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墨書 Inktalez
"Hey, look!" a soldier stationed at the entrance of the Nalan Family shouted suddenly.
A sergeant approached and followed the soldier's pointing finger. He saw a naked man dart into a thicket and disappear. "Why didn't you shoot?" he turned and questioned the soldier.
"The commander said not to harm a hair on him; we must capture him alive."
"Then why aren't you chasing after him?"
The rain continued to fall, and Xiao Qiang dared not take the main road, opting instead to sprint through the cover of trees. Being completely exposed in broad daylight, he felt an unprecedented closeness to nature.
The wind kissed his skin and sensitive hairs. As he jumped, the chain around his neck swung back and forth against his chest. Instinctively, he grabbed the chain, fearing it might get caught on a branch during his leaps.
*****************
The Hemera2 vintage car manufactured by the PGD Car Clan glided silently along the suburban road, carrying an elderly couple inside. The woman, a botanist named Yuan Ming, and her husband, Zou Bo, who worked in geological exploration, had both passed their forties. Since returning from Stratum to Ground, they had remained there, their entire savings invested in a villa with several acres of mulberry trees.
This mulberry grove was the culmination of their hard work. Time had etched deep lines into their faces, creating wrinkles that could never be smoothed out, yet it had not diminished their determination to create miracles.
In an area that had turned into barren hills after the Nuclear War, they found their base for cultivating transformation. The ever-present wind and history bore witness to nature's unparalleled power. As the earth slowly began its long recovery, under their diligent labor and sweat, the barren hills transformed into lush green mulberry trees.
In the grove stood a simple shed used for storing various tools. The couple hoped that in their lifetime, they could nurture the first batch of silkworms from this grove.
"The child will be happy we came to see him."
"Of course." Zou Bo set the car to autopilot and extended his warm hand to comfort his wife. His eyes were filled with gentle affection. "Have you taken your medicine?"
"I have."
The car stopped, and they walked into the mulberry grove.
Suddenly, a figure leaped directly toward the shed and swiftly opened a window to dive inside. Yuan Ming thought she was seeing things; in broad daylight, a naked man had jumped into the shed like a monkey.
She focused her mind and rubbed her nose bridge. "What did I just see?"
Zou Bo also saw it, but he was afraid of scaring his wife, so he kept it to himself. Seeing that she had noticed too, he reached out to support her and comforted her, saying, "It's nothing. Just a big rat that has gotten into our storeroom."
"Are you sure it's a big rat? Is it a naked male rat?" Yuan Ming joked humorously.
Seeing that his wife was not frightened by the unexpected visitor, Zou Bo laughed heartily. "Stay in the car; I'll go catch this rat and see what it wants."
When Yuan Ming saw him wanting to check on the intruder in the storeroom, she felt uneasy and said, "I think we should find a way to ask for help from others."
"Have you forgotten? Very few people come here. Besides, we are far from the city, and there's no one who can help us."
"You said it yourself; there are dangers in places where humans gather. That's why we came here to avoid densely populated areas... but..."
"Enough with the 'buts.' Be good and stay in the car; I'll be right back." Zou Bo took out a small hoe used for weeding and a sharp knife, ushering his wife into the car and closing the door before cautiously heading toward the storeroom.
The mulberry trees swayed gently in the wind, as if welcoming Zou Bo like children reaching out for him.
Zou Bo's attention was fixed on the storeroom. Unlike usual, he didn't stop to caress the swaying branches but walked straight toward the storeroom.
Inside the storeroom, Xiao Qiang curled up in a dark corner, his innate sense of shame forcing him to hide. He pondered what to do next and how he could get some suitable clothes to wear.
There was movement at the door; from inside, he could see clearly outside. A small amount of light seeped through the gaps in the wooden walls into the storeroom, and a moving figure gradually approached the door.
This was the most nerve-wracking moment Xiao Qiang had ever experienced. He stared intently at the person appearing at the door. His hand instinctively grasped a wooden stick lying beside him as he watched closely to see if they would open the storeroom door.
Zou Bo was equally tense. If a man-eating monster entered the storeroom, he would fight to protect his wife. He had seen Living Dead before; it was because of a virus outbreak in the big city that he and his wife had managed to escape and find this quiet place, hoping to spend their later years together.
Their son had been taken away by Guerrilla Military conscription, leaving just the two of them relying on each other, desperately missing their child without knowing whether he was alive or dead.
But amidst their agonizing wait, what they received was not news of their son's safe return with honors but rather the tragic news of his death in a hospital.
The military did not bring news of his son's glorious achievements, but rather the ashes of his son. He and his wife scattered the ashes in the mulberry grove, allowing their son to merge with the roots of the trees, so he could accompany them forever.
Zou Bo finally walked into the storage room and immediately spotted Xiao Qiang, who was huddled in a corner holding a wooden stick.
"Hey, who are you?" Zou Bo raised his hoe and questioned. From the surface, this young intruder did not seem like a Living Dead or a virus carrier. He looked more like a down-and-out vagabond who had been robbed. For some reason, seeing this young man suddenly reminded him of his son.
"Uncle, I... I'm not a bad person."
Upon hearing this, Zou Bo chuckled. "Hey, kid, you're clear-headed and speaking sense. It seems you're not a monster that eats people." As he spoke, he walked over with a smile and said, "Get up and come with me."
Xiao Qiang scrutinized him and saw no deceit or malice on the face of this seemingly kind old man. He stood up readily, awkwardly covering himself with his hands...
Zou Bo maintained a tolerant demeanor befitting an elder but secretly chuckled to himself. He subtly reassured him, "Don't be afraid, young man."
"Hey hey," Xiao Qiang said shyly, his face flushed with embarrassment as he stepped out from the corner.
Suddenly, Yuan Ming appeared behind Zou Bo, standing behind her husband. She might not have seen Xiao Qiang yet when she exclaimed, "What's going on?" Zou Bo didn't have time to stop her; she turned her head to look and gasped, "Oh no..." quickly stepping back.
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