Miscellaneous books

"Mm. It's river water purified by a purification ability user. Water from water ability users is too expensive." Zhang Yi picked it up but did not drink, instead holding the bottle to Zhang Ruiyang's mouth and feeding him small sips.

"Daddy, there's still water in the hole." Zhang Ruiyang took only two sips before shaking his head and refusing more. Then he quickly crawled into the hole and brought out the water, half of which was still left.

Seeing the little hands that had just been washed until their skin color was barely visible get covered in dirt again, Nan Shao was rather speechless. He was also curious about why there was a hole at the back. Was it for hiding things? Of course, he soon learned that his guess was right. It was indeed for hiding something, but what it hid was the little fellow who shared his apple with him and called him Uncle.

When he learned the answer, he was almost dumbstruck with disbelief. After all, he had only spent a short while in this shack and already found the stifling heat unbearable, let alone that little hole at the back with no ventilation at all. He was in no position to say anything, but his heart ached all the more for the well-behaved, sensible child.

"Are there any safer places to rent?" he asked. Ultimately, the boy hid in there because the surroundings here were too chaotic. People lacked the ability and courage to kill zombies, so they preyed on their own kind instead.

"A one-room place without a bathroom costs two hundred corpse crystals a month." As for anything better, Zhang Yi did not even need to mention it. On his own, he could get an average of around five corpse crystals a day, which only came to a hundred and fifty a month. After deducting twenty corpse crystals for the ground rent, he could not even guarantee their daily water and food, so how could he possibly dare think about moving?

"Why not live outside?" Nan Shao frowned slightly. It had taken him quite a few days to save those twenty-odd corpse crystals. If they rented a room, factoring in their other expenses, the two of them would have to kill at least five hundred zombies a month just to scrape by. That meant killing nearly twenty zombies a day. They had never worked together before, and he really was not sure whether they could manage it. He could not help thinking of the farmhouse where he had woken up that morning. Compared with this place, it could already be called paradise.

"Apart from the teams from town that specifically clear out zombies, ordinary people wander over there from time to time too," Zhang Yi answered. How could he not have considered it? But outside, besides the threat of people, there were also zombies that might emerge from who knew where, so he had abandoned the idea after briefly considering it.

At that, Nan Shao stopped asking questions.

Chapter 8: Miscellaneous books

Zhang Yi set aside half the apples and mung bean cakes he had brought back and gave them to Nan Shao, along with a set of clothes. He gave the remaining apples and cakes to Zhang Ruiyang.

"Do you drink? This liquor still has its flavor." All that remained was a bottle of liquor, some cola, and a dried chicken drumstick. The other packet of Oreos had naturally gone to Yangyang.

Nan Shao shook his head. Zhang Yi then picked up the liquor and cola and headed outside.

"What are you doing?" Nan Shao asked.

"Going to trade for some other things," Zhang Yi said. If they traded what they had brought back today with ability users, they could get over a hundred corpse crystals, but that would attract too much attention. Besides, he wanted to keep some for Yangyang to eat, so he only took these two things to exchange for something more useful.

"Leave the cola," Nan Shao said. He had checked; it had not expired yet, and they could give it to the child. It had already been half a year since the apocalypse began, and things like this were growing harder and harder to find. They would not be that lucky every time.

They had found these things thanks to him, so he had the absolute say in how they were distributed. Since he had spoken, Zhang Yi put down the cola without another word, then went out with only the bottle of liquor, still more than half full. Before long, he returned with two bags of compressed biscuits, five packets of instant noodles, a bottle of mineral water, and several tattered books.

Nan Shao had just washed the glass used for offerings to the God of Wealth, poured some cola into it, and was coaxing Zhang Ruiyang to drink. Only when Zhang Yi saw this did he realize that the other man had asked to keep the cola not because he wanted it himself, but for Zhang Yi's son. He could not help feeling a little more grateful.

"Does it taste good?" Seeing the little fellow's brows scrunch together after one sip, Nan Shao could not help laughing as he asked.

"Sweet... medicine... prickles my tongue..." Zhang Ruiyang did not know how to describe the cola's strange flavor. As he spoke, he burped, and a stinging sensation rose into his nose, instantly filling his eyes with tears. Because cola was bad for teeth, and because the older generation was somewhat conservative, his grandmother had never let him drink it before, though he had drunk plenty of milk and the like.

Nan Shao burst out laughing, but afterward he felt an indescribable ache. Lowering his head, he found the little fellow looking up at him in confusion, and suddenly understood that perhaps the child did not know what suffering was, much less need sympathy or pity.

"Want any more?" he asked, giving the glass in his hand a little shake.

Zhang Ruiyang fluttered his long lashes, a little hesitant but also eager to try again. Then he turned toward Zhang Yi, who had returned. "Daddy, do you want some?" After a moment's thought, he added rather uncertainly, "It tastes pretty good. Have some, Daddy. Uncle, you have some too. It's not medicine." As he spoke, he smacked his little lips, finding the lingering taste rather nice.

"Daddy doesn't want any. Drink it yourself, Yangyang," Zhang Yi answered, preparing to divide up the things he had traded for.

"Keep them for Yangyang," Nan Shao said, stopping him.

Zhang Yi ignored him and gave Nan Shao one bag of compressed biscuits, three packets of instant noodles, and the bottle of mineral water before putting the rest away for himself.

"These are enough for Yangyang," he said. Although he too wanted to give his son all the good things, he understood even better that doing so during the apocalypse would only harm the child.

Zhang Ruiyang listened quietly to the adults talking, his eyes wide. Whether he really understood or not, once his father finished speaking, he actually nodded vigorously in support.

Nan Shao did not know whether to laugh or cry. He reached out and rubbed the little fellow's head, no longer insisting. He could not help wondering whether he would have ended up where he was now if he had treated Nan Wei this way too. Unfortunately, there was no answer to that question, because in the past, he had possessed not a shred of reason when it came to Nan Wei.