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墨書 Inktalez
The Guest Hall was still illuminated by candlelight, while the women in the south wing of the courtyard remained asleep, unaware of the events unfolding outside. The three women from Dream Fan had vanished, and Cold Man along with the Militia were nowhere to be found. In the open hall lay several Young Men, their faces smeared with blood, groaning in pain and barely conscious.
Luo Yu wore a grim expression as she gathered the drowsy camp women in the courtyard, questioning them one by one. Chef Jia and Liu Yan assessed the condition of the injured, lighting torches along the corridor, illuminating both inside and out. There was no need for detailed inquiries; the situation was clear. Cold Man had taken advantage of Song Jiu and the others' absence to strike a blow, not only emptying the supermarket across the street but also abducting three young women.
The injured had been severely beaten, two of their legs broken and left on the ground. This was Cold Man's directive to the Militia—not just an act of venting anger but also a tactic to buy time. With a shortage of medical supplies and new injuries compounding old ones, their ability to move was severely compromised. This undoubtedly added pressure on Song Jiu and his group; they needed to find ways to treat the wounded while also allocating personnel to care for them, which would inevitably limit their capacity for revenge.
Unfortunately for Song Jiu's group, Cold Man underestimated them. He believed that they would first stabilize their base, focus on healing their injured, gather new supplies, and only then seek him out. What he did not realize was that Song Jiu had always been one to act swiftly when it came to revenge. Not only did he operate this way himself, but those under him shared this trait as well. Therefore, when Liu Yan suggested waiting for Song Jiu's return before making plans, Luo Yu decisively rejected him. She instructed him and Chef Jia to wait for Song Jiu while she armed herself with weapons and rushed out of the temple, flashlight in hand, scanning various directions before driving off into the streets just before dawn.
Liu Yan and Chef Jia remained at headquarters, observing the varied expressions of the women and injured men around them, lost in deep confusion. The Young Men of the Direct Line wore cold expressions as they silently carried the injured inside and set up medical equipment on a table filled with supplies brought back from the hospital, leaving the remaining tasks to two temporary agents.
After a long night of work, even though Zombie’s physique was extraordinary, it was still wearing thin. Liu Yan urged Chef Jia to rest first while he steeled himself to enter the Guest Hall, recalling his past medical training as he prepared to treat several unfortunate patients with broken bones. The Militia Youths needed no orders; they each grabbed weapons and rushed to guard various points around the building, their eyes bloodshot as they stood watch without a hint of relaxation.
Aside from their vehicle, which was nearly out of fuel, all other Pika vehicles were running low on gas. Cold Man had taken one vehicle that was heavily loaded; logically speaking, he wouldn't be able to drive far and would likely abandon it in favor of walking. Luo Yu calculated the time with some worry; after all, it had been over an hour since she had chosen this direction, which might not be correct. The fuel gauge was nearing empty—she could only search in one direction now. If she went wrong, she would have no choice but to walk back.
Luo Yu did not linger at the temple; now reflecting on it carefully, she felt that Cold Man must have been prepared rather than acting impulsively. If his sole intention was to escape from Song Jiu, he could have simply taken supplies and left without needing to abduct three young women. They were short-handed already; finding a place to hide while avoiding Zombies and managing captives was unwise. After much contemplation, Luo Yu could only conclude that Cold Man did not plan to leave this city—at least not in the short term—and there must be familiar places nearby that could serve as temporary hideouts.
But where would he hide? Cold Man left no trace behind; however, Dream Fan was clever enough—surely she would find a way to give herself some hints.
As Luo Yu pondered this thought, she turned her vehicle around a corner without turning on her headlights and drove slowly along a wide asphalt road, squinting her eyes as she scanned both sides for any signs of life.
The sky began to show hints of dawn's light breaking through as morning approached, ready to disperse the night’s darkness.
Warm rays gradually spread across the landscape, sweeping over towering buildings and streaming through open doors and windows, casting scattered patches of light onto the ground.
Luo Yu slowly stopped her car and looked around carefully before confirming there were no signs of Zombie activity nearby. Only then did she open her car door and jump out, moving lightly toward a cluster of dazzling lights by the roadside.
The road was covered in dust, marked by numerous chaotic footprints, making it impossible to tell whether they belonged to a Living Person or a Zombie. The direction of the prints was scattered and unclear. Although there had been signs of rain last night, not a single drop had fallen until now, leaving the age of the footprints indeterminate. However, something reflecting the blinding sunlight offered some information.
Luo Yu bent down to pick up the sparkling object, rolled up his sleeve to check his wrist, and finally managed to bring a hint of a smile to his otherwise gloomy face.
With a rustling sound, Lin Daozhang pulled aside the curtains, basking in the warmth of the sunlight as he stretched comfortably.
The dazzling light swept across the counter, casting a shadow where Song Jiu squatted in the corner. He held a notebook on violent lock-picking, flipping through its pages while laughing at times and sighing at others, seemingly oblivious to the passage of time until Lin Daozhang called him back to reality.
"We should get going," said Fake Taoist, scratching his nose curiously. "What are you looking at? You were so eager before, but now you seem relaxed."
"Let’s go," Song Jiu replied with a forced smile, closing the notebook and tucking it into his pocket. He picked up a picture frame nearby and stuffed it into his pants pocket, asking, "Is it far?"
"Not far. Just two more streets," Boss Lin said, his curiosity piqued. "What do you have there? Do you recognize it?"
"I'll tell you later," Song Jiu clearly didn’t want to elaborate. He picked up the Steel Saw Blade and stepped out of the Store, glancing up at the sign. The advertisement was faded and barely legible; he could only make out the word "cake." The sign was adorned with simple cartoon drawings that sparkled in the sunlight.
"I really dislike people who speak in riddles," Lin Daozhang muttered as he figured out their direction and urged Song Jiu to continue on their way.
The two men, each with their own thoughts, crossed the long street, their shadows stretching long under the rising sun before finally disappearing around a corner.
In Ruined City, day and night bore little difference; all that could be seen were abandoned skyscrapers and endless patches of overgrown grass. The streets were silent on both sides, filled only with the chilling sound of the wind, creating an atmosphere of desolation and emptiness.
Boss Lin found Song Jiu a bit strange; there was an inexplicable expression on his face, and it was clear he had been lost in thought. Even when spoken to, he responded with indifference, no longer bothering to tell him to be quiet. Old Lin felt somewhat bored; talking to himself was tedious, and conversing with a mute was even more so. Thus, he reluctantly closed his mouth and continued on the road in silence.
The journey was wordless, desolate, and marked by remnants of past splendor.
Suddenly, Song Jiu felt a wave of sentimentality wash over him. First-tier cities, second-tier cities, rural areas, and impoverished landscapes—all covered in a layer of yellow dust and overgrown with wild grass—were all the same sight.
Lin Daozhang glanced at him sideways, expecting Song Jiu to say something. After waiting for a while, he only received a long sigh in return, forcing the words that were on the tip of Fake Taoist's tongue back down his throat.
"What's wrong with you?" Boss Lin couldn't hold back any longer and spoke again. "Why aren't you talking?"
"What is there to say?" Song Jiu replied with a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Can't you just be quiet for a moment?"
"Just chatting, anyway there are no Zombies around."
"Speaking of Zombies, didn't you say there were many in the city? Why is it so quiet here?"
"There weren't that many last night," Lin Daozhang said, puffing up his cheeks as if it were serious business. "Let me tell you, you can't let your guard down. Just because these two streets look clean doesn't mean a Horde isn't right around the corner."
"You're such a jinx." Song Jiu frowned and pulled Old Lin back as he turned to speak again. He made a gesture for silence and dragged him behind a bus stop sign on the roadside, pointing at the intersection ahead while cursing, "See? I told you."
Old Lin looked confused but peeked out to see the scene of corpses crossing the street and couldn't help but be stunned.
"Is there another way?" Song Jiu pondered for a moment. Seeing the size of the Horde ahead, he realized relying on them to leave on their own would take who knows how long.
"There's nothing left, we have to take a detour again. There's a roundabout up ahead, right in front of the roundabout," Lin Daozhang scratched his nose and said, "How about you lure the zombie away while I call for help?"
The two of them were whispering to each other, not noticing a shadow passing between the two buildings at the street corner. With a loud crash, a ventilation window on a high-rise shattered, breaking the tranquility of the street.
Song Jiu quickly looked towards the source of the noise and saw a long rope extending into the broken window. The window was empty, with only shards of glass still falling.
The zombie wandering at the street corner was attracted by the sound, letting out a roar as it turned around and stumbled towards the noise. Some surged into the open roll-up gate of a building, while others aimlessly wandered into the street, heading towards where Song Jiu and Lin Daozhang were hiding.
"What on earth is that?" Song Jiu broke out in a cold sweat. The rope seemed to be secured to something on the opposite building. Could it be that Tarzan had emerged from Ruined City?
"No, no, we should go. The zombies have been stirred up," Lin Daozhang said anxiously. There were plenty of abandoned vehicles on the road; they could run without worrying about being chased by zombies.
"Wait a minute." Song Jiu seemed to see something and pulled Lin Daozhang back into a nearby smoke shop, hiding behind a refrigerator. He pointed to a corner of the tall building. "Look over there, isn't there someone?"
"Someone?" Lin Daozhang squinted and looked over, then gasped in surprise. "Oh my..."
Before he could finish his sentence, another long rope swung past the side of the building, and the sound of shattering glass echoed again, drawing another group of wandering zombies.
"Is it those people you saw before?" Song Jiu's eyes widened in disbelief. He realized that the person performing stunts between the buildings was not some wild Tarzan; all that commotion attracted every zombie at the street corner. Some darted indoors while others followed along alleys in pursuit. In no time at all, the horde that had been clustered at the street corner was split into countless pieces—some scattered away while others wandered off, leaving this area behind.
"From that far away, how can I see clearly?" Lin Daozhang exclaimed in amazement. "That's really impressive!"
"Let's go first." Song Jiu peeked out, noticing that the street was mostly clear. There were abandoned vehicles providing cover, and the Zombies inside the building across had yet to detect the two hidden figures. If they didn't leave now, when would they?
The predecessors jumped from buildings, while the successors enjoyed the shade.
City Spider-Man had smashed countless doors and windows, drawing a large number of Zombies away, which conveniently cleared a path for Song Jiu and his companion.
Ten minutes later, the two of them, drenched in sweat, finally turned the last corner and arrived at the Roundabout mentioned by Lin Daozhang.
Song Jiu wiped his forehead and stared at the Iron Fence blocking the street, along with the lush greenery beyond it. He stood there in a daze.
The Fake Taoist wore a similarly shocked expression, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. His long beard fluttered wildly as his chin trembled, unable to utter a coherent word for quite some time.
The desolate gray-yellow street scene was still vivid in their minds, yet before them now appeared an oasis in the desert.
A breeze swept through the street, rustling the leaves. Behind the fence stood a figure with flowing long hair, strolling leisurely while cradling a plump cat in her arms. She gazed curiously at the two people outside the fence.
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