Apocalypse Chapter 48: Old Camphor Tree

Chapter 48: Old Camphor Tree

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

After coming out of the study, Jiang Rong saw the two little ones watching cartoons. Jiang Xiaoheng turned his head and saw Daddy. He happily moved over a bit and waved to Jiang Rong, “Daddy, come here quickly, let’s watch Meow Meow Squad together!”

Jiang Hao also made room beside him. He hugged Lele’s neck, tilted his head, and looked expectantly at Jiang Rong. “Ah~”

Seeing this scene, Jiang Rong felt guilty. Since deciding to establish the base, he had spent very little time with his children. Not to mention watching cartoons with them, even the time they spent eating together had decreased.

This morning when he came back, he had promised Xiaoheng that he would sleep with them tonight, but now he had to go out for a mission. Feeling guilty, Jiang Rong sat between the two children, put his arms around them, and looked at the TV screen. The Meow Meow Squad cartoon had already aired over three hundred episodes. He remembered the last time he watched it with his son, they had just reached around episode one hundred and fifty.

Jiang Xiaoheng enthusiastically introduced the plot of the Meow Meow Squad, “Daddy, there’s a little tiger named Dou Dou in the Meow Meow Squad. Dou Dou is so cute, both me and little brother like it a lot! You’ll see it soon!”

As he said that, a cute little tiger appeared on the screen. Jiang Xiaoheng grabbed Jiang Rong’s sleeve and said, “Daddy, look, this is Dou Dou! Captain White Cat said that since the little tiger is also a feline, it can join the Meow Meow Squad.”

Looking at the “王” character on the tiger’s forehead, Jiang Rong replied absentmindedly, “Yes, Captain White Cat is right.” 

How could he tell the children that he had to go out for a mission? Just as Jiang Rong was struggling, Jiang Xiaoheng looked up with bright eyes and said to Jiang Rong, “Daddy, you’ve seen Dou Dou already!”

Jiang Rong smiled and patted the heads of the two children. “Yes, I’ve seen it. It’s very cute.”

Jiang Xiaoheng smiled, showing his white teeth, “So Daddy can go do your own thing, and me and little brother can watch cartoons by ourselves. Just make sure to be safe when you go out, we’ll be waiting for you at home with Lele.”

Feeling guilty, Jiang Rong looked at Jiang Xiaoheng and saw trust and concern in his son’s clear eyes. The more considerate the children were, the worse he felt. Jiang Rong hugged the two children and kissed them repeatedly, “I’m sorry, Xiaoheng, Xiao Hao, Daddy broke his promise.”

He couldn’t keep his promise to watch cartoons with his children, nor could he fulfill his promise to tell them bedtime stories and tuck them in. He was really an incompetent father…

Snuggling on Jiang Rong’s arm, Jiang Xiaoheng said softly, “Daddy didn’t break his promise, Daddy has already seen Dou Dou. Daddy, go out earlier and remember to come back earlier.”

With one child on each side, Jiang Rong felt tender in his heart, “Ah, Daddy will definitely come back earlier.” After a pause, Jiang Rong suggested, “Daddy will take you to Grandpa Chu’s house later, okay? I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning.” 

During this time when he went on missions, Jiang Rong would either leave the children at Chu’s house or have Chu’s parents come to take care of them at home. The children were too young, one was three years old and the other was five. Jiang Rong couldn’t leave them alone at home.

However, after exchanging a glance, Jiang Xiaoheng and Jiang Hao shook their heads, “Daddy, can we stay at home today?”

Jiang Rong agreed, “Okay, then I’ll send a message to Grandpa Chu and ask them to take care of you tonight.”

But Jiang Xiaoheng and Jiang Hao hurriedly grabbed Jiang Rong’s hand, “Daddy! No!”

Confused, Jiang Rong asked, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Xiaoheng’s eyes rolled around, then he rolled up his sleeves to reveal his tender little arms, “Daddy, I’m already a little man, I need to learn to be independent!”

Jiang Rong looked at his son suspiciously, “Really?” Why did he feel like his son was acting strangely? 

Facing Daddy’s puzzled look, Jiang Xiaoheng nodded quickly, “Yes! Daddy, didn’t you often tell me? We are all strong men, strong men don’t need grandparents to sleep with them!”

Listening to his son’s firm words, Jiang Rong smiled and sighed, “Then who was the little friend who wanted me to read stories to him the night before?”

Jiang Xiaoheng blinked innocently and exaggeratedly, “Yeah, who was it? Certainly not Xiaoheng!”

Actually, it would be safer for Jiang Xiaoheng and Jiang Hao to stay at home than to stay at Chu Qiang’s house. If there were any emergencies, at least Little Fairy would be guarding outside the courtyard. Thinking that his son would eventually have to become independent, Jiang Rong nodded, “Alright, Daddy trusts you. But you have to promise Daddy that you’ll only take a shower, no baths.”

Their bathtub was quite big, and it would be troublesome if the two children accidentally drowned in the water. Jiang Xiaoheng nodded vigorously, “Okay.”

Outside the gate, the sound of a car horn could be heard, and Chu Qiang’s booming voice faintly came, “Xiao Jiang, I’m ready. Shall we go?”

Jiang Rong looked at the two children once again and reminded them, “Don’t play with fire, don’t take a bath, don’t stay up all night watching cartoons. Do you both remember?”

The two children nodded repeatedly, and Jiang Xiaoheng urged kindly, “Daddy, you go out first, me and little brother will behave. Come back early, and be safe~”

Jiang Hao opened his mouth and made intermittent “ah ah” sounds, seeming to want to say something similar to Jiang Xiaoheng.

The vehicle slowly started, and Jiang Rong saw the two children waving at him from outside the courtyard gate through the rearview mirror, his brow slightly furrowed with a complex expression. Chu Qiang chuckled, “What’s wrong? Why the expression?”

Jiang Rong pondered, “I feel like these two kids are hiding something from me. They’ve been particularly considerate today, urging me to leave, wanting to sleep at home, and not letting me help them with their bath.”

Chu Qiang chuckled, “Isn’t it obvious? They must want to stay up all night watching cartoons. It’s like when monkeys rule the forest without tigers. Remember how we used to be like that when we were kids?”

Jiang Rong thought for a moment. When he and Chu Qiang were kids, they ran around the mountains, picked wild fruits, and played every day. They had no idea how many times they were scolded by their parents. Compared to them, Xiaoheng and Xiao Hao were angels, not even one-tenth as mischievous.

Chu Qiang skillfully maneuvered the steering wheel, “Boys always have their secret bases. As long as it doesn’t endanger their safety, let them be. Childhood only lasts for a few years, and with everything going on outside now, children don’t have much time for happiness.”

Jiang Rong pondered, “Hmm…”

Chu Qiang smiled, “Actually, Xiao Jiang, I’ve always felt that you’ve raised Xiaoheng too obediently. I’m afraid his personality will be bullied in the future. It’s better to be a little naughty. Don’t overreact, what mischief can they get into at home?”

Jiang Rong thought carefully. The stove at home had protection devices, which would cut off power in case of any danger. When they just left, he closed all the bathroom doors with bathtubs, leaving only one for showering. In this way, the two children had almost zero exposure to any dangers. Was he overthinking it? Maybe the two children just wanted their own space?

Seeing Jiang Rong still hesitating, Chu Qiang suggested, “If you’re worried, I’ll ask my parents to come over later and check on them.”

Jiang Rong nodded, “Okay, I guess they should be watching cartoons now. Ask Uncle and Auntie to come around eight.”

***

As the taillights of the car disappeared on the mountain road, Jiang Xiaoheng and Jiang Hao smiled at each other, raised their little hands, and made a cheerful clapping sound, “Yay~”

The two of them skillfully turned into the courtyard and soon left the gate with a small trailer, heading east. Little Fairy anxiously shook the thorns on its body, “Problem, problem~”

Xiaoheng raised his index finger to his lips and made a loud “shh” sound, “Little Fairy, don’t tell Daddy. Otherwise, I won’t let you watch cartoons later.”

Little Fairy twisted its body in distress, “Problem…”

The two went to a trailer. On the small trailer was a large bag of dog food, and Lele followed behind the bag with a downtrodden look. The two children worked together to drag the trailer to the front of the vine path. Then they put down the trailer and dragged the bag of dog food off the car.

To the northwest of the vine path was a gentle slope, where Jiang Rong and the others hunted mutated wolves. At that time, in order to set traps, they made a path on the slope.

Jiang Xiaoheng opened the bag of dog food, and the two children worked hard to pour out the food, scattering the fragrant dog food all over the ground. Just as Lele was about to approach, Jiang Xiaoheng stopped him, “Lele, this is for Dou Dou.”

Lele whimpered in grievance a few times and then lay down. After emptying the bag of dog food, Jiang Xiaoheng and Jiang Hao secretly hid the empty bag. They shouted towards the direction of the mountains, “Dou Dou, Dou Dou, it’s dinner time!”

After shouting, the two children dragged the small trailer back towards the gate. When they reached the chili patch where Jiang Rong grew chilies, there was a movement on the path. A spotted tiger nearly three meters long walked steadily down from the hillside. Its head was larger than half of Jiang Xiaoheng’s body, and every hair on the tiger’s body glistened in the sunlight.

It carefully walked to the side of the dog food, raised its head to look in Jiang Xiaoheng’s direction, then lowered its head and began to eat the dog food on the ground. Its thick tail swayed rhythmically as it ate.

Jiang Xiaoheng and Jiang Hao stood at the gate, watching the tiger eat the dog food. With such a large bag of dog food, the tiger finished it in less than twenty minutes. After finishing the dog food, the tiger looked up at Jiang Xiaoheng and others. The two children and the tiger stood quietly, only Lele dared not move, cowering with his tail between his legs.

After swaying its tail for a moment, the tiger turned its head and walked back up the mountain along the same path it came from. Throughout the whole process, except for the sound of swallowing dog food, it did not make any other sound.

Soon, the figure of the tiger completely disappeared into the woods on the mountain, and Jiang Xiaoheng asked softly, “Little brother, do you think Dou Dou ate enough?”

Jiang Hao “ah ah”ed twice. They fed the tiger twice as much dog food as yesterday, so it should be full, right?

Jiang Xiaoheng still worried, “Little brother, do you think, if Dou Dou didn’t eat enough, where else could it find food?”

Jiang Hao stared at the mountains to the northwest. With such a large forest, there must be many mice. Maybe Dou Dou could catch many, many mice?

***

At 8:20 in the evening, Chu Qiang received a message from his parents. After turning off the radio, he laughed heartily, “See, I was right! They’re indeed watching cartoons.”

Jiang Rong sighed with a headache, “These two kids are addicted to cartoons.”

Chu Qiang chuckled, “Your family has more than just two kids addicted to cartoons, right?” 

Little Fairy and Little Guaiguai had become loyal fans of animations. At this moment, while they were talking, Little Guaiguai was humming the theme song of the Meow Meow Team behind the truck.

Jiang Rong sighed, “After this busy period, we need to find some teachers for them. They can’t be immersed in cartoons; it will ruin their ambitions.” 

After the base is built, people from all walks of life will definitely come to join. He needs to carefully select a few teachers to establish Spark Kindergarten, Elementary School, and Middle School.

Chu Qiang twitched his lips, “Come on, you were worse than your son when you were three. Look at you in your childhood, I still remember you had a drool bib hanging from your chest, and on it…”

Jiang Rong glanced at Chu Qiang, who immediately understood, “Alright, I get it, should I shut up?”

Although the road to D University was only over fifty kilometers, it was heavily congested. They needed to clear the way with the forklift as they moved forward. What used to be a journey of less than an hour to the university town took six hours. It wasn’t until midnight that the main gate of D University appeared in front of them.

The main gate and the surrounding walls were tightly sealed with an unknown material. From the height and thickness of the seal, there should be espers inside the campus.

The solar street lights at the gate flickered intermittently, making the surroundings even gloomier. Low roars of beasts echoed in the darkness, and pairs of blood-red eyes converged from all directions.

Chu Qiang couldn’t help but rub his arms, “Yikes, Xiao Jiang, why do I feel so scared here?”

Jiang Rong also had the same feeling. He opened the window of the truck and snapped his fingers, “Little Guaiguai.”

A red bloodthirsty vine, nearly two meters in diameter, behind the truck responded, “Yes!” 

As soon as it spoke, the red ball rolled off the truck, and the red vines quickly spread out, bypassing the abandoned vehicles and heading straight for those pairs of eyes.

They saw Little Guaiguai rolling something onto the ground and smashing it down. After a terrifying scream, silence returned. Little Guaiguai soon rolled back, extending a vine to rub against Jiang Rong’s face.

Whenever Little Guaiguai made this gesture, it meant that it had completed Jiang Rong’s command. Jiang Rong inputted some abilities into Little Guaiguai, “Well done.”

After Little Guaiguai eliminated the threats outside the campus, it was Chu Qiang’s turn. He pressed a button on the truck, and the large lights installed on the top of the truck suddenly lit up, illuminating the area within tens of meters. A loudspeaker on the top of the truck broadcasted, “We are members of the Spark Base, here to take survivors home.”

The booming sound of the loudspeaker pierced the night sky, and the resolute words echoed in the D University campus. However, after five minutes, the campus remained quiet, with no response to Jiang Rong’s group.

Pan Pan ran from behind and knocked on Jiang Rong’s window, “Brother Jiang, should I open the gate first? I’ve checked, the gate is sealed with soil and steel. It shouldn’t be difficult to break through.”

Jiang Rong nodded slightly, “Okay, but be careful.”

Fearing that Pan Pan might encounter danger when opening the passage, Little Guaiguai jumped into the wall in advance to eliminate the hidden dangers. However, it returned in a panic, “Big, big!”

Jiang Rong was stunned. Could there be something inside D University campus that even terrified the bloodthirsty vine? He focused his attention on Little Guaiguai and saw, through the vines entering the campus, a towering camphor tree. This tree was planted in front of the library, a hundred meters away, and its branches spread out to cover the road from the library to the gate.

In the darkness, they had failed to notice this mutated camphor tree.

The espers faced a dilemma. They gathered together to discuss how to deal with this mutated camphor tree. Mutated plants had some abilities, like Little Fairy, which could produce sharp thorns, or Little Guaiguai, which could absorb the flesh and blood of mutated plants.

Before the Great Crisis, camphor trees were widely planted in D City as ornamental trees. They didn’t know what abilities this camphor tree inside D University had. If it could kill people with its leaves like Little Fairy, then this group of people would become prey.

Moreover, judging from Little Guaiguai’s reaction, this camphor tree was an existence that it feared, which made Jiang Rong more hesitant. Jiang Rong opened the computer and pulled up the map of D University. As a comprehensive institution, the campus was very large, with five main gates alone.

Jiang Rong stared at the computer for a while and pointed to the other gates, “The east gate is closer to the student dormitories. Let’s go to the east gate to broadcast. If people inside hear our message, they should respond. If there’s no response from the east gate, we’ll try the others, but never enter the range of the camphor tree recklessly.”

Just as everyone was preparing to leave according to Jiang Rong’s instructions, there was a sudden movement in front of the main gate. The soil and stones blocking the gate fell one after another, revealing a spacious road leading into the campus.

Everyone focused their eyes, and they saw the motion-activated street lights on both sides of the road lit up one by one, and under the lights, an old man in a blue robe and white hair was walking slowly.

At the moment Jiang Rong saw the old man, he felt an indescribable aura emanating from him. The old man seemed like a figure from a painting, dressed in simple robes, with his long white hair tied up with a dry branch, and his white beard neatly hanging on his chest.

Pan Pan’s face turned pale, “Is he human or ghost? It’s so eerie at this late hour.”

The old man continued forward until he finally stopped at the school gate. His gaze passed over everyone’s faces one by one, ultimately landing on Jiang Rong’s face. The old man’s eyes lit up, and he clasped his hands together in front of Jiang Rong, bowing, “Young friend, coming to our aid late at night, this old man is deeply grateful. Please forgive my lack of manners for not greeting you properly.”

Chu Qiang muttered under his breath, “What’s he saying?”

Jiang Rong pursed his lips and whispered, “Just some polite words.”

Although they were just pleasantries, Jiang Rong still wanted to show respect to the person in front of him. He mimicked the old man’s gesture and bowed slightly, “I am Jiang Rong, an esper from Spark Base. Upon hearing the call for help from the students of D University, I brought my team to rescue them.”

The old man’s smile deepened, “Excellent, excellent. Allow me to guide you, young friend. Please follow me.”

Just as Jiang Rong took a few steps forward, Chu Qiang grabbed his arm, whispering, “Are you crazy? Whether this person is human or ghost, you dare to follow him?”

Jiang Rong remained calm, “What else can I do?” 

He didn’t sense any hostility from the old man, and if a confrontation were to happen, he wouldn’t be afraid.

Little Guaiguai followed closely behind Jiang Rong, afraid of being left behind by its master. However, as soon as it rolled near the school gate, the old man stopped. He bowed to Jiang Rong, “May the young friend leave his spiritual plant outside the gate? It is an ominous object that might frighten the students.”

Jiang Rong nodded slightly, “Little Guaiguai, stay here.”

Little Guaiguai shook its vines and curled up near the gate in a dejected manner.

Watching Jiang Rong follow the old man’s footsteps into the campus, Ruan Hanyu became anxious, her eyes turning red, “Pan Pan, what should we do? Should we follow them?”

Chu Qiang gritted his teeth, “You guys wait outside. I’ll follow Xiao Jiang in. If we don’t come out in half an hour, you guys leave with the others.” 

If Xiao Jiang hadn’t warned him not to act recklessly, he would have definitely confronted the old man. As they entered the campus, Jiang Rong caught a whiff of the refreshing scent of camphor trees. Since the Black Rain, he rarely encountered such a pleasant aroma. In Jiang Rong’s imagination, the campus of D University should not be much different from the outside. However, upon entering, he found that the campus was very clean, with not a single leaf on the ground.

The old man walked steadily ahead, composed, elegant, and dignified, like a knowledgeable professor. Jiang Rong tentatively asked, “May I ask the esteemed name of the senior? And what subject do you teach?”

D University is a well-known comprehensive institution in the country, and in recent years, the talents it has cultivated have spread across various fields. It wouldn’t be surprising for a few professors to be unconventional. Judging from the demeanor of the old man, he should be a professor with a deep understanding of ancient history and literature, right?

Upon hearing this, the old man stopped in his tracks, stroking his white beard and laughing heartily, “Young friend, you’re exaggerating. This old man has no name, nor has he imparted knowledge. I, ah, am a tree.” As he spoke, the old man raised his withered hand and pointed upwards, “This old man is this ancient camphor tree that’s over eighteen hundred years old.”

Jiang Rong stood still in shock, and Chu Qiang was so astonished that he couldn’t speak for a while.

The old man raised his head and looked at the twisted branches of the camphor tree, his eyes filled with nostalgia and relief, “I have stood between heaven and earth for thousands of years, witnessing the changes of the world. Young friend, do not fear. My time is nearing its end, and I am about to return to the earth. Fortunately, with your arrival, I can finally lay down my burden and entrust the legacy to you.”

Chu Qiang finally came to his senses, “Is this guy delirious? What nonsense is he spouting?”

 

 

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