Chapter 122: 122, Nightfall (Third update, requesting monthly votes)

"Master," Chen Wudi sat beside the bonfire, staring blankly at the flames: "You said I've defeated the Money Leopard King, and that woman still wants me to leave?"

Ren Xiaosu remained silent. He longed to tell Chen Wudi that human nature is complex, that some people are not worth saving, yet he feared shattering the pure innocence in Chen Wudi's heart.

If there truly were a celestial being like the Great Sage Equal to Heaven who had been persuaded by Ren Xiaosu to become mortal, Ren Xiaosu could not discern whether he had done a good deed or a wicked one.

At that moment, Wang Fugui chuckled from the side: "You simply meddle too much in other people's affairs. In this life, mastering the eight characters 'It's none of your business' and 'It's none of my business' will spare you much trouble."

"What do you mean?" Chen Wudi froze, lifting his head to ask.

"Look," Wang Fugui said with solemn gravity: "Why must you interfere in this matter? If you don't..."

Chen Wudi interrupted: "It's none of your business."

Wang Fugui: "..."

"Hahaha," Ren Xiaosu, Yan Liuyuan, and Xiao Yu Jie laughed heartily, though fortunately Chen Wudi had already grasped the use of those four words.

As for whether he could learn "It's none of my business," Ren Xiaosu believed it depended on Chen Wudi's willingness.

The next morning, they rose early to roast and eat sweet potatoes. Many would rather skip meals to sleep longer, but in this season, going without breakfast leaves one's body chilled all day.

Ren Xiaosu noticed the Qingshi Group had already risen. Combatants and refugees were different; they had discipline.

Today, the refugees fared better. Some still fell ill with fevers, but the numbers were not excessive.

When the Qingshi Group moved, the refugees followed suit, silently trailing behind them, determined to stay.

Ren Xiaosu glanced at the refugee crowd and spotted the Money Leopard King, who had been felled by Chen Wudi the day before, lying on the ground barely breathing. The woman had vanished into the throng, her whereabouts unknown.

No one aided him there—he was doomed to die.

According to the fallen man's account, he had cared for the woman within the fortress, even helping her escape. Yet when he faced peril, she abandoned him without hesitation.

In this world, it was impossible to tell who deserved death.

At that moment, Ren Xiaosu observed the Qingshi Group's side. Their two remaining vehicles moved slowly. Those who couldn't board walked alongside the cars.

But Ren Xiaosu was puzzled—he clearly saw Luo Lan walking on foot instead of riding!

What was the meaning of this? Was this some form of physical training?

Upon closer inspection, he wondered what kind of soldiers deserved seats in the vehicles. Surely there was no one more important than Luo Lan.

This observation left Ren Xiaosu stunned. The cargo trucks and jeeps were packed with bandaged wounded and half a load of ammunition.

Weapons and ammo couldn't be discarded—even if they had to walk, they had to carry these supplies. That was their lifeline!

Under the obstruction of the human-faced worms, soldiers had helped Luo Lan break through, so Luo Lan let them ride while he walked.

Some wounded still trudged on the ground, as the vehicles were too full. Those nimble enough hadn't boarded.

Yet these unseated wounded showed no despair or resentment. Ren Xiaosu even sensed they laughed and chatted as they marched.

He had assumed Luo Lan would drive off and abandon the wounded, rushing straight to Wall 109. But reality defied his expectations.

These Qingshi and Luo Lan brothers... No wonder even the supernatural had willingly died for Qingshi.

Unknown to Ren Xiaosu, the fallen supernatural was not hired by Qingshi but had once been a soldier under his command. After awakening, he became Qingshi's devoted bodyguard.

That night, Ren Xiaosu felt an inexplicable unease, which Xiao Yu Jie noticed. She asked curiously, "What's wrong, Xiaosu?"

"Nothing," Ren Xiaosu shook his head, gazing into the bonfire: "Something feels off."

But he couldn't articulate what. That feeling—like returning to the perilous Jing Mountain.

The night was pitch-black, as if a cage were descending.

"Let's go," Ren Xiaosu stamped out their bonfire: "We can't stay here tonight."

He decided to trust his instincts, for they had saved him more than once.

Zhang Jinglin once said that scientists had proven the sixth sense exists before disasters.

As Ren Xiaosu stood to extinguish the fire, the refugees stared in confusion. Only Jiang Wu reacted fastest, urging students to follow before others understood.

Though she didn't know what was happening, she knew to run with Ren Xiaosu!

Someone muttered, "What's wrong with that youth?"

"Don't know."

"Brother, where are we going?" Yan Liuyuan asked.

"Don't know," Ren Xiaosu replied: "Let's leave first."

But just as they broke away from the refugee group, preparing to circle around the Qingshi Group's base, Ren Xiaosu heard faint clanking of chains behind them!

And the sound grew closer!

"Run!" Ren Xiaosu growled low, for among the countless refugees, only he knew what lurked behind!

Inside Jing Mountain, when he had seen the swarm of experimental subjects charging toward him, his instincts had driven him to retreat, even facing the Qingshi Group head-on.

At that time, he couldn't determine how many experimental subjects there were—only that staying meant death!

These past days, both the wolf packs and experimental subjects haunted his mind. Without reaching Wall 109, those shadows would never fade.

He had hoped the fortress would draw the experimental subjects and wolves away, but now that hope was dashed. They had to flee swiftly!

Ren Xiaosu was puzzled—why had the experimental subjects, once confined to the woods, emerged en masse?

Wang Fugui and the others didn't understand why Ren Xiaosu wanted to flee, but they had unconsciously begun to trust him.

"What about these sweet potatoes!" Wang Dalong shouted as they ran.

Wang Fugui turned back, waving to knock the sweet potatoes from Wang Dalong's arms: "If you lose your life, what use are sweet potatoes? Follow Ren Xiaosu and run!"

By now, the clanking behind the refugees had grown louder. Turning, they saw the experimental subjects—spider-like, crawling rapidly across the ground, approaching like ghosts!

Only then did they begin to scream in terror, fleeing madly!

But the refugee crowd was too vast. The front remained unaware, while the rear had already panicked, causing chaos as people collided and toppled over!

From the rear came horrifying screams. Over a hundred experimental subjects had surged into the crowd, slaughtering and hunting wildly!

Once someone was killed, they would pounce on others without hesitation, as if determined to exterminate all refugees!

Suddenly, Ren Xiaosu noticed a bipedal experimental subject standing behind them, coldly staring.

In that moment, Ren Xiaosu realized—these experimental subjects still had a commander! They had not lost all reason!

...

The update schedule was indeed disrupted, causing a long gap. Let me adjust again—one more day, and tomorrow it'll be 6 PM...

No book review or chapter summary today—feeling a bit down. Comments welcome on my Weibo "Hui Shuohua de Rouzi."

First Sequence