Jiang Ling was arranged by the two men to meet near a bar in the distribution center. After they exchanged communication codes, they hurriedly ran to find the so-called "guide".
She noticed that the lighting at this station was much brighter than at home. No one could hide in the glare; not even their shadows could be seen. People at the distribution center moved quickly, as if they were hiding from something. She had no idea what was going on, but the station was still functioning, indicating the situation was under control. She didn't panic, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
"Boss, give me a glass of wine and some food!" She called out to the stall, her pleasant female voice very obvious in the noisy environment.
"Okay! How about a bowl of monster meat noodles?" The stall owner responded, but not in a questioning tone.
The bar at the main station was more lively than expected. Jiang Ling checked the time and saw that it was already past dinner time, but the tables were still crowded.
"Hey! Beauty! Can I sit here?" A voice sounded behind Jiang Ling. It seemed that this guy was planning to share the table.
She nodded. She had already confirmed that those people were ordinary people. She had been sampling the crowds on her way here, and generally speaking, there were more enhanced people at the main station than back home. These people probably weren't searchers; they looked more like businessmen just trying to make a living.
"Come, come, come... Go, just squeeze in with him. Ha, beauty, don't be so formal! We just want to have a meal!" The man apologized to Jiang Ling after everyone sat down.
Just as Jiang Ling had expected, they were all carrying large and small bags, and their attire was similar to that of the merchants back home. She moved her travel bag from the side of the chair to her legs. Although these people seemed relatively upright, self-protection was still necessary, even if it was just for peace of mind.
The four people didn't say much when they saw Jiang Ling's actions. They had seen her many times before, and people like her were considered good-tempered. They ordered some inexpensive, common dishes, which were basically the types they usually ate.
Because of the presence of others, the businessmen didn't engage in the usual confidential conversation. Initially, they remained silent, staring at each other, their words unclear. One of the younger men, wearing a baseball cap, couldn't stand the loneliness and was the first to break the silence: "Do you know how the pollution treatment is going?"
"Did you find out anything? I've been watching the shop all day and business is not good." A fat uncle in a plaid shirt shrugged, replied with a meaningless remark, and threw the question back.
"Well, they've shut down the tunnel, and those who went in were wearing protective clothing, so it's hard for me to ask." Another man in work clothes said, and it seemed that he had found a temporary job.
Everyone turned to the young man who had spoken first, waiting for him to continue. Seeing that his words were working well, the young man continued, "Actually, I heard the tunnel is haunted!"
"Haunted? Don't talk nonsense. We live in a society ruled by law. How dare any evil spirits and demons cause trouble?" The leader tried to stop the topic.
"No, can you listen to it first before you judge? This story all started three weeks ago. It was a dark and windy night..."
"Ahem, can you get straight to the point? Have you ever seen the moon on the surface after the war?" The fat uncle became impatient and interrupted his story directly.
Jiang Ling had already received her beer and mixed noodles. The mixed noodles had quite a bit of monster meat in them, and tasted like they'd been marinated. They were chewy, but had a faint smell of urine. As for the noodles, they had a texture very similar to the ones from "San Yang," but the flavor wasn't quite the same; they might be some kind of imitation. She ate her noodles in small bites, listening carefully to their story.
“…That tunnel is the one that goes directly to the Junction Station. Everyone used to like that tunnel because it passed through the border between the Yellow Zone and the Green Zone. One end was hell and the other end was heaven.
It used to be a beautiful tunnel, decorated with plastic flowers, plastic vines, and colorful lights. But three weeks ago, something changed.
People stopped walking here, and soon even the trains stopped running. Why?
The young man in the peaked cap feigned suspense as he took the wine glass offered to him. After taking a sip, he continued, "Those who escaped said that the workers who died while building the tunnel are back to life. They still hold on to their faith and continue to dig holes. They're digging holes everywhere: in the walls, on the rails, on pedestrians, and in their backpacks."
Do you think they're talking nonsense? The rats that dig holes have grown to the size of cats and dogs, so they can no longer dig holes. As for the holes in the people and backpacks, maybe they were fighting inside?
Just listen to the story. One day, a man ran out of the tunnel dragging a cloth bag, shouting for help. He said that one of his friends was beaten to death by the undead in there, but the people around him didn't dare to help him.
They watched helplessly as white mist emerged from the man's body, and then fist-sized holes appeared in his clothes. When the clothes were completely penetrated, his skin began to tear, followed by his muscles and bones. Finally, he and the cloth bag he was carrying turned into a pool of pus, and even his gold teeth were not spared. . . .
Some say that those who attempted to pass through the tunnel vanished, turning into a puddle or a heap. Later, so many people turned into water that the tunnel filled with this liquid. This liquid, filled with wronged souls, was highly corrosive, stripping away everything in the tunnel that could corrode it.
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