AFTCKCTCKATD - Chapter 84
Chapter 84
What Type Of Corpse King Was Feng Yimo?
---
Ji Yanqing gave Ji Le’s hair a final pat, then turned and took the lead, heading deep into the mountain range to find the Elder.
The Corpse Kings gathered within the peaks had long since noticed their intrusion. Recognizing Feng Yimo, one of them immediately bolted to alert the Elder.
A few minutes later, the Elder emerged. Clearly unprepared for Feng Yimo’s sudden appearance in the mountains, his face was alight with a mix of shock and exhilaration. “You... why have you come?”
Feng Yimo spared him a single glance but offered no response.
Ji Yanqing spoke up in his stead. “What’s the current situation?”
The Elder stole another look at Feng Yimo before explaining rapidly, “Of the Corpse Kings we sent to the Devil’s City, only a few returned. There is still no word from Shang Chan; it is likely he is already dead.”
“And the north?” Ji Yanqing asked. He had already heard the rumors about Shang Chan.
“The situation in the north is grim as well. It seems that just as our main force reached the Devil’s City, the Corpse Kings from the Heavenly Flame faction made their move. They headed north immediately. According to a King who arrived from that region recently, the casualties in the north are severe.”
Ji Yanqing nodded. It matched the intelligence he had already gathered.
“Are Heavenly Flame and Death’s Faction the only two major powers left among the Corpse Kings?” Ji Yanqing asked.
The Elder was puzzled why Ji Yanqing would come all this way just to ask him this. “At present, yes.”
“In other words, if we take the head of Heavenly Flame’s leader and dismantle their faction, Death’s Faction would become the undisputed ruler of Corpse Kings?”
The Elder looked from Ji Yanqing to Feng Yimo, a gleam of excitement surfacing in his cloudy eyes. “Theoretically, yes.”
“We’re going to kill the leader of Heavenly Flame,” Ji Yanqing stated.
“You mean...” The Elder’s eyes shone as he looked at Feng Yimo.
Since finding Feng Yimo, their God of Death, they had begged him more than once to return and take command of Death’s Faction—an organization they had established without his permission—but he had always refused or ignored them. They dared not threaten him, and despite listing the benefits of leadership, Feng Yimo remained utterly uninterested. Over time, even the Elder had begun to waver in his resolve.
“He’s agreed to return and take charge of Death’s Faction,” Ji Yanqing said.
The Elder’s face flushed a deep red as he stared intensely at Feng Yimo, waiting for confirmation. He was practically vibrating with excitement. Before the onlookers could even react to the news, he shouted at the top of his lungs, “Spread the word! Our King has returned!”
The Elder had been waiting for this moment for a long time; his voice trembled with the weight of it.
As the words fell, he looked ready to embrace Feng Yimo but was immediately stopped by a frosty glare from the King himself.
Hearing the conversation and seeing the Elder’s fervor, the surrounding Corpse Kings rose from the snow where they had been watching the spectacle. Several quick-witted ones immediately sprinted into the mountains to spread the news.
Ji Yanqing opened his mouth to stop them but swallowed the words.
Unlike their survival team days when hiding was key, unifying the Corpse Kings under Death’s Faction required a display of fame and power. Without it, they wouldn’t be able to gain the support of the others.
Ji Yanqing looked at the Elder. “Do you know where the Heavenly Flame leader is?”
The Elder tore his gaze away from Feng Yimo. Seeing the backpacks on Ji Yanqing’s trio, realization dawned, fueling his excitement further. “He should be in the north.”
“‘Should be’?” Ji Yanqing didn’t want ambiguity.
“After learning we came to the Devil’s City, their main force seemed to move north.”
Ji Yanqing nodded thoughtfully. “Have you sent anyone to check Heavenly Flame’s territory in the east?”
The east was Heavenly Flame’s home turf, but with forces moving to the Devil’s City and the north, it must be vulnerable. Or perhaps the leader had taken everyone, leaving an empty city behind.
The war for Corpse King supremacy was a battle for followers—aiming to recruit more Kings—territory was secondary.
“No.”
“Send your people to check,” Ji Yanqing ordered. He paused, then added, “Scour the Devil’s City too. He might be hiding there. The most dangerous place is often the safest.”
“Find him as soon as possible. Do not alert him. Send the message first. In this situation, he won’t fight us head-on; if he knows he’s been found, he’ll flee immediately.”
The Elder instinctively turned to execute the order but stopped after two steps. He looked back, confusion knitting his brows. Why was he listening to a human’s arrangement?
Feng Yimo’s dark, abyssal eyes swept over him coldly. “Listen to him.”
The Elder looked at Ji Yanqing with complicated eyes, then back at Feng Yimo. They had noticed Feng Yimo’s obedience to Ji Yanqing recently. It was... perplexing. A Corpse King taking orders from a human?
Despite the doubt in his heart, the Elder turned to make the arrangements. Ji Yanqing’s plan was sound; it was the most logical course of action they had.
Minutes later, a dozen Corpse Kings sprinted off in different directions to convey the orders.
Ji Yanqing stood in the snowy forest, watching their retreating figures with a slight frown.
Corpse Kings were physically superior to humans in every way, yet their communication methods were laughably primitive. Communication by roaring, transportation by walking. With such a slow rhythm, the battle on the front lines could be over for half a month before the reinforcements in the rear even heard the news.
“What next?” the Elder asked upon returning.
This time, his focus was no longer solely on Feng Yimo; he looked to Ji Yanqing. He had realized that, for now, Ji Yanqing was the one calling the shots.
Ji Yanqing thought for a moment. “Continue searching for him. Feng Yimo and I will head northeast. To get to the north, Heavenly Flame has to pass through that region. If the leader wants to monitor the Devil’s City, he can’t be too far from the south. The northeast is the most likely spot.”
“Once we’re there, we’ll try to capture a Heavenly Flame member and interrogate them. They’ll definitely know where their boss is.”
Xia Shen Shu, who had been listening quietly, opened his backpack and spread a map out on the snow.
Ji Yanqing stepped over.
It was a comprehensive set of maps, including a large overview and detailed charts of smaller cities, marking every village, mountain range, and river.
Ji Yanqing quickly circled a few cities in the northeast.
The area wasn’t too far. In a straight line, it was about ten days’ travel. But considering they had to detour around cities, scavenge for supplies, and stop during the dangerous snowy nights, it would take at least half a month.
They knew nothing about the enemy leader, so this was the only way to find him.
“We’ll head in this direction. If you get any news, come find us here,” Ji Yanqing told the Elder.
“I’ll go with you. I can’t let the King risk himself alone,” the Elder insisted firmly.
Ji Yanqing frowned. “What about the Devil’s City?”
If Death’s Faction abandoned the Devil’s City and Heavenly Flame took over, the human survivors in the county town would be directly exposed to the enemy.
“The priority is the Heavenly Flame leader,” the Elder argued. “The Devil’s City will be fine; the other Kings are staying behind.”
As he spoke, the Elder glanced toward the side of the forest.
Ji Yanqing followed his line of sight. Behind a large tree about twenty meters away, a massive, furry head poked out.
It was the cowardly Hound King, one of the three founders of Death’s Faction.
The moment Feng Yimo looked over, it immediately ducked back behind the trunk.
The Elder pursed his lips, his expression filled with disdain. “Don’t let his appearance fool you. He can fight.”
Hearing the Elder’s defense, the Hound extended a paw from behind the tree, displaying its razor-sharp claws to Ji Yanqing.
Ji Yanqing remained expressionless. It would be a lot more convincing if you weren’t hiding.
He looked at the culprit beside him—Feng Yimo looked completely unperturbed.
“Look after the people in the county town for me,” Ji Yanqing called out.
“Awoo.”
“Are we setting out immediately?” Xia Shen Shu asked.
Ji Yanqing nodded. “No time to waste.”
Xia Shen Shu packed up the map. Ji Yanqing cast one last glance in the direction of the county town, then led the way out of the mountain range.
The crisp morning air carried the faint hum of voices, a sound full of life.
When Ji Yanqing reached the foot of the mountain, he spotted a vehicle waiting in the snow from a distance.
It was a black off-road vehicle, with massive wheels capable of conquering any terrain, and a towering chassis declaring its uniqueness. The survival team generally avoided such cars because they couldn’t carry much cargo, but Xia Shen Shu had a soft spot for them.
“How is it? Nice, right?” Xia Shen Shu leaned one hand against the hood, looking smug. “Perfect size for just the few of us.”
Lan Zi ignored him, opened the trunk, and tossed her backpack inside.
Ji Yanqing was dumbfounded. “How did you know I was leaving?”
Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi had been waiting here since early morning, even having time to prep the car. Clearly, they had known about his departure since yesterday.
“Tong Yue found us yesterday. He told us to tell you to come back soon,” Lan Zi said, patting the stockpile of bullets and supplies in the trunk.
Tong Yue had given them every special bullet the county town possessed, and he hadn’t skimped on food and water either.
---
Speaking of this, Lan Zi’s smile vanished. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
They had discussed this with Ji Yanqing before, and he had promised that no matter what happened in the future, he would inform them and not act on his own.
There was no anger on Lan Zi’s face, but under her gaze, Ji Yanqing felt an intense guilt, like a child caught doing something wrong by a parent.
Ji Yanqing told the truth. “If the enemy finds out, I will definitely become his primary target.”
If they came with him, Xia Shen Shu and the others would be in great danger. Moreover, this danger was different from before. Previously, they could choose to hide. This time, the enemy would come straight for him, hunting them to the ends of the earth.
Feng Yimo frowned.
Xia Shen Shu opened his mouth to speak.
Ji Yanqing didn’t wait for them to start. “But it’s also an opportunity. Once the other side knows of my existence, he’ll immediately come for me. That way, at least we won’t have to worry about not being able to find him.”
Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi, who had been angered by Ji Yanqing’s words, exchanged a look. They saw mutual helplessness in each other’s eyes. Using himself as bait—of course Ji Yanqing would do that.
The reason they had come along was precisely because they knew Ji Yanqing was capable of such a thing.
Ji Yanqing took off the backpack from his shoulders and placed it in the trunk as well.
The trunk was packed with supplies. Bullets and medical supplies aside, the food was all the most convenient, long-lasting, protein-rich canned goods and compressed biscuits.
After Xia Shen Shu also put his pack in the trunk, Ji Yanqing closed it.
Lan Zi had an injured hand, so Xia Shen Shu took the wheel.
Ji Yanqing sat in the back with Feng Yimo, Ji An, and Ji Le.
The old man didn’t ride in the car. He summoned his subordinate, a black, beast-form Corpse King.
Once everyone was ready, the vehicle started, speeding over the snow, heading northeast.
The black Corpse King carried the old man, running alongside the car and keeping pace.
After the car left the vicinity of the mountain range, Xia Shen Shu cleared his throat and turned on the car’s stereo. Immediately, the vehicle was filled with the sound of his soul-rending, shrieking howls.
Suppressing the urge to knock him out with his axe, Ji Yanqing looked out the window.
The morning temperature hadn’t risen yet; the air was full of chill. A cold wind poured in through the window, bringing with it a nostalgic sense of being on the run. Ji Yanqing closed his eyes slightly, filled with a strange sense of comfort.
This nostalgic, almost enjoyable feeling didn’t last long. Five days later, the smiles had vanished from everyone’s faces in the car, replaced by familiar weariness and silence.
They hadn’t encountered any danger along the way, but the constant jolting travel in the vehicle by day and rough camping by night were still draining.
As the sky darkened, the last glimmer of twilight was swallowed by darkness, and the car was forced to stop before a patch of woods ahead.
They were crossing a desert.
This desert was different from what they remembered. The air wasn’t dry but quite humid, with ample moisture and brilliant sunlight. As far as the eye could see, there were all sorts of unknown mutant plants.
In many places, the grass reached past their knees. Trees that had once struggled to grow now shot wildly towards the sky.
Along the way, they occasionally saw colossal trees straight out of fairy tales, ones that would take dozens of people to encircle.
The scenery was beautiful, but no one dared let their guard down for a moment. The more unfamiliar the environment, the more lethal the hidden dangers.
The car stopped beneath a small grove of trees, the only spot without knee-high wild grass.
Once the vehicle halted, everyone inside moved in silence.
Lan Zi took insect repellent and sprayed a circle around the area. Xia Shen Shu pulled out the modified sunshade tarp, looking for a place to pitch the tent.
Ji Yanqing took his axe and circled the grove to ensure there were no zombies nearby.
This small grove had only thirty or forty trees in total, but because the trees were massive, the area it covered was quite wide. Their great height also meant everything was almost entirely visible.
Confirming the grove was safe, Ji Yanqing scanned the surroundings. Similar small groves dotted the entire desert.
Seeing no zombies, Ji Yanqing returned to the car.
Lan Zi was trying to start a fire with fire tongs. Once night fell, the moisture in the air became even denser. She tried several times but failed to ignite the fire. In the end, she had to tear up the damp cardboard from the ration boxes to use as kindling.
After simply boiling some water and cooking the compressed biscuits into a mush, Ji Yanqing, Xia Shen Shu, and Lan Zi quickly shared the meal.
By the time they finished eating, the sky was pitch black, not a hand visible before their faces.
It hadn’t started snowing yet. The further east they went, the later and lighter the snowfall, which felt somewhat unfamiliar.
Full and satisfied, everyone except Lan Zi, who was on watch duty, went to sleep.
After the long journey, Ji An and Ji Le were exhausted, falling asleep within minutes of lying down. After the two little ones were asleep, Ji Yanqing lay down beside Feng Yimo.
In the darkness, Feng Yimo silently reached out and massaged Ji Yanqing’s temples, easing his fatigue.
Feeling Feng Yimo’s touch, Ji Yanqing’s taut nerves found brief relief. He soon fell asleep.
*
The sound was deafening, accompanied by a violent tremor in the ground.
Snow had begun to fall, and the shockwaves seemed to make the flakes in the air sway.
The moment the sound erupted, the hearts of everyone in their camp clenched in fright.
“Daddy…” Ji Le, startled awake, instinctively moved closer to Ji Yanqing.
Xia Shen Shu, also jolted awake, grabbed for his gun first. Simultaneously, Ji Yanqing grabbed his axe.
“What’s happening?” the old man asked.
“Don’t know. Didn’t see anything,” Lan Zi, who was on watch, looked in the direction of the sound.
The noise continued to spread in all directions, creating echoes among the distant mountains and forests. The reverberations blurred the source and range of the sound.
In the darkness, everyone held their breath, waiting and observing. But even as their hearts ached from pounding so hard, no Corpse King appeared.
“Should we go take a look?” Xia Shen Shu glanced toward the source of the sound.
In that direction was a stretch of forest.
Ji Yanqing recalled the scene from earlier that evening.
This desert was covered in wildly growing small groves. He had scanned that area from a distance at dusk. He only remembered seeing a patch of woods.
“Let’s go look.” Ji Yanqing took the lead toward that direction.
It was still early, not yet true nightfall, and with the snow now falling, they couldn’t drive away. Doing nothing would leave them too vulnerable.
With Ji Yanqing in front, Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi flanking left and right, Feng Yimo, Ji An, and Ji Le following behind Ji Yanqing, and the old man with his subordinate Corpse King bringing up the rear, the group left their campsite and headed for the small forest ahead.
Passing through one grove, they found another ahead.
In the darkness, Ji Yanqing stopped to listen for a moment. Hearing no sounds of fighting or footsteps, he continued forward.
After passing through three small groves in a row, just as Ji Yanqing was considering giving up, they finally saw something ahead.
About five or six hundred meters in front of their grove, in the darkness, a tall, dark silhouette stood at the edge of a forest.
The distance was too great, the surroundings too dark, and the heavy snow made it impossible to discern its exact form. But only a Corpse King could have such a massive stature.
Seeing the figure, everyone held their breath.
“Should we leave?” Lan Zi whispered.
Ji Yanqing remained silent, simply watching the distance intently.
Xia Shen Shu peered that way. In the darkness, the Corpse King stood motionless.
“What is it?” Lan Zi also looked.
“That seems…” Ji Yanqing wasn’t sure.
After a moment’s hesitation, Ji Yanqing led the way forward again.
Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi exchanged a glance and followed.
Five hundred meters was neither far nor near. Leaving the woods, they covered the distance in less than five minutes. From afar, they could finally make out the Corpse King.
It wasn’t a Corpse King at all, but a pile of earth and stones.
More accurately, it was a mound of earth and stones that had been pushed up and piled together by something from underground.
A large area around the stones was free of snow, exposing the ground. The air was filled with steaming heat, carrying a distinct smell of sulfur.
Realizing what it was, surprise flickered in everyone’s eyes.
“Is this… a hot spring?” Lan Zi said, incredulous.
They had encountered many strange things on their journey, but something so familiar was a first.
Awoo?
The old man and his subordinate looked at each other, not understanding what Ji Yanqing and the others were talking about.
As Xia Shen Shu was pondering how to climb atop the rock pile to get a better look, a faint tremor came from the ground.
Ji Yanqing paused for a second, then suddenly understood. He scooped up Ji An and Ji Le from the ground and ran in the opposite direction. As he moved, he roared a warning, “RUN!”
Almost as soon as his voice rang out, after a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering tremor, a torrent of scalding water erupted from the depths, shooting over thirty meters into the air.
As the geyser soared, large, boiling-hot droplets scattered everywhere. Some hit the ground, splashing into puddles; others struck the members of the group.
“Urk—”
Sounds of pain rose in the darkness.
The water from the hot spring vent was far hotter than they had anticipated. Where it hit clothing, it was manageable. Where it landed directly on skin, it was like a branding iron, searing the skin right off.
Stinging with pain, no one dared stop running. Gritting their teeth, they charged into the forest ahead in one breath, not slowing down until they were safely distant before daring to look back.
The upward jet of water had stopped, but steam rose from the ground everywhere, blurring their vision with mist.
Ji Yanqing checked Ji An and Ji Le in his arms. Ji Le had escaped unscathed. Ji An had been splashed on the chin, leaving a large red patch. Ji Yanqing’s heart ached at the sight.
---
Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi were both caught in the blast—one scalded on the hand, the other on the forehead. Ji Yanqing, shielding Ji An and Ji Le, had kept his entire head and neck exposed; a patch of blistered skin now wrapped around his neck, worst at the back with some light splashes near the front. Even the old man and his subordinate Corpse King hadn’t escaped unscathed. The latter, due to its massive size, had borne the brunt of the splash—over a dozen burns mottled its body.
Once the danger passed, they stood there wincing, half-laughing, half-groaning at the absurdity of it all.
Back on the road after lingering awhile longer in the distant woods, Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi were unusually buoyant. Xia Shen Shu, especially, was already envisioning how this place could be turned into a resort someday. “We should mark it,” he said, eyes alight. “Definitely coming back.”
Ji Yanqing, too, felt a quiet lift in his spirits. Without the Corpse Kings, this new world might have been wondrous—a realm of endless novelty, ripe for exploration. Traveling freely, uncovering secrets—it would’ve made for a remarkable life.
But reality weighed heavier. The gasoline, electricity, natural gas—they’d once created or harnessed these things, but now, with their current capabilities, they couldn’t replicate them. All they could do was scavenge what remained. And those resources wouldn’t last forever.
Before they ran out, they needed alternatives.
From total ignorance to gradual understanding, then mastery—that was how a new era was built. Not just an era for the Corpse Kings… but for humanity as well. To witness its dawn would be extraordinary.
Ji Yanqing sighed.
“Does it hurt?” Feng Yimo asked softly, his gaze fixed on the burn along Ji Yanqing’s neck.
Ji Yanqing touched the wound. It throbbed fiercely—but that wasn’t why he’d sighed. “I just… regret that I won’t get to see the future,” he said, leading the way back toward camp, his eyes drifting toward the dark, unknowable horizon. “Humans only live a few decades. We’ve survived the worst… only to die before things truly get better.” He offered a faint smile.
In the decades ahead, rebuilding even a single county would be an achievement. As for discovering new energy sources, forging substitutes, birthing new cultures—that would take centuries.
He knew he was being greedy. Simply surviving was already a miracle. Yet still, he wanted more. And though he understood that, the ache of longing refused to fade.
Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi exchanged glances, their earlier cheer dissolving into quiet bitterness.
Then Feng Yimo stopped walking.
Ji Yanqing turned, puzzled.
“You’re going to die?” Feng Yimo’s voice held rare astonishment.
Ji Yanqing blinked. “Huh?” Of course people died.
Then it struck him—Feng Yimo wasn’t human.
“Do Corpse Kings… not die?” Lan Zi whispered, halting mid-step, her face pale with realization.
It had only been about a year since the first Corpse King appeared. They’d spent every moment running, fighting, surviving—never pausing to ask such questions.
“A long-lived species, then?” Xia Shen Shu raised an eyebrow.
“If you mean lifespan beyond accidental death,” the old man interjected, “Corpse Kings can endure for a very, very long time.”
All three humans turned to him. Staring at the Elder’s pallid face, they fell silent.
Now they saw it clearly: Corpse Kings weren’t just divided into brute-force and intelligent types—the humanoid ones varied greatly. Ji An and Ji Le appeared as children; Feng Yimo as a man in his prime; and this old man had emerged ancient from the start.
They’d never considered longevity before, so they’d never noticed the differences. Now, the contrast was stark.
After a moment of stunned silence, Ji Yanqing looked at Feng Yimo, who was frowning at him with something like anguish in his eyes. The truth settled heavily between them: Ji Yanqing had perhaps fifty years left—if he was lucky. Feng Yimo’s life had barely begun.
“Daddy…”
Ji Yanqing looked down. Ji An stood beside him, eyes red-rimmed, on the verge of tears. Was Daddy going to die?
“Don’t die, okay?” Ji Le’s voice trembled, thick with sobs. He couldn’t bear the thought.
Ji Yanqing hadn’t expected the conversation to veer in such a direction. Seeing their wide, rabbit-like eyes filled with fear, his chest tightened with a bittersweet ache. Would he never get to see them grow?
He forced a smile, hiding the sorrow in his voice. “Let’s get back. Aren’t your burns hurting?” He couldn’t continue this conversation; he feared he wouldn’t be able to successfully comfort them… or Feng Yimo.
Since the revelation, Feng Yimo had been watching him in silence. His dark eyes, usually so cold, now held only confusion and helplessness. That vulnerability unnerved Ji Yanqing and pierced him with guilt.
Ji An opened his mouth to protest, but Ji Yanqing winced dramatically, pressing a hand to his neck. “Ouch, it really hurts.”
Instantly, Ji An sniffled and bolted toward camp. “I’ll get medicine! Medicine makes it better!”
“Slow down,” Ji Yanqing called after him, jogging to catch up.
The others followed without a word.
Minutes later, they reached camp. Ji Yanqing popped the trunk and pulled out a medical kit—Tong Yue had spared no expense; it was stocked with everything: painkillers, antibiotics, antiseptics, all in generous supply.
He found the right ointment and shone a flashlight under Ji An’s chin. The scald had already faded to a faint red mark. Corpse Kings healed fast.
Ji Yanqing exhaled in relief. Burns were treacherous—painful for days, prone to infection. At least the children were safe.
Now came his own wound. But it sat just below his ear, out of sight.
He turned—and met Feng Yimo’s gaze.
After the initial shock, fury had taken root in Feng Yimo’s eyes, sharp as ice, as if he wanted to tear someone apart. Yet his hands, as he gently examined Ji Yanqing’s neck, were impossibly tender.
There was no one to blame. No enemy to punish. And that helplessness only deepened his rage.
Once the wound was dressed, Ji Yanqing didn’t wait for questions. “I’m tired,” he told Ji An and Ji Le, ushering them into their sleeping bags. “Time to sleep.”
He lay down and closed his eyes, perfectly still. The twins watched him for a while, then drifted off.
Long after their breathing evened, Ji Yanqing opened his eyes.
Feng Yimo was already watching him.
“You won’t die—”
Ji Yanqing kissed him before he could finish.
When they parted, neither spoke.
Dawn bled pale light into the sky, but night still clung to the earth when they rose.
The old man’s scouts—sent toward Devil City and the north—had sent no word. Too far to sense whether they were dead or merely lost, the group decided to press onward.
Once the snow melted enough for wheels to turn, the vehicle rolled again.
Before leaving, Xia Shen Shu carved a clear marker into a tree. He was determined to return—to soak in that hot spring, no matter what.
The snow vanished quickly. The sun grew fierce. The breeze, once cool, now carried heat.
By late morning, they had to pull over to rest. The east was hotter than the south they’d left behind, and midday heat lingered longer.
When they resumed driving past one o’clock, Ji Yanqing, Lan Zi, and Xia Shen Shu were still dazed by the swelter.
Xia Shen Shu drove crookedly, weaving across the empty road. With no other vehicles around, the others let him be, slumped in their seats, half-asleep.
Feng Yimo and the others, immune to extreme heat or cold, remained alert.
Ji Yanqing was nearly dozing off when—
A roar. A crash.
The world flipped as the car rolled violently onto its side.
Instinct took over. Ji Yanqing threw himself over Ji An and Ji Le, shielding them from impact.
Feng Yimo moved at the same instant—wrapping his arms around Ji Yanqing as metal screamed and glass shattered.
The vehicle tumbled for what felt like an eternity before a final bone vibrating slam stopped its movement.
Inside, everyone was dazed, ears ringing, vision swimming.
“You—” Lan Zi, bleeding from a gash on her temple, glared at Xia Shen Shu. “How did you—?”
“Corpse Kings!” Xia Shen Shu shouted, fumbling with his seatbelt while scanning the cabin for his rifle.
Lan Zi snapped to attention, raising her gun.
From the front came thunderous growls and shaking earth.
Ji Yanqing peered through a cracked window—and his blood ran cold.
Five Corpse Kings emerged from the trees ahead. All beast-forms. At their lead: a sleek, black panther-like creature with powerful coiled muscles and burning eyes. It had been the one to flip their car.
The four behind it moved in perfect deference.
These were Corpse Kings sent by Heavenly Flame.
“ROAR!”
The black panther lunged.
If it landed on the overturned vehicle, the metal shell—and everyone inside—would be crushed to pulp.
At the last second, the old man’s subordinate Corpse King slammed into it from the side, knocking it off course.
Glass shards littered the cabin. Ji Yanqing grabbed Ji An and Ji Le, hoisting them through a broken window. He scrambled out after them, then reached back for Feng Yimo, yanking him free just as—
A Corpse King pounced from the flank!
Ji Yanqing sidestepped, swung his axe with all his strength, and smashed it into the creature’s jaw as it snapped at him.
The impact staggered the beast—twice Ji Yanqing’s size—sending it stumbling sideways.
“Ugh—” Its brain rattled from the blow.
As it shook its head to clear the daze—
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Lan Zi fired first—her bullet punching straight into its eye. Xia Shen Shu, dual-wielding pistols, followed with rapid, precise shots.
The beast staggered, then collapsed.
Corrosive rounds ate through its skull from the inside out. Within seconds, a gaping, smoking wound spread from its eye socket. The stench of rotting flesh filled the air as its body convulsed uncontrollably.
Ji Yanqing turned away.
---
Feng Yimo sheathed his blade. He had dispatched one Corpse King and, in passing, finished off the one Ji An and Ji Le had pinned down. Nearby, the Elder’s subordinate Corpse King shook its head as it rose from the ground, spitting out a chunk of bloody flesh. It had already torn out the throat of the Corpse King that had initiated the ambush.
Of the five Corpse Kings, only the one restrained by the Elder remained alive.
It was the weakest of the group, having only recently evolved into a standard Corpse King. Its physique was far smaller than the others, its speed and strength patently inferior.
“Where is the leader of Heavenly Flame?” the Elder demanded.
“Ao... wu...” The captive Corpse King shook its head, attempting to struggle, but its gaze quickly went slack. The Elder was a Third Stage Corpse King; the gap in their power was an abyss.
“Where?” the Elder pressed again.
“Ao...” The Corpse King’s eyes remained dull, its tone flat.
“Wu.” Suddenly, the creature began to thrash.
It seemed to be undergoing some excruciating torment. Its claws raked the earth, its head jerking violently. Its eyes became bloodshot rapidly, and soon, dark blood wept from the corners of its eyes, followed by its mouth and ears.
“Wu...”
The struggling ceased abruptly. The massive body went limp and collapsed to the side. The light in its blood-filled eyes was extinguished.
Ji Yanqing looked at the Elder. “What happened?”
The Elder hadn’t killed it. Ji Yanqing had seen Ji Le kill Awakened Zombies by snapping their necks, but this Corpse King died because the internal structure of its brain had been obliterated.
The Elder’s expression shifted through several shades of grim hues. After a long moment, he looked up at Ji Yanqing. “The leader of Heavenly Flame has likely achieved a Fourth Evolution. He didn’t control this Corpse King directly; instead, he placed a restriction on it—something like an absolute command. The moment it tried to reveal his location, it was forced to commit suicide.”
Ji Yanqing was stunned.
He knew Corpse Kings could reach the Third Stage, and they had speculated it wasn’t the end, but he had never seen a Fourth Stage entity. Even the giant white rat in the Devil’s City was only approaching the Fourth Stage.
“So, what now?” Lan Zi wiped blood from her face. “If we can’t get answers, how do we find him?”
Everyone fell silent.
The leader of Heavenly Flame was clearly a step ahead of them. He had anticipated Feng Yimo coming for him and placed this mental imprint on his subordinates. If they had to search every inch of land manually, it would take years.
Ji Yanqing turned to Feng Yimo. “How many times have you evolved?”
He had wanted to ask this for a long time, but had never found the right moment.
Faced with the question, Feng Yimo stared blankly at him.
Ji Yanqing’s mouth twitched. “You can control zombies...”
Before he could finish, he remembered the incident with Lou Ye. Feng Yimo could control zombies. The realization only deepened his confusion. What type of Corpse King was Feng Yimo?
Intelligence Type? He looked human and could control zombies, fitting the criteria. But when he fought, he used a blade, relying on pure speed and brute force.
Strength Type? Ji Yanqing had never seen a Strength Type control other zombies.
So... was Feng Yimo an Intelligence Type who dreamed of being a melee warrior? A mage who insisted on tanking?
Ji Yanqing choked on his own thoughts. That was obviously impossible. If Feng Yimo were an Intelligence Type relying on physical stats to slaughter Third Stage Corpse Kings, just how high was his level?
Lou Ye had been a Third Stage Intelligence Type, but physically weak. Without his minions, Ji Yanqing could have taken him solo.
Finding no answer, Ji Yanqing forced his mind back to the task at hand.
“Let’s keep moving. Maybe we can catch another one. If that fails, we’ll have to make him come to us,” Ji Yanqing decided. Since the enemy was this intelligent, standard bait wouldn’t work.
***
In a quiet room, a man in a tailored suit sat on a sofa. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, revealing irises far darker and deeper than any human’s.
Beneath a high nose bridge, thin lips curved upward. “Found you.”
His fingers traced his lips, the smile in his eyes deepening into one revealing a burning madness within. A low whimper, the sound of a beast trembling with extreme excitement, rolled in his throat. A laugh, yet not a laugh.
Several figures waiting silently by his side kept their heads bowed, not daring to make a sound.
“We don’t need the other humans in that county town anymore,” the man said.
One of the figures stepped forward, bowed slightly, and turned to leave.
“No, wait. Kill just a portion of them. Capture the rest.” The man changed his mind, narrowing his eyes. He never fought unprepared battles, and Feng Yimo clearly cared about the humans in that town.
“And bring two of them directly to me.”
From the moment he first heard the name “God of Death,” he knew who his greatest obstacle would be. He had been secretly investigating Death’s identity for a long time.
Six months had passed, yet none of the Corpse Kings he sent out returned with useful information. Those who did return offered only ambiguous answers: mysterious, elusive.
This piqued his interest. It thrilled him.
If all Corpse Kings were as dull as the ones surrounding him, the world would be unbearably boring.
He truly picked up the trail only after Lou Ye’s death.
The news had spread like wildfire among the Corpse Kings. While others marveled at Death’s power, he immediately sent subordinates to scour that area. They found nothing but a city of corpses and the signs of a single survival team leaving the area.
It wasn’t until a month later that he heard an amusing rumor from some humans: one of their own claimed to have killed Lou Ye.
How delightful! The infamous “Death,” the entity most likely to become the King of Corpse Kings, the Asura of Slaughter... was hiding within a human survival team.
He immediately sent a Corpse King to investigate.
He observed from a distance, taking nearly two months to finally confirm that Feng Yimo—the man beside that team captain—was indeed Death.
A Corpse King who mingled with humans, who had sheathed his claws and ceased his indiscriminate slaughter since joining them.
It was all so wonderfully absurd that he desperately wanted to dissect those humans to see what made them so special.
“Bring me a few extra,” the man said, his lips curling, eyes gleaming with bloodlust. He couldn’t wait to cut them open.
The subordinate bowed and left.
“Now then...” The man laced his fingers together, looking thoughtfully at a map obtained from humans.
He was genuinely surprised. Feng Yimo was heading straight for him.
The Devil’s City, the North, the East—as the humans said, a cunning rabbit has three burrows. He wasn’t in any of those three locations, yet he had still been located.
He had already guessed that Feng Yimo had no sense of direction; it was the only logical explanation for Death’s “erratic movements.” So, this direct approach wasn’t Feng Yimo’s doing.
Ji Yanqing’s face floated into the man’s mind.
***
Back in the forest, standing amidst the five Corpse King carcasses, Ji Yanqing suddenly whipped his head around, staring back the way they had come.
For a split second, a chill shot from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. A profound, ominous premonition gripped him.
“What’s wrong?” the Elder asked, puzzled.
Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi looked at him as well.
“The county town...” Ji Yanqing faltered, unease swirling in his chest. “Nothing...”
“Don’t worry, they’ll be fine. They’re all survivors of the apocalypse, and Tong Yue is there,” Lan Zi reassured him.
“You can’t guard them forever. Even if you wanted to, what are you going to do? Watch them eat and sleep every day? Keep them under your nose twenty-four seven?” Xia Shen Shu shrugged.
Ji Yanqing nodded. Tong Yue, the Black Beast... he had made every possible preparation before leaving. Still, the bad feeling lingered.
Ji Yanqing walked over to their vehicle.
It had been sent flying during the battle. The windows were shattered, the roof caved in—he didn’t even know if it would still run.
He glanced at the massive black Corpse King nearby. The creature immediately extended a front claw and flipped the car back onto its wheels.
Glass shards cascaded down as the vehicle hit the ground, accompanied by the clatter of loose items inside.
Ji Yanqing walked to the trunk with a headache building. It was a mess, but fortunately, the water, disinfectant, and canned food were individually packaged and survived intact.
Lan Zi opened the doors to sweep out the glass. Xia Shen Shu, suddenly remembering to pity his own car, rushed to check the fuel tank and engine.
A hum resonated—the engine started. Everyone let out a breath of relief.
They were far from the city; if the car died here, they’d be walking the rest of the way.
Once the glass was cleared, the group piled back in.
The roof was severely dented. Inside, everyone had to crane their necks at awkward angles.
Seeing this, Feng Yimo pressed his hand against the roof directly above Ji Yanqing’s head and applied a little force. With a groan of metal, the steel roof popped back up.
“Thanks,” Ji Yanqing said, brushing rust flakes from his hair.
Feng Yimo lowered his hand and looked up, only to find Xia Shen Shu in the driver’s seat, turning back to stare at him.
Feng Yimo remained expressionless. Does he have a problem?
Xia Shen Shu, whose head was forced out the window by the still-caved-in roof on the driver’s side, felt his smile widen maniacally.
He suddenly realized that a man must have dreams.
Sooner or later, he was going to put a burlap sack over Feng Yimo’s head and beat him.
----
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