Chapter 649: Brain Antenna? This is Called Telepathy! |
Upon hearing the word “zombies,” Xu Shuhan, who had been somewhat perplexed, suddenly shuddered and lunged forward, closing the distance to Shana.
She looked at Shana anxiously, her lips quivering, but she could only squeeze out two difficult words: “Save… save…”
“Figures…” Shana watched Xu Shuhan for a moment and said, “But I can understand. Because half of me was once the same.”
She did not care whether the other could understand this “half of me” talk and continued: “Feeling hatred, filled with resistance, even when it has become a fact, the heart still finds it hard to accept, even getting stuck in a vicious cycle of memories, always thinking how good it would have been if things hadn’t happened that way…”
As Shana spoke, a self-mocking smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
However, seeing Xu Shuhan’s bewildered look, Shana couldn’t help but shake her head: “Even if you’re listening now, your thoughts can’t keep up. That’s okay, your subconscious understands. Like me, some things I thought I had completely forgotten are actually branded in my mind. One day, you’ll remember what’s happening now.”
With that, she drew even closer and whispered, “I feel we’re somewhat alike. Ling Mo probably thinks the same, which is why he really wants to save you, and I do too. Although I only partially understand human emotions and lack the full human experience, I at least know some things are more important than eating flesh…”
Shana paused, then suddenly leaned close to Xu Shuhan’s ear and said, “Regardless, stay lucid. As long as your mind is not infected and altered, you’re not completely Mutated. If you can succeed… it might mean that the infection in the brain is not irreversible…”
After speaking, Shana straightened up, one hand still resting on Xu Shuhan’s shoulder, but her gaze had already shifted towards the darkness ahead.
On this path, Ling Mo walked alone at the forefront, struggling to navigate while also guiding the others.
Shana watched, already forming a thought: she wanted to help.
She remembered human books always mentioning “the woman behind the man,” but Shana resolved not just to be the woman beneath Ling Mo, but also the woman ahead of him! And occasionally… the woman on top…
“Wait, that’s not right…” Shana seriously counted on her fingers, her thoughts momentarily entering a frozen state.
“But how is this direction calculated? Don’t remember reading any books on that…” After pondering for a while, Shana decisively gave up, “Nevermind, the general idea is what matters, leaving some room for imagination with dreams is better… Which book was that from again?”
Shana shook her head, then glanced down at Xu Shuhan, a peculiar glint in her eyes.
This human affair could be a good opportunity…
After hearing Shana’s words, Xu Shuhan still seemed somewhat groggy, but her eyes began to show signs of struggle…
Just then, the sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside the warehouse, and Shana immediately turned her head in alert.
Soon, two figures appeared at the doorway.
A scent of blood wafted in, prompting Shana to wrinkle her nose and restrain the restless Xu Shuhan with the back of her hand.
“Nana, how is she?” Ling Mo, supporting Mu Chen, stopped at the door and leaned in to ask.
“She’s not worsened, but there’s no improvement either. Though her mood seems more stable,” Shana reported.
“That’s good, it means she can hold on for a while longer. Bring her, let’s go,” Ling Mo nodded.
Shana pulled up a backpack from the ground and helped Xu Shuhan to her feet.
Half-alive, Mu Chen then asked, “What about your two? Aren’t you going to look for them?”
“Ye Lian and the others have already gone downstairs, scoping out the situation ahead of time,” Ling Mo said as he saw Shana and Xu Shuhan approach, quickly pulling Mu Chen back. The wounded man was covered in blood, which was far too stimulating for Xu Shuhan. Even Shana couldn’t help but give him a glance, her expression suggesting she might swing a scythe at him any moment.
Mu Chen, oblivious to the danger, kept babbling, “When did you arrange that?”
“Just before,” Ling Mo casually replied.
“I didn’t hear anything… Hey, seriously, sometimes I wonder if you all have some kind of internal brain antenna, like you can communicate with brainwaves or something…” Mu Chen continued to chatter.
“That’s called tacit understanding, get it? Or telepathy, if you will.” Ling Mo responded and then immediately cut off Mu Chen’s questioning, “Shut up, will you? Don’t you see Xu Shuhan eyeing you? Keep talking, and she’ll come over to rip your mouth off.”
“She wouldn’t…”
“Shana, let her rip it,” Ling Mo said calmly.
“Okay.” Shana immediately nodded, ready to let go.
Seeing Xu Shuhan baring her teeth at him, Mu Chen suddenly felt a chill run up his spine: “Wait!”
“Then shut up,” Ling Mo glanced at him.
Mu Chen’s gaze at Ling Mo was filled with fear. What kind of person was this, so calmly using his own kind like domesticated beasts? Was that really okay?!
But then he thought, wasn’t it Ling Mo who offered help?
Even though he framed it as a trade, in reality, they had nothing to offer…
At this moment, Mu Chen also felt lost. Without Niepan, he didn’t know what to do next.
Survive?
That was a given, but he needed a clearer direction and goal.
Even flowers and plants spread their pollen while alive; people shouldn’t live just for the sake of surviving.
“Hey, Ling Mo,” Mu Chen suddenly spoke in a low voice.
“You really can’t stay quiet for five seconds, can you?” Ling Mo’s tone was a mixture of resignation and mild exasperation.
“Would you like me to continue helping out with your Miracle Team?” Mu Chen turned his head to look at Ling Mo and said, “I get the feeling you were quite satisfied with my work when you were manipulating me.”
Seeing Ling Mo not responding, Mu Chen turned to glance at Xu Shuhan and said, “Aside from selling myself, I don’t have any other way to repay you…”
“You take charge of the team, and turn them into elites,” Ling Mo pondered for a while before stating.
“Damn, you really are asking for a miracle!” Mu Chen exclaimed wearily.
“Not interested?” Ling Mo narrowed his eyes slightly.
Feeling the pressure, Mu Chen gritted his teeth and after a moment of struggle, nodded, “Alright…!”
“Good, let’s talk about the interest next.”
The moment Ling Mo mentioned interest, Mu Chen nearly collapsed on the spot.
Interest too?!
He suddenly felt his earlier thoughts were completely delusional. This wasn’t just a trade on the surface; this was a real trade!
“No… You had this planned all along, didn’t you? From the very beginning!” Mu Chen realized belatedly.
“Yes.”
“…To actually admit it so frankly…” Mu Chen’s face was filled with dismay. Why was it that ever since he met Ling Mo, he’s been constantly duped?
And on closer thought, it was he who walked right into the trap…
The interest Ling Mo proposed seemed simple enough: “I want the experimental data from Niepan headquarters.”
“Heh… Damn!” Mu Chen pointed to his own nose, asking with a fierce expression, “Do I look like someone who can get that data for you?”
“Yes,” Ling Mo actually nodded.
“I…”
“Apart from Ai Feng, you’re the highest-ranking member of this branch, aren’t you?” Ling Mo said with a sly smile.
Mu Chen frowned and after two seconds of contemplation, his eyes suddenly widened, “You… you’re insane.”
Seeing Ling Mo smile without responding, Mu Chen gritted his teeth and asked after a few seconds of internal struggle, “You want the data not just for Xu Shuhan, right?”
“That’s correct. You said that after Number 0 was born, the real big shots left Dongming City for the headquarters, didn’t you?” Ling Mo asked.
Mu Chen nodded, somewhat perplexedly, “Yes. They are the ones who really turned Dongming City into an experimental site. Ai Feng and Number 0 should be considered part of that group too. Only, Number 0 stayed behind, and maybe Ai Feng prefers to be a big fish in a small pond… But I’m not too clear on the specifics.”
“That’s what I thought. The people now at the headquarters, they’ve created Number 0, managed to mass-produce Number 1, and even developed some kind of mother body… I’m very curious,” Ling Mo’s eyes gleamed as he spoke of the mother body, instantly recalling the Spider Queen and the original infection source that spawned hordes of watery corpses. The existence of any mother body could cause significant shifts within the zombie population, possibly even giving rise to a new zombie species.
If they could develop a mother body, the amount of information they must possess is extraordinary.
For Ling Mo, who lacks theoretical knowledge, this is too crucial…
“Curious about what…” Mu Chen felt like crying with no tears; what kind of person was this? Could this curiosity be his driving force for survival?
“You might as well cuddle up with zombies for sleep!” Mu Chen couldn’t help but grind his teeth as he spoke.
But no sooner had he said this than he noticed Ling Mo looking at him with a very strange expression…
Why did it seem not only was he not angry, but rather… somewhat amused?
“Before we head to the Niepan headquarters, we have to make a stop somewhere else,” Ling Mo quickly returned to his usual demeanor and said.
“Where to?” Mu Chen, now somewhat immune to Ling Mo’s way of thinking, realized he was essentially working for him now, and instead of resisting, he might as well accept his fate…
Ling Mo smiled, “Cuihu City.”
“Cuihu…” Mu Chen frowned in thought, “Seems like I’ve heard that somewhere…”