Free Web NovelChapter 410: Chapter 410: Rats
Evelyn Ford scattered the seeds near the boundary line, then put the bag away.
She hoped these seeds would give the other refugees the strength to live on, and she also hoped the seeds would divert attention from the farm.
On the way back, Evelyn Ford’s mood lightened considerably. After her rebirth, she had bought many seeds, and even while fleeing, she never forgot to pick up seeds she found along the way. And on this day, the seeds in her storage space had finally served their greatest purpose.
Back at the farm, Evelyn Ford also scattered some traveler’s palm and grass seeds on the ground. Perhaps the people on the farm needed this hope, too.
During the day, a strong wind swept in, carrying clouds of dust. They had already made a good number of compressed biscuits. Evelyn Ford had everyone harvest all the pumpkins and collect the seeds. A single plot yielded hundreds of pounds of seeds. She put about half a pound into the supply packs she was preparing for everyone; any more would have been a burden, so she only included a moderate amount.
In the afternoon, Ethan Dawson came over. He brought a piece of gold jewelry as a thank-you gift for the medicine last time. Evelyn Ford knew it was a memento from his mother, so she didn’t accept it.
"You’re being generous now," Ethan Dawson remarked. He looked exhausted. The beard he had just shaved was already growing back, making him look as if he had aged ten years.
Evelyn Ford couldn’t be bothered to banter with him. "We’re still partners, and we have to face the refugees outside together. I’m giving you this medicine for free. Besides, you weren’t using it for yourself. I heard nine people on your farm were injured. How are they?"
"Luckily, they’re all still alive. Two of them were slashed twice in the back, but thankfully the wounds weren’t too deep."
Ethan Dawson ran a hand through his hair. "To be honest, those refugees looked so thin. They probably hadn’t eaten in a long time, yet they still had so much strength to kill."
"Because if they kill everyone on your farm, they can take it over and won’t have to be refugees anymore." Evelyn Ford gave a slight, grim smile. ’Perhaps that’s what motivates them to kill.’
"Yesterday, I found a few unusually large rats on the farm. Some of our people wanted to roast them, but I felt something was wrong."
"These rats looked very strange. Their fur was patchy and coarse. They might carry the plague. If you see any rats like this on your farm, you should get rid of them." This was the other reason he had come today.
"We haven’t found any rats like that on our farm yet. Rats that appear during a famine do tend to carry the plague."
Evelyn Ford decided to mix up some rat poison and place it outside the fence. After all, there were two wolfhounds romping around inside the farm. It would be disastrous if they accidentally ate it.
After Ethan Dawson left, Evelyn Ford had Officer Graham take a few people to search the farm. Everyone felt relieved only after they confirmed there were no rats.
In front of the cabin, Ronan Kendrick was training the dogs. The two wolfhounds stood with their ears pricked up, watching him.
"You can’t eat the rotten birds, rats, or snakes outside, understand?"
The two dogs flicked their ears, seeming to understand.
Ronan Kendrick patted their heads and gave them some treats.
"The wind picked up so suddenly today. Is it going to rain?" Quincy asked as he came out of the cabin, holding a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds.
"This wind is hot. It won’t rain." Evelyn Ford glanced at him and plucked a few seeds from his hand.
"Hey, why are you stealing my seeds?"
Evelyn Ford ignored him and walked straight over to Ronan Kendrick. "It’s been quiet for the past two days. I guess the ones who ran away aren’t coming back for revenge."
"They suffered heavy losses this time. Those refugees were just a group that formed along the way. The ones who escaped are lucky to be alive. It’s not worth it for them to come back for revenge for the dead, especially since we have guns and they just have a few rusty kitchen knives." After saying this, Quincy gave a particularly smug whistle.
"Don’t underestimate the enemy." Evelyn Ford sometimes really wondered how a scatterbrain like Quincy had managed to survive this long.
Compared to others, his greatest asset was his good luck.
’Maybe luck is a type of strength, too.’
"We have Ronan Kendrick on our farm, so what’s there to be afraid of? He can sense people from a kilometer away, even better than the wolfhounds. With him here, we’re invincible."
Even Ronan Kendrick couldn’t stand to listen anymore. He turned and went straight into the cabin.
"Evelyn, I think I’ve lost my sense of smell. Maybe it’s because the stench is everywhere, but I feel like I’ve gotten used to it."
Evelyn Ford had the same feeling. Even when eating, it was hard to smell the aroma of the food in the air.
When the air itself turned into a stench, people would eventually forget what the world was supposed to be like.
"Just smell some medicated oil. That should restore your sense of smell."
"I feel like it’s not working. I’ve forgotten what fresh air even smells like."
Evelyn Ford looked at him as if he were an idiot. "Air doesn’t have a smell."
"What is it like to not have a smell? I can’t even imagine it now. As long as I’m awake, the only thing my nose picks up is the stench. It seems the foul air has already damaged my brain."
"Drink more water." Evelyn Ford pointed to the mint plant nearby.
"You can also eat more mint."
——
Several continuous days of hot, gale-force winds made it impossible for anyone to go outside. The cabins were covered in sand and dirt, and just opening a door or window would send you into a coughing fit from the dust.
Evelyn Ford quickly returned to her cabin after feeding and watering the horses in the stable.
Yesterday, while on patrol, Miles Vaughn had seen several dead rats outside the fence. Just as Ethan Dawson had described, the rats were large, and their fur was not only coarse but also patchy, revealing skin covered in bloody blisters and pus.
He had immediately reported it to Evelyn Ford upon his return. Evelyn, in turn, had more rat poison put out. The dead rats couldn’t be buried; they had to be burned immediately.
The rats must not be touched with bare hands to avoid contracting all sorts of germs.
"Miss Ford, back when we were in Corinth, didn’t we eat rat meat?" Although Wendy had been withdrawn and silent at the time, she had an excellent memory and remembered those events very clearly.
"The rats appearing now are different from the ones we caught in Corinth. These rats have reddish-blue fur and blisters on their bodies. They definitely carry diseases and can’t be eaten. The rats we used to catch in Corinth had clear eyes. The most important thing in telling whether a rat has the plague is its eyes."
Wendy nodded. "Can the plague spread?"
"Yes. It spreads very quickly, is difficult to treat, and it’s fatal."
Evelyn Ford looked at the others. "We need to sprinkle some disinfectant powder around the farm. Everyone should wear an extra mask."
"Oh, and when you go to draw water from the cistern each day, make sure to seal the opening tightly. We absolutely cannot let rats get inside, or the entire cistern will be ruined."
"Evelyn, I discovered something," Taylor Vance suddenly said.
"I saw some plants growing on the farm today. They’re probably weeds, but the fact that plants can grow means there’s still moisture underground. And if there’s moisture, it’s bound to rain eventually."
