Agitation
The road back was unusually quiet.
The only sound of footsteps echoed through the ruins.
Lu Heng couldn't utter a single word the entire way.
As they approached the town, the Bone Demon suddenly stopped.
Lu Heng stopped and looked up.
A shadow appeared at the street corner ahead. One, two, and then three or four more followed, dragging their way out. Zombie, heavy steps, cloudy whites of their eyes, but their heads were all turned in the same direction—towards him.
Just a few wandering Zombie, nothing to worry about, can be dealt with easily.
Lu Heng looked down at his cuffs.
The dark red stain, completely dried, clung stiffly to the fabric. It was blood that had gotten on me yesterday in the neighborhood.
He understood.
It was bloodstains on their bodies. The smell wafted through the fog, drawing these things from every corner of the town.
Bone spurs began to push outwards from the Bone Demon's spine.
Lu Heng raised his hand and stopped it.
He didn't let the Bone Demon move.
He drew the Deboning Knife from behind his waist, held it in his hand, and felt a slight heaviness.
He didn't activate his abilities, didn't use his swordsmanship, and brought nothing with him.
He walked straight past.
The first blow struck the neck of the first Zombie, the blade wedged into the bone, the impact numbing his hand. He pulled it out, and the second blow chopped down on the collarbone of another, slashing diagonally, half an arm along with rotting flesh falling to the ground.
The third one lunged at him, but he dodged to the side, then swung his knife in a backhand strike from behind his ear, the blade cutting all the way to his jaw and getting stuck. He loosened his grip on the hilt, kicked it down, stomped on it, pulled out the knife, and slashed again.
There is no method or structure.
It means to chop.
It means chopping.
Rotten blood splattered on his face, but he didn't wipe it away. One fell, and he moved on to the next, his steps slow but steady.
Lu Heng didn't know what was wrong with him.
He's annoyed.
He was so frustrated that his chest felt swollen, as if a damp wad of cotton was stuck in his throat, impossible to swallow or spit out. He wanted to vent, but he couldn't explain where this anger was coming from.
He paused, catching his breath, as the knife pierced the neck of the last Zombie.
The stench of decay mingled with the blood emanating from his own body.
He stood there, looking at the things scattered on the ground at his feet. The knife tip was hanging down, and blood dripped down the blade, splashing onto the gray dirt and leaving a few dark spots.
My knuckles were shaking so hard they turned white, my thumb and forefinger were numb, and my arm was so sore I couldn't lift it.
But the lump in my chest seems to have loosened a little.
He flicked the blood off his knife, sheathed it, wiped his face with his sleeve, and continued walking.
Everything that just happened in the neighborhood keeps echoing in my mind: the extreme selfishness and betrayal of the refugees, Zhou Cheng's life intertwined with good and evil, and Afu's pure loyalty to his master, who sought not life but death.
Human nature is treacherous.
I've read these four words before in novels, seen them in movies and TV shows, and heard them in rumors.
Hearing about something and seeing it with your own eyes are two different things.
Logically speaking, he shouldn't be angry.
This contrast gave Lu Heng a tremendous psychological shock.
He originally embarked on this mission for the sake of opportunity, tools, and rules.
What it ultimately brought back, however, was the deepest examination of human nature in the end times.
After a long and winding journey, we arrived at the area where Song Yunzhong lived.
Lu Heng found a secluded spot and stopped, then directed the Bone Demon to neatly pile the complete diesel generator, the remaining barrel of diesel fuel, and all the surplus living supplies against the wall by the door.
The Bone Demon moved very lightly, its claws retracted, and the metal barrel landed with only a muffled thud.
After placing the supplies securely, Lu Heng paused for two seconds.
He didn't go in to knock on the door, didn't intend to meet, and didn't exchange any pleasantries.
There's no need for formalities, and I'm too lazy to explain where I came from, let alone talk about social obligations.
The goods have been delivered; nothing more needs to be said.
After confirming that the supplies were properly arranged, Lu Heng turned and left.
Leave no footprints, no sound, no trace.
When Song Yunzhong discovered it and how they used it was none of his concern.
Lu Heng led the Bone Demon all the way back to the Lakeside Base.
Push open the Portal and return to the Shelter, isolated from the clamor of the post-apocalyptic world.
The fighting, betrayal, and life-or-death struggles of the outside world are all kept outside. The base is quiet and peaceful, a safe haven belonging to him.
Lu Heng didn't stop, but walked up the platform alone and entered the quietest Astrology Room.
This place is spacious, quiet, and undisturbed, making it the perfect place to calm one's mind.
He lay down on the edge of the bed and reached out to take out the photo of [Companionship].
I run my fingertips over the surface of the photograph. The edges of the paper are worn and frayed. In the picture, Afu is lying on an old carpet, his head tilted to one side, his tongue lolling out.
Scenes flashed through my mind again: the dog eating at the table, the Companionship from puppyhood, and the calm acceptance of death at the end.
Lu Heng stared at the photo for a long time.
Then he gently placed this unique photograph, a testament to their bond, beside his pillow.
After a dramatic unfolding of human nature, all that remains is a quiet room, an old photograph, and a heart full of settled thoughts.