“Mm…”
Lian Qiguang let out a low groan.
One hand rested over his eyes, blocking the golden light shining in through the window.
“Sir! Sir?”
Rhythmic knocking echoed through the small room.
Dust fell from the walls, floating in the sunlight.
Lian Qiguang’s brows slightly furrowed.
Slowly, he opened his tired eyes.
The dazzling golden light entered his dark eyes, reflecting faint swirling patterns.
“Where is this…”
Lian Qiguang supported himself against the cold, hard headboard with both hands.
Looking at the simple decorations in the small room, his originally hazy eyes gradually became calm and composed.
A standard single bedroom.
Empty white walls.
A bed.
A table.
And a wardrobe.
“Sir! Sir!!”
Perhaps because there was no response from inside the room, the impact against the door became heavier.
The voice outside became more anxious.
Lian Qiguang lowered his head.
Expressionlessly, he looked at the loose camouflage uniform on his body.
For a moment, his mind went completely blank.
Lian Qiguang stepped onto the floor barefoot.
He walked toward the window.
The white curtains were decorated with plain orchid patterns.
Wind entered through the shattered glass, lifting the curtains and bringing in a golden stream of sunlight.
Lian Qiguang’s heart sank.
After remaining silent for a long time, his pale hand, covered with thin calluses, slowly grasped the curtain.
“Bang!”
A loud crash sounded.
The door was smashed open from outside.
At the same moment, a sharp glint flashed through Lian Qiguang’s eyes.
He quickly pulled open the curtains.
The sunlight poured in.
The brightness stabbed his eyes painfully.
But the pain in his eyes was nothing compared to the shock in his heart.
A bleak little town.
Broken and messy streets.
Old advertisement signs swaying in the wind, making creaking sounds.
The empty and desolate atmosphere was despairing.
Occasionally, several “people” with torn clothes, bluish skin, missing limbs, or broken arms walked past.
Their mouths let out strange, “Kekeke” sounds.
Suddenly, a gunshot came from somewhere.
One “person’s” head exploded.
Blue-gray blood and black brain matter scattered across the ground.
This was…
Lian Qiguang’s eyes gradually darkened.
His hands slowly tightened.
The apocalypse.
“Sir? Did something happen?”
The person who rushed in saw that Lian Qiguang was safe.
The heart that had been hanging in his chest slowly relaxed.
However, Lian Qiguang’s silence and strange behavior caused the newcomer to hold his breath again.
Lian Qiguang slowly turned around.
He expressionlessly looked at the nervous man behind him.
The man wore combat camouflage.
On his shoulder was a shining insignia of one bar and three stars.
“Sir?”
Perhaps being stared at by Lian Qiguang made him uncomfortable.
The man shrank slightly and cautiously asked.
Lian Qiguang lowered his eyelids.
He silently pressed his lips together.
It was him.
Captain Su Lang.
The soldier he had personally trained.
Later, Su Lang followed him through countless battles across the north and south.
When he died, Su Lang seemed to have already become a major general.
“Sir? Are you… alright?”
Su Lang looked at Lian Qiguang cautiously.
His eyes carried undisguised concern.
“What is it?”
Lian Qiguang turned around.
Expressionlessly, he looked out the window and spoke faintly.
“It’s time to leave. Otherwise, we won’t make it back to the base before dark.”
The base?
Wolong Base?
Lian Qiguang’s eyes darkened.
“Sir?”
“Pack up. We leave immediately.”
“Yes!”
Su Lang saluted.
Then he turned and left the room.
Before leaving, he looked back at Lian Qiguang worriedly.
He did not know if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Lian Qiguang was somewhat different.
Yet he could not say exactly what was wrong.
After the door closed, Lian Qiguang silently looked at the staggering zombies outside the window.
He remained silent for a long time.
He did not know how much time passed.
Suddenly—
Lian Qiguang turned around.
His fist slammed heavily into the wall.
“Bang!”
The wall instantly collapsed halfway.
Dust scattered everywhere.
His black hair covered his eyes, hiding the ruthlessness and panic within them.
The nightmare…
had finally awakened.
He had returned again.
Returned to this hell.
The place where the group rested was a small residential courtyard.
When Lian Qiguang walked out of the room, the first thing he saw was a perfectly organized formation of soldiers standing in the courtyard.
They were all wearing camouflage uniforms.
“Sir!”
Nearly a hundred soldiers saluted at the same time.
Lian Qiguang lowered his eyes slightly, hiding the desolation within them.
Expressionlessly, he walked to a military armored vehicle nearby.
With a leap, he climbed inside.
“Move out!”
Su Lang gave the order.
The hundred soldiers quickly moved.
Their movements were orderly, clean, and efficient.
The vehicle traveled through the small town.
The zombies had already been almost completely cleared.
Occasionally, one or two zombies were attracted by the sound of the vehicles.
They rushed forward ferociously.
But they were instantly crushed beneath the wheels.
Lian Qiguang sat inside the vehicle.
Expressionlessly, he watched the bleak scenery outside the window.
He vaguely remembered that this time, he had come to clear out the town and search for supplies.
It was a very simple mission.
There was no difficulty at all.
His gaze fell onto his empty wrist.
There was no existence of a light brain.
Blue Star.
Qingdi Military Academy.
Class One.
Lian Yucheng.
Lian Xiaozhu.
And…
Shao Xuan.
Lian Qiguang closed his eyes.
One hand gently pressed against his chest.
Unseen, it seemed as if a hand was tightly twisting his heart.
The pain was suffocating.
That person…
To him, was only a dream.
Or…
Was the current him the one trapped inside a dream?
Su Lang, who was driving in front, looked at Lian Qiguang through the rearview mirror.
He understood that Lian Qiguang was in a bad mood at this moment, but he had no idea why.
Clearly, just the night before, Lian Qiguang had been in a good mood and even drank with them.
How did he become like this after sleeping for one night?
However, Su Lang also understood that what Lian Qiguang needed now was silence.
No matter how many questions filled his heart, he did not dare disturb him at this moment.
Su Lang reached out and closed the rearview mirror.
Without making it obvious, he slowed down the vehicle, trying his best to reduce the bumps.
Lian Qiguang kept his eyes closed.
The hand pressing against his chest slowly tightened.
The increasingly heavy twisting pain in his chest caused his body to gradually grow cold.
The feeling of suffocation made his breathing become heavier.
Why?
Why was it like this?
Was he sick?
A nightmare would always end.
He had always known that.
Everything on Blue Star…
Everything he had gained.
Those concerns.
Those warmth.
Originally, none of it belonged to him.
Things that did not belong to him…
Would disappear one day.
“Wife, I’ll treat you well for the rest of my life!”
“Wife, say that you love me.”
“Wife, I was wrong…”
“Wife! I was so worried about you!”
“Wife…”
“Wife…”
Scene after scene flashed through his mind.
Faster and faster.
More and more.
The tearing pain almost made his head feel like it was about to split apart.
“…”
Lian Qiguang curled his body into a ball.
His face was frighteningly pale.
A suppressed growl escaped from his throat.
“Zzz—!”
Noticing something wrong with Lian Qiguang, Su Lang turned around.
At a glance, he saw Lian Qiguang curled up tightly and his pale face.
Without having time to think, Su Lang immediately stepped on the brakes.
A sharp and piercing screech of tires rang out.
The vehicle was forced to stop.
The vehicles following behind almost crashed into them.
At this moment, Su Lang had no time to care about them.
Without even opening the door, he jumped from the driver’s seat into the back.
He grabbed Lian Qiguang with both hands, his face full of anxiety.
“Sir! What happened to you?!”
“…”
“Xiao Liu! You bastard, get over here!!”
Su Lang roared.
He kicked open the vehicle door.
In less than ten seconds, a thin and small boy came running over, stumbling and rolling his way.
“Captain Su, what happened?”
“Quickly check him! What happened to Sir?!”
Su Lang moved aside and grabbed the boy, pulling him into the vehicle.
“Sir? Sir…”
The boy looked confused.
But when he saw Lian Qiguang’s condition, he was also frightened.
“What are you standing there for?! Check him now!!”
“Ah? Oh, oh! Okay!”
The boy hurriedly nodded.
Immediately, a green glow representing wood-type ability gathered in his hand.
However, before he could inject the green energy into Lian Qiguang’s body—
Lian Qiguang suddenly raised his head.
A terrifying pressure rushed toward them.
The force sent the boy flying backward.
“Ah!!”
“Xiao Liu!!”
Su Lang’s heart tightened.
He turned back toward Lian Qiguang.
But before he could finish speaking, his words stopped abruptly.
He stared at Lian Qiguang in shock.
As if he had seen something impossible.
Sir…
That Sir who had always been all-powerful.
That Sir who seemed indestructible.
The Lord of Withered Wood…
Was crying?
Lian Qiguang expressionlessly looked ahead.
His dark eyes were now completely empty and lost.
Crystal-clear liquid slowly slid down from the corners of his eyes.
Lian Qiguang knew that something was flowing from his eyes.
He did not know why.
There seemed to be no reason.
It was completely beyond his control.
But he also knew—
The feeling he was experiencing now…
Was called heartbreak.
“Sir…”
Su Lang stared blankly at Lian Qiguang.
He murmured softly.