Chapter 39
As Wen Xin and his group entered the city gate, it was clear that the number of zombies on either side of the road had significantly decreased.
When they reached the checkpoint, there wasn’t a single zombie in sight. Instead, scouting teams patrolled each entry point and potential hiding spot, armed and vigilant.
Further ahead, Wen Xin saw a high, fortified wall.
The wall was lined with electric fences and spikes, guards posted at intervals, and guns ready—a solid line of defense.
Below, two channels were designated: one for entry and one for exit, each with a long line of vehicles waiting.
The buzz-cut man flashed the headlights, joining the line of vehicles heading into the city.
“We’re pretty much safe here,” the buzz-cut man said. “With this pace, we’ll probably have to wait about three hours. If you’re tired, feel free to take a nap.”
The familiar surroundings seemed to put everyone at ease; they visibly relaxed and leaned back in their seats, letting fatigue show.
In the back seat, Wen Xin was helping Ah Zi the purple squirrel pack up its little bag.
About half an hour ago, the buzz-cut man had casually mentioned that the number of mutant creatures had recently increased. These mutants, with their destructive power comparable to that of the fast-spreading zombie virus, were a significant concern for all bases.
Because of this, vehicles entering the city were checked not only for traces of the zombie virus but also for any mutants that might be hiding inside.
This news put Ah Zi on high alert.
Without a natural camouflage ability like a chameleon, or a deep understanding of human habits, a mutant’s disguise could be spotted by small details.
For instance, the blue seal, Lan Tuan, and the venomous snake Ah Lü, even when disguised as cats, couldn’t change their base colors.
Without the fox’s mind-altering assistance, Ah Zi knew it was better to leave a day early to avoid revealing its identity and causing trouble for Wen Xin.
Wen Xin carefully packed items like woven cords, pre-tied knots, wet wipes, and a small bottle of cleaner into Ah Zi’s pouch.
As he was about to say something, a neatly stitched little cloth bag appeared in front of him, held up by Ah Zi’s tiny paws.
The small bag was about the size of a palm, warm beige with a bright embroidered flower in the center, decorated with fresh green leaves.
Ah Zi looked at him expectantly. “Squeak!”
Wen Xin paused.
Since they had left the town, he’d often noticed Ah Zi sewing this bag. It had learned to weave knots before but hadn’t practiced sewing, so it was a clumsy process.
Several times, Wen Xin had seen Ah Zi tearing apart half-finished attempts, squeaking angrily, and throwing the fabric aside.
But just seconds later, it would slowly waddle over, pick it up, and try again.
Wen Xin knew how much patience Ah Zi had put into this little bag and asked softly, “Are you sure you want to give me something this important?”
Ah Zi squeaked a few times, tapping on Wen Xin’s shirt pocket.
He understood and took out the small mementos the other little ones had left him. The bag was just big enough to hold all the keepsakes.
Seeing Wen Xin realize its purpose, Ah Zi held the bag higher, as if saying: It was always meant for you.
Wen Xin felt a lump in his throat.
But before he could let the sadness settle, Ah Zi suddenly jumped and bopped him on the forehead with its paw.
Wen Xin’s sadness dissolved in an instant.
He rubbed his forehead, but before he could speak, Ah Zi brushed the spot with its fluffy tail.
Even though it knew it hadn’t used much force, it was still worried it might’ve hurt him.
The soft fur on his forehead, coupled with the squirrel’s serious expression, eased Wen Xin’s heart.
He smiled. “Alright, I won’t be sad.”
He placed each memento into the little bag, including the tuft of fur Ah Zi had plucked for him, then carefully stored it in his pocket.
Seeing this, Ah Zi couldn’t help but jump into Wen Xin’s arms, rubbing itself happily along his arm and down to his leg.
Wen Xin let it climb around him, a warm smile softening his gaze.
After a moment, he extended his palm. “So it’s a promise—we’ll meet again someday, no backing out.”
Ah Zi squeaked in agreement and high-fived him, “Squeak!”
It’s a deal!
As the vehicles continued their wait, no one noticed the small purple figure that darted out through a crack in one of the doors, disappearing quickly down the road.
Wen Xin kept his gaze fixed on the back window long after Ah Zi had gone.
Eventually, Xu Qiang, sitting beside him, turned to look. “Something wrong? You keep looking back.”
Wen Xin shook his head.
Seeing that none of the others noticed the absence of the little ones, he couldn’t bring himself to explain what had happened.
He placed his hand in his pocket, feeling the outlines of the mementos through the fabric.
After a moment, his eyes drifted to Hei Tuan beside him.
Hei Tuan, unlike Ah Zi, showed no reaction to the departure. It lay on the seat with its eyes closed, appearing asleep.
But Wen Xin knew it wasn’t sleeping.
Perhaps it didn’t want to make parting harder by being close to him. In recent days, Hei Tuan had kept its distance, acting aloof.
Yet every time he looked around, he’d find the small black figure either on a high perch or standing quietly in a corner, watching him.
Question: What strange quirks does your cat have?
Answer: It always hides in a corner, secretly observing, but acts nonchalant when caught.
Wen Xin called softly, “Hei Tuan, are you awake?”
No response, but the tip of Hei Tuan’s tail twitched.
Wen Xin: “…”
Just as expected.
He said nothing, simply watching Hei Tuan.
No matter how long he looked, Hei Tuan remained motionless, like an unfeeling stone.
At last, Wen Xin, in a soft and almost pleading voice, asked, “Are you going to leave without letting me spend some time with you?”
Hei Tuan’s tail immediately shivered.
They locked eyes silently.
Finally, Hei Tuan could no longer withstand Wen Xin’s gaze. Slowly, it got up and crawled into his outstretched arms.
Wen Xin’s eyes softened. “Good little Hei Tuan.”
He whispered right next to Hei Tuan’s ear.
His voice was gentle, his words carrying a teasing tone, and his warm breath brushed over Hei Tuan’s ear.
Hei Tuan’s ear flicked as though it had been burned. Realizing its reaction, it buried its head further, trying to hide.
Fortunately, Wen Xin was too absorbed in holding his “cat” again to notice Hei Tuan’s slight embarrassment.
A few hours passed.
The checks were thorough, inspecting for any wounds left by zombies and verifying each person’s identity.
When Wen Xin’s turn came, the buzz-cut man happened to recognize one of the guards, and this familiarity allowed them to skip some formalities.
But without the fox’s powers to disguise them, Hei Tuan’s presence became more noticeable.
Wen Xin was asked to stop, holding Hei Tuan close, his expression calm despite the sudden tension.
“Are pets not allowed in the city?” he asked.
The guard softened a bit, reminded of his own child by the young man’s gentle features.
“Not exactly, but they need to go through a routine check.”
This check involved a physical inspection to ensure the cat had no injuries or signs of mutation.
Wen Xin stayed beside Hei Tuan the whole time.
After confirming it was all clear, the guard nodded, and Wen Xin’s heart finally settled.
But just then, the guard suddenly pulled out a knife and aimed it at Hei Tuan.
Wen Xin’s blood ran cold as he instinctively grabbed the guard’s wrist. “What are you doing?!”
The guard expected the pet owner to react strongly but was surprised by Wen Xin’s quick reflexes.
Yanking his hand back, he nearly cut himself, and hastily explained, “It’s just part of the test. I won’t hurt your cat, please, stay calm!”
The buzz-cut man and Xu Qiang approached, their expressions serious. “What’s going on?”
Fearing a misunderstanding, the guard quickly clarified.
Due to the zombie outbreak, few ordinary cats and dogs survived, and pet owners were rare.
Wen Xin’s pet had attracted their attention because some cunning mutants had started to disguise themselves as small animals to prey on unsuspecting humans.
Since mutants’ disguises weren’t very stable, they often reacted to fear or other stimuli.
Thus, they developed this testing method to identify any disguised mutants.
“Sorry for the scare, but we have to prioritize the city’s safety. Recently, a terrifying mutated tiger appeared near the main base, and every survivor within reach of the city walls fell victim.”
His voice quivered slightly, “It was ruthless. None of the victims had a single intact body left.”
Hearing this, everyone’s expressions turned grave.
Hei Tuan, meanwhile, maintained a cold, unbothered look, almost as if it were watching a show.
The guard, feeling oddly belittled, scratched his nose and forced a laugh, “Your cat has a brave heart, haha…”
As he spoke, he couldn’t help but glance at Wen Xin.
When Wen Xin had reacted earlier, he had a force in his eyes, reminding the guard of a high-ranking official from the base, and he felt an unexpected chill.
But he couldn’t recall which official.
Holding Hei Tuan close, Wen Xin’s mind replayed the moment of the guard’s knife, his hands trembling slightly.
When Hei Tuan looked up in concern, he quickly steadied himself, soothing Hei Tuan with gentle strokes.
The buzz-cut man turned to the guard and said, “Could you contact Officer Li Yongming for us?”
The guard straightened at the mention of this name and replied, “Please follow me.”
The mention of the name drew back Wen Xin’s attention.
After all these years… was he finally going to see Wen Jingfeng?
