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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Team
Ming Junwei saw Jiang He return alone, looking somewhat pale, and his heart sank. He hurriedly asked, "What happened? Where's Yi Fan?"
Jiang He didn't respond. He rushed into the bathroom to relieve himself and then collapsed onto the sofa, feeling exhausted. "He went to pick up Zhuzi and the others."
"What?" Ming Junwei sprang up, alarmed. "Where did he go to pick them up? Isn't that reckless?"
Jiang He shrugged helplessly, lying down with his face turned away, preparing to sleep.
Seeing him like this only added to Ming Junwei's confusion. "What's going on? Aren't you going to tell me?"
"There's nothing to say. He went to pick someone up; he'll probably be back soon," Jiang He replied without looking back.
The little boy had already fallen asleep, wrapped in Ming Junwei's coat. Ming Junwei sat on one side of the sofa, puzzled by Jiang He's reaction. "What happened between you two? Didn't you say you were going to find something to eat? Why did he suddenly go looking for someone? You let him go out alone at this hour?"
A wave of inexplicable irritation washed over Jiang He as he sat up abruptly, casting a complicated glance at Ming Junwei.
Ming Junwei felt a chill run down his spine under that gaze, sensing that something had transpired between the two friends.
"Brother Ming, tell me honestly, do you want to go find Zhou Huai?"
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing much, just asking."
"To be honest, I want nothing to do with that person."
"So you don't want to go then?"
"If you really want an answer, then yes, I don't want to go."
"Why?"
"This person is very dangerous."
"What about Jinhua? Did he die for nothing?"
Ming Junwei did not immediately answer the question. Instead, he fixed his intense gaze on Jiang He, trying to discern something from his expression.
Jiang He waved his hand irritably and said, "Let's just talk between ourselves; you can say whatever you want."
Ming Junwei pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "I can only tell you that in this world... death is very normal."
"So what?"
"There's no 'so what.' Some things depend on you and your purpose. Do you want to survive, or do you want to settle scores? Do you see the current situation as a disaster or as a game?" Ming Junwei spoke slowly, then pulled out a cigarette and sniffed it under his nose. "I don't know what happened between you and Yi Fan, but it should be related to Zhou Huai, right?"
Jiang He nodded and said, "Yi Fan thinks we don't care about Jinhua's death and have no interest in pursuing Zhou Huai. That's why he's anxious to find Zhuzi and have him take him to Zhou Huai."
"And you? What did you say?"
"Me?" Jiang He forced a smile. "I didn't say anything."
"Do you think Yi Fan is right?"
"Right or wrong, I don't know." Jiang He sighed deeply, covering his face as he asked, "I don't even know what to think. So much has happened during this time that when I look back suddenly, I feel it's a miracle that I'm still alive."
Ming Junwei did not respond but gestured for him to continue.
"I have been hiding in Yi Fan's bar since the Cataclysm began, for a full two months. It has been tough, but there hasn't been much to worry about. Ever since we left the city, troubles have been endless. The Zombie situation is already a headache, and now there's this whole mess..."
"You've complicated things yourself," Ming Junwei said with a slight smirk. "If you don't want to get involved, you can simply walk away."
"Huh?" Jiang He looked up, confusion in his eyes.
"Actually, Yi Fan is right. To put it bluntly, Jinhua's death is unfortunate, but it doesn't concern most of the people in this room. The same goes for the current situation; the loss of Dr. An's data doesn't affect us either. Where Luci goes from here is her own business. Everyone will make their own choices, and choosing to engage in something doesn't necessarily mean it has to relate to you." Ming Junwei gently rubbed his temples and continued, "Do you remember when we left the Service Area, I mentioned the issue of leadership?"
"Yeah, I remember."
"You didn't take it seriously back then, and now the problem has arisen. If you had prioritized it at that time and taken on the responsibilities of a leader, then what needed to be done and where to go would have been your decisions. If there were disputes, we could discuss them together instead of fighting our own battles." Ming Junwei spoke slowly, ensuring that Jiang He absorbed every word. "Right now, it's a coincidence that we're all gathered here. If we can't unite as one, it's only a matter of time before we disband. Yi Fan has his own opinions, so he was the first to make a choice."
"Are you saying that more people will leave?"
"There was never really a team to begin with; how can we talk about leaving?"
"So what should I do?"
"You decide for yourself."
A wave of helplessness washed over Jiang He. He felt as if a thought in his mind had suddenly shattered, leaving behind a faint clarity that he couldn't grasp.
"Let me give you a reference," Ming Junwei said softly upon seeing his dejected expression. "I left the city with you all too; I've faced life and death several times alongside you. So you don't need to consider me. I have no ambitions; as long as I can survive, everything else is negotiable. Whatever decision you make, I'm with you."
"Oh? What if I plan to part ways with Dr. An and the others?"
"That's up to you; just think it through."
"This is frustrating!" Jiang He said with a frown. "With Yi Fan determined to pursue Zhou Huai, I can't just abandon him."
"Then let's go together. Is that too difficult?"
"......"
"You don't need to consider others. Since you're not the leader, there's no need to worry too much."
The two remained silent for a long time. The gloom in Jiang He's heart finally lifted somewhat, and the frown on her face gradually faded. The women in the adjacent rooms were sleeping soundly, and the candlelight in the living room cast a warm glow, inducing a heavy sense of drowsiness.
Jiang He yawned, tears welling up in her eyes. "Then let's do it this way. Thank you, Ming the Great Hero, for your late-night counseling."
"Not at all. I used to be the confidant brother at the factory; any young girl with emotional problems would come to me for advice." Ming Junwei shamelessly boasted about himself and then cheekily asked, "Do you have any issues regarding Xiaosong Yao that you want to consult about?"
"No, just take a break." Jiang He rolled her eyes and said, "So are we just going to wait here? Or should we go out and look around?"
"Let's wait. Yi Fan won't do anything foolish." Ming Junwei showed no signs of worry as he blew out the candle and lay down on the sofa. "Sleep now; rest well. The trip to Shanxi won't be easy."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
To the east lies Taihang, and to the west is Lüliang, a place praised by Liu Zongyuan as "the mountains and rivers inside and out." Shanxi is destined to be an extremely lively place.
Not to mention Jiang He's group, who are about to set off for Shanxi; after all, they still have a pile of trivial matters to deal with.
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