Reborn One Week Before the Apocalypse

Chapter 367: Chapter 357: Lying in Wait

Sure enough, Tang Mo hadn’t been sitting on the floor for long before a knock sounded on the hardware store’s door.

Hearing the knock, Tang Mo took a moment to think. First, she ruled out the possibility that the mutant beasts outside knew how to knock.

Then she concluded that the banner Aunt Hua had written must have actually worked.

Although Tang Mo hadn’t seen anyone on the street, there were actually quite a few groups crossing it every day. However, any group choosing to pass through would naturally wait until the street was empty before venturing out.

After all, these groups were large, and the cost of crossing the street once—using food to feed the Meat Dragons—was immense.

They naturally didn’t want outsiders taking advantage of them. Besides, the presence of outsiders could easily divert the Red-eyed Meat Dragons’ attention onto their group, causing unnecessary casualties.

Tang Mo beat Aunt Hua to her feet and went to open the door. She had barely opened it a crack when someone yanked it wide open from the outside.

”How much food do you have? Hand it over, quick. We’re leaving.”

Outside the door was a man with a large beard and a vicious, menacing expression.

”Hurry up! Stop dawdling. We don’t have time.”

Groups usually fed the Meat Dragons very little. A small amount of food was only enough to distract the creatures—with their gaping, blood-red maws—for a few minutes.

”Can you motherfuckers hurry up! I’m being too nice to you.”

The bearded man was in a hurry to leave. Seeing that the people inside weren’t moving, he grew anxious and started forcing the door open to get in.

He had glanced inside when he first pushed the door open and saw only women and children, which was why he spoke so rudely.

”We’re not going.”

Aunt Hua had appeared beside Tang Mo at some point and was now pushing against the door, trying to shut it again.

”You’re courting death! How dare you mess with me!”

The bearded man had knocked on the door expecting to collect from a ”big spender” after seeing the banner. He never imagined he’d be tricked, wasting nearly a minute of time bought with food—a minute where every second was priceless.

”Big spender” was the rather blunt and concise nickname that team leaders gave to people who joined their ranks by offering food.

Feeling he’d been made a fool of, the bearded man put more force into his arms, preparing to barge in.

Anyone who dared to hang a banner to attract a group must have food to spare. It didn’t matter if they didn’t come with him, as long as he could get his hands on that food. It would even save him some trouble.

The bearded man now had every intention of robbing and killing them. Since he’d already wasted time, there was no way he was leaving empty-handed.

’Just a few women and children in this room,’ he thought. ’Taking care of them would only take a few seconds.’

Seeing the man’s expression change, Aunt Hua immediately sensed the danger. She put more strength into her arms, using her entire body’s weight to hold the door shut and keep him out.

Da Bao, being a very perceptive child, saw that things were going badly. He immediately put Er Bao aside and came over to help his mother block the door.

Aunt Hua was strong, and Da Bao had strength that seemed unnatural for a six- or seven-year-old boy.

But even so, the mother and son’s combined strength was far less than that of the brawny, bearded man. The door was on the verge of being pushed open.

Just then, a sudden force seemed to emerge from behind the door. With a BANG, it was slammed shut again.

Tang Mo’s movements were swift and nimble. The instant the door closed, she threw the lock from the inside.

”Fuck!”

The sound of cursing came from outside.

The door wasn’t actually that sturdy. If the bearded man really wanted to force his way in, he could probably break it down in moments.

But they didn’t have that kind of time. The Meat Dragons they’d fed would return to their ravenous state in just a few minutes.

The bearded man had seen that Tang Mo and the children inside all looked sallow and emaciated. He figured that even if he broke in, the food inside might not even be worth the cost of feeding the Meat Dragons a second time. It wasn’t worth it.

So, after weighing his options, he decisively gave up and led his people away.

Hearing the people outside finally leave, Aunt Hua leaned against the door and slowly sank to the floor.

She had just used every last ounce of her strength. ’Thank god,’ she thought. ’We made it through another crisis.’

”Mama, Mama, are you okay?”

Seeing his mother in such a state, Da Bao was terrified. He quickly squatted down, pulled the piece of candy Tang Mo had just given him from his pocket, and tried to put it in Aunt Hua’s mouth.

”Mama won’t eat it. You keep it.”

Aunt Hua stopped her son’s hand.

”Just let Mama sit for a bit, okay? Be a good boy and go play with your sister.”

Aunt Hua still had a smile on her face as she stroked Da Bao’s head.

Tang Mo knew that the smile on Aunt Hua’s face was completely forced, put on for fear of worrying her son.

She had just used her spiritual power to check on Aunt Hua’s physical condition.

Aunt Hua’s condition was very poor. Contrary to her appearance, she wasn’t nearly as sturdy and healthy as she looked on the outside.

But it was easy to understand if one thought about it. Aunt Hua was trying to survive out here with two children.

The older one needed to eat, so Aunt Hua saved almost everything for Da Bao, reluctant to eat anything herself. Hunger had become a constant state for her.

The younger one needed milk. Aunt Hua, who was barely getting any nutrients herself, had to breastfeed every day, transferring what little she had to her child.

She barely had enough energy each day to escape danger, let alone support two children. Just thinking about it, Tang Mo felt this was a task no ordinary person could accomplish.

Under such circumstances, for Aunt Hua to have maintained a clear head and an optimistic attitude was truly no easy feat.

”Aunt Hua, come, let me help you over there to rest.”

Tang Mo took Aunt Hua’s arm and helped her further inside, where some sofa cushions would be much more comfortable than the floor.

As Tang Mo’s hand touched Aunt Hua’s arm, a thread of spiritual power was secretly channeled into the woman’s body.

As soon as the girl, Qiao Jin, began helping her, Aunt Hua felt her body become inexplicably lighter. The pain and dizziness she’d felt before seemed to have vanished.

Aunt Hua had no idea why this miraculous change had occurred. She could only chalk it up to having a special affinity with the girl, Qiao Jin, and her fondness for her grew even deeper.

Once Aunt Hua was sitting on the soft sofa cushions, she felt as if all her discomfort had vanished. Her body felt incredibly refreshed, as if she could run another ten kilometers. Overjoyed, she happily grabbed Tang Mo’s hand and wouldn’t let go.

Tang Mo wasn’t used to physical contact with others; she had only supported Aunt Hua to make it easier to transfer her spiritual power.

Being held by the hand now felt a little strange, but she didn’t find it unpleasant.

Aunt Hua’s hand was rough, but it was warm.

It reminded Tang Mo of the past. Back when Lin Yi had to manage the supermarket and take care of her all by herself, her hands had been like this, too. Those rough palms had braided her hair, washed her clothes, and cooked her meals. They were the gentlest hands in the world.