The snigger, though soft, could not escape the discerning senses of Qiongli, a Level 3 New Human. Doesn’t that mean her senses are merely for show?
As soon as the sound was heard, Qiongli had already directed her attention towards the small grove. She gestured a hush to Lin Junhong and subtly pointed in the direction of the tree cluster with her chin.
Seeing his bewildered look, Qiongli whispered, "Something is in the woods."
Lin Junhong perked up his ears, his face changing as he held up his gun and steadily moved towards the grove with Qiongli.
However, before they could see what was in the woods, a muffled clap of thunder sounded from the horizon, startling everyone. And before they could recover, the echoing roars of an ancient beast could be heard from afar.
Qiongli and the others looked up and saw a mighty dragon soaring in the sky, with its winding body clearly visible!
"What...what...this is...?"
"What is that thing...?"
Their words were full of shock, their eyes filled with amazement. The dragon from the Chinese myths had four claws, but the sight of this dragon was equally awe-inspiring!
Qiongli and the others gaped, their jaws nearly touching the ground as they watched the mighty dragon soaring in the sky.
Bai Xinran homed in on the very same sky, too enthralled to notice that a gigantic spider-like creature was inching closer to her from the side.
Alerted by the noise, she whipped her head around to come face to face with a three-meter-long monster, its horrifyingly pale human face and glaring pupils staring back at her!
"Princess...my beautiful princess, I’ve come to take you home. Hahaha... Tee hee..."
The monster’s voice was piercing, androgynous and deeply unsettling. Its front half bore human-like arms which grabbed Bai Xinran’s arms and started dragging her away.
Everyone else whipped around upon hearing Bai Xinran’s terrified scream, only to find her missing from where she just was.
Qiongli’s heart gave a jolt and she exclaimed subconsciously, rushing over only to reason that Bai Xinran had disappeared into thin air.
The rest of the group, ignoring the sight of the dragon, started searching frantically, clutching their weapons.
"Something has taken her!"
"I’ll look over there!"
Lin Junhong pointed in the direction of the grove. Qiongli had initially felt something amiss there, and he now believed that the creature hiding in the grove had taken Bai Xinran while they were distracted.
"Are you...sure you can handle it? How about I go with you?"
Qiongli voiced her concern. The sudden disappearance of Bai Xinran was indeed troubling, but who knew if the creature had actually left? What if they were to be ambushed while they had split up to search?
She had considered all the pros and cons of the situation.
Lin Junhong looked hesitant; capable of whisking away a woman in such a short span was no ordinary creature. No one could guarantee that he, an ordinary man, could bring her back safely.
"You stay here and protect Little Darling and Ma Zhen, I’ll go look."
Seeing Lin Junhong’s hesitation, Qiongli decided to search on her own. As a Level 3 New Human, she had much more of a fighting chance.
But for some reason, as soon as Lin Junhong heard that, his face contorted, and after pondering for a bit, he firmly refused Qiongli, "No need, as a man of good seven feet in height, what have I to fear?"
Qiongli looked at him with a bewildered expression, pondered for a while, yet said nothing. She wouldn’t let a man’s zealous declarations lower her intelligence. Given the circumstances, it would be prudent for her to go alone.
"You just stay here and wait for me, I’ll go look."
saying this, Qiongli started heading into the grove. Lin Junhong, however, reacted like a cornered cat and seemed to bristle at her remark.
"I said I’ll go! How can I, as a man, let a woman like you fend for my sake?"
Hollering, Lin Junhong snatched the weapon out of Qiongli’s hand and stormed off into the grove.
"Just stay here and watch over them, I’ll be fine. Saving her is the priority now!"
Watching Lin Junhong run off, Qiongli could help but swear, "What a fool!"
She wanted to chase after him, but seeing Little Darling and Ma Zhen behind her, she had no choice but to return and nervously wait for his return, her mind in turmoil.
The colossal dragon in the sky was slowly descending amid the fog and took its majestic position between the mountains, creating a sense of awe.
This astonishing sight could have otherwise been captivating, but it could not compare to the unease within Qiongli’s heart. She fervently wished that Lin Junhong would return with Bai Xinran. She had imagined this scenario time and again in her mind.
Bai Xinran’s sudden disappearance left her feeling suffocated, as though she’d lost the most important thing. Only those who had lost a phone in a station before the apocalypse, could probably relate to this feeling.
However, that is just how the world is. The more bounteous are your dreams, the harsher is reality. Lin Junhong hadn’t returned for a long time since entering the grove and the dragon had also disappeared into the valley by now.
When Lin Junhong finally came out, Bai Xinran was, in fact, not with him, contrary to Qiongli’s wishes.
"I... I couldn’t find her, there’s nothing in there."
Ashamed, Lin Junhong kept his head down, unable to meet Qiongli’s eyes. Upon hearing his words, Qiongli felt dizzy and nearly fainted. Luckily, Lin Junhong was able to catch her in time.
Qiongli squatted down, apparently having no reaction to Lin Junhong’s apology. Her heart was trembling. It had been quite a while since Lin Junhong had left and during this time, the worst may have already happened to Bai Xinran...
She dared not continue speculating. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to bear reality if her fears were realized.
Just then, a voice suddenly rang out.
"What are you guys doing?"
Qiongli jerked her head upwards to see Tang Ye approaching, smoking a cigarette, chewing betel nut, and exhaling pungent smoke rings. Despite being drenched in zombie blood, he seemed to be in high spirits.
Seeing him, Qiongli felt like she had grasped at her last straw. She steadied herself and ran towards him.
Seeing Qiongli throw herself at his feet, Tang Ye was taken aback. However, he immediately became alarmed and swiftly observed his surroundings. Upon catching sight of Little Darling happily playing with Ma Zhen, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Li Henian, I beg you, Bai Xinran has been taken away by something. Please save her, I beg you!"
Tang Ye furrowed his brows, looked around again, and indeed, Bai Xinran was nowhere to be seen.