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墨書 Inktalez
The morning encounter was anything but romantic, and the people present all exhibited obvious thug traits. However, Boss Lin still welcomed them warmly; after all, one could feel lonely alone.
Boss Lin was filled with curiosity about the sudden arrival of this group, while Song Jiu and others were equally puzzled by this eccentric who had lived in solitude for three years.
From what they could see, this person posed no threat to the disheveled fleeing team, and the city seemed safer than they had imagined. The once bustling vibrancy had been obscured by overgrown weeds, and a desolate atmosphere permeated the concrete and steel structures. Compared to Riverside Camp, it was like heaven and earth, but it was just enough for the weary team to take a brief rest.
They had driven here without intending to stop. Dream Fan's keen eyes spotted a large red cross in the night. With too many injuries among them to continue traveling long distances, and having fled in haste without any sustainable supplies, their fuel was nearly depleted.
Initially aiming to find a clinic, they unexpectedly pushed open the door to a small supply warehouse. The store inside was unrealistically clean and tidy, with various useful and useless supplies neatly stacked, resembling a shop waiting to open. Song Jiu organized a small-scale search but did not enter the temple across the street; it was hard to say why, but looking back now, it seemed rather strange. Fortunately, there was only a Fake Taoist inside the temple; otherwise, the consequences could have been severe.
Song Jiu and Boss Lin exchanged a few words in the store and gained some understanding of both the person and the city—there was disappointment as well as comfort.
"We'll rest for two days before leaving," Chef Jia said very seriously to Song Jiu. "We're not far from the riverside; e has suffered a significant loss and won't let you off easily."
"You can stay long-term; there are many meditation rooms in the temple," Boss Lin also showed great hospitality, pleased that Song Jiu and his group had no intention of causing harm. "This is on the outskirts of town; there really aren't many zombies here. The temple has a well, so water won't be an issue."
Song Jiu felt somewhat troubled, especially after inspecting the temple; it became even harder to decide to leave. This place wasn't bad—there was a small vegetable patch in the backyard, two wells for water, enough meditation rooms for accommodation, high walls enclosing a spacious courtyard, with fences built during tourism periods surrounding it. The Militia sent out for reconnaissance also brought back good news: within three to five miles nearby, aside from dilapidated buildings were overgrown weeds. There were zombies present but not in large numbers; they didn't dare venture too deep into the city center.
The entire group consisted of about forty people—men, women, and children—some had even escaped without shoes and included injured members. In such circumstances, continuing forward could lead to non-combat attrition, which would not be wise.
Chef Jia suggested "borrowing" some supplies from this Fake Taoist to get on their way as far as possible—preferably deep into Old Lin mountains—before considering setting up camp again. Chef Jia's fear of zombies far outweighed concerns about survival difficulties; there was no need for her to elaborate further—the Riverside Camp served as a cautionary tale that no one could deny regarding zombies' destructive power.
Song Jiu hesitated; this time he faced zombies head-on and suffered a complete defeat. If it weren't for Jiao Ziqian and Liu Yan, he might have already perished in despair. As a leader of the group, Song Jiu had to admit his incompetence. Although those who survived bore no resentment towards him, he could feel many distrustful gazes directed at him. It was understandable; he hadn't yet established trust among them—relying solely on violence to command respect was laughable. Luo Yu and others were more forgiving since they had been through so much together; they wouldn't lose faith due to one setback. However, half of his current members were Militia natives; during such difficult times, he couldn't afford to abandon them.
On whether to stay or go, Liu Yan and Chef Jia were in complete agreement. Although both wanted to settle in the temple, reality did not allow it; they firmly believed e would seek revenge, and lingering would only give their adversaries ample time to prepare for slaughter. Dream Fan and Ziqian suggested staying even if only for a short while—at least it would allow everyone to catch their breath after being driven out of their camp just days ago; it truly wasn't suitable for an urgent escape under starry skies.
Luo Yu initially remained silent but later approached Song Jiu in the Great Hall of Great Hero after dinner where he was chatting with Boss Lin and expressed her thoughts.
"Let everyone decide for themselves. Those who want to stay can stay, and those who want to leave can go. We can't make up for our losses just by numbers. Instead of complicating things, it's better to lighten our load."
"If that Blonde Woman is really going all out to seek revenge, then her targets are you and Sister Jia. She won't trouble those unrelated to the matter."
"Besides, those people might miss the days of feasting on big fish and meat at the camp."
Boss Lin listened in confusion. He wanted to avoid the conversation but realized it seemed to involve him as well, so he awkwardly remained seated and silent.
Song Jiu furrowed his brow, unable to make a decision. If they followed Luo Yu's suggestion, it seemed only the original core group would set out together; there was no reason for those brought from the camp to join them on this long journey. Moreover, they had just finished dealing with the injured, and Ziqian still had shrapnel lodged in his backside. His own hand also needed better medical attention.
"Brother Song, may I ask something?" Lin Daozhang interjected quietly when the two fell silent. "Is someone chasing you?"
Song Jiu and Luo Yu exchanged glances before responding, "Yes."
"Is it an enemy?"
"Sort of."
"Then you should leave quickly. If you run into your enemy here, there are plenty of Zombies in this city."
Lin Daozhang immediately issued an eviction order, his swift change of attitude surprising.
Perhaps feeling he had been too blunt, Lin Daozhang added, "I’m willing to provide you with some food and drink. The injured can stay behind to recuperate. Just please don't start a fight here; this is a sacred place."
Luo Yu rolled his eyes in annoyance, patted Song Jiu on the shoulder, passing the decision-making authority to him before turning and leaving the main hall.
The temple was quite large, named "Pure Wisdom." Upon entering the mountain gate, two corridors led to the east and west sides, adorned with ancient charm. The long corridor stretched forward, dividing into four lotus ponds, with the Heavenly King Hall directly ahead. Further back was the Great Hall of Great Hero, flanked by Jialan Hall and Ancestor Hall. The Living Area was primarily concentrated on the eastern side, featuring monk's quarters, a Vegetarian Kitchen, a Dining Hall, a Clerical Hall, a Hall of Honor, and a Guest Hall. At the far end were the Scripture Repository, Pilou Pavilion, and the Abbot's Room, while a small Tower Forest could be found in the southwest corner.
Boss Lin considered himself the master of this temple and brought his remaining troops to the Guest Hall. This area resembled a traditional courtyard with clean guest rooms that were seldom occupied, gathering quite a bit of dust. In the courtyard was a small lotus pond devoid of flowers, only moss covered its surface. The stone steps showed signs of having been cleaned, and the neatly trimmed greenery contrasted sharply with the overgrown weeds outside the temple.
Medicines useful for daily needs had been moved in from the supermarket, and Boss Lin generously provided plenty of drinking water. The Vegetarian Kitchen was relatively spacious; he likely couldn't manage it alone and usually relied on a small red clay stove for his meals. When a large group suddenly arrived, Boss Lin welcomed the bustle and led everyone to open up the Vegetarian Kitchen. The militia youths had no dedicated medical personnel among them, so they joined in the kitchen activities—some fetching water while others helped scrub pots and stoves, all busying themselves.
At noon, Song Jiu and Boss Lin returned to the Living Area one after another. The Dining Hall was already serving food; Boss Lin had not wasted any of his stored supplies. The small vegetable garden in the back had been thoroughly harvested, bringing some long-missed fruits and vegetables back to the table as they prepared to enter a new phase.
Ziqian and other injured members were resting in their guest rooms when Guli brought them meals. Upon seeing Song Jiu enter, Xiaofei hurriedly got up to follow him out. For some reason, ever since their escape from the dungeon, Xiaofei had spoken less to Song Jiu. He could sense Xiaofei's deliberate distancing but couldn't understand why. As she walked away enveloped in her fragrant aura, Song Jiu shook his head in disappointment and stepped inside to find two clearly defined tables of people.
Luo Yu and Liu Yan led their faction at one table while some militia members sat at another table with camp women; Cold Man was among them. Chef Jia was busy in the kitchen with several women; both tables were engrossed in their own conversations as if they were two separate tour groups—chaotic yet indifferent to each other.
Song Jiu sighed as he took a seat at the spot left for him by Dream Fan. He glanced over at the other table where voices instantly dropped several decibels; people occasionally stole glances at him with furtive expressions.
"When we were escaping for our lives, everyone was calling you Brother Jiu so affectionately," Dream Fan remarked pointedly at those at the other table with an exaggerated tone that still retained its sweetness but lacked charm.
"Dream Fan," Luo Yu nudged her gently with a look that urged her not to stir up trouble. It wasn't easy for anyone willing to continue following them as passersby; there was no need to force matters.
" Brother Jiu," Liu Yan called softly while glancing toward Cold Man at the other table. He recalled that during their retreat through the tunnel, Song Jiu had mentioned relying on him for their new base. However, given how divided things seemed now, it was likely unreliable.
Song Jiu understood what Liu Yan meant; he sighed bitterly while recalling Cold Man reminded him of Pan Sheng'an—a pity indeed; good people rarely lived long while calamities linger for millennia.
Chef Jia completed his work as steaming bowls of white rice were served at two tables. One person took a bowl first to enjoy its sweet broth while eyeing the colorful dishes on the table with drool practically dripping down.
"This meal is thanks to Lin Daozhang," Chef Jia said as he filled Boss Lin's first bowl with a smile. "Lin Daozhang is generous and kind-hearted; he will surely cultivate many good relationships."
"Amitabha," Boss Lin thought, feeling a wave of frustration wash over him. He wasn't foolish; he could see the discord among this group as soon as he entered. Coupled with the earlier conversation between Song Jiu and Luo Yu, his unease grew, making him feel like he was sitting on pins and needles. He knew better than to show his displeasure to the beautiful woman who was being so gracious, so he forced a strained smile as he accepted the food, muttering an incoherent Buddhist chant. Deep down, he wished for the freedom of solitude.
Chef Jia had taken a seat at Cold Man's table. Song Jiu understood that she was likely trying to mend relationships. Her intentions were good, but it seemed she might be wasting her efforts.
"Master Lin, you've lived in this temple for so long. Have you ever been attacked by zombies?" Luo Yu broke the silence with a casual question.
"Not really. A couple of years ago, things were worse; there were so many zombies that I couldn't even go outside," Boss Lin decided not to dwell on the group's hidden agendas. It was better to remain a quiet fake Taoist. He continued with Luo Yu's line of questioning, adding, "There used to be several shelters in the city center where survivors gathered, but they all disappeared due to overcrowding. My place is a bit remote, so it's peaceful here. The mountain gate is usually closed tight, and the zombies can only scratch at the walls."
Luo Yu ignored his offhand comments and asked directly, "In such a large temple, there must have been quite a few zombies at the beginning of the outbreak. How did you manage to clear them out?"
"I have plenty of time," Boss Lin stroked his long beard thoughtfully. Time was his best friend; once busy chasing stars and deadlines, now he could do anything he wanted.
"Have you ever thought about taking in more survivors?" Dream Fan blinked her big eyes innocently, sending subtle glances his way. "Being alone can be quite lonely."
"Cough cough, yes, it was pretty dull at first," Boss Lin said, avoiding Dream Fan's intense gaze as his cheeks flushed slightly. "But then I found things to occupy myself—reading scriptures in the Scripture Repository, meditating in the Zen room, fetching water and cleaning up. Occasionally I would practice martial arts in the Tower Forest; it wasn't bad once I got used to it."
"Oh, so you can provide for yourself in terms of food and clothing; that's great," Dream Fan nodded knowingly before her eyes suddenly lit up with curiosity. "But don't you ever think about women?"
"Splutter!" The fake Taoist spat rice all over the table and began coughing violently.
The table of Militia Youth erupted in laughter, their shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
Song Jiu couldn't help but chuckle as well. She patted Boss Lin on the back and said lightly, "Don't mind her; just eat your meal."
"Why shouldn't I be able to talk to him?" Dream Fan pouted defiantly and moved closer to Boss Lin by pushing aside the Militia member sitting next to him. She leaned in and asked, "I see that Lin Daozhang isn't that old; not having a dual cultivation partner must be quite frustrating for you."
Fake Taoist blushed deeply. He used to think that Sexy Assistant was the epitome of beauty, but who would have thought there were even greater heights? Embarrassed, he wiped his mouth and pleaded, "I, um, as a humble Taoist, this is a Buddhist pure land. Little beauty, please don’t tease me."
"I'm not teasing you," Dream Fan insisted, her expression serious. "I heard that Taoists have dual cultivation methods. Is it true? Do you really need to knock on bamboo and summon turtles every day? Isn’t there a famous courtesan in your Taoist sect called Yuxuanji?"
Boss Lin was completely defeated. As a Fake Taoist, he had no idea about such matters. He hurriedly took a couple of bites of food and stood up to leave. "I, um, will head back to my room now. Everyone enjoy your meal. If you need anything, come find me in the meditation room." With that, he fled the Dining Hall, leaving behind a room full of laughter.
The group of Militia Youth laughed until tears streamed down their faces. They had often seen Dream Fan tease others, but never like this. Previously, those who approached her either wanted to take advantage or thought they could gain something from her; they didn’t need much coaxing before they would strip her bare right there. In contrast, this Fake Taoist was so innocent it was almost shocking; his relatively handsome face could probably fry an egg.
"You’re just being silly," Luo Yu chuckled lightly, poking Dream Fan on the forehead and scolding her playfully. "Why bully him?"
"Are you feeling sorry for him?" Dream Fan laughed as she dodged his playful swat, fixing her hair and throwing a flirtatious glance at everyone. "Brothers and sisters, enjoy your meal. I’ll be back soon."
"Dream Fan, stop messing around," Song Jiu said helplessly as he quickly grabbed the girl’s arm. "Hurry up and eat; we still need him for something later. Don’t annoy him."
"Don’t worry," Dream Fan replied with a sweet smile as she dashed out the door, leaving behind a parting remark: "Later on, both the person and the temple will be surnamed Xin."
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