Chapter 10: The Wandering Camp

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At the Wanderers’ Camp, Ye Yang had already heard Qi Fang’s endless chatter countless times—how wonderful this place was, and how many remarkable superstars there were here, like... a certain old man who could perform magic tricks, or... an uncle she had always admired.

“Uncle Zheng...” Even before reaching the camp, Qi Fang shouted excitedly. Not far away, a motorcycle roared in the distance, carrying a burly man.

“Xiao Fang, you’re back?” The man waved with a kindly smile. Qi Fang quickly nodded, stopped her motorcycle, and dashed over to him.

“An affair?” Ye Yang frowned. Well, it wasn’t really his business, and he was already taken, but watching the girl acting so adorably coquettish in the big man’s arms made him a bit frustrated. Why didn’t he get that kind of treatment?

“Uncle Zheng, look! I got a huge haul this time! Found so many treasures. Can you help me sell them? Mainly to exchange for daily supplies, and I also need to replenish bullets for my rifle,” Qi Fang coaxed.

Ye Yang ground his teeth. That girl! She wouldn’t let anyone else touch those treasures, causing a big fuss if anyone did, yet she was willing to hand them over to this big guy to sell? That was clearly unfair.

“Wow, Xiao Fang’s haul is really rich—more than this uncle even. You didn’t go to any dangerous places again, did you?” the big man frowned.

“No, just wandered around nearby. I was lucky!” Qi Fang kept on acting coy.

Ye Yang continued grinding his teeth. No? He was almost dead and didn’t get anything? If he had known, he wouldn’t have saved that troublesome girl—let her idol go fight the mutants herself! It was infuriating!

After chatting a while longer, the big man carefully reminded Qi Fang to be safe and avoid dangerous places. Qi Fang smiled and agreed, but the glint in her eyes told Ye Yang she wasn’t really listening.

“Uncle Zheng, see you at the bar,” Qi Fang waved her handkerchief vigorously at the speeding motorcycle.

“Tch, still waving? They’re already gone, you know? What bad taste,” Ye Yang teased, earning himself a sharp smack.

The so-called Wanderers’ Camp was actually a small village, but well built. Surrounding the village were high stone walls over two meters tall, with watchtowers spaced along them, seemingly to defend against zombies and monsters.

Hundreds of motorcycles were parked outside. According to Qi Fang, it was currently a gathering day for wanderers—to drink, chat, share experiences, and exchange information.

Though there weren’t many residents, the village wasn’t quiet at all. Vendors hawked their goods everywhere. Qi Fang ignored them and went straight around, since Uncle Zheng was handling her stuff, she didn’t need to worry.

At the village center was a small grove. Ye Yang’s spirits lifted immediately. It was the first time since waking up he’d seen an oasis—though this grove was too small to truly be one—but it was still pleasant, with a small stream and some rockery that added charm. The air felt fresher as they entered.

“This is our Wanderers’ Camp, not bad, right? Hehe, there are five camps nearby, but this is my favorite,” Qi Fang said, smiling brightly.

Ye Yang nodded. Indeed, it was nice. But he suspected the girl’s reason for coming wasn’t the scenery—she even had a bit of a father-complex.

In the grove stood a small building, no match for the grand constructions Ye Yang had seen before. Only five stories tall, yet in Qi Fang’s words, it was the best bar around—a five-star one.

“We hang out here when we’re free, playing and relaxing together. Wanderers love to roam, but at least half the year is spent here. Hehe, our haul this time was great—we could even live here a year without worries.”

Though called a bar, it wasn’t like the noisy clubs or the silent lounges Ye Yang knew. There was no blaring music or soul-crushing beats.

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Actually, Ye Yang didn’t like bars much—the atmosphere wasn’t to his taste, either too loud or too pretentious. Coffee shops were similar but a bit more interesting.

This wanderers’ bar suited Ye Yang perfectly: neither noisy nor dead silent. Many people chatted, but rarely raised their voices or lowered them too much. It felt warm and welcoming.

Upon entering, Qi Fang was warmly greeted. She was quite popular here, which wasn’t surprising—most here were rugged men, and even the few women weren’t young. A young girl like Qi Fang was practically a national treasure.

“Vodka? Whiskey? Baijiu? Red wine? Yellow wine? Beer? Cola?”

The bar had no menu. A skinny waiter rattled off the drink options, probably without distinguishing brands or quality.

“Whiskey, please,” Ye Yang answered with a smile, earning another sharp smack.

“Whiskey’s expensive! Save it! Save, got it? Give him a glass of plain water.” Qi Fang scolded ferociously, yet ordered a cola for herself.

Ye Yang was about to cry. What did that girl want? He helped her earn plenty of money, saved her life even, and she couldn’t afford one whiskey? Damn! He discovered another trait of hers: besides being greedy and unreliable, she was also stingy!

“Hey? Xiao Fang, who’s this? You got a new ‘puppy,’ huh? Haha! Our little Fang is growing up, even raising a puppy now?”

The bar exploded with laughter at the teasing. Qi Fang’s face flushed crimson, and she spat sharply. Ye Yang didn’t mind. ‘Puppy’ was a crude nickname with some sleazy connotations, but everyone here joked casually like this. If he got angry, he’d just seem petty.

There were no private booths, only large mixed tables. Qi Fang sat at one with familiar faces, chatting casually.

Ye Yang listened half-heartedly without interrupting. He wanted to ask about his doubts but wasn’t in a hurry. Uncle Zheng seemed close to Qi Fang; he’d ask him later.

Uncle Zheng didn’t return quickly. Qi Fang grew tired and, after a few drinks from friends—though only a little—her face turned bright red. She was a terrible drunk.

“I... I need to rest. Book a room first,” Qi Fang slurred. Ye Yang sighed and nodded. This girl... his number one bodyguard was gaining a new duty: probably to shield her from drinking.

“Book a room...”

“Book a room...”

They spoke almost simultaneously. Ye Yang was joking, but Qi Fang said the same thing.

Ye Yang stared in disbelief. Did the girl really think he was her puppy? Wanting to... No, that was wrong! Maybe she expected him to sleep on the floor?

“Save money! Save, got it? Sleeping on the floor is actually comfy!” Qi Fang sang as she held the key and headed upstairs. Ye Yang ground his teeth—he knew it would come to this!

But Qi Fang wasn’t wrong. Maybe because mercury was so valuable, or the bar owner just didn’t want to rip off customers since they paid no taxes, the floor in the guest rooms was indeed comfortable. Thick carpets covered the floor, and strong heating made it warm enough not to need blankets.

Beds were obviously better, but one had already been taken by a shameless little girl. Ye Yang sighed and grabbed a pillow to lie on the floor.

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“By the way, two rooms can’t be that expensive, right? Aren’t you afraid I’ll sneak up on you at night?” Ye Yang asked, propping his chin up.

“Snore...”

“...” Ye Yang was utterly helpless. Even a pig wouldn’t snore right after lying down. Was this girl really Zhu Bajie in disguise?

Maybe because he had over-rested the last few days, Ye Yang felt no sleepiness at all. After a while lying down, he got up and wandered out. He wanted to find someone to clear up his doubts—time to look for Uncle Zheng.

“Whiskey, Room 316 upstairs, on the tab,” Ye Yang ordered as he came down, ready to enjoy himself. As for how Qi Fang would react when she woke up? He didn’t care.

Soon, Uncle Zheng arrived. The big man seemed even more popular than Qi Fang. Upon entering, countless wanderers stood to greet him; some even gave up their seats. Despite the crowd, he occupied a small window-side private table alone.

“That’s good,” Ye Yang smiled, stood, ordered another whiskey, and approached. With no one else around, he could talk seriously with the big man.

“You must be Xiao Fang’s friend? Sit down. Rare to see her bring company,” the man said with a smile, taking a big sip of the whiskey Ye Yang handed him.

“Uncle Zheng, right? I’ve heard a lot about you from Xiao Fang—she says you’re the most capable wanderer.” Ye Yang offered polite words but didn’t wait for a reply, diving straight into the main topic.

“Uncle Zheng, I want to ask a favor. Please tell me everything about the current state of the world—be as detailed and clear as possible.”

“Current situation? You...” The big man paused, then frowned. “Why don’t you know what’s going on? Are you a recently released prisoner? Then why are you with Xiao Fang?”

“Not a prisoner, but somewhat similar. I know nothing about the last twenty years—more like amnesia. Don’t worry, I’m not bad and won’t harm Xiao Fang. Besides, I saved her a few days ago,” Ye Yang smiled, rolling up his sleeve to show his scarred left arm.

Ye Yang made a grave mistake—he shouldn’t have raised his hand so carelessly or revealed some secrets. Fortunately, Uncle Zheng was experienced; otherwise, Ye Yang would be in serious danger.

“A bite? You...” Uncle Zheng immediately stood on alert. If his voice hadn’t been low, Ye Yang feared he might have been attacked or even shot.

“Don’t... I’m fine. I don’t know why, but I really am fine. It’s been several days. Xiao Fang knows too,” Ye Yang argued, shaking his arm. The scars had already healed.

After roughly explaining what happened in the ruined city, Uncle Zheng was sweating profusely. Bitten by a mutant and still okay? And he even killed the mutant with one punch? Was that possible?

“Believe it or not, the facts are what they are. Infertile, sterile...” Ye Yang joked, then pointed at the stairs. “Xiao Fang saw it with her own eyes. If you don’t believe me, ask her.”