Chapter 302
Chapter 302 Two Worlds
As they spoke, the two arrived at their destination.
Ling Mo’s old home was quite close to Linjiang City, and since the layout of this destroyed Dark Zone world had not changed much, finding the way back was easy for Ling Mo even without navigation.
However, as they descended, seeing the fields overgrown with weeds and the many collapsed houses, along with the wandering silhouettes of the living dead on the once charming country roads, Ling Mo’s feelings became a bit complex.
The noise from the helicopter had already attracted quite a few living dead nearby. Before it even landed, a crowd of them had gathered on the ground, trying to attack the hovering aircraft, their howls drowning out even the sound of the rotor blades.
Xia Xinyan looked down for a moment and said softly, “Mo Mo, should I go down and take care of them?”
Ling Mo was silent for two seconds before he replied in a low voice, “Yeah.”
Receiving his response, Xia Xinyan didn’t hesitate, directly activating her ability and jumping from the helicopter. Like a wolf among sheep, she immediately unleashed a massacre amid the living dead.
Those living dead struggled to even come close to Xia Xinyan; before getting within a meter of her, her tail had already sliced them in half. In just a moment, the large group of living dead had turned into a pile of bodies lying on the ground.
At this moment, Ling Mo also landed the helicopter steadily on a nearby open space. After getting out, he dissipated the helicopter, looking at the heap of severed limbs and corpses with a somewhat peculiar expression.
This was his first time getting close to these living dead.
These corpses appeared like mummies, having lost all their hair, and the clothes they once wore had become mere tattered rags, their skin completely blackened, clinging tightly to their bones like a layer of skinless skeletal remains.
In this state, even if they had actually been the original villagers of this small community, Ling Mo wouldn’t have been able to recognize them. Just contemplating the possibility made him feel a bit strange.
Not quite anger, but more like a mix of relief and fear?
If this Dark Zone world had been the same as reality before its destruction, then his grandparents should have lived in this small village, and they might still be here… Moreover, it’s possible that this world’s version of himself and Xia Xinyan are now just two unrelated living dead wandering the streets of Linjiang City.
So, could it be that after failing to save the world, reality would end up like this too?
Is this Dark Zone world one of the possible futures of reality?
If they failed to save the world, would the people and things he cared about in reality also meet a similar fate?
“Mo Mo?” Xia Xinyan’s voice pulled Ling Mo back to reality. Turning to her, he saw her looking at him with some concern, “Are you alright?”
Xia Xinyan was indeed a bit worried that Ling Mo might develop some psychological issues due to this scene.
After all, she had experienced this in her past life.
Seeing one’s family and cherished possessions presented in such a destructive form was a huge shock, even knowing it was all fake. If one didn’t manage to recover from that state in a timely manner, it could lead to being trapped in a mental corner for a long time, until finally breaking out of the psychological dilemma they created for themselves.
In her past life, Xia Xinyan had no one to help her out of that state, but this time, she was here to help Ling Mo.
This was also one of the reasons she brought Ling Mo here for a “date” right away.
“Don’t worry, Mo Mo, it’s all fake.” Xia Xinyan smiled slightly and said softly, “Even if it looks just like the real world, it’s ultimately not the real world. Maybe the game wants to train our ability to endure in this way? All we need to know is that in reality, the people we care about are still there, and we can protect them.”
As she spoke, she stepped forward and took Ling Mo’s hand: “Don’t worry; haven’t we started preparing already? Your family will be brought over, and we’ll protect them, and everything will be fine.”
Ling Mo was silent for a moment and then suddenly stepped forward to hug her tightly: “…Thank you.”
He had been overthinking things just now.
Fortunately, Xinyan was there with him.
Xinyan was there for him…
Xia Xinyan simply smiled lightly: “Alright, alright… It’s all fine now. How about we go check out this world’s ‘home’?”
“…Okay.” After a couple of seconds, Ling Mo gently released his grip on Xinyan’s hand and then took her hand as they headed toward his house.
This world seemed to have been destroyed for a long time; the time-worn feeling left by the rural old house was far deeper than that of the city. The original wooden door had completely rotted away, and all the glass had shattered. The familiar farming tools still remained, but most had already decayed.
Every corner of the house made Ling Mo feel familiar yet overwhelmingly strange; the life that once lingered here had long since disappeared, leaving only desolation.
Xia Xinyan could sense that as they explored further, the grip of Ling Mo’s hand on hers grew tighter.
He was not at peace.
But she didn’t show any outward signs, just responding warmly to the hand he held.
In times like this, silent support was more effective than any gesture.
She understood Ling Mo well enough for that.
Just then, Ling Mo suddenly spoke: “Wait, this wall…”
Xia Xinyan instinctively followed his gaze; it was the wall of the backyard.
“My grandfather dismantled this wall two years ago.” Ling Mo frowned slightly, “Why is there still one in this world?”
Xia Xinyan paused.
She hadn’t paid attention to this detail.
“Or does this world still exist since over two years ago?” Ling Mo looked around somewhat puzzled, “But ‘Realm of Divine Presence’ hasn’t existed for more than a year… Why is there more than a year’s time difference?”
Xia Xinyan shook her head: “I’m not sure about that; maybe you can ask Monica? She should know these things.”
Ling Mo thought for a moment but didn’t pursue it further: “Forget it, we can ask later. Since we’re here, let’s go ahead and set it up… I want to establish our first camp here; it can also serve as a base for the Chicks.”
Xia Xinyan smiled: “I support you.”
As long as he could get out of that previous state, establishing a camp was important, but it wasn’t so urgent.
However, based on her guess… if the demons only started acting shortly after appearing in the Dark Zone, then this period of relative safety is definitely a great opportunity for growth.
She should mention this to Summer Jincang as well.
