Chapter 163

Chapter 163: Leaving the Town – The Door of Rebirth in the Apocalypse – Full Novel Website

Chapter 163: Leaving the Town

“So, you’re saying that when you returned to the space and merged with Jiuze and your other self from that world, it happened at the same time. Is it possible that Jiuze didn’t actually open that door himself, but was influenced when your door opened?” Yi Shaoqing analyzed after listening to Gu Ning’s description.

Zhuang Chen agreed, “It’s possible. Otherwise, how do you explain why you could come over but Jiuze couldn’t?”

Yi Shaoqing glanced at Gu Ning and Zhuang Chen, then said, “Then we can make a bold guess. Is it possible for Jiuze to return through Gu Ning’s door? But there might be a trigger we don’t know about. Gu Ning, after you go back, you can relay my words to Jiuze. Maybe he’ll have some new insights. After all, he knows better what actually happened back then.”

Gu Ning nodded in agreement. The three of them fell silent for a moment, then suddenly exchanged a knowing smile. After the initial shock, Zhuang Chen and Yi Shaoqing finally realized what kind of existence Gu Ning’s space was. Their smiles carried a hint of excitement and anticipation.

After laughing, Gu Ning suddenly said, “I don’t plan to wait here any longer. It’s been several days, and there’s still no news from them. I plan to leave the town and head back to look for them.” She paused, then added, “You don’t need to try to persuade me. I stayed in this world initially because of my parents. Now, I just want to ask you, are you willing to come with me?”

Zhuang Chen and Yi Shaoqing exchanged surprised glances, then looked at Gu Ning and said, “What about the people who escaped from the base with us?”

Gu Ning replied, “I have enough supplies to leave for them. We’re not far from the Capital Base. Even if they want to go to the Capital, the supplies I leave behind will be enough for them.” She paused, then said seriously, “But maybe you should ask them first. Perhaps they don’t want to leave here at all.”

Zhuang Chen looked at Yi Shaoqing, who glanced at Gu Ning and nodded.

As Gu Ning expected, when Zhuang Chen brought up the question, the majority of the people expressed their desire to stay.

A middle-aged man in his forties, wearing glasses, said, “This place is safe. I’ve heard that the earliest people arrived here when the apocalypse began. Except for the occasional ‘lost’ zombies wandering in, we’ve never been attacked by a large horde of zombies—why should we risk going to the Capital? Besides, we don’t even know if the Capital is safe!” His words were met with agreement, and even those who didn’t speak seemed to share his sentiment. Even Xia Yu and Director Zhong felt that staying here might be a better choice than heading to the Capital.

At that moment, a voice suddenly rang out from the crowd, “Are you guys going to the Capital?”

The voice caused a stir, and many people looked uneasily at Zhuang Chen and Yi Shaoqing. They all knew that their safety along the way was largely due to the leadership of Zhuang Chen and Yi Shaoqing. If they left, who would lead them? Moreover, Yi Shaoqing had the antidote—

Gu Ning leaned against the doorway, coldly observing the shifting expressions of the people in the room under the flickering candlelight. She keenly sensed that the initially harmonious atmosphere was beginning to change.

The people looked at Zhuang Chen and Yi Shaoqing, waiting for them to answer the question.

Zhuang Chen cleared her throat and said, “Yes. We’re planning to leave. I’m afraid our journey together ends here.” She didn’t mention going to the Capital, only that they were leaving.

Zhuang Chen’s words confirmed their suspicions, causing another wave of panic to spread through the crowd.

Amid the murmurs, the middle-aged man stepped forward again, raising his hands to calm everyone down. “Everyone, quiet! Let me ask them a few questions!”

The crowd slowly quieted down.

The middle-aged man adjusted his glasses and turned to Zhuang Chen and Yi Shaoqing. “Since you’re leaving, we can’t stop you.” He glanced at Gu Ning, then said, “The three of you are capable. Even outside, you can find supplies. But here, we have the elderly and children. It’s not easy to find food. And now it’s winter…”

Zhuang Chen said, “We’ll leave some supplies for you. It should be enough to get through the winter.”

The middle-aged man’s eyes gleamed behind his glasses, but he put on a troubled expression. “We have one more request—” He hesitated, looking at Yi Shaoqing, and said with difficulty, “Could you leave us a few doses of the antidote? We don’t need much, just five doses. After all, there are many of us here…”

Gu Ning scanned the room. Except for Director Zhong, Xia Yu, and a few others who showed disapproval, most of the people were staring at Yi Shaoqing with almost demanding eyes.

Yi Shaoqing’s face grew increasingly sarcastic. He sneered, “You really dare to ask. Five doses? I only have five doses left in total.”

The middle-aged man, unfazed by Yi Shaoqing’s words, turned cold. “The three of you are so capable. You won’t be in danger outside. But we’re different.”

Yi Shaoqing impatiently cut him off, “Enough nonsense. I’m not giving you a single dose! Zhuang Chen, let’s pack up. We’re leaving.”

The middle-aged man’s face darkened. He said grimly, “It’s not up to you!” He gave a signal.

Several men who had been standing silently on the side stepped forward and surrounded Zhuang Chen and Yi Shaoqing.

“What are you doing?!” Xia Yu suddenly shouted, glaring at the men. “Have you forgotten who saved you from the base?”

Director Zhong also changed his expression, looking at the middle-aged man in shock. “Old Zhou, what are you doing?!”

A pockmarked young man sneered, “Xia Yu, they chose to save us. We didn’t beg them to come. Even if they hadn’t come, we would have found a way to escape. Don’t try to guilt-trip us.”

Zhou Zhongkai said, “Director Zhong, didn’t we agree? We decided to settle here. Why are you trying to play the good guy in front of them now?”

Director Zhong retorted angrily, “I agreed to stay! But we also agreed to discuss it properly with Zhuang Chen and Shaoqing. What are you planning to do now?”

“I was planning to discuss it with them, but they didn’t give us a chance. So what’s there to discuss?” Zhou Zhongkai said righteously, then turned to Zhuang Chen and Yi Shaoqing. “If you want to leave, leave the supplies and the antidote behind.”

Zhuang Chen sneered, “What if we don’t?”

Zhou Zhongkai also sneered, “Then I’m afraid you won’t be leaving this town.”

Zhuang Chen’s gaze turned icy. “Are you planning to kill us?”

Zhou Zhongkai didn’t answer.

Zhuang Chen’s sharp eyes swept over the crowd like knives. “Is this what you all want?”

Except for Director Zhong and Xia Yu, no one dared to meet her piercing gaze.

“I won’t let you do this!” Director Zhong trembled with anger, addressing the silent crowd. “You’re all going too far!”

Xia Yu didn’t say anything, but she silently stepped in front of Zhuang Chen, glaring at the others.

Their actions made their stance clear.

“Since you two are siding with them, don’t blame us.” Zhou Zhongkai’s face showed a hint of regret, then he turned to Yi Shaoqing. “I’ll give you one last chance—” A soft *pfft* sound cut him off, and his voice stopped abruptly. A sharp pain shot through his chest, as if something had pierced it. The previously silent crowd suddenly screamed, backing away like they had seen the plague. Zhou Zhongkai looked down in disbelief, seeing a green vine protruding from his chest. The other end of the vine extended from his back, its sharp tip dripping with blood—

Zhou Zhongkai opened his mouth, but no words came out. His body tilted and fell to the ground with a thud, his glasses falling off his nose.

Dead silence—

The terrified crowd followed the vine that had pierced Zhou Zhongkai. The root of the vine had silently broken through the wooden floor at the feet of someone standing there. Their eyes moved up to see Gu Ning standing there, expressionless. From the beginning until now, she hadn’t moved at all—

Someone trembled and said, “How…?”

They couldn’t believe it. How could Gu Ning still use her special ability when everyone else’s had disappeared? Only a few people in the crowd suddenly remembered the vine that had appeared on the bus, saving a woman but with no known owner—

Gu Ning said coldly, “Ungrateful wolves who want to eat people should be killed.”

Director Zhong looked at Zhou Zhongkai’s lifeless body with a hint of pity. After hearing Gu Ning’s words, his lips moved, but he couldn’t say anything.

“It seems no one has any objections now,” Zhuang Chen said with a smile. “Xia Yu, let’s go pack our things.” She took a few steps, then suddenly turned back to the silent crowd. “Sorry, I take back what I said earlier. We’ll take all the supplies with us. You’ll have to fend for yourselves.” Then she and Xia Yu went upstairs, leaving the room full of pale-faced people. They suddenly resented the now-dead Zhou Zhongkai. If it weren’t for his greed, they would at least still have a truck full of supplies! They completely forgot that their silent support was the real reason Zhou Zhongkai dared to do this.

As for Gu Ning and Zhuang Chen’s decision to leave, Wang Feng wasn’t surprised. What surprised him was that only five people were leaving.

Wang Feng asked curiously, “What about the others?”

Yi Shaoqing shrugged, “It seems they want to settle here.”

“What?” Wang Feng’s expression changed. “When you gave them the supplies, you said it was only for a week…”

“Exactly,” Yi Shaoqing said with a meaningful smile. “So, for those who want to live rent-free, Brother Wang, you know what to do, right?”

Lu Jiazhi stared at Gu Ning, who was sitting in the driver’s seat. His face showed a struggle, and when he finally mustered the courage to walk over and say something to her, Gu Ning seemed to sense it. She glanced at him—cold, indifferent, even with a hint of disgust. That one look froze Lu Jiazhi in place, unable to take another step… Then he watched as Gu Ning’s car drove out of the town and into the thick night, quickly disappearing into the darkness…