Chapter 373: Returning 3.

"Yes."

That was all they said about it.

Neither wanted to imagine the child sitting awake and wondering why they had not returned.

So Bai Li increased the speed.

The motorcycle flew down the boulevard.

They passed a broken fountain.

Then a row of ruined shops.

Then a traffic light that still changed colors even though nobody was using the road.

At one intersection, they found a group of survivors gathered on the roof of a pharmacy.

One man stepped toward the edge.

"Look!"

The group turned.

The motorcycle raced beneath them.

Someone whistled.

Someone else shouted, "Nice bike!"

Yan Cijin looked up.

The survivors were cheering.

She actually laughed.

Bai Li looked toward her.

"What?"

"They like your motorcycle."

"It is a good motorcycle."

"Of course you would say that."

"I have good taste."

Yan Cijin smiled.

"You do."

For a second, their eyes met in the side mirror.

Then Yan Cijin looked away.

Bai Li did the same.

The road continued.

The feeling between them was still there.

Quiet.

Unspoken.

Comfortable enough that neither wanted to name it.

They moved deeper into the city.

A few weaker zombies appeared here and there.

Most never managed to reach them.

When a small group blocked the road, Bai Li slowed just enough to create a gap and passed through.

When one climbed onto the side of a wrecked truck, Yan Cijin fired a single bolt.

When two stronger infected rushed from an alley, Bai Li braked sharply, turned the motorcycle in a tight circle, and drove back toward them.

Yan Cijin stared.

"Why are we going back?"

"That alley is the shorter route."

"Bai Li."

"Trust me."

The motorcycle shot forward.

At the last moment Bai Li swerved.

One zombie missed.

Whisperfang flashed from Bai Li’s hand.

The second zombie fell.

They continued without stopping.

Yan Cijin looked over her shoulder.

The road behind them was empty again.

"I hate that you make things look easy."

Bai Li smiled.

"That’s because I practice."

"That isn’t reassuring."

"It should be."

They rode through another district.

The buildings here were lower.

There were old warehouses on both sides and several narrow side streets.

The smell of smoke was stronger.

Bai Li slowed.

"This area is strange."

Yan Cijin looked around.

"Why?"

"Too quiet."

They passed one warehouse.

Then another.

Nothing moved.

No zombies.

No survivors.

No animals.

Only the engine.

Bai Li continued slowly.

A sign hung above a wide gate ahead.

Most of the letters had fallen away.

Only two words remained.

LANTERN STREET.

Yan Cijin read them.

"Lantern Street?"

Bai Li nodded.

"What was this place?"

"Probably some commercial district."

"There’s something inside."

Bai Li stopped the motorcycle.

Yan Cijin looked ahead.

She heard it too.

A sound.

Very faint.

Not a growl.

Not a human voice.

A slow metallic creaking.

Then a bell rang.

Once.

Both women looked toward the old warehouse beyond the gate.

Another bell rang.

Twice.

Yan Cijin frowned.

"That is not normal."

Bai Li smiled slightly.

"You said that about the tree."

"This time I really mean it."

A third bell rang.

Then something enormous moved behind the warehouse doors.

The metal shutters trembled.

Bai Li rested one hand on the handlebar.

"Well."

Yan Cijin raised her crossbow.

"What?"

Bai Li looked at the dark building.

"We were on our way home."

"Yes."

"And now?"

A deep mechanical groan rolled through the street.

Yan Cijin sighed.

"Now we’re probably doing something stupid again."

Bai Li smiled.

"Probably."

Bai Li turned off the motorcycle.

The engine went quiet.

The sudden silence made the metallic creaking sound much louder.

Yan Cijin stepped down from the pillion seat.

They looked at the warehouse.

The main gate stood half open.

Inside was darkness.

A row of old painted symbols remained above the entrance. Most had faded, but Bai Li could make out pictures of lanterns, dragons, flowers, and smiling animals.

Yan Cijin pointed.

"This wasn’t a normal warehouse."

"No."

"What was it?"

Bai Li looked at the giant doors.

"A festival storage hall, maybe."

Another bell rang.

This time there was a long metallic scrape after it.

Something was moving.

Yan Cijin raised the crossbow.

"Do you hear that?"

"Yes."

"It sounds like chains."

Bai Li nodded.

They left the motorcycle near the gate and entered on foot.

The inside was much larger than expected.

The ceiling rose several floors above them.

Huge wooden beams crossed overhead.

Old parade floats were lined along both walls.

Some were covered with faded cloth.

Others were fully exposed.

A giant painted tiger stood on wheels.

Beside it was a smiling moon nearly three meters tall.

Farther inside, Bai Li saw the body of a huge red dragon.

Not a real dragon.

A parade puppet.

Its long body was made of painted wood and cloth, with thick metal joints connecting each section.

Its head rested near the center of the warehouse.

Its mouth was open.

Its eyes were painted gold.

A long metal rail ran beneath its body.

Yan Cijin stared.

"You were right."

"About what?"

"This is not normal."

Bai Li walked toward the dragon.

The metallic sound came again.

The dragon’s body moved.

Not much.

Just one section.

The joint bent.

Then another section shifted.

A chain pulled through a gear.

The dragon’s head moved a few centimeters.

Yan Cijin stepped backward.

"It moves."

"It’s a machine."

"That’s still moving."

Bai Li walked closer.

She examined the rail.

"Old mechanism."

"Can you tell what powers it?"

"Not yet."

A voice came from above.

"Don’t touch the blue lever!"

Both women looked up.

A man stood behind a railing on a maintenance platform.

He was thin, dirty, and holding a long metal rod.

He looked exhausted.

But very relieved.

"You’re alive," he called.

Yan Cijin raised her weapon.

"So are you."

The man laughed.

"That’s fair."

Bai Li looked at him.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Luo Ren."

"Do you work here?"

"I used to."

He pointed toward the dragon.

.

.

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TO BE CONTINUED,