Apocalyptic Island - Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Inside the vehicle, the group could faintly hear the murmurs of the crowd outside. Drivers who had been leading the pack earlier poked their heads out of their windows, staring at them in disbelief. Some even waved frantically, signaling for them to stop and go no further.

The occupants of the motorhome sat rigid, none of them looking back. Huang Fei, who wasn’t entirely clear on the extent of Wen Yishu’s power and still carried the trauma of almost being crushed by a tree before, felt her heart hammer against her ribs, her instincts screaming at her to retreat.

But the arrow was already notched; there was no turning back. She followed the collective will of the group, flooring the accelerator and surging forward.

A few vehicles ahead of them tried to follow in their wake, hoping to slip through the chaos. But the moment they neared the range of the branches, the cars and their occupants were snatched up and hurled high into the air. Their deaths were violent and instantaneous, a gruesome sight that brought the remaining crowd to a dead halt. No one else dared to offer themselves as fodder.

Yet, the motorhome moved as if it were invisible, speeding through the lane and into the heart of the treeline. Throughout the entire stretch, not a single twig brushed against the vehicle.

If anyone with keen eyes had looked closely, they would have seen a String-of-Pearls plant tightly gripping the roof rack, its vines fluttering wildly in the wind. Huang Fei found it miraculous that they were driving through so steadily, and her panic finally began to subside.

Seeing them exit unharmed, the cars behind tried to follow again. But the branches, which had seemed dormant seconds ago, lashed out with sudden, lethal force at the vehicles attempting to breach the gap. A chorus of wails and screams erupted behind them, but Wen Yishu’s car had already sped far away.

They took a detour to find the sightseeing car they had hidden under a tree earlier. They transferred the supplies and the bicycles onto the motorhome before officially setting out.

All along the way, the String-of-Pearls acted as if it had an endless supply of gossip, constantly “chatting” with the trees they passed. Whether the trees were close by or at a distance, it insisted on greeting them. In return, the trees would bend their branches, touching the String-of-Pearls in a display of arboreal friendliness.

The sight of massive branches swooping down to brush the roof of the car terrified Huang Fei. It wasn’t until Wen Yishu placed a steadying hand on her shoulder that she stopped reflexively slamming on the brakes—a habit that had been making the passengers in the back feel quite nauseous.

They had successfully left the city. Timing, it seemed, was everything. Wen Yishu checked the map and directed Huang Fei to the northern edge of the Banyan Tree’s territory. Although it was an old district, the buildings were better constructed, and it was relatively close to the urban center.

Not every area was in as dire a state as the Haishi District. Once they arrived, they might find a suitable residence; if not, they could live near the Banyan Tree and have it move their shipping containers over. In any case, Wen Yishu never wanted to experience the horror of giant centipedes in the wilderness ever again.

The motorhome cruised smoothly. Thanks to the protection of the String-of-Pearls, no plants targeted them. Everything was fine, except for the fact that Wen Yishu’s ears were nearing the point of explosion from the plant’s constant chatter. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore, reached up, and yanked the String-of-Pearls back inside. She fed it a bit of nutrient solution, which successfully bought her some silence.

Peace at last. They rotated drivers several times but never stopped, even having lunch while on the move. The journey was largely uneventful; though they spotted groups of Xenogenics here and there, they weren’t in overwhelming numbers. They encountered nothing they couldn’t handle. The passing Xenogenics, realizing they couldn’t outrun the vehicle, would give a token chase for a few steps before giving up. They simply couldn’t compete with the car’s speed.

While Wen Yishu and Bai Mi sat up front, the others who weren’t driving lay down in the back without a shred of decorum. To save their light-brain batteries, they didn’t play games, resulting in Huo Xiaoguan and Ling Shuang staring blankly at Bai Mi.

Having worked under Bai Mi before, they were still a bit intimidated by her. But after these past few days, they realized she was a good person, completely lacking the foul temper and bad habits of the Rhine elite. Gradually, they grew more talkative around her.

Ling Shuang asked curiously, “Leader, what happened to your mouth?” She pointed at her own lips. The scar on the corner of Bai Mi’s mouth was quite prominent.

Bai Mi didn’t seem to expect the question. She instinctively touched her lip. The rough texture of the scar met her fingertips. She subconsciously glanced at Wen Yishu in the passenger seat, but only saw Wen Yishu’s eyes reflected in the side mirror, looking out at the window. Wen Yishu had her chin propped on her hand, appearing as though she wasn’t listening to their conversation.

Bai Mi withdrew her gaze and spoke politely: “I think I hurt it accidentally when I went to find her. I don’t remember that part clearly.”

She truly had no memory of it. She lowered her eyes, quietly trying to recall the past. Her mind was filled only with the endless, boundary-less dreams that followed the injection of the serum. In that world, she had been entirely alone. Bai Mi didn’t want to dwell on it; she dropped her hand and returned to her silent vigil.

The two in the back shifted closer, inspecting the wound. “It looks more like a bite. Does it still hurt?”

The scar was shaped like a tooth mark and had formed a thick scab—it was clearly not from a fall. Hearing this, Wen Yishu’s hand, which was supporting her chin, slipped due to a bump in the road. Her jaw snapped shut with an audible click. She was clearly not as relaxed as she looked.

Huang Fei glanced at her and asked, “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Wen Yishu replied awkwardly, retracting her hand.

The attention of the three in the back was instantly drawn to her. Huo Xiaoguan and Ling Shuang leaned in conspiratorially on either side of her. “Wen, do you remember? How did the Leader get hurt?”

Wen Yishu’s gaze flickered. The image that flashed in her mind was Bai Mi’s face inches from hers and lips as soft as marshmallows. In the rearview mirror, her eyes met Bai Mi’s for a split second. It felt like being burned; she instantly averted her gaze and turned to face the questioning looks of the two beside her.

“I don’t really remember either. It was so tense then, there was no time to think about every bump or scrape.”

“Oh, is that so?” Huo Xiaoguan nodded thoughtfully, but a teasing smile played on her lips. She exchanged a look with Ling Shuang. “Wen, tell me, what happened while the Leader had amnesia? Did you get hurt anywhere else?”

Wen Yishu remembered her hands being pinned behind her back and Bai Mi’s words about there being “nowhere to run.” She felt like she was running out of oxygen. “I think I have a bit of PTSD. Thinking about it makes my head hurt.”

If her face hadn’t been so red, the statement might have been more convincing. Seeing they wouldn’t get anything out of her, the two smartly retreated to their seats.

The journey was a monotonous sea of green, but such an unobstructed path would have looked very different to anyone else. Wen Yishu stared out the window, her eyes never meeting the pair in the rearview mirror again.

After half a day of non-stop driving, they finally reached the edge of the Banyan Tree’s domain. Wen Yishu immediately heard the Banyan Tree’s voice: “You have returned.”

She had Huang Fei drive closer to facilitate the conversation. Once off the city roads, there were very few cars in the wilderness; any that remained had been cleared away by the trees.

Wen Yishu finally felt a sense of relief. “Yes. But this time, we plan to stay nearby for the long term.”

The interior of the car fell silent as everyone gazed at the gargantuan tree. The String-of-Pearls was so excited it wanted to leap out and have some “intimate contact” with the Banyan. But Wen Yishu held it back, while simultaneously asking the Banyan Tree to move their shipping containers to a fixed location nearby.

Her mood was more serene than it had ever been. She even felt a sense of “gentleness” toward the Xenogenics that popped up occasionally, which gave Huang Fei the creeps.

The Banyan Tree was efficient. Not only did it move the containers, but it also informed them of the specific situation in the area they were heading to. In the northern region not enclosed by the city walls, there was a newly formed gang-like organization. It was mostly composed of ordinary people helping each other; the social dynamics weren’t complex.

It seemed like a good place for them. Wen Yishu stared at the coordinates for a long time but still didn’t send them to Yu Ning. Yu Ning was buried in her experiments and hadn’t replied to her messages in a long time. The North District was far from the Rhine branch; they likely wouldn’t have the capacity to track her down there for a while. She could finally enjoy some peace and quiet.

As for Warp Speed, there was no need to reply. Their relationship was one of mutual utility; she would decide whether to deal with them when she actually needed something.

The motorhome rolled on, and an hour later, they reached the small town the Banyan Tree had mentioned. The defenses of Yuanning Town were minimal—just wire fences and wooden stakes. It hadn’t been fully sealed off yet. They drove cautiously, watching the ground for anything that might stop a car. Fortunately, the residents—or rather, the refugees—here didn’t seem interested in harming newcomers.

The Banyan Tree had pointed them toward a section that wasn’t fully repaired yet. Huang Fei drove the motorhome in through that gap. No Xenogenics would come through this “back door” because the Banyan Tree was silently guarding the opening. The townspeople also understood that the Banyan Tree harbored no ill will toward them, and the two sides existed in a tacit, peaceful understanding.

Wen Yishu’s group drove in and parked near two rows of houses closest to the Banyan Tree. On a lookout post, a man with binoculars reported their arrival to a middle-aged man watching the monitors next to him.

“Brother Yan, they’re in. Do we drive them out?”

Yan Xinghuai shook his head, pointing to the town map. “That area is already too close to the Banyan Tree; no one goes there. Choosing that spot as soon as they entered suggests they aren’t looking for trouble. Besides, we have no defenses there anyway. Let’s just watch for now.”

Yan Xinghuai was the captain of the sentry squad in Yuanning Town, and his word carried weight. The others reported the situation to their superiors and continued monitoring the perimeter.

Wen Yishu’s group parked by the outermost house. After getting out, Bai Mi began picking the lock. The house had been vacant for a long time, covered in a thin layer of dust. According to the Banyan Tree’s intel, the owners had left the country, and the house had been with an agent for over a year without selling. It was unlikely anyone would return, so staying there shouldn’t be much of a burden.

The row of buildings was well-constructed with high security features. The listing price had been astronomical, so no one would have bothered buying such an “unprofitable” location. It was the perfect windfall for Wen Yishu.

The shipping containers had been placed at the rear, and the group instinctively began moving things in. Wen Yishu and Bai Mi were responsible for unloading the car and keeping watch.

Wen Yishu hid behind the car, blocking the line of sight from both sides. Being alone with Bai Mi felt anything but natural. Her hands wouldn’t stop fidgeting, so she pretended to be busy.

Suddenly, a hand reached out and stopped her movements. She jumped, instinctively looking up to see Bai Mi’s ice-cold profile.

“There is no one else here now,” Bai Mi said. “I want to know what exactly happened that day. Can you tell me?”

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