Inside a shop by the street, the Survivor responsible for surveillance was peeking out through the crack in the door. His eyes were fixed intently on the small building where Ling Mo and the others were located, before quickly shifting toward the direction of the Rosen Company. His gaze locked onto another Survivor, who was signaling with a wave of his hand.
To an outsider, the scene might have appeared odd. From his vantage point, it was impossible to see the other Survivor, let alone notice their gesture. Yet, after glancing in that direction twice, the man’s lips began to move silently, as if reciting something under his breath.
“Miao Zhe just sent a message.”
Behind the Iron Door in the Alley, a man stood up and grabbed a long, cloth-wrapped object in his hand. “Time to move.”
“Not going to wait for them to make the first move? Logically, they must’ve already noticed us and will probably act soon. Plus, with us here, they won’t overthink the risks on that side, right? Nobody ventures into overly dangerous areas… that’s just common sense.” A shorter man leaned off the wall he had been resting against, yawning as he spoke. His bloodshot eyes suggested a lack of sleep, but in his hands, several Pocket Knives spun rapidly between his fingers, creating the illusion of cold flashes of light swirling around his palms.
Another man snapped shut the book he’d been reading with a crisp “clap,” then silently looked up at the first man.
Despite the summer heat, this person wore a gray-green hooded Windbreaker with its collar raised high, almost concealing his entire face. His exposed hands were adorned with rough rings, each welded to a thin Iron Chain coiled around his wrists.
Yet whether he was setting down his book or slowly rising to his feet, the Iron Chains didn’t produce a single noise. It wasn’t that he was being particularly cautious-it was simply because his hands were exceptionally steady.
“There’s been a development,” the man holding the long object said as he stretched. “Miao Zhe confirmed it. That group hasn’t made a move yet, but Ah Nan, who was tasked with checking out the company, sent back an unforeseen signal. Something’s off with the company. I think we should act sooner rather than later.”
The shorter man’s eyes fully opened, and his movements instantly stopped. The Pocket Knives came to a halt all at once, neatly clenched between his fingers. “Could that group have made a move in secret?”
“Not entirely impossible…”
The man had barely started to speak when the Windbreaker interrupted him coldly, “It’s not completely out of the question. Didn’t Miao Zhe say earlier that there are Superhumans in that group who can use psychic power? Splitting off a part of their group to bypass Miao Zhe and sneak into the company-it’s not beyond the realm of possibility.”
“But to bypass that many zombies…” the shorter man couldn’t help but protest.
“If we can do it, maybe they can too. Don’t underestimate them… Where are the Boss and Butterfly?” The Windbreaker changed the subject abruptly.
The man replied, “No idea. After Miao Zhe left again, the Boss took Butterfly and went out too. They’re probably scouting ahead.”
“Then let’s move.” The Windbreaker spoke as he placed the book into his pocket. Adjusting his collar, he headed for the Iron Door.
As the Iron Door creaked open, the Windbreaker’s figure vanished into the doorway. The shorter man, muttering his dissatisfaction, spun a Pocket Knife in his fingers. “Fine, the Boss and Butterfly are one thing, but him? Who does he think he is…”
“He’s an experienced Member,” the man stated, his expression cold and his tone equally frosty. “He has his uses. Stop complaining.”
“But Qi-Ge, what if that group has already made a move?” the shorter man asked.
“What if?” The man responded with a rhetorical question, narrowing his eyes slightly. “Didn’t the Boss say it already? A good decoy always brings in great rewards.”
“Yeah, yeah. If the Boss says so, it must be true… But are we really not going to wait for them?” the shorter man pressed again.
The man shot him a faint, mocking glance. “You don’t actually think they won’t show up, do you?”
“Of course not, of course not…”
“The Boss aside, that Butterfly… she’s a monster who can catch Senior Zombies alive…”
…
In a secluded alley behind the street, a lone figure stood in the center, hands casually stuffed into her pockets. Her dark eyes constantly scanned her surroundings. ℝåŊ∅𝐁Ɛṣ
Her short hair, paired with the unremarkable athletic outfit she was wearing, made her look like an ordinary young girl at first glance. But anyone who caught sight of her face would find it impossible to look away from her tattoo.
Etched at the center of her forehead was a Butterfly with outstretched wings. One wingtip extended toward the corner of her eye, creating the illusion that it might take her eyes and lift them into flight at any moment.
The Butterfly tattoo’s lines were rough and simplistic, as though someone had viciously gouged it into her skin with a sharp object, leaving deep scars behind. Yet, it was precisely this crude design that gave the Butterfly an ominous, bloodthirsty aura, casting an eerie and chilling vibe over the little girl.
She was chewing on something nonchalantly while twisting the tip of her shoe slowly against the ground.
Suddenly, her eyelids lifted slightly, and her peripheral vision shifted upward at an angle.
Whoosh!
A gust of wind tore through the air. The girl instantly twisted her body, flipping sideways with fluid precision. In the next moment, she landed gracefully on the ground, now facing the direction from which the sudden attack had come. On the very spot where she had stood seconds earlier, the ground bore a tiny, freshly formed hole, surrounded by a faint trail of dust that the wind had just dispersed.
“Another ambush… Are you planning to waste both our time like this?” she spoke casually, her tone carrying a hint of mockery. A smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth. “I’ll give you a friendly warning-my Boss isn’t the kind of person your fluffy, white-furred creature can hold off for long. Speaking of which, I actually find that white furball pretty interesting. Then again, you’re equally intriguing. Hanging out with a Creature like that-this is certainly a first for me.”
Raising an eyebrow, the girl’s smirk deepened as her voice rang out with a mixture of disdain and amusement.
As she made this expression, the scarred Butterfly tattoo etched on her forehead seemed to distort, becoming even more sinister.
Thud!
Out of nowhere, a figure dropped lightly from above, landing on the top of the wall with feline grace.
Looking down at the girl below, the figure-a Loli with a childlike face-revealed a trace of anger on her youthful features.
“Well, well, look who’s here,” the girl on the ground said, leaning forward slightly. One corner of her mouth curled upward as she spoke with enthusiasm, her voice carrying a sharp, playful edge. “Before we start fighting, a quick intro wouldn’t hurt, right? Name’s Butterfly. Let’s skip over the age part. As for interests… hmm, I guess fighting would top the list. Heh.”
“Its name is Xiao Bai,” the Loli atop the wall snapped, clenching her small fists tighter and tighter. “And it’s not a thing!”
Before the words even fully left her mouth, the Loli leaped from the wall, her movements swift and fierce. In that same instant, dozens of glowing silver threads shot out from the nape of her neck, glimmering like deadly strands of silk.
“And for the record…” she added as the threads cut through the air like razor-sharp whips. “I have zero interest in telling you my name!”