AFTCKCTCKATD - Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Talk If You Need To, But Why Are You Holding Ji Yanqing’s Hand?

After giving his instructions and ensuring Feng Yimo absolutely wouldn’t leave without permission, Ji Yanqing finally closed his eyes. However, sleep didn’t come easily for the remainder of the night. He was plagued by the persistent feeling that Feng Yimo would vanish the moment he opened his eyes, the thought leaving a hollow ache in his chest.

The following day, Ji Yanqing rose with the first hint of dawn. Without waking Ji An and Ji Le, he gathered Xia Shen Shu and the others, who had also woken early. They planned to scout the city again, hoping to understand the previous night’s events.

Exiting through the bank’s back door, they heard voices carrying from afar—loud voices for this apocalyptic world, sounding like a heated argument. The noise originated from the area in front of the church.

Exchanging glances, Ji Yanqing and the others hurried towards the commotion. Rounding the corner, they spotted Hei Long’s entire group gathered in the open space before the church. Ji Yanqing held back, observing from a distance.

All one hundred and fifty members of Hei Long’s group were present, each with a backpack and luggage, standing outside the church. A portion of the group was already heading towards the alleyway facing the church. It seemed a fight had broken out amongst them.

Hei Long and his second-in-command seemed to have just had a stand-off. The fight had just ended, with the second-in-command victorious. Hei Long lay on the ground, bruised, bloodied, and with a nosebleed. The others watched with indifferent expressions, seemingly having sided with the victor. Behind Hei Long remained forty or fifty people, none armed. Apart from twenty or thirty men and women with grim faces, the rest were the injured and weak. Hei Long’s group had no children or elderly; so his “old, weak, sick, and disabled” were primarily those injured or in poor condition.

After delivering the beating, the second-in-command sneered, spat a few words, and turned towards the bridge, leading his followers across the river. The group moved swiftly, disappearing around the corner at the end of the street within minutes, leaving only footprints in their wake.

In the short time it took for Hei Long’s group to leave, Lu Qing and his people had also emerged, drawn by the commotion. Seeing the departing group, Lu Qing stepped forward. A moment later, Ji Yanqing followed.

Betrayed and stripped of their weapons and food by the treacherous second-in-command, the remaining members were left in a state of shock, anger, and bewilderment. “Sorry to have made you watch a spectacle,” Hei Long said, rising from the ground and dusting himself off as if nothing had happened. He dabbed at his nosebleed with a practiced air.

Seeing his composure, Lu Qing and Ji Yanqing refrained from further questions. After a few more inconsequential remarks, Hei Long led his abandoned followers back to the mobile phone shop.

The space before the church was once again deserted, save for the snow and footprints. Ji Yanqing, recalling the previous night’s bloodbath, turned to Lu Qing.

“What is it?” Lu Qing asked, puzzled.

“Did you do that last night?” Ji Yanqing asked directly.

Lu Qing wasn’t surprised by the question, but he was taken aback by Ji Yanqing’s directness. He shook his head. “No.”

“Then what do you think it was?” Ji Yanqing pressed.

“What do you think?” Lu Qing countered.

“An awakened zombie or a Corpse King,” Ji Yanqing replied. After a pause, he added, “We’re leaving soon.”

He had initially planned to leave the next morning, but now felt it was best to depart sooner rather than later. Whatever had caused the carnage last night was definitely not an ordinary zombie. The possibility of encountering ghosts was slim; the most likely culprits were awakened zombies or a Corpse King. Neither prospect was something they could currently handle.

“I’ll have someone escort you to the bridge later,” Lu Qing offered.

“No need, we’re not crossing the bridge,” Ji Yanqing declined.

Lu Qing was speechless.

Ji Yanqing nodded in acknowledgment and turned back towards the bank, intending to wake the others for breakfast and prepare for their departure. After a few steps, he paused and looked back at Lu Qing. “Are you sure you won’t come with us?”

The situation had changed. The town had once been safe, but now it potentially harbored an awakened zombie or a Corpse King.

Lu Qing remained silent, offering only a smile.

Ji Yanqing, without another word, turned and walked away. Just as he rounded the corner, still out of sight of the bank’s back door, a voice called out.

“Ji Yanqing!”

He turned to see Hei Long approaching, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Hei Long, with a makeshift paper plug stemming the blood flow from his nostril, jogged over and stopped before him. His second-in-command had shown no mercy; one of Hei Long’s eyes was visibly swollen and bruised, his lips were split and bleeding, and his nose appeared broken.

“What is it?” Ji Yanqing inquired.

Hei Long got straight to the point. “Have you considered joining my team?”

Ji Yanqing was momentarily stunned, wondering if he’d misheard.

Hei Long continued, “Look, you only have forty or fifty people. With so few, you’ll have no advantage once you cross the river. But if you join us, our group will have over a hundred.” He clapped Ji Yanqing on the shoulder with a generous air. “Don’t worry, you’ll be well rewarded. I can even make you my second-in-command.”

Hei Long’s expression was earnest, but his words left Ji Yanqing speechless with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. In a way, Hei Long was a truly remarkable character.

“No, we’re not planning to cross the river,” Ji Yanqing refused.

“Not crossing?” Hei Long was taken aback.

Ji Yanqing didn’t give him a chance to ask more questions, glancing at Xia Shen Shu and the others, who wore equally complex expressions. He headed towards the bank; they couldn’t stay here any longer.

“Are you really not going to consider it?” Hei Long persisted. “Second-in-command is my best offer!”

At the door, Ji Yanqing couldn’t help but glance back. Hei Long was indeed a unique individual.

“Bang!”

Just as Ji Yanqing was about to knock, a sudden, deafening explosion shattered the morning quiet. Everyone in the alley froze, then reacted simultaneously.

“A gunshot,” Xia Shen Shu stated.

“Sounds like it came from the bridge,” Lan Zi added.

“Was it that group from earlier?”

“Are they insane?”

While it was true that this town harbored fewer zombies than other places, “fewer” still meant tens of thousands. A single gunshot was akin to ringing the dinner bell for a horde of ravenous undead.

Ji Yanqing’s face hardened. He scanned his surroundings, settling on a building a short distance ahead on the right. With a running start, he leaped, grabbed the second-floor balcony, and swiftly climbed to the third.

His chosen vantage point was partially obstructed by several six and seven-story buildings, but gaps between them offered glimpses of the town. Ji Yanqing quickly found a suitable angle in the corridor and peered towards the bridge downstream. He could only see the bridgehead where a mass of people was frantically scrambling back, glancing over their shoulders as if pursued by something terrifying.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

A rapid volley of gunshots erupted from the bridgehead, the deafening sound echoing through the town.

“Ji Yanqing?” Xia Shen Shu called out from below, looking up.

Ji Yanqing was about to report that his view was blocked when an utterly grotesque creature emerged from between two buildings and onto the bridge, lumbering into his line of sight. It resembled a nightmarish fusion of an infant and a withered old man—completely hairless with a grotesquely oversized head like a baby’s, yet possessing the emaciated limbs and torso of an elder, ribs starkly visible. It moved in a perpetual crouch, its long, spindly arms tipped with what looked like razor-sharp claws. The creature stood two stories tall; fully upright, it might be even taller.

A chilling dread shot from the soles of Ji Yanqing’s feet to his scalp, making his hair prickle and his throat go dry. “It’s a Corpse King,” he choked out.

“What?” Xia Shen Shu and the others below froze, then panicked. Their previous encounters had only been with awakened zombies, powerful enough to send them fleeing in terror. Facing a Corpse King…

“It’s a Corpse King, heading towards the town. That group trying to cross the bridge—it’s found them,” Ji Yanqing yelled as he jumped down from the building.

Landing, he was about to give further instructions when he saw Hei Long, who just moments before had been trying to recruit him, sprinting away. He was so fast he vanished in the blink of an eye.

Ji Yanqing, momentarily speechless, quickly refocused on Xia Shen Shu and the others. “Gather everyone. Head to the woods.”

Xia Chen wasted no time, running back to alert those still asleep. Xia Shen Shu turned to follow, but Ji Yanqing stopped him. “Go warn Lu Qing and his group.” They were still unaware of the danger.

Xia Shen Shu glanced towards the church, then back at Ji Yanqing, and without hesitation, sprinted towards the church’s back entrance, gun in hand.

After dispatching Xia Shen Shu, Ji Yanqing raced towards the bank. Xia Chen had already reached the back door and was pounding on it. Inside, awakened by the commotion, several people scrambled to open the door as others stirred and looked towards the entrance.

“Mmm...” Ji Le blinked sleepily, glancing at the ceiling before turning towards the direction of the bridge. His gold-flecked eyes held a look of confusion and a flicker of displeasure.

“Ji Le, you’re awake?” Ji An, noticing his brother’s movements, scrambled up from the floor, worry etched on his face. He sat down, intending to emulate Ji Yanqing by stroking Ji Le’s head, which had been burning with fever. But as he looked into his brother’s sleepy golden eyes, he froze. For a fleeting moment, confusion clouded his mind, then a buzzing sensation filled his head, as if something had exploded within him upon seeing that golden hue. Instinctively, he turned towards the bridge—something malevolent was there. He didn’t feel fear, but a profound sense of rejection, as if something had trespassed onto his territory, and he was deeply displeased.

“Brother…” Ji Le mumbled, blinking sleepily. His eyes, now their usual dark hue, widened slightly as he noticed the gold in Ji An’s eyes. In the next instant, Ji An’s eyes returned to normal. A fleeting moment of bewilderment passed over Ji Le, but he dismissed it as Ji Yanqing strode towards them.

“Dad...” Ji Le’s sleepy voice was soft, weak, and tinged with childishness.

Seeing that Ji Le was awake, Ji Yanqing breathed a sigh of relief, but his movements remained urgent. He quickly grabbed a nearby backpack and slung it over his shoulder. “We’re leaving.”

Both Ji An and Ji Le, though still sleepy, instantly threw off their blankets and jumped to their feet, understanding the urgency in Ji Yanqing’s tone. They moved without hesitation, more efficiently than many of the adults in the room. Their swift obedience brought a pang of sadness to Ji Yanqing’s heart. They shouldn’t have to endure this.

“Let’s go!” Ji Yanqing said, turning back to see that everyone was ready. At his command, the group rushed out the door.

They were immediately met by a handful of zombies. Before Ji Yanqing could react, Feng Yimo swiftly dispatched them.

“Lead the way,” Ji Yanqing instructed, heading towards the front of the church. The entire town’s zombie population had been roused, rendering their previous entry route unsafe. Their vehicle was parked near the front of town, making this the quicker route.

The group sprinted through the alleyway and towards the church, where Lu Qing’s team stood armed, faces grim and uncertain. Lu Qing himself was nowhere to be seen.

“Run!” Ji Yanqing shouted without breaking stride, leading the group towards the main street in front of the church. As they rounded the corner, he glanced towards the mobile phone shop. It was empty; Hei Long and his group had already fled. For all his flaws, Hei Long was certainly quick to retreat.

Halfway down the street, a group of five or six zombies charged towards them. Ji Yanqing swung his axe without slowing, taking down two zombies as Feng Yimo dispatched another two. Xia Shen Shu and the others finished off the last one.

They encountered more zombies with every block they covered. Fortunately, they only encountered small groups, never more than seven or eight at a time.

Ten minutes later, the outskirts of town came into view. Just as they breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the woods where they had hidden their vehicle, a group of people came running towards them—Hei Long and his followers, faces panicked, sprinting back towards the town as if something terrifying was on their heels.

Rounding the corner, Hei Long collided with Ji Yanqing, his face lighting up with relief. “Are you short-handed?” he blurted out.

Ji Yanqing, about to ask what was happening, was taken aback by the question. “Yes,” he replied instinctively before realizing the absurdity of the situation. “What’s going on?”

“There’s another Corpse King outside the town, heading this way! Looks like a strength-type, in beast form!” Hei Long exclaimed, grabbing Ji Yanqing’s arm and pulling him back. “Boss, you can just call me Xiao Long from now on,” he added as they ran.

At the mention of another Corpse King, Ji Yanqing instinctively ran with Hei Long, quickly overtaking him. He finally registered the situation, looking at Hei Long, who was now jogging beside him with an ingratiating smile.

“Boss, what do we do now?” Hei Long asked anxiously, seemingly oblivious to the awkward transition from “Hei Long” to “Xiao Long”.

Ji Yanqing, momentarily speechless by Hei Long’s audacity, was about to pull his arm free when Feng Yimo abruptly stepped between them.

Talking is fine, but why was this guy holding Ji Yanqing’s hand?

Feng Yimo separated their clasped hands and ran to the front of the group.

Ji Yanqing grabbed Feng Yimo, preventing him from turning right. “This way,” he said, pulling him towards the church as his mind raced.

Hei Long’s shamelessness was easily explained; he was unarmed. While his group had some knives and sticks, those were useless against a Corpse King, and barely adequate against ordinary zombies.

Ignoring Hei Long, Ji Yanqing focused on the more pressing issue of the Corpse King.

A high-pitched shriek, like the cry of a siren, echoed from the bridge—beautiful yet chilling, filled with murderous intent and the thrill of the hunt. He glanced towards the bridge; the humanoid Corpse King had entered the town.

Before anyone could react, a bestial roar erupted from the grassy area beyond their parked vehicles.

“Roar!”

The two sounds, one from the front, one from the rear, drained the color from the faces of the group, who had been running for over ten minutes and were already winded.

“What’s going on? Are they going to fight each other?”

“I hope so!” Lan Zi exclaimed. A glimmer of hope appeared on everyone’s faces. If the two Corpse Kings fought, they might have a chance to escape. They had witnessed a similar scenario with Zhang Guxian; when two Corpse Kings clashed, they were too preoccupied to notice insignificant humans.

“Upstream!” Ji Yanqing shouted, changing direction and leading the group towards the upper part of town. With both Corpse Kings downstream, their only option was to head upstream. Otherwise, even if the Kings ignored them, they would be caught in the crossfire.

They reached the church. Lu Qing’s group was ready to go, backpacks on and weapons in hand. Lu Qing himself was excitedly filming the commotion with a tablet, his face flushed.

“There’s another Corpse King outside the town. Head upstream,” Ji Yanqing warned as they ran past.

Lu Qing immediately looked towards the town’s edge. He had heard the roar but hadn’t been certain. Now confirmed, he seemed eager for the spectacle. One of his older team members, heeding Ji Yanqing’s warning, led the rest of their group after him. Xiao Kang grabbed Lu Qing’s arm and pulled him along.

The group sprinted through the buildings towards the back of the town. The western part of the town, bordering the canal, was the dock area, filled with ships and large shipping containers that occupied almost half the area. Beyond the docks lay the old town.

As they reached the old town, gunshots rang out near the church; the humanoid Corpse King was closing in. They pressed on. Just as they were halfway through the old town, two strange, sharp, indescribable cries echoed from the town’s upper perimeter, one from the left, one from the right.

“Gaaaah...”

“Aaah...”

The chilling cries pierced the air, sending shivers down the spines of the fleeing group and making their already pounding hearts leap into their throats. Ji Yanqing signaled for the group of one hundred and twenty or so to halt. Despite their numbers, they obeyed with remarkable silence, the only sound being their collective panting breaths.

Ji Yanqing paused at the corner, listening intently. The two voices originated from ahead, one to the left and one to the right, effectively blocking their escape route upstream. If his hunch was correct, they were dealing with at least two awakened zombies. Ordinary zombies could make noises, but theirs were mindless groans and growls. These cries, however, while filled with chilling malice, held a distinct lack of frenzy. Only awakened zombies or Corpse Kings possessed such vocal control.

And their positioning suggested…

“Aaah!”

“Roar!”

Behind them, the piercing shriek of the humanoid Corpse King and the bestial roar of the other echoed through the streets. Ji Yanqing’s facial muscles twitched involuntarily. A deep sense of foreboding washed over him.

“They...” Lan Zi’s face paled.

“Are they going to fight?” Hei Long asked, glancing back.

“I have a bad feeling...” Xia Shen Shu muttered, his expression grim.

“Haha...” Lu Qing, still being dragged along, struggled to turn around, holding up his tablet in an attempt to capture footage of the approaching zombies. His eyes gleamed with manic excitement.

“They’re working together. Hunting us,” Ji Yanqing said grimly.

All eyes turned to him, filled with unease. Seeing the seriousness in his expression, their anxiety intensified. Despair was evident on the faces of many in Hei Long’s group, some on the verge of tears. Many had already suspected as much, but refused to accept or acknowledge the horrifying truth.

“Don’t joke around. Those are Corpse Kings. They wouldn’t cooperate. They always fight to the death when they meet,” Xia Chen protested, unwilling to believe it.

“This is the first I’ve heard of it...” Hei Long’s facial muscles twitched, making his already bruised and battered face look even more comical, but no one could find humor in the situation.

“High-level Corpse Kings possess intelligence. They can think,” Ji Yanqing stated.

This wasn’t the first time he had witnessed a Corpse King displaying signs of intelligence. He had been shocked when he first saw the King in the hospital manipulating the awakened zombies under its command. But that had seemed more like an instinctive animalistic behavior, a leader directing its pack. Even the dead controlling the city’s zombies to monitor them felt like an extension of that instinct, expanding its range of vision to locate and eliminate them. This, however, was true strategic thinking, even cooperation.

“But...” someone started to argue, but the words died in their throat. They knew so little about zombies, especially Corpse Kings. That was a realm beyond their understanding, a terrifying new world.

The realization that Ji Yanqing was right, the chilling implications of intelligent, cooperative Corpse Kings, sent shivers down their spines. A sense of dread, like thousands of ants gnawing at their flesh, washed over them. Every inch of their skin seemed to scream in protest. They wanted to run, to escape, but there was nowhere to go. They were trapped, cornered.

Except for Lu Qing, who was still grinning maniacally like a madman, everyone’s faces were pale with shock and terror.

“What do we do now? Just wait here to die?” Xia Chen’s voice trembled with fear. Facing one Corpse King was a desperate gamble; two were an insurmountable obstacle. Now, there were potentially four. Even if the two outside the town were only awakened zombies, the odds were still overwhelmingly stacked against them.

“Maybe they’re after that Grim Reaper? Isn’t this area his territory? Maybe they’re teaming up to defeat him, and then...” Lan Zi trailed off, unable to finish the thought. Regardless of the reason for the Corpse Kings’ alliance, it made no difference to them. They were being hunted, and death seemed inevitable.

Someone in Hei Long’s group broke down, a muffled sob echoing through the alley. More whimpers followed, and an atmosphere of despair and hopelessness enveloped the group, so thick it felt like the air itself was being squeezed out, making it difficult to breathe. A heavy silence blanketed the snowy alleyway.

“Bang! Bang!”

Gunshots erupted again, this time less than five hundred meters away, so close it felt like the bullets were whizzing past their heads. The group flinched, several people letting out whimpers of terror.

“Take cover,” Ji Yanqing ordered, leading them towards a taller building nearby. Their numbers were too large to hide indoors; their best bet was to use the building for concealment.

Ji Yanqing scanned the group, his mind racing. Fighting was out of the question. Their only option was to run, but even at their fastest, they couldn’t outrun a Corpse King, especially a strength-type. Their only hope lay in the vehicle hidden in the woods.

They had one hundred and twenty people; the vehicle could theoretically carry them all, but how could they reach it?

“We need to create an opening,” Ji Yanqing said, looking at the despairing faces around him.

Both Hei Long’s and Lu Qing’s groups looked to him for guidance.

“We have a vehicle outside the town...” Ji Yanqing explained briefly.

The news did little to alleviate their despair. Escaping the encirclement of four deadly predators was a near-impossible task.

Silence fell over the group.

“So, we just wait here to die?” Ji Yanqing’s voice was cold, laced with frustration. He didn’t want to die, but if they had all given up, what could he do?

His harsh words seemed to galvanize the group.

Xia Shen Shu, his usual cheerful demeanor gone, looked at Ji Yanqing with a wry smile. “We have less than thirty guns...” It wasn’t that he was unwilling to fight, but they had nothing to fight with.

What could they possibly do? Twenty or thirty guns were insufficient to kill a single Corpse King, barely enough to annoy it. And that was with Lu Qing’s group’s firepower combined. His own team had only eight guns. Hei Long’s treacherous second-in-command might have more guns, but their survival was uncertain, and even if they were alive, cooperation was unlikely.

Lan Zi turned to Lu Qing. “Don’t you have more guns?”

All eyes turned to Lu Qing’s group. They were known to have a weapons cache.

Lu Qing’s team exchanged glances, then looked at Lu Qing, who was completely engrossed in his tablet. No one spoke.

“Are you seriously still hiding them at a time like this? Planning to take them to your graves?” Xia Chen exploded.

Everyone glared at Lu Qing’s group, their frustration boiling over.

“We don’t have any other guns...” Xiao Kang said quietly.

“These are all we have. That warehouse is empty,” the young man beside her added. He looked at each person in turn, his gaze finally settling on Ji Yanqing. “That warehouse is a trap. The boxes inside are filled with flamethrowers and crossbows rigged to fire when the door is opened. The flamethrowers are loaded with zombie virus; infection is instant. The crossbow bolts are poisoned.”

Shock rippled through the group, followed by a mixture of expressions.

Hei Long’s group, learning about the warehouse for the first time, were stunned. They finally understood how Lu Qing had eliminated his rivals.

Ji Yanqing’s group wore expressions of grim understanding. What if they had tried to force their way in? Many of them had entertained the thought; it was Ji Yanqing who had vetoed the idea.

“That’s...” Xia Chen muttered, aghast. It was a blatant test of human nature; greed would lead to a gruesome death.

“Didn’t you sneak in to check yourselves? We gave you water and shelter, and you...?” The young man challenged Xia Chen, then glanced pointedly at Ji Yanqing, making it clear that they knew about his reconnaissance mission.

Xia Chen blushed, shamefaced. Ji Yanqing, however, met the young man’s gaze without flinching. He had nothing to be ashamed of. This was the apocalypse; paranoia was a survival skill. Given another chance, he would do the same thing. He would never blindly trust anyone, not even someone with a friendly smile like Lu Qing.

Seeing Ji Yanqing’s unwavering gaze, Lu Qing’s group averted their eyes. They were the ones feeling uncomfortable now. They had assumed Ji Yanqing was just like the others, greedy and opportunistic. That’s why Lu Qing had been so surprised by his willingness to leave without demanding anything.

“Guys, is this really the time for this?” Hei Long’s trembling voice broke the tense silence.

Everyone snapped back to reality. They exchanged glances, their faces etched with worry.

The gunshots were now right where they had been standing moments before.

“Aaah, no—”

“Help...”

“Get away, don’t come near me!”

“Bang! Bang!”

“Don’t stop, run...”

In addition to the gunshots and screams, they could hear the guttural growls and snarls of some kind of beast. Not human—the sounds of a Corpse King.

They weren’t far from where they had stopped; the group trying to cross the bridge and the humanoid King were probably only a few dozen meters away. The sounds were like icy water being poured over them, chilling them to the bone and making their bodies tremble uncontrollably.

Ji Yanqing suddenly had an idea. He looked at Hei Long. “Where did you encounter that beast-type Corpse King?”

Xia Shen Shu instantly understood. “How far from here?” he asked quickly.

“That city is three days away. Why...?” Hei Long started to say, but Xia Shen Shu cut him off with a glare.

Hei Long blinked, then realization dawned on him. The Corpse Kings in this town were cooperating, but what if another King entered the equation?

It had been over half a year since the apocalypse began. In that time, they had witnessed countless instances of Corpse Kings engaging in brutal, fatal battles upon first encounter. The cooperation of these particular Kings was an anomaly, a statistical improbability. While exploiting this weakness was a viable strategy, conjuring a Corpse King out of thin air was impossible.

Hei Long, grasping the logic, mentally kicked himself. If he had known, he would have done anything, even performed a hula dance in front of that beast-type King, to lure it here!

“Speaking of Corpse Kings... there’s one right here in this town.”

All eyes turned towards the speaker – Lu Qing. Finally looking up from his tablet, his face was flushed with an almost feverish excitement, his ears red as if about to bleed. He resembled a child who had stumbled upon a new toy, eager to play with it, even if it meant risking his life. The novelty of the situation filled him with a manic glee.

“There’s another one?” Ji Yanqing was momentarily stunned, yet a part of him wasn’t entirely surprised. He had been wondering why this town had so few zombies, yet no awakened zombies or a King. In that instant, a vague answer seemed to form in his mind, but it remained elusive, just beyond his grasp.

“Where?” Xia Shen Shu asked urgently.

Lu Qing pointed towards the docks behind them. Everyone turned to look. From their position, they could see most of the dock area, a landscape dominated by stacked shipping containers. No Corpse King was visible.

The answer in Ji Yanqing’s mind solidified.

“Inside the shipping containers,” Lu Qing supplied with a smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners like a child showing off a prized possession.

“Shipping containers...” Li Pingsen and the others exchanged knowing glances, their faces a mixture of shock and horror. They had been staying in this town for two days. If a Corpse King had been residing in the containers all along, they had unknowingly been living alongside it… The thought sent shivers down their spines.

“What’s going on?” Lan Zi asked, her voice wavering slightly as goosebumps erupted on her arms.

Xiao Kang glanced at Lu Qing. “There used to be an awakened zombie in this town...”

She didn’t need to finish the sentence. Everyone understood. They all stared at Lu Qing. He had been keeping a zombie, an awakened zombie, and had even nurtured it into a Corpse King? Was he insane?

Lan Zi swallowed hard, looking at Ji Yanqing and the others. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, but it was futile. First, cooperating Corpse Kings, now a captive King nurtured by Lu Qing... Was the world going mad, or was she?

As she struggled to process the information, Ji Yanqing’s voice cut through the chaos.

“I’ll go to the containers with Lu Qing. Xia Shen Shu, you take everyone with a gun and set up an ambush nearby. As soon as we release it, provide covering fire. We’ll try to lure it towards the other Corpse Kings.” He turned to the unarmed members of the group. “Stay hidden. Once the opportunity arises, head to the vehicle outside the town and start it up. Wait for us.”

In the time they had been talking, the humanoid Corpse King had moved towards the back of the town. The screams and gunshots were growing fainter; Hei Long’s second-in-command and his followers were likely almost wiped out.

Xia Shen Shu and the others immediately began preparing. However, Hei Long and Lu Qing’s groups remained motionless, staring at Ji Yanqing and his team with a mixture of shock, bewilderment, and disbelief. The plan was utterly insane. If Lu Qing was a madman, then Ji Yanqing was even more so. Lu Qing had merely kept a Corpse King; Ji Yanqing intended to use one as a weapon.

But what truly astonished them was not the plan itself, but the unquestioning obedience of Xia Shen Shu and the others. They hadn’t hesitated, hadn’t questioned the plan’s feasibility or the possibility of being abandoned. What if the group that left first simply drove away? Ji Yanqing and those luring the King would be left to die.

In a life-or-death situation, even in the old world, hesitation would be natural. Yet, Xia Shen Shu and the others…

Within seconds, they had loaded their guns, handed off their backpacks, and were ready to go.

“You...” Hei Long’s face was so contorted with conflicting emotions that it was almost grotesque.

“Find an opportunity and run,” Ji Yanqing reminded the unarmed group.

Those who had received the backpacks nodded, their faces grim.

Ji Yanqing looked at Lu Qing’s group, who were still frozen in shock.

“Are you really going to...” Xiao Kang started to ask, but the steely resolve in Ji Yanqing’s eyes silenced her.

He knew the risks, but he also knew they had no choice. He wasn’t fearless, just determined. And as for his team being abandoned…that thought never even crossed his mind. He trusted them implicitly.

“Can I have your gun?” a woman from Ji Yanqing’s team asked Xiao Kang, breaking the silence. She was unarmed.

Xiao Kang knew she wasn’t trying to steal the gun, but wanted to stay and help Ji Yanqing. While everyone else was terrified and desperate to escape, this woman wanted to fight.

Xiao Kang was speechless, unsure how to respond.

“Give it to her,” Lu Qing said. His face held not fear, but a manic excitement, a feverish anticipation for the chaos to come.

Xiao Kang stared at him, then at the woman, and numbly handed over her gun.

The woman’s face lit up with a momentary flash of joy before she turned to Xia Shen Shu, who was instructing people on how to use their firearms. She wanted to confirm if the mechanisms were the same. She was afraid of dying, but not of staying to help Ji Yanqing.

“Why don’t you go outside too?” Seeing the woman receive a gun, several other unarmed members of Ji Yanqing’s team began asking Lu Qing’s group for weapons. Although Lu Qing’s team was small, they were all armed.

Lu Qing’s team members exchanged uneasy glances. Many clutched their weapons tightly, unwilling to part with them. But the sight of Ji Yanqing’s team volunteering to stay and fight, effectively choosing death, shook them to their core.

“Everyone with a gun, stay,” Lu Qing ordered.

His team members looked at each other, comprehension dawning on their faces. They didn’t have many guns; even combined, they had less than thirty. Unless they stayed, they wouldn’t be able to take the weapons with them.

Ji Yanqing was already taking a huge risk by luring the King out. They couldn’t possibly expect to leave with the guns as well. It was already unbelievable that he was letting them leave first. Taking the weapons would be…

Most of Lu Qing’s team reluctantly handed over their guns. Only a few older members refused to relinquish their weapons, trusting no one but themselves.

Xia Shen Shu quickly went over the basics of firing a gun, then reorganized the group. “Follow my lead. Shoot where I shoot.” He turned to Lan Zi. “Find a high vantage point.”

Lan Zi nodded, took a deep breath, and ran out of the alley. She had been practicing sniping with Xia Shen Shu, but aside from those three experimental shots on the grasslands, she had never used a sniper rifle in a real situation. This was her first time.

Seeing Lan Zi leave and the armed team members preparing for battle, Ji Yanqing turned to Lu Qing.

“Lead the way.”

Without hesitation, Lu Qing, practically bouncing with excitement, led them towards the shipping containers.

A large open space, where Lu Qing’s group had planted cabbages, separated the alley from the containers.

Ji Yanqing glanced at Ji An and Ji Le, who were holding hands, tightened his grip on his axe, and followed.

The two boys took a step forward, then stopped as Feng Yimo passed them, falling into step with Ji Yanqing. They looked at him, their lips pouting. They wanted to help too.

“Get to the side, stay hidden,” Xia Shen Shu instructed the unarmed group. “And take care of Ji An and Ji Le.” Ji Yanqing treasured his sons. This area, so close to the containers, would soon become a battlefield.

The unarmed group exchanged glances and hurried away from the docks, seeking refuge deeper within the town.

“Don’t worry, I’ll bring him back to you,” Xia Shen Shu reassured Ji An and Ji Le, who were looking back with worried expressions. His smile didn’t reach his eyes.

After comforting the boys, Xia Shen Shu turned back towards the docks. Ji Yanqing and Lu Qing were moving quickly, but the distance was considerable. They had only just reached the edge of the cabbage field.

Xia Shen Shu was about to scan their surroundings for threats – the screams and gunshots had stopped – when he caught a glimpse of something in his peripheral vision. A towering figure, nearly two stories tall, a hairless, grotesque giant of a man, had materialized beside a nearby building. Its massive head swiveled, its gaze locking onto Ji Yanqing and Lu Qing.

Xia Shen Shu’s heart leaped into his throat. Adrenaline surged through his veins. “Fire!” he roared, raising his gun and unleashing a volley of bullets at the creature’s head.

The sudden gunfire startled the tense group behind him. Several people, holding guns for the first time, nearly dropped their weapons in fright.

Li Pingsen reacted first, quickly raising his gun and joining the barrage. Xia Chen followed suit. Then, one by one, the others found their bearings and opened fire.

Despite the hail of bullets, the creature only stumbled slightly, its skin seemingly impervious to their attacks.

“Aaah!” The piercing shriek of the humanoid Corpse King echoed from the docks. From a distance, the sound had been almost pleasant. Up close, it was earsplitting.

“Ugh...” A warm trickle of blood ran from Xia Shen Shu’s ear.

“Keep firing!” he yelled, ignoring the pain and focusing on Ji Yanqing. The monstrous King was heading straight for them.

Ji Yanqing, already aware of the Corpse King’s presence, had initially intended to flee into a shipping container. Time was against them, however, forcing them to scramble into a building to the container’s left.

Just as they were about to reach the entrance, the monster slammed into the ground behind them. Its claws ripped through the concrete and building materials as if they were tofu, leaving deep gouges in their wake. Debris flew everywhere, and one building collapsed entirely. Xia Shen Shu raised his gun, aiming at the creature, but hesitated before firing.

In the chaos, Ji Yanqing, Lu Qing, and Feng Yimo were separated. Feng Yimo found himself isolated, facing Xia Shen Shu and the others, while Ji Yanqing and Lu Qing plunged into a building on the right. Feng Yimo tried to follow, but the monster blocked his path. With a roar, Feng Yimo swung his long blade, slashing at the monster’s arm.

A piercing shriek ripped through the air. The sudden, intense sound left Xia Shen Shu momentarily dazed and disoriented. Fighting through the pain, he rushed towards Feng Yimo. “Feng Yimo, this way!”

Feng Yimo didn’t turn, raising his blade for another strike. Xia Shen Shu, sprinting forward, fired a volley of shots at the monster with one hand while trying to grab Feng Yimo with the other. Was Feng Yimo insane? Trying to take on a Corpse King with just a sword?

“Let go,” Feng Yimo said coldly. Ji Yanqing was already far ahead.

In that brief exchange, either deterred by Feng Yimo’s attack or the hail of bullets, the monster abandoned its pursuit of Feng Yimo and charged into the building after Ji Yanqing and Lu Qing. Xia Shen Shu’s face paled. He released Feng Yimo and, without a word to the others who had caught up, raced inside after the fleeing pair.

Before he could even shout a warning, Feng Yimo was already in motion, disappearing around a corner – the wrong corner. Xia Shen Shu’s eye twitched. He felt a murderous urge rising within him. Was Feng Yimo blind? The monster had just gone down the right path; how could he possibly have taken the wrong turn?

Bang! The Corpse King’s claw slammed down like a gigantic cleaver, slicing through the ground and sending another building crashing sideways. Ji Yanqing grabbed Lu Qing, who had been filming with a tablet, and rolled with him. Ignoring the pain of debris slamming against his back, he dragged Lu Qing forward. He wasn’t worried about Feng Yimo. Feng Yimo was strong, and besides, the monster was after him.

Another scream pierced the air. The already weakened building finally succumbed, collapsing in a shower of glass and debris. The massive-headed Corpse King excitedly lumbered forward, eager to resume its pursuit.

But as it took a step, it stumbled and began to topple forward. “Huh?” It looked down in confusion. Both of its legs, normally impervious to bullets, had been severed cleanly at the knees. Greenish blood gushed from the wounds. Agony flared. It roared in pain and crashed to the ground.

Ahead, Ji Yanqing and Lu Qing had already disappeared around another corner. The monster, momentarily forgetting its prey, turned in fury to see who dared attack it.

Behind it, its severed legs still stood upright, frozen mid-stride. Beyond them stood a man in a long coat, his hair flowing loose around him. He flicked his long blade, sending droplets of dark blood flying.

Feng Yimo, having calculated the shortest route, arrived, his cold black eyes glinting with a chilling golden light that spoke of lethal intent. He stepped forward, the mask of indifference gone, replaced by a palpable aura of killing intent.

This scum wanted to kill Ji Yanqing, but did he agree?

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qq: Merry Xmas Eve! 
No matter if you're enjoying a normal day on your own, or with family and friends, I hope the day is full of warmth, inside and out.