Zhou Rong shrugged in agreement with Yan Hao: “And look at him, he doesn’t seem capable of making his own decisions. If we can’t find suppressants, we’ll just arrange an Alpha for him. The main thing is not to attract a zombie tide… Actually, Xiangzi isn’t a bad option.” Guo Weixiang was on guard nearby, so Zhou Rong’s last sentence was spoken very softly. Si Nan picked up the thirty-kilogram ammunition box with one hand, expressionlessly opened it, and turned it over. Countless magazines spilled out, hitting the two Alphas until they cried out in pain. Si Nan placed the empty box on Zhou Rong’s head, clapped his hands, and walked away. From that day on, Si Nan refused to sleep in the same car as Zhou Rong, moving his bedding to another vehicle. Yan Hao was somewhat pleased and also moved to the other car. However, just after lying down for a few minutes, Si Nan turned and saw him, got up to pack his bedding, and left again. Si Nan, hugging his pillow, wandered around the camp and, under the close watch of Zhou Rong and Yan Hao through the car windows, buried himself in the tour bus.
This journey cutting across half the country’s territory had finally reached its dangerous stage.
“We have no chance of driving to the pier,” Zhou Rong said with a grass root between his teeth, tracing lines on a tattered map found along the way. “Guangdong is too densely populated… When I was in military school, my bunkmate was a Guangdong guy, a good person, but I’ve always suspected he might be related to the disappearance of our Fujian classmate…
“So let’s not experience Guangdong zombies firsthand. Here—” he pointed to Changsha on the map, “we can try searching for aviation equipment around the city outskirts, preferably a private helicopter company. Fly directly to the South China Sea and then send a close-range positioning signal to the base.”
Yan Hao and Chun Cao gathered around the map.
“Where would we find a private helicopter company?” Chun Cao asked.
“We can try our luck near the airport.”
“Should we split up again?”
“Yeah, as usual, I’ll take one group… No,” Zhou Rong paused, muttering, “Yan Hao isn’t fully recovered.”
His gaze fell nearby, and Si Nan raised his eyelids, returning his gaze indifferently.
Zhou Rong had an idea and waved, “Come here.”
Si Nan leaned lazily on the leather seat, looking at him.
If the mountain won’t come to me, I’ll go to the mountain – and not just go to the mountain, but hug it too – Zhou Rong walked over in good spirits, half-kneeling before the seat, and to Si Nan’s surprise, removed the ruby earring from his right ear, then reached to explore Si Nan’s left ear.
“…” Si Nan trembled, “What are you doing?”
Zhou Rong laughed, “Why don’t you just get a piercing or something?”
Under everyone’s gaze, Si Nan felt chills down his spine: “Why would I get such a gay-looking thing?!”
Suddenly, a small pistol slid out of his sleeve, which he caught and instantly pressed against Chen Yajing’s temple!
“What are you doing?!” The guard at the door roared, but before he could act, the blonde woman had already drawn her gun and aimed it at him!
The situation suddenly became tense.
However, Chen Yajing showed no fear. She even gave an almost imperceptible smile, tilting her chin towards Romuel’s chest: “Colonel, please look down.”
Romuel looked down to see a small red dot precisely targeting his heart, which remained fixed even as he moved.
He raised his head and looked out the window, noticing a barely perceptible glint of light from a sniper scope in a window of the opposite building.
A sniper.
“You can choose not to cooperate,” Chen Yajing said, “but if you kill me, you and your two subordinates won’t leave this survivor base alive.”
Romuel thought for a few seconds, then surprisingly lowered his tiny pistol first, nodding politely: “Sorry, Miss Chen. A momentary slip. What exactly did you want to ask?”
The blonde woman snorted lightly and put away her gun. The red dot on Romuel’s chest disappeared.
Though the crisis had passed, the guard still looked angry. Chen Yajing stretched her stiff neck and pointed at the document bag: “What is your relationship with the person you’re looking for?”
“He’s really my brother.”
“Oh?”
“Not by blood, but at least we were legally related at one point.”
“Why did he come here? Is there any potential danger?”
Romuel pulled out a chair, sitting in front of Chen Yajing, and tapped the thin manila envelope with his fingers: “I’m not sure where he is. I tried contacting your country’s military but received no response. I assume it’s because your government has already collapsed.”
“Along the way, I’ve contacted several survivor bases. Unfortunately, some were too primitive and quickly overwhelmed by zombie hordes.”
“During a feast, he was given a knife as a gift. By the end of the night, several guests were dead. It was a scene that haunts everyone who survived. They say the blood staining his hands only made him laugh.”
A tense silence followed, ominous and heavy.
“Your brother sounds like a monster,” Chen Yajing finally said, still grappling with the implications.
“That’s a fair assessment. It’s not something I take lightly. This is why I emphasize the importance of being vigilant if you happen to cross his path.”
Chen Yajing nodded, already contemplating the gravity of Romuel’s words. Trusting her instincts would be paramount as she continued her journey in a world fraught with dangers unseen.
Lemuel remained motionless for a long time, then slowly turned his head back, his gaze almost sinister: “I said, Miss,” he spoke slowly, “in the legal sense, ‘once’ is.”
Si Nan sat cross-legged in the backseat, wearing a hooded coat so large it could almost bury him entirely, the wide hood covering his entire head.
“I knew I shouldn’t have asked,” Si Nan thought expressionlessly, I should kill these Alphas.
Zhou Rong turned back from the passenger seat, patting Si Nan’s head through the hood, his tone brimming with joy: “Let me see, oh, still angry?”
I should kill these Alphas, Si Nan thought, tilting his head but failing to dodge. Zhou Rong pressed down on his head, forcibly pulling him close to his chest, pinching his face and laughing heartily.
Si Nan shrank back and dodged. “…You, why didn’t you ask earlier…” Yan Hao leaned over from the back seat, looking like he was about to cry: “After you left the military region, knowing we’re both Alphas, why didn’t you ask Chun Cao, Xiang Zi, and Da Ding?”
Si Nan: “…”
“How could we let you misunderstand?” Yan Hao asked, heart-wrenchingly: “During all this time, haven’t you ever suspected, even just once?”
…Of course, often. Si Nan thought to himself. But who knows why 118 designed the positioning device to be so flamboyant, that bastard designer must be an Alpha. Si Nan sighed, supporting his temple and looking out the window, the ruby earclip on his left ear sparkling. I should still kill all these Alphas.
Ding Shi grimaced: “Bro, I beg you, stop reciting, it’s like we’re on the Long March. Can’t we just break through an iron wire fence, steal two planes, and then leave?”
“This is patriotic education through every opportunity. Don’t you have any thoughts after passing through this revolutionary sacred land of Xiang River?” Zhou Rong was somewhat dissatisfied: “The path is so tortuous, the situation so difficult. Shouldn’t you be immersed in revolutionary passion, ready to roll up your sleeves and do something?”
Ding Shi handed him the military binoculars, pointing outside the window, indicating he should look for himself.
In the distance, the local airport was billowing black smoke. Zombies were everywhere. Two passenger planes had crashed on the runway, their fuselage burned into black charcoal.
Ding Shi adjusted the binoculars’ angle, showing him another view.
