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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Choices
Just as Kenny had feared, at the moment Aso decided to escape, she indeed entertained some thoughts. If she could reach the people in the mountains before Kenny, she could share all the information she had gathered. Although it might not stop the impending disaster, at least it would prevent the truth from being buried. Emotionally, Aso did not agree with Kenny's approach, and for various reasons, her trust in the company was waning. However, her identity was sensitive, and she was well aware of the company's immense power. Thus, for her own safety, she chose to distance herself rather than defect immediately. Of course, part of this decision was due to the fierce water flow that night; as a woman without any armed protection or guidance, she lacked confidence in finding the people in the mountains alone.
Aso left in a hurry. Having worked with Kenny for many years, she understood his temperament well. Since Kenny had stated he would revoke her access, once dawn broke, he would likely drag her back regardless. Moreover, her attitude towards the situation clearly did not align with Kenny's expectations. Therefore, if she were brought back after losing her access, her future would be uncertain.
Fortunately, there were no outsiders present during their argument, so when Aso left the camp in the middle of the night, no one noticed. To avoid raising suspicion, she didn’t change into more suitable escape gear; instead, she simply took out the M36 pistol that Kenny had given her and slipped into the night wearing high heels.
The two guards on duty considered asking her where she was going but ultimately decided against it after thinking about her relationship with their boss. They watched as Aso’s figure disappeared into the darkness, leaving only the sound of her heels clicking against the ground.
By the time Kenny furiously ordered everyone to scatter and search for her, Aso was already ten kilometers away from the camp.
Leaving so recklessly made Aso feel somewhat anxious; after all, if she encountered a Zombie driven out of the mountains by the heavy rain while alone, the consequences would be dire.
The road behind the toll station was mostly blocked by abandoned vehicles. As Aso saw the dim light from a coach fade into the distance, she sprinted while holding her high heels. The nearest supply station was in Shanxi, nearly three hundred kilometers away. Fortunately, communication was largely paralyzed; even Kenny couldn't relay information about her departure immediately. Thus, Aso knew she still had time. As long as she reached the supply station before news spread, she could use her access to obtain resources. At that point, where couldn’t she go? At worst, there were backup plans mentioned by Professor Niu and Director Hu. She held their identification documents in her hands; as long as she could reach safety, she could begin a new life.
With this thought in mind, Aso felt a wave of relief wash over her; the vast darkness no longer seemed so threatening. For a moment, as "new life" flashed through her mind, a surge of strength filled her body—everything she'd done before suddenly felt like a joke.
"Why hesitate? It was time to make a choice," Aso chuckled self-deprecatingly as she swiftly and silently navigated through a stream of vehicles and moved further away.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
An Zheng and his group were starting a fire and drying clothes halfway up the mountain while Wu Wentao and Caroline—this old duo—prepared to lead another expedition into the woods.
Caroline brought back two vehicles filled with Field Personnel, twenty elite members equipped in forest green combat uniforms, each wielding a sleek, glossy HK416.
Wu Wentao had little fondness for the tall, slender man with narrow eyes. He briefly relayed Kenny's orders, tossed him a handgun, and left. Caroline watched her old partner sulk with interest, her eyes gleaming with amusement.
"What's wrong?" Wu Wentao asked as he used a compass to check their direction, avoiding the previously flooded dirt road and opting for a steep slope as a shortcut.
"Why don't you like Zhou? Is it because he punched you?" Caroline grinned widely, revealing a row of white teeth. She glanced at the man following the team and remarked, "Don't you Chinese say that strength deserves respect? He took a bullet and could still hit you; you should show him some proper respect."
"Bah!" Wu Wentao felt a surge of anger at the thought. If only he had been more cautious, he wouldn't have let Zhou take advantage of him.
Seeing Caroline's mischievous smile, Wu Wentao couldn't help but retort, "Think about how to rescue Su; Kenny has given strict orders."
At his words, Caroline's expression fell, her blue eyes dimming slightly as she murmured, "Why did Su leave? What happened between her and Kenny?"
"I don't know." Wu Wentao was indeed curious but dared not ask. He had been by Kenny's side for a long time and had never seen him so angry before.
The team moved swiftly through the forest in silence. Along the way, they encountered some Zombies stuck in the mud, all of which were swiftly dispatched by Sabre. For such a well-equipped team, as long as they weren't surrounded by large numbers of Zombies, casualties were unlikely.
The red dot on the tracker moved slowly. By calculating their position and distance, they figured that if they pushed forward at full speed, they should be able to catch up before nightfall.
"Honestly, I doubt the existence of Garrison," Wu Wentao voiced his skepticism while running. "She's just a scared little kid; why do you all believe her?"
"Children don’t lie," Caroline shot him a glare without slowing down. "The location and buildings she described are similar to the observation post we cleared last time. Just like they don’t know how many supply points we have, we also don’t know where they’ve set up their Observation Posts."
"The most important thing is..." Caroline slowed her pace and smiled, "How could she send messages back to the hospital in the mountains without military equipment?"
Wu Wentao chuckled, not bothering to refute her. In truth, he didn't care much about these details. To him, a gun was the tool for the job; as for using his brain, he preferred to avoid it whenever possible.
The team climbed up a steep slope, steering clear of a muddy area on one side. Beyond the slope lay a hollow filled with muck, but fortunately, there was no standing water. Crossing through the hollow would lead them back to the path they had been scattered from by the mountain flood earlier. Although it was a bit cumbersome to navigate up and down, everyone chose this route over wading through water.
"Zhou, keep up!" Caroline called back.
The quiet man in the group tugged at the corner of his mouth and quickened his pace.
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