บท 97: 97
Pei Yujang didn't sleep long.
She was utterly exhausted, her energy depleted, but a force within her kept her from slipping into a deep sleep. In her dreams, distorted faces snarled and clawed, reminding Pei Yujang not to miss something crucial.
What had she missed?
The biggest threat planted by the A Organization had been neutralized. If she could find Yu Zhiwan, everything would be fine. After Pei Yujang and her team dismantled the bombs submerged in the lake, the other end, connected to the sea, began to backflow into Yihu Lake. They needed to seal the breach quickly.
But compared to the bombs in Yihu Lake, this was insignificant and didn't pose a major threat. At most, it might lead to another incident like the one in Yaocheng, where sharks entered the waters.
When Pei Yujang woke up, the outside world was a hive of activity. People were still busy fixing the breach, working in an orderly manner. Due to the lack of manpower, Pei Yujang and her team had been assigned to rest in makeshift tents, insulated with soundproofing material.
She sat in the tent for a while, gradually regaining her clarity. As soon as she felt ready, she grabbed her gear and weapons, slipping out quietly while no one was paying attention.
The scent of Omega pheromones lingered thickly in the air. Pei Yujang had always had a peculiar sensitivity to Yu Zhiwan's scent, and now, the residual traces still hadn't faded completely. Following the trail, Pei Yujang pushed her speed to the limit in her pursuit.
Yu Zhiwan's condition, after exerting herself to the point of releasing her pheromones in full force, would be extremely fatigued, making it difficult for her to escape. In the hands of those people, an Omega like her would have a hard time breaking free. Yu Zhiwan wasn't reckless, but rather, she was someone who planned ten steps ahead. Whatever came next, she had undoubtedly thought it through.
So, why had Yu Zhiwan done this?
The trees in the forest were mostly destroyed by the acid rain, leaving a devastated landscape. Pei Yujang forced her mind to work faster. Images flashed through her memory, finally settling on the last glance exchanged between her and Yu Zhiwan.
Yu Zhiwan had instructed her to first eliminate the source of Yicheng's disaster. But when she was taken away, uncertain if Pei Yujang would find her, why had she waited to say something until Pei Yujang arrived, rather than tell the rescuers from the state?
There was only one possible explanation.
She only trusted those people as a last resort.
Deep down, the only person Yu Zhiwan could fully trust was Pei Yujang. The lingering scent of pheromones suggested that Yu Zhiwan had forced her glands to release them again, a dangerous move that also meant she was placing all her bets on Pei Yujang.
As the distance between them narrowed, Pei Yujang approached a rugged mountain pass. Suddenly, a large, fierce dog with bulging eyes leaped out from the underbrush, blocking the path of the pursuers.
The heavily armed men didn't think much of the ferocious dog. The leader didn't even spare it a glance, simply speeding up. But before he could react, the powerful beast lunged at him with lightning speed!
These men were skilled fighters, each capable of taking down several opponents. But they were caught off guard by the dog's speed and power. Before the man could react, the beast's bloodthirsty jaws clamped down on his throat, mercilessly snapping it.
In his final moments, the man locked eyes with the bloodthirsty creature and realized with horror that it wasn't a dog—its eyes were even more terrifying than a wolf's. This was the first Zombified Beast, barely in its infancy, yet already outmatching the notorious pit bull in speed and ferocity.
Pei Yujang pushed her motorbike to its limits, racing through the landscape like a blur. The acid rain pelted her, but she barely noticed the pain.
When she suddenly heard a voice in her ear, she nearly jumped, thinking she was hallucinating.
711, seeing that Pei Yujang hadn't reacted, would have grabbed the handlebars and changed her route if it had a physical form:
"Change course, take the shortcut—they've altered their path to take Yu Zhiwan toward Yihu Lake!"
Pei Yujang hesitated for two seconds before recalling the system she had bound to the day she crossed over. This was the system that had forced her to follow the plot, always favoring Liu Huanran to an unfair degree, leaving Pei Yujang with a bad impression of it.
711 had anticipated this reaction. Resigned, it kept things brief:
"Liu Huanran is gone, the world line is still collapsing, and you need to rescue Yu Zhiwan quickly."
711 was a system born from the world's will. When it said Liu Huanran was "gone," it didn't mean she was dead but rather that she had been stripped of her protagonist status.
When Liu Huanran was imprisoned, the system had hoped she would come to her senses, escape prison, and reclaim her rightful position. But instead, she spiraled into self-destruction, engaging in all sorts of unhealthy behaviors in prison, eventually falling ill and losing the capability to fulfill that role.
Because of this, 711 had been punished by the main system and had only recently regained its strength. Now, it found the situation had spiraled out of control.
711, fearing the consequences of another failure, had no choice but to help Pei Yujang.
Once it detected that Yu Zhiwan had been taken by the A Organization, 711 immediately pinpointed her location and directed Pei Yujang to it. If anything else happened to the other protagonist, the system wouldn't be able to function any longer. Not knowing what its punishment would be, 711 could only hope Pei Yujang could find her in time and even pointed out a shortcut.
Pei Yujang pushed her speed to the max, finally catching up to the group just as they were heading back.
The group, a small squad returning with Yu Zhiwan, had realized there was no explosion at Yihu Lake, meaning the bomb threat had been neutralized. They still had something buried there, intending to force Yu Zhiwan to hand over the half-finished zombie virus cure. But they were caught off guard when Pei Yujang single-handedly blocked their path.
Unwilling to waste time, they released a second Zombified Beast and signaled for backup.
Pei Yujang, with her extensive combat experience, anticipated the attack. As the beast's sharp claws and foul breath closed in, she dodged, using the momentum to leap onto its back. With a swift motion, her jungle knife sliced through the vulnerable neck, dodging the toxic blood.
Meanwhile, a bullet whizzed by, piercing through the head of the communicator. Pei Yujang cranked the throttle and leaped onto the bike of the person holding Yu Zhiwan.
The others opened fire, one shot aimed at Yu Zhiwan. Pei Yujang raised her left hand to block it.
Although she was adept with firearms, Pei Yujang was more skilled with a blade, honed by years in the apocalypse. Holding a knife between her teeth, she ignored the pain as she swiftly took down another assailant. The bike skidded, but Pei Yujang's long legs stabilized it, allowing her to break through the encirclement.
Despite the pain, she cradled the Omega in her arms, blood soaking through her clothes. Gunfire chased after them, but Yu Zhiwan, now conscious, smiled faintly at the familiar scent surrounding her. Though she knew Pei Yujang had no time to look down, her lips curled into a relieved smile.
Reaching for the gun, Yu Zhiwan fired back. Her marksmanship was good, taking down one pursuer before she frowned and urgently told Pei Yujang:
"Turn back!"
Pei Yujang didn't hesitate, veering sharply. A few shots followed, narrowly missing them.
Minutes later, Yu Zhiwan blew the smoke from her gun, retrieving a blueprint from the body of a fallen enemy.
Yu Zhiwan had counted the members of this squad, realizing they were relentless in their pursuit, except for one who had turned to flee. Her guess was right. After killing him, she retrieved the blueprint she needed.
Now it was time for her to act. Despite the sleepless nights, Yu Zhiwan felt a deep sense of peace, no longer plagued by fear.
The Omega rested her head against Pei Yujang's chest, catching sight of the bullet wound in her hand, her heart aching as she silently hid her concern.
After returning to camp and tending to their wounds, Pei Yujang, though exhausted, couldn't sleep. She chose to stand guard over Yu Zhiwan personally. This was a makeshift lab, with a medical room next door. The wounded came and went, but all were careful not to make too much noise to avoid disturbing the patients.
The scent of blood was thick in the air, overpowering even the smell of the medicinal ointment on Pei Yujang. Some had bullet wounds through their abdomens; others had legs pierced by steel beams at the riverbank, their appearances harrowing.
In the distance, a new group of people arrived to negotiate entry. Jiang Wenxiu wiped the sweat from her brow as An Yaoyao handed over the registration duties to her. After thoroughly checking their documents and confirming their identities, Jiang Wenxiu allowed them into the fenced-off area. It was as if she had matured overnight, standing firm in the wind and rain with unyielding determination.
These people had come to deliver food, as there were no cooking facilities available. In addition to those working on the river embankment, Pei Yujang and the other wounded were also able to enjoy a bite of hot, simple meals. When she tasted the familiar flavor of beef soup, Pei Yujang, with a bowl in one hand, called over Yu Zhiwan, who had stepped outside for some fresh air. She scooped up a spoonful and gently offered it to Yu Zhiwan.
The savory taste melted in Yu Zhiwan's mouth, soothing the burning hunger in her stomach. After quickly finishing the bowl, she walked over to the disinfection room, smiling at Pei Yujang. In return, Pei Yujang, despite her stiffness and difficulty, managed to form a "heart" gesture towards her, expressing her love.
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