Chapter Sixty-One: Fu Gaobin’s Courage

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It was stuck...

An enraged mutant rat, level 8, had gotten itself trapped. From a distance, Fu Gaobin watched in fear as the beast thrashed in a frenzy. Only after confirming that the monster was truly immobilized did he finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Damn it, if you all want to die, don't drag us down with you!" Fu Gaobin, seeing the immediate danger had passed, couldn't help but curse at the still-shaken group of ordinary people. His heart was full of resentment; if not for the mutant rat being stuck, he and Yang Fan might have met their end here.

So he vented his anger with no restraint.

There were four of them—three women, their clothes dirty and layered haphazardly for warmth, with enough accidental exposure to catch the eye. Their looks were passable, not stunning but attractive enough to turn heads on the street. In their twenties, they had the air of club-going party girls. The only man among them was bald and heavyset, perhaps a chef, perhaps some minor official. As soon as he spoke, Yang Fan's suspicions about his identity were confirmed.

"Young man, you shouldn't talk like that. Do you own this road? Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" The balding man, pushing forty, spoke with a forced air of authority—thin but unmistakable, as if he were used to being in charge.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Fu Gaobin shot back, his face full of disdain.

"Hmph. I am Wu Liang, Director of the Operations Department at the Public Security Bureau of LT County. Out of respect for your youth, I'll let your rudeness slide. Now, kill that mutant rat for us. When the rescue troops arrive, I promise to ensure your safety. How does that sound?" He eyed the long spear in Fu Gaobin's hands, quickly calculating his leverage as he spoke.

"Public Security Bureau of LT County?" Fu Gaobin really had no idea what that meant. In the apocalypse, officials and the wealthy were nothing but dust. Still, Wu Liang had touched on something important—the rescue troops. Maybe this Wu Liang could actually help if they encountered the military.

But Fu Gaobin had no courage to take on the mutant rat himself. He glanced at Yang Fan, then softened his tone slightly. “I won’t kill the mutant rat, but I can protect you from zombies for now. Once the rescue troops come, you must take me and my friends with you—no exceptions. Deal?”

He stated his conditions.

“Well…” Wu Liang looked troubled for a moment, then replied, “All right, but no more than ten people.” This made Fu Gaobin visibly happy, and he quickly agreed.

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Even Yang Fan was pleased—he hadn’t expected that saving a government official would earn them ten spots. That meant many lives could be protected. In the apocalypse, the military's power was not to be underestimated; even the deadliest mutant beasts and insect swarms fell to missiles and nuclear bombs.

Humanity held the power to destroy the world, but no one would be foolish enough to do so—not unless it was the very end.

That was why government officials and people of renown everywhere would be protected. Whether they could bring others with them, Yang Fan wasn’t sure, but for now he chose to believe Wu Liang’s words.

“Take you with me? I won’t take anyone. I’ll go alone and let you all die in the apocalypse, torn apart by rats.” Wu Liang, seeing the delight in the two men’s faces, sneered inwardly, a trace of malice flashing in his eyes.

Yang Fan caught this instantly—not by chance, but because he had been watching Wu Liang closely. Since honing his skills in reconnaissance, Yang Fan had become meticulous: observing his surroundings, the weather, and most of all, people. In his experience, a person’s thoughts could often be gleaned from their actions, tone, and expressions. Wu Liang’s demeanor and the fleeting viciousness in his eyes set off alarm bells in Yang Fan’s mind.

Still, Yang Fan took no immediate action; he was curious to see what Wu Liang would try. If he proved dangerous, Yang Fan was ready to eliminate him without hesitation.

“Let’s go,” Fu Gaobin said, buoyed by Wu Liang’s earlier promise. But glancing back at the frenzied, trapped mutant rat, his good mood faded, and he urged everyone to leave quickly—he was still terrified of that beast.

“You should kill this rat—you’ll gain a lot of experience. It’s trapped now; this is your best chance,” Yang Fan suddenly suggested. Fu Gaobin stared at him in disbelief. “You want me to kill that mutant rat? Come on, I’m only a little stronger than you—don’t treat me like I’m some kind of superhero.”

He refused outright. Besides terror, the thought of fighting the mutant rat filled him with dread. All he could do was scoff at Yang Fan’s suggestion.

“If you always shrink away like this, you’ll forever live under someone else’s protection. If you can’t even face it when the rat is helpless, what if one day someone important to you is caught by a mutant rat? Will you still do nothing? Living with that kind of humiliation—what’s the point?” Yang Fan said coldly.

His words struck Fu Gaobin silent for a long moment. Finally, he drew a deep breath, fixing his gaze on the struggling mutant rat. Gradually, his eyes lost their fear and grew resolute.

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“You’re right. Give me a cigarette.”

Yang Fan’s words made Fu Gaobin reflect on his situation, and he was startled to realize he’d been running away his whole life. If the day ever came, just as Yang Fan described, what would he do?

Would he only keep running?

With that, Fu Gaobin woke from his stupor. He took a cigarette from Yang Fan, took a few drags, and tried to steady his nerves. Yang Fan didn’t care much either way, but Wu Liang was growing anxious.

“If you’re going to do it, hurry up! Otherwise, let’s just leave. If this monster draws the attention of others, or if it gets free, we’ll all be dead!” Wu Liang glanced nervously at the stone wall trapping the mutant rat, which was starting to crack. He was terrified and urged Fu Gaobin to act quickly.

“I know,” Fu Gaobin shot him a glare, and Wu Liang immediately fell silent, knowing when to yield.

“If anything happens to me… please bury me on the cliff, so I can face the sun every day. That way, I can still look forward to life…” Fu Gaobin gazed at Yang Fan with mock seriousness, still unable to resist making a joke. At first, Yang Fan was moved, but as the words went on, the mood soured. He kicked Fu Gaobin forward and laughed, “Just get on with it and stop fooling around.”

“Heh.”

Fu Gaobin forced himself to calm down, gripped his spear, and charged at the mutant rat…