Severed finger

The basement lighting was unstable, with the light bulbs flickering continuously.

The alternating light and shadow swept across the small room, making the cold and deathly silence in the air even heavier.

Lu Heng at the doorway, motionless.

He didn't rush to take a step, nor did he rush to speak.

His gaze fell straight down, firmly fixed on Song Yunzhou on the iron bed, his eyes sweeping over every mark on the body from top to bottom, leaving no detail unchecked.

Song Yunzhong lay motionless.

He was so thin he was emaciated, his skin and flesh shriveled and clung to his bones, and his shoulder and sternum protruded sharply. His skin was a deathly gray, the result of long periods without sunlight and repeated experiments that had taken their toll, and he had no trace of life.

On the wrists and ankles of the limbs, thick, dark scabs were stuck firmly to the skin.

These are permanent marks left by long-term chain confinement, constant friction and pressure, which chafed the skin, caused repeated scabs, and repeated tearing.

The body surface is covered with countless pinholes, old and new layers stacked together.

Some have scabbed over and turned dark, while others still have tiny, pale red wounds, showing that they are scars caused by long-term, high-frequency, and repeated punctures.

Lu Heng's gaze finally settled on his right hand.

That hand, which once steadily wore the Corpse-Control Ring, could control Zombie, and protect a patch of life in the apocalypse, is now missing a piece.

The index finger of the right hand was completely severed from the second joint.

The cross-section is flat and regular, without any jagged edges from tearing, rough marks from wild animal bites, or mottled signs of corrosion and decay.

It is an extremely precise and deliberate artificial cut.

With a swift and clean cut, it severed the bone completely.

It was excessively clean, and excessively cold.

Lu Heng's gaze darkened slightly.

In an instant, all the hidden details became clear to me.

It wasn't a combat injury or an accidental injury; it was a deliberate act of taking the finger, the ring, and the ability.

As if sensing his gaze, Song Yunzhong on the bed slowly raised his eyes.

He followed Lu Heng's gaze and it fell on his own mutilated right hand.

A few seconds of deathly silence.

There was no rage, no screaming, no excessive emotional outburst.

All that remains is a desolate emptiness, a complete numbness.

He moved his chapped lips slowly, his breath shallow and his speech extremely slow, each word strained out from his weary chest.

"I saw it."

Two simple words, yet they contained all the pent-up humiliation and despair.

"That finger was always wearing the Corpse-Control Ring."

"They want the ring, they want my ability to control corpses."

Song Yunzhong breathed heavily, paused for two seconds, barely managing to steady his disordered breathing, and continued speaking.

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a utterly shattered certainty.

At first, I truly believed it.

"I believe in the Federation system, I believe the Military District is humanity's last Shelter, and I believe those who remain here are here to protect the survivors."

"I thought my abilities were useful. Being able to control zombies would allow me to control zombie hordes, lighten the burden on the army, and help defend more safe zones."

"Therefore, I did not hide, embezzle, or retain anything. I actively cooperated, proactively explained the principles involved, and voluntarily handed over the supplies. I believed I was doing the right thing."

As he said this, he slightly tugged at the corner of his mouth.

There was no laughter, only biting self-mockery.

Looking back now, it was so stupid.

"The ordinary soldiers and low-ranking guards outside are truly fighting for their lives."

"Besieged by hordes of zombies, they held out day and night, shedding blood, sacrificing their lives, and working tirelessly without rest. They did right by everyone."

"But the higher-ups are not."

Song Yunzhong's eyes were vacant, his gaze fixed on the empty ground.

"He's just a local high-ranking official in charge."

"He just happened to be stationed at this camp, just happened to hold real power, and just happened to see that my abilities were useful, effective, and could be used for personal gain."

"He arranged everything."

"They tricked me into cooperating with their research, they tricked me into believing I could save the world with my abilities, they tricked me into believing I could perform meritorious service and be treated well."

"They immediately told the outside world that my sister was already dead, cutting off all my hopes and making me feel at ease being exploited by them."

"Day after day, blood draws, energy extractions, experiments, confinement."

"Once they've figured out most of my abilities and think I'm no longer of any use, they'll just cut off my finger and take the Corpse-Control Ring."

After saying that, Song Yunzhong completely collapsed.

His back slumped slightly, and the last bit of energy and spirit that had been taut throughout his body vanished in an instant.

It wasn't a breakdown or crying.

It's a deathly stillness where one's beliefs have rotted away at the roots, leaving the whole person utterly without support.

Song Yunjing stood firmly by the bedside, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Tears fell silently as she bit her lip hard, afraid to make a sound, lest her crying completely break down her brother, who was on his last breath.

She was powerless and could only watch.

Watching her brother, who had once supported her, protected her, and filled her with light, have all his faith brutally crushed.

Lu Heng stood there, silent the entire time.

He saw it all clearly, and he thought it all through perfectly.

But he didn't know how to comfort her, nor did he know how.

He has always been alone in his life.

They never trusted in order, never trusted in the collective, never trusted in any so-called protection or justice.

From the very beginning, he relied solely on himself to survive.

Therefore, he never experienced it.

The feeling of being utterly sincere, giving your all to trust, to give, to dedicate yourself, only to be pushed into the abyss by the very thing you believe in.

He didn't experience that kind of world collapsing.

There was no despair like when your beliefs are shattered to pieces.

For those not directly involved, all words of comfort seem weak, pale, and hypocritical; any further utterance is superfluous.

Lu Heng simply kept quiet.

Silence is the only form of respect.

After a brief period of quiet reflection, he stopped indulging in his emotions.

It's useless.

Solving problems is always more practical than empathy.

If a person is still alive, they must first secure their livelihood.

Lu Heng raised his hand and took out a round essence of flesh and blood from the Wristband Space. He opened his palm, and the essence was warm and moist, containing rich vitality energy.

He handed it to Song Yunzhong, his tone calm and devoid of any unnecessary emotion.

"Swallowed it."

Song Yunjing immediately came to her senses and quickly reached out to support her brother's back, carefully lifting his upper body slightly to make him feel more comfortable.

Song Yunzhong's eyes were vacant, and after a few seconds of hesitation, he slightly opened his mouth.

The essence of flesh and blood melts instantly upon entering the mouth.

A warm, robust life force slid down his throat, instantly spreading throughout his limbs and bones, coursing through his withered and damaged body.

The changes are visible to the naked eye.

A faint blush slowly returned to his pale, sunken cheeks.

The skin, which was originally dull and dry, has become slightly plump and no longer has that withered, dying texture.

Her disordered and weak breathing gradually calmed down.

The physical strength and energy that had been pushed to the limit were quickly replenished.

The life force that was on the verge of being extinguished was forcibly pulled back and firmly held.

Lu Heng observed the entire process quietly, his eyes remaining completely calm.

He saw things very clearly.

The essence of flesh and blood can only replenish what is lost on the surface of the body.

Exhausted physical strength, depleted qi and blood, and weakness from external injuries can be repaired quickly.

But a severed finger can't grow back.

Long-term, repeated experiments and extractions have depleted the body's vital essence, making repair impossible.

The hidden injuries, strain, and functional damage that accumulate in the body over time cannot be repaired.

The most crucial thing--

A completely collapsed belief, a shattered mind, and a state of despair cannot be repaired in the slightest.

This only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause.

Song Yunzhong looks better now, but he is no longer on the verge of death; the damage inside him is still deeply rooted.

Lu Heng had already made up his mind.

We can't stay here for another second.

Outside this Military District are ordinary soldiers risking their lives to block the hordes of corpses, while inside are high-ranking nobles with insatiable greed, who devour and suck the blood of others.

The two layers, inside and out, are completely different.

It's completely rotten.

There's no need to dwell on it, no need to linger.

Take the people away first, get them out alive, then there's more to come.

Lu Heng raised his eyes, looking at Song Yunzhong, who was physically and mentally broken, and then at Song Yunjing, whose face was covered in tears and who was still trembling. His tone was calm and firm.

"They're gone."

"I'll take you away."