Chapter 6 The Lone City (6)

Chapter 6: The Lonely City (Part Six)

Jiang Songnian stopped laughing and suddenly asked, "Why does that guy Zhou have it in for you? Do you have any conflict with him?"

Lin Yanqing, feeling depressed, leaned on the steering wheel and muttered, "I beat out his nephew for the spot during the interview. He's always thought I got the job through backdoor connections." Speaking of this, he grew angry, abruptly straightening up and indignantly saying, "As if I, Lin Yanqing, would need backdoor connections! My grades are top-notch; I even skipped a grade and started university at sixteen! Would I need to rely on connections?"

Jiang Songnian neither agreed nor disagreed, nodding vaguely as he patiently listened to the complaint.

Lin Yanqing rambled on for over ten minutes, repeating the same points several times until his mouth felt dry, and he finally stopped.

Jiang Songnian pointed at the Audi parked in the opposite spot and asked, "Is that his car? I saw him driving it this morning."

"Yeah, why?"

"Don't get out of the car."

Jiang Songnian pushed the door open and stepped out. Instead of walking forward, he avoided the cameras, keeping to the blind spots. Though tall and sturdy, he moved with surprising agility, slipping under the car in the blink of an eye.

Lin Yanqing gaped in astonishment, unsure what Jiang Songnian was up to. A few minutes later, Jiang Songnian emerged from under the car, retraced his steps, and got back into Lin Yanqing's car.

"What were you doing?" Lin Yanqing glared at him.

"Let the air out of all four of his tires and helped him remove a few parts," Jiang Songnian shrugged. "No big deal."

"You're insane! That's illegal! Don't drag me into this!" Lin Yanqing fumed.

Jiang Songnian quirked an eyebrow at him with a teasing smile. "You ditched work thinking you were going to die. Shouldn't we celebrate being alive? Why be so cautious?"

Lin Yanqing had nothing more to say to him and started the engine. "Let's just go to the hospital." If he was wrong and it wasn't a zombie virus but rabies that killed him, he'd definitely never rest in peace.

Before they even reached the hospital, the roads were already congested, traffic crawling to a standstill. Lin Yanqing searched online and found a community clinic on the map that offered vaccinations.

"Why are there so many sick people?" Lin Yanqing murmured.

"Lots of people have been vomiting and having diarrhea lately. Could it be norovirus?" Jiang Songnian said casually.

"That's why we should wash our hands often and be careful what we eat."

Lin Yanqing muttered a few more words before falling silent, focusing on driving.

Jiang Songnian studied his features closely. His face was strikingly handsome, especially those peach-blossom eyes—soft yet not overly charming, with dark, mesmerizing pupils like whirlpools that drew people in. They were even more vivid than in photos, perhaps tinged with anxiety, the corners slightly reddened, eyes glistening with moisture. His long, thick lashes appeared damp, and his lips were pressed tightly together, a mix of stubbornness and grievance. His delicate nose twitched slightly.

Upon arriving at the community hospital, the number of patients was far greater than expected, the crowd comparable to a major hospital. Lin Yanqing felt heavy-hearted. After registering, he found there were over fifty people ahead of him.

The nurses at the front desk were chatting—recently, there had been many rabies cases, but the shots didn't seem to help. Instead, patients experienced vomiting and diarrhea and were transferred to gastroenterology.

Lin Yanqing grew visibly anxious, sitting in the waiting area and tapping his sneakers incessantly on the floor, a chill running down his back.

Sensing his tension, perhaps to comfort him, Jiang Songnian casually remarked, "Things have been chaotic lately. Do you have family you should warn?"

"I don't have many relatives." Lin Yanqing thought for a moment, then took out his phone and sent a few messages to Uncle Niangao, reminding him to stay safe.

Jiang Songnian also took out his phone and quietly sent messages.

When Lin Yanqing was in a bad mood, he spoke very little. He didn't want to burden friends and family with his mood. After sending a few messages, he put his phone away and said to Jiang Songnian, "Thank you for earlier."

"You're welcome." Jiang Songnian also put his phone away. "I overheard them saying your father is famous? He went missing during an expedition?"

"Sort of. He's a geologist and often goes on expeditions."

Jiang Songnian smiled and asked, "What happened after that?"

"After what?"

"After your father went missing."

Lin Yanqing was silent for a long moment before slowly saying, "There's no 'after.'"

His eyes grew moist again as he rolled up his sleeve, staring blankly at the bite mark.

Jiang Songnian suddenly reached out and ruffled his hair. "Wait here for two minutes."

Lin Yanqing didn't know what he was up to, craning his neck to watch his retreating figure. Suddenly, it felt familiar, as if he'd seen it somewhere before.

Two minutes later, Jiang Songnian returned, opening his palm to reveal a vial and a syringe.

"Come on, let's go back to the car. I'll give you the shot."

"Where did you get that?"

"Military personnel get priority!"

Lin Yanqing paused for a moment before saying, "I think you just stole it!"

Jiang Songnian curled his lips into a smile, winked at him, and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, leading him outside. In a low voice, he said, "Something's off. Maybe you were right—we shouldn't stay in crowded places."

Lin Yanqing turned his head and saw a young man sitting near the entrance. His face was pale and ashen, but his eyes were gradually turning a terrifying, bloody crimson.

Lin Yanqing lowered his head and followed him back to the car. Jiang Songnian told him to unbutton his shirt and remove one sleeve, then gave him several shots in the shoulder and arm.

Lin Yanqing yelped in pain, feeling it hurt even more than when Su Weiming bit him. In the end, he cursed angrily, "Do you even know how to give a shot?!"

Jiang Songnian wanted to tease him, but seeing him in tears, he couldn't bear it and told a white lie: "I'm a military doctor."

Lin Yanqing sniffled, struggling to put his shirt back on and button it up one by one.

Just then, his phone suddenly rang. Lin Yanqing picked it up—it was He Yunchuan calling. He'd been calling nonstop earlier, almost draining the battery.

Lin Yanqing answered, exhausted. "What's wrong now?"

He Yunchuan said anxiously, "There seems to be an infectious disease in your neighborhood. Come back quickly, and be careful on the way!"

"I'll be right back." After hanging up, Lin Yanqing's gaze shifted to the pharmacy across the street.

*

After He Yunchuan called the police, the little boy was taken away by his father. His name was Zhuang Jiaxi, also a resident of the neighborhood. As he left, he snarled and thrashed like a madman, but his father gripped his throat and quickly disappeared into the building.

Though He Yunchuan owned a stake in a talent agency, he was only a minor shareholder and handled operations and management. To put it nicely, he was a senior employee; to put it bluntly, he was a wealthy man's lackey. In the capital, he had no life-or-death connections, so his only option was to stay in Suxi City and lay low for now.

He called the administrative and finance departments, arranging for early payment of salaries and bonuses and announcing a holiday until the end of the month, with further instructions to follow. During the break, employees were to work from home and avoid going out unless necessary.

Though the exact situation was still unclear, he needed to give his subordinates a heads-up.

He Yunchuan returned to the 19th floor and rang the doorbell for a while before Xia Li finally opened the door. The entrance was still scattered with unpacked items.

"Why didn't you answer your phone?" He Yunchuan hurried inside and closed the door.

Xia Li stammered, "I—I dropped my phone and broke it."

"Did you run into anyone on your way up?" He Yunchuan grabbed his arm, anxiously checking for injuries. Relieved to find none, he finally relaxed.

Xia Li shook his head dazedly, scared stiff.

He Yunchuan drew him into his arms, his palm rubbing soothing circles on Xia Li's back as he murmured, "It's okay now, don't be afraid."

"What happened to that little boy?"

"He might be sick. His father took him away."

"What about my brother?"

"He already knows. He'll be back soon."

He Yunchuan was considering whether to take Xia Li and Lin Yanqing to stay at his place. His apartment was in a nicer part of downtown with tighter security, and the neighbors were all well-off or well-connected. In case of an emergency, they could receive more special treatment.

Just then, Lin Yanqing returned, carrying two plastic bags of medicine, followed by a tall, lanky man. Both of them looked a mess, with bloodstains on their sleeves.

He Yunchuan frowned. "Are you hurt?"

Lin Yanqing thought of the bite mark on his arm, opened his mouth to say something, but Jiang Songnian interjected, "We ran into a rabies patient at the pharmacy. Got a little blood on us while helping out."

"And you are?" He Yunchuan sized him up.

"Jiang Songnian, the neighbor next door." Lin Yanqing, feeling agitated, introduced them. "He Yunchuan, my childhood neighbor."

He Yunchuan nodded. This wasn't the time for pleasantries. He spoke quickly, "I got word that there's some kind of infectious disease spreading wildly lately. Best to lay low for a bit. Pack your things and come stay at my place for a few days."

Jiang Songnian asked, "Where's your place?"

He Yunchuan named a residential complex and briefly explained his reasoning.

"If an epidemic runs rampant, only the ultra-wealthy who can provide resources to the country get special treatment. The preferential access you mentioned doesn't exist. If the disease is quickly contained, it doesn't matter where you live." Jiang Songnian said. "On the contrary, if things spiral out of control, the area you live in is right in the city center with the highest foot traffic. Whereas Happiness Community is in the suburbs, with a high-speed rail station to the south and a highway to the north. Less likely to encounter traffic jams, less likely to get lost."

"Who the hell are you?" He Yunchuan snapped.

"Hello, I'm Jiang Songnian." Jiang Songnian held out his hand, saying with great seriousness, "First-class enthusiast of apocalyptic movies."

"..." He Yunchuan swatted his hand away, his face dark. "Take his temperature first!"

"Alright, enough arguing." Lin Yanqing slumped weakly onto the chair in the entryway. "I think Jiang Songnian makes sense. We shouldn't waste time. While the situation isn't chaotic yet, we should think about what we can do as quickly as possible."

He Yunchuan clicked his tongue and turned to look at Xia Li.

Xia Li hunched his shoulders, mumbling, "I'll listen to my brother."

He Yunchuan glared at him, slammed the door and left. Xia Li hurriedly opened the door and chased after him, grabbing his wrist. "He Yunchuan, you should come stay here too. Your neighbors are all heartless jerks."

"You're the heartless jerk!" He Yunchuan said through gritted teeth. "I'm going back to pack. You stay home and behave."

Only then did Xia Li feel relieved. "Then hurry back."

He Yunchuan shot him a sidelong glance and went downstairs via the fire escape.

Not long after he left, Lin Yanqing stood up from the sofa again. "Lili, stay home. See if you can order delivery. I'm going to the supermarket."

"I'll go with you," Xia Li said.

Lin Yanqing covered the injured spot on his arm through his jacket, his voice hoarse. "No need. I'll be back soon. Remember to tell the delivery person to leave the package at the door. Only bring it in after they've left."

"Brother, are you okay? You look terrible." Xia Li tried to take Lin Yanqing's hand, but Lin Yanqing recoiled in alarm and rushed into the bathroom. He stared at his face in the mirror, filled with dread.

His face was indeed frighteningly pale. He used his fingers to pry open his eyelids, wanting to see if his eyeballs had changed color, but instead found the whites of his eyes streaked with blood vessels. At the same time, his stomach churned violently, the pain so intense it felt like his internal organs were twisting into a knot.

A few minutes later, Jiang Songnian came over and knocked on the door. His steady voice came through the wood. "Lin Yanqing, time to go."

Lin Yanqing slowly opened the door, turning his stiff neck. He reminded Xia Li once more to be careful at home, then followed Jiang Songnian downstairs.

He didn't know why. Perhaps it was having witnessed Jiang Songnian's skills, or perhaps that retreating figure felt too familiar. With him by his side, Lin Yanqing felt an immense sense of security. Yet, he still felt like he was about to mutate, his expression becoming dazed and distracted.

As they entered the parking lot, Jiang Songnian said, "I'll drive."

Lin Yanqing tossed him the keys and got into the passenger seat. After fastening his seatbelt, he asked, "Haven't asked you yet. Any other family? Why did you move here suddenly?"

"Lots of relatives. I came for a vacation, but my holiday is almost over. I'm leaving tomorrow." Jiang Songnian said. "So if you need any help today, just ask."

Lin Yanqing felt a pang of bitterness. If Jiang Songnian left, it would just be him and He Yunchuan, two useless guys, plus Xia Li, one little coward.

Or perhaps, soon this useless guy would disappear too. He wondered if He Yunchuan could take good care of Xia Li.

Filled with gloom, Lin Yanqing watched as Jiang Songnian set the navigation and started the car.