126: Chapter 126 What exactly are you?

Su Jie was pushed back, stumbling and nearly falling.

The scabbed wound on her waist began to throb with pain again.

She steadied herself and looked up, her beautiful peach-blossom eyes filled with shock and confusion.

She didn't understand why her husband, who had always relied on her and craved her embrace, would suddenly act with such resistance.

"Hubby... you..."

Li Taiping didn't look at her; his gaze was fixed intently on the two massive landmark buildings in the distance, his eyes filled with struggle and vigilance.

Everything he saw now felt off to him.

This Su Jie was too good at this.

She always appeared at the perfect moment—just when he needed information most or felt most confused—to offer the gentlest explanations and the most intimate comfort.

Just like now.

Seeing him staring blankly at those two buildings, she immediately began to explain.

"Those two buildings appeared suddenly after the Great Cataclysm."

Su Jie didn't seem angry at all about being pushed away; her tone remained patient, as if she were soothing a throwing-a-tantrum child.

"During every daytime Peaceful Period, no matter how the streets and houses outside change, only these two big guys always stay in their original positions, never changing.

So, we all use them as landmarks to identify directions."

After she finished speaking, she cautiously observed Li Taiping's expression.

"What's wrong? Did seeing them remind you of some bad nightmare? Come, don't be afraid, Big Sister will give you a hug."

As she spoke, she opened her arms once more. The love and heartache showing in her clear eyes were so thick they almost felt tangible.

Seeing that look, Li Taiping's scalp tingled.

This woman... is terrifying!

A gentle land is a hero's tomb.

The ancients truly did not deceive me!

What was even more lethal was that she was wearing Su Mei's face!

Su Mei was his first woman, the one who had left the deepest impression and for whom he had the most complex feelings.

How could he possibly feel nothing toward this face?

Now, this "NPC" with Su Mei's face was acting so gentle, considerate, and understanding—she practically had him wrapped around her finger!

Before he even asked, she had proactively provided the information he wanted to know.

This was too coincidental! It was so coincidental it felt like a pre-written script!

This only made Li Taiping more alert!

This dungeon was definitely generated based on his memories!

And there was definitely something wrong with this woman!

Of the three landmark buildings, he had already seen two, both of which were scenes from his memory!

Illusions!

They are definitely illusions!

Fake! Everything is fake!

Li Taiping frantically warned himself in his mind. The last trace of warmth vanished from his eyes, leaving only a cold, scrutinizing gaze.

He wanted to tear away this woman's disguise and see what kind of thing she really was!

However, Su Jie's next move was completely beyond his expectations.

She didn't try to force a hug again. Instead, she silently lowered her arms, a flash of unavoidable disappointment crossing her eyes.

But that disappointment was quickly masked.

She simply stood quietly beside Li Taiping, looking into the distance with him without saying another word.

Her silence, her patience, and her appearance of choosing to be tolerant despite being wronged were more lethal than any words.

Li Taiping felt like he had punched a bale of cotton—he had power but nowhere to apply it.

He had prepared a bellyful of questions and tests, only to find no outlet for them.

Damn it!

The AI settings for this NPC are way too advanced!

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

He couldn't let her lead him by the nose.

The most important thing now was to explore this dungeon, find clues to clear it, and... restore his power.

"Let's go."

Li Taiping squeezed the words through his teeth and took the lead, stepping out of the building's dilapidated entrance.

He didn't look at Su Jie again, as if she were just an insignificant follower.

Su Jie was stunned for a moment. Looking at Li Taiping's cold back, her eyes reddened slightly.

But in the end, she said nothing. She silently shouldered her hiking pack, gripped the fruit knife in her hand, and quickly followed him.

The two of them, one in front of the other, walked down a street where even the wind didn't linger for a second.

Li Taiping walked in front, his grip on the baseball bat tight. Every step he took was exceptionally careful, his eyes scanning the surroundings like radar.

The street was littered with scrapped cars and scattered trash. The glass windows of many shops were shattered, and the contents inside had been ransacked into a mess.

An indescribable stench of rot hung in the air, making one gag.

Su Jie followed closely behind Li Taiping, not daring to breathe too loudly.

She could feel that today's Li Taiping was very different from before.

In the past, although he was also a man of few words, his eyes always held a sense of reliance and trust toward her.

But today, he radiated a chilling aura that warned others not to approach. His eyes were filled with a level of vigilance and scrutiny she didn't understand.

It was as if... he was treating her like an enemy.

This feeling made Su Jie's heart feel sour and bitter, an intense discomfort.

But she still chose to trust him, following closely in his footsteps.

Because she knew that in this man-eating world, he was her only reliance.

"Roar—"

Suddenly, a roar that didn't sound human came from a dark alley nearby.

Li Taiping's footsteps came to an abrupt halt. He spun around instantly, shielding Su Jie behind him.

His eyes were fixed on the alley entrance, assuming a standard combat stance.

A figure wearing a tattered security uniform staggered out of the alley.

The "person's" skin was a bizarre greenish-gray, its face covered in dried black blood. Its eyes were cloudy and murky, flashing with a bloodthirsty light.

Its movements were stiff, walking with a limp. It emitted unconscious growls, and a thick stench of death could be smelled from far away.

An Infected!

Su Jie's explanation from last night instantly flashed through Li Taiping's mind.

This was a monster Infected by the 004 virus!

"Be careful!" Su Jie grabbed the hem of Li Taiping's clothes nervously, her voice trembling.

The Infected seemed to catch the scent of living people. Its cloudy eyeballs snapped toward them, and with a roar, it began to charge at them with stiff steps.

Its speed wasn't fast; one could even say it was somewhat clumsy.

But to the powerless Li Taiping, this was still a lethal threat.

He didn't retreat.

The moment the Infected drew near, Li Taiping's body reacted with the fastest and most effective response, as if by instinct.

He stepped to the side into a lunge, and the baseball bat in his hand whistled through the air, striking the Infected's knee at an extremely tricky angle.

"Crack!"

A crisp sound of bone snapping rang out.

The Infected's left leg was instantly smashed into a bizarre '>' shape. It lost its balance and fell heavily to the ground.

But it didn't seem to feel pain. After falling, it continued to struggle, reaching out with withered hands in an attempt to grab Li Taiping's ankle.

Li Taiping's eyes were icy; he didn't give it any chance.

He stepped forward, raised the baseball bat high with both hands, and using all his strength, swung it down hard against the Infected's head!

"Bang!"

The dull thud of the impact sounded exceptionally piercing in the silent street.

The Infected's head exploded.

Its struggling body convulsed twice and then went completely still.

The battle was over.

Clean and efficient.

...