Chapter 54 - 54: 54: A Sincere Invitation
Chapter 54 - 54: 54: A Sincere Invitation
Tan Xiao held the badge, feeling particularly hot in his hand.
The others stood in the middle of the road, each having different expressions, none speaking.
A gust of wind blew, causing the leaves by the roadside to rustle and the leather tassels on Tan Xiao’s motorcycle to flutter wildly in the wind.
Shen MO glanced at the dark clouds on the horizon, and said lightly, “Get in the car, let’s leave here.”
Surrounded by dolls, no one would want to stay in such a place. Without further ado, everyone got into the car.
Monkey, Brother Hui and Thorn Head shared a car, he threw the two turned into dolls out of the car. With two thuds, the doll-like figures tumbled on the road surface and were covered with a layer of dust.
Shen MO saw this, frowned, but didn’t say anything, and started the car.
The storm clouds came quickly.
About a quarter of an hour later, the wind got louder, the road was filled with flying sand and stones, dense dark clouds pressed down, roaring ominously as if they would swallow all the buildings and trees.
Large raindrops hit the car windows, the heavy rain came pouring down.
They stopped at a toll station on the way.
Tan Xiao, soaked to the skin, rode his motorcycle with no cover to shield him from the rain, looking like a drenched chicken.
Not far away was a group of bungalows, the dormitories and canteen for the toll station staff. Everyone drove their car over to take shelter from the rain. This place had neither electricity nor internet, like the service station, nor could they see a single soul. They prepared some old newspapers and wooden tables and chairs, lit a fire for warmth and illumination.
A sudden downpour in the summer wasn’t unusual, but encountering this
storm after surviving a life-and-death game seemed to take on extraordinary
significance.
Like a warning from the heavens.
The torrential rain obscured the road ahead. Vague expressions of confusion and loss appeared on their faces, as if even the direction in their hearts had been obscured by the rain.
No one knew what was waiting for them ahead.
Monkey lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.
Tan Xiao sat by the fire drying his clothes, asked for a cigarette from him, and they both puffed together, looking quite practiced.
“Where are you headed once the rain stops?” Tan Xiao asked Monkey.
Monkey and Thorn Head always followed Brother Hui’s lead, now that Brother Hui was gone, Monkey might not stick to the original destination.
“East, to Taizhou.” Monkey flicked the cigarette ash and said calmly, “My hometown is over there, so I’m going back to take a look.”
He then asked Tan Xiao, “What about you? What are your plans?”
“Uh…” Tan Xiao blankly stared at the fire, “I haven’t thought about it. I heard that there are no dolls in Yangzhou, so I want to check it out…There’s not much gas left in my motorcycle, I might need to find a place to stay for a while.” “Do you want to come with me to Taizhou?” Monkey suddenly asked.
Tan Xiao was somewhat at a loss, staring at him blankly.
For whatever reason, Monkey turned to look at Shen MO and Bai Youwei on the other side, asking, “How about it, want to consider it? My uncle has a farm in Taizhou. If you come, you wouldn’t lack for food and water. We can look after each other. If we face another game, we will feel more secure.”
The fire reflected in his eyes and there was a touch of madness in his gaze.
He was sincerely inviting them, but the aged and frail teacher Cheng was not considered in his plans.
Bai Youwei, sitting in her wheelchair, scoffed disdainfully and closed her eyes, ignoring him.
Shen MO was silent for a moment before replying, “We need to go to Yangzhou to find someone.
Monkey laughed, “No problem, if you ever want to come to Taizhou, you’re always welcome.”
He was not making idle talk. He found pen and paper, carefully wrote down his address, and handed it to both Shen MO and Tan Xiao.
Tan Xiao was downright baffled and bluntly asked, “Monkey, what are you playing at? We all have families and homes, who would run off to Taizhou with you for no reason?”
“What do you think the game is?” Behind the firelight, Monkey’s face twisted vaguely in the warm haze, “Don’t you understand yet? This is a selection… of all mankind…. and we won, we are the chosen ones! We are destined to shoulder the mission of changing the world! “