Chapter One Hundred and Seven: On the Eve of the Zombie Forest

At night, darkness climbed to the crown of the old pagoda tree. The boy had been hiding there since early morning, waiting for the deep quiet of night to seek out the truth he wanted to know.

Shen Shi was not even sure when he would be able to learn more from Guo Jun. Guo Jun never did anything except assign him tasks. Like this time, he had only told Guo Ting to make sure Shen Shi eliminated Qin Sheng in the third round—or, in other words, to get rid of Qin Sheng.

As for the reason, he had never been told.

Shen Shi knew full well that he was nothing more than Guo Jun’s blade. Anyone who stood in Guo Jun’s way would be dealt with by him, whether Shen Shi was willing or not.

The boy waited for a long time. His legs, crouched on the tree, had already gone numb. Shen Shi was even considering going back and leaving the surveillance of Guo Jun’s side for another day.

Then came the sound of footsteps, neither too loud nor too soft.

Shen Shi instantly held his breath and lowered his presence to the barest trace.

Only when he noticed the footsteps moving farther and farther away did he gradually relax. Though his legs were already a little numb, he paid them no mind. If he had not mistaken the person who had entered the hospital just now, it had been Guo Ting.

Guo Ting came to the hospital at this hour to see Guo Jun?

It was certainly not that simple.

Shen Shi leaped down from the top of the old pagoda tree in one motion, landing steadily on the ground. Then he stepped against the wall nearby, borrowing its force to spring up to the second-floor balcony.

Shen Shi knew Guo Jun was no weakling, so he did not dare to get too close. He could only keep his presence as faint as possible.

He heard the door to Guo Jun’s room stir.

Inside, Guo Jun did not speak. It seemed Guo Ting’s trip to the hospital had indeed been arranged by him.

Shen Shi frowned, somewhat unable to understand why Guo Jun had summoned Guo Ting so late, when she had clearly come to visit him that very afternoon.

“Uncle, I’m here.”

Guo Ting’s voice came from inside the room.

Then Shen Shi heard footsteps coming closer and closer.

Once again, he hid himself in the darkness.

With a creak, the window in the room was shut.

“Uncle, why did you call me here so late? Is something the matter?” Guo Ting closed the window, unable to suppress a yawn, and while speaking she sat down beside Guo Jun.

Guo Jun glanced at the window, then smiled and asked her, “What do you think of Shen Shi?”

The moment Guo Ting heard Shen Shi’s name, she was no longer sleepy at all. Thinking of how much closer they had been in the afternoon, her cheeks flushed, and her heart beat faster.

When Guo Jun saw the shy color on her face, he knew she truly liked Shen Shi.

“Uncle, Brother Shen Shi is very good,” Guo Ting answered slowly, lifting her head in response to his question.

Guo Jun nodded. “Looks like you like Shen Shi very much.”

Guo Ting did not quite understand why her uncle was asking this. At first, it had seemed to be Guo Jun who was trying to bring her and Shen Shi together, so why was he asking about Shen Shi again now?

“Uncle, what’s wrong with Brother Shen Shi?” Guo Ting was clearly nervous. She quickly raised her head and asked Guo Jun, anxious to know what he meant.

Seeing her so alarmed, Guo Jun could only shake his head helplessly. “Don’t be so nervous. I’m just asking.”

Only then did Guo Ting breathe easier. Acting spoiled, she wrapped her arms around Guo Jun’s and said shyly, “Uncle, haven’t you always hoped that Brother Shen Shi and I would be together?”

That had indeed been Guo Jun’s thinking before.

But if Shen Shi were to deal with Qin Sheng and succeed, that would be one thing. If he failed, then in the end he would have to live under Qin Sheng’s command.

By then, Shen Shi might no longer be so easy to control.

Guo Jun called Guo Ting here tonight precisely to ask how Shen Shi felt about her. If the two of them were deeply attached, then he would not have much to worry about.

But from what he saw now, his niece was utterly smitten with Shen Shi, while Shen Shi’s response was not nearly so intense. Guo Jun had no choice but to consider everything carefully.

“Tingting, have you ever thought about what would happen if Shen Shi did not become the captain of the Seventh Guard Brigade?” Guo Jun thought for a moment, then asked tentatively.

Guo Ting froze for a moment, then smiled and said, “I like Brother Shen Shi not because of what kind of captain he is. If he’s not, then he’s not. As long as I like him, that’s enough...”

Guo Jun did not even need to guess to know that she would say that.

He continued quietly, “What if Qin Sheng becomes the captain of the Guard Brigade?”

The moment she heard Qin Sheng’s name, Guo Ting’s expression changed at once. She said sharply, “Absolutely not! Qin Sheng, that wretch, cannot be the captain of Brother Shen Shi’s team!”

Guo Jun smiled with satisfaction. It seemed his niece’s heart had not been completely carried away by that boy Shen Shi.

“Uncle, Qin Sheng absolutely cannot be the captain of the Seventh Guard Brigade!” Guo Ting suddenly thought of something, clinging tightly to Guo Jun’s arm as she cried out.

She was so anxious she looked as though she might burst into tears at any moment.

Qin Sheng’s strength was plain to see. If she became captain of the Seventh Guard Brigade, she might one day make things difficult for Shen Shi.

Guo Jun’s expression turned noticeably more severe. “Of course the captain of the Guard Brigade will not be Qin Sheng.”

“But Qin Sheng is formidable...” Guo Ting said, still shaken.

What worried Guo Ting was naturally the very same thing that worried Guo Jun.

“The zombie forest is full of dangers. If someone dies under unclear circumstances, it shouldn’t draw too much attention...”

“Uncle means to say, deal with Qin Sheng in the zombie forest...”

The anxious look on Guo Ting’s face immediately brightened. It was as if she could already see Qin Sheng torn apart by zombies and swallowed piece by piece, with no power left to resist.

Serves her right. Qin Sheng had to die!

“If Shen Shi cannot get rid of Qin Sheng, then he does not have the ability to serve as captain of the Seventh Guard Brigade either...” Guo Jun stroked the rough stubble on his chin and spoke lightly.

“Uncle, Brother Shen Shi...” Guo Ting wanted Shen Shi to accomplish greater things. He had exceptional ability, and if he could secure a good position in the safety zone, then her own standing would be all the more unshakable.

Her future boyfriend would be the captain of the Seventh Guard Brigade, while her uncle would be the captain of the First Guard Brigade. With that kind of status, crushing those few people by Qin Sheng’s side would be easy as breathing.

But it seemed Guo Jun had no intention of letting Shen Shi become captain of the Seventh Guard Brigade.

After all, the captains of the First and Seventh Guard Brigades held equal rank. If Shen Shi learned the truth about what had happened before, he would never agree to remain under someone else’s command.

By then, if the Seventh Guard Brigade slipped from his control, it might affect his reputation in the safety zone.

Guo Jun had been thinking about all this for many days.

Shen Shi had always been a hidden danger.

Hidden in the darkness outside the window, Shen Shi heard every word of the conversation inside clearly.

In the dark, his expression could not be seen. Only his brow, still tightly furrowed, revealed that he seemed to be weighing something.

“Uncle, haven’t you always valued Brother Shen Shi highly? You even tried to bring us together. But it seems you do not want Brother Shen Shi to become captain of the Seventh Guard Brigade!” Guo Ting had seen the concern on Guo Jun’s face all along. Clearly, if Shen Shi became captain of the Guard Brigade, they would be in a stronger position. Yet her uncle seemed to be worrying about something.

Guo Jun sighed. At last, it seemed time to reveal the secret he had concealed for so long to the person closest to him, so she would understand his misgivings.

“Tingting, if Shen Shi knew that the person who drove his parents to suicide was none other than me, do you think he would still trust me so completely?”

Guo Jun let out a helpless sigh. This matter had also been an unintended act on his part. He had never known that Shen Shi’s father, who had been his own captain, was under such tremendous pressure, nor that he had suffered from depression for so many years.

His careless action had made Shen Shi an orphan overnight.

Out of pity, he had taken Shen Shi in and raised him as his own.

But over the years, Guo Jun could clearly feel that Shen Shi had become increasingly difficult to control...

Guo Ting was somewhat stunned, as if she had never imagined the matter to be so complicated.

Outside the window, Shen Shi heard what Guo Jun had said. His eyes slowly grew dim, as though veiled by a haze. He did not seem all that surprised. Perhaps, deep down, he had always harbored doubts about Guo Jun.

Yet when he personally heard the truth from Guo Jun’s mouth, there was still some part of him that could not believe it.

Shen Shi clenched both fists, fury and hatred slowly staining his eyes.

“Shen Shi is ultimately a hidden danger. I have already chosen the best candidate for captain of the Seventh Guard Brigade. Tingting, no matter how much you like Shen Shi, it is no use now. He is not right for you.”

Guo Ting was still in shock and could not quite accept it.

She liked Shen Shi, but what she liked even more was power.

“I understand, Uncle. I know what to do.” After a long while, Guo Ting steadied herself and wiped the tears from her cheeks. When she finished speaking, she left.

She needed some time to recover.

“What a pity. I quite liked that boy Shen Shi...” After a long silence, Guo Jun sighed softly.

Shen Shi had remained motionless the entire time. Head lowered, he listened to the sounds within the room. His fists were tightly clenched, veins rising along his arms.

Slowly, Shen Shi lifted his head. His eyes seemed drenched in blood. Then he loosened his fists, his gaze utterly cold and calm, as though in the final, hushed moment before a volcano erupted...

A crow flew past outside, its hoarse cry chilling the marrow.

No one knew when Shen Shi had vanished into the darkness.

With dawn came a faint light, and the safety zone quickly stirred to life.

Today marked the beginning of the third stage of the arena competition.

The final challenge was to live independently in the zombie forest for a full week.

The zombie forest was fraught with peril, and there were only a little over twenty participants.

The others, having already secured entry into the Guard Brigade, gave up the idea of venturing into that dangerous forest.

Early in the morning, Qin Sheng packed a few simple belongings and went with Chu Xingyu and Jiang Miaomiao to the south gate of the safety zone.

Beyond that gate lay the zombie forest.

Even from a great distance, one could still hear the furious roars of zombies rising from the forest. The sound sent a chill down the spine.

Quite a few people had already begun to waver.

Qin Sheng and the others were different.

“Shengsheng, are you ready?”