Apocalypse Chapter 30: Ambush

Chapter 30: Ambush

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

There were fifteen people in Li Xiaojun’s group, they had four cars and an old military truck. After leaving the orchard, they drove north along the mountain road. It was only two hundred kilometers from their hometown to Base N City. They estimated that even if there was traffic, it wouldn’t be a problem to cover seventy to eighty kilometers overnight. Two hundred kilometers was nothing; they would reach the base the day after tomorrow.

But their luck took a turn for the worse as soon as they left the orchard. Not even five kilometers away, the engine of the military truck made strange noises, the car started shaking, and then it swayed a few times before breaking down.

Most of the supplies and the fruit scavenged from the orchard were on the military truck, so when it broke down, the cars in front had to stop as well. A group of people cursed as they got out of the cars, Cao Qian covered her stomach with a worried expression and pushed Li Xiaojun, “What’s wrong with this junk… Li Xiaojun, go check it out.”

From leaving the orchard until now, Li Xiaojun’s ears had been filled with the accusations from his wife and in-laws. They blamed Uncle Li and Aunt Li for being unkind and criticized Li Xiaojun for not taking care of them. Especially Qian Qian, her words of reproach were relentless, buzzing in his ears. Even though he managed to restrain his emotions in front of his in-laws, he was starting to get annoyed.

With a stern face, Li Xiaojun quickly walked to the front of the military truck and opened the engine hood. As soon as he opened it, a thick black smoke billowed out. He shone his flashlight inside and his expression grew worse, “The engine is smoking, there might be a problem.”

As soon as he spoke, several relatives from the in-law’s family began to discuss, everyone gathered around the military truck, but no one gave a decisive opinion. These people were used to having high aspirations but low abilities. They knew nothing about car repair and maintenance. After discussing for a while, everyone ordered Li Xiaojun, “Xiaojun, it’s up to you with this car. You have to fix it as soon as possible!”

Li Xiaojun didn’t know much about cars, but he knew more than this group of people. He nodded and focused on tinkering with the engine with his flashlight in hand.

This repair took three hours, from sunset to moonrise. Li Xiaojun didn’t drink a drop of water or sit down to rest for ten minutes. While the others were trying to save gasoline, they found a slightly open space beside the convoy and lit a fire.

The faces of the group were illuminated by the fire, each of them oily, resembling chickens being roasted over a fire. There were many mosquitoes in the mountains, so they sprayed mosquito repellent while chatting.

When Jiang Rong and Guan Shao arrived at the nearby broken vehicle, they saw this scene: Li Xiaojun was repairing the vehicle covered in oil, while his in-laws were chatting around the fire.

Jiang Rong sighed lightly and shook his head, “He could have been a prince at home, but he insisted on being a servant in someone else’s house.”

Uncle Li and Aunt Li had treated Li Xiaojun well, he had witnessed it himself. The old couple couldn’t bear to see their son suffer, so after a busy day, they still had to bring watermelon to Li Xiaojun in the heat. But he, on the other hand, felt that his parents couldn’t help him and even helped outsiders ridicule his own parents.

Guan Shao responded softly, “There’s no way around it. There are always some people with low character in this world.”

While speaking, Guan Shao wiped his face. He wore a strange hat with two layers of mesh hanging under the brim. The mesh drooped down to his neck, covering the exposed part of his head and neck.

This was his homemade mosquito-proof helmet. There were many mosquitoes in the mountains, and if they didn’t protect themselves at night, they might not make it back alive. But homemade helmets were not as effective as professional protective equipment, and there were always small mosquitoes getting in through the seams and biting his face. At this moment, he had already been bitten several times.

The venom from the mosquitoes now caused painful and itchy welts. After killing the mosquitoes, Guan Shao took out a bit of aromatic oil and dabbed it on the places where he had been bitten through the mesh.

Back when he was on missions, he didn’t dare to make so many small movements. Now, his opponents were not well-equipped colleagues from abroad, but civilians with no sense of vigilance, and they were tens of meters away from this group of people. With the cover of vegetation, Guan Shao wasn’t worried that these people would notice him.

Seeing Guan Shao being bitten by mosquitoes, Jiang Rong suddenly realized the value of his wood elemental ability. Being able to avoid mosquito bites after the Great Crisis was truly one of the happiest things in the world.

Seeing Guan Shao looking pitifully bitten by mosquitoes, Jiang Rong thought about how to make him more comfortable. He heard that some plants had mosquito-repellent effects, so maybe he could find some around and provide some cover for Guan Shao.

As soon as Jiang Rong moved, Guan Shao reached out and stopped him, “Where are you going?”

Jiang Rong whispered his thoughts to Guan Shao, “Wait for me, I’ll be right back.”

Guan Shao squinted and smiled, “No need to bother, I’m mainly afraid that this group of people will find us. Otherwise, mosquitoes won’t come near me.”

Seeing Jiang Rong’s confusion, Guan Shao took off his gloves and pointed to the mesh, where a faint electric light soon appeared. When flying insects hit this electric light, they would make a small “pop” sound and then fall straight down.

But the more mosquitoes hit Guan Shao, the brighter the arc of light became. Jiang Rong could even see Guan Shao’s face in the darkness. It was then that he understood what Guan Shao meant by being afraid of being discovered.

After seeing the mobile power bank, Jiang Rong discovered that the thunder elemental ability was like a mobile electric fly swatter. This ability… was extremely convenient and practical. Jiang Rong felt a twinge of jealousy once again.

Guan Shao quickly put on his gloves and said, “It’s okay, these mosquitoes are nothing. Let’s continue watching the show.”

After three hours of hard work, Li Xiaojun was covered in dirt and grime. He wasn’t a professional, and he didn’t have the right tools with him. Not to mention that even if he found the problem, he wouldn’t have the replacement parts.

Tired and thirsty, Li Xiaojun walked towards his in-laws’ direction, feeling dejected, “I can’t do it.”

As soon as he said this, Cao Qian’s face sank, “Can’t do it? What do you mean you can’t do it? There are so many supplies on the military truck. If we don’t have it, what are we going to do?”

Li Xiaojun looked at Cao Qian and saw no concern on her face, only blame. His anger flared up, “I never knew how to do it in the first place. I said we shouldn’t pick up a broken-down car on the roadside, but you didn’t listen. Now that I can’t fix it, whoever has the ability can take over.”

With that, he sat down and took out a bottle of mineral water, gulping it down. After the clear water entered his stomach, his empty stomach made a gurgling sound. Li Xiaojun reached out for the roasted chicken on the fire, but it had been picked clean by the others, leaving only the bones.

There wasn’t much meat left on the bones, Li Xiaojun tore off a chicken bone and started gnawing on it. Without seasoning, there was an unappetizing fishy smell on the chicken bone. Just as he took a bite, his mother-in-law’s voice rang out, “Ah, what are we going to do? Ah…”

His father-in-law snorted, “What to do? Eat it cold. There’s no store nearby anyway, what else can we do? I think we’re going to camp out in the countryside tonight.”

After being knocked down by the tiger, he felt a dull pain in his chest. Sitting by the fire just now, he had cursed the ancestors of the tiger’s family, but when he saw Li Xiaojun coming back, his father-in-law’s expression changed. He held a thermos cup in his hand and spoke earnestly, “Xiaojun, don’t take it to heart today. Your parents just find it hard to leave their hometown at their age. When we settle down at the base, we’ll come back for them. Old people are stubborn but soft-hearted. Which parent wouldn’t want their own child?”

His mother-in-law muttered, “Huh, what’s hard to leave their hometown? I think they’re just giving us a hard time because we stayed at their house for over a month and ate a little food. They just flip-flop and don’t consider our feelings at all. Before the Great Crisis, they always spoke to us politely. Now they just think we’re useless…”

Beside her, relatives chimed in. Cao Qian’s resentment erupted again. “If it weren’t for marrying you, our whole family wouldn’t have fallen to the point of groveling to others.”

“Li Xiaojun, let’s talk about it. Since we got married, how much help did your parents give us? For the five million house, my parents contributed two and a half million, while yours only put in six hundred thousand. When we got married, they went on vacation abroad, and they bought a one-carat diamond ring. I’m the only one left out, buying a piece of gold and still have to listen to you cry about being broke. I knew I couldn’t rely on you and your parents. After staying at your house for over a month and eating a little bit of your food, look at your parents’ faces. When they saw me, their noses weren’t noses, their eyes weren’t eyes. I was still carrying your family’s child in my belly. Did they take care of me for even a day? Not only did they not take care of me, but they also went to pamper other people’s children. Tell me, is it easy to get a spot in the base? Letting them go to the base, is that harming them? Ungrateful people, good intentions are wasted. The most outrageous thing is he even let the dog bite my Daddy. Is my dad not good to you? Is my dad not good to them? I know what your parents want. They just want you to find a village girl who can farm and have kids for your family, serve them like a good wife, and be a maid with a salary. Let me tell you, Li Xiaojun, the mistreatment from your parents during this time, I’ll remember it for a lifetime!”

Qian Qian kept pouring out her resentment, especially towards Uncle Li and Aunt Li. From the first time Aunt Li gave her a smaller red envelope, to various disappointments after marriage… Her sharp voice was fast and piercing, making everyone’s heads spin.

Li Xiaojun held a chicken bone, his eyes dim as he stared into the fire. Cao Qian’s sharp voice and the relatives’ echoes gradually faded from his ears. His face was flushed from the heat of the fire, sweat mixed with grease trickling down his forehead. As a mental laborer, when had he ever endured such hardship?

Seeing Li Xiaojun staring blankly, Cao Qian couldn’t contain her anger. She grabbed a stone and threw it, “Li Xiaojun, are you deaf? I’m talking to you!”

The sudden pain on his face snapped Li Xiaojun back to reality. He glared at Cao Qian, a hostility rising in his eyes that even he didn’t realize.

It was the first time Cao Qian saw such a terrifying expression on her husband’s face. Her words choked in her throat, fear uncontrollably creeping onto her face, “What… what are you doing?”

Li Xiaojun coldly glanced at Cao Qian. If this woman hadn’t felt slighted and caused a scene, he would still be in his own home right now. No late-night car repairs, no falling out with his parents. If you talked about bad luck, who was the unlucky one?

Cao Qian’s lips quivered before bursting into tears, “Mom and Dad—look, Li Xiaojun is being violent to me! He’s being violent!”

Mother-in-law hurriedly comforted Cao Qian, “Don’t cry, don’t cry, Qian Qian, you have a baby in your belly, don’t get excited.”

Father-in-law tried to mediate, “Don’t argue, don’t argue, we’re all family, what’s the point of arguing?”

The relatives from the in-law’s side chimed in, “Xiaojun, you’re in the wrong. Qian Qian is pregnant, you should give in to her.”

“That’s right, what Qian Qian said makes sense. You’re a grown man, be more open-minded. Go apologize quickly, the wife needs to be comforted.”

Li Xiaojun looked down at the chicken bone in his hand and couldn’t help but find it amusing. What right did these people have to tower over him? He admitted that his father-in-law had indeed helped him in his work, but what about the others? What had they done for him? He knew his family’s situation wasn’t good, so he had been submissive since marrying Cao Qian. Did the grievances he suffered and the hardships he endured amount to nothing? After the Great Crisis, it was clear that these people relied on him for their livelihoods. The supplies in their car were from his family. Why should he still have to bow down to them?

Cao Qian continued to cry out sharply, “He doesn’t love me anymore! Mom, I want to divorce him!”

Li Xiaojun couldn’t bear it any longer. He raised his hand and smashed the chicken bone into the fire, “Shut up! You want a divorce, right? Divorce is simple now, no need to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau. Fine, let’s divorce, whoever doesn’t divorce is a coward!”

The chicken bone fell heavily into the fire, sending sparks flying. This action startled the relatives from the in-law’s side, and Cao Qian, who had just been crying and talking about divorce, stared blankly at Li Xiaojun’s face, her crying abruptly stopping.

They weren’t fools. Li Xiaojun was the youngest and most resilient among them. If he really turned his back on them, their future would be uncertain.

The relatives who had just been blaming Li Xiaojun changed their tune and started advising Cao Qian, “Qian Qian, Xiaojun didn’t say much, don’t be so stubborn. Women should be gentle.”

“Yes, Qian Qian, Xiaojun is good to you. You should be content!”

Jiang Rong watched with amusement. This was much better than a soap opera. They were just a united family a moment ago, but now they were starting to split apart. It’s true, you don’t know pain until it pricks you.

Without his parents’ backing, Li Xiaojun truly felt the pain. Losing the privileges he had before the Great Crisis, even those high and mighty people had to bow their heads. Good, he hoped the pain would come even more fiercely.

Just as Jiang Rong was fully engrossed, Guan Shao suddenly nudged him, “Something’s approaching.”

Jiang Rong furrowed his brows. He released his abilities through the nearby plants, and to his surprise, “Wolves?”

It wasn’t just one wolf, but a pack. They moved swiftly through the forest, silently approaching their prey. The night provided perfect cover for them. If not for Jiang Rong’s abilities, they wouldn’t have been visible with the naked eye.

This was strange. There had been no mention of wolves near his hometown, let alone wolf packs. Could he have been mistaken? Could they be a pack of mutated dogs? But upon closer inspection, Jiang Rong was more certain. The creatures heading their way were indeed wolves. He had encountered wolves several times during his previous life when he went on missions with other espers.

While wolves and dogs looked similar in appearance, their temperaments were completely different. The coordination and ferocity of a wolf pack were incomparable to a pack of stray dogs, especially mutated wolves, which were even more formidable. Most members of a wolf pack were as big as tigers. Even if ordinary people encountered them, they would have no chance, let alone Jiang Rong in his current state.

After a moment of thought, he remembered something: the D city zoo was just a dozen miles east of the Lingshan Reservoir. These wolves were likely to have escaped from the zoo.

Twenty to thirty wolves were quickly approaching from behind them and would reach the vicinity soon. Their target wasn’t Jiang Rong and Guan Shao, but Li Xiaojun and his group, who were foolishly speaking loudly while roasting chicken in the mountains. These people thought they were safe in numbers, completely unaware of how dangerous the world had become.

Jiang Rong only wanted Li Xiaojun and his group to learn a lesson, not to meet their end in the jaws of wolves. He nudged Guan Shao, “You go first, I’ll go tell them.”

Guan Shao lowered his voice firmly, “I’ll go with you.”

Jiang Rong was momentarily surprised. In his previous life, when he and other ordinary people went on missions with espers, they were always the first to be abandoned. They were bait, pawns, disposable, but never companions.

Seeing Guan Shao so determined to stand with him, he couldn’t help but be moved. Jiang Rong nodded, “Okay, let’s find a place to hide first.”

The two of them hid under a large tree. Jiang Rong looked up at the tall trunk and released his abilities, commanding the vines around them to grow rapidly. The vines supported their bodies and climbed upward, lifting them to the treetop in no time.

Jiang Rong skillfully manipulated the vines to swiftly construct a shelter for the two of them in the treetops. While the shelter was conspicuous during the day, it became the perfect refuge in the darkness. Wolves couldn’t climb trees, so even if they discovered them up there, they would be helpless.

Guan Shao couldn’t help but give Jiang Rong a thumbs-up, “Impressive! I never thought wood-based abilities could be used like this.”

Wood-based abilities had many uses. For instance, Jiang Rong tapped the vines, causing his abilities to transfer through the roots to other plants, rapidly spreading through the forest.

As the wolf pack stealthily advanced through the woods, they encountered a patch of wild roses. Suddenly, a vine shot out from the roses and swiftly wrapped around one of the wolves. With thorny tendrils scraping against their bellies, the forest echoed with the wolves’ pitiful howls, “Awoo—”

The howls reverberated through the forest, leaving Guan Shao impressed, “Amazing.”

However, Li Xiaojun and his group remained oblivious. They foolishly looked up, “Did we just hear a wolf?”

“Who’s playing pranks? There are no wolves here.”

“Oh my, I think I’m about to wet myself…”

Jiang Rong and Guan Shao exchanged glances, seeing both helplessness and absurdity in each other’s eyes. Even when given the chance to escape, they didn’t seize it. It was frustrating dealing with such stubborn people.

Li Xiaojun and his group’s sluggishness delayed their escape. Guan Shao’s warning not only failed to prompt them to flee in time but also gave them something else to chat about. The person who had just claimed to be on the verge of wetting himself went into the woods to relieve himself, “I won’t be able to drive later, who wants to switch with me?”

As soon as the words fell, a dozen or so huge wolves burst out of the forest. The person in the act of relieving himself panicked, “Holy crap! Wolves! Run—!” 

Despite shouting for everyone to run, his legs turned to jelly, rendering him unable to move. Just as the giant wolf was about to pounce on him, its body suddenly staggered. The massive wolf ceased its forward motion and turned its head to viciously bite at the vines entangling its hind legs. It wasn’t biting its own legs; it was gnawing at the vines wrapped around its legs.

Somehow, a dense tangle of vines had appeared by the roadside. The resilient tendrils extended upwards, swaying gently in the air. As the wolf pack crossed the vines, what seemed harmless suddenly sprung to life. They entangled the wolves’ bodies, halting their advance.

The wolves ensnared by the vines had to halt their steps, gnashing their teeth as they tried to break free. However, the more ferociously they bit, the faster the vines grew and the tighter they wound around them. Soon, the forest resounded with the snapping of vine leaves and tendrils, mingled with the whimpering of bound wolves.

What appeared to be a confrontation between mutated animals and mutated plants was, in fact, Jiang Rong’s battle with the wolf pack. On the treetops, Jiang Rong’s expression was serious as he continuously channeled his abilities into the vines. Once a vine was bitten through by a wolf, it became useless, so he increased his output, urging the vines to grow faster to give Li Xiaojun and his group a chance to escape.

In theory, this seemed easy, but in practice, it was extremely difficult. If he only had to deal with one or two mutated wolves, Jiang Rong might have had a chance. However, with a dozen or so wolves entangled in the vines, and with their intelligence allowing them to accurately target and gnaw through the vines, breaking free was only a matter of time.

Amidst the chaos, Li Xiaojun’s mind was in turmoil: How could there be wolves here?

But when he saw wolves as big as calves, their green eyes gleaming with ferocity, and caught a whiff of their scent, his scalp tingled, and his legs turned to jelly. At this moment, the fear in his body reached its peak. He had to escape immediately, or else he’d be doomed here. Yet, when he heard the cries for help from his relatives, he hesitated. Some of those being attacked had a bit of influence; without them, they might not have an easy time entering the base.

After some contemplation, Li Xiaojun grabbed a burning piece of wood and rushed over, “Uncle, I’ll save you!”

The burning wood struck the wolf, scorching its fur. The wolf howled in pain, releasing its grip, and rolled on the ground a few times to extinguish the flames on its back. The acrid smell of burning fur filled the air.

Li Xiaojun quickly helped the person up, “Uncle, let’s go!”

The panicked relative, however, made a surprising move. He forcefully pushed Li Xiaojun aside, sending him stumbling towards the wolf pack. Li Xiaojun’s pupils constricted, his face filled with shock. He looked blankly at the relative who was desperately fleeing, feeling his heart grow colder with each passing moment.

Not everyone could muster the courage to run towards the cars. Cao Qian’s body was heavy, and seeing the wolves, her legs turned to jelly, rendering her unable to run. She grabbed her mother’s hand, crying, “Mom, I can’t move. Mom, save me…”

Her mother desperately pulled at Cao Qian, sweating profusely, “Qian Qian, get up! Get up!” But she was weak, unable to pull her daughter, only helplessly calling out to her husband for assistance, “Old Cao, Old Cao, come and help!”

After calling out several times, her husband still didn’t appear. When she turned to look, her blood ran cold. Her husband, whom she had trusted for half her life, climbed into the car without looking back. No matter how much she and her daughter cried out, he didn’t spare them a glance.

In their most desperate moment, when they felt utterly helpless, her good husband stepped on the gas and left with three or four relatives, leaving clouds of dust in their wake. The red taillights flashed briefly before disappearing from view on the mountain road. Mother and daughter stared at the direction where the first car disappeared, ceasing their cries and remaining motionless.

 

 

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