Chapter 132: Canned Tomatoes |
Returning to the main topic, Bai Mu had figured out the cause and effect of the whole incident and even triggered a Side Quest.
The task required him to take care of the woman's children. The word "care" covered a very broad scope, but according to his understanding, he had to at least ensure these three children survived until the end of the Script.
If any of the children died during this process, the task would either fail or the rewards would be significantly reduced.
Frankly speaking, this was not a simple task.
He had to prepare extra food and drinking water for three children. Furthermore, it would be difficult for the kids to provide him with any help; they would merely force him to bear a greater consumption of resources.
However, as a human being, many choices could not be made purely based on calculating resources.
Besides, doing this was not entirely without reward. The payouts for hidden Side Quests had always been quite good.
He ultimately decided to accept this task. Having a few more people in the house might also help deter violent invasions from a Doppelganger.
"To be honest, I do not know how your mother is doing right now. She was taken away by the people from the Emergency Center, the ones wearing yellow hazmat suits yesterday," Bai Mu explained. "She probably will not be able to come back for a while, so she entrusted me to take care of you."
Bai Mu told a little lie. Although he felt the children had the right to know the truth, he also had to consider their mental resilience.
Giving them a little hope was better than letting them drown in the pain and despair of losing their mother.
Only with hope could people burst forth with immense potential. It was just like how Warlord Cao told his soldiers there was a plum grove ahead to quench their thirst, allowing the troops to endure the scorching heat and dehydration to finish their march.
"We ate biscuits this morning," the boy replied. "There is still water in the bathroom, and we should be able to collect a bit more tonight. Mom taught us to collect the water in the bucket with a lid."
"That is good. Knowing you are fine puts my mind at ease." Bai Mu nodded. "My house is right next door, very close to you. I will come over again tonight to check on your situation, and maybe bring you some more food."
"Additionally, I want you to seriously consider whether or not you want to move into my house."
"After all, as you well know, the city has not been very peaceful lately."
Bai Mu did not immediately demand that the children open the door and follow him.
Even though he had decided to accept this task, it still depended on whether these three children were willing to trust him.
He did not want to invite three troublesome burdens upon himself. If they were dead set against trusting a stranger, or if they followed him but remained highly suspicious and disobedient, then he could only say that everyone had their own fate.
"Thank you for your concern, Mister. We will seriously consider it," the boy promised.
Bai Mu gave a nod and turned to leave.
The temperature outside had already risen to an unbearable level. Sweat soaked through his hair, his short-sleeved shirt, and his socks. He felt terribly hot and had no desire to stay outdoors any longer.
He quickly returned to his own home. The woman's corpse was still lying out on the withered grass. It was not that Bai Mu deliberately wanted to watch her corpse be exposed to the wilderness, but until he figured out exactly what that mushroom did, approaching the body undoubtedly carried a massive risk.
However, Bai Mu had made a call to the Emergency Center. Professional matters were best left to professionals. They said they would send someone over in the evening to deal with it, which could be considered taking care of her final arrangements.
Nothing particularly special happened after that, right up until the sun went down.
Once his skill cooldown ended, Bai Mu summoned Lucy again. He handed over the cash he obtained yesterday and asked her to help buy some more compressed biscuits from the supermarket.
Because there were three extra mouths to feed, he postponed his plan to buy canned fruit and sausages until the next
"Supermarket Shopping".
Bai Mu sealed the mushroom inside his inventory. After that, he simply watched the news, ate biscuits, and drank water...
The boring and sweltering time quickly passed. Evening arrived. Bai Mu finished collecting his daily water supply, and the staff from the Emergency Center drove over once again, packing the woman's corpse into a black body bag.
At the same time, they set a fire, burning the grass and the mushroom beneath the corpse into ashes.
Since Bai Mu was the one who made the call, the staff members also came to his door to ask a few questions.
Bai Mu hid the fact that he had gone out during the day and that the woman had come to him to exchange food. He pretended to know nothing, simply stating that he woke up in the morning and saw a corpse lying on the lawn.
The staff did not dwell too much on his story and soon left with the body. They did not even press for the woman's identity, nor did they go to her house to take a look; they just hurriedly carted the body away.
The sky darkened as the time reached six in the evening.
The sun had not yet fully set, painting the sky in fiery hues.
Bai Mu went out as promised. Taking a tin of canned tomato soup with him, he arrived in front of the house with the red roof.
Perhaps because of the frequent incidents in this neighborhood, the patrolling soldiers parked on a nearby street today. They drove a land tank, wore helmets and camouflage uniforms, and gathered together to smoke with guns in hand.
This seemed to provide the nearby residents with a slight sense of security. Quite a few people stepped out of their doors to get some fresh air on their porches.
Even though everyone minded their own business, at most exchanging brief glances, it still added a bit of vitality to the dead silence, making people feel as if they were still living in human society.
Bai Mu rang the doorbell and called out, "I am here to see you. How are you holding up?"
"Is there still no news about Mom, Mister?" the boy behind the door asked, sounding a bit dejected.
"Unfortunately, no," Bai Mu replied. "Let's think about happier things. I imagine you must be tired of eating compressed biscuits, so I brought a tin of canned tomatoes for you. Summer is the perfect time to eat something sweet and sour."
Bai Mu held up the aluminum can printed with tomatoes, aligning it with the peephole.
"Have you thought about moving into my house?"
"..." The boy fell silent for a moment before saying, "I am sorry, Mister, but we do not want to leave our home for now. If Mom comes home and cannot find us, she will definitely be very worried."
"There is nothing to apologize for, kid," Bai Mu assured him. "I just wanted to let you know that my place is open to you at any time. I will leave this can at the door, and I will come back again tomorrow morning."
"If you change your minds, you can tell me anytime."
Bai Mu crouched down and gently placed the can at the door. After saying his piece, he turned and left.
When he was a dozen paces away, the door creaked open. A pair of small hands reached out and pulled the can into the house.
Through the crack in the door, three pairs of little eyes watched his departing back. Only after he had walked far away did the door finally click shut.