Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

His eyes sparkled with anticipation for the roasted corn, and the fatigue from his continuous journey seemed to be somewhat dispelled by the rising smoke.

Although Xie Yingtang didn't speak, he focused intently on the fire, carefully adding firewood to stabilize the flames. His composed profile appeared much softer in the flickering firelight.

Looking at Wang Xiao's proud expression and then at the small flame that brought warmth and the aroma of food, Xu Xiaoyan felt a warmth in her heart.

A smile unconsciously appeared on his face as he placed the snakeskin bag at his feet. "Great! I'm looking forward to tasting your cooking. It smells delicious."

As she spoke, she found a rock by the fire and sat down, but her eyes kept scanning her surroundings warily.

The orange flames licked the dry corn leaves and stalks, making a reassuring crackling sound, and a small ball of warm light brought a touch of warmth to the deepening twilight.

Wang Xiao squatted by the fire, holding two ears of corn with some of the husks already peeled off, but he didn't quite know how to do it and tried to stick them directly into the flames.

Xie Yingtang reacted quickly, gently blocking the attack with a long, freshly broken branch still covered in leaves.

"Don't rush, that's not how you bake it," Xie Yingtang's voice remained calm.

He took an ear of corn from Wang Xiao's hand and skillfully peeled off all the outer husks, leaving only the innermost thin, slightly damp tender leaves wrapping the corn kernels.

"Leaving the inner layer on like this prevents it from burning during baking, and it also helps to lock in moisture, making it more tender."

As he explained, he used a dagger to sharpen another branch of suitable thickness and inserted it firmly into the base of the corn cob, creating a "corn skewer" that was easy to hold and flip.

Wang Xiao suddenly realized what was going on and quickly did the same to the corn in his hand.

Xu Xiaoyan sat quietly to the side, taking out a few ears of good-looking corn from her snakeskin bag.

Following Xie Yingtang's example, I deftly peeled the leaves and inserted the skewer. Soon, several processed corn cobs were neatly placed on a clean, large leaf.

The first two ears of corn were placed above the fire, with Xie Yingtang and Wang Xiao each holding two ears, carefully maintaining a small distance between them, and slowly roasting them using the heat from the outer edge of the flames.

They would occasionally turn the skewers in their hands to ensure the corn was heated evenly.

Soon, the thin, tender leaves began to curl and char, releasing a richer, sweet aroma that blended the fresh scent of plants with the smell of charcoal, making one's mouth water.

"It should be about ready, right?" Wang Xiao looked at the corn cob in his hand, the kernels of which were already slightly yellow and emitting an enticing aroma, and couldn't help but swallow.

Xie Yingtang leaned closer to take a look, then gently pressed the corn kernels with his fingers, and nodded, saying, "Hmm, it's ready. Be careful, it's hot."

Wang Xiao couldn't wait to blow on it, ignoring the heat, and carefully tore open the crispy tender leaves to reveal the golden, fragrant corn kernels underneath.

He opened his mouth and took a bite, the heat making him gasp, but he mumbled an exclamation, "Mmm! Delicious! So sweet!"

Xu Xiaoyan also took the one Xie Yingtang handed her, peeled it open like him, and took a small bite.

The roasted corn kernels are plump and chewy, with a raw and pure sweetness and a unique smoky aroma from the charcoal fire.

This simple flavor was an absolute delight after several days of eating dry, hard rations.

"Don't just eat, keep grilling."

Although Xie Yingtang was also eating, he was faster. He finished the corn he was holding in a few quick bites, then picked up the corn that Xu Xiaoyan had prepared and put it back on the fire.

"Take advantage of the opportunity now and grill more so that we have enough to eat tomorrow and the day after. It's much better than eating raw food and it will also help replenish our energy."

These words snapped Wang Xiao and Xu Xiaoyan out of their reverie, which was lost in the delicious food.

Yes, we can't just focus on the immediate meal; the three of them immediately formed a simple production line:

Xu Xiaoyan was responsible for continuously peeling leaves and inserting twigs to prepare the "semi-finished product".

Xie Yingtang and Wang Xiao took turns grilling, one watching the fire and the other quickly eating the freshly grilled food in his hand before taking over.

The fire continued to burn, and one ear of corn after another turned golden and fragrant.

After letting the roasted corn cool slightly, they placed it on another large, cleaned leaf.

As time went on, more and more successful "finished products" were piled up next to it, numbering more than a dozen.

Occasionally, Wang Xiao would burn a small piece of the fire because he didn't control the heat well, and he would grimace in distress. Xie Yingtang would adjust the firewood in time to keep the flame at a stable level.

Xu Xiaoyan carefully selected the corn, making sure that every ear was used to its fullest potential.

By the time the last batch of corn was roasted, night had completely fallen, with only the fire providing light and heat.

"That's about enough," Xie Yingtang said, carefully smothering the fire with soil to ensure that not a single spark remained.

"Pack these up, we need to find a more secluded place to spend the night."

The three quickly packed the still-warm roasted corn into their backpacks and bags, carefully concealing its rich aroma.

The commotion could be faintly heard from the cornfield, interspersed with a few brief arguments over the remaining corn.

On the main road leading northwest, even in the darkness of night, there were still sporadic footsteps and suppressed conversations breaking through the silence.

Xie Yingtang stood up, calmly scanning the area between the cornfield and the main road, then decisively shook his head. "Neither of these places is safe to stay in."

He analyzed carefully, "It's too noisy near the cornfield, making it easy to be exposed and not get a good rest. People come and go on the main road, and there's too much uncertainty, so I can't sleep soundly."

The three looked around.

Looking around, all I could see was that chaotic cornfield and that seemingly endless highway.

All that remains are vast stretches of farmland, silently undulating in the night, and the slightly raised ridges between them used to divide the land and for walking.

"It seems that's the only place," Xu Xiaoyan said softly, pointing to a relatively wide field ridge covered with dry weeds not far away.

It is higher than the fields on both sides, relatively dry, and offers a fairly open view.

It can observe the movements in the cornfield and the direction of the road, and at the same time, its inconspicuous nature provides a certain degree of concealment.

"Then let's choose that place," Xie Yingtang nodded. It was the only and best option under the current circumstances.

The three arrived at the edge of the field and first carefully checked the surroundings to make sure there were no nests of snakes, insects, rodents, or other obvious dangers.

Then, Xie Yingtang and Wang Xiao tamped down the withered grass in a small area with their feet and cleared away some sharp stones.

No tent, no sleeping bags—this is their "bed" for the night.