was not safe either, District C had already encountered trouble a few days ago, and as for District A, which was closer to the center, the walls and gates were closed, and going out was strictly forbidden.

"After the Mild Season next year, we'll tidy up and leave as soon as possible."

Shen Jiancheng held back for a long time before spitting out this sentence; hearing this, Song Ling slightly raised her eyebrows, "Are you willing to leave?"

"If we don't leave, we'll just have to endure it; the child at home is too young and can't endure it," Shen Jiancheng said in a muffled voice, clearly not hopeful about the base.

Song Ling patted Shen Jiancheng's shoulder, "You ask Xiao Yu for his opinion in a while; I'll go sound out Chen Jia's position; we have in-laws, we can't just leave by ourselves."

Besides, traveling alone is not safe either; Song Ling still wanted to see her daughter safely.

………………

After the New Year comes a new beginning.

Because the Cold Season had not yet passed, the family of three could only continue to stay at home.

Manman grew bigger and bigger; now she could already speak a few short words.

Shen Yao took out the handmade character-recognition card book she had made, and together with Cheng Qi, they would set aside a certain amount of time every day to accompany their daughter.

"How is it? Did you find a suitable buyer?"

Just after coaxing Manman to sleep, Cheng Qi came out of the bedroom and bumped into Shen Yao, who was holding a bamboo strip and heading to the Studio.

Shen Yao thought of the pearls she had saved up before, and on a whim asked a question.

Cheng Qi touched his wristwatch, "There are a few buyers that are not bad; we just need to wait until the Mild Season to meet and discuss in detail."

Pearl trading involves quite a few tricks; the simplest one is safety guarantees.

Whether buyer or seller, what if they get cheated?

In such a large base, there are naturally some bad people.

Cheng Qi relied on the meager personal connections he had accumulated in the Qian Family Mercenary Team, carefully selecting a few people with decent character and reputation, and was currently testing the other party's bottom line.

"Otherwise, give a portion to the Exchange Center," it could establish a relationship with the base; it's just that pearls containing energy must be traded privately.

"Planning to sell a portion, and can also exchange some Contribution Points to buy potions to improve your and Manman's constitutions," Cheng Qi had already divided the pearls into three parts.

The most ordinary pearls would be given to the Exchange Center, the pearls containing energy would be sold separately, and the remaining part would be used to cultivate personal connections to maintain normal dealings between both parties.

Hearing this, Shen Yao nodded, indicating that if the pearls were not enough, she could still take some out; since they planned to live here long-term, they couldn't be stingy.

Cheng Qi smiled and rubbed Shen Yao's head, "These pearls are already enough; taking out too many would be bad instead."

Human hearts are greedy; knowing they have treasures in their hands, some people will inevitably lose their sense of propriety.

Cheng Qi didn't want to appear too high-profile, nor did he want his family to be looked down upon.

Now the quantity of pearls being sold is more or less the same; let's leave it at that for now.

The two then went to the Studio together to be busy; anyway, the Studio had everything, and no matter what they did, they could pass the leisure time.

As the Cold Season passed day by day, the temperature that had dropped began to slowly rise.

The world after the mutation had no spring, summer, autumn, or winter, but like modern society, it still retained the cycle of seasons.

When the thick snowflakes melted, the parched earth was injected with new vitality by snowmelt, and the gentle season everyone had long anticipated arrived on foot.

Pushing open the door that had been closed for a long time, Shen Yao breathed air that was slightly cold, and smiled and greeted a neighbor who was also going out.

There was no crisis like Dawn Base here, nor did there exist the risk of living in fear.

Although many still failed to survive the cold season to welcome the gentle season, this place was full of hope, believing that one day everyone would get their wish.

"Sister-in-law, let's go together. Today there are plenty of fresh tender wild vegetables outside the city. Wash them and make a cold plate when we get back—much more refreshing than eating dried vegetables for a whole season."

Qian Eldest Sister-in-law carried a basket and called to Shen Yao, with many mercenary team family members following beside her.

Shen Yao had briefly interacted with them; their personalities might have this or that problem, but their character was decent enough, absolutely sufficient as gathering partners.

"Sister-in-law, then I'll trouble you. I also want to take a stroll. I've been cooped up at home for so long, I really can't stay put." Shen Yao casually picked up her back basket and went out. As for Manman, Cheng Qi was resting at home.

In the first few days of the gentle season, neither the base's patrol team nor private mercenary teams would go out hunting, because after the torment of the cold season, the number of mutated beasts in the wild had sharply declined, and they needed time to rest and recuperate.

Qian Eldest Sister-in-law waved her hand. "What courtesy with me? It's all on the way."

Shen Yao smiled and perfectly blended into the crowd. Everyone walked toward outside the base. When passing the slum district, they saw many ordinary people in thin clothes. Compared to those living in the city, life in the slum district was slightly worse; just their figures and complexions were vastly different.

"Everyone says good things about the base, but the base doesn't really help anything." Unpleasant words popped up in the team. Shen Yao turned her head and saw it was a young wife.

The woman beside the young wife patted her arm. "If you can't speak nicely, shut your mouth. The base helping is already kindness. If you're dissatisfied, take out your own money and grain to help."

"Hmph! My family is very poor; otherwise I'd definitely help." The young wife defended herself, then immediately started snapping at that woman.

Qian Eldest Sister-in-law listened and frowned, simply raising her voice to stop the two from continuing to argue. "Alright, you're all friends. Watch your words."

Especially the Delu Family. Knowing you originally came from the slum district, feeling for your ancestral home's elders and young ones, but this isn't entirely the base's fault. If you care, lend a hand yourself.

Li Shenzi may have a bad temper, but she's not a bad person. As long as you don't demolish her house to make up for it, she won't pick on you."

Qian Eldest Sister-in-law's few words, both scolding and striking, directly made the indignant young wife shut her mouth, while also explaining this person's family background.

Shen Yao suddenly understood. So she was from the slum district. No wonder.

A large part of the base's slum district was people from outside, and the closer the slum district was to the city wall edge, the richer their family assets were.

From this young wife's words alone, one could tell she wasn't a native of the base. Having resentment in her heart was understandable. But just as Qian Eldest Sister-in-law said, the essence of the base's help was saving emergencies, not poverty. Ultimately, one could only rely on oneself.

The topic ended abruptly here. Everyone hurried forward without speaking, but the people in the team clearly split into several groups, each finding their close partners.

Shen Yao belonged to the middle faction, attached to neither side, simply staying by Qian Eldest Sister-in-law's side, occasionally chatting with older women about daily household matters.

Soon, as the greenery sprouting from the ground around them became more lush, everyone arrived at the destination of this trip.

A not-high small hillside. Roughly estimated, its height could be tens of meters. Similar to a small gentle slope, the ground was covered with wild grasses just poking their heads out, most lying flat against the ground.

The beeping of wristwatches rose and fell. Shen Yao and Qian Eldest Sister-in-law exchanged greetings, then she lowered her head and started digging with the small shovel in her hand.

The system didn't forget to give its host cheats. Unfortunately, not much of the newly sprouted wild vegetables was edible. The screen was densely packed with red small dots, with a few yellow and green small dots appearing sporadically, which would soon be picked by the crowds rushing over.

Shen Yao:...

A miscalculation. She underestimated the enthusiasm of ordinary people who had been cooped up at home for a whole cold season. It seemed everyone was itching to vent.

Shaking her head and speeding up, Shen Yao accurately found several edible low-to-medium mutated plants, dug them up, and directly threw them into her back basket.

After digging hard for a whole morning, Shen Yao only harvested a small amount at the bottom of her back basket.

Well, this was still considered Shen Yao digging enough. As for Qian Eldest Sister-in-law and the others, they only managed a fistful each. After washing, it would probably shrink by more than half.

"We need to wait another two days before coming out, or take a vehicle farther away to dig." But the farther collection points were also more dangerous. Mutated beasts starving for a whole cold season might be waiting to serve them as dishes.

Qian Eldest Sister-in-law carried her basket, waiting for everyone to come back together.

Unexpectedly, noisy sounds suddenly came from ahead, and many people ran out wildly.

"Hey, what's happening over there?" Qian Eldest Sister-in-law raised her hand and subconsciously tiptoed to look.

Others looked at each other, all clueless. Someone accidentally mentioned, "Is it some rabbits or field mice?" It was just the season for them to appear.

Qian Eldest Sister-in-law slapped her thigh. "Let's go see."

Human nature has a gene for loving excitement. But the mutated world is dangerous, so people try their best to restrain themselves. However, this area wasn't a high-danger zone, and so many people had run over. It wouldn't miss them at all.

Shen Yao:... Truly a good reason, impossible to refute.

Shen Yao resignedly followed behind everyone. She walked slowly, and by the time she arrived, Qian Eldest Sister-in-law and the others had already squeezed in.

Good grief. The surroundings were densely packed with people. One could say a small group every three steps, a large group every five steps. Even if there really were rabbit burrows or field mouse burrows, they couldn't withstand so many people dividing them.

Shen Yao gasped in amazement. She carried her back basket and hid at the back. With nothing to do, she'd dig a couple of shovelfuls of wild vegetables.

"Ouch!!!"

"Who, who stepped on my foot?"

"My field mouse, put the field mouse down, old lady!"

"Don't squeeze, don't squeeze, don't squeeze. Everything in my back basket is mine!"

"..."

The already noisy crowd suddenly started quarreling. Shen Yao tiptoed, shaded her eyes with her hand, and looked up to see the crowd on the hill ahead starting to slowly push backward, forming a giant wave between the two sides. People at the back couldn't help but be pushed to the ground.

Shen Yao:...?!!!

Shen Yao subconsciously picked up her back basket and retreated. On the way, she pulled anyone slow to react to the side. After avoiding the danger zone, the crowd ahead sank inward, and the clueless people screamed and fled.

Shen Yao quickly contacted Cheng Qi at home and also sent messages to Qian Eldest Sister-in-law and the others.

Unfortunately, Qian Eldest Sister-in-law's side had no response. And Shen Yao herself wanted to save people but was powerless, unable to squeeze in at all.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry and contact the patrol team. Have them come save people."

Shen Yao sent all the text messages she could, then followed by shouting to urge the frightened people around her.

Awakened by the words ringing in their ears, some chose to flee, some chose to help, and most, like Shen Yao, used their wristwatches to call for help. As for those rushing in to take advantage of the chaos, there were some, but not many.

The chaos before them was truly great. Because people in the middle were out of control, when everyone front, back, left, and right was pushing hard, what one wanted to do was no longer important.

Cheng Qi replied to Shen Yao's message. The money shop had already brought people driving over, telling her not to approach the inside for now, as it was easy to get caught up in it.

Shen Yao said she would help outside. If she met someone she could help, she'd lend a hand. For what she couldn't help with, she could only feel helpless.

After half a day of hard work pulling a woman with a crushed leg out of the squeeze circle, a rumbling sound came from behind Shen Yao.

Turning her head, it was the Patrol Team's vehicles and an ambulance; Shen Yao finally let out a breath of relief, they arrived quite timely.