CHAPTER 42

The corridor emitted the smell of disinfectant, while from the dorms on both sides, the stench of bl*od, pus, sweat, and decay seeped out, blending together. Even wearing a mask, one would feel dizzy from the fumes.

There was only one far-apart ceiling light in the corridor, and the ground trembled with ghostly shadows.

"...This decision... is also heartbreaking for us..."

He Ran leaned against the wall, took out a wrinkled cigarette butt stained with bl*od from her pocket, and held it in her mouth. A limping comrade passing by exclaimed in fear and snatched the cigarette butt from her mouth, holding it in their embrace, urgently taking cover.

Boom—As they shouted, bl*od flowed from beneath their body. He Ran lifted her foot and turned over their corpse. The chest, which had been covering the cigarette butt, now had a hole blown through it.

"See... This is also to let them be freed sooner..."

The voice was muffled, as if coming from beyond the heavens. He Ran nodded.

She had been sent to the outpost above, but she had a dream about the outpost. It seemed that the outpost's system had also reached its end. She seemed to have entered a strange city, a city with two faces. The first face had no harm but required her to watch someone seeking d3ath. The second face was watching someone completely go insane, and the entire city was destroyed.

Who was that again? She couldn't quite remember. If she tried to think about that face in detail, she would have a splitting headache. Goosebumps rose on her body, and cold sweat trickled down her spine, one strand after another, to her waist.

The sweat gradually soaked her, and she felt thirsty. She went to the water room to fetch water. Opening her mouth under the tap was never enough. Sweat continued to flow out. With the flow of sweat, she felt herself melting.

She turned into a puddle of water, flowing in the sink. Someone opened the stop valve, and she flowed out through the narrow drainpipe.

Her body was in pain, her muscles whimpering in agony, tinged with soreness. She reached out to scratch, but couldn't lift her arms.

Her eyes hurt. She remembered that she had gouged out her own eyes.

Thinking about it, the pain no longer seemed so bad. There was nothing more painful than gouging out her own eyes. She savored her pain for a while, and then fear gripped her again.

Where was Li Haohao? Where did that enormous monster crawl off to?

Finally, she turned over, supporting herself with her palms as she knelt on the ground. She remembered that she had k!lled many people. Her weapons were also gone. Her arms were agonizingly sore, and her back couldn't support her. She had carried another person for so long—

What about the supply officer? Panic welled up in her heart. She fell down, losing her balance. Her head felt heavy, her feet light. Her body rolled uncontrollably and tumbled into a pile of grass.

The grass were soft, juicy, and abundant, but the leaves were sharp and cut through her palms, filling the air with the smell of soil.

She sniffed the air and called out in a panic, "Li Haohao—"

Li Haohao lay beside her, less than two meters away.

Her disheveled long hair spread out, and the goldens bead string on her hands and feet shimmered.

Her ears twitched slightly, but the girl didn't respond. She just tiredly covered her stomach and silently rolled over.

He Ran heard her movements and used both her hands and feet to crawl and kneel her way over.

This time, her wrist was grabbed, and the golden bead strings was also seized. She accepted her fate, her voice hoarse, "It's back to normal."

"What about the supply officer?"

"Burp—" The other person touched her stomach, and she couldn't help but burp.

He Ran's face turned pale, and she knelt down, "What should we do?"

"Ah..."

"Li Haohao!" He Ran's anger was also feeble. Regardless of the dirt on her palms, she covered her blind eyes and took several deep breaths.

"I feel sick." Li Haohao said.

"Is your stomach uncomfortable? I told you to just eat me... Don't eat so much..."

"They were already in my stomach."

Li Haohao guided He Ran's hand to touch her own stomach, feeling the withered and flat belly. He Ran speculated that the supply officer was also inside. Finally, Li Haohao's stubbornness made it difficult for He Ran to control her anger. She stumbled to her feet and walked in the opposite direction.

"Why... can't the supply officer be eaten?"

He Ran didn't answer, she just kept walking forward. The events at the Daomiao base had exhausted her physically and mentally. She hadn't accomplished anything, witnessing Li Haohao's d3ath and allowing the supply officer to die. She couldn't do anything.

Behind her, she heard faint sounds, knowing that Li Haohao was following her steps, but she pretended not to notice.

The wind blew through her bl*od and sweat-soaked hair, bringing a refreshing sensation. She took off her boots and held them in her hands, using the texture of the ground beneath her feet to judge the path ahead.

They should be walking on the road now, right? She thought, crouching down to feel edge of the road, then continued walking along it.

Actually, she couldn't distinguish whether she was heading south or north. In any case, she had to either return to the outpost or head towards the Changhe Base.

At this point, she couldn't even determine her own path.

The outpost had been devoured by Li Haohao. If she were to go back, would it be the same as before?

The Changhe base was about to be abandoned. The swinging of human arms, shovels digging into a city, scooping up elites and talents, and turning towards another direction.

Li Haohao was getting closer and closer to her, and then the girl behind suddenly lunged forward, lying on her back and hugging her waist, explaining softly, "I didn't mean to. I was extremely hungry and swallowed all of you, inside my stomach... you're all in my stomach."

He Ran peeled Li Haohao's hand away and walked forward in silence. Li Haohao pressed against her again and said, "You deceived me."

Whenever Li Haohao wanted to apologize, she would always start by blaming He Ran.

He Ran remained calm. "About what?"

"The supply officer."

"I said the supply officer would bring a lot of supplies, but in reality, the supply officer won't come anymore. Is that what this is about?"

"Yeah."

"But it's not the supply officer's fault."

"She'll go back and inform others, and this place will be blown up."

"You've already completely devoured me... You know everything about me." He Ran speculated for a moment. "You said before that if you eat me, you won't need me anymore. I think you've devoured the Daomiao City, devoured me, and now you have a He Ran of your own. Why are you still following me?"

This time, Li Haohao didn't catch up. She stood still and repeated, "It will be blown up."

"Bombing the outpost, that's good."

"I don't want that."

"Is there even any point in me saying all this now?"

He Ran continued walking forward, feeling a peculiar sensation in her heart. Was she genuinely angry with Li Haohao? As a pollutant who was too weak, she was actually arguing with Li Haohao?

Arguing was good. Arguing didn't mean she didn't care about Li Haohao.

But the supply officer will never come back, and everything cannot return to normal. The fact that person entered the outpost but couldn't leave is evidence, a solid proof of the pollution. She can no longer maintain order!

Li Haohao also got angry. "You, after seeing what happened to me, all you think about is the supply officer."

"Yes, I saw what happened to you. You were in great pain. I might even be the culprit. Let me guess, which Li Haohao are you? The one who was eaten at the barbecue or the one running around with a camera?"

"He Ran!"

"It's different. The supply officer didn't interfere with anything concerning you. She had no reason to be eaten by you."

"You, you also had no reason."

"Of course, I had no reason to be eaten by you, my companion. I wonder why it was so easy for you to devour the outpost. It turns out my companions had already... What did they do wrong?"

Li Haohao stopped in her tracks. "You hate me."

When hatred is exposed, it dissipates like bubbles. While immersed in it, there are others who deserve to be hated.

But He Ran didn't know how to express it properly. The intention behind this twisted melody was difficult to convey in her usual language. She was never good with words, stumbling and fumbling. When faced with a situation, she tensed up and picked up a gun to solve it.

Her silence was taken as an admission. Li Haohao's voice became weak, as if a gentle breeze could blow it away. "It hurts so much... My father, after he ate me, he ate me again."

A person wouldn't be eaten a second time, unless she was referring to those farmed Li Haohao.

But then came the matter of farming. "And then, he farmed me and distributed me to others."

He Ran rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I know."

"You don't know!" Li Haohao cried out in grievance, and He Ran could sense Li Haohao's emotions.

Li Haohao's emotions were simple and unreasonable, even arrogantly displaying her own pain, hoping to evoke sympathy from He Ran, drowning out any regrets and resentment towards the supply officer and companions.

If it were before the war, she would have turned away and left. Revealing her pain to others was a shameful embarrassment, as if the deeper the pain, the more it should be encouraged to be concealed. Displaying a restrained hint of sorrow was admired, openly presenting suffering in exchange for forgiveness. Li Haohao was clearly inexperienced in worldly matters.

But this is post-war, and He Ran has nothing left.

"I forgive you."

"Really?"

"Really. But regarding the supply officer—"

He Ran paused, indicating that this matter wasn't over for her. Li Haohao followed behind, wanting to say something, but unable to produce a pain weightier than her own for exchange. So, she regretted throwing her own issues out first.

He Ran continued walking, and Li Haohao quickly said, "The outpost is on the right."

Even the scent of the outpost couldn't be felt. He Ran turned right, feeling her way off the road. Li Haohao walked ahead, guiding her to find the gate and enter.

Upon entering the outpost, even with her eyes closed, He Ran knew the layout. She didn't rush inside. It was no longer her domain, and she wasn't sure about the arrangements inside.

She felt around and found the supply truck coming towards the sunrise.

She opened the door, bent down, and felt the control lever. On the control lever, she felt a face and ears.

She thought it was still Li Haohao's body. Suddenly, she let go, but realized that this piece of flesh wasn't moving or growing. Curiously, she reached out with both hands.

It was a normal head, resting between normal arms. She felt a wrist with a pulse and a wristwatch.

Ah, a wristwatch... and earpiece.

The wristwatch was on the supply officer's wrist, but the earpiece were on her own. She pressed the wristwatch.

Pollution level: 100%, Mental value: 3.

She took off the earpiece and fumbled to hang them on the supply officer's face.

The supply officer seemed to awaken from the steering wheel. With a finger moved, He Ran also froze. Her finger... still there?

Li Haohao suddenly spoke, "Don't let her wake up and see me."

Thud...

He Ran knocked the person unconscious.

"You didn't eat her?"

"She has been unconscious, mentally stable."

Perhaps in the polluted area, being a corpse without thinking about anything might be the best choice.

He Ran fumbled and dragged the supply officer from the driver's seat, placing them in the passenger seat. She felt the control lever but remembered that her eyes were gouged out, making it impossible for her to see the road.

Li Haohao raised her hand, realizing that He Ran couldn't see, and withdrew her arm reluctantly. "Can I drive?"

He Ran didn't know how to refuse.

After a while, she remembered that there were still many supplies in the supply officer's truck. She motioned for Li Haohao to open the door and retrieve the delivery note, reading it item by item, and then they moved the items from the truck into the outpost.

This time, she couldn't hide the supplies from Li Haohao anymore. However, meticulous calculations had lost their significance. There wouldn't be any more supplies in the future, only bombs raining down from the sky, engulfing them all.

The premise was the safe return of the supply officer.

Li Haohao checked the supplies, struggling with some unfamiliar words, trying her best to read them to He Ran.

Finally, He Ran allowed Li Haohao to drive, but on the condition that He Ran would sit beside and give instructions.

A blind person commanding a novice driver resulted in crashing into a fence, but fortunately, they managed to move the car onto the road. After less than an hour of driving, He Ran couldn't bear the jolts anymore and called for a stop.

"Let's go."

Reluctantly, Li Haohao got off the car, pulling He Ran, who couldn't discern the direction, and left the car on the road.

Then He Ran decided to leave a letter for the supply officer. To prevent Li Haohao's presence from turning the letter into something more polluted, she fumbled to write the letter herself, using her finger as a guide, composing a letter with uncertain legibility.

To the esteemed supply officer and all of humanity,

Please return as soon as possible.

I have been polluted, requesting fire support.

Pollution level: S+

Researcher He Ran from the Daomiao A4C2 Outpost.

She inserted the letter on the control lever and left.

As they began to walk back, Li Haohao felt soreness in her waist and legs, and so she made a demand of He Ran, "You misunderstood me."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm in pain."

"I'm sorry..."

"My legs... hurt... need to walk."

He Ran fell silent. After a while, she slowly squatted down. "Okay."

Li Haohao triumphed, lying on He Ran's back and refusing to let her off the hook. "I didn't eat her, and yet you're angry with me."

"I thought you didn't listen to me."

"I didn't eat you."

"But you know about my situation."

"I ate it, and then I spat it out."

"That's a little disgusting."

"I told you, I feel sick. You said my stomach was uncomfortable." Li Haohao pressed her head against He Ran's shoulder. "I don't want to become someone, not needing you."

"If you get hungry, you can eat me again and then vomit me out when you're better." He Ran suggested.

Li Haohao said, "Next time, I might not vomit it out."

"Completely eat me up?"

"Mm-hmm."

"That's fine too." He Ran nodded, as if this was a wish come true.

Li Haohao was a bit sad: "It's not that I want to eat them. It's just that they're hungry, and they're always never satisfied."

"Do you hate them?"

"I hate them." Li Haohao shifted her legs, wrapping them around He Ran's waist, causing He Ran to reluctantly straighten up and release her arms.

Li Haohao stood up, holding onto He Ran's hand and walking forward. "They want to eat me, so I can only eat them..."

"So the one who constantly cries out in hunger is you?"

"Sometimes... it's me. I'm always hungry."

"There are eggs among the supplies. Let's steam some egg custard tonight."

"What's that?"

"You've never had it before?"

"I'm not the young Miss, after all."

"What has the young Miss eaten that you've also eaten? Aside from salmon."

"I'm made up of fragments, everyone's fragments, mixed together. I don't even know... I know very little. Some things I just eat without digesting, so sometimes it's like burping up eye gunk, and strange things accidentally grow."

Just this sentence gives people goosebumps.

"When you eat me in the future, maybe one day you'll wake up with a white lab coat on."

Li Haohao punched her lightly. "I won't eat you."

"Eat me when you're hungry, it doesn't matter."

He Ran always insisted on this point, and Li Haohao couldn't guarantee that she would be able to vomit out the meat from her mouth next time, or that she would be able to maintain enough energy to not be starving before the human bombardment, and then die intact at the outpost.

Both pollutants fell silent for a moment.

After a while, He Ran said, "Back then, when you were outside my room, were you like this now? It's quite convenient to gouge out my eyes."

"It's Li Haohao now."

"Is it?" He Ran touched her head, just like when she measured Li Haohao's height on the railway, pressing against her own chest. She tugged at Li Haohao's gold accessories, jingling and clanging. "Should I use pliers to cut them off? I used to think they had a special meaning."

"There are no buttons anymore. It doesn't matter." Li Haohao said.

"Still, let's remove them. Otherwise, it's inconvenient for eating later."

"Mm, I'm hungry."

"Egg custard and sausage rice."

"There's no sausage in the supplies." Li Haohao had a good memory.

"Then we'll just have egg custard."

"So stingy."

------The End------

MZNRGN: Another completed novel! I hope you've enjoyed reading this novel. Thank you for all the support everyone!

BACK | TABLE OF CONTENTS