AFTCKCTCKATD - Chapter 86
Chapter 86
He Would Rather Feng Yimo Become An Old Bachelor After He Died.
---
Being scolded by Ji Yanqing—seeing that fierce, glaring expression—left Feng Yimo utterly bewildered. Why did Ji Yanqing always assume he had absolutely no internal compass?
“I wasn’t smiling,” Feng Yimo said, sounding genuinely aggrieved.
Hearing Feng Yimo’s defense, Xia Shen Shu, Lan Zi, Ji An, and Ji Le, who had barely been keeping it together, finally lost the battle. They burst into laughter simultaneously.
“Haha...”
Listening to their mirth, Ji Yanqing’s face flushed a faint shade of red.
He cast a baleful glare at Ji An and Ji Le. He could ignore Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi—those two had never treated him with the reverence due a captain, nor did they fear him—but for these two little runts to dare laugh at him?
Ji Yanqing reached out, intent on pinching the little brats’ cheeks until they stung.
Ji An and Ji Le shrieked, spinning around to flee.
After the long, arduous trek and the accumulation of bone-deep fatigue, this brief moment of levity revitalized everyone’s spirits. The heaviness that had settled in their eyes lifted, if only slightly.
Following a short rest, Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi worked out the watch rotation between themselves. Xia Shen Shu took the first shift; packing water, rations, a walkie-talkie, and binoculars, he began his ascent.
The tree was a towering giant with a thick trunk, making it difficult to scale. Xia Shen Shu had to secure himself with a rope every few feet as he climbed.
The ascent consumed a considerable amount of time. By the time Xia Shen Shu found a foothold in the high canopy, Ji Yanqing, who had been craning his neck to watch from below, felt a stiff ache settling in his muscles.
Xia Shen Shu straddled a sturdy limb to catch his breath, secured his safety line to the branch, and then raised the binoculars to survey the city ahead.
The city wasn’t particularly large. From this vantage point, he could get a bird’s-eye view of the entire urban sprawl, though the district on the far side was distant enough to be blurred by the atmosphere.
Fortunately, Corpse Kings were massive, making them relatively easy to spot.
Once he confirmed the walkie-talkie was functional, Ji Yanqing withdrew his gaze.
Glancing down, he found Ji An and Ji Le still staring upward with their mouths open. Seizing the opportunity, Ji Yanqing moved with lightning speed, pinching both little guys’ cheeks to settle the score.
After another round of playful chaos in the woods, the group finally settled down.
Ji Yanqing took the first sentry shift on the ground to let Lan Zi sleep; she would relieve Xia Shen Shu during the night.
For the next two days, Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi rotated shifts, keeping the city ahead under relentless surveillance.
Over those forty-eight hours, there was no significant movement within the city.
There were a few Corpse King patrols returning to base, but they appeared to be ordinary squads. They entered the city, blended into the general population of Corpse Kings to rest, and exhibited no unusual behavior.
Two days later, however, the area surrounding the city began to stir.
It started with a few scattered Corpse Kings. They didn’t enter the city limits; they merely stood at a distance, watching.
As time passed, the gathering swelled. From a handful to dozens, then to hundreds. In less than five days, a visible ring of Corpse Kings had formed around the city.
As the numbers drawn by the rumors grew, those who had initially tried to be secretive stopped bothering. They stood out in the open, brazenly gawking.
Hundreds of Corpse Kings circled the city. They didn’t attack; they simply stared intently at the urban center from time to time, waiting for a show. Faced with this, the Corpse Kings inside Heavenly Flame city managed to ignore the intrusion at first, but gradually, the atmosphere within the walls grew irritable.
Watching this from afar, Ji Yanqing and his team became increasingly certain that the city ahead was indeed the trap they suspected.
The Corpse Kings of Heavenly Flame were certainly more disciplined than those of Death’s faction or other groups. But even the most disciplined Corpse King couldn’t remain indifferent to a horde of strangers suddenly surrounding their stronghold—unless they had been strictly ordered to stay inside.
Ji Yanqing’s group held their position. The Corpse Kings in the city did the same.
The other side clearly lacked their patience. Three days later, a squad of Corpse Kings from the city marched out to approach the ring of onlookers drawn by the commotion.
***
“A duel?” The man in the suit frowned, a flicker of genuine surprise passing through his eyes.
He hadn’t expected things to evolve this way.
For a moment, he couldn’t decide whether Feng Yimo and Ji Yanqing were brilliant or simply foolish.
If they were stupid, how had they guessed his location and tracked him all the way to this city? If they were smart, why, after finding him, would they create such a massive spectacle? Were they not afraid of spooking him into running away?
“What will they do next?” asked one of the human-form subordinate Corpse Kings in the room, eyes lowered deferentially.
The man pondered for a moment. “Have you found them yet?”
Ever since he had spotted them through the shared vision of a controlled Corpse King, Ji Yanqing and the others had vanished without a trace.
“We only found the vehicle they abandoned,” the subordinate replied.
The man’s brow furrowed slightly, a shadow of displeasure crossing his face. It had been over ten days.
A thread of danger entered his voice. “Do not test my patience.”
“Understood.”
“Have the people from the county been brought back?” he asked, his tone shifting to one of mild interest. He wasn’t in a hurry. The ones who should be anxious were Ji Yanqing and his group.
If Ji Yanqing wanted to play, he was willing to play hide-and-seek for years.
But before that, he didn’t mind creating some entertainment for himself. He looked forward to seeing Ji Yanqing’s reaction when he realized he held hostages from their home.
The human-form Corpse King before him stiffened visibly. “There has been no progress… yet.”
The man’s cold gaze snapped toward him, killing intent swirling in its depths.
Fine beads of sweat broke out on the subordinate’s forehead. “Death’s Corpse Kings were previously stationed in that area. It might have caused a delay.”
The man said nothing.
The room fell into a suffocating silence. None of the subordinate Corpse Kings he had created dared to breathe too loudly.
Cold sweat trickled down their faces.
“Tell him to report to me the moment he returns,” the man said finally.
“Yes.”
“Get out.”
The subordinate retreated from the room with haste.
Ignoring the other subordinates present, the man turned his attention to the map spread across the table, and the silent walkie-talkie beside it.
***
In the forest.
As the curtain of night began to fall, Xia Shen Shu quickly finished his rations and walked toward the tree to relieve Lan Zi.
Several minutes later, Lan Zi slid down the rope.
Landing softly, she stretched her stiff limbs.
Ji Yanqing handed her a portion of food: a can of meat, a packet of compressed biscuits, and a bottle of water.
Tong Yue had packed them the best supplies available—high-protein canned meat, dense biscuits that curbed hunger, and plenty of clean water.
“How are we on supplies?” Lan Zi asked.
“About five or six days’ worth left,” Ji Yanqing replied.
They had departed with nearly a month’s worth of food. It had seemed like a lot, but over ten days on the road and almost another ten camped out in this forest had drained their reserves.
“We’ll need to resupply soon,” Ji Yanqing noted.
Lan Zi tore open her packet and began to eat.
Hearing the crinkle of packaging, Ji An and Ji Le turned their heads to look at her.
“Do you want to try some?” Lan Zi offered the can to the two children.
Ji An and Ji Le swallowed hard, but their little heads shook in refusal. They didn’t eat this stuff; to them, it was nearly impossible to swallow.
Corpse Kings and humans were fundamentally different existences. They wouldn’t die from fasting for a while, but Ji An and Ji Le craved mutant plants—their only source of sustenance.
Unfortunately, they hadn’t found any edible mutant flora along their route. Apart from water, the two little ones had eaten almost nothing this entire time.
Ji Yanqing’s heart ached looking at them, but he was helpless.
“I’ll go,” Ji Yanqing said after finishing his own dry biscuit. “You all stay here and keep watch.”
On Feng Yimo’s typically impassive face, his dark eyes conveyed clear disapproval.
They certainly couldn’t enter the city ahead. To find food, Ji Yanqing would have to scavenge in other nearby cities, but the entire region was teeming with Corpse Kings. Nowhere was safe.
Before Feng Yimo could voice his objection, Ji Yanqing cut in, “You stay here and protect them, just in case. This is the last battle. Once this is over, we can go home. Life will get much easier after this.”
Once they dealt with Heavenly Flame... once they retrieved the massive stockpile of supplies from the Devil’s City... once the vegetable fields outside their county started yielding crops... everything would change.
He wouldn’t have to run himself ragged every single day. He would have time for himself—time he could spend with Feng Yimo and the kids. Not as teammates, but as…
If possible, he wanted a plot of land of his own. He could learn to farm, growing fresh vegetables for Ji An and Ji Le.
And, of course, for Feng Yimo too.
Feng Yimo fell silent.
Having made his decision, Ji Yanqing went to fetch his backpack.
He emptied all the remaining supplies onto the ground, keeping only a half-full bottle of water. He took out their map and checked the approximate locations of the two nearest cities.
The closest one was a few hours away by car. On foot, accounting for the need to evade Corpse Kings, a one-way trip would likely take a day.
“I’ll be back within three days, guaranteed,” Ji Yanqing promised.
Ready, he shouldered his empty pack and picked up his axe.
Feng Yimo scooped up Ji An and Ji Le, holding them by their collars like little cubs, and thrust them toward Ji Yanqing. “Take them.”
Though they were just two little beans, they were still Corpse Kings.
Feng Yimo looked at Ji An and Ji Le, his dark eyes profound and serious. “Protect him.”
Being instructed like this made Ji An and Ji Le puff up their cheeks in indignation. Even if Feng Yimo didn’t say it, they would protect their Papa!
“Keep up.” Ji Yanqing thought for a moment and didn’t refuse. With Ji Le’s sensory abilities, searching for supplies would be much safer and faster.
“Okay!”
“We’ll protect Papa!”
Ji Yanqing patted the heads of his two little bodyguards.
Prepared, Ji Yanqing led the way out of the mountains.
“I don’t like a world without you.”
In the darkness, Feng Yimo’s cool, clear voice rang out unexpectedly.
Ji Yanqing paused, looking back.
Why was Feng Yimo saying this now?
Lan Zi, mid-bite, pricked up her ears, shamelessly eavesdropping on their private moment.
Many people in their county had already sensed the shift in the relationship between Ji Yanqing and Feng Yimo. Lan Zi was quite curious, but survival was hard enough; she’d never found the right moment to gossip.
“Will you stay?” Feng Yimo asked.
---
Ji Yanqing was puzzled for a moment before Feng Yimo’s meaning suddenly dawned on him.
He didn’t know how to answer for a second.
Throughout this journey, zombies, awakened zombies, and Corpse Kings had instilled in him no less fear than in anyone else; he might even hate those Corpse Kings more.
Feng Yimo, Ji An, and Ji Le were different to him. He also knew that not all Thrice-Evolved Corpse Kings were bloodthirsty—the Black Beast and Kang Xiaodong were proof. But to ask him to become a Corpse King…
Ji Yanqing looked away, unable to meet Feng Yimo’s deep, obsidian eyes, which seemed to gaze into the very depths of his soul. “Be careful. They might search these woods. Don’t be discovered.”
After giving the warning, Ji Yanqing led the two children toward the back of the mountain range, intending to cross directly through it.
Once across the mountains, they followed the tree line for a stretch to avoid the gawking Corpse Kings outside and on the fringes of the woods. Then, Ji Yanqing immediately broke into a run with his two little tails toward the direction of the city.
Though Ji An and Ji Le had short legs, their speed was no slower than an adult’s, and the three moved as one while Ji Yanqing ran at full speed.
They rested twice along the way, sharing the last of their water.
By the time heavy snow began to fall a little past nine in the evening, Ji Yanqing and the two cubs had entered the city.
The cities near the Gobi Desert were generally small and mostly old-fashioned; this one was no exception.
After walking for over half an hour into the city, they were still surrounded by low, self-built residential houses, none taller than three or four stories.
After another ten minutes of walking, Ji Yanqing found a slightly taller building and quickly made his way to the rooftop.
The snow in the northeast was lighter at night, but it was still bone-chillingly cold.
The wind here was fierce too. The moment he stepped onto the roof, a strong gust blasted toward him, giving Ji Yanqing the illusion he might be blown away. If he, holding a several-dozen-jin axe, felt that way, Ji An and Ji Le were nearly swept sideways by the wind.
Ji Yanqing quickly pulled the two close.
From the rooftop, he scanned the city from above.
The city was old, but it had long been connected to other cities by roads. It lacked none of the various entertainment venues or large supermarkets.
Ji Yanqing quickly located the busier streets. Without resting, he directly led the two children in that direction.
By the time they found a large supermarket at the end of a bustling street, it was past ten at night.
Ji Yanqing found an empty room nearby and brought the two little ones inside to rest.
The next day, as soon as the sky lightened, Ji Yanqing moved into action.
With Ji Le present, Ji Yanqing didn’t need to use their old methods. He simply had Ji Le lure the zombies on the supermarket’s second floor out.
Ji Le was no novice at this; he was quite proficient now. The entire process took less than three minutes.
Once Ji Yanqing confirmed all the zombies from the second floor had been called downstairs to a corner, he quickly went up.
It seemed the cities in this area hadn’t been scavenged much by survival teams. Most of the supermarket’s supplies were still there. The sight of the fully stocked shelves in the distance made even Ji Yanqing’s heart flutter.
But this place was simply too far from their county—a half-month’s journey one-way. They probably wouldn’t come this way anytime soon.
Resolutely abandoning the impulse to clear out the entire supermarket, Ji Yanqing set down his backpack and swiftly moved through the aisles, searching for more suitable supplies.
It took Ji Yanqing some time to choose. They couldn’t light fires in the woods, and items with bulky, air-filled packaging were out.
He filled the backpack he’d brought and found several plastic bags to pack more supplies, securing them to the outside of the pack.
By the time he went downstairs, more than a dozen ordinary zombies had gathered at the previously empty supermarket entrance, all staring toward the doorway.
Ji Yanqing was long accustomed to these ordinary zombies; he didn’t even feel fear toward them anymore. Seeing them, his first reaction was just cautious wariness.
Almost the instant Ji Yanqing tightened his grip on his axe, an oversized head, far larger than a human’s, appeared above the supermarket entrance. An awakened zombie hung upside-down from the signboard above the doorway, peering inside.
This area was probably its territory. It had been attracted by the sudden appearance of zombies in the alley.
Thud. The awakened zombie jumped down from the wall, landing at the entrance.
It had been awakened for some time; its form bore little resemblance to a human’s now.
Four leg-like appendages grew from its sides around the waist. Its body was gradually elongating. Its completely inhuman physique, coupled with a giant, human-like head, made Ji Yanqing’s breath catch.
The awakened zombie brutishly smashed through the glass door and squeezed inside. Its malicious eyes swept over Ji Yanqing and the two children in the room before fixing squarely on Ji Yanqing—he was bigger and meatier.
Ji Yanqing took a step back to create distance, but the creature was faster. Its gaping maw shot straight for Ji Yanqing’s head.
Before Ji Yanqing could react, a small figure rushed forward from beside him. Ji An kicked the monster’s leg.
“Don’t you! Bully! My dad!” Ji An barked.
Though the awakened zombie was far larger than Ji An, its strength was no match. The leg that was kicked fractured and bent inward. A pained gurgle escaped its throat.
The awakened zombie’s attention shifted to Ji An at its feet. It raised another leg, the sharp spur at its end stabbing downward.
Ji An dodged easily and kicked again.
His small size limited his offensive options.
“Grr…” The awakened zombie flew into a rage, wildly thrashing its remaining six limbs.
Before it could fully unleash its frenzy, it suddenly froze, its eyes going vacant.
Ji Yanqing quickly stepped forward. Before the awakened zombie could recover, his axe fell, cleanly relieving the creature of its burdensome head.
The awakened zombie’s head hit the floor and rolled to the side, leaving a trail of greenish-black blood.
After swiftly dealing with the awakened zombie, Ji Yanqing looked at Ji An and Ji Le.
“Daddy?” Ji An looked up at Ji Yanqing, eyes full of anticipation.
Ji Le, having controlled the ordinary zombies drawn by the commotion and sent them back into the alley, also looked at Ji Yanqing expectantly.
“Thank you for protecting Dad,” Ji Yanqing said, squatting down to meet Ji An and Ji Le at eye level.
Ji An and Ji Le looked at each other, their little faces instantly flushing bright red.
Watching their happy expressions, Ji Yanqing’s feelings were complicated.
He had long known Ji An and Ji Le were Corpse Kings, but subconsciously, he had always treated them like human children. Yet their true abilities far exceeded the little they usually showed. They were already far more powerful than he had anticipated.
Ji Yanqing glanced at the awakened zombie corpse, then back into the supermarket. His gaze settled on the staff break room at the back.
He couldn’t be sure there were no Heavenly Flame Corpse Kings in this city. Leaving the body like this could provide clues leading back to him.
Ji Yanqing set his backpack down, went over and opened the break room door, then started dragging the corpse toward it.
Seeing this, Ji An hurried over to help.
The awakened zombie was large, but Ji An’s strength was greater. With his help, Ji Yanqing moved the corpse into the room with little effort.
After hiding the body, Ji Yanqing picked up the head, placed it inside, and closed the door.
With that done, he walked back to his backpack.
The recently praised Ji An immediately scampered over to help carry Ji Yanqing’s backpack. Ji Le also trotted over, eager to assist.
By the time Ji Yanqing reached the entrance, Ji An and Ji Le were already heaving his backpack over, huffing and puffing.
“What capable helpers,” Ji Yanqing praised as he took the backpack.
Hearing the praise, the already excited Ji An and Ji Le grew even more restless. They desperately wanted to help Ji Yanqing more, but there was nothing else for them to do right now.
Unable to contain their exhilaration, they started circling around Ji Yanqing, one could almost see upright little wolfpup ears and eagerly waving tails.
Watching them run and hearing their clear laughter, Ji Yanqing felt a pang of complex emotion.
Corpse Kings had lifespans far exceeding humans, which probably meant their growth periods were prolonged. He wondered if he would live to see them grow up before he died.
Thinking of this, Feng Yimo’s face surfaced in his mind.
As time passed, he would age slowly, his face wrinkling, hair turning white, body growing stooped… while Feng Yimo would remain in that coldly handsome form for a very long time…
After he died, given enough time, Feng Yimo might even forget him.
He might find someone new to care for. Then he would be good to that person too. He would listen to their rambling hopes and dreams, give them all his affection, hold them tight, kiss them gently…
“Let’s go. Time to head back.” Ji Yanqing led the way out the door.
Ji An and Ji Le immediately scampered after him.
Leaving the city, Ji An and Ji Le stopped their playful antics. The three of them moved quickly back the way they came. If they maintained a good pace, they might make it back by nightfall.
By the time they returned to the forest where Xia Shen Shu and the others were waiting, it was night again.
Back in the woods, the first thing Ji Yanqing did was look for Feng Yimo.
Feng Yimo, who had been sitting alone in a corner with his long sword, eyes closed in rest, opened them the instant he heard Ji Yanqing’s footsteps.
The forest was too dark for Ji Yanqing to see his face clearly, but even so, he knew Feng Yimo’s eyes were following his every move closely.
Feng Yimo cared about him.
A sour ache filled Ji Yanqing’s chest.
After he died, Feng Yimo would give all that care to someone else.
---
Ji Yanqing shot a glare at Feng Yimo. Feng Yimo rose and walked over, reaching out to help him with his backpack. Ji Yanqing ignored the offer and removed it himself. Now certain Ji Yanqing was angry, Feng Yimo grew even more bewildered. He looked toward his two young subordinates. Ji An and Ji Le were staring back at him with accusing eyes—Feng Yimo had made Ji Yanqing angry again. He was always making Ji Yanqing angry!
Seeing Ji Yanqing return earlier than expected, Xia Shen Shu—who’d been resting under a tree—got up to unpack the supplies Ji Yanqing had brought back. Ji Yanqing took the opportunity to address the Elder Corpse King who’d also just returned.
“I’ve spread the message as far as I could, as you asked,” the old man said. “But there’s no telling how many Corpse Kings will come.”
“That’s enough.” Ji Yanqing had never actually wanted to gather a crowd of Corpse Kings to watch the show. He turned toward the city. “Still no movement inside?”
“A human-form Corpse King arrived yesterday,” Xia Shen Shu reported. “Probably part of the upper ranks. As soon as he entered, a lot of Corpse Kings in the city became nervous, and not long after, a Corpse King squad left.”
“We’ve been watching him, but he hasn’t made any other moves since entering.”
“After that human-form Corpse King showed up, a group of Corpse
Kings came to the woods last night, probably looking for us. We hid
in the trees and avoided them.”
Ji Yanqing fell into thought.
The Corpse Kings in the city had been quiet before, but after the human-form Corpse King arrived, there was immediate activity. Was he delivering orders from the Heavenly Flame leader? Was the Heavenly Flame leader not even in the city?
Unable to puzzle it out, Ji Yanqing let it go and subconsciously looked at Feng Yimo. Feng Yimo stood alone to the side, eyes lowered, seriously contemplating how he’d offended Ji Yanqing this time. Watching his earnest expression, Ji Yanqing—who’d briefly forgotten his earlier irritation—felt another wave of sourness well up in his chest. In the future, Feng Yimo would be the King of Corpse Kings. After he died, countless Corpse Kings would want to get close to him. Ji Yanqing knew he was being unreasonable, but he couldn’t stop thinking about it.
While Ji Yanqing was lost in thought, a voice suddenly cut through the darkness. It came from the walkie-talkie—Lan Zi’s voice. “We’ve got a situation.” Ji Yanqing and Xia Shen Shu immediately went on alert. “That human-form Corpse King from before has left the city,” Lan Zi reported. “He’s heading back the way he came.”
“What should we do? Chase?” Xia Shen Shu asked Ji Yanqing.
“Chase,” Ji Yanqing decided without hesitation.
At Ji Yanqing’s command, everyone sprang into action. Lan Zi scrambled down from the tree while Feng Yimo and the old man moved in. Xia Shen Shu divided the large amount of supplies Ji Yanqing had brought back into three backpacks. By the time Lan Zi reached the ground, Xia Shen Shu had just finished. The three shouldered their packs, Lan Zi took point, and the group swiftly set off in the direction the human-form Corpse King had gone.
There was only a ring of Corpse Kings surrounding the city at a distance. When they reached that area, the old man took the lead, guiding them through the Corpse Kings from Death’s faction. In addition to those just watching, many of Death’s Corpse Kings had mixed into that ring around the city. Before passing through, Ji Yanqing gave a few instructions and had the old man relay them. The old man was puzzled but complied. Once everything was arranged, Ji Yanqing and the others began their long-distance search for the departed human-form Corpse King in the darkness.
Human-form Corpse Kings were intelligence-types, not physically powerful, so that one had brought two beast-form Corpse Kings as escorts. This made him easier to track but also harder to catch. Beast-form Corpse Kings were incredibly fast—far beyond human running speed. Feng Yimo and Ji Yanqing were fine, but Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi fell behind almost immediately. With Corpse Kings everywhere nearby, Ji Yanqing couldn’t abandon them. He had no choice but to send the old man ahead while they followed behind him. The team was forced to split in two, but they didn’t lose their target.
After chasing through the night without rest, around ten the next
morning they spotted the old man ahead in the distance—and beyond
him, a large town. As they closed in, Ji Yanqing immediately asked,
“Inside?” ”He entered one of the buildings,” the old man
pointed it out. The building was only seven or eight stories tall,
but for a town, that counted as a high-rise. It was a commercial
building with a supermarket and cinema on the lower floors and
offices above.
”He hasn’t come out since he went in,” the
old man added with some excitement.
While catching his breath, Ji Yanqing pulled out a map from his backpack and studied it. The town ahead wasn’t marked on the map. More precisely, the map only showed a village in this area. Before the virus, many cities and towns had been in rapid development. This town should have originally been just a small village, but its population had exploded over time, giving it its current size. Ji Yanqing hadn’t included small villages in his search plan from the start because he thought the other party definitely wouldn’t hide in a small village—it would be too obvious. Now it seemed the other party had anticipated this line of thinking.
“What should we do? Go in now? I don’t see many Corpse Kings in the town,” the old man asked eagerly. The longer they delayed, the worse things would be for Death’s faction. Ji Yanqing didn’t answer, checking the time instead. The old man grew anxious. He glanced at Feng Yimo, saw he wasn’t worried at all, then looked back at Ji Yanqing, who was always the decision-maker.
“Wait a bit more,” Ji Yanqing said. “It should be soon.”
“Wait for what?”
Ji Yanqing didn’t respond, his gaze returning to the village marker on the map. So the Heavenly Flame leader could read maps? Ji Yanqing had an indescribable sense of dissonance.
Seeing Ji Yanqing take no action, the old man looked at the town ahead and forcibly held back from insisting they go in immediately. Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi’s attention wasn’t on them at all. The moment they arrived, the two collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. Their physical fitness was already considered good among the humans in the county town, but compared to Corpse Kings, they were still far behind. They had been moving at full speed almost the entire way, and their legs were now burning so viciously that they couldn’t even stand. Lan Zi lay on the ground, face pale and motionless, only her heaving chest betraying that she was still alive. Xia Shen Shu leaned against his backpack, holding his gun, his face also pale. His gaze frequently shifted between Ji Yanqing and Feng Yimo. Feng Yimo wasn’t a surprise, but Ji Yanqing was also a monster in terms of stamina.
“It should be about time,” Ji Yanqing said after checking the time again, staring intently at the town ahead. The old man and Xia Shen Shu also looked over. Time passed second by second, but there was no sign of anything unusual in the town. In the sunlight, the two beast-form Corpse Kings that had brought the human-form Corpse King to the town were yawning casually, while he remained inside the house. After staring at the area for a full five or six minutes without seeing anything unusual, the puzzled old man looked at Ji Yanqing, waiting for his explanation. Ji Yanqing continued to stare quietly at the town ahead. Five minutes, ten minutes passed. Just when even Xia Shen Shu had run out of patience, there was suddenly movement in the town ahead.
A Corpse King from the direction of the city rushed into the town, roaring as it ran. The sound traveled far, and the human-form Corpse King in the house heard it. The human-form Corpse King, who had been staying inside, quickly came out and looked in the direction of the previous city. He frowned, hesitated for a moment, and in just an instant, he immediately summoned a nearby beast-form Corpse King and climbed onto its back. The three beast-form Corpse Kings immediately carried him toward the city.
This was the moment Ji Yanqing had been waiting for. After the other party ran past not far from them, Ji Yanqing immediately signaled everyone to follow. This time, without waiting for questions, Ji Yanqing directly explained: “The leader is in the city we were just at. We’re going back.”
“Going back...” Xia Shen Shu almost choked. He had just barely survived the run here and hadn’t even caught his breath before Ji Yanqing said they had to go back?
“How do you know?” Lan Zi struggled to get up from the ground.
“Didn't I tell you to find Corpse Kings to attack that city after we left?” Ji Yanqing looked at the old man.
“There was such a thing, but...” The old man paused. At the time, he had still felt puzzled and didn’t understand why Ji Yanqing wanted to do this. “If the Heavenly Flame leader was in this town or somewhere else, then that human-form Corpse King just now wouldn’t have needed to rush back,” Ji Yanqing said as he quickly ran in the direction of the previous city. If that city was really just a simple trap, then there were already enough Corpse Kings in that city, and they only needed to watch from afar. The only reason the other party would rush back was because the city was more important than they had anticipated.
---
“You mean…” Lan Zi finally processed what was happening.
Muscles twitched violently in Xia Shen Shu’s face. Resigned to his fate, he clutched his gun and sprinted forward, only to turn around and run back after a few steps.
Seeing this, Lan Zi, who had been ready to follow him, froze with a bewildered expression.
What is Xia Shen Shu running back for?
“A car…” Xia Shen Shu panted, pointing back toward the direction of the town.
If they just ran straight there on foot, they’d be half-dead by the time they reached the city.
Ji Yanqing weighed the options momentarily, then immediately bolted toward the town.
With the Elder and Ji Le—two intelligent Corpse Kings—assisting them, they effortlessly located a functional vehicle on the town’s outskirts. The engine roared to life, and they sped rapidly toward the city.
“What do we do next?” Xia Shen Shu asked without turning his head, foot slamming the gas pedal to the floor.
Even if they were certain the leader of the Heavenly Flame was in that city, there were still hundreds of Corpse Kings guarding it.
“Cut our way in,” Feng Yimo stated abruptly.
Everyone in the car turned to look at him.
“Let’s maybe think of a plan first? There are so many Corpse Kings…” Lan Zi ventured.
“No need.” Feng Yimo’s eyes were cold, his tone absolute.
The words hovering on the lips of Lan Zi and Xia Shen Shu were swallowed instantly.
Feng Yimo hadn’t directed any killing intent toward them, yet those unwavering, desolate-cold eyes silenced them effectively.
Feng Yimo was a Corpse King; the God of Death. He had once carved a bloody path from the north to the south, annihilating every Corpse King along the way. He was far more than just the directionally challenged dog they were accustomed to seeing follow Ji Yanqing around.
***
In the county town, still devastated from the recent attack and littered with debris.
Kang Xiaodong, who had been gloomily scrubbing Corpse King blood off the ground, suddenly looked up toward the ruined entrance. In the next instant, he threw down his broom and sprinted toward where Tong Yue was stationed.
As he ran, he shouted at the top of his lungs, “They’re here!”
Hearing Kang Xiaodong’s voice, the busy crowds within the county town mobilized instantly.
Unlike the previous attack, when there had still been a trace of panic on their faces, their movements now were orderly and disciplined.
The combat squads rapidly gathered at the gates, while non-combatants retreated in an organized fashion to the rear of the town. Moving in sync with them were twenty newly modified vehicles rolling toward the entrance.
By the time Kang Xiaodong reached the gates, Tong Yue, Qin Yue, Huang Rongyue, and several other squad captains were already standing at the ready.
Looking out from the county gates, far beyond the mountain range in the open plains, at the very edge of the horizon, a cluster of massive silhouettes was slowly closing in.
Unlike the previous squad of five Corpse Kings, this was an army numbering in the hundreds—enough to easily flatten their entire county town.
Even seeing such a scene from a distance, the throats of those at the gate—who had mentally prepared themselves—bobbed nervously, their faces draining of blood.
“Try to keep the fighting contained outside the county town,” Tong Yue said.
“We absolutely cannot let him escape this time.” Tong Yue’s face was dark and grim.
No one spoke; everyone held their breath, waiting in battle-ready silence.
Kang Xiaodong moved. And as he stepped forward, countless shadows hidden within the mountain range moved with him.
Tens of thousands of normal zombies surged forth like a tide, completely encircling the county town. They let out meaningless whimpers and roars; individually, the sounds were quiet, but mixed together, they formed a spine-chilling cacophony.
As the normal zombies mobilized, the Corpse Kings belonging to Death’s faction descended from the mountains.
In the distance, where the sky and earth met.
Seeing the shifting shadows around the mountains from afar, the leading man’s lips curled into a sneer. Did Kang Xiaodong think that rounding up a few normal zombies would change the outcome?
“Leave about two hundred humans alive; that should be enough,” the man commanded.
As his voice carried, the Corpse Kings behind him, already itching for a fight, accelerated, charging toward the county town ahead.
“Make your shots count,” Bai Haoxuan, who was driving, growled, his face dark as he glared viciously at the charging Corpse Kings.
“Which button do I press first?” Lu Qing asked from the back of the vehicle, humming a little tune as he loaded the cannon magazine.
Bai Haoxuan, filled with murderous intent, choked on his own breath. Can Lu Qing be any more useless?
Receiving no answer, Lu Qing didn’t mind. He fiddled with the autocannon in front of him.
Whoosh—
A giant shell, possessing power far beyond ordinary ammunition, flew toward the distance like a streak of light. The moment the shell landed, a violent, deafening blast assaulted everyone’s eardrums.
Four or five Corpse Kings were hit directly, bodies razed with wounds, while several others nearby were caught in the blast radius.
Seeing this, the charging Corpse Kings didn’t stop; instead, the killing intent in their eyes intensified.
The injured Corpse Kings paid their wounds no mind—such injuries would heal in moments. They continued their sprint forward.
But after barely two steps, their bodies suddenly turned soft and powerless. They collapsed, along with several other Corpse Kings who had been downwind of the blast.
Before they could react, cannons fired again, one after another.
The horde of normal zombies around the mountains began to move. They surged like a tsunami toward the fallen Corpse Kings, clawing and biting with reckless abandon.
Simultaneously, gunshots rang out, and the combat squads charged.
They might have been mere ants, but even ants could bite people to death!
The roar of beasts followed close behind as the Corpse Kings from Death’s faction joined the fray.
In front of the county town, a massive black beast stretched lazily; whoever stepped on its turf was going to get what came to them.
***
Amidst the roaring of beasts, a car screeched to a halt.
Ji Yanqing and his group quickly disembarked.
The city ahead was already in chaos. Many of Death’s Corpse Kings had rushed into the city, but they didn’t hold the upper hand; they were being beaten into scattered disarray.
The Corpse Kings stationed in this city were naturally combat-oriented, and they had their own organized squads.
Looking at the dense swarm of figures and hearing the ceaseless roars, Lan Zi’s scalp tingled. How were they supposed to find anyone in this mess?
“You all should leave this place,” Feng Yimo said, unsheathing the long blade in his hand.
Everyone looked at him.
Feng Yimo’s expression was icy. The killing intent within him, cold as glacial frost, bloomed instantly. It was so intense it felt like a tangible entity, causing those around him to shudder and drawing the gazes of the Heavenly Flame’s Corpse Kings who were currently dominating the fight ahead.
Trench coat fluttering, long hair dancing, long blade unsheathed—the Corpse Kings inside the city were instantly made well aware of Feng Yimo’s existence. Countless blood-crazed Corpse Kings turned and charged toward them.
The smile on Xia Shen Shu’s face froze. Even he would have trouble handling an onslaught like that.
“You…” Lan Zi looked at Feng Yimo. Can he really handle this?
Of everyone present, only the Elder was so excited his face turned red.
“Scram.”
Feng Yimo’s thin lips parted slightly.
His voice wasn’t loud, but that single, soft word struck like a fractured glacier crashing into the ocean. It stunned the already turbulent waters into a moment of dead silence before whipping up a monstrous, sky-high tsunami.
Those inside the city, those watching from the perimeter, and every Corpse King in the vicinity felt as if they had taken a heavy blow to the head. For a split second, their minds went blank.
Immediately after, radiating outward from Feng Yimo, all the nearby normal zombies, awakened zombies, ordinary Corpse Kings, and even some of the weaker Third-Stage Corpse Kings scattered like a receding tide.
They scrambled over each other, terrified out of their wits, fleeing as if staying a second longer meant certain death.
And those who were slow did die. Centered around Feng Yimo, countless normal zombies, awakened zombies, and ordinary Corpse Kings who couldn’t run fast enough—or didn’t react in time—collapsed one by one. They fell with their backs to him, eyes wide with terror, mid-escape.
In a mere instant, the city—previously bustling, crowded, and filled with killing intent, chaos, and the stench of blood—fell into a deathly silence. Only a group of Third-Stage Corpse Kings remained, standing frozen in place.
At the edge of the city, Xia Shen Shu and Lan Zi, faces stung by the wind whipped up by the fleeing Corpse Kings, felt their pupils constrict violently. For a moment, both their minds went blank.
They had known Feng Yimo was powerful, but they had never had a concrete concept of how powerful.
In this moment, witnessing a scene akin to an Asura descending to bring down hell itself, they trembled from the depths of their souls, their faces drained of all color.
The Elder shook with excitement, gazing at Feng Yimo with feverish adoration. That is our future King.
Watching the fleeing figures, the field of corpses, and this familiar scene, Ji Yanqing’s emotions were complicated.
He took a deep breath, fighting the twitch at the corner of his mouth. “Feng Yimo.”
Feng Yimo, radiating murderous aura as he prepared to march forward, turned his head to look at him.
“The city is that way.” Ji Yanqing pointed expressionlessly behind Feng Yimo’s back.
When they got back, he was absolutely going to make Lu Qing examine Feng Yimo to see exactly which wires were crossed in that strange head of his.
Thinking this, Ji Yanqing couldn’t help but glance at Ji An and Ji Le at his feet.
He suddenly pondered a very serious question: Can directional illiteracy be transmitted through blood?
If it was contagious…
Rather than spending the rest of their unending lives scouring the world trying to find each other, he would prefer that after he died naturally, Feng Yimo just remained an old bachelor.
----
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