212: I have no way to make you happy.

"We're going to Yingjin Safety Tower! The underground lab there might have a specific medicine for the zombie virus!" Gong Qiuqiu said.

Ai Yue didn't hesitate and said directly, "Then let's go!"

With that, the group fought their way toward the base entrance.

Ai Guosheng cleared the path ahead, Ai Yue assisted from time to time, and Ye Rui and Gong Qiumu brought up the rear, slaughtering wave after wave of zombies.

None of them were in the mood to dig for crystal cores; they only wanted to leave the zombie horde as quickly as possible and reach the base entrance.

By then, the sky was gradually beginning to brighten.

In just twenty minutes, the group had fought their way through the zombie horde and reached the base entrance.

"Open the gate! Mo Li is injured! Let us in!" Gong Qiuqiu shouted.

The gatekeeper, seeing it was Gong Qiuqiu, didn't dare ignore them and quickly notified Gu Xiheng.

At that moment, Gu Xiheng had just woken up and was preparing to lead his people out to continue killing zombies.

Hearing that Mo Li was injured, he immediately rushed to the gate and let Ai Yue and the others in.

When he saw Mo Li's face turning faintly black, his heart skipped a beat. He was all too familiar with these symptoms; it was clearly the onset of transformation after being bitten by a zombie.

"What happened to him?" Gu Xiheng asked with a grim expression.

"Waaah, he... he was bitten to save me, waaah..." Ye Rui had been crying the whole way, her eyes swollen like peaches.

Gu Xiheng said with a dark look, "Did you go out in the middle of the night and provoke the zombies, causing him to get bitten?"

"Waaah..."

"Going out to kill zombies was my idea; it has nothing to do with Rui Rui. Besides, Mo Li is an adult; whatever choice he made was his own business."

Ai Yue frowned; she hadn't expected Gu Xiheng to immediately start pointing fingers.

"We have no way to remove the zombie virus in his body. Don't you have a lab? Is there any way?" Ai Yue continued.

Gu Xiheng's expression grew even worse, and his mouth felt bitter.

As far as he knew, the base hadn't developed any specific medicine for the zombie virus at all.

But he still supported Mo Li and hurried toward the underground lab. He wasn't ready to give up; no matter what, he had to try one more time.

Seeing Gu Xiheng walk away without a word, Ai Yue and the others quickly followed.

Unexpectedly, Gu Xiheng stopped and turned around, saying, "The underground lab is a secret base facility. Outsiders are forbidden from entering, so please wait here."

Having said that, he helped Mo Li away.

Hearing this, Ai Yue and the others had no choice but to stop and stay where they were.

"Sister, Brother Mo Li will be fine, won't he?" Ye Rui stared blankly at the receding Mo Li, asking in a faint voice.

Ai Yue took Ye Rui's hand with a pained expression, "Rui Rui..."

She knew that anything she said now would be hollow unless Mo Li miraculously recovered from the poison.

But... her Healing couldn't even handle the zombie virus; other methods would likely be just as difficult!

Sigh... such was fate!

An unknown amount of time passed. Ai Yue and the others just stood there; no one chased them away, but no one paid them any attention either.

The sky gradually darkened. A day had passed... and there was still no news.

By now, Ye Rui's small face was deathly pale. She was in a daze, as if she had lost her soul.

No matter who spoke to her, she just stared at them blankly.

Gong Qiumu spoke to her from time to time, but Ye Rui didn't react, keeping her eyes fixed on the direction where Gu Xiheng and Mo Li had left.

Gong Qiumu quietly leaned toward Ai Yue and whispered, "Sister Ai Yue, Ye Rui hasn't eaten or drunk anything all day. Look how pale her face is; can she hold up?"

Ai Yue shook her head with a bitter smile. Without news that Mo Li was out of danger, she had no appetite to eat either.

Just then, Yan Li came running over in a hurry.

He said, "Miss Ye Rui, Mo Li wants to see you one last time. Please follow me."

Hearing Mo Li's name, Ye Rui's vacant expression finally regained some life.

In a hoarse voice, she asked, "How is Big Brother Mo Li?"

Yan Li's expression was heavy. He let out a deep sigh and didn't speak.

Ye Rui gave a miserable smile and moved her feet to follow behind Yan Li.

Ai Yue and the others followed as well.

After walking for a long time, they arrived at a heavily guarded room.

Inside the room were Gu Yan, Madam Gu, the Gu siblings, and Cheng Siyu.

Madam Gu leaned on Gu Yan's shoulder, weeping continuously, while Gu Yan comforted her in a low voice.

Everyone had a look of grief on their face. Looking at Mo Li, who lay immobile on the bed, they felt a pang in their hearts.

Ai Yue and the others pushed the door open and entered, seeing Mo Li tied firmly to the bed with thick ropes.

Half of Mo Li's face was already covered in bulging black veins. Although it looked terrifying, he was very calm.

When he saw his beloved Ye Rui arrive, a bit of light finally returned to his eyes, and he called out happily, "Ye Rui!"

Seeing Mo Li in this state, Ye Rui's tears flowed instantly. With a face full of sorrow, she cried, "Brother Mo Li, waaah..."

Ye Rui rushed to the bedside as soon as she entered and grabbed his hand, holding it tightly.

Tears fell one by one onto the back of Mo Li's hand.

He wanted to wipe her tears, but his hands and feet were tied down.

He helplessly relaxed the strength in his hand and said, "Rui Rui, don't cry anymore. Your crying makes my heart ache. Don't be sad; you don't know how happy I am to see that you're okay."

Hearing these words, Ye Rui felt even more miserable and cried even harder.

"There, there, my little ancestor, let's stop crying. Don't ruin your eyes."

Ye Rui couldn't speak; she just gripped his hand tightly and kept shaking her head, indicating she couldn't stop.

Mo Li's eyes were full of tenderness. He had thought he could take care of her for a lifetime, but who knew life was so unpredictable? He had finally waited for her to grow up, and before he could even confess his feelings, he... "Rui Rui, I'm afraid I... won't make it. If I don't say some things now, I might never have the chance."

Mo Li said with deep affection, "You are the best, most wonderful girl I've ever met, bar none. I don't know when it started, but my mind is full of you. No matter what I do, your figure always appears in my head. That's when I realized I had fallen for you—to the point where I'm willing to give my life for you." Ye Rui listened to his words.

Her heart was both bitter and sweet. Hearing him sincerely say he liked her, her heart felt very sweet. "Big Brother Mo Li, I like you too."

Hearing her answer, a large smile bloomed on Mo Li's face.

Then he said softly, "I'm not someone just anyone can like, but since it's you, I'll let you like me for one day. Starting tomorrow, you're not allowed to like me anymore... Forget me! I don't want you to be sad! If you get sad in the future, I won't be able to cheer you up anymore."

"Brother Mo Li, don't die, I don't want you to die! Ah... waaah!"

Ye Rui was overcome with grief, feeling such a sharp pain in her heart that she could hardly breathe.