Post-Apocalyptic Survival Modpack

Chapter 4, Section 04: The Hope of the Whole Village
It's already quite remarkable that Wang Ji was able to wait until he was seven years old.

As early as five years old, Wang Ji had already thoroughly understood his surroundings, including language learning, changes in living habits and common sense.

But this only applies to this village and the surrounding area.

And now...

Wang Ji looked into the room, where Supervisor Ian and Mr. Ryder, whose position was unknown, were talking to his parents.

Inside the room, Wang Ji's mother remained silent, listening quietly to the conversation of the other three, but her eyes were full of worry.

As for Wang Jiefu, he frowned, listened, and nodded, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

Although Supervisor Ian spoke to this gentleman from the city in a very gentle tone and showed great respect for him, this ignorant country bumpkin, he did not display the slightest sense of superiority that he had seen in city people before.

But Wang Jiefu understood that he had no say in what was happening today, and he had no right to refuse any arrangements.

It's already quite kind of them to be here and explain things in such a friendly manner.

Even so, it's only because of Wang Ji.

After a while, Wang Ji's parents and the two visitors came out together and went to Wang Ji's side.

Ian crouched down, gently patted Wang Ji's shoulder, and said, "Come with us, child."

"where to?"

"To school."

Upon hearing this, Wang Ji glanced at his parents.

Wang Jiefu sighed and said, "Go, Wang Ji, leave this village and go to school. That's your way out."

After saying that, he came closer and squatted down as well.

Seeing this, Ian stepped aside, leaving space for Wang Ji and his family.

“I know, child.”

Jeff Wang said in a complicated tone, "I know you've always been different from other kids. You matured earlier than everyone else. Even if you don't have any so-called magical talent, I still think you'll leave the village sooner or later."

"Actually, I was prepared for you to leave a long time ago, but I didn't expect it to happen so soon."

"My child, you're only...only seven years old..."

As he spoke, Wang Jiefu sighed.

At this moment, Wang Ji's mother, Hannah, also came over.

She silently hugged Wang Ji, tears streaming down her face.

The thought of not seeing her child for a long time filled Hannah with a sense of loss.

Ultimately, this leads to feelings of reluctance and longing.

“Mr. Ian, I have some things I want to do.”

Before leaving, Wang Ji made a request.

The villagers didn't find out that Wang Ji had left until the next day; he left in a hurry.

The children, having only heard that he had gone to school in the city, all showed expressions of envy.

"I wonder if Brother Wang Ji will come back."

Life went on as usual, seemingly without any change.

But not nothing has changed—for example, all the land in the village has been plowed over again.

...

"I hope everyone can have enough to eat."

On the way to the city, Wang Ji said these words.

Ian, who was listening nearby, had many thoughts on the matter.

"The magic of farmland created by simple wishes, what a good child."

"Don't worry, child, your wish will definitely come true."

They didn't exchange many words the whole way.

Ian, Ryder, and Wang Ji rode at full speed, crossing villages and fields, heading straight for the nearest town, where Ryder was stationed.

This town is indeed quite different from the village.

The breeze brought not the scent of wheat and earth, but a series of strange smells.

Wang Ji couldn't help but look up at the two people beside him. They looked perfectly normal, clearly having gotten used to it.

So he stopped looking at the two men and instead craned his neck to look left and right, carefully examining the small town.

Ian and Ryder were not surprised by Wang Ji's performance; most country kids behave this way when they first enter a larger town.

However, Wang Ji was speechless.

After some observation, he discovered that the town seemed to have no sewage system at all!

Fortunately, the group was just passing through and did not stay in the town for long.

Their final destination was the capital city.

Ryder went to his workplace to take care of some things, while Ian went to buy supplies for the journey, as well as horses specifically for carrying those supplies.

On the same day they arrived in the town, the three of them set off again and left the town.

The difference is that this time, both Ian and Ryder brought weapons with them on their journey.

'It seems the empire isn't so peaceful after all,' Wang Ji thought to himself.

The town appeared smaller and smaller.

After leaving the town for a while, Wang Ji breathed a sigh of relief, took a deep breath, and enjoyed the fresh air of the wilderness.

This journey is very long.

The three of them were gone for a month, and they didn't see a single city or town, or even a village, along the way.

The extra horse, along with the large and small bags of supplies on both sides, was definitely worth bringing.

"Even in the best-case scenario, it will probably take us another two months."

On the way, Ryder looked at the map and gave his predictions.

"We still have to cross a plain, wade through shallow riverbanks, traverse forests, and climb mountain passes..."

"Finally, I will arrive in the capital and meet my teacher."

Ian shrugged and replied, "I don't really care."

"Even Little Wang Ji probably hasn't traveled this far before."

Wang Ji had indeed never traveled such a long distance.

Both in this life and the last.

He was almost numb from walking all this way.

At first, it was a bit novel, but after seeing so much of the so-called wild scenery, it became tiresome, and once the novelty wore off, the journey became boring.

Every day is just a silent journey, a journey, and another journey.

However, seeing Ian looking over, Wang Ji still replied, "I'm fine, Uncle Ian, and Uncle Ryder too."

The health bar was always full, and there was nothing wrong with the status bar.

It's just a bit boring, so boring that even Wang Ji wants to AFK.

"what?"

As he walked, Ryder suddenly stopped.

"what happened?"

"Shh-"

Ryder gestured for the two to be quiet, then slowly dismounted and picked up a bow—a bone bow made of some unknown creature's bones.

Then, he gently nocked an arrow and pulled back the bowstring.

An unnatural flow of air gathered on the arrow.

Wang Ji stared intently; this was the first time he had ever witnessed a 'miracle' other than himself.

Or rather, this is the real magic.

Boom!
Arrows, whipped by the wind, pierced through tree trunks and struck something behind them.

thump.

Ryder picked up the things that had fallen to the ground, a look of delight on his face.

"Luckily, a chicken."

"There are definitely more nearby, wait for me a moment."

He gave a brief instruction and then plunged into the bushes.

A moment later, he returned carrying two more chickens.

We're going to have something good to eat tonight.

Wang Ji stared intently at the three chickens, his eyes wide.

Ryder smiled slightly, thinking to himself that the child was probably craving meat. Judging from the situation in his village, he probably rarely had the opportunity to eat meat, and it was considered good if he could have meat a few times a year.

I'll cook him a big meal today to nourish him properly.

Both Ryder and Ian shared this idea, and they began to busy themselves with processing their freshly hunted prey.

Wang Ji sat to the side, looking with slight excitement at the notification that appeared in the lower left corner where the chat box should have been.

[Mysterious element input, currently being expanded, progress: 0.1%]

WTF?

What kind of expansion?
While excited, Wang Ji was also completely bewildered.

I thought my characteristics were fixed and based on the original system, but I didn't expect them to change.

Mysterious elements, expansion…

He pondered those words.

The so-called mysterious element I just encountered seems to be the arrow shot by Uncle Ryder next to me.

Based on the hints, does that mean that as long as there are enough relevant elements, some kind of change will occur?
Is it a new module, or some new crafting recipe?

Regardless of which one it was, it made Wang Ji even more excited.

Since birth, he has known very little about his own characteristics and has hardly ever used them.

Now is the time to explore and develop.

(End of this chapter)