"This... this..."
What else could they do? The creatures were already nestled comfortably in their arms, their bodies radiating a deep, rhythmic warmth. The feathers felt incredibly soft and cozy against their rough palms, creating a mesmerizing sensation of life in a world that felt increasingly dead.
Li Dayou let out a long sigh, his expression shifting as he looked at the bird in his lap. He thought for a moment, then spoke with a tone of serious gratitude. "We understand your kindness. Alright, we will take these chickens. Setting everything else aside, these eggs are literally life-saving for us. Let's call it what it is; Jing Shu's favor won't be forgotten. We might not have much influence in the capital, but if you ever need help there, I can't promise everything, but getting you connected? No problem. Our department knows people everywhere, from top to bottom."
Jing Shu raised her brows, feeling a flicker of pleasant surprise. Arriving in the capital was always a nerve-wracking prospect; the city was unfamiliar and full of invisible obstacles for outsiders. Finding proper connections could be almost impossible, no matter how wealthy a person claimed to be.
Official matters were one thing, but those annoying little issues that cropped up in daily life? Those were the real trouble.
Having another friend and a potential connection was already a welcome bonus to her plans.
"Alright. I will definitely speak up if I need help in the future," Jing Shu said without hesitation. Relationships worked in a specific way: today I ask for help, tomorrow you do, and over time, a foundation of trust builds. Avoiding contact or being afraid to trouble someone just pushes people further apart until they are strangers again.
Hearing her agree, Li Dayou and the others relaxed their shoulders. The bond between them and the girl strengthened in that moment. They could now accept this luxurious gift without a crushing sense of guilt, thinking that from now on, whatever Jing Shu needed, they would provide help without question.
Everyone had been worrying about their meager food supplies for the long trip, and Jing Shu had just handed them a collection of living, egg-laying hens. It was the perfect solution, striking right at their hearts.
The low roar of the plane's engines faded into the background as the soldiers petted their chickens. They felt the soft down under their fingers and found themselves reluctant to let go. No one even complained about the possibility of the birds being dirty. Jing Shu had bathed them thoroughly before departure, and they strutted proudly in the cabin, looking like top-notch, pampered hens.
Li Dayou's team members began inspecting their new charges, soon peppering Jing Shu with anxious questions. "How do we take care of them? Should we give them boiled water or is normal water okay? What should we feed them? How many times a day? Do they get sick easily in the cold?"
The pharmacists in the back of the cabin glanced over with undisguised envy, but they had no time to worry about livestock. They had to organize their own competition materials and sensitive documents, so Jing Shu's interaction with the soldiers went mostly unnoticed by the rest of the group.
Just as Jing Shu was about to explain the care requirements, Wang Dan jumped up while holding his chicken. He pointed a finger at the bird's feet and exclaimed loudly. "Wait, Miss Jing, these chickens aren't like normal ones! My family used to raise chickens back in the old world. Sure, these are bigger, but their claws are so sharp! And look at their heads; they look like dinosaurs! Are these some kind of new post-apocalypse breed?"
"A new breed? Chickens can have new breeds?"
"So these aren't ordinary chickens, then," someone else muttered, leaning in to see.
Li Dayou also leaned over to look at his own bird's reptilian-looking scales.
Jing Shu smiled slightly at their realization. "These chickens are indeed a Darklife new breed, called dino-chickens. They are easy to raise and perfectly adapted to the post-apocalypse environment. They won't get sick from the local bacteria, they don't need boiled water, and they aren't picky about their food. You don't even have to feed them grain; they can forage on their own, eat mud and bugs, and even absorb dark matter for nutrients.
Feed them red nematodes if you want a higher egg production. Not only that, they can fight. They aren't as strong as wolves or lions, but with their surprise attacks and sharp claws, they can handle two adults at once. Once they recognize an owner, they won't betray them, making them perfect for guarding your quarters."
Hearing this detailed description, the members of the seed-delivery team all gasped in shock.
"Wow, these are basically all-purpose chickens! They guard, they lay eggs, and they don't waste our precious food! Imagine if they reproduced..."
Jing Shu shrugged and laughed, the sound bright in the cabin. "The only downside is that due to genetic isolation, they can't reproduce. The eggs are only for eating, not for hatching. That's why you have got to take good care of the ones you have."
Wang Dan scratched his head, his face thoughtful. "Yeah, if they could reproduce, these no-food chickens could end the apocalypse. Eggs wouldn't be so rare and precious anymore."
What they had thought was a generous luxury gift had turned out to be an absolute treasure. Everyone now understood just how valuable these dino-chickens truly were: no grain was needed to keep them alive, but they still provided a steady supply of eggs. That was the biggest perk of all in a starving world.
For a moment, holding the chickens felt like holding bars of pure gold.
Li Dayou reminded his men sternly, "Miss Jing gave us these Darklife chickens. We need to remember her kindness. These are rare and precious, so keep the chickens' breed and origin a secret. Don't give her any trouble, and do it for our own safety as well. Valuable things can attract dangerous attention."
"Don't worry, Captain, we would be keeping it quiet anyway," someone replied with a firm nod.
"Exactly. We all know that staying low and keeping this to ourselves is the smart move."
Jing Shu nodded in agreement. At this critical moment of arrival, she wanted to stay as low-profile as possible.
...
"Miss Jing, see you later. If you run into any trouble in the capital, be sure to find us."
Jing Shu waved her hand, watching Li Dayou and the others leave in their transport vehicle. She let out a soft sigh. No feast lasts forever. Li Dayou was immediately whisked away for official debriefings. Escorting the seeds back to Wu City had already delayed their team by six months. Whether the delay was seen as a merit or a fault by his superiors, she hoped it would turn out well for him.
...
Jing Shu tightened the collar of her big coat and stomped her boot in a shallow mud puddle, watching the ice crack. The sky in the capital was a hazy, suffocating gray, and the air felt heavy with the scent of soot. Her view didn't reach far into the distance, but looking around at the looming structures, everything felt weighty and solemn, like a sick dragon coiled in the heart of the city.
The airport had mostly shut down during the recent storms. Many planes were stuck deep in the mud, though some of the main runways and surrounding roads had been cleared by manual labor. A few specialized planes and transport trucks were still running. Getting into this area now required a high-level permit, so not everyone could come and go as they pleased.
Flickering lights dotted the surrounding area, making it look far busier and more occupied than the pitch-black streets of Wu City.
The capital was noticeably warmer than her home, with the temperature sitting only a little below minus ten degrees Celsius. Wu City, meanwhile, hovered around a brutal minus thirty. Still, standing for half an hour in this damp cold was deeply uncomfortable.
"Danai, isn't someone from the Capital Pharmacists Association picking us up?" Jing Shu asked, her voice tinged with a growing worry. Behind her, a group of shivering pharmacists huddled together in the biting wind, their teeth chattering.
Wang Danai adjusted her glasses, her brow furrowed as she checked her tablet. "They said we brought too many medicinal herbs, then they claimed that too many competitors are arriving at once, so now we are stuck in line waiting for a transport."
From the crowd of Wu City pharmacists came a timid, frustrated voice. "Miss Jing, look. Over there, another provincial pharmacist team just landed and they already have a car waiting. We got here first, but..."
Jing Shu frowned, her eyes narrowing as she watched the other team load their luggage. She hadn't expected to be slighted the moment she arrived in the capital.
The association's name was clear on the side of the car, illuminated by the flickering airport lights. The text looked gray in the thick haze, but it remained perfectly legible.