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"Meow~"
The Big Cat shook its ears, stretched its four paws in a blissful yawn, and rolled over in the woman's arms, wiggling its plump body. It extended its crimson tongue to lick its paws, meticulously washing its face.
Song Jiu slowly shifted his gaze and noticed a few Kittens darting out from behind the woman, obediently lying to one side and mewing incessantly.
"Did you get bitten?" The awkward silence lingered for a moment before the woman broke it.
"No, no," both of them shook their heads in unison.
"Do you need help?" the woman asked again.
"Yes." Song Jiu finally snapped back to reality, recalling the purpose of his visit. He said urgently, "I heard there’s a doctor here."
"There is, but they haven't returned yet." The woman approached the fence, bending down to place the Big Cat on the ground. Curiously, she asked, "Where are you from? I haven't seen you before."
"We just entered the city last night." Song Jiu glanced at the Fake Taoist, thinking that he was indeed just a loudmouth; clearly, the woman had no impression of him at all.
The usually chatty Boss Lin had turned mute at this moment. Song Jiu noticed him straightening his back discreetly, remaining silent while occasionally stroking his tangled long beard, looking quite ethereal.
"When will your doctor be back?" Song Jiu felt something was off about the surroundings. Just earlier, he had encountered a City Spider-Man, and now he found this lush area amidst the steel jungle. The woman's relaxed demeanor seemed out of place in a city center surrounded by Zombies.
"Is it urgent?" The woman brushed her long hair that fell to her waist and frowned in thought. "What kind of injury?"
Song Jiu hesitated for a moment but seeing that the woman's expression seemed genuine, he decided to tell the truth: "Gunshot wound; there's a fragment that can't be removed."
"Oh." The woman showed no unusual reaction, as if she had merely heard something trivial. "Bring the injured person here; removing the fragment will require surgery. The conditions here are better."
Song Jiu was taken aback for a moment, surprised by how accommodating she was.
"Thank you," he managed to say while suppressing his doubts. He tentatively asked, "But our place is quite far; could we borrow a vehicle?"
Lin Daozhang smirked under his beard, thinking to himself how thick-skinned this person was, completely lacking in courtesy.
"Well," the woman smiled, her fair cheeks dimpled. After a moment's thought, she said, "Come inside; the car won't be back for a while."
Song Jiu and Lin Daozhang exchanged glances, both feeling a bit suspicious. Everything from the appearance of the camp to their brief interaction was completely different from what they had imagined, so smooth that it was hard to believe.
The woman ignored their sudden doubts and beckoned them with a finger, indicating for them to move to the other side beneath a large tree.
The two were puzzled but cautiously observed their surroundings as they walked along the iron fence to the opposite side of the street. There, they spotted a gate locked from the inside. The fence was obscured by lush foliage, making it hard to discern from afar; only upon closer inspection did they realize that behind the fence there was not only trees but also a layer of cement brick wall wedged in between, not very high—just about waist-high.
Suddenly, there was a rustling in the dense treetops, and a figure jumped down, directly opening the iron gate and waving at the two bewildered individuals, signaling them to come in.
Boss Lin hesitated, stepping back two paces to ask, "Are we going in?"
"What’s wrong?"
"Isn’t this just inviting us into a trap?"
"You said they were really nice people."
Boss Lin fell silent, hesitating before nodding. He pushed Song Jiu forward a couple of steps and awkwardly followed him inside.
Song Jiu suppressed his confusion and glanced at the gatekeeper with painted face, feeling an even stronger curiosity about this place. He had thought Riverside Camp was impressive, but he never expected there would be a mysterious camp right in the city center. The security measures here were far superior to those at Riverside Camp.
Beyond the gate, nothing seemed particularly special; although they were walking on asphalt roads, it felt as if they had stepped into a wild jungle. The vegetation behind the low wall was dense, with trees thick enough for two people to embrace. The ground beneath the tree roots was covered in grass, making it impossible to tell how it had been planted. The natural green tree barrier served as a third layer of wall. At the entrance, a heavy military-green blanket hung as a curtain; when they pulled it aside, everything opened up before them.
"Damn," the Fake Taoist exclaimed with an expletive.
Song Jiu also wanted to explode with excitement but held it back.
He had been listening to Lin Daozhang talk about the Roundabout for a while, but he hadn’t seen it until just now. After passing through the curtain, he finally saw its true form. It turned out that the people here had completely enclosed the entire Roundabout.
Song Jiu and his companions were standing at a street corner, where iron fences, low walls, and large trees formed a triad that closed off the entrance. Directly across from them was a massive Vegetable Shed, its plastic film resembling a dome that covered the expanded circular Green Belt below. Surrounding it was a polygonal asphalt road, and the sidewalks near the towering buildings had all been torn up, as if they had been dug into a trench.
A cool breeze carrying moisture brushed against Song Jiu. Just as he was about to walk over to take a look, he saw a woman holding a cat approaching with a bearded Foreigner.
“Oh no,” Song Jiu's first reaction was that he had stumbled into a Zombie den again. His face changed dramatically as he quickly drew out his Steel Saw Blade and took a defensive stance.
“Don’t be nervous.” The woman was startled by his sudden movement and hurriedly waved her hand to calm him down.
It was then that Song Jiu noticed the heavily painted man behind her was holding a shotgun that looked strikingly like a Thunderstorm model, its dark muzzle aimed directly at him. All it would take was a pull of the trigger, and Song Jiu would be reduced to a pile of flesh.
“Why are you so tense?” The woman looked at him curiously, tilting her head slightly as the Foreigner spread his hands and walked towards Song Jiu and Boss Lin.
“He’s unarmed; for safety’s sake, you’d better put down your weapons too.” The woman crossed her arms and scrutinized Song Jiu. “Don’t worry; this place is very safe.”
Song Jiu didn’t respond. The Bearded Man was quite polite, rolling up his sleeves to show he had no weapons, wearing a warm and welcoming smile as he gestured if he could search him.
Since the host was being so accommodating, Song Jiu felt it would be inappropriate to be overly aggressive, especially with such heavy firepower behind him. He reluctantly nodded and handed his Steel Saw Blade to the Bearded Man. The Bearded Man patted him down thoroughly and raised an eyebrow when he found hard objects in Song Jiu’s pockets and inside his coat. With no other choice, Song Jiu pulled out his photo frame and notebook, shook them in front of the Bearded Man, then stuffed them back into his coat.
Once the Foreigner finished searching him, he turned back to give the woman an “okay” gesture before suddenly opening his arms wide and giving both men a hearty hug.
Song Jiu nearly reacted instinctively by throwing a punch, but the Foreigner didn’t mind at all. He patted Song Jiu’s back vigorously while speaking in a thick accent, “Good brother! Good brother!”
Boss Lin, who was trying to play the wise man, was also caught off guard. The Foreigner’s bear-like hug almost crushed his ribs as he stiffened his face and forced out an even stiffer smile in return for this unexpected brotherly affection.
The woman stood aside with a bright smile watching them. She waved her hand to signal everyone to follow her as she cradled the Fat Cat and led a group of Kittens around the giant Greenhouse towards another side of the Roundabout.
Song Jiu was filled with doubts that he couldn't explain, and beside him was an overly enthusiastic Foreigner, making him feel utterly uncomfortable. Taking advantage of the moment while walking, he glanced at the ditch by the roadside and was surprised to see water flowing in a circular motion below.
"Wow," Song Jiu thought, somewhat admiring the owner of this place. He had wanted to draw a Moat at Riverside Camp, which would have been practical given the nearby river. But here, in the center of a second-tier city surrounded by steel and concrete, how had they managed to bring water in?
The woman walked slowly, seemingly aware that the two behind her were looking around. She didn’t rush them but often tilted her head to scrutinize Song Jiu.
Lin Daozhang felt a bit unbalanced; Song Jiu clearly had the demeanor of a reckless outlaw while he himself exuded an ethereal presence. Why wasn’t she looking at him?
“Was it like this when you came last time?” Song Jiu asked, controlling his volume. Just as he turned the corner, the scene on the other side came into view, matching his expectations. This large Vegetable Shed was indeed the prototype of the Roundabout, surrounded by five blocked roads and leaning against several abandoned high-rises that formed an isolated Living Area.
What surprised Song Jiu even more was that apart from trees, low walls, and a Vegetable Greenhouse, there were hardly any new constructions. The surrounding high-rises had become natural barriers, and the lower infrastructure along with various storefronts were all cleaned up. Some doors were open while others had their windows wide open, allowing glimpses of people coming and going, exuding a tranquil community vibe.
Song Jiu spotted a bright Construction Bank where many people were gathered around something unknown; there was also a flashy KTV with ornate metal letters embedded in its facade. The revolving glass door had been removed, letting sunlight spill into one corner. A row of sofas filled the lobby where both men and women sat as if waiting for their turn to be called for rooms. The Roundabout was spacious, indicating that this area once experienced heavy traffic and belonged to a bustling district. Various Stores lined the uneven commercial buildings below, ranging from banks to clothing restaurants—truly a small commercial street with everything one could need.
“Smart,” Song Jiu mused for what felt like the umpteenth time. He had never imagined such a feng shui treasure could be built in the heart of a city ravaged by Zombies. Compared to Riverside Camp, this place felt like the difference between rural areas and the capital.
“Right?” Lin Daozhang shared his awe as well, pointing at the walls blocking off road exits and exclaimed, “Super simple! Just block off the entrances and you can use these high-rises however you want!”
“It’s not that simple,” Song Jiu licked his lips, reminding himself that he was here seeking medical help and suppressing that fleeting thought of seizing what wasn’t his.
“Are you done sightseeing?” The woman timely brought back the two daydreamers and gestured behind her. “Come inside; wait for a moment.”
“Okay.” The two casually followed her through the clean streets into a storefront with an outdoor balcony. The walls of this shop bore large scorch marks; for some unknown reason, while other buildings showed signs of cleaning, this one retained its battle-scarred appearance.
“I’ve been to this bar before,” Lin Daozhang whispered into Song Jiu's ear.
“That woman is the bar owner,” Song Jiu replied with a smirk. Inside truly resembled a bar; despite the bright morning light outside, it couldn’t penetrate through much of the steel jungle, making it feel somewhat dim without torches. The hall was relatively empty; scattered tables and chairs seemed cleared out except for booths lining the walls. In the center stood a dance floor with a shiny steel pole upright in it; behind it was the bar counter adorned with various bottles of liquor. A massive Brass Bell hung prominently in the back, exuding an imposing presence.
“No way! I remember it being run by a Young Man; I even have his business card,” Boss Lin pointed towards a small pole dancing stage in one of the booths with nostalgia in his eyes. “He had Ukrainian girls here; that guy's thighs were even bigger than mine—he could really swing them around!”
"What's a rich kid like you doing here?" Song Jiu couldn't help but ask with a smile.
"The boss here is the rich kid; I'm a private entrepreneur," Boss Lin shot him a glance.
"Make yourself comfortable." The woman waved her hand casually and walked toward the corner leading to the stairs to the second floor, calling out, "Yinuo."
Before her words faded, hurried footsteps echoed from the stairs, and a shadow dashed in, accompanied by a series of excited barks as a big yellow dog leaped into the woman's arms.
"Ouch." The woman stumbled as the Big Yellow Dog knocked into her, raising her hand to give it a light slap. The Yellow Dog shamelessly wagged its tail, circling around her excitedly.
"Tsk tsk tsk, look at that; even the dog's name has such depth," Lin Daozhang stroked his beard, feeling quite emotional. "My name is just plain bad—ancient and unlucky."
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