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墨書 Inktalez
The morning light filtered through the sheer curtains, casting fragmented patterns on Song Jiu's profile, revealing a pair of eyes devoid of emotional fluctuations. He had likely woken up in the early hours, quietly listening to Luo Yu recount the events that had transpired, occasionally responding with a soft "mm," but offering no further expression, lost in his thoughts.
Seeing him like this, Luo Yu chose not to say more. Following Dr. Zhong's instructions, he changed the bandages and then stood up to leave the dusty guest room.
Wu Wentao was not seriously injured; the advantages of his zombie-like constitution were particularly evident in this situation. After a good sleep, he rose early, full of energy. Jin Bo was also fine; like Song Jiu, he mainly had superficial wounds. He had recklessly dashed forward, trying to escape through the descending passageway, but unfortunately, that passage collapsed the fastest. While avoiding the direct impact of the shockwave, he ended up buried underground. Fortunately, Wu Wentao chose to retrace his steps; if he had taken a detour, it was uncertain whether he could have dug Jin Bo out.
Song Jiu's hand, already missing a finger, sustained new injuries as he was thrown by the shockwave. He glanced at the unresponsive Song Jiu and sighed, "If you don't want to eat, that's fine. I'll help you to the Great Hall; everyone is waiting for you."
"Waiting for me for what?" Song Jiu's expression shifted slightly as he asked curiously, "Is something wrong again?"
"Everyone is discussing our way forward. Your sister, Wu Wentao, Jin Bo—they're all waiting for you," Pockmarked Girl shrugged helplessly and said, "If you don’t go, they’ll come over here."
"I'll go." Song Jiu nodded and brushed aside Pockmarked Girl's hand that was reaching out to support him, forcing a smile. "It's not that serious."
The morning sky was somewhat dim; last night's explosion had kicked up clouds of dust, and even now the flames had not completely extinguished. For some time to come, the sky over this ancient city would never return to its former clarity.
The temple remained unchanged; Old Lin's flowerbeds planted over three years were utterly destroyed by acid rain. However, the potted plants under the porch were unharmed; it seemed someone had watered them recently. They still thrived vibrantly, their fragrance mingling with the cool morning air, refreshing to breathe in.
Inside the Great Hall of Great Hero, everyone was present. Song Yao and a few others sat in the center as if discussing something important. The surrounding individuals participated as well but lacked enthusiasm; they all wore gloomy expressions. Upon seeing Song Jiu enter, they paused their conversation and made space for him on a mat.
"How are you? Aside from your external injuries, do you feel any other discomfort?" Dr. Zhong fulfilled his duties as a doctor by immediately inquiring about Song Jiu's condition.
"I'm fine." Song Jiu smiled gratefully as he accepted a cigarette tossed by Wu Wentao. His gaze swept over everyone as he asked, "What are we discussing?"
"The way forward," Song Yao said softly while pressing her fingers against her forehead. "Zombies are still active; the temple isn't safe—we can't stay here long."
"Come with me." Jin Bo wrapped in bandages around his head stood straight with an expression of resentment and gritted his teeth as he declared, "We must settle this score."
It was evident that Jin Bo was somewhat agitated, and it was easy to understand why. After three years apart, they had unexpectedly reunited, only to have everything shattered by two loud explosions before they could even catch up. Song Jiu did not understand him, but Song Yao and the others were well aware of his temperament. After a few years of reflection, his recklessness had not diminished; instead, his anger had only intensified. However, Jin Bo was right—this time, even the more moderate members like Song Yao and Luci were genuinely furious.
Wu Wentao remained silent, quietly smoking. He was in a worse position than Song Jiu, with only Dr. Zhong left under his command—a solitary figure without any real support.
Initially, Jin Bo had a poor impression of him. Under Ming Junwei's mediation, the two had ignored each other. However, after this incident, Jin Bo's attitude towards him had slightly improved. Young Swordsman was someone who clearly distinguished between friends and foes; Wu Wentao had saved him from the passageway, a life-saving act that required no further words.
“Yinuo has been taken,” Song Yao sighed as she recounted the last words Hou Xiong had told her, frowning as she added, “Why did they take Yinuo?”
Wu Wentao snorted coldly and raised an eyebrow. “It's just a matter of e being les; there's no special reason for it. At this rate, Old Tian is probably dead too.”
A heavy silence fell over the group as they processed his words, unsure of what to say.
“Stop hesitating,” Jin Bo said angrily, crushing his cigarette butt with force. “I have people, I have guns, I have a boat. Isn’t it just the Gobi Desert? Damn it! We’ll kill our way back! I can’t swallow this anger; this debt must be repaid!”
Jin Bo's furious curses echoed in the hall while those around him hung their heads in silence.
Ultimately, only a few knew the details of what had happened back then. For those who had narrowly escaped death and were not combatants, survival was already a victory. Although the casualties were heartbreaking, what could be done? They had witnessed the enemy's power; to not hide but to swim against the current—was that bravery or foolishness?
Song Yao exchanged glances with Luci and whispered, “Let’s wait a bit longer.”
“What are we waiting for?” Jin Bo’s expression changed to one of confusion as he murmured, “Yao Yao, what’s wrong? Why do we need to wait?”
“Just two more days,” Song Yao exhaled slowly and said seriously. “We’ll set off in two days.” Pausing for a moment without waiting for anyone to respond, she continued, “Everyone here needs to understand that given the current situation, we must be clear about some things. The enemy is powerful; compared to them, we truly lack the means to fight back. Everyone is here today; you can each decide for yourselves whether to stay or go—there’s no need to force anyone.”
Song Yao’s words were somewhat scattered; she seemed distracted but conveyed her meaning clearly. The conflict with e could be seen as a war between humanity and zombies or simply personal grudges. Regardless of how one viewed it, given their current team situation, it was undoubtedly like striking a rock with an egg. In the past, everyone had lived in Roundabout together against outside threats without question; however, now actively seeking death would be unnecessary for many. Song Yao and her companions were willing to sacrifice and fight for each other; others did not share that obligation.
Jin Bo remained lost in thought about “waiting two more days,” while Wu Wentao continued to say nothing. The rest of the group focused their gazes on Song Jiu as if eager to hear his thoughts.
Song Jiu lowered his head in thought, trying to organize the chaotic fragments in his mind. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly said, "Not long ago, I had a conversation with Brother Ming."
The crowd fell silent, turning their attention toward him.
"It was about how Roundabout can survive and how to deal with the increasingly rampant threats." Song Jiu licked his lips and spoke softly, "Zombies—everyone is familiar with them. We all have a general understanding of those who have attacked Roundabout multiple times. Whether it’s seeking revenge or resisting, with our current strength, it’s impossible."
The expressions of those present varied. Jin Bo's brow twitched as he prepared to speak, but Fang Fei tugged at his sleeve, signaling him to let Song Jiu finish. Song Yao and the others were somewhat stunned, unsure of what Song Jiu was trying to convey. Only Luo Yu and a few others remained unfazed; for them, if Song Jiu chose to speak, it must mean he had a plan and wouldn’t be aimlessly rambling.
"Personally," Song Jiu continued, his voice calm yet carrying an icy undertone as he scanned the faces around him, "this debt must be settled."
Jin Bo's furrowed brow relaxed as he nodded heavily in agreement.
"I don’t have your level of understanding about those people. Brother Ming has told me some things and mentioned one particular matter. I believe that if we are discussing revenge, we should consider this route."
Even those who thought it didn’t concern them were now all ears. Song Jiu held a prominent position; he was not only Song Yao's brother but also led a team on his own. To them, Ming Junwei was akin to a guardian deity. Hearing Song Jiu suggest that Ming Junwei had imparted some clever strategies piqued their interest.
Song Jiu noticed the puzzled expressions on their faces and slowly added, "Isn’t there still The Establishment?"
Song Yao and Wu Wentao were taken aback, their expressions varying from confusion to disappointment.
"Since you’re at sea, we can first regroup at your place and then seek cooperation with The Establishment. Having such a formidable ally would significantly increase our chances against that Blonde Woman." Song Jiu laid out his thoughts directly without further pretense. This wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment idea; he had discussed this with Ming Junwei before but hadn’t taken it seriously at the time when Roundabout seemed vibrant and ready for a resurgence. Who could have anticipated such a sudden downfall?
Jin Bo felt particularly disappointed; he had hoped for some brilliant strategy from Song Yao's brother but found that it amounted to nothing substantial.
"The status of The Establishment is uncertain at this point. Besides, they were driven to the sea years ago; they’ve probably grown accustomed to their own lives by now. Why would they risk everything to fight against RCA?" Jin Bo scoffed and shook his head, choosing not to say anything further.
“ Jiu Jiu, you might not fully understand the situation with these two parties,” Luci said, trying to ease the tension. “RCA is a wolf, The Establishment is a tiger, and we are nothing. The reason we got caught up in this mess was purely by chance. As your sister said, we have no capital.”
“No capital?” Song Jiu raised an eyebrow, a confident expression on his face. Although he appeared calm on the outside, the resentment and anger in his heart were no less than Jin Bo's. To him, Liu Yan and Old Lin were just like Ming Junwei and Xiao Wei to Song Yao; Luo Yu and the others knew well that Song Jiu would protect his own and seek revenge for any grievances. With the Blonde Woman causing such a stir this time, there was no way Song Jiu would let it go easily.
However, with the recent influx of new members in Roundabout, it seemed that Song Jiu preferred to stay in the background. Those who had interacted with him had their own opinions about him; for instance, Wu Wentao had learned from the turmoil in the cave that this guy was not someone to be underestimated.
Song Jiu's mindset had also changed significantly in a short time. Initially, when he found his sister and saw Roundabout thriving, he felt a sense of complacency. However, a series of events unfolded too quickly afterward. Encountering Red Mother again brought back painful memories, and Dream Fan's death shattered the last remnants of his innocence. The deaths of Old Lin and Liu Yan reignited the anger that had almost faded away.
Then there was Ming Junwei, who had gone from being skeptical to eventually getting used to taking orders from him. The influence Cyclops had on Song Jiu was beyond words. It was like a new talent in the martial world sharing drinks with a monk from Shaolin, discussing life rather than martial arts; seemingly trivial matters could subtly shape one's perspective without them even realizing it.
Thus, after Awaken, Song Jiu did not drown in despair over his significant failures. Since he was still alive, he knew he had to take action.
Noticing the puzzled expressions on everyone's faces, Song Jiu smiled and glanced at Huihui sitting at the back.
“We have a form of capital that no one can refuse,” Song Yao said coldly, gazing at the serene and solemn Lamp of Enlightenment Buddha Statue in the center of the hall, her killing intent resolute.
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