Chapter 046 Hidden Master

　　During this stretch of time, they came every day to help Uncle Zhang clean the livestock farm and tend to Dabai alongside all the other animals. Whenever he had free time, Wei Haoran would also drop by to lend a hand. He’d spent ages fussing over some crops he’d planted in the farm’s surrounding farmlands, though no one knew exactly what he was growing...

　　Once their chores were done, the two would mount Dabai and gallop along the mountain trails of Shen Nongjia. Lao Zhang had grown thoroughly familiar with them by now, yet neither side brought up his astonishing martial skill—he never spoke of it, and they hesitated to pry...

　　After spending so much time together, Chu Mufan saw that this burly man who rambled nonstop in Wuhan dialect, though blunt-spoken, was bold, straightforward and fiercely loyal! He was a rare good soul in this broken world, and Chu Mufan’s wariness toward him slowly melted away...

　　Dabai also thrived from roaming the mountains with Chu Mufan each day. The once arrogant stallion’s demeanor toward Lao Zhang and Youyou softened drastically; its initial haughtiness faded into quiet reliance...

　　Chu Mufan grew deeply fond of the horse. He would regularly groom its mane and trim its hooves. Youyou told him trimming Dabai’s hooves used to be her worst chore. Back then, the horse would blast loud snorts out of nowhere while she focused on its hooves, startling her badly... That was mild compared to what happened to the very first farrier to tend Dabai—he took a vicious kick from the stallion and was bedridden for more than half a year...

　　Now, when Chu Mufan trimmed its hooves, Dabai stood perfectly docile, looking utterly content, like an obedient child. Alas, it could get him mad when compared to others...

　　Chu Mufan’s appetite had surged enormously these days. More food meant faster recovery. He remained lean, yet no longer gaunt and skeletal like the emaciated zombies he’d first resembled.

　　Color returned to his cheeks, and fine new baby hairs sprouted all over his scalp. He asked Youyou to shave all his hair off into a clean bald cap—this way, the new growth would come in evenly without looking patchy. The shaved head suited him well, sharpening his features and lending him the rugged aura of a survivor in the apocalypse. He stuck rigidly to his daily workout routine and often jogged laps around the farm. He could now run three kilometers with effortless ease...

　　In their downtime, Chu Mufan taught Youyou how to draw. His hand still trembled slightly when gripping a pencil, yet his steadiness had improved vastly compared to when he’d first arrived! He explained more complex drawing techniques verbally, and Youyou picked them up quickly...

　　He jotted down everything that happened in the small red notebook he kept tucked against his chest inside his jacket pocket. Gradually he formed the habit of keeping a daily journal...

　　Today, Chu Mufan had nearly finished a pencil sketch capturing Youyou’s loveliest smile on the very first page of the red notebook. It was a portrait of a young girl with an innocent grin—a brave soul who still held boundless hopes for the future even amid the end times, her features brimming with pure, untainted optimism! He was just about to add the final touches when Youyou, carrying an armful of hay, called to him from a short distance away, “Brother Chu, what are you doing? It’s getting late; we ought to head back.”

　　“Alright, I’m coming right away.” Seeing the sun dipping low in the west, Chu Mufan quickly closed and stowed his notebook and called back.

　　A few finishing strokes still remained on the drawing. He planned to show it to Youyou only once it was fully complete, wanting to surprise her. With that thought, he hurried over to help tidy up the yard before returning to the camp...

　　……

　　On the path back to camp…

　　They walked side by side along the mountain trail, tall trees lined neatly on both sides like rows of sentinels. Beneath the sunset glow, the sparse leaves clinging to branches and the trail gilded by fallen foliage wove a scene poetic and dreamlike beyond words...

　　Swept up by the stunning scenery, their spirits lifted effortlessly...

　　They chased and teased one another as if the world had never collapsed, as if they still lived in those carefree days long gone...

　　After fooling around for a while, Chu Mufan doubled over, hands braced on his knees, gasping for breath...

　　Youyou, who had walked ahead, darted back at once, voice laced with worry. “Brother Chu, what’s wrong? Are you alright?”

　　“I’m fine, really.” He laughed happily and rubbed his stomach. “I just had too much fun, and now I’m starving again.”

　　“You’ve been eating so much lately, and your body’s recovering faster every day,” Youyou teased, growing bold enough to jest with him now. “Back when I first started looking after you, you barely touched your food. I was so scared I’d fail to nurse you back to health—how would I ever explain that to Captain Star and the Lord, hehe?”

　　“You little rascal, making fun of me now? I’ll catch you!” Chu Mufan laughed and gave chase...

　　Once more, the pair sprinted forward, laughing and tussling all the way. They did not run far before reaching an open flat halfway up the mountain. Youyou, who was ahead, suddenly halted and stood gazing into the distance. Chu Mufan caught up and spotted her odd posture, asking in confusion, “What’s wrong? Youyou.”

　　“Brother Chu, look! It’s breathtaking!” Youyou pointed toward the sky, and Chu Mufan followed her finger to lift his head!

　　Only to find...

　　stretching overhead was a blend of inky indigo sky and golden gilded clouds bathed in sunlight, while the sinking sun above the distant mountains blazed with dazzling radiance! That was the last brilliant glow before night fell.

　　Side by side, they stood watching the vivid, splendid sunset, lingering until its light was slowly swallowed by the dark blue clouds. Only then did they realize how late it had grown. They quickened their pace and hurried toward the main camp...

　　As always, the large camp hung heavy with a stifling air of hunger and despair. The two headed straight for the combat battalion’s mess hall, and ran straight into Brother Ma as he tidied up the place.

　　“Where on earth have you two been? You’re hours late for dinner! Lucky for you I had the sense to save two bowls of food. You two really know how to make people worry,” Brother Ma shook his head and chattered. His silly manner made them both laugh.

　　“Hehe, we knew our dear Brother Ma would hold down the fort for us! We never doubted you’d save us a meal,” Chu Mufan grinned playfully.

　　“Shoo, go cool off somewhere. You’ve gotten far too smooth-talking lately—obviously Youyou’s spoiled you rotten,” Brother Ma snickered mischievously.

　　After spending so much time together these past weeks, the three had grown close, and Mark loved fooling around and cracking jokes with them.

　　His given name was Ma Ke; Youyou had always called him Brother Ma, and Chu Mufan had picked up the nickname too. He bore no resemblance to the tough Brother Ma from old films. Tall and stick-thin, he was shrewder than a monkey and swifter on his feet than a hare—traits that had kept him alive all these years.

　　He was also quick to read people’s moods, which landed him this odd-job position running errands and assisting the cooks in the mess hall. It was no trivial post. Food meant everything in the apocalypse, and any job tied to provisions was a coveted blessing!