Chapter 26: Black Rain
Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Editor: Karai
Setting off for Hongda Gas Station, Jiang Rong took five or six hours, while the return journey took less than an hour. When they arrived at Chu Qiang’s house, it was the time when the villagers were sleeping the deepest.
Jiang Rong parked the car in Chu Qiang’s yard, hesitating to wake everyone up when he saw them all sound asleep. Just as he was considering whether to crack open a window to let everyone sleep in the car, the people in the car opened their eyes.
Seeing the familiar yard, Uncle Chu and Aunt Chu hurriedly opened the car door and got out. Due to their excitement, Aunt Chu stumbled and almost fell, “Old man, we’re home. Qiang, we’re home…”
Wang Chunlan and her daughter also got out of the car, glancing in Jiang Rong’s direction at the dense roses on the windows.
Jiang Rong was helping Chu Qiang out of the passenger seat. Chu Qiang’s self-healing ability was formidable; he had only dozed off in the car for a while, and the swelling on his body had already subsided significantly. However, his leg was still several times thicker than usual, causing him to sway when he walked.
The wild rose vines receded from the windows and doors like a tide, revealing the neatly stacked three-story house in front of everyone. Jiang Rong handed the house keys to Chu Qiang, saying casually, “Returning what’s yours.”
Chu Qiang tried to smile at Jiang Rong, but in the end, he could only manage a twisted expression, “Xiao Jiang, I can’t thank you enough. From now on, wherever you say go, I won’t go the other way.”
Jiang Rong sighed, “Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Let’s go inside.”
If Chu Qiang had listened to him earlier, his whole family wouldn’t have suffered.
Uncle Chu tried to open the front door, but his hands were shaking so badly that the key couldn’t find the lock. It wasn’t until Aunt Chu held his hand that they managed to insert the key into the lock together. The Chu family’s front door opened quickly with a “click,” and the crystal chandelier in the living room lit up. Bright light poured out from the door, casting the group in a warm orange glow: how could there be electricity?
During these days of wandering outside, they had grown accustomed to the daytime heat and nighttime darkness. For them now, having a place to stay was already a great blessing; they didn’t dare to hope for a return to pre-crisis life.
If electricity had already surprised them, then the neatly stacked supplies under the light left them dizzy with happiness. With so many things, they could live comfortably for many years.
Chu Qiang stared at the bright crystal chandelier, tears once again streaming from his eyes. Besides his childhood friend, he couldn’t think of anyone else who would go to such lengths to arrange their lives.
Jiang Xiaoheng held the hands of Uncle Chu and Aunt Chu as they walked towards the door. “Grandpa, grandma, welcome home! Xiaoheng wants to see your beautiful house!”
Uncle Chu’s legs were weak, feeling like he was walking on cotton with every step. He responded to Jiang Xiaoheng’s words, but after only a few steps forward, he dared not go any further, fearing that everything in front of him was a dream that would shatter if he continued.
Jiang Rong said to Chu Qiang, “I’ve installed solar panels on your roof. The electricity in the house now relies on solar energy, so normal electricity usage shouldn’t be a problem, but try to avoid using high-power appliances. Your house already has a well, so water is also taken care of.”
Chu Qiang, being a straight-up science and engineering person, understood water and electricity matters better than Jiang Rong. He was extremely grateful, “I don’t know how to thank you. How about I offer myself?”
Jiang Rong was taken aback, “Qiang, don’t make promises you can’t keep. You can’t repay kindness with ingratitude.”
The Chu family safely returned home, and Jiang Rong’s biggest worry finally lifted. After the Great Crisis, having a place to stay with friends and family nearby was already the greatest luck in the world.
After being stung by mutated wasps, Chu Qiang didn’t fully recover until resting at home for almost half a month. With such a rest, the time had come to July.
The weather in July was so hot that it made people irritable, the continuous high temperature baking the earth hot. The vegetation in the mountains and forests suffered a severe test, with even the plants Jiang Rong had given wood element abilities looking withered.
With the temperature so high, people felt lethargic and didn’t want to do anything, but Jiang Rong had cultivated a vegetable garden in the heat. Under the shade net, there weren’t many varieties of vegetables, and most of them were still tender seedlings.
Early in the morning, with the temperature approaching forty degrees, Jiang Rong squatted in the field inspecting the vegetables he had diligently cultivated. Jiang Xiaoheng held a small watering can, watering the seedlings he thought lacked water.
At this moment, shouts came from the eastward mountain path, “Xiao Jiang, little godson~ I’ve brought delicious food for you guys!”
Without turning around, Jiang Rong knew it was Chu Qiang. Ever since confirming that he was okay, Chu Qiang couldn’t wait to run to Jiang Rong’s house. He ran over several times a day, undeterred by the high temperatures.
Seeing Chu Qiang coming out in short sleeves and shorts, Jiang Rong frowned, “Why didn’t you wear any protective gear? Be careful of wild creatures biting you on the mountain.”
Chu Qiang didn’t care at all. Holding a thermal lunch box, he walked towards Jiang Rong and his son, “I’m also a mutant, and besides, with your vine paths blocking the way, where would there be any wild creatures? Come and have breakfast, my mom made green bean soup and sweet rice cakes. Xiao Jiang, come and have breakfast!”
After washing his hands in the bucket, Jiang Xiaoheng trotted over to Chu Qiang, “Good morning, uncle.”
Chu Qiang handed the lunch box to Jiang Xiaoheng and hummed a few words, “Remember to call me godfather next time.”
Jiang Xiaoheng picked up a piece of sweet cake, “Thank you, uncle.”
Chu Qiang was exasperated, “How come this kid isn’t fooled by anything? No wonder, he’s your son! Xiao Jiang, come and have breakfast.”
Jiang Rong washed his hands and walked over to Chu Qiang, “I have to try.” As he spoke, he looked at Chu Qiang’s leg, “How’s the wound healing?”
Chu Qiang looked at the scar on his leg, “Almost healed, almost healed. You don’t need to worry.”
That’s what he said, but the mutated wasp had left Chu Qiang with a permanent scar. The sting from the mutated wasp left a scar the size of a palm, purplish in color and lumpy to the touch. Luckily, he wasn’t a vain girl, otherwise, he wouldn’t dare to wear skirts anymore.
Jiang Rong took a sip of green bean soup. “You should be content. Being able to save your life is already lucky enough.”
Chu Qiang nodded repeatedly, “Yes. Thanks to my good luck, encountering a reliable doctor and my smart brother, otherwise, I would have lost my life.”
Speaking of reliable doctors, Jiang Rong added, “Is Doctor Wang doing well at your place?”
Wang Chunlan was a very strong woman, with blood and backbone. When Bobcat and the others in the convoy turned against the Chu family, she was the only one who stood up for them, saying, “A person should have a conscience.”
Just because of this sentence, Chu Qiang’s family and Jiang Rong considered her a reliable person. After the Great Crisis, fewer and fewer people remained true to their original intentions, making people like Doctor Wang increasingly precious.
Chu Qiang gave a thumbs up, “Sister Chunlan is so reliable. You don’t know how hardworking she is. With her around, the house is always clean. My parents told her to rest, but she refused. Look, today’s breakfast was made by her. It tastes good, doesn’t it?”
The Chu elders had already regarded Wang Chunlan as their goddaughter, and the whole family got along very well. The only worry was Wang Chunlan’s daughter, Leilei. When the Great Crisis occurred, Leilei was watching TV with her father at home. The child witnessed her father’s death process, and since then, she had been traumatized, appearing somewhat dazed.
However, everyone believed that Leilei would surely recover, especially Wang Chunlan, who felt that Leilei’s condition had improved a lot since they arrived at the Chu family’s place compared to when they were rushing on the road.
As they spoke, several yellow spikes pierced the ground beside Chu Qiang. Seeing these spikes, Chu Qiang jumped up again, “Xiao Jiang, look, your Little Fairy is attacking me again. Can’t you control it?”
The first time Chu Qiang came to Jiang Rong’s house after recovering, he was scared away by the giant Eyries cactus outside the yard. That wasn’t an Eyries cactus at all, it was clearly a pillar supporting the sky, a thorn mountain, a big boss that wouldn’t lose health no matter how you hit it in a game.
Despite Jiang Rong having already instructed Little Fairy, it couldn’t resist the temptation to prank Chu Qiang. Several spikes pierced down, causing Chu Qiang to howl in pain, and Little Fairy seemed very satisfied.
Jiang Rong glanced at the spikes. “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt you, just wants to scare you.”
If Little Fairy really wanted to sting Chu Qiang, he would have turned into a hedgehog long ago.
Chu Qiang turned his head and angrily raised his middle finger at Little Fairy, and Little Fairy shook its spikes, making a provocative “rustle” sound.
While Jiang Rong and his son were having breakfast, Chu Qiang walked around the vegetable garden. “It’s so hot, yet you have the mood to plant vegetables. Wood element ability is really good. I wish I could awaken wood element ability too.”
Jiang Rong didn’t remember clearly what happened the day he saved him, but according to his parents, he controlled the wild brambles and gave Bobcat a good beating. Every time he heard this, Chu Qiang felt relieved. Chu Qiang, who grew up in the mountains, recognized all the vegetable seedlings Jiang Rong planted. “Xiao Jiang, these chili seedlings are good.”
Jiang Rong fed his son a sip of green bean soup and casually said, “When they grow a bit bigger, transplant a few back. They’ll survive in flower pots.”
Chu Qiang waved his hand repeatedly, “No, no. If they die, it’ll be a sin. Even if I want to transplant them, I’ll wait until the weather cools down.”
Jiang Rong, drinking green bean soup, thought to himself: It’s going to be hot for a long time, it’ll be several months before it’s cool. However, a few days later, in the evening, large dark clouds appeared in the sky.
When the dark clouds started to surge, Jiang Rong was inspecting the mountains behind his house with his son. The surging clouds brought wind, and as the cool wind blew, the temperature on the mountain dropped. Jiang Xiaoheng was delighted, “Daddy, there’s a breeze!”
Jiang Rong looked up at the sky. The once azure sky quickly turned black, and it seemed that a heavy rain was about to come. The parched earth indeed needed a heavy rain, but this rain came too suddenly, without any warning beforehand. Just like… the red light on the night of June 5th.
Suddenly, Jiang Rong’s heart skipped a beat. He remembered, this rain wasn’t a timely one at all. The black rain concealed in the dark clouds wasn’t clear rainwater but greasy and foul-smelling black rain. If the red light on Awakening Day was like a signal flare, then this black rain was like a catalyst.
After the black rain, the mountains, rivers, and earth were painted dirty black, and the stench took several months to dissipate. After that, the speed and severity of plant and animal mutations accelerated, and the water sources and land that humans relied on for survival were polluted, making life even more difficult.
The most frightening thing was that many people would fall ill after the black rain. How could he forget such an important thing? The dark clouds came quickly, and the strong wind swept up the mud and fallen leaves on the ground, slapping Jiang Rong and his son. Jiang Rong quickly picked up his son and ran madly towards the house, while Jiang Xiaoheng held onto his Daddy’s neck, whispering fearfully, “Not afraid, not afraid, Xiaoheng not afraid.”
Jiang Rong had never run so fast on the mountain before, his heart pounding like a drum, sweat dripping from his forehead and palms. He was afraid that he wouldn’t run fast enough and his son would get wet in the rain.
The surroundings grew darker and darker, and everything turned into a thick black, with no visibility. Suddenly, the wind stopped. The branches and leaves that had been carried into the air by the strong wind lost their momentum and fell heavily back to the ground. Along with the leaves, the black raindrops fell heavily from the sky.
Torrential black rain covered the sky and earth, and in an instant, all colors were swallowed by black. The world turned black.
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