Chapter 61

Chapter 61

When Bai Tu woke, Fan Xinglu was the only other person in the room.

Fan Xinglu was dozing by the bedside, his head nodding off, with a suspicious line of drool at the corner of his mouth.

Bai Tu lay there for a bit, but he was so parched he finally tried to get up. Fan Xinglu jolted awake and rushed over to support him without even wiping his drool. "Where are you going?"

Bai Tu's wounds ached. Seeing Fan Xinglu was awake, he didn't bother with formalities and leaned back against the bed. "Mr. Fan, could I trouble you for some water? Thanks."

His voice was so hoarse it sounded as if he hadn't drunk water for ten days. Fan Xinglu hurriedly poured a cup. The thermos didn't keep heat well, and the hot water boiled last night had already turned cold.

Was cold water okay for someone who just woke up?

Fan Xinglu hesitated, holding the cup, wondering if he should go heat it up, when the cup was taken from his hands.

Bai Tu downed it in one gulp.

Fan Xinglu volunteered, "The captain went out on a job. He probably won't be back until evening."

Bai Tu licked his lips, his throat feeling slightly better. He asked, "Did anything happen during the three days I was unconscious? Between me and Song Lan."

Song Lan's sudden attempt on his life definitely had a reason.

He still didn't know about Song Lan absconding with the "funds," so it wasn't until Fan Xinglu explained the whole story that he understood why Fan Xinglu was so angry when he mentioned Song Lan.

"What do you think? He couldn't stand the captain guarding you every step of the way. He pulled some underhanded tricks, got caught by the captain, and was thoroughly chewed out. He was pissed off about it." Fan Xinglu said angrily. "We're all teammates. If he had any issues, he could have spoken up so we could solve them together. Don't you think he's got a screw loose, making such a huge scene that nobody wants anything to do with him now?"

Bai Tu got the gist of it. Song Lan was someone whose reputation was everything to him. Having been humiliated repeatedly because of him, Song Lan naturally harbored resentment. His teaming up with those five people was probably just to teach him a lesson, to make him leave Huo Changfeng's team.

Those five were greedy and ruthless. Song Lan was smart; he couldn't have failed to see that. His real intention was to use their hands to deal with him. As for the method, whether to kill him or kidnap and sell him, was entirely up to those five. In other words, if Bai Tu died, the blame couldn't be pinned on Song Lan.

As for Guan Jianrui, he was completely an innocent victim caught in the crossfire.

For Guan Jianrui's death in his previous life, Bai Tu bore some responsibility.

Speak of the devil. Just as Bai Tu was about to ask about Guan Jianrui, the door was knocked. Guan Jianrui peeked his head in from behind it. "Is it okay to come in?"

Bai Tu nodded.

Guan Jianrui pushed the door open and swaggered in, full of energy, not looking seriously injured at all. In contrast, Ji Songyue, who followed behind him, looked utterly exhausted.

Fan Xinglu shot a look: *Did you heal him?*

Ji Songyue nodded helplessly: *This guy just couldn't sit still. He was so noisy.*

"Yueyue, sit." As soon as Guan Jianrui entered, he first pulled out a chair for Ji Songyue before finding a random spot for himself.

"You're okay?" Bai Tu examined him.

"What's to be wrong?" Guan Jianrui patted his chest. "Strong and healthy. A little injury can't keep me down."

"'A little injury can't keep me down,'" Fan Xinglu said in a mocking, sing-song voice. "If it weren't for Yueyue, you'd still be lying in bed unable to get up. Quit showing off here. Seems to me you never learn, forgetting the pain once the wound heals."

Guan Jianrui chuckled. "I'm practically a hero who's had one foot in the grave. As the saying goes, 'He who survives a great disaster is bound to have good fortune later.' My good fortune is yet to come."

Fan Xinglu rolled his eyes, too lazy to engage with him.

Guan Jianrui chattered incessantly, one moment cursing Song Lan out, the next asking Bai Tu how he escaped and if Huo Changfeng had arrived to save him, then asking what happened to those five people in the end and if they were beaten to a pulp.

"Dead." Bai Tu, who had truly been at death's door, replied succinctly.

"Ah." Guan Jianrui scratched his head. "I didn't even get a chance to take revenge. But speaking of which, what was that thing you gave me to eat back then?"

He had felt like he was dying, but after eating that black, unidentifiable thing, it was like a hero in a game with only a sliver of health left suddenly getting a massive heal—he suddenly regained strength. Unfortunately, he still couldn't win in the end, and Bai Tu was captured.

"Don't get in front of me next time," Guan Jianrui said. "I'm a Superhuman, after all. If I can't win, I can still burrow into an earthen shell and hold them off as long as possible. You're different; a few good hits and you'd be finished."

"Can't you watch your mouth?" Fan Xinglu scolded, then realized something. "Why didn't you mention such an important thing first?"

"What?"

Fan Xinglu glanced at Bai Tu, then dragged Guan Jianrui outside the door. "You're saying Bai Tu saved you?"

Guan Jianrui: "Ah, didn't I mention it?"

He peeked inside. "How is he? His face is so pale, looks pitiful."

"Don't you go feeling sorry for him." A vein throbbed on Fan Xinglu's forehead. Apart from Huo Changfeng, everyone, including him, had thought Guan Jianrui nearly died protecting Bai Tu. It was impossible not to feel some resentment towards Bai Tu. Yet the truth was, Guan Jianrui only survived long enough for them to arrive because of Bai Tu. And this guy, after waking up later, had said at least a thousand words before bringing this up.

Feeling embarrassed, Fan Xinglu looked into the ward. Ji Songyue probably felt the same, as he had already started treating Bai Tu. Fan Xinglu went in to get the thermos flask and, on his way out, dragged away Guan Jianrui, who was about to sit down again. "Let him rest properly. Stop bothering him. And you don't look so great either. Go back and lie down."

Guan Jianrui was confused. "How am I bothering him?"

*

Huo Changfeng made it back to the base before dark.

Excluding the underground parking lot, the government building had six floors, each converted for a different purpose. The second floor was where Ren Yan usually handled base affairs. Huo Changfeng carried several burlap sacks upstairs and headed straight for Ren Yan's office, handing him a palm-sized cloth pouch.

"Mr. Ren, take this for our team's medical expenses. If it's not enough, I'll make up the difference. Additionally, we'll need to impose on you a bit longer. Other expenses will be paid separately."

The young man called Little Jiang was also present. Hearing this, he glanced at Ren Yan, who gave a slight nod. Little Jiang stepped forward, took the pouch, and opened it. Upon seeing its contents, he was startled and quickly handed it to Ren Yan.

"It's a bag of crystal cores."

Ren Yan's eyes also flashed with surprise. He had a rough idea that Huo Changfeng was capable—not many people could travel safely from South China to North China these days. If they weren't incredibly lucky, they had to rely on their own strength, and Huo Changfeng's group was clearly the latter. Recognizing this, Ren Yan had always treated Huo Changfeng and his team with courtesy.

But he hadn't expected Huo Changfeng's strength to far exceed his estimates. After all, Huo Changfeng had left the base empty-handed, with just one person and one vehicle. Now he returned with so many items, and apart from looking somewhat dirty, he was completely unharmed.

No one understood the situation outside the base better than Ren Yan. Not only had Huo Changfeng gone out alone, but he had also collected so many crystal cores in just a few hours. The cores were sticky with blood on the surface, clearly freshly dug from zombie brains.

Ren Yan had to reassess Huo Changfeng's strength. He immediately said, "Captain Huo, you're too kind. These crystal cores are more than enough for medical expenses." He poured out a small portion of the cores and pushed the rest back to Huo Changfeng. "We both know the value of crystal cores. This is too much. You are our guests here; there's no talk of troubling us, and certainly no mention of fees.

"Mankind is facing a great crisis now. Countless people die every day for various reasons. I may not be much, but I understand that survivors must help each other. Please rest assured and focus on recovering from your injuries. Don't worry too much."

Huo Changfeng didn't accept it back, only saying, "Mr. Ren is magnanimous and righteous. I appreciate your kindness, but this is what we should pay. I will also clear the north road as soon as possible."

"This matter isn't entirely your responsibility either. This morning's incident was sudden, and I was anxious, so my tone was harsh. My apologies." Ren Yan said. "It's getting late. Captain Huo should go rest soon. Clearing the north road can wait until tomorrow."

Huo Changfeng was indeed feeling tired. Hearing this, he didn't say more, took his leave from Ren Yan, but didn't return to the room Little Jiang had prepared for him to rest. Instead, carrying the items, he went straight to the fifth floor.

The hallway door was shut tight. Huo Changfeng pushed it open with some force and walked towards Bai Tu and Guan Jianrui's wards.

Their wards were adjacent. Huo Changfeng placed the burlap sacks by the door and entered Bai Tu's ward.

No one else was in the ward. Bai Tu was awake but not in bed. He had somehow scrounged up an oversized white shirt and baggy pants, which he wore as he sat by the window looking outside, not noticing someone had entered the room.

He wasn't being very vigilant.

Huo Changfeng frowned and quickly walked over, but his tone unconsciously softened. "Why are you sitting here?"

This ward was originally a four-person office, about fifteen square meters, with only one window—a common sliding window that could only open halfway. The dying light of the setting sun slanted in, turning half the room's walls golden.

Sitting by the window commanded a view of nearly half the base. Huo Changmeng followed Bai Tu's gaze outside, where the base's high walls overlapped with the fading clouds on the horizon. Only a corner of the sun remained visible, but its color was stunningly beautiful.

Huo Changmeng paused for a moment before reaching out to close the window, shutting out the evening breeze.

Bai Tu didn't notice, turning to look at him with bright eyes. "Huo Changmeng, you're back."

Huo Changmeng instinctively wanted to ruffle his hair, but upon seeing the grime on his own palm, he quickly lowered his half-raised hand and gave a quiet "Mm." His right hand was then grabbed.

He stiffened, looking down at his right forearm.

The sleeve was rolled up, revealing no wounds on the exposed skin.

Still, he withdrew his hand uncomfortably. "My hands are dirty."

Bai Tu didn't insist on holding his hand, only saying, "You didn't properly treat your wounds again."

Although his palm was wrapped in bandages, the dressing was messy, and the gauze wasn't new.

"It's just a minor scrape, nothing serious." Huo Changmeng felt Bai Tu was overly concerned about him while neglecting his own well-being, sitting by the window with injuries and catching a chill. But he also knew that lying in bed staring at the ceiling was boring—when there was nothing to do, physical pain became harder to bear. So, he didn't ask Bai Tu to return to bed. Instead, he went to the gunny sacks by the door, retrieved two soft cushions and a pillow, then brought back a brand-new knitted cardigan and a blanket.

Bai Tu let him place the cushions under his hips and behind his back, took the blanket to cover his knees, and put on the cardigan. Only after being thoroughly bundled up did he speak. "Ji Songyue treated me. I'm feeling much better."

"Have you had dinner?" Huo Changmeng asked him.

Bai Tu gave an honest shake of his head.

Huo Changmeng took a piece of chocolate from his pocket, unwrapped half of it, and handed it to him. "Have this to tide you over. I'll go find some food. After dinner, let the doctor check you again."

As soon as he finished speaking, Fan Xinglu pushed the door open, holding two old-fashioned metal lunchboxes and two pairs of chopsticks. Seeing Huo Changmeng inside was no surprise to him—he knew Huo Changmeng had returned as soon as he saw the sacks by the door.

"Assistant Jiang just delivered a few meals. Did you buy them, Captain?"

"No."

Huo Changmeng took the lunchboxes and opened one. Rice topped with scrambled eggs and stir-fried cabbage—simple fare, but quite precious in the apocalypse.

Ren Yan's goodwill came inexplicably, but it held no ill intent. Since both sides had their own needs, there was no need to refuse kindness without cause. Huo Changmeng laid out the meals, helped Bai Tu up with one hand, and dragged a chair to the desk with the other. After Bai Tu was seated again, he casually poured a glass of water, then walked to the door and picked up one of the large sacks. He said to Fan Xinglu:

"Divide the rest among yourselves. How is Guanguan recovering?"

Fan Xinglu replied, "Quite well. He just fell asleep."

Huo Changmeng nodded. "You've all worked hard these past few days. After dinner, go rest. I'll take care of Bai Tu here. For Guanguan, just leave one person to take shifts."

Fan Xinglu hesitated. "Captain, don't you want to rest first? We all rested during the day. I can help look after Bai Tu too."

"Thank you, but I'm fine."

It was Bai Tu who spoke. Huo Changmeng turned to look at him. The lunchbox remained untouched, the chopsticks still in place. The other unopened lunchbox was set out similarly beside it, and an extra glass of water had appeared on the table.

Huo Changmeng realized Bai Tu was waiting for him, his heart softening. He said to Fan Xinglu, "I can rest here just the same."

Fan Xinglu said nothing more, taking his things and leaving.

Bai Tu didn't talk much while eating, chewing slowly and thoroughly—a stark contrast to Huo Changmeng, who wolfed down his food. Having barely eaten for two days, Huo Changmeng was halfway through his meal before noticing Bai Tu watching him.

He swallowed the food in his mouth and asked, "What's wrong? Don't you like it?"

Bai Tu shook his head, said nothing, and dug into his food.

The bandage on his right hand had been removed, his wrist and palm smooth and unblemished—thanks to Ji Songyue. Huo Changmeng felt slightly relieved. He finished the rest of his meal in a few bites, then heard Bai Tu say, "Huo Changmeng, are you in a bad mood?"

"No," Huo Changmeng reflexively denied, then added, "Just a bit tired."

Bai Tu made an "Oh" sound. "If you want to talk, I'm willing to listen. Even if I might not be able to help, I want to hear you speak. Anything is fine."

Here it was again.

He always said things like that.

Huo Changmeng sighed silently. It was really hard to refuse.

He was silent for a moment before saying, "Bai Tu, do you think people are still human after they turn into zombies? Or is it possible they could still be human?"

"Why do you ask? Did something happen?"

Huo Changmeng said, "I encountered a zombie today."

"And then? Did it do something to you? Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm not hurt." Huo Changmeng avoided Bai Tu's gaze. "It was very strong, agile in a way that didn't seem human, very clever, good at using the environment, knew how to seek advantage and avoid harm. I almost lost to it. But it kept calling for help, even showed expressions of fear. Some of its behaviors made me think... it still seemed like a person."

"Maybe it just evolved," Bai Tu said.

"Evolved?"

"Its language system was enhanced. Making sounds for help was just to lure prey. Right now, no sound attracts people more than cries for help." Bai Tu stated firmly. "People become zombies only after they die. Zombies cannot be human."

Huo Changmeng was soft-hearted, but Bai Tu didn't want that softness to be a liability when he was in danger—that would be very risky.

He couldn't help but grab Huo Changmeng's hand. "Huo Changmeng, promise me that no matter what you encounter, you'll prioritize protecting yourself, okay?"

Huo Changmeng was taken aback, then couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay, I know. No need to be so tense. I was just overthinking for a moment."

He wasn't the type to obsess over things, but encountering something like this still made him ponder. After all, in this world, every additional survivor meant one more hope for humanity. Even setting aside all of humanity, if the dead could live again in another form, it would be a blessing for their loved ones and families. The world wouldn't seem utterly hopeless for humans.

But how many incredible miracles could there be in the world? Moreover, how many zombies had fallen by his hand along the way? Thinking about such things now seemed overly sentimental.

"Alright, keep eating. Your food is getting cold. I'm going to the restroom."

The restroom was at the end of the hallway. Huo Changmeng entered a stall, stripped off his clothes, and touched his smooth right arm, thinking perhaps it was just an illusion. He scrubbed himself down from head to toe several times, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and upon leaving, ran into Fan Xinglu again, who had come to fetch water.

Fan Xinglu pointed to his new glasses. "Thanks, Captain. The prescription is perfect. There's also a bag of crystal cores in there—"

Fan Xinglu's voice hitched for a moment, his gaze falling on Huo Changmeng's neck. Huo Changmeng had just showered and was wearing only a black tank top. The pendant around his neck was exposed, its purplish-red crystal surface dotted with water droplets, as beautiful as a priceless rare gem from before the apocalypse.

Such abundant energy, and Huo Changmeng hadn't absorbed it...

"Divide them all among yourselves." Huo Changmeng didn't notice his stare, shaving his stubble with a dagger in front of the mirror. He felt slightly embarrassed thinking about how he had talked to Bai Tu for so long earlier, unshaven and covered in grime.

After shaving, he retrieved the silver bracelet from his discarded jacket, confirmed it was undamaged, and stuffed it into his cargo pants pocket. He bundled up all his old clothes with the jacket, threw them in the trash, and left the restroom.

When he returned, Bai Tu had finished his meal and was sitting on the bed sorting through the sacks' contents. The contents were miscellaneous, but Bai Tu had already sorted them into categories.

Huo Changmeng walked over, took a gun from the bottom drawer, and said, "Your gun."

It was the air gun Xue Ji had given him.

Bai Tu was a little surprised and pleased. He thought the gun had been lost on that mountain road or taken away by Song Lan along with the supplies in the truck, but he still had it.

"When I found you, you were clutching this gun tightly and wouldn't let go. I figured it must be important to you, so I held onto it for you," Huo Changfeng said.

The gun's appearance was nothing special—it looked like an ordinary pistol. Bai Tu took it and put it away, saying, "I'm used to it."

Every gun has a different feel for its user. When Huo Changfeng was in the military, he'd had his own favorite piece too. Hearing this, he didn't think much of it and pulled a few items from a stack of neatly folded clothes on the bed. "I grabbed these clothes for you. See if they fit. Try the shoes too—if they don't fit, I'll go back to the mall tomorrow to get a few more pairs. This backpack is the same brand as the one you used to carry, but it's a bit smaller. Make do with it for now. Keep these two jars of moisturizer for your hands and face. I don't know much about these things, so if they don't feel comfortable, don't use them. There are other brands in the mall."

Huo Changfeng said all this with his head down, sitting on the edge of the bed as he refolded the clothes he'd pulled out and set them aside. After finishing, he started organizing other things, his hands looking busy. Only after rearranging everything did he stop, rubbed his palms on his thighs a few times before hesitantly taking the bracelet out of his pocket.

"Ahem, and this."

The silver polishing cloth used for wrapping had been opened once before, so it wasn't wrapped tightly now. It loosened as he took it out, and the bracelet lay in his palm. Huo Changfeng held out his hand, but his eyes remained fixed on his knees, for some reason, he felt nervous.

A few seconds later, he felt the weight leave his palm, but Bai Tu hadn't said anything.

Was it that he didn't like it, or that he thought Huo was being too presumptuous?

Huo Changfeng felt strange and uneasy. Unable to help himself, he looked up and saw Bai Tu holding the bracelet, looking at him with a deeply complicated expression—surprise, delight, gratitude, and... scrutiny?

"What's wrong? Don't you like it? There were other styles there..."

"It's beautiful. I like it very much," Bai Tu interrupted softly. "Why did you suddenly give me a silver bracelet?"

Huo Changfeng averted his eyes, rubbing his earlobe as he muttered, "I just saw it and thought it would look good on you... Just like how you gave me the crystal core, I wanted to give you something too."

Bai Tu remained silent. Huo Changfeng didn't dare look at his expression upon hearing this, thinking he had been too impulsive.

Would Bai Tu think he was frivolous?

After a moment, Bai Tu extended his wrist, his tone light and soft: "Then help me put it on."

Huo Changfeng suddenly looked at him. Only after confirming Bai Tu was serious did he take the bracelet and fasten it around his wrist.

The bracelet fit surprisingly well. The gleaming silver and the moonstone with its drifting blue light made Bai Tu's wrist appear even more fair and delicate. Bai Tu raised his wrist to eye level, turning it a few times. The peace lock swayed in the air along with the movement. Seeming to find it amusing, Bai Tu reached out and fiddled with it a few times, pursing his lips into a faint smile.

He leaned in and threw his arms around Huo Changfeng, saying, "Huo Changfeng, you're so good to me."

Huo Changfeng was caught off guard by the sudden hug. The warmth from his earlobes instantly spread to his cheeks. After hesitating for a while, he hugged Bai Tu back, lowered his head, and gently kissed his forehead, saying, "It's only right."

Bai Tu was taken aback, wondering why he had suddenly kissed him, but he straightened up and replied earnestly, "I'll be good to you too."