Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The next morning, the sky was dim, and the last candle in the camp quietly extinguished. The crowd, enveloped in damp fog, carried bulging packages on their backs and in their hands, moving silently in a quiet line under the leadership of Cao Zheng as they left the observation station known as Garrison, surrounded by high walls.
Song Jiu glanced at his watch, the hour hand just past six, marking the time when the rooster's crow had yet to fade. The cold, damp air swirled in his nostrils, refreshing his mind and cleansing his spirit. He raised his eyes to the distant mountains shrouded in mist, where a glimmer of golden light was gathering strength, slowly tearing through the clouds and struggling to emerge.
It was a good omen, Song Jiu thought.
The mountain path twisted and turned, wild grass swayed gently, and dewdrops slid down the stems of leaves. A gust of wind lifted flower petals into the air, which floated down lightly before being crushed into dust by hurried footsteps.
There was no conversation along the way.
Upon reaching the edge of National Highway again, dawn had already broken on the horizon. The asphalt road was soaked with water marks, presenting a fresh scene reminiscent of a mountain after a new rain.
A Jinbei seven-seater, a Beijing Cherokee, a Nissan, a Mercedes SRT, and a small mobile fuel truck were lined up from smallest to largest—this was all the mechanical power available to the group. Aside from the bullet holes dotting the vehicle bodies and windows that marred the view, everything else functioned normally. The once desperate group had turned their fortunes around with ample gasoline reserves that allowed them to indulge.
Yesterday, Song Jiu had confronted Cao Zheng and his team while the others prepared for departure at the camp. Wu Wentao took Luo Yu and left for that mountain tunnel again. By evening, Luo Yu returned to the camp covered in grease but with an excited expression. He eagerly called Song Jiu and the others outside. By National Highway's edge, Wu Wentao sat cross-legged on a small fuel truck's hood, saying, "Get Dr. Zhong to give me some enhancements."
"You can talk to him yourself," Song Jiu replied with a wry smile. With Lin Daozhang gone and Yang Xiaomeng now part of their group—a quirky addition—things felt oddly unchanged. This thought deepened the heavy feeling in Song Jiu's heart; given how things stood, all he could do was lead these people forward with all his might. The long road ahead held many unknown dangers; he did not want to see any more companions fall into despair.
In reality, bringing Cao Zheng's group down from the mountains was not as difficult as Yang Xiaomeng had suggested. Throughout the process, Song Jiu had only gone once and did not linger long.
Before meeting with them for negotiations, Song Jiu had prepared several scripts in his mind, carefully crafting his words and considering various negotiation tactics. He thought of many schemes—some deceitful—but ultimately discarded them all. Just like before at Riverside Camp, he found that pre-set positions often proved unnecessary; they not only failed to achieve desired outcomes but could backfire instead.
Song Jiu had been accustomed to deception because honesty often came at a bloody price. Apart from a few companions by his side, he did not trust others nor wished to attempt trust. The shadow left by Red Mother loomed large over him; during that winter when he and Dream Fan relied on each other through countless hardships, truth and goodness seemed absurdly out of reach—only cruelty could rise above it all. Fortunately, as time passed and lives faded away, those past shadows began to recede. People must move forward; they needed to see more people and experience more things. To survive, one must change.
Before the conversation began, Song Jiu cast aside all distracting thoughts and straightforwardly expressed his intentions. Even after being rejected by Cao Zheng, he did not lose his temper. Instead, he calmly sat across from the four of them and laid out the entire situation—their experiences and the various dangers they would face in the future—without any concealment. This included the information about Antibody, which Wu Wentao regarded as vital.
Song Jiu wanted to make an attempt to be open and sincere, genuinely expressing his thoughts in hopes that the other party would feel his goodwill and earnestness.
Undoubtedly, the attempt was successful.
Faced with Song Jiu's honesty, Cao Zheng's blunt temper was quelled. What Song Jiu said was reasonable; whether it was a request or a demand, it lacked the harshness and indifference of their first meeting.
Ultimately, communication between people is essential. With Dr. Zhong and Huihui Pearl Jade present, Song Jiu's forthrightness naturally earned him some goodwill from Cao Zheng. Additionally, considering the potential threat posed by the Blonde Woman, Cao Zheng had no better options. They were a restless group; since they were destined to leave the camp, joining Song Jiu's team seemed like a viable choice. These individuals did not appear to be ones who would settle down easily, which suited them perfectly.
Thus, with negotiations concluded, the four of them got into their vehicles by the National Highway in the early morning, completely abandoning any thoughts of turning back.
Unlike Wu Wentao's enthusiastic joining, Old Wu found himself in a difficult position. Although his mindset was slowly changing, his steps were hesitant. He was too resolute in his beliefs; getting used to Song Jiu's group was one thing, but transforming himself into someone like them was another matter entirely. Wu Wentao had already done well enough; Song Jiu would not force him further. Cao Zheng and his group were different; in a certain sense, they could be considered a similar type of people—at least they shared some commonality with Song Yao and Luci.
The convoy sped along, passing through a stretch of road stained with blood from numerous accidents. With the windows rolled down, white paper money fluttered through the air like snowflakes.
End of Volume Four: Industrial Park
Comment 0 Comment Count