Chapter 39

The two men quietly embraced each other for a while. Lin Wenbo repeatedly patted Gong Lixin's back as if to comfort him, even though he was actually comforting himself. The moment the person rushed into his arms, the suppressed fear in his heart disappeared. Allowing him to lower the walls around his heart. He tightened his arms vigorously, as if he was afraid that it was just a dream.

Gong Lixin felt his strong unease and frowned a bit, but did not break away.

"Two days and two nights, you really took your time!" He Jin's face was dark when he finally interrupted the two, the sarcasm and dissatisfaction in his tone obvious.

They didn't even help collect the child's belongings, and because of that he had thought that the Gong family had completely abandoned the child, as if they no longer wanted him. When he finally decided to take the child away, the Gong family caught up with them and he couldn't help but feel troubled. [1]

Lin Wenbo slowly loosened his hold on Gong Lixin and straightened up to look at the miserable He Jin.

"You are?" He hesitated. He did not like the man in front of him. Moreover, this man also didn't like him and was watching him with eyes filled with cold hostility.

"This is Big Brother He!" Gong Lixin walked over to He Jin and took the initiative to hold his big hand while he talked to the two. "I've been with Big Brother He for the past two days."

He Jin squeezed the soft and smooth palm of the child, the hostility in his eyes faded a bit and the corner of his lips bent upwards slightly. He was very satisfied with how close he was to the child and how trusted he was. He reached out to Lin Wenbo and said, "Hello, He Jin."

Lin Wenbo took his hand and thanked him. "Hello, Lin Wenbo. Thank you for taking care of Xiaoxin. What are your requirements? After arriving at the base, we will try our best to satisfy your needs." He subconsciously put a distance between He Jin and the child, changing the relationship between the two, making it seem like Gong Lixin was just a business deal to He Jin and that was why He Jin had saved him.

This was He Jin's original intention [2], but after listening to Lin Wenbo, he only felt his ears sting and his heart tighten. He didn't dare to look at the child's clear eyes and his tone was stiff when he answered. "It was no problem caring for Lixin. You don't need to thank me. But the Gong family had already received the news of the apocalypse, so how could you put Lixin in such a dangerous situation? What were you thinking?"

This time, it was Lin Wenbo's turn to grieve. He couldn't tell him about Gong Xiangyi, and could only smile awkwardly and show his regret in his eyes. Two equally tall men stood opposite of each other. Although they met for the first time, it seemed that they would not get along and the surrounding atmosphere was frosty.

"Big Brother Lin, where's Big Brother Song? Is Dad and Grandfather still well?" Gong Lixin promptly asked and interrupted the two.

He Jin heard his question and his brows wrinkled. He was very concerned about this Big Brother Song who was always mentioned by the child.

Lin Wenbo remembered that his friend was still searching in the city and quickly pulled out the satellite communicator. He saw that there were several missed calls; there were from Gong Father, Song Haoran and his grandfather, but none from Gong Xiangyi.

His brows wrinkled. He pressed down the frost in his heart and softly answered, "Everyone is well. Your Song Brother is still looking for you in the city and is worried about you, everyone was worried. Let's leave first, wait to find a safe spot and we'll call them to report that you were found."

"Hn, let's go!" Gong Lixin let go of He Jin's hand and climbed the grass slope.

He Jin shook his two empty hands, pressed his chest and, sullenly followed behind. Lin Wenbo also walked two steps, accompanied by Gong Lixin.

Stepping into a hole in the grass, Lin Wenbo shook himself, and the collar of his military uniform rubbed against the back of his neck, causing it to sting. He frowned and touched the pain there. His hand touched a two-centimeter wound and felt warm blood slowly oozing out.

The palm of his hand was spread out in front of his eyes and the black and red blood caught Lin Wenbo's eyes. He was hurt. In the darkness, the bats' movements were unclear and he couldn't remember when he had been scratched by one of them. However, this was no longer important. Although being an ability user granted certain immunity to zombie blood, if they were directly bitten or scratched, they would be infected without a doubt.

Lin Wenbo's mind had gone blank. He looked at the teenager who was walking in front of him and smiled after a long pause. Slowly, he put away the bitterness on his face and decisively called Gong Lixin.

"Big Brother Lin, what's wrong?" Gong Lixin stopped and looked at him.

"I may not be able to leave with you. You leave by yourself." Lin Wenbo stepped up to him and leaned over, looking straight into his eyes as he spoke seriously.

When the army was being cleared, many soldiers were bitten, so he knew very well that the toxin would attack within forty-eight hours. It meant that he could mutate after two days or it was possible for him to mutate after one or twenty minutes, or even one or two hours. There were no specific rules about how long it would take. Therefore, he did not dare to take the risk of leaving with them. If he got on the helicopter and mutated then, everyone would be in danger of crashing.

"Were you hurt by a bat?" He Jin's heart moved and he took two steps, his sharp eagles eyes searching Lin Wenbo's.

Lin Wenbo smiled and pulled back his collar to reveal the wound. He slowly explained: "I could mutate at any time. It would only put you in danger if I were to go with you." After his words fell, he leaned over the child's cheek and lovingly said. "Go on, Big Brother Lin will handle it himself. Don't worry. Hold on to this communicator and when you reach a safe place, remember to give your family a call. The number is stored in the address book."

He was very indifferent about all this. He did not despair even as he was about to die. Looking at his eyes, they were slightly reddish and the delicate brows were twisted. He sighed and his heart felt very satisfied. He was still young, as long as Xiaoxin was still alive, there was still a long way to go. When he came to look for Xiaoxin, he thought there would be an accident so he had already mentally prepared himself, and was able to make Gong Xiangyi regret her actions.

"How are you going to deal with it?" He Jin asked with his deep voice.

Lin Wenbo subconsciously touched the pistol at his waist. There were plenty of bullets inside and it was enough for him to use it.

Gong Lixin and He Jin immediately knew his intentions. Gong Lixin rushed towards his waist at lightning speed. He took the pistol and yelled. "Is Big Brother Lin wanting to commit suicide? Just because you're afraid of becoming a zombie? But you haven't changed yet? I won't leave you! Even if you become a zombie, I won't leave you!" His words fell and he paused before desperately begging, "Don't commit suicide, suicide is very painful! If you become a zombie, I'll raise you. Even if you want to eat human flesh, I'll help you!" He didn't want Big Brother Lin to die. If Big Brother Lin really did mutate, he could also afford to take care of him, just like Xian Lin did with his corpse army.

The last sentence hit Lin Wenbo's heart with its childish yet cruel words. The words "becoming a zombie" and "raise you" kept playing in his ear, shaking his resolve. Cruel yet sincere, this sentimentality was heavy, like poison wrapped in sweet icing, which makes people unable to refuse despite knowing the danger; recklessly indulging and intoxicating.

Lin Wenbo's heart beat faster than ever and no words could describe his mood at this moment. He wanted to open his mouth to rebuke the child's innocence and cruelty, but when he did, not a single word came out. He could only take the child into his arms and call his name over and over again.

He Jin was also shocked by Gong Lixin's innocent and cruel words. After a long while, he returned to Earth and pulled them apart. His chest swelled with sourness and he thought that if the situation was different, if it was him and instead of Lin Wenbo, he would willingly accept.

Pushing his emotions to the bottom of his heart, he whispered, "Come with us! If you become a zombie, I will naturally shoot you. It's too expensive to raise you!" In fact, he couldn't help but want to shoot Lin Wenbo.

"Don't! Maybe things are not so bad. I can see if I could help Big Brother Lin push the poison out." Gong Lixin heard He Jin's words and his brows on his white face creased into a ball before his brain flashed with a sudden idea and he immediately stopped the other. He didn't know if zombie poison was different from ordinary poison. If it was the same, he should have a solution. But if it was not, he was afraid that he would let Big Brother Lin down.

"Forcing it out?" Lin Wenbo smoothed Gong Lixin's hair and shook his head and laughed. "Will you use internal force?" Lin Wenbo wanted to laugh as he recalled when the child had told him that he had internal strength. With this child, he was relaxed and content all the time. Even in the face of death, being accompanied by this child, he felt calm.

He Jin heard this and his brows shot up and he looked at Gong Lixin, his heart beating faster.

Gong Lixin took Lin Wenbo's left wrist and carefully probed it. After a while, he said affirmatively: "Yes, internal force can force it out." It was corpse poison! He could deal with it! He detected Lin Wenbo's pulse and his eyes curved up in happiness.

"Big Brother He, help us keep watch in case the bats attack again. I will get rid of Big Brother Lin's poison." He asked He Jin. Gong Lixin then turned to face Lin Wenbo who was stunned and had his shoulders pressed down to let him sit on the ground. He circulated his internal force around the other's heart and forced the toxins out through the wound that it infiltrated in.

"Don't move! Believe in Lixin." Seeing Lin Wenbo's horrified expression, apparently, He Jin guessed that the other did not know that the child had martial arts. He was a little embarrassed and immediately forgot that the child had lied to him and said that his power was a power ability. To hide this from a person who he had just met, He Jin could understand that. If the child had told him that as soon as they met, he would not have not have believed. But now, the child's trust in him was strong, he felt it.

The hot but comfortable feeling spread from his heart where Gong Lixin's hand was. Lin Wenbo slightly squinted, and immediately relaxed his body, allowing Gong Lixin's palm slowly move to his back. The chill from the wound at the back of his neck faded away and the thick black blood rushed out of the wound and dripped onto the back of Lin Wenbo's clothes. Fortunately, the uniform was pure black, so there was no visible blood stains.

Gong Lixin's palm moved from his back to his neck, and the two-centimeter long wound no longer spilled black blood, but healthy red blood. Lin Wenbo's eyes widened in surprise as he silently felt his body getting better.

"Hn, Big Brother Lin is fine." He took up Lin Wenbo's wrist again and sighed in relief.

"Xiaoxin, did you really use internal force?" Lin Wenbo hesitated before adding. "Is your previous ability not abilities, but martial arts?" He had often listened to Gong Xiangyi, who knew quite a lot about abilities and ability users. Gong Lixin's previous shot was not part of his information, nor his ability to remove poison from the body.

"It's martial arts. I don't have any abilities." Gong Lixin honestly answered. Once his words fell, he pulled He Jin's hand and whispered: "Big Brother He, I'm sorry I lied to you."

"It's nothing." He Jin patted the child's head. He enjoyed the cute, small face and big eyes that was sincerely asking for forgiveness.

"Has it always been so powerful or was it just recently?" Lin Wenbo's was a bit stunned and he was trying to digest the information that this small, thin child was a peerless martial arts master.

"When I was practicing before, it was not so powerful. It had suddenly become more and more powerful recently." Gong Lixin lowered his head and explained. He only stated some facts but didn't dare tell Lin Wenbo the inside story. He was greedy for all the warmth and beauty that being Gong Lixin brought him, and would never mention anything related to the underground palace to anyone. He was Gong Lixin and he could only be Gong Lixin.

"In this case, although Xiaoxin's power is not an ability, it can be similar to an ability. It was affected by the unidentified radiation that spread out on Earth. It's good to have strength." Lin Wenbo smiled and seemed to think of something and immediately retrieved his smile and seriously said: "Listen, your power is an ability, not martial arts, remember this! Don't use this power on people unless you are very close with that person. Your power is special. If you let other people know, it will be bad for you."

Anyone could practice martial arts, which was not an ability. In this world, there were no shortage of ability users, but the power of martial arts was different. If this matter was passed around, it was difficult to ensure that people did not covet the information in Xiaoxin's mind. When he was young, he was obsessed with martial arts and loved collecting martial arts manuals. This was well known. It would be very possible to tie him down and force him to use his power and destroy what they wanted. If they let people know that Xiaoxin could also fight zombie poison, the consequences were even more unimaginable. Xiaoxin would be imprisoned as a monster, used for research and only awaiting death.

Lin Wenbo paled at the thought and serious looked at Gong Lixin, awaiting his answer.

"I know. I won't tell anyone at random. Right now, only you, Big Brother He and Big Brother Song knows. Not even Dad knows." In his past life, Jianghu people had experience fierce battles to get their hands on the "Reverse Spirits" cultivation method. He often heard servants in the underground palace talking about it, so when he was very young, he understood the truth of his strength.

"That's good." Lin Wenbo breathed a sigh of relief and cautiously added, "This matter, you don't have to tell Gong Father. Let him think that you are an ability user. Don't ask why, just remember, the less people that know, the safer your secret will be."

Gong Father loved Gong Xiangyi. Although right now, there was a gap with Gong Xiangyi, but the two were still father and daughter, and the relationship could always be reconciled. Under his negligence or carelessness, it was very likely that the news of Xiaoxin's power would be revealed by Gong Father.

When Gong Xiangyi was in trouble, she did not hesitate to abandon Xiaoxin. It was obvious that she did not have much affection for Xiaoxin and would plan against him wholeheartedly. If she could sell him out once, she could do it a second and a third time.

Today, Lin Wenbo's trust in Gong Xiangyi had completely collapsed and he had taken precautions against her. However, he could not explain Gong Xiangyi's actions to Gong Lixin lest he be saddened.

"Hn, I know. If Dad doesn't ask, I won't say it." Gong Lixin nodded his head and answered seriously.

Lin Wenbo, satisfied, turned to stare at the gloomy He Jin with a cold expression, "I just hope that you completely forget about it. Otherwise, I am fully capable of not letting you out of A province." As he ran his ability through his body, he created a cold and shiny steel needle and pointed it at He Jin.

He Jin sneered, raising his hand to summon a fierce wind and scornfully answered, "You can try."

The two were at a standoff, releasing their oppressive aura, refusing to give in to each other.

"Don't fight!" Gong Lixin walked between them with scrunched up eyebrows. "Now is not the time to fight. I believe in Big Brother He. Big Brother He would never tell anyone and won't do anything to hurt me."

He Jin heard this and he immediately dispelled the whirlwind, and began touching Lixin's soft hair as he smiled with gentleness and happiness.

"Of course, I won't say anything. Anyone who dares hurt Lixin will feel my wrath, whether they are dead or alive! You also manage your mouth. If there are rumors being circulated about Lixin, I won't let you off!" He yelled, faintly glaring at Lin Wenbo before sliding his hand over the child's shoulder and bringing him to climb the grass slope.

If it weren't for Lin Wenbo's sincere consideration of the child, he would not be enduring him. Lin Wenbo's good intentions though made He Jin very dissatisfied, as if his exclusive right had to be shared with others. His heart did not feel well.

Lin Wenbo licked his lips and his beautiful face was covered with frost. His deep eyes examined He Jin's expression and confirmed that his words were from the heart and the needle disappeared with a thought.

Gong Lixin was dragged into a half hug, but Gong Lixin did not forget to turn back and wave to Lin Wenbo, telling him to keep up, his white face swaying with a cute smile. The coldness on Lin Wenbo's face faded in an instant and the corner of his lips slightly hooked up before he joined him.

The three men climbed the grass slope and were shocked at the sight. They saw a raging fire on top of a hill not far away. The dense bushes had turned into huge torched at this moment and was raging on violently. The hot waves created a pungent smell on the surface. The black-colored bats were attracted by the burning sound and were not afraid of death. They rushed to the raging fire and instantly turned into ash.

No wonder they stayed in the valley for nearly twenty minutes but no bats came over. The three of them suddenly saw Lu Yun and others getting off of the cars and waving at them, their expression anxious. The three did not hesitate and quickly rushed across the burning grass and ran towards the car as quickly as possible.

When they stepped on the sea of fire, as long as their speed was fast enough, they would not be burned by the flames. The three men had superior strength and safely broke through. Lu Yun immediately started the car and head for Xianyang Town.

[1] AutumnBreeze: Because you wanted to kidnap him?

[2] Translator’s Note: using Gong Lixin to exchange for a way to go back home

CrazedCookies: Thank you Jessie and Nyurr for the Ko-Fi! Here’s your bonus chapter!

And here’s a lovely picture of Gong Lixin drawn by ARI! Thank you ARI!!