Chapter 117: Guan Zining Returns to Her Team
After that, Su Tao asked Guan Zining to drive them to the farm.
Throughout the entire meat-purchasing process, Su Tao tried her best not to speak, letting Lin Fangzhi handle everything—what kind of meat to buy, how many pounds, and how much it cost.
The process was rough. Several times, he got stuck, unable to get the words out.
The butcher looked at him with a mix of confusion and impatience.
Su Tao insisted on saying it first and having Lin Fangzhi repeat it. This cycle went on countless times.
Guan Zining, feeling overwhelmed, squatted in a cool corner, watching their impromptu lesson.
By the time they finished, the sun was almost setting. Guan Zining, yawning endlessly, was finally able to drive them back to Taoyang.
As they got out of the car, she suddenly called out to Su Tao.
“I need to talk to you.”
Su Tao, noticing her rare seriousness, let the exhausted Lin Fangzhi head back first. She then got back into the car and asked, “What is it?”
Guan Zining seemed hesitant. “…It’s July now. It’s been exactly three months since I came to Taoyang.”
Su Tao was momentarily stunned before realization hit her. “You want to return to your team? Why?”
She recalled their first meeting—Guan Zining had been proud and confident, saying she would only protect her for three months before returning to her unit.
And Su Tao had agreed.
Guan Zining took a deep breath and admitted, “Yeah, I want to go back. After these past few months together, you must have realized by now—I’m not someone who can sit still. Taoyang is great, and you’ve been amazing to me, but staying here is suffocating.”
She clenched her fist and lightly thumped her chest.
“The world is overrun with zombies. I don’t even need to tell you how many people have died—including people I knew. Su Tao, you’re my good friend. If you ever need my help, I won’t hesitate, no matter what it is. Kill, burn, whatever—you just say the word.”
“But I’m really sorry. I can’t keep protecting you. I can’t go against my own heart. I still want to fight on the battlefield, to wear my uniform, to carry my insignia, to shed my sweat and blood—until the day my body is wrapped in a soldier’s burial shroud.”
Su Tao suddenly felt a lump in her throat. She rubbed her nose.
“I knew you’d want to leave. I was prepared for this. If you’ve made up your mind, then return to your team as soon as possible. I’ll talk to Major Shi for you, so don’t worry. But we have a deal—I don’t want to see you carried back in a body bag. I want you to come back wearing medals.”
Guan Zining’s eyes turned red. She pulled Su Tao into a tight hug. “Just for that, I’ll make sure to stay alive. You take care of yourself too.”
That night, Guan Zining left.
The next morning, Su Tao woke up to Zhuang Wan wailing.
“Oh my god, why is everyone so eager to run off to the battlefield? Have they all had enough of life? Can’t my heart ever be at peace?”
After her rant, she started crying.
“Guan Zining is heartless! She didn’t even give me a chance to say goodbye. By the time I found out, her room was already empty. Who knows when I’ll see her again?”
Chen Xi and Chen Yang, standing on either side of their mother, tried to console her while occasionally shooting Su Tao pleading looks for help.
Su Tao smirked. “Why don’t you enlist and keep her company?”
Zhuang Wan’s sobbing stopped instantly. She looked at Su Tao with tear-streaked cheeks, accusingly, “Boss, I’m genuinely heartbroken, and you’re making fun of me?”
Su Tao softened her tone.
“Just because someone goes to the battlefield doesn’t mean they’ll die. Think positively. Plus, she has abilities, and they’re support-based. She won’t be on the front lines.”
That seemed to help. Zhuang Wan sighed. “I hope so. But I still feel so anxious when I think about it.”
Su Tao handed her a tissue. “Wipe your tears. I was just about to ask—how’s Lan Lingling doing?”
Zhuang Wan sniffled and answered, “She’s stable, but her body is covered in wounds. Some of her… private areas are also in terrible shape. I want to bring her to Taoyang so Dr. Zhong can treat her.”
“Then let’s pick her up soon. Dr. Zhong is probably the only one who can help her now.”
Since the driver, Guan Zining, was gone, Su Tao temporarily recruited a male tenant from the residence who could drive.
His name was Gan Hongyu. Zhuang Wan had mentioned him before—he was an IT worker who had been a network engineer in Dongyang.
He wasn’t very old, but his hair was sparse, and his scalp was already showing early signs of balding.
Gan Hongyu wasn’t much of a talker, but he was very warm-hearted. After dropping off Su Tao and Zhuang Wan at the hospital, he stayed close and never left their side.
Lan Lingling’s mental state was extremely poor. The cigarette burns on her face were covered with gauze. When she saw people enter, her expression remained numb, completely unresponsive.
This kind of despair was dangerous.
While Zhuang Wan went to speak with Lan Lingling’s father, Su Tao sat by her bedside and asked,
“Do you want to come back to Taoyang with me? Let Dr. Zhong help you. Just treat this as a nightmare—when you wake up, everything will be okay.”
Tears welled up at the corners of Lan Lingling’s eyes as she slowly shook her head.
“My wounds may heal, but my heart never will. Boss Su, I really don’t want to live anymore. If it weren’t for my father, I wouldn’t have been able to resist opening the window and jumping out.”
Su Tao said, “Don’t think like that. It’s not worth it. The people who hurt you haven’t gotten what they deserve yet. At the very least, you should wait for that day to come.”
That struck a nerve. Lan Lingling sobbed and asked, “Boss Su, did I do something wrong? Was I too materialistic? Is that why I deserved all this disgusting suffering? Is this my karma? Am I the one who really deserves retribution?”
Su Tao’s tone was firm. “No. Do you really think what you did can compare to the cruel, inhuman torture they put you through? It can’t. Listen to me—come back to Taoyang first.”
Nowhere was safer than Taoyang. Su Tao was worried that Su Zhengqing and his people would discover that Lan Lingling was still alive and come after her again for a second round of revenge.
Lan Lingling’s father seemed to share the same concern. He thanked Su Tao profusely,
“Thank you so much. Can I come with Lingling? She’s not in any condition to move on her own. She needs someone to take care of her.”
Su Tao agreed. Just as she was about to help them into the car, Lan Minghui hesitated before asking, “Boss Su, have we met before? You look really familiar.”
Su Tao smiled at him. “Maybe you’ve seen some photos of me online, Uncle Lan. Please help Lingling into the car.”
“Oh, oh,” he said, still feeling like he had seen her somewhere before but unable to recall exactly where. He decided to drop it.
Once they were on the road, Su Tao asked him, “Uncle, do you have any news on Wu Feichi?”
Lan Minghui shook his head. “The police are still searching, but there’s been no sign of him. They say either he was taken by Su Zhengqing’s group to the Eastern District to lay low, or… he’s dead.”
Su Tao decided to call Gu Mingchi tomorrow to ask.
When they arrived in Taoyang and settled Lan Lingling and her father, Su Tao was just about to return to her room when a sharp, terrified scream rang out from downstairs.
It was Grandma Cen.
Su Tao’s heart nearly jumped into her throat. She bolted downstairs.
As soon as she arrived, she saw a blood-soaked corpse lying at the base of the wall, as if someone had thrown it over the high electric fence. Blood splattered across the wall.
Not far away, Grandma Cen had collapsed to the ground in terror.
