Chapter 22: Digging Crystals

Jiang Ye looked at the green high school girl before him with a complicated expression, torn about whether to expose her on the spot. But what then? Tear into each other and leave her here? Would Bai Tao still manage to escape safely like in her previous life? He had no way of knowing.

In the end, there was no deep-seated grudge, so Jiang Ye decided to toss the choice away. He shrugged at Bai Chen Zhu and threw the trouble his way. “I don’t care, but I’ll only guarantee your safety. As for the others, heh, I won’t bother with them. If you want to take her, you’re responsible all the way.”

With that, he went inside to scrounge for supplies, ignoring the two at the door.

He really wasn’t going to interfere? Bai Chen Zhu’s gaze followed Jiang Ye, only to see him casually grab some water to drink, leaving behind a retreating back.

What about the legendary deep affection forged through trials? How come after turning younger, he wasn’t welcome anymore? A probing glint flashed in Bai Chen Zhu’s eyes. He turned to Bai Tao and had just said one word: “You…”

Bai Tao looked at him innocently, her mind racing. She happily clasped her hands in a prayer pose and said clearly, “Thank you, big brothers!”

Bai Chen Zhu: …

Most men enjoyed such titles that implied protector and guide; it satisfied their pride well enough, and Bai Chen Zhu was no exception.

At least in that moment, Bai Chen Zhu felt a bit soft-hearted. Of course, he didn’t consider himself a good person. Even if soft-hearted, he wouldn’t burden himself with extra baggage.

But this was Bai Tao.

He couldn’t help glancing toward Jiang Ye inside the house again, trying to read something from his face.

The male lead and female lead’s bond was just a delicate balancing point. Bai Chen Zhu wasn’t some eager matchmaker. More importantly in his mind, the future Bai Tao was a very capable Ability User. If they got on good terms with her early, she might prove useful someday.

“Which hotel are you heading to?” Bai Chen Zhu frowned.

Bai Tao caught his meaning and quickly said, “Joyful Delight Grand Hotel! It’s right near the highway exit!”

Was this fate? Bai Chen Zhu thought to himself. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence? Bai Tao’s mom worked at the very hotel where they were staying.

They had come as two people, but now they were returning as three.

Jiang Ye walked ahead with a cold face, baseball bat in hand. Bai Chen Zhu and Bai Tao followed behind with their packs, not daring to speak.

Bai Tao tugged at Bai Chen Zhu’s clothes and whispered, “Does that big brother hate me?”

Who knew? Jiang Ye’s heart was unfathomable. Bai Chen Zhu shook his head, signaling her to keep up.

The girl carried a bulging backpack, eyes downcast and obedient, quiet and tiptoeing along. When she saw something scary, she’d cover her mouth. No matter how frightened, she always kept pace with those ahead.

Bai Chen Zhu even thought Jiang Ye might find her easier to handle than him; his own movements weren’t nearly as nimble.

Perhaps because of the extra Bai Tao, Jiang Ye clearly had no interest in teaching him anything more. He stayed silent the whole way ahead, timing their rests and travels perfectly.

Fortunately, the return trip was a bit winding but still smooth. They encountered no clustered monsters. The three made it back to the car before dark, in a safe spot. Bai Chen Zhu and Bai Tao both breathed a sigh of relief.

Bai Chen Zhu glanced several times at the driver’s seat, hesitating to speak before trying to strike up conversation. “Not hurt, right?”

“Are you talking to me?” Jiang Ye wiped the blood from his baseball bat casually. “Why not ask how Miss Bai is doing instead.”

Bai Chen Zhu rubbed his temple, sensing Jiang Ye’s inexplicable irritation. At least it wasn’t aimed at him, so Bai Chen Zhu fell silent.

The car was very quiet.

Bai Chen Zhu hugged his arms and leaned against the window, eyes closed to rest. Something poked his arm, then something was tossed into his lap. Bai Chen Zhu cracked his eyes open to see a pink lollipop nestled between his arms.

His first thought was that it was from Jiang Ye. He looked up toward the driver’s seat.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Ye had an identical lollipop in his own lap, but he stared straight ahead, driving intently as if he hadn’t noticed it at all.

Bai Tao squeezed between the two front seats, sneaking her head out guiltily. She looked left and right before raising her hand like swearing an oath. “Big brothers, don’t get mad over me. I’m just hitching a ride. Once we stop, I swear I absolutely, positively won’t trouble you two anymore.”

Her eyes curved in a smile as she wheedled, “I saw you two eating candy when you went upstairs, so I guessed you like lollipops. I specially brought some from home as a little bribe.”

Jiang Ye glanced at her bright face in the rearview mirror. There wasn’t a trace of gloom—pure high school girl clarity.

He turned his gaze back to the road ahead, skillfully driving past a zombie reaching out with elongated arms. Suddenly, he realized the people behind knew nothing at all. The irritation in his heart gradually faded away.

Fine. Why compete with a clueless little girl? With that helpless thought, Jiang Ye’s taut lips relaxed. His attitude softened as he let out an ambiguous hum. “Fine, bribe accepted. Sit back and buckle up.”

Bai Chen Zhu was more reserved around strangers and just said politely, “Thanks.”

He fiddled with the plastic stick, pondering Bai Tao: This girl was quick on her feet, smart, decisive, and thoughtful in ways that surprised him.

The round trip took less time than planned—a good thing, really. Both were a bit worn out and planned to take hot showers back at the hotel and rest well.

But the hotel had uninvited guests.

At dusk, a strange van was parked arrogantly across the entrance, completely ignoring the yellow lines.

Two people stood guard at the hotel door. When the off-roader approached, they came over, electric batons in hand.

Bai Chen Zhu’s first reaction was that they’d been robbed blind.

Jiang Ye thought the same. He slammed to a brutal stop at the hotel entrance with a tailspin, brushing past their clothes and scaring them half to death.

Bai Tao’s eyes darted around as she quickly ducked down to hide.

“Hey, get out!” The newcomers pounded aggressively on the car door, yanked at the handle, and menaced with their electric batons.

Jiang Ye turned his head. “You two stay in the car.”

He pushed the door open and stepped out, smoothly closing it behind him.

The windows had anti-spy film. Bai Chen Zhu watched Jiang Ye negotiate with them. He didn’t know what Jiang Ye said, but their initial dismissive attitudes gradually sobered. They stood straighter.

Soon, one of them ran into the hotel.

Moments later, four more came out. The one in the middle was clearly the leader, around forty, in a security uniform, burly, with a disdainful look.

He sized up the lean Jiang Ye, suspecting he was being fooled, and let out a scornful laugh. “You’re the one saying you awakened superpowers?”

Jiang Ye twitched his nose, keenly detecting a bloody scent. He frowned, scrutinizing the man before him, arms crossed as he nodded. “Brother, there’s a first-come-first-served order here. I heard you all were planning to flee. The highway’s right ahead—why the sudden change of heart?”

“Who’s your brother?” The security head spat, glaring at his chatty underling. He resolved to cut the kid’s tongue out later. “None of your business! Beat me first, then talk!”

To intimidate, the security head bellowed, struck a classic fighting pose—knees bent, legs tucked in, body angled forward, hopping now and then.

Like a mangy toad. Jiang Ye watched expressionlessly. Thinking him scared, the security head grew smug and roared, “Take your life!” before lunging forward!

“Careful!” Bai Tao whispered in alarm, shooting a pleading look at the spectating Bai Chen Zhu.

Bai Chen Zhu shrugged. From what he’d observed these past few days, Jiang Ye wasn’t one to act without reason.

Bang! The ground shook.

Bai Tao’s pupils shrank as she watched Jiang Ye kick the man flying, pin him down, and wrench his arm back.

“Wait, brother, let’s talk!” The security head squealed like a pig in pain.

His four underlings hung back obsequiously, not daring to help. They exchanged glances and reached a consensus: If big bro that strong lost, we’d just be cannon fodder!

Up close, the bloody scent grew stronger. Jiang Ye’s face turned icy as he threw the words back. “Who’s your brother?”

Jiang Ye held his arm in a painful but non-dislocating lock. “My sister’s on the top floor. Did you see her?”

The security head paled, whether from pain or memory. He stammered, “We just got here. No time to go up top.”

“You’ve got blood on your hands.” Jiang Ye stated flatly.

“No!” The security head struggled fiercely. “What the hell do you know? They’re all zombies! We’re just doing the people a service!”

“Yeah, yeah, all a misunderstanding.” The four underlings edged closer cautiously. “Big shot, let our boss go first.”

As soon as the words left, the four drew electric batons from behind in sync, charging with ferocious faces.

Jiang Ye swiftly released the security head and retreated two steps. The batons whiffed empty.

Outnumbered, a car window cracked open. Bai Chen Zhu tossed out a baseball bat cleanly from inside, then the window slid back up. Only Bai Tao’s encouraging little “Go for it!” sounded.

Jiang Ye almost laughed at Bai Chen Zhu’s antics.

Less than a quarter-hour later, several bodies lay on the ground. Jiang Ye grabbed the security head by the collar and dragged him inside the hotel like a dead dog.

Bai Chen Zhu brought Bai Tao out of the car and hurried after them.

The hotel lobby was a mess. As soon as Bai Chen Zhu entered, the thick bloody stench nearly made him retch.

Limbs and remains everywhere, blood coating the floor. What chilled him most were the shattered skulls, brains and gore mixed into a nauseating human revulsion.

Like purgatory. Bai Tao, who had been bouncing along carefree moments ago, stood frozen, trembling all over.

After a long while, she realized what it was. Her face drained white as she cried, clawing at the heads in hotel uniforms. “Mom? Mom—”

Even Jiang Ye hadn’t expected them to do such a thing. His face darkened as he punched the recently fainted security head awake. “Doing the people a service?”

The security head shook his head, utterly unmoved by the lobby carnage. He shouted righteously, “Damn right! These are zombies wandering near the hotel. Without us, they’d have eaten people already! They’re monsters—why not kill them!”

“Why dig their brains?” Jiang Ye’s dark eyes chilled. He gripped the security head’s collar tighter, nearly strangling him alive.

The security head struggled desperately, face red, gesturing wildly in excitement. He looked deranged. “You’re an Ability User—don’t you know? Evolution! Upgrading! Don’t they all need the crystals from zombie brains? You’re stronger than me—you must’ve eaten plenty!”

Jiang Ye’s dark eyes remained cold. “Did you find any crystals?”

The security head shrank back like a quail, gruffly muttering, “Their levels were too low. Didn’t find any.”

Bai Chen Zhu advanced with murderous intent and stomped hard on the security head’s ankle. He didn’t hold back. Amid the crack of breaking bone, the security head screamed. Bai Chen Zhu ground his foot down, hearing the bone snap clearly again.

But Jiang Ye held him fast. No matter how the security head writhed like an eel, he couldn’t escape.

“Screw your ‘service to the people’!” Bai Chen Zhu demanded, pointing at the bloody sofa. “Why kill the front desk uncle? Was he a zombie?!”

They’d only been gone a day—less than a day, even. The front desk uncle had greeted them fine when they left. Now he lay in pieces.

The security head defended loudly and bizarrely, “He was a zombie! He had a fever—how wasn’t he? Killing zombies is justified!”

Wait, fever? Bai Chen Zhu and Jiang Ye exchanged a glance, a bad premonition rising.

Bai Chen Zhu rushed to open the elevator. Jiang Ye dragged the security head inside.

Just as the doors were closing, tear-streaked Bai Tao rushed in.

She’d searched the lobby thoroughly, covered in blood and filth, but found no one. In this situation, heading elsewhere in the hotel made sense, and sticking with these two was safest now.

Bai Chen Zhu considerately pretended not to notice her dishevelment.

The elevator ascended floor by floor, the mood inside growing heavier.

The security head thrashed wildly to escape, accidentally hitting Bai Chen Zhu and Bai Tao several times with flailing limbs.

“Tch.” Bai Chen Zhu stepped over impatiently and stomped right on his crotch.

Amid the scream, the security head finally quieted. Jiang Ye eyed the familiar scene, clearly recalling things he’d rather not, his eye twitching.

The doors opened. Bai Tao bolted out first. “Mom—”

No response.

The door to the top-floor suite was covered in knife marks and bloodstains. Bai Tao pounded on the door, her voice hoarse as she shouted her mother’s name.

Jiang Ye quickly knocked out the Security Head and tossed him aside. He ran over and knocked on the door, his urgency no less than Bai Tao’s. “Sis, it’s me, Jiang Ye. I’m back.”

The door opened, revealing a face devoid of any color behind it.