Chapter 431 - 380: Parasite
"It’s me!"
Faced with Zhang Su’s reprimand, before Yang Liehuo and Pan Guoliang could speak, a voice sounded from behind Zhang Su.
Dressed in torn clothes from zombie attacks, Xu Yingfen stepped forward, looking utterly remorseful, and said, "Report to Brother Zhang, it was my negligence that caused this disaster. I accept any punishment!"
She merely lowered her head to grab some food and closed her eyes to savor it for two seconds, and the zombie horde appeared right before her. She wished she could slap herself a hundred times!
"You have responsibility, but I want to know, Old Huo, why hasn’t Village No.2 synchronized their progress with us and moved the southern outpost further out? Huh? Is Village No.2 busier, or are the people from Village No.1 and Celestial Horse Island just idle?"
Zhang Su interrupted Xu Yingfen’s speech, glaring at Yang Liehuo, who was the main person in charge of this matter.
In the crowd, Ju Mumio whispered oddly, "Such a roaring anger..."
Zheng Xinyu looked at Ju Mumio beside her with a peculiar expression, thinking to herself, what a juvenile line...
"We..."
Yang Liehuo’s lips were dry, his mouth bitter, and he sighed, "We couldn’t find a suitable place. We were going to wait, wait a bit, find a suitable place... and then discuss."
"Haha!" Zhang Su laughed angrily, pointing to the distant darkness, "You tell me again there’s no suitable place? Who, who did you entrust with this task, tell me, who is handling it?"
He had earlier heard Yang Liehuo discussing the outpost issue with a man, but in one or two days, they might not find a suitable place, and yet half a month had passed without results - pure nonsense!
As soon as Zhang Su’s words were out, the atmosphere on-site became tense...
Among those standing at the village entrance, there wasn’t a single fool. Even Lu Yubo, who was naturally slow, had already learned part of the inside story from Zhang Su. With a colorful expression, he looked at the people from Village No.2, seemingly saying, you’re done for.
Many from Village No.2 were confused, looking at each other, and although they mostly knew about the outpost re-establishment, they didn’t know to whom Yang Liehuo had entrusted this task.
Pan Guoliang, looking deflated, said, "Brother Su, I, this... this matter I..."
"Stay where you are, I’m only asking Old Huo about this. You’ve already completed the task with Village No.1!"
Zhang Su waved his hand; it was unnecessary to drag unrelated people in at this point.
Yang Liehuo pulled off his cotton hat, and with steam rising from his sweat-drenched hair, he dropped his head, sighed heavily, and said, "Brother Zhang, I didn’t entrust anyone, it’s just my ineffectiveness, busy with village affairs, and neglected the outpost planning. If you want to punish, punish me. I’m willing to take any punishment!"
"At this point, you’re still going to protect that person, huh?"
Zhang Su’s expression grew increasingly grim.
"No... I’m not shielding anyone, Brother Zhang. It’s really my decision-making problem, I’m willing to take the punishment!" Yang Liehuo took a deep breath and lifted his head, trying to meet Zhang Su’s gaze steadily.
Anyone could see that Yang Liehuo was covering up, yet he insisted on taking the blame, making things difficult!
"Who is it..."
"Whose shameless guy is it?"
"Old Yang is definitely protecting someone from Village No.2!"
"You say bullcrap..."
Members of the Celestial Horse Island’s Elite Corps mumbled quietly, their eyes scanning the faces of Village No.2’s people, trying to find out something.
"The man in the maroon down jacket, wearing a scarf!"
Ju Mumio whispered lightly, audible only to Zheng Xinyu and Zhang Ya beside her.
The two followed the cue and indeed saw a man standing among the Reserve Team, looking seemingly normal but somewhat tired, staring blankly.
But the next moment, Zhang Su confirmed Ju Mumio’s words!
He completely ignored Yang Liehuo, turned suddenly, and like a swift snake, wove through the crowd, grabbing the scarf around the neck of the man in the scarf!
"Ah, Brother Su, I, ah, no, no, ah..."
The man was still in a daze, suddenly confronted by Zhang Su’s cold face coming close. Then, a strong force lifted him, followed by a feeling of weightlessness as he crashed to the ground. To his left were shocked Reserve Team members, and to his right, the smirking Elite Corps!
"Alas..."
Seeing the man on the ground, Yang Liehuo knew that saying anything now was useless, and sighed deeply.
"Uncle, Uncle Huo, I, damn, say something for me, I have no other intentions. I was just considering everyone!"
The man rolled over and knelt on the ground, pleading for help from Yang Liehuo.
"Do you think there’s anyone who can save you now?"
A cold voice sounded from Zhang Zhikai’s back, startling him.
"Brother Su, Brother Su..." Zhang Zhikai kneeled, turning in circles, looking up at Zhang Su with a sorrowful expression, "It’s too cold, the weather, I felt going to such a far outpost to stand guard was too, too inappropriate, I..."
"You freaking thought it was inappropriate?"
Zhang Su kicked him hard.
Bang... Thud!
"Ah... ah..."
Zhang Zhikai was kicked by Zhang Su into the zombie corpses, and upon looking aside saw a zombie dead with eyes open, scaring him greatly, forgetting the pain in his abdomen, leaving only fear in his heart—not fear of zombies, but of Zhang Su’s chilling expression.
"Uncle Huo... save me."
Zhang Zhikai clutched his stomach, eyes full of pleading.
"Little Kai, now things are as they are, mistake has to be acknowledged, admit your error and seek leniency!"
Yang Liehuo saw the situation clearly; having reached this point, there’s no room for maneuver, as Zhang Su must have insiders in Village No.2, understanding the situation thoroughly. Struggling further would be futile.
"Laziness in training, overindulgence during meals, slacking off in work—Old Huo, why do you turn a blind eye to him?"
Zhang Su ignored the muddled Zhang Zhikai, continuing to question Yang Liehuo.
These were issues relayed by Guo Dachao, needing only a few days to live in the village to see the problems clearly.
"Alas... Brother Zhang, let me be honest, his father, after the disaster broke out, not long after, followed me outside. To save a fellow brother, he was bitten by zombies. I..."
Yang Liehuo, feeling deeply uneasy, pursed his lips, "I just wanted to take care of an old friend’s offspring."
"Oh, you want to take care of an old friend’s offspring, then let me ask you, who will look after their lives?" Zhang Su pointed at the Reserve Team, demanding fiercely, "One person’s negligence and carelessness alone could ruin the lives of everyone in the village, how do you explain that?!"
"What you’re doing is distorted indulgence, not care!" Zhang Su jabbed his finger at Yang Liehuo’s nose in anger, "If you truly want to take good care of him, you should push him to train hard, not indulge his laziness. You’re nurturing a parasite!"