Chapter 766: Should Go Back Once

“One thirtieth, that explosion, directly ignited…”

Shen Linrui repeated the keywords Zhang Su had said, his eyes gradually regaining clarity.

“Old Six, it must be Old Six!”

Suddenly, a companion behind Shen Linrui exclaimed and stomped: “It’s him who likes setting zombies on fire, what a fool, truly an Old Six, damn!”

Setting zombies on fire?

Zhang Su and Zhao Dezhu exchanged glances, realizing there’s no avoiding psychos everywhere.

“Isn’t your camp leader doing anything about it? It’s too insane, isn’t it?”

Zhang Su found it absurd; he’s seen crazies, but never to this extent, reminding him of those Absolute Justice guys.

Shen Linrui weakly waved his hand, indicating he didn’t want to talk…

Another member from Dragon Head Camp in slightly better condition explained, “Here’s how it went, King Yama, Old Six was originally a sentry in our squad. When encountering small zombie groups, say a few or a dozen, he’d use cars and steel cables to tie the zombies together, then set them on fire…”

Captain Shen criticized him several times, but he never improved. Eventually, he was demoted from a regular member to a trainee and was barred from participating in missions, which made him somewhat restrain his actions.”

“Like hell he restrained himself. If he’d truly restrained, things wouldn’t be like this.”

Another person was burning with anger.

“If he really could follow us out and set explosion zombies outside, at most a few would die. Now look what happened! A single person’s mistake caused such a huge disaster, I’m truly impressed!”

“Let’s not dwell on this, how many people are there in your camp?”

Yesterday afternoon, Zhang Su had planned to inquire about the Dragon Head Camp situation. Before he could speak, the explosion happened, and he only had a chance to open his mouth now, making him a bit anxious, hoping he hadn’t triggered some keyword.

“We don’t know the exact number, only that there are slightly over six hundred people…”

Given Shen Linrui and the others’ status, not knowing the exact number was normal. Currently, fewer than four members on Celestial Horse Island knew the precise personnel situation.

Zhang Su and Yuwen Qing knew clearly, Li Zongkai was also aware, while Yang Xinqi, who was busy registering accommodation information, should know as well. As for others, even those helping with records had no idea.

“Six hundred, quite a lot…”

Zhang Su sighed, reflecting on the large number of lives. If they could all be recruited to Celestial Horse Island, the development speed could increase significantly, provided the recruitment was peaceful and sincere.

“Why not… you ask if it’s confirmed, if there are survivors, and whether we need to rescue?” Zhang Su pointed to Shen Linrui’s pocket.

“Yes, yes, rescue! We need to go back and rescue!”

Shen Linrui awoke as if from a dream, spun around twice in place, surrounded by darkness, unable to discern direction.

“Don’t rush off. Ask clearly about the situation first!”

Zhang Su held the flustered Shen Linrui, having seen him as stable and measured before. Unfortunately, faced with a major upheaval, he was panicked, albeit better than most, yet with room for improvement.

“I’ll ask, I’ll ask!”

Shen Linrui gently took Flash from his pocket, urgently saying: “Flash, Flash… wake up, can you confirm whether everyone in the camp perished? Could there be survivors? Did you check the ruins? Is there still… any point in rescue?”

Upon asking, Shen Linrui felt a wave of powerlessness, chills running down his spine, recalling yesterday’s companions who distracted zombies for them, exchanged smiles upon departure, now separated by life and death.

Flash rubbed his sleepy eyelids, his eyes slowly moving and then gestured.

“Gone, the whole camp is gone? At most… only the brothers who went to Huolu City might still be alive.”

“Gone… what does gone mean, nothing left? Or collapsed, sunk, city walls toppled?”

Zhang Su asked Flash directly, already able to understand “Flash language” up to seventy percent through observation.

Flash gestured with his front paws. Zhang Su nodded along, then asked Shen Linrui: “Does it mean the camp vanished, turned into a big pit?”

“Yes…”

Shen Linrui thought of the big pit two kilometers north of Celestial Horse Island seen yesterday afternoon, a chill in his heart.

“Damn. The entire camp vanished! That’s one massive pit… detonated in the city!”

Zhao Dezhu couldn’t help but complain.

Yuwen signaled Zhao Dezhu, implying he should stop talking!

The grape explosion was indeed terrifying, but to obliterate the entire camp, the light sphere must fully encompass it; otherwise, relying on a shock wave couldn’t blast out such a pit!

To encompass the entire camp, even if an entire Venom Zombie exploded, it couldn’t happen from a distance, at least by the city wall, or more dramatically, right in the camp center.

“Since the camp turned into a pit, how did you survive?”

Zhang Su was puzzled, continuing to question Flash.

This question made people around suddenly daze, wondering if Flash didn’t reside in the camp?

The answer soon came, Flash scratched his head humanely, seeming embarrassed and then gestured.

Shen Linrui translated: “It hid lots of food in a cave. When the explosion occurred yesterday, it was transporting supplies there… the cave is four or five miles from the camp, a back road I arranged for Jiajia.”

Zhang Su understood and nodded, imagining, according to Shen Linrui, Jiajia was merely thirteen or fourteen years old. Such a little girl surviving in a camp of hundreds, even with Flash’s help, was incredibly risky; having a backup plan was only logical!

A humorous scene appeared in his mind—a hamster racing along, with a backpack visible but not the hamster, like a haunting…

The other four looked at Shen Linrui, obviously unaware of this.

“Captain Shen, are we… going back?”

“Nonsense, if we don’t return, where do we go? Are you stupid?”

“He has no ties to the camp, so it doesn’t matter to him. I want to return to pay respects to brothers!”

Shen Linrui didn’t express an opinion, but the other four were determined.

“Life is unpredictable, and there’s even more uncertainty in the apocalypse!” Zhang Su looked at the Dragon Head Camp members and said: “Returning won’t be as smooth as coming, but you should go back once!”

The five looked at Zhang Su with mixed expressions, expecting him to persuade them to stay, surprised he advised them to return.

“Don’t stare at me like that. I’m advising your return with my own considerations, not from your standpoint! Firstly, I’m sure the explosive zombie wasn’t from the group coming from Huolu City, because the timing and distance don’t match!

Secondly, according to Captain Shen, Dragon Head Camp still has comrades on missions outside, so you should find them, or at least let them know you’re alive. Lastly, even if Dragon Head Camp is gone, it doesn’t mean human civilization is, so long as you’re sincere, Celestial Horse Island welcomes you!”

Zhang Su opened his arms to them and continued: “No need to give me an answer now. You have a lot on your minds. Prepare first; I’ll send a few comrades to assist, and also check the Mountain and Sea District and the corpse group’s situation; you must work together!”

It wasn’t a suggestion but more of a commanding tone.

Once he finished talking, silence fell on the scene. Shen Linrui and the others felt anxious, conflicted, uneasy, battling between their hearts and minds, overwhelmed with impotence.

Deep down, they were reluctant to face the camp turned into a pit, yet a voice persisted, urging them to return for a final look, to resolve their inner ties…