AFTCKCTCKATD - Chapter 23

 Chapter 23

“Don’t Talk To Strange People.”

Did that man know Ji An and Ji Le?

Ji Yanqing looked at the two sleeping cubs. Ever since encountering the man, Ji An and Ji Le hadn’t shown any signs of recognizing him.

Half an hour later, Xue Gang once more gave the order to advance.

The sky had gradually started to brighten. In less than five hours, it would be ten or eleven in the morning, the hottest part of the day, so they had to go a little further and find a place to set up camp to take cover from the heat.

Half an hour wasn’t enough time for the crowd who had been tossing and turning all night to recover. The team’s progress slowed down significantly as they set off again.

Following the highway, Ji Yanqing walked on and on, from dawn until nine in the morning, from the delicate chill of the first light to the rising heat of the sun.

Four hours later, when Ji Yanqing at the rear of the group looked out through the rising steam, he saw that the same mountains stretched out in layer upon layer.

How wide is this mountain range?

Ji Yanqing recalled the scene outside of the mountains before he entered; he faintly remembered that the mountain range wasn’t too vast, right? He attempted to think harder, but his mind was in a haze from the heat.

Ji Yanqing was still wondering, when Xue Gang in front gave the order to find a nearby place for their midday break.

The temperature at sea level had reached over fifty degrees celsius. Even though the mountains were slightly cooler, the temperature had long since exceeded forty degrees. If they continued on like this, they would end up dying from heatstroke on the road.

Upon hearing that they could rest, the exhausted and famished crowd finally regained some of their spirits.

In the mountain, it was easy to find a place to set up camp; in less than five minutes, they found a wide and shady area in the forest on the left side of the national highway.

Towering and vibrant, the colossal canopy and trunk made it seem like one was intruding on a fairy tale for those venturing into the woods. Only the distant gloom was a constant reminder that this fairy tale was of the darker variety.

Ji Yanqing had found a relatively quiet place and was just about to put down Ji An when he saw Ji An open his sleepy eyes.

“Awake?”

Ji An’s sleep-filled eyes finally saw Ji Yanqing’s face clearly, and he fluttered his long eyelashes before closing his eyes again.

His thin arms were wrapped around Ji Yanqing’s neck as he nestled against him, eyes half-closed.

Ji Yanqing allowed him to cuddle in his arms until he finally woke up before putting him down.

When Ji An awoke, his fair and clear little face was flushed red, and there was an imprint on the left side of his face from where his face had been pressed against Ji Yanqing.

Spreading the backpack open on the ground to let Ji Le lie down, Ji Yanqing was just about to sit down when Ji An ran over to him and nervously grabbed hold of his clothing.

Ji Yanqing looked over; the long-haired man from earlier was looking at Ji An with a dark gleam in his eyes.

After making camp, there was a moment of quiet before things got lively again. Everyone self-consciously formed a long line in the forest.

Ji Yanqing didn’t understand what was happening at first, until he saw Xue Gang’s men starting to distribute food and water to everyone.

The food included soft candies, biscuits, dried fruits, bread, and everything edible. One of Xue Gang’s man just took out two bowls and looked over the crowd as he poured out water, alternating between them after one was finished. Whether it was water or food, the portions were not generous. When it came to the elderly or the young, even these meager rations were further reduced.

Water was particularly scarce, with each person limited to only two mouthfuls.

The entire troop was quiet and lifeless.

Ji Yanqing didn’t join the queue, he only watched from a distance.

Sometime later, Xia Shen Shu walked towards him and handed him a pile of food that included fruits, canned food, and bread. The portions were greater than the morning’s, enough to feed three adults.

Xia Shen Shu gave Ji Yanqing two servings’ worth and kept one for himself.

As they stood in line or ate their own food, many people looked over at them. Seeing the amount of food piled up before Ji Yanqing, many of them turned red with envy and frustration.

Xia Shen Shu acted as though he hadn’t noticed, tearing open a fried dough pastry and beginning to eat.

When he saw Ji Yanqing not moving, he said with a smile, “If it’s free, why not eat?”

As he spoke, he glanced at the group of people deliberately peeking at them. Locking eyes with their bloodshot ones, his eating seemed even more voracious.

The others averted their eyes or gnashed their teeth at the sight of them; they all controlled their emotions and behaved with restraint, yet the hatred in their eyes was as fearsome as that of a vengeful ghost or a fierce demon.

Amidst that atmosphere, Xia Shen Shu laughed more and more happily.

“Don’t stir up trouble.” Ji Yanqing lightly and leisurely divided more food for Ji An and Ji Le.

“Yes, Xiao Team Leader Ji, I’ll do as you say.” Xia Shen Shu smiled.

Ji Yanqing couldn’t be bothered to respond; if they wanted to call him Team Leader Ji, then so be it. What was with this “Little Team Leader Ji”?

Having been given some bread, both Ji An and Ji Le, despite being extremely hungry, dared not to eat. The faint, almost imperceptible stares surrounding them sent shivers down their spines.

“I want you to have it,” Ji Yanqing said softly.

Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.

No one who has managed to survive the apocalypse up till now is truly simple-minded. Xue Gang does not treat those people as humans, and even if Xia Shen Shu had not fanned the flames, they would definitely seek revenge tenfold or more once they seized an opportunity.

In the midst of his movements, Ji Yanqing noticed a certain gaze.

He looked around and, with one turn of the head, met a pair of resentful, pitch-black eyes.

After a moment of hesitation, Ji Yanqing took two random dishes and threw them over.

As the items hit the ground, the man spotted them and turned his gaze back to Ji Yanqing.

Meeting those dark eyes, Ji Yanqing had a brief, absurd hallucination that the other seemed momentarily perplexed when he saw the food thrown over.

“Something to eat,” Ji Yanqing reacted instinctively with an explanation, but as he uttered the words, he found it funny.

How has someone so detached from worldly affairs grown so large without even having seen food before?

Having done all these, Ji Yanqing stopped paying him any mind.

It was clear why Xue Gang was doing all this; he wanted to bribe them, not for them personally, but for the guns in their hands.

In the end of the world, holding a firearm is equal to holding absolute power, and the number of firearms directly determines the status of this survival team when facing other survival teams.

Xue Gang had close to twenty guns, and they had seven, including Xia Shen Shu’s pistol; almost half of Xue Gang’s total.

After consuming a portion of his provisions, Ji Yanqing carefully stowed the remainder in his backpack.

In the woods, the bald man walked over towards him.

“How’s your rest? Boss said he wants to talk to you,” the bald guy said with a laugh.

Ji Yanqing lightly lifted his gaze, his eyes beneath the goggles as deep as a secluded summer pond.

The bald man’s smile faltered slightly, but he managed to maintain it as he said, “Wu Yao and I just went through the items in our bags with them, and we’ve properly inventoried and stored everything…”

Baldy wasn’t able to finish his sentence because Ji Yanqing’s eyes had already lost all warmth. Inside Wu Yao and Baldy’s bags were most of the food, medicine, and bullets they had found in the village previously.

Ji Yanqing shifted his gaze to Wu Yao, who was among Xue Gang’s group from afar. Wu Yao had been sneaking glances at him, and when their eyes met, he quickly averted his gaze in guilt.

He dared not meet Ji Yanqing’s gaze.

“It was so fun to talk together in the past...”

“I won’t go,” Ji Yanqing gently refused.

“So many people are watching…”

“I won’t go.”

The bald man’s face showed a tinge of bitterness as he said, “Why must you do this...”

Ji Yanqing ignored it.

Baldy lingered beside them for a while, and seeing that Ji Yanqing was set on ignoring him, began to walk away.

Ji Yanqing ignored the expressions on Xue Gang and the others’ faces. He took a deep breath before turning his gaze toward Ji An and Ji Le, who had sensed the off atmosphere and were looking at him worriedly.

He stroked Ji An and Ji Le’s heads, “I’m sorry.”

Before, he had hesitated; after all, it really was easier to survive if one followed a survival team during the apocalypse. But now, his resolve was firm. He didn’t want to rely on drinking the blood and eating the flesh of others to keep himself alive. Although it was certainly the easier option.

Perhaps Baldy was right. This world was no longer the same as before. Compromises must be made. Who knew if they would be the ones to be sacrificed next time?

Ji Yanqing turned his head and searched through the crowd. He quickly spotted Xia Shen Shu.

Next to Xia Shen Shu, Lan Zi was looking at him. Her face was stained with a tint of bitterness, anxiety, and fear, but her eyes were firm.

If Ji Yanqing left, she would certainly follow.

“Daddy...” Ji Le’s voice came through, soft as a kitten’s cry.

Ji Yanqing looked over.

Ji An and Ji Le, although bewildered, sensed keenly that something was amiss.

Ji Yanqing lightly hugged the two little cubs.

When they were hugged, Ji An and Ji Le quickly hugged Ji Yanqing as well. They didn’t understand, but they liked Ji Yanqing and liked hugging him.

“Sleep a bit longer,” Ji Yanqing said softly, “It’ll get hotter later. When you wake up, it’ll be cooler, then we can continue on our journey.”

There was only one national road leading out of the mountain range. He would tell Xue Gang and the others his decision as soon as he left the summit.

Ji Yanqing lay down lightly, and the two little ones also lay down beside him.

Standing guard, dealing with the awakened zombie, and then fleeing through cities and mountains after encountering Xue Gang and his group, he hadn’t closed his eyes for four days.

Lying down, Ji Yanqing, whose body and spirit were both at their limits, fell asleep in less than two minutes.

Listening to Ji Yanqing’s gentle and steady breathing, knowing he had fallen asleep, Ji An and Ji Le lying next to him could not fall asleep.

They’d just gotten a good night’s sleep when Ji Yanqing dragged them out for a run, so now they’re wide awake.

Ji An sat up from the ground first, and looked at Ji Yanqing lightly.

Ji Le saw him and also stood up from the ground, sitting beside Ji An.

Ji Yanqing has always been the most vigilant in the group. He went to bed the latest and was up the earliest. Every rustling of leaves or gust of wind would startle him awake. Ever since Ji Yanqing picked them up, it was the first time they had ever seen him fall asleep.

Asleep, Ji Yanqing was different from his usual self. The deliberate coldness and steadiness were gone from between his brows, replaced by a touch more gentleness.

The beautiful curve of his jawline, as well as the exquisite details, formed the totality of his facial features. His goggles covered almost two-thirds of his face, making it hard to see his eyes, but the bridge of his nose under the goggles was still tall and straight. His lips were a very light color, a tender pink, as if they were half-transparent jelly.

His loose, downy, and nearly-black hair provided a contrast to his flawless complexion, making him appear as delicate and still as porcelain.

As Ji Yanqing slept, his brows furrowed slightly, portraying a mixture of tranquility, gentleness, cleanliness, and sorrow.

Ji An and Ji Le looked at Ji Yanqing with utmost seriousness and intent, their young faces brimming with earnestness and solemnity. Warmth and tenderness swelled in their chests, almost uncomfortably so. They too wished to protect Ji Yanqing, resolved to safeguard him at all costs. Yet, they were at a loss for words to express this deep-seated emotion.

Ji An surreptitiously grasped two of Ji Yanqing’s fingers. Normally, Ji Yanqing would have awoken by now, but this time, he was so exhausted that he slept deeply.

Seeing that Ji Yanqing was still unconscious, Ji An’s long, slightly curled eyelashes fluttered as he gathered up his courage to stealthily peck Ji Yanqing on the cheek and murmur, “Daddy...”

Seeing this, Ji Le also stole a kiss on Ji Yanqing’s cheek.

After stealing the kiss, he looked at Ji Yanqing with a serious face. He was still young now and didn’t have much strength, but he would grow up eventually. When he grew up, he’d definitely protect Ji Yanqing and prevent him from getting hurt again.

The two little ones, their faces stoic, attentively watched over Ji Yanqing as he slept.

As the two kiss-stealing cubs busied themselves, a man appeared nearby, peeking around curiously.

Feng Yimo had already been standing there for a while. He tried to find a chance to talk to the two little ones several times, but their attention was completely on Ji Yanqing.

They not only called Ji Yanqing “Daddy,” but they also stole kisses from him…

They were clearly. His. Cubs.

Ji Le looked over.

It was the same strange man who had been staring at them earlier.

When Ji Le looked over, Ji An, being the older brother, hurriedly grasped Ji Le’s hand. He leaned close to Ji Le’s ear, solemnly warning him, “Don’t talk to strange people.”

Ji Le nodded and hurriedly looked away.

Regarded as a strange person, Feng Yimo, who was about to lure over the cubs using the two small buns that Ji Yanqing had casually tossed to him earlier, became a stone statue.

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