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墨書 Inktalez
The two sat in silence, gazing at each other for a long while before sharing a wistful smile.
"You haven't changed a bit," Su Lan said, nodding slightly, her eyelashes fluttering as she spoke with a hint of helplessness. "Not at all."
"Is that so?" Ming Junwei grinned, rubbing his stubbled chin and reflecting, "You seem a bit different from before."
"Oh? In what way?" Su Lan stood up, discarded the old tea, boiled fresh water, and poured a cup for her old friend before closing the door behind her.
Ming Junwei looked around the room. His Cyclops eye sparkled as he noticed the walls lined with screens. A thought crossed his mind, and he shook his head with a wry smile. "Radiant."
"Thank you for the compliment," Su Lan replied with a smile as she returned to her chair. She stared at Ming Junwei for a while and sighed, "I never expected to see you again, especially not like this."
"I was prepared; I intended to find you first, but you beat me to it," Ming Junwei shrugged, glancing at the surveillance screen wall. "So, you spotted me as soon as I arrived here."
"This place isn't as tightly secured as you think. If it weren't for the situation at the compound, I wouldn't have seen you," Su Lan said candidly, her gaze playful as she switched the screen back to a slightly blurred image of his face. "I just don't understand why you're back here."
"It's complicated," Ming Junwei said, raising his hands in surrender as his eyes scanned the walls until he found the main entrance's surveillance feed. No wonder he and Hou Xiong had been ignored at the gate that night; all the city’s surveillance was here rather than being monitored by a dedicated security agency.
Su Lan opened the drawer in front of her and pulled out a pack of women's cigarettes, handing it to him with a smirk. "What are you planning this time?"
"We?" Ming Junwei paused, hesitating. "The people who ran out with me have nothing to do with me; they were just passing by. By the way, that young man who came with me was captured by your people—could you let him go?"
"You haven't changed in three years; you show up and immediately bring this up. What am I supposed to say?" Su Lan felt that tonight seemed particularly long. Glancing out at the bright moon, she chuckled softly. "Stop playing coy with me. Whatever plans you have, put them on hold for now. Let them all come here; we can catch up."
Now it was Ming Junwei's turn to be bewildered. He held the slender cigarette in his hand for a moment before gradually realizing what she meant. He raised an eyebrow and tentatively asked, "Are you referring to them?"
Su Lan shot him an exasperated look and replied sharply, "What do you mean? You're not still with Ginger River and the others?"
Ming Junwei fell silent, letting out a sigh before finally admitting, "It's just me now."
"Really?" Su Lan frowned slightly, sensing something was off. "What happened?"
"Many things have happened, and it's hard to explain everything at once." Ming Junwei cleared his throat, skipping the irrelevant details, and composed himself. "But I did come to find you; to be precise, I need your help. I never expected that the Gobi Desert would turn out like this, so I had no choice but to enter in this manner."
Su Lan did not respond immediately. Her furrowed brow relaxed as she stared at him for a while, then she gently nodded and straightened her posture.
The atmosphere was somewhat subtle; both individuals sitting across from each other sensed it but could not quite articulate the feeling. On a personal level, their meeting could be considered a reunion of old friends. Although it wasn't as warm as the encounters between Song Yao and Tan, it also shouldn't feel as strange as it did now. It was as if they had many words brewing in their hearts before meeting, only to discover that while they still looked the same as they did years ago, the feelings between them had faded significantly.
After three years apart, their reunion consisted of a few awkward and stiff exchanges. The words spoken held less meaning than a shared smile.
Thus, two intelligent individuals silently reached an understanding and decided to skip the slightly awkward small talk and get straight to the point.
Ming Junwei pondered for a moment before speaking. "I'm looking for someone—a companion who was taken by one of your capable subordinates. I would like your help in finding her."
"Ah."
"Yes, that's right—the Blonde Woman." Ming Junwei nodded.
Su Lan's brows furrowed slightly in curiosity as she asked, "How did you end up with her again?"
"That's a long story," Ming Junwei replied with a half-smile, clearly reluctant to delve into it.
"Make it short," Su Lan insisted. It was a long night, an old friend had come to visit, and reminiscing about the past was always good—it could help dissolve the strangeness between them. Moreover, Su Lan had other questions in her heart that she couldn't let go of so easily.
Ming Junwei took a deep drag from his cigarette, lowered his head in thought, and said lightly, "Our camp was attacked by that Blonde Woman. Some died, some escaped, and some were captured—that's why I'm looking for someone."
Su Lan's expression froze momentarily; she suddenly regretted asking. She murmured, "When did this happen? Ginger River and the others?"
"Not long ago," Ming Junwei sniffed, forcing a bitter smile as he sighed. "The grass on Ginger River's grave is already two meters high; he hasn't been around for three years."
Seeing Su Lan's shocked expression, Ming Junwei felt a mix of emotions welling up inside him. He shook his head and said, "Forget it; I've told you that Yao Yao and Qixi are still alive, but I don't know where they are now. Xiao Wei is gone; Xiao Jin and Dongdong went out to sea back then—I'm not sure about the specifics."
“How could this happen?” Su Lan's eyes dimmed, as if she were talking to herself. People often say that seeing someone again is not as good as remembering them, and at this moment, Su Lan deeply resonated with that sentiment. She had thought that everyone who left with the people from The Establishment back then would be doing well, relying on a strong foundation, at least no longer having to wander aimlessly. Who knew that the world was so full of changes? After a long separation, all she heard were news of deaths and silence.
“Let’s not talk about this,” the woman said, taking a weak drag from her cigarette. Ming Junwei stubbed out the cigarette and shifted the topic to Su Lan. He glanced around the room and chuckled lightly, “So, how have you been all these years?”
“Just like what you see.” Su Lan shrugged, leaning back against the chair. “I don’t even know where to start. Compared to others, I guess I’m doing well.”
Ming Junwei nodded, rhythmically tapping his fingers on the table. He stole a glance at the photo frame on the table, a fleeting expression crossing his face before he returned to normal. “This city was built by him.”
Su Lan replied with a soft “Mm,” unsure of what else to say. After a moment of silence, she added, “Dr. An is gone too.”
“I know,” Ming Junwei responded casually. Seeing Su Lan’s strange expression, he quickly explained, “Just a guess. Your man caused quite a stir for Dr. An back then; it’s not surprising he ended up like this.”
The corner of Su Lan's eye twitched slightly at the term “your man,” which sounded awkward in her ears.
“Let’s get serious; I’m really not here to cause trouble.” Ming Junwei grinned and gestured at his disheveled appearance. “I just want to find my companions.”
“I can help you look into it. If she was brought back here by E, I can guarantee she’s safe.” Su Lan’s expression turned serious as she picked up her communicator, ready to inquire for information. Then she hesitated for a moment and asked, “What do you plan to do after you find your companions?”
“Well, wherever they came from is where they’ll go back to,” Ming Junwei shrugged nonchalantly, embodying the spirit of a drifter.
“But didn’t you say the camp has already—”
“The old one is destroyed; we can build a new one.” Ming Junwei waved his hand dismissively and laughed. “You’ve been here too long; you’ve forgotten what it’s like outside, haven’t you? Haha, there’s so much out there; where can’t we go?”
Su Lan shot him an annoyed glare and said seriously, “Since the camp has been destroyed, why don’t you just stay here? Don’t worry; I’ll help arrange everything for you and your friends. There are no Zombies here, no lack of food or clothing; everything has already gotten back on track.”
“Aso, are you joking?” Ming Junwei chuckled in disbelief.
“Am I joking with you?” Su Lan felt frustrated; after being apart for so long, she almost forgot about his offbeat personality. After pausing for a moment to gather her patience, she continued earnestly, “I’m serious. Whatever happened in the past is behind us now, isn’t it? Look around; isn’t this exactly the new beginning that Us envisioned? Junwei, I know your abilities well. Stay here—for yourself and for your fallen companions. We can rebuild civilization; this place can be new.”
Ming Junwei's expression grew serious as he realized that Su Lan was not just speaking casually; she was genuinely invested in the matter. He had feared this situation would arise, and now it had come to pass. Memories of the cold, moon-like girl from his past flooded his mind, and he couldn't help but feel a wave of emotions. The gold-rimmed glasses were truly terrifying; even someone like Su Lan had been brainwashed by them.
"Aso, don't blame me for ruining the mood, but what you just said sounded a lot like a pyramid scheme," Ming Junwei chuckled awkwardly, trying to deflect the conversation with humor.
Su Lan frowned slightly, clearly displeased. "Do you think I'm talking nonsense?"
"No, no," Ming Junwei quickly waved his hands in denial, brushing it off. "What you said was quite good; I appreciate it. Hahaha, you know me—I'm used to being lazy. This place is indeed nice, but I've grown accustomed to a carefree life. Trying to fit into a new order feels beyond my capabilities, and I wouldn't want to cause you any trouble."
Su Lan clearly wasn't buying his words. She scrutinized him for a moment before asking with confusion, "You really resist being here. Is it because of what happened back then?"
Ming Junwei took a deep breath, realizing that he couldn't brush this off with jokes anymore. Furrowing his brow in contemplation, he finally said, "Aso, I came here for one purpose: to find someone. If you can help me, I would be immensely grateful. If not, that's fine too; I can try to understand your position. But let's not discuss my staying any longer."
"Why not?" Su Lan's demeanor seemed off tonight; perhaps her earlier conversation with Old Yang had affected her mood. Normally, she would never press so insistently.
Ming Junwei lit a cigarette and met Su Lan's puzzled gaze with calmness. "Aso, are you really serious about this?"
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