"So we're just leaving him here? You're making him stay here alone?" Chen Ge didn't think leaving Wu Sheng by himself in the little shack was the best choice.
"I'll lead them away. I caused all this, and it has nothing to do with the child. I can't let him suffer for something he shouldn't have to bear." Wu Jinpeng put the lid back on the wooden chest and ran outside.
Chen Ge watched Wu Jinpeng's retreating figure, then glanced back at Wu Sheng.
The little boy was hiding inside the chest with both hands clamped over his mouth. He didn't say a word, only silently watching Wu Jinpeng run out.
"Has this kid stayed silent all this time because of his father's instructions?" Chen Ge thought he might have missed something. Forget it. As long as I stick close to Wu Jinpeng, everything will work itself out.
In Wu Sheng's eyes, he was only a child sheltered by his father. He had seen all the hardships his family faced, but he was just a child and could do nothing. He could only watch his father walk ahead, shouldering the crushing pressure alone.
Chen Ge was afraid that if he was too slow, the monsters would discover Wu Sheng's location. He didn't dare linger in the shack. He shut the rickety wooden door and went after Wu Jinpeng.
There were no stars or moon in the night sky overhead. A faint stench drifted from the attics on either side of the street, making the air feel oppressive and sickening.
Wu Jinpeng charged ahead. He didn't know what awaited him, but he had no other choice. To keep his dog from being branded a stray again, and to keep Wu Sheng from becoming a homeless child, he could only run forward.