CHAPTER 104: NEXT TIME I’LL COME TO SEE YOU AGAIN

"Oh no, they’ve actually lost contact." Shangguan Jun gently stroked Wu You’ai’s cheek. "How does your own flesh taste?"

Wu You’ai’s gaze was unfocused. "It’s a bit tough. Really, sweet dumplings are still the best."

"I’ve got some good news for you. The whole team sent to bomb the villa has lost contact. The people in the villa are really not simple, huh? Well, it’s time for me to leave. Shall I kill you or not?" Shangguan Jun hesitated for a moment. "Forget it. You’re the first person under my interrogation who hasn’t spilled any information. I hope you can hold on until rescue arrives; I’ll come back for you next time."

「...」

If it weren’t for the woman’s small floral dress and the freckles on her face, Jing Shu couldn’t even imagine that this person was the one who had begged for water when they first met.

These hostages, without exception, all shared a common feature: they were all tortured to death!

And the ways they died were all different; it was obvious that person was addicted to torturing people using various methods.

What about Wu You’ai? What would she endure? Was she connected to the villa? Would she receive special treatment?

CRACK! CRACK! The sound came from Jing Shu’s fists. At that moment, Yang Yang didn’t dare to speak anymore, afraid of angering this woman of extraordinary strength.

Suddenly, a faint sound came from the house next door. Dropping Zhang Qiang, Jing Shu sprinted over in an instant, her heart pounding furiously. Tied to a table and mumbling was none other than Wu You’ai!

In the darkness, Wu You’ai didn’t appear to have suffered any cruel torture; at least Jing Shu didn’t see a blood-drenched scene, though she did smell something scorched.

"She’s still alive!" Jing Shu cut the ropes with a knife from her space. Wu You’ai gasped. "Ouch..."

"Where does it hurt?" Dread filled Jing Shu’s heart. Could it be one of those invisible torture methods, like water injection?

Wang Dazhao came over with a flashlight, followed by Yang Yang and five or six Armed Police officers. The others were responsible for checking the entire office building for any missed individuals and for guarding all exits.

The moment the flashlight beam fell on her, Jing Shu finally saw that Wu You’ai’s legs had turned charred black. The skin was wrinkled and scorched, with three large chunks of flesh missing, the wounds deep enough to expose bone. Combined with the smell of burning flesh and the melted wax on the floor, she deduced the burns were likely caused by candles.

Yang Yang remarked, "Shangguan Jun probably didn’t get any information from her and ran off because he didn’t have time to kill her, right?"

Jing Shu’s heart warmed. Perhaps Wu You’ai really did survive until now because she hadn’t said anything; she saved herself!

Wang Dazhao’s hand trembled, and he almost dropped the flashlight. He had thought that after killing more than ten people, he could survive fiercely in this apocalyptic world. He never imagined there were people even more formidable.

Yang Yang arched an eyebrow. "The flesh on her legs is mostly necrotic. They can only be amputated now. If they aren’t, the infection will slowly spread, and she’ll definitely die. It’s very hard to survive such an injury given the current lack of medical facilities; this type of surgery probably can’t be performed."

Yang Yang’s implication was simple: this person couldn’t survive. Even before the apocalypse, her legs would have required amputation, let alone now.

"Moreover, as time goes by, more and more flesh will necrotize and start to rot... The burnt area will expand. With burns of this extent, the residual pain will torment her for 26 days, making her wish she were dead."

"Do you have any anesthesia?" Jing Shu’s calm was terrifying.

"I do know an anesthetist who lives nearby. He’s hidden some anesthesia, but you’ll need to pay with scarce food. Are you planning to euthanize her, or...? I’d advise against any delusions of performing an amputation. Don’t even think about sedating her to ease her suffering for a few days. The medical care required for post-amputation recovery simply doesn’t exist in Wu City right now."

"Fine. Call him and have him come now. If he arrives within five minutes, he gets half a pig. Ten minutes, just a pig leg. If it’s more than twenty minutes, tell him not to bother coming. I’ll get some tools from my car." Jing Shu stated this, left Wu You’ai with Wang Dazhao, and departed.

Yang Yang rolled his eyes but still made the call. This woman had been playing dumb and cute before, but now her true colors were showing! The shift in demeanor was just so abrupt. She suddenly became domineering and cold, exhibiting a decisiveness that suggested disobeying her could bring about the end of the world in minutes.

With Yang Yang providing exclusive transport, the man arrived in 8 minutes. Although he only received a pig leg, he was still quite happy.

"This is Jing Shu."

"And this is Alan, the anesthetist." Yang Yang introduced them.

Alan, who sported a ponytail and held one hand with an effeminate flourish, cooed, "Well, hello! Do you still need more anesthesia? I have some right here, all for you. Could I perhaps get a few more pig legs for it?"

"Certainly. Give it all to me, and I’ll trade you for it." Jing Shu took the anesthesia and asked for instructions on its use. First, she had Wu You’ai drink some Spiritual Spring water and mineral water. Then, she cleaned the wounds with water. Finally, under Alan’s guidance, she administered the anesthesia. Wu You’ai soon drifted into a heavy sleep.

Everyone was curious about what Jing Shu would do next.

After examining the wound, Alan clicked his tongue and said, "This burn area and severity require an amputation."

No sooner had he spoken than Jing Shu took a knife and began to carve away the necrotic flesh from the leg, even slicing off the surrounding dead skin. There were already three large holes, and under Jing Shu’s swift hands, a significant amount of flesh was quickly removed from Wu You’ai’s legs. A few young Armed Police officers vomited at the sight, while Yang Yang watched with keen interest, even pointing out to Jing Shu any spots that weren’t completely clean.

Wu You’ai would probably lose a few pounds in an instant.

"Heavens, are you trying to save her or kill her! Without proper follow-up treatment after this, she’s basically done for."

"Shangguan Jun is so unprofessional. He didn’t even completely remove the necrotic flesh. Well, since she’s likely to die anyway, we might as well try anything—treat a dead horse as if it’s alive," Jing Shu said indifferently. She then took out various medicines and tools she had prepared earlier in her space, not having gone to the car at all.

The onlookers began to look at Jing Shu somewhat strangely. Wang Dazhao pulled at his clothes to show his neck, saying, "When my neck was slashed, Jing Shu saved me the same way." He finally managed to vouch for Jing Shu.

During the procedure, Jing Shu dripped a drop of Spiritual Spring water onto Wu You’ai’s legs and fed her another drop to drink. As long as she could ensure Wu You’ai wouldn’t die, missing a few chunks of flesh from her legs was better than losing entire limbs. It was just uncertain if Wu You’ai would ever be able to walk again.

After completing all the steps, Jing Shu bandaged the wounds and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"She’ll need to sleep for several more hours before she wakes up. When the anesthesia wears off, the pain will be so intense she might pass out from it," Alan remarked.

The matter Jing Shu needed to attend to was finally resolved. This time, Zhetian’s Shangguan Jun had managed to escape quickly. And then there was that boss who hadn’t yet shown his face—that truly gave Jing Shu a headache. She detested wolves lurking in the shadows; she knew she had to find a way to deal with them.

Afterward, Jing Shu traded for all of Alan’s hidden anesthetics—enough for seven more uses—paying him with four pig legs. Then, to obtain information about Zhetian, Yang Yang "dispatched" a patrol car to stand guard 24/7 near Jing Shu’s villa. Jing Shu thanked him with the remainder of the pig, minus the four legs.