AFTCKCTCKATD - Chapter 66

 Chapter 66

He Gently Bit The Corner Of Ji Yanqing’s Mouth.

 ---

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Ji Yanqing grabbed the arms that held him tight, trying to break free from Feng Yimo’s embrace.

Did Feng Yimo even know what he was saying?

Feng Yimo didn’t let go. He held Ji Yanqing tighter, preventing his escape. “I’m not spouting nonsense.”

The deep voice resonated right next to his ear, and Ji Yanqing’s already racing heart hammered even harder, the sound so loud it was deafening.

Ji Yanqing held his breath. “Let go first.”

How long was Feng Yimo going to hold him? People were already starting to stare.

Feng Yimo looked at the gentle flutter of Ji Yanqing’s eyelashes. His heart felt as if it had been brushed by a feather, and a strange, tingling sensation spread through his entire body.

Ji Yanqing wasn’t angry anymore.

The realization sent a wave of warmth through Feng Yimo’s once-aching heart, as if he had been brought back to life.

“Alright.” Feng Yimo obediently released him.

Ji Yanqing quickly took a step to the side, putting distance between them. The icy wind and snow blew past, cooling the heat that had risen in him from the embrace. He let out a sigh of relief, regaining some composure from his flustered state.

He lifted his head to look at Feng Yimo, intending to tell him that his actions could be easily misunderstood. But as he looked up, he met Feng Yimo’s dark eyes, which held a hint of a smile. They were still as deep and black as ever, but now, a flicker of human emotion danced in their depths. Feng Yimo was smiling.

It was the first time Ji Yanqing had ever seen him smile.

Ji Yanqing averted his gaze, flustered.

“Captain!” Bai Haoxuan’s voice, laced with anxiety and tension, cut through the air.

Ji Yanqing, as if grabbing a lifeline, immediately turned to him. “What is it?”

Bai Haoxuan, holding his gun, looked toward the edge of the city. Two vehicles were speeding towards them.

Seeing the cars, Ji Yanqing reacted instantly. He rushed toward the mountain forest behind them, calling out a reminder to Bai Haoxuan, “Proceed according to the plan.”

The moment Ji Yanqing moved, a shadow clung to him, following his every step. He didn’t need to look back to know who it was, but the corner of his mouth curved up involuntarily as he dashed into the forest.

“Move out!” Bai Haoxuan shouted, alerting the rest of the team.

Under the cover of night and swirling snow, the group, already briefed on the plan, sprang into action. Some stayed behind at the camp, while others quickly followed Ji Yanqing into the mountain forest behind them.

“That guy—” The square-faced man, hidden in the forest, saw Ji Yanqing charging straight at them. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. Ji Yanqing really had discovered them.

“On guard!” the square-faced man roared.

The words had barely left his mouth when something whistled through the air toward his face. He instinctively turned towards the sound, but before he could see what it was, a club slammed into his forehead. He had no time to think, no time to even feel the pain, before he fell backward, unconscious.

Ji Yanqing charged into the woods, and just as he expected, he saw more figures among the trees. Without giving the men around the square-faced man a chance to react, he was on them. He snatched a sturdy branch from the ground and quickly knocked them out. His speed was on par with a Corpse King; ordinary people couldn’t keep up.

“Just knock them out,” Ji Yanqing said, then immediately headed for the left side of the forest.

Without needing further explanation, Feng Yimo understood and darted off in the opposite direction, to the right. The two of them moved swiftly through the dark forest, where it was almost impossible to see the ground. They sought out the hidden Swift Dragon members and struck before their targets could react.

Meanwhile, Gu Wenmo’s group, who had followed them into the woods, finally arrived. They quickly took out the ropes they had prepared and began tying up the unconscious men. The forest was wide, and Ji Yanqing ran a long way to the left, knocking out all twenty-odd men hidden there before he stopped. He grabbed the last two on the very edge and dragged them back toward the center.

Gu Wenmo’s group was well-prepared, and they worked quickly. In just a few minutes, they had most of the men tied up. Seeing Ji Yanqing dragging two men back, Gu Wenmo, who was in the forest, hurried over and swiftly bound the two men back-to-back.

Feng Yimo returned at roughly the same time as Ji Yanqing, also carrying two men. Ji Yanqing gave him a look before turning away. He hadn’t been worried; Feng Yimo was a Corpse King, after all.

Ji Yanqing glanced out of the forest. In the short time they had been gone, a commotion had already erupted in their camp. Swift Dragon main force had arrived.

“Captain,” Gu Ranran said from within the trees, her voice filled with excitement.

“How many?” Ji Yanqing asked.

“Fifty-seven,” Gu Ranran replied, unable to keep the grin from her face.

When Ji Yanqing had told them that afternoon that members of the Sunward unit were hidden in the forest behind them, a sense of unease had settled over them all. A direct confrontation with Swift Dragon would have been a certain loss. But now, she saw a glimmer of hope. Swift Dragon had only about a hundred and fifty or sixty members in total, and they had just captured a third of them.

Everyone knew how formidable Sunward was. If they could win this, if word of this got out... The mere thought of it brought an excited smile to the faces of Gu Ranran and the others. Their survival team’s reputation would soar. As for making an enemy of Sunward, with Ji Yanqing around, it somehow didn’t seem so terrifying anymore.

“Bring them out,” Ji Yanqing ordered.

Aside from Gu Ranran, Gu Wenmo, and a few others held in reserve, all able-bodied members without guns had entered the forest. Nearly a hundred people, two to a captive, quickly dragged all of Swift Dragon’s men out of the woods.

In the dim light of dusk, the camp was a scene of tense confrontation. The Swift Dragon members had disembarked from their vehicles, a hundred strong, all brandishing their guns. They surrounded Bai Haoxuan’s group, who were also armed, their demeanor menacing.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Bai Haoxuan’s face darkened.

“What do you think?” a man with a crew cut and an earring from Sunward’s group sneered.

“Don’t push your luck.”

“Hand over the people peacefully, and we’ll pretend like we never even crossed paths. Otherwise...”

Seeing the movement from the forest behind the camp, a cruel smile touched the lips of Swift Dragon’s men. But their smiles froze before they could fully bloom, replaced by stiff disbelief.

Bai Haoxuan, seeing their expressions change, smirked. He mimicked their earlier cruel smile. “Otherwise, what?”

The Swift Dragon group fell silent, their faces dark as they watched Gu Ranran’s team drag the fifty-odd men from the forest and deposit them in a pile behind Bai Haoxuan. The rough handling had roused some of the unconscious men, including the square-faced leader. He opened his eyes, and seeing that he was no longer in the forest but in the enemy’s camp, he took a moment to process the situation. His face, too, turned grim.

The two sides faced off, the atmosphere growing increasingly tense, ready to erupt at any moment.

“Over here!” From behind the quarried mountain next to the camp, a dozen of Ji Yanqing’s team members pushed Wu Shangyou’s group forward at gunpoint.

Both Bai Haoxuan and the Swift Dragon members looked over. Seeing Wu Shangyou’s ashen face, Bai Haoxuan sneered. The Swift Dragon members, however, had complex expressions. They had found Wu Shangyou, but the situation was completely different from what they had anticipated.

“What are you doing?” Wu Shangyou demanded, his face a mask of fury as he looked at Bai Haoxuan.

“Shouldn’t we be asking you that? Were you really thinking of leaving without a word?” Bai Haoxuan retorted.

Wu Shangyou’s group had been prepared. As soon as Sunward’s men had made their move and engaged with their team, Wu Shangyou had planned to take advantage of the chaos, cut a hole in the back of the tent, and escape. It was a good plan, but Ji Yanqing had anticipated their escape attempt and had already sent people to watch them.

Ji Yanqing hadn’t had them tied up from the start. Instead, he had waited for them to try and flee before capturing them. This changed everything. If they had acted first, it would have been a sign of bad faith. But with Wu Shangyou’s group trying to flee, it was they who were in the wrong.

“You...” Wu Shangyou started to say something, his face livid, but he swallowed his words. The fact that they had tried to abandon Ji Yanqing’s group was undeniable. They were in the wrong.

“Tie them up. Tightly,” Bai Haoxuan ordered, not letting his guard down just because Wu Shangyou’s group was unarmed. Several well-prepared members of his team moved forward to bind them.

Wu Shangyou tried to dodge. “I’ll give you half of the supplies.”

Bai Haoxuan ignored him, and the men sent to tie them up acted as if they hadn’t heard, forcing the struggling Wu Shangyou to the ground and tying him up securely.

“Sixty-forty.”

“Seventy-thirty!”

“Don’t push your luck...”

Wu Shangyou’s face was livid, but no one from Bai Haoxuan’s group paid him any mind. A treacherous person like Wu Shangyou couldn’t be trusted to keep his word. Even if they agreed to cooperate now, he would undoubtedly try to trick them later instead of leading them to the three truckloads of supplies.

After tying up Wu Shangyou’s group and placing them not far from the square-faced man’s group, Bai Haoxuan and his men once again faced Sunward’s team. Witnessing the capture and binding of Wu Shangyou’s group, the expressions on the faces of the Swift Dragon unit were priceless. According to their plan, they should have captured Wu Shangyou’s group without a hitch. But now, not only had they failed to do so, but fifty of their own men had been captured. The situation had spiraled completely out of their control.

In front of Bai Haoxuan, one of Swift Dragon’s men glanced at the person beside him. That person immediately turned and headed back to the two vehicles. Arriving at the car, he felt his scalp tingle as he looked at the man inside. “Boss...”

Before the operation, they had been so confident. But now... Meeting the grim eyes of the bald man inside the car, the man’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he quickly looked away.

The bald man in the car, though he hadn’t seen it directly, already knew what had transpired outside. His face cold, he rose to his feet.

“Captain,” Bai Haoxuan said, seeing Ji Yanqing emerge from the forest, dragging the last two men. He quickly stepped aside.

At the sight of Ji Yanqing, a surge of confidence ran through Bai Haoxuan’s group. Many of them even flushed with excitement. They had started at a disadvantage, but now they held the upper hand. And one of the parties they had subdued was a unit of the renowned Sunward!

“Mm,” qq: I started reading “The Knight King Who Returned With a God”, Leon does a lot of ‘Mm’-ing lol Ji Yanqing acknowledged, his eyes scanning the area. The plan had gone smoothly. Not to mention Wu Shangyou’s group, they had captured over fifty of Swift Dragon’s men. Even if Swift Dragon’s leader was willing to sacrifice these fifty lives, he had to consider the remaining hundred. No one would follow a leader who could watch his own people die without a second thought. If he let these fifty men be killed today, he could let any of his men be killed tomorrow. Once a team lost faith in their leader, it was doomed to collapse.

“Boss...” The Swift Dragon members paled as they saw their leader get out of the car. They had messed up again.

Standing before his men, Hei Long looked coldly at the opposing group. He wanted to see just what kind of person had this much skill. He knew the strength of his own men; the square-faced man’s group was not easily captured. The person who had managed to do so was no ordinary individual.

His gaze swept across the opposing side, and then he saw it—a pair of surprised eyes, a familiar face. Hei Long froze.

---

The wind and snow blurred Hei Long’s vision, but a single glance was all it took for him to be certain. He wasn’t mistaken.

The naturally curly hair, the high bridge of that nose, those clear, bright eyes, a face more handsome than most—there was no doubt. The person standing before him was Ji Yanqing.

The muscles in Hei Long’s grim, cold face twitched violently.

Swift Dragon’s men tightened their grips on their guns, their muzzles aligning as one to point at Bai Haoxuan’s group, their eyes filled with killing intent. But Bai Haoxuan’s group refused to be outdone. Some aimed their guns at the square-faced man and his captured comrades, while others aimed at Swift Dragon’s main force. If Swift Dragon dared to open fire, they would immediately slaughter the captured men.

The atmosphere was taut, a hair’s breadth from snapping.

The muscles in Hei Long’s face continued to twitch. He slowly opened his mouth, and in the next instant, a heart-wrenching sob tore through the darkness. “Waaaaah...”

Tears instantly blurred Hei Long’s vision. The unease, guilt, fear, and resentment that had been coiling in his heart erupted all at once, like a bursting dam. Tears streamed down his cheeks, soaking his face and filling his heart with a bitter, sour ache. The acrid feeling rose up his throat, making his nose and throat sting with the same pain.

Hei Long threw all caution to the wind. He took two steps forward and grabbed Ji Yanqing’s arms. He had countless things he wanted to say, but the words all melted into a single, choked wail. “...You were gone... You were gone...”

“Wuuu...”

“You were gone and we...”

“...I thought... we...”

“We looked everywhere for you... we couldn’t find you... wuuu... Boss...”

He gripped Ji Yanqing’s arms tightly, shaking him, his voice ragged with emotion. Along with his tears came bubbles of snot.

Seeing Hei Long get out of the car, seeing that familiar face, seeing him break down and sob, Ji Yanqing felt an indescribable emotion swell within him. He had held onto a sliver of hope at first, but as he learned more about this Swift Dragon unit, he had completely separated their leader from the Hei Long he knew. Apart from both being bald, they had nothing in common. The moment he saw Hei Long step out of the car and recognized him, his mind had gone blank.

This Hei Long was grim and foreboding, and those around him were terrified of him. He was a world away from the man in his memories. Looking at this version of Hei Long, Ji Yanqing couldn’t help but wonder: why had he become like this?

The answer came to him quickly.

Me.

“You...” A bitter taste filled Ji Yanqing’s throat.

“Boss... Boss...”

“Wuuu... we looked everywhere for you...”

Hei Long had so much to say, but his mind was a chaotic mess. He could only cling to Ji Yanqing instinctively, his face a mess of tears and snot, his sobs raw and desperate.

“We... we thought you were dead,” Hei Long finally choked out, pulling Ji Yanqing into a crushing hug, as if afraid he would disappear again.

Seeing Hei Long cling to Ji Yanqing, seeing him sob without a shred of dignity, the others, who had been locked in a tense standoff, were all stunned. Surprise, then bewilderment, painted every face. A vague understanding began to dawn, and even the members on opposite sides began trading clueless gazes.

Swift Dragon’s men had never seen their Boss cry like this. In their minds, Hei Long was always a strict and ruthless man. Since they had started following him, they had never seen him smile, let alone break down into a blubbering mess of tears and snot.

Bai Haoxuan’s group exchanged stunned glances, their expressions turning complicated. This was especially true for Bai Haoxuan, Gu Wenmo, and Gu Ranran. They had long suspected that Ji Yanqing was no simple man, and had considered many possibilities, but they had never imagined…

All the puzzle pieces seemed to fall into place. Ji Yanqing had been alone, and they had met him right after Sunward had lost their captain. But understanding this didn’t bring them relief; instead, a new unease settled over them.

“Alright, don’t cry...” Ji Yanqing patted Hei Long’s back softly.

The flood of emotion from the sobbing Hei Long had just begun to subside, but at the sound of Ji Yanqing’s familiar voice, his tears flowed uncontrollably once more.

“Boss...”

“Boss...”

Ji Yanqing looked at Hei Long’s face, swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue, and simply let him continue to cry on his shoulder.

Hei Long cried for a long time, a good half an hour, until he had no tears left, until his throat was dry and his voice was hoarse. By the time he was done, the sky had completely darkened, and a thick layer of snow had accumulated on the ground.

Ji Yanqing had Bai Haoxuan bring a bottle of water for Hei Long, then led him into a nearby tent. Inside, he had Hei Long sit down. Watching him drink the water between sobs, Ji Yanqing felt a wave of guilt wash over him.

In the time they had been apart, Hei Long had changed a great deal. It wasn’t just his personality that had become harsh and grim; a scar now marred his face. It ran from his left jawline up to just a centimeter below his eye. The wound had been deep; the scab had already fallen off, leaving only an angry pinkish red stretch of skin. His entire demeanor was tinged with a brutal hostility, not from the hardships of the apocalypse, but from the impotent rage and pain of a heart burdened with unspoken grief.

“Th-that day, we heard the commotion in the city and thought the Corpse King from before had returned, so we immediately l-left the city early...” As Hei Long spoke of that day, he began to choke up again.

The group still in the city had thought the three Corpse Kings were back, so they had immediately evacuated the city and returned to their camp. When the returning group reached the camp by the mountains, those waiting there had rushed up to ask them what had happened. Faced with their worried questions, the returning group had been stunned; they hadn’t encountered any trouble!

Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi had reacted almost instantly, searching the crowd for Ji Yanqing. But he was nowhere to be found. The absence plunged everyone into a state of unease. Xia Shen Shu had immediately questioned the guards about what had happened. When he learned that Xia Chen had returned to tell Ji Yanqing they were in trouble and had led him into the city, a terrible premonition had seized them.

Xia Chen had entered the city with them but had disappeared not long after. Li Pingsen had even gone back a short distance to look for him but had found no trace of him. They couldn’t just shout his name everywhere, so after a brief discussion, they had decided to continue with their mission. Xia Chen wasn’t new to this apocalyptic world; if he was careful, he was more than capable of getting out of the city on his own.

Learning about Xia Chen, and spurred by the terrible feeling in his gut, Xia Shen Shu hadn’t waited for the commotion in the city to die down. He had immediately led a group back in to find Ji Yanqing. They searched for a long time before finally finding Su Luo’s body at the entrance of a supermarket.

Seeing Su Luo’s body, and the shattered, pried-open handle of the supermarket door beside it, their sense of dread intensified. No one spoke, but they all knew what had likely happened. Ji Yanqing was a smart man; he would never have recklessly entered a mall teeming with zombies. He wouldn’t have gone in on his own, which left only one possibility: someone he trusted had deceived him. Xia Chen had deceived him.

Once they figured it out, after a moment of stunned disbelief, they had immediately searched the entire area around the mall. They searched everywhere but found no trace of Ji Yanqing. They didn’t return immediately. They continued to search the vicinity, combing the city for an entire night. By dawn, exhausted, they had no choice but to return to camp.

Back at the camp, the exhausted group didn’t sleep. They went straight to confront Li Xiao. They didn’t know why Xia Chen had done it, but they quickly guessed that Li Xiao had to be involved. Naturally, Li Xiao denied everything, even taunting them sarcastically. They had nearly come to blows with him, and it was only because Huang Rongyue’s people had held them back that a fight hadn’t broken out.

After the brief conflict, a heavy silence had once again fallen over the camp. After arranging for most of the team to rest, they had waited anxiously. The mall’s door showed clear signs of being pried open; they held onto the belief that Ji Yanqing must have escaped. They clung to this thought as they waited, but after a full day, Ji Yanqing still hadn’t returned. Had he ever even left the city?

Two days and a night passed, and with still no sign of Ji Yanqing, most of the team had descended into a state of extreme anxiety. They divided all the armed members into three squads. Xia Shen Shu, Lan Zi, and Li Pingsen each led one. Aside from the squad left to guard the camp, the other two went into the city to search.

Using the mall as their center, they searched building by building, knocking on every door, conducting a thorough search. But even so, they found nothing.

After five days, just as they were all on the verge of collapse from lack of food, water, and constant searching, Qin Yue had found them and told them it was time to leave. He had been camped there for over ten days, their supplies had been replenished, and they couldn’t stay any longer. Knowing Qin Yue was leaving, Li Xiao had begun to get restless. Faced with Li Xiao’s aggression, Huang Rongyue, who had been helping with the search, had no choice but to suggest they leave as well.

Ji Yanqing was dead. Whether they wanted to accept it or not, it had become a fact. Otherwise, why hadn’t he returned to the camp?

---

If Ji Yanqing had been gravely injured and trapped within the city … they had already scoured over half the buildings radiating out from that shopping center.

They declined Huang Rongyue’s offer.

But refusal birthed a new problem.

Once Qin Yue and Huang Rongyue’s people departed, conflict with Li Xiao was inevitable. They were outmatched. Certain defeat loomed.

A heavy silence fell over the camp, lasting all afternoon.

That night, squad leaders Xia Shen Shu, Lan Zi, and Li Pingsen gathered everyone. They offered a choice: anyone who wished to leave could go with Huang Rongyue. No judgement, no blame. Just one condition: leave the guns.

They weren’t leaving. They were staying.

Until they found Ji Yanqing, they would go nowhere.

By morning’s vote, not a single hand among the hundred-plus survivors rose to leave. All chose to stay.

Ji Yanqing wasn’t just Xia Shen Shu, Lan Zi, or Li Pingsen’s leader. He was their leader.

Most owed him their lives. Without him, they’d be dead.

He’d never failed them, facing danger himself, leading hunts against Awakened zombies, kindling the hope to survive. Only by his side had they begun to feel human again.

He was their lifeline. Now that line was severed. He might be in danger. To leave now? What would that make them?

The stunned disbelief on Qin Yue and Huang Rongyue’s faces as they departed, learning everyone stayed, was seared into their memory. They looked like fools.

Perhaps madness had taken them then.

After watching Qin Yue and Huang Rongyue leave, they launched a reckless gambit.

Unwinnable odds? Who cares!?

They lured Li Xiao’s crew into the city.

They didn’t play hide-and-seek. Sunward charged straight into infested zones – markets, schools – and opened fire, rousing the dead.

What followed was five days of hellish pursuit.

Li Xiao’s survivors weren’t fools; they’d outwitted zombies before. But they’d never faced humans hunting them through the horde.

Xia Shen Shu’s crew set traps, used the dead as weapons. Consequences were irrelevant. Only Li Xiao’s destruction mattered.

Panic seized Li Xiao’s people. But Ji Yanqing’s team, fractured by his loss, fought like rabid dogs. They were beyond reason, beyond fear.

They waged war with a fury that defied their smaller numbers, fighting tooth and nail until Li Xiao’s forces were shattered and gutted.

By the fifth day, Li Xiao’s group was nearly annihilated. The cost: thirty, nearly forty of their own members. They salvaged guns and ammo from the wreckage, arming every one of their remaining hundred.

Victory brought no celebration. No triumphant departure. After a brief respite, they hatched an even wilder plan.

They prepared for the worst. They began observing the city’s zombies…

Even if Ji Yanqing had turned, they needed to see his body. A man like him? If he became a zombie, he’d be powerful. Maybe an Awakened. Maybe even a Corpse King.

They joked about it, describing the fearsome Corpse King Ji Yanqing might become. But no one smiled.

They knew. Even if he Awakened, became a Corpse King… he wouldn’t be their Ji Yanqing anymore. He wouldn’t remember them.

They scavenged supplies, survived, and searched. They observed.

They even encountered a Corpse King, dominating a wide swath of territory, blocking their path.

When Xia Shen Shu proposed killing it, they agreed without hesitation. Fear was a forgotten luxury.

After slaying the Corpse King, they spent nearly two weeks observing every zombie in the city.

Finding no trace of Ji Yanqing after those two weeks brought relief – then tears. They refused to consider the possibility he’d been consumed by an Awakened or another King. They expanded the search, growing ever more desperate.

Ji Yanqing had to be alive. Betrayed by someone he trusted, disillusioned, he must be hiding. They had to find him. Had to explain: they weren’t Xia Chen. They were his Sunward.

They scoured nearby cities, building by building, zombie by zombie. When those yielded nothing, they pushed further, clinging to the belief he was alive, somewhere in this broken world…

“Our ammo ran dry. Gear, weapons – we were short on everything. Xia Shen Shu heard about a military base nearby… so I led a team out…” Hei Long’s voice hitched, his red-rimmed eyes burning into the bound Wu Shangyou. Losing this haul? He’d never forgive himself – nor would Xia Shen Shu, Lan Zi, or Li Pingsen.

Ji Yanqing’s throat tightened, a bitter ache so thick it stung his eyes. He hadn’t foreseen this.

Discovering Feng Yimo, Ji An, and Ji Le were Corpse Kings, his first instinct was to shield Xia Shen Shu’s team. He couldn’t bring them back. Feng Yimo and the children on one side; Xia Shen Shu and the others on the other. Trusting the Corpse Kings felt like betraying his friends. Separation seemed the only way.

He’d considered how Xia Shen Shu’s team might react to his disappearance. He’d believed them pragmatic, resourceful – capable without him. Especially Xia Shen Shu and Lü Qing. They might splinter over disagreements, but they’d survive.

He’d never imagined… this level of devotion.

Ji Yanqing turned his face towards an empty corner, unwilling to show his distress. He considered them friends.

It seemed they felt the same.

“Boss…” Hei Long’s voice was thick with grievance, his earlier menace gone, replaced by the wounded vulnerability of a trembling Chihuahua. Why didn’t you come back?

By the end, they’d been drowning in despair, sustained only by sheer, stubborn will. No one dared voice it.

“I’m sorry…” Ji Yanqing started, the words catching, rough and thick. It only deepened his shame. He drew a sharp breath, but even the sub-zero night air couldn’t cool the turmoil. He gripped Hei Long’s shoulder tightly, then turned and strode out of the tent. He needed air.

Staying meant breaking down alongside Hei Long.

Inside the tent, Hei Long watched him go, still perched on his rock like a scolded child. Feng Yimo moved to follow.

Bai Haoxuan, who’d been listening silently, his own mind reeling from the revelations about Ji Yanqing’s past, quickly stopped him. “Let him be alone for now.”

Feng Yimo paused, questioning.

“Sometimes… people need some space,” Bai Haoxuan explained, a wry twist to his lips. Feng Yimo’s profound lack of understanding about human emotions felt both strange and exhausting. No wonder Ji Yanqing wanted him gone. Living with that must be… taxing.

Feng Yimo considered this, then nodded. He trusted Bai Haoxuan’s advice; the engineer’s words the previous night had helped clarify much. Remembering Ji Yanqing was no longer angry with him, Feng Yimo’s gaze drifted towards the figure retreating behind the hill. A quiet satisfaction radiated from him, almost visible in the set of his shoulders.

“Hmph…” The black beast, observing from its solitary spot tucked away from the crowd, lifted its head, watching Feng Yimo’s silhouette against the snow. Feng Yimo’s eyes remained dark pools, fathomless as ancient wells, yet an undeniable sense of… contentment emanated from him. He practically shimmered with it.

The beast felt that strange sensation again – the same one it had when Feng Yimo had forged Ji Yanqing’s axe. It wasn’t mere satisfaction. It was… unsettlingly human.

Previously dismissed as illusion, the recurrence sparked a bizarre thought: Does higher evolution make one more… human-like?

The beast swiftly rejected it. No. Not more human. But… something akin to humanity is emerging. It rested its chin on its forelegs, studying the almost-giddy figure in the snow.

It recalled human theories: ‘Corpse Kings were building a new order.’ Their racial memory held no such concept. Territorial, yes, but not… hierarchical. From the first flicker of awakening, primal violence and cruelty were imprinted. They fought, killed, consumed, evolved. Became stronger.

Initially similar, differentiation came with evolution into Corpse Kings – the Intellect types, the Power types. After the third evolution, divergence deepened, not just in form, but… something else.

Lou Ye, after his third evolution, burned with an even fiercer bloodlust.

The beast itself, after its third evolution, found that the mindless urge to kill had faded. Living among humans held no inherent temptation to slaughter them.

The black beast’s thoughts hit a sudden, jarring wall. Its own third evolution… had been spent frantically fleeing Feng Yimo across the globe…

And it hadn’t even managed to escape!

The sheer absurdity of it all prickled like frostbite.

---

“Grrr...” A whimper, dazed and defeated, rumbled in the black beast’s throat.

If a shift in personality was a new divergence after a Corpse King’s third evolution, did that mean there was a fourth? Was Feng Yimo a fourth-stage Corpse King? Feng Yimo was, without a doubt, the most powerful Corpse King it had ever encountered, perhaps even more powerful than Death itself—

An utterly absurd thought suddenly surfaced in the black beast’s mind. Could Feng Yimo be Death?

The black beast shook its head violently. Impossible. Feng Yimo had never revealed himself to be Death, and he even seemed particularly concerned about matters related to Death. Feng Yimo couldn’t possibly be Death.

If Feng Yimo was Death... The black beast had previously considered that, if all else failed, it could seek refuge with Death. Then Feng Yimo wouldn’t be able to touch it. But if Feng Yimo was Death, did that mean it could never escape him in this lifetime?

Hearing the beast thrash about, Feng Yimo glanced back at the creature, which was huddled in a corner outside the tent, shaking its head one moment and looking dazed the next. A faint look of disdain crossed his face. He shifted a step to the side, putting more distance between them.

In the snow-covered camp, Bai Haoxuan’s group was lost in thought. After hearing Hei Long’s heart-wrenching sobs and learning Ji Yanqing’s true identity, a heavy silence fell over them. They gathered in one of the tents, each lost in their own world.

Swift Dragon’s members were also silent. Seeing their stoic, unsmiling Boss crying his eyes out, looking as pathetic as a wronged Chihuahua, had left them all in a daze. This was especially true for the fifty-odd men, including the square-faced leader, who had been knocked out by Ji Yanqing. If this had been before, after being captured by Ji Yanqing and failing their mission, they would have undoubtedly received a harsh reprimand from Hei Long.

Ji Yanqing stood behind the mountain for a long time, composing himself, before finally returning to the camp. As he re-entered, all three hundred-plus people turned to look at him. Bai Haoxuan’s group looked uneasy, Hei Long looked aggrieved, and Sunward’s members looked nearly soulless with their blatant bewilderment.

Facing them all, Ji Yanqing said, “Rest for now. We’ll talk tomorrow.” He hadn’t expected things to turn out this way and needed time to process everything, especially their next steps. He had decided to leave Sunward because of Feng Yimo, Ji An, and Ji Le. Now, they were still with him. If he were to return to Sunward, they would surely follow.

Should he bring Feng Yimo and the others back to Sunward? Should he hide the fact that they were Corpse Kings from Xia Shen Shu and the others?

Ji Yanqing instinctively looked at Feng Yimo, who was already looking at him. Feng Yimo’s earlier words still made his heart race. He had always thought Feng Yimo’s affection was merely that of a friend... Did Feng Yimo truly understand what he had said?

Ji Yanqing took a deep breath and tore his gaze away from Feng Yimo.

“Untie them,” Ji Yanqing said, glancing at the Sunward members huddled around their vehicles like a brood of chicks. The snow was falling harder now, piling up thick on the ground. The square-faced man and his men were on the verge of becoming ice sculptures.

The squatting Sunward members exchanged glances, hesitant. Although they had guessed Ji Yanqing’s identity, none of them had ever met the captain who had disappeared before they joined. After a while, a few of the bolder ones finally hurried over to untie the ropes.

“Are you camping here or going back to the city?” Ji Yanqing asked.

The group of “chicks” huddled by the cars looked at each other, none of them able to make a decision.

Ji Yanqing looked at Hei Long, who was in the tent.

“I’m staying,” Hei Long said without a second thought. As he calmed down, a surge of exhilaration washed over him. He was desperate to share the news with Xia Shen Shu and the others, but they had no long-range communication devices. Realizing he couldn’t immediately share the good news, he quickly understood his new mission: he had to keep a close eye on Ji Yanqing! He absolutely could not lose him again. If he did, Xia Shen Shu and the others would… no, he would!

“Then go to the city and get your things. Camp here,” Ji Yanqing said to the “chicks” from Sunward.

The group of “chicks” looked at each other, their heads swiveling.

“Don’t dawdle. If you wait any longer, the roads will be impassable,” Ji Yanqing said.

The group immediately got up, boarded the vehicles, and sped off towards the city.

Watching the two vehicles leave, Ji Yanqing turned to look at Bai Haoxuan’s group. They were sitting in the tent, bewildered and uneasy, as lost as the Swift Dragon members. But unlike Swift Dragon’s bewilderment, their eyes held a deeper fear, fear of being abandoned. Sunward was clearly a more capable group, and Ji Yanqing hadn’t even wanted to take them in the first place; they had latched onto him themselves.

Ji Yanqing sighed softly. “Clean up and get some rest.”

Bai Haoxuan nodded, trying to appear calm, but his expression remained dejected. Everyone moved quickly. Bai Haoxuan selected a group to stand guard and watch over Wu Shangyou and his men in the tent, then had the rest of his team sleep in the vehicles they had retrieved earlier.

Swift Dragon was fast. They soon returned from the city with seven more vehicles. They led the pursuing zombies to the right side of the city, lost them in the nearby mountain forest, and then returned to Ji Yanqing’s camp. Leaving some of their own to stand guard and watch Wu Shangyou’s group, the rest of them quickly boarded their vehicles to rest.

Seeing that everyone except the guards was in the vehicles, with over a dozen cars parked side by side, Ji Yanqing took a deep breath and chose one of Bai Haoxuan’s less crowded vehicles.

As he boarded, Ji An and Ji Le, who had been unusually quiet since finding him again, immediately followed. They clumsily climbed into the vehicle and sat down in a corner, some distance away from him. Seeing their quiet demeanor, Ji Yanqing felt a pang of unease.

He was lost in thought when another person boarded the vehicle. It was Hei Long. He had brought his own blanket from his team’s car. He looked at Ji Yanqing with red-rimmed, pitiful eyes. “I want to sleep with you.”

Hearing Hei Long’s hoarse voice, seeing his pathetic expression, and remembering how he had cried his eyes out just a while ago, Ji Yanqing’s mouth twitched. For a moment, he wanted to bring an axe down on his head.

Before he could act, Feng Yimo had already raised his sheathed blade. Before Ji Yanqing could say a word, Hei Long had collapsed, unconscious.

Ji Yanqing was speechless. After a moment, he sighed. It was probably for the best. If Hei Long had insisted on asking why he hadn’t come back to find them, he really wouldn’t have known how to explain.

Ji Yanqing went over, unfolded the blanket, rolled Hei Long onto it, and covered him up. He had just finished when Bai Haoxuan appeared outside the vehicle, carrying two blankets. Ji Yanqing looked up and met Bai Haoxuan’s eyes, which resembled those of a pet afraid of being abandoned by its owner. A headache began to throb in his temples.

He had expected to hear the same words from Bai Haoxuan as he had from Hei Long, and even swore he saw Feng Yimo reach for his blade again. Instead, Bai Haoxuan handed him the blankets. Ji Yanqing was slightly taken aback and quickly accepted them. “Thank you.”

Bai Haoxuan nodded and turned to leave.

“Bai Haoxuan.”

Bai Haoxuan looked back.

“...Don’t overthink things. Get some sleep,” Ji Yanqing said. He had wanted to say that he wasn’t planning on abandoning them, but then he remembered Feng Yimo and the others. They were Corpse Kings, a fact Bai Haoxuan and his team didn’t know. A fresh wave of headache washed over Ji Yanqing.

Back in the vehicle, Ji Yanqing placed one of the blankets next to Ji An and Ji Le, then took the other to the back and unfolded it. The vehicle was padded, so he could sleep directly on the floor. Lying down, Ji Yanqing closed his eyes.

The only sound in the darkness was the whistling of the wind. After a long and tumultuous day, Ji Yanqing was exhausted, but sleep wouldn’t come. Feng Yimo and the others were determined to follow him. Even if he managed to shake them off, they would undoubtedly find him again. And he couldn’t hide from Xia Shen Shu and the others forever.

Should he take Feng Yimo and the cubs to find Xia Shen Shu and the rest? And after they all reunited, should he hide the truth, or tell them that Feng Yimo and the cubs were Corpse Kings? What would Xia Shen Shu and the others think?

Zombies were the nightmare of all survivors. The suffering after the outbreak aside, their own family and friends had died because of them. Their feelings towards zombies were far more complex than simple fear. And even putting all that aside, could he really trust Feng Yimo?

Ji Yanqing turned over. As he did, he came face to face with a pair of dark, haunting eyes. Feng Yimo was lying beside him.

Looking at Feng Yimo’s face, at those black eyes as cold and deep as an ancient well, Ji Yanqing immediately recalled his earlier words. Feng Yimo had said he didn’t want to be just a normal friend with him; he wanted him all to himself.

Ji Yanqing stared into Feng Yimo’s eyes. Did he truly understand what he was saying?

Under his gaze, Feng Yimo’s black eyes grew even deeper. After a moment of silent contemplation, Ji Yanqing slowly moved closer to Feng Yimo, pressing his body against his side. His knees touched Feng Yimo’s, his hips rested against Feng Yimo’s lower abdomen, and his chest was flush against Feng Yimo’s. He quietly studied the face so close to his own.

Feeling the sudden proximity of Ji Yanqing, the sensation of his body, the scent of his breath, Feng Yimo’s heart stopped. He instinctively held his breath. He had seen Ji Yanqing’s face countless times, but up close, it was completely different. The way Ji Yanqing’s eyes reflected his own face, the slight curl of his eyelashes, the high bridge of his nose, the soft pink of his slightly parted lips…

Ji Yanqing’s body…

Feng Yimo’s pupils constricted violently. He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. Something surged from the depths of his being, something hot and overwhelmingly possessive, like a beast’s instinct, urging him on, pushing him—

Before Feng Yimo realized what he was doing, he had already opened his mouth and gently bitten the corner of Ji Yanqing’s lips.

The corner of Ji Yanqing’s mouth was soft, and a little sweet.

Ji Yanqing … was delicious.

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qq note: Aight, so expect 2 chaps a month posted to this site and 4 to the patreon, I'm up to chapter 72 on there lol. Happy beginning of Spooky Month!!