Chapter 72: His Heart Deserves Death!
After Xu Zhi sent off another group of Transcendents, the car hadn’t driven far before it ran out of gas.
She had already learned how to siphon fuel from other vehicles. Although she’d heard that different cars require different types of fuel, such conditions were a luxury now. She simply asked around how to tell if the fuel in another car could be used in hers and was reassured that she could check the label on the gas tank.
Now that the fuel was completely gone, Xu Zhi planned to search the nearby area for usable gasoline.
Currently, the only followers still with her were Yi and the Aberration; the other two were still on their way back. Zhen would probably arrive soon, but Gouzi likely hadn’t yet returned after escorting the others to the residential area.
Holding a portable fuel canister, Xu Zhi walked along the roadside, occasionally checking the tanks of parked cars. Her actions were easy enough to understand—she was looking for fuel.
However, there weren’t many cars around here. The one she found had very little fuel left, so she had to walk further.
Just as she was about to check the fuel tank of another car, someone suddenly called out to her.
“Hey, girl up front—are you looking for gasoline?”
Bending over, Xu Zhi raised her brow slightly and stood up to look in that direction. Even as she rose, she quietly activated her Eye of Secrets.
She hadn’t sensed anyone approaching. Even Yi hadn’t given her a warning.
The moment she saw clearly, a pleased smile crept onto Xu Zhi’s lips.
The boy who called out to her looked young, with long hair and a slightly retro, casual outfit—like an art student.
His eyes were clear, but at the center of his chest burned a crimson flame.
A lone, rational, and communicative fanatic.
“Yes, I’m looking for gasoline.” Xu Zhi turned to face him, not bothering to hide the smile tugging at her lips. She even looked him over with deliberate curiosity.
Noticing her scrutiny, the young man mistook it for wariness and said, “I live here. I saw you when you first came in. You seemed unsure which cars to siphon from. I know which ones were used frequently—those probably still have some fuel.”
“I see.” Xu Zhi nodded as if understanding, then directly admitted that she could use the help. The young man pointed to several cars in response.
“There’s a turn up ahead that leads to an underground parking garage. I know a bunch of cars down there still have fuel.”
Xu Zhi thanked him, then asked directly, “Is there a reason you’re helping me?”
“Or are you just a kind-hearted person?”
Her voice dragged slightly on the word “kind-hearted,” making it obvious she didn’t really mean it.
“A reason?”
The young man repeated the word, then said innocently, “I wouldn’t call it a reason—more like a small request?”
Xu Zhi tilted her chin slightly. “Go on.”
“It’s like this: my friend and I have been hiding here since the incident started. A few days ago, she was injured by a mutated animal, and her condition is getting worse. I wanted to ask if you knew where any survivor settlements are—somewhere with a doctor. I want to take her there.”
Wow.
His heart deserves death.
Xu Zhi shook her head inwardly. A fanatic, trying to play the pity card to trick information about a survivor base out of her? What’s he really up to?
She deliberately made things difficult. “I do know of such places—but I can’t just tell a stranger.”
“I don’t trust you. How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
The boy nodded pitifully to show he understood, then said, “I can take you to meet my friend. She’s really in bad shape—you’ll see for yourself. It’s just the two of us, and I’ve been caring for her. We’re really no threat.”
That’s debatable.
But—
“Sure, take me to her,” Xu Zhi replied easily.
She played along willingly.
She wasn’t worried or afraid. After all, Yi was on her wrist, and within ten minutes, Zhen would return. This fanatic might be competent, but Xu Zhi wasn’t scared.
Unless she saw they were massively outnumbered, she had no problem walking into the lion’s den.
The young man seemed a bit surprised at how quickly she agreed. After all, Yun City had been locked down for two months—by now, even the naive should’ve learned caution.
He quickly realized Xu Zhi must be confident in her own strength—confident enough to go with a stranger without worry.
He smiled quietly to himself and said nothing more. Perhaps he could make use of this overconfident girl.
Xu Zhi expected to be led into some kind of fanatic base with a dozen deranged cultists. But instead, the boy brought her to an ordinary apartment. On the way, they saw no one else. Inside the room was a pale girl lying on a bed, her eyes bandaged and faint traces of blood seeping through.
Seeing Xu Zhi’s surprised expression, the boy sighed. “I wasn’t lying. She’s my childhood friend—we grew up together. A few days ago, she was attacked and her eyes were injured. I thought her Transcendent self-healing might work, but days have passed and she hasn’t gotten any better. In fact, she’s worse.”
“I didn’t dare leave her alone to go far for help, so I’ve just been waiting here, hoping someone would pass by. Today, I was lucky to find you.”
Touching speech.
Xu Zhi didn’t believe a word of it.
Because the flame burning inside the girl on the bed was also red.
These two “Cup”-type fanatics were clearly trying to con her!
“You don’t have anyone else you can turn to?” Xu Zhi asked, turning to him.
The boy met her gaze and answered sincerely, “Most of the neighbors died the day everything went wrong. Some left after the lockdown, others died later. It’s just us now.”
Xu Zhi didn’t show it, but inwardly she scoffed: More like you two killed the rest.
Still, every rational fanatic she’d encountered before had built up a group. Why did this guy only have one other?
She thought for a moment, then asked, “Can I look at her eyes?”
Maybe the Eye of Secrets could tell what was really wrong with the girl’s eyes—if there was truly an injury, or something else entirely.
The boy hesitated briefly, then nodded. “Of course.”
Xu Zhi could tell he wasn’t nervous. So the injury was real?
But whether it was self-inflicted or not remained to be seen.
She walked a few steps to the bed, placed her fingers gently on the girl’s face, and slowly began to undo the bandages over her eyes.
