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墨書 Inktalez
Three days after the funeral, the island, which had endured bloodshed and fire, returned to a semblance of calm—at least on the surface.
However, these three days were not entirely peaceful. The sudden attack had destroyed not just a wedding; within an hour, the island's population had been reduced by more than half, with most of the casualties being male laborers. After the battlefield was cleared, more pressing issues confronted the leaderless Islanders. Although some Islanders held significant grievances against Jin Bo at that time, he remained the nominal ruler of the island. Even those who despised him had to admit that without this figurehead, the survivors were nothing more than a scattered group.
When Jin Bo was present, their dissatisfaction and resentment had somewhere to be directed. Now that he was gone, people could only swallow their frustrations; they didn't even know whom to vent to. The leader of the Rebels had survived, including several who had bared their teeth at Jin Bo that night in the Stilt House. Just days ago, they had schemed to overthrow him, and now they had succeeded, yet events were not unfolding as they had hoped.
The fortunate survivors flocked to Fang Fei, whether to cry or plead. In their hearts, if there was anyone they could rely on now, it was undoubtedly Fang Fei and not Qian Wanguo. It was evident to any observer that the Islanders' reliance on Fang Fei was not due to her personal charm but rather because she stood behind Song Jiu and his group.
Indeed, Song Jiu and his companions were still outsiders, and it seemed that those who attacked the wedding were also targeting them. However, the attackers had already left; given the current situation, keeping Song Jiu's group on the island clearly held more value than driving them away. Besides, it wasn't as if they could simply be driven off.
Moreover, those who survived were not blind; they remembered what had happened that day. During the time when the armed assailants appeared and then left, only Song Jiu's group had fought back. Although their efforts were minimal and ultimately futile, they did take action. This alone rendered Qian Wanguo's small faction ineffective in inciting further unrest; those yearning for a return to normalcy were shrewd enough to understand that having a group willing to fight as leaders was far better than a bunch who could only talk.
However, they still underestimated things; not everyone shared their desire for mere survival. For Song Jiu's group, the Islanders' current sentiments meant nothing; rather than providing comfort, it felt excessively noisy.
With so few companions left—those dead or captured—who really had the heart to care about their needs?
The night was deepening, and a silent breeze swept through as lights still flickered in Jin Bo's Stilt House.
Song Jiu and his companions gathered in the living room—some sitting, some standing—with various expressions on their faces. A heavy atmosphere filled the air. In one corner of the room, a carpet was slightly lifted, revealing an open trapdoor leading to a basement from which a faint smell of gun oil wafted.
With all matters settled, those who remained had to continue living—for their fallen comrades and for themselves.
The question of how e managed to follow them here became clear: evidently, they had been careless from the start. The novelty and joy of escaping Land dulled their vigilance. Their encounter with an Engineering Ship at sea now seemed less like coincidence; perhaps it was actively searching for them while they unwittingly walked into danger. Following that stormy chaos which clouded their minds and dulled their senses after surviving such an ordeal came a false sense of security as they landed on the island; long-lost comfort enveloped them while concerns and caution were washed away by food and drink.
Now there was no longer any need to assign blame; this wake-up call struck too harshly for them to remain lost in grief. The purpose of gathering today was to discuss their next steps rather than reminisce about lost souls.
Moments ago, Wu Wentao briefly outlined his suspicions and received Fang Fei's agreement before revealing Jin Bo's hidden stockpile of weapons and suggesting they leave without delay. The others were still undecided, frowning as they contemplated Wu Wentao's words; the atmosphere felt somewhat oppressive.
"Are you saying," Song Yao furrowed her brow as she pieced together recent events in confusion, "that e came all this way for Yuan An?"
"Clearly," Wu Wentao nodded. Noticing everyone's puzzled expressions, he explained further: "Or rather, it's not Yuan An himself they're after; there's something else at play."
"What do you mean?" Song Yao voiced what many were thinking. If they were capturing someone for a specific purpose, then Huihui would undoubtedly be the most valuable target present. Yet there was no reason for Blonde Woman to know about Huihui's unique situation.
After a long silence, Song Jiu raised his head slowly and said: "Do you remember when we went to Industrial Park to rescue people? Those individuals initially intended to take Yuan An with them but were stopped midway by Lao Cao and his group; that's why they failed."
Song Yao paused in surprise before recalling that moment when Luo Yu was also present; indeed, they had seen each other holding Yuan An hostage during their escape attempt. At that time, they hadn’t understood the specifics behind it all but now began to piece together what might have been happening.
"After all is said and done, it's still Antibody." Song Jiu rubbed his stiff face and sighed, "We all overlooked one thing: Yuan An was captured along with the little bear, the little bear was killed, yet Yuan An did not suffer the same fate. There must be a reason for that."
"But isn't Antibody only carried by Huihui?" Luci understood Song Jiu's point but struggled to connect the dots, asking in confusion, "Could it be that because Yuan An spent so much time with Huihui, he also became a carrier of Antibody, which can be transmitted?"
"If that's the case, then aren't we all Antibody?" Pockmarked Girl chimed in, echoing Luci's thoughts.
Song Jiu shook his head and nodded at the same time, falling silent for a moment before whispering, "The only one who knows about this is Dr. Zhong."
The group fell silent at his words, the topic they had just raised extinguished once more.
Wu Wentao scanned everyone's expressions and cleared his throat, saying, "I agree with Song Jiu. Something must have happened at Industrial Park. However, there's no need for us to speculate right now. We will only know the truth after we make contact with The Establishment. Besides, this matter isn't the main focus."
"Mm."
"I want to ask you all something first." Wu Wentao leisurely lit his pipe, lowered his gaze for a moment, and asked, "Do you intend to continue?"
"What do you mean?" The group looked puzzled.
"Our choice to go out to sea wasn't just for leisure on the island. Now that things have happened, you should have some realization. It's still possible to back out now." Wu Wentao glanced at Song Jiu, who nodded in agreement for him to continue.
"This island has already been exposed. However, e has achieved its purpose and should not return in the short term. Moreover, there are no Zombies here; we have water and electricity—it's suitable for living." Wu Wentao's gaze settled on Chef Jia and the others as he sighed lightly and continued, "Both The Establishment and Kenny are like wolves and tigers; dealing with either side is not an easy task. Antibody won't give us any additional leverage."
"So what?" Yang Xiaomeng sensed that there was more to Wu Wentao's words and asked in confusion, "What are you trying to say?"
"The road ahead may be even more perilous than on the day of the wedding. Out of goodwill, I suggest you think carefully; there's no need to force yourselves." Today, for some reason, Wu Wentao was less direct than usual and spoke in circles. However, everyone present was smart enough to understand without needing everything spelled out.
Stilt House fell into silence as each person contemplated their next decision—one that might mean they would never see each other again. Life or death would be left to fate.
"Set sail," Wu Wentao waited for a moment before asking, "or stay?"
Cao Zheng was the first to give a clear answer. With an expressionless face, he calmly stated two words: "Set sail."
Yang Xiaomeng and Dai Wei exchanged glances, both showing signs of concern.
"I... I will also set sail," Yang Xiaomeng replied after a moment.
Dai Wei hesitated for a moment before turning to look at Luo Yu, whose gaze held determination. Without needing to ask, it was clear her answer would also be to leave.
"Set sail." Dai Wei sighed lightly in his heart and voiced his agreement.
Song Yao and Luci had no intention of considering whether to stay or leave. The situation had reached this point; it was normal for others to withdraw, but for them to do so would be out of the question.
Song Jiu was the same, quietly observing everyone present. Her gaze fell on Huihui, whose expression was sorrowful. Furrowing her brow, she said, "Huihui, you don't have to force yourself. You have the right to choose."
"I..." Huihui was taken aback, not expecting Song Jiu to say such a thing. For a moment, she seemed at a loss, turning to Wu Wentao, who nodded in agreement, giving her the decision-making power.
Song Jiu straightened up and said seriously, "Although the Antibody you carry is important, whether this journey has an endpoint is still uncertain. If you don't want to take the risk, then don't force yourself. If we manage to find The Establishment, we can always come back again; you don't need to worry about that."
"Thank you, I understand what you mean." Huihui nodded in gratitude, biting her lip as a glimmer of determination flashed in her eyes. "Perhaps I am being overconfident, but I really don't want to live in hiding like this. Moreover, Yuan An's capture is related to me; I can't pretend nothing has happened. I'm not like you all who can fight and kill; I rely on you for protection during the journey. However, fortunately, I have irreplaceable value in other aspects, so I'm not completely useless, right?"
Song Jiu raised an eyebrow and affirmed, "Of course."
"That's good then. Let me accompany you for a while longer. Life and death are fated; I understand that. No matter the outcome, at least I will have lived up to everyone’s expectations, Dr. An's expectations, and my own."
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