Chapter 146

Chapter 146

With Yan Bubu unconscious in his arms, Feng Chen moved forward, wielding a dagger to dispatch the zombies that slipped through the mental attacks.

Zombies also started attacking Yan Bubu, so Feng Chen erected a mental shield to encase him.

The shield was hammered by the zombies and soon shattered into pieces. He immediately raised another shield, which was broken seconds later.

He continuously erected shields, continuously broken by the zombies. Fortunately, when the last surge of mental power faded, he was close to the base of the mountainside. However, the surface was smooth, making it impossible to climb while carrying someone.

Spotting the auxiliary bridge they had pulled out with several sentries on his left, Feng Chen dashed towards it with Yan Bubu in his arms, leaping onto the bridge.

Feng Chen swiftly ran towards the mountain pass. The bridge's surface was smooth and sloping, causing the zombies climbing behind him to fall off. A few that managed to follow were dealt with by Binunu and Black Lion.

Just as he was about to run the entire bridge, his vision blurred, feeling the bridge beneath his feet distort, nearly causing him to step into thin air and fall.

His steps hesitated slightly as he glanced forward, noticing the mountain wall exhibiting patterns resembling undulating waves of silk. In an instant, he realized that in an extremely brief span, he had utilized an immense amount of mental power without subsequent consolidation, plunging him into a state of astral projection.

A chill ran through him, knowing this was not the time for complications. However, his vision was increasingly blurry, the entire world warping and rapidly spinning.

Taking a few steps forward, he observed the bridge surface he treaded on swiftly melting like butter, sinking under the soles of his feet. It transformed into scalding lava, bubbling with one crimson bubble after another.

Feng Chen was keenly aware these were hallucinations occurring during astral projection, yet the pain felt so genuine, so real that he could hear the sizzle of his flesh burning, and see everything below his knees turning into bones.

Enduring this excruciating pain, he held Yan Bubu tightly in his arms, stepping cautiously on the "molten rock." Fearful of tripping, he moved painstakingly slow, striving to maintain his balance.

Black Lion rushed to his side but after taking a few steps, its form started rippling like water, becoming ethereal and almost vanishing into thin air.

Binunu, who was last in line, sensed that something was amiss with the situation ahead. It hurriedly dashed forward, blocking Feng Chen's legs, its claws tensely gripping his leg.

Many were present at the mountain pass; a layer of retreating individuals streamed out from the emergency passage.

"Don't push, don't push! If you push, we'll all be trapped here! It's safe once we're here, don't panic..."

The sentry, with a hoarse voice, was maintaining order, spotting Feng Chen on the bridge, holding someone in his arms, teetering perilously, as if on the brink of falling.

He promptly leaped onto the bridge, jogged over, and just as Feng Chen was about to stumble leftward, he grabbed the person and guided them towards the mountain pass.

"What's going on? What happened?" The soldier repeatedly asked, but received no reply.

Fortunately, there were only a few meters left, and he successfully escorted the person to the mountain pass.

"Are you alright? Any injuries? Sit down and wait; I'll call the medic to take a look at you."

Just now, Feng Chen helped set up the emergency passage on the ground level with others, and the soldiers were very grateful. But now, seeing him in this state, they rushed off to find a military doctor.

Feng Chen's face was as pale as paper, cold sweat trickled down his face, and his entire body trembled as if suffering from chills. The soldiers tried to assist him to sit down, but even though he swayed unsteadily, he kept holding onto Yan Bubu and refused to sit.

"Alright, you just stay standing. I'll take this unconscious person first, and later both of you can be seen by the military doctor."

The soldier attempted to take Yan Bubu from his arms, but Feng Chen held him so tightly that he couldn't pry him loose.

Though the soldier was just an ordinary person, he knew quite a bit about sentry guides. Seeing Feng Chen in a delirious state, he suspected that he might have entered an astral projection.

"Is there a guide here? Does anyone know how to guide? A renowned sentry guide seems to have entered an astral projection. Quickly, someone come and assist him!" The soldier yelled out to the crowd.

A recognized guide overheard and hurried over. Without asking many questions upon seeing Feng Chen's condition, the guide immediately activated their mental power.

However, the guide soon realized that the sentry had sealed off their mental realm tightly, leaving no opening for anyone to enter, even if they were in an astral projection.

"No, I can't enter his mental realm," the guide urgently exclaimed. "He's on high guard, and now, unconscious, he's not opening his mental realm to me."

The soldier had never heard of such a situation and asked, "What do we do? This sentry must be treated. After the lower-level bridge was broken, he was the one who set up the current passage."

The guide's expression turned serious. "There are other guides over there. Let's go and call them over, let them try too."

"Okay."

The two of them then ran towards the right side.

Feng Chen saw the "molten rock" had already risen past his abdomen. The skin on his chest was charred, falling off in patches to reveal the raw, bleeding flesh beneath, emitting a sizzling white vapor.

Suffering the intense pain of being engulfed in flames, he could no longer hold on. But his remaining consciousness made him aware that he was still holding onto Yan Bubu. So, with his last ounce of strength, he tilted backward and plunged into the searing "molten rock."

He keenly felt his entire back and face melting, yet he shielded Yan Bubu in front of him, using all his might to lift him upward...

Binunu had been watching Feng Chen closely. As Feng Chen started tilting backward, it quickly rushed forward, pressing its body against his thigh and gradually easing him down, supporting his back.

Until it managed to lay him down steadily on the ground, using a large stone as support.

Feng Chen leaned against the large stone, convulsing in pain, gritting his teeth audibly.

Binunu didn't understand what was happening but anxiously stared at him, extending its paw to push his body while emitting distressed whimpers.

After pushing Feng Chen a few times with no response, it turned to push Yan Bubu leaning against Feng Chen's chest, using its claws to open his eyelids and vigorously shaking his shoulders.

Yan Bubu's head swayed back and forth with the shaking, as if his whole body was about to fall apart.

"...What are you doing?" Yan Bubu was shaken awake from unconsciousness, fighting the dizziness and reaching out to push Binunu beside him.

Binunu was initially startled, then let him go and darted in front of him, eyes wide with surprise.

"Binunu..." Yan Bubu grumbled again.

Binunu immediately pointed at the person lying beneath him and lifted Yan Bubu's head placed on Feng Chen's chest, raising his chin, indicating him to look at the person in front.

Yan Bubu, seeing Feng Chen's face, realized he was lying in his embrace, his movement restricted by two iron-like arms.

"Brother." He called out, immediately noticing something amiss with Feng Chen. After a few moments of confusion, he recalled what had just occurred.

His memory was fragmented, remembering only bits of when he was conscious. He was unclear about why Feng Chen was in this condition.

"Binunu, what's wrong with him?"

Binunu shook its head at him, its expression a mix of anxiety and confusion.

Yan Bubu struggled to get up, but the arms around him tightened. He looked at Feng Chen's face, and suddenly a thought flashed in his mind.

He had seen Feng Chen in this state once before, during their childhood when they hid from a tsunami under Sea Cloud Mountain. Feng Chen was lying on a stone platform, convulsing. Later, he learned that it was due to Feng Chen exhausting his mental power briefly without guidance, leading to an astral projection.

Yan Bubu immediately released his mental power, plunging straight into Feng Chen's mental domain. With every pass of his mental power, the fractures reconnected, and the withered spiritual threads revived with vigor.

As the combing continued, Feng Chen gradually calmed down, his rapid heartbeat regaining a steady rhythm.

But his hands still held Yan Bubu tightly.

Binunu, seeing that he still hadn't opened his eyes, grew anxious. It rushed to hold his head and shook it, even raising its paw as if to slap his face. Yan Bubu hurriedly intervened, "Stop shaking him, he's fine now."

Yan Bubu leaned against Feng Chen's chest, gazing up at his face. After a moment, Feng Chen's eyelashes quivered, his eyelids lifted slightly, revealing those deep starry eyes.

"Brother..." Yan Bubu softly called out.

Feng Chen stared at him for a few seconds, gently touching his face with his hand and heaved a long sigh. Sensing Yan Bubu's movement in his embrace, he then loosened his arms.

Yan Bubu sat up beside Feng Chen and stretched out his right hand in front of him, revealing the necklace that had been clenched in his palm all this while.

Feng Chen's gaze lingered on the necklace for two seconds before being drawn to the hand holding it.

On that hand, previously fair and delicate, several wounds were now visible. Though the bleeding had stopped, the cuts remained glaring and sore.

Feng Chen gently clasped Yan Bubu's hand, asking tenderly, "Does it hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt, it looks scary but it doesn't hurt, and it's not bleeding anymore." Yan Bubu touched his own face with one hand. "But my face feels a bit tingly and sore."

Feng Chen glanced at Binunu beside him.

Binunu had reverted to its former appearance, its dark eyes fixed on Feng Chen, calmly meeting his gaze.

"It's okay, probably just a slight aftereffect; it'll be fine soon," Feng Chen assured.

Yan Bubu picked up the necklace and unraveled the black cord, placing it around Feng Chen's neck. Feng Chen slightly lowered his head, facilitating his actions.

After fastening the clasp at the back, Yan Bubu adjusted the pendant, revealing a smile, "Brother, happy birthday."

"Thank you."

"Do you like it?" Yan Bubu asked, then answered himself, "Of course, you do."

However, Feng Chen didn't look at the necklace; instead, he kept looking at Yan Bubu. Hearing this, he swallowed, raised his hand, and pulled Yan Bubu into his embrace, softly saying, "Yes, I really like it."

The two of them leaned against the large stone, quietly embracing each other, ignoring the noise and commotion around them. Binunu finally felt relieved but paced restlessly by the side. Annoyed, it glanced over, then resumed pacing before looking again.

Eventually, unable to contain itself, it walked over and nudged Feng Chen with its paw.

"What's wrong?" Feng Chen turned to Binunu, then immediately realized, "Nothing's wrong. Sasaki is fine now; we can release it."

As soon as he spoke, the Black Lion appeared beside Binunu. Binunu hurriedly reached out, grabbing a tuft of its mane. The Black Lion lowered its head, gently nuzzling Binunu's head with its nose.

When the soldiers arrived with two guides, they saw Feng Chen standing up, with a young guide standing next to him, likely the person he had been holding.

"Are you... alright?" The soldier hesitated.

Feng Chen replied, "I'm fine."

People were still rushing out of the emergency exit. Some who had left earlier asked, "What's the situation in the city? Is the city okay?"

"No, it's not. There are breaches everywhere, and the zombies are pouring in. They bite anyone they see, and there are more and more of them."

Gunshots continued from the direction of the central city. Feng Chen looked up and saw that although emergency passages were set up in three directions, evacuating the entire city would take a considerable amount of time.

Feng Chen turned to Yan Bubu. "How are you feeling now?"

Yan Bubu understood his concern and nodded hastily. "I'm fine now, completely recovered," he said and bounced on the spot twice.

"Good, let's go. We'll go and check on the city," Feng Chen said naturally, taking Yan Bubu's hand and heading towards the emergency bridge leading to the lower levels.

The soldier quickly asked, "You've just woken up, where are you going now?"

Without looking back, Feng Chen replied, "To the city."

"Do you need a gun?" the soldier asked.

Feng Chen turned around, "Yes!"

The soldier handed him a rifle, "Do you need this too?"

Feng Chen glanced at Yan Bubu beside him, "Another handgun."

"A handgun..." The soldier ran to a nearby sentry post, retrieving a handgun and several spare magazines, handing them all to Feng Chen.

People inside the emergency passage were in a panic, Feng Chen slung the rifle behind him, embraced Yan Bubu, and went against the flow of people. Black Lion and Binunu followed closely behind the two.

Constantly jostled by people, their progress through the passage was as arduous as walking on the bridge. Upon finally squeezing out of the passage, Yan Bubu was drenched in sweat, but at the city gate, more people crowded, waiting to access the bridge.

"Stop pushing! The air's too stuffy; someone's already passed out."

"Could someone put down their luggage? The person carrying the blanket, please don't block the way!"

"Xiao Wei, come to Mommy, Xiao Wei..."

……

A soldier who seemed like a captain stood at a higher point, yelling loudly through a megaphone, "Who the hell is pushing? Soldiers, pay attention! Whoever shoves and pushes forward, I'll have them caught and placed at the very back before they can proceed!"

After his outburst, the situation calmed somewhat. Yan Bubu, sheltered in Feng Chen's embrace, struggled to move forward. Just as they were about to reach the most crowded area, they suddenly heard a scream from the crowd behind them, "Zombies!"

"Roar!"

"Move aside, I have a dagger, let me stab it to death."

"Where's my brick? It fell on the ground."

"Run, run faster from behind, don't block and stand still!"

"Mom... where are you?"

Cries and screams erupted, mixed with inhuman roars, and the crowd exploded again.

Originally, under prepared circumstances, they could handle the zombies, and they had dealt with several waves already. But the width of the backup bridge was far too narrow. As more people accumulated here, they were stuck, unable to move forward or backward. Those with weapons couldn't move forward either, causing chaos instantly.

The soldier captain stood at an elevated position, but with heads swarming everywhere, his gun barrel swayed left and right, unable to aim at the zombies.

"Everyone move back!" Feng Chen loudly ordered, grabbing the people blocking his way and dragging them behind, pushing his way forward.

A zombie was snarling and biting someone there, while several others were drenched in blood. They stared straight ahead, faces gradually turning ashen, seemingly on the verge of becoming zombies themselves.

Yet, the people around them couldn't get out. Some were despairing and terrified, pleading for help, while others were hitting them on the head with whatever they held in their hands.

Feng Chen forcefully cleared a path, rushing directly towards the zombie biting someone, driving the dagger deep into its temple, simultaneously releasing his psychic power, decisively killing those several individuals undergoing mutation.

Meanwhile, Black Lion and Binunu stood in front of Yan Bubu, shielding him from the surging crowd, vigilantly looking around, guarding against other bitten individuals beginning to mutate.

The soldier captain raised the megaphone, shouting to the people behind, "Move back quickly! There are zombies here—move back, there are zombies here!"

Upon hearing there were zombies ahead, those at the back didn't know the situation here and turned back to run.

Soon, the area around Feng Chen cleared out, with a few bodies on the ground. Fortunately, due to his swift actions, apart from these few bodies, no one else was bitten.

The entrance to the city gate loosened a bit, prompting the soldiers to organize the people into four lines, preventing them from surging to the front altogether.

Feng Chen returned to Yan Bubu's side, pulling him towards the city.