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墨書 Inktalez
In the early morning, a gentle breeze stirred.
Outside the window, the day had already brightened. Sunlight filtered through the thick, lush canopy of the banyan tree, casting dappled light onto the windowsill, where slanted rays of golden light filled the room with a sense of calm and tranquility.
Song Yao stretched lazily, turning to sit up on the bed. She glanced at the lower bunk; it was empty, the thin blanket tossed aside.
Faint voices drifted in from outside. Looking at the sky, it seemed early still. She had gone to bed close to dawn and had barely managed three or four hours of sleep. The drowsiness lingered, and Song Yao longed to lie down for a bit longer. However, she gritted her teeth and got up, rubbing her tired eyes as she hopped down from the bed using the ladder.
Behind the door stood an old-fashioned washstand, with a basin rippling with clear water. Next to it lay a toothbrush and a cup—no doubt prepared by Luci. Her hair hadn’t been trimmed in quite some time; the ends nearly reached her waist, messy and unkempt after waking up. It was troublesome to wash and hard to manage. She removed the hair tie from her wrist and simply gathered her hair into a ponytail before rinsing her mouth and grabbing her toothbrush as she opened the door.
The morning breeze was cool. Dai Wei and Cao Zheng were at the yard gate, chatting with a nearby guard. Wu Wentao lounged in a sunlit corner, cradling his rifle in his arms. He nodded at Song Yao as she stepped out, acknowledging her presence. The door next door opened, and Zeng Yadong along with Chef Jia stepped out one after another. Luci and Huihui followed closely behind, whispering softly to each other; Huihui seemed thoughtful, nodding silently.
“Awake now?” Luci winked at her with a smile. “Why didn’t you sleep a little longer?”
“I couldn’t sleep,” Song Yao mumbled through a mouthful of foam, then asked curiously, “What are you all doing up so early?”
“Dongdong said her boss wants to meet us,” Luci teased.
Zeng Yadong smiled lightly and picked up on Luci's joke. “No rush; we can go over at noon. I’m mainly here to give you all a heads-up—your brother isn’t around; who’s in charge here?”
Song Yao paused for a moment before realizing what he meant. Looking at Chef Jia and Luci’s expressions, it was clear they hadn’t made any decisions yet and were waiting for her to wake up so they could discuss things together.
“Wait a moment; I’ll get ready,” Song Yao called out as she hurried back into her room, quickly washing up.
Song Jiu had left with Natalia, along with Fang Fei.
The situation was somewhat unexpected; at least Song Yao hadn’t anticipated things would go so smoothly. Not to mention her inner worries—she had thought Song Jiu would outright refuse.
The doctors provided treatment suggestions regarding Song Jiu's condition, believing that it was not suitable for him to continue participating in the team activities. The potential danger posed by his post-traumatic stress disorder to himself and his companions was undeniable. Song Yao initially hoped that Song Jiu could recover within Zeng Yadong's medical unit, but the doctor stated that they were powerless to help. The only doctors with relevant case experience were from the overseas Establishment, and they could only assist with treatment. To ensure that Song Jiu received the best recovery care, he needed to be transferred to the overseas Establishment.
Song Yao hesitated; on one hand, she wanted Song Jiu to receive treatment, but on the other hand, she felt uneasy. After a rare reunion in such chaotic times, who knew what changes might occur on the turbulent island of the Establishment? Caught in a conflict of emotions, Song Yao decided to leave the choice to Song Jiu. They were both adults, and it was better for him to make his own decision regarding his own matters.
Together with Natalia, Song Yao went to see Song Jiu and informed him of the doctors' judgment and recommendations, wanting to hear his thoughts.
"Okay, I'll go."
Song Jiu's response was surprisingly simple; he didn't even take long to consider it, leaving Song Yao somewhat incredulous and questioning whether he was truly clear-headed at that moment.
" Jiu Jiu, do you understand what I mean?" Song Yao asked with concern in her eyes, repeating, "You need to stay at the recovery center for a while and cannot participate in activities."
"Yeah, I understand everything." Song Jiu's expression was calm as he looked at his sister's worried face and smiled. "The doctor has already explained my situation. Honestly, I didn't expect things to turn out this way; thankfully, nothing serious happened. Anyway, we've arrived at our destination. With you, Old Wu, Luo Yu, and Sister Jia in the team, everything will be fine."
"What about you?"
"I'll listen to the doctor; I'll do whatever needs to be done. It's not like I'm being isolated. If anything happens, I can contact you anytime. I just want to get better quickly so I won't hold everyone back when it matters." Song Jiu exhaled slowly, holding his sister's hand reassuringly. "Don't worry."
"Alright then." Song Yao felt a bit dazed; she couldn't tell if she felt happy or sad. Something felt off, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was.
"By the way, didn't they say I could have a companion?" Song Jiu rubbed his nose thoughtfully and said, "Let Fang Fei come with me."
"Huh?" Song Yao paused in surprise and hesitated. "Fang Fei? How about Lao Cao or Xiao Meng instead?"
"They don't speak any foreign languages." Song Jiu grinned and gestured towards Natalia standing nearby. "Having Fang Fei around makes communication easier. I don't trust their translations; it's important to have someone I know."
"That's true," Song Yao said, nodding thoughtfully. "I'll let Fang Fei know, but whether she wants to go with you is another matter. Just wait a moment."
Song Yao's expression shifted slightly as she hesitated. " Jiu Jiu, what are you thinking now?"
"Ah?" Song Jiu replied, looking confused. "What do you mean?"
"I just feel like you're up to something again," Song Yao said, forcing a strained smile as she probed, "You agreed so readily, and you want Fang Fei to help you speak on your behalf?"
Song Jiu burst into laughter. "Sister, you're overthinking it. I really don't want to go to the nursing home. The key is, given my current situation, can I leave you all without worry? Besides, we're all on the same island. You have acquaintances in The Establishment, and I have connections overseas in The Establishment too. We're all well-connected; there's nothing to worry about."
"That's best then. Just focus on your treatment. If anything comes up, I'll find a way to relay it to you," Song Yao said helplessly, suppressing her strange feelings deep inside as she entrusted Song Jiu to Natalia.
After learning about the situation, Fang Fei agreed to Song Jiu's request. Like Song Yao, she also felt something was off; was Song Jiu really bringing her along for convenience? Back when they were at Stilt House, he hung out with Natalia every day and never sought translation assistance.
Suspicion aside, they still had business to attend to. Natalia was decisive and took Song Jiu and Fang Fei away from the courtyard that very night.
Around nine-thirty, the remaining team gathered in one place to discuss the leadership issue.
Previously, the nominal leaders of the group were Song Jiu and Wu Wentao, but in reality, neither had taken much responsibility. When things were peaceful, they were hands-off; when faced with zombies or enemies, they fought fiercely. Now, I want to hear your thoughts."
Song Yao was completely speechless; the words she had prepared swirled around in her mouth before she swallowed them down with a gulp.
Sitting beside her, Zeng Yadong was also stunned, staring at Yao Jinsong for a long time without managing to say anything.
After a long pause, Song Yao hesitantly spoke up, "How do you know this?"
"You mean..." Yao Jinsong replied with a restrained smile, raising an eyebrow.
"Zombies, including Zombie Camp," Song Yao glanced at Zeng Yadong, who also looked confused. On the day they first arrived on the island, they had discussed this in the conference room of the Administrative Building. From Zeng Yadong's comments back then, it was clear that The Establishment, far away on the sea, knew nothing about the current situation on Land. Even the term "Zombie" had been explained to them by Song Jiu. How could it be that just two days later, they were already aware of matters like Zombie Camp?
Yao Jinsong chuckled softly, lifted his teacup for a sip, and with a hint of condescension typical of someone in power, said lightly, "I know far more than you can imagine." As he spoke, he opened the drawer in front of him and pulled out a large sheet of paper, spreading it out on the table and pushing it toward Song Yao.
"What is this?" Song Yao asked, puzzled. The image was black and white, resembling an aerial photograph taken from high above. The edges were filled with noise and appeared dark and blurry, while the central part was relatively clear, resembling a cityscape.
Wu Wentao raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
"This is a Satellite Image," Yao Jinsong said as he set down his teacup and lit a cigarette. Meeting Song Yao's astonished gaze, he smiled and added, "We have reactivated a Civilian Satellite to monitor the situation on Land."
Song Yao was left speechless and turned to look at Zeng Yadong, who wore a similarly surprised expression that seemed genuine.
"Do you know where this is?" Yao Jinsong appeared to have anticipated Song Yao and Zeng Yadong's reactions and didn't seem to mind. He tapped his finger on the center of the image and gave Song Yao a mysterious smile. "This is the Gobi Desert Satellite Launch Base that you once visited."
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