Chapter 041 Surviving The Apocalyptic Era

　　The man was gripped by a fierce craving for alcohol. He wandered around the entire cafeteria begging for a drink, only to be turned down time and again. Dejected, he sank down onto an empty bench...

　　“Here, fellow townsman. We haven’t touched these two cups of wine. Help yourself!” Chu Mufan patted him on the shoulder, took the two wine glasses Youyou was holding, and passed them over to Old Zhang, who had turned his head to look at them.

　　Craving liquor desperately, the big man did not hesitate to accept the offering. He grasped the cups Chu Mufan handed him with both hands out of gratitude. He stared at the gaunt, haggard Chu Mufan, unable to figure out who this strange man in the combat camp could possibly be. Fortunately, he spotted Youyou standing behind Chu Mufan and quickly voiced his thanks. “It’s Youyou! I always knew you were such a kind girl. You know how fond I am of wine, so you brought these over. Thank you so much!”

　　“Don’t misunderstand, Uncle Zhang. It was Brother Chu who wanted to give you the wine... I don’t have the say over these two cups.” Youyou glanced at Chu Mufan beside her and said with a smile.

　　“Oh? And who might this young man be? You look unwell, terribly thin like this.” Old Zhang stared blankly at Chu Mufan’s emaciated face and asked with genuine concern.

　　“Fellow townsman, my name is Chu Mufan. I was just rescued by Team Star. I’m perfectly healthy, just suffering from malnutrition.” Chu Mufan replied in their shared hometown dialect.

　　Old Zhang worked tending livestock in the breeding yard, isolated from camp gossip, and had never heard that Captain Star had brought Chu Mufan back to the camp.

　　"Buddy, are you also from Wuhan?"

　　"I’m from Huangshi, Hubei Province."

　　"Still fellow townsman all the same! Many thanks for the wine!"...

　　They exchanged a few pleasantries in their hometown dialect, then Chu Mufan led Youyou away. The burly man surnamed Zhang watched their retreating figures; his eyes filled with gratitude...

　　……

　　Full and satisfied, Chu Mufan and Youyou walked side by side out of the cafeteria. The banquet was still in full swing inside; everyone there, men and women alike, clung to their cups of liquor. It seemed the allure of alcohol was simply irresistible, and the fleeting numbness of drunken oblivion felt even more tempting amid the apocalyptic era...

　　Chu Mufan rubbed his distended stomach, looking confused. "Strange, why was I so ravenous today?"

　　Youyou stifled a little smile and said, "You need to eat more, Brother Chu. It’ll help you recover faster!"

　　Chu Mufan replied, "Heh, you’re right. Come on, let’s go find Dabai! I’ll get even with him for you!"

　　You you said, "No, don’t do that, Brother Chu. Dabai didn’t mean any harm—it just has a fiery temper. Besides, it’s the Lord’s steed. If you hurt it, the Lord will surely hold you accountable!"

　　Chu Mufan laughed, "Haha, ease! I know exactly where to draw the line! Let’s go! See just how wild this stallion of yours really is!"

　　You you said, "The stable is halfway down the mountainside, and the path is rough. Let me fetch a walking stick for you!"

　　"No need. I’ve had a full meal, and my legs feel sturdy now. I should walk by myself. Instead, a stick would only get in my way!" Chu Mufan waved his hand quickly to decline.

　　"Very well, let’s set off then!" Shoulder to shoulder, the two headed downhill...

　　The Shennongjia Mountains in October boasted scenery as picturesque as a scroll painting...

　　Its unique geographical terrain forged one-of-a-kind, extraordinary landscapes.

　　Due to the high altitude of the mountain peaks, snow blanketed the summits as early as September, with swirling perpetual mist veiling the peaks like a fairyland...

　　Meanwhile, the areas below the mid-slope enjoyed year-round mild weather, filled with birdsong and blooming flowers, perpetual spring all year round. This gave rise to a vivid local saying: Snow in the sixth lunar month, frost in the tenth; four seasons unfold within a single day, perfectly capturing Shennongjia’s bizarre climate. Such stark climatic stratification blessed these mountains with abundant rare medicinal herbs, exotic wildlife, and rich mineral deposits, making it a genuine treasure mountain.

　　……

　　Along the winding mountain trail…

　　Scarlet maple leaves swayed in the wind, flickering like dancing mountain flames!

　　Golden ginkgo biloba swirled on the breeze, rolling like undulating waves of gold! The two groves seemed to have come alive, vying fiercely in splendor in the late autumn scenery...

　　Hand in hand, the young man and woman wandered along the vibrant path, pausing to admire the marvelous views of Shennongjia at every turn.

　　They were none other than Chu Mufan and Youyou, who looked after him.

　　Youyou had spoken the truth; several stretches of the trail halfway up the mountain were rugged and hard to traverse. On the trickier sections, Chu Mufan had to hold onto Youyou’s hand to inch downhill slowly. Her small palm was soft and warm, pleasant to the touch, and he grew accustomed to clasping it. Even when they reached flat ground, neither of them remembered to let go...

　　It normally took an average person half an hour to walk from the camp to the stable on the mountainside. But Chu Mufan was still newly recovered with unsteady legs. Strolling hand in hand and sightseeing along the way, the pair spent nearly an hour on the journey.

　　They passed several sentry posts dotted along the route, each manned by two or three guards. Whenever they spotted Youyou approaching, the sentries would step out to greet her. They only asked briefly about the stranger accompanying her before letting them pass without trouble. With guards she knew well, Youyou stopped for a short chat...

　　After passing roughly the sixth or seventh checkpoint, a mountain ridge slope wrapped in red maples and golden ginkgoes unfolded before their eyes!

　　This wide incline housed the camp’s livestock farm and stables...

　　An open area roughly the size of a football field was enclosed by barbed wire fencing. Inside, wooden railings and wire mesh divided the space into pens of varying sizes, each fitted with a wooden shed holding different kinds of livestock. Cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens filled the pens, raised in considerable numbers judging by the scale!

　　A large shed stood at the farm’s entrance, home to soldiers tasked with guarding and tending the animals. A squad from the city defense battalion rotated duty here every month.

　　The squad stationed there this month were all on familiar terms with Youyou. They greeted her warmly upon seeing she’d brought a visitor, and Youyou introduced Chu Mufan to each of them one by one.

　　"Youyou, why’ve you brought your boyfriend along this time?" one middle-aged soldier joked. Youyou blushed shyly and replied, "Uncle Ye, this is Brother Chu. He isn’t my boyfriend. The Lord assigned me to look after him. He wanted to see Dabai, so I brought him over..."

　　"Oh, so you’re an honored guest entrusted by the Lord! May I ask your name, young man?" Uncle Ye straightened up and asked formally, stretching out his hand for a handshake.

　　"My surname is Chu, given name Mufan. I’m hardly any distinguished guest. Captain Star rescued me, and the Lord has kindly agreed to take care of this frail nobody."

　　Chu Mufan shook his hand and spoke modestly.

　　"Haha, so you’re the one Team Star saved! Wonderful! Team Star’s my favorite squad leader by far! Make yourself at home, lad! Don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need today!" the middle-aged man said heartily.