Black Sky - Chapter 16

The relaxed atmosphere, where they had been exchanging casual questions, suddenly became extremely awkward because of You Xin’s question.

Bai Zi had never imagined that anyone would use the word “well-matched” to describe the relationship between her and Meng Yilan. She was about to shake her head and deny it, but she heard Meng Yilan say, in a detached tone, “No, we’re not in that kind of relationship.”

“Oh—” You Xin drew out the sound again, with an expression that said, ‘I believe you about as far as I can throw you.’

Meng Yilan stood up and added, “I’m not interested in women.”

The statement was concise, as if she was emphasizing that she liked to eat apples rather than pineapples.

Only then did You Xin suddenly realize that Meng Yilan wasn’t joking, and turned her gaze to Bai Zi in confusion, only to see that the other party was expressionless, as if she wasn’t touched by the conversation between the two of them at all.

Could it be that my gaydar is malfunctioning, You Xin suddenly fell into extreme self-doubt.

“My name is Meng Yilan, and her name is Bai Zi,” Meng Yilan said, picking up the emergency supplies bag, as if she wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. “I’m sorry to trouble you to take us to the subway station, thank you.”

You Xin looked a little surprised, as if she hadn’t expected the topic to change so quickly.

Bai Zi, however, didn’t show any surprise. She obediently stood up, raised her hand to take the bag from Meng Yilan, but the other party dodged it, like before.

Bai Zi could only withdraw her hand, turned around, and stomped out the fire.

Her face was still expressionless, seemingly not saddened by Meng Yilan’s attitude.

Watching the two people’s interactions, which had become extremely disharmonious in an instant, You Xin suddenly widened her eyes again, and then narrowed them, as if she had already understood something in her heart.

Seeing that the three of them were about to leave, Mao Mao quickly grabbed the dirty little yellow duck doll that she had been biting, picked up the blanket with her feet, and also jumped down to the first floor.

Outside, the cold wind was still raging, and the dark forest was still the same as before, without any changes.

You Xin, wearing a light hat, walked in front, Meng Yilan followed behind her, and Bai Zi and Mao Mao were at the very end—of course, Mao Mao, wearing a blanket, was still hanging on Bai Zi’s back. Its volume and weight were twice as large as You Xin’s hiking backpack, but Bai Zi didn’t have any complaints about this, nor did she feel tired.

The three of them walked silently all the way. Before long, You Xin pointed to a huge arched iron gate not far ahead, and said, “That’s the back door of the zoo.”

Meng Yilan looked up, looking at the gate that was covered with green vines and full of rust: “Are you very familiar with this area?”

“No,” You Xin led everyone out of the gate, and walked to the right,”Before, my cousin told me in detail how to get there.”

“I haven’t heard of a subway station nearby,” Meng Yilan said in confusion.

You Xin smiled mysteriously: “That subway station was abandoned two or three years ago. It wasn’t until a year ago that the government prepared to renovate it, who knew what happened later…you know.”

“Then how did you…”

“Ahh,” You Xin raised her head proudly, “Before, my cousin knew the old man who was in charge of guarding the abandoned subway station. Later, something happened, so she directly built a small base there.”

Listening to You Xin talking about her “cousin” all the time, Bai Zi thought that the relationship between these cousins must be very good. Having cut off contact with her brother long ago, Bai Zi felt extremely unfamiliar with this kind of kinship that was thicker than water.

After walking for about ten more minutes, You Xin said softly: “We’re here.”

Bai Zi poked her head out and saw a small green slope standing in front of her, illuminated by the lights. But when she got closer, she realized that this wasn’t a small green slope at all, but a subway station entrance covered with various green plants.

You Xin walked forward, pushed aside a few vines, revealing an old door made of thick wooden planks. There was a small circular button right above the door. You Xin raised her hand towards the button, but because she was too short, she couldn’t reach it even when she tiptoed.

Meng Yilan walked forward, and slightly raised her hand, pressing the button for You Xin.

“Three long, two short,” You Xin reminded, “Thanks!”

Meng Yilan was stunned for half a second before understanding, and then raised her hand again, pressing the button five times in the pattern she said.

Bai Zi looked up, and vaguely saw a dilapidated sign above the door. Under the thick dust, she had to look very carefully to make out the five words “Ping An Subway Station”.

After a while, the door opened, but only a crack was revealed. In the dim light, a withered old hand climbed onto the wooden door.

For some reason, Mao Mao suddenly jumped off Bai Zi’s body, but then tugged at Bai Zi’s pants, looking a little apprehensive. This situation had happened before. Bai Zi and Meng Yilan exchanged a knowing glance, but soon, Meng Yilan immediately shifted her gaze away, as if she was avoiding something.

Bai Zi suppressed the slight anxiety that rose in her heart, and pretended to be calm, telling herself that no matter what the other party’s attitude was, she shouldn’t care.

Standing in the crack of the door was an old man in his sixties or seventies with a hunting rifle on his back. He had gray hair at his temples, dark skin, and deep wrinkles on his face, but his eyes were clear, and he was carefully scrutinizing the outside of the door.

“Grandpa Tan, although we haven’t met, I’m You Yi’s cousin,” You Xin clearly knew the other party’s identity, and said softly, “She often mentions you to me. My name is You Xin, the You from swimming, and the Xin from lamp wick.”

“Look,” You Xin took out her identity certificate and handed it to Grandpa Tan, and then looked at Meng Yilan and Bai Zi behind her, “These two are my friends. Don’t worry, none of us are infected with the virus, you can check if you want.”

Hearing these words, Bai Zi couldn’t help but put her right hand behind her back.

Grandpa Tan took the identity certificate, glanced at it, and then looked up: “Even if you girls have been bitten, how can I check? I can’t very well have you take off your shirts, can I?”

“Uh…” You Xin was stunned in place, but Grandpa Tan smiled indifferently: “Come in, it’s cold outside.”

As he said this, he finally opened the door, but then took out a sack: “Put your weapons in this bag first.”

You Xin obviously hadn’t expected this, and turned her head to look at Meng Yilan and Bai Zi, saying in a low voice: “Uh, my cousin didn’t tell me about this…”

Grandpa Tan didn’t say anything more. He used an indifferent gaze to imply that there was no room for discussion.

Bai Zi noticed that in addition to the hunting rifle, this Grandpa Tan was also holding an iron cane in his hand. The handle of the cane was shiny, as if it had been used for a long time.

“Grandpa Tan,” Meng Yilan spoke, “Actually, it’s not that we have to go in. We mainly wanted to ask if you know of any way to get to Bei City from here?”

Grandpa Tan shook his head: “I haven’t left this place for many years.”

“Then we won’t bother you.” Meng Yilan said, and was about to turn around and leave.

“Don’t,” You Xin quickly stopped her, and then turned her head to ask, “Grandpa Tan, is my cousin inside?”

“Your cousin,” Grandpa Tan thought for a long while, and shook his head, “She went out this morning, saying she had something to take care of, and hasn’t come back yet.”

You Xin curled her lips: “That’s not right, she knew I was coming today, how could she…” Saying this, she immediately felt relieved, “Forget it, that woman is just like that, she never has a plan for anything she does, she’ll probably be back later.”

“Yes,” Grandpa Tan nodded, “She’ll probably be back soon.”

You Xin turned her head and said to Meng Yilan and Bai Zi in a low voice: “Don’t leave me behind.”

“Alright,” Grandpa Tan suddenly smiled, “For You Yi’s sake, I won’t take your things.”

“Thank you, Grandpa Tan!” You Xin thanked him excitedly.

Grandpa Tan opened the door wide. Behind him, there was a long staircase leading straight underground.

The once spacious and bright subway station was now only illuminated by a dilapidated oil lamp, and was covered with moss and vines, filled with a musty and sour smell of decay.

Seeing that everyone was about to walk into the subway station, Mao Mao reluctantly tugged at Bai Zi’s pants, and followed into the door with a slightly apprehensive look.

The group followed Grandpa Tan to the end of the stairs, and as soon as they turned the corner, they discovered that behind a huge pillar, a half-meter-tall little girl was standing. She had short, ear-length hair, which was probably cut by someone who wasn’t skilled, and her bangs were uneven like a dog had chewed on them.

“Hello,” You Xin trotted over, and squatted down in front of the little girl, “My name is You Xin, the You from swimming, and the Xin from lamp wick, what’s your name?”

The little girl didn’t answer You Xin’s question. Her dark pupils looked around at everyone, and finally fixed her gaze on Mao Mao, who was tugging at Bai Zi’s pants.

Bai Zi frowned, feeling a little strange. For some reason, she felt that the little girl wasn’t speaking, seemingly not because she was shy, but because she didn’t want to talk.

On that childish face, there was a maturity and restraint that didn’t match her age.

“This girl doesn’t like to talk,” Grandpa Tan walked to the child’s side and took her hand. “Her name is Li Feitian, and she’s eight years old this year.”

As Grandpa Tan spoke, he led everyone towards the ticket gate.

“Feitian?” You Xin nodded. “That’s a very nice name, but…” She scratched her head. “Why didn’t my cousin ever mention her to me?”

Grandpa Tan turned his head to look at the child next to him: “Feitian only arrived here recently, with her brother.”

“Wow, you have a brother,” You Xin exclaimed enviously. “I also want a brother to protect me, but I only have a cousin who’s disrespectful to the elderly.”

Feitian still kept her mouth tightly shut, and didn’t even look at You Xin.

“Where’s her brother?” Meng Yilan asked.

“He went out,” Grandpa Tan said. “He should be back in a little while.”

The group continued to walk forward with the old man and the child. Mao Mao seemed to be tired, and jumped onto Bai Zi’s back again to be a backpack, but still bared its teeth, seemingly very resistant to everything around it.

Ever since encountering the two-meter-tall mutant in the doll shop, Bai Zi had regarded Mao Mao as a crisis detector.

She slowed down her pace, deliberately walking behind Meng Yilan, warily looking around—Bai Zi knew that Meng Yilan must also be in a state of extreme vigilance at this moment, even though she hadn’t looked at her once since entering the subway station.

The group arrived at the subway platform on the second basement level. Unlike the emptiness and desolation of the first basement level, this place was filled with the atmosphere of daily life—a burning stove, clothes hanging on a rope that hadn’t dried yet, a cracked and dilapidated black leather sofa, and so on.

On both sides of the platform, there were two rows of glass walls covered in dust. It could be seen that they hadn’t been cleaned for a long time. Outside the glass walls were dark tunnels. Except for Bai Zi, no one could see what was inside.

You Xin and Meng Yilan put their backpacks by the corner of the wall. Bai Zi squatted down, also wanting to take off the monkey-shaped backpack on her back, but Mao Mao refused to let go of her feet, which were tightly wrapped around Bai Zi’s waist.

Bai Zi sighed softly. She wasn’t tired, just hot.

“Mao Mao.” Meng Yilan took out a piece of hard candy and called out softly.

As if it were some kind of spell, Bai Zi’s abdomen immediately loosened, and in the next second, Mao Mao was already squatting at Meng Yilan’s feet, gnawing on the hard candy.

Bai Zi looked at Meng Yilan, but the other party lowered her head, rubbed Mao Mao’s head, but still didn’t pay any attention to Bai Zi.

The originally silent Feitian carefully walked to Mao Mao’s side, squatted down, and after watching it chew on the hard candy for a long time, suddenly looked up and asked Meng Yilan: “Why isn’t it wearing clothes?”

Feitian’s voice was quite consistent with her age, very childish.

Meng Yilan hadn’t expected the little girl to suddenly ask her a question, and didn’t know how to answer for a moment. Seeing this, Bai Zi walked over with the tattered blanket that Mao Mao had thrown on her shoulder, unfolded it, and covered it on Mao Mao’s back: “These are its clothes.”

Mao Mao, however, ruthlessly threw the blanket away, it was too hot.

“You guys sit,” Grandpa Tan put two more pieces of firewood into the stove. “I don’t have anything here, I can’t entertain you well.”

You Xin laughed: “You’re too kind, Grandpa Tan. Just letting us in is already top-notch hospitality…” As she said this, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if she had seen something that made her confused.

Bai Zi followed her gaze and looked towards the far right side of the platform. There was a large hole in the glass wall there, and she could vaguely see a faint pink light emitting from the tracks inside.

“Grandpa Tan,” You Xin suddenly asked, “Have you been attacked by mutants here?”

“No,” Grandpa Tan shook his head, and lifted the pot of boiling water on the stove. “I haven’t had any of those things come in here since a year ago, and nothing has happened.”

You Xin nodded, thoughtfully, and sat down on the black leather sofa according to Grandpa Tan’s instructions.

Bai Zi, on the other hand, walked silently towards the glass wall with a large hole in it.

“That glass,” Grandpa Tan coughed, “was accidentally broken by someone who was staying here temporarily before, and it hasn’t been repaired.”

Bai Zi ignored Grandpa Tan. She slowly walked to the hole and poked her head into the tunnel.

A stinking smell came, and various plants grew on the rusty tracks, including a few small flowers emitting a faint pink light. Bai Zi poked her body out again and found that not far away, a wall made of sandbags blocked the tunnel.

Grandpa Tan behind her reminded: “That side is occasionally used as a toilet by people who are staying here, I haven’t cleaned it, you…”

Meng Yilan looked at Bai Zi’s back, and frowned without even realizing it—this person is still so reckless, rushing forward to do everything.

At this time, a hoarse bell rang throughout the second basement level, three long and two short.

“Why are there still people coming?” Grandpa Tan frowned, picked up the iron cane by the wall, and prepared to walk upstairs tremblingly again. “You guys sit here, I’ll go…”

“Grandpa Tan,” You Xin suddenly stood up, “I’ll go with you, in case there’s any danger, there’ll be someone to help.”

“No need, no need,” Grandpa Tan waved his hand. “Those who know the code are all our own people, you guys sit here.” After saying that, he left the second basement level on his own, regardless of what they said.

After Grandpa Tan walked away, You Xin suddenly asked a question as if talking to herself: “Do you know why those plants glow?”

Bai Zi looked at Meng Yilan, and Meng Yilan raised her eyebrows and shook her head.

You Xin said softly: “Because they absorbed the human blood that had been infected with the mutant virus.”

After saying that, You Xin raised her head again, glanced at Meng Yilan and Bai Zi respectively, and then turned her head to look at Feitian, who was squatting in the corner, watching Mao Mao chew on the hard candy.

“Feitian,” You Xin walked lightly to Feitian’s side, and squatted down like her, “Do you know why Mao Mao has so little hair on its body?”

Mao Mao immediately stretched out its left hand and hit You Xin’s shoulder.

You Xin pretended to be in unbearable pain, and Feitian was amused and laughed.

At this time, You Xin slightly turned her head, and looked at Bai Zi and Meng Yilan.

Meng Yilan was about to stand up, but Bai Zi immediately raised her hand and pressed her back onto the sofa, and then without saying a word, quickly rushed towards the direction where Grandpa Tan had left.

In less than three seconds, Bai Zi quickly arrived at the first basement level, but didn’t see Grandpa Tan’s figure.

So, Bai Zi bent over again, and walked towards the subway station entrance, but on the way, she heard voices talking that had been deliberately lowered, and she immediately stopped.

“Uncle Wang, we really can’t help it. We didn’t find the goods, and a lot of mutants came…”

Bai Zi frowned, this voice sounded a little familiar.

She slowly came to the corner, and heard Grandpa Tan ask: “Why are you the only one who came back?”

Bai Zi secretly poked out half of her face, and followed the direction of the voice, discovering that Grandpa Tan was standing with his back to this side, in front of the staircase entrance, talking to a fat man.

Bai Zi immediately recognized the identity of that man—Fatty Qiu.

“I’m asking you something!” Grandpa Tan seemed to be a little exasperated, and couldn’t even suppress the volume of his voice. “Where’s my son, Wang Yiben?!”

Wang Yiben, A Ben.

Bai Zi pursed her lips, and the terrifying face in the trap, devoid of life, floated into her mind.