The appearance of Tong Sui was undeniably captivating.
Both of the team members seated in front were somewhat flushed, their hearts racing. Jiang Hua remained expressionless and silent for a few seconds.
Seeing this, Zhang Binyu patted the spot beside him and said, “It’s alright, sit with me. My shooting skills are excellent, so I can definitely protect you.”
“…Okay.”
Tong Sui withdrew his gaze, his raven-like eyelashes casting a small shadow over his bright eyes as he stood up to move to the front seat. Suddenly, Jiang Hua reached out and grabbed his arm.
His grip was quite strong, causing Tong Sui to fall back onto his shoulder due to the force.
Jiang Hua said, “No need to change seats, it’s too much trouble.”
The others were taken aback.
Wang Tao, sitting in the driver’s seat, was the first to react, fastening his seatbelt. “Alright, everyone, buckle up. I’m driving now.”
Jian Lexian had no choice but to turn his head back.
A glimmer of darkness flashed in his eyes as his hand trembled while fastening his seatbelt.
The off-road vehicle began to move slowly.
In the backseat, Tong Sui rubbed his sore back and glanced at Jiang Hua’s chest and muscular arms.
Jiang Hua had broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
Although the fabric of his clothes concealed most of the exaggerated muscle definition, he was still impressively firm.
Tong Sui thought about how easily he could slice a zombie’s head off with a long knife, which required considerable arm strength.
Noticing his gaze, Jiang Hua looked over, his eyes faintly resting on the hand still rubbing Tong Sui’s back.
Tong Sui paused in his actions.
Jiang Hua asked, “Do you find it attractive?”
“…”
Tong Sui honestly nodded his head.
“Turn around and move away,” Jiang Hua instructed.
Jiang Hua exuded a cold aura, his blue eyes hidden in shadows resembling a famished beast.
Tong Sui feared he might be thrown out of the vehicle.
He shifted a bit further away, but due to lingering apprehension toward the car window, he didn’t move too close.
The backseat was the most spacious area in the entire off-road vehicle.
Normally, it could accommodate four people.
They were seated with a person’s distance between them, and Tong Sui discreetly glanced in his direction again.
Jiang Hua crossed his arms and closed his eyes to rest.
Using his special abilities consumed a lot of energy.
Considering he had used quite a bit earlier, he must be tired now.
Tong Sui also closed his mouth, obediently remaining still.
The scenery outside the window passed by in reverse.
The wind stirred the dry grass over vast stretches of yellow land, and several wandering zombies, drawn to the moving vehicle, would only chase for a short while before falling behind.
The interior of the vehicle was extraordinarily quiet.
Tong Sui’s tightly wound nerves gradually relaxed as he leaned against the seat.
Having gone through such perilous experiences since arriving in this world had already drained much of his energy.
Sleepiness washed over him.
He drowsily closed his eyes and drifted off.
Meanwhile, Jiang Hua, who appeared to be napping beside him, merely shut his eyes, fully alert in consciousness.
This close proximity created a peculiar sensation.
It felt as if the lingering warmth from Tong Sui’s shuddering breath remained on his neck, with the corners of his eyes slightly reddened and capturing glimmers of tears like starlight.
He furrowed his brows slightly.
Years of training had taught him never to expose his weaknesses to anyone.
Fragments of shattered memories surfaced deep within him.
In a dark room, the only light came from a narrow exhaust fan, while a blonde man held a cigar in hand, smoke rising in tendrils.
He leaned his portly body forward, extending a hand reeking of pungent tobacco to seize the scalp of the child kneeling before him, who appeared to be no more than eight or nine years old.
The child’s body bore layers of new and old wounds, his white shirt stained with blood. Some was his own, but much more belonged to others.
The blonde man let out a cold laugh, his grip tightening as he forced the child to raise his head.
Those blue eyes were illuminated by the light.
At what should have been the most innocent age, those eyes held only hollowness and numbness; if it weren’t for his chest rising slightly, he would have seemed like a lifeless puppet.
The blonde man spoke in a foreign language, “9527, you truly disappoint me with your expectations.”
The child tightly closed his mouth.
With a vicious slap, the blonde man struck him. “Have you forgotten your upbringing? Speak.”
Blood seeped from the child’s lips, and in halting foreign language, he murmured, “I’m sorry, father.”
Only then did the blonde man release his grip.
The child lowered his head, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth onto the coarse, uneven ground.
“Why did you hold back during training today? I’ve told you I won’t nurture useless rabbits,” he admonished, opening the drawer to toss a small knife onto the ground. “I’ll give you twenty minutes. You can either use it to end your own life or to kill your opponent.”
Kneeling on the ground, the child remained silent for a moment before picking up the knife, using his frail body to stand.
“I understand, father.”
The blonde man nodded in satisfaction, “Remember, you don’t need friends.”
The chaotic memories spiraled down into a vortex, bringing with them the stench of blood and decay, as a toothy beast tore his heart apart in fragments.
Jiang Hua calmly opened his eyes.
His gaze was deeper than usual.
A steady rhythm of breaths reached his ears.
Jiang Hua slightly tilted his head, quietly observing the beautiful young man now so close.
His eyelashes were long and delicate, resembling a bird’s tail, soft and dense. His rosy lips parted slightly as he breathed.
Jiang Hua stared intently.
He looked like a lamb needing careful nurturing and feeding to survive.
His head leaned slowly toward the outside, about to fall, and Jiang Hua reached out to steady him.