Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 48: The Viaduct

Since Wu Sheng got this stationery, he had been pondering over the words “deep*”. Is it the effect of the stationery, or a condition for using it? Unsure of the answer, he hesitated to use it, fearing that once a connection with the stationery was established, the response would be to gaze deeply at the person you wanted to kill, a confidence he didn’t possess.

*Clarity: Deep here is referring to deep affection. So fully broken down, it would be like: A Deeply Affectionate Gaze of Death.

His caution persisted until he was struck by [Cupid’s Arrow].

The perfect alignment of time, location, and sentiment made it real.

“Does your whole body hurt, unable to move?” Wu Sheng gazed intently at Han Buting, soothingly saying, “Don’t worry, this is love.”

Han Buting’s face was pale, but his eyes couldn’t move away from the gaze. As if he was ensnared by Medusa, his body became petrified, unable to even lift a finger. Then came the pain, like thousands of insects gnawing at him.

“Get in the car quickly, both of you.” Wu Sheng, having the upper hand, remained cautious, but his voice was husky and full of deep affection due to the lingering effects of the stationery.

Xu Wang shuddered upon hearing this; his emotions were complex.

He thought that the “deeply affectionate Wu Sheng” was a rare occurrence in this lifetime and shouldn’t be given to outsiders, like precious water flowing into a stranger’s field.

Han Buting missed the envious gaze of the enemy team’s captain as Xu Wang entered the passenger seat. In front of him, entering the driver’s seat with grandeur, was Mr. Thirteen of the Middle Ring.

As Wu Sheng confirmed his teammate was in position, he finally focused on delivering Han Buting his last journey. “In twenty seconds, you’ll be free.”

Speaking was the only thing Han Buting could do now, but the pain had silenced him since the onset. So, in these final moments, Wu Sheng didn’t expect a response.

Yet, Han Buting replied, “No need for twenty seconds. Five will do.”

The bone-deep pain didn’t bring a grimace to his face; instead, he managed to give a faint smile after these words.

Wu Sheng sensed something amiss!

“Watch your back—”

Xu Wang suddenly shouted from inside the car, leaping towards him like a black tiger pouncing on food and shooting a sharp stream of water from the driver’s window!

Wu Sheng didn’t waste time looking back. Trusting Xu Wang’s cover, he dashed to the rear door in a single stride!

He opened the door, got in, and completed the action seamlessly.

The moment their eyes separated, Han Buting immediately tried to stop Wu Sheng. However, though the stationery’s effect had worn off, the pain didn’t ease that quickly. Barely moving, he gasped in pain and had to let Wu Sheng slam the car door.

“Sit tight—”

As Mr. Thirteen touched the steering wheel, the engine roared fiercely. Regardless of a car key or the model, they were irrelevant in the face of the king of cars.

With the press of the accelerator, the pink Beetle zoomed off like an arrow released from its bow!

Li Zijin, who was wounded on the wrist, ignored the pain, quickly pulling the still-standing team captain to safety to avoid being scraped.

Chi Yingxue didn’t go to the captain to show loyalty but gazed in the direction of the departing pink Beetle, curiously muttering, “That Beetle sounds like a Ferrari when driven…”

……

The Beetle, now seemingly possessed by a Ferrari’s soul, reached the vicinity of the jumping machine in no time under Mr. Thirteen’s skilled driving.

Qian Ai was still entangled with Li Xia—one wielding a chainsaw, the other a screwdriver with a broken tip. Both looked as if they had just emerged from a vat of blood, drenched in it, causing a pang of fear in onlookers.

Mr. Thirteen brought the car to a screeching halt at the edge of the battlefield. Wu Sheng, armed with the rocket launcher, aimed at Li Xia. “Lao Qian, get Xiao Kuang in the car!”

Li Xia, holding the screwdriver, paused mid-air, then slowly retracted it. Wu Sheng couldn’t see his face hidden in the shadows but felt his reluctance and discontent.

Qian Ai re-shouldered the chainsaw, scooped up Kuang Jinxin from the bench, hurried to the car, and with Xu Wang’s help, secured him in the co-pilot seat and fastened the seatbelt. Then both Qian Ai and Xu Wang settled in the back seat.

Wu Sheng retracted his weapon and got into the car.

As the accelerator roared to life, Li Xia quickly became a tiny speck in the colorful lights. The pink Beetle raced towards the amusement park’s north gate, speeding away.

Xu Wang was initially worried that Han Buting and his team had set up traps at the gate, but three minutes later, as the Beetle sped out of the north gate, crashing through zombies with rocket fire, he finally relaxed.

With his nerves eased, he remembered the dire state of his teammates and quickly turned to ask, “Lao Qian, how are you?”

Qian Ai tossed another blood-soaked alcohol swab, revealing a face finally discernible, and sighed wearily. “Captain Wangwang, if I were seriously injured, you’d only remember to ask when it’s time to burn paper offerings in my memory.”

“Where exactly are you hurt?” It sounded like a minor injury, but the sight was terrifying, as if two buckets of blood had been spilled.

Qian Ai pointed to a cut above his eyebrow. “Isn’t it obvious?”

Xu Wang replied, “I saw that, but what about the rest?”

Qian Ai was speechless. “Isn’t this enough? This cut alone will ruin several days of my live streaming!”

Xu Wang was even more speechless. “Just for this cut, you’re covered in blood? What about the other guy…”

“The other guy’s just as tough. The blood is from the zombies. We had just cleared the zombies when you guys drove up, and then we started to battle again.” Qian Ai was grinding his teeth, upset about not having the chance to beat up that bastard properly.

Xu Wang glanced at Kuang Jinxin, the “passive spectator”, who was clean and white-faced, obviously well-protected. The zombies hadn’t touched him at all, and even the splattered blood from the fight hadn’t stained him. It was only when he was picked up and put in the car that his clothes got some of Qian Ai’s blood on them.

“Why hasn’t he woken up yet?” Seeing Xu Wang leaning over from the back of the chair to look at Kuang Jinxin, Qian Ai asked worriedly.

Xu Wang checked and said, “His breathing is normal, heartbeat is normal, and his forehead temperature is okay, too. He should be fine.”

“If he was seriously injured, he would have been forced back to reality,” Wu Sheng said.

“I’m worried he might have gotten a concussion when he fell.” Qian Ai recalled the moment with a shadow of worry in his eyes and a cold tone. “Next time I see that guy who pushed him, he’d better not let me catch him.”

The double assurance from the captain and the advisor somewhat reassured Qian Ai.

Only then did he remember that his wound was only half-treated.

He looked down, took a piece of gauze with tweezers from the half-open first-aid kit on his leg, soaked it in iodine, placed it on the already alcohol-wiped eyebrow, then covered it with a second layer of dry gauze and secured it with four pieces of tape in a “well” pattern.

His method was rough, but the professional first-aid supplies made it look decent.

“Your equipment is too comprehensive,” Qian Ai commented, securing the first-aid kit and handing it back to Wu Sheng sitting by the window. “Isn’t it heavy to carry?”

This wasn’t a simple first-aid box but a metal case almost as big as a backpack, barely fitting inside. It was filled with saline solution, alcohol, gauze, bandages, triangular cloths, safety pins, cotton swabs, round-headed scissors, pliers, and the like.

“It’s manageable,” Wu Sheng said, reopening the first-aid kit instead of putting it back in the backpack.

“That’s not right.” Xu Wang looked at the rejuvenated first-aid kit with confusion. “Last time you treated me, it was just a plastic box, wasn’t it?”

“I had a premonition that an idiot would frequently get injured, and the entry-level kit wouldn’t suffice,” Wu Sheng said without looking up, carefully dipping a cotton swab in iodine.

Xu Wang, not understanding his intention but catching the implication, rolled his eyes. “So you upgraded to a standard version?”

Wu Sheng finally looked at him. “Mini luxury version.”

Xu Wang: “……”

“Class Monitor,” Qian Ai protested. “I took down so many zombies and only got this scratch from a branch. You don’t have to praise my bravery, but you can’t call me an idiot…”

Wu Sheng: “……”

“He’s talking about me.” Xu Wang massaged his forehead, realizing that in this world, there are those who solicit work and money, while his team members would solicit complaints.

After correcting his team member’s misunderstanding, Xu Wang felt embarrassed and glared at Wu Sheng. “If you’re so capable, try not getting injured.”

Wu Sheng sighed regretfully. “Indeed, I wasn’t injured.”

“You’re just lucky. There’s a long road ahead.”

“Luck favors the capable.”

“……”

He couldn’t go on talking with Wu Sheng, or he’d end up injured on the inside!

“Here.” Wu Sheng handed over the carefully prepared, iodine-soaked cotton swab.

Xu Wang was still not over the conversation. He was stunned for a moment and didn’t answer. “What?”

Wu Sheng said, “Disinfect.”

Xu Wang was even more confused. “I’m not injured.”

“Is that streak on your arm a crayon drawing?” Wu Sheng raised an eyebrow.

Xu Wang looked down at his arm and finally remembered.

There was a bloodstain under the owl tattoo, previously wounded by Chi Yingxue’s crossbow arrow.

“It’s nothing. Just a scratch.” He felt Wu Sheng was overreacting. Compared to Qian Ai’s cut, his was barely a scrape.

Wu Sheng glanced at him and, without further words, reached over and began disinfecting the wound himself with the cotton swab. Even if the wound wasn’t deep, the rough and ready method wasn’t pleasant, and each dab was decidedly forceful.

“Ow, ow, ow—” Xu Wang snatched the cotton swab to do it himself. In terms of gentleness, he was light years ahead of Wu Sheng, who might as well be in a dry well in the basin.

“Since you know that it hurts, stay back next time.” Wu Sheng eyed the wound, still finding it distressing.

Xu Wang disagreed. “I’m the captain.”

Wu Sheng was too agreeable. “Great, captains belong in the central command tent.”

Xu Wang: “……”

He realized that when Wu Sheng was arguing with him, his speech was crystal clear, full of metaphors, witty remarks, and references. If only he would use his eloquence for proper matters, there wouldn’t always be a need for a translation!

Qian Ai silently looked out the window.

It was just a simple wound disinfection. Did it need such a deep conversation? Were they going to delve into poetry and philosophy next?

“We’re down to just three bomb balls?” Xu Wang had just finished disinfecting his wound when he received this bad news.

“There’s even less time left.” Wu Sheng reloaded the rocket launcher.

Beijing time 4:13, with only 47 minutes left until the end of the night.

“We’ve used up almost all our stationery.” Qian Ai sounded pessimistic. “Can we still make it?”

“Let’s take it as it comes.” Xu Wang had accepted the situation. “Even if we fail, it’s good to know the way.”

Outside the car window, the night was vast and obscure.

Occasionally, they would see “colleagues” fighting zombies by the roadside, but the car was moving too fast, and the scenes flashed by, leaving the outcome unknown.

“We’re approaching the overpass.” Mr. Thirteen confirmed the route again. “We’re taking the viaduct, right?”

Wu Sheng: “Yes.”

According to the map, crossing the viaduct over the river was the necessary route to reach the hospital.

Receiving a firm order, Mr. Thirteen no longer hesitated, accelerated decisively, and rushed onto the overpass. Due to the uphill climb, he pressed the accelerator even harder, exuding a momentum of “thousands of troops and horses cannot stop my furious speed”.

Xu Wang was optimistically thinking that if they maintained this speed, they could possibly finish their task before 5 a.m. Suddenly, Mr. Thirteen muttered, “Something’s not right…”

“What’s not right?” Xu Wang and Wu Sheng asked almost simultaneously, alert.

In the rearview mirror, Mr. Thirteen’s brow furrowed with confusion, even distorting the little owl on his forehead. “Seems like… we have company.”

……

Amusement park, by the pirate ship.

Chi Yingxue sat alone in the pirate ship, swaying back and forth with the mechanical arm’s movement, solitary yet seemingly enjoying himself.

“Since we can’t complete the task anyway, come up and play,” he called out for the 101^st time to his three teammates standing below, trying to be a “team player with positive energy”.

Unfortunately, his teammates weren’t in the mood.

Han Buting sat on a bench, deep in thought, with an expressionless face.

Li Zijin and Li Xia leaned against the railing at the entrance of the pirate ship, chatting sporadically—mainly Li Zijin complaining while Li Xia’s attention was uncertain.

“We were careless, definitely careless.” No matter how many times Li Zijin recalled, he couldn’t believe the outcome of their battle. “How could we let them get away?”

“Remember, they didn’t ‘get away’. They broke through.” Chi Yingxue, enjoying the pirate ship’s ride, interjected, “They made their way through—”

Li Zijin glared at him, unable to refute.

“I’m afraid, though they might have escaped, they’ll fail to submit their papers.” Li Xia, who had been silently listening, suddenly looked up, glancing towards the north of the city.

Li Zijin was taken aback.

Chi Yingxue raised his eyebrows in surprise, a bit excited. “Did you tamper with their car?”

“It wasn’t me,” Li Xia said. “It was the captain.”

“It’s all the same.” Chi Yingxue, satisfied with the answer, leaned back, swaying with the pirate ship, gazing at the starry sky as if it were the cleanest and most beautiful place. “You villains are always so cunning.”

Li Xia: “……”

Li Zijin: “……”

……

On the viaduct.

Xu Wang asked, “What do you mean by ‘company’?”

Mr. Thirteen: “Stationery.”

Xu Wang: “There’s stationery on the car?”

Mr. Thirteen: “It seems we’ve been hit by a delayed-action stationery—an explosive type. I can sense it.”

Qian Ai: “Why didn’t you sense it earlier?!”

Mr. Thirteen: “I’m a defense type. It’s an offense. Same school, different paths.”

Qian Ai: “…Then stop the car!”

Mr. Thirteen: “We’re going too fast. It’s too late. I’ll take my leave first. See you later!”

With a “whoosh”, Mr. Thirteen disappeared into a streak of light, under the watchful eyes of the others.

Xu Wang: “……”

Wu Sheng: “……”

Qian Ai: “Does he not have any professional ethics at all—”

“Boom—”

Just as Shilang disappeared, a violent explosion occurred under the pink Beetle!

Almost simultaneously, the three heard a mocking voice in their ears.

[Owl: Dear~ I’m giving you an early holiday. Sending…]

The message cut off after “sending.”

They thought the deafening explosion had drowned out the rest of the message, but they soon realized something was off.

The Beetle was indeed thrown off the viaduct by the explosion, but it didn’t plummet dozens of meters to the ground. Instead, it floated down like a feather, gently and slowly, landing smoothly under the bridge.

Aside from their ears ringing from the explosion, the passengers seemed largely unharmed.

They didn’t feel the impact or heat wave they expected from the explosion; instead, they landed safely along with the Beetle.

……

Inside the Temple of Three Religions.

A peace talisman in mid-air spontaneously ignited, burning to ashes.

The long-haired young man watched the falling ashes, lamenting, “It’s not an auspicious time to borrow a car if you encounter demons…”

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