C17 Things Went out of Control

"Urendir, I think you're overthinking it. Sure, I might be a bit weaker than you, but I've got Jiang Wei and Chen Ming on my side. You're worried about us instead of yourself? Clearly, the three of us together are on firmer ground."

"No way, Jiang Wei is just a kid with no real combat skills, and Chen Ming is about as useful as a rib without meat."

Urendir, preoccupied with Jiang Feng's safety, had spoken without considering her words, crossing Jiang Feng's line and deeply offending both Jiang Wei and Chen Ming.

"What are you talking about? Do you have any idea how hard Jiang Wei has worked to get stronger? If you don't dodge her flames, you'll be the one in trouble. Don't underestimate her. And Chen Ming can now take on several zombies by himself; his improvement has been incredibly rapid. With the three of us teaming up, you've got nothing to worry about," Jiang Feng retorted, visibly upset.

Urendir saw the dissatisfaction in Jiang Feng's eyes and the clearly unhappy faces of Chen Ming and Jiang Wei, realizing she had indeed misspoken.

"I'm sorry, I didn't phrase that right. I didn't mean to offend, but we really shouldn't split up."

Su Kouye, growing impatient with Urendir's persistence, chimed in, "Hero Urendir, can't you drop the solo act? You're strong, sure, but remember, Jiang Feng is our leader. I'm just suggesting we stay together. Shouldn't we all be listening to Jiang Feng's decision?"

"Su Kouye, just be quiet," Urendir snapped.

"Fine, fine, I'll be quiet. If we keep this up, it'll be nightfall before we know it."

"Urendir, I've made my decision. We're splitting into groups."

"Jiang Wei, we shouldn't split up," Urendir implored, turning to Jiang Wei, knowing her influence on Jiang Feng was significant.

Jiang Wei glanced back and forth between Jiang Feng and Urendir, her face a mix of conflict and distress. "Sister, please don't put me in this position. I don't get all of this. I'll follow Dad's lead, whether we split up or not."

"Enough, Urendir. We're dividing into groups. You need to take extra care," Jiang Feng declared with finality.

The phrase "You need to take extra care" held a dual significance. On one level, it showed Jiang Feng's genuine concern for Urendir. On another, it was a reminder for Urendir to self-reflect and not to overestimate her abilities. Even if she were stronger than Jiang Feng alone, she wasn't necessarily stronger than the combined force of Jiang Feng, Jiang Wei, and Chen Ming.

Caught in an awkward tension, compounded by Jiang Feng's disapproving look, Urendir grasped only the unspoken implication.

With an inexplicable sense of loss and injustice weighing on her, Urendir realized it wasn't the time to voice her feelings. She glanced at Jiang Feng and Jiang Wei, murmuring, "Please, be careful."

With those words, Urendir pivoted and dashed toward the stairs, intent on searching the third floor for the mutated dog.

"Stay alert, and if there's trouble, just yell," Su Kouye called out before taking off.

Watching their retreating figures, Jiang Feng exhaled a weary sigh, feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness. These two formidable allies had the potential for greatness, yet their clashing temperaments led to frequent quarrels, nearly coming to blows. He pondered his lack of authority to command their absolute obedience.

Jiang Feng's thoughts were a tangle of conflict, yet he considered that today might bring change, that answers to many questions might emerge. Who truly belonged at his side? Who would share in both triumph and adversity, stand united through life and death? Perhaps today would reveal the truth.

"Dad, what's on your mind?" Little Jiang Wei noticed Jiang Feng's distraction.

"Nothing much. Now, let's get moving. Little Jiang Wei, be ready—your fire is especially effective against furry creatures."

"Furry creatures? Like the mutated dog?"

"It's more than just the mutated dog."

"What do you mean?"

"Just wait." Jiang Feng closed his eyes, tuning into the environment. Once sure Urendir and Su Kouye were gone, he softly instructed Chen Ming and Jiang Wei, "Follow my lead. I'll fill you in as we go."

"Okay, I trust you, Dad."

Meanwhile, Urendir was making swift progress toward the third floor. She checked the collapsed area between the second and third floors but found no sign of the mutated dog. Undeterred, she pressed on, determined to scour the third floor.

Urendir's pace was quick, her actions decisive. She was driven by the hope that finding the mutated dog herself would spare Jiang Feng and the others from the encounter.

The first three levels of Heyday were expansive, and Urendir had spent over twenty minutes combing through each one without a single sign of the mutated dog. A sense of foreboding crept over her, and with a bad feeling gnawing at her, she hurried to the second floor.

After about ten minutes of fruitless searching on the second floor, Urendir found it odd that she hadn't stumbled upon the giant mutated dog or crossed paths with Su Kouye.

"Su Kouye, where are you?" Urendir called out as she continued her search, but her calls were met with silence, and the unease inside her grew.

Then, she noticed something amiss in the room she was in—a trail of blood leading to the window. Approaching cautiously, she opened the window and to her shock, saw the carcass of the giant mutated dog outside, being gnawed on by passing zombies. The state of the remains made it clear that the dog had been nearly devoured.

Confusion set in. "How is this possible? Was it the mutated dog? How could it have been consumed so quickly?" She pondered, looking over the massive bones and skeletal remains. Then it dawned on her, "The mutated dog must have died yesterday."

"Damn it." Urendir bolted down to the first floor, calling out, "Jiang Feng, where are you?"

But again, there was no answer. In a frenzy, Urendir dashed through the first floor until she found Jiang Feng in a secluded spot. He was on his knees, clutching his abdomen, coughing up blood. Nearby lay Chen Ming, blood streaming from his chest, lifeless. And there was Su Kouye, cradling Jiang Wei in his arms, her eyes shut, her fate uncertain.

"Urendir, Urendir..." Jiang Feng's voice was strained as he saw her approach.

Rushing to his side, Urendir demanded, "What happened here?"

Jiang Feng, filled with remorse, managed to say, "Urendir, I'm sorry. I should've heeded your advice."

Urendir, piecing things together, stood and faced Su Kouye, her voice rising with accusation, "Did you do this?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Su Kouye let out a sinister chuckle.

"Is Jiang Wei still alive?" Urendir braced herself for combat.

"Urendir, Jiang Wei is merely unconscious at the moment. However, if you make any rash moves, I can't promise she'll remain unharmed."

"Why are you doing this?"

"I need the complete guide to surviving the apocalypse. You've only given me a fraction of it. Now, I want the rest. I intend to rule as king."

Through gritted teeth and bearing his pain, Jiang Feng conceded, "Su Kouye, you've won. Let's talk this through. Release Jiang Wei, and I'll hand over the apocalypse survival guide."

"Tsk tsk tsk, look at you, riddled with vulnerabilities and concerns. With all your hesitations, you'll never ascend to the throne of humanity."

Hearing this, Jiang Feng let out a cold laugh. "That's irrelevant. My only concern is Jiang Wei. Besides, if I can't become the king of humans, neither will you."

"Nonsense."

"More talk won't change anything. I'll give you the complete guide. I'm quite intrigued to see what you'll make of it."

Urendir, infuriated by Jiang Feng's apparent madness, yelled, "Have you lost your mind? How can you hand over the apocalypse guide to Su Kouye? We can't let someone as vile as him get his hands on it; the consequences would be disastrous."

"Urendir, trust me on this. Give it to him. If he gets the guide, Jiang Wei will be safe."

Unable to stomach Su Kouye's smugness, Urendir ignored Jiang Feng's plea to retrieve the guide and glared at Su Kouye with venom.

"Su Kouye, since you aspire to be king, wouldn't it be a shame to lose your life here?"

With a swift "whoosh," Urendir flung off her coat and squared up, her gaze piercing and her presence daunting.

Su Kouye was visibly shaken by her boldness, but he maintained his composure. "True to form, Urendir. But are you really willing to risk Jiang Wei's life just to take me down?"

"I strongly suggest you opt for a safer route—release Jiang Wei and beat it. If you lay a finger on her, I guarantee you'll pay with your life," Urendir said, her gaze piercing through Su Kouye with an intimidating force.

Jiang Feng felt a surge of panic watching Urendir's confrontational stance.

"What's the meaning of this? Urendir, don't antagonize Su Kouye. We should be prioritizing Jiang Wei's safety," he implored.

Urendir was beyond listening, her fury spiraling out of control, ready to go down fighting with Su Kouye if necessary.

Despite being intimidated, Su Kouye's composure was remarkable. "Urendir, do you truly believe you're still the strongest among us? I wouldn't have waited until now to act if I hadn't prepared. While Jiang Feng was gravely injured, I cleared the first floor alone and took down a super mutated dog. My injuries were severe, but they've made me stronger—strong enough to match you now."

"Is that so? Then why kidnap Jiang Wei? Could it be that you're not as confident as you claim?" Urendir countered sharply.

Her words struck a nerve, and Su Kouye's confidence wavered under Urendir's dominating presence.

Su Kouye knew well that Urendir was a combat prodigy. She hadn't slain many zombies, yet her progress was lightning-fast. No one could gauge Urendir's true strength, and now, with her rage blazing like the midday sun, even Jiang Feng was at a loss for words.

Neither Urendir nor Su Kouye made a move, but the latter couldn't stop the cold sweat from streaming down his face.

Feeling the pressure of the ticking clock, Su Kouye began to soften his stance, seeking a diplomatic solution.

"Urendir, all I want is to take charge. We're friends, and I don't want to burn bridges. I'm tired of being a mere follower; I want to carve out my own path. The future is clear—warlords will carve up the world, with no unified government in sight. I aim to be a ruler in my own right, and you're no pushovers either. When the time comes, we could ally or collaborate. In this world, there are no permanent foes, only permanent interests..."

Su Kouye wouldn't stop talking, mainly to assert his great value and his promise not to harm Jiang Wei...

At that moment, Jiang Feng turned to Urendir and said, "Enough, Urendir. Just give it to him. Otherwise, he's not going to back down."

Su Kouye, on the other side, quickly chimed in, "Jiang Feng, thank you. My intentions are truly straightforward—I merely want to start my own faction. Hand over the strategy, and I'll be out of your hair in no time."

"Urendir, move fast. We'll focus on Jiang Wei's safety first," Jiang Feng urged once more.

With a heavy sigh, Urendir closed her eyes. Then, in a firm voice, she addressed Su Kouye, "I'll grant your request. Stay put and don't engage in any actions that might dig your own grave."