Chapter 39: The Mad Villagers (2)

“Fatty, we’re trapped. This door won’t hold much longer.” Du Bin saw the situation was getting dire—any moment, the villagers might break through.

“If the door won’t hold, we leave! Don’t be so stubborn. Go up to the roof and see if there’s any way out, you idiot!”

“Who are you calling an idiot, you damn fatty?”

“Whoever answers is the idiot, obviously.” Hu Guozheng grinned mischievously.

“Damn you, is there really a way up there? Don’t lead us the wrong way.”

Hu Guozheng helped Zheng Shasha up and rushed toward the rooftop, saying, “Then don’t follow us upstairs. Stay here and wait for your guy to save you.”

“What do you mean, ‘my guy’? You’re impossible!”

“With the way you two act around each other, who else could it be?”

“There’s nothing going on! Where do you get that idea?”

“I saw you carrying her down the mountain with my own eyes. If that’s not intimate, what is?”

“You’re really something, making this up! I can’t even with you.” Du Bin was speechless at this fool.

“Not at all, not at all.” Once the three of them made it onto the rooftop, they locked the door behind them and shined their flashlights around, searching for any escape route. Suddenly, there was a thunderous crash as the villagers, taking turns battering the iron door, finally broke through. A flood of villagers surged inside. Du Bin could hear them rushing upstairs.

“This is bad—they’ll be up here soon.” Du Bin looked around anxiously, heart racing.

“Come up with something! They’re almost here.”

Zheng Shasha, despite knowing how dangerous things were, kept urging Hu Guozheng. Though he was glad she trusted him, the danger unsettled him. “Shasha, I’ve racked my brains, but I can’t think of anything!”

He’d assumed this village was like any other, houses built side by side, but here the buildings were scattered at random, with ten meters between rooftops—no way to just jump across. That was their problem.

By chance, Du Bin caught sight of a gleaming object in the dim light—a climbing spike. Next to it was a coil of rope. In a flash, he thought of climbing to escape. With the villagers blocking the ground, the only option was to escape to the neighboring building. He saw that the building behind them had fences, a front and back door—a possible escape route.

“Fatty, tie that thing to the rope and throw it across so we can climb over. You’re strong—just do it! There’s no time!”

As Du Bin shouted, the villagers were already on the upper floor, slamming themselves into the door.

“These maniacs!”

Du Bin braced his body against the door as it shuddered under impact, buying time while Hu Guozheng quickly tied the spike to the rope.

“Heave!” Hu Guozheng hurled it, but obviously misjudged the force—the first throw failed and the spike fell to the ground. He reeled it back in and tried again, missing several times in the dim light.

Zheng Shasha shot him a look of contempt. Ignoring her, Hu Guozheng used all his strength for the next throw—this time, it crashed through a window. He pulled the rope taut, lodging the spike firmly as an anchor.

Now triumphant, Hu Guozheng burst out laughing. “Just warming up before, but now it’s done!”

“Yeah, if we waited for you to perform earlier, we’d be dead by now. Go, quick!”

Hu Guozheng pushed Zheng Shasha toward the rope, then found a secure spot to tie it off. She was too afraid to go first, so Hu Guozheng had to demonstrate, gripping the rope and inching his way across midair.

He crossed easily, dropped onto the first floor safely, and signaled with his flashlight that all was clear.

But Zheng Shasha, having never experienced such danger, was paralyzed with fear, her knees wobbling. “Miss Shasha, are you ready or not? I can’t hold them off much longer.”

“I’m scared!” Zheng Shasha squeezed her eyes shut, afraid to even move.

“Grab the rope—there’s no time to hesitate!”

From across the way, Hu Guozheng urged, “Come on, Shasha! You’ve been hesitating for half an hour now—are you ready or not?”

Finally, Zheng Shasha latched onto the rope and started across, her delicate hands aching as she went, pausing repeatedly for breath.

“Fatty, hold the rope tight.” With villagers swarming out, Du Bin quickly followed, crawling along the rope. With Hu Guozheng pulling from the front and the rope anchored firmly behind, it seemed secure.

But as Du Bin was halfway across, a villager swung a blade and severed the rope. With the anchor lost, both he and Zheng Shasha swung downward in a wide arc. Du Bin braced himself against the opposite wall, steadied his body, and dropped safely to the grass below.

Zheng Shasha, however, was stranded between the third and second floors, unable to steady herself. She lost her grip and fell, but Du Bin managed to catch her in time.

She was clearly terrified, her face pale as death, heart pounding. Worried they’d soon be surrounded again, Du Bin set her down and shouted up to Hu Guozheng, “Come on! We won’t make it if you don’t hurry!”

“Alright!”

Hu Guozheng, burdened with the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, quickly dropped to the first floor and joined them. Together, the three escaped through the back door, fleeing into the forest. They ran for a long time through the wilderness, knowing the villagers wouldn’t catch up right away. At last, they found a natural cave in the wild hills to hide in, lighting a fire from branches to save their flashlight batteries.

Hu Guozheng sat by the fire, smoking and feeding the flames. Du Bin, cigarette in mouth, kept watch at the cave entrance. Zheng Shasha nibbled on biscuits from Hu Guozheng’s small backpack.

Hu Guozheng flicked ash from his cigarette. “These villagers attack on sight, like they’ve lost their minds. It’s as if they’re being controlled.”

“Could it all be the work of that vampire?” Du Bin said, glancing at Zheng Shasha as if to say she was lucky to have survived. He continued, “No matter what, tomorrow morning we’re leaving and meeting up with Miss Ye. None of us can handle this on our own.”

“I agree,” Hu Guozheng nodded.

“I’m not leaving. I still have personal business to take care of. If you want to go, go ahead. I’ve already decided—I’m going to a research institute nearby tomorrow morning.”

The two men were plainly shocked by Zheng Shasha’s declaration. Dangerous as things were, she still insisted on going.

“Research institute? You mean the one near the village?” Du Bin recalled passing a research facility when they’d arrived at noon and asked. She nodded.

“Don’t go! It’s too dangerous, especially with all those crazed villagers. You’re a woman—it’s too risky.”

“Don’t try to talk me out of it. I’m going, no matter what you say.”

Hu Guozheng saw she couldn’t be persuaded and, worried for her safety, volunteered, “If you won’t change your mind, and you’re that determined, I’ll go with you to the institute.”

“Fatty, are you serious?” Du Bin was stunned. Is this fool really risking his life just to impress her?

“A real man keeps his word. Besides, as men, it’s our duty to protect women. Did you think you were the only one with that honor?”

“Uh…” Du Bin was speechless. Seeing how serious he was, he could only nod in agreement.

“You’ll really go with me?” Zheng Shasha looked at him, moved. He patted his chest, making up an excuse, “Of course. Solving the problem here is our mission, after all.”