Chapter 74 The Spiral World (12)

Chapter 74: The Spiral World (Part 12)

After four hours of arduous trekking, Xia Li was the first to give out, collapsing onto the scorching hot asphalt. His exposed skin was scorched, his lips were chapped and peeling, and his throat felt like it was full of embers, burning his windpipe.

He Yunchuan hoisted him onto his back. He could feel Xia Li's scorching breath just by turning his head.

Lin Yanqing walked ahead, shoving cars out of the way to clear a path for the others.

"A Qing, Lili seems to be fading fast." He Yunchuan was drenched in sweat. It was only then he realized he hadn't completely transformed into a tree.

Lin Yanqing hurried over and pulled back the large leaf covering Xia Li's head. Xia Li was already delirious, his breathing faint.

Jiang Songnian was also drenched in sweat. Beads of hot sweat poured down his face, occasionally flowing into the corners of his eyes and blurring his vision.

Lin Yanqing steeled himself, squatting down and saying, "I'll carry him."

"You won't be able to move fast carrying him. First, let's find some shade nearby," He Yunchuan said.

"The power is out everywhere. It's probably even stuffier inside houses than outside." Lin Yanqing turned to ask Ye Qihan, "How's Suisui?"

Ye Qihan gave the leafy cradle a shake. "The old immortal is tough as nails."

Yin Sui let out a loud wail in protest.

Hearing his strong cry, Lin Yanqing finally felt relieved. He hoisted Xia Li onto his back and took off at a run.

"Lili, hang in there. We'll reach Nanyao City soon."

In his daze, Xia Li pressed his face against Lin Yanqing's, feeling a long-lost coolness.

"Brother, don't leave me alone..." Xia Li, already out of it, wrapped his slender arms tightly around Lin Yanqing's neck, nearly choking him.

"What nonsense are you talking?"

*

Doctor Guo's emaciated frame teetered unsteadily, his silver hair glinting under the sun. Despite objections, he insisted on conducting the reconnaissance himself, his already frail body appearing increasingly sickly.

Wave after wave of heat hit them. Doctor Guo took off his glasses, wiping sweat with the back of his hand. In his distorted vision, a white-haired old man came running towards him.

He hastily put his glasses back on and looked closely. It wasn't an old man at all, but clearly a young man.

In that instant, before the Psychic bodyguards could react, the white-haired youth had already closed to within a hundred meters.

"Finally, someone!" Lin Yanqing was on the verge of tears, saying gratefully, "Sir, my brother has heatstroke."

At that moment, the dozen or so Psychics behind Doctor Guo simultaneously drew their guns, their muzzles uniformly aimed at Lin Yanqing.

Lin Yanqing was stunned, his smile instantly turning to wariness.

"Tell the truth! Have you been infected with the Madman virus?" a bodyguard demanded sternly.

"No." Lin Yanqing replied calmly, "No, no infection."

"Wait, don't shoot!" Doctor Guo strode forward, lifted Xia Li's chin, and used his thumb to open an eyelid. The dilated pupil showed no reaction. "Get him inside quickly! This child is fading fast! Hurry!"

The leader remained silent, giving no response.

Doctor Guo raised his voice sharply, commanding, "I order you to find a doctor immediately!"

The leader raised a hand in signal. The others holstered their guns and cleared a path.

High walls had been erected near the toll station, the iron gate covered in locks. Psychics patrolled with guns, and glinting sniper scopes could occasionally be glimpsed.

Lin Yanqing was led into a motorhome. A bodyguard pushed him from behind, touching through his clothes a body cold as ice. The bodyguard shivered from the chill and quickly withdrew his hand.

Lin Yanqing glanced back meaningfully and said, "I'm a Psychic."

The bodyguard didn't press further. Once Lin Yanqing was inside, he quickly closed the door to prevent the cool air from escaping.

There was a doctor on the motorhome. Xia Li received proper treatment, putting Lin Yanqing somewhat at ease. He surveyed his surroundings, his gaze finally settling on that bodyguard.

"Who are you people?" Lin Yanqing asked.

"That's a question I should be asking." Gu Quan leaned against the vehicle wall, toying with his gun. "Who are you? How did you get here?"

Gu Quan walked towards Lin Yanqing, saying slowly, "Fifty-degree weather. No car, no supplies. Walking here from a highway clogged with abandoned vehicles. And..."

"And what?" Lin Yanqing asked calmly.

Gu Quan raised an eyebrow. "On the way... didn't anything unusual happen?"

"No, nothing happened at all. If you mean unusual..." Lin Yanqing frowned. "There wasn't a single Madman on the road."

Gu Quan looked clearly surprised. He rubbed his nose and lifted the curtain to look outside. The people hurrying to and fro all kept their heads down, trying to avoid the fierce sun.

"I have a few friends. They fell behind and will be here soon." Lin Yanqing ventured, "Could I trouble Mr. Gu to pass on a message for me? Tell them I'm here."

"This place isn't under my jurisdiction. I'm a hired bodyguard, responsible for Doctor Guo's personal safety." Gu Quan let the curtain fall, smiling. "But there have been several violent incidents here before. The residents generally aren't welcoming to Madmen, even those who've received the Serum. None of your group has been infected with the virus, right?"

Lin Yanqing suddenly thought of Jiang Songnian. He had been bitten by a Madman, and his wounds hadn't fully healed, making it easy to expose him. But then Lin Yanqing reconsidered. Jiang Songnian's body was covered in wounds and scars; perhaps he could bluff his way through. Besides, Jiang Songnian was so clever; he would surely find a way.

Lin Yanqing smiled slightly. "No. No one among us has been infected with the Madman virus. I swear on my life."

Meanwhile, Jiang Songnian and the others had already arrived at the gate. Ye Qihan held the hungry, crying Yin Sui in his arms, pretending obediently to be ordinary people.

He Yunchuan pulled down his rolled-up sleeves and put on his glasses with a scholarly air, resembling a frail intellectual.

And Jiang Songnian stood at the front of the group, physically exhausted but mentally unusually excited, answering honestly and loudly, "Me! I was bitten by a Madman! Is that a problem?"

Ye Qihan: "?"

He Yunchuan: "??"

Yin Sui: "...!!!"

*

The house was eerily quiet. Snowflakes fell outside the window. Jiang Feng seemed to hear the sound of snow landing on the ground. The housekeeper told him it was hailing outside.

Jiang Feng rested his head on his hand, lost in thought. Suddenly, it dawned on him. "No wonder it's so quiet. Lao Mai took his dog away."

"He treats Mianmian like a son. Without his dog-son at night, he can't sleep a wink." The housekeeper chuckled.

"Haha, he's getting old too." Before Jiang Feng's smile could fully form, a violent cough erupted from his throat. The empty living room echoed with incessant coughing. When the coughing and wheezing finally subsided, he said bitterly, "Raising a dog is better than raising a son."

The housekeeper handed him a thermos cup, smiling. "With the eldest young master not home, you still have the younger young master."

Jiang Feng let out a long sigh, took a sip of water, shook his head, and said, "Let's go back to the room. Time for my medicine."

At the end of the corridor, Chen Ya finished a cigarette, stubbed the butt into a potted plant, swept a cold glance over the house, then took her coat from Chen Tai. "Let's go. Proceed as planned."

"Isn't it too risky?" Chen Tai hesitated. "We still have the younger young master."

"That old fox Jiang Feng won't hand over power to Si Nian. Jiang Songnian is his child; Si Nian and I are always outsiders." Chen Ya stepped outside, the biting wind stinging her skin. Snowflakes settled in her hair almost instantly. She bent down and got into the car, murmuring, "It's the same everywhere."

The car drove for twenty minutes before arriving at the Chen family's old mansion. The house was freezing inside, and the lighting seemed dim. Chen Ya couldn't help rubbing her arms. Nowadays, Beian City's power generation relied on Energy Stones, but the supply was always limited. Many areas had daily blackouts, and the Chen family was no exception.

Even so, Jiang Feng still refused to hand over the surplus Energy Stones. No matter how much people talked themselves blue in the face, even using moral and civilized pressure, he still clung tightly to his final bargaining chip.

Chen Ya walked inside with heavy steps. A servant politely told her that the old master and the young masters were already in the dining room, having started their meal without waiting for her.

Chen Ya's face remained expressionless. Upon entering the dining room, her smile switched on like a light. After greeting her father, she pulled out a chair and sat down at the far end of the long table.

Old Master Chen's hair was mostly white. He was lean and wiry, with piercing eyes. In her youth, Chen Ya had feared her father. She often compared him to a dangerous leopard, lying in wait for the right moment to pounce on its prey, biting down hard for a swift kill.

Fifty years had passed. Her father was no longer as formidable as before, but that dark impression was permanently stamped on Chen Ya's heart. His face seemed never to have changed—forever menacing, forever cruel.

Old Master Chen glared at Chen Ya with piercing eyes, but Chen Xing smiled broadly. "Elder Sister, we didn't know you were coming back. We started eating without waiting for you."

Chen Ya rested her chin on her hand, stroking the pearl stud in her earlobe, and said lazily, "It doesn't matter. I've already eaten."

"How dare she eat our Chen family's food!" Old Master Chen snapped. "Not a single task assigned to her has been accomplished! I wonder if she's deliberately opposing me!"

The youngest son, Chen Wang, tried to smooth things over. "Dad, don't blame Sister. She's a woman. She's already served her purpose by bearing Jiang Feng a son."

"What good is a child! Any woman can have children!" Across the long oval table, Old Master Chen pointed his chopsticks at Chen Ya. "I told you to kill Jiang Feng. Why haven't you done it?"

"I already poisoned him as you instructed." Chen Ya's eyes reddened, her voice on the verge of breaking down. "Killing him now is pointless. He's hidden the Energy Stones. He's determined to give them to Jiang Songnian!"

"What good is Si Nian! Why can't he be more capable!" Old Master Chen was furious.

Chen Ya sniffled. She bit her lip, then stubbornly said after a moment, "I know where Jiang Songnian is. I'll send someone to kill him. Once he's dead, Jiang Feng will hand everything over to Si Nian. Si Nian is still young. Everything will belong to our Chen family in the future."

"Sister is truly capable. Once we get the Energy Stones, when the base's ship sets sail, our Chen family will rule the world." Chen Wang said with a grin.

"Let's see if she has the ability first!" Old Master Chen scoffed.

Chen Ya choked back a sob. "But Dad, you promised me that once I get the Energy Stones, you'll hand over the Retainers' Corps to me."

Old Master Chen was taken aback. He pursed his lips and said vaguely, "We'll see if you can do it first."

"Exactly, Sister, this isn't just talk, is it?" Chen Xing's eyes darted around. "Dad, why not leave this matter to me? Jiang Songnian is Elder Sister's stepson. If it's traced back to her, letting Jiang Feng find out would be bad. After all, they live under the same roof."

Chen Ya suddenly widened her eyes. She shot Chen Xing a fierce, tear-glazed look.

"That might be better." Old Master Chen picked up his bowl and took a bite of rice, saying casually, "Then let A-Xing handle it."

"Dad!" Chen Ya slammed the table and stood up. "I'll go to Nanyao City myself! Jiang Lingxiao is in Nanyao City. This is a perfect opportunity. I want to discuss our future cooperation with him in detail."

"Just cooperation. I can handle that too." Chen Xing waved his hand dismissively. "Sister, you should stay home, be a good wife and mother. That kid Si Nian isn't so young anymore, acting like a dunce. You should teach him more."

Chen Ya was about to say more, but Old Master Chen waved impatiently. "Enough, it's settled. If you have nothing else, go back. Don't disturb our meal."

Chen Ya bit her lip hard. After a long while, she wiped her tears and said hoarsely, "I understand, Dad. Enjoy your meal. I'll head back first."

Old Master Chen continued eating, not sparing her another glance.

Chen Ya turned and left the living room. The tears at the corners of her eyes dried in the cold wind. She lifted her head high, took a lipstick from her coat pocket, and applied red to her bloodless lips. Then she strode into the biting gale.