Chapter 402: Not Over Yet
Once I realized the Devourer had found me before I even knew we were playing games, there wasn’t much point in staying inside a black market filled with strangers.
"Kill them," I said, keeping my attention on the wall separating me from the five cages.
Yuche didn’t ask which zombies I meant, he just did what he did best.
Metal groaned through the lower level as the steel compartments tightened around their skulls. Five muffled impacts sounded from the other side of the building before everything fell quiet.
The pain in my leg didn’t disappear with them, which was mildly concerning.
Chenghai noticed that my fingers remained pressed against the old scar, but he didn’t point it out again. Instead, he stepped closer and offered me his arm, probably deciding that helping me walk was safer than suggesting he carry me.
I accepted before he could change his mind. "We’re leaving."
Zhenlan nodded immediately. "Good."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "You could at least pretend I’m the one making the decision."
"You are," he assured me.
"But you agreed too quickly," I pointed out. "You never agree with me that quickly."
His mouth twitched, although he wisely kept whatever he was thinking to himself. "That doesn’t make the decision less yours."
It still felt suspicious, but I didn’t have enough energy to figure out why.
Yuche’s voice came through the radio clipped to Chenghai’s belt. "I’ll meet you at the western loading entrance."
"What about Lingyun?" I asked.
"He’s arguing with the healer."
That sounded healthy enough.
By the time we returned to the upper warehouse, the healer had wrapped Lingyun’s ribs again and secured his shoulder with enough cloth to restrain a smaller person. Lingyun stood beside the couch looking deeply offended by the entire medical profession.
"I heard we’re leaving," he said as soon as he saw me.
"We are."
His expression brightened. "I knew you’d come back for me."
"I crossed one building."
"That’s still a return. I knew I was your favorite."
The healer stepped between us before Lingyun could attach himself to my side. "He needs rest. He reopened the wound twice, and whatever he did to his shoulder made it worse."
"I fought a gang," Lingyun explained, as if that made everything reasonable.
"You were already injured before you fought them."
"I know," he agreed with a big smile on his face. "They were very inconsiderate."
I looked him over. Blood had already begun seeping through one edge of the new dressing, although he seemed determined to pretend it belonged to someone else. "Can you walk?"
Lingyun glanced toward Chenghai, who had apparently become the household threat whenever someone suggested being carried. "I can walk perfectly."
"You were limping ten minutes ago," the healer pointed out.
"That was artistic interpretation."
Chenghai took one step toward him, and Lingyun immediately straightened before starting toward the door without another complaint.
The market had quieted while we were below.
Bodies still covered parts of the freight yard, but the surviving guards had begun clearing paths through the worst of it. Healers moved between the wounded, merchants inspected what remained of their stalls, and anyone wearing grey had either been tied up or dragged into one of the side warehouses.
Han Zhi waited near the loading entrance with two ledgers tucked beneath one arm and several guards standing behind him. His attention moved first to Yuche and then to Lingyun, as though he still hadn’t decided which man technically controlled the market.
Lingyun solved the problem by holding out one hand.
Han Zhi gave him the ledgers, and Lingyun immediately passed both to Yuche.
I stared at him. "Really?"
"What?" Lingyun asked, looking pleased with himself. "It’s called delegation."
Yuche didn’t bother opening either book before giving Han Zhi his instructions. "Trading continues. The healers remain protected, and restricted storage stays sealed until Lingyun reviews it. Anyone connected to the Red Jackals loses access to the district."
Han Zhi nodded. "What about Head Luo’s remaining agreements?"
"They stay in place until they become inconvenient," Lingyun replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "If anyone objects, tell them Head Luo is still available for discussion."
Han Zhi glanced toward the upper office where the former market head had died. "I’ll probably phrase that differently."
"Coward."
Yuche ignored them and looked toward the guards standing behind Han Zhi. "What happened to the traitors?"
"We found eight who helped with the lockdown or opened the service entrances," Han Zhi answered. "Three more were involved in sending the emergency signal."
Lingyun’s smile vanished so quickly that every guard nearby straightened.
"Keep them alive," he said, his voice losing all the warmth it had carried around me. "I’ll deal with them when I come back."
Han Zhi lowered his head. "Understood."
The coldness disappeared the moment Lingyun turned toward me again. "See? Look at me! I’m very responsible."
"You’re bleeding through your bandages," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.
"That doesn’t mean I can’t manage people."
"It means you’re managing them from a couch."
He considered that for a moment before asking, "Can it be your couch?"
"No." He grinned and nodded his head to my response as if he had heard ’yes’ when I clearly said ’no’.
A transport truck waited beside our SUV, already loaded with the boxes Chenghai had carried away from the stalls. Apparently, while I was busy being attacked, he had purchased the entire table of Blu-rays rather than risk leaving behind the ones I wanted.
I moved close enough to inspect the stack and quietly transferred several boxes into my space while Yuche continued speaking with Han Zhi.
The chocolate, tea, Cheezies, velvet bag of multi colored cores, and the better Blu-rays disappeared first. I left enough visible supplies in the truck to prevent anyone from wondering why we still needed it.
Han Zhi approached once more while the final boxes were secured. "Should I send guards with the delivery?"
"No one follows us home," Yuche replied before Lingyun could answer.
Han Zhi nodded immediately and stepped away.
Lingyun leaned toward me. "I was going to say that."
"You were going to threaten him for asking."
"That too."
Chenghai opened the SUV door and helped me inside. Lingyun settled carefully against one side of me while Yuche took the other. Zhenlan climbed into the front passenger seat, and Chenghai started the engine before guiding us away from the warehouses.
The transport truck followed at a safe distance as the black market disappeared behind us without another shot being fired.
For several minutes, the road remained empty. Then we passed a zombie crouched over a body near the curb.
Its head lifted before the SUV reached it.
The creature ignored the meat beneath its hands and turned toward the darkened window beside me. It didn’t chase us, but its eyes followed the vehicle until we disappeared around the corner.
Farther down the road, another zombie abandoned what it was doing and turned toward us. A third followed several blocks later, moving before the SUV came close enough for it to see through the tinted glass.
Lingyun’s arm tightened around my waist while Yuche watched the street from my other side.
None of the zombies chased us. They simply stopped, turned, and followed me with their eyes as we passed.
Apparently, leaving the market hadn’t ended the game.