Chapter 129: The Package

Chapter 129: The Package

“Just decide for yourself about this matter. After all, the fewer people who die, the better,” Liu Chang sighed.

“I don’t want anyone to die either,” Li Qingshui said. “But I can’t control everything.”

“Mm.” Liu Chang glanced at Li Qingshui. “I’ve brought the things you gave me. I also know where the amphibious people live. What you decide to do with them is your business—I won’t interfere, nor do I want to.”

“Good, no need for you to worry. The research institute had some compressed biscuits; I prepared them for you. Take more back with you,” Li Qingshui said. “If things get chaotic ahead, even those who want to cultivate peacefully will have their efforts destroyed by looters and rioters. Food shortages will return, and this chaos could last a long time—perhaps until the Great Willow arrives, Zhengzhou City won’t fully regain peace.”

“Understood. I’ll bring plenty of food and elixirs. I’ll just stay put on the small patch of land around my bar,” Liu Chang sighed. “Your goal is the world, but mine is just family—those around me. If I can protect Xiao Jing and He Zhizhi, I’ll be content.”

“Go ahead. I’ve prepared food and weapons for you.” Li Qingshui pointed toward another direction. Liu Chang knew it was time to leave.

Taking the food and ammunition Li Qingshui prepared, Liu Chang found a less crowded spot by the wall and, exploiting gaps in others’ line of sight, leapt over the fence to leave the area.

Walking through the streets, the chaos was still palpable—rioters flooded the streets. After the first turmoil four years ago, everyone seemed to have grasped the essence of chaos—because amid this confusion, Liu Chang saw something different.

The first chaos four years ago was born out of sheer fear, with everyone ignorant and panicked.

But this time, more people had ulterior motives.

Many were looting—grabbing food and anything useful for survival.

If the first chaos was pure anarchy, this one was chaos with order. Seizing food and weapons became the main trend. Meaningless conflicts and those paralyzed by fear were fewer.

Liu Chang’s journey was uneasy. Carrying a large backpack alone, despite his attempts to avoid others’ sightlines, some places were too crowded to bypass completely, drawing the attention of those with ill intent.

A lone man with a big pack was a prime target for robbery.

A big pack meant food and weapons; being alone meant less risk for robbers. This was common sense—and accurate.

Yet sometimes, luck is the final arbiter of right or wrong.

As a result, Liu Chang encountered three waves of attackers along the way. All were killed or wounded by his gunfire, yet none managed to snatch a single item.

Through this chaos, Liu Chang finally returned to his bar. The bar remained relatively calm—whether due to the guarding soldiers or other reasons, the crowd was much thinner.

Standing outside the iron gate, just as Liu Chang prepared to unlock the specially reinforced door, it was pulled open from inside, allowing him to slip into that quiet haven.

“Brother, you’re back.” The little girl, He Zhizhi, and Mo Sanpang had been waiting there already.

Thanks to He Zhizhi and Xiao Jing’s special abilities, they actually sensed Liu Chang’s return from afar.

“Yes, it’s dangerous outside. I brought lots of food for you. Stay inside for now; don’t go out,” Liu Chang said. “There’s a lot of fighting outside, with stray bullets everywhere—it’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt. Stay put.”

“What about me?” Mo Sanpang pointed to himself. After all, he owed money and stayed here. Now with the chaos outside, his debt was meaningless. Simply leaving wasn’t right, but staying as an outsider in a family seeking refuge was also awkward.

He was caught between leaving and staying.

“Do you want to leave and find your friends, or stay here?” Liu Chang pondered Mo Sanpang’s question. “If you want to leave, I’ll let you go. If you want to stay, I’ll provide food. The choice is yours.”

“Thanks.” Mo Sanpang nodded. “I don’t have much choice. If you don’t mind me, I’ll stay.”

“I’m not stupid. I know your connections with Zhengzhou’s upper echelons and your strength. I might not survive outside, but here, there’s a better chance. Nobody wants to live forever.”

“Alright then, stay here and take good care of Xiao Jing while I’m gone,” Liu Chang said, glancing at her. “You too, behave yourself and don’t cause trouble.”

“Okay.” Xiao Jing nodded quietly.

Thus, the group reached a temporary consensus—they would stay inside the small room, no matter how chaotic the outside world became. No matter what, they wouldn’t go out unless absolutely necessary.

Time passed in Liu Chang’s steadfast watch—chaotic yet calm.

Outside, the turmoil raged on. In the first week, rioters cleared the market of all supplies essential for survival. In the second week, those still hungry descended into madness, attacking anything they thought might yield food with hysterical desperation.

By the third week, when some tried to plant crops, they were stopped by the slow growth cycles.

By the fourth week, true chaos arrived—the biological tide from the jungle swept through the city.

The invasion came from the southern jungles of Zhengzhou—a massive swarm of flying creatures: locusts, beetles, giant flies and mosquitoes, dragonflies, strange birds, and enormous flying beasts resembling pterosaurs—an endless variety.

Their numbers were beyond reckoning. Different species, even natural enemies, flew together from south to north, blotting out the sky.

Before the 1970s, locust swarms were said to blot out the sun wherever they passed.

But this biological tide was ten times greater than those swarms.

In both numbers and variety, the magnitude was unprecedented.

For days, Zhengzhou was plunged into darkness. Vast clouds of flying creatures, darker than storm clouds, passed over the city, their cacophonous cries igniting an apocalyptic frenzy in the already chaotic streets.

“Damn, this is spectacular!” Standing on the rooftop, Mo Sanpang looked up at the sky. “How many damn things are there?”

“You can see the flying creatures?” Liu Chang asked, puzzled. “I can’t see that high. How can you see them?”

“I don’t see them at all. But the flapping wings make buzzing, whooshing sounds… and all sorts of calls, caws, and squeaks… plus, it’s daytime but the sky’s dark. This is the real end of the world!” Mo Sanpang exclaimed, just as a migratory bird swooped down toward his cheek.

“Watch out!” With a bang, Liu Chang shot the diving bird dead, grabbing Mo Sanpang to flee.

The bird’s death and the spread of blood sparked a brief chaotic moment. Some exhausted flying creatures tried to swoop down to feed on the carcass, replenishing the energy needed for their long journey—yet the bloodthirsty predators ignored the scent and continued their northern flight.

“These guys have gone mad,” Liu Chang said, pulling Mo Sanpang down the rooftop stairs, his heart still pounding as he eyed the sky. “If they decide to attack Zhengzhou, this place won’t last thirty minutes before everyone’s dead.”

“But they seem scared, ignoring us completely,” Mo Sanpang observed as they reached the lower floors.

“Yes, they’re all afraid. Seems like something’s wrong in the southern forest,” Liu Chang said, staring south and exhaling deeply. “Looks like we’re in trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?” Mo Sanpang asked.

“The Great Willow’s branches seem to be coming this way!” Liu Chang closed his eyes as a vision formed in his mind—a massive willow tree rooted in Wuhan, draining all nutrients from the surrounding land.

Its branches grew endlessly, stretching in all directions. To the north especially, where the thick vines passed, all creatures were absorbed as nourishment. No matter how strong, under the vast canopy, no being could resist—they were devoured and assimilated.

The willow’s branches advanced relentlessly, consuming and replenishing as they swept northward.

Terrified, all forest creatures began fleeing toward the branches’ direction, seeking to escape death’s reach.

The first to flee were the swift flying creatures. Liu Chang guessed that soon the slower beasts and insects on land would also pass this way.

“This is the true apocalypse!” Liu Chang opened his eyes, gazing at the utterly darkened sky. “What is the willow trying to do—wrap the entire earth?”

“Boss, what do we do?” Mo Sanpang whispered into Liu Chang’s ear over the deafening roar of insects and birds.

“What do we do? The Great Willow is coming!”