“Chapter Eighty-Seven”

"Chapter Eighty-Seven"

Granny Wu towered over him, her eyes filled with unfamiliarity and wariness.

"Who are you?"

The kick he had just received was no light matter. Fearing another beating if he stood up, Xu Fang chose to lie on the ground and yelled, "Someone come quick, Granny Wu isn't herself!"

Wu Duo was the first to rush in, followed closely by the others. The sudden influx of people seemed to agitate Granny Wu, who, feeling outnumbered, grabbed whatever was at hand and threw it at them.

Granny Wu's frequently used teacup shattered at the feet of the crowd.

Wu Duo immediately stopped and asked anxiously, "Granny, do you recognize me? I'm Wu Duo."

"Be careful, Granny Wu can be violent," warned Xu Fang, who had just gotten up from the ground, pressing his chest, "She kicked me as soon as I entered, with quite some force."

Wu Duo, not heeding the warning, insisted on approaching. Granny Wu retreated to the edge of the bed, her hand reaching towards her waist only to find nothing.

She paused, then angrily shouted at the crowd, "Where's my knife? My knife?"

An explorer always keeps a knife close; Granny Wu's twin blades, which she had used for decades, had recently been passed on to Wu Duo. She would occasionally borrow them from Wu Duo or ask Shen Xiuzhe for a spare, but now, she felt like the strangers before her, whose faces she couldn't clearly see, had stolen her knife.

"The knife is here," Wu Duo said, pulling out the knife from her space. The fire-red twin blades, as exquisite as a piece of art and gleaming with a cold light, were intended to jog Granny Wu's memory. But as she reached out to hand them over, she was stopped.

"Don't give it to her," Shen Xiuzhe said sternly. "She can't recognize us right now. It's too dangerous to let her have a weapon. We can't guarantee whether she'll hurt us or herself."

"Give it to me!" Granny Wu demanded, having caught sight of the twin blades.

Wu Duo, observing Granny Wu's heightened emotions, ultimately put the knives back into her space.

Granny Wu's nerves were evidently jarred as she watched the twin blades disappear. She suddenly started to lash out at everyone, showing no mercy even to Wu Duo.

The legendary explorer, despite her age, was still formidable. Coupled with everyone's reluctance to retaliate too harshly, they all ended up taking a beating.

The moment Granny Wu lashed out, Shen Xiuzhe quickly pushed Lin An out of the way. The innermost part of the RV was a small compartment, barely spacious beyond the bed. The scuffle was chaotic; a slight misstep could mean hitting a wall or accidentally striking a teammate.

Faced with the unrestrained Granny Wu, Shen Xiuzhe swiftly grabbed a nearby iron table, melting it into a chain to restrain her.

Grandma Wu, bound by iron chains and unable to break free, finally calmed down.

Xu Fang blinked his eyes, feeling a bit unable to open them: "Dongzi, help me check my eyes, I just got punched. Is it swelling a bit?"

Ouyang Dong's mouth corner was bruised. Hearing this, he turned to look, and Xu Fang's one eye was so swollen it was nearly invisible, the area around it turning blue. Paired with his face, it was a sorry sight.

"It is a bit swollen, but no worries, it's not serious. It'll be fine in a couple of days." Ouyang Dong tried to laugh, but his mouth hurt. Touching the corner of his mouth and grimacing, he casually offered a few words of comfort.

Udo stared blankly at her grandma, who was tied up with iron chains yet still struggling hard. Her forehead was also bruised, but she couldn't care less about the pain, only trying to awaken her grandmother's memory: "Grandma, grandma, it's me Udo. Do you recognize me? Grandma."

Grandma Wu didn't hear her at all.

Lin An had been flung out by Shen Xiuzhe from the beginning and was the only one unscathed among them. He stood on tiptoes, anxiously peering inside. Xiao Fu, curious about what was happening inside, simply crawled under their feet to get in.

"The space inside was cramped, and the door narrow. Ouyang Dong alone blocked most of it, and with Xu Fang on the other side, Lin An couldn't see anything from behind."

Suddenly, something seemed to happen inside. Udo's crying voice and Xu Fang's loud exclamations made quite a ruckus.

Lin An was anxious, standing on his toes: "What happened, how's Grandma Wu?"

Ouyang Dong turned around, looking grim, and muttered something.

Grandma Wu was crying.

The tied-up Grandma Wu, unable to break free, stood there crying. She didn't make a sound, tears streaming down her face, looking utterly wronged.

Due to the recent scuffle, her white hair was disheveled, her clothes in disarray, and she was still bound by the iron chains, crying pitifully. She looked as if she had been kidnapped by them.

No wonder Udo couldn't bear to watch, tearfully asking Shen Xiuzhe to unlock the chains.

Even Xu Fang couldn't stand it, his face scrunched up, sporting a bruised eye: "My grandma, please don't cry. I'll kowtow to you, just don't cry. Ah, Boss, let's just unlock it, I think I can still hold up."

Ouyang Dong was also distressed, so he simply stepped aside to give Lin An space, retreating himself, as he thought of his own mother.

Lin An saw the scene inside. He had never seen Grandma Wu cry on this journey, always cheerful. Suddenly seeing her like this was indeed distressing.

"Why not, let's release Grandma Wu. She's just sick, not intentionally hitting people. We'll keep an eye on her, don't bind her like this..." Lin An tugged on Shen Xiuzhe's sleeve, pleading.

With everyone insisting, Shen Xiuzhe retracted the chains and restored the table to its original state.

This time, Grandma Wu didn't hit anyone and immediately shrank back onto the bed.

"The knives!"

She was still fixated on her knives.

The twin knives couldn't be given to her; after all, Grandma Wu's combat prowess was significant. Without using her special abilities, Shen Xiuzhe was the only one who could match her strength; anyone else might be fatally wounded with a single strike.

Yet, watching her insistently demand the knives, as if ready to strike again if denied, left Udo unsure of what to do.

Suddenly, Lin An had an idea and ran outside, quickly returning with two knives.

"Two red plastic toy knives."

"Will these do?"

These were from the toy box, inexplicably among the dog toys—something Xiao Fu had no interest in. Instead, it was Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong who were more enthusiastic than Xiao Fu, often playing with many toys during their idle moments.

Lin An, familiar with all the toys they and Xiao Fu had played with, cleaned them daily.

He knew exactly what was inside.

Xu Fang: "Toy knives? Grandma Wu isn't short-sighted. Real or fake, it's so obvious; how could she not tell them apart?"

Shen Xiuzhe took the toy knives, tossing them onto the bed, right beside Grandma Wu's hand.

To their surprise, Grandma Wu swiftly grabbed the plastic knives, holding them tightly to her chest, her expression visibly relaxing.

Xu Fang: "...They actually worked."

Seeing Grandma Wu calm down a bit, Shen Xiuzhe addressed the crowded room: "You all go and eat first, and apply some medicine. Lin An and I will watch her. After you're done eating, we'll switch."

With Grandma Wu's current state, someone needed to keep an eye on her at all times.

Udo didn't want to leave, but ultimately Xu Fang persuaded her to go. After all, she needed to take care of Grandma Wu and couldn't hold up without eating.

Sitting on the bed was not an option; Grandma Wu had claimed it as her territory. Shen Xiuzhe initially intended to sit at the edge of the bed, but Grandma Wu prodded the back of his head with the toy knives. Had they been real, he would have been seriously injured. So, in the end, he and Lin An could only stand by the door.

Watching Grandma Wu, who appeared insecure and wary, her gaze filled with unfamiliarity and caution, Lin An felt distressed: "Just last night, Grandma Wu was telling us about her youth, and now today, she's like this..."

"Actually, I sensed it back in the City of Machines, but I didn't expect it to worsen this quickly."

"Does Baize City really have a cure?" Lin An asked, looking up.

"Yes, and even if Baize City no longer has someone to prepare the medicine, the formulas would have been left behind. Plus, all newly developed medicines have several backups for emergencies. The likelihood of Alzheimer's medication being used during the apocalypse was slim, so there's a good chance the backups are still intact."

"That's a relief," Lin An said, feeling somewhat reassured.

The others returned quickly. Today's lamb soup was delicious, but everyone drank it without much taste, hurriedly finishing their meal and applying medicine to their wounds before coming right back.

Udo's eyes were red, as if she had cried outside, but she now appeared calm, urging everyone to rest first, assuring them that she would take care of Grandma.

She also handed the medicine to Lin An.

Eventually, Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong decided to stay as well, while Shen Xiuzhe went to eat, with Lin An following him with the medicine.

"Did Grandma Wu injure you?" Lin An asked, clutching the medicine bottle. He had been pushed out by Shen Xiuzhe and wasn't injured, nor had he seen the entire incident, but the injuries of the other three were evident on their faces, while Shen Xiuzhe's face was unscathed.

But since Udo gave the medicine to him, it indicated that Shen Xiuzhe must have been injured too.

"Just a few hits, no need for medicine." As an ability user, his physique was strong. Even if he bled from all over, he would be bouncing around in a couple of days, let alone just a few blows which would likely leave no trace by tomorrow.

"No, you need to apply the medicine," Lin An insisted firmly.

Perhaps Lin An himself hadn't realized, but he was quite bold in front of Shen Xiuzhe. He could say or do whatever he wanted without much concern, not fearing to misspeak, appearing nothing like someone with social anxiety.

But this was only in front of him.

He wasn't this relaxed around the other companions.

"Despite his looks, Shen Xiuzhe, the most fierce-looking one with a strong aura, was someone the former Lin An would have avoided at all costs."

Shen Xiuzhe smiled: "Alright, then you help me apply it."

This had been Lin An's plan all along. As he nodded, Shen Xiuzhe removed his jacket, revealing his muscular torso.

He undressed so quickly, Lin An didn't have time to stop him, but upon seeing the bruises and purple marks all over, Lin An immediately felt pained for him.

Grandma Wu had struck hard. As a legendary explorer capable of twisting the necks of wild beasts with her bare hands, a full-force punch from her could dent a steel plate. The others had only received a hit or two on the face, but most of her attacks had landed on Shen Xiuzhe, hidden by his clothes. He maintained an expressionless face, so Lin An initially thought he had only been hit like the others.

"Why didn't you use your ability? I remember you can harden your entire body with your metal ability," Lin An recalled clearly, having almost broken his teeth because of it.

Shen Xiuzhe also remembered the time when he was bitten by zombie Lin An and had almost broken the latter's teeth with his ability, recalling Lin An's tearful expression.

He chuckled and then said, "Grandma Wu used all her strength. If I had hardened myself with my ability, her hand bones would have probably shattered."

Lin An: ...That's true.

Afterward, Lin An set aside his shyness and hurriedly applied medicine to Shen Xiuzhe. Some areas had even turned a deep purple, looking particularly alarming.

Lin An couldn't bear to see wounds on others, feeling it more painfully than his own injuries, especially when the injured was Shen Xiuzhe.

Shen Xiuzhe, despite his injuries, appeared nonchalant, as if he couldn't feel any pain. In contrast, Lin An kept taking sharp, shallow breaths, applying the medicine carefully. After treating some of the bruises, he gently blew on them.

Suddenly, Shen Xiuzhe’s relaxed expression froze.

“You...”

Lin An looked up, asking nervously, “What's wrong, does it hurt? I'll be gentler.”

Shen Xiuzhe suddenly regretted letting Lin An apply the medicine. It wasn’t on his back; he could have done it himself. Although he thought this, he remained still, letting Lin An continue.

As soon as Lin An finished applying the medicine, Shen Xiuzhe stood up quickly, grabbing his clothes and turning to go eat. When Lin An subconsciously tried to follow, Shen Xiuzhe stopped him.

“You go rest for a while. We’ll probably need someone to watch over Grandma Wu all night. I don’t trust others to stay awake,” he said quickly, then hurried off.

Lin An thought it over. He didn’t need to sleep during the day or night, making him the ideal person to care for Grandma Wu. Others might fall asleep even if they took turns staying up, so he was indeed the best choice.

"Without much thought, Lin An obediently turned back, got the meteorite from Wudo, and sat on the sofa holding it. Holding it all day would leave him exhilarated, even giving him the urge to run outside in the snow."

Due to Grandma Wu's worsening condition, Shen Xiuzhe decided to hasten their return to Baize City.

However, Baize City was an island, so they first needed to go to Ice and Snow City to find a boat.

They took turns driving day and night, with the others rotating to watch over Grandma Wu.

Grandma Wu, with her deteriorating condition, was indeed difficult to handle. Not only did she not recognize anyone, but she was also defensively aggressive. Except for Xiao Fu, who was too small to pose a threat and thus wasn’t attacked, everyone had been hit several times, including Lin An.

Moreover, she seemed to feel imprisoned and constantly tried to escape. Once, she even knocked Xu Fang unconscious and attempted to sneak out of the RV at night. Fortunately, Lin An and Xiao Fu were vigilant, discovering her in time. Otherwise, in the cold night outside, she might have suffered from frostbite in no time.

So, they hastened their journey, finally reaching Ice and Snow City.

Ice and Snow City, located near the sea, was a community that lived by the ocean. The people there had built a massive castle by the sea.

"From a distance, a grey castle stood atop the highest ice mountain, like a crown nestled in the snow, overlooking the icy plains. Below, roads carved from ice meandered in a chaotic spiral, their destinations unclear, obscuring the path to the castle."

"As the RV approached these roads, it could no longer move forward."

"The ice and snow here never melt, so the ancestors of the Ice and Snow City built a labyrinth outside it, leaving outsiders clueless about the path to take."

Shen Xiuzhe gazed at the ice layers almost as high as the RV, the carved pathway in the middle too narrow for even a vehicle to pass, leaving them no choice but to proceed on foot.

"Each person carried a backpack and, dressed in thick clothing, entered the labyrinth forged from ice and snow."

"Shen Xiuzhe led the way, with Lin An and Xiao Fu by his side. In the middle was Wudo, leading Granny Wu, followed by Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong."

"Once inside, Lin An, bundled up, became disoriented; surrounded by ice walls, some dead-ends concealed hidden ice doors, while seemingly open paths led nowhere. Without Shen Xiuzhe guiding, he doubted he could find his way out even in a day."

"This place is so troublesome to navigate," grumbled Xu Fang, bitterly cold but clearer in speech than when they first entered the snow, now resembling a bundled-up bear."

"It's a unique feature of the Ice and Snow City. Originally designed to repel invaders, these confusing passages became a tradition. Every citizen must independently navigate this maze, or face ridicule," explained Shen Xiuzhe.

Lin An asked, "Do you remember all these paths?"

Shen Xiuzhe replied, "Yes, my first stop after leaving Baise City was here. I've visited many times. Almost every adventurer tries to traverse the maze alone, and I did the same."

"Even though the maze's layout changes frequently, with the Ice and Snow City residents regularly opening some paths and sealing others, Shen Xiuzhe always tried to exit it alone, given its ice construction and ease of modification."

"Initially, he too got trapped several times, needing others' rescue. But gradually, he discerned a pattern and could exit regardless of the changes."

"Granny Wu must have walked this path in her youth," Shen Xiuzhe suddenly said.

Wudo, holding her grandmother's hand, asked, "Granny, did you walk through here when you were young? Do you remember anything about this place?"

Granny Wu, staring around silently, had recently grown reticent, speaking only in brief words or muttering unintelligibly. Anyone who got too close risked having their ears fiercely pinched, as Xu Fang had nearly learned the hard way several times.

Disappointed, Wudo continued to chatter optimistically, hoping her grandmother would recall something.

Under Shen Xiuzhe's guidance, they reached the castle's gates almost without detours."

"The nearly blackened gates showcased the Ice and Snow City's ancient history, with watchtowers on either side. As they arrived, several fuzzy heads peeked out from the towers."

"Who's there!" a voice from above called out sharply.

"Lin An could see clearly, the people above wore felt hats, their exposed faces reddened by the cold."

"My name is Shen Xiuzhe, a registered explorer in Ice and Snow City. I'd like to purchase a boat here to travel to Baize City."

"The individuals above exchanged glances before swiftly descending."

The city gates opened, and the insiders warily scrutinized these outsiders, their expressions puzzled.

"Where have you come from, and why are you heading to Baize City?"

"'Yes, we've come from Chuxi City.'"

"Chuxi City! Isn't that quite far? Aren't there zombies outside?" another person exclaimed. Although unsure of Chuxi City's exact location, he had heard of its great distance, a formidable journey even for experienced explorers.

"Zombies are everywhere. It was quite a struggle to get here; we encountered all sorts of them," Xu Fang chimed in, overwhelmed by the hardships of their journey.

Lin An, with his hat on, stayed behind Shen Xiuzhe, wary of being scrutinized now that they were entering the city.

The city guards were indeed on alert for zombies, but after a brief inspection and some questions about their abilities and supplies, they let the group pass, knowing well that zombies neither converse nor remain so calm.

A silent Lin An: "..."

Just as the group was about to enter, someone suddenly suggested, "Why don't you stay in the city? Resources in Ice and Snow City are tight, but with what you've brought, you'll manage well here."

The underlying message was clear: they were being dissuaded from continuing their journey.

Shen Xiuzhe paused briefly before inquiring about the reason.

It turned out that during the apocalypse, only a few in Ice and Snow City turned into zombies. Under the city leader's command, all were eliminated. However, life remained challenging as zombies from the sea continually emerged, not just those who transformed within the city.

"Zombies from the sea?" Xu Fang, who had never seen the sea, was puzzled. Zombies in the sea? Fish?

"Yes, some larger fish turned into zombies. We don't know how, but they evolved limbs and came ashore, targeting Ice and Snow City first. It used to be us eating fish, now it's fish eating us. Boats docked at sea and shore are all destroyed. In short, you can't even buy a boat now."

The speaker continued with a wry smile, "We used to rely on food from the sea and other cities, along with plants grown on glaciers. Now, with no access to the sea and cut off from other cities, we survive on stored grain and food produced by plant-based ability users. Isn't one of you a plant-based ability user? You'd be well-treated in the city."

Shen Xiuzhe: "Is there no contact with Baize City either?"

"We've lost contact with every city, and I fear for Baize City. It's an island, likely overrun by various sea zombies emerging ashore..."

Facing the oppressive man opposite him, the guard who was just venting his frustrations dared not speak further, sensing that the man might explode in anger any second. He belatedly realized that insisting on traveling to Baize City during such perilous times must be because someone dear to the man was there, and yet he had advised against going.

"'Sorry, brother, I was just speculating. Baize City's medical advancements might have already found a way to combat the zombies,' he quickly added in an attempt to rectify."

Shen Xiuzhe said nothing more, thanked the man, and led his group into the city.

"What do we do without a ship?" Lin An asked.

Shen Xiuzhe: "No ship, but there must be shipwrights and materials for shipbuilding in the city. We have plenty of supplies, and with the right price, we won't have trouble finding someone to build a ship."

"Won't it take too long?" Xu Fang wondered, not knowing how long it takes to build a ship but assuming it would be quite a while.

Shen Xiuzhe had regained his composure. The guard's words had weighed heavily on him, but he then thought that the people in Baize City wouldn't just sit and wait for doom, just as he trusts his own team.

The people of Baize City were not easy to deal with.

It was once said that half of Baize City's population were explorers, the other half doctors. Although exaggerated, most were indeed in these two professions.

So, when it comes to zombies, it's uncertain who would be at a disadvantage.

Now, the most pressing task was to find a ship.