Jing Shu's lips curved into a faint, cool smile as she watched their faces pale under the flickering office lights. "Or you could all head back to the warehouse you were in."
"No, no, this is great. There're electric lights, it's warm, and there's no stench. It's comfortable. Thank you, Jing Shu, for letting us stay in the office area," Wang Chao said at once, his bound hands gesturing frantically at the clean surroundings. "Didn't you see her pull? Several families came earlier, said a few words, and left. None of them got anyone brought out. Being here to wait for the result's already a win."
"Yeah, it's a thousand times better than inside," Liang Xin whispered, her gaze lingering on the sturdy walls that kept the warehouse's misery at bay.
Heavy footsteps sounded on the hard tile floor. Li Bailong strode over, the holster at his hip creaking, and spoke to Jing Shu. "The decision from above's here. It took a lot of discussion, and they finally steeled themselves to make the call."
At that, Zhang Lingling's knees buckled and she dropped to the floor with a wet slap. A wave of foul smell spread from under her as her bladder failed in a moment of pure terror. She's terrified, her breath coming in short, shallow hitches. She'd heard the rumor today that this whole group would be executed. Was it coming true now?
"I know you've friends here and are anxious for the result, so I came to tell you first," Li Bailong continued, his expression staying professional. "A total purge isn't the policy, but we can't indulge villains either. Do wrong and you bear the cost."
Nima broke into fresh sobs, shoulders shaking as he hid his face in his hands. So it'd come to this after all.
Everyone held their breath, the silence in the office turning oppressive.
Li Bailong stopped in front of Jing Shu and delivered the terms clearly, his voice echoing. "First, all virtual coins involved are confiscated. Second, following the principles of no waste and reaping what you sow, every person's got to eat the number of patties they sold, proportional to their profits, before leaving the Second Detachment. There're still tens of thousands in stock. There's no point wasting our own grain to feed you. You made the patties. You eat them. Perfect."
He let out a sharp laugh, clearly pleased with the outcome. The people in front of him couldn't laugh at all. Their faces went slack, their eyes glazing over. Before, they'd eaten those patties without knowing what was inside. Now that they knew those things could cause an incurable zombie disease, who'd still eat them?
"Here's the list," he added, tapping a digital tablet. "Zhang Lingling eats three hundred patties. The others eat fifty each. Finish the lot and you can go. Don't worry. Since you sold them so happily, you should eat some yourselves. The chance of catching the zombie disease is low. One in a hundred per patty. Even with fifty, the odds're only about half. Then again, who knows. Some ate them daily and never caught it. Some ate one and did."
They collapsed like dominoes, their shackled limbs tangling together. It wasn't a death sentence from above, but being forced to eat those patties felt no different from being sent to die.
"There's no other way?" Shi Lei cried, his glasses sliding down his sweat slick nose. "We really didn't do it on purpose. I didn't even know it'd cause this."
"Do wrong, face consequences," Li Bailong said sternly, gaze narrowing. "You're an adult. You've got to learn that."
Then he turned to Jing Shu, his voice dropping a little. "I already spoke with Captain Li. If you speak up, they'll give you this courtesy. Hand over some medicines from the Medicinal Herb Association, and these people can leave immediately. It's more valuable than punishing them."
One moment they thought they're doomed. The next, the person in charge said Jing Shu could save them.
"Jing Shu, I was wrong. Save me. Give them your medicines, please. Be merciful. How can I eat three hundred patties? Even if I ate them daily, it'd take months. I'll definitely get the zombie disease," Zhang Lingling cried, tossing pride aside as she crawled toward Jing Shu's boots. When life was on the line, who cared about face?
"Save us. We don't want to die."
Jing Shu didn't move a muscle, posture relaxed. One brow lifted slightly. The mood swing was ridiculous. A moment ago they're saying she had no ability and that they had to wait for Su Mali. Now they're changing tunes faster than flipping a page.
"I had no eyes to see your worth. Jing Shu, I really don't want to eat that stuff. Let us out," they begged, voices rising into a desperate chorus.
Pigeon soup wasn't going to reach her mouth at this rate. She clicked her tongue at the delay. "It's not that I refuse to help, but this was handed to Su Mali. Wait for her to arrive and we'll see." Those medicines were precious, earned with her own contribution points. She wasn't willing to give them up lightly.
Hate flashed through Zhang Lingling's eyes, sharp and bitter. "I know you just don't want to save me. Seeing me like this must make you happy. There's no way you'd save me. Su Mali will save me. She definitely will."
She'd lost it, voice shrill and unstable.
Jing Shu took a few steps back, pulled a chair from a nearby desk, and sat down to rest. Li Bailong watched with an apologetic look. "You two don't seem to be friends."
"We're classmates with no real ties. Not my closest kin or anything that'd make me risk everything in the apocalypse. If they're truly innocent, maybe I'd consider it."
Blood mattered more than etiquette to her. For the people she cared about, she'd do whatever it took. For those she didn't, it depended on whether it was worth the cost, especially in a world ruled by interests.
Su Mali arrived with four bodyguards, their heavy boots announcing them. She wore a snow white little cape draped elegantly over a goose yellow raincoat dress that shimmered under the office lights. She looked like a princess and carried herself like one, chin lifted and expression serene. The contrast with Jing Shu in her plain black raincoat couldn't've been sharper.
The classmates burst into fresh tears of relief at the sight of her. Jing Shu'd disappointed them. Finally, someone reliable was here.
"Save me, Su Mali. Only you can save me."
After Xia Liu recounted the situation in detail, Jing Shu nodded. "That's accurate."
"We're really innocent," Shi Lei pleaded, hands trembling.
Everyone thought Su Mali would nod and pull strings to get them out. She was kind. She cared about her classmates. Surely she'd help.
No one expected her first words. "You didn't kill Boren, yet Boren died because of you. You are not wronged. I rushed here thinking your lives are in danger. Hearing what happened, I think the government handled it well. You planted the seeds. You should eat the fruit, which means eating those patties."
Jaws dropped all around as shocked silence fell over the group. This wasn't what they'd imagined.
"You're not the only ones with families and children," she continued, gaze sweeping over them. "You indirectly killed so many. How devastated do you think their families are?"
Jing Shu nodded. Sometimes her worldview lined up perfectly with Su Mali's.
Still, praise was a dangerous thing.
"Don't worry though. We're classmates. As classmates, you've got to accept the punishment. After you go home, if anyone gets sick, I'll find doctors to treat you. That's the goodwill of a classmate," Su Mali said solemnly.
Shi Lei cried harder, the sound echoing in the small room. "The medical cost will be huge. If the meat rots, it's got to be cut away. How much'll be cut away? Isn't that an even harsher punishment?"