"Oh... I refuse."
Ling Mo decisively shook his head. Saving them was reluctant to begin with, let alone having just gone through some unpleasantness. He now only wanted to hastily leave with Ye Lian before darkness fell and made it truly impossible to leave.
"How can you be like this! I haven't even said anything yet!"
Xia Na gnawed on her lip sullenly, clinging to Ling Mo's sleeve, seemingly with no intention of letting go. Although her expression was stubborn, upon closer observation, Ling Mo noticed that she had a doll-like face which looked much younger than her actual age. He had only noticed her fierceness when killing zombies and had completely missed that she was actually a cute-looking young girl.
Perhaps it was because she bore the weight of so many people's hopes for survival and had experienced too much combat, she gave off an impression of being more mature than her appearance suggested.
"Hey, stop staring at me!" Xia Na suddenly raised her eyebrows when she noticed Ling Mo's gaze fixed on her face, and she shook off his arm, "We're all survivors, and you seem to have some skills, so why won't you help?"
If you're that great, why would you need my help... Listening to Xia Na's tone, it was clear she was reluctant to admit she was inferior to Ling Mo, which made him silently mock her.
"Let's put it this way, I won't help with anything related to those parasites." Ling Mo had no good impressions of those who reaped the rewards without effort, and ever since Xia Na and her companion had returned, those people had not shown concern for their safety but instead selfishly ostracized others for their own interests. Slapping Lu Xin was, to some extent, also a means to indirectly slap those parasites in the face.
However, this was Xia Na and Liu Yuhao's own choice, and Ling Mo had no intention of saying more. But to get himself involved with those people, that was out of the question.
Unexpectedly, after hearing his words, Xia Na revealed a mysteriously profound smile: "So you're saying, if it's unrelated to them, you'd be willing to help? Great, because this matter really has nothing to do with them."
"I didn't say that..."
"I've just heard Liu Yuhao tell you, we are students from City X's No. 3 Middle School, you know of it, don't you?"
"I do... it's a key school... fully boarding..."
In City X, No. 3 Middle School had a significant reputation, but for an average student like Ling Mo, the school was only something he'd heard of, never attended. Ironically, Ye Lian had just graduated from there two years ago and was admitted to City X University. But to think that the annoying Lu Xin was also from No. 3 Middle School...
At this moment, Liu Yuhao interjected at the right time: "That Lu Xin, he got in because of money."
"You're so annoying!" Xia Na glared at him and then continued, "When we escaped, some classmates stayed in the school. We agreed to fetch them once we found a place to settle, but we've tried going back once and couldn't get close at all. You just need to help me get into the school, how about it?"
Honestly, Ling Mo lacked that kind of self-sacrificing spirit, but he wouldn't impose his own standards on others either.
He looked at Xia Na with a meaningful glance and suddenly extended his hand: "What about my compensation?"
"Huh?"
"You don't think I'm free labor, do you?" Ling Mo asked back as if it was a matter of course.
Liu Yuhao's eye twitched, suddenly asking frantically, "Who the hell told me that after the disaster outbreak, everyone would help each other out! Brother Ling, I suddenly feel the world is so dark!"
"That also depends on what kind of disaster we're talking about. Do you think there's still any order or morality to speak of now?" Ling Mo snorted coldly.
Indeed, outside the zombies were everywhere, and the living hid like rats, struggling to survive in the cracks. The entire world's order had completely collapsed. A week ago, they might still have been hoping for rescue, but now they fully understood that in this situation, other than saving themselves, there was no other way out.
When the disaster erupted, anyone could turn into a zombie in an instant, and no one could clearly say how the virus was transmitted. But to cause such a large-scale outbreak and sweep across the globe in just one day, it was probably transmitted through the air...
And these mutated zombies, upon encountering a living person, would immediately tear and devour them, giving no chance for mutation.
Xia Na stared blankly at Ling Mo for a while, then suddenly cracked a smile, "The request is quite reasonable, but haven't you already taken your reward?" Xia Na pointed to the short knife at Ling Mo's waist, "This, was made by my relative."
"You're related to Wang Lin?!"
Ling Mo jumped, the world was too small! However, it explained why she, a young girl, possessed such a sharp long knife. In Heavenly Dynasty, this probably exceeded ordinary controlled knives and could be called a murder weapon!
But when Ling Mo looked at the long knife she carried, he found the engraving on the handle slightly different, it wasn't Wang's...
Xia Na seemed to notice Ling Mo's confusion and touched the handle of the knife protruding from her shoulder, giving a cold snort, "Stop looking, I made this myself. By the way, the one in your hand was made by Wang Lin."
"Wang Lin?" Now Ling Mo really was surprised. He hadn't expected the frail-looking Wang Lin he remembered to have the skill to make handmade blades, and so well at that... But then again, Wang's was a family workshop, it wasn't strange that they passed on their skills to her.
But to be so young and so skilled, and yet to die an untimely death, without even leaving a body behind... Ling Mo couldn't help but grip the handle tighter, his expression darkening in an instant.
Xia Na didn't notice the subtle changes in Ling Mo's expression and continued, "Although it's not as good as the ones I make, this short knife is pretty valuable, right? You could say you've got your reward in advance, so are we agreed? If you're worried about your sister's safety, she can wait here for us, my classmate will take care of her..."
"No need." Ling Mo cut off Xia Na's suggestion. What a joke, Ye Lian was a Mutated Zombie. Once she was out of his control, they would probably return to a pile of flesh and bones.
"Although you're a bit annoying, you're really not bad in this regard. Sister can't talk and seems quite introverted, but she's so pretty, continue to cherish her!"
Xia Na raised her eyebrows, suddenly clapping Ling Mo on the shoulder, speaking earnestly.
So you've really misunderstood, little sister... But now that he knew Xia Na and Wang Lin were relatives, Ling Mo felt somewhat relieved. Places like campuses where the population was highly concentrated, zombies naturally were deadly numerous. The group remaining inside were probably in dire straits already. Xia Na must have considered this but still hadn't given up.
Should it be called persistence, or just foolishness...
"I'll only take you to the entrance." After careful consideration, Ling Mo felt that with his capabilities, breaking through to the main entrance shouldn't be a problem. In case of any emergency, Ye Lian would be by his side.
"Great! Ling, it's rare for you to agree to help out, we must have a good drink tonight! Hahaha..." Liu Yuhao secretly gave Xia Na a thumbs up, then familiarly clasped Ling Mo's shoulder, laughing.
"Since it's a deal, I won't say thank you."
Xia Na smiled faintly, also grabbing Ye Lian's hand. It was evident that she liked this silent and expressionless beautiful sister...