The situation behind us startled me so much that I jumped, then quickly scooped Xiao Hu into my arms and ran with the others toward the door.
After the walkers burst out, the gunfire inside paused for just a brief moment.
Once we rushed out the door, we didn't dare linger—we bolted down the corridor as fast as we could.
The doors at the far end of the corridor were wide open, and the sunlight outside was blinding.
After being stuck indoors for several days, my eyes couldn't handle it at all.
Even though I squinted tightly, the glare still burned painfully as we ran.
Just as we were about to pass the second rows, I looked back and realized that aside from our group, no one else had made it out.
The two black-clad men led us to the parking area in front of the first row.
A few cafeteria workers, who had been sitting around chatting, looked over in surprise when they saw us rushing out in such a panic.
After we all piled into the vehicle, the black-clad men were about to shut the doors when Uncle Gazi suddenly shouted:
"Yuntou! Yuntou is still in Row Six with those two kids!"
His words jogged my memory—Jun Di and Chen Pu had gone back to Row Six earlier with Tingyun.
Seeing Uncle Gazi about to get out of the car, I quickly held him back.
"I'll go get them."
After all, he was older and not as quick on his feet.
This time, Uncle Gazi didn't argue.
I handed Xiao Hu over to Xu Shu, then jumped out of the car.
Without delay, I ran straight toward Row Six.
Passing Row Two, I could still hear faint gunfire inside, mixed with the growls of walkers.
When I burst into Row Six, I happened to run into Jun Di, who was carrying Tingyun out.
He froze in shock at the sight of me, staring for a moment before blurting out:
"Sis Chen Yang? You're out? Weren't you quarantined? Is everything okay now?"
Panting, I waved my hand. "No, no—it's not that. Hurry, take Tingyun to the parking lot in front of Row One. I'll go get Chen Pu. We can't stay here anymore."
"Why? What happened?"
"It's hard to explain in a few words. Today Suo Tian and C-team came back, and we happened to run into a standoff with T-team. A few words were exchanged and suddenly both sides started shooting. I can't explain it clearly now, but something's really wrong. I'll tell you more once we get out."
"Alright, alright! Don't worry. I'll go call Chen Pu. Sis Chen Yang, you take Tingyun back first."
Saying this, he shoved the dazed Tingyun into my arms and turned to run back down the corridor.
Without hesitation, I turned back as well, carrying Tingyun in my arms.
Passing Row Two, I heard strange hissing sounds echoing from inside.
Some people from Row One had already noticed the noise and were craning their necks to look toward Row Two.
When I got back to the car and handed Tingyun over to Uncle Gazi, I noticed that in this short span of time, several more black-clad men had already come out and gotten into different vehicles.
The two black-clad men who had been with our car were nowhere to be seen—probably they had boarded other cars.
"Chen Yang, what's going on with Suo Tian today? Why do I feel like he was deliberately looking for trouble, ready to fight at the slightest thing?"
Xu Shu asked curiously as she glanced out the window, where Chen Pu and Jun Di were running toward us in the distance.
"You feel the same?" Shen Feng, who was in the driver's seat, turned his head to glance at Xu Shu.
"Suo Tian doesn't seem like such an impulsive person. From the time we dealt with that brute to today, I've had the feeling that something about him is very off whenever he faces that Dr. Yang."
"It really is like that—how could they start fighting after just a couple of words?" Uncle Gazi said while coaxing Tingyun, who hadn't seen his grandpa for three days, continuing what Shen Feng had just said.
Not long after, Chen Pu and Jun Di came running up to the car.
Xu Shu handed Xiao Hu to me, then opened the car door to let them get in.
"What's going on with you guys? I just can't figure it out. Weren't you supposed to be under quarantine for a few days? I never understood what exactly you were being 'observed' for, and now you've ended up fighting with people? Aren't Suo Tian and his men supposed to be on your side? How could they be fighting each other? What's going on here?"
Jun Di had been asking questions nonstop ever since the car door opened, and when he finally sat down, he still wasn't done: "We're just leaving like this? What about all our stuff? The quilts, the clothes—are we just leaving them behind?"
"We don't really understand what happened either. By the way, Chen girl, what happened to you today that made you so frantic?" Uncle Gazi turned to me and asked.
I looked back at everyone apologetically and said, "Today Bruno mentioned that 'SX' thing again. I don't know if it was actually that, but yesterday they dragged me into a room, said it was for an examination. Who knew they'd shove me into some kind of barrel? Inside there was an old man with a remote control. As soon as he pressed it, my whole body felt like it was burning alive—pain so unbearable I almost couldn't take it. They repeated it several times; I nearly collapsed. When they carried me out, I overheard them saying they wanted to take Xiao Hu in for the same test. And they said they'd be doing this to me every single day! Who could endure that? After each time, my whole body was in such agony that even though nothing looked different on the outside, it was like every nerve was screaming. Today, when I saw they were about to take Xiao Hu in, I had no choice but to…"
At that, Yangyang immediately frowned and shouted: "What kind of damn test is that? That rotten old man—if I ever run into him, I'll smash his head in! Bastard!"
"How can you talk like that?" I scolded Yangyang, but in my heart I felt a warm swell.
Without me noticing, the Yangyang I'd been neglecting lately had quietly grown up a lot.
"Sis, I'm serious—back then I said we should've just stayed home. Look at everything we've been through on this trip, how much we've suffered. We escaped just to avoid the walker hordes, and yet on the way we've run into how many groups already?"
"Yeah… If I had known, even if Li Jianguo and his gang had skinned me back at school, I wouldn't have dragged you all out. Too late for regrets now." I leaned back against the seat, discouraged.
"What if we do this instead?" Yangyang suggested.
"This time when we get out, let's just turn back and go home. Maybe Mom and Dad will go back there looking for us."
"You silly kid. Think about how many walker groups we've run into already—turning back is basically throwing ourselves into their mouths again." Xu Shu said.
Hearing that, Yangyang finally grasped the reality of the situation and let out a disappointed sigh.
When Yangyang mentioned Mom and Dad, my heart clenched.
It hit me that I hadn't thought about them in a long time.
Back when we were still at home, I'd often lie awake at night, sitting on the balcony, thinking of them and praying they were safe.
But ever since we left the county, I'd rarely thought about them at all.
Glancing at Yangyang's downcast face, my chest twisted painfully.
All this time, I'd been fussing about other people—other families, other people's feelings—yet I'd forgotten to truly care for the person right by my side who needed it most.
"Suo Tian and his men are out!" Shen Feng suddenly shouted, snapping me out of my daze.
Hearing that, I quickly looked out the window, and sure enough, Suo Tian and his men were rushing out from Second Row toward us.
Several black-clad men followed behind, each of them practically carrying an injured person as they hurried in our direction.
The man in the white coat was being dragged along by Big Beard and Bruno, blood glaringly staining his coat where the throwing knife was still stuck in his shoulder.
The last black-clad man who came out was cradling a child in his arms.
I looked closely—and to my astonishment and joy, it was Zheng Rongrong!
After Suo Tian and the others got into the vehicles, that final black-clad man handed Rongrong into our car, where Yangyang quickly took her, before turning back and climbing onto another vehicle.
The few canteen workers standing in front of Second Row were left dumbfounded, completely clueless about what had just happened.
When they saw this scene, they didn't dare to approach—probably thinking it was just some kind of mission.
"Hurry up, let's get the hell out of here, damn it!" Big Beard's voice came crackling through the walkie-talkie.
The vehicle in front immediately took the lead, and Shen Feng started our engine, slowly moving us forward.
Just then, Jun Di suddenly shouted: "Oh no! Zhang Hongsheng! Zhou Wen and Taozi—they haven't gotten on yet! I forgot to call them earlier!"
As soon as his words fell, it was like a trick of magic—off in the distance, we saw Taozi and Zhou Wen burst out of Sixth Row, waving their arms and yelling: "Hey! We're still here! Wait for us!"
Shen Feng slammed the brakes and rolled down the window, shouting back to them: "Hurry it up!"
I quickly grabbed the walkie-talkie and called out: "Hey, hey! Three people still haven't gotten on! Whose car has space? We're full here."
As soon as I spoke, the car ahead braked as well.
Zhou Wen and Taozi, along with Zhang Hongsheng who was following close behind, caught up just in time.
Shen Feng leaned his head out, signaling for them to board the car in front.
Once the three of them had all climbed aboard, the convoy continued forward again.
Not long after, as we drove on, I glanced in the rearview mirror and saw a horde of staggering bodies pouring out of Second Row.
Only then did the canteen workers realize something was wrong—they screamed and scattered in all directions.
I quickly pulled my gaze back and stopped looking.
The convoy soon passed through the main gates and entered the narrow canyon path.
Just like when we had left the village and the shelter, the feeling of leaving now was completely different from the feeling of entering.
No matter how beautiful the valley looked, its ugliness and evil could never truly be hidden.
Xiao Hu, resting his head sideways against my chest, stared outside for a long while before turning to ask me: "Sis… where are my mom and dad?"
Hearing that, I couldn't help but glance at the rearview mirror again.
Stroking his head gently, I said: "Your mom and dad are waiting here for us. You just need to go with Sister for a little while."
"I don't want to go… I want Mom and Dad." Xiao Hu's lips quivered as if he was about to cry again.
"Don't cry. Look, that little sister behind us and the other little sister are coming with us too. It's okay—after some time, we'll come back."
Right after I finished speaking, Suo Tian's voice came over the walkie-talkie: "Head to Headquarters."
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