Black Sky - Chapter 6

Bai Zi, who was squatting on the ground, uncontrollably leaned forward, closer to the mutant’s face.

Between the stinking pus, a pair of gray pupils stared straight at her, the pupils surrounded by blood vessels like red maggots, as if in the next moment, these blood vessels would drill out of the eyeballs and swim towards Bai Zi.

Suddenly, she saw a rather familiar jade stone hanging around the other person’s neck.

Thumb-sized, blue-green.

This was a peace of jade that Bai Zi’s mother had asked for her when she was about two or three years old.

This person was one of two who pushed me into the incinerator that day.

What exactly happened that day?

After thinking for a few seconds, Bai Zi took off the necklace and put it back around her own neck.

The mutant suddenly raised his head, trying to bite Bai Zi, but fell down just before touching her, then raised his head again, over and over again, while Bai Zi calmly squatted in place, motionless.

“Quite brave,” Sister Hua, who was standing by the door at some point, chewed gum and shone a flashlight on Bai Zi’s neck, teasing, “Is that jade very valuable?” As soon as she finished speaking, Uncle Ma’s voice came from the walkie-talkie in her hand: “There’s nothing down here, just a morgue, and a wall full of incinerators… Are you guys okay there?”

“I suggest,” Sister Hua looked at the mutant who was still trying to pounce on Bai Zi, “leave this hellhole as soon as possible.”

“What are you doing?” Shi Lei appeared behind Sister Hua, and looked at Bai Zi with scrutinizing eyes.

Sister Hua raised her chin at Bai Zi: “You have to ask her.”

Bai Zi didn’t say anything, only waited for Meng Yilan to appear, and then, as if reporting, pointed to her feet: “Shoes.”

Meng Yilan glanced at Bai Zi, then looked at the mutant lying on the ground panting, hesitating to speak.

For some reason, Bai Zi felt that Meng Yilan’s expression was much colder than when the two of them were alone just now.

“And that jade.” Sister Hua shook the jade hanging around Bai Zi’s neck with a flashlight again.

Shi Lei showed a contemptuous expression, but it was fleeting, and instead explained patiently: “These mutants can’t die even if they’re shot, they can stand up again in an hour or two, don’t get close to them easily for a little money – in this world now, money doesn’t have value anymore.”

The always silent Meng Yilan suddenly said faintly: “The jade was hers to begin with.”

“Hers? Then how could it be…” Before Sister Hua could finish speaking, Uncle Ma’s voice came from the walkie-talkie again: “Where are you?”

Meng Yilan didn’t look at Bai Zi again, and turned around and left indifferently.

Bai Zi was slightly stunned, she clearly felt that Meng Yilan’s attitude towards her had suddenly changed.

Sister Hua looked at Bai Zi in confusion, and answered Uncle Ma with the walkie-talkie: “Coming back now.”

Shi Lei urged Bai Zi softly: “Let’s go, we have to leave here quickly.”

On the way back, Bai Zi looked at Meng Yilan’s back from afar, lost in thought. The emotions that person was showing now reminded Bai Zi of the scene when they were confronting each other on the rooftop a year ago.

At that time, Meng Yilan’s expression when looking at her was also so indifferent.

After returning to the laboratory, Fatty Qiu, who was standing by the door, immediately complained: “What did you guys go do? What if there are more mutants…”

Uncle Ma immediately stopped him: “Alright, let’s go out first, we’ll talk about it at the gas station.”

Everyone packed their luggage, and led by Uncle Ma, walked back through the excavated tunnel.

Bai Zi and Fatty Qiu followed at the back of the team. During this period, Meng Yilan never looked at Bai Zi again.

“Just now…thank you.” In the dark tunnel, Fatty Qiu suddenly said softly to Bai Zi.

Bai Zi didn’t reply, only walked forward silently.

In fact, apart from Meng Yilan, she didn’t want to pay attention to anyone. Just now, the reason why Bai Zi hugged the crazy mutant around the waist was not to save Fatty Qiu, but because she recognized Meng Yilan’s voice speaking on the walkie-talkie when she was lying under the laboratory table.

Seeing that Bai Zi was unwilling to pay attention to him, Fatty Qiu closed his mouth.

Halfway through the tunnel, Bai Zi smelled a fresh scent like green grass. When she followed everyone out of the tunnel, she knew where the scent came from.

Outside the tunnel was a lobby covered with various green plants. This scene was like a building that had been abandoned in the wild for more than ten years, completely integrated into the dark green forest due to lack of management.

At the end of the lobby, there were huge floor-to-ceiling windows covered with vines. Through the gaps, she saw the outside of the lobby – the world that Bai Zi had not seen for nearly a year.

Outside the lobby was a small square, the sky was pitch black, it should be night.

But Bai Zi remembered that Uncle Ma said it was about four o’clock in the afternoon.

What was strange was not only this – Bai Zi pulled up her sleeves and felt the surrounding temperature. It was as cold as winter, but in the lobby, including outside the lobby, all the plants were like they were in the middle of summer, full of life.

Everyone crossed a broken floor-to-ceiling window and came to the small square.

The temperature dropped sharply, Fatty Qiu shivered and sneezed. Sister Hua slapped the back of Fatty Qiu’s head, and Fatty Qiu covered his head, not daring to cry out in pain.

Everyone continued to walk forward quickly. Meng Yilan, who was standing behind Uncle Ma, turned her head and looked at Bai Zi as if she didn’t care, glancing at the pair of black boots.

Before, Meng Yilan felt that this person’s appearance and temperament were completely different from a year ago, but now she found that nothing had actually changed. She did whatever she said.

And this world was already completely different from a year ago – no, there was still one thing that was the same as before.

From beginning to end, Meng Yilan had never given up on the idea of rescuing Lin Quwei. For this, she could be said to have given everything. Including today, as Bai Zi guessed, she did come to this hellhole in order to save Lin Quwei.

Thinking of this, Meng Yilan turned her head and stopped looking at Bai Zi.

Meng Yilan repeated in her heart – regardless of whether she had saved me or not, this was not a person worth making friends with. All the guilt or pity came from the “suspension bridge effect”, and I must not disrupt my original plan because of this.

What’s more, in today’s world, any extra guilt or pity could cost her her life.

At this time, Bai Zi, who was walking at the back of the team, was looking around with a curious expression.

Fatty Qiu couldn’t help but laugh: “Why do I feel like you’re on vacation? It’s pitch black, what can you see?”

Bai Zi didn’t reply, but in fact she was extremely excited at this moment, as if she was in heaven – towering tree trunks, overwhelming vines, bats hanging upside down on the branches… These were much more beautiful than the four walls she had been looking at for nearly a year.

Suddenly, a little blue light came from under a big tree. It was a new type of plant that she had never seen before. It was like a dandelion, but it was sturdier than a dandelion. The entire fluff ball was the size of a fist, and the center of the fluff ball emitted a faint blue fluorescence.

Fatty Qiu excitedly told Bai Zi: “This is a new variety that only appeared a year ago, it’s especially beautiful!”

The two squatted down to take a closer look, and Fatty Qiu muttered: “It must have mutated. Dandelions generally only grow up to twenty-five centimeters, this must be at least half a meter, but its shape is exactly the same as a dandelion, maybe it’s a type of catsear?”

A small stone hit Fatty Qiu’s head. Not far away, Sister Hua was looking at the two of them impatiently.

Fatty Qiu picked off a fluff ball and wanted to pull Bai Zi forward, but Bai Zi, as if electrocuted, suddenly slapped his hand.

“Uh, sorry,” Fatty Qiu said nonchalantly while walking and changing the subject, “Even people have mutated, it’s no big deal for some plant mutation to occur. By the way, there’s a zoo nearby, there’s a place inside that’s full of this kind of plant, it’s especially beautiful…”

“Pa!”

Sister Hua finally couldn’t bear it anymore, and slapped Fatty Qiu’s head hard again. The latter quickly closed his mouth and handed the fluff ball to Bai Zi.

Bai Zi took the fluff ball, looked at it carefully for a while, and couldn’t help but blow on it. In an instant, the fluff scattered, and just as a gust of wind blew, countless faint blue light spots floated in the air with the wind.

A sense of joy that she hadn’t experienced for many years welled up from her heart, and Bai Zi unconsciously curled the corners of her mouth. It was also at this time that, through the faint blue light in the darkness, she discovered Meng Yilan, who was looking back at her not far away.

Their eyes met, and time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Shi Lei also turned his head. He coughed lightly, and Meng Yilan immediately turned her head and continued to walk forward.

Bai Zi looked at Meng Yilan’s back, and the smile on her face faded. Perhaps, I should have thought about my future destination earlier, and shouldn’t follow Meng Yilan anymore, dragging her down.

However, Shi Lei’s presence made Bai Zi feel uneasy.

Everyone walked silently for nearly an hour, and just before Fatty Qiu was about to faint from exhaustion, Uncle Ma finally stopped. He made some strange gestures to everyone, and then, Uncle Ma and A Ben bent down and walked forward cautiously, while the others waited in place.

Not far ahead, there was a giant building also covered with vines. Above the building, there was a strange red sign. Bai Zi thought for two seconds before realizing – this was a gas station.

Uncle Ma and A Ben circled the gas station twice, and finally came to a locked iron door on the side of the building. A Ben took out the key and opened the door. The two bent over and walked inside. After a few minutes, A Ben poked his head out of the iron door and waved to everyone. Sister Hua immediately led everyone towards that side.

The inside of the iron door was not eroded by green plants. Various foods and drinks were piled on several shelves by the wall. This seemed to be a small shop.

Bai Zi followed everyone to the deepest part of the room, which was a slightly spacious space. The windows on the wall were sealed with wooden boards. Uncle Ma hung up the lantern, and the lights suddenly brightened.

Everyone, who had been tense, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. After putting down their luggage, they each found a place to sit down. Fatty Qiu, who was sweating profusely, simply lay down by the wall.

After locking the iron door, A Ben took out a stove and a pot from the corner, and also moved out a box of food and water. At this time, Fatty Qiu, who heard the movement, sat up and looked at the luncheon meat can that A Ben had opened, licking his lips.

Meng Yilan walked to Bai Zi and stuffed a bottle of mineral water into her arms: “Drink some.”

After speaking, she turned her head and sat down in the farthest place – it was obvious that she was deliberately staying away from Bai Zi.

Bai Zi held the mineral water in her hand, looked at Meng Yilan’s lowered head for a while, then turned to Fatty Qiu and asked: “What time is it now?”

Seeing that his savior was finally willing to pay attention to him, Fatty Qiu looked at his watch very diligently: “Five sixteen.”

Bai Zi noticed that Fatty Qiu, Uncle Ma, and Shi Lei were all wearing the same slightly strange-looking electronic watch, the style was a bit retro.

Bai Zi stared at the watch for a few seconds, and asked again: “Afternoon?”

Fatty Qiu nodded.

Bai Zi frowned and muttered to herself: “Why is it so dark?”

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone turned their heads to look at Bai Zi, as if they were looking at some new type of creature – except for Meng Yilan.

Sister Hua spoke first, she narrowed her eyes and looked wary: “Where did you come from?”

Before Bai Zi could reply, Meng Yilan, who had been lowering her head, suddenly said: “There is no daytime now, it’s dark twenty-four hours a day, it’s been like this for a year.”

At this time, Bai Zi deeply realized the true meaning of Meng Yilan’s sentence “the whole world has changed”.