Chapter Nineteen: Then Let Us Bid Each Other a Proper Farewell

Xu Hanfeng looked bewildered, completely at a loss as to how this had turned into a matter of sparing their family.

I was equally perplexed and couldn't help but say to Old Man Sun, "Old Man Sun, I can swear here that I will do my utmost to protect little Huihui until she grows up, but you must tell us the truth!"

Seeing no response, I added in a heavy tone, "If my senses are correct, what is locked inside is a zombie!"

Upon hearing this, Old Man Sun’s face turned as pale as paper. He knew we were not ordinary people and had feared that if he told us earlier, Xu Hanfeng and the others would have immediately destroyed it. But now, it seemed, the secret could no longer be kept.

"Fine, fine, I will tell you everything, but please, you must fulfill the promise you made to me!" Old Man Sun shook his head helplessly, his eyes filled with despair and sorrow.

"The one locked inside is my daughter, Huihui's mother!"

Old Man Sun’s voice trembled, tears glistening in the corners of his eyes. "That time, the two of them went out as planned to find food. Since everything nearby had already been scavenged, they had to search further afield."

"But tragedy struck. A group of bandits targeted them, and in their panic, they ran into a monster-infested area. My son-in-law was devoured alive by a pack of monsters while protecting my daughter so she could escape... My daughter managed to return, but she had been bitten." Old Man Sun grew more agitated as he spoke.

"She knew that in a few days she would become just like those monsters on the street. Afraid of hurting little Huihui, she begged me to lock her in this room. I never dared to speak of it." Tears streamed down Old Man Sun’s face, his voice choking with sobs.

Little Huihui listened blankly to her grandfather, her eyes full of confusion. "Mom is inside?"

Old Man Sun continued, "It’s my fault; I couldn't protect them. You all should go. I just want to stay here and keep my daughter company."

Hearing Old Man Sun’s story, we all fell silent, our hearts a mix of complex emotions. Jiang Hanchuan and Luo Yucheng were both sensitive souls, and their eyes turned red as they listened.

At this moment, Luo Yucheng broke the heavy silence. "Old Man Sun, we understand. You can't bear to leave your child. But have you thought about this? Why did little Huihui’s mother entrust Huihui to you? It was because she hoped you could take her place and raise their daughter to adulthood! Otherwise, everything they sacrificed would be in vain!"

"That’s right, Old Man Sun," Jiang Hanchuan added, "If you don't come with us, I’m afraid we won't be able to take little Huihui either. If you stay behind, little Huihui will truly have no family left in this world."

Old Man Sun looked at little Huihui and pulled her gently into his arms, his eyes full of reluctance. Little Huihui was truly sensible; she blinked her large eyes and said, "Grandpa, I don't want to leave you. I will be even more well-behaved and obedient from now on. Please, don't leave me behind."

Holding little Huihui in his arms, Old Man Sun’s voice trembled as he spoke intermittently, "Alright... Grandpa will go with Huihui."

Finally, Old Man Sun made up his mind. He stood up, went back into the room to grab his packed luggage, and took little Huihui’s hand, ready to leave with us.

"Wait! Wait!"

Just then, I suddenly interrupted them. Everyone turned to look at me as I walked slowly toward the heavily fortified door.

"Since we are leaving, let’s have a proper goodbye!"

I stood before the door, my hand as if holding an invisible key. With a gentle turn, the door that seemed impenetrable creaked open.

The zombie inside first let out a few bone-chilling roars, but then, as if its throat had been seized by some force, the sound came to an abrupt halt. At this moment, under my guidance, it had ‘regained its freedom.’

Seeing this, Old Man Sun’s eyes widened, and he hurriedly shouted, "Xiaoyu, don't do anything reckless! Run, it’s a monster now, it will bite!"

But as the zombie slowly walked out, Old Man Sun’s gaze fell upon it, and his eyes were instantly filled with complex emotions.

Her face was no longer the gentle and lovely appearance of the past, replaced by a deathly, decaying stillness. Her skin had turned gray and slack, with some parts festering to reveal white bone beneath. Her eyes, which once sparkled with wisdom and tenderness, were now hollow and chaotic, the milky-white orbs covered in bloodshot veins.

Old Man Sun’s voice trembled as he said, heartbroken, "Daughter? How did you become like this! Oh! How cruel fate is!" The undried tears on his face shone painfully under the sunlight.

Little Huihui tugged at Old Man Sun’s pant leg, saying innocently, "Grandpa, this person looks just like Mom!"

Upon hearing this, Old Man Sun’s throat tightened, and he could not speak. He only gently stroked little Huihui’s hair, tears welling up in his eyes again.

I controlled the zombie, letting it slowly walk toward Old Man Sun. Xu Hanfeng seemed to read my mind; he patted Old Man Sun on the shoulder and comforted him softly, "Old Man Sun, she is still your daughter." That touch seemed to give Old Man Sun an invisible strength and courage.

The zombie slowly opened its arms in an embrace, emitting a faint low moan. The sound seemed to contain a thousand words, expressing endless longing and grievances.

Old Man Sun seemed to feel something, a daze flashing in his eyes, as if he truly saw his daughter standing right in front of him.

He could no longer hold back. He hurried forward and embraced his "daughter," his tears finally spilling over like a burst levee.

"My daughter, Daddy let you suffer. Daddy is sorry!"

Old Man Sun turned to look at little Huihui, choking out, "Huihui, come here, it’s Mom!"

Little Huihui was stunned at first, a flash of surprise in her eyes, but upon hearing her grandfather’s words, she seemed to understand something and threw herself into "Mom’s" arms.

"Mom, Huihui has been very good. I listened to Grandpa every day. We are leaving now, you must wait for us to come back!"

Little Huihui’s innocent words were like a sudden thunderclap, striking our hearts and stirring up waves of emotion, leaving us in utter shock.

So, Huihui knew everything all along, she just didn't understand the full, brutal reality of it.

Hearing this, we were all moved to tears. Even the usually cold and stern Xu Hanfeng had trembling lips, touched by this display of warmth.

Old Man Sun gently stroked his "daughter’s" hair with trembling hands, his eyes full of reluctance, but in the end, he made his final farewell. He looked at me, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Xiaoyu. This old man is content now. Let’s go!"

We set off. Old Man Sun locked the two outer gates tight, as if locking away all the pain and memories of the past. He and little Huihui followed us. Little Huihui didn't look back; she just held her grandfather’s hand tightly, as if afraid that if she let go, she would lose something again.

We moved cautiously through the streets like travelers groping through the dark night. We tried to stay close to the edges of the road, avoiding the wandering zombies. With the ultrasonic emitter in Old Man Sun’s hand, we no longer had to worry about sudden attacks from zombie animals for the time being.

Every step we took was careful, for fear of disturbing this broken, shattered world.