Volume One: Mutation Chapter 34: Pockmark and Old Six

Liu Qingqing seemed to be used to saving things; after finishing a bag of chips, she stopped, unwilling to eat any more, and Liu Cong wasn’t particularly eager for food either, so he didn’t eat much. Watching Liu Qingqing toss their empty wrappers into a roadside trash bin, Liu Cong noticed her slender figure and the thin clothes she wore. He spoke, “Do you want to put on a couple more layers? It might get cold up in the sky.”

Liu Qingqing shook her head, replying, “Brother Liu, I’m not cold. Let’s go find people first—I want to find my father as soon as possible.”

Liu Cong nodded. He had grown increasingly adept at controlling his abilities; at worst, he could soften the wind and keep the cold air at bay. He took Liu Qingqing’s delicate hand, and a gentle current of air lifted them both. Hand in hand, they rose steadily into the sky. With two previous flights behind her, Liu Qingqing didn’t shut her eyes in nervousness this time; instead, she gazed with curiosity at the shrinking buildings below, marveling at how wondrous flying felt.

As they ascended higher and higher, Liu Cong showed no sign of stopping. Watching the city grow ever smaller beneath them, Liu Qingqing grew anxious and shouted, “Don’t go any higher! I can’t see anything anymore!”

Liu Cong turned to her, smiling. “You don’t need to shout—I can hear you just fine.”

She lowered her voice, protesting, “Why take me up so high? All I can see are buildings; I can’t see anything down there!”

“No problem. My eyes are different from yours—I can see. Don’t worry. I’ll look for signs of human activity below.” With that, Liu Cong bowed his head, scanning the not-so-small county city below, sweeping his gaze across the regions one by one.

Liu Qingqing watched his eyes, her thoughts lost in admiration for their silent brilliance and depth—they were even more beautiful than her own. She muttered inwardly, “Why would a man have such lovely eyes?” As her mind wandered, she recalled how, on their previous flights, he’d held her waist, but this time, he hadn’t, yet he still managed to bring her along in flight. Was he deliberately holding her before? Embarrassed by the thought, Liu Qingqing looked away from him.

Liu Cong, unaware of her inner musings, was carefully observing the ground, imagining where he would hide if in their place—a spot large enough to shelter many. If he knew what Liu Qingqing was thinking, he would have cried out his innocence. He’d only held her waist before to reassure her, and now, with her more accustomed to flying, he no longer needed to. (Wait, why would it be “taking advantage” to continue?)

Focused, Liu Cong swept his eyes over the city, searching repeatedly without results. He was about to give up and try the surrounding areas when he suddenly spotted two furtive figures near the apartment complex where Liu Qingqing lived.

He brought Liu Qingqing down onto the rooftop of a tall building and asked, “Qingqing, do you see your father among those two?”

Liu Qingqing had been watching the two black dots from afar; as they drew closer, she could make out their features. Hearing Liu Cong’s question, she shook her head in disappointment. “They’re not him. I don’t know them.”

While they spoke, the two men had already reached the spot where the big dog Liu Cong had killed lay. They stared at the dog’s wounds, exchanged glances, and saw shock in each other’s eyes.

“Ma Zi, didn’t you say this big dog barked here every day and wouldn’t leave? How come it’s dead now?” one of them asked, revealing yellow-black teeth as he spoke.

Ma Zi had an ordinary face, except for the pockmarks covering his nose. He was puzzled. He’d been staking out the area for two days, sensing that the dog was fiercer than a zombie and not something he could handle with a mere pistol, so he’d kept his distance. Today, hearing no barking, he assumed the dog had left, so he called his partner to check out the Liu family’s apartment. He hadn’t expected to see the dog’s corpse, and its strange death left him rattled.

Ma Zi looked around nervously and answered in a low voice, “Lao Liu, I don’t know what’s going on. Yesterday, I saw this dog wandering and barking nearby. Today, when I didn’t hear it, I thought it had left, which is why I called you to come along.”

Lao Liu scanned the area, relieved when nothing terrifying jumped out. The two squatted and examined the wounds.

“Ma Zi, this isn’t right. The dog’s wound was clearly made by a sharp weapon—look at how smooth the cut is. How big and sharp must the blade be?” Lao Liu pointed at a wound.

“Could someone else have come here? Maybe it’s the government?” Ma Zi wondered aloud. At his words, the two exchanged a glance, both feeling a sense of foreboding.

“Lao Liu, if the authorities really came and found out about Yang Boss, won’t we get caught too?” Ma Zi asked in alarm.

“Let’s not panic. We’re not sure if it’s the government yet. Even if it is, we can always say Yang Boss forced us—we’re just accomplices. As long as it’s not the firing squad, prison at least gives you a hot meal.”

“True, hearing that, I almost think it’d be good if the authorities showed up,” Ma Zi said, scratching his head, his hair greasy and unwashed, though he seemed oblivious to the fact.

Lao Liu glanced up at the apartment block, spat hard onto the ground, and said, “Good or bad, nothing can crush us. Yang Boss’s mess is enough to give them a headache. Let’s go upstairs and find Liu’s daughter first. Before Yang Boss knows, we can have our fun. If that pretty girl falls into Yang’s hands, we won’t even get a taste.”

At that, the two exchanged another glance, each seeing the other’s lecherous intent. They grinned lasciviously and slipped over the complex wall, one after the other.

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Liu Cong stood silently on the rooftop, listening to their conversation, his gaze indifferent. He’d already sentenced them to death in his heart. But he wasn’t in a hurry to act—catch the leader first, and round up the gang. From their talk, he gathered that the “Yang Boss” they spoke of was no better than them. Most importantly, these two knew where Liu Qingqing’s father was. Liu Cong couldn’t kill them just yet; he had to protect them until they led him to their hideout.

Liu Qingqing watched Liu Cong in silence, guessing he was formulating a plan. She refrained from interrupting, though she sensed that the gentle Brother Liu now radiated a chill that worried her.

Liu Cong seemed to notice, restraining the cold aura stirred by his emotions, and smiled gently at her. “Those two know where your father is, but they’re not good people. We’ll follow them—hopefully, we’ll find your father. But you must prepare for the worst; his situation is likely dire.”

At his words, Liu Qingqing bit her lip. When Liu Cong said they weren’t good men, her sharp mind deduced they were after her. If not for Brother Liu’s presence, her fate would have been grim. In this apocalypse, it was obvious what two desperate men would do to a beauty like her.

She didn’t speak—only met Liu Cong’s gaze with determination and nodded. Liu Cong smiled, then turned to watch the two men’s movements below.

By now, Ma Zi and Lao Liu had reached the building where Liu Qingqing lived. Lao Liu looked up at the number and asked, “Ma Zi, wasn’t this the building Liu mentioned before?”

Ma Zi recalled carefully and affirmed, “Lao Liu, your memory is awful—it’s definitely this building. I remember it clearly. He even took out his daughter’s photo and looked at it when he said it! I thought to myself then, with a daughter so pretty, no wonder he’d risk everything to get us to rescue her. If it were me, I couldn’t leave such a delicate daughter to die either, ha!”

Lao Liu gave him a contemptuous look. “You’re out of your mind—you think you’ll ever have a daughter that pretty? Dream on!”