Lu Zhaoming carried Xiao Hu and ran all the way back to the safe house. When he looked at the crooked iron gate, his heart sank and he felt a chill run down his spine.
This scene looks like a demolition site, all that's missing is a banner that says "Danger building, do not approach".
Without giving it much thought, he handed Liu Feng over to Qinglian, who arrived shortly afterward. The air was filled with Su Li's familiar fragrance, but also carried a lingering stench of blood.
Qinglian hesitated, then chose to remain silent, her eyes conveying the message, "I'm suffering inside, but I won't say it."
Lu Zhaoming didn't say anything, but walked into the room and picked up a scale that was shimmering faintly by the window where Su Li often sat. It was cold to the touch and had a strange feel to it, like a souvenir left behind by a mermaid after she was stranded.
"It seems that some things are much more complicated than I imagined..." Lu Zhaoming muttered to himself, activating the system's new function "Resource Exploration Range Expansion".
When he opened the map, his pupils suddenly contracted—Red Owl's target was not him at all, but the largest survivor settlement in the wasteland!
That is the hope of countless people, and one of the few pure lands in this post-apocalyptic wasteland!
Lu Zhaoming gazed into the distance, the setting sun like blood, illuminating his resolute face. His voice was low and deep: "This time, we have no way out." He then slowly raised the scale in his hand, brought it close to his nose, and carefully inhaled. A faint scent, unlike any perfume, filled his nostrils…
"This flavor...it's a bit intoxicating..."
After a preliminary analysis of the antidote's ingredients, Su Li's expression turned grave: "Zhaoming, the situation is not good. This antidote contains a high concentration of mind-control substances, like some kind of psychological imprint. If we forcibly remove it now, Liu Feng's mind will collapse directly, and he might even become an idiot!"
Lu Zhaoming remained silent after hearing this.
He walked to Liu Feng's bedside and looked at this brother who had once fought alongside him, now like a fragile porcelain doll, ready to shatter at any moment.
"Is there no other way?" His voice was low, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.
“It’s not that there’s none at all, it’s just…it takes time.” Su Li bit her lip, her eyes filled with complex emotions. “I need more sophisticated instruments and some rare materials to try to neutralize those controlling substances.”
"Time...time is what we need most right now!" Lu Zhaoming cursed inwardly, but his face remained calm. "Just do your best, I'll stay here and watch over him."
In the stillness of the night, only Liu Feng's faint breathing and Lu Zhaoming's occasional turning of the pages of a book could be heard in the safe house.
The oil lamp in the corner flickered, casting long shadows of the two people that intertwined on the floor, like two lonely souls.
Suddenly, Liu Feng, who had been unconscious, opened his eyes abruptly, his gaze empty and blank.
He seemed to have seen something terrifying; his body trembled violently, and he mumbled incoherently, "They...they're coming...run...run away!"
Lu Zhaoming felt a chill and immediately activated the scanning function of the "Doomsday Judgment System," a blue beam of light sweeping across Liu Feng's entire body.
“The residual effect of the psychological suggestion device…as expected!” Lu Zhaoming’s eyes turned cold. He had long suspected that Chi Xiao would do something to Liu Feng, but he did not expect it to be so insidious.
He gently patted Liu Feng's shoulder, his tone soft yet firm: "Don't be afraid, Liu Feng, I'm here. Don't think about anything, relax, everything will pass."
Liu Feng seemed to hear Lu Zhaoming's voice, and his struggling movements gradually subsided, his eyes slowly regaining a glimmer of clarity.
He gripped Lu Zhaoming's hand tightly, as if grasping at a last straw, murmuring, "Zhaoming... be careful... Chi Xiao... they..."
"I know, I understand," Lu Zhaoming comforted him softly until Liu Feng fell into a deep sleep again.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Xiao Hu rushed into the room like a whirlwind, his face full of anxiety: "Brother Zhaoming! Something terrible has happened! Big Bear's men, they... they've surrounded our stronghold!"
"What?" Lu Zhaoming stood up abruptly, his eyes sharp as knives. "How many people have come?"
"So many...so many! I saw they set up a lot of sentries around the perimeter and even set up machine guns, it looks like they're going to launch a surprise attack!" Xiao Hu was panting heavily, clearly terrified.
Lu Zhaoming took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.
He walked to the window and looked out, and sure enough, he saw shadowy figures moving in the distance.
“Red Owl… he really can’t hold back.” Lu Zhaoming’s lips curled into a cold smile. “He’s trying to force me to reveal more of my trump cards.”
"Brother Zhaoming, what do we do now?" Xiaohu asked anxiously.
“Xiao Hu, listen to me.” Lu Zhaoming turned around and looked at him firmly. “Immediately notify Qinglian and have her lead all the survivors to the backup safe house. It’s more secluded and safer there.”
"Then... what about you guys?" Xiao Hu asked worriedly.
“We have more important things to do.” Lu Zhaoming patted Xiaohu on the shoulder. “Su Li, continue your research on the antidote. You must find a way to break the mind control as soon as possible.”
"Understood!" Su Li nodded, her expression serious.
"Brother Zhaoming, I want to stay! I want to protect my brother!" Xiaohu suddenly said, his tone resolute.
Looking into Xiao Hu's bloodshot eyes, Lu Zhaoming knew that he wouldn't leave easily.
“Alright, you can stay.” Lu Zhaoming sighed. “But you must obey my orders and absolutely not act rashly.”
"Yes! I promise!" Xiaohu nodded vigorously.
"Next, we'll have to put on a good show for Chi Xiao." Lu Zhaoming's lips curled up slightly, revealing a dangerous smile.
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