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墨書 Inktalez
"Why?"
"I don't know. At that time, we were pretty angry. We saved their lives, and they still chased us away, so we didn't ask much." Yang Xiaomeng pouted, her words laced with a hint of sarcasm. However, no one paid her any mind, and she continued, "The Industrial Park all looks pretty much the same. We hid for two days, and later it seemed like their people cleared out the zombies, and then we managed to escape. They kept their word and gave us some food and clean water. We had no choice; when you take help from others, you can't be too picky, so we left."
"Before we left, the person we saved told us that if we camped nearby in the future and needed anything, we could go find them. They would provide some assistance within their means. They also advised us to stay as far away from the park as possible. They didn't explain further, and we didn't think much of it at the time. Later, when we found this prime spot, there was no need to seek them out."
Song Jiu and the others exchanged strange glances; Yang Xiaomeng was quite good at storytelling, making it sound somewhat interesting.
"So how do you know they have doctors? What did those people look like? Did they carry weapons? Do you know their exact camp location?" Song Jiu slowly guided the conversation toward the main points, firing off a series of questions. However, he felt that they probably wouldn't get much information; half a year was enough time for a team to be wiped out several times over. Being so far apart raised doubts about whether those people were still there.
Yang Xiaomeng rolled her eyes at him, organizing her thoughts before replying, "Among those we rescued, several were in white coats—what else could they be if not doctors? As for the rest, I really can't remember clearly. The last group that picked us up looked no different from you guys. There were a few dressed oddly, like bomb disposal teams in those full-body suits with weapons or something; I don't recall exactly. It seemed like there weren't any gunshots."
"What about the specific location?" Song Yao asked with a frown.
"I don't know. After we came out from hiding in the Industrial Zone, we just waited at the entrance. They said they would give us supplies—why refuse free stuff?" Yang Xiaomeng pouted again and added, "They probably just didn't want us to find their location."
"But didn't they say that if you needed anything, you could go find them? Since you don't know the exact location of their camp, how would you find them?" Luo Yu, who was driving, suddenly pointed out a flaw in their story.
Yang Xiaomeng froze for a moment before her face twisted into one of frustration as she exclaimed, "Right! How did I not think of that? Those people are so shameless!"
"It's your fault for being foolish," Wu Wentao shook his head in dissatisfaction with the amount of information they had gathered.
The car fell into silence. The information provided by Yang Xiaomeng was of little use; without knowing the exact location of their camp, how could they scout such a vast Industrial Park? Were they supposed to search room by room? Yet again, everyone found themselves getting stuck on this point. Deep down, they understood that there might be other reasons for being on this desolate National Highway but couldn't help speculating about the park. Moreover, Yang Xiaomeng's revelations clearly indicated that those people were exclusionary and did not wish outsiders to enter their territory.
If Yang Xiaomeng's memory wasn't faulty and her narrative lacked personal emotion, then isolating this particular detail seemed rather odd.
The other party could set up camp in the Industrial Park, equipped with armed forces capable of clearing out Zombies and providing rescue, yet they were unwilling to reveal their location. This behavior seemed contradictory.
It was understandable that they would not accept outsiders for their own safety, but why pretend to offer help? Was it out of kindness, unable to refuse? Moreover, people tend to have a rebellious mindset; the more you prevent me from doing something, the more I want to do it. This was a common trait. The insistence on telling them to leave the park was clearly a sign of something hidden. If they were worried about exposure, why not eliminate potential threats? If they were confident in their own strength, why keep reminding others?
Adding to this was the unnecessary promise at the end, which felt completely insincere.
One had to admit that over the past three years of chaos, many people's mindsets had changed. Especially for those like Song Jiu, who had been navigating through schemes and bloodshed; their hope for unfamiliar Survivor camps had long since faded. In the early days of the disaster, hearing about nearby shelters would bring tears to Survivors' eyes as they desperately sought refuge behind tall walls, fixated on finding a large tree for shade. Now, it was more about keeping to themselves and only clearing their own front yard. If they encountered Song Jiu's former team and saw something they lacked, their first thought would be to steal it—an unmistakable thuggish mentality.
Thus, this abrupt appearance of the Industrial Park was not well-received. Within a hundred miles, it was the only known camp; if someone went missing, who else would they turn to but them?
The journey continued in silence. Luo Yu focused intently on driving while Yang Xiaomeng navigated from the backseat. Song Jiu and Wu Wentao rested against the car windows, trying to regain their energy. Only Song Yao's bright eyes reflected a growing complexity in her expression. They stopped intermittently to check their surroundings, wasting considerable time; aside from indistinct tire tracks, there were no other signs. Given the circumstances, it seemed that the graduate student and Yuan An were not in a good situation; neither had even had a chance to leave any signals behind—definitely not a good omen.
They had already traveled beyond the range where Song Yao and Luo Yu had previously pursued. They were now less than five kilometers from the Industrial Park mentioned by Yang Xiaomeng. If their assumptions were correct, they needed to be alert; five kilometers was not far and essentially placed them within enemy territory. Any place that did not allow outsiders close would have strict security measures in place. Professional groups like The Establishment or RCA and amateur ones like Roundabout or Caves all had their own defense mechanisms; it was impossible for Zombies or Survivors to wander freely within sight. Furthermore, there would likely be control along the route; security measures could even exceed standard armed requirements.
The signs indicating exits onto auxiliary roads into the city began to appear; less than two kilometers ahead was an exit leading onto the ring road highway, which could then connect back into auxiliary roads leading into town. The Industrial Park lay on the outskirts of the city; according to Yang Xiaomeng's memory, they were heading directly toward it now. As long as they didn’t take any detours once inside the city, they should not get lost.
In their haste to leave, they hadn’t brought any weapons or equipment with them. Wu Wentao and Song Yao carried guns while Song Jiu and Luo Yu still had Steel Saw Blades at hand. As the guide, Yang Xiaomeng felt an increased pressure; if anything went wrong, it was likely that none of them would care about him.
The handsome man swallowed hard and tentatively asked, "What do you plan to do when you go in there with guns drawn?"
"Don't be nervous," Song Jiu reassured him. "Didn’t they say you could seek help if needed?"
"So?" Yang Xiaomeng felt a chill run down his back as he sensed an underlying scheme.
"So you go find them and hold them to their promise," Song Jiu said as he patted his shoulder, looking at the beautiful face before him. "To ensure your safety, we won’t accompany you—don’t worry."
Yang Xiaomeng narrowed his eyes, suddenly feeling an overwhelming urge to spit blood at Song Jiu. "You guarantee my safety, yet you send me alone to scout? Damn it, do you really not consider a cross-dresser's life important?"
"Don't worry, you're not a threat. They never did anything to you before, and they won't now," Song Jiu said, pretending not to notice his furious expression. "Besides, we'll be watching from the shadows. We are allies now; I won't abandon you."
"When did I become your ally?" Yang Xiaomeng was taken aback, quickly shaking his head. "No deal, I'm just a captive."
"Then you need to accept the mindset of a captive," Wu Wentao coldly interjected, glancing at the frowning Song Yao in the rearview mirror. He couldn't help but ask, "Are you thinking of something?"
Song Yao paused for a moment, then hesitantly nodded before shaking her head again, her tone uncertain. "It feels... strange."
"Tell me about it," Song Jiu said, alert. They had analyzed everything; if there was something overlooked, it must be a crucial detail.
"Luo Yu, pull over for a moment," Song Yao said as she relaxed her brow. Once the car came to a stop, she turned to Yang Xiaomeng and asked something puzzling: "You mentioned those people wearing white lab coats; some looked like bomb disposal teams."
"Huh?" Yang Xiaomeng was momentarily stunned, unsure of what she meant. Seeing her expression was calm, he recalled and replied earnestly, "Yes, I'm sure."
"Bomb disposal teams?" Song Jiu frowned slightly, vaguely realizing what his sister was getting at. As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Wentao beside him also showed a look of sudden realization.
Song Yao and Wu Wentao exchanged glances, both reflecting shock and suspicion in their eyes. Clearly, they had connected some details that led to an unsettling conclusion.
Wu Wentao's face turned pale; a storm brewed on his chiseled features as an unusual atmosphere filled the cramped car.
"No way," Song Yao said, her lips feeling dry as she fixed her gaze on Wu Wentao's face, half in inquiry and half in self-reflection. "You don't know anything?"
Wu Wentao's eyes flickered for a moment before he asked, "Is there a map in the car?"
"No," Luo Yu said, shrugging his shoulders, indicating that he was unable to help.
"What place is this? Where is it close to?" Wu Wentao asked urgently.
Song Jiu glanced at the sign by the roadside and frowned. "We're still within Shaanxi, heading towards Henan below and adjacent to Shanxi above."
"This is really hard to say." Wu Wentao squinted, looking out at the deep night outside, his expression filled with frustration as he gritted his teeth. "Damn it, we ran all this way and are still stuck in the same circle."
"What exactly have you discovered?" The cryptic conversation between the two left Song Jiu puzzled. Judging by their expressions, did they know the background of those people from the Industrial Park? As he thought deeper, Song Jiu was taken aback and exclaimed, "That can't be right; it's your boss's territory after all."
Yang Xiaomeng felt lost in a dream; he could no longer understand their conversation. Seeing their serious expressions, a flicker of hope arose in his heart: Hehe, I hope they are dealing with someone they can't provoke. That way, I won't have to go on a dangerous mission.
Song Yao sighed lightly, shaking his head. "Maybe I'm overthinking it."
"What are you talking about? Can you explain?" Yang Xiaomeng had had enough of being in the dark and actively voiced what Song Jiu and Luo Yu were thinking.
"The person in the white coat you saw is not a doctor. As for those who look like bomb disposal teams, they have another identity," Song Yao said, her brows furrowing tightly as her thoughts drifted back to the oppressive Gobi Desert and the Underground Testing Facility. The brightly lit underground space, those internal researchers in white coats, and the field operatives in protective gear—all of it was still vivid in her memory as if it had happened yesterday.
"So..."
"Kenny used to have an Experimental Base in Shanxi. Later, after leaving RCA, all the core data was transferred to the Gobi Desert." Wu Wentao felt a warmth in his palms, unable to articulate his feelings. The calm demeanor he had earlier vanished completely, replaced by a sense of unsettling doubt.
"Later..." Wu Wentao raised his hand to interrupt Song Jiu, who was about to ask a question. He struggled to search through his memories, his gaze tightening and widening as he spoke haltingly. "Later, The Establishment sent a team into Shanxi. During that time, due to An Zheng's data, we had an encounter with The Establishment's team."
"Right," Wu Wentao's eyes lit up as past events flashed through his mind. His face showed astonishment as he muttered incomprehensible words as if possessed: "We only transferred... and data... yes, the equipment made by E was destroyed. No, what was destroyed was The Establishment's base for sure; ours wasn't destroyed but rather sealed."
Song Jiu glanced at Luo Yu, who also wore a confused expression. Every time terms like The Establishment and RCA were mentioned, they could only listen in without understanding the specifics unless someone explained.
"What does it mean?" Song Jiu sighed, clearly frustrated that he couldn't grasp the crucial information.
Song Yao ignored his brother's question and asked in confusion, "Have you forgotten the location of your lab?"
"As long as there is equipment, the location can change at any time," Wu Wentao replied, casting a glance at Song Yao. He stated confidently, "Changing the testing site is only for convenience." Mid-sentence, Wu Wentao was startled by a flash of insight that crossed his mind.
"Acquire what?" Song Jiu could only play the role of the questioning younger brother, trying to keep up with their conversation.
Song Yao's expression shifted as well, looking astonished as he murmured, "Are they still conducting experiments?"
"Turn around; we need more people," Wu Wentao said solemnly, his face serious. "Head back immediately."
Seeing his grave demeanor, Luo Yu glanced at Song Jiu, who nodded in agreement. Without hesitation, they turned the cabin around, the car's rear swinging as they sped away.
Moments later, as the sedan came to a stop at the edge of a cliff, a cascade of gravel tumbled down. At the top of the slope where wild grass swayed in the wind stood a figure blending into the night. Watching the car disappear into the distance, he raised the walkie-talkie in his hand.
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