Chapter 175: Amputation

Inside a circular hall that can easily accommodate over a hundred people.

Xin Ping lay flat on a long table, still unconscious, with seven or eight people standing around him, all looking like students.

An elderly man with white hair sat at the side of the long table, carefully observing Xin Ping's left hand.

This hand was tightly bound, from palm to elbow almost no skin visible, while the exposed fingertips were clearly blackened.

Seeing this, anyone would feel a chill in their heart.

"Has Ma Fei not arrived yet?" the old man asked without looking up, speaking softly.

This voice sounded very kind; if Chen Mu, Dong Junwei, and the others were present, they would surely recognize it as that of Shi Yuanjun, the current principal of Ziwei High School.

But if one only saw him face‑to‑face, nobody in the school would believe that this principal, originally just over fifty, could have become so aged in an instant.

Shi Yuanjun once had the gentle bearing of a scholar, well‑proportioned and full of spirit, but after the apocalypse he aged into this state within days—now emaciated, slow‑moving, and even standing is difficult.

Yet the students present still looked to him for guidance.

Song Yu stood to one side.

Although Shi Yuanjun's question wasn't directed at anyone in particular, he still answered voluntarily: "Ma Fei lives on the 11th floor; coming down takes a moment—I've already sent someone to urge him."

Before Shi Yuanjun could speak, a lanky male student snorted: "I think some people are just waiting for Xin Ping to die."

Song Yu seemed not to hear the remark, continuing to stand respectfully beside Shi Yuanjun.

Seeing that Song Yu didn't respond, that person also felt a bit bored.

Shi Yuanjun still didn't lift his head, merely sighed and said gently: "With many people, conflicts are inevitable, but we share the same goal—there's no need to spoil harmony over trifles. Xiao Song, urge Ma Fei again."

"Yes."

Song Yu bowed his head, then gave a glance to the girl beside him; she nodded slightly and closed her eyes.

After just a minute or two, hurried footsteps came from above the hall.

The hall was surrounded by windows providing ample light; in the center stood a thick pillar, around which a spiral staircase wound upward.

Ma Fei, who had once unlocked Yangbu'an's restraints, hurried over.

"Principal."

"Ma Fei, come take a look at Xin Ping."

"Yes."

Ma Fei walked to the long table, saw Xin Ping on the brink of death, froze for a moment, then looked at Song Yu.

Song Yu gave a slight nod.

Only then did Ma Fei step forward.

"See if we can get that iron hoop off his hand," Shi Yuanjun said, his breath unsteady; his sentences grew longer, the final words dropping to a murmur that was sometimes hard to hear.

But Ma Fei understood what had happened as soon as he saw the scene.

"Looks like stainless steel? Should be fine."

Ma Fei lifted Xin Ping's left hand and saw thin streams of blackish blood seeping out, accompanied by a foul stench that made one want to vomit.

Although he and Xin Ping weren't on good terms ordinarily, seeing him in this state still tugged at his conscience.

"How did it get like this?"

"We'll talk about that later; first we need to save him."

"Yeah, but I need someone to help me," Ma Fei said.

"I'll do it."

The lanky male student who had just mocked Song Yu volunteered.

"After softening, these iron rings will become elastic; then we take them off one by one—remember not to loosen your grip midway, or they might snap back and crush the hand."

"Got it," the boy replied, rather impatiently.

The two began working together, removing the iron hoops from Xin Ping's left hand one by one.

Others, curious, unconsciously moved closer to watch.

Yet the sight before them made many feel uneasy.

"Ugh…"

Several girls hastily turned away, covering their mouths.

The arm that had been trapped for over a day was now utterly inhuman—skin rotted, flesh a bloody mess—and as soon as the iron hoops were removed, black, foul‑smelling pus and blood gushed out, unstoppable.

Even Xin Ping, still unconscious, let out a groan.

Ma Fei endured the discomfort and helped remove the final hoop.

He too got his hands covered in blood.

He picked up the stainless‑steel ring, turned it over in his hand instinctively, felt a vague familiarity, wiped away a few bloodstains, and immediately thought of someone.

Last time, Yangbu'an's hands and feet were also bound by this lightweight stainless steel.

But that person meant no harm to Yangbu'an—it was merely like handcuffs keeping him from moving; if Xiao Yang ended up like Xin Ping…

Ma Fei dared not think further, sighed, and said:

"Let's bandage it."

"No need," a girl who had been standing beside the table suddenly said.

"Why?"

"It's useless now—amputate it," the girl said coldly.

"If we amputate, he'll be ruined!"

The lanky male student let out a low‑voiced roar; though he dared to openly mock Song Yu, he never dared to speak harshly to that girl, only able to express his dissatisfaction this way.

"Amputation would ruin him, but not amputating means death—you decide for him."

The lanky male student agonized for a while, then slammed his fist onto the long table.

Soon.

That female student had people carry Xin Ping out of the hall.

Outside, the sun was shining brightly.

But a bloody surgery was about to begin.

Indoors.

Including Song Yu, no one moved.

Shi Yuanjun looked at the dispirited Liang Yan and gave a gentle smile: "Xiao Liang, tell everyone what happened."

Liang Yan rushed back to Qingbei nonstop, finally sending Xin Ping back intact before the capsule failed; he was already exhausted, but he also knew that if he didn't make things clear, he definitely couldn't rest.

"Principal, do you still remember when Yi Zhong suddenly attacked a storage room last time?"

"Hmm." Shi Yuanjun nodded: "Is the newly discovered No. 9 survivor gathering point something you and Xin Ping were responsible for monitoring?"

"Yes, we started from noon the next day, setting up camp at a high point, taking turns to monitor, not daring to relax."

"How did it end up like this?" the tall, thin male student asked angrily.

Shi Yuanjun said: "Tong Bin, don't interrupt."

The tall, thin male student named Tong Bin, fuming, stopped speaking.

Liang Yan, however, seemed afraid to offend him, and explained to Tong Bin: "We've been monitoring for several days; those people never came out, so we also don't know how many there are, but judging by the situation, the storage room should have plenty of food supplies."

"But just a few days later, a man and a woman suddenly walked out."

"Oh?"

"What I mean is we should hurry back to report, then let the organization decide the next move, but Xin Ping insisted on following those two."

"If that's really the case, then it's not your fault."