Chapter 18: The Good Guy Card

The rest of the team hadn’t even finished mocking Shi Yuebai and her siblings when the lunatic that was Shi’s mother, heavily pregnant, was sent back.

She was escorted back by the Xiangcheng Mercenary Group.

To make a show of force, Yi Zhe personally brought all his mercenaries, every one of them armed to the teeth.

The burly, broad-shouldered men escorting Shi’s mother immediately drew the attention of everyone in the survivor camp as soon as they entered.

Especially when they saw the weapons—fear flickered in everyone’s eyes.

Someone whispered,

“Who’d have thought Shi Yi’s influence was still this strong? He’s dead and gone, but he still has connections with the mercenaries.”

“Yeah, I heard Shi Yi and the mercenary leader were as close as brothers, risked their lives together.”

“Tsk tsk.”

The team was full of all kinds of people. Some who’d previously eyed Shi’s second sister-in-law with open desire quickly reined themselves in when Yi Zhe and the mercenaries arrived.

In that instant, Shi Yuebai understood exactly why Yi Zhe had made such a big show of it.

He wanted everyone in this survivor group to know: these sick, weak, and crippled members of the Shi family had the mercenary group backing them.

Sniff, what a good guy.

Shi Yuebai mentally handed Yi Zhe a “good guy card,” then turned to look at her mother, who had just been brought back.

This was her mother, here in the wasteland.

“Hahaha, Yuebai, Yuebai!”

Shi’s mother ran up to her, laughing, jumping up and down with joy.

“Yuebai, have you seen your father?”

“Where did your father go?”

Before Shi Yuebai could answer, her mother spun around and tried to run off.

Yi Zhe, clearly used to this, quickly grabbed the runaway mother.

“Auntie, didn’t we agree? I’ll go look for Uncle, and you stay here and don’t run around.”

Yi Zhe had always had a good impression of Shi’s mother. Back when she sent food to Shi Yi, she’d always send a share for Yi Zhe, the orphan, too.

So he had real affection for her.

Shi’s mother nodded, her confused face tinged with urgency.

“Then you have to hurry, okay? Yuebai’s dad hasn’t come back for days. He’s not out chasing some hussy, is he?”

“No, no, if Uncle’s out there with some hussy, I’ll beat her up myself.”

Yi Zhe soothed her, leading her over to Shi’s second sister-in-law.

Then he looked at Shi Yuebai and Shi Yaoyao.

Yi Zhe sighed.

The Shi family, honestly…

The mercenaries behind him looked at the Shi family—one old and crazy, one childlike, one fat, one blind—and were all at a loss for words.

They glanced sympathetically at the mattress outside the Shi family’s tent.

Yi Zhe figured they were probably thinking the same thing as the rest of the group: What on earth did the Shi family drag a mattress back here for?

But Shi Yuebai couldn’t be bothered to explain. She just pushed her cart over and called to the weirdo next door,

“Get me a chain.”

Her mother was mentally unstable and about to give birth—if you took your eyes off her for a second, she’d run off.

Shi’s second sister-in-law was blind. If she had to chase after the mother all day, she’d never get anything else done.

Yi Zhe frowned, clearly disapproving, and looked at Shi Yuebai.

He opened his mouth to say something, but Shi Yuebai shot him a fierce glare.

The mercenary group had more important things to do—they couldn’t waste their time babysitting Shi’s mother.

That was why Yi Zhe was sending her back in the first place.

Since they couldn’t take care of her, they shouldn’t meddle in the Shi family’s affairs.

Now, they could only manage things the way Shi Yuebai wanted.

In the end, Yi Zhe said nothing. He sighed, took out a stack of points cards from his pocket, and glanced at Shi’s second sister-in-law.

Thinking about it, the only one in the Shi family with clear thinking and the ability to act was the second sister-in-law.

But it seemed like Shi Yuebai was the one calling the shots.

He handed the stack of points cards to Shi Yuebai, speaking gently,

“Yuebai, take these points. From now on, I’ll bring you more every month.”

“Just… take good care of your mom, okay?”

He hoped that, for the sake of these points cards, Shi Yuebai would treat her mother a little better.

Shi Yuebai took the cards without hesitation.

“Sure, you’re welcome to come by anytime.”

She acted as if it was only natural.

The mercenaries behind Yi Zhe couldn’t help feeling a bit resentful.

Honestly, Shi’s mother wasn’t even their captain’s real mother—just the mother of the captain’s old friend.

If the captain was willing to hand over points to the Shi family every month, couldn’t Shi Yuebai at least show a little gratitude?

Now it looked like their captain was paying tribute or something.

Shi Yuebai ignored the mercenaries’ dissatisfaction. She patted Yi Zhe on the shoulder.

With each pat, she quietly transferred a bit of fat energy into his body.

“Go on, live well.”

Yi Zhe had been running around all day and was feeling a bit hungry.

But after a few friendly pats from Shi Yuebai, he suddenly wasn’t hungry anymore.

In fact, he felt unexpectedly energized, all his fatigue gone.

Yi Zhe didn’t think much of it. He just nodded at Shi Yuebai and left with his men.

The mercenaries also left two large crates for the Shi family.

People in the camp craned their necks, trying to see what was inside.

But Shi Yuebai swept a sharp gaze around, tugged on the chain attached to her mother’s wrist,

“Mom, Weirdy, come on, help me move these boxes inside.”

“Weirdy” was the name she’d given the strange man next door.

The scrawny man glared at Shi Yuebai, his voice rough.

“Don’t call me that! I have a name!”

“What is it?” Shi Yuebai asked, all ears.

Weirdy shut his mouth and said nothing.

He’d never tell anyone his real name.

“Alright then, Weirdy, help move the stuff.”

Shi Yuebai directed the Shi family, and even the second sister-in-law came to help. Together, they managed to haul the two crates into their tent.

As soon as they finished, Shi’s mother tried to run out again, shouting,

“Yuebai’s dad! Where’s Yuebai’s dad?”

“I’ll go look for him!”

Shi Yuebai grabbed the chain, which was tied to her mother’s wrist.

“Mom, come back. You’re about to give birth—you can’t go anywhere.”

At some point, the weird man had slipped back to his own tent. Shi Yuebai sat her mother down by the fire.

Shi’s second sister-in-law started sorting through the crates, then exclaimed in delight,

“Yuebai, we’ve got 300 small potatoes and 700 small bread rolls!”

Each bread roll was individually wrapped, with a tiny desiccant packet inside.

All pre-apocalypse stuff.

But Shi Yuebai’s face darkened.

“Seven hundred expired bread rolls? I’d rather have the potatoes.”

At least she could use a purification spell to remove the radiation from the potatoes.

But five-year-expired bread? How was she supposed to purify that?

You couldn’t really say it was inedible—it wasn’t spoiled, just expired.

Those individually wrapped bread rolls could probably last forever.

But still, they were expired.

All in all, Shi Yuebai felt this deal was a bit of a loss.

“Let’s sell them. Tomorrow we’ll set up a stall outside—let people trade for them or buy them with points.”

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival."