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墨書 Inktalez
Because Jun Chong hadn't shown up all day, Grandpa had already gone home. Mom stayed with me at the hospital, bringing me plenty of food. I ate and then fell asleep, but without Jun Chong's embrace, I couldn't get comfortable on this bed no matter how I tried.
In a hazy state, I seemed to hear someone talking. When I opened my eyes, I saw Jun Chong and Mom standing together, chatting. Mom's radiant smile showed just how pleased she was with Jun Chong.
To be honest, it was the first time I had seen Jun Chong out of that oversized black robe, dressed in human clothes.
His shoes were polished black and shiny, his legs long and straight. The black casual pants weren't as tailored as dress pants, but on him, they looked perfectly pressed, showcasing his long, slender legs beautifully.
As I admired the elegance of those legs, a warm voice like jade gently penetrated my ears from above, reminiscent of dust dancing in the daylight, stirring my heart and banishing any lingering drowsiness.
"Are you awake?"
I slowly lifted my head, my heart skipping a beat at the sight of that uniquely handsome face. Jun Chong's long black hair was tied back with a ribbon, and his dark pupils were filled with curiosity as he gazed at me. He then reached out to touch my cheek.
When the cool sensation brought a refreshing feeling from within, I realized my face was burning hot.
"Why are you so warm? Do you have a fever?"
Jun Chong moved to embrace me, but I caught sight of Mom's amused expression and felt utterly embarrassed. I wanted to retreat but was pulled into his arms by his strong hand.
"Don't move; let me check."
His long fingers deftly undid the buttons on my back. He glanced at the injury and frowned slightly. "How is your wound?"
"It's nothing; just a small scrape. There's no need for you to worry, Aunt."
Jun Chong didn't let go of me as my mother buttoned up my clothes. My face was probably as red as if it were bleeding, and my mother wore a satisfied smile, giving Jun Chong a thumbs up.
"It's getting late; I should head back now. Anxin, make sure to rest well."
"Mom!" I called out, struggling to peek out from behind Jun Chong. "It's already dark; you shouldn't go back. I'm worried."
"Anxin is right. The mountain roads are dangerous at this hour. You should stay here with Anxin tonight."
"Alright then! I'll go get her something to eat; you two chat for now."
As soon as my mother left, I pushed Jun Chong away and looked him over in his outfit. I had grown accustomed to seeing him in his dark robes, so seeing him dressed like this felt quite wonderful. I wondered if I should encourage him to wear such clothes more often.
Jun Chong noticed me staring blankly and lightly tapped my head. "What are you thinking about?"
"Hehe, I won't tell you."
He pursed his lips, his dark pupils reflecting my image. Finally, he took my hand and said, "I'm going to the village tonight. You stay here and rest well. I've set up a barrier in this room; I'll sense anything that happens, and Tao Wu will be here to protect you."
"I want to go too."
"You can't go; your injury isn't healed yet." Jun Chong shook his head in refusal.
"If you don't take me with you, I'll follow after you as soon as you leave."
I stubbornly held my ground against him. "Jun Chong, I know you're worried about me, but since I've been involved from the beginning, I won't back out just because I'm weak. I've said before that I want to work together with you all. Even if I don't know much, there must be something I can help with. So please take me with you?"
Jun Chong stared at me for a long time before finally letting out a silent sigh.
To prevent my mother from waking up and discovering my absence, Jun Chong cast a sleep spell on her. After confirming the barrier around the hospital room, I left Tao Wu behind, and we set off.
As soon as we entered the village, I was hit by a strong stench and the taste of blood. The silver moonlight illuminated the small village, casting a hazy glow over everything, while the roars of wild beasts echoed continuously in the night.
I recalled how Little Scar had killed someone last night. If those who were bitten turned into Zombies, I dared not think about what would happen to the rest of us.
“How many people in the village have turned into Zombies?” I asked.
“Roughly estimated, there are about a dozen,” Jun Chong replied, frowning as he carried me down the street. At that moment, a slow-moving Zombie lunged at us. With a swift motion, Jun Chong waved his hand, and a flash of dark light caused the Zombie's fangs to fall out. The creature touched its own teeth in confusion before becoming enraged and charging at us with heavy breaths.
Jun Chong wielded his Black Longsword but did not take its life. Each strike was aimed to push it back with sword energy instead. Just then, several more Zombies came rushing around the corner—men, women, old and young—all moving with stiff gaits, their sharp claws glinting ominously as they opened their mouths to bite.
Yet Jun Chong continued to defend without killing them outright.
I wondered why he didn’t deal with this one like he had with Little Scar last night. Suddenly, a nimble figure leaped down from a building. A flash of yellow appeared as a talisman stuck to the woman’s forehead, rendering her motionless.
He and Jun Chong worked together seamlessly, quickly subduing several Zombies.
“Molin!” I exclaimed upon seeing Molin appear, feeling relieved. In just one day and night, he seemed considerably more fatigued. “Are you alright?”
“Do I look alright?” Molin replied irritably, spitting on the ground without regard for appearances. He scratched his head and looked at Jun Chong. “Damn it, more and more people are getting bitten. What’s in that ancient tomb?”
“It’s a Han Dynasty Tomb. I had a fight with him, and then he ran away,” Jun Chong explained.
I was astonished; the tomb raider Molin mentioned was actually Jun Chong? They had crossed paths back then? Why hadn’t he told me?
"It must be hiding in the village. This place is filled with the stench of corpses, it's unbearable." Molin sheathed the Copper Coin Sword at his waist and picked up a lighter, using it to ignite the clothes of several bodies, setting them ablaze. The flames roared into the night sky, accompanied by continuous wails and cries. The fire illuminated half the sky, making the night even more eerie.
"As night falls tonight, the number of Zombies in the village will only increase. If they had let me burn those who were bitten last night, it wouldn't have come to this," Molin said, gazing at the moon hanging in the dark sky, his brow furrowed. "The night after tomorrow is the full moon; they will be even stronger then. We must find the source, or we will face endless troubles."
I stared at the raging flames and suddenly had a flash of inspiration. "Did Boss not say he was going back to find talismans? Since they were left behind by that Taoist priest years ago, they must have been meant as a precaution."
Molin did not respond. The firelight cast shadows on his face, leaving one side shrouded in darkness. A sense of dread washed over me. "Something happened to Boss?"
"Boss was bitten last night. He’s already like them now," Molin said, taking a deep breath before exhaling slowly. "I went to Boss's house to ask his wife about him. She said he had indeed rummaged through everything looking for talismans after returning home. In the end, he found them and was very happy, saying he would bring them to us overnight. But after he went out, he never came back. When I saw Boss last time, he didn't have those talismans on him."
A chill ran through me; if Boss's talismans were our hope, then that hope was now completely extinguished.
"What should we do now?"
"Aside from those who were directly bitten, many others are injured as well. We're running low on Glutinous Rice too," Molin sighed. "I've already sent someone out of the village to buy some."
"What about my grandfather?"
"Your grandfather is at the village chief's house; everyone is gathered there now." Molin turned away from the charred remains of a body. "Let's head over there; we need to discuss how to deal with what comes next."
The three of us made our way to the village chief's house and found a crowd of people gathered in the yard, their faces shadowed with fear. As we approached, they automatically parted to make way for us.
I noticed many people lying or sitting inside a large room, while a few strong men stood guard at the entrance, preventing anyone from getting too close.
Suddenly, an Aunt rushed out and fell to her knees before Molin, crying out, "Master, what about my daughter? The one in the red dress?"
"I'm sorry, Aunt," Molin replied with just five words. At that moment, Aunt's eyes rolled back and she fainted. People rushed forward to revive her as a heavy atmosphere enveloped us in the darkness.
I listened to the waves of crying, feeling a deep sadness in my heart. We were all family, and now faced with life and death separation, no one could accept it calmly, especially not in this way.
The village chief and my grandfather were talking when they immediately came out to greet us upon seeing us. My grandfather frowned disapprovingly at me. "What are you doing back here instead of resting in the hospital? Where's your mother?"
"Mom is at the hospital. I'm just worried about everyone," I replied.
Seeing that my grandfather was about to scold me further, the village chief stepped in as a mediator. "Gu Lao, Anxin is also concerned about everyone. There aren't many brave girls like her these days."
I pressed my lips together and smiled lightly before saying, "Village chief, this situation is becoming more serious. To prevent anyone else from getting hurt or bitten, I think you should rally everyone to leave the village immediately."
"Anxin's right," my grandfather added, stroking his beard. It was clear he had already discussed this with the village chief before, but the village chief shook his head. "This village may be small and backward, but those who live here have been here for generations. For our generation, where else can we go besides here?"
"But village chief, it's just a temporary departure. Once this matter is resolved, we can come back! Besides, with so many people here, it’s a deadly attraction for those zombies. Staying will only cause more harm. I understand your determination to protect the village, but protecting means safeguarding, not becoming a sacrifice."
I knew that the people in the village valued loyalty and wouldn’t flee in panic just because they were threatened; everyone gathered here wanted to wait for the village chief to make a decision.
Watching the village chief remain silent, everyone cooperatively stayed quiet until he finally sighed and walked to the main gate to address everyone. "Everyone go back and pack your things, then leave the village."
"Wait a minute." Molin stepped forward and added, "Everyone should stay here tonight and act in the morning."
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