Chapter 26: Chapter 23: Extreme Heat, Rescue Team

With the Longquan River dried up, it was no surprise that any surviving beasts in the forest would guard a water source to the death.

But the claw marks on each stalk of bamboo followed a pattern, almost as if the beast had intentionally left the bamboo for Qin Shen to cut.

Jiang Si frowned. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was strange.

Jiang Linhai called Jiang Chengwu over. He took a bamboo stalk and examined it closely. "Based on my experience," he judged, "these are from a tiger’s claws. A huge, adult male tiger, at that."

The color drained from Jiang Linhai’s face. He turned to Jiang Si and said, "Sisi, you still haven’t recovered from your fever. Don’t go tomorrow. I’ll take the gun! You can go get water after I’ve shot and killed that tiger."

Jiang Si shook her head. "It’s just a slight fever. I know my limits. If a tiger that big really exists, you’d be the one in danger. I can hide in my space at any moment."

Even if Jiang Si could hide in her space at any time, a single moment of carelessness could leave her open to a sneak attack.

Shen Baoying said worriedly, "It might not be just one. There could be several of them. Sisi, you really shouldn’t go!"

"We aren’t short on water for the time being. There’s no need to take such a huge risk right now," her grandmother added. "If we wait a few days, it might rain."

Her whole family was against her going. Jiang Si gave a helpless smile. "I’ve already promised him. I can’t go back on my word now. Besides, if we suddenly stop looking for water, won’t he think it’s strange?"

They all exchanged glances, then tried to persuade Jiang Si. "Then take us with you!"

Zhang Qingfang said, "Grandma is still spry! She can carry hundreds of pounds of grain. She won’t be a burden to you!"

"I’ve learned a few self-defense moves, and I’m a nimble tree climber. If a tiger comes, I’ll just hide up in a tree!"

Jiang Chengwu and Jiang Linhai looked even more resolute, their expressions making it clear that if Jiang Si was going, they were going too, no matter what.

She didn’t know when she’d be back from getting water. If she ran into serious trouble and couldn’t return right away, she worried because all the supplies were in her space, and she wouldn’t be able to provide for everyone.

After some deep thought, Jiang Si relented. "Alright. Everyone, get ready. We’ll need medicine to repel snakes and insects, weapons, sleeping bags, water containers, parasols, and some food and water. With outsiders around, it’s best not to pull things directly out of my space."

Shen Baoying brightened up. "Okay, I’ll go get things ready now!" Then she looked toward Big Black and Little Black. "What about them?"

Jiang Si said, "Let’s take them. If we don’t make it back, they won’t survive. Besides, I’ve already put most of our things in my space. Even if someone breaks in, there’s nothing left to steal."

Jiang Chengwu said, "Then let’s set up some more traps around the house before we leave."

"Okay."

Her mother and grandmother packed light travel bags. They even made a carrier for Little Black and Big Black, so in an emergency, they could just scoop the two little guys up and carry them or wear the bag on their backs.

The house’s traps were concentrated around the windows and the front door. Anyone who touched the outer door would trigger a crossbow to fire automatically.

Anyone who forced their way in would step into a pool of sulfuric acid by the door and get a face full of chili powder.

Even if an intruder got past that, they’d be met with a massive, all-encompassing net, bear traps hidden everywhere, and a horrifying swarm of fake cockroaches.

And that wasn’t all. Jiang Si then directed Jiang Chengwu and Jiang Linhai to dig several more pit traps in the yard.

Shen Baoying and Zhang Qingzhi held Big Black and Little Black to keep them from running around. Shen Baoying fretted, "What if we come back and forget where all the traps are?"

Jiang Si turned and held up a diagram she had drawn. "Don’t worry," she said. "We won’t forget."

The next day, to keep Little Black and Big Black from picking up anything nasty, her mother had Jiang Si pull a treadle sewing machine out of her space. She made them a pair of stylish protective suits, complete with little booties for their paws.

Little Black was uncomfortable in the suit and wobbled when he walked. He was small to begin with, so Grandma simply tucked him into the carrier.

Big Black never resisted any of the family’s decisions, so he wore his protective suit with a well-behaved expression.

Before nightfall, Jiang Si double-checked their supplies. They had everything they were supposed to be carrying on the surface.

She also made a point of carrying a large backpack. That way, if she needed to pull something out of her space, she’d have a plausible excuse.

Once the sky was completely dark, the family shouldered their packs and waited outside the courtyard gate. This was to prevent Lu Zhifeng and the others from coming inside and accidentally triggering the traps they’d set.

They didn’t have to wait long before Qin Shen arrived.

He held a torch and was wearing some of Jiang Linhai’s old, outdated clothes. Though it was a hopelessly frumpy old-man-style shirt, his every move radiated a sharp, wild energy.

Jiang Si stole a second glance, only to be caught off guard as her eyes met a pair of pitch-black ones, gleaming with a cold light.

Feeling inexplicably guilty, Jiang Si quickly looked away.

Suddenly, the flickering light of torches appeared in the distance.

Lu Zhifeng arrived in a hurry, holding Niu Niu’s hand, just as the sound of synchronized footsteps entered the village. A loud voice called out, "Is anyone there? Is anyone still alive? We’re the South City Rescue Team! Please respond if you can hear us!"

’A rescue team!’

The entire family turned to look at Jiang Si, their faces asking the unspoken question: Did this happen in your past life?

Jiang Si shook her head.

The torchlight moved closer to their house, and the shouts grew clearer. "We’re the Fifth Squadron of the South City Rescue Team, here to take everyone to a shelter! Please respond! Please respond!"

Niu Niu tugged on Lu Zhifeng’s arm. "Daddy, are we going to the shelter?"

Lu Zhifeng stared out at the dark, silent village. "Let’s wait and see," he said in a low voice.

’What if they’re impostors... And besides, we have no idea what the situation is like at the shelter.’

The rescue team’s calls gradually spread throughout the entire village.

Lin Chenghua suddenly grabbed Lin Zu’s hand and asked frantically, "Did you hear that? Did you hear it?"

Lin Zu frowned. "Grandpa, what did you hear?"

Lin Chenghua listened intently for another moment before exclaiming, "The rescue team is here! It’s really the rescue team!"

He scrambled off the wire-frame bed, hastily pulled out the key to the cellar, and opened the heavy steel door.

The moment the door opened, the rescue team’s voices became crystal clear!

Joy spread across their faces. They quickly lit candles and headed for the door.

"We’re over here! We’re still alive!"

The rescue team reached Lin Chenghua’s yard, and the sounds of his family weeping with joy echoed throughout Longquan Village.

Hearing this, others who had been wary and hesitant began to shout out as well.

After so many days of silence, torchlight flared up all across Longquan Village.

It seemed this rescue team was legitimate.

Lu Zhifeng looked to Jiang Si. "What’s your plan?"

’He wanted to take his daughter to the shelter, but he was afraid it wouldn’t be any better than staying here. Once he made a choice, there was no going back.’

Jiang Si answered without a shred of hesitation. "We’re not going."

"Why?"

"There’s no end in sight for this apocalypse. How could one shelter possibly protect everyone?"