Chapter 170

Chapter 170: The Death of Anderson – The Door to Rebirth in the Apocalypse – Full Book Online

The Door to Rebirth in the Apocalypse

In the capital, besides the three large bases, there are hundreds of survivor settlement points of various sizes. Every day, countless survivors flood into the capital from all over the country. These people are usually not assigned to the large bases but are instead directed to these survivor settlement points.

The area within the third ring road has essentially become a zombie-infested zone. All military forces have been withdrawn to military bases outside the city center, which is also the first large survivor base established in the capital after the apocalypse, known as Base One. Immediately after the outbreak of the apocalypse, national leaders, various leadership tiers, scientific researchers, medical experts, and other elite members of society were all swiftly moved to this base for protection.

Base Two was established after Base One became overcrowded, created by clearing out areas with strong armed forces. Base Three followed a similar pattern. Base One possesses the most powerful military force, while Bases Two and Three are subordinate to Base One, sharing its resources. The other survivor settlement points are under the jurisdiction of these three major bases. Their resources are extremely limited, and even the supplies sent down from the three major bases are often insufficient to sustain the survivors in these settlement points. Under the constant and aggressive scavenging by the three major bases, these settlement points, with their very limited weapons and equipment, can only gather a minimal amount of supplies. Moreover, the safety of these settlement points is far inferior to that of the bases, and tragic incidents of entire settlement points being wiped out by roaming zombie hordes are frequent. The key to gaining access to the three major bases is the crystal core.

Submitting one crystal core grants a month’s residency in the base.

If one passes the base military’s assessment and joins the military, they can obtain permanent residency in the base and can bring up to three family members.

Of course, having enough resources can also secure a base pass.

“The population management in each base is very detailed. Every person entering or leaving the base has a detailed record. With Third Brother’s abilities, they should be settled in Base Three by now. Once we arrive, we can directly check the list at Base Three’s management office,” Zhuang Chen said.

Gu Ning nodded, gazing at the gradually emerging outline of the port in the distance. However, instead of feeling reassured by Zhuang Chen’s words, she grew increasingly anxious. What if she couldn’t find her parents? Where else could she look?

Liu Mei and Liu Xin remained silent, but their excitement was palpable as they stared at the distant port.

To thank them for their “generosity,” Anderson warmly invited them to enjoy a “lavish” lunch before departure.

Red wine paired with Anderson’s homemade baked cheese pasta, supposedly brought onboard during their last resupply stop. Perhaps because they could already see the port, their tense nerves relaxed slightly. Additionally, to repay Anderson for his leniency regarding Liu Mei and Liu Xin’s situation, they felt obliged to accept the invitation.

On the deck, they watched the approaching port, bathed in warm sunlight that covered the deck and the sea. Even the sea breeze felt less biting, and they enjoyed the meal in high spirits.

Yi Shaoqing even complimented Anderson’s cooking.

Anderson once again sincerely invited Gu Ning to stay on the ship, but, unsurprisingly, she politely declined once more. Anderson, ever the gentleman, expressed his regret.

Gu Ning wasn’t fond of pasta, especially Italian pasta, nor did she care for red wine. She barely touched her lips to the wine. So, she watched as Zhuang Chen, Yi Shaoqing, Director Zhong, Xia Yu, and the Liu sisters all collapsed. Only then did she feel her consciousness blur. She tried to reach for her knife but was overwhelmed by dizziness and collapsed heavily to the ground. The sun was blinding, and Anderson’s face appeared above her, backlit, making his expression unreadable. She only heard his gentle voice: “I gave you a chance, but you refused twice. Opportunities are fleeting, aren’t they?…”

His voice faded, and darkness enveloped her vision as her consciousness sank into an endless abyss…

“Whoosh!”

A bucket of icy, bone-chilling water was dumped over her head, jolting Gu Ning awake. Her vision was blurry, and she blinked several times before her surroundings came into focus.

A man stood before her, smugly waving the empty bucket. “Heh! How was that? Refreshing?!” Gu Ning struggled to lift her head, quickly recalling what had happened before she passed out. She realized she was tightly bound to a pillar. She assessed her body and, aside from the freezing seawater she’d just been doused with, didn’t seem to be injured. She sighed in relief but then tensed again, as she couldn’t see Zhuang Chen, Yi Shaoqing, or the others…

The man before her was the same one she had slapped twice. He sneered at her, calling out to the crew members watching the spectacle, “Another bucket!” Immediately, someone handed over another bucket of water. The man took it and hurled the water at Gu Ning’s face. She closed her eyes just in time, but the force of the water stung her face, and she choked, coughing violently as she turned her head away.

“How was that? Feeling good? Want another one, huh?!” The man laughed, taking another bucket of water, ready to douse her again. Just then, a short man emerged from below deck, scolding them, “Enough already! Don’t you know how to treat a lady? The captain wants her brought to the room below! She’s the captain’s chosen one. If she catches a cold and dies, can you afford to compensate? Do you want the captain to throw you all overboard to feed the fish? What are you standing around for? Untie Miss Gu!”

“Hey, kid! Come help!” The short man pushed aside the leering men, not letting them touch Gu Ning, and called out to a boy lurking in the corner, “Stop staring! You! Come help!”

The boy, seemingly frightened, hesitated but slowly approached. His movements were sluggish, and his pale complexion, starkly different from the sun-tanned crew, made him look sickly. The short man smacked the boy’s head, cursing, “I told you to come over, not dawdle like a woman! Are you mute or deaf? Always looking so gloomy, like someone owes you a fortune! If it weren’t for the captain keeping you on board, I’d either boil you or throw you overboard to save food!”

The boy’s head drooped from the blow, but he didn’t make a sound. When he looked up, his face was expressionless.

The short man turned to Gu Ning with a grin, “Miss Gu, if you become the captain’s wife, don’t forget about me. I’ve never wronged you!”

Gu Ning squinted at him, smiling coldly.

The short man didn’t seem to mind, continuing, “I’ll give you some advice. Be obedient to the captain later, and you’ll suffer less. If you please him, you’ll live a life of luxury. But if you don’t…” His beady eyes scanned the rough men around him, chuckling darkly, “The consequences won’t be pleasant.”

Gu Ning spoke, her voice hoarse, “Where are they?”

The short man knew she was asking about her friends. He gave her a cryptic smile and said, “You should worry about yourself first.” Then he ordered the boy, “Carry her to the captain’s room!”

The boy didn’t even glance at Gu Ning, silently crouching to lift her onto his back and heading toward the cabin entrance.

“Bro, why not have us carry her? Why make the mute do it?” one of the men asked, confused.

The short man snorted, “I’m saving your hides! Don’t think I don’t know your type. If you carried her, you’d take advantage of her along the way. If she ends up in the captain’s bed and wins his favor, do you think she’ll forget how you treated her? You think you’ll have a good life after that? We’ve had plenty of women on this ship, but have you ever seen the captain take a liking to any of them? If this one becomes the captain’s wife, you’d better thank me for saving your worthless lives!”

Gu Ning didn’t know what drug Anderson had used on them. Though her consciousness had returned, her body was weak, and she couldn’t even lift her arms. If the boy put her down, she wouldn’t be able to stand, let alone speak. She could only be carried step by step into the dark cabin.

“Do you want to escape from this ship?” Gu Ning struggled to speak. “We can help each other…”

The boy’s steps faltered for a moment, then continued.

“You’re treated like a slave here, beaten and scolded at will. Are you willing to endure this humiliation forever? Haven’t you thought about escaping?” Gu Ning’s voice grew weaker as she spoke, her throat itching, leading to a fit of coughing. Afterward, she persisted, “I just need you to carry me out like this after I kill Anderson. Can you do that? I promise I’ll get you out of here.”

The boy seemed indifferent to her words, simply continuing forward until they reached Anderson’s room. Without hesitation, he pushed the door open, carried Gu Ning inside, and placed her on the bed before silently leaving.

Gu Ning lay weakly on the bed, straining to look around the room.

Anderson’s room was undoubtedly the best and cleanest on the ship. The bed was neatly made, everything spotless and dust-free. There was even an en-suite bathroom, from which the sound of running water emanated. The frosted glass door faintly revealed a human silhouette inside…

It was too late to regret letting her guard down. Now, the most important thing was to find a way to escape. She had faced similar situations before, early in the apocalypse, when men, unshackled by the end of the world, turned into beasts. Countless women, weaker in strength, had been victimized. She herself had nearly been dragged into a dark alley. Back then, though the apocalypse had just begun and she was just a girl with little ability to fight back, at least she had some room to resist. Now, she could only lie here, struggling even to lift her hand. She kept trying to access her spatial ability, but perhaps due to her weakened state, she could feel the ability’s presence but couldn’t activate it, breaking into a cold sweat.

Especially when the sound of water from the bathroom stopped, she froze, then closed her eyes and desperately tried to summon her ability…

After a while, the bathroom door slid open with a whoosh. Gu Ning’s eyes snapped open to see Anderson stepping out, his damp, golden-brown hair hanging over his forehead, his green eyes glistening like water, his white bathrobe loosely tied, revealing his toned physique. He was undeniably attractive, but to Gu Ning, his appearance only sent chills down her spine.

“If you didn’t look at me like I’m a ghost, I’d be in a much better mood,” Anderson said with a smile, walking over. The room was small, and in a few steps, he was by the bed, looking down at Gu Ning. He frowned as if just noticing her disheveled state, “I forgot to warn them not to touch my kitten.” He sat on the edge of the bed, gazing intently into Gu Ning’s eyes, “I’ve said it before, you have captivating eyes, beautiful yet dangerous, like the most exquisite gemstones, radiating a deadly allure. I adore such sparkling gems, wanting to possess them… but I love even more the dazzling light they emit when shattered…” He slowly unzipped Gu Ning’s jacket, his words mad, yet his eyes remained cold, like frozen green lakes.

“Why are you doing this?” Gu Ning rasped.

“My kitten has questions,” Anderson said fondly. “I should thank you and your friends. We desperately needed those guns. With them, we’ll lose fewer people, seize more supplies, and survive longer. Everyone does what they must to stay alive in this world, don’t they? Of course… and to keep you on my ship. Let’s not dwell on such dull topics now. Later, I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Right now, we have more important matters to attend to…”

As her jacket was removed, Gu Ning shivered. She knew what was coming and was terrified, recalling the despair she felt when first dragged into a dark alley by a brutal man. But fear didn’t make her retreat. She stared straight into Anderson’s eyes, her gaze unwavering, watching him calmly.

Anderson wasn’t disappointed by the lack of fear in her eyes. He climbed onto the bed, straddling her, his long fingers tracing her cheek, down her neck, over her chest, and further down, his voice low and smug, “You’re afraid. Your body tells me you’re afraid… Do you think I’ll stop?” His hands roamed her body, eliciting shivers, as he gazed at her entranced, “Will the body beneath these clothes be as exquisite as your eyes…”

Gu Ning’s shivering suddenly stopped. She looked at him and said slowly, “You will die.”

She closed her eyes.

Anderson laughed, thinking her words more of a curse than a threat. His hand slipped under her clothes, the cold yet soft skin beneath his fingers more delightful than he’d imagined. His hand moved skillfully upward, still watching her face, hoping to see vulnerability. But in the next moment, his smile froze. His hand, exploring beneath her clothes, stopped abruptly, not daring to move further.

Anderson’s face showed disbelief. He couldn’t even look down. The sharp tip of a vine was pressed against his neck. The slightest movement would drive the thorn into his throat, a process that would take less than a blink.

Gu Ning’s eyes opened slowly, filled with indifference and mockery, “You said it, you will die.”

Anderson’s beautiful green eyes widened in shock.

“Thud—” Blood splattered.

Gu Ning closed her eyes to avoid the blood, not wanting to witness the gruesome death throes.

After a while, she opened her eyes and called out as loudly as she could, “Come in.”

Silence lingered before the door finally opened, and the boy they called “Mute” entered.

“Sorry,” Gu Ning said, her face bloodied, struggling to speak to the stunned boy, “Can you help me move this corpse off me first?”

“Take me to where my friends are being held,” Gu Ning whispered from the boy’s back.

The boy silently carried her out of the room, roughly shoving Anderson’s body aside. The corpse lay face up, a large hole in his neck from the vine, blood gushing out, staining his pristine white bathrobe. His once-beautiful green eyes were now dull, lifeless… He probably never knew what had pierced his throat.