Chapter 24

"Where are you from?" An older soldier scrutinized them with intense, dark eyes before speaking.

"We came from the villa area of Huangfeng Tiancheng… We’re both university students, here to collect bamboo for building a chicken pen…"

Perhaps because the soldiers were in uniform, the two young men trusted them completely, answering every question in detail. Within minutes, they had practically spilled their life stories.

Tang Man also learned from them that the authorities had already begun establishing a safe zone in this ecological park. The area had almost no tourists or animals when the disaster struck, and mutant plants didn’t transmit the zombie virus.

While people might hesitate to clear out zombies, they were far less reluctant to deal with mutant plants that couldn't spread infection.

One section of the park had already been cleared, and some survivors from the city had begun settling there since yesterday.

The park was roughly three kilometers from their residential area. Once the park was fully occupied, efforts would likely expand the safe zone’s boundaries, eventually encompassing their neighborhood.

"Since the three of you made it here, you must be capable. Would you like to join us in clearing mutant plants? We’ve got full equipment, plenty of food and supplies—definitely easier than scavenging on your own…" Captain Bai, the leader, tried recruiting them. Every capable fighter was crucial now.

"No thanks, we’re not lacking anything…" Sheng Yao frowned, instinctively refusing. He’d have to be insane to give up a comfortable villa for a tent in the safe zone.

"Actually, we’d love to! But we only want weapons as payment." Tang Man interjected, accepting Captain Bai’s offer.

She had brought them here not just for bamboo but also to train their crisis response. Now they could even get free equipment—a triple win. Why refuse?

"Deal." Captain Bai agreed almost instantly. "But how much gear you take depends on your capabilities…"

He explained their exchange system, clearly having planned to offer weapons to civilians for some time.

"Xiao Wu, guide them…" After distributing a set of gear to each, the captain assigned a soldier to accompany them.

Since they were civilians, they weren’t given firearms—only bulletproof vests and long combat knives.

After parting with the main group, they headed straight for their original target: the bamboo grove. Unlike Xiao Wu, who relied on firearms, the three of them fought mutant plants with melee weapons and superpowers, proving far more efficient.

Xiao Wu was a young soldier, nicknamed for his surname and small stature. Around Sheng Yao’s age, they quickly hit it off.

"Crystal cores can replenish superpowers?" Xiao Wu gaped as bullets couldn't penetrate the cores, yet they crumbled effortlessly under superpower influence.

Though they had speculated that cores might function like in fiction, they’d never found a way—until now. Cores had only served as proof of kills.

"Yep! My sister figured it out… Just one core can fully restore depleted energy." Sheng Yao’s expression brightened, his lips curving and eyes gleaming as he spoke of Tang Man.

The park teemed with mutant plants. After cutting through a swath, Tang Teng’s side pouch was soon stuffed with cores.

After dealing with over a dozen mutant bamboos in the grove, Tang Man dug up several bamboo shoots, bagging them for later use—whether to grow bamboo for crafting or harvest shoots for food.

Once they’d gathered enough bamboo, they hauled it back to the vehicle. With an extra pair of hands, the bus was fully loaded in just three or four trips.

"Xiao Wu, we’re gonna drop this off at home and come back this afternoon. Wanna join us?" Tang Teng called out.

"I shouldn’t…" Xiao Wu glanced uneasily at the park’s towering gates, which loomed like a beast’s maw, the flanking trees resembling jagged teeth. He gulped.

"Come on, we’re friends now! What’s wrong with grabbing a meal at a friend’s place? Don’t ditch us…" Sheng Yao slung an arm over his shoulders, his infectious confidence quickly swaying Xiao Wu into joining them.

They arrived home by 11:30 AM. While the men unloaded, Tang Man cut the bamboo into segments, washed them, and started a fire in the yard.

Sheng’s mother had prepped rice and side dishes earlier. Tang Man only needed to pack them into the bamboo tubes.

Glutinous rice, soaked and mixed with diced cured meat, carrots, corn, and peas, was packed into the tubes along with water.

Beef slices and chicken with potatoes had already been marinated. Tang Man packed them separately, sealing the tubes with large potato plugs.

Once all eight tubes were ready, she stood them upright by the fire, then left them to cook while she mixed cement in the backyard to finish building a stove.

Though they had a gas tank, Tang Man preferred having a backup. Besides, leaving a half-finished project in the yard bothered her.

By the time the bamboo tubes were done, so was the stove. Once the cement dried, it’d be ready.

Grabbing a chopping knife, she split the tubes down the middle, releasing an explosion of savory aromas—meat, bamboo, and rice mingling in the air.

The scent made her stomach growl.

Inside, the others, lured by the aroma, hurried out to help carry the food to the table.

Alongside the bamboo-tube meals, Sheng’s mother had prepared smacked cucumber and stir-fried greens.

"You’re too generous. You didn’t need to make so much…" Xiao Wu said guiltily, knowing how scarce resources were.

"Don’t worry, we’d have eaten like this anyway," Sheng’s mother reassured him.

Compared to the safe zone’s meager rations, this feast felt surreal. Were they really in the same apocalypse?

"Dig in! Make yourself at home," she urged, setting out chopsticks.

The spicy beef, coated in vibrant chili flakes, was tender and packed with flavor—perfect with rice.

The braised chicken, rich with soy sauce, carried a hint of bamboo fragrance.

The cured meat and vegetables had infused the glutinous rice, each bite hearty and satisfying. Except for Sheng’s mother, who took a small bowl, everyone else devoured their portions straight from the bamboo tubes.

With such flavorful rice, the side dishes were almost unnecessary.

Since Tang Man had only prepared four portions of glutinous rice, the five of them polished off every dish, even soaking up the sauces with the potato stoppers.

"Auntie, your cooking is amazing," Xiao Wu sighed, slumping in his chair with a thumbs-up. "Especially the spicy beef—so bold!"

"You like spicy food? We’ve got plenty of cured meats and fish with the same seasoning. Steaming them over rice is delicious. Let me pack some for you later…" Sheng’s mother offered warmly.

Tang Man knew she was currying favor with the military, paving the way for her and Sheng Yao. She saw no harm in it.

"No, no! Military rules—we can’t take anything from civilians," Xiao Wu objected, jumping to his feet.

He already felt guilty for the lavish meal. Taking their preserved goods was unthinkable.

Despite their insistence, Xiao Wu held firm. After cleaning up, they drove back to the park.

With enough bamboo collected, they spent the afternoon gathering bags of compost in woven bags for gardening.

Since mutant plants didn’t spread the virus, Tang Teng and Sheng Yao fought more freely than against zombies. Combined with Tang Man’s wood superpower, they located and eliminated targets with frightening speed.

"Imagine if these mutant plants could help fend off zombies like Zhongqiu does. How much easier would that be?" Xiao Wu mused during a break, patting his core-filled pockets.

Tang Man paused mid-sip. In her past life, some had tried—only to be betrayed and killed by their own creations.

Mutant creatures grew more aggressive, developing a taste for human flesh. To them, people were no different from prey or fertilizer.

Had Zhongqiu not been raised on cat food since kittenhood, she might have turned on them too.