AFTCKCTCKATD - Chapter 85
Chapter 85
A Child Without A Father Is Very Pitiful.
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Xia Shen Shu adjusted his seat and pressed the accelerator. The ground was uneven, and as the vehicle lurched forward, shards of glass bounced around the floorboards.
The Gobi Desert was vast—it had taken them four full days to cross it.
The city bordering the desert appeared sprawling from a distance, but its remote location had left it far from prosperous. From afar, all they could see were low, single-story houses—some even made of rammed earth. Without tall buildings to obstruct the view, the horizon stretched wide and bare.
Ji Yanqing and the others didn’t dare approach directly. They parked in a small grove far from the city and continued on foot.
When the virus had first erupted, it had spread with terrifying speed—most people were infected before they could even react. The residents of this city had been no different.
After weaving through the buildings at the city’s edge, they found the tallest structure and climbed to its roof for a better vantage point. It didn’t take long to spot traces of a Corpse King on the far side of the city—a rotting corpse lying on the main road, putrefying in the heat. The stench was overwhelming, enough to turn their stomachs.
They headed toward it, observed from a distance, then resumed their search. Around five o’clock, they located the Corpse King squad responsible for the attack—five Kings in total, all beast-forms. Two had undergone three evolutions; the remaining three were ordinary. Accompanying them were two Awakened zombies, likely subordinates of one of the Kings.
“One more attempt,” Ji Yanqing said quietly. “If this doesn’t work, we’ll find another way.” Xia Shen Shu and the others nodded. They all exchanged a silent glance, then dispersed toward their targets without another word.
Weaving through the buildings, they reached their designated positions within minutes. Ji Yanqing tightened his grip on his axe. Without waiting for the Corpse King before him to react, he charged forward and buried the blade in its neck. The moment he moved, the others struck as well. Beastly roars and gunfire erupted, echoing across the city.
Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi rushed to Ji Yanqing’s side, both firing at the wounded Corpse King’s neck to finish it off quickly. The subordinate King that the old man had brought along had already targeted another, tackling it to the ground—the two thrashed about in a tangled heap on a side street.
Heavenly Flame’s Corpse Kings weren’t inherently stronger than Death’s; they were simply more accustomed to operating in groups and better at coordinated combat. Once isolated, they were no different from ordinary Kings. After dispatching his own target, Feng Yimo turned his attention elsewhere. Nearby, the old man and Ji Le had already restrained two more Kings. Feng Yimo’s voice was low, absolute: “Where is he?”
Though both were only ordinary Kings, and the old man and Ji Le outranked them, they still tried to break free—bodies trembling, throats emitting whimpers, consciousness flickering in and out. The moment Feng Yimo spoke, the King he’d addressed immediately turned its head, eyes vacant, all resistance gone.
Ji Yanqing swung his axe, dispatching the last Awakened zombie, then moved to Feng Yimo’s side. He followed the King’s gaze—northeast, the direction they were headed. Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi drew close. “How much farther?” Lan Zi asked. Feng Yimo looked at the King. A guttural sound rose in its throat, but before it could speak, its scaly face convulsed violently, as if something were writhing beneath the skin. Before any of them could react, blood poured from its eyes and mouth, and it collapsed, dead. Ji Yanqing frowned.
“Dad...” Ji Le’s voice cut through the silence. Ji Yanqing turned. The King Ji Le had been restraining was also convulsing, wracked by some terrible agony. The entire process lasted less than a second before it toppled over. In the instant it hit the ground, Ji Yanqing saw it—a fleeting glimmer in its bloodshot eyes, as if someone were watching them through that gaze. Then the light vanished.
“Collective punishment?” Xia Shen Shu muttered, stunned. They’d only questioned one—why had both died? Ji Yanqing’s expression darkened. “He’s already found us.” The second King hadn’t died from a restriction—it had been killed directly by Heavenly Flame’s leader.
“What?” The old man pressed his lips together. “So what do we do?” Lan Zi’s brow furrowed. Their opponent might not be able to defeat Feng Yimo in a direct confrontation, so he certainly wouldn’t risk a head-on fight. Knowing they were here, he would run. In that scenario, who could predict where he’d go? With so many abandoned cities, he could hide in any random room, and it would take them months to find him—and they had confirmed that his subordinates couldn’t be interrogated.
Ji Yanqing stared toward the northeast. “Corpse Kings don’t have phones; they rely on word of mouth. To maintain control and issue commands, he must stay in contact with other Kings. We’ll find a few and follow them, see where they go.” It was a poor plan—those Kings could be heading anywhere, not necessarily to report back—but it was their only option.
Lan Zi turned to the Elder. “Any news from your side?” After spending time with Feng Yimo and his group, Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi no longer feared the old man and his subordinate. The old man shook his head, his expression grim. They’d been on the road for so long, and only one Corpse King had come with a report—and it hadn’t been good news. The situation in the north was dire. As Heavenly Flame’s Kings pushed deeper into the region, their reputation had grown. An unseen Death versus a powerful leader right before their eyes—more and more Kings were choosing the latter. The old man had always taken pride in Death’s numbers across the north and much of the west, but now it seemed those Kings were nothing more than loose sand, utterly lacking in loyalty and vulnerable to changing tides.
“Let’s find a place to rest first. We’ll figure it out in the morning,” Ji Yanqing said. Night had already swallowed the city. After so many nights camping in the open, sleeping fitfully, they could finally take shelter under a roof and inside four walls. Each of them found blankets and made their beds. Ji Yanqing had the first watch. In the living room, after everyone had settled down, he sat between Feng Yimo and the children.
The further east they traveled, the lighter the nighttime snow became. Back in their county town, it would snow all night long; here, it only fell for three or four hours in the dead of night, melting away before sunrise. Ji Yanqing gazed out the window. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but without the heavy snowfall, the night sky seemed brighter. Lost in thought, he felt a small, warm hand grasp his own. He looked down—it was Ji An. The child lay in his blankets, one hand extended, fingers wrapped around Ji Yanqing’s.
“Go to sleep,” Ji Yanqing said, trying to tuck the hand back under the covers. Even with the shorter snowfall, the nights were still bitterly cold. Ji An didn’t let go. Instead, he pulled Ji Yanqing’s hand to his face and nuzzled it against his cheek.
Ji Yanqing stroked his cheek. The children had been well nourished these days, and their cheeks were soft and chubby, quite satisfying to pinch.
“Dad,” Ji An said, not flinching from the touch. He lifted his head slightly, his eyes bright.
“Hmm?”
“There’s something I want to tell you.” Ji An’s voice was barely a whisper, a secret meant only for him.
“What is it?” Ji Yanqing leaned down, bringing his ear close to the child’s lips.
“I love you the most.” The words were muffled, the babyish lisp more pronounced. Ji Yanqing’s heart melted. He gently pinched Ji An’s cheek.
“Dad...”
“I love you… So please don’t die, okay?” Ji An whispered.
Ji Yanqing’s breath caught, and the hand on Ji An’s cheek stilled.
“If you die, we won’t have a dad anymore.” Ji An’s small mouth turned down at the corners. “Kids without dads are so pitiful.” He lowered his head, counting off his reasons on Ji Yanqing’s fingers one by one. “And my brother would cry—really cry, the kind you can’t comfort.” He paused, then added in a tearful voice, “He’s such a crybaby.”
A sharp ache spread through Ji Yanqing’s chest. “Go to sleep,” he said, tucking the blankets around Ji An. The children had been human once, turned into Corpse Kings, yet they longed to be human again. Ji Yanqing didn’t know what they’d become when… if… they grew up—would they hate humanity, or accept what they were? He’d always thought he’d spend more time with them once things settled down. He hadn’t expected that he might not even get the chance.
Ji An closed his eyes. Ji Yanqing watched the two sleep. Ji An and Ji Le weren’t biological brothersWait whattttt, if this was mentioned before it flew past me xD , and their differences had become more apparent now that they’d gained weight. Ji An’s face was rounder, cherubic with its new fullness. Ji Le had a higher nose bridge, which made his mouth seem smaller.
“Dad.” Ji An’s eyes opened again. “Hmm?” “I’ll cry too.” His lips trembled, eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I know,” Ji Yanqing murmured, stroking his head. Ji An closed his eyes once more, burrowing into the blankets until his head was completely covered. Ji Yanqing didn’t disturb him, only watched as he drifted off.
In the darkness, he listened to the breathing beneath the blankets grow slow and even. After a long while, he turned back toward the window—only to meet Feng Yimo’s dark, silent gaze. Feng Yimo was watching him. He sat perfectly still, but his eyes were anything but calm. After the initial anger and frustration, he’d become like a wounded beast—his gaze filled with pain and bewilderment. Ji Yanqing leaned against him.
---
A night of shallow sleep, and at four o’clock the next morning, before the sky had even begun to lighten, the group rose.
Heavenly Flame’s leader must have discovered them by now. He would surely send Corpse Kings in their direction, making it unwise to continue driving and drawing attention to themselves.
Descending from the building, the group briefly discussed their options before returning to the grove. They transferred all the supplies from the vehicle into their backpacks.
Once prepared, Ji Yanqing didn’t lead them away immediately. Instead, he took them back into the city to find a hiding spot.
At first, the old man was puzzled, thinking this was a waste of time—until later, when he spotted a Corpse King squad entering the city.
Since the leader knew they were here, he wouldn’t just do nothing. Even if he didn’t kill them outright, he’d certainly send someone to keep tabs on them.
By coming into the city, if those Corpse Kings couldn’t find them, the first thing they’d do would be to head back and report that they’d lost the trail.
Realizing Ji Yanqing’s ploy, the old man’s expression grew complicated. He suddenly found Ji Yanqing somewhat terrifying.
Among Corpse Kings, there were plenty with slippery, scheming temperaments, but most preferred action over words. Ji Yanqing was a standout in martial prowess among humans, but his mind worked just as swiftly.
Ji Yanqing paid him no mind. After exchanging a glance with Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi beside him, the three of them fixed their stares on the Corpse King squad outside the window.
The dispatched squad searched the entire city, but their massive bodies limited them. Aside from peering through windows into buildings near a few corpses, they had no way to scour every inch.
Unable to find anyone, two of them went to search the surrounding areas, while the other three stationed themselves at three different directions around the city.
The whole process dragged on for three full days. After three days, with no sign of humans in the city and the two scouts returning empty-handed, they finally headed back in the direction they’d come from.
Seeing them move, Ji Yanqing immediately led the group to follow from a distance.
The old man’s massive subordinate was clearly unsuited for this task, so Ji Yanqing had it trail even farther behind on its own. With the connection between the old man and it, there was no worry of losing track.
Corpse Kings ran at blistering speeds. Ji Yanqing’s group didn’t dare use a vehicle, so they gritted their teeth and ran after them. They lost the trail twice during the day, only to pick it up again at night.
Fortunately, their destination wasn’t far. Three days later, just as Ji Yanqing—the fittest among the three humans—was on the verge of collapse, the Corpse King squad ahead entered a city.
The city wasn’t large, but from afar, Corpse Kings could be seen everywhere—standing and sitting—in numbers that easily reached five or six hundred.
Corpse Kings had strong territorial instincts; they wouldn’t gather casually like this. Such a massive congregation went beyond mere anomaly—this city was either Heavenly Flame’s headquarters, or a major branch at the least.
At the sight of the city, Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi—who were so exhausted they could barely speak—collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath and unable to utter a word.
Drawing on his last reserves of strength, Ji Yanqing found a relatively concealed patch of woods nearby and led the way in.
Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi were dragged into the woods by Feng Yimo and Ji An, where they promptly closed their eyes and passed out.
Ji Yanqing gave a few instructions to Feng Yimo and the old man before lying down himself.
They’d arrived in the woods that afternoon. When Ji Yanqing awoke, it was already the next morning. By then, Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi were also up.
“Any movement?” Ji Yanqing asked Feng Yimo and the old man.
The old man shook his head. “They went in and haven’t come out since.”
“Not a single one?”
“None.”
Ji Yanqing got to his feet and approached Xia Shen Shu, taking the binoculars from him to peer into the distance.
From afar, the city’s streets and open spaces were teeming with figures, including some that appeared human. But none looked like Heavenly Flame’s leader.
“With so many Corpse Kings, should we even go in?” Xia Shen Shu asked.
“Even if we did, what good would it do? We might die before we even find that guy,” Lan Zi said.
She wasn’t trying to be a downer, but even if Feng Yimo could kill some, how many could he take down? By the time he cleared the city, the target would have fled long ago.
“It could also be a trap,” Ji Yanqing added.
Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi exchanged a glance, both seeing shock and exasperation in the other’s eyes. It wasn’t impossible.
Corpse Kings were already far stronger than humans—the sheer gap in physical power was headache enough. Now they faced one who was cunning to boot, leaving them feeling utterly drained.
If this one became the King of Corpse Kings, humans might as well give up the fight and wait for death. No one could touch him.
Ji Yanqing’s expression was grim too. He couldn’t help glancing back toward the county town.
*
The county town.
A sudden, furious beastly roar echoed from the distance, startling everyone in the county who had been quietly going about their work. It also drew the attention of the Corpse Kings in the surrounding mountains, who lifted their heads one by one.
“What’s going on?” Unease flickered in the eyes of those unloading cargo at the county gate.
To secure the county, they’d cleared out all the zombies in the vicinity. There were still cities farther out, but the nearest was a two-hour drive away.
By all rights, there shouldn’t be any other Corpse Kings nearby.
“One of Death’s Corpse Kings?” someone guessed.
“Doesn’t seem like it.”
“Could Death’s group be fighting among themselves?”
The crowd stirred, but before they could debate further, movement rippled through the mountains around the county.
The Hound Corpse King, left in charge of the Devil City area, furrowed its brows in a disturbingly human-like manner. After a moment of thought, it let out a low roar, commanding the mountain Corpse Kings to follow it toward the source of the sound to investigate.
The situation in The Devil’s City was dire. Just days ago, it had sent another batch of newly arrived Corpse Kings from the north, but they’d vanished without return.
That roar might mean Heavenly Flame’s Corpse Kings had reached the county’s outskirts.
Plenty of Corpse Kings lingered in the mountains around the county. Now, moving as one, they shook the ground with their roars. In the already unsettled county, more and more people gathered at the gate.
Tong Yue arrived upon hearing the news.
He’d been discussing matters with Qin Yue, and now he frowned at the departing Corpse Kings, a bad feeling gnawing at him.
“How many people are in the city now?” Tong Yue asked.
“Three squads on guard duty, and three just returned,” Qin Yue replied.
Tong Yue pursed his lips. Six combat squads—over a thousand people—was no small number, yet it did nothing to ease his unease.
“It should be fine...” Qin Yue said, though her own voice carried doubt.
They’d all heard about Devil City, and they knew Ji Yanqing had left to get involved in the Corpse Kings’ selection. Everyone thought he was insane, but the shock left them powerless to stop him.
Ji Yanqing was a madman through and through—they’d known that for a while.
Tong Yue glanced at the gathering crowd, about to tell them to return to their tasks, when Corpse Kings emerged from the mountains to their right, heading straight toward them.
There were five beast-shaped Corpse Kings and one humanoid.
Tong Yue hesitated for a split second before walking toward them to ask what was happening.
The crowd at the gate noticed too, turning to look.
By the time Tong Yue pushed through to the front, the Corpse Kings had crossed most of the grassland. They showed no sign of stopping, barreling straight for the county.
Tong Yue’s steps faltered, his bad feeling intensifying. “Get back!”
The people behind him turned to him.
“They’re not Death’s Corpse Kings—find cover!” Tong Yue roared loud enough for all to hear.
As his words spread, goosebumps erupted across his skin, a chill of dread washing over him.
Death’s Corpse Kings—aside from the old man and Shang Chan—had never approached their county on their own. It was part of their agreement, and a point of pride for those Corpse Kings.
They disdained mingling with humans like them.
With Tong Yue’s shout, the curious onlookers dissolved into chaos, scrambling back into the county.
To prevent ordinary zombies from slipping in unnoticed, the county was encircled by iron fencing, leaving only one gate as an exit.
The gate was wide, but with most people clustered there, the flow turned into a crush.
Whoosh.
A massive figure plummeted from the sky, crushing the gate underfoot and trampling several people beneath it.
The already panicked crowd erupted into total disarray, screams and wails filling the air.
“Combat squads!” Tong Yue bellowed.
The squad guarding the gate surged forward, dozens of gun barrels trained on the descending Corpse King. Gunfire erupted.
Bang, bang, bang!
“Roar!”
Before the first Corpse King could be felled, two more charged through the vegetable fields outside the gate, barreling into the crowd.
The just-formed offensive line shattered instantly, gunfire sputtering out.
In moments, the air thickened with the stench of blood and endless screams. The once peaceful county transformed into hell, the ground littered with wide-eyed corpses frozen in terror.
“Fire!”
“Aim properly!”
The other five squads poured out from deeper in the county.
Gunfire roared again, fiercer than ever.
Many fleeing people, hearing it, lit up with hope. They weren’t powerless against Corpse Kings—they could kill them.
Hope kindled, and many turned back to look.
But the attackers weren’t just passing through; they were targeting them.
Once inside the county, the Corpse Kings relentlessly assaulted the humans on the ground.
Boom…
A building on the county’s outskirts collapsed under a direct collision.
Debris flew, screams rising in waves.
Tong Yue, knocked to the ground by the impact, scrambled up, ignoring the wounds on his hands and knees. His face darkened as he looked to the six combat squads.
The open ground outside offered no cover, preventing them from fighting at full strength. Every squad had taken casualties.
After Ji Yanqing left, Tong Yue had started preparations immediately, but he hadn’t expected Heavenly Flame to strike so soon.
“Lure them into the county!” Tong Yue shouted.
If he had to choose between saving the county or the people, it was the people every time.
The combat squads bolted toward the county interior, while the civilians who’d just fled inside panicked anew, unsure where to run.
“Roar!” The lead Corpse King’s furious bellow was deafening.
The black beast shook its aching ears, glaring unkindly at the Corpse Kings ahead.
“Roar?” The Pangolin Corpse King looked at it. Should we help?
“Awoo.”
No.
It was a Corpse King, not a human. It had been captured by Feng Yimo—why the hell should it help?
---
Seeing all the humans retreat into the county, the four Corpse Kings who had been at the county gate followed them inside.
Their bodies were massive, their speed immense. They trampled over the vegetable fields in front of the county that had been so painstakingly cultivated.
The Black Beast stared fixedly at the trampled fields.
Before it realized what it was doing, it had already enlarged its body and lunged at one of the Corpse Kings. It sank its teeth into the Corpse King’s neck and, using its momentum, rolled with its opponent over ten meters across the ground.
Coming to a stop, the Black Beast planted its paws on the body of the Corpse King whose neck it held in its jaws. With a powerful wrench, it ripped a chunk of flesh clean from the creature’s throat.
Spitting out the flesh, the Black Beast ignored the whimpering Corpse King on the ground and turned to pounce on another still standing in the vegetable patch.
Don’t. Tread on. My. Dug-up. Ground!
That Corpse King was startled by the Black Beast’s sudden appearance. Seeing it charge, it quickly adjusted its stance to meet the attack.
Before the Black Beast could reach it, another figure suddenly joined the fray—the badger-like Pangolin Corpse King pounced from the side!
It had no time to dodge. The badger-like Corpse King slammed into it, sending them both tumbling sideways. ”Urk…”
The other three Corpse Kings, who had followed the humans into the county, heard the commotion and looked back. Seeing the Black Beast and the badger-like Corpse King that had suddenly appeared, two of them quickly turned and charged back.
The Black Beast glanced at the vegetable field now bearing several more rows of footprints. Its eyes flooded with bloodshot fury, gleaming with pure killing intent.
Facing two Corpse Kings charging at it simultaneously, it did not retreat. Instead, it met their charge with furious aggression.
Three colossal bodies crashed together. The ground trembled from the impact, followed by their enraged roars.
The Black Beast’s claw slashed across one Corpse King’s neck, instantly drenching it in blood. The creature instinctively scrambled to the side.
As the Black Beast prepared to lunge and bite again, the other figure pounced toward it, aiming directly for the Black Beast’s throat.
“Stop.” Kang Xiaodong glared coldly at the attacking Corpse King.
The gaping maw poised at the Black Beast’s throat halted.
But only for an instant before it moved again.
Kang Xiaodong was a Thrice-Evolved Corpse King. So was this one. There was no hierarchical suppression between them, neither had an inherent advantage.
Feeling a sharp stab of pain in his mind, Kang Xiaodong frowned.
The briefly-controlled Corpse King turned and lunged at Kang Xiaodong instead.
Just as Kang Xiaodong prepared to dodge, the Black Beast counter-lunged.
The badger-like Corpse King pinned down one opponent. The Black Beast fought three alone. One had already entered the county, from which the constant sounds of gunfire and crashing buildings echoed.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunfire erupted. Since four Corpse Kings hadn’t entered the county, four of the combat squads came running back.
Bullets relentlessly sprayed toward the three Corpse Kings fighting the Black Beast.
In the chaos, a bullet grazed past the Black Beast’s left eye, leaving a bloody gash on its eyelid.
The Black Beast and the three Corpse Kings moved too fast, completely tangled together in a rolling mass.
The Black Beast, its fury at a boiling point, shot a glance toward the person who had fired.
Meeting those blood-filled eyes, Gu Wenmo froze for a second.
The next instant, he instinctively shouted a warning, “Don’t hit our own team members!”
In group combat, they needed highly coordinated teamwork, but even then, friendly fire happened. Reminders like this had become routine.
By the time Gu Wenmo realized it, his shout had already rung out.
Following his lead, many others around began yelling.
“Aim before you shoot!”
“Don’t fire wildly!”
When Gu Wenmo looked back at the Black Beast, it was already rolling on the ground again with several Corpse Kings.
Beast-form Corpse King fights were primal—biting, clawing, scratching. But these moves were also the most effective. In mere seconds, every Corpse King bore bone-deep wounds.
The Black Beast was no exception.
But even fighting one against three, it was not the most battered among the four.
The Black Beast had wounds on its head and belly. In return, it had torn large chunks of flesh from the necks of two of its opponents. The remaining one had a claw mark on its neck so deep the bone showed.
“Focus fire on that one!”
A single bullet did little to a Corpse King, but enough ants could bring down an elephant. And they were now venomous ants! The targeted Corpse King was soon staggering, dodges becoming clumsy.
Seeing this, the other two Corpse Kings immediately turned towards the group firing at them.
But the Black Beast gave them no chance, pouncing on them before they could reach the humans.
Kang Xiaodong saw his opportunity and tried to seize control of one Corpse King.
He was about to give the order when he noticed the Black Beast suddenly freeze.
The halt was so abrupt the Black Beast completely failed to dodge a raking claw from another Corpse King. A wound opened from its neck all the way down to its belly.
Everyone was stunned for a moment, including the Black Beast itself.
Kang Xiaodong snapped out of his daze first and swiftly looked behind the Black Beast. Amid the chaos, he soon spotted a humanoid figure.
There had been six Corpse Kings in total. Since only the five beast-form ones had been attacking, he had forgotten about the humanoid one.
As Kang Xiaodong looked, the humanoid Corpse King’s gaze met his.
The man appeared to be around Kang Xiaodong’s age, but seemed far more mature. His eyes held undisguised contempt as he stared back, clearly unable to comprehend why any Corpse King would willingly mingle with humans.
His focus shifted to the Black Beast.
Before he could act, Kang Xiaodong struck first. “Get lost!”
The man’s eyes glazed over briefly but cleared almost instantly.
At the same time, a searing pain, as if a knife were scraping inside his skull, lanced through Kang Xiaodong’s mind.
Gritting his teeth against the agony, Kang Xiaodong glared darkly at his opponent. Though both were Thrice-Evolved, the other’s abilities were clearly far stronger.
Ignoring Kang Xiaodong, the man looked back at the Black Beast.
Kang Xiaodong’s face darkened further. “Get lost.”
The man quickly recovered. Kang Xiaodong’s power was simply beneath his.
Suffering another backlash, Kang Xiaodong felt a hot wetness under his nose. He wiped it, his hand coming away covered in blood.
“Awooo!” One of the Corpse Kings grappling with the Black Beast let out a howl of agony. Even two against one, the two Heavenly Flame Corpse Kings were no match for the Black Beast.
Nearby, the other Corpse King that had been lured to the lake’s edge by the crowd could no longer hold on, slowly collapsing.
The humanoid Corpse King was deeply displeased with this turn of events. A ruthless glint entered his previously disinterested eyes as he focused on the Black Beast once more.
Kang Xiaodong tried to interfere but was rewarded with another wave of splitting headache.
Failing again, seeing the Black Beast’s body go slack and its spirit waver under the enemy’s control, seeing the other two blood-mad Corpse Kings looking ready to tear the Black Beast apart, Kang Xiaodong took two steps forward, snatched up a gun lying beside a corpse, and unleashed a burst of fire at the man.
“Screw with us, will you? I’ll teach you to screw with us!”
Kang Xiaodong cursed furiously as he fired.
His aim was poor—only one in five shots hit—but that one bullet struck true, right in the man’s chest.
The man froze, seemingly shocked that Kang Xiaodong would break the “rules” and use a human weapon. He looked down.
Kang Xiaodong gave him no time to react. Holding the gun, he ran toward the man while simultaneously attempting to seize control again. “Didn’t anyone teach you not to interfere when others are fighting?!”
Closing the distance to just four or five meters, Kang Xiaodong pointed the gun barrel directly at the man’s head. If he couldn’t hit from afar, he’d get up close.
Bang…
The bullet didn’t connect. Because in the instant Kang Xiaodong pulled the trigger, a beast covered in wounds lunged from behind him.
One of the beast-form Corpse Kings descended from above, its jaws clamping onto the man, carrying his teammate swiftly toward the mountain range ahead.
But in the brief moments Kang Xiaodong had stalled the man, the Black Beast had already killed another Corpse King.
The badger-like Corpse King climbed to its feet, spitting out a severed neck from its mouth.
By the lake, the Corpse King entangled by the other combat squads also fell.
Of the five beast-form Corpse Kings the humanoid one had brought, only the one inside the county and the one carrying its master to escape remained. Seeing the tide had turned, the humanoid Corpse King fled without hesitation.
Kang Xiaodong was knocked to the ground by the fleeing Corpse King leaping over his head. The next moment, he scrambled up, ready to give chase. “Don’t you dare run, you coward!”
Before he could run far, the escaping beast-form Corpse King had already shot into the mountain range like an arrow. The speed of an intelligence-type was no match for a strength-type.
“ROAR…” A tide of Corpse Kings surged back into the clearing before the county.
Death’s Corpse Kings, who had run some distance away, heard the gunfire from the county. Part of their force continued toward the source of the earlier roar, while the rest swiftly turned back.
The old man had instructed them to look after the humans in the county before he left.
Returning to the county’s outskirts and seeing the unfamiliar, fleeing Corpse King, Death’s forces immediately understood what had happened and gave chase.
“Coward!” Kang Xiaodong shouted at the top of his lungs, jumping up and down, gun in hand.
His voice carried to the edge of the mountains and echoed back.
Finished cursing, Kang Xiaodong—face smeared with nose blood, head spinning—turned to look back.
The once orderly county was now a scene of devastation.
The vegetable fields at the county gate were a trampled mess. Between the two fallen Corpse King corpses near the fields, and in the open space before the gate, human bodies lay everywhere.
The air reeked, a nauseating mix of Corpse King and human blood.
The Corpse King lured into the county was dead, but the trail of destruction it left behind remained. Several buildings in the county had been smashed to bits. In the gaps between structures, wounded humans huddled, their eyes filled with panic.
Kang Xiaodong felt the joy of victory drain from him entirely.
Tong Yue looked at his brother beside him. “Gather everyone. It’s time to collect the dead.”
---
The bearded man cast a sweeping glance around the perimeter before swiftly entering the county town.
He recalled everyone to the main area, ordering the injured to seek out Lu Qing for bandaging, while the uninjured were tasked with caring for the critically wounded and tallying the dead.
The majority of their combat squads were currently stationed at the rear, within the Devil’s City. That cache of supplies represented their survival capital for the next three months; they couldn’t afford to abandon it.
Aside from six combat squads, those left guarding the county town were ordinary members. Now, most were injured, and the death toll was far from insignificant.
The cleanup process dragged on for over two hours.
“More than two hundred and thirty from the combat squads are dead,” the bearded man reported, his voice heavy. “And over one hundred and seventy ordinary members.” He paused, his throat tight. “Most of the combat squad casualties... died fighting.”
When the attack hit, not a single member of the combat squads had fled. They had all raised their guns, doing everything in their power to provide cover for the ordinary survivors.
Tong Yue pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. For the first time since acquiring the special bullets, he felt the crushing weight of human powerlessness with absolute clarity.
His gaze shifted to the black beast, now shrunk back to the size of a normal dog, and the badger-shaped Corpse King.
Before leaving, Ji Yanqing had mentioned asking them to help, but Tong Yue hadn’t truly believed they would intervene. After all, Feng Yimo had forcibly dragged them back here.
The fact that they actually fought for them... Tong Yue was astonished.
Near the town entrance, the black beast lay under the eaves where it usually watched people working in the vegetable fields. It licked its wounds methodically, the rhythmic movement broken only by occasional pauses.
As it tended to itself, a shadow fell over it.
The beast looked up.
Gu Wenmo stood there, eyeing the creature with palpable unease.
The black beast ignored him and resumed licking its fur. Corpse Kings possessed powerful regenerative abilities, but the wounds wouldn’t vanish in an instant.
“Ahem...” Gu Wenmo coughed lightly, then slowly extended a hand toward the black beast’s head.
The beast snapped its head up and bared its teeth. If Gu Wenmo dared to touch it, it would bite his hand clean off.
Meeting eyes filled with genuine killing intent, the muscles on Gu Wenmo’s face twitched.
Yet, in the next moment, he steeled himself and patted the black beast’s head anyway. “I’m sorry... I didn’t mean it.”
The beast jerked its head away, refusing to acknowledge him.
“Thank you.”
Gu Wenmo walked away.
The black beast went back to licking its wounds.
The badger-shaped Corpse King looked at Gu Wenmo’s retreating back, then at the black beast. It rested its chin on the ground, pondering. Is the black beast not planning to leave?
“...Captain?”
Hearing the familiar voice, Kang Xiaodong, who had been cursing up a storm in sheer anger, paused and looked back.
The group of survival team members who had been following him stood a short distance away, watching.
After the chaos they had just survived, every one of them looked wretched, their bodies marked with injuries.
Kang Xiaodong didn’t meet their eyes. He quickly averted his gaze.
Ever since his identity as a Corpse King had been exposed, he had been avoiding these people. He was terrified of seeing the disgust, revulsion, or fear in their eyes.
He hadn’t even meant to mix in with them in the first place; they were the ones who had arbitrarily started calling him ‘Captain’…
“Are you okay?”
Kang Xiaodong froze, then looked up.
One of the members pointed at his own nose.
Kang Xiaodong raised a hand to touch his face and brought it away slick with blood. A nosebleed.
He wiped it roughly with her sleeve. “Little punk, as if I can’t handle him...”
Seeing that Kang Xiaodong was still the same person in their memories—completely unchanged—the unease lingering in the group evaporated, replaced by laughter.
Members of other survival teams were usually somewhat afraid of their captains, but Kang Xiaodong never gave off that oppressive hierarchy. It was why they often ended up brawling and joking with him as equals.
“Haha...”
Hearing the laughter, Kang Xiaodong looked at them again.
Seeing the smiles on their faces, he couldn’t help it—he started laughing too.
“Laugh my ass,” Kang Xiaodong grumbled, tossing his gun to the person at the front. He wiped the remaining blood from her nose and turned to run toward Tong Yue. “That guy is definitely coming back. I have an idea...”
Suddenly, Kang Xiaodong felt energized from head to toe. Even if that enemy returned right now for another round, he wouldn’t be afraid!
Next time, that guy wouldn’t just bring a few Corpse Kings. It might be an entire army. Before that happened, they had to be ready.
*
“Ji Yanqing?”
In the forest, Ji Yanqing withdrew his gaze from the direction of the county town.
“What’s wrong?” Lan Zi asked, puzzled.
Ji Yanqing shook his head. “Nothing.”
Xia Shen Shu lowered the binoculars from his face and looked at Ji Yanqing. They had found the location, but what was the next step?
The city ahead was crawling with Corpse Kings. Sneaking in was impossible.
“Let’s find a place to stay first,” Ji Yanqing said.
“Stay?”
Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi were both stunned.
Shouldn’t they be finding the enemy and killing him as quickly as possible?
The Corpse Kings under ‘Death’—Feng Yimo’s faction—couldn’t hold out forever. And if the enemy was truly intelligent, he would likely target their county town first. The town might already be under attack. Delaying was disadvantageous.
Ji Yanqing didn’t explain immediately. Instead, he turned to the Elder Corpse King beside them. “Go back first. Gather as many Corpse Kings as possible and surround this place tightly.”
He paused, then added quickly, “Don’t fight them, and don’t get too close. Just cordon off the area. Make sure to cause a big commotion. Call it the Battle for the King of Corpse Kings, the final showdown between Death and Heavenly Flame—say whatever you want, just make sure the noise is loud enough that every Corpse King knows about it.”
The Elder looked confused.
The enemy already knew they were here. If they did this, wouldn’t it just scare the target away?
If the enemy fled, where or how would they find him again?
“The enemy might be in the city, or he might not be. He could have run long ago, or he might be hiding nearby, secretly watching us right now. In this situation, whatever we do, we’re just picking one of the options he’s given us. We’re too passive,” Ji Yanqing explained.
He knew they had no time to waste, and he was anxious too. But anxiety alone was useless. If they didn’t break the stalemate, they would just be led by the nose, dancing to the enemy’s tune.
In a game of cat and mouse, if the mouse seizes the initiative, the cat becomes the fool being run in circles.
They had to break the pattern, create chaos, and manufacture unexpected variables. Then, it was just a matter of seeing who exposed themselves first.
After a moment of thought, the Elder understood. He gave Ji Yanqing a deep look, then turned to head in the opposite direction.
After a few steps, he realized he should have asked for Feng Yimo’s permission first. Feng Yimo was the leader of their ‘Death’s Faction’, after all.
Feng Yimo sat holding his long blade, eyes closed, completely indifferent to the world around him.
The Elder was rendered mute. After a moment’s consideration, he simply walked away.
Watching the Elder leave, Ji Yanqing led the others around the perimeter of the city, searching for the most suitable campsite.
By nightfall, they stopped on a patch of high ground to the left.
There was a forest there, connecting to the distant mountains. The elevation was significant; even if Corpse Kings came, they would have plenty of room to hide or retreat.
More importantly, if they could climb the trees, they could monitor the entire city from above.
“This is the spot,” Ji Yanqing decided.
No one objected.
“The three of us will take shifts,” Ji Yanqing said. “Up in the tree for surveillance.”
Ji An and Ji Le were obviously exempt, and Feng Yimo was also excluded by Ji Yanqing. In combat, he could trust Feng Yimo with his life, but for tasks requiring subtle observation and reporting... he really couldn’t rest easy.
“You sure about the three of us taking shifts?” Xia Shen Shu glanced at the towering tree beside them.
Ji Yanqing looked at him, confused.
Xia Shen Shu looked like he wanted to say something but stopped, his expression colorful.
“Why?” Lan Zi was also puzzled.
“Have you ever seen Ji Yanqing climb a tree?” Xia Shen Shu asked Lan Zi.
“No.”
“Is there a problem?” Ji Yanqing was becoming increasingly perplexed.
To the side, Feng Yimo, Ji An, and Ji Le also looked at Xia Shen Shu with curiosity.
Xia Shen Shu’s expression grew even more subtle. He pointed at the tree, then looked at Ji Yanqing.
Ji Yanqing gave Xia Shen Shu a baffled look, grabbed his axe, and stepped forward.
Approaching the tree, Ji Yanqing circled the massive trunk halfway, scouting his route, then began his ascent.
The tree wasn’t excessively wide—two or three people could link arms around it. To compete for sunlight, the canopy soared into the clouds, leaving the lower trunk smooth and bare.
Ji Yanqing took a running start, hugged the tree, and scrambled with both hands and feet.
After a flurry of movement, having barely made it a meter off the ground, gravity reclaimed him, and he slid down, nearly landing on his butt.
Watching Ji Yanqing clinging to the bark like a bewildered koala, Xia Shen Shu couldn’t help but cover his face.
He had seen Ji Yanqing climb a tree once before. That single performance had left a lasting impression.
Seeing Ji Yanqing sitting on the ground, Lan Zi’s expression also turned complicated.
Ji Yanqing picked himself up, slung the axe onto his back, and tried again.
He took a running leap, latching on at about one and a half meters up, and immediately tried to shimmy upward.
One minute later, he slid back down to the roots.
Lan Zi covered her face, unable to watch.
Ji Yanqing could send a thrice-evolved Corpse King flying with a single swing of his axe, but the moment he tried to climb a tree, his limbs lost all coordination. He looked like a frog desperately praying for spontaneous suction to the bark.
Lan Zi suddenly realized that Ji Yanqing was, in fact, a normal human being after all.
Failing again, Ji Yanqing stood there, expressionless.
This time, he backed up further.
Lan Zi looked at him and offered comfort. “It’s okay. We just need someone to sit up there and watch. Xia Shen Shu and I can split the shifts.”
“Yeah,” Xia Shen Shu managed to say, holding back a laugh.
After Ji Yanqing slid to the ground for the third time, neither Xia Shen Shu nor Lan Zi had the heart to watch anymore. They both turned their heads away.
Ji An and Ji Le were trying their absolute hardest not to giggle.
Ji Yanqing looked at Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi, whose shoulders were shaking suspiciously, then at the beet-red, suppressed faces of Ji An and Ji Le. Finally, he turned a dark, resentful gaze toward Feng Yimo.
Feng Yimo’s face was expressionless, but deep in his eyes, a faint smile shimmered.
Ji Yanqing pursed his lips. Was he being mocked by Feng Yimo?
“You have no sense of direction.”
Ji Yanqing launched his most vicious attack.
----
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