Chapter Sixty-Five

Chapter Sixty-Five

Lin An was engulfed in flames for a week before the temperature gradually subsided.

His companions even feared he might be burned into idiocy, with Xiao Fu staying by his side constantly, never taking his eyes off his master except for meals and restroom breaks.

It was Xiao Fu who first noticed when Lin An finally awoke.

Throughout the week, everyone took turns watching over Lin An, partly to care for him and partly fearing that he might retain the thinking of a zombie upon waking and crave human flesh, so they could be prepared to defend themselves.

Xu Fang was in charge of caring for Lin An today, as everyone had been staying in the underground city, busy both with repairing the damaged structures and battling the serpent, leaving them utterly exhausted.

The cobra, frozen by Lin An, had managed to struggle out of the ice and flee back to the top of the pyramid by the time they discovered it.

Strangely, the snake would not attack as long as they stayed away from the pyramid.

Recently, Shen Xiuzhe had them use the snake as a training target, forcing them to leap up and down the pyramid daily, enduring the cobra's attacks. The problem was, its skin was too thick to penetrate, so they essentially got beaten up every day.

Today, it was Ouyang Dong and Wu Duo's turn to get beaten up... to train, while Xu Fang took care of Lin An.

He sat on a chair, rocking back and forth, sound asleep. No matter how much he swayed, he never fell off, a strange skill that even made Xiao Fu, lying on the bed, take several glances.

Lin An slowly opened his eyes, still groggy and struggling to make sense of the mosquito net above him.

Xiao Fu, noticing his master awake, immediately sat up from its lying position, wagging its tail furiously at Lin An, its joy evident even on its canine face.

"Xiao Fu?" Lin An, gazing at the white net above, spotted a dog's head in his vision and instantly recognized it as Xiao Fu.

Overjoyed, Xiao Fu approached Lin An excitedly, panting and eager to lick his face.

Lin An sat up abruptly, startled into alertness: "No, Xiao Fu."

Having his face washed by dog saliva was too much of a stimulus for the cleanliness-obsessed Lin An.

Xiao Fu: ...

Unable to lick his master, Xiao Fu was still ecstatic, burying its big head in Lin An's chest and rubbing against him.

"What's going on? What's happening?" Xu Fang, rocked awake on his chair, wiped off drool, still somewhat groggy.

Seeing Lin An, now sitting up and interacting with Xiao Fu, Xu Fang was stunned for a few seconds before he yelled out loud, "Holy shit! Holy shit! Lin An's awake! Am I dreaming?"

Giving himself a firm pinch to ensure he wasn't dreaming, Xu Fang rushed to Lin An's side, eagerly asking, "You're really awake? Do you feel any discomfort? Still have any cannibalistic urges? Do you know what one plus one equals?"

"I'm awake, no discomfort. I'm just very hungry, but don't want to eat people. One plus one equals two," Lin An replied, clear and concise.

Seeing Lin An back to normal, speaking fluently without any stutter, Xu Fang was ecstatic. He ran out of the RV, shouting loudly, "Lin An's awake! He's regained his sanity, everyone come quick!"

In the echoing vastness of the underground city, Xu Fang's voice was especially distinct.

Ouyang Dong and Wu Duo, who were battling the cobra, Shen Xiuzhe repairing the pyramid, and Wu Shuangxue exploring inside the pyramid, all heard the call.

Unanimously, they dropped what they were doing and ran towards the RV.

Soon, the RV was packed with people. Shen Xiuzhe, seeing Lin An's clear gaze, felt the heavy burden in his heart finally lift.

He had been worried that Lin An would still have the mindset of a zombie upon waking. He had even considered keeping Lin An hidden and continuing the search for the red meteorite, hoping it might restore his sanity.

Now that Lin An was back to normal, that worry was no longer necessary.

"It's good you're back," Shen Xiuzhe said, unable to resist embracing Lin An.

Lin An, remembering everything he did while under the zombie's mindset, looked at Shen Xiuzhe and immediately recalled injuring him: "Are you okay? I remember I hurt you. How's the wound?"

Lin An, unaccustomed to close contact with others, felt a bit uncomfortable being gently embraced by Shen Xiuzhe. Yet, surprisingly, his obsessive cleanliness did not flare up, nor did he feel any discomfort about their proximity, similar to how he didn’t resist Xiao Fu cuddling with him on the bed earlier.

He hadn't realized it himself, but his obsessive cleanliness had improved significantly.

Lin An's speech was no longer stammered, his smooth and pleasant voice slightly tickling Shen Xiuzhe’s ears.

He chuckled softly, "Don't worry, it's healed. The physical constitution of ability users is strong, and wounds heal quickly."

"I'm sorry, I truly am. I did something wrong," Lin An said, feeling a genuine need to apologize.

In fact, Lin An felt he could have controlled himself at that time, but overwhelmed by his parents' death, he succumbed to despair, letting his deepest desires take over, eventually hurting Shen Xiuzhe.

"I accept your apology and forgive you, Lin An. Remember, before doing anything, think it through. You have us now, and Xiao Fu. We're always by your side."

Shen Xiuzhe spoke earnestly, and Lin An nodded seriously in response.

It wouldn't happen again. He wouldn't make everyone worry about him anymore.

Udo, still young and having worried about Lin An, was visibly relieved to see him recovering, her eyes moistening: "Brother Lin An, you can't leave us like that again. Everyone was so worried during your long unconsciousness."

Following her words, Udo mimicked Shen Xiuze's actions and hugged Lin An.

Shen Xiuze: "..."

Meanwhile, Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong also expressed their concerns while embracing Lin An.

Lin An calmly accepted everyone's embrace, feeling no aversion to their affection.

Wu Shuangxue looked at Lin An with complex eyes. "I didn't expect you to recover a second time. Now that you have, don't revert to your old ways. We're companions now. We need to discuss and plan together before doing anything. Don't sneak away again under the pretense of doing us a favor. Such actions only comfort yourself, while to others, they just add trouble."

Wu Nainai referred to Lin An secretly entering the underground city. Others hadn't brought it up due to Lin An's recent awakening, and Udo had spoken tactfully, but only Wu Nainai dared to speak so bluntly.

Lin An hung his head, quietly admitting his fault.

Lin An's coma had prolonged their stay in the underground city. Now that he had recovered, it was time to prepare for their journey ahead.

The group buried the bones of those who had died in the pyramid outside on the land. Most of the deceased had identification, so Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong erected tombstones for each, inscribing their names.

Most of these people were explorers and archaeologists from a decade ago. Though they never returned, at least they now had tombstones as proof of their existence.

Lin An's parents were also buried here.

The weather outside was clear and cloudless today. As the ashes of both parents were placed together, only one tombstone was erected. Xu Fang and the others even made a luxurious, large stone marker for it.

Lin An had come to terms with their fate, knowing for many years that his parents likely died in the wilderness. His insistence on coming to Mous City was merely to lay their remains to rest.

Had it not been for that illusion, Lin An might never have lost his sanity.

Yet, he was grateful for that illusion, imagining that if his parents hadn't been trapped, their everyday life might have been just like that.

It was like living a beautiful dream, fulfilling his heart's desire.

"I always thought of myself as an annoying person. Why else would everyone bully me, with no one liking me or wanting to be my friend? I felt my life had no value, constantly wallowing in self-pity and self-deprecation. In reality, my parents always loved me. They were experts in exploring various ruins in the wilderness, but after I was born, they never left the city again. Their trip to Mous City was partly to fulfill their own wishes and partly to earn money. Before leaving, they bought a huge insurance policy, fearing they might not return and wanting to ensure I had funds to live on. Though I had to stay in an orphanage until I was of age, the house and the inheritance they left were their way of providing for me. They may be gone, but their love for me always remained."

Living in his parents' house and spending the money they left behind at the cost of their lives, Lin An realized how foolish he had been to think he was unloved and pitiable.

The notes they left in their backpacks, filled with longing for their son, finally brought Lin An peace. Though his parents were no longer with him, their love never faded.

Even the former Lin An rarely spoke so much at once. Now, having companions to share his feelings with, his parents would surely be happy for him.

He resolved to live his life well from now on.

"Let's go." Lin An took one last look at his parents' grave, then turned to leave first, with Xiao Fu in tow.

The others followed suit, with Shen Xiuzhe looking back at the tombstone, saying earnestly, "Uncle and Auntie, rest assured, I'll take care of him."

Back in the underground city, everyone was busy packing. Xu Fang wanted to ask Lin An about Xiao Fu's special ability, as they hadn't seen it clearly that day. Since then, Xiao Fu had been constantly by Lin An's side, unmoved even when they tried to coax it into using its ability again.

Well, Xiao Fu was just a dog and couldn't understand human speech.

But after searching for a while and not finding Lin An, Xu Fang asked Wu Duo, who pointed to a cabinet standing next to the RV: "Brother An is inside there."

Wasn't this cabinet from Lin An's home? Hadn't it always been stored in their spatial device?

Wu Duo leaned in close to Xu Fang, whispering, "Don’t be fooled by how cool Brother An seemed earlier. He asked me for the cabinet after returning and has been inside since, probably secretly crying, too embarrassed to let us see."

Despite the low volume, Lin An still heard them, his voice muffled from inside the cabinet, "I'm not crying."

Wu Duo and Xu Fang exchanged glances, both certain he had cried.

Since Lin An was crying, they decided not to disturb him. Xu Fang went to Xiao Fu, using both gestures and words, hoping to see its ability once more.

When used properly, speed abilities can be impressive, and Xiao Fu, being a dog, was naturally fast. With its speed ability, it was like adding wings to a tiger.

Xiao Fu looked at Xu Fang as if he were a fool, then walked aside and braced itself on all fours.

Was it about to demonstrate its ability? Xu Fang waited expectantly.

Then Xiao Fu began to relieve itself.

Xu Fang: "..."

Even with Lin An's intervention, Xiao Fu didn't use its ability again. It seemed unaware of its own power and unable to use it consciously, perhaps only manifesting it unconsciously in critical moments.

Most of the underground city had been repaired, but some areas, too severely damaged, were beyond their ability to fix.

However, when it came to dealing with the cobra, opinions among the group diverged.

Wu Shuangxue believed they should kill the cobra before leaving. It had become a zombie snake and continued to lurk there, potentially growing stronger. Should anyone else come here in the future, they likely wouldn't stand a chance against it.

But Shen Xiuzhe felt that the snake, like Lin An, retained some of its consciousness. Initially, when Lin An became a zombie, he would clean and avoid crowded places. Similarly, this snake had been here for many days, only attacking those who stood atop the pyramid.

Since it hadn't harmed anyone, according to the explorers' code, they couldn't kill it.

Wu Shuangxue: "Have you forgotten? It once attacked Muling City, and people died because of it."

Shen Xiuzhe: "Perhaps the snake that appeared in Muling City initially intended to harm people, but it ultimately restrained its nature, staying here without any evidence to suggest it consumed that person."

As the two debated, others watched silently, recognizing that one was a legendary figure with vast experience, and the other was their leader. Both were not to be trifled with, so they just listened quietly.

At this point, Xu Fang clapped his thigh and asked Wu Duo, "What about the zombie we caught when we came in? I remember he seemed to be Muh Han's brother."

Earlier, when they met the people of Muling City, Muh Han had said his brother died protecting the city and fighting the Snake God.

The person they encountered here, although turned into a zombie, was unmistakably Mu Han's brother by appearance.

Wu Duo released the zombie from her space, and it immediately tried to attack everyone present. However, everyone there was formidable, and even though the zombie was powerful, it was ultimately pitifully subdued and restrained.

They had carefully observed that Muh Han's brother was likely bitten by other zombies. After all, the teeth marks of the zombie snake were so large, they would leave a gaping wound, but the marks on his body were human bite marks.

This proved that Muh Han's brother becoming a zombie might really have nothing to do with the snake.

If the snake attacked Muling City because it wanted to eat humans, why did it stop and why has it remained perched atop the pyramid?

Ultimately, it was Lin An who found the answer to this mystery.

Inside the pyramid, apart from tombs and gold, there were many carvings of ancient texts, mostly recording the history of Mouus City, and the snake was also mentioned in them.

Initially, the cobra was indeed the guardian deity of Mouus City, where humans and snakes coexisted peacefully, helping each other. But later, due to an unknown disease outbreak, the people gradually left their homeland, leaving only the snake to guard it.

Although the texts mentioned that once they found a new home, they would return to take their guardian deity, for some reason, Mouus City gradually became a legend, and those who had promised the Snake God never returned.

But the Snake God continued guarding the place, its thousands of years of waiting and guarding ingrained deep within, and even as a zombie, it did not forget its mission.

Moved by Lin An's explanation and guesses, Xu Fang cried again. Although a bald ruffian, he was very sentimental, now looking at the fierce cobra with sympathy, wanting to take it with them on their journey.

"Just leave it here. You want to take it with you? If you try now, it could send you straight to heaven," Ouyang Dong teased again, noting how everything was being taken, not considering that the snake had guarded this place for a thousand years and was unlikely to leave with them.

The others shared the same sentiment. After hearing Lin An's explanation, Grandma Wu no longer mentioned killing the snake.

The RV was packed away, and everyone waved at the cobra still coiled atop the pyramid with its eyes closed, before turning to leave the area.

The cobra, from beginning to end, never opened its eyes, only responding when someone attempted to enter the pyramid.

This was its home, and perhaps it would never leave here until death.

Muh Han's brother, now a zombie, was also buried outside, with a tombstone stating he was from Muling City and his identity, in case someone from Muling City ever came here and recognized him.

The group set off again, and Lin An had finally fulfilled his wish, with no regrets left.

For some reason, in just a few days since waking up, Lin An's skin, which had turned back to a light grey, became white again, and this time the change was quicker. If one didn't look at his eyes, Lin An almost looked like a normal person.

Everyone was unsure of the reason, but this change was undoubtedly for the best.

However, as they continued their journey, Grandma Wu began to show signs of trouble.

Initially, she became silent; usually more lively than the young ones and even joking around, but since leaving Mouus City, she had become quiet and seemingly preoccupied, brushing off concerns with a simple 'I'm fine'.

Then she began forgetting things easily; often forgetting what she said moments ago, only remembering when reminded.

Also, when cooking, she often forgot to add spices, leaving the meat soup tasteless. Nobody commented on it, appreciating that Grandma Wu, at her age, was still cooking for them, and a little blandness wasn't an issue.

The final straw was when Grandma Wu went on patrol and vanished, alerting everyone to the seriousness of the situation.