Chapter 448 - 60 - Injured guy

The factory looked as though the forest had been slowly swallowing it for years. Thick vines crawled over the walls and hung from the broken windows, while weeds pushed through cracks in the concrete around the entrance. Parts of the old sign above the door were barely visible beneath the layers of moss and greenery.

Chen slowed as he approached, still carrying Skyy securely on his back. His attention immediately went to the entrance.

The door was wide open.

That alone made him cautious.

Then he noticed the blood.

A few dark splatters stained the concrete just inside the entrance, with some smaller drops trailing farther into the building.

Chen frowned and carefully shifted his weight so Skyy wouldn't slip. He stepped closer and lowered one foot onto the blood.

It smeared beneath his boot.

Fresh.

His expression tightened.

Someone had been here recently, and judging by the blood, they were injured.

Chen looked deeper into the dark factory. He couldn't see anyone, but that didn't mean no one was there. Whoever had left the blood could still be hiding somewhere inside, and Chen didn't know whether they were human, injured, or something much worse.

For a moment, he considered turning around.

Staying in a building with an unknown person inside wasn't exactly a safe choice. But when he glanced back toward the forest, the remaining daylight was already disappearing between the trees. Darkness would settle over the area soon, and wandering around with Skyy on his back in an unfamiliar forest wasn't any safer.

They needed shelter.

Chen let out a quiet sigh.

"Hopefully, whoever is inside isn't looking for trouble."

He tightened his hold beneath Skyy's legs and walked through the entrance.

The inside of the factory was much larger than he had expected. It seemed to have once been some kind of production facility, with long rows of machinery running through the middle of the building. Conveyor belts stretched between rusted metal frames, large pipes ran along the ceiling, and several enormous machines stood silent beneath layers of dust and vines.

Plants had forced their way through almost every opening they could find. Thick roots curled around the machinery, while green leaves spilled over broken platforms and hung from the ceiling. Rust covered nearly every metal surface, giving the entire place the appearance of something that had been abandoned for decades.

Skyy lifted his head from Chen's shoulder, his eyes moving from one strange machine to another.

"What are those things?" he whispered curiously. ℴ

"Machines," Chen answered.

Skyy continued staring.

"What kind?"

"They used to produce stuff. Things like chips and chocolate."

Skyy's eyes widened slightly. "Chocolate?"

Chen glanced sideways at him. "Yeah."

He couldn't help wondering why that was the part Skyy had focused on.

To be honest, Chen himself had never actually seen a factory like this before. He had only heard about them and seen smaller production facilities inside the base. His uncle Murong had one at the base that produced bread, but that was much smaller and far more modern than this abandoned place.

Skyy continued looking around with obvious curiosity, his arms still loosely wrapped around Chen's shoulders as he was carried deeper into the factory.

"So this place made food?"

"Some food and some other stuff as well."

"Can we find chocolate?"

Chen stared ahead for a moment. "We're here to find somewhere safe to sleep."

"So that's a no?"

Chen sighed. "This place was abandoned years ago and the food here are probably rotten so That's a no."

Skyy seemed disappointed, but he didn't argue. He simply rested his chin against Chen's shoulder again and continued looking around as they moved farther into the dark factory.

Chen, meanwhile, kept his eyes moving across the shadows.

The blood at the entrance bothered him.

Whoever had been injured had come inside.

And they were still somewhere in this building.

Chen eventually found a corner room with a sturdy-looking door that was still intact. The hinges appeared to be in good condition, and unlike most of the factory, the room itself had not been completely overtaken by vegetation. It seemed like a reasonable place to spend the night.

He carefully lowered Skyy from his back and helped him stand before positioning himself slightly in front of him.

"If I tell you to run, you run, okay?" Chen said, looking back at him.

Skyy bit his lip anxiously and glanced toward the dark corridor behind them.

"But…"

"No buts." Chen's voice became firmer. "You listen to what I say. I can't have you running around and getting bitten again."

The memory of the zombie bite was still fresh enough to make his expression tighten.

Skyy pouted slightly but eventually nodded.

"Okay."

Chen gave him one last look to make sure he understood before turning toward the door.

He slowly approached it, keeping his gun ready. He placed one hand against the handle and paused for a moment, listening.

It was silent inside.

Chen pushed the door open.

The room appeared to have once been some kind of manager's office. An old desk sat against one wall, covered in dusty papers and yellowed documents. A few overturned chairs were scattered across the floor, and several cabinets stood with their doors hanging open. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust, but at first glance, there was nothing particularly suspicious.

Chen scanned the room carefully before motioning for Skyy to follow.

"Stay close."

Skyy nodded and stepped inside.

Chen moved farther in, his attention shifting toward a small storage room tucked into the corner. The door was partially closed.

Something about it immediately caught his attention.

The blood.

A dark smear ran across the door, with several fresh droplets scattered across the floor nearby.

Chen's expression hardened.

It was the same fresh blood he had seen at the factory entrance.

Someone had come through here recently.

He raised his gun and approached the storage room slowly. Every step was careful and deliberate as he kept his eyes fixed on the narrow gap beneath the door.

There was movement inside.

Chen's grip tightened around the weapon.

He pushed the door open.

A thin man was huddled inside, pressed into the smallest corner of the room. His arms were wrapped tightly around his chest, and his entire body trembled when the door swung open. His face was pale, and his eyes widened in fear when he saw the gun pointed toward him.

Chen immediately looked him over.

"Are you bitten?"

The man flinched and pushed himself farther into the corner as if he could somehow disappear into the wall.

"I asked you if you're bitten!" Chen demanded. "Answer me!"

"I-I'm not bitten!" the man stammered quickly. "I'm not bitten. P-please… please don't shoot me."

He hurriedly raised one arm as though trying to prove his words.

Chen's eyes immediately fell on the injury.

A deep, long slash ran across the man's arm, the skin around it still stained with fresh blood. It looked painful enough to make the man's hand shake.

"I was attacked," the man whispered, his voice trembling. "it isn't a bite."