AFTCKCTCKATD - Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Feng Yimo and the boys had slipped in with the others.

Beneath a sky the color of leaden ash, Gu Wenmo and the others remained clustered at the window. Their gazes were locked on the gruesome spectacle outside – the massive Corpse King carcass lying in the snow, brutally hacked into several pieces. They stared for a long time, until the crushing weight of exhaustion finally began to outweigh the icy grip of fear in their hearts.

“Go rest,” Ji Yanqing said, turning away from the window and heading back towards the main living area. Whatever monstrous threats this city held, they were simply too drained, too utterly spent, to contemplate running again.

No one spoke. Numbed by the pervasive cold and bone-deep weariness, the group shuffled back into the living room, each finding a spot on the floor to collapse. Ji Yanqing settled into a corner, leaning his back against the wall, and set his axe down beside him. He was just about to close his eyes, seeking even a fleeting moment of respite, when a low murmur of voices broke the silence from across the room.

“Hey, wake up…”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“I think… I don’t think he’s breathing.”

Ji Yanqing’s eyes snapped open. He looked towards the commotion. The man who had been bitten by the mutated earthworm back in the fields lay utterly still on the floor. His face had taken on a ghastly pallor, tinged with an unnatural blue, radiating an unmistakable aura of death.

Ji Yanqing pushed himself up and crossed the room. Kneeling beside the man, he carefully held two fingers under the man’s nose. There was no movement. He was gone.

“But… he was awake just a little while ago…” someone whispered, horrified.

The confirmation of the man’s death cast a deeper pall over the already somber mood. The grim sight of the Corpse King’s remains outside had been unsettling enough; now, this fresh loss created an oppressive weight in the air, suffocating any remaining inclination to speak.

Ji Yanqing drew his small knife and carefully, meticulously, began to peel back the makeshift bandage on the dead man’s leg. He’d done his best to patch the wound after their frantic escape from the fields, but it had been a superficial effort. The mutated worm hadn’t merely bitten; it had gouged out a significant chunk of flesh, leaving a gaping, ragged hole easily the thickness of a thumb. Bandaging the surface of such a wound was ultimately futile. The man’s entire trouser leg below the knee was stiff and dark, completely saturated with dried and fresh blood.

As the blood-caked cloth came away, the full horror of the wound beneath was revealed. Centered around the violently torn hole, the man’s entire lower leg was swollen and discolored, a sickening shade of bruised purple-black. Ji Yanqing frowned, leaning closer. As he prepared to rise, the tip of his knife accidentally grazed the discolored skin. The light touch wasn’t enough to cut, yet the skin itself seemed to ripple and detach, peeling back like wet paper, exposing the raw, disturbingly active flesh underneath.

Those who had gathered closer gasped collectively, sucking in sharp, horrified breaths. Several stumbled backward, recoiling instinctively.

“Ugh…” A low groan escaped someone nearby.

The horrific discoloration wasn’t merely bruising from trauma, blood loss, or the biting cold. Beneath the sloughing skin, centered around the wound but spreading throughout the entire leg, the flesh seethed with countless tiny, wriggling forms – thin, elongated, hideously resembling the monstrous worms from the field. The mutated earthworms didn’t just bite to feed; they injected their parasitic offspring directly into their victims with the initial attack.

The sickening realization hit them. Those who had physically supported the injured man during their desperate flight scrambled frantically towards the window, shoving it open, scooping up handfuls of snow from the sill, and scrubbing violently at their hands and arms. The horrifying thought that they might already be contaminated, that microscopic eggs could already be burrowing into their own skin, fueled a desperate, almost painful cleansing, as if they could scour the potential infestation away through sheer friction.

“We need to move. Now,” Ji Yanqing stated flatly, already rising to his feet.

There was no hesitation this time. Everyone scrambled, grabbing their meager packs, and followed him without question. This apartment was compromised. Unfortunately, it was the only unlocked unit they’d found in this building. Left with no other choice, Ji Yanqing led the shaken group out and towards the adjacent building.

They found another seemingly secure apartment, forced the door, and stumbled inside. This time, the collapse was immediate. No one spoke. No one moved to check the rooms. They simply fell onto the floor where they stood, utterly drained, closing their eyes against the horrors they’d witnessed and the exhaustion that threatened to swallow them whole.

They were too depleted, physically and mentally, to even consider posting a guard. Ji Yanqing fought against the heavy pull of unconsciousness, his own reserves depleted further than anyone else’s after the confrontation with Lou Ye, his injuries, and the relentless escape. But the battle was short-lived. Soon, he too succumbed, plunging into a deep, oblivion-like sleep.

---

The sharp staccato of gunfire ripped Ji Yanqing from the depths of sleep. The shots were originating from some distance away, but their suddenness and rapid-fire urgency were alarming. Mingled with the gunfire were the distinct sounds of shattering glass and high-pitched screams of human terror.

The noise jolted the others awake as well. Startled eyes met across the room, pupils constricting in shared, sudden fear.

Ji Yanqing was instantly on his feet, moving swiftly to the window, peering cautiously in the direction of the commotion. The sounds were coming from further into the city, beyond the location where they had seen the butchered Corpse King carcass the previous night.

Full daylight had broken. The snow had stopped, revealing the skeletal structures of buildings and the cleared ground beneath, though drifts remained piled in shadowed areas untouched by the morning sun. The Corpse King’s remains were now fully visible, a truly monstrous sight. Nearly ten meters long, its segmented, centipede-like body bristled with a terrifying density of razor-sharp legs and mandibles. Its black, chitinous armor looked incredibly durable, yet it lay in several distinct, severed sections. Pools of viscous, greenish-blue fluid stained the snow and ground around it, and even from this distance, through the closed window, Ji Yanqing caught the faint, acrid stench of its unnatural decay.

The gunfire was drawing closer, accompanied by the frantic pounding of running feet. Whoever was firing was heading in their general direction, seemingly trying to reach the city limits, to escape.

“Over there…” Gu Wenmo pointed towards a gap between buildings.

Ji Yanqing followed his gesture. Dozens of figures burst into view, sprinting frantically, their faces masks of sheer panic. They kept glancing wildly back over their shoulders as they ran, terror lending wings to their feet, as if pursued by literal demons clawing their way out of hell. As they emerged from the canyon of buildings and stumbled upon the horrific sight of the dismembered Corpse King, their flight dissolved into even greater chaos and confusion.

They had no time to process the implications of the dead monster, no time to sink deeper into that particular brand of fear. Whatever hunted them burst from the alleyways behind, closing the distance rapidly.

“Grrraaaah!” A piercing, inhuman shriek ripped through the air, so powerful it vibrated the windowpane in front of Ji Yanqing and his group, sending a visceral wave of fear through them, making their teeth ache.

The pursuer emerged into the open. It was an Awakened Zombie, clearly on the verge of evolving into a full Corpse King. Its form was a grotesque distortion of the human form. Standing nearly three meters tall at the shoulder and stretching over five meters long, its hide was a thick, muddy, dark brown. It resembled nothing so much as a nightmarish Tyrannosaurus Rex, all powerful hind legs, heavy counterbalancing tail, and a massive head dominated by a gaping maw overflowing with rows of razor-sharp teeth. It was currently, sickeningly, chewing on the remains of a human.

“Aakraak!” Suddenly a shrieking howl echoed, this one coming from the rooftops to their left. Ji Yanqing’s head snapped up. A second Awakened Zombie. This one was an unholy chimera, a bizarre fusion of monkey and chicken. It moved with the uncanny agility of an ape, leaping and scrambling across the rooftops, yet its body was covered in patches of rough, developing feathers, like some monstrous fledgling. Clearly, its transformation was more recent than the dinosaur-like creature’s.

Two Awakened Zombies, hunting in tandem. A desperate, fleeing crowd. The scene was hideously familiar, triggering a cascade of remembered fear and despair in Gu Wenmo and the others. Their legs became weak, and they instinctively dropped lower, crouching behind the window ledge, trying to make themselves invisible.

Ji Yanqing shifted slightly, positioning himself at the edge of the window frame to maintain his line of sight without exposing himself fully. More and more people were being funneled towards their building, their escape route converging.

He quickly assessed the fleeing throng. They appeared to be two distinct groups caught in the same desperate flight. One group, numbering perhaps fifty or sixty individuals, was notably better equipped and organized. All wore tactical vests, likely bulletproof, and carried firearms. They moved with a semblance of discipline, periodically turning to fire controlled bursts at their pursuers, attempting to slow or injure the Awakened Zombies.

The second group was a much larger, chaotic mass of around one hundred and fifty to sixty people. Only about fifty of them seemed to be armed. The unarmed majority ran in blind panic, scattering in random directions. Even those with guns fired erratically, their shots wild and uncoordinated, lacking any focus or strategy.

The two Awakened Zombies were undeniably working together, their movements coordinated. They flanked the fleeing humans, launching attacks from different angles, preventing the organized group from concentrating their fire effectively. Unable to focus their efforts, unable to bring down either creature, the survivors were being relentlessly herded and picked off.

“Ah, hel—!” A desperate cry was abruptly silenced as the massive foot of the dinosaur-like zombie slammed down.

“No! Aaaah!” A woman’s raw scream of anguish followed immediately.

Ji Yanqing turned his head slightly, looking down at Gu Wenmo and the young woman from his team, huddled beside his feet. “How many bullets do you two have left?”

Startled by the question, Gu Wenmo and the young woman, who had been mentally praying for the monsters to pass them by, looked up, their expressions instantly becoming a mixture of dread and grim understanding. They knew what he was thinking.

“…Two rounds,” Gu Wenmo managed, swallowing hard.

“I have three,” the young woman added, her voice barely a whisper. They exchanged a look, a flicker of a bitter, resigned smile touching their lips. They were shocked by his unspoken intention, yet… not entirely. Ji Yanqing had saved Gu Wenmo before, inexplicably. He had led them to supplies when he could have ignored them. He acted when logic dictated self-preservation.

“Alright. When the main group passes, the rest of you get downstairs and run. Head away from this area, get clear. Gu Wenmo, you two,” Ji Yanqing instructed, his voice low and urgent as he quickly checked the magazine of the pistol he carried. Four bullets left. Not enough to pierce the dinosaur creature’s hide, but maybe enough for a distraction. “Wait for my signal. Fire your rounds at the T-Rex thing to draw its attention, then get out of here. Run.”

He assessed the situation again. That organized group, the one with the vests and discipline – they had a fighting chance if the pressure was relieved. If he could just divert one of the Awakened, buy the organized group time to focus fire on the other… If they could take down the monkey-chicken hybrid, then maybe, just maybe, they could all converge on the dinosaur. It was a long shot, heavily dependent on the organized group not simply abandoning him the moment they had an opening.

“Once you’ve drawn its fire, stick with that organized group,” Ji Yanqing added, his gaze meeting theirs. “Get out of the city with them.”

---

Gu Wenmo’s lips moved, the beginnings of a protest or perhaps a plea forming, but Ji Yanqing had already turned and was walking back towards the stairwell inside the building. Slinging his backpack firmly onto his shoulders, he led the way swiftly downwards.

They reached the ground floor just as the chaotic tide of fleeing survivors, pursued closely by the two monstrous Awakened Zombies, surged past the building’s entrance. Uncle Wang and the others from their small group – those without firearms – cast one last, deep, unreadable look at Ji Yanqing before darting off to the left, seeking their own escape route as instructed. Gu Wenmo and the young woman exchanged a final, grim glance, then chambered rounds into their weapons, the metallic click sharp in the tense air.

Ji Yanqing quickly ascended to the second-floor landing, positioning himself.

“Now!”

The instant Ji Yanqing’s command cut through the chaos, two distinct cracks of gunfire erupted from the ground floor below. Gu Wenmo and the young woman emptied their magazines – five shots in total. Every bullet struck the dinosaur-like zombie squarely on its thick, armored back. The projectiles failed to penetrate the dense hide, merely gouging shallow scratches before whining off into the distance. The bullets couldn’t pierce its defenses, but the impact, the pain, was undeniably real.

The dinosaur creature abruptly halted its relentless pursuit of the fleeing crowd ahead. Its massive head swiveled, fixing its bloodshot, furious eyes on the source of the shots – on Gu Wenmo and the young woman standing exposed below. Meeting that terrifying gaze, their legs began to tremble uncontrollably. A cold knot of fear tightened in their stomachs, making it hard to swallow. As the monstrous zombie lowered its head and charged directly towards them, their minds blanked, overwhelmed by a suffocating wave of primal terror.

“Run!” Ji Yanqing’s sharp command sliced through their paralysis.

Snapping back to reality, Gu Wenmo and the young woman flung themselves sideways, diving desperately for cover. An instant later, the spot where they had been standing imploded as the dinosaur zombie slammed into the building’s wall with devastating force. The entire structure shuddered violently under the impact. Thick-skinned and seemingly impervious to the pain of the collision, it immediately whirled, its massive jaws snapping down towards where Gu Wenmo lay sprawled on the ground.

But Ji Yanqing was ready. Taking a running start along the second-floor corridor, he launched himself off the crumbling concrete railing, already damaged by the impact. Soaring through the air, he delivered a powerful, perfectly timed flying kick directly to the side of the dinosaur zombie’s head.

Caught completely off guard by the audacious attack, and already somewhat unbalanced from its charge, the dinosaur staggered sideways, crashing headlong into the building directly opposite the one they were in.

“KABOOM!” The heavy metal rolling door of the storefront exploded inwards under the impact, buckling and collapsing as the dinosaur zombie smashed through it and into the garage beyond. The unfortunate vehicles parked inside were instantly crushed, flattened like tin cans under the creature’s immense weight.

The tremendous crash drew the attention of the fleeing survivors further down the street. They turned, witnessing the unbelievable sight of the dinosaur zombie being kicked through a solid wall. For a stunned moment, they faltered, momentarily forgetting their own peril.

Then, with chilling synchronicity, the disciplined group – the fifty or sixty survivors in tactical gear – reacted as one. No orders were needed. Their training kicked in. Instantly, they pivoted, raising their weapons, their focus shifting entirely to the second threat – the grotesque monkey-chicken hybrid still clinging to the wall on their left.

“FIRE!”

“BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!”

A concentrated fusillade erupted. The fifty-odd fighters fanned out smoothly, forming a disciplined semi-circle, their assault ruthlessly efficient. Their shots weren’t random sprays of panic; every bullet was aimed with deadly precision at the head of the feathered Awakened Zombie.

The monkey-like creature’s transformation was relatively recent. Its plumage was patchy, incomplete, and crucially, its skin lacked the nigh-impenetrable armor of its dinosaur counterpart. Bullets ripped through the flesh of its face with ease, shredding its eyes, tearing through its mouth and nostrils.

“Aaa-roooAAA!” A horrific shriek, a mixture of searing pain and incandescent fury, tore from the creature’s throat. It scrabbled desperately, trying to leap to an adjacent rooftop to escape the onslaught, but the organized team gave it no quarter. They adjusted their aim seamlessly, tracking its movements.

“BANG! BANG! BANG!” Seeing blood and brain matter explode from the creature’s right eye socket, the team instantly concentrated their fire on that vulnerable point, unleashing a relentless, devastating volley.

“Arooo…” The creature’s shriek turned into a gurgling death rattle.

“BANG! BANG! BANG!”

The intense gunfire continued for a few more seconds, then abruptly ceased, leaving only the echoes and the creature’s final, dying twitch.

---

“CRASH!” Inside the demolished garage, Ji Yanqing landed lightly atop the flattened wreckage of a car. Below him, the dinosaur zombie stirred, beginning to push itself up from the debris-strewn floor. Without hesitation, Ji Yanqing launched himself downwards again, driving another powerful kick into the side of the creature’s massive head. Agonizing pain shot up his leg, as if he had solid steel, but the impact slammed the zombie’s head back down onto the concrete floor.

“GAAAAAH!” Roaring in absolute fury at being repeatedly struck and downed by this insignificant human, the dinosaur zombie thrashed its immensely powerful tail. The concrete floor erupted, sending chunks of debris flying like shrapnel. Landing nimbly, Ji Yanqing took a quick step back, avoiding the deadly projectiles, his brow furrowed in frustration.

That last kick had used every ounce of his strength, yet he felt like a child swatting a determined fly – momentarily annoying the beast with his attacks, perhaps, but ultimately achieving nothing except fueling its rage. If only he had his axe… maybe then he could inflict some real pain. The yearning for a weapon sharp enough, strong enough, to cleave through Corpse King hide and bone burned fiercely within him, a desperate, almost physical ache. Yet, the cold reality remained: such weapons weren’t simply wished into existence.

“CRACK!” Hauling its massive bulk upright, the dinosaur zombie whipped its tail again, this time connecting solidly with the crumpled roof of the nearest crushed car, sending the heavy sheet of mangled metal hurtling directly towards Ji Yanqing. He dodged sideways instantly. The creature possessed brute strength beyond measure, but thankfully, the confined space of the garage, even with the partially collapsed wall, still hampered its full range of motion.

“WHAM!” The tail missed Ji Yanqing but slammed into the adjacent garage wall with incredible force. The entire building groaned and shuddered violently. More debris rained down as the impacted section of the wall buckled, cracked, and began to collapse inwards at a precarious angle, further enlarging the space.

It’s learning. Adapting, Ji Yanqing realized grimly. Zombies at this stage of evolution possessed a frightening degree of cunning.

With the newly created space, the dinosaur zombie didn’t hesitate. Before Ji Yanqing could fully regain his footing amidst the shifting debris and unstable ground, its tail lashed out again, a blur of motion aimed directly at him.

Watching from the relative safety outside, Gu Wenmo, who had disobeyed the order to flee, felt his heart clench, lodging itself painfully in his throat. He took an involuntary step forward, a useless gesture born of sheer panic. Beside him, the young woman, also frozen in place, watched with wide, terrified eyes, her breath trapped in her lungs, an icy dread paralyzing her.

The tail whipped through the air, closing the distance with terrifying speed. Just as it was about to connect with Ji Yanqing’s side, Ji Yanqing, reacting with incredible speed and agility despite the unstable footing, planted his left foot firmly against a miraculously still-standing support pillar. Using it as a springboard, he launched himself upwards and backwards in a tight aerial flip.

He landed lightly on his feet behind the pillar, not even sparing a glance as the massive tail slammed into the concrete column with enough force to send spiderweb cracks racing up its length, making the entire damaged building groan ominously. Without pause, he sprinted towards the gaping hole where the wall had collapsed, towards the leaning slab of concrete.

The dinosaur zombie’s massive head was positioned right beside the opening, its cavernous jaws already gaping wide, anticipating his move, ready to snap shut the moment he came within range.

But Ji Yanqing didn’t hesitate. Like an arrow released from a taut bowstring, he covered the distance in two long strides. He didn’t retreat, didn’t try to circle around. Instead, he planted his foot firmly on the sloping surface of the fallen wall section and leaped – launching himself directly towards, seemingly into, the horrifying, tooth-filled maw.

For a heart-stopping instant, Gu Wenmo, the young woman, and the distant group of survivors who had just finished off the monkey-zombie, watched in stunned disbelief, their hearts collectively seizing. It looked like suicide. Then – BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! – four tightly spaced gunshots exploded within the confined space of the garage.

As he leaped, Ji Yanqing had slammed his cloth-wrapped left hand against the dinosaur’s upper lip, using the resistance to push himself slightly upwards, creating a trajectory that carried him just over the snapping lower jaw. In the same fluid motion, his right hand, holding the pistol, came up. Four shots, fired at point-blank range, angled upwards. Each bullet punched through the soft palate at the roof of the creature’s mouth, driving deep into its brain cavity.

The colossal body shuddered violently once, twice, then crashed heavily to the ground with a deafening, final THUD.

Silence descended, broken only by the distant howling of the wind and the settling dust.

Ji Yanqing landed lightly on his feet beside the now-still corpse, disappearing momentarily from view behind its immense bulk.

Staring at the massive, unmoving form, the echoes of the gunshots still ringing in their ears, everyone outside the garage seemed to have forgotten how to breathe, their minds numb, unable to process the sudden, shocking conclusion. Until Ji Yanqing stepped out from behind the corpse, walking back into their line of sight.

Standing before them again, his heavily bandaged hands were slick with fresh blood – his own. The force of the recoil and the impact against the zombie’s mouth had torn his wounds open again. A fresh trickle of blood also flowed down his forehead from where flying debris had struck him earlier. The crimson liquid dripped into his eye, forcing him to raise his arm and impatiently wipe it away with the relatively clean fabric of his sleeve.

Clearing his vision, Ji Yanqing glanced down at the pistol still clutched in his hand, his expression unreadable through the streaks of blood. He still preferred the satisfying heft and brutal certainty of his axe. Guns packed a punch, undeniably, but felt useless, almost alien, in his hand except for that single, explosive moment of firing.

“Ji…” Gu Wenmo breathed his name, the sound barely audible. He felt utterly disconnected, struggling to reconcile the impossible events he had just witnessed. The young woman beside him was similarly stunned into silence. The terrifying near-miss with the tail, Ji Yanqing vaulting off the pillar, the insane charge towards the snapping jaws… their minds had overloaded, short-circuiting somewhere between terror and disbelief. They’d forgotten fear, forgotten caution, forgotten everything – even the simple act of breathing.

“Ji Yan…” Gu Wenmo took an instinctive step towards him, drawn by an impulse he couldn’t name. As he reached Ji Yanqing, he saw him raise his hand again to swipe at the blood obscuring his vision. Something clicked, then shattered, in Gu Wenmo’s mind, a sharp ping followed by a low buzzing. His oxygen-starved brain sluggishly started working again, but his thoughts felt fragmented, like broken pieces of machinery, refusing to form coherent patterns, just a chaotic jumble of awe and disbelief.

Anyone could kill it if it just stood there, a frantic part of his brain reasoned. But it didn’t. It moved, it fought, it tried to eat him! Not just anyone would have the sheer audacity, the insanity, to charge that gaping maw. And even if they did, how many could possibly seize that split-second, high-stakes opportunity to land the killing shots? Yet, Ji Yanqing had. He’d made it look almost… easy.

“You…” Gu Wenmo started, his voice hoarse. A thousand conflicting thoughts swirled in his head, but words failed him.

Ji Yanqing walked out from the wreckage of the garage, stepping back into the open, snow-dusted street.

The group of fifty or sixty survivors, the organized team, approached him, their expressions a mixture of shock, relief, and wary respect. Leading them was the formidable, bearded man. Despite his intimidating appearance and the assault rifle held ready in his hands, his voice, when he spoke, remained surprisingly cultured, almost formal. “Thank you,” he repeated, his gaze intense.

Ji Yanqing met his eyes, his own vision still slightly blurred by the blood.

“You saved our lives,” the bearded man stated plainly. He wasn’t stupid; he understood the dynamics perfectly. Ji Yanqing could have hidden, let them be chased past, then slipped away. Instead, he’d chosen to intervene, deliberately drawing the fire of one monster to give them the chance to eliminate the other. And then, unbelievably, he’d finished off the second, more powerful one entirely on his own.

Ji Yanqing wiped at his eye again. “Are you still taking in new people?” he asked, his voice level, cutting straight to the point.

The bearded man blinked, clearly surprised by the abrupt question, then answered without hesitation, “Yes.”

---

Ji Yanqing’s gaze shifted, taking in Gu Wenmo and the young woman standing nearby, then moving to Uncle Wang and the rest of their small group huddled hesitantly around the corner of the building. He’d told them to run, to get clear, but they’d only made it that far before stopping, unable to fully abandon him.

“Can you take them with you?” Ji Yanqing asked the bearded man, nodding towards Gu Wenmo’s group.

At his words, Gu Wenmo, Uncle Wang, and the others – still reeling from the recent events – looked suddenly stricken, anxiety tightening their features. They hadn’t expected this.

The bearded man blinked, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face again as he understood Ji Yanqing wasn’t asking to join them himself, but rather requesting passage for his companions. He quickly masked the feeling, his expression shifting to one of sincere, almost apologetic regret. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice gruff but earnest. “I misunderstood. I thought you were asking for yourself.” He glanced towards Gu Wenmo’s cluster of survivors. “As for them… no, I’m afraid we can’t take them.” He met Ji Yanqing’s eyes directly. “It’s not that we’re unwilling to help, truly. But we’re here on a specific mission. And the place we’re heading next… it’s extremely dangerous. Likely a one-way trip for many of us. Bringing them along would not only jeopardize our objective, it would put them in even greater peril.”

Hearing this explanation, Gu Wenmo and the others flushed slightly with embarrassment, but the overwhelming emotion reflected in their eyes was relief.

Catching their reaction, the bearded man let out a short, appreciative chuckle. His estimation of Ji Yanqing rose even higher. In the chaotic half-year since the world ended, he’d encountered countless survivor groups. Tight-knit, loyal crews existed, yes, but they were rare exceptions, not the rule. This quiet man inspired that kind of loyalty, even when offering them up for their own safety.

“Allow me to properly introduce myself and my team,” the bearded man said, squaring his broad shoulders slightly. “We are the Equator Survival Team.”

A beat of silence followed his declaration.

Not just from Ji Yanqing, whose expression remained neutral, but from the bearded man’s own fifty-strong contingent standing disciplined behind him. And also from the larger, more chaotic group of roughly one hundred and twenty survivors clustered nearby, eavesdropping. The Equator members exchanged subtle, weighted glances, observing Ji Yanqing’s continued lack of reaction. His genuine ignorance of their prestigious name seemed to deepen the complexity of their assessment of him. The members of the other, less organized survival team, however, stared openly at the bearded man and his crew, their expressions a volatile mix of awe, envy, and perhaps resentment. They clearly knew exactly who Equator was.

“On behalf of the Equator Survival Team,” the bearded man continued, his voice taking on a more formal tone, “I am extending a formal invitation for you to join us, Ji Yanqing.”

“No,” Ji Yanqing replied instantly, decisively. “I apologize, but I have other matters to attend to.”

His unhesitating refusal sent ripples of shock and disbelief through the crowd of onlookers. Members of the other survival team murmured amongst themselves, staring at Ji Yanqing with expressions ranging from incredulity to outright jealousy, some looking conflicted, others almost hostile, yet none daring to voice their thoughts aloud.

The bearded man chuckled again, a sound laced with both amusement and mild exasperation. “Well, that’s a first,” he admitted wryly. “First time someone’s turned down Equator quite so… firmly.” He didn’t press the issue further. “Alright. I’ll make sure everyone in Equator knows your name. Consider today’s assistance a debt owed. If you ever find yourself in need, seek us out. If it’s within our power to help, we won’t refuse.”

Since his attempt to secure passage for Gu Wenmo’s group had failed, Ji Yanqing didn’t press the issue further either. Instead, he offered a final piece of crucial intelligence. “You should leave this city immediately. And avoid the towns and cities directly ahead as well. There’s a Corpse King – humanoid, second stage – heading this way.”

He had a grudging respect for this Equator team. They were organized, disciplined, well-equipped, and surprisingly polite despite their rough appearance.

At his warning, the bearded man and his team exchanged serious looks, their brows furrowing, but they showed no surprise at the mention of a Second Stage Corpse King, nor at its humanoid form. It seemed they were already well-informed about the advanced stages of zombie evolution.

Noting their lack of surprise, Ji Yanqing took a closer look at the Equator team. Their uniform gear, standardized weaponry, disciplined formations, and calm demeanor even after battling Awakened Zombies – they were undoubtedly part of a major, well-established organization. Far larger and better equipped than Sunward had ever been, likely on par with, or even exceeding, Qin Yue’s Qingyue faction. Their ‘mission’ here, he surmised, must be for something far more valuable than ordinary supplies. A team of this caliber wouldn’t risk such an elite squad for mere scavenging.

“The Corpse King calls himself Lou Ye,” Ji Yanqing added. “Based on his speed, he could reach this area as early as today.”

“Lou Ye?” the bearded man echoed, recognition flashing in his eyes.

“You’ve heard of him?” Ji Yanqing asked.

“The name’s notorious,” the bearded man confirmed grimly. “Rumor has it he’s some kind of lunatic obsessed with hunting other Corpse Kings. Been tracking something – or someone – called the ‘Grim Reaper’ recently. Leaves a trail of dead survivor teams in his wake – interrogates them, then slaughters them.”

Ji Yanqing nodded slowly. That matched the information he possessed. “You encountered him recently?” the bearded man asked shrewdly.

“Yes,” Ji Yanqing confirmed flatly. “I tried to eliminate him. Failed. Now, he’s likely hunting me.”

His calm, almost detached delivery of these words sent a fresh wave of shock through both the Equator team and the remaining group of survivors. Tried to eliminate him? Hunting me? For a disbelieving moment, they wondered if Ji Yanqing was utterly insane or simply suicidal. But then, their eyes flickered towards the still-steaming carcass of the monstrous dinosaur-like Awakened Zombie lying just meters away in the demolished garage. The unspoken question died on their lips. This man… he was actually capable of it.

“Are you absolutely certain you won’t join us?” the bearded man couldn’t resist asking one last time, the offer heavy with implication.

Ji Yanqing simply shook his head.

“Well… if you ever change your mind, the invitation stands,” the bearded man said, a note of genuine reluctance in his voice. He gave Ji Yanqing a final, appraising look, then turned to his team. “Alright, move out! Now!” If Ji Yanqing’s information about Lou Ye was accurate, they needed to clear the city immediately.

His squad responded with practiced efficiency, forming up and ready to move within two minutes. The bearded man gave Ji Yanqing a curt nod of farewell, then led his team away at a swift pace, disappearing quickly back the way they had come.

Their departure was abrupt, efficient. Within moments, the snow-dusted street was empty except for Ji Yanqing, Gu Wenmo’s small, shaken group, and the remnants of the other, larger survival team. The latter, originally numbering over one hundred and fifty, had suffered heavy casualties in the brief, chaotic encounter, now reduced to perhaps one hundred and twenty souls. Only about fifty of them were armed; the rest were civilians, battered and terrified. Unlike the Equator team, they made no move to leave the city immediately. The reason was painfully obvious. After the terrifying chase by the two Awakened Zombies, nearly everyone was injured, exhausted, barely able to walk. They had reached their absolute physical limit. Attempting to flee the city now, in their condition, would be suicide. They likely wouldn’t make it far before collapsing, easy prey for whatever horrors lurked beyond the city limits.

Staying put, finding a secure place to hide within the vast, ruined cityscape, seemed the lesser of two evils. Even a monster like Lou Ye, as terrifying as he was, couldn’t possibly search every single building, every single room, in a city this size.

Ji Yanqing turned his attention to this remaining group. As his gaze swept over them, a man who appeared to be their leader stepped forward hesitantly. “Why?” the man asked, his voice rough with exhaustion and disbelief. “Why did you refuse them?” The unspoken question hung heavy in the air: Are you crazy?

Ji Yanqing simply met his gaze, waiting.

“Do you have any idea who the Equator Survival Team is?” the man pressed, incredulous.

“No,” Ji Yanqing replied honestly.

The man seemed momentarily speechless, though he’d clearly suspected as much. Ji Yanqing’s blunt admission still caught him off guard. It also seemed to fuel a strange sense of urgency on Ji Yanqing’s behalf. “Do you even know who the strongest survival team is right now?”

Ji Yanqing considered for a moment. “Qingyue?”

The man scoffed. “Qingyue? Equator is one of the most powerful factions known to exist! They’re the only ones with dual leaders – brothers, they say. One’s the brains, the other’s the muscle. Equator boasts seven, maybe eight hundred members, easy! Over five hundred of them are fully armed and trained soldiers! Countless smaller teams have begged to join them, only to be turned away. If you included all the rejected groups, Equator’s influence probably extends to over fifteen hundred, maybe even two thousand people! Qingyue is nothing compared to them!” He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “You know about the big gathering planned for next month in Wucheng, right? Equator is organizing the whole thing!” He paused, then added with a note of complex awe, “Word is… they’re already making preparations to build a paradise. A safe zone. They supposedly have weapons… weapons that can actually deal with the zombies on a large scale.”

Finished, the man stared at Ji Yanqing, his expression a whirlwind of emotions – disbelief, frustration, perhaps even a touch of pity. Seeing the flicker of genuine surprise finally register on Ji Yanqing’s face – not at Equator’s strength, but at the mention of the paradise – the man grew even more agitated. “Look, maybe you can still catch them! If you run now, you might be able to overtake them! You should go!” He seemed genuinely torn, envious of the opportunity Ji Yanqing had so casually discarded, yet also feeling a debt of gratitude, knowing Ji Yanqing had saved not just the Equator team, but his own people as well.

“They’re planning to build a paradise?” Ji Yanqing repeated, his focus entirely snagged on that single, electrifying piece of information, ignoring the rest of the man’s impassioned speech about Equator’s might.

“Yeah,” the man confirmed, his tone still laced with a complex mixture of hope and cynicism. Building a sanctuary, a true safe haven – it was the dream whispered in the dark by every survivor in the early days, a desperate hope that had gradually faded into a bitter, unattainable fantasy as the months dragged on, as the world continued its relentless slide into oblivion. A cruel joke whispered among the dying.

Yet, here was confirmation. Someone, somewhere, was actually doing it. Taking concrete steps, laying the foundation, weaving that impossible dream into reality.

“Haha…” An irrepressible grin split Ji Yanqing’s face, chasing away the weariness, the grimness. A bright, almost dazzling smile. Knowing he wasn’t alone in his seemingly insane ambition, knowing others shared that same desperate, audacious goal – the realization sent a surge of pure, unadulterated joy flooding through him. The fierce, burning desire to establish his own sanctuary, his own haven, intensified exponentially, swelling in his chest until it felt like it might actually burst. He wanted to laugh out loud, a wild, exultant sound against the backdrop of the ruined city.

And he indeed laughed out loud.

---

Ji Yanqing’s sudden, brilliant smile was so jarringly out of place amidst the grim reality that it left everyone present momentarily stunned, utterly baffled. He offered no explanation, simply turned, his mood discernibly lighter, and headed towards an adjacent building. The lingering echoes of gunfire meant this location was compromised; more zombies would be drawn here soon.

Seeing him move, the others followed automatically, a silent, instinctual response. They had run a short distance when the leader of the other, larger survival team finally seemed to shake off the daze. He faltered, his steps slowing, a look of dawning realization – and perhaps embarrassment – crossing his face. In Ji Yanqing’s presence, he’d completely forgotten his own role, his own authority as leader. But the pause was fleeting. He quickly hurried to catch up.

There was a strange, undeniable magnetism about Ji Yanqing, the man admitted silently to himself. A quiet competence, an aura of command that made following his lead feel… natural. Not grating, not subservient, just… right.

“You’re really not going after them?” the team leader asked, still finding it hard to believe Ji Yanqing had passed up the chance to join Equator.

Ji Yanqing, his face still illuminated by that surprising, almost unsettlingly cheerful smile, glanced back over his shoulder as he jogged towards their next temporary refuge. “Speaking of joining,” he countered easily, “are you still taking people in?”

The team leader blinked, momentarily thrown off balance again. For a wild, hopeful second, his heart leaped – was Ji Yanqing reconsidering? Asking to join their team? But the hope died almost instantly as rational thought returned. No, Ji Yanqing was undoubtedly asking about Gu Wenmo and his small group.

“We could take them, yes,” the leader replied carefully, glancing towards Gu Wenmo’s contingent trailing behind Ji Yanqing. Their faces were etched with visible unease at the prospect of being separated from him. “But… are you sure you want them to come with us?” He could see it plainly: they wanted to stay with Ji Yanqing, despite the danger.

“It’s not safe for them to stay with me,” Ji Yanqing stated simply, selecting a suitable building and heading inside, leading the way up the stairs.

As they entered the relative safety of the stairwell, the last person through slammed the heavy door shut behind them. The combined numbers – Gu Wenmo’s group plus the remnants of the larger team – packed the narrow space tightly, nearly one hundred and sixty people crammed together, chest to back, a suffocating crush of bodies.

Ji Yanqing, at the front, moved swiftly up to the fourth floor. He located an apartment, dispatched the two zombies shuffling inside with quick, efficient movements, and cleared the way. The others began to pour into the apartment after him. The last few through the door dragged the two fresh zombie corpses out into the hallway to maximize the limited space inside. Finally, the apartment door was secured. People collapsed where they stood, finding any available patch of floor. The moment they settled, several of those with more serious injuries succumbed to the accumulated stress and exhaustion, losing consciousness completely.

Seeing this, the other team leader immediately began moving through the crowded room, checking on the wounded. Unlike the self-serving leaders they might have encountered before, this man demonstrated a genuine sense of responsibility. After confirming that the unconscious were still breathing and instructing those still capable to tend to the wounded, he finally found a small space near the wall and sank down heavily. The instant he sat, a wave of agony surged through him, every bone and muscle screaming in protest.

His team had entered this cursed city five days ago. They’d managed to scavenge some food during the first two days, maintaining a precarious existence. Then, the night before last, all hell had broken loose. A Corpse King had begun rampaging somewhere nearby. The sounds had been terrifying. Too afraid to investigate, they’d huddled in their hiding place, praying it would pass. Last night, the monstrous noises had abruptly ceased. They’d peered out cautiously, but saw nothing conclusive. Unsure if the threat had truly departed, they’d remained hidden another night.

This morning, they’d finally ventured out, intending to leave the city altogether. But near the outskirts, they’d run smack into the heavily armed Equator team entering the city. While they were exchanging wary words, the two Awakened Zombies had burst from the nearby buildings, likely drawn by the lingering psychic echoes or pheromonal trails left by the Corpse King’s rampage the night before. And the chaotic chase had begun.

“Um…” The team leader, trying to gather his scattered thoughts amidst the pain and exhaustion, was interrupted by a hesitant voice, still carrying a trace of youthful uncertainty. He looked up. It was Gu Wenmo, from Ji Yanqing’s small group. Having implicitly agreed to take these people under his wing, the leader fought back his own fatigue and pain, focusing his attention. Gu Wenmo and the twenty or so survivors with him were all looking at him expectantly.

The leader opened his mouth, preparing to give them the standard rundown – introduce his team, explain their dire situation, the risks involved. But before he could utter a word, Gu Wenmo blurted out, “Maybe… maybe you should consider… joining our team?”

The leader stared, dumbfounded. For a disoriented moment, he was convinced he’d misheard. Join… their team? Whose team? Gu Wenmo’s? Or… His eyes darted towards the corner where Ji Yanqing sat quietly. …Ji Yanqing’s?

“Ji Yanqing…!” Uncle Wang’s voice suddenly cut through the room, sharp with terror, trembling uncontrollably. Ji Yanqing, who had just started methodically re-bandaging his bleeding hands with fresh strips of cloth, looked up sharply.

Uncle Wang’s face was deathly pale, his eyes wide with horror, fixed on the window.

Ji Yanqing followed his gaze. And froze.

Standing utterly motionless on the rooftop of the building directly opposite theirs was the wolf-like Awakened Zombie.

A primal chill snaked up Ji Yanqing’s spine. How long had it been there? Watching them? It hadn’t attacked. It had simply… observed. Silently.

As Ji Yanqing’s gaze locked with its intelligent, predatory eyes, the creature’s bestial muzzle curled upwards at the corners in a grotesque, chillingly human-like smile. And then, from a throat that should have been incapable of forming words, emerged a sound – ancient, raspy, grating like stones dragged across graves.

“Heh… heh… Found… you…”

The voice, impossibly old, impossibly dry, sent a wave of suffocating dread through the room. Everyone who saw the creature, who heard those words, felt their breath catch, their hearts seize. Before they could even process the implications, a deafening cacophony erupted from outside. Thud-thud-thud-CRASH! Zombies. Hordes of them. Battering against the apartment door, slamming against the windows.

The flimsy wooden door began to buckle inwards under the relentless assault. The metal security bars bolted outside the windows groaned, then ripped free from their mountings under the sheer, collective weight of dozens of zombies clawing and climbing over each other, forming a grotesque, writhing mountain of undead flesh. The ordinary zombies, mindless automatons driven by Lou Ye’s will, surged forward like a monstrous, unstoppable tide, devoid of pain or fear, seemingly intent on tearing the entire building down brick by brick.

“Ah!”

“Ugh… no!”

“What do we do?!”

“Run! We have to run!”

“Run where?! The hallway’s full of people!”

“Stay calm! Injured to the middle! Everyone else, grab anything you can use as a weapon!” the other team leader yelled, desperately trying to impose order on the escalating pandemonium. But zombies were already pouring through the shattered windows, spilling over the barricades, flooding the room. Chaos reigned.

Ji Yanqing abandoned his half-finished bandaging. Ignoring the renewed throbbing in his hands, he snatched up his axe and surged towards the main doorway, intending to carve an escape path through the stairwell. But as he approached, the zombies clawing their way in through the doorway hesitated, then inexplicably parted, creating a clear path for him.

He paused for a split second, the horrifying realization dawning instantly. Lou Ye wasn’t trying to kill him.

He glanced back at the scene of utter carnage unfolding within the room – the desperate struggles, the screams, the dozen or so survivors already bitten, staggering to their feet with vacant eyes as the infection took hold. Lou Ye had no intention of sparing anyone else.

Gu Wenmo and the remaining able-bodied survivors frantically used furniture, makeshift weapons, anything they could find, to fend off the relentless tide of zombies. But their resistance was tragically futile against the overwhelming flood of undead.

Ji Yanqing looked back towards the window, towards the rooftop opposite. The wolf-like Awakened Zombie still stood there, its muzzle stretched in that same eerie, gleeful grin. It watched the unfolding massacre with the detached amusement of a spectator at a particularly gruesome show, clearly reveling in the chaos it orchestrated.

Knowing the zombies wouldn’t target him directly, Ji Yanqing discarded any thought of defense for himself. He moved swiftly, weaving through the churning mass of undead bodies filling the apartment, and launched himself towards the shattered window. He vaulted onto a miraculously upright sofa, used it as a springboard, and then leaped again, propelling himself across the gap towards the opposite rooftop.

The apartment was too crowded, the distance too great for a clean jump without a proper running start. His outstretched hands scrabbled at the edge of the opposite roof, falling just short. He began to fall.

But he was prepared. As he fell, he swung his axe upwards, the hooked blade catching firmly on the concrete railing of the opposite rooftop. Using the axe as an anchor, he engaged his core muscles, hauling himself upwards with sheer strength, scrambling over the edge and onto the flat roof.

Seeing him successfully make the leap, the wolf-like Awakened Zombie seemed momentarily surprised, its eerie grin faltering for an instant. Then, its expression shifted, morphing into one of even greater delight, anticipation, an almost ecstatic excitement shining in its intelligent eyes.

Looking into those predatory wolf eyes, Ji Yanqing knew with absolute certainty: Lou Ye himself was directly controlling this creature now, peering through its senses, manipulating its actions. Lou Ye wasn’t physically present in the city yet – otherwise, he would have confronted Ji Yanqing directly. Instead, he must have dispatched his network of controlled Awakened and ordinary zombies to scour the region. This wolf-zombie had found him, and now Lou Ye was using it as a remote command center, puppeteering the horde of ordinary zombies devastating the apartment below. A typical intelligence-path Corpse King likely couldn’t manage such a complex, multi-layered control scheme – using one controlled zombie to direct others. But Lou Ye wasn’t typical. He was a Second Stage Corpse King. He played by different rules.

There was only one way to stop the massacre below, only one way to potentially save anyone: eliminate the command node. Kill this Awakened Zombie.

Ignoring the searing pain radiating from his reopened hand wounds, ignoring the slick, sticky feel of his own blood coating the axe handle, Ji Yanqing tightened his grip and strode purposefully towards the creature. He swung the axe with every ounce of strength he possessed, aiming a devastating blow directly at the wolf-zombie’s head.

The axe connected solidly. Ji Yanqing froze mid-swing, momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected a clean hit. He’d fully anticipated the creature dodging, parrying, reacting.

“Aooh…” The Awakened Zombie whined, staggering sideways from the force of the blow, its head clearly impacted.

Confusion flickered in Ji Yanqing’s mind, but his combat instincts took over. He didn’t pause, didn’t question the unexpected success. He raised the axe again instantly, preparing for a follow-up strike, determined to end this quickly.

But before the axe could descend, he saw the wolf-zombie’s gaze flick past him, focusing intently on something behind him. It was as if the creature suddenly found itself locked in an invisible contest of wills, a silent, psychic battle with an unseen opponent.

Instantly alert, Ji Yanqing whirled around, his senses on high alert.

His eyes scanned the rooftops behind him. And then he saw them. Perched atop a building two rows back – one large figure, flanked by two much smaller ones.

His heart, already pounding furiously from the exertion and adrenaline, felt like it was seized in an invisible fist, clenched tight, momentarily stopping his breath. A sharp ache spread through his chest.

“Don’t—!” Ji Le’s eyes, blazing with an intense golden light, locked onto the wolf-zombie standing before Ji Yanqing. An astonishing wave of icy, murderous intent erupted from his small frame, washing over the rooftop, palpable even at this distance. He stared, not just at the creature, but through its eyes, directly confronting the consciousness controlling it. He met Lou Ye’s psychic presence – taller, older, vastly more powerful, radiating killing intent – and felt no fear. Instead, he glared back, a surge of pure, protective fury emanating from him.

With sheer, focused will, Ji Le forcefully overrode Lou Ye’s mental imprint on the Awakened Zombie. He imposed his own command, simple, absolute: Die.

A trickle of crimson blood flowed from Ji Le’s nostrils. Excruciating pain lanced through his young mind, a psychic backlash from the exertion. But he didn’t flinch, didn’t relent. He would not allow anyone, anything, to harm Ji Yanqing. Absolutely not.

“Aooh… uhnnn…” On the rooftop before Ji Yanqing, the wolf-like Awakened Zombie emitted a choked, agonized whine. Its head began to twist slowly, unnaturally, to the side, fighting against an invisible force. Its eyes bulged, rapidly filling with blood. It struggled, trying to resist the imposed command, but the effort was futile.

With a final, sickening CRACK, its neck rotated a full one hundred eighty degrees, snapping the spinal column cleanly.

----

Thud. Its body slumped to the side. As it hit the ground, the light drained from its eyes, replaced by a steady seep of greenish blood from the corners.

“Ji Le?” Ji An quickly caught the swaying Ji Le, pulling him close.

Ji Le touched his nose, his fingers coming away slick with blood. He lifted his hand and smeared it across the back of his other hand. He didn’t have time to be afraid of the blood; his gaze shot nervously towards Ji Yanqing on the opposite rooftop.

“Dad…” He opened his mouth, wanting to call out, but the word caught in his throat. He was scared. In that instant, he couldn’t even bring himself to meet Ji Yanqing’s eyes. He’d never told Ji An about these things—he didn’t want Ji An to worry too—but now, he couldn’t pretend anymore.

Ji Yanqing instinctively took a step forward, his breath catching at the sight of the red dripping from Ji Le’s nose. Ever since he’d found Ji An and Ji Le, he’d protected them fiercely, treasured them. He hadn’t let them get hurt again.

He took another step, then stopped. Several buildings stood between him and the boys. He couldn’t reach them.

“Ah—!” A scream tore through the air from the building they’d just fled.

Ji Yanqing’s attention snapped back across the gap. The Awakened Zombie was dead, true, but the ordinary zombies inside were no longer under its control. That didn’t mean they weren’t still attacking. Uncontrolled, their movements became random, chaotic, but they still lunged at any human they saw.

Ji Yanqing glanced at Feng Yimo, not bothering to decipher the expression on the man’s face—anger, or something else entirely. He backed up a few steps, then launched himself across the gap towards the opposite window.

He crashed through the window, shoving aside zombies as he landed, his axe already swinging.

“That Awakened Zombie is dead! Go downstairs!” Ji Yanqing roared.

Barely a hundred people remained in the room; in just one or two minutes, nearly fifty more had been bitten. At his command, everyone scrambled towards the stairwell. Reaching the doorway, they peered down, expecting a dense mass of figures. Instead, aside from the filth and debris, the stairwell was eerily empty.

Ji Yanqing understood almost instantly. Ji Le must have drawn all the zombies out of the stairwell. The image of Ji Le wiping blood from his nose flashed in his mind, a heavy weight settling in his chest. Lou Ye wouldn’t dare hunt Corpse Kings everywhere just because he wasn’t afraid of death; he must have his reasons. And while Ji Le was also a second-stage Corpse King, he had only awakened recently.

“Huh…?” The group surging into the stairwell gasped in surprised relief upon finding it clear.

“Go!” Ji Yanqing urged.

The crowd rushed down the stairs. Ji Yanqing remained behind, guarding their retreat. Once he confirmed everyone still alive had made it into the stairwell, he kicked away several lunging zombies and used his axe to hook the door, slamming it shut. Listening to the relentless thudding and scratching from the other side, Ji Yanqing turned and sprinted downstairs.

Those who had descended first were already running towards the back of the building. Ji Yanqing caught up immediately. They tore through the city streets as fast as they could, running nonstop for nearly ten minutes, putting significant distance between themselves and the building they’d escaped. Exhausted, pushed to their limits, the group desperately sought shelter.

Wary of residential buildings, they found a clothing store on the street. Everyone flooded inside, hastily shutting the glass doors and dragging display racks over to barricade the entrance. They blocked the doorway securely, ensuring the zombies outside couldn’t get in. Having narrowly escaped death yet again, the survivors fell silent. The store was steeped in a heavy quiet.

Everyone gasped for air, the ragged counterpoint of frantic breaths and pounding hearts the only proof they were still alive.

Ji Yanqing leaned his axe against a wall in a corner, catching his breath. Pain radiated from his lungs and throbbed in his limbs, so intense he almost wished he could just pass out. This lasted for a full five or six minutes before the worst subsided, leaving his throat raw and aching from the forced, heavy breathing.

Aware of the lingering pain, Ji Yanqing slowly turned his head, scanning the crowded room. Sure enough, he soon spotted three familiar faces—one large, two small.

Feng Yimo and the boys had slipped in with the others.

“What… what was that?” The leader of the other survival team stared blankly, his voice filled with disbelief. It was the first time he’d ever heard an Awakened Zombie speak. He’d heard that third-stage Corpse Kings could take human form and had guessed they might be able to talk, but the creature they’d just faced… it was only an Awakened Zombie.

“…So, have you thought about it?” Gu Wenmo asked, bringing the leader back to the present.

The leader turned to Gu Wenmo. His mind, too, was replaying the image of the smiling, talking Awakened Zombie, but he seemed less shocked. “You must have realized it too, right?” Gu Wenmo continued. “Things like that, things we can’t understand… they’re only going to become more common. Ordinary survival teams don’t stand a chance. Not unless they have the means to deal with those things.” The reason the people from Equator no longer accepted outsiders wasn’t because they couldn’t feed them, but because, for a team at their level, sheer numbers were meaningless. What they needed wasn’t just more people, but weapons—or methods—capable of handling Awakened Zombies and Corpse Kings.

The team leader’s gaze instinctively shifted to Ji Yanqing. “Means?”

Gu Wenmo looked towards Ji Yanqing as well.

“Not everyone has the guts to jump across to the opposite roof in a situation like that,” Uncle Wang cut in, his face pale as he tightly held his granddaughter, his only remaining family. They hadn’t seen the fight on the rooftop; they’d been too busy fending off the zombies attacking them inside. But their escape meant Ji Yanqing had succeeded—he’d killed the Awakened Zombie. Someone like Ji Yanqing was almost inconceivable in this ruined world. It was precisely because they knew they’d never find another like him that they clung to Ji Yanqing like a lifeline, but the road to survival ahead still had to be fought for by each of them.

Ji Yanqing withdrew his gaze before Feng Yimo could notice him looking. He was lost in thought when Gu Wenmo walked over. Ji Yanqing looked up.

“Heheh.” Gu Wenmo offered a goofy grin. He was young and already looked a bit simple; the smile amplified the effect.

Ji Yanqing raised an eyebrow.

“Bai Haoxuan agreed to join us,” Gu Wenmo announced proudly.

“Huh?” Ji Yanqing blinked, processing the statement. A moment later, it clicked. He immediately looked over at the other team leader. Bai Haoxuan met his gaze with a smile and a nod, confirming Gu Wenmo’s words. Ji Yanqing’s mind momentarily blanked. Bai Haoxuan’s team… wanted to follow him too?

He glanced around the clothing store. It was a large space, originally two storefronts knocked into one, now crammed full with nearly a hundred people—a dense sea of survivors. A frown creased Ji Yanqing’s forehead. He hadn’t managed to get rid of Gu Wenmo’s group, and now his following had grown even larger?

“What about you lot?” Having secured Bai Haoxuan, Gu Wenmo turned his attention towards Feng Yimo in the far corner. At his question, many eyes in the room shifted towards the corner. They had noticed Feng Yimo and the boys earlier.

Addressed and now the focus of attention, Feng Yimo and the two boys, who had been sitting lined up, trying their best to shrink into the background, looked up in perfect unison. Their wide, clear eyes fixed imploringly on Ji Yanqing. The instant their gazes met his, they all lowered their heads again as one.

“Do you want to join us?” Gu Wenmo asked them.

A muscle twitched at the corner of Ji Yanqing’s mouth.

Feng Yimo and the boys were crammed beneath a built-in wardrobe. The space was tight, barely wide enough for two people side-by-side. Feng Yimo occupied half of it, leaving Ji An and Ji Le squeezed together so tightly they looked practically flattened.

“But, we need to be clear first,” Gu Wenmo continued, relaying the same warning he’d given Bai Haoxuan’s group. “We’re currently being hunted by a second-stage Corpse King.”

“Hunted?” Feng Yimo’s sharp eyebrows drew together, a faint, cold killing intent flickering deep in his eyes.

“Besides Lou Ye, there’s another Corpse King after us,” Gu Wenmo added, glancing at Ji Yanqing. “Though we haven’t seen that one yet.”

Ji Yanqing kept his expression carefully neutral. Oh, you’ve seen it, he thought dryly. It’s right in front of you. And the two smaller ones are about to be crushed flat by the big one.

Hearing that another Corpse King, besides Lou Ye, was also hunting Ji Yanqing, Feng Yimo and the boys turned as one to look solemnly at him.

“What’s that?” Ji Yanqing deflected, changing the subject. He pointed towards the large black dog sitting beside Feng Yimo’s group, its eyes just as wide and innocently moist as the boys’. He’d noticed the dog earlier and recalled their brief encounter in the city. The memory only solidified his suspicion that this creature might not be a dog at all.

“…D-doggy,” Ji An mumbled, head bowed low, his voice small and laced with anxiety. He couldn’t bring himself to look Ji Yanqing in the eye. He wanted so badly to talk to him, but he was terrified of seeing disgust reflected there.

“Dog?” Ji Yanqing repeated, skeptical.

“…Just a doggy,” Ji Le echoed, his head also down. He hated lying to Ji Yanqing, but he didn’t want to be hated even more. If Ji Yanqing knew the dog was a Corpse King, he’d surely panic and run. They had only just found Ji Yanqing again; he couldn’t bear to lose him.

Ji Yanqing stood up and walked over to the black dog, crouching down in front of it. He looked directly into its eyes. He didn’t know much about dog breeds, but this large black animal resembled an Alaskan MalamuteImagine a husky with more brains... at least it looks that way to me xD https://www.mindenpictures.com/cache/pcache2/00169119.jpg , yet was clearly different. Its ears were larger, its claws and teeth noticeably sharper. It emanated a raw, predatory aura, the fierce energy of a wild beast. He recognized it—it was the same dog he’d glimpsed fleetingly in the city. Few dogs had survived the apocalypse; the odds of finding two identical ones were vanishingly small. He’d felt something was off during that first encounter, and now, meeting its gaze directly, the feeling intensified. There was something fundamentally wrong about this dog.

It gave off an unsettling, indefinable vibe, similar to the feeling he got from Feng Yimo and Lou Ye, though perhaps less potent.

Ji Yanqing slowly extended his hand towards it.

The black beast stared blankly at the scarred hand offered to it.

“Shake,” Ji Yanqing commanded.

Hearing the word, the black beast, struggling to maintain its façade of canine innocence, felt its sharp claws instinctively flex. A furious growl began to rumble deep in its throat. It wanted nothing more than to rip this human apart. You’re the dog! Your whole family are dogs!

Suddenly, Feng Yimo, Ji An, and Ji Le all turned to stare intently at it.

The ferocious growl died in the beast’s throat, replaced by a wave of profound, self-pitying resentment. Its eyes glistened. Under the unwavering scrutiny of those three pairs of dark eyes, it reluctantly lifted its right paw and placed it in Ji Yanqing’s outstretched palm.

“…Woof.”

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qq note: ty to Crimson Jae for sponsoring a chapter release! I'll be aiming to release chapter 64 on the patreon this week!