Chapter 143: New Discovery

After dinner came the leisure hour of the day.

Except for the sentries and Chen Hanzhou, everyone sat with their backs against the wall, facing the fields, on soft, withered grass, feeling the world's quiet; the faint stench of decay around them had been replaced by a faint fragrance.

Lu Yu bo smoked and asked, "Brother Su, do you think we can turn this place into a secure base?"

"There's farmland here, and the village over there must have wells too—farming and livestock are both feasible. It's truly a good spot," Yu Wen said slowly, rubbing the calluses on his hands and gazing into the distance under the fading light, his tone carrying a hint of regret—as if something were still lacking.

Zhang Su exhaled a plume of smoke and said, "From a survival standpoint alone, it's indeed decent."

"What other factors need consideration?" Zheng Xinyu asked instinctively, swinging her legs back and forth, savoring the rare relaxation.

"Of course, security!" Zhang Su drew a deep breath. "Did you forget the zombie tide this morning? The scattered zombies on the road and in the fields are no threat if you're careful—but what if another random horde attacks? How the hell are we supposed to defend this shitty place?"

"You don't actually expect this wall behind us to hold off zombies, do you? This wall's been standing for who knows how long—I bet a few people could knock it down just by charging together…"

"What about other survivors? If they spot us, they could throw Molotovs, ram us with suicide cars, or lure a horde to attack us, then ambush us from our escape route—tell me, would you survive that?"

Everyone fell silent. After everything they'd been through, they no longer doubted whether Zhang Su's scenarios could happen.

Before the collapse, bad things were rare—but now, Murphy's Law was always in effect. If you thought something bad might happen, it would happen soon enough.

The former Nonghua Glass Factory had once been a manufacturing plant, designed with wide access for loading and unloading. To build defenses here without heavy machinery would be pure fantasy.

"The same goes for the surrounding villages. We only have a dozen or so people, and with our current weapons and equipment, turning an ordinary small village into a secure zone is far too difficult."

Yu Wen voiced his thoughts: "Mr. Zhang's earlier plan is better—an agritourism homestay nestled against mountains and water is easier to defend. Even a resort hotel, using terrain advantages, could offer far more possibilities than this place."

Zhang Su nodded. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the new recruits, Liu Tianji and Wang Xin, staring blankly. He said, "Hey, Little Liu, Little Wang, you haven't properly introduced yourselves yet. Tell everyone a bit about yourselves."

Liu Tianji and Wang Xin immediately stood up, smiling and scratching their heads.

"Uh, I'll go first!" Liu Tianji bowed slightly to the group. "I'm Liu Tianji. I worked as a programmer for an internet company—yeah, the classic code monkey."

Wang Xin followed: "Same as him. I'm Wang Xin. We were both code monkeys."

"You two really got screwed—your old jobs are useless now. Terrible luck."

Zhao Dezhu shook his head vigorously.

"Don't say that…" Yu Wen quickly corrected. "Both programmers are young and strong. Even an old Chinese literature teacher like me can keep up with Mr. Zhang. With your skills, you can create miracles!"

Zhang Su clearly sensed Yu Wen's value. His combat ability was solid, but his verbal finesse was exceptional—words he spoke didn't just improve morale; they elevated them by two full levels.

Liu Tianji and Wang Xin nodded quickly, admitting their shortcomings, promising to work harder, and flattering Yu Wen as ageless and resilient—all while testing their own linguistic skills.

"They say programmers don't understand social graces, that they're all socially anxious. Today, you two have shattered my assumptions."

Yu Qing smiled.

"Miss Yu is too kind. You don't know—our company's internal competition was fierce. That Zhou Litao who ran off today? He was my and Wang Xin's boss. He made life hell for anyone who crossed him. Back then, if you pissed him off, you'd suffer for a whole month."

Liu Tianji shook his head.

"Enough." Zhang Su gestured for Liu Tianji and Wang Xin to sit, then turned to Zhang Ya. "There was something I didn't want to mention, but after thinking it over, I've decided to tell everyone. Zhang Ya, introduce yourself."

"Huh? Oh…" Zhang Ya looked nervously at the group. "Actually… I used to be part of Liang Dacheng's survivor group."

"Oh?"

"Huh?"

"I'm fucked…"

As expected, the group erupted in startled murmurs.

"Don't react so dramatically. Let her finish," Zhang Su calmed them.

Zhang Ya repeated everything she had told Zhang Su earlier, then shrugged. "Before, Liang Dacheng chose me, and I had no choice—I joined his group. Now, I chose to follow Brother Su. I hope you'll accept me."

"My attitude is Brother Su's attitude. Welcome, welcome, welcome Sister Zhang Ya!"

Lu Yu bo clapped his hands.

"As long as you don't steal my husband, I welcome all my sisters!"

Zheng Xinyu draped her arm around Zhang Su's neck, grinning.

"Welcome, welcome!"

No one objected. In the collapse, choosing a better, stronger, more appealing group to survive with was natural. Every leader used every method to bind followers close—it was a mutual relationship.

Aowu.

As they talked, a zombie emerged from around the corner of the wall, mindlessly approaching them—likely thrilled at the prospect of so much fresh meat.

Tan Huajun raised his crossbow and fired—*shhh! —instantly killing it. Pang Dakun sprinted over, yanked out the bolt, wiped it on the weeds, and handed it back to Tan Huajun. Their coordination was seamless.

"Old Tan, isn't your daughter about the same age as this kid?"

Zhang Su watched the scene and smiled.

Speaking of his daughter, Tan Huajun gazed toward the city, pursed his lips, and said, "He's two years older than my daughter."

"Two years isn't much. Hey, Little Pang, why not call Old Tan your adoptive mom? He'll look out for you from now on—what do you say?"

Zhang Su suggested.

"Sure!"

Pang Dakun answered without hesitation.

"Is… is that okay?"

Tan Huajun looked flustered.

"It's perfect, Sister Tan!"

"Look how sensible Little Pang is. Just take him."

"Fine, fine."

Everyone, following Zhang Su's lead, began cheering and teasing.

Tan Huajun glanced at the clean, tidy Pang Dakun—not handsome, but solid and well-built, far better than those scrawny guys who paid twenty yuan to fill a motorcycle at gas stations.

Seeing Tan Huajun soften, Zhang Su said, "Old Tan, guys like Little Pang—capable and hardworking—are rare now. Raise him early. He could even make a decent son-in-law."

Tan Huajun's expression dimmed slightly. She shook her head. "I don't even know if my dad and Xiao Lan are still alive… Alright, since everyone says so, I think Little Pang's a good kid. From now on, he's my adopted son. None of you dare bully him!"

"Adoptive Mom!"

Pang Dakun didn't hesitate—he dropped to his knees and bowed deeply to her.

"Get up, get up. Why this ceremony?" Tan Huajun hurried to pull him up.

"Congratulations, Old Tan, you've gained an adopted son!"

"Haha, we've got to give a gift. Here, Uncle gives you this!"

Zhao Dezhu pulled from his pocket half a bag of uneaten dried fruit and a brand-new pack of Yuxi cigarettes.

"Me too! Me too!"

"Here, Sister gives you snacks!"

"Thank you, thank you… Wuh…"

In no time, Pang Dakun's arms were piled high with snacks.

"It's a happy moment—why are you crying?" Zhang Su handed Pang Dakun a sealed pack of Hua Zi.

"My real mom never bought me this much food. Getting so much just by having an adoptive mom… I'm moved. I can't help crying." Pang Dakun's eyes welled up as he looked at the group.

Zhang Su slapped his head lightly. "Enough, enough. Rest a bit longer. Be on watch upstairs at nine sharp."

"Mm."

Still sniffling, Pang Dakun sat back beside Tan Huajun and began sorting his snacks, sharing plenty with his adoptive mom.

"Huh?" Zhao Xue suddenly asked, "Did any of you hear insect chirping?"

The question stunned everyone.

Zhang Su twitched his ears first, then exclaimed, "Insect chirping! Holy shit, it's real!"

His sharp hearing even caught faint animal sounds from the direction of Pangezhuang—dog barks stood out most clearly.

"Now that you mention it… I'm certain there was none yesterday!"

Yu Wen declared firmly. He'd spent the entire night on the roof of the fertilizer shop in Shuiku Village—its silent night had felt eerily empty.

Zhang Su gazed thoughtfully at the sky. "That rain yesterday wasn't ordinary. It didn't just recharge the zombies—it woke up animals that had been comatose. Good fortune. Any special feelings, Good Fortune?"

Good Fortune, who had been lying between Zhang Su and Zheng Xinyu, merely shook his head.

"So… are the animals in the village like you now?"

Zhang Su asked next.

Good Fortune gave a distinctly human-like sneer, tongue lolling to one side—as if making a dismissive face.

"Brother Su, I have a theory," Zheng Xinyu stroked Good Fortune's back. "Could it be that animals who woke before the rain gained intelligence and strength like Good Fortune, while those who woke after are still ordinary?"

"Now that you say it… it's possible."

"I think it makes sense."

"Forget that—can we get a pig to eat?" Zhao Dezhu offered a highly practical suggestion.

Woof!

The first to respond wasn't anyone else—it was Good Fortune, the corgi. In one swift motion, he sprang from lying down to standing, rigid and alert.

Zhang Su chuckled at Zhao Dezhu's suggestion. "We just got a stable base, and you're already thinking about eating a pig? Are humans just too greedy? By the way, Zhu, even if there was a pig, can you even kill one?"

Zhao Dezhu thumped his chest loudly. "Brother, don't say pig—even a cow, I'll handle it!"

"Should I give you a dinosaur next? Forget that for now—just survive tonight!"

Zhang Su glanced at those around him. Though they laughed and chatted, their bodies were still exhausted.

Don't take risks without certainty. Staying alert for sudden threats is the team's top priority now—not yet time for exploration.

As darkness deepened, everyone climbed over the wall and returned to the glass factory. Everyone had worked hard today; many chose to rest early.

With the spacious space, those unwilling to crowd into the RV spread their bedding on the clean factory floor—cold, but wonderfully open.

Zhang Su still chose to sleep in the RV, unable to understand why anyone would reject warmth and comfort to sleep on the cold ground.

The camp expanded, and sentries were no longer limited to Pang Dakun and Haoyun on the roof; a person sat atop the RV, watching the factory's main gate—it was Zhong Xiaoshanjian, holding a rifle.

As the team grew, Zhang Su raised his vigilance once more and dispatched yet another core member to join night watch.

At night, two vehicles roared past; Pang Dakun alerted Zhong Xiaoshanjian via radio, waking many, but nothing unusual occurred—the vehicles turned around after reaching the dead-end bridge and sped back toward the city, completely unaware that a large group resided inside the glass factory.

Aside from the two vehicles, no other disturbances arose; everyone slept soundly.

(End of Chapter)