Chapter 258: Almost Didn’t Make It Back to See You
Shi Zijin’s feat of capturing a live Crawler sent shockwaves through the South.
For the past month or two, no base or settlement in the South had been able to escape attacks from the Crawlers. Despite all efforts, only two bases had managed to severely injure a Crawler—but before they could capture it, the creature had burrowed underground and escaped.
No one expected that the first successful capture would come from Dongyang.
Even Xindu Base sent people over, hoping to purchase a few Crawler body parts from Dongyang for research.
Changjing also made a direct phone call, sending two senior researchers south to assist Dongyang in dissecting the Crawler. They were determined to uncover the creature’s weaknesses and origins as quickly as possible.
The people of Dongyang even spontaneously organized a parade to welcome the Pioneering Army’s triumphant return. Men, women, and children poured into the streets, and even most of Taoyang’s tenants rushed to the scene, their blood boiling with excitement.
Su Tao went with Zhuang Wan and the others to join the crowd.
Chen Yang tiptoed, trying to get a better look. He was thrilled.
“I heard that Major General Shi used himself as bait and single-handedly captured the Crawler! He even discovered a zombie lair and led his team to wipe it out. He’s amazing! He’s my role model!”
Chen Xi scoffed, “Didn’t you say Captain Lei was your role model before? You’re switching sides already? Traitor!”
Chen Yang hesitated. “Brother Lei is amazing too… They’re both my role models.”
Chen Xi wouldn’t let it go. “You’re just a bandwagon fan! You side with whoever’s stronger!”
Chen Yang started feeling guilty, thinking about how Brother Lei had always taken care of him. But… Major General Shi really did seem even more powerful.
Zhuang Wan, a die-hard Shi Zijin fan, waved dismissively. “Major General Shi is responsible for protecting forty thousand people. Lei Xing only has to look after a dozen brothers. What’s there to argue about?”
Chen Xi nodded in agreement.
Chen Yang fought back, defending his brother’s honor. “Brother Lei just never had the chance to protect that many people! And he hasn’t gone all out yet. If he did, maybe he could capture a live Crawler too!”
Chen Xi rolled her eyes. “That’s just your fan filter talking!”
As they bickered, Su Tao finally spotted Shi Zijin.
He stood atop the transport truck holding the captured Crawler, his tall frame clad in a crisp military uniform. His sharp features were set in a cold, imposing expression.
As if sensing her gaze, he suddenly looked down—his eyes locking onto hers.
For a brief moment, his expression softened. He gave her a slight nod, the corners of his mouth curving faintly.
Su Tao responded with the brightest smile.
The scorching sun couldn’t compare to the warmth of her smile—it melted away the coldness and killing intent in his eyes.
From a distance, she couldn’t see any injuries on him. But when they finally met that evening, she realized he had a deep scar on the back of his neck, stretching from behind his right ear down into his collar.
He had hidden it well, pulling up his collar so it was barely noticeable.
Just as Su Tao was about to gasp in shock, she noticed something else.
She scanned him up and down, frowning.
“You inherited someone else’s ability again, didn’t you?”
That strange yet familiar aura was there again—like he had changed, yet remained the same.
This mission must have been incredibly dangerous. He hadn’t just killed zombies; he had killed people, too.
She was about to ask what had happened and how he had made it back when—
Shi Zijin suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.
“Shh.”
Su Tao’s words caught in her throat. Her heart nearly stopped.
The man rested his chin on her shoulder, his voice low and distant.
“…I almost didn’t make it back to see you.”
The Crawler had been far harder to capture than he had expected. Its tail was a deadly weapon, striking with immense force.
The deep wound on his neck—just inches away from decapitation—was caused by the Crawler’s barbed tail.
And that wasn’t even the worst danger he had faced.
On the way back, they encountered the South’s most notorious bandit gang—ruthless raiders who ambushed, looted, and murdered.
Most of them were powerful ability users.
One could enter people’s dreams and manipulate their nightmares.
Another could amplify desires, driving people into madness and chaos.
One had an immortal body—even decapitation wouldn’t kill him.
But the most terrifying of them all was the “Plague Bringer”—a man capable of spreading a highly lethal disease in mere moments.
The Pioneering Army had nearly been wiped out by the outbreak.
Many of his brothers had died at the hands of those bandits.
Shi Zijin had gone on a rampage, facing them head-on.
By the time he crawled out of the blood-soaked battlefield, every single one of them had become his “inheritance.”
No One Knew the True Dangers He Faced.
Although Su Tao had no idea what Shi Zijin had gone through, his words sent a chill through her heart.
She didn’t dare ask what had happened on the way back. Instead, she just held him tightly, saying nothing.
Her mind wandered.
Since he had returned safely, had he managed to avoid her “premonition”?
Or was the real danger still ahead?
The thought made her tighten her arms around him.
Shi Zijin responded by holding her even closer, their heartbeats almost in sync.
After a long pause, he suddenly said,
“This time, when you go to the Alliance Summit, I’ll go with you.”
Su Tao was momentarily stunned. She was happy, but reason made her ask,
“Don’t you need to stay in Dongyang? You know that the Bone Wings will be coming soon, right?”
Shi Zijin nodded seriously. “I know. But the roads have become dangerous lately. More and more people, with no way to survive, are turning to banditry. Some of them are powerful ability users. I can’t let you all go alone. As for Dongyang, if anything happens, Zhou Hai and Zhou Yang can summon me back. I’ll make it in time.”
Su Tao had heard about the bandit problem.
Lin Fangzhi had two customers who had just picked up supplies from Taoyang. The very next day, they were robbed on the way back.
Not only were their supplies stolen, but they were also silenced—killed.
Because of this, while Taoyang still received many online orders, most customers only paid deposits. Less than a third actually came in person to pick up their goods and finalize the transaction.
It was even possible that some bandits had already set their sights on Taoyang, treating any vehicle leaving it as a prime target…
If Shi Zijin accompanied them, their safety would increase by at least 90%.
“I also brought you a ‘weapon,’” he said.
Shi Zijin handed her a palm-sized box. “Open it and see.”
Su Tao took the box and opened it, revealing a pitch-black… bracelet?
“A bracelet?” she asked uncertainly.
She had never seen such an ugly bracelet before. And it didn’t look like a weapon either. Was she supposed to use it to smash zombies’ heads?
Without a word, Shi Zijin picked up the dark bracelet, lifted her hand, and slipped it onto her wrist.
The moment it touched her skin, she felt as if the bracelet came to life!
In the next second, she found herself holding a black whip covered in barbs. It twisted and coiled in midair, writhing like a headless black snake.
She was so startled that she almost threw it away.
Shi Zijin quickly grasped her hand. “Feel it. Control it. It can become a part of you…”
His voice calmed her down.
She focused, trying to “feel” the whip.
Sure enough, she sensed it gradually submitting to her will. If she wanted to strike east, it wouldn’t lash west.
After practicing for a while, she became more comfortable using it. It was as if the whip had become an extension of her arm—a powerful extra limb.
With just a thought, the whip could instantly shift from bracelet form and lash toward any target she wanted, unleashing immense power.
Shi Zijin nodded approvingly. “Not bad. Be careful with it. Even an ability user will have their skin torn off if it hits them. In severe cases, it could even cut someone in half.”
Like the scar on the back of his neck.
Su Tao was thrilled by how naturally the whip moved in her hands. But the more she used it, the more familiar it seemed…
It reminded her of a Crawler’s… tail?
The thought flashed through her mind, and she turned to look at Shi Zijin in shock.
“You didn’t capture just one Crawler, did you?”
