A Fake Holy Mother in the Zombie Apocalypse

The young man, after inspecting everyone's metal tags, turned to leave. Bei Nuan quickly grabbed his arm.

“Wait a minute. What do these metal tags actually mean?”

The young man glanced again at the 'F' tag on Bei Nuan's chest. “I think it's better you don't know.”

He turned to leave again, but this time, before Bei Nuan could react, Lu Xingchi suddenly reached out and grabbed him by the collar.

The young man was effortlessly pulled back.

Lu Xingchi's strength was on a completely different level from Bei Nuan's.

Gripped by the collar, the young man struggled to breathe.

Lu Xingchi spoke, “She asked you something. What do the letters mean?”

The young man trembled with fear. “Don't hurt me, I'll tell you. Old Hu has a very special ability. Just by looking at someone, he can tell whether they'll live a long and peaceful life, or die easily.”

Lu Xingchi frowned, summarizing for him, “You mean the probability of survival?”

The young man nodded vigorously. “Exactly! The letter on the metal tag represents your survival probability.”

Survival probability?

This was completely unexpected for Bei Nuan.

The young man explained, “'A' is the highest. Very few people get an 'A' tag from Old Hu. But so far on the island, no matter what happens, no one with an 'A' has ever died.”

He continued, “Not many people get a 'B' either. People die every day on the island, but I haven't seen anyone with a 'B' tag die.”

“A 'C' tag is also alright, so many 'C's take on those dangerous but high-paying jobs.”

Bei Nuan understood. The "wolf grandmother" had a 'C' tag, which is why she dared to venture outside the island, infested with zombies, to become a human trafficker.

The young man went on, “A 'D' tag is barely passable. As for 'E' tags like us, we're practically half-buried already.”

He glanced at Bei Nuan again. “As for 'F' tags… you have no idea how many 'F's have died on this island. Starved to death, died from illness, murdered, broken their necks while working…”

He rambled on, but Bei Nuan remained unconvinced.

It was all just a bunch of mumbo jumbo.

It was obvious that in the apocalypse, especially in a lawless place like the island where only the strong survived, the younger and stronger individuals were more likely to live.

People like Lu Xingchi, just by standing there, were clearly at the top of the food chain, living the good life.

As for Bei Nuan, with her thin arms and legs, she'd probably lose a fight against a goose. Clearly not suited for survival, she could disappear without a trace at any moment.

Tang Tang, for example, though not as physically imposing as Lu Xingchi and the others, was still much better off than Bei Nuan, so his 'C' tag seemed about right.

“Isn't this obvious?” Bei Nuan said, pointing at Lu Xingchi. “He's so much stronger than me; of course, his survival probability is higher than mine. Do we really need a tag hanging around our necks to tell us that?”

The young man immediately sensed her skepticism and shook his head.

“It has nothing to do with physical strength,” he said ominously, his tone a little frightening.

“The tag represents your fate.”

He continued mysteriously.

“A few days ago, some newcomers arrived. One of them was huge, all muscle, supposedly a former underground boxer. Old Hu gave him an 'F'.”

“That guy didn't believe it either and went about his business as usual. Not long after, he tried to rob someone. He almost got away with it, but he slipped and fell onto the other guy's knife and died.”

The young man added, “The person he robbed was a skinny little 'B', whose thighs weren't even as thick as the boxer's arms. I'm telling you, this kind of thing has happened before, many times. It's always like this.”

Bei Nuan subconsciously clutched the metal tag on her chest, speechless.

The young man continued, “So, Old Hu giving you an 'F' tag means: you're definitely going to die.”

Bei Nuan found a point to argue.

“What's so special about definitely dying? Everyone dies eventually, right?”

“He means,” the young man actually smiled, a chilling smile, “you're going to die, and in this apocalypse, you'll die pretty quickly.”

His eyes and tone were sinister, a little frightening, and Bei Nuan shivered.

Suddenly, Bei Nuan understood why the group of people who tried to steal the tent last night immediately dropped it and ran when they saw Lu Xingchi's 'A' tag.

On this island, who would fight someone destined not to die?

If he can't die, then it's you who will die.

Of course, they'd run as far away as possible.

“Don't listen to his nonsense,” Lu Xingchi said to Bei Nuan, releasing the young man.

With Lu Xingchi speaking, the young man didn't dare to retort and silently slipped away.

The group continued to stroll through the streets.

At least one thing he said wasn't a lie: the 'A' tags did seem very rare.

Du Ruo had just pulled out his tag, letting it dangle outside his clothes, and many eyes were drawn to his chest, filled with envy.

'F' is 'F', Bei Nuan thought. The fact that Du Ruo managed to get an 'A' from Old Hu just by pestering him made the credibility of the tags questionable.

Bei Nuan's attention was soon captured by the bizarre items in the market, completely forgetting about the tag.

As she wandered, she came across a barbecue stall.

The items being grilled were smaller than quails, looking like little sparrows.

A fire burned beside the stall, and the plucked birds sizzled on the grill.

The aroma of roasted meat drifted down the street.

A small, thin child, looking about eight or nine years old, with a dirty face and closely cropped hair, was tending the stall.

But Bei Nuan instinctively felt that it was a girl.

As Bei Nuan examined the roasted sparrows, the girl quietly asked, “Are you the 'F' who hangs around with all those 'A's?”

News traveled fast here. It seemed everyone knew.

Bei Nuan generously pulled out the 'F' tag on her neck for the girl to see.

The girl, looking at Bei Nuan's 'F' tag, didn't react as dramatically as the young man earlier.

She glanced at Lu Xingchi and the others behind Bei Nuan and lowered her voice. “I think you should stay away from them. You might live longer that way.”

Bei Nuan's interest was piqued. “Why?”

Bei Nuan had a pure and beautiful face like an angel, making people instinctively like her. The little girl patiently explained.

It turned out that while the island was a brutal place, with all sorts of vices, it wasn't completely chaotic. They had spontaneously established their own set of rules.

It was a hierarchy.

At the top, of course, were the original bandits who occupied the island.

They controlled the island's resources and lived a life incomparable to the laborers at the bottom. No one dared to provoke them; doing so meant certain death.

The laborers below were also stratified, according to their metal tags.

The differences between the different tags were vast.

For instance, a 'D' would never associate with a 'B'.

The reason was simple: in a place where life was so precarious, if a 'D' and a 'B' were together and encountered danger where one had to die, it would almost certainly be the 'D'.

Therefore, people usually stuck with others of the same tag. It was safer and fairer.

The little girl selling roasted sparrows was called Xiao Shao, and she surprisingly had a 'B' on her metal tag.

Because of her rare 'B' tag, Xiao Shao dared to do something many on the island wouldn't: climb the mountains to catch birds.

Deep in the island's mountains, there was a tall, rocky peak where these small sparrows nested. Roasted, they were delicious and a rare treat in these times of scarcity.

However, the area where these sparrows lived was extremely dangerous.

The cliffs were high, steep, and slippery. One wrong step could lead to a fall, and with rocks everywhere, broken limbs were the least of your worries.

Moreover, there was a venomous snake in the mountains. One bite meant certain death.

Many people had died on the island for a taste of these birds.

Therefore, despite the lack of good food, few were willing to risk catching these sparrows. Working as a laborer for wages was much safer.

Others wouldn't dare, but Xiao Shao did.

She went up the mountain every day to catch birds.

Having a 'B' tag did make a difference. She had never had an accident.

Xiao Shao was a child and couldn't earn much doing manual labor. Selling roasted sparrows for a day earned her no less than ordinary laborers, enough for her to live comfortably.

The islanders' belief in the metal tags bordered on superstition. Although Xiao Shao was young, because of her high-ranking 'B' tag, few people dared to bother her.

After chatting with Bei Nuan for a while, Xiao Shao finally asked, “Sister, do you want to buy a roasted sparrow?”

Bei Nuan was embarrassed. “But I don't have any money.”

The book mentioned that the island still used the local currency of Country N, which Bei Nuan didn't have.

Xiao Shao generously said, “It's okay, I'll give you one. You can pay me when you have money.”

Xiao Shao picked the largest sparrow from the un-skewered pile.

She took out a small, perforated metal can and sprinkled powdered seasoning on the sparrow, wrapping it in a large, green leaf before handing it to Bei Nuan.

It felt like an act of deep sympathy for a doomed 'F'.

Faced with such kindness, Bei Nuan quickly accepted the offering, holding it carefully.

Just as Xiao Shao handed Bei Nuan the sparrow, someone approached.

Most people on the island were thin and sallow, their clothes not exactly ragged, but not good either. This newcomer, however, had a rosy complexion and looked well-nourished, even plump.

He was about forty or fifty years old, with a large belly and a floral shirt.

As soon as Xiao Shao saw him, she immediately picked a skewer of the fattest and largest sparrows, sprinkled them with seasoning, and offered it with both hands.

“Uncle Shi, would you like a skewer? Caught fresh last night, absolutely fresh.”

The man called "Uncle Shi" took the skewer and grinned at Xiao Shao. “Xiao Shao, your roasted sparrows are the best.”

“If you like them, have another one.” Xiao Shao handed Uncle Shi another large skewer.

Satisfied, Uncle Shi held a skewer of roasted sparrows in each hand and was about to leave when his attention suddenly shifted from the sparrows to Bei Nuan.

He seemed to have just noticed the girl standing in front of the stall, his gaze settling on her face.

Like many who saw Bei Nuan's pure and beautiful face for the first time, he was momentarily stunned. Then, he noticed the 'F' tag she had just revealed.

“Little girl,” Uncle Shi raised his sparrow skewers, “want some roasted sparrow?”

Before Bei Nuan could answer, Lu Xingchi pulled her backpack, placing himself in front of her.

Uncle Shi paused, tilting his head back to see Lu Xingchi's face.

Lu Xingchi looked like trouble. Uncle Shi smiled at him, said nothing, and walked away with his sparrow skewers.

“Who was that?” Bei Nuan quietly asked Xiao Shao. “He didn't seem to pay.”

“You can't ask them for money,” Xiao Shao whispered. “Uncle Shi and his kind aren't laborers; they're part of the 'Group'. They don't lack food. He just likes the taste.”

Bei Nuan understood. This Uncle Shi was one of the bandits. The book mentioned that the laborers called them "the Group."

Even if he took the entire stall of roasted sparrows, Xiao Shao wouldn't dare to object.

The group left Xiao Shao's stall and continued walking.

Further ahead, the market ended, and there were no more bungalows.

Near the foot of the mountain, they suddenly came across a strange area.

It was kept at a distance from the densely populated market town.

The entire area was a chaotic mess, without proper houses. Shelters were made of rags propped up by wooden sticks or simply large leaves from the island's plants.

People lived inside.

It was morning. People were setting up stalls in the market, and laborers were heading to work, but there were still many people lying in those makeshift shelters.

Many were dressed in rags, their skin ashen, motionless. It was hard to tell if they were alive or dead.

Du Ruo was curious. “What is that place? What's wrong with those people?”

A passerby carrying a basket up the mountain casually replied, “That's the 'F' Pit.”

“What pit?” Bei Nuan didn't understand.

“The 'F' Pit. It's where a bunch of 'F's gather to wait for death.”

“Why would they live in a place like that?” Bei Nuan asked.

“Building a house costs money, and it takes a long time to save up. They're all dying anyway, living day by day, so they just make do.”

The person answered briefly and then hurried up the mountain to work.

Bei Nuan glanced at the "F' Pit" again, thinking, the people on this island really took these little metal tags seriously?

Bei Nuan was still holding the bird, pondering the matter of the tags, her appetite somewhat diminished.

Seeing that she hadn't eaten, Du Ruo quickly asked, “Aren't you going to eat it? Give it to me then?”

Bei Nuan generously handed him the roasted sparrow.

Du Ruo tore off a skinny bird leg, tasted the meat, and his eyes lit up.

“Bei Nuan, I'm telling you, this is incredibly delicious! Xiao Shao is a great cook. It's perfectly roasted, fragrant, crispy, and crunchy! She even added seasoning, giving it a unique flavor.”

Bei Nuan was skeptical. “Really?”

“I'm not lying. It's really good, fragrant and crispy. You'll regret it if you don't try it.”

Bei Nuan quickly tore off a bird leg herself.

It really was delicious.

The sparrow meat was firm and chewy, crispy and fragrant, though it was a shame there wasn't much of it.

Under the speechless gazes of Lu Xingchi and the others, the two quickly devoured the small bird.

Du Ruo was still savoring the taste. “How much does Xiao Shao sell her roasted sparrows for?”

Bei Nuan quoted the price. “One dollar for a small skewer, two dollars for a large one. And you don't have any money. But I don't think we need to buy them. We can trade beef jerky or something with her; she'd definitely be willing.”

Du Ruo thought for a moment. “No, that's not good. If others see her with beef jerky, it might cause trouble for her. It's better to buy them with their currency. With money, she can buy whatever she wants without attracting attention.”

Du Ruo paused. “Where can we find work on this island?”

Everyone: ???

Everyone was speechless.

They could easily exchange some inconspicuous items from Bei Nuan's space for money.

Du Ruo, whether he genuinely wanted to eat more roasted sparrows or simply wanted to experience manual labor, patted Lu Xingchi's shoulder. “We have nothing to do anyway. We'll find a place to work and earn some money. You go ahead with your business.”

Bei Nuan understood. Lu Xingchi was definitely going to investigate the symbol on the van.

As for the rest of them, rather than being bored and potentially getting into trouble, it was better to find some work to pass the time. Du Ruo's idea was sound.

Lu Xingchi readily agreed.

There were many places to work on the island.

At the foot of the mountain were vast fields that needed tending.

The mountain was also being cleared, with large swathes of trees being felled and transported down the mountain for timber.

The problem was that newcomers lacked skills and couldn't do jobs like farming or logging. They could only start with manual labor.

After wandering around the island, Du Ruo finally chose to carry stones.

New land had been cleared on the mountain, which needed to be leveled, with rocks removed and carried down the mountain in baskets.

The rocks transported down the mountain were used to build the island's surrounding stone wall.

Du Ruo found the foreman and immediately signed up, receiving a basket.

He muttered as he held the basket, “I've been eating a lot and not moving enough lately. I need to exercise or I'll lose my six-pack abs.”

Lu Xingchi glanced at Du Ruo. “So you had a six-pack?”

Du Ruo looked offended. “If I stripped naked in class, I could be a living anatomy model for my students!”

Bei Nuan said sincerely, “If you stripped naked in class, the police would arrest you.”

Lu Xingchi wasn't in a hurry to leave and also received a basket, like the others.

Carrying stones didn't seem particularly difficult; it just involved filling the basket with stones on the mountain and carrying them down to unload, getting paid by the amount carried.

However, one couldn't be too lazy. Each person had to complete a quota of ten full baskets per day, or they wouldn't get paid.

Bei Nuan examined the task and felt she could manage it, so she went to register with the foreman.

The foreman, stunned by Bei Nuan's beauty, said, “Such a pretty face, why would you want to carry stones? I can suggest a better way to earn money…”

Bei Nuan waited silently for him to say something offensive.

Because the big boss Lu beside her had narrowed his eyes.

The foreman continued, “…you could go to the casino. Without skills, you can't be a dealer, but you could be a waitress, serving drinks and cleaning.”

The foreman looked Bei Nuan's small frame up and down, saying regretfully, “They prefer mature and glamorous types. The lighting in there is dim, so with some heavy makeup, you might just pass.”

Bei Nuan: “…”

“I don't like casinos. I just really like carrying stones.” Bei Nuan took the pen and registered.

Du Ruo cheerfully chimed in, “Really? We have the same interests!”

The foreman, having no faith in Bei Nuan, picked the smallest basket from a large pile and handed it to her.

Then, he saw the metal tag dangling from her collar as she bent down to write.

The large 'F' was very conspicuous.

The foreman stared at the tag, his eyes filling with pity as he looked at Bei Nuan again. “Such a pretty young lady… tsk tsk…”

He turned back, carefully compared the baskets, and selected the smallest one again, exchanging it with the one in Bei Nuan's hand.

He also reminded her, “Don't carry too much at once. The mountain path is treacherous, and it's easy to fall. One fall, and you might break your slender neck.”

He added, “Don't walk through the grass too much. The grass is tall now, and there are venomous snakes hiding inside. If one bites you, you definitely won't live past tonight.”

“Someone will bring lunch at noon. Eat slowly, don't talk while eating, be careful not to choke. Choking to death doesn't seem pleasant.”

“Oh, and also,” he suddenly added, “don't argue with anyone. Just endure any grievances. If someone punches you, your little head might not be able to withstand it.”

He seemed to be constantly imagining scenes from Final Destination, coming up with new and creative ways to die.

Bei Nuan agreed and left with her basket to collect stones.

The foreman stopped brainstorming death scenarios and said in a tone used to comfort terminally ill patients, “Little girl, life and death are predestined. You… you must look on the bright side!”

Bei Nuan: “…”

She wasn't being pessimistic at all.

Author's Note:

Since this involves wild game, I need to add a note: Xiao Shao only catches birds because there's nothing to eat in the apocalypse. Say no to wild game, do not imitate~

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ

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