Chapter 201

Chapter 201

The zombies were concentrated near the crevice, but once the vine led them to a zombie-free area, the dark matter parted, revealing a bright path ahead.

Wang Suizi and the others had been moving through the dark matter area, so they were not surprised by the path. Although Lin Fen had heard about it from Yan Bubu, seeing the star-filled sky above still left him awestruck.

Lin Fen, who hadn't seen such a starry sky for years, was mesmerized. Yu Yuan, with only vague memories from the extreme cold era, was not as surprised by the sky but tenderly watched Lin Fen. Seeing no one was paying attention, he leaned in and kissed Lin Fen's cheek.

"Once everything settles down, we'll find a suitable place for the sensitive plant, and then we can see stars like this every night," he whispered to Lin Fen.

No longer needing to hold onto each other's shoulders, Binunu jumped down from Yan Bubu's arms. The group followed the path to a cliff wall.

The cliff wall, illuminated by the light, was covered in mutated vines. The vines rustled and stretched, coiling around their bodies and then pulling them up the cliff.

"The soldiers who fell off the cliff in the illusion were sent up the mountain like this. I actually envied them a bit, hoping to be assigned here to experience this feeling."

"Didn't you just experience it going down the mountain?"

"That was going down. I haven't experienced going up."

"Um, excuse me, vine or sensitive plant? Hello, could I ask for a favor? Could you wrap one more vine around me? I'm almost two hundred pounds, and I'm not sure if one vine is safe enough."

……

As the vines slowly ascended, everyone moved away from the zombies. The sentinel guides, no longer tense, started to excitedly discuss.

"Keep your voices down. These zombies can climb mountains, and they're faster than monkeys," Feng Chen cautioned.

Everyone then lowered their voices.

Yan Bubu turned to look for Binunu. He had thought Binunu would be climbing on its own but found it wrapped up in a vine, like a wrapped dumpling, with only its head exposed. Although its expression was unclear, its backward-tilting posture seemed quite content.

To Yan Bubu’s right was Wang Suizi, excitedly popping her head out to greet Lin Fen and Yu Yuan.

"Colonel Yu, do you remember me? I'm Wang Suizi. It was on the way from Haiyun City to the Central City, when the boat couldn’t go any further, and you carried a little girl through the snow for a long time. Do you remember?"

Yu Yuan, holding onto a vine, smiled slightly, "I remember. Back then, you had a row of bangs and were wearing an adult's black down jacket."

"I can't believe you still remember me, I'm so happy. I have to tell my aunt when I get back, she often talks about you..." Wang Suizi's voice choked up as she spoke.

Yan Bubu noticed Chen Wenzhao on the other side of Wang Suizi peeking out a few times but then withdrawing, hesitant to speak. Knowing that Chen Wenzhao wanted to greet them but didn’t know how to start, Yan Bubu kindly introduced him, "Uncle Colonel Yu, this is Chen Wenzhao, do you remember him?"

Chen Wenzhao quickly popped his head out, looking towards Yu and Lin.

"Chen Wenzhao..." Yu Yuan mused.

"Yes, Chen Wenzhao. He..."

Yan Bubu suddenly hesitated.

How should he introduce Chen Wenzhao so that Colonel Yu and Major General Lin would remember him? As a chubby child, with a gap in his teeth for a long time? Prone to fighting, stealing, unreasonable?

Yan Bubu looked uncertainly at Wang Suizi, who then spoke up, "Chen Wenzhao, he… he… he…"

Clearly, Wang Suizi also didn’t know how to describe him. After hesitating for a few moments, she and Yan Bubu silently exchanged glances, while Ji Yi interjected from the side, "Chen Wenzhao was chubby as a kid, always fighting with me, and I used to beat him up. I'd go to their classroom to hit him, and he’d go to the military department of the Beehive Ship to complain. Then our dads fought in the military department's reception room and got locked up for a week each in solitary confinement…"

As Ji Yi continued her story, Chen Wenchao's face grew darker. Yu Yuan, noticing this, considerately interrupted, "I remember now, Chen Wenchao, back then all the kids called you 'Fat Brother', right?"

Chen Wenchao touched his nose awkwardly, admitting, "Yes, that's me."

"You've slimmed down, become handsome, and grown up," Yu Yuan summarized with a smile, then asked, "What about your father? Does he still get into fights?"

"He's gotten older and taken his share of losses, so he doesn't get into fights anymore," Chen Wenchao replied.

"Colonel Yu, Colonel Yu," Ji Yi said eagerly, "Did you read my letter? You saved me back then. I'm Ji Yi, the one who fell off the ship."

Yu Yuan chuckled lightly, "I remember."

Overwhelmed with excitement, Ji Yi spilled her thoughts, "Colonel Yu, after you saved me, you became the man of my dreams. My heart first fluttered for you when I was ten. I used to think, when I grow up—"

"The zombies are at the bottom of the valley, and we're still on the cliff. What time do you think it is to be talking about this? How long have you been with the Western Union Army? Which unit? Does your commander let you babble during missions?"

Lin Fen's stern rebuke silenced Ji Yi immediately. The others didn't dare to speak either, silently being pulled up the mountain by vines.

Yu Yuan looked at Lin Fen with a half-smile, and Lin Fen glanced at him before focusing straight ahead.

After climbing a short distance, Ji Yi leaned out to speak with Wang Suizi, bypassing Chen Wenchao in the middle. But as soon as she started to speak, Wang Suizi rolled her eyes and turned her head towards Yan Bubu.

"Ah..." Ji Yi awkwardly touched her nose, withdrew her head, and heard Chen Wenchao snicker with schadenfreude next to her.

At this moment, the camp in Yinxia Mountain was brightly lit, all the people stayed inside their houses, doors and windows firmly shut. In the stone forest halfway up the mountain, the gunfire that had lasted for a long time finally ceased.

A group of Western Alliance soldiers guarded around a large rock in the stone forest, guns in hand, vigilantly scanning the surroundings. From a secret tunnel behind the rock, more soldiers emerged, continuing to guard the tunnel entrance.

Ding Hongsheng and Cai Tao hurried along a corridor, their expressions a mix of excitement and tension.

The corridor's floor was littered with bodies, mostly combat-dressed Anbu Jia gunmen and a few white-coated researchers. Western Alliance soldiers stood guard at each room's entrance, wary of anyone hiding inside rushing out.

Following behind them was a man in his fifties, resembling Feng Chen but with a more authoritative and superior demeanor. His face had the pallor of one long deprived of sunlight, and though tall and broad-shouldered, he was very thin. A casually draped coat over his shoulders added to his gaunt appearance.

"General Feng, watch your step," Ding Hongsheng said, kicking a corpse in the middle of the corridor aside, while Cai Tao sprinted ahead to open a metal door in the corridor's center.

Feng Zai Ping walked through the iron gate without turning his head, asking, "Do you know Feng Chen?"

"He never mentioned you were his father. We only learned of your relationship when you asked if we knew him. We're more than just acquainted with Feng Chen; he's our good brother, our pal—" Cai Tao was nudged by Ding Hongsheng and quickly corrected himself, "I mean, a great comrade, a fellow classmate."

"You say he and Lin Fen are trapped on the mountain?" Feng Zai Ping paused, turning to look at them.

"Our other good bro—comrade is already on his way to rescue them. Rest assured, Feng is already on his way back."

After a few seconds of silence, Feng Zai Ping softly said, "Thank you for coming to rescue my wife and I, and for saving our son."

"No thanks needed, no need for formality. Meeting the legendary General Feng, this is our honor. To assist your noble son—no, to help our brother, no, to help Feng, is our duty." The two stuttered their response.

Distant gunfire and the rumble of artillery already echoed from the mountain tops. Colonel Chen Li of the Western Alliance stood outside the tunnel, his face smeared with gunpowder.

Wiping his face with a towel, he saw three people emerge from the tunnel, quickly threw the towel to a soldier, and saluted: "Western Alliance Officer Chen Li, at your service, General Feng." The other soldiers also saluted in turn.

Feng Zai Ping nodded, surveying his surroundings, as Colonel Chen quickly said, "Your wife left before you. We were worried about the danger since this place is close to the camp, so we've sent her to the temporary command post on the mountain."

"Thank you," Feng Zai Ping replied curtly, then asked directly, "Is it the Eastern and Western Alliances fighting on those mountains now?"

"Yes! They engaged us under Chen Sizhe's orders. We've been using loudspeakers to warn them not to be deceived, but they won't listen. Only your personal intervention will do. Ran Zhengshou is commanding the battle; otherwise, he would have come to fetch you himself," Colonel Chen responded.

Feng Zai Ping pointed ahead and commanded, "Go, lead me to the nearest battlefield."

"Yes, sir!" Colonel Chen quickly stepped forward to lead the way, with Feng Zai Ping following, guarded by a group of soldiers.

After a few steps, Feng Zai Ping paused, turning back to Ding Hongsheng and Cai Tao who stood motionless, "You two are now my deputies, come with me."

Ding Hongsheng and Cai Tao, revitalized, responded loudly and hurriedly caught up.

Walking behind Feng Zai Ping, they began to whisper, "...should we tell General Feng about the document we signed?"

Cai Tao shrank his neck, "I don't dare; if you want to tell him, go ahead."

Ding Hongsheng: "...Even if we're scared, we have to tell him. What else can we do?"

Cai Tao hesitated, "Let's talk about it after this is over."

Ding Hongsheng agreed, "Alright."

"What document? What are you afraid to tell me?" Feng Zai Ping, walking ahead, suddenly turned his head and asked calmly.

Caught off guard by his hearing them, both were too frightened to speak until Feng Zai Ping asked again. Ding Hongsheng then stepped forward, mustering the courage to quietly explain the situation.

After listening, Feng Zai Ping showed no particular reaction, only asking, "Did Ran Zhengshou have you represent the Eastern Alliance and agree to his terms?"

Ding Hongsheng nodded, "It was the circumstance at the time; I had no choice, so about this matter... I'm not sure if my agreement counts."

Feng Zai Ping patted his shoulder, reassuring, "It's fine. Since you were the highest officials of the Eastern Alliance at that time, your decision counts."

"Oh... Yes, alright... Ah! Our decision counts? Does that mean the document is valid?"

Yan Bubu and the group finally reached the mountain top, where the previously faint sounds of artillery and gunfire became loud and clear. Emerging from the dark area onto a lit path, they crossed a swamp and released their quantum beasts.

Sasa Ka appeared beside Feng Chen, with Bi Nu Nu hopping onto its back, clinging tightly to its neck.

As everyone descended the mountain, the camp came into full view when they rounded a small hill, unobstructed.

Yu Yuan stopped, gripping Lin Fen's hand beside her. Both gazed quietly at the camp, their eyes reflecting the flickering lights.

"That's our camp. Those who have undergone evolutionary mutations live on the left, and those who haven't on the right, separated by a plantation," Wang Suizi explained to Lin Fen and Yu Yuan.

Lin Fen and Yu Yuan remained still, and the others, not wanting to disturb them, quietly stood by. After a moment, Lin Fen took a deep breath and whispered, "Let's go, everyone down the mountain."

Gunfire echoed from various hillsides. Though unspoken, their descent quickened with urgency. Feng Chen and Yan Bubu, anxious about Feng Zai Ping and his wife's condition, moved even faster, leading the group.

"Wait." Yu Yuan suddenly stopped, prompting everyone to halt.

Listening intently, she said, "Listen, the gunfire on a hillside has stopped, over there at eight o'clock to the left."

Everyone listened closely, and after a moment, someone exclaimed in surprise, "It's true, the gunfire there has ceased."

"Yes, yes, it stopped. Hey, listen, it sounds like the gunfire at twelve o'clock has also stopped."

"It must be General Feng. Only General Feng could order the Eastern Alliance to cease fire!"

As the sounds of gunfire grew sparser, Yan Bubu couldn't hide her joy, whispering to Feng Chen, "Did you hear that? The gunfire stopped. The master will be back soon."

Feng Chen smiled and nodded in agreement.

"The madam wouldn't be fighting alongside the master, right? She must be in the camp; we'll see her once we descend."

Feng Chen, however, said, "Mother won't be in the camp; it's too dangerous to leave her there now. She must be hidden somewhere safe with the troops."

"Hmm, then once all the gunfire stops, we'll get to see the master and madam," said Yan Bubu, stepping forward then quickly turning back to grasp Feng Chen's hand, "Hurry, hurry."

Ji Yi remarked, "General Ran will be so happy to see Major Lin and Colonel Yu; I saw tears in his eyes when we gave him the letter from Major Lin last time."

Wang Suizi added, "Colonel Su was crying so hard his nose was running. I was just getting a tissue when I saw him wipe it on his sleeve."

"Hisss..."

……

Everyone was in high spirits, chatting and laughing as they walked down the mountain. Approaching a ditch, Yan Bubu was about to run and jump over when Feng Chen scooped her up under his arm.

Yan Bubu, facing downwards, watched as Feng Chen, with a long stride, leaped and landed steadily. However, his landing caused a thunderous noise, shaking the ground violently, and mud from both sides of the ditch started to fall.

Yan Bubu was momentarily stunned, her first thought being if Feng Chen's strength had increased again. But she quickly realized the sound's origin and looked up.

The others, still in jovial conversation, also stopped and turned towards the direction of the sound.

Yan Bubu's gaze moved past the military camp, over the plantation and the large camp, towards a distant place.

There, at the boundary between the camp and the wilderness, was also the divide between light and darkness.

In the area illuminated by the last high-pressure sodium lamp on the edge, nothing unusual was visible, just a slow-rising grey smoke, as if a passing breeze had brought a handful of desert dust.

"What was that sound?" Wang Suizi asked nervously, "An earthquake? But it doesn't seem like it."

"It sounded like an explosion to me," Chen Wenchao hesitantly suggested.

"An explosion? In the camp over there? But everything seems normal."

……

Feng Chen set Yan Bubu down, his expression growing darker. He turned to look at Lin Fen and Yu Yuan, noticing their equally grim faces.

"An E26 type demolition bomb, which can be buried underground and detonated remotely. Its explosive charge is more potent than that of fragmentation or blast bombs, capable of destroying a building with a single detonation."

As Yu Yuan finished speaking, the wilderness near the mountain began to collapse, sending boulders and earth tumbling down, creating a thunderous roar.

"Who would bomb that mountain? And why? Has the fighting between the Eastern and Western Alliances reached there?" Wang Suizi murmured.

No sooner had she finished speaking than several figures dashed off, including Lin Fen, Yu Yuan, and Feng Chen.

Yan Bubu and other scouts quickly followed, with Chen Wenchao shouting as he ran, "It must be Chen Sizhe! The mountain hides the central city!"

Ji Yi, pulling Wang Suizi along, was still trying to comprehend, "The central city? Are they attacking the central city—"

Her words stopped abruptly, then she burst out in anger, "That beast Chen Sizhe! He's trying to release the zombies from the central city!"