Chapter 12 The Lone City (12)

Chapter 12: The Lonely City (Part Twelve)

The desk had been moved away, items strewn across the floor. Lin Yanqing pushed aside a stack of books, frantically searching for something.

Hearing the commotion, Xia Li walked in and hovered around him. "Brother, what are you looking for?"

"The metal box from my drawer, where is it?"

"I put it in a bag." Xia Li brought over a paper bag from the corner and opened it for him. "Is this it?"

Lin Yanqing took out a square tin box from the bag. Inside were several handwritten letters. In the first few years after receiving sponsorship, Lin Yanqing had written thank-you letters by hand to Uncle Niangao. The following year, he received a reply. They had been pen pals for a few years before later adding each other on WeChat. Lin Yanqing had always treasured these letters carefully.

He pulled out the note Jiang Songnian had left and compared the handwriting with that on the letters, finally confirming his suspicion.

Uncle Niangao was Jiang Songnian. Jiang Songnian was Uncle Niangao.

Lin Yanqing was 25 this year. In other words, Jiang Songnian had been sponsoring the 16-year-old Lin Yanqing since he himself was 18.

Lin Yanqing sank to his knees on the floor, his face flushed crimson with embarrassment, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into.

Xia Li asked, puzzled, "Brother, what's wrong? You okay?"

Lin Yanqing had always played the role of a gentle, well-behaved, kind, tolerant, hardworking, and selfless model citizen in front of Uncle Niangao. He kept going over everything he said and did with Jiang Songnian over the past few days, wondering if he had acted inappropriately. The more he thought about it, the more his throat was on fire. He realized he had been quite irritable, constantly complaining, especially during yesterday's combat training when he had sworn several times. And just now, he had been spouting nonsense about the neighbor next door. He'd blown his cover completely.

"It's nothing." Lin Yanqing quietly put the letters away, placing the note inside the tin as well.

He stood up and said stiffly, "Jiang Songnian taught me a few moves yesterday. Let's practice them together. I'm heading back next door soon."

Xia Li hugged him from behind, saying affectionately, "Brother, just stay. Let's be together."

"You saw it too. Those sick people have become freakishly strong. If I get infected, it would be dangerous for you to be with me."

"I'm scared of those monsters." Xia Li nuzzled his face against Lin Yanqing's back. "But I'm even more scared if you're not here. If you're gone, I won't know what to do."

Lin Yanqing didn't turn around, but his eyes couldn't help but redden. He could tough it out alone, but if something happened to him, what would Lili do? They had been through hell together hand in hand for so many years; neither was complete without the other.

Just then, He Yuanshan shouted from the living room, "Come quick, look!"

The two rushed into the living room. He Yuanshan and He Yunchuan stood side by side on the balcony, taking turns with a telescope.

As Lin Yanqing approached, He Yunchuan handed it to him.

On the distant lawn, several madmen were tearing into a person. The victim was a bloody mess, their gender and age unrecognizable. The madmen had torn open the body, biting into the organs and flesh. Blood and gore splattered everywhere as the madmen indulged in their grisly feast.

Lin Yanqing lowered the telescope and raised his gun, aiming at the group of madmen gathered together.

He Yunchuan barked, "Don't waste bullets! It's too far; you won't hit them!"

Lin Yanqing narrowed his eyes, shifted his aim toward a camphor tree in another area, recalled Jiang Songnian's teachings from the night before, held his breath, and fired the first shot of his life!

Like a firework shot into a cauldron, a deafening roar exploded under the dazzling sunlight.

He hit the camphor tree, but the madmen didn't even flinch, continuing to enjoy their meal.

"What are you doing?" He Yunchuan clicked his tongue in annoyance.

Lin Yanqing was lost in thought for a second, then suddenly rushed back to the living room. He rummaged through the floor littered with stuff, found a stack of white paper, and spread it on the table. As he recalled something, he wrote down several time points.

He Yuanshan continued patrolling the balcony while He Yunchuan and Xia Li followed Lin Yanqing inside.

"Today is May 26th. The first cases of Mania patients were discovered last Tuesday, May 19th. At that time, there were only a few scattered cases." Lin Yanqing said.

He Yunchuan thought for a moment and said, "The time might be earlier. It's likely the news was suppressed."

"True, but Aimeile Company intensified its marketing and began selling products at low prices around May 20th." Lin Yanqing said.

"Xidan lost contact just before May 20th." Xia Li added.

Lin Yanqing wrote a few more notes on the paper. "And in the seven days from the 19th to the 26th, the most frequent social news was actually incidents of vomiting and fainting. Both of you have witnessed it."

He Yunchuan and Xia Li exchanged a glance and nodded in unison.

"I've also seen videos online. Those people not only vomited but were stumbling around. Most opinions suggested it might be physical weakness caused by dehydration." Lin Yanqing paused before continuing, "If I'm not mistaken, these symptoms are the precursors to Mania."

Xia Li didn't quite understand. He pulled up a chair, sat down, propped his chin on his hand, and listened to his brother's analysis.

"You mean the incubation period is about seven days? And the precursors to Mania are vomiting and physical collapse?" He Yunchuan asked.

He Yunchuan fell silent for a few seconds, then said tactfully, "Lin Yanqing, you didn't seem to enjoy your meal much today."

"..." Lin Yanqing was speechless. "Shut up!"

He Yunchuan: "Go on."

Lin Yanqing continued, "As for the so-called physical collapse, I believe it's due to secondary skeletal development, which temporarily makes it difficult for them to control their bodies freely. Their sense of smell, speed, and physique are evolving, but their vision and hearing are deteriorating, and their skin is becoming more fragile."

"I get it! So you fired that shot just now! To test their hearing!" Xia Li exclaimed.

Lin Yanqing nodded. "Exactly. Now, back to the enhanced sense of smell. Why did that madman appear on the 19th floor? Based on our estimated outbreak timeline, the real large-scale outbreak will occur within the next seven days. At this point today, the number of madmen in the apartment complex should be very limited."

He Yunchuan's throat moved as he realized what Lin Yanqing was thinking. He said hoarsely, "Because the door was opened. Several times."

"Yesterday was chaotic, so the scents in the complex were naturally mixed up. But after one night, with everyone staying behind closed doors and no one opening their homes, the 19th floor became an exception. We sealed the fire escape and elevator, creating an isolated zone. Afterward, we moved around, allowing scents to flow out. That's why the madman came to the 19th floor and tried to trick us into opening the door." Lin Yanqing stated firmly. "It was the scent that led him here."

"But we were going in and out when we blocked the elevator earlier, and that guy didn't come back!" Xia Li said, confused.

Lin Yanqing looked toward the balcony. The scene from earlier was still vivid in his mind, as if etched into his pupils. He said bitterly, "Because they found a clearer target."

In seven days, the apartment complex would be overrun by monsters, leaving people with nowhere to hide. Perhaps by then, the entire city would fall.

Lin Yanqing walked back to the balcony and gazed into the distance. The madmen had dispersed. The lawn was stained with blood, and the mangled corpse lay under the deserted sunlight.

Lin Yanqing didn't know why that person had been out there. Perhaps they had a compelling reason to leave home. Perhaps somewhere not far away, someone had been waiting to reunite with them.

This sudden disaster had caught everyone off guard. People hid in confined spaces, waiting for government rescue. But in places they couldn't see, government forces were engaged in a brutal battle.

*

Jiang Songnian stepped off the helicopter. The wind on the rooftop tousled his hair. He quickly sent a message, tucked his phone into his pocket, and whistled at the middle-aged man in a butler's uniform ahead.

"Hey, Uncle Mai, it's practically the apocalypse, and you're still dressed like that? You won't get far with those old legs if you need to run!" Jiang Songnian spread his arms for a hug, but Lao Mai remained unmoved, staring at him coldly.

"With all due respect, you shouldn't be running around at a time like this. The master and madam are looking everywhere for you." Lao Mai maintained his usual composure and detachment.

Jiang Songnian quirked a smile, shoved his hands into his pockets, and said lazily, "I went to visit my brother. What's the problem? I even regret it a little. If I had known the situation was this serious, I would have brought him home yesterday."

The wind howled fiercely on the rooftop, the noise from the helicopter's rotor blades swirling upward. Jiang Songnian's voice was nearly drowned out, but Lao Mai still caught the key words. A crack appeared in his typically expressionless face. He wanted to refute something, wanted to offer some advice, but in the end, he only said, "Let's go. We're running out of time."

The two descended from the rooftop, taking the fire escape to the 99th floor. Security measures had been upgraded to the highest level. Fully armed special police officers stood guard everywhere, and high-tech equipment filled every corner of the building. Jiang Songnian kept hearing beeping sounds as he passed through one security checkpoint after another, feeling as if he had been stripped of a layer of skin by radiation.

The meeting hadn't started yet. Jiang Feng was waiting to meet with him in the lounge.

When Jiang Songnian entered wearing a loose, oversized tank top, Jiang Feng's already gloomy expression darkened completely, turning as dark as soot.

"You are now the deputy commander of the Pioneer Army. You should at least maintain the most basic decorum and courtesy! Not look like a vagrant who just crawled out of a garbage dump!" Jiang Feng made no effort to conceal his vitriol.

"This is a limited edition," Jiang Songnian said with a smile. He sank into the sofa with an air of casual dominance, studying his father with an enigmatic smile. "Since you know I'm the second-in-command of the Pioneer Army, you should show me some respect. In a few months, you'll be just like me, tugging at your tie, unbearably hot. But not now—your anger is all in your words, while your body is so weak you need a cane."

Jiang Feng clutched his chest, feeling as if he were about to have a heart attack.

Jiang Songnian, triumphant, picked up a roll from the coffee table and began eating it in large bites.

"The representative from Aimeile will attend the meeting today," Jiang Feng suddenly said.

Jiang Songnian swallowed the bread, lowered his head to take another bite, and patiently finished the entire roll. He then looked up at Jiang Feng with a smile. "So? What do you plan to do? Kill him?"

"Aimeile wants half of the base's management rights. That's their only condition for handing over the serum. The situation is already out of control, and this will delay the construction of the base. The government forces are like headless flies, only wanting to resolve this problem quickly. You know, our time is running out." Jiang Feng adopted a humble tone, appealing to his eldest son. "I sincerely hope that this time, you will stand on our side and help expedite this plan."

"The human way to solve one problem is to create an even bigger one," Jiang Songnian straightened up and said without mincing words. "Aimeile is like that, and so are you."

A knock sounded at the door. Jiang Feng remained stern and silent, so Jiang Songnian called out, "Come in."

The door opened, revealing a tall, youthful-looking woman with her long hair tied up. She wore an elegant white suit dress, exuding both intelligence and poise. Striding in with purpose, she smiled warmly and said, "Songnian, where have you been? It's been so long since you came back."

Jiang Songnian beamed and embraced her, laughing heartily. "I went to visit A Qing. It's been a long time since I saw him, so I went to check on him."

Chen Ya's smile froze for a moment before resuming. She took a seat and said, as if it were none of her concern, "Is that so? How has he been lately?"

Jiang Songnian shrugged, his smile tinged with sarcasm. "Not bad, same as always. It's been over twenty years since you last saw him, hasn't it?"

Jiang Feng's face turned livid, and he tapped his cane on the floor. "Now is not the time for this. The meeting is about to start. Songnian, when it comes to the fate of humanity, no matter what, I hope you will stand with us."

"No problem, of course, no problem," Jiang Songnian said with a smile. "The primary goal of building the base is to protect human safety. Who manages it isn't important."

Chen Ya glanced at Jiang Songnian, leaned against the armrest, and absentmindedly fiddled with her earring, lost in thought.

"It's good that you understand the bigger picture," Jiang Feng said. "Besides the representative from Aimeile, those attending the meeting today include Deputy Director Xu from the Disaster Prediction Bureau, Professor Hua Kun, a geologist, the chief strategic analyst from the Human Alliance, and..."

Jiang Songnian was bored to tears. Propping his chin on one hand, he nodded occasionally, appearing to listen attentively.

As the meeting was about to begin, Jiang Feng, parched from all the talking, finished the last sip of water in his cup and walked out side by side with Chen Ya.

Jiang Songnian stood up, rubbed the mud from his soles off on the expensive imported carpet, and, urged by Lao Mai, left the lounge. He walked down a secluded corridor and entered the meeting room.

The meeting room was filled with people—leading figures from around the globe gathered together to discuss humanity's path to survival in the apocalypse.

Jiang Songnian was the last to enter the meeting room. He scanned the room and asked, "Who is Jiang Lingxiao, the representative from Aimeile?"

A man in a blue suit raised his head arrogantly and said, "I am Jiang Lingxiao, the global head of Aimeile, representing Mr. Carlos at this meeting."

Jiang Songnian raised an eyebrow. The moment his hand emerged from his pocket, a gunshot echoed through the sealed meeting room. Swift as lightning, before anyone realized he had drawn his gun, the bullet had already pierced Jiang Lingxiao's forehead. Blood streamed down his nose, and his body thudded to the floor.

Countless guns were drawn, all aimed uniformly at Jiang Songnian.

Jiang Feng slammed the table in rage and roared, "Even in war, envoys are not killed! How could you murder someone in public? Jiang Songnian! You are too overbearing!"

Jiang Songnian relaxed his palm, twirled the gun around his finger, and let it hang from his index finger.

"I didn't kill a person," Jiang Songnian grinned. "I killed a terrorist."