Jing Shu couldn't find the right words to describe it, but there were certainly people wealthier than those who came with their own mansions, like the richest man in Xishan, Qian Duoduo.
"We were sent over here precisely because we have no connections. You know about the government workers' community, right? Tens of thousands of people live there. Yesterday, they were all moved into Qian Duoduo's house. I can't even imagine how big his place must be."
Some people had mobile mansions, but the richest man practically owned a mountain range, taking in tens of thousands of people during the disaster.
Qian Duoduo: You wouldn't believe me if I told you, but even I don't know how big my own house is.
As they passed Cave No. 5, Jing Shu's uncle greeted Su Lanzhi. Her aunt barely had time for a quick glance. "This cave will do."
When they passed Cave No. 6, there wasn't even room to stretch their legs. People were crammed in shoulder to shoulder, some half-lying on the ground. The mud and red nematodes at their feet were wriggling everywhere. Her aunt scolded Jing Shu for dressing herself like she was going to war.
She had been dismissive at first, but when they reached Cave No. 7, her face turned pale. It was even smaller than No. 6. There was no way to squeeze in three hundred people. Just standing there was already uncomfortably tight.
"How are we supposed to sleep in here?"
"Exactly. We should just go back to Xishan to sleep. The higher ground won't flood."
"Come on, at least hold out for two days until the water recedes!"
The crowd was restless, their voices overlapping. Jing Shu took the chance to excuse herself.
Her aunt, a former pyramid scheme veteran, was skilled with words and authority. She quickly calmed the crowd, sending over a dozen people to find shelter elsewhere and arranging shifts of more than fifty people. With this plan, everyone at least had a spot to rest.
Back in her own cleaned-up tent, Jing Shu removed her raincoat. Xiao Dou pecked at the red nematodes clinging to it, clearing them off. She sat down with a warm cup of brown sugar ginger tea.
"Your uncle and aunt really managed to settle so many people? I know your aunt. She's definitely coming here to ask us to take a few in. If we refuse, we'll offend both sides, and your uncle will be caught in the middle." Su Lanzhi sliced bread while she spoke, puzzled why her daughter had suddenly made a dozen large loaves.
"If she wants to bring people over, that's fine—as long as they can contribute. The people in our community won't object. Mom, what if Aunt asks to stay here herself?"
"Of course she can stay. We're family. But we only have seven single tents. Your dad and I will squeeze into one, and I'll give one to Su Long. There's still space on the boat. But family or not, if they only take and never give back, I won't agree. We'll see what she says." Su Lanzhi still felt bitter about Su Meimei's betrayal.
Jing Shu gave her a thumbs-up. Her mom had changed a lot too.
As Su Lanzhi predicted, her aunt arrived soon after—this time not empty-handed. She brought a palm-sized turtle.
"Look at this. Su Long caught it in the water two days ago. It died this morning, but it's still fresh. We planned to make soup, but we don't have a stove. So, I brought it to you."
Jing Shu turned her head and said, "That's not a softshell turtle, that's a regular turtle. Making soup with it would be such a waste. Let's use it to make medicinal wine instead."
This was an unexpected bonus. A turtle at this time? She'd have to visit Su Long's fishing spot to see if there were more. Turtles had great medicinal value, especially when brewed with snakes. Such a tonic was perfect for the second year of the apocalypse.
Now she just needed a snake. Where could she get one? Wait, weren't there two snakes in Cave No. 4? Maybe she could use them for turtle-snake wine.
When she was reborn, she'd been too busy gathering essential supplies. She hadn't bothered with animals like turtles or snakes, thinking they took up space and food. Now that she could afford to raise them, regret crept in.
Unfortunately, this turtle was already dead, so she could only store it fresh in the Rubik's Cube Space. If it were alive, she would've raised it to breed more.
Her aunt gave an awkward laugh. "Who knows what it was. Anyway, you've got stoves and pots. Cook it however you like. Jing Shu, I came to ask a favor. Can Su Long sleep here? Just him. Lao Su and I won't come."
…
Wang Fang successfully moved fifty people from Cave No. 7 to No. 5. This made Cave No. 7 less crowded, and Cave No. 5, where Jing Shu was, remained relatively spacious.
Of course, these fifty weren't staying for free. They were willing to work.
"There are a lot of bricks near the eco-park plaza from dismantled mansions. Everyone should bring at least a hundred bricks each. There are also plenty of stones and deadwood in the caves. Gather those too.
After dark, the caves will be cold and damp. If the rain keeps falling, they'll flood. At the very least, we need to raise the sleeping areas and keep warm. Heating stones in a controlled fire pit is the best way."
Jing Shu patted Wu You'ai on the shoulder with a smile. "That's all I can help you with."
Wu You'ai had never admired Jing Shu so much. She'd worried when she heard fifty more people were coming, thinking it'd cause tension and conflict.
But Jing Shu's words not only pleased both groups, they even earned Wu You'ai some political points. This was the true meaning of killing three birds with one stone. Jing Shu got free labor, taught everyone how to stay warm, and energized the whole community.
The fifty newcomers handled brick and stone transport. The community residents elevated the ground with bricks, arranged stones into square-shaped fire pits, and filled them with dry wood. It was essentially underfloor heating, evenly spreading warmth, keeping the cave dry and comfortable.
Jing Shu had her reasons. If everyone was happy, they wouldn't cause trouble when they saw her family enjoying heaters and hot meals. Plus, she benefited too. A warm cave at night was a blessing.
Helping others was often helping herself.
"This is probably killing five birds with one stone while keeping my contributions hidden, right? What's better than directing others to achieve your goals while you relax and enjoy your meal?"
So, when Jing Shu's family sat down to a lavish lunch, no one noticed. Everyone else was too busy preparing for the night.
Jing Shu didn't realize her actions had saved her from a big problem.
Zhou Dafu and Zhou Dasheng passed through Cave No. 5 several times, scouting the area.
"When the time comes, you bring fifty men and rush in. Sit on the ground and refuse to leave. I'll already be there, and I'll toss the snakes over. Then you scream, 'Help! There's a snake!' My guys will call Zhou Daheng over."
===
Just a quick personal note about After Killing Dao Partner, the Villainess Becomes the Demon Ancestor (✧ω✧)
I've translated all the chapters so far, and honestly? I'm really impressed. This novel is not your typical xianxia—schemes and plots are at the heart of the story. From the early chapters, you'll see layers upon layers of intrigue, and even beyond chapter 100, the scheming stays intense. You can't just skip to the fight scenes—the story lives in the tension, the planning, the clever maneuvers. It's almost like Gōngdòu (宫斗) but in a xianxia world, which is super rare and exciting to see.
Yun Qingyue, the protagonist, is sharp, ruthless, and not a saint. Watching her navigate the schemes, outwit her enemies, and crush anyone in her way is strangely satisfying. And when the fights do happen? They're well-written and complement the intrigue rather than overshadow it.
Personally, I also really enjoy the author's distinctive style. Translating it gave me this unique feeling that I haven't experienced in other novels—it's clever, tense, and full of character.
So yeah… if you want a xianxia that's more than just cultivation and fights, one that's full of clever schemes, morally gray characters, and surprises, I'd definitely recommend giving this a shot. It's one of those novels that keeps you thinking and entertained at the same time (≧▽≦)