Chapter 006: Temporary Residence
If it is discovered by others in the future, then it will no longer be related to Xu Peng. No matter how surprised or speculated others may be, Xu Peng will remain blissfully unaware.
After negotiating with the intermediary company, Xu Peng ultimately rented the house for 20,000 yuan per year. After making a one-time payment of 20,000 yuan for the rent and a 3,000 yuan deposit, Xu Peng received the keys to the house
It sounds simple, but for Xu Peng, it was not so easy. All the rice, vegetables, fruits, fresh meat, and so on had to be touched by Xu Peng's right hand before they could be placed into the space. Xu Peng spent nearly three hours, exhausted to the point of near collapse, with his right arm almost feeling like it would break, before he finally moved all the food from the warehouse into the space
During this period, Xu Peng had no time to rest properly due to the grain acquisition and traveling. After officially settling into the community, Xu Peng first took two days to relax and ease his tense mood. Early on the third day, he went out to begin implementing the house renovation plans
However, for safety reasons, Xu Peng hired bricklayers to thicken the outer wall at the entrance. Outside the steel door, he also customized a hollow steel door that is 5 centimeters thick. The numerous small holes on the door have a diameter of no more than 1 centimeter, allowing for observation of external movements while preventing zombie fingers from reaching inside. Additionally, a special square movable panel measuring 40 × 40 centimeters with a lock was installed in the center of the door, enabling the transfer of small items to the outside.
In the previous era, the highest authority of humanity, the Commander of the Survivor Base, achieved such great success after hunting the White Wolf King in the grasslands due to the food shortage following the zombie outbreak. Consuming it as food, his experience became a topic of great interest among the remnants of humanity in the post-apocalyptic world.
The mountain path at night was shrouded in darkness, where one could not see their own hand in front of their face. Xu Peng walked slowly and unhurriedly along the mountain trail. If it were someone else, they would certainly not be as carefree as Xu Peng; the late-night mountain path could still feel somewhat eerie and frightening. However, having survived in the apocalypse for ten years, what harsh and terrifying environments had he not encountered? How could the mere darkness of the mountain path possibly affect his state of mind? Having survived in the apocalypse for ten years, what harsh and terrifying environments had he not encountered? How could the mere darkness of the mountain path possibly affect his state of mind?
This time, after purchasing so much grain, Xu Peng has nearly 80,000 yuan in cash, which is only enough for his current basic expenses. However, he has already planned his next destination: he intends to go to the northern grasslands in search of the White Wolf King. Three years after the outbreak of the zombie tide in his previous life, the surviving elites of humanity discovered that there exists a mysterious substance in the brain of the White Wolf that can resist the zombie virus. Consuming it allows humans to avoid infection from the zombie toxin. However, humanity has never been able to research this mysterious substance, and ultimately, the high-ranking officials of the human survivor base had no choice but to capture the White Wolves in large numbers and consume their brains raw. Three years after the outbreak of the zombie tide in his previous life, the surviving elites of humanity discovered that there exists a mysterious substance in the brain of the White Wolf that can resist the zombie virus. Consuming it allows humans to avoid infection from the zombie toxin. However, humanity has never been able to research this mysterious substance, and ultimately, the high-ranking officials of the human survivor base had no choice but to capture the White Wolves in large numbers and consume their brains raw.
As for why Xu Peng chose to leave stealthily and even made sure to close the warehouse door tightly before departing, it is because he did not want to be discovered too soon regarding the disappearance of the grain inside the warehouse. Although he had purchased this grain legitimately with his own money, Xu Peng preferred not to cause a significant stir in the village. It would be best if this matter could be concealed for as long as possible.
In just one year, the white wolf species was completely eradicated. The mysterious substance found in the brain of the white wolf king was even more remarkable; after consumption, humans not only would not be infected by zombies, but could also gain some abilities from the zombie's genes. The commander of the survivor base No. 1, known as the "One Commander," became exceptionally powerful after consuming the brain of the white wolf king, to the extent that he could confront S-class evolved zombies without being at a disadvantage.
Two million pounds of rice is more than enough for Xu Peng to live quite comfortably in the apocalypse. What Zhou Jie desired in the previous life is truly nothing compared to what Xu Peng has in this life
After leaving the warehouse, Xu Peng securely locked the main gate and then quietly left the village while everyone else was not paying attention
As for rice, it will serve as a universal currency in the future apocalypse, with the value of certain items measured in rice. For instance, a piece of clothing made of pure cotton can be exchanged for one pound of rice, and the annual rent for a ten-square-meter room in a survivor base is one hundred pounds of rice. In any case, everything that can be traded in the apocalypse is calculated in terms of rice.
Xu Peng harbored no ambitions of saving humanity, nor did he entertain the idea of establishing a survivor base. He simply wished to live freely and comfortably; even in a perilous post-apocalyptic world, nothing could restrain his steps
After the village chief left just now, Xu Peng immediately went to the warehouse, used the key given to him by the village chief to open the large door of the warehouse, and then moved everything inside without missing a single item into the space in his right hand
Xu Peng does not plan to stay in a hotel. Firstly, he is currently facing financial constraints, with less than 80,000 yuan in hand, which he needs to use over the next six months, so he must be frugal with his money. Secondly, he intends to build an absolutely solid residence in this location to prepare for the outbreak of the zombie tide. If he were to stay in a hotel, the personnel would be too mixed, and he would not be able to make any modifications to the property.
Xu Peng currently resides on the third floor of Building 6, located at the innermost part of the community. Relatively speaking, it is also the safest place in the entire community. In the event of a zombie outbreak, at least the residents of four buildings outside would be there to support him in the front.
Xu Peng is particularly interested in this apartment in Shuguang Garden for two main reasons. First, the owner of the property has not returned for an extended period, which allows him to reinforce and renovate the house conveniently. Second, the community is located in a commercially dense area, with several large supermarkets, three gas stations, and a few department stores nearby, all of which have already caught Xu Peng's attention
Upon arriving in Hohhot, Xu Peng purchased a detailed map of the city. After careful consideration, he chose the bustling and vibrant old town of Hohhot as his temporary residence
Five days later, Xu Peng successfully arrived at the nearest city to the vast grassland—Hohhot
It is precisely because the Commander of Base 1 possesses formidable strength that humanity can withstand the attacks of advanced evolved zombies and collaborate with those mysterious organizations that are part human and part zombie, establishing the only sanctuary for humanity in the harshness of the apocalypse
In the dead of night, the village was enveloped in silence. While everyone else was fast asleep, Xu Peng had long since set off, having left the village more than ten kilometers behind.
After paying the rent, Xu Peng was left with approximately 50,000 yuan. He wanted to make significant modifications to the house, but unfortunately, the funds were insufficient. Therefore, he could only carry out some simple reinforcements and make alterations to a few critical areas.
First, Xu Peng called the renovation workers to widen the front door of the house. He then took several measurements and customized a solid steel door that was 5 centimeters thick. No matter how many zombies came to push against his door, even if they collapsed the entire hallway, it would be impossible for them to push open this 5-centimeter-thick steel door
Originally, to seek the White Wolf King at hetushu.com, one should go to the vast and boundless Arctic Ocean, where the white wolf pack resides. However, given Xu Peng's current circumstances, he cannot even manage to go abroad, let alone travel thousands of miles to the Arctic Ocean in search of the White Wolf King. Nevertheless, nothing in life is absolute; although Xu Peng cannot go to the Arctic Ocean, he knows that in some part of the domestic grasslands, there lives a special group of white wolves.
Moreover, the extent of Xu Peng's gains this time was beyond even his own imagination. In such a joyful mood, he naturally did not think about other matters. As he walked, Xu Peng explored the items in the space. He directly bypassed vegetables, fruits, and fresh meat, which would be considered luxuries in the future apocalypse. These items are extremely rare in the apocalypse and are essentially impossible to obtain. The quantity currently stored in the space might last Xu Peng for decades, yet he still felt it was far from sufficient and would need to find ways to acquire more in the future. As he walked, Xu Peng explored the items in the space. He directly bypassed vegetables, fruits, and fresh meat, which would be considered luxuries in the future apocalypse. These items are extremely rare in the apocalypse and are essentially impossible to obtain. The quantity currently stored in the space might last Xu Peng for decades, yet he still felt it was far from sufficient and would need to find ways to acquire more in the future.
In this life, he will absolutely not, as in the previous life, give up his dignity to maintain basic subsistence, entering the human survivor base and desperately performing menial tasks, being treated like a dog by others. In this life, he only wishes to be a solitary wanderer in the apocalypse, infinitely enhancing his own strength, allowing himself to roam freely in the end times, unafraid wherever he goes
Through a real estate agency, Xu Peng found a unit in the Zhongshuguang Garden community located in the old city. The owner of the house is an elderly man, whose son and daughter-in-law both work in the south and have purchased a house there, taking the elderly man with them. As a result, the house here became vacant, and the elderly man entrusted it to the agency to help him rent it out, which would also provide an additional source of income
The staff of the intermediary company brought Xu Peng to the door of the house and then left alone. Xu Peng opened the door; it was a three-bedroom, two-living-room commercial apartment, featuring two bathrooms and a balcony. The kitchen was semi-open, connected to the dining room, occupying one of the living areas. The other living area was furnished with a set of sofas and a marble coffee table. Although somewhat old, everything was kept very clean.
Standing on the balcony and looking at the surroundings of the community, Xu Peng felt very satisfied. This community is relatively old, having been built early, so there are very few buildings within it, with only six units in total. Each unit has only five floors, and each floor accommodates just one household, resulting in a small number of residents in this community, most of whom are elderly. In the event of a zombie outbreak, there should not be too many zombies in this community, unless someone leads a horde here. Therefore, the number of residents in this community is not large, and most of them are elderly. In the event of a zombie outbreak, there should not be too many zombies in this community, unless someone leads a horde here.
Of course, these events occurred several years after the outbreak of the zombie tide. In the initial years following the outbreak, the world was thrown into chaos, and human order completely collapsed. Some individuals resorted to any means necessary for survival, betraying their closest loved ones for a morsel of food or a drop of water, with no regard for moral boundaries. Xu Peng witnessed countless inhumane acts during this time.
Once the zombie tide erupts and chaos ensues, everything within will become ownerless. While everyone is still in a state of panic and unable to react, Xu Peng must quickly gather all the items that are useful to him into his space. Otherwise, once people begin to react and scramble to seize what they can, Xu Peng will likely find that there is nothing left for him.
With this double assurance, Xu Peng finally breathed a sigh of relief. After making some simple modifications to the room, he settled in comfortably and began his daily practice of the Apocalypse Sword Technique.