Of course, he also took the opportunity to learn the correct methods for attacking and defending against zombies, immediately calming down considerably. He wasn't as pale as he had been when he first saw them.
After shooting down all the approaching zombies, Gu Qingcheng and Mi Guo put away their bows.
Turning around, they saw Xiao Peng looking at them with admiration. Mi Guo also felt quite thrilled and smiled smugly.
Knowing that zombies could swim, Da Peng cautiously steered the boat away from the village to avoid any unforeseen accidents.
Because some zombies could lurk underwater like fish, not surfacing and not needing to breathe, they were difficult to detect.
If a few zombies were to follow the boat underwater, they wouldn't notice. Then, at night, when everyone was asleep, if they climbed onto the boat…
The consequences would be unimaginable.
Da Peng's vigilance meant that they indeed did not encounter any more instances of zombies pursuing them underwater.
The fifth day.
Finally, Gu Qingcheng almost jumped with joy when she saw the familiar pagoda spire landmark of Wangchun City in the distance.
Ah, this arduous journey on the water was finally over.
As the boat approached the entrance of Yunwu Mountain, Gu Qingcheng had Mi Guo lead Da Peng and Xiao Peng, the brothers, up the mountain as soon as the boat docked.
Watching them walk around the bend of the mountain slope until they could no longer see the shore, Gu Qingcheng and her parents disembarked and stored the cargo boat in the storage cabinet.
Although it was an ordinary wooden boat, facing the increasingly severe floods, it would undoubtedly be an important means of transportation in the future.
In these times, acquiring a cargo boat or building one was no easy feat. Craftsmen were rapidly diminishing, and building a boat now was no less difficult than building an airplane in later generations. Without a group of skilled artisans, it was impossible to construct a boat.
Such cargo boats were becoming rarer, so they could not be easily discarded.
Everything about Phoenix Village surprised the brothers Da Peng and Xiao Peng.
Like all the common folk visiting Phoenix Village for the first time, they could never have imagined that Phoenix Village had already become a secluded, idyllic mountain village.
When they reached the mountain, it was dusk. Smoke rose from the evening hearths, and the lingering rays of the setting sun cast a glow upon the layered, newly built wooden houses, giving the illusion of a gathering place for forest spirits.
Walking through the village, they saw that the ground was covered with wood chips. Although the village paths were still made of mud, they appeared clean and tidy.
Moreover, the brothers soon discovered that while cats and dogs roamed the village, there were no pigs, chickens, or ducks running around freely, as was common in the countryside nowadays.
Xiao Peng couldn't help but ask with curiosity:
"Young Master Gu, doesn't your village raise chickens and ducks? And pigs? We haven't seen any cattle or sheep either. Won't the villagers have nothing to do?"
Da Peng, thinking he had found the reason, chuckled: "Is it perhaps because you value the cleanliness and tidiness of the village that you don't keep these livestock?"
Before Gu Qingcheng could answer, Mi Guo replied for her:
"Our village doesn't not raise livestock; in fact, we raise a great many. But all the chickens, ducks, cattle, sheep, and pigs are kept in the livestock farm at the village entrance, managed by dedicated personnel.
We currently have over 300 head of cattle, more than 1,200 sheep, over 8,000 pigs, and countless chickens and ducks. The eggs produced daily are enough for the entire village to eat.
Oh, and we have dairy cows. Now, every child attending school in our village receives a cup of free milk every day."
Mi Guo listed them all off, her face filled with pride.
As she spoke, Mi Guo herself became more and more proud. Before mentioning it, she hadn't realized how remarkable Phoenix Village was, being able to provide everyone with enough to eat and drink, and live a quality life.
Compared to the villages below the mountain, their Phoenix Village was truly a paradise on earth.
"What? Your village is so prosperous?"
The brothers Da Peng and Xiao Peng were astonished.
If they hadn't spent the past few days together and understood Mi Guo's character to be not boastful, they might have thought she was exaggerating.
This village was too surprising. And hearing Mi Guo say that many things were supplied to the villagers for free, including rice, flour, grains, oil, and housing, was almost unbelievable.
But they soon came to believe it.
As there were too many villagers queuing up to receive housing, most people had to stay in communal dormitories while waiting for allocation.
However, Da Peng and Xiao Peng were special. They had intended to join Phoenix Village from the start, so Gu Qingcheng had reserved numbers for them early on. This time, they had reached their turn.
Consequently, they were allocated a two-bedroom apartment-style unit, complete with kitchen and bathroom, making daily living convenient.
The apartment suites were a new housing concept proposed by Gu Qingcheng to quickly resolve the housing problem after the village's population surged.
She had observed that the refugees seeking shelter in Phoenix Village often did not arrive as complete families. Due to the hardships they endured along the way, they were frequently single or with only one or two relatives. If such individuals occupied an entire house, it would be a waste.
Therefore, Gu Qingcheng recalled the concept of apartments for singles from later generations and had the construction team build them accordingly. This indeed rapidly alleviated the housing issues for the new villagers.
Subsequent villagers were assigned residences based on their individual circumstances. Singles were only allocated a one-bedroom, one-living room, one-bathroom unit;
Families of three could be allocated a two-bedroom, one-living room, one-bathroom unit…
And so on, with allocations based on population and actual family needs.
To this end, Phoenix Village had also established a housing allocation assessment team. Before assigning houses, they would visit and assess the villagers applying for housing to determine their family structure and then allocate houses based on their needs.
After determining a batch of housing plans, they had to be submitted to Gu Qingcheng for final approval.
Only after Gu Qingcheng's confirmation could the houses be allocated.
Gu Qingcheng reviewed each application meticulously. Those meeting the conditions were approved; those not meeting the conditions or exceeding the standards were ruthlessly rejected and required reallocation.
After she strictly oversaw the housing allocation for a period, the people below understood that she was meticulous in her work. Despite her young age, her considerations were thorough, and her judgment was sharp, so they dared not act carelessly, becoming even more careful and prudent during the housing assessment.
Upon arriving in the village, the brothers Da Peng and Xiao Peng were immediately assigned a two-bedroom, one-living room apartment. Living together, with plenty to eat and drink and a place to live, they felt as if they had arrived in paradise.
Although they could live relatively comfortably at Yin Zhiping's home, without worrying about food or clothing, they were still guarding someone else's property, unlike their current freedom.
As the brothers were from the military, they quickly joined the hunting team upon arriving at Phoenix Village.
The hunting team was also composed of ordinary villagers. Those who joined often required a period of adaptation.
However, having served in the military, Da Peng and Xiao Peng quickly distinguished themselves. Whether it was hunting or arranging troops, they each had their own methods. Yan Xin thus regarded them as his trusted aides and relied heavily on them. The brothers' lives were going quite smoothly.
After arranging Da Peng and Xiao Peng, Gu Qingcheng returned home to rest.