Chapter 18 Chapter 18 (2/2)
This group of people have this magical calming effect. It was as if as long as they are out of danger, they could relax without any worries.
As a result, the three of them didn’t even noticed that Song Qinglan and Ji Yushi had both fallen silent at the same time.
This team was the team Song Qinglan was familiar with in terms of appearance and habit, but it wasn’t the same team from before.
—–At the very least, these three teammates here have not been to the bookstore, nor have they experienced the hijacking by the dark-skinned man. They had only just come straight out from Runjin Building.
So then, that would explain why Tang Qi said he didn’t hear any loud noises or speak through the public channel.
What exactly is going on?
Song Qinglan’s mood was complicated. The teammates chattered on for another two or three minutes and when they were getting closer and closer to the location of the bookstore, Ji Yushi suddenly shouted out, “Cap Song.”
Song Qinglan who was deep in thought looked over.
It was clear that Ji Yushi also realised that the teammates who had rescued them from the self-service kiosk weren’t their original teammates.
He said to Song Qinglan, “There is still some time until the black wall reaches the bookstore and the area nearby is suitable for looking for food. I suggest that we go pick up some food before going to the bookstore. Like this, when we plan the next destination, we wouldn’t have to worry about not having a way to replenish our energy. This is a long battle after all.”
Ji Yushi suggested this very naturally.
Song Qinglan couldn’t even tell from his eyes that this was his subtle way of delaying them.
The person in front of him seemed to be calm no matter what the situation was, not even becoming flustered if Mount Tai collapsed. It was in complete contrast to the weak impression he gave off.
The world is complicated and strange. They are currently amid it, being played around by time.
When someone gets a clue, all their understandings of the previous developments are overthrown, dragging them into another situation where the truth is difficult to be seen.
Song Qinglan couldn’t deny that having reached this point in the time cycle, even he himself had begun to feel lost.
To sort out the chilling clues from the chaotic mess and distinguish between reality and illusion, it was already something ordinary people cannot do relying on just their intelligence.
If their mental abilities cannot cope, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they went mad.
But for Ji Yushi, his endurance seemed to have no limits.
Song Qinglan pursed his lips together tightly. Although he didn’t understand why he did it, the calmness and keen senses he had developed over the years allowed him to quickly make a decision.
He turned back and ordered Tang Qi, “Go check the nearby situation and gather up some food.”
The team members never questioned their captain’s decision.
Tang Qi readily agreed, “Roger.”
*
The greenery at the hillside near the bookstore was very good.
The rays of the morning sun cast been the lush leaves left behind little scattered spots of lights on the ground.
This was a high-class residential area, and the streets were very quiet. Zombies would occasionally appear in groups, but the number was much less than the fierce battle earlier.
The car was stopped in a conspicuous place to allow for quick evacuation should the situation change.
Everyone lined up vigilantly. Not far ahead, Li Chun found a convenience store and whispered, “This way!”
Several zombies were wandering inside the convenience store.
Li Chun pushed open the door with a ‘creak’ and the zombies rushed over while growling.
Tang Qi and Tang Le pulled out their knives.
The twins had tacit understanding and even their behaviours were very similar. In many cases, they can understand what the other person was thinking without saying much.
In just a few moves, all the zombies in the store were killed.
The shelves in the store were empty. There was almost nothing left after being ransacked except for a pile of cans left on a bottom shelf.
Li Chun picked a can up, “What’s Kemeng beans? Why haven’t I heard of it? It definitely isn’t something good if there’s so many left here.”
Tang Qi: “Don’t worry about that. It’s fine as longs as its edible.”
The convenience store was quite big. There was even a self-service area on the other end that was a certain distance away from the three teammates.
Ji Yushi whispered, “We can’t go to the bookstore now.”
Song Qinglan could guess Ji Yushi’s intentions, “Because we might run into the teammates in the other squad there?”
Ji Yushi nodded.
“They should’ve chased after us and may have not yet returned to the bookstore.” Song Qinglan was thoughtful, “What is this? Time and space overlap?”
If that was the case, would they not only meet the other teammates, but also meet their other self?
“It’s not just this problem.” Ji Yushi looked around and said, “Cap Song, I need that baking soda over there.”
Song Qinglan passed the baking soda over.
Ji Yushi’s lips didn’t have much colour and his lashes were pitch black. He tore open the baking soda packet and poured it onto the table.
In this era where pen and paper are almost impossible to find and with their communicators thrown out earlier by the dark-skinned man, it seems that Ji Yushi could only use the baking powder to draw a diagram.
Ji Yushi used his index finger to draw a 1. He then said, “This is us from the first cycle. We were killed by a spacecar outside Runjin Building and the entire squad was eliminated. It will be referred to as Team 1.”
Song Qinglan already knew this.
Ji Yushi’s finger was stained with blood. It was probably from the zombies. He didn’t pay attention to it and wrote another 2.
“Because of the existence of the time anchor, we restarted at the anchored point and started the second cycle.” Ji Yushi said, “But because I retained the memory of the last cycle, we successfully avoided the spacecar and entered Runjin building. We then fled to the bookstore and the entire squad was again eliminated near the bookstore. That will be referred to as Team 2 for short.”
That feeling wasn’t pleasant.
Not just the repeated failures, but having it raised as an example again and again.
Immediately after that, Ji Yushi wrote a 3 next to the 2.
“The third cycle, which us where we are now, Team 3 for short.” Ju Yushi said, “We drove the spacecar and hit a small car at an intersection. According to my memory, it is reasonable to conclude that it was us from the first cycle who was hit and killed. That is to say, it wasn’t some survivor who happened to drive a car with the same car plate but that we from Team 3 killed us from Team 1. Isn’t that right, Cap Song?”
Song Qinglan couldn’t deny it because the facts were just that unbelievable.
They couldn’t deceive themselves. They had to face this horrible fact.
Seeing his agreement, Ji Yushi pointed to the ‘2’ and said, “It is known that Team 3 killed Team 1, that is our reality. Team 2 however avoided the collision Now, there is another question: Who was driving the spacecar that Team 2 avoided?”
The question hit the nail on the head.
On the other end of the convenience store, the other teammates were still chatting with each other.
“The time anchor was originally an infinite loop on a single line and that is why we can repeat it again and again.”
Ji Yushi paused and his slender finger drew a line above ‘2’.
“But in the second cycle, we retained our memories and avoided the collision with the spacecar. From that moment on, we inadvertently created a new parallel timeline. The ‘us’ in that timeline is like us now, preparing to go to the bookstore using the spacecar but we almost ran into the small car on the way. Seeing the car crash into Runjin Building, we were worried about the survivors in the car and stopped to look around only to encounter a large wave of zombies and end up separating. That will be simply referred to as Team 4, which is Tang Qi and the others we are with now.”
“Because the time and space are fixed by the time anchor, then Cap Song, this resulted in the time and space overlap you mentioned just now.” Ji Yushi said, “That is also the so-called multiple realities. The current situation is, two Tianqiong Seventh Squads have appeared in PU-31 at the same time. But because it is a parallel timeline, us from Team 3 ran into the group from Team 4. That is why they don’t know what happened to us and we don’t know what happened to them either.”
Song Qinglan thought carefully over those words.
He very quickly understood Ji Yushi’s explanation. He reached out and lightly tapped under the number ‘2’.
But it just happened to come into contact with Ji Yushi finger which hadn’t been removed.
The baking soda had stained the warm fingertips. That strange touch slightly startled the two of them.
Song Qinglan retracted his finger, “Not just that. If time and space are fixed and parallel timelines are generated, then there are not only Team 3 and Team 4 existing at the same time. Did you forget? The ‘us’ in Team 2 should have escaped from Runjin Building by now and is probably on their way to the bookstore.”
At this moment, Teams 2, 3 and 4 existed at the same time.
Ji Yushi said, “Correct.”
Immediately after saying that, he appeared to be feeling extremely uncomfortable. He suddenly bit his lower lip and grabbed the edge of the table, his face pale.
“Ji Yushi?!”
Song Qinglan reached out to support him and felt something wet.
When he looked down, his palm was bright red.
That shout made the other three on the other end hurry over. All of them looked concerned, “Advisor Ji!”
“Fuck, Advisor Ji is injured?”
Li Chun stepped forward to help. He was in charge of the squad’s emergency treatment, “Quickly, lay him down!”
Ji Yushi was placed onto the table. Blood flowed out from his waist and abdomen, staining the black combat uniform. Because the dark red traces weren’t obvious against the uniform, the others hadn’t noticed until now.
Song Qinglan found a pair of scissors and gently cut away the fabric around his stomach.
Fair skin was exposed.
There was a small bullet hole from which blood flowed out non-stop.
Song Qinglan asked, “When did you get hurt?! Why didn’t you say anything?”
Ji Yushi’s forehead was sweaty, “When the car was stolen.”
He was panting, and his consciousness wasn’t very clear. He had endured that pain until now, but it had become unbearable, “It’s okay, it’s not serious. Even if I die, it can be redone.”
Song Qinglan pressed his hand on the wound. The feeling was warm. It was unknown whether it was the temperature of the blood or Ji Yushi’s body temperature.
Ji Yushi slowly closed his eyes and murmured softly before falling unconscious, “I just…..wanted to repeat it as few times as possible.”
The less it was repeated, the less he would remember.
—– “I don’t have the ability to forget.”
In an instant.
Song Qinglan’s hard and indifferent heart felt like it was gripped by an invisible hand.
This guy, he wasn’t a flower vase at all.
If you judged a book by its cover, it would come back to bite you.
He suddenly thought this.
KK has something to say:
Alright, so I have both good news and bad news for you guys. ><
Firstly, the bad news. The will be split into three parts because it is actually three chapters in one. As for the good news, I should be able to start updating this novel more frequently soon! (One chapter a week is just too slow so I’m super keen about this!)