C13 The Fate of the Survivors

Over the last ten days, Jiang Feng had rescued a total of 52 survivors. He provided them with daily rations and instructed them to take shelter in their own homes, where they regarded him as their savior.

Before making his way to the second floor, Jiang Feng called a meeting in the living room of one of the houses, gathering all the survivors. He briefed them on the new humans and offered them a choice: risk transformation to join his team or stay behind, which was akin to awaiting death.

After much convincing, only nine survivors chose to attempt the transformation. Jiang Feng prepared several bottles of zombie blood and transfusion kits, leading them to the innermost room.

Soon after, the room echoed with harrowing screams and cries. Minutes later, only one person emerged with Jiang Feng. "The rest have failed and I've disposed of them through the window. The sole successful new human, Chen Ming, will now join our ranks," Jiang Feng announced to the remaining survivors in the living room.

Panic set in among the survivors, who pleaded not to undergo the transformation and to be allowed to follow Jiang Feng's group. Jiang Feng, however, stood his ground and refused. He knew all too well that his path was fraught with peril and that the weak would not only face certain death but also endanger their comrades.

Among the survivors were five strikingly beautiful young women who desperately declared they would do anything to follow Jiang Feng, even offering to serve him unconditionally if he would take them along.

One woman boldly grasped Jiang Feng's arm, begging him to reconsider, yet he remained unmoved.

The women, seeing no sway in Jiang Feng, turned their pleas to Su Kouye and Chen Ming, resorting to flattery and explicit propositions. While touched, they were aware that Jiang Feng was the leader and Urendir the strongest among them, so they dared not overstep.

These women were not at fault; their sole desire was to survive. Yet, they failed to grasp the harsh reality of this new world order: offering themselves up would not grant them protection but rather reduce them to slavery.

Bound by their understanding of the hierarchy and Jiang Feng's indifference, Su Kouye and Chen Ming felt powerless to act, leaving one of the young women in a state of desperation.

In full view of everyone, the young woman boldly stripped off her skirt, leaving herself clad only in a pair of seductive black panties. She then casually dropped her top, partially concealing one voluptuous breast, and pleaded, "I promise to make it worth your while. Please, just keep me safe."

The spectacle made Su Kouye and Chen Ming's eyes gleam with excitement, yet they maintained their composure, standing loyally at Jiang Feng's side without taking any action.

"Hey, stop right there. There are kids around. No more stripping. I'll consider it," Jiang Feng interjected.

Upon hearing Jiang Feng's consideration, the young woman obediently ceased her actions, awaiting his further instructions.

After a few seconds of contemplation with his eyes closed, Jiang Feng decided, "Fine, have it your way. Su Kouye, Chen Ming, and the rest of you, come with me to the back room. Everyone else, stay here in the living room and think things over."

Su Kouye and Chen Ming could barely contain their excitement at the prospect, nearly salivating in anticipation.

As Jiang Feng turned to leave, Urendir suddenly grabbed him and slammed him against the wall, causing several cracks to form.

"What are you doing, Jiang Feng?" Urendir demanded, gripping his collar with a menacing look in her eyes.

The force of Urendir's shove sent a jolt of pain through Jiang Feng's back, and her aggressive grip on his collar, especially in front of an audience, irked him greatly.

Caught off guard and fueled by irritation, Jiang Feng retorted with a harsh tone, "What's the big deal? In this lawless, amoral, unfettered post-apocalyptic world, why not seek pleasure where we can?"

"You dare?" Urendir's gaze turned even more ferocious.

"What's it to you? Planning to kill me?" Jiang Feng stood his ground, unflinching.

Urendir was so livid she was at a loss for words.

As the confrontation escalated, chunks of plaster crumbled from the damaged wall behind Jiang Feng. The onlookers recoiled in fear, anxious that the tension between Jiang Feng and Urendir might erupt into violence that could spill over to them.

With teeth clenched and eyes seething, Urendir's grip on Jiang Feng's collar shook with intensity, signaling she might lash out at any moment.

Then, in a sudden shift of tone, Jiang Feng posed an oddly gentle question to Urendir.

"Urendir, do you care about me at all?"

The question caught Urendir off guard, leaving her momentarily disoriented.

"What are you talking about?"

"Having served in the military and as a SWAT officer, it's no surprise you present a stoic facade. Director-general Lee has always stressed that you're not the easiest person to get along with. Yet, in the past few days, I've glimpsed something in you that others fail to see."

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting?"

"A fleeting tenderness."

Shock was the only thing coursing through Urendir's mind. Her eyes widened as she instinctively stepped back.

"Urendir, I need an answer to my question. Yes or no—it's going to determine a lot moving forward."

Urendir closed her eyes and vigorously shook her head, her thoughts in disarray as she questioned why she had gotten angry earlier.

"Can you give me an answer? Yes or no?" Jiang Feng stepped closer, gazing at her with deep emotion.

"No," Urendir said, cutting to the chase.

Jiang Feng hadn't anticipated such a straightforward denial. But if she didn't care, why the anger?

"Hey, Urendir, will you reconsider?" Jiang Feng persisted.

"I was just confused before. Do what you want; it's up to you."

"Are you certain?"

"Positive!"

"Fine, have it your way. Su Kouye, Chen Ming, let's go," Jiang Feng declared with increased intensity.

He took one of the women by the hand and ushered her into the adjoining room, with Su Kouye, Chen Ming, and the rest following suit.

Then came the definitive sound of a door slamming shut.

Sometimes, subconscious acts defy logical explanation. Urendir had thought it would be simple to let Jiang Feng do as he pleased, but as the door slammed, her heart felt an unexpected pang of collapse.

Why was she so unsettled, having never cared for anyone before? Why this discomfort? Urendir couldn't make sense of her feelings...

She turned away, facing the wall, her gaze downcast, her fists clenched tight.

And then, almost imperceptibly, a single tear glistened as it fell.

No one in the living room dared utter a word.

Jiang Wei, confused by the unfolding drama, felt helpless, standing silently to one side.

Within a minute, the room began to echo with the soft, coy sounds of women, one voice overlapping the next...

It was cruel, unbearably cruel...

The atmosphere hung heavy with oppression.

For the first time, Urendir found herself vulnerable in front of others, a sight she never wanted anyone to witness. She hastened to the window, seeking refuge in the view outside.

Her teeth clenched in a desperate attempt to rein in her emotions, to stem the tide of tears. But her resolve crumbled, and tears spilled forth in erratic streams.

On one side of the wall, moans echoed; on the other, a silence as profound as death.

The sorrow was so intense, it seemed to seep into the very marrow.

No one dared utter a single word.

After a minute or two of moans...

Suddenly...

The door creaked open. Urendir, taken aback, blinked back her tears, hastily dabbing them away with the curtain before turning around. There stood Jiang Feng, fully clothed.

Jiang Feng gently shut the door behind him, the moans still audible within.

"Jiang Feng, you?" Urendir approached him slowly.

Jiang Feng offered Urendir a reassuring smile. "I didn't do anything, really."

"Are you sure?"

"What could possibly happen in just two minutes? Look, my clothes are still in perfect order."

"What happened?"

"I just couldn't go through with it. I was overwhelmed by this inexplicable guilt, I couldn't catch my breath, so I stepped out for some air. I guess Su Kouye and Chen Ming will reap the benefits now."

"Why? How could you resist?" Urendir was genuinely surprised.

"I kept wondering if you were crying. It was an unbearable thought, and I needed to know the truth. But coming out here, I'm disappointed. It seems you haven't shed any tears." Jiang Feng leaned in closer to Urendir, teasing her with a playful tone.

Despite his words, Jiang Feng was secretly amused.

Urendir's face may have shown no signs of her earlier distress, but the moisture in her eyes and the redness betrayed her true feelings.

Why Jiang Feng was able to resist was a complex tale. In those brief minutes inside the room, he had wrestled with a tumult of inner conflict.

On one side, Su Kouye and the women were undressing and kissing, a relentless temptation.

On the flip side, Jiang Feng was wrestling with a gamble. If Urendir harbored no special feelings for him, indulging in a moment of base desire wouldn't matter. But if Urendir cared, even harbored affection for him, how could she forgive such reckless carnal behavior? In that case, Urendir would inevitably drift away from Jiang Feng.

He faced a choice: a fleeting pleasure with voluptuous women or a future with a powerful woman who might one day pledge her loyalty to him. What mattered more?

Jiang Feng reached his decision within two minutes and exited the room.

The outcome of his wager remained unclear; Urendir didn't voice her feelings, yet the red veins in her moist eyes spoke volumes.

What mattered more was that Jiang Feng could now approach Urendir closely, something she wouldn't have allowed before.

Jiang Feng gazed intently at Urendir, his eyes alight with intensity.

Still, unlocking a heart long closed off was no simple task.

Urendir averted her gaze, bowing her head and offering a mere "Thank you."

Confronted with such profound emotion, they were left with silence, unsure of the next step.

But perhaps actions were no longer necessary. At least two truths had emerged: Jiang Feng had developed feelings for Urendir. Despite his insistence that he left the room to preserve a valuable ally, his heart knew it was Urendir's presence that truly drew him. And although Urendir hadn't declared her feelings, her behavior indicated she cared for Jiang Feng.

Mutual affection should have been cause for joy, yet Jiang Feng felt a twinge of concern. His gaze fell upon Jiang Wei, her brow furrowed in distress.

Young and naive, Jiang Wei seemed to grasp the situation, her understanding the source of her discontent.

Jiang Feng was torn, aware that Jiang Wei longed for him to lead her to her mother.