After the Da Peng and Xiao Peng brothers, newlywed and blissfully enjoying their honeymoon week, were tasked by Gu Qingcheng to go down the mountain and get things done.
At first, they worried about not having boats, but Gu Qingcheng had already docked two cargo ships, each capable of carrying 30-40 people, at the port of Phoenix Village. She instructed them to each take 10 people and recruit others from various places down the mountain to expand the medicinal herb cultivation base.
Gu Qingcheng also thoughtfully assigned a literate scholar to each ship to assist with signing contracts.
Since joining Phoenix Village, brothers Da Peng and Xiao Peng had been assigned to the hunting team and the farming team respectively. Although they adapted quickly to their tasks, they felt a sense of underutilization, an emptiness in their hearts.
Now, with Gu Qingcheng entrusting them with leading a fleet of ships on missions, stepping onto the familiar deck of a ship immediately put them at ease.
After conferring, the brothers decided to split up to increase efficiency. Da Peng would primarily focus on recruitment, while Xiao Peng would negotiate herb cultivation with the villages located at higher elevations.
"Brother, be careful. Those flooded villages are severely lacking in food right now. We are outsiders, and we have food and drink on the ship. It could be dangerous if people target us," Xiao Peng cautioned his brother before they parted ways.
"I know. You take care of yourself too. Remember, Zi Wei is waiting for you at home!" Da Peng joked.
The brothers shook hands and parted ways with smiles.
Recruiting people wasn't difficult. With the conditions of free food and accommodation, plus wages, they could immediately find recruits. Da Peng wasn't worried about this at all.
He had 10 strong young men on his ship. Taking them out was mainly for them to learn how to operate the boats.
Following Gu Qingcheng's instructions, Da Peng didn't hide any of his boating skills. He personally taught the crew members how to control the sails, steer the rudder, and other techniques along the way.
The young men studied diligently. They had no choice but to be serious. In Phoenix Village, they were all people who wanted to make a name for themselves, and in Phoenix Village, having a skill was the fastest shortcut to achieving that.
They had all heard that when Phoenix Village was first established, becoming a squad leader was quite easy. As long as you were slightly more capable than others, you would be appointed as a squad leader.
But it was different now. Phoenix Village was growing, and the squad leaders had solidified their positions. Becoming a member of the village officials was not an easy task.
Seeing the squad leaders enjoy high benefits and command respect, they secretly resolved to work hard and become squad leaders in their lifetime, bringing honor to their ancestors.
Therefore, when Da Peng taught them to control the sails and steer, they practiced with utmost seriousness, not needing Da Peng to shout at them; each was more diligent than the last.
After half a month out, each young man's boat handling skills had been thoroughly honed and improved.
Many, who had been dizzy and nauseous, unable to stand steadily when they first boarded, could now stand on deck. Even with strong winds and violent ship movements, their toes were firmly planted on the deck, like suction cups, as steady as mountains.
Their performance greatly gratified Da Peng.
After all, before leaving, Gu Qingcheng had instructed the brothers to cultivate more crew members who could independently operate boats. Although they didn't know what Young Master Gu's plans were, the word "obedience" was deeply ingrained in their hearts.
Now, seeing the young men's outstanding performance, Da Peng felt he had not failed Young Master Gu's expectations.
However, the sights they had witnessed during these days greatly surprised the young men who hadn't been down the mountain for over half a year.
The world outside Phoenix Village had turned into a vast waterlogged expanse. The villages and towns they were familiar with had disappeared, replaced by an endless expanse of water, with only the distant, towering mountain ranges vaguely visible.
Upon closer inspection, these mountain ranges had once soared into the sky like Cloud Mist Mountain. Climbing from the foot to the summit would have taken half a day. Now, only a long curve was visible.
Da Peng's group sailed towards where the mountain range emerged.
"Captain, will there be anyone up there?" the crew members asked. After spending a long time on the water, they yearned to see land and people. After all, they were not fishermen and preferred the feeling of solid ground beneath their feet.
"Weren't many villages submerged? Rumor has it the water level didn't rise suddenly but gradually, giving everyone time to evacuate. Young Master Gu estimates that many villages evacuated to higher mountains, so we are going to these places to find people," Da Peng replied jovially.
Although the outside world had become an ocean, Da Peng's mindset had shifted significantly after months of recuperation in Phoenix Village. Having seen too many villages turn into ponds along the way, he had largely abandoned his melancholic thoughts.
People tend to adapt to their circumstances. What is meant to happen will happen. Faced with natural disasters, they could still live peacefully in Phoenix Village, while others perished. They could only attribute it to their misfortune.
There had been too many tragedies caused by natural disasters in recent years; there was simply not enough sympathy to go around.
"Mountains run horses to death" – this saying was still relevant in the current situation. The crew members saw the mountain range in the distance, but it took them over a day to reach it, even with a favorable wind. If the wind had been unfavorable, it would likely have taken two days.
The mountain range, which didn't appear very high from afar, was revealed to be similar to Cloud Mist Mountain when they got closer, with its massive body towering and its imposing presence greeting them.
Looking at the endless mountains before them, Da Peng was filled with anticipation, believing there must be many people living on them. He found a spot with a calm current and dropped anchor about 50 meters from the shore.
Due to the uncertain situation, they did not dock the boat immediately. After anchoring, they lowered a small boat. Da Peng, along with five crew members and the accountant, rowed the small boat to the shore.
They tied the small boat to a tree on the bank and, fully armed with bows and arrows, began to ascend the mountain.
Fortunately, they were prepared. After walking less than a hundred meters, a zombie lunged out from the bushes.
Those in front dodged the attack, and those behind delivered a fatal blow, severing the zombie's head. They were all from the hunting team, so they were bold and careful, working together with tacit understanding. These few moves fully showcased their skills.
"What bad luck, encountering this thing as soon as we land," one of the crew members who had decapitated the zombie spat.
"I heard that zombies have spread everywhere in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Our village is lucky; our defenses are in place, and zombies that come here never leave. Most other villages have been wiped out, village by village," another young man said.
Da Peng, listening to their conversation, prompted them: "Don't just talk. Stay vigilant. There's definitely more than one zombie here."
With Da Peng's reminder, the men dared not talk idly and lose their alertness. They followed closely behind Da Peng, looking around cautiously and meticulously.