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墨書 Inktalez
"She has woken up." The Frowning Nurse rushed to the train car connection, where she found Dr. Zhong chatting and smoking with Chu Guangxu.
The two were about seven or eight years apart in age, yet they shared a strong bond, often spending their leisure time together. Several Young Ladies on the train had developed a crush on the handsome and sunny Chu Guangxu, previously sending him subtle glances in an attempt to catch his attention. However, Chu Guangxu remained oblivious to their advances; although he greeted everyone with a smile, there was an unmistakable air of strong rejection behind it. Over time, the Ladies gave up and began to spread rumors that Chu Guangxu and Dr. Zhong were involved, speculating that they were gay. This added another topic for gossip among the women: who was the dominant one between Xiao Chu and Dr. Zhong.
As a member of the train's leadership, Chu Guangxu was certainly aware of these whispers, but he chose not to react—neither confirming nor denying them. He maintained a relationship with Dr. Zhong that left the women feeling frustrated, occasionally joining in on their discussions without caring that his sexual orientation had become a topic of casual conversation.
The Frowning Nurse was also one of those who admired Chu Guangxu. A few days ago, two new Young Ladies boarded the train, and she inadvertently noticed that Chu Guangxu was particularly enthusiastic towards one tall girl, who seemed distant and indifferent towards him. Despite her clear signals to keep her distance, Chu Guangxu's gaze remained fixated on her, which left the Nurse feeling resentful.
The train sped along swiftly, with a capable conductor and a crew of diligent staff. Those who had been on board for some time had grown accustomed to this tumultuous yet safe and comfortable life. As time passed, the pressures of survival faded away; what once was a struggle gradually transformed into deep reliance. In simpler terms, when there was too much free time throughout the day, idle thoughts naturally drifted towards unnecessary matters.
Thus, the Frowning Nurse found herself disliking Yuan An intensely. Her unpleasant demeanor made Yuan An acutely aware of the odd atmosphere on the otherwise peaceful train.
Yuan An had disappeared while her companions remained on board. The Frowning Nurse's resentment extended even to Huihui; upon seeing her slowly wake up, she couldn't be bothered to follow Dr. Zhong's instructions to give her glucose and instead left the medical car to find Dr. Zhong.
Dr. Zhong took a deep drag from his cigarette before flicking the burnt end into the rain-soaked ground. He exhaled smoke as he spoke hurriedly to Chu Guangxu before rushing back into the car. Chu Guangxu watched his retreating figure with a bright smile until it vanished from sight before standing up to leave.
"Guangxu," the Frowning Nurse called out playfully, lowering her gaze while stealing glances at his reaction.
Chu Guangxu was about to walk away but turned back upon hearing her voice. "Yes? What is it?" he asked with a smile.
"Nothing much," she replied with a bright smile as she stepped closer. "It’s been a while since we stopped; let’s go explore outside! Don’t mushrooms grow under trees after it rains? Let’s go pick some mushrooms and add new dishes for the dining car."
"I'm not going," Chu Guangxu said with a pout and shook his head. Before she could continue her coaxing, he interrupted her: "I advise you not to go either; it's not safe here."
The Frowning Nurse's expression darkened slightly as she replied gloomily, "Fine then, if you don’t want to go, I won’t force you."
"I’m not trying to scare you," Chu Guangxu said with a grin, pointing towards a small building near the platform. "A team member died yesterday; the conductor took people to search around. You should tell those in the back not to get off and close all the rear doors."
"Is it true?" The Frowning Nurse's expression stiffened as she exclaimed, "Who died?"
"You don't know him, just be cautious. There aren't many Security personnel on the vehicle right now." Chu Guangxu, uninterested in further conversation, hurriedly made his way to the front of the vehicle.
The Frowning Nurse gazed longingly at his receding figure. Once he disappeared from sight, she spat in frustration and muttered, "I don't believe I can't straighten you out. Who are you trying to scare?"
Inside the medical compartment, in a separate area.
Huihui opened her eyes, only to close them again as the world spun around her. Her mouth felt dry and uncomfortable.
"Yuan An," Huihui called softly for her already departed companion, trying to move her fingers. A wave of weakness and soreness spread throughout her body.
"You’re awake," Dr. Zhong entered after changing into a white coat and spraying some perfume to mask the smell of smoke. The lively expression on his face had been replaced by a solemn demeanor, with a hint of sorrow in his brow.
Huihui turned towards the voice and, through her muddled thoughts, recalled this Male Doctor. She murmured, "Where's my friend?"
"Here, drink some water." Dr. Zhong did not answer her question but helped her sit up and crushed two glucose tablets into a cup of water.
With his assistance, Huihui managed to drink a cup of water. Gradually regaining some strength, she thanked him and asked again, "Where's my friend?"
"How do you feel? Do you have any discomfort?" Dr. Zhong continued to ignore her inquiry.
"It's okay, just a bit dizzy. What happened to me?" Huihui's confused mind began to process things as she furrowed her brow and asked, "Why won't you answer me? Where's Yuan An?"
Seeing that she was regaining her senses, Dr. Zhong decided to stop hiding the truth. He paused for a moment before saying seriously, "I need to tell you some bad news; you need to be mentally prepared."
Huihui's heart raced at his words; pain shot through her foggy brain as she bombarded him with questions: "What happened? What’s wrong with Yuan An? Wasn’t he just undergoing a check-up? Why did I faint?"
"Don't worry, I'll explain everything to you one by one," Dr. Zhong hurriedly reassured, his expression heavy with sorrow. Once Huihui had calmed down a bit, he sighed deeply and said, "We were forced to stop; some unexpected events occurred."
"What unexpected events?" Huihui's face changed dramatically.
"There was a Zombie attack," Dr. Zhong said, his brows furrowing tightly. "The tracks ahead were blocked, and when the conductor and the crew went to clear the way, they were attacked by Zombies. It was quite chaotic at that moment. You fell into a coma because of the medication you took. Your friend insisted that we protect you and, despite our objections, rushed off the train. Your friend is very brave."
Huihui's face froze as she processed Dr. Zhong's words; the information was overwhelming and hard to digest.
"What do you mean the train was attacked by Zombies? Yuan An got off?" Huihui looked around in confusion, murmuring, "What medication did I take? What exactly happened? Please tell me."
"Don't get agitated; you're still a bit weak," Dr. Zhong said, feigning calmness as he rubbed his eyes. "You needed to take some sedatives for your check-up. Don't worry; it won't harm your health. Your friend cared deeply for you and insisted on staying until you woke up. When the Zombies attacked the carriage, things got a bit out of control. The conductor and the crew were in the Cabin, and your friend went to block the Zombies at the door to protect you; they were just a moment too late."
"Impossible! You're lying to me!" Huihui's eyes widened in disbelief as she shook her head vigorously, struggling to get up. "She’s always been so calm; she wouldn’t just go and throw her life away! That’s impossible!"
Dr. Zhong quickly called over another female doctor, and together they restrained the emotionally unstable Huihui while comforting her. "We are all very saddened by what happened—not just your friend; we lost many people too. Your friend sacrificed herself to protect you; you need to take care of yourself."
Huihui had already been weak, and after just waking up, she struggled for a moment before collapsing back onto the bed, her mind blank as Yuan An's death echoed in her ears.
"It's all my fault; I insisted on getting on the train," Huihui murmured to herself, her nose tingling as tears streamed down her cheeks. "It's all my fault."
Dr. Zhong exchanged a glance with the other doctor, and they fell silent, sitting beside her bed with expressions full of regret.
After a long pause in the carriage, Dr. Zhong hesitated for a moment before saying, "I know it's hard to accept such things after waking up from a slumber like this, but for your own health, I hope you can answer a few questions for me. Is that okay?"
Huihui stared blankly with wide eyes but did not respond.
Dr. Zhong scratched his head awkwardly and picked up a record book from the Workbench. "I noticed that you have extensive burn marks on your body; it doesn’t look like it happened long ago, but your recovery seems quite good—like you've had skin grafts."
"I want to be quiet for a while." Huihui stared blankly at the ceiling of the carriage, coldly uttering a few words.
"Uh, alright, you rest for now. I'll come back later. If you need anything, just—"
"Get out."
A few hundred meters away, behind a window in the waiting hall.
Song Jiu put down the binoculars, licked his dry lips, and said coldly, "There are two on the platform and two by the carriage."
"There might be more inside." Liu Yan unfastened his raincoat, skillfully disassembled the magazine, and aimed his gun at the two burly men standing on the platform, shaking his head. "Too far; the bullet trajectory will drift."
"Then get closer." Song Jiu looked down at the waiting hall below; wild grass and debris covered the original entrance, making it hard to see through the heavy rain.
"Didn't we say not to make direct contact?" Lin Daozhang grimaced, sensing something was off. He hurriedly said, "We can see them; let's go back."
Song Jiu and Liu Yan turned their heads in unison, looking at him as if he were crazy. Lin Daozhang sighed heavily and silently swallowed his words of persuasion.
"Guests who come uninvited should at least be greeted by their host." Song Jiu sneered repeatedly, redirecting the anger caused by Xiaofei's death toward the train that exuded a strong historical aura.
Lin Daozhang secretly cursed: You’ve only been here for a few days; what kind of host are you?
Song Jiu was indeed looking to vent his anger but hadn’t lost his reason. Liu Yan's concerns were valid; perhaps the main force was still resting inside the carriage. The three of them charging over with just one gun would be reckless. Squinting at the surroundings of the platform, Song Jiu seemed to have a plan. He pointed to a few rows of abandoned trains blocking the tracks behind the platform and instructed, "Liu Yan, you go there. Just create a distraction; don’t rush in—draw their attention."
"Got it." Liu Yan wanted to ask about his plan but thought better of it. After several fierce battles alongside Song Jiu recently, he had grown accustomed to Song Jiu's unpredictable nature. The tactics they had discussed earlier could only serve as a reference; how to execute them would depend on adapting to the situation.
"When you hear gunfire from Liu Yan's side, take care of those two in front of the carriage." Song Jiu lifted his coat and took out two Steel Saw Blades from his waist holster, handing them to him. "See that small building? Go through the grass and wait for a signal behind that broken wall."
Lin Daozhang nodded silently as he took the two saw blades. Without needing to ask, he knew that Song Jiu was once again relying on his flying knife skills.
"What if a group of Armed Thugs comes out of their car? How do we retreat?" Lin Daozhang asked, feeling uneasy.
"I'm not asking you to charge in like Liu Yan. Just distract those two and stay hidden," Song Jiu replied.
"But they have guns."
"That's why I want you to hide," Song Jiu said, taking a deep breath. After a pause, he added, "Remember, if they chase you, just run back the way you came. They won't keep chasing you forever."
"Wait a minute," Lin Daozhang said, smacking his lips. "Liu Yan and I have our tasks. What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to find a doctor."
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