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墨書 Inktalez
The blazing sun hung high in the sky, and the Windless Lianhuo Expressway lay desolate and barren.
The winding highway was covered in dust, its mottled foundation stained by time, appearing increasingly aged. The cold concrete stood silent, imprisoned by the passage of years, as spring, summer, autumn, and winter came and went, almost forgotten.
At the Zhangye Toll Station exit, a gaunt Zombie staggered forward, its tattered body clad in remnants of clothing from years past, now nearly fused with its withered form.
For years, they had been the only companions on this highway. Time flowed on while they remained immortal; despite their hunched figures and thickened, dried blood, they still lingered here, persistently seeking the scent of flesh and the faintest sounds.
However, their persistence did not stem from any heart; thus, the silent road felt no gratitude.
Over the years, the number of Zombies on the road had dwindled significantly. They staggered along the endless stretch of road, some retreating into desolate mountains, others wandering into cities—some in groups, others alone.
Today, another batch of wandering Zombies returned to this place. The toll station had long been abandoned; barriers were covered in a layer of dull earth tones, and the road surface was thick with dust and litter. The Zombies moved about aimlessly, leaving behind chaotic footprints while their throats still emitted hoarse growls—sounds as ancient as their surroundings.
Inside the toll station, there seemed to be some commotion. Several Zombies near the barriers turned around and stumbled inside. In their hollow eye sockets, a bloodthirsty glimmer still existed. Their grayish arms trembled as they reached out with dirt-encrusted nails that resembled dull knives, searching for food to fill their empty stomachs.
The light was dim between the Platform passages; shadows of Zombies flickered indistinctly. Four or five Zombies gathered in one spot; hissing sounds gradually rose before suddenly falling silent. In the distance, there was a muffled thud as something fell to the ground.
The Zombies wandering near the toll station seemed oblivious to the unusual sounds inside; they continued to roam aimlessly, unwilling to leave yet reluctant to stay.
Moments later, two beams of light suddenly illuminated the dark Passage before quickly extinguishing. Then came the roar of an engine starting up. As the Zombies turned in confusion, a sharp screech echoed through the Passage—the sound of tires grinding against the pavement.
A dusty yellow Wrangler appeared abruptly, crashing through makeshift barriers without losing speed as it barreled toward the scattered Zombies on the road. The sound of impact echoed as metal and force tore through flesh and bone, breaking through the disorganized Horde and speeding away, leaving behind a cloud of dust and fresh bloodstains.
The Wrangler sped away swiftly. "The Wrangler is really flying," Hou Xiong teased as he picked up a can opener to slice open a can sealed with congealed grease. The mixed aroma of preservatives wafted into his nostrils.
Ming Junwei chewed on tough beef jerky and swallowed hard before asking curiously, "Are you in a hurry?"
"I've been on the road for too long; it's getting tiresome," Hou Xiong sighed. He fed a piece to Yellow Dog first; before he could take a bite himself, Tabby Cat caught wind of it and hurried over for a share.
"Enjoy the journey; once we reach our destination, you'll have your share of troubles," Ming Junwei remarked with a knowing expression. He finished his can in just a few bites and twisted open a massive thermos nearby like a fire hydrant. Sipping two mouthfuls of warm water contentedly, he added, "If we arrive later, we can see more scenery along the way."
"What's there to see? It's all the same," Hou Xiong replied dismissively; his ears had long since developed calluses from hearing Ming Junwei's routine responses every time he asked.
Ming Junwei remained silent, resting against the car seat for a moment, gazing at the fragmented sunlight filtering through the treetops. "Have you seen enough?" he asked.
Hou Xiong opened his mouth, swallowed the words that lingered in his throat, and followed Ming's gaze. After a moment of hesitation, he replied, "It's all the same."
"You'll see something different, I promise." Ming Junwei exhaled slowly, the playful expression on his face fading. The Cyclops glimmered with an enigmatic light as he added softly, "Look around more, remember the path, and don't stray on the way back."
Hou Xiong was taken aback by his words. He turned to stare at Ming's profile for a while before looking away. "You didn't mention I'd have to go back alone before we set off."
"Just in case," Ming Junwei smiled, offering him a cigarette while lighting one for himself.
The two disabled men puffed out clouds of smoke, while the Cats and Dogs family inhaled secondhand smoke, filling the car with swirling mist that felt almost ethereal.
Yellow Dog perked up its ears and sniffed the air, then placed its paws on the window ledge and barked a few times at something outside.
Hou Xiong turned to look and saw two Zombies stumbling through the forest where they had just let their dogs relieve themselves. Behind them, shadows moved in the trees—many of them.
He patted Yellow Dog's head and reached under his seat to grab a nail gun. With two sharp sounds, long concrete nails shot through the air, accurately piercing the approaching Zombie's skull. The Zombie staggered to a halt and fell sideways into a puddle of urine.
"Let's go," Ming Junwei said as he adjusted his seat and started the engine. The wheels gripped the asphalt road, leaving two tracks behind as they drove away without looking back at the Zombies' longing gazes.
The sun dipped below the western mountains, its last rays fading into darkness as the sky turned cooler and stars began to twinkle into view.
The Wrangler's headlights illuminated the night as swarms of fireflies danced in the beams of light. Inside the car, only the dashboard glowed faintly; Cats and Dogs slept peacefully while Hou Xiong leaned against the window for a quick nap, his head resting against the glass. The bumps of the road created a rhythmic tapping sound.
Ming Junwei yawned repeatedly as he drove onto Winding Mountain Road. After traveling some distance, he frowned slightly and pulled over against the mountainside. He got out with a flashlight from the backseat and circled around to inspect the wheels. Finally, he discovered the culprit—a severed limb from a Zombie that had somehow gotten tangled up in there. The excess flesh had been ground into mush, with bones wedged between the axle parts stubbornly refusing to budge.
Ming Junwei reached down to tug at it; blood plasma mixed with oil made it slippery in his hands. With no other choice, he went back inside to retrieve a hidden knife and forcefully scraped off the bone and flesh.
There are always gains during a journey; this hidden knife was one of them. Initially uninterested in such a waist knife, he suddenly recalled Yuan An carrying that Yingjisha knife when he noticed its agate and jade adornments. He hadn't thought much of it then but figured Yuan An would appreciate such an item, so he took it along casually. There were many other "gifts" in the car meant for Song Jiu and others—cigarettes, alcohol, food—but those consumables had mostly been used up; only half a car full of knives remained unconsumed by luck.
After working for a while, a gust of night wind blew away much of his drowsiness. Ming Junwei returned to the car door only to find Hou Xiong already awake, sitting in the driver's seat waiting for him.
"You take a nap; I'll drive," Hou Xiong said as he closed the door and gestured toward the passenger seat.
Ming Junwei grinned widely, clutching a hidden knife as he climbed into the vehicle. "I'm not tired anymore; let's enjoy the night view. You can drive slowly."
Hou Xiong was already accustomed to his peculiar habits and said nothing more. After all, there was only one road to follow, so he just drove on.
The first half of the winding mountain road was an uphill climb. This stretch was quite calm, and Zombie still favored the city. There were rural areas too, but they were much smaller in number and scale, especially in such desolate regions where hardly any Zombies could be seen. As they began the descent on the latter half of the journey, the fog thickened in the distance, and the branches and leaves growing wildly along the cliffs obscured their view of the scenery below.
As midnight approached, Wrangler finally left the mountain road and climbed onto a major uphill highway, coming to a gradual stop at the highest point of the undulating terrain.
The engine was still running as Hou Xiong pressed down on the accelerator, gripping the steering wheel tightly. He leaned forward, his terrifying face rigid, and his eyes, hidden beneath scars, reflected extreme shock.
In the passenger seat, Ming Junwei straightened up, licking his lips as he exclaimed, "See? I told you so; you’re definitely going to see something different."
In the depths of the night, towering Launch Towers and vertical testing facilities loomed like two colossal pillars, faintly visible in the void.
At the end of the long road stood a city illuminated by lights, quietly awaiting passing travelers.
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