Chapter 115 – Road to Survival (Part ②④)

Volume 2: Battlefield Between Two Worlds

"What right do you have to call yourself my companion?"

"You're so weak. What, now that you see I'm down for the count, you're coming over to suck up to me?"

"Is it sympathy? Pity? Or are you just gloating?"

"Even if I, Wen Yu, have to die, I don't need anyone looking at me with those eyes!"

Wen Yu had just shouted those harsh words when his injuries caused him to break into a fit of coughing.

However, Sun Ruixing remained unmoved.

"I don't know if what you're saying is from the heart or if you're just trying to get me to abandon you. But regardless, I will carry you to the end of this Trial unless I can no longer walk."

"This has nothing to do with anything else. It's simply what I should do-or rather, what I want to do!"

Sun Ruixing's calm voice caused Wen Yu to fall silent.

"Thank you…"

Beyond that, nothing else needed to be said.

An unconscious Wen Yu was jolted awake by a sudden shaking.

"What's happening?"

Unable to see anything, Wen Yu could only feel Sun Ruixing placing him on the ground. Then, a soft bundle was tucked into his arms.

From within the bundle, the sound of an infant's crying reached Wen Yu's ears, letting him know that this was the Fourth Prince.

"There's something ahead. I'm going to take care of it."

Sun Ruixing's tone was resolute.

"Fine. You should know that if you die, this mission is a guaranteed failure."

"I understand. That's why I won't die!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Sun Ruixing stepped forward.

Wen Yu listened quietly to the sounds coming from not far away.

Judging by the footsteps, there was only one Demonic Creature.

However, throughout their journey, Wen Yu hadn't seen a single one of these Demonic Creatures that was as low as Level 2.

Soon, the sounds of a fierce battle erupted.

There were the roars of the Demonic Creature, Sun Ruixing's muffled groans of pain, and the sound of a shield striking the creature.

There was even the sound of skin and muscle being torn.

Then, everything fell silent…

"It's dealt with."

Sun Ruixing's voice drifted back, clearly straining to sound calm. Wen Yu could tell he was forcing it.

Even though Wen Yu couldn't utilize his strength, his hearing hadn't suffered much damage.

Just now, the Demonic Creature had struck Sun Ruixing's body at least three times.

A Level Three Demonic Creature had hit the Level 2 Sun Ruixing three times.

"You're out of Healing Potions, aren't you?" Wen Yu asked.

Sun Ruixing nodded, then realized that Wen Yu was currently blind.

"I'm out. I still have some bandages left. Let me wrap my wounds first."

"Mm."

The sound of bandages being wound followed, accompanied by Sun Ruixing's stifled grunts.

"Let's go."

Sun Ruixing took the Fourth Prince back from Wen Yu's arms, then pulled Wen Yu up and continued heading east.

His steps were somewhat unsteady, yet they remained determined.

The road ahead was not an easy one.

Fortunately, they didn't encounter too many Demonic Creatures.

By "not too many," it meant only three waves.

Over the course of two days, Sun Ruixing encountered three groups of Demonic Creatures.

They managed to avoid two of the waves, but Sun Ruixing had to tank through the third one.

Wen Yu didn't know what Sun Ruixing's second Skill was, but it had to be a powerful ability.

It was this ability that was keeping Sun Ruixing alive right now.

Though he was only just barely clinging to life.

Thud.

That was the sound of Wen Yu falling to the ground.

Beside him, Sun Ruixing gasped for air, his chest heaving violently.

His injuries were so severe that even Wen Yu's weight-less than 50 kilos-had become an unbearable burden.

"Go on by yourself. This time, I mean it. You should know that your body can't take any more."

"I know what I'm doing! Besides, we're almost there… almost…"

Sun Ruixing's weak voice drifted over. Then, with trembling hands, he grabbed Wen Yu and continued to shuffle forward.

Where Sun Ruixing gripped him, Wen Yu felt something wet and slick. It was Sun Ruixing's blood.

"Almost there, almost…"

Sun Ruixing's steps faltered, his body stumbling, but he forced himself upright and pressed onward.

"Hang in there. We're close. Just a little further."

This time, it was Wen Yu speaking.

At this point, telling him to give up would just be hypocritical. All Wen Yu could do was offer words of encouragement-or rather, keep trying to reawaken Sun Ruixing's will to live.

"By the way, tell me about your daughter."

"My daughter?"

At Wen Yu's question, Sun Ruixing's voice suddenly grew a fraction stronger.

"My daughter is a student at Yanjing University. You wouldn't believe it, but she's a real star back in Hualin Town!"

"My girl was the top scorer in Hualin Town for the college entrance exams last year! On the day she got her results, even Li Quan'an came to our house."

Sun Ruixing spoke with animated pride, as if lost in memories of those mundane yet warm days.

"Li Quan'an is the town mayor, you know? The mayor himself came to our home and gave me a 100,000-yuan bonus. He said I was a good parent, that it was a reward for raising her so well!"

"I remember thinking then, 'I've worked my tail off my whole life, and raising a girl isn't easy, but finally, I'm seeing some return on that investment.'"

"But then there's my spendthrift wife! She took that 100,000 yuan and went gambling. Lost every single cent! I was so furious, I demanded a divorce right then and there!"

"That wasteful woman!"

After saying this, Sun Ruixing suddenly went silent.

"After the Apocalypse started, I went to her parents' place to find her. She was dead. She'd turned into a Zombie, and I… I had to kill her."

"I was just angry at the time. I didn't really want to divorce her."

"I'm stubborn, and so was she. My daughter even tried to talk sense into me, saying money can always be earned back, but I just couldn't let it go. In a fit of rage, I went to the court to file the papers."

"I can still remember… the day my wife left, she made me a batch of dumplings. I had a shift that day and had to leave early, so I just ate a few and headed out. By the time I came back, she had moved back to her parents' house."

"That's how people are. You don't cherish what you have until it's gone. Only then do you realize what you've truly lost."

"I wanted to go back and find her, but I couldn't swallow my pride. You tell me… is 'face' really more important than your wife?"

"I thought about that question for nearly a year before I finally understood. And then, the Apocalypse happened."

"I deserved it. I really did…"

Sun Ruixing's voice grew lower and lower.

"Sun! Sun!" Wen Yu shouted directly into his ear.

"Huh? Oh!"

"Getting old, I guess… can't keep my focus. Where was I?"

"You haven't told me your daughter's name yet."

"Right… let me think, let me think…"

Thud!

Sun Ruixing collapsed straight onto the ground.

"Up ahead… I can already see the Silver Light… but I… I really can't go any further…"