The relentless rain, day 30.
Low-lying corners of the world have already been largely submerged.
That continuous downpour, for humanity, was not only a test of physical endurance but also of mental fortitude.
For the people, there's never any certainty that the rain will continue tomorrow.
Nor do they know if they themselves will have a tomorrow.
Amidst this apocalyptic atmosphere, pessimism spreads unabated.
Southern City, Salvation Army, within the factory.
The factory outskirts are still teeming with Zombies, and the people inside these tall protective fences don't look much different from the Zombies.
Even, judging from their eyes, these people seem even more crazed, wild, and brutal than the Zombies.
At this moment, the Salvation Army has only about 300 people left.
Cannibalism among one's own kind, such is the horror.
This rainstorm is both a test of human nature and a descent into moral decay.
Under the torrential rain, it's hard to tell if it's morning or evening.
At some point, the rain started to lessen, transforming from a downpour into a drizzle.
At the edge of the sky, faint sunlight appears like a shy girl stealthily lifting a corner of the dark clouds, casting light upon the land.
The heavy clouds seem to be slowly dispelled, layer by layer, weakened.
The falling rain shifts as if a burly man from Northwest River roared past singing of the Great East River, suddenly morphing into a gentle Jiangnan maiden.
From violent outbursts to a delicate drizzle.
It takes but mere minutes.
At the edge of the sky, the sunlight no longer timid, becomes more daring, transforming from modesty to audacity, boldly casting its glow into every corner.
That patch of sunlight, fiery red, hangs in the west.
It's already the setting sun.
The fading sun like blood, illuminates the walls of the base, and below the wall, patterns are mottled.
But on the higher section of the wall, incessantly washed by rainwater, it looks exceptionally smooth, like a mirror reflecting sunlight onto the Zombies below the wall.
The Zombies, too, slowly become calm, their ferocious faces illuminated and reflected by the light.
Zombies dislike light and gradually retreat backward, pouring into the dark areas of the forest, but clearly, the forest can hardly accommodate so many Zombies.
Hence, even more Zombies wander off to farther places.
Everyone in the base watches as the Zombies retreat like a receding tide, the sound of the rain softens, the howling of the Zombies gradually fades away.
All is silent. The world seems to grow quiet.
From some corner, a frog croaks followed by a chirping insect.
As if testing the waters, when their calls encounter no danger, they start to become bold, with insect chirrings and frog croakings forming a chorus.
The pooled water on the wall slides down, colliding with the ground, emitting a pitter-patter sound.
Everyone wanted to shout for joy, but seeing the zombies retreating in the distance, they feared attracting them again, so they suppressed the elation in their hearts.
Zombies! They're finally retreating!
"Big brother, the zombies are finally retreating!" Li Hang, standing beside Li Yu, said to him. His face was filled with a happy smile, which, under the sun, seemed to be covered in gold.
"Mm," Li Yu replied with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.
To Li Yu's right stood Song Min, who had earlier volunteered to help resist the zombies, but Li Yu had asked her to heal her injuries before assisting.
It wasn't until a few days ago that her wounds had mostly healed, and Li Yu allowed her to come out and help. Women proving to be equal to men, Song Min was very quick at killing zombies and also very strong.
At this moment, Song Min felt a flood of emotions. She deeply understood how difficult it was to resist a Zombie Tide; the last time, she had nearly died in one. This time's Zombie Tide was undoubtedly the most prolonged in history, but she hadn't expected that under Li Yu's leadership and with the strength of the walls, everyone would unite and, fortunately, get through it unscathed.
Furthermore, during this Zombie Tide, everyone had gotten ample rest, and each person had played their part to the fullest. The construction of the organization and the perfection of its system increased everyone's recognition of and confidence in the base.
Resisting the zombies together, especially during such a prolonged Zombie Tide, required mutual warmth and help. This undoubtedly brought everyone closer together.
Some people stand together in face of difficulties.
Others turn on one another, slaughtering and cannibalizing each other in adversity.
At the root of it all is food!
This is a cruel world, where if one can avoid starvation, they can regard morality, righteousness, integrity, and honor. But when starvation threatens, human nature's darker side is magnified, driving people to commit acts previously unimaginable.
Without a transcendent figure to lead the people across eras, it's hard for them to persist.
Most people ignore pie-in-the-sky promises and value concrete benefits more.
First, talk about survival, and then ideals.
Food security is one of the most critical issues in the post-apocalyptic world, second only to the zombies.
For the base, although there is a considerable stockpile of food and much unthreshed rice left.
However, it's always best to be prepared, to resolve the issue before a food crisis arises.
Li Yu wasn't the only person thinking about this; Second Uncle thought of it, too.
Walking over from the wall, he said to Li Yu, "Yu, we should start planting the late rice now. It's June, and we need to seize the farming season."
Li Yu nodded at the words, replying, "I was just thinking about this problem. The heavy rain has dragged on too long; luckily, it has stopped. Otherwise, we would be too late."
Second Uncle added, "Alright, then I'll make arrangements. Our original five acres, along with those terrace fields in the mountains, should all be plantable now. With the river high and the weather warm, we need to hurry."
Li Yu immediately said, "The vegetables we planted before, and the corn, were all ruined by the heavy rain. We need to replant them."
Second Uncle voiced his agreement and then descended from the wall as he needed to make preparations. Hybrids seeds had been stockpiled before and could stay viable for a few years.
But now, basically, no seeds are available for purchase, and we can only use our conventional seeds and cultivate our seedlings. These saved seeds may not yield as much as hybrids, but they are carefully selected for purity.
Moreover, many of the seeds are original and not second-generation, so they can maintain a certain purity up to the third generation.
Farming is a big deal, and Second Uncle and the others would be busy for a while. Grandpa has farmed all his life and is more than capable of handling such planting.
In earlier years, Li Yu's father and uncle told Grandpa to stop tending the fields as it was too exhausting. They gave him a monthly allowance for retirement, suggesting he should enjoy his twilight years.
But the old man couldn't be persuaded; he simply couldn't stop. At over 60 years old, he was still robust.
Thus, they managed some land — not as much as before — and this busy life brought them peace and stability.