Ch49 Shen Que, Where Can We Find Soil?
Admittedly, Meng Ci rather admired Wu Shuyao's fierceness -much like admiring a thorny rose.
Still, Meng Ci had no intention of getting deeply involved.
In this apocalyptic world, with his own treasures, it was best to mind his own business. After all, self-preservation was the key to survival.
On the balcony, the vegetable seeds Meng Ci had planted finally sprouted. Like bamboo shoots after rain, they eagerly poked their heads up.
Seems the soil from the space only fails to grow things within the space itself. Once brought outside, it actually works.
Soil from the space can't be used to grow things inside the space. Instead, you have to get soil from outside to make it work inside.
Meng Ci couldn't wrap his head around it. How could such a requirement exist? Whoever set the rules for this space must have a screw loose.
Complaints aside, the task of growing vegetables still needed to be addressed.
After all, with so many seeds in the space, not planting them felt like a waste-like letting a precious treasure go unused.
Besides, the vegetables in the space would eventually run out. Only by growing his own could he ensure an endless supply.
But where to find soil?
Meng Ci's eyes lit up when he saw his two potted plants. He could ask someone!
But before asking anyone, Meng Ci first cleaned the rabbit droppings from the cage.
As for the rabbit droppings, Meng Ci sprinkled a little into the two pots of vegetables. The rest? He showed zero civic-mindedness and simply threw them off the balcony.
Meng Ci petted the two rabbits.
"Don't follow my example with that high-altitude littering!"
"Who can blame me for being lazy!"
He then pulled half a carrot from his spatial pocket and stuffed it into the cage.
After washing his hands, he retrieved an apple from his pocket, peeled a slice for each rabbit, and watched them finish eating before leaving.
"Knock knock!"
Meng Ci pressed his ear against the door, listening for any sounds inside.
"Whoa!"
The door suddenly swung open. Meng Ci, still pressed against it, didn't react in time and nearly crashed to the floor.
"You okay?" Shen Que grabbed Meng Ci's arm.
Meng Ci steadied himself, cleared his throat, and shook his head. "I'm fine!"
"So, I came to ask-do you know where I can find some soil?"
"Soil?" Shen Que frowned, a huge question mark forming on his face.
"Yep!" Meng Ci nodded, then led him out to his balcony.
"These are the vegetables I planted a few days ago. They've already sprouted."
"Once they're ready in a few days, I'll invite you over to try them!"
"Sure." Shen Que nodded.
"I actually have a few packets of vegetable seeds left. I was thinking of planting them to see if they'll grow."
"But there's no soil!"
"These two pots were my old flower pots. I even pulled out the flowers to use them for vegetables."
Seeing Meng Ci's worried expression, Shen Que assured him he'd figure something out.
"For soil, we can get some from a flower market or gardening center."
"I remember there's a gardening center out in the suburbs. We could try there."
"If we really can't find any, we can go dig some up!"
The villa Meng Ci had bought before was located halfway up a mountain.
Who knew what state it was in now? If they went there to dig for soil, they could sneak a peek while they were at it. After discussing it, they concluded that places like the flower market were likely flooded. They decided to head up the mountain instead.
The villa district was located in the western part of City M, adjacent to the urban area. Normally, transportation was very convenient, and it was only twenty kilometers from where they lived.
The torrential rain outside hadn't stopped, and some roads were probably blocked by landslides. They figured it would take about two hours to get there.
It was only a little past ten, giving them ample time. They decided to leave immediately.
Grab the inflatable boat, and they headed downstairs.
Unexpectedly, on the sixth floor, they spotted Li Ping.
She was discussing something with a man.
Meng Ci and Shen Que saw her but had no intention of acknowledging her, continuing down the stairs.
But unexpectedly, Li Ping called out to them.
"Meng Ci? If I recall correctly, that's your name, right?"
Meng Ci had no intention of acknowledging her, walking past without pausing.
"Brother Deng, what do you think of that woman I found for you, Li Xiaoya?"
Deng Yang thought of Li Xiaoya-she was indeed quite suitable.
But recalling the marks on her body, he frowned.
"She's good, but covered in injuries. Troublesome."
Li Ping wrapped her arms tightly
around Deng Yang's neck and cooed, "Don't worry, Brother Deng. I'll take good care of her."
Li Ping had brought Li Xiaoya back solely to disgust Meng Ci.
She'd assumed that since Li Xiaoya was Meng Ci's sister, he'd be furious upon learning she'd been handed over to another man.
She wanted Meng Ci to witness his sister's fall from grace.
Yet to her surprise, Meng Ci proved ruthlessly indifferent, utterly unconcerned with Li Xiaoya's fate.
The question now was whether the deeply wounded Xiaoya could become a weapon for her revenge.
Li Ping's actions didn't dampen Meng Ci and Shen Que's spirits. As the two men lowered the assault boat, the others eyed them hungrily but dared not approach.
One man persistently pleaded, "Can you take me with you to get food? I just need a little to eat."
"Please, gentlemen, have mercy. Take us with you to find food. I've been starving for days."
"I beg you."
The man knelt before Meng Ci and Shen Que as he pleaded.
He looked pitiful, but Meng Ci and Shen Que ignored his pleas. Once the assault boat was secured, they set off.
Heading westward, they noticed far more assault boats and rubber dinghies on the water than before.
It seemed people were finally realizing that during the torrential rains, the government could only keep them alive-nothing more.
Thus, looting and pillaging became rampant.
At first, people dared only steal at night. But seeing no one to stop them, they grew increasingly brazen.
Many now dreamed of making a fortune by peddling stolen goods.
A single packet of instant noodles could fetch a gold bracelet.
The price of an assault boat or rubber dinghy might have been two thousand yuan just yesterday, five thousand the day after, and now, barely ten days later, it has skyrocketed to twenty thousand.
And these people only accepted cash.
If cash was unavailable, they accepted gold and silver jewelry instead.
How much gold could buy what depended entirely on their whims.
They formed cliques and factions, pursuing their own interests.
Large-scale slaughter hadn't begun yet, but Meng Ci knew it was coming soon.
In this apocalypse, men stronger than women were destined to rule. Many women had to trade their bodies for food just to survive.
Yet some women fought back against oppression, gradually blossoming into thorny roses in this harsh world.
In the apocalypse, the saints die first.
So after his rebirth, Meng Ci resolved to only look out for himself. Others were beyond his help.