Chapter 209: The Phoenix Man Who Soared Before the Apocalypse – 14

“Alright then, let’s go with grilled cold noodles. Give me the deluxe version, make as many as you can.”

“You got it!” The vendor excitedly fired up the pan and started working with practiced efficiency.

Everyone watched this scene unfold in disbelief.

“…”

Seriously? These two are this calm?

At a time like this, one dares to buy, and the other dares to sell…

Respect. Truly, respect.

That kind of composure was something they could all learn from.

They were filled with admiration.

Expressionless, everyone just stood there watching the vendor grill cold noodles. The rich aroma quickly filled the entire room, and someone couldn’t help but swallow.

By the time the twentieth portion was done, the sound of police sirens echoed from outside. The beeping was loud and frequent, clearly indicating a large number of officers had arrived.

Everyone rushed to the window in excitement, pressing their faces against the glass, eager to see what was happening outside.

Only the vendor uncle remained unfazed, completely focused on grilling his cold noodles, undistracted by the chaos outside.

By the time he reached the thirtieth portion, several police officers had approached the dangerous individuals. Some held nets, others wielded batons, and a few carried shields. They slowly advanced toward the suspects.

A little further back, several armed officers stood with guns raised, providing cover.

Everyone watched the scene unfold with excitement. They were going to be saved.

By the fortieth portion, the second and third suspects had been apprehended one after another.

By the fiftieth portion, the police had completed their sweep and lifted the danger alert. The market’s broadcast system came back on.

【The area is now safe. Please leave as quickly as possible once outside. Do not linger. If anyone is injured, please gather at the entrance. The medical team is already waiting there.】

Hearing this, the vendor uncle wiped the sweat from his forehead, brought on by the heat.

Good. Luckily he worked fast and managed to make this many in time. Even if he didn’t open for business today, it didn’t matter anymore.

The group inside the shop, upon hearing the announcement, immediately rushed to the door. Working together, they once again lifted the heavy rolling shutter and left.

Seeing this, Shen Xiuyan quickly paid for the food and gave a respectful nod. “Thanks for your hard work, boss.”

“No trouble at all, it’s my duty. You’ve got a lot here, though. Want me to help carry it out for you?” the vendor offered warmly. After all, he’d made a decent profit, and his conscience wouldn’t let him just walk away.

Besides, after going through something like this together, they’d forged a solid bond of revolutionary friendship.

Men’s friendships could form in an instant—just like that.

Shen Xiuyan nodded solemnly. “Hey, then I won’t be polite. My car’s not far, just at the end of the street.”

“Alright, let’s go. I’ll need to clean up and head home soon too. Looks like business is done for the day.”

They walked out with the freshly made food and saw police officers gathered along the street.

The officers were shouting through megaphones, “Don’t loiter. Head home immediately. If you’re feeling unwell, go to the hospital right away. Today’s incident may have been caused by a new type of virus. Everyone, take proper precautions.”

The vendor shook his head helplessly. “So it really was that virus. Scary stuff.”

“Tell me about it,” Shen Xiuyan agreed. “Stocking up on food at home is the smart move.”

“You’re absolutely right.”

“This is my car. Just put the stuff in the back seat.”

“Got it.” After loading the food, the vendor closed the door and waved. He didn’t forget to add, “Come again next time. I’ll give you a discount.”

“Will do.”

*

The first thing Shen Xiuyan did when he got home was lock all the doors and windows. In this tense atmosphere, he couldn’t help but feel a little on edge.

To ease the anxiety, he decided to keep himself busy.

He picked up the phone and dialed his parents, who lived far away in a remote mountain village.

Why hadn’t he warned them earlier to stock up on food? Because Shen Xiuyan knew they wouldn’t need to. Saying too much might only cause them unnecessary panic.

Their village was deep in the mountains, surrounded on three sides by peaks. There was only one road in or out, and even driving to the county seat took over an hour.

There were no cars in the village. The wealthiest families only had a tractor at most.

Because the journey was such a hassle, most villagers didn’t go to the county even once a year.

They were fully self-sufficient.

There were rice fields behind the village, and every household grew vegetables.

Even livestock was raised at home. For people as poor as them, eating meat daily wasn’t realistic, so the poultry they raised was more than enough to meet their needs.

From that perspective, the Apocalypse would barely affect them.

When the end came, maybe a few villagers would turn into zombies, but it wouldn’t be a big issue. Compared to densely populated cities, they were far more likely to survive.

At least in the novel, they lived on just fine. Even after the original host died, they were still alive and well.

Shen Xiuyan didn’t want to alter the plot too much. He was afraid that the butterfly effect from his interference might cause unexpected changes over there.

The only reason he was making this call now was to remind them to be cautious and take protective measures.

Beep… beep…

The call was quickly answered. “Hello~ Who is this?”

“Dad, it’s me.”

The elderly male voice on the other end immediately grew excited and a bit incredulous upon hearing the familiar voice.

“Da Wa! You finally remembered to call us. How’s everything going in B City?”

“All good. Everything’s fine.”

“So when are you coming back to visit? You haven’t been home since you graduated. Your mom and I miss you terribly.”

Shen Xiuyan chuckled awkwardly. “I’ve just been busy.”

Just as he finished speaking, a young female voice came from the background. She sounded like she wasn’t very old.

“Busy, my foot. I think he just wants to cut ties with us. It’s been years since he graduated, and he’s never sent a single cent home. You can’t even reach him by phone. I bet he’s living the good life now and looks down on us. Doesn’t want anything to do with us anymore.”

Shen Xiuyan: “…”

Girl, you’re not wrong. That really was what the original host thought. You hit the nail on the head. Seems like there’s at least one smart person in this family.

But Father Shen didn’t appreciate those words. He scolded sharply, “Er Wa, what kind of talk is that? He’s your brother. How can you think of him that way?”

So the girl who had just spoken was Shen Xiuyan’s younger sister—Shen Xiumei.

“Hmph, you always take his side. Tell me, which part of what I said wasn’t true—” Her voice trailed off, apparently storming off in frustration.

Father Shen sighed. “Don’t take it to heart. It’s just that you’ve been gone too long. I figure she just misses you. Think about how close you two were before you went off to college.”

“I get it, I get it. How could I hold a grudge against a little girl?” Shen Xiuyan replied with a light tone. “Don’t worry. I’ll definitely come back within two months, tops.”

Hearing that, Father Shen was so excited he nearly dropped the phone. “Ah!”

“Good, good. We’ll be waiting for you at home.”

— Translator’s Notes —

• Da Wa: A rural Chinese term of endearment meaning ‘big baby’ or ‘first child,’ indicating Shen Xiuyan is the eldest son in the family.

• Er Wa: Meaning ‘second baby,’ indicating this is Shen Xiuyan’s younger sister, the second child in the family.

• butterfly effect: A concept where small changes can lead to large consequences, referencing the idea that even minor alterations to the story’s predetermined events could have significant impacts.