C11 He Was Infected with the Insect's Egg

After Shen Faang had vanquished the bat beasts, he made his way swiftly to the other side. He needed to check on Wu Qi and assess her current state.

Upon reaching her, Shen Faang discovered Wu Qi on the ground, writhing incessantly. Her body was covered in red rashes, a clear sign of infection from the insect eggs. Shen Faang was acutely aware of the consequences of such an infection, having endured it himself. He knew this was a formidable challenge for them.

Wu Qi, seeing Shen Faang and Wang Mengyan, was taken aback. She had resigned herself to the belief that she would never encounter these two again, yet here was Shen Faang before her, even as she realized the severity of her own infection.

She had only heard about the virus from others before, but now she understood its potency firsthand. Fearing for her life, Wu Qi broke down in tears, pleading for Shen Faang's assistance.

Shen Faang genuinely wished to help Wu Qi but was at a loss for what to do. He knew that any contact with her might lead to his own infection, putting his life at risk.

He turned to Wang Mengyan, who was about to lend a hand to Wu Qi, and cautioned her, "Pull back your hand. If you touch Wu Qi now, you might contract the insect eggs just like she did, and then we'll all be doomed."

Wang Mengyan heeded his warning and refrained from touching Wu Qi, understanding that Shen Faang's words were no jest. Yet, witnessing Wu Qi's tears, they all felt a profound sense of sorrow.

Shen Faang sighed, recognizing their powerlessness to aid Wu Qi in this ordeal.

"Don't touch her, or you'll deeply regret it later," Shen Faang advised Wang Mengyan, who, taking the warning seriously, began to retreat.

Contrary to what they all expected, Shen Faang did not assist Wu Qi in her fight against the disease. Instead, after a heavy sigh, he struck her neck with force, rendering her unconscious. He then took hold of Wang Mengyan and together they headed off.

Wang Mengyan was unaware of Shen Faang's intentions, so she followed him, questioning, "Shen Faang, what are you doing? He's been like a brother to us, facing life and death together. How can you just abandon him on the other side? And then what, we just go off in search of hope for ourselves?"

At this juncture, Shen Faang found himself unable to offer any explanation to Mengyan. He was well aware that attempting to rescue Wu Qi now would be futile, as anyone infected with the insect eggs was beyond saving.

Without further ado, he simply took Mengyan by the hand and headed for the narrow bridge. Despite her reluctance, they were out of options. It was out of the question to remain there and endure a lifetime of hardship alongside Wu Qi.

Once they had crossed the bridge, Shen Faang hastily withdrew the plank. He feared the zombies might follow them, and by removing the bridge, they would secure a safer environment for themselves.

As the zombies approached, clearly at a loss for how to pursue them, Shen Faang didn't hesitate to pull away the wooden plank.

It was then that Mengyan truly grasped the reality of the situation: Shen Faang had no intention of saving Wu Qi. With the plank gone, their path back was severed, leaving Wu Qi stranded, possibly forever out of their reach.

Having reached safety, Mengyan was overwhelmed with a mix of relief and sorrow. She was grateful to be alive, recognizing the sheer difficulty of surviving in such dire circumstances.

Overcome by the fear of recent events and the ache of missing Wu Qi, Mengyan collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face. This distressed Shen Faang immensely.

He had always dreaded confronting someone's tears, as comforting others was not his forte. Nonetheless, he crouched beside Mengyan, offering words of encouragement, "I know you're terrified. Neither of us knows if we'll make it out alive. But you must stay strong. If we've managed to endure so much and you're still here, then surely we can face whatever comes our way."

"As long as we can make it out of here, we'll have a great chance of survival. So please, don't lose heart. Trust me, I'll definitely lead you out of here."

Wang Mengyan was terrified, uncertain of her future and whether she would live to see another sunrise. Her pessimism grew, and she feared ending up like Wu Qi, alone and abandoned.

If she were to be infected with the virus, Shen Faang would have no choice but to leave her behind to die in agony.

She cried incessantly, hoping to dull her current pain, but Shen Faang was always there, offering words of comfort, encouraging Mengyan to find her strength.

Only by doing so could they hope to keep moving forward, and only then might they reach the hopeful shore.

Despite her tears, Mengyan was acutely aware that Shen Faang would never abandon her. With his relentless reassurance, she managed to stop crying, realizing that their most pressing task was to head towards safety.

If she gave in to despair, they would both be vulnerable when the zombies came. So, she said no more, regaining her composure, and hoped that soon, she and Shen Faang would be able to move forward together.

Mengyan looked up at Shen Faang and said, "Shen Faang, I believe that you will protect me. I also believe that we can quickly escape from this place, so I won't entertain any more wild thoughts.

"I'm confident that together, we can outsmart those zombies."

Seeing Mengyan's earnest pledge, Shen Faang remained silent, aware that their journey ahead would be even tougher. But for now, their shared confidence was all they had to hold onto.