Chapter 75 – What’s Wrong with Being a Butcher? (Part 8)

Closing the door, Tao Ran felt like she had stepped into a completely different world.

Inside, a single room with a bed, a pot, and a knife: this was basic survival comfort. If the safety here held up, Tao Ran wouldn’t mind staying a few days.

Soon, she even found a small bag of rice and three packs of pickled vegetables.

Treasure!

With the rain still falling outside, she rushed to fetch water with her pot and bowl, then washed the package she had found.

Fifteen minutes later, the water was boiling.

She was making instant noodles.

She was starving.

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Everything in this apocalypse was precious.

Tao Ran couldn’t bear to waste anything. Ten seconds later, she turned off the stove.

The hunger and craving made these noodles taste like the best meal she had ever eaten.

She devoured both noodles and soup, finally feeling warmth spread through her body.

While exploring the cabin, she found a small piece of glass.

Through its reflection, she finally saw her current appearance clearly.

Chubby cheeks, narrow eyes, a round nose, not exactly beautiful. Her skin was decent, but tanned.

This was also a source of Shi Jia’s insecurities.

“Being pretty gives you advantages in many ways. Heaven didn’t favor us, so we’ll prove that, with our own effort, we can survive beautifully too!”

Achievements earned through effort felt far more fulfilling than those randomly bestowed.

Setting those thoughts aside, Tao Ran crawled into the musty blanket on the bed.

Even in an apocalypse, she refused to mistreat her body.

She was determined not to eat raw meat.

That meant she had to gather enough supplies quickly.

And this place was not a permanent refuge.

Its temporary safety depended on remaining undiscovered. With two known groups nearby, it was only a matter of time before someone found it. She needed a new plan.

With that in mind, Tao Ran started strategizing.

Revenge was inevitable, but it could wait.

Compared to revenge, Shi Jia cared more about the pig farm and her parents. The farm was still intact, and those people wouldn’t slaughter all the pigs immediately. Even if Shi Jia could reclaim it, she wouldn’t be able to defend it alone. So the farm would have to wait.

As for Shi Jia’s parents, the situation was likely stable for now.

It had been over a month since the apocalypse began.

Communications went down about ten days ago.

Before that, Shi Jia called her parents every day to check on them. Her mother had fully charged her phone at her market stall before the power cut. Shi Jia charged hers via her car charger.

Her father had found a brand-new backup phone in a supermarket.

The family agreed on a set time each day to turn on their phones, make their calls, and then immediately turn them off to conserve power.

So ten days ago, Shi Jia still knew her parents were safe.

Her father had plenty of food, clothing, and supplies in the supermarket. The goods warehouse connected to the shopping area was full. A few hundred survivors could live there comfortably for years. They were far better off than Shi Jia.

She left her father there, trusting the military to rescue them one day.

Her mother was also doing okay. Before the market closed, everyone quick on their feet had already left. News from phones and TV showed leaders urging people to stay home and wait for rescue, and most complied.

Occasionally, some attempted to leave, but few made it more than a hundred meters before being killed. The rest gave up on escape.

Shi Jia had even driven near the market, seen at least seven to eight hundred zombies in the outer plaza, and urged her mother to stay inside.

Besides the supermarket, what place could be safer than the market?

It had cooked food shops, grain stores, groceries, fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, and shrimp. There were even two small clothing stores and proper toilets.

The corner shops had gas and stoves. Fresh fish, meat, and shrimp were cooked or pickled the next day, and most vegetables were turned into pickles.

Once the market was sealed, they charged electronics and collected water. Everyone had confidence in their country and agreed to help each other survive.

About ten days ago, Shi Jia’s mother noticed their water was running low. Fifty boxes of bottled water and hundreds of drinks in the grocery store wouldn’t last long.

If conditions didn’t improve, they would have to leave. Shi Jia had promised to try to help if possible.

Hearing this call, Shao Xing panicked, fearing a new group at the pig farm would disrupt his situation. With Luo Xue egging him on, he began to waver.

Shi Jia’s resentment and worry for her mother weighed heavily on her mind, causing fierce anger when facing death. Her system detected this and granted her a chance to change her fate at the cost of soul energy.

Tao Ran calculated: the market had around eighty people and plenty of water. Conservatively rationed, it could last a month. The last call was 12–13 days ago, so there was no immediate danger.

This issue could wait.

Perhaps the more urgent concern was Shi Jia’s two dogs.

They were treasures. Shi Jia’s second capture had been to save them.

Since Tao Ran was here, her first step would be to rescue the dogs.

Before that, she needed a means of transport.

Decision made.

Exhausted from yesterday, and after almost a week without proper rest, Tao Ran finally let herself sleep. She woke up to daylight, having slept twenty hours straight.

She got up quickly.

Morning training!

She needed to familiarize herself with this body.

The open space outside the cabin became her training ground.

She practiced all the combat, self-defense, and martial arts skills from her previous life.

She was impressed with this body.

Good physique, fast, strong, agile, and coordinated. Combined with her kung fu, the effect was excellent, far superior to her old body.

She even lured some zombies to practice against.

After several rounds, she confirmed that as long as she faced no more than two zombies at a time, her skills and strength would allow her to handle them easily.