Chapter Forty-Eight: The Ancient Prescription Was Completed

Seeing the man standing outside the car window, Shen Lie immediately felt a current of danger.

Over the past two days, the name of Gu Chengfang had been thunderous beyond measure. At almost every moment, one could hear people speaking of him, and whenever he was mentioned, the present state of the convoy had to be explained as well.

There was no need to revisit what the convoy had been like at the beginning. After more than three months of arduous travel, the original purpose had long since vanished. Everyone now was struggling simply to stay alive, and that included Shen Lie and the others. Their only aim was survival.

As more and more people in the convoy awakened, the military was no longer able to keep full control. A small organization called the Awakened Alliance had emerged in silence, and its leader was Gu Chengfang, known as the Alliance Master.

Alliance Master—a title steeped in the flavor of the martial world, something usually found only in tales of heroes and swordsmen, a rank reserved for those of exceptional skill. Gu Chengfang was precisely such a man.

He was said to be the strongest of all the awakened people in the entire convoy, and he possessed remarkable charisma and leadership. Under the military’s very nose, he had carved out a mountain of his own.

In truth, Shen Lie was quite interested in this Awakened Alliance, mainly because he wanted to exchange views with other awakened people. Even now, he remained somewhat bewildered by the changes in his own body, and perhaps through conversation he might learn more.

But when he realized that the convoy actually held two competing powers and that currents beneath the surface were surging dangerously, he immediately dropped the idea. He had no wish to involve himself in needless struggles. Thus, over the past two days, he and Du Lili had hardly left the car. After all, the dry rations they carried could still last for a while.

A black casual outfit, a close-cropped haircut, a fair face—this was the impression Gu Chengfang gave Shen Lie. The other man had come to visit Professor Liu and had nothing to do with him, so Shen Lie merely glanced at him once and resumed pretending to doze. Du Lili did not even look up. Only Zhang Jing showed a trace of curiosity, though she said nothing. As for Li Xue, the girl had not uttered a single word since getting into the car.

Of course, there was one more person in the vehicle: Tao Tao. The little girl was holding a glass vial in both hands and admiring it with great delight. It was a gift from Shen Lie, the very medicine Professor Liu had developed.

The little girl had now become an awakened one as well, and her ability was a rather unusual one. In her purple eye, she could fire a violet beam. This beam possessed corrosive power and could eat away at anything it touched.

Unfortunately, her ability was still weak. The beam could reach less than three meters, and thus it could not yet play much of a role. Still, the power itself had limitless potential, so Shen Lie had given her the remaining evolution medicine. The little girl depended on him greatly, and once she grew stronger, she would certainly become a major aid to him.

From the experience at the small town, Shen Lie had already discovered that in this apocalypse, no one could survive long alone, much less live well. He had thus begun, deliberately or not, to cultivate talent.

On this point, Gu Chengfang was clearly far ahead of him. The other man had already gathered nearly thirty people under his banner, and without exception, every one of them was an awakened person. Those who had not awakened could only serve as peripheral members.

“So, you’re Gu Chengfang. What brings you to me? If it’s about the medicine, then I’m afraid this old man can’t help you.” Professor Liu likewise had no intention of getting out of the car. He merely looked at the man through the window and spoke.

Professor Liu’s attitude was evidently unsatisfactory to Gu Chengfang. Shen Lie clearly saw the other man frown, but he did not lose his temper. Instead, he continued in an eager tone, “Professor, you misunderstand me. I came mainly to pay you a visit. I heard that you are an expert in gene medicine, and that you have developed medicine capable of evolving us awakened people. I came here with admiration in my heart. Your invention has truly brought good news to us awakened ones; it allows us to contribute more strength to humanity in battles against those monsters.”

“Heh, Alliance Master Gu’s information is quite well informed. However, you may not know that all the medicine I’ve produced has already been allocated, and the raw materials for making it can no longer be obtained.” Professor Liu smiled faintly, his tone carrying a trace of helplessness.

Shen Lie and the others all knew that Professor Liu was not lying. They did not know whether he still had any medicine left, but the phantom mushrooms needed to produce it were definitely unique to the red mist zone, and the chance of encountering them again was slim indeed.

Gu Chengfang clearly did not believe Professor Liu’s words. Without the slightest hesitation, he went on, “Since the professor could develop one batch, naturally he can develop a second. If the issue is the raw materials, then perhaps I, Gu, may be able to find a way.”

There was a strong note of arrogance in his words, and Professor Liu’s brows knit slightly. Then, with a light smile, he took a small box from his bag and opened it. Inside, a mushroom that glittered faintly came into view before everyone.

“Since you’re so confident, I won’t hide my own cards either. This is the raw material needed for the evolution medicine. I call it a phantom mushroom. It grows in that stretch of red mist from which I came, to the northeast of Dongfeng Town. As long as you can bring me this thing, however much you bring, I will refine that much evolution medicine for you.”

Professor Liu’s words were blunt and direct. Gu Chengfang, on the other hand, was no longer so confident. Over the past two days, everyone had learned just how strange that red mist was. Asking him to go there and search for something would have been foolish in the extreme.

At the same time, he could hear the displeasure in Professor Liu’s tone. As a man with ambition, he understood deeply how precious a person of talent like Professor Liu was, and he did not wish to offend him. So after saying that he would come by another day to pay a visit, he turned and left.

“That Gu Chengfang is not a good sort. Professor, you should be careful around him in the future.” After Gu Chengfang had gone far away, Yang Weiguo started the armored vehicle while speaking in a grave tone. It seemed he had received some information from the military side.

“Heh, those who have survived from the beginning of the apocalypse until now probably aren’t many good sorts,” Professor Liu replied with a chuckle, his voice tinged with a sigh.

This little episode of theirs did not affect the convoy’s advance. The enormous procession of more than twenty thousand people was bloated and unwieldy, using all kinds of strange vehicles, with even some trudging along on foot. Like a long dragon, it wound through the hills and fields.

From time to time, quarrels broke out. From time to time, someone wailed in pain. Every day, people died, and every day, new survivors joined them. In such a state, the convoy moved on and stopped, stopped and moved on, until after more than twenty days it finally crossed the border of Green Mountain Province and arrived at the long-anticipated Liao Province.

“Less than ten days’ journey ahead to Yangcheng Base. Everyone, do not lose faith. Hope is right before our eyes!” From the military loudspeakers came words of encouragement without pause, proclaiming that the convoy’s vitality had not yet been extinguished.

“Professor, you succeeded?” Shen Lie and the others sat inside the armored vehicle, looking at the glass bottle of medicine in Professor Liu’s hand with joy written all over their faces.