Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

"We almost wasted it," Wang Xiao said, taking the corn, blowing on it, taking a bite, and speaking indistinctly, his tone tinged with the relief of surviving a close call.

This roasted corn is their ration for the next few days, and it would be a huge loss if it were destroyed because of this conflict.

By the flickering firelight, the three of them silently chewed on the warm corn. The warmth of the food flowed into their stomachs, slightly dispelling the chill brought on by the fight and the fatigue after the adrenaline subsided.

After a simple dinner, weariness washed over them like a tide. The fatigue from the continuous journey, coupled with the intense battle they had just fought, had drained a great deal of their energy.

"There's no need to keep watch tonight," Xie Yingtang said, his voice hoarse and tired, yet unusually certain.

He glanced around at the crowd, who were clearly filled with awe and dared not approach:

"If we have to spend every night keeping watch, we won't last long. Tonight... let's take a gamble, let's gamble that what just happened will allow us to get a good night's sleep."

Wang Xiao and Xu Xiaoyan both understood what he meant.

They have briefly "created" a relatively safe environment through their efforts. If they then waste precious sleep due to excessive worry, they will only end up losing more than they gain.

"Okay," Xu Xiaoyan nodded.

Wang Xiao also yawned widely and muttered, "I'm so sleepy..."

The three of them said no more, each found a relatively comfortable spot, and lay down fully clothed, enjoying the warmth of the campfire.

Beneath them lay the hard, cold earth, but they were so exhausted that almost as soon as they closed their eyes, a heavy sleepiness washed over them.

They didn't take off their backpacks, but simply held them tightly to their sides.

As dawn broke, various rustling sounds could be heard in the camp. Xu Xiaoyan woke up from her not-so-sounding sleep.

She slowly sat up and looked around.

The air was filled with the smell of burning firewood, the chill of the early morning, and the faint aroma of food wafting from afar.

Most people simply packed their meager belongings in silence, preparing for another day of trekking.

Xu Xiaoyan quickly noticed a striking phenomenon: the corner where they were seemed to have become an invisible "vacuum zone".

Around the circle of ashes left by last night's campfire, there was a clear empty area, with the nearest person being five or six meters away.

Moreover, when they accidentally met Xu Xiaoyan's gaze, they would immediately lower their heads or look away in a fluster, their hands and feet seeming a bit restrained.

Some people even subconsciously dragged their luggage a little further away.

It seems that Xie Yingtang and Wang Xiao's ruthless counterattack last night was quite effective.

She let out a soft breath and turned to look to the side.

Xie Yingtang had also woken up and was leaning against the earthen wall, calmly observing the movements of the army in the distance.

Wang Xiao was still curled up, seemingly trying to seize the last bit of sleep, but his furrowed brows showed that he was not sleeping soundly.

Xu Xiaoyan didn't wake Wang Xiao; she simply went to the surrounding open space to pick up dead branches.

Xu Xiaoyan deftly brushed aside the embers of last night's campfire, revealing the still-burning dark red embers beneath.

She added some small, dry twigs, bent down, and gently blew on them. The orange-red flames then leaped joyfully again, dispelling the biting chill of the early morning.

She took out several dark yellow, hard corncobs from her backpack.

These corns have long lost their plumpness and moisture from when they were freshly picked. Their skins are slightly wrinkled due to excessive water loss, and they feel hard to the touch. When tapped together, they can even make a slight "tap-tap" sound.

This was a makeshift method they had come up with to maximize the preservation time.

After harvesting a large quantity of fresh corn, they took advantage of several camping trips and spent considerable time and firewood thoroughly roasting and drying all the corn.

Although corn treated in this way loses much of its flavor, it is less prone to spoilage.

She carefully placed several dry, hard corncobs next to the fire, ensuring they didn't directly touch the flames and burn, while still allowing them to fully absorb the heat.

Under the gentle caress of the flames, the shriveled corn cobs gradually regained some life, their hard exterior softened slightly, and their deep yellow color turned into a warm gold.

A familiar aroma, a blend of caramel and the sweetness of the grains themselves, slowly wafted out.

Sometimes, in order to get to their destination, they would even just pull out these cold, hard corncobs.

Like gnawing on compressed biscuits, you have to painstakingly grind the dry, powdery corn kernels with your teeth and swallow them with difficulty, mixed with saliva. The taste is really not good.

Xu Xiaoyan focused intently on turning the corn, making sure it was heated evenly.

Wang Xiao was also awakened by the aroma of food and the sounds of activity. He rubbed his eyes, sat up, and stared longingly at the corn by the fire.

Xie Yingtang remained vigilant, but his gaze would occasionally sweep over the few ears of corn that were gradually warming up, and his Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly.

The fire continued to radiate a steady heat, and the few corn cobs that were originally dry and wrinkled gradually became plump under the patient roasting.

Xu Xiaoyan stared at the fire, lost in thought.

The troops marched forward at an entirely uncontrolled pace, and no one knew whether they would stop to rest or find other food sources.

If troops need to travel or avoid danger and work non-stop all day, they will need to have the physical strength to sustain them throughout the day.

With that in mind, she handed the golden-brown, crispy corn to Xie Yingtang and Wang Xiao respectively.

"Three ears of corn each," she reminded everyone. "If the army doesn't stop and keeps moving today, these three ears of corn will be our rations for the whole day."

Wang Xiao nodded, smiling as he took the still-hot corn. Xie Yingtang silently took it without saying a word, but his eyes revealed his approval.

The three of them silently ate their roasted corn.

Before long, faint whistles and the roar of engines could be heard from the core area where the troops were stationed ahead.

People who were sitting or lying down started to move.

The sounds of people gathering blankets, stomping out embers, carrying bags, and calling out to lost family members mingled together, creating a tense and oppressive cacophony.

"It's time to move," Xie Yingtang said succinctly, standing up first and deftly stuffing his two ears of corn into the side pocket of his backpack, ensuring he could access them at any time.

Wang Xiao quickly ate the last few kernels of corn, even chewing the corncob thoroughly to extract the last bit of flavor and fiber.

Then he carefully wrapped the remaining two ears of corn and stuffed them deep into his backpack.

Xu Xiaoyan, on the other hand, moved even faster.

As she carefully put away her share of corn, her gaze quickly swept across their temporary campsite to make sure they hadn't left behind any potentially useful items.

They then used their feet to thoroughly scatter and compact the ashes of the campfire, erasing the last trace.