Chapter 60: Where Did Their Big Tent Come From?

A hint of mockery appeared on Shi Yuebai’s face.

“They ran off—where are they going to find food to survive?”

Some people are just like that. It’s not that they have to band together to bring down Chen Huaihai; it’s that the thought never even crosses their minds.

Wei Lingxia was beaten so badly by Chen Huaihai, but when it came time to mourn for him, didn’t she still cry as expected?

“Yuebai, look.”

Nong Yasi pointed to the area below the swimming pool, over by a pile of rocks.

Because of the pool’s height, they could see the entire layout inside the tent at a glance.

Lit by the scavenged solar lamps, Shi Yuebai saw a cluster of lush green plants growing out of the potato patch.

Surprised, she climbed out of the pool, put on her clothes, and sat in her wheelchair.

Nong Yasi and Shi Yuebai went down the steep slope, rounded the pile of rubble, and looked over.

A thick carpet of potato plants filled the sunken ground.

Nong Yasi exclaimed in surprise, “How did this happen?”

Just a few days ago, the potato seedlings were still short.

How could they have grown so much in just a few days?

Unable to resist, Nong Yasi reached out.

[Scan: 100% radiation-contaminated potatoes.]

A trace of disappointment appeared on Nong Yasi’s face.

“These are edible, but they won’t fetch a good price.”

Food contaminated by radiation could still be eaten—because there simply wasn’t anything else to eat.

What couldn’t be eaten was mutated food.

No one knew if mutated food was good or bad; in the wasteland, no one had the time to research it.

Shi Yuebai told Nong Yasi to dig up a few potatoes. They looked no different from ordinary ones.

They grew a bit faster, but still had the normal potato shape—just a bit bigger.

After only a few days, each potato was already the size of an adult’s fist.

Shi Yuebai gritted her teeth.

She’d planned to fill the pool with water and take a break, but now she started counting on her fingers, using a purification spell on the big potato in her hand.

A 100% radiation-contaminated potato wouldn’t sell for much, but with food becoming scarcer, it was still worth something.

Besides, the potatoes from the Shi family and the ones Yi Zhe gave her were almost gone.

Lately, Guai Guai and Ah Hong had been surviving on these potatoes.

And anything that left Shi Yuebai’s hands had to be clean.

[Scan: 0% radiation-contaminated potato.]

Nong Yasi was scanning the potato patch when she heard the announcement and froze in shock.

She glanced back at Shi Yuebai.

Shi Yuebai casually tossed the 0% radiation potato onto the pile by the fire.

Nong Yasi didn’t dare ask any questions.

She felt that muddling through life in ignorance was actually pretty good—at least she wouldn’t have to face how powerful Shi Yuebai really was.

The longer she knew Shi Yuebai, the more terrifying she found her.

Pushing aside all doubts, Nong Yasi dug up some more potatoes.

To her delight, not only were these potatoes big, but there were a lot of them.

Easily, the Shi family harvested over a hundred potatoes.

Most were 100% radiation-contaminated, though there were some at 95% or 91%.

If the contamination went above 100%, the potatoes would mutate.

That’s the difference between quantitative and qualitative change.

As long as it was 100% or less—even right at 100%—humans could eat them.

But even a tiny bit over, and they became inedible.

Shi Yuebai thought for a moment, then called over Shi Yaoyao.

She had Shi Yaoyao drag over the little stones made by Pang Ziyuan and, following her instructions, press them one by one into the potato field.

Shi Yuebai set up a purification spell over the potato patch.

She couldn’t be bothered to wait for Nong Yasi to dig them up and purify each potato one by one.

Instead, she’d just purify them as they grew.

Now, Shi Yuebai’s soul power was maintaining two large arrays and one spell.

One was the enhanced dizziness array covering the Shi family’s courtyard.

Another was the purification array in the potato field.

And then there was a puppet spell, just for show, to scare people.

These three were just enough to burn off the massive amounts of fat energy she gained each day.

As long as Shi Yuebai stayed inside the Shi family tent and didn’t go out in the sun, she could maintain her weight at 708 jin.

That night, Pang Zhenggong returned from scavenging with the team.

After hearing about what happened in the group during the day, he brought Ah Hong, Pang Ziyuan, and half a box of instant noodles to the Shi family’s compound.

Shi Yuebai didn’t stand on ceremony and had Shi Yaoyao bring the half-box of expired instant noodles inside.

In the pitch-black night, Shi Yuebai said calmly,

“There’s still a lot of trouble over at the Chen family. You’d better head back early.”

She turned to leave.

Ah Hong quickly nudged Pang Zhenggong.

Carrying Pang Ziyuan on his back, Pang Zhenggong stepped forward.

“Yuebai, we want to move over here and live next to the Shi family. Is that okay?”

Shi Yuebai frowned, her face round and puffy from fat.

Ah Hong hurriedly said, “I’ll work hard, Yuebai. I really will.”

She’d already sold her life to Shi Yuebai.

But she had a son and a husband, so she couldn’t move into the Shi family house like Nong Yasi.

All she could do was settle for living next to Shi Yuebai.

Shi Yuebai said nothing and went back into the tent to rest.

Those who knew her understood—if she didn’t object, that meant she agreed.

The next day, Pang Zhenggong didn’t go out scavenging. After Ah Hong and Pang Ziyuan left for work, he packed up the Pang family’s belongings and moved next to Shi Yuebai.

The night before, mutant beasts had attacked the mercenaries on the perimeter, and none of Yi Zhe’s group had returned.

Pang Zhenggong hadn’t told Yi Zhe about moving, nor did he dare live too close to the mercenaries.

He set up his family’s tent across from Yi Zhe’s group.

Now, the Pang family, Shi family, Guai Guai’s family, and Yi Zhe’s team formed a layout like the character “门” (gate).

People from the group came over to watch and asked Pang Zhenggong,

“Are you afraid the Chen family will come looking for trouble?”

“Moving here is good—at least there are three mercenaries here. If the Chen family comes, you can ask Captain Yi to protect you.”

Pang Zhenggong looked at Ah Hong.

Ah Hong pressed her lips together and said nothing.

She hadn’t moved here for the mercenaries.

They were strong, but often away from the group.

Pang Zhenggong also had to go out scavenging.

In the end, only Ah Hong and her son would be left here, along with the old, weak, sick, and disabled of the Shi family.

Ah Hong understood better than anyone.

In the end, the only one who could protect her and Pang Ziyuan was Shi Yuebai.

The Shi family said nothing. Shi Yuebai sat by the door, her gaze falling on the Pang family’s big tent.

She told Shi Yaoyao,

“Go ask Pang Zhenggong—where did their big tent come from?”

Today’s been foggy and confusing.

All I want to do is sleep, day or night."