I survived the famine by scavenging and supported my family.

Inside the city.

The village head had just sat down when he anxiously stood up again. "No, I have to go and find out some information!"

"Sit down!" Miao Chunfang pressed the person down into a chair, took out a piece of cloth, and said, "Go outside and cover your mouth and nose. This cloth has been fumigated with mugwort."

The village head took it, feeling a warm glow in his heart. "Ah!"

Covering his mouth and nose, the village head hurriedly left.

He first found the courtyard where Jiang Song was staying, knocked on the door, and the person inside didn't open the door at first. He asked who it was before opening the door.

When Jiang Song saw Wang Congxing covering his mouth and nose, looking energetic, he breathed a sigh of relief and let him in.

As soon as the person entered, he closed the door again.

"Brother Wang, what brings you here today?" Jiang Song led him into the main room.

The village headman stood in the courtyard and said, "Brother, have you noticed that many people in Yikang County have fallen into a coma these past few days? My son inquired about it, and it turns out that these people first fall into a coma, and then they vomit and have diarrhea."

"He finally collapsed from a high fever." The village head was very uneasy. "Tell me, isn't this...?"

"An epidemic?" Jiang Song was startled by his own guess. "No way! Epidemics aren't like this!"

"I can't believe it either, what kind of epidemic would leave people with no symptoms other than unconsciousness?" The village head smiled wryly, "but we have to be on guard."

"You all need to be careful too. Try not to go out these next few days. If you must go out, make sure to cover your mouth and nose," the village head instructed. After giving his instructions, he hurriedly went out to find the Wen family.

The Wen family rented a large courtyard in the wealthy area. When the village head arrived, the Wen family members were already packing their belongings in the courtyard.

Seeing that they had also scattered lime around the yard, the village head couldn't help but sigh, "They are really well prepared!"

Standing in the courtyard, Wen Zichuan said, "Lord Village Chief, to be honest, I want to leave Yikang County as soon as possible. The sooner we leave, the safer our team will be."

The village head nodded emphatically, "I'd like to too, sigh... when are you planning to leave?"

"Pack your things first, then we'll see how things go," Wen Zichuan said. "But I reckon it'll be about time, no more than ten days."

This disease is contagious, and symptoms will develop within ten days of infection.

Ten days is the limit; they might sense something is wrong within five days and run away early.

He had another idea, but he couldn't tell the village head.

The village head returned home with a heavy heart. As soon as he got home, Miao Chunfang arranged for him to take a bath and then took his clothes to be washed.

After washing up, the village head sat clean and refreshed in the main room.

After recounting what she had learned during the day, the village head sighed, "Chunfang, it seems we should pack our things as soon as possible, just in case."

Miao Chunfang nodded, "Don't be reluctant to leave Yikang County. It's not a safe place after all. If we're going to leave, we should leave as soon as possible. Just like Young Master Wen said, the sooner we leave, the safer we'll be."

"Stay home for the next couple of days. If we really need to leave, we'll tell the villagers. Otherwise, it's dangerous for us to wander around."

The village head nodded and told his family to get up and pack their luggage and food.

into the night.

Zhao Ningning came out of the restroom, tugged at her sweater, and said, "Hey! It fits pretty well!"

She was wearing a sweater that Ning's mother had knitted for Zhao Qi when he was a child.

At that time, he was still an only child, and Ning's mother wasn't busy with work, so she had the leisure to do this.

After Zhao Ningning was born, Ning's mother was promoted and became extremely busy, so she didn't have time to do this anymore. When Zhao Ningning was little, she envied her brother quite a bit.

"This is good. It won't get in your way, and it'll keep you warm while walking." Zhao Qi nodded, then added with concern, "You must be careful!"

Zhao Ningning nodded, "Okay, don't be afraid, I still have my space. I'll take you with me then, and I'll come back and discuss anything with you."

Zhao Qi nodded and sat down on the living room sofa. "Then I'll wait for you here."

Zhao Ningning flashed out of the space, and her mother grabbed her and put a dark-colored short outfit that she had specially bought on her.

Although it wasn't black, standing in the pitch-black courtyard, you couldn't tell anything at first glance.

Ning's mother looked the child up and down, and finding no flaws, she finally let go. "Alright, put your mask on before you go out."

Zhao Ningning put on her mask and wrapped a cloth around her face. "Wait for me at home."

Ning's father asked, "Are you sure you don't need me to take you?"

"What's there to send? It's only two streets away!" Zhao Ningning shook her head. "Don't worry, my brother is still in the space."

Ning's father rubbed his forehead and went to open the door for Zhao Ningning.

As soon as the gate opened, Zhao Ningning slipped out and ran towards the county government office under the cover of night.

They had scouted the area during the day, and now that it was night, the streets were deserted and there wasn't a soul in sight. Zhao Ningning arrived at the county government office without any hindrance.

She had been learning light-body skills from the Wen family for some time. Although she couldn't fly right away, she could easily climb over courtyard walls and rooftops.

Zhao Ningning took a few steps back, took a running start, and nimbly climbed the wall of the county government office. With a flip, she landed in the courtyard like a cat.

After entering, she first found a place to hide, and when no one came, she began to grope her way to the back of the county government office.

When she encountered patrols, Zhao Ningning would hide in her spatial dimension and only come out after the patrols had left.

By hiding and maneuvering, she soon found the residence of the magistrate of Yikang County.

With great effort, Zhao Ningning climbed to the roof and focused all her attention on her feet, tiptoeing towards the magistrate's study.

"Clatter"

A crisp sound of a tile hitting the ground rang out.

The next second, Zhao Ningning's collar was grabbed, and she was sent flying, landing behind another house.

The speed was so fast that Zhao Ningning didn't even have time to react.

After I took cover, a familiar voice rang out from above.

"Zhao Ningning?" Wen Zike released his grip. "Why is it you?"

"I was just about to ask you, what are you doing here?" Zhao Ningning wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, she almost thought she had been discovered by the county government officials!

"We're here to gather information, are you here too?" Wen Zike said.

When he said "we," Zhao Ningning realized that there was another person standing next to Wen Zike, and that was Wen Zichuan.

Seeing Zhao Ningning looking over, Wen Zichuan smiled slightly: "What a coincidence."

—You're so clever!

Zhao Ningning nodded, "It was too dark, I didn't even see my two senior brothers."

She then added, "I'm also here to gather information."

"The city gates have been closed, and we haven't seen anyone leave the city. Let's see what Yikang County is up to."

"We are too," Wen Zichuan said. "We can't keep the gates closed forever, preventing people from coming in or leaving. The worst thing is that they'll go out on their own, leaving ordinary people trapped in the city."

It's not impossible; they had encountered something similar before meeting Zhao Ningning.

If it weren't for the Wen family's sharp ears and eyes, their early eavesdropping, and their prompt discovery of something amiss, allowing them to break out, they would have been trapped in the county town.

Being trapped isn't a problem; they can climb over the city walls to get out, but their supplies will be forced to stay behind.

"Alright, the patrolmen over there have left. Let's go over there," Wen Zike said. "It's a deal, this time I'll lift the tiles."

Just now, Wen Zichuan quickly lifted a tile, but the tile was loose and he accidentally dropped it, which attracted the attention of the county government patrol.

With Wen Zike there, Zhao Ningning didn't even need to climb; he simply carried them over, one in each hand.

They carefully lifted the tiles, and the sound of conversation drifted out from the study.

"...almost half of the refugees outside have collapsed."

"That won't work either. We're lucky if we can even hold our town. What if we open the gates and someone takes advantage of the chaos to storm in?"

"Should we divide the county town into two parts, one for those who haven't developed the disease and the other for those who have already been infected?"

—An epidemic?

Zhao Ningning's heart skipped a beat.

Has a conclusion already been reached so quickly? Are the people of Yikang County confirmed to have the plague?

"That's the only way. Tomorrow, give the order: divide the county town into two parts. For those infected with the plague, use the herbs that the county government collected earlier to cook and distribute to them..."

The people below were still discussing how to resolve the situation, and Zhao Ningning listened with a furrowed brow.

They had no intention of opening the city gates to let people out.

After hearing that they had reached an agreement, Wen Zike then carried his two half-baked junior brothers and sisters out of the county government office.

Fearing for Zhao Ningning's safety, they delivered her directly to her doorstep.

Zhao Ningning then invited the person to rest in the courtyard and have some hot tea.

"Come on in! You've been standing on the roof in the cold wind all day. Come in and have some hot tea," Zhao Ningning said, knocking on the door.

Knocking in the rhythm of two tigers, Ning's father quickly opened the door and was taken aback to see two more people standing outside.

Zhao Ningning: "It's Young Master Wen and his group."

The sound of patrolling people could be heard from the street corner. Wen Zichuan, without refusing, pulled Wen Zike into the courtyard.

Wen Zichuan: "Sorry to bother you."

"Not at all, it's cold outside, come with me." Ning's father greeted them warmly and led them into the main room.

They made milk tea today. Ning's mother thought that Zhao Ningning might be hungry since she would be coming home late, so she also made some taro balls and put them in the milk tea.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Ningning not only returned on her own, but also brought Wen Zichuan and Wen Zike with her.

Fortunately, enough milk tea had been made. Ning's mother invited everyone to sit down and, under the pretext of going to the kitchen, took out another bucket from her storage space and scooped out some more.

The milk tea was a little too hot, and Wen Zike carefully sipped it. Wen Zichuan put the bowl aside and said, "We met Miss Zhao at the county government office tonight."

Zhao Ningning: We're already fellow disciples, why are you still being so polite?

Ning's mother asked, "What did the people from the county government say? Did they mention anything about the city gate?"

"They did say so, but they don't plan to open the city gates." Zhao Ningning recounted the news she had heard that evening to her parents.

Finally, Zhao Ningning sighed, "Luckily we're all alright, otherwise we would have been separated and dealt with by the people from Yikang County."

Ning's mother didn't look too good. "Yes, thankfully our whole family is alright."

After being forced to separate from Ningning and Xiaoqi by the last mudslide, Ning's mother was filled with anxiety and never wanted to be separated from her two children again.

If there weren't other people around, she would have told Zhao Ningning directly: If anything happens, Ningning and Xiaoqi can just hide in the space and not come out!

She and Ning's father are there to support them.

Wen Zichuan and Wen Zike finished their milk tea and agreed to meet again the next day after the county government officials had divided the districts. Then they went back.

After everyone left, Zhao Ningning called Zhao Qi out.

Thinking that she might be assigned to a different place tomorrow, Ning's mother put everything in the yard into her spatial storage before going back to rest.

the next day.

Early in the morning, the county government officials gathered most of their officers together and assigned them tasks.

They banged drums and gongs, calling people out, and searched house to house.

When they found Zhao Ningning's house, the officials called everyone out, checked the household registration documents, and nodded to the group after verifying the number of people and their appearances.

"You all stay here and don't move. The county government has assigned the infected people to the north district, and the healthy people to the south district!"

"I'll make a note of this for you. Next time any officials come by, just come out and give them a quick greeting."

After saying that, he returned the household registration documents to Ning's father and took out paper and pen to write down the address, number of people, ages, and approximate appearances in his notebook.

When he registered, two other officials entered the courtyard and searched it thoroughly, even looking through the latrine at the back.

Seeing that there was no one else in the courtyard, the official left and went to knock on the door of the house next door.

Ning's father gently closed the door, relieved, "Thank goodness, we don't have to go through all that trouble."

When the officials knocked on the door, Ning's father was practically ready to put the mule on the cart and set off.

Back in the main room, the family of four went about their business.

A wail came from the neighboring courtyard.

Zhao Ningning opened half a window and strained her ears to listen; a few words drifted over intermittently from the other end.

"...My son isn't sick! He's not sick!"

"He was just too exhausted from working yesterday!"

"Sir...Sir, I'll kowtow to you, please don't arrest my son! Please don't arrest my son..."

Zhao Ningning's expression fell upon hearing this. "Quickly, disinfect!"

"Who knew that those people didn't change, it was the same group of people, coming into contact with both sick and healthy people!" After saying that, Ning's father cursed and quickly took off his outer clothes.

Ning's mother took out several alcohol spray bottles from her space and handed them to Zhao Ningning so they could spray each other. That wasn't enough, so she and Ning's father took a shower outside and told Ningning and Zhao Qi to go back into the space to shower.

The clothes that I took off were also washed.

Whether it was psychological comfort or something that actually worked, after washing her clean, Ning's mother felt a little relieved and said helplessly, "Next time, let's stay away from those people!"

"Absolutely!" Ning's father picked up the spray bottle and sprayed the doorway as well.

After doing all this, the family returned to the main room.

With martial law in effect outside and food preparations nearly complete, Ning's mother brought out a small stove and took out hot pot meatballs and meat rolls from her spatial storage. The family gathered around to eat hot pot while discussing their next move.

"If they lock people up like this, it won't be long before they cross-infect each other," Zhao Ningning shook her head. "Then the whole city will be infected."

"If only someone could break through the city gates and escape like before, there would be strength in numbers. We could just follow them and get out." Ning's father placed a cooked beef meatball into Ning's mother's bowl.

Ning's mother used chopsticks to pry it open. "I've also thought about it. If all else fails, we'll go find the Wen family. We'd rather not have the mule than be trapped in this county town."

It's only the first day, and they don't know what the county town will be like in the next few days.