Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

The remaining two hours of the journey were spent in silence and repression.

Only when the putrid smell unique to aquatic plants in the air gradually became clear did Xie Yingtang raise his hand to signal everyone to stop.

They were standing on a high slope.

Below, in the dim moonlight, one can vaguely see a lotus pond of considerable size. The lotus leaves in front of me are sparse, and many of them are an unhealthy yellowish-brown.

The two middle-aged men, who were initially impatient, suddenly brightened up when they saw the lotus pond.

The weariness and doubt on his face were replaced by an expression that mixed greed and sudden realization.

The gaunt man's Adam's apple bobbed, and he lowered his voice, his astonishment barely concealed:

"Damn... so this is the place! I knew it, it's amazing that they can still find so many fresh lotus roots these days..."

You three are really lucky! You even managed to find this!

Another middle-aged man muttered, "That's right, just looking at the surface, who would have thought there's such a treasure hidden underneath..."

Xie Yingtang made a hand gesture, and Wang Xiao and Xu Xiaoyan immediately understood. Using the terrain and shadows, they carefully searched the area around the lotus pond for any possible ambushes or spying.

A few minutes later, the two returned to Xie Yingtang's side and nodded almost imperceptibly—the area was safe.

After confirming that everything was correct, Xie Yingtang walked to a spot on the edge of the lotus pond covered by dense, withered reeds.

They deftly lifted the lid and quickly carried out bundles of perfectly preserved lotus roots.

The lotus root segments were plump and full, and although they were covered in mud, they exuded vitality.

When the three men saw these real "hard currencies," the last trace of doubt in their eyes disappeared, replaced by a burning light.

They also put down what they had brought—dried bamboo shoots carefully wrapped in plastic bags, a cloth bag of corn flour, and ten unopened small packages of table salt.

Without further communication, both sides were well aware that the longer they stayed in such a place, the greater the risk, and the transaction proceeded in a silent sense of urgency.

They quickly counted and handed over the items. Xie Yingtang roughly checked the color and weight of the salt, and after confirming that the dried bamboo shoots and corn flour had not become damp or moldy, he nodded decisively.

"The deal is done, let's go!" he said in a low voice.

Wang Xiao and Xu Xiaoyan immediately took action.

He quickly stuffed the supplies he had received into his prepared backpack without stopping or even glancing at the three strangers who were happily inspecting the lotus roots.

Watching Xie Yingtang and the other two disappear into the depths of the night.

The two middle-aged men immediately shifted their attention from the lotus root in their hands to the lotus pond in front of them, which was shimmering under the moonlight.

The gaunt man nudged another with his elbow, his eyes fixed on the withered lotus leaves, his low voice laced with barely suppressed smugness and greed:

"Hey, look at this pond, it's not small... Even if those three are really good at digging, it's only been a few days, they can't possibly have turned over every inch of it, can they? There must still be some fish that have escaped!"

"Yes! They left in a hurry, they definitely didn't have time to search carefully!" The sturdier middle-aged man was also tempted, looking at the dark pond water as if what was buried under it was not lotus root, but gold bars.

The two exchanged a knowing glance.

Without any hesitation, and disregarding any semblance of dignity, they acted swiftly.

He deftly took off his already worn-out trousers, leaving only his dirty underwear, and waded into the muddy lotus pond.

The icy sewage instantly reached above my knees, and the sticky sludge sucked at my soles, bringing an uncomfortable chill.

But this did nothing to cool the burning passion in their hearts; the place where they stepped was precisely the area that Xu Xiaoyan had been responsible for digging.

However, hope was quickly shattered by the cold reality.

They bent over, frantically groping and digging in the murky mud.

What my fingers touched were tangled, rotten roots and hard, piercing rubble.

Occasionally, I would touch something that looked like a lotus root segment, and excitedly dig it out, only to find that it was just an old, rotten, hollow root, or simply a strangely shaped clod of soil.

"Damn it! What's going on?" The gaunt man felt colder and colder as he touched himself, and his tone became anxious.

"It's clean here too! Not a single lotus root!" His companion straightened up in the muddy water not far away, panting heavily, his face full of disbelief.

Undeterred, the two men expanded their search area in waist-deep water like headless flies.

His arms and chest were covered in black, foul-smelling mud. He was panting heavily, but still hadn't found anything.

The area beneath the lotus pond, especially the area where they were, looked as if it had been thoroughly combed with a fine mesh.

Apart from inedible roots and garbage, there was no decent lotus root that could fill one's stomach.

Ultimately, they had to accept this infuriating fact.

Exhausted, I climbed ashore. A gust of cold wind blew, and my muddy body immediately broke out in goosebumps. I looked utterly disheveled.

Shivering as he put on his cold, damp pants, he couldn't help but mutter curses:

"Damn! Are those three guys rats? They dug so clean! They didn't leave a single one!"

"They're fucking heartless! They've gone to such extremes, aren't they afraid of retribution?"

"Exactly! This world leaves no way for anyone to survive; their hearts are too black!"

They complained bitterly, blaming their futile anger and disappointment on Xie Yingtang and the other two who had already left.

It was as if the other party had committed some heinous crime by digging up the lotus root completely.

The tension of leaving the lotus pond area was gradually replaced by exhaustion. The three walked silently along the abandoned road in the northwest direction, their steps becoming heavy due to the great depletion of their physical strength.

After walking for about an hour, Xie Yingtang, who had been leading the way with a keen eye, suddenly stopped.

His voice was slightly hoarse, "We haven't slept for almost a day and a night. If we keep going like this, we'll break down first."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiao and Xu Xiaoyan both nodded, forcing themselves to stay alert.

Extreme sleep deprivation not only causes physical aches and pains, but also mental numbness and loss of focus, which can be fatal in any situation in the wilderness.

Xie Yingtang raised his hand and pointed to a dark outline on his right front, which appeared indistinct in the moonlight.

"There's a small grove over there. The trees aren't too dense, but they're enough to provide some shelter. We'll rest there and set off again at daybreak tomorrow."

The three quickly left the open road and, under the cover of night, entered the grove of trees. Some of the trees in the grove were withered, and the branches and leaves were not very lush.

"Let's take turns keeping watch," Xie Yingtang said in a deep and clear voice, as he began assigning tasks. "Wang Xiao will keep the first shift, I'll keep the second shift, and Xu Xiaoyan will keep the last shift."