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墨書 Inktalez
Ming Junwei and Wu Wentao, the two main negotiators, felt neglected as they exchanged awkward glances, each with a cigarette in hand, slipping into a spectator mode. A group of unrelated individuals stood by, utterly confused, unable to untangle the complex web of relationships among those present. They shook their heads and retreated to the sidelines, leaving the stage to the Ladies.
"You’re still alive," Luci swallowed hard, a strange light flickering across her pale face as she murmured to Song Yao, "You remember her, right?"
"I do," Song Yao nodded slowly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I still owe you a thank you."
Huihui looked at her, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
"Qixi told me you gave that life-saving serum to Ginger River," Song Yao said, a mix of joy and sorrow flashing in her eyes. "If it weren't for that serum, we wouldn't have met again."
Huihui suddenly recalled the events from three years ago in that dim underground facility. After a moment of silence, she replied, "It’s... nothing."
To be honest, these few people didn’t share a deep bond; their relationships were complicated. Back then, Song Yao and her companions had been imprisoned in the Gobi Desert Underground Testing Facility. The girls were all test subjects. Initially, Huihui and her partners had tried to escape alongside Song Yao and the others. However, things took a turn when Song Yao's old acquaintance Bai Yudong appeared out of nowhere. While he saved Song Yao, he ruthlessly killed Huihui and her group. If it weren't for Kenny's drugs interfering, Huihui would likely have turned to dust by now.
The subsequent events were even more convoluted. Huihui, who had miraculously survived, wandered through the sealed underground building until she inadvertently encountered Ginger River and Luci, who were trapped underground while being pursued by Zombies. The Establishment was causing chaos with the intent to destroy Kenny's lab. The two stumbled into a corridor rigged with explosives set by The Establishment and barely escaped with their lives after an explosion. Luci, as a revived test subject, managed to survive, but the ordinary Ginger River nearly perished on the spot. Had it not been for Huihui offering the last vial of serum in that critical moment, Ginger River and Song Yao would not have reunited after such a long separation.
Regrettably, it was both the cause of their survival and their downfall.
In the end, Ginger River could not escape the double-edged sword; he survived the life-and-death crisis but fell into despair afterward—a truly lamentable fate.
The past had become mere smoke; after years apart, those involved unexpectedly reunited. There was little else to say but sigh over what had transpired. They exchanged glances for a moment before simultaneously averting their eyes. What was done was done; focusing on the present was the way forward. Though many questions lingered, this was clearly not the time for reminiscing about painful memories in front of an audience.
Wu Wentao felt as if he had sighed away his entire life today. The situation was changing rapidly; he watched as victory tilted toward Ming Junwei while he felt utterly powerless. Just moments ago, he had the virus vaccine as leverage in negotiations; now he had nothing left. He was at their mercy—his fate entirely in their hands—and this time he faced total defeat.
As everyone adjusted their emotions, Ming Junwei sensed it was time to seize the moment. Understanding Wu Wentao's despondent thoughts, he threw out a tempting offer: "Let’s continue our discussion."
"Sigh," Wu Wentao let out another long breath and shook his head. "Do as you please."
Ming Junwei nodded in satisfaction and smiled, "I still stand by what I said. We are not enemies; there's no need for us to resort to violence. Trust needs to be built, and we can start as allies."
Wu Wentao's eyes flashed with surprise as he frowned, "Are you feeling sorry for me?"
"I'm not that bored," Ming Junwei replied, pulling up the car window to let the cold wind sweep away the smoke inside. He continued calmly, "It's just a necessary collaboration. I provide the venue, you provide the doctors, and Yuan An provides the Antibody Vaccine."
Yuan An was taken aback, not expecting Ming Junwei to involve her as well. She hurriedly said, "Wait, I—"
"Don't rush to refuse," Ming Junwei interrupted her, looking at Huihui, who still appeared confused. "There are many things we need to discuss. Let's take it one step at a time. Dr. Zhong, it's your turn."
Dr. Zhong hesitated for a moment before gritting his teeth and saying, "That's right; the breakthrough for the virus Vaccine lies with Huihui."
"Ah?" Yuan An was completely bewildered. How could her long-time companion suddenly be dragged into this?
Song Yao and Luci exchanged strange glances, thinking that this doctor might not be very competent. After all, they had all received the same injection; at most, they were veteran Zombies. How could Huihui be linked to the virus Vaccine?
Ignoring the skeptical expressions of everyone present, Dr. Zhong explained simply, "This morning, I mixed Huihui's blood sample with the virus solution, and then... some inexplicable reactions occurred. To put it plainly, Huihui is an immune body to the virus; the Infected Virus has no effect on her."
The room erupted in shock and disbelief.
"Impossible! Huihui was also in Kenny's underground laboratory back then and received the Zombie injection just like us. How could she suddenly become an Antibody?" Luci was the first to refute Dr. Zhong's claim. "You better have more concrete evidence."
"I can take you to see," Dr. Zhong finally regained his composure and said arrogantly, "We let facts speak for themselves."
At that moment, Huihui, who had been out of the loop, suddenly murmured, "Is it really true? Does it work?"
Everyone's gaze turned towards her, filled with questions.
Song Yao suddenly thought of something and furrowed her brows. "Qixi, didn't you say she stayed there?"
Luci's eyes brightened for a moment, then dimmed again as she murmured, "Maybe she found another way out."
The dining car was in chaos as everyone began to speculate and discuss, their doubts about the so-called Antibody overshadowing any trust.
Ming Junwei frowned and pondered for a moment before raising his hand to silence the crowd. "Yuan An, you were present during our discussion just now. Please relay the situation to your companions. After all, if we are to cooperate, we will need your assistance."
Yuan An understood his meaning but was equally filled with hesitation. Unlike Song Yao and the others, she was just an ordinary Survivor. Her companions had suddenly become highly sought after, and it sounded like a matter of great importance. How could she make a decision?
Huihui gradually regained her composure and walked over, linking her arm with Yuan An's. "If I can help in any way, I am willing to cooperate with you."
"Huihui," Yuan An said, feeling somewhat uneasy and hesitating for a moment.
Huihui smiled reassuringly and patted Yuan An's hand before looking at Song Yao and the others. "Speaking of which, it's not really my credit. That female doctor should be your friend, right?"
Song Yao and the others were taken aback for a moment before recalling the desolate figure left deep in the Gobi Desert. They exchanged puzzled glances. "Doctor An?"
Ming Junwei and Wu Wentao also looked up, clearly familiar with the name. Old Tian, who was being dragged along by Liu Yan, also had a spark in his eyes as if he had thought of something.
"Yes, Dr. An gave me some medication back then and said many difficult things. Now that I think about it, I can probably understand them," Huihui said gently with a hint of unspoken melancholy in her tone. "What do you need me to do?"
"An Jie..." Song Yao's expression grew complex. After three years apart, hearing news of her from Huihui was indeed a bit overwhelming.
Huihui's face darkened slightly as she spoke softly, "She is no longer here."
Ming Junwei and the others changed their expressions, all letting out a sigh.
"I was wandering underground at that time when I accidentally encountered her. She secretly provided me with food and clean water; otherwise, I wouldn't have survived," Huihui blinked, recalling that dark period. "One day, she came to find me, looking very anxious. She gave me a vial and insisted that I must inject it. She also provided me with a map to leave the building. I followed her instructions and left there, injected the medicine, but I didn't understand why she wanted me to do that. Looking back now, I'm glad I did."
"Dr. An succeeded," Ming Junwei thought, feeling a mix of emotions. The words of that gentle yet resolute female doctor seemed to echo in his ears. They had been struggling for survival all along, but this soft yet strong woman had never shed the burden on her shoulders. Regardless of whether anyone understood her, she never gave up, even at the cost of her life.
"Reporting for duty as Liu Yan, subordinate of Wu Wentao! What did I say?" Old Tian, who had been on the sidelines, suddenly became overly excited. If Liu Yan hadn't grabbed him, he might have rushed over to dance a lively tune with Wu Wentao.
Seeing everyone staring at him as if he were crazy, Old Tian's face turned red. He cleared his throat and actively sought attention: "Let me introduce myself. My name is Tian Cunwen, and I am currently an assistant to Liu Yan, subordinate of Wu Wentao. In the past, I was a colleague of An Zheng. Since you all know An Zheng, you must have heard of my name."
"We haven't heard of it," Ming Junwei and the others shook their heads in unison, their expressions clear and honest.
Old Tian seemed not to hear their response and continued on his own: "I used to be a responsible person under The Establishment. Since you plan to form an alliance, as Liu Yan's advisor, I should offer some suggestions."
"The Establishment," Ming Junwei said as he rubbed his ears and chuckled, "The Establishment we've encountered has always been tough men; you're the first one to talk so much."
"Cough cough." Old Tian chuckled awkwardly and said, "Everyone has their role; scholars have their own contributions."
"Have you thought it through?" Ming Junwei ignored Old Tian and turned his gaze toward the troubled Wu Wentao. "Huihui is willing to cooperate; I'm willing to provide a location—an olive branch or steel guns; choose one."
Wu Wentao pondered for a long while as if he had made up his mind. He stood up and extended his hand to shake Ming Junwei's firmly, gritting his teeth as he said, "Let's not mention the past; for the sake of the Vaccine, let's cooperate. However, I have conditions."
"You can speak."
"Kenny's energy and methods are beyond your imagination. You must not let him know I'm here, including anything about the Vaccine. We can't leak any information until we have results." Wu Wentao's expression was serious. For him, this handshake was not just an alliance; it also placed him and Kenny on opposing sides.
"Understood," Ming Junwei nodded in agreement.
"Also, you mentioned that E would come back. I suggest we leave this place. Even if we manage to fend off E together, Kenny will send more people here. If he notices any activity here, it will be disastrous." Wu Wentao glanced at Old Tian and continued, "You have no idea of Kenny's ambitions. Our strength alone cannot compete with him; we must not let him catch on."
"We can discuss that later; I can't give you an immediate answer," Ming Junwei frowned and said. "Are there any other issues?"
Wu Wentao furrowed his brow in thought and replied, "Not for now. I'll bring it up if I think of anything else. By the way, our relationship is merely one of cooperation. My people and I will not take orders from you; I hope you understand that."
"That's fair enough. There are others who don't follow my orders either," Ming Junwei chuckled, glancing at the bored Song Jiu outside the car window. "But first, you need to help me with something; helping me is also helping yourself."
"What is it?"
"There’s a location in the city that is a new stronghold developed by E. Our alliance can save us a lot of ammunition, which could come in handy."
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