Chapter Twenty-Nine: What Should I Do?

My state of mind was like a fallen leaf caught in a gale, fluttering and unsettled. By what standard did Heaven choose me? Why was it I who had to bear the world’s heavy burdens, facing this path filled with obstacles and the unknown?

I questioned, I struggled, yet I could never break free from this predetermined trajectory. However, in this long game of chess against myself, my heart gradually returned to a state of calm.

Perhaps it was these trials that forged the person I am today. I compromised—not by bowing to fate, but by learning to face it with a softer, more resilient posture.

Thus, I took a step forward with caution; the road ahead... perhaps there would be no future after this.

***

At that moment, the butler, Chen Jing, quietly approached Jiang Yunjie. He leaned in close to his ear, covering his mouth with his hand, and whispered, "Third Young Master, it is better not to provoke him right now."

Jiang Yunjie’s brows furrowed, and he turned to the butler with a look of confusion.

The butler’s expression was grave as he spoke slowly, "Third Young Master, the light tank currently has very little ammunition left—only one shell remains. Perhaps it would be the better strategy to take these people away for now and force him to come to the base."

Jiang Yunjie, who had been brimming with fury and about to start his "game," felt his excitement doused by this news.

He sighed, unwillingly. He was not stupid; if I were to release the zombies for a fight to the death, without the cover of the tank's cannon, the mercenaries’ guns alone would not be enough to handle such a horde. At the same time, he had seen my capabilities today.

With a look of contempt, he pointed at me, a hint of cruelty flashing in his eyes: "Don't move! Stay right there! If you dare to act up, I’ll shoot them dead right now!"

***

In the distance, I stood there, bewildered, muttering to myself, "What is happening? I was ready to surrender! Big brother! You won't even let me do that?"

"And who is that middle-aged man beside him? What are they whispering about?"

Then, Jiang Yunjie sneered, "Young Master has plenty of ways to play with you. Aren't you quite the hero? If you want to save them, come find me at Base 9!" With that, he signaled for the mercenaries to push Xu Hanfeng and the others into the vehicles and retreated from the scene.

I stood rooted to the spot, eyes wide. Why the sudden retreat? It made no sense!

"Hey, wait..." I started to ask what kind of bizarre maneuver this was.

*Thump... Thump...*

A sharp, stabbing pain suddenly struck my chest, as if a blade were twisting inside. I stumbled a few steps and finally collapsed to my knees.

"Ah!"

At the same time, my head felt as if it were being torn apart by invisible hands. The pain surged like a tide, threatening to drown my consciousness entirely, a feeling of explosive agony that nearly caused me to black out.

"Could this... be the backlash from overusing my mental powers?"

I muttered to myself, as the scenery before me seemed to lose its anchor, beginning to spin and tilt chaotically, as if I had fallen into an endless vortex.

Gradually, my vision was swallowed by a deep darkness, and I lost consciousness, sinking into oblivion.

...

I don't know how much time passed before I slowly woke up. The dull ache in my chest and the tearing sensation in my brain had quietly faded, leaving only a sense of emptiness. I was surrounded by a group of zombies, who, having lost the tether of my will, were once again wandering aimlessly.

I struggled to sit up and shook my head hard, trying to dispel the lingering dizziness. My stomach let out an untimely growl, reminding me of my body's hunger and weakness.

Looking around, the area ahead was nothing but wreckage and the dilapidated remains of residential buildings shattered by artillery fire. The scene of the large force from before seemed to have vanished with the wind, leaving no trace.

I stood up slowly and stood there in a daze, staring at the ruins. My mind was blank; I had no idea where to go.

Then, I clenched my fists, my eyes scanning the gray, desolate environment. The urge to save them burned like a raging fire, but my reason was like a bucket of cold water, dousing my recklessness. I wanted to save them, but going alone would be like throwing myself into a tiger's den!

I paced in place, eyes sweeping over the vast sea of zombies. Should I control them and charge back?

"Sigh!"

I couldn't help but mock myself. The battle before I fainted was only a few kilometers away, and it had nearly cost me my life. Now, they were a hundred kilometers away; I must have been out of my mind.

I looked up abruptly and shouted to the empty surroundings, "Is anyone there? Can someone help me? Do you really want me to go die alone?"

Before the words faded, a cold wind blew, making me shiver. I gritted my teeth, thinking I couldn't just give up. Should I go to the government? Forget it, I don't even know where they ran off to, and they didn't leave any contact information! What kind of mess is this?

I couldn't just wait until I walked to that Southern 104 Military Experimental Base and brought people back to save them. By then, there wouldn't even be bones left.

I sat down on the ground in frustration, holding my head in my hands, filled with conflict and struggle.

"Am I just going to walk away like this?" I shook my head immediately.

"No, no."

The determined eyes of Xu Hanfeng and Luo Yucheng flashed through my mind, followed by the helpless faces of Old Sun and little Huihui...

I stood up again and roared at myself, "If I just walk away, how could I ever face Xu Hanfeng or Luo Yucheng? How could I face Old Sun and little Huihui? What kind of man would I be!"

I turned and walked toward the city. My heart felt as if it were being crushed by a thousand-pound stone; every step felt heavy. I tried to find a way to save them, but like a blind man feeling an elephant, I was clueless. I didn't even know what I was looking for; it was just an instinct driving me forward.

The scene on the streets was harrowing—ruined buildings, scattered corpses, and zombies wandering everywhere, roaring as if they wanted to swallow the last trace of life in this world.

I wandered the streets, my eyes hollow and my gait stumbling, no different from the zombies around me, except that I still retained a sliver of human consciousness—a consciousness that was currently flickering like a candle in the wind.

I hadn't walked far when my stomach growled in protest again. Just then, the sign of a supermarket by the roadside caught my eye in the setting sun.

"Fine! I'm hungry anyway, I might as well go in and find something to eat." I walked over and pushed open the rickety door.

The interior of the supermarket was in shambles, with goods scattered across the floor as if it had been through a catastrophe. I bent down and started rummaging through the ruins for any remaining food, but the harvest was meager—a few torn bags of chips and some half-empty bottles of drinks, which were nowhere near enough to satisfy my hunger.

Just as I was about to give up, my peripheral vision caught a locked warehouse to the side. A thick iron chain was tightly bound between the two doors.

My heart skipped a beat. I walked over and began to fiddle with the rusty lock, pulling and kicking at it. Unfortunately, despite all my efforts, the lock remained unmoved.

I looked around for potential tools or "helpers." Just then, a few swaying zombies caught my eye.

A cunning smile curled at the corners of my mouth as I beckoned the "tool-zombies" to come over. They rushed toward the iron door, throwing their full weight and strength into slamming against it.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!* The massive thuds echoed through the supermarket, shaking dust from the ceiling. I stood to the side, watching it all with a relaxed expression.