Nineteen

Tao Jian possessed cunning but lacked true wisdom. He was only adept at playing petty tricks and had never participated in such a large-scale, covert power grab. As soon as Ye Yin tested him, he immediately revealed everything: "Zhang Ke from the security office, Niu Fugui, Lu Zhichao, Shi Daquan, Qi Wanjin, and Grandpa He, who raises pigs. Yin Yin, those security guards are young and strong—if anyone dares to cause trouble or bully you, they’ll make sure to stand up for you! Your Grandpa He used to be a cadre; he’s especially clever. I get along well with everyone, so it’s easy for me to coordinate things. You can rest assured!"

Yin was indifferent. "Since that’s the case, I’ll leave everything to you all from now on."

Tao Jian was so delighted he felt itchy all over. "Should we hurry? Otherwise, if we drag it out, some people might not accept the new management!"

Ye Yin turned on the broadcast, announcing that everyone should gather quickly in the cafeteria for an important announcement.

Everyone had been building new houses on an open space beside the farm. When the broadcast sounded, they were eager for a break and hurried toward the cafeteria. Upon entering, they saw Ye Yin standing calmly on the stage built for the old lottery event, with Tao Jian beside her nervously rubbing his hands. The scene was so strange that no one could tell what was happening.

"Today, Old Tao came to me and said that since the government no longer exists, the farm isn’t mine anymore. He told me not to manage things and to hand everyone over to him and a few others. What do you all think?"

At her words, the crowd erupted.

"Old Tao, so that’s how you are! We never saw it before, but now you want to seize power?"

"Pah! Who wants you in charge? Shameless!"

"You ought to look at yourself in the mirror!"

Old Guo was furious and jumped onto the stage to hit Tao Jian. "You heartless scoundrel! If not for Yin Yin, you’d have died a hundred times over already. All that rice and bread went to raise a white-eyed wolf like you!"

Tao Jian panicked; he hadn’t expected Ye Yin to expose everything so bluntly: "No, no, I meant well! She’s just a young girl and doesn’t understand anything. If bad people come in the future, won’t the farm be doomed?"

"To hell with your good intentions! We don’t need to wait for bad people to show up; you’re already screwing us!" Old Wang was livid, trembling as he cursed. "What work has anyone done lately that’s any different from before? Is it so exhausting? If she hadn’t kept charge and used her own supplies for emergencies, the place would’ve been chaos!"

"Everyone quiet down and listen to me, alright?"

Suddenly, a frail voice rang out—it was Grandpa He, the pig farmer.

Ye Yin sneered inwardly. If her guess was correct, this old man was the mastermind. Tao Jian lacked the courage and ambition, and the security guards were all brawn, little brain.

Grandpa He had once been deputy manager of a livestock farm—a shrewd character who lost his position before promotion due to a stronger rival, then drifted to Ye Yin’s farm. He planned to eat and wait out his days, but the apocalypse caught him off-guard. Sensing the chaos as a chance for heroes to rise, he thought his old bones might finally shine, like Zhuge Liang, and seize greatness.

Seeing the lack of armed force around Ye Yin, he privately contacted the most physically capable people and quietly stashed weapons like machetes, preparing to force Ye Yin to hand over power. But Tao Jian was so inept that the first move failed, so Grandpa He had to step in.

"Old Tao was wrong—he deserves a scolding and a beating! But he’s right about one thing: have you all considered that today you can vent your anger on him, but what about when outsiders arrive?" Grandpa He’s gaze swept the crowd. "We have over a hundred people here—mostly elderly, children, and many women. How many strong, able-bodied folks do we have who can fight? I’ve counted—not many! Nowadays, the survivors outside are ruthless or skilled. We sit on a good place with food and water—how could they not be jealous?"

His words were flawless, instantly elevating him as a leader and visionary. Some people began to waver, thinking: We toil to farm and build homes, but if a gang of strongmen comes, won’t all our work be for nothing?

Seeing no objections, Grandpa He was pleased. "Ye Yin does alright, but her vision is short—she’s just a young girl. She’s done well, but can you compare us to outsiders? Anyone can manage; if a few experienced adults help her and provide extra protection, why not? Why make trouble for ourselves? I say let’s do it."

Everyone glanced at each other. Old Guo and Old Wang were dumbfounded—not that they agreed, but Grandpa He’s words were unassailable for the moment.

"No way," Old Guo blurted, unable to reason. "The farm belongs to Yin Yin—why should it be handed over just because you say so?"

"Ay, don’t be so distant. What do you mean, hand it over? If we’re in charge, does that mean we won’t share things with everyone?" Grandpa He stepped onto the stage, waving his hand energetically. "I promise fairness to all. The elderly and children can eat without working, and you won’t have to eat plain vegetables every day. New Year’s is coming—let’s slaughter a pig so everyone can have meat!"

The room grew quiet.

"I object," a calm voice suddenly rang out.

Old Guo saw it was Bai Qing and felt he’d found a savior. "Ah, you’re here—please speak up! This old man’s full of nonsense, just trying to fool everyone."

Ye Yin was surprised, too. She had told Bai Qing he didn’t need to attend non-emergency meetings, lest the girls mob him.

Bai Qing walked from the entrance to the stage, looked up at Ye Yin, and smiled. That short walk felt like a stroll down a red carpet—everyone was stunned. The fangirl girls, chastened by their parents last time, didn’t dare swoon openly and only stared, unwilling even to blink.

"You object? I know you and Ye Yin are a couple—she’s the boss, and you benefit…"

Grandpa He’s charisma was overshadowed, his words edged with spite.

"I’d like to ask a few questions. First, how much usable land does the farm have?"

Grandpa He paused, unable to fabricate an answer, as Bai Qing fired questions rapidly: "Given our current population, how much surplus grain do we have each season? If disaster strikes or yields fall, how much food do we need to survive? The farm uses biogas for power—what’s the optimal daily electricity limit? Do you know why she insists on maintaining poultry numbers and refuses to slaughter them at will?"

Grandpa He was left speechless. Bai Qing pressed on, hitting the core issue: "You don’t know any of this, yet you want to meddle in farm management. Is it truly for everyone’s welfare? As for the armed issue, that has nothing to do with who manages the farm. Are you saying if Ye Yin is in charge, the strong men won’t protect us?"

Bai Qing’s words pierced through Grandpa He’s facade, turning his face dark and sullen. "That’s not what I meant…"

"Not what you meant?" Bai Qing’s tone was gentle, but his words were sharper with each sentence. "So you believe you represent the farm's armed force, and all the frail, elderly, and sick must obey you—or be fed to the zombies?"

The crowd, confused before, now saw through Grandpa He’s scheme. Fury rose everywhere, and they shouted for Ye Yin to expel those with ulterior motives.

Zhang Ke and his group panicked, revealing the weapons hidden in their clothes. "Don’t move—we have knives!"

"What, flashing knives now?" "They even brought out knives—are they going to kill anyone who disobeys?" The crowd was enraged. Several old men surged forward: "Go on, chop! Aim for my head! If you don’t, I won’t let you off!"

Grandpa He closed his eyes, trembling. With such pigheaded teammates, even he was powerless.

Zhang Ke, desperate, raised his hand to strike—but before he could, a gunshot rang out followed by a scream. His knife fell heavily onto his foot, prompting a chorus of wails and cries. The crowd was truly frightened now, scattering in all directions, leaving the security guards trembling in a huddle, yelling, "Who fired the gun? Who?!"

Bai Qing remained calm, as if the commotion had nothing to do with him. When the crowd dispersed, he fired several more shots, each hitting the men’s wrists with precision. Soon, they collapsed into a heap, utterly defeated.

Afterwards, Ye Yin, following everyone’s wishes, expelled Grandpa He and his group from the farm. She had Bai Qing use his gun to make sure they ran far enough away, warning that if they ever returned, they’d be shot without hesitation.

This upheaval greatly elevated Ye Yin and Bai Qing in everyone’s hearts. Previously, some had resented Ye Yin for being too strict, but after this incident, all complaints turned to gratitude and admiration. They scolded themselves internally: She always has a plan, and you’re just a coward, complaining when treated well!

As for Bai Qing, he had once been dismissed as a pretty boy, but now he was revered as a sharpshooter and protector. He was unstoppable! Even if hundreds came, Bai Qing alone could handle them. The fangirls evolved into devotees of Bai Qing, ready to defend him against any criticism—even from their own parents.

"Thanks to you today," Ye Yin said, almost ready to worship her idol. "You always said you’d handled guns, but never showed such skill! And your words were so impressive. You usually just tend vegetables in the greenhouse—how do you know so much? I’m just as confused as anyone; even Old Wang might not be able to answer everything."

Bai Qing replied, "I’m a vegetable grower—I don’t know more than the pig farmer. The reason he was stumped is that those questions are meaningless."

"Eh?!"

"I mean, those questions sounded logical, but were actually nonsense," Bai Qing explained. "If I hadn’t come, what would you have done?"

Ye Yin paused. "Improvise—what else?"

"I know you have backup plans, but I didn’t want you to reach that point, so I stepped in," Bai Qing said quietly, his voice clear. "Don’t try to explore the dark side of human nature—it’ll only hurt you."

Ye Yin smiled. "I don’t… quite understand."

"It’s just advice from a friend," Bai Qing stood up. "Good and evil are two sides of the same coin. As long as you understand that, it’s enough."

"Who are you?" Ye Yin suddenly asked. "You seem to know a lot…"

"A sharpshooter from the amusement park, rising star in vegetable cultivation—Bai Qing."

Ye Yin burst out laughing. Bai Qing’s lips curled in a slight smile as he turned and left.

Author’s note: First update today! Please comment and bookmark; the second update will come tonight!