Disaster Apocalypse: Farming, Family, and My Hidden Secret Space

"I know this request is excessive, but I still want to ask the village chief to give me a chance. When we reach Shangrao Village, you can meet my family; they are really honest farmers, definitely not ones to deceive, gossip, or spread rumors. Of course, it's fine if you disagree; Liu Kai understands. I owe not only my life but also the opportunity to return to Shangrao Village to the village chief and the brothers of Hua Village. Liu Kai will definitely remember this kindness…" As he spoke, Liu Kai, who couldn't stand and was sitting on a wooden stretcher, gave a solemn bow.

Being carried all the way by the brothers of Hua Village with such effort, this bow was well-deserved.

"Be careful not to move," Hua Qiang, walking beside the stretcher, warned Liu Kai.

Hua Qiang felt a liking for this man who was a bit younger than him. No matter what, at least his words were not unpleasant, and he was perceptive.

If someone like this wanted to join Hua Village, Hua Qiang and the others wouldn't resist.

Besides, it was Hua Qiang who set this man's leg; he wasn't sure how well it was done. If the village chief agreed, Hua Qiang hoped the man would go back to Hua Village with them so a proper doctor could take a look.

"Thank you, I'm fine," Liu Kai said gratefully, glancing at Hua Qiang.

Old Man Hua said nothing, seriously assessing Liu Kai.

The man's character seemed decent at the moment; even though both legs were broken, returning to Hua Village wasn't out of the question. He said to meet his family first.

While Old Man Hua was hesitating, Hua Jin, who was walking beside him, couldn't help but glance at the man with broken legs several more times. His emotional intelligence was reasonably high; he understood how to speak properly, and this tactic of retreating to advance was well executed.

The feeling wasn't unpleasant, unlike some people who left a very bad impression on her at first glance, akin to beasts.

Whether those two legs could be preserved was uncertain; Hua Jin was reserved in her opinion of Uncle Hua Qiang's medical skills.

Involuntarily, she glanced at this man's legs; the decision to insist on returning to their village was right. Nowadays, it's very difficult to find a doctor in Shanggu Town.

However, this wasn't her concern; he was just one among many. Her grandfather should make such decisions.

Grandfather had a keen eye for judging people.

Under Liu Kai's hopeful gaze, seeing this man who seemed decent, Old Man Hua finally didn't give a definitive answer.

"Let's talk about it when we get there."

This was already enough to make Liu Kai happy.

Not being directly rejected meant there was still hope.

Liu Kai nodded hurriedly, "I'll follow the village chief's decision."

With his mind somewhat at ease, he was even more eager to return to the village.

He had been away from home for several days, still worried about his family. When he left, his father's health wasn't good, and there were the children. Thinking of these things made Liu Kai anxious to return.

As he grew more apprehensive, they approached Shangrao Village. Through a sparse forest, he could see the village's ruins from afar.

"We're there, village chief. Just beyond this forest is Shangrao Village." Finally returning, Liu Kai couldn't help but feel excited. If he weren't immobile, he might have run ahead.

Old Man Hua nodded, and they quickly entered the forest.

The familiar ruins once again, almost every village couldn't escape this fate.

"Village chief Hua, my home is at the end of the village. I'm sorry to trouble you all."

Old Man Hua waved his hand.

Meanwhile, the sudden arrival of so many strangers in Shangrao Village scared the few remaining villagers considerably. Those who were tidying up their homes had no time to hide elsewhere; they could only quickly pull their kids into their temporary shacks, hoping these people were just passing by.

People working outside vanished instantly, a speed that astounded Xiao Si, who couldn't help but open his mouth.

"Sister, are we that scary?" Clearly, they were all kind people, and Xiao Si was puzzled.

"No, but we are strangers; it's normal for them to be cautious," Hua Jin whispered.

Xiao Si understood somewhat and nodded.

The people in the Shangrao Village shacks also observed the group entering the village.

Everyone carried belongings, looking unlike bandits or villains. Besides, they had nothing worth stealing; only scraps were left at home, and the crops weren't worth mentioning. They only ate wild vegetables. As for grain seeds, anyone who survived planted them in the ground immediately, fearing they couldn't hold onto them.

However, Shangrao Village wasn't on the main road; it was relatively remote. What were these people doing here?

Especially when some of the men were clearly stronger than them, making the old and young in Shangrao Village hesitant to move.

"Dear, does that person being carried look familiar?"

As Old Man Hua and the others moved deeper into the village, they were spotted by the people of Shangrao Village. A woman peered through a tent slit, pointing at the person on the stretcher and spoke quietly to her husband.

Her voice was very low, fearing those outside would hear.

The woman's husband hadn't been paying attention, but upon hearing her, he took a closer look. Indeed, the person on the stretcher seemed somewhat familiar.

Though he looked quite miserable, with a face bruised and hard to recognize, his overall outline was indeed familiar.

Thinking hard for a moment, he couldn't quite place him.

It was his wife who reminded him.

"Dear, the more I look, the more he resembles Liu Kai of the He family."

"Liu Kai?"

Indeed, the more he looked, the more similar he seemed. When he met the excited and familiar eyes of the person on the stretcher, the man hit his leg with a realization and stood up, startling the woman beside him.

It wasn't just a resemblance; it was indeed Liu Kai, who had been missing for days.

Actually, for those who left the village and didn't return, everyone silently understood that there was a high chance they had met an unfortunate fate.

It was truly surprising; they never expected someone they thought was gone to turn up.

Moreover, appearing in Shangrao Village carried by so many people, all with items on their backs, a majority looking healthier than them; most importantly, they didn't appear to be fierce or menacing.

…Perhaps things weren't as they feared.

Once again focusing his gaze on Liu Kai, considering the situation of Liu Kai's family, Zhao Daxin in the tent couldn't stay put. He was prepared to leave the tent but was caught by the woman beside him.

"Dear, what are you trying to do?"

"Wife, I'm going out to take a look?"

"No way, it's too dangerous," the woman tightly held her husband's arm.

Though it seemed safe now, these people hadn't disturbed them, but that didn't mean there was no danger.

"Wife, look carefully at Liu Kai's expression. If it were dangerous, he wouldn't show such an expression."

"Is it really Liu Kai?" The woman looked closely again.

"Yes, it's him. Those eyes are exactly like Liu Kai's."

Liu Kai's eyes were his most distinctive feature, bigger and more beautiful than most women's eyes, with double eyelids.

"It really is..."

"I need to quickly warn him and prepare him mentally."