TWP 16: Need

Lin You maintained a calm expression as he met his gaze, while his hands searched the ground for anything that could serve as a weapon.

But to Lin You’s surprise, Cole did not do anything.

He simply sat up, adjusting his pants, his gaze shifting from Lin You to the valley behind him—a valley teeming with zombies.

As his golden-yellow pupils constricted, Lin You suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head. He instinctively hissed, drawing Cole’s attention, but he remained oblivious, momentarily lost in the pain.

“Alright,” Cole said lightly, standing up, though the soreness in his lower body made him frown.

It seemed he hadn’t gained much from this encounter.

Seeing that Cole truly had no intention of doing anything to him, Lin You redirected his focus to the three people at the bottom of the valley and the horde of zombies.

The zombies had originally been stationary, but under Cole’s control, they turned around in confusion, one after another, dispersing in the opposite direction.

As the bodies gradually moved away, the magnificent beauty of the valley slowly revealed itself. Aside from the brutally torn corpses along the riverbank and the lingering stench of decay, from a distance, one could hardly discern the horror of the scene.

Ironically, the loss of that heavy, massive bridge only served to highlight the natural beauty of the valley.

“Do you see this beautiful scenery, honey?” Cole quietly approached him from behind, his hand gently stroking the edge of Lin You’s neck, where the shackles that Reid had placed on him were located. “Beneath this beautiful valley lie countless buried bones, the secrets those lives represent—this is your purpose.”

He paused for a moment before continuing, “Right now, no one outside knows that Reid’s virus has leaked. You know how to destroy Reid. Reid has always believed that only the dead can keep secrets and will never spread the virus.”

Cole guessed who had blown up the bridge. “But… what significance does this hold for you, honey?”

“Don’t say ‘we.’ Reid and I have never been on the same side.”

“And to achieve a goal, sacrifices are inevitable,” Lin You said slowly. “Whether this goal is defined by others as ‘justice’ or ‘evil,’ it ultimately comes down to the fact that one can only evaluate or consider it when it does not affect their own interests.”

“Only those who are detached can speak so lightly.”

“But this time, this sacrifice also includes me.” Lin You looked calmly at the distant valley. “So, I will not sit idly by.”

“…Well said.” Cole chuckled lightly.

“Stop pretending to be an outsider; in fact, this sacrifice originally included you as well. If you were smart enough, you should think about what my conversation with Matthew represented.” Lin You silently reached for his neck, brushing aside Cole’s hand. “You think you’re important or powerful, but you’ve always just been an accessory to the virus. It’s not a pity, but it won’t cost Reid his life.”

“And I, in fact, am the same. This is why we might be abandoned by Reid.”

“If you don’t want to die, you should think carefully about how to take the initiative.”

As he finished speaking, he tightly grasped the silver cross pendant around his neck.

That was the only memento left between him and his sister, Lin Yi.

In the city where they once lived, Lin Yi had also held his hand, gazing into the distance at that bridge.

And they firmly believed that by crossing that bridge to the vibrant New World City, they would find hope for life there.

The mirage of urban splendor gave the two children an unrealistic fantasy.

In the end, he was forced to remain on one side of the bridge, trapped in that magnificent cage, becoming a slave to the beneficiaries of capitalism, while his sister…

Lin You shook his head, trying to detach himself from the memory, but the light of hope in the girl’s eyes lingered in his mind, refusing to fade.

The bridge that once symbolized hope was ultimately shattered under the drive of profit.

They both knew who was behind the explosion that seemed to target them.

“I know, I’ve always known, but you can use me as you wish. No matter what your stance is, I will stand by your side, honey.”

“What I want has never been much, at least not in your eyes, honey.”

“Why? If you only need my blood, then this sacrifice is too great; I can’t trust you.”

“Because I want to possess you, more completely.” Cole’s gaze was intense, as if it could pierce through him, “You may not understand, Lin You.”

“Yes, perhaps I don’t understand. Sometimes, I think giving up on cooperating with you might be a better choice. Just like earlier, I don’t need a pervert who wants me to lick him whenever he’s in a good or bad mood. Even if having you around makes things more convenient, it’s still the same.”

“But you can’t escape from me; you don’t have the ability, and you need me.”

Lin You did not respond and had not looked at Cole even once. He simply crouched down, searching the rock wall for a moment before finding a point to push down to the ground, where he would meet up with Xia Zuo and the others.

“Lin You, be careful!” Xia Zuo suddenly shouted at him.

Lin You turned his head, and a foul stench hit him; it was a zombie with half its brain sliced off, originally aiming to pounce on Lin You. However, its mouth, which had opened wide, suddenly closed again, its murky white eyes seemingly oblivious to Lin You as it turned and brushed past him.

In that moment, as Lin You turned his head, he locked eyes with Cole, who stood high above.

In that instant, Lin You felt that Cole was right; he suddenly realized he was no different from those zombies he controlled, looking up at him.

Cole stood atop the rocks, his honey-colored curls softly draping over his neck, the lower half of his face hidden by an iron ring, giving him an air of distant mystery and subtle fear. His golden eyes were lowered, like a forgotten deity statue in a desolate church.

Standing in the dim and murky dawn light, Cole was both beautiful and aloof.

Lin You was lost in thought, suddenly realizing he was not Cole’s master.

Perhaps he never was.

“Lin You! Come here!”

Kaila grabbed Lin You’s arm and pulled him toward them, interrupting his thoughts.

“You can only trust me because you need me, Lin You.” Cole called down to him, “They crave your flesh and blood; only I can control them.”

“My life is also in your hands; we are a community of fate, Lin You. You cannot abandon me; you cannot act as if… you don’t care about me.”

Vivian and Kaila exchanged glances but still raised their guns toward Cole, who stood above them on the rock wall.

Lin You reached out to press down their guns, turning his gaze to Cole, softly calling, “Cole, come here.”

Cole blinked, as if he were a dog called by its master.

Lin You had never seen Cole hide his anxiety and caution beneath a calm facade like this, as if he were waiting for the mercy of a savior.

Just as he had told Cole.

“Because of your desire for me, your body and heart will become my captives.”

He had succeeded.

This was the first step in controlling the demon; Lin You was clever, and as long as he caught a whiff of a chance to gain more complete control over Cole, he would not let it slip away.

“Cole, come here, because I need you.”

Cole moved, and upon hearing Lin You’s affirmative call, his eyes slowly turned, revealing an extremely excited smile.

Because Cole’s emotions shifted too rapidly, Lin You felt a bit uneasy.

“Cole, don’t make me call you a third time; come here.”

“Okay, honey.”

A gust of wind blew, and Cole quickly reached Lin You’s side, even playfully barking twice in his ear.

“Don’t abandon me, honey.” Cole lowered his eyelids, preventing Lin You from seeing the emotions in his eyes. “I will behave very well.”

As Cole spoke, he raised his head, glancing at the approaching zombies. The murky, grayish eyes of the zombies shifted direction, ultimately turning back and leaving the way they had come.

“Am I behaving well? Can I have a reward?” Cole asked softly, holding Lin You close.

Lin You shifted his gaze, glancing at him. “If you liked the reward from earlier, I can give it to you as many times as you want.”

Cole shrugged, affectionately resting his chin on Lin You’s head, whispering in a voice only Lin You could hear,

“I liked that part earlier.”