Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"Akin!" Fang Fei exclaimed, rushing forward to turn the person on the ground over. Sure enough, it was Jin Bo, who had been carried up by Wu Wentao.
Wu Wentao coughed a few times while holding his chest, glancing at the other disheveled individuals. He casually remarked, "He won't die. He's a tough one."
"You... how are you?" Luo Yu sighed in relief. No matter what, they had finally found what they were looking for. The signs of the waiting hall's collapse were becoming increasingly evident; it was time for them to retreat.
"I'm fine, won't die," Wu Wentao shook his head and asked, "What about that kid named Song? Is he dead?"
"No," Luo Yu replied, calling over a young assistant who hurried outside to carry Song Jiu back.
Wu Wentao followed behind and caught sight of Liu Yan, who had been cut in half. A flicker of unusual emotion crossed his gaze.
"What about him?" Luo Yu was now desperate. Wu Wentao was a Zombie; he should understand some of the characteristics of Zombies better than she did. Moreover, Liu Yan had originally been under Wu Wentao's command, so she hoped he would remember their past and not abandon him.
Wu Wentao furrowed his brow and crouched down, waving his hand in front of Liu Yan's eyes. Liu Yan's gaze became somewhat dull, but his eyes still followed Wu Wentao's movements, a pained smile appearing on his face.
"He's not going to make it," Wu Wentao sighed. After rummaging through his pockets for a while, he pulled out a crushed pack of cigarettes and retrieved a broken cigarette from it. He pinched off the filter, lit it, and placed it gently into Liu Yan's slightly parted lips.
Luo Yu felt a sharp pain in her heart. Since Wu Wentao had said this, it must mean there was no hope left.
Wu Wentao understood the glimmer of hope in Luo Yu's heart and shook his head helplessly. "Zombies aren't as miraculous as you think; they're still mere mortals. The effects of medicine are limited—he's too badly injured."
"Let's go." Fang Fei and a young man hoisted the unconscious Jin Bo up. They glanced at the several corpses lying side by side and felt a wave of sorrow wash over them. No one could guarantee that the next one to lie down would not be themselves.
"Liu Yan, we're leaving." Luo Yu could no longer contain her grief; tears streamed down her face. In just two days, her companions had fallen one by one. If they had died fighting bravely in battle, it would have been easier to accept, but what was this?
Liu Yan's reflexes were significantly dulled; he looked as if he had just woken up, his expression bewildered. He took a deep drag from the cigarette and smiled faintly at Luo Yu, moving his lips slightly and waving his hand gently.
Luo Yu understood and Liu Yan said, "Take care."
As a few people got ready, Wu Wentao pulled a dagger from his boot and squatted in front of Liu Yan. "We've worked together, and I don't think you'd want to die without peace. Let me send you off."
Liu Yan smiled at his words, the stiffness in his expression easing as he nodded and exhaled the last puff of smoke in his life.
With a soft thud, the blade pierced his body, and the smoke dissipated.
Wu Wentao wiped the blood off the dagger, glanced at Xiao Wei and Lin Daozhang, then handed the dagger to Luo Yu, making it clear that he wanted Luo Yu to do it himself. The two young men helped support Song Jiu while Luo Yu wiped away his tears, his expression returning to its coldness. He took a deep breath, gripped the dagger, and walked over.
The night was clear, with the moon shining like snow.
Outside Train Station Square, the desolate scene remained unchanged. A few zombies wandered near an overturned bus, crouching by the vehicle as they gnawed on the bodies of their fallen companions.
Upon learning that Luci and Ming Junwei were still hiding in a nearby shop, Wu Wentao said nothing more. He instructed the young man carrying the injured to step back and picked up the rifle that had yet to be fired. Aiming at the feasting zombies, he pulled the trigger. At this point, there was no need to worry about the sound of gunfire; scattered zombies were precisely targeted from a distance. The brittle skulls crumbled like stale pastries as bullets whirled through them, blood plasma erupting as their bodies fell.
Luo Yu and the others hurried around the corner and knocked on the rolling shutter door. They identified themselves, and a young man inside unarmed himself and lifted the secured door. In the dim moonlight, they saw Luci sitting on the ground with red-rimmed eyes. Ming Junwei lay beside her; if not for the half-burnt cigarette in his mouth, he looked no different from a corpse.
Luci glanced at the group at the door, counted them, and forced a smile as she whispered, "Yao Yao hasn't come back."
"Why hasn't she returned?" Wu Wentao was unaware that Roundabout had also been attacked and was momentarily taken aback by the concentration of injured people here.
"Where would she go back to?" Luci tugged at her lips in a grimace, her voice low. "Roundabout is gone."
"Wait here, I'll go get Song Yao," Luo Yu said as he set down Song Jiu. He glanced at the time; nearly half an hour had passed since the explosion. The Zombies moved slowly, but their numbers were overwhelming. A few scattered Zombies had already appeared in the area, and if they delayed any longer, escaping would become impossible.
"What about him?" Wu Wentao asked, glancing at Ming Junwei on the ground, his brow furrowing.
Luci shook her head weakly, and the others wore similar expressions of sorrow. They had all heard Ming Junwei's conversation with Luci earlier; there was nothing to evaluate—it was his final choice.
"The Zombies are coming."
Fang Fei alerted them, and everyone turned to see a dark wave of the Zombie Tide surging down the long street toward the train station. It was no longer possible to reach the Roundabout from here.
"Let's go." Wu Wentao made a decisive call. The young man, who seemed mostly unscathed, picked up several injured individuals and was about to help Ming Junwei when the latter raised his hand in refusal.
"You all go ahead; let me be alone for a while," Ming Junwei coughed a few times and reached for the wine flask resting beside his head, taking a couple of swigs.
Wu Wentao's tightly furrowed brow relaxed slightly, a hint of teasing in his voice as he said, "Not leaving then?"
"Not leaving," Ming Junwei replied with a grin. He asked Luci to help him remove the eye mask covering his face, enduring the increasing pain in his chest. "Help me close the door."
"Ming Ge," Luci said, her voice choked with tears as she clutched his rough hands tightly, unwilling to let go.
"Don't cry," Ming Junwei sighed softly. "If you can come back, take me to Mercy Garden. If you can't return, then forget it."
Fang Fei and the others were visibly moved. Back on the island, Jin Bo would often drunkenly recount stories of their struggles together—over and over again without tiring. They had developed a fondness for Ming Junwei and his group through Jin Bo's affection for them. Unfortunately, they wouldn't have time for celebratory drinks before being separated by life and death.
"Let's listen to him," Wu Wentao felt a surge of conflicting emotions within him. As mercenaries who danced on the edge of danger, bleeding was commonplace while shedding tears was rare. Years of brutal experiences had forged their hearts into something unyielding; they understood the pitfalls of excessive sentimentality and instinctively felt some aversion to such scenes. Yet on the other hand, Wu Wentao found himself feeling unexpectedly melancholic. He wasn't sure why—perhaps it was because he had been away from Kenny for too long or because Old Tian constantly urged him to show humanity. Over time, even a heart as solid as stone could shed its hard exterior and reveal a hint of softness belonging to humanity.
Accepting death calmly and cowardly giving up on life are two different matters. Wu Wentao understood Ming Junwei's persistence. If he ever found himself in such a situation, he would never risk more lives just to cling to his own.
The lookout youth reminded them again; while emotions stirred, there was no time to waste. If they lingered any longer, there would be no farewells—just a journey together into the unknown.
Just as Luci gritted her teeth and prepared to leave, Song Yao and Yuan An arrived.
The two girls were drenched in blood, sprinting ahead of the Horde. The scene was horrifying; the Horde was almost upon them, their clothes nearly within reach. In every perilous moment, the blades in their hands struck with precision, buying themselves just a little more time.
The Horde, the streets—only a few hundred meters apart, just a matter of minutes.
Song Yao and Yuan An arrived breathlessly, and before they could say much, Luci took Song Yao's hand and stepped inside to bid a final farewell to Ming Junwei, who had weathered the storm alongside them.
Song Yao was still in a daze; when they left, Ming Junwei had not yet awakened. How could he suddenly be gone upon their return?
Gunfire erupted again. Wu Wentao, Luo Yu, and others stood at the street corner, their weapons spitting fire wildly. Yellow shells ejected from the chambers, clattering to the ground in a crisp melody. Even with time running out and playing with fire, they needed to give Song Yao a moment to speak with Ming Junwei one last time.
Seven or eight people with seven or eight guns faced the tide of Zombies surging toward them—it was merely a drop in the bucket.
The front line of Zombies crashed into the dense waterfall of bullets. Blood plasma sprayed everywhere as bodies fell. The momentum paused for just an instant before the following Zombies trampled over their fallen comrades and pressed forward relentlessly.
Luo Yu, Wu Wentao, Fang Fei, and those painted youths stood tall and unwavering. Despite the Horde closing in, they remained as immovable as mountains. The gunfire blinded them; spent shells littered the ground while bullets carved a deep trench through the heart of the Horde.
Behind them, flames flickered; before them, corpses danced chaotically. On this street, life and death bid farewell to each other in the most direct manner possible.
Soon enough, everyone ran out of ammunition. The Horde was only twenty meters away now; their grotesque faces were clearly visible. The frenzied roars rose higher and higher as the night wind carried the stench of decay straight toward them.
Luo Yu dropped the rifle, his hands lifting the hem of his clothing. With a flick of his wrist, two Steel Saw Blades, shimmering with a faint blue glow, were firmly grasped in his hands. His gaze sharpened, and his delicate features showed no sign of emotion; his eyes were as piercing as the blades themselves.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
After a brief pause, several dazzling bursts of fire erupted across the intersection.
Luo Yu and the others turned their attention to the source of the sound. Earlier, they had left Ying Dou Dou with Song Yao but had now returned, sprinting down the street—a man and a woman, gunfire flashing around them.
It was like trying to stop a moving vehicle with bare hands; it was futile.
Clang!
Just as Luo Yu resolved to charge forward, the rolling shutter door came crashing down beside him. Song Yao and Luci appeared outside, slamming the door shut behind them and tucking the key into their pockets.
Song Yao's eyes were red and swollen, tears still visible on her cheeks. Her gaze was filled with an overwhelming sadness and determination. Luci looked no different; her eyes were puffy, and her long hair whipped wildly in the night wind. They hoisted Song Jiu and Jin Bo onto their backs, and the group turned sharply, almost colliding with the Horde as they hurriedly followed the two women, racing toward a direction where the firelight could not reach.
Comment 0 Comment Count