34: Dawn Mist Hunts Corpses, Fireworks Warmth

Chapter 35: Hunting in the Morning Mist, Warmth Amidst the Hearth

The sky was just beginning to brighten, a morning mist like a thin veil gently shrouding the mountain stronghold's cliffs.

This military fortress, built by the Song army to resist the Mongols and passed down for centuries, revealed its hard, bluish-gray silhouette in the dawn light. To the east and west were sheer cliff faces two to three hundred meters high, and the back of the mountain was similarly a steep, precipitous wall. Only a heavy bluestone gate at the village entrance connected it to the outside world. Mottled bluestone rammed earth formed the fortress walls that snaked along the cliff edges, with arrow slits neatly arranged along the battlements. Washed by the years, they still exuded an indestructible aura—this was the life-saving barrier left by their ancestors. After the apocalypse descended, it became the family's most solid reliance.

The warm yellow light of the rechargeable desk lamp in the main room was still on. Mother had already risen early and was busy by the stove. Corn porridge bubbled and gurgled in the iron pot, its fresh, sweet aroma filling the room. On the cutting board lay several steamed sweet potatoes, soft and glutinous, and a small plate of crispy pickled vegetables.

Lin Zhou and his father packed their gear quietly, careful not to wake the sleeping Lin Xi in the inner room.

"Check the bow again. Ten arrows are enough. Against Weak-Type Zombies, one arrow each is reliable." Father leaned the steel pipe against the door and picked up a machete.

Lin Zhou nodded, neatly arranging the quiver, then pulled the string of the Compound Bow to test its tension. "Don't worry, I observed last night. The ones west of the village are all slow-moving elderly zombies, not very aggressive. We'll make it quick."

"Keep your voices down." Mother walked over with two bowls of hot porridge, pressing a warm sweet potato into Lin Zhou's hand. "Eat before you go, fill your stomachs. The mountain mornings are cold. Wear that thick jacket, don't catch a chill."

The warm sweet potato was comforting in his palm. Lin Zhou took a bite, the soft, sweet flavor spreading on his tongue. Father picked up his bowl of porridge and slurped a couple of mouthfuls, his gaze sweeping over the fortress walls outside the window. The gravity in his expression eased slightly. "What our ancestors left behind truly saved our lives."

Just then, the curtain to the inner room was gently pushed aside. Lin Xi walked out, rubbing her sleepy eyes, her little face still flushed from sleep. "Brother... Dad... Are you leaving?"

"Why are you awake, Xi'er?" Mother hurried over and touched her daughter's forehead. "Go back to sleep for a while, it's still early."

"Mm-hmm!" Lin Xi nodded vigorously, then straightened her father's and brother's helmets like a little adult, admonishing, "Dad, you have to protect Brother. Come back once you've earned enough points to build the power station."

Father's eyes grew slightly moist. He kissed her forehead. "Don't worry, your dad and brother will protect ourselves."

The family ate breakfast in quiet peace. The steam from the corn porridge rose, dispelling the morning chill and also diluting the fear of the apocalypse.

After breakfast, the sky had brightened a bit more, and the morning mist gradually dissipated.

Lin Zhou carried the Compound Bow on his back, a military dagger at his waist. Father shouldered the steel pipe and machete as they set off down the mountain.

The two steel gates showed no abnormalities. Safely arriving at the village below, they proceeded according to last night's observations. The zombies in the village were all elderly villagers, slow-moving and confined to fixed areas, posing no threat to them.

Sure enough, not far into their walk, Lin Zhou spotted a hunched figure slowly shuffling under an old locust tree ahead—it was Grandpa Zhang from the village. In life, he had suffered from leg problems; after mutation, his movements were even slower. He paused for a good while with each step, occasionally lifting his head to let out a few hoarse growls toward the empty village entrance.

"That's him." Father lowered his voice, gestured for Lin Zhou to aim, then gripped the steel pipe and slowly circled to the side to prevent the zombie from suddenly turning and alarming others elsewhere.

Lin Zhou nodded, half-crouched, and steadily raised the Compound Bow. He didn't rush to aim. Instead, he waited until Grandpa Zhang stopped again, his back turned, before slowly drawing the bowstring to full tension.

The distance was no more than twenty meters. The back of Grandpa Zhang's head was clearly visible.

Lin Zhou held his breath and gently released his fingers.

"Whoosh!"

The carbon arrow shot through the air, piercing Grandpa Zhang's skull with pinpoint accuracy.

The hunched figure stiffened abruptly, a muffled "gurgle" squeezing from its throat. Dark, bluish fluid seeped slowly along the arrow shaft. It swayed, like a withered tree blown crooked by the wind, then heavily toppled to the ground, kicking up some dew-dampened soil.

Almost the instant the corpse hit the ground, a faint silvery light emanated from the body, quickly spreading to envelop the entire form. In just a few seconds, it dissolved into fine points of light, dissipating into the air without leaving even a trace of bloodscent.

In Lin Zhou's mind, the system's notification tone softly chimed:

Low-level Zombie (Weak Type) ×1 Eliminated

energy points Gained: 100

Current energy points: 100 / Required for Micro Fusion Power Station: 300

"Success!" Father let out a relieved sigh, walked over, and patted Lin Zhou's shoulder. "Clean and efficient. Much steadier than yesterday."

Lin Zhou put away his bow, a slight smile appearing on his face. "Let's find the next one. Aim to collect 300 points today."

The two continued toward the west end of the village. The morning mist had completely lifted. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled spots of light.

The second zombie was Granny Li from the village. She was crouched outside her own courtyard wall, slowly sniffing at wild vegetable leaves on the ground, her movements even more sluggish than Grandpa Zhang's. Lin Zhou again found a good angle, waited until her back was turned, and shot her in the back of the head. Silver light flashed, and the corpse dissolved.

Low-level Zombie (Weak Type) ×1 Eliminated

energy points Gained: 100

Current energy points: 200 / Required for Micro Fusion Power Station: 300

"Just one more left." Father glanced at the sky. "Let's head back a bit. Don't go too deep, lest we disturb other zombies."

Lin Zhou nodded. Just as they were about to turn back, they heard a slow, creaking sound from near a haystack not far away.

In the morning light, a frail figure was shuffling along, leaning against the haystack—it was Grandpa Wang, a destitute villager with no family. In life, he had suffered a stroke, leaving one side of his body impaired. After mutation, he could only drag one leg, inching along the ground step by painful step, with barely enough strength to even lift his head and growl.

This zombie was even weaker than the previous two.

Father signaled to Lin Zhou with his eyes, then circled to the other side of the haystack to prevent Grandpa Wang from falling onto the stalks and making noise that might attract unnecessary trouble.

Lin Zhou took a deep breath, drew the bow, aimed, and released his fingers in one fluid motion.

The arrowhead pierced the back of the skull with precision. Grandpa Wang's figure swayed and slowly collapsed onto the haystack. Silver light shimmered, and another life completely vanished in this apocalyptic world.

Low-level Zombie (Weak Type) ×1 Eliminated

energy points Gained: 100

Current energy points: 300 / Required for Micro Fusion Power Station: 300

energy points requirement met. Micro Fusion Power Station can be constructed at any time.

A surge of wild joy rose in Lin Zhou's heart; he almost cried out. Fortunately, Father raised his hand in time, signaling him to be quiet.

Without lingering, the two quickly retraced their path back to the mountain stronghold.

As soon as they pushed open the stronghold gate, they saw Lin Xi standing on tiptoe, peeking out through an arrow slit in the fortress wall. Mother stood just inside the gate, clutching her apron, her eyes filled with anxiety.

"Dad! Brother! You're back!" Lin Xi's eyes lit up upon seeing them, and she immediately came skipping over.

Mother also hurried forward, looking the father and son up and down. Only when she saw they were completely unharmed did she relax.

Lin Xi turned and ran to fetch the water jug to pour them some water to drink.

Father, still carrying the steel pipe and machete, wore a long-absent smile. "Good luck today. Three Weak-Type Zombies, all taken care of! We've saved up enough energy points to build that Micro Fusion Power Station!"

"Really?" Mother's eyes brightened as she looked toward the nearby threshing ground. "Does that mean we'll have electricity from now on?"

"Yes!" Lin Zhou nodded emphatically, lifting his gaze to the surrounding bluish-gray fortress walls. In the morning light, the arrow slits on the battlements gleamed cold and hard. The military fortress left by their ancestors, combined with the red alert defense units, would surely become the safest harbor in this apocalypse.

The warmth of breakfast rose once more. The sweet aroma of corn porridge mingled with the soft, glutinous scent of sweet potatoes, filling the main room. Lin Xi chattered away about how many dry twigs she had collected at the base of the fortress wall that morning. Mother occasionally added more porridge to the father and son's bowls. Father counted on his fingers, pondering whether to reinforce the lookout holes in the fortress wall first.

The sunlight outside the window grew warmer. The growls from the foot of the mountain seemed to have faded into the distance.

Looking at his family's smiling faces, Lin Zhou felt certain. As long as they guarded this centuries-old fortress together and took it step by step, even in this apocalypse, they could carve out a place for themselves to survive.

And that Micro Fusion Power Station, so crucial to life and death, was finally about to break ground.