Chapter 29: Paranoia and Conspiracy

"They've killed the hostage." Su Huan repeated the words, enunciating each one with a playful glint in his eyes.

Juan’s body began to tremble like chaff in the wind, beads of sweat the size of peas rolling down his face. "Brother Su, there must be a misunderstanding! Someone must have... it must be those two who wanted to frame me!"

"You were the one who chose them," Su Huan said with a noncommittal smile. He turned to look at the worker standing below. "So, the other party refused the trade?"

The worker hesitated for a moment before nodding vigorously. "Those two went up, said a couple of words, and then tried to capture us along with that group. But then, Boss Gao used his ability and blew them to pieces."

"That’s impossible! They wouldn’t have the nerve!" Juan blurted out.

"Shut up!"

Su Huan’s voice turned abruptly cold. Juan shuddered and dared not utter another word.

Su Huan narrowed his eyes at the worker. "Are you saying those two were working with them to capture you?"

The worker blinked. "Yes. Then Boss Gao started fighting them, and I took advantage of the chaos to run back. Boss Su, we have to go save Boss Gao quickly!"

Su Huan playfully patted Juan’s cheek. "It seems they really don't care whether you live or die."

As soon as he finished speaking, without giving him a chance to respond, Su Huan drove his glowing red index finger directly into Juan’s temple. The man’s eyes bulged, and he collapsed, falling off the carriage. The worker scrambled away, though he was still splattered with mud and blood.

"Liang Kuan," Su Huan said calmly, "take a squad and clear the zombies around the train."

Liang Kuan grunted in acknowledgment, then hesitated. "Are we still going to the water plant?"

...

"Of course we are!"

Inside Carriage No. 9, a sharp-eyed old man stood by the window, speaking with unwavering confidence.

Scarface rubbed the scar on his cheek, looking puzzled. "Old Qin, why are you two talking in circles? Didn't you say the guy named Su wouldn't leave the train? And even if the Fanxing Property group refused the trade, there’s no reason to kill Boss Gao, right? Aren't there too many holes in this story?"

The old man glanced at him and shook his head. "Su Huan is deeply paranoid, especially when dealing with someone like Gao Zhe. Even if you gave him a hundred logical reasons, he wouldn't believe them. But if you give him a few bits of information riddled with holes, he’ll start suspecting everything."

"From the very first day of the apocalypse, he decisively seized the train, collected supplies, and retrofitted it with weapons. Such temperament and resolve would make him a warlord in any era. And such men always have a weakness."

"Arrogance?" Scarface asked, thoughtful.

"Paranoia!"

Old Qin pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wiped the sweat from his beard. "Every capable person has their own form of paranoia."

"They won't easily give up; the plans they make must be executed. That is both their strength and their weakness."

"Since he went to such great lengths to obtain the water purifier, he won't give up easily."

"Even if he knows Gao Zhe is waiting for him in the shadows."

Scarface clutched his chest, drenched in sweat, and said irritably, "What if he just waits it out? The guy named Su has food, drink, and air conditioning in his carriage, while Boss Gao is out in the dangerous wilderness."

"It won't be long. Su Huan is more anxious than we are. Look, isn't he coming out now?"

Old Qin watched two figures pass by the window, his eyes flickering. A worker in work clothes walked behind, dragging a corpse, while a young man in a grey T-shirt and jeans walked in front. The worker followed nervously, carefully observing Su Huan, terrified that if zombies appeared, Su Huan would abandon him and run.

Seeing the weeds growing thicker around them until the train was almost hidden, the worker couldn't help but ask, "Boss Su, where are we going? Are we going to save Boss Gao?"

Su Huan scanned his surroundings, his gaze suddenly fixing on one spot. It was a patch of brush about a meter in diameter, a cluster of greenery intertwined with several red vines. The vines had dark, blood-red, vein-like patterns and were covered in transparent, sharp thorns. At first glance, it looked somewhat like sea buckthorn, stretching out its claws.

"Throw the corpse you're holding over there."

The worker swallowed hard, dragged the corpse forward, and then, gripping its legs, swung it forcefully into the brush.

To his surprise, the seemingly dormant plant suddenly stirred. Red tendrils, sharp as swords, lunged at the corpse.

"Pfft!"

A tendril pierced through the corpse and stabbed directly into the worker’s arm. The worker let out a shriek and tried to flee, but his feet had been snagged by vines at some point, and he stumbled after only a step. Within seconds, both of his legs were tightly bound by the vines.

Watching as more tendrils crawled up like living creatures, the worker wept and begged the approaching Su Huan for help.

Su Huan stared at the worker trapped by the blood-thirst vine, his gaze deep. "You said earlier that those two came to capture you together?"

"Yes, yes! They were the ones who attacked first! Boss Su, save me, please save me!" The worker struggled frantically as the blood-thirst vine dragged him toward its center.

Su Huan’s hand glowed with red light. The approaching blood-thirst vine hesitated for a moment, bypassed Su Huan, and chose to continue wrapping itself around the worker. Tendrils pierced through the worker’s body, revealing bloody, sharp thorns.

Su Huan extended a finger and poked at the vines as if pressing a hot iron into butter. Both the vines and the flesh carbonized, and he poked a hole straight through.

The worker screamed again, wailing, "I was wrong, Boss Su! I shouldn't have lied to you. Please, spare me this once!"

Su Huan poked at the vines on him unhurriedly, like playing Whac-A-Mole. Although he suppressed the vine’s devouring, he had already poked a dozen holes of varying depths into the worker’s body, causing him excruciating pain.

"What did you lie to me about?"

"They... they didn't attack us. Gao Zhe hadn't even entered the water plant yet... he just used his ability to kill those two." The worker said in broken gasps.

Su Huan narrowed his eyes. The worker probably didn't know about the bomb; he must have mistaken it for Gao Zhe's ability. As for why the worker cooperated with Gao Zhe, there could be many reasons—either he was coerced back on the train or threatened on the spot. There might be other details, but it was generally as he had guessed: Gao Zhe wanted to lure him out of the train.

Just as he was thinking, the blood-thirst vine launched another attack. The worker wanted to beg for mercy again, but a bunch of bright red, blood-vessel-like vines had already grown out of his mouth. He emitted a few strange, wheezing sounds, then went completely still, the light in his eyes fading.

Having absorbed two corpses, the blood-thirst vine became even more vibrant and crimson. Within a few minutes, several fruits formed between the branches; each had a thin membrane filled with blood-red liquid, looking crystal clear and luscious.