Chapter 37.2 Code G（1）
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The office remained the same, but there was a new group of clients on the sofa. However, this time when Lin Zhaohe entered, he noticed that everyone on the sofa was dressed in military uniforms, suggesting their special status.
He suppressed his smile and called out, “Boss.”
Zhuang Lao slightly raised his chin, gesturing for Lin Zhaohe to sit.
“Mr. Zhuang, I wonder if you can accept our terms,” spoke a capable-looking woman with short hair.
Zhuang Lao didn’t look at her. His gaze fell on the person beside her.
It was a silent young man also dressed in a military uniform. His hat was pulled low, almost covering half of his face. Only his chin, where a menacing scar crossed his face, could faintly be seen, giving a slightly intimidating impression.
The woman seemed to be particularly concerned about this person’s attitude as she spoke, occasionally pausing to observe his reactions.
Lin Zhaohe could sense that this person had an extraordinary identity.
“I still need to consider,” Zhuang Lao said. “What is your deadline?”
The woman glanced at her watch. “Before 5 PM this afternoon.”
Zhuang Lao replied, “I will give you our answer in two hours.”
“Very well, Mr. Zhuang,” the woman said. “I hope you will give it serious thought.”
“I will.”
With a smile, the woman stood up, bid farewell to Zhuang Lao, and left with the man by her side.
As Zhuang Lao watched them depart, the smile on his face faded.
It had been a while since Lin Zhaohe had seen Zhuang Lao wear such a grave expression, and it made him feel uneasy. “Boss, what’s the matter? Is it something serious?”
Zhuang Lao: “Have you seen the ‘Code’ series?”
Lin Zhaohe was startled. “No way…”
Zhuang Lao: “Yes.”
The ‘Code’ series of movies was incredibly famous, and it could be said that almost every young person of Lin Zhaohe’s generation had watched them.
This movie could be considered the pioneer of zombie films, and it was a wildly popular film series. When it was released worldwide, it effortlessly claimed the title of the highest-grossing film of that year. If such a work were to merge with reality…
Thinking about the exaggerated and terrifying zombies from the movie, Lin Zhaohe instantly felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. “Has it been confirmed?”
“Yes,” Zhuang Lao replied. “The fusion zones have appeared.” He pointed to the tablet computer on the table. “In the areas we previously visited, the fusion level is classified as A.”
Lin Zhaohe: “When did they appear?”
“Three days ago.”
“Then we’re in deep trouble,” Lin Zhaohe said. The fusion zones weren’t far from where they lived, and if the virus were truly released from those areas… they wouldn’t be able to escape. The true apocalypse would be right at their doorstep. “What should we do?”
Zhuang Lao: “There’s still a chance for salvation. The plot in the movies hasn’t fully unfolded yet. The virus just broke out in C City. If we can contain the spread of the virus before it goes beyond C City, we still have a chance.”
Lin Zhaohe: “That sounds like something the protagonist should do.”
“Exactly,” Zhuang Lao agreed. “But the protagonist failed.”
Lin Zhaohe sighed. “If the protagonist hadn’t failed, there wouldn’t have been subsequent films!”
“People outside are currently attempting to establish contact with the government inside the fusion zones, and they have succeeded.” He added, “They will send people there soon.”
“Why are they coming to us?”
“We have a few clients who live in the fusion zones. So they sent someone to ask if we could also send a few people to assist and ensure the mission’s success.”
Lin Zhaohe hadn’t expected Zhuang Lao to have cooperation with the authorities. Judging from the woman’s attitude, she held Zhuang Lao’s opinions in high regard and showed no intention of forcing him.
Lin Zhaohe: “Should we go?”
Zhuang Lao pondered and asked, “What do you think?”
After some consideration, Lin Zhaohe replied, “Let’s go. If we fail, the worst outcome is dying inside. But if we don’t go and they fail, we won’t survive either.”
Zhuang Lao: “That’s true. I’ll have the supplies prepared, and we’ll depart tonight.”
Lin Zhaohe nodded, ready to go home and gather essential items. Just as he was about to leave, Zhuang Lao suddenly said, “Wait.”
“What is it, boss?” Lin Zhaohe turned back and asked.
“If we go, they will also assign some people. There might be some individuals who are quite special… Of course, I’ll accompany you as well,” Zhuang Lao said. “Is that alright with you?”
Lin Zhaohe assured him that it was no problem. He found it strange that his boss would ask such a question. It seemed normal for them to be accompanied by people from the other side. Why did Zhuang Lao suddenly give him this reminder? Lin Zhaohe was puzzled and asked, “How special are these people?”
Zhuang Lao pondered for a moment but didn’t share his thoughts with Lin Zhaohe. He waved his hand, signaling for him to go back.
So, in the afternoon, Lin Zhaohe, carrying his luggage, boarded the armored vehicle bound for Fusion Zone A.
Inside the vehicle, there were familiar faces from the company as well as some unfamiliar ones, presumably the people Zhuang Lao had mentioned.
“Brother Lin,” unexpectedly, Lin Zhaohe encountered someone who knew Jiang Guan. Qin Xu greeted him with a smile. “What a coincidence.”
Lin Zhaohe: “Indeed, a coincidence.”
“It’s quite a coincidence,” a colleague sitting behind Qin Xu chuckled and said, “Xiao He, long time no see.”
“Oh, you’re here too,” Lin Zhaohe responded. “Yu Zhuqi, long time no see. Did you strike it rich somewhere? Haven’t seen you in ages.”
Yu Zhuqi was an experienced employee of the company, just as well-known as Lin Zhaohe. However, while Lin Zhaohe was renowned for his ability to negotiate higher salaries, Yu Zhuqi’s fame came from his exceptional combat skills.
Regardless of the weapon, Yu Zhuqi could wield it to great effect. He seemed to be proficient in every tool, to the point where there were rumors of him operating aircraft carriers. People in the company had speculated whether he had emerged from some fictional realm, but he never admitted it. Others couldn’t confirm either since novels were different from movies. The descriptions in novels were somewhat flat, making it impossible to directly compare them to real faces.
Yu Zhuqi joined the company around the same time as Lin Zhaohe, and they had a good relationship. There was a period of time when they both disappeared from the company due to some unknown assignment. Lin Zhaohe had been worried if something had happened to him, but now he was unexpectedly summoned back by Zhuang Lao.
It seemed that the situation this time was indeed very dangerous.
There were also some unfamiliar faces in the vehicle, and Lin Zhaohe didn’t know them. There was no indication of anyone introducing themselves, and the atmosphere felt slightly somber.
After a while, three more people entered the vehicle. They were Zhuang Lao, the protagonist of “Code G,” and a man with half of his face covered by a triangular bandage. Lin Zhaohe looked at the man’s face and had a feeling of familiarity, but he couldn’t recall where he had seen him before. He wasn’t someone who liked to trouble his mind, so he simply dismissed the thought.
“Because it’s uncertain if the maps in the movie match the Fusion Zone,” Zhuang Lao explained. “I asked Jiang Guan to bring Qin Xu here.”
“How far has the plot progressed?” someone in the crowd asked.
“The virus has already spread to C City,” Zhuang Lao replied. “The protagonist received a mission to extract antibodies from the research center and transport them back to the C City Center for widespread aerial spraying…”
“In the movie, she failed, right?” Yu Zhuqi remarked.
“That’s right,” Zhuang Lao confirmed.
“Why did I fail?” suddenly, the protagonist, a stunningly beautiful woman named Catherine, with her blonde hair and blue eyes, dressed in combat gear, questioned. According to Zhuang Lao, she had entered the real world less than a week ago and apparently struggled to accept that she was just a character from a movie. “There is no reason for this mission to fail.”
“Because someone doesn’t want you to succeed,” Lin Zhaohe said. “You obtained the antibodies, but they were fake…”
Catherine frowned. “How could they be fake?”
Lin Zhaohe shrugged. “It’s for the sake of the plot.”
Catherine fell silent, her expression turning gloomy. Clearly, every character from the fictional world experienced some discomfort when realizing that their actions were merely part of a plot.
Your life, every choice you made, all your relatives, friends, and the suffering and pain you encountered—everything was just entertainment for others. No one could fully accept all of this without any resentment.
“Enough about that,” Yu Zhuqi interjected. “Let’s focus on how to proceed.”
Although they had made contact with the government inside the Fusion Zone, they couldn’t fully trust them since they were products of the movie. Additionally, due to the issue of fusion levels, significant changes were bound to occur inside.
“I need to remind everyone,” Yu Zhuqi said. “This is a global movie, and the intensity of the zombies inside may be higher than we can imagine. Even up until the last moment, no one should let their guard down.”
“Understood,” someone in the crowd scoffed, likely a mercenary from another country based on their complexion. They spoke unskilled Chinese and said, “We already know the plot, so what unexpected things could happen?”
Yu Zhuqi coldly glanced at them. “Let’s hope that’s the case.”
Lin Zhaohe wasn’t particularly interested in their interaction. He took out his phone and started playing a game. The studio had released a dozen new levels tonight, and he hadn’t cleared them yet.
“Have you been practicing with your gun lately?” Yu Zhuqi asked Lin Zhaohe.
“Of course, I have,” Lin Zhaohe replied without looking up. “Just the other day, I took down several enemies.”
“Impressive,” Yu Zhuqi chuckled. “I still remember when you first joined the company, you were completely powerless…”
Lin Zhaohe: “Thanks to your help.” He had become a skilled magical girl.
Indeed, he had to thank Yu Zhuqi. Zhuang Lao specifically asked Yu Zhuqi to teach Lin Zhaohe marksmanship. He learned quickly and always believed that someday he would put those skills to use. Little did he know that the day had actually arrived. He wondered if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
The armored vehicle traveled at a steady pace, and after about two hours, they arrived at the A-level Fusion Zone.
As soon as they arrived, a nauseating stench filled the air, reminiscent of decaying meat in high temperatures. The smell alone made one’s stomach churn.
Lin Zhaohe silently put on the prepared gas mask. He remembered passing through this area before, and there was no such odor back then.
“Why can’t they just seal off this area? Are they so incompetent?” someone in the crowd impatiently asked.
“Who’s going to seal it off? You?” Qin Xu snapped. “Do you think this is some trashy B-movie? Don’t you know how popular this film series is? Stop talking nonsense…”
As soon as those words were spoken, a tense atmosphere filled the air, but everyone held back from erupting.
In these times, everyone had their own struggles, and it was normal for tempers to flare. However, no one owed anyone anything. If someone wanted to be respected, they had to earn it themselves. At least the people around Zhuang Lao were not ordinary individuals. They wouldn’t easily give anyone face.
“That’s enough,” the military woman who organized the operation coldly interrupted them. “You didn’t come here to argue. Speak less and act more!”
The group reluctantly quieted down.
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