ã€ŠRebirth of MCã€‹


 CH 1

    Chapter 1: Rebirth

    A continuous stream of foul, black, highly toxic gas bubbled forth from the swamp. The corpses of countless victims who drowned to death in that swamp started crawling out, movements stiff and rigid. From inside the undead corpses, hair-raising inducing blood red devil ants slowly burrowed through the flesh, crawling out onto the body''s surface. A large volume of tiny blood red devil ants speedily crawl down the undead and continue forward. The distinctive sha-sha sound produced from their onwards march is enough to chill a person''s blood.

    The remaining survivors lucky enough to still be alive and witnessing this scene started to scream and shriek in panic, one after another. However, it is futile to try and stop the approaching footsteps of death¡­

    Very soon, the undead and devil ants gradually begin to surround the living humans. Dread and horror painted the face of everyone, but nobody wishes to die so quickly. The only path of escape they can take is to flee towards the mountain. If one is afraid of taking this route, they will still die in the end.

    The more Huo Zaiyuan feels the sound of tiny insects crawling begin to get closer and closer from behind, the more anxious he becomes. He absolutely does not dare to look over his shoulder. He knows he has to escape by himself, he has to live¡­

    In the moment he reaches out to clutch the firm soil of the mountain in order to pull himself upwards, the person in front of him suddenly brought their foot down, stepping firmly on his hand. Not bothering to wait for his reaction, that person turned to look at him, expression exceptionally malevolent. "Go and die! Your death will buy us more time to survive!"

    After saying this, that cruel person lifts their leg and send a kick to his stomach. This kick is quite strong. Hua Zaiyuan felt a flash of pain in his stomach, his breath knocked out, his entire body tumbling down the mountain right away. And then¡­

    ¡­the sound of crawling reach his ears and his entire being explodes with pain. The bloodthirsty, carnivorous devil ants crawled all over his body, piercing through his skin and burrowing deep into his flesh. Blood flowed forth endlessly. Eventually, he was totally covered in a sea of red¡­

    ¡­Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes snap open, his skin drenched in sweat, heart thudding violently due to experiencing extreme fright, as if it would rip through his chest and leap out. He pants heavily, greedily gulping down air, his entire body is stiff and devoid of strength.

    Bright and beautiful sunlight shines through the window, so warm and gentle. There is no trace of foul, black, toxic gas in the air, and no twinging pain caused by devil ants burrowing through skin and flesh. All that happened just now seemed like it was simply a nightmare. Gradually, Huo Zaiyuan felt his heartbeat calming down bit by bit, his breath becoming less erratic and his body regaining strength.

    What is all this about?

    His gaze slowly sweeps across. What he sees is a place he is extremely familiar with - the interior of the house he rented. But didn''t he die already? He was kicked down the mountain by that heartless woman, his corpse buried under the swarm of devil ants. So why is he back at this place?

    Slowly turning his head, his eyes lands on a white iPhone4 laying at the bedside. Huo Zaiyuan unhurriedly reached out to pick up the phone, unlocking it, only to discover the date displaying on the screen read 30th April 2011, the time reading 13:52, as well as twelve missed calls.

    "Th-this¡­what in the world is happening?" Looking at the phone''s screen, Huo Zaiyuan murmured lowly, completely not daring to believe his eyes.

    He clearly remembers he died being eaten alive by those devil ants, so how did time reverse once he closes and open his eyes? No. That''s incorrect. This shouldn''t be time reversing. Could it be¡­

    Thinking for a while, Huo Zaiyuan lifts his hand and gave himself a rather brutal slap. His cheek burned with pain, letting him confirm that he isn''t dreaming. This is great, really great¡­he didn''t die, he didn''t die, he unexpectedly resurrected in the past.

    Now that he knows he is not dead, Huo Zaiyuan is wild with happiness, bouncing around the house for quite a while, only calming down when the tenant downstairs banged on his door and rained curses on him. Embracing the lunchbox left over from breakfast in his bosom, he wolfed it down while lying on the rail of his porch, gaze drifting down towards the bustling street below from time to time. The leftover food had long become cold and hard, but having experienced the harsh lifestyle of a person on the run during his previous life, Hup Zaiyuan instead feels that the cold meal is still incomparably delicious. As for the busy street below, before he felt the noise was incredibly vexing due to the sound of chatter and noise from various small businesses. Now, he instead feels that it sounds rather nice.

    Younger now than we were before¡­Don''t let me go¡­

    At this moment, a burst of music that served as his phone''s ringtone sounded, his phone''s screen lighting up. Looking at the caller ID, Huo Zaiyuan''s originally faintly smiling expression disappeared momentarily. Only after leisurely polishing off the food in the lunchbox did he slowly answer the call.

    ["Huo Zaiyuan, the lawyer is already here. Even if you don''t want to sign the contract today, you will still have to!"]

    Translator¡¯s notes: No footnotes for this one. This novel¡¯s chapters are shorter and slightly more easy to translate since there¡¯s no obscure historical phrases and whatnots. (??¨B?¨B)????*

    Also [¡°text¡±] = conversation over the phone

 CH 2

    Chapter 2: Learn to save money

    Listening to the woman on the other side of the phone curse in rage, Huo Zaiyuan''s eyebrows start to wrinkle and he puts the phone down as he knew the rants that woman spew is going to continue for quite a while. Only after she finished did he reply with a single sentence, "I''ll be there shortly", before hanging up.

    When Huo Zaiyuan was twelve years old, his mother passed away from illness. Three days after his mother''s death, his father brought back another woman and an eleven year old kid from outside. The him at that time absolutely could not accept the fact that his father, who had always been so intimate with his mother, would be able to do something like betraying her behind her back. Hence, he became more and more rebellious, moving out of the Huo family house and living on his lonesome outside.

    It was only until six months later, when his father died in a car accident that he once more got in touch with the people remaining in that house. As soon as his father''s funeral date passed, that woman couldn''t hold back anymore and already started thinking about how to split the entity of his father''s assets. As the next head of the household, he became his stepmother''s biggest obstacle. And so for the next half a year, he didn''t have a moment''s peace.

    In his previous life, he constantly rejected signing the contract regarding the splitting of the assets, dragging it out until the end of the world came about. Because of this, his stepmother and he were so at odds to the extent he had to live as a fugitive for six months before doomsday. But in the end, he still died by a kick from his stepmother.

    "Tsk¡­looks like this woman still hates my guts to the extent of wanting to spill my blood ah." Whilst tidying up his things, Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head self-mockingly before heading out.

    After receiving his stepmother''s call, he can''t help but recall all the events that will happen in the near future. On the 13th of April 2012, the apocalypse will begin. If he still insisted on not signing that contract, he would end up once again needing to flee like a fugitive and wait for death months before the apocalypse. He has already starved enough times in his previous life that he can''t tolerate that feeling anymore, so he decides he needs a very large sum of money in order to fund his plans to start stockpiling goods.

    As for his portion of father''s assets - not the shares and properties but the cash and valuables -, he is very clear that the woman will certainly not easily split it between them evenly.

    Since the heavens saw fit to give him another chance at life, then he will definitely grasp this opportunity well, preparing the highest quality equipment and stocking up on health potions. (Author''s note: This kid played so many games his brain turned to mush.)

    He wants to live.

    Previously, due to taking revenge on his mother''s behalf for father''s betrayal towards her, he left the Huo family house. He doesn''t know if father harboured guilt, but he did not stop giving him (HZY) the monthly allowance, which was transferred to his (HZY) bank account electronically, the amount being several ten thousand dollars. However, Huo Zaiyuan also flitted the money away without a care, eating, drinking, playing, buying expensive, high-quality clothes and other items. Thinking about it now, he really regrets it to the extent of turning his intestines green.

    Ai, looks like during this brief reprise before the end of the world, the first lesson he must master is to be diligent and thrifty until he receives his portion of father''s assets. The first thing he needs to do is to sell all the branded items he bought in the past, as well as his entire collection of limited edition stuff.

    As soon as he shoulders his backpack and stepped out the door of his rented house, a taxi speedily drove over to stop in front of him. The driver is someone he is very familiar with as ever since he moved into this neighbourhood, Huo Zaiyuan had always ridden this taxi whenever he went out. Because he used to spend money extravagantly, the tips he gave this driver was not little, which was the reason why the driver''s smiles are extremely bright whenever Huo Zaiyuan took out his wallet.

    "Oh, young master, where are you heading to? Come, come, quickly get into the car."

    Huo Zaiyuan glanced at the driver''s glittery smile, the corners of the man''s eyes curving slightly. A thought crossed Huo Zaiyuan''s mind, and he had the sudden urge to haul that driver out of his seat and demand the man return all the tips he (HZY) gave him (driver) in the past.

    Taking a deep breath, Huo Zaiyuan forcefully suppressed the ravings in his heart, curling the corners of his mouth into a small smile. "Uncle driver, I''m not going to take the taxi today."

    "Eh? Oh¡­is that so¡­" The smile instantly disappeared from the man''s face after hearing Huo Zaiyuan''s words before the taxi pulled away hurriedly.

    Staring at the distant red taxi, Huo Zaiyuan sighs lightly. If he was still the past him, facing this sort of blunt action from the driver, he would have already exploded with rage. However, as someone who has experienced life on the run before the apocalypse, he is already used to this kind of attitude.

    Running over to the taxi stand, he can''t help but feel a little thrilled. Since childhood, he was surrounded by wealth, and even after moving out of the house, he did not lack money to squander, resulting in the fact that he never needed to take public transport within the city like normal citizens.

    Translator¡¯s notes: Might be able to get another chapter up today. We¡¯ll see ^-^

 CH 3

    Chapter 3: Splitting the assets

    Riding in the inner city transport car towards the luxurious residential area located north of the city, Huo Zaiyuan stares out the window at the scenery passing by, a myriad of colours passing across his vision. The 13th of April 2012 marks Judgement Day. When that time comes, then all these beautiful sceneries will no longer exist¡­

    Two hours later, he reaches his destination. Huo Zaiyuan gets down from the car, heading south of this residential area, towards a very pretty small house. Here is the house he gave up once. When both parents passed, he doesn''t have any other close relatives left alive on this Earth. The pair of mother and son currently occupying this small house never had even the slightest relation from the very beginning. Recalling the last moments of his previous life when he was kicked down the mountain and fed to the devil ants by this heartless woman''s own hands, Huo Zaiyuan''s heart is filled with hate. Oh, how he wishes to knock her over the very second he meets her, to slap the mouth that ever stops insulting him. But he cannot do that¡­

    Chewing on his lips, Huo Zaiyuan takes several deep breaths, suppressing his hatred and walks up to the courtyard''s gate. The closed-circuit monitor screen mounted on the gate already began identifying him the moment he steps within range. Even before he thinks about reaching for his keys, the gates open.

    Huo Zaiyuan headed directly for the living room because he knows that woman will definitely be there already. Walking into the hall, sure enough, he sees that delicate figure in a pearl-coloured long dress, make-up covered face and haughty-bearing woman sitting on the sofa currently conversing happily with the lawyer. Once she sees Huo Zaiyuan, her lively smiling expression vanishes.

    "Master Huo really has such high value ah, needing two whole hours just to come home!"

    Met with his stepmother, Zhou Huijiao''s sharp tongue and sarcastic words, Huo Zaiyuan is indifferent, not bothering to look at her even once, directly going over to take a seat on the opposite sofa.

    "How do you plan to split the family assets?" He goes straight to the main topic the moment he opens his mouth, clearly indicating that he has no intentions to waste time on meaningless matters like exchanging barbed words.

    Zhou Huijiao didn''t think that the Huo head who just a few days ago refused to sign the distribution contract even in death would today so readily bring up the subject. Because of the surprise, she didn''t respond for a few seconds.

    "Master Huo, before Mr Huo''s death, he did not leave a will to anyone. Therefore, the matter of distributing his assets shall be left to you and Mrs Zhou to agree upon." Lawyer Zhang is someone who is accustomed to these types of situations. Saying this, at the same time he takes out a document from the briefcase by his side, pushing it towards Huo Zaiyuan. "Here is the summary of Mr Huo''s assets, please take a look. In accordance to what I have discussed with Mrs Zhou, the final decision is, regarding properties, Mrs Zhou, second master and you will each receive three-tenths. As for the company shares, the 60% in Mr Huo''s name will be split into three so each person will receive 20%.

    Hearing Lawyer Zhang''s words, Huo Zaiyuan was a little distracted as he never imagined the woman will make this sort of arrangement. Three-tenths of father''s assets will go to her, her son will take another three-tenths, making it a total of six-tenths. Although he himself will also receive three-tenths, making it seem fair at first glance, but the truth is the one suffering losses is still him. In addition, there is also the remaining one-tenth that haven''t been distributed. Is she looking to nick that portion too¡­

    Huo Zaiyuan laughs coldly in his heart as he examines the document thoroughly. Confronted with his calm and collected attitude, the expression on Zhou Huijiao''s face turn unsightly. "Huo Zaiyuan, everyone has an equal share! What other opinions can you possibly have!"

    "But I do have an opinion. All three of us will be taking three-tenth of Dad''s individual assets, but what about the remaining portion?"

    At these question, Zhou Huijiao''s face turns green, hands clenching into fists. Just as Huo Zaiyuan expected, she really planned to take that portion for herself.

    However, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t care how ugly her expression becomes and continues: "Also, you have three-tenths, Huo Mingbao has three-tenths. Together, you two would have six-tenths, but I will only receive three-tenths. Not to mention the remaining one-tenth have not been included in this. How is this considered fair?"

    "We are two people, of course our share would be slightly more compared to yours!!" Huo Zaiyuan''s words successfully make her blow a fuse.

    "Un, two people¡­that''s why the amount is naturally bigger. Since you said this, then I also don''t wish to waste more time. I will receive four-tenths of Dad''s assets, you and your son will each have three-thirds. As for the company shares, I want half of it."

    "You - Huo Zaiyuan, don''t win and inch, want a foot[1]!"

    "Zhou Huijiao, you only desire this large sum of assets. Although I divided it so I will receive four-tenths of the assets and 30% of the company shares, no matter how you see it, I''m still suffering losses. Also¡­if I refuse to sign this contract, you and I can only dream about getting a single coin. This will only result in both of us not benefitting. Since you have the mind to get me to sign, then you had better be quick and decide. Else if you provoke me, this master, and I refuse to sign¡­"

    "I accept!" Zhou Huijiao gnashes her teeth in anger.

    "There''s still¡­" Huo Zaiyuan suddenly opens his mouth again after handing the signed contract over to Lawyer Zhang.

    "I said I will sign! What more do you want?!" Zhuo Huijiao is extremely furious, expression turning very fierce.

    "Calm down, calm down. What I have to say has nothing to do with the distribution of assets." Looking at the fury written all over the face of that woman sitting opposite, Huo Zaiyuan smiles lightly. Inwardly, he thinks that if he manages to anger this woman so much she goes insane or bursts some blood vessels, then it can be considered as taking revenge for everything he suffered in his previous life.

    "Say it!"

    "This house is included in that contract. I actually ought to receive half of this house but I don''t want it. However, I want to take some items away from here!" Slowly observing every inch of the house he grew up in, Huo Zaiyuan''s heart feels rather bitter. This house contained all of his sweetest memories with his mother and grandparents, but he knows that this place is not suited for the current him anymore.

    "You can, but everything you want to bring away must pass my inspection first!" To hear that Huo Zaiyuan didn''t want his share of this house at least managed to quell her anger a little.

    Since Zhou Huijiao said this, then he will not be courteous, immediately rising from the sofa and heading to the second floor''s study.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Win an inch, want a foot (idiom): Given something by the grace of someone but is then greedy for more.

    Translator¡¯s notes: Ah, I really want to get past all these chapters and get to the juicy bits but alas, my brain and fingers are protesting¡­ ?????(>§Õ<)?????

 CH 4

    Chapter 4: Family heirloom calligraphy brush

    Regarding the items in this house, Huo Zaiyuan actually doesn''t want anything. Before his mother passed away, she made sure that all her pieces of jewellery and personal assets will all be under his name after she died, so he isn''t worried about what Zhou Huijiao will try to do with them. The only reason he imposed this condition is in consideration for one item only. That is, the Huo family''s heirloom.

    The Huo ancestors used to be famous calligraphy scholars from the School of Logicians during the Warring States era. At first, they relied on writing letters for other and selling poems to make a living. Afterwards, their talents caught the attention of the Imperial Family and were appreciated, entered Court as a minor noble, which signalled the start of their wealth and fortune. Later, their descendants branched off into merchants as well, acquiring more and more assets.

    From the moment he was deemed old enough to understand this, his grandfather told him their family history, warning him that as the heir of the Huo family, he cannot forget his roots. Thus, under the guidance of his grandfather, he was made to learn calligraphy¡­until after his grandfather''s death did he slowly stop practising. But he has never once forgotten his grandfather telling him about a calligraphy brush that serves as his family''s heirloom. As his father was the only son, from childhood, he has known that calligraphy brush is kept in his father''s study. He even used it to practise calligraphy once in the past.

    If he remembers correctly, that brush is a damaged, worn-out item made of bamboo and black hair¡­it really isn''t worth all that much, but who knows why, his heart wants nothing more than to take the heirloom away, even if he had to give his half-ownership of this house in exchange¡­

    It took him a while to search his father''s study before finally discovering a shabby, small, old wooden box in the corner of a cabinet below a bookcase.

    Huo Zaiyuan opens the case, seeing the item lying inside is exactly the calligraphy brush he wants to take away. The shaft of the brush was already broken in two. Judging from the break, the cause was it fell and split open. The writing end of it has also come apart, having lost a lot of hair when the shaft broke, the loose strands scattered within the box.

    From this brush, Huo Zaiyuan is able to tell his father never cared one bit for this heirloom. Sighing lightly, he ran a finger over the wooden pieces. "As the head of the Huo family, I will adhere to the teachings of my ancestors. No matter what, I will not give up this heirloom, even if you have already been broken to such a pitiful state¡­aiya!"

    Just as Huo Zaiyuan muttered to himself, the finger that was running over the brush is suddenly pierced by a stabbing pain, like it was pricked by a splinter somewhere on the bamboo shaft. Lifting his finger to look, there is a bead of blood on his fingertip. Sticking his finger into his mouth to lick off the blood, Huo Zaiyuan closes the wooden box at the same time.

    However, he completely did not notice that in the split-second before the case was fully closed, a golden light flashed from both the drop of blood on the brush and the long crack on its shaft.

    Zhou Huijiao stares at the wooden box in Huo Zaiyuan''s hand, her face still showing scorn, swiping off the box''s lid as soon as it came within range. Seeing the broken brush within, she waves her hand. "You can take that away."

    Regarding this broken brush being the Huo family''s heirloom, of course, Zhou Huijiao knows about it. At that time, she thought it was very important to the family because it is worth a lot of money. Hence, she even sneakily took it out with her to an appraising specialist to look over. Who knew it was just a worn old thing that wasn''t even worth anything. In a fit of anger, she threw it to the ground there and then, breaking it.

    Nevertheless, that piece of junk is still the family''s heirloom, so she put it back into the box and stealthily stashed it in her husband''s study, hiding it away in the deepest, darkest corner.

    As it turned out, her husband didn''t pay any attention to the heirloom. Even though he did see the box whenever he organised his bookcases, he never opened it, thus, he never knew the brush had been broken. Consequently, her worries over it eased.

    Seeing Zhou Huijiao wave her hand in dismissal, Huo Zaiyuan closed the box and placed it into his backpack. Taking the fountain pen Lawyer Zhang offered, he quickly signed his name on the contract.

    "Lawyer Zhang, there''s still a matter I''ll have to inconvenience you with."

    "Please say, Master Huo."

    "Regarding the company''s shares, I would like to sell it, so¡­"

    "What?! You want to sell off your 30% share? You¡­" The complexion of Zhou Huijiao, who was listening on the side, changed.

 CH 5

    Chapter 5: Hot potato

    Zhou Huijiao totally did not predict Huo Zaiyuan will be so eager to sell off the 30% share he just received. The reason she so easily allowed Huo Zaiyuan to take away that 30% is because she plans to wait until the asset distribution matter is settled, then buy over those shares at the lowest price possible. When that moment comes, she will then have 60% of the company shares, which will secure her son''s position as chairman of the company. But now¡­

    Seeing Zhou Huijiao''s face paling, Huo Zaiyuan is inwardly happily celebrating. Merely from her facial expression alone, he can tell this vicious and merciless woman had already planned her next move to obtain his shares. Looks like this step he took is the right one.

    Having survived the apocalypse for a period of time, his thinking is no more as simple as that of his previous life. The way his stepmother readily agreed to let him have 30% of the shares already made him suspicious. If he did not get rid of this hot potato quickly, then he will once again be faced with that woman trying to get him killed, making him a fugitive before the world ends.

    Gazing unhurriedly falling on the woman, he said: "Since Aunt Zhou was so heartbroken when giving his 30% to me, how about I just sell it all to you? It wouldn''t be very expansive, just six-tenths of dad''s assets."

    Six fingers gesture the number six as he speaks, his meaning implied very clearly. By selling his portion to her, then 60% of the company will belong to her if she is willing to use hers and her son''s acquired properties in exchange. With how much just one share of the company is currently worth, asking for mother and son''s portion of his father''s properties in exchange is actually fair.

    "You - you this greedy lion. Dream on!" Zhou Huijiao raged.

    "Tsk, tsk¡­how am I a greedy lion? Aunt Zhou, you know in your heart that if I really want to sell the shares in my name to someone else, the price will certainly be more than the sixth-tenths I am asking for now. When that happens, you will only have 30% of the company shares and the person I sell too will also have 30%. Furthermore, the other board members together will have 40%¡­then the position of chairman¡­"

    "Huo Zaiyuan, I acknowledge that you are clever. All right, I''ll take it!" Zhou Huijiao obviously knows what is at stake. Although she is furious at Huo Zaiyuan and his actions, but in order to secure her son''s position as chairman of the Huo corporation, she absolutely cannot hand this 60% shares to anyone.

    "Lawyer Zhang, the contract!" The corners of his lips curling into a smile, Huo Zaiyuan waves the lawyer over, laughing coldly in his heart.

    After a year, this 60% company shares will be nothing more than rubbish. No matter how much Huo corporation earns within the year, it is impossible for them to earn an amount equivalent to the six-tenths of his father''s other assets. At that time¡­he wouldn''t even need to use his own hands to make this disgusting woman suffer in the apocalypse. Since she wants to run to her death, then let him be the one to hasten it.

    In his previous life, she gave him a kick. In this life, he will assist her to endure untold amounts of suffering before death.

    The signing of the contract is quite fast, the final agreement being the 60% of the company shares going to Zhou Huijiao while Huo Zaiyuan will receive 100% of his father''s assets. That afternoon, he hired a pickup truck to move everything that belongs to him out of the Huo family house. When the last item is moved onto the vehicle, he climbs into the passenger seat of the truck, not looking back as it slowly pulls away.

    Just as the truck reaches the end of the street, another sleek military vehicle arrives, stopping outside the Huo family house''s gates. The car''s door opens and out steps a tall and straight figure, a handsome and smart-looking man clad from head to toe in army camouflage attire. The long jacket over the top is unbuttoned, exposing the black shirt beneath that clung to his figure.

    "Huo family¡­the old man should be talking about this place."

    The sharp, sword-like eyebrows raise a little, those sexy lips tightening slightly around an unlit cigarette as he spoke.

 CH 6

    Chapter 6: The broken brush''s big change

    Looking around this house that has been filled with various items, Huo Zaiyuan helplessly shakes his head, rolling up his sleeves and begin to arrange everything. In order not to inconvenience that pair of mother and son, he cleared his room in the family house in one go, including even the bedframe, cabinets, table and chairs. The reason he chose to take everything is because he had made careful calculations before. If he was to take it all back, even if these furniture, clothes and whatnots are not brand new, he only used or wore them once or twice. Hence, each item is still worth some money. Now though, he needs to put everything in order so when tomorrow comes, he can go directly to the marketplace and sell them for a reasonable price.

    Clearing the room and cleaning the place up is originally something he refuses to do in his previous life. Now, he realises how much hard work is actually involved. Piling clothes up at one side, pants in another pile, shoes elsewhere¡­those that fit his taste are placed at yet another corner. Huo Zaiyuan can only admit that the previous him is really too excessive¡­he admits defeat.

    "Ai¡­such good quality clothes. I think I have only worn this twice¡­" A pure white T-shirt in his hands, Huo Zaiyuan sighed lightly before tossing it towards one of the many piles on the ground.

    Working from 6pm once he returned home ''til 8pm at night, his stomach growls in hunger, reminding him that the time for dinner has arrived. Seeing that almost everything has been arranged properly, Huo Zaiyuan only stop working to fill his tummy before continuing to arrange the remaining items.

    According to his previous habits, whenever he goes hungry, he would pull out his phone without hesitation to order take-aways. But after rebirth, he vows to himself never to do that again.

    Only, after moving out of the Huo family home, he has never cooked a meal for himself. It''s not that he doesn''t want to, but he simply doesn¡¯t know how to cook. Therefore, besides eating takeaways or instant noodles, he can''t eat anything else. Today, he doesn''t feel like eating takeaways so he can only cook noodles.

    Going through everything in the kitchen pantry for quite a while, he finally discovered a packet of shitake pork ribs instant noodles. Staring at this packet of junk food, he remembers that something like this, even if it was past its due date, will be able to make people shed blood and kill in order to obtain it. Looking at this now, he feels that he is rather fortunate.

    "Ai¡­"

    Not knowing how many times he sighed, Huo Zaiyuan thinks in his heart that when he stocks up food for the apocalypse, he cannot only stock instant noodles. From tomorrow onwards, he will need to learn how to cook or else when Judgement Day comes, he will not be killed by the undead or eaten alive by devil ants or drown in a swamp, but die from malnutrition.

    Carrying the noodles soaking in boiling water to the hall, as Huo Zaiyuan walks pass a pile of items, his foot kicked something. Glancing down, he realises it is his backpack, making him think about the calligraphy brush he took away from the family home. Setting the noodles to one side, he picks up the bag and opens the zipper.

    The shaft of the brush is split in two, the brush''s hair scattered and loose. Where will I find someone who is able to restore it to its original state¡­eh?! What in the world is this?

    Only after opening the bag did he notice that the shabby wooden box containing the heirloom he placed in here personally has suddenly transformed into a pure sparkling and translucent jade case. Looking at the fine craftsmanship of the bird of prey, even someone who has no eye for art like him is able to tell the value of this box is considerable ah.

    This¡­how did this happen?

    Blinking his eyes, Huo Zaiyuan takes out the jade box with slightly trembling hands before opening the lid gently. Upon the dazzling golden cloth lining the inside of the box lies white jade calligraphy brush with the carvings of a dragon running along the shaft¡­

    The heirloom unexpectedly transformed, transformed into¡­this one change is truly incredible ah!!

    Not daring to believe his eyes, Huo Zaiyuan very slowly extends his hand, a finger lightly stroking the white jade brush. Under his touch, the jade produces a faint light which follows the movement of his finger.

    This is a very strange and different feeling¡­

    Just as Huo Zaiyuan relaxed a little in his heart, the eyes of the dragon carving on the white jade brush suddenly flared brilliantly. Not waiting for his reaction, the entire brush emitted glaring rays of light.

    "Ah ¡ª¨C "

    Translator¡¯s notes: Is it just me, or are the chapters getting slightly shorter¡­?

    Anyway, sorry-not-sorry for the quite predictable cliffy ??(T¥îT)??

 CH 7

    Chapter 7: The bamboo house in a strange place

    Silver rays of light emitted from the room, passing through the gaps of the curtains and window glass, only to shoot straight into the clouds above, followed by a burst of thunder resembling a dragon''s roar. Within that silver light, one can see the faint outlines of a silver dragon spiralling upwards. All this lasted for a mere four to five seconds before vanishing. None of the passer-bys below noticed the phenomenon, for all they were able to see was a random streak of lightning falling from the sky.

    As for Huo Zaiyuan, currently in the middle of the golden light, is only able to let out a cry of fear before his slender figure disappeared from the house. The white jade brush and the jade container followed him to vanish, leaving behind only the steaming bowl of instant noodles.

    "Ah ¡ª Aiyo¡­" The cut-off cry ended as Huo Zaiyuan''s bottom hit the ground. Letting out a pained noise, he shouts: "Ouch, what happened?"

    Rubbing the sore spot, he leisurely opens his eyes, taking in the fact that his surroundings are not the familiar interior of the house, but a completely foreign place.

    The seven colours of the rainbow flashed past in the sky above, similar to an aurora. There were mountains, rivers, and an open field that is extremely spacious. The light breeze brushing across his face brought with it a faint sweet scent. Looking in that direction, Huo Zaiyuan saw up ahead was an elegantly-structured bamboo house, with a small, carefully cared for bamboo forest.

    Although he has no idea who he suddenly appeared in this kind of place, but since there''s a house here, then it shows there is someone living here. Looking left and right, determining there are no apparently dangers around, he stands up and walks towards the house.

    There are no doors on the house, and he can''t see if there is someone within the house. However, because of his manners, Huo Zaiyuan still raise his voice to call out a greeting. Although his natural disposition is a little rebellious, he is only that way towards certain matters. Barging into someone else''s home without permission is not something he can or will do.

    "Excuse me, is there anyone there?"

    Although his voice is not loud, if there is anyone inside, they will be able to hear it. However, the bamboo house is still as quiet as before even after a long period passed. Biting his lips lightly and shuffling step by step, he draws closer to the house''s doorless entrance.

    "Um¡­if there really is no one, then I will come in." He inquires once more but received no answer. Therefore, Huo Zaiyuan lightly entered the house step by step, giving the exact appearance of a thief sneaking in.

    Seeing that there really is no one in the house, his heart is considerably more at ease. This bamboo house''s owner apparently loves his creating item from bamboo, for besides constructing the entire house from bamboo, even the furniture inside like the tables, chairs, bedframe and even cups are made from bamboo weavings. The handiwork for each item is intricate and fine, displaying the owner''s affection for this bamboo house.

    Carefully taking in everything in the house, Huo Zaiyuan''s gaze finally fell on the portrait hanging on one of the walls. That portrait is drawn by brush, each stroke delicate, creating a vivid and lifelike picture¡­

    The painting depicts a graceful and elegant long-haired male with fine facial features and slender build, both his white robes and long hair drifting in the wind, one hand extended as he gazes towards the mountains.

    "Huo Tianqi¡­" Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes moved down to the painting''s lower right side''s flamboyant and cursive calligraphy that serves as the signature. His heartbeat sped up a little. The person within the painting and him shares the surname Huo.

    "Hehe¡­This can''t possibly be the Huo family''s ancestor, right¡­?"

 CH 8

    Chapter 8: Letterbox

    Since there''s no one around besides him, naturally no one is able to answer Huo Zaiyuan''s lightly mocking words. His gaze leaves the picture for a moment before returning to it again, then falling on the low bamboo table in the middle of the house.

    Upon the table is an exquisite brush rack with nine brushes of various sizes hanging from it. Aside from them being different in sizes, their shapes are identical, and the shafts are all made from bamboo. Thoroughly examining them, Huo Zaiyuan can''t help but feel that these brushes look exactly the same as his family''s heirloom.

    Approaching closer to look at them in more detail, he notices the brocade box in front of the brush rack, and above the box lies a letter. The few words written on the front of the envelop are identical to the words on that painting, making it pretty obvious that the person who left this letter behind could very well be a Huo family''s ancestor''s Huo Tianqi.

    For the one with family karma.

    In this place, excluding him, he has yet to see the slightest shadows of another person. That means the words on the envelop is aimed at him, right?

    Huo Zaiyuan''s heart thumped before he reaches out and open that envelop, taking out the letter from within. The handwriting for the characters in the letter is not as flamboyant as the ones on the envelop, but it is no less beautiful.

    Huo Zaiyuan starts to seriously begin reading the contents of the letter: The lightning from the Ninth Heavens is approaching. Victory or defeat will be decided in that one instant. I do not know if the one reading this letter will be a descendant of Huo family or a related person fortunate enough to obtain the Holy Dragon Bone Brush. However, as you are able to perceive the Holy Dragon Bone Brush''s true form and enter this Holy Dragon dreamscape, it shows that you have the same karma and can, from this day forth, inherit this entire space for your own use. This scholar is of a Holy Sect¡­

    Huo Zaiyuan fell into a trance after finishing the rest of his ancestor''s letter, because he never would have thought that old broken heirloom is actually such a heaven-defying existence.

    According to what this letter said, this place that was bestowed the name "Holy Dragon dreamscape" exists in a mysterious dimension and is a mystical place. The brush acts as a medium to send his spirit to come and go from this place. In other words, he unexpectedly got his hands on an inter-dimensional space pocket he can access anytime.

    As for this Huo Tianqi, there''s no need to ask further. He (HTQ) is definitely his (HZY) ancestor. Not only does Huo Tianqi cultivates, he is also someone who especially takes care of his descendants, even leaving behind a rare cultivating book.

    Treating the letter like a treasured object, he returns it into the envelop after folding it neatly. Focusing his attention on the brocade box, he knows the cultivation book mentioned by his ancestor lies inside. He opens the box to reveal a blue-covered ancient text, as well as one, two¡­nine fruit seeds.

    Looking at the few plump and round seeds, Huo Zaiyuan couldn''t make out what kind of seeds they are, therefore, he decides to take a look at the ancient text.

    ""Mysterious Nine Dragon''s Heaven"¡­what an aggressive name." Murmuring in a low voice, he flipped open the cover.

    The first page of the ancient text pertains to the Huo family''s heirloom, the Holy Dragon Bone Brush. "Using blood to activate¡­"From the descriptions in the book, Huo Zaiyuan ponders a little, then suddenly recalls the moment back in his father''s study when his finger was pricked by the wooden splinters. "Ah, so it was at that time¡­"

    He continues reading further. The instant he read that upon the brush''s activation, the Holy Dragon Bone Brush will transform to a decorative dragon marking starting at the hollow of the owner''s palm and spiralling around the hand, he immediately raised both hands to look. Sure enough, a silver dragon flashed faintly across his left hand.

    After confirming he has a mark on his hand, he continued. Next, after talking about the brush, comes the page mentioning how those nine seeds can be used. "Ninth Heavens Immortality Peach seeds." Picking up one of them, he pursed his lips.

    According to the text, these nine seeds have to match the cultivation level in order to work. During the beginning stage of his cultivation, he has to go outside and use the "Ninth Heavens Holy Dragon Formation" method, then plant one seed in the formation''s eye. Each time his cultivation level gradually increases and approach the next level, it will reinforce the seed and cause it to germinate, grow and eventually bear fruit. When the happens, it will signal he has successfully broken through the first level. Then he has to plant the second seed¡­and so forth.

    Goal in mind, Huo Zaiyuan begins to read the instructions to cultivate to the first level. Besides giving instructions to cultivate "Mysterious Nine Dragon''s Heaven" method, there were also ways to use Taoist incantations and talisman, which can be used together with this cultivation method. After reading through all the pages detailing the first level and Taoist methods, the next page he flips to is completely blank.

    If the ancient text didn''t show him how to cultivate the second level, then doesn''t that tell him he needs to break through the first level before it will instruct him further?

 CH 9

    Chapter 9: Wanted warrant

    Although he is extremely interested in discovering everything regarding this inter-dimensional space and the rare cultivating book, Huo Zaiyuan knows how to control his desires. Currently, his top priority is to arrange everything in his house and sell off all that he doesn''t need tomorrow, and with the exchanged cash in hands, he will need to start stockpiling goods.

    Placing the treasured ancient text back into the brocade box, the corner of his mouth pulls into an unconscious smile.

    This space and book left behind by his Taoist ancestor is, to him, a huge gift from the heavens. Since he has already taken a bite out of it, he doesn''t need to rush to swallow the remaining into his stomach.

    Before, he was always wondering where he can possibly store the large amount of goods he will buy, because when the apocalypse arrives, nowhere is truly safe. His biggest worry is if his stockpile is discovered by people, then it would bring him a huge amount of headaches and trouble¡­

    Now he can simply transfer everything he buys into his personal space. That way, he wouldn''t need to worry about people discovering it, and within there is even a large field which he can use to plant all sorts of seeds. If, and when, his food supplies eventually runs out, he can always plant his own crops.

    Thinking about food, his stomach growls once more. As he was feeling too excited just now, he did not realise it. Now that this excitement has dwindled down, hunger came back.

    "Ai¡­my noodles. Now then, how am I supposed to go out?" Sighing lightly, Huo Zaiyuan pats his hungry stomach and mutters to himself.

    Suddenly, his vision blackens and when he opens his eyes again, he finds himself back in his cramped rental house. Glancing around to make sure he really is back, he lifts his left hand for inspection. Sure enough, the silver dragon marking is on his palm and spirals around his wrist. That is really not a dream, he actually has a personal space now¡­

    An emotionally moved Huo Zaiyuan tests entering and exiting his space a few times before experimenting on the larger items in his home, moving them in and taking them out again. In the end, he sat down and ate his instant noodles, satisfied.

    Eating and going on his laptop at the same time, he is amazed to see that even though he spent quite a while in the inter-dimensional space, the current time is only a little past 10pm. This¡­is way too heaven-defying. Time within that space moves slower than time on Earth¡­

    Wolfing down his meal, he marvels silently in his heart, opening the web browser on his laptop at the same time. Just as he is about to search for news, a display page pops up. Just as he is wondering what boring game has just launched their advertisement, both eyes widen to the point of popping out. Because what he sees is not some game advertisement, but an arrest warrant issued by the military. And the criminal wanted is precisely him.

    "F***ing bitch! What the hell is this?!" Huo Zaiyuan explodes in a string of curses.

    Looking at his Year 12 graduation photo pinned on the arrest warrant, as well as the clear writing of his name, age, school and suburb. It is very fortunate the line beside "Address" was left blank, which means whoever wants to capture him does not know his exact location.

    Military warrants are particularly special, for displayed on it is the military logo so no one would dare to take this as a prank or a joke. Therefore, if someone who recognises him is currently on the internet, then he¡­

    Huo Zaiyuan once again curses a blue streak in his mind and immediately begins to pack up everything in his home. Currently, he is rejoicing having this personal storage space, and proceeds to dump everything he owns into it. In a matter of a few minutes, the entire house is absolutely empty. Huo Zaiyuan suddenly thinks of something, removing the thousands of dollars cash to pay for the rent and the key, placing them both on the ground.

    He has only lived in this place for a little more than two months, having moved over from another rented house. The move was due to Zhou Huijiao wanting to pressure him into signing the contract, and always comes to that place every few days to disturb him. Finally, he got so annoyed he immediately moved away that very night. If he hadn''t moved from his old place, he would be a goner the moment that address was leaked.

    The landlord of this place collects rent every three months and one had to pay a one-and-a-half month deposit before moving in. When the third month arrives, the landlord will come and check the water and electric bills, then hand back the deposit. At this moment, the end of the third month is approaching, so according to the terms, he left behind three thousand dollars. Adding to the deposit still in the landlord''s hands, he supposes it is enough compensation.

    Huo Zaiyuan softly steps out of the place and close the door without a sound, taking the stairs instead of the elevator down the apartment because he is worried he might bump into someone who has seen the warrant in the elevator. If that happens, he wouldn''t be able to run away even if he wanted to. However, it is also lucky that he lives on the third floor, so even taking the stairs is no trouble.

    Still, Huo Zaiyuan would never have thought that the moment his silhouette disappeared around the corner of the stair heading out of the apartment, his landlord had just brought a man in military clothes to step out of the elevator.

 CH 10

    Chapter 10: Long Zhanye

    The Long family enjoys a high status within A city, and an even higher prestige within the military troops. From N''s generation, this family has always produced countless talented offsprings who went forth to occupy key positions within the army, current generation included. Like his forefathers before him, the present grandfather Long Haotian is the army''s commander-in-chief, father Long Junfeng was the military''s top mechanics researcher and a general (deceased due to an explosive experiment accident), and the latest generation''s Long Zhanye (this story''s gong[1]) is A city''s elite troop''s top senior officer.

    However, the senior officer Long who fears nothing in or under the Heavens is afraid of only one person. The one who brought him up ever since he was a child - his grandfather, the commander-in-chief Long Haotian.

    Grandfather Long is already and elderly at the age of sixty-five. Although he still carries the title of "commander-in-chief" these three words, he no longer worries so much over military affairs. His daily pleasure is attending operas, take a stroll and visiting old friends everywhere.

    As it is, in Grandfather Long''s large circle of friends is someone from B city''s flourishing temple, an Elder Taoist priest by the name of Tian Jizi. This Elder''s specialisation lies in fortune-telling and is someone of great importance within B city.

    It so happens that one day, Grandfather Long recalled that he hasn''t paid an old pal a visit in quite a while, hence dragging along his precious grandson, they headed for the Taoist temple.

    Now, whenever Long Zhanye recalls how he followed his grandfather to the Taoist temple without the slightest hesitation, he will regret is until his intestines turn green. Because the moment that Elder Tian Jizi laid eyes on Zhanye, he stroked that long, shining white beard of his and shook his head.

    "Tsk, tsk¡­aiya ¡ª "

    "Good friend, what''s with this expression of yours?!" Seeing his old pal staring at his own precious grandson the moment they stepped in the doors, shaking his head with a look of profound mystery, Grandfather Long''s majestic eyebrows shot up at once.

    If it was anyone else, the moment Grandfather Long''s eyebrows rose, both eyes widening with a ferocious glint, their legs would already be trembling non-stop. But it''s pretty clear Tian Jizi was already used to it, merely inviting both grandfather and grandson to take a seat, instructing his disciple to brew some tea before answering Grandfather Long''s question.

    "This grandson of yours is full of Yin energy. A pair of black slanting eyebrows, extremely imposing. A pair of black pupils, deep and godly. Five facial points are all handsome, truly a dragon amongst people." Tian Jizi''s head moved as he spoke, expression very serious.

    "That''s only natural, old pal, he is my precious grandson, after all!" Everyone likes to hear words of praise, and the highly exalted Grandfather Long was no different. That previous ferocious glint in his eyes had long vanished without a trace.

    "However¡­"

    "However? However what?" Hearing the Elder say one more word, Grandfather Long''s smiling eyes became emotionless.

    "Child, tell me your surname and given name, as well as the meaning of each character."

    Sitting aside listening to the pair of old men exchanging words, the Long Zhanye who had yet to say a word after entering those doors was suddenly called upon. His expression was distracted but told the Elder his name. "Long Zhanye. Zhan as in "war", Ye as in "wilderness". To be honest, he was a little curious as to what kind of interesting words this Elder might say.

    "Long Zhanye¡­taken from that saying "dragon fights like wilderness, blood staining the earth black[2]". Un, very well. Steadfast and aggressive, but bloodthirsty. If your bloodthirst becomes excessive, you will not live past the age of thirty!" Tian Jizi said while moving his head like a scholar reciting poems.

    Once he said those words, Grandfather Long predictably exploded, rashly throwing himself at his old friend to grab that long, shining beard. "What?! Not live past the age of thirty¡­what nonsense are you, this Elder, spewing?!"

    Twenty years ago, his own son died while testing a new type of artillery shell, leaving behind this one treasured child. But now this old Taoist said Zhanye wouldn''t live past thirty¡­of course, everyone will explode in fury ah!

    "Ai, ai, ai¡­don''t be impulsive, don''t be impulsive. I only said the child will not live past thirty, but I didn''t say there''s no solution." Although his treasured beard was seized by his close friend, the Elder was not angry, expression showing the same mildness as before.

    "Still not spitting it out?!"

    "If you find little Zhanye''s predestined person, then the accumulated bloodthirst that will cause his death can be dissolved."

    "Predestined person? Who is it? Even if this old man is to overturn the entire earth, I will find this person!" This concerns his precious grandson''s life ah.

    "Huo Yue Zaiyuan, may be the one." The Elder finally spat out this sentence, before lifting his thin fingers to count. "S city, the northern suburb."

    Just like this, Long Zhanye was given a direct order by his commander-in-chief grandfather. He has to head for S city to find his so-called predestined person. It doesn''t matter if he steals, snatches or swindles¡­as long as he doesn''t have that person in his hands, Long Zhanye is not allowed to return home.

    If this was a normal situation, Long Zhanye can probably treat this as his grandfather playing a joke. However, this is a serious military order from his superior, thus, he can only brace himself for whatever may happen in the future and drive his favourite military car to the remote S city.

    Upon reaching S city, he exploited his military connections and easily found the only family in the northern suburb with the surname Huo, who was unexpectedly a famous name throughout the city. Therefore, he marched up to their doorstep without hesitation with several of his subordinates. Little did he expect, the head of the family died in a car accident half a year ago, and on the day he drove here, the three members of the Huo family, stepmother, eldest young master and second young master just split the assets that afternoon. And the eldest young master of the family is precisely who he is looking for.

    But as soon as he manages to extract himself from the Huo family, that eldest young master Huo has earlier vanished without a trace. Eventually, he has no choice but to abuse his authority and threaten that unable-to-appreciate-goodwill Mrs Zhou into giving up any resources she has pertaining to Huo Zaiyuan. Then he headed towards S city''s military command base and ordered people to release an arrest warrant online, thinking that he will be able to catch that man now.

    Sure enough, not even a few minutes pass before someone called to tell him Huo Zaiyuan''s current address. Hence, the Long Zhanye who hasn''t even eaten any meals once more boarded his car and drove to the destination.

    With assistance from the landlord who rented the unit out, he finally stood outside the door of Huo Zaiyuan''s residence. Who would have thought no one answered when the landlord knocked for a long while. When the landlord gave up and used the spare key to unlock the door, the place was completely empty and not even the slightest shadow of a person could be seen.

    The only thing in that spacious and empty house was a small plate with what ought to be the key for the house as well as a wad of cash: the rental fee.

    Witnessing all this with his own eyes, Long Zhanye curses until he almost runs out of air.

    This little devil sure knows how to escape!

    Footnotes:

    [1] Gong: for those who don''t know the term is seme. Author''s addition, not mine.

    [2] [ÁúÕ½ÓÚÒ°£¬ÆäÑªÐþ»Æ] An ancient saying that points out: if two dragons (or a group of them) were to fight each other, even if they fought in the wilderness and away from the city, blood will still flow endlessly until the entire earth is dyed black with it. In other words, two great powers clashing in war will still result in lots of death and bloodshed no matter what.

 CH 11

    Chapter 11: Tidying his space

    It''s already 9pm now. After leaving the rented house, Huo Zaiyuan didn''t immediately try finding another place to settle. Rather, he goes around the night streets stores, visiting each once before buying a black baseball cap. Only then does he search for a temporary lodging.

    Due to that ridiculous arrest warrant the military sent out, his photograph is already circulating through the internet. While it may be a relatively old photo, his appearance has not undergone that much of a change since he turned twelve. He lost his baby fats, of course, and his facial points matured, but that was about it. One can easily tell he is the one in the photo with a long look at his face. It would be highly irritating if someone manages to recognise him now. At least with a cap obscuring his face, he would not be recognised so fast.

    After that, Huo Zaiyuan repeatedly scouts the area before finding the cheapest family hotel to stay the night. A slightly better hotel requires one to spend at minimum a hundred dollars a night, but the one he found was available for only twenty dollars a night. At such a cheap price, it is expected that the condition of the room is really shabby. Thank the heavens he never thought about sleeping on the bed provided in the first place. Once the door closed behind him, he immediately enters his inter-dimensional space.

    Due to seeing the military''s warrant and hastily escaping the rented house, he simply dumped everything into the space without arranging them. Now that he enters the space and take a look around, his face falls.

    The bed, cabinet, table, chairs and even the countless clothes and shoes he spent so long sorting through yesterday are now messily mixed together in a huge pile.

    "Ai¡­" Sighing, Huo Zaiyuan can only accept fate and begin arranging everything again.

    There is already a rather cosy bamboo bed in the small bamboo house. Not to mention, the bed he used in his rented house and the old one from the Huo family home which he brought back. Since he doesn''t need both of the latter, he might as well leave them to one side outside the bamboo house for now.

    He had just thought to do so in his heart when before his amazed eyes, a flash of light surround both beds. The furniture disappears from the pile and reappears on the grass area beside the bamboo house, stacked neatly one on top of the other.

    "Woah, so this space even have an ability like this¡­" Looking at those two beds, Huo Zaiyuan can''t help exclaiming.

    Now, moving the bigger, heavier furniture prove much more easy and time-saving. In no more than half an hour, almost everything has been placed satisfactorily where he wants them. Tomorrow morning, he will sell both beds and the study desk to the second-hand shop. The wardrobe and kitchen side table he will leave behind for personal use. As he already decided to learn how to cook for himself, he needs to purchase a stove and pots so the side table will be where he will place these items.

    As for the piles of clothes, he had planned to sell most of them, but that was before he got this space. Now, it seems more logical to keep them all as he will need a change of clothes until he has somewhere to wash the worn clothes. The ones he can sell right now are those that no longer fit him, or doesn''t suit his taste.

    With a set plan in mind, Huo Zaiyuan digs right into the pile of clothes, sorting through them and pitting those he wants to keep in the wardrobe. Amongst the various fabrics, he finds a few blankets and quilts, none of which he plans on selling. Although he didn''t experience chilly days in the half year he survived the apocalypse, there is no harm in keeping them in this space. Who knows, he might find a good use for them one day. No event is improbable, after all.

    It took a while, but at last, he sorts everything out. Exhausted, he heads for the bamboo bed and dozes off immediately. As he is firmly pulled into Morpheus'' embrace, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t notice the sky in his space gradually darkens, stars flicking above as night seemingly falls.

    Cool breeze blows through the place, and the usually silent and immobile surroundings gradually come alive, just like the real world outside.

 CH 12

    Chapter 12: Seven million dollars

    When Huo Zaiyuan wakes up after spending a night in his space, he feels that all the exhaustion and soreness he felt in his body yesterday have all disappeared. Sunlight is already filtering through the windows when he opens his eyes to the shabby hotel room. According to his phone, it is 8 in the morning.

    Heavens, time flowing in his space really is much slower than on earth. How long did he actually spent sleeping in that bamboo house?

    Shaking his head helplessly, he takes out the laptop from his backpack. At that time, he bought a wireless modem because it was convenient, allowing him to surf the internet anytime and anywhere. Now, he feels the impulsive action is advantageous as he doesn''t need to go around searching for a free wifi to connect to.

    Opening the laptop, the first thing Huo Zaiyuan checks on is the military arrest warrant that is still circulating online. Seeing that it has not been removed yet, he sighs and curses in his heart.

    Closing the pop-up display page, he opens ZG bank''s website. On the day he signed that contract, the money that is part of his inheritance had been transferred to his account. Prior to that, he still had about fifty thousand dollars and adding that seven million from his portion of father''s monetary assets¡­as of now, the more money he has, the better. There is no such thing as having too much.

    Not to mention, he is now a wanted man. If h wants to go to the bank to withdraw money, it will definitely be very risky as people can follow the trails he will leave behind by using his ATM card. He cannot do that, but he also cannot leave this large sum sitting in his bank account when he needs to use them to buy supplies. It looks like his only choice is to take risks out of desperation.

    Huo Zaiyuan is someone who will do what he thinks of doing, so putting the laptop back in his bag, he shoulders it and leaves the hotel. The bank is already open at 8am and he wants to go in to withdraw that seven million to store it all in his space. After that, he will take the train and leave S city. That way, it will be even more difficult for the person who issued his warrant to catch Huo Zaiyuan.

    Early in the morning, there naturally will not be many patrons going into the bank. Huo Zaiyuan heads directly for the first available service station, taking out his bank card.

    "Pretty older sister, I want to withdraw everything from my bank account." Although he has a cap on his head, he dares not look up as he is worried the CCTV in the bank will be able to take a clear shot of his face.

    "Sure. Please wait a moment."The pretty lady takes the card from him and begins the withdrawal procedure. When the card goes through and the amount on it read seven million, that lady is truly shocked. "This¡­"

    "Yes. I want to withdraw everything."

    "Of course."

    She immediately contacts her supervisor in preparation for a large withdrawal of money.

    This bank is very efficient, managing to handle the withdrawal of seven million in cash in only a short twenty minutes. The supervisor brings Huo Zaiyuan down to a safe within the bank.

    "Seven million."

    "Very good. I''m sorry to inconvenience you, but could you all please step out." Huo Zaiyuan''s lips curved up slightly, showing a faint smile.

    "This¡­" The supervisor looks at his smile, then at the pile of cash before nodding his head. "Of course."

    After the supervisor left, Huo Zaiyuan carefully searches the safe''s surroundings. Sure enough, there is a camera hidden in the corner. Smiling lightly, he pulls over a tablecloth as he approaches the pile of cash, blocking the camera''s view as the wide area of the cloth spreads out. As the camera is blinded, he quickly transfers all the money into his space and leaves the bank hurriedly.

    When the supervisor himself goes out to meet Long Zhanye as the military men enter the bank, that safe has long since been cleared of both the money and the person.

    "How¡­how is this possible¡­?"

    "Damn it! Go search for me! Doesn''t money have a code or a trail to follow?" Once again he missed by an inch. Exactly what kind of ability does that little devil have ah?

 CH 13

    Chapter 13: Holy Dragon Spring Pool

    After withdrawing all his money from the bank, Huo Zaiyuan immediately buys a train ticket and leaves S city. His destination is V city, because V city is the largest agricultural-orientated place amongst the twenty-six cities. Before he headed to the bank this morning, he already made plans to go there in order to purchase a large quantity of rice and barley, as well as fruits and vegetables. Although he has a lot of money right now, but it is very likely this amount is insufficient to get everything he wants or might need. Therefore, he cannot afford to spend carelessly.

    On top of that, in order to avoid the "kind-hearted person" who issued that arrest warrant, he specially bought a train ticket for X city at the same time. This way, that person can dream of accurately tailing him to V city. By the time they realise he is in V city, they will not know his exact whereabouts.

    The time it takes to travel from S city to V city is actually not too long. In three hours he reaches his destination. After disembarking from the train, he finds a nearby hotel to check in. Of course, it isn''t to stay the night but rather so he can arrange the cash in his space.

    Closing the door and sitting himself down on a chair, Huo Zaiyuan blinks and his surroundings changes, the bamboo house in his space appearing before him. And on the small bed, the pile of cash lies.

    Although Huo Zaiyuan was accustomed to spending extravagantly in his previous life, but this is still the first time he is seeing so many notes. He is momentarily so emotionally moved that his body trembles. Reaching out to stroke a large wad of cash a few times before he calms down enough to get down to business.

    Because of that damned warrant, he needs to find a room for his body while he enters his space to look over each note, checking if the bank left something on them to trace him with. The reason he is not worried he will leave a trail when he transferred the seven million into his space is due to his previous experiments. There is no signal within this space, so he doesn''t have to worry about the bank tracking anything on the notes and locating him.

    Checking over each note is a very tedious and tiring task, but in order not to get caught, Huo Zaiyuan is very patient as he inspects them. Just as he reached three million, sure enough, there is a piece of blank thing stuck on one of the notes. Lifting his eyebrows, Huo Zaiyuan takes that off.

    As expected.

    Discovering the first tracking device, he becomes more focused and thorough in his inspection. Who knows how long passed before he finishes checking the seven million. His back and waist are sore, and he found a total of five black strips. Looking at these strips, his pupils light up, thinking of an amusing matter, keeping the black strips with him.

    Hmph, trying to track down his position, he will definitely let them play to their heart''s content!

    Busying for such a long time, Huo Zaiyuan feels hungry and so asks the hotel service for a pot of hot water before returning to his space. Within the pantry, he still has two packets of instant noodles, enough for two more meals. Putting the noodles to soak in the hot water and covering the pot, Huo Zaiyuan decides to read the ancient cultivation text again. After all, he has already booked the room for today. Since that''s the case, he might as well not waste time.

    Taking the book out of the brocade box, he flips to the page detailing the first level of the "Mysterious Nine Dragon''s Heaven" method. Following the instructions, he takes out one peach seed and walks out of the house, selecting a dead branch from amongst the pile of firewood near the doorway. Then, he heads over to an empty and spacious location and follows the book''s "Ninth Heavens Holy Dragon Formation" image depicted on the page to draw the array. It looks like a soaring dragon by the time Huo Zaiyuan completes it.

    But, he doesn''t really care about these things. Extending his hand, he places the seed on the eye and covers it with soil.

    "Next, I need to fill a bamboo cup full of spring water from the "Holy Dragon Spring Pool". Half of it needs to be drunk and the other half to water the seed¡­"Holy Dragon Spring Pool"? Where is that?" He has spent a relatively long time in this space but has yet to see a pool anywhere.

    Just as Huo Zaiyuan mutters to himself, the small bamboo forest beside the house suddenly rustles in the absence of wind, letting out sha-sha noises, as if to remind him of something.

    If this was the past, he would immediately suspect ghosts. Now, however, he understands instantly. It is evident the pool will be within the bamboo forest.

    Returning to the house to retrieve the bamboo cup, Huo Zaiyuan enters the forest.

    Passing through it, a clear pond appears before his eyes, expect there is no water within it. Next to the pond is an extraordinarily imposing, life-like dragon head sculpture. And from the dragon''s mouth, drops of sparkling, translucent water drips down, each drop radiating faintly.

    "This must be the spring water mentioned, right?"

 CH 14

    Chapter 14: Practice materials

    Putting the bamboo cup beneath the dragon''s mouth, Huo Zaiyuan gathers the silver drops of water that drips down. As the amount of liquid in the cup increases, he discovers the spring water is unexpectedly giving off a pretty silvery light. On top of that, the light seems to be giving off a feeling that makes him feel very comforted.

    Once the cup is filled to the brim, Hui Zaiyuan returns to where he planted the peach seed, drawing in a deep breath. Bringing the bamboo cup towards his lips, he drinks half of the liquid gathered. The spring water tastes very clear and sweet, spreading an ice-cold feeling inside his mouth. The moment the spring water flows down his throat and into his body, a fantastically bizarre sensation scatters through his entire being.

    It was a very splendid feeling, but Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t get carried away and still remembers to pour the other half of the collected spring water over the buried seed.

    In a blink of an eye, when the last drop of silvery water drips onto the soil covering the peach seed, a faint vibration goes through the earth. Afterwards, a small sapling emerges from the soil.

    "This is too miraculous!" Huo Zaiyuan exclaims, picking up the ancient text to look through it again. The text clearly says once the peach seed germinates, he will be able to begin practising the Taoist arts. His heart somersaulted in his chest due to extreme excitement.

    Returning to the bamboo house, he sits in the doorway, cross-legged, following the instructions written on the book and begins cultivating. In the beginning, he feels absolutely nothing. But as time slowly goes by, he gradually begins to sense a warm current unhurriedly moving through his body. Needless to say, it is a very strange sensation to Huo Zaiyuan.

    He had initially believed cultivating this Taoist Art will only take him a short while. However, when he next opens his eyes, it is already early morning of the next day. This indeed gave him a shock. It is only a little later that he realises the warm current he felt yesterday is still there, flowing slowly inside his body. Glancing up to look at the peach seed that germinated recently gives him yet another astonishing surprise. The young, tender sapling which only had two small leaves now bears four, and has grown bigger by one inch.

    "That¡­isn''t it growing too quickly too?"

    Murmuring lowly to himself, Huo Zaiyuan remembers the instant noodles he cooked yesterday and his empty stomach. Right away, he walks towards the cupboard and picks up that bowl of instant noodles. Originally thinking the entire bowl of noodles would be all bloated after soaking for an entire night, he is proven wrong when not a single strand of noodle seems bloated, and the temperature of the bowl in his hands is enough to scald skin.

    Oh my god¡­this space is so broken.

    Scuffing down the noodles which act as both dinner and breakfast, Huo Zaiyuan changes into another set of clothes, throwing his backpack over his shoulder and putting his cap on his head, he exits the space. Returning the room''s key to the hotel''s receptionist, he sets off to start the day''s mission.

    The first thing he does is to rent a medium-sized warehouse located in a suburban district, where there is no sign of human habitation. As the items he needs to purchase will actually come to a huge amount, with this warehouse, he will be able to fool people. Once the items are sent to this place, he can put it all into his space right away. He can also sleep here at night, which will save him a sum of money that would otherwise be used to rent hotel rooms.

    Because the business transaction regarding the renting of the warehouse takes place online, costing a thousand dollars for ten days, by the time he arrives at the address given to him by the warehouse''s owners, the other party is already awaiting him at the entrance. Exchanging polite greetings the moment both parties meet, the owner swiftly handed over the warehouse key, reminding Huo Zaiyuan that he will return in ten days to take back the key before leaving.

    Immediately after receiving the key, he heads straight to V City''s largest rice marketplace and directly asked to see the supervisor in order to negotiate the cheapest price for white rice and flour. After, he placed a three thousand jin[1] each. This large order visibly gave the supervisor a huge shock.

    However, when Huo Zaiyuan handed over the down payment in cash without a second''s hesitation, that supervisor tampered down the flabbergasted feeling, instead happily assuring Huo Zaiyuan that his order will be taken care of. After all, as long as he (supervisor) can receive money, who cares what this little rascal (HZY) want to do with so much rice and wheat flour?

    Huo Zaiyuan handed the address of the rented warehouse to the supervisor, allowing him to quickly prepared the order and send it over. Not wasting a minute, he hurries from the rice marketplace to V City''s fruit and vegetable marketplace. Just as he was about to search for the second marketplace''s supervisor, he happens to bump into an old man selling Chinese cabbage. While other stalls are selling their cabbages for three dollars per jin, this old man instead sells his for half the price.

    Don''t know if it is because this elderly''s price is marked too excessively low, although there is quite a lot of people walking around the marketplace, but none was willing to purchase cabbages from the old man. Looking at those green and fresh Chinese cabbages, Huo Zaiyuan''s heart was moved.

    Footnotes:

    [1] 1 Jin = 2 kilograms

 CH 15

    Chapter 15: Continue shopping

    That old man sat behind his vegetable booth, dispirited and downcast, clearly in a gloomy mood due to not being able to sell his goods. For Huo Zaiyuan, he couldn''t help but be enticed by the low price, eventually walking over.

    "Old grandfather, besides Chinese cabbage, do you have other vegetables?" Squatting down in front of the booth, he reaches out his hand to flip a green and fresh leaf.

    Although he had never set foot in a food market during his past life, there was a small marketplace below the apartment he rented. There, he often hears the haggling and random conversations from mature, married women who were purchasing their goods. Thus, he knows that vegetables that have been bitten by insects mean there''s no excessive pesticide used to spray the crops, and is safer to consume than those with no insect bites.

    Even if he doesn''t know if what he overheard is true, from what is before his eyes right now, the leaves of the cabbages in this old man''s booth have several insect-bitten areas. When he flipped the top leaves over, there are even a few live insects dropping out.

    If the insects are still hoping about energetically, that these goods are safe to consume for sure!

    "Have, have! Of course, I have. Not only do I have these cabbages at home, I even have grains and other greens¡­this little boss, you¡­" This veggie-selling elderly is evidently a simple and honest individual, causing Huo Zaiyuan''s two eyes to shine with repressed emotions.

    "I will take all the Chinese cabbages you have here." Listening to the old grandfather''s words, Huo Zaiyuan nodded his head, pleased, before asking curiously. "That''s right, old grandfather, your vegetables are not bad, but why are you selling them at half the price of others?"

    Hearing Huo Zaiyuan announces he will buy all his vegetables, the elderly''s heart is so moved that his eyes redden. He promptly begins to calculate the total of all his vegetables, however, when he hears Huo Zaiyuan''s casual inquiry, his old tear ducts begin to water.

    While Huo Zaiyuan helps to load the cabbages into a bamboo woven basket, he listens as the elderly begin to explain the reason.

    As it turns out, the village where the old man resides in is one of V City''s northern fringe''s mountain village. Ten days ago, a torrential rainfall that passed through the city caused the mountains on both sides of the mountain road to experience landslide. Mud, rocks and boulders immediately buried the small road, essentially blocking the path and preventing trucks that usually come into the village to pick up fruits and vegetable from entering. No one in the village could exit, and no one could go in. Only this old man managed to bring a cart of cabbages out due to several villagers assisting in carrying it past the mountains. He thought, by lowering the price and selling off his goods, he can employ a company''s excavation team to remove the debris from the road.

    Who knew that because he set the price too low, people didn''t dare buy and resulted in Huo Zaiyuan picking up a large bargain. Afterwards, he manages to glean more information from the elderly, whose village not only plants vegetables, but also different nuts, maize, potatoes, melons, etc. This delights Huo Zaiyuan immensely.

    He decides to on the spot place this elderly and his village in charge of fulfilling his fruit and vegetable order. Buying this entire basket of cabbages merely cost five hundred plus dollars. If the old man wants to hire an excavation team, he needs to sell at least a few baskets of cabbages in order to afford it. Hence, Huo Zaiyuan goes to find someone to draw up a business contract, telling the elderly he plans to purchase a large quantity of fruits and vegetables. He will first give the elderly five thousand dollars as down payment and ten days later, the old man will have to bring him into the village.

    One signs his name while the other stamps his thumbprint[1]. Once he receives five thousand dollars from Huo Zaiyuan, the other man''s tears overflow. After leaving the address of his village behind, the old man walks away.

    Having taken care of fruits and vegetables, Huo Zaiyuan hurriedly takes the public transport to the agriculture district to purchase seeds before heading over to the slaughterhouse to buy a large bulk of various meat - chicken, ducks, goose, mutton, beef, etc. Then it''s off to the aquatic marketplace for seafood - crab, prawns, carps and various marine vegetables like kelp and seaweed.

    This took the entire day. When it hit four in the afternoon, Huo Zaiyuan is already half-dead from exhaustion. Once again boarding the public transport, he returns to the warehouse to see several trucks carrying rice and wheat flour arriving. It takes another hour for everything to be unloaded and stored in the warehouse. Quickly settling his account, the few trucks left.

    Entering the warehouse, he draws close the horizontal roller shutter-door, placing all the delivered rice and flour into his space. At that moment, an old man''s voice sounded from outside. It is that vegetable booth''s elderly. Rolling up the door, he is met with the sight of the old man accompanied by another tall and large person, who is pulling a large cart filled with the cabbages he (HZY) purchased earlier. Obviously, the money he gave the elderly managed to get the road cleared.

    "Little boss, the vegetables are here. Ten days from now, at noon, I will be waiting for you at the mountain road''s crossing."

    "Good."

    Under the elderly''s command, that large person brought the heavy cart forward, storing it in the warehouse, then left together with the old man.

    Footnotes:

    [1] In the olden days - even up until the late 20th century - illiterates who don''t know how to write their name typically stamp their thumbprints in place of a signature

 CH 16

    Chapter 16: Black Market

    In the span of eight days, Huo Zaiyuan''s interdimensional space already held a large pile of food items: rice, wheat flour, pasta, instant noodles, mantou, cabbages, various kinds of meat, seeds, as well as a hundred different plastic containers¡­

    Just looking at the pile of supplies, satisfaction fills his heart. In the last few days, he spent money as though it was water flowing from a tap, the seven million dollars speedily shrinking, leaving only three million behind. During the day, Huo Zaiyuan goes out to purchase supplies, using night-time to cultivate "Mysterious Nine Dragon''s Heaven" arts first level, as he realised if he practised under circumstances when his body is exhausted and his spirit battered, he is able to achieve twice the results with only half the effort. On top of that, by cultivating for the entire night, it is as if he slept soundly that whole time. The next day, he will be full of energy, as lively as a dragon and as vigorous as a tiger.

    Along with his nightly cultivation, Huo Zaiyuan senses that the peculiar warm current flowing through his body is gradually growing stronger. And the peach seed he planted apparently grows along with his spiritual energy, slowly maturing as each day passes. It is now about half a meter tall, its leaves'' exuberant style inciting fondness no matter how you look at it.

    Even as his spiritual force grows, and the little peach tree increases in height, Huo Zaiyuan still faces a big question every morning when he wakes¡­and that is the next day after cultivating for the entire night, when his body returns to peak condition, a layer of jet black stain always appears on the surface of his skin, and will increase day by day in size. Not to mention how unpleasant it smells.

    Fortunately, the warehouse has its own running water. Every day, the first thing Huo Zaiyuan does early in the morning is to wash his entire body once. At the same time, he discovered another unusual matter. Presently, it is the middle of May, therefore, the temperature early in the morning is relatively low. But he doesn''t feel cold even though he uses cold water to take a shower. His body instead stays warm and comfortable. He also realises after that black stain is washed from his body, his skin''s complexion becomes better and better, delicate and soft, translucent and pure. Not a blemish is left, it is as though he has become a completely different person.

    This makes Huo Zaiyuan can''t help but shout loudly in his heart with joy. His Taoist ancestor''s cultivation manual is indeed formidable ah!

    As today is the last day, he temporary doesn''t plan to purchase more food. First, he goes to a bookstore and finds a pile of all-inclusive cookbooks, then heads over to a liquefied petroleum gas store to buy a hundred cans of liquid gas and several gas stoves. At the same time, he studiously soaks up information on how to operate, install and fix them from a staff member. Thanks to Huo Zaiyuan''s keen mind, he quickly learns how to use them in a short amount of time.

    After departing from the gas store, he goes to a special store selling kitchen implements to purchase several pots, pans, ladles, basins, chopping boards, kitchen knives, etc. As long as they might be useful in the future, it went into the basket. Finally, he still needs a vehicle that will be capable of enduring the environment after the apocalypse, as well as weapons for self-protection, for example, knives and steel pipes. He hasn''t forgotten that besides going hungry after the end of the world, there are still things like zombies and bloodthirsty devil ants¡­

    Naturally, there are many different cars, but none were deemed suitable in Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes. Also, he is unable to find a store selling steel pipes and iron tires. Therefore, he decides to browse a sports store first to purchase a hundred sports bats. After leaving the sports store, he directly takes a taxi to V City''s underground black market.

    Before, Huo Zaiyuan was very rebellious and often visited places like the underground black market. Although he is not familiar with V City, it still is easy for him to find a shop selling swords.

    "Yo, little older brother, looking at your action and stance, you aren''t confused. Asking for a hundred swords the moment you open your mouth¡­you are not looking to hack someone up, right?" The owner of the sword shop looks to be a rather experienced merchant, but still can''t help being shocked upon hearing Huo Zaiyuan asking for a hundred swords from the get-go.

    "Boss, you already said I am not confused, so how can I use these swords to chop people? Can you or can you not help me deliver them to this location?" Making the down payment, Huo Zaiyuan hands over the address of the warehouse to the boss.

    "I can. I''ll send men with your order over in the afternoon."

    "Then I thank you. That''s right, boss, do you happen to know if the black market recently has any collision durable vehicles?" Huo Zaiyuan asks at the same time.

    "Collision durable vehicles?!" The boss'' eyebrows raise as he counts the cash in his hands before approaching Huo Zaiyuan. "Oi, youngster, your luck''s pretty good. Up ahead, there''s someone dealing in car-related business who recently got new stock. Amongst those goods is a Hummer. Don''t know if someone has already bought it but go ask him. Say Sword San[1] is the one who introduced you."

    "Right. Thank you." Hearing there''s a Hummer, Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes lit up.

    Although Hummers are heavy on petrol consumption, but it is extremely durable, unlike those good-looking but fragile branded cars. It will definitely suit Earth''s condition after the apocalypse.

    Discovering the place dealing with car-related business, he walks through the door and is immediately astonished to the point of bulging eyes. Because he absolutely was not expecting to see a fierce-looking Hummer H1.

    This is precisely a Hummer for military use ah! Huo Zaiyuan''s heart cries out in alarm.

    Footnotes:

    [1] It''s basically a nickname, typically created by sticking their surname after their speciality (store or trades or otherwise).

 CH 17

    Chapter 17: Small mountain village

    At the black market vehicle stand, Huo Zaiyuan uses five hundred thousand to buy that Hummer H1, and an additional two hundred thousand to properly modify the car. Since the chassis is originally of good quality, it doesn''t need any change. Instead, he allows the expert modifier to reinforce the steel-plating on the outside, change the window glass to bullet-proof ones and install an anti-theft device.

    Due to Huo Zaiyuan being pressed for time, the expert modifier worked on the car that very night from three in the afternoon to ten-thirty at night. By then, the car is complete. Because he stayed behind to await his vehicle''s completion, the hundred swords were sent to the warehouse at 8pm.

    Once the modifying process finishes, Huo Zaiyuan allows the modifier to drive the Hummer and get them both outside the black market. The expert thought he (HZY) is simply scared to drive in the black market this late at night, and seeing as Huo Zaiyuan is quick in paying, eventually nods his head and agrees. Driving the car and departing from the black market, he stops at the main street outside the underground''s territory.

    Thanking the modifier and watching him walk off, Huo Zaiyuan glances around to ensure there''s no one nearby before placing the Hummer in his space. In fact, it isn''t because he doesn''t want to drive this car to the warehouse, but¡­the truth is, he doesn''t know how to drive at all. However, since he has already bought the car, he can always learn how to drive within his space.

    With great difficulty, he manages to catch a taxi approaching the main street after waiting for half an hour. It''s time to return to the warehouse.

    ~~~

    Early the next day, Huo Zaiyuan exits the space for a shower, and when the owner of the warehouse arrives, he returns the key back and left the place immediately. Because there is still a few hours until his appointment time with the old grandfather, he goes to a gas station to buy a million dollars worth of gasoline and store them away. Now everything has been prepared and ready for use anytime, the only thing left is acquiring fruits and vegetables from the small mountain village. Checking his watch and seeing it is almost time, he starts the engine of his car and drives it to the appointed place.

    As he approaches his destination, that elderly is already standing at the roadside waiting for him, with large transport trucks passing to and fro on the cleared mountain road from time to time.

    "Old grandfather, hello." Getting out of the car, Huo Zaiyuan pays the parking fee before walking towards the old man.

    "Little boss, you''ve come." Upon seeing Huo Zaiyuan, an honest smile surfaces on his face. "This is the place, please follow me. Because of your down payment, the road is nearly completely cleared after a few days of work."

    Following after the elderly, both men passed through the mountain road - which still have piles of soil here and there - and enters the small village within the mountains. Seeing this village surrounded by mountains on all sides from a distance, with houses made from mud bricks and thatch roofs, is a rather spectacular sight city-boy Huo Zaiyuan has never come across before. Furthermore, the air here is very clean and fresh. Looking in the direction of the fields, one can see the lush green plantations and its varied fruits and vegetable crops.

    On the second day after meeting Huo Zaiyuan, the old man has already told everyone in the village about the matter the moment he returned. Consequently, the villagers are all very interested in Huo Zaiyuan. As a result, a crowd has gathered at the village''s gate to welcome him, whispering and gossiping to each other ceaselessly. Only when the village chief eventually come out to maintain order did the villagers begin to calm down.

    "Little boss, this time we are extremely grateful towards you for providing us assistance. If not for you, our road will still be buried under all that debris." The village chief politely says to Huo Zaiyuan. "Cabbage Er has told me early on, you are here to purchase fruit and vegetable produce. Whichever you need, feel free to say, we will give you the freshest ones we have."

    "Village chief, no need to thank me. I will browse around and will tell you the quantity I want for each good later."

 CH 18

    Chapter 18: Six months

    There are in fact not a lot of inhabitants in this mountain village, with only twelve households. However, the amount of fruit and vegetables produced is enormous. Cabbage, lettuce, leeks, winter melons, pumpkins, apples, longans, pineapples, cranberries, watermelons¡­the sheer variety truly made Huo Zaiyuan dumbstruck. Naturally, not every kind of fruits and vegetables have reached their harvest time, which is why he intends to stay here for a certain period in order to purchase a few goods when they first ripen.

    At the same time, he has not forgotten that within his space, he has a lot of different seeds. Regarding the him who has never farmed before and doesn''t have the faintest clue where to begin from, since he is already here, he can ask for guidance from the villagers.

    Once he finds out that Huo Zaiyuan will be staying in the village temporarily, the village chief searches right away for a house with a large courtyard that is currently unoccupied. Because the previous owner moved away to the city long ago, the house has been vacant for a while. Under the direction of the village chief, the villagers busied themselves by cleaning and sweeping the entire place, enabling Huo Zaiyuan to live there.

    Together with the villagers, he spends an entire afternoon strolling through the plantations. When that is done, he roughly knows which household have what fruits and vegetables, and from the villagers'' mouth, has gotten a fair idea of how much each product would cost. Taking out a notebook from his backpack, he begins to pen a list, then gives the slip of paper to the village chief.

    After looking at the fruits and vegetables written on the list, the chief and villagers are insanely happy.

    ~~~

    It has been half a year since Huo Zaiyuan decided to stay in the village. In these six months'' time, he not only purchased various kinds of fruits and vegetables grown in all four seasons, he also managed to get his hands on numerous dried and pickled goods and eggs. As for water, he filled his hundred-odd plastic containers with fresh water drawn from the deep well in the village, and learned how to plant various seeds and fruit trees. Under a few aunts and grandmothers'' guidance, he learned how to cook too. It really can be said he benefitted greatly from this stay.

    Compared to before, when he had to rush everywhere in order to buy bulks of necessary items, Huo Zaiyuan spent a lot of time in the village cultivating. In this six months'' time, he is close to breaking through the first level. His entire being feels as though he has shed his mortal body, becoming even more extraordinary.

    Every day, besides meditating to practise the Taoist arts, he spends even more time harvesting peach bark and carving them to create talisman. After half a year of practice, he gradually understands just how to employ the warm current of spiritual energy in his body, and according to the "Mysterious Nine Dragon''s Heaven", he studied how to carve talisman and how to utilise them efficiently in combat.

    "Little Yuan[1]."

    Just as Huo Zaiyuan is sitting cross-legged in his space, carving the peach wood talisman in his hands with rapt attention, a loud shout comes from outside the room. The movements of his hand pause, causing the entire coin-size talisman to discharge smoke and crumble into fine dust.

    Although he just wasted a piece of wood, but seeing as he still has a large pile of it stacked up next to the bamboo house, he doesn''t take the failure to heart. As soon as he wills it, he has already exited the space.

    "Elder brother Shuozi (the cabbage-selling old man''s son), is something the matter?" Huo Zaiyuan opens the door to find a sturdily-built youth with a simple and honest disposition standing there.

    "It''s like this. Today is the last day of the year. The village chief has gathered all the villagers for a communal meal. My father allowed me to come over in order to call you to go together." Looking at the slim and attractive young man just behind the door, Shuozi can''t help the thumping of his heart.

    "Communal meal¡­" Huo Zaiyuan''s expression turns distracted for a second, before returning to his usual calm and tranquil look. Then he says lightly, "But¡­I am not a resident of this village."

    In these six months, maybe it is due to getting used to living alone, or because of cultivating, he feels his personality has undergone some changes. His mental state has become more calm and quiet, and he began to feel that silently cultivating or carving without interruption is, in fact, a very soothing task and great for passing time.

    "Little Yuan, you are the benefactor of our village. If it wasn''t for you during that time, the village''s mountain road wouldn''t be cleared so quickly." Shuozi''s face reveals a slight blush. "Also¡­if you don''t come, then the village chief just might come over to invite you in person."

    "Eh¡­all right." Huo Zaiyuan nods in agreement, his gaze passing over Shuozi''s head to the gathering place bustling with noise, the villagers currently in an uproarious mood. "I will also take this opportunity to bid everyone farewell."

    "You are leaving?!" Shuozi exclaims in shock.

    "That''s correct. It has been half a year, it is time for me to depart. Let''s go." Walking slowly pass Shuozi, Huo Zaiyuan completely missed the mournful look that surfaced in the taller man''s eyes.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Huo Zaiyuan''s nickname. Xiao Yuan = Little Yuan. Since I typed "little" instead of "Xiao" in the previous chapters, I''ll just stick to this.

 CH 19

    Chapter 19: Departing

    There are not many people residing in the small mountain village, but this end of year communal feast allows Huo Zaiyuan to feel warm to the bottom of his heart. Ever since his mother passed away and he left home in a fit of rebellion, until his father was met with a car accident and dividing the family inheritance between the Zhou mother and son¡­he had felt all alone in this world. That is, until he arrived here.

    The people of this village are honest and friendly, treating him, this "client" as though one would treat a member of their family. Whenever there is entertainment or delicious food to be enjoyed, they don''t forget to invite him along. Staying here for this six months has allowed him to forget his past worries and forlornness, even the uneasy period before his death in his previous life.

    "Little Yuan ah, since you have already decided to leave, then as the village chief, I will not waste breath to urge you to stay. However, on the day you desire to return to this village and the compound kept for you, everyone will definitely welcome you back." Sitting next to Huo Zaiyuan, the village chief pats him on the shoulder, followed by a chorus of affirmative from the gathered villagers.

    "Thank you all." The corners of his lips pull up in a faint smile, a rush of warmth flooding into his heart, Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes slowly roves over the people seated together at the communal meal table.

    This year''s feast is very loud and full of chatter, continuing from the afternoon until well past nine at night. Only then did the villagers scatter, leaving Huo Zaiyuan to head slowly back to the house he has been staying in for a while. At this time, Shuozi ambles over.

    "Little Yuan."

    "Elder brother Shuozi, did you find me for something?" Turning his head to look at Shuozi, his eyebrows seem to be glistening like water under the moonlight.

    "That''s¡­eh¡­after you leave the village, make sure to take good care of yourself. Be careful in everything you do." Hemming and hawing for a while, Shuozi, as per usual, still doesn''t dare admit his feelings for Huo Zaiyuan aloud.

    "Thank you." Huo Zaiyuan says softly, pursing his lips as though in deep thought. After a short period of time, he opens his mouth unhurriedly. "Elder brother Shuozi, do you trust[1] me?"

    "Absolutely." Shuozi doesn''t quite understand why Huo Zaiyuan suddenly asked this question, but he blurts out an affirmative without thinking.

    "All right. Then what I say now, you must remember it." Huo Zaiyuan''s expression turns solemn.

    "Go on, I will definitely remember."

    "Think of a way to convince the villages to start storing more food and water in their homes, as well as iron tires, bats, knives. Whatever kind of weapons they can get their hands on. When April approaches in the year 2012, they must not leave the mountain village again. If possible, before April arrives, it would be best to think of a way to seal up the road leading into the village." As Huo Zaiyuan''s words are gentle and light, Shuozi didn''t understand, but for some reason, his heart begins to feel unsettled.

    "W - why?" Knives? Seal up the road? These are big matters ah!

    "You only need to do as I said and all will be well. I hope the next time I come to this place, I will still be able to see the villagers'' honest and friendly smiles." Not explaining anything to Shuozi, Huo Zaiyuan turns around and walks into his house.

    Staring at the closed door, a sliver of doubt emerges in Shuozi''s eyes. Not long after, he too, turns around and leaves.

    In the dead of the night, Huo Zaiyuan shoulders his backpack and pushes open the door. Due to the refinement of his body and spiritual power, he can still make things out clearly at night. His footsteps are light as air, not producing a single sound. Slender frame blending into the night, he uses a total of one hour to pace the perimeter of the village. Counting in his heart, a faintly shimmering peach wood talisman falls from his hand at every nine-step intervention, entering the ground after a small application of spiritual power from him.

    As soon as the last talisman is punctured into the earth, the entire mountain village, as well as the open field at its fringe, glows in unison, a silvery light flashing through it in a blink of an eye. Even if it was only for a second, it is rather apparent that there is a layer of barrier protecting this stretch of land.

    Finally, Huo Zaiyuan takes one last long look at the small mountain village before departing without another glance.

    He has already done all in his power to provide security to that place. He truly wishes when the apocalypse arrives, that Evil Repelling Array will be enough to protect it and everyone within.

    Footnotes:

    [1] The words used is actually "ÏàÐÅ", meaning "believe" but in this context, I reckon "trust me" would make more sense than "believe me".

 CH 20

    Chapter 20: Finally appearing

    That night, as he walks on the road bringing him away from the village, he has already thought about where he will go next. Travelling on foot for an entire day, he reaches V City''s downtown area at eight in the morning. This half year of cultivating, his physique has strengthened admirably to the point of not feeling at all exhausted even after walking non-stop for a whole day. Immediately, he searches for a place where he can surf the Internet in order to check what happened to his arrest warrant in the time he was isolated from the world.

    However, as soon as he accesses the military website, he gloomily discovers not only is it still circling on the internet, his value has increased to three million.

    Although it is now difficult for someone to rile him up thanks to his cultivation, it still doesn''t stop Huo Zaiyuan from cursing a blue streak in his heart.

    Who exactly is the one trying to pin him down ah?!

    Shutting down the computer, Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes narrow slightly as he abruptly recalls the five black tracking strips he still possesses that are currently sitting in his space. The exact strips he personally peeled off the cash he withdrew from the bank all those months ago.

    Hmph, since that unknown person wants to pester him even in death, then he will not hesitate to play a little game of hide-and-seek with said person.

    Shouldering his bag, putting on his cap, he directly heads for the train station and buys a ticket for U City. Entering the departure gates, he takes out the five black strips and randomly sticks them on the luggage of unsuspecting people waiting for the train to arrive. Job done, he leaves the departure hall.

    Back at the ticket stand, he buys another ticket for Z City, this one an economy-class ticket. As one doesn''t need identification to buy an economy-class ticket, it would be nigh on impossible for the person tracking him to find out if he made a purchase, and which City he is heading to.

    In any case, the apocalypse is still four months away. In these four months, he is prepared to find a quiet and peaceful place to bunker down within Z City and focus on cultivating more.

    Once the end of the world comes about, then that pesky arrest warrant would be dust in the air.

    Grumbling in his heart, Huo Zaiyuan depressingly laments that all because of one troublesome warrant hanging over his head, he is actually reduced to wishing for the apocalypse to come quickly. Looks like he is nearly going insane.

    ~~~

    A City''s Military District

    A lanky figure flashes past at high-speed, a clenched fist lashing out, slamming heavily into the opponent who had thrown himself forward. In the next moment, a large, muscled man is sent flying away. Immediately following his descent to the ground, the lanky figure twists at the waist, both hands braced on the ground as he flips into a handstand. Those long legs snap open in a windmill, throwing men standing within range away with a strong kick to the stomach one after another.

    "No¡­no more. I yield. Boss, if I keep getting smacked down by you, this one''s face will really be reduced to a pulp." A soldier sporting a swollen cheek courtesy of a heel to the face protests loudly.

    It''s been half a year. Ever since their Lord Captain[1] got chased out his home''s door by the Commander-in-chief for reasons unknown, he has been nesting in this district, daily tormenting and throwing around this group of pitiful soldiers.

    Their A City''s Military District is house to thirty companies, and their Lord Captain has taken pleasure in picking one company of soldiers every day. So long as a company is chosen by him, it is a guarantee that every member of said company will be full of injuries and bedridden for at least a week. On top of that, there is a high possibility of being selected again next month. Every day for the past six months, the soldiers in this district have been living a nerve-wracking life.

    "Not fighting anymore? This boss is still unsatisfied. You dare say you yield, has your courage become bigger?" A sword eyebrow twitches, Long Zhanye''s face radiating displeasure.

    "No no no¡­this one ab - ab - absolutely doesn''t mean it like that." Upon seeing the dark expression on his superior''s face, the soldier is frightened to the point of nearly getting on his knees and begging for forgiveness.

    Their Lord Long may be handsome and refined in appearance, but whenever he is displeased¡­he becomes a demon king who terrifies all who lay eyes on him.

    As soon as he sees the horrifying demon king stepping leisurely in his direction, the poor soldier quakes in his boots from sheer terror. But at that moment, a loud yell equivalent to the thundering of the heavens sounded.

    "Boss! The "escaped criminal" whom you issued a warrant for have re-surfaced!"

    The Long Zhanye who originally already carefully planned a way to take care of the terrified soldier suddenly freezes, sexy thin lips pursed lightly, the corners of his mouth hooking upwards.

    Half a year. That little devil unexpectedly managed to hide for half a year before re-surfacing again. This time, he absolutely must catch that person. Or else he, Long Zhanye''s face, wherever will he place it[2]!!

    Author''s Notes: Fufufu¡­the little gong has finally exploded¡­

    Footnotes:

    [1] The words are "´óÈË" which in historical context is used to address court officials. In this case, I''ll just use "Lord" since it''s a one-off thing. Think of it as having a "-sama" tagged on after a title, like "captain-sama/taicho-sama".

    [2] In other words, it means he will lose face. Or he will not be able to show his face to others.

 CH 21

    Chapter 21: Boss, this "escaped criminal" is too cunning

    Biting on a cigarette in his mouth, Long Zhanye''s dark pupils shutters down slightly, a strange glimmer flickering in his eyes. This particular countenance is one the soldiers within this military district fears the most, for the moment their Lord Captain reveals this expression, it means they have been met with extreme bad luck. Only this time, they are fortunately not the target of his ire.

    Slender fingers move across the keyboard at a rapid pace, images flashing constantly at high-speed on the computer screen. Very soon, a map of all the cities from A to Z appears on the display, together with five blinking red dots.

    "Boss, this "escaped criminal" is really too cunning. He unexpectedly separated in five different directions to escape." A soldier standing to his left stares at the moving dots, face dark with fury.

    "That''s right ah, that''s right ah. Boss, what should we do now? Shall we send some men out to capture those five people back?" The soldier on his right has the same angry expression.

    All because of this "escaped criminal", the soldiers of this district have faced a whole lot of beatings in these six months.

    "Un, he is fairly crafty." Sucking in a mouthful of smoke, he slowly exhales the white smoke, lifting his hand to wave a negative. "However, amongst these five people, none of them are him."

    "Ah!!" The soldiers on his left and right exclaim in shock.

    "The information I received from the train station in V City shows he used his identity card once to buy a ticket for U City." A finger taps on the keyboard, bringing the station''s ticket records up on screen.

    "Then he has gone to U City!?" The soldier to the left cries out, concluding in his hear that this criminal is indeed cunning to the extreme.

    Hearing the man''s words, a corner of Long Zhanye''s mouth curls up, again tapping his slender fingers across the keyboard. Now, the station''s departure hall of V City is shown on screen, the feed taken from the CCTV there.

    "He didn''t buy W City''s ticket, instead getting U City''s. What does this represent?" The images flash past on fast-forward, quickly reaching the point he is looking for. A slim figure wearing a black baseball cap, a backpack that they are so familiar with on his back appears on screen.

    "Er¡­ahh! He went and bought the ticket only because he wants access to the departure hall! Really too crafty." The soldier on the right shouts, understanding the situation.

    "Uh-huh, I want to depart from here immediately. You all stay to investigate V City''s train station records. Once you discover which other City''s ticket he bought, contact me at once." Taking the cigarette out of his mouth, he taps the ashes into the ashtray next to the computer. Long Zhanye retrieves the coat draped on the back of the chair and heads out.

    "Yes sir! Have a safe journey, boss!"

    "Roger that! This one will do as you command."

    The soldiers that were at his left and right stands to attention and salutes Long Zhanye, holding that position until his silhouette vanishes from the Command room. In their hearts, they sigh with relief. Oh, gosh. The demon king has finally left the military district. There no need to worry about our personal safety for a little while! (Author''s note: This little gong is really demonic huh ~ )

    ~~~

    Z City is a coastal town, and is the smallest amongst the twenty-six cities. Although the dock itself is always busy with ships docking and departing, its population is the least. Huo Zaiyuan chose this city for two reasons, as well as one other factor: the housing prices in Z City is the cheapest.

    In this past half a year, the gathering of necessary supplies has nearly depleted his seven million dollars, leaving only eight hundred thousand in his space.

    After a two days journey, he arrives at Z City. The first thing he does is find a suitable house to stay and handing over exactly four months'' worth of rental fees on the spot. Although the rental price is a little expensive, but Huo Zaiyuan is filled with satisfaction because this large building is nowhere near the business district or downtown area, making it a quiet and peaceful place. The apartment unit is on the third floor, which isn''t very high, and directly opposite is a relatively large supermarket, which is convenient.

    Previously, when he was staying in the small mountain village, his meals were always delivered by the villagers. Although he has learned how to cook a few dishes, he hasn''t tried actually making them himself. Now that he is living alone, Huo Zaiyuan plans to try his hand at cooking today. In any case, he has all sorts of fruits, vegetables and meat sitting in his space. As for seasoning and the like, he obviously needs to make a trip to that supermarket and naturally, all that he buys will be placed in his space too.

    Putting the house in order, he takes a bottle of gas and a gas stove out of this space and places them in the kitchen before leaving the house. Entering the supermarket, Huo Zaiyuan goes looking for the manager and asks for twenty boxes of soy sauce, twenty boxes of salt, twenty boxes of chicken salt and fifty bottles of fish sauce and oil each, as well as other assortments of seasoning. He arranges for the manager to send his order to his rented house.

    Facing such a huge client, the supermarket''s manager, of course, feels really happy, immediately handing over the receipt and agrees to send his order to the provided address as soon as it is ready.

    Leaving the supermarket, Huo Zaiyuan strolls around his house''s vicinity before realising that a family of carpenters actually resides nearby, making his heart leap in joy. Although the pieces of peach wood (round ones of various sizes) and peach wood tiles (long and short ones of varying sizes) is not little, he used up quite when he practised carving talisman in the village, so now there''s not a lot remaining. Even if there is a huge pile of trunks and sticks taken from a peach tree next to the bamboo house, it would be hard work for him as he has no idea how to cut them down into tiles and pieces. Now that he has found a carpenter, it really is heaven''s blessing.

 CH 22

    Chapter 22: Level 2 Taoist Arts

    Removing the pile of chopped trunks and branches out from his space, he hands them all to the house of carpenters, as well as one round piece and a tile for reference. In the span of three days, the carpenters worked through them all, altogether making a hundred and fifty thousand round pieces and a hundred thousand tiles. Seeing the large quantity, Huo Zaiyuan is very pleased.

    Once everything has been sent to his home, he dumps them all in his space. During the days he waited for the wood to be cut, he has not been idle. The first bottle of liquid gas he brought out is nearly finished due to him cooking a lot of dishes and rice. Every cooked item is replaced back in his space to preserve them. Now that his orders have been delivered, he enters his space too.

    A tightly closed door, a spacious and empty unit¡­it is as though there no one occupying this place.

    Just like this, Huo Zaiyuan remains in his space to cultivate, eat and drink. Whether or not it''s because of this continuous cultivation every day and night, the first tree he planted that has grown to three meters high finally begins to flower and bear fruits. One particular branch of that tree bore a string of sparkling, pure peaches. When the breeze blows through, the entire space is filled with the mouth-watering fragrance of fresh peaches.

    At the same time the peaches started appearing, the "Mysterious Nine Dragon''s Heaven" text''s second level of cultivation method appears on the previously blank page. Following the instructions written, he reaches the peak of the first level. Before he can break through, however, he needs to eat a fruit bore by the first tree.

    Huo Zaiyuan plucks a peach from the branch. The moment that peach breaks away, that peach tree begins shrinking at a high-speed, reverting back to its original sapling state when the seed first germinated.

    However, the ancient text did not detail why the peach tree will change once the peach is plucked, causing him to put this incident in his heart. Afterwards, he plants the second peach seed next to the first and goes to the spring pool to collect water. When he approaches the pool, he is met with a wondrous sight. The holy pool that originally did not have even a drop of water at the bottom is now filled to the brim with sparkling, translucent water, and the dragon head sculpture is also spraying a small stream of water into it. This change shocks him greatly.

    Drinking down half a cup of spring water and pouring the rest onto the seed, he watches as a second sapling emerges from the soil near the first one. Then, he sits cross-legged in the doorway of the bamboo house to eat the peach. The sweet and succulent flesh melts as soon as it enters his mouth, a warm flow of energy going down his throat into his stomach and merging with his own current of power. Once he finishes the entire fruit, the spiritual power within him increases exponentially. Even without reading the manual, the fusion of two spheres of energy guides his body and Huo Zaiyuan unhurriedly closes his eyes.

    The merging of the peach''s energy and his own is a fantastic feeling. The period he sits and meditates for stretches longer and longer, and within his mind, Huo Zaiyuan gradually sees a silver dragon appear. In a flash, the dragon moves through several sets of movements.

    Slowly, he begins to understand. This silver dragon''s every motion represents a particular Taoist rune. These four sets of movements showed him four different runes. Consequently, these four runes and the ways to use them is engraved into Huo Zaiyuan''s mind.

    Outside his mind, the left hand placed on his leg jerks lightly. The silver dragon mark curled around the wrist flashes into existence and begins to move through the four sets of movements as well. In another flash of silver light, the Holy Dragon Bone Brush also appears in his palm.

 CH 23

    Chapter 23: Smudges and stains

    Following the complete fusion of both energies, Huo Zaiyuan discovers his spiritual power has increased quite a bit, and its behaviour has clearly changed. Before it was aimless, flowing through his body at random. Now, it seems to possess a consciousness, automatically gathering at his abdomen when not in use.

    Opening his eyes leisurely, Huo Zaiyuan gently exhales a lungful of turbid air, finally feeling a lot more comfortable, his heart and mind much calmer and serene.

    Because his spirit is within the space, he doesn''t know if it is night or day outside. Just as he is about to stretch out his hand to support himself to stand, the ground beneath became slippery, nearly causing him to fall. Looking down, he is momentarily stunned stupid.

    His clothes are stained jet-black from head to toe, and on the ground beneath where he sat, a heap of thick, viscous ooze similar to ink lay. The substance also gives off a strange stink, gross enough that Huo Zaiyuan feels like vomiting.

    Without thinking more about it, he rushes over to where his containers of water are placed, seizing one plastic container, peeling off his clothes and starts to clean his body. Every inch of skin is covered by the slippery, oily substance that simply refused to be washed off. After scrubbing furiously for a while, he abruptly recalls the ancient book and hurries into the bamboo house, stark naked.

    Reading through the text, he finally knows what this smelly, oily, black stain on his skin is. This substance is all the impurities that have gathered within his body over the years, and the Holy Peach he ate expelled these impurities, hence the mess that accumulated after he opened his eyes. Ordinary water cannot cleanse this smudge. The only method is to submerge himself in the Holy Nine Dragons Spring Pool.

    Closing the manual, he arrives at the pool now brimming with water. The strange thing about it is, no matter how full the pool is and how much water falls in, not even a drop of water splashes over the edge. Having reached the peak of the first level, he is able to feel the same rich energy within the pool. Sucking in a breath, Huo Zaiyuan lifts a foot and steps into the spring. An ice-cold sensation shoots up his leg.

    So cold ah¡­

    This kind of feeling is as though stripping one''s clothes to enter the icy water in the middle of winter. However, in order to rid his body of these stains, he endures the biting chill and slowly lowers his body in until he is fully submerged. And before his very eyes, the dark smudges that refused to be washed away now begin to dissolve and disappear into the water. Seeing this occur, he takes a deep breath before plunging his head underwater.

    Splash!

    Large droplets of water rise from the surface. And in the middle of the pool, a figure with fair, translucent skin, delicate and gentle facial features emerges. Silvery water drops slide unhurriedly down his slender body, providing a dazzling image.

    ~~~

    On the bamboo house''s low table sits a mirror (Author''s note: Don''t ask me where it came from), and Huo Zaiyuan stands before it to look at his reflection, still feeling a sense of wonderment and astonishment in his heart.

    Ever since cultivating this Taoist art, he realises his outer appearance has undergone change, but he never would have thought that by breaking through the first level, the changes to his appearance would be this much. His skin is now even more flawless and delicate than before, his hair that hasn''t seen a haircut in a long time now hangs freely, strands draping over his shoulders. Although he now exudes a little feminine air, he really can describe himself as having shed one''s mortal body and exchanged one''s bones.

    Rubbing his hair between his fingers, he turns his head to look at the painting hanging on the wall, murmuring lowly. "I wonder if once I finish cultivating this art, will I look as immortally beautiful as my ancestor¡­"

    Within the space, the only living individual is Huo Zaiyuan alone, so of course, there wouldn''t be anyone to answer him. A breeze from outside blows into the house, making the painting sway gently, giving rise to a soft noise.

    That very noise sounds distinctly like a person laughing softly.

 CH 24

    Chapter 24: Prior to the Apocalypse

    After finishing a large meal within the space, Huo Zaiyuan finally exits. However, what he completely doesn''t expect is¡­this stretch of cultivation actually went on for the duration of two months. Seeing a layer of dust gathered in the rented house, he takes out a cleaning rug and wipes the place a few times. At the time he handed over the rental fee, the owner of the house said the internet had a one year contract, so he can feel free to use however much he wishes.

    From the start, Huo Zaiyuan never entertained the thought of selling off his laptop, so having internet connection in this house is a good thing. Not to mention, having a computer allows him to have access to new information no matter how isolated Z City is. What he pays the most attention to besides his arrest warrant issued by an unknown party is the emergence of strange or special news. Currently, it is March, which means there is only about a month remaining until the end of the world. There will more or less be some indication of worse things to come.

    In his previous life, he slept until three in the afternoon on the day of the apocalypse. It was only when he looked out the window and saw the chaotic streets outside, as well as numerous zombies shuffling rigidly along that he realised the Bible''s mentioned "Judgement Day" was here."

    The apocalypse is not an event that happens in just one day. A period before that select date, there will definitely be some indications of the approaching catastrophe.

    Taking out his laptop and connecting it to the wifi, Huo Zaiyuan turns it on and the first thing he still searches for is the warrant. The one that never fails to depress him for a number of reasons. Closing the page, he goes into Phoenix web browser to see if there''s any special breaking news or new information.

    There is a lot of news circulating the web at this moment, and Huo Zaiyuan pays close attention to them as he scrolls through. A large portion of them pertains to uninteresting events. Nothing of the sort he is looking for. Following the path his cursor takes across the screen, he suddenly sees a popup regarding the abrupt eruption of a dead volcano near G City. The eruption continued for several days, spewing forth toxic gases and suffocating ash clouds. The footage was taken by someone on the scene and shared across the internet, showing a short video of dark smoke emerging from the mouth of the crater. The constant stream dyed the sky a deep mauve. Clicking through the few photographs following the footage, the uploader evidently managed to get a close-up shot of the volcanic ash falling. Amongst the dusty flecks of ash, Huo Zaiyuan can vaguely make out a few blood red ants¡­

    Seeing those insects on screen, he couldn''t help the shiver that runs through his body.

    These blood red ants, he recognises more clearly than anyone else. Before his rebirth, his body was torn to pieces by them. Who would have thought the devil ants were spat out onto the surface of the earth by the dead volcano near G City?

    Skimming through this article and a handful of others, Huo Zaiyuan cannot keep calm and collected any longer. His gaze rests on the publishing date. Five days ago. Closing the tab, he continues skimming through the news section, quickly finding yet another case that shocks his mind and astonishes him entirely.

    This article describes an event which occurred a morning two days ago, in H City, someone discovered a drunkard''s corpse lying on the streets, his death caused by a torn throat. His entire torso and abdomen have been devoured by something, congealed blood pooled beneath the mutilated body and staining the ground¡­

    Due to the grotesque nature of the corpse, the image was covered by mosaic. Although one cannot see the wound clearly in the picture, Huo Zaiyuan knows this incident is not something caused by a random wild beast. It is the work of the living dead. In a famous foreign movie, these walking corpses were dubbed ¡°zombies¡±.

    Before, he spent half a year during the apocalypse fleeing for his life and witnessed more than a few zombies. No one knew how they came to be, only that on the zombies which were formed after Judgement Day, one will be able to find handfuls of red devil ants crawling on the undead corpse. On top of that, the day he died surrounded by ants and zombies, he personally saw how these corpses clawed their way out of spontaneously spawning swamps and patches of corroding earth.

    Volcanoes, devil ants, swamps, zombies¡­these things are surely related to each other.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s panicky expression calmed, returning to a dignified serene state. Searching through the web once more, he confirms that there is no other news. Shutting down his computer, he silently sits in the house amidst the still silence.

    Author''s note: Little Long gong is going to make an appearance soon ~~

 CH 25

    Chapter 25: Surprise encounter with zombies

    Although he spent two whole months sitting in his space, meditating away and cultivating, Huo Zaiyuan still cannot refrain from going out for a breather. Men were animals made to live in groups. Even if he now possesses spiritual powers, his heart becoming as tranquil as water, his state of mind calm and not volatile, he still has a desire to go outside and walk for a little.

    Closer to the awaited date, Huo Zaiyuan''s stockpile of food is enough to feed him alone for several decades. Now, he goes to a pharmacy with the intention of spending his remaining money on common medications like vitamin supplements, penicillin, medical gauze, cotton wools, etc¡­after all, his remaining cash most probably wouldn''t be any use after the world ends.

    Carrying various bags big and small, he turns the corner into an alleyway, then places all the goods into his space. Just as Huo Zaiyuan prepares to turn and leave the alley, an outburst of strange faint noises travelled to his ears from deeper into the alley.

    Gurgle¡­gurgle¡­

    The sounds may be indistinct, but when he strains his ears to listen with rapt attention, he can vaguely make out this noise is similar to someone - or something - chewing on flesh and bone.

    If this was the Huo Zaiyuan before his rebirth, he would have dismissed this sound as a wild dog chewing on a discarded piece of bone in the alley. Now, however, he dares not say it is a hundred percent certainty. The apocalypse is not far away. This kind of back alleys where no one treads has become a danger zone.

    Taking care to muffle his footfalls, Huo Zaiyuan slowly walks further into the alley. As he draws closer, the sound of chewing becomes increasingly clearer, to the point where he is able to make out the low bestial growling beneath the sound of teeth scraping against bone.

    Finally nearing the small alley''s bend, he makes sure to keep a distance from the wall with the curved-in corner. Rather, he keeps close to the opposite side, peeking around the bend to see what was in the alley. As soon as he takes in the scene before him, both eyes go wide with astonishment, those dark pupils shrinking in shock.

    For residing in the dim, dark alley, a male figure covered from head to toe in blood has his back towards Huo Zaiyuan. With a decidedly strange posture, the unknown person half-kneels, half-lies on their stomach, body moving up and down at high speed. Before the bloody male lies another man, this one on their back. A shoe is missing from the second man''s feet, exposing a grey sock. The most eye-catching thing is the second male''s body continuous leaked a stream of scarlet.

    If he hadn''t experienced the apocalypse before, having witnessed this scene, he would definitely have screeched first and think later. Nonetheless, even if he has seen things like this countless times, he still cannot help but move back one step.

    Shaakk -

    The sound of the sole of his shoe rubbing across rough ground is loud and clear in the relative quiet within the alley. The male currently half-kneeling half-lying to gorge on dead flesh abruptly pauses, then slowly twists his body around to look at Huo Zaiyuan.

    Greenish-blue, pale skin, muddy greyish eyeballs, mouth stuffed full of raw minced meat still dripping blood, the undead stiffly moves into an upright position, beastly growls emitting from deep within its throat. If this isn''t a zombie, then what else can it be?

    The zombie who discovered Huo Zaiyuan rises unsteadily, body swaying as it advances towards him, two stiff hands extending with the intention of grabbing him. Despite feeling rather flabbergasted at the appearance of a zombie here in Z City - which is pretty far from H City -, Huo Zaiyuan''s reaction speed is extremely fast. A flick of his left hand and a wooden coin carved with runes to drive away devils appears between two fingers.

    This particular spell is one of the few Taoist spells written within the manual for those practising the first level. Besides that one time creating a barrier in the mountain village, this will be his first time using it in a real combat situation, against a real-life undead.

    A first generation zombie appearing before Judgement Day is the best subject he can find to test his talisman on. If it proves effective against undead, then these talismans will be his lifesaver during the apocalypse.

    Grrr -

    In the moment the undead pounces forward, Huo Zaiyuan''s left hand slashes horizontally through the air. The talisman clutched between his fingers is enveloped in silver light for a split-second before he sends it flying. Shooting forth, it accurately pierces the space between the zombie''s eyebrows, entering and exiting like a bullet. A powerful force exploding from the talisman even throws the undead backwards, eventually falling back to the ground, motionless.

    Seeing that it remains unmoving, a mixture of red and yellow substance leaking out the hole at the back of its head, he exhales a low relieved breath inwardly. Wow, the spell to expel devils is really effective ah¡­

    Just a small peach wood talisman is unexpectedly able to achieve the same results as a bullet to the head. It seems he needs to carve a few more of these talismans and store it in his space for the near future.

 CH 26

    Chapter 26: Devil ants'' crystal nuclei

    The dark alley is completely silent, not a single sliver of noise can be heard. Two corpses lay on the ground, stained crimson, blood still dripping from various gaping holes. Even after rebirth, Huo Zaiyuan still feels an instance of his hair standing on end with fright. Still, he cannot leave these bodies here just in case someone stumbles upon them. If that happens, there will be unwanted trouble.

    Another twist of his left hand and two peach wood tiles appear in his palm. Condensing the power within his body, he sends a strand into the tiles. Two deep booms rumble out and the tiles ignite into golden flames. Waving his hand lightly, the burning tiles drop onto the bodies, which immediately catches on fire. The golden blaze spread until it engulfed the corpses, rapidly burning everything until not even ashes remained.

    Even without modifications, peach wood originally possesses the innate ability to ward off devils. By infusing some of his spiritual energy into the tile and causing it to ignite, the wood will produce a golden flame due to the purity of the inserted energy.

    This type of fire cannot burn one''s skin and cannot harm people. However, towards dark energy and evil, demonic powers, it will burn them up until nothing remains. Of course, this method was revealed to his through the ancient text. It''s also the first time he has used it, hence, after seeing nothing of the bodies is left behind, he whoops quietly in his heart.

    And how thoroughly the fire cleans up. Even the dried blood-stains on the ground has also disappeared.

    At the precise moment when Huo Zaiyuan just finished destroying all evidence and prepare to turn around and walk away, he cast one final glance over the alley and had his eyes drawn to something on the ground, located where the bodies had been. A shimmering red light flashes for a moment, catching his attention.

    "What is that?" His brow wrinkles slightly but he goes forward and squats down. It is only natural he is very careful, retrieving a napkin from within his space and pick that object up.

    Upon the white napkin lies a red crystal the size of a sesame seed. After close scrutiny, he realises the shape of the crystal is identical to the body of those frightening magic devil ants.

    He knows that during the apocalypse, poison gas, swamps, bloodthirsty devil ants and zombies pose the greatest threats to humanity. He is also aware that it is possible for the ants to live within the bodies of the undead and possibly breed within it too.

    However¡­he never knew the devil ants can become these sort of crystal nuclei. It is pretty obvious that the zombie he killed is a newly-created one, and according to the position where this crystal dropped, it was where the zombie''s head laid after it died.

    Before, the volcano near G City erupted and expelled volcanic ash, and within those ashes were devil ants¡­don''t tell me there somehow is a connection between the ants and zombies?

    Un¡­this train of thought is logical.

    A flick of his left hand and a large glass bottle previously used to store milk powder appears. This bottle was formerly used by his mother to store coins. When all the coins were used up, the container remained empty. Before he left his family home, he took this along. Placing the crystal into the bottle, he sticks on a talisman to ward off evil for extra security.

    While he may not know what the crystal may contain, he has a gut feeling that he will come to learn something important from it in the future.

 CH 27

    Chapter 27: Holy dew, Holy brush and crystal

    Knowing that zombies are already starting to emerge, Huo Zaiyuan realises he needs to make good use of what little time he has left to carve more talisman. Since peach wood talismans have such a formidable effect as a weapon against the undead, even managing to burn those devil ants to death, this tells him that as long as he has a talisman on his person, he doesn''t need to be afraid of these creatures.

    After he returns to the house, Huo Zaiyuan fills his stomach and enters the interdimensional space once more, settling down to begin carving more peach wood talisman. In the bamboo house, Huo Tianji had left behind records about every kind of talisman and way to use them, as well as a pouch of fine carving tools. When he first discovered them, Huo Zaiyuan practised for a long period of time before he could manage to carve a complete and intact talisman. The runes pertaining to the first level, Huo Zaiyuan understands them without a doubt. However, amongst Huo Tianji''s spell notes, there is a lot he is unable to make sense of and has no idea how to begin carving them. Even if he tries to carve according to the instructions, the end result still is a dud.

    Therefore, this prompted Huo Zaiyuan to ponder if those runes were of a higher level, and taking into account his low cultivation level right now, he doesn''t have enough spiritual power required to activate the higher-level runes.

    Ever since breaking through the first level, besides meditation, Huo Zaiyuan managed to memorise the set of four runes which appeared in his mind that day, knowing them by heart. He also read through his ancestor''s noted regarding those runes and how to use them, thus increasing his creativity and knowledge even further.

    Now, he wants to try out the newly learned spells and methods of application.

    Taking out the pouch of fine carving tools, he settles down cross-legged in front of the low bamboo table, sucking in a deep breath, he commences calming his state of mind, picking up a black peach wood tile before carving the first stroke.

    Who would have imagined that the moment the carving knife touch the tile, a sudden bizarre force emits from the surface of the wood. The tool clutched loosely in Huo Zaiyuan''s hand is sent flying, somersaulting a few times in the air before striking into the floor. From the quivering of the handle and the depth it sunk into, one can see how strong the force was.

    This¡­what is this?

    Huo Zaiyuan suffered a scare, but he retrieves the carving knife and tries it out a few more times. Each try results in the exact same situation, thoroughly puzzling him.

    "Without the carving knife, how am I supposed to create talisman?" He murmurs in a low voice, staring at the tool with a confused expression.

    It is at this moment, the silver dragon circling around his left wrist flickers, instantly causing a white jade calligraphy brush to appear in his hand. Despite not seeing it for a while, Huo Zaiyuan recognises it as his family heirloom - the Holy Dragon Bone Brush.

    Staring at the brush in his hand, his gaze becomes distracted for a second, as if he just thought of something.

    If he cannot use the carving knife, and the Holy Dragon Bone Brush appears in his hand, doesn''t that show if one cannot carve, then one can draw instead?

    "But what in the world will I use to draw the runes? Taoists usually use rooster blood as ink for their talisman¡­how will I get my hands on rooster blood now? Even if someone does sell it, it probably wouldn''t be real." If it is possible, Huo Zaiyuan would commit a major crime from frustration.

    Tick Tock[1] -

    Suddenly, the sound of dripping water floats in. Fast as lightning, a drop of water he is so familiar with flies into the house from outside. It is a drop of silvery water from the Holy Nine Dragon Spring. He watches as the droplet slowly orbits him once, then heads towards the glass bottle containing the devil ant crystal currently sitting on the low table. Finally, it continues circling the bottle. Upon seeing this, Huo Zaiyuan roughly knows that the droplet is trying to express.

    Searching through the house, he, at last, pulls out a piece of pottery, a small porcelain saucer. He places the crystal on the saucer only to blink as the droplet of spring water drips onto the crystal. A silver light flashes through and the crystal gradually begins to dissolve, becoming a scarlet blob with hints of silver. On the surface, it appears similar to a splash of paint.

    Don''t tell me I''ve got to use this as ink?

    Glancing at the white jade brush, then at the scarlet liquid, Huo Zaiyuan decides to give it a try.

    Footnotes:

    [1] In the raws, this sound is written as though it''s the ticking of a clock. No idea what it became water dripping, but I guess it''s either a typo¡­?

 CH 28

    Chapter 28: Usage of the crystal

    The pure white bristles of the Holy Dragon Bone Brush lands right in the middle of that scarlet liquid substance created from the devil ant''s crystal and a drop of spring water. As soon as both items make contact, a silver light emits from the brush, and Huo Zaiyuan can feel a trickle of spiritual energy flowing from it.

    His heart jumps a little, but calmly retrieves the peach wood tile and begins drawing a new rune.

    The reason for choosing this particular runic incantation is because it has an aggressive feeling to it. The Eight Point Magic Spell, according to Huo Tianji''s notes, is a mixture of several offensive spells. With the user as the epicentre, it is capable of banishing any demonic objects within a radius of two meters. It is extremely useful and easy to utilise.

    Like flowing water and drifting clouds, the brush glides smoothly over the tile, inking out the runes perfectly. Every stroke is crisp and pronounced, as though calligraphing a couplet fit for the ancient times. However, anyone who practises Taoist arts would be able to feel the formidable power imbued within the runic spell on the talisman.

    With one final stroke, the tile lights up briefly in a golden glow, and the runes sink into the wood as if it was originally carved onto the surface. Judging by the amount of spiritual energy circulating within the talisman, compared to carving runes, this brush improves the effectiveness of his talisman several times over.

    Typically amongst Taoists, their talisman is written on strips of yellow paper, drawn using rooster blood as ink. On the other hand, the Huo family ancestor''s method passed down through generations is very different. As Huo Zaiyuan has only ever used peach wood as the paper, carving knife as the brush and ink, he has no idea how it varies from using yellow paper and blood. Neither does he care, as long as he is able to save lives and preserve his own, then he is content.

    Inspecting the talisman in his hand carefully, Huo Zaiyuan shifts his gaze towards the scarlet liquid, both eyebrows wrinkling slightly.

    The cause of this talisman exuding so much power is not due to his own spiritual energy increasing again. Rather, it is because of the Holy Dragon Bone Brush, the spring water and the devil ant''s crystal all mixing together into produce one substance.

    The fact that those terrifying blood-thirsty devil ants'' crystals enable him to produce more powerful talisman is something he never imagined would happen.

    Reading over all of Huo Tianji''s notes once more, he realises all the different spells are sorted clearly according to their power levels. It is stated that the ancestor classified each spell after drawing them onto a tile, then determining the amount of spiritual energy within the talisman in order to rank them accurately.

    In the case of carving talisman, if one makes a mistake three times or more during the entire process, then that particular wood would be rendered useless. One with three mistakes would be of the lowest quality and power, classified as the least powerful talisman. One with two mistakes or one mistake would be in the mid-level range, and a perfect one would be the highest quality. Of course, it is considerably difficult to create a flawless talisman. Even if one uses the brush to draw runes on in one go, there will be chances minuscule mistakes will still be made. Hence, talismans of the highest quality are precious items, and is capable of immense damage depending on the user''s moral standing.

    So far, Huo Zaiyuan''s knowledge of Taoist spells only consists of a few simple ones, but if he makes a common Evil Warding talisman of the highest quality by flawlessly drawing the runes, who knows how intrepid his actions will be.

    Either way, the talisman in his hand evidently belongs in the high-level category. If he wishes to create more like this, then he will need to continue fighting zombies and collect more devil ant crystal nuclei.

    Just as well the apocalypse is fast approaching. During that time, there will be nothing outside but a whole lot of zombies and magic devil ants. There wouldn''t be any difficulties gathering the materials necessary to craft more of this scarlet liquid.  Nonetheless, the world has not ended yet, but there are several undead already roaming the surface. Still, he has no idea where to start looking for these scarce few, so he decides not to purposely go out in search of crystals right now.

    Eyes roving around but unseeing, Huo Zaiyuan ponders if directly using the water from the Holy Spring will do.

    At long last, he manages to successfully create a mid-level talisman, proving that his idea had merit.

    Although this talisman doesn''t contain as much spiritual energy as the high-level one, no matter how you look at it, it is a whole lot better compared to what he can produce by carving. Thus, in the final month before the apocalypse, Huo Zaiyuan remains cooped up in the space, continuously creating talisman after talisman. Whenever he feels exhausted, he will simply cross his legs and meditate, cultivating at the same time.

 CH 29

    Chapter 29: The Apocalypse approaches

    How did the Apocalypse come to be?

    An immeasurable amount of people never had the time to take note of the strange serenity settling over the world deep into the night. In that moment when almost everyone is dead to the world, fast asleep, a sudden burst of thunder roars, breaking the tranquil moment. It was a sound eerie enough to cause one''s hair to stand on end. Instantly, small handfuls of people originally deep in Morpheus'' hold abruptly open their eyes. Their bodies start to twitch, frothing at the mouth, complexion gradually turning blue. This event occurred continuously for more than an hour, in random locations and affecting random people. By the time their family members were roused by the commotion and arrive at the afflicted being''s side, they are greeted by their kin''s teeth and jaws ruthlessly biting into their flesh¡­

    Following that, everything begins spiralling beyond anyone''s control. First, entire households became infected and turned into zombies, then it quickly spread into the neighbourhood. Before long, entire building blocks are filled with undead. The infected shuffle stiffly along, gradually overtaking block after block, until the entire city fell¡­

    Although Huo Zaiyuan spends every day hiding in the house and creating talismans, when the apocalypse approaches, he immediately feels a slight something calling for his attention.

    Early in the morning, on the 25th of March, the Huo Zaiyuan who had been cultivating for an entire night exits his space, preparing to cook breakfast before returning to draw more talisman, only to be startled by a loud beast-like yell that came through the window.

    The voice of zombies, he had listened to it for half a year. How would he be unable to distinguish it from other unnatural noises? Pondering a course of action for a second, he walks over to the window overlooking the main street and peers out.

    As the unit he is staying in is not on a high floor, one can see whatever occurs on the main street outside very clearly. A look out the window and he is treated to the sight of numerous vehicle collisions, dark smoke rising up into the air, the unidentifiable scraps of metal strewn haphazardly all over still dripping with blood. Broken bodies lay unmoving on the asphalt ground, and several people covered from head to toe in blood are running for their lives, screaming in fear, only to fall victim to zombies pouncing out of who knows where.

    Damned cries and mournful wailings ring through the air constantly. Countless living beings become lifeless corpses in every passing moment. Huo Zaiyuan silently takes in this scene reeking of blood and death. His eyes cool to an icy chill, then he turns away from the window.

    Today is only the 21st of March 2012, so there should be at least twenty more days until Judgement Day. But now, zombies already rampage through the streets, unrestrained and unopposed.

    Just what in the world is going on?

    Could the reason for the apocalypse starting early this time be due to his rebirth?

    That should be right. From the moment of his rebirth, everything has already changed, from the contract to split the inheritance to him acquiring this mystical space and stockpiling necessities¡­everything has altered from the way it was during his former life.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Just when Huo Zaiyuan is deeply contemplating the situation, loud banging sounds can be heard from outside the tightly closed door. Strike after strike, each one causing mini vibrations throughout the building. If it wasn''t Judgement Day, this kind of noise would let people think a lot of people are simultaneously knocking on the door. But at present¡­

    Huo Zaiyuan is not so na?ve to think there is someone knocking the door. Hands moving slightly, a large steel knife appears in his palm instantly. Don''t judge that he for an entire year, has only gone shopping, running here and there stockpiling goods, creating talisman and cultivating, and did little else. For you might not know, but the spiritual energy in his body has changed him for the better. The current him is a lot stronger than the Huo Zaiyuan of a year ago.

    Also, based on the amount of food he has stored in his space, he can avoid all the chaos that spawns from the apocalypse and the zombies and the devil ants by hiding away in an isolated location, making sure his body is not vulnerable to the elements and remain in his space for a very long time. However, this sort of life is not one he wishes to live. Then there is also the fact that the devil ants'' crystals he needs to produce ink for his talismans lie within the skulls of the undead.

    One hand clutching the knife, he peeks through the peephole. Outside, a greyish-pale, blood-covered zombie is knocking incessantly on the house''s door, eyes staring dazedly ahead, devoid of life, a large chunk of flesh missing from its neck. Fortunately, there is a steel gate outside the wooden door. Or else, this tightly shut door might not be able to withstand the continuous hammering of the undead.

    Right hand holding a large steel knife, his left hand flicks. The silver dragon marking around the wrist flashes and the Holy Dragon Bone brush appears. Tossing two talismans on both sides of the door, his left hand focuses a stream of energy into the brush before proceeding to draw a Taoist spell on the floor. With a final stroke, the runes on the floor written with water from the Holy Nine Dragon Spring Pool links with the talismans by the door, forming a Demon Restraining Array.

    Then Huo Zaiyuan opens the door, pushing the steel gate wide. Seeing a living person before it, the undead''s movement immediately becomes more animated, pouncing forward the moment the steel gate opens wide enough.

    Who would have imagined the moment its leg crosses the doorway, it steps directly on the Demon Restraining Array, its entire body swaying back and forth as though blown by an invisible wind. Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth curves into an evil smile, standing to the side and raises the knife up before swinging it in a horizontal chop at the zombie''s neck.

    As the headless body collapses, he removes a wooden tile from his space and ignites it in golden flames, dropping it on the corpse, watching as it is instantly engulfed in fire.

    Side notes: For ease of reading, the author changes from using "round talisman" for the smaller ones to "coin talisman". Thus, I''ll translate it to "coin talisman" as well. It¡¯s a very minor change, pretty unnoticeable, so don¡¯t let it bother you.

 CH 30

    Chapter 30: Deciding to leave (Little Long gong is here)

    Like Huo Zaiyuan assumed, on this level, there is not only that one zombie which knocked on his door. Drawn by the string of noises and flurry of activity, several other undead quickly arrive. However, since the doorway is not broad enough, only two can enter each time. But each time, another new array is drawn by Huo Zaiyuan, resulting in the entrapment of the zombies that enter. His knife rises and falls, decapitating both in two moves. As the golden blaze from before has yet to extinguish, the freshly beheaded zombies are consumed by the flames within seconds.

    Since initial zombies are mindless creatures that do not even know how to climb up and down staircases, Huo Zaiyuan is not afraid that this group of undead will endlessly pour through his door. According to his understanding of this floor''s layout, there are only seven to eight households on this level, hence, even if every one of them was infected and become zombies, there will only be around fifty to sixty corpses to take care of. He wouldn''t need a long period of time to thoroughly clear this floor of undead.

    Two hours later, no more zombies appear at last. Huo Zaiyuan waits until the golden fire has completely eradicated the pile of corpses, then crouches down to check how many devil ants crystals there are. As per his careful calculations during his decapitation spree, he killed at least 50, so there should definitely be fifty devil ants'' crystals. But as he sweeps a glance over the floor, scattered on the ground lays a grand total of seven grains.

    Only seven crystals¡­does that mean not every zombie carries an ant in its skull?

    Wrinkling his brow lightly, he picks up that few blood red grains of varying sizes and tosses them into the glass bottle. Since it is this way, he cannot simply remain in this house. If he wants to find more devil ant crystals, then he will need to take the initiative to seek out more zombies to slay.

    On top of that, as time passes, these zombies will gradually begin to figure out how to go up and down staircases. Their sense of smell and hearing will also become keener and when that moment comes, if his stock of talisman is depleted, then it is very possible he will be trapped in this house.

    With this train of thought in mind, he really doesn''t plan to linger here any longer. Taking advantage of these initial zombies being slow and fairly weak, he plans to slip out of the unit and slaughter his way out, picking up any crystals that drop as he advances. After all, with his space and necessities, he doesn''t have to worry about lacking anything.

    Within the rented house, Huo Zaiyuan has never placed anything in the empty rooms, so there is no need to pack. Directly walking out the door with a sword in hand, he cautiously heads towards the staircase. There''s no way he will be so stupid as to try taking the elevator. During the apocalypse, elevators are one of the most dangerous things. If one discovers something hiding within that steel trap, one''s life would surely be forfeited no matter if one calls to the heavens and earth for help.

    The unit Huo Zaiyuan was staying in is located on the third floor, which has already been cleared by him of undead. Moving down to the second floor, sure enough, there are many zombies wandering around, knocking on doors. The moment they see him, a living being, they once again spring forward as quickly as they can.

    Cool as a cucumber, he draws forth four wooden coin talismans, shooting them left and right into the throng of zombies. A silver light flash from the four coins, forming an incorporeal protective screen that easily obstructs the approaching horde. A burning wooden tile flies towards the ten over zombies to the left before a sharp blade slice through them, chopping head after head, leaving the lifeless corpses to collapse at his feet. Finished with those to his left, he repeats the same steps with the ones to his right. This time, he manages to loot a few more crystals than before. Out of the thirty zombies killed, he receives thirteen crystals. Placing them into the glass bottle, he rushes down the stairs to the first floor.

    As he saw before from the window, the main street is already one huge mess, with a vehicle zooming past from time to time at high-speed. Turning a blind eye to the people screaming and crying out for help on the road, Huo Zaiyuan cuts down any undead that jumps out at him. Although he really wants to harvest more devil ants'' crystals from the numerous zombies roaming the neighbourhood, but with only two or three coming at him at once, using one tile to clear a few bodies each time is an excessive waste of talisman.

    At present, there is more undead than living humans out on the streets, but Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t want to risk the matter of him having an interdimensional space to be exposed to anyone. Hence, he begins to search for a working, abandoned vehicle.

    Since the moment he purchased that Hummer from the black market, he really wants to learn how to drive. During his stay in the small mountain village, Shuozi''s family coincidently owns an old, shabby diesel car which Huo Zaiyuan was permitted to use and learn the art of driving with.

    In the span of six months, thanks to Shuozi''s conscientious teaching, he has mastered the basics. Now, he has absolutely no problems regarding basic driving.

    Just as Huo Zaiyuan finds a small car sitting on the side road with keys still in the ignition, a crack of gunshot resonates from a small alley. Not giving him any time to react, a shadow dashes quickly out of the alley.

    (Author''s note: The long-awaited meeting of little Long gong and little Huo shou ~ )

 CH 31

    Chapter 31: The drag racer soldier

    Bang -

    Even before Huo Zaiyuan can react, a shadow dashes out of the alley just ahead. Following that, the roof of the small car rings as though something heavy is standing above, the roof denting in from the impact. Before his eyes, a figure wearing camouflage attire and a jacket slowly rises from his crouch.

    The man sports a head of short hair, perfect facial features, a lithely slender body, his entire being giving off an unearthly aggressive vibe. It is as though he is a beast in human skin, reminding Huo Zaiyuan of a strong and healthy cheetah.

    Just as Huo Zaiyuan is staring blankly at the unknown male, the guy jumps off the car''s roof, smashing a fist through the glass window in order to open the car''s door. With the other hand, he grabs Huo Zaiyuan and stuffs him into the car before getting into the driver''s seat and starting the engine.

    Like an arrow shot from a drawn bow, the car lurches forward. From the rear-view mirror, Huo Zaiyuan watches as every zombie on the street gathers together to shuffle after them. Abruptly, the car shifts into a sharp turn as the person behind the steering wheel drives as though he is in a race. Turning away from the mirror, he takes the time to study the other man.

    "Who the hell are you?" A quick sweep of his (LZY) body tells him (HZY) the guy sustained no visible injuries from breaking the glass, and had no visible zombie bites. In fact, his entire person was void of even the slightest scratch. Only after confirming that did Huo Zaiyuan relax a little.

    He has never forgotten the little fact that whoever is scratched or bitten by zombies will be infected.

    "I''m Long Zhanye." The man drawls as he turns the steering wheel, making the vehicle swerve to avoid several zombies obstructing the way. His sword eyebrows draw together in a frown. "What exactly happened to all these people? What did they change into?"

    Early this morning, he (LZY) was abruptly awoken by a sharp screech in his hotel room. Thinking that something happened outside, he got out of bed and looked out the window only to see the entire street in disarray. A large number of people were walking strangely, swaying and shuffling along stiffly, attacking pedestrians and biting a chunk out of their flesh.

    With no time for him to properly process what exactly is happening out there, the door to his room was smashed open and a pale, bloodied man staggers in, a gaping hole in his stomach, intestines trailing on the ground. Not hesitating for even a second, he pulls out his guns and blew a hole in the person''s head. Who knew that the moment his gun discharged in a loud bang, the noise attracted more of these strange creatures. Panicking, Long Zhanye could only jump out from the second-floor window of his hotel room.

    "They are not humans anymore. They are already infected. Everyone here has been transformed into living corpses devoid of humanity and consciousness." Huo Zaiyuan''s gaze narrows in on his unbuttoned jacket and the pistol strapped to his camouflage clothing. Opening his mouth, he dully asks. "You are a police officer?"

    Long Zhanye looks at the cautious youth sitting with his (HZY) back to the car door and his (LZY) mouth curves into a smirk. "Have you ever seen a police wearing a military uniform?"

    Heavily implying he (LZY) wasn''t a police, but a soldier.

    But with regards to Huo Zaiyuan, no matter if he (LZY) is a police officer or a military personnel, he equally harbours feelings of dislike. He hasn''t forgotten the arrest warrant on the military''s webpage either, and thus doesn''t take too kindly to this drag racer soldier.

    Although the apocalypse is here, it is hard to say whether or not this person recognises him and is currently planning to march him straight to the nearest prison. If that''s the case, then Huo Zaiyuan might be helpless to do anything.

    Not hearing any reply for Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye glances at him only to find that pair of pretty, shining eyes fixed on his person, appearing to be pondering something.

    "What''s your name?"

    From a young age, Long Zhanye was already put through hellish training from Grandfather Long, enlisting in the military at fifteen, after that, becoming A City''s senior officer. This sort of life is perfectly normal in his eyes, commonplace and dull. Although he is satisfied to simply get through life day by day, to bully the soldiers under his command a little, no one ever forgets that Captain Long possesses a far-sighted and intelligent mind.

    Thus, seeing Huo Zaiyuan staring at him with those pretty shining eyes, his keen instincts tell him that the beautiful youth is somewhat suspicious of him, and couldn''t help his inquisitive nature from surfacing. Based on his excellent memory, he doesn''t remember ever coming across this man before.

    So where did this cautiousness come from?

    (Translator¡¯s notes: The entire sky as far as I can see is dark from smoke from a bushfire. This heavy reddish tint¡­seems like I¡¯m not going anywhere today. Maybe I¡¯ll post an extra chapter later) ??(T¥îT)??

 CH 32

    Chapter 32: Walking the road together

    What is your name¡­

    This sentence is most commonly used between complete strangers. However, that can only be said to someone who the opposite party had no idea about. Unfortunately, Huo Zaiyuan cannot be put in that category.

    The opposite party is a soldier while he is a person with an arrest warrant on the military website. Before today, his face and name have been displayed on pop-up windows countless times until even a fool would recognise him. Anyone who doesn''t must be blind.

    Gaze akin to an X-ray, Huo Zaiyuan scans Long Zhanye once more as he tries to come up with a fake name. "Ziyuan. "Zi" as in "cumin" and "Yuan" as in "abyss"."

    The name "Zi" is actually his mother''s maiden surname. In this dire situation, he is borrowing it for the time being. After all, with Judgement Day here, no one''s going to bother asking for identification.

    Hearing his answer, Long Zhanye eyes him for a second. Noting that the cautious attitude is still there, he plasters on another easy smile.

    "Little Yuan[1] is still a student, I assume?" Doing as he please, he immediately flips the name Huo Zaiyuan spent a lot of effort figuring out. Not only that, but he even pronounced his (HZY) fake name wrongly.

    Instead of becoming angry, Huo Zaiyuan smiles, not contradicting the butchered name falling from Long Zhanye''s lips. Nodding his head, he offers an ambiguous "Un".

    "Do you currently have a place to stay?" The inquiry is delivered in a calm tone even as both eyes narrows and the car performs a flawless drift, knocking zombies blocking the way off their feet and into the air.

    "My home is wherever I am." Huo Zaiyuan replies distractedly as he watches those few corpses flying into the air like so many basketballs. Unexpectedly, the car didn''t shake even the slightest bit from the impact and instantly regains lost momentum, speeding down the road once more, engine humming away.

    This guy is really something¡­his skills in driving is even better than most stuntmen.

    Although he learned how to drive in the village, he is merely at a beginner level. If one were to ask him to drive this car like Long Zhanye does, treating it as though it is an armoured vehicle capable of competing with race cars, he truly cannot do so.

    During the apocalypse, not only is having sufficient supplies necessary, it is best if one also has formidable driving skills.

    Although this man is a soldier¡­but¡­

    Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes scrunch up slightly, evidently displaying on his face that he is internally warring with himself.

    "If that''s the case, why don''t we travel together? How about that?" Originally, Long Zhanye is someone who likes to come and go alone. But for some reason, looking at the interesting kitten-like child sitting in the passenger seat, full of precautions, a feeling of wanting to hold onto him surfaces. (Author''s note: Little Long gong is twenty-five while little Yuan shou is eighteen. So in little gong''s eyes, his shou is still a child.)

    Long Zhanye doesn''t quite understand the emotions he is currently feeling, but if asked to express it in words, it can be said that Huo Zaiyuan is someone who interests him greatly, which is a rare occurrence.

    Although the entire street is filled with zombies shambling to and fro, Long Zhanye is confident that his abilities are sufficient to protect one person.

    ''To walk a path together'', these five words are enough to bring forth Huo Zaiyuan''s desire to have a companion. Since the soldier said it first, then he will not need to rack his brains for a way to suggest sticking together and hooking himself a personal chauffeur.

    "All right." Both his eyes curve, displaying Huo Zaiyuan''s good mood.

    "Then the first thing we need to do is go to Z City''s military district and retrieve my car from the garage. This vehicle is too frail. It might fall apart if made to knock over a few more obstacles." Long Zhanye''s hands tighten on the steering wheel, thinking in his heart: It also doesn''t feel as good to drive as my favourite car.

    "Un, then what sort of vehicle is your car?" Nodding his head in understanding, Huo Zaiyuan asks.

    Since they have already agreed to form a team, then there is no need to keep up a distant face even if his heart is still cautious. Thus he takes the initiative to strike up a conversation with Long Zhanye.

    "A military Hummer. Don''t say knocking over a few measly zombies, it can even crash through a wall without sustaining much damage!" Regarding his beloved vehicle, Long Zhanye is full of praise and assurance in its performance.

    Hearing his words, Huo Zaiyuan is pretty sure Long Zhanye''s Hummer is like his own, modified to withstand the strongest of collisions. It seems this soldier is pretty well-prepared too.

    Huo Zaiyuan dips his head once more and falls silent. The car continues its drag-racing speed and manoeuvring, occasionally drifting and swerving skilfully as it heads for Z City''s military district.

    (Translator¡¯s notes: Ah, the scene outside my window reminds me of H City¡¯s volcanic eruption. Just without all the ash and flesh-eating ants.)

    Footnotes:

    [1] In this case, LZY called HZY "Ô¨×Ó", the second word is something you label a kid with. It''s like calling someone "kiddo/child". I''ll just translate it as "Little Yuan" instead because writing "Yuan kid" just reads really awkwardly. Sounds rather strange too.

 CH 33

    Chapter 33: Abnormal conditions

    From A City to Z City, each of the twenty-six cities have their own military district. The only difference is the closer it is to A, the higher status their military is. Hence, it is pretty obvious that Z City''s military district is the lowest of them all and doesn''t receive much attention or has great importance attached to it. This is also one of the reasons why Huo Zaiyuan decided to past the last few months before the end of the world in this city.

    In order to prevent the sound of the car''s engine attracting more zombies, they get off the vehicle in one of the two-way streets without any undead presence a distance away from the military district. Long Zhanye opens the driver seat''s door and exits, eyes scanning the surrounding area carefully. Although they haven''t seen any zombies here yet, it is better to be safe than sorry. A hand reaches beneath his military jacket to wrap around the pistol, about to remove it from its holster.

    "Don''t use your gun." Huo Zaiyuan, who has also gotten out of the car warns quietly as soon as he sees Long Zhanye reaching for his pistol. Then he hands over a steel sword. "The zombies'' sense of hearing is very acute. The sound of gunshots will draw a large amount of them. Using knives is better. You only need to remove their heads to kill them."

    Taking the sword, Long Zhanye swings it around a few times, sword eyebrows wrinkling. "It''s a bit light. Little Yuan seems to be really familiar with zombies."

    "That''s how things usually play out in zombie apocalypse movies." That year, when the famous zombie apocalypse film first hit the market, it caused a global sensation and trended worldwide. Huo Zaiyuan went with a few of his close friends to the cinema to watch it. But he doesn''t know if Long Zhanye has seen that movie before. Either way, he cannot admit that his knowledge comes from his rebirth.

    After he starts cultivating the "Mysterious Nine Dragon''s Heaven" technique, he becomes increasingly calm and even-tempered, expression unchanging as he spouts lies. Even Long Zhanye is not able to tell, which is just as well.

    Both holding swords in hand and heading towards the military district, they don''t go through the alleyway between two tall buildings as that path is wrought with unseen danger. Yet, circumstances seem to be a little off the further they walk, for not a single zombie can be seen on this entire stretch.

    "Something''s not right." Reaching out to pull Huo Zaiyuan back, Long Zhanye squints to see further ahead, putting a wall at his back to face the tall military building opposite, only to discover the outer courtyard''s large steel gates have been tightly shut.

    "It''s a little too quiet." Huo Zaiyuan frowns lightly, peeking in the direction of the military district before gazing at Long Zhanye. "The atmosphere near the military base is also not quite right."

    "Un." Long Zhanye acknowledges his words with a nod, whispering. "Follow me."

    Now knowing what exactly Long Zhanye wants to do but knowing the man is not some reckless person, he silently follows. Leading Huo Zaiyuan in a detour around the district and the tightly closed gates, they arrive at one side of the high perimeter wall. Next to the wall is a tall tree, a sturdy branch coincidently extending over the wall and beyond.

    "Can you climb trees and scale walls?" Long Zhanye asks, looking at the person beside him.

    Expression unchanging, Huo Zaiyuan nods. "Climb trees, scale walls and play truant."

    "Un, very good." Long Zhanye displays a pleased expression, then lifts his hand and drives his sword into the tree trunk, the strike so forceful it sinks in a whole three inches. A black military combat boot braces against the wall, the other pushing off the ground. Using this upwards lift, the lean figure leaps up, somersaults midair before again pushing off the sword sticking into the trunk, the momentum enabling him to ascend a little more. In just a matter of a few seconds, he has already reached the top of the several meters high wall.

    Really skilful ah.

    Staring at the man currently atop the wall and bending over to retrieve the knife, Huo Zaiyuan exclaims in his heart.

    After removing the blade from the tree trunk, Long Zhanye stretches his hand out. Understanding the gesture, Huo Zaiyuan hands over his own knife before proceeding to climb the tree. Of course, his movements absolutely cannot be compared to Long Zhanye''s nimble and fast motions, but he is not clumsy. In two minutes, he has already climbed up the tree and step on the extended branch to reach the top of the wall.

    Lowering his head to look down, he sees a smattering of black-haired individuals inside the perimeter wall shaking back and forth, a non-stop growling emitting from them. What else could they be besides zombies?

 CH 34

    Chapter 34: Zombie base

    Looking at the mass of zombies below within the perimeter walls, Huo Zaiyuan freezes, evidently not expecting to come across this kind of situation.

    "W - what in the world?"

    Aiya, oh gosh, over a thousand zombies ah. If one is not careful even a little and drops from up here, one can bid farewell.

    Amongst this sea of zombies, it is easy to make out quite a lot of ordinary clothed ones, meaning that the reason the two-way street outside is devoid of zombies is due to them all being locked in here.

    "It is possible that when the first zombie outbreak began, everything became chaotic. The residents in the surrounding blocks nearest to the military district came seeking aid. Once the army got wind of the situation outside, they allowed the residents in and locked the gates shut. However, amongst the civilians who managed to enter, a few were already infected from scratches or bites. Once inside, they turned¡­" Crouching on the wall, Long Zhanye glowers as he realises their presence is attracting the zombies below to shamble over. "Or perhaps there were already infected people within the troops. When the civilians entered, they were attacked, resulting in the mess we see now."

    "Un, that''s reasonable." Huo Zaiyuan pauses as he debates on what to do next, then opens his mouth slowly. "Older brother Long, now that the entire military district is a zombie base, I''m afraid it wouldn''t be easy to retrieve your car."

    No matter how he looks, this Long Zhanye doesn''t seem all that much older than him, which is why Huo Zaiyuan thought he ought to address the other as ¡®older brother¡¯ instead of ¡®Mister¡¯. If he simply calls the other by name, then he is being impolite.

    "The military district''s weapons warehouse has explosives and ammunition. We can walk along this perimeter wall to get to the second floor directly, then head to the third floor and take all the bullets we can carry. Although we have these knives, with the way things are in the base, getting to the garage will be a lot more difficult without using guns." Saying this, Long Zhanye turns to Huo Zaiyuan and holds out a strong, slender arm. "Come on, take care not to fall down."

    Looking at the offered hand, Huo Zaiyuan smiles slightly, reaching out to grab it. (Author''s note: Aiya, goodness, holding hands so easily.)

    Ever since his mother passed away, no one has ever extended a hand towards him. In addition to having experienced two lifetimes, it will take something very rare to shock him. However, this stranger who he met just recently is paying such close attention, every movement careful and considering, he can''t help but feel warmed to the bones. As expected, humans are not made to be solitary creatures.

    Ignoring the howling of the gathered zombies below, the two men follow along the perimeter wall towards the second floor of the large building. Between that building and where they are currently located lies a three meters distance. To say it is far, it''s not really. To say it''s near, it''s also not exactly close. Either way, it wouldn''t be easy to cross that gap in a single leap.

    "How are we going to get there?" (HZY)

    If there is, like usual, a sufficient amount of space to run before jumping like athletes participating in long jumps, a physically fit individual will not have any problems crossing this distance. But jumping from a standstill with the threat of a large crowd of zombies below, mouths open and teeth itching for flesh, it puts a lot of mental pressure on a person.

    "I''ll jump over. This distance is nothing too difficult." Long Zhanye crouches down to tighten the shoelaces on his combat boots, his eyes gleaming with self-assurance. Clearly, this distance is truly nothing to him.

    "The problem is the zombies occupying the second floor." Huo Zaiyuan lifts a hand to point. At this time, two zombies wearing military uniforms apparently took notice of them and are shuffling out onto the balcony. Even if Long Zhanye makes the jump, he will not be able to defeat the two zombies immediately after landing.

    The two undead faces in their direction, arms akimbo, teeth gnashing and brandishing their claws. Long Zhanye simply draws his pistol.

    "I''ll jump now." As soon as he said that, he prepares to pull the trigger.

    "That wouldn''t do. Gunshots are too loud. From here, we cannot see the rest of the second floor. If we draw the attention of other zombies, it would be very inconvenient. Besides, you probably don''t have many bullets left in your pistol." Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head, pressing down the arm holding that gun.

    As a male, Huo Zaiyuan has never touched firearms before, but regarding the different types of guns, he has some knowledge. With just a glance, he knows that pistol is a Desert Eagle, and according to his knowledge, its chamber can only hold up to six bullets. If more than ten zombies come at them, he (LZY) wouldn''t be able to shoot them all.

    "True enough. But if we don''t deal with those two things, there''s no need to think about even jumping over." Although Long Zhanye can be said to be fearless, he still doesn''t want to end up becoming one of those monsters.

    "Allow me." Huo Zaiyuan seems to have made up his mind about something, reaching a hand into the pouch at his waist, drawing forth two coin talisman. Since he is going to stick with Long Zhanye for an indeterminable amount of time, he understands that he wouldn''t be able to conceal the use of talismans all the time. Might as well reveal it now. Injecting spiritual energy into the wood, which flashes silver, he flicks them forth to pierce through the two zombies'' brains.

    Following the collapsing bodies, Long Zhanye''s eyes fly wide in astonishment, because no matter how sharp his eyesight is, he only manages to glimpse two fine streaks of silver shooting from Huo Zaiyuan''s hand. He wasn''t able to see what the object is clearly, but he is certain they weren''t throwing weapons of any kind.

    So it seems this child is a hidden master ah!

    A curious light entering his gaze, Long Zhanye glances at the youth. "What was that just now?"

    Not hiding anything, Huo Zaiyuan reaches into his waist pouch again and draws out two coin-size peach wood talisman. Laying them in his palm, he holds it out for Long Zhanye to inspect.

    "These are peach wood talisman. By using spiritual energy to activate them, they are extremely effective against zombies." Hearing the light awe in the older man''s tone, for some unknown reasons, Huo Zaiyuan feels rather proud of himself.

    Picking up one of the two talisman to study it closely, Long Zhanye notices the runes carved into the surface. It reminds him of the characters he saw written on yellow paper and hung around Grandfather Long''s friend''s place, the Elder Taoist Tian Jizi. The only difference is Huo Zaiyuan uses wood, not paper.

    "You are a Taoist priest?"

    Although Long Zhanye considers himself to be an atheist, his grandfather is a superstitious person, not to mention his Elder Taoist friend. He doesn''t exactly trust things like exorcism and magic, especially after having his fortune told by Tian Jizi which resulted in Grandfather Long chasing him away from home. Nonetheless, he is appropriately amazed by the object Huo Zaiyuan used to kill the undead.

    "I''m not a Taoist priest." Although he does practise the Taoist art from his ancestor''s manual, he cannot be counted as an authentic Taoist priest. At most, he is just someone who practises Taoism.

    "I originally thought matters like ghosts and gods that my grandfather often mentions are just things used to trick people, but apparently it''s not entirely false after all." Long Zhanye returns the talisman.

    "Hehe¡­" Giggling softly, Huo Zaiyuan imbues some power into the two coins and tosses them towards the balcony. As though glued to the surface, the coins stick solidly on the wall of the second-floor balcony on both sides. "Using those two talismans, I''ve created a simple array on the balcony. This way, even if zombies suddenly appear, they will be stopped in their tracks."

    "Un. Wait here for a moment. I''ll jump first, then you follow. I''ll catch you." Clapping a hand on Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulder, Long Zhanye displays a dazzling smile full of self-confidence.

    Crouching at the edge of the wall, hands placed on either side of his body, muscles bunching in preparation similar to a bow drawn taut, expression extremely calm as he regards the three-meter gap. The wind seems to still, and even the chilling clambering of zombies below fades into the background. The atmosphere becomes stifling and filled with tension. Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes are locked onto the tall form, wide with anticipation.

    In an instant, the slender figure soars into the air, heading towards the balcony, as though he had suddenly acquired a pair of wings. His calculation was near perfect, dropping accurately into the balcony on both feet. As soon as he lands, a faint clang sounds from the sudden weight. In order to reduce the impact of his landing, Long Zhanye reaches out to brace his hands on the ground.

    "Litte Yuan, come on."

    Rising, Long Zhanye clamps a hand around the balcony''s bannister and a leg firmly hooked between the gaps of the railing, stretching his other hand out towards Huo Zaiyuan, facial expression carefree enough to make people jealous.

    What kind of monster is he? Really superhuman ah!

    Fixing his gaze on Long Zhanye, he sucks in a deep breath, his heart beating faster. He knows deep down that he will never be able to achieve Long Zhanye''s level of physical capabilities, but he ought to have no problems clearing a two meter plus jump. He only needs to grip onto the outstretched hand. Bending into a half-crouch, Huo Zaiyuan gathers his spiritual energy to pacify his rapidly pounding heart.

    Then¡­jump!

    His lean body rises into the air and towards the outstretched hand with every intention of grabbing it, only to see the man whose foot is hooked between the railings had no intention of pulling him up by the arm. Tall slender body leaning forward, hand drawing back, strong, muscled arm curling around Huo Zaiyuan''s slim and soft waist, pulling him directly into Long Zhanye''s embrace.

    (Author''s notes: Holding hands and even being embraced¡­our little Huo shou cannot escape anymore ~ )

 CH 35

    Chapter 35: The Armoury

    Huff¡­huff¡­

    Panting harshly, Huo Zaiyuan feels his legs trembling faintly. If not for Long Zhanye''s arm supporting his body to stay upright, he would have collapsed in a heap on the floor long ago. With thousands of bloodthirsty gazes focused on his person, this kind of terrifying experience is not something everyone can cope with. Even if he had experienced the apocalypse once before, gone through a rebirth, cultivated until his mental state is a lot calmer than the average person, this one leap can still cause him a heart attack ah.

    "It''s over, it''s over." Gazing at the wide-eyed, panting boy in his arms, Long Zhanye pats him lightly on the back, appreciation shining in his eyes.

    Such big courage, a real rarity ah.

    Taking a few minutes to ease tension from his limbs, Huo Zaiyuan eventually feels his heart rate returning to normal, no longer threatening to leap out of his chest. Only then does he realise he is still in Long Zhanye''s embrace and immediately freezes before retreating back a step, away from the other man''s hug.

    In order to avoid an awkward moment, he takes out a wooden tile and lights it up, throwing it onto the two corpses lying on the balcony. A golden blaze rises, rapidly consuming the bodies and leaving behind two grains of devil ant crystals. Removing a small tong and the glass bottle from the pouch, he places the blood red grains inside.

    "What are those things?" Long Zhanye was silently watching as the golden fire burns up the zombies'' motionless bodies until nothing is left behind, but when Huo Zaiyuan gently picks up the two blood red objects, he can no longer hold back his curiosity and asks.

    "These are things residing in the skulls of zombies. Around ten days ago, when the dead volcano near H City erupted and spewed up volcanic ash, these things were amongst the ashes. However, those are living ants the colour of blood. I suppose these things are what causes people to change into zombies. Because these ants can burrow in and live within the corpses, when the bodies are burned with spiritual fire, the red ants inside the zombies will become crystals. As it is, these crystals are one of the materials I need to draw my talismans." Huo Zaiyuan openly tells everything to the soldier as he closes the lid and pretends to return it into his pouch when in actuality, he is placing it back in his space.

    Having a waist pouch was an idea he thought of when he decided to leave the rented house. Anytime he needs to use a talisman, all he has to do is reach inside and takes it from his space. This way, he wouldn''t give rise to any doubts or suspicions.

    A sword eyebrow raises and a sharp gaze travels to the interior of the second floor. "Then I suppose there will be a lot of ant crystals here?" The meaning of his words is very clear. Long Zhanye is willing to help him collect more materials.

    "Not necessarily, since not every zombie will have it¡­"

    "No worries, with me here, I will definitely help you collect a lot of materials. Let''s go. First, to search the armoury." Resting a hand on his shoulder, Long Zhanye flashes a small smile.

    Ever since his rebirth, Huo Zaiyuan has rarely interacted with people, let alone having skinship with anyone. In spite of not being used to intimacy, being close to this man whom he has only known for less than a day, he doesn''t feel even a sliver of discomfort. Quite strange, truly.

    Looking at Long Zhanye, he nods.

    This man exudes a rather unique charm, allowing people to feel safe and secure. Perhaps it''s because of this charisma that causes Huo Zaiyuan to not shy away from his touch.

    A few zombies dithering along the second floor''s corridor are quickly taken down one at a time by Long Zhanye. Every scrupulous action from the older man manages to move Huo Zaiyuan''s heart a little. After he (LZY) is done, the pile of bodies is set ablaze, yielding five more devil ants crystals.

    Taking the stairs up to the next floor, they discover the military district''s armoury spans the entire level. The walls are constructed out of thick steel plates, making them immune to explosions and ensures the safety of all weapons stored within.

    Stopping before the armoury''s door, Long Zhanye removes a magnetic card and swipes it over the electronic lock. The door lock''s light flashes red and the heavy steel door opens inwards, causing the strong smell of gun oil o waft out. However, neither enters, instead waiting for the armoury''s door to open fully, determining the inside is safe before deigning to walk in.

    Although Z City''s military district is small and not given much care, its armoury is well-stocked with everything the soldiers might need. Pistols, rifles, machine guns, bazookas¡­everything that should be there is present. Seeing all these weapons, Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes brighten.

    During his mad shopping for goods, he ever entertained the thought of possibly storing a gun or two in his space for self-protection. But living in this country where the administration and rights to carry firearms is extremely strict, as an ordinary citizen looking to purchase a gun is easier said than done.

 CH 36

    Chapter 36: Older brother will give you a family

    Long Zhanye pulls Huo Zaiyuan inside before turning around and closing the armoury''s door in order to prevent zombies interrupting them when they are selecting what to take with them.

    Looking at the magnetic card in Long Zhanye''s hand, he inquires. "How did you get your hands on the armoury''s access card?"

    While he knows Long Zhanye is a soldier, he also knows for a fact that not any ordinary soldier is given an access card for the armoury, and not just anyone is permitted to enter.

    "Oh, I was going through the pockets of a dead zombie wearing military attire and found this card. That guy was probably the boss of this district." Long Zhanye replies flippantly, shoving the card into his breast pocket. "Little Yuan, do you know how to use a gun?"

    "Nope." Following the taller man closely, Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head, answering honestly.

    "That''s all right. This older brother will teach you later." Shooting a smirk over his shoulder, Long Zhanye reaches out to remove an AK from the stand, resting it on his shoulder. No matter how one looks, that posture is just like an army riffraff, a delinquent, and a rather handsome one at that.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s head is filled with black lines[1], his heart thinking: The him before me is this guy''s true self, right?

    Listening to Long Zhanye''s suggestions, he selects an MP5, a submachine gun with the least recoil. Touching a firearm for the first time in both lives, he finds it really interesting. Because Huo Zaiyuan wants to learn how to use a gun right now, Long Zhanye proposes to stay in the armoury for the time being. Since there is a large store of weapons in this warehouse, and there are over a thousand zombies on the first floor, there are sufficient targets for him to practise shooting at. Without hesitation, Huo Zaiyuan gleefully agrees.

    Since it is decided that they will stay here temporarily, then their first priority is safety. Hence, the two of them begins a clean-up of the entire building, from the topmost floor to the second floor, methodically searching from room to room. Eventually, they discover and eliminates a total of ten plus zombies in military uniform, as well as the district''s canteen, which still holds a large quantity of food.

    "It seems this military base has really fallen into enemy hands. Not even a single living person remains." Assault rifle resting on a shoulder and following Huo Zaiyuan docilely, Long Zhanye exhales a helpless breath.

    After clearing the building of zombies, they finally decide to make the canteen their stronghold. Due to security reasons, Huo Zaiyuan sets up a boundary on the second and third floor. Even if right now those zombies on the first floor still cannot walk up staircases, it is hard to say if one day they can suddenly figure out how to do so. And when that time comes, wouldn''t the two of them be sitting ducks?

    "Un." Huo Zaiyuan murmurs. "Judgement Day came too abruptly, so a lot of people was not given enough time to deal with it." A talisman gripped between two fingers saturated with spiritual energy, he sends it shooting towards a corner of the wall to complete the Five Elements Eight Trigrams barrier.

    This time''s apocalypse came more suddenly compared to the previous life''s one, resulting in an even greater number of people being turned into zombies.

    "When I was small, my grandfather once told me that humans are a uniquely adaptable species. The viler an environment they are faced with, the tougher and more resilient they will be." Long Zhanye says as he approaches Huo Zaiyuan, reaching out to rub his soft hair. "Is Little Yuan worried about your family?"

    The hand reaching for another talisman pauses, a forlorn look crossing his eyes. That fair and delicate face exposes a trace of distress, causing Long Zhanye''s heart to skip a beat. However, Huo Zaiyuan''s expression smooths over a second later, a picture of calm as he continues performing his task.

    "I¡­don''t have a family anymore." This one sentence is delivered blandly, as though it has nothing to do with him.

    Seeing the expressionless Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye reaches out and pulls him into his embrace. "What foolish words. Who doesn''t have a family? If you really feel you don''t have a family, then this older brother will give you one."

    The magnetic, calm voice that states these words aloud without the slightest hesitation really warms every corner of Huo Zaiyuan''s heart. It is as though a boulder crushing his heart is suddenly lifted, and a flood of water washes clean his worries. A sparkling teardrop wells up at the corner of his eye and slips down his pale cheek.

    It seems he really is lonely¡­

    Although his constant cultivation enables him to suppress volatile emotions and keep him in a tranquil state, but that seed of loneliness has been planted in his heart long ago, deeply-rooted and difficult to displace¡­it takes more than a few shakes to clear the dirt and expose the roots, but this one sentence of Long Zhanye''s really hit the crux of his loneliness.

    It isn''t his heart becoming more serene, but rather, it is he himself refusing to confront his emotions.

    (Author''s notes: And thus this is how Long gong successfully snags his little shou ~ )

    Footnotes:

    [1] Basically this bird''s reaction:

 CH 37

    Chapter 37: A brother like this

    If anyone had told him that he will cry in front of someone he only knew for a day without a care for his image, Huo Zaiyuan will surely peg that person as crazy. However, right now he is doing exactly that, sobbing miserably in the bosom of a man he only knows for a day. Still, after he finishes crying, he feels a lot better as his long-repressed emotions are finally released.

    Tear tracks still on his fair face, dark eyes shining brighter than ever due to tears, nose red like a rabbit''s, slightly pursed lips. This countenance strongly resembles a bullied young married woman. But Long Zhanye doesn''t tease him, for his heart aches faintly on behalf of this youth he came to know for only a day.

    "Do you want to cry some more?" Retrieving a handkerchief to wipe his face, Long Zhanye asks softly.

    "Not going to cry anymore. I''ve exhausted all my tears." Shaking his head, Huo Zaiyuan looks out the window to discover that the sky has already darkened. The array he had been setting up just now is more than halfway done, but it seems like he wouldn''t be able to complete it today.

    "Since you have no more tears to shed, then you mustn''t weep anymore." Draping his arm over the other''s slim shoulders, Long Zhanye continues. "I, Long Zhanye, cannot be said to be some good person, but I will never renege on any promises I make. So long as Little Yuan doesn''t object, then I will be Little Yuan''s family. If anyone dares bully you, cause you to be unhappy, I will beat that person up."

    Obviously, these words were meant to make Huo Zaiyuan feel cared for, only when Long Zhanye is saying all these, that facial expression, that aura¡­it all brings to mind the image of a hoodlum, and Huo Zaiyuan couldn''t help but laugh out loud.

    "Then what if you bully me?"

    "That absolutely will not happen." Shaking his head, Long Zhanye declares confidently.

    Staring at the excessively self-confident man, Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes expressed a mild smile. After some thought, he says. "Older brother, I''m hungry. I want to eat fried rice."

    There is still a lot of food stored in the canteen as well as quite a few bottles of liquid gas. In addition, nothing has been contaminated so making fried rice wouldn''t be a problem. Only, the man who previously was so filled with self-assurance, upon hearing the youth in his embrace wants to eat fried rice, immediately deflates a little as he slowly lowers his head to look at Huo Zaiyuan.

    "That¡­would instant noodles be all right?"

    "¡­¡­"

    In the end, it falls to Huo Zaiyuan to cook two large bowls of fried rice in the kitchen, and using the chicken pieces in the canteen''s freezer, he also serves up a mouth-watering chicken soup.

    "Un, little Yuan is really skilled in cooking. If you were a girl, I wouldn''t hesitate to marry you." Long Zhanye is perfectly contented with the meal, after finishing the large bowl of fried rice, he follows up with two bowls of chicken soup.

    Hearing his words, Huo Zaiyuan wasn''t offended. Instead, the corners of his lips curves up as he retorts. "If I was a woman, even if you want to marry me, I wouldn''t agree."

    "Dear, your older brother Long is a young and promising captain of A City, what''s there not to like?" A sulk forms on that attractive face, as though he ate a bitter melon.

    Long Zhanye''s tragic expression cause Huo Zaiyuan to giggle. Swallowing a mouthful of rice, he teases. "Then Lord Captain Long, why are you not protecting A City, instead coming all the way to Z City?"

    At first glance, it is easy to tell Long Zhanye is a military man, but he never thought he (LZY) would be so high on the military hierarchy. A Captain in A City''s military district ah! What a lofty position!

    "Finding a wife¡­"

    "¡­¡­" Never was Huo Zaiyuan expecting this answer. Choking for a good while, he eventually manages to speak. "Have you found a wife yet?"

    "No." Long Zhanye shakes his head, exuding a feeling of defeat, muttering. "That little devil really knows how to run. I went to his house but his family said he has already left. Went to the apartment he rented but the unit was empty. Went to other cities to look but eventually didn''t find him either. Finally received information that he came to Z City. I''ve searched for over two months, until the apocalypse occurs, but have yet to find him."

    "Older brother Long, you must really love that person." Listening to Long Zhanye''s recount, Huo Zaiyuan exclaims in his heart with admiration. What strong determination ah!

    "Not. One. Bit."

    (Translator¡¯s notes: To clear up any confusion, LZY says ¡®Ëû¡¯ but since it sounds the same as the female ¡®Ëý¡¯, HZY doesn¡¯t know if LZY is referring to a male or female.

 CH 38

    Chapter 38: Peach wood defensive talisman

    "Not. One. Bit." Gritting his teeth and spitting out these three words, one can clearly see senior officer Long''s small store of patience has long depleted.

    "Since you don''t love them, then why keep searching?" Huo Zaiyuan inquires.

    "I do not wish to, but my grandfather forced me to. The entire story is like this¡­" Long Zhanye explains the entire story from head to tail, the amount of bitterness in his words is enough to flood the entire Z City.

    Hearing that whole story, Huo Zaiyuan gazes at Long Zhanye with a face full of pity, his heart understanding just how vexing the entire ordeal would be.

    "Older brother Long, I really sympathise with you." Putting down his chopsticks, he reaches out to pat his (LZY) shoulder in comfort. "So what are you going to do now? The entire Z City is filled with zombies."

    If he was the previous Huo Zaiyuan, after listening to the Elder Taoist''s calculating Long Zhanye''s fate in life, he would have treated it as a joke. But now, he dares not to distrust it. The notes Huo Tianji left behind all have something to do with cultivation, talismans, arrays, etc, but not one talked about calculating someone''s fate. Therefore, he has no way to help Long Zhanye calculate his fate again and can only stand by to watch.

    Not be able to live past thirty¡­

    "I wouldn''t search anymore. Before the apocalypse, I didn''t manage to find them. Now, with zombies roaming everywhere, I wouldn¡¯t be able to find them even if I want to." Long Zhanye shrugs his shoulders, expression uncaring. "Doesn''t everyone becomes stressed when talking about their own fate? Perhaps that person and I have no fate together. Even so, the Heavens doesn''t treat me all that badly, allowing me to meet Little Yuan." Saying that, he grins at Huo Zaiyuan.

    After the meal, Long Zhanye automatically gathers the bowls and chopsticks, washing them and putting them back in order. Watching that person''s slender back view, his left hand flicks beneath the table, bringing out the Holy Dragon Bone Brush, a bamboo tube filled with spring water, the glass bottle containing the crystals, the ink saucer as well a wooden tile before laying everything out on the table before him.

    Dropping a crystal onto the saucer, then add spring water, Huo Zaiyuan dips the brush in the scarlet ink, mixing his spiritual energy with the brush''s and injecting the fusion through it. Lifting the tile, he focuses all his attention on drawing a spell on it.

    Finished washing the dishes, Long Zhanye returns to the table only to find Huo Zaiyuan focusing intensely on gripping a calligraphy brush and drawing runes he can''t make sense of onto a piece of wood. Although he is curious about how the youth manage to bring so many things out in such a short amount of time, he refrains from making any noise and disturbing him.

    When the final stroke is done, Huo Zaiyuan exhales a long breath and places the Holy Dragon Bone Brush beside the saucer. This is his second time using a devil ant crystal as material to create a talisman. Running his finger lightly over the runes, he can sense the strong power emitting from it, even more than the ones he created during his first go at using this scarlet ink. Feeling very pleased, he raises his eyes and meets the deep dark gaze of the man sitting opposite him, a fist at his cheek propping up his head.

    "Older brother Long, this is a defensive talisman. If you keep it on you, it will protect you." While he knows the other male is very strong, the moment he heard the sentence "cannot live past thirty", he immediately thought of a way to provide some measure of protection.

    Taking the offered peach wood talisman, Long Zhanye smiles lightly, tucking it into his clothes like a treasured item.

    Seeing that he accepted it without hesitation, Huo Zaiyuan smiles, returning the items on the table into his space all at once. Upon seeing this, Long Zhanye is momentarily stunned.

    (Translator¡¯s notes: In case it¡¯s not clear, LZY didn¡¯t tell HZY the name of the person he wants to find¡­but they found each other anyway! (¦Ø ) ~ )

 CH 39

    Chapter 39: Personal interdimensional space

    With a wave of his hand, all his equipment on the table vanishes without a trace. Even Long Zhanye, with his immense capability to accept things and move on, is stunned by this display. Rushing towards Huo Zaiyuan, he grabs his left hand, flipping it here and there before pulling up his (HZY) sleeve.

    On the pale slender arm and delicate hand, besides the silver dragon tattoo coiling around the wrist, there is nothing else. Long Zhanye looks here and there, in the end, cannot help but be curious.

    "Little Yuan, your magic trick just now wasn''t too shabby. Do it again. I will definitely see through it."

    Exposing his interdimensional space in front of Long Zhanye, in actual fact, makes Huo Zaiyuan''s heart feel restless. However, now that he sees the other party''s eyes light up and demand he show his "magic tricks" once more, black lines forms on his face. Withdrawing his hand, he waves it again, causing a stack of neatly folded blankets to appear on the dining table.

    "This is not a magic trick. This is an interdimensional space granted to me, which is why¡­" Before he even finishes speaking, his left hand is once again pulled towards Long Zhanye and subjected to close scrutiny. Abruptly, he (LZY) raises his head, two dark eyes full of intense concentration pinning Huo Zaiyuan to his seat.

    "You - why are you looking at me like that?"

    "Even before Judgement Day, having something like this at your disposal will make anyone green with envy, let alone during the apocalypse. You so blatantly tell me about it, aren''t you worried I''ll do something to you in order to obtain it?" A pair of sword eyebrows quirked upwards as Long Zhanye extends a finger to stroke along that pretty and delicate lower jaw.

    Tsk, tsk, this soft and tender feeling, this fair and pale skin¡­

    "Scram." The Huo Zaiyuan who "suffered a defeat" in terms of Long Zhanye taking liberties with him flushes in embarrassment, lifting a leg and kicking out. Long Zhanye laughs heartily, his lean body moving lightly, easily evading the sudden attack.

    "Enough, enough. I was just playing with you." Reaching out to drape his arm over Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulders, he says. "The matter of this interdimensional space, don''t tell anyone else, understand?"

    This youth willingly shares this sort of secret with him, indirectly expressing his trust. Aiyo¡­why does he feel extremely warm in his heart?

    "Hmph, do you think I wish to share this with everyone? Since we are sticking together, this interdimensional space in my possession is something I wouldn''t be able to conceal from you forever. I might as well let you know about it right now." Huo Zaiyuan glances at the man, pulling the blankets on the table towards him to arrange them properly into a makeshift bed.

    "That''s good." Long Zhanye reaches out to rub his (HZY) head, eyes rolling up briefly as though pondering something in his mind. "Little Yuan, since you have that space, why not transfer everything in the armoury into there tomorrow?"

    He plans to teach Huo Zaiyuan how to use a gun tomorrow and the second floor''s balcony is a great vantage point. However, if they want to practise on the second floor, then they will need to move the guns and ammunition down a level which is a pretty inconvenient matter. Now that he knows Huo Zaiyuan possesses an interdimensional space, it makes everything much more convenient. Also, they will be able to take everything within the warehouse when they leave this base.

    Currently, the outside is filled with zombies everywhere. Without weapons on hand, surviving would be more difficult. As it was, he also has a feeling - a premonition, if you would - that this entire situation is certainly not as simple as it seems.

    "Okay." When Huo Zaiyuan saw all the weapons within the warehouse he already had plans to take everything with him before they leave. Now that he has Long Zhanye''s approval as well, of course he will agree. "Older brother Long, it''s getting late. Let''s sleep now."

    Although he is the one who proposes turning in now, the one who laid the blankets out on the table as a makeshift bed has no intentions of lying on it. Instead, he walks over to a bench and sits cross-legged on it.

    Long Zhanye frowns upon seeing this. "What about you?" He inquires as he wanders towards Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Me? I have no need for it. I''m meditating - ah! What the heck are you doing?!"

    Not waiting for him to finish speaking, Long Zhanye reaches out and picks him up. Cradling him close, he carries Huo Zaiyuan back to the neatly assembled ''bed''.

    "Sleep. You still need to learn how to use a gun tomorrow."

    "I don''t - " Once again, his refusal is cut short when Long Zhanye places him on top of the blankets. Giving Huo Zaiyuan no time to react, the older man settles down beside him, both arms surrounding his waist tightly, preventing from escaping Long Zhanye''s clutches.

    Pale face blushing red, heart thumping quickly.

    Huo Zaiyuan can''t help cursing in his heart.

    What does this rascal think he''s doing?!

 CH 40

    Chapter 40: First, to the garage

    Mmm¡­so warm¡­

    How long has it been since he felt this kind of warmth?

    It seems like a lifetime ago¡­ever since mother passed away, no one has ever hugged him like this.

    Wait a minute. Hug?

    Coming hazily back to consciousness, he abruptly recalls something. Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes open to meet a pair of deep, dark pupils.

    "Ahh¡­" Suffering a huge shock, his entire body jumps up, pale skin flushing a very deep red. "Y - Y - You! Why are you hugging me!!"

    "My beloved little Yuan, I am truly innocent. It was you who hugged me last night and refused to release me." A low chuckle rings out, the seductive sound enough to cause one''s heart to palpitate. Looking at the red-faced youth, Long Zhanye¡¯s mood instantly becomes good. "Hurry up and ready yourself, eat breakfast, then we''ll go move the weapons."

    "Un." As Long Zhanye doesn''t continue teasing him, Huo Zaiyuan nods his head. Waving his hand, he sends the blankets back into his space and leaves to begin preparing breakfast. "Older brother Long, what about your car?"

    He hasn''t forgotten Long Zhanye previously said the Hummer was parked in the military district''s garage. The garage can''t possibly be on the second or third floor, which leaves only the first level or the underground basement.

    What Huo Zaiyuan has considered, Long Zhanye has also naturally thought of. Looking out the window, he notes that the creatures outside remain as before, swaying to and fro, the low growls emitting from their throats drifting in the wind, making people feel rather agitated.

    "The car''s tire is slightly damaged. I sent it over for repairs the day before, but yesterday there was the sudden outbreak of zombies. I don''t know whether they managed to repair it for me. If my vehicle is not repaired, then it will be troublesome."

    "Do you know how to repair the damages?" The Huo Zaiyuan who is cooking before the stove asks.

    "Of course. It''s a must-know."

    "How about I''ll go and put your car and any equipment you''ll need inside my space, then bring them here to the second floor?" Carrying two bowls of noodles over, Huo Zaiyuan suggests.

    "Un, good idea." Long Zhanye nods in consent. "The maintenance garage is on the opposite building''s ground floor. We can get there by walking through the connecting bridge, then directly head down to the first level and retrieve my car."

    "Okay." Huo Zaiyuan looks out the window at the distant connecting bridge between the two buildings and the zombies that are shuffling back and forth on it. "Older brother Long, later, we''ll first take everything in the third level''s armoury."

    When he was just cooking breakfast, he has already transferred all the food, liquid gas, pots and stoves in the canteen into his space. Now he only needs to clear out the weapons warehouse, then both older brother Long and him can go retrieve the car without worries about leaving important items behind. Of course, it would be best if they are able to return back after grabbing the vehicle, but it is always better to take precautions.

    ~~~

    After finishing breakfast, the two men head directly to the armoury to clear it out. Long Zhanye picks up a comparatively lighter pistol which also has a larger bullet capacity, taking a moment to assemble and adjust the gun before adding a suppressor, then handing the firearm over to Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Take this. If anything happens, you do know how to fire it, don''t you?"

    "I know." Huo Zaiyuan nods his head, then flicks on the safety switch of the pistol as soon as it is in his hands.

    He might not know how to shoot a target at long range, but basic pulling of the trigger is nothing he will struggle to do.

    Also, on the route they will take to the garage, he will be setting down arrays as they walk in order to ensure they will have a safe path to take when returning to the canteen. To carry a knife in hand while setting arrays would be rather inconvenient.

    "Let''s go." Shouldering a rifle, Long Zhanye also grasps the sword Huo Zaiyuan gave him yesterday in his other hand.

    "Sure."

    All the zombies on the second floor have basically been eliminated by them yesterday, and on top of that, the array Huo Zaiyuan laid out provides extra protection, making this level very safe and secure. In addition, there is a little corridor before the entrance of the connecting bridge leading to the opposite building. That particular corridor is blocked by a steel rod secured over a door. It is obvious that there are zombies behind this barrier, and the rod was evidently put up by those who managed to escape to the second floor. Only, they had extremely bad luck, ultimately unable to escape the sad fate of becoming zombies.

    Glancing at Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye moves forward and removes the steel rod that was barring the door. Zombies don''t know how to pull doors open, only scratching and knocking against them. The person who inserted the metal rod to prevent the door from being pushed open clearly managed to remain cool-headed despite the chaos.

    Following the removal of the steel rod, the entrance door slowly opens of its own violation. Immediately, a black shadow pounces forward, repressed howls rumbling in its throat.

    There''s a flash of silver, then the zombie''s head is separated from its shoulders. A body clad in military uniform, shoulder wet with blood from a bite collapses onto the ground. A foul heavy stench permeates the small corridor, whether from the zombie being locked in here for two days or if it was a natural odour is up to one to guess.

    Frowning lightly, a hand rise and fall, a tile drops on the corpse and encompasses it in golden flames. Sadly, this body did not yield a crystal.

    "Little Yuan, I''ve discovered something." Long Zhanye shifts his gaze to the youth who is in the middle of placing three talismans on the doorway.

    "What is it?"

    "Zombies with a devil ant crystal in their skulls generally don''t have any visible wounds on their bodies. Those that were changed after being scratched or bitten all do not possess these crystals." Although he has only seen Huo Zaiyuan burn undead corpses with that golden fire once or twice, he has carefully observed everything about the two zombies at the balcony yesterday.

    Hearing this, Ho Zaiyuan pauses for a second, then agrees after thinking carefully. "It does seem like it."

    "When the volcano near H City started erupting, the volcanic ash contained a large volume of red ants capable of transforming someone into a zombie. If these people happened to be in H City that day and unknowingly allowed an ant to enter their bodies, after returning to their city, the infection began to spread. Then the concealed ants change each one into a zombie and made them attack others. This could be how the outbreak began." Long Zhanye slowly explains his speculations.

    "Un, that makes sense. So from older brother Long''s reasoning, there will be a lot more zombies carrying ants in their heads within H City compared to other cities."

    "Smart." Long Zhanye praises, rubbing Huo Zaiyuan''s head.

    Tsk, intelligent, attentive, level-headed, daring, quick reaction speed, outstanding aptitude. Why didn''t he meet this kid before the apocalypse? If he managed to enlist him in the army, who knows what position he (HZY) would be able to achieve now?

    "Will older brother Long return to A City''s military district?" From what he remembers, in his previous life, A, B, E and K City banded together to set up a relatively large safe-zone. At that time, Huo Zaiyuan was loitering in V City''s small safe-zone, eventually bumping into his stepmother who fled to V City. Afterwards, the infection spread and while he was trying to escape with the other survivors, he was kicked down into the swarm of ants.

    "Mhm, little Yuan will be coming back with me." It wasn''t a question, but a statement.

    "All right."

    Pushing the door open wider and stoppering it with various items, Huo Zaiyuan lay another array in the corridor before pulling open the door leading to the connecting bridge. Their previous commotion had attracted the zombies nearby. From the muffled growls, it is obvious the undead wants nothing more than to attack the two, but are prevented from acting due to the talismans. Long Zhanye easily disposes of that handful currently trapped by the array. As though confirming his theory, these zombies that are covered in wounds produce nothing after being burned.

    Finally, after blocking this door with more items to prevent it from closing, they step onto the connecting bridge. The scent of living beings quickly draws the attention of all the undead wandering around the bridge, enticing attacks in rapid succession. Long Zhanye swings the knife in his hand, a chop here, a strike there. Huo Zaiyuan too forgoes the use of his talisman, copying the other in slaying zombies with his sword.

    Blade slicing horizontally through the air, he cleaves the head of a zombie dragging its intestines along cleanly in two. Long Zhanye advances steadily over the bridge, walking out from below the stairs'' shadow, with Huo Zaiyuan close behind, glowing silver talisman clenched between his fingers.

    "Older brother Long, this is the last array I will set. Where is the garage?"

    "It''s in the building opposite, but it''s rather strange¡­there are no zombies here." Sweeping his gaze over the blood-stained floor, eyes narrowing slightly, tension not easing one bit from his body.

    "It is odd, but¡­older brother Long, do you feel the atmosphere here is eerie?" Maybe it is a side-effect from his cultivation, but Huo Zaiyuan feels his sixth sense has become keener.

    Looking at all the wreckage and bloodstains, his heart is really uneasy¡­as if this place is hiding something.

    "Little Yuan, use your gun. No matter what creature emerges, just open fire." Long Zhanye hands his knife over to Huo Zaiyuan, letting him place it back into the space before unslinging the rifle on his back.

    Tossing both swords back in his space, Huo Zaiyuan draws the suppressed pistol and dips his head at Long Zhanye. "Let''s go."

 CH 41

    Chapter 41: Successfully repairing the car

    The purpose of their trip this time is not to scavenge for supplies or anything like that. Their only objective is to enter the garage and retrieve Long Zhanye''s vehicle, nothing too difficult.

    The two of them, one leading in front and one guarding the rear slowly tread forward. Their surroundings are completely silent, not a sliver of sound can be heard. In charge of guarding both their backs, Huo Zaiyuan strains his five senses as far as they can go, discovering that each sense has become more sensitive. Ordinarily, the change is rather subtle. However, now that they are in a highly tensed situation, it becomes rather obvious.

    What was originally a one-minute walk down to the garage takes the duo five minutes. Fortunately, nothing happened during this short journey.

    The garage''s gate is designed to be pulled open by two people from the left and right. Compared to the one pulled up by the handle in the middle, it provides more security. The gate itself isn''t locked, and the bloodstains on the surface cause one to feel uncomfortable. A faint smell of blood wafts through the gap at the bottom, inducing nausea.

    Long Zhanye gestures with his fingers, and Huo Zaiyuan aims his pistol at the garage, ready to open fire the moment anything leaps out. Slowly lifting the garage door by the handles, Long Zhanye feels a chill running down his spine, the small hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

    Mental alarm bells ring in his head, warning him of danger.

    Expression hardening, he applies more strength to his arms, shoving the gate up in one quick motion. Instantly, a greyish-green skinned hand covered in cracks and adorned with sharp, black fingernails strikes out at Long Zhanye.

    Pew! Pew! Pew!

    A slender finger pulls the trigger in rapid succession, the supressed pistol spitting out three bullets into the garage. Who knew what the bullets hit, but it manages to force the hand to withdraw.

    An arm circling around Huo Zaiyuan''s waist, Long Zhanye picks him up and retreats a few paces away from the garage.

    Grr¡­grr¡­

    Low roars emit from within the garage. Along with those sounds, a greyish-green, bloodied zombie emerges, all rotting flesh and turbid, yellow eyes. Once it catches sight of the pair of humans, it opens its jaws wide and lurches forth. However, its movements are not as stiff as other regular zombies.

    Using the butt of his rifle to smack away the two rotting hands making a grab for the duo, Long Zhanye levels the muzzle at the undead''s skull and pulls the trigger, only to discover that this one is unexpectedly different from the average zombie in terms of intelligence. Tilting its head to avoid the bullet, it pounces forward once more.

    Huo Zaiyuan who was shielded by the taller man lifts his own pistol and squeezes the trigger three times, landing three consecutive shots in the zombie''s torso. Due to the penetrative force of the bullets, it was forced to retreat several steps.

    Flipping the rifle in his hand, Long Zhanye pulls the trigger multiple times, sending bullet after bullet accurately towards its head, successfully blowing his target to bits. Headless, the corpse slumps down to the ground, unmoving.

    Gazing at the motionless body, the two men glance at each other, both wearing the same flabbergasted look.

    "Burn it."

    "Un." Nodding his head, he produces a peach wood tile and drops it on the corpse, allowing golden flames to consume it. It didn''t take long for all traces of this peculiar zombie to vanish.

    "Little Yuan, that zombie was a little strange."

    Its speed was greater than the average one''s, its claws at least half a meter long, and above all, it knew how to dodge bullets¡­it truly appears that this apocalypse isn''t as simple as it seems on the surface.

    Huo Zaiyuan voices his agreement, before freezing for a split-second as he stares at the spot the zombie''s corpse had been a moment earlier. "Older brother Long, take a look at this."

    Picking up a bean-sized crystal with a pair of tongs, he holds it out to Long Zhanye.

    From his memory, he recalls that all the crystals Huo Zaiyuan collected before were the size of sesame seeds, but this one is unmistakably many times bigger.

    "Well, evidently, the strength of the zombies dictates the size of the crystal. The cause of that zombie being different from the others is due to this." Long Zhanye answers after pondering for a moment. "It seems we need to take better note of things like this in the future."

    "But aren''t all the devil ants the size of sesame seeds? Could it be this particular one was a special case?" Huo Zaiyuan murmurs as he studies the crystal clamped between the tongs.

    A devil ant the size of a red bean¡­

    "Aha¡­what kind of logic is that?" Long Zhanye can''t help but chuckle, rubbing his head. "Didn''t you see the bodies of the other zombies? Every one of their skulls was clawed in. I reckon that is all the special zombie''s doing. It devoured the brains of its fellow undead, becoming stronger as the ants merge together in its head. This bean-size crystal is the resulting fusion of multiple ants."

    "Okay, that''s a logical explanation. In other words, zombies can evolve too by eating each other!" Huo Zaiyuan pales drastically at that thought.

    In his previous life, the him who fled from place to place during the apocalypse had met his fair share of zombies. During that time, the only thing he knew about the undead was they start off slow and stiff but as time passes, their movements gradually become more agile, just like a living human. And the most recent zombie they killed clearly displayed such actions¡­being able to absorb another zombie''s crystal and strength. If in case amongst these evolved zombies, one decides to devour all the others like it, then wouldn''t that make the surviving one near invincible?

    "That''s right, but don''t stress." Seeing Huo Zaiyuan''s ashen face, Long Zhanye is able to deduce what he is thinking.

    "You are right. There''s no point in worrying." Huo Zaiyuan exhales faintly.

    Ever since the apocalypse began, he realises that his emotions are becoming more and more volatile. No matter what he did, he can''t seem to revert back to the constant state of calm prior to the end of the world. Clearly, he needs to put more effort in cultivating.

    "Go into the garage and let''s retrieve my car together with all the necessary tools and parts. We''ll head back to the second floor."

    As every military base have a backup generator, one doesn''t have to worry about lacking electricity even if the entire district is overrun by zombies. Flicking on the lights in the garage, Huo Zaiyuan is met with shelves of tools and spare parts he has never seen before.

    Although that zombie had been hiding in the garage, it apparently held zero interest towards anything within. Long Zhanye''s beloved Hummer is parked in the middle of the garage, its damaged front wheel already removed. It appears that the mechanic in charge of repairs wasn''t able to finish his job before Judgement Day arrived.

    The Hummer H1 before him obviously differs from Huo Zaiyuan''s own, its frame more similar to heavy-duty off-road vehicles and painted in the same military camouflage colours as Long Zhanye''s attire. It looked very well-cared for, its owner noticeably putting a lot of thought in its modifications.

    "Steel-plated frame, high collision resistance, bullet-proof, special glass for the windows so it wouldn''t shatter even if smashed as it contains extremely fine gold threads." Long Zhanye boasts as he pats his favourite car, expression cocky.

    Listening to list of modifications done to that Hummer, Huo Zaiyuan can''t help pouting as he curses the other silently.

    As expected, military-grade items are extremely different. Say, can this ultimately be considered a Hummer or an armoured tank shaped like a car ah?

    "Older brother Long, could you help me look through those spare parts and see if there''s anything suitable to use for the Hummer. If there is, pass it to me and I''ll keep them all." Huo Zaiyuan runs his fingers over the Hummer''s hood, transferring it into his space in a flash of silver light.

    The Hummer he bought from the black market and Long Zhanye''s heavily-modified one are their most precious means of transportation. Since this garage has so many spare parts and tools, then they will need to store them carefully in case they need it in the future.

    In the end, Long Zhanye managed to uncover quite a few suitable parts and tools as well as several tens of special Hummer tires, handing them all off to Huo Zaiyuan to store in his space. During the apocalypse, a car''s tires are extremely essential. Should they be damaged anytime during their journey, not being able to fix or change it will be very risky.

    Mission accomplished, they return to the second floor''s canteen, not at all worried about meeting random zombies as the scattered arrays are powerful enough to protect them along the way. At the same time, they re-sealed the two doors at the end of the bridge in order to provide additional security.

    The entire trip took most of the day, and by the time they trudge back to their temporary hideout, the sky has darkened. Moving most of the tables and benches into the next room, Huo Zaiyuan materialises Long Zhanye''s Hummer in the cleared area. While the soldier proceeds to repair his vehicle with spanner and screwdrivers, Huo Zaiyuan wanders into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Since they only had breakfast this morning and completely skipped lunch, his stomach is currently calling for food.

    Entering his space, he takes a look at the apple and pear tree he planted near the bamboo forest as an experiment before he left the rented house. In only a couple of days'' time, both trees have grown to a few meters in height. Pleased by the results, Huo Zaiyuan makes a mental note to use the entire field as a plantation for various fruits and vegetables.

    Hmm¡­he''ll need to ask older brother Long what kind of fruits and vegetables he likes.

    (Author''s note: Oh my, little Yuan shou is such a wifey.)

 CH 42

    Chapter 42: Target practice

    In the initial stages of the apocalypse, although zombies roam the earth, the sky is still unpolluted. Therefore, the early morning air they wake up to is still as fresh and clean as before. Huo Zaiyuan did not enter his space, instead sitting cross-legged on top of the soft blankets and cultivated for an entire night.

    Long Zhanye has a habit of rising early, opening his eyes to the view of the youth sitting cross-legged and meditating. His lips pull up in an attractive smirk, movement gentle as he turns over. Fingers stroking his chin, he allows his gaze to wander.

    The morning sun so happens to shine upon the meditating person. Peaceful expression, slim figure, a curtain of long jet-black hair loosely scattered over his delicate shoulders, pale and tender skin, a cute, straight nose, full-petal lips¡­all these features meld together to produce a beautiful visual. Nonetheless, he didn''t give off a feminine air, for the youth retains a strong heroic spirit and intelligence on par with his beauty. Un, he is still young, still possesses some childhood innocence, but after a few years, this child will grow into a handsome guy. For some reason, Long Zhanye is really looking forward to that day.

    As Long Zhanye''s heart continues to calculate the possibilities that might occur in the future, Huo Zaiyuan softly exhales, fan-like eyelashes fluttering, eyes opening unhurriedly, performing a few stretches to make his body feel more comfortable. The moment he catches Long Zhanye watching, he abruptly freezes.

    "Little Yuan, good morning."  Long Zhanye smiles in greeting as he sits up.

    "Good morning, older brother Long."

    After making themselves presentable, Huo Zaiyuan makes a simple broth breakfast. Once they are finished with their meal, Huo Zaiyuan retrieves an MP5 submachine gun from his space. As the area where the Hummer was placed in for repair is the very room connected to the balcony they jumped into from the perimeter wall, Long Zhanye wouldn''t need to keep walking back and forth between teaching Huo Zaiyuan how to shoot and completing the touch-ups on his vehicle.

    Lifting the firearm, Huo Zaiyuan leans against the balcony''s railing, aiming down the sights as he singled out a zombie clad in purple nightclothes amongst the mass of undead below. Target in sight, he pulls the trigger. Muffled gunfire resonates out, muzzle flashing as bullets are spat from the barrel. Due to the stronger than expected recoil, the submachine gun shifts a little, causing the shots to go askew. The zombie on the receiving end of the bullets was the one a meter away from his intended target, a rotting shoulder reduced to a pulp.

    Scowling faintly at the miss, Huo Zaiyuan isn''t too pleased with his results for this try.

    Chuckling, Long Zhanye who was standing aside to watch plucks the MP5 from Huo Zaiyuan''s hands, then take aim at the pack of zombies below the balcony, a finger teasing the trigger.

    Pew pew pew!

    A continuous burst of fire erupts, and approximately ten zombies collapse with broken heads.

    How accurate.

    "Come, I''ll teach you." Returning the MP5 to Huo Zaiyuan, he moves closer until his front is all but moulded to the slim back, left hand wrapping around Huo Zaiyuan''s own to grip the firearm properly, the other hand shifting the butt of the submachine gun so it rests comfortably at his (HZY) shoulder, explaining as he adjusts the position. "Target, iron sight, line of sight. These three things must be aligned."

    The torso pressing up against his back as well as the breath tickling his ear as Long Zhanye speaks makes Huo Zaiyuan''s muscles tense and his ears to redden, heart pounding a little faster.

    That damned - this is - what is he doing!

    As Huo Zaiyuan''s focus wanders, Long Zhanye guides his finger to pull the trigger, successfully shooting a zombie in the head.

    "Here, you try it."

    "Eh? Oh, all right." The older man''s voice abruptly brings Huo Zaiyuan out of his thoughts.

    Although he was a little distracted during the demonstration, he still remembers what was being said and follows the instructions carefully. With Long Zhanye''s teaching in mind, he commences shooting at the live practise targets below.

 CH 43

    Chapter 43: It is also possible to plant vegetables

    After an entire day of target practice, Huo Zaiyuan is pleased to note that his accuracy has improved quite a bit.

    When dinnertime approaches, he takes out a carp, onions, coriander, shallots and a handful of soybeans. First removing the head and tail, then put them in the pressure cooker before adding the soybeans into the soup to stew. As for the body of the carp, after scaling it, he adds some rice wine and soy sauce to marinate it before chopping it up into bite-size pieces to pan-fry. Finally, the onions and shallots are stir-fried with shiitake mushrooms, sliced beef and soybean paste.

    "Smells really fragrant. Little Yuan''s culinary skills are truly becoming more and more amazing." Long Zhanye''s mouth waters as he walks into the canteen and is met with the delicious aroma of hot food. Mouth curving into a small smile, he directly heads towards Huo Zaiyuan.

    Seeing Long Zhanye sidle up to him, bright eyes lock onto the pieces of fish still frying in the pan, Huo Zaiyuan grins faintly. "Cooking is a skill I am gifted with." Nimbly lifting the pan and flipping the meat within, he reaches out with his unoccupied hand and pushes Long Zhanye away gently. "I still need a moment to finish cooking. Older brother Long, why don''t you go take a bath first?"

    For the whole day, Long Zhanye finished the repairs for his Hummer, overhauling the engine to ensure absolutely nothing is wrong before allowing Huo Zaiyuan to store it back in the interdimensional space. After that, he taught Huo Zaiyuan how to use a gun properly, then as the younger man continues practising, he decides to kill some time by checking each room on the second and third floor over once more. This time, he discovers a small drawer containing several camouflage uniforms, military attires and bullet-proof vests hidden in a corner of the armoury.

    Long Zhanye is not mysophobic, as during his special training regime a few years ago, he was left on an uninhabited island for an entire month. In this period, he didn''t have the luxury of bathing often or have a clean change of clothes on hand, thus, he is used to it. But currently, although it is the apocalypse, he is not on an uninhabited island. These past couple of days scaling walls, fighting zombies and retrieving his car are perspire-inducing activities. The sticky feeling over his entire body is one that he finds a little unbearable.

    Calling Huo Zaiyuan over to select a change of clothes from the stack he found, he heads to the lavatory on the second floor to bathe and change, finally feeling refreshed.

    ~~~

    When Long Zhanye returns from the bath, Huo Zaiyuan has already placed all the dishes on the table as well as the bowls and cutlery. Turning his head, he catches an eyeful of naked flesh. Honey-coloured skin, toned, muscled body similar to a sculpture, eight-pack abs that are the jealousy of every man on earth. A raised eyebrow immediately changes to a small frown as he sees water droplets falling from dark spiky hair down onto the floor. With a wave of his hand, he produces a white bath towel.

    "Dry your hair, lest you catch a cold."

    "Don''t worry, ever since I was a baby, I rarely fall sick." Although he says this, Long Zhanye still accepts the towel and dries his hair.

    As the two begins to eat dinner, Huo Zaiyuan eyes the man opposite him and slowly asks. "Older brother Long, do you have any fruits and vegetables you like to eat?"

    "Fruits and vegetables? I don''t have anything I like more than the others. I''m easy to feed. Not a picky eater."

    "I can tell."

    "What''s up?" Long Zhanye inquires curiously, feeling that this youth has a lot of secrets, but since he doesn''t want to share, he wouldn''t pry.

    "There''s a field in my space which can be used as a plantation. Before the apocalypse, I collected quite a bit of fruit and vegetable seeds. Now that we are staying here for the time being, I have a bit of free time, so I was thinking to plant some crops." Huo Zaiyuan admits directly.

    Even though Long Zhanye is aware that Huo Zaiyuan''s space is capable of storing vast quantities of items, he never imagined there is even a plantation within. That space truly defies natural order ah!

    "Little Yuan, if you are able to grow crops within, then what about rearing livestock? Like chicken, ducks, etc¡­" Eyes shining bright, Long Zhanye''s little heart starts calculating again. Obviously, if Huo Zaiyuan says it is possible, he will think of ways to acquire a flock of chicks and ducklings to rear in the space so they wouldn''t need to worry about lacking chicken or duck meat in the future.

    Only it''s a pity¡­

    "That''s impossible. I''ve experimented before. Besides me, any other living beings cannot exist within the space." Regarding this matter, he also feels it is such a pity.

 CH 44

    Chapter 44: Uninvited guests

    The pair ends up staying in Z City''s military district for a total of ten days. After the Hummer is repaired, Long Zhanye took it upon himself to instruct Huo Zaiyuan in long-range shooting. As a result of his attentive teaching, Huo Zaiyuan''s aim improved day by day. Although he has yet to reach Long Zhanye''s ease of scoring a hit every time he picks up a gun, he is at least able to score a 90% accuracy rating, which is admirable in itself. At night, he enters his space and focuses on planting fruits and vegetables. Consequently, he feels that the days staying in this building passes rather comfortably, with nothing much to stress over.

    At the same time, the mass of over a thousand zombies gathered beneath the balcony has been whittled down to less than half courtesy of Huo Zaiyuan''s target practise for the last few days. The sight of quieter growling coupled with motionless bodies lying on the ground is a sight unnerving enough to scare people, but all he feels upon seeing that is a sense of satisfaction. Because it just proves that his marksmanship is improving.

    According to their discussions, they intend to remain in this stronghold for a month before departing. However, there are always unexpected circumstances that force one to change their plans. One morning, a loud, violent explosion suddenly booms out, startling awake the sleeping Long Zhanye and the meditating Huo Zaiyuan.

    With extreme speed, the duo dashes for the window only to see two large trucks outside the tightly closed steel gates of the military district. A heavily muscled man is standing on the roof of one of the trucks, lobbing grenades over the perimeter wall, the resulting explosions sending zombies and dead corpses flying here and there.

    "Who are these people?"

    A few more grenades were thrown over the wall, followed by a series of booms. There aren''t many zombies left on the ground floor near the gates.

    "Driving a huge truck and attacking the military base. There''s no doubt they are here to loot the place. Throwing a few grenades in to gauge the situation inside. No matter how you look at it, these are no good people." Narrowing his eyes, Long Zhanye watches as the man standing on the vehicle''s roof moves over to the perimeter wall in preparation to open the steel gates. "Little Yuan, I think we had best find a place to hide for a while."

    "Hide where?" Huo Zaiyuan turns to face him.

    Wouldn''t it be better if they quickly left this place instead? Why choose to hide?

    "My dear little Yuan, these group of people are not good Samaritans. From where they are to here, I believe it wouldn''t take them more than ten minutes. We are currently on the second floor. Besides the perimeter wall, there is only the steel gates barring their way. Therefore, we''ll hide for a while, maintain the status quo." Draping an arm over Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulders, he patiently explains. Suddenly, he pauses and looks deep into Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes. "If there really is any danger, remember to hide in your space. Don''t worry about me."

    "What are you saying?" Huo Zaiyuan glares at him as he allows Long Zhanye to pull him along in search of a place to hide.

    The both of them decides to hide in one of the less conspicuous rooms on the second level, where one can still see everything happening on this level by peering between the junks stashed within. Huo Zaiyuan can''t help praising Long Zhanye in his heart. A soldier indeed.

    Although this is a junk storage area, there are multiple areas to attack and defend from, and if someone notices them, they would be able to take cover behind the piles of junk lying around the room.

    Just as soon as they manage to hide properly, a group of eight big men reach the second floor. The one bringing up the rear is chewing on a cigarette in his mouth, at the same time carrying another person on his back.

    "Boss, this terrain is not too bad. It seems those monsters were all gathered on the first floor." A man with multi-coloured hair and the attitude of a delinquent calls out to the heavy-built muscled man leading in front as he plays with a pistol in his hand.

    "Tsk, it would be best if that''s the case." The apparent leader scoffs coldly, arriving outside the doorway to the canteen. Looking over his shoulder, he orders his subordinates. "All of you go search each room and see if there''s anyone in this building."

    "Understood."

    "What if there is someone?"

    "Drag them back here."  The big man replies, taking over in carrying the last unconscious man from the one with a cigarette in his mouth. "Then kill them."

    Huo Zaiyuan who is hiding quietly is originally rather calm, however, when he gets a clear view of the person who is currently being supported, his expression changes drastically.

    "Little Qing¡­"

    (Author''s note: The secondary couple''s shou appears ~ )

 CH 45

    Chapter 45: Shoot anything that moves

    "Why is little Qing here?" Both eyes wide open as he stares at the person cradled to the muscled man''s chest. It is clear that the youth is unconscious, causing Huo Zaiyuan to clench his teeth in anger.

    "Little Yuan, what''s the matter?" Although Huo Zaiyuan''s tone was soft, Long Zhanye''s hearing is pretty acute, so he heard everything the other man said. "Do you recognise that guy?"

    "Un¡­he is my childhood friend." Judging from those tightly clenched fists, it is not hard to guess what is going through his mind.

    Staring at the muscled man carrying the unconscious youth into the canteen, one can see from the wide open window that the younger boy is carefully settled on the dining table. A lecherous smile form on the big man''s face, displaying what he is thinking of doing clearly on his face.

    "Capture the thief by capturing the king first[1]. I''ll first get rid of that man as well as the guard by the door. You crouch down and use the low wall as cover to move through the corridor and get to your friend. Leave the rest to me." As Long Zhanye speaks, he picks up the suppressed MP5 which Huo Zaiyuan had been practising with for the last few days. The moment that unexpected situation arose, Long Zhanye had Huo Zaiyuan retrieve this from his space before they hid.

    "All right."

    As the subordinates obeyed the order from their leader to search the rooms, they gradually scatter in each direction until the only one left in the canteen is the boss and a guard, who is a green-haired man and was instructed not to peek into the canteen.

    As soon as the others walk far away, Long Zhanye raises the gun and takes aim at the big muscular person, then squeezes the trigger once. The bullet is spat out at high-speed, accurately grazing the target''s temple. The muzzle moves slightly and before the green-haired guard could react, the gun fires once more. A thin red line appears in the exact same spot as the previous target. The moment the guard falls, Huo Zaiyuan has already squeezed past the piles of junk and speeds off towards the canteen in a half-crouch.

    Although the submachine gun is already adorned with a suppressor, when the green-haired man collapsed, the sounds it produced is enough to cause a few people to take notice. The first man who discovered something doesn''t seem quite right and was about to call for his companions is shot in the shoulder by Long Zhanye. As for the person next to the victim, he only has enough time to be startled before he caught a bullet to the chest, falling to the ground.

    The remaining survivors freeze momentarily, then begin panicking, creating enough ruckus to awaken the Heavens. One after another, they raise their guns and arms in the air in the universal gesture of surrender, a freaked out expression etched on their faces.

    "Be good and raise your hands. You and you, stand over there together." Walking out from between the junks, Long Zhanye points his gun at the several ashen-faced, terrified men, then quirks an eyebrow. Glancing towards the canteen for a second, he catches sight of Huo Zaiyuan carrying his unconscious friend away.

    The man who had brought up the rear when the group came in notices Long Zhanye''s split-second of inattention and inches his hand down slowly towards the pistol strapped to his waist.

    Pew!

    "Ahh - !"

    A bullet lodges itself in the palm of the man''s hand, causing him to yell in agony, pressing down on the bullet-wound in an attempt to staunch the blood flow.

    "Don''t move ah. I''ll shoot anything that moves." Long Zhanye warns blandly.

    This time, no one else dares to move even a finger, afraid to offend Long Zhanye and provoking him into killing all of them.

    Once Huo Zaiyuan confirms that only his childhood friend''s clothes were torn to shreds and there were no suspicious bruises or scars on his body, he exhales a relieved sigh. Gaze falling on the heavily-muscled man who had wanted to take advantage of little Qing, his eyebrows knit together and he mercilessly kicks the man between his legs.

    "Urgh - !"

    Again, Long Zhanye displays his exquisite skills in marksmanship. Firing the gun so the bullets graze the targets¡¯ temple, knocking them out instantly instead of claiming a life. However, as for the leader who suffered a kick from Huo Zaiyuan, he just might not want to live anymore.

    (Author''s note: Little Long gong is indeed formidable ~ )

    Footnotes:

    [1] In other words, kill the general to topple an army.

 CH 46

    Chapter 46: Li Qing

    With a joint effort by Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye, the pair ties the party of eight up with several lengths of rope, locking them in a room. Presently, their temporary hideout is once again safe. Returning to the canteen, Huo Zaiyuan checks on his still unconscious childhood friend, brow wrinkling.

    "Why has this brat become more and more lazy?"

    Standing aside, Long Zhanye laughs lightly as he hears Huo Zaiyuan''s mumbled words. Walking over to the boy sleeping on the table, he leans in and sniffs.

    "Knockout drugs? Little Yuan, your friend has been drugged. Feed him more water to dilute the substance in his bloodstream and he will be fine."

    Hearing Long Zhanye''s observations, Huo Zaiyuan waves his hand, taking out a box of bottled mineral water from within his space. Opening a bottle as though sacrificing it for a greater cause, with no mercy painted on his face, Long Zhanye''s heart sweats as he watches. If he doesn''t know beforehand that the two youths are childhood friends, he would be wondering what sort of grudge the youth could have against the unconscious person. Tsk, tsk¡­sure enough, one mustn''t provoke a child.

    "Uh¡­cough, cough¡­urgh - " Following a violent coughing fit, the unconscious person abruptly opens his eyes, sits up and vomits a mouthful of water over the edge of the table.

    "Once he vomits it out, then everything will be fine." Long Zhanye looks at the incessantly dry-heaving youth and states lightly. Who knows where he manages to procure a packet of cigarettes but a stick is already lit and in his mouth, faint white smoke rising from the tip, a strong odour settling around him.

    Glancing at the man standing in the doorway and smoking, Huo Zaiyuan seems to be thinking something over as he reaches out and pats his childhood friend''s back to ease the heaving.

    "Hah¡­hah¡­" In the end, he stops vomiting and stays sprawled at the edge of the table. Slowly, he raises his head and sees an extremely familiar face. "Little¡­little Yuan?"

    "Eh¡­un." Huo Zaiyuan replies at his friend''s call. "Are you all right? Where is Qin Jun?"

    "Uwah¡­"

    Just as Huo Zaiyuan finish asking, the youth who very recently regained conscience scrunches his forehead, the pair of dark eyes fill with glistening tears. Throwing himself into Huo Zaiyuan''s bosom, he begins crying loudly, sobbing miserably enough to move the world and shake the heart, as though he can express all his fear and grief through his tears.

    ~~~

    Still bearing two red eyes and lashes wet with teardrops, Li Qing uses a napkin to wipe his continuously flowing tears, clearly still traumatized by the events he experienced.

    "Stop crying, it makes you look ugly. Here, eat something and save your strength." Huo Zaiyuan says as he holds out a plate full of mantou[1] in front of his friend. "You still haven¡¯t told me why Qin Jun is not with you."

    The mantou in his hands wobbles slightly as a desolate expression crosses Li Qing''s face, tears rolling down his cheeks again. "I broke up with him. He has nothing to do with me anymore, so why would I be following him n - aiya¡­ouch! Why did you hit me for?!"

    "Nothing." Huo Zaiyuan answered blandly, taking a mantou from the plate and biting into it.

    "Little Yuan¡­that person¡­is he your¡­this?" Li Qing glances meaningfully at Long Zhanye who is currently out in the corridor fiddling with the few guns he took off their captives. Then shifting his gaze to Huo Zaiyuan, he slowly extends his pinky[2].

    Staring at the pale, slender pinky, Huo Zaiyuan quirked an unamused eyebrow before reaching out and raps his knuckles on Li Qing''s head.

    "Ah - it''s really painful!"

    "Scram! And don''t stop[3]!"

    "Boohoo¡­you''re becoming more and more violent." Cradling his aching head in his hands, Li Qing turns pathetic eyes on him. "You suddenly vanish for an entire year, what happened? I was just about to go crazy trying to find you. Also, why is there an arrest warrant for you on the web ah¡­"

    Hearing him mention the arrest warrant, Huo Zaiyuan immediately rushes forward, clamping a hand firmly on Li Qing''s collar, a grave expression on his face. "My name now is Zi Yuan, not Huo Zaiyuan. You better remember that clearly. This has something to do with my previous situation." Saying this, he also makes a zipping motion across his lips.

    Li Qing doesn''t know why his childhood friend who suddenly went missing for an entire year before re-appearing again to save him has changed so much, but he knows that it is connected to something bigger, something concerning Huo Zaiyuan that the other doesn''t want to talk about. In addition, looking at the almost unfamiliar but yet so familiar face of his best friend, Li Qing feels that the youth before him has become more reliable than before.

    "Little Yuan¡­" He calls the other''s name lowly, expression difficult.

    "Hmm?" With a mouthful of mantou, Huo Zaiyuan mumbles. "If you have something to say, then say it. It''s unlike you to hesitate."

    "Your friend looks like someone really capable, can I request his help to send me home, please?" Saying until here, Li Qing''s eyes redden again. "I came to Z City to visit my mum. A few days ago, I suddenly realise a lot of people turned into monsters. Mum and I hid in our house and didn''t dare go out. But early this morning, these people suddenly intrude in our home and snatch away all the food. They injured mum and kidnapped me. I''m worried about her¡­"

    Huo Zaiyuan knows that his childhood friend is not the birth mother of next door''s Madam Li, but the illegitimate son of Board member Li and his mistress. Hence, from a young age, Li Qing was constantly bullied and laughed at by other kids. A the age of three, in the residential area''s public park, he happened to see someone pushing Li Qing into the sandpit, causing him to scrape his knee, blood dripping from the wound. Huo Zaiyuan''s mother was holding his hand for a stroll in the park. Seeing this, she brought Li Qing back home with them to bandage his wound. From that time onwards, the two boys became good friends.

    Later, when Huo Zaiyuan''s mother passed away, Huo Zaiyuan quietly shed tears whereas Li Qing sobbed loudly, much more miserably then the actual son. Soon after the funeral, his father brought his mistress and illegitimate son back, angering Huo Zaiyuan to the point of leaving home. In the heavy downpour on the day he ran away, it was Li Qing who braved the rain and searched for an entire night, eventually coming down with a high fever. From that point, their friendship deepened even further.

    Moving out of the Huo house to live alone outside, Li Qing will come over for a visit from time to time, looking for him to play computer games together, or to go somewhere together. Because Huo Zaiyuan''s circle of friends contains quite a few dissolute companions, Li Qing will also come by when it''s close to exam period to revise together, making sure Huo Zaiyuan doesn¡¯t slack off.

    When Huo Zaiyuan recalls the past, he often thinks that when his mother died and his father brought in his mistress and her son, without Li Qing, he would have gone mad a long time ago.

    "Come on, I''ll talk to older brother Long. You can eat and walk at the same time." Stuffing the plate of mantou into Li Qing''s bosom, Huo Zaiyuan stands up and heads out the canteen.

    Although he has never seen Li Qing''s birth mother personally, from the framed photo he often glimpses in Li Qing''s room, she is a slim woman who doesn''t possess a remarkable appearance, the complete opposite of her son''s pretty and delicate features. Li Qing¡¯s appearance is more like his father, the five facial points gentle and soft, while his figure is all his mother''s.

    Since childhood, he knows that Li Qing doesn''t like the Li family, but Madam Li is infertile, which is why she puts up with Board member Li bringing his illegitimate son into the household. But Li Qing has always been rather dependant on his birth mother, not failing to talk on the phone with her at least once a day. When they were young, Huo Zaiyuan always jokes that Li Qing reports back to his teacher every day.

    Hearing Huo Zaiyuan''s words and staring at his back, Li Qing''s face relaxes into a small smile, clasping the plate tightly and quickly following behind.

    "Older brother Long." Walking out to the corridor, Huo Zaiyuan notices that Long Zhanye has already reassembled the guns and placed a full magazine in each one.

    "Un." Long Zhanye holds out two pistols to him. "I''ve already readjusted them, the feel of it is pretty good."

    Taking one of the pistols, he passes the other to the person behind him, shocking Li Qing greatly, who obviously has never touched a gun in his life.

    "Older brother Long, little Qing''s mother is still in their home, so¡­"

    "Un, I was just about to rust staying here. It''s about time we go out for a walk." Long Zhanye shoots him a brief smile, his gaze shifting to Li Qing. "Hello, I''m Long Zhanye."

    Hearing Long Zhanye''s greeting, Li Qing''s eyes brighten, a smile lighting up his face. "Hello, I''m Li Qing. Thank you very much, older brother Long." Following his friend''s example, Li Qing decides to call the man ''older brother'' as well.

    "Older brother Long, when we leave this place, what shall we do with these people we tied up?" Huo Zaiyuan''s gaze is cold as he regards the eight men.

    Reaching out to rub his (HZY) hair, Long Zhanye smiles faintly. "Just go ahead and dismantle the array on the second floor. Not long ago, they threw grenades over the wall. Those surviving zombies within this district will undoubtedly be attracted by such loud explosions. They will take care of these guys. We wouldn''t even need to dirty our hands."

    "Un, that''s true." Huo Zaiyuan consents to the plan, then turn and leaves to start taking down all the arrays on the second floor.

    Having gone through the apocalypse once before, he understands that there are times one needs to be vicious and merciless. Right now, all sorts of morals and ethics are useless. Met with this kind of hopeless situation, the darkness dwelling within a human''s heart will begin to surface.

    Huo Zaiyuan is not bothered by killing and taking lives, but he is not some bloodthirsty murderer. If given an opportunity to not dirty his hands, he will take it gladly. This group of people are not good-hearted, bounded and helpless as they are, with the door of the room locked tightly, they will need to expand immense effort to loosen the ropes and unlock the door. The amount of time spent doing all that will be sufficient for the remaining zombies to surround the building. And as time goes by, the zombies will become more and more active. Without the warding arrays, the undead will have no trouble reaching the second floor. Thus, even if these people do not fall victim to the zombie infection, without weapons to kill their way out, they will starve to death, trapped within that small room.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Don''t think I need to explain what a mantou is, but for those who are new to the term, it''s basically a steamed bun.

    [2] Li Qing is asking is Long Zhanye is Huo Zaiyuan''s lover/significant other.

    [3] In other words: "Get out of my sight!"

 CH 47

    Chapter 47: Leaving the military district

    The party of three departs from the military district''s building together. When that group of people came barging in, they just about cleared all the zombies in the way, which is why they didn''t meet any on their way out. Exiting the military district via the front gates, Huo Zaiyuan sees the few large trucks parked in front, as well as a pretty black off-road vehicle.

    "This car is not too shabby." Long Zhanye lifts a hand to pat the car''s hood. "A Hara[1] product, unmodified." In other words, it isn''t very durable, but still better than nothing.

    "Little Qing, get into this car first. I''ll go check out the other trucks. See if there''s anything worth taking." Huo Zaiyuan gestures towards Li Qing, then heads towards the trucks, followed closely by Long Zhanye, who readies his pistol just in case.

    Pulling open the car door and climbing into the backseat, he slides up to the window and stares at Huo Zaiyuan, who is currently opening the truck''s door. Calling out, he asks. "Why not just drive those trucks as well?"

    "These trucks are cumbersome and serves as a pretty large target." Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes brighten as the goods compartment opens, proceeding to climb in.

    He quickly emerges again, holding two large boxes of instant noodles as well as foods-stuff and heading back to the off-road vehicle. Being an initiative kid, Li Qing immediately opens the car door before Huo Zaiyuan comes within range, holding it wide so his friend can place the goods in the backseat.

    "I''ll come out and help too."

    "No need. Sit inside and let your body rest. I alone am enough." There is a lot of food stored within the truck''s compartment, so his aim is to put everything else into his space. At present, other than Long Zhanye, he doesn''t plan to let anyone else know about his interdimensional space yet. Of course, it''s not because he doesn''t trust his best friend.

    "All right then."

    Within the first truck, Huo Zaiyuan discovered rice, flour, instant noodles, mineral water and a lot of snacks. It is obvious that those men used the second truck as their resting place. Within, he finds some pillows, quilts and clothes. Huo Zaiyuan frowns a little. Although he doesn''t like using what others have used before, be still places them all into his space in the end. After all, during the apocalypse, there might be a chance these used items will come in handy in the future. The third truck contains a pile of steel pipes, chopping knives, swords, etc. Carrying an armful to the black car, he stores the rest away.

    "Older brother Long, you haven''t eaten anything since this morning. Go ahead and eat something first. I will drive and little Qing will give directions." Getting into the driver seat, Huo Zaiyuan turns the key in the ignition, kick-starting the engine.

    Passing some instant noodles and a few packets of snacks to the Long Zhanye sitting in the passenger''s seat, Li Qing shifts over until he is directly behind the driver''s seat in order to see the road clearer and give his friend directions.

    Reversing smoothly from its parked position, Huo Zaiyuan manoeuvres the off-road vehicle slowly to avoid hitting the large trucks as he drives it out the steel gates. The fact that those men didn''t bother closing the front gates after driving in is a grave mistake that only serves to quicken their deaths. As the black car exits the district, a couple of zombies are already making their way over. Stepping on the accelerator, Huo Zaiyuan departs from this place quickly.

    Because he knows that not long later, this military base will be surrounded by zombies. If he doesn''t leave swiftly, they will be met with more trouble.

    Z City''s military district is located at the eastern fringe, whereas the house which Li Qing''s mother lives in is in the northern suburb, an individual villa a fair bit apart from other normal residential areas. To say it''s near, it''s not exactly so, but to say it''s far, how far can it be? However, according to Huo Zaiyuan''s beginner driver''s speed, it will take at least an hour for them to reach their destination. On top of that, Long Zhanye is taking this opportunity to guide him in improving his driving techniques.

    Entering the city hub once more after hiding in the military district for ten over days, one can see how disastrous the entire place had become. Burning buildings, crashed vehicles, bloodstains here and there. From time to time, a few zombies shuffle out from dark side streets and alleyways where the sunlight cannot penetrate¡­

    Seeing those zombies, worry surfaces in Li Qing''s eyes. "Little Yuan¡­say, what happened to this world? Will it continue to be like this in the future?"

    The apocalypse¡­if he isn''t witnessing it with his own eyes, he would scarcely believe it. But how can he not believe it now when it is unfolding right in front of him?

    "I don''t know either." Huo Zaiyuan''s grip on the steering wheel tightens, lips pursing. "But right now, surviving is the most important thing."

    "Un." Li Qing nods in agreement, then bites his lips. "I don''t know if ''he'' is all right¡­"

    "Tsk¡­didn''t you say the both of you broke up so it''s none of your business anymore? Why are you suddenly concerned now?" Huo Zaiyuan heard his murmured words and inquires in a slightly exasperated tone.

    "I - I''m just saying!" Pale face flushing red, Li Qing shouts defensively.

    "You also haven''t told me, how did you guys break up?"

    Li Qing and his boyfriend had gotten to know each other during their first year in junior high, quickly falling in mutual love. For the past six years, the both of them were inseparable, to the point of Huo Zaiyuan often laughing at them and calling them twin beans.

    "He got engaged to the mayor''s daughter." Li Qing states dully. "That''s also good. It''s the apocalypse now, but his family is wealthy, so he''ll be fine, right?"

    "Idiot."

    When Long Zhanye, who has been sitting in the passenger seat, content to listen to the conversation and no interrupt, hears "mayor''s daughter" these two words, his eyebrows rise, clearly showing that he is mildly surprised by something.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Obviously a made-up car brand. Author wants to make that clear£¨¡Ð¨Œ¡Ð£©

 CH 48

    Chapter 48: Qin Jun

    Throughout the entire journey, they met more than a few zombies, but the vehicle still manages to reach the entrance of Li Qing''s mother''s house without incident. Upon entering, one can see the corpses of zombies littering the ground, some with bullet holes in their skulls, other sporting deep gashes from blades of some kind. There were even a few that looked as if they were bludgeoned with a blunt, heavy object.

    Li Qing was unconscious when he was kidnapped and only remembers his mother falling to the ground after being hit before fainting. Now seeing that the courtyard''s entrance door is tightly shut, a sliver of hope surfaces in his heart.

    The three of them exits the vehicle and Huo Zaiyuan frowns faintly as he glances at the bodies on the ground before his hand flicks. Injecting some spiritual power into a tile, he drops it in the middle of the scattered corpses, watching as a golden blaze rises.

    Wholeheartedly wanting to check on his mother and ensure she is fine, Li Qing doesn''t notice what his childhood friend did, instead gathering up his courage to traverse across the smattering of dead zombies and arrives at the door, patting against it softly.

    "Mum¡­mum, I''m little Qing."

    Calling and knocking for a good while, still, nothing steers within the house. Li Qing''s heart sinks while Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye exchange a quick glance. In that one look, the pair manages to understand perfectly what the other had in mind regarding their next step.

    Just as Long Zhanye strolls over to the wall, prepared to scale it and intrude into the house, the sound of a lock sliding open comes from behind the entrance door.

    "Mum!" The door opens, and Li Qing happily throws himself into the arms of the individual standing there.

    However, upon seeing who exactly Li Qing was hugging, Huo Zaiyuan who is still standing beside the off-road vehicle immediately hardens his expression.

    "Qin Jun!"

    "Why are you here?" Roused by Huo Zaiyuan''s curt voice, Li Qing abruptly raises his head to look at the very person who never fails to occupy his thought day and night.

    "Looking for you." Qin Jun''s dark eyes gaze serenely at the person in his arms.

    His words manage to move Li Qing''s heart a little, a hint of red creeping up his fair cheeks. Pushing Qin Jun away, he stutters. "W - who wants you to find me? We have already broken up. There''s nothing between us anymore." He turns and walks away as soon as he finished speaking.

    "Tsk tsk¡­he''s embarrassed. He''s obviously so happy he could die." A corner of Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth curves upwards. Moving his gaze to Qin Jun, he sighs. "Never expected to come across two familiar faces in the span of one day."

    "I also never expected to bump into you here." Qi Jun chuckles softly as he notices Huo Zaiyuan before his eyes shifts over to Long Zhanye currently standing behind Huo Zaiyuan.

    "He''s my friend, Long Zhanye."

    "Hi. Soldier?" Qin Jun greets, extending a hand.

    "Hello. Medical practitioner?" Long Zhanye clasps the offered hand in a firm handshake as he smiles lightly.

    Off to the side, Huo Zaiyuan scowls, glaring at the two men. "Oi, both of you, enough. Seizing each other up so thoroughly. Are you Conan and Sherlock Holmes? Qin Jun, is little Qing''s mother all right?"

    "Oh damn, I forgot." Qin Jun freezes abruptly before whirling on his heels and dashing back into the house.

    "Mum - " Right this moment, Li Qing''s cry of alarm can be heard coming from within the house. Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye immediately sprint towards the voice.

    When the two enters the house, Qin Jun is already holding a sobbing Li Qing tightly in his embrace. On the sofa not far away lies a woman wrapped in bandages with a deathly pale complexion, devoid of a left hand. Her every breath is light and shallow, as though each one could be her last.

    "Qin Jun, you are a doctor¡­please, save my mum. I beg you, please." Clutching Qin Jun''s clothes in a death-grip, Li Qing pleads in between his sobs.

    Hugging his sweetheart, Qin Jun shakes his head slowly. "I''m truly sorry, little Qing¡­it''s impossible for me."

    The only thing he can do is embrace the crying youth tightly and offer a small measure of comfort.

    (Author''s notes: Little Qing''s gong appears too ~ )

 CH 49

    Chapter 49: Energy Congregation Array

    Long Zhanye moves forward to check on the wound of the woman''s left arm before turning to Qin Jun. "The one who amputated her hand, was it you?"

    Although the amputation itself is a little crude, the bandaging technique applied to staunch blood flow is perfect. To be able to achieve such great results under the worst circumstances possible clearly proves that this man''s medical expertise is wonderous.

    "When I arrived, the front gates were wide open. I saw her being tackled to the floor by a monster the moment I came in. Her left hand had already been bitten." Qin Jun explains as he soothes Li Qing. "On my way here, I saw how anyone who was bitten by those creatures will eventually turn into one of them¡­so I thought, if I remove the area where the bite is, then perhaps they can be saved, but¡­"

    "A zombie''s infection spreads extremely quickly, no matter if one is bitten or scratched¡­" Huo Zaiyuan interrupts as he approaches Li Qing''s mother.

    From the looks of it, she is already beginning to change. Although the initial infected area has already been removed and the speed of infection has been deterred¡­

    "Don''t tell me¡­there truly is no way to save them¡­" Gradually calming down, Li Qing hesitantly glances at the other three people.

    Pursing his lips, Huo Zaiyuan looks at his best friend, then slowly opens his mouth. "They cannot be rescued. But perhaps I can allow Aunt to regain consciousness and be clear-headed for a while. It will allow you to speak to her one last time¡­"

    Looking up at Huo Zaiyuan with tear-filled eyes, Li Qing nods in consent. "Okay, little Yuan, please let me speak to my mum¡­"

    Ever since he left his mother''s side at a young age, there were very few chances for them to meet face to face. On a typical day, he can only rely on phone calls to hear his mother''s voice and talk to her. This time, if it wasn''t because he broke up with Qin Jun, he wouldn''t have come to this city¡­

    It has been over ten days since the start of the apocalypse, and although he has spent all that time hiding with his mother, most of his time was wasted watching the movements of those monsters outside¡­he more or less understands the issue his mother is facing and the infection now spreading slowly through her body. After she was bitten, she will eventually turn into one of those creatures¡­now, he isn''t begging for his mother to be rescued from this fate, but rather, that he will be able to say goodbye to her. That in itself might be an extravagant wish too, now that he thinks about it.

    "Qin Jun, older brother Long, can you please move the furniture in that corner away?" Huo Zaiyuan draws in a deep breath, then points towards the cabinet and armchair.

    Although Qin Jun doesn''t understand why Huo Zaiyuan wants them to move the furniture away, but for the sake of Li Qing, he fulfils the request without question.

    On the other hand, Long Zhanye knows about Huo Zaiyuan''s Taoist art. If he asks them to move the furniture away, it obviously means he needs the space to perform an array of some sort. Hence, he too doesn''t ask for a reason.

    Although he hadn''t been asked to help, Li Qing gets up anyway.

    While the three went to move the furniture, Huo Zaiyuan settles down beside Li Qing''s mother, left hand flicking to retrieve three coin talisman, imbuing them with energy, then place one on the woman''s forehead, chest and abdomen. When the last piece is in position, her once grey complexion slowly reverts back to a wane beige colour, her physical strength clearly recovering as a result, breath coming out stronger and steadier.

    "Little Yuan, it''s done." Long Zhanye announces as he returns to his side.

    "Un, then please move Aunt over into that corner. Be careful not to let any of the wooden pieces slip from their positions." Huo Zaiyuan rises and moves over to the dining table.

    Uncaring if Li Qing or Qin Jun sees it, he materialises his Holy Dragon Bone Brush, glass bottle with the ant crystals, saucer and tube containing spring water before on the table before him. Within the body of every zombie lies undead essence as well as Ying energy, both fusing to create a deadly infectious virus. When a living being is bitten or scratched by a zombie and turns, it is due to that individual''s internal energy being devoured by said virus. As soon as the human''s internal energy is near exhausted, the transformation is inevitable.

    Currently, the Energy Congregation Array that Huo Zaiyuan is planning to set up will be able to increase a person''s internal energy for a short period of time. This way, he can delay the virus seeking to transform Li Qing''s mother and allow her a period of clear-headedness.

    Pouring a small amount of water onto the saucer, he adds in around more than ten pieces of red crystals. This time, he wouldn''t be drawing runes on a piece of peach wood, so he needed to make more ink. As the crystals dissolve into the water, the amount of scarlet liquid sitting in the middle of the saucer is about the size of an infant''s hand. Not a lot, but enough for him to complete this array.

    Storing the tube and glass bottle away, he picks up the brush and saucer and heads over to the corner.

    The reason he asked for Li Qing''s mother to be moved here is because in this corner, the dormant spiritual energy is the highest. Placing the saucer to one side, he slowly moves his fingers through a series of handseals with the brush grasped between both palms. Once that is done, the brush glows a golden tint and a translucent silver dragon rushes upwards, leaping through the air. Holding the Holy Dragon Bone Brush with his right hand, he drips the bristles in scarlet ink and rapidly draws runes on the floor.

    Staring at Huo Zaiyuan''s strange movements, Qin Jun and Li Qing have no idea what is happening, but are afraid to ask and interrupt his concentration.

    This particular array requires a long line of runes and is much more complicated. By the time Huo Zaiyuan is finished, he has drawn a line of characters that circles around Li Qing''s mother twice, with the final one written at the top of her head.

    As soon as he finishes inking the last rune, the brush in his hand flashes silver. With a tired huff, Huo Zaiyuan''s slim body sways, then collapses onto the ground.

    "Little Yuan." The Long Zhanye who was standing three steps away reacts in an instant, dashing over and drawing him into his embrace.

    "I - I''m fine." Beads of sweat dots that white-jade like face, but Huo Zaiyuan manages to flash a small smile at Long Zhanye.

    With another wave of his hand, the brush is replaced by another talisman, which is placed on top of the last rune. One more application of spiritual energy through his fingertips causes the entire array to light up in silver light. In unison, the rays of light levitate upwards, then enters the woman''s body.

    "Half an hour¡­use it wisely and have a good conversation with your mother. Don''t cross over the rune boundary. It''s dangerous." After imparting these instructions, Huo Zaiyuan lets his head fall, resting it on Long Zhanye''s chest. Due to exhausting most of his spiritual energy, he quickly slips into unconsciousness.

    He doesn''t know exactly what Li Qing talked about with his mother, but when he next opens his eyes, three hours have gone by.

    The body of Li Qing''s mother is wrapped tightly in two bed quilts, secured by a cord of rope. Off to the side, Li Qing stares blankly ahead, eyes red, obviously having cried again for a long moment. Long Zhanye and Qin Jun are currently in the backyard digging a grave. No questions about who that is for.

    Although Huo Zaiyuan''s footsteps are very light, Long Zhanye''s hearing is above average. By the time he arrives at the doorway, Long Zhanye''s head is already lifted, eyes locking on him.

    "You''re awake. How are you feeling?"

    "Not too bad. I simply used too much spiritual energy and fainted, that''s all. A little rest and everything will be fine." Squatting down at the top of the steps, he drawls, tongue still leaden with exhaustion.

    Seeing Huo Zaiyuan is up, Qin Jun puts down the shovel in his hands before hoisting himself out of the waist-deep hole they dug. "Little Yuan, I''ve something to tell you. Come with me."

    "Sure." Glancing briefly at Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan follows after Qin Jun.

    Entering the house, Qin Jun stares out the door for a minute, then turns to Huo Zaiyuan. "You disappeared for one year without telling anyone, letting Li Qing and I go crazy from searching for you. Where did you go? What''s with the military arrest warrant on the internet? What happened? And that soldier. Why would you be travelling together with him? Could it be he captured you and will bring you to a military prison?" It is very unlike the cool-headed Qin Jun to have a frustrated outburst and a launch a string of non-stop questions.

    Regarding Qin Jun for a moment with a calm expression, Huo Zaiyuan pulls up a chair at the dining table and sits down. "At that time, I left X City because I had a lot of matters to settle. I had to do it personally, so I couldn''t stay. As for the arrest warrant, I don''t know how that came about. Long Zhanye¡­after I came to Z City, I met him during the apocalypse. Regarding my use of talismans and the Taoist arts, it is one of the reasons I disappeared for an entire year." Deciding not to hide anything else from Qin Jun, he continues. "Oh, that''s right. Currently, my name is Zi Yuan. You are smart. You don''t need me to explain further."

    "Hmm." Listening to Huo Zaiyuan''s explanation, Qin Jun''s expression eases. "So what are we going to do now? Everywhere is so chaotic."

    "I''ve decided to go to A City. Long Zhanye''s power mostly resides there. What about you? And your family¡­you ran over looking for little Qing, wouldn''t there be any problems?" Standing up, he wanders over to the kitchen pantry and reaches for a kettle to pour some water for Qin Jun and himself.

    "Hmph, how much emotional attachment do I have with that family? It seems I obeyed them so much that my old man obstinately does as he pleases and engaged me to someone else without my knowledge. He nearly made me lose my little Qing." A cold light enters his eyes as he scoffs.

    "If that''s the case, then come together with us. It''ll be safer to stay as a group. At least we can watch each other''s backs." Draining the cup of water in his hands, he says. "Presently, little Qing''s mental state is not too good. You need to properly comfort and protect him."

    "Of course."

    That evening, the four of them bury Li Qing''s mother in the backyard and erects a simple gravestone. In regards to those who were unfortunate enough to be infected by the zombie virus and turn, Li Qing''s mother can be considered lucky in that she died peacefully, without turning into a blood-thirsty monster and able to bid her son farewell.

    Kneeling before the grave, tracing the crudely carved words on the gravestone with his fingertips, Li Qing seems to be in a better state than he was this morning, even with his eyes still red.

    "Thank you all very much."

    "Fool. No need to thank us." Huo Zaiyuan murmurs, eyes displaying a sorrowful but happy smile. Seeing his best friend recovering admirably from grief, he is naturally happy.

    Face flushing red, Li Qing snaps half-heartedly. "Little Yuan, I haven''t seen you in a while and you suddenly become more annoying than before."

    "Oh, is that so? I''m honoured. You should be hungry, right? I''ll go cook." Tone bland as ever, he quips back before turning on his heels and walking into the house.

    "Is your cooking edible?!" Li Qing stands up and brushes his pants off, then quickly follows behind Huo Zaiyuan.

    Looking at those two trading barbs back and forth, Qin Jun finally smiles, then turns to Long Zhanye. "Eldest brother Long[1], that¡­when you first met little Yuan, was he always like this?"

    "Un, he has always been this way since we met. Why?"

    "Oh, nothing much. It''s just¡­he''s changed a lot."

    (Author''s notes: Adorable theatre -

    Yuan shou: Apocalypse Zombie Annihilation Squad, assemble!

    Long gong: High attack, high defence, formidable abilities, Heaven defying techniques¡­do you want it?

    Yuan shou: (Immediately shouts) Yes!

    Long gong: (Spreads his arms wide) Then you only need me ~!

    (Long gong sends party invite to Yuan shou. Permanent arrangement, no backing out.)

    Footnotes:

    [1] Qin Jun addresses LZY as "´ó¸ç" since he is the oldest one there. It''s different from what HZY and LQ address LZY as, which is just "¸ç".

    (Translator¡¯s notes: Got these chapters out a few hours earlier than usual due as I would be busy for the rest of today. ^-^)

 CH 50

    Chapter 50: We have already broken up

    After finishing their meal, the sky has already darkened. During the apocalypse when night falls, turning on lights can and will attract danger. Thus, the entire house is plunged into darkness. However, no one¡¯s quite bothered by this due to fatigue weighing everyone down.

    As the house is a two-room one, and neither Li Qing nor Qin Jun is all that familiar with Long Zhanye, there is no need to assign rooms. Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye would naturally share one room.

    Being kidnapped and returning just to see his mother pass away, today heaped a lot of pain and suffering on Li Qing. Upon entering the room, he takes out a change of clean clothes then heads for the bathroom. Although it has only been over ten days since Judgement Day, electric and water supply to the house has long been cut off. Fortunately, having a water storage tank as well as a backup generator is a must-have for houses in the suburb, therefore, there is no need to worry about electricity and water, or showering without hot water.

    Taking off his clothes, he turns the knob for hot water and stands under the spray, gradually relaxing as warmth seeps into his exhausted body. Back plastered to the wall, he hunches his shoulders and wraps his arms tightly around himself.

    Suddenly, with a clack, the bathroom¡¯s door opens and a figure slips in. Even with his eyes closed, Li Qing instinctively knows who the intruder is. Stiffening, he straightens only for two slender arms to land on either side of his head, effectively trapping him.

    ¡°You ¨C Qin Jun, I¡¯ve got something to ¨C ¡±

    (Translator¡¯s notes: This portion is either snipped/censored or the author didn¡¯t write it out. If it¡¯s the former, hopefully, someone has access to the full version and links me to it. Either way, I don¡¯t think I need to explain what¡¯s going on here ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã) )

    The sound of water running in the bathroom went on for a long time before stopping.

 CH 51

    Chapter 51: Don''t disturb him

    The entire night passed peacefully and everyone slept comfortably. Even Long Zhanye who normally wakes up early before anyone else is a little reluctant to leave the bed, lying in until it is almost time for lunch. Though the main reason he eventually stirs is due to hunger. Opening his eyes and sitting up, he is immediately met with the sight of Huo Zaiyuan already sitting in meditation on the two-seater sofa.

    That kid is still meditating?

    With over ten days of near-constant interaction, Long Zhanye is more or less clear on how Huo Zaiyuan ticks. He knows that the youth is not one to sleep soundly in bed, rather, when Long Zhanye wakes, he always sees Huo Zaiyuan meditating through the night and still remains in great spirits for the whole day. Thus, he speculates that meditating not only helps the youth cultivate but also allows him to recuperate fully, achieving the same results as a good night''s sleep.

    Only¡­today, he''s been meditating for a longer period than usual.

    Nonetheless, Long Zhanye doesn''t want to alarm him, for Huo Zaiyuan did warm him before that meditation equals cultivating, and if disturbed by an outside force, it could cause his spiritual energy to unstablise. Consequently, it will be extremely damaging to the person meditating.

    Due to helping Li Qing talk to his mother one last time yesterday, Huo Zaiyuan exhausted his energy to the lowest point imaginable. Perhaps that''s the reason for him not getting up yet.

    The longer he thinks about it, the more it makes sense. Therefore, after gazing intently at the youth''s pale and delicate face, Long Zhanye decides to leave the room, closing the door softly behind him.

    As soon as the door shuts behind Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan''s figure flicks. A golden light emits from his body, enveloping the cross-legged person. Gradually, his form begins to disappear, until he vanishes entirely.

    Just as Long Zhanye exits the bedroom, he meets Qin Jun, who has an arm wrapped around Li Qing''s waist, supporting the slimmer man to walk out of the room opposite. From the snatches of conversation he heard between the two childhood friends, he has already guessed the relationship between Qin Jun and Li Qing. Hence, seeing the two of them acting so intimate isn''t a surprise. In addition, living in the military district for most his life has allowed him to witness countless male-male couples, so it''s not a strange sight.

    "Older brother Long, good morning." Catching Long Zhanye''s stare, Li Qing blushes and embarrassedly pushes Qin Jun away.

    Being pushed away by one''s lover will, of course, displease anyone. With a small frown, Qin Jun once again pulls Li Qing into his bosom and took things a step further by planting a quick kiss on his red lips.

    "Qin Jun! You - "

    "Hehe¡­already this feisty so soon after waking up. Truly, it''s great being young ah." Long Zhanye chuckles.

    The soldier''s words cause Li Qing to go even redder. In a bid to change the subject, he glances at the closed door behind Long Zhanye and asks in a small voice. "Older brother Long, where''s little Yuan? How come I don''t see him?"

    "Un¡­it seems he used too much energy yesterday and is still meditating. It would be risky for him if we interrupt his meditation. He''ll come out whenever he''s ready." Recalling that these two will be travelling together with them in the future, Long Zhanye decides to explain Huo Zaiyuan''s current circumstances.

    "Ah, is that so¡­"

    "The little Yuan now is no more the same little Yuan we were familiar with before. Eldest brother Long has been travelling and interacting with him all this while and is currently more familiar with the new him compared to us. Since eldest brother Long says so, then we had better not disturb little Yuan."

    "All right." Li Qing looks at the closed door once more, a trace of worry refusing to disappear from his eyes.

    Except what the three people didn''t expect is when Li Qing enters the room quietly to check on Huo Zaiyuan, he realises there is no trace of his best friend anywhere. This all but shocked him to death, however, seeing Long Zhanye''s calm expression, the other two eventually stop panicking.

    Oblivious to the commotion his disappearance caused, Huo Zaiyuan who is currently in his space is focusing entirely on circulating spiritual energy throughout his body, preparing to break through the second level and into the third.

 CH 52

    Chapter 52: Emerging at last

    Ever since he started practising the "Mysterious Nine Dragon''s Heaven" art, Huo Zaiyuan conscientiously meditates and circulates his spiritual energy daily. This is the first time he has exhausted it to this point. Although he managed to sleep for a while and replenished a little energy, the empty feeling where his spiritual power should flow through and occupy leaves him with a mounting sense of insecurity.

    It was during the night when everyone else was fast asleep and he was deep in meditation that he discovered something a little different about his body. Typically, when he meditates and breathes in the surrounding air, he could only absorb a minuscule amount of natural spiritual energy from the environment. Now, however, the amount he absorbs from every breath is a lot greater. Bit by bit, the energy he intakes trickles into the empty meridian within his body, filling it up slowly.

    As his energy is replenished, a warm feeling spread throughout his body, and he spent the entire night regulating it. When dawn broke and sunlight shone into the room, he was already conscious. Only when Long Zhanye left did he enter his space.

    The space is isolated from the outside world and blocks out all sound. This way, it allows him to concentrate solely on the flowing currents in his body. It slowly speeds up, moving unobstructed through his entire being until his body radiates a faint silver light.

    As for the peach tree planted in the centre of the array, its branches begin extending out in all directions, leaves becoming more lush. Two small flowers bloom at the end of a branch, gradually reaching the stage to bear fruits¡­

    In one sitting, three days pass just like that. While outside, in the real world, Li Qing can''t stop pacing up and down like an ant on a hot wok ever since discovering Huo Zaiyuan''s disappearance.

    "It''s been three days and little Yuan has yet to appear¡­"

    ¡°Since eldest brother Long says there''s nothing to worry about, then everything will be fine. Don''t fret." Not able to stand idly by and watch any longer, Qin Jun reaches out and hugs his agitated lover. A hand on Qin Jun''s waist, Li Qing snuggles up to the taller man as his gaze drifts towards the courtyard outside. At this time, Long Zhanye is there with a tool in hand and intense concentration on his face, making minute adjustments to the off-road vehicle parked there after overhauling it yesterday.

    Faint rays of silver light slowly seep from his still form and scatter in random directions, gathering to revolve around his body once, then flowing back into his person. The hand resting before his abdomen opens leisurely, then clenches as slowly back into a fist. Following the movement of his hand, the spiritual energy within unfurls from his meridian, then retreats once more. Unhurriedly, he opens both eyes, now back to peak condition. Gaze shifting, his sight falls on the fully grown peach tree in the middle of the array and the two sparkling peaches hanging from the tip of a branch, each one the size of an adult''s fist.

    Sitting in meditation for so many days, he has abundant energy flowing through his body and when he rise from his cross-legged position, there is no stiff joints or rigid muscles. Walking towards the tree, he plucks the two peaches, not quite sure why there are two fruits this time.

    The first time Huo Zaiyuan consumed the peach, he felt an immense amount of spiritual power merging with his own. Thus, he wouldn''t be so foolish as to think he can finish these two peaches at once. If he really did swallow both at the same time, the immense amount of power will most probably result in him exploding from excessive intake.

    Even without a master telling him to always be aware of one''s internal spiritual energy when cultivating, from his relatively long experience meditating and absorbing natural energy from his surroundings, he is more than aware that being greedy is a fatal mistake for all cultivators. If one wishes to become stronger, one will need to follow safe procedures and take your time.

    The moment he plucks the fruits, the peach tree predictably shrinks into a sapling again. Bringing the peaches back into the bamboo house, he places it on the table before exiting the space. Since he has lingered here for quite a while, he is afraid his friend might start tearing the skies down if he doesn''t emerge now.

    Sure enough, the moment he steps out of the room, he is nearly sent flying off his feet and back into the bedroom as Li Qing throws himself forward.

    "What are you doing? Trying to knock me to death ah?" Dammit, if it wasn''t for his cultivation and daily meditation transforming his body so it is sturdier and stronger than before, he would have really been sent flying away by the force of this brat''s tackle.

    "Little Yuan, where did you go for these few days? We were all really worried! Also, how did you disappear then reappear and walk out of the room? Tell me, what sort of creature are you?" Still plastered to Huo Zaiyuan, Li Qing fires of question after question while he pokes and prods all over his friend''s body with one hand.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s face darkens before finally exploding. "Scram! Scram far away from me!"

 CH 53

    Chapter 53: Close-door cultivation and the space''s big change

    Gazing at the two once more arguing back and forth, Long Zhanye laughs as he leans against the wall. "Little Yuan, since we will all be travelling together in the future, you wouldn''t be able to hide it from them forever. Tell them. If you don''t lay it out clearly, I''m afraid that little brat''s constant nagging will drive me crazy."

    It isn''t hard to tell that Long Zhanye had suffered through Li Qing''s worried rants these past few days.

    Looking at Li Qing before shifting his gaze to Qin Jun, he gives a helpless sigh, eventually telling them both about his interdimensional space, at the same time taking this opportunity to update them on what he had been up to after vanishing.

    After hearing that Huo Zaiyuan possesses a heaven-defying space, Li Qing could only stare ahead foolishly, clearly still in the middle of processing this load of information. Qin Jun is more composed, merely expressing deep astonishment on his face. On the other hand, Long Zhanye is currently biting on a cigarette and blowing out smoke, expression bland as ever whilst assembling yet another gun. Comparing the three of them, in Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes, the two showing such obvious shock is expected while the calm and collected Long Zhanye is clearly abnormal. (Long gong: Beloved, doesn''t this count as being shot even when lying down?[1])

    "That thing of yours sounds really awesome¡­" Li Qing awakens from his daze at last, sparkling eyes locking on Huo Zaiyuan.

    "So, do you want to practise together?" Huo Zaiyuan quirks an eyebrow, taking out some fresh fruits and vegetables from his space, once again startling both Li Qing and Qin Jun.

    "Meditation¡­don''t want to! Don''t want to!" Li Qing is a hyperactive person by nature, and cannot stand sitting still for long periods of time. Telling him to sit in the same spot for several days and nights¡­wouldn''t it be asking for his life?

    "All right, this amount of food should be sufficient." Looking over the pile of food on the tabletop, Huo Zaiyuan glances up at Long Zhanye who is in the middle of eating a piece of bread. "Older brother Long, during the time I go into ''closed-door cultivation'', I''ll leave these two in your hands."

    "No problem." Long Zhanye agrees immediately, flashing a meaningful smile. "We''ll wait until you come out, then we''ll have to leave this place."

    "Okay." With that, he turns to return back to the bedroom.

    "Little Yuan, are you not going to eat something first?" Staring at the slim back, Long Zhanye frowns. He hasn''t forgotten that the youth has not eaten anything these few days.

    "I''m not hungry."

    Picking up an apple, Long Zhanye walks over. "I know you are anxious to continue cultivating, but it wouldn''t do to harm your body. Be good, eat this before going back to your space."

    Standing at his full height, Long Zhanye is a good head taller than Huo Zaiyuan. Typically, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t think much about it, but now that he (LZY) is standing so close, eyes unyielding, his heart involuntarily skips a beat.

    Yah ~ this imposing manner befitting a senior military officer, it truly is a rare sight to behold¡­taking the apple from Long Zhanye and biting down on it, Huo Zaiyuan''s pretty petal-lips curves into a small smile.

    Upon seeing the interaction between Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye, Li Qing''s eyes narrows, a mischievous light appearing. Leaning in to whisper in Qin Jun''s ear, he murmurs something to his lover. Immediately after, a bright red tomato flies through the air, striking Li Qing on the forehead.

    In the middle of the victim''s loud cursing, Huo Zaiyuan happily enters his space.

    ~~~

    After leaving some instructions behind with the other three, Huo Zaiyuan is able to rest his worries and enters the space. Taking one of the two peaches, he sits cross-legged on the floor of the bamboo house. When he was at the peak of the first level, he ate a peach then. Thus, he knows how sweet the peach''s flesh is. In addition, these peaches are what allows him to break through to the next level. So there is really no reason to hesitate. And there''s also the fact that he wishes to know how much stronger he will be once he reaches level three.

    Eating a mouthful, he is a little startled to note that compared to the last time, this peach tastes even more delicious. Dissolving in his mouth, it slides down his throat as a trickle of warm energy. Devouring the entire fruit, he feels full to the brim of spiritual power. His eyes slide close, intending to do the same as before and merge the two spheres of energy into one when suddenly, sharp stabs of pain flash throughout his body.

    "Urgh¡­"

    Huo Zaiyuan frowns, but before he can do anything, his body sways and he collapses on his side. With no time to figure out what went wrong, violent bursts of pain assault his entire being. It feels as though someone forcibly cut his bones open and dragged a metal pipe through it, digging out the marrow. It was an indescribable agony that had him breaking out in cold sweat, too breathless to even cry out in pain.

    Gritting his teeth, he can only wrap his arms tight around his body and roll on the floor in an attempt to alleviate the torture.

    In his past life when he died under the swarm of devil ants, the acute agony he felt then is something he cannot forget. However, he died rather quickly¡­it was only a second of torment. Now, though¡­

    "Ahh - "

    The excruciating pain intensified beyond his imagination and in the end, he couldn''t take it anymore and cry out. His prone form twitches once before falling silent, curved into a ball and unmoving.

    Perspiration dripping from his face, both eyes squeezed shut, complexion deathly pale, bloodless lips. In the end, Huo Zaiyuan can''t endure the intense pain and faints. As he lays unconscious, the dragon tattoo around his wrist glows a faint silver which spreads to his right hand and eventually envelops his entire body. Following that, his body also undergoes another change.

    As the spiritual energy begins to alter Huo Zaiyuan''s body, the bamboo house also begins to transform¡­

    Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t know exactly how long he passed out for, but when he finally comes to blearily, his body no longer aches, his four limbs still work the way they are meant to and not one bone is misplaced. Instead, he feels lighter. Well, and his entire body stinks. Badly enough he could''ve fainted right away again.

    Controlling his breathing so he doesn''t choke on the stench, he glances down at his clothes, which had become pitch black, as though someone poured a bucket of tar over him. This was a reminiscence of the last time he broke through, but this time, the putrid odour is many times worst.

    Crawling to his feet, he sprints straight for the spring pool, only to nearly trip over his feet as he abruptly stops dead. The plain outside the bamboo home is somehow sprouting multi-coloured flowers of various kinds. Although the plantation itself hasn''t changed, a clear brook now cuts its way through it. As for the spring pool itself, the bamboo forest that originally surrounds it has retreated back a little, revealing the spring clearly, still full of sparkling water and rich spiritual energy.

    Oh my goodness! He just took one little nap and the entire space turns upside down, changing drastically. Also, he doesn''t know if it is his imagination, but he feels the space has gotten a little bit bigger¡­

    This significant change of his space amazed Huo Zaiyuan, but he really can''t ignore the stench on his body any longer. In a flash, he tossed the soiled clothes away and plunges into the pool. Now his top priority is to¡­bathe!

    Soaking in the pool for a while, he proceeds to scrub all over until not one trace of black remains. It might have been a misconception, but he feels this time, the stains were much harder to wash away on top of being smellier. He had to remain in the pool for a lot longer until the smell disappeared.

    Recalling that every time he eats a peach, he will be subjected to this, his face blackens.

    Feeling refreshed from the bath, he returns to the house and spends quite a bit of effort to remove the dark substance from the floor. After a hard labour, he is finally able to rest, flipping through the ancient manual to see what new things appeared on the blank pages.

    Sure enough, the level three arts are there, new spells written out. It also explains that the second peach he ate was meant to clear the impurities in his bones and marrow, not just the ones in his flesh. No wonder the pain had been on another level altogether. As it turns out, the remaining peach still sitting on the table has its own use too¡­

    After breaking through to the third level, the new Heaven Concealing Array he learns has the ability to be combined a number of times to form a huge boundary. When he had access to the first and second level spells, he made it compulsory to memorise every one of them, even if he doesn''t fully understand the functions of them all, or how they would ever come in useful. Now, as he reads through the description of this level three array, he discovers that it is not as simple as it sounds. So long as the array is activated, it can resist all attacks. The one drawback is the time it can stay active for is directly connected to how much spiritual energy the user has¡­that''s where the peach sitting on his desk comes in. In order to prevent the user from exhausting their internal energy while keeping the array activated, one can eat this peach to replenish their reserve instantly.

    However, this peach cannot be eaten like the previous two. Instead, its flesh has to be crushed and mixed with the spring water to create a juice. This one peach will be able to fill three bamboo tubes.

    Following the instructions written in the book, he crushes the fruit into a big mixing bowl and adds a measure of spring water in. Filling three tubes, he seals them all and buries them beside the bamboo house.

    Now that everything has been settled, Huo Zaiyuan finally exits the space on the fifth day.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Meaning being hurt even when the target didn''t do anything to deserve it/not involved in the situation.

 CH 54

    Chapter 54: Terrifying special training routine

    After Huo Zaiyuan retreats into the bedroom and disappears into his space, Long Zhanye, Li Qing and Qin Jun make a simple lunch from the pile of food on the table.

    "All right, now that little Yuan has gone into ''closed-door cultivation'', during this undeterminable length of time, you all will not be allowed to slack off. Let''s begin ''special training'', shall we?" Standing with one hand raising the rifle to rest on his shoulder, Long Zhanye smirks down at the two younger men.

    "Special training?" Li Qing asks, eyes brightening as he locks onto the rifle. "Older brother Long, are you going to teach us how to shoot? That''s great, that''s great ah! I want to learn how to shoot a gun! How manly would that be!"

    Looking at those dark eyes full of eager anticipation, Long Zhanye extends his free hand, wagging his index finger left and right. "Not going to teach you how to shoot. In the near future, there will be a lot of opportunities to train on the road. This time, the ''special training'' will only consist of this!" After speaking, he raises his fist.

    Li Qing and Qin Jun exchanges a glance, then turn as one to regard Long Zhanye. Finally, Qin Jun speaks for them both, asking in a faintly nervous voice. "Eldest brother Long, can you clarify that¡­?"

    Although he is not familiar with the soldier, his keen intuition informs him that Long Zhanye''s bearing is daunting, and to watch out for what might come next.

    "This exercise is to gauge your reaction speed and dodging ability." Long Zhanye replies mildly. "You are both aware of the monsters out there, that you will be infected no matter if you are bitten or scratched. I will train you to the point that under any circumstances, you will be capable of dodging a zombie''s attack. Naturally¡­only under real combat situations will a person''s ability to learn be at its highest. However that is extremely risky, so you will not be put through that."

    "It makes sense. But if not a real combat situation, then how are we going to train?" (QJ)

    "Through unarmed free-for-all, understand?" Reaching into his uniform''s breast pocket, he removes a packet of cigarettes and pulls one out. Clenching a stick between his lips, he eyes are like burning torches as he stares at the two men.

    "I don''t understand." Li Qing is too honest.

    "All right." With a calm expression, Qin Jun agrees.

    "Then let''s go to the courtyard." Biting the cigarette, a devious smile curves his lips.

    Upon seeing that look, the two men suddenly tremble as a chill goes down their spines. For some reason, they feel as if they will be met with bad luck shortly, a sense of foreboding times to come making a bead of cold sweat break out at their temple¡­how strange¡­

    When he was living in A City''s military district, Long Zhanye''s daily hobby was bullying his minions - the group of soldiers directly under his command. Listening to the sounds of their miserable whining and crying, he feels a sense of satisfaction.

    (Author: So, Long gong¡­aren''t you just another sadist?

    Long gong: Scram! )

    "Older brother Long, here we go!" Li Qing announces, face full of concentration. On the other hand, Long Zhanye is a picture of relaxed ease, cigarette held between two fingers as he exhales a lungful of white smoke.

    "Just come at me, no need to announce it."

    Say, those words just radiates pure arrogance. Evidently, he is not putting Qin Jun and Li Qing in his eyes.

    Being the sore losers that they are, Long Zhanye''s words predictably stir up a fire within Qin Jun and Li Qing''s souls. Exchanging a glance, they attack Long Zhanye from both sides.

    Good strategy.

    Seeing the two deciding to flank him from both sides, a small smile surfaces. Eyes narrowing slightly, his figure flashes away, causing Li Qing and Qin Jun''s attacks to hit thin air. Not waiting for either one to react, Li Qing''s wrist is suddenly grabbed tightly. Before he could open his mouth to yell, his body is lifted up and thrown away. Li Qing collides with Qin Jun, and the two slam into the courtyard''s wall, landing in a tangle of limbs.

    "Tsk, tsk¡­this kind of reaction speed, even an infant would be able to beat you."

    Both pairs of eyes gleaming with the displeasure of admitting defeat, Li Qing and Qin Jun drag their sore bodies up from the ground, charging towards the completely unrestrained man once again.

    During the next few days, the two youths accumulated quite a number of small scrapes and bruises, all of which are courtesy of Long Zhanye''s unforgiving fists. Their visible skin is a mosaic of blue and purple, visually shocking to anyone who sees it. Who knows how Long Zhanye does it, but every time his fists are fast yet accurate, incurring pain but not damaging muscles or bones. The beating they suffered under his training really isn''t something the average human can endure.

    On the day Huo Zaiyuan emerges from his ''closed-door cultivation'', he came out just in time to witness the aftermath of an evening spent being beaten up by Long Zhanye. The two are lying sprawled on the ground carelessly, panting breathlessly and sporting more bruises.

    "Just¡­what happened to the both of you?"

 CH 55

    Chapter 55: Commence departure

    Retrieving a quilt from his space, Huo Zaiyuan flicks it open and covers the two men with it as they don''t seem capable of getting up anytime soon. That done, he turns around to stare at the quietly smiling soldier.

    "Older brother Long, you seem to have gone too overboard with this ''training''."

    "Heheh." Long Zhanye chuckles lightly, walking over to stand beside Huo Zaiyuan, then reaches out to rest a hand on his shoulder. "Not overboard. Definitely not overboard. Little Yuan knows me best, right? Anyway, how was your ''closed-door cultivation''? Did it go well?"

    "Un, it was all right. I managed to break through the second level. Now I''m starting on the third level." Huo Zaiyuan nods his head as he answers. "Older brother Long, did you discuss any plans with them? When will we be leaving this place?"

    "Hmm¡­we''re still following our previous plan. Only these two brats are dog-tired. Let them rest for a day, then we''ll get everything together and depart." Long Zhanye glances down at the two men. "As of today, it has already been more than twenty days since the start of the apocalypse. We''ve got no idea what the other cities have become."

    "Un." Huo Zaiyuan grunts, closing his eyes.

    In his previous life, experiencing the apocalypse for half a year, he remembers swamps spawning everywhere, swarms of red devil ants enveloping the landscape, zombies going on rampages and hunting down humans as though the surface world has become Purgatory. After rebirth, Judgement Day came earlier than expected. Doesn''t that mean Earth''s descent into Purgatory will also come earlier?

    Huo Zaiyuan''s face falls a little as the thought surfaces in his mind, then pales.

    "Little Yuan, don''t dwell on groundless thoughts. Even if it''s the apocalypse, this Earth will continue spinning on its axis, we will still continue to survive. Don''t give up hope. There''s no need to be worried over something beyond your control." Moving his hand from Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulder to his head, Long Zhanye rubs it in comfort.

    Hearing those reassuring words, Huo Zaiyuan nods his head in agreement. The warm and gentle rubs of a larger hand on his head is extremely soothing, prompting him to close his eyes in contentment, an expression of pleasure on his face like that of a cat enjoying being stroked.

    ~~~

    The one happiest about Huo Zaiyuan finally emerging from his ''closed-door cultivation'' is Li Qing. After suffering under Long Zhanye in the name of ''special training'', he is a hundred times more exhausted than Qin Jun since the latter has always liked exercising, and occasionally goes to the local boxing club to spar with fellow club members. On the other hand, Li Qing spends most of his time simply gaming. Long Zhanye''s fist is merciless and quick. Although he is aware the other is holding back quite a lot, it still feels as he was hit by a steel hammer. The pain he underwent is indescribable.

    However, he didn''t suffer in vain for the past few days. His reaction speed and dodging ability have improved a lot, to the point that he is capable of defending himself out in that hostile environment.

    Seeing the shocking smattering of blue and purple bruises littering Li Qing and Qin Jun''s body, Huo Zaiyuan merely raises an eyebrow and rummages through his space for a while before finding a medicine box. Opening it, he hands over some ointment.

    "We''ll leave tomorrow. Today will be for putting everything in order and we''ll turn in early tonight." Huo Zaiyuan states, gaze landing on Li Qing, who is currently having medical ointment applied on his arm by Qin Jun. Since this is Li Qing''s birth mother''s house, this sentence is mostly aimed at him.

    Ten days. Not long, but not short either. However, with regards to li Qing who is still mourning his mother''s death, he has been given sufficient time to ease the sorrow in his heart. It is only natural he understands the implications in his best friend''s words.

    Lips curving into a small smile, he says softly. "All right, we can depart tomorrow."

    Being able to say farewell to his mother is perhaps the greatest favour he can ever ask for. How can he be greedy and ask for more selfish demands?

    Although he will be leaving this place - and quite possibly never return again¡­

    When night falls, Huo Zaiyuan goes into the kitchen and cooks a large feast, enabling everyone to eat their fill and turn in satisfied.

    ~~~

    After a good night''s rest, Li Qing wakes up early the next morning to put everything in order. As he didn''t come into this house with the intention to stay long, there isn''t a lot of things for him to pack. The only item within this house that originally doesn''t belong to him is a well-preserved wooden box his mother gave him before she died. It was placed beneath the bed since that day and he hasn''t opened it yet.

    Within the box is a notebook, its contents penned with an unfamiliar hand. After flipping through a few pages, Long Zhanye is able to determine that this book contains notes about various machines and its production process. It is something he has never seen before and at the time being, he cannot be absolutely sure what the contents of this notebook is all about.

    Since his mother has taken sure good care of this notebook, hiding it away for so long and even not forgetting to remind him he absolutely must take this before he leaves, Li Qing reckons that this notebook must contain something awesome. In addition, this book is a legacy his birth mother left behind, hence, it has become an even greater treasure in Li Qing''s eyes. However, carrying a wooden box around during the apocalypse is rather cumbersome, and he can''t bear the thought of damaging or losing it. After thinking about it for a while, he hands the box over to Huo Zaiyuan, letting him store it in the space as it is the safest place Li Qing can think of.

    Out in the courtyard, Huo Zaiyuan brings out the off-road vehicle and places a few boxes of food as well as weapons in the car in preparation for everyone''s easy access to food when hungry and equipment for self-defence.

    With an air of reluctance, Li Qing turns around to stare at his mother''s home, a trace of bitterness in his eyes.

    "Little Qing." Qin Jun hugs him from behind, dropping a kiss on his cheeks. "Hereafter, no matter where we go, our home will always be here, in our hearts." Linking their hands, he brings them up to place on Li Qing''s chest.

    "Un." Nodding his head, Li Qing''s expression lightens up as he turns away from the house.

    Long used to seeing the pair''s intimate actions, Huo Zaiyuan simply heads over and opens the passenger seat''s door. "I''ve set up arrays all around this house to prevent zombies from damaging it. As long as it doesn''t get hit by a missile or a bomb, there wouldn''t be much problem. When the apocalypse ends, we can always return if given the opportunity."

    Li Qing brightens as he hears Huo Zaiyuan''s words, a brilliant smile appearing on his face. "Thanks, little Yuan."

    Once Qin Jun and Li Qing get into the backseat, the car departs from the driveway, with Li Qing staring out the window until the house completely disappears from his sight.

    Goodbye, mum.

    ~~~

    Although Long Zhanye isn''t all that familiar with Z City and hasn''t stayed for very long, his shockingly good memory allows him to remember a place as long as he has been by once.

    "Eldest brother Long, are we going down Huan Shi road to Bei Hua road, then keep going straight?" Map in hand, Qin Jun asks as he glances up from time to time to look at the signboards, quickly pinpointing where they are currently.

    "Un. Did you take the direct road when you head over?" Long Zhanye inquires as he skilfully controls the steering wheel to avoid the wandering zombies on the streets.

    This off-road vehicle is still comparatively inferior to his heavily-modified Hummer even if it handles a lot better and is more durable than the small car he was forced to use the day he met Huo Zaiyuan. But no matter how strong it is, this vehicle cannot handle the long-term strain. Still, he has always been frugal so if one can save, why not? Just keep using this car until it breaks down from crashing once too many times.

    "At that time, I was concentrating solely on finding little Qing and simply took the shortest road. There were a lot of people fleeing from the city in their cars so the main highway became congested. After that, I took the smaller roads and spent two days to get to Z City."

    That day, he had only wanted to make sure Li Qing was fine and was the only car heading in the opposite direction from everyone else. But the number of cars occupying the highway and forcing their way over onto the opposite lanes were too many, hence compelling him to take the smaller roads.

    "Now that this entire highway is occupied by zombies and those who are able to flee have fled, we have near unobstructed access. Speed is not an issue but rather, the stationary obstacles in our way are." Huo Zaiyuan says as he looks out the tightly shut windows at the zombies trying to pounce on the off-road vehicle as it speeds past. Many more up ahead have congregated in a loosely-knit group, drawn by the roar of the car''s engine.

    In these past ten days, the undead''s sense of hearing and motions have improved slightly.

    "That''s true. When there was a large bulk of people fleeing from Z City, there were traffic jams on all the major roads. There wouldn''t be any guarantees that when everyone was stuck in traffic, zombie attacks didn''t happen. We need to look out for and best avoid large blockades of abandoned vehicles. There could be zombies lying in wait." Long Zhanye agrees, gathering up his concentration and straining his vision further to avoid getting everyone into a complicated situation.

    "Then what should we do now?" Li Qing''s processing capability is a little slower than the other three, but his brow wrinkles as he listens to the conversation.

    "Since we don''t need to be anywhere urgently, I propose we take the main highway first and take a look at the situation. If it is impossible to cross smoothly, then we will follow Qin Jun''s guide and take the smaller roads into Y City." Huo Zaiyuan offers as he rests his head on his hand, elbow braced at the window.

    "Wouldn¡¯t it just be wasting more time?" Li Qing questions.

    "We are not in a hurry, just treat it like sightseeing. Why are you in a hurry, little Qing?" Long Zhanye states, his expression carefree.

    "Sight - sightseeing¡­" Li Qing murmurs, tone disbelieving.

    "Don''t worry, I''ll protect you if there''s danger." Huo Zaiyuan comforts his friend with an extremely serious face.

    Qin Jun scowls lightly, reaching out to pull his lover into his bosom. "Oi, oi, little Yuan. Don''t steal my lines."

    "What''s the matter, can''t eat a little vinegar[1]?" Suddenly turning around in his seat, Huo Zaiyuan extends a hand and runs a finger along Li Qing''s delicate jawline, eyes slightly narrowed. "Hmm¡­if it''s a beauty¡­"

    "You - enough. If you''re talking about beauty, then I, Li Qing, wouldn''t even be able to catch up to you even if I rode a horse!" Li Qing explodes from embarrassment.

    With one hand on the steering wheel, Long Zhanye copies Huo Zaiyuan''s earlier action towards Li Qing and runs a finger along Huo Zaiyuan''s own jawline, staring intensely at that fair face. "Un, indeed a real beauty."

    "Long Zhanye!!" Rare indeed is the sight of Huo Zaiyuan exploding in anger.

    On the road, the sound of unrestrained laughter drifts out of the car, unbothered by the zombies meandering along.

    ~~~

    "Ah, as expected. It''s impossible to drive a car smoothly through the main highway ah!" Huo Zaiyuan says as he stares out the window.

    Before the main highway''s checkpoint, a sea of abandoned vehicles are left there is one disorderly mess. Indistinctly, one can still make out the odd zombie amongst all that metal, dried bloodstains, discarded bones and whole skeletons, rotting flesh and decapitated limbs. It is a grotesque sight one would be hard-pressed to forget.

    "The road ahead I''m familiar with. Let me drive." (QJ)

    Footnotes:

    [1] Basically saying QJ is easily-jealous. Eating vinegar = Becoming jealous

 CH 56

    Chapter 56: The smell of cigarettes

    After confirming the circumstances on the main highway, Long Zhanye and Qin Jun exchange positions. Turning the steering wheel, Qin Jun puts the vehicle in reverse and heads towards a side road before squeezing in between two deformed cars and pulling away from the highway.

    Compared to the highway where zombies are still rampaging around on, this small road had evidently lesser people. Besides being unobstructed, they didn''t encounter a single zombie even after driving for quite a distance.

    "There''s no sign of anyone." Now sitting in the passenger seat, Li Qing presses up against the window. After encountering more zombies than humans everywhere, a trace of uneasiness plagues everyone when not a single undead could be seen.

    "Zombies are becoming sparse here." Huo Zaiyuan corrects him, gazing at the surrounding scenery and the wide open fields further down.

    Because Judgement Day came early, just in time when farmers have finished sowing weeds and planting seedlings. Looking out at the open fields now, with healthy green saplings spanning the area, it doesn''t seem to have been influenced by the chaos one bit.

    In his previous life, Judgement Day came after the harvest period, meaning there was more food on hand for everyone even if there weren''t many survivors. This time, the food in everyone''s house is lesser and hence needs to be rationed properly. Under this sort of circumstances, would there be more survivors this time round to balance things out?

    Once Judgement Day came, Z City almost instantly fell to the chaos. Even the military district didn''t yield a single survivor¡­against his will, Huo Zaiyuan''s face becomes depressed again.

    Long Zhanye who is studying the map suddenly glances at the window and sees Huo Zaiyuan''s desolate expression reflecting off the glass.

    "What are you thinking about?" Placing the map down to one side, he reaches out and pulls Huo Zaiyuan into his embrace.

    Exhaling softly and surrounded by a sense of security, the person being held by Long Zhanye feels a sense of satisfaction coursing through him.

    "Eh¡­no - nothing." Being warmly and comfortably held causes Huo Zaiyuan to smile, his tensed muscles relaxing.

    He''s not sure whether it''s due to being kicked down the hill, but after his rebirth, he has become less sociable, disliking interaction with strangers. But Long Zhanye seems to be the sole exception. As long as Huo Zaiyuan is by his side, he wouldn''t fail to feel safe and secure.

    The faint smell of tobacco is Long Zhanye''s distinct smell¡­wait a minute¡­tobacco smell?

    Originally content to nestle in Long Zhanye''s arms, Huo Zaiyuan abruptly sits up before turning his body to feel around Long Zhanye''s military jacket.

    "Little Yuan, what''s wrong?" Faced with Huo Zaiyuan''s unusual actions, Long Zhanye didn''t resist, letting that pale, delicate hand roam all over his body.

    Very quickly, Huo Zaiyuan discovers a hard case filled with Yuxi cigarettes from the inner pocket of the coat. His eyebrows raise.  "Older brother Long, where did you get these cigarettes?" Shaking the case, the sound of things sliding around could be heard faintly, showing that there aren''t many sticks remaining.

    "I took it from the pockets of that group of eight men who busted their way into the military district. Why? Do you smoke too?" Re-positioning his arms around Huo Zaiyuan, he urges the youth into his embrace once more, watching amusedly as those slender fingers touch the case, turning it here and there.

    "I don''t smoke. I smelled it on your clothes and got curious." Saying that, Huo Zaiyuan returns the case back into the coat''s inner pocket. "Smoke a little less. It''s not good for your body."

    Hmm¡­he really wasn''t paying attention and didn''t realise older brother Long has a smoking habit, and he doesn''t have any cigarettes in his space¡­it seems like at the next city, he''ll need to search through any shopping malls they come across. Not to mention, the paper wrapping on a cigarette does have many uses.

    (Translator¡¯s notes: Another filler, but it¡¯s a fluffy filler¡­so, no complaints here¡­ (*>ÆH<) )

 CH 57

    Chapter 57: Ghost town

    The entire stretch of road was unobstructed from start to finish. When the sky gradually darkens to a deep blue, the vehicle stops just outside a small town.

    "Little Yuan, eldest brother Long, should we continue driving through the night?" Qin Jun is a cautious person at heart, so even though there is a town just in front, he refrains from entering yet.

    When he had set out to find Li Qing, his heart had been full of anxiety and panic, therefore, he drove non-stop day and night until he reached Z City, completely disregarding personal safety. Now when he recalls that moment, a bit of fear rises as he remembers the numerous times he could have been met with danger.

    If he had gotten into an incident on the way there, what would have become of little Qing?

    He can''t help but turn to stare at his beloved, who meets the sudden tender expression with curiosity. Taking in that attractive visage, Qin Jun smiles slightly and shakes his head. "It''s nothing important."

    "Oh¡­"

    "I don''t recommend driving at night." Long Zhanye shakes his head as he expresses his opinion.

    As a soldier, he understands clearly that night-time is the most suitable period to launch an ambush or a sneak attack because the darkness can conceal one''s track. Still, that is when being confronted by humans. Now with a bunch of monsters running around, even he doesn''t know how to properly counter attacks should it happen when they travel on the roads at after dark.

    "I don''t approve either. At night, zombies become more active and stronger than they are during daytime. If we meet a group of them on the road, we might not make it out alive." Huo Zaiyuan too shakes his head.

    In terms of the apocalypse and the strange creatures they will encounter, he believes that no one else would be more knowledgeable than him. Unless, of course, there happen to be someone else in this world who experienced rebirth as well.

    "Then will we be spending the night in that village up ahead?" Li Qing peers at the extremely quiet town, face full of discomfort.

    "We''ll do it this way. First, check on the situation in that town and hope there are not too many zombies there." Huo Zaiyuan says, waving his hand and palming two coin talismans before handing them both to Li Qing. "Wear them next to your skin. It will be able to block ten plus zombie attacks. As soon as you feel it go ice cold, ask me for another straight away. I used spring water to draw runes on it, so wait until we''ve taken care of any zombies in that town and collected all the crystals, then I''ll draw another for the both of you. Be careful."

    The last time he drew the Energy Congregation Array for Li Qing''s mother, he used up every last crystal collected from his ten-day zombie-killing effort. Presently, the only kind of talismans he has on hand are those drawn with water taken from the Holy Nine Dragon Spring pool.

    "Thanks, little Yuan." Li Qing tucks it away under his clothes like a precious relic and tucks the other beneath Qin Jun''s shirt.

    Lifting his foot off the brake pedal, Qin Jun slowly drives the car forward and into the village. His eyes never cease sweeping back and forth cautiously, afraid to miss a zombie hiding away in the shadows.

    Despite their nervousness, the short distance to the ghost town is uneventful. Don''t mention zombies. They didn''t even come across a single bug. A faint breeze blows through the area, causing a soft rustling sound to echo throughout the village.

    "Little Yuan, the atmosphere here is a little strange." Clutching the steering wheel tightly and glancing in all directions, Qin Jun speaks lowly, every fibre of his being ready to step down on the accelerator and leave the moment something goes wrong.

    "Un, it does feel a little unusual." Huo Zaiyuan agrees, drawing four steel swords from his space. "But we don''t have any choice. We''ll need to spend the night here. Be very careful once you get off the car. Since the sky is not completely dark yet, we''ll take this opportunity to scour the surroundings."

    "Don''t wander off, it will be much safer if we stick together." Picking up a sword, Long Zhanye leans against the door to look out the window, taking in as much of the terrain as he can. "Qin Jun, drive the car to that house over there with the courtyard. If there''s no danger, we will spend the night there."

    "Okay."

    The very house Long Zhanye pointed out is located at the right side of the town. It possesses a delicate structure, elegant and thoughtfully-designed. It is pretty evident that the owner is a wealthy one - or at least well-off. On its left and right are a few squarish two-storey houses. As the vehicle moves past slowly, there is still no signs of any living or undead beings.

    The courtyard''s gate is only secured by a metal chain, causing even Qin Jun to be suspicious. The closer the car approaches, the more its speed decreases. Eventually, the vehicle''s front bumper nudges the steel gates open, entering the courtyard.

    Stopping once it fully clears the gate, Long Zhanye is the first to exit the car with a sword in hand. Following on his heels is Huo Zaiyuan, quietly seizing up his new surroundings. There isn''t even a single bloodstain. Truly suspicious.

    "No human beings, no zombies either. Could it be the residents in this town realised something was wrong not too long after Judgement Day began and escaped from here?" Li Qing whispers, fingers wrapped tightly around the hilt of his sword. The weight of this steel blade is a little heavy for the youth who doesn''t exercise regularly, but this is something that might save his life, so he will not let go of it no matter what.

    "It''s not impossible." Long Zhanye replies quietly. "But we are still in unfamiliar territory, so don''t let down your guard."

    "Un, I know."

    Huo Zaiyuan closes the courtyard''s gates in order to prevent other people or zombies from sneaking in unawares when the four of them enter the house.

    Leading the group is Long Zhanye, with Huo Zaiyuan second, followed by Li Qing and Qin Jun bringing up the rear.

    The door''s house is closed, and Long Zhanye glances over his shoulder at the other three in silent warning to ready themselves before lifting a hand and pushing it open with the tip of his sword. The interior is again devoid of anyone and a layer of dust can be seen on the floorboards. As the door closes behind the last person, the exterior of the house remains the same, the strange peaceful atmosphere unbroken. The only noise one can hear is the gentle rustle of tree leaves as the wind blows through town.

    "How is this possible? There really is no one around."

 CH 58

    Chapter 58: Suspicious scratches

    Furrowing his brow, the sword in Huo Zaiyuan''s hand disappears in a flash, replaced by a stack of wooden talisman. "There''s something off about this entire situation. Older brother Long, you, Qin Jun and Li Qing go out to search the other houses in the vicinity and check on the situation there. I will remain here to set up a few arrays. We''ll need to depart promptly early in the morning tomorrow."

    The atmosphere here is very tranquil due to the absence of people, and it ought to make him feel happy or relieved. But for some reason, his heart feels very restless, as though there is something hiding in here waiting to catch them off guard. Or to pounce on them and drag them away¡­

    "All right." Long Zhanye gives a curt nod.

    After the other three leave the house, Huo Zaiyuan starts to lay arrays in the courtyard. The stack of tile talismans currently in his hand is the remaining ones from his second attempt at using ink created from ant crystals, so the spiritual power within is relatively large.

    Once the first layer of arrays is laid down, Huo Zaiyuan pauses to ponder for a while, then takes out a few coin talismans and added a second warding boundary. This array is precisely the Heaven Concealing Array he learned after breaking through to the third level. The runes on these coins were drawn with spring water, so the amount of power within is still unknown. Might as well use this opportunity to test it out.

    Long Zhanye leads the other two to search the surrounding houses, but the end results are all the same. Vacant without the slightest trace of any inhabitants. The interior of each building also sports a layer of dust, as though this entire town has been abandoned for quite a while. On top of that, within each home, they found a store of foodstuff left behind.

    "Eldest brother Long, this doesn''t seem like everyone in the village fled when the apocalypse arrived, taking whatever they can. We''ve already gone through quite a few houses and they''re all the same, with sacks full of rice and containers full of flour. There''re even meat and vegetables in the freezer." Qin Jun pursed his lips as he opens the icebox, revealing food gone bad due to the power disconnecting for a relatively long period of time.

    "Hmm, indeed." Gaze wandering all over this room, Long Zhanye nods. He has carefully scrutinised the interior of each house they searched, but no matter how carefully he looks, he didn''t even manage to find a single strand of cobweb.

    "Eh? There''s something odd shining below the table." Li Qing crouches down, bending his head to look beneath the piece of furniture, both eyes wide open.

    His voice draws the attention of Qin Jun and Long Zhanye, and both dash over, quickly spotting what Li Qing pointed out.

    At the bottom corner of the table placed against the wall, a small object is glowing fluorescent green, but they can''t exactly make out what it is.

    "What is that?" Qin Jun asks Long Zhanye.

    Shaking his head, Long Zhanye''s eyebrows draw together. "Don''t know. But it could be a fluorescent organism that glows in the dark. I''ll take it out to see."

    Squeezing through the legs of the table, he removes a napkin from his pocket to retrieve the unknown thing.

    "So what is it?" Li Qing leans forward to take a better look at the object wrapped in the napkin.

    "A glow-in-the-dark fake nail." Long Zhanye studies the delicate pattern on the fake nail as he answers.

    "There''s blood." Qin Jun pinches the corner of the napkin, then reaches out to flip the fake nail over, glancing at Long Zhanye. "Eldest brother Long, under what kind of situation will the fake nail be torn out along with the real nail?"

    Hearing his question, Long Zhanye blinks, as though a thought struck him. Instantly, he kneels down on the floorboards in search of something. Eyes taking in everything as he carefully scrutinises the area, he finally comes back to the bottom corner of the table. At the edge of the wooden furniture, one can see several thin gorges, and if one follows the same path forward a little more, upon the surface of the white tiles is another handful of faintly discernible scratches.

    "These scratches¡­why would someone claw at the tiles?" A sliver of panic surfaces on Li Qing''s face as he turns to the other two men.

    Just now, most of their focus was on the glow-in-the-dark fingernail on the floor, thus missing the small scratches left behind on the tiles and the furniture.

    "When they were being dragged away, these scratches were left behind as the result of struggling, and finally their fingernail was torn off." Qin Jun answers blandly.

    "That makes sense. Only¡­what sort of creature will drag a human away?" Long Zhanye''s brow knits together, gaze shifting outside. "I think we had better quickly return to find little Yuan."

    The sky has already darkened, and unknown dangers will no doubt seize this opportunity to emerge.

 CH 59

    Chapter 59: Night vigil

    After completely covering the interior and exterior of the house with arrays, Huo Zaiyuan walks into the kitchen and takes in its general layout. There is a large clay pot containing an unopened sack of rice, quite possibly left behind by the residents who fled this town. The grains itself are still extremely white, with no signs of moth larvae. In fact, a significant amount of food had been left behind in the pantries, all of which are promptly stored away in his space. Done with inspecting the pantries, he opens the cupboards only to find another large sack of grains and some seasoning.

    Prior to searching the kitchen, he had tested the house''s electricity and water, determining them to be already disconnected. Hence, Huo Zaiyuan takes out a bottle of liquid gas, a stove and a couple of plastic containers filled with water and prepares to cook dinner.

    When the other three returns to the house, the first thing that greets them is a fragrant aroma of cooked food, dishes already properly arranged on the dining table. Three types of meat, a vegetable and a soup.

    "Did you discover anything?" Huo Zaiyuan asks as he carries over a pot of cooked rice from the kitchen.

    "We did, but we aren''t entirely certain is has something to do with the missing townspeople." Long Zhanye answers slowly.

    "Is that so¡­come on, everyone''s tired. We can talk as we eat."

    The party of four commences eating as soon as everyone''s seated, then Long Zhanye and Qin Jun began recounting word for word the events that led to their discovery of the fake fingernail as well as the suspicious scratches on the floor.

    Finishing off the last of his rice, Huo Zaiyuan puts down his chopsticks and rubs his lips thoughtfully. "You didn''t discover anything in the other houses, and only one had scratch marks on the floor. It seems something came and dragged the residents away."

    "Un, that''s my thought too." Long Zhanye nods. "Tonight, we need someone to keep night vigil."

    "I''ll do it." Li Qing volunteers, raising his chopsticks.

    "Then I will keep little Qing company. The two of you are stronger, so if you stay up tonight, you wouldn''t be able to focus tomorrow."

    "Your words make sense, however, the two of you cannot keep night vigil. Little Qing, you still need more training and Qin Jun, you are responsible for driving tomorrow. I will do it." Long Zhanye says firmly.

    As a military born man, his senses are keener than most, and he is more alert in a hostile environment. Every breath of wind or swaying of grass cannot escape his sharp ears, and this village is truly too strange for him to sleep soundly.

    "Staying up all night will be too exhausting. I will take over halfway through the night."

    "Sure." Looking at Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye allows a smile to surface.

    Putting the plates, bowls and cutleries away, they take turns showering then prepared to rest. The entire house has a total of four bedrooms, two on the second storey and two on the first. None of them plans to use the rooms on the second storey, so Li Qing and Qin Jun automatically head for one of the rooms on the first floor.

    The only source of light in the house comes from a single lit candle, its dim, flickering flame illuminating a small part of the first storey in an orange glow, casting the illusion of warmth for the two keeping vigil.

    "Why are you not sleeping, or meditating?" Long Zhanye settles himself on a two-seater sofa, sword and an AK placed to his left.

    "Can''t sleep. And I don''t feel like meditating today." Walking over to Long Zhanye''s right side, a corner of Huo Zaiyuan''s lips pulls up. "Why?"

    "Little Yuan, you''re really too cute." Stretching out his hand, he tugs Huo Zaiyuan down to his bosom, face inching closer. What taking over halfway through. He clearly wants to accompany him in keeping vigil all through the night.

    "I''m a male. Don''t use words like ''cute'' to describe me." Huo Zaiyuan blinks at the face drawing closer to his own before extending a delicate hand to place on Long Zhanye''s forehead, halting his advance.

    Looking at the slightly displeased expression, Long Zhanye laughs lightly, then wraps a hand around the smaller one on his forehead. "If not cute, then how about beautiful?"

    Contrary to what one might expect, Long Zhanye all but grew up in the military district, and if there''s one thing he has seen a lot of, it is men of all shapes and sizes, but none can hold a candle to Huo Zaiyuan''s exquisite looks. In actual fact, Huo Zaiyuan''s appearance is not of the seductive sort. In terms of seductiveness, Li Qing''s full blood red lips is many times more flirtatious. Huo Zaiyuan''s beauty is a more classical sort, like a china doll, capturing one''s gaze and not allowing one to retrieve it. On top of that, after cultivating, he bears an Immortal-like aura¡­

    "You are truly shameless." Huo Zaiyuan huffs, turning away from Long Zhanye.

    "Heheh¡­I can take it further, only¡­I might scare you away." Long Zhanye rubs Huo Zaiyuan''s soft hair. "You hair seems to have grown longer."

    "Un, but it''s the least of my worries now. If it wants to grow, let it grow."

    Before, his hairstyle was the current trending fringe-up cut[1] popular amongst male students. It looked neat and smart. However, after rebirth, the only thing he cared about was stockpiling necessities and evading the people who put up an arrest warrant for him. Getting a haircut wasn''t even on the priority list, and after a year of leaving it be, it has reached past his shoulders.

    "It looks good on you, and feel nice to touch."

    "Older brother Long, if you continue to speak more along those lines, you''ll sound like one of those middle-aged paedophiles who like kidnapping young, pretty boys."

    "Un, don''t worry, my only victim will be you." Long Zhanye chuckles and rubs his head again. "It''s late, shut your eyes and get some rest."

    "Wake me up halfway." Leaning against the taller man''s side, he closes his eyes and tries to rest for a bit.

    Although Long Zhanye makes a vague agreeing sound, whether or not he will wake the person leaning against him is a matter only he knows. In terms of patience, besides the always meditating Huo Zaiyuan, only Long Zhanye can forcibly curb his impatience when the situation calls for it. He has also been through sleep-deprivation before, all those years ago during his special training. He had been forced to hide in a small hole within a dense forest, keeping watch for several days and nights without a chance to rest. A few hours tonight is a small matter.

    However, this night is not destined to be a peaceful and quiet one¡­

    Footnotes:

    [1] A fringe-up cut:

 CH 60

    Chapter 60: Mutant demon tree

    As it gets deeper and deeper into the night, when the moon reaches its zenith and silver moonlight shines down on the earth below, a layer of faint violet demonic energy sluggishly rises. The large, ancient banyan tree planted in the middle of the small town, surrounded by houses, slowly begins to shed its leaves. One leaf flutters down, then two, three¡­

    Groan - crash ¡ª !

    The large tree suddenly shudders, groaning and creaking as the remaining leaves shake, rustling in an invisible wind. Slow and steadily, the leaves move and shift, revealing a chillingly terrifying scene¡­

    Upon numerous bare forked branches, a withered corpse is skewered on each tip. Under the dim moonlight, one can see the frozen expressions of the mummy-like bodies. Fright, fear, shock¡­a few corpses dangle from the tree, wrapped in hanging vines like a cocoon. As the wind breezes through that area, the bodies drained of all blood sways lightly back and forth like a bunch of figs on a fig tree.

    Then, a soft sound breaks the tranquil silence once more as the deeply buried roots of the demonic tree slowly begin to move, emerging from the ground. One, then two, then three. The roots themselves look strange, resembling multiple rotten blood sausages wriggling around like worms. The sight of one alone is enough to make anyone feel nauseous. It takes a moment before all the roots break onto the surface, and the entire tree lifts upwards slightly before inching its way across the town towards a specific location.

    The demonic tree''s motions are extremely slow, but perhaps it feels rather impatient, for two tentacle-like vines shoots forth from its trunk, towards the courtyard of a small house.

    Bang -

    In the dead of the night, a silvery translucent barrier flashes into view before fading just as quickly. The demonic tree trembles, speedily drawing back the vines.

    Due to the sudden loud bang that echoed through the town, Long Zhanye, who is on night watch, instantly open his eyes and grabs the gun next to him. At the same time, Huo Zaiyuan who was sleeping, leaning against him, also awakens immediately.

    "There''s something outside striking against the wards!"

    "I''ll go take a look."

    One hand grasping the gun, he walks over to the window. Huo Zaiyuan also removes a pistol from his space and follows behind. The two arrives at the window and look out to see complete darkness. Sometime during the tree''s awakening, dark clouds covered the moon, robbing the average person of their sight. However, one can still make out a large creature brandishing sort kind of whip at the barrier outside.

    Suddenly, those tentacles lash out at high-speed, aiming for the window where the two men are located. Once again the attack is successfully blocked, causing another large boom to resonate, the shockwaves from the collision rocking the house to its foundations.

    "Ahh!! Earthquake!" Li Qing''s cry of surprise comes through the closed bedroom door.

    "Stupid, it''s not an earthquake. Let''s go out to take a look." Qin Jun''s voice drifts over. Mere seconds later, a bare-chested, rumpled shorts, bed-headed Qin Jun emerges from the room.

    "Little Yuan, what''s happening?"

    Before Huo Zaiyuan could answer, a much more violent tremor cause the entire house to quake, nearly knocking him off his feet.

    "I don''t know, but apparently something''s attacking the wards and trying to get in." Huo Zaiyuan says as he places a hand on the wall to stabilise himself.

    "Little Yuan, we cannot remain in this house anymore. Even if you repair the wards, a few more knocks from that creature will bring this place down around us!" Machine gun clenched tightly in one hand, Long Zhanye grabs Huo Zaiyuan with the other and proceeds to drag him outside.

    "What on earth is that thing? Why is it trying to attack us?" Li Qing accepts a pistol from Qin Jun and follows the first pair outside. At this time, the impacts from the collisions become increasingly intense with every strike.

    "I couldn''t see it very clearly, but it knows we are staying in this house." Huo Zaiyuan replies, his figure already disappearing out the front door.

    When the party of four is out in the courtyard, they can finally see the entire demonic tree brandishing whips and bare branches, relentlessly attacking the barrier.

    "F**k me! What the hell is that?! The Elder Demon of Black Mountain[1]?!" Li Qing utters faintly, hand gripping his pistol so tightly that the fingers turned white.

    Staring up at that terrifying demonic tree and its grotesque adornments of mummified corpses, the reason this place is a ghost town becomes abruptly clear.

    "Have you seen an Elder Demon of Black Mountain in the form of a tree with corpses hanging from its head?" Even confronted with this sort of otherworldly situation, Long Zhanye is not visibly shaken in the slightest or giving any signs of nervousness, still being able to make fun of Li Qing''s exclamation. Bracing the butt of the AK at his shoulder, he takes aim and fires a burst of rounds at one of the striking tentacles.

    The machine gun''s muzzle flashes in the dark, bullets tearing into the incoming vine, splitting it down the middle.

    Arrghh - !!

    A howl of agony erupts from the demonic tree and another handful of tentacles replace the torn one, intending on flanking the group.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Qin Jun''s gun fires five consecutive rounds, with three missing their target while two grazes the vines in time to deter its attack. Flicking his wrist, five talismans appear in Huo Zaiyuan''s left hand and streaks towards the tree. In the darkness of the moonless night, dazzling silver light trails from the wooden tiles, resembling a blade slicing through the air at high speeds. Cutting past the tentacles, the talismans pierce deep into the tree trunk.

    There is another loud explosion as golden flames ignite from the tiles, slowly creeping higher and higher as it threatens to envelop the entire tree. The demonic lifeform draws back its tentacles abruptly, and as though fearful of the golden fire on its body, completely ignores the few puny humans in favour of trying to smothering the flames.

    "Little Yuan, didn''t you store away a few rocket launchers when we cleared out the armoury?" Long Zhanye asks as he slings the gun onto his back.

    "There were, but they''re all separated into parts."

    "Take them out. This thing is too big. Ordinary guns and bullets wouldn''t work."

    With a wave of his hand, all the launcher parts appear in front of Long Zhanye. "This¡­what exactly should we do with them?" Huo Zaiyuan inquires as he doesn''t know how to assemble it.

    "Hand over a rifle to Qin Jun and little Qing. Keep that creature occupied for two minutes!" Long Zhanye instructs as his hands fly over the various parts, assembling it as fast as he can.

    Taking two rifles out of his space, Huo Zaiyuan passes them over to Li Qing and Qin Jun before arming himself with more talismans to block the frantic strikes from the now berserk demonic tree. Very quickly, the first layer of protective arrays can no longer withstand the continuous bombardment from the plant''s vines and shatters. However, the second layer - the Heaven Concealing Array - is evidently a lot stronger than the first barrier. Holding firmly against the tentacles, the impact from each strike is also a lot less intense. In addition, whenever the vines meet the invisible barrier, it ignites in golden flames, further burning the demonic creature. Being able to attack and defend, this array allows people to take a breather. Nevertheless, in this critical situation, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t take much notice of it.

    "Ready!"

    At Long Zhanye''s one word, he leans the assembled rocket launcher on his shoulder, eyes looking down the scope. Locking onto the target, he pulls the trigger. Sparks fly as the rocket speeds forward, trailing smoke behind and heading unerringly for the huge tree.

    Boom!

    The force from the exploding rocket is tremendous, managing to send the demonic tree skidding backwards. A fierce, deep orange flame erupts, causing the giant mutant plant to emit ear-piercing screeches. However, it remains mostly unyielding, stretching forth more burning and blackened vines to assault the barrier. It is rather obvious that it intends to bring them down in a kamikaze blow.

    Naturally, Huo Zaiyuan refuses to sit around and wait for death. Five coin talismans appear in his left hand, right hand coming up to draw runes in the air with his fingers as he chants a spell. Taking a step forward, the talismans fly from his hand. A faint dragon roar rings out and the five coins connect in a single line, forming a red fire dragon that slams against the tree trunk, winding its body around the large girth. Red flames gradually turn golden. Unable to endure it any longer, the demonic tree begins running around wildly, knocking over houses and slamming into various obstacles as it screeches and shrieks, attempting to put out the raging inferno most of its body has become.

    The demonic tree burned the whole night, only dwindling down little by little when dawn breaks the horizon and the first rays of sunlight hit the ground. As spiritual fire will only burn demonic beings and evil spirits, ordinary objects and humans are left untouched. Else when the tree had run around frantically crashing here and there and rolling about, the entire town would have burned to the ground too.

    The mutant tree itself wasn''t the only thing that was subjected to the flames. The bodies drained of blood left dangling or skewered by its branches were not spared either. The golden fire left no traces of the corpses behind.

    "That¡­I say, what was up with that tree? Don''t tell me during the apocalypse, humans will turn into zombies and plants will become blood-sucking autotrophic leeches?" Li Qing murmurs. Although it is early in the morning, he is only wearing a thin, sleeveless vest, snuggling up to Qin Jun to keep warm.

    Abruptly awakened by the demonic tree, he was unable to fall back asleep. On top of that, firing a heavy rifle last night as well as bearing the stronger than usual recoil of the firearm caused his arms to ache.

    Looking down at the pile of charcoal that was formerly a large demonic tree, it is fairly obvious this thing cannot be any deader than it currently is. So Huo Zaiyuan walks out of the array and waves his left hand, materialising a sword and begins slicing open the charred remains, speaking as he does. "Not sure if it was "Liao Zhai" or "Shan Hai Jing"[2], they mention many kinds of Immortal Flowers and Demonic Trees or something like that¡­I reckon this tree can be considered as one of them."

    "How''s that possible? Those are simply myths and legends, something to trick little kids with." Li Qing says sceptically, not believing a word.

    "Why are their existence impossible? This is a world where zombies run rampant, so how is a tree turning into a monster impossible?" Long Zhanye answers, pulling out his knife and poking the pile of charcoal with the tip, not quite knowing why Huo Zaiyuan seems to be so fascinated by it.

    "Eh¡­that''s true, I suppose." Convinced by Long Zhanye''s words, Li Qing ponders for a moment, then nods his head. Suddenly, his expression changes again as he thinks of something else. "T - t - then¡­how many ''Elder Demon of Black Mountain'' are there in this world?"

    Aiya¡­goodness¡­if last night''s situation wasn''t so tense that it prevented him from thinking too much, just looking at that tree full of mummified corpses is enough to make one tremble in their shoes.

    "During my summer vacation, I was helping my old man out in the hospital looking after patients and heard a few elderlies say evil spirits need to gather demonic energy for a thousand to ten thousand years before they can become sentinel beings. Therefore, these creatures can''t possibly be everywhere." Qin Jun kisses his cheek comfortingly.

    "That''s great then. That''s great." Patting his chest, Li Qing places his hands on Qin Jun''s waist, plastering himself close to his lover.

    "Hmm¡­looks like this tree is reduced to its essence." Using quite a bit of strength to stab his blade in and bring it firmly downwards. The charcoal split open and out rolls a sparkling and crystalline green pearl.

    "What is that?" Long Zhanye steps up to Huo Zaiyuan''s side, gaze locked on that green pearl. "A pearl? It can''t be one of those so-called evil spirit inner core, right?"

    "I think it is." Nodding his head, Huo Zaiyuan bends down to pick it up.

    Just as his fingertips graze the clear surface, his vision blurs, and countless images flicker across his mind. His body stills for a second, then collapses like a doll with its strings severed.

    "Little Yuan!!"

    Footnotes:

    [1] "ºÚÉ½ÀÏÑý", a demon king character that appears in the old "Journey to the West" movie.

    [2] "ÁÄÕ«" and "É½º£¾­" are two fairly popular books. They are some sort of encyclopaedia - if you would - about mythical spirits and such like.

 CH 61

    Chapter 61: Spontaneously spawning poisonous swamp

    Following the chorus of startled shouts, Huo Zaiyuan staggers back to his feet, only to sway again. Long Zhanye immediately reaches out to hold him upright against his chest.

    "Urgh¡­I''m¡­I''m fine." Brow wrinkling, Huo Zaiyuan blinks a few times before his vision focuses on Long Zhanye. "The demonic tree''s memories still linger in that inner core. That tree was the oldest one in this town, and the residents see it as a symbol, hence this place is called Banyan Town. Over time, this tree gained consciousness, and it likes silently watching over the townsfolk. Occasionally, it will even help a busy person look after their children or elderly. But when Judgement Day came, the Banyan tree mutated for some reason, turning into a demonic tree. Every time the moon rises, it will feel the urge to massacre. Night after night, it will drag a few random residents away to absorb their blood."

    "A guardian spirit unexpectedly becoming a monster that slaughters the very people it protected." Long Zhanye frowns, staring at the green inner core in Huo Zaiyuan''s palm. "Little Yuan, how do you propose to handle this core?"

    "I don''t know. I''ll store it in the space first, perhaps it will be of use in the future." After saying that, he takes a glass pitcher out and places it in.

    "According to the memories you saw from the core, shouldn¡¯t the Banyan tree ought to be malicious from the start? Otherwise, why would it suddenly change to a monster when it''s originally benevolent?" Qin Jun asks as he looks at the blackened remains of the tree.

    "Oh, I know. I know. Plants grow from the earth, right, and absorbs minerals and nutrients and water from the soil." Li Qing raises his hand before offering his opinion, looking a lot like a kindergarten kid with his bright eyes and enthusiastic voice. "It must be something in the earth it absorbed that made it change."

    "It''s not only that." Long Zhanye shakes his head.

    Although he doesn''t understand all these demons and spirits and gods and immortals, he speculates there must be something else prompting a guardian spirit to spontaneously become a malicious monster, something like extremely harsh circumstances. Or being influenced by something filled with corruption.

    "Un. According to what I saw, every night when the moonlight shines upon the tree, it causes a strange purple cloud to rise. Towards humans who breathe it in, it makes them muddle-headed, allowing the demonic tree to seize this opportunity and drag the victims away. This is the reason why there are no signs of struggle." Huo Zaiyuan explains.

    "Then why were there scratch marks on the tiles of one house and that fingernail? Could it be a woman hiding there wasn''t affected by the purple cloud?" Li Qing pauses for a bit, then adds. "We are also not affected by it."

    "It''s possible the arrays manage to ward off the cloud too, or else you would have become another drained corpse decorating that tree yesterday night." Huo Zaiyuan steps closer to his childhood friend, a mischievous smile on his lips.

    Li Qing jerks back, pale face reddening in anger. "Y - you! Boohoo¡­Qin Jun¡­he bullied me¡­" Li Qing cries, pouncing on his lover to seek comfort.

    Ignoring the whining Li Qing, Huo Zaiyuan turns to Long Zhanye. "Older brother Long, let''s go take a look at the tree''s original rooted spot. Although it managed to uproot itself to move about, I don''t think the entire root network beneath the soil was brought along. We should make sure nothing else lingers there and causes us more trouble."

    "Un, be careful." Unslinging the gun from his back, Long Zhanye flicks the safety off, then falls into step beside Huo Zaiyuan.

    The two of them head straight for the middle of town, where dry sand and dust flies in the air due to increasingly strong gusts of wind. Along the way, they pass smaller pieces of charcoal and blackened branches broken off from the tree during its wild flailing.

    As the pair draw closer, a strong stench like that of rotting corpses gradually fills their noses, causing nausea to stir.

    "Where''s the smell coming from?" Long Zhanye glances around as he treads carefully forward.

    "Don''t! Don''t go too close." Huo Zaiyuan''s  face turns slightly green, fingers reaching out to pull Long Zhanye back. Both hands come up to clinch the material of his uniform tightly, forcing the taller man to retreat a few paces.

    This particular stench is one he has also become reluctantly familiar with before his rebirth. During that time, the surface of the earth was already poisoned and polluted beyond hope of restoration¡­all the naked eyes take in when sweeping a glance over one''s surroundings is miles upon miles of stinking, poisonous swamps dotting the landscape.

    Never did he expect to encounter one here!

    "What is that?" Long Zhanye takes in Huo Zaiyuan''s extremely frightened expression, and circles an arm around his waist, the desire to step forward and take a closer look evaporating.

    Knowing Huo Zaiyuan for this long, whether it be confronting zombies by the hundreds or thousands, he always wears a calm and tranquil expression. Now, upon seeing this smelly pond, that serene face abruptly turns frightened. Long Zhanye doesn''t need anyone to tell him that this pond is nothing good, and its danger level is higher than zombies.

    "Poisonous swamp." Huo Zaiyuan whispers these two words from within Long Zhanye''s embrace.

    "A swamp with poison? But don''t swamps normally emit poisonous gas lethal enough to claim lives?" Li Qing approaches the pair, fingers pinching his nose. However, upon seeing Huo Zaiyuan''s greenish face, he dares not come nearer.

    "This is different. In an ordinary swamp, one will slowly sink when they enter, but that doesn''t mean they have no chances of being rescued and the poison they breath in can be purged from their bodies. This one, however, instantly sucks a person in the moment they step into it. The poison in its waters and the gas above it will kill someone near instantly. When the corpse surfaces once more from these swamps, what crawls out is a zombie a hundred times more deadly than the average ones. That''s because zombies that are created by these swamps are highly toxic. A single touch can kill." Huo Zaiyuan informs them in a cold and emotionless voice. "In addition, within the bodies of those swamp zombies lies numerous terrible blood-thirsty devil ants. Besides being carnivorous insects, they can turn anyone into a zombie."

    "So the reason why a benevolent tree can turn into a savage mutant demonic spirit is because of this poisonous swamp!" Qin Jun glances towards that dark, bubbling pool, frowning lightly.

    "It should be the case." Long Zhanye affirms, looking down at the person in his arms. "Little Yuan, what should be done now?"

    "Seal it. I absolutely cannot let it continue to spread." Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes harden as he lifts his left hand.

    Silver rays of light emit from his palm and the Holy Dragon Bone Brush appears. A flick of his fingers and the brush begins to spin, silver light slowly wrapping around the white bristles.

 CH 62

    Chapter 62: Sealing and departure

    "Seal it!" Spitting out these two words, Huo Zaiyuan curls his fingers loosely, and the Holy Dragon Bone Brush appears in his palm.

    It is impossible to think about using only a few wooden talisman to successfully seal a poison swamp, as there are limits to what a peach wood talisman is able to do. Also, on the off chance that the wood is corroded by the poisonous gas over a period of time, it will lose its usefulness. When that moment comes, the swamp will come alive and begin spreading once more.

    Since that''s the case, he will not use his talisman as the sealing medium. Instead, by directly using the Holy Spring''s water as the ink, he''ll draw the seal on the ground. Although this method will take much more spiritual energy, it will definitely be able to seal this swamp away without fear of the seal breaking again.

    The rays of silver light intensify to the point of becoming extremely glaring. Mumbled chants and spells fall from Huo Zaiyuan''s lips as the brush begins to draw characters in the air. Silver runes depicting the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams array shimmers into existence before flying off to attach themselves to the edges of the swamp.

    None of the other three watching dares to interrupt, each one clutching their respective firearms at the ready as Huo Zaiyuan is currently deep in concentration and hence left vulnerable to attacks.

    For a whole two hours, the calligraphy brush in Huo Zaiyuan''s hand never stops moving for even a second. The translucent glowing characters circling the swamp has gradually arranged itself into the Eight Trigrams[1] formation.

    As each character is drawn, his inner energy depletes significantly, consuming his reserves at a rapid pace. By the time he has nearly complete the seal, Huo Zaiyuan''s forehead is beaded with sweat, a deep furrow between his eyebrows, both lips tightly pressed together, drained of colour. The entire image is enough to cause anxiety in one''s heart.

    By the time he exhausted almost all of his spiritual energy, the seal is finally completed. Holding the brush in his hands horizontally, he chants the final spell to activate the seal. "Nine Dragons Divine Law, Five Elemental Gates, Heavens Eight Trigrams, activate [2]!"

    Taking a step forward, countless runes begin to revolve at high-speed before assembling tighter about the swamp. To the naked eyes, the poisonous swamp begins to vanish from sight, then where the black-bubbling substance once was, normal soil appears, signalling the success of the seal.

    Tension flees from his body the moment he confirms the seal is working. Huo Zaiyuan''s vision blanks for a split-second, body falling backwards as his muscles loosen. The last thing he saw before his eyes slide close is the anxious look on Long Zhanye''s face as the soldier rushes forward to catch him.

    Ah, this is so embarrassing. He actually fainted from spiritual energy depletion a second time.

    ~~~

    "Older brother Long, is little Yuan better?" Li Qing turns his body around from his position in the passenger seat, at the same time handing over a long loaf of bread to Long Zhanye. "It''s been a day already, have something to eat first."

    "His body is returning to its usual temperature. He should be fine." Taking a bite out of the bread, he glances back down at the unconscious person in his lap, a trace of worry seeping into his eyes.

    He doesn''t know if it is due to spiritual energy exhaustion, but when Huo Zaiyuan collapsed, his body''s temperature began to drop, his skin turning cold and clammy to the touch.

    Even the medical expert Qin Jun was unable to determine the reason behind the sudden drop in body temperature after a thorough examination. This frightened them all, and due to the situation being urgent, Long Zhanye eventually decided to use his own body heat to warm Huo Zaiyuan up, which lead to the pair¡¯s current situation.

    In the back seat of the off-road vehicle, Long Zhanye drapes his coat over his shoulders, arms loosely wrapped around the unconscious Huo Zaiyuan currently bundled up warmly with a cotton quilt.

    "That''s good." Hearing Long Zhanye confirm nothing is wrong with Huo Zaiyuan, Li Qing heaves a sigh of relief, then hands over a bottle of milk tea to the soldier. "Older brother Long, little Yuan hasn''t eaten anything for a day too. Here, feed him a little milk tea."

    "Un." Accepting the bottle, he twists the cap off and slowly dribbles some of it into Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth.

    Or at least, he tries to. The unconscious person refuses to co-operate, lips tightly closed and teeth clenched together, not permitting even a drop of liquid to enter his mouth. Staring contemplating down at Huo Zaiyuan, he wrinkles his brow a little, then seems to come to a decision. Pouring some tea in his own mouth, Long Zhanye plasters his lips over Huo Zaiyuan''s.

    Li Qing, who so happened to glance over his shoulder to check on Huo Zaiyuan, is momentarily stunned at the action.

    Oh my god¡­wh - what is he witnessing!

    Once the mouthful of tea smoothly enters Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth, Long Zhanye pulls back for a bit, but can''t resist planting another kiss on those soft lips before raising his head to stare at the wide-eyed youth in the passenger seat, quirking a stern eyebrow.

    "I - " Like a startled kitten, Li Qing jerks in his seat, both hands flying up to wave denials. "I - I didn''t see anything!"

    "Mhm. Since you didn''t see anything, then turn back around and focus on the road!" Long Zhanye''s mouth curves into a devious smirk.

    "Yes, sir!" Li Qing whips his head to the front, not daring to look back anymore.

    Retrieving his sharp glare, Long Zhanye shifts his gaze to the person in his embrace before feeding him another mouthful of milk tea. Eventually, a little bit of colour returns to Huo Zaiyuan''s wane complexion and a faint hint of red appears in his bloodless lips. Pleased by the results, Long Zhanye drops another kiss on that pale face.

    The off-road vehicle continues speedily on its journey for an entire day, and as the sun begins to set in the west, they have already departed Z City.

    (Author''s notes: Adorable Theatre -

    Author: My son, you''re done for¡­

    Long gong: (raises an eyebrow) How come?

    Author: A reader complained that you are displeasing. You''re done for¡­

    Long gong: (Calm and collected as ever) Meh¡­as long as little Yuan likes.

    Yuan shou: (Confused tilt of the head) ??

    Footnotes:

    [1] Better known as "°ËØÔ"

    [2] It sounds so much better raw *sweat drops*

 CH 63

    Chapter 63: Highway robbery

    When Huo Zaiyuan''s inner energy recovers to the point he regains consciousness, it''s already early morning of the second day. Body bogged down by fatigue, meridian feeling empty and only a sliver of spiritual energy within him, this sort of feeling is extremely uncomfortable.

    "Mmm¡­" A low groan slips pass his lips, Huo Zaiyuan''s eyebrows draw together slightly, eyelashes flickering for a while before he eventually opens his eyes.

    "Good morning, Sleeping Prince." Long Zhanye''s handsome visage hovers above Huo Zaiyuan, so close their noses almost brush.

    "Older brother Long¡­" Huo Zaiyuan jerks in surprise at the voice so close to his ear.

    Only when he finds his movements restricted does he finally realise he is being held tightly by Long Zhanye, his entire body bundled from head to toe by a quilt and his face pressing against the soldier''s exposed collarbone. Heart giving a hard thump, his eyes widen.

    "Wh - what happened¡­?"

    Heavens above, just what happened after he fainted? Being wrapped up like a cocoon, a wet, sticky feeling on his lips, hugged by Long Zhanye who is currently not wearing his coat¡­isn''t everything too shocking for someone who just regained consciousness?

    "You passed out after sealing away that poisonous swamp, then your body temperature began to drop. That''s why eldest brother Long is hugging you." Still driving the car, Qin Jun glances at Huo Zaiyuan from the rearview mirror and answers plainly.

    "Eh¡­oh." Huo Zaiyuan nods his head in understanding before looking up at Long Zhanye beneath his lowered eyelashes. "Older brother Long, I''m fine now¡­thank you."

    How embarrassing ah.

    "As long as you''re good. Here, have something to eat." Seeing Huo Zaiyuan''s embarrassed blush, the corners of Long Zhanye''s mouth curves upwards before setting the youth down next to him, handing over a bag of bread and a clean shirt.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s body is slim and soft, and embracing him (HZY) to his (LZY) chest feels extremely comfortable. Hence, Long Zhanye is rather reluctant to let go, but he is aware that some things require time and patience. Or else he might just scare the kitten off and the only one ending up feeling bitter will be Long Zhanye.

    The oblivious Huo Zaiyuan, on the other hand, is really starving. Opening the bag of bread, he tears into it, wolfing a piece down before changing his clothes.

    "Eat slower else you choke." Long Zhanye opens a bottle of mineral water and holds it before Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Mhm." Drinking a mouthful of water, Huo Zaiyuan gave a muffled thanks as he continues eating, gaze drifting out the window only to see the car driving through a main street, occasionally passing crashed vehicles and a few wandering zombies. "Where are we right now?"

    "We''ve just left Z City and is currently on 524 Huan Shan Street." Qin Jun replies.

    "Huan Shan Street? Did we completely bypass Y City and head directly towards X City?" Huo Zaiyuan blinks, evidently startled by the fact that they''ve already left Z City. "Did you drive for the whole of last night?"

    "No, it''s dangerous to keep driving at night. There was a wasteland with thick bushes and dense weed not far after leaving Z City. The car was well hidden behind all the vegetation. Since Qin Jun is in charge of driving, he has to sleep and recuperate. I kept night vigil for the first half and little Qing took over after." Long Zhanye says as he drinks a mouthful of water.

    "And here I was wondering why he is asleep instead of talking endlessly." After finishing the entire bag of food, Huo Zaiyuan feels like he has recovered a little more strength, and the uncomfortable feeling eased. Eyes shifting away from the bleak scenery outside, he glances at Li Qing, who is sound asleep.

    Now that he is feeling much better, Huo Zaiyuan retrieves one of the three bamboo tubes filled with peach juice that he buried beside the bamboo house. After fermenting underground for ten days, the flavour is a lot less sweet, but he drinks it up as his first priority right now is to replenish most - if not all- of his spiritual energy.

    Naturally, meditating in the dead of the night or within the silence of his interdimensional space is the most ideal. Pity he is in a vehicle right now and cannot enter the space, only able to sit quietly in the backseat and slowly absorb the spiritual energy from the peach juice.

    With Huo Zaiyuan meditating and Li Qing sleeping, the atmosphere in the car falls into an easy silence as it continues speeding onwards.

    At this moment, at the crossroads up ahead, a large truck approaches at high-speed. Just as both vehicles are about to collide, the truck drifts and its entire body slides to a horizontal stop, effectively blocking the road. If not for Qin Jun''s quick reflexes by yanking the steering wheel to the right instantly while stepping down on the brake, the outcome would have been horrific. Although the off-road vehicle did not hit the truck, the four people within are treated to a rough jolt.

    Li Qing who is curled up in the passenger seat was thrown to one side and nearly crashes into the dashboard in front but fortunately, Qin Jun manages to pull him back before his head met the hard surface. However, his hipbone knocks roughly on the door, causing tears of pain to well in his eyes. As for the meditating Huo Zaiyuan, his entire body was thrown forward, but Long Zhanye shifts his body, resulting in Huo Zaiyuan crashing into his chest.

    "Are you all right?" Long Zhanye softly inquires.

    "Thank you. I''m all right, but what''s going on?" Pushing himself off the taller man, he turns to look out the car''s window.

    "Hmph, no matter when and where, scums like these always appear." Glancing at the situation outside, Long Zhanye sneers as he sees ten over men coming out of the truck with clubs and knives in hand.

    Having witnessed situations like this before in his previous life, Huo Zaiyuan is naturally aware of what these armed men want to do after obstructing the road. Besides zombies, devil ants, poisonous swamps and mutant plants, one also had to guard against other humans as in this chaotic world, moralities and virtues have no place in society.

    "I''ll enter the space and look for an opportunity to take action." Huo Zaiyuan says, then in a flash of light, he disappears.

    Just as he vanishes, a man with dishevelled hair uses the steel rod in his hand to knock on the car''s roof before beckoning his finger, clearly hinting for them to get out. Li Qing and Qin Jun glance at Long Zhanye, only getting off the vehicle when he gives a faint nod.

    "Yo, youngsters! Where did you squeeze out from and where are you heading?" At the rear of the thuggish group stands a sunglasses-wearing, gold-tooth man holding a gun and biting on a cigar. He looks to be in his late-thirties to early-forties.

    "We are heading towards A City." Long Zhanye answers lightly, a small smirk on his face as he nonchalantly leans against the off-road vehicle. "I don''t know why Old Uncle, you, suddenly blocked our way for? Are you perhaps trying to ask for directions?" An eyebrow rises up slightly, clearly mocking.

    "Hahaha¡­" That man throws his head back and guffaws, looking like a maniac. "Little punk, your guts are pretty damn big. Do you know who this old man is? I''m X City''s crime lord, Mad Dog. Aren''t you scared this old man will fire a bullet into you?"

    While speaking, Mad Dog gestures for his subordinates to pat the three men down. Before Huo Zaiyuan disappeared, Long Zhanye collected all the guns and knives on their person and told him to bring it into the space, so he is not worried the thugs will discover any weapons on the three of them.

    "Mad Dog¡­un. Military clothes." Long Zhanye''s eyebrow rises again as the person who is assigned to pat them down hesitates before him.

    Hearing this, the previously cackling Mad Dog abruptly becomes serious again. Reaching up and slowly removing the sunglasses on his head, two beady eyes fixed unwaveringly on Long Zhanye.

    "Who are you?"

    "Eh¡­I''m no one. I''m just someone escaping from Y City who managed to scavenge a few things. Boss Mad Dog, no need to worry." Long Zhanye spreads his hands out in a show of harmlessness.

    After patting him down and finding no weapons on Long Zhanye, the thug relaxes his guard. As this Mad Dog''s subordinate is about to enter the off-road vehicle and search, he suddenly grunts in pain. Not waiting for the guy to comprehend what happened, the individual is thrown back, his entire body sailing through the air before hitting the ground.

    Pew!

    The crack of a gunshot sounds and a bullet flies out from the car. It is clear the shooter doesn''t have a very high accuracy, for the bullet fails to hit Mad Dog. However, it is still enough for the group to descend into confused panic.

    Qin Jun is also quick to follow up, hooking his leg around the thug''s shins, sweeping the guy''s feet out from under him before stomping down on the fallen man''s stomach, easily kicking away the steel rod from his victim.

    Snatching up that steel rod, Li Qing brings it up horizontally just in time to parry the downwards swing from another metal pipe. A hard kick from Qin Jun sends Li Qing''s attacker flying away.

    "You did great." Qin Jun praises over his shoulder, smiling as Li Qing''s face turn cheerful.

    Mad Dog is a member of the Underworld and has been a gang leader for a few decades. Moments before Judgement Day came, the transaction for an arms deal had just gone through. It is because of this pile of weapons he acquired that he and his gang are able to survive the apocalypse until now. Finally, when the situation became even more dire, he gathered up his subordinates and looted the entire northern district of X City. Shopping malls, residential areas, commercial areas¡­as long as they had food, he raided the place and adds whatever they scavenge into his stockpile. But he feels that is still far from enough. So he and his gang began to intercept every vehicle on this stretch of road that are trying to flee the city. In these past ten over days, they killed and robbed quite a number of people.

    However, he is a mistrustful person. Although he has a large store of firearms, in order to oppress the people beneath him, he doesn''t plan to hand a gun over to any one of them, which is why everyone else besides him is carrying only melee weapons. But little did Mad Dog expect that due to his untrusting nature, he will be buried right here on this road, on this day.

    Another bullet is shot and Mad Dog dives to one side in a roll. As he gets to his feet again, he grabs his gun and prepares to fire at the off-road vehicle when a black shadow descends from the sky. Before he can raise the muzzle of his firearm, a burst of pain erupts in his head and he collapses.

    Stepping on Mad Dog''s body, Long Zhanye smoothly evades a downwards strike of a chopper. Grabbing the crime lord''s gun, he fires it from the hip. A single gunshot rings out and the thug who attacked Long Zhanye falls, a bullet hole in his chest.

    For someone capable of infiltrating and silencing an entire army barrack all on his own, faced with un-skilled, disorderly ruffians clumsily waving melee weapons around, he completely disregards them all. Throwing himself into the midst of thugs, his figure flashes here and there, all but dancing around their attempted strikes. Every punch and kick results in another fallen victim unable to get back up. With the support of Huo Zaiyuan, Qin Jun and Li Qing, in less than half an hour''s time, the entire group was put down.

    "Truly not worth a sliver of attention." Sweeping his gaze over the fallen men, Long Zhanye''s expression is unsatisfied and displeased. Harrumphing as he straightens his coat, he turns to Huo Zaiyuan. "Little Yuan, let''s clean up the place. Whatever''s been delivered to our doorsteps¡­it''ll be a waste if we don''t take it."

    "Un."

    With no trace of politeness or courtesy, Huo Zaiyuan picks up all the melee weapons lying scattered on the road and tosses them into his space, sometimes even plucking it right out of an unconscious person''s grasp.

 CH 64

    Chapter 64: The people in the container

    After clearing the street of weapons, Huo Zaiyuan, of course, will not let the opportunity of searching the truck go. As soon as Qin Jun drives the truck away from the middle of the road to one side and gets out of the driver''s seat, Huo Zaiyuan impatiently opens the container''s door.

    Only this time, Huo Zaiyuan is sorely disappointed. For instead of seeing stockpiles of food or weapons within, he is faced with a giant cage similar to a kennel. Looking past the pile of stinking clothes messily discarded on the floor, he spots a group of humans huddled in the back corner.

    "Little Yuan, what''s up?" Seeing him pause outside the opened container and not climbing in, Long Zhanye strolls over, one hand gripping his pistol.

    "There''re people inside." Huo Zaiyuan answers, lifting a finger to point towards the dark corner.

    Due to not noticing any living presence when he first pulled the container''s door open, to suddenly see the huddling group when light filters true is enough reason for Huo Zaiyuan to startle. The fact that he had not pulled out a gun is mostly attributed to his less jumpy nature.

    Following the direction of Huo Zaiyuan''s finger, Long Zhanye peers into the dim container. "Who are you? Come on out or else I''ll start shooting." Although the threat is delivered in a merciless tone, Long Zhanye doesn''t raise the gun in his hand. Obviously, those words were only meant to scare.

    Hearing that threat, the captives tremble fearfully and shrink even further into the corner. At this moment, a figure amongst them stands up, then slowly walks out.

    "P - please, don''t shoot. W - we are not bad people¡­"

    The figure inches forward cautiously, and only when they finally reach the door of the container do Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye get a good look at the person. Tattered clothes hanging off their frame, the pieces of cloth cannot hope to conceal purple bruises and healing scars all over the thin body. Messy, tangled hair and delicate facial features marred by dark stains didn''t diminish the fact that the individual is a decidedly pretty one. Large, frightened eyes dart between Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan, resembling a rabbit confronted by wolves.

    "Who are you and those people hiding in the corner?" Long Zhanye examines the youngster from head to toe, determining that he isn''t that much older than Huo Zaiyuan.

    The youngster looks at the tranquil expression on Huo Zaiyuan''s face before saying softly. "The - the older brothers and sisters and I were all kidnapped by those bad people and put in here. P - please save us."

    "With the sort of people in that group, doing something like this is not beneath them." Eyeing the injured youngster, Huo Zaiyuan asks. "Older brother Long, how should we deal with this?"

    "It''s not like I''m that Mad Dog. These people are of no use to us." Shrugging, Long Zhanye drapes his arm over Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulders. "Let them go."

    Being a clever and observant man, with just one glance at the youngster and his body full of injuries, he immediately understands what happened to these captives. Mad Dog may not be physically strong, but in terms of pillaging, raping and murdering, the crime lord is an apt-hand. Now the apocalypse is here, with his ten over subordinates, they rob anyone they come across, snatching not only food and other supplies but a few young men and women to acts as objects of sexual release.

    "Un." Huo Zaiyuan turns back to the youngster. "Everyone lying down back there, if you want to leave, then quickly do so."

    "Leave? How do we leave¡­" Upon hearing Huo Zaiyuan''s words, he hesitates a little.

    "Isn''t there this truck right here for you to use? Quickly take it and drive away. Once those men regain consciousness, it would be troublesome for you all." Long Zhanye gives the youth one final glance before pulling Huo Zaiyuan along and returning to their off-road vehicle.

    Standing dazedly at the edge of the truck''s container, the youth watches the two men leave, then heads back into the dim interior. Not a moment later, a young man and woman walk out of the container and climbs into the front seats.

    "Oi!"

    Just as the young woman starts the truck''s engine, a sudden shout rings out. Not waiting for the two youngsters to answer, Li Qing carries over two large boxes of food, stuffing them through the window, followed by a bag of melee weapons.

    "A friend is gifting this to you. Wish you a safe journey." After saying these words, Li Qing sprints off.

    Looking out the window, the male youth''s gaze locks on Huo Zaiyuan who is in the processes of getting into the off-road vehicle, and Long Zhanye who seems to be saying something as he follows behind.

    A second passes, then the truck''s engine rumbles and the heavy-weight vehicle departs quickly.

 CH 65

    Chapter 65: Storage ring

    After the truck left, the party of four also prepares to set off, not even sparing the men littering the road a second glance.

    "Ah!" Li Qing suddenly shouts in surprise, walking forward to crouch beside Mad Dog. For some reason, after taking something from the unconscious crime lord, his face lights up as he hurries back to the group. Two hands cupping an item, he presents it to Qin Jun like a treasure. "Qin Jun, take a look at this jade ring. That Mad Dog is all bling and gold chains and gold tooth and gold rings and sunglasses, but he unexpectedly also has this jade ring."

    "Un, this ring looks rather fine." Plucking the delicate looking accessory from Li Qing''s palms, he brings it closer to study it.

    The jade ring is a clear greenish-blue without a single sliver of impurity, with thin, winding vines carved into the surface. Against the skin, it gives off a feeling of gentle warmth. Upon closer inspection, the vines wind together to form a koi fish.

    As Qin Jun and Li Qing are busy discussing the jade ring, Huo Zaiyuan opens the car door and gets out of the backseat, gaze immediately falling on the ring, his expression startled. "That ring is¡­"

    "Little Yuan, look. I took it from Mad Dog''s finger." Li Qing boasts with sparkling eyes before taking it back from Qin Jun and presenting it to Huo Zaiyuan.

    Huo Zaiyuan picks it up, immediately feeling the warmth emitting from the jade ring as soon as his fingertips brush against it. He also senses the extremely familiar thrum of spiritual energy flowing through the jade. Lips curving into a smile, he concentrates on the ring for a second before hearing a clang. Silver light flashes across the ring and the koi fish carved on its surface begins to move around.

    Before his very eyes, his surroundings shifts. A sheet of white mist settles all around him and the ground at his feet is covered by boxes of instant noodles, bags of rice and flour, as well as a large case of guns and ammunition.

    "Tsk, no wonder there were no supplies stored in the truck." Huo Zaiyuan smiles faintly before placing the jade ring back on Li Qing''s palms. "You brat, did you drink a luck potion before rolling for loot? Simply picking up a jade ring that caught your eye and you unexpectedly pick up a valuable treasure."

    "Priceless treasure? What do you mean?" Li Qing stares at the ring in his hands, expression confused.

    "Little Yuan, you''re not saying that this ring is similar to your interdimensional space?" Long Zhanye quirks an eyebrow as he glances at the jade ring.

    "Older brother Long, you''re really perceptive. However, that ring is not as heaven-defying as my space. I don''t think you can plant anything in it, so it''s only for storing items." While talking, Huo Zaiyuan also begins instructing Li Qing on how to use the storage ring. "Little Qing, all you need to do is concentrate and feel your mind entering the ring. Then you will be able to see everything stored within. When you want to take something out, just will it to appear."

    Obtaining a treasure, Li Qing feels extremely joyful. Practising according to Huo Zaiyuan''s instructions, he first enters the ring, then wills a sack of rice to appear. Unfortunately, he imagines it appearing in his hand, which almost caused him to be flattened under the heavy weight.

    "Uwah! I can really take things out of there ah!" Li Qing replaces the bag of rice back into the ring and ecstatically cries out.

    "Enough, you can celebrate in the car. We''ve to quickly get out of here or else things will be really troublesome." Long Zhanye points towards the road up ahead.

    One can make out a rather large group of humanoid figures slowly advancing down the street towards them. By now, none of them will naively think it is a group of humans approaching. Thus, without further ado, they climb into the off-road vehicle and peel away from the scene. As for Mad Dog and his gang of thugs?

    Che, who cares about them! For daring to block their way, one can only blame the gang''s extremely bad fortune!

 CH 66

    Chapter 66: Y Town

    Hrr¡­grr¡­

    Greyish-green face, withered skin, a pair of muddy eyes, arms akimbo and waving around blindly, non-stop low growling emitting from their throats. Disfigured human heads swaying back and forth on bony necks. Countless zombies pour towards the house from all directions, climbing over each other like so many ants trying to reach the roof of the shabby building. Pushing and shoving, gnashing and scrabbling, as though something is calling out to them from inside.

    However, the strangest thing isn''t quite the horde of undead, but rather, that the house has yet to be torn down by the zombies, and it seems like an invisible force is preventing all of them from crossing a line and touching the building.

    Within this house, upon a straw-woven mat, sits a cross-legged elderly full of wrinkles. Both eyes closed, a dog-eared and damaged book lies on the ground before her. Besides the old woman in this old, near-crumbling home, there are also quite a few adults and children, each of them wearing an expression of terror and fright.

    "Esteemed grandmother, those monsters have almost crossed the red line¡­what do we do? If things continue like this, we will all be eaten." A middle-aged man with a head full of grey hair throws himself down before the elderly, banging his head on the ground a few times, face pale with fright.

    "They are coming, the people who will rescue us will definitely arrive on time." The old woman says in a frail voice, still keeping her eyes closed.

    In her mind''s eyes, she can see the people who will be their saviours arriving¡­

    ~~~

    When Long Zhanye drives, the speed he forces the car to go at is not something an ordinary person can imitate. Close to sunset, the off-road vehicle has already left Huan Shan Street and entered the suburban district''s Huang Ni Tu road. Wheels kicking up sand and dust, the vehicle''s black-painted body is adorned with a layer of yellow sand, giving it a slightly battered look. However, the car''s speed is still pretty fast, advancing along the bumpy road as though it is driving through an ordinary, flat, bitumen lane. Occasionally, there''s a bang and a bump as the car ploughs over zombies in the way, either running them over or sending them flying away.

    With Li Qing snuggling into Qin Jun''s chest, the two intimately shares a piece of rou gan[1] in the backseat.

    "Little Qing, returning this to you." Sitting in the passenger seat, Huo Zaiyuan waves his left hand even as his eyes continue pursuing the map before him. A wooden case appears, the very one taken from his mother''s house in Z City that Li Qing asked him to safe-keep. Now that Li Qing has his own storage ring, then it is a good time to hand over what his mother memento.

    Taking the box, Li Qing stares at Huo Zaiyuan. "Little Yuan, this is¡­"

    "It has always belonged to you and now you''re responsible for safeguarding it. Unless you actually want me to hold onto it forever?" Huo Zaiyuan scoffs lightly at the disbelief in Li Qing''s eyes.

    "But the ring¡­"

    Although Li Qing is pleased to be the one wearing this storage ring and had fun taking things out of it, so far, he has only been treating it like a game inventory. After playing with it for a while, he wholly expects to be asked to hand it over, and when the time comes, will not hesitate to do so. Because this ring doesn''t originally belong to him. Not to mention during the fight with Mad Dog''s gang, he didn''t exactly do much, no more than delivering a few kicks. If you ask him who deserves this ring the most, he will immediately say Long Zhanye as the one who defeated Mad Dog was the soldier.

    "You were the one who took it off Mad Dog, so it''s only natural for you to keep it. Oh, wait, it will be better to wear it around your neck instead of on your finger as it will be less attention-grabbing." Another wave of his hand and a length of thin red rope floats down before Li Qing.

    Reaching out to grab the rope, Li Qing still expressed a little hesitance.

    "Little Qing, this older brother don''t need a storage ring, so it would be better for you to properly take care of it." Long Zhanye persuades, knowing full well why Li Qing is hesitating.

    "Thank you." Hearing Long Zhanye''s words, he finally smiles and ties the ring around his neck with Qin Jun''s help.

    The off-road vehicle continues its high-speed race forward, and as the sky begins to darken, they can make out a small town out in front.

    "That is X City''s Y Town." Looking at the map, Huo Zaiyuan says. "Tonight, we''ll spend the night here."

    "Spend the night¡­this time, we shouldn''t run into any ''Elder Demon of Black Moutain'', right?" Li Qing murmurs as he burrows into Qin Jun''s arms. It''s not difficult to tell the demonic tree''s sudden attack that night had frightened him deeply.

    "I can''t guarantee that it might not happen." Huo Zaiyuan sighs with a roll of his eyes.

    The other two men simply laugh.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Rou gan = flat seasoned pieces of meat, usually cooked over fire like BBQ

 CH 67

    Chapter 67: A different kind of crystal nuclei

    The off-road vehicle heads towards the direction of the town at high-speed, before turning into a smaller dirt road covered in wild grass and out-of-control weeds. On both sides of the road, ditches were dug, and beyond those ditches lay open paddy fields. Except the ground of said fields are so dry that not a single drop of water can be spotted. Yellow and withered crops can be seen carelessly scattered all over that dry, cracked ground.

    After crossing that small dirt road, they finally enter the town. This entire place is located on filled-in ground, where mud and soil were taken from other places and dumped here, allowing it to rise above sea-level and become fit to establish a town on. When one walks through the village, a few random patches of dead rice crop can be seen planted here and there.

    Driving through the entrance, the car stops outside the first house they come across. The party of four exits the vehicle and three zombies immediately amble forward, attracted by the noise.

    Grasping a steel knife, Long Zhanye''s arm shoots forward, accurately piercing through the head of the nearest zombie. Qin Jun immediately follows up by beheading the next one with his own sword, and the last fell to Li Qing, its head split neatly in two down the middle. This is his first time personally dealing a killing blow to a zombie, and Li Qing''s body dare not relax until the undead topples, making him take a step back to avoid the dripping blood.

    "They are already not humans anymore. You are killing zombies. Monsters.¡± Huo Zaiyuan offers him a small smile, patting his shoulder in comfort.

    "I know¡­" Li Qing whispers, biting his lower lip. Reaching down to pull out the knife buried in the zombie''s head, he frowns as he looks at the sticky red and yellow substance on the blade. He will become much stronger so as to stop dragging the others down!

    Due to the sky quickly becoming black, none of them plans to wander around this town, instead deciding to stay the night in the first house they come across. Because they are still unsure if more zombies are lingering within the building, Long Zhanye volunteers to enter first and search while Huo Zaiyuan begins to set a barrier array down outside. As they have confirmed there are zombies in the area, Qin Jun and Li Qing stay outside with Huo Zaiyuan, protecting him in case an undead decides to attack when he is busy laying arrays.

    The house they are staying the night in is a common building one will always come across in villages and small towns. Straw and wood roof, mud bricks and patchwork curtains. As soon as Long Zhanye enters, he treads carefully and silently, searching the entire place from top to bottom. He discovers a small zombie in one of the ground floor rooms, a kid around six years old with a chunk missing from its shoulder. Cleanly cutting it down, he heads directly up to the second floor and finds another three zombies. A male and two females. One of the male and female there should be the parents, with scratches and bites along their bodies. The other female is approximately eighteen or above, bearing no visible wounds. From the small vertical lines of the scratches on the male, he supposes it was caused by the small zombie. By the looks of things, when zombies invaded the town, the parents hid in the second floor, but was bitten by the daughter who was the first to turn.

    Clearing out all the undead, Long Zhanye sweeps the entire house one more time to ensure it truly is safe. Not a moment too soon, the other three outside comes in. Directing Huo Zaiyuan to the corpses, he watches as the golden flames consume every corpse until even the ashes are gone. What is left behind makes Huo Zaiyuan feels delighted. For amongst the four corpses, two yielded crystals, which was something he wasn''t expecting.

    Only, it is rather strange that these two crystals are quite different compared to the ones he has gotten familiar with. Instead of being shaped like a sesame seed, these ones are spherical.

    Is the change in crystal shapes connected in some way to the zombie''s increasing intelligence?

 CH 68

    Chapter 68: Voice of consciousness

    When night falls, the zombies either concealing themselves in dimmer places or openly wandering the small town start to become more active. Everywhere is filled with the sound of constant shuffling, endless low growling and howlings rumbling deep in throats, the noises mixing together in a bone-chilling chorus.

    A single lit candle sits in the middle of the house, dim candlelight enough to chase away a bit of darkness but not enough to attract the eyes of the undead. Using the pile of firewood sitting in the kitchen, Huo Zaiyuan manages to whip up a delicious dinner for everyone, allowing them to shower and rest on a satisfied stomach.

    Travelling for a number of days by car, each of them is seriously exhausted even if they did catch some shut-eye inside the vehicle. After coming out from the bathroom, Li Qing drags Qin Jun to look for a suitable bedroom to sleep in.

    "Don''t forget to wake me up so I can take the second shift." Li Qing says before closing the bedroom door behind him.

    Very quickly, silence settles in the house. When Long Zhanye finishes showering and walks out, the first thing he sees is Huo Zaiyuan sitting cross-legged on the sofa, preparing to meditate.

    "Why don''t you go into the room to meditate?" He questions as he settles down beside the younger man and flashes a smile. He volunteered to take the first watch so that the others can rest sooner.

    "Keeping you company."

    "I''m touched." The smile comes back on his face, this time much brighter as he reaches over to rub Huo Zaiyuan''s head. "Your body hasn''t recuperated fully. Be good and enter your space to meditate. Tomorrow, older brother will give you a lollipop."

    He hasn''t forgotten the kid fainted from spiritual energy exhaustion again not long ago. Although he has regained consciousness but his body has not completely recovered yet. Also, Long Zhanye feels that if Huo Zaiyuan enters his space to meditate, the results will be many times better than if he mediates outside.

    "I''m not a child. Don''t try persuading me with lollipops." Huo Zaiyuan scoffs and flicks his hand, causing a bag of melon seeds and a few fruits to appear before stuffing them all into Long Zhanye''s arms. Only after that does Huo Zaiyuan disappear into his space.

    Shifting his gaze from the youth who disappeared to the food in his arms, Long Zhanye blinks, then tosses his head back and laughs heartily.

    Aiyo¡­goodness¡­this kid is honestly too adorable!

    In his space, Huo Zaiyuan fumes silently with an extremely red face, not knowing if it is due to anger or shyness. Standing in the bamboo house for a while, he walks out towards the plantation and finds that most of the fruits and vegetables he planted have already grown. The scenery of various shades of green crops and multiple of colours scattered across the field makes a beautiful sight. The smell of sweet corn fills his nose, little red cherry tomatoes cutely peeking out between green leaves. Picking up a basket, he walks between the crops, taking a few Chinese cabbages, corn and cherry tomatoes in preparation for bringing them out tomorrow and share with the others.

    Carrying the basket back to the bamboo house, he sets it down and lifts his head, only to gasp in surprise when he sees the Holy Nine Dragon Spring Pool. The water level of the pool has reduced so much that it only reaches halfway.

    It seems that when he was creating the seal around the poisonous swamp, he actually used up half the water in the pool. No wonder he exhausted nearly all of his spiritual energy.

    From the looks of it, he really needs to put more effort into cultivating, or else when they face more poisonous swamps in the future, his little life will be in danger.

    Returning to the house, Huo Zaiyuan sits on the bed, absorbing the potent natural energy flowing around him with every breath, refining it into inner spiritual energy. Slowly, he can feel his body recuperating. Guiding his inner energy to circulate through his entire body, he then directs it into his meridian before exiting it again. After a few rounds, Huo Zaiyuan opens his mouth and exhales a lungful of dirtied air.

    ''Youngster, you''ve finally come. This elderly has been waiting for you for so long.''

    Suddenly, an old voice echoes in his mind, causing Huo Zaiyuan''s heart to jerk in alarm. Sensing nothing is off with the current of warm energy still flowing through his body, he forces himself to calm down and respond to the voice.

    ''Who are you? Why were you waiting for me?"

    ''This elderly is an old shaman in Y town''s fringe village. I''ve been waiting for you, esteemed Taoist, to arrive before I extended my consciousness towards you to seek help.''

    ''Seek help? What kind of help?'' Huo Zaiyuan never expected the other party will use this kind of method to ask for help.

    ''Seeking help to rescue the trapped villagers.'' The old voice beseeches in a voice that can move even a black-hearted person, let alone Huo Zaiyuan.

    ''Where are they trapped?''

    ''There is a small ancestral shrine in the village, and it is surrounded by monsters. After you, esteemed Taoist, have saved the villagers, this elderly will definitely repay you generously¡­''

    After her voice fades, Huo Zaiyuan tries reaching out mentally to inquire more about the situation but receives no answer.

    When his eyes open, it is already early the next morning. His entire body feels extremely light and comfortable, and his inner energy is overflowing once more.

 CH 69

    Chapter 69: Rescuing people (1)

    Carrying the basket in his arms, Huo Zaiyuan exits the space, and the first thing he sees is Li Qing''s resplendent little face.

    "Good morning, little Yuan Yuan! Wah, cherry tomatoes! I love it, I love it!" Saying that, he immediately reaches out and snags one fresh and red tomato.

    Before the apocalypse, cherry tomatoes were Li Qing''s favourite food. But after the apocalypse, don''t say cherry tomatoes, even if one wishes to eat other fruits, it is very difficult to obtain. Although Huo Zaiyuan takes fruits out from his space during mealtime or for snacking on, it is mostly apples, pomegranates and oranges. He doesn''t dare be greedy and eat a lot either, as he is aware that Huo Zaiyuan''s supply of fresh food is not limitless and will finish one day.

    "I know you like it, which is why I picked a few and brought them out. Tell me when you''ve finished them. I''ve planted a few trees in my space." Seeing Li Qing''s delighted expression, Huo Zaiuan smiles. He is well aware of his childhood friend''s thoughtfulness and wanted to do something to make him happy.

    "Planted? Planted?! Older brother Long said you can only plant vegetables in your space, is that true?"

    A few days ago, Li Qing overheard Long Zhanye saying Huo Zaiyuan''s space can grow crops, but he didn''t exactly take note of it. Also, he has seen his friend disappear into his space, and knows the other''s interdimensional space is different from his storage ring. Now that he hears Huo Zaiyuan personally announce that all Li Qing has to do is ask more from him whenever he finishes eating the cherry tomatoes, Li Qing''s eyes seem to glitter with how bright it becomes. He suddenly feels so fortunate.

    "Do you think it''s false?" Rising both eyebrows, Huo Zaiyuan turns on his heels and walks away. "I''ll go cook breakfast, after eating, you can go back and catch up on more sleep."

    "Catch up on more sleep? Are we planning to stay here a little longer? Are we going to be scavenging food from the town?" Li Qing is not a fool. In the previous village they stayed in, because of the demonic tree incident, they didn''t have the opportunity to scavenge for supplies. Although there are zombies roaming this place, if they are not going to search for supplies, then he doesn''t know the reason for staying a little longer.

    He has checked on the food supply lying in the storage ring, and estimates it is sufficient to feed the four of them for two years. He doesn''t know how much food Huo Zaiyuan has stored away, but even if they add it together, it will eventually run out. Which is why on this journey, besides heading as quickly as possible to their destination, they also continue to scavenge as much as they can.

    "No. We''re going to rescue people." Dropping this bomb with a nonchalant tone, Huo Zaiyuan wanders into the kitchen.

    Rescue - rescue people?

    Rescue what people?

    As the party digs into breakfast, Huo Zaiyuan recounts what happened when he was meditating in the space, and the old shaman reaching her conscious mind out to him in order to seek aid.

    "Since little Yuan agreed to help, then it''s decided. Going out to rescue people, how can you not count me in?" Swallowing the last mouthful of stir-fried noodles on his plate, Long Zhanye smiles.

    Seeing Long Zhanye agreeing to help without the slightest hesitation, Huo Zaiyuan''s heart warms.

    "Although it''s the apocalypse now, this world doesn''t only contain you and me. There are also vile and evil people still alive and kicking. If the common people requires aid, we still have an obligation to extend a helping hand whenever possible." Qin Jun puts down his chopsticks and dips his head towards Huo Zaiyuan. "Count me in."

    "I''ll go, I''ll go too." Li Qing raises both hands above his head, beaming.

    "Little Qing, you were keeping watch for the second half of the night and didn''t sleep. Stay behind and rest. Qin Jun, older brother Long and I would be enough." Huo Zaiyuan advises as he passes another corn to Li Qing.

    "Un¡­all right. But in the afternoon, after I rest, I want to join in." Cradling the basket of cherry tomatoes to his bosom like a treasure, Li Qing sweeps his gaze over them. "All of you must be careful."

    "Un."

    Because Huo Zaiyuan has already surrounded this house with a protective array, there''s no need to worry about zombies breaking in and attacking Li Qing when he''s resting in the bedroom. With no need to be afraid for the person staying behind, the three of them make essential preparations before heading out the door.

 CH 70

    Chapter 70: Rescuing people (2)

    Each of the three has a sword in one hand, submachine gun slung on their back and a pistol strapped to their waist. According to what the old shaman managed to convey to Huo Zaiyuan before the connection cut off, the villagers are in the ancestral shrine, surrounded by a horde of zombies. That meant the number of undead the three will have to face is large, and the siege will be hard to break if they brought only pistols.

    It has been about a month since the start of the apocalypse, and the zombies have already stopped fearing direct sunlight. Even in broad daylight, they roam uncaring, unlike when most typically shied away or hide under shades during the first ten or so days. In addition, after weathering more than twenty days of rain and wind, enduring the scorching sun and cold nights, the bodies of these zombies are now giving off a strong scent of rotting meat that makes one feel like gagging.

    Upon leaving the house, the undead currently in the town immediately catches the scent of living humans. Arms outstretched and mouths wide open, they advance.

    With a sweep of his leg, Long Zhanye kicks a zombie clad in dark overalls away, sword swinging down to chop off the head of another sporting a broken arm. Both hands clutching the hilt of his sword, Qin Jun lashes out at an undead with a bite wound on its shoulder and body covered in dried blood. While Huo Zaiyuan is admittedly proficient in the use of his talismans, his bladework is not too shabby either. Striking out with his own sword, he pierces through the mouth of an advancing zombie which had a fruit knife stuck in its chest. Pulling the blade out, he spins around just in time to cut down an undead trying to sneak up on them.

    From the entrance of the town all the way to the fringe village, zombie bodies litter the ground, courtesy of the three men. At long last, they arrive before the small village. From this distance, one can clearly see a swarm of zombies surrounding a shabby house with a black tiled roof.

    "No wonder there were only a handful of zombies loitering around the rest of this town. Most of them are gathered here." Long Zhanye squints at the horde consisting of at least three to four hundred undead.

    This really reminds him of the sea of zombies at Z City''s military district''s ground floor¡­

    "Let me set up a barrier array here to give us a safe zone before we attract them all over." Eight talismans in hand, Huo Zaiyuan begins to set up a Five Element Eight Trigrams Array.

    "How will we attract them over?"Qin Jun keeps his gaze locked on the horde. Are they going to move closer until they catch the zombies'' attention?

    "Their sense of smell and hearing has become sharper now. As long as there is a large noise they will certainly be urged by instincts to rush over, delivering themselves into our arms." Noticing that the array is completed, Long Zhanye smirks, taking out a copper washbasin from who-knows-where and proceeds to gleefully slam his palm against it.

    "¡­¡­" (QJ & HZY)

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    A series of loud clangs ring out and the horde of zombies sieging the ancestral shrine in the distant freezes as one. Then the strange tableau breaks as they switch targets, dashing across the village as quickly as their rotting bodies allow. With three fresh, living humans standing wide in the open, the undead''s jaws widen like starving beasts, snarls ripping out of their throats as they pounce forward.

    "Eldest brother Long, look, the zombies are running over. How about opening your arms to welcome them?" Qin Jun mocks drily.

    "Un, that''s a given!"

    A hand reaching into his camouflage jacket, he draws out the submachine gun. Waiting until the first wave reaches within five meters of Huo Zaiyuan''s barrier, Long Zhanye pulls the trigger, spraying into their midst. One after another, handfuls of undead fall under the gunfire. As he often uses submachine guns, it is not strange that with his supernatural accuracy, almost every bullet pierces a head. Nonetheless, for Qin Jun and Huo Zaiyuan who has never seen such spectacular display of marksmanship, they can''t help exclaiming in astonishment.

    Only when Long Zhanye pauses to reload his firearm do the other two unsling their submachine guns and commence shooting into the mass.

 CH 71

    Chapter 71: Rescuing people (3)

    Despite two of them not being as accurate as Long Zhanye, but with three people pouring bullets into the horde using machine guns, in half an hour''s time, zombie corpses have already piled up three meters away from the boundary. Met with an obstacle, the undead behind climbing up the pile to reach them, adding to the slowly growing mound.

    "Little Yuan, your turn." Long Zhanye says as he empties another magazine of bullets.

    Due to the pile-up of bodies, the trio are reduced to waiting for the ones at the back to climb up to the top, increasing the amount of time taken to complete this task of wiping out the swarm. Hence, he needs Huo Zaiyuan to burn the corpses.

    Understanding Long Zhanye''s unspoken thoughts, he nods in agreement and produces three wooden tiles. Injecting a little spiritual energy into the wood, he tosses them on the small mound in front, allowing the flames to rise. As the golden blaze ignites, the three men bear witness to an unusual scene. Before the fire, the undead that were charging forward relentlessly moments before abruptly scatters, not daring to approach.

    "It appears that their natural instincts still allow them to sense this fire will burn them to nothing." Qin Jun observes while loading another clip into his firearm.

    After the remaining zombies disperse, most simply loiter around that area while a rare few take detours around the burning pile to attack them.

    "The golden flames originate from my spiritual energy, which in turn originates from the purest form of natural energy under the heavens and on earth. Zombies can be categorised as one kind of inferior demonic being, which is why they fear this fire." Gazing at the flames that have now risen into an inferno, he explains to the others, then waves his left hand. A bucket of water and a basket of fruits appear. "Wash your hands and eat something. This fire will keep burning for quite a while."

    Even if the process of mowing down zombies have been made much quicker with the use of machine guns, the heat of the morning summer sun is rather fierce, resulting in the trio being covered with perspiration. Eating some fruits will quench their thirst and replace lost electrolytes. The only thing that they will have to bear with is the foul rotting stench from the undead.

    The flames kept burning for half an hour but is only able to reduce the meter-high pile by half. In addition, with the other zombies scattered and reluctant to approach them, the use of machine guns become ineffective.

    "Hmm¡­since they are all spread out, then we''ll need someone to act as a meat shield and attract them all back." Popping the last grape into his mouth, Huo Zaiyuan glances at the wandering zombies and gestures towards them with a nod of his head.

    "Meat - meat shield?" Evidently, Lord Captain Long has never played computer games before. Thus, his intelligent brain unexpectedly stalls a little as it tries to process the unfamiliar term coming out of Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth.

    "He means having one of us leave the barrier and act as bait, drawing all the zombies together and bring them over so we can spray them down with our machine guns." Qin Jun explains, feeling indescribably pleased that there is something Long Zhanye doesn''t know. Then he turns to Huo Zaiyuan. "Little Yuan, this isn''t a game. If the person accidentally stumbles or falls, it wouldn''t be as simple as losing a little HP."

    "Of course I am aware of that." Huo Zaiyuan''s expression remains calm.

    "No way. I don''t approve." Hearing the two converse, Long Zhanye understands exactly what the plan is. Face darkening, he reaches out and lays a hand on Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulder, preventing him from moving.

    "I''ll be fine¡­"

    "Not permitted." Long Zhanye interrupts firmly without waiting for Huo Zaiyuan to finish protesting. "There''s no need to rush headlong into this even if you''re thinking about rescuing people."

    Since the day he met Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan has never seen Long Zhanye become angered to this extent. But now, faced with his dark and hard face, a sliver of fear worms its way into his heart.

    "All right¡­"

    He doesn''t want to provoke Long Zhanye''s anger further.

 CH 72

    Chapter 72: Rescuing people (4)

    Not able to use the ''meat shield'' method to attract zombies, it is only natural that their efficiency in getting rid of the remaining undead drops considerably. In the end, Long Zhanye somehow came up with another plan. Taking off his undershirt, he makes a shallow cut on his finger and smears a few drops of blood on the cloth before tying it to a bamboo pole and sticking it out of the barrier. Lured by the scent of sweat and fresh blood, they begin to gather again, clawing for the shirt fluttering in the air and howling as they do so. In charge of holding the pole, Qin Jun waves it every so often in order to attract more. Machine gun in hand, Long Zhanye continues to shoot the now assembled zombies while Huo Zaiyuan clears the bodies up with golden fire every now and then.

    Two hours later, more than half the number of zombies are left, with corpses laying in all directions. When golden flames ignite, they nearly encircle the entire array. Luckily this spiritual fire does not have a temperature or else none of the three will be able to survive the torrid heat.

    As for the benefits gained from clearing this horde, none profited more than Huo Zaiyuan. Fighting zombies since morning, the corpses his flames burn leaves behind red ant crystals on the ground. Collecting them as soon as he sees them, he has already harvested more than a full bottle.

    His mind is already made up. Tonight, he wouldn''t be meditating. Instead, he will enter his space and spend a few hours drawing talismans because ever since departing from Z City''s military district, the talismans he has been using are either the old carved ones or ones drawn using spring water. And in this period of time, his stash is near depleted so it is about time he replenishes it.

    Taking the opportunity to return to the house and eat lunch, they find Li Qing awake and waiting. Resting for an hour after the meal, they return back to the array. After burning for more than an hour, the golden flames are also close to extinguishing.

    With a flick of his hand, the sesame seed sized crystals dotting the ground vanishes into the glass bottle in his space.

    Upon seeing the shirt tied to the bamboo pole and the way the attracted zombies scramble for it, Li Qing bursts out laughing, then happily take over handling the pole, allowing the three others to shoot.

    Finally, at 4 in the afternoon, the entire swarm has almost been annihilated, leaving several tens that stubbornly dither outside the shabby house. Not wanting to risk sniping them off from afar, the four can only wield their swords and chop the rest up. Very quickly, even the remaining undead are thoroughly taken care of. Just as Huo Zaiyuan ignites a wooden tile in golden fire, sounds of human activity finally drift out from the broken, tittering wooden door of the ancestral shrine.

    Rattling and dragging sounds can be heard from within the house, as though something heavy is being moved from where it barricades the door. In a few moments, a middle-aged man with fear etched on his face peers out from behind the rugged door. When he catches sight of the four young men standing there, he leaps back in shock.

    "Y - you are the ones esteemed grandmother Zhang spoke of, the heroic warriors here to rescue the villagers?"

    "Heroic - heroic warriors?" Li Qing stutters as he tries to process the stranger''s words. This title is too¡­archaic.

    "Esteemed grandmother Zhang? Is this person an elderly woman?" Huo Zaiyuan inquires, looking at the man.

    "Yes, yes indeed. Esteemed grandmother Zhang is already a hundred and twenty-five year old and is the oldest person in our village, a virtuous and well-respected person." As he talks about the elderly, admiration and respect shows on his face and in his tone. But beneath all that, a trace of anxiety still remains.

    "Is something wrong with this esteemed grandmother Zhang?" Seeing the anxiousness in his body language, Huo Zaiyuan guesses, then pauses as he considers something. "Could you take me to see her?"

    "Of course, please come in. Please come in."

 CH 73

    Chapter 73: Esteemed grandmother Zhang

    The middle-aged man escorts Huo Zaiyuan and the others into the ancestral hall. The interior of the house is a bit dim. Due to being under siege by zombies, every door and window of this old house is shut tight and secured as best they can. Within, a slight stench permeates the place, but compared to the nauseating smell of rotting flesh from the horde of undead, this light stink is barely noticeable.

    "Thank you for coming¡­" In the middle of the house, a thin and frail old woman with a face full of wrinkles sits cross-legged on a straw mat. It was her who spoke, words slow and unhurried.

    Looking at the elderly, Huo Zaiyuan frowns because he can see the aura of death hanging around her, an aura only those close to their death date possesses.

    "You¡­"

    "Hehe¡­little Taoist''s ability is not bad. You can actually see it already. This elderly don''t have much time left." Esteemed grandmother Zhang chuckles lowly, inviting the four men to have a seat.

    "Esteemed grandmother, don''t say that. You are so formidable, surely you will¡­" An approximately seventeen or eighteen years old female says from her position kneeling beside the elderly. Her face is stained with dirt, deep concern in her eyes.

    "Foolish lass, this elderly has already lived a fulfilling life. Go on, I have matters to discuss alone with this young Taoist." Grandmother Zhang gently pats the girl''s hand.

    The lass'' large dark eyes turn to regard Huo Zaiyuan for a moment, then stands and leaves.

    "Little Yuan, take your time chatting with grandmother Zhang, I''ll take the villagers to find another house to stay." Long Zhanye says before bringing Li Qing, Qin Jun, and the surviving villagers to exit the small building.

    Within the dim room, only the shaman and the Taoist remains. A moment passes, then grandmother Zhang takes out a tattered book and pushes it in front of Huo Zaiyuan.

    If it was another person, they will definitely look at the text and think it is a pile of waste paper, but not to Huo Zaiyuan. Since the more-than-a-century-old woman before him is capable of reaching out with her consciousness to contact him, and this book looks so well used by her, then it must definitely be something awesome.

    "This is?"

    "This book, if read by an ordinary person who cannot make heads or tails of it, is only a bundle of waste paper. But for someone who understands its contents, it is a very valuable treasure. This is my honourarium to you." The elderly''s wrinkled face shifts into a kind smile. "This book will surely be helpful towards your cultivation."

    "This is too precious." Huo Zaiyuan finally speaks, looking at the ancient text in front of him.

    "Hehe¡­" Esteemed grandmother Zhang laughs again. "The Zhang family has always been filled with shamans and fortune-tellers. This elderly had the same luck and managed to learn from this ancient book. I have read it all multiple times, and even before setting up this barrier, I knew you will appear. You are destined to have this text."

    "I understand esteemed grandmother Zhang''s heartfelt intentions." Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t protest anymore, reaching out to touch the book and sending it into his space.

    "Little Taoist, is it possible to tell this old woman your name?"

    "Eh, I apologise for my oversight. Esteemed grandmother Zhang, my surname is Huo, given name Zaiyuan."

    "Huo¡­of course. It''s no wonder you have fate with that text." Grandmother Zhang chuckles.

    "What does grandmother Zhang mean by those words?" Huo Zaiyuan has this indescribable feeling that the elderly possess some deep and immeasurable power.

    "That book has been passed from generation to generation in my Zhang family, but the original creator if it is someone surnamed Huo. Now it returns into the hands of a member of the Huo family. Once this elderly die, I will see the end of the Zhang family. It is good I hand the book over, hehe¡­"

    Seeing the old grandmother with such exceptional spirit, Huo Zaiyuan''s heart is moved.

    Because he knows that the elderly got to see her innermost desires fulfilled just as her sun sets[1].

    Footnotes:

    [1] In other words, just before she passes.

 CH 74

    Chapter 74: Fulfill that final wish

    Two hours after meeting alone with Huo Zaiyuan, esteemed grandmother Zhang passed away. Amongst her last words, she asks for Huo Zaiyuan to take an important item from her home and requests of him to escort the survivors of this village to X City''s established safe zone.

    Huo Zaiyuan naturally agrees.

    Before esteemed grandmother Zhang''s death, she was the most respected and prestigious elderly in this village. From the start of the apocalypse until this day, the villagers have always been protected by her and are deeply saddened by her passing. That very day, they held a small but solemn and dignified funeral for the old woman.

    In the late grandmother Zhang''s house, Huo Zaiyuan adheres to her final words and searches for the item she wants him to take. Beneath the small altar dedicated to the Taoist God Zhang Tianshi1], he discovers an ancient wooden chest. The item itself isn''t very big, about the size of a desktop''s CPU, small enough for Huo Zaiyuan to carry in both hands.

    Tap.

    A sudden small noise sounds, causing Huo Zaiyuan to raise his head towards the direction of the noise. At the doorway of the house stands a slim silhouette belonging to the young woman who was kneeling next to the late shaman when they were in the ancestral shrine.

    Noticing Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes on her, a trace of nervousness seeps onto her face, her eyes darting to and fro.

    "That¡­I apologise. I - I only wished to take a look at esteemed grandmother''s home. Wu¡­wu¡­[2]" Saying this, tears appear in her eyes as her face morphs into a crying expression. She looks so pitiful that even a stone-hearted male can''t help but take pity on her. "Ever since those monsters appeared¡­esteemed grandmother Zhang used her abilities to protect the villagers who hadn''t been turned¡­now she - she''s dead¡­wu wu¡­I''m so sad¡­"

    "Don''t cry anymore." Huo Zaiyuan bluntly tells the young woman, then opens the ancient chest.

    He doesn''t know how to comfort people, especially females, even if her pitiful appearance does niggle his heart. In the apocalypse, he will not spare a sliver of thought to ponder over anything he cannot make sense of. His goal is very simple, to continue living.

    Within the box are stacks of blank yellow papers, as well as ten over pottery jars about the size of one''s palm. Two brushes, one big and one small, lies at the edge, and in a corner is a piece of white jade with the Eight Trigrams carved onto its surface.

    Lifting the jade up for a closer look, Huo Zaiyuan realises that this Eight Trigrams jade pendant is actually a very elaborate compass. The carvings on its surface are very meticulous and intricate, each character is about the size of a mung bean and perfectly spaced around the Yin-Yang circle in the middle[3].

    In this current world, things like gemstones, precious metals and jade are considered junks, but this item the late grandmother Zhang left for him is not about value. Rather, it is something that might just save a life. For rescuing the villagers from a horde of zombies, his reward is that ancient text. For escorting the villagers to the nearest safe zone, his reward is this wooden chest and the items inside.

    "Is this the reward esteemed grandmother Zhang gave you?" The gentle voice of a curious girl sounds from beside him. Originally still standing at the doorway, who knows when she walked over while he had been busy examining the contents of the box.

    Jerking slightly as he is brought out of his musings, Huo Zaiyuan shuts the lid and calmly looks at the woman. "Why are you still here?"

    Her face flushes slightly and she shifts awkwardly. "I - it''s nothing. I recalled esteemed grandmother Zhang asking you to escort us to the safe zone before she passed. I just wanted to say thank you personally."

    "No need to thank me. After all, she did give me an honorarium already. This is but a business transaction." Due to the woman''s presence, he cannot store this chest away in his space and can only carry it in his arms. Fortunately, the chest is not too heavy.

    "I still must." Looking at him, she smiles faintly. "That¡­my name is Shen Yueran. What''s yours?"

    Meeting Shen Yueran''s eyes evenly, he purses his lips and remains silent for a while before answering. "Zi Yuan."

    "Eh? Wasn''t it Huo Zaiyuan?"

    Footnotes:

    [1] A deity in charge of overseeing Taoism and Taoists:

    [2] Crying sounds

    [3] Imagine this, except the jade is white, and the circle is a Yin-Yang symbol

 CH 75

    Chapter 75: Threats

    With a smiling expression on her face, Shen Yueran lightly delivers a sentence that causes Huo Zaiyuan''s heart to startle.

    "I clearly heard you tell esteemed grandmother Zhang your name was Huo Zaiyuan. But now you say you are Zi Yuan. Are you lying to me?" Her dark eyes blink once, full of innocence that is able to move a person''s heart.

    However, Huo Zaiyuan''s heart is not the least bit moved as he stares at this pretty and frail-looking woman. Face hardening, he steps past Shen Yueran and heads towards the door with every intention of leaving.

    "I don''t understand what you are saying."

    Seeing Huo Zaiyuan''s departing back view, she realises she managed to put her foot in her mouth, and a glimmer of anger appears in her eyes. "That damn old crone. Making this miss waste so many years undertaking such a thankless task like looking after you. On your deathbed, you actually dare to give away such precious items to someone completely unrelated to you! Hmph! I simply wouldn''t let your final wish be fulfilled. He''s only a little brat. Not giving it to me? Do you think I have no way to snatch it away from that little brat''s hands¡­"

    A flash of vicious intent crosses her eyes and Shen Yueran smirks. "Huo Zaiyuan¡­I finally remember. So it''s him, the one with that military arrest warrant!"

    After cultivating to the third level, Huo Zaiyuan honestly believed his mental state has become even more tranquil. Should the heavens fall or the earth shatter, he will still be able to remain calm. Unexpectedly, he falls into a panic the moment that woman suspects him. Appearing like this is really not good¡­but no matter what he tries, he cannot seem to calm down.

    "Little Yuan, you''re back?" Long Zhanye walks into the house only to see Huo Zaiyuan standing at the table, with an ancient wooden chest placed on top of the furniture. This should be the item the late grandmother mentioned on her deathbed.

    However, the person at the table doesn''t seem to respond to his words. Wrinkling his brow, Long Zhanye stops directly in front of Huo Zaiyuan. Here, he finally takes in the attractive youth''s expression that clearly shows he is deep in thought.

    Reaching out to embrace Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye leans down to whisper in his ear. "Your complexion doesn''t look so good. Did something happen? Tell your older brother. Even if the sky falls, I will help you bear its weight."

    Familiar tobacco scent filling his nose and the gentle murmur entering his ears allows Huo Zaiyuan to slowly relax, feeling his heart warm. His gloomy expression fades and he lifts his head to meet a pair of caring eyes. "I''m fine. Just a little tired."

    "Un, we busied for an entire day today so you''ll naturally be exhausted. Come here." Picking Huo Zaiyuan up, he heads for the bedroom.

    "Eh? Why are we going to the room now?"

    "Massage ah. A City''s military district senior officer Long will be personally servicing you. It''s something other people dare not even think of." Long Zhanye says in a cheerfully satisfied tone.

    Setting the slim youth face-down on the mattress, Long Zhanye''s slender fingers begin to massage Huo Zaiyuan''s back with moderate strength, making the younger man groan appreciatively. His face relaxes into a smile at the comfortable feeling before his eyes gradually slip shut and he falls asleep.

    Gazing at that peacefully sleeping face, Long Zhanye stops massaging and sits at the edge of the bed, running his fingers through the youth''s soft and silky hair. Leaning down, he drops a light kiss on Huo Zaiyuan''s temple.

    "Sleep well."

    ~~~

    Near the entrance of the village lies a small bamboo forest. In these two days, Long Zhanye led a few men to hunt down the zombies within Y town. As a result, there are no more undead loitering around, and no more need to fear being attacked by a zombie lying in wait.

    With a calm and serene expression, Huo Zaiyuan silently regards the smiling Shen Yueran who went through all the trouble calling him over to this place.

    "Why did you call me over? Hurry up and speak. I am a very busy person."

    "I know your secret." Shen Yueran says directly, before advancing on Huo Zaiyuan, resting a hand on his neck.

    "Secret? I don''t understand what you are saying. Since Miss Shen doesn''t have any other matters to discuss, then I will take my leave." Huo Zaiyuan replies evenly, shoving her lily-white hand away from his person.

    "That military arrest warrant on the internet, the wanted person is you, Huo Zaiyuan." Shen Yueran flutters her eyelashes charmingly and drawls. "That older brother Long of yours is a soldier. I''m sure he is not aware you are that wanted criminal. How will you feel if I tell him?"

 CH 76

    Chapter 76: Misunderstandings

    "You are the wanted criminal with the military arrest warrant." Shen Yueran looks at Huo Zaiyuan with a self-satisfied expression, blinking her big eyes filled with false innocence. "If I tell this to your soldier friend, I''m sure he will decide to split from your little group."

    Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes narrow in visible anger. "What exactly do you want? How does threatening me benefit you?"

    "Threaten? Haha¡­how am I threatening you?" Shen Yueran''s bell-like laughter rings out before her gaze shifts pass Huo Zaiyuan to the male figure walking over. Laying a delicate hand on his shoulder, she slowly opens her mouth. ¡°I like you and I want to be with you. If you agree to be my man, then¡­"

    "I would rather not - mm¡­!" Huo Zaiyuan''s face smooths over as he rejects the proposal instantly. Just as he opens his mouth to refuse, Shen Yueran stands on tiptoe, soft lips plastering themselves over Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth.

    As the kiss was too sudden, Huo Zaiyuan, who had never been kissed on the lips before abruptly freezes. His brain stutters from shock and he completely forgets to push the woman away.

    The scene Long Zhanye walks into is Shen Yueran suddenly kissing Huo Zaiyuan, and the youth actually didn''t push her away. The soldier''s face darkens, immediately whirling around on his heels and leaves.

    Seeing Long Zhanye walking away, a triumph light appears in Shen Yueran''s eyes and her smile turns crafty.

    Hmph¡­this is a sure-fire plan.

    When Shen Yueran is feeling very proud of herself, Huo Zaiyuan who finally returns to his senses immediately changes. Eyes displaying deep loathing, he shoves her away without a single trace of pity.

    "You - don''t gain an inch and want a mile! It''s the apocalypse right now. If you want to tell people about that matter, go ahead!"A furious Huo Zaiyuan spits out before stomping off.

    Falling to the ground from the force of that push, Shen Yueran grits her teeth, scoffing coldly as she watched the youth''s retreating back. "Unable to differentiate good from bad. If that''s the case, then don''t blame me for being ruthless!"

    ~~~

    The moment Li Qing steps into the group''s temporary residence, he is met with a very strange scene. The usually vigilant and far-sighted older brother Long is actually staring ahead blankly. A drinking glass clutched in the soldier''s hand shatters in a terrifying manner, causing blood to drip from various cuts as shards dig into flesh.

    Doesn''t - doesn''t that hurt?

    Quickly hurrying over, Li Qing calls out. "Older brother Long, what are you doing? Your hand is already cut by glass." Saying this, he tries to pry open Long Zhanye''s tightly clenched fist.

    Li Qing''s cry of alarm eventually makes Long Zhanye return to reality and notice his bleeding hand. Frowning, he unclenches it.

    Fortunately, there was already a first-aid kit stored away in his ring. Taking out a pair of tweezers, Li Qing removes the glass fragments from Long Zhanye''s palm, then bandages his wounds.

    "Older brother Long, this is unlike you. Did something bad happen?"

    Long Zhanye is such a capable, self-aware individual, and seeing him stare blankly into space is an extremely rare and unnerving sight.

    Glancing at Li Qing, Long Zhanye''s lips purse before he slowly speaks. "Little Yuan has gotten together with that woman with the Shen surname."

    "How is that possible?!" Li Qing exclaims. "I don''t believe it!"

    If it was the Huo Zaiyuan from before who liked to party and play, there is be a possibility that Li Qing will believe his childhood friend got together with a lady he knew for only two days. But his current best friend who is not even shaken by thunder or lightning¡­Li Qing wouldn''t believe even if you beat him to death.

    "I saw that lady kiss him and he didn''t reject her." As soon as he recalls the scene he stumbled across, Long Zhanye''s expression becomes depressed again.

    "Eh¡­" Li Qing is at a loss for words, but at least now he knows the reason for Long Zhanye''s strange behaviour. Ever since that day he caught Long Zhanye kissing Huo Zaiyuan on the lips in the backseat, he immediately recognizes what kind of feelings the soldier harbours for his childhood friend. Only because Long Zhanye refrains from openly declaring it does Li Qing keep his mouth shut. Now, however¡­

    "That¡­older brother Long¡­I actually think it will be better if you say it clearly to little Yuan. If you don''t do so, you will have no opportunities to confess forever."

    "But he clearly doesn''t have any interest towards men." Wrinkling his brow, Long Zhanye broods.

    This is precisely the reason why he continues to conceal his feelings even after he realised his affection for the youth. Rather than allowing his face to be shredded when little Yuan rejects him, he would much rather guard his affection in silence.

    "Who says so? At that time, when I still hesitated in getting together with Qin Jun, it was little Yuan who laid bare my obvious feelings and made me overcome my indecisiveness. He told me he doesn''t believe in love, but if he ever falls in love with someone, he will definitely fight with all his might to cherish them no matter if they are male or female." Li Qing''s expression is very serious as he regards Long Zhanye. "Which is why I think you should say it clearly. At most, you''ll be rejected and your heart will hurt for a while, but it is still a lot better than never saying anything."

    "Un, I understand. Thank you." The gloomy expression on Long Zhanye''s face finally disperses as he nods in gratitude.

 CH 77

    Chapter 77: Confession

    Huo Zaiyuan honestly thinks he''s about to go crazy right now. He has already blatantly rejected that woman, and shown that he will not be threatened, but she persists in annoying and blocking him everywhere. At this moment, he is preparing to return to the temporary abode when he sees Shen Yueran standing outside the door. Acting like he doesn''t notice her, he turns a corner and ducks into a small alley.

    Every house within this town has a front and back entrance. Since that woman is obstructing the front door, then he will go from the back¡­his heart feels rather suffocated as he escapes from her. Who in the world did he offend to be forced into running away like this?

    Walking along the small path, Huo Zaiyuan is about to exit the alley when a pair of arms suddenly drags him back. His vision blurs for a split-second, then his back is pressed up against the wall. Tilting his head back, tension drains out of his body as he sees Long Zhanye.

    "Eh? Older brother Long? Is something wrong?" There is barely any distance between the two of them, causing Huo Zaiyuan to feel a little uneasy.

    "Un." Catching the uneasiness in Huo Zaiyuan''s expression, he softens his tone, afraid that he had unintentionally scared the person before him. "I have something to tell you."

    "What is it, you can say it directly." Seeing Long Zhanye''s expression remains the same, he glances down, still feeling a little apprehensive.

    Bracing one hand on the wall and the other cupping Huo Zaiyuan''s face, Long Zhanye decides to go right in. He has never been someone to hesitate, and since he already made up his mind, he will not shrink back at this crucial moment.

    "I like you."

    "Eh?!" The abrupt confession makes Huo Zaiyuan freeze. From the startled exclamation, it is very clear he never expected Long Zhanye to say something like this to him.

    Staring intently at the wide-eyed Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye continues. "I saw Shen Yueran kiss you¡­but I still decided to tell you plainly because I''m afraid if I keep it in my heart and don''t come clean, you will never know. Little Yuan, if you really don''t return my affections, then just reject me. Let me give up completely and I wouldn''t make life difficult for you. Forget about what I said and treat it as if this matter never happened¡­"

    "I have absolutely no relations with that Shen Yueran! It was her who suddenly kissed me!" Seeing Long Zhanye''s slightly lost expression, the first thing that comes to mind is not rejecting his confession, but to clarify that there is nothing between him and that woman.

    Upon hearing Huo Zaiyuan''s explanation, Long Zhanye''s expression brightens, inching his face even closer to Huo Zaiyuan''s nervous and rapidly reddening one. Softly, as though afraid he will scare away the opposite party, Long Zhanye breathes. "Then what about me? Do you dislike me?"

    Gaze locked with Long Zhanye''s anticipating pair of eyes, his heart skips a beat, and he slowly shakes his head. "Don''t dislike."

    "That means you like?" A dazzling smile surfaces, and a strong arm curls around Huo Zaiyuan''s slim waist. With a light pull, he drags the youth into his bosom, negating the remaining distance between their bodies.

    "Ah¡­that''s¡­don''t dislike doesn''t mean¡­"

    "I don''t care. Since little Yuan already say don''t dislike, that means you like me. Unless little Yuan is lying." Long Zhanye smiles, curving his eyes. Due to embarrassment, Huo Zaiyuan looks away bashfully, completely missing the dangerous light that appears in the soldier''s eyes. Compared to the anticipating or lost look mere seconds ago, this one is a hundred thousand times different.

    "You¡­you really are a rascal."Huo Zaiyuan murmurs, blushing furiously, not knowing if it''s from anger or shyness.

    "I am one originally ah. Not to mention, you like me this way." Looking at that red face, Long Zhanye can''t resist dropping a kiss on his brow. "Little Yuan, let''s give it a try, shall we?" In his twenty-five years of life, this is the first time he ever said this sentence.

    Heart moved by those words and the gentle kiss, a fire seem to ignite deep in Huo Zaiyuan''s heart. After witnessing his father betraying his mother, he never dared to love, and doesn''t quite understand the concept of this word. He doesn''t dislike Long Zhanye and when the other confessed to liking him, there was no feeling of instant rejection, only one of happiness¡­that must mean Huo Zaiyuan does like Long Zhanye too, right?

    To give this a try, it would be the right thing to do¡­

    "All right. Let''s give this a try."

    Long Zhanye is extremely pleased with Huo Zaiyuan''s answer. Tightening his arms around that soft waist, he presses Huo Zaiyuan against the wall, gaze dropping to those pink petal lips.

    "That woman kissed you." Eyes narrowing, the dangerous glint returns as Long Zhanye''s finger unhurriedly traces Huo Zaiyuan''s lips. "From now onwards, this place belongs exclusively to me, understand?"

    "It''s not like I voluntarily allowed her to kiss me¡­" Huo Zaiyuan immediately frowns when Shen Yueran is brought up.

    "If that''s the case, then I should thoroughly disinfect it."

    "Dis - disinfect?" How would one go about disinfecting it?

    Only reacting to Long Zhanye''s words with wide eyes and nothing else, it is obvious Huo Zaiyuan completely doesn''t understand what he meant by ''disinfect''.

    "Of course." Long Zhanye answers, lips curving into a smirk.

    Lowering his head, Long Zhanye covers those soft and sweet lips with his own, sucking lightly as he leisurely begins to explore. Then he slowly deepens the kiss, nimble tongue running over the lightly closed seams of Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth, seeking entrance. Pushing in as soon as that pliant mouth parts, he tastes every sweet part of him, swallowing the adorable breathless sighs emitting from Huo Zaiyuan''s throat.

    "Mmhmm¡­"

    Although Huo Zaiyuan liked to party in the past, he still lived clean and honestly, never having a girlfriend or a one-night stand. Comparing Shen Yueran''s light kiss to Long Zhanye''s current scorching one is like holding a small candle next to a burning pyre. Huo Zaiyuan''s brain shuts down completely as he drowns in the sensation. Heartbeat thumping erratically in his chest and face pleasantly warm, he thinks, no, there''s no dislike at all.

    At this point, Long Zhanye''s kiss is hard and intense, plundering his mouth and sparing nothing. Just as Huo Zaiyuan begins to feel faint from the lack of air, Long Zhanye finally withdraws, a fine strand of silver hanging between their lips. Breaths coming out in short pants, Huo Zaiyuan flushes an even deeper red as he stares at that thin thread. Not sharing any of Huo Zaiyuan''s shyness, Long Zhanye merely smirks wider and licks those kiss-swollen lips.

    "Disinfection completed."

    "¡­¡­" Long Zhanye''s words render Huo Zaiyuan momentarily speechless. Staring wide-eyed at the older man for a moment, he finally huffs. "Indecent. I''m going to ignore you." Saying this, he prepares to enter his interdimensional space, intending to escape from this dangerous man and seek refuge in his ''sanctuary''.

    "Don''t go." How can Long Zhanye be oblivious to Huo Zaiyuan''s intentions? Refusing to release the tight hold he has on Huo Zaiyuan''s waist, he leans his chin on the youth''s shoulder. "Let me hold you for a while."

    Prior to confessing, Long Zhanye has prepared himself for the worst. Now, however, with this treasure securely in the palms of his hands, he is naturally unwilling to let him go so soon. But he also knows he cannot be too possessive right now, lest the person in his embrace becomes irritated. If that happens, kissing and hugging his beloved in the future will be more trying.

    With this thought in mind, Long Zhanye silently hugs Huo Zaiyuan, occasionally inciting gently whispered conversations. Unconsciously, the two wear matching soft smiles.

    ~~~

    "I hear your friends always address you as older brother Long. So, eldest brother Long, why did you suddenly call me out? Is something the matter?" Shen Yueran displays an alluring smile, the pair of lustrous eyes that seldom failed to captivate trained on the man before her.

    Never did she imagine Long Zhanye himself would arrange a meeting with her. Compared to men like Huo Zaiyuan with a slim figure and a more attractive visage than her own, she greatly prefers someone with a taller, broader frame coupled with a handsome face. And if they possess extraordinary skills and dominant aura¡­all the better.

    If she is able to obtain esteemed grandmother Zhang''s wooden chest from the little brat, then get together with this man, it would be her wonderful fortune.

    Thinking of these joyous matters, she barely suppressed a gloating leer, managing to turn it into another gentle smile at the last second. But unexpectedly, in a flash of silver light, the loose strands of hair curling around her left cheek suddenly snaps, the severed ends fluttering slowly down to the ground. A thin cut appears on her flawless skin, beads of red blood welling up at the corners. The sudden biting pain makes her entire body stiffen.

    "You - what do you want?!" Her dream abruptly shatters to pieces. Shen Yueran retreats a few steps, trembling as she beholds Long Zhanye''s menacingly ominous face, an intimidating glint in his eyes. A sharp and gleaming military dagger is clasped loosely in his hand.

    "I''m warning you, stay far away from little Yuan." Long Zhanye''s eyes are cold as frost, as though the object before him is nothing more than a chunk of dead meat. No trace of mercy can be found in his body language, which frightens the lass to the point of hyperventilating. "If you use another despicable method to threaten little Yuan again, the next time this knife will not cut your cheek and the thing severed will not be mere strands of hair¡­of course, just a quick stab to end your life will be rather dull."

    Long legs move forward leisurely, closing the distance between him and the terrified woman. Stooping down slightly, Long Zhanye''s tone turns incomparably soft and gentle. "I will chop your fingers off one by one, then slice chunks out of your flesh. Miss Shen, don''t not believe¡­I have a lot of ways to ensure you continue living throughout the entire process."

    Immediately after, Long Zhanye''s expression smoothes over as though he had been merely conversing about the weather. But in Shen Yueran''s eyes, that bland smile is terribly similar to a devil''s, causing her heart to tremble uncontrollably.

    Because she knows full well, that man''s every word is the truth¡­

    Collapsing to the ground in an undignified heap, shivers wreck Shen Yueran''s body. As for Long Zhanye, he simply strides pass her and swiftly departs.

 CH 78

    Chapter 78: Don''t come over

    Huo Zaiyuan is feeling really happy because for some reason throughout the whole of today, that annoying woman Shen Yueran didn''t come up and accost him even once.

    "Un, then we will do it this way. Early tomorrow morning, little Yuan and I will drive out of this town to the main highway in search of operational trucks. Qin Jun and little Qing, together with the village chief, will take the villagers and scavenge for any food supplies left behind in the other houses and stack them outside. Once we find suitable trucks, we will leave the day after." A map lays spread out on the table before them. After Long Zhanye speaks, he glances over to the honest and sincere middle-age male village chief, Hong Wangcai, currently standing to one side. "Village chief, do you have further questions?"

    "No, no. We will be inconveniencing you for these few days. As a representative of the villagers, I would like to express my thanks to all of you." Hong Wangcai states with heartfelt gratitude written all over his face.

    These past few days, they have been busy scavenging for food and other supplies from the numerous abandoned houses in this town. Since Huo Zaiyuan has already promised the late grandmother Zhang that he will escort the surviving villagers to the safe zone, then he will absolutely not go back on his word. Also, gathering as much food as possible is the most important thing. Therefore, when he first brought up this issue and the solution for it, the village chief and villagers agreed to it without objections.

    When Judgement Day arrived, many livestock either starved to death or were scared away, hence, no one managed to find even one living livestock. However, in rural towns and villages, each household will surely have a storage of dry goods and grain crops. After one thorough search of the place, the amount of food-stuff they carry out is not little, enough to feed the hundred over survivors for approximately one year. Furthermore, once they reach the safe zone, there will be no need to live each day fearing for their life. Presumably, the safe zone will provide the asylum seekers food and shelter, which is why they wouldn''t need to worry about starving. The only issue left that is concerning is their means of transportation.

    Thus, after consulting with the chief and a few other people, Long Zhanye decides to go out in search of a large truck which will solve the problem of transporting everyone as well as the large quantity of food.

    Once all the important details have been settled, Hong Wancai takes his leave. At this time, the skies outside have darkened and Huo Zaiyuan naturally moves to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Due to their new relationship, Long Zhanye slips into the kitchen too under the pretense of helping Huo Zaiyuan wash and cut the vegetables. Occasionally, he teases and distracts the youth, feeling pleased and a little thrilled when annoyance seeps into Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes.

    Finished with the meal, Qin Jun volunteers keeping watch for the first half of the night and Li Qing will take over halfway through. Due to Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan shouldering the responsibility of searching for operational trucks on the main highway tomorrow morning, they will need every bit of rest they can get.

    While waiting for Long Zhanye to come out of the bathroom, Huo Zaiyuan sits on the soft bed in the bedroom.

    Not long after, a series of light footsteps sound from the direction of the bathroom and draws closer. From the light tap of skin treading on the tiled floor, it is obvious the person is walking out barefooted. Turning his head, Huo Zaiyuan abruptly stiffens.

    Using a towel to dry his damp hair, Long Zhanye walks out baring his upper torso, with another towel wrapped around his waist. The scene he creates would be absolutely irresistible to women and would surely cause whoever glimpsing it to screech, possibly even throwing themselves at him¡­

    "You - why are you walking out without your clothes! Exhibitionist!" It took considerable effort on Huo Zaiyuan''s part to control his voice so it doesn¡¯t come out as a screech. But what he is unaware of is his current resemblance to a kitten bristling its fur in anger and hissing, which only serves to amuse Long Zhanye further.

    "My body is all wet since I just came out of the shower. It''ll be very uncomfortable if I wear clothes. Besides, little Yuan and I are both males. What I have, you have also. What''s there to be scared of?" Long Zhanye continues teasing as he all but prowls forward, both eyes narrowing. "Don''t tell me you are embarrassed?"

    "Y - y - you¡­don''t come over!" A blush instantly explodes on Huo Zaiyuan''s face at the soldier''s words. Seeing Long Zhanye drawing closer, he scrambles backwards on the bed, trying to halt the other''s advance.

    Who knew in the midst of his rapid retreat, his foot kicks out and accurately hits the loose knot, causing the towel wrapped around Long Zhanye''s waist to untie. As the piece of cloth drops down to the ground, Huo Zaiyuan instantly freezes, eyes blowing wide.

    "Ahh - !!" Eventually screeching, the red-faced kid disappears in a flash of silver, hiding in his space.

    Looking at the bed now vacant of Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye leisurely bends to pick up the towel, a cocky grin surfacing.

    That youth is really too adorable.

    (Author''s note: Long gong is a bully¡­And Yuan shou, you didn''t call him an exhibitionist the last time¡­)

 CH 79

    Chapter 79: Inner core''s awakening

    Following Huo Zaiyuan''s growing internal energy, the space too, gradually begins to shift and transform. The dormant spiritual energy within becomes more abundant, turning into a warm bed perfect for meditation and cultivation.

    That night, when Huo Zaiyuan obtained the demonic tree''s inner core, he didn''t exactly pay it much attention, simply stowed it away in a glass bottle and tossed it back into the space.

    Never did he expect the glass bottle containing that very inner core to slip from the bamboo tabletop and tumble onto the floor, shattering on impact. Free from its container, the green pearl rolled until its path was blocked by a corner of the table''s leg.

    Thinking he simply broke a random glass container in a moment''s carelessness, Huo Zaiyuan didn''t think much about the fragments littering the floor when he appears in his space. Sweeping the mess up, he goes off in search of the chest given by the late shaman Zhang. As soon as he finds it, he gets right down to business.

    As for the inner core that is now lying beneath the table, it slowly begins to absorb the rich energy within the interdimensional space and gradually, its consciousness awakens, reaching enlightenment. Between the time it rolled free of the glass bottle and Huo Zaiyuan''s re-entry into this space, it led a simple and unrestrained life.

    In this place, in terms of items containing immense amounts of spiritual energy, nothing can beat the Holy Nine Dragon Spring Pool and the "Ninth Heavens Holy Dragon Formation" used to plant the Immortal peach tree. The pool''s reservoir of energy is the greatest, but a portion of that power is used to protect the pool itself, creating a barrier only Huo Zaiyuan can cross. Hence, the green pearl dare not get close to it. With only one other option, it eventually rolls towards the peach sapling within the formation.

    Today, as per its typical routine every since awakening in this space, it stealthily rolls into the formation and absorbs a portion of the potent spiritual energy within before sneakily returning back to the bamboo house. Just as it prepares to hide back under the table, a slim figure flickers into view suddenly. Huo Zaiyuan has re-entered the space after these few days of absence.

    The awakened core suffers a huge scare and immediately dares not move one bit. Focusing solely on Huo Zaiyuan only to realise the human didn''t notice its presence. Relieved, it slowly inches away until it is back in the corner.

    Now, for the blushing human himself, after being scared into escaping by the shameless Long Zhanye, he curses that devious man lowly, only to have his attention drawn away by a sudden flash of a glistening something. Kneeling on the floor, he crawls under the low table to take a closer look.

    What is that thing?

    There is no wonder why Huo Zaiyuan is momentarily amazed by the gleaming object, for ever since learning from an experiment that no other living beings besides himself can survive within this space, everything in here is only plants and non-living materials. Besides himself, nothing else has the ability to move around freely. But now, right before his eyes, this shiny object is slowly rolling on the floor. It would be strange if he didn''t find it fascinating.

    Although he only caught a glimpse of it in his peripheral vision, Huo Zaiyuan has no doubts this small object rolled forward and hid beneath the bamboo table. Therefore, he lies down on his stomach and begins searching for it.

    In the shadows of the furniture, a brilliantly shining pearl jumps into the air, shocked at the human''s sudden appearance under the table. Recovering from the surprise, it rolls its spherical body away in an attempt to escape.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes narrow, a hand snaking out to smack directly on top of the pearl, preventing from moving further. Immobilised beneath the palm, that pearl continues it life-and-death struggle, twisting here and there under his hand, determined to escape. Finally, Huo Zaiyuan resorts to condensing a little spiritual energy to act as a cage for it before picking it up between his thumb and index finger.

    Now with the object in clear view, Huo Zaiyuan finally recognises it as the demonic tree''s inner core, which he remembers placing in a glass bottle.

    "Tsk, tsk. Really unexpected ah. A tree spirit''s inner core has enough consciousness to move around freely. Just what is going on here? If you don''t speak, then I will immediately crush this core to dust!!" Huo Zaiyuan says as sternly as he can.

    Pinched between his fingers, the tree spirit''s core is frightened to the point of trembling. Suddenly, a "ping" rings out and white smoke rises from the pearl. The round object between his fingers abruptly disappears. Huo Zaiyuan blindly grabs at the smoke, his fingers wrapping around something soft.

 CH 80

    Chapter 80: Tree spirit

    The soft something within his grasp continues struggling and squirming. Even after determining that the unknown in his hand is not a threat to his person, he still continues gripping it, refusing to let go. Only after the white smoke completely disperses does he register when the thing is.

    A being the height of an average cloth doll, its plump and pudgy appearance is extremely adorable. Dull green hair with a tiny flower crown adorning its head, the being is clad in tunic and trousers made from tiny leaves, pale bare feet sticking out from beneath the pants'' hem. The expression on its face is full of fear, terrified eyes fixed on Huo Zaiyuan, clearly afraid the human will really throttle it to death.

    "What on earth are you?" Loosening his hold slightly so the struggling being in his clutch wouldn''t suffocate, Huo Zaiyuan flops down to the floor, asking softly.

    Hearing Huo Zaiyuan''s question, the little person ceases its wriggling for a while, its pair of sparkling bluish-green jade-like eyes stares at the human before shouting. "Creak¡­wuu¡­" Its eyebrows draw downwards, then begins waving its arms around, face filled with anxiety as seems to be trying hard in explaining something to Huo Zaiyuan.

    If it was anyone else besides Huo Zaiyuan listening to the mouse-like sounds clearly emitting from the little being, they would probably not understand what it is trying to convey. But strangely enough, Huo Zaiyuan understands the non-human words it is speaking in.

    The little being claims it is the tree spirit''s inner core Huo Zaiyuan picked up and tossed into the space. After absorbing the rich spiritual energy here, it manages to awaken its consciousness. Because it saw Huo Zaiyuan suddenly appearing, it was afraid the human will harm it, so it tried to hide.

    "So that''s the case." Huo Zaiyuan nods, indicating his acceptance of the explanation as well as why he is able to understand the little being''s speech.

    The spiritual energy currently residing in his own body originates from this space. Now that the tree spirit also absorbed the energy here, there exists a kind of connection between them, resulting in both parties understanding each other''s words even if they didn''t speak the same language.

    Seeing Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes close and not saying a word, the tree spirit becomes worried, afraid that the human will really hurt it. Its small brow wrinkles as though thinking hard about something before it squeaks at Huo Zaiyuan again.

    "Eek¡­creak¡­" Both arms waving around, the spirit points towards the plantation outside the house.

    "Oh? You say you can help me take care of the crops there if I let you stay in this space ah." Staring at the little being, his gaze shifts to the plantation outside and the crops growing there.

    Typically, he doesn''t take much notice of the plantation within this space. Besides walking through it when he wants to pick some fruits and vegetables, he doesn''t really bother caring for them. Fortunately, this space is really miraculous, not allowing the matured crops to yellow or wither. If this was any other ordinary plantation, almost all his crops would be dead by now.

    Opening his hand, he releases the little guy. "Then from now on, I''ll trouble you with this space."

    Having its freedom returned, the tree spirit eventually offers a dazzling smile as it realises Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t have the intention to hurt it. Floating up to the human''s shoulder, it plants a kiss on Huo Zaiyuna''s cheek before squeaking.

    "The peach tree in the formation?" Listening to the tree spirit, Huo Zaiyuan is astounded.

    According to the spirit, the peach tree planted in the middle of the array contains a large amount of spiritual energy. Each time it matures as bears fruit, the energy within will flow into the fruit, which is why after the peach is pucked, the tree will return to its sapling state. As long as one waters it with spring water, it will grow and bear fruit again.

    The fact that this little spirit is able to gain awareness in these ten short days is all thanks to absorbing the energy from the formation.

    And here Huo Zaiyuan had always thought the reason that peach tree returns to its sapling state is because it lost its function. Now, he is finally aware that is not the case.

    "I understand. Thank you."

    "Cheep¡­scree¡­" The little spirit waves it hands, now pointing towards the Holy Nine Dragon Spring Pool with a distressed face.

    "You are frightened by the immense spiritual force around it?" Huo Zaiyuan''s brow furrows slightly, bottom lip protruding as he considers. "Then I will fill a bamboo bucket with some water from that pool and you can use it to water the peach tree. Since you also need to absorb energy, you can take it from the spring water too."

    Towards whoever he considers as his own people, Huo Zaiyuan is very generous. As this little spirit is going to help him take care of his space, then it is only right that he properly pampers it.

    Receiving Huo Zaiyuan''s permission to stay and freely absorb the spiritual energy within, the tree spirit is extremely joyful, wrapping its tiny arms around Huo Zaiyuan''s face and kissing his cheek again.

 CH 81

    Chapter 81: The group of cars

    After taking in potent spiritual energy for an entire night, Huo Zaiyuan opens his eyes the next morning, body full of vigour. Before he leaves, he remembers to check on the little tree spirit, who is currently sleeping on top of the bamboo table, clutching a bright red cherry tomato in its tiny arms.

    Upon seeing this, the corners of his lips curve up in mirth, then he disappears in a flash of light. Little did he expect to be immediately pulled into an embrace the moment he reappears and pressed into the mattress.

    "Little Yuan, morning." Burying his face in Huo Zaiyuan''s neck, Long Zhanye murmurs, planting a kiss on the skin there.

    The gentle touch against his neck causes his heart to thump and another blush to rise. Writhing beneath the weight, he pushes against the body above him a little timidly.

    "Older brother Long, you¡­get up already."

    "Zhanye¡­" Another murmur sounds, hot breath tickling Huo Zaiyuan''s ear. The tip of it turns red, making it look quite cute.

    "W - what?" Huo Zaiyuan stutters, struggling to get his brain to work properly.

    "Let me hear you call ''Zhanye'' once. I''ll let you go after you say it." Simply gazing upon that flushed face, Long Zhanye feels his heart all but bloom.

    "Zhan¡­Zhanye." Averting his eyes from the older man, Huo Zaiyuan finally mumbles.

    "Heheh¡­"

    After finishing breakfast, the four go off in separate directions to accomplish their allocated task. Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye get into the off-road vehicle and drive out of the village.

    Like before, yellow soil and sand kick up as the vehicle crosses the dirt road. Within the speedily moving car, Huo Zaiyuan is seated in the passenger side, munching on an apple and looking at the map spread out on his lap.

    "I sure hope there will be an operational truck at the nearest tollbooth."

    "There definitely was a lot of people fleeing X City, so there would surely be quite a few vehicles left behind on the road." Plucking the half-eaten apple from Huo Zaiyuan''s hand, Long Zhanye bit into the section he was nibbling on.

    "We¡¯ll know once we see it."

    With Long Zhanye driving, a trip that would have taken an hour normally only takes them forty minutes. Once they turn into X City''s main highway, they head straight for the nearest tollbooth.

    This particular highway is the closest one to X City, hence, during Judgement Day, countless vehicles were squeezed onto the lanes when everyone tried to escape the chaos. As the off-road vehicle exits the dirt road and enters the main highway, one can see multiple different vehicles in a single glance. The majority of them were there due to collisions or other accidents. Some had doors torn from its hinges, some had blood staining the interior. A rare few even had a zombie or two trapped inside, their heads sticking out of the windows, jaws hanging open as they growl continuously.

    Signs of calamity and misfortune line the entire highway, but nothing they witness here manage to incite any major reactions in Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye. Still moving forward at a relatively high speed, the off-road vehicle smoothly navigates the gaps between these groups of stationary vehicles.

    "There is a truck over there. It looks large enough to fit every villager in." Huo Zaiyuan''s sharp eyes manage to pick out a medium-sized truck located not too far away in the sea of vehicles.

    Looking in the direction where Huo Zaiyuan points, Long Zhanye studies it for a second before nodding. "Let''s continue ahead for a while to find another, then we will pick this one up as well and drive them back."

    "Un."

    Between the two of them, an agreement had already been made. They will find two trucks and drive one each back to the village. As for their off-road vehicle, it will be directly stored into Huo Zaiyuan''s space and later placed in the back compartment of one of the trucks. That way, they can avoid any suspicions.

    As the car continues its forward trek, occasional zombies dithering on the highway are drawn by the engine''s noise and pounces in their direction. As one is able to infer from this situation, this place is not the least bit safe.

    Very quickly, the pair manages to find another truck. Only, this particular one is stuck in a rather inconvenient position, right in the middle of a mass pile-up consisting of smaller vehicles. In order to drive it away, one will have to go through a lot of trouble shifting all that scrap metal to one side and clear a path. That is, of course, the natural thought process of an average person when faced with such a situation.

    With Huo Zaiyuan and his interdimensional space, however, getting this truck out of there is a very simple matter.

    The off-road vehicle comes to a halt. Clutching a steel sword in their hands, Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye cautiously exit the car. Around their waist, a holster is strapped to the belt, pistol undrawn but ready to use at a moment''s notice.

    While Huo Zaiyuan turns to store the black car into his space, Long Zhanye casually chops down the first zombie bounding over. Lifting a leg, his foot comes smashing down hard on to the back of a crawling undead dragging two broken legs behind it. In the next instant, that crippled zombie''s brain is smashed to a pulp.

    "Little Yuan, we''d better retrieve those trucks and leave as soon as possible. Although these zombies only come in twos or threes at a time here, it will be difficult to escape if we are surrounded."

    "Un."

    As the number of obstacles in the form of cars are too many to count, the zombies also have no choice but to trickle forward in twos or threes. Nevertheless, the fact that these undead are able to leap out from any direction is extremely dangerous. If one''s reaction speed is a second too slow, there will be a high possibility of falling victim anytime. Being surrounded by undead in this kind of unfavourable circumstances is much riskier then directly confronting a horde on open ground.

    Even though he can simply enter his space anytime when the situation gets too dangerous, Long Zhanye cannot do so. Therefore, quickly retrieving the trucks would be the best solution right now.

 CH 82

    Chapter 82: Successful retrieval

    Large chunks of flesh torn out from its entire left arm all the way to its shoulder, yellowish-white bone peeking out from under rotting meat, the undead clad in a tattered suit suddenly pounces out from behind a small van. Sidestepping the sneak attack and its flailing claws, the blade in Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s hand swings downwards, neatly slicing through cartilage and bones. The body of the now-headless zombie gives a violent twitch before collapsing to the ground.

    "Litte Yuan''s skills have really improved a lot." Long Zhanye says as he lazily lifts his own sword horizontally to block a pair of clawed hands, leg lashing out to crush the undead''s lower jaw before a fist to its face sends it flying backwards a good few meters. It hits the highway''s railing at an angle, flips over the edge and plummets downwards.

    "Compared to you, I still have a long way to go." Glancing from the now out of sight zombie to Long Zhanye, his eyebrows rise.

    That one move from older brother Long is really vicious. If that zombie still retains its nerve receptors and perception of pain, who knows how much agony it must be in right now.

    Cleaning up undead left and right as they make their way forward, it doesn''t take long to reach that large truck. Huo Zaiyuan pulls open the driver-side door to check the interior when a shadow suddenly charges out.

    "Little Yuan, watch out!" With extremely fast reflexes, Long Zhanye delivers a ferocious kick aimed at the door, slamming it shut.

    Blocked by the door, one can only see the greyish-green face of the zombie as it plasters itself on the glass window, bloody mouth wide open as it scratches the barrier to get to the living humans on the other side.

    "This zombie¡­should be the driver of this truck." Huo Zaiyuan''s expression is calm as he looks at the undead currently pounding on the glass with both hands as though wishing the window will break if it clawed hard enough.

    "Un, you go pull open the door. I will cut it down." Long Zhanye instructs as his fingers wrapped tightly around the hilt of his sword.

    "Be more careful when you kill it. Try not to get any zombie blood on the truck." Huo Zaiyuan says as he prepares to open the tightly shut door.

    "Of course. Believe in my ability." Long Zhanye nods his head once. "Open it."

    Wrenching the car''s door open and ducking out of the way in one fluid movement, the zombie immediately pounces towards Long Zhanye who is directly in its line of sight, ignoring Huo Zaiyuan completely.

    Long Zhanye''s eyes narrow, a foot smashing into the undead''s chest before sweeping the unsteady zombie off its feet. It lands heavily on its back and before it could struggle upright again, a blade removes its head.

    "Hmm, cleanly executed." Standing to the side, Huo Zaiyuan nods with a pleased expression before peering carefully into the truck once more. He crouches down beside the corpse and frisks its clothes, nicking the truck''s key from its trouser pocket.

    "Then you should bestow upon me a reward." Dragging Huo Zaiyuan into his arms, Long Zhanye smirks rougishly, pointing a finger to his own lips.

    A firm glare surfaces at Long Zhanye''s brazen behaviour. Turning around, Huo Zaiyuan stalks towards the back container of the truck, resolutely ignoring the older man.

    "Rascal."

    "Only towards you." Long Zhanye chuckles as he follows.

    Refusing to answer, Huo Zaiyuan opens the compartment''s door only to find it empty and no suspicious things lurking around. Satisfied, he nods and lays his hands on the truck, putting it straight in his space.

    "Let''s go." Huo Zaiyuan glances at Long Zhanye standing next to him, expression softening as he mouth curves into a smile before reaching out to hold his hand.

    Allowing Huo Zaiyuan to tug on their joined hands and walk forward, a gentle, contented light appears in Long Zhanye''s eyes as he stares at that curtain of dark hair floating in the breeze and that pale, delicate face.

    It''s really rare for this child to initiate intimate contact first ah.

    The pair returns back to the place they spotted the first medium-sized truck. This one doesn''t contain a zombie like the larger one they took earlier, for there is not a single trace of the driver or any passenger within. Fortunately, the key is in the ignition, and when the back container is opened, Huo Zaiyuan discovers more than ten different fruit tree saplings.

    Despite the fact that these saplings look to be on the brink of death after being closed inside the truck for over ten days, Huo Zaiyuan still feels glad and immediately places them carefully in his space. In any case, under the little tree spirit''s care, these near withered plants should be able to be nursed back to life.

    After the saplings disappear, the truck follows. Bringing out the off-road vehicle, the two men climb in and drive away. So long as they remove both trucks and place the off-road vehicle into the back of one when they near the village, everything will be fine.

 CH 83

    Chapter 83: Prepare to depart

    That fact that Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye succeeded in bringing back two relatively large trucks in working condition gives a lot of hope and joy to the villagers.

    Under Qin Jun''s directions, they co-operate to transport all the rations and food supplies they manage to scavenge into the back of the medium-sized one. As for the larger vehicle, with some assistance from a few stronger men, Long Zhanye''s small team construct a few small air vents along the roof of the container to prevent suffocation when a hundred-odd people are squeezed into there.

    Once everything is properly prepared, Long Zhanye lets the village chief pick two amongst the villagers who know how to drive to be placed in charge of the trucks. Huo Zaiyuan and his small party will be taking the off-road vehicle and leading the way to the safe zone.

    Having decided on the road they will be taking, the surviving villagers pile into the back of the larger truck early the next morning, with the off-road car opening a path at the head of the line. Like this, they finally depart from Y Town.

    "According to the villagers'' map, X City''s safe zone is established in the outer suburbs of its military district. If we take the main highway, we will be able to reach our destination in three days. Now that we''re making a detour, however, the minimum estimated time it will take is seven days." Huo Zaiyuan announces as he frowns at the map splayed out before him.

    This party''s original destination is A City. Now that more than a month has passed since the apocalypse began, it really feels as if they are moving forward at the speed of a tortoise.

    Ai¡­at this rate, it will take about a year to reach A City.

    "Heheh¡­why is little Yuan worrying over this?" A snacking Long Zhanye laughs.

    "No reason." Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head, reaching out to steal a chip from the bag in Long Zhanye''s hand. Nibbling it, he wrinkles his brow at the flavour before feeding the rest to the other man.

    "What''s wrong with it?" Long Zhanye asks as he chews.

    I don''t taste anything wrong ah.

    "Eh¡­I don''t know. Doesn''t taste right." Flicking his wrist, he bites into an apple that appears, enjoying the sweet taste and fragrant aroma.

    "Little Yuan, is it because you are cultivating from that something-something manual that led to your change in food preference?" Li Qing turns his head around from his position in the passenger seat, beaming at Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Nonsense." Eyeing Li Qing, Huo Zaiyuan takes out a basket of grapes and cherry tomatoes, passing it to his best friend.

    "Wah, cherry tomatoes and grapes! Thank you, little Yuan!" If it''s possible, the beam on his face becomes even brighter as he accepts the gift, cradling it like one would an infant. Turning back, he shares some of his spoil with Qin Jun, who is currently driving.

    Seeing Huo Zaiyuan deter Li Qing from chattering with nothing but a basket of fruit, Long Zhanye''s mouth curves upwards, pulling the youth into a hug.

    "What are you thinking about?" He inquires softly as he drops a kiss on a pale cheek.

    "Thinking about the safe zone." Relaxing his entire body, Huo Zaiyuan snuggles into Long Zhanye''s body and gives an honest reply.

    In his previous life, he was born in S City. There were no safe zones established in the military district, only a bunch of survivors banding together to set up a hastily-built refuge campsite. When the zombies began to increase in numbers and grew more ferocious, he fled together with the other survivors, seeking shelter wherever possible and running from place to place¡­even at the time he died, he didn''t even manage to escape from S City.

    "Ah. What good comes out of thinking about the safe zone?" Long Zhanye asks.

    He always feels that this child harbours a lot of secrets, and has a great amount of knowledge regarding events of the apocalypse. Nonetheless, since Huo Zaiyuan hasn''t come clean about it yet, he will pretend to be ignorant.

    "Um¡­just a little curious, that''s all." Eyes curving into a smiling expression, he looks up at Long Zhanye. "Don''t know how the safe zone in A City will be like."

    "Although that bunch of scoundrels aren''t too reliable, I''m certain A City''s safe zone will be the best of all." Saying this, Long Zhanye''s expression turns pleased and full of pride.

    "Really high self-esteem."

    On the long, deserted road, a black off-road car leads in front, followed closely by two large trucks, the line of vehicles eating up the ground at a rapid pace.

 CH 84

    Chapter 84: A place to spend the night

    Hungry¡­so hungry¡­he is really starving. This feeling of utter starvation is one he has never felt before, driving him to the point of fantasising about devouring everything in sight.

    However, he is still too weak now. So he needs to become even stronger¡­there are things in the skulls of his kin. Things that are capable of increasing his strength¡­

    Low growls rumble from deep within his throat. Beneath the moonlight, greenish-violet lips split apart to reveal two rows of sinister and frightening-looking pointed teeth. In the dead of the night, a pair of strange-looking pupils flickers back and forth, glowing dully with evil intent.

    In a blink of an eye, the zombie''s posture changes, raising his head and slashing his menacingly pointed nails in a horizontal arc. The claws sink easily into the head of an undead shuffling past and grey brain matter splatters out the other side. Jerking his hand back, he rips the entire brain out the skull of his duller kin and devours it in one big mouthful. His rotting neck bulges around the lump of grey meat before it enters his stomach. Licking his hand, his stomach still grumbles for more brains, hence, he starts searching for another target.

    ~~~

    The off-road vehicle leading out in front slowly comes to a stop, causing the other two trucks following behind to halt as well.

    Rifle on his back, Long Zhanye exits the car and walks towards the large truck carrying the villagers, lightly stating. "It''s too risky to continue driving once the sky darkens. We''ll spend the night in the plains over there."

    "Spend¡­spend the night in the wilderness! This¡­isn''t it too dangerous?!" The village chief sitting in the passenger seat of the truck instantly pales as soon as Long Zhanye finish speaking.

    "It''s the apocalypse. There are no safe and secure places anymore. However, compared to driving through the night, it is better to set up camp here in the wilderness. The chances of us running into danger is smaller as we don''t know what we will meet on the roads at night." The way Long Zhanye addressed this middle-aged chief can still be counted as pretty respectful. If it is towards someone he is displeased with, he will simply turn around and walk away instead of wasting his breath explaining.

    When they were in the village, esteemed grandmother Zhang used her mystical arrays to protect them, allowing them to retain their life. Now with the elderly gone, Hong Wangcai¡¯s heart is full of unease and insecurity. But the presence of these few youngsters, he feels a bit safer. Now that he thinks about it, these four are able to get from Z City to Y Town without incident, which means their abilities must be very outstanding. Since they say staying here for the night is wiser than driving after the sun sets, then they must have their reasons.

    After a few moments of consideration, the village chief nods his head in agreement. "Un, all right. Before we reach the safe zone, this village chief will listen to little boss'' suggestions."

    "Heheh¡­village chief Uncle is too courteous. I''ll go with my companions to scout the area and eliminate any wandering zombies first. Please wait until little Yuan has finished laying the protective barrier before you guys get off the truck." Hearing the village chief call him "little boss", Long Zhanye chuckles lightly.

    "Okay."

    Qin Jun drives the off-road vehicle onto the field of yellow soil next to the road, parking it there as a marker for the other two trucks. From all directions, the scattered zombies roving aimlessly on this stretch of land begin to stumble towards the group, drawn by the noise.

    Firearms on their backs and swords in hand, Qin Jun and Long Zhanye gets off the car to deal with the zombies. A few villagers also climb down from the back of the large truck, carrying hoes, shovels and rakes in order to assist in the cleaning-up of the undead.

    From within his space, Huo Zaiyuan retrieves a stack of necessary talismans. As they are currently camping out in a wide-open field, he has to set down several layers of barriers in order to ensure maximum security. In addition, the scope he needs to cover is a lot bigger, hence the need for a lot more talismans. In this one setting, he uses up one-fifth of his total stock, which causes his brow to wrinkle.

    No wonder grandmother Zhang left him so many yellow papers and cinnabar. If he keeps using his peach wood talismans, at this rate, he wouldn''t have any left when they finally reach the safe zone.

 CH 85

    Chapter 85: Surprise attack

    A large pile of talismans forms on the backseat of the car and Huo Zaiyuan''s arms are full with carrying another huge bundle. Glancing up at Li Qing who is in the middle of tidying up the interior of the vehicle, Huo Zaiyuan says. "Little Qing, I''ll go off first to set up the barrier. Once you are done cleaning up here, bring all these talismans to me."

    "Okay." Li Qing nods, taking out a short brush and dustpan from his storage ring and begins sweeping up all the accumulated sand below the seats.

    Talismans in hand, Huo Zaiyuan walks away, leaving his friend to the cleaning. After sweeping away all the dust, Li Qing removes a rag and a basin to clean the car''s windows. Although this off-road vehicle has carried them quite a distance already, each time they drive over dirt roads or through the wilderness, dirt and dust will gather on the windshield and side mirrors. If one doesn''t wipe it away occasionally, a thick layer of grime will build and eventually obstruct the driver''s line of sight.

    He knows his own fighting strength is inferior to Long Zhanye, Qin Jun and Huo Zaiyuan''s. In this small party of four, it is sufficient that he only needs to be capable of defending himself and not adding to the other three''s burden. So while they are eliminating outside threats and setting up barriers, he stays behind to take care of the smaller but equally important details. If he is able to keep this car in top condition for as long as possible, then at least he feels he is not dead weight.

    Moistening the cloth, he carefully wipes dirt off the glass. Before the apocalypse, he was considered a young master and has never done any menial work. But after surviving through several harrowing experiences in this short period of time, to him, things like wiping down a car is an easy task now.

    Very quickly, a window has been wiped squeaky clean. Nodding in satisfaction, Li Qing rinses the rag and prepares to start on the next one.

    At this moment, soft footsteps draw his notice. From the reflection on the glass, he catches sight of a pair of slender legs clad in jeans and cloth shoes on their feet. Curious, he lifts his gaze up from the car to see who the person is. Abruptly, the back of his head explodes in pain. Li Qing''s vision blacks out, his entire body collapsing to the ground.

    Staring down at Li Qing, Shen Yueran''s eyes curve slightly in a smile before carelessly tossing the wooden club in her hands to one side. Ensuring no one else is looking, she quickly gets into the off-road vehicle and searches the interior.

    In the village, she approached Huo Zaiyuan with the intention of seducing him, but the result was a failure. In the end, she was even viciously threatened by Long Zhanye. After everything, she still can''t find the wooden box that old hag Zhang left for Huo Zaiyuan.

    From that day until now, as the line of vehicles depart the village and head towards a safe zone which might not even be remotely safe, her heart was filled with worry, afraid that there will be no opportunities left once they reach their destination.

    Unexpectedly, when the sun set, that violent Long Zhanye suggested to the village chief to spend the night camping out in the wilderness. Here, she is presented with the perfect opportunity. Waiting until Long Zhanye and Qin Jun left to eliminate any zombies in the vicinity, as well as for Huo Zaiyuan to wander off with an armful of wooden tiles to do who-knows-what, she gathered her courage to approach this black car and knock the one called Li Qing out with a wooden club.

    Only¡­why? Why can''t she find it?

    Speedily searching the interior once over, Shen Yueran manages to locate a box of instant noodles, potato crisps, candies and various snacks below the back seat, as well as a pistol beneath the seat''s padding. But no matter how she looks, she can''t find even a trace of that wooden chest.

    Dammit! Could it be Huo Zaiyuan actually hid it in the village?

    Gripping the pistol in hand, Shen Yueran glares at the youth crouching and burying something in the distance, gritting her teeth. Finally, she stuffs as many snacks as possible into the pouch beneath her clothes and picks up the gun.

    Having knocked Li Qing unconscious, stole their food and even their gun, they will definitely not let her off the moment they discover her deeds. Since that''s the case, the only thing she can do is leave.

    She wants to return to the village and find that box. As long as she has it in her grasp, then there is no need for her to live in constant fear during this apocalypse!

 CH 86

    Chapter 86: Walking to one''s death

    The fact that Shen Yueran injured someone, stole supplies and ran away left the other villagers feeling rather unsettled. Regret written all over his face, the village chief apologised profusely to the four of them.

    "Village chief Uncle, there''s no need for apologies. This is not your fault. The night is deepening, please return to assign night watch to a few of your people." Huo Zaiyuan says flatly as he glances back at the still unconscious Li Qing currently carried in Qin Jun''s arms.

    "Yes, yes." Seeing Huo Zaiyuan''s expressionless face reflected on the faces of the other two flanking him, the village chief hurriedly takes his leave.

    "That damn woman. We absolutely cannot let her get away with this." Cradling Li Qing close, Qin Jun''s sneers. When he lifts his head, a cold killing intent rises in the depths of his eyes.

    "Qin Jun, calm down. We don''t even need to lift a finger. She will definitely learn a proper lesson through her own deeds." Long Zhanye speaks up, slender hand roaming slowly over the off-road vehicle''s backseat padding. A few moments later, a fully loaded pistol magazine appears in his grasp. "Say, how will things play out when the pistol on her person doesn''t have a single bullet in it?"

    "Hmph, walking to one''s death." Once he takes in the magazine in Long Zhanye''s hand, the killing intent in Qin Jun''s eyes subside. Using one hand to clean Li Qing''s face tenderly with a wet towel, the other lightly massage the bump at the back of his lover''s head. This way, when Li Qing regains consciousness, his head wouldn''t ache too badly.

    "This one strike on the head wouldn''t cause little Qing to have amnesia, right?" Huo Zaiyuan questions as he passes the first aid kit to Qin Jun.

    "It will be painful, but no vital parts were struck so he will be fine." Qin Jun answers, then kiss Li Qing¡¯s cheek. "I should have kept him by my side. That way, he wouldn''t have been injured."

    "But you understand that little Qing doesn''t wish to be a delicate flower forever under your protection." Huo Zaiyuan sighs. "We both know his personality very well."

    "Un¡­"

    "Let me keep watch for the entire night. You all go take a rest." Accepting the bread Huo Zaiyuan passes over, Long Zhanye says as he bites into it.

    "Un." Qin Jun agrees easily.

    Due to the taxing nature of setting up barriers on his spiritual energy, Huo Zaiyuan spends every night meditating. Thus, the matter of night vigil typically falls to Li Qing and Long Zhanye. Now with Li Qing injured, Long Zhanye will have to keep watch for the entire night, something the other two don''t bother protesting over.

    Just when everyone is finishing their meals and preparing to rest, the person who was struck by Shen Yueran finally stirs. After being fed a few mouthfuls of water and bread, he falls back asleep.

    Deeper into the night, the surroundings fall into dead silence. No one dares make noise, too afraid that it will attract man-eating monsters.

    ~~~

    Meanwhile, the woman who is responsible for knocking Li Qing unconscious, the one who stole food and a pistol from the off-road vehicle, the one and only Shen Yueran whose only thought is returning to the village stumbles across an extremely gruesome scene.

    Zombie corpses litter the ground, most broken and torn to pieces. A head here, a couple of limbs there. The strong stench of rotting meat pervades the air, sharp enough to make one puke. And right in the centre of this sea of bodies, a humanoid figure squats, devouring something like a starving beast.

    Witnessing this grotesque sight, Shen Yueran''s entire body begins to tremble in pure terror. Shaking legs slowly retreating backwards in an attempt to escape, she accidentally steps on a dry twig. In the dead of the night when nothing stirs, this one snap resonates very clearly.

    That squatting figure freezes instantly before its head twists in a humanly-impossible way to stare at her. Slowly, the blood-stained lips part to reveal sharp crimson teeth.

    "Ahh - !!" A screech tears out of Shen Yueran''s throat, quivering hands lifting the pistol to aim at the monster. However, no matter how hard she pulls the trigger, not a single bullet flies out of the barrel.

    In that split-second, the monster crosses the distance between them in a single leap. Appearing before her eyes with that fearsome mouth stretch wide open, two rows of sharp teeth sink right into the top of her head. Before she can even register the pain, half her skull is already torn off, her brain exposed¡­

 CH 87

    Chapter 87: Yellow paper and cinnabars

    With Long Zhanye keeping watch, everyone naturally feels more secure. While Qin Jun cradles Li Qing in his arms and nap in the back seat of the off-road vehicle, Huo Zaiyuan is manhandled into a comfortable position by Long Zhanye and has a deep, sizzling kiss stolen by the man. In another fit of embarrassment, he escapes into his space.

    "Rascal¡­" Red lips pinched together and face still aflame, Huo Zaiyuan huffily walks into the bamboo house. To think that his calm and tranquil heart can be so easily shaken by a man''s intense kiss!

    "Squeak¡­cheep!" Seeing Huo Zaiyuan appear, the little tree spirit is filled with joy, immediately drifting towards the human, arms wrapped around a bright red apple this time. Hovering in the air before the youth, it presents the fruit like a precious treasure.

    Rubbing a palm gently on the little guy''s soft hair, Huo Zaiyuan conveys that he has just eaten his fill and urges the spirit to go play.

    Ever since the tree spirit resides in this space, the crops on the plantation grow increasingly lush. In addition, when a few fruits and vegetables ripen, they will always transform, appearance becoming very different from the others that are still not ready to be harvested. Even the ten plus potted, near-death fruit tree saplings he found in the back of the truck have been coaxed into great health once more by the spirit.

    When the little guy leaves the house, Huo Zaiyuan sits before the low table, drinking a mouthful of peach juice to replenish some of the energy he spent setting up the large-scale, multiple-layered barrier. Setting the tube aside, he opens the chest of items left by grandmother Zhang.

    Although he was absolutely clueless about spells and Taoist Arts before, when he first got started on carving his own talismans, he stubbornly stuck to his own peach wood tiles and coins. A Taoist using yellow paper, he has only ever seen that on television.

    Within this chest, there are several stacks of yellow paper. Taking one from each pile out to study, he realises that each paper feels different. Some are thin like normal writing paper while others are cardboard hard. He eventually narrows them down to three different kinds, but in the end, which amongst the three is the best type, he has absolutely no idea. The only way to find out is to use them.

    He doesn''t touch the cinnabar jars in the chest, instead taking out the saucer and placing a few crystals on it before adding a few drops of spring water. The Holy Dragon Bome Brush appears in his hand. Dipping the bristles into the scarlet ink, he proceeds to draw runes onto the yellow paper.

    Mixing materials like spring water with devil ant crystals have always yielded ink with potent spiritual energy, and when one uses it to draw runes, one can feel a fascinating flow of power moving through it.

    In one go, he draws the simplest charm for repelling evil aura onto the paper. Just as he pens the final strike, a sudden ''boom'' rings out and the paper ignites in golden flames, burning to ashes.

    Having never been met with such a situation, Huo Zaiyuan is a little alarmed. The shock turns into puzzlement as he feels the spiritual energy originally gathered in the piece of paper scatter the moment it burns to ash.

    Perhaps this ink created from the fusion of spring water and crystal contains too much spiritual power for the yellow paper to properly contain it. Thus, the overload of energy caused the paper to ignite.

    After that revelation, Huo Zaiyuan tests the ink on the other two types of paper. At last, he determines that only the flat and smooth one has the ability to contain the large power of the scarlet ink. Like this, he categorises them as low quality, medium quality and high quality papers. Naturally, the lower quality it is, the less energy it can contain before it overloads. From this, he concludes that the peach wood he has been using all this time is of a much higher quality than these yellow papers.

    Once he confirms the grades of these papers, Huo Zaiyuan moves on to experimenting with the various pottery jars of cinnabars. He at least knows cinnabars are materials used to create paint to draw runes on the talismans, so they should yield similar results to his scarlet ink. As there is only powder within each of the jars, Huo Zaiyuan directly pours some amount of spring water into one of them, blending them together. As one is unable to see any results from this simple mixture, he dips the brush into the cinnabar paint and draws another simple evil aura warding spell on the lowest quality paper.

    Nothing startling happens when the last stroke is drawn, obviously showing that the cinnabar paint contains a lot less spiritual energy than his scarlet ink. This discovery serves to pique his inquisitive mind.

    To contain such rich spiritual energy¡­what in the world are devil ant crystals made of?

    Are they truly mere matter left behind after the living ants are burned by his golden flames?

    Or are there more secrets he has yet to uncover behind it?

 CH 88

    Chapter 88: Shopping mall

    That night, besides producing countless low to high quality paper talismans, he also discovers a lot of knowledge regarding Taoist Arts he had no idea about by reading that old book grandmother Zhang gave him. Thus, these few days on the road to X City''s safe zone, Huo Zaiyuan keeps himself busy by absorbing the information within this book with keen interest.

    After two days of resting, the Li Qing, who was injured by Shen Yueran, recuperates enough to return to his hyperactive self. But upon seeing Huo Zaiyuan reading the old book with such fascination and utmost concentration, he follows his friend''s example and takes out the notebook given by his birth mother and flips through it. However, most of the contents are something he isn''t able to make heads or tails of. Even so, he forces himself to remember them. Bit by bit, the information unexpectedly start to make some sense and soon he too, becomes utterly focused on the pages.

    Tossed aside by their respective lovers in favour of books, Long Zhanye and Qin Jun can only look on helplessly. The two men end up taken turns driving the car and keeping watch at night to pass the time.

    For five days, the line of vehicles didn''t encounter trouble and peacefully make their way towards their destination. When the sun sets on the fifth day, the three vehicles have finally arrive in X City''s outer districts. Out on the port-hole and crack-ridden streets, as far as the naked eye can see, zombies roam to and fro, lingering in low-storey houses and shuffling along the sidewalks.

    "It seems once we enter the urban district tonight, we cannot make camp." Qin Jun states while eating instant noodles in the backseat of the car.

    Being surrounded by zombies at night is very dangerous, but if one is blockaded and surrounded in the city, there are zero chances of survival.

    "Then let''s find another place to spend the night." Ensuring the open book in his lap doesn''t close, Huo Zaiyuan nimbly folds a piece of yellow paper with the other.

    Very quickly, a lifelike paper crane sits in the middle of his palm. Narrowing his eyes to ensure just the right amount of spiritual power enters the crane, he gently moves the two wings up and down a few times. With a ''bang'', the paper crane overloads and ignites in a ball of fire.

    Another failure.

    "There''s a shopping mall over there. How about scouting it out?" Li Qing has his face all but plastered on the window, bright eyes staring at the fairly large building not far away.

    "A shopping mall, huh¡­" Long Zhanye quirks an eyebrow. "There will be a lot of dangerous things concealed within that place. If we are to spend the night there, then we must thoroughly ensure everyone''s safety. If any accidental noise is made and the zombies within are drawn to us, escaping from a siege will be difficult."

    "It is not impossible to prevent such an event. The day before yesterday, I found a very interesting spell in this book." Flipping a few pages over, he studies the array drawn on the paper one more time.

    "What is it? What is it?" Hearing Huo Zaiyuan''s words, the always-curious Li Qing immediately tries to take a look at the book from his position in the backseat.

    "Aura Concealment Charm. If this spell is integrated into the barrier as the user is setting it up, it will be able to conceal a large portion of a living being''s aura." As he speaks, he waves his left hand and a yellow paper with the exact same design shown on the page appears.

    "Wah! Why didn''t you bring something so useful like this out earlier?!" Li Qing''s eyes sparkle as he gazes at the paper in Huo Zaiyuan''s hand.

    By now, the zombies'' sense of smell and hearing are very acute, so having this charm that is able to conceal a living being''s aura is obviously something great. At minimum, it means one doesn''t have to worry about attracting undead simply by walking around.

    "Already told you I just learned it! Go to the corner!" Lifting a hand, he gently shoves Li Qing''s head, then addresses Qin Jun as he opens the car door. "Qin Jun, go inform the village chief that Zhanye and I (after countless pressuring by LZY, HZY is forced to change the way he addresses LZY) will enter the mall first to clean up any danger, so ask them to wait for a while. Here, this is for you and little Qing, and these two are to be pasted on the other two trucks."

    Receiving four Aura Concealment Charms, he immediately gives one to Li Qing, then gets down from the car. Being a smart individual, he is able to read between Huo Zaiyuan''s "cleaning up any danger".

 CH 89

    Chapter 89: Eliminating danger

    Steel swords in hand, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan walks towards the shopping mall. Its entrance doors are still very much intact, showing that looters have yet to come here to scavenge for supplies.

    Long Zhanye''s knowledge is vast, the subjects he knows well ranging from important necessities to trivial matters. For example, how to break into a locked building¡­even the mall''s metal gates and its supposedly anti-theft lock easily opens under his administrations, using only a piece of thin metal wire and wriggling it around a few times.

    Entering the mall, the pair is met with a scene of disarray. Various kinds of snacks and goods are strewn all over the floor with a few motionless bodies added to the mix, all sporting broken heads.

    "Looks like the inside isn''t as safe as its tightly-shut gates imply." Sweeping his eyes over his surroundings, Long Zhanye walks up to a wall and runs his fingers over it. When the lights above remain unlit following two loud smacks, it is pretty evident that the electricity within this building has been disconnected. "I''ll go scout ahead. Be careful when you collect the goods."

    "I know." A sweet feeling rises in Huo Zaiyuan''s heart at Long Zhanye''s words of concern.

    Resting the flat of the blade on his shoulder, Long Zhanye moves soundlessly between the aisles just as Huo Zaiyuan commence rummaging through the goods on the ground first, tossing salvageable foodstuffs and any items that may have use in the future into his space. Although he purchased bulks of necessities before the apocalypse, that only comes down to a small portion of his total stockpile. The majority of it was food. Now with Long Zhanye, Qin Jun and Li Qing travelling with him, items like shampoo, body wash, towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper, etc that he had stored away are steadily decreasing. It will only be a matter of time before he runs out. Hence, when Li Qing suggested staying the night in the shopping mall, he already made plans to raid this place clean.

    His interdimensional space is enormous, so he is not worried about running out of place to put everything. Besides useless objects like children''s toys and rotten perishable goods like mouldy cakes, Huo Zaiyuan grabs everything else, even the fridge full of beverages¡­.In a scant few minutes, the first level is just about emptied out. Done, he moves on to the second floor.

    The mall''s second level is for clothes, bedsheets and quilts. In the year of preparation, Huo Zaiyuan actually sold off some of his old clothes and bed, a deed he deeply regrets due to the fact that production of these items ceased immediately once Judgement Day began. One will eventually run out sooner or later. Faced with this entire floor, Huo Zaiyuan happily begins to dash here and there. Bedsheets, comforters, mosquito nets, curtains and clothes of every kind, whether they be male or female are all thrown into his space.

    "Little Yuan." The Long Zhanye who wandered off to who-knows-where suddenly appears, the blade of his sword stained with yellow and red smears. Needless to say, the dangers within this mall have been eliminated.

    "There were zombies in here?" Huo Zaiyuan asks, raising an eyebrow.

    "Three amongst the aisles below, two in what I assume is the staff office, and there''s probably something stuck behind a steel door." Long Zhanye reports with a smile. "I couldn''t open it to get to whatever''s within. The door must be barricaded from the inside."

    "You are saying there might be living humans in that room?" Huo Zaiyuan''s movement pauses for a second.

    "Maybe there are survivors, but it''s also possible there are¡­zombies. Or even dead bodies!" Stabbing the sword into the ground, he looks at Huo Zaiyuan. "Beloved, do you want to call the villagers in first or go to that room to take a look?"

    "Let the villagers in first. The sky is almost dark. I''ll go set up the barriers now." The meaning behind his word is very clear. The task to call the villagers in falls to Long Zhanye.

 CH 90

    Chapter 90: Survivors

    When Huo Zaiyuan finished laying the barriers, Long Zhanye has already brought the villagers into the mall, leaving the three vehicles outside. For additional protection, Huo Zaiyuan sticks on another Aura Concealment Charm on the entrance doors of the shopping mall after closing it tight.

    "We''ll rest here for the night. I have already laid arrays all throughout this entire first level. As long as you don''t run amock, no matter what other dangers lurk in this building, nothing will be able to harm you. We will be able to reach the safe zone tomorrow, so bear with this for a while longer." Huo Zaiyuan states blandly.

    "Little Yuan, you are saying¡­there are still some man-eating monsters in here?" The village chief''s complexion turns slightly green after listening to the youth''s words.

    For the entire journey since they left Y Town and reach X City''s outer district, they didn''t come across any zombies. However, he is still very much terrified of those man-eating monsters, and even more afraid of becoming one of those freakish things.

    "I don''t know. We''ve just finished killing all the zombies in this mall and discovered a locked door in the underground basement. It wouldn''t open no matter how hard we hit it but we suspect there may be survivors or zombies within." Huo Zaiyuan answers.

    "Then¡­then what should we do? If there are survivors inside, we cannot simply leave them there. But if it is monsters¡­" The village chief hesitantly gives his opinion.

    "Little Yuan and I will handle this matter. Village chief Uncle, you and the villagers just focus on protecting yourselves. It''s already late and we''ve been on the road for the whole day. Go and have something to eat. Don''t starve yourselves." Long Zhanye walks up beside Huo Zaiyuan to reassure the middle-aged man.

    "Okay." Hong Wangcai nods his head. "The old madam of the Chen family made some delicious cornmeal biscuits. I''ll ask her to bring you some later."

    "Thank you."

    After the group of people finish their meal, Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye and Li Qing prepare to head down to the underground basement and take a look at the locked room, leaving Qin Jun behind to rest and recuperate from driving for the entire day.

    The trio comes to a halt before the tightly shut steel door. Standing on either side of it, Huo Zaiyuan and Li Qing ready their weapons while Long Zhanye lifts a hand to knock the door lightly.

    Shortly after the noise rings out, a faint sound can be heard from the other side. Even as it dies down near instantly, it is pretty evident that something inside was alarmed by the knock. But that split-second isn''t enough to determine if zombies or humans lay within.

    Exchanging a mutual glance and a nod with Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye knocks on the door again, then inquires. "Excuse me, is someone in there? Answer if there is."

    If the beings inside are human, they will definitely reply once they hear another survivor''s voice. If it is a zombie, there will be no answer since the undead cannot understand speech, which will negate the need to get this door open.

    "There is. There''s someone in here. You¡­are you here to rescue us?" A tiny voice drifts out of the gaps between the door, but it is impossible to tell if the speaker is a male or female due to their hoarse tone. "Outside¡­those monsters¡­"

    "Those monsters have already been slain." Long Zhanye replies.

    "Slain¡­slain¡­that''s good¡­very good¡­quickly move those things. We''re going out."

    The voice fades, replaced by the sound of things being moved. Very quickly, the steel door is pulled open, revealing the sickly pale face of a frightened man.

    "You¡­you are¡­"

    "We are just passing through here and are resting in this shopping mall for the night. We discovered this room''s door locked shut and so decided to take a look, that''s all." Long Zhanye explains in a flippant tone. "Are you all the staff of this mall?"

    "Eh¡­a few of us are staffs, the rest are customers. When¡­those monsters appeared, we ran into this mall, but they appeared in here as well so we¡­finally hid in here¡­" That man explains in a small voice. "Those¡­just what kind of creatures are those things? Why would a human turn into that?"

    "We also do not have a clear answer to this question. There are a few villagers outside with us who will be heading to X City''s safe zone tomorrow. Do you want to come along?" Long Zhanye asks.

    "Vi - villagers¡­of course, of course. We will come along."

 CH 91

    Chapter 91: Safe zone

    In total, the number of survivors hiding away in the mall''s underground storehouse comes to fifteen, ten males and five females. There are even three children amongst them, ages around five or six.

    "They hid in the food storage room, which is why they are able to survive for so many days¡­" Looking at the survivors eating cornmeal biscuits with the villagers, Qin Jun muses as he hands a bottle of mineral water to Li Qing.

    "It has only been a month since the world ended, so the safe zones would have only just settled down. Things like mercenary squads created to actively search and slay zombies will only appear approximately one and a half months after Judgement Day, at the earliest. Afterwards, groups sent out to scavenge for food, other supplies or rescue survivors will also surface. Which is why this mall has been left intact." Taking a bite of flavoured roasted seaweed recently brought out from the storeroom, Huo Zaiyuan says absently. "Mmm, this seaweed doesn''t taste too bad. I can use it the next time I make rice balls."

    "Mercenary squads¡­" Long Zhanye murmurs as he leans down to take a bite out of the same piece of seaweed.

    "Umm¡­teams organised and formed from volunteers within the people in the safe zone. A squad typically consists of five to six members who will go outside to scavenge for supplies or search for other survivors¡­" Seeing the lone raised eyebrow of Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan explains before falling silent for a while. "That¡­I''m just speculating¡­" Trailing off, he turns his head away, stealing a packet of tomato-flavoured potato crisps that Li Qing secretly stored away.

    Lips curving into a small smile, Long Zhanye gazes at Huo Zaiyuan. Naturally, he doesn''t believe the youth''s explanation is all based on pure speculation, but he doesn''t want to question him further. Since the child doesn''t want to be honest, he will treat it as if he (LZY) doesn''t know. Because Long Zhanye is well aware there will be a day Huo Zaiyuan will willingly divulge his secrets, just like how he showed Long Zhanye his interdimensional space.

    ~~~

    With an additional fifteen survivors and the remaining food from the storeroom all transferred into the two trucks, the line of vehicles depart early the next morning. The off-road car leading the way as per usual, they make their way towards the safe zone located in X City''s outer suburb.

    As they get closer and closer to the safe zone, tracks left by zombies become increasingly common. On top of that, the various malls and shops in the safe zone''s proximity have all been cleanly ransacked. Clearly, teams have already been sent out from that place to scavenge for necessary goods. This assumption is further confirmed by the various zombie corpses sporting blade gashes or bullet holes in their heads, most concealed under spread bedsheets with an occasional body left uncovered.

    Travelling through X City''s side streets and outer districts for almost three hours, the line of three vehicles slowly make their way around various obstacles, drawing closer to their destination. Staring into the distance, one can see the city''s military district and its high, white perimeter walls. A wooden platform has been established on top of the meters-high wall, a glaring, flashing red spotlight acting as a signal beacon. Ten meters from the military district, a trench has been dug all around, with barb wires covering the top of the long trench to create a defensive line. In addition, there is only one ten-meter wide road leading into the district with a large steel gate at the end. This entrance is tightly guarded by ten-plus men in military uniform with guns in hand.

    As soon as the three vehicles draw close enough, two soldiers lift a hand, gesturing for them to stop.

    The off-road vehicle comes to a halt. One of the two soldiers walks up to the driver''s side and raps on the car window, signalling them to lower it.

    The current driver is Long Zhanye, who winds down the window and looks at the soldier, a smirk curling his lips.

 CH 92

    Chapter 92: Entering the safe zone

    Taking in the interior of the car in one glance, the soldier gives a small nod to Long Zhanye before inquiring. "Where did you come from?"

    "From Y Town. We heard there was a safe zone established here so we decided to come. May I ask this older brother, can you let us through?" Resting his elbow on the lowered window, Long Zhanye asks the soldier.

    "How many people are there? If you wish to enter, you will need to exchange food. 10kg per person!" The man demands, expression unchanging.

    "10kg per person¡­besides handing over food, are there any other demands?" Quirking an eyebrow, Long Zhanye questions.

    Requesting 10kg of food for each person is a lot, especially during the apocalypse where food supplies are extremely precious. However, at present, the safety of the villagers come first. Also, it''s not as though they lack food.

    "None. So long as the food is handed over, you may enter. As for your vehicles, there is a car park in the district in exchange for 20kg of food. For rooms within the district, it will be calculated after everyone has settled in." This soldier is rather patient and unhostile, taking the time to explain every requirement to enter this safe zone.

    "So people with sufficient food can stay in the rooms, but what about those lacking supplies?"Huo Zaiyuan asks, face expressionless.

    "Sleep in tents, or on the ground, we don''t really care. But there is a law we reinforce within this zone and that is no stealing from others. Offenders will be severely punished." The man''s face becomes stern as he informs them of this rule.

    "We understand, thank you." Long Zhanye dips his head in acknowledgement, then turns to Huo Zaiyuan. "Little Yuan, go and inform the village chief and ask him to do a headcount. After that, we will hand over the food. Wait until we actually enter the safe zone before we discuss further."

    "All right." Huo Zaiyuan exits the car to update the others on the current situation.

    Adding together the food taken from the village and everything from the mall''s storeroom, it fills up the entire back compartment of the medium-sized truck. This amount is more than enough to grant everyone entry, with a large portion still remaining. Upon realising there is also a large bulk of seeds amongst the remaining food supplies, they couldn''t be happier. Asking the villagers to yield two big sacks of vegetable and grain seeds as payment for parking, the two soldiers permit them entry.

    Finally, the line of vehicles drive into the safe zone, causing everyone''s hearts to calm down after several days of tension.

    Afterwards, Huo Zaiyuan consults the village chief regarding the issue of lodging. In Hong Wangcai''s opinion, food will finish sooner or later, so they have to save whatever they can. Now that they reached the safe zone at last, they temporarily do not have to worry about their personal safety, so there is no point trading food for rooms. Discussing this with the villagers and survivors from the mall, everyone decides to find a place to park the vehicles first, then stay in the trucks as there is plenty of space within the two containers.

    Regarding the issue of male and female staying together, after another group discussion, half the food from the medium-sized truck is moved to the larger one before a lively debate about which gender is assigned to which truck breaks out.

    Sitting on the roof of the off-road vehicle, Huo Zaiyuan smiles faintly as he gazes at the busy villagers now sporting bright grins on their faces. Turning his head to look at the entrance of the safe zone, his relieved smile disappears, replaced by a frown.

    "Why is little Yuan frowning?" Long Zhanye leisurely heads over, getting up on the roof of the car in a few moves and settling down next to him.

    "Giving up food in exchange for entry into the safe zone. This kind of exchange will create a lot of problems in the future."

    "Un, I''m aware of it." Eyes travelling to the same spot Huo Zaiyuan is staring at, Long Zhanye nods shallowly in agreement.

 CH 93

    Chapter 93: Getting bold

    "The troops here ought to be soldiers originally posted in this military district. Being capable of inaugurating such a contingency plan in the early stages of the apocalypse shows the person in charge is a very competent leader." Long Zhanye offers his analysis. "Asking for 10kg of food per person as entrance fee may be a little black-hearted, however, it is a matter they have no choice in. If there''s no one responsible for going outside and bringing back goods, this is the only other way to prevent their stockpile of food from decreasing too much¡­in this case, this would be the reason to form these ''mercenary squads'' you spoke of before. When these squads appear, the entire safe zone will have to be reformed. Still¡­there is another risk factor yet unaddressed. That is the checkpoint. As far as I can tell, no backup plan or counter-measures have been implemented in this military district. If amongst the survivors allowed into the safe zone, one person was bitten or scratched by a zombie, the result will be too horrible to contemplate."

    Huo Zaiyuan abruptly stiffens as he heard Long Zhanye''s words even as a small smile surfaces.

    Indeed worthy of being A City''s senior officer. In Huo Zaiyuan''s case, being someone who experienced the apocalypse before his rebirth, he will always carefully analyse everything down to the finest detail in order to ensure his own safety and survival. Long Zhanye, on the other hand, isn''t like him. The soldier relies wholly on his own intuition and experience to analyse things, his keen mind enabling him to immediately figure out the weakness in the safe zone''s defence.

    "Zhanye, I want to find the leader of this safe zone and inform them of this problem." Leaping down from the car''s roof, he lands lightly on the balls of his feet.

    Long Zhanye follows him down, reaching out to drape an arm around Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulders, chuckling softly. "All right, I''ll go with you."

    "Un."

    As the three vehicles have yet to fully enter the military district''s gates and are currently parked near the perimeter wall, the pair can only walk towards the military district on foot.

    Two soldiers barred their way when the two men approach the gate. "Who are you? You need a pass in order to enter the military district. Where are your passes?"

    "We don''t have a pass, but we want to meet the leader of this safe zone. There''s something we need to talk to them about." Huo Zaiyuan says, not the least bit afraid of the aggressive looks on the soldiers'' faces.

    "No permission to enter without passes. Please leave." The soldier on the left speaks up.

    "Even if you have passes, the leader is not someone you can so easily ask to meet." The one on the right says in a hostile tone.

    Hearing the words delivered in an unfriendly tone, Long Zhanye who had stayed silent throughout this short exchange immediately feels displeasure rising in his heart. His little Yuan merely wants to speak to X City''s military district leader, a person of inferior rank to his own, and this puny Private has the audacity to direct a scathing look at his little Yuan. Really bold ah.

    "Hmph, this senior officer made a long and difficult trek to come over to X City in order to perform an inspection. It has only been a month since the start of the apocalypse. Are you trying to abolish military discipline completely?!" Expression abruptly darkening, Long Zhanye glares coldly at the two soldiers.

    Upon hearing these harsh words, the two instantly looses their stern expressions and exchange a brief look, obviously not knowing how to proceed from here.

    "This¡­this¡­"

    "Still not leading the way? If you keep delaying this senior officer¡¯s business, you will both be carrying your heads and running a lap around this safe zone!" Fishing something out from the pocket of his camouflage coat, Long Zhanye throws it at the face of the still hesitating soldier on the right.

    The object smacks the Private full on before dropping to the ground. It is a card representing Long Zhanye''s identity and proof of his rank as a senior military officer. On top of it, a military epaulette[1] is securely hooked to a corner, the few titanium-gold alloy stars attached to that piece of cloth just about blinding the dog-eyes[2] of those two soldiers.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Military epaulettes:

    [2] Dog-eyes: Look down on people inferior to them but worship those superior to them.

 CH 94

    Chapter 94: Security risks

    The military identity card as well as the gold stars on the epaulette attached to it confirms Long Zhanye''s claim, causing the two soldiers'' initial imposing manner to drop three thousand meters.

    A City''s military district''s senior officer and Lord Captain - Long Zhanye. A legendary figure amongst the army ah¡­

    Even during the apocalypse, senior officer Long disregards his own safety, personally coming all the way from A City to grace the distant X City with his presence in order to perform an inspection. This is truly touching, really a fine example and role model of a military man ah!

    Looking at the near-worshipping expressions on the soldiers'' face with not even the slightest trace of arrogance from before, Huo Zaiyuan''s heart is shocked silent.

    This is too exaggerated ah¡­

    Retrieving the identity card Long Zhanye used to smack the soldier in the face with, Huo Zaiyuan studies the photograph of a younger Long Zhanye still retaining a bit of childhood innocence and feels his own lips curl into a small smile.

    The image printed on this card shows a Long Zhanye at the age of seventeen or eighteen, and he recalls Long Zhanye saying he entered the military academy at the age of ten plus¡­so he actually climbed all the way to the rank of senior officer in the span of two or three years?

    "Zhanye, how old were you when you became A City''s military district''s senior officer?" Huo Zaiyuan asks as he tucks the identity card back into the other man''s inner coat pocket.

    This is something precious. It would definitely come in handy on the road to A City.

    "Eighteen years old." After thinking for a while, Long Zhanye admits this astonishing fact before a dazzling smile appears on his face, one that just shouts "aren''t I simply awesome, quickly praise me".

    "Eh¡­eight - eighteen¡­you didn''t acquire it by making use of your connections¡­right?" Huo Zaiyuan''s question ends in a tiny voice.

    "Oi, beloved, you are looking down on me too much." The smile morphs into a sulk as Long Zhanye expresses extreme resentment.

    His little Yuan really don''t understand a lot of things regarding him. That wouldn''t do. He absolutely must educate little Yuan in the future and let him know exactly how outstanding this senior officer is!

    "Lord Captain, please enter. This military district''s leader is already waiting for you inside." The person in charge of leading the way pulls the gate open for the pair, expression deferential and tone a tad nervous as he speaks.

    Giving a curt nod with a ruthless expression plastered on his face, Long Zhanye appears worlds apart from the man who smiled and teased Huo Zaiyuan just a few seconds ago.

    "Good heavens ah, it really is you¡­Lord Captain Long!" As soon as the pair enters the building, a man approximately in his thirties dressed in smartly pressed black military attire immediately walks forward to welcome them. It is very obvious he has met Long Zhanye face-to-face before. "Please be seated, this long journey has been hard on you."

    "It was tolerable." Long Zhanye shakes his head, leading Huo Zaiyuan to take a seat first before gesturing for the military district''s leader to sit down as well. "This safe zone is not too bad. I came this time to point out a security risk."

    "Security¡­security risk?" The X City''s military leader''s face abruptly stiffens before he hesitantly says. "This safe zone¡­when those monster first appeared, an urgent command came down from A district ordering it to be built¡­and the person who issued it was Commander-in-chief Long."

    "Grandfather ah." Long Zhanye pauses, mouth curving into a smile. "Can the exclusive line linking all the military districts still be connected?"

    "It can, but the signal is already fairly weak." The man answers honestly.

    "Little Yuan, inform the military district leader what kind of security risks exists in this safe zone. I need to contact my grandfather first." Long Zhanye tells the youth sitting next to him.

    "Un."

    Because Huo Zaiyuan followed behind Long Zhanye, the military district leader naturally doesn''t dare to slight him. Quickly, he calls a Private over to lead Long Zhanye into the command centre before inquiring Huo Zaiyuan about the safe zone''s security risk.

 CH 95

    Chapter 95: The talk between grandfather and grandson

    With the Private leading the way, they quickly arrive at X City''s military district''s command centre. Between the twenty-six cities'' military district, there is a secret exclusive communication system linking them all together, ensuring when emergencies arise, vital information can be shared immediately amongst every base.

    Back in Z City''s military base, Long Zhanye had already searched the entire place for this communication line and tried to connect to A City in order to contact his grandfather and the troops under his command. However, for some reason, the line was disconnected. During that time, he thought the entire system was severed due to the apocalypse being an unforeseen event. Unexpectedly, X City is still maintaining the link with A City, laying his initial assumption to rest.

    Slender fingers flying across the keyboard, he promptly enters the private military communication system. Entering his own identification number, the screen displaying the military logo changes into a progress bar.

    Very swiftly, the bar reaches completion and the screen flashes again, this time showing someone on the opposite end with a dazzling smile, greeting Long Zhanye cheerfully. "Haha¡­Boss! You are still alive ah!"

    A smirk surfaces as soon as Long Zhanye hears the astonished exclamation. It disappears as soon as it appeared, leaving behind narrowed eyes and a snarling grin. "Why? Zuo Hanyang, do you really wish me dead?"

    This bastard, really disciplined him too few times. He actually has the guts to disrespect his superior this way.

    "Eh! No, no!" On the other end of the line, Zuo Hanyang''s face pales drastically as he realises a tad too late that he spoke wrongly. A hand clamping over his own mouth, he vigorously shakes his head in denial.

    "Don''t make the same mistake again. Where''s my grandfather?" Regarding this Zuo Hanyang whom Long Zhanye has always feel isn''t a too reliable left-hand man, the senior officer is long used to his subordinate''s tactless ways.

    "Oh¡­once the right-hand saw your identification number appear on the screen, he immediately went to inform your Commander-in-chief grandfather." Seeing his Boss is not angered by his slip of the tongue, Zuo Hanyang heaves a sigh of relief in his heart as he obediently answers Long Zhanye.

    While this soldier might be a little scatter-brained and occasionally crosses the line due to his thoughtlessness, when he becomes serious, even an entire troop cannot compare to his dedication.

    "Hn, the right-hand is still more reliable. There''ll be rewards when I get back." Long Zhanye nods before inquiring. "What''s the situation like in A City?"

    Listening to Long Zhanye praising the right-hand man - right adjutant, You Nuandong - Zuo Hanyang''s lips thin before he replies. "On the night of the sudden change, it was Commander-in-chief''s good friend, that Elder Taoist priest grandfather, who read the stars and foretold ill fortune. Commander-in-chief made the prompt decision to take immediate action and proposed a plan, co-operating with B City''s military base to establish a safe zone. At the same time, he passed down orders to the other twenty-four cities to do the same¡­however, many of the other bases didn''t believe him, ultimately leading to their destruction overnight."

    "So that''s what happened. Currently, how many military bases have already been attacked? What sort of plans are the President and his Cabinet proposing?" Hearing Zuo Hanyang''s concise report, Long Zhanye understands that the current situation is not too favourable.

    "Boss, the¡­President suddenly turned into a monster that night within his private manor. In that entire building, there is not one living human left. As for the Vice-President, three days before that night, they left for YG[1] as an ambassador. Currently, we still do not know if they are dead or alive. This special line linking the military bases only work within this country. It cannot be used to contact our bases in foreign nations. It is as though there''s a jammer blocking off all foreign signals. As a result, we don''t know if only our country has fallen to this state or if other countries are experiencing similar circumstances. For now, the Commander-in-chief is shouldering full responsibility for the entire military from A City''s base¡­so far, eight cities have been breached by those monsters: F, G, H, L, N, Q, T, Z. We have also lost contact with another five: J, K, P, S, W."

    "Un, understood."

    At this moment, hurried footsteps can be heard off-screen, followed by panting before an elderly with a head full of white hair, clad in black military attire appears on display.

    "Child, you finally contacted me! Are you trying to scare your grandfather to death!!"

    A quick scan tells Long Zhanye the old man is still as spirited as ever, allowing him to lay his worries to rest and a genuinely fond smile to appear.

    "Grandfather''s constitution is still strong. How is it possible for your heart to give out simply by being startled? Furthermore, you must believe in your grandson''s abilities ah. The ''Tyrannosaurus of the Army''s'' most precious grandson will definitely not be done in by something as insignificant as the apocalypse."

    "Hmph, you brat. That¡­did you manage to find that child?" Grandfather Long harrumphed coldly as he regards his delinquent grandson, concealing the fact that the sight of the youngster''s face eases his heart.

    "Haven''t yet. Before zombies roamed the streets, I followed a lead to Z City. But it fell into disarray so I couldn''t continue my search." Long Zhanye shrugs his shoulders, outwardly showing he didn''t give a damn, but inwardly pondering over this matter.

    It is very likely that little devil who is so good at evading has long been transformed into a zombie and is currently wandering around Z City. (Author''s note: The very same little devil who is so good at evading, little Yuan shou: ¡­¡­what?)

    "Such a thing happened ah¡­aiya¡­your life ah¡­"

    "Grandfather, it''s my own life, I will definitely grasp it with my own hands. Before the apocalypse, I couldn''t find them no matter how hard I searched. Now with the world in chaos, how would it be possible to continue?"

    "True, these kinds of meetings need to be brought around by fate. If it is destined to happen, it will happen." Grandfather Long is eventually convinced, heaving a sigh before eyeing his precious grandson. "You. Return at once. I''ll let your left and right adjutants bring a squad of soldiers to retrieve you."

    "No need." Long Zhanye shakes his head, refusing immediately. "Although A City was the fastest in establishing a safe zone and a workable plan, there is still the matter of insignificant personnel. If my adjutants are sent with a squad to retrieve me, there will be a shortage of manpower over there. On top of that, coming from A City all the way out here would place more lives under my care. There are zombies everywhere, so coming out is not safe. I will be able to reach A City by myself."

    "But you are all alone¡­"

    "Don''t worry, grandfather. I have a few comrades with me." A soft smile pulls at the corners of his mouth as he thinks about Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Comrades. What sort of people are they that you willingly travel with them?" Seeing the gentle smile playing on his grandson''s lips, Grandfather Long''s quirks a bushy white eyebrow. "The Elder Taoist priest told me those undead are being controlled by an evil source. Aren''t you afraid those companions of yours will encumber you along the way?"

    "They are pretty able." Without the slightest hesitation, Long Zhanye presents his evaluation of Huo Zaiyuan and his friends before answering his grandfather''s question with one of his own. "Grandfather, that Elder Taoist priest mentioned the zombies are controlled by an evil source?"

    Demonic aura, evil source¡­it corresponds with what Huo Zaiyuan said last time. Could it be this apocalypse is really brought about by those ants and swamps?

    "That''s right. This old man''s white-coats (researchers) previously captured an undead and dissected it. They discovered a strange gas emitting from the undead''s brains, which nearly caused a big disaster in the research institution. Fortunately, the Taoist gave me a protective amulet beforehand." Wading through battlefields for a decade in his youth, Grandfather Long has weathered large gales and experienced impressive storms. Rare indeed are moments when fear flash in his eyes.

    "Grandfather, where is the Elder Taoist priest now?" Long Zhanye asks, brow wrinkling.

    It seems they need to return to A City as soon as possible¡­although he did manage to contact his grandfather, there are still quite a few concerns.

    "Before that day, he came over to visit me, so until now he is still residing in the military district. In addition, he set down a few arrays in A City''s base, so it is extremely safe."

    "Arrays¡­un, got it." Long Zhanye nods, then continues. "Grandfather, what sort of requests are made when A City''s safe zone offer shelter to survivors?"

    "Handing over food supplies will permit them entry into the outer districts of the safe zone. After observing them for three days and confirming there are no problems, they will finally be allowed to enter the inner district."

    Hearing this, Long Zhanye smiles and dips his head. "Indeed worthy to be my grandfather ah. And here I was worrying you allowed all survivors direct entry. After being scratched, bitten or poisoned, it will take around five to eight hours for the victim''s symptoms to surface. Attacking the head or spine are the only ways to ensure a zombie truly dies. Another way is using charms and talismans, the kind that Elder Taoist uses!"

    "Un, grandfather understands." Grandfather Long nods. "According to investigation reports, it is extremely likely that the cause of this calamity is connected to G City''s dead volcano''s sudden eruption. Because even before the first day of the apocalypse, there was already no signs of living human beings within G City. B City''s military district dispatched a squad of soldiers are well as researchers to investigate, but none returned alive¡­as Judgement Day approached, there were indications of a second eruption from that volcano. This time, however, it spewed forth some kind of blood red mist that hung over the skies of G City¡­according to the Elder Taoist, that mist is no ordinary fog, but a cloud of demonic energy. If uncontained, it will continue spreading and the end results will be too horrible to contemplate. Which is why you need to return as quickly as you can."

    "Okay." Long Zhanye agrees, lips prusing slightly as he thinks about something else, then slowly speaks. "Grandfather, I think you should issue another order to the remaining military bases and propose a ''mercenary squad'' plan. These squads will be responsible for scavenging food and supplies, looking for survivors. Going into more details, it will be¡­"

    Long Zhanye ends up talking with his grandfather for a few hours before heading back down to the military district''s office to look for Huo Zaiyuan.

    Due to Huo Zaiyuan being someone Long Zhanye personally brought along, and the fact that he patiently explained the safe zone''s security risks not too long ago, this military base''s astute leader is naturally aware of the youth''s special status. Afraid that Huo Zaiyuan will be bored waiting for Long Zhanye to conclude his business, the man had someone bring a few snacks over to please Huo Zaiyuan.

    Looking at the snacks place on the table before him, Huo Zaiyuan is not moved in the slightest. Leisurely sipping a few mouths of rich scented tea, his ears finally picks out the familiar gait of Long Zhanye.

    "Little Yuan, let''s go."

    Placing the teacup in his hands down, Huo Zaiyuan gets up from the chair and walks towards Long Zhanye. Shown out the entrance by the base''s leader, they finally leave this military base.

    As soon as he returns to the off-road vehicle, Long Zhanye updates the other three on everything he talked about with his grandfather, consequently bringing up the fact that he has to return to A City as soon as possible. There were no protests, meaning he has unanimous approval.

    Early morning the next day, the party of four eats a simple breakfast before bidding the village chief and villagers farewell. Departing from the safe zone, the off-road vehicle treads on the path towards A City once more.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Name of another country

 CH 96

    Chapter 96: Encountering another old friend

    After leaving X City''s military district, the four of them continues their journey towards A City for several days. When the sun sets on their fourth day on the road, the dust-covered off-road vehicle arrives at the fringe of S City.

    "Wah, S City! We''re finally going to be in S City." Li Qing gazes out at the city he can''t be any more familiar with, a blinding beam on his face before turning to Huo Zaiyuan. "Little Yuan, are we going to head to the urban district tonight?"

    He understands that due to a variety of reasons, his childhood friend doesn''t like S City. Or else, he wouldn''t have disappeared without a word during that time.

    "We''ve been on the road for so many days. Since we''ve already reached, might as well enter the urban district tonight and rest." Pale, slender fingers deftly fold another crane from a piece of yellow paper as Huo Zaiyuan answers.

    He truly dislikes S City, whether it be his previous life or the current one, he certainly doesn''t have a drop of goodwill remaining towards this place.  Nevertheless, he is not one to purposely repress himself because of personal problems. For the past few days, everyone was cooped up inside the car. Don''t say the others, even he himself is feeling smothered and irritable, so they should find a suitable place to rest tonight.

    Cheering happily after hearing Huo Zaiyuan''s decision, Li Qing urges Qin Jun to drive a little quicker. He is just about to go crazy from staying in this confined space for so long.

    Looking at the person still serenely folding paper cranes, Long Zhanye stretches an arm out to draw him into a hug, planting a gentle kiss on his hair.

    "I''m here." There''s no need for further words between them. Just these two is enough to encompass everything.

    "Un." The corners of Huo Zaiyuan''s lips curl upwards in a faint smile. Placing the folded crane into his waist pouch, he turns his body around slightly in order to snuggle deeper into the older man''s hold.

    Gaze fixed on the youth leaning contentedly against his chest, Long Zhanye shifts a hand to rest on the slim waist, encasing him in a more secure embrace. Tilting his head down, he leaves a trail of small pecks across an exposed cheek, taking pleasure in the faint blush that spreads across his (HZY) pale face.

    The kid''s shy expression is very adorable. If it wasn''t for the two ''spectators'' in the front seats, he will not hesitate to tease his beloved further.

    Similar to the other cities and towns the small party came across during their journey, S City''s streets are filled with abandoned vehicles scattered haphazardly here and there, large cracks and holes marring the asphalt roads. Zombies meander up and down, the clothes on their bodies now worn and shabby - in some cases, tattered and torn - after being exposed to the elements for more than a month.

    "Woah, look at that zombie over there wearing such a thin nightgown, you can even see its underwear below." Li Qing exclaims, once again staving away boredom by taking in the scenery as the off-road vehicle continues forth. He points a finger towards a female undead with a large bite wound on its right shoulder, dark red bloodstains coating the entire arm and some of its clothes. True to Li Qing''s words, it is wearing a dirty, semi-transparent lace nightgown.

    Drawn by his shout, the other three glances in the direction he points in. Qin Jun''s face is instantly filled with black lines while a mirthful snort escapes Long Zhanye and a light grin pulls at Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth.

    "Little Qing, I really didn''t expect your taste to be so¡­heavy ah." Huo Zaiyuan teases.

    Before the apocalypse, a beautiful female clad in such an attire would be a gorgeous sight for some. A pity said beautiful woman is now an undead with cracked greyish-purple skin. But if one ignores that aspect and focuses only on the still-killer figure, it may be able to leave one thinking they would totally tap that.

    "Qin Jun, it seems you are unable to satisfy little Qing. If not why would he be so excited after seeing a beautiful female zombie?!" Long Zhanye drawls with a mischevious grin on his face.

    "Oi - !!" Li Qing shrieks. "Older brother Long, don''t speak drivel!"

    Narrowing his eyes at Li Qing, Qin Jun steps on the accelerator, causing the vehicle to put on a sudden burst of speed.

    Li Qing blanches. He has made his lover angry ah!!

    After the small episode with that beautiful zombie, Li Qing doesn''t dare look here and there, pointing out random things that caught his interest, instead he remains obediently seated. He is afraid if he continues stirring up trouble with Qin Jun by carelessly ogling this and that, he wouldn''t be able to finish his meal before being hauled off to the bedroom.

    "That''s¡­a school."

    It is Huo Zaiyuan who speaks this time, seeing as Li Qing is trying his best to stay silent. Craning his neck from the backseat, he sweeps his eyes up and down the approaching building.

    When he rebirthed, he was still in his second last year of high school. Afterwards, being wholeheartedly focused on preparing for the apocalypse, he completely forgot about anything regarding his schooling. Now, looking at the familiar campus ahead, a strange feeling surfaces in his heart.

    "That''s right, little Yuan, you haven''t graduated from senior high yet. When you disappeared, the form-room teacher and our classmates were rather distraught when none of them managed to find even a trace of your shadow. A lot of people believed that woman did something to you." Li Qing eventually opens his mouth as he turns his head back.

    "Tsk, what can that woman do to me." Huo Zaiyuan scoffs lowly. "Qin Jun, stop the car at the entrance gates. We will spend the night in this school."

    "All right." Qin Jun answers, manoeuvring the vehicle towards S City''s elite private high school for the wealthy.

    The school''s gates are shut tight and the campus eerily silent. Although there are bits and pieces of junk littering the ground, as far as they can see, there are no corpses amongst the wreckage. At a glance, it would seem there aren''t any major dangers here.

    "The students who are eligible to attend this school are the children of parents of high-birth or wealthy families. Every day, the street outside this campus is filled with cars sending their children to school or picking them up after the day is over as very few choose to board here. The apocalypse began at night, so maybe there wouldn''t be a lot of people in there." Lifting a hand to push the gates lightly, Huo Zaiyuan looks up at Long Zhanye. "Older brother Long, we''ll leave opening the gates to you."

    The lock on this school gate is rather special. It is not the typical key-and-lock combination but rather, one had to lift an approximately 20kg steel latch from the other side in order to push the gates open.

    "No problem." Extending a hand to rub the top of Huo Zaiyuan''s head, he slings his firearm on his back and proceeds to flip over the gates.

    A couple of light and nimble movements coupled with superb climbing skills, Long Zhanye easily succeeds in crossing over the several meters high steel gates. From the other side, he lifts the latch and pulls the doors open.

    "Older brother Long is really remarkable."  Li Qing loops an arm around Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulder and enters their high school''s grounds while Qin Jun drives the car pass the open gates, parking it on a clean patch of grass.

    Once everyone has entered, Long Zhanye shuts the entrance gates once more as a few zombies in the vicinity are already drawn by the noise of the car''s engine and are presently shambling in their direction.

    As soon as the latch is slotted back in place, Huo Zaiyuan sticks a talisman on the gate and injects a tiny bit of spiritual power into a few paper cranes. Following the trickle of energy spreading through the paper crane in his palm, it slowly shifts its ''feet'' apart and flaps its wings several times before taking off. Circling a few times above its creator''s head, it eventually flies away.

    "These few cranes will be sufficient for keeping watch at night. Today, every one of us can rest soundly." Huo Zaiyuan announces.

    "Er¡­little Yuan you¡­are just going to let these tiny things keep night vigil? Anyway, aren''t they merely something you folded on the road to stave off boredom?" Li Qing wonders aloud.

    "Relieve boredom?" Huo Zaiyuan''s eyebrows rise, annoyance filling his eyes. Ignoring Li Qing, he speaks directly to Qin Jun. "Qin Jun, exactly where did you find such an idiotic wife?"

    "Said wife is your childhood friend and classmate ah." Qin Jun draws Li Qing into his arms as a mirthful smile breaks out. He can''t hide the pleasure blatantly displayed on his face when Huo Zaiyuan dubbed his lover "wife".

    "You are the wife! Your whole family is a wife! Your entire neighbourhood is a wife!!" Li Qing fumes. "I am clearly the husband! Qin Jun is the wife!"

    "Okay, we know. We know." Embracing Huo Zaiyuan from behind, Long Zhanye also joins in teasing Li Qing.

    Just as the four men talk and laugh amongst themselves while making their way towards the school, a lone figure immediately charges out from the building, yelling. "Halt! Who are you people?"

    All conversation instantly ceases in the small party as they stop walking, heads lifting to regard the cautious youngster gripping a Type 54 pistol in hand.

    The youngster is clad in a stained and dusty school uniform which both Li Qing and Huo Zaiyuan recognises at a glance. Seeing as he is no more than sixteen or seventeen, this person should be their junior in school.

    "We are students at this school and harbour no ill intentions. We just happen to pass by this place and wish to spend the night inside. Didn''t expect there will be people here." Li Qing raises his hands in the universal gesture of surrender, showing that they don''t intend to fight even as he speaks placatingly with a bright smile on his face.

    Faced with Li Qing''s bright and innocent smile, the youngster relaxes a little, but the pistol doesn''t lower. "Are any of you injured? Or bitten or scratched?"

    "No." Long Zhanye raised his own hands, showing the person his uninjured state.

    The student''s eyes sweep over the four multiple times, confirming that none were concealing wounds. From their appearance, they don''t seem like bad guys. In the end, he slowly lowers the gun.

    "Wen Bin, what''s the matter?" A clear and sharp male voice cuts through the silence before another man emerges and steps up to Wen Bin''s side.

    "Senior Zhou." Wen Bin''s face reddens slightly as he glances at the older male next to him. "Eh¡­these few people burst through the entrance and said they are students of this school. So¡­"

    "Students of our school?" The one called Senior Zhou turns his head, expression stiffening as soon as his eyes land on Huo Zaiyuan''s party, analysing look turning into amazement.

    "Hey, long time no see." Seeing Senior Zhou''s astonished expression, Huo Zaiyuan offers a faint smile, proving that he is familiar with the second student.

    Senior Zhou''s mouth opens and closes a few times, words stuck in his throat. After a few seconds, he gives up, instead throwing himself at Huo Zaiyuan, wrapping the other in a bear hug. "Wife!"

 CH 97

    Chapter 97: Cannot carelessly call "wife"

    One phrase of "wife" is enough to cause an explosion in two individual''s hearts. Wen Bin''s face pales while Long Zhanye''s darkens.

    Originally full of precaution, the "school campus'' natives" completely let their guards down around Long Zhanye and the others after this little fiasco. Conversations are struck as the group heads to the dormitory building.

    "Wife, come, come. The dormitory I am staying in now is the exact same room you used to occupy. I''m even sleeping in the same bed. How about sleeping together tonight? Dear, you¡­"

    When Long Zhanye who is docilely following behind hears Zhou Xingfeng (Senior Zhou) call Huo Zaiyuan "wife" and now "dear", he immediately pulls the silent Huo Zaiyuan into his embrace, glowering at the Zhou guy.

    "Little Yuan, we''ve been on the road for several days. You should be exhausted right now. Let''s find a room to rest!" His tone when addressing Huo Zaiyuan is very gentle, contrasting sharply with the murderous glare directed at Zhou Xingfeng. If stares can kill, this student would already have died countless times over.

    Noticing Long Zhanye¡¯s ominous expression and killer stare, Huo Zaiyuan''s smile widens as he meekly nods his head. "All right. Xingfeng, I¡­"

    "Let''s go!" Not permitting Huo Zaiyuan further opportunities to converse with Zhou Xingfeng, Long Zhanye drags him away and leaves the group swiftly.

    Left behind, Zhou Xingfeng stares at the departing back view of the two men, dumbstruck. Slowly, he turns his bewildered stare on Li Qing, who is currently laughing himself silly.

    "My son (ZXF''s nickname for LQ), who¡­who was that person ah? What is wife''s relationship with him?"

    "Hahaha¡­that person is the same as you. What do you think their relationship is?" As soon as he finishes speaking, Li Qing continues his laughing fit.

    "Same as me?" Zhou Xingfeng tilts his head, momentarily puzzled. Then, an explosion of curses falls from his mouth. "F**k! I''ve been forced to wear a green hat[1]! Tell me what that person''s class[2] is! This elder will find him for a duel!!"

    "That''s not funny at all." Li Qing sobers up immediately, quirking an eyebrow at Xingfeng. "Our older brother Long is a hidden class. High attack, high defence and even has high counter-attack¡­little Xingxing, you''ve just been abandoned¡­hehehe ~ "

    Face still dark, Long Zhanye pulls Huo Zaiyuan along, heading directly for the building''s topmost floor. Finding the first vacant room, he immediately shuts the door once the two of them are inside.

    "Who was that fool? What kind of relationship does he have with you?" Pressing Huo Zaiyuan up against the metal door with both hands braced on either side of the youth''s head, Long Zhanye interrogates with a look of discontent.

    Bodies so close together, their breaths mingling, creating a sensual image that is able to cause one''s heart to palpitate.

    Their ambiguous stance incites a deep flush to spread across Huo Zaiyuan''s pale face as his eyes lock onto Long Zhanye''s narrowed ones. Pink petal-lips part into a radiant curve.

    "Fool? Indeed, he is a fool¡­"

    "Little Yuan." Looking at the smiling person before him, Long Zhanye furrows his brow lightly, arms falling down to wrap tightly around Huo Zaiyuan. "What relationship does that person have with you?"

    Placing a hand on Long Zhanye''s broad shoulder, Huo Zaiyuan says. "That person is my classmate. We played an online game together during our high school years and¡­I played as a female character and married his character in the game. "Wife" is just a nickname he likes to jokingly call me. So - so - mhmm¡­"

    Before he finishes explaining, his lips are stolen by Long Zhanye. The soft and gentle but no less intense kiss makes his heart thump unsteadily. Like a pebble being thrown into calm waters, ripples break his tranquil state.

    "Only I am allowed to call you ¡°wife¡± since you are already mine." Releasing his tight grip, Long Zhanye shifts his arms down a little more to better cuddle Huo Zaiyuan.

    "I''m not going to be your wife." Raising his head to look at Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan widens his eyes in mock-innocence. "You are going to be my wife."

    "All right, husband ~ " The corners of his mouth rising, Long Zhanye proceeds to rub their cheeks together.

    "Un, good." Huo Zaiyuan pats Long Zhanye on the head, feeling extremely satisfied as he leans against the soldier''s chest.

    One word of "husband" is able to make Huo Zaiyuan feel so contented that the youth completely misses the devious light flashing in Long Zhanye eyes.

    Heheh¡­such an innocent child¡­let you be perfectly content for this short period of time. Wait until we return to A City, then I''ll properly educate you on who is the husband and who is the wife. (Author''s note: Senior officer Long is a black-bellied man!)

    Kissing and hugging for a while, Huo Zaiyuan finally extracts himself from the other''s arms and go about arranging the room to suit his taste.

    Because this place has been unoccupied for a while, a layer of dust has settled on every surface. Long Zhanye opens the window for ventilation while Huo Zaiyuan takes out a paper talisman and sets it on fire. Waving the paper until it crumbles to ash, rays of faint silvery light illuminates the room. Gradually, the dust coating everything slowly disappears until not a speck remains.

    Rising an incredulous eyebrow at the now spotless place, Long Zhanye asks. "Little Yuan, what kind of charm did you just use?"

    He has seen the youth''s peach wood and paper talismans slaying zombies, burning corpses and creating barriers, as well as the most recent paper crane surveillance, but this is the first time he saw it being used this way. Really heaven-defying.

    "That was a simple Dirt Cleansing Charm I learned from the book grandmother Zhang left me. Since it is very easy to draw, I created some and left it in the space. Originally, I thought they would be useless but I unexpectedly manage to find a use for them now." As he explains, he removes two blankets, handing one over to Long Zhanye. "Your bed, you make it."

    In this elite private school, the dormitories are split into higher class or ordinary. The former is a private room while the latter is a room shared between two. The block they are currently in is for ordinary dormitories, hence why there are two single beds.

    Taking the blanket, Long Zhanye tosses it on the other single bed before dragging Huo Zaiyuan, who is busy arranging his bed properly, into his arms.

    "What''s wrong?" Huo Zaiyuan glances questioningly over his shoulder at his man.

    "I was almost bored to death cooped up in the car these past few days. At night, you always disappear into your space to cultivate. Could you not go tonight?" Resting his chin on Huo Zaiyuan shoulder, Long Zhanye sighs, looking for all the world like a pitiful pet being abandoned by its owner.

    Amusement rises in Huo Zaiyuan upon seeing that miserable appearance. Leaning forward to kiss his cheek, he consents with a nod. "Okay, I wouldn''t cultivate tonight and wouldn''t enter the space."

    For the last few days when the four of them were confined in the car during the day, Huo Zaiyuan occupies himself by reading and folding paper cranes. As for Long Zhanye, he tried to kill time by dismantling his machine gun, cleaning each part thoroughly before assembling it again several times. Occasionally, he takes over driving from Qin Jun. Li Qing reads, sleeps and stares out the window while Qin Jun drives, rest and drives again. At night, Huo Zaiyuan disappears into his space, Qin Jun sleeps, leaving Li Qing and Long Zhanye to take turns keeping watch.

    Also, in order to avoid unnecessary trouble, they steer clear of main streets and drive on the small side roads instead. Although it takes them more time to get from place to place, it is more preferable to being stuck trying to manoeuvre through a mass of stationary vehicles and risk being ambushed by zombies.

    "Let''s sleep together. We can put these two beds side by side." Long Zhanye suggests, his pathetic expression vanishing instantly.

    "Sure. You make the bed. I''ll take a shower first." In terms of sleeping in the same bed, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t feel shy in the slightest, as this isn''t the first time they did so. On top of that, they are in an established relationship now, so there''s nothing wrong with sleeping together in the same bed.

    "Un, pass it over." Pecking Huo Zaiyuan on the lips one more time, Long Zhanye lets him go.

    Smiling at Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan disappears in a flash of silver light.

    Feeling very satisfied, Long Zhanye shifts the two single bed together, then carefully lays both blankets over the top.

    At this moment, someone knocks on the closed door. With one last flick of his wrist, Long Zhanye straightens and heads over, pulling the door open to reveal Zhou Xingfeng on the other side, a stunning smile on his face.

    As soon as he realises Long Zhanye is the one who opened the door, his expression falls. "Why is it you?"

    "Why can''t it be me?" Long Zhanye''s sword eyebrows rise, displeasure written all over his face. Shifting his lean body slightly, he purposely blocks the younger man''s line of sight, hindering him from trying to sneak peeks into the room.

    Hmph, this brat is starting to be an eyesore. Actually daring to take advantage of his little Yuan. The only one who can call little Yuan "wife" is Long Zhanye!

    "I''m here to find my wife."

    Height-wise, Zhou Xingfeng is shorter than Long Zhanye. In addition, the latter did not open the door fully and is bodily blocking the doorway. Even if the former was to stretch his neck as far as possible, the only thing he can see is the white walls. This annoys the student to no end.

    The displeasure in Long Zhanye''s heart deepens further when Zhou Xingfeng once again calls Huo Zaiyuan "wife". Gaze hardening into an ice-cold stare, he leans forward intimidatingly, tone frosty. "Little Yuan is mine. Only I can call him "wife". If I hear that word coming out of your mouth one more time, I''ll wring your neck."

    Throwing out these vicious words, Long Zhanye gives a disdainful snort and shuts the door in Zhou Xingfeng''s face.

    Shocked by the door suddenly slamming shut, Zhou Xingfeng''s nose would have been smashed if he had been a second slower in jerking backwards. Heart trembling in fright, he even forgets the reason why he came looking for Huo Zaiyuan in the first place.

    Flee first, think later. This little life is most important to him ah!!

    That man is truly savage! Where did wife - er¡­little Yuan find this person, and how did he manage to tame and bring back such a terrifying, high-level BOSS?!

    Footnotes:

    [1] Wearing green hats = significant other is cheating on you

    [2] ZXF is using RPG terms, so he says class as in Warrior, Rogue, Mage, etc

 CH 98

    Chapter 98: Peaceful night

    Sprawling out on the soft mattress, Li Qing suddenly feels really fortunate. Being confined in a vehicle for so long is really not a pleasant experience.

    When Qin Jun emerges from the bathroom, he sees Li Qing lounging on the bed daydreaming whilst hugging a pillow. A fond smile surfacing, he sits at the edge of the bed and gathers his lover into his arms.

    (Translator''s notes: Snipped portion¡­)

    "No, don''t understand." A big smile on his face, Li Qing doesn''t bother retrieving his hand from his lover, gentle gaze fixed on Qin Jun. "Qin Jun, do you regret?"

    "Regret what?"

    "Regret going to Z City to find me. If¡­during the early stages of the apocalypse, you didn''t come all the way to Z City to find me, you wouldn¡¯t be so exhausted now¡­" Li Qing''s eyes turn slightly red as he sniffs. "I''m so stupid. Besides playing games, I don''t know anything else¡­if it wasn''t for older brother Long and little Yuan rescuing me that day, those bad people would already have¡­I would most probably be no different from those zombies shuffling around the streets¡­"

    Before he can finish speaking, his mouth is stopped by Qin Jun''s finger pressing against his lips.

    "Shh¡­listen to me." A stab of pain pierces his heart at the unshed tears in Li Qing''s eyes. "I have never once regretted travelling all the way to Z City to search for you. If the heavens let me pick again, I will still do the same. Because you are the person I love most. The most valuable treasure in my life. When we first began to know each other, I was a cold and aloof person. I didn''t like speaking much, always carrying a book around and lost in thoughts. Which is why if you are not the hyperactive person that you naturally are, who would be willing to chat with me, to play with me, to make me laugh¡­furthermore, you are not stupid. You used to be picky about your food, now you are willing to eat anything and never complained. You use to be timid, always needing someone to accompany you when walking outside at night. But now you are able to face zombies without flinching, even going so far as to kill them with us. You have the ability to protect yourself¡­"

    "I don''t really¡­I merely don''t want to drag you down, as well as little Yuan and older brother Long¡­" Listening to Qin Jun''s words, Li Qing''s tears finally fall. Arms around Qin Jun''s shoulders, he presses his face into the other''s bosom.

    "I never felt that you are dragging me down. Even though little Yuan''s personality has changed quite a bit, he will also never abandon you and make you fend for yourself in this world. Eldest brother Long is the same." Qin Jun comforts as he presses soft kisses on Li Qing''s head. "Being able to protect you is my life''s fortune, and I feel very content. Because I love you."

    "Qin Jun¡­" Lifting his head, Li Qing stares at his lover with watery eyes. "I - I¡­"

    "I know."

    "Qin Jun, I love you too. Very, very much." Staring intently at the person before him, Li Qing gently cups his face with both hands, expression incredibly affectionate.

    "Likewise."

    (Translator''s notes: Snipped¡­)

    "Heheh¡­" Long Zhanye chuckles softly at the obvious fury on the youth''s face.

    "Those two idiots¡­" Jerking the blanket, he pulls it up above his head before burrowing into Long Zhanye''s hold, blocking his hearing as much as possible to prevent dirtying his ears further.

    Huo Zaiyuan considers Li Qing and Qin Jun his best friends. Before, when he still liked to party, he often visits clubs and bars at night because during that time, his next-door neighbours will always be "wrestling" and the noise can be heard quite clearly¡­the him from before would have flipped out and told his friends to keep it down, but now¡­whether it is due to his cultivation or the presence of Long Zhanye, he can put up with it without feeling too annoyed.

    "Heheh¡­they are young, so naturally, they will be rather spirited." Following Huo Zaiyuan''s example, Long Zhanye squeezes beneath the blankets too, producing a small military-use flashlight from somewhere.

    The darkness under the blankets is immediately chased away by the small flashlight, creating a strange sense of being isolated from the world. Two bodies are pressed very close together, breaths merging together intimately.

    "You¡­don''t say such things. It makes you seem old." Such intimate atmosphere makes Huo Zaiyuan feel the urge to flee into his space rise, but he has already promised Long Zhanye to accompany him for the entire night, and sleep in the same bed. So he forcibly restrained himself and let his eyes wander, not daring to stare at the other man for too long. Murmuring as he tries to find a safe conversation topic, he resolutely ignores his rapidly pounding heart.

    Freaking hell! Bastard little Qing. Bastard Qin Jun¡­absolutely wouldn''t allow them to stay next door ever again!

    "This one is already approaching thirty."

    Seeing Long Zhanye''s "I''m already old" expression, Huo Zaiyuan giggles, extending a finger to caress that handsome face in comfort.

    "Even if my Zhanye becomes an old man, he will still be the most handsome old man in the world."

    "What a sweet mouth." Amused, Long Zhanye cups the side of Huo Zaiyuan''s face, lightly stroking his cheek with a thumb. Staring intensely at the slowly reddening visage, he says. "Being able to meet little Yuan during the apocalypse, I''m glad."

    "Me too."

    Following this soft declaration, Huo Zaiyuan takes the initiative to kiss Long Zhanye on the lips. Unlike the ones the older man usually initiates, this one is a simple touch of lips to lips, but it is enough to move Long Zhanye''s heart, making him oddly breathless.

    Using the arm curled around that soft waist, he flips the enticing vixen-like individual over, pinning him beneath his own body. Automatically dominating the kiss, he deepens it with a pleased hum.

    Only, an oddly steady breath sounds in his ear, making him pause. His brain kick-starts again and he reluctantly breaks away to find the little brat already sound asleep.

    "¡­¡­" Long Zhanye can only laugh helplessly.

    Cuddling the peacefully sleeping Huo Zaiyuan, he plants a soft kiss on one exposed cheek and pulls down the blanket. The next room has also quietened. Glancing out the window at the silvery moonlight streaming in, Long Zhanye finally closes his eyes slowly.

    What a rare peaceful night¡­

    A moment later, his gaze returns to the attractive visage of the sleeping youth in his arms. For some reason, a strange feeling arises in his heart, as though from some deep crevices at the bottom, a small voice is reminding him¡­

    Now is not the right time yet¡­

 CH 99

    Chapter 99: Zhou Xingfeng

    "No - nothing, Senior¡­please continue." Wen Bin forces a light laugh on his gentle face, reaching out to rest an arm on Zhou Xingfeng''s shoulder, burying his face in the older student''s chest. This way, the other male cannot see the expression on his face.

    He likes Zhou Xingfeng.

    On the night the apocalypse began, when his roommate suddenly changed into a man-eating monster, it was Senior who broke down his door, killed the creature and rescued him. When Wen Bin can''t stop worrying about his family, Zhou Xingfeng offered to accompany him home when they next go out on a scavenging trip. Because of Senior, Wen Bin was able to safely retrieve his sick younger brother trapped in their home. When he was afraid of those monsters, it was Zhou Xingfeng who generously help him train, helped him build up his courage to the point that he is now able to protect not only himself but his companions too. When he first realised he wasn''t straight after falling for Senior, Wen Bin felt that he himself was disgusting. However, he cannot stop his honest feelings. Every time he witnesses the other surviving female Seniors and Juniors teasing Xingfeng, he feels as though something is tearing his heart to shreds¡­

    Which is why one night, he took a bottle of alcohol from the pile of scavenged goods and looked for Zhou Xingfeng with the intention of making his Senior drunk¡­

    Due to that incident, Zhou Xingfeng felt guilty and responsible even if he didn''t notice Wen Bin''s intentions. Hence, Wen Bin continuously guilt-tripped his Senior and exploited his kindness in order to be alone with him. Because this is the only way he knows he can hug his Senior close without worry.

    However, today, amongst the small group that suddenly appeared in school¡­Zhou Xingfeng actually blurted out the word "wife" to one of them. In addition, he displayed such closeness to that person, resulting in Wen Bin''s current uneasy frame of mind.

    If Zhou Xingfeng likes someone with such remarkable appearance, then what can he do¡­

    "If you feel pain, just say."

    "It''s not painful, Senior." Shaking his head, the arms draped around Zhou Xingfeng''s shoulder tightens slightly as he answers softly.

    Looking down at the Junior hugging him tightly, Zhou Xingfeng bows his head to drop a kiss on the younger male''s hair.

    ~~~

    Originally, Huo Zaiyuan''s party thought they will only spend one night in the school before continuing on their way. But they didn''t take into account running into their friend Zhou Xingfeng. Under Li Qing''s relentless pleading and negotiation, they decide to stay here for another two days.

    "Do you plan to continue staying here with all of them?" After glancing at the other survivors around him, Huo Zaiyuan shifts his gaze to his friend presently sitting in such an undignified pose on the ground, eating dry flatbread.

    "Well, what do you think?" Chewing on the flavourless bread, Zhou Xingfeng asks. "When the apocalypse began, most of these students were rescued by the joint effort between me and a few others. The adults are here because they risked coming to school to find their children. The fortunate ones are able to reunite with their kids, the less fortunate ones found only the dead corpses of their children who turned into zombies¡­there were more people here before, but a few left. They said it was to find an unobstructed road out of this city. These here are the remaining. If you really want me to abandon these lost children and the despairing parents, it will be the same as condemning them to certain death."

    Huo Zaiyuan and Zhou Xingfeng came to know each other during their high school years. Having been in the same class for two consecutive years, they played, gamed and caused havoc together. Amongst his small circle of friends, Xingfeng can be counted as one of Huo Zaiyuan''s good friend. Regarding Zhou Xingfeng''s character, he more or less understands.

    Although Xingfeng is not simple-minded, he is someone who follows his heart desires. Who knew after the apocalypse this youth will become so big-hearted¡­

    The Zhou family are also rather wealthy, with the father being a board chairman and the mother a famous opera singer. Due to their careers, it is very difficult to catch a glimpse of Xingfeng''s parents. Although they are rarely around, they dote on their son very much. Thus, like the old Huo Zaiyuan, Zhou Xingfeng also flits money without batting an eye. He purchases the best food, the most expensive games, even spending large amounts of cash on his online characters. Once, he spent a grand total of several tens of thousands in one breath.

    Who could have imagined that carefree young master Zhou is now sitting on the floor of a room eating tasteless, dry flatbread without complaint, even making himself responsible for the lives of others? The apocalypse really made this friend of his mature quickly.

    "Little Qing, the others and I have already decided to head for A City. After Judgement Day, a few military bases fell but there are also many others that have been converted into safe zones." As he speaks, Huo Zaiyuan sticks a hand into his waist pouch, taking out a green apple and two packets of pickled chicken feet[1], offering it to Zhou Xingfeng. "Here, take this. Don''t keep making a face when chewing on that flatbread. It makes it seem like you are eating mud."

    He hasn''t forgotten his friend''s favourite snack is pickled chicken feet. Whenever they go out together, Xingfeng will always purchase a huge pile of it.

    "Woah, an apple and pickled chicken feet!" Eyes brightening, he leaps up to his feet and snatched the food up before he pauses and looks at Huo Zaiyuan as though he suddenly thought of something.

    "It doesn''t matter. Take them. I have some more."

    "Okay."

    Tearing open a packet of pickles, he eats it together with the remaining bread, at the same time placing the apple and second bag into his inner coat pocket, saving them for later.

    Although they managed to scavenge a bit of food from the nearby shopping mall, the number of survivors in this school is also quite a lot. Sooner or later, their stock will run out. Which is why everyone can only eat half a bag of food each. Wanting to snack on pickled chicken feet in between rations is impossible, for every piece of food is precious.

    "There is a safe zone in R City. Within half a year, make preparations to leave S City. If at all possible, head towards the upper cities. O, M and L have their own safe zones too, but getting into E or above will be for the best." Huo Zaiyuan advises. "I''m not going to say more, but you know what you need to do."

    "I understand." Zhou Xingfeng nods his head, then raises his eyes to stare at Long Zhanye who is leaning on the wall not far away. "Little Yuan, is your older brother Long a soldier?"

    "Un." There isn''t any need to conceal that fact. Following Xingfeng''s gaze, Huo Zaiyuan also looks at the older man with a soft smile.

    "That military arrest warrant on the internet¡­"

    "F**king hell!" Zhou Xingfeng barely opened his mouth when Huo Zaiyuan''s reflexive cursing whenever that topic is brought out drowns out the rest of his sentence. "Why is it that everyone who knows me personally always asks this question?!"

    A chicken feet hanging from his mouth, Zhou Xingfeng grins at his friend''s depressed expression. "What can you do? Who asked you to somehow end up having your face popping up all across the country? Fortunately, that photo is your twelve-year-old one. If not, how can you not be recognised by anyone here? Also, why do you think I called you "wife" yesterday instead of yelling your name?"

    Only, in the end, his considerate addressing of his friend caused him to be frightened to near-death by that terrifying soldier¡­this really makes him lose face ah.

    "I haven''t told him my real name. For now, I''m Zi Yuan¡­which is why he hasn''t doubted anything yet." Huo Zaiyuan admits with a sigh.

    And here he thought with the arrival of the apocalypse, this matter will be long forgotten by everyone. Instead¡­if Long Zhanye discovers this one day, who knows what their current relationship will change into? Will Long Zhanye not care about it, or will he be furious?

    "You¡­are you together with him?"

    Just like Huo Zaiyuan understands his character, Zhou Xingfeng is also familiar with the other''s personality. He knows Huo Zaiyuan has a strange quirk, which is he never shares a room with someone and doesn''t like sharing a bed either. But yesterday, the man spent a night in the same room as his friend.

    "Un, we are a couple."

    "You got bent."

    "Scram out of here and don''t stop!!"

    Just as the two are conversing happily, an auntie wearing an apron hurries over. Huo Zaiyuan recognises her as the school''s dining hall lady who usually runs errands.

    "Xingfeng, little Bin¡­where is he?"

    "When I woke up this morning, he was still asleep. What''s wrong? Don''t tell me he hasn''t gotten out of bed yet?" Hearing the auntie''s inquiry, a startled look appears on Zhou Xingfeng''s face.

    "Usually, when it''s time to cook meals, little Bin will be in the kitchen helping me wash vegetables, but he isn''t there today. I thought he had something else to do, but it''s time to eat now and he is the only one who hasn''t gotten his share. That''s why¡­could it be something happened to him?"

    At a young age, this auntie has already become a widow, left without sons or daughters. When the apocalypse arrived, she hid in one of the kitchens that was overlooked by plunderers. Later, she followed Xingfeng and the others as they rescued more people and stayed in the school. Typically, when he has nothing to do, Wen Bin will come down to the kitchen and help her with washing vegetables, dishing out food or learning how to cook from her. In her heart, she dotes on that child a lot.

    "Auntie, don''t worry. I''ll do take a look. Perhaps he merely overslept." Zhou Xingfeng reassures the lady before heading towards the dormitory.

    "I''ll come with you." Huo Zaiyuan rises to his feet and follows his friend.

    The dormitory Zhou Xingfeng is currently staying in used to be Huo Zaiyuan''s old single room. Although it is meant for one occupant, the interior is bigger than room meant for two. Not to mention, it is cosier. However, the strange thing about this particular room is its location on the topmost floor and is the last room at the end of the corridor.

    The survivors hiding in this school are free to select a room they like. Most chose to stay on the second or third floor, while only a handful choose the fourth floor, let alone the topmost level. Which is why Zhou Xingfeng is an outlier when he picked Huo Zaiyuan''s old dorm.

    Entering the room, the duo''s gaze is immediately drawn towards a protruding ball on the bed, hidden beneath the covers. The fact that no reaction could be seen when the door open indicates the person is deep asleep.

    "Little Bin." Zhou Xingfeng calls softly before moving over to the bedside.

    "Urghhh¡­" A low groan emits from the ball in reply as it twitches a little, then becomes motionless once more.

    Upon seeing this, Zhou Xingfeng frowns and reaches out to pull down the blanket covering Wen Bin, revealing a face flushed red from fever.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Literally pickled chicken feet:

 CH 100

    Chapter 100: Retrieving medicine

    Qin Jun settles down on the edge of the bed, carefully checking over the groggy Wen Bin. A few moments later, he pulls the blanket back up and tucks it around the youth. Standing up, he turns to regard the anxious Zhou Xingfeng.

    "His wounds opened again and become inflamed."

    "You beast." Wringing cold water from the cloth in his hands, Li Qing spits out these two words as he places the wet towel on Wen Bin''s forehead.

    "Tsk, tsk¡­really didn''t expect this from Brother Zhou ah. You actually ravaged a young sprout[1]." Huo Zaiyuan ridicules from where he sits, drinking a mouthful of water.

    "Eh¡­that¡­Qin Jun, is Wen Bin''s situation critical? Does he need medicine?" Gazing down at Wen Bin''s feverish face, Zhou Xingfeng''s heart feels very uncomfortable, as though something is mercilessly squeezing it. Distracted by the unease, he completely disregards the jabs his classmates threw at him.

    "The infected wounds caused this fever, but we have antibiotics here, so it shouldn''t be an issue. As long as he takes this medicine properly, the fever will recede. However, there may be another possible reason for this Junior brother''s fever." Qin Jun purses his lips lightly, then continues. "I just gave him a full-body check-up and discovered that he has a type of heart disease. The bottle he clutched in his hand is a medicine that will keep his condition under control. From the looks of things, he was diagnosed with it a long time ago. The problem now is the bottle''s empty. I don''t know how long he has gone without his medication, but if this fever is due to his condition, then it will be troublesome."

    "Troublesome¡­then, what can we do? How can we save him?" Zhou Xingfeng pounces on Qin Jun, a hand grabbing the apprentice doctor¡¯s collar.

    "If there''s still a hospital around, all we need to do is bring him there for an injection and take a couple medicines and he will be fine." Qin Jun answers calmly, not taking Xingfeng''s rude actions to heart. "But it''s the apocalypse now. There are no hospitals."

    "Are you saying we need to find the injection and medicine for Wen Bin?"

    "Correct. Even if his heart disease is not the cause of his fever this time, he absolutely cannot go without his medication, I''m sure you understand."

    "I''ll go take it from the hospital." Releasing his grip on Qin Jun, Zhou Xingfeng looks at Wen Bin, hands clenching into fists. "I cannot let anything happen to him."

    "Hospitals have the highest risk factor." Sitting beside Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye who had kept silent all this while finally opens his mouth. "When I was communicating with my grandfather before, he told me there were a few foreshadowing omens of things to come a week before the apocalypse. During that short period, a large number of people all over the country suddenly came down with a strange illness. The first symptoms are fainting, becoming scatter-brained, then loss of consciousness. None of them woke from their coma until that night. When they finally opened their eyes, everyone one of the victims were already transformed. So the number of zombies in hospitals will definitely be more than even the ones on the streets."

    "I still have to go. I can''t stand seeing Wen Bin¡­" Zhou Xingfeng blurts out.

    "Since you have already made up your mind, then let''s go." Standing up as he says so, Long Zhanye lazily stretches, a faint smirk on his face. That look is of someone ready to fearlessly take on any challenges thrown at him¡­the very image of a warrior.

    "Eh¡­you¡­" Never did Zhou Xingfeng expect Long Zhanye to offer his help so readily.

    "Little Yuan will definitely not stand aside when you go off to retrieve medicine." Long Zhanye shifts his gaze to Huo Zaiyuan, asking. "Isn''t that right?"

    Although his little Yuan seems nonchalant towards this whole situation, for those who are familiar with him, his heart is softer than anyone Long Zhanye knows. His little Yuan is kind and loyal. Since Zhou Xingfeng is a friend, Huo Zaiyuan will not be a bystander.

    "Zhanye really knows me well!" Huo Zaiyuan rises from the chair, shooting a faint smile to Zhou Xingfeng. "In this kind of circumstances, brothers should put their abilities on display, isn''t that so?"

    "Although I wish to come along, I have to look after my patient, so I wouldn''t be going. I wrote the name of the shot on a piece of paper for you guys to retrieve as well as the medicine you need to look for." Qin Jun speaks up, handing over a piece of paper torn from a notebook. On it were the names of the medicine and injection, as well as a few pieces of equipment needed. At the same time, Wen Bin''s empty bottle is also placed in their hands. "Because everything pertaining to heart diseases will be placed in a section together, all you need to do is find that place and you will be able to get the medicine. As for the shot, it will be placed in a freezer. Although the electricity would have disconnected, hospitals should have emergency backup generators that will kick in during blackouts. So the freezers should still be operational."

    "We got it." Zhou Xingfeng nods. "We''ll trouble you to take care of Wen Bin in the meantime. I''ll go prepare first, then we can leave immediately." Staring at Wen Bin one last time, Zhou Xingfeng stalks out of the room.

    Wait for me.

    After Zhou Xingfeng departs, Qin Jun hands another piece of paper to Huo Zaiyuan. "The medicines listed on here, bring them back if possible. It''ll be best to have some more supplies on hand."

    "Un." Huo Zaiyuan dips his head in acknowledgement.

    What he purchased from the pharmacy before the apocalypse began consists only of bandages, medical gauze and a few commonly used medicines like penicillin and antibiotics. Being unknowledgeable in the field of medicine, he didn''t bother getting anything else. Now Qin Jun advises him to get a few more types of medicine, of course, he is going to comply.

    Ten minutes later, Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan and Zhou Xingfeng get into the off-road vehicle and leaves the school grounds.

    As Long Zhanye is not familiar with S City and Huo Zaiyuan is a beginner at driving, the responsibility falls to Zhou Xingfeng. However, the other two don''t stay idle as Xingfeng drives. One sneakily retrieves a few different firearms from his space while the other begins distributing those few equipment between the three of them.

    Because hospitals are one of the most dangerous places during the apocalypse, one must absolutely not treat this situation lightly. If one slips up the slightest, one will become food for zombies.

    "Xingfeng, these three items are for you." Huo Zaiyuan hands over a peach wood tile, a piece of yellow paper and a paper crane.

    Although he has no idea what these items are used for, Zhou Xingfeng still accepts them, abide a little puzzled.

    "Little Yuan, these are¡­"

    "The wooden tile has protective capabilities. It can resist twenty plus zombie attacks. The yellow paper can erase your aura but you need to make sure both are placed on your skin. As for the paper crane, it acts like a tracker so I will always be aware of your location." Huo Zaiyuan explains blandly, then places another backpack on the unoccupied passenger seat. "There are a few emergency tools in there, as well as a fully-loaded magazine. Naturally, it would be best not be separated when we are in there."

    "Yeah¡­got it." Looking at the backpack, Zhou Xingfeng nods. But as his gaze returns to the paper crane and talismans, he can''t help asking. "That¡­little Yuan¡­these talismans¡­wh - where did you get them?"

    Why had he never known little Yuan believed in these kinds of things?

    "I made them myself. Don''t lose them." Huo Zaiyuan reminds his friend sternly. "These are genuine items and not stage props!"

    "Er¡­all right, all right. I will take good care of them." Despite not knowing why Huo Zaiyuan insists on the usefulness of these talismans, he still listens and tucks them securely in his clothes.

    The off-road vehicle moves swiftly through the roads, heading towards the nearest hospital.

    When the car approaches, one can see the area surrounding the hospital block is flooded with more zombies than the average residential area. Instructing Zhou Xingfeng to circle the block once, Long Zhanye takes the opportunity to find a point with the least number of undead in order to park the vehicle.

    "Are we going to lead or¡­?" Huo Zaiyuan questions as they get off, scanning his surroundings carefully. However, no zombies could be seen in their vicinity. Satisfied, he points towards the hospital''s walls.

    "Let''s climb over that. Xingfeng, will you be able to?" Holstering his pistol, Long Zhanye slings his rifle on his back and draws his sword.

    "No problem."

    "Then let''s go." Because Zhou Xingfeng is here, Huo Zaiyuan cannot return the car into his space. Thus, he leaves a paper crane in the vehicle in order to guard it. After setting up a simple protective array around the car, the first zombies start to appear.

    The three men swiftly climb up the perimeter wall and flip over the back entrance of the hospital. Before, when they circled the block, the main entrance of this building is obstructed by piles of debris and scrap metals. Corpses and various body parts litter the bloodstained ground, unclear if they belonged to humans or zombies¡­it is an extremely sickening scene. On the other hand, the back entrance is a lot cleaner, even if there is an occasional dismembered body lying partially hidden here and there.

    Having confronted hundreds and thousands of zombies during their journey from Z City to here, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan are already numb to these grotesque sights. Zhou Xingfeng''s expression also remains serene, showing that this is not his first trip outside after the apocalypse began.

    "Once we enter the main building, we must be extremely cautious. First priority is to find a map of the various sections in the hospital. We''re here to find medicine, nothing else." Long Zhanye whispers, waiting for the other two to nod in affirmative before leading the way in.

    With the Aura Concealment Charm stuck on their bodies, the three manage to avoid stirring up a large disturbance the moment they set foot in the hospital. After Long Zhanye dispatches a zombie dithering in front of the staircase with a single slash of his blade, they immediately head up. Huo Zaiyuan hangs back for a few seconds to drop a couple more simple arrays at the bottom of the stairs before following.

    From the second floor onwards, the main building of the hospital is linked to the other smaller structures surrounding it via walkways and corridors. As the apocalypse began in the middle of the night, the night watch staff is only a few, meaning there aren''t too many zombies in places for staffs only. As a result, the trio speedily clears the surrounding undead, discovering a map sitting next to the registration board showing the entire layout of the hospital in record time. Under three pairs of eyes, the medication storage area is quickly pinpointed.

    "The highest floor." Zhou Xingfeng whispers, frowning lightly.

    "Can''t use the elevator, so we have to use the stairs. It''s only twenty storeys. You''re young, aren''t you?" Long Zhanye smirks, patting his shoulder.

    "Yeah, even thirty floors wouldn''t be a problem."

    "Let''s keep moving."

    Footnotes:

    [1] Young sprout = Underaged person.

 CH 101

    Chapter 101: Zombie hodgepodge

    A female zombie clad in a thin hospital gown suddenly pounces out from around the corner, only to have its head split in two by a blade. Grey brain matter and rotting flesh fly into the air in a diagonal arc. Nimbly sidestepping, Huo Zaiyuan avoids getting filthy goop all over himself.

    Glancing down at the motionless corpse by his feet, Huo Zaiyuan feels that the appearance of these zombies is much more disgusting compared to before. The trio has slaughtered their way up to the tenth floor, leaving behind countless bodies. This entire journey has been filled with rotting flesh, dismembered limbs and mushy brains. Coupled together with the ever-present putrid stench, it really makes one feel like they are walking through hell on earth.

    "Blurghh¡­" Unable to hold it down any longer, Zhou Xingfeng retches at a corner of the hallway.

    "We can''t go on like this. I reckon we''ll be done in by the putrid odour even before we manage to find the medicine." Zhou Xingfeng''s vomiting only serves in making Huo Zaiyuan''s urge to do the same increase.

    The only one who didn''t seem all that affected by their surroundings is Long Zhanye. Throughout this entire journey wading through rotting meat, bones, blood and innards, his expression remains constantly calm and collected. Not once did he wrinkle his nose at the stink or in any way indicated a desire to puke. Inwardly, Huo Zaiyuan wonders if every elite soldier is forced to go through special training and acquire this heaven-defying ability¡­this type of endurance is truly supernatural.

    "This staircase ends at the eleventh floor. We need to leave it and go through this level to the other side in order to keep heading upwards." Having already memorised the entire hospital layout, Long Zhanye plans out their next route as he encourages the other two to endure a little longer. "The eleventh floor is for inpatients and there is also a lounge for doctors. We can search that area later for surgical masks."

    "Un."

    The two younger men nod and off they go again, breathing in shallowly to avoid tasting the putrid air at the back of their throats. Spurred on by the thought of finally acquiring masks, their pace accelerates quite a bit. But it doesn¡¯t mean they let their guards down more, for every zombie that attacks is put down mercilessly, with a slash or a stab.

    Arriving at the eleventh floor, sure enough, there are no more stairs leading upwards. Huo Zaiyuan sets another array at the top of this stairs to ensure no more zombies will appear in this area.

    "Inpatient Department. This means that the number of zombies here will definitely be a lot. Be very careful. Although there is a charm on each of us to conceal our aura, if an undead gets too close, they will still be aware of our presence." Huo Zaiyuan warns, handing another charm to the others just in case the first one lost its usefulness already.

    Originally, Zhou Xingfeng didn''t really believe Huo Zaiyuan''s charm and talisman to be of any use. However, that view changed immediately when a zombie he overlooked clawed at him, only to be blocked by a flash of silver light. Personally witnessing the wooden tile save his little life, he nearly got down on his knees and worshipped it.

    This thing is too goddamn mystical ah!

    "Let''s get going." Long Zhanye says, then reaches out to turn the knob of the staircase''s exit door, pulling it open slowly. Confirming the way is clear after peeking out, he leads the way forward, footsteps soundless against the tiled floor.

    Following behind Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan and Zhou Xingfeng continue sweeping their gaze in all directions, not wanting to risk overlooking anything.

    The long deserted hallways of a hospital appear rather sinister in itself. Adding on the lack of electricity, the entire stretch before them is cast into shadows, as though they are looking into the gaping maw of a large creature. Just the thought of walking down this path is enough to make one''s hair stand on end. Their surroundings are eerily silent, the stench from before mixing together with the strong smell of disinfectant¡­sight, smell and hearing¡­this current situation really puts a lot of strain on these senses.

    Beckoning the other two, Long Zhanye plasters his back as close as possible to the wall before treading carefully in the direction of the doctor''s lounge. Not wanting to be left behind, Huo Zaiyuan and Zhou Xingfeng have no choice but to catch up.

    With barely a few steps left to reach the lounge, a sudden burst of footsteps echoes through the dark hallway. Heads snapping up, what appears in their sight is an undead clad in loose maternity dress with a bulging stomach, a large chunk of meat missing from a cheek. With stiff movements, the pregnant zombie waddles its way towards the trio.

    "A zombie carrying a child in its womb¡­does this level have a labour ward?" Zhou Xingfeng murmurs as he turns to glance back the way they came to ensure nothing unexpected appears from that direction.

    "It''s possible." Huo Zaiyuan replies just as lowly, gaze fixed on the approaching pregnant zombie.

    It shuffles especially slowly down the hallway. The moment it walks close enough to be seen clearly in the darkness, what truly leaves the three men flabbergasted is not the state of this female undead anymore, but rather, the large crowd of assorted zombies that are apparently following the female''s every step. Elderly zombies, zombies with IV drips still attached to their bodies, children zombies, zombies clad in doctor and surgeon uniforms¡­

    "F**k me. What inpatient department? This is clearly a zombie hodgepodge!" The constantly cool as a cucumber senior officer Long eventually cannot help swearing under his breath.

    The appearance of so many miscellaneous undead will cause anyone who sees it to feel a growing sense of doom.

    "Xingfeng, Zhanye and I will stay to obstruct this horde. You go to the doctor''s lounge and find some surgical masks, then continue onwards to the other side." Huo Zaiyuan whispers before tightening his grip on his sword and charging forth with Long Zhanye.

    "You two best keep an eye on the rear too, even if it''s clear at the moment." Zhou Xingfeng warns as he follows behind the two who are currently chopping and hacking their way through the group. It doesn''t take long for them to reach the lounge.

    The door of the lounge is opaque and windowless, disabling anyone from peeking in to observe the interior. Zhou Xingfeng pushes it open slightly and a figure instantly leaps towards him. Automatic reflexes kicking in, his foot lashes out in a fierce strike, sending a naked male zombie flying. Before he can jerk backwards in shock, another naked undead, a female this time, charges towards him with a ferocious growl. Swinging his knife, he beheads the female first before doing the same to the male undead, who by the time had gotten back on its feet and attacked again. Danger eliminated, Zhou Xingfeng quickly enters the room and finds a few unused surgical masks in the drawers of a low cabinet.

    Task accomplished, his attention drifts to the two undead he slew.

    A couple sets of clothes have been strewn carelessly on the floor of the lounge, a white doctor''s coat, shirt and pants as well as a pink nurse''s uniform. Obviously, the doctor and nurse were in the middle of having sex in the lounge when they were attacked and turned. Who was responsible for biting who or if they were both bitten at the same time¡­only they themselves know.

    When Zhou Xingfeng exits the lounge with masks in hand, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan have nearly cleared the horde of zombies. With a little assistance from him, the entire hallway is finally filled with the motionless corpses of the undead.

    "We''ve to leave quickly. I doubt there are only this many zombies on this level. In addition, we made quite a bit of ruckus when eliminating them. There is most probably already other zombies making their way over." Long Zhanye announces, eyes roving his surroundings unceasingly.

    The long hallway returns to its original silent state, but his keen instincts are blaring in alarm, the feeling of possibly being ambushed anytime making his skin itch¡­Long Zhanye''s intuition tells him that in some unseen place, a great danger lurks. Leaving this building as quickly as possible would be the wisest choice.

    "Un." Huo Zaiyuan expresses his agreement.

    Taking over a mask each and putting them on, the trio take the left turn into another corridor.

    When the three men''s silhouettes disappear down the corridor leading towards the staircase that will take them to the uppermost floor, in the darkness of the eleventh level, a faint sound rings out. Along with this strange noise gradually increasing in volume, one can finally hear a set of footsteps drawing nearer in its direction. However, it is not just one individual approaching the noise¡­but a group of beings shambling forth. From all directions, similar crowds of undead begin to conjugate, every one of them heading towards the eleventh floor.

    Amongst the pile of freshly slaughtered undead, the bulging stomach of the pregnant female zombie who was beheaded by Long Zhanye suddenly twitches. Then the flesh of the stomach begins to fluctuate up and down, the greyish-green, veiny surface becoming bumpy and uneven, as though something is wriggling enthusiastically in the belly.

    Suddenly, a razor-sharp, purplish-red claw punctures through the skin of the stomach and reaches out to the dark ceiling above.

    The first thing that emerges is an extremely small, short and chubby hand. Each of the five fingers ends in a tiny purplish-red claw measuring half an inch in length. Following that, the opposite ends of the hole split, tearing the skin of the belly in two. Thick black blood and internal organs flow out from the rip, and out crawls a small being covered in viscous, reddish-yellow liquid, making it an extremely gross sight to behold¡­if one squints and move closer, one can vaguely tell that little being is a zombie baby.

    Dark red skin and bulging purplish-black veins covering its entire body, its head is fairly large, with not a single strand of hair on it. Instead, a pair of strange-looking antennas extend from its forehead, with its completely black, protruding eyes resembling that of an insect. The small mouth is devoid of lips, exposing two rows of sharp knife-like teeth.

    "Hiss - " The infant emits a series of low sounds, a small hand extending slowly to grab hold of an undead''s head lying nearby, split in two. Opening its mouth, the zombie devours the two halves in several bites.

    It doesn''t stop there, instead crawling around swallowing down head after head. The first startling transformation occurs shortly after. Following a sharp crack of bones snapping, the skin on its back breaks and an exoskeleton grows from there until it covers the infant''s body from head to toe.

    As for the conjugating zombies gathering on this level, they all come to a halt a meter away from this tiny being, not daring to approach any closer¡­

    ~~~

    Incessantly swinging the sword in his hand, bodies collapse before him, one after another. Abruptly throwing out a hand, several peach wood coins shoot forth, sinking halfway into the wall. With a flash of silver light, a triangular formation is made, creating a barrier to allow the trio a chance to catch their breath.

    Their present location is the eighteenth floor, meaning they only have two more levels to go in order to reach the top. However, as they keep pushing forward, they discovered something really weird. That is, the zombies in the corridors seem to keep increasing in numbers¡­

    "What in the world is going on?" Zhou Xingfeng wonders aloud as he stands in the middle of the barrier, frowning at the undead still pouring forth.

    "Who knows? But I feel our circumstances is fast becoming disadvantageous." Huo Zaiyuan''s eyebrows draw together.

    "I feel the same way. This hospital is really strange as if there''s something even more terrifying existing in this building. We still have two levels to go. Using swords alone will be too slow. Little Yuan, set more arrays on this level to keep the undead off our backs. We will use guns and shoot our way to the top." Long Zhanye''s hand drops to the QCW-5 submachine gun at his waist.

    "All right."

    Reaching an agreement, Long Zhanye immediately open fire. Along with the tinkling sounds of empty bullet cases dropping on the tiles below, the wave of zombies pressing against the barrier falls in droves. Tossing out more wooden coins, Huo Zaiyuan lays more arrays down and the trio continue their upward climb to their destination.

 CH 102

    Chapter 102: Another way out

    The uppermost level of the hospital is the most important place of the entire building. Ordinary patients would definitely not be allowed entry into this floor. Hence, the zombies roaming around this area are evidently victims trying to escape the undead by running all the way up here, but ultimately falling to the transformation.

    After the trio reach the twentieth storey, Huo Zaiyuan immediately begin to lay arrays on the top of the stairs and in every corridor they pass through. For some reason, the longer they spend in this place, the more agitated his heart becomes, making him feel very uncomfortable.

    "Move a little faster. The medicine storeroom is over there." Long Zhanye stops before a closed room with the words "Medicine Storage" written on the door below the sign used to indicate the presence of important items within.

    As expected, the door is locked and none of them had any idea where the key for it is located. Therefore, Long Zhanye picks the simplest method of shooting the electronic lock. Once it is reduced to scrap metal, the door naturally comes ajar.

    Pushing the door open cautiously, they are greeted with the usual smell of disinfectant. What makes them frown is the strong odour of rotten meat that wafts over.

    "This stench, there may be zombies within. Be careful."

    Pistol in hand, Long Zhanye slowly treads into the room. Behind, Huo Zaiyuan closes the door soundlessly.

    The interior of the medicine storage room is very dark. With a high possibility of mortal danger lurking behind or between the shelves of medicine, none of them dares to let down their guards for even a split-second. Inching their way to the centre of the room, they are treated to a rather sorrowful sight.

    The rotting corpse or a female nurse is sprawled on the ground, unseeing eyes opened wide, an expression of terror frozen on her face, white foam filling her mouth and trails of dried white substance staining her chin¡­an empty glass bottle lays on its side next to the body. Evidently, she drank this bottle of medication and committed suicide.

    "This nurse was probably on night shift in this hospital when the zombies woke and overran this hospital. She ran and hid in here, eventually taking her own life." Nudging the glass bottle with a foot, Long Zhanye squints down to read the label before speaking again. "Quickly find everything we need, then let''s leave."

    "Yeah." Zhou Xingfeng nods distractedly, then walks over to the back of the room, where he caught a glimpse of the freezer just now.

    Removing the slip of paper Qin Jun handed over before they came here, Long Zhanye raise an eyebrow at Huo Zaiyuan. Coming to a tacit understanding, Huo Zaiyuan dips his head curtly. They will separate for a little while to search for the medications Qin Jun wrote down.

    After Long Zhanye wanders off, Huo Zaiyuan gazes down at the woman''s body. A flick of his wrist and a peach wood tile appears. Igniting the talisman, he whispers. "You have no need to fear anymore. Peacefully go to where you ought to be." With that, he drops the burning tile onto the corpse.

    When the flames disappear together with the body, a sphere of silver light wafts upwards, gradually forming into a transparent silhouette. The female nurse offers Huo Zaiyuan a grateful smile then slowly dissipates.

    With the disappearance of the corpse, the rotten stench hanging in the air also mysteriously vanishes. Satisfied, Huo Zaiyuan begins his search for medicines. Chancing upon the section for traditional medicines, he sends everything into his space. Next is a shelf with piles of tools necessary to perform a safe injection as well as glass bottles of intravenous fluids[1]. Those are also cleared off the shelves before he goes off to look for Long Zhanye. The soldier''s speed is also pretty fast, having already found every medication on Qin Jun''s list. Under his directions, Huo Zaiyuan drops everything into the space. That done, the pair reunites with Zhou Xingfeng.

    "Xingfeng, are you done?"

    "I found the pills for Wen Bin, but there is a limit to how many we can carry." The backpack on Zhou Xingfeng''s bag is already bulging. Sufficient to say, he has packed as much as he can into the bag. "There''s also another problem. Thirty minutes after the shot leaves the freezer, it will lose its effectiveness¡­"

    Which means they have only thirty minutes to retrieve the shot and return to the school. But that is obviously impossible to achieve.

    "Don''t worry, I have an idea. Go with older brother Long to grab a few more pills. Leave the matter of transporting the shot to me." Taking out a piece of yellow paper, Huo Zaiyuan smiles reassuringly at Zhou Xingfeng.

    Although he doesn''t know what his friend wants to do, seeing him take out a talisman makes him pause for a second, then nods in consent.

    He has personally experienced the effectiveness of Huo Zaiyuan''s talismans, so maybe this one will enable them to take the injection away without worry¡­Wen Bin, wait for me. I will definitely return to you.

    As the other two walk away to grab more pills, Huo Zaiyuan runs his fingers over the steel box containing the injection, sending it into his space. Since his space is extraordinary, it will ensure everything that enters is kept in the same condition. Hot things will stay hot and cold will stay cold. This box will be no different.

    "Are you guys done? I''ve secured the injection already." Huo Zaiyuan calls as he heads over to where the other two are.

    "Un, we can only carry this much." Glancing between Long Zhanye''s and his own full bags, Zhou Xingfeng bites his lower lip.

    This many will be sufficient for Wen Bin to use for quite a while even if they will eventually need more in the distant future, but¡­if he becomes greedy and want to take more, it is possible they will die here, then there will be no one to bring the medicine to Wen Bin.

    "Then let''s go." Knowing what his friend is thinking, Huo Zaiyuan initiatively takes up the position of rear guard.

    Seizing the chance when Zhou Xingfeng is unaware, he vanishes the few large boxes that the other student was so recently racking his brains for a plausible way to transport out of the hospital.

    Mission accomplished, the trio head towards the storage room''s door. Just as they are about to cross the doorway, Huo Zaiyuan''s expression changes.

    "Halt! Don''t cross it!" Catching Long Zhanye and Zhou Xingfeng''s arms in a flash, Huo Zaiyuan stops them from taking another step forward.

    "What''s the matter?" Zhou Xingfeng asks.

    "The array I set on the staircase on the nineteenth floor has just been ripped apart. There is something outside." Staring at the tightly shut door of the storage room, Huo Zaiyuan pulls the other two men together as he retreats.

    "I can sense it now." Long Zhanye''s eyes sharpen as he unholsters his pistol.

    He doesn''t know what the thing outside is, but his acute sixth sense is warning him to be alert of the presence on the other side of the door, skulking there in wait for them. The moment they open that door, it will attack and tear them to shreds.

    "Is it a zombie?" Xingfeng whispers as he gazes nervously at the door.

    When faced with the scene of a horrible carnage at the hospital''s entrance and even when killing their way through undead from the first level to the twentieth, both Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye''s tranquil expression is always unchanging. Now, these two are displaying high-levels of cautiousness. Suffice to say, whatever is waiting outside wouldn''t be so easily handled as ordinary undead.

    "Don''t know, but it shouldn''t be far from it. Maybe a mutant of some sort." Huo Zaiyuan replies.

    "If that''s the case, then you two guard my back. I''ll open a path." Long Zhanye unclips the QCW-5 submachine gun from his waist and hands it over to Huo Zaiyuan, then turns to the wall on their right and heads in that direction.

    "We''ll blow a hole here and leave!" The soldier announces, already in the process of knocking a hole in the wall to place explosives in.

    "This is the twentieth storey!!"

    Ka - blam!!

    Before Long Zhanye can answer Zhou Xingfeng''s incredulous cry, a loud bang rings out from the direction of the doorway. Wood shavings fly into the air, five neat holes appearing in the surface of the door, created by long, sharp purplish-red claws piercing through. The eyes of the two younger man widen.

    "The heck¡­what is that? A zombie with chicken claws?!"

    "Have you seen a zombie with this kind of claws before? Open fire, but make sure you don''t shoot the lock! I''ll lay down some barriers!" Huo Zaiyuan snaps at Zhou Xingfeng, itching to send his friend flying with a smack. How can someone still joke around at a time like this?!

    At the same time, he silently praises himself for developing a good habit of closing and locking doors after entering a room.

    The sound of a submachine gun firing fills the air. Not caring if his interdimensional space is discovered by Zhou Xingfeng, Huo Zaiyuan waves his hands, producing five talismans in each palm. Throwing them in the direction of the door, the talismans sink into the walls on opposite sides and link together, creating a barrier.

    The creature outside slams against the door once more. The bullet-ridden plank of wood shudders from the force. Ripples appear from the door as the epicentre, travelling through the transparent array and threatening to give out. However, what gives rise to panic is that one slam actually knocked lose a nail at the hinge.

    Rargh¡­grr¡­

    The chorus of growls and howls from numerous zombies resonate through the entire level. Clearly, they are already caged in.

    "Zhanye, hurry up!" Not letting Zhou Xingfeng waste any more bullets, Huo Zaiyuan throws a few more talismans towards the door, creating several more layers of barriers as he yells at Long Zhanye.

    "Ready!" With the fuse place properly, Long Zhanye replies curtly and retreats from the wall, thumb pressing down on the remote control in his hand.

    Boom!!

    Plaster and stone explode outwards, revealing a man-sized hole and allowing sunlight to shine into the room.

    Footnotes:

    [1] In other words, the liquid in IV drips.

 CH 103

    Chapter 103: Bitten

    Following the explosion, a steel grappling hook shoots towards the wall of the opposite building at high speed, penetrating deep into the surface and fastens itself there. Tugging on the steel rope to ensure it wouldn''t give out halfway, Long Zhanye loops the other end around the closest shelf and knots it. Fortunately for them, the shelf is bolted to the floor so it will not slip.

    "The backpack is a military-use item. Buckle it tight around your waist. There are two steel rings at the top of the shoulder straps. Fasten them together and hook it onto this rope. We''ll cross to the opposite building and leave from there!" Long Zhanye instructs as he slots his own metal ring onto the steel rope.

    Not needing the soldier to demonstrate, the other two quickly buckles their backpack tightly. Another violent strike on the door causes the entire frame to shake. Then the whole door topples, collapsing with a final bang. With no obstacles blocking the view of the outside, one can see countless zombies squeezed in the doorway. Fortunately, the arrays prevent them from pouring in or else the horrifying horde would have already been upon them.

    Hiss -

    Not giving them any time to breathe, an ear-piercing hiss rises above the din of low growls, causing the three human''s head to throb painfully. Their vision spins, almost making their knees give out.

    The shrill noise stops and the pain disperses. Sweeping a glace over the swarm of zombies, he immediately picks out a small figure amongst them. Antenna, insect eyes, lipless mouth with knife-like teeth, human face and red, larvae-like body. A sharp needle-like tail extends from its back. Its four small, short limbs with five fingers and toes each end in a half-inch, purplish-red claw.

    Even as he watches, that small monster lifts a hand, claws reaching towards the array. With a sound akin to paper tearing, a rip appears in the barrier. An array that is able to stop numerous zombies from crossing was actually torn apart so easily with only a light tap of those claws! Just what in the world is this monster?!

    "Zhanye, you go over first! You''re responsible for supporting us when we''re on the rope. Quickly!!" While speaking, Huo Zaiyuan takes out more talismans to reinforce the barriers.

    That little monster''s ability is really too strange and powerful, so this time, he has to use his highest quality talismans!

    With his strongest talismans now holding up the arrays, the small creature''s mouth split opens in a furious snarl. Tiny hands slap angrily on the barrier over and over again. Meanwhile, Long Zhanye has already repelled over to the opposite building, beckoning the others to come over from his position on the balcony.

    "Little Yuan, let''s go together. That thing cannot be left alone!" Zhou Xingfeng says as he takes out a glove from his coat pocket.

    "All right. Make sure to do as I do!" Huo Zaiyuan nods, stepping pass Zhou Xingfeng and leaping out the hole. He senses the array is close to being breached. If they continue to linger, they will likely lose their lives.

    Also, that small creature absolutely cannot be allowed to live as it is way too horrifying!

    As the two repel down the line, Zhou Xingfeng pulls the pin on a grenade and tosses it into the room. In the span of a few seconds, their feet touch the ground on the other side just in time to see the grenade explode, collapsing the storage room.

    Having prepared for this, Long Zhanye grabs the two youths, disconnects them from the steel rope and manhandles them to take cover behind a wall of the balcony. The sound of stone and plaster raining down continues for a while before silence falls once again.

    ~~~

    The cloud of fine sand and dust gradually settles down. Crouched behind the wall of the balcony with Huo Zaiyuan and Zhou Xingfeng partially covered by his tall frame, Long Zhanye glances around to ensure there is no danger before rising slowly to his feet.

    "Are you all right?" Long Zhanye inquires as he dusts off his clothes.

    "I''m okay. Thanks." Zhou Xingfeng says, expressing his gratitude.

    "I''m fine. You weren''t injured by the debris?" Huo Zaiyuan asks in concern.

    "No, just covered in dust. I''ll shower once we get back. Let''s move." Curling an arm around Huo Zaiyuan''s waist, Long Zhanye smiles faintly.

    "Un, that - watch out!"

    Just as Huo Zaiyuan turns to speak to Long Zhanye, he catches something flying through the air in his peripheral vision, partially obscured by the dust cloud. A mouthful of frightening razor-sharp teeth. If it isn''t that little monster, what else can it be? Expect this time, its lower half is missing courtesy of the grenade, leaving its upper body from the abdomen up.

    The time it takes to reflexively push Long Zhanye away makes it too late for Huo Zaiyuan to dodge. He can only brace himself, mentally preparing for the flash of pain when those teeth sink into his shoulder.

    Everything happened in a split-second. His body is roughly slammed aside, a yell of pain that isn''t his own and a series of gunshots ring out.

    Coming back to his senses, Huo Zaiyuan finds himself sprawled on the floor, the small monster''s body lying a distance away with its head reduced to minced meat. Laying on top of him is Zhou Xingfeng, face pale and expression contorted from agony.

    "Xingfeng!" Huo Zaiyuan cries out in alarm, scrambling up to his knees as Long Zhanye lowers his pistol, stepping up the two men''s side.

    Staring up at his friend who constantly wears a bland expression ever since they met again, Zhou Xingfeng chuckles lowly. "I was the one who proposed coming to a hospital in order to find a way to save Wen Bin. If either of you gets injured, I will carry this guilt for a lifetime¡­this may also be for the best. That monster should be classified as a type of zombie, right? Now that I''m bitten, I''ll turn into one, so¡­just put a bullet in me¡­"

    "Shut up! Don''t talk nonsense!" Huo Zaiyuan''s temper erupts, cutting off his words. Gaze dropping to Xingfeng''s body, he finally sees the badly mutilated flesh on his back.

    Although he said this, he logically knows that Xingfeng was bitten and in the face of that monster, the talisman he has always taken pride in is rendered useless.

    Dammit all¡­

    A blazing ache rises in his heart, his eyes reddening from a mixture of sorrow and anger. A wave of his hand causes golden flames to ignite, burning the small creature''s corpse to nothingness.

    "Little Yuan, calm down." Long Zhanye drags Huo Zaiyuan into a hug as the youth''s control slips.

    "Little Yuan, I''m deeply unsatisfied¡­" Zhou Xingfeng exhales softly, hands clenching into fists. "We worked so hard just to get the medicine but I cannot return. I really want to see Wen Bin one last time. Watch him awaken and¡­tell him I''m sorry¡­"

    "You want to see him¡­then let''s go. Quickly!" Held in Long Zhanye''s arms, Huo Zaiyuan swiftly calms down, reaching down to drag Zhou Xingfeng up. "We''ll return. Before you see him wake personally, you are not allowed to transform!"

    Huo Zaiyuan firmly pulls Zhou Xingfeng behind him and walk away. When Long Zhanye turns to follow, he suddenly catches sight of a purple, quail egg sized crystal laying where the creature''s body was before.

    Is that a crystal nuclei?

    Hesitating for a second with doubts in his heart, Long Zhanye eventually removes a napkin and wraps that object in it, dropping it into a pocket. He''ll study it more closely when they return to the school.

    Arriving at where the off-road vehicle is parked, Huo Zaiyuan carefully assists Zhou Xingfeng into the backseat before climbing in. Long Zhanye gets into the driver''s seat and the car peels away at high speed.

    Due to the loud explosion, a large number of zombies are drawn to this block. Already, one can see plenty of undead shambling in this direction.

    Engine roaring, the off-road vehicle shoots off¡­

    In the backseat of the car, Huo Zaiyuan uses a pair of scissors to cut the cloth away from the wound. Xingfeng''s back is already drenched in blood, the monster''s teeth having shredded the meat to pieces. Already, signs of rot appear around the edges of the bite.

    All the remaining fresh water in his space have been emptied into a large barrel. In the small confines of the car, it is impossible to bring it out. Not bothering to use normal water, Huo Zaiyuan directly takes out a bamboo cup full of spring water from his Holy Nine Dragon Spring Pool and uses it to wash Xingfeng''s wound.

    "Ahh - Huo - little Yuan! Are you trying to murder me ah? What are you pouring on my wound? It''s killing me!" The weak and sickly Zhou Xingfeng yells loudly in pain. Even in this situation, he remembers not to shout Huo Zaiyuan''s full name.

    The excruciating agony causes his muscles to lock, veins appearing on the surface of his skin as he tries to endure it.

    "Don''t move. I''m helping you clean it." Pouring another cup of spring water on it, Huo Zaiyuan eventually bandages it up.

    Once the pain vanishes, Zhou Xingfeng slumps bonelessly on the seat, gasping for breath.

    "Eldest brother Long, please hurry. I feel that I wouldn''t be able to hold on any longer¡­"

    "I know." Stepping down on the accelerator, the off-road vehicles speed increases even further, streaking towards the school.

    ~~~

    His body feels like an inferno is raging through it, consciousness slowly slipping from his grasp¡­is he about to turn into a zombie?

    No. He cannot let it happen. He hasn''t seen Wen Bin yet. Hasn''t seen him awaken yet¡­also hasn''t told the younger boy he is sorry¡­furthermore, he still¡­he still hasn''t told Wen Bin he likes him¡­

    Ever since the apocalypse began, the Junior that has always accompanied him, made him laugh, spoke words of concern to him, always staring at him with that pair of bright eyes¡­

    Not even he is aware of when his feelings for Wen Bin shifted from friendship to something more¡­

    Heheh¡­

    Wen Bin, wait for me ah¡­

    "One more street until we reach the school. How is he doing?" Long Zhanye questions, spinning the wheel in his hands. The off-road vehicle executes a perfect drift before shooting forth once more.

    "He is already unconscious and not in a good condition. On top of that, he is running a high fever¡­that monster''s infection rate is much faster than the average zombie''s!" Dabbing Zhou Xingfeng''s perspiration, he sticks a talisman on his friend''s body, praying that the spiritual energy within will slow down the rate of transformation.

    "We''re here!"

    Hitting the brake, the vehicle screeches to a stop outside the school. There is already someone waiting inside, pulling the gates open immediately.

 CH 104

    Chapter 104: If you turn into a zombie, devour me

    The injection that the trio retrieved displays a very clear result. In two hours, Wen Bin''s stubborn high fever eventually recedes, the boy regaining conscious when evening came. He manages to eat a bowl of porridge before falling asleep once more¡­

    During the apocalypse, don''t say a mouthful of beef congee, as long as it is edible food, it is already precious beyond comparison. Eating a mouthful of porridge, Wen Bin refuses to eat any more.

    "Why are you not eating? Your body requires sustenance to fully recover. Eat more so you can recuperate quickly." Chewing on a mantou, Li Qing stares at the daydreaming youth in sitting in bed.

    Two days ago, Wen Bin regained consciousness and Qin Jun announced there is nothing more to worry about after giving him a full-body checkup. However, he still needs to rest in order to recover, which is why for this past couple of days, the food Wen Bin was fed with is better than the other survivor''s.

    "Senior Li Qing¡­where is Senior Zhou? Why haven''t I seen him ever since I woke up? Did something happen to him or¡­" Is he annoyed with me? A desolate expression surfaces on Wen Bin''s face as the last sentence sticks in his throat, unsaid.

    Ever since he regained consciousness, a lot of people staying in the school came to visit, even Senior Yuan (HZY) who is the obstacle between him and his love also came¡­but Zhou Xingfeng didn''t appear even once.

    "Eh? Oh, it''s nothing! Nothing happened! How can anything happen to that fool of a brother Zhou? Hahaha!" Seeing that miserable expression, Li Qing offers Wen Bin his trademark dazzling smile. "You just woke up. First, you need to eat more and recover your strength, which is why Brother Zhou is outside running here and there to find rice for you. If not, how are you able to have beef congee when you wake up?"

    "Is that so¡­" Hearing that Zhou Xingfeng is fine and is also scavenging food for him, Wen Bin''s expression eases into a smile. But as a stray thought strike him, his expression falls again. "Isn''t it dangerous? There are so many zombies outside¡­if Senior is bitten¡­what should we do? I don''t need to keep eating porridge. My body has recovered already. I want to see Senior, I want to see if he''s tired or not¡­"

    "Eh¡­he''s always behaving like a monkey every day. How is he exhausted? Also, he always leaves with older brother Long and little Yuan. Nothing will happen to him. Older brother Long is a soldier and is super strong. Little Yuan has this awesome ability to block zombie attacks. Nothing will be able to scratch them. If you want to see him, then be good and eat your food. Don''t make him worry. Then once you have fully recovered, he wouldn''t need to keep going out and you can see him every day." Li Qing''s facial muscles are fast becoming cramped from maintaining the false smile. On top of that, lying to people is really not his forte ah!

    Zhou Xingfeng returned from the trip to the hospital with a bite on his back. As the injury is a grave one, he barely managed to catch a glimpse of a still unconscious Wen Bin before he locked himself in a vacant dormitory room, forbidding anyone from entering. Because Huo Zaiyuan places a plate of food on the windowsill every day for him to eat, everyone else finally come to know that he hasn''t turned yet.

    As for scavenging for food outside, this is of course, completely blather. There are more than a few survivors in the school, and now with Zhou Xingfeng''s condition, no one is there to lead them. For a period of time, there will be no one willing to brave the outside world to search for food supplies. Hence, the rice and meat were provided by Huo Zaiyuan. In order not to be suspected by anyone, he cooks it in his space before serving it.

    "Un, I''ll be good and finish my porridge¡­I would let Senior worry about me." Wen Bin nods obediently, then begins to eat.

    Wen Bin doesn''t know if it is simply his misconception, but he feels this congee is more delicious than the ones he ate before. And although it has only been a mere two days, the rate his body is recovering at is extraordinary, and a gentle warmth circulates within¡­it is a very comfortable feeling.

    Finishing his meal and taking his pill, Wen Bin falls asleep again. Li Qing exits the room and exhales a sigh of relief. Even being cooped up for several days in the car didn''t make him this tired ah.

    "It''s been hard on you." Huo Zaiyuan comments dully from where he leans against the wall.

    "Ai¡­I nearly couldn''t conceal it. Qin Jun said that Wen Bin''s recovery speed is very fast but has no idea is it is due to the injection or the pill. Another two more days and he will be back to full health." Li Qing sighs. "How is brother Zhou''s condition?"

    He really doesn''t want to imagine what will happen once Wen Bin fully recovers and discovers that Xingfeng was bitten when he ran off to bring medicine back for Wen Bin. The blow to his heart will be immensely hard.

    These past few days, Qin Jun is very busy, and Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan too. Li Qing doesn''t recognise any of the survivors in the school, which is why he opted to accompany Wen Bin.

    From the younger student''s every word and action, he clearly knows how much the boy likes Xingfeng. Only, there seems to be some sort of misunderstanding between the two and each party has yet to come clean regarding their intentions.

    Now¡­perhaps this pair isn''t destined to break through this level of relationship. When Zhou Xingfeng turns into a zombie, maybe the blow to Wen Bin''s heart will be lesser. Should he believe this speculation or not?

    "How will his condition be after being bitten? Wen Bin''s fast recovery has nothing to do with the medication." Huo Zaiyuan says, then turns to leave.

    "Eh? What do you mean? Nothing to do with the medication? Then what is it?" Li Qing asks as he hurries to catch up.

    Letting Li Qing catch up to him whilst continuously chattering none stop, Huo Zaiyuan''s dignified expression doesn''t falter. The water he used to cook Wen Bin''s congee is taken from the spring pool, which is the same one he used to wash Zhou Xingfeng''s bite wound. Allowing a sickly person to recover at lightning speed and a slow the transformation rate of a bitten person, as well as enable them to stay clear-headed¡­aren''t all these thanks to the spring water?

    The spiritual energy within that liquid is relatively large. Besides being able to be used as ink for talismans, it has various other abilities too. Or at least, these are what he discovered after using it on Wen Bin and Xingfeng.

    As the duo''s footsteps travel further and further, no one noticed the individual who is supposed to be sleeping in bed is actually standing behind the closed door, complexion extremely pale.

    Bitten¡­Senior Zhou was bitten¡­

    Staggering unsteadily away from the door, Wen Bin''s vision blacks out for a second and he collapses to the ground, tears streaming down his face¡­

    No wonder Senior didn''t visit even once after he regained consciousness. It isn''t because Senior dislike him, but it''s because he got bitten by a zombie. All because of him¡­

    No, older brother Qin will be coming to give him another checkup later. If he runs away now, they will definitely not let him find Senior¡­wait until night falls when everyone goes to sleep, he will slip out of the room.

    His mind keeps reminding him to remain calm. Must remain calm¡­

    Returning back to bed and burrowing under the blanket, Wen Bin continues to feign sleep, waiting for a good opportunity.

    Before he retires to his bed, Qin Jun makes sure to give Wen Bin another checkup. Certain that nothing is wrong, he takes his leave. Very quickly, the surroundings fall silent as it gets deeper into the night. When everyone finally enters Morpheus'' embrace, Wen Bin slowly opens his eyes.

    His chance has come.

    Getting up from the bed quietly, he runs out of the room barefooted, heart only thinking about finding Senior as quickly as possible. Drawing his clothes tighter around him to combat the slightly lower temperatures of the night, he begins his search.

    He doesn''t know where Zhou Xingfeng is. Now that Senior is bitten, he will most probably be placed in a separate building away from the main dormitory. So Wen Bin can only rely on himself to search the campus. Besides the shared-room dormitories where mostly everyone is staying in, there is another building that remains unoccupied. Coincidentally, one of the rooms in that building used to be Zhou Xingfeng''s old room.

    Will Senior be there?

    Exhaling softly, Wen Bin decides to take a look. If he isn''t there, then he will slowly search the entire building¡­

    The school campus is a little dark during the night. Dark clouds obscure the moon, so he can barely make out the corridors and stairs. Relying mostly on his hands to feel along the walls, he paces forward cautiously. A journey that will normally take a few minutes took him half an hour to get to his destination.

    The door to the room is locked, even the windows are tightly secured. Not confirming whether or not Zhou Xingfeng is inside, Wen Bin''s eyes redden, voice choking with grief. "Senior¡­are you in there?"

    Although his voice is soft, one can hear it very clearly in the complete silence of the school. There was no verbal reply, only the clinking of a furniture being hit drifts through the gaps of the door.

    There is someone inside.

    "Senior, is it you in there¡­?"

    It is total silence now. Not a single sound can be heard.

    "Senior¡­" Not receiving any reply, tears roll down from Wen Bin''s eyes as he squats on the floor outside. "If you are inside, please say something¡­"

    Not even a breath can be heard.

    "Senior, it''s really dark out here. I''m scared. It''s very cold. My feet hurts¡­wuwu¡­"

    The tone is extremely pitiful, coupled with his quiet sobs, the person within cannot stay quiet any longer. Slowly shuffling finally sounds, and a faint voice wafts from the other side of the door.

    "Wen Bin¡­" Zhou Xingfeng''s calls from inside the room.

    "Wuwu¡­Senior¡­it really is you¡­" Hearing Zhou Xingfeng''s voice, Wen Bin''s tears overflow even more. "I overheard Senior Li Qing and Senior Yuan talking. They said you were bitten. Wuwu¡­"

    "Yeah, that''s right. Heheh¡­I was bitten. I''ll turn into a zombie soon." Zhou Xingfeng admits lowly as he chuckles. "How are you feeling right now?"

    "I''ve already recovered¡­Senior, I want to go in and see you. Can you open the door¡­?" Placing a hand flat on the surface of the door, Wen Bin asks softly.

    "I cannot."

    "Please, I beg you. Let me enter¡­" Wen Bin begins to weep once more. "If¡­if Senior turns into a zombie, then¡­then devour me as well. My life was rescued by Senior. I would have died long ago if it wasn''t for Senior¡­"

    In the room, Zhou Xingfeng doesn''t reply.

    "Senior, if you are no longer here, then I have no desire to continue surviving."

    "Don''t say such foolish things¡­"

    "Then open the door and let me in."

    "I cannot."

    Met with Zhou Xingfeng''s refusal again, the person squatting outside the door flattens his lips, sniffs once before murmuring. "Senior, if you don''t open the door, I will wait outside until you do."

    "You - " Zhou Xingfeng is at a loss for words.

    In these short few weeks of interaction, he is well aware of his Junior''s stubborn disposition.

    "It''s a little cold. I''ve just recovered from my illness. If I don''t freeze to death out here¡­if I don''t die, I might relapse tomorrow, which will make my heart disease worsen. After that¡­"

    "Shut up!" From behind the closed door, the sound of movement finally drifts out.

    In the next moment, the door is wrenched open. The person squatting outside the door is abruptly pulled into the room before the door shuts once more.

    "You cannot leave anymore once you enter."

    "I wouldn''t leave. I''ll never leave Senior ever again."

 CH 105

    Chapter 105: False alarm

    Wen Bin has disappeared.

    Early in the morning, the entire school is thrown into chaos, survivors scrambling here and there in search for the missing student. Eventually, they gather outside Zhou Xingfeng''s locked door.

    "Junior brother, if¡­if Wen Bin is really inside, then what should we do?" A pretty Senior sister asks lowly. "And Junior Zhou¡­"

    A lot of survivors here were rescued by Zhou Xingfeng. Now that the very same person is bitten by a zombie, all of them are worried and anxious. A few even pray every day that he will miraculously be all right.

    "Senior sister Chun Li, what else can we do? Of course, we should charge in and save little Bin." A male student the same age as Xingfeng says.

    "Then¡­then if brother Zhou becomes a zombie¡­what do we do?" Another female student inquiries in a tiny voice.

    "That¡­"

    A sudden hush settles amongst the crowd as soon as this question is raised. No one knew how to answer because none of them wants to see Zhou Xingfeng and Wen Bin become zombies.

    "If he changes into a zombie, then simply kill it." Huo Zaiyuan''s voice breaks the silence, even and emotionless. Walking through the crowd, his grip tightens on the pistol in his hand.

    A moment later, a youth around Wen Bin''s age pushes his way forward, shouting angrily. "How can we do that? He is our schoolmate. A lot of people here were personally rescued by him. Furthermore, you are his good friend¡­how can you do such a heartless thing?"

    "Junior brother, you¡­"

    Whatever Li Qing wants to say dies as Huo Zaiyuan stops him. Turning around slowly to look at the other student, his gaze is ice-cold, as though the person before him is a mere corpse.

    "Then what do you suggest I do?"

    "I - I - "

    "It is the apocalypse. Do you what the word apocalypse mean?" Leaning forward, he continues. "Once a person changes into a zombie, they are no longer human. If you do not have the guts to do this, cannot bear to pick up a weapon and kill it, the one who will die is you¡­I''m cruel, huh? When Xingfeng came to rescue you, he was faced with students who turned into zombies. The very people he studied with, played with, had fun with¡­had he felt a sliver of pity for them, he would have long been dead. Also¡­if he becomes a zombie and realises that the people he rescued and protected were eventually turned by him, do you think he will be happy?"

    Huo Zaiyuan''s words gave them food for thought, stilling further objections. Sweeping a bland glance over the survivors, his eyes land on Long Zhanye. "Older brother Long, open the door."

    "Little Yuan." Scrutinizing the youth''s emotionless face, he places a hand on Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulder. "Don''t force yourself. I can help you."

    "No need. Open the door."

    "All right." Nodding his head, Long Zhanye proceeds to open it. Although the door is locked from the inside, this trivial matter is no big obstacle.

    In a short few seconds, the lock clicks and the door is pushed open slowly, revealing the dim interior of the room¡­

    ~~~

    "You beast!" Expression full of disdain, Li Qing snarls at the half-naked, foolishly laughing bastard of a friend who had everyone worrying for a good few days.

    "Older brother Qin, brother Zhou¡­is completely fine?" A nervous Wen Bin asks from the side, glancing between Qin Jun and Xingfeng.

    A horrid smelling pile of bandages stained with black blood is strewn carelessly all over the floor. Rubber gloves covering his hands, Qin Jun carefully examines the ghastly scar on the student''s back.

    It has long since stopped bleeding, and there are absolutely no traces of rotting flesh at the edges of the wound. What''s even more astounding is the injury is already showing signs of healing.

    "The wound is starting to heal and there are no more traces of transformation lingering on any part of Xingfeng''s body. There ought to be no problems." Taking a new roll of bandages, Qin Jun announces as he rebound the injury. "Of course, he needs a lot of rest¡­and don''t do anything strenuous."

    "We didn''t do - that''s just sleeping together in the same bed." Upon hearing Qin Jun''s words, Wen Bin blushes vividly, snatching up a clean coat and draping it over Zhou Xingfeng''s shoulders.

    "So you mean, I wouldn¡¯t change into a zombie?" Zhou Xingfeng''s heart is filled with tentative hope.

    According to your current situation, you wouldn''t." Qin Jun consents.

    "Oh yeah! It''s the power of love ah!" A joyous cheer erupts from him. Hauling Wen Bin in a hug, he kisses the startled Junior and causing him to turn red as a tomato again.

    Silently watching the scene unfold, Huo Zaiyuan heaves a quiet sigh of relief, then soundlessly slips out of the room.

    "Looks like your experiment is a success. So why are you still looking so distressed?" Long Zhanye drapes an arm around Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulders. Regarding the youth''s actions, he understands it more clearly than anyone else.

    A few days ago, after Zhou Xingfeng was bitten by the mutant zombie, the rate of infection and consequent transformation is extremely quick. Therefore, in a panic, Huo Zaiyuan used the Holy Nine Dragon Spring Pool''s water to wash his wound. But to his utmost surprise, he discovered it manage to slow down the speed of the flesh becoming rotten, and his friend''s transformation to a zombie also slows.

    Afterwards, Long Zhanye said one sentence "since there''s no way to prevent his transformation, might as well give medicine to a dead horse and see if it comes to life" which broke Huo Zaiyuan out of his misery. He thought back to when he first started cultivating and drank half a cup of spring water, as well as all the time he used said water as ink for his talismans. If he gave this spiritual energy rich water to an infected Zhou Xingfeng, will the result he hope for appear?

    Thus, for the next few days, when he delivered food to his friend, he will set a cup of spring water on the tray for him to drink. Now, the rot threatening to eat away at the bite has disappeared completely and the infection within his body has been eliminated. This shows that his experiment is a success. The spring water actually allowed him to save his friend''s life.

    "Although this experiment is a success¡­I keep feeling that something doesn''t add up, but I''m not quite certain what it is." A wave of his hand and a glass bottle containing a redish-purple crystal appears. Staring at the crystal, Huo Zaiyuan frowns.

    This crystal is the exact same one Long Zhanye picked up back in the hospital after that small monster was burned to nothing. At one glance, it is pretty obvious this is different from the others, especially the vast store of spiritual energy he can feel circulating within.

    Slender fingers wrapping around the wrist of his hand currently holding the bottle, a gentle smile appears on Long Zhanye''s face. "How about I let a zombie take a bite out of me, then you feed me some of that spring water. If I don''t turn, then it proves it has the power to stop the infection."

    "Don''t talk nonsense." Huo Zaiyuan glares at him.

    "But you are unhappy. I don''t wish to see you depressed. A gloomy little Yuan is not cute at all." Embracing Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye seized the opportunity to kiss him on the mouth. "Stop thinking so much."

    Staring at Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan eventually sighs and nods his head. "Okay."

    Devil ants, zombies, crystals, Holy Nine Dragon Spring Pool. In the end, how are they all connected? Or can it possibly be related to the one who possessed this before him - his ancestor Huo Tianji?

    Having experienced Zhou Xingfeng narrowly escaping being turned into a zombie from a bite, the survivors who were originally content to live aimlessly day after day begin to change their attitude. A spark of hope ignites in the depths of their hearts, enabling them to face each morning with a smile and spirits full of vigour.

    "So you are preparing to head to R City?" Huo Zaiyuan asks as he eats another mouthful of instant noodles.

    "Ai¡­being able to escape from the brink of becoming a zombie, not everyone is so fortunate. I have already discussed it with the other survivors. S City is not safe. If this place is discovered by zombies or humans harbouring bad intentions, it will put everyone at risk. That''s why we decided to follow your advice and head to the nearest safe zone." Zhou Xingfeng replies, savouring his other packet of pickled chicken feet given to him by Huo Zaiyuan.

    After two days of bed-rest, the wound on his back has begun to scab. Once the scab falls off after another few days, he will be completely recovered.

    "This plan is sounds good." Huo Zaiyuan nods.

    "Originally, I wanted to go with you guys to Q City, but Wen Bin is still a little weak. He wouldn''t be able to handle a long journey. So we will go to R City and recuperate there for a while." Zhou Xingfeng admits with a sigh.

    That afternoon, after conversing with Zhou Xingfeng for a while, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan get in the off-road vehicle and left the school for a while. Who knows where they wandered off to, but when they returned, it was in a large truck.

    "Woah, this vehicle is not too bad ah. Where did you find this?" Looking over the truck, Zhou Xingfeng beams at Huo Zaiyuan. "Really capable ah!"

    "We happen to see it on the road so we decided to drive it back. The petrol tank is still full and there are two drums of gasoline here. Take them with you." Huo Zaiyuan nudges the two unopened drums forward.

    This truck was most probably driven by the first few people lucky enough to escape during the apocalypse, but due to it running out of fuel, it was abandoned at the roadside. The pair chanced upon it during their round of the city and brought it back after filling the tank. These two drums of gasoline are also taken from within his space.

    "Thanks bro!"

    "So you still remember your manners?"

    The two students look at each other, then share a laugh.

    Since they have already decided to leave, Zhou Xingfeng oversee the process of transporting food supplies into the truck on that very day. This way, they can drive away immediately whenever they decide to.

    Yet, plans rarely go according to plan. Just when he is in the middle of supervising more supplies to be loaded into the truck, trouble comes knocking!

 CH 106

    Chapter 106: Trouble comes knocking at the door

    Boom - !

    A sudden violent explosion comes from the direction of the school''s gates. Without waiting for anyone within the school to react, the roars of several vehicles draw close. Taking the lead of the short convoy is a Hummer, followed by two construction trucks filled with ten over people armed with melee weapons.

    The line of vehicles come to a stop before the crowd. A rugged looking man exits the Hummer, carrying a large steel hammer. Dark suntanned skin, cigar clenched between his teeth and gold chains draped around his neck, fingers adorned with gold rings, the stranger gives off a very unsophisticated air.

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Enemies meeting on a narrow road indeed. Hey, take a look at who I''m seeing!" A loud scornful voice rings out.

    The passenger side door of the Hummer opens and a slender figure emerges, limping slowly forward. As he approaches, Huo Zaiyuan''s expression stiffens, eyes widening.

    In his previous life, when the apocalypse broke out, the person standing before him now was torn to shreds in front of his eyes by zombies. Huo Zaiyuan thought it was possible he might run into Zhou Huijiao when he comes back to S City again, but never did he expect to meet this person instead.

    Sure enough, his rebirth caused a butterfly effect. The apocalypse happening before its supposed time, the person who was meant to be dead is standing before him, alive¡­

    "What''s wrong? Why are you so shocked after seeing me? Is it because you thought this kind of environment will be the death of me? Or is it because of my broken leg? Or my one blind eye?" Staring at Huo Zaiyuan''s astonished face, that man chuckles lowly, as though he just came across a hilarious matter.

    Looking at that person, Huo Zaiyuan says in a bland tone. "Indeed, I am shocked seeing you here, only¡­would you mind explaining what you mean by that sentence? There are elderly and children here, as well as men and women, and two injured people. It wouldn''t do to scare them."

    "Oh, it''s nothing major. Older brother suddenly went missing. My mother really missed you¡­which is why when she saw you driving around the city in a car, I followed you here. Naturally, I brought along some people from my base of operation to invite you back to our house as a guest." As he speaks, the crippled youngster slowly unhooks a coiled whip at his waist.

    "I have no interest in you or your mother." Huo Zaiyuan''s face darkens, pointing the pistol in his hand at the young man. "I''ll give you a chance. Scram."

    "Little Yuan." At the same moment Huo Zaiyuan raised his gun, Long Zhanye who is standing next to him aims his own firearm at the other larger stranger.

    "Wait until these people leave, then I will explain everything to you." Huo Zaiyuan murmurs before shutting his mouth, not saying anything more.

    Knowing that now is not the time to be questioning matters, Long Zhanye glances at the group of armed men currently climbing down from the top of the construction trucks. His eyes narrow as the thugs roll their shoulders and wave their weapons threateningly.

    Although the other party has more men, none of them are carrying guns while he has one in hand, meaning there is no need to fear them.

    "Yah, there are quite a few people wielding guns here ah. Older brother¡­looks like I have to resort to a tougher method in order for you to accept this invitation!" The lone working eye narrows slightly, causing the horrible scar marring the blind one to wrinkle, resulting in a rather frightening appearance.

    As the words left his mouth, the young man charges towards Huo Zaiyuan, brandishing his whip. Without the slightest hesitation, Huo Zaiyuan pulls the trigger of his gun.

    Bang!

    A bullet flies out of the barrel, but what happens next shocks everyone. An arrogant smile curves the young man''s lips, his whip lashing out in a flash of cyan light. The bullet that was originally about to hit his shoulder halts in its track, as though blocked by an invisible barrier.

    It drops to the ground with a clang, and a flick of his wrist has the whip returning to the man''s side.

    "Little Yuan, watch out!" Long Zhanye''s reaction is extremely fast. In a blink of an eye, he grabs hold of Huo Zaiyuan and pulls him aside, successfully evading the whip that comes lashing out. The force behind it even broke the cement ground!

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    This time, it is Qin Jun who delivers three consecutive shots. However, as before, the bullets were stopped by the incorporeal shield before it can strike their target.

    "Idiots! Do you think mere pistols can overcome my power? All of you, go! Don''t spare even a single one!" The young man orders his followers before looking at Huo Zaiyuan. "Bring that person to me!"

    Between one moment and the next, the peaceful school grounds descends into chaos, the shrieks of ladies and young girls rise into the air.

    Naturally, Huo Zaiyuan will not do anything less than accept the young man''s blatant challenge. Although he doesn''t know what kind of power the other party wields that is capable of stopping bullets, since pistols are useless, then he might as well resort to fists. If it is brawling, after staying by Long Zhanye''s side for so long, the Huo Zaiyuan who has learned martial arts before will not lose badly.

    Smoothly dodging the brandished whip, he strikes out with a punch towards his opponent, but it seems the other is prepared for it. The fist is nimbly evaded.

    Amongst the survivors in the school, the majority of them are women and female students. Thus, when a large group of armed men rush forth, they scream in fear. During the apocalypse, they don''t fear stiff and relatively slow zombies but instead, fear other humans. However, those that pushed aside their fright and shock scramble to pick up any makeshift weapon lying on the floor and meet the attackers head on.

    Although guns are useless against the man Huo Zaiyuan is engaging in combat with, that doesn''t mean bullet wouldn''t work on anyone else. Gunshots ring out, felling a few thugs. A lean shadow flashes across the distance between the two sides, ramming into the charging group. A vicious uppercut slams into the jaw of one man, knocking him out instantly. Slender legs swipe out, sending another thug to the ground even as he disarms him of the sword in his hand.

    "Little Yuan!" Long Zhanye yells, flinging the sword he just took from the man in Huo Zaiyuan''s direction.

    Huo Zaiyuan hears Long Zhanye''s shout and his eyes catch the glint of steel as the sword heads unerringly towards him. Pushing off the ground in a powerful leap, he reaches out, fingers wrapping around the hilt of the weapon. But at the same moment, the whip has already wrapped tightly around the blade.

    "I will not allow anything to go smoothly for you. Huo Zaiyuan¡­today, I''ll make you pay for everything¡­if it wasn''t for you, I would not have become like this!" The crippled man''s tone is exceptionally malicious, heavy killing intent permeating their direct surroundings. "I''ll let you personally witness the vast power I acquired in exchange for an eye and a leg! Hahaha¡­"

    As maniacal laughter rings out, Huo Zaiyuan immediately senses a change in the air. A sudden ferocious gust of wind rips through the area towards him. Scarlet drops of blood fly in an arc before his eyes. A large gash appears on his face, shoulder and torso. A split-second later another large sphere of energy strikes him in the face, flinging him away.

    "Little Yuan!"

    Throughout the entire fight, Long Zhanye has always been keeping an eye on Huo Zaiyuan''s condition. Watching him get thrown away by an invisible force, a cry of alarm rips out from him. However, as much as he aches to, he cannot rush to his beloved''s rescue. Because¡­

    A large berserker-like man wielding an extremely heavy sledgehammer brings it down in a brutal smash. Even as he calls out to Huo Zaiyuan, he manages to dodge the attack, causing it to break cement instead of his body. A two-meter crack appears in the pavement below. Should one receive such a blow, one will be paralysed for life, if not dead.

    Just as Long Zhanye''s heart is filled with worry, Huo Zaiyuan''s body disappears in a flash of silver.

    If it was anyone else witnessing such a thing, they would have been bewildered. But not Long Zhanye. For Huo Zaiyuan has already done things like this countless times before his eyes.

    He entered his space!

    Sure enough, in another flash of silver, Huo Zaiyuan reappears and lands on the ground in a nimble crouch. Besides his hair in disarray, a trace of blood on his cheek and damaged clothes, he seems safe and sound. Breathing a sigh of relief, Long Zhanye refocuses on that sledgehammer wielding man who looks like the distant cousin of a ground beetle.

    The sooner he deals with this annoyance, the sooner he can return to his little Yuan''s side!

    "Huo Zaiyuan, truly didn''t expect you to have similar powers¡­Hahaha¡­today is really a good day! Really great ah! Great enough to make people envious!"

    "Huo. Jia. Bao. You have truly provoked my fury." A livid light enters Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes. A flick of his wrist and a high-quality talisman appears.

    "Come, then. Let me see how formidable your power is! Is it more powerful than mine?!" A violent gleam surfaces in Huo Jiabao''s eyes before he bounds forward to attack Huo Zaiyuan.

    Retreating swiftly in a single backwards leap, the corners of Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth curl up. Talisman flying from his fingers, it shoots towards Huo Jiabao.

    A cyan light flares as it attempts to stop the talisman, similar to the barrier that successfully halted bullets before. However, this time the peach wood talisman merges with the protective barrier instead of being blocked¡­

    Boom!

    A huge explosion rocks the place and Huo Jiabao is sent flying from the force of it.

    Standing tall and firm, Huo Zaiyuan stares frostily down at the dazed man lying on the ground, a mirthless smile playing on his lips. "How does my explosion talisman taste like? Being my first experimental test subject¡­you should be honoured!"

 CH 107

    Chapter 107: Coming clean

    Fresh, scarlet blood drips continuously onto the floor, singed clothes and black streaks decorating his visible skin makes the egotistical man appear bruised and battered. Expression twisting, the scar on his face scrunches together, painting an even more malevolent look on this face.

    "Huo Zaiyuan¡­you better remember this. You snatched everything from me. One day, I will make sure you repay all you owe! No matter where to flee to, I will make you stay alive while wishing for death! Let''s go!!"

    With a final departing holler filled with rage, they left in the same way they arrived. The trucks and Hummer speed away from the school campus, leaving marks on the ground and a few injured people behind at the scene of the short battle. Gradually, everything falls silent once more.

    Remaining where he is, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t move for a long time. Expression depressed, two glaring red lines of blood on his cheeks, rips and tears on his clothes and shoes, this is the first time he appears so beaten.

    On the ground, a several tens of kilo sledgehammer lays broken, its head crumbled to pieces, surrounded by a pool of blood. Besides his rumpled clothes due to entering the fight, Long Zhanye possesses no visible injuries. The moment those thugs left, the number one concern in his heart is Huo Zaiyuan. In a few quick steps, the soldier appears by his side.

    "Little Yuan."

    "I''m fine." Huo Zaiyuan answers flatly, gaze dull.

    "I don''t see how you are completely fine." Long Zhanye says lightly, embracing him before making a few gestures to Zhou Xingfeng and Qin Jun.

    Being rather perceptive, the two men understood what they had to do right away. This place is no longer safe. Now, their priority is to finish transporting their supplies and leave promptly.

    Leading Huo Zaiyuan to a relatively isolated place within the school, he stops and checks on the person in his arms again. Still expressionless and staring blankly ahead. Long Zhanye frowns.

    "Don''t let it weigh down your heart. Tell me, okay?" His tone is extremely gentle, afraid of scaring his beloved.

    Ever since the two met and become companions, besides that one time this child openly sobbed, he (HZY) has met every kind of situation with calm and indifference, every action logical and reliable. Even though he was occupied during the fight before and had no way to reach Huo Zaiyuan, he was well aware of the other party''s every move and condition. The conversation between him and the crippled man, Long Zhanye heard it all.

    Hearing Long Zhanye''s words, Huo Zaiyuan finally moves, placing his hands on the older man''s waist and leaning his forehead on that sturdy chest. A smile full of irony surfaces.

    "Heheh¡­it''s really ridiculous. He said I stole everything from him, but three days after my mother passed away, my father brought him and his mother into our house. From the moment they entered the door, my father acted as if I was invisible. Besides giving me a monthly allowance, it is as though he never had this son. No one from the Huo family cared when I left home and stayed alone. No one bothered when I fell ill. They were the ones who stole my family from me. Stole my father''s affections when mother passed. As for the inheritance left after father''s death¡­I only took what I deserved. He said I took everything from him. What exactly did I take from him?!"

    Listening to Huo Zaiyuan''s light laughter as he recounts everything, Long Zhanye''s heart is shaken. On behalf of his repressed emotions and everything he suffered in his past, Long Zhanye can only hug him closer.

    "From now onwards, you will always have me by your side. I will absolutely not allow anyone to steal anything belonging to you. I have said before I will never let you weep. But if you really cannot help it, then hide in my embrace and let it all out¡­"

    "As if. I''m not a child¡­my heart just feels a little stifled." Pushing Long Zhanye away, he leaves the man''s arms and turns his face away.

    "Then do you still feel stifled after airing it out?" Now that the shadows on the youth''s face have dispersed and his usual attitude returns, Long Zhanye knows that he truly is fine. The anxiety in his heart gradually eases and a smile pulls at his lips.

    "Un, I''m fine now. Let''s go back." Saying this, he prepares to turn and leave.

    "Since everything is all right now, then you should be good and answer my questions." Reaching out, he drags Huo Zaiyuan back into his hold. Leaning down, Long Zhanye whispers into his ear. "I heard that person called you¡­Huo. Zai. Yuan. Beloved, when did you change your name? Why didn''t I know that?"

    A spark of anger initially emerged after realising the other has lied to him and concealed his true identity before it vanished in the face of worry, but still, Long Zhanye decides to make this his first question.

    Sure enough, he (LZY) really overheard the conversation.

    "I didn''t hide it from you deliberately¡­" Turning around to look at the soldier, Huo Zaiyuan feels wronged. This expression is one he rarely displays and only seem to surface around Long Zhanye.

    Since it has been exposed, he sees no need to hide anymore. Especially when there are more chances of running into people who will recognise him in the future. To prevent more lies piling up, he will explain everything clearly. On top of that, seeing no traces of anger on Long Zhanye''s face, he inwardly thinks this might not be so difficult after all.

    Seeing the adorably wronged expression on Huo Zaiyuan''s face, Long Zhanye smirks and can''t resist planting a kiss on his lips. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect the person he is currently hugging is the exact same Huo Zaiyuan he spent so long searching for. This truly makes him feel both astonished and joyous ah.

    "If it wasn''t for that military arrest warrant, I wouldn''t have lied. Don''t know which damned bastard framed me. When I first met you and saw you were a soldier, I was wary. But you didn''t recognise me, so I gave a fake name¡­"

    Hearing Huo Zaiyuan spit out the word "bastard", Long Zhanye blinks, before a soft, rueful chuckle slips out.

    "Little Yuan, I actually have something to tell you. Don''t be angry after I say it¡­" Right now, his heart feels like it has just hit a brick wall.

    Look at the consequence of his foolish actions ah. It is solely his fault that his little Yuan was forced to conceal his identity, and serves him right for not being able to find his fated one before the apocalypse began.

    "What is it?" Huo Zaiyuan inquires absently, irritation smothering in his heart whenever he thinks about the warrant and the mysterious person behind it.

    "To be honest, the "damned bastard" you cursed at is none other than me. I was the one who issued the arrest warrant and had it posted on the military website¡­" Long Zhanye''s voice got smaller and smaller until he trails off, gaze fixed anticipatingly on Huo Zaiyuan''s startled expression.

    In all the years of his life, the formidable and fearless senior officer Long has never cringed like he is doing now as he waits for the inevitable explosion to occur. If his poor traumatised and oppressed subordinates back in A City saw their demon Captain like this, their lower jaws would touch the ground in disbelief.

    "You - you - you¡­" Huo Zaiyuan''s body trembles, from shock or anger is anyone''s guess.

    "I also didn''t do it deliberately. I can explain." Afraid that Huo Zaiyuan will stomp off in anger and refuse to acknowledge him anymore, Long Zhanye tightens his grip on his beloved. How the tables have turned. Now it is Long Zhanye who wears a wronged expression.

    "I''m listening." Harrumphing softly, Huo Zaiyuan turns his head away.

    "I told you before, right? I came to Z City because my grandfather forced me to find my ''fated one''. The person''s name is ''Huo Zaiyuan''." Upon hearing Long Zhanye''s words, Huo Zaiyuan who is originally still fuming pauses, clearly not expecting an answer like this. He remains silent, and the older man continues. "Regarding this matter, I was originally reluctant. In addition, you are really good at evading. So grandfather ordered me to search for you, which led to me deciding to post a warrant for you on the military website. However, after the apocalypse arrived, I gave up¡­after that, I fell for you. When I was communicating with my grandfather in X City''s military district, I told him, I don''t need a ''fated person''. As long as I am together with you, I don''t care even if I were to die. I''m sorry¡­"

    The rage in Huo Zaiyuan''s heart gradually dissipates the longer he listens to Long Zhanye. When the other finishes speaking and even apologised for his actions, Huo Zaiyuan stretches his arms and tightens them around Long Zhanye''s body.

    "I don''t want you to die¡­"

    "That''s right, in the end, I still found you. So it means I have broken the old Taoist priest''s prediction. I''m not going to die. I want to be together with little Yuan forever." A gentle smile lights up Long Zhanye''s face as he continues hugging Huo Zaiyuan, kissing his hair softly. "I''m so stupid. The person I''ve been searching for has always been next to me, but I still didn''t realise¡­"

    "It serves you right. If you hadn''t issued that arrest warrant, I wouldn''t have been scared and ran. You made me hide here and there and was even worried about what will happen between us once you found out I am Huo Zaiyuan¡­" Recalling all the trouble he went through just because of one lousy warrant fills him with displeasure.

    "It wasn''t an ''arrest warrant'' but a ''pursue warrant''." Long Zhanye corrects as he lifts the youth''s chin and claims that soft, tempting mouth.

    "Whatever it is, that thing caused me so much trouble¡­"

    "In the future, you will be Mrs Senior officer Long. Whoever dares to trouble you, I''ll kill them." Long Zhanye''s rascal-side rises again.

    Being addressed as Mrs Senior officer Long doesn''t sit well with Huo Zaiyuan. Glaring at the shameless man, he retorts. "It wouldn''t be "Senior officer Long''s wife". It will be "Senior officer Long''s husband"."

    "Yes, yes, beloved. "Senior officer Long''s husband" it is." Long Zhanye agrees without a fuss. If a subordinate had witnessed this scene, they will no doubt cry out in alarm and yell "the gold stars on his epaulettes have blinded you! This imposter is most definitely not the demon king!"

    With every matter between them laid out in the open, Huo Zaiyuan''s heart feels unburdened and relieved. After conversing enough with Long Zhanye, he links their hands together and pulls him along to find Zhou Xingfeng and the others.

    It is not safe to stay in S City any longer.

    (Translator¡¯s notes: So¡­the big identity reveal¡­what do you readers think about it? To be honest, I was a little disappointed because I was expecting¡­well, more. But I suppose this author¡¯s all ¡®fluff and no major dramas between the couple¡¯.)

 CH 108

    Chapter 108: Parting ways

    The party of four and Zhou Xingfeng lead the group of survivors to leave S City in order to avoid more trouble. As soon as they exit the fringe suburbs, they set a course for R City''s safe zone.

    As Huo Zaiyuan''s party refrains from using the main highways, and R City''s safe zone is located in the northern suburbs of the place, it means the two groups who met and stayed together for the last few days will now have to part ways.

    At the intersection that splits the asphalt road and the small dirt road, both truck and off-road vehicle slow to a stop. Huo Zaiyuan, Li Qing and Zhou Xingfeng exits their respective vehicles to bid each other goodbye.

    "On the way to Q City, you must be careful. Although it is the apocalypse now, I believe that one day, us brothers will have the opportunity to reunite once again." Zhou Xingfeng states firmly, staring at the other two youths with suspiciously shining eyes.

    "Of course. You and everyone else must also be careful." Li Qing says and pats his shoulder.

    "Don''t worry. With my powers, I will definitely be able to protect them." Nodding his head, Xingfeng raises a clenched fist. With a bit of concentration, a faint sheen of red light seeps out of his skin and encases his fist.

    During the surprise skirmish earlier, he relied on this sudden rise of power to reduce that heavy sledgehammer to pieces, then assisted Long Zhanye in defeating the guy and other lackeys.

    "Huo Jiabao did mention that each person''s power manifests differently. We also have no idea where his originated from. As for how it manifests, before we have a clear understanding of these powers, don''t rely on it too much." Huo Zaiyuan advises. "Although R City is a militaristic place, with how the world is right now, you must be cautious in everything."

    "Un, little Yuan, I''m really still not used to you lecturing me in matters. Hehe¡­I really miss the wild and unrestrained Huo Zaiyuan of the past." Saying thus, Zhou Xingfeng taps a fist on Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulder, a way of greeting they used between them before all these happened.

    "Humans, sooner or later we all need to mature. Weren''t you also a simple-minded person in the past?" Smiling softly, Huo Zaiyuan lifts a hand and returns the tap.

    "Under the heavens, there are no banquets that last forever. Let us part temporarily here!" Waving to his friends, Zhou Xingfeng turns around and climbs back into the truck.

    The truck and off-road vehicle''s engines roar to life at the same time, each driving down their respective lanes. Meeting and parting again in this short period of time, all of them look forward to reuniting in the future.

    Now with the four men separated from the larger group, the black car accelerates, speed gradually increasing as it bounds forward. Thus commences the long journey to Q City.

    In the backseat of the car, Huo Zaiyuan holds a map of the entire country. Upon this map, a glaring red marker has been used to indicate the state of each city using OO, XX and \\. OO represents cities with established safe zones or ones that have joined hands with another to establish one, and has been deemed secure. XX represents military districts that have been confirmed to be breached by zombies. These places have fallen to enemy hands and the danger within these cities is high. \\ represents military districts that have lost communication with other bases and their current condition is unclear. Hence, the risk factor of these places is unknown.

    S City is currently classified under \\ status. According to what they saw when circling around it once, when the apocalypse occurred, the entire city was thrown into confusion. A few Underworld gangs grouped together to break into the military district, seizing the base and thus, controlling the entire S City. The small group Huo Jiabao gathered and brought to the school is amongst the gangsters residing within the military base.

    "According to the marks on the map, the next city''s base is gone. The one after that is P city, which has lost contact with other bases. After P City is O City, a rare oasis during the apocalypse. We can rest there¡­or keep going forward." Huo Zaiyuan says, lifting his head from the map.

    "O City is only two cities distance from M City. We can cross that distance in one day. Why not head directly to M City and rest there for a night before continuing on our journey?" Qin Jun suggests as he drives.

    The entire journey from Z City to this point, each time they decide to stay somewhere temporarily, things happen. On top of that, the situation becomes more grave one after another. Therefore, he would like to make as little stops as possible as they head for A City.

    "I approve of Qin Jun''s suggestion. Every checkpoint on the main highway is blocked by countless vehicles. Taking the side roads instead has already increased the estimated length of our journey twice-fold. Now that most factors are unpredictable, getting to A City as quick as we can is the top priority. We will rest for a night in M City. Although P City has an established safe zone, it is too close to the highly dangerous G City. In the next stretch of our journey when we depart from M City, it will be best to directly pass through E City, then if possible, turn back onto the main highway all the way to A City." Long Zhanye comments.

    Having already made contact with A City''s military base, he is aware that A, B, C, D and E, these five cities have joined together and formed the front lines for a counter-attack against the monsters. They would have already made arrangements for scavengers and rescue squads to go out of the safe zone every now and then. Which is why when they reach E City, the main highways there will be safe enough to travel across. Once on the highway, it will only take two days to reach A City.

    "Then we''ll do it this way." Huo Zaiyuan nods.

    Coming to an agreement, silence returns and Huo Zaiyuan takes out the old book from his space again to read. Long Zhanye lowers his head to make adjustments to the various weapons within the car while Li Qing curls up in the passenger seat to nap after snacking.

    ~~~

    Clouds of dust rise into the air as the vehicle speeds past. The scorching sun above doesn''t relent, baking the bare earth below and causing the air outside to be unbearably hot. Yet another day gone pass is another day the undead becomes a little stronger. Still, the intense sunlight is something the zombies wandering around this desert-like wilderness fear no longer. Their bodies have already withered and dried, cracked skin covering their bones. Muddy eyes stare blankly ahead, growls rumbling in their throats. Compared to the past, these mummy-like zombies'' outward appearance inspires more fear.

    "The June sun ah¡­I really hate it!"

    Clad in a singlet and holding a battery operated fan in his hand, a heavily-sweating Li Qing is currently torn between turning the fan on or winding down the car''s window. On one hand, the air blown from this electric fan will be hot, but on the other, although the breeze from the window will be cooling, it will also bring with it the smell of rotting meat.

    While there is an operational air-con installed in this off-road vehicle, the car itself already consumes a lot of fuel to run. If one turns the air-con on, it will only quicken the rate of consumption. Which is why everyone made a unanimous decision to turn the car''s air-con on two hours after they stop in order to allow the temperature within the car to cool. This way, it is easier to sleep. Other than that, the air-con will remain off for the entire time.

    "It wouldn''t be hot for long." Huo Zaiyuan murmurs from his position in the passenger seat. Unlike the other three profusely perspiring people in the car, his body is relatively dry. Wearing a white singlet, his long black hair tied into a ponytail with an elastic band, he gives off a fresh and cool aura.

    "Why would it be hot for long? Little Yuan, quickly tell me, did you sneakily turn the on the air-con at your side? Why is it older brother Long, Qin Jun and I are all sweating buckets but you''re not even perspiring a little?" Seeing the dry and clean Huo Zaiyuan, Li Qing can''t be any more jealous ah!

    "I just broke through the third level three days ago. Along with the increase in inner spiritual energy, my temperature can be regulated now. So no matter how hot it is outside, it doesn''t really affect me." Huo Zaiyuan replies as he moves his fingers through a few sets of motions, clearly still unfamiliar with them.

    Regarding Huo Zaiyuan''s ability to meditate and absorb dormant spiritual energy from his surrounding, everyone in this car knows about it. A few days ago, when Li Qing had been extremely bored, he had asked his best friend to teach him how to meditate. However, his attention span is sorely inadequate and his endurance short, so he gave up after half an hour.

    Watching Huo Zaiyuan go through a counting motion with his fingers, Li Qing feels his interest piqued again.

    "Little Yuan, don''t tell me the Art you are cultivating also teaches you how to tell fortunes. I saw a fortune-telling Taoist priest wearing dark sunglasses and sitting at the roadside before. What are you counting now?"

    "My cultivation method indeed doesn''t teach me how to read fortune from palms and all that. This one I learned from the book grandmother Zhang gave me." Huo Zaiyuan says. "I calculated that it will rain in two hours'' time."

    "Nonsense. I don''t believe." Li Qing shakes his head from where he is obediently sitting at the back before laying down on Qin Jun''s lap and sharing the electric fan with him.

    Really hot ah¡­

    Not taking Li Qing''s expression of disbelief to heart, Huo Zaiyuan removes a red apple from his space and bites into it, then places the fruit in front of Long Zhanye''s mouth, who is busy driving.

    Biting into the cool fruit, juicy flesh moistens the inside of his mouth, rich aroma filling his nose. "This apple seems like a special one, its flavour is very different from the ones before." Long Zhanye says before opening his mouth to indicate his desire for another bite.

    Seeing that Long Zhanye likes it, Huo Zaiyuan mouth curves into a pleased smile. "This apple is from a tree I allowed the little tree spirit to water with the spring pool''s water. Since you like it, I''ll allow the little guy to use the spring water for the rest of the crops too."

    When he broke through the previous level and his space transformed, a small brook appears and runs through the plantation. Typically, the water used for the crops is taken from this brook. However, the decision to water a particular plant with spring water was a spur of the moment thing.

    "I''ll eat whatever you give me." Long Zhanye leans over to kiss Huo Zaiyuan''s cheek.

    A while later, he takes out a few more apples and hands them over to Li Qing and Qin Jun.

    Now, on the distant horizon, dark clouds roll in, and faint streaks of lightning can be seen flashing down from the sky. A thunderstorm is almost upon them.

 CH 109

    Chapter 109: Thunderstorm bringing forth an unfortunate day

    When bad fortune befalls someone, it is impossible to block or deflect it. Right now, however, this party of four has become real-life examples of not being able to avoid bad luck!

    This off-road vehicle has already been on the road for more than ten days. During the journey, they met more than a few lone zombies and was blockaded by small groups numbering in the tens sometimes. For these four people, situations like this are nothing to speak of. Just a few waves of the hand or movement of limbs and it is easily settled. As for the torrid heat, with the exception of Huo Zaiyuan, the others are merely irritated by it as it makes them perspire non-stop¡­

    When Huo Zaiyuan followed the instructions written in the book and calculated that a heavy downpour will come in two hours, Li Qing had waved his words away with a laugh.

    But one and a half hours later, dark clouds begin to gather in the sky, causing Li Qing''s eyes to widen as he presses against the car''s window.

    "Really¡­it''s really going to rain. Little Yuan, you are too awesome! You really calculated it! Teach me, teach me!" Attaching himself to the back of the passenger seat, he cries out with sparkling eyes.

    "Little Qing, you wouldn''t be able to learn this technique." Qin Jun says with a smile, then pulls the overly excited Li Qing into a hug before addressing the driving Long Zhanye. "Eldest brother Long, after passing this stretch of road, turn towards that large mountain and go around it, which will be M City''s Pan Yuan main street. Judging by the dark clouds in the sky, there will be a heavy downpour, so driving on the dirt road will not be easy."

    "Yeah, got it." Long Zhanye answers, then a thought strikes him. "I''m going to accelerate. Sit tight. This stretch of road is rather bumpy, so adding more speed will make it a rough ride."

    This sentence is mostly directed towards Li Qing, who is currently the only one not wearing a seatbelt.

    After this reminder, Long Zhanye steps on the accelerator, causing the originally smooth and steady ride to become full of jolts and bumps. The off-road vehicle''s frame begins to vibrate continuously, as though it will shake apart soon. But Long Zhanye''s driving skills is unparalleled, allowing the passengers to feel secure even with the constant jostling.

    "It''s about to rain." A crackle of lightning erupts as soon as Huo Zaiyuan finishes speaking.

    Ever since the start of the apocalypse, they haven''t experienced heavy rainfall. The car swerves, swiftly entering the road curving around the mountain, leading towards M City''s Pan Yuan main street. As soon as the four wheels hit asphalt road, the car stops shaking.

    "If we maintain this speed, we will reach M City in two hours. Once we enter the military district, we can have a good rest tonight!" Li Qing crows in delight, looking forward to the end of the day.

    Right now, don''t say let him lie on a soft mattress. Even if you give him a hard wooden bed, he will still be content to sleep on it.

    Similar thoughts are going through the minds of the others. But as always, nothing ever goes according to plan. As the vehicle swiftly shortens the distance to their destination, a sudden pop rings out and the car jerks, the back portion of it sliding slightly to the side. Another burst of pops and clangs sounds from the rear wheel. It seems that due to the forward acceleration over less than ideal roads, with a speed that didn''t reduce one bit over a period of time, the tires were unable to keep up with the driver''s demands. The car swerves violently for a few hundred meters, almost crashing into the railing on the mountain road.

    "Ahh!!" Li Qing cries in alarm, but is saved from being thrown around as Qin Jun''s arm wraps around his waist.

    If this was someone else driving right now, they would have fallen into a panic when faced with this sort of situation. But with Long Zhanye behind the wheel, he merely yanks it to the side, narrowly avoiding a head-on crash. Stepping on the brake, the car spins a hundred and eighty degrees before coming to a complete stop. No one within was thrown around too much.

    "It''s been quite a while since I experienced a blown tire." This unexpected mishap completely doesn''t faze Long Zhanye. With a calm expression, he comments blandly, not even breathing a little heavier.

    "¡­¡­" Despite the fact that Huo Zaiyuan''s facial expression also remains unchanged during the entire incident, his heart actually leapt in fright when the car went out of control. Because he didn''t fasten his seatbelt, he was nearly thrown out through the windshield.

    "Phew¡­if I was the one driving today, we would have been in an accident already." Hugging Li Qing to his chest, Qin Jun''s panicked expression eases a little. Clearly, he was scared stiff. "What will we do now? We need to wait until the storm has past to change tires."

    "Of course we''ll get down and change tires. We don''t know when this rain will stop." A high-quality umbrella with a strong frame appears in his hand, and Huo Zaiyuan prepares to exit the car.

    "Little Yuan, wait." Abruptly, Long Zhanye catches his wrist. "Take a look in front."

    When the downpour begins, the wiper on the front windshield activates. With water moistening the glass, the thick, sticky layer of sand and dirt slowly becomes wet, allowing the wipers to clear the grime. A scant few swipes later, the glass returns to its gleaming, pristine state.

    Following Long Zhanye''s indication, he looks over to see past the heavy rainfall, squinting a little to make out some faint silhouettes taking shape in the distance, blurred by the falling raindrops. The figures continue to draw closer and closer¡­

    "Is someone coming this way?" Pressed up against the back of the passenger seat, Li Qing cranes his neck to look through the windshield, tone uncertain.

    "The heck, what ''someone''¡­" In the apocalypse, who in their right mind will gather a group of survivors and wander around in the middle of the road. The figures are obviously zombies, and a relatively large swarm of them on top of that!

    Hearing Li Qing curse, Huo Zaiyuan''s lips thin before snapping. "Get out, quickly!"

    "Where are we going?" Seeing Huo Zaiyuan open the door and get off the car, Li Qing immediately follows as he questions.

    Under the heavy downpour, one is instantly soaked the moment they exit the vehicle. But right now, they have much bigger concerns than being soaked to the bones.

    "Climb up the mountain. There''s a place where we can hide in. Quick!" Long Zhanye says, grabbing Huo Zaiyuan hand and sprinting to the mountain edge.

    Linking hands with Li Qing, Qin Jun follows the first pair closely. Raising his head, he glances up at the vague outline of what seems to be a flat area located two meters above, instantly understanding what Long Zhanye''s plan is.

    The side where Pan Yuan main street meets the mountainside is always green with growing plants all year round. Therefore, there are always people roaming up and down this place to trim the growth and make it presentable, making it neat and tidy. At every two meter intervals in length, there will be a piece of flat land. Climbing up to that place in order to escape from zombies is a very feasible idea. Because no matter how the undead evolves, it is impossible to reach the stage of knowing how to climb up the side of a steep mountain so quickly.

    Amongst the four of them, Long Zhanye''s speed and agility is the highest. In a few fluid motions, he has already reached the flat ground. Bending down, he catches Huo Zaiyuan''s arm and pulls the other up, with Qin Jun close on his heels. As for the typically not-too reliable Li Qing, faced with a sudden dire situation, he absolutely refuses to be the deadweight. Despite his movements being less nimble and speed being comparatively slow, it doesn''t affect his steady upward climb. Relying on his own ability, he manages to get up without incident.

    The four of them finds a place to squat as Huo Zaiyuan distributes an umbrella to the others. And thus they wait things out.

    Gaze fixed on the group of zombies slowly ambling forward, Li Qing''s hand slips into the inner pocket of his coat. Lowering his head to look for a second, he stiffens, then shifts to face Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Little Yuan, there''s a very big problem."

    "What is it?" Huo Zaiyuan asks as his eyes fall on Li Qing''s hand and the soggy yellow paper in his friend''s hand which is now completely devoid of spiritual energy. His face blackens, cursing a blue streak in his heart.

    Shit, really fallen into a pit ah.

    Seeing this, Long Zhanye and Qin Jun also digs out their respective Aura Concealment Charm that has always been stuck on their skin. The situation is the same for everyone. Rainwater made the paper soggy, rendering the charm useless.

    "Without the Aura Concealment Charm, will the still zombies be able to smell us under all these rain?" Qin Jun wonders, the corner of his lips pulling downwards.

    It is due to this useful charm that the party manage to avoid attracting large numbers of undead throughout this journey. Now that the charms stuck on their bodies have all but dissolved in the rain, as soon as that swarm of zombies come close enough, they will definitely surround the mountain. When that time comes, the party will become bedraggled chickens trapped on higher ground.

    "I don''t have an answer to this question." Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head, then materialises his Holy Dragon Bone Brush in hand.

    The runes used for the Aura Concealment Charm is a low-levelled, simple one, which is the reason why he used the low-quality paper to draw it on. Due to the spiritual energy within the runes being rather little, using a mid-level or high-level paper or a peach wood tile would be a waste. So when he gave it to the others and use it in his array, he didn''t feel there were any problems. Who would have thought that mere rain will be able to render it completely useless?

    This incident enables him to discover a flaw, thus, Huo Zaiyuan mentally notes that once they reach M City, the will need to make a few of these charms using peach wood tiles. Such a life-saver cannot be carelessly handled. Paper is inadequate.

    Grasping the brush, he condensed a trickle of energy and directs it down the shaft and into the bristles. In a flash of silver light, the droplets of rain dripping down the umbrella stream towards the brush, as though drawn in by some unseen force.

    Following the movements of his hand, a transparent spell is drawn in the air. A flick of his finger has the brush circling once around the four men before returning back to Huo Zaiyuan. The completed runes flash once in the air, causing astonishment to rise in the other three.

    Suddenly, a sharp feminine screech cuts through the patter of rainfall, drawing their attention away from the runes. A haggard figure clad in black skintight blouse and jeans is dashing madly in their direction, closely followed by another male. Behind, a horde of zombies is in pursuit.

    Instantly, the four understands why such a large crowd of undead is gathered here under the thunderstorm. Clearly, they were all attracted by these two humans. Under the party''s observations, the male and female reach the black off-road vehicle and squeeze in, trying to start the engine and drive away.

    Before, the four of them were too focused on escaping the clutches of the oncoming undead, hence forgetting to remove the key from the ignition and lock the doors. Now their car has been stolen. Maybe the person driving is suffering from excessive panic and shock, for when the vehicle slams into the midst of the zombie horde, the momentum causes the entire car to skid across the road and collides against the rails. Or perhaps it is simply because the punctured back tire coupled with an abrupt acceleration. Although several undead were killed in the initial slam, countless others surge forward and surround the wrecked car.

    A moment later, the woman''s screech and the male''s cry of fear pierces the air, continuing for a rather long time.

    The four observers merely remain silent as they watch.

    Why are they still making such a ruckus ah?!

 CH 110

    Chapter 110: Successfully escaping

    The woman''s frightened shrieks are ear-piercing to the point of migraine-inducing. Surrounded by a mass of undead, the off-road vehicle begins to rock dangerously from side to side. As though vastly enticed by something within, the growls intensify.

    With a crack, a window of the vehicle shatters and the screech abruptly cuts off. A pool of scarlet begins to spread on the dark asphalt road which is washed away swiftly by the continuously falling rain.

    An uncomfortable silence grips the four men. This entire time, although they slew more than their fair share of undead, this is still the first time witnessing a human being torn apart by those creatures.

    "Little Yuan." The one who eventually breaks the silence is Long Zhanye as he hugs his lover.

    "Eh¡­what is it?"

    "Now, the attention of that group is all on devouring those two people, it is the best opportunity to escape. Else once they finish eating, there wouldn''t be enough time for us to leave even if we want to. Also, the loud sound of the rain will mask any noise we make, so there''s no need to worry about them noticing us." Long Zhanye speaks lowly, controlling his volume so it is loud enough for the others to hear but soft enough to be drowned out by the pattering rain.

    "I understand. Hang on a minute." Disappearing in a flash of silver, Huo Zaiyuan returns a few seconds later, holding a few yellow paper folded into small triangles in his hand.

    Giving another Aura Concealment Charm to the others, Huo Zaiyuan steps out of the array first, gracefully sliding down the mountain slope. The horde is located at the other end of the street, separated by a mere two or three meters. As soon as his feet touch the ground, he waves his left hand.

    The modified Hummer H1 he purchased from the black market before the apocalypse began finally saw use. Opening the car door, he hurriedly enters the driver''s seat and starts the engine. Long Zhanye, Li Qing and Qin Jun who were preparing for this signal immediately slide down and scramble in.

    The doors close with a ''pa'' and the vehicle immediately speeds forward. Only now do the gorging zombies take notice. But the Hummer is already tearing down the street. None of the undead would be able to catch up even if they tried.

    "Too¡­too intense. If we were only a second slower, we would have been surrounded." Li Qing gasps, patting his chest to calm his racing heart.

    "That off-road vehicle was unmodified. Once you are surrounded, you would be a goner. This Hummer, however, has bullet-proof glass and steel-plated frame." Although Huo Zaiyuan still drives like a beginner, but driving on a smooth, unobstructed road is no problem. Besides the initial start being a little too fast when trying to escape the horde, now that he decreased the speed, he isn''t in danger of losing control.

    Reaching out, he turns on the central heating in the car, not caring if it will waste a significant amount of gasoline. Soaked as they are currently, it will be easy to catch a cold and fall ill. At the same time, he retrieves a couple of large towels and hands them out.

    "Dry your clothes and body, lest one of you catch a cold."

    "Un." Li Qing nods, taking the towel and removing a set of new camouflage attire and underwear from his storage ring, giving one first to Qin Jun, then Long Zhanye. Finally holding one for himself and Huo Zaiyuan, he stares meaningfully at Long Zhanye.

    Understanding his unspoken words, Long Zhanye drapes a dry towel over his shoulder as he turns to Huo Zaiyuan. "Little Yuan, stop the car for a while. Let''s change our clothes first, then I''ll take over driving."

    Glancing around to ensure no traces of zombies can be seen, Huo Zaiyuan consents, stepping on the break and killing the engine. Taking the clothes Li Qing offered, he disappears into his space.

    Compared to the others who merely dried their bodies and changed clothes, Huo Zaiyuan enjoyed the comforts of his space. First, he enters the bamboo house and turns on the stove, adds fish, chicken, ginger, some seasoning and water in order to cook soup. Beside the stove, he sets up a steamer to prepare some mantou before taking a bath and changing into dry clothes. By the time he is done, the meal is ready and he exits the space.

    Parked at the side of the road and listening to the drumming of the rain, the four men huddles in the Hummer and enjoys a hot meal.

    "Phew¡­after being soaked by rain, eating hot food is the best." Li Qing sighs in contentment as he inhales the soup and devours another mantou.

    "Little Yuan''s cooking skills are becoming better and better. In the past, I never thought I would witness the day you can cook an edible dish." Qin Jun grins.

    "I was forced to learn. Try letting little Qing starve for a few days and you''ll know what I mean." Huo Zaiyuan retorts as he bites into a mantou.

    Before his rebirth, he experienced starvation and nearly freezing to death. These memories never fail to make him shudder, which is why he is so determined to be able to feed himself after being given a second chance, so that he will not starve or freeze this time around.

    "Little Yuan had been starved before?" Currently in the passenger seat, Long Zhanye asks, reaching out to pull Huo Zaiyuan into his lap. His heart ached a little from the knowledge.

    From the moment he first met the youth until the moment he found out Huo Zaiyuan''s true identity as the eldest young master of S City''s famous Huo family, he never thought his beloved would have experienced going hungry in his life.

    "After my mother passed away, I moved out of the family home. Although my father lets me do what I wanted, he didn''t care other than giving me a monthly allowance. But that''s all in the past." Huo Zaiyuan replies vaguely, tone nonchalant.

    He isn''t exactly lying. It is the truth that his father didn''t care about his wellbeing besides ensuring he got a monthly allowance. And he did starve during the apocalypse in his last life. But these are indeed all in the past.

    Listening to Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye and the others think that Huo Zaiyuan is merely joking. Qin Jun and Li Qing, being a good friend and a childhood friend respectively, are both well aware of his situation after his mother''s death. The Huo Zaiyuan of the past is someone who flits away money like one pours water down the drain. He ate and wore only the best. However, they aren''t always with him twenty-four seven, so who knows what happened when he is alone?

    As for Long Zhanye, although he knows Huo Zaiyuan is the eldest young master of a wealthy family, from what he knows about the child''s life, he assumes Huo Zaiyuan has been wronged even further, and can''t help feeling sad on his behalf.

    "I promise you, as long as I, Long Zhanye, is alive, from now onwards I will absolutely not let you starve or freeze. Come, have some soup. I didn''t see you drink any." Saying thus, Long Zhanye holds out a spoonful of warm soup before Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth.

    This soup was cooked by Huo Zaiyuan in a relatively large pot, but when he took it out of the space, Qin Jun, Li Qing and Long Zhanye all drank a large bowl each. However, Huo Zaiyuan had only been nibbling on a couple of mantou, and hasn''t touched the soup yet.

    Who would have imagined Huo Zaiyuan merely glanced at the chicken soup before turning his head away.

    After cultivating for a while, Huo Zaiyuan''s preference in terms of food has changed. Before, he can''t have a meal without meat. After, he begins to prefer light foods and avoids greasy or strongly-flavoured ones. Afterwards, he also dislikes food with a strong aroma. In the beginning, he wasn''t aware of this change, but once, Li Qing was feeling gluttonous and craved barbecue. He decided to accompany his friend and the two stuffed themselves full of barbecued chicken wings. That night, he meditated in his space and woke up the next day covered in a layer of grease¡­

    It was then he finally begin to notice that the art he is cultivating instinctively resist foods like fish and other meats, expelling the impurities from what he intakes. Because heavily foods will cause blockages in his body, his cultivation will be greatly affected if too much is accumulated. Hence, he becomes pickier regarding the food he eats in order to prevent his cultivation from suffering.

    Still, while Huo Zaiyuan knows this, Long Zhanye doesn''t. The soldier mistakenly assumes he is deliberately starving himself so the others can have more to eat. Seeing Huo Zaiyuan refusing to drink the soup, he changes tactic and pours some into his mouth. Catching Huo Zaiyuan''s chin with one hand, Long Zhanye slants his mouth over the youth''s lips and forces the soup into the other''s mouth.

    "Mmhmm¡­" Huo Zaiyuan completely doesn''t expect Long Zhanye will resolve to use this method to feed him soup. Caught off guard, a vivid blush stains his cheeks.

    Seeing this mouth to mouth feeding, the pair happily eating in the back seat pretend not to notice.

    After all, it''s not as if they have never done it between them before. And it''s not exactly Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan''s first time either¡­

    "You - you¡­what are you going?!" Swallowing the mouthful of soup, Huo Zaiyuan clasps a palm over his mouth and splutters, face as red as a tomato.

    "Be good and finish this bowl of soup. Or else I will simply feed everything to you with my mouth." Licking his lips as if savouring a delicacy, Long Zhanye smirks, mirth dancing in his eyes.

    "¡­r - rascal!" In the end, Huo Zaiyuan takes the offered bowl and downs the remaining soup.

    For he is afraid Long Zhanye will really keep to his word and feed him mouth to mouth until every drop is gone.

    After filling their stomach, the Hummer''s engine starts again and continues heading towards M City''s safe zone. Outside, the thunderstorm shows no signs of relenting.

    Following the Pan Yuan main street all the way to the outskirts of the city, one can see the number of zombies steadily increasing as one draws closer. Under the rain, these undead continue to wander aimlessly, not even glancing towards the passing Hummer. Apparently, heavy rainfall is capable of limiting their range of movement and muffling their senses.

    "Why do I feel like the number of undead keep increasing?" Li Qing mumbles, staring out the window at the vague figures flashing by.

    "There are indeed more. It could possibly be connected in some ways to the safe zone. We''ll know once we take a look." Huo Zaiyuan replies.

 CH 111

    Chapter 111: Dream

    Under the heavy rain, M City''s safe zone is surrounded by a layer of mist. A blinding white light flickers, acting as a guide for people travelling through this vision-impairing fog.

    Maintaining its high speed, it doesn''t take long for the Hummer to arrive outside the safe zone''s gates. From its outer appearance, it looks different from the one in X City. A two-meter high perimeter wall has already been built around it and a few meters away from the walls, a deep trench several meters wide was dug. After an entire day of continuous rain, the trench has already collected quite a bit of water.

    As the Hummer approaches, the white spotlight lands on the vehicle, tracking its movement. Very soon, a series of creaks announce the lowering of a steel structure tall enough to cover the trench''s width and then some. This safe zone even managed to set up a drawbridge.

    On the other side of the trench, an individual wearing a raincoat and waving a fluorescent red lightstick gestures for them to cross.

    Following the direction of the lightstick, the Hummer slowly makes its way over the drawbridge, coming to a stop near the man. With another rumble of gears and chains, the bridge is withdrawn.

    The man walks forward and taps a knuckle on the window. Long Zhanye unhurriedly winds it down. As soon as the man catches sight of Long Zhanye, his expression stiffens and immediately snaps to attention, saluting.

    "Greetings to senior officer Long."

    Seizing up the soldier, Long Zhanye leans his arm on the windowsill, the corner of his mouth hooking up as he asks. "How do you know my identity?"

    If this was A City, being recognised at a glance wouldn''t be unusual, for Long Zhanye''s reputation and striking appearance are known to all within the city''s military district. However, here in M City, a Private knowing who he is seems rather far-fetched.

    "The district leader passed down an order four days ago so everyone will be able to properly receive you when the time comes. Please take a look¡­" Ending the salute, the soldier shifts his army cap so it sits more comfortably before instructing someone to bring out¡­a photo depicting Long Zhanye in his casual military attire.

    "¡­I assume not everyone was given one?" Looking at the cheap photographic paper typically used for mass production, Long Zhanye finds himself rendered mildly speechless.

    "Reporting to senior officer. District leader said photograph papers are difficult to find, so only the brothers guarding the safe zone''s gates were given one each." Clearly, this Private is an honest and sincere person, for he doesn''t hesitate to answer Long Zhanye''s questions. "Senior officer, although my next course of action can be considered disrespectful, but for the safety of this sanctuary, I will have to ask you and your companions to spend a night in the outer house."

    "As it should be. Please lead the way."

    Under the soldier''s guidance, Long Zhanye parks the Hummer before getting off and stopping at an inspection checkpoint for a quick pat-down. Afterwards, they are directed to a building separated from the rest of the district. It is rather obvious this isolated housing was established not too long ago. Concrete walls with a single window, the supporting pillars and door are made of steel, ensuring it can endure quite a bit of damage. There is a single wooden table and two beds within, with an ordinary pillow and no quilts.

    "There aren''t any leaks and although it''s a simple bed, at least we don''t need to curl up and sleep." Li Qing nods his head, satisfied with their lodgings. Evidently, he really cannot stand being confined inside a car for several days on end. Pulling Qin Jun over to the bed on the left, he announces, "Qin Jun and I will take this one. Older brother Long, you and little Yuan can use that one."

    "I don''t mind either way." Huo Zaiyuan really can''t be bothered about which bed they use. Reaching out to intertwine his fingers with Long Zhanye, he drags the older man down to sit on the bed with him.

    "Rest here tonight, little Yuan, don''t enter your space. Although there are no suspicious devices or bugs installed in this room, someone can still sneakily peek through the window," Long Zhanye murmurs as he wraps his arms around Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Un."

    Consequently, they refrain from taking food out of the space and storage ring, instead eating the snacks they have on their person before settling down to sleep. After travelling on the road for several days straight, each of them is exhausted, so they turn in early.

    Before he drifts off, Huo Zaiyuan stealthily places a paper crane in the room so he can be warned beforehand just in case something happens in the middle of the night. Using Long Zhanye''s arm as a pillow, he places a hand on the other''s waist and closes his eyes.

    The downpour outside continues but it doesn''t stop the four men from dozing off. Very quickly, the only sound within the house is steady, even breathing.

    ~~~

    A gentle breeze blows across, bringing with it a cool, refreshing feeling as it passes over one''s body. Unbidden, a comfortable groan emits from Huo Zaiyuan''s throat.

    The hand on his stomach slowly slides down to the ground as a clear sound of droplets hitting a body of liquid drags him out of his half-asleep state.

    A few drops land on Huo Zaiyuan''s face, the ice-cold feeling causing his brow to wrinkle. His eyelashes flutter for a moment before he blinks dazedly and finally open his eyes.

    The scene he is met with is one he has never seen before. His back is currently leaning against the thick and solid trunk of a matured peach tree. Tall and covered with lush green leaves, its branches spread gloriously outwards, each bearing nine sparkling, baseball-sized peaches.

    Next to him is an open lake, clear and crystalline water gleaming a stunning silver. This particular colour is one he has gotten very familiar with since the spring water in his space is the exact same shade.

    Fingertips running lightly over the water''s surface, Huo Zaiyuan can feel the immense spiritual energy within, bubbling forth to the surface and circulating back down again. The feel of it is so comfortable that it draws a long sigh from him. A strand of white hair flutters down, disappearing beneath the water''s surface.

    Huo Zaiyuan stares at the strand of hair and freezes for a second, evidently taken back by his sudden change of hair colour. Hesitantly, he leans out to look at his reflection on the water.

    He had just started to move forward and hasn''t even managed to catch a glimpse when his arm is caught from behind. Before he can react, his is lifted bodily and surrounded by a warm embrace.

    Who are you?

    Opening his mouth to question, Huo Zaiyuan discovers that no sound emerges from his throat, as though his vocal cords have disappeared.  Lifting his head to look at the person holding him, all he can see is a bleary face, the only clear object being the black dragon totem circlet resting above the stranger''s eyebrows.

    The man hugging him bows his head as though looking at Huo Zaiyuan. Leaning closer, he seems to be saying something which he (HZY) can''t hear. In return, Huo Zaiyuan''s head moves on its own in a shallow nod, as if someone is controlling his body.

    Receiving a wordless consent, the stranger carries him to a small pavilion surrounded by a sea of flowers not far away, setting him down gently on a stone bench.

    Only now does Huo Zaiyuan see the man''s body clearly. Long inky black hair hanging freely down to the stranger''s waist, a silver dragon hairpin securing the topknot on his head. A few loose strands fall over his shoulder, settling against his chest. Clad in long, silver-hemmed black robes decorated with silver embroidered dragons, it gives the man a formidable and aggressive aura. Even if he can''t see the person''s facial features clearly, Huo Zaiyuan somehow feels that black clothes and black hair are extremely fitting for this person.

    The man beckons and a young green-haired child clad in green robes carrying a tray with a purple tea set upon it comes bouncing over. The child''s balancing skill is exceptional, for although their movement is vivacious, the china set in their hands doesn''t move an inch, standing as firm as Mt. Tai[1].

    A cup is placed before Huo Zaiyuan and the stranger fills it up with tea, leaning in to say something. Again, Huo Zaiyuan feels himself nodding and a small smile involuntarily surfaces as he replies.

    The black-clothed male turns to address the child and the little one skips away, leaving the two of them alone once more, sitting in the pavilion and enjoying tea over short conversations. As Huo Zaiyuan cannot hear what is being said, it leaves him feeling extremely vexed.

    He has no idea why he would suddenly appear in this place, why he cannot speak at all, placed in a body out of his control, and who this black-clothed male is.

    Just as doubts begin to surface in Huo Zaiyuan''s heart, the green-clothed child comes skipping back, holding a picture scroll in his hands. Upon entering the pavilion, the child holds it out before Huo Zaiyuan.

    Against his will, he lifts his head to look at the other man, only to receive an encouraging nod. His hands move to unfurl the scroll.

    When his gaze drops to the picture, his eyes widen in astonishment¡­

    Since he cannot control his body, he cannot look up to gauge the stranger''s expression, but he is able to carefully scrutinise the picture before him.

    Long hair draped gracefully over slender shoulders, delicate visage and slim figure, the man in the picture is clad entirely in white, robes billowing gently in the wind. A graceful hand stretches out into the distance, fingers poised as if reaching out for something, appearing for all the world like a descending Immortal¡­

    Isn''t this the exact same painting currently hanging on the back wall of the bamboo house in his space? The one depicting his ancestor Huo Tianji? Besides the absence of a name signed near the bottom, both pictures are identical.

    Could it be this painting was drawn by the man clad in black and given to his ancestor?

    Not waiting for Huo Zaiyuan''s astonishment to fade, the stranger''s next action adds to his amazement. Slowly extending a hand, a slender finger flicks swiftly through the air. As the silver light fades, a white jade calligraphy brush appears in his hand. The Holy Dragon Bone Brush is then placed gently before Huo Zaiyuan.

    The painting was a gift from this man, and so too, it seems, was the Holy Dragon Bone Brush¡­

    What exactly is this man''s relationship with his ancestor? Who in the world is he?

    "Who is who?" A deep, raspy voice sounds in his ear.

    Huo Zaiyuan abruptly stiffens and his eyes fly open, immediately landing on Long Zhanye''s handsome face, whose dark eyes is full of question.

    "Zhan¡­Zhanye, why are you here?"

    "What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Come on, get up. We''re going to see the safe zone''s district leader." Pulling Huo Zaiyuan up so he is sitting on the bed, Long Zhanye begins to wear his clothes while waiting for Huo Zaiyuan to regain his bearings.

    Staring absently at Long Zhanye, he finally comes back to his senses¡­

    Right. He was merely dreaming.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Mt. Tai: A significant historical and cultural mountain, commonly featured/mentioned in Chinese fiction.

 CH 112

    Chapter 112: The infection spreads

    The same Private who greeted them at the gates and showed them to the separate housing is waiting for them when the party of four emerges from the temporary lodging. As soon as they come to a stop before him, he hands four cards to Long Zhanye.

    "Senior officer, this is M City''s safe zone''s access card. If you want to leave the safe zone, just directly hand this over to the guards at the gates."

    "Un." Taking the cards, he gives one each to the other three.

    Having this access card on hand equals proof of being given the all clear and allowed out of the separated building after observation. Anyone with this card is allowed freedom to roam around the safe zone, save for a few restricted areas. This way of doing things is another issue Long Zhanye raised with his grandfather that day in X City.

    As one is able to see from M City''s strict policies, grandfather Long paid special attention to all the potential security risks in the safe zones.

    The soldier leads Long Zhanye and the others into the military district''s aircraft hangar. Heading up to the third floor, there are already people awaiting their arrival.

    Clad in perfectly pressed and ironed green military uniform with a solemn expression on his face, the district leader is seated ramrod straight in his chair. He looks to be around thirty or forty years old and has an air of trustworthiness and reliability. As soon as he catches sight of Long Zhanye, he rises and salutes.

    Twenty-six cities, twenty-six military districts, from Z City being the lowest and A City being the highest, Long Zhanye''s status as A City''s senior officer means he ranks many times higher than this district''s leader.

    "District leader, don''t need to stand on ceremony. I came this time to only spend the night and at the same time be updated on the current circumstances," Long Zhanye says blandly with a light smile, taking a seat under the deferential invitation of the district leader.

    Huo Zaiyuan, Qin Jun and Li Qing also sits in that respective order. Very quickly, someone enters to serve them hot tea.

    "Four days ago, the weather started to turn rather unusual. Electrical waves also became very unstable. Day before yesterday, starting from nightfall, A District''s general headquarters suddenly lost contact with the other districts. Commander-in-chief Long did say there is a possibility you might pass through M City and will seek to spend the night here. Thus, I''ve been waiting for our eventual meeting." After saying this, he turns to give a few instructions to his second-in-command.

    The second-in-command nods and walks into another room to retrieve a file, handing it over to Long Zhanye. "This is the document detailing the "mercenary squad" plan that Commander-in-chief Long passed down to the bases. M City''s safe zone has already initiated this plan the moment we received these orders. After three days of preparation, we sent out several small squads to search for survivors and necessary supplies. From the multiple reports received from quite a few squads, we discovered that a handful of zombies have gradually become stronger. Within this folder are information and resources that I hope you are able to pass onto A City''s headquarters."

    Long Zhanye nods, flipping the file open to look at the documents within. At minimum, there are at least ten pages of detailed records.

    Scanning through each page, his eyebrows rise, then he tucks the papers back into the folder and hands it over to Huo Zaiyuan for safekeeping.

    "District leader, I have a question."

    "Please ask." Hearing Long Zhanye''s words, a trace of nervousness appears on the district leader''s face.

    "In this safe zone, are there any survivors who possess special abilities? For instance, their strength suddenly increased many times over, or other such abrupt change¡­?"

    This query has already been floating around in Long Zhanye''s mind ever since they separated from Zhou Xingfeng and his group. He wants to uncover the cause of people suddenly possessing mysterious skills and abilities like Zhou Xingfeng''s unexpected rise in physical strength.

    "There are people possessing unique abilities in each safe zone. Ever since Judgement Day, there are rare cases of survivors developing such capabilities. However, initially, their powers were weak and limited, hence not many took note of this strange occurrence. Around the time we noticed some zombies gradually evolving, the abilities of these rare cases increased as well. Currently, these humans are classified as "Ability Users". In M City alone, there are twelve such individuals. Five have pyrokinesis, three are areokinetics, two possesses supernatural speed and reflexes[1]." The district leader doesn''t attempt to conceal anything from Long Zhanye, answering the question to the best of his knowledge.

    "Do we know where these abilities originate from and why select individuals possess them?"

    "According to results from various tests, the reason some humans are gifted with these "abilities" may be connected to the apocalypse. Amongst the twelve Ability Users in the safe zone, one of them who possesses supernatural strength acquired his abilities right before our very eyes. He and his five-month pregnant wife fled L City to M City, but was scratched by a zombie on the way here. According to previous intelligence, anyone who was scratched or bitten by a zombie will transform within eight hours. As soon as he entered the gates, we locked him in the separate house. For three whole days, he ran an extremely high fever while his wife waited for him outside. On the fourth day, the scratch wounds miraculously healed, leaving only scars behind, and he came to possess an ability."

    "In other words, not everyone who is bitten or scratched by an undead will turn into one. In the rare case, the victim will have a chance to recover and acquire an ability." Sitting next to Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan finally opens his mouth, recalling Zhou Xingfeng''s case. It could be possible that man''s will to protect his wife and unborn child allowed him to fight through the infection and come out better.

    "Exactly," The district leader agrees.

    "The zombie''s infection leads to a change in the human''s body. It is quite possible the transformation is linked to a person''s way of thinking and willpower. Humans possess limitless potential. Upon knowing that he was scratched by an undead and will turn into a monster, he still desired to protect his dear family. That dire circumstances enabled him to unlock his hidden potential and fight off the virus, at the same time allowing him to become an Ability User," Qin Jun says, expressing his own opinion.

    "That is what the researchers in this safe zone said." The district leader nods, gazing appreciatingly at Qin Jun, not looking down on the apprentice-doctor due to his young age.

    Because age doesn''t determine a person''s ability. Like this A City''s senior officer sitting before him, Long Zhanye may be young, but he is undoubtedly a fine example of an elite soldier.

    Once again, the district leader instructs his second to bring a map out before drawing a boundary on it. "Senior officer, there is another urgent matter I have to report. Four days ago, the volcano at G City erupted again, spewing forth a large amount of volcanic ash. This led to a large-scale air pollution. A few survivors in I City came into contact with this pollution, which caused their hands and feet to fester. Indications of turning into a zombie appeared on their bodies. The district leader of I City staged an emergency evacuation and are currently en-route to M City. If you are planning to pass through I City, you must not linger there, as it has already become a ghost city. On top of that, based on the signal trail we managed to detect, G City''s volcano emitted poison gases and toxic substance during the latest eruption. These also have the ability to disrupt radio signals, resulting in the loss of connection to other bases."

    "I understand."

    After discussing a few more matters, Long Zhanye and the others leave the aircraft hangar. Having slept soundly throughout the night, the four men are feeling rather energetic. The rain has passed, and although dark clouds still cover the sky, they decide to continue travelling after a short discussion.

    At the gates, the access cards are handed over to the guards before the group enters the Hummer and departs the safe zone. The vehicle speeds away, and on the road, one can catch an occasional glimpse of trucks, vans, off-road vehicles and four-wheel-drives in the distance, all heading for M City''s safe zone. This convoy should be survivors escaping from I City after being evacuated.

    "M City''s main highway should be clear. We can get on it after exiting Pan Yuan street to by-pass L City," Long Zhanye states as he drives.

    "All right." The others don''t have other opinions, as travelling on the main highway is the fastest.

    "That district leader said this latest eruption from G City''s volcano should be the primary phase of the apocalypse. What exactly is beneath that dead volcano?" Li Qing muses aloud from the backseat.

    Mere volcanic ash spouted out by a dead volcano, and it can already bring about the end of the world by creating zombies to run rampant. Now it is even polluting the air. How frightening ah.

    "Grandfather said that when the apocalypse began, G City was already shrouded by a thick layer of dense fog and the infection took over its two neighbouring cities before anyone could make contact. We''re monitoring it through satellites and have found no indication of living beings. Even the flora have all withered¡­" Long Zhanye says. "B City''s base once sent a team of soldiers and researchers over to investigate, but no one walked out of G City, alive or otherwise. No one has the faintest idea what is going on in G City."

    Huo Zaiyuan bites his lower lip, then opens his mouth slowly. "Do you all still remember that poisonous swamp we saw in that Banyan Town?"

    Silence settles in the car immediately after these words are spoken. The one who breaks this silence first is Qin Jun. "Little Yuan, are you saying there is a possibility what lies inside G City''s volcano is that horrifying swamp?"

    "Yes." Huo Zaiyuan nods.

    From his previous life to this day, he has constantly been pondering over this question. Poisonous swamp, devil ants and zombies. Where did they all originate from? When he realised there were devil ants amongst the ashes during the volcano''s initial eruption, and now hearing from M City''s district leader about the latest eruption which polluted the air, he thinks¡­

    Perhaps there is an incredibly large poisonous swamp inside the dead volcano, hence the ability to spew out poisonous gases that can infect humans with the zombie virus. And as this gases spread, don''t say humans, even plants and animals, and even the very earth itself, can be infected.

    Humans will become zombies, plants will either die or transform into demonic beings and the earth will turn into patches of poisonous swamps.

    Right this moment, Huo Zaiyuan feels that this world is not only being turned upside down, but it is has been collapsing bit by bit ever since Judgment Day arrived. If this continues, by the time the half-year mark comes around, he will be witnessing the exact same scenes he saw before. Undead and devil ants covering the land, poisonous swamps dotting the earth¡­

    Footnotes:

    [1] I know that adds up to ten. What happened to the other two? I don¡¯t know.

 CH 113

    Chapter 113: I returned from the apocalypse

    Now that they have left M City''s safe zone, the road ahead will not only be filled with undead, but there is a possibility of running into flesh-eating devil ants and more poisonous swamps. There is also a high chance of encountering mutant demonic plants or even toxic zombies and poisonous gases capable of infecting humans. Therefore, after discussing with the other three, it is decided that they will not get off the car. Ever. Not until they reach a secure location.

    In order to ensure this journey will be as safe as possible, Huo Zaiyuan spends most of his time wondering how to set a protective barrier around the Hummer. Peach wood tiles are too thick and are not well suited to stick on top of the car. So he can only use paper talismans. Thus, when night falls, he hides away in his space and draws three sets of Heaven Concealing Arrays on high-quality yellow papers. Now that he has broken through to the fourth level, the Heaven Concealing Array has also increased a level. It might not be very high, but the highest quality paper he has on hand cannot contain any more spiritual power than this. If he reaches the fifth level, the paper would have combusted from being overloaded.

    A set consists of four pieces. Using the Hummer''s frame as the boundary limit, he lays it out on the roof of the vehicle, between its front and back headlights, on the underside and one each on the left and right. In order to ensure the talismans do not drop off halfway, he superglues them to the surface, and place duct tape over the pieces.

    His night labours paid off. Zombies that are drawn by the roar of the Hummer''s engine are sent flying several meters away the moment any part of them touches the steel-plated frame. Seeing this, Huo Zaiyuan heart is at ease. Next, he folds a few more paper cranes to act as night watchers in order to allow everyone to rest at night. Recuperating is important, especially when they will be stuck in the car for who knows how many days.

    Night falls, and the wilderness all around is thrown into pitch-black darkness. Rain starts to fall again, drumming on the roof. This Hummer has no interior night light. The paper crane drifting to and fro within the car gives off silver rays of light, appearing as two small light bulbs. As this vehicle has gone through modifications, the windows are tinted in a way that disables anyone outside from looking in. Hence, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t need to worry about the cranes attracting any undead in the vicinity. (Author''s note: Because zombies'' night vision is very good and are sensitive to light, HZY doesn''t use paper cranes as watchers at night as the off-road vehicle''s windows are not modified like the Hummer is.)

    Curling up in the passenger seat, Huo Zaiyuan decides to forego meditating tonight. However, he has become a rather light sleeper, able to wake up at the slightest sound. Thus, with the pattering of the rain outside, he has trouble falling asleep.

    Shifting slightly in order to avoid stiff muscles or cramps from staying in one position for too long, he slowly wriggles to find a more comfortable position when suddenly, a hand reaches out. Before Huo Zaiyuan can react, he finds himself being lifted up and settled against a familiar, warm chest.

    "Zhanye¡­" Huo Zaiyuan murmurs softly, body relaxing into the embrace. "Why aren''t you asleep yet?"

    "Was sleeping, but the rain woke me up. Little Yuan is also a light sleeper?" An arm around his waist, free hand gently stroking Huo Zaiyuan''s head, Long Zhanye kisses his cheek.

    Humans develop this condition when they are forced into an environment where one needs to be on constant alert after an extended period of time. Or like him, one will develop it through conditioned training from a young age. Under any sort of circumstances, he will be able to retain an alert mind as long as necessary. A single rustle of grass or whispering of wind will be able to jolt him from sleep. But Huo Zaiyuan is not like him. The eldest young master of the Huo family. Even if neglected by the entire household, it is impossible to be kept awake by the pattering rain outside.

    "It''s a habit. Every time I hear the rain, I''ll wake." Placing a hand on Long Zhanye''s hip, Huo Zaiyuan fidgets until he finds a cosy position before closing his eyes.

    He is really becoming more and more dependant on this man. As long as he is by his side, this heart will be soothed.

    "What sort of habit?" Cradling Huo Zaiyuan close, Long Zhanye allows his eyelids to drift shut as he questions.

    Although he knows quite a lot of this child''s history, behaviour and personality, he always feels it is not enough, as the youth always carries an air of mystery. There''s always a sense of many more hidden secrets that Long Zhanye is still unaware of.

    "Zhanye, if I told you that I have experienced death once, will you believe me?" The hand on the older man''s hip tightens slightly as Huo Zaiyuan finally speaks again. Remembering his previous life, his heart feels very bitter.

    "Little Yuan." Long Zhanye''s arms draw Huo Zaiyuan closer as a jolt of surprise runs through him. Never would he have imagined a sentence like this coming from his beloved.

    Death is not a joking matter. However, he doesn''t feel like Huo Zaiyuan is kidding. Only¡­

    "When we first met, didn''t you ask me why I seem to be so knowledgeable about zombies? I answered¡­it was all taken from a movie." Huo Zaiyuan has an inkling of the thoughts running through Long Zhanye''s head. A faint smile curves his lips and a soft strained laugh rings out. "That was a lie. I''m familiar with zombies because I experienced surviving the apocalypse for half a year before my rebirth¡­in other words, I returned from the apocalypse, thus, I know about zombies, about devil ants, about the poisonous gas polluting the air¡­"

    "So it''s like this. The little Yuan from before this apocalypse, how did he¡­" This one word "die" is something that Long Zhanye will absolutely not voice aloud.

    Clutching the person in his embrace tightly, Long Zhanye makes a firm resolution in his heart, that this child who was given a second chance will always be protected by him. In this life, he will definitely not allow him to experience the slightest risk.

    "Do you still remember the Huo Jiabao we ran into in S City?"

    "Seen before, and remember. He left a deep impression." Of course, he wouldn''t forget someone who injured his little Yuan. Not when he has yet to collect that debt.

    Hmph, that little bastard had best not appear in front of him ever again, or else this Lord Captain will definitely send him back in a body bag.

    "In my previous life, he was torn apart by a zombie during the initial stages of the apocalypse. At that time, S City fell into chaos and bad people ran around robbing others and killing them. Zombies were rampaging throughout the city¡­I managed to escape to the city''s safe zone established by other survivors. There, I met Huo Jiabao''s mother one last time." Even as he mentions that woman whose current status is unknown, his heart remains calm. "Afterwards, poisonous swamps began to spawn randomly, causing large portions of the earth to become infected. Zombies and devil ants emerge in large numbers and massacred countless survivors. The leader of the safe zone decided to lead everyone up the mountain. Halfway there, a horde of undead and devil ants pursued us. I was kicked off the side of the slope by that woman into the swarm of ants. I died being devoured¡­when I opened my eyes again, I found myself back in bed, a year before Judgement Day. After obtaining the interdimensional space, I immediately begin making plans to stockpile goods and supplies. Then the apocalypse happened, I met you, Li Qing and Qin Jun."

    "This time, I will absolutely not allow anyone to harm even a hair on your head. If anyone wishes to do so, they will have to step over my corpse." Although Huo Zaiyuan told his story in a bland and even voice, Long Zhanye''s current mood is far from calm.

    Hmph, that woman has a lot of guts. Actually daring to kick his wife into a swarm of ants and letting him experience such a tragic death. She will be made to endure immense torture and suffering if he ever gets his hands on her.

    "Ever since my rebirth, I''ve discovered that everything has changed. Judgement Day came too early, I met you, Li Qing and Qin Jun. The Huo Jiabao who should be dead is alive¡­and now humanity is given a chance to develop special abilities. That''s why I think even if that woman is dead or alive, she wouldn''t have the chance to hurt me anymore." Reaching a hand out, Huo Zaiyuan caresses Long Zhanye''s face to placate him.

    The cool-headed and steady senior officer Long will actually become this agitated on his behalf¡­hehe¡­it really feels great to be cherished by someone else.

    "Little Yuan''s meaning is¡­you also don''t know what will happen in the future?" Catching the hand caressing his face, Long Zhanye flips it over and plants a kiss on the fair palm. "Eh¡­if you don''t know, then let it be. After all, little Yuan will not be placed in danger. As long as you let me hold you, all will be well."

    "Fool." Huo Zaiyuan laughs fondly, tone amused.

    "Wuwu¡­I - I can''t take it anymore!"

    Suddenly, Li Qing''s sorrowful voice drifts over from the backseat before the entire person pounces onto the back of the passenger seat. Watery eyes wide open, teardrops hang from those long eyelashes.

    Staring at his childhood friend, Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth trembles faintly. "You¡­why are you awake? My conversation with Zhanye was very soft."

    This brat has always been a deep sleeper to the point that even if a gong was beaten beside his ear, he will still remain sound asleep. Why is it that this brat somehow woke during his conversation with Zhanye?

    Could it be Li Qing also developed a habit of sleeping lightly some time during the apocalypse?

    The more Huo Zaiyuan thinks about it, the more likely it is. Although Li Qing isn''t as quick-witted, he is still a sensitive and surprisingly perceptive child.

    Yet, Li Qing''s next words cause Huo Zaiyuan''s logical theory to come crashing down¡­

    "I was sleeping, but then I felt thirsty so I woke up to drink some water. Then I heard you saying¡­how can that woman do something like that?! It''s really too much. She had better not cross my path or else I will definitely throw her into a horde of zombies and let her have a taste of her own medicine!" Li Qing heart is full of indignation on his best friend''s behalf. He wasn''t aware that woman is so rotten ah!

    As he himself is not Madam Li''s birth son, she didn''t like interacting with him and will reprimand him whenever he erred. Even so, she will definitely not be so black-hearted as to mercilessly send him to his death.

    At this moment, Li Qing is still unaware that the words he swore this night will be enacted one day in the near future. But that a story for another time.

    Now, the four of them are wide awake without a trace of sleepiness. Under Li Qing''s prompting, they eat an early breakfast. When dawn breaks the horizon, the Hummer roars to life and continues its way forward.

 CH 114

    Chapter 114: Commando squad

    Cutting through the rain, the Hummer speeds down the bumpy dirt road. A constant ''sha sha'' sound blends with the humming of the engine as the half a meter tall weeds growing on both sides brush against the car frame. Although the road is narrow, it is at least wide enough for the Hummer to fit through nicely. In addition, the ground is not flat, with small potholes and puddles of water everywhere. Anyone with less skills will have a high chance of getting their car stuck in the ditch on either side, especially at the speed they are currently driving at.

    Just as well Long Zhanye is someone who possesses more than adequate skills. For the several kilometres they have been travelling down this road, the Hummer maintains its steadiness, its wheels never once slipping.

    It has been five days since they left M City. As soon as they exit this small dirt road, they would reach I City. Even though the last survivors have fled the city, leaving it devoid of life, before the pollution forced everyone out, a safe zone was already established in the military district. Thus, the main highway has already been cleared. After a quick discussion, they settle on taking the Huan Shi main street to directly by-pass I City, and take a detour to avoid H, G and F, these three high-risk places before heading into E City.

    Yet once again, things never go according to plan, and Huo Zaiyuan''s party is rather unfortunate. Just as the Hummer exits the small road and enters a bigger street, the vehicle is intercepted by someone.

    The individual who stopped their vehicle is clad in a military camouflage uniform and wearing a full-face gas mask on their face. Gloves on their hands and combat boots on their feet, not a single sliver of skin is visible from head to toe. In addition, a rifle is held at the ready.

    However, no malicious intent can be detected from this mysterious person. After blocking their way, he walks up to the car window and pats it before making some hand signals, hinting that they should not wind down the window. Pausing to ensure his message is received, the individual continues gesticulating.

    Watching the series of gestures, Huo Zaiyuan frowns lightly, not understanding what the person is trying to convey.

    "What is that guy saying?" Li Qing promptly displays his inquisitive side.

    "This person is a recruit in the army. He is saying he apologises for blocking our vehicle, but there is a highly toxic substance in the air, warning us not to open the car window. Their own vehicle is currently out of fuel and is asking if we can spare some." Long Zhanye explains to the others in the car, at the same time making a few quick gestures in reply to the person outside.

    The guy expresses his thanks before waving his hand, indicating for them to head forward a little and stop beside their armoured car.

    "Older brother Long, you''re really awesome. How did you understand all that?" Pressed up against the passenger seat''s chair, Li Qing exclaims in amazement.

    "He is the senior officer in A City''s military district. How can he not understand?" Huo Zaiyuan stares at him as though looking at an idiot, before exchanging a teasing smile with Qin Jun.

    "Not allowed to laugh!" Li Qing''s face flushes red before launching himself at his lover.

    "But it''s strange. Wasn''t I City abandoned quite a while ago? They don''t look like they are leaving, but rather, they seem to be heading into the city." Qin Jun gazes out the window at the six soldiers outside. Although all six are covered from head to toe, every action is cautious and their tensed body language gives away their alert state of mind. The head of their armoured car is not faced away from the city, but towards it.

    "That''s right." Li Qing agrees.

    "The equipment on them is one I have never seen before. But it ought to be able to resist toxic substance. In addition, this armoured car is the sort banks use to transfer huge amount of funds from one place to another. The fact that they ran out of fuel shows the safe zone they come from has gasoline shortage." Long Zhanye offers his analysis. "According to their equipment, the danger level of this city is extremely high."

    The him who was raised in the army is well aware that the more dangerous a mission is, the more meticulous and higher-quality the allocated equipment will be. During the apocalypse, one can gauge a place''s danger level from the attire of the soldiers there¡­however, to enter such a risky place with insufficient equipment, is is obviously a mission betting on one''s luck and life.

    "A pity we don''t have full-coverage attire like them ah. Or else we can get out and lend a helping hand." Li Qing knows full well that his ability is the weakest one in this party, but upon hearing these few soldiers will be heading into this dangerous city like moths flying into the flame, his heart feels rather uneasy.

    "Who says we can''t get off the car if we don''t have that kind of equipment?" Huo Zaiyuan says before opening the passenger-side door and getting off.

    "Little Yuan ah!" Cries of alarm ring out in the car.

    "The poison gas wafting through the atmosphere has actually already spread as far as the outskirts of J City. That night, when we entered the outer suburbs of J City and got out of the car for a while, I noticed the evil energy within the air was unable to enter our bodies, which is why there wouldn''t be any problems if we get down here." Huo Zaiyuan waves his hand and a bottle of gasoline appears in order to pretend that this had always been in the car. Carrying it, he heads over to the soldiers.

    Seeing his long hair drifting in the wind, walking over nonchalantly dressed in only a knitted sweater, cotton trousers and sneakers, the soldiers startle so badly that their tight formation loosens a little.

    Stunned silent by the piece of new information, the three within the Hummer pause for a second, before exiting the vehicle one after another.

    Long Zhanye walks over to the recruit who rapped on their Hummer''s window to ask for fuel and presents his military identity card. The guy stiffens, then snaps out a salute before gesturing for them to come into the armoured car.

    As soon as the four steps in, the soldier leads them over to a machine stored at the back of the compartment. Lifting a gloved hand, he presses a few buttons. A green light flickers, then the man''s voice comes out.

    "Senior officer, you¡­why are you deliberately exposing yourself to the toxic atmosphere¡­" Hearing an anxious male voice coming from the machine while the person himself remain silent is honestly a little unsettling.

    "Don''t need to worry about me. I have a toxic resistant equipment with me. What happened here?" Pulling up a chair that was pushed to the side for Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye questions. "Are you planning on heading into I City?"

    "Reporting to senior officer. We are E City''s Commando squad with a mission to enter I City and retrieve vital data and materials stored in the abandoned research institute¡­" The recruit informs Long Zhanye of all the details pertaining to their mission.

    Within I City, there were already a few cases of mutant plants attacking humans. These various lifeforms were delivered over to the plant research centre where an elderly professor took over the studies of these demonic beings. Not long ago, when the pollution from G City reached all the way to this place, I City immediately ordered an emergency evacuation of all unaffected survivors. However, this professor refused to leave, for he was in the middle of a major experiment during that time. Now with all contact in this city lost, no one knows if said professor is still alive. But what caused a commotion was that three days ago, A, B, C, D, E, these five cities suddenly received a radio morse code signal coming from I City''s research institute calling for help. Together with the SOS, a single sentence was also delivered. "Mutant plant experiment a success, please send rescue squad from safe zone." The connection broke off instantly after that.

    According to reports given by the few researchers who were working with the professor before escaping, this time, the professor''s research was to filter poison gases and purify the air using the demonic plants as a medium. In other words¡­the mutant plants have the ability to absorb the poisonous gases in the air and consequently prevent the spread of this pollution. Hence, the safe zone sent out commando squads tasked with retrieving this priceless information by all means necessary.

    However, for some reason, after D and E''s safe zone sent out four separate squads to enter I City, they immediately lost contact. Since the squads are still unaccounted for, E City sent this group out in order to confirm the status of those previous squads and even gave the six members this armoured car and all the necessary protective gears recently sent over from A City.

    "You said all the equipment you are wearing were given by A City. Do you know who the manufacturer of this attire is?" After listening to this report, Long Zhanye frowns.

    At first glance, he didn''t see anything special about their equipment, but after boarding this vehicle and learning everything they are using right now was given as a set, he can tell the person who made this was very thorough.

    "General Long personally made them." The recruit replies, his tone full of respect and admiration when talking about this "General Long".

    "These ordinary pieces of equipment were made by Uncle Long?" From his words, one can tell he is very familiar with "General Long".

    "Eh¡­that¡­this equipment and armoured car[1] was given to us on the day of our departure from the safe zone. Matters were rather urgent, so¡­our superior officer only gave us an operation manual, but none of us is able to make sense of it, thus¡­" He trails off, implying that none of them has yet to figure out how to properly operate their various equipment.

    "This vehicle doesn''t use gasoline to power it engine. Rather, it is for supplying electrical energy to the various machines you have in here." Li Qing speaks out from the side, having procured the complex manual from somewhere and is currently flipping through it.

    As he read, he reaches out and speedily punches buttons on a machine. Following his administrations, the silent machine begins to hum faintly before it moves slightly, as though something is pulling on the bottom of it. A few seconds later, the interior of the entire car lights up.

    "Heavens¡­" Upon seeing this, the soldiers can''t help exclaiming.

    "Little Qing, you¡­how were you able to understand how to operate these machines?" Qin Jun asks with an astonished expression.

    Gaze lifting from the instruction manual in his hands, Li Qing''s face is full of innocence as he replies. "Because the book my mum left me had a few technology terminologies written down. I was able to understand this after reading that notebook."

    Footnotes:

    [1] Kinda imagined the armoured car to look something like this:

    But perhaps a little longer length-wise to fit more equipment in the back.

 CH 115

    Chapter 115: Evolved zombies

    Slim fingers fly over the keyboard of the machine, kick-starting it into action. The monitor lights up, displaying the blueprint of the armoured vehicle. Another couple of taps on the keyboard and the screen flickers, changing to show the six full-body pieces of equipment the soldiers are wearing.

    "Woah, the person who created this car and equipments is a real genius ah." Li Qing stares at the screen with sparkling eyes as he sighs in admiration.

    An arm curls around his body, drawing him into an embrace as Huo Zaiyuan''s voice sounds in his ear. "You are also a genius. Youngster, you finally found your calling. All the trouble you put me through ever since I met you again were not endured in vain."

    Teased by Huo Zaiyuan, Li Qing''s face reddens as his temper explodes. "Little Yuan, you are so annoying!"

    "Thank you." Huo Zaiyuan takes it as a compliment without batting an eye before turning to Long Zhanye. "This car and the allocated equipment are a set. If they simply go in the way they are now, there is a high chance of encountering danger."

    "I understand." Long Zhanye nods, then asks the recruit. "Are there any other extra equipment in here?"

    "Eh? There is, there is. There are exactly four more outfits. Senior officer, you¡­are you planning on coming with us?" Even if they cannot see the soldier''s expression, one can tell from his body language and words that he is dumbfounded.

    Long Zhanye''s reputation is not confined to A City''s military district only. Entering the Military Academy at the age of fifteen, he is able to take up S-rank missions, complete them successfully and return with his body parts still intact. And now, out of the blue, he unexpectedly decides to assist them. With him by their side, it means their mission is a guaranteed success.

    "That''s right. Is there a problem?" Long Zhanye quirks an eyebrow at him.

    "No, of course not. I''ll go prepare the equipment for all of you." Saying thus, the soldier scurries away to prepare everything.

    "Older brother Long, we are going to help them, huh?" Li Qing blinks.

    "Little Yuan and I will enter the city with them. You and Qin Jun will stay in the car to guard it and act as backup. This vehicle requires someone who knows how to operate it to stay, or else it would be useless." Long Zhanye says, patting his shoulder.

    Hearing this, Li Qing feels extremely happy. In the past, he was always protected by the others. This is the first time he feels he is able to contribute a lot and able to assist everyone.

    Putting on the attire, the four forgoes wearing the headgear. Li Qing and Qin Jun remains in the back of the armoured car in order to monitor and operate the machines while Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye returns to the Hummer.

    "Why are we wearing the same gear as them? Although the quality is pretty good, I don''t like wearing skintight clothes. It feels rather uncomfortable." Huo Zaiyuan scowls, pulling at the fabric covering his body.

    Currently driving the Hummer and following close behind the armoured car, Long Zhanye glances over at the complaining youth with a fond smile. "Even normal attires designed by Uncle Long are always simple, but made with top-quality fabrics, let alone these clothes manufactured to resist toxic matters and various other dangers. That vehicle may look rather ordinary, but it is not your typical armoured car. Its frame is made out of the hardest steel alloy available and every surface is bulletproof. The clothes we are wearing right now is from a high-quality fibre that is extremely durable and bulletproof."

    "You seem to be very familiar with it." Huo Zaiyuan raises his eyebrows as he puts on the earpiece.

    "The military attire I usually wear are all made from this kind of material. It makes me look smart!" Long Zhanye boasts. "Wait until we return to A City. I''ll wear it to show you."

    "Narcissist." Looking at that smug smile, Huo Zaiyuan reprimands him lightly as he leans in to help Long Zhanye put on his own earpiece.

    "It''s self-confidence." Feeling his soft touch on his ear, Long Zhanye glances at the attractive face so close to his and a few thoughts flash through his heart before he forces himself to concentrate on driving. "I saw you sneakily sticking a few charms on the backs of those youngsters."

    The way his little Yuan tries to stealthily do things is too adorable. In his eyes, the child resembles a kitten trying to scratch something up without their owner noticing.

    "Hmph, I cannot travel with a group of people who are liable to be torn apart by zombies the second they accidentally slip up. Those talismans are able to block ten attacks. How they use these ten chances to save their lives all depends on their ability." Huo Zaiyuan harrumphs coldly as he looks away.

    "Sharp tongue and a soft heart."

    His heart is so obviously softer and more honest than anyone else''s, but he insists on hiding it behind a cold and indifferent demeanour. Aya¡­this awkward child is so cute, really tempting him to pull his little Yuan into a tender hug and love him dearly.

    The armoured car and Hummer cruises along the main street leading to I City. As they head further and further inwards, the numbers of zombies increase exponentially. Because a safe zone had been established here before, most of the old undead created near the beginning of the apocalypse has been cleared. Zombies wearing tattered and torn clothes were scarce. A majority of the undead within this city is clad in cleaner attire with only faint traces of rot on their bodies. However, none of these had bite wounds or scratch marks. Suffice to say, they were all infected by the poison gas in the air and consequently transformed.

    "According to that professor''s research, if those mutant plants can be used to purify the air, then it will really be a life-saver." Li Qing comments as he types away at the keyboard.

    "Little Li and little Qin, have you both seen a mutant plant before?" The smaller machine''s green light flashes and a soldier''s voice comes out of it. This particular soldier is called Lu Yi.

    "Seen it once before." Li Qing answers.

    "Un, it left a very deep impression." Qin Jun''s face is filled with black lines as he recalls that demonic Banyan tree which sucked humans dry of blood.

    "You guys¡­don''t look too good. Bad experience?" This observation comes from another commando named Zhao Ming.

    "Heheh¡­"

    The two vehicles take a turn around the corner, cross onto another main street and drive forward for a short period of time. All of a sudden, two stationary cars appear in their line of sight. Parked horizontally across the road, the vehicles effectively block their way.

    The bodies of the unknown cars are splattered from top to bottom with blood, making a rather shocking sight. In addition, scattered on the ground below and around the wheels are dismembered limbs, body parts and pools of scarlet.

    Leading out in front, the armoured car slows to a stop while the Hummer moves forward a little until it draws parallel to the car it was following.

    "Unknown situation, take all precautions." Long Zhanye''s voice comes out from everyone''s earpieces. When he made the decision to join this commando squad to accomplish their mission, the squad leader immediately handed over command to him. "Li Yu and Ming Kun, get out of the car. Su Qing and Hou Yong, cover them. The rest of you, stand by."

    "Roger."

    "Yes, Sir."

    Lu Yi and Ming Kun are the first pair to exit the armoured car, guns at the ready and aiming at the bloodstained Land Rovers as they inch towards it.

    In the Hummer, Long Zhanye exchanges a glance and a nod with Huo Zaiyuan before the latter opens the car door. Three paper talismans in his left hand, he readies them, eyes fixed on the scene ahead.

    Just as the two soldiers approach the Land Rovers'' ajar door, a shadow pounces out from within. Lu Yu and Ming Kin react in an instant, lifting their firearms to shoot. Flesh and dark blood form another coating over the already tainted vehicle. The rotting corpse of a hound collapses, its head broken and brain matter leaking out of the various bullet holes.

    Immediately after, another two more shadows spring out of the narrow alley between two high-rise buildings opposite the road, attacking Lu Yi and Ming Kun in unison. Tasked with providing cover, Su Qing and Hou Yong open fire and down the undead dogs. Lu Yi and Ming Mun exchange a look before climbing into the two Land Rovers, placing them in reverse and clearing the way.

    "Zombies incoming. A swarm of them." Li Qing''s voice sounds in their ears.

    From the alleys on both sides, a large number of zombies surge forth, arms waving and growls rumbling in throats as they head unerringly for the Hummer and the armoured car.

    "Lu Yi and Ming Kun, hurry up! Everyone else, spray into the horde!" Long Zhanye orders as he fires his submachine gun at the approaching mass of undead. Following the tinkling of bullet shells hitting the asphalt road, zombies fall like dominoes.

    The other members in the armoured car begin to pour fire into the undead horde on the other side. Beneath this hail of bullets, Lu Yi and Ming Kun safely return to their vehicles.

    Ming Kun enters first with Lu Yi following right on his heels. But it is at this moment, within the crowd of ordinary zombies, a silhouette leaps high into the air and pounces towards Lu Yi.

    Airborne, one can clearly see this creature''s distinct features. A female with red cracked skin, milky white eyes, a mouthful of razor-sharp, shark-like teeth and purplish-red claws.

    The few bursts of gunfire from Su Qing are all deftly evaded. When it seems as if those terrifying claws are going to tear Lu Yi''s head clean off, a ray of silver light shoots towards the female zombie.

    With quick reactions, it pulls back its claws and sidesteps, intending on dodging around the talisman. Except the yellow paper didn''t follow its wishes, instead homing in on it and exploding in its face.

    An ear-piercing screech rings out as it turns around to flee. But Long Zhanye is quicker. Who knows when he swapped the submachine gun for his trusty rifle, but a single gunshot is all he needs to put a bullet through the female zombie''s head.

    It collapses to the ground like a puppet with its strings severed.

    And when everyone breaths a sigh of relief after taking down an above-average undead without receiving a single injury, the motionless corpse suddenly burst into action, pouncing on the nearest zombie and taking a large bite out of its head.

    Before their startled eyes, the neat bullet hole in the middle of the female''s skull heals, leaving no traces of a wound behind. Devouring the rest of its fellow undead''s head, it slowly turns back in the direction of the Hummer and the armoured car.

    "It''s an evolved zombie!!"

 CH 116

    Chapter 116: Advanced research institute

    "That is an evolved zombie. Able to increase its abilities by devouring their kin''s brains." Lu Yi who managed to avoid death by the skin of his teeth states as his comrades drag him into the car.

    "I¡¯ll let all of you handle the normal zombies. As for the evolved one, little Yuan and I will take care of it." Long Zhanye commands as he gestures to Huo Zaiyuan, then removes the steel sword he tucked away beneath the driver seat of the Hummer. "Little Yuan, cover me."

    "Older brother Long, what are you planning to do?" Li Qing asks over the earpiece.

    "Since putting a bullet in its head won''t work, then the only other option is to hack it to bits. You focus on the situation in our vicinity. Report any and all changes!"

    Long Zhanye stalks towards the female zombie with Huo Zaiyuan three paces behind. Tossing a few talismans towards the swarm of zombies, a flash of silver erupts, forming two protective screens between the evolved undead and the horde on both sides.

    An admiring exclamation comes through the earpiece even as the sound of submachine guns and assault rifles firing ring continuously in the air, bringing down wave after wave of undead.

    Beholding the silver wall separating it from the ordinary undead, the female zombie becomes jittery. In a blink of an eye, its expression turns malevolent, low growls wafting out through clenched teeth. The only warning it gave before attacking Long Zhanye is the minute twitch that ran through its body.

    The soldier meets it head on, not retreating even a single step back. The blade slashes through the air, aiming to sever the zombie''s head from its shoulders. Clearly registering the sword as a bigger threat than bullets, it doesn''t attempt to dodge, instead raising both hands to catch the blade.

    Two talismans shoot pass Long Zhanye''s ears, hitting the zombie''s face.

    Boom! Boom!

    Following two loud explosions, Long Zhanye shifts a step back and withdraws his sword, sustaining no damage on his person.

    As for the zombie who is sent flying by the exploding talismans, its entire body is covered in black burns, smoke rising from its skin.

    Explosions and flames from a Taoist''s talismans wouldn¡¯t harm a normal human in the slightest. However, in terms of demonic beings like zombies, they are a very effective killing tool.

    "What do you think?" Huo Zaiyuan asks with a small smirk as he walks to stand beside Long Zhanye.

    To be honest, he actually doesn''t need to lift a hand. Although that evolved female zombie appears to be extremely ferocious, based on Long Zhanye''s ability, he wouldn''t have any problems bringing it down. However, Huo Zaiyuan feels bored just standing aside and not cashing in on the action. So he decides to play a flanking game with Long Zhanye.

    "Speed is quick and its force is powerful." Long Zhanye gives his honest opinion, before tagging on other unwanted personal opinions that makes one feel like blowing their top. "Build is not bad, but skin complexion is too pale and facial expression is too fierce. Sure enough, a woman cannot be too aggressive lest they scare men away."

    "¡­¡­" Upon hearing the last few sentences, Huo Zaiyuan pauses, rendered completely speechless.

    A few chuckles come over the earpiece before being hastily stifled as the members of the commando squad are taken by surprise. They never would have thought this infamous legendary figure in the army actually possesses a sense of humour, strange as it may be.

    "I wasn''t aware you have such unique tastes." Huo Zaiyuan says in an extremely dry tone. "Since you like it, then I''ll leave it to you."

    "As if I''ll like it. In my eyes and heart, there is only one little Yuan." Saying these corny words with a bland face causes goosebumps to rise on the arms of the others listening.

    "Scram far away¡­" A blush surfaces on Huo Zaiyuan''s face and he glances away, gaze flickering towards the female zombie.

    Being ignored by the two men for so long, it eventually runs out of patience. With a loud howl, it leaps towards the seemingly weaker of the two, Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Tsk, tsk. Little Yuan, it seems this female is rather taken with you. How can I let this pass? I am someone who is easily jealous." Stepping in front of Huo Zaiyuan, his sword slices downwards.

    Clang¡­purplish-red claws collide with the steel blade.

    Although an evolved zombie is many times stronger than the average one, it is still not a creature capable of complex thoughts and planning. Long Zhanye''s eyes narrow, twisting the sword in his hand as he pushes against the undead''s sharp claws. In a flash, the blade slides pass a small opening between its hands and a mournful wail rips out of its throat. Another slash and both its arms now lay on the ground, twitching once before going still.

    A yellow paper comes streaking through the air and an explosion sweeps the zombie off its feet with another wail.

    A soft scuffing sound rise as the soles of his shoes rub across the asphalt. A gentle breeze causes his long black hair to flutter, bland smile plastered on his youthful face as another talisman is pinched between two fingers.

    Both arms chopped off and lying face down, the female writhed on the ground, growling as it fails to rise to its feet. When Huo Zaiyuan steps closer, it lifts its head, a trace of fear appearing. Abruptly, it springs up into the air and slams into the silver barrier, howling as it tries to flee. Unfortunately for it, the barrier is too strong to be breached.

    A lean figure dashes behind the female undead, followed closely by a flash of silver. The evolved zombie stiffens, then its head slides off its neck slowly before hitting the ground with a thud, rolling a good few meters away from its headless body.

    Golden flames rise from the unused talisman, burning the corpse to nothingness. As soon as the evolved zombie''s body disappears, the horde of undead pouring forth in an organised pattern from both sides of the street abruptly crumbles into a disorderly mess.

    "They were being controlled?" Huo Zaiyuan picks up the deep red crystal the size of a marble before glancing up at the bunch of undead now gathered together on the other side of his barrier.

    "Everyone, cease fire." Long Zhanye waves a hand at the soldiers in the armoured car. "Little Yuan, I''ll trouble you with the corpses. If we leave this pile of bodies here, it will cause inconvenience for others."

    "Un." Huo Zaiyuan nods, then tosses a yellow paper through each barrier.

    The moment the talisman merges with the barriers, rays of silver light seeps out and forms into a translucent rune in the air. The sea of undead pressed up against the invisible boundaries slowly begins to disperse, wandering off aimlessly in all directions.

    Huo Zaiyuan walks up the edge of the barrier and drops a couple of talisman on the piles of zombie bodies, watching the golden flames rise.

    "That''s¡­really remarkable¡­and mystical." Lu Yi murmurs as he stares at the slim youth and the burning corpses on the streets.

    "Naturally. Our little Yuan is awesome." Li Qing''s heart feels very satisfied when he overhears Li Yu''s awed words, as though the compliment is directed towards him.

    "Little Li, is that little brother a Taoist priest?" Hou Yong asks curiously.

    In E City, he has seen people from the Taoist temples using charms and yellow paper talismans. These individuals are important figures within the safe zones due to their ability to repel monsters and other demonic beings.

    "Taoist priest¡­hahaha¡­you actually said little Yuan is a Taoist priest!" A fit of laughter bursts out of Li Qing.

    "Idiot, you''re really noisy." Huo Zaiyuan''s voice wafts out of every earpiece, causing the soldiers to stiffen and shut their mouths while Li Qing fumes at being called an idiot.

    Since an Aura Concealment Charm is added to the array, the zombies now free of the evolved one''s control scatter and wander off.

    Gazing down at the two glass bottles full of red ant crystals, Huo Zaiyuan smiles in satisfaction. This has to be the biggest loot he has gotten from the beginning of the apocalypse to this day. Hmm¡­although an evolved undead is a little harder to take care of, its ability to control normal zombies is pretty useful. He doesn''t need to use too many talismans to burn the bodies, and all the crystals are gathered in one place, so he also doesn''t need to run around collecting them. These two bottles will be able to last him quite a while.

    "Look at your cheerful face." Long Zhanye''s heart softens as he stares at the happily smiling youth sitting in the passenger seat of the car.

    Now with the Land Rovers and zombies out of the way, the armoured car and Hummer continue their journey forward to the research institute. They are only two streets away from their destination.

    "Of course I''ll be happy. Generally, when harvesting crystals, I need to take the time to draw a few zombies together. Now I got so many in one swoop, really save a lot of effort."

    Sending the two bottle into his space, he takes out another bottle. There are also a few crystals sitting inside, but these three are very different from the common sesame seed sized ones. One is the size of a red bean, the other a purplish-red, quail egg sized one, and the last is the round, marble-size, dark red crystal he recently acquired from the female undead.

    "The transformation and evolution of these zombies are becoming more severe."

    He doesn''t know if any of the soldiers or other survivors have encountered evolved zombies before, but Long Zhanye and he have already met three. The one in the garage of Z City''s military base, the infant zombie that crawled out of the pregnant zombie mother and the very recent female undead.

    "Un, merely cutting off the heads of zombies is insufficient. At minimum, the heads should be totally destroyed. No matter how strong a regular person''s fighting ability is, it is impossible to compare with your average talismans that are able to hold off a horde of controlled undead." Long Zhanye drums a finger lightly on the steering wheel. "After we reach A City, I was thinking to ask you to teach them your skills. Grandfather has already permitted the Elder Taoist priest to recruit disciples."

    "Hehe¡­" Huo Zaiyuan laughs. "Will that be considered as rendering special service to the nation?"

    "Of course, and the material benefits you''ll receive are a high wage, a family, as well as a high-ranking senior officer with formidable fighting skills. How is that? Are you interested?"

    "Since the benefits are so ample, how can I possibly refuse such goodwill?"

    As they banter back and forth, it doesn''t take long until they arrive at their destination - the advanced research institute.

 CH 117

    Chapter 117: Entering the institute

    The main building of the plant research institute appears very worn and broken, with large vines and leaves wrapped around the walls. Purple flowers dot the branches and vines, making a rather pretty sight.

    "Wow, indeed worthy of being dubbed the plant research institute ah. What kind of plant is wrapped around this building? Don''t tell me it''s the Boston Ivy[1] of folklores?" Li Qing asks over the earpiece. Tapping a few keys, a small circular radar dish rises from the top of the armoured vehicle and turns in the direction of the building.

    In the middle of this dish sits a single antenna. The small bulb on its end flashes rapidly before emitting a laser that sweeps the entire structure from top to bottom.

    On the monitor of the machine, the layout and floor plans of the building appear. A few jabs on the keyboard and the three-dimensional structure flashes green before several blue humanoid figures can be seen moving around.

    "Shall I take a sample back for you to raise?" Huo Zaiyuan teases as he pulls open the armoured car''s door and climbs in.

    "This young master has no interest in plants and flowers, my dear, but I do appreciate your good intentions." Li Qing sniffs in mock-haughtiness before explaining what he did. "I used the detector probe to do a quick scan of the entire main building. Here, you can see the interior of each floor. Anyway, I discovered the Boston Ivy currently wrapped around it originates from the topmost floor and extended outwards before crawling down the walls. Also, what''s astounding is there are signatures of survivors trapped in the eighth level. There are three humans in total, and five zombies on the floors below."

    "The survivors are trapped, but the zombies are not trying to get to them at all. Instead, they are just wandering around below?" Long Zhanye''s eyebrows draw together as he made minor adjustments to his rifle.

    "That''s what I saw." Li Qing nods.

    "According to those researchers who fled the city, their research labs are located on the eighth floor. That means the materials we were sent to retrieve are also there," Lu Yi says.

    "Five zombies are not a lot. Me, little Yuan, Lu Yi, Hou Ying and Qin Jun who has medical expertise will go in. The rest of you will guard the outside. Be alert at all times. Don''t forget the horde from before as well as the evolved zombie. We don''t know if there is a second one lurking around." Snapping a full magazine into his rifle, Long Zhanye eyes each of them to confirm his orders are received and understood.

    "Yes, Sir."

    "Little Qing, keep an eye on the screen and report any changes in the situation."

    "Un. All of you must be careful." Li Qing nods, eyes landing on Qin Jun.

    Seeing Li Qing''s worried gaze on him, the corners of Qin Jun''s mouth curls up, exposing a tender smile before leaning over and kissing his forehead. "You have to be careful out here too."

    The gentle press of warm lips on his skin eases Li Qing''s heart a little.

    After the five men exit the armoured car, Huo Zaiyuan sticks a yellow paper on the door. A thin silver film envelops the vehicle, forming a protective shell. Like this, they can ensure the safety of the people within.

    Hands clutching their respective firearms close, they swiftly cross the distance between where the vehicles are parked and the entrance. Upon reaching the door, they discover a pile of human remains on the ground, with dried blood stains painting the tiles below a muddy red.

    "That is¡­the military uniform of our district," Li Yu breathes.

    Following the direction of his gaze, they notice a torn and tattered uniform coated in blood sticking out of the mash of human remains. Despite its current state, one can clearly make out the green camouflage colour and the rather distinctive golden embroidered "E" attached to the collar.

    Although the military uniforms of the twenty-six cities are exactly the same, the sole identifying difference lies in the golden alphabets attached to the collars. If a soldier is stationed at A''s military base, they will have an "A", "B" for those in B base, etc. The fact that this uniform carried an "E" instead of "I" shows that the previous squads sent to retrieve the results of the successful experiment were met with ill fortune. They managed to come all the way here, but for some reason, something happened and everyone perished.

    "Looks like the five zombies inside are no ordinary undead," Long Zhanye says blandly. "Be very careful once we enter."

    Eyes tracking the blood trails left behind on the floor at the entrance that leads past the doors and into the building, Long Zhanye''s mind understands that they have yet to alert the zombies within to their presence thanks to the Aura Concealment Charm Huo Zaiyuan stuck on them. If not, the moment they got down from the vehicles and approach the institute, they would have suffered the same fate of being dragged into the building as the previous squads. Naturally, wanting to drag him in will not be an easy task.

    "Yes, Sir."

    The party of five enters in a single file, with Long Zhanye at the head, followed by Hou Yong with Qin Jun in the middle. Rearguard is left to Huo Zaiyuan and Lu Yi.

    Glass fragments from smashed windows are strewn all over the floor, mixing in with bits of broken tiles, scraps of cloth and various other junks. Of course, torn limbs and dismembered bodies can be seen here and there, together with zombie corpses with their brains dug out. There was no way to tell how recent these undead were devoured, but at least it does confirm the theories of the five being kin-eaters.

    After they turn a corner, Li Qing''s voice travels out of their earpiece. ["There''s a zombie around the next bend in the corridor. Be careful."]

    Directing the others with a wave of his hand, Long Zhanye unsheaths the sword at his waist as both Hou Yong and Qin Jun shifts a pace to the left and right respectively, guns raised and aimed towards the upcoming bend.

    Very quickly, faint footsteps drift over from the corridor up ahead, accompanied by a low growl. Cracked purplish-green face and a mouthful of shark-like teeth appear first, then muddy eyes turn and land on the party. As soon as it registers their presence, it springs forward with a snarl.

    Two burst of gunfire erupts, Hou Yong and Qin Jun flanking it from the sides. The force of a dozen bullets penetrating flesh and bones cause the zombie to reel away, breaking its initial charge. In the next second, Long Zhanye flashes forward, taking advantage of the undead''s momentary stumble. The blade swings down, cleaving through its neck. As soon as the severed head hits the ground, a tongue of golden flame engulfs the corpse.

    With the first zombie slain, the group returns to their original line formation and continues forward.

    ["Keep your guard up. The gunshots alerted the other four. The one on the second floor has already reached the stairs. The zombie on the fifth floor is currently moving downwards from the other staircase. Beware of being attacked from the front and back. The last two are together on the seventh floor, but don''t seem to be heading down anytime soon."]

    "Senior officer, this corridor is effective when dealing with only one evolved, but should they flank us here, we will be in an unfavourable position," Lu Yi states.

    "Little Qing, look for a safe room on this floor." Long Zhanye''s gaze sweeps over the other four men. "With only one entrance."

    ["Un, okay,"] Li Qing murmurs, a burst of clacking sounds come over the line before he speaks again. ["From your current position, go around the corner and walk forward two meters. There''s a small room there with a lot of clutter, most likely a storage place."]

    "All right."

    It doesn''t take long to find the room Li Qing referred to. Hou Yong fires a bullet to break the door''s lock and everyone files into the small space.

    "Inviting enemies to jump into a boiling pot, huh?" Huo Zaiyuan asks.

    Closing the door softly, Long Zhanye chuckles. "Beloved, it should be ¡®inviting zombies into the room¡¯."

    A gesture from Long Zhanye has Lu Yi, Hou Yong and Qin Jun aiming their rifles at the door.

    "No need to shoot. I have a better idea." Saying thus, Huo Zaiyuan materialises two coin talismans, sending them thudding into the walls on both sides of the door.

    Right at this moment, the howl of a zombie rings out. With a "bam", the door trembles from an intense strike. It shudders in place for a while, then collapses. A shadow leaps into the room.

    Just as the three men prepare to pull the trigger, the zombie who threw itself recklessly through the doorway hits an invisible snag, causing it to freeze. A full-body spasm runs through it as it rocks back and forth.

    Lu Yi, Hou Yong and Qin Jun lower their rifles, blinking in bewilderment.

    What the hell? Is this zombie suffering from epilepsy or sudden muscle cramps?

    Not the least bit shocked at the undead''s rather comical display, Long Zhanye stalks up to the trapped creature and beheads it.

    The body falls to the ground and the head rolls out the door and into the corridor beyond. A withered purplish-green hand extends out with the intention to snatch the head up, black claws preparing to sink into the skull.

    Bang!

    A bullet pierces the severed head, sending it spinning even further away and causing those sharp claws to snap around empty air. In the next second, a steel blade hacks downwards, chopping the monster''s hand off.

    Even as it shrieks in agony, the crippled zombie clearly doesn''t want to give up the brain of its fellow evolved. Disregarding the stump its left arm has become, it bounds towards the head.

    Unfortunately, Huo Zaiyuan''s talisman is faster. As it reaches for the head again, a yellow paper whisks past and lands on the severed body part before igniting into flames, burning the outstretched arm too.

    With another agonising shriek, the evolved undead flaps its arm about, trying in vain to extinguish the fire.

    Stepping out of the room, Long Zhanye''s sword rises and falls once more. As the head falls to the ground, he kicks out, sending it tumbling into the golden flames.

    "There are still two more."

    Footnotes:

    [1] Parthenocissus tricuspidata:

 CH 118

    Chapter 118: Acquiring the materials

    A combat boot pushes off the wall, the other rising in a scissor-kick, steel-toed shoe smashing into a zombie''s lower jaw and sending it staggering backwards. A handful of bullets riddle the body of the undead, only for it to shrug the injury off. Brandishing its claws, it attacks again.

    "Little Yuan." Long Zhanye''s eyes narrow as he flings his hand out. Like an arrow shot from a bow, the sword flies forward, piercing through the zombie''s torso, pinning it to the wall behind.

    Three coin talismans strike the undead. Ear-piercing shrieks ring out as the zombie struggles to free itself even as it burns in a golden blaze.

    A scarlet crystal rolls to a stop before Huo Zaiyuan''s feet. Bending to pick it up, he absently comments, "That''s the fourth. One more remaining."

    "The evolved zombies in this building¡­the latter is stronger than the previous one¡­" Qin Jun frowns as he reloads his rifle.

    ["It''s only customary that each enemy gets stronger the further in you go. This one was the small BOSS. The last one is most probably the big BOSS. Our target is still moving around on the seventh floor, with no indication of coming down."] Li Qing jokes as he reports their current situation. ["Be careful with this one."]

    "Un. Just focus on the activity in the main building," Long Zhanye grunts in acknowledgement before beckoning to the others.

    Still in formation, the party of five make their way up to the seventh level.

    When the set foot on the stairs leading upwards, they realise something strange. Starting from the bottom of this stairs, there are absolutely no traces of human remains or debris on the floor. Besides a layer of sand and dust, this floor is especially clean compared to the bottom levels.

    ["Everyone, take caution. That zombie is retreating!"] Watching the blue figure on screen deliberately inching backwards, Li Qing warns.

    Typically, zombies who notice the presence of living humans will immediately throw themselves towards their preys without care for anything. However, this one acts contrary to what is expected, retreating instead of attacking.

    Long Zhanye gestures over his shoulder. Qin Jun and Lu Yi move forward to stand beside him, forming a front line as they round another bend. Hou Yong and Huo Zaiyuan follow behind, the latter clutching a couple of talismans in favour of his firearm.

    The seventh floor is very dim, the Boston Ivy crawling down the walls completely covering every available window. The only source of light comes from sunlight filtering through the various cracks in the walls, illuminating the darkness enough so that one can make out a vaguely humanoid figure standing in the middle of the long hallway.

    At a glance, the figure doesn''t look like an undead. Clad in long-sleeved hoodie and trousers with the hood pulled up over its head, one cannot see its face clearly.

    The strange zombie remains motionless, actions mirrored by Long Zhanye''s party. They certainly aren''t going to lower their guards here.

    Both parties in a deadlock, the stilted and tense silence continues until the zombie abruptly moves. But it doesn''t leap towards the humans, instead spinning on its heels and fleeing through a window.

    Long Zhanye blinks, then rushes over to the window it jumped out of only to see a figure springing up from a crouch, running away at high-speeds, leaping over houses and obstacles in its way.

    ["That¡­zombie actually ran away."] Li Qing voices his disbelief.

    "Since it fled, then we don''t need to bother ourselves with it. Quickly, retrieve what we came here for and leave this city." Long Zhanye glances one last time in the direction that strange undead vanished to, then turns around and promptly snaps out orders.

    With no more obstacles in their way, the group dashes up to the stairs to the eighth floor. Immediately opposite the stairs is the laboratory. The entire tiled ground of this level is covered in thick vines and lush verdant leaves, with pretty pink flowers blooming as far as the naked eyes can see.

    "Woah, the laboratory of a plant research institute indeed. The Boston Ivy has almost engulfed this entire floor," Lu Yi says as he takes in the surroundings, then treads forward cautiously. For some reason, he is unwilling to step on and destroy the pretty pink flowers.

    "This is not an ordinary plant," Huo Zaiyuan states from his position at the back of the group. A green mist circles around his body before settling on his shoulders.

    Before everyone''s eyes, a tiny, green-haired person pops into existence, feet on Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulder and a bright smile on its small face. Under their collective amazed stares, the little guy reaches out and strokes the nearest rough vine.

    A dim green light flickers and the vines covering the entire corridor automatically parts, creating a clear path for the group to walk on.

    "Woah, what the heck! Little Yuan, what''s that on your shoulder? A pixie?" Hou Yong exclaims in astonishment. In fact, every member of the commando squad is extremely curious about the little person.

    "He is similar to this Boston Ivy. Go on, don''t you have a mission to accomplish?" Huo Zaiyuan gestures for them to head down the path, not giving them a clear answer as he lifts a finger to stroke the little tree spirit''s cheek.

    "Yes, Sir." Hou Yong snaps a crisp salute to Huo Zaiyuan, then drags Lu Yi towards the door of the laboratory.

    Long Zhanye''s gaze is fixed on the little green-haired creature standing on his little Yuan''s shoulder, his eyes narrow slightly as Huo Zaiyuan slender finger strokes the tiny cheek tenderly. The little tree spirit who is happily hugging the pale finger suddenly shudders as it feels an ice-cold stare landing on it. Lifting its head to meet Long Zhanye''s narrowed eyes, it squeaks sharply in fright, abruptly letting go of Huo Zaiyuan''s finger and hiding in the human''s long hair.

    "You scared him." Huo Zaiyuan looks up with a smile, walking towards Long Zhanye.

    "You are mine, so you can only be intimate with me. Hmph¡­" A little creature not even the size of his palm wants to stick so close to his little Yuan?! Really doesn''t know what''s good for it ah.

    Wait until he thinks of a good way to toss this little thing aside and let it know his beloved is not someone any random individual can be intimate with. (Author''s note: Becoming jealous of a pet ~ )

    "You¡­" Blushing, Huo Zaiyuan jabs an elbow into Long Zhanye''s side and strides away.

    "Pfft¡­" Qin Jun snickers from the side. "An embarrassed little Yuan is a rare sight."

    "Little Yuan''s natural disposition is becoming more and more serene. My heart feels itchy if I don''t tease him every now and then." Long Zhanye smirks, then leisurely saunters towards the lab.

    The lock on the laboratory''s door is a special one, making Hou Yong and Lu Yi waste quite a bit of effort to force it open.

    As the door is pushed open slowly, one can see the interior of the laboratory is no different from the outside, filled with vines and leaves. Pink, white and yellow flowers bloom abundantly within the room, making it resemble a flower garden. In a small space unoccupied by Boston Ivy, three figures lie.

    "Go in." Leading the way, Long Zhanye steps through the doorway and the plant parts before his feet.

    Crouching down beside the three prone humans, Qin Jun unbuckles his medical kit and immediately inspects them from head to toe.

    "These two are originally part of an emergency response team sent from E City. I''ve read their files before. This one here is the old professor''s assistant. When everyone else evacuated from this city, he stayed back to help the professor. How is their condition?" Lu Yi inquires.

    "They fainted from prolonged starvation. There are scratches and bite wounds on the bodies of these two soldiers, but the injuries have already healed with no lingering traces of infection. I''ll let them have a sip of water." Uncapped his own bottle, Qin Jun dribbles a small amount of liquid into the research assistant''s mouth.

    Following his example, Lu Yi and Hou Yong do the same for their fellow soldiers.

    "Where is the old professor? Didn''t they say he also stayed back in the lab?" Huo Zaiyuan questions.

    Wrinkling his brows, Long Zhanye touches his earpiece and contacts Li Qing. "Little Qing, it there no one else in this building beside these three?"

    ["Un, the display doesn''t show anyone else besides them¡­however, in the room next to the lab, there''s a lump of something. I can''t tell what it is, but the Boston Ivy originates from that room. There are no other signs of life."]

    "No signs of life. Does it mean the old professor is inside?" Huo Zaiyuan turns to Long Zhanye.

    "I suppose so."

    "Then what about the research materials?" After checking their vitals again, Qin Jun slowly lays the research assistant back down on the floor.

    "Materials and resources¡­in¡­in the bag¡­" A low, weak voice comes from the man leaning against Lu Yi, struggling to open his eyes as he lifts a trembling hand to point towards the backpack near him.

    "All right, we''ve got it. We should leave now, but what about these people? We have no additional attire. The air in here is different from outside," Hou Yong states. Ever since entering the eighth floor, even if he doesn''t remove his headgear, he can feel the air in the lab is much cleaner than the air outside.

    "It wouldn''t be a problem." Huo Zaiyuan converses with the tree spirit, pointing towards the room next to the lab. The little guy nods and drifts over. Leaning down, Huo Zaiyuan tucks a coin talisman each under the clothes of the three weak individuals. "This defence charm is able to repel the toxic substance in the air. Carry them on your backs and we can leave."

    "All right. But what about the professor? Are we going to take a look?"

    Just as Lu Yi finishes speaking, the spirit floats back, shaking its head.

    Glancing at Li Yu, Huo Zaiyuan answers blandly. "He''s dead. Let''s go."

    Carrying one person each, Qin Jun, Lu Yi and Hou Yong form the middle of the group while Long Zhanye leads the way with Huo Zaiyuan bringing up the rear. As soon as the group leaves, the vines shift back into their original position, covering every inch of the floor and walls once more.

    In the room they didn''t bother to check, a giant stalk sits in the middle of a large petri dish filled to the brim with soil. A single branch extends horizontally from the stalk, forming an arm supporting the head of an old man leaning into its side. If one lays eyes on the serene expression on his face and ignores the lack of breath, it would appear he is merely sleeping.

 CH 119

    Chapter 119: Reaching E City

    Bright sunlight shines down over the wide main street as two vehicles speed forward. A Hummer leads the way, followed closely by an armoured car.

    "E City, we''ve finally reached it!" A delicate face pops out of the Hummer''s window as Li Qing cheers, uncaring of the ruckus he is causing. Bright eyes gaze at the distant city, full of anticipation and joy.

    "We''re still half an hour away and you''re already so excited?" Qin Jun wraps his arms around Li Qing''s waist, pulling him back into the car as he laughs lightly.

    "Of course ah. We''ve been cooped up in this car for ten days straight! We couldn''t even wind down the window. I''m almost bored to death. It wasn''t easy to come all the way to E City, we can finally draw down the window and we are almost at the safe zone," Li Qing says very seriously as he beams, splaying his palms on his lover''s chest.

    After successfully retrieving the research materials from I City''s institute, Huo Zaiyuan''s party, together with the commando squad and the other three survivors head directly for E City. The consecutive ten days'' journey has really sapped everyone''s energy.

    "When we reach E City, if we can contact A City, then we will stay there for two days," Long Zhanye says as he glances fondly at Huo Zaiyuan currently dozing in the passenger seat.

    "All right! Long live older brother Long!"

    ~~~

    Clutching an extremely ordinary-looking notebook to his chest like a priceless treasure, E City''s district leader feels so happy that tears of joy streams down his face as his shoulders tremble slightly.

    Evidently, the commando squad is long used to their leader''s peculiar personality. On the other hand, the small party of four standing aside and staring at the sobbing man inwardly wonder if said leader is about to spasm from excessive joy.

    "Sure enough, these results gotten by the sacrifice of Professor Wu is not a dud¡­this is good, very good. With this in hand, we don''t have to be afraid of that horrible poisonous gas anymore."

    "Commander, we were fortunate to receive senior officer Long''s assistance for the duration of this mission. Or else, we might have perished in that place too." Lu Yi finally speaks as he knows full well that if none of them interrupts their leader, the man would have continued blubbering like a broken record for half a day. If his actions cause a slight against the legendary senior officer Long, then it would be rather troublesome for everyone.

    "Eh?! Senior officer Long? Don''t tell me¡­" E military district''s leader abruptly snaps his head around. Seeing the calmly smiling faces staring back, he startles so badly that the notebook in his arms was nearly flung out the window. "Long¡­Long¡­Long¡­"

    "Hello, Uncle Ming." Long Zhanye greets with a wave of his hand, then pulls Huo Zaiyuan down with him to sit on the sofa. "Where is my youngest paternal uncle?"

    "How would I know who your youngest paternal uncle is?!" The startled expression instantly shifts a hundred and eighty degrees, replaced by a frosty look as the notebook is viciously hurled onto the ground.

    The bang it produced is loud enough to shock everyone within the room.

    Beholding Ming Huiheng''s icy visage, Long Zhanye roughly understands what happened to cause this reaction. This explosion of resentment and dissatisfaction¡­no need to ask what it is, he can tell it is due to a quarrel between an old married couple. He is certain that headstrong, trouble-making paternal uncle of his stirred up Uncle Ming''s anger.

    Naturally, it is impossible for Long Zhanye to show filial piety and try smothering the fire caused by his youngest paternal uncle right now. So he quickly changes the topic. "Uncle Ming, is there any new information from grandfather?"

    Hearing Long Zhanye''s question, the fury dissipates as Ming Huiheng pauses for a second, then drops into his office chair. Waving a hand to permit Lu Yi and his squad to excuse themselves, he sighs. "As always, Grandpa Long is worried, afraid that something disastrous befalls you. A City''s base sent over a few pieces of equipment made by General Long. Without waiting for my go-ahead, that bunch of idiots let the soldiers use it. I thought this time, they will be met with ill fortune and nothing positive will come out of it again¡­that''s right. Little Zuo arrived in E City early this morning. Stay here and rest for two days. I will send someone to inform Grandpa Long."

    "That''s what I intend to do. Also, why did little Zuo come here?" Long Zhanye quirks an eyebrow after hearing one of his adjutants unexpectedly appear in this safe zone.

    "When General Long sent the equipment over, he came together to explain how to use them in detail as well as help the technicians fine tune it."

    "Ah, no wonder." Long Zhanye nods in understanding.

    Between his two aides, one possesses high fighting skills and the ability to deal with contingencies on the fly. The other has a photographic memory and a high comprehension ability. With these two working together, they make an excellent team.

    "Here, this is the key to my house. Bring your friends and take rest there while I send someone to inform Grandpa Long." Ming Huiheng tossed an access card over.

    "Thanks." Long Zhanye doesn''t bother to reject his offer, snatching the card out of the air before grasping Huo Zaiyuan''s hand, leading Qin Jun and Li Qing to the exit. "Then I''ll trouble Uncle Ming."

    As the commander of E City''s military base, even if it is the apocalypse right now, his accommodation is still the best. The house is rather large with a lot of rooms. Splitting into two pairs, the four of them heads up to the second floor and pick a random room.

    "Urghhh¡­" The first thing Huo Zaiyuan does upon entering is throwing himself on the large, soft bed.

    How comfortable.

    "You''re learning from little Qing now?" Seeing Huo Zaiyuan sprawl happily on the bed without even taking off his shoes or jacket, Long Zhanye chuckles dotingly.

    The road from I City to E City is classified as a high-risk journey, which is why for ten days, Huo Zaiyuan has been put under a huge mental strain, focus stretched taunt as he was afraid they would run into trouble halfway. Fortunately, it was smooth-sailing all the way.

    "I haven''t slept on such a soft bed for a very long time. I missed this feeling a little," Laying on his stomach, Huo Zaiyuan mumbles, stretching his shoe-clad feet towards Long Zhanye, looking forward to what he might do.

    Seeing the always serene and able youth willingly exposing such an adorable attitude, Long Zhanye smiles softly as he bends and helps Huo Zaiyuan take off his shoes. To be able to make the legendary, young and promising senior officer Long personally remove their shoes for them, only one person under the Heavens can achieve it.

    Long Zhanye even attentively helps Huo Zaiyuan remove his jacket before tossing his own coat and boots aside. After that, he lays down next to the youth.

    "Since we are here, take advantage of this time and rest properly. Once we reach A City, I will most likely be busy for quite a while," he murmurs, leaning in to kiss Huo Zaiyuan''s forehead.

    "I can help you with some of your work." Snuggling into Long Zhanye''s chest, he drapes his arm over the older man''s waist.

    "I know, but I don''t wish to see you so exhausted." Although the child in his arms looks delicate and weak, he is in no way a caged bird. As long as there is an open sky to soar freely, he is akin to an eagle.

    "Zhanye, what is your relationship with this safe zone''s leader?"

    From Z City until now, every high-ranking officer defers to and respects Long Zhanye. However, this person''s attitude is clearly very different, addressing Zhanye as an elder would a member of a younger generation.

    "Ah, Uncle Ming is my youngest paternal uncle''s spouse. My youngest paternal uncle is D City''s chief of staff." Long Zhanye replies.

    "Isn''t your Long family''s power all concentrated within A City?"

    Regarding this country''s military power, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t have the faintest clue. However, after knowing Long Zhanye, he knows that the older man is a member of A''s military base and according to common knowledge, the Long family''s might is stationed in A City, with Grandfather Long being the Commander-in-chief.

    "My grandfather''s power is in A City while great-grandfather''s is in B City. C, D and E are somewhat involved with the Long family. This is also why when the apocalypse first began, A to E were all able to quickly come to an agreement and prevent any of the five bases from being overrun." Long Zhanye explains as he rubs Huo Zaiyuan''s head with a chuckle. "Isn''t my family incredible?"

    "Un." Huo Zaiyuan nods. "Then what generation military officer are you?"

    "Hmm¡­this¡­is a little more difficult to count. The Long family can be considered a militaristic line since my ancestors have been involved in the army for countless generations." Long Zhanye smiles before flipping his body over, pressing Huo Zaiyuan into the mattress. Eyes half-lidded and face extremely close, he seems ready to take liberties with Huo Zaiyuan at the drop of a hat. "Therefore, you must make sure to seduce me properly. Or else if I decide to leave you, you can only cry helplessly when the time comes."

    "I''ve always been one to cherish my loved ones." An arm wraps around Long Zhanye''s shoulder as Huo Zaiyuan moves his face closer, then pecks him lightly on the lips. A sentence that doesn''t match his personality falls from his lips. "Whoever has the guts to leave me after I gave my heart to them, I will definitely let him experience a taste of not being able to live but unable to seek death¡­"

    The lips pressing against his is very soft, bringing along a trace of innocent sensuality that contrasted greatly with his words causes Long Zhanye''s heart to thump as though shocked by a sudden electric charge.

    Seductive vixen.

    These two words flashing through his mind, Long Zhanye can''t hold himself back anymore, lifting a hand to cup Huo Zaiyuan''s face. Sealing his mouth over Huo Zaiyuan''s, his lips part and moves. Nimble tongue sliding over the closed seams, seeking entrance. As soon as the plush lips part, his tongue slips in, entangling with the softer, more hesitant one.

    As the kiss grows deeper and more intense, Long Zhanye''s hand slides unhurriedly down from Huo Zaiyuan''s slender neck to trail lightly down that slim chest until his fingers reach the hem of Huo Zaiyuan''s shirt. Without hesitation, his hand pushes the cloth up, bunching it near Huo Zaiyuan''s ribs as strong, slender fingers finally touch smooth, flawless skin. Hand spanning the trim waist, he lightly kneads the flesh there, relishing in the light moan his actions produce.

    "Wuu¡­" Huo Zaiyuan gasps into Long Zhanye''s mouth, heartbeat sky-rocketing as alarm bells ring in his head. Forcefully pulling his scattered mind together, he shoves at the older man''s chest feebly. "Wait¡­wait a minute. Mmm¡­"

    "Can''t wait, little Yuan, I - "

    "Boss, I heard from Uncle Ming that you''ve arrived - ahh - !"

    Suddenly, the door of the room opens with a bang as someone kicks it open. An unfamiliar young man clad in a navy blue military uniform strides in with a dazzling smile on his face. The moment he catches sight of the two people on the bed, his words abruptly cuts off as he freezes in place.

    Oh my god, Heavens ah! He¡­he is actually seeing his¡­his Boss forcing himself on a beauty¡­

    "Zuo. Hang. Yang!"

 CH 120

    Chapter 120: School of Taoism

    Retrieving some hot water from his space, Huo Zaiyuan enjoys a comfortable hot bath. When he emerges from the bathroom, he is met with a ridiculous scene.

    A handsome young man clad in a navy blue military uniform is pulling on his earlobes with his hands, doing squats in the corner of the room while reciting "I''ll never kick a door open again, I really didn''t see anything" non-stop.

    As for Long Zhanye? The man is currently sitting on the cosy sofa with ankles crossed, flipping through a file, expression calm as ever.

    "What is this all about?" Drying his hair with a towel, Huo Zaiyuan questions as he takes a seat beside Long Zhanye.

    "Disobedient children should be taught a lesson." Flipping over to another page, Long Zhanye flashes Huo Zaiyuan an affectionate smile. In his peripheral vision, he spots the squatting Zuo Hanyang stealthily trying to peek in their direction and snaps. "Do it properly! Continue!"

    Huo Zaiyuan stares pityingly at the miserable soldier squatting in the corner like a naughty kindergarten child as he recalls what happened in this room moments ago. If not for Zuo Hanyang kicking the door open and barging in uninvited, by now Long Zhanye and him would have¡­now matter how he sees it, Zuo Hanyang did unknowingly do him a favour, so he supposes he can help the soldier a little.

    "He is quite a few years older than me. If he is still a child, then what am I?"

    "You''re my treasure." Long Zhanye replies promptly, glancing up from the document with a smile. Reaching out to wrap an arm around his slim waist, the faint smell of scented shower foam wafting from the youth''s skin is enough to lift his mood.

    Long Zhanye''s words are like honey to Huo Zaiyuan. The corners of his mouth curve up into a small smile. "He was worried about you which is why he barged in without looking. It wasn''t intentional."

    "That''s true. That''s true ah. Boss, I wouldn''t dare do it again." Facing the wall while being forced to squat up and down, Zuo Hanyang''s heart is moved to tears when he hears someone pleading for leniency on his behalf.

    Sure enough, a beauty is a beauty. Not only is he a beauty, but he is also kindhearted.

    "Since little Yuan says so, then I will let you off this once." Long Zhanye grouses without any real heat as he leans in and places a kiss on Huo Zaiyuan''s face.

    "Thank you, Boss! Thank you, eldest sister-in-law!" The man sporting a pathetic expression a mere second ago instantly straightens, a bright grin on his face.

    Hearing Long Zhanye relent and letting Zuo Hanyang off in the end, Huo Zaiyuan smiles, only to freeze at the words "eldest sister-in-law".

    That attractive face darkens, the corners of his mouth tightening in annoyance as he wonders in his heart: Can I ask Zhanye to make this person return to squatting?

    After arriving in E City, the pair of lovers who are bogged down with mental and physical fatigue obtain a safe and secure place to rest at last. Not wanting to stay up longer than absolutely necessary, Qin Jun and Li Qing are already fast asleep on the large, soft bed in the next room.

    On the other hand, the other pair of lovers is still awake. Taking a hot bath to wash off grime and exhaustion, Long Zhanye checks in on Huo Zaiyuan before wandering off to take care of matters. This time, Zuo Hanyang came all the way from A City to E City is to merely act as an instructor for the technicians. Early this morning, he has already completed all he needs to do, so his afternoon is free of duties.

    Hence, when Huo Zaiyuan wants to walk around the safe zone, he was pushed onto the youth as a companion slash guide.

    Zuo Hanyang''s impression of Huo Zaiyuan is very good, so he is naturally willing to undertake this task his Boss gave him. With a bounce in his step, he happily follows behind Huo Zaiyuan.

    Looking at this person who is two years older than him but still retaining a childish air, he is unable to make sense of how a big kid like him is able to rise up the ranks and become one of Long Zhanye''s trusted aide.

    Isn''t he a little too pure and simple?

    "Eldest¡­eh, little Yuan, here is E City''s ''School of Taoism'' that was established not long ago. Commander-in-chief permitted Grandfather Tian Jizi to set up this school. Right now, the master of this place is Grandfather Tian Jizi''s young disciple Jin Yuanzi. There are twenty priests and eighty-seven disciples." Zuo Hanyang explains as they stop before a simple but elegant building.

    When they were strolling around the safe zone just now, they came across a mercenary squad about to leave on a scavenging mission, with the captain of the squad handing out a few talismans to the other members. Zuo Hanyang noticed Huo Zaiyuan''s gaze keeps straying back to the bunch of yellow papers, and accurately guesses the youth has some interest towards it. Thus, he decided to introduce this place to Huo Zaiyuan.

    Before A City''s base issued an order for a Taoism school to be established, many people thought things like charms and talismans were a bunch of nonsense and Taoist priests were merely scammers. Once this school was built, a disciple joined a mercenary squad on their mission and left everyone flabbergasted when he used talismans and other Taoist abilities to slaughter a path through a zombie horde. From then on, everyone whose life was saved thanks to these Taoists begin to put them on a pedestral, show-casing their importance.

    Now, whenever a mercernary squad prepares to venture out of the safe zone, they will not forget to purchase a few talismans beforehand from the ''School of Taoism'', or request a priest to join them. Of course, the fee for purchasing talismans or inviting a priest along is not a few paper notes. Money is considered junk in the apocalypse. Besides the barter system, a new business transaction system has also emerged.

    Every survivor within the safe zone possesses a card which serves to represent their identity. Besides having personal information on these access cards, these cards also acts as the individual''s bank card to store "transaction points". These points are differentiated by colour - red, blue and green. Green has the lowest value, with blue in the middle and red the highest. A thousand green points equals a blue point, and a hundred blue points equals a red point.

    There are many ways to obtain transaction points. For example, exchanging goods and supplies for it, completeing daily missions in the safe zone (including sweeping, taking care of crops, patrolling, guarding the gates, etc). One can also form a mercernary squad and accept low, moderate or high risk assignments outside of the safe zone and earn some corresponding points. Once the assignments are completed, these points will automatically be added to the card. However, transactions will need to take place in a specially allocated building within the safe zone, which acts similar to a bank.

    As Huo Zaiyuan followed the commando squad into the safe zone, he doesn''t have an identity card on him. But he is not the least bit worried. For right this moment, the ¡®School of Taoism'' before his eyes is much more interesting.

    The two men enter the building, one leading and one following when a few young people come out.

    These individuals are clad in black, wide-sleeve robes, with a bagua symbol embriodered in the middle of the chest area using golden thread. In the center of this small group is a male wearing the same-styled robes, but this time, in red. With a soft smile on his fine face, this male is rather easy on the eyes.

    "Who are you people? If you are looking to request a priest, head over there. To purchase talismans, go to the other side." One of the youngsters clad in black casts a displeased glance at Huo Zaiyuan and Zuo Hanyang as he speaks.

    "I''m not here to request anyone, nor am I here to purchase talismans." Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t spare the rude person a glance, hinting for Zuo Hanyang to continue leading the way.

    "Presumptuous¡­you¡­do you think just anyone is allowed to enter this ¡®School of Taoism¡¯?!" Being so blatantly ignored by some commoner in front of his most admired person, that rude disciple really feels his face is being torn. Flushing red in anger, he wants to charge forward and teach Huo Zaiyuan a lesson.

    "Zhang Hua, control your anger." A gentle voice akin to a soft breeze rises as a fair hand reaches out to touch the man''s shoulder. "May I ask, why have you come to this school? Senior Martial Uncle is temporarily occupied with matters outside."

    This polite enquiry causes Huo Zaiyuan''s footsteps to stop and turn to face the speaker. Fiery red garment contrasting nicely with pale skin coupled with a visage fine enough to move a person makes a very lovely vision. However, in Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes, this person is not much different from the round and ugly boulder placed outside the building''s entrance.

    "Just curious. I want to take a look around, that''s all." Faced with such courtesy, he cannot be crass.

    "Then I welcome you. Please, walk this way." A dazzling smile surfaces on the man''s face as he walks unhurriedly in front of Huo Zaiyuan and sweeps an arm in a gesture of invitation. "Pleased to meet you. I am Xu Mingyi."

    "Hello, I am Zi Yuan." Huo Zaiyuan replies, not giving his real identity. Although Long Zhanye is aware of his personal matters, the three words "Huo Zaiyuan" has better to be used as few times as possible in order to avoid unnecessary trouble.

    "I am Zuo Hanyang." Waving a hand, the adjutant beams. "I know you, you were the one who slaughtered through a horde to break the siege the first time you went out with a mercenary squad."

    A light blush stains Xu Mingyi''s cheeks. "That was merely a one-off event."

    The two follows Xu Mingyi inside, and the group of black-robed disciples decide to tag along as well.

    "Here is the hall disciples of this school use to practise drawing talismans." Leading the two men into a room, Xu Mingyi explains. Two rows of desks a neatly lined up, with quite a lot of yellow papers, a book and a calligraphy brush rack sitting on each desk.

    Walking towards one of the desks, Huo Zaiyuan casually picks up a yellow paper to study the runes drawn on it.

    This paper is an ordinary one and not a true talisman paper. The ink used is also not cinnabar but normal black ink.

    This charm is a simple one, the most common defensive talisman. The characters are skewed and messy, clearly belonging to a beginner. The strokes are often broken where the person keeps lifting their brush off the paper before placing it down again. If this had been drawn using cinnabar on a real talisman paper, this charm will be a dud. On top of that¡­this is incomplete.

    "Tsk, brat, do you even understand what you are looking at? This is a rather powerful charm." The same disciple who nearly attacked Huo Zaiyuan can''t help but ridicule the youth when he picked up the paper.

    However, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t react in the slightest to the weak jab, but beside him, Zuo Hanyang is not as calm as he retrieves a triangular talisman from inside his coat pocket.

    "Little Yuan, I know this one. Before I left A City, grandfather even gave one to me." Unfolding the paper, Zuo Hanyang hands it over to Huo Zaiyuan as though handing over a priceless item.

    Taoist talismans are precious items. Even the lowest quality defence charm has to be bought with several blue points. Disciples in this school has never touched a genuine low-quality talisman paper before, never mind a high-quality one.

    When Zuo Hanyang takes out his talisman, the eyes of Xu Mingyi who is standing aside darkens as he can tell with one glance that particular charm is a highest quality one. It seems this person''s status is not ordinary.

    Taking the offered charm, Huo Zaiyuan smiles faintly. A trace of admiration appears in his eyes as he studies it intently.

    The person who created this talisman is an extremely able Taoist. Bold and powerful strokes, smooth like running water. Although it is a simple charm, it is rich with potent spiritual energy.

    Using ordinary cinnabar ink to produce an effect equivalent to his spring pool''s water¡­

    If this person also used his special mixture of spring water and ant crystal, what extraordinary talismans they would be able to create.

 CH 121

    Chapter 121: Zuo Hanyang''s ability

    Eyebrows raising slightly, Huo Zaiyuan brings a sliver of his inner spiritual energy to the surface, injecting it into the talisman and watching as it reverts to its original neat triangle.

    "Make sure it rests next to your skin. As soon as it grows cold, that means it has lost its effectiveness," Huo Zaiyuan says as he returns it to Zuo Hanyang.

    "Uhuh, got it." Zuo Hanyang nods as he tucks his treasured object back under his uniform.

    Watching the interaction between the two men, Xu Mingyi displays a winsome smile. "Older brother Yuan, you also know how to create talismans?"

    "Somewhat. My interest lies more in the research side of it." Huo Zaiyuan answers mildly as he approaches the smiling Xu Mingyi.

    "Ah¡­which Taoist temple were you affiliated with before? Or did you study under a master?"

    "None to both."

    "Tsk, Senior brother Xu, even if this brat understands the art of creating talismans, it will only be the basics. How can he ever compare with you?" A disciple speaks up, staring disdainfully at Huo Zaiyuan.

    Hmph, who knows where this pretty boy came from, but he is interrupting their walk with Senior brother Xu.

    "Older brother Zhu, you cannot say something like this. I feel that older brother Yuan is a formidable person." Xu Mingyi frowns lightly, speaking up for Huo Zaiyuan and reprimanding the other disciple.

    However, the more Xu Mingyi stands up for Huo Zaiyuan, the more the other disciples become displeased. Zhang Hua''s hostility towards Huo Zaiyuan increases even further at his Senior brother''s words.

    "Senior brother Xu, I think what older brother Zhu said is not wrong. Looking at this brat, it would be difficult for him to enter this ¡®School of Taoism¡¯."

    Being confronted by a few unfriendly disciples looking to flatter Xu Mingyi, in Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes, this performance is nothing more than a farce.

    For no cause or reason, he is being shot at while lying down. Just because of a few strangers rivalling for Xu Mingyi''s affections, they unexpectedly heap their dissatisfaction upon him¡­

    In contrast to Huo Zaiyuan serene attitude towards everything, Zuo Hanyang''s emotions are more volatile. Narrowing his eyes, a flicker of anger appears on his face as he mocks. "Hmph, a group of mere initial disciples of this school. Even your calligraphy resembles worms! What ability do you have to ridicule little Yuan?"

    Hmph, is his eldest sister-in-law someone who can be bullied by this bunch of disgusting annoyances?!

    "You - brat! Who are you talking about, huh?" The one called older brother Zhu is so furious that smoke and fire nearly spouts out of his seven orifices[1].

    "Hn, whoever''s angry is the person I''m referring to." Zuo Hanyang scoffs and quirks an eyebrow at him, expression extremely nasty.

    Looking at the arrogant expression on his face, Huo Zaiyuan can''t help but laugh.

    Why does he feel that this particular expression Zuo Hanyang is currently wearing was learned from a specific someone?

    "You - stinky brat! Come compete with me if you have the guts!" That older brother Zhu finally explodes, snatching up a book about Taoist spells from one of the tables and flips to a random page. "We''ll use this! If you cannot draw, kneel down and call this elder ''Grandfather''!"

    "Come on, then. But remember, if you lose, you''ll have to kneel and call me ''Grandfather'' oh." Zuo Hanyang waves a hand grandly, before picking up a brush and a piece of yellow paper.

    Seeing Zuo Hanyang''s relaxed attitude, older brother Zhu''s face reddens even further in fury. Taking a brush handed over by another black-robed disciple, he deliberately stands the book upright on the table, not allowing Zuo Hanyang to look at the page. Evidently, he wants to make things as difficult for the other as possible.

    Huo Zaiyuan takes notice of the adjutant''s confident visage that indicates he has a way to bypass this obstacle¡­he believes that someone who is able to become Long Zhanye''s trusted aide wouldn''t be a simple individual.

    Staining the bristle with ink, the two competitors begin to draw. On one side, that older brother Zhu seems to be painting a picture, movements slow and careful. From time to time, he will peek out the corner of his eyes at Zuo Hanyang. On the other hand, Zuo Hanyang appears calm and collected, the brush in his hand flowing smoothly without hesitation, eyes firmly fixed on the paper before him.

    Gaze shifting to Zuo Hanyang''s yellow paper, Huo Zaiyuan''s eyebrows rise, a smirk curling the corners of his lips.

    Really can''t tell that he possesses such a skill¡­

    "I''m done. Brat, how about you? So slow, is it because you can''t draw it ah?!" A while later, that older brother Zhu''s voice sounds as he throws the brush aside and stares arrogantly at Zuo Hanyang. Then he tosses the completed charm over.

    The characters can be considered fairly good compared to the shaky, slanting letters on the paper in Huo Zaiyuan''s hand. But it is still far from adequate. The lines of the characters didn''t match up, and there are quite a few distinct breaks in every stroke.

    Zuo Hanyang''s hand finally comes to a stop. Lifting his head, a glittery smile lights up his face as he leisurely places the brush back on the pen rack. Then with the same causal speed, he pushes his completed work forward for everyone to see.

    Craning their necks to take a peek, every face displays unhidden shock. As for older brother Zhu, his complexion pales drastically the moment his eyes land on Zuo Hanyang''s piece of paper.

    Each character is exquisitely drawn, strokes like moving clouds and flowing water. No breaks can be detected from beginning to the end. Even the final line is perfect. Placing it next to the example in the book, one can clearly see it is an identical copy with not the slightest mistake.

    "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Older brother Zhu splutters, not daring to believe his eyes.

    "How is it impossible? Do you think that on this earth, only you are capable of drawing runes?" Raising his chin, Zuo Hanyang scoffs condescendingly. "Come on, call ''Grandfather'', and apologise to little Yuan for your rude behaviour just now!"

    ~~~

    When Long Zhanye returns during the night, he sees Huo Zaiyuan sitting cross-legged, meditating. Only when he steps into the bedroom does Huo Zaiyuan slowly open his eyes.

    "You''re back. Have you finished your business?" Smiling gently at the person in the doorway, Huo Zaiyuan rises to his feet. "Have you eaten?"

    "Not yet. Uncle Ming is having a meeting with the other sections chiefs of the safe zone, so I returned." Reaching out the moment Huo Zaiyuan comes within range, Long Zhanye pulls him into a hug and kisses his lips softly.

    "Do you want to eat now? I''m also hungry," Huo Zaiyuan says as he holds Long Zhanye''s hand.

    Dragging the other along to the dining table, he waves his left hand. Fragrant Kung Pao chicken, fried fish pieces, stir-fried noodles, boiled broccoli and bone stock soup appears on the table.

    "You finished cooking earlier, but waited until I return to eat?" Long Zhanye''s heart feels warm and sweet as he glances at the various dishes.

    "No, Qin Jun and Li Qing have already finished eating. This is the leftovers." Huo Zaiyuan replies, not looking at him. Instead, he busies himself with taking out two bowls of rice and two pairs of chopsticks before taking a seat.

    "Beloved, it''s not good to lie." Long Zhanye really likes this awkward attitude of his. Taking a bowl of rice, he settles down next to Huo Zaiyuan.

    His beloved treats him so well. How can he bear to let Long Zhanye eat leftovers?

    "Hurry up and eat." Huo Zaiyuan glares as he holds out a piece of fried fish to Long Zhanye.

    Pleased, Long Zhanye takes a bite out of the fish. Fragrant and crisp, soft but not greasy, the sweet taste fills one''s mouth as it is chewed on.

    "Where did you and little Zuo visit this afternoon?" He didn''t see Zuo Hanyang during his walk back to the house as he was called to attend the meeting by Ming Huiheng.

    "We went to the ¡®School of Taoism¡¯."

    "Oh? The one grandfather permitted the Elder Taoist priest to establish? How do you feel about it?"

    "The aptitude of those disciples are too poor. Their hearts are too tainted." Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head in disappointment.

    "Ah¡­they are that inadequate?" Long Zhanye quirks an eyebrow. "But Uncle Ming said the disciples there have a pretty good aptitude ah."

    "Hmm¡­ " Huo Zaiyuan raises his eyebrows, regarding Long Zhanye with a rare serious inquisitive light in his eyes. "Zhanye, does your left-hand man possess some kind of special ability?"

    When Zuo Hanyang handed the talisman over to him, he didn''t sense anything strange. Not until the competition with disciple Zhu. The script Zuo Hanyang produced astounded him a little and he did question the adjutant after if he knew how to create talismans too. The answer was a negative. To confirm the truth of that statement, Huo Zaiyuan sneakily tested Zuo Hanyang, only to discover the man indeed doesn''t possess a sliver of conscience over his inner spiritual power.

    "That scoundrel ah. Yes ah. He has a photographic memory." Long Zhanye answers. "Why? Did that punk do something to upset you?"

    "Nothing of that sort. No wonder all he needed was a glance," Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head, murmuring.

    "Dd something happen?" Long Zhanye''s curiosity rose at Huo Zaiyuan''s speech and facial expression. And because he feels like little Yuan seems to have taken a liking to Zuo Hanyang.

    "Mhm¡­" Huo Zaiyuan recounts everything that transpired in the afternoon at the ¡®School of Taoism¡¯.

    Listening to the story, Long Zhanye chuckles lowly. "A mere page of characters is nothing difficult for him. When he was ten, he managed to replicate a famous painting exactly as it is after glimpsing it for a second."

    "That''s remarkable."

    "Naturally. Or else how would he have become my left-hand man? Even if he may occasionally be a little dim-witted and unreliable, when he focuses on a task, none can compare." Although Long Zhanye frequently likes to bully Zuo Hanyang, he is actually very satisfied with this adjutant.

    "Why is it when I hear that compliment, it sounds as if you are praising yourself?" Huo Zaiyuan lifts an eyebrow as he finishes off his meal.

    "Haha¡­you noticed." Long Zhanye brazenly admits, handing a bowl of soup to Huo Zaiyuan. While a small frown creases the youth''s brow when faced with the soup, he doesn''t argue and obediently drinks it down.

    Chatting happily over dinner, Long Zhanye takes it upon himself to gather the bowls and cutleries, bring it over to the kitchen and clean them. In the meantime, Huo Zaiyuan enters his space to mediate.

    (Translator¡¯s notes: Yeah, this author doesn¡¯t really indulge in face-slapping.)

    Footnotes:

    [1] Seven orifices: 2 ears, 2 nostrils, 2 eyes, 1 mouth

 CH 122

    Chapter 122: Arriving in A City at last

    Originally, Long Zhanye had already consulted the other members of his party that they will rest in E City for two days before heading to A City. However, who knew that Zuo Hanyang''s appearance would mess up their plan. The adjutant shamelessly used every tactic in his arsenal to get them to drag their stay to three days, until he has completed his "teaching mission". Once that''s done, the five of them depart E City.

    Although the Hummer can only seat four, having one extra person is not a problem. Zuo Hanyang spent the few days in E City getting to know everyone else, and is more or less familiar with the other three. It comes as no surprise when Zuo Hanyang and Li Qing hits off instantly, getting along as though they are old pals. Even now, the two are still conversing in low tones about a variety of subjects with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Sharing the back seat with them, Qin Jun can only look on and sigh helplessly, feeling as though he had just been abandoned by his lover.

    On the main highway connecting E City to A City, two weeks after the start of the apocalypse, the military already sent squads of soldiers to clear the road. As there are a vast number of residents living in the top five cities, when the apocalypse came, the number of zombies is also a lot, as is the number of survivors. On top of that, the emergency response from these five bases was very quick, thus, there were no large-scale incidents to clean up after.

    From the passenger seat, Huo Zaiyuan stares out the window at the once flourishing and busy northern district of E City that is now¡­Beneath the shade of those high-rise buildings, there ought to be a lot of zombies wandering about.

    A sudden change that caught everyone unaware that night on Judgement Day could so easily turn an originally tranquil and beautiful world upside down¡­

    "What are you thinking about?"

    As the road ahead is not peppered with danger throughout, Long Zhanye can spare some attention on Huo Zaiyuan even if he is responsible for driving. Glancing over, he sees the child leaning against the window which is still wound down. Hence, he cannot make out his current expression clearly.

    "I''m thinking how many survivors there might be within those buildings, how many zombies are hidden there¡­and how many died."

    "The last couple of days, Uncle Ming and I were in meetings with the section chiefs and this question was brought up. At that time, you raised the topic of mercenary squads, which has already been implemented. The results are satisfactory. In addition, quite a few survivors within the safe zone have formed or are starting to form their own squads, accepting missions that will take them past the perimeter walls to either search for survivors or scavenge supplies," Long Zhanye says, one hand on the steering wheel and the other wrapping comfortingly around Huo Zaiyuan''s soft hand. "Things will take a turn for the better."

    "Un." Nodding his head, he turns his eyes away, leaning back against the chair.

    "I will be very busy once we return to A City, and will also need to establish a mercenary squad to take up missions."

    Hearing these words, Huo Zaiyuan looks at him, mouth curved into a small smile. "Senior officer Long will personally go out?"

    Generally, the higher one''s position is, the more they cherish their lives and are afraid of death. But Long Zhanye is not your typical man. For someone who likes taking risks¡­heheh¡­

    "Un."

    "I will go too." These four words are something he will not allow Long Zhanye to refuse.

    However, it is pretty evident that Long Zhanye has never refused his beloved anything and he isn''t going to start now. On the contrary, he is more than happy to have Huo Zaiyuan accompany him to complete missions.

    "The first member I recruit must be you."

    "Don''t throw me aside. I can be the logistics and tech-support person. Didn''t you say the pieces of equipment each mercenary squad will be allocated would be the same as the ones that commando team got?" Unwilling to remain idle and left alone, Li Qing immediately speaks up, firmly stating, "Naturally, I also come with a ''stay-at-home dad'' and field medic."

    He volunteers Qin Jun as well, for if he is coming along, his lover will too.

    "All right," Long Zhanye answers.

    Although Li Qing''s close combat ability is not too good, and he doesn''t have any special abilities; but based on his skills with machines alone, he has the potential to become a talent in this area as long as it is properly trained and refined.

    Hmm, isn''t the mechanics¡¯ team lacking in personnel? If he sends little Qing over, Uncle Long will be very pleased, and when that moment comes¡­

    Whilst driving, Long Zhanye inwardly calculates how to profit off Li Qing by sending him to work under General Long. Little Qing will be able to benefit and so will Long Zhanye. It''s a win-win situation.

    And poor little Qing is caught up in joy after being accepted into Long Zhanye''s mercenary squad, completely unaware that very soon, he will be forced to part with Qin Jun for an entire month, with only a pile of tools and machine parts to accompany him day and night.

    "Boss, you''ll not throw me aside, right? During the time you were absent from base, I was so bored that I nearly grew mould in a corner." Zuo Hanyang has never been one to laze about. When his Boss wasn''t around, he assisted Grandfather Long in supervising the base. This trip to E City was the first time he manages to leave the base ever since the apocalypse began.

    Thus, in regards to those monsters and zombies, he has only gotten a glimpse of them from afar.

    "Yeah, yeah, you can tag along." Wah, how rare. Long Zhanye didn''t bully him.

    The vehicle speeds down the highway as the interior is filled with conversation and laughter, bounding forth towards A City.

    As Zuo Hanyang joined their party, the number of drivers increase by one. In addition, they are taking the highway to A City, cutting their travel time down significantly. Even if there are still a few zombies roaming around, the degree of safety is still many times higher compared to the wilderness and the lower cities. Therefore, after discussing things, they decide to travel through the night.

    After two straight days of driving, the three drivers in the group all but collapse with exhaustion by the time the Hummer enters A City. The last stretch from the edge of the city to the safe zone is handled by Huo Zaiyuan.

    With Huo Zaiyuan behind the wheel, their speed slows considerably, but the ride is still smooth and steady. Long Zhanye, Qin Jun and Zuo Hanyang are all fast sleep in their seats, and the typically hyper Li Qing is also quiet.

    Thus, a rare silence settles in the Hummer as Huo Zaiyuan manoeuvres the vehicle through the city''s roads. At this time, rays of sunlight shine down, warming everything below the heavens.

    Two hours later, the Hummer reaches A City''s safe zone at last. According to Huo Zaiyuan''s first-hand knowledge of E, M and X''s safe zones, A''s is clearly a cut above the others.

    Like the other safe zones, A City''s own is established around the military district, with the base as its core. Another similarity is its location on the outskirts of the urban district. As the car draws closer, one can see that the area surrounding the perimeter walls used to be a lush, thriving forest. Now, however, all that is left are a few bare stumps.

    Another factor yet differs A City''s safe zone from the others. There is no trench dug a few meters away from the perimeter walls. Instead, the walls facing in the direction of the urban district are completely smooth and flat, with the outmost layer being a wooden wall made from lining tree trunks side by side and securing them together. After the outer wood wall comes a concrete one measuring around five to six meters in height. Watchtowers and artillery platforms also line the top of the walls, with more than a few military personnel armed with firearms patrolling back and forth.

    A sense of amazement rises in his heart as Huo Zaiyuan takes it all in¡­

    Because little did he expect A City''s safe zone to be this huge. Instead of calling this a safe zone, one would be better off labelling it a military fort or a small, fortified city. And he has a premonition that as the number of survivors increase, the perimeter walls will be extended further outwards.

    In front of the safe zone is an area fenced off with sheets of steel. From where he is now, one can make out three gates, each one guarded by an armed soldier. From time to time, a car or two will enter or exit from the middle and right-side gate. Before the left-hand one, quite a lot of people are currently lining up, awaiting admittance.

    Slowing down as he drives towards the gates, a guard quickly notices the approaching Hummer and walks towards it with a hand outstretched, blocking the way.

    "Stop. Head over to the area over there designated for vehicles to park. Register your car and pay ten blue points if you have an identity card on you. Someone will come and clear your vehicle after that is done. If you don''t have an identity card, you can pay by handing over food, then come over and line up for registration!"

    Huo Zaiyuan stops the car, not the least bit displeased regarding being told to move to the designated area, and needing to hand over food or points to gain entrance.

    Whether he was woken by the car stopping, or by the voice of the soldier instructing Huo Zaiyuan on the protocols of the safe zone, Long Zhanye frowns a little as he opens his eyes.

    "Little Yuan, we''ve arrived?"

    "Un, we need to get off and register." Huo Zaiyuan nods before lifting his foot off the brake pedal.

    Only, he is stopped once again when the soldier who barred his way suddenly runs over to the passenger-side door of the Hummer, craning his neck as he tries to peer inside.

    "What are you looking at?" Staring calmly back at the wide-eyed man, Long Zhanye drawls as he quirks an eyebrow.

    The soldier''s solemn expression melts away, replaced by a spooked one as though he has just seen a ghost. "D - Demon king¡­"

    "What did you say?" The volume of Long Zhanye''s voice rises slightly. Has this bastard¡¯s skin grown thicker or did his guts get bigger?

    The fact that most of the soldiers in A''s military district address him as demon king amongst themselves is something Long Zhanye is well aware of. However, no one has dared to call him so to his face.

    "N - nothing. Senior officer¡­you - you''ve returned. The journey''s been hard on you!" Realising he had accidentally blurted out a taboo word, the soldier immediately slaps a hand over his mouth and hastily corrects himself. Snapping to attention, he remembers to salute Long Zhanye.

    "Pfft¡­" Upon hearing that nickname and seeing the soldier''s actions, Huo Zaiyuan can''t contain his laughter. Leaning in towards Long Zhanye, he snickers. "Demon king, huh? This nickname is pretty interesting."

    "¡­¡­"

    The soldier still standing nervously at attention looks at Huo Zaiyuan as he moves closer to senior officer Long, sporting a smile and mocking their Boss. Swallowing anxiously, he can''t help a feeling of admiration from rising in his heart. Heavens ah, this fragile and soft-looking little older brother actually dares to say such things to Boss'' face. Really too bold ah!

    Long Zhanye''s only response to Huo Zaiyuan''s teasing is a soft smile. Then, he eyes the dumbstruck soldier currently staring at Huo Zaiyuan with a gaze full of worship and barks harshly with a stern face. "What are you looking at? Still not coming over and register my vehicle for me?!"

    His nickname is truly fitting! Flying into a rage at a drop of the hat!

    "Yes, yes. This subordinate obeys your command."

 CH 123

    Chapter 123: A''s safe zone

    During their short stay in E City, the four of them did not acquire identity cards for themselves, thus, they need to go through the proper procedure now to get one. Actually, they could have taken advantage of Long Zhanye''s special status and avoid a lot of inconveniences. However, prompted by a sudden impulse, Huo Zaiyuan wants to abide by the safe zone''s law and go through the entire process like a good citizen. Which is why they are currently lining up with the other survivors before the left-side gate.

    Since everyone is willing to wait in line, Long Zhanye naturally doesn''t object. Under the flabbergasted and astounded gaze of the poor guard, the violent and sadistic bastard of a Lord Captain Long surprisingly queued up to register his name with a patient smile on his face.

    The moment the crew in charge of registration notice their Boss waiting in line, their speed increases ten-fold. On a typical day, it would have taken an hour for them to get to Huo Zaiyuan, but this time, only half an hour passed before it was his turn.

    "Your name, please?" The soldier asks Huo Zaiyuan in an extremely deferential tone, albeit a little stiff. His eyes dart towards the insipidly smiling man standing over the youth''s shoulder from time to time, heart trembling in his ribcage.

    Heavens ah, that demon king is unexpectedly acting so gentle and protective towards this white lotus little older brother. This unassuming person must surely be even more incredible than the demon king¡­

    Seeing the strained expression on the soldier''s face, Huo Zaiyuan flashes him a warm smile. "Huo Zaiyuan."

    "Huo¡­eh? Huo Zaiyuan¡­Ah! I know you! You''re the escaped criminal Boss sent out a pursue warrant for!!" Upon hearing Huo Zaiyuan''s name, the man''s eyes brighten as he crows in delight at remembering something.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s smile disappears instantly even as Long Zhanye''s expression stiffen, glaring bloody murder at the soldier.

    On the receiving end of the demon king''s killer scowl, the man begins to shiver like a dead leaf in the wind.

    He - he''s done for. But why does he also feel as if he brought up a taboo topic?

    "Continue." Staring at the trembling soldier, Huo Zaiyuan finally speaks.

    Exactly how much do these soldiers fear the man standing behind him ah? Why is it almost every single one of them resemble a lamb facing a wolf?

    "E - eh¡­"

    "Not going to hurry up and continue?! What are you daydreaming about?!" Long Zhanye''s annoyance deepens further as the soldier stutters, clearly still trying to comprehend what just happened.

    "Y - yes, Sir!"

    The man jumps slightly like a startled cat at Long Zhanye''s sudden snappish tone before reverting to as professional an attitude as he can with his Boss glaring at him. With a meticulous and careful approach, he handles Huo Zaiyuan''s registration swiftly.

    Because Huo Zaiyuan is together with Long Zhanye, even the bravest person wouldn''t dare to ask Huo Zaiyuan to stay the night in the separate district for observation. Generally, survivors would need to remain in the separate district for a period of time in order to ensure they are not infected in any way before an access card is handed to them. However, the soldier immediately hands over the pair''s cards after noting down the necessary information.

    Once Qin Jun''s and Li Qing''s cards are passed over as well, the four are respectfully seen off.

    Ai¡­such a pressurising moment is finally over.

    "Long Zhanye, it''s all your good deeds, making me an escaped criminal." As soon as they reach a place with no one around, the normally serene person finally explodes, pinching Long Zhanye''s ear. Naturally, he makes sure not to use a lot of strength.

    "Ow ow ow, little Yuan, hurts!!" Long Zhanye is well aware Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t like to be reminded of this matter, so upon seeing the unhappy pout on the youth''s face, he feigns pain to soothe his little lover''s anger.

    To be honest, his little Yuan has already given him a lot of face by controlling his temper in front of Long Zhanye''s subordinates, waiting until they reach a place with no outsiders before flaring up and pinching his ear. But ignoring all that, Long Zhanye reckons Huo Zaiyuan''s furious look is rather adorable no matter how you see it.

    "I didn''t use any strength." Letting go of Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan sniffs haughtily and turns around, facing his back to the older man.

    "I know little Yuan loves me most. That matter is a mishap I recognise as a huge mistake. Actually, I thought you would have used "Zi Yuan" instead." Hugging Huo Zaiyuan from behind, Long Zhanye kisses his cheek. "If you think it will be troublesome, I''ll go make them change the name on your identity card."

    "No need, leave it as it is." In actual fact, he is not angered, only displeased that this issue is still able to cause him inconvenience even during the apocalypse.

    "Not angry anymore? Then come on, let''s go check out our accommodation." Clasping Huo Zaiyuan''s hand, Long Zhanye leads them in the direction of the dormitory building.

    "Older brother Long, you''ve got a dormitory here, but what about the rest of us?" Li Qing questions.

    Huo Zaiyuan always stays in the same place as Long Zhanye and sleep in the same room. On top of that, he has his space, so he doesn''t need to worry about accommodation. But not Li Qing and Qin Jun.

    "I have an entire floor of the building to myself. Four units on one level. Little Zuo and Ah You share a unit, my grandfather and his Elder Taoist priest friend share another. The remaining one will be given to you. As long as I''m here, I''ll not allow you to sleep on the streets of this safe zone."

    "Thank you very much, older brother Long!" Li Qing exclaims happily, bouncing next to Qin Jun.

    The safe zone was established with the military base at the heart of it. When development first commenced, there were only five dormitory buildings suitable for living as the number of soldiers living within the district is originally not a lot. Afterwards, in order to squeeze out a few more rooms, a house meant to accommodate eight is made to fit sixteen, but that still wasn''t enough.

    With this system in place, anyone who is able to stay in the original five military dormitory buildings wouldn''t be ordinary people. Survivors who are unable to pay for entrance due to insufficient food supplies on their person can only set up tents along the streets of the safe zone.

    Later, when the perimeter walls were extended further outwards, orders to build more houses were issued from above. Quite a few survivors volunteered to help with the buildings, hence more rooms become available. But the problem still persists.

    With Long Zhanye''s status, he is able to occupy an entire floor on his own in the past, but now, he is restricted to only having a unit to himself.

    Ever since the start of the apocalypse, water and electrical supply have long been cut off within the city. Nevertheless, the military district is an independent region. With their numerous backup generators, one at least doesn''t have to worry about electricity shortage when in the safe zone.

    The dormitory building which Long Zhanye stays in has twenty storeys, with his floor being the topmost level. The four of them immediately steps into the elevator and head up.

    "Huu¡­it''s been so long since I rode an elevator. Really missed it." Li Qing exhales as he steps out.

    After Judgment Day, elevators became death traps and is considered one of the riskiest places to be. Without electricity, it wouldn''t be able to move, and behind those steel doors, unimaginable danger lurks.

    "If you miss it so much, you can ride this to your heart¡¯s content today. If you feel lonely doing it by yourself, you can always call Qin Jun to accompany you." Huo Zaiyuan shoots him a mischievous smile.

    "You¡­as if I''m going to do that! Little Yuan, you are indeed getting more and more irritating!"

    "Thank you very much."

    The locks on the room''s door is an electronic number pad. With no need for a key or an access card, it is extremely convenient. Telling Qin Jun and Li Qing the number combination to enter their unit, Long Zhanye pulls Huo Zaiyuan into another.

    "Aren''t you satisfied?" Long Zhanye asks softly.

    The entire room is mainly black with white as the secondary. The two colours are individually clear and distinct but contrast nicely with each other. The splashes of white here and there amongst all the black give off a simple but elegant feel, allowing Huo Zaiyuan to like it at first glance.

    "Did you decorate it yourself?" Huo Zaiyuan inquires as he exchanges his sneakers for a new pair of slippers.

    Ink black tiles cover the entire floor and skirtings, with blue dots connecting the corners. The walls and ceiling are covered in white wallpaper with small blue flowers scattered over the background. Several simple put elegant white fluorescent lights hang from the ceiling, with the window curtains bearing the same colour and pattern as the wallpaper. In the hall, a black sofa accompanies a white coffee table¡­

    "Adjutant Zuo initially decorated the entire room in black so everytime I stay here, I feel as though I''d soon be blinded by this colour. After that I got someone to change a few things, hence its current condition. Come, here''s the bedroom." Leading Huo Zaiyuan over to a wall, he reaches out and pushes, causing the wall to rotate on an axel.

    As the wallpaper covering the surface is all joined and matched seamlessly together, had Long Zhanye not pushed it open, Huo Zaiyuan would never have noticed the hidden door.

    "It''s a very unique design," Huo Zaiyuan says admiringly as he cranes his neck to peek over Long Zhanye''s shoulder. The interior of the bedroom is identical to the hall.

    "The kitchen is over there, and the bathroom is next to the kitchen. There''s no bathtub in the bathroom, though." Pulling Huo Zaiyuan into his arms, Long Zhanye pecks his cheek. "Although I am pretty tired and really want to rest together, I still have to see my grandfather first."

    "Un."

    Huo Zaiyuan is naturally aware of Long Zhanye''s thoughts. Even with his high status, he is ultimately still a soldier in the army. Having left the base for an extended period of time, he must report to his superior now that he has returned.

    "Then I will take my leave first. Go to bed if you are tired. If you feel bored, you can always find Qin Jun and little Qing for company."

    "Okay."

    Long Zhanye leaves immediately after, but Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t feel bored at all. Exploring the entire unit once over, he discovers a small balcony.

    At the twentieth storey, the air here is very fresh and the wind that blows through it extremely refreshing. In addition, the view is not too bad. One can see almost everything from up here.

    As his gaze sweeps over the entire safe zone, he realises a very interesting fact. The entire layout unexpectedly resembles a bagua.

    With the military district in the middle, the newly established residential areas, open plantation space, etc, all come together to paint a perfect image of a Five Elements Eight Trigrams array. The perimeter walls also form an octagon. This entire safe zone is one huge protective barrier!

 CH 124

    Chapter 124: Follow to call ''Grandfather''

    Regarding the remarkable person who arranged for the entire safe zone to be one large barrier, Huo Zaiyuan is extremely interested. If there ever is an opportunity to do so, he would like to have a good, long chat with them.

    Standing on the balcony, he slowly begins to calculate according to the safe zone''s array. Although his speed is pretty slow, it is accurate. As he counts, he is amazed by another discovery. Not only has this mysterious master arranged the entire zone into a Five Elements Eight Trigrams formation, a harmonious Yin-Yang Taoist array has also been concealed within the bagua, allowing the guards of the safe zone to be stronger, steadier and more energised.

    "Is this the work of the ¡®School of Taoism¡¯? Very interesting¡­" Mumbling to himself, Huo Zaiyuan finally turns around and returns to the room.

    With Qin Jun and Li Qing accumulating so much tiredness throughout the long journey, the pair is now deep asleep. Therefore, he doesn''t want to disturb their rest and make them accompany him for a stroll outside¡­Besides, they will be remaining here indefinitely now that they have reached their destination so there will be ample opportunities to explore A City''s base.

    Thus, he eventually decides to return to his space and mediate. In a flash of silver light, Huo Zaiyuan disappears from the room.

    The little tree spirit who is watering the crops with water taken from the little brook immediately drops what it is doing and flies towards the bamboo house the moment it senses Huo Zaiyuan entering the space.

    "Cheep¡­(Master)." Throwing itself at Huo Zaiyuan, who is sitting cross-legged on the floor, it lands on its human''s shoulder. Giving Huo Zaiyuan a customary greeting kiss, it proceeds to rub its cheek against the youth''s.

    "It''s been hard on you." Huo Zaiyuan says fondly. He really loves this hardworking little spirit.

    Ever since he permitted the small creature to stay in the space, everything has become very neat and orderly. Also, the fact that he is able to break through to the fourth level this quickly is all thanks to the little guy conscientiously watering the peach tree every day.

    Because of the tree spirit''s effort, the peach trees in the first, second and third array will all bear fruit approximately every ten days. Each time they do, Huo Zaiyuan will reward the hardworking being with one peach and uses the rest to make peach juice.

    Now every time he enters the space to cultivate, he will always drink a sip of juice before. The results from this is great, allowing him to achieve twice the effect by using only half the effort. Half a day''s cultivation is comparable to three or four days'' work.

    After playing with the spirit for a while, he drinks a sip of peach juice and begins to meditate. With every inhale, rich spiritual energy seeps into his body, becoming denser every passing moment. He can feel it circulating through his veins and arteries before settling into the sphere of warmth at his abdomen.

    Before the world was turned upside down in his previous life, Huo Zaiyuan has read more than a few xianxia novels with Immortals and cultivation lores. He has played a few similar games too, so he is aware that in the bodies of fictional cultivators, there lies a core within. However, real life cultivation is different from games. From the first level to the fourth level, besides having abundant internal energy, he doesn''t have a core ¡­

    Therefore, he suspects his cultivation method is different from those, which he reckons is a good thing¡­

    After meditating in the space for quite a long period, when Huo Zaiyuan appears in the room, the sky outside has already become a sea of red and orange.

    Silence permeates the entire unit, clearly indicating Long Zhanye has yet to return. As this is the highest floor of the building, the interior is not dim yet thanks to the still-setting sun. Assessing the situation for a few seconds more, he eventually decides to shower and cook dinner.

    Since there are power sockets in the house, the rice cooker Huo Zaiyuan found in X City''s shopping mall can finally be put to good use. After giving the rice a rinse and putting it to cook, he takes out some fish, meat and vegetables.

    Ever since the four of them formed a party from Z City all the way to A City, as long as circumstances permitted him to cook, the four always had warm meals and good food. Adding together the supplies in his interdimensional space and Li Qing''s storage ring, they have everything they can possibly need. Even after cooking for so long, according to Huo Zaiyuan''s estimation, they can still afford to have a feast every day for eight or nine years. Of course, they wouldn''t eat so much in one day, so the length of time between now and when they will run out of food is probably more than a decade. Also, even if all the meat finishes, he still has fresh fruit and vegetable crops planted in his space that will never run out.

    Looking at the kitchen alone, it is plain as day that Long Zhanye is someone who cannot cook to save his life. Besides a few brand new pots, pans, ladles and other kitchen utensils, there isn''t even a stove here.

    Therefore, Huo Zaiyuan also retrieves a stove and a bottle of gas, placing it on the kitchen counter before washing the vegetables and cutting up the meat.

    He doesn''t know if Long Zhanye will want to have dinner after returning from his meeting, but after the two became a couple, Huo Zaiyuan got into the habit of making meals for two. In any case, his space is even better than a fridge so if Long Zhanye has yet to return after he finishes cooking, he will simply store it in the space.

    Now, Huo Zaiyuan abstains from consuming meat. At most, he only drinks a few mouthfuls of soup under Long Zhanye''s shameless compelling. But Long Zhanye, on the other hand, is someone who likes having meat at every meal. The soldier also like spicy and savoury foods, which is the complete opposite of Huo Zaiyuan. Hence, he always prepares five dishes: two meat, two vegetables and a soup. As for Li Qing and Qin Jun, their preferences are not too different from Long Zhanye''s, which is why cooking for those three is no pressure.

    Speaking of Li Qing and Qin Jun, he is also unsure if those two will awaken in time to have dinner together.

    Today, Huo Zaiyuan prepares shitake mushroom in duck stock soup and spicy stir-fried duck. Chopping both the duck and mushrooms to sizeable pieces, he puts it all into a pot of water and brings it to a boil. Once the duck meat is cooked, he removes it from the pot and places it into a heated pan. Adding red pepper, scallion, onion and ginger to the meat, he fries it all together for a while before serving it up on a plate, scattering a few pinches of sesame seed on top. The other meat dish is braised pork and Chinese pickled mustard. Stir-fried tofu and a mix of black fungus, shitake mushrooms and Chinese cabbages make up the two vegetable dishes. Just as Huo Zaiyuan is nearly done with cooking, the front door opens, indicating Long Zhanye''s return.

    "Grandfather, listen to me, actually¡­"

    "Don''t say anymore. I will definitely not agree to it!"

    Another person enters the door after Long Zhanye. With one word of "grandfather" from the soldier''s mouth, it is enough to let Huo Zaiyuan know the identity of this stranger. Commander-in-chief Long, Long Haotian.

    Overhearing the snippet of conversation between grandfather and grandson, it seems they are caught up in a debate over some matter. Huo Zaiyuan is silently wondering if he should go out and ask if everything is all right when the conversation topic shifts.

    "But I¡­"

    "No need to explain. Oh? How fragrant¡­"

    Grandfather Long''s solemn tone abruptly changes. At the sound of frantic slapping of shoes on the tiles as someone runs over, Huo Zaiyuan glances up while carrying a pot of soup over to the table only to freeze, dumbstruck. For at the doorway of the room stands a majestic-looking elderly with a head full of white hair, clad in a black military uniform, sparkling eyes fixed on the youth.

    "Eh¡­"

    "What dish did you cook? Smells nice, really fragrant! Can I have a taste?" The imposing and regal Commander-in-chief Long has been reduced to a greedy kid before the few aromatic dishes laid out on the table.

    Faced with the Long Haotian he had heard so much about but hasn''t met yet, Huo Zaiyuan feels a little anxious and nervous. Now, however, the tension in his body loosens as the Commander-in-chief''s current appearance is not so intimidating.

    Mouth curving up into a smile, Huo Zaiyuan offers a pair of chopsticks to Long Haotian. "Long¡­Commander-in-chief Long, please help yourself."

    Since this is their first meeting, the two of them are not at all familiar. Calling this elderly "grandfather" would be too intimate and inappropriate, which will leave the opposite party with a bad impression. Thus, with this in mind, he settles on addressing Long Haotian by his military rank.

    Taking the offered chopsticks, Long Haotian targets the spicy duck first. The hot sauce numbs his mouth and spreads across his taste buds. Right, right, it is exactly this flavour! Really too delicious! With another snap of his chopsticks, he picks up a piece of braised pork.

    When Long Zhanye enters the kitchen with concern written all over his face, the sight of his grandfather who was grumbling with displeasure just moments ago now standing before the table, stealing bites from this dish and that plate like a child causes him to be momentarily speechless.

    How come he wasn''t aware his grandfather has such a gluttonous side?

    "Grandfather, we haven''t finished discussing the matter."

    "Weren''t you referring to this child?" Popping yet another piece of duck meat into his mouth, Long Haotian points at Huo Zaiyuan with the end of his chopsticks.

    "Yes."

    "Un, not bad, not bad. Do whatever you like. Affairs of youngsters are not something this old man will pry into."

    Long Zhanye''s handsome face brightens joyfully as soon as his grandfather said those words, his heart thumping as though a thousand horses are racing across. Still¡­

    Oi, he talked and persuaded from afternoon to evening, until his saliva has all but dried. This old man bore a stoic face through it all with no intention of giving way. Now in the face of a few delicious dishes, he agrees so easily¡­

    Was grandfather pulling his leg all along?

    "Grandfather, didn''t you say you will definitely not agree to it?"

    "When you first contacted me, you said you couldn''t find this ''Huo Zaiyuan''. I thought since you can''t find the person, I''ll find a woman to take care of you. But now you said you like a young man. How could a youngster take good care of you? Of course I didn''t want to agree. However, now I know this child is a skilled cook, and is pretty good-looking too¡­he is pleasing to this old man''s eye, so I changed my mind." Long Haotian''s expression turns serious again, eyeing this treasured grandson who tore apart his desk this afternoon.

    Tsk, this brat really cannot get through a day without bickering with this old man.

    "Grandfather, thank you," Long Zhanye says with a dazzling smile as he hugs Long Haotian.

    "Hmph, go away, go away. You don''t cherish your grandfather even a little. I raised you and worried about you in vain," Long Haotian grumbles, shaking off his precious grandson before walking up to Huo Zaiyuan and staring at him.

    Startling a little at being subjected to Long Haotian''s intense scrutiny, a trace of nervousness surfaces in his heart again.

    "Commander-in-chief Long, may I ask¡­is something the matter?"

    "Nothing. Hmm¡­very good. No need to call me Commander-in-chief. Follow Zhanye and directly call me grandfather." Long Haotian nods in satisfaction. However, his next words almost cause Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan to faint in embarrassment. "I say, precious grandson, no matter how I look, this child should be no more than fifteen or sixteen. Can you really bring yourself to lay hands on him?"

    "Grand - grandfather¡­I''ve already past my eighteenth birthday¡­" Huo Zaiyuan corrects with a face full of black lines.

    Does he really look that young?

    "Really can''t tell ah. Then¡­what''s your name?"

    "Huo Zaiyuan."

    Clang -

    The chopsticks in Grandfather Long¡¯s hand falls to the ground as he stares at Huo Zaiyuan in astonishment.

 CH 125

    Chapter 125: Our Boss beats people up

    Little Yuan¡­

    A deep and gentle rasp sounds close to his ear, calling him softly.

    (Translator''s notes: Snipped¡­)

    Remarkable¡­you are really too remarkable that I can''t resist the desire to eat you¡­

    A flash of sharp teeth and a malicious smirk. In a split-second, the figure crosses the distance between them, eyes flaring scarlet as a tongue flicks out to run over his lips.

    "Ahh - !!"

    A frightened shriek rings out, eyes abruptly snapping wide open as Huo Zaiyuan jerks up into a sitting position on the bed, panting.

    Warm morning sunlight shines in through the window, brightening the entire bedroom. After a long moment, his thundering heart eventually calms. Frowning, Huo Zaiyuan lifts a hand to his lightly aching head as he recalls what transpired in that strange dream with a black face.

    Damn it! Just what kind of messed up nightmare was that ah¡­

    He actually dreamt about being chased by Long Zhanye and¡­no, no. That''s not right. That definitely wasn''t Zhanye and him. That malicious smirk¡­who exactly did he dream about?

    Thoughts in chaos, Huo Zaiyuan honestly cannot make sense of what he saw.

    Shoving the blanket away and getting off the bed, his gaze falls on the bedside table and a smile surfaces. For the past few days, he always wakes up to this scene. A glass of cold water on the bedside table with a piece of paper below.

    Picking up the paper, he reads the bold cursive characters written on it: I''m also busy today. Be good and eat your meals. Not allowed to have only vegetables. If you are bored, take a stroll outside. Love you! Zhanye.

    It has been three days since they arrived at A base, and every day, Long Zhanye is busy with his work, daily matters leaving him exhausted at the end of the day. Early in the morning, before Huo Zaiyuan wakes up, Long Zhanye is already working, returning only around midnight when he is asleep or meditating. Thus, in these three days, he rarely sees Long Zhanye around. This habit of leaving notes on slips of paper also began from day one. Three days¡­three notes.

    Paper in hand, Huo Zaiyuan bites his lower lip in thought.

    It wouldn''t be because he''s been missing Zhanye these past days that he dreamt such a strange thing, right?

    How about going out to see him¡­just from a distance will do.

    The paper in his hand disappears in a flash of silver and Huo Zaiyuan grabs a clean set of clothes before heading to the bathroom. Eating a bowl of vegetable soup for breakfast, Huo Zaiyuan leaves the unit.

    Two days ago, under Grandfather Long''s arrangement, Li Qing was hauled away by the technicians in the mechanic department. And Qin Jun with his medical expertise was sent to work in the safe zone''s hospital. Because the Elder Taoist priest returned to B City, Huo Zaiyuan is left all alone with nothing to do.

    Hiding in the house for three days, he only meditated besides eating and sleeping. Today he decides to go out and enjoy that warm sunshine. All things considered, this world is still pretty nice.

    The safe zone is divided into two districts, the inner one being the original military base. The outer district is the extended portion that was later established when more space was needed. As for the large gates separating the two regions, it is always left open so everyone can freely traverse through the entire zone. Naturally, there are still areas restricted to ordinary citizens, one of which is the central command centre of the military base.

    Since it is still early in the morning, he reckons Long Zhanye will still be busy with work, which is why Huo Zaiyuan is prepared to go for a stroll. When lunchtime comes, he will go and search for the other man.

    In these past few days, Huo Zaiyuan has not taken up any tasks and hasn''t traded anything with anyone, which is why his identity card has zero points.

    But, it''s not as if he needs anything.

    The first area Huo Zaiyuan explores is the place where people come to take missions and assignments. The mission hall consists of a large lobby that is separated into two by wooden plaques. One reads "Daily assignments" and the other "Mercenary squad missions". It gives off a feeling one might have when walking into an adventurer''s guild in a game or fiction novel.

    Glancing over the various tasks up for grabs, Huo Zaiyuan doesn¡¯t see anything interesting enough to draw his attention. Therefore, he turns and leaves.

    On the left side near the perimeter walls sits a few wooden shacks which allow survivors to set up stores, creating something like a small marketplace. A few transaction machines are scattered throughout the street for convenient selling and purchasing of goods. A myriad of items can be seen throughout, necessities mixed with junk. Browsing the various booths for a while, Huo Zaiyuan comes across a store with a crowd of people surrounding it.

    Originally thinking the booth is selling something extremely attractive, Huo Zaiyuan slips through the mass to take a peek. Unexpectedly, the interesting something is merely a jar of mouldy salted vegetables. Not only that, but it isn''t being sold a bottle at a time. Rather, the seller slices it into a thin piece and sells each slice for a rather high price. Ten blue points for one. And there are actually quite a lot of buyers vying for it.

    Seeing the brilliant smile on the seller''s face, Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes narrow and he walks away with a scoff.

    After strolling through the marketplace, he decides to climb up to the top of the perimeter wall and walk one round. It is already midday by the time he finishes a lap. Speculating that Long Zhanye will take his lunch around this time, he heads back to the central command centre.

    A half a meter high steel fence surrounds the command centre and a couple of soldiers are tasked with standing guard at the gate even if ordinary civilians know not to approach it. As soon as Huo Zaiyuan draws close, the two guards bar his way.

    "Who are you? This is the safe zone''s military command centre. Ordinary civilians are not allowed to enter," One of the guards states in a strict tone.

    If this is someone else, they would have been scared off by the stern tone of this man. However, Huo Zaiyuan merely regards him with a calm expression. "I came to find someone."

    "Find someone? Who are you looking for ah?" The other guard asks after hearing Huo Zaiyuan''s words.

    "Looking for Long Zhanye."

    "¡­¡­" The pair of guards freeze, staring at him with wide eyes.

    At this moment, a car drives past, stopping before the gates. Sitting in the driver''s seat is another soldier wearing a military cap, a sunny smile on his handsome face.

    "Oi, Bei zi[1], lao[1] Qian, what''s this all about? Ooh, where did this pretty boy come from? So good-looking too."

    "Hao zi, he said he is looking for Boss." The guard on the left called Bei zi says.

    "Looking for Boss? Is Boss someone you can ask to see so easily?" The tanned, curly-haired soldier sitting in the car snorts.

    "That''s right ah, Boss has only been back for three days and already suitors come to knock on the door. Ai, this is too extreme ah!" Beside the curly-haired soldier is another sporting a buzz-cut and an ambiguous smile on his face.

    "Hey, hey, Hui zi, I remember Boss likes that kind of assertive and confident pretty younger sisters. This child''s a male, though." Hao zi says loudly to the buzz-cut male in the car.

    "I know Boss likes those sorts, but in the past, there were also sons and male cousins of famous families and officials delivered to his doorsteps ah!" Hui zi replies just as loudly.

    Standing between the soldiers, Huo Zaiyuan''s face remains expressionless even as he listens to the discussion of Long Zhanye''s old conquests deliberately leaked by these big-mouths.

    "Oi, youngster, let me tell you. Our Boss doesn''t like women, and dislikes skinny brats like you even more. Go back and wait until you¡¯ve matured." As soon as these words leave Hao zi''s mouth, everyone bursts out laughing.

    "What are all of you doing?"

    A faux-pleasant voice with a slight edge suddenly drifts over, causing the laughing soldiers to cease instantly. The three people in the car scramble to get off the vehicle, snapping to attention as soon as their feet touch the ground and saluting.

    "Greetings, Boss!"

    "Greetings, senior officer!"

    Huo Zaiyuan recognises Long Zhanye''s voice as soon as he hears it. However, just as he turns around, curly-haired Hao zi and the buzz-cut Hui zi suddenly shifts closer, blocking his view of Long Zhanye.

    "What are you doing?" Long Zhanye frowns, an irritated expression settling across his face.

    "Boss, you didn''t see anything just now. Besides us, there really is no one else here." Hao zi says with an enormous smile plastered on his face.

    "Youngster, leave, quickly leave. Don''t let Boss see you. Or else when he gets angry, he will beat people up." Curly-hair nudges Huo Zaiyuan in his side, whispering for him to flee.

    Originally thinking these soldiers were blocking his way so he wouldn¡¯t be able to meet Long Zhanye, a small smile appears on Huo Zaiyuan''s face when he realises this wasn''t their intention.

    "Move far away." Long Zhanye growls in a low voice as he stalks forward. Reaching out, he places a hand on Hao zi and Hui zi''s shoulders, shoving them aside.

    Really, blocking his way like that.

    "Boss, don''t be angry. Don''t be angry. This is my younger brother, he came here to find me!" Seeing Long Zhanye''s stoic face, the curly-haired soldier hurriedly comes up with an excuse as he drags Huo Zaiyuan behind him.

    Heavens ah, Boss is really pissed. This little kid looks so soft and fragile, how can he stand up to a single punch from Boss?

    "You, scram as well!" A foot immediately rises and shoves Hao zi to one side before Long Zhanye stops in front of Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Boss, don''t - "

    "You came." The previously dark and foreboding look changes to a gentle and affectionate smile in a split-second.

    "I missed you, so here I am." Huo Zaiyuan returns the smile, then drags his eyes up and down the man clad in a smart military uniform. "Un, very handsome."

    "¡­¡­"

    This short exchange makes the originally extremely anxious soldiers pause, stunned.

    What¡­what just happened?

    Footnotes:

    [1] Not going to translate this to "little so-and-so" or "old so-and-so" because too many names with such prefixes tagged on will make the entire text sound weird. But basically, "zi" is for those younger than the speaker and "lao" is for those older. Peers are addressed typically as "Ah so-and-so".

 CH 126

    Chapter 126: Eldest sister-in-law

    Long Zhanye''s military uniform is rather special. The collar and shoulders are black, the buttons on his long, camouflage-patterned coat left unfastened all the way through, exposing the white collared shirt beneath. Tailored to fit his lean frame, perfectly pressed and straight black slacks coupled with polished black combat boots complete his outfit, presenting a very smart and handsome image.

    Nodding his head in agreement, Huo Zaiyuan smiles. "Un, you were right. It is indeed very smart."

    "Naturally. Now, why did you come all the way out here?" Long Zhanye wraps an arm around his shoulders, eyeing the thunderstruck soldiers. "Did they bully you?"

    His implication cannot be any clearer. If they bullied you, I''ll take revenge on your behalf.

    "I didn''t see you this past couple of days, so I decided to come over¡­" Huo Zaiyuan replies. "They are all pretty interesting."

    The few soldiers tensed the moment they hear Long Zhanye''s words, sweating as though they are about to face the death penalty. But Huo Zaiyuan''s next sentence saves their little lives, moving them to the point of almost getting down on their knees.

    Not only did they boast and gossip about their Boss'' past conquests, they even mocked this little older brother. But he unexpectedly didn''t say he was bullied by them.

    A glare from Long Zhanye is enough to scare them back into standing at attention, afraid to slip up and provoke the demon king''s anger. If that happens, they can only look forward to a beating later.

    "I''m hungry, let''s have lunch together." Pulling Huo Zaiyuan to his side with an arm around his waist, Long Zhanye leads him into the command centre, speaking softly as they walk.

    "Un, what would you like to eat?"

    ~~~

    Listening to the conversation between those two men, the soldiers standing at attention in a straight line can''t help feeling really curious. As soon as the pair walks out of hearing range, Hao zi is the first to give into his inquisitiveness.

    "Oh my god, was that really the demon king? I must have woken up on the wrong side of bed this morning."

    "You didn''t. That really was the demon king." Hui zi answers slowly, still in a daze.

    "We are done for. We just leaked out a lot of gossip about the demon king. That child - eh¡­if that little older brother tells on us, then wouldn''t the demon king skin us alive?!" Curly-hair exclaims as he suddenly realises just how much they let slip in front of Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Hao zi said the most. He even said Boss likes assertive women and that little older brother is too skinny!" Bei zi looks at Hao zi with an expression of "you are doomed".

    "Eh¡­s - so what? Lao Qian even said Boss was pretty intimate with a younger sister who dropped by his office!" Hao zi exclaims, pointing at lao Qian even as his face turns redder and redder with every passing second.

    "Also, Dong zi (the third person in the car) also mentioned¡­blahblahblah¡­"

    "Blahblahblah¡­"

    The five of them quarrel, voices growing louder and louder until a fight breaks out between them at the front gates of the command centre. The ruckus attracts quite a lot of survivors who opt to stand around and watch. A few even sit down in preparation for a good show.

    ~~~

    Within Huo Zaiyuan''s space, it is normal to have a few hot dishes already prepared as well as cooked rice. With Huo Zaiyuan here, the ordinary food in the command centre¡¯s canteen is unable to incite Long Zhanye''s appetite.

    Bringing Huo Zaiyuan back to his office, Long Zhanye immediately embraces him from behind, kissing his neck. "I haven''t had a proper conversation with you for three days. Really missed you."

    Huo Zaiyuan''s neck has always been sensitive. Long Zhanye''s sudden kiss, as well as the feel of his hot breath upon the skin, causes his heart to palpitate and a numb sensation to spread across his body.

    This familiar embrace, this warm hug¡­Huo Zaiyuan feels his face heating up. Opening his mouth to say something, he eventually closes it again, not uttering a single word.

    After holding Huo Zaiyuan in his arms for a while, the two eventually moves to a guestroom for lunch.

    "I just need another two days to clear up the last of my work. After that, I will be able to accompany you for the whole day again," Long Zhanye states as he glances at the youth sitting opposite him.

    "Idiot, I''m not a woman. Even if you continue to be busy for the rest of the week, I''ll be able to find something to kill time." Huo Zaiyuan returns the stare evenly before flashing a smile.

    "Is that so¡­I''m hurt. It appears you don''t miss me even a little."

    The sight of a well-built, handsome man standing at the height of over 185cm pouting would usually make a person shudder, but for some reason, when Long Zhanye makes that face, Huo Zaiyuan can''t help but feel it is a little cute¡­

    "When you''re not around¡­I''ll think about you. Therefore I came all the way here to find you¡­" Biting his chopsticks and looking down at his bowl, Huo Zaiyuan admits in a small voice.

    Upon hearing these words, the pouting man displaying deep hurt on his face instantly brightens. Shifting his chair over so it is next to Huo Zaiyuan, he pulls him into another embrace and plants a kiss on his cheek.

    "I know little Yuan loves me most. Always thinking about me when he can''t see me."

    "You¡­don''t kiss me. My face is all oily." Blushing, Huo Zaiyuan pushes against the tight hold of the person sticking so closely to him.

    "I also love an oily little Yuan." Ignoring the other party''s futile struggles, Long Zhanye kisses his lips this time, savouring the sweet taste slowly.

    "Mhmm¡­let¡­let go¡­"

    Let go? Dream on!

    Although Long Zhanye has a habit of eating very quickly, it becomes an exception when dining with Huo Zaiyuan. Adding to the fact that he hasn''t spent any time with his beloved for three days - and his little Yuan actually took the initiative to find him - his mood is extremely good. Hence, he actually spends a little more than an hour to finish lunch today.

    Exiting the office after finishing their meal, they step out only to be met with a group of soldiers smiling foolishly at the couple with ambiguous looks on their faces.

    "What are all of you standing here for?" Long Zhanye''s eyebrow rises slightly as he scowls at the group of reckless punks.

    "Nothing, nothing." Hao zi''s grin is so wide his eyes all but disappear. Inching towards Long Zhanye, he stealthily glances at the serene youth standing beside him before asking in a whisper. "Boss, are you and that little older brother¡­in that kind of relationship?"

    "What do you think?" Glaring at Hao zi, Long Zhanye replies curtly.

    Being a smart little cookie who has worked under Long Zhanye for this long, from his Boss'' expression alone, Hao zi is able to understand his unspoken words clearly.

    "Lovers¡­"

    "Hn." Long Zhanye grunts, then turn to Huo Zaiyuan. "I''ll take my leave first."

    "Boss, please don''t worry. In the time when you are not around, we will definitely help you look after eldest sister-in-law properly! Isn''t that right, brothers?!" Beaming, Hao zi jabs a finger towards the ceiling as he shouts his determined declaration.

    "Boss, don''t worry! We will help you take care of eldest sister-in-law!"

    As they say this with a resolute air, the ten soldiers clad in smart military uniforms form a line and stand at attention, clicking their heels together. This sight is really quite shocking, making Huo Zaiyuan go "‡å" in his heart.

    This group of soldiers really love to cause a ruckus.

    "I am not your eldest sister-in-law." Eyeing Long Zhanye sternly for a while, Huo Zaiyuan turns and walks away.

    Staring at Huo Zaiyuan''s departing back, the ten soldiers eventually shift their hesitant gaze to Long Zhanye. "Boss¡­"

    Traces of worry appear in their eyes, afraid that they accidentally stirred up the demon king''s fiery temper.

    "Un, not bad. I like it. Hao zi, that was pretty creative." Amazingly, the demon king doesn''t become angry as he nods his head, reaching out to clap the dumbstruck Hao zi on the shoulder. "Continue working hard."

    Saying thus, Long Zhanye spins on his heels and walks away.

    "Boss¡­Boss just praised me ah." A foolish grin breaks out on Hao zi''s face as he stares at the tall figure in the distance.

    "Yes, yes. We all saw that." Breaking the straight line, the soldiers bunch together once more.

    "But why didn''t eldest sister-in-law admit?" One of them wonders aloud.

    "Don''t tell me Boss hasn''t won him over yet?" Another questions.

    "How can that be? They were inside for so long." Yet another shakes his head.

    The little group shares a laugh at that.

    "That means eldest sister-in-law is just embarrassed."

    "Yeah, yeah." The rest agree, nodding their heads vigorously.

    "Then what is everyone still standing around here for ah? Still not going? This safe zone is a snake pit. If eldest sister-in-law is bullied by some random scoundrel, be careful Boss doesn''t catch you and skin you alive."

    Later, survivors walking pass the military command centre bear witness to the strange sight of a group of soldiers in uniform madly dashing out of the gate in various directions.

    After parting ways with Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan wants to go over to the safe zone''s infirmary to check on Qin Jun. Before, the infirmary is only a small room with a few beds. Now that the safe zone has expanded, the infirmary also expands from a single room to an entire building. Presently, it is referred to as the "medical bay". Anyone who falls sick or is injured can go to the medic bay to seek treatment.

    Opposite the medic bay is the research institute, which houses as many scientists as it can possibly contain. Living in the apocalypse now, these people have one major goal: to uncover the reason behind the apocalypse. Other smaller objectives include how to stop zombie infections and where Ability Users gain their powers from.

    Consequently, next to the institute, another space has been arranged to house all the Ability Users in the safe zone.

    As Huo Zaiyuan wanders pass that place, he can see a lot of people training, going through drills and other exercises. Males and females, some controlling fire or lightning, others manipulating water or wind¡­this casual display of powers is able to leave anyone feeling dazed.

    "Eldest sister-in-law! Eldest sister-in-law! You came here ah. Took us so long to finally find you." A loud voice yells. It turns out to be Hao zi leading Dong zi and Hui zi in a fast jog over.

    Huo Zaiyuan pauses as he sweeps a glance over the smiling faces of these three older brothers. Eventually, he relaxes, offering them a faint smile. "I''m a man. Don''t call me eldest sister-in-law."

    "But you are our eldest sister-in-law ah." Hui zi says with an extremely serious expression.

    "That''s right ah. That''s right ah." The other two agrees.

    "Eldest sister-in-law, why did you come all that way out here? It is dangerous to stay in the vicinity when the Ability Users are training." Hao zi says.

    "I''m here to find a friend¡­"

    "Tsk, tsk, bunch of fools calling this kid eldest sister-in-law. Why wasn''t I aware that Long Zhanye likes innocent boys?"

    Suddenly, a condescending voice sounds from where the Ability Users'' training ground is.

 CH 127

    Chapter 127: He Lianming

    "Tsk, tsk. Even someone like Long Zhanye is only so capable. Since when does he enjoy topping a sapling?" The unknown person''s voice may be charismatic, but the words they spit out are hostile and a little provocative. "Un, seeing this appearance is rather pleasing, but I wonder how he will be in bed?"

    Who knows when a man clad in a deep purple military uniform appeared, leaning against the lattice fence encircling the Ability Users'' training ground. Sword eyebrows, slender peach blossom eyes, straight nose and full lips, the individual''s outer appearance is rather striking. If Long Zhanye possesses the aggressive kind of handsomeness, then this person is a charismatic demon.

    "He Lianming, don''t think that just because you are J base''s leader, you can entice our Boss'' man as you wish. Take care that Boss doesn''t beat you to a cripple!" Hao zi steps in front of Huo Zaiyuan, sneering at the man.

    Suffice to say, the stranger''s status is not low. However, taking into account the unfriendly looks in the three soldiers'' face as they stare at He Lianming, that person is not friends with Long Zhanye.

    Careful seizing up the other party, Huo Zaiyuan also notices he is being scrutinised. A corner of the stranger''s mouth pulls up before a surge of water sweeps him up into the air, crossing over the two-meter tall fence with no difficulty at all.

    "Does Long Zhanye possess this kind of ability now? Compared to us Ability Users, he is nothing more than an ordinary man who possesses only brute force."

    "An idiot who got bitten by a zombie actually wants to compete with our Boss  - ahh - !!" Hao zi''s furious words are cut off when he is sent flying away by a strike from a water whip.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s brow wrinkles. When Dong zi and Hui zi reach out, intending to pull him away from the stranger, they too, are thrown aside by a stream of water.

    "He Lianming, what are you planning to do?!" Hao zi roars as he crawls to his feet a few meters away. "If you dare touch him, I will definitely chop your fingers off!"

    Blatantly ignoring Hao zi''s furious yell, He Lianming extends a hand to stroke Huo Zaiyuan''s lower jaw. "Tsk, tsk. Grow a little more and you''ll definitely be a - "

    Swish -

    Suddenly, a shadow flickers pass for a split-second before disappearing, leaving a thin cut behind on He Lianming''s cheek. Red blood wells up from that thin slice even as a soft, bland voice rises.

    "If you touch me again, the next target will not be your face." Huo Zaiyuan stares calmly at the startled man.

    The shock morphs swiftly into amazement and a seductive smirk surfaces. Pulling his hand back, He Lianming asks, "You are an Ability User too?"

    Regarding him silently for a moment, Huo Zaiyuan turns to leave. As his figure draws into the distance, a faint voice drifts back to the man. "Even if Zhanye doesn''t have a special ability, you are still not his opponent."

    Seeing Huo Zaiyuan walking away, Hao zi and the other two quickly follow.

    Gaze fixed on that slim, departing back, He Lianming''s expression darkens, teeth clenching as a feeling of discontentment rises in his heart.

    "Fool! What does Long Zhanye count as!!"

    Listening to the explosion of fury behind, Hao zi''s face is filled with black lines as he cautiously peeks at Huo Zaiyuan. "Um¡­eldest sister-in-law, just now¡­"

    "My name is Huo Zaiyuan, don''t call me eldest sister-in-law." Huo Zaiyuan interrupts. "That person is pretty interesting."

    "Eh? But he and Boss¡­" Hui zi mutters under his breath.

    Heavens ah, really can''t tell this fragile and soft-looking eldest sister-in-law is a hidden master ah. In just one move, he reduced that bastard to a blustering mess.

    "Arch-enemies?"

    "Un, un." Dong zi nods. "He Lianming''s family is about the same as Boss''. They are also a military line. These two Houses have been fighting covertly and sabotaging each other throughout the generations. At the age of fourteen, He Lianming was sent to the Military Academy and accomplished great deeds even before he graduated. Afterwards, our much more remarkable Boss appeared and he became jealous. He has never been friendly with Boss, always finding faults with him¡­"

    "So that''s the case." Huo Zaiyuan nods in acknowledgement as a small smile plays on his lips.

    It seems Zhanye has always been bullying others since childhood, or else how could someone be provoked to this extent when a mere indirect jab is made? He simply mentioned Zhanye''s name and didn''t even insult He Lianming''s person. (Author''s note: You really understand your gong very well.)

    Huo Zaiyuan eventually finds Qin Jun in the medic bay. As he is still a medical student when the apocalypse broke out, Qin Jun is made an apprentice to a veteran army medic. Only after learning at the older man''s side for a month will he be allowed to perform independent diagnosis and treat the patients.

    After chatting with Qin Jun for a while, Huo Zaiyuan bids goodbye to his friend, not wanting to delay him further. He walks out of the medic bay, still trailing three sticky tails behind.

    As they pass by the Ability Users'' training ground once more, their path is blocked by He Lianming, who only seconds ago was staring soullessly into the distance.

    "All bark and no bite. He Lianming, what do you want in the end?!" Hao zi has always disliked He Lianming. Now the latter is deliberately blocking their path, he detests him even more.

    "Long Zhanye''s mutts, stand aside. I want to talk to him, not you. Someone, come and drag these three dogs away." Crossing his arms over his chest, He Lianming displays a crafty smile.

    In a blink of an eye, an intense stream of concentrated air whooshes past, throwing the three soldiers far away from Huo Zaiyuan. At the same moment, a few figures dash forward, pinning the prone men down on the ground, immobilising them.

    "He Lianming, you despicable man! If you have the guts, don''t hide behind others! Harm our eldest sister-in-law and Boss will skin you alive!" Hui zi bellows as he struggles to free him pinned arms.

    "Eldest sister-in-law, quickly run ah! Don''t bother about us ah!" Dong zi tags on.

    "He Lianming, touch one hair on our eldest sister-in-law''s head and Boss will never let you off ahh - " Hao zi let out a pained groan before he finishes speaking.

    "Don''t harm them." Huo Zaiyuan says as he beholds the fox-like smile on the man''s face.

    "Tsk, tsk, little thing, you''re really benevolent ah. Can''t even protect yourself but still worrying about others¡­" He Lianming clicks his tongue as he leisurely approaches Huo Zaiyuan, peach blossom eyes curving upwards. "Don''t fret, even if I don''t like Long Zhanye, I wouldn¡¯t stoop to harm his subordinates. At most, I''ll severely punish them a little so they will learn the consequences of offending their superiors."

    "What do you want?" Meeting those narrowed eyes calmly, Huo Zaiyaun eventually opens his mouth again.

    "Nothing, really. I only wish to invite you to our Ability Users'' training ground as a guest."

    "What if I refuse?"

    "You wouldn''t." A vicious gleam surfaces in He Lianming''s eyes. Waving a hand, a stream of water rises and shoots towards Huo Zaiyuan.

    Retreating quickly, Huo Zaiyuan flicks the fingers of his left hand. In a flash of silver, the Holy Dragon Bone Brush appears. As the controlled body of water approaches, the brush flies out to meet it head-on. Drawing on Huo Zaiyuan''s inner spiritual energy, a protective screen forms from the bristles, blocking the stream.

    Taking advantage of the explosion of water when it collides forcefully with the silver screen, Huo Zaiyuan retreats a few paces further, vanishing the brush at the same time.

    This method of manipulating the Dragon Bone Brush using his spiritual energy is a skill he discovered only two days ago. Truth be told, he drew inspiration from seeing the black-robed man in his dreams summon the brush before presenting it to his ancestor. That move is simple but very efficient.

    Afterwards, as he began to experiment, he found out that not only can he summon the brush in a blink of an eye, he can also imbue his spiritual energy in it and use it as a medium to throw out defensive techniques. Naturally, he is not very skilled with it yet. On top of that, he doesn''t want anyone to see his true abilities, which is why he vanishes the brush when everyone is distracted by the explosion of water. He is more than happy to deceive the other party into thinking he is also an Ability User.

    "Truly very good ah. Although I detest Long Zhanye, I cannot deny his noteworthy ability to see people''s potential." He Lianming''s expression is now one of ecstasy. Not waiting for Huo Zaiyuan to respond, both hands rise. Two columns of water streak towards the youth, attacking from both sides. "Let''s see how you''ll block it this time!"

    A small smirk emerges as Huo Zaiyuan glances at the two streams of water. His body disappears in a flash of silver, causing the attacks to strike empty space. The water hits the ground in a huge splash, raining droplets down on everyone in the vicinity.

    In another flash of silver light, Huo Zaiyuan appears behind the giant puddle, not a single drop of water on his clothes.

    "How - how is that possible?" He Lianming stutters in shock, eyes blown wide. "What exactly did you do?!"

    "What do you think I did?" Huo Zaiyuan spreads his arms in mock-innocence.

    He refuses to engage in a real combat situation with He Lianming. Not only is he not good at close combat, the other party is the leader of J base and the acknowledged arch-enemy of Long Zhanye. Which means his fighting skills will be extraordinary. Not to mention, he is now an Ability User too.

    Staring at Huo Zaiyuan, He Lianming slowly eases out of his offensive stance and waves a hand, gesturing for his subordinates to release the three soldiers on the ground.

    "Haha¡­interesting. Really too interesting. Youngster, you''ve piqued my interest. Go back and tell Long Zhanye¡­I''ve set my sights on you. Let''s go!" Saying this, he turns around and departs with his subordinates.

 CH 128

    Chapter 128: Tian Jizi

    Regarding that little episode with He Lianming, Huo Zaiyuan completely doesn''t put it on his mind. After strolling around the safe zone with the three sticky tails that day, he stayed at home to meditate for the next two days. In the evening of the second consecutive day of cultivation, Long Zhanye who had been busy working ever since returning to A City eventually wraps up his affairs.

    "Finally finished. I''m exhausted to death. Little Yuan, I request comfort and compensation."

    Like a whiny kid, Long Zhanye has his arms wrapped around Huo Zaiyuan''s soft waist, sticking to his back as the latter moves around the kitchen preparing dinner.

    "Am I not preparing a meal for you now? Don''t stick on me, go wait at the table," Huo Zaiyuan says as he deftly stirs the egg noddles currently boiling in the pot. Nevertheless, he doesn''t make a move to push the man holding him away.

    "Little Yuan, you don''t love me anymore." Burying his nose in Huo Zaiyuan hair and inhaling that light, fresh scent, Long Zhanye can''t resist nipping that fair neck.

    "Ah - you¡­" A tingle runs through Huo Zaiyuan''s body at Long Zhanye''s sneak attack on his neck. The bowl in his hand nearly falls as his finger momentarily lost its strength. "Stop distracting me and shoo. Didn''t you say you are tired and hungry?"

    Placing the items in his hands down on the counter, Huo Zaiyuan eventually chases the shameless man out of the kitchen. Or else if he keeps letting Zhanye do as he pleases, dinner wouldn''t be cooked on time.

    Watching Long Zhanye saunter out of the kitchen, Huo Zaiyuan sighs lightly. Every time he faces this man, his calm and cool-headed persona shatters completely¡­he always feels like there is something irresistible about Zhanye that draws him in. This sort of feeling is rather dangerous, in his opinion, but damn if he doesn''t dislike it.

    After clearing the bowls and utensils when dinner is done, Huo Zaiyuan returns to the hall and sees Long Zhanye sprawled lazily on the sofa with both eyes closed. His military coat is thrown aside, leaving only a white, skintight inner shirt that serves to emphasise Long Zhanye''s extremely fit figure¡­

    "If you''re tired, go take a shower before going to bed, hmm?" Huo Zaiyua says softly as he walks towards Long Zhanye.

    "Just a little." Long Zhanye''s eyelids flutter open and he reaches out to grip Huo Zaiyuan''s forearms, pulling him down gently into his embrace. "Accompany me to lie down for a while."

    Falling on top of Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan stares at the brazen male and sighs softly. "What am I to do with you¡­"

    Placing his hands on Long Zhanye''s hips, Huo Zaiyuan leans his head on the firm chest before allowing his eyelids to slide shut.

    Unknowingly, when the couple next opens their eyes, it is early morning of the next day, and they woke due to someone knocking on their door.

    Due to curling up with each other for an entire night, their clothes are in disarray, and the knocking has become increasingly insistent. In the end, Long Zhanye lets Huo Zaiyuan go to the bathroom to shower and change while he merely drapes the slightly crumpled coat over his shoulders and answers the door.

    "Hmph, you brat! Really becoming more and more lazy. Just look at the state of your uniform!" Standing at the other side of the door, Long Haotian frowns as he takes in his treasured grandson''s wrinkled and messy clothes, his old face darkening.

    "Grandfather, isn''t it your fault for running over this early in the morning? I was really exhausted after dinner yesterday. Didn''t even shower before dozing off." Scratching his head, Long Zhanye yawns, blatantly ignoring his grandfather''s dark expression.

    "Hn, I came to find little Yuan. Move aside." It is rare for Grandfather Long to brush his only grandson aside, but today, he shoves past Long Zhanye and enters the unit. "Where is little Yuan? Is he still sleeping?"

    "Grandfather, you''re here?" Huo Zaiyuan who has finish showering and changing steps out of the bedroom. A warm smile surfaces as soon as he catches sight of Long Haotian.

    "My Elder Taoist friend returned yesterday so I came to find you. Come, come, let''s go." As he speaks, Long Haotian drags Huo Zaiyuan away by the arm.

    "Grandfather, isn''t it inappropriate behaviour to drag little Yuan off to the Elder Taoist priest?" Long Zhanye obstructs the doorway.

    "How is it inappropriate? Move aside." Once again shoving pass his grandson, the elder mutters under his breath. "Hmph, really becoming more and more uncute. He was so soft and pure when he was young, so obedient and clever¡­blahblahblah¡­"

    Being brushed aside by the old man and abandoned by his lover, as well as overhearing the parting murmurs of his grandfather, Long Zhanye stands at the doorway, his heart displaying a "‡å" expression.

    Who did he offend early this morning?! (Author''s note: Poor little Long gong.)

    "Grandfather, is it okay to disturb this Elder Taoist priest so early in the morning?" Huo Zaiyuan asks as he keeps pace beside the Commander-in-chief.

    "Doesn''t matter, doesn''t matter. That old man has always been an early-riser." Long Haotian shakes his head. "Ai¡­during that time when my old friend predicted that stupid grandson of mine will not live past thirty, it really caused me a lot of worries. After the apocalypse, when he contacted me from X City and confirmed that he couldn''t find this "Huo Zaiyuan" person, my anxiety increased. On that same day, he told me he likes someone and even if we manage to find this "Huo Zaiyuan", he will definitely not separate with his beloved. I thought to let him do as he pleases. Since his fated one cannot be found, I might as well let him be with whoever he loves. That way, even if he really doesn''t live past thirty, at least there will be some fond memories left behind. Or at least be able to give me a great-grandson before he reaches that age¡­Who would have thought he finally admitted the person he loves is a male only after returning to A City. At that time, I was really angry. That stupid brat has always followed me to the barracks since childhood, interacting with the soldiers and army personnel there. He can be so at ease even under a hail of bullets but ask him to cook three simple meals¡­the end results would be too horrible to see. Therefore, I opposed it, too afraid that the person he loves is just like him. But unexpectedly, the person he has been searching for all this while is you. And on top of that, you are a good cook. That is why this old man feels relieved. From here on, I will have to trouble you to look after that little rascal."

    "Yes." Listening to the elder''s long-winded prattling, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t feel the least bit bored or annoyed, instead, a rare warmth envelops his heart.

    He is able to tell clear as day that Long Haotian dearly loves Long Zhanye. This majestic Commander-in-chief of the army is in actual fact a kind and soft-hearted grandfather.

    "The Elder Taoist just returned, but I drag you out so urgently mostly due to discussing the matter of that stupid brat¡­therefore, I''m very sorry. It''s Grandfather Long''s selfishness."

    "No, not at all. I also don''t wish to see him¡­" Huo Zaiyuan trails off, unwilling to finish this sentence. After a long pause, he continues. "I would like to meet this Elder Taoist priest."

    He has seen the ¡®School of Taoism¡¯ in E City''s safe zone, but it is rather obvious that A City''s school is much grander, with every aspect of the layout carefully planned out. Located in the north but facing the south, even its front gates are layered with a large array full of spiritual energy.

    A master.

    A rare expression of amazement surfaces on Huo Zaiyuan''s calm face as he allows his gaze to wander.

    "Heheh¡­old pal, the little friend by your side is not a common folk ah."

    Suddenly, a cheerful laughter rings out as a white-robed, white-haired and long-beared elder appears before the two, a kind smile on his wrinkled face.

    "Haha¡­old pal. Your senses are as keen as ever." A booming laugh erupts from Long Haotian before he pats the Elder Taoist priest on the shoulder. "My stupid grandson finally managed to find his fated one. Come, come, quickly tell me, how can I ensure my precious grandson survive this approaching crisis?"

    Stroking his long, white beard, Tian Jizi nods after hearing Long Haotian''s question, gaze fixed unwaveringly on Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Un, un."

    "What are you ''Un''-ing for? Quickly say ah!" Seeing the old priest nod repeatedly while smiling, Long Haotian eventually explodes from impatience.

    "This child''s flesh and bones are saturated with spiritual energy. Looking at his graceful facial features, there will ¡ª "

    "Old pal, I am not asking about this. I''m asking about my grandson. The person you say can break his early death has been found. What should be done next?" Long Haotian growls, grabbing his old friend by the collar and shaking him lightly.

    This old Taoist friend of his really knows how to push people''s buttons. Anyone with a little less patience is bound to burst from irritation.

    Seeing Grandfather Long blow his top at the still smiling Elder, Huo Zaiyuan can''t help a mirthful smile breaking forth.

    These two elderly men are a really interesting pair of friends.

    "Oh, that was your question ah. Calm down, calm down. Let''s head inside for a cup of tea and this old priest will explain everything slowly," Deftly throwing off Long Haotian''s death grip on his collar, the Elder Taoist priest says, tone unhurried as he strokes a hand down his precious beard.

    After following the Elder into the building, said Elder pours the other two some bamboo bark tea in a bamboo teacup.

    As the bamboo house in Huo Zaiyuan''s space uses bamboo for every piece of furniture and utensil, he is very familiar with bamboo wares. Therefore, he becomes a little more amiable when he sees the Elder offering them tea in bamboo cups.

    Bamboo bark tea leaves are dried pieces of bamboo usually harvested early in the morning, when the bamboo is at its hardest and filled with morning dew.

    This light and clear fragrance match Huo Zaiyuan''s taste very well, and he can''t help liking it after the first sip. Thinking back to the bamboo forest in his space, he makes a note to harvest some for tea leaves later.

    "When I calculated little Zhanye''s destiny that day, the reading was left incomplete, for I needed to be in the presence of his fated person before I can continue. Now that I have met this little brother, I know for sure that he is little Zhanye''s precious person. However¡­"

    "Again with the "however"?!" An itch resurfaces in his heart after hearing this word from his old friend''s mouth.

    Because the last this the Taoist said this, he followed up by telling him his grandson would not live past thirty.

    "From this little friend''s face¡­this Elder cannot calculate the final stretch." The Elder Taoist priest eventually admits with a sigh.

    "What do you mean? Are you saying Zhanye will still¡­" Eyebrows drawing together, Long Haotian almost leaps out of his seat.

    "Not at all, not at all. This is a mystery only known to the Heavens. After meeting this little friend, little Zhanye''s fate is tied closely to his. The two are inseparable. Their future will be filled with uncertain events. That is all this Elder can tell you. Not even my years of experience can calculate what lies ahead of them."

    "Elder''s meaning is, the original destiny has changed?" Before Long Haotian can flip the table, Huo Zaiyuan who has stayed silent throughout finally opens his mouth.

    "Un, un." The old priest gives Huo Zaiyuan a brilliant smile and a profound riddle. "Divination between Heaven and men. The glimpses an ordinary person catches from fate is a mystery only known to the Heavens."

 CH 129

    Chapter 129: Chatting with the Elder Taoist priest

    Divination between Heaven and men. Not even such a capable, experienced Taoist can calculate what is to come¡­

    Seating on the windowsill, his hand stops flipping the pages of the book as Huo Zaiyuan''s brow knits lightly, soft sighs escaping every now and then.

    This is the scene Long Zhanye sees upon entering the room. Lips curling into a gentle curve, he approaches the window and engulfs Huo Zaiyuan in a warm hug.

    "Are you still pondering over the Elder Taoist priest''s words?" He asks as he kisses that soft, dark hair.

    He was told about the conversation between Tian Jizi, Long Haotian and Huo Zaiyuan as soon as his little Yuan come back home. However, he is not a pessimist and still believes that one should grasp their own destiny in their hands.

    "Didn''t that Elder say once I find you, the calamity that will befall me in the future will be broken? Now that I''ve found you, it means we have already overcome that obstacle. As for the future which cannot be calculated, it all depends on the individual and the choices we make, isn''t that so?"

    Listening to Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan chuckles softly, turning his neck slightly to stare at him. "You may be optimistic, but grandfather is so anxious because of you and your current circumstances." Reaching out to wrap an arm around a broad shoulder, Huo Zaiyuan draws closer and states firmly. "I will not let you die. If you do¡­I will accompany you."

    Long Zhanye''s heart all but melts at the child''s serious face and honest declaration. Hot and sweet feelings surging forth, he claims Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth in a deep, slow kiss. "I will not abandon you. I''ve said before that I will always protect you¡­even if I do die, I will crawl up from hell and return to my rightful place by your side."

    "Hehe¡­such a terrifying promise¡­"

    ~~~

    Brush in hand, Huo Zaiyuan sits straight-backed before the table, intensely focused as he draws a line of characters upon a piece of low-quality yellow paper. From the first stroke to the last, there are no pauses or breaks, smooth and unhesitant as though he has written this out a hundred times over.

    Seated to one side, the Elder Taoist priest regards the youth¡¯s serious concentration with a contented nod. Afterwards, he drags the completed talisman across the table until it lies before him.

    "Hmm, this is a fire spell? Unless it is to start a fire in the wilderness, very few would use it." Stroking his long beard, the elderly man nods and looks at Huo Zaiyuan. "Little friend, why did you draw this particular charm?"

    Hearing the Elder priest say "starting a fire in the wilderness", Huo Zaiyuan feels sweat breaking out on his brow.

    "On the journey from Z City to A City, Zhanye and I, together with another two friends came across a pregnant female zombie which gave birth to a zombie infant, as well as evolved zombies that devours the brains of its kin to grow stronger. Elder Taoist priest, being the Head of the ¡®School of Taoism¡¯, I hope you are able to convey to all the disciples who accompany mercenary squads about the importance of carrying fire talismans. The corpses of all zombies need to be burned to ashes in order to prevent more from evolving."

    "Un, we are aware of this matter about evolving zombies long ago. The research institute and the ¡®School of Taoism¡¯ are always working together to find any and all means to either undo or prevent this evolution. To think that this is the reason behind their sudden increase in strength." The Elder Taoist strokes his beard. "Not only do zombies prey on humans and are capable of turning us into one of them, they are also cannibals. Hmm¡­"

    "Did Elder priest grandfather think of something?" Huo Zaiyuan inquires as he notices the elder''s pondering expression.

    "It''s a vague inkling with no way to be confirmed yet. When I went back to the Taoist temple in B City, I studied some of the ancient texts stored away. I shall wait for another two days, when the children send all of them over from B City before I''ll consult those scrolls once more." As the Elder says this, he places a piece of white paper in front of him and dips a calligraphy brush in black ink, then draws a circle on the paper with a line through it. "Little friend, take a look. Isn''t the current circumstances like this? After the outbreak of zombie virus, humans become infected and transforms. Afterwards, the undead turn on each other, devouring their kin in order to evolve. Isn''t this akin to evil sorcery?"

    "Gu[1]?" Huo Zaiyuan stiffens, then takes out the ancient book given to him by the late grandmother Zhang from his backpack. Flipping it open to the desired page, he set it down before the Elder. "This book was bestowed upon me by the last shaman of the Zhang family before her death. Besides runes for charms, spells, arrays and other formations, it touches upon various topics too. Amongst this is a sorcery classified as "Gu". The method to create one is to take a group of hatchling snakes and put them all in one container. They will mutually devour each other until one is left. This last one standing will become a Gu. According to Elder''s speculation, the thing that is causing humans to turn into zombies is currently using this country or maybe even the entire Earth as the container. The zombies are the group of hatchling snakes mutually devouring each other until the last one standing will be¡­"

    "Un. On the night the apocalypse began, I was studying the heavens above only to discover the star alignment became extremely fierce. Thereupon, a large-scale calamity befalls the land, seeking to drown humanity under. However, little did I expect this catastrophe to be even graver than I could possibly imagine. Ai¡­afterwards, the research institute managed to catch a zombie alive. This Elder discovered its body contains a portion of evil energy equivalent to that of an inferior demonic being. However, should one gather several portions of this energy and concentrate it all into one being, this demonic being will become "a devil".

    "A devil¡­an evil spirit?"

    "Correct." Tian Jizi nods. "As I see it, your talisman produces golden fire capable of burning a zombie to nothingness due to pure spiritual energy clashing with evil energy. Clearing the bodies of the undead after slaying them will be an effective way to prevent more evolved ones from surfacing, as well as the possible creation of evil spirits."

    "Un." Huo Zaiyuan agrees, then takes out his laptop from his bag.

    It is the very same laptop he carried around with him before the apocalypse. Later, due to not being able to find any sockets to charge it or wifi to connect to, he didn''t touch it again for a rather long time. Only after arriving in A City''s safe zone does he finally recharge the battery, bringing it along for today''s one-on-one conversation with this Elder.

    Opening his laptop, he opens all the pictures he saved into a folder and enlarges them before flipping the screen around and setting it down in front of the senior Taoist priest.

    "This is¡­" Glancing through the pictures on the screen, Tian Jizi''s expression freezes.

    The very picture he is currently looking at was the photo of the first eruption of G City''s dead volcano. The one showing a large number of red ants amongst the ashes.

    "The first time I encountered a zombie, I found a red ant in its skull that was identical to the ones in this image. Due to a mishap, the corpse was burned and from the body, I discovered a red crystal similar to this ant." As he speaks, he removes a small glass bottle containing a few sesame seed size red crystals from the backpack. "At the same time, these crystals have another use. It is similar to cinnabars and can be used as ink for drawing talismans. On top of that, the ink produced from it is much stronger than cinnabar."

    "Much stronger than cinnabar?!" The Elder exclaims.

    Before the apocalypse, wanting to acquire the purest form of cinnabar is already a very difficult matter. After Judgement Day, cinnabars become a precious resource. Even if there is a large stock of it in each Taoist temple, with so many disciples and so many undead, it will run out very quickly no matter how one wishes to conserve it. Now, Huo Zaiyuan reveals that a material collected after burning zombies can also be used in place of cinnabar. This information is rather alarming and a life-saver for the various disciples who are able to create talismans.

    Setting a saucer before him, Huo Zaiyuan pours a bit of ordinary water on it, then drops a few crystals in. Dipping a brush in the scarlet ink, he draws a simple defence charm on a low-quality yellow paper, then hands it over to the Elder for inspection.

    "Elder priest grandfather, please take a look."

    Taking the offered talisman, the Elder scrutinises it carefully. Within the ink on the paper, a thick spiritual energy flows, runes gleaming with faint traces of light. Compared to cinnabar, it is obvious that this ink is in no way inferior.

    "Un, it truly is better than cinnabar."

    "Did Elder priest grandfather catch any flaws? I have always wondered why these crystals can be used as a substitute for cinnabar as they are materials taken from the bodies of zombies." Huo Zaiyuan frown lightly. "I did form a theory. Perhaps it is because undead are classified as an inferior demonic being, thus a substance that is able to resist its infection emerged. Just like where venomous snakes can be found, so too can antidotes to their venom."

    "That''s not the case." The Elder Taoist picks up the glass bottle, studying the crystals within for a moment, then shakes his head. "The reason why cinnabars can be used as ink to draw talismans is due to the innate righteous energy within, allowing it to link with pure spiritual beings and repel demonic ones. However, these crystals contain a much greater amount of spiritual energy. Zombies are classified as demonic beings, hence, it is impossible for them to produce a substance able to counter them. As you said, these crystals appear only after you burn their corpses with golden fire. It is due to the cleansing nature of those flames that altered these crystals, consequently turning them into a material capable of substituting cinnabars."

    Listening to the Elder''s explanation, Huo Zaiyuan''s frown doesn''t fade. "Then, can Elder priest grandfather determine what kind of energy is contained within the crystals?"

    "This Elder doesn''t know." The Elder shakes his head again. "But it is possible that part of the spiritual power within is able to repel demonic energy, or else the evolved zombies would be much stronger than they are now."

    "Then it is necessary to investigate the origin of the spiritual power within these crystals¡­"

    "Mhm."

    Huo Zaiyuan continues discussing a few other topics with the Elder. Only when Long Zhanye comes knocking on the Elder''s door does their conversation come to an end.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Gu (¹Æ) = a venomous insect/parasite in legends and folklores typically used for evil spells by sorcerers

 CH 130

    Chapter 130: General Long

    Li Qing feels like he has been betrayed by his friends and might be abandoned by Qin Jun.

    On the day they arrived in A City, he met the imposing Commander-in-chief Long. Under the recommendation - read: instigation - of both Long Zhanye and the commando squad, Long Haotian ordered a few men to bring Li Qing to the mechanic building.

    "Master mechanic of the apocalypse". Woah, this title sounds really cool, right? But the moment he realises he will be confined to a mechanic¡¯s room with various parts and pieces to learn for an entire month, forbidden to leave before the time is up, he nearly sobbed.

    Wuwu¡­can he make time turn backwards?

    Squatting in a corner with a gloomy air around him, he recalls the morning of that fateful day¡­

    "You''ve become thinner." Slender fingers move leisurely across the slim waist as Qin Jun voices his observation, gentle gaze settling on Li Qing.

    "We had to run here and there while on the road for two months. Even if we eat good food every day, I wouldn''t be able to grow fatter. You don''t like it?" Stretching lazily, he snuggles deeper into the cosy warmth. Turning his head so it is cradled in Qin Jun''s arms, Li Qing really feels like drawing as close as possible to his lover.

    "I like you a little fatter. Softer to the touch."

    As the couple lie in bed and converse softly, a sudden series of knocks sound from the door. The two exchange a glance before Qin Jun rises, putting on his trousers and going to open it.

    "This early in the morning, who is it?" Putting on his clothes, Li Qing exits the bedroom only to see a soldier wearing a green military uniform standing at the doorway, a solemn expression on his face.

    "You are Li Qing?"

    "Un. May I ask what this is about?" Li Qing glances at Qin Jun who is standing aside. Seeing the small smile on the other''s face, he instantly relaxes. Since Qin Jun didn¡¯t react badly, this shouldn''t be something major.

    "Commander-in-chief Long has already made the appropriate arrangements and permitted me to bring you to the mechanic department. Please come with me." The soldier announces, courteously gesturing for Li Qing to follow.

    "Oh." Nodding, Li Qing turns to Qin Jun. "Then¡­I''ll go with him."

    "Un, go on."

    After that, Li Qing follows the soldier to the safe zone''s mechanics building and enters the manufacturing factory.

    "General Long will be here shortly. Wait here until he arrives." The soldier instructs before hurrying away.

    There are a lot of machines within the factory, with piles of components and spare parts littering the ground. Li Qing has never touched these things before, but as a male, he possesses some curiosity towards engineering and technology. On top of that, after reading through the notebook his mother left him, he is fairly familiar with some of these pieces lying around and can recognise more than a handful of them.

    Although it is quite early in the morning, there are already a lot of personnel wandering around this place, busying themselves with various tasks. From the way the workers glance at him every now and then, it is pretty evident they are curious about the sudden appearance of a youngster here of all places.

    In regards to the stares he garnered, Li Qing is not too aware of it as he is too busy taking in his surroundings with sparkling eyes. His gaze drops to a black rod lying on the ground nearby. Around 60cm in length, it appears to be a rather common piece of metal.

    Walking towards it, he picks it up and examines it here and there, finally noticing a concealed mechanism on the rod.

    This object should be a police baton used by riot police, right? Heh, so it seems there are still things like this lying around.

    Just as Li Qing is engrossed in inspecting every aspect of the baton, someone snorts and a voice carrying sharp scorn drifts to his ears. "Hmph, where did this snotty brat come from? This safe zone''s machinery factory is not a place brats like this can come and go as they please."

    Swinging the baton experimentally a few times, Li Qing casually turns to the direction of the voice. Cigarette in his mouth, threadbare leather jacket and jeans covering his body, the person looks like a messy individual judging from the stains and tears in his attire. Behind the one who spoke, two relatively younger men stand.

    Not sparing them another glance, Li Qing doesn''t react. Simply lowering his head again and continuing to play around with the baton, he treats the other party as though they are ghosts.

    Ignored by this kid, the man feels as though he had just lost face in front of his colleagues and gradually reddens in rage.

    "You¡­damn brat! This elder is talking to you. Are you mute?!"

    Looking up at the man as he curses in anger, Li Qing''s offers a faint smile. Hesitating a little as though thinking about something, he slowly opens his mouth. "Were you talking to me? I thought I hear the barking of a mad dog."

    Li Qing''s rebuttal causes a ripple of low chuckles to rise from the spectators. The man''s face turns a deeper shade of red. "You - you actually have the guts to call me a mad dog!!"

    "I didn''t ah. It is you who assumed I was and answered the call." Full red lips purse slightly as Li Qing blinks, eyes full of innocence.

    This person is really strange. It was obviously him who spoke so rudely ah¡­

    "You - this brat is looking for death!!" The man roars in fury as he shifts into an offensive stance, clearly wanting to pounce on Li Qing and give him a vicious beating.

    Li Qing is not like Huo Zaiyuan who know Taoist Arts, and is not like Qin Jun who has learned boxing before. He is even more not like Long Zhanye who possesses superhuman strength and fighting ability. All things considered, he is an ordinary youngster. If this was the Li Qing before Judgement Day, confronted by a grown man rushing forward with malicious intent, he would have been scared to the point of quaking in his boots and shrieking at the top of his lungs. However, after experiencing two months surviving in the apocalypse, he is now able to cut down frightening zombies without batting an eyelash, and his reflexes have been hone to the point where evading and dodging is second nature. Facing another ordinary human being is no difficult task.

    Retreating a step back and to the side, he swiftly dodges the other party, baton in hand extending and cracking down on the man''s face. Although Li Qing held back, the force behind that swing is enough to snap the other''s face to the side.

    "Don''t come near me again. I wouldn''t be courteous the next time."

    "Stinky brat!" Clapping a hand over his face, a blazing inferno ignites in his eyes as he throws himself forward once again.

    "Ai¡­" Heaving a soft sigh, Li Qing clutches the baton in both hands this time. Twisting his wrist, the 60cm melee weapon doubles in length as the hidden spring activates. Bringing the baton slicing through the air at twice the speed and strength of his first strike, Li Qing slams it brutally into the man''s stomach.

    "Urgh¡­" A grunt of agony wheezes out of the adult, hands automatically coming up to his stomach as he falls to the ground. "You¡­you¡­"

    "I already warned you not to come over, but you didn''t listen." Li Qing''s expression remains incredibly innocent even as he murmurs in his heart. If he treats this man like a zombie and continues hitting non-stop, this person would be beaten to death long ago. Eh¡­it seems I have gotten more skilful. Hmm¡­looks like I didn''t slay zombies in vain on the entire journey here.

    "Goddamn punk, courting death! Men, get him!" Still unable to get to his feet due to the acute pain in his abdomen, the man bellows for his two side-kicks.

    The two are clearly wary of Li Qing and his baton but spurred on by the older man''s shout, they charge forward, aiming on flanking Li Qing.

    "Oi, oi, I''m warning you oh. Don''t come over, or else any injuries you sustain wouldn''t be on me." Eyeing the two, Li Qing tries to keep up a bold front but a trace of nervousness appears on his face. Swiftly dodging a grab, he twists the handle of the baton again, retracting the extra length and replacing it with a sharp blade.

    Seeing Li Qing on the retreat but still spouting warnings, jeering grins emerge on their faces as they ignore the youth''s words and continue their forward assault.

    In their minds, they know that as long as they don''t charge in carelessly like the man did before, this soft-looking youngster will absolutely not be able to land a strike on them.

    Clenching his teeth at the confident bearing of these two opponents, Li Qing waves the baton in his hand, aiming to scare when a sudden imposing shout full of fury rings through the factory.

    "General Long, it''s him¡­he was the one who provoked us first." The man who was sent to the ground by Li Qing crawls painfully to his feet, pushing the blame on the innocent party.

    Compared to the man and his lackeys, for some unknown reason, Li Qing is even more afraid of this General Long who he has never met before.

    It''s not because this general''s appearance is scary or fierce. On the contrary, like the other men of the Long family, he is very good-looking with deep, dark eyes, a straight nose and lush, pink lips. Black military uniform contrasts sharply with his fair skin, his bearing giving off a daunting aura.

    "Scram." Said General Long coldly spits out a single word.

    "But¡­"

    "If this elder sees any one of you three in this factory again, this elder will shoot you on sight. Scram. Don''t make this elder repeat it again."

    Clearly aware that this General Long is truly furious, the three men flee immediately.

    Staring at the general, Li Qing bites his lips lightly as he sets the baton aside. "I - I''m sorry. I¡­"

    "Come with me." The fury akin to a volcanic eruption abruptly vanishes from General Long''s face. Sweeping a glance over Li Qing, he beckons the youngster over and sets off towards his office.

    Hesitating for a second, Li Qing stares at the rapidly retreating figure before he forced his legs to move and hurries to catch up.

    One leading the way and one following, the two enters the office. General Long settles himself in a soft leather chair, pulling a cabinet open to take out a book. The text is then placed on the desk in front of Li Qing.

    "For an entire month, you are forbidden from taking a single step out of the factory. Once you have memorised this entire book, follow the instructions written in it to build an operational probe. Once you have completed that task, you will commence work here. If you fail to complete it, you can scram."

    Gazing down at the text that is as thick as an elementary school textbook, Li Qing pales.

    A month for him to memorise it, and he has to build some kind of probe. This¡­how is this possible?

    "That¡­"

    "Didn''t you hear what I just said?" General Long asks blandly as he gets started on some paperwork.

    "I - I heard."

    "Since you''ve heard, why are you still lingering here? All the parts and components in this factory can be used however you wish. But remember, you cannot waste anything."

    "Yes, Sir¡­"

    ~~~

    Ever since that day, Li Qing eats, sleeps and works day and night in this factory. Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye did come by and see him during this period. Even Zuo Hanyang dragged along his fellow adjutant You Nuandong to pay him a visit. But Qin Jun didn''t appear even once.

    Squatting in a corner and facing the pile of components, the book given to him by General Long lays open next to him. Thinning his lips, Li Qing snatches up a pair of pliers in his grease-stained hand, clamping a pair of wires together and twisting them.

    Bastard Qin Jun¡­wait until the month is up, he will definitely give him a beating.

    "Li Qing!" General Long''s loud voice booms out.

    "Eh¡­coming!"

    (Translator¡¯s notes: Shameless advertising, but the first arc of my new project is out! *throws confetti* It is a fast transmigration, system one, and yes, it is BL/danmei too. , with the summary and first story arc posted. Please check it out or don¡¯t if it¡¯s not your cup of tea and let me know your thoughts! In case it isn¡¯t all that clear, I love reading your comments (ìáo ÆHoìá) Also, on another note ¡ª in case any of you are wondering ¡ª I have nearly finished translating this novel too, so don¡¯t worry. The new project will not in any way interrupt or influence my daily update of two chapters for this. ^-^ )

 CH 131

    Chapter 131: The fun of completing daily tasks

    Today, the soldiers of A City''s safe zone are treated to a sight that makes them feel very strange.

    "I must have woken up on the wrong side of bed today. If not, how could I be seeing the Boss taking the daily task of sweeping?" Soldier Jia hits the back of his palm against his temple as he gives a strained laugh.

    "That''s right ah. That''s right ah. How can our formidable and peerless Boss be doing something as insignificant as daily assignments? At minimum, he should be taking on S-rank missions that give red points ah!" Soldier Yi nods in firm agreement.

    "Is that so¡­" Soldier Bing blinks in confusion as he stares at his two close friends.

    "Naturally ah! Blahblahblah¡­¡­"

    Just as this group of soldiers are chatting and laughing, a bland voice sounds from the side.

    "What are you all gathering here for? Are you so free? Since you seem to have nothing to do, then run laps around this safe zone¡­" Clad in camouflage military attire, an imposing man carrying a broom on one shoulder and biting down on an unlit cigarette quirks an eyebrow as he stares at the soldiers.

    Although this individual is very handsome, in the eyes of these soldiers, he is a terrifying being. In a flash, the idle men snap to attention in unison, saluting as one.

    "Reporting to senior officer! We are very busy!"

    "That''s right ah. I need to patrol the perimeter wall."

    "I also need to guard the safe zone''s outer gates¡­"

    "I need to¡­"

    Sweeping a light glare over the men, Long Zhanye barks. "Then quickly hop to it!!"

    "Yes, Sir!"

    A chorus of affirmatives and a dust cloud rises as the group dashes away with a ¡®striving to be the first, fearing to be the last¡¯ attitude. For the one who falls behind will be subjected to Long Zhanye''s punishment of running laps around the safe zone. Everyone knew the fate of being the unlucky one as all of them are no stranger to their Boss'' sadistic penalties.

    "Hehe¡­" A light snicker rises. In this safe zone, the number of people who dare tease Long Zhanye can be counted on one hand. However, the only one whose teasing Long Zhanye is willing to be subjected to and even take delight in is Huo Zaiyuan. "They seem very afraid of you."

    "It is called ''being dignified¡¯." Turning around, Long Zhanye''s mouth curls up around the cigarette as he looks at the still laughing Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Un, very dignified indeed." Staring at the man biting an unlit cigarette and shouldering a broom, Huo Zaiyuan chuckles again before calling out to the soldier supervising the sweepers. "We''re done. Please inspect it."

    He hands out two cards to the soldier for stamps as soon as the other approaches.

    "Yes, yes." The supervisor walks over stiffly, secretly glancing towards Long Zhanye out the corner of his eye. Taking the offered cards, he stamps twice and returns them.

    Their remarkable and extraordinary Boss personally swept this floor. Even if there are piles of dead leaves and a thick layer of dirt on the ground, it will still be considered very clean. Nonetheless, this attractive little older brother accompanied their Boss and actually swept this place spotless, so the soldier doesn''t hesitate to give them stamps. But even so, respectfully sending off this demon king is his top priority.

    Stowing the cards away, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan depart under the anticipating gazes of the nervous soldiers.

    Returning to the ¡®Missions Hall¡¯ and turning in their completed assignment, Long Zhanye asks, "What assignment should we take on next? Tilling the soil, watering crops, moving items, paving, construction or¡­hmm? Why are you staring at me? Do I have something on my face?"

    "It''s nothing. I only feel that group of soldiers are correct," Huo Zaiyuan replies, smiling lightly.

    "What did they say that you think is right?" He naturally overheard what those men were saying when he was sweeping, but all he remembered was being annoyed by the noisy chatter.

    "You are more suited to undertake S-rank missions that give red points."

    Long Zhanye is someone who likes to show off his abilities. No matter if it is the end of the world or a peaceful period, he is forever standing high above, overlooking everyone else.

    "Without little Yuan by my side, no matter how many S-rank missions there are, I wouldn''t give a damn. Since little Yuan likes doing daily assignments, I will gladly accompany you. Even if it only gives ten green points each, I am perfectly contend with it," Long Zhanye says very seriously as he drapes an arm around Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulders.

    No matter how serene Huo Zaiyuan is, after hearing this man publicly declare such mushy words with a straight and sincere face, his heart can''t help but be touched, thumping rapidly in his chest.

    "Then, let''s go patrol the perimeter walls¡­"

    "All right."

    ~~~

    Today, the civilian volunteers assisting the soldiers in patrolling the outermost perimeter wall sense a very strange atmosphere pervading the place. That''s because they feel that the soldiers here today are especially vigilant, expression serious with no trace of laughter or lax attitude. This causes them to wonder if a horde of undead are approaching, or some large monster has been spotted, aiming to attack the safe zone. Consequently, they too dare not relax in the slightest, staying alert at all times for the entire six-hour shift.

    Of course, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan are not counted amongst the tense and cautious soldiers. Right this moment, the two are currently studying a large cannon stationed at one of the artillery platforms on top of the wall.

    "I''m surprised A City still have this kind of cannons¡­this is my first time seeing one." Huo Zaiyuan marvels as he runs his fingers along the ancient cannon. A curious and thrilled expression breaks the constant tranquillity, sparkling eyes capable of moving anyone who sees it.

    "This kind of cannon is capable of creating a very powerful strike, and its range is very far. The other platforms surrounding this one holds modern mortars and howitzers to provide supporting fire. The shells used by this cannon is easier to manufacture compared to mortars and howitzer shells, and it doesn''t require too many materials either. Should the zombies ever lay siege to the safe zone, this cannon''s bombardment power would be one of our greatest assets," Long Zhanye explains patiently.

    "And here I thought all artilleries are the same." He eyes this plump and round cannon appreciatively.

    "Beloved, you are not thinking about taking a shell back with you to study, are you?" Seeing the flickering expressions crossing the child''s eyes, Long Zhanye questions in amusement.

    The member of the field artillery team in charge of this ancient cannon is currently standing aside. Although he valiantly maintains an expressionless mask while busying himself with other tasks, he is in fact unreservedly eavesdropping on the conversation.

    Hearing Long Zhanye asking if Huo Zaiyuan wants to bring a shell back to study it, the corners of his mouth trembles slightly against his will as he murmurs in his heart. Boss, you''ve been running around the military base since you were a toddler. At the age of three or four, you are always hugging an artillery shell like a stuffed toy to sleep. Now you want to carry one of this stupid cumbersome things back home to study? This is not how you should woo your wife, right¡­?

    "I''m a little curious, but forget it. Artillery shells are precious resources. In the off chance a siege does occur, one more shell killing a group of zombies will make the safe zone that little bit more secure." Shaking his head in a negative, Huo Zaiyuan rises to his feet.

    "My little Yuan is so kind-hearted." Drawing Huo Zaiyuan close, he drops a kiss on his cheek.

    This one action causes the sneakily watching soldier to suffer a great shock.

    This gentle and caring man¡­is he really the great demon king they are all so familiar with?

    It seems he woke up on the wrong side of bed today.

    Six hours later, Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye''s shift comes to an end. Once the two departs from the perimeter wall, everyone heaves a sigh of relief.

    Huu¡­finally left.

    Although spending an entire afternoon patrolling the perimeter walls is not a difficult task, one will still feel hungry come sunset.

    After handing in their assignment, Long Zhanye glances at the person by his side. "It''s mealtime, shall we return home to cook or look for a restaurant to have dinner at?"

    Within the safe zone, a few able chefs set up businesses of their own. Compared to restaurants from before the apocalypse, the dishes served up here wouldn''t be able to meet those high standards. But now, in this chaotic world, a small plate of thinly sliced meat costs a few red points.

    With his status as a senior officer, even if Long Zhanye doesn''t actively do missions to earn transaction points, he doesn''t have to worry about lacking credit. Solely by completing his day-to-day military affairs, he will be able to accumulate a large bulk of points. Therefore, it is safe to say he is not lacking in funds, and the only reason he accompanies Huo Zaiyuan in doing meagre tasks is simply for the fun of it.

    "Don''t want to go to restaurants." Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head, gaze landing on a piece of green flatbread in a passerby''s hands. "Let''s eat that. We can use the points we earned today."

    Looking at the flatbread, Long Zhanye nods. "Okay."

    During this period when there is a shortage of food, these green flatbreads are made from dried beancurd and soybeans mixed with plain flour. It is considered the most common food within the safe zone, and a piece the size of a plate costs ten green points each. Although it doesn''t taste good, it is rich in nutrients and able to stave off hunger for longer.

    Unlike other well-brought up sons of high officials, Long Zhanye doesn''t spit the food back out after taking a bite, even if this is his first time eating something like this. Chewing a mouthful of bland bread, he slowly swallows it down.

    The corner of Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth twitches, watching the man''s composed face as he chews, a soft giggle rising unbidden.

    Rough texture, dry and bland taste mixed with a hint of sourness, it is not very appetizing, but not so bad that one cannot stomach it.

    "The person who made this flatbread is rather skilful."

    "Indeed. This kind of food can be considered pretty luxurious when there is a shortage of food." Long Zhanye murmurs in agreement. "In the past, when I was out training with the Special Forces, I ate tree barks after our rations were exhausted¡­"

    "¡­¡­" Huo Zaiyuan tilts his head, then says. "I ate grassroots in my previous life."

    "It''s pretty fortunate to be able to eat this flatbread now."

    "Un." Huo Zaiyuan takes another bite out of his own piece. "Not to mention, we bought it using the points we earned¡­"

 CH 132

    Chapter 132: Meeting Xu Mingyi again

    Although his skill in drawing talismans and utilising them in real-combat situations surpasses most disciples, Huo Zaiyuan knows there are still a lot of things regarding the Taoist Arts that he doesn''t understand yet. Because everything he knows is self-taught, he refuses to accept the kind invitation the Elder Taoist priest extended to become a disciple of the ¡®School of Taoism¡¯. Instead, he requests to enter as a small, obscure and unknown student.

    Seeing Huo Zaiyuan''s calm and serene visage, the Elder doesn''t wish to force this offer on him. He understands that a true practitioner of the Taoist Arts harbours no desire for fame and profit, merely wishing to retain one''s freedom and way of life. A pure and untainted heart like this is best suited to practice Taoism. Extremely satisfied with this little friend''s thoughts, the Elder hence decides to receive Huo Zaiyuan as his disciple. While Huo Zaiyuan may bear the esteemed title of ¡®Head Disciple¡¯ within the school, he doesn''t integrate himself with the general populace. Instead, he concentrates all his attention on learning and practising. Thus, in a small, secluded room within A City''s ¡®School of Taoism¡¯, one can always find Huo Zaiyuan alone, sitting cross-legged before a low table to practice his calligraphy or read a wide range of books.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s presence in the school gives rise to a lot of spirited discussions amongst the other students and disciples. Some envy his position as the Head Disciple, while others ridicule him for carrying the esteemed title of Head Disciple but entering as an ordinary student. Spending every day hiding in a small room to practice calligraphy¡­their opinions are diverse, but Huo Zaiyuan is completely unbothered by such trivial matters.

    Rather than care about what other disciples think about him, he is much more interested in reading the "Collection of Spells" given to him by the Elder priest. Not only does it contain Taoist charms, there are a whole lot of other spells and incantations he has never seen before, especially support-type spells and arrays. Like creating a boundary by drawing a circle in the earth or trapping foes simply by carving a few lines on the ground. This text contains enough details and explanations, making Huo Zaiyuan love it deeply.

    Bristles drawing lightly over the paper, Huo Zaiyuan has just finished adding the final dot when a clear and distinct voice calls out.

    "This is very unexpected ah. To think that when we next meet, you have already become my Junior Martial Uncle." Lifting his head, Huo Zaiyuan''s gaze falls on the youth he met during his short stay in E City''s safe zone. A glance over the youngster''s shoulders reveals his usual gaggle of followers, clearly displaying this person''s superb relationship with people.

    Seeing Huo Zaiyuan''s expressionless face, Xu Mingyi''s smile morphs into a sorrowful look resembling a pampered child being denied a request. "Junior Martial Uncle, you haven''t forgotten me so quickly, have you?"

    Faced with the sad expression and cute pout of a wronged child, Huo Zaiyuan merely replies with a faint smile. "I haven''t."

    If this was someone else confronted with such a posture from a pretty youth, their hearts would soften and will seek to comfort the other party. But it takes a lot more to move Huo Zaiyuan in this life. Regarding this saying "one may know a person for a long time without understanding his true nature", Huo Zaiyuan understands every aspect of it. Met with an individual like Xu Mingyi who is always smiling and easy to get along with, he refuses to let down his guard.

    Because he firmly believes that in the apocalypse, anyone who is willing to do good without asking for compensation, na?ve and guiltless doesn¡¯t exist. ¡­If there really is someone like that, then said person must have been extremely sheltered, not knowing grief or suffering. If not, then they must harbour immoral thoughts and schemes.

    He can''t say he knows this person even if they did meet once in E City''s school. But when he came across Xu Mingyi that day, it was pure coincidence. So how about now?

    Did he stop by to share a simple courteous greeting or does he have hidden intentions? This would need careful prying and observation.

    "Junior Martial Uncle, what runes are you drawing? May I see it?" Xu Mingyi''s expression is sweet as honey after Huo Zaiyuan admits to recognising him. An inquisitive light sparks in the youth''s eyes as he stares at the completed talisman on the table.

    With no intentions to be any more familiar with the other party, Huo Zaiyuan silently lets Xu Mingyi address him as ¡®Junior Martial Uncle¡¯ and lifts a hand to push the talisman towards the youth. After all, this isn''t something he cannot show to others.

    Picking up the yellow paper, Xu Mingyi stares at it with sparkling eyes and gushes in a voice full of admiration and worship. "Wow! The characters are truly beautiful! If I recall correctly, this should be an Earth Entrapment Limit Charm."

    "Un." Huo Zaiyuan confirms with a curt nod.

    "Why would you choose to draw this charm instead of a defensive array or a devil repelling spell? Weren''t we told this charm produces no results?" A disciple following behind Xu Mingyi says with an unfriendly look on his face.

    "Exactly ah. Master said before not to waste talisman paper. Just looking at it, you can tell it is a genuine talisman paper. Drawing an Earth Entrapment Limit Charm is a waste of resources." Yet another speaks up.

    "All of you, don''t be like this. Junior Martial Uncle''s calligraphy is so beautiful. How can it be a dud? Master said we aren''t able to make an Earth Entrapment Limit Charm work because we haven''t practised enough. As long as we continue practising, we will be able to easily use any talisman we create," Returning the talisman to Huo Zaiyuan, Xu Mingyi states firmly.

    "Senior brother Xu, we will definitely practice conscientiously." The disciple who was extremely unfriendly to Huo Zaiyuan immediately clutches Xu Mingyi''s hand. "Therefore, if there''s anything I don''t understand in the future, please teach me."

    "Me too." One after another, the group of followers call out.

    "Good, good. Let''s work hard together." Xu Mingyi dazzles the disciples with a glittering smile, then turn to Huo Zaiyuan. "Junior Martial Uncle, we were just discussing the safe zone''s new policy with the Junior brothers that pertains to disciples of the ¡®School of Taoism¡¯. Are you aware of this new policy?"

    "Is this regarding the matter of every mercenary squad that ventures out of the safe zone must have a Taoist disciple with them?" Huo Zaiyuan drawls, flipping the "Collection of Spells" text open. This matter is one he naturally knows more about than anyone else. A few days ago, Grandfather Long and Elder priest grandfather visited Long Zhanye and his residence for dinner. When this topic came up, Huo Zaiyuan was the one who proposed this idea.

    "Un. I discovered from Head priest grandfather that after zombies are burned by spiritual fire, there is a chance they will leave behind some kind of material. That substance is able to replace cinnabars as talisman ink. Therefore, Head priest grandfather reminded everyone that they must keep an eye out for these materials, collect them when travelling with the mercenary squads and bring it back to the school. One piece equals ten green points." Xu Mingyi pauses, then questions, "Junior Martial Uncle, are you thinking of finding a permanent squad, or do you prefer drifting?"

    "I already have a permanent squad," Huo Zaiyuan says, mouth curving as though recalling a funny matter.

    "Ah, you''ve already found a place so quickly? Which squad is it? Yong Meng[1] squad? Chun Yemen[1] Mercenary team? Or is it the Meng Hu Mao Xian[1] squad?" These few squads that Xu Mingyi mentions are well-known mercenary squads in A''s safe zone. The members of these teams are very noteworthy. Not only are they good in their respective fields, quite a few of them are Ability Users.

    "None of them. The one I''m with is ¡®Long Yuan squad¡¯. It''s a newly-formed team," Huo Zaiyuan answers promptly, not bothering to conceal this fact.

    Last night, Long Zhanye finally decided to establish an official mercenary squad of his own, thus calling Huo Zaiyuan, Qin Jun, Zuo Hanyang and You Nuandong (Li Qing is still forbidden from stepping out of the factory) together with another random soldier in charge of keeping things fun (for Lord Long). With everyone gathered in one place, a name needs to be selected. Suggestions like ¡®Kwang Long Di Yi[1] squad, ¡®Da Mo Wang Mao Xian[1] team¡¯, etc appeared. Finally, they narrowed it down to ten names that everyone is marginally satisfied with before tossing it all together to randomly pick one.

    He doesn''t know if it''s because Long Zhanye''s heart is in tune with his own, but in just one random grab, the name chosen in the end was submitted by Huo Zaiyuan.

    "So good, even I haven¡¯t found a stable squad yet."

    "You will find one. I have something to do, I''ll take my leave first." Closing his book, Huo Zaiyuan nods to the gathered disciples before rising to his feet and walking away.

    Once they are sure Huo Zaiyuan is out of earshot, the group immediately begins to chat amongst themselves.

    "Really don''t get why the Head priest will accept him as his disciple. This brat so easily steps over our heads and obtains such an esteemed position. Hmph!"

    "Eldest brother Zhao, don''t be like this. Junior Martial Uncle is an incredible individual." Xu Mingyi says with a faint smile.

    "As if! In my heart, brother Xu is the most amazing person. That brat is merely relying on Commander-in-chief Long and senior officer Long''s connections to become Head Disciple. Who doesn''t know that Commander-in-chief Long is old friends with the Head priest." Disciple Zhao scoffs in contempt. "My mother''s older brother is a battalion commander, which is why I am privy to information within the military that not many others know."

    "Junior Martial Uncle is not that kind of person. Surely, Head priest chose him as his disciple because he saw great potential." Xu Mingyi shakes his head firmly, then stands up. "That''s right. Eldest brother Zhao, it has already been a while since you entered this ¡®School of Taoism¡¯. Master told me he will be selecting a new priest in two days¡¯ time. You name is on Master''s list, but you need to pass the exam in order to advance in rank. Would you like me to help you revise today?"

    "Of course! Under brother Xu''s personal guidance, I will definitely be able to pass this exam and become an outstanding priest just like brother Xu." Disciple Zhao''s face is full of confidence.

    "Un. Then let''s go." Falling into step beside Disciple Zhao, Xu Mingyi pats him on the shoulder, before turning to address the other envious disciples. "You all must work hard too. When the time comes for your examinations, I will help you all revise as well."

    "Really?!"

    "Brother Xu, you are too good!"

    As the other disciples are busy cheering and praising him, Xu Mingyi wraps a hand around a joyously satisfied Disciple Zhao''s arm and flees the scene.

    "Brother Xu, where should we revise? How about the dining hall? We can revise while eating."

    "The dining hall is too noisy, so it wouldn''t be suitable. If eldest brother Zhao doesn''t mind, how about going to my residence?" A bashful smile on his face, Xu Mingyi blinks and tilts his head to the side to conceal a wild glint that flashes across his eyes.

    "Don''t mind. Don''t mind at all."

    "Then let''s go." Smiling sweetly, he places a slender hand on Disciple Zhao''s lower back.

    "Yes, yes."

    Footnotes:

    [1] Decided to keep these names in pinyin because if I translated it into English, I don''t think I can survive the hilarity of it. Either way, I''ll put the literal names below:

    Yong Meng (ÓÂÃÍ) = Brave and powerful/fierce

    Chun Yemen (´¿Ò¯ÃÇ) = Pure/simple menfolk

    Meng Hu Mao Xian (ÃÍ»¢Ã°ÏÕ) = Fierce tiger taking risks/fierce risk-taking tiger

    Long Yuan (ÁúÔ¨) = LZY''s surname + second character of HZY''s given name

    Kuang Long Di Yi (¿ñÁúµÚÒ») = #1 mad/berserk dragon

    Da Mo Wang Mao Xian (´óÄ§ÍõÃ°ÏÕ) = Great Demon King taking risks/Risk-taking Great Demon King

 CH 133

    Chapter 133: Long Yuan squad

    In the dim room, two naked men are wrapped around each other on a soft two-seater sofa¡­

    "Hmph, trash. Fainting away just like that." Xu Mingyi snorts coldly, shoving the unconscious Disciple Zhao to the ground, expression full of loathing.

    "Tsk, tsk. This person was almost sucked dry by you and you still have the cheek to call him trash." A low chuckle rings out as another black-clothed man emerges from the corner of the room. "Un, this "Yang Absorption Art" is rather amazing. Priest Xu, you''re becoming more and more enchanting."

    "Would you like a taste of me?" Not the least bit shy about his current bare state, a slender hand strokes across the sofa sensually, a pink tongue licking his lower lips. Attractive visage, flawless skin, he gives off a steamy, romantic image.

    "I''ll pass. Let those fools become your thralls." That stranger scoffs, glancing at Xu Mingyi with a trace of scorn.

    "Is that so, truly a pity. I, on the other hand, would love to have a little taste of you." Xu Mingyi offers a dazzling smile before leisurely getting to his feet. "This fool is the nephew of a battalion commander in this safe zone. As long as one uses him properly, you will be able to dig out a lot of information. Also, I want everything you can get on someone called Huo Zaiyuan. Due to his excellent relationship with Long Zhanye, I have no way of getting close. In addition, that Head priest received him as a personal disciple for some unfathomable reason. Tsk¡­"

    "That little beauty is rather fine." The black-clothed man chuckles lightly before retreating back into the shadows.

    As the stranger''s shadow vanishes, quiet settles in the room once again as though there never was an intruder.

    Standing next to the unconscious, naked man on the floor, Xu Mingyi remains on his feet, unmoving, for a long moment. His expression is extremely solemn as he stares blankly ahead, deep in thought.

    "Huo Zaiyuan, I have no grudge against you. Only¡­who asked you to be an obstacle in my way¡­don''t blame me for being cruel and vicious."

    ~~~

    In the large lobby of the ¡®Mission Hall¡¯, a large assembly of soldiers are gathered around. With so many military personnel in one place, this uncommon sight attracts a lot of attention from the other survivors.

    Right in the middle of this crowd of soldiers, Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan, Qin Jun, Zuo Hanyang and You Nuandong are clustered tightly together, heads down and murmuring to each other.

    "Un, I''ll put little Yuan''s name down for squad captain," Pen in hand, Long Zhanye mumbles as he prepares to fill in the form.

    "Hold on." Huo Zaiyuan''s hand darts out to stop him, expression serious. "The position of captain should be yours. Write my name in the members¡¯ section as the squad''s Taoist priest."

    "But I would like you to be captain," Long Zhanye replies with an equally serious expression.

    "You are more suited for the position." Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head firmly.

    Long Zhanye possesses outstanding leadership skills. He is able to remain cool-headed when faced with every kind of circumstances and issue effective commands under pressure. Therefore, no one else is more qualified for this position than him.

    "Boss, listen to little Yuan. I will be under a lot of pressure if you are a mere team member," Zuo Hanyang voices his protest.

    "That''s right ah. That''s right ah. Boss, don''t use this opportunity to act all sweet and mushy with eldest sister-in-law in front of us bachelors. You will incur a lot of hate on your person," A soldier calls from within the watching crowd.

    "Yeah. There will be a lot of resentment," Yet another says as he nods his head.

    "Who dares?!" The gentle and doting expression on the senior officer''s face disappears in a flash, replaced by a fearsome scowl as he sweeps his gaze over the gathered soldiers.

    "Don''t dare!"

    The bunch of soldiers have endured countless punishments and intense training under senior officer Long. Already, each of them has developed a keen sixth sense able to see the wind and set the helm[1]. As soon as Long Zhanye''s face darkens, every one of them snaps to attention, shaking their heads in denial.

    "Stop scaring them. Fill it up quickly. Write your name next to squad captain." Placing a hand on either side of his face, Huo Zaiyuan gently urges Long Zhanye to turn away from the soldiers.

    A simple touch from Huo Zaiyuan immediately causes the threatening gaze to morph into a soft smile. Upon seeing the change, the soldiers heaves a giant sigh of relief.

    Eldest sister-in-law is really full of love ah.

    Under Huo Zaiyuan''s persuasion, Long Zhanye finally writes his name in the space next to squad captain.

    "What about vice-captain?" After jotting down his name, Long Zhanye zeros in on Huo Zaiyuan once more, his gaze all but shouting "write little Yuan, write little Yuan".

    "I''m the Taoist priest," Huo Zaiyuan repeats with a patient smile.

    "And I''m the medic, so I can''t be vice-captain." Qin Jun shakes his head, clearly not interested in the position.

    "Pick me! Pick me!" Zuo Hanyang raises his head, eyes sparkling.

    "Are you capable enough?" You Nuandong mumbles.

    "How am I not capable? Right adjutant, stop constantly raining on my parade." Zuo Hanyang glares at him, puffing out his cheek in indignation.

    Hmph, the right adjutant is so annoying. Always bullying him and now wanting to snatch away this vice-captain position. No, he cannot let that happen. The position of vice-captain will be his.

    "Boss, just put his name down. But only if I''m there to look after him," Staring dully at Zuo Hanyang''s irritated face, You Nuandong says in a low voice.

    "Un, I''ll feel relieved with you watching over him." With another flourish of his pen, Zuo Hanyang''s name is written in the box, with You Nuandong''s attatched to the custom title of ¡®vice-captain''s supervisor (babysitter)¡¯.

    Seeing his name next to ¡®vice-captain¡¯, Zuo Hanyang grins in satisfaction. At last, he is able to savour the superior feeling of crushing the right adjutant beneath his figurative feet. (Right adjutant: Would that ever come true?)

    "Qin Jun''s the medic and the Taoist priest is little Yuan. Our technician will be little Qing and reinforcement is Ruo Gan," Long Zhanye murmurs as he speedily fills in the form.

    One requirement for mercenary squads is for them to have a minimum of ten members. Even if Long Zhanye alone is comparable to an entire squad, as long as there is not enough members, the squad cannot be given the go-ahead. Thus, Long Zhanye made a public announcement to call for volunteers. The result was this large crowd of soldiers gathered in the lobby, effectively forming the largest reinforcement team for a single mercenary squad.

    When the completed form is handed over to the person in charge, said person scans the pages for a moment before lifting his head to stare at Long Zhanye''s group. His gaze then shifts to the large gathering of solemn-faced soldiers behind. Without further ado, he stamps an approval on the form.

    "Long Yuan squad meets the required standards. I hereby declare the official establishment of this team. You may accept any mission that catches your fancy, from E-ranks to S-ranks. Of course, the higher the rank, the more points rewarded," The person in charge drones as he hands a card over to Long Zhanye. "With this, you are eligible to retrieve necessary supplies from the mechanic department, the ¡®School of Taoism¡¯ and the medical bay."

    "Un, when can we start undertaking missions?" Long Zhanye asks as he picks up the card.

    "Whenever you wish. As long as the squad captain inserts their identity card into the computer over there and accepts one of the missions on display, you are good to go. The time limit of each mission is set by the person who posted the assignment. If the time limit is exceeded, it is also up to the person to determine if it is a success or failure."

    "Un." Long Zhanye nods in understanding, then glances at Huo Zaiyuan. "Little Yuan, shall we accept a mission and have a little fun?" After spending so long idling in the safe zone, he is really itching for some action.

    Although a minimum of ten members is necessary to establish a squad, the number of people going on each mission is up to the captain to decide.

    "All right. There are still seven more days before little Qing can leave the factory. Zhanye and I will undertake a short term mission and take a look at the situation outside." Huo Zaiyuan addresses the others.

    "Okay."

    Since Long Zhanye is the one who openly invited Huo Zaiyuan for a date, no one dares object. After all, waiting a few more days to go out on a mission is nothing to fuss about, right?

    Footnotes:

    [1] See the wind and set the helm = To be flexible and take advantage of the situation. Know when to ease off sb/smth.

 CH 134

    Chapter 134: Long''s family cousin

    Once the crowd disperses, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan wander over to the assignment computer and browse through the selection of available missions. As expected, the S-rank missions are all high-risk tasks in the outer cities. A and B-ranks also requires travelling to relatively distant places, and the time limit of completion is pretty long. C, D and E-ranks don''t differ all that much from each other, consisting of rescue missions and scavenging for supplies.

    After a brief discussion, the pair chooses a D-rank that has a limit of five days. The person who issued this mission is a survivor originally from B City. When the apocalypse began, he was in A City on a business trip. As the number of zombies grew, he followed the other survivors into the safe zone. However, concern for his family constantly weighs heavily on his mind. At least, he wants to know if they are dead or alive. But unfortunately for him, the amount of points rewarded for this assignment is too little and is constantly ignored by mercenary squads. Hence, when Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan show up to inform him that they are undertaking this task, he is so touched that tears well up in his eyes.

    The pair immediately departs the safe zone the same day they accepted the mission, setting foot on the road leading to B City.

    "B City''s northern district, OO Street, XX Avenue, Unit 303." Sitting in the passenger seat, Huo Zaiyuan reads the address written on the piece of paper given to them by the man who posted the mission.

    "Northern district, huh? Pretty near," Long Zhanye says with an easy smile.

    "What is pretty near?"

    Driving on an unobstructed main highway from A City to B City wouldn''t take more than seven hours. And with Long Zhanye''s drag racing skills, they will only need five hours to get to their destination. Therefore, even if they depart at noon, they will arrive in B City at around 5pm.

    "B City''s safe zone ah. We can pay a visit to my dear younger cousin at the same time." When Long Zhanye mentioned his younger cousin, Huo Zaiyuan can tell the other man''s mood lifts even further.

    This one word "visit" really contains a lot of hidden meaning ah.

    "We can go over if you would like to. Tomorrow morning will be a good time."

    In regards to Long Zhanye''s character, Huo Zaiyuan has already grasped a clear ninety percent of it. The remaining ten percent is still hidden deep beneath the surface. However, as long as his partner doesn''t take away his freedom, whoever Long Zhanye wants to tease, he wouldn''t object.

    Speeding across the highway joining A to B, the Hummer passes by one or two zombies dithering in the distance every few kilometres.

    Driving on the main highway is relaxing and void of pressure. After a few hours, when the Hummer enters B City, marks and tracks of undead become more frequent. From time to time, zombies drawn by the roar of the vehicle''s engine rush out with the intention of catching them, but the Hummer easily rams through them all.

    Just as the Hummer enters B City''s eastern district, a burst of gunfire suddenly erupts, and a tall man in a camouflage military uniform sprints out of an alley. Close on the man''s heels are three other men. A rough, muscled one, a lanky, nimble one, with a comparatively slimmer individual bringing up the rear.

    "Get down!" The lanky male yells, unslinging the machine gun on his back and aiming in the direction of the dark alley. The last man instantly drops to the ground, hands over his head. Following the rattle of gunfire, whatever it is in the alley is momentarily pushed back.

    Such loud ruckus occurring in a silent area. Don''t say alarming the passing Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan, every zombie roaming around in B City''s eastern district would have already taken notice of this disturbance. In a mere few minutes, a horde of undead will pour into the streets.

    As soon as he catches sight of the four men dashing out of the alley, Long Zhanye''s expression changes. Stepping down on the accelerator, the Hummer surges forward, speeding towards the group. Wrenching the steering wheel to the side, the vehicle performs a perfect drift, stopping directly in front of the men.

    "Get in."

    "Come on!" As he continues firing the machine gun in hand, the man yells at his comrades. The muscled one pulls the man lying prone on the ground to his feet in one motion before dashing towards the backseat of the Hummer. Wrenching the door open, he squeezes in, followed by the man in the military uniform.

    "Captain, get in!"

    Retreating as he shoots in the direction of the alley, the last man eventually turns and swiftly enters the car the moment his gun runs out of ammo.

    As soon as the door closes, the vehicle is back in motion. From the rearview mirror, one can see a mass of undead pouring onto the street. A few quicker zombies manage to grab onto the back of the car.

    With a few controlled turns and drifts, Long Zhanye shakes all of them off quickly. Glancing at the rearview mirror to ensure they are no longer being pursued, he finally reduces the speed a little and sneers at one of the four men.

    "Fucking hell, Long Hongjian, just how much do you despise these zombies ah. Provoking so many of them at once, are you playing with your life?!"

    "Fuck, Long Zhanye, just where did you crawl out from? Not obediently staying in that A base of yours, instead coming out to bring trouble down on whose head?!"

    "Down on yours ah!" Shooting back a retort, Long Zhanye says to the silent Huo Zaiyuan, "Little Yuan, this is the stupid younger cousin Long Hongjian I was just telling you about."

    "Stupid younger cousin", these three words cause Huo Zaiyuan''s eyebrows to rise and his heart to go "‡å".

    Are Zhanye and Long Hongjian really cousins and not enemies? They''ve just escaped from danger and already the two are trading barbs back and forth.

    "Oh? Really can''t tell just by looking at you ah, Long Zhanye. When did you manage to hook back such a pretty little older brother?" Only after hearing Long Zhanye address another person does Long Hongjian notice Huo Zaiyuan sitting in the passenger seat.

    Seeing Long Hongjian reaching out a hand to touch Huo Zaiyuan''s face, Long Zhanye barks in an extremely fierce tone, "Retract your damn claws and call saozi[1]!"

    "Saozi?!" The hand reaching out freezes as Long Hongjian exclaims in shock, eyes wide. "Second grandfather didn''t object you getting together with a man?"

    "Hn, can''t you see who your older cousin is? Of course grandfather didn''t oppose!" Long Zhanye scoffs smugly.

    Looking at Long Zhanye''s expression, the Long Hongjian who loves bickering with him immediately displays his envy.

    "So good¡­if I told my grandfather that I want to be with another man, he and my father would most probably do more than break my legs. Ai¡­" He trails off with a short sigh.

    "Extremely trying times requires extreme measures."

    A faint smile passes Huo Zaiyuan''s lips as he hears Long Zhanye''s vague words. This rascal is even trying to lead his younger cousin astray.

    "Ah, that''s right. Why did you suddenly appear here?" Leaning against the seat, Long Hongjian inquires.

    "Little Yuan and I came to B City on a mission. You? Why were you being chased by a large swarm of zombies?"

    Although Long Zhanye likes to bicker with this born in the same year but different month younger cousin, even with one family in A City and the other in B, there are no ill feelings between them.

    "A mysterious organisation suddenly appeared in B City a while back. Their movements are rather strange, so grandfather had me investigate this matter. Early this morning, a disciple from Huo Ran Taoist temple reported that the library was robbed. When we got to the temple, we found someone trying to flee. In the middle of the chase, we were surrounded by a group of zombies that was attracted by that robber. Fortunately, you came just in time. If not, we would probably still be trapped there." Long Hongjian frowns, clearly deeply troubled by this case.

    "What kind of organisation? Is it so bad to the point elder grandfather have to send you to investigate?"

    For that domineering and unrestrained elder grandfather and this intelligent younger cousin of his to be so vexed¡­this is evidently a very troublesome case.

    "A member of this organisation entered the safe zone as just another survivor. During the apocalypse, we didn''t investigate the identity of each person. As long as they are not scratched, bitten or on the verge of becoming zombies, they were allowed in. Initially, there was nothing big. The military''s impression of this organisation was simply that they preach every day to survivors, giving them something to hope for in trying times. We weren''t mindful of what was happening. It was only afterwards that we began to feel something wasn''t right. A portion of survivors unexpectedly attacked a few patrols, other tried charging into the command centre at night. Grandfather sent people to oppress these survivors a few times¡­ Meanwhile, I investigated in the dak and discovered there seems to be a connection between this organisation and J and K bases disconnecting from the rest of the military districts. This is the primary method employed to seize control of the safe zones. The thief we chased after today was also pretty weird. The zombies they attracted over never once tried to attack them, and they were clearly trying to flee into places with swarms of undead. Instead of attacking that thief, these zombies appear to be under some sort of control, surrounding the outside first before moving in slowly for the kill." Long Hongjian delivers his report in a single breath.

    Seeing he has finally paused, Huo Zaiyuan passes a bottle of mineral water over. Taking it, Long Hongjian flashes him a bright grin, saying "Thanks, saozi" before twisting the cap off and guzzling down a few mouthfuls. Then he hands the bottle over to the others.

    "The zombies seem to be under someone''s control? Do you mean this mysterious organisation knows how to control undead?" Long Zhanye wrinkles his brow.

    "Captain''s not wrong. They really know how to control zombies. I found a unique talisman paper when I was burning some of the corpses." The slender youngster states, removing a piece of black paper folded into a neat square from the pouch strapped to his coat.

    After handing a few more bottles of water and snacks to the men in the backseat, Huo Zaiyuan takes the black paper to study it.

    "This is¡­talisman paper? Black talisman paper?"

    No matter if it is peach wood or yellow talisman paper, Huo Zaiyuan has felt more than his fair share. This folded square in his hands has exactly the same texture as yellow talisman paper.

    "Un. The situation at that time wasn''t very good, so I just dropped it in my pouch. I haven''t gotten to study it closely either. I only know this thing was forcefully inserted into the zombie''s skull, and the spiritual flames of the fire charm cannot burn it to ash."

    Hearing the youth''s words, Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes narrow.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Saozi = older brother''s wife. Chose to keep this untranslated because "older brother''s wife" just sounds weird in context.

 CH 135

    Chapter 135: Spend the night

    Because they bumped into Long Hongjian and his comrades, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan''s plan to spend the night in the safe zone is destroyed. On top of that, due to rescuing this group under an emergency situation, Long Zhanye simply picked the nearest road to head down in order to evade the horde. It so happens that the direction they are heading in¡­leads directly away from the safe zone. Therefore, when the sun is nearly disappearing beneath the horizon, their only option is to find a random house to spend the night in.

    "Will there really be no problems if we do it this way?" A member of Long Hongjian''s team, the slender youngster An Mingxi, asks with slight worry.

    In the past, when they have to spend the night outside the safe zone, they will carefully select a good place first. Afterwards, they will then scout the perimeter of the house and slay every zombie that has a chance of posing a threat before entering the building. But Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan clearly didn''t make any preparations beforehand, and this house they chose is an ordinary two-storey land-house.

    "Don''t worry. With my little Yuan here, even if the zombies decide to lay siege, nothing bad will befall us. Am I right, beloved?" Long Zhanye shoots a dazzling smile at Huo Zaiyuan, face full of confidence as he curls an arm around his little Yuan''s slender shoulders.

    "Exaggerations. Quickly go and clear the interior of the house. The sky is already dark." Mock-scowling at him, Huo Zaiyuan steps out of the hold and walks towards the small garden surrounding the house.

    "Roger that. Once you''re done with the outside, the inside will definitely be neat and tidy." Pulling out the sheathed steel sword from beneath the driver seat, he rests it on a shoulder and blows a kiss to Huo Zaiyuan.

    Seeing his overbearing rascal of an older cousin displaying such mushy attitude, Long Hongjian''s lips tremble slightly.

    Did this bastard take the wrong medicine?

    "Oi, air-head, what are you daydreaming about? Come with me to clear the house out. Ah Shou and Ah Gong, guard outside." In a span of one second, the bright smile disappears, replaced by a stern look as he hauls Long Hongjian towards the building.

    Such rapid change of expression is even faster than flipping a page in a book, leaving those who witness it speechless.

    "Fuck, Long Zhanye, let go. This little grandpa can walk by himself!" Long Hongjian curses angrily as he is dragged away by his collar.

    With Long Hongjian hauled off by his older cousin, and Ah Shou and Ah Gong patrolling the perimeter, An Mingxi is left by himself in the car with nothing to do. Furrowing his brow, he raises his head to look at Huo Zaiyuan currently standing in the courtyard.

    Recalling that this person instantly recognised the black square paper as a talisman at one glance, he wonders¡­is this individual a Taoist priest?

    With this in mind, An Mingxi gets out of the Hummer, close the door behind him and walks towards Huo Zaiyuan. He draws close just in time to see a coin-sized piece of wood sinking into the soil.

    "What is that?" He asks inquisitively.

    "Talisman," Huo Zaiyuan turns to glance back at the wide-eyed youngster brimming with curiosity, replying softly. Afterwards, he counts nine paces forward and inserts another talisman into the ground.

    "You really are a Taoist priest. Are all Priests in A City this awesome? I have never seen anyone else use pieces of wood as a talisman. Did you make them by yourself? I grew up in the Taoist temple, and not even the Senior or Junior Marital Uncles use things like this," An Mingxi follows behind doggedly, chirping beside Huo Zaiyuan like a small bird circling a larger animal, gazing at Huo Zaiyuan with admiring eyes.

    Listening to the endless stream of words, for some reason, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t find it irritating. Instead, he feels fondness for this youngster who seems to be a couple of years his junior.

    "You are a disciple of the Elder Taoist priest?" Huo Zaiyuan asks, hands not pausing in laying down the array. Flicking his wrist, a yellow paper appears. Injecting a bit of spiritual energy into it, he sets it in the middle, completing the formation.

    "Un, the Elder is my grandfather." An Mingxi nods, a worshipping light surfacing on his face as he beholds the completed barrier.

    Task accomplished, Huo Zaiyuan heads back to the house, speaking as he walks. "When Elder priest grandfather went over to A City, why did you not follow along?"

    As soon as Huo Zaiyuan asks this, the bright expression on the youngster''s face collapses, lower lip pushing out into a pout.

    "I was originally going to follow grandfather to A City, but Senior Martial Uncle was in charge of allocating people and didn''t write my name on the list. He even said the situation in A City is unstable and is afraid that I will meet danger if I went too. So he told me to stay behind and take care of the temple. Hmph¡­he obviously gave my place to his own disciple." It is not hard to tell that An Mingxi is still feeling very unhappy over not being able to follow his grandfather.

    "¡¯Senior Martial Uncle¡¯ is Elder priest grandfather''s oldest disciple, and the disciple of this Senior Martial Uncle of yours is¡­?" Huo Zaiyuan pauses in his step, dark eyes fixed unwaveringly on An Mingxi.

    "Ah, Senior Martial Uncle''s disciple is Xu Mingyi ah. Hmph¡­that Xu Mingyi only became his disciple no more than a few months ago. I don''t believe that person''s Taoist skills are as good as mine. Grandfather said I am the best at creating talismans amongst all the disciples in the temple, and will have bright prospects in the future." An Mingxi clasps his hands tightly together, sulking angrily.

    The corner of Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth curls into a small smile at An Mingxi''s pout, before resuming his leisurely trek back to the house.

    Really, this child wears his heart on his sleeve, very pure and simple. Able to gain the Head priest''s recognition and compliment, he will definitely have a bright future within the Taoist temple.

    "You mentioned Xu Mingyi became Senior brother''s disciple only a few months ago?"

    "That''s right ah. Two months before the apocalypse, Senior Martial Uncle brought him back one day¡­yi? Wait a sec, you addressed Senior Martial Uncle as Senior brother¡­don''t tell me grandfather he¡­" Trailing off as he seems to finally register what Huo Zaiyuan said, An Mingxi''s mouth immediately forms an "O" in shock.

    "Un, Elder priest grandfather is my master." Huo Zaiyuan nods.

    "Junior¡­Junior Martial Uncle ah!!" With a delighted cry, An Mingxi abruptly throws himself into Huo Zaiyuan''s arms.

    Just as Long Zhanye walks out the door after clearing the entire zombies family residing in the house, his gaze lands on An Mingxi happily tackling Huo Zaiyuan. But what bewildered him is his little Yuan who has always abhorred being intimate with strangers actually reaches out to catch the youngster, smiling in fond exasperation.

    Very displeasing.

    Senior officer Long¡¯s face darkens, striding swiftly over to the two youths. Reaching out, he yanks the youngster out of Huo Zaiyuan''s arms, tossing said person away without looking.

    "Keep a closer eye on your people. He is mine." Saying thus, Long Zhanye pulls Huo Zaiyuan into his embrace, sullenly eyeing Long Hongjian who nearly collided with An Mingxi.

    "Goddamn, Long Zhanye, what the hell are you doing?" Placing a hand on An Mingxi''s lower back to prevent the kid from falling flat on his face, Long Hongjian snaps back angrily.

    "Hn." Long Zhanye snorts, then turn to Huo Zaiyuan. "Little Yuan, I''ve already killed the zombies inside and moved their corpses to the hall. Go and burn it while I park the car properly in the courtyard. Don''t get too close to that brat." Finished speaking, he drops a kiss on Huo Zaiyuan''s cheek.

    "A jealous man is rather adorable." Huo Zaiyuan chuckles lightly before going into the house.

    As Long Hongjian and his team are here, they cannot store the Hummer back in the space. When Long Zhanye returns from parking the vehicle, Huo Zaiyuan has already burned the corpses and obtained several rice grain-sized crystals. Once again, the An Mingxi who was recently flung to Long Hongjian by Long Zhanye is busy revolving around Huo Zaiyuan like a cute little puppy. A tick develops under Long Zhanye''s eye.

    Sensing his older cousin''s murderous glare landing on An Mingxi as the latter obliviously continue discussing Taoist spells, talismans, crystals and zombies with Huo Zaiyuan, Long Hongjian sighs inwardly. He reaches out and pulls An Mingxi away in order to prevent his older cousin''s temper from exploding and offing his little Taoist priest.

    Ai¡­a jealous man is really dreadful¡­

    "All right, the sky''s already dark. After running around the whole day, you should be hungry. Here, be good and eat it." Removing a dry ration bar from the outer pouch of his jacket, he stuffs it in An Mingxi''s hand.

    Their rations and other necessities are still in their vehicle, which is currently abandoned near that alley. Right now, the situation doesn''t allow them to go back for it, so they have to make do.

    Fortunately, his two second-in-commands and he grew up in the army, which is why they always make sure to carry some rations and other necessities on their person in the off-chance something like this happens.

    "What about you?" Although the packet of biscuits in his hand is also dry and bland, compared with the rough soybeans and beancurd flatbread sold in the safe zone, this tastes so much better.

    "Don''t bother about me. Hurry up and eat. Grandfather and the Head priest left you in my care. If I allow you to starve to death, how will I compensate them?" Long Hongjian turns and walks away.

    "Older brother Hong¡­" Staring at Long Hongjian''s back, a panicked expression appears on An Mingxi''s face.

    "Although you left your supplies behind, we have food in the back of our car. With little Yuan and I here, he wouldn''t starve." Any lingering traces of grumpiness vanishes as Long Zhanye glances at his younger cousin currently trapped in a difficult situation. Releasing a helpless sigh, he places a backpack full of food down.

    Of course, this bag was prepared beforehand by Huo Zaiyuan in order to avoid suspicion of travelling without visible supplies.

    A bright smile breaks out on An Mingxi''s face as soon as he sees the bag of food. Happily wandering up to Long Hongjian, he tears the packet open and hands a biscuit over.

    "Let''s share it."

    Looking at An Mingxi''s smiling face, Long Zhanye shakes his head lightly. He is really foolish to think this na?ve youngster had more than a platonic interest in his little Yuan.

    "Little Yuan, have something to eat."

 CH 136

    Chapter 136: Black talisman

    As Huo Zaiyuan''s interdimensional space contains a lot of items, the bag of food he takes out can be considered very luxurious now, at this stage of the apocalypse. A bag of five instant noodles, three cup noodles, five loaves of soft bread and a few bottles of milk tea and fruit juice.

    "Heavens ah, I haven''t eaten such soft bread in a long while. How in the world did you manage to get hold of this?" Cradling the loaf in his hands, An Mingxi reverently takes a bite out of it.

    When the apocalypse began, although the safe zones in the top five cities were swiftly established, wasting no time to bring in survivors and scavenge supplies, bread is still a perishable good with a short shelf-life. There is no stopping it from becoming mouldy after a few days. Thus, with the passing of time, even instant noodles have become a rarity, let alone bread.

    "On the way from Z City to A City, little Yuan and I came across a few shopping malls and manage to find materials for baking cakes. Once we returned to A City, we met a baker and gave him materials to bake with," Long Zhanye answers without hesitation.

    Naturally, what he said was all a lie. Huo Zaiyuan has all sorts of food within his space, don''t say a few loaves of bread. However, this explanation wouldn''t make one doubt his ability to produce such soft and delicious bread from seemingly nowhere.

    "So good." An Mingxi''s eyes shine with happiness before a trace of regret seeps in. "I don''t have such luck being able to meet a baker or whatever, and also don''t know how to bake. Not long after Judgement Day, most shopping malls were already looted clean. Now, only select places with many zombies still hold a lot of goods. But, of course, one will need to risk their lives when looting those places."

    "If you follow this older brother, even if the food is not very appetizing, at least you wouldn''t go hungry." Seated to one side, Long Hongjian declares even as he contentedly devours a cup noodle.

    "Uhuh, older brother Hong, don''t worry. I wouldn''t abandon you and follow eldest brother Long just because he has soft bread." An Mingxi comforts with a smile.

    "Un, so well-behaved."

    The short interaction between cause the others to laugh out loud. In this cold, dim house, it provides everyone within with a blanket of warmth and comfort.

    After their meal, everyone settles down in the hall to rest. Huo Zaiyuan sits cross-legged before the coffee table and takes out the black talisman folded into a square.

    "Junior Martial Uncle, what are you planning to do with it?" An Mingxi slinks over, staring inquisitively as Huo Zaiyuan begins to unfold it.

    Overhearing An Mingxi''s question, Long Zhanye who is laying on the sofa sits up and leans forward. Long Hongjian also approaches, and Ah Shou and Ah Gong''s gazes fall on Huo Zaiyuan.

    Slender fingers flip the black paper over, nimbly unfolding it before smoothing it out on the table, displaying it for everyone to see. A series of characters are written on the paper with a strange purple ink, which emits a chilling aura that causes one''s hair to stand on end.

    "What¡­what sort of rune is this? Junior Martial Uncle, you¡­have you come across this before?" An Mingxi turns to Huo Zaiyuan, asking in a small, cautious tone.

    For some reason, he feels this talisman is really weird and eerie¡­

    "I have never come across this rune before, but I do recall seeing something similar," Huo Zaiyuan replies, then pulls the backpack of food towards him. Reaching in while pretending to search for something, he takes out the Zhang family''s ancient text from his space.

    An Mingxi''s cultivation is still pretty low, and the others do not understand Taoist Arts. Thus, they will only be able to feel the chilly aura emitting from the talisman when they look at it. For Huo Zaiyuan who is already at the fourth level and meditate every night, however, he is extremely sensitive to demonic aura and evil energy. Thus, not only can he feel the evil energy seeping out of the rune, he is also able to see the faint aura of death permeating this talisman.

    Flipping through the book, he quickly finds the page he is looking for. Then he lays it flat on the table for everyone to read.

    "Charm for expelling the dead?" Long Zhanye frowns as he glances at Huo Zaiyuan for further explanation.

    "If you simply look at it as a charm for expelling the dead, then you probably wouldn''t be able to see the connection between this and controlling zombies. On top of that, if one only hears the name of this charm, they will think it is a simple spell to exorcise the dead. But what if I bluntly call it "overtaking corpses"? What sort of connections will you make after hearing this?" Huo Zaiyuan sweeps a glance over the gathered men.

    "Un, I know this. When I was with my old platoon, we went to a place where the phrase "overtaking corpses" is deeply integrated into their culture. According to the shaman or priest or whatever he was, this method is used to retrieve dead bodies of those who died in a foreign land due to war or some other cause, bringing them back to be buried in their homeland." Ah Shou speaks up.

    "But that''s all a scam. They mentioned this on TV before." Ah Gong waves a hand in dismissal.

    "There are some things in this world that science cannot explain ah," An Mingxi says. "Just like how Junior Martial Uncle and I are able to utilise talismans. If this is still before the apocalypse, our abilities would be dismissed as lies created to cheat people."

    "Right, right." Ah Shou nods.

    "Eh¡­whether or not this matter of "overtaking corpses" is a scam, we will not investigate too deeply. Let''s all take a look at the rune on this page and compare it to the one drawn on the talisman." Afraid that they will stray too far off topic, Huo Zaiyuan interrupts them and shifts their attention to the table.

    "They do look different, but I feel there''s a resemblance somewhere. Either way, I don''t understand what''s being written." Long Hongjian is evidently an individual with no innate talent for runes if this is what he says after a few seconds of scrutiny.

    "I can''t make sense of it either. It''s all just one big undecipherable drawing." Ah Gong admits defeat too.

    "The head of the rune is identical, but the end seems to have been altered." Long Zhanye has watched Huo Zaiyuan draw runes countless times. Once, when he had given in to his curiosity, he asked Huo Zaiyuan to explain the basics of rune-drawing. Fundamentally, he understands that runes are divided into three parts: the head, body and end. Scanning through the two runes and comparing them, the difference is clear.

    "Mhm, eldest brother Long is correct. The end of the rune has clearly been altered by someone." An Mingxi nods in agreement. "Junior Martial Uncle, could it be this rune was specially altered to fit the zombies?"

    "Quite possibly," Huo Zaiyuan replies.

    "In other words, this mysterious organisation is extremely dangerous. If they are able to plant a talisman on each undead they come across, wouldn''t they be able to control a large swarm and have them attack the safe zone?" Ah Shou''s expression turns grave.

    "That''s unlikely." Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head. "Doesn''t matter if this person uses Taoist Arts or sorcery, there is definitely a limit to how many one can control. Also, the more targets to exert influence over, the more energy will be consumed. When the person''s power is exhausted, they will most likely experience a bite-back, which means the zombies under their control will turn on them."

    "Hang on, little Yuan." A thought seems to strike Long Zhanye. "You said that when a person controls a large swarm of undead, they will waste a lot of energy. So what if amongst this group of controlled zombies, there happen to be an evolved one?"

    A short while back, the safe zone''s research institute made a comprehensive list of different kind of zombies, allocating ranks to classify them. So far, there are four different ranks of undead.

    Ordinary/common zombie: the kind that wanders around the streets, in the wilderness, loitering within buildings. These are ones you can see everywhere. Acute sense of smell and hearing, their manner of attack is very basic. Scratching, biting, taking advantage of numbers to surround a prey. Danger level of 0 stars. An ordinary person will be able to kill it simply by removing its head.

    Rank 1 evolved zombie: Can be seen occasionally amongst a swarm of common ones. Acute sense of smell and hearing. One physical aspect (speed, strength, endurance, etc) will be higher than average. Manner of attack consists of pouncing, scratching and biting. Danger level of 1 star. Someone with better reflexes will be able to kill it by removing its head. (Supplier of information: C City''s Shan Ling[1] squad.)

    Rank 2 evolved zombie: Only one will appear in a moderate-sized colony of undead. Acute sense of smell and hearing. High reaction speed. Higher speed, strength and endurance than Rank 1 zombies and possesses longer claws. Manner of attack is clawing, biting, ambushing. Danger level of 2 stars. One should not act impulsively when faced with this kind of zombie. Ideally, surround and attack in unison with squad members. Can be killed once the head is removed from the body. (Supplier of information: Long Zhanye.) [The zombie they met in Z City''s garage is a Rank 2.]

    Rank 3 zombie: Only one will appear in a large-size colony of undead. Increased sense of smell and hearing. Superb reaction speed and knows how to plan attacks. Speed, strength and endurance are even higher than Rank 2. Claws are long and razor-sharp. Manner of attack includes pouncing, clawing, biting, controlling common zombies to surround preys. Able to regenerate via consuming brains of its kin. Danger level of 3 stars and above. Ideally, surround and attack in unison with all squad members. First, dismember all four limbs before chopping of the head. Priests are to burn the corpse immediately after. (Supplier of information: E City''s commando squad.)

    Special mutant zombie: Only one will appear in a large-size colony of undead. Place of discovery: hospital. All physical aspects are stronger than Rank 3 zombies. Capable of enormous destruction. Long fingernails are razor-sharp and extremely durable, able to tear through defence arrays. Possesses a mouthful of sharp teeth. Even if the head is separated from the body, it is still capable of moving. Danger level: very high. Will chase preys until injured or dead. Method to kill it: Behead and burn immediately with spiritual fire. (Supplier of information: Long Zhanye.)

    "Are you saying this person is controlling a zombie Rank 3 or above and thus has control over the common zombies too?" Long Hongjian looks at Long Zhanye.

    As the commander of B base, he naturally memorised every information regarding the zombies.

    "Correct." Long Zhanye nods. "You unexpectedly managed to bring down a Rank 3 zombie, therefore, you got your hands on this talisman."

    Footnotes:

    [1] Shan Ling (É½Áë) = Mountain ridge

 CH 137

    Chapter 137: Zombie assault

    The few of them held a long discussion, only dispersing when it neared midnight. As Long Hongjian and his team accumulated enough stress and exhaustion this day, Long Zhanye permits them to take a rest, leaving Huo Zaiyuan and him to keep night vigil.

    With senior officer Long keeping watch, the others are naturally reassured. Long Hongjian doesn''t protest either, pulling An Mingxi along to a two-seater sofa to sleep. Ah Gong and Ah Shou occupy a single-seater sofa each, curling up on top of it to rest.

    "Are you still thinking about that black talisman?" Walking into the room, Long Zhanye sees Huo Zaiyuan sitting on a rocking chair and staring into the distance.

    "Un, I keep feeling that there is more hidden in the talisman than merely being able to control zombies," Huo Zaiyuan admits with a soft sigh.

    Crouching down beside Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye rubs his long hair and says gently, "Don''t give yourself so much pressure. We will go for a drive around the northern district tomorrow, then return to A City as quickly as possible. Leave this matter to the Head priest."

    "Un." Lightly shaking his head to dispel his heavy thoughts, Huo Zaiyuan smiles at Long Zhanye. "Surprisingly, you are sitting rather comfortably on the title of senior officer ah. No need to worry about anything."

    "It''s not that I don''t worry over matters. Rather, I don''t wish to express it. Furthermore, this kind of problem cannot be solved by being constantly stressed out by it. As long as it is caused by humans, sooner or later, there will be ways to overcome it." Standing up from his crouch, Long Zhanye stoops a little and lifts Huo Zaiyuan up in a princess carry.

    "Ahh - you¡­what are you doing?" Startled by the unexpected movement, both hands come up to grip the stiff collar of Long Zhanye''s military coat.

    "I''ve never sat in a rocking chair before, so let''s sit on it together." Cradling Huo Zaiyuan close, Long Zhanye grins unrepentantly before sitting himself comfortably in the chair.

    "You¡­" Wrapping his arms around the older man''s neck, Huo Zaiyuan blushes faintly as he stares at the handsome face so close to his own. "If you like this rocking chair so much, we can take it with us before we leave this house¡­" Implying "if you want to sit on this chair, I''ll take it out of the space whenever you wish", but naturally¡­Huo Zaiyuan has just developed a liking for this rocking chair too.

    "Okay, we''ll take it with us. That way, we can sit on it together anytime we want." Smiling, Long Zhanye closes the distance between them and kisses him softly.

    An affectionate silence settles around the couple. As the clock ticks past midnight, not the slightest sound can be heard, and the pair eventually has enough of sitting in the rocking chair.

    Getting to their feet, Huo Zaiyuan sends it into his space in a flash of silver. Just as they turn around, preparing to return to the hall, a sudden loud howl like that of a ferocious wild beast shatters the tranquil atmosphere.

    Greatly alarmed by the roar, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan instantly dashes for the balcony at the second-storey. This house has a rather effective anti-theft system. Starting from below the balcony, a near-invisible security net is installed all around the second level. In addition to the protective array in the courtyard, one doesn''t have to worry about zombies leaping up to attack the second floor.

    Arriving at the balcony, the two men gaze in the direction of the main street only to see an endless line of dark shadows making their way towards this house.

    "The zombies are coming in this direction!" Long Zhanye''s expression hardens, and immediately addresses Huo Zaiyuan. "Little Yuan, grenades, machine guns and sniper rifles. I''ll wake the others."

    Confronted by a situation like this, Long Zhanye doesn''t stop to think about what questions might arise later regarding their large arsenal of weapons. Since Huo Zaiyuan has the equipment they need, hesitating now would mean possibly giving up their lives.

    Just as Huo Zaiyuan removes the objects Long Zhanye requests, Long Hongjian and the others rush over even before Long Zhanye yells for them to get up. Needless to say, none of them could sleep through that bone-chilling sound.

    "What''s happening? What was that sound just now? Is it zombies?" Long Hongjian frowns, clearly not expecting something like this to happen.

    He knows what undead sounds like. Has heard more than his fair share from the numerous trips out of the safe zone. But the howl just now is too horrifying, very much unlike the low rumbling growl of the average zombie.

    "It is zombies. A large swarm of them are heading in our direction. Little Yuan''s barrier is our first line of defence. We cannot let them breach it or else we will be in for a lot of trouble tonight." Stuffing a machine gun in Long Hongjian and Ah Gong''s hands, he gives the box of grenades to Ah Shou and picks up a sniper rifle for himself.

    "What are you planning to do?" Long Hongjian asks as he swiftly snaps in a fully-loaded magazine and cocks the lever, resting the handguard on the balcony''s railing.

    Now he understands why his older cousin chose this two-storey house instead of the other high buildings in the vicinity. The front and back doors of this house are very close to the fences surrounding it, and the building itself is sitting directly in front of the main street. Although there is no escape route when faced with danger, if one can adequately defend this place, they will definitely not die here.

    "That roar is definitely not from a common zombie. On top of that, it sounded like either a summoning or a command. The fact that this horde assembled together and are looking to lay siege to us is because they are being controlled. I want to find that evolved zombie and shoot it dead," Long Zhanye replies as he swiftly assembles the sniper rifle.

    "But eldest brother Long, if you kill that zombie when it is in the middle of the horde, wouldn''t your effort go to waste if other zombies eat the corpse of the evolved one?" An Mingxi questions as he assists Huo Zaiyuan in preparing a few other talismans for offence and defence.

    Collecting crystals and burning corpses to prevent more evolved zombies from emerging is the main duty of every Taoist priest.

    If the undead controlling these zombies is shot dead but not burned and is eaten by a few other common zombies, the common ones will then undergo evolution. When that happens, they will still be unable to escape this siege.

    "Zhanye and I have already thought of a countermeasure earlier," Huo Zaiyuan says, taking out a steel box from the inner pocket of his camouflage jacket and handing it over to Long Zhanye.

    "Are those bullets?" Having followed the gun-nut Long Hongjian for a while now, he has seen quite a few steel boxes like this use to hold ammunition.

    "Un, special bullets. We can use this opportunity to test the results," Huo Zaiyuan answers, nodding.

    Everyone present is rendered momentarily silent after hearing his words. Under this sort of circumstances, he dares to use his life to test experimental goods. Is this person too brazen or too cool-headed?

    In fact, neither of these guesses are accurate. Huo Zaiyuan is not brazen, and definitely not too cool-headed. Having experienced death once before, he is more afraid of it than anyone else. Therefore, while he treasures his second chance, his faith in Long Zhanye is greater.

    The case he handed over to Long Zhanye contains bullets soaked for a period of time in the Holy Nine Dragons Spring Pool¡¯s water. Over that stretch of time, he can distinctly sense the metal slowly absorbing the spiritual energy from the water.

    Thus, he speculates that if one can use the spring water as ink for talismans, the bullets that absorbed spiritual energy should have the same effect.

    Although Long Zhanye doesn''t understand how to utilise one''s inner spiritual energy and inject in into inanimate objects, pure spiritual energy will not need prompting to eliminate evil energy when the two come into contact. So he decides to take a gamble. If he wins, everyone will be safe.

    Slotting the bullets into the empty clip, Long Zhanye readies the sniper rifle just as the first of the undead army arrives. Huo Zaiyuan and An Mingxi activate the secondary protection array to reinforce the barrier around the garden in order to prevent the horde from breaching it. Aiming down the scope of their respective machine guns, Long Hongjian and Ah Gong spray into the crowd below. Being expert marksmen in the military, the two drop undead after undead with every squeeze of the trigger. But each fallen one is instantly replaced with another. Ah Shou tosses a couple of grenades over the balcony railing, contributing in eliminating handfuls with each explosion.

    Under the intense attack from the several defenders in the balcony, a silhouette abruptly pounces out from amongst the horde, aiming for the humans up on the second floor. Standing off to the side in preparation of an event like this, Long Zhanye immediately raises the sniper rifle, bracing the butt against his shoulder, aim down the sight in one fluid motion and pulls the trigger.

    A soft "pew" rings out. The figure freezes midair as golden flames burst from the bullet hole in its head, enveloping the corpse as it falls to the ground.

    "The bullet is effective!" Huo Zaiyuan can''t help exclaiming in exultation.

    "Since it''s effective, then let''s amp up the intensity of our attack. I''ll take any given openings to look for the evolved controlling this horde," Long Zhanye says.

    Because the higher level zombies able to control ordinary undead have a little bit more intelligence, it will definitely not charge forward to its death. Only by rapidly reducing the number of ordinary zombies can they expose this evolved. Long Zhanye will only get one chance at picking it off.

    The gunfire from the balcony raining down becomes more ferocious. Even Huo Zaiyuan eventually contributes to it by throwing out a few explosive talismans.

    Zombies fall like flies, piling up against the barrier around the building. An Mingxi ignites a fire talisman, flinging it into the growing mound of bodies. As though doused in kerosene, the golden blaze spreads in a matter of seconds, illuminating a small patch of the sky above.

    Ordinary zombies fear spiritual fire, therefore the surge of undead breaks before the golden flames, gradually dispersing. For the moment, the danger of the barrier being breached is averted.

    Taking this opportunity, Huo Zaiyuan uses another two talismans to patch up any weakened areas. Eyes sweeping across the scattered group of undead still lingering below, he suddenly spots a zombie retreating far away from the fire, movements very much unlike the staggering gait of its other low-level kin.

    "Zhanye! Over there! That one is the high-level zombie controlling the horde!"

 CH 138

    Chapter 138: The Sorcerer cult''s practitioner

    "Zhanye, that''s the Rank 3 zombie hidden amongst the common undead!"  As Huo Zaiyuan yells, a coin talisman appears in his hand. Snapping his wrist, he sends it shooting towards the retreating zombie.

    Following the wooden coin a split-second later is a bullet saturated with spiritual energy. That evolved is able to sense a large sphere of power heading unerringly for it and dodges swiftly to the side, only for a sniper round to lodge deep in its skull.

    An ear-piercing shriek of agony rings out. As it fades, all the common zombies abruptly freezes as one. The moment the Rank 3 zombie burns to ashes, the rest of the undead scatters, orderly formations falling apart.

    "Hahaha¡­Long Hongjian, Long Zhanye, and a little Taoist priest who excels in the Taoist Arts. This time, it''s just a little welcoming gift. After all, we have many opportunities to meet again in the future. This apocalypse is our Scorcerer cult''s Heaven on Earth! Hahaha¡­"

    Egotistical laughter booms from their surroundings, but try as they might, it is impossible to pin down where it originates from.

    What is more horrifying is the scattered zombies below too, laughs along with the unknown sorcerer as they begin to wander off.

    "Isn''t there only one high-level zombie amongst the horde?" Long Hongjian asks Long Zhanye.

    "Who knows¡­but Commander Long, presently, shouldn''t the question be is this "Sorcerer¡¯s cult" the ones controlling these undead?" Shouldering the sniper rifle, Long Zhanye glares sternly at his younger cousin as the latter displays his once-in-a-blue-moon foolishness.

    "Eh¡­" The corners of Long Hongjian''s mouth draws downwards as he realises his attention has been drawn to the wrong topic.

    "That "Sorcerer''s cult" is the very organisation lurking in our safe zone?!" Ah Shou cries out in surprise.

    "No matter if it''s before or after the apocalypse, there will always be these sort of people appearing," Ah Gong comments.

    "Indeed," Huo Zaiyuan agrees.

    "Perhaps this zombie apocalypse is the result of human nature''s greed." Long Zhanye opens his mouth slowly before addressing everyone present. "Go back to sleep. It seems we''ll be left alone in peace for the rest of the night."

    Just as Long Zhanye predicted, the latter half of the night passes peacefully. Sleeping past daybreak into the later hours of the morning, they have a quick breakfast before heading back to B City''s safe zone.

    "Zhanye, are you really not going to come into the base? Although grandfather can be pretty long-winded, I know he misses you. Before, when second grandfather reported you ran all the way to Z City and constantly lost contact, he was extremely worried." Long Hongjian and his team get off the Hummer before the gates of the safe zone. Rare is the occasion when he doesn''t butt heads with Long Zhanye.

    "I originally planned to visit you yesterday. But we''ve met already, so that''s that. Tell elder grandfather that I am fine and thanks for his concern. If circumstances permit, I will come to B City and visit him. Little Yuan and I still have a mission to complete. I want to settle the issue of this "Sorcerer''s cult" and the black talisman quickly," Long Zhanye answers. "Be more careful next time you come out for assignments. You wouldn''t be so lucky each time you are met with danger."

    "Un. Be careful on your missions too. A few days ago, a mercenary team returned from the northern district. The circumstances there is not too bad, and they discovered a few signs indicating survivors. Grandfather is already planning to send rescue teams into the northern district," Long Hongjian says.

    "Un, then we''ll leave first."

    The Hummer reverses, then speeds off to B City''s northern district.

    ~~~

    B City''s safe zone

    Ink-dark hair flutters softly in the breeze as a youth clad in white military camouflage attire stares serenely into the distance, remaining motionless for a very long time.

    "What is it?" A lanky male figure approaches, an arms draping around the youth''s shoulders.

    Slowly retrieving his gaze from the distant horizon, the youngster shakes his head. "There was a rather familiar feeling flaring from that direction just now. But it disappeared."

    "It''s just a feeling, not necessarily real. Now that we''re experiencing the end of the world, wanting to find a single person is easier said than done." A flash of displeasure crosses the man''s eyes before a soft smile replaces it. "Let''s go back, hmm? My subordinates will continue searching and find them, dead or alive."

    "They wouldn''t be dead."

    "Yes, yes, yes. Definitely not dead." The lanky man consoles even if his heart murmurs in resentment.

    Hmph, I hope that person is met with a grave incident. That way you would stop pinning away all day and night.

    ~~~

    The Hummer continues heading northwards towards OO Street. During the short journey, they encounter quite a few zombies, but manage to avoid being surrounded.

    It doesn''t take long before they enter OO Street. As Long Hongjian mentioned before, there are indeed still survivors here. As the vehicle drives through the street, a couple of faces emerge from a few units in high-buildings, each one of them bearing sickly-complexions, no more than skin on bones. If the safe zone doesn''t hurry in dispatching rescue squads, these people will starve to death soon if they aren''t turned into zombies first.

    Resting an elbow on the window sill, Huo Zaiyuan stares out the window when a figure flashes past his line of sight.

    "Stop the car!"

    Long Zhanye doesn''t startle at the sudden shout, instead stepping on the brake right away. "What''s the matter?"

    "Reverse a little. There''s someone there," Huo Zaiyuan answers as he points out the window.

    Although the car was moving very quickly, Huo Zaiyuan knows he saw a short, hunchbacked elderly man standing in the doorway of the house, with the front door wide open¡­and waving at him. The zombies shuffling past completely ignores the human standing right there, creating a very strange sight.

    "Someone? I don''t see anyone ah." Putting the Hummer in reverse, Long Zhanye scans the area Huo Zaiyuan pointed to. "Are you sure you aren''t seeing things due to exhaustion?"

    "Stop the car here," Huo Zaiyuan instructs instead of replying.

    Because the elder is now standing before the open door, beckoning him with a smile.

    "I really don''t see anything ah." Straining his eyes and sweeping the area once more, Long Zhanye turns to Huo Zaiyuan in puzzlement.

    "That person is a master. Let''s go take a look." Huo Zaiyuan smiles and gets down from the vehicle. Closing the door, he walks over to the driver''s side and takes Long Zhanye''s wrist in hand, leading him over to the elder.

    When the two approaches, Long Zhanye stares in amazement as the scene changes before his very eyes. The semi-demolished building is replaced by a simple house, and before the wide-open entrance stands an old man with a big smile on his face.

    "Greetings, senior."

    Amongst Taoist practitioners, the older one is, the naturally more knowledgeable about the Taoist Arts they are, hence, elders are to be honoured. A junior must address their elders as seniors as a show of respect. To do otherwise is rude. As someone who has only started on the Taoist path not too long ago, Huo Zaiyuan''s meagre experience is incomparable to this elder''s wealth of knowledge. Not to mention, in terms of age, this old man before him is many times his senior. Thus, it''s only right to address him as such.

    "I dare not accept the honour of being addressed as ¡®senior¡¯. Hehe¡­this old man has been in this spiritual house for decades, and at last, the pure cultivated body I have been waiting for has arrived." The elder chuckles softly as he invites the pair into his house.

    "Pure cultivated body?" Huo Zaiyuan hesitates for a second even if he knows the old man is talking about him. "May senior please elaborate. You were waiting for me?"

    "Correct. This old man is precisely waiting for you. To return something." After he ensures the two of them are seated, the elderly man walks into the dim room and reappears swiftly, wrinkled hands deferentially holding an ancient wooden case measuring about a meter in length.

    "This is¡­"

    "A Taoist''s most treasured possession. I''m returning it to you. Consider it handing an item back to its rightful owner," The elder says. "A fated meeting in a world drowning in chaos. Please be careful and stay alert. This old man''s wish has been fulfilled, so the spiritual house should close its doors now. Please leave."

    "Eh¡­hang on!"

    However, even before Huo Zaiyuan can finish his startled exclamation, the old man wordlessly vanishes right in front of their eyes. This person is definitely not a common Taoist practitioner.

    "Very remarkable," Long Zhanye murmurs. To be able to vanish so easily before an extremely alert person such as himself, this elder''s skills is very outstanding.

    "Please leave." The old man''s voice drifts out of the tightly closed doors before gradually fading.

    Glancing at the house one last time, Huo Zaiyuan hugs the wooden box to his chest and leaves. As their feet step out of the threshold, the house disappears, replaced once more by the semi-demolished image.

    Returning to the Hummer, Huo Zaiyuan stares at the case, slender fingers running over the top of it. For some reason, a sense of familiarity rises as soon as his skin touch the wood.

    Although this box looks ancient, the intricate and delicate carving of a bamboo forest decorating it has no signs of wear, remaining vivid and lifelike.

    "Open it and see that it is," Long Zhanye suggests.

    "Un."

    Flipping the lid open, the interior is filled with a layer of yellow gold brocade silk, rays of faint silver light emitting from the fine fabric.

    ~~~

    The Hummer''s engine roars to life, driving towards the address written on the piece of paper.

    "XX Avenue is up ahead," Huo Zaiyuan says, glancing down to confirm.

    "Un." Long Zhanye turns the steering wheel, sending the vehicle into a sudden, sharp turn that knocks two zombies off their feet before running over them. Entering another smaller road, the car stops in front of a high-rise building.

    The entire block is deadly silent and a pile of junk occupies the space before the front gates. However, no broken bodies or dismembered corpses can be seen.

    "Let''s go."

 CH 139

    Chapter 139: Survivors

    Exiting the car slowly, they scan their surroundings only to discover no traces of zombies. With no need to be extremely cautious with every step, they quickly head towards the building. Although junk and scrap metal litters the floor leading to the lobby''s entrance, the two men feel that compared to human remains scattered around, this mess is nothing.

    The lobby of this residential building is very spacious. Peering through the closed glass doors, one can barely see the interior of the dark ground floor. While it may give off a sinister air to anyone looking inwards, there are no signs of undead roaming inside. The ground is rather clean, with no indication of human footprints disturbing the layer of dust on the tiles.

    "The door is locked from the inside and the glass is made of anti-theft material. If there are any survivors inside, this is their first line of defence," Long Zhanye announces after studying the doors for a moment.

    "The first line of defence can also act as a death trap." Looking at the locked doors, Huo Zaiyuan finally speaks. "If anyone within this building turns into a zombie, then it is extremely likely the survivors trapped here will not make it out of the building."

    "Un, it makes sense. Sure enough, my little Yuan is very smart." Long Zhanye chuckles, drawing him into a hug and kissing his lips.

    "Don''t kiss me anywhere you wish," Huo Zaiyuan hisses in embarrassment, blushing as he pushes the sticky man away. "Take a look at where we are first and at least try to be decent. Quickly go and find a way for us to enter this building."

    "Yes, my little senior officer. This subordinate will go at once." Saying this, Long Zhanye swoops down to steal another kiss before walking away, earning him a peeved glare.

    "Rascal."

    In the end, Long Zhanye discovers an air vent on the left side of the building. Tearing the metal cover off, the two squeezes through the opening.

    The entire place is dim, illuminated solely by sunlight that manages to make its way through the various windows. The musky smell of dust permeates the corridors. Frowning lightly, Long Zhanye lifts his head and sniffs deeply.

    "There is either already zombies here or dead bodies. The scent of rotting meat is covered by the heavy smell of dust."

    "Un." Huo Zaiyuan nods. "The family we are looking for is on the third floor."

    Although this building has over ten storeys, getting to the third level is not a difficult task. Keeping their guards up, the pair treads lightly up the stairs. Upon reaching the first floor, they find several corpses carelessly strewn on the ground, all of them sharing one defining feature. The skulls appear to have been smashed to bits by a heavy blunt force. The corpses are already withered and a layer of fine dust has settled over them. At a quick glance, one might mistaken them for mummies.

    "Apparently, someone in this building understands how to kill the undead. And they seem to possess quite a bit of strength." Long Zhanye observes as he stares at the heads smashed into a pulp. Just as he is about to move closer, Huo Zaiyuan pulls him back.

    "Don''t go close. Although these zombies are definitely dead, the corpses still emit evil energy. If you breathe it in, it will negatively affect your body," Huo Zaiyuan says, eyes roving over the corpses. He can see a faint purple mist enshrouding each withered body.

    "Let''s continue onwards." Long Zhanye abandons the idea of examining the killing blow as soon as Huo Zaiyuan gives an explanation.

    As an active field soldier, one must keep their body in peak working condition. If he becomes indisposed after inhaling the demonic energy, he will be a burden should anything happen on their way back to A City.

    The condition on the second level is no different from the floor below, several withered bodies scattered around with heads smashed to a paste. It is smooth-sailing all the way up to the third level.

    Stopping before unit 303, Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye exchange a glance. Standing on either side of the door, Long Zhanye places a hand on the knob while Huo Zaiyuan prepares a talisman, ready to put down any undead that leaps out.

    Breaking the lock is an easy feat. Pushing the door lightly, Long Zhanye quickly retreats back behind the wall. It swings open slowly, revealing a dark interior with no signs of life.

    "No one''s here¡­" Huo Zaiyuan whispers as he glances around.

    "Go in and take a look." Tucking his pistol back into the holster at his waist, Long Zhanye unsheaths his sword.

    "All right."

    Even with minimal light shining into the house, the darkness is not an obstacle after their eyes adjust to the dimness.

    There really is not a soul in sight. A thick layer of dust covers the surface of everything within and there are no signs of being disturbed. Searching the whole place once over, they meet in the hall, both shaking their heads.

    "It been unoccupied for a while, and all the food has been taken with them." Long Zhanye hums in thought. "There was someone here with the knowledge of how to permanently kill zombies, and it quite possibly said person is an Ability User. Perhaps this Ability User rescued the occupants of this house and brought them somewhere."

    "Then what should we do? Without finding his family, the mission would be a failure." Huo Zaiyuan''s purses his lips.

    "The glass door below is still intact and was locked from the inside. That means this entire block was already sealed in the early stages of the apocalypse. On top of that, there is someone killing the zombies in here, so the survivors are relatively safe. Unless they run out of food and water¡­" Long Zhanye analyses. "Let''s search the floors above too. As long as they are within this block, we will find them eventually. Since we accepted this task, we should at least give the man some substantial information on whether his family is dead or alive."

    "I know." Huo Zaiyuan intertwines his fingers with Long Zhanye''s free hand. "Let''s rest here for a bit. We''ll leave the tasks of searching for survivors to ''them''."

    A wave of his left hand and ten paper cranes appear. Flapping their wings, they begin to circle Huo Zaiyuan, glowing faintly silver.

    "Go on." With a command from Huo Zaiyuan, the cranes fly out the door and down the hallway.

    "Very convenient ah." Watching the last of them disappear out the door, Long Zhanye smiles. "My little Yuan is a treasure."

    "Although this will save us the trouble of searching floor by floor, it is taxing in terms of spiritual energy. So I will be relying on you to protect me on the road back." Taking out an empty cardboard box from his space, Huo Zaiyuan lays it flat on the ground before sitting cross-legged on top.

    "That''s a given." Seeing Huo Zaiyuan close his eyes, he understands the other is concentrating on controlling the paper cranes. Therefore, he falls silent, standing guard over the youth.

    Under his direction, the cranes search every room floor by floor. Through them, he discovers that the doors of many units have been battered down and any zombies found within lay dead, again with their heads reduced to pulp. Every food item in each house has also been taken by the person.

    An hour passes and as he begins to feel his spiritual energy decrease past the halfway mark, his cranes finally arrive at the eleventh level. Indistinct sounds of human activity and faint conversations can be heard from within one of the units there. The voices sound weak and soft.

    "I''ve found them. Eleventh floor, unit 1107." Beads of sweat gather on Huo Zaiyuan''s brow, moistening the edges of his hair. Exhaling as he opens his eyes, he retrieves another tube of peach juice and drinks a mouthful of it to replenish his reserves.

    "It''s been hard on you. Rest a little first, then we''ll head up." Crouching down, Long Zhanye pulls him close and holds a bottle of water in front of Huo Zaiyuan''s lips for him to sip.

    "Okay." Leaning against Long Zhanye''s chest, he gulps down several mouthfuls of water. "The door is locked, so the paper cranes have no way of entering. But I could hear faints sounds from the inside. Their situation doesn''t seem too good."

    "If the survivors are all right in terms of personal safety, then the biggest issue is food and water. Although our mission is only to bring back that family if possible, we cannot disregard other survivors we come across," Long Zhanye says.

    Surviving is everyone''s main objective during the apocalypse, but this world does not only belong to one person. Humans are not meant to be solitary creatures. No matter how indifferent an individual is, if everyone else is either dead or turned into a zombie, then the lone survivor will surely be driven mad by the pressurizing environment coupled with eternal solitude.

    Even if he is a soldier, Long Zhanye dares not call himself a good man. But if there is someone in need of rescuing right before his eyes, he can''t not extend a helping hand. Let alone Huo Zaiyuan, who may seem indifferent to everything but actually possesses a soft heart.

    Taking a few food items and water bottles from his space and stuffing them into the bag on his back, the two then sets off for the eleventh floor.

    From the third level to the eleventh, one needs to climb upwards eight floors. Due to exerting quite a bit of energy when searching for the survivors, Huo Zaiyuan is panting heavily by the time they reach the ninth floor. At this moment, he is extremely grateful to the Ability User who cleared out all the zombies residing in this building. Or else, if he needs to kill undead as well as climb up these stairs, he would be suffering acutely.

    "Do you want me to piggyback you?" Long Zhanye asks in concern, heart aching as he watches Huo Zaiyuan hunching over to catching his breath. "If you don''t like that, I can always carry you."

    "Don''t need¡­" Leaning against the cool wall, he eyes Long Zhanye enviously. The man''s breathing is still smooth and even as though he hasn''t been walking up stair all this time.

    After a small break, the pair continues their climb, quickly arriving outside unit 1107. Without Huo Zaiyuan controlling them, the ten paper cranes flitter aimlessly back and forth before the door. With a wave of his hand, the cranes disappear.

    Long Zhanye lifts a hand and knocks on the door. "Is there anyone inside?"

    Following the sharp rap, a series of noises erupt from within the house. A few moments later, a hoarse voice drifts out. "You¡­you are a human?"

    "Of course. Zombies can''t talk. Please open the door. A safe zone has already been established in B City''s military district. All survivors are already making their way there," Long Zhanye replies.

    Another series of noise rises, followed by the sound of heavy objects being moved. The door opens a tiny bit, enough for a dark eye to be seen peeking out.

    "Really¡­they''re really humans. Wearing military uniforms. The country hasn''t given up on us¡­we''re being rescued!" A raspy voice choked full of emotion rises.

 CH 140

    Chapter 140: Mission accomplished

    There are a total of fifteen survivors within the unit. Four of them are children, one infant, with the other ten being adults. One of them is a seventy-year-old man, the very person who became an Ability User and crushed the heads of the zombies in this building. He is the one who rescued the other survivors and scavenged as much food as possible, enabling the fifteen of them to survive until now.

    "There''s no rush, eat a little slower. After starving for this long, your stomach wouldn''t be able to handle the sudden influx of food." A trace of anguish emerges in his eyes as he takes in the thin and sickly appearance of the survivors currently wolfing down the food given to them.

    These survivors relied on the gathered food to survive this long, but three days ago, the last of their food and water ran out, leaving only a small bottle of milk for the two-month-old infant.

    "Thank you very much, youngsters. If not for you, we would have starved to death here." The elder says gratefully to Huo Zaiyuan as the latter continues distributing food and water. After eating two pieces of bread and guzzling down half a bottle of water, the seventy-year-old man finally feels alive again.

    "Grandfather, you are the real hero here. You''ve protected everyone here," Huo Zaiyuan replies with a smile.

    Having finished making sure everyone is given food and water, Long Zhanye returns to Huo Zaiyuan''s side and studies the grey-haired elderly Ability User.

    Knowing that the survivors relied all this while on this elderly to survive these couple of months, he speculates that this old grandfather gained his ability through the desire to continue protecting.

    "Grandfather, you cannot linger in this place any longer. Are you willing to bring this group of survivors and head for B City''s safe zone?"

    As soon as Huo Zaiyuan told him there are living humans in this building, Long Zhanye has already thought of ways to bring them out of here. However, if he suggests they make for A City''s safe zone, the journey is too far, the group too big and looking for transport would be too inconvenient. Thus, he proposes that they head for B''s safe zone as it is relatively near.

    "I don''t know if my son and daughter-in-law are still alive or not. On the night these monsters appeared, almost everyone in this building was turned. Even my wife¡­" The Ability User chokes on the last word, eyes reddening with grief. Lifting his arm to display the healed bite there, he continues. "After my wife bit me, I had a high fever that continued for several nights. It was my granddaughter who took care of me. After I recuperated, I discovered my strength increased. I think this is ability is due to my wife''s strong desire to continue protecting me and our granddaughter even after becoming a monster¡­ Therefore, I decided to kill those creatures and rescue all the survivors in this building¡­ Originally, we wanted to escape from this place, but there are a lot more creatures outside, so we could only hide here¡­ Youngster, outside is really¡­there are really still living humans?"

    "There are. Although a lot of humans have transformed into monsters, there are still quite many survivors. We will send you to the safe zone. It''s a very secure place." Long Zhanye pats the elderly''s shoulder in comfort. "You still have your granddaughter, but it''s possible your son and daughter-in-law are already in the safe zone."

    He is not someone who knows how to comfort others, but under this sort of circumstances, the least he can do is keep this old man''s spirit up.

    "I understand, that we will be troubling you." The elder nods.

    "Little Yuan." Turning to look at the person beside him, Long Zhanye''s heart hurts at the beaten and tired look of his beloved. After expanding quite a bit of energy controlling his cranes and walking up eight floors, Huo Zaiyuan is clearly exhausted. But if one wishes to rest comfortably, they have to depart from here first. "I need to make another trip to B base and inform Hongjian to send over sufficient transport for these survivors. Here¡­"

    "While I did use quite a bit of power earlier, setting up a barrier will not take a lot out of me. Not to mention, I have this Ability User grandfather. Go on, I will bring them down to wait in the lobby for you. Be careful when on the road."

    After Long Zhanye leaves, Huo Zaiyuan waits for everyone to finish eating their fill and resting before leading them to the stairs. Floor by floor they descend, with the majority of them sniffling as they catch sight of the headless bodies scattered along the corridors.

    These corpses¡­used to be their neighbours ah¡­every household within this building is familiar and friendly with each other. Now, they are nothing more than lifeless bodies.

    "Your bodies are very weak right now, so it would be best to stay away from these corpses. It would be troublesome if the evil energy invades your system." Seeing two of the children break down into loud sobs after they spot the bodies of their parents, Huo Zaiyuan softly reminds the survivors to ensure none get too close.

    When they reach the ground floor, Huo Zaiyuan sets up a protective array around the place in order to fully safeguard everyone. That done, he leans against a wall and sits cross-legged to meditate.

    Cradling her infant close, a woman with dishevelled hair timidly approaches Huo Zaiyuan, face full of hope and anticipation.

    "Umm¡­excuse me. I overheard you and your friend talking about a person called Mr Wang, who enlisted your help to find someone. May I ask if this Mr Wang''s full name is Wang Minghui?"

    Opening his eyes, Huo Zaiyuan glances up at the timid woman. Now giving a verbal answer, he merely retrieves a card from within his inner jacket pocket and hands it over. On that business card is a man''s name, contact number and address.

    Clutching the card, the woman''s eyes redden, tears streaming down her cheeks. "That''s great¡­that''s great. He is fine¡­"

    Watching her cry tears of joy, Huo Zaiyuan recalls that man who posted this mission and his anxious plea to know if his family is dead or alive. A sense of accomplishment fills him.

    Very good.

    "He is in A City. Wait for my friend to return. We will escort the rest of them to B City''s safe zone, then head back to A City. You will be able to see him very soon." Huo Zaiyuan comforts, gaze landing on the infant in the woman''s bosom, currently wrapped in an old cotton shirt.

    The baby is probably around two months old. Perhaps due to a shortage of food and water immediately after birth leading to malnutrition, it is incredibly tiny. But Huo Zaiyuan feels that such a small child being able to survive this long into the apocalypse means it has great vitality.

    A tiny infant like it will be part of humanity''s hope for the future¡­

    The fingers of his left hand move slightly and a coin talisman appears. Stretching an arm up, he offers it to the woman.

    "Let your child wear this. It''s a charm for protection so that he may grow up peacefully."

    Taking the offered talisman, the woman gratefully thank Huo Zaiyuan.

    Two hours later, Long Zhanye returns. Following behind the Hummer is a thirty-seat coach and the person driving it is none other B military district''s Lord Commander - Long Hongjian.

    After thanking Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan once more, the survivors get on the bus while the woman and her baby enters the back seat of the Hummer. Escorting the coach back to the safe zone, they wait until the vehicle fully enters the gates before departing. At last, the Hummer exits the main street and enters the highway leading back to A City.

    Long Zhanye''s driving speed this time is even faster than before. Fortunately, the car remains steady throughout the journey, or else the pale-faced woman clutching her baby would have puked in fright.

    In a record-breaking time of four and a half hours, the Hummer slows to a stop before the safe zone''s gates. As this is the woman''s first time arriving in the safe zone, she needs to line up for inspection before being led into the separate housing for observation.

    Handing over their identity card, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan go through a full-body checkup in order to ensure they have no injuries or wounds. After changing into clean clothes, they are permitted to enter.

    Returning to the Missions Hall, they inform Mr Wang of their success, then lead him to the separate housing so that he may see his wife and child. Like this, their mission has been successfully completed.

    The woman and her infant cannot be let out of the separate housing before the time is up, and Mr Wang cannot be allowed to enter. However, the couple gazes tenderly at each other through the glass barrier, tears of happiness shimmering in their eyes.

    Staring at them from afar, Huo Zaiyuan can''t help a small smile forming when the woman joyfully holds the infant out for her husband to see.

    "Being able to see such joyful smiles during the apocalypse is a blessing," Long Zhanye says, wrapping an arm around Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulders.

    "Un, let''s go. We have to inform grandfather and Elder priest grandfather about the "Sorcerer''s cult"," Taking Long Zhanye''s hand, Huo Zaiyuan mumbles.

    His mother passed away and his father remarried. At that time, he felt as though the entire world has abandoned him. In his previous life, after his stepmother kicked him into a swarm of flesh-eating ants, he became very hesitant in trusting anyone. But now, he has someone he can fully entrust his life to.

    This man who is tightly holding him¡­it is he who pulled Huo Zaiyuan back from the crumbling precipice, he who accompanied him on the long road from Z to A City and he who always showers him with gentle smiles and words of concern.

    "Leave the reporting to me. You''ve expanded so much spiritual energy¡­" Long Zhanye frowns. He doesn''t wish to see Huo Zaiyuan shouldering so much burden, for it makes his heart ache whenever his lover''s face becomes strained.

    "I''ll be fine. I''m only meeting grandfather and Elder priest grandfather. It''s not as if I''ll be fighting with them." Huo Zaiyuan smiles brightly, tightening his hold on Long Zhanye''s hand. "I also want to accompany you¡­"

    Long Zhanye''s heart throbs at Huo Zaiyuan''s dazzling smile. Nodding in consent, he kisses the top of his head. "Okay, let''s go together."

    They can worry about crucial matters later. For the future unfolding before their eyes, however, all they desire is to grasp their partner''s hand firmly, never letting go.

 CH 141

    Chapter 141: Sword spirit Liu Ying

    After Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan recount everything that happened in the middle of their mission to Long Haotian and the Head priest, the two elders'' expression deepens in thought.

    "There''s also this." Taking out that black talisman, Huo Zaiyuan places it down before the Elder priest. "This is something Mingxi and his squad acquired after running into zombies controlled by that "Sorcerer''s cult". I did a little bit of research with them and discovered it resembles the charm for expelling the dead, but the rune''s end has been altered."

    "Hmm¡­this rune is indeed the charm for expelling the dead used by those who practice the art of "overtaking corpses" with a bit of alteration. On top of that, the ink used for this talisman is saturated with evil energy. I will need to take it back to study it closely." The Elder Taoist priest''s eyebrows draw together as he places the black talisman securely in a wooden case. "I will also settle this matter of the temple''s library being robbed. Little Yuan, you don''t look too good. You have to rest properly."

    "Un, then I will trouble Master with this matter." Huo Zaiyuan nods.

    "Grandfather, Head priest, I will return with little Yuan first. Please notify us when there''s any new information," Long Zhanye says as he gets up from the chair.

    "Sure. Go back and rest."

    When the two men walk out of the command centre back to the dormitory, they spend the entire journey in thoughtful silence. Long Zhanye''s expression is hard, so deep in contemplation that he doesn''t notice when the youth originally keeping pace gradually falls behind.

    "Zhan¡­Zhanye¡­"

    Huo Zaiyuan''s voice is no louder than a whisper, but Long Zhanye''s keen ears hear it all the same. Even though he is still lost within his mind, his body subconsciously stops and turns.

    Only to startle out of his thoughts when Huo Zaiyuan sways, then collapses.

    "Little Yuan!" Long Zhanye''s arms wrap around Huo Zaiyuan''s body before it could meet the hard ground.

    Huo Zaiyuan stares wordless up at the man cradling him close, a hand cupping his cheek, mouth calling his name frantically and anxiety plastered across his face. Try as Huo Zaiyuan might to keep his eyes open, his eyelids feel too heavy and slowly flutters close. Strength fleeing his body, Huo Zaiyuan surrenders to the darkness.

    ~~~

    With no tension in his entire body, he is extremely comfortable and cosy. But just as he feels as though the darkness will swallow him whole, rays of silver light breaks through the shadows¡­

    As he slowly regains consciousness, Huo Zaiyuan registers two voices conversing softly. His eyelids unhurriedly open and the first thing he sees is Long Zhanye sitting at the bedside, looking at him with a face full of worry. On the other end stands Qin Jun, holding his medical kit in hand.

    "Sleeping prince, you''ve finally awakened. If you continue sleeping any longer, eldest brother Long would have torn me apart." Seeing him stir, Qin Jun flashes him a bright smile. "Little Yuan, haven''t I told you countless time before? If you are tired, then rest properly. Too much accumulation of stress and exhaustion is not good for your body."

    "I''m fine, only exerted a bit too much spiritual energy, that''s all. A little nap and I''ll be back to normal," Huo Zaiyuan mumbles in reply. He moves to sit up, but his body feels strangely heavy and stiff, incapable of making his muscles work the way he wants them to. It is as though steel plates and rods have been inserted into him when he had been unconscious. His body sways, then topples to the side.

    "Don''t force yourself. If you fall ill or become injured again, the one whose heart will hurt is me." Immediately moving to support Huo Zaiyuan by hugging him to his chest, Long Zhanye sighs and his brow furrows, tenderness smouldering in his eyes.

    "Zhanye¡­" Heart quivering as he beholds Long Zhanye''s frown, Huo Zaiyuan slowly lifts a hand to smooth the wrinkled brow out. A distressed look does not suit this man at all.

    Reaching out to clasp Huo Zaiyuan''s soft hand, Long Zhanye brings it down from his forehead towards his lips, kissing his fingertips and palm.

    "I will rest properly, so stop worrying." Leaning his head on Long Zhanye chest, he closes his eyes again.

    Being a sensitive person, Qin Jun slips out as soon as the two starts getting intimate. Shouldering the medical kit, he leaves this room to this pair of lovers. After all, with Long Zhanye there, Huo Zaiyuan will definitely be fine.

    "That''s my good little Yuan," Long Zhanye murmurs, planting a kiss on his forehead.

    "Come up on the bed, let''s rest together." Shuffling over on the mattress and pulling the blanket open, Huo Zaiyuan gestures for the other man to lay down.

    "All right."

    Long Zhanye doesn''t refuse, taking off his boots and coat before burrowing under the blanket, wrapping his arms around Huo Zaiyuan. Very soon, the only sound within the room is calm, even breathing.

    ~~~

    After resting for an entire afternoon with Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan has recuperated a little in terms of spiritual energy. His body condition has improved a lot too. Informing Long Zhanye that he will be entering his space, Huo Zaiyuan disappears in a flash of silver.

    Who would have imagined that as soon as he appears in the space, the little tree spirit tearfully throws itself at him. Its small weeping face is extremely pitiful ah.

    "Cheep cheep!!"

    "What''s the matter? Why are you crying?" Huo Zaiyuan exclaims in alarm.

    This little spirit has always been an obedient and clever child. Ever since he left the space in its hands, everything is neat and orderly, completely removing this small burden from Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulders. Hence, he has grown incredibly fond of this tiny creature, pampering it like a small child. So what was up with this guy today?

    Before the tree spirit can respond, a small sphere of silver light speeds into the bamboo house, immediately honing in on the little creature and smacking it soundly on the head.

    The poor spirit is so shocked that its soul all but leaves its body, cradling its sore head in both hands and wailing mournfully.

    Huo Zaiyuan freezes as he stares at the white-haired, fiendish-looking being clad in white clothes. Only when the tree spirit starts wailing does he snap out of it, hands darting out to separate the two small creatures.

    "You¡­what exactly is going on here? What are you?" Huo Zaiyuan asks the little white being currently having its collar pinched between his finger and thumb.

    He certainly doesn''t remember having this little thing in his space. Could it be this creature is like the tree spirit, transforming after absorbing the potent energy within the space?

    The originally calm little white being held up mid-air suddenly frowns as it glances at Huo Zaiyuan''s questioning expression. Anger fills it small face as it brandishes a clenched fist and hollers unintelligibly. Struggling out of Huo Zaiyuan''s hold, it flies out of the house.

    "Ai! Hang on!" Chasing after it, he spots that white-clothed creature zooming into the leafy crown of the first peach tree, hiding behind a branch.

    Seeing the other party hiding up there so thoroughly that not a single thread of its attire is visible, he heaves a short sigh. Placating the still bawling tree spirit, he turns and walks back to the bamboo house to meditate.

    Just as he places his back to the tree, that white-clothed being slowly peeks out from behind a leaf. Seeing Huo Zaiyuan''s back to it, a wronged expression fills its eyes and a deeper frown wrinkles its brow. Emitting a tiny mumble, it appears rather resentful.

    But what is is resentful about, only it knows.

    An unending stream of dormant spiritual power is absorbed little by little, transforming into inner spiritual energy as it enters Huo Zaiyuan''s body. The various aches in his body fades and exhaustion lifts. Faintly, he senses that he is reaching another breakthrough. The warm current circulates through his meridians, returning to a dense sphere at his abdomen. Every exhale expels turbid breath, and the light tingles in his limbs finally halt.

    As Huo Zaiyuan slowly opens his eyes, his gaze lands on the little tree spirit sitting before him, hugging a bright red tomato and happily nibbling on the fruit. Lifting his head, he notices the white-clothed creature sitting on the bamboo table, staring dazedly at the portrait of Huo Tianji, a forlorn expression etched on its face.

    Getting to his feet, Huo Zaiyuan glides soundlessly over to the table. He doesn''t quite know why his instincts are telling him to be a bit more cautious just in case he accidentally scares the little creature.

    "Do you recognise Huo Tianji?"

    Huo Zaiyuan''s soft inquiry cause the being to stiffen, head snapping towards him. This time, however, it doesn''t holler angrily or flee and hide, instead staring at him absently for a while, then nods hesitantly.

    "Have you always been residing in this space?" Faced with the little white being''s docile look, Huo Zaiyuan knows it will not try to flee again, so he allows himself to lean against the corner of the table and inquire.

    It shakes its head before drifting up and towards the ancient wooden case given to him by the mysterious old man. The being transforms back to a sphere of silver light and phases through the closed lid. Before Huo Zaiyuan can react, the lid pops open and out flies a silver jian[1]. The weapon hovers for a moment in the middle of the bamboo house, then drifts slowly to a stop in front of Huo Zaiyuan.

    "So you are the spirit of the silver jian within that box," Eyeing the now horizontal double-edged blade appreciatively, Huo Zaiyuan murmurs.

    When he first opened the wooden case in the Hummer, he was taken back when he saw this silver sword beneath the brocade silk. However, he didn''t think much of it, simply storing it in his space.

    Now this little guy should be a sword spirit or a being similar to it, and judging from the way it stared at his ancestor''s portrait, it must have been Huo Tianji''s personal sword.

    Not only that, it seems the mysterious old man also recognised Huo Tianji and knows that Huo Zaiyuan is his successor, which is why he gave this sword away.

    As Huo Zaiyuan is deep in thought, a faint silver light flashes along the blade. Two characters appear on the surface of the box''s lid, and it takes him a while before he can finally read what is written.

    "Liu Ying. Is that your name?"

    The jian gives off a brilliant shine as though confirming his question, then starts to spin around Huo Zaiyuan.

    He is able to sense a feeling of joy emitting from the blade which prompts him to smile faintly. "Since you are Huo Tianji''s personal sword, and the old man gave you to me, then I will not object to you remaining by my side from now onwards."

    In another flash of silver, the jian transforms back into the white-clothed creature and settles down on Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulder, nodding lightly.

    Like this, another little spirit takes up residence in Huo Zaiyuan''s space. For some obscure reason he cannot seem to grasp, the obedient and docile little Liu Ying becomes rather ''savage'' when faced with the tree spirit. Every time he enters, he is always met with the scene of the little tree spirit being bullied by the little sword spirit. It is only a long while later does he eventually discover the reason behind it.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Jian = Chinese straight, double-edged sword. So something like this, except the hilt is of white jade.

 CH 142

    Chapter 142: Li Qing is released from confinement

    In the days following Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan''s news about the ¡®Sorcerer''s cult¡¯ and the black talisman, Long Haotian and the Head priest are swarmed with work. One contacts the other remaining safe zones in secret, ordering a covert investigation of the cult while the other concentrates all the knowledge and skills accumulated over decades to pull apart every aspect of this evil talisman.

    After a few days of proper rest, Huo Zaiyuan has recovered fully. In addition, his mood is fairly good as he feels that he might just break through to the fifth level sometime soon. The fourth peach tree in the formation has already started to flower.

    However, before he can bask in bliss longer, something happens. That morning, Zuo Hanyang rushed to inform them of an incident that befell one of A base''s mercenary squad in A City''s southeastern district. They were attacked in several evolved zombies in one of the fringe villages there. An entire veteran team of ten members now reduced to three who managed to escape, with one of the survivors infected and locked in a separate housing immediately after their return to the safe zone.

    A safe zone''s medical bay

    Regarding these evolved zombies, the higher-ups feel it is a very important matter and thus, has to be handled by none other than Long Zhanye''s newly established ¡®Long Yuan squad¡¯.

    "What happened after you and your team entered the village?" Responsible for recording the verbal report, Zuo Hanyang asks as he puts his pen to paper.

    Qin Jun is busy treating the injured man''s wounds while Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye stand aside, silently listening.

    Although this member of the mercenary squad was able to escape with his life intact, he sustained a serious fracture in his tibia after experiencing a rough tumble down a slope in the middle of evading the zombies. But after a day of medical attention, he has regained consciousness and is clear-headed enough to answer questions.

    "Our squad accepted a mission issued by the safe zone to scavenge for food and other supplies. When we neared that village, the probe on our vehicle designed to detect life suddenly blared, indicating that there were still survivors in the village. Therefore, we immediately drove in, thinking that we might as well rescue them while completing our assignment¡­but we were wrong. We shouldn''t have let down our guards after seeing the probe displaying signs of life¡­" The squad member becomes increasingly agitated as he begins to recount what happened.

    Seeing this, Qin Jun immediately steps forward and presses firmly down on the man''s chest to keep him lying flat on the bed. "You''re wounded, so try to restrain your emotions. Becoming agitated will only worsen your current condition. Listen to me, focus on my voice. Take a deep breath, hold, and exhale slowly. Relax. Try to relax a little."

    Under Qin Jun''s soft directions, the emotional man takes a few deep breaths, calming down slowly before continuing. "In order to ensure everyone''s safety, seven of us got down from the armoured car, leaving two of our best marksmen behind as both reinforcements and to protect the technician¡­ Only when we moved deeper into the village did we realise something wasn''t quite right. The Taoist priest we recruited said that there was a layer of weird purple mist everywhere, but we thought it must be remnants of poisonous gases and so didn''t pay it much attention. Our main priority is to rescue the survivors so we continued forwards¡­ Suddenly, we heard the technician shrieking in our earpieces, followed by an extremely terrifying roar¡­ A large swarm of zombies jumped out from all around. The Taoist was extremely quick in laying down a protective array, but it was easily ripped apart. Before we knew it, he was pierced through the chest by long, sharp claws¡­"

    "We''ve read the file of the Taoist priest in your squad. He was outstanding in every aspect. Arrays, barriers, talisman creation, experienced in real combat situations¡­ To be able to tear apart an array set by a first-rate priest and know to target said person first¡­that zombie should be a higher ranked evolved," Huo Zaiyuan muses aloud, then turns to the casualty. "May I know if you noticed anything different about this zombie?"

    "Nothing¡­there was no difference. It looked like a Rank 2 evolved undead. Greyish-green, cracked skin, long, sharp claws. It didn''t have a mouthful of sharp teeth¡­which was why the priest determined it to be a low-ranking evolved," The man replies, shaking his head slightly.

    "So there''s only one possible explanation," Long Zhanye finally speaks, glancing around the room at the other occupants. "Even the lower ranked undead have increased in strength, just like common zombies in the initial stage of the apocalypse becoming more agile and much stronger as time passes."

    "I have a question ah." Zuo Hanyang raises a hand.

    "What is it?"

    "Why did the probe detect signs of life in the first place? If there were such strong undead within that village, there will definitely not be any survivors left ah."

    "Un, that''s true." Qin Jun frowns.

    Everyone''s face darkens as they ponder over this question.

    "Baits¡­there were living humans in that village. Those zombies didn''t kill or eat them, but used them as bait to attract rescue teams," The squad member lying on the bed murmurs drowsily, before his eyelids slide close.

    Now that he sustained serious injuries, his body feels so drained. On top of that, the death of most of his squad is a massive blow to his heart. He is just so tired¡­so, incredibly tired¡­

    When the man falls back asleep, the others leave the ward. Qin Jun informs another medic about the casualty''s current condition before following Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye and Zuo Hanyang out of the medical bay.

    "Do you really believe the zombies are that smart? Using humans as baits?" Zuo Hanyang asks he scans through the notes in his hand.

    "I''m not convinced. Even if the highest ranked evolved possesses some intelligence, it is not yet at the level of achieving cunningness needed to think about baiting." Qin Jun offers his opinion as he adjusts the strap of his medical kit.

    "I don''t believe it either. My intuition tells me that there is something strange about this incident, and it doesn''t lie in the direction of an undead''s intelligence." Long Zhanye waves a dismissive hand.

    "Since everyone doesn''t believe that explanation, then we can only go in and discover the answer on our own." Huo Zaiyuan chuckles softly. "Hmm¡­just as well I have a few experimental goods waiting to be tested. This will be a great opportunity."

    "Little Yuan, please don''t smile like that while saying such words. It''s extremely creepy." Qin Jun shudders lightly as he mutters.

    "Haha¡­" Zuo Hanyang snickers in amusement as he stretched to loosen the kinks in his body. "When will we set off? I''ll need to notify that bastard of a right adjutant."

    "Today is as good a time as any. Since everyone is in such high spirits, we can set off after lunch. Un¡­all of you, come to my unit. We''ll have a feast." Long Zhanye declares as he wraps an arm around Huo Zaiyuan.

    "All right! I¡¯ll go call the right adjutant!"

    "Does that mean I''m also invited ah? A mercenary squad without a mechanic wouldn''t be able to go far." A clear voice sounds from behind them as footsteps approach.

    A green, camouflage-patterned, cloth baseball cap on their head conceals the top half of the person''s face. Clad in a blue mechanic jacket and white shirt, the outfit is completed with a pair of green military camouflage trousers and black combat boots. All in all, this individual looks rather smart.

    "Who are you ah?" Huo Zaiyuan asks the individual, eyebrows rising. "Do any of you know this guy?"

    "Don''t know." Long Zhanye shakes his head, a hard glint flashing across his eyes.

    "Hmm¡­isn''t he just another mechanic from the factory?" Zuo Hanyang tilts his head to the side, biting thoughtfully on the cap of his pen.

    The stranger''s mouth thins in annoyance, angrily removing the cap from their head and chucking it towards the group.

    "Goddamn you, you bunch of ingrates!!" Soft hair now longer than before, fair, flawless skin, a delicate face and large eyes now sparking with fury. If this isn''t the Li Qing who vanished - read: imprisoned - in the factory for an entire month, who else could it be?

    "Haha¡­exploding just like that." Long Zhanye laughs heartily.

    "Hmph, I so happen to overhear my master saying you will be heading out on a mission without a mechanic. So I rushed all the way here to find you guys but apparently, you''ve all forgotten me!" Li Qing snorts, then turns and walks away. "Since you''re not welcoming me, I''ll take my leave. This elder will return to the factory and look for my master!"

    "Little Qing." Qin Jun, who has kept silent all this while, finally steps forward and grabs his hand, stopping Li Qing from leaving.

    The other three spectators decide to make themselves scarce right about now, no matter how they really want to stay behind and watch the drama unfold¡­

    As soon as the others disappear, Li Qing shakes off Qin Jun''s hand.

    "You don''t care about me anymore, right? When I was locked in the factory for an entire month, you didn''t even come and visit me once. Why are you stopping me now?" Li Qing''s heart is extremely hurt by Qin Jun not showing his face all this time.

    Heartbreak written all over his face, his eyes redden, tears hanging precariously from his eyelashes, threatening to fall at any time.

    "Fool, who says I don''t care about you anymore." Gaze fixed on that slender back, Qin Jun''s heart feels as though something is squeezing it tight. Taking another step forward, he wraps his arms around Li Qing from behind. "The reason I didn''t visit you is because I don''t want you to become distracted."

    "Liar." This familiar embrace, that familiar smell. For a whole month, this man haunts his daily dreams.

    "I''m not lying. I know how a certain idiot never fails to stare at the factory''s entrance at the end of every day and say "he didn''t come again today"." As soon as the last word falls from his mouth, Qin Jun feels the person in his arms stiffen.

    "You¡­how did you know?" Raising his head to meet that warm pair of eyes filled with tenderness, Li Qing can only gape in astonishment.

    "How do you think I know?" Mouth curling into a smile, Qin Jun leans in and kisses his lips.

 CH 143

    Chapter 143: The fringe village

    "Glug¡­glug¡­" Polishing the entire bowl of soup off, Li Qing gives a long, satisfied sigh, expression extremely contended ah.

    "Huuahh¡­I feel like I''ve come back to live again."

    Looking at his pleased face, Huo Zaiyuan swallows his mouthful of noodles and scoffs, "Pig ah, don''t you carry some food on you at all times?"

    Rubbing his full and bulging stomach, Li Qing scrunches his nose at Huo Zaiyuan. "That''s different. After being locked up in the factory for a month, I had to memorise and learn and make machines every day. Even if an imperial feast is laid out before me, it would still be tasteless."

    "For a cheerful and active person, Uncle Long''s control of subordinates with an iron fist can drive one mad,¡± Chewing on the ends of his chopsticks, Zuo Hanyang says as his hand darts out, stealing a piece of ham sausage from You Nuandong''s bowl, earning him a sour glare.

    "Exactly, exactly." Li Qing nods vigorously in complete agreement.

    Although he managed to learn a lot about technology and engineering when studying under General Long, he had to endure all sorts of ''torture''. Just thinking about it makes him feel like curling in on himself. Oh, how he admires his own endurance, somehow managing to survive for this long.

    With Li Qing ''released from confinement'', Zuo Hanyang has a like-minded friend to clown around with, making the atmosphere more lively and humorous. After enjoying their afternoon feast, the few of them disperse for the time being in order to prepare all necessary equipment for this mission.

    "After being released from the mechanic''s factory, didn''t Uncle Long gift you anything?" Long Zhanye asks while loading bullets soaked in spring water into the magazine of his pistol.

    "Have ah." When Li Qing came into their residence for lunch, he was carrying along a rather large metal suitcase. Now, he places the item on the cleared dining table. Punching the code into the small electronic lock, he lifts the lid, allowing everyone to see the items within.

    Various guns line one side of the case, with bullets and special explosives lining the other. A few peculiar-looking instruments are scattered amongst the weapons. One glance is enough to show everything in this suitcase are newly developed products.

    "Master told me that everything here will be issued to the other safe zones in the near future. These guns are basically modified Desert Eagles. Keeping the penetration power of the original while reducing more than half of its standard recoil. The bullets they use are also more aerodynamic. Here, we''ve got armour-piercing rounds, bullets which will release a small grapple upon friction, explosive rounds¡­"

    Everyone falls silent as soon as Li Qing begins talking, listening attentively as he explains the function of each item.

    Products that come out of the mechanic''s factory are definitely not ordinary.

    This time, the members undertaking the mission are Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan, Zuo Hanyang, You Nuandong, Li Qing and Qin Jun. Although there are only six of them, it is sufficient.

    Since the maximum number of people a Hummer can carry is five, and it has no way to fit all the necessary equipment inside, they can only use the armoured car provided by the military.

    When other mercenary squads venture out for missions, the priests in their team will certainly not waste talismans to set arrays on their transport. But Huo Zaiyuan is the sole exception. Take his Hummer as an example. Ever since he laid three sets of arrays over it, don''t say getting close enough to touch the car. Any zombies that come within a half-meter radius of the vehicle will be tossed away. Trying to surround their transportation is not easy ah!

    After sticking quite a few wooden coin talisman on the armoured vehicle, Huo Zaiyuan climbs into the back. The person in charge of driving is You Nuandong, with the controlling of all interior systems left in the hands of their technician and mechanic, Li Qing.

    Having experienced an entire month under the ¡®special tutorage¡¯ of General Long, Li Qing''s handling of the various machines within is smooth, swift and skilled.

    Departing from the safe zone, the armoured car heads down the pre-planned route towards the fringe village. Besides their designated driver You Nuandong, everyone else gathers around Long Zhanye as he details their battle plan.

    "According to the surviving members of the mercenary squad, the zombies that were hiding in the village made the armoured car their very first target. More specifically, the technician within the vehicle. Only after they eliminated the technician did the zombies attack the others." As he speaks, the pen in his hand moves in tandem with his explanation.

    "Since they like technicians so much, then let''s send one right up to their doorstep. I''ll let them know this one is not so weak, only knowing how to hide in the vehicle and require constant protection." Contrary to his tough words, the smile on Li Qing''s face is bright and innocent, appearing exceptionally harmless.

    Staring at the dazzling smile and energetic look in his eyes, everyone murmurs inwardly in disbelief. Heavens ah, what exactly did General Long teach this child during his imprisonment within the factory?!

    "Little Yuan and Qin Jun will stay behind as reinforcement and guard the vehicle. I will go together with my left and right adjutants to ''infiltrate''. We will converge once more after the surprise attack on the armoured car has been sprung." Recapping the pen, he flicks his wrist lightly, sending it soaring back into the pen rack with superb accuracy.

    After the briefing is over, the others wander off to different areas of the vehicle, leaving Huo Zaiyuan sitting cross-legged on the seat beside Long Zhanye.

    "Be careful." Pulling Huo Zaiyuan towards him until the youth''s head is resting in the crook of his neck, Long Zhanye whispers as he runs his fingers through the long, dark hair.

    "Same goes for you. I keep feeling like those zombies are rather odd. If they are not under anyone''s control, then¡­" Huo Zaiyuan wrinkles his brow, heart in turmoil.

    Ai¡­why did he die so early in his previous life? If he had lived a while longer, then he might know more things pertaining to this apocalypse¡­

    "Beloved, don''t worry. Who am I? I''m the undefeated Long Zhanye. Together with you, this peerless Taoist priest by my side, we travelled all the way from Z City to A City. What haven''t we encountered during that long journey?" Compared with this distressed and troubled child, he greatly prefers the aloof and serene youth.

    "Do you think you are the unequalled Superman ah?" The troubled look disappears, replaced by faint amusement as Huo Zaiyuan elbows him none too gently in his side, causing Long Zhanye to cry out in feigned pain.

    After driving for two hours, the armoured car arrives outside the fringe village. Ensuring their respective earpieces are securely placed in their ears, Long Zhanye and his chosen companions get down from the back of the vehicle.

    The entire village is eerily quiet. If this was before the apocalypse, one will label this atmosphere peaceful tranquillity. However, during the apocalypse, and especially after the first-hand report obtained from the surviving members that this place almost wiped them all out, the tranquil silence becomes a sinister, deadly stillness.

    As soon as Long Zhanye leads his left and right-hand men out of the car, the door closes behind them. Rifles at the ready, the three men head into the village in a tight triangle formation.

    Only when the trio''s figures disappear into the distance does the remaining members within the vehicle turn their attention to the monitors, keeping a close watch for any movements from the outside. Suddenly, a faint sound of activity comes from the fourth screen monitoring the rear of the car. The only warning they receive is a second-long rustling from the human-height, wild undergrowth before a shadow shoots out towards the armoured car.

    "Incoming!" Li Qing shouts.

    A silver screen flares into existence for a split-second, causing the pouncing zombie to bounce off, crashing to the ground a few meters away from the vehicle. Instantly, the side door is thrown open and Huo Zaiyuan jumps out, closely followed by Qin Jun with his gun.

    Climbing back to its feet, the undead snarls and springs towards Huo Zaiyuan.

    A flick of his left hand and an explosive talisman appears, whizzing towards the zombie. With a loud bang, it is sent flying through the air once more.

    Prompted into action by the violent explosion, another zombie leaps out of the underbrush, again aiming for Huo Zaiyuan. Qin Jun''s reaction is swift, raising his gun and pulling the trigger thrice in quick succession. The modified Desert Eagle''s recoil is indeed small, resulting in an increase in accuracy. On top of that, even if none of the shots hit the undead''s vital points, the explosive bullets blew its shoulder joint and left behind a large hole in its chest. Crippled and gravely injured, it falls to the ground heavily, dismembered limb thudding dully on the soil a couple of paces away.

    Not giving them room to breathe, a third undead dashes out from the opposite direction. Even as Li Qing''s cry of alarm rings from their earpiece, Qin Jun knows that he wouldn''t make it in time to shoot it down.

    Suddenly, a silver light flickers and streaks forward. With a sharp ¡®schick¡¯, it skewers the zombie through its head, pinning the monster to the ground.

    Only when the rays of light fade slightly can one finally see it is a silver-bladed jian with a white jade hilt. The undead struggles futilely for a while before crumbling into a pile of ashes.

    With a jerk, the silver jian dislodges from the ground and flies back to Huo Zaiyuan, hovering silently by the Taoist''s side.

    It is at this moment that the three who left to ''infiltrate'' the village return, sprinting over to assist in eliminating the enemies.

    From tens of meters away, Long Zhanye fires a shot that neatly downs the lightly smoking zombie injured by the explosive talisman and was trying to crawl up again. A second later, a bullet from You Nuandong''s rifle takes care of the crippled one.

    Huo Zaiyuan sends Liu Ying back into the space and snaps his fingers. Two talismans fly out and the corpses disappear in a blaze of gold, leaving behind two crystals the size of peanuts.

    "Common Rank 3 zombies," Huo Zaiyuan remarks as he picks the crystals up.

    "No wonder the previous squad was nearly wiped out. Three Rank 3 undead in one place," Zuo Hanyang says with a frown.

    "Right, onto the next step. Zuo Hanyang and Qin Jun will remain here as reinforcement and guard little Qing. The rest of us will actually go deeper into the village and take note of the situation at the same time," Long Zhanye orders as soon as he draws within hearing distance.

    "Yes, Sir." Zuo Hanyang nods and returns to the armoured car.

    "Eldest brother Long, take this. Dump its contents on the ground at the entrance so we can help monitor the situation in the village as you venture in." Li Qing''s head pops out of the back door, handing a small metal case over to Long Zhanye.

    Tucking the case away, Long Zhanye whirls on his heels, leading Huo Zaiyuan and You Nuandong back into hostile territory.

 CH 144

    Chapter 144: Reappearance of poisonous swamps

    All senses on high alert, Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan and You Nuandong tread forward slowly. At the entrance of the village, Long Zhanye opens the metal case Li Qing gave him.

    Within are thirty steel balls, which is tipped out unceremoniously onto the soil below. As they hit the ground, faint clicks and snaps can be heard before they whirl around in unison, then speed off in all directions. In a short while, not a single steel ball can be seen.

    ["I made the surveillance beads scatter first to map the entire village out. Keep your guards up. The building five meters in front of you doesn''t have any zombies, but that doesn''t mean it''s not dangerous."] Li Qing''s voice transmits from their earpieces.

    When they ran into the commando squad in I City, it was Li Qing''s first time providing assistance from a mobile control centre. However, with a month of ¡®special tutorage¡¯ under General Long, his ability in this area has become rather remarkable. Hence, the trio scouting ahead are not afraid to entrust him with surveillance.

    Also, this isn''t the trio''s first time walking into hostile territory so naturally, none of them will drop their guards easily.

    At present, it is clearly only three in the afternoon with the sun still high in the sky, but it is already dim within this little fringe village. If one isn''t mindful or attentive, one would mistakenly think it is dusk, or that the overgrown vegetation is contributing to the poor lighting.

    "The Yin energy here is very dense," Huo Zaiyuan murmurs, taking Liu Ying out of his space again and slinging the sword onto his back.

    "I don''t understand what Yin energy and all that is, but I feel very uneasy. The atmosphere here unconsciously makes one''s muscles tense," You Nuandong replies with a deep frown.

    As a soldier with quite a bit of experience, he has become cautious in nature. Especially when venturing into highly dangerous places like this, every sense will automatically be strained to the max.

    "Un." Long Zhanye nods curtly, then taps a finger on his earpiece. "Little Qing, do you see any traces of zombies anywhere?"

    ["That''s a negative for now¡­yi? Hang on, I found something on the east side of the village. Dammit! It''s a swamp like the one we came across before! The poisonous swamp!"] Li Qing curses lowly, a trace of nervousness in his voice.

    How can he ever forget what happened that night in the ghost town? Huo Zaiyuan said then that this thing is even more dangerous compared to zombies, as it can bring more harm to the world than hordes of undead ever could inflict.

    Not to mention, after sealing the swamp away, Huo Zaiyuan exhausted all his spiritual energy and lost consciousness for two days, recuperating from it with great difficulty.

    "Poisonous swamp?" You Nuandong asks. Having traversed over jungles, rivers and oceans during his time in the Special Forces, swamps are something he has come across too. However, he has never heard of ¡®poisonous swamps¡¯ before. And judging from Li Qing''s tone, it is something really bad.

    "With this thing here, our situation has become more troublesome." Huo Zaiyuan purses his lips, then addressed Li Qing. "We''ll head over now and leave the monitoring of the surroundings to you. How big is this poisonous swamp?"

    ["Give me a minute to calculate."] The faint sounds of keyboard keys being struck rises for a couple of seconds before Li Qing''s voice is back. ["It''s bigger than the one we encountered in that town. Two meters in diameter. And it''s not exactly similar since this is spouting some kind of purple gas¡­"]

    "We need to move quickly. That thing must be sealed as soon as possible, or else everything will be more complicated." Upon hearing Li Qing mention ¡®purple gas¡¯, Huo Zaiyuan already knows what it is.

    He has seen purple gas rising from poisonous swamps in his last life. Contrary to what most believe, it is not poison, but evil energy. These swamps rely on the energy spewed forth to infect any living beings that come too close. No wonder the zombies in this village are so strong!

    ["There''s another matter you need to be aware of. I controlled one of the surveillance beads and made it enter the swamp. Although I can''t see anything inside, the bead is picking up signs of life within."]

    "Signs of life?" Long Zhanye pauses, obviously not expecting to hear something like this.

    "Don''t tell me the signal that mercenary''s squad probe picked up came from the swamp? Did the zombies hide humans in it?" You Nuandong speaks up.

    "Impossible. Humans cannot withstand the large amount of evil energy within the swamps. Anyone who falls in will die instantly and come out transformed!" Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head.

    In his previous life, he has seen people falling into the swamps and when these victims crawl out, they were already zombies. Although his rebirth caused a butterfly effect in this life that resulted in many changes, three things remained the same. Zombies, devil ants and poisonous swamps.

    After his rebirth, Judgement Day came early. Nonetheless, he predicts that it will still take at least half a year for the swamps to spread and cover a large portion of the Earth. Hence, even if they are appearing in random locations now, it will definitely not expand so much in a short period of time.

    When a poisonous swamp first emerge, they should start small before spreading outwards slowly, like this one here¡­

    Following Li Qing''s directions, the three of them arrive quickly at the eastern side of the village where the swamp resides. Compared to the thin layer of dense Yin energy shrouding the rest of the place, the closer one approaches the swamp, the more potent this energy becomes. Besides the evil energy spouting forth from the poisonous swamp, it also emits a heavy, putrid stench, as though the swamp is mass grave filled with rotting corpses.

    Thanks to the large sphere of inner spiritual energy within his body, besides his nose wrinkling from the foul smell, he isn''t affected by anything else. But Long Zhanye and You Nuandong are different. Although the protection talismans are still on their person and their constitution is better than the average human, a heavy weight settle in the pits of their stomach and their throats construct, stifling their airways and making them choke. Heat rush through their veins and up their bodies before scarlet blood dribbles out the corner of their mouths.

    As soon as he sees the blood, Huo Zaiyuan condenses some spiritual energy into the palms of his hands and places it in the middle of their backs. When the pure energy enters the bodies of the two men, it disperses the evil energy, driving away the awful sensation coursing through their veins.

    Huo Zaiyuan cannot keep up a steady stream flow of spiritual power into his companions for a long period of time as it is both a waste and a risk. Should more concealed zombies appear, everyone will be vulnerable.

    Hence, he cuts off the flow and waves his left hand, materialising the Holy Dragon Bone Brush. Gesturing with a few flicks of his fingers, the brush rotates, producing a mixture of silver and scarlet from the white bristles. Several strokes from the brush and two runes appear in mid-air before seeping slowly into Long Zhanye and You Nuandong''s body.

    "With your bodies acting as the medium, I drew a rune using a mixture of spring water and ant crystal. For half an hour, you wouldn''t be affected by the evil energy."

    Just when the last word falls from Huo Zaiyuan''s lips, the originally calm, poisonous swamp begins to boil, a low rumbling emitting from within its deadly depths. Small bubbles break out onto the surface, causing the purplish-black, sewage-like liquid to ripple.

    Little by little, the head of a rotting female emerges. Loose messy hair scattered all over her face, both eyes opaque, milky white¡­this scene is straight out of a first-rate horror film.

    Li Qing''s cry of alarm can be heard through the earpiece even as a grimace appears on Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye and You Nuandong''s faces.

    Following the appearance of the creepy rotting head now bobbing lightly on the surface, the swamp rumbles again, spitting out another four or five equally rotten human heads. Lumps of flesh hanging from yellowed bones, purplish-red muscles peeking out from behind peeling skin. On each of these unfortunate victims, one can make out the various expressions frozen on their faces before death.

    One full of fright, another bewildered astonishment, yet another with mouth wide open in a silent eternal scream, the next one twisted in pain and suffering¡­

    ["Boss, the one missing a chunk from the top of his skull sporting a bewildered expression is someone I recognise. He¡¯s a member of the mercenary squad who came here before."] Zuo Hanyang''s voice wafts out of the earpiece.

    He had read through the files on the unfortunate mercenary team as soon as the higher-ups dumped them into his hands. With his photographic memory, he knows who the victim is at a glance.

    "Looks like they were dragged into this swamp after being killed," You Nuandong observes.

    "Not necessarily," Long Zhanye corrects, gaze not moving from the purplish-black liquid still spitting out head after head. "Each of them died still expressing their emotions, which means they were still alive after falling into the swamp. The question is what exactly happened to them down there to leave only their heads behind?"

    "It''s definitely something we can''t begin to imagine," Huo Zaiyuan replies, sweeping his eyes across the swamp. Roughly a hundred heads dot the surface now.

    It''s not difficult to guess what befell the residents of this fringe village, and why there are no corpses lying around.

    The swamp continues to bubble, making the decapitated heads roll aimlessly around like so many fishballs in a boiling pot.

    "Something''s wrong!"

    A yell suddenly rips out of Long Zhanye''s mouth. In a flash, he grabs Huo Zaiyuan and You Nuandong by the back of their collars and retreats several steps. Not a second too soon, a rotting and withered head emerges, this time followed by a thin neck and torso¡­what else can it be if not a zombie?

    That undead has only risen halfway out of the waters when its clawed hands brace against the edge of the swamp. With the momentum of a fierce forward push, it springs towards the trio.

    Huo Zaiyuan and You Nuandong react in unison, one lifting his rifle while the other takes out a talisman, but neither will make it in time.

    With a soft ¡®swish¡¯, Liu Ying flies out of its scabbard and charges towards the zombie.

 CH 145

    Chapter 145: Devil ants

    The silver jian meets the zombie''s attack, blade clashing with claws, momentarily allowing the three men to escape danger. Just when their feet settles firmly back on the ground, another two malicious-looking undead rushes out of the swamp, leaping towards them.

    In unison, Long Zhanye and You Nuandong open fire at one undead each as Huo Zaiyuan throws up two protective screens to block the clawed strikes. The trio retreats steadily while keeping up the stream of bullets and barriers.

    Although the speed of bullets spat out from rifles are extremely fast, these zombies are pretty swift too. Dodging to the left and right, twisting their bodies to evade, swiftly sidestepping at the last second. No matter how sharp a marksmen these two soldiers are, none of their shots hit their intended targets.

    "Fuck!" It is extremely rare for this cool-headed individual to burst out cursing in frustration. "Don''t bother trying to aim for the head!" Long Zhanye yells before continuing to pull the trigger.

    This time, he scores three consecutive hits as the undead fails to dodge completely. One in the shoulder, the second at the waist and the third in the middle of its thigh. If these bullets were ordinary ones, perhaps the undead would have been able to shrug it off and charge again. With explosive rounds, however¡­a hole is blown in its left shoulder, right waist and right thigh, effectively crippling it. The zombie flops to the ground, struggling to crawl forward with its remaining arm and leg. A yellow paper drops on its back and it disappears in a blaze of golden fire.

    The moment You Nuandong hears his Boss shouting not to bother aiming for the head, the right-hand man immediately shifts his aim downwards. The first bullet pierces his target''s abdomen, the second in the thigh, the third and fourth missing their mark. Even so, the explosion from the first shot successfully rips the zombie horizontally in two.

    Halting in their retreat as soon as both undead are dealt with, the three men turn to the final zombie currently locked in battle with Liu Ying. As this silver sword is a spirit in its alternate form, the blade possesses a large reservoir of pure, potent spiritual energy, making it extremely effective in dealing with demonic beings. Although the opponent is a Rank 3 undead, the jian isn''t a flesh and blood being. Hence it is completely fearless, weaving and ducking craftily around its foe. In this short exchange, the undead is already sporting more than a few deep wounds, consequently allowing the humans to slay it easily.

    Another three more crystals in hand, none of them dare to relax the slightest bit. Because according to the survivor''s reports, there should be an undead capable of tearing through Taoist barriers and arrays lurking around this village. The zombies they have eliminated so far are mere Rank 3s.

    This battle wasted quite a bit of time. Huo Zaiyuan must seal this poisonous swamp away before the runes on Long Zhanye and You Nuandong''s bodies lose their effectiveness.

    "Little Yuan." Long Zhanye reaches out to clasp his hand, expression solemn.

    Seeing that grave look, Huo Zaiyuan is naturally aware of Long Zhanye''s thoughts. Smiling faintly, he says, "Don''t worry. Although this swamp is larger than the previous one, my inner reserve is now bigger than it was a few months ago. I will not exhaust all my power this time around."

    When he first encountered the poisonous swamp, it was so sudden that he panicked. On top of that, he used up quite a bit of power during the battle with the demonic Banyan tree, resulting in him losing conscious after sealing the swamp. The present him, however, is still running on high reserves and a larger pool of energy. While this swamp may be bigger, it wouldn''t exhaust him too much to seal it away.

    "Un." Long Zhanye eventually consents, letting go of his hand.

    Fingers of his right hand gesturing, the white jade brush appears mid-air, rising higher to the sky with a flick of his index finger. Placing his hands flat together in a prayer-like gesture before his chest, his mouth moves in a silent chant. Drawing on Huo Zaiyuan''s inner energy, the Holy Dragon Bone Brush begins to move on its own, drawing rune after rune in the air.

    A light step forward and the first layer of characters settle around the edges of the swamp. Mouth chanting unceasingly, the Eight Trigrams form and commences its slow rotation clockwise. Silver rays of light cut through the haze of purple evil energy and dance around the slim youth, replacing the gloomy and sinister atmosphere with one of serenity and warmth.

    The sealing process advances smoothly. In a short while, Huo Zaiyuan has completed more than half, quickly reaching the tail end of the ritual.

    Another rumble suddenly causes the swamp to bubble again, and a shadow pounces out of its murky depths towards Huo Zaiyuan. Razor-sharp claws slice through the silver light, bringing with it a chilly air.

    With the sealing nearing completion, Huo Zaiyuan absolutely cannot stop. Or else everything will be in vain. Besides, abruptly breaking off the ritual before it is done will result in a severe backlash that will harm his body, something he wants to avoid even more than wasting his efforts.

    The two men flanking Huo Zaiyuan react in an instant, firing at the shadow as soon as it is airborne. Half of the zombie''s head disappears in a small bang. A shoulder is blown off, holes appearing in its chest and stomach. But it doesn''t stop its frantic forward charge, determined to take the Taoist down¡­

    A stream of silver light flickers forth, cleanly separating the undead''s head from its neck just as Huo Zaiyuan sets down the last rune. Resplendent rays of light emit from the completed seal, finally scattering the last of the purple fog. Long Zhanye dashes forward, curls an arm around Huo Zaiyuan waist and drags him backwards. The headless corpse collapses heavily on the ground where Huo Zaiyuan stood a mere second ago in a pile of rotting flesh.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s face drains of colour as he stares at the mangled pile of flesh and bones. If Zhanye had not reacted so quickly and pulled him away in time, that would have ended up all over him. Just the thought alone is enough to make him shudder¡­

    ["Little Yuan, older brother Long, older brother You, be careful! The scanner is showing a large group of living beings coming towards you!!"] Li Qing''s tense voice rings out.

    They can''t see anything moving on the monitors, but a large amount of red dots suddenly appeared on the scanner''s screen. It''s too peculiar.

    At the same time Li Qing''s warning comes, the headless zombie''s corpse jerks. Then countless scarlet devil ants break forth from the rotting pile of flesh and surge forward.

    "What¡­what is this?!"

    "Run! Quickly run! Leave this place!!" Shoving the frozen You Nuandong to get him moving, Huo Zaiyuan yells, face hardening as his gaze tracks the huge wave of devil ants emerging from the soil around the sealed swamp.

    Although You Nuandong doesn''t know what''s so scary about these tiny red ants, a single glance at Huo Zaiyuan''s face is enough to suppress any further questions he has. Turning, he sprints towards the entrance of the village.

    While Long Zhanye has never seen this type of ants before, he is aware that Huo Zaiyuan died under the mandibles of these insects in his previous life. Thus, he has a fair idea of how big a danger they are.

    Throwing Huo Zaiyuan over a shoulder, Long Zhanye dashes back to where their armoured car is parked. From his present position, Huo Zaiyuan tosses explosive talismans into the swarm behind in order to slow the ants down. More than a few devil ants are sent flying, but it doesn''t serve to hinder their mad pursuit. Instead, their speed seems to increase.

    Even though Huo Zaiyuan has a lot of peach wood and yellow paper talismans, each one of them requires a bit of energy to activate. After tossing who knows how many explosives into the midst of the scarlet swarm, it is still insufficient. When his pool of energy is near exhaustion, it is Liu Ying to the rescue again, striking vengefully down in the middle of the ant wave. A small explosion blasts more insects into the air and the silver jian removes itself from the soil, slashing at the ants in front to help stop their rapid advance.

    Carrying Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye arrives first in front of the armoured car, with You Nuandong close on his heels. The side door of the vehicle opens immediately, the members within gazing out with worried expressions.

    "All right, all right. Put me down!" Huo Zaiyuan signals the other to set him down by patting his shoulder.

    Liu Ying is an incredibly powerful weapon, able to hold back the tide of ants. Although it will require quite a bit of energy for him to do this, Huo Zaiyuan must add another layer to the seal now that he realises the first layer cannot stop these ants from crawling up to the surface. If he doesn''t do this, it will give rise to unending trouble in the future.

    Long Zhanye sets Huo Zaiyuan back on his feet before gesturing to Zuo Hanyang to get in the driver''s seat. This way, at the first sign of trouble, Long Zhanye can carry Huo Zaiyuan and jump into the car, and Zuo Hanyang can drive off immediately.

    As everyone else takes up their optimal position, Huo Zaiyuan throws both hands out. Four wooden tiles appear and shoot off in different directions, hovering high above in the air. Once the tiles are in position and facing north, south, east and west, another nine tiles materialise.

    Following his murmured incantations, silver light streaks out of the four tiles, creating a square. Immediately after, a nonagon forms as the nine tiles link together as well. Slowly, these two overlapping formations drift towards the centre of the village.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s palms glow silver, the scattered wisps of light gradually gathering into a single sphere. As everyone else is busy staring at the formation in the sky, no one notices the swarm of red ants covering every inch of the village ground suddenly burst into golden flames, leaving behind a huge pile of tiny red crystals.

    Eventually, when the double formation in the sky aligns with the sealed swamp on the ground below, the complex sealing is thus completed. Quiet tranquillity finally settles in this fringe village.

 CH 146

    Chapter 146: Invisible barrier

    In the back of the moving armoured car, several exhausted figures lay disorderly on the floor. Using Long Zhanye''s arm as a pillow, Huo Zaiyuan clutches a milk powder container full of ant crystals to his chest.

    "I finally understand why the zombies in this village are so strong."

    The fact that sesame seed sized crystals are able to fill such a big container to the brim shows exactly how large that swarm of ants had been. Who knows how many ants those zombies absorbed to be able to evolve so far in a short period of time. If the previous mercenary squad had not stumbled across this village and the Long Yuan squad was not dispatched to take care of it, these undead would have been a terrible force to reckon with in the future.

    "Mhm." Lowering his chin to look at the vulnerable youth currently running on the last few drops of inner spiritual power, Long Zhanye''s heart finally eases when he sees that fair complexion remains the same, condition not worsening.

    He hasn''t forgotten the last time this child exhausted all his energy sealing a poisonous swamp away and fainted immediately after the deed is done. This time, he not only managed to seal away a bigger swamp, but use quite a few explosive talismans, lay another seal around the village and burn the wave of ants. And he hasn''t lost consciousness at the end of it all.

    Now, the largest haul of crystals resides in the glass bottle in Huo Zaiyuan''s hands.

    "Boss, little Yuan, why were you so afraid of those ants?" You Nuandong asks curiously as soon as he regains his breath and calms his racing heart.

    As far as his knowledge of insects goes, those red ants don''t look like carnivores. Although facing a huge wave of them can frighten anyone, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan''s reactions were too exaggerated.

    "Those ants is one reason why zombies are rampaging across this country right now," Long Zhanye answers.

    When Huo Zaiyuan had told him this all those days ago, he too, thought it was inconceivable. However, he believed Huo Zaiyuan without the slightest hesitation.

    "Those ants are the cause of humans turning into zombies?!" Zuo Hanyang exclaims in shock, eyes wide.

    "No, the ants themselves are not the reason. Rather, they carry a more potent demonic energy within their bodies that cause a human to transform after they enter the victim''s flesh." Lifting the glass bottle up to eye level, Huo Zaiyuan stares at the sparkling crystals. "Hence, after the corpses of zombies are burned, crystals are left behind. On top of that, the demonic energy stored within the skulls of undead can be increased. Why those few undead in the village were so difficult to deal with ought to be because they absorbed demonic energy from more than a few ants¡­"

    "That''s enough, you are exhausted. Get some rest first. There''s still some time before we reach the safe zone." Long Zhanye interrupts as the youth''s eyelids begin to droop and his speech slurs. A doting smile curves his lips and he lifts his free hand to stroke Huo Zaiyuan''s soft hair.

    "Un. Wake me up when we reach the safe zone." Yawning, Huo Zaiyuan sets the glass bottle of crystals on the floor. Turning on his side, he snuggles into Long Zhanye''s embrace and falls asleep right away.

    He is dead tired today.

    When night falls, the armoured vehicle reaches the gates of the safe zone at long last. After going through the usual series of checks and inspections, the team of six is allowed to enter. For the entire journey, Huo Zaiyuan remains sound asleep. When he eventually awakens, it is already past 1am.

    Looking down at Long Zhanye sleeping next to him, he glances out the window at the pitch-black night sky. Lips curling upwards slightly, he disappears in flash of silver.

    As always, a clear, azure sky greets him as soon as he enters the space. Spotting its human, the little tree spirit happily throws itself into his arms, rubbing a soft, chubby cheek against Huo Zaiyuan''s.

    "You''re alone? Where''s Liu Ying?" Huo Zaiyuan asks softly as he pats the spirit affectionately on its head.

    Typically, whenever he enters the space, he will always see that imp Liu Ying bullying the little tree spirit. It is rare indeed that this little creature doesn''t pounce on him as soon as he appears to seek refuge with tears in its eyes. In fact, from the expression on its face, it is in a very good mood today.

    Could it be Liu Ying sustained some injuries when it helped Huo Zaiyuan hold back the swarm of devil ants this morning?

    After the entire fiasco was over, Huo Zaiyuan collapsed to the ground in exhaustion as soon as the armoured car started moving, completely forgetting about Liu Ying. He only remembered to send the silver jian back into his space before dropping off.

    Ai¡­isn''t he too irresponsible as a master?

    "Chee¡­chee¡­" The little spirit gathers a tiny handful of Huo Zaiyuan''s hair and gently tugs on it as it hovers in the air before the human, expressing that Huo Zaiyuan should follow it somewhere.

    Allowing the little being to lead him by tugging on his long hair, Huo Zaiyuan follows it out of the bamboo house towards the open field. Distantly, he can see a small white figure hovering in mid-air.

    "What is Liu Ying doing there? Is there anything good to see?" When in his space, Huo Zaiyuan has never once tried to walk to the edges of the plains. Because simply by standing outside the bamboo house, he can see the distant mountains and refreshing scenery all around.

    Hearing Huo Zaiyuan''s voice, Liu Ying glances over its shoulder and shakes its head. Extending a hand, it seems to be feeling something in front of it.

    Not seeing anything there, Huo Zaiyuan thought it is pointing towards something in the distance. He has only taken two steps forward when he smacks into an incorporeal wall, the force of this unexpected collision mixed with stunned surprise causes him to land on his bottom. A hand automatically goes to his forehead as he tries to rub the pain away.

    "What¡­what is going on?" Sitting on the ground with a hand on his red forehead, Huo Zaiyuan stretches out the other arm and hesitantly reaches towards the air before him, trying to feel for the invisible wall.

    His palm is met with a smooth, flat surface. Surprisingly, there is a layer of invisible barrier here.

    Originally, he believed that this space is only as big as the naked eyes can see, but never did he imagine there is a boundary line around it.

    "Does Liu Ying wish to go across to the other side of the barrier?" Huo Zaiyuan asks from where is sits on the ground, palm still slayed out on the surface of the barrier.

    A pair of bright azure eyes stares back before Liu Ying vigoriously shakes his head in denial. Squeaking something Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t understand, a tiny hand slaps the barrier a few times. A little later, the sword spirit''s face falls as it dejectedly drifts back to stand on Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulder.

    Huo Zaiyuan ends up sitting before the barrier for a long while with the downcast, white-clothed sword spirit Liu Ying on his left shoulder and the adorably innocent, green-clothed tree spirit on his right shoulder.

    Who knows how long passed before he finally stands up and heads back into the bamboo house. Placing the two little creatures down onto the low table, he busies himself with other matters.

    Being the hardworking child that it is, under the tree spirit''s care, the three peach trees reach full maturity once more. The first one requires the shortest amount of time to bear fruit, averaging around nine days. As for the second tree, it takes approximately eighteen days, with the third one at being the longest at twenty-seven days. Now that each one has a ripe fruit on its branch, he plucks the three peaches down to make peach juice.

    Pouring the juice into bamboo tubes, he buries them outside the house in order to let them ferment naturally. He returns to the scene of Liu Ying once again staring dazedly at Huo Tianji''s portrait. Off to the side, the tree spirit clutches a red apple to its bosom, inching towards the sword spirit.

    As soon as Liu Ying notices the little green-clothed being sidling closer, its blank expression instantly morphs to a fierce one, scaring the tree spirit so badly it jumps in fright and hides behind the apple.

    Seeing the interaction between the two little creatures, Huo Zaiyuan lets out a small, helpless smile before walking towards the doorway to mediatate.

    The invisible barrier in the space that Liu Ying wants to cross¡­what exactly is hidden on the other end?

    For some reason, Huo Zaiyuan is extremely curious¡­

    When he opens his eyes again, he notices a green and white figure floating above the field near where he had bumped into the invisible wall. But what really catches his attention is the harmounious air between the two spirits. No tears, no bullying, no fights. And Liu Ying appears to be happier than it was a while ago, making Huo Zaiyuan sigh in relief.

    As time-flow inside the space is slower than the outside world, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t know exactly what time it is now. Getting up, he boils some hot water for a bath before exiting his space.

    As soon as his back hits the soft mattress, another body rolls over and presses him into the bed. One doesn''t need to think in order to guess who this person is.

    "You¡­why are you still sleeping?"

    "It''s only six in the morning. What else would I be doing if not sleeping?" Burying his face in the juncture between Huo Zaiyuan''s neck and shoulder, Long Zhanye sighs in contentment, not resisting the urge to kiss that slender neck. "Baby, you smell really good."

    "I just took a shower." Frowning lightly, Huo Zaiyuan pushes at the body above him. "Get up, you''re really heavy."

    "It''s called "bearing a sweet burden," Long Zhanye murmurs sleepily.

    Huo Zaiyuan: "‡å"

    What kind of sweet burden is this? If he allows this to continue, he will surely be flattened. Confronted by this sleepy and shameless man, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t bother wasting his breath. Bunching his muscles, he half-push, half-shoves the person off before getting out of bed.

    Don''t see that Long Zhanye''s body is lean and fit, making one think his weight would be comparatively light. Thanks to his healthy bones and firm muscles, his body weight is really heavy if Long Zhanye allows himself to go completely lax.

    Glancing back at the man still sleeping soundly, Huo Zaiyuan pads lightly over and pulls the blanket up, tucking it around Long Zhanye. Satisfied with his handiwork, he walks out of the room and closes the door softly behind him. As soon as the door shuts, a mischievous smile appears on the sleeping Long Zhanye''s face.

 CH 147

    Chapter 147: Secret crush

    A handsome man dressed in a smart military uniform walks across the safe zone''s market district, a dazzling smile on his face and a plate of red and green bean pancakes in his hand, coming to a stop beside a long-haired youth currently sitting before a small table.

    "Little Yuan."

    Glancing up from his book at the brightly beaming older man, Huo Zaiyuan offers a faint smile in response. "You look so happy, did something good happen?"

    "Of course. Here, these pancakes are made from the safe zone''s first harvest of beans. I have just eaten some during the meeting earlier. They don''t taste too bad." Long Zhanye presents the plate to Huo Zaiyuan as though it is a newfound treasure.

    The red and green bean pancakes look pretty appetising, like deep fried pieces of sweet potatoes.

    "You ostentatiously paraded yourself across the safe zone carrying this plate of pancakes?" Huo Zaiyuan can''t help laughing at the thought of this man sauntering from the command centre all the way out here with pancakes in hand, the aroma wafting from the food attracting a drove of drooling residents to trail behind him.

    He didn''t expect such an imposing senior officer Long to still possess a childish side. It is beyond adorable.

    "I should of course share something delicious. Come, take a bite." Long Zhanye''s eyes seem to brighten further, a roguish smirk playing on his lips. It''s not hard to see he likes deliberately inciting envy in others.

    Holding the red bean pancake before Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth, Long Zhanye seems to be brimming with anticipation.

    Since the other is so eager, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t hesitate to take a bite. The pancake itself is salty, but besides beans, there are also¡­pickled mustard[1] inside.

    "¡­¡­" Staring at the bright-eyed man, Huo Zaiyuan quirks an eyebrow and leans closer. "You didn''t make these pancakes yourself, did you?"

    When they had a meal together a few days ago, he took out several packets of spicy pickled mustard as a side dish. Long Zhanye had taken one and stuffed it away somewhere, making him think that Zhanye liked them and took it to snack on during work. Therefore, he hadn''t thought much about it.

    Now, this man smugly carries over a plate of pancakes, all but feeding it to Huo Zaiyuan.

    If this is the safe zone''s new food product, Long Zhanye will definitely not treat it like something extremely important. There''s only one possibility: he personally made these pancakes.

    "Little Yuan, you''re really perceptive. Does it taste good?" Long Zhanye reaches out and pulls the youth onto his lap, eagerly awaiting his compliments.

    "Pickled mustard and red bean pancakes. It''s innovative. Not bad." Huo Zaiyuan nods his head and takes another bite. "You are naturally gifted in cooking."

    "Then try this one too." If it is possible, Long Zhanye''s bright smile turns even more brilliant as he picks up the green bean pancake and holds it out in front of Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth.

    With the pickled mustard red bean pancake as the precedent, Huo Zaiyuan is not worried about the taste of the green bean pancake, willingly taking a big bite out of it.

    Only, after a couple of chews, Huo Zaiyuan''s face abruptly pales.

    "You¡­it''s sweet. What did you put in it?"

    "Eh? I added red pepper paste¡­it was something one of my subordinates found during a scavenging mission. Is it bad? It tasted fine when I tried it." Long Zhanye tilts his head in question, then leans forward and tears a piece off, popping it into his mouth. After a few chews, he swallows it with a straight face.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s head is filled with black lines. After spending so much time with Long Zhanye, he didn''t realise the other''s taste buds are so¡­unique.

    In the end, Huo Zaiyuan finishes the red bean and pickled mustard pancake while Long Zhanye takes the green bean and red pepper paste (?!) one.

    From the start to the end, the happily chatting couple sitting in front of the small food store is completely unaware of a lanky figure standing nearby.

    Seeing the two lovers being so intimate, a gleam of misery flashes across the person''s eyes. Ultimately, he can take it no longer and strides over to the stall.

    "Tsk, tsk, what are you doing in broad daylight? So scandalous ah! I never expected the Long family will fall to this extend." He Lianming meanders over, coiled whip in one hand and the other on his hip. He is as attractive as ever clad in his sharp military uniform, eyebrows raised as he regards the two men, tone very unfriendly.

    Hearing these disdainful words, Long Zhanye doesn''t allow his temper to rise. Clearly well aware who this person is, he lifts his head with a faint smirk curling his lips, retorting, "Oh! And here I was wondering who it could possibly be. If it isn''t He''s Lao Er[2] ~ "

    Leisurely standing up, he carelessly extends an arm for a handshake.

    He Lianming''s face flushes red, fingers tightening around his whip. "You''re the Lao Er! Your whole family''s the Lao Er! Your entire barracks is the Lao Er!"

    Off sitting to the side, Huo Zaiyuan''s lips tremble at He Lianming''s ''eloquent'' comeback. Is this sentence "Your XX is an XX" really the best he can do?

    "Tsk, tsk, it''s been a while since Lao Er''s temper flared. Really brings back memories ah!" Long Zhanye mocks in a reminiscing tone, eyeing the opposite party thoughtfully. "Haven''t seen you in a while¡­un, you''ve grown more attractive."

    "Filth! Bastard! Lecher!"

    ¡°Ai, ai, ai¡­you''re really strange. Scolding someone who compliments you. With such bad temper, no woman would dare marry you in the future." Long Zhanye brushes off the insult with practised ease. If one pays close enough attention, one will be able to spot a faint smile on his face. Clearly, he takes great pleasure in teasing others as well.

    "You¡­bastard!" He Lianming is angered to the point of spouting flames and discharging smoke. Gritting his teeth and stamping his feet, he whirls on his heels and leaves in fury.

    Long Zhanye''s expression is extremely cheerful and light-hearted as he stares at the lanky figure swiftly vanishing into the crowd.

    "This is how you bully some people?" Seeing Zhanye''s smug smirk, Huo Zaiyuan''s own lips curves into a light smile.

    Ever since their first meeting, he assumed He Lianming and Long Zhanye were rivals and would never get along. However, it seems his assumption has just been proven false.

    When He Lianming walked over then, he clearly saw the way the other man looked at Long Zhanye. That gleam in He Lianming''s eyes was one of¡­infutation, and the desperate struggle to conceal it.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes narrow, lips pursing as he shifts his gaze to Long Zhanye. Hmm¡­this rascal has no idea about that person''s intentions towards him. If that''s the case, Huo Zaiyuan will act like he is not aware of it too.

    Regarding people and things he labelled as his own, his desire to monopolise them is very strong. To tell his Zhanye that He Lianming is interested in him¡­wouldn''t that be helping his love rival? (Author''s note: My son, you are also a little black-bellied, huh?)

    Aware of Huo Zaiyuan''s sudden change in expression and the strange glint in his eyes as his gaze falls on his person, Long Zhanye can''t help the light shiver running up his spine. Reaching out, he hugs his lover tightly.

    "Beloved, I was wrong in adding red pepper paste in the green bean pancake. Don''t stare at me so creepily, or my heart will give out from fright. Touch and see for yourself." Saying this, he tugs Huo Zaiyuan''s hand up to press against his chest.

    "I don''t feel it ah. Your heartbeat is calm and steady as always." Huo Zaiyuan deliberately refuses to agree.

    Just like this, the couple mock-argues in front of the small vendor, causing a few customers looking to purchase items from the store hesitate, not knowing if they should interrupt the two men or wait until they are finished.

    These two¡­are they looking to purchase something here or not?

    Meanwhile, the furious He Lianming slows to a stop in a relatively isolated place a couple of streets away from the market district. This commander of J City who always displays such cool confidence is now clenching his jaws, eyes red.

    "That idiotic bastard. Is there a quality that brat possesses that I can''t measure up to? I''ve been by your side all these years in the army¡­why wouldn''t you look at me even once?! Hateful! So damn hateful¡­" Indignation carve into every line of his face, He Lianming''s fist tightens around the handle of his whip. He fumes for another short moment before lashing out at the nearest tree.

    With a ¡®crack¡¯, a large portion of the tree bark is sent flying.

    "Aiyo¡­ouch. Really cruel ah. I feel so painful just looking at that poor tree." A clear, sweet-sounding male voice suddenly drifts over, faint laughter in his tone.

    "Who?!" He Lianming instantly flicks his wrist, causing the withdrawing whip to whirl in an arc, tail-end shooting towards the direction of the voice.

    A gloved hand reaches out and grabs hold, easily snatching the incoming whip out of the air. The stranger offers a disarming smile that compliments his attractive visage nicely, making him seem very warm like the summertime sun.

    "Lord Commander, if I cause any damage to your whip, my heart will ache for several days." The young man''s smile doesn''t falter as he speaks. He doesn''t appear willing to let He Lianming''s weapon go anytime soon.

    "Who are you? Let go of my whip, damn it." Forcefully jerking the handle of his weapon back, He Lianming''s heart stutters in shock when he realises the whip doesn''t budge even a little. However, he doesn''t outwardly express his shock, instead concealing it with rage.

    This stranger is too strong.

    "Me ah¡­I am Ah Si. A member of the newly-established Xuan Feng[3] mercenary squad."

    "Who cares about that? Let go!"

    "Aiyo¡­Lord Commander, don''t be so angry ah. I''ll let go, okay?" The person who introduced himself as Ah Si releases his grip and slowly retreats out of the weapon''s range. "Lord Commander, this inferior one came to ask you for assistance. Not sure if you will be willing to help this inferior one?"

    "Hmph, wishing for this commander''s help. Who do you think you are?!" He Lianming scoffs coldly, coiling his whip and turning to leave.

    "Lord Commander, actually, it is not to help me. Rather, this will help you." Ah Si''s voice remains bland as he stares at the departing figure. "Because this matter has something to do with senior officer Long."

    "What?!"

    Footnotes:

    [1] Spicy or sour pickled mustard:

    [2] Lao Er = second child/sibling

    [3] Xuan Feng = Whirlwind/tornado. Obviously this doesn''t sound bad when translated to English, but since I''ve used pinyin for the rest of them, I might as well continue to do so.

 CH 148

    Chapter 148: One year

    During the few scavenging missions the Long Yuan squad went on, Huo Zaiyuan dumps everything into his space, rearranging items into two separate piles: to keep and to sell. Everything he doesn''t think necessary would be sorted into the latter pile and sold in the market district. Looking down at the N number of points on his card, he feels a sense of accomplishment.

    The safe zone has already sent people off to investigate matters regarding the ¡®Sorcerer''s cult¡¯, poisonous swamps and devil ants. As Huo Zaiyuan has a deep understanding about these swamps and devil ants, a special order came from the higher-ups warning all mercenary squads to report any traces of them immediately upon returning.

    However, as there hasn''t been any news pertaining to sightings of poisonous swamps or devil ants so far, Huo Zaiyuan decides to enter ''closed-door cultivation'' once more. Afraid that news might arrive during his cultivation, Huo Zaiyuan hands a peach wood tile to Long Zhanye before entering his space. If an emergency arises, all Zhanye has to do is burn the tile and Huo Zaiyuan will immediately stop cultivating.

    Little did he imagine that this ''closed-door cultivation'' period is a lot longer than he predicted. Although he broke through the fifth level and entered the sixth, he discovered he was gone for a year the moment he exits the space.

    On the day he eventually exits, it is six in the morning. Long Zhanye is already awake and in the middle of changing when suddenly, the mirror reflects a flash of silver light and a long-haired male with delicate countenance appears in the middle of the bed.

    Long Zhanye''s eyes widen, immediately snapping his head around to see that, yes, he is not dreaming. Sitting on the bed is the very person he has been thinking about for the past year.

    "Little Yuan!"

    "It''s been¡­eh! A while¡­" Huo Zaiyuan finds himself wrapped tightly in Long Zhanye''s arms. A familiar embrace, familiar tobacco scent and warmth¡­his heart all but melts into a soft, gooey puddle.

    "Really missed you." Three words to encompass all the longing accumulated in his heart over the past year.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth curves into a gentle and fond smile as he returns the hug. "Although cultivation required me to clear my mind and heart, I too, missed you the entire time."

    "I know. Besides me, who else would occupy your thoughts?" Long Zhanye pulls back a little to take in the face of his beloved even as a cocky smirk surfaces.

    "So arrogant. I can think about grandfather, or Elder priest grandfather, or Qin Jun, little Qing, mhmm¡­"

    The rest of Huo Zaiyuan''s words are cut off swiftly as Long Zhanye lowers his head and claims his lips.

    Long Zhanye''s kiss resembles his personality. Soft and gentle but equally intense and forceful. Domineering. He swoops in and takes what he desires. His tongue invades without mercy, intertwining with Huo Zaiyuan''s soft one. Any coherent thought Huo Zaiyuan has scatters, mind shutting down as he gives in, allowing Long Zhanye to conquer him, staking his claim as he plunders every nook and cranny of Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s hands slide downwards from Long Zhanye''s shoulders to his chest, then further down until his palms rest on the older man''s hips. Slender fingers tighten, inciting Long Zhanye to deepen the kiss.

    The atmosphere in the room seems to grow hot and heavy as a Long Zhanye slowly lowers his lover onto the bed and pins him beneath his body. An arm curls around the slim waist as the other cups the back of Huo Zaiyuan''s neck.

    It is only until the couple find themselves short of breath that the long and deep kiss breaks. Panting, their gaze locks as their breath mingles.

    "Little Yuan has changed." Long fingers stroke leisurely down the side of the delicate, jade-like face. Long Zhanye can''t resist kissing his soft petal lips once more. "You''ve become thinner, taller, hair has grown longer and you''re even more stunning. Just looking at you is enough to make my heartbeat increase again."

    Hearing this, Huo Zaiyuan is torn between embarrassment and annoyance before settling on eyeing the older man sternly. "What nonsense are you spouting? I''ve only been gone for a few days. How can I change so much in such a short time? That''s right, did anything important happen during the past few days?"

    "I''m not talking nonsense. Beloved, you were gone for an entire year," Long Zhanye murmurs, enclosing his little Yuan in another hug, reluctant to let go.

    Huo Zaiyuan startles. Never did he imagine he would be gone for this long. He was aware that his ''close-door cultivation'' this time was longer than before, but an entire year! Over three hundred days ah!

    "Then, the others? How are they?"

    If he has been gone for a year and Long Zhanye did not use the wooden tile he left behind, does that mean nothing major happened throughout this entire time?

    "The others are doing fine. Everyone misses you," Long Zhanye replies, rubbing the youth''s head soothingly.

    After a year of not getting a haircut, Huo Zaiyuan''s hair has grown from slightly below the scapulars to his lower back. Nonetheless, it doesn''t make him look feminine, but rather, gives him a charming and noble look.

    "Are you preparing to attend a meeting?" Huo Zaiyuan asks as he takes in the neatly pressed military uniform, with his coat button left undone, displaying the white inner shirt beneath.

    Long Zhanye typically doesn''t wear his full military uniform, unless he is handling military affairs or attending a meeting for high-ranking military personnel within the base.

    "Un, there is a meeting this morning. Do you want to come along? Little Qing and Qin Jun will be there too," Long Zhanye says as he places his hands on Huo Zaiyuan''s waist.

    "Why would little Qing and Qin Jun participate in a military conference?" Huo Zaiyuan questions, a little puzzled.

    "Quite a lot of things happened during your ''close-door cultivation'' period. Little Qing and General Long worked together to produce a more sophisticated and advanced version of the armoured car, and was thus promoted to chief mechanic. About a month ago, Qin Jun worked continuously for two days and two nights to save more than two hundred lives, and was dubbed the most valued doctor within the safe zone."

    As Long Zhanye speaks, he gets off the bed and helps Huo Zaiyuan up to his feet. Hearing the older man''s words, a proud smile lights up Huo Zaiyuan''s face. Reaching out, he begins to button his lover''s coat.

    "Everyone else did something remarkable. What about you? My Lord Captain Long, what sort of splendid deeds did you accomplish this past year?" Finish fastening the buttons, Huo Zaiyuan smooths the fabric down and tugs on the stiff collars of Long Zhanye''s coat. Leaning in, he smiles teasingly at the other man.

    It is at this point that he realises he has indeed grown taller. Before, he only comes up to Long Zhanye''s shoulder. Now, the top of his head reaches the soldier''s lower jaw. Huu¡­cultivating for an entire year in his space. Really inconceivable ah.

    "Me ah, my most exceptional deed is thinking about you ah. Thinking about you every second, every minute, every hour, and every day for more than three hundred days." Long Zhanye smiles dazzlingly as he picks up a tossed-aside coat and drapes it over Huo Zaiyuan''s shoulders.

    "Sweet mouth and a glib tongue. Rascal." Huo Zaiyuan shoves him away playfully.

    Huo Zaiyuan cooks some noodles for breakfast, and the two leave the unit after the meal. Seeing the safe zone again after an entire year, everywhere seems strange and unfamiliar. Now, the safe zone has extended to encompass the entire A City, and the amount of survivors within has increased many folds.

    A year and a half after Judgement Day, humanity has gradually adapted to living in a dangerous, chaotic world. Every human here is determined to work hard in order to ensure their survival.

    When Huo Zaiyuan exits his space, winter has already come. Although A City is located in the south, thanks to the strange shift in the weather patterns, snow drifts down from the sky, coating everything in a layer of white. Footprints are left behind when one walks down the street. Thus, an additional daily task has been added: to clear snow from principal areas and junctures.

    "Little Yuan has not seen snow for quite a while now, right?" Clasping hands, Long Zhanye turns to gaze at Huo Zaiyuan, whose head is currently tilted towards the sky, transfixed by the gently falling snow.

    "Un, a very long time. Never thought I would see snow in the south." Reaching out with a palm up to catch the snowflakes, Huo Zaiyuan hums in agreement.

    It was the start of winter when he entered his space to cultivate. At that time, the weather still hasn''t turned cold and chilly, so he has no idea if snow fell last year.

    The snow that lands on his outstretched palm and melts doesn''t feel cold to Huo Zaiyuan. For someone with spiritual power running through his meridians, even if he wore summer clothes and stands out in the cold for a whole day, he will not freeze to death. Nor will his extremities become frostbitten. Either way, he can''t deny he doesn''t like the pure white colour painting the landscape.

    "Not long after you entered your space, a blizzard occurred and brought a lot of headaches to the higher-ups. The blizzard continued for a month without pause. Only after it died down did the weather become warm again rather quickly," Long Zhanye answers his unasked question without any prompting.

    "It seems I missed quite a lot this past year." Hand dropping back to his side, Huo Zaiyuan shoots Long Zhanye a soft smile, squeezing his lover''s hand. "From now onwards, I will always accompany every day, no matter if the sun rises or sets[1]."

    "All right."

    Huo Zaiyuan is someone who seldom says such sweet, affectionate words. Coming from him, the sincerity and conviction coating it allows Long Zhanye to believe it wholeheartedly.

    One leading and one following, the couple crosses the safe zone to the command centre, leaving behind a set of footprints that doesn''t disappear for a long while. The rest of the short journey passes in companionable silence. That day, more than a few sweepers and passing survivors witnesses senior officer Long holding hands with an extremely good-looking, long-haired youth. These two men walking side by side creates a very lovely scene, like a painting coming to life.

    Just as the couple arrives outside the entrance of the command centre, a soft but sharp voice rings out from behind. "Older brother Long, good morning! Yi? Who are you holding hands with? Where did this beauty come from¡­ Ahh¡­I''ll tell little Yuan that you are fickle-hearted. Taking advantage of his absence to pick up another little beauty."

    "Aha." A low snicker suddenly erupts.

    "What are you laughing at? I''m talking about you ¡ª you mistress!!" Li Qing''s face reddens in indignation at the low laughter, temper exploding.

    "Little Qingqing, haven''t seen you for a year, but you haven''t changed one bit." Saying this, Huo Zaiyuan steps out from behind Long Zhanye, looking at his fuming best friend.

    "¡­Little¡­little Yuan!"

    Footnotes:

    [1] Sun rise or sun sets: Can also mean "through fortunate or calamity".

 CH 149

    Chapter 149: Military conference

    Separated for a year, Li Qing is naturally ecstatic to finally see Huo Zaiyuan again. His pretty face blossoms into a wide smile, attracting the eyes of countless passing soldiers, dazzling them and making them can''t resist stealing another glance over their shoulders.

    "Little Yuan, did you miss me?" Li Qing asks as he hugs Huo Zaiyuan''s arm tightly, sparkling eyes filled with anticipation.

    "No, I didn''t."

    Carelessly throwing down these three words is like dumping a large bucket of ice water on Li Qing''s head, extinguishing the fiery enthusiasm in the mechanic''s heart.

    "Wuwu¡­after locking yourself up in that space, you''ve become even more annoying." Covering his face with both hands, Li Qing''s slender shoulders tremble, as though he is weeping pitifully.

    "Thank you for the compliment. Haven''t met for a year and you''ve become more shameless, even knowing how to shed crocodile tears. Who are you bluffing, huh?" Huo Zaiyuan sniffs in mock-disdain, then tugs on Long Zhanye''s hand and enters the building.

    ~~~

    As it''s still early in the morning, not everyone has arrived. After Long Zhanye settles in his designated seat, the few present also seats themselves to his left and right.

    "The meeting this time seems rather special. Did something major happen?" Huo Zaiyuan asks from his position at Long Zhanye''s side.

    Ever since hearing Long Zhanye mention the military conference where Qin Jun will represent the medics at and Li Qing will represent the mechanics, his heart is already filled with doubts.

    "Heheh¡­little Yuan is still really perspective after his year-long isolation." Long Zhanye chuckles softly, reaching out to stroke his hair. "Indeed, this conference is a special one as it is connected to the assignments that will be handed out in the near future."

    "Missions?"

    "You saw it just now, right? A''s safe zone has already expanded to encompass the entire city. That is why today''s conference is held in order to discuss the matter of joining hands with other safe zones and transforming this place into a secure urban district," Li Qing pipes up.

    "You want to gather every single survivor out there and have them all enter A City?!" Huo Zaiyuan stiffens, completely blindsided by this answer.

    From what he remembers, the cities able to establish a safe zone on time are A, B, C, D, E, M, O, R, U, V, X, and Y, these twelve. If one wishes to bring such a vast number of survivors into A City, it will require a lot of time and effort. Don''t say the close cities like B, C, D and E. It will already be pretty troublesome to try transport everyone from X and Y, these two furthermost places all the way up here.

    "We have no choice but to do so. Because the power of this ¡®Sorcerer¡¯s cult¡¯ has slowly expanded. While they have laid low during this past year, their influence has grown to the point of nearly seizing control of E City''s safe zone and under. In addition, the slogan of "Followers profit, kill opposers" is being promoted quite readily. J, K, P, S and W City''s various insurgents have already joined their ranks." Long Zhanye''s eyebrows draw together in distaste. It is clear to see that the existence of this cult is an acknowledged threat to the remaining safe zones.

    "Do we know the identity of the cult''s leader?" Towards this ¡®Sorcerer''s cult¡¯, Huo Zaiyuan harbours some anxiety and quite a bit of unease.

    In his previous life, the world six months into the apocalypse is a sore-ridden, poisonous swamp-infested place. This time around, even after a year of isolation, the safe zone flourished and expanded. Even the dreaded poisonous swamps are not spreading so widely thanks to the priests within the ¡®School of Taoism¡¯ sealing them away as soon as they are discovered. Everything has deviated so far away from what he remembers. As for this ¡®Sorcerer''s cult¡¯, he wonders if their existence is to do what the poisonous swamps should have done. Given rise to destroy most of humanity in this apocalypse.

    "We haven''t." Qin Jun shakes his head. "This organisation is extremely shady and mysterious. During this past year, we followed eldest brother Long on more than a few missions beyond the walls. Each time we come close to pinning down the leader''s identity, something bad will occur, like a horde of zombies suddenly sieging E''s safe zone, Elder priest grandfather being attacked, etc."

    "Elder priest grandfather was attacked?!"

    "Relax, little Yuan. Elder Taoist priest is fine," Long Zhanye says as he pats Huo Zaiyuan''s hand in comfort.

    "That''s good. So, how do you plan to migrate all the survivors? It''s not going to be easy to provide transport for them all, especially those from distant places."

    "This matter is another issue we will address later on when the meeting is underway." Long Zhanye nods before turning to look at Huo Zaiyuan. "When you were still in isolation, I thought "if I leave the safe zone and you can''t find me when you come out, what should be done?" Now, I''ve finally found a solution."

    When the scheduled time for the meeting to begin approaches, the others trickle in one after another. Grandfather Long Haotian and Head priest both express their joy and astoundment in equal measures.

    Because vital issues will be discussed during this particular conference, not only the higher-ups of A City are required to be present. B, C, D and E''s higher-ups are also here, as well as the captains of various famous mercenary squads. This one meeting goes on for three hours, with select tasks and assignments being allocated at the end of it.

    "This is the final decision. A safe zone''s Long Yuan squad will be in responsible for X and Y City, B safe zone''s Fan Lian[1] squad will be responsible for U and V City. O and R City will fall to C safe zone''s Shan Mao[1] squad and D safe zone''s Kuang Feng[1] squad will be responsible for M City. Every available mercenary squad and ability user in E safe zone will be assigned to clear all obstacles on the roads leading to those places!" The highest ranking person in the army, Commander-in-chief Long Haotian eventually issues this order.

    Every military personnel within the room immediately rises to their feet, heels clicking together sharply and saluting in unison. This spectacle is as impressive as one can get.

    Meeting adjourned, everyone begins to disperse. Li Qing is called over by General Long and Qin Jun follows after bidding his friends a brief goodbye. Finally, the only ones left in this spacious room is Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye and the two elders.

    "Child, it has already been a year. Zhanye told me you went into ''close-door cultivation'', but I didn''t even catch a glimpse of your person this entire time and thought something must have happened to you. That child wouldn''t tell me more, making this old man worry to death." Long Haotian addresses Huo Zaiyuan, a kind, gentle smile on his face. Evidently, seeing Huo Zaiyuan here and unharmed makes him extremely happy.

    "Grandfather, I am sorry. I''ve caused you worry, but I am fine." Huo Zaiyuan strides over to Long Haotian, covering those wrinkled hands with his own, trying to convey as much warmth and earnestness as possible through the contact.

    In the span of a year, the once spirited and energetic elderly has been greatly burdened by the responsibilities of his station, causing him considerable mental and physical strain. Looking at him now, the Commander-in-chief''s face and bearing displays his years.

    Long Haotian reminds Huo Zaiyuan of his own grandfather, who always gazed at him with a soft, gentle smile. He still vividly remembers the wrinkled hands arranging his small fingers to hold a calligraphy brush, guiding him patiently through each stroke and slash.

    "Old friend, your treasured grandson did not lie to you. After a year of isolation, little Yuan''s cultivation level has progressed significantly ah. Un, un. Not bad, not bad at all," The Elder Taoist priest comments from the side as he strokes his long, white beard. Respect to Huo Zaiyuan shines in his eyes, nodding his head with a small smile.

    For a Taoist practitioner, a year doesn''t count as a long period of time. However, being able to reach Huo Zaiyuan''s level at his age is something only a rare few can achieve.

    "Thanking master for your praise." Huo Zaiyuan is especially cheerful after obtaining the Elder''s approval.

    The four of them chat for quite a period of time. Meanwhile, outside the command centre¡­

    A youth sporting a calm and tranquil expression walks unhurriedly towards the front gates of the command centre, frail frame clad in a white knitted top and grey trousers. His eyes rove around ceaselessly, as though searching for something. His way is instantly barred by the gate guards the moment he gets too close.

    "This is the military command centre. If you are not familiar with anyone here, you may not enter."

    "I apologise, I only¡­"

    "Lian Xiang." An authoritative voice rings out and a tall man emerges from the building, heading directly for the youth.

    This man has quite a reputation within the safe zone, for he is B base''s number one mercenary team Fan Lian squad''s captain, Mo Junfan. As these two guards are no strangers to accepting missions outside the safe zone, they naturally recognise Mo Junfan on sight. Seeing as this youth is apparently on friendly terms with the squad captain, they immediately step back, allowing Lian Xiang to pass.

    "Why did you come here?" Mo Junfan asks softly as he drapes an arm over Lian Xiang''s shoulders.

    This person has always been calm and quiet, obediently waiting in the car for him to finish his affairs in A''s safe zone whenever the pair travels here, passing the time by meditating. The fact that Lian Xiang ran all the way to this command centre is unusual.

    "It''s nothing. I just felt ''his'' energy, which is why I came over." Lian Xiang shakes his head, gaze reverting back to his typical blank look as he sweeps the surrounding area once more. "Only¡­he has apparently become even more remarkable. His skill in controlling his inner spiritual energy has grown a lot." A faint smile curves his lips as he says this.

    Mo Junfan''s brow wrinkles in displeasure. This normally expressionless youth will always smile softly whenever he talks about that mysterious person he has never met. Why?

    "Did you say this before? That the person is not in A City? You must have made a mistake since everyone who came to the meeting today are people you''ve met before."

    "If that''s the case, I must have made a mistake. Still¡­it has been several thousand years since we last met¡­" Lian Xiang murmurs lowly, as though these words are meant for his ears alone.

    "Don''t you always say to let fate run its course? Perhaps the time is not right, which is why the Heavens refuse to let you find him. When destiny finally decide it is time, you will naturally meet even if you stop searching." A dazzling smile appears on Mo Junfan''s face. "Come on, let''s head back. We have a mission tomorrow."

    "Un."

    Just as Mo Junfan and Lian Xiang disappear into the distance, another two figure strolls leisurely out of the building. Huo Zaiyuan abruptly breaks off halfway through the conversation, subconsciously raising his head to stare in that direction.

    "Little Yuan, what is it?" Long Zhanye''s glances towards where the other man is looking.

    He doesn''t see anything out of the norm.

    "No¡­it''s just for some reason, I sensed something rather strange."

    Footnotes:

    [1] Fan Lian (·±Á«) = Individually, "Fan" means "complicated" and "Lian" is "Lotus", but this name is the joining of two person''s names, Mo Junfan and Lian Xiang. Like Long Yuan squad.

    Shan Mao (É½Ã¨) = Bobcat/Lynx rufus

    Kuang Feng (¿ñ·ç) = Gale/Galestorm

 CH 150

    Chapter 150: Spiritual awareness

    Upon the soft mattress rests two large suitcases. Long Zhanye opens the lid of one of them to reveal various firearms, fully-loaded clips, hand grenades, etc.

    "The factory''s new products." Removing a pistol, Long Zhanye slots a magazine in before examining it from all possible angles.

    "Everything here appears rather incredible. Anyway, only the two of us will be going on this mission?" Huo Zaiyuan lies stomach-down on the other end of the bed, a hand cupping his cheek and loose hair scattered over his shoulders and onto the mattress below. No matter how one looks at it, the image is both charming and touching.

    "Why, are you afraid? My Lord Taoist priest." Long Zhanye teases as he sets the pistol back into the suitcase and sits down beside Huo Zaiyuan, reaching out to gather the loose strands of hair into a bundle.

    "Do you think there is a possibility of me being afraid?" Huo Zaiyuan''s eyebrows rise slightly as he pushes himself upright. Hands running over both suitcases, he sends them into his space.

    "Of course, it''s not possible. How can my peerless Lord Taoist priest be afraid?" Long Zhanye''s arms encircle his waist, tugging Huo Zaiyuan into an embrace.

    "Ai¡­at that time when I was hiding from you, I deliberately ran all the way to Z City to wait for Judgement Day to arrive. Little did I expect to run into you so early in the apocalypse and eventually follow you all the way to A City. Say, don''t you think fate tying people together is rather strange?" Placing a hand on a broad shoulder, Huo Zaiyuan leans closer as he murmurs.

    "It''s not strange at all, because you are mine." A hand moving up from the waist to the chest, Long Zhanye twists his body a little, pinning the slim man beneath him. Dark eyes bore into Huo Zaiyuan''s own, gaze deep and tender. "No matter where you flee to, I will always find you."

    "Arro - "

    "Self-assured!" Long Zhanye drawls, then kisses those tempting, red lips.  "I love you."

    ~~~

    After a year of preparation, the internet and phone line is up and running once again. As it is, Li Qing was dragged away by General Long to provide surveillance assistance to those responsible for removing obstacles on the road leading into A City, which is why he has to stay back in the safe zone. Qin Jun is placed in charge of leading the other medics in preparing the medical bay for emergency situations. Zuo Hanyang and You Nuandong are both busy with their respective assignments.

    Thus, the Long Yuan squad members undertaking the mission of heading to X and Y City to escort survivors back is only Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan. A soldier with incomparable fighting ability together with a Taoist priest with outstanding skills, no one dares to suggest that they are lacking in firepower.

    Climbing into the Hummer which hasn''t seen use for a long while, Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye depart A''s safe zone.

    In the span of a year, every remaining safe zone was ordered to clear all debris like abandoned vehicles and large pieces of junk from the main highway. One of the reasons this act was initiated is to ensure this ¡®safe zone migration¡¯ plan will go smoothly. Or at least, the vehicles coming and going will not need to use the smaller dirt roads. From the furthest cities to A City, it will only take around twenty days if one travels on the main highway.

    Deft fingers fly skilfully over the pistol, fine-tuning it swiftly even as Long Zhanye splits his attention between it and watching the serious expression on Huo Zaiyuan''s face.

    "No need to be so nervous, it''s only driving a car," Long Zhanye says, amused by his lover''s adorably serious look.

    "How can I not be nervous? I haven''t touched a vehicle in more than a year. If it isn''t because there''s only the two of us going on this mission, would I need to be so restless?!" Huo Zaiyuan huffs in discontent.

    He first learned how to drive in the small mountain village, but after meeting Long Zhanye during the apocalypse, he rarely drives, if at all. Only under select circumstances does he take the wheel. Coming out not even a week from ''closed-door cultivation'', he is afraid that he has forgotten everything to do with driving.

    "Yes, yes. It''s my wrong. Actually, you can let me drive the whole distance." Long Zhanye grins and moves his face closer to Huo Zaiyuan.

    Glaring fiercely at the smiling man, Huo Zaiyuan snorts coldly. "If I''m not concerned about you becoming too exhausted¡­"

    "Heheh¡­I just know that little Yuan is the best." The grin morphs into a smirk and Long Zhanye plants a kiss on Huo Zaiyuan''s fair cheek.

    "You¡­move away. You nearly made me crash into a zombie!" Huo Zaiyuan''s hands jerk at the unexpected kiss, causing the Hummer to swerve slightly and nearly knocking a wandering zombie off its feet.

    "If you knock them over, then knock them over. Serves them right for intruding in our world and interrupting our alone-time," Long Zhanye says dismissively, an arm snaking around Huo Zaiyuan''s waist and he kisses the youth a few more times.

    "Long Zhanye, you rascal!!"

    Following this yell, the Hummer originally moving forward smoothly and steadily begins to swerve in an ¡®S¡¯. Along the way, countless zombies are sent flying into the air or crushed beneath the wheels¡­

    After two days, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan turn onto G City''s Huan Shi road (instead of passing through the city, they decide to take the road leading around it). Compared to when they were heading towards A City all those months ago, they saved so much time travelling along the main highways.

    "Those trees over there look a little unusual." Huo Zaiyuan stares out the window, head propped up by a hand on his cheekbone.

    Around the perimeter walls of the city, several sky-high trees stand in a formation he is extremely familiar with: the bagua. Distinctly, he is also able to sense that those trees are not ordinary plants.

    "Those are mutant plants. Half a year after we brought back the research materials pertaining to transforming demonic plants to filter evil energy from the air, the Head priest brought a few other first-rate Taoists to lay an array around this city, sealing it as well as the dead volcano responsible for starting the apocalypse. From then on, the large cloud of purplish-red fog gradually dispersed," Long Zhanye answers as he drives.

    Hearing this, a small smile appears on Huo Zaiyuan''s face. "The Elder priest is truly a rare genius."

    The research that old professor exchanged his life for only tells how to cultivate mutant plants capable of absorbing the evil energy in the air and purifying it, but the Head priest took it one step further by arranging it in an array, directly sealing the energy into one single location and preventing it from spreading.

    "Whether the Elder is a genius or not, I have no idea. However, I know his outwardly kind but inwardly evil disposition is extremely compatible with my grandfather''s weird personality!" Every time Long Zhanye thinks about the kind of things those two elderlies get into when they are together, he can''t help shaking his head and sighing.

    "That''s true. Zhanye, stop the car for a while. I want to explore G City a little," Huo Zaiyuan says as he winds down the car window.

    "Explore? How are you plan to do so?" Stepping on the brake, Long Zhanye doesn''t try to stop Huo Zaiyuan, instead inquiring with a smile. It''s not hard to tell he has complete trust in Huo Zaiyuan.

    "After cultivating for an entire year, I broke through into the sixth level and acquired an awesome skill." An attractive smile curves his lips as he taps his chin thoughtfully.

    "Hmm¡­than I shall sit back and wait to see it in action," Elbow resting on the steering wheel, Long Zhanye comments.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s only reply is a short laugh before he crosses his legs and makes a small cut at the tip of his tongue with his teeth. Smearing fresh blood on his forefinger and middle finger, he draws a rune in the air, then places his blood-stained finger to the area between his eyebrows. Closing his eyes, the blood rune hanging in the air before him shoots out the window, trailing silver rays of light behind. In a blink of an eye, it vanishes in the direction of G City.

    Immediately, images flash through Huo Zaiyuan''s mind eye, first appearing rather blurred before slowly sharpening. His spiritual awareness easily passes through his master''s array, slipping between the formations and entering G City. The air within is shrouded in thick, purplish-red evil energy. On the streets and within the buildings below, numerous undead wander aimlessly back and forth. Purplish-green cracked skin, scarlet red eyes, razor-sharp teeth and malevolent expressions, Huo Zaiyuan can feel that even if a random zombie down there is selected, it will definitely not be anything less than a Rank 3. There are even ones stronger than the infant zombie they met in the hospital. Mentally urging his awareness forward, he witnesses more than a few fights and pursuits with the victors devouring the brains of their preys.

    Is it because of the ample feasting ground they have here that these zombies refuse to leave G City? Huo Zaiyuan can''t say for certain. What he knows, however, if that the situation here is extremely pessimistic.

    Pondering over it for a while, he continues onwards to the dead volcano that spewed forth swarms of devil ants and expelled poisonous gas from within.

    Thin antennas quivering upon their heads, the insects Huo Zaiyuan is reluctantly familiar with are currently defying natural order and crawling around in the air. Not in the hundreds. Not in the thousands. Rather, it is tens upon hundreds of thousands, too numerous he can''t bear to estimate it. His subconscious mind shudders as he recalls the end he met under their tiny mandibles. No matter how much he suppresses his fear of devil ants, somewhere in his mind, he remains deathly afraid.

    Inhaling a deep calming breath to settle his panicking heart, he decides to explore the depths of his volcano¡­ A thick, viscous, blood-like liquid saturated with evil energy meets him. Like he predicted, a poisonous swamp appeared in this dead volcano. No¡­it should be the inside of the volcano is filled with swamp liquid. If this large volume of liquid spouts out, then this world will experience another large-scale infection¡­

    Debating with himself for a moment, Huo Zaiyuan eventually decides to send his spiritual awareness diving into the disgusting substance. His vision blackens, disabling him from seeing anything.

    [Hahaha¡­really unexpected. To think that someone has the ability to use spiritual awareness in order to pass through the demonic barrier by me, this leader¡­]

    A voice rings through the darkness, making Huo Zaiyuan stiffen and glance around, trying to catch a glimpse of something - anything - in the dark.

 CH 151

    Chapter 151: Head of the demons

    [Taoist''s skill of spiritual awareness, haha¡­]

    One can''t quite distinguish if the voice belongs to a male or female, but the contempt and disdain coating the low tone is undeniable.

    "Who are you? Or should I say¡­what are you?" Huo Zaiyuan''s heart skips a beat due to being unpleasantly startled. His awareness broadens a little and morphs from a sphere of light into a translucent human shape, caution in every line of his face.

    [Tsk, tsk. Don''t even know who this leader is. The utter stupidity of mankind ah. Hahaha¡­]

    Savage laughter fills the air and the darkness recedes slowly until Huo Zaiyuan can see a wall of flesh dripping with blood. Numerous blue veins and red arteries run vertically across the wall, packing close together and in some cases, intertwining occasionally. From time to time, the thin, puckered lines wriggle as though something is being transported through the tube, creating a grotesque sight.

    Suddenly, purplish-red mist saturated in demonic energy seeps out from the flesh wall, steadily coalescing together. Purplish-green cracked skin covered in bulging veins forms, followed by opaque milky white eyes and a mouthful of razor-sharp, shark-like teeth. The enormous, floating zombie head is extremely bone-chilling.

    Having faced down and slain numerous zombies during the apocalypse, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t exactly feel frightened by the sight of this giant undead head.

    Besides being very large, another aspect of this bodiless head draws Huo Zaiyuan''s attention. That is, the chains of glowing runes encircling around it, indicating that this creature has already been sealed by a Taoist.

    "You are the main reason humans are turning into zombies!"

    [Wahahaha¡­correct. Very quick, very quick indeed. Once this leader is strong enough to break this damn seal, you humans will finally get a taste of the real apocalypse!!] Saying thus, the malicious expression twists as the giant mouth opens wide, pouncing towards Huo Zaiyuan.

    Although the enemy has been bound by a rather strong seal, Huo Zaiyuan hasn''t let down his guard for even a split-second throughout this exchange. As soon as the head moves, his spiritual projection dodges out of reach. In that time it takes to form a thought, silver light lashes out at the demonic being''s forehead.

    With a swipe of its head, purplish-red mist gathers before it, creating a shield to block the silver light''s piercing strike. Bouncing off the shield, the silver streak shoots high into the air before spiralling downwards. Like a silver dragon, the rays of light encircles Huo Zaiyuan, protecting him from further attacks. Besides the silver jian Liu Ying, what else could this silver streak of light be?

    Staring at the silver jian wrapping around Huo Zaiyuan, the demonic head''s expression becomes livid.

    [It''s you¡­I didn''t think it would be you! I will kill you¡­!] The voice roars, mad with fury and steeped in deep loathing. The evil energy within the volcano becomes denser and the head surges forth again with more aggression than before.

    "Urgh¡­" A low moan escapes the lips of the person currently sitting cross-legged on the passenger seat. Slender eyebrows draw together abruptly and he coughs out a mouthful of scarlet blood. His figure sways, then tips forward.

    Long Zhanye is already moving as soon as he sees blood spurting out, gently pulling the slim body towards him, concern and fretfulness clear on his face.

    "Little Yuan, what happened to you? Why are you coughing out blood?!" Handkerchief in hand, Long Zhanye wipes away the blood dribbling from the corner of Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth and on his lips. The faintest tremor can be heard in his voice as he questions anxiously.

    Leaning against Long Zhanye''s chest, Huo Zaiyuan inhales a few gasping breaths until he is certain the crippling tension in his body has ceased. Looking up at the anxious face of the other man, he offers a strained smile.

    "No - I''m fine. My spiritual awareness was attacked and the bite-back caused me to cough out a bit of blood. Start the car and let''s go," Huo Zaiyuan replies as he glances back at G City''s perimeter walls.

    After confirming Huo Zaiyuan did not sustain any major injuries, Long Zhanye''s unease is laid to rest and starts the engine.

    As the Hummer resumes its speedy trek forward, G City is quickly left behind. Keeping an eye on Huo Zaiyuan as the youth retrieves a bamboo tube from his space and drinks the fragrant juice, Long Zhanye heaves a sigh of relief when those pale cheeks recover its previous rosiness.

    "What exactly happened back there? Seeing you suddenly cough out blood almost scared me to death."

    "I willed my projection to head into G City and enter the dead volcano¡­it allowed me to witness something extremely disastrous," Huo Zaiyuan answers with a solemn expression, eyes narrowing slightly as he recalls what he saw.

    "Disastrous? Don''t tell me it has something to do with the apocalypse and the undead?" An eyebrow raises as Long Zhanye hears those words.

    Regarding the matter of G City''s eruption leading to devil ants coming up onto the surface of the Earth, entering the bodies of humans and thus transforming them into zombies, Long Zhanye is well aware of it all within a few days of knowing Huo Zaiyuan. The little he is able to garner from the youth''s words allows him to draw his own conclusions.

    "Can you be a little dumber? I really don''t have the chance to feel accomplished if you''re like this."

    "All right, let me rephrase my question." Long Zhanye sighs, then asks in earnestness. "Little Yuan, what was the disastrous thing you found?"

    Seeing the earnest expression on the older man''s face, Huo Zaiyuan purses his lips, staying silent for a while.

    "Hmm¡­don''t interrupt. When my spiritual awareness entered the volcano, I saw a massive amount of devil ants, as well as an enormous zombie. Well, it''s more a monstrous head without the rest of the body. Anyway, that head more or less confirmed it was the cause of turning humans into zombies after being infected by its demonic energy¡­" Huo Zaiyuan explains, face hardening. "The reason it cannot escape the volcano is because it was sealed away by Taoist Arts. If it wasn''t for that formidable seal, this world would have long been¡­"

    "If it is sealed away, then how is it able to transform humans into zombies?" A light frown creases his brows as Long Zhanye inquires.

    "Before, I felt there was a possibility the ants are a type of demonic being. However, after seeing that demon head sealed away, I had another thought¡­perhaps the devil ants were originally common insects that coincidently built their nests in the dead volcano with the core of their home established in the vicinity of the seal. After who knows how long, the seal gradually weakens, allowing demonic energy to seep out. Thus, these ants absorbed the energy and eventually transformed into devil ants. Afterwards, when the volcano first erupted, these insects infected by the evil energy were spewed out into the air along with the volcanic ash. When they fell back to the earth, they burrowed into the bodies of humans. Finally, the breakout of virus from these ants cause the infected humans to turn into zombies. From here, the disaster began and spread¡­" Huo Zaiyuan offers his analyses.

    "Makes sense." Long Zhanye nods. "In other words, that giant head is the mastermind. However, I thought of something else after hearing all that."

    "What is it?"

    "Although that head is bound by a seal and said seal is gradually weakening, this demon leader is still unable to break free no matter how hard it is struggling. As for the ants that became devil ants due to absorbing the evil energy seeping out and turning humans into zombies, this event happened first because it will benefit the demon leader." Long Zhanye muses, eyes narrowing slightly.

    "What do you mean?"

    "The evolution of these undead. The creation of ''Gu¡ä that you and your master talked about."

    Upon hearing this, Huo Zaiyuan stiffens. "You mean¡­sending the infected ants out bit by bit to turn humans into zombies, allowing the undead to mutually devour each other and evolve. When there is only one remaining¡­"

    "There are two possibilities when that time comes. One, that strongest undead will break the seal. Two, it will become the next vessel for the demon leader."

    A thoughtful silence settles in the Hummer. No one utters another word, for Long Zhanye''s analysis is spot on.

    After a long while, the first one to break the heavy silence is Long Zhanye. Glancing at Huo Zaiyuan, he opens his mouth slowly. "Little Yuan, with your current ability, can you stand against the demon leader?"

    "Absolutely impossible." Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head without hesitation, speaking the truth from his heart.

    Although his spiritual self can wield only one-tenth of his full power, when he confronted that gigantic head, he can sense the immense demonic energy emitting from it very clearly. To still possess this much strength even under a seal¡­should the binds break and this monster set free¡­the mere thought of it is so horrifying he dares not imagine it. Also¡­if he stood against that demon in his real body, that sudden aggressive strike would have resulted in a more grievous injury than a mere mouthful of blood.

    "The world has already been thrown into such chaos with a small sample of evil energy. If that seal breaks, this Earth would definitely split apart. We must act quickly from here on." Hands tightening around the steering wheel, a sliver of chagrin surfaces in Long Zhanye''s heart.

    He has never dabbed in the Taoist Arts. All the militaristic skills he has been trained in since childhood are utterly useless in the face of demonic beings and the spiritual world. He is also not so foolish as to think the massive cannon back at the safe zone would be able to solve all problems with a blast.

    "Un, we must report this matter to the Head priest." Seeing the deep frown on Long Zhanye''s face, a trace of sorrow surfaces in Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes.

    This man has always been so strong both physically and mentally, but now¡­how uncomfortable must he be feeling now?

    "Un."

    "Besides escorting the survivors back to A City, there is another matter that needs to be done. That is to eliminate as many zombies as quickly as possible. At minimum, we can weaken that creature''s power and stall for a little more time," Huo Zaiyuan murmurs, shifting his body to lean against Long Zhanye''s shoulder.

    "I know." He understands his little Yuan enough to know that this simple gesture is to both comfort him and allow Huo Zaiyuan to recover some confidence. Slowly, Long Zhanye''s frown smooths out, replaced by a soft smile.

    How good it is to have his beloved by his side.

 CH 152

    Chapter 152: Meeting Shuozi again

    It takes them nine days to reach X City, which is a day earlier than expected. When the Hummer approaches the safe zone, a huge ruckus can be heard coming from the nearby Y City as a convoy of trucks and large vehicles make their way towards X''s safe zone. There are even men in military uniforms carrying loud horns to direct groups of people to different areas outside the safe zone''s gates.

    "Tsk, tsk. Really noisy ah. The fact that a horde of zombies has yet to come due to the noise is a miracle," Long Zhanye sneers as he sweeps a glance over the disorderly mass before the large gates.

    "They are spilling over the defensive trench dug around the safe zone too." Huo Zaiyuan observes as he leans out the car window, propping his head up with a hand. "I reckon we should depart as quickly as possible. Although we did say it would save time to have all the survivors in Y City gather in X City before moving out as one group, with such an enormous crowd, it will be hard to avoid attracting every undead here. If we are surrounded, then there''s no need to hope for a way out."

    "I feel the same way. Let me find the military district leader first, then we can sort this disorderly mass out and leave."

    Driving the Hummer to a stop before the safe zone''s gates, Long Zhanye can''t help twitching in irritation at the bustle of yells and the loud hum of numerous engines running in the background.

    As soon as the vehicle stops, the driver door opens and Long Zhanye nimbly climbs onto the roof. Unholstering his pistol, he raises the firearm towards the sky and fires.

    Bang! Bang!

    Two shots ring out, causing silence to ripple through the large crowd as everyone turns towards him.

    Nodding in satisfaction, the imposing male standing on the roof of the car offers the mass a sharp smile. "Hn, very good. You all know how to be quiet, at least."

    Pushing open the passenger''s side door, Huo Zaiyuan unhurriedly steps out of the Hummer and eyes the man clad in his usual camouflage military uniform with fond exasperation. "You just love causing a scene."

    "It''s more effective this way ah. See, they are all quiet now." Long Zhanye leaps off the roof and lands lightly beside Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Who are you?" A soldier guarding the gates place a hand on his rifle and walks forward with a tensed expression.

    Holstering his pistol, Long Zhanye removes a file from his coat''s inner pocket and holds it out to the soldier. "I am in charge of escorting these survivors back to A City."

    As soon as he says this, the surrounding survivors start to converse amongst themselves once more¡­

    "Heavens ah, only two guards. There are more than twenty thousand people when X and Y safe zones are added together ah!"

    "That''s right ah. How can two people¡­"

    "Look, one of them is even a child barely out of his mother''s womb. Aren''t they sending us to our deaths¡­"

    "Correct ah, are we going to leave like this?"

    Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan can hear the various comments being made even if they were whispered but neither are angered. On the contrary, a bright grin appears on Long Zhanye''s face as he teases the youth by his side.

    "Little Yuan, they seem to be belittling you."

    Glancing at Long Zhanye, he replies blandly, "We are being belittled."

    "Heheh¡­"

    As Long Zhanye laughs lightly, the soldier finally finishes skimming through the details on the document and his expression changes abruptly. Clicking his heels together, he stands at attention and salutes.

    "Greetings to senior officer Long. Our leader has been awaiting your arrival for a quite some time. Please allow this subordinate to lead the way."

    "Little Yuan, let''s go."

    "No, I''ll wait for you out here." Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head as he leans against the Hummer.

    He is not going to subject himself to listening to the district leader flatter Long Zhanye and prattle on about useless things. He is better off sitting in the car and daydream.

    "All right. I''ll blaze through all the formalities and return as soon as I can." Rubbing Huo Zaiyuan''s head, Long Zhanye gestures for the soldier to lead the way and leaves quickly.

    Following Long Zhanye''s departure, the crowd erupts in another lively discussion.

    "Heavens ah, that soldier called that youngster senior officer Long!"

    "Don''t tell me he is the famous A City''s Long Zhanye!"

    "A City only has one Long Zhanye who is a senior officer. Do you think there''s another?!"

    "I heard that a mere two months ago, he brought a small squad of ten members and charge bravely into a bandit stronghold in J City, rescuing more than three thousand survivors."

    "I heard about that too. Really incredible ah!"

    "Blahblahblah¡­"

    Leaning against the car''s door with arms crossed over his chest, Huo Zaiyuan can''t help cocking an eyebrow as he listens to the chatter, the corners of his mouth curving up.

    He really didn''t know Long Zhanye was so bold and valiant. Bringing only ten over people into J City to rescue three thousand plus survivors. Really remarkable ah.

    Just as he is lost in thought, a person slowly walks over, stopping when they are three meters away. Tilting their head to the side for a moment, the individual opens their mouth to speak, voice soft. "Excuse me, may I ask if you are little Yuan?"

    Due to Long Zhanye occupying Huo Zaiyuan''s mind and adding on the fact that there are numerous people walking back and forth, he doesn''t sense anyone approaching until they spoke. Freezing for a split-second, he turns to regard the speaker.

    As soon as the man gets a clear look at Huo Zaiyuan''s face, a cheerful smile surfaces. "Sure enough, it is little Yuan. You¡­do you still remember me? I am¡­"

    "Older brother Shuozi!" Huo Zaiyuan exclaims in recognition, an equally happy smile curving his lips.

    Never did he expect someone who is meant to be in V City to appear here.

    "You recognised me ah. That''s great. Here I was thinking you would have long forgotten about me," Shuozi says joyfully, the smile on his face widening as he walks forward a few paces to stand before Huo Zaiyuan.

    After nearly two years, Shuozi has grown taller and broader, but what hasn''t changed is his honest and friendly smile.

    "Older brother Shuozi, how are you here? Is everyone in the village doing all right?"

    As long as the protective array he set up around the village before he left doesn''t break, everyone within will not encounter any danger. However, Shuozi is here now, so does it mean something bad befell the small village? Or has the array collapsed?

    "You left in the middle of the night without a word to anyone. The villagers were very worried. Afterwards, I recalled what you told me on the last day and informed the village chief. He said that you are our benefactor, and must have overheard about an incoming disaster, hence he told us to follow your instructions. In the months following, we raised enough funds to build a large gate along the small mountain road¡­ Never did we imagine that a few months after you left, horrible monsters started to appear. Anyone who left the village returned as one of those creatures. At that time, we came to realise that this was what you warned us about¡­ The villagers became very afraid and shut the gates, hiding in their houses for a long period of time. Half a year later, a large swarm of zombies came out of nowhere. The gates were torn down and our village was surrounded. But strangely, none could enter. We thought it is the benevolence of the mountain god who protected us¡­ However, our luck didn''t last forever. A group of survivors came into our village to plunder it, injuring a lot of residents in the process. With no alternative, I left with the other surviving villagers¡­ After wandering here and there, we eventually came here." Shuozi sighs lightly, then glances at Huo Zaiyuan. "Little Yuan, you''ve changed a lot. Became more attractive¡­grown your hair out¡­I thought I made a mistake at first¡­"

    "Eh¡­I couldn''t be bothered to cut my hair, so I let it grow." Slender fingers running through his dark hair, Huo Zaiyuan smiles and shrugs.

    He isn''t one to take special care of his hair, letting it be for the most part. Besides washing and drying it, he doesn''t bother combing. However, it doesn''t tangle or knot, remaining constantly smooth and straight. Since it doesn''t give him any trouble, he doesn''t care much about and slowly became used to having long hair.

    Also, Long Zhanye seems to like his long hair¡­

    "Little Yuan looks pretty with long hair," Shuozi admits, a faint blush staining his cheeks.

    When the apocalypse came, a part of him constantly worries about Huo Zaiyuan, afraid that the youth will be met with danger. Every night, he prays that he (HZY) will be alive and well. Now, seeing this attractive young man again, his heartbeat increases, thudding heavily in his chest.

    Huo Zaiyuan gives a faint smile at Shuozi''s compliment. "Who compliments a man by calling him pretty? That''s right, older brother Shuozi, why are you outside the gates? Didn''t you say you and the other villagers are already residents in the safe zone?"

    "Eh? Oh, my bad. I forgot to tell you in my excitement. I''m now working for the army, so I am currently helping them organise this large-scale migration," Shuozi says happily. "That''s right, little Yuan, why are you here? Don''t tell me you were in Y City and came here in preparation to head towards A City?"

    In the apocalypse, how many people dream about being admitted into the army for work? If it was not for his youth and strength, he would not have been selected.

    Thus, when Huo Zaiyuan asked him that question, his manner becomes a lot more confident. At minimum, he has a bit of glory in front of the person he likes.

    "No, I am here to escort the survivors of X and Y safe zones to A City as a member of the squad placed in charge of this mission," Huo Zaiyuan replies.

    He doesn''t have a clue about what the simple and honest fellow is thinking in his heart, but his bland answer is like a thunderbolt that mercilessly hacks through Shuozi''s confidence.

 CH 153

    Chapter 153: Sudden unexpected occurrence

    Three days before Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan''s arrival, Y City commenced evacuation. Today, when the pair arrived, the last survivors of Y''s safe zone has already reached X City.

    From walking to the safe zone''s command centre to meeting with the two district leaders and discussing their migration plan, it takes Long Zhanye two hours to complete his task.

    Adding together the total survivors from both safe zones, the final number comes up to more than fifty thousand. The vehicles responsible for transportation of both humans and other necessary supplies will be large container trucks. After ensuring all sufficient preparation is completed, a signal is given and everyone is assigned to board a select truck. A convoy consisting of several hundred large vehicles begin to depart, making for a rather spectacular scene.

    In charge of escort, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan''s Hummer takes the lead, flanked by X City''s military vehicles. In the middle of the convoy are the trucks, with Y City''s military bringing up the rear. Throughout the entire journey, the head and the tail of this procession is connected via a short-ranged wireless communication line.

    "Reporting to senior officer Long! Everything is prepared and ready," X City''s district leader salutes as he speaks, informing Long Zhanye with a solemn tone. It is clear to see that he feels pretty nervous regarding this migration, especially with his responsibilities as a leader.

    "Un, take this stack of talismans and make sure to stick one on each vehicle!" Long Zhanye hands over the pile of yellow paper talismans Huo Zaiyuan gave him to the district leader.

    The man blinks, startled, as he receives the large pile of talismans. Nonetheless, he recovers quickly and clicks his heels once more before leaving.

    During the apocalypse, people begin to view a Taoist''s powers as mystical and formidable. Consequently, a Taoist talisman is an extremely precious resource. A Taoist priest''s status is high above the common people, and they are deeply respected. However, Long Zhanye unexpectedly hands over a huge amount of priceless talisman to be pasted on the bodies of the vehicles instead of humans¡­ This truly shocks him greatly.

    Sticking a talisman on a car is something he has never seen done before.

    "Little Yuan, you¡­you are a Taoist priest!" Having witnessed him handing the talismans over to Long Zhanye, Shuozi exclaims from where he stands off to the side. A flicker of astonishment flashes in his eyes, and he can''t help inwardly sighing in admiration.

    As expected of the little Yuan he likes most. More than a year since they last met and he has already become a Taoist priest. The way he sees it, little Yuan is not only good-looking, but is extremely skilled too¡­

    As this thought races across his mind, the captivated blush rises again, and adoration towards this youth increases.

    "You can say that, I suppose." Huo Zaiyuan nods and looks at Shuozi. "Older brother Shuozi, one will be very exhausted during this long journey. Young people might not need to worry about it, but the village''s grandfathers and grandmothers are a different story, as well as the children. Here, take this with you."

    Turning around, he opens the door of the Hummer and removes a large eco-friendly bag[1] filled with various snacks and candies.

    "This¡­" Staring at the large pile of foodstuff, Shuozi trails off, slightly dazed.

    "It doesn''t matter. I still have a lot more from my scavenging missions. Take this with you."

    During the six months he stayed in the small mountain village, the residents took very good care of him. Even all the vegetables, fruits and seeds he purchased from them was obtained at the lowest price.

    "Then I thank you on behalf of the other villagers," Shuozi says in gratitude as he shoulders the bag and departs.

    Seeing Shuozi leave so cheerfully with a spring in his step, Huo Zaiyuan smiles softly. When he raises his head to look at Long Zhanye, he is met with the other man''s disconsolate expression.

    "Eh? You¡­what''s wrong? Who provoked your anger?" Wah, he has never seen such a gloomy face.

    "You were so good to that easily-distracted youngster. I feel jealous," Long Zhanye grouses as he embraces Huo Zaiyuan, not bothering to conceal his true feelings.

    Hearing this, Huo Zaiyuan can''t help giggling. As he snickers, his hands come up to brace against the other''s chest.

    "Idiot, what are you saying? Before the apocalypse, I stayed in a mountain village for a while. The villagers took very good care of me and I am familiar with older brother Shuozi, so¡­"

    "That fellow likes you." The arms circling Huo Zaiyuan''s waist tightens, causing the two to be pressed up against each other. But Long Zhanye''s expression darkens further.

    Hmph, don''t think he isn''t aware of what is going on even if he was busy taking care of other matters. That brat was clearly looking at his little Yuan with a wolfish glint in his eyes, salivating from time to time.

    "How''s that possible?" Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t believe Long Zhanye''s words, dismissing them as he drags the other to get into the car.

    "I don''t care for him, or what he wants. But in short, you can''t go too close to him in the future." Refusing to let go or get into the car, Lord Captain Long resembles a kid shamelessly throwing a tantrum to get his way.

    Huo Zaiyuan merely laughs and drops a light kiss on the older man¡¯s lips.

    Bustling around for a whole three hours, the convoy finally sets off at around four in the afternoon. Never did anyone expect Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan''s prediction when they first arrived outside the safe zone to suddenly come true.

    Not long after the convoy departs X''s safe zone, following the darkening sky, countless humanoid silhouettes appear in the distance. Malevolent expressions, purplish-green cracked skin, the large horde of undead make their way steadily through the city towards the safe zone. Fortunately, the entire place is already vacant of living humans, or else the scene that will unfold would be enough to break anyone''s fighting spirit.

    ~~~

    The convoy has been travelling on the road for six days, and has already reached Huan Shi main street outside K City. The journey up til now has been smooth. Only, during the afternoon they drive pass K City, dense, black clouds suddenly obscure the sky and fine rain falls. Adding on the cold weather, it really tests a person''s endurance.

    "Reporting to senior officer. The weather is steadily becoming colder and colder. A lot of people have fallen ill. Should we find a place to take shelter from the rain?" X''s district leader inquires over comms.

    "No, we absolutely cannot take a break. If we do so, I think many of us will directly freeze to death out here. We must travel through the night today and get to E City as soon as possible. Pass down this order: allocate sufficient drivers to take shifts throughout the night!" Long Zhanye instructs as he drives, not afraid of losing control as the pavement is not slippery despite the rain.

    "Yes, Sir."

    "The closer we get to E City and the smoother this journey is, more and more people will gradually let down their guards. This wouldn''t bode well." Huo Zaiyuan frowns.

    Although the main highways have been cleared of rubbles and debris, one can still see the occasional zombie wandering around. Besides facing this rain, the entire journey up til now has been without mishap. But Huo Zaiyuan can''t help the tension coursing through his body, preparing for something to go wrong.

    "Does little Yuan feel like something major is about to occur?" Long Zhanye asks, eyebrows rising.

    "I don''t know, but my guts tell me to watch out." Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head lightly as his fingers move, calculation swiftly. "Divination tells me it will be a vicious force, but I can''t read anything more."

    "A vicious force, huh? Besides the rain and cold, we haven''t met any dangers so far. Indeed, we will encounter something unimaginable soon. Best be on guard, especially when passing by G City." A hard light enters Long Zhanye''s eyes as he strengthens his focus. Regarding Huo Zaiyuan''s divination and intuition, he doesn''t harbour any doubts.

    The line of vehicles continue speedily forward. Perhaps the Heavens finally take pity on the people below, for when nighttime approaches, the rain ceases. Even the gales begin to weaken until it dies completely and the temperature warms a little. Although it remains cold, it is not longer bone-chillingly so.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Suddenly, a series of gunshots ring out. Long Zhanye raises his head to see a lanky figure sprinting in their direction, turning around every now and then to open fire. Behind, six or seven undead are in hot pursuit. Judging from the bared fangs and long claws, these zombies are no ordinary high-ranked ones.

    "Halt! Quickly!" He yells into the communication device. Immediately, the line of vehicles brake one after another.

    As soon as the Hummer stops, Long Zhanye grabs his rifle and exits the car. Aiming down the sight, he pulls the trigger once.

    The bullet shoots out, hitting a pouncing zombie in the chest and sending it flying before it could claw the fleeing youngster.

    On the other side of the Hummer, Huo Zaiyuan flings a few talismans out, creating an invisible barrier. The youth crosses it unharmed, but the undead slams against the incorporeal screen, unable to advance further.

    Tripping over his feet in his hurry to get away, the youngster falls face first to the ground and skids forward a whole two meters, coming to a stop just before he crashes into Long Zhanye''s combat boots.

    "Eh¡­I rescued you, yes. But surely this doesn''t warrant such a big show of gratitude," Not pausing in firing at the few zombies on the other side of the barrier, Long Zhanye drawls in amusement as he glances down at the prostrating person.

    "S - sorry¡­" The youngster manages to choke out an apology before climbing to his feet. Bloodstains down the front of his clothes, a face full of bruises and scraps, it appears he has been through a very rough situation. Apart from his sorry state, there doesn''t seem to be a scratch mark or bite wound on his person.

    "Go behind and find an army medic to give you a thorough inspection and take care of your injuries. Soldiers! Fire at will!" Saying thus, Long Zhanye shoulders his rifle and gestures the soldiers behind him to advance.

    After a year of changing equipment, every bullet in every gun is capable of seriously wounding high-level zombies. Furthermore, within the line of this ten plus soldiers carrying rifles and firing at the few undead outside the barrier, about four or five of them are Ability Users. Hence, settling this matter is no difficult task.

    Following the crack of gunshots, dismembered limbs and headless bodies thud to the ground as the zombies are swiftly dealt with.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Eco-friendly bags = shopping bags

 CH 154

    Chapter 154: Arriving safely

    In the backseat of the Hummer, the bruised young man lowers his head to eat a mantou as large teardrops fall one by one from his eyes.

    "Oi, can you not cry?" Long Zhanye glances at the rearview mirror and addresses the youngster. "Be careful not to choke. Escaping the clutches of a few undead only to choke to death on food is a rather embarrassing way to go."

    "I¡­I don''t wish to¡­ But - but tears are falling against my will. Wuwu¡­when I think about my companions who sacrificed themselves to protect me, my tears just¡­wuwu¡­just keep falling¡­" Long Zhanye''s words only serve to make him cry harder.

    "Zhanye, don''t provoke him anymore." Huo Zaiyuan sighs, removing a paper towel from his coat''s outer pocket and hands it to the person in the backseat. "Dry your tears. A person cannot revive once they die. Since your companions exchanged their lives for your survival, then you must remember their sacrifice and live well."

    "Un, thank you." Taking the offered napkin, the youth wipes his eyes before continuing to wolf down his food. It is not hard to tell that he is both tired and hungry. After finishing the mantou, he lifts his head to look at the two men in front. "Umm¡­can I possibly ask you a question?"

    "Go ahead," Long Zhanye says.

    "Have we met once before on 524 Huan Shan main street?" The young man inquires. "I was kidnapped by a bunch of gangsters and was rescued afterwards by someone¡­"

    Hearing that, driver and passenger both exchange a mutual glance before turning as one to regard the bashful youngster. Beneath the purplish-blue bruises and scrapes, this person is pretty good-looking.

    Huo Zaiyuan opens his mouth slowly. "I remember something like that, you were amongst them."

    "Yes, yes. It really was you two. You guys saved me again. Thank you." A sincere gratefulness resounds in the youth''s voice. "That''s right, I haven''t introduced myself. I am Cheng Mingcheng. Who are you?"

    "I''m Long Zhanye, he is Zi Yuan."

    "I''ll be in your care." Cheng Mingcheng offers them a tired but bright grin.

    "Likewise," Huo Zaiyuan replies curtly.

    Besides this little incident of running into Cheng Mingcheng, the convoy enjoys an unobstructed passage from X City all the way to E City. Seeing E City from a distance, a few survivors are moved to tears.

    E''s safe zone is considered a safe place to rest. Now that the weather is colder, many survivors fell ill during this journey. However, the fact that there were no deaths can be considered a good fortune. With so many survivors gathered in the safe zone, the entire place bustles with activity. It is lucky that the squads in charge of escorting E City''s residents have mostly already left for A City, or else there will be not enough room for everyone.

    "Phew, so exhausted that I''m about to die¡­" Cooped up in a vehicle for nearly twenty days, even the most tolerant person would have found it unbearable. Upon entering his assigned room, Huo Zaiyuan can''t resist throwing himself onto the soft, large bed.

    "Staying in the car for so long in such cold conditions¡­best take a hot shower first before sleeping." Seeing him lazily sprawled over the mattress, Long Zhanye''s mouth curves into an amused smile as he approaches the bed.

    "Urgh¡­let me lie down for a little while¡­" Huo Zaiyuan murmurs as he rubs his cheek against the fluffy blanket and closes his eyes. Such adorable actions from someone normally so aloof and apathetic will make a person''s heart flutter.

    Long Zhanye is no exception. Lying down next to his little Yuan, the older man reaches out to caress a pale cheek, fingers leisurely moving downwards until they intertwine around the long strands and silky hair.

    "Little Yuan, if you continue being like this, don''t blame me for losing control and help you wash¡­" Leaning in, he kisses Huo Zaiyuan''s ear.

    ~~~

    "Wah ¡ª " (The tree spirit''s wailing.)

    Dragging a knitted top behind it, Liu Ying easily drifts over to the edge of the spring pool. Setting the clothes down, it sits beside the pool and stares at Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Ai, Liu Ying¡­" Huo Zaiyuan surfaces from the pool and drifts over to the edge, gazing thoughtfully at the little sword spirit. "You¡­knew my ancestor¡­Huo Tianji for so long¡­umm¡­did he have anyone he liked?"

    Hearing Huo Zaiyuan''s question, Liu Ying''s eyes widen and that chubby, adorable face abruptly falls.

    Feeling rather bad due to putting that look on Liu Ying''s face, Huo Zaiyuan struggles for a while before his curiosity wins. Leaning in, he asks, "He¡­he really has someone he liked?"

    The little sword spirit closes its eyes, heaving a small sigh before nodding.

    "Ah¡­it''s true. He really did. What kind of person were they?" The youth''s eyes sparkle inquisitively.

    The babyish face becomes depressed once again, and even that shining white hair seems to droop. In a flash, the sword spirit morphs into a small, fire-breathing dragon[2].

    "Arrgghh¡­grrr¡­! (That bastard. That super ultra bastard! Don''t let me see him again or else I will hack him to death! Roar!)"

    Body still dripping with water, clothes in disarray and damp hair clinging to his moist skin, Huo Zaiyuan resembles a drenched chicken.

    Walking out of the bathroom, the first thing Long Zhanye sees is Huo Zaiyuan standing dazedly in the middle of the room in this sorry state.

    "What happened to you?" He blinks in slight bewilderment before hurrying over to the youth''s side, using the towel draped over his shoulder to dry Huo Zaiyuan''s long, damp hair.

    "Eh¡­oh, nothing. I asked Liu Ying a question that I shouldn''t have, causing it to explode in rage," Huo Zaiyuan murmurs in reply as he enjoys Long Zhanye''s gentle touch. His body subconsciously leans towards the soldier before a whiff of fragrant aroma makes him inhale deeply a couple of times. "Zhanye, you smell nice. Did you spray perfume?"

    Long Zhanye smiles indulgingly as Huo Zaiyuan continues sniffing his body like a puppy. "Silly, I''m not a woman. What kind of perfume would I spray? Besides, it''s the apocalypse now¡­ Also, I just took a cold shower and didn''t even use body foam. How would I smell nice? On the contrary, it''s little Yuan who smells really fragrant¡­" Saying this, he ducks his head and kisses Huo Zaiyuan''s neck.

    "I - I also didn''t use any body wash or perfume." Blushing, he shoves Long Zhanye away lightly.

    "I know." Pulling the red-faced man back into his arms, he buries his nose in Huo Zaiyuan''s hair. "Little Yuan¡­"

    "Hmm?"

    "Your cultivation¡­when will you reach the highest level?" Resting his chin on his lover''s slender shoulder, Long Zhanye can''t help the moping expression that surfaces.

    "Eh? Why¡­I am only at the sixth level. What''s up?" Turning his head slightly to look at Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan asks, puzzled by this abrupt question.

    Long Zhanye seldom ask him questions pertaining to his cultivation, so what made him inquire about it all of a sudden?

    "Ah¡­I don''t know why but I always feel that once you break through to the last level, we can¡­" Long Zhanye trails off uncertainly even as his expression remains deadly serious.

    "We can do what?" Eyebrows rising, the puzzled look doesn''t disappear.

    What exactly is he trying to say? This silly person¡­

    "We can finally make l ¨C"

    Footnotes:

    [1] He''s the youth who interacted with HZY + LZY after their fight with Mad Dog all those chapters back. One of the prisoners kept in the container of the truck.

    [2] Chinese dragon. Something like this:

 CH 155

    Chapter 155: Treason

    From time to time, the people roaming up and down E''s safe zone turns to look at the tall, lean individual hunkering down next to the flower bed. Said individual is A City''s famous Lord Captain Long, who is currently cupping a swollen cheek as he squats there, cutting a rather pitiful figure.

    "Why are you squatting there?" A clear voice rings out as Cheng Mingcheng appears next to him. The youngster squats down beside Long Zhanye, a pair of dark eyes looking up at the other man questioningly.

    "Ah, it''s you¡­ What are you doing here?" Long Zhanye blinks, staring back at Cheng Mingcheng.

    "Hai¡­" Cheng Mingcheng hangs his head, both hands clenched tightly together. "I¡­whenever I lie in the bed to rest, I will always recall my fellow companions who stuck with me after escaping from those gangsters¡­ If it wasn''t for helping me flee from that place, they wouldn''t have¡­"

    "Don''t think too much. They protected you because they wanted you to continue living. Being so restless and stuck in the past now would be spitting on their sacrifice," Clapping Cheng Mingcheng on the back of his head, Long Zhanye states bluntly. Getting to his feet, he glances up at the sky. Who knows when, but dark clouds have started to gather again, bringing with it a light drizzle. "It''s raining, quickly return to your assigned room. Or else you will fall ill."

    "Ah¡­" Cheng Mingcheng''s heart skips a beat at the warm sensation coming from the hand on his head. As soon as it withdraws, he looks up, only to see the lean back already walking far away. A faint, gentle smile surfaces, but turns plastic a split-second later.

    "Zhanye!" Rushing out from the entrance of a building, Huo Zaiyuan''s face is full of worry that disperses the moment he catches sight the approaching figure. Quickly coming forward, he drapes the coat clutched in his hands over Long Zhanye''s shoulders. After fastening all the buttons, he kicks the taller man''s shin. "Idiot! Running all over the place in this cold weather without wearing a coat. What will I do if you catch a cold¡­"

    "Heheh¡­I know little Yuan likes me best." A dazzling smile appears on Long Zhanye''s face as he embraces Huo Zaiyuan. "I''m sore and exhausted¡­sleep with me today, all right?"

    "Come on, let''s go back." No answering Long Zhanye''s question, Huo Zaiyuan intertwines their fingers and pulls him into the building.

    A deep frown furrows Cheng Mingcheng''s brow as he stares at the two men until they disappear behind the doors. A demonic scarlet glint flickers through his eyes, carrying with it jealousy and discontent.

    "Heehee¡­" Coming to a stop beside Cheng Mingcheng, a slim figure clad in pure white attire snickers lowly. A brilliant smile on his face, Xu Mingyi appears as angelic as humanly possible.

    "It''s you ah." Cheng Mingcheng face darkens as he glares icily at Xu Mingyi.

    "Leader[1], you are so cold. What''s wrong? Does my presence make you so unhappy?" Xu Mingyi pouts as he throws himself on the other guy''s back, acting like a spoiled child.

    "The Huo Zaiyuan who went missing for a year has appeared again. It''s about time you make your move," Cheng Mingcheng says blandly.

    "Leader, I really don''t get it. What''s so good about that Long Zhanye? I admit his ability is on a different level than other humans, but compared to Taoists with a high cultivation like Huo Zaiyuan, he is an ordinary person¡­"

    "Hmph, what do you know? Long Zhanye''s true capabilities aren''t as shallow as it appears on the outside. My intuition tells me¡­" A red tongue slowly moistens his lips as Cheng Mingcheng continues. "¡­he will be the most formidable zombie on this earth!"

    ~~~

    "I can finally hug you to sleep again¡­really missed you." Long Zhanye sighs in contentment as he draws the slender youth into his arms.

    Leaning on Long Zhanye''s chest, the corners of Huo Zaiyuan''s lips curl upwards. "It''s been a month since I came out of my space, also¡­can you not project an old man vibe when you say things like this?"

    "Little Yuan, I''m being sincere," Long Zhanye states as he drops a light kiss on Huo Zaiyuan''s head.

    "About?"

    "When you''ve reached the topmost level in your cultivation, I really wish to embrace you fully¡­" Flipping his body around, Long Zhanye covers Huo Zaiyuan''s slim figure entirely as he buries his nose in the juncture between neck and shoulder.

    Huo Zaiyuan is not so ignorant that he doesn''t understand the implication behind the older man''s words. While his calm personality and non-existent sex drive are all by-products of cultivation, Long Zhanye is the sole person who he can''t keep calm around. It is as though there''s a strange force attracting him to this man¡­

    "I¡­" Blushing furiously, he burrows deep into the warm embrace before mumbling, "I¡­know¡­but that will still be quite a while¡­"

    It took him a year just to break through the fifth level into the sixth. Who knows how long is needed to break through to the seventh level¡­

    Nonetheless, the implication of his words are very clear: If you want to wait until I have reached the highest level, you will be a monk for a very long time.

    "I know."

    "Umm¡­how did you know that¡­before I reach the highest level, I can''t¡­"

    Within the various notes his ancestor left behind, Huo Tianji also wrote that one must not lose their chastity before reaching the highest level. In order words, this "Mysterious Nine Dragon''s Heaven" art requires a pure body up to the very end. If a practitioner loses their virginity before reaching the top, their cultivation will shatter due to an immense drain. Although he has never told Zhanye this, his lover unexpectedly knows about it.

    "Intuition."

    Huo Zaiyuan''s heart can only express "‡å".

    Heavens ah, exactly what kind of intuition is this ah!!

    ~~~

    A rare moment of direct sunlight shines down from sky, allowing the chilly winter air to ebb a little.

    "Tsk, tsk. A fine weather ah!!" Standing on the roof of the Hummer, Long Zhanye grins as he raises his head to the sky, eyes squinting a little.

    "I say, no matter how good the weather is, there is no need to climb up onto the roof, you rascal." Huo Zaiyuan sighs in mock exasperation as he sweeps a glance over his surroundings, gaze finally landing on the man standing majestically on the car''s roof.

    "I seldom experience such good feeling." Bracing a hand on the roof, Long Zhanye jumps down and immediately wraps his arms around Huo Zaiyuan. "After we return to A City, let''s stealthily leave on a date, shall we?"

    "You are a senior officer, can you afford to goof off?" Huo Zaiyuan pats Long Zhanye''s chest before gently shoving the man away. Pulling open the driver side door, he pushes the man into the vehicle before walking around to enter the passenger seat.

    "A senior officer is still human. They can tire too," Long Zhanye grumbles with a pathetic look even as he starts the car''s engine.

    "But I never see you display exhaustion. Instead, I always feel like you take pleasure in completing your daily affairs." Waving his left hand, a book appears and Huo Zaiyuan flips open to a bookmarked page, continuing to read where he left off.

    "Beloved, don''t say things so frankly and honestly. You''re making me feel shy." Poking Huo Zaiyuan''s cheek lightly, he finally shifts the gear away from ''Park'' and heads towards A City.

    However, Lord Captain Long who wishes to ''goof off'' so badly promptly forgets all about it when they return to A City, for something major happened. J City''s commander, He Lianming, defected. Not only did he injure Commander-in-chief Long Haotian, he also brought away more than a few Ability Users.

    "Grandfather, are you all right?!" Kicking the ward''s door off its hinges, Long Zhanye bursts into the room, full of frantic worry.

    Sitting up on the edge of the bed, Grandfather Long raises his head, a faint smile on his wrinkled face.  "Grandfather is completely fine. I simply twisted my ankle."

    "Scared me to death. What happened, exactly? What is that bastard He Lianming up to?" Eyebrows drawing together in agitation, it is clear Long Zhanye never thought the arrogant man will actually do something so out of character like defecting.

    "Even I still can''t believe it, let alone you. If it wasn''t for little Qing''s quick reaction, your grandfather would have more than just a twisted ankle." Long Haotian heaves a heavy sigh. "Grandfather has indeed gotten old. I will need to rely on you youngsters in the future."

    "Grandfather¡­that''s old man words. It''s not like you to say things like this," Long Zhanye remarks as he pulls up a chair next to the bed.

    At this moment, Huo Zaiyuan walks into the room. Glancing between Long Zhanye and the plank of wood lying on the ground, a slender eyebrow raises. However, he refrains from commenting, instead smiling at the pair of grandfather and grandson.

    "Grandfather, are you really all right?"

    "Oh, it''s little Yuan ah. Grandfather is fine. Come here, come here." Long Haotian''s smile brightens as soon as his gaze lands on Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Is your sprained ankle painful?" Huo Zaiyuan asks, staring at the red and swollen ankle.

    "Eh¡­it''s tolerable. Elderlies, right? Knocking and bumping into things and acquiring bruises from it is normal. That youngster Qin Jun has already massaged it for me. He says to rest for a few days and it will be okay."

    "That''s good, then. Only, it''s winter right now. Having a swollen foot is not good for your body," Huo Zaiyuan says. Stretching out a hand, faint silver light flashes from his open palm before drifting down to rest on Long Haotian''s injury.

    ~~~

    "Are you certain it doesn''t matter? Just now when you did that for grandfather¡­you used a lot of spiritual power." Gazing at the ashen-faced Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye can''t help inquiring in concern.

    This person really treats his grandfather as family, not hesitating one bit to spend a large amount of energy to treat the elderly''s sprain.

    "It''s all right. I will be fine once I meditate for a while."

    Helping Long Haotian to clear the clotted blood beneath his skin before treating the torn tendons and muscles did use a lot of energy, but in regards to the size of his current reserves, that amount is nothing more than a small token.

    "Is that so? But in order to show you my gratitude, let me¡­"

    "Ahh - what are you going? Put me down!!"

    Ignoring Huo Zaiyuan''s cry of alarm and consequent protests, Long Zhanye carries him from the medical bay all the way to the dormitory building.

    Footnotes:

    [1] Organisation leader, but since it sounds choppy, I simply left it as ¡®Leader¡¯

 CH 156

    Chapter 156: Hatred

    Zhanye¡­

    A slender hand settles on soft flesh, leisurely sliding down along the curves of the body. Black scales cover most of the honey-coloured skin, creating a sleek texture beneath one''s fingertips¡­

    Such a familiar feel, what is it?

    A dragon?

    The wide expanse of scales feels similar to smooth human skin. A numb sensation rises in the bottom of his heart before coursing through his body in all directions.

    Abruptly opening his eyes, a silent cry leaves Huo Zaiyuan''s lips. Just as he wants to sit up, he realises his chest is pinned under a head, arms encircling his waist in a tight hold¡­

    "¡­¡­"

    No wonder he would dream about a black dragon winding tightly around his body, smooth scales rubbing gently against his skin¡­

    "Little Yuan¡­" The man mumbles lowly in his sleep, rubbing his cheek against Huo Zaiyuan''s slim chest before going still once more.

    "I''m here. Be good and continue sleeping." Really, this rascal.

    Stroking Long Zhanye''s hair, a smile tugs Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth upwards.

    ~~~

    F City

    "He Lianming, what exactly do you think you are doing?" Full of anger and indignation, Ah Si kicks the door of the house in, charging in and immediately sees the very person that caused him to explode sitting nonchalantly on the windowsill.

    Black military uniform thrown on carelessly, He Lianming inhales a lungful of cigarette smoke and exhales slowly before his gaze lands on Ah Si.

    "I am not your subordinate. Therefore, I am not duty-bound to obey you." A cold, murderous glare on his face, He Lianming greatly resembles a vicious, wild wolf.

    Seeing the dangerous look, Ah Si momentarily represses his anger, wiping it as best he can from his face. Dredging up a plastic smile, he forces his tone to adopt a more neutral approach. "Yes, yes, I''m at fault. Of course, you aren''t my subordinate. Such a brilliant and prodigious Lord Commander¡­who would dare ride above your head."

    "You are an eyesore. Scram out of my sight." Eyes narrowing, the whip in his hand abruptly lashes out, wrapping around Ah Si''s throat and dragging the soldier towards him.

    The flexible weapon coils tightly around his neck and before Ah Si can react, the cold, attractive face is suddenly so close.

    "You¡­you¡­what do you want? Didn''t¡­didn''t you tell me¡­to scram?"

    "You are real cute." Lush lips curve upwards into a humourless smile as He Lianming leans forward, opening his mouth slowly. "Ah Si, between Huo Zaiyuan and I, who is good-looking?"

    "Naturally it is you who is more handsome, Lord Commander!" In Ah Si''s eyes, the alluring smile on the other man''s face induces only fear in his heart.

    Ah Si has already followed this man for more than a year, but he is never able to decipher exactly what is going on in his mind. He Lianming is too enigmatic.

    "Then why doesn''t he look at me even once?" That demonically charming visage approaches even nearer.

    "That¡­that''s¡­he''s blind¡­mmm¡­" Even before he can finish chocking out his words, his mouth is blocked by He Lianming''s lips. Ah Si''s eyes widen in astonishment.

    This¡­he¡­He Lianming is unexpectedly kissing him¡­

    It is nothing more than a light touch of lips to lips before He Lianming shoves the other man away, the harsh glint in his eyes kicking up the tension within the room by another notch.

    "How about you? Besides wanting to cooperate with me, what other reasons do you have for standing by my side¡­?"

    "I¡­I¡­"

    "You like me, isn''t that right?" A slender hand reaches out, nimble fingers unbuttoning the collar of Ah Si''s uniform to bare his clavicle. Stopping down, He Lianming plants a kiss on the skin there.

    In the dim room, soft pants and groans gradually fill the silence as a soft pair of lips trail kisses down a bare chest. A blissful flush stains Ah Si''s face as he basks under He Lianming''s attention.

    "Ah, that''s right. I like you!"

    ~~~

    Nimble fingers deftly unfold an origami star, quickly revealing a slip of paper with words written on the inside. A skim of it causes Long Zhanye''s brow to furrow.

    "That damned idiot, what is he trying to do¡­?"

    "Who''s trying to do what?" Pushing the door open to slip inside, Huo Zaiyuan enters just in time to hear the man sitting behind the office desk grumble.

    "Nothing. Why are you here?" Long Zhanye raises his head, shooting Huo Zaiyuan a smile before beckoning him forward.

    "I came to see what¡¯s holding you up. It''s already mealtime but you haven''t come out, so I came to find you." A flicking of his left hand and a large platter of red braised pork appears. This is one of Long Zhanye''s favourite food.

    "Ah, little Yuan, I love you so much." Long Zhanye spreads his arms wide in invitation as soon as he sees the fragrant dish.

    As per usual, the meal consists of three meat, one vegetable and a soup. Long Zhanye''s stomach growls in hunger, and he immediately delves into his meal while Huo Zaiyuan settles down next to him, lifting the slip of paper to read.

    "Tsk, tsk, really worthy of being A City''s senior officer. To be able to accomplish your task to this extent, really remarkable," Huo Zaiyuan says in admiration as he scans through it. "But is it really not an issue? I mean, those people he brought away."

    "Ai¡­I never expected him to do something like this. I graduated the academy with him and occasionally go on missions together. When I heard news of his defecting upon me return, I was truly startled." Biting down on the end of the chopsticks, Long Zhanye heaves a small sigh. "Fortunately, grandfather is fine, or else I will definitely skin him alive."

    "What should be done next? You have to take into account that He Lianming is very familiar with the inner workings of A City, which will be extremely unfavourable to us if he decides to use this knowledge. Or worse, sell this information to someone else," Huo Zaiyuan states as he sends the slip of paper into his space.

    Should anyone else see this, the words written on it will cause an uproar.

    "We will just have to advance whenever we see the chance. Either way, regarding his case, it is lucky grandfather managed to suppress the information on time. Or else, if word of a military commander defecting gets out to the public, who knows what kind of storms it will bring?" Long Zhanye muses, then pulls Huo Zaiyuan into his arms and kisses his lips.

    "You¡­don''t kiss me immediately after eating! Your mouth is so oily!" The greasy feeling on his mouth causes Huo Zaiyuan to freeze before pushing the man who is leaning in to steal another kiss away.

    "It''s no big deal. I''ll just have to help you lick it clean." Without waiting for Huo Zaiyuan to react, he swoops down and draws his tongue leisurely across the youth''s pretty petal lips. "Compared to the food, my little Yuan''s red lips are more delicious¡­"

    "Rascal¡­you¡­mhmm¡­"

    Whispered terms of endearment drifts out of the office. On the balcony outside, a crouching figure frowns, hands unconsciously clenching into fists.

    That damned Long Zhanye, if this continues¡­ It seems they need to push their operations forward.

    Gritting their teeth, the person hiding on the balcony to eavesdrop swiftly flips over the railing and escapes.

    The head buried in Huo Zaiyuan''s neck lifts before a tongue slowly runs horizontally across the kiss-swollen lips even as a sharp glint flashes across his eyes.

    "Tsk, tsk. Really dangerous ah. Someome actually dares to climb up to the balcony outside my office to eavesdrop," Long Zhanye murmurs, then drops his gaze back to Huo Zaiyuan, who is lying flat on top of his desk, partially pinned beneath his own body. A mock-miserable expression surfaces. "Little Yuan, this world is really awful. Let''s take a spaceship to Mars."

    Huo Zaiyuan snorts in amusement, shoving at his firm chest.

    "Enough, you. The act is over, shouldn''t you get off me now?" This man is really so indecent. How in the world did he manage to climb all the way up to senior officer?

    "Why must I? Hugging little Yuan feels so comfortable. Let me hold you for a while longer. In any case, it''s not like anyone is going to come in." Long Zhanye shamelessly sticks closer to Huo Zaiyuan with no intention of getting off anytime soon.

    At this moment, the office door is pushed open and a soldier walks in. As soon as he registers the scene within, his eyes blow wide.

    "I¡­"

    "Scram!!"

    "Ahh - I - I didn''t see anything! Really! Really didn''t see anything!!" Along with the soldier''s screech of fear and alarm, the office door slams shut. That poor soldier flees as though demons are on his heels, completely forgetting the matters he was meant to report.

    ~~~

    Within the dim room, the smell of sex lingers. Two naked bodies are tangled around each other on the wide sofa. As the person on top stiffens for a second before relaxing, the one below presses two fingers on the tight muscles at the bottom of his spine.

    "Oh¡­"

    "Rest well, leave the other matters to me." Eventually pulling away, Ah Si picks up his discarded military coat and covers the person still laying down before reaching out to push scattered strands of hair away from the pale cheek. "Since this is your wish, I will definitely help you achieve it."

    "Then I look forward to your success," He Lianming replies, closing his eyes.

    Planting a kiss on He Lianming''s forehead, Ah Si puts on his clothes and leaves the house.

    Silence settles in the room once more as He Lianming pushes himself up to a sitting position. Sweeping a gaze over his ravished body, a cruel smirk curves his lips.

    "Hehe¡­Long Zhanye¡­since you have never paid attention to my love for you, then I will show you how deep my hatred runs!"

 CH 157

    Chapter 157: Invitation to a funeral

    This night, when darkness encircles the ¡®School of Taoism¡¯, a mysterious tint enshrouds the building. All the disciples have already departed, but a small room within is still illuminated by a faint light.

    A small lamp sits on the desk, weak candlelight casting warm rays of light over the interior of the room. A pale hand grips a calligraphy brush, ink-stained bristles flowing smoothly over the talisman paper.

    No one knows when, but a set of light footsteps ring out in the silent corridor. Suddenly, a pair of demonic red eyes peers in through the small gap of the ajar door. A split-second later, the door is slowly pushed open, revealing a brightly smiling youngster standing in the doorway.

    "Junior Martial Uncle, I heard that you have spent the last few days within this school, ceaselessly drawing talismans." Xu Mingyi smiles and steps into the room with a bounce in his step, an inquisitive light in his eyes. "Junior Martial Uncle, what kind of charms are you drawing?"

    "It''s only a simple evil repelling charm." Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t prevent Xu Mingyi from taking a seat next to him, picking up a completed charm between two fingers.

    "Wow, it''s so beautiful! Junior Martial Uncle, may I study it more closely?" A worshipping light shines in his eyes as Xu Mingyi asks with eager anticipation.

    "Of course, you may. Go ahead." The corners of Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth curls upwards, generously permitting him to take the talisman.

    A dazzling smile breaks out on Xu Mingyi''s face as he takes the paper, sneakily stealing a glance at Huo Zaiyuan who has started to work on another charm.

    Seeing the wholly focused look, a crafty smirk flashes across Xu Mingyi''s lips. With a flick of his fingers, the scarlet ink on the talisman pinched between his fingers suddenly darkens to deep, coal-black before reverting back to its original colour.

    "Junior Martial Uncle, I have finished studying it. Here, returning it to you!" Angelic smile back in place, Xu Mingyi hands the talisman over.

    Brush completing the final stroke, Huo Zaiyuan looks up, stretching a hand out to take the evil repelling charm.

    "It''s already late. You should go back and rest. Sleeping too late at night will not be good for your body." Covering the cinnabar jar, Huo Zaiyuan sets the calligraphy brush back in its rack.

    "Un, it''s time I went to bed." Charming pink lips curling into an enticing smile, Xu Mingyi''s fingers twitch, black energy seeping from his fingertips. "However, I will not spend tonight alone. Junior Martial Uncle, how about accompanying me?"

    As the last words fall from his mouth, Xu Mingyi''s hand darts out, a black talisman shooting towards Huo Zaiyuan. The target evades swiftly, causing the black talisman to miss and explode into a cloud of black mist.

    A snap of his fingers and a yellow talisman appears between Huo Zaiyuan''s fingers. But he doesn''t move to attack, merely staring at Xu Mingyi with a face full of cautiousness.

    "You''ve finally revealed your fox tail," Huo Zaiyuan comments lightly.

    The bright smile on his face doesn''t waver. If one disregards the withered left hand that looks like it belongs on a mummified corpse, one will think Xu Mingyi is just another ordinary human.

    "Tsk, tsk. So it seems that Junior Marital Uncle is already suspicious of me early on. Don''t tell me my act as a zealous priest has flaws?"

    "The Junior Martial Uncle of a demon, I am afraid I am not worthy of being addressed as such!"

    "Is that so? Since that''s the case, then how about being called fuel to increase my strength? You, this Taoist priest with a high-level cultivation!" Pupils blown wide, demonic energy flashes through his eyes as Xu Mingyi raises his withered hand and charges towards Huo Zaiyuan.

    Without a trace of panic in his body language, Huo Zaiyuan condenses his inner spiritual power and sents a stream into the talisman between his fingers. With a ''ping'', the yellow paper streaks forward to meet the attack.

    The moment the talisman leaves his fingers and emits pure spiritual energy, several streams of black light speeds towards Huo Zaiyuan. Abruptly, he feels a burst of pain explode around his neck and torso, causing him to collapse heavily to the floor.

    "Haha¡­fool! That talisman in your hand contains my demonic energy. When pure and evil energy meets, a negative reaction will occur. Once your cultivation self-destructs, you will become a sitting duck!" Xu Mingyi sneers as he leisurely approaches Huo Zaiyuan who is currently bound by ropes of black mist. Lifting a foot, he brings it down viciously on the motionless body.

    "Urgh¡­" Groaning in pain, Huo Zaiyuan frowns before glaring fiercely up at the smug sorcerer. "What is your purpose for doing this?"

    "Purpose¡­of course, it is to increase my strength ah. Hmph¡­Tian Jizi, that old coot. He made me waste so much time fawning over him only for him to accept you as his disciple¡­" Saying this, he stomps down on Huo Zaiyuan again. "However, I don''t need that title anymore as I have gained Lord Master''s[1] mercy. It was He who bestowed upon me this formidable power, enabling me to control undead¡­ Hehehe¡­it was also thanks to Him that I realise you possess such remarkable spiritual power. A spiritually rich body¡­" Crouching down slowly, he moves his face closer to Huo Zaiyuan''s. "Before, you mysteriously vanished for a year. I thought something must have happened to you. Imagine my surprise when you appeared again, and your power increased even more. Did you know how excited I was? But¡­whenever I see you interacting with Long Zhanye, I was so worried that stupid man will foolishly taint your body in a moment of lust, ruining everything you have worked so hard for. Fortunately, he has been gone from the safe zone for two days now, and you¡­you locked yourself in this small room, drawing talisman day and night. Therefore, I decided to seize my chance. Tonight, I will let you drown in ecstasy¡­"

    The mummified hand stretches towards Huo Zaiyuan, razor-sharp fingernails easily slicing through his shirt and buttons.

    "Is that so?" A corner of Huo Zaiyuan''s mouth curls up.

    "You can still laugh at a time like this¡­" Damn! It''s a trap!

    No matter how fast Xu MIngyi''s reaction is, the silver streak of light is much swifter, amputating the withered hand in one stroke.

    "Arghh - !!" A howl of agony rips out of his throat as ink-black blood flows from the stump his left forearm has become.

    The black mist ropes around his body loosen and Huo Zaiyuan makes quick work of it. In a matter of a few seconds, he stands a few meters away from Xu Mingyi, free of binds.

    "Tsk, tsk, you pathetic person who sold your soul to the devil ah. Today''s invitation to a funeral[2] was specifically crafted for you. Savour it thoroughly!" Six talismans fly out as soon as Huo Zaiyuan finishes speaking, sticking onto the closed door of the room in an array pattern. The lamp placed on the desk slowly levitates and float upwards, giving off a brilliant, silvery light.

    "Argh - you - what kind of array is this! You filthy cur! I will kill you!" Xu Mingyi''s face twists into a malicious expression. His once flawless, fair skin turns greyish-green, withering at a rapid pace. Dark eyes bleed into a demonic scarlet, teeth becoming shark-like. At the end of it, a monster stands in the place of the angelic-looking youth.

    "An evolved zombie?" Huo Zaiyuan regards the creature, unfazed. Waving his left hand, a silver jian appears.

    "Human¡­I''m a human¡­as long as I can obtain your spiritual power, I will be the first advanced form of humankind! Huo Zaiyuan¡­hurry up and die!!" With a low, vindictive snarl, Xu Mingyi opens his jaws wide to bear his teeth and pounces towards Huo Zaiyuan.

    Resolutely standing his ground, Huo Zaiyuan lifts Liu Ying and stabs forward, pure power humming through the length of the silver blade.

    ~~~

    "Zombies that are able to look like humans for a certain period of time is not an inconceivable thought," Long Haotian notes as he stares at the headless, mummy-like corpse, eyebrows drawn together. Flicking his wrist, the white cloth settles back over the body and he can''t help sighing. "This matter is becoming increasingly strange."

    "This is not the case of zombies looking more human-like. Rather, it is the evil[3] energy hiding within Xu Mingyi that enables him to absorb people''s life force through sexual intercourse. This also allows him to maintain human form," Tian Jizi corrects from the side. "This child has always been rather outstanding from a young age, which is why I permitted Hua Yi (Tian Jizi''s first disciple) to instruct him carefully. Little did I expect this child will walk down the wrong path¡­and ultimately become a demonic being''s puppet."

    "If it wasn''t for ''him'' discovering the battalion commander''s nephew, as well as the fact that a few ¡®School of Taoism''s¡¯ disciples became rather odd, this Xu Mingyi would have become the harbinger of a large disaster," Huo Zaiyuan speaks up. "I first met Xu Mingyi in E¡¯s safe zone. At that time, I didn''t feel anything off, but when I met him for the second time in A City, I instinctively felt like rejecting his presence as soon as he approached. If he wasn''t yet a puppet in E City, that means his power became larger after he entered A City."

    "What he means by a spiritually rich body is a body with spiritual power flowing through one''s meridians. Like everything else, it has both advantages and drawbacks. Little Yuan, you must be more careful in the future." Tian Jizi gazes worriedly at the disciple he takes the most pride in.

    Although he has not yet imparted a lot of knowledge regarding the Taoist Arts to this child, based on innate talent and skills alone, he has complete confidence in Huo Zaiyuan.

    "I understand. Master, you too have to take good care of your body. These days, grandfather has quite a bit of spare time on his hands and misses your company. Why not take some time to relax and accompany him for tea?" Huo Zaiyuan grins softly at the Head priest.

    "All right, this Elder knows. From here on, it''s your turn to step up."

    "Understood."

    This time, their carefully-crafted plan allowed them to eliminate Xu Mingyi. That mysterious demonic being behind the scenes would surely realise sooner or later. Therefore, what will come next is¡­

    Footnotes:

    [1] It¡¯s like "Master-sama" but since I¡¯m always translated it to ¡°Lord¡±, I¡¯ll do the same here.

    [2] A plan/trap crafted in a way that deceives a criminal or suspect to confess their sins with their own mouth. It actually translates to ¡°inviting one into a boiling pot¡± but I reckon ¡°funeral¡± sounds better.

    [3] Just thought to explain why I use "evil" and "demonic" instead of simply sticking to one. This is because I do distinguish between "Ð°" and "Ä§", the former I translate as "evil" and the latter "demonic". I don''t know if the author means for them both to be the same, but I would rather not make assumptions just yet. Hence, I use both of them according to what the author writes in the raws.

 CH 158

    Chapter 158: Unusual zombie activity

    Strong fingers rub the purplish-blue bruise forcefully, inciting a low moan of pain.

    "Is it too painful?" Long Zhanye asks even as his hand movement doesn''t pause.

    "Un, a little less strength." Huo Zaiyuan nods, hands clenching tighter around the shirt bunched up at his chest, fighting off the urge to groan again. It''s no ordinary pain ah.

    "If we don''t massage it away, it will be troublesome," Long Zhanye whispers, brushing his lips across Huo Zaiyuan''s pinched ones.

    "Zhanye¡­" The tender, light kiss conveys all of the other man''s concern and care, touching the bottom of his heart and making him blush.

    "I''m here."

    ~~~

    Sitting on the edge of the bed, calloused fingers caress that peacefully sleeping face, a fond smile plays on Long Zhnaye''s lips.

    "Although we didn''t go all the way, but¡­" You are so exhausted already. Really can''t wait for the day the two of us officially bond in heart, mind, body and soul.

    ~~~

    Leaning back into the soft, high-back office chair, Long Zhanye props his legs up on the desk, legs crossed at the ankles as he thumbs through some documents, a pen held between two fingers. Signing his name at the bottom right corner of the paper, he passes the file over to Zuo Hanyang standing next to him.

    "Boss, you seem to be in a very good mood today." Zuo Hanyang has always been an inquisitive fellow. Seeing Long Zhanye humming under his breath as he signs documents, it is hard to avoid inciting his curiosity.

    Taking another file from Zuo Hanyang, Long Zhanye twirls his pen as his eyes scan the words on the paper. After a brief silence, he drawls, "When was I ever in a bad mood?"

    "Eh¡­" Using a file to block his mouth, Zuo Hanyang''s face is filled with black lines.

    He''s done for. It seems like he somehow stuck his foot in his mouth again.

    "Boss, this one is a report from a mercenary squad currently outside the safe zone. It seems they discovered an oddity with the zombies." You Nuandong strides into the office, placing an open folder in front of Long Zhanye.

    "An oddity? Let me see¡­" Long Zhanye''s attention shifts instantly.

    Seeing that his Boss is not going to tear him a new one, Zuo Hanyang inwardly sighs in relief and gratefulness. Gaze settling on You Nuandong, who is in the middle of discussing with Long Zhanye, a grin breaks out onto his face, still half concealed by the folder.

    As expected, the right adjutant is someone who upholds justice, saving him from a bad end.

    "Oi, what are you giggling about? Take the file."

    "Yes, Sir."

    Once Long Zhanye finishes signing the documents, the two adjutants leave the office. Hugging a stack of folders to his chest, You Nuandong suddenly feels something pushing him back. Stopping in his tracks, he peers over the top of the files only to see a pair of smiling eyes.

    "Right adjutant, thank you. Luckily you came in just in time to draw his attention away, or else I would be dead."

    Staring silently at Zuo Hanyang''s beaming face, You Nuandong''s brow furrows lightly before he turns and walks away.

    "Oi, why are you walking away?!" Hurriedly jogging to catch up, he mumbles, "Ah, I know, you are embarrassed!"

    When Long Zhanye steps out the door of his office, he is just in time to witness his two adjutants disappear down the stairs, one walking away and the other following behind. A faint smirk appears as he shakes his head in exasperation.

    Faced with such a dense fellow like the left adjutant, it appears the right adjutant will need to work harder¡­ Hmm¡­or perhaps he should simply employ the blitzkrieg strategy and smash through Zuo Hanyang''s natural air-headed defence.

    ~~~

    Sitting at the dining table with a pair of frameless glasses on his face, Long Zhanye is in deep contemplation as he holds a document in one hand, the other wrapped loosely around a cup.

    Coming out of the kitchen with dishes in hand, Huo Zaiyuan smiles faintly as he beholds his partner''s serious look.

    Someone once said before that an intensely focused man easily captivates. Gazing at this scene now, those words aren''t false.

    Placing the plates down on the table, Huo Zaiyuan walks over and wraps his arms around his shoulders from behind. "What are you looking at with such a serious expression? You didn''t even touch the tea I made. It''s gone cold already."

    "Ah, sorry, I''ll drink it now." Long Zhanye blinks, returning to reality and lifts the cup, intending to finish the tea in one gulp.

    "Don''t." Reaching out to press lightly down on Long Zhanye''s arm, Huo Zaiyuan takes the cup away before sliding into the seat next to him. "What were you contemplating so deeply over? It''s not like you."

    "It''s nothing, just a report my right adjutant handed to me today. Here, take a look at it." One hand curling around Huo Zaiyuan''s waist, the other brings the document between them so they are both able to read it.

    Two weeks ago, the survivors from B to E City have all been brought into A City, and this safe zone has become the sole sanctuary to exist from Z to A. The total number of survivors is five million. One week ago, Huo Zaiyuan extended an invitation to a funeral to the ¡®Sorcerer''s cult¡¯s¡¯ hidden spy, Xu Mingyi. With that person gone, it can be said a direct threat has been temporarily settled.

    However, what everyone is aware of in their hearts is that the next step will not be that simple.

    Skimming through the document, Huo Zaiyuan''s expression becomes more and more grave with every line.

    "The undead from everywhere besides those who made G City their stronghold are gradually heading towards A City¡­"

    "Even though the mercenary squad who filed this report dares not make any conclusions, but from the small wave of undead they encountered, there is definitely something else at play. You need to know at that time, when E City was still acting as another sanctuary, almost all the zombies wandering around the city were slain. Those that remained were either gathered in buildings or hidden in isolated areas. The only reason the mercenary squad discovered this unnatural event is because they wanted to head further out in order to look for more supplies. Clearly, this ¡®Sorcerer''s cult¡¯ is beginning to put their plan in motion because of Xu Mingyi''s demise!" Long Zhanye analyses. "Which is why I was thinking, we should gather all commanders present for an emergency meeting this afternoon."

    After all the survivors have migrated to A City and Commander-in-chief Long Haotian sustained an injury, the military ranks were thrown into slight chaos for a short period of time. With senior officer Long as the second highest rank after his grandfather, the district leaders of the other bases were given the title of commander, forming the third highest rank. Below them are the captains of the mercenary squads, and so forth. Suffice to say, the chain of command has been simplified a lot.

    "I also think it is necessary. The Ability Users¡¯ teams are almost fully recuperated. Regarding who should be sent to monitor this strange zombie activity, I reckon they will be up to the task."

    Ever since He Lianming''s defect, every Ability User in the city is placed under Huo Zaiyuan''s command. As such, he was lucky to have fought He Lianming to a standstill in public. The results of using the powers of his space sparingly have left those who personally witnessed it with the impression that he too, possesses an ability.

    "Do you mean that Stealth Ability User squad of yours?" As the senior officer, Long Zhanye is well aware of the changes and various adjustments Huo Zaiyuan made to the group he has been placed in charge of.

    As he was not familiar with the capabilities of every Ability User when he first assumed command of this relatively small bunch of people, Huo Zaiyuan used the simplest method possible to separate them into squads based on their powers. Amongst them, a handful with various stealth abilities was grouped together into a team.

    "That''s right ah. The Stealth squad captain also said before that guerrilla work best suits them. Upon consideration, we will definitely need them to undertake this assignment. I will also make sure to stick an Aura Concealment charm on each of them."

    "Heheh¡­little Yuan, you are a natural-born strategist ah!"

 CH 159

    Chapter 159: Eve of an event

    In the darkness, even though there is nothing moving in the vicinity, one can hear the faint sound of footfalls before it is replaced by a light scuffle of something climbing up the surface of a several meters high wall. Only when the noise ceases with a final thud does a humanoid figure gradually appear out of nowhere.

    "It''s exactly like Commander Yuan''s prediction. The zombies are moving in an organised manner," Couching on the top of the wall, the individual clad in black says. "Tong Ying, let''s go. We need to return quickly and report."

    "Roger that, Captain." A voice answers from somewhere before the crouching person too, vanishes from plain sight¡­

    As dawn slowly breaks the horizon, a trickle of undead makes their way stiffly past the wall. Any zombies wandering around aimlessly as this group approaches pauses in their steps, swaying back and forth on the sport before they turn and join the horde, seemingly being controlled by some unseen force.

    ~~~

    A City''s Ability User compound

    "¡­That''s the current situation, Commander Yuan."

    A group of five male and females wearing black from head to toe stands at attention in the room, giving their reports with a solemn expression.

    "They''ve already reached D City. It appears the situation is not too optimistic." Seating in a rattan chair with an ancient text in hand, Huo Zaiyuan frowns. "Did you manage to find the person controlling the undead?"

    "We did." A long-haired female beauty nods as she plays with the hem of her coat nervously. "I saw¡­I saw the person controlling them. He is a soldier called Ah Si who follows Lord Commander He."

    "So it is him. Did you find He Lianming''s whereabouts?"

    "No, Sir."

    Regarding He Lianming''s defect, almost every Ability User knows about it. While it is fortunate Long Haotian managed to keep the news from spreading, it still impacted the Ability Users greatly.

    After listening to the rest of the report from the other members of the Stealth squad, Huo Zaiyuan closes the book in his hand and presses two fingers between his eyebrows, deep in thought.

    "Hmm¡­none of you sustained any injuries or suffered an attack?" Huo Zaiyuan inquires as he rises to his feet. Although his face remains calm and indifferent, it is clear that he is genuinely concerned about their wellbeing.

    "No, thank you for your concern, Commander Yuan."

    "You''re welcome. Go and rest, I will discuss what you have reported to me with senior officer Long." Huo Zaiyuan dismisses them with a small smile.

    "Yes, Sir."

    As soon as the door closes behind the last one out, Huo Zaiyuan''s brow furrows. With a wave of his hand, the book vanishes before he too, leaves the Ability User''s compound.

    Ever since Long Haotian transferred most of his responsibilities to Long Zhanye, the latter became really busy. However, there are still moments when said busy senior officer Long wants to slack off. Like now!

    When Huo Zaiyuan enters the office, the man sitting behind the desk snaps the folder in his hands shut, handing it over to Zuo Hanyang.

    "That stack of document regarding resource allocation in your arms, just sent them directly to Hongjian and my uncle." The implication of "Quickly scram, quickly scram. Don''t interrupt my alone time with little Yuan" is very clear.

    Having witnessed this scene countless times, Zuo Hanyang isn''t fazed anymore. Documents in hand, he complies with his Boss'' demands and gets out of there as fast as he can.

    Hmm¡­after delivering all this, let''s find the right adjutant to go out for a meal. Recently, there seem to be a few more newly created flavour of bread they should sample.

    "Slacking off again." Huo Zaiyuan closes the office door before walking over to the desk.

    "I''ve been working for the entire day, so I must, of course, make sure the others also have work to do." Drawing him into a hug, Long Zhanye kisses his cheek. "How was it?"

    "The situation is fast becoming unfavourable. The Stealth squad has returned and according to their report, the large horde has already reached D City. Their numbers are steadily increasing as well."

    "D City, huh? Their speed is rather fast. If you take into account the time taken by that squad to return, the horde would have more or less reached C City now. On top of that, undead can travel without needing to stop for a rest. If they continue at this rate, they will enter A City''s range in two days." Long Zhanye''s strokes his chin thoughtfully. "That''s right, is there still no news of He Lianming''s whereabouts?"

    "None of them manage to catch even a glimpse of his shadow. What should we do?"

    "I reckon he has his own plans to set in motion. That person''s character is so smelly. There''s no way he will die so easily or willingly become the slave of a demonic being," Long Zhanye muses.

    "You really understand him well ah." Huo Zaiyuan smiles as he playfully pinches the older man''s cheeks.

    Towards other matters, Long Zhanye is very perceptive. But regarding matters of the heart, he is naturally slow. Ever since Huo Zaiyuan emerged from closed-door cultivation, he has witnessed more than a few high official''s children trying to get close to Long Zhanye either due to personal admiration or urging from their families. However, this man never even notices their blatant seduction. Thus Huo Zaiyuan feels that perhaps Long Zhanye is observant only when it comes to him¡­because he was the one who first opened his heart to Huo Zaiyuan.

    Thinking up til here, Huo Zaiyuan''s heart throbs as a burst of exhilaration fills him. Aiya¡­he feels so embarrassed now.

    "We enlisted, trained and graduated together, so I would naturally pick these things up. Beloved, what are you thinking about, hmm? You face is all red."

    Very suspicious ah.

    "Eh¡­no - nothing. Er¡­let''s continue¡­what were we talking about just now?" Huo Zaiyuan immediately snaps out of his daze, attempting to change the topic.

    Not pushing the matter, the two men continue discussing the matter pertaining to the zombies approaching A City.

    Even before the survivor migration proposal was implemented, they already had plans regarding the safe zone''s perimeter walls. Now with all five over million survivors in A City, the wall plans are put into action, transforming this place into less of a safe zone and more of a fortified city.

    After finishing their meal, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan head out to the patrol the newly established city walls. The soldiers there salute Long Zhanye as they pass before continuing their duties.

    "Ai, the weather is really not cooperating ah," Standing at the top of the wall, Long Zhanye mumbles as they are directly hit by the cold, early-spring wind.

    "The period has long been chosen by the mastermind behind this event. Or it could have been that demonic head. Either way, they know where the undead''s weakness lies. Compared to cold climate or snow, rain will greatly hinder the zombies'' movements, hence they picked this moment. He Lianming''s defect and Xu Mingyi''s death are no more than excuses." Standing next to Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan stares at the distant horizon. "Even if these two events did not occur, after the ice and snow melt, the same decision to march zombies towards A City will be made. Lay siege to the final stronghold and ensure all humans are transformed into zombies. Afterwards comes the mutual devouring until only one remains to break the seal."

    "Un. Only in the end, what kind of being is that head? Even the Elder Taoist priest can''t find records of it within the ancient scrolls in the temple''s library." Long Zhanye''s brow wrinkles.

    "Un¡­I have discussed this matter with Master a few days ago. There was a record of a monster that closely resembles it. However, that creature in the scrolls is not a demonic being, but a deity," Huo Zaiyuan explains slowly as he recalls what he read from the ancient scroll.

    "A god? What kind of god is it?"

    "Chi You[1]."

    "In mythology, the one who was beheaded by the Yellow Emperor is¡­" While Long Zhanye has no interest in myths and legends, he is still somewhat knowledgeable regarding the more popular tales.

    "Whether this is the real "Chi You" or not, I have no idea. But their circumstances are similar. Perhaps there are still some unknown factors at play. In every folklore, Chi You is always depicted as the villain and is more well-known as the "Demon God" than the God of War." Huo Zaiyuan sighs softly. "If it really is the "Demon God", there wouldn''t be another "Yellow Emperor" to chop his head off again."

    "If that head really belongs to the real "Chi You", then who sealed it away? It shouldn''t be the "Yellow Emperor", right?"

    "If this "Yellow Emperor" is a Taoist practitioner, then it is very possible."

    Just as the two of them are conversing, a person walks over to mock. "Yi, you two have good taste ah. Running all the way out to the city walls for a romantic date."

    Hearing this, Long Zhanye quirks an eyebrow as he eyes the approaching man. "Didn''t I send my left adjutant over with some documents? Have you finished looking through them?!"

    "Hmm? Documents? I don''t know what you are talking about." Long Hongjian places his hands on his hips, shamelessly denying all knowledge. "Ah, older cousin, everything we''ve discussed in the meeting earlier has been put in order. Besides the army and the mercenary squads, it''s a confidential matter to everyone else."

    "Un."

    "You truly think there''s something more unusual about to occur? Beside the large horde coming to siege this city, are there more pawns hidden amongst the survivors like that Taoist priest?" Long Hongjian asks lowly as he stands at Long Zhanye''s other side.

    "It took ¡®him¡¯ a year to uncover just these two individuals concealed within the safe zone. But my intuition tells me that things are certainly not so simple. In addition, with all survivors gathered together here, the situation has gotten more complicated," Long Zhanye answers as his hands clench into fists.

    "Your intuition has always been sharper than a dog''s nose. Since you say so, I trust you." Long Hongjian narrows his eyes, gaze sweeping over the horizon. "The storm will approach very soon."

    "That''s right ah¡­"

    Footnotes:

    [1] Chi You (ò¿ÓÈ): The God of War and weapons. A half-man, half-bull demon who is an enemy of the Yellow Emperor.

 CH 160

    Chapter 160: Zombie tidal wave finally strikes

    The speed of the controlled zombies is extremely fast. In a short three days¡¯ time, they have already reached a few miles away from A''s city walls.

    Up on the city walls, every available cannon, mortars and howitzers has been turned to face the front, with all the Ability Users lining the wall as well.

    "Like this¡­there really wouldn''t be any problems? Boss?" A soldier tightly gripping his rifle asks nervously, glancing at the handsome man next to him. Dressed in a neatly-pressed military uniform, unlit cigarette clenched between his teeth, submachine gun resting on his shoulder and a foot stepping on the low merlon, he exudes a magnificent aura.

    Sure enough, Boss is the best-looking officer out here¡­eh¡­no, no. Now is not the time to be thinking about this. Zombies are about to lay siege to the city. Their top priority is to ensure these walls are not breached, and the survivors within are kept safe. If they fail, the last survivors left in this country will¡­

    This fortified city spans a vast piece of land. He has no idea why Boss would issue a command like this, but he unexpectedly ordered everyone to guard only the front. What if this horde decides to flank them from the sides and rear? Wouldn''t this be a lost battle from the very start?

    "When has your Boss ever been unreliable? Rest easy and concentrate on defending!" Long Zhanye waves a dismissive hand towards the soldier.

    "Yes, Sir." Clicking his heels together and saluting, the soldier clutches his firearm closer and fixes his gaze in front.

    Right this moment, a few figures appear, dashing over at high speeds. Before anyone has time to react, they leap high into the air, landing easily on the top of the city wall as though they had somehow grown wings.

    Black hair fluttering elegantly in the wind, the person crouching on the low merlon regards everyone calmly, like a deity surveying mere mortals below.

    "Is everything settled?" A faint, affectionate smile appears on Long Zhanye''s face as he draws that person into his arms.

    "Of course," Huo Zaiyuan answers, kissing Long Zhanye''s cheek.

    The sweet little exchange between the pair of lovers succeeds in easing quite a bit of nervous tension. More than a few soldiers witnessing this scene flush red, but can''t seem to pull their gazes away.

    "Focus on the front! Not allowed to look here!" In a flash, the smile on his face morphs into a furious glare, startling the soldiers who instantly turn their heads away, not wanting to bring their Boss'' ire upon themselves.

    Time seems to crawl by slowly. None of the defenders knows exactly how long they stood at the ready for when suddenly, a loud alarm rings through the entire city. The warning comes from one of the watchtowers near the walls.

    "Everyone, at the ready. Tens of thousands of undead have appeared¡­" This short message repeats three times before cutting off.

    Above the city wall, the soldiers move forward to the edge, all firearms aimed towards the front. The crews manning the cannons and various artilleries take up position, and the runners in charge of delivering ammunition increase their speed ten-fold.

    "Reporting. Another large swarm has been spotted coming from the east!" Another voice informs over the loudspeaker. The east side means A City''s left. The wall on that end is completely unmanned.

    As soon as this report information sounds, the troops from other cities that volunteered to assist in guarding the walls fall into a panic. On the other hand, the well-trained soldiers of A City remain firmly glued to their positions, unfazed by the announcement.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    A series of loud explosions tears through the loud, freaked-out yells. Following the bangs, the orderly group of zombies approaching from the east begin to collapse row by row.

    What¡­what is going on?!

    Before their very eyes, in the midst of the fallen undead, a golden blaze ignites. The spiritual flames spread swiftly, forming into a huge pillar of fire that illuminates the patch of sky above.

    "What¡­what is this?!"

    Almost everyone present and currently witnessing this scene is struck dumb. Faced with such a huge wave of zombies, it naturally incites fear in their heart. But these explosions, that golden flames¡­

    "Oi, oi! What are you standing around gaping at ah! The zombies are knocking on the front doors already!!" Long Zhanye''s timely bellow snaps them all from their daze. Raising his gun, he fires a shot into the air. "From here on, we are to defend this frontline! This stretch of wall that spans three hundred meters is the last obstacle between those monsters and the remnants of humankind! We will stand and hold this place until the last!"

    This short speech is enough to rouse their fighting spirit and lift their morale. A deafening roar resonates from the top of the northern wall. Immediately after, the first lot of cannon shells and mortar rounds slam into the earth beyond the city, followed closely by numerous bursts of gunfire. The tidal wave of undead surging forward fall in droves, piling up before the line spanning three hundred meters.

    ~~~

    For three continuous days and nights, the sound of gunfire and artillery shells whistling through the air doesn''t cease as undead pour forth in a steady flow. The artillery crews and marksmen on top of the wall take turns in shifts to dole punishment out to the creatures below.

    "So many dead and still no end in sight. I really wonder if the mastermind behind this has gathered all the zombies in the world here," Leaning against the wall, Long Hongjian murmurs as he stuffs a pancake into his mouth. Bags under his bloodshot eyes, it is not difficult to see he is rather exhausted.

    All the commanders are in charge of directing the operation, ensuring it flows smoothly. They work in eight-hour shifts, but in this highly-tensed situation, eight hours feels like an eternity.

    "It is possible." Taking a bite out of his own flatbread, Long Zhanye lifts his rifle and enters the ''battle''.

    From the bottom of the wall, several figures scale the wall swiftly, reaching the top of it in less than a minute. Each individual''s attire is stained with blood and rotting flesh.

    "We can''t keep up with the burning of all these corpses at this rate," Brow wrinkling, a man clad in a Taoist robe says in an aggravated tone. "Junior Martial Brother, the spiritual fires are gradually extinguishing but the undead are still pouring forth. At this rate, we will either run out of talisman or die from exhaustion."

    This man is a master within the ''School of Taoism'', and is Tian Jizi''s eldest disciple. A stocky but muscled individual, he looks frightening when his face darkens, but is a very reliable fellow in times of difficulty.

    "It can''t be helped. The Taoist apprentices don''t know how to use the Earth Entrapment Limit Charm. If we send them down there, they will be torn apart by zombies in a few seconds." Although his expression remains tranquil, Huo Zaiyuan''s tone reveals a trace of frustration.

    "Indeed. That bunch of brats. After we deal with this tide of zombies, I will be sure to beat the ''Ways of dealing with demonic beings'' into their heads!" Second Senior Martial Brother is a short-tempered man. It is no surprise that his anger exploded after being tossed around for three continuous days.

    "I agree." Third Senior Martial Brother nods firmly.

    "Rest for a while. I''ll get some water for you," Huo Zaiyuan says as he sweeps a glance over the small party.

    "Ai, ai¡­I will go with you, Junior Martial Brother. You have been running to get us water every time. I feel a little bad," Third Senior Martial Brother speaks up once he sees Huo Zaiyuan preparing to leave.

    "It''s fine, I can get them by myself." Huo Zaiyuan waves him away.

    As a Taoist priest, all their talismans are activated through using their inner spiritual energy. For the last three days, he added a little bit of peach juice into the waters of his Senior Martial Brothers, or else all of them would have been drained long ago.

    Huo Zaiyuan''s gaze drops to the bottom of the city wall, where under the constant hail of bullets and shells, the undead continues surging forward in a steady stream¡­now the situation on the frontline has become more strenuous than before.

    "Little Yuan." Machine gun on his back, Long Zhanye turns his head just in time to see the person he misses dearly standing a distance away, expression blank as he is lost in thought.

    "Eh¡­" Glancing up at the approaching figure, a smile appears. However, when the other reaches out with the intention to hug him, he steps back to avoid it. "Don''t come near me."

    Being rejected so blatantly, hurt flashes across Long Zhanye''s face. "Little Yuan¡­"

    Busy directing the soldiers and supply line from dawn to dusk these past days, although he and little Yuan are stationed at the same stretch of wall, their paths seldom cross. He only wanted to hold him for a while to ease a little tiredness and tension, but is unexpectedly refused without hesitation.

    So sad¡­

    "I¡­my clothes are stained with zombie blood and other body fluids. I''m really dirty right now, so don''t touch me¡­" Huo Zaiyuan explains, knowing what is going on in Long Zhanye''s mind as soon as him expression falls.

    "I don''t care." Long Zhanye cheerfully grasps Huo Zaiyuan''s hands.

    "But I do. There''s infectious virus. All right, be good and go back to your post. I have work to do." Huo Zaiyuan gently shakes off Long Zhanye''s hands. However, he couldn''t resist kissing the older man''s cheek before departing.

    Fingers touching the spot where Huo Zaiyuan''s lips landed on, a gentle and fond smile curves Long Zhanye''s mouth.

    "Lord Captain!" A figure abruptly materialises out of thin air in front of him, clad from head to toe in black clothes. "We have found ''that person''s'' trail, so I came back to report to you." Saying thus, he offers Long Zhanye a folded paper star.

    Swiftly unfolding the strip of paper, Long Zhanye stiffens as soon as he read the words on it. "That bastard¡­got it. Return to your post and be careful."

    "Yes, Sir."

    The slip of paper clenched tightly in his hand, Long Zhanye whirls on his heels and walks away. In a dim corner, a figure silently stares at Long Zhanye''s retreating back, expression dark as they seem to contemplate something. A short while later, that person strides away from the dim corner, carrying a plate of warm food and jogging up to Long Zhanye.

    "Eldest brother Long, I''m here to deliver some food to you. Rest a little and eat something."

    Emptying the magazine of his machine guns, Long Zhanye lowers his firearm at the familiar voice and offers the person a faint smile. "I''ve inconvenienced you again."

    "It''s no trouble. You saved me quite a few times, and I don''t know how to repay you¡­this is nothing. As long as I am able to assist you. Also, very quickly, you will¡­" Cheng Mingcheng trails off.

    "What is it?"

    "No - nothing. Eldest brother Long, can I learn to shoot here?"

    "Sure ah."

 CH 161

    Chapter 161: Unforeseen surprise

    Surrounded by undead, the driver of the black Land Rover remains expressionless, as though they are a lifeless puppet. In the backseat of this vehicle is He Lianming and Ah Si.

    "Ming, see? Are you seeing this? Haha¡­no matter how capable Long Zhanye and his soldiers are, no matter how strong their artillery barrage is, the amount of zombies we have is enormous! This safe zone will be overwhelmed sooner or later!!" Ah Si says, a near fanatical expression on his face.

    "Indeed." He Lianming hums, face so bland that one cannot make out what is running through his mind.

    "Ming, I will exact revenge on your behalf. Watch me, I will definitely force Long Zhanye on his knees before you¡­make him kneel and beg for forgiveness."

    "Is that so? I will have to thank you properly when you make it come true." He Lianming smirks faintly, then slowly draws closer to Ah Si. As slender hands settle on the other''s hips, he drags his lips over Ah Si''s, initiating a deep and hard kiss.

    In the period between their first time together and right now, the two men are more than familiar with each other''s body. Hence, this one kiss is enough to fan the spark and set their passions ablaze.

    Ah Si''s aggression rises and he easily dominates He Lianming, all but mauling the latter''s lips before moving down his fair neck to the collarbone. However, as he lost himself in a haze of lust, he never expected the hands wandering up his waist and chest to suddenly chop down on the back of his neck.

    A flare of pain erupts, causing Ah Si to freeze. Bewildered gaze meeting the seductively smiling commander, his jaw works but nothing comes out of his mouth. In the next second, he blacks out.

    Catching Ah Si''s limp body and laying him back onto the seat, He Lianming tugs a pair of gloves on before reaching into the unconscious man''s clothes. From within the breast pocket of Ah Si''s shirt, He Lianming removes a talisman emitting rays of black light.

    Boom! Blam!

    Following the sudden loud noise, the car''s door is abruptly pulled open. A second later, the expressionless man in the driver''s seat is dragged out and tossed away. An individual clad in black clothes appear in the newly-vacated seat.

    "Lord Commander He, everything is ready. Ah Jue and the others have transmitted the information back to the safe zone. We can leave now. After that Ah Si lost consciousness, all the zombies stopped moving."

    "Un." He Lianming''s eyes narrow lightly as a pleased smile pulls at the corners of his mouth.

    A tornado abruptly bursts into existence around the Land Rover. Slowly, the vehicle rises, gently lifted by the roaring winds and speeding towards the direction of A City.

    ~~~

    Safe zone - Northern city wall

    In a flicker of shadows, a person clad in a military uniform appears beside Long Zhanye.

    "Emergency report. ''His'' plan is a success. ''He'' is now on the way back."

    "Emergency report from the watchtower. The tidal wave of zombies has suddenly stopped!"

    "That bastard did a great job!" Hearing the good news, Long Zhanye smiles faintly, fingers moving through a series of signs.

    After, a voice comes through the loudspeaker. "All units, cease fire!"

    The sounds of gunfire and artillery immediately cease. After three days of continuous barrage, a heavy silence settles over the frontlines.

    "Boss!!" A soldier rushes up to Long Zhanye, handing a pair of binoculars over.

    Looking through the binoculars towards the direction the soldier is pointing at. Long Zhanye''s smile instantly disappears. Shoving the binoculars in the soldier''s hands, he leaps up onto the low merlon.

    "Ability Users, move out!"

    Before the other soldiers can react, Long Zhanye has already jumped down the city wall, closely followed by every Ability Users present.

    At the other end of the northern wall, Huo Zaiyuan is sitting in meditation with the other Master Taoist priests when he hears the yells of the people along this three hundred meter stretch. He lifts his head just in time to see Long Zhanye stepping off.

    "Something''s wrong!" Huo Zaiyuan shouts and scrambles to his feet and jumps off as well without hesitation.

    "Junior Martial Brother!"

    Long Zhanye and He Lianming. These two men are A military base''s legendary figures, gifted in both physical ability and intelligence. The tidal wave of zombies this time was an attack planned between them. Besides using this chance to dig out the mysterious ¡®Sorceror''s cult¡¯, it is also a good way to reduce the number of zombies on this land.

    However, there are some obvious flaws in the plan that weren''t taken into account as both men never expected He Lianming''s ability to be exhausted so quickly. At the same time, amongst the sea of common undead that has ceased moving forwards, a few extremely fast figures dash out. No doubt, these are evolved zombies.

    Without the tornado lifting the Land Rover up, the car falls heavily to the ground. In a blink of an eye, the evolved undead at the head of the small group leaps onto the roof of the vehicle.

    Leading the charge, Long Zhanye fires his rifle from the hip at the zombie on the roof, leaving the other evolved undead to the Ability Users on his heels.

    Having gone through top-notch modification, the rifle''s penetration power is very powerful. Coupled with Long Zhanye''s excellent marksmanship, the three fired shots pierces through the target''s chest and kneecaps, causing the undead to fall off the roof and onto the ground.

    Screeching to a halt beside Long Zhanye, the Land Rover''s backseat window winds down and out pops He Lianming''s handsome face, which is full of amazement.

    "Why did you run all the way out here?!"

    "Exchange ah! Exchange! I''ll leave the safe zone in your hands! Go!" Saying thus, he whips around and pulls the trigger two more times, putting an end to the crippled undead trying to crawl towards the vehicle.

    The Land Rover''s engine revs loudly and the driver steps on the accelerator before speeding away. He Lianming''s departing yell of "be careful" is nearly drowned out by the wind.

    As the car pulls away, another zombie pounces towards Long Zhanye, only for a streak of silver light to intercept it. The explosion that follows sends the creature flying.

    "Zhanye!" Huo Zaiyuan calls out as he sprints up to his lover.

    "I''m fine," Long Zhanye says as he shoots him a smile.

    "That zombie''s yours. I''ve got arrays to lay." Waving his left hand, six peach wood tiles appear.

    Even though the common zombies are no longer trying to lay siege to the city, there is no telling when they might suddenly start moving again. In order no to be caught off-guard and land the safe zone in a perilous situation, Huo Zaiyuan decides to lay some barriers around here to block the undead.

    "All right!" Slinging his rifle onto his back, Long Zhanye unsheathes the steel military dagger tucked in his belt.

    When confronting an evolved undead that possesses high speed and fast reflexes, no matter how accurate one is or how powerful the bullet''s penetration, one will only be wasting ammunition if every shot is dodged. Attacking with a blade would, in fact, place him in a more advantageous position.

    With more Ability Users compared to evolved zombies, the humans aren''t experiencing too much pressure on their side. Tossing the wooden tiles into the air, Huo Zaiyuan begins setting down the array. Six Divine Amplification Charm are linked together to form a Heaven Concealing Array. Silver, translucent runes flow out from the tiles, filling the spaces between each talisman. Able to defend and attack, don''t say common zombies, even Rank 3 evolved ones would be hard pressed to rip through this barrier.

    Once the barrier is completed, Huo Zaiyuan also enters the fray. One by one, the zombies are picked off, their corpses consumed by golden flames.

    Seeing that defeat is at hand, the figure hiding in the dim corner on the city wall begins to transform. Strange, crimson liquid seeps into his eyes, completely obscuring the dark pupils even as fair skin changes to a cracked, purplish-green.

    "Rarrghhh - !!"

    Face to the sky, the mouth full of shark-like teeth splits open, a thunderous roar ripping through the air. A large, invisible pressure crashes down on the frightened soldiers lining the entire stretch of wall, forcing them flat to the ground. Before anyone can struggle to their feet, a shadow leaps down, streaking towards where Long Zhanye and his party are.

    Although none of the soldiers knows what happened exactly, but as soon as the pressure eases and the shadow rushes towards the group down below, they rush to the edge of the wall and yell, "Boss! Danger!!"

    A blast of fire, a lightning bolt, a shower of ice spikes and finally, a horizontal swing of a dagger. The last evolved undead is reduced to a headless pile of rotten minced meat. A flick of Huo Zaiyuan''s fingers and the remains are reduced to nothingness.

    The sudden, loud, panicked yell from the wall has Long Zhanye turning to look over his shoulder. His vision blurs, and the next thing he knows, the Ability Users around him are torn to shreds. When he finally registers the enemy, he sees razor-sharp, foot-length claws aiming for Huo Zaiyuan''s back.

    "Little Yuan!!" Long Zhanye cries out in alarm, instinctively throwing himself between his lover and the enemy.

    Blinding, intense pain erupts as five claws pierce right through flesh and bones.

    "Zhanye!!" Huo Zaiyuan spins around as soon as he heard Long Zhanye''s shout, but he is too slow to do anything. His eyes widen in dread and shock. Opaque crimson eyes without pupils, a mouthful of shark-like teeth, cracked purplish-red skin, the evolved zombie''s long, black claws skewer clean through Long Zhanye''s left shoulder and chest.

    Staring at Huo Zaiyuan''s fearful face, Long Zhanye''s lips move, but is unable to choke out a single word. Instead, blood bubbles out of his mouth and down his chin, staining his collar.

    "Heehee¡­Taoist, the first one I should have torn to shreds is you! However¡­since I successfully captured this man, I suppose it''s adequate compensation. He will become the strongest zombie in the world," the undead rasps in triumph. Withdrawing its claws, the creature seizes Long Zhanye by the back of his uniform and dashes off, tearing through the array like it is made out of paper.

    The common zombies begin to move once more, gathering together and shamble towards the city.

    The rumbling of countless shuffling feet, the chorus of low growls¡­all are drowned out as the atmospheric pressure becomes heavier and heavier. An invisible wind kicks up around Huo Zaiyuan, causing his hair and clothes to billow out. Intense rays of silver light bursts from his entire body.

    "Return Zhanye to me!!"

    Following this roar of anguish and fury, Huo Zaiyuan disappears in a flash of light, charging directly into the mass of undead. Every zombie the silver light touches instantly dissolves into dust. Like this, he leaves a trail of destruction behind as he chases after the evolved zombie.

    (Translator¡¯s note: I think the author forgot that He Lianming was given power over water, not wind. Or maybe they forgot to mention he had dual-abilities¡­? Ah well¡­)

 CH 162

    Chapter 162: Lian Xiang

    The object in his hands falls to the ground unnoticed as the young man abruptly snaps his head around towards the northern city wall. In the distant horizon, one can see silver rays of light rushing up towards the sky.

    "Something went wrong," Lian Xiang states lowly.

    "Lian Xiang, what''s the matter?" Mo Junfan walks up to him and inquires.

    This person has always faced everything head-on with a calm and collected attitude, no matter the event. Right now, however, his face is distressed. Clearly, whatever happened is an extremely serious matter.

    "¡¯He¡¯ was met with an accident. I need to go out of the city." With a wave of his hand, golden light seeps out and congeals into a jian. Not waiting for Mo Junfan to respond, he pushes off the ground, leaping high into the air.

    "Lian Xiang!!" Staring after the departing figure, Mo Junfan knows he cannot catch up. "Dammit!"

    Treading lightly in midair, every step leaves behind a golden lotus that disperses into a shower of sparks. Lian Xiang''s speed is extremely fast, reaching the northern wall in no time. With the horde coming back, the sound of gunfire and artillery barrage rings out once more. Dodging the hail of fire, his hands move through a few signs. A golden swastika is carved into the ground, wiping out a large portion of the undead, reducing it to a more manageable amount. His figure flashes again, speeding towards the horizon.

    He made a mistake. A very big mistake.

    In the safe zone a few days ago, he had already felt ''his'' spiritual signature moving back and forth. However, he thought he might as well wait until the tidal wave of undead has been dealt with before meeting ''him''. He ought to have met the other party as soon as he felt ''him'' nearby!

    Anxiety floods his eyes as this thought surfaces. Lian Xiang pushes himself to go further, faster¡­

    In the middle of the dense forest, a purplish-red shadow darts around, leaving grating laughter in its wake.

    "Hahaha¡­how ironic¡­you share such a deep, mutual love¡­but it is because of you that I managed to stab him through the chest¡­"

    "Shut up!!" Brilliant streaks of silvery light burst forth as Huo Zaiyuan growls in rage. "Return him to me!!"

    "Heehee¡­what can you do even if I return him to you? Long Zhanye is already infected with evil energy. He will transform into a zombie. Don''t tell me that as a Taoist practitioner, you are willing to do something taboo like keeping a zombie as your lover? Hahaha¡­"

    "Shut up!!"

    As he becomes more agitated, his spiritual energy grows increasingly chaotic. Drawing as much power from his reserves as possible, his speed increased ten-fold as he charges towards the purplish-red streak.

    The two beings collide heavily, crashing through several tree trunks before slamming onto the ground, rolling a few times before coming to a stop.

    Both arms wrapped tightly around the gradually cooling body, Huo Zaiyuan slams harshly into a tree. Even as excruciating pain roars through his entire being, he refuses to let the person in his embrace go. He cannot. He will not.

    "Zhan¡­Zhanye¡­" Clenching his teeth to smother the groan of agony, Huo Zaiyuan whispers and he gazes down at the man in his arms. Handsome face deathly pale from blood-loss, the faint puffs of breath seeping out feebly from between his lips indicate that he is still alive. Blood continues to run non-stop from the five holes in his shoulder and chest, but it isn''t scarlet in colour. Instead, it is inky black, showing that Zhanye is already infected by the virus.

    The evolved zombie that was formerly Cheng Mingcheng drags itself up from where it was slammed into the ground by a furious Huo Zaiyuan and slowly saunters over. Seeing the Taoist practitioner hugging Long Zhanye tightly to his chest, it throws its head back and roars with laughter. "Hahaha¡­it''s no use. He is already infected by my evil energy. Very soon, he will become a zombie just like me. The strongest one in existence¡­hahaha¡­"

    "I said, shut your mouth!!" Huo Zaiyuan growls, not even bothering to look at it. Flicking his left wrist, he gathers a large sphere of pure spiritual power, injecting it between Long Zhanye''s eyebrows. "I will definitely not allow him to turn into a zombie. Even if I destroy my cultivation base, I will definitely not let you have your way!!"

    Once evil energy makes its way to the victim''s brain through their bloodstream, it will cause brain death. Afterwards, the energy within the body will overtake the basic bodily functions, turning the victim into a walking corpse. As long as he prevents the evil energy from reaching Long Zhanye''s brain, he can ensure the man will not transform for a short while. Huo Zaiyuan is well aware that he has used up quite a bit of spiritual energy already, but he cannot do nothing. He is unwilling to see this remarkable man become a walking corpse, a mere puppet for someone else¡­

    "Is that so? Such a shame¡­I wouldn''t let you have an opportunity to do so." Sharp claws extending once more, a formidable amount of evil energy envelops Cheng Mingcheng.

    Huo Zaiyuan has never encountered an undead possessing this much power.

    With a roar, Cheng Mingcheng springs towards Huo Zaiyuan. Its goal is only to obtain Long Zhanye. Huo Zaiyuan''s mere existence grates on its nerves. It can''t fathom why¡­why would this person be able to possess all of Long Zhanye''s love? Why would this person be able to obtain such a high cultivation and spiritual power? If it tears this person to shreds, Long Zhanye will be its own. It will be the ultimate winner!

    One arm circled around Long Zhanye to support his limp body, the other hand placed on his forehead, unceasingly injecting pure spiritual power in an attempt to disperse the evil energy within. Even if he wishes to, Huo Zaiyuan cannot hope to evade Cheng Mingcheng''s attack. But Liu Ying is not about to let its master die like this. With a resounding ¡®clang¡¯, the silver jian blocks the black claws.

    The burst of power from two opposing forces clashing pushes Liu Ying and Cheng Mingcheng a few meters away from each other.

    "Do you think a jian possessing a spirit will be able to stop me? Wishful thinking!" Cheng Mingcheng snarls and the evil energy he exudes spikes again before attacking Huo Zaiyuan once more.

    Without the slightest hesitation, Liu Ying meets it head on, successfully block the strike.

    Huo Zaiyuan wants to protect Long Zhanye, and the sword spirit wants to protect Huo Zaiyuan. In Liu Ying''s eyes, Huo Zaiyuan is an extremely important person that cannot be replaced.

    The collision of the undead''s large evil energy clashing with Liu Ying''s own formidable power results in a huge explosion that manages to snap a few of Cheng Mingcheng''s sharp claws. One is thrown away, breaking more trees while the other shoots up into the air, rotating a few times before morphing back into its spiritual form. The small spirit falls to the ground with a thud, tumbling to a stop before Huo Zaiyuan.

    "Lui Ying¡­" Looking at the small, bruised spirit, a teardrop leaks out the corner of Huo Zaiyuan''s eyes.

    "Chi -- (Don''t cry, I''m all right.)" Lifting its head with difficulty, sorrow and self-blame appear on Liu Ying''s face as it sees Huo Zaiyuan''s tears.

    Once again, this happened. Just like that time. Yet again, he is unable to protect him¡­

    "Haha¡­what now? Huo Zaiyuan, do you have a second spirit sword hidden away somewhere?!" Getting back on its feet, Cheng Mingcheng laughs manically. Although a few of its claws were blown apart and it is covered in injuries, it is an unfeeling zombie. Thus, this is nothing more than an annoyance. "Just be good and quietly receive death!!"

    Cheng Mingcheng attacks for a third time, remaining claws aiming for Huo Zaiyuan''s heart.

    Gaze locked onto the undead, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t move or attempt to dodge, merely continuing to inject a stream of energy into Long Zhanye''s body.

    Is this how it will all end¡­?

    Just as his life hangs by a thread, a large presence drops from the sky above, striking Cheng Mingcheng away before it can touch Huo Zaiyuan. An image of Buddha meditating in the middle of a lotus carved into the hilt of the sword, a golden blade strikes deep into the earth.

    Staring at the jian before him, Huo Zaiyuan raises his head to see a youth approaching in mid-air, a hand placed before his chest in prayer, soft chants falling from his lips.

    "You are¡­"

    "I am Lian Xiang. I apologise for arriving so late." Dropping lightly to the ground, he condenses a sphere of spiritual energy and injects it into Huo Zaiyuan''s body.

    Although the Art they practise is different, with one a Taoist and the other a Buddhist, the two are exceptionally harmonious. Huo Zaiyuan feels his own reserves replenishing rapidly even as he continues sending more into Long Zhanye. The green tint on the unconscious person''s face gradually recedes, returning to the deathly pale colour of a blood-loss victim.

    "My power cannot fuse with yours like our energy can since we practise different Arts. This is all the assistance I can provide. Lock the evil energy within his body somewhere first. We can plan out next step once we get to a safer location." Lian Xiang advises, beads of sweat gathering on his brow. After expanding quite a bit of energy to rush here, and after injecting more into Huo Zaiyuan, he himself is running low. If they slip up even a little, the two of them will be in big trouble.

    "Un." Although he hasn''t got the faintest clue about other arts besides Taoist Arts, he is aware that what this youth did for him was rather risky. If their spiritual nature were incompatible, Lian Xiang could have severely harmed himself. Raising his hand, Huo Zaiyuan draws a rune in the air.

    "Stop getting carried away, you two cannot escape from here!" Cheng Mingcheng is truly infuriated now as he pounces towards Huo Zaiyuan and Lian Xiang.

    "Fu Hua! Liu Ying!" Lian Xiang''s sharp voice rings out.

    The golden jian rises from the ground, joined by Liu Ying who reverted back to its sword form not too long ago. One silver and one gold streak revolve around each other, melding together to form a large, dazzling spear of light that shoots towards Cheng Mingcheng.

    "Ahh -- "

    An agonised wail resonates through the forest as the Fu Hua hacks off both arms and Liu Ying pierces it through an eye.

 CH 163

    Chapter 163: Dragon pool and Dragon pearl

    Lian Xiang''s appearance allows them to beat back Cheng Mingcheng and the evil energy running rampant in Long Zhanye''s body to be temporarily suppressed. However, if they return like this to the city, they will no doubt bring about chaos and panic. Thus, Lian Xiang proposes to stay for a while within a vacant house nearby.

    Laying Long Zhanye down on the sofa in the living room, Huo Zaiyuan caresses that pale, bloodless face, distress clear in his eyes. Turning towards Lian Xiang, he says, "Thank you very much for rescuing me. I am Huo Zaiyuan."

    "So that''s your name now," Lian Xiang replies with a smile. "No need to be so courteous. We are good friends."

    "This¡­seems to be the first meeting between us." Huo Zaiyuan blinks in bewilderment.

    Many call themselves his friend, but those he trusts amounts to only a few. Someone like Lian Xiang who willingly throws himself into danger in order to rescue a friend is definitely not an individual Huo Zaiyuan will forget. Hence, he is certain that this is his first time meeting the Buddhist.

    "This is indeed our first meeting, but being best friends is also a fact." Lian Xiang doesn''t elaborate further. "No wonder your spiritual signature is only faintly discernible. Taking on this form¡­"

    "Excuse me?"

    "Nothing. I''ll go ahead and lay arrays around this house. Even if that zombie come back, there''s no need to worry. Rest properly and recover your energy. It will be the best decision for you and that person." Lian Xiang advises before he turns to leave, golden jian in hand.

    Staring at the Buddhist''s retreating back, Huo Zaiyuan materialises a bamboo tube in his left hand and calls out. "Lian Xiang¡­this tube contains fermented peach juice that may be able to replenish your reserves. I don''t know if it will be effective for you, so you might want to try a little first."

    Although the situation was urgent, Huo Zaiyuan notices that their Arts are very different. Therefore, he isn''t quite sure if the peach juice is able to help Lian Xiang.

    "Un." Lian Xiang also drops his formality, taking the offered bamboo tube with a practise motion as if they have been doing this all their lives.

    Twisting open the bamboo tube, Lian Xiang swallows a mouthful of liquid before a flabbergasted expression surfaces.

    "What''s the matter? Is something not right?"

    "This is the fermented juice taken from the Nine Heavens Immortal peaches." Stating with such firmness and not a trace of question, suffice to say, Lian Xiang is no stranger to the peach tree in Huo Zaiyuan''s space.

    "You know?" Huo Zaiyuan asks in surprise.

    Ever since he obtained his space and everything within, this is the first time the name of the peach tree is spoken by someone else.

    "I do. The Nine Heavens Immortal peach is the Taoist ''Jade Spiritual Core'' sect''s treasure that is handed down throughout the generations. A rebellion broke out within the sect, led by the Heretical Dragon, and this tree was pulled up by the roots. To this day, no one knows the whereabouts of this tree. Hang on¡­how did you obtain the Nine Heavens Immortal peach? Did the Heretical Dragon leave something for you? If that''s the case, then he can most certainly be rescued," Lian Xiang says solemnly as he points towards the man lying on the sofa.

    Regarding all the "Heretical Dragon" and "Jade Spiritual Core sect" coming from Lian Xiang''s mouth, Huo Zaiyuan doesn''t understand it one bit. But as soon as he mentions being able to save Long Zhanye, the Taoist''s eyes widen. Rushing up to the other youth, he grabs Lian Xiang by the front of his shirt.

    "You¡­are you telling the truth? The juice from this peach will be able to save Zhanye?!"

    "No, not the Nine Heavens Immortal peach. Although it is extraordinary, it doesn''t possess the capability to drive off evil energy in a person''s body. Since the Heretical Dragon left this priceless tree in your hands, he must have given you other items. Hmm¡­how should I put it¡­that spring pool that people calls the ''Dragon Pool''. Its water contains a large amount of pure spiritual energy. Besides being able to expel evil, it can suppress demonic energy. Long ago, when the Heretical Dragon was beaten down by Immortals, they sealed him in the ''Dragon Pool''." Lian Xiang is not a wordy person by nature. Suddenly made to talk so much clearly bothers him.

    "Dragon pool¡­formidable pure spiritual energy¡­able to expel evil¡­don''t tell me it''s the Holy Nine Dragons Spring Pool! Wait here." No caring that the other sees, Huo Zaiyuan enters his space in a flash of silver light and fills a bamboo tube. Reappearing after a moment, he hands it out to Lian Xiang. "Here, take a look. Is this it?"

    Lian Xiang doesn''t even blink or show any surprise at this feat. Expression bland as ever, he opens the tube and sips the water.

    "This is it. Soak that man in the pool and set the complementary arrays around him. That way, you will be able to expel all the evil energy within. Naturally¡­it will require a lot of spiritual energy from you."

    "I got it. For him¡­even if it requires my life, I will do it without the slightest hesitation," Huo Zaiyuan lifts his chin and states with firm resolve.

    "I know. You were always one to give the person you love your heart and soul. No matter if it''s the Heretical Dragon or this man," Lian Xiang murmurs under his breath.

    "Hmm?" Wholeheartedly immersed in elation at being able to save Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan completely misses Lian Xiang''s words.

    "Nothing. Make expelling the evil energy within him your top priority. If you are a step too late, even the Great Taoist Immortal himself wouldn''t be able to save him." Lian Xiang shakes his head.

    "All right." Huo Zaiyuan nods and immediately heads over to Long Zhanye. Just as he is about to carry the unconscious man up, a thought strikes him. "Lian Xiang, the spring water will lose its effectiveness after leaving the space for a short while. Besides me¡­no other living beings can enter the space. Zhanye cannot enter, so how am I meant to bring him to the pool¡­?"

    "A restriction?" Lian Xiang pauses in his steps. "May I see the medium you use for the spring water when drawing talismans?"

    "Medium? Sure." Huo Zaiyuan waves his left hand. Following a flash of silver light, the Holy Dragon Bone Brush appears. "It''s this calligraphy brush."

    Taking the white jade brush, Lian Xiang runs two fingers of its length lightly. Gripping it in his right hand, he injects a trickle of inner spiritual power into it. Golden rays of light give form to dozens of blossoming, burning, red lotuses. Rapidly, the Holy Dragon Bone Brush changes, morphing into a magnificent silvery-black pearl.

    "This is¡­" Upon seeing this, Huo Zaiyuan gapes in astonishment.

    "Inversed Dragon Pearl. During that time, the Dragon''s bamboo house was moved elsewhere. I speculated it was brought to the Evil Dragon Mountain. Never would I have imagined ''he'' will make his own Dragon pearl into the medium for the space, even transforming it into a calligraphy brush. It adapts to one''s needs¡­" Saying thus, he hands the pearl back to Huo Zaiyuan. "Place this pearl into his mouth. That way, the spring water''s spiritual energy will not scatter the moment it leaves the space."

    "Okay."

    Walking back to Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan places the Dragon pearl into the man''s mouth before retreating a few paces, stopping in the middle of the spacious and empty hall.

    Pulling the long sleeve of his left arm back, the silver dragon tattoo around his wrist has not disappeared even when the brush has changed its shape. Evidently, Lian Xiang''s speculation is true.

    Huo Zaiyuan has sent items into the space and taken them out countless time until it has become a second nature. But never has he tried removing something that is originally in the space out. Just thinking about it makes him tense with nervousness.

    Because whether or not the evil energy within Long Zhanye''s body can be expelled all rely on this one chance. Thus, no matter what, he must succeed in bringing the spring pool out.

    Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, Huo Zaiyuan extends his left arm outwards and closes his eyes. Concentrating intensely on the spring pool in his space, he imagines the edge of it beneath his palm and wills it out of the space.

    Ordinary items are very easy to store away and take out of the space, but this pool is on a completely different level from common goods. Although he is able to feel the entire pool moving within his space, no matter how hard he concentrates, it simply refuses to exit.

    Only after many repeated attempts does it gradually inch away from its original spot in front of the bamboo forest. Filled with a rush of excitement, Huo Zaiyuan mentally grasps the edge more firmly and injects every last drop of determination in his being to will it out. In the middle of the empty living room, a bright flash of silver light erupts. When it finally dies down, the Holy Nine Dragon Spring Pool sits there, finally removed from the space.

    His vision sways and he distinctly hears Lian Xiang''s "be careful" before his knees buckle, causing him to half-lean, half-collapse in the other''s arms.

    "I - I''m fine. Just a little dizzy. Lian Xiang, may I trouble you to carry Zhanye into the pool while I lay the arrays?"

    "Sure."

    An arm around Huo Zaiyuan''s waist, Lian Xiang supports the former to rest for a while in a corner before he half-carry, half-drags the heavy, unconscious man into the pool.

    As soon as the unconscious figure is submerged beneath the spring water, silver rays of light flashes as rich, pure spiritual energy gathers around Long Zhanye''s body.

    After resting for a while, Huo Zaiyuan drinks a few mouthfuls of peach juice to replenish his reserves. Taking out a bottle of red crystals and a tube of spring water, he begins to draw layers of runes around the pool, forming the corresponding Energy Conjugating Array.

 CH 164

    Chapter 164: The Dragon awakens

    Black robes that are completely opposite from the white clothes of a Taoist priest, it is plain to see that the colour black suits this man very well. However, he still yearns to see dazzling, warm white.

    [Master, please reconsider¡­] A small figure kneels on the ground before him, deep reluctance in their eyes.

    [My decision is final. Without him, I am nothing more than a Heretical Dragon exiled by his own Divine race.] A hand extends outwards, silver spiritual energy condensing in his palm. Injecting it into the spring pool''s water, the black-haired man chuckles lowly. [I have already placed your spirit within the Dragon pearl. If one day, I fail to find him again, protect him on my behalf.]

    [Understood.]

    A long, scaled body dives into the depths of the water. This pool that once sealed him away, that was once the object of his millennium-long hatred, will now be his eternal resting place.

    When he awakens again, he will once more grasp onto that soft, slender hand and never let go.

    Never let go¡­never let go of whom?

    White hair, white robes. That is¡­no, that''s right. The image shouldn''t be like this.

    [I have no family anymore.] A delicate, slim youth says as sorrow and vulnerability surfaces in his dark eyes.

    No family¡­if you don''t have a family, then I will give you one.

    [Zhanye¡­] Long hair drifting in an invisible wind, yearning and deep concern is clearly displayed on his face. The voice calling his name is exceedingly soft and gentle.

    That''s right. This man belongs to him¡­little Yuan.

    ~~~

    The silver light within the spring water gradually bleeds into a strange purplish-red colour. Slowly, it congeals into a dense sphere and rises out of the pool. The Seven Paths Energy Conjugation Array begins to revolve around the edges of the pool, glowing runes rising up to hang in the air. Absorbing the dormant spiritual energy in the surrounding air and transforming it into pure spiritual power, the runes transmit it into the water. Kneeling a foot away from the edge of the pool, Lian Xiang curls an arm around the shoulders of the unconscious Huo Zaiyuan. The Taoist passed out shortly after completing the array due to spiritual exhaustion.  Half his attention is fixed on Long Zhanye, monitoring his condition while the other half doesn¡¯t shift away from his unconscious friend.

    His brow wrinkles as the sphere of evil energy enters the man''s body again. That''s not right. That energy has clearly been expelled completely so why is it being reabsorbed?

    Two fingers in front of his lips, Lian Xiang''s mouth moves in a silent chant. The array extends outward as golden tendrils of energy seep into it, causing the glowing runes to rotate faster. A Buddhist demon-repelling rune appears, diving into the water.

    But as soon as the golden characters approach the pool, an invisible protective barrier shimmers into existence, blocking the runes and dispersing them. Immediately after, Long Zhanye''s body rises from the waters. His shadow lengthens, spiralling around the motionless form. Black, smooth scales over a long, serpentine body, razor-sharp claws and a golden mane¡­

    Rarghh - !!

    The shadow roars, the loud noise shaking the Heavens and Earth. A burst of fear surfaces in Lian Xiang''s heart and a trickle of blood leaks out a corner of his mouth.

    "Heretical Dragon¡­" Holding the unconscious Huo Zaiyuan to his bosom, Lian Xiang mumbles as he retreats.

    Or at least, he tries to. For who knows when, Long Zhanye''s hand is intertwined tightly around Huo Zaiyuan''s. The man himself is clearly still unconscious, but try as Lian Xiang might, it is impossible to force him to release his grip. Finally, the Buddhist can only lift his head to stare at the back dragon who is currently eyeing him like a tiger does its prey.

    "Heretical Dragon, if you are truly deeply in love with him, then retract this power of yours that is able to bring him harm. He has exhausted all his inner spiritual energy and cannot withstand this pressure."

    Whether or not the black dragon understood what Lian Xiang said can be pondered over later, but it seemed to have grasped the general idea, for its dark eyes blink once before gradually withdrawing.

    As the shadow disappears, the atmospheric pressure lightens as well, allowing Lian Xiang to breath easier.

    But the hand wrapping around Huo Zaiyuan''s own doesn''t seem willing to let go in the slightest, so he can only accompany these two in sitting near the pool. He reckons that if he tries to do anything else, it will only result in provoking the Heretical Dragon into appearing once more.

    Although he hasn''t yet formed a solid opinion about Long Zhanye, he can''t help the curiosity rising after seeing the man''s shadow morphing into the Heretical Dragon.

    Senior officer Long is someone he has met countless times due to accompanying Mo Junfan to A City whenever a meeting is being held. While he is not familiar with the man, he can tell the soldier is a very capable individual without the slightest trace of spiritual awareness, let alone possessing the power of a Dragon or a sliver of demonic energy. Long Zhanye is nothing more than an ordinary human. Perhaps the Heretical Dragon''s shadow did not come from the man himself, but from the Dragon pearl inside his mouth?

    It was only a brief few seconds, not long enough for Lian Xiang to draw solid conclusions. But no matter if Long Zhanye is an ordinary human or the Heretical Dragon, as long as his best friend loves him, he will help Huo Zaiyuan protect that person.

    For an entire day and night, neither Long Zhanye nor Huo Zaiyuan show signs of awakening. Exhausted from the ordeals of this day as well as the depletion of his reserves, Lian Xiang eventually dozes off.

    ~~~

    Who knows how long he slept for, but when his eyes finally open, his pupils flashes gold and silver before reverting back to their original inky black colour. Slowly lifting his hand, he studies the familiar black scales and razor-sharp claws that are tougher than the hardest metal. With a small tilt of his head, the scales recede, claws turning back into normal fingernails. Only when he tries to lift the other hand does he realises he is gripping something. Soft, smooth skin and gentle warmth, is it comparable to the finest white jade. This feeling is one he is exceedingly familiar with.

    Head snapping around, he stares at the person he misses with his entire being, who is currently in the arms of another. Displeasure darkening his face, he rises from the pool and pads silently over to the two youths.

    Perhaps the sound of water droplets hitting the floor alerts the one cradling his treasure, for the youth lifts his head, dark eyes locking onto his own hard gaze. This tranquil, bland look is also rather familiar, but for some reason, he cannot seem to recall who it belongs to.

    "Return him to this deity." Long Zhanye finally speaks, arms reaching out to take the unconscious individual from Lian Xiang.

    The address of "this deity" causes Lian Xiang''s eyes to widen in shock.

    "You are¡­Heretical Dragon?!"

    Only one person in Lian Xiang''s memory dares address himself this way. Besides the egotistical Heretical Dragon himself, there is no second person bold enough.

    Long Zhanye is the Heretical Dragon? Or did the spirit within the Dragon pearl take over his body?

    "I am not the Heretical Dragon. I am Long Zhanye, his husband." Long Zhanye seizes his little Yuan back from Lian Xiang, cradling him close to his chest like a priceless treasure.

    "Even after reincarnation and rebirth, the deep feeling between both of you is still hard to severe." Lian Xiang sighs lightly, standing to his feet.

    "Even if our relationship is easily broken, this deity has never thought about severing it. Our love has withstood the test of time, it is naturally difficult to disrupt." Supporting Huo Zaiyuan with his right hand, he flicks his left, materialising a tray of vegetarian dishes and handing it over to Lian Xiang. "If I starve you to death, little Yuan will definitely be heartbroken. Finish eating and you can return."

    "With you here, my heart can be at ease." Lian Xiang doesn''t refuse, taking the offered food and wandering off to a corner in order not to interrupt the lovers.

    Although his current cultivation level is comparatively high, two days of ceaselessly expanding spiritual energy as well as not being able to rest peacefully have taken a toll on his body and left him starving.

    Gaze shifting from the quietly eating Lian Xiang to the Huo Zaiyuan in his embrace, Long Zhanye extends a foot, placing it against the dragon sculpture of the spring pool. The pool itself vanishes from the living room, taking Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan along.

    In a blink of an eye, the two men appear before the bamboo house. Cradling Huo Zaiyuan close, Long Zhanye carries him in and sets him gently down on the bamboo bed.

    Just as he is about to pull the blanket up to Huo Zaiyuan chin and tuck his beloved in, a streak of silver darts into the room, attacking Long Zhanye without warning.

    Following a soft ¡®clang¡¯, Long Zhanye grips the edge of a silver blade between two fingers. Flicking his wrist, he tosses the jian away, throwing it out of the house and watching silently as it lands heavily onto the grass.

    In a poof, the silver jian reverts back to spirit form, and Liu Ying charges towards Long Zhanye once more. Before it could land a hit on the other man, the sword spirit''s little head is grasped firmly in Long Zhanyes hand. Struggling against the steadfast grip, Liu Ying can only brandish its tiny limbs to vent its frustration.

    "Stupid thing. Several thousand years of not seeing your face and you''re still as foolish as ever." Saying these harsh words, he flings Liu Ying away once more. At the same moment, two black streams of light darts down, piercing the sword spirit''s body.

    When Liu Ying falls to the ground, it is now as tall as a six-year-old kid.

    "Repulsive Heretical Dragon! Pretending to be a human and bullying my master! I will beat you to death!!" Scrambling back to its feet, it throws itself forward, so angry that it doesn¡¯t even notice it has grown significantly.

    "Idiot." Snapping his fingers, another stream of black light sinks into the space between Liu Ying''s eyebrows. The spirit''s body freezes and it drops to the ground for the fourth time in less than a minute, unable to move.

    Immediately after, a little green being flies out of the bamboo house. As soon as it spots Long Zhanye, a dazzling smile breaks out on its chubby face, bowing to the man deferentially.

    With another wave of his hand and black light, the little tree spirit also gradually grows to the size of a six-year-old child. Touching down lightly on the ground, it kneels before Long Zhanye.

    "Lu Er respectfully welcomes Master Long."

    "Hn. Drag him away somewhere. For the time being, don''t come in and interrupt me," Nodding curtly in acknowledgement, Long Zhanye orders.

    "Yes." The tree spirit that calls itself Lu Er immediately lifts the motionless Liu Ying over its shoulder before disappearing into the bamboo forest.

    A peaceful silence finally settles within the house and Long Zhanye moves over to the bedside, fingers caressing Huo Zaiyuan''s sleeping face tenderly.

    "At last, I can hold your hand again. This time, I absolutely will not let go."

 CH 165

    Chapter 165: Recovering memories

    When Huo Zaiyuan gradually regains consciousness, the first thing he is aware of is being held in an embrace. An extremely familiar warmth and hug, as if it is¡­

    Brow furrowing lightly, his long eyelashes flutter. As his eyes open unhurriedly, the first thing he sees is a pair of dark eyes filled with tender affection.

    ¡°Zhan ¨C Zhanye¡­¡±

    ¡°Un, I¡¯m here.¡± A soft smile emerges on his face at Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s startled expression. Leaning down, he kisses the youth¡¯s temple.

    ¡°Your injury¡­¡± Recalling Cheng Mingcheng¡¯s claws piercing his shoulder and chest, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s heart aches. When he tries to struggle out of Long Zhanye¡¯s arms to check on the other man, he abruptly realises that he doesn¡¯t have a sliver of strength in his body.

    ¡°Everything is fine now.¡± An arm curling around Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s waist to prevent him from trying to move anymore, a free hand reaches up to unbutton his shirt, exposing his left shoulder and chest. Unblemished, honey-coloured skin is revealed. Not a single scar can be seen, let alone a wound. It is as though Long Zhanye has never been injured in the first place.

    ¡°No wounds. How¡­how is that possible¡­you were clearly injured¡­¡± Shock shifts into amazement as Huo Zaiyuan reaches up to drag his fingertips across the unmarked skin, not quite daring to believe his eyes.

    ¡°I was indeed injured and nearly lost my life. However, this one event resulted in you placing the Dragon pearl in my mouth, thereby awakening the memories slumbering within my soul,¡± Covering the hand on his chest with his own, Long Zhanye states softly before pressing a kiss to Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s palm.

    ¡°Memories slumbering in your soul? What do you mean¡­?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­I should probably explain it as the memories of my previous life.¡± Gathering the fabric of Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s long sleeve, Long Zhanye pulls it up to expose the silver dragon tattoo around his slender wrist. ¡°This tattoo acts as the medium between the Dragon pearl and the interdimensional space. During that time, when I sent the bamboo house into this space, I changed the Dragon pearl into a white jade brush. That brush was given to you as a token of my love¡­ But you don¡¯t remember any of it now.¡±

    ¡°What¡­what are you talking about? Zhanye, I don¡¯t understand what you are saying¡­¡± Huo Zaiyuan truly cannot make heads or tails of Long Zhanye¡¯s odd words.

    ¡°In my previous life, I was called the Heretical Dragon, and you were him.¡± Hand lifting, Long Zhanye points towards the portrait hanging on the back wall of the house.

    Following the direction of his finger, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s gaze lands on the portrait depicting someone he is very familiar with, as well as the flamboyant, cursive script of three characters, ¡®Huo Tianji¡¯. Up until now, he had always thought that this person is his ancestor. Now, Long Zhanye is unexpectedly telling him that he was Huo Tianji in his last life. This one sentence is like a bombshell, destroying his perception of everything.

    ¡°I ¨C I ¨C ¡±

    ¡°Actually, saying that you are him is also not quite right.¡± Placing an arm under the curve of Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s knees while the other tucks him close. Long Zhanye lifts him up in a princess carry, bringing him over to the portrait. ¡°More specifically, little Yuan is born from a fragment of his soul. The day when Tianji broke through and reached the topmost level of the ¡°Mysterious Nine Dragons Heaven¡± Art, he became the strongest individual within the Taoist sect. It took him nine jiazi to reach that point. You, however, reached the sixth level in a mere two years. Thus, here is a clear evidence that you are different from him.¡±

    ¡°Nine jiazi. A jiazi is sixty years, and he¡­¡± Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s eyes widen in astoundment.

    Listening to Long Zhanye¡¯s words, he can¡¯t help the shock running through his being.

    ¡°The Taoist sect practises ¡°Heaven Entrapment Path¡±, which only has six levels. The ¡°Mysterious Nine Dragons Heaven¡± method little Yuan practises is mine¡­or should I say, the Heretical Dragon¡¯s and Tianji¡¯s creation.¡± Looking at the adorably dazed expression on the typically sharp child¡¯s face, a pampering smile curves his lips. ¡°Little Yuan is born from a fragment of Tianji¡¯s soul, which is why you do not possess a core. Thus, the spiritual energy you gain through cultivation can only run through your meridians, making it a spiritual body. This time, because of rescuing me, you exhausted every drop of spiritual power, hence your current vulnerable state.¡±

    ¡°So what can be done? Don¡¯t tell me I will remain like this for a lifetime?¡± Huo Zaiyuan frowns when he fully processes Long Zhanye¡¯s words.

    Immediately after, he attempts to circulate his inner spiritual energy, only to realise he can¡¯t seem to grasp it firmly. Not only that, but the energy from every inhale disperses instantly as soon as it enters his body.

    Compared to Long Zhanye suddenly going from an ordinary person to someone who has a better grasp of cultivation than him, Huo Zaiyuan is more disheartened by the fact that his cultivation seemed to have completely vanished.

    ¡°With me by your side, you naturally do not need to worry about it.¡± Long Zhanye drops a kiss on his cheek, trying to soothe away the distress on his lover¡¯s face.

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Huo Zaiyuan breathes a sigh of relief, his heart calming down instantly.

    After his rebirth and practising Taoist Arts, constantly cultivating for two years has resulted in it occupying half the space in his heart, the other half being Long Zhanye. Supposedly, if he can no longer cultivate, it would take away half the light in his world.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Zhanye, did you see another young man with me when you woke up?¡± Huo Zaiyuan asks as soon as he remembers Lian Xiang who appeared and saved him at the most crucial moment.

    Long Zhanye said that he was the Heretical Dragon in his previous life, the Dragon pearl was one of his many possessions, and thus he is able to enter this space without the slightest obstruction. However, Lian Xiang is not like them. If both Zhanye and himself are in this space and Lian Xiang is left alone outside¡­Huo Zaiyuan doesn¡¯t feel too good.

    ¡°I told that little Buddhist monk to return to the safe zone first.¡±

    ¡°He still has his hair, so how is he a monk¡­¡± Huo Zaiyuan murmurs with a face full of black lines.

    He was not so distracted that he missed the fact Lian Xiang possesses black hair around the same length as his.

    ¡°He was best friends with Tianji, and was originally a Taoist practitioner. I don¡¯t know why he suddenly entered Buddhism, but one can tell his identity just by feeling his spiritual signature.¡± Carrying the person in his embrace back to bed and setting him down on the blanket, Long Zhanye brushes their lips together. ¡°Disregarding the matter between Tianji and that little monk, I care more about another matter.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s heartbeat thumps rapidly as he gazes up at the handsome face, as though a deer is jumping around in his chest.

    This man above him is clearly the same person as he was before, but for some reason, Huo Zaiyuan feels there is something amiss¡­like he has become a tad more enigmatic¡­

    ¡°Restoring your cultivation.¡± Thin lips curving upwards, Long Zhanye¡¯s fingers tread lightly through the long, silky hair, stroking the top of his head and moving down, past his neck to rub lightly across his collarbone.

    ¡°Uh-huh, that is indeed an important matter. What should we do?¡± Huo Zaiyuan tilts his head to the side in question, gaze wandering over Long Zhanye¡¯s face.

    Why does he get the feeling that this man is planning to do something indecent?

    ¡°Although I really want to wait for you to take the initiative¡­currently, you have no strength to move, so forget it. You only need to be good and lie down. Just let me take care of everything and love you dearly.¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s voice drops to a sensual whisper, closing the distance between them and all but ravaging those delectable, red lips.

    ¡°Wh ¨C what ¡­mmm¡­¡± What are you talking about?!

    Huo Zaiyuan is given no chance to voice his question as he is drawn into a deep and slow kiss. At the same moment, Long Zhanye¡¯s lean body settles down above him, pinning him to the bed. Nimble fingers and calloused hands drag two scorching trails up his hips, his waist¡­

    That big goddamn rascal¡­

    Looking at the beet red face of the youth beneath him, Long Zhanye is well aware that a large part of it is due to fury.

    ¡°As I have already told you before, ¡°Heaven Entrapment Path¡± practised by most Taoists only has six levels. The ¡°Mysterious Nine Dragons Heaven¡± method little Yuan practises has nine levels. Now that your inner spiritual energy has depleted to nothing, relying on the Immortal peach tree alone to fully recover will be insufficient. Therefore, there is only one other method to return you back to full strength. You need to break through the sixth level and reach the seventh¡­¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just go ahead and do that. Come on, get off me already¡­¡± Pushing with all his strength against the man on top of him, Huo Zaiyuan becomes increasingly annoyed when he discovers he might as well be shoving a brick wall.

    ¡°Beloved, do you know how to break through to the seventh level?¡± Instead of easing off Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye deliberately presses himself closer, lips brushing against a delicate earlobe.

    Hot breath tickling his sensitive ear, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s blush intensifies, turning his face redder.

    ¡°Meditate, absorbing dormant spiritual energy¡­dammit! Get off!¡± Giving up shoving at Long Zhanye, he is reduced to beating his fists on the broad shoulders and back. He is seriously considering whether biting him would work.

    ¡°No, no ~ Beloved, the seventh level is very different from the sixth. From here on, dual cultivation is required ~ !¡±

 CH 166

    Chapter 166: A Taoist¡¯s spiritual vessel

    Ever since Long Zhanye pinned him down to the bed and had his way with him before telling him about the dual cultivation, the two are now more intimate. After constant cultivation within the space for a period of time, Huo Zaiyuan feels that his reserves have replenished at long last. The rich, pure spiritual energy circulating through his meridians is not less inferior to the energy he absorbed through cultivating alone.

    Sitting in meditation and absorbing dormant spiritual energy from his surroundings has become a second nature to Huo Zaiyuan after these two years. However, he never expected that he will one day see Long Zhanye doing the same time before him.

    Clad in his camouflage military uniform, the older man sits cross-legged, both eyes closed and hands resting on his lap, palms facing up. A dense, black energy very different from Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s pure silver one seeps out of his body, looking extremely malevolent. But it doesn¡¯t incite a feeling of disgust or loathing in the Taoist practitioner.

    Just as Huo Zaiyuan studies the meditating soldier carefully, he suddenly realises that as the black energy becomes more and more potent, black scales gradually appears on Long Zhanye¡¯s cheeks and neck. Although they disappear shortly after, it still fills him with endless amazement.

    Those are dragon scales¡­ Didn¡¯t Zhanye say something about being the ¡°Heretical Dragon¡± in his previous life? Does that mean Zhanye can transform into a dragon?

    Pondering over this question, Huo Zaiyuan can¡¯t help the curiosity rising in his heart.

    Finally withdrawing the dragon¡¯s demonic energy permeating the air in his vicinity, Long Zhanye slowly opens his eyes to see Huo Zaiyuan squatting before him, head in hands as he stares blankly ahead. Fond smile surfacing, he pulls the other into his lap.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± He asks as he places a kiss on a delicate ear, drawing a small startled sound from Huo Zaiyuan. ¡°You were thinking so seriously¡­¡±

    A light blush staining his cheeks, Huo Zaiyuan reaches up to cover his ear as he eyes Long Zhanye thoughtfully. ¡°Nothing much, just wondering if you are able to transform into a dragon¡­because you said you were that Heretical Dragon¡­¡±

    ¡°I was he, but I¡¯m not exactly the genuine Heretical Dragon. Hmm¡­how should I put it? I¡¯m roughly in the same position as you. You are a soul born from Tianji¡¯s spiritual energy which managed to enter the reincarnation cycle. As for me, the Heretical Dragon¡¯s soul itself entered the reincarnation cycle and was reborn as the Long Zhanye I am today. The Dragon pearl allowed me to regain my previous memories, but even if I possess the same abilities now, I am still a human.¡± An arm encircling Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s waist, his other hand extends. Along with a trickle of rich, Dragon spiritual energy gathering at his fingertips, the back of his outstretched hand is covered in gleaming, black scales. His fingernails transform into short claws, razor-sharp and tougher than steel.

    Watching in slight awe as Long Zhanye¡¯s hand shifts, Huo Zaiyuan reaches out to run light fingers over the smooth scales.

    ¡°So¡­the Heretical Dragon is Tianji¡¯s, but this Long Zhanye is yours, as Huo Zaiyuan is mine.¡±

    After discovering the person he mistakenly thought was his ancestor is actually him, and Long Zhanye is the reincarnation of his lover, Huo Zaiyuan is pleasantly surprised as well as joyful¡­ Only, he can¡¯t help but be a little jealous. For he is afraid that the man he is in love with doesn¡¯t love Huo Zaiyuan for himself, and is only seeing the reincarnation of his old lover. However, hearing Long Zhanye say these words allow him to let go of the pent-up distress and frustration in his heart.

    ¡°The person I love now is not Huo Tianji of the past, but you¡­Huo Zaiyuan,¡± Long Zhanye murmurs before slanting his lips over Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s, kissing him slow and tenderly.

    The two lovers enjoy another blissful session together. But the end of it, Huo Zaiyuan is leaning bonelessly above Long Zhanye, panting lightly. After a few moments of companionable silence, he lifts his head.

    ¡°Zhanye, it¡¯s been a while since we disappeared from the safe zone. Although Lian Xiang would have already returned to pass on information about our wellbeing, grandfather and the others will certainly still be worried.¡±

    Every Ability User who followed Long Zhanye down the wall and survived Cheng Mingcheng¡¯s attack clearly saw their Boss getting stabbed by the evolved undead¡¯s claws. Presumably, this knowledge would have already spread throughout the safe zone, making him concerned about the city¡¯s present situation.

    ¡°Now is not the time yet. Come, I have something to show you.¡± Tucking Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s head into his chest, Long Zhanye lifts the youth in his arms and walks towards the open field.

    Seeing where Long Zhanye is heading towards, Huo Zaiyuan suddenly remembers that an incorporeal barrier lies in that direction.

    Before he can voice a question, Long Zhanye has already arrived before the invisible wall and sets Huo Zaiyuan on his feet. Splaying a palm on the surface of the barrier, black scales creep up over his wrist and the back of his hand before the sound of glass shattering rings through the quiet, tranquil air. Even if he can¡¯t see it, Huo Zaiyuan knows without a doubt that the wall has collapsed.

    When the barrier vanishes, the scenery of open, rolling plains on the other side instantly changes. The drooping branches of slender willow trees sway in the breeze. Behind the veil of lush green leaves, one can see a cave.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    Before, Huo Zaiyuan thought it was due to his cultivation level being too low, therefore, he couldn¡¯t get past this invisible barrier. Now, after seeing the cave on the other side, it is pretty evident his cultivation level was never the issue. Instead, this barrier was deliberately erected here to conceal this cave. If it wasn¡¯t that Heretical Dragon who created it, then it must be the previous owner of the space, his former self ¨C Huo Tianji.

    ¡°Go in, take a look and you will know.¡± Clasping Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s hand, Long Zhanye leads him over to the mouth of the cave.

    The entrance is not very big, being about one meter in width and two meters in height, but there is sufficient space for one person to enter at a time. Long Zhanye leads the way in, followed by Huo Zaiyuan. Compared to the entrance, the interior of the cave is a lot more spacious, and is not as dim as he imagines it to be. For several fist-sized night pearls are embedded high on the walls.

    The faint white light emitting from the numerous night pearls illuminate the entire cave. Drawn in by the splendid sight, Huo Zaiyuan receives a huge shock when his gaze finally falls on the figure mediating cross-legged on the stone bed in the middle of the cave.

    ¡°Huo¡­Huo Tianji? How is he here?!¡±

    Although he has only seen the portrait hanging in the bamboo house, Huo Zaiyuan is still able to recognise this person at a glance. Long white hair wafting in an invisible breeze, clad in a white Taoist robe, this handsome man sitting cross-legged with eyes close is none other than Huo Tianji.

    ¡°This is merely Master¡¯s body.¡± The voice of a young child suddenly drifts over as a silver-haired, white-robed boy appears in the mouth of the cave. The expression on his face is extremely ugly, but his eyes carry a deep sorrow.

    Ever since Long Zhanye entered the space, Liu Ying disappeared to who knows where. Abruptly reappearing here, together with his change in shape leaves Huo Zaiyuan mildly bewildered.

    ¡°Liu¡­Liu Ying¡­¡±

    ¡°Several thousand years ago, Master fell from the Righteous Winter Sky Gorge. By accident, he dropped down into the mortal world and unexpectedly encountered the Demon Ruler running rampant. At that time, Master calculated that the time of his Heavenly Retribution is near. He sealed me into the jian and crafted a soul out of his spiritual energy to enter the reincarnation cycle. With only half of his spiritual power left, he sealed the Demon Ruler away into a mountain. Exhausted, he couldn¡¯t protect himself from the Heavenly Retribution and was struck down. When I first met the soul created from Master ¨C you¡­I also knew for a fact that Master¡¯s corporeal body was sealed in here¡­¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Listening to Liu Ying¡¯s story, Huo Zaiyuan finally understands what befell him and led to his reincarnation. Reaching out to gently pull Liu Ying into his embrace, he speaks in a soft tone, ¡°Compared to Huo Tianji, my ability is very weak, but like him, I will love and cherish you if you would let me.¡±

    ¡°Master¡­¡± Liu Ying¡¯s eyes brighten as the spirit burrows into Huo Zaiyuan bosom before stretching up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

    Seeing the small mouth about to touch Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s fair cheek, a hand shoots out to cover Liu Ying¡¯s mouth. Expression dark, Long Zhanye pulls Huo Zaiyuan away from the sword spirit and into his arms.

    ¡°Little brat, he¡¯s mine!¡±

    ¡°You vile demonic Dragon! Master is¡­¡±

    Just as Liu Ying is about to throw himself at Long Zhanye in a fit of rage, the latter pokes him between his eyebrows with an index finger, causing the spirit to fall flat on his face.

    ¡°Liu Ying!¡±

    ¡°He is fine. Lu Er, drag him out.¡±

    Lu Er bounces into the cave at his master¡¯s call, bowing to the two men before grabbing Liu Ying¡¯s feet and dragging him out quickly.

    Staring at the two small figures disappearing behind the willows, Huo Zaiyuan sighs softly and turns to regard Long Zhanye. ¡°All right, let¡¯s continue our earlier conversation. You said that I was Huo Tianji in my previous life. Since he has passed, why is his body still so well preserved? Is it because this space special ability to¡­preserve items?¡±

    After realising he was such a powerful person in the past, Huo Zaiyuan is suitably astonished. However, his curiosity is greater than any amazement he feels.

    Huo Tianji was a truly exceptional Taoist¡­

    ¡°No, it is not because of that.¡± Leading Huo Zaiyuan towards the stone bed, Long Zhanye reaches out to stroke a hand down the beautiful white hair. ¡°If the soul of the owner has entered the reincarnation cycle but the body still contains a large amount of spiritual energy, it is thus called a Taoist¡¯s spiritual vessel. Hmm¡­it is similar to the golden body of a Buddhist high monk. One day, your soul will return to this body.¡±

    ¡°Return?¡±

    ¡°For cultivators, a flesh and blood body is merely a vessel. When one¡¯s physical body breaks down, their soul merely leaves the vessel. As such, this body here is a very good vessel. Do you understand?¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s hand drops back to his side. ¡°The same thing will happen to me. One day, I will return back to the body of the Heretical Dragon. But you must never forget. Even if that day comes, I will still be Long Zhanye, and you will still be Huo Zaiyuan.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡± Gaze locking with Long Zhanye¡¯s Huo Zaiyuan nods firmly.

    This should be the reason his previous self left his body behind and sealed it here¡­

 CH 167

    Chapter 167: The Heretical Dragon¡¯s true nature

    It is a moonless, windy night.

    Within a dark, high-rise building, one can hear a faint crunching sound, like teeth gnawing on a bone. In a place where all light is blocked, this noise is eerie enough to make one¡¯s hair stand on end.

    ¡°I will not let you all off¡­ Huo Zaiyuan, as well as that person¡­injuring me. Very quickly¡­once I recover, I will be sure to take your pitiful lives¡­¡± A low murmur comes from a figure squatting in a corner of the room. A hand darts out to snatch up a decapitated zombie head, its teeth sinks into the skull, ripping a chunk out.

    As the head is devoured in a few bites, its other arm begins to grow back. Staring at its newly regrown arm, the creature flexes its fingers, only to pause when a small noise sounds. Head snapping around, it relaxes slightly. The window was merely blown open, white curtains billowing messily thanks to the fierce gale raging outside.

    Not seeing anything unusual, the evolved undead returns to gorging itself on another brain. Ignoring the constant clattering of the loose window latch, the creature is not aware that the moment its head lowers, a lean silhouette appears on the windowsill.

    As the wind howls and the curtains tremble, the shadow standing at the window shifts and contorts, causing it to seem rather mysterious. However, through the gap between the half-drawn curtains, one can clearly see the pair of glowing golden eyes staring into the room.

    At this moment, the patch of clouds covering the moon disperses. Bright moonlight reflects off the glossy black scales covering the back of the person¡¯s hands. Razor-sharp claws gleam with a cold, deadly light.

    The moonlight casts a long shadow that stretches across the floor, causing Cheng Mingcheng, who is currently hiding in the corner, to freeze. Not allowing it time to react, five streaks of white light flashes, easily chopping off both arms it went through so much trouble to regrow. Its legs were not spared either, femurs crushed to dust¡­

    In the next second, a powerful hand clamps around its neck, squeezing tightly as Cheng Mingcheng is slammed against the wall.

    ¡°You¡­who are you¡­¡± The mouth sporting shark-like teeth opens as it futilely tries to struggle out of the stranger¡¯s grasp. The zombie belatedly realises it cannot call out to the other common undead within the building. Even choking out this question required a lot of effort.

    Light flittering into the room illuminates the stranger¡¯s face, displaying the sneer on his lips and the black scales covering his handsome visage; a pair of frosty, merciless golden eyes fixed on Cheng Mingcheng.

    ¡°Tsk, tsk. Weren¡¯t you interested in me? Pretending to be a human, entering the safe zone, then injuring me at the most crucial juncture before kidnapping me¡­¡±

    ¡°Long¡­Long Zhanye¡­you ¨C you actually didn¡¯t turn into a zombie¡­ How¡­how is that possible¡­?¡± Cheng Mingcheng¡¯s eyes widen in alarm as a trace of fear surfaces.

    It¡­it is currently the strongest undead walking this earth, but this man is so easily able to hack off its arms and crush its legs. Such frightening strength¡­could it be the evil energy it injected into his body not only didn¡¯t turn him into a zombie, but transformed him into an extraordinary Ability User?

    ¡°Why is it impossible? Due to you injuring me, I was able to awaken this formidable power slumbering within my soul.¡± A mocking smile curves Long Zhanye¡¯s mouth, void of all other expressions besides malice and scorn. ¡°Originally, I was going to let you off this once as thanks for helping me regain this strength. I was willing to overlook you wounding me. However¡­if you want to blame someone, then blame yourself for attempting to harm him¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡­what do you want¡­I ¨C I am a zombie! Even if you hack off all my limbs¡­I will not feel pain! Hahaha¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course, I am aware that a demon¡¯s puppet cannot feel pain. But I can make you experience not being able to live but unable to seek death¡­¡± A vicious grin breaks out on Long Zhanye¡¯s face. Lifting his free hand, sharp claws sink into Cheng Mingcheng¡¯s skull.

    The next moment is filled with splattered blood, flying flesh and broken bones. If anyone bore witness to this scene, it will definitely haunt their dreams for a lifetime.

    Finally, in the middle of the broken skull still leaking grey brain matter, black blood and pieces of rotting flesh onto the tiles below, a rhombus crystal the size of a chicken egg can be seen. Plucking it out, Long Zhanye carelessly flings the corpse aside before whirling on his heels and striding away.

    His has accomplished his goal of coming here. Next¡­he is going to drag that Demon Ruler out from behind the scenes. Then he will grind that creature¡¯s bones to dust.

    ~~~

    The blinds are drawn down over the window of the bamboo house, blocking the bright light from shining in. A person rests on the bamboo bed within, covered to the chin by a soft, white blanket. Long, black hair is strewn over the pillow as his chest rises and falls lightly, breath deep and even.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost midday, but Master Yuan is still asleep. Master said that every afternoon, Master Yuan must eat peach puree¡­¡± A tiny voice drifts over from the doorway as a small head peeks in. Huge, dark green eyes stare at the person fast asleep on the bed.

    ¡°Hmph, isn¡¯t it that Heretical Dragon¡¯s fault? Dragging Master here and there! Doesn¡¯t he realise Master¡¯s body is still weak and cannot over-exert himself?!¡± Another voice scoffs, tone resentful.

    ¡°Master was cultivating with Master Yuan,¡± Lu Er murmurs softly.

    Things also happened this way in the past. After several thousand years, he is still unable to make sense of why Liu Ying cannot let go of that one incident where Master bullied Master Yuan. It is obvious that Master wouldn¡¯t do that again, because he obviously treasures Master Yuan so much.

    ¡°That vile demon is using that excuse to take advantage of my master!¡± Liu Ying yells in rage. [Author¡¯s note: My child, you are right!]

    ¡°Absolutely not, Master loves Master Yuan very much.¡±

    As these two spirits argue back and forth, the person lying on the bed is awakes due to the noise. Rolling over on his side, his eyelashes flutter open.

    ¡°Zhanye¡­¡± His voice comes out in a hoarse rasp due to his parched throat. Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s brow wrinkles. His body feels so heavy and sore that he doesn¡¯t feel like moving at all.

    That damned rascal! He was already planning to do this from the start!

    Hearing sounds of activity coming from the room, the two quarrelling outside instantly cease and dash into the house.

    ¡°Master, Master! Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere? Little Ying will massage it away for you.¡±

    ¡°Master Yuan! You¡¯ve been sleeping for a long time and must be thirsty. Lu Er will pour a cup of tea for you.¡±

    Nimbly climbing up onto the bed, Liu Ying¡¯s small fingers knead Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s shoulder. From the skilled motions, it is evident that this is not the first time the sword spirit has done this.

    The cup that Lu Er presents to him contains a fragrant four flowers scented tea. The warm liquid moistens his parched throat and eases some of the aches on his body.

    ¡°Thank you very much. That¡¯s right, where is Zhanye?¡±

    The past few days spent within the space, that man will walk here and there, never leaving Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s line of sight after they finish cultivating. However, he can¡¯t seem to see Long Zhanye¡¯s shadow anywhere today, making Huo Zaiyuan extremely curious.

    ¡°Who knows what¡¯s with him? Yesterday, after Master fell asleep, he immediately exited this space and hasn¡¯t returned until now. Maybe he has burrowed into another demon lair,¡± Liu Ying snorts, full of disdain towards Long Zhanye.

    ¡°With this demon, your Master, by my side, I am already deeply satisfied,¡± A baritone voice drawls as Long Zhanye appears next to the bed. Plucking Liu Ying away from Huo Zaiyuan, he drops the spirit onto the floor before taking his place to massage Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°My Master is the most outstanding Taoist in this world! How dare you mention him together in the same sentence as a demon?!¡± Liu Ying growls in anger.

    He knows Long Zhanye treats his Master very well, but he still can¡¯t bring himself to be courteous to this person.

    Seeing the little sword spirit explode in fury, Huo Zaiyuan reaches out to rub his silver hair to soothe him. After coaxing Liu Ying to calm down, he is pulled back to lean against a firm chest as sweet warmth encircles his body.

    ¡°Where did you go? I couldn¡¯t find you after I woke up.¡±

    ¡°I went for a walk to exercise my body, at the same time, I brought back a present for you.¡± One hand still massaging Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s shoulder, the other rummages around his coat before a purplish-red crystal the size of a chicken egg is presented to him.

    ¡°This is¡­¡± Huo Zaiyuan stares at the rhombus crystal, pleasantly surprised.

    Heavens ah, just a large crystal. The zombie it belongs to must have been very strong. Hold on, could this crystal be¡­

    ¡°Correct. This crystal belonged to the zombie that nearly claimed my life.¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s eyes narrow, dark pupil flashing gold for a split-second.

    Faced away from Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan naturally did not catch this split-second change of eye colour. But Liu Ying who has been silently standing to one side noticed.

    This dragon[1] is vicious and ferocious in nature ah. That glint in his eyes¡­it hasn¡¯t changed the slightest even after several thousand years.

    ¡°That zombie was of the highest rank. How did you confront it alone? Were you injured?¡± Huo Zaiyuan snaps around, hands roving over Long Zhanye¡¯s body to ensure his lover is fine. Having experienced Long Zhanye nearly transforming into a zombie once before, the very thought of this man being wounded again fills him with fear.

    ¡°An insignificant puppet of a demon is not my opponent.¡± A finger lifting Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s chin up, Long Zhanye leans in to kiss his lips. ¡°That filth absorbed human¡¯s life force and retained human form. If it isn¡¯t dealt with now, it would be troublesome later on. Also, it¡¯s about time we returned to the safe zone.¡±

    Hearing these lofty words, Huo Zaiyuan knows the other is all right and he inwardly sighs in relief. Eyes brightening when the older man mentions returning to the city, he nods. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Footnotes:

    [1] LY is actually referring to LZY by his surname, as it is ¡°Áú¡±, which basically means ¡°dragon¡±.

 CH 168

    Chapter 168: Returning to the safe zone

    Since they have decided to return today, Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye have lunch in the space, filling their stomach first before heading back.

    Ever since reaching the sixth level, Huo Zaiyuan begins to avoid eating meat altogether. Just fruits, vegetables and grain are enough. Hence, most of the meat stored in this space is fed to Long Zhanye.

    Although the other man awakened his powers and mediates from time to time to cultivate, he is clearly still the same old Long Zhanye who has to have meat at every meal. If anything, his love for meat dishes increased two-folds. However, no matter how much meat the other eats, his body will not expel the impurities within his body like Huo Zaiyuan.

    After regaining his memories, Long Zhanye also stops forcing Huo Zaiyuan to drink meat broths, only ensuring he drinks a bowl whenever a clear soup is cooked, like today.

    ¡°Here, have some.¡±

    ¡°Un.¡±

    As soon as they finish their meal, the two men exit the space, followed closely by two tails, Liu Ying and Lu Er. Due to Huo Zaiyuan immediately giving chase after Long Zhanye was injured and carried off by Cheng Mingcheng, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s modified Hummer is parked in the car park below the dormitory building. Luckily, Long Zhanye¡¯s military Hummer is still in the space. If it isn¡¯t for this car, the two of them will really have to walk back on foot.

    After Long Zhanye repaired this Hummer back in Z City, it hasn¡¯t seen use until now. Fortunately, the space has the heaven-defying ability to preserve everything, or else this car that has been sitting in the space gathering figurative dust for two years would have long rusted away.

    Sliding into the driver seat of his beloved Hummer, Long Zhanye feels very content. Even after two years of driving other vehicles, his favourite car is still the best.

    Huo Zaiyuan can¡¯t resist the teasing smile that surfaces at Long Zhanye¡¯s infatuated look. ¡°Chauffer, are you still not going to drive?¡±

    ¡°Roger that, my beloved wifey!¡± Long Zhanye salutes with a roguish smirk before starting the Hummer¡¯s engine.

    ¡°Who¡¯s your wife¡­¡± Huo Zaiyuan complains half-heartedly as the vehicle speeds in the direction of the city.

    A little more than an hour later, the military Hummer approaches the city¡¯s northern city wall. After suffering under a wave of undead, fierce artillery barrage as well as a rain of bullets, the pavement here is full of pot-holes and large cracks. Not a trace of moving zombies can be seen, let alone their remains.

    Although the plan crafted between Long Zhanye and He Lianming can be easily replicated by anyone, their approach is long, meticulous and top secret. One is tasked with investigating every nook and cranny, pretending to defect, drawing out the danger seeking to turn the earth upside down from within the safe zone. In the end, they brought in Huo Zaiyuan to hand an invitation to a funeral to Xu Mingyi. Using this event as the fuse, He Lianming infiltrated the enemy ranks and provoked zombies to attack the safe zone. This way, they can clear the majority of undead and pull this ¡®Sorceror¡¯s cult¡¯ out by the roots, directly cutting out a malignant tumour growing in the darkness.

    The plan proceeded rather smoothly until the end, with neither taking into account something like Cheng Mingcheng happening. This oversight resulted in Long Zhanye being injured and captured.

    When this storm blew over, peace returns to the safe zone and a bustle of activity returns. Numerous vehicles enter and exit the gates as mercenary squads depart or return from their missions.

    After Judgement Day, don¡¯t say ordinary soldiers, even the high-ranking officers in the military may not necessarily be able to drive this sort of majestic military Hummer everywhere. Thus, when said Hummer approaches the gate, it draws a lot of attention and causes several heated discussions to break out.

    While ordinary people wouldn¡¯t know exactly who owns this Hummer, the soldiers of A City are well aware that this car can also act as proof of the driver¡¯s identity.

    As such, as soon as this car comes near the gates, the soldiers guarding the gate immediately rushes forth, not even stopping to check who is behind the wheel.

    This Hummer was never seen again even after Long Zhanye returned to A City. Appearing so suddenly right now, it is clearly being¡­

    Coming to a stop, the driver door opens and a tall figure clad in a military uniform emerges. A pair of fierce eyes instantly sweeps over the gathered soldiers as a single eyebrow rises.

    ¡°You all rushing up like this¡­were you planning an armed robbery, huh?!¡± Glaring everyone into submission is truly fun.

    Ever since he regained the memories of his previous life, even Long Zhanye himself feels that his disposition has become a tad nastier and more sadistic than before. (Author¡¯s note: So you are self-aware ah?)

    ¡°Boss!!¡±

    The small group of soldiers who dashed over with fiendish expressions on their faces abruptly freezes. A second later, they all but fall over themselves, wailing with joy. If they didn¡¯t know their Boss would definitely break their arms, they would have hugged his thigh.

    ¡°Boss, you¡¯ve finally returned!!¡±

    ¡°Boss, this subordinate was so worried about you!!¡±

    ¡°Boss, quickly go, quickly go. This subordinate will take good care of your car!!¡±

    ¡°Tch, you bunch of stinking scoundrels,¡± Long Zhanye scoffs coldly as he strides over to the passenger side to take Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s hand before walking towards the safe zone.

    The group of soldiers watch them go, overwhelming admiration and worship flooding their hearts. The matter of Long Zhanye being grievously wounded by a zombie in their midst is something everyone is well aware of. Now, seeing their Boss strut around like usual clearly shows that the injury is not a big hindrance. Instead, one should say¡­because of this injury, his strength seems to have increased even more.

    An evolved demon king¡­

    As soon as this thought crosses their minds, the soldiers shudder in unison. Not daring to dally any longer, they pile into the Hummer and drive it away.

    ~~~

    Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan plan to head straight for the command centre once they step into the safe zone. However, the moment they cross the gates, a large crowd of people rush towards them, with Grandfather Long Haotian leading the charge. As soon as the elder lay eyes on his precious, healthy and whole grandson, he crashes to a stop, knees nearly given out under him.

    ¡°Grandfather!¡± Long Zhanye reacts in an instant. Darting towards the old man¡¯s side, he supports him with an arm around his waist.

    ¡°Grandfather is fine. Before, when you were clawed by that zombie¡­grandfather thought that all was lost. But a few days back, a child came to me with the information that you were all right. But without seeing your face, grandfather still worries¡­now that I have seen you, my heart is at ease¡­heheh¡­¡± Reaching out, he pats his grandson¡¯s shoulders in search of a wound. ¡°Your injury? Where are the claws marks? I heard it from the Ability Users¡¯ reports that the zombie¡¯s claws pierced through your shoulder and chest¡­¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, I¡¯m fine. Little Yuan has already treated my wounds. Furthermore, I profited from this disaster. I¡¯m now an Ability User,¡± Long Zhanye says with a rare, soft tone as he continues supporting his grandfather. ¡°If grandfather doesn¡¯t believe me, then I can strip down later and let you inspect.¡±

    The wounds on his person have indeed healed, and it was due to Huo Zaiyuan placing the Dragon pearl into his mouth. Absorbing both the pearl and spiritual energy from the spring water, he regained his memories and abilities from his previous life¡­ He can most probably consider himself an Ability User now, right?

    ¡°Good, good.¡± Listening to his precious grandson¡¯s words, Grandfather Long nods his head happily, then turns to Huo Zaiyuan. ¡°I really must thank you, little Yuan. If it wasn¡¯t for you¡­¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, don¡¯t say that. Umm¡­being able to awaken his ¡®ability¡¯ is his own good fortune. But we still must apologise to you for making you worry so much.¡±

    ¡°Heheh¡­the anxiety was nothing when I am overjoyed right now. This old man¡¯s vitality has increased a hundredfold ah!¡± Long Haotian laughs, face displaying his great spirit.

    In order to console Grandfather Long after being so worried over Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan, the latter personally cooks dinner for everyone that night. Serving up a huge feast, he invites the Elder Taoist priest, Li Qing, Qin Jun and the two adjutants over.

    As soon as Li Qing set eyes on Huo Zaiyuan who doesn¡¯t bear a single injury, he burst into tears. When he heard news about Long Zhanye being captured and Huo Zaiyuan giving chase, he received a huge scare.

    After placating the loudly sobbing Li Qing, the atmosphere in the unit became lively at last as chatter and laughter fill the air. In this apocalyptic world, this scene adds a little bit of much-needed warmth.

    When dinner concludes, everyone is peaceful at mind and heart, worries easing. One by one they depart, leaving Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan to enjoy a quiet moment together.

    Tossing Liu Ying and Lu Er out of the space, Long Zhanye grabs Huo Zaiyuan and disappears, causing Liu Ying to stomp his feet in fury.

    ¡°You were very happy today.¡± Huo Zaiyuan doesn¡¯t blame Long Zhanye for chasing the two spirits out of the space, looking over his shoulder at the man whose smile hasn¡¯t disappeared ever since he saw his grandfather.

    ¡°Un.¡± Long Zhanye hugs him tightly from behind, burying his nose in the curve of Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s neck. ¡°The memories of my time as the Heretical Dragon combining with my experiences as Long Zhanye, I feel that I am very fortunate now¡­with you by my side, together with grandfather and a large group of friends.¡±

    ¡°Me and everyone else will always remain by your side,¡± Huo Zaiyuan says softly as he tilts his head back and kisses Long Zhanye¡¯s lower jaw.

    He doesn¡¯t understand why his lover will suddenly say things like this, but from his words, a complicated feeling rises in Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s heart.

    Loneliness¡­that¡¯s what it is. He can feel it radiating from Zhanye ¨C no, perhaps this feeling comes from the Heretical Dragon of the past.

 CH 169

    Chapter 169: Vegetarian restaurant

    Reclining in the rocking chair with a slender figure in his arms, the chair sways back and forth gently as a melodious, baritone voice paints a vivid picture with his words, speaking of an ancient world and days gone by.

    ¡°In the world of Immortals, the dragons are a revered and majestic race. I was born as the ninth son of the Dragon King, and my Imperial mother is his first wife, a shrine maiden to the Divine Dragon God. The gestation period of a dragon is a full hundred years, after which an egg is laid. The child within the egg has to absorb the brilliance of both sun and moon before they are able to gain consciousness and break their shell. When I was born, I broke the norm. My shrine maiden Imperial mother carried me for two hundred years, and when I finally exited her womb, it was not via an egg. I directly ripped through her womb and crawled out, causing her to die on the spot. Soaked in her blood, I looked like a human infant, except inverted black scales covered every inch where skin should be. Hence, the entire dragon race dubbed me the Inverse Heretical Dragon. A harbinger of disaster. As dragons cannot kill their kin lest they invite the wrath of Heaven, the Dragon King can only exile the one day old me from the Holy Dragon Sea, driving me to the edges of the Immortal Realm. Sealed beneath the spring pool, I was forbidden to see the light of day until my soul scatters and my body rots¡­¡±

    ¡°I was given no name. Surrounded by the ice-cold waters of the spiritual spring pool, I was left alone in the darkness for ten thousand days and nights. In the end, I met a human for the first time in my life. Or should I say¡­a Taoist disciple. He was young, only about five or six¡­¡±

    ¡°Clad in dirty, grey robes and carrying a basket of bamboo shoots on his back, he clutched a scroll of astrological phenomenon records in one hand. For nine days and nights, he rested at the edge of the pool, reading the contents of that scroll aloud. On the tenth day, the child left behind four sentences: Nine divided by nine is one, what is meant to be will be, what is meant to disappear will disappear, from the end a new beginning¡­¡±

    ¡°Initially, I dismissed it as a child¡¯s nonsense. Never would I have imagined that within these four sentences lie the answer to breaking the Dragon King¡¯s seal. By the time I freed myself, I was drowning in loneliness, hatred and bitterness. These emotions overwhelmed my reasoning, resulting in wanton murder, plundering of treasures and willful destruction. The Taoist sects thereby labelled me as the Heretical Dragon.¡±

    ¡°As my strength grew, I attacked the Taoist sects, killing many disciples and masters, only to find that the Heavens placed a ¡®nemesis¡¯ capable of subduing me in the world,¡± As he speaks, Long Zhanye¡¯s hand strokes Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s long hair, a warm and tender smile playing on his lips. ¡°In order to destroy this ¡®nemesis¡¯ of mine, I slaughter five sects¡­ In the end, I forced him out, faced him several times in battle¡­and unknowingly fell in love with him¡­¡±

    ¡°You ah, indeed my ¡®calamity¡¯.¡± Huo Zaiyuan smiles, reaching up to pinch the man¡¯s nose playfully before cupping that handsome face. ¡°You will never be lonely again. You have me, grandfather, as well as a lot of friends. You have a name, not just a label of ¡®Heretical Dragon¡¯. You are Long Zhanye.¡±

    ¡°Un, your Long Zhanye.¡± Intertwining his fingers with Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s, a fond smile pulls at the corners of his lips as he tightens his arms around his beloved. ¡°Little Yuan, I am blessed to have fallen in love with you.¡±

    Leaning back against Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan allows his eyes to drift shut, a gentle smile plastered on his face. ¡°I am also blessed to have fallen in love with you.¡±

    ~~~

    Along with the expansion of the safe zone to accommodate all survivors before the migration, the entire A City is constantly bustling with activity. Slowly, after a few changes and minor shifts, the city itself is separated into nine sectors, divided by the perimeter walls built after nine expansions.

    With the military district as the core of the safe zone, the first layer is where the command centre, army barracks, hangar and military dormitory building is. The second layer is the manufacturing sector where buildings like the weapons and equipment factories are located. The research centre, experiment laboratories, mechanic workshops, medical bay and the ¡®School of Taoism¡¯ are all located in the third district. The fourth consists of training grounds for both Ability Users and normal troops. The fifth is where most residents of the safe zone stay, with the sixth layer being the bank for transaction points and bartering market. In the seventh layer, miscellaneous stores are set up, like restaurants, hair salons, tailors, etc. Plantations and pastures for livestock are located in the eighth layer. The ninth is reserved for parking vehicles, and is also where the mercenary squad mission hall is located, as well as the separate temporary housing to observe all entering survivors.

    ~~~

    ¡°You, this fellow, if your luck is any worse, I will be frightened to death one day because of you,¡± Clad in a full body mechanic overalls with a baseball cap on his head and a toolbox on his back, Li Qing complains as he tries to keep pace with Huo Zaiyuan.

    More than a year¡¯s experience under General Long caused this once-ignorant baby to grow into the safe zone¡¯s most promising young master mechanic. Not only did his mechanical skills increase, his physical aspects also improved quite a bit. Now, he can even carry a ten kilo toolbox on his back and run everywhere without becoming out of breath.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always had the luck of a devil, isn¡¯t that right? So your worry is superfluous,¡± Huo Zaiyuan replies. Although his expression remains tranquil, one can tell from the slight curve of his lips that he is in a good mood.

    ¡°Yes, yes. You are a cat with nine lives. You can even resurrect again if something happens to you,¡± Li Qing scoffs.

    Li Qing¡¯s mocking words cause Huo Zaiyuan to pause in his steps and stare.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Aiyo¡­this fellow is really getting more and more anti-social. He obviously always treats eldest brother Long with gentleness, but why does he (HZY) always look at him (LQ) so coldly?

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Turning away, Huo Zaiyuan continues onwards, a trace of impatience in his tone. ¡°Where is this store you were talking out? Are we there yet?¡±

    So annoying, interrupting his meditation early in the morning and dragging him all the way from the dormitory to the marketplace in the seventh district.

    ¡°It¡¯s just up ahead. Little Yuan, you¡¯re getting more impatient.¡± Li Qing snickers, wrapping an arm around Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s own before pulling the latter towards a small, simple but elegant store. As he walks, he explains, ¡°This restaurant opened not too long ago. Every dish served is a vegetarian one, so it totally suits you!¡±

    Li Qing knows that ever since his best friend started cultivating, he gradually avoids eating meat and fish. Which is why as soon as he discovers this vegetarian restaurant, he immediately drags Huo Zaiyuan out.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just because you are a glutton?¡± Huo Zaiyuan resigns himself to being pulled along by a cheerful and hyper Li Qing.

    The name of this restaurant is rather grandiose ¨C The Fragrant Lotus. If it wasn¡¯t for the small word of ¡®resturant¡¯ stuck on the name plaque, no one would begin to think this is a family restaurant.

    Although it is still rather early in the morning, there are quite a few partons already eating inside, with most of them being women.

    Pulling Huo Zaiyuan towards the nearest available seat, Li Qing hands the simple menu laying on the table over and says in a generous manner, ¡°Order whatever you like. Older brother will treat you to this meal.¡±

    Wah, such princely words.

    If this was still before the apocalypse, for Li Qing who likes to have more extravagant meals than even Huo Zaiyuan of the past, they wouldn¡¯t have taken even a single glance at this type of vegetarian restaurant, let alone enter it for a meal.

    However, after the end of the world, when food is in short supply, having something to eat is already a blessing. Being able to have a meal in a reastaurant is even more amazing because, in every restaurant, a plate of the simplest dish already costs at least a hundred green points. Ordinary folks wouldn¡¯t even dare to think about entering one¡­

    ¡°So generous.¡± Huo Zaiyuan takes the offered menu and flips it open. ¡°Then I wouldn¡¯t be polite.¡±

    Scanning the menus, his eyebrows rise. Little did he imagine so many dishes are listed on this simple-looking menu.

    As he doesn¡¯t know how good the taste of these dishes will be, Huo Zaiyuan eventually decides on a mixed vegetable dish with fried rice, kalian with mushrooms, stir-fried potatoes and boiled peanuts.

    The service in the restaurant is very good. While they wait for their food to arrive, a steaming teapot of bamboo tea that Huo Zaiyuan is extremely familiar with is placed on their table. Before ten minutes passed, the first dish served is the peanuts. Not too mushy or hard, the adequate amount of salt and pepper sprinkled on top makes it rather tasty.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Li Qing questions as he pops another peanut into his mouth.

    ¡°You expression is my answer,¡± Huo Zaiyuan replies as he takes another sip of his bamboo tea.

    Next, the waitress serves up the mixed vegetable and fried rice together with the stir-fired potatoes, followed closely by the kalian with mushrooms. Every dish is full of flavour and unique, leaving the two youth very satisfied.

    As the two childhood friends eat and chat, neither of them take much notice of other matters, up until a shadow falls over their table.

    The stranger¡¯s hair is streaked with grey and tied with a shredded piece of cloth, clad in a shabby old woman¡¯s attire. The colour of her clothes is faded from being washed too many times, and the cloth shoes on her feet is filled with holes. Her dark, calloused hands are clamped tightly around a plate of greasy leftovers. Large, angry eyes are fixed unerringly on Huo Zaiyuan.

    ¡°Huo¡­Huo Zaiyuan!¡± Her raspy voice carries that faintest tremor, causing said youth to lift his head as soon as he hears his name.

    Staring at the unfamiliar woman, his brow wrinkles. ¡°Who are you? I don¡¯t think I know you.¡±

    He doesn¡¯t recall this person at all.

    ¡°Haha¡­who am I? You actually dare to ask who am I? Haha¡­¡±

 CH 170

    Chapter 170: Meeting Zhou Huijiao again

    The hoarse, humourless laughter grates on the ears of everyone within earshot. Although a stupefied expression is displayed on the unfamiliar woman¡¯s face, deep envy and hatred swirl in the depths of her eyes. She glares at Huo Zaiyuan as though wishing to tear him apart, body trembling with rage as both hands clench.

    ¡°Haha¡­Huo Zaiyuan, you ¨C you actually ask who I am¡­ You¡­it¡¯s all because of you that I fell to this state! You are the one who harmed my son!¡±

    Finally giving in to her anger, the woman throws herself at Huo Zaiyuan, hands poised as if to strangle him.

    Fortunately, as soon as Huo Zaiyuan notices the madness on her face, he was already on guard. The moment she charges towards him, he leaps up onto his chair and kicks it towards her whilst flipping up into the air. In a flicker of silver light, he places a distance of five meters between them.

    ¡°You are¡­¡± Narrowing his eyes at the crazed woman, it takes him a while to finally realise who she is. ¡°You are Zhou Huijiao.¡±

    ¡°Heehee¡­unexpected, right? Never thought you would run into me? It¡¯s all your fault¡­it was foretold years ago that you will steal away Huo family¡¯s assets and try to harm me. Why are you so cruel? Even if you don¡¯t like me as a stepmother, but Jiabao¡­Jiaobao is your blood brother!!¡± Zhou Huijiao screams at Huo Zaiyuan.

    Originally, the restaurant is already rather packed. But with Zhou Huijiao screeching and raving, a large crowd is drawn to watch the spectacle, though no one steps in.

    Gazing silently at the woman, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s face is calm and tranquil. On the other hand, Li Qing, who was half scared to death by the sudden yell finally reacts, his temper exploding. Stomping over so he is standing in front of Huo Zaiyuan to block this detestable bitch¡¯s line of sight, he scoffs coldly.

    ¡°Ai¡­old auntie, you really have no sense of shame. Everyone knew very well how you, this pair of mother and son, treated little Yuan during that time. And no one else knows it better than me. Even after he left home, you continued harassing him. After Uncle Huo¡¯s death, you immediately want to chase him out of the Huo family. Has your son ever treated Huo Zaiyuan as his older brother and shown him proper respect?!¡±

    Li Qing has always been rather short-tempered. Even after suffering General Long¡¯s ¡®demon training¡¯ for more than a year and mellowing out a lot, pushing the right button will still be able to incite his fury. Seeing this Zhou Huijiao cursing his best friend, he naturally cannot remain calm.

    ¡°You¡­you are Li family¡¯s bastard. Our Huo family affairs are none of your business¡­¡± The words of whispered discussions surfacing amongst the crowd cause Zhou Huijiao¡¯s vision to redden in anger again. Spitting mad, she lunges at Li Qing, intending to slap him away.

    Before her palm can touch Li Qing, the woman¡¯s wrist is caught by someone.

    ¡°Excuse me, Miss, please don¡¯t lay a hand on a customer of our establishment,¡± the person states in a low tone, eyeing Zhou Huijiao warningly before letting go of her. A slender figure slips between Li Qing and the woman, protecting the two youths from further attacks.

    Zhou Huijiao¡¯s expression becomes even uglier. Rubbing her sore wrists, she draws a deep breath and continues spitting out unpleasant words. ¡°Who the hell are you?! What status do you have to block my way? Scram! Or else I will beat you up as well!¡±

    ¡°Based on my status as the boss of this establishment.¡± The man¡¯s voice grows cold. ¡°Drag this person who is making a ruckus out!!¡±

    Immediately, two burly men appear to grab Zhou Huijiao by her left and right arm, pulling her out of the restaurant.

    ¡°Filth! Huo Zaiyuan¡­just you wait! You repulsive, disgusting child! Illegitimate bastard! I will definitely not let you off¡­!¡± Struggling against the man, she continues shouting at the top of her lungs. Simply judging from her speech and actions, it is as though she has truly gone mad.

    After Zhou Huijiao is dragged away, Lian Xiang slowly turns around to smile radiantly at Huo Zaiyuan.

    ¡°Rare is it when the eloquent, righteous Taoist remains silent when faced with false accusations. You really have changed.¡± The words are delivered in a teasing tone, but carries a sense of seriousness.

    Huo Zaiyuan flashes a small, answering smile. ¡°I am not ¡®him¡¯. I owe you once more.¡±

    ¡°Un. Even if you are different from ¡®him¡¯, you are still my close friend. That is a fact,¡± Lian Xiang states firmly. ¡°I heard you returned yesterday, so I made plans to visit the military district to see you. Unexpectedly, you delivered yourself to my doorstep. Order whatever you like, I¡¯ll treat you.¡±

    Glancing at the half-eaten dishes on the table, Lian Xiang then turns to talk quietly with Mo Junfan who appeared beside him sometime during the commotion. The latter sweeps a thoughtful gaze over Huo Zaiyuan before nodding his head and departing with a few subordinates.

    ¡°Little Yuan, who is he? He looks rather remarkable. When did you make friends with such a dignified older brother¡­?¡± Li Qing asks, curiosity piqued.

    ¡°He is Lian Xiang. Didn¡¯t you hear what he said before? He is my first friend,¡± Huo Zaiyuan says as he pats Li Qing¡¯s shoulder. Stepping around the mechanic, he walks towards Lian Xiang.

    Glancing between the other two youths, Li Qing heaves a helpless sigh. ¡°First friend, huh? Then between childhood friend and first friend, which one is closer? Ai¡­why do I feel like I¡¯ve just been abandoned¡­¡±

    ¡°Little Qing, why are you still standing there daydreaming?¡±

    ¡°Ah, coming!¡±

    ~~~

    ¡°If you dare cause a scene in our establishment again, we will definitely not let you off! Old auntie, grow a pair of eyes!¡± Shoving Zhou Huijiao away from him, one of the two burly men snorts coldly.

    ¡°Tch, if little boss wasn¡¯t around, Boss would have already strangled and buried you in a pit,¡± the other sneers. ¡°Count your mongrel-self lucky!¡±

    Glaring at the retreating backs of the two men, Zhou Huijiao remains on the ground where she fell, dark hatred gleaming in her eyes as her hands clench into fists.

    ¡°Huo Zaiyuan¡­I will never let you off. I will definitely not let you of¡­ You made me fall to this extent¡­I will definitely make you suffer before dying. That¡¯s right¡­suffer¡­heehee¡­suffer before dying¡­¡±

    ~~~

    Outside the entrance of the command centre with a knitted cardigan wrapped around him, Huo Zaiyuan stands there, staring blankly at the doors.

    Looking at the youngster who has not moved for a while, the handful of guards exchange glances, communicating silently through their eyes and a few gestures.

    Huo Zaiyuan being Long Zhanye¡¯s lover is a fact every soldier knows. In addition, his formidable Taoist skills have saved their hides on more than a few occasions. Hence, regarding this ¡®eldest sister-in-law¡¯, the troops are more than willing to treat him with the same respect they give the demon king.

    After a brief exchange of silent communication between them, a young soldier with a military baton at his hip and a camouflage-patterned cap on his head jogs over. Clicking his heels and saluting in greeting, he speaks up with a dazzling smile.

    ¡°Eldest sister-in-law, hello!¡±

    Startled out of his musing by a loud call of ¡®eldest sister-in-law¡¯, Huo Zaiyuan blinks at the soldier in front of him before his face is filled with black lines.

    He knows that Long Zhanye¡¯s group of lackeys loves causing trouble and being noisy, but¡­what makes them think that he is the wife! Being addressed as ¡®eldest sister-in-law¡¯ gives him goosebumps ah.

    ¡°Er¡­my name is Huo Zaiyuan. Don¡¯t call me eldest sister-in-law. May I ask what are you here for?¡±

    ¡°Reporting to eldest sister-in-law. It¡¯s nothing.¡± The soldier shakes his head, completely ignoring Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s attempt to change their form of address. Still smiling brightly, he continues, ¡°Eldest sister-in-law, are you here to find Boss? He is currently still in his office. You can go up directly, or this subordinate can help you inform him of your arrival.¡±

    Huo Zaiyuan shakes his head, partially given up on trying to coax the soldier to use his name. ¡°No need, I was just passing through. He is busy working right now, so I wouldn¡¯t interrupt.¡±

    Zhou Huijiao¡¯s sudden appearance caused him some distress. Being jittery, he naturally couldn¡¯t focus on meditating, hence he came out for a walk around the city. Only, his subconscious mind brought him here, in front of the command centre.

    After Long Zhanye¡¯s injury and consequent capture, he spent quite a few days in recovery and helping Huo Zaiyuan to break through to the seventh level in the interdimensional space. As a result, the amount of work waiting for him when he got back to the safe zone is piled high. Huo Zaiyuan doesn¡¯t wish to interrupt him and draw his attention away from more important matters.

    Although he does miss Zhanye, standing for a moment out here is sufficient¡­

    ¡°No, no. Eldest sister-in-law, the weather is cold. You will freeze if you continue standing out here. Boss will tear our limbs off if something happened to you. How about coming in to rest in the lounge? I will prepare some hot tea for you!¡±

    ¡°I¡­that wouldn¡¯t do. I¡¯ll be bothering you.¡±

    ¡°Not at all, not at all. Being able to service eldest sister-in-law is our honour!¡± The soldier¡¯s smile widens further, before respectfully leading Huo Zaiyuan into the building.

    Seeing the man¡¯s minion-like expression, the originally gloomy Huo Zaiyuan can¡¯t help giggling softly. Ah, this short interaction really lifts his mood a little. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Just as Huo Zaiyuan gestures for the guard to lead the way, the soldier¡¯s eyes widen and his expression changes in a split-second. Before the youth can react, the man throws himself at Huo Zaiyuan with a cry of alarm.

    Bang!

    Immediately, the crack of a pistol firing breaks the peaceful air within the military district. Blood splatter onto the ground below, followed by a maniacal shriek. ¡°Illegitimate bastard! Go die!¡±

 CH 171

    Chapter 171: Injured

    Everything happened in a blink of an eye. Huo Zaiyuan saw the welcoming and eager smile on the soldier¡¯s face disappear as he throws himself forward. A single gunshot rings out, shattering the quiet air in the military district.

    Blood blossoms from the soldier¡¯s back as the bullet sinks in, followed by a maniacal shout emitting from a crazed-looking woman as she charges forward.

    In the next second, a sharp pain erupts in Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s upper torso. A hot blade has carved its way through his flesh and bones, some sort of strange energy spreading from where a steel dagger rests within his body, sapping all the strength in him¡­

    As he collapses, the woman¡¯s twisted face fills his vision, accompanied by her sharp, crazy laughter¡­

    In the first apocalypse he experienced, he was kicking into a swarm of devil ants by this woman. At the time, she was also wearing this expression¡­

    Ah¡­what did he do in both lifetimes for this woman to hate him so¡­?

    ¡°Little Yuan!!¡±

    A heartbroken cry momentarily drowns out the woman¡¯s crazed laughter. Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s heart stutters as he is drawn into a warm hug. Zhanye¡¯s anguished eyes are the last thing he sees before his eyelids slide close. Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s lips tremble as he tries to talk, to soothe the despair on his face. But the only thing that comes out of his mouth is a stream of blood.

    Zhan¡­Zhanye¡­

    Long Zhanye grits his teeth in agony when he lay eyes on the pale-faced youth in his arms, the sight of blood flowing from his nose, mouth and chest fills him with desperation.

    A relatively large group of soldiers dash towards the military hospital located not too far away. Bursting through the entrance, the soldiers in front bellow for a doctor, disregarding the rule for peace and quiet.

    In no time at all, Huo Zaiyuan is transported to the emergency room. The sound of soldiers suddenly charging into the building and shouting for medical assistance alarmed not only the doctors and nurses on the first floor, but also the patients and staff on the second and third level. From amongst the crowd of people drawn to the first floor, a figure rushes out to grab Long Zhanye by the front of his blood-stained uniform.

    ¡°Older brother Long, ju ¨C just now¡­was the person wheeled into the emergency room little Yuan? What the hell happened?¡±

    ¡°Little Qing.¡± Qin Jun shoves through the crowd, gently pulling Li Qing away from the haggard Long Zhanye.

    ¡°But ¨C ¡±

    Before Li Qing can protest, the doctor who entered the emergency room with Huo Zaiyuan walks out with a tensed expression, stopping before Long Zhanye.

    ¡°Senior officer Long, please come in.¡±

    Long Zhanye stiffens before following the doctor. Exchanging a quick glance, Li Qing and Qin Jun quickly tag along as well.

    Within the emergency room, Huo Zaiyuan is already laid out on the operating table, tubes inserted through his oral cavity and stuck down his trachea. The bloodstained sweater has been cut down the middle, exposing his bare upper torso. A dagger sticks out the front of his chest. Most of the blade has entered cleanly, leaving only the handle. However, the strangest thing is the black-veined patterns spreading out from the wound. Even as they stare, these lines continue crawling further and further as a relatively slow speed.

    ¡°This¡­what is this?¡± Li Qing grips the end of the operating table but dares not approach any closer. Fear for Huo Zaiyuan grips his heart. Not too long ago, his childhood friend was still happily walking around. Now¡­

    ¡°We noticed this immediately after cutting the patient¡¯s shirt and did a test for poison. However, the indicator displayed the patient¡¯s body is clear of any poisonous or toxic substances. As this situation is very strange, we dare not remove the weapon,¡± the doctor explains in a strained tone, clearly showing that Huo Zaiyuan is still in a critical condition.

    ¡°It is not poison but a curse. Removing the weapon without breaking the curse first will result in a horrible consequence.¡± Dropping his coat carelessly on the floor, Long Zhanye approaches the operating table and gently lifts Huo Zaiyuan into his arms. ¡°Qin Jun, come over and help me support little Yuan. Doctor Wang and the others, I will trouble you with monitoring the patient¡¯s condition.¡±

    As soon as he finishes directing everyone, black rays of light conjugate in his palm, causing the temperature within the emergency room to plunge sharply. However, every medical personnel in the military district¡¯s hospital is a military man or woman. Faced with this sudden change in air temperature, none of them reacts, instead focusing on their assigned task. Their current duty is to prevent any unexpected event from occurring.

    Long Zhanye injects his inner spiritual energy into Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s body. The spreading black veins stop before withdrawing slowly.

    Approximately ten minutes later, the black lines have disappeared from Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s skin. Li Qing beams brightly in relief, only for it to disappear when Long Zhanye curses under his breath.

    ¡°Older brother Long!¡± This man is always stoic and cool-headed. For panic to surface in his eyes means the situation is not good.

    ¡°My power is incompatible with little Yuan¡¯s. The most I can do is lock the curse inside his body, but cannot remove it completely. If I try to¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you cultivate together with little Yuan?!¡± Li Qing bristles in agitation.

    What to do?! What to do ah!!

    ¡°We do, but I don¡¯t use the Taoist Arts!!¡± The sphere of energy in his palms become denser as the air temperature within plummets even lower. Long Zhanye¡¯s pupils flash gold.

    Although his body is that of a human right now, his spiritual energy is a dragon¡¯s. Dual cultivating with Huo Zaiyuan allows them both to achieve better results in lesser time due to their opposing nature. He is able to obtain pure spiritual energy from Huo Zaiyuan while the other can absorb the Yang in his. But from the start, the base nature of their respective inner spiritual energy cannot be more different!

    ¡°Taoist Arts, Taoist Arts. I know! I¡¯ll go find Elder priest grandfather!¡± The Head priest is the strongest Taoist Li Qing knows within the ¡®School of Taoism¡¯.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t look for the Head priest. Go find that Buddhist monk!¡±

    ¡°What monk?!¡± Startled by Long Zhanye¡¯s sudden yell, Li Qing slams into the door of the emergency room.

    Ow, ow, ow¡­he must have broken his skull¡­

    ¡°Go to the command centre and find either Hanyang or Nuandong. Get them to send people out to search the safe zone for a young man named Lian Xiang, then bring him here! Hurry!¡± Long Zhanye removes the armlet displaying his rank from his sleeve and tosses it to Li Qing.

    Fumbling to catch the armlet, Li Qing freezes for a second as soon as the two words ¡®Lian Xiang¡¯ registers. Then his face flushes in elation. ¡°Lian Xiang, Lian Xiang¡­no need to find your left and right adjutant. I know where he is. Older brother Long, hold on for ten minutes while I go kidnap him!!¡±

    Sprinting out of the room even before he finishes speaking, Li Qing hops into the nearest vehicle, drops Long Zhanye¡¯s armlet onto the passenger seat, before heading to the seventh district with the speed of a whirlwind.

    In the dimmest corner of the vegetarian restaurant, two figures sit facing each other. One is clad in a long white robe, a tranquil expression on his young face. The other is short-haired and dressed in a smart, all black attire. Although the latter¡¯s base disposition make him seem like a cold and unapproachable man, the expression in his eyes as he gazes at the youth opposite him is full of gentleness.

    ¡°How is it?¡± Lian Xiang asks, gaze locked on the other man.

    ¡°Un, it is sweet and fragrant. However, it tastes different from the one you normally brew for me.¡± Mo Junfan nods, placing the teacup in his hands down on the table.

    ¡°Naturally. This is a special product unique to the ¡®Clear Bamboo Teahouse¡¯.¡± Lian Xiang pours Mo Junfan another cup from the purple clay teapot.

    At this moment, a Hummer screeches to a halt outside the restaurant. A moment later, the restaurant¡¯s door is slammed open, revealing a red-faced, panting Li Qing.

    ¡°Excuse me¡­may I know if Lian Xiang is here?¡± Li Qing asks in a loud voice, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. Did something happen?¡±

    Just as the workers in the restaurant prepares to drive Li Qing out, thinking that this youth is looking for trouble, Lian Xiang¡¯s voice rings out, halting the staff in their tracks.

    ¡°You¡¯re here, that¡¯s great! Quick¡­quickly come with me!¡± Li Qing grabs Lian Xiang¡¯s arm and drags him away.

    ¡°Let go of him!¡± Mo Junfan who was completely ignored instantly rises to his feet, expression icy as he breaks Li Qing¡¯s hold on Lian Xiang.

    Already extremely worried about Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s condition and stressed out by the time he is wasting driving here and back, Li Qing¡¯s mental state is already very tensed. He completely didn¡¯t notice Mo Junfan, and is thus caught off guard by the shove.

    ¡°Junfan!¡± Lian Xiang scolds under his breath before hurrying towards Li Qing, helping him to his feet. ¡°Are you okay? What happened?¡±

    ¡°Little Yuan¡­little Yuan was stabbed and is in a critical condition! Older brother Long said his power is not compatible and told me to find you. Lian Xiang¡­I beg you, please, please save little Yuan.¡± Li Qing drops to his knees, weeping as he kowtows to Lian Xiang.

    ¡°Little Qing!¡± Lian Xiang pulls Li Qing to his feet before his gaze sweeps over the startled customers to the stern-looking man standing next to him. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Junfan, drive the car!¡±

    ¡°Hn.¡± Although Junfan is annoyed by the entire event, he still follows Lian Xiang out the door.

    Who asked him to fall in love with such a troublesome monk?!

 CH 172

    Chapter 172: Defy the Heavens

    It takes less than five minutes for the car to return back to the military hospital. Due to the large crowd gathered on the first floor, they have to stop the car a few meters in front of the building.

    The first to exit the Hummer is Lian Xiang. Sweeping a glance over the staff and patients, he lifts his head to look at the dark clouds covering the sky above the hospital. Frowning, he turns to address Mo Junfan and Li Qing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t come into the hospital. The Heavenly Retribution is near. Go to the command building and tell the soldiers there to clear everyone from the vicinity.¡± Saying this, Lian Xiang darts away, easily leaping over the crowd to enter the hospital.

    As soon as he steps into the building, he is hit by a bone-cutting chill.

    It is fortunate that all the patients and staff here are soldiers, hence, they evacuate swiftly without question. By the time Lian Xiang nears the emergency room, the entire hospital has cleared out.

    The Heretical Dragon¡¯s energy permeates the air, but it is clearly just spiritual signature lingering due to an outpour of spiritual power. Allowing a trickle of spiritual energy to flow through his being, Lian Xiang¡¯s body is enveloped in golden light that disperses the bone-cutting chill.

    Pushing the door of the emergency room open, one can see the machines are still operating as before. Besides Long Zhanye and Qin Jun, there is no other staff in sight. A green-haired child is clinging onto Qin Jun¡¯s back, the green glow emitting from his body preventing the doctor from freezing to death. Even so, Qin Jun¡¯s mental perseverance is rather high, allowing him to remain steady as he treats Huo Zaiyuan.

    Pouring his power into Huo Zaiyuan once more to suppress the curse from the dagger, the anxious expression on Long Zhanye¡¯s face doesn¡¯t ebb a little.

    Grasping the current situation after a brief observation, Lian Xiang hurries over to the operating table. Golden lotuses bearing a swastika spreads out rapidly, replacing the bone-cutting chill in the room with warmth. Chanting under his breath, he condenses his spiritual power in the hollow of his palm, injecting it into Huo Zaiyuan.

    ¡°Qin Jun!¡± Long Zhanye calls quietly as black scales envelop his hand. Eyes flickering gold, he grips the handle of the dagger and tugs at it.

    ¡°Urghh¡­¡± A low moan of pain emits from the unconscious Huo Zaiyuan as his body jerks, seemingly locked in a struggle.

    Qin Jun¡¯s reaction is extremely fast, immediately clamping down on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s limbs. Long Zhanye exerts a little more strength, and following a short spurt of fresh blood, the dagger is finally removed from Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s chest.

    Tossing the dagger away, the two men instantly work together to treat the bleeding wound, speaking in soft tones to placate the unconscious youth whose muscles are still jerking from agony.

    ¡°The arteries of his heart has been damaged. Heartbeat is dropping. If this continues¡­¡± With his power still within Huo Zaiyuan, Lian Xiang can clearly feel what is occurring. His words are supported by the nonstop beeping noises coming from the machine.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already made preparations.¡± Long Zhanye glances at Lian Xiang before biting the flesh of his index finger. Blood wells out, which is instantly smeared over the silver dragon tattoo on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s wrist.

    The tattoo lights up in a silver blaze before a white-haired, white-robed body falls into Long Zhanye¡¯s arms.

    Lian Xiang stiffens as soon as his gaze falls onto the familiar face of the body. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you plan on¡­¡±

    ¡°Correct. Little Yuan¡¯s inner spiritual power has already been eroded away by the curse. Now, the only way to save him is to unite soul and body.¡± Placing the body beside Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye¡¯s hard gaze locks on his beloved.

    Absolutely will not let anything happen to you¡­

    ¡°Tianji died due to the Heavenly Retribution! If you do this, the lightning will descend once more!¡± Lian Xiang gasps in alarm.

    Ever since he saw the dark clouds gathering above the hospital, he more or less guessed that Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s wound this time might lead to his demise. If his soul is allowed to re-enter the reincarnation cycle, the clouds will disperse. But should one defy the Heavens and succeed in saving him, lightning will definitely fall from the sky.

    ¡°I know, but I will not just watch him die and slip through my fingers once more. I finally found him again after so long¡­¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s hand tightens around Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s own, which is rapidly turning cold.

    He will absolutely not allow his most beloved person to die before him. Absolutely not!!

    ¡°I understand. Leave him to me. But what about the Heavenly Retribution?¡±

    The lightning that will descend due to this Heavenly-defying act will not be easy to endure¡­

    ¡°I will bear it. I will definitely not allow it to get past me and harm any of you one bit.¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s dark eyes turn golden, scales appearing over his skin.

    ¡°No. You don¡¯t have a dragon¡¯s body! How can you bear the full weight of it with only a human¡¯s body?!¡± One hand on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s body, the other materialises a golden jian. ¡°Take Fu Hua with you.¡±

    ¡°No, Fu Hua is the medium for your Buddhist Arts. Even if my dragon power alone is insufficient, it will be enough with him by my side.¡± A wave of his fingers and a silver jian appears. ¡°Liu Ying is the same as me. We both wish to protect our most important person.¡±

    The Liu Ying who has always been at odds with Long Zhanye emits a strong silver burst of light, clearly indicating that he approves of the other man¡¯s words.

    Although Fu Hua and Liu Ying are classified as godly weapons, they are both made out of different materials. Long Zhanye¡¯s energy conflicts with Fu Hua¡¯s Buddhist powers. On the other hand, Liu Ying is crafted out of metal ores harvested from the Dragon Mountain in the Immortal Realm. As a result, it is extremely compatible with Long Zhanye¡¯s dragon nature.

    Lian Xiang eventually nods, keeping Fu Hua. Without further ado, he condenses more spiritual energy and pours it into Huo Zaiyuan.

    As Long Zhanye departs with sword in hand, Lian Xiang spreads his attention and power between Huo Zaiyuan and the spiritual vessel. Glancing up at Qin Jun, he says, ¡°You need to quickly leave this building. The Heavenly Retribution will commence soon. Although Long Zhanye will block it, the extra energy from it will reduce an ordinary person to dust. The tree spirit¡¯s protection wouldn¡¯t be enough, so take him and leave.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡± Regarding the Heavenly Retribution and whatnots he caught from Long Zhanye and Lian Xiang¡¯s conversation, Qin Jun doesn¡¯t understand any of it. However, his instincts tell him that this event will be a thousand times more dangerous than anything he has faced in the apocalypse.

    ¡°A large reserve of spiritual power runs through my meridians. Although I cannot block the lightning, I will be able to endure the excess energy. In addition, I have Fu Hua by my side. Leave quickly. Time is precious to Huo Zaiyuan now. One second of waiting is another second closer to death.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Be careful.¡± Qin Jun understands the seriousness of this situation. Thus, holding Lu Er in his arms, the doctor leaves as quickly as he can.

    Silence falls in the emergency room ¨C no, not just the room, but the entire building. Suddenly, a huge explosion of light erupts from the emergency room. Following that, the dark clouds above rolls and surges as flickers of lightning flashes in the sky. The wind kicks up, becoming fiercer by the second.

    On the roof of the military¡¯s hospital, a lean figure raises a silver jian to the sky, inversed black scales covering his left cheek and arm as well as the back of his hand. A pair of golden eyes like that of a beast stares fearlessly up at the dark clouds.

    ¡°Little brat, best prepare yourself. Don¡¯t let the lightning tear your body and crush your bones. Else, when little Yuan wakes up, he will definitely cry. You don¡¯t want to make him sad¡­¡±

    A light ¡°shing¡± comes from the silver blade, faint silver light emitting from the entire jian. In a flash, it morphs into a small silver dragon.

    [Hmph, I should be telling you that. Don¡¯t let the lightning crush you. Else when Master awakens, he will be very sad if you are no more than a pile of ashes!]

    Sword spirit and dragon both wish to protect that one person, but always find themselves butting heads. Even facing their possible deaths, neither of them forgets to ridicule each other. Suffice to say, just looking at the other fills them with disgust ah!

    The Heavenly Retribution is different from the Nine Lightning Tribulations one will have to endure in order to ascend. Instead of nine lightning strikes, the Heavenly Retribution consists only of one. But this one strike has the combined strength of all nine bolts from the Tribulations. Needless to say, it is many times more destructive than the Nine Lightning Tribulations.

    A fierce gale rages. Dark clouds roll in the sky, golden light flicking in the middle of the surging mass as a large sphere of energy is condensing into one spot.

    Lightning will definitely descend in the split-second the soul is transferred¡­

    Suddenly, all the glass windows in the hospital shatter as a burst of golden light erupts. At the same moment, an earth-shattering thunder booms. Golden lightning descends from the surging dark clouds gathered above, streaking downwards, aiming unerringly for the hospital.

    Clothes billowing in the strong wind, Long Zhanye condenses his power, sending it coursing through the silver blade. With a roar, he swings the jian in a diagonal arc. Black and silver rays of light intertwine together in the form of a dragon, shooting towards the lighting bolt.

    Boom!!

    An immense force explodes outwards as soon as the lightning and dragon collide. Throughout the entire safe zone, every structure is shaken to its foundations by this wave of invisible energy.

    Dragon and lightning contend against each other in the skies above, neither giving way. Black scales drop to the earth piece by piece as scarlet blood rains down¡­

    As the black dragon nearly dissipates before their eyes, an abrupt howl rips out of Long Zhanye. The dragon is eventually devoured by the golden lightning. Unobstructed, the bolt pierces through the hospital, splitting it in two and causing the entire building to crumble.

 CH 173

    Chapter 173: Ephemeral

    The lightning bolt that is as aggressive as a striking viper splits the ten-storey hospital in half, causing it to collapse.

    Suddenly, the violent gales bring with it a fragrant scent of bamboo. Silver rays of light shine out from the pile of rubble that used to be a building. Closely following the flash of light, a power reminiscent of nature itself rips through the air, scattering the lightning before it can strike the ground.

    A lean figure falls from the sky, the clothes wrapped around his frame now torn and tattered. Drops of scarlet blood flowing from the various lacerations on his body stain the ground beneath as it follows the body downwards.

    A white-haired, white-robed figure leaps out from the debris, arms reaching out to catch the falling person. Eyes closed, Long Zhanye feels himself being drawn into a soft embrace, surrounded by the smell of bamboo, a scent he is extremely familiar with¡­

    ¡°Little Yuan,¡± Eyelids open half-mast to reveal golden pupils as a faint smile curves his lips, Long Zhanye whispers.

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Huo Zaiyuan tightens his arms around his lover, touching down lightly onto solid ground, a hand reaching up to roam lightly over Long Zhanye¡¯s bloodstained face. ¡°Fortunately¡­all of you are all right.¡±

    Behind, a large piece of broken concrete is pushed away and Lian Xiang climbs out, coughing a little from the still-settling dust. Looking at the two embracing, lost in their own world, the corners of his mouth lift upwards.

    So what if he helped defy the Heavens? As long as he is able to see him smile, he would do it a thousand times over!

    ~~~

    ¡°Haha¡­he¡¯s dead! He is finally dead, I finally killed him¡­hahaha!!¡±

    Within the dim jail cell, a woman¡¯s loud, maniacal laughter rings through the area. The shackles clamped around her wrists and ankles jingle with every move.

    Tap, tap, tap¡­

    The slow, deliberate click of combat boots on the cold, hard ground grows louder by the second, the soft noise seemingly loud in the relatively quiet atmosphere of the prison. Along with the footsteps, one can also hear the sound of something being dragged over the floor.

    Very quickly, that person arrives outside the cell door. A key is slotted into the steel lock, the ¡®clack¡¯ announcing its unlocking ringing out clearly. With the faintest creak, the steel door swings open.

    The thing that was dragged behind this figure is carelessly thrown in. Like a dirty rag being tossed aside, a man sporting broken hands and legs is dropped to the floor in a sorry heap.

    The raving mad woman sitting chained to the back wall of the cell abruptly halts her crazy laughter. Her entire body stiffens as her gaze falls onto the crippled man flung on the ground. A moment later, a startled expression crosses her face before she throws herself towards him. However, her actions are stopped short by the shackles binding her. No matter how much she struggles, she cannot hope to touch the man now emitting pained whimpers.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you thank me? I mobilised the entire army in order to find your son, bringing him here from the furthest ninth district¡¯s separate housing,¡± Slowly stepping into the small cell, a smooth, pleasant voice says. But in the woman¡¯s ears, it sounds like the voice of the devil himself.

    This man is indeed the devil.

    ¡°You¡­what did you do to my son¡­you fiend! Devil!¡± Not stopping in her struggle, a desire to tear free of these blasted chains to protect the man on the ground rises. Her furious hollers are half threats, half garbled words. The glare piercing the soldier in the cell contains a murderous glint.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything too excessive, just used him as a punching bag to train a little. Fiend? Devil? Tsk, tsk¡­don¡¯t use that plaything¡¯s title to compare with this deity.¡± Scoffing coldly, Long Zhanye¡¯s eyes displays all the despise he holds for Zhou Huijiao. Lifting a foot, the heel of his boot grinds harshly on the back of the man lying pitifully upon the hard ground.

    Right now, Huo Jiaobao is a sorry sack of mere flesh and bones, with no strength in his body. Weak to the point of not being able to withstand another blow. This one step from Long Zhanye causes his wound-ridden body to twitch in agony, a mouthful of fresh blood spurting out between his lips.

    ¡°Y ¨C you¡­let go of my son! I will kill you!¡± Zhou Huijiao¡¯s hands curve into claws, scrabbling uselessly at the air.

    ¡°Let him go? When you assassinated my little Yuan, was there any mercy in your heart?¡± Looking at the woman baring her teeth, Long Zhanye replies frostily.

    ¡°So it turns out¡­you are that mongrel-child¡¯s accomplice¡­haha¡­that bastard died well. Died well. I killed him¡­hahaha¡­¡± Another bout of insane laughter breaks out as Long Zhanye¡¯s words make her recall her recent kill.

    ¡°Ahh ¨C !!¡±

    Just as Zhou Huijiao¡¯s crazy laughter rings out, Huo Jiaobao suddenly moans in pain. For Long Zhanye ruthlessly drove the dagger that was stuck in Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s chest through one of Huo Jiabao¡¯s palm, effectively pinning this man to the cell¡¯s floor.

    ¡°You! What do you want! Let him go¡­if you dare to kill him, I will haunt you even as a ghost¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let him die so easily. With the dagger you used to stab what is mine, I will carve the flesh off your precious son piece by piece¡­¡±

    Afterwards, the eerie cries of pain and the sharp shrieks of a woman resonate through the darkness from the prison block, not ceasing for a very long time.

    It is only when the heavy stench of iron pervades the entire cell does Long Zhanye step out, leaving a set of shoeprints behind in the viscous sludge of dark red pooling on the hard floor.

    ~~~

    A soft bed, warm blankets¡­the person still hazy with sleepiness rubs his cheek on the quilt, burrowing further into the mattress even as a blissful sigh escapes him.

    ¡°Heheh¡­¡± A light laugh full of fondness rings out from somewhere next to him.

    Eyelashes fluttering open, the person buried under the blankets peeks out. A handsome, smiling visage meets him. Mouth curving into an identical smile, a slender hand emerges from beneath the quilt to rest on the other man¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Zhanye.¡±

    ¡°Watching you sleep so peacefully gives me some sort of comfort.¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s hand travels down the curve of his body to rest on a hip.

    Just before the two can kiss, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s brow wrinkles lightly before he shoves Long Zhanye away. ¡°You¡­you reek of blood. Where did you go?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Your senses have become keener after your soul and spiritual vessel united. I just took a shower too.¡± Long Zhanye also frowns, not bothering to deny anything.

    ¡°Did you kill Zhou Huijiao?¡± Ignoring the other¡¯s complains, Huo Zaiyuan draws a couple of runes in the air. Following it, gentle silver light emits from the characters and falls on Long Zhanye¡¯s body, causing a faint red mist to rise. As soon as the mist disperses, the smell of blood clinging to Long Zhanye disappears.

    Pulling his beloved into a tighter hug now that he doesn¡¯t stink, Long Zhanye grins, dropping a kiss on the long, white hair.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a vicious murderer. Although that brainless woman deserves death, that doesn¡¯t mean she is qualified to die under my own hands. Of course, I also cannot let her off without a little lesson. Hmph, what does she expect after stabbing you? The smell of blood on my body is all borne from that woman¡¯s hatred and resentment, that¡¯s all.¡± As he says this, the expression on his face is as innocent as can be.

    Indeed, Zhou Huijiao and her son are not dead yet. But after suffering through his little lesson, they are no doubt wishing someone would end their life.

    Naturally, Long Zhanye will never let his treasure know about the dark thoughts residing in the depths of his heart. If it ever got out, it might make the other disappointed in him.

    ¡°Ai¡­so be it.¡± Huo Zaiyuan sighs. ¡°I died in her hands before my rebirth, and once more fell to her in this life. A predestined calamity is someone one can neither hide from nor escape¡­¡±

    ¡°I am your only calamity.¡± Long Zhanye sulks as he hears Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s words. Tightening his grip around his beloved, he buries his nose in the other¡¯s hair, breathing in the soothing scent of bamboo.

    ¡°Yes, yes. You are my calamity, and my troublesome man.¡± Huo Zaiyuan is already accustomed to this man¡¯s territorial nature when it comes to things he considers his. Wrapping his arms around the other¡¯s waist, he continues. ¡°After the heavenly-defying act, my soul has reunited with my original body. Right now, my cultivation level is at the ninth level and I have regained my memories as Huo Tianji. However, this is an ephemeral phrase. Nine days later, my body will disappear and my soul will scatter once again.¡±

    ¡°I had no option but to enact this heavenly-defying procedure. I couldn¡¯t simply stand aside and watch as you died again.¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s hold tightens to the point of suffocating, but Huo Zaiyuan doesn¡¯t protest. ¡°I will definitely not allow your body to crumble and your soul to scatter. I finally found you again after so many millennia. I will never let go of you again¡­even if the Heavens themselves wish to snatch you away, they will need to step over my corpse.¡±

    He was born as the harbinger of chaos, destined to keep defying the Heavens. For the person he loves, he will willingly set the realms on fire and raze the Heavens.

    Because he has nothing in this world. Nothing besides the one Huo Zaiyuan¡­

    ¡°Zhanye.¡±

    ¡°Come, we¡¯ll go pay grandfather a visit, then discuss what needs to be done next. The little monk was able to descend into the mortal world without incident, so he should know how to return to the world of Immortals. Since that¡¯s the case, I will return with you. There are countless spiritual herbs and medicines there. I don¡¯t believe nothing can save you.¡± Not waiting for Huo Zaiyuan to reply, Long Zhanye immediately tosses the other over his shoulder and heads to the door.

    Shocked by the sudden actions, Huo Zaiyuan smacks his hand on Long Zhanye¡¯s back. ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t be impulsive! Put me down!¡±

    ¡°Not going to dally any longer. Even if I have to tear a hole in the sky, I will return to the Immortal Realm with you.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­then put me down first. I can walk on my own!¡±

 CH 174

    Chapter 174: Mountain demon

    Long Haotian¡¯s unit is just down the hall from theirs, hence, Long Zhanye very casually carries Huo Zaiyuan over his shoulder and knocks on the door, not the least bit afraid to interrupt someone¡¯s day this early in the morning.

    ¡°Coming, coming.¡± Grandfather Long¡¯s voice drifts out from behind the door. Following the sound of feet shuffling closer, the door opens. As soon as the old man registers his precious grandson carrying little Yuan and is standing outside his unit, any trace of sleepiness vanishes. ¡°This¡­what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, I have something I need to tell you,¡± Long Zhanye says in a very serious manner.

    ¡°Come in and talk, don¡¯t stand outside.¡±

    As the pair walk in, Long Haotian glances at the white-haired man draped over his grandson¡¯s shoulder. Although his outer appearance has changed, based on Zhanye¡¯s every move and speech, it is clear to see that this is still Huo Zaiyuan. The matter of a lightning bolt splitting the military hospital in half was witnessed by more than a few people in the safe zone. While Long Haotian refrained from prying, he knows that his grandson and his companions have something to do with it to some extent.

    Stepping into the living room, Long Zhanye sets Huo Zaiyuan down on the sofa. He is rewarded with a stink eye and a foot to his shin. Laughing, he bends to drop a kiss on a flushed cheek.

    Heheh¡­the embarrassed, bushing look on this powerful Taoist¡¯s face is really too innocently enticing ah. Even with snow-white eyebrows drawn together in annoyance and lower lip stuck out in a pout. If they don¡¯t have to hold a serious discussion with his grandfather right now, he will definitely love his little Yuan tenderly for a while.

    ¡°Did you find me to discuss about the sudden collapse of the military hospital a few days ago?¡± Long Haotian eventually speaks, breaking the sweet moment between the couple, making them freeze as though a cup of ice-water has been upturned over their heads.

    ¡°Grandfather guessed half of it. I actually came for another reason. This other matter pertains to little Yuan and the entity behind this zombie apocalypse.¡± Long Zhanye sits down on the sofa beside Huo Zaiyuan before recounting how Huo Zaiyuan was stabbed in the chest by a cursed dagger, which led to Lian Xiang and him (LZY) performing a heavenly-defying deed, causing the hospital to be struck down by lightning. Finally, he also divulges that Huo Zaiyuan only has nine days of life in this body.

    Suddenly, Long Zhanye kneels before Long Haotian after ending his story, shocking his grandfather. ¡°You¡­what¡¯s with you, child? Get up, quickly get up.¡±

    ¡°Zhanye¡­¡± Even Huo Zaiyuan is alarmed by Long Zhanye¡¯s abrupt action.

    No one understands Long Zhanye¡¯s past life and how much he suffered. No one besides him, who has regained all the memories of Huo Tianji. This domineering and unruly individual¡­very little can make him kneel.

    ¡°Grandfather, listen to me¡­¡± Long Zhanye grasps Long Haotian¡¯s arms before the latter can help him to his feet, expression solemn. ¡°After mum and dad passed, it was grandfather who brought me up. You instructed me, trained me, loved me. I have never once forgotten it, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Grandfather is unaware of my other identity. My soul comes from a dragon residing in another world. A dragon that was dubbed the harbinger of chaos, created to defy the Heavens. Without a father or mother, without name or family. I was reborn as grandfather¡¯s treasured grandson, was given the name Long Zhanye, and became a member of this family. I wouldn¡¯t kneel to the Heavens or the Earth, wouldn¡¯t kneel to a father or a mother. But to me, grandfather is more than worthy of my respect and honour¡­¡±

    ¡°Now with little Yuan¡¯s soul reuniting with his spiritual vessel, he only has nine days to live. After these nine days, his body will crumble and his soul scatter. Therefore, within this period, what he and I wish to do is to put an end to the root of this apocalypse. Afterwards, we will return to the other realm. I understand what is going through grandfather¡¯s heart right now, but my love for little Yuan will never be broken. It existed in our last life, remaining between us in this life, and will never change in our next¡­¡±

    ¡°However, no matter where I am, I will always remember grandfather, and will never forget that I am a son of the Long family.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather understands.¡± After listening to Long Zhanye¡¯s speech, a gratified smile emerges on Long Haotian¡¯s face as he reaches out to pull his precious grandson to his feet and hug him. ¡°In grandfather¡¯s eyes, my grandson is the most dignified, honourable man. Since you have made up your mind, then go and accomplish it to the best of your abilities. Always know that no matter what you do, grandfather will eternally be in favour.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, grandfather.¡±

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about the thing behind humans changing into zombies. The Head priest said before that the reason behind a zombie¡¯s transformation is due to humans being infected by evil energy. As for where this infectious energy comes from, it is none other than the dead volcano in G City. We reached this conclusion after we saw pictures of ants in the ashes during the volcano¡¯s initial eruption. Within this volcano lies a high-rank demon responsible for spreading this infectious energy. Little Yuan, do you happen to know what this creature is?¡±

    ¡°I do. That is a mountain demon. A few thousand years ago, it rampaged through the mortal world. The leaders of various Taoist sects led their Elders to battle, resulting in countless casualties. In the end, because I was only a step away from ascension, I exploited the energy drawn from the Nine Lightning Tribulations and sealed it within a mountain. Not only can that demon turn humans into undead puppets under its control, it can also absorb dormant spiritual energy from Heaven and Earth, allowing him to infect the land as well. This is what created the toxic air in G City as well as the poisonous swamps.¡±

    ¡°You were the one who sealed it away!¡± Long Haotian gasps in astonishment.

    He knew Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s Taoist ability is very formidable, but to the extent where he is able to seal such a powerful demon away¡­

    ¡°Grandfather, it was my previous self who did it,¡± Huo Zaiyuan corrects.

    Although he regained Huo Tianji¡¯s memories and his spiritual power has increased exponentially, compared to the Huo Tianji during the peak of his powers, his current level is still inadequate.

    ¡°It¡¯s the same thing. So what do the both of you plan to do? How many men will you be taking along? I will go arrange it immediately.¡± There is no trace of a smile on Long Haotian¡¯s face as it is completely replaced with a grave expression.

    Exchanging a glance with Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan says, ¡°Grandfather, do you know about Chi You?¡±

    ¡°Of course. He¡¯s that ancient Demon God who fought against the Yellow Emperor.¡± Long Haotian nods, before he senses something¡¯s not quite right. ¡°Er¡­weren¡¯t we talking about that mountain demon? Why did you suddenly bring up this Chi You? Is there any relation between them? Chi You is only a legend.¡±

    ¡°No, he is not a mere legend. Demonic beings are bodiless beings hiding in the dark beneath the Earth. When this mountain demon arrived in the mortal world, it found the ancient demon god, or rather, the head that was chopped off by the Yellow Emperor. On its own, the mountain demon is not very difficult to deal with. Therefore, being able to infect humans and the earth is all through relying on the remaining power left behind in Chi You¡¯s decapitated head. As long as we destroy Chi You¡¯s head, that mountain demon will return to its previous condition. Of course, the deed itself wouldn¡¯t be an easy feat.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, just the two of us will be enough,¡± Long Zhanye says, holding hands with Huo Zaiyuan. ¡°The number of infected beings is too many to count. We are still unsure if other countries are experiencing the apocalypse as well, but in this nation, A City is our last stronghold¡­ If we make any pointless sacrifices, then who will be left to rebuild this nation in the future? Grandfather, I am not the sort of person to begrudge the world or pity others. The reason little Yuan and I choose to do things this way is because he only has nine days. Another factor is you and our friends. All little Yuan and I wish for is for everyone to live happily.¡±

    ¡°Ai¡­ whenever you leave to take care of your affairs, grandfather doesn¡¯t worry that you will fail. Since you have already decided, then proceed as planned.¡± Long Haotian sighs helplessly, waving a hand. ¡°It¡¯s not that grandfather doesn¡¯t trust you, but will the two of you really be enough? The enemy is the undead¡¯s big boss ah.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, that mountain demon is only the boss of walking corpses. Your grandson is a big boss feared by everyone in the Immortal world. A stamp of my foot is enough to send everyone into a panic.¡± Long Zhanye smirks smugly, completely not putting the mountain demon in his eyes.

    In his heart, he makes another silent vow. When the time comes, he will give this mountain demon a proper beating. Hmph, that damned demon dares to bully his little Yuan. Anyone who touches Long Zhanye¡¯s treasure will definitely not have a good ending.

    Seeing the resolute gleam flashing through his grandson¡¯s eyes, the worries in Long Haotian¡¯s heart vanishes into thin air. For some reason, he feels the one who will emerge the loser is that mountain demon.

    ¡°Hn, since you have planned everything in advance, then grandfather will not say anything more. How after afterwards? When you have defeated the mountain demon, where are you two going to go?¡± He hasn¡¯t forgotten what Zhanye mentioned before, that little Yuan only has nine days to live. A very short nine days.

    ¡°Actually, our intention is to utilise the evil energy this mountain demon absorbed from Chi You¡¯s head to break through the rift between worlds and return to the Immortal Realm. This is similar to the method my close friend employed to enter the mortal world.¡± The close friend Huo Zaiyuan mentioned is of course none other than Huo Tianji¡¯s best friend ¨C Lian Xiang.

    ¡°Exploiting a demon¡¯s power to achieve your goal. Haha¡­you two children are really not simple ah.¡±

    ¡°We had thought about it before. This mountain demon¡¯s purpose of invading the mortal realm is to transform it into Purgatory. Supposing we are unable to defeat it, we will open a crevice in the rift between realms and drag this demon up with us. Towards mortals, this creature is a huge threat, but in the world of Immortals, it is a mere imp.¡± Long Zhanye doesn¡¯t hesitate in telling his grandfather everything, but not bothering to mention that bringing this demon into the Immortal Realm will stir up a lot of trouble. Naturally, being who he is, causing inconvenience for Immortals is not anything new. Besides, he can sit back and watch a play unfold if they are forced to enact Plan B.

    ¡°Be careful, you two. And remember, no matter when and where you are, grandfather will forever by your grandfather. And this place will forever be home to you children.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

 CH 175

    Chapter 175: Traditional marriage ceremony

    Staring at the red ¡®†´¡¯ made out of paper and stuck on the wall of the room, Huo Zaiyuan heaves a resigned sigh and massages his aching temple.

    How exactly did the situation evolve to this stage? Even he doesn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Why are you sighing?¡± Long Zhanye hugs Huo Zaiyuan from behind, kissing the top of his head. Snow white is the colour best suited for this person in his arms. It is the colour he years for the most, as well as the colour he is infatuated with. ¡°I understand. You don¡¯t wish to marry me, which is why you are sighing. Then forget it, I¡¯ll tell them to stop, so don¡¯t ¨C ¡±

    As he says this, he lets go of Huo Zaiyuan, turning around and preparing to walk out.

    ¡°Eh? Ah¡­hold on¡­¡± Seeing him turn away, genuine anxiety surfaces in Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s heart. Swiftly, he reaches out to grab Long Zhanye¡¯s wrist, a pretty red blush spreading across his cheeks. ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t say I am unwilling. You¡­don¡¯t you tell them to¡­¡±

    A self-satisfied grin breaks out on Long Zhanye¡¯s face. Spinning around, he wraps Huo Zaiyuan in a tight hug. ¡°Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting for this day? Even if you are unwilling to marry me today, I would have forced you to do so¡­¡±

    ¡°How can a groom be like that¡­¡± Huo Zaiyuan blushes, smacking his chest before returning the hug. ¡°I¡­I love you.¡±

    ¡°I love you too.¡±

    No further words are exchanged as the couple displays their deep affection through a slow, scorching kiss.

    After Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan gathered their group of friends and informed them of their plan to use the demon¡¯s power and return to the Immortal Realm, Li Qing instantly raised the issue of performing a wedding ceremony for the couple. Before either of them can react, everyone else present nodded in agreement, then rushed off in various directions to busy themselves with the preparation.

    While their group of friends are naturally happy that the two will be marrying, none will feel happier then Long Haotian. Because he is able to personally witness his treasured grandson finally forming a family of his own. The child he saw born, personally raised and will forever dote on.

    The matter of Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s marriage was not announced to the public or even to the entire military district. They personally invited their group of close friends and a handful of subordinates, but the number of people who turn up is still not small. Presently, the building¡¯s topmost level is already bustling with activity.

    Although it is the apocalypse, this is still the wedding of A City¡¯s senior officer Long Zhanye. Even if the ceremony is plain and simple, they still need to ensure the entire process goes smoothly, and nothing has been overlooked. For example, Long Zhanye¡¯s ceremonial attire. Originally, the groom himself was going to wear his own ceremonial military uniform, but somehow, the soldiers are able to find a grand-looking, white and silver military uniform to act as the ceremonial attire. As for Huo Zaiyuan, even though in the soldiers¡¯ eyes, he is the wife in this relationship, they still cannot make him wear a female bridal gown. Thus, the soldiers once again miraculously produce a Tang Dynasty style¡¯s ceremonial robe that is a cheerful red[1]. The golden embroidery lining the hem and the surface of the fabric appears lavish and sumptuous. Tailored to fit him, the bottom portion of the robe is rather wide, resembling a dress. Coupled with an equally red and embroidered pair of cloth shoes, Huo Zaiyuan makes an extremely beautiful groom (bride). It is clear to see that in regards to their Boss¡¯ wedding, the subordinates put in a lot of thought and effort.

    As today is his wedding day, after his subordinates have observed and ensured their Boss will absolutely not become angry, they enact the traditional practice of separating the bride and groom during their respective preparation, not allowing them to meet face to face until the ceremony commences. Bringing Huo Zaiyuan to Li Qing and Qin Jun¡¯s unit, the white-haired man has not gone out the door for the entire day, causing Long Zhanye to feel restless and itchy in his heart.

    ¡°I will go with you two¡­¡± Lian Xiang murmurs as he combs Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s long, white hair.

    ¡°You may not.¡± Huo Zaiyuan rejects without the slightest hesitation. ¡°Fan Yin paid the price of a long coma in order to send you down to the mortal realm. Besides helping me, he also helped you. Aren¡¯t you afraid he will die from laughter should you return like this to the Immortal world?¡±

    ¡°Little Yuan, I am being serious.¡± Lian Xiang frowns, upset.

    ¡°I am also being serious. The last time you helped to transfer my soul into my spiritual vessel, your cultivation suffered a blow. If you insist on following us on this journey, with your current condition, your body will turn to dust and your soul scatter should you enter the rift between realms. I do not wish to needlessly lose a close friend.¡± Huo Zaiyuan smiles at Lian Xiang before his gaze deliberately turns to Mo Junfan, who is currently chatting with a few friends. ¡°Furthermore, are you willing to part with him just like that?¡±

    Following the direction of Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s gaze, Lian Xiang stiffens and blushes, then glares at his friend. ¡°Right now, I am talking about you. Don¡¯t turn the topic around.¡±

    ¡°Well, how about this? Zhanye and I will return to the world of Immortals and wait for you.¡± Drawing Lian Xiang towards him, Huo Zaiyuan wraps his arms around the other¡¯s waist and leans a cheek on his collarbone. ¡°You are my first and closest friend. We know each other¡¯s characters very well, do we not? I will absolutely not take risks if the outcome is not favourable.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¡­why do I feel like you¡­¡±

    ¡°Ai¡­trust me. With Zhanye by my side, I will definitely not act recklessly.¡±

    ¡°Un. That Heretical Dragon may not be too trustworthy, but as long as it concerns you, he is extremely reliable. With him around, I can feel relieved. Fine, I will let you off this once.¡± Rare is it that the headstrong Lian Xiang relents after setting his mind on something.

    Huo Zaiyuan pulls back a little to scowl at his friend. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me?!¡±

    ¡°You have a bad record. Falling from the Righteous Winter Sky Gorge down to the mortal world, leading to reincarnation.¡±

    Not being able to refute Lian Xiang¡¯s words, Huo Zaiyuan can only sputter in indignation. ¡°You¡­you have been tainted! You were never this eloquent before!!¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Lian Xiang turns up his nose haughtily, ignoring his friend.

    Before Huo Zaiyuan can open his mouth to speak again, Li Qing peeks into the room, a bright grin on his face. ¡°Little Yuan, take a look at what I found!¡±

    Holding the item in both hands like a treasure, Li Qing happily places it down in front of Huo Zaiyuan.

    As soon as he sees the item, Huo Zaiyuan glares at Li Qing. ¡°You want me to use this?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Today is your marriage ceremony between you and older brother Long. You must dress yourself up as beautifully as possible.¡± Li Qing nods, extremely serious.

    Although a trace of reluctance can be seen on his face, Huo Zaiyuan eventually consents. ¡°All right.¡±

    For cultivators who possess a long lifespan, one can only marry once in their lifetime. Thus, a marriage ceremony is an unforgettable event for both parties involved. Also, on this day, he wants to show Zhanye his most beautiful image¡­

    Under the soldiers¡¯ instigation, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s wedding ceremony will be a traditional one that involves a kneeling and bowing ritual. Once the Elder Taoist priest announces that the auspicious time has come, Huo Zaiyuan walks into Grandfather Long¡¯s unit, accompanied by Li Qing and Lian Xiang.

    A wide, joyful smile on his face, Long Haotian sits on a mahogany chair at the end of the hall as Long Zhanye stands in the middle. As soon as he spots Huo Zaiyuan, his eyes brighten, a dazzling smile with a trace of giddiness breaking out, both hands extending towards his beloved. Stunned exclamations and gasps of awe rise as everyone present finally catch sight of Huo Zaiyuan.

    ¡°Wah, eldest sister-in-law is indeed a super beauty ah!!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right ah, that¡¯s right ah! Boss really struck it big this time!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?! Our Boss is an extremely handsome and confident man too ah!¡±

    It¡¯s not surprising a fervent of lively discussion breaks out amongst the soldiers as soon as Huo Zaiyuan walks in. Long, free-flowing, white hair half-tied and knotted at the back of his head[2], clad in a deep red traditional ceremonial wedding robe, matching cloth shoes on his feet, a rosy, flawless complexion bearing the slightest trace of make-up, his utterly captivating and beautiful mien will leave many a beauty in the dust.

    Clasping Long Zhanye¡¯s hand, the couple walks forward side by side a few paces, then kneels before Long Haotian. The entire house that was filled with chatter and noise a second before instantly quietens.

    Following the silence, the Elder Taoist priest¡¯s voice rings out. ¡°First bow to the Heavens and Earth!¡±

    ¡°Second bow to the main hall!¡±

    ¡°Husband and husband mutual bow!¡±

    ¡°Send the newly-weds to the bridal chamber!¡±

    The boisterous crowd cheerfully delivers Huo Zaiyuan to Long Zhanye¡¯s unit while they surround the other man in a tight formation. Trying to get away from this sticky crowd will not be a simple task.

    As the wedding reception¡¯s feast is held in Long Haotian¡¯s unit and Long Zhanye¡¯s house is treated as the bridal chamber, this kind of scene surfaced¡­

    ¡°Heehee¡­Boss, today is your joyful occasion! As the main lead, you have to accompany us brothers for a small celebration, right?¡± A cup of wine in hand, a soldier grins.

    ¡°Correct ah, correct ah!¡±

    ¡°Boss, we will not return home if we are not drunk!¡± As he says this, another subordinate hands a large cup of wine to Long Zhanye.

    Clearly, these soldiers who have experienced a lot of bullying under their Boss are taking this rare opportunity when he wouldn¡¯t be angered to climb on his head and fool around.

    Eyeing the group of soldiers harbouring evil intent behind their grins, Long Zhanye smirks and retreats a step. Only, he is suddenly flanked by Long Hongjian and You Nuandong, one from the left and one from the right.

    Within the quiet room of Long Zhanye¡¯s house, Huo Zaiyuan stares at the red ¡®†´¡¯ stuck on the wall, heart racing. Li Qing ran off to join the fun immediately after escorting Huo Zaiyuan into the room. Although there is no one else here, he doesn¡¯t feel lonely.

    Sitting on the edge of the bed, he has lost count of the number of times he peeked at the tightly closed door. Each time he looks up, he feels a ball of nervousness in his gut, as though Long Zhanye will push the door open and walk in at any moment.

    ¡°Huu¡­¡± Is this how new brides feel whenever they await their husbands in the bridal chamber?

    Who knows how long he waited before the nervous Huo Zaiyuan eventually decides to meditate. Else, if he continues to be so tensed, he will pass out from anxiety even before Long Zhanye returns.

    Just as he prepared to settle down in meditation, the room¡¯s door is pushed open to reveal Long Zhanye with an enormous smile on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve made you wait.¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­not really.¡± Huo Zaiyuan rises and stops directly in front of the other man. This close, he is able to smell the strong scent of alcohol emitting from him. Evidently, they managed to drag Long Zhanye into drinking quite a bit. ¡°You came rather quickly. I thought¡­¡±

    Before he can finish, a pair of lips blocks the rest of his words. ¡°With such a beautiful new bride waiting for me at home, where do I have the mind to make merry with that bunch of monkeys?¡±

    ¡°Who ¡ª who¡¯s your bride¡­¡± Huo Zaiyuan glares halfheartedly up at Long Zhanye.

    ¡°You, of course. Come, we haven¡¯t exchanged nuptial wine yet.¡± Long Zhanye extends the arm he concealed behind him when he entered the room. A tray with a pot of wine and two red cups is presented to Huo Zaiyuan. ¡°This was given to me by the Elder Taoist priest, to wish us an eternal, harmonious union. Here.¡±

    Holding hands, the newlyweds sit at the table. Placing the tray down, Long Zhanye pours wine into the two cups. Before handing one over, he flicks a finger, injecting golden rays of light into the wine.

    ¡°Zhanye, you¡­¡±

    ¡°Little Yuan, drink it. From this day onwards, our souls are tied together. If you live, so will I. If you die, so will I. Let¡¯s live and die together.¡±

    A soft smile curving his lips, Huo Zaiyuan breaks the skin of his right index finger and presses his bloodied finger between Long Zhanye¡¯s eyebrows. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s live and die together.¡±

    Linking their arms with cups in hand, the two men drain the wine in one swallow. Putting his cup down, Long Zhanye tugs Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s hand towards his mouth, kissing the finger with the broken skin. The drop of blood between his eyebrows disappears in a flash of silver, warming his heart.

    ¡°Each moment of a romantic night is worth a thousand pieces of gold. Tonight belongs solely to you and me¡­¡±

    The magnificent red ceremonial robe pools on the floor, followed by a white and silver military uniform. Within the warm and peaceful house, light pants and gasps fill the room, not ceasing for a very long time.

 CH 176

    Chapter 176: The final battle

    Just as the first rays of light breaks the horizon, a military Hummer cruises out of A City. The soldiers guarding this outermost gate salute as the vehicle drives past, a complicated expression on each of their faces.

    ¡°Not greeting grandfather before leaving, is it okay?¡± Wrapped in a soft quilt and holding a steaming cup of scented tea, Huo Zaiyuan asks softly from the passenger seat.

    ¡°Paying grandfather a visit before leaving would only add to his worry. Leaving behind our wedding day as one of the possible last memories of us is the best thing we can do for him.¡± Removing one hand from the steering wheel, Long Zhanye gently strokes the back of Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s head.

    ¡°Un, you are right.¡± Nodding, Huo Zaiyuan sends the cup back into his space and pulls the quilt up to his chin. ¡°I¡¯ll rest for a while.¡±

    Yesterday was their wedding night and today, they have to set off early. While Long Zhanye is in great spirits, Huo Zaiyuan, on the other hand, is still sore and tired. Which is why he has to take the opportunity to rest on the way to G City or else, how is he going to fight later on¡­

    ¡°Un, go to sleep. It¡¯ll take us about a day to reach G City.¡±

    Four out of the nine days have already passed. Wasting one day to reach G City makes that five days. They will only have four days left to deal with the mountain demon, then tear open a rift between realms order to enter the world of Immortals¡­

    For his little Yuan, he definitely cannot lose¡­

    A day and a half later, the military Hummer enters G City. At that time, in order to prevent the polluted air from spreading, the Elder Taoist priest used the modified mutant plants to lay a few layers of arrays. Hence, a sea of ordinary undead mill around outside of the city, unable to enter. Amongst the mass of common zombies, a few evolved ones can be spotted here and there. Peering over the perimeter walls into the city itself, one can see that the streets within are also filled with undead. The only difference is the ones inside all sport sharp claws and teeth. Every last one of them is at least a Rank 3. Suffice to say, the mountain demon already anticipated this day when the mass invasion failed. Hence, it recalled every available zombie back to G City in order to make a final stand.

    With Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s soul fusing with his original vessel, he has already surpassed the limitations of a human. Although Long Zhanye¡¯s dragon soul is still confined to a human body, based on his power alone, he is able to resist the potent evil energy here. Hence, to this couple, shrugging off the infection trying to dig its metaphorical claws into them is as easy as breathing.

    ¡°Tsk, tsk, such a large battalion standing in formation to welcome us ah!¡± Hummer coming to a halt, Long Zhanye opens the driver¡¯s side door and leans out to look, a calm and collected grin on his face.

    ¡°But this ¡®welcome committee¡¯ don¡¯t seem to be in a good mood. Come, let¡¯s give them a huge present.¡± Still sitting in the passenger¡¯s seat, Huo Zaiyuan waves his left hand, materialising an assembled rocket launcher and handing it over to his husband.

    Taking the offered weapon and bracing it on his shoulder, Long Zhanye shoots him a mock grimace. ¡°Little Yuan, I¡¯ve tainted you. The old you wouldn¡¯t have bullied the dead.¡±

    Firing the rocket launcher immediately after saying this, the consequent explosion lands in the middle of the horde, blowing away a relatively large chunk of undead. Only after suffering the first attack does the horde turn towards the Hummer in unison, shambling forward with low snarls. The two exit their vehicle, one tossing talisman into the wave of zombies while the other lifts two submachine guns, firing from the hip. Back to back they stand, felling row after row of walking corpses before they can get surrounded.

    In the end, after tossing a few dozen grenades, Huo Zaiyuan materialises some fire talisman, causing a golden blaze to spread. One with snow-white hair fluttering in the wind, another in a crisp uniform billowing in the breeze, the couple advances¡­

    For an entire day, Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye fight their way through the barriers and into G City, slaughtering a straight path towards the dead volcano. Thick, slimy, purplish-red fluid secreting an intense smell of rotting meat flows endlessly out of the volcanic crater. Of course, this is not lava, but the liquid that creates poisonous swamps.

    ¡°Tch, this welcome ceremony is truly grotesque.¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s mouth curls in disgust as he stares at the foul liquid streaming down the mountain.

    ¡°That substance not only contains potent evil energy, but is it highly toxic towards a Taoist¡¯s spiritual vessel. It will erode my body should a drop touch.¡± Huo Zaiyuan can¡¯t help a small smile forming as he eyes the other man¡¯s smug expression.

    ¡°Beloved, I am not a Taoist practitioner. This filthy insignifant thing is completely beneath me. However, you need to extremely cautious.¡± With a wave of his hand, a flash of black light flicker in the air before Long Zhanye and a black dragon appears. In a single bound, the man lands lightly on the dragon¡¯s back, turning his head to quirk an inquiring eyebrow at the Taoist.

    Smile still plastered on his lips, Huo Zaiyuan lifts two fingers and swipes it horizontally through the air. A large, silver jian materialises near his feet. Taking a step forward onto the blade, he mentally wills it to move. The jian rises smoothly and shoots towards the mountain, Long Zhanye following close behind on his black dragon. Two streaks of light, one black, one white, fly to the peak of the volcano before dropping into the crater, initiating a direct attack on the mountain demon sealed within.

    As soon as it catches sight of the two attackers charging towards it, the mountain demon roars, mouth opening wide, spouting forth a torrent of scarlet mist. The couple separates instantly, dodging to the left and right. Huo Zaiyuan flicks his fingers, nine talismans fanning out around his torso in a circle. Spinning and rising at the same time, the talismans shoot towards the demon.

    A sphere of black, chaotic energy flies towards the giant head from the other side, catching the demon in flanking position.

    The nine talismans converge into a Ninth Heavens Mystic array midway through the attack, and adding on Long Zhanye¡¯s flanking strike, the demon controlling Chi You¡¯s decapitated head is too slow in trying to evade. Two powerful strikes sink into the left and right side of the bodiless head, causing purplish-red liquid and rotting flesh to spew forth.

    Howling in rage and pain, the mountain demon bellows, ¡°Taoist! I will definitely kill you this time!!¡±

    ¡°Tch, don¡¯t you know the saying: one has to look at the owner before hitting a dog? This Heretical Dragon¡¯s man is not someone you, this brainless giant head, can touch so easily.¡± A flicker of deep loathing passes through Long Zhanye¡¯s golden eyes as he jabs a clawed finger at the demon.

    Gathering his inner energy, Long Zhanye leaps off the back of the black dragon as the latter tosses its head back and hisses. The atmospheric pressure within the volcano grows heavier as a formidable surge of power explodes forth, charging towards the mountain demon.

    Unaffected by the pressure nor the frightening rush of power, Huo Zaiyuan makes a drawing motion in front of himself. A silvery-white horsetail whisk[1] appears in hand. Swiping the bristles a few times through the air, a Yin-Yang symbol fades into existence, growing in size as small runes pour forth, snaking around the circular edge in a revolving link. A flick of his wrist has the newly created seal drifting swiftly towards the enemy.

    Having being on the defensive long enough, the demonic head doesn¡¯t intend to keep evading attacks any longer. Mouth opening to let loose an earth-shaking roar, the entire volcano trembles. Below, the thick, stinking fluid bubbles like water put to boil¡­ A forceful bolt of demonic energy rushes towards Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye.

    The collision of three formidable powers gives rise to a sonic boom. Cracks and fractures appear on the surface of the mountain as the entire region quakes from the aftershock. Not stopping to regain their balance, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan instantly attack again in unison.

    From within the demon¡¯s plump head, two scarlet-red, beast-like claws slash out. After this display, it is not difficult to tell that the mountain demon¡¯s original body is hidden within Chi You¡¯s head!

    Another shockwave ripples outwards from the clashing of three powerful attacks. Already shaky from the earlier explosion, the foundation of the volcano shudders violently, causing the cracks to widen. Finally, the walls begin to crumble¡­

    Even though this mountain demon has completely fused itself with the ancient Demon God¡¯s head and obtained the vast reserve of power stored within, it is still hard-pressed to resist the combined force of the Heretical Dragon and the strongest Taoist priest. Striking their foe in rapid succession at full power, they slowly pressure it into a defensive stance. The black dragon hisses once more even as the red claws slice through the air in a diagonal upwards slash.

    ~~~

    As Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan slipped out of the dormitory building without a word, by the time Long Haotian went to find the newlyweds, it is already afternoon. Hence, an anxious Commander-in-chief makes the prompt decision to gather Zuo Hanyang, You Nuandong, Li Qing, Qin Jun, Lian Xiang, Long Hongjian and Mo Junfan. Together, they are to form a special unit and accompany him to G City.

    When the line of vehicles approach G City, small craters and scorch marks left behind by grenades, rocket launcher shells and bullets become increasingly frequent. Suffice to say, Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye cleared out quite a few undead on the entire journey to this city. Just as they arrive outside the array¡¯s barriers, a sudden burst of dazzling silver light erupts from within G City, rising up towards the sky. One is able to feel an impressive amount of power emitting from it. The pillar of light begins to warp, twisting into a spiral black hole that immediately begins to suck everything in. Before any within the vehicles can react, a blast similar to an atomic bomb goes off with the dead volcano as ground zero, rippling forcefully outwards, bringing along with it an intense gust of hot air and dust¡­

    ~~~

    The battle lasted for an entire day and night, up until dawn breaks the horizon once more, brilliant sunlight raining down on Mother Earth. The volcano has long since crumbled, unable to endure the massive amounts of power being flung around. As for the mountain demon, it is already forced to expose more of its original body in order to fight Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye off. Presently, large chunks of Chi You¡¯s giant head are missing.

    The horsetail whisk whips out, drawing threads of silver together in a mesh barrier, blocking the claws. Leaping upwards, the slender figure lands lightly on top of a huge boulder. The whisk vanishes as Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s hand stretches out to the side. In the next moment, Liu Ying flies over, hilt landing in his palm.

    ¡°Zhanye!¡± Huo Zaiyuan calls.

    Locked in battle for an entire day and night, the demon¡¯s mental state has already become chaotic and agitated. Which is exactly what Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye are aiming for. Drawing the fight out until the demon loses its patience and goes berserk, they will take this split-second opportunity to deliver their strongest attack.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Long Zhanye answers, silhouette flickering rapidly backwards to evade a wild swing. Snapping his fingers, the black dragon obediently returns to his side.

    Gathering their inner powers in preparation for a single, heavy blow, two figures drift slowly upwards, one black and one white. When the energy surrounding their bodies grow too dense to contain for long, they streak towards the demonic head. Even in its berserk rage, the mountain demon is not so lost as to lose its intelligence. Seeing them charging forth with their most powerful attacks, it also begins to gather its power to meet them head-on.

    Black, white and red. Three colours, three forces, two sides. The violent explosion this time puts all others to shame. Everything in their vicinity is reduced to dust, the wave of destruction travelling further outwards in all directions, sparing nothing. The excess energy shoots up into the sky. As though a razor-sharp knife sliced it apart, the sky above splits open. The black hole warps and begins to rotate, sucking everything into its abyssal depths¡­

    ~~~

    Who knows how long passed before the small team laid flat on their backs are able to move again. Crawling painfully to their feet one after another, everyone silently bears witness to the astonishing scene before their eyes. Within the array, the entire G City is completely wiped out, replaced by a wasteland¡­ No traces of grass, buildings or zombies¡­ Everything is just¡­gone.

    Faint, golden light descends from the sky like a shower of glitter. Or a swarm of tiny fireflies slowly drifting in the wind. Amazement paints the faces of everyone present. Some even extend a hand out with palms up in order to catch the falling sparkles.

    ¡°What is this?¡± The question falls from Li Qing¡¯s lips in a soft whisper as he stares at the golden flecks disappearing from his palm.

    ¡°This is the scattered energy borne from sacrifice to induce rebirth. Look,¡± Lian Xiang answers, pointing towards what was once G City.

    As the shower of golden sparks falls gently to the ground, the wasteland gradually transforms. Tender, green sprouts grow, small flowers blossoming. Tree saplings burst from the soil, maturing at a rapid pace. In a few moments, it is as though the earth has entered the peak of spring. Lush green plants as far as the eye can see, it conceals the marks of destruction and carnage.

    ¡°Then, where is Boss and eldest sister-in-law¡­why haven¡¯t they appeared yet?!¡± Zuo Hanyang strains his eyes to peer into the dense vegetation, as though by looking hard enough, he would see two figure within.

    ¡°The black hole that appeared in the sky is a gateway leading into the Immortal Realm. Long Zhanye and little Yuan has broken their mortal bindings and ascended, returning to where they belong,¡± Lian Xiang says. ¡°Grandfather, you may finally be at ease.¡±

    ¡°They truly managed to return?¡±

    ¡°Un. I can guarantee that they succeeded. Grandfather, let us head back. If they know you are still worrying about them, they will surely be upset.¡± Lian Xiang is not someone who knows how to offer verbal comfort, but these words don¡¯t lack warmth.

    ¡°Un, as long as they are fine, all will be well. All will be well¡­¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, one day, we will definitely be able to meet older brother Long and little Yuan again.¡± Li Qing slips his hand into Long Haotian¡¯s squeezing it lightly in comfort.

    ¡°That¡¯s right ah. Commander-in-chief, don¡¯t worry and be happy! Let¡¯s all return to the city!¡±

    Entering their vehicles, the short convoy leaves the lush greenery behind, heading back towards the safe zone.

    From the day G City vanished from the face of the earth, every zombie roaming the land disappears as well. The devastated land covered in sores and scars is shrouded in lush new growth, restoring life to the earth. It also represents the end of the apocalypse. At long last, the survivors in A City can travel safely outside, spreading out to claim a small piece of land for themselves. A small slice of paradise to begin their lives anew.

    ~~~

    As for Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan?

    According to Lian Xiang, they have returned to the world of Immortals. There, they can start the next chapter of their lives together.

    (Author¡¯s note: Here ends the story within the mortal realm¡­)

    Translator¡¯s note: And so here ends the apocalypse arc in the modern, mortal world.

    I am actually going to give you lovely readers a warning for the next few chapters until the end of the novel, which is approximately 20+ chapters away.

    If you are reading this for the zombie apocalypse and the modern world and the main couple¡¯s friends and everything we fell in love with so far, I suggest turning away after reading this note, hold onto all the fluff accumulated on this relatively long journey, savour it for as long as needed, then set them aside. Because what comes next only stars our main couple and no one else you have come to adore.

    Personally, I would have loved to end the novel here and introduce the next portion as a side story or even an alternate universe, but¡­eh. Anyway, despite my lukewarm (and disappointed) reaction to the next portion, I encourage you lovely readers to continue on ahead and form your own decisions. Don¡¯t let me sway you before reading ^-^

    Who knows? You might actually end up liking it, or I might gain another companion to rant with over this¡­

    [1] Horsetail whisk:

 CH 177

    Chapter 177: Little beggar

    Midnight in the Immortal Realm

    Two pillars of light descend from the sky, one gold and the other silver, illuminating the entire sky above. Night is abruptly changed to day. This mystical scene shocks many within the realm. Within a few moments of this occurrence, a lot of cultivators are drawn to the site in order to investigate.

    Only, the pillars of light disappear as suddenly as it appeared.

    The object left behind is rather problematic. As soon as the opaque golden light vanishes, it reveals the Evil Dragon Mountain that everyone in this world is afraid of. For an entire year, it was surrounded by a thick fog of poisonous gases. Vicious beasts group together and wander freely near the mountain¡¯s foot. Its danger level was raised from a level 3 risk to a level 1 forbidden area. Anyone who tries to enter the perimeters of the Evil Dragon Mountain alone is undoubtedly seeking death. Naturally, no one is so foolish as to carelessly throw their life away to slake a moment¡¯s curiosity. Although they are unwilling, the crowd quickly disperses. As for the place where the silver pillar fell onto, everyone gathered there is met with disappointment.

    Just what was that flash of gold and silver light? What will it bring to this world of Immortals? No one knows. Following the disappearance of this mysterious light, the bright sky returns to its dark state and tranquillity settles once more.

    The mysterious occurrence of this night is like a pebble thrown into a pond, rippling through the hearts of every cultivator. It broke the long, peaceful quiet, raising small waves on the water¡¯s surface. In no time at all, every kind of rumours and speculations pertaining to this event surfaces.

    However, as days bleed into months and still nothing strange appear, this matter gradually fades from people¡¯s minds, slowly being forgotten.

    ~~~

    Six years later

    In a vast expanse of whiteness, a little figure sporting long, dazzling silver hair and adorable, flawless features kneel on the ground, motionless. Clad in a shabby, ash grey, patched attire, their little feet are covered by a pair of worn, straw sandals.

    Next to this little person lies another body. Wrapped in black robes and sporting long, black hair, this individual is extremely handsome. Expression serene and eyes closed, the rise and fall of his chest indicate that he is in deep asleep.

    ¡°Grandfather is ill, I¡¯m really worried¡­¡± A soft, high voice filled with caution rises as the little one holds a one-sided conversation with the sleeping man, the adorable face still chubby with baby fat falling in grief. ¡°Older brother, why do you like to sleep so much? If you wake up, can you bring this little beggar¡¯s grandfather to see a doctor? A few days ago, the oldest grandfather in our beggar¡¯s den fell ill and disappeared¡­ This little beggar doesn¡¯t want grandfather to be sick, or else he will disappear just like that old man¡­¡± As he mumbles under his breath, the child crawls up on the sleeping man¡¯s chest before they too, eventually drift off.

    The image of a child and an adult nestled together, fast asleep, surrounded by a field of white brings forth untold amounts of warmth and comfort.

    ~~~

    In the month of October, the mid-winter weather is extremely cold.

    Recently, in the tranquil village of Lin Wan, something unusual happened. One can hear the bustle of activity everywhere, and from time to time, a few cultivators clad in the disciple robes of the Sixth Major sect can be seen dithering around.

    Regarding this sudden change, the young, six-year-old beggar doesn¡¯t notice it. This little child is only aware that there seems to be a lot of people on the streets today. Although he huddles in on himself in one corner of a side street, quite a few passersby stop to drop a copper coin into his chipped bowl. Very quickly, the small bowl is filled to the brim, making him beam with joy.

    Grandfather fell ill and needs money in order to see a doctor to cure him.

    Therefore, taking advantage of his grandfather sleeping soundly, he took the bowl and ran out here to beg. Now, with this full bowl of copper coins, he can go and invite a doctor¡­

    Carefully picking the bowl up, the little beggar heads as quickly as he can towards a small medicine store. He has only taken a few steps forward when a shadow suddenly dashes out of a nearby alley, knocking him over.

    The bowl in the child¡¯s hands follows him to the ground, shattering upon impact and scattering the coins everywhere. The person who crashed into him is a beautiful, dainty woman clad in a light satin skirt. Glaring down at the little beggar, she sneers, yelling at him in anger before wheeling on her heels and stalking off.

    But this child¡¯s thoughts are not on the angry female who bumped into him. Rather, he is wholly focused on the coins strewn over the ground. Scrambling to his feet, he wants to gather them up only to see others looting the copper. Very soon, not a single coin remains. Not only is the little beggar roughly shoved around by the looters, the large pieces of his shattered bowl has been ground to dust beneath people¡¯s feet. Knocked down to the ground again in the middle of the crowded street, the flow of passersby doesn¡¯t stop. His small body and red, frozen fingers are stepped on numerous times. By the time he manages to drag himself away, the little beggar is unable to bear the agony and eventually sobs.

    Withdrawing back to his corner to weep quietly, he clutches the few coins he managed to take back tightly in his little hands. After a while, when the sharp pain fades to a dull ache, he wipes his tears with a dirty sleeve before staring out at the busy street again with huge, dark eyes.

    Suddenly, he notices something in the distance that draws his attention. A male child around the age of twelve or thirteen deliberate runs into a lavishly-dressed man. In a split-second, the older child¡¯s hand snakes out, stealing the jade pendant hanging at the man¡¯s waist. By the time both of them separate, the jade pendant is already hidden in the child¡¯s sleeve.

    The little beggar¡¯s eyes widen as he continues watching. The finely-dressed adult reaches down to pat his waist, only to discover his pendant was stolen. Freezing, the man snaps around with a yell before giving chase.

    As soon as the older kid realise he was found out, anxiousness fills his face and begins to flee. Being small of size, the kid is nimble and agile. But ultimately, he is still obstructed by the man¡¯s bodyguards. In a moment of desperation, the jade pendant is taken out of his sleeve and thrown up into the air.

    The lustrous jade pendant curves in a beautiful and perfect arc, accurately hitting the ground in front of the little beggar. The small child stiffens for a second, then reacts swiftly. Snatching the pendant up, he turns and flees.

    Noticing the jade pendant now in the little beggar¡¯s hands, the bodyguard yells in rage and gives chase¡­

    Got it, he got it¡­now he has money to let grandfather see a doctor¡­

    Eyes bright, he clutches the pendant in a death-grip as he runs. He knows he needs to flee quickly, to run faster. Much, much faster. He definitely cannot be caught by the adult. Although his gait is slightly staggering, his speed is not at all slow. The few bodyguards behind are already starting to pant, but continues chasing in hopes of catching the little thief.

    He doesn¡¯t know how long he ran for. He only knows that since he is still being chased, he has no choice but to keep running out of the village gates and into the jungle.

    Lin Wan village is surrounded by a mountain range on one side and the ocean on another. Located at the end of the mainland, the residents here often goes out to sea to fish, but never enters the jungle to hunt. For the mountains are covered in a thick layer of white, opaque fog, and large, ferocious beasts lurk in the depths of the forest, as well as several different venomous snakes and insects. Venturing in leads to certain death.

    The little beggar doesn¡¯t know these things, but his grandfather has reminded him countless times never to enter the forest.

    However, being chased by a group of men, everything his grandfather told him has been forgotten in favour of escaping. In a flash, the small figure rushes into the forest, following the small dirt road, going deeper and deeper into this treacherous place.

    Seeing the little beggar dash into the forest, the few men giving chase instantly halts in their pursue. Exchanging glances, none dare to continue forward.

    ¡°What are you standing around here for? Still not going to give chase? If the jade pendant is not found, you will all be put to death!¡± The leader bellows at his lackeys.

    Looking at the murderous expression on their leader¡¯s face, the subordinates are well aware of how merciless and cruel he is. Hence, they can only grit their teeth and enter this frightening forest.

    The shoes on his feet are made out of woven straws. After running for so long, the little beggar¡¯s sandals are stained with fresh, red blood. With a single glance, one would be able to tell that the tender soles of his feet have been rubbed raw.

    Bloodstains are left behind on various dead leaves and grass below as the little beggar continues forward. Up until his muscles ache so badly and become numb. The surrounding darkness fills him with fear, but he doesn¡¯t dare stop. For behind, the group of men are still in pursuit.

    The smell of blood from the child¡¯s feet drifts up, wafting in the air. Suddenly, a loud, vicious snarl rings through the forest, causing every human within to jump in fright.

    In the dimness of this place, one, two, three¡­countless pairs of scarlet eyes appear, surrounding the few bodyguards who entered the forest after the little child.

    Only the little beggar is left to continue his way, completely unaware of what is to come next.

    In the next second, a malevolent-looking, ink-black beast with scarlet eyes pounces on the beggar from behind. Although it claws only graze the child¡¯s shoulder, it nearly frightened him to death.

    Weeping while fleeing¡­

    The little beggar unknowingly runs towards the forbidden area!

 CH 178

    Chapter 178: Heretical Dragon awakens

    Flesh and blood fly as bodies thud to the ground, motionless. No matter how skilful these intruders are, none are able to prevail against the large group of beasts within the mountain. In less than an hour¡¯s time, the group of eight men are mercilessly torn limb from limb, their corpses devoured by the carnivorous animals. By the end of it all, not even a single bone remains.

    The Lone Horned Jackal is a beast that looks similar to a house cat. One shouldn¡¯t judge it due to its size, for within this Evil Dragon Mountain, this beast is one of the most dangerous creatures. To compensate for its small stature, Lone Horned Jackals are gifted with extreme cunning and intelligence.

    When hunting their preys, a Lone Horned Jackal will not attack head on. Nor will it aim to kill swiftly, ending lives in a single strike. Like a cat playing with a mouse before they eat, this beast will allow its prey to run while it chases, amusing itself with its target until it collapses from fear and exhaustion. Only then will the Lone Horned Jackal end its prey¡¯s life.

    This little beggar¡¯s silver hair has already been pawed at until it is a frightful mess. Tripping and stumbling, his clothes have long accumulated countless stains and tears. Large rips can be seen on a shoulder, travelling down towards his back. Blood continuously flows from the shallow scratches on his skin.

    ¡°Go away¡­go away. Don¡¯t eat me¡­wuwu¡­¡± Stumbling forward, the child waves his weak arms towards the Lone Horned Jackal stalking him.

    In the beast¡¯s eyes, this weak little creature doesn¡¯t possess the slightest threat. As the little beggar trips over a protruding tree root, it eventually cannot resist the enticing smell of this prey any longer. Scarlet eyes widening, it pounces on the child with a sharp yowl.

    Instinctively throwing a hand out as the Jackal leaps forward, the child falls back to the ground. Sharp teeth clamp around a dirty sleeve and rip a strip from it. A fair, slender hand is exposed. Around the small wrist, a faint silver light shines.

    Before the beast can bite down on the hand, silver light converges around the little beggar¡¯s arm. A translucent dragon flashes into existence, roaring in anger. One moment, the Jackal is snarling in aggression and the next moment, it screeches in terror before fleeing for its life, tail between its legs.

    The little beggar doesn¡¯t know what happened, but seeing the beast flee, he scrambles back to his feet. Sobbing and running, he continues his way.

    Mouth constantly chanting ¡°don¡¯t eat me, don¡¯t eat me,¡± and vision blurred by tears, he doesn¡¯t see the lake until it is too late. With a splash, he falls right into the ice-cold water.

    Having never learned to swim before, and coupled with his terrified state of mind, he doesn¡¯t struggle. Slowly, the little figure is drawn down into the dark depths.

    Only when water enters his nose and mouth does the little beggar struggle. However, the lack of oxygen saps his remaining strength, making him stop¡­ Just as it seems death will sink its claws into this little child, just as his heart gives one last stuttering beat, the little beggar¡¯s body jerks. Silver rays of light flow out of his body, cocooning him. A single tendril of golden light flies out and shoots towards the bottom of the lake.

    Similar to a key slotted into the right lock, the golden tendril spreads across the bottom of the lake. Instantly, a pair of golden eyes opens, illuminating the darkness. The water begins to surge, causing a large amount of bubbles to rise.

    Along with the sudden roar of a dragon echoing out of and over the mountain, a large, serpentine body shoots upwards, wrapping around the sinking child before breaking through the surface of the lake.

    With another huge splash, a dragon with inversed, ink-black scales glistening under the light of the setting sun hovers above the lake. In a flash of golden light, the dragon morphs into a handsome, black-haired man clad in black robes, scales covering his left cheek and a dragon totem circlet on his brow.

    Face filled with anxiousness, the man swiftly lands on solid ground, setting the pale child on his arms down. Injecting a small thread of golden light into the small body, he compressed the child¡¯s chest and gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

    After who knows how long, the child¡¯s body jerks, then flips on his side to throw up several mouthfuls of lake water. Gasping, he glances wildly around until his breath returns. Before the man can react, the child¡¯s face scrunches as loud sobs are wrenched from him. Curling in on himself, the small frame trembles as he mumbles ¡°don¡¯t eat me, don¡¯t eat me¡± under his breath.

    During that critical moment, the man¡¯s mind was filled with thoughts of absolutely needing to rescue the child. The sudden loud weeping drags him back to reality. Silver hair, torn clothes, injured legs. The silver dragon circling around one small wrist is a testimony to the child¡¯s identity. If this boy before him is not the person he misses the most, then who else could it be¡­?

    Heart aching intensely, he reaches out to draw the trembling child into his embrace. ¡°I am here, I will protect you. Nothing will dare eat you¡­¡±

    Little Yuan, what exactly happened?

    He remembers everything. The final battle with that mountain demon, delivering the last blow together with Huo Zaiyuan, the demon finally exploding under the force of two incredibly powerful strikes¡­

    The explosion ripped open a gateway between realms, which sucked little Yuan and him in¡­

    Here, his memories end.

    But clearly, little Yuan and he succeeded in returning to the Immortal Realm. His mortal body presumably turned to dust, so his soul is now united with his original body, the one slumbering at the bottom of the lake. As for little Yuan¡­

    Did he return to his original body? Or was this caused by their heavenly-defying act in the mortal world?

    His low voice sounds very soothing in this child¡¯s ears, causing the loud sobs to gradually quieten. Slowly, his tear-stained face lifts to peek at the black-haired man. His small mouth curls into the faintest smile. Extending his hands, he wraps them around the broad shoulders and clings tightly to the man.

    An answering smile surfaces on the adult¡¯s face. Although he has never hugged a child before, he instinctively knows how to best comfort this little person in his embrace. Slowly curling an arm around the child¡¯s waist, the other comes up to pat his back gently.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. With me here, no one will be able to harm you.¡±

    Carrying the child in his arms, the man settles down beside the lake. Even after a long time, the tender look in his eyes doesn¡¯t disappear. Waiting until the kid calmed down, he initiates a soft conversation.

    Being only six years old, the little beggar¡¯s vocabulary and explanation ability is still rather weak. Fortunately, this man¡¯s analytical skills is above average. After listening to the child¡¯s recount, he lifts a hand to stroke the silver hair. ¡°What is your name?¡±

    ¡°Name? Grandfather calls me ¡®good grandson¡¯. The uncle who stays with us calls me ¡®little beggar¡¯¡­¡± The child stares at the man with a serious expression on his face. Due to crying not long ago, his eyes are still red, giving him the appearance of a little bunny.

    Hearing ¡°little beggar¡±, the man¡¯s lips thin. ¡°Your name is not ¡®little beggar¡¯. It is Huo Zaiyuan. Remember that.¡±

    ¡°Huo Zaiyuan? My name¡­¡±

    ¡°Un, that¡¯s right. Very clever,¡± Long Zhanye praises as he rubs the top of the child¡¯s head. ¡°My name is Long Zhanye.¡±

    ¡°Long Zhanye¡­¡± Repeating the name under his breath, his gaze becomes distant, as though trying to recall something.

    Seeing the cute and familiar expression on the little face, Long Zhanye¡¯s heart thumps from anticipation.

    Is little Yuan¡¯s memories regarding him going to¡­

    Just as Long Zhanye¡¯s heart is filled with expectation, the child¡¯s eyes brighten, a flowery smile spreading across his face. His next sentence is like a bucket of ice water being dumped over Long Zhanye¡¯s head, extinguishing the hope burning brightly in him. ¡°So you are called Long Zhanye! I¡¯ve seen you before! You were always sleeping!¡±

    Long Zhanye really doesn¡¯t know if he should laugh or cry.

    Sure enough, reality is cruel. Having been returned to his childhood body, how can he remember anything?

    ¡°I¡¯m awake now. And from now onwards, I will always be together with little Yuan, is that all right?¡±

    No matter what Huo Zaiyuan becomes, he will always be the person Long Zhanye is deeply in love with. Children will eventually grow into adults. Compared with his soul scattering, this situation is many times better.

    ¡°Really? Zhanye will always be together with me?¡± Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s (Author¡¯s note: from now onwards, the little beggar will be referred to as Huo Zaiyuan) eyes brighten, glistening like precious jewels.

    ¡°Un. Forever together, never separating.¡± Long Zhanye leans down and kisses a soft cheek.

    ¡°Then will Zhanye come with me to see grandfather?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I will need to express my thanks to the grandfather who brought little Yuan up,¡± Long Zhanye agrees with a nod.

    From the patched and worn clothes covering this child, it is clear his grandfather¡¯s life is also not good. However, he doesn¡¯t abandon this child, instead looking after him¡­

    ¡°But grandfather is ill. If I give this to the doctor in the medicine store, he will be able to treat grandfather.¡¯ Huo Zaiyuan shows the jade pendant in his hands to Long Zhanye, displaying his inexplicable trust in the man.

    Looking at the pendant, Long Zhanye¡¯s eyes narrow.

    This jade pendant¡­

 CH 179

    Chapter 179: Storage pendant

    Two small hands cup the sparkling jade pendant as though presenting a treasure, a dazzling smile on that small face. Coupled with his large, shining eyes, the child is honestly too adorable.

    As soon as his eyes fall on the jade pendant, Long Zhanye¡¯s expression changes. Taking it from the child, he flips it over, fingertips running lightly over the smooth surface. He can feel a faint power emitting from it. This is no ordinary pendant, but one with a storage space within.

    No wonder this child would be chased all the way into the depths of the forest. What those men were anxious about wasn¡¯t because of the pendant itself but rather, the items stored within.

    Although he has been slumbering for however many years at the bottom of the lake, for Immortal cultivators, a day is the same as a millennium. Thus, the world outside shouldn¡¯t have changed all that much.

    ¡°Achoo¡­!¡±

    Before Long Zhanye can ponder more over his current situation, Huo Zaiyuan sneezes, small frame trembling from the cold. He curls further into the man¡¯s embrace, seeking warmth.

    Long Zhanye silently reprimands himself for being so lost in thought, not taking the child¡¯s present condition into account. The temperature in this forest is constantly colder than anywhere else, and on top of that, it is now winter. This chill is the sort that penetrates the bone. Who knows how long little Yuan was running for, and his clothes have been torn by beasts. Before, he didn¡¯t feel cold due to shock but now that he is calm against, his body is finally reacting to the weather.

    Wrapping his fingers around the tattoo on the small wrist, silver light flickers, transporting the two of them away from the lake and depositing them in the interdimensional space.

    Even if Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s soul has returned to his childhood body, his space has clearly not been affected the slightest. It looks the same as it was before. Only, after the heaven-defying act of fusing his soul with his spiritual vessel, the nine peach trees in the array has combined into one huge plant.

    Huo Zaiyuan gazes around the space with great curiosity. Wide eyes roving over the beautiful and tranquil scenery, his mouth forms an ¡®O¡¯, soft sounds of amazement falling from his lips. Staring at the cute expression, Long Zhanye can¡¯t help kissing his cheek again.

    Entering the bamboo house, Long Zhanye places the little one down on the bed. ¡°Be good and sit here. I will boil some water for your bath, then treat your wounds.¡±

    Now that Huo Zaiyuan has returned to the young body of his original self, it would be best that the water used for bathing is drawn from the spring pool. However, recalling how the little one sneezed earlier, he is afraid the child will really fall ill if he bathes in cold water. In the end, Long Zhanye decides to boil ordinary water for a hot bath.

    Currently, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s attention is utterly captivated by the pretty bamboo house he has never seen before. Letting Long Zhanye set him down on the bed, he busies himself with studying the interior, obviously unaware of anything else.

    After Long Zhanye walks out of the house, he searches through the various goods stored around the space for a while. It is here he discovers all the all the perishable food stored within (fruits, vegetables, meat and baked goods) has become rotten.

    Although time within this space flows slower than the outside world, there is also a very big difference in the flow of time within different realms. After crossing this space in between, it is not surprising that all the stored food is now inedible. It is just as well that before their battle with the mountain demon, Huo Zaiyuan took out most of the food from their space and gave it to his grandfather and friends. Therefore, Long Zhanye doesn¡¯t hesitate to toss these spoilt items out of the space. After clearing those, he digs out every tube of peach juice buried next to the house.

    When he twists the lid of one tube open, the rich, fragrant smell os peach wafts through the air. In the aromatic scent, one can also make out the potent spiritual energy it contains.

    Even if he has reverted back to a child, no other food is more suited for him than this peach juice.

    Giving Huo Zaiyuan a full cup of peach juice, Long Zhanye heads out of the house once more to boil some water for a bath. Since the bottle of liquid gas is still half full and the stove is operational, he doesn¡¯t hesitate to flick it on and use it.

    ¡°Wuwu¡­Master ah!!¡± Suddenly, a loud cry sounds and a blur of green pounces onto Long Zhanye¡¯s back, sobbing its heart out.

    ¡°Where did you run off to? Get down, don¡¯t pull my hair,¡± Long Zhanye says mildly, hands not pausing in their movements. However, from the warmth in his eyes, one can tell he is also happy to see Lu Er.

    ¡°Lu Er is very happy to see you. Master, what about Master Yuan and Liu Ying? What happened? When I was in this space, everything suddenly warped. All the trees and flowers withered, scaring me to death. I ran and hid in the cave¡­¡± Even recalling the event now, Lu Er feels a trace of fear. If he had been just one second later, he would have withered like the other plants.

    ¡°Little Yuan is in the house. The space warped and the flow of time within accelerated for a moment because we entered a rift between worlds, returning to the Immortal Realm. You can come out with us later, since we have returned to this world and our original bodies. Liu Ying¡­I don¡¯t know what happened to him. Seeing as little Yuan and I are fine, he should just be hidden somewhere.¡± Once the water boils, Long Zhanye scoops up some water from the spring pool and adds it into the pot.

    Although all the other crops and trees withered, the bamboo, grass and peach tree are an exception, for they possess spiritual energy, and are originally of this world. Rather than wither away, the bamboos seem to have grown thicker and more solid.

    ¡°I also hope he is fine.¡± Lu Er¡¯s eyes darken as he thinks about Liu Ying.

    Although the sword spirit¡¯s character is not good, arrogant, sharp-tongued, and always like to bully him, but without him here¡­wuwu¡­when will he return ah?

    Long Zhanye completely ignores Lu Er¡¯s troubled expression and low mumblings, for right now, the only concern in his heart is Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s physical condition. After adjusting the water to the ideal temperature, he heads to the house and carries the child out.

    Lu Er¡¯s eyes widen as his gaze falls on the child in Long Zhanye¡¯s arms, screeching in alarm, ¡°Ah ¨C Master! Where did you find this child? I know, you went behind Master Yuan¡¯s back to find a woman and had a child with her!¡±

    Faced with the tree spirit¡¯s unjust accusations, Long Zhanye¡¯s temper explodes. ¡°Scram!¡±

    Poor Lu Er is unceremoniously kicked out of the space.

    Huo Zaiyuan is very obedient as a child, not making a fuss all throughout the bathing process. Hence, even with no experience in taking care of a kid, Long Zhanye easily passes this obstacle.

    During the apocalypse, Huo Zaiyuan always threw everything scavenged from shopping malls into the space. However, they sold what they didn¡¯t need in the marketplace immediately after returning to the safe zone. Had he known there will be a day like today, he will not let Huo Zaiyuan sell all the children¡¯s clothes.

    With no other choice, Long Zhanye can only pick the smallest pair of pants there is amongst the pile of clothes as well as Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s favourite knitted, woollen sweater. This will have to do for now. Once they exit the space, he will need to buy some children¡¯s clothes.

    Little Huo Zaiyuan doesn¡¯t mind the too-big sweater, for this is the first time he has worn such pretty and warm clothes. Lifted up in Long Zhanye¡¯s arm again, his little hands clutch the front of his black robes tightly.

    ¡°Zhanye¡­Zhanye¡­¡±

    ¡°Un, I¡¯m here.¡± Kissing his cheek, Long Zhanye carries him to the low table, placing the child on the ground beside him before taking out the jade pendant.

    Little Yuan¡¯s eyes light up, reaching for the pendant he recognises very clearly.

    Seeing his actions, Long Zhanye immediately wills everything within out before handing the empty storage pendant to the child. Then, he turns to inspect the pile of items that appeared on the table¡¯s surface.

    A hundred low-quality spiritual stones, ten mid-quality spiritual stones as well as more than a few bottles and jars of various pills. The majority of them are Blood-enhancement pills and Spiritual Replenishment pills. There is also a cured piece of beast hide. Finally, at the top of the pile is a recipe for Immortality pills as well as a letter.

    Long Zhanye doesn¡¯t hesitate in breaking the seal of that letter. Scanning through its contents, he eventually lets out a cold scoff.

    ¡°Bunch of idiots.¡±

    ¡°Zhanye.¡± Huo Zaiyuan raises his head to stare at him with big eyes, apparently having heard him scoff.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. We¡¯ve got money now. Where does little Yuan want to go?¡± Waving his hands to burn the letter, Long Zhanye leans down to kiss his brow.

    In this realm, only the common folks use copper coins, silver, and such inferior currencies. Cultivators, on the other hand, use spiritual stones as currency. Just one low-quality spiritual stone is worth a thousand pieces of gold.

    ¡°Grandfather is sick. Want to find a doctor for grandfather¡­¡± Wringing the jade pendant in both hands, anticipation surface in Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s watery eyes.

    ¡°All right, we will first find a doctor for grandfather. However, we cannot use that pendant as a means of payment.¡± Long Zhanye places a single low-quality spiritual stone on the child¡¯s palm. ¡°We just need to give the doctor this.¡±

    The owner of this jade pendant is a disciple of the Jade Core sect. The men who chased this kid into the Evil Dragon Mountain are certainly dead now, torn apart by the wild beasts. If they rashly exchanged this pendant for services, it will definitely draw the attention of members of the Jade Core sect and bring them unwanted trouble.

    Although he is no afraid of a direct confrontation with the Jade Core sect, right now, he has someone to protect.

    He doesn¡¯t wish a repeat of what happened the last time¡­

 CH 180

    Chapter 180 (Equivalent to Chapter 182 of the Chinese

    original version) ¨C Finding A Doctor In The Pharmacy

    Long Zhanye was holding Huo Zaiyuan to leave from the space, and the sky began to get darker. A fierce, cold wind was blowing, and the little person¡¯s body was slightly trembling. He tried to seek warmth in Long Zhanye¡¯s arms.

    Long Zhanye slightly frowned. After waving his hand, a black cloak appeared, and he held the little person tightly with him, wrapping him with the cloak.

    His real body is a dragon, and his clothes are made of dragon scales. If he wants to, he can even turn his clothes into a camouflaged style. However, if he ever wore that in the Immortal Realm, he would catch so many unwanted attention. For the sake of Huo Zaiyuan, he must learn to be discreet.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Where are we going? Aren¡¯t we staying here today?¡± Lu Er tried to follow the footsteps of Long Zhanye, and he looked confused.

    Even though the Dragon Pool that was in front of Long Zhanye looked scattered, it was merely an illusion. Actually, it was initially a developed area, full of living things and plants, a place where everyone wants to live in.

    ¡°Very soon, there will be a bunch of stupid people coming here and waiting for their death. I wouldn¡¯t have the time to waste on those stupid people. I¡¯ll let this forest¡¯s beasts deal with them; they have starved for a long time anyway.¡± After sneering, Long Zhanye said these words of viciousness.

    The nature of the Evil Dragon cannot be changed because of time. Also, its change could only be revealed when it was facing Huo Zaiyuan.

    ¡°I will follow wherever my Master and my junior Master go.¡± Lu Er followed behind and chirped. Apparently, he wasn¡¯t interested in the ¡°trouble¡± that Long Zhanye had mentioned.

    Huo Zaiyuan was especially impressed by this eerie, dark forest. Behind the warm cloak, his big eyes were checking the surrounding environment with caution. His little body tightened, and his little hands were firmly grabbing Long Zhanye¡¯s sleeves.

    ¡°I am here. Don¡¯t you worry.¡± Long Zhanye tried to comfort him. He glanced at his side, only to find out that the fierce beasts hiding in the forest were all squatting on the ground. They were trembling, and they were without a single hint of arrogance.

    At this time, Huo Zaiyuan still had not realized how powerful Long Zhanye was. Looking at the scared beasts, he blinked, and a cheerful smile appeared on his face.

    Translations by AsianHobbyist .com Website. Stop reading at pirate sites like boxnovel that steals translations. Check novelupdates. com for legit fan translations

    There was a cheerful voice of a child in the dark forest, combined with a man¡¯s gentle, comforting voice. They were lingering in the forest.

    Although Long Zhanye¡¯s footsteps were like wandering, it took him only fifteen minutes to walk from the Evil Dragon Mountain to the town.  He already reached the streets of Lin Wan town.

    ¡°Pharmacy¡­doctor¡­¡± The little man stretched out his hand and pointed at the brightly lit pharmacy in front of them.

    ¡°No rush. Let¡¯s go to a boutique first and get some new clothes for Yuanzi. Then, we shall head to the pharmacy and check the health condition for Grandpa.¡± Long Zhanye said. He was holding Huo Zaiyuan while walking toward the boutique. He also stopped at the pastry shop next to the boutique to buy him a red bean cake.

    Although Huo Zaiyuan drank a big cup of peach juice before, for someone who hasn¡¯t gone through a lot of practices like him, a cup of peach juice wasn¡¯t enough to make him feel less hungry.

    Huo Zaiyuan was holding the red bean cake, and he started eating it with small bites. Then, Long Zhanye carried him to the boutique and got him a soft, warm cotton coat. He also got some clothes for the elderly and kids, before heading to the pharmacy.

    Lin Wan town is the farthest town in the continent. It is only a hundred miles away from a bigger town. And in this town, there is only one pharmacy, that¡¯s why it¡¯s also manipulating the market, and the boss isn¡¯t the most generous type.

    When Long Zhanye was carrying Huo Zaiyuan, Lu Er was following them to the pharmacy. After the boss saw them, he immediately greeted them enthusiastically. He saluted respectfully, ¡®welcome, my guests. Are you here for a consultation or medicine?¡±

    Translations by AsianHobbyist Website.

    Looking emotionlessly, Long Zhanye took out some low-level Spiritual Stones from his pocket and handed them to the boss, ¡®bring along the best medicines here and follow me.¡±

    Lin Wan is a small town where ordinary people live. There are rarely currencies like Spiritual Crystals. Therefore, when Long Zhanye handed the two Spiritual Crystals to the pharmacy¡¯s boss, he was so stunned that his eyes opened widely.

    After being stunned for a while, he immediately realized to react, ¡°yes, yes! I am going to prepare now.¡±

    Money works wonders. The boss immediately acted fast. It only took him a while to get everything ready.

    ¡°I am¡­ready.¡±

 CH 181

    Long Zhanye put down Huo Zaiyuan and said, ¡°Yuanzi, lead us the way. We¡¯ll now bring Grandpa to the doctor.¡±

    When hearing about his Grandpa, Zaiyuan¡¯s eyes became much brighter. His hands were dragging Long Zhanye¡¯s sleeves, and he walked in front, full of smiles. From time to time, he used his fingers to point to the front, meaning to go forward.

    Recently, for some unknown reasons, there were quite many unknown practitioners in Lin Wan town, it¡¯s mostly very dynamic at night. Huo Zaiyuan led the people to walk toward the street. The more they went, the quieter it got. Long Zhanye and Lu Er didn¡¯t feel anything weird. However, the facial expression of the pharmacy¡¯s boss became more and more serious.

    As a local person grown up in the town, he would, of course, know where they were heading to.

    ¡°Zhanye, Grandpa¡­¡±

    The place where Huo Zaiyuan was pointing to happened to be a broken temple. It¡¯s also where the beggars gathered in the town. Usually, no one would step a foot there except beggars.

    ¡°Mr¡­Mr, that¡¯s, that¡¯s¡­¡± A filthy gathering place of beggars¡­

    ¡°So, do you have an opinion?¡± Without evening look at his eyes, Long Zhanye said coldly. The tone even made the pharmacy boss flinch a bit.

    ¡°No¡­nothing.¡± The pharmacy boss shook his head vigorously.

    Although he was greedy, he was at the same time someone who¡¯s afraid of death. He thought that Long Zhanye shouldn¡¯t be an ordinary person. Well, since he had taken the Spiritual Stones, why would it be a big deal to enter the beggars¡¯ place?

    Huo Zaiyuan led the people to the broken temple. Soon enough, they saw the beggars coming toward them. Long Zhanye didn¡¯t react at all. Lu Er frowned when he was in this filthy, stinky place.

    God, how is it possible that his junior Master stayed here for six years? If only

    Liu Ying knew, he¡¯d go mad¡­damn, why thinking about him again all of a sudden?

    ¡°Grandpa, Grandpa!¡± Huo Zaiyuan looked at the old man at the corner of the broken house and yelled. He let go of Long Zhanye¡¯s hands and was ready to run toward him.

    ¡°Yuanzi, take it easy. Let the doctor check Grandpa first.¡± Stretching his hand to hold the little guy, Long Zhanye turned and glanced at the pharmacy boss.

    Although the pharmacy boss was really disgusted with the place, he still respectfully approached the old beggar and tried to treat him.

    ¡°Master.¡± Lu Er went forward and called Long Zhanye, then said, ¡°this is a horrible environment. Even the healthiest people will get sick.¡±

    Long Zhanye was a smart person; of course, he knew what Lu Er meant. He nodded lightly, ¡°well, you will take care of the rest.¡±

    ¡°Ok.¡± Lu Er nodded, then jumped cheerfully and left the broken place.

    Translations by AsianHobbyist .com Website. Stop reading at pirate sites like boxnovel that steals translations. Check novelupdates. com for legit fan translations

    Although the pharmacy boss felt like throwing up, he dared not treating the beggar casually. After checking him carefully, he said to Long Zhanye respectfully, ¡°Mr, the patient¡¯s got a cold. Also, he¡¯s elderly. After starving for such a long time, it will take him much longer to recover. The essential thing for him is to rest.¡±

    ¡°Well, go to boil some medicine, then come back here.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± The pharmacy boss nodded respectfully, then picked up his own medicine pack and ran away.

    ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± After the pharmacy boss left, Huo Zaiyuan whispered.

    ¡°Your Grandpa is fine. It¡¯s just a cold. Although it¡¯s a bit late now, I will move to a new house with you later, ok?¡± Long Zhanye touched the little guy¡¯s head with sympathy.

    ¡°Move to a new house¡­Grandpa will come with us.¡± What a respectful grandson who always thought of his Grandpa.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Lu Er was very efficient. After about half an hour, he already bought a beautiful house in town, with one dining room and two bedrooms. It also had a yard. The owner of the house was a winemaker. Since he was in a rush to leave Lin Wan town, he wanted to sell the shop. So, when he met Lu Er who was looking for a house desperately, the house was sold to him with a low price.

    After Long Zhanye hired someone to arrange everything for the old beggar in the new house, he looked for someone to help him bath and change. The pharmacy boss also brought in medicine. After he drank it, it was already late at night.

    After leaving Lu Er to take care of the old beggar, Long Zhanye took the little guy, who¡¯s yawning nonstop, to enter into the space.

    ¡°Zhanye.¡±

    Translations by AsianHobbyist Website.

    ¡°You¡¯re tired. Now, go to sleep. And you¡¯ll see Grandpa tomorrow.¡± Long Zhanye put the little guy on the bed. Then, he lied beside him. After pulling up his sleeves, he saw that the injury caused by the beasts had been healed.

    Although there is no spiritual power in returning to his original self, the peach juice was really something. Within two hours, the wounds caused by scratches had disappeared.

    ¡°Well, I am going to sleep.¡± Moving his body a little, Huo Zaiyuan closed his eyes next to Long Zhanye.

    Long Zhanye couldn¡¯t get enough of his sweet look.

    Huo Zaiyuan was born to have a serious, truthful character, though he got embarrassed easily at times. He was an in-born practitioner. Sometimes, he¡¯d be very bright, at times innocent and cute.

    God knows what he¡¯ll become after being ¡°taught¡±?

 CH 183

    CHAPTER 183: Daddy is not simple

    ??

    Long Zhangye didn¡¯t sleep during the night, he was quietly scrutinizing the sound sleeping figure lying on his own body, his face displaying a gentle and soft smile. He slowly raised his hand to caress his*Huo Zaiyuan cheeks: ¡°So thin... later, I will make you chubbier. Good night, my darling....¡±

    Hui Zaiyuan had no dreams, after sleeping profoundly in the nighttime, on the second day he woke up, he was faced with a pair of tender loving eyes. Being that he was still young, he couldn¡¯t understand Long Zhangye¡¯s gentle and strong love in his eyes, his little face showed a brilliant smile, pouncing over right away: ¡°Zhangye, Zhangye...!¡±

    ¡°Hey, did you sleep well?¡±

    In one move the child turned over and sat up in his embrace, Long Zhangye gently kissed on his face: ¡°En en, I slept very well. Zhangye, here... it¡¯s nice and waaarm, I like it¡± Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s eyes glistened, he stretched out his hand and patted his*Long  Zhangye chest.

    Holding that soft hand, Long Zhangye kissed it once, saying: ¡°Then, in the future, this place will belong to Little Yuan, every night I will let you sleep here, is it alright?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± nodding his head vigorously, Huo Zaiyuan learned from Long Zhangye and smooched Long Zhangye¡¯s face with his soft mouth, causing Long Zhangye a burst of joy. After the two washed themselves up, they left the space. Who knew that, just as soon as they left the small room of the house, they saw one person sitting and one standing in the hall, an old man and a youngster were standing in combat, appearing ready to fight each other at any time.

    ¡°How did this happen?¡± Long Zhangye, upon seeing this, lightly frowned.

    ¡°Master... master... this old fogey is not an ordinary beggar!¡± the green spirit was being both cautious and ran towards Long Zhangye¡¯s side.

    ¡°Heng!, you that child aren¡¯t this simple too. Not a common human race at all!¡± the old man coldly snorted in a high tone. Facing towards Long Zhangye, he noticed he*Long Zhangye was holding the little child in his arms, the old man¡¯s expression was suddenly dumbfounded: ¡°You!... In the end, you two!, which kind of purposes do you have?! What are you trying to do with my grandson?!!¡±

    This time, no matter what was going to happen, he will always stay by his side, protecting him...

    After talking with Grandpa Huo, Long Zhangye took Huo Zaiyuan to stroll down the street, little Lu separated from them to add some necessary goods for the small house. Long Zhangye and Huo Zaiyuan entered in a congee shop, the former ordered a nice and warm bowl of congee with meat to feed the little one. Long Zhangye patiently blew on the bowl to make it cool down and feed Huo Zaiyuan, showing a tender smile on his face: ¡°Is it delicious?¡±

    ¡°Aaaa¡± Huo Zaiyuan graciously opened his mouth, his curvy eyes and brows*?, when the congee with meat entered he kept it inside his mouth, his smile was like a flower.

    Just when the two were eating one spoon for you and one spoon for me mode and were almost finished on eating the congee with meat, there was a sudden noise coming not much from afar. One could only see one person drawing his sword, cutting the table in two: the dishes fell down, smashing them into pieces, the warm water of the congee splashed as well. Long Zhangye¡¯s eyes abruptly flashed a cold chill, he suddenly lifted his slender hand, blocking Huo Zaiyuan from the broken splashing dishes, they knocked down just in time on his sleeves*or maybe only 1 sleeve, dunno.

    ¡°Zhangye...¡± the little one who was happily eating a warm congee with meat before was now obviously scared. His small face wrinkled into a ball*?, he threw himself in the arms of Long Zhangye*wait... aren¡¯t his sleeves dirty?.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, don¡¯t be afraid, let¡¯s go home¡± Long Zhangye looked coldly at the table where the two men were about to fight.   He carried the little one and departed from the shop.

    Linwan village is really becoming more and more chaotic, and soon there will be a storm caused by ¡°that thing¡±. It seemed that it was wiser to leave this place with Huo Zaiyuan as soon as possible.

    ?

    ?

    NOTES: In this chapter there were a lot of hugging, turning and kissing... I hope I didn''t make things too repetitive :). I even noticed that the author uses a "passive verb" that I never have studied at school...

 CH 184

Long Zhangye left the congee shop while holding Huo Zaiyuan in his arms. He observed the silent appearance of the little thing lying in his embrace, he couldn¡¯t help but frown, he raised his hand and lightly patted his back: ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, don¡¯t be afraid¡±

 CH 185

    CHAPTER 185: Leaving Linwan (village) to fetch Spiritual Grass

    ?

    Source: http://m.liuyange.net/chapter/8549/135.html

    ?

    After making sure that nobody was following them, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan returned home. At this moment, inside the house, Grandpa Huo was already looking around nervously, showing that he also noticed that, previously, some people from outside were keeping a watch on them: ¡°You two...¡±

    ¡°En, Spiritual Red Jade disciples. This little child, last time he snatched their disciple¡¯s jade pendant, he ran inside Evil Dragon Mountain (good choice) and those people were all torn apart by the ferocious beasts living in the forest¡± Long Zhanye shrugged his shoulders, his look unconcerned.

    However, it was true that this thing had nothing to do with him, but those prestigious and upright people may not easily give up, if they got to know that this thing really was related to Huo Zaiyuan, their lives will be counted on the little child¡¯s head.

    ¡°Very soon the disciples of several big sects will flock here, the serenity of this Linwan village has already been broken...¡± the old man¡¯s eyebrows gently wrinkled, he reached out his hand to hold the big meat bun clasped in the hands of his little child (?), his face showing a benevolent smile.

    ¡°Small things have something to do with this matter, those people will find out sooner or later. In order to avoid troubles, it would be suitable to leave this place as soon as possible¡± Long Zhanye looked at Huo Zaiyuan, from his eyes emerged a little bit of determination.

    ¡°Indeed, this little child can leave, but I can¡¯t leave with you two. If my identity was discovered, it will also bring him a fatal disaster (death)¡± Grandpa Huo stroked the little one¡¯s hair, and softly sighed: ¡°Take him away...¡±

    He raised this child for six years, precisely when they were beggars, he never thought about abandoning...

    ¡°We will come back¡± Long Zhanye stretched his hand to take Huo Zaiyuan, he slowly started to talk: ¡°In this cultivation territory, you are his close relative, the thing that he is paying attention the most to... is family love, you must be careful, in the near future don¡¯t go outside for too long¡±

 CH 186

    The three people continued to walk in the Ferocious Beast Forest and encountered more and more Spiritual Grass, but among them there were rank one and rank three grass, some of their ages were quite old, some others were young. Huo Zaiyuan, holding the small shovel in his hand, naturally the more he excavated the better skilled he became, the more he excavated the happier he was. Lastly, little Lu would swiftly enter in the space to transplant the Spiritual Grass. His small and short hands were grasping the iron shovel, he very quickly dug the soil apart, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s eyes gleaming.

    Long Zhanye squatted by his (Huo Zaiyuan) side, looking at his cute sweaty face with a faint smile. He has seen Tianqi¡¯s and Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s every expression in the past, but never thought that the kid would display such an innocent expression... really... extremely cute: ¡°Having fun?¡±

    ¡°Yes!:D¡± Huo Zaiyuan nodded his head vigorously, not having any signs of stopping his movements ¡°Wait, still want...¡±

    ¡°En, whatever Huo Zaiyuan wishes for, I will fulfill it... you go on¡± Long Zhanye touched his hair, showing his pampering eyes (?).

    Even though the Taoist Sect attached importance to cultivating one¡¯s spiritual nature, but the art of making immortal pills has never been neglected. Although those years Tianqi was busy in the green Bamboo House, living in seclusion, aloof from worldly affairs, in addition to drawing characters, there was also the hobby of collecting Spiritual Grass from different kind of flowers (?). Of course this matter was something he got to know later on.

    Afterwards his essential baby (?) left the body and turned into Huo Zaiyuan, even though his personality has changed a lot, but that exuberant curiosity for the things he was fond of didn¡¯t change at all. Looking at him practicing the secret method of Jiulongtian (Nine Dragon Days) alone was enough to notice how hardworking he was. And right now his interest on digging Spiritual Grass... zeze... he has a premonition that henceforth this hobby will be his most favorite one (because of money).

    All the way digging Spiritual Grass, all the way going deep into (?), having Long Zhanye¡¯s dragon suppressive power, a lot of Ferocious Beasts would withdraw one after another, but they would encounter some which, just for the sake to hold on to the Spiritual Grass, didn¡¯t want to live.

    At this moment, the two people (I guess little Lu is in the space) encountered such a thing. It was a yearly (?) fang boa, and he was guarding a rank three Jinya (Gold Bud) Grass with a hundred years blossom flower and a hundred years bear fruit. The Gold Bud Grass, besides being one of the most important material to practice rank three Lingdan (Spiritual Cinnabar) Spiritual Grass, the whole plant was precious too. The soft sooth germinated by the Gold Bud Grass possessed an efficacy on increasing and improving the blood¡¯s circulation, therefore it was also a main ingredient to make Blood Invigorating Powder. The hundred years Gold Bud Grass¡¯ roots were extremely detoxing and the flowers could nourish one¡¯s skin and remove scars, for this reason all the skincare products used by a lot of girls in the cultivation territory contained Gold Bud Grass¡¯s flowers. The fruit was even more excellent, eating a fruit could unblock blood vessels and meridians, consolidate the inner Yuan (? or key element?), increase the spiritual power within the body, although not that much, but for the cultivator, this was already something that could be discovered but not sought.

    And this grown up fang boa was keeping a watch on the bear fruit of the Gold Bud Grass, and obviously he wanted to eat the fruit, in order to enhance his physical strength.

    ¡°Get out from the way, otherwise I will peel your snakeskin off¡± staying in other people¡¯s domain, Long Zhanye would hoot a cruel expression, and only with this not ¡®fearing neither Heaven nor Earth¡¯ expression he could solve the problems.

    The rarity of fang boa was very low, but in any case it still was a type of Spiritual Beast, and clearly this snake was a little bit knowledgeable, confronting this formidable enemy, it would instinctively retreat. However, he was unwilling to be robbed of the Gold Bud Grass that he has been guarding for a long time. When he raised his courage, he raised his head and spit out red confidence (?) at Long Zhanye, and revealed his own weapon¡ª ¡ª two big sharp fangs.

    ¡°Right!, show them, I will pull them out!¡± being provoked by a low level Spiritual Beast, this was an enormous insult for Long Zhanye as part of the Long (Dragon) Clan, moreover his temperament was originally arrogant. He slightly narrowed his sharp eyes, raising his head, his hand quickly transformed in a Dragon Claw covered with black scales, facing towards that fang boa he gave him a shot, as if he was seeing those long boa fangs as a ball, he sent him flying: ¡°Little Yuan, come here, you can dig¡± his other hand was holding the small shovel, he passed it to the little child by his side.

    Huo Zaiyuan remained obviously fascinated by Long Zhanye¡¯s earlier action of hitting the fang boa out, he looked at the direction where the fang boa flew and then he also looked at Long Zhanye¡¯s hand which previously turned into a Dragon Claw... he discovered that his (Long Zhanye) hand already restored to its original state, his small eyebrows slightly wrinkled up.

    ¡°Hand¡± to take the small shovel, Long Zhanye¡¯s hand clearly could change, and it felt so odd: ¡°Change back¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s face revealed a lukewarm, gentle smile, he stretched his hand in front of Huo Zaiyuan, however on the back of his hand there still were some black dragon scales. The little one stared at his hand covered with black dragon scales, he extended his own hand to touch them, the tactile impression under his little soft hand was ice-cold strategy (?) and appeared rough, his face brimmed with a splendid smile.

    Seeing that Huo Zaiyuan wasn¡¯t afraid by his change at all, Long Zhanye¡¯s heart faintly moved at every turn. No matter if it was in the past or now, he (Huo Zaiyuan) has always calmly accepted his difference... such a person, how can he make him not love him! His eyes were filled with new feelings, Long Zhanye¡¯s hand returned normal (?) in a moment, the little child was finally satisfied and began to scoop out that protruding Gold Bud Grass.

    About that fang boa that has been slapped flying a moment ago by Long Zhanye, it was about a dozen meters away hesitantly looking around, but was afraid of Long Zhanye¡¯s power, so didn¡¯t dare to approach.

    Huo Zaiyuan, who was busy excavating, suddenly let out a light cry in alarm. Long Zhanye, who was ferociously glaring at that fang boa, heard Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s soft voice, he bowed his head to look down.

    In the hole directly excavated by Huo Zaiyuan there was a nest of some kind of big and small white eggs resembling marbles, because Huo Zaiyuan was careful, therefore none of those weak white round eggs were broken.

    ¡°Those are snake eggs¡± Long Zhanye crouched down on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s side, he skillfully poked on those weak snake eggs, while giving the little child an explanation.

    So actually the snake¡¯s purpose wasn¡¯t to guard the Gold Bud Grass, but this nest of eggs. Although Gold Bud Grass was a rank three Spiritual Grass, but in the moment of bearing fruits, it would diffuse a heavy spiritual qi, that fang boa was staying below the Gold Bud Grass ground and giving birth underneath, using the Gold Bud Grass¡¯ bear fruit spiritual qi to nourish them.

    ¡°Is it a mother snake?¡± Huo Zaiyuan extended his little hand and pointed to the distant enemy looking around, an anxious of moving slowly fang boa.

    ¡°¨¨... it may be a father snake. If the little one likes it, we can also dig those snake eggs together¡± in Long Zhanye¡¯s eyes flashed a crafty radiance, he viciously gave the little child a suggestion. Heng!, who let that lousy snake exactly don¡¯t know his life or death and provoked him!

    ¡°Not good not good, take the snake eggs away, mother snake and father snake wouldn¡¯t be happy¡± Huo Zaiyuan vigorously shook his head.

    ¡°¨¨... alright, then we won¡¯t hollow out the snake eggs, only the Spiritual Grass¡± retaliating against the fang boa failed, Long Zhanye¡¯s heart cried out miserably, but still he didn¡¯t want to make his baby unhappy.

    ¡°Ngng¡± nodding his head, Huo Zaiyuan continued to dig the Spiritual Grass, and very soon the Gold Bud Grass was scooped out.

    Bedding his body to embrace Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye send both the Spiritual Grass and the small shovel in the space, turned round and walked away.

    That hesitating fang boa saw Long Zhanye leaving, he quickly crawled towards the place where the nest of snake eggs was, and noticed that the snake eggs present in the nest of eggs were still intact, some meters long body rolled in a ball (?), it wasn¡¯t difficult to make out that what happened a moment ago indeed seriously frightened it.

    The two people swayed into the forest again, but this time they didn¡¯t run into any rare and precious Spiritual Grass. The lying in Long Zhanye¡¯s bosom Huo Zaiyuan suddenly turned his face, his big eyes looked at one direction.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Over there... a fragrance¡± indicating the direction with his small hand, Huo Zaiyuan raised his head, doing like a small animal, smelling in that direction.

    Long Zhanye watched his cute appearance, and also imitated his (Huo Zaiyuan) smelling action in that direction, he reached to the conclusion that there wasn¡¯t any odor: ¡°Nope¡±

    ¡°There is really a perfume!, a sweet smell, like haw fruit (red fruit)¡± the little one licked his lips, with greedy eyes.

    The haw fruit was an unique Spiritual Fruit of the Evil Dragon Mountain, it was some kind of ferocious beast¡¯s blood drops dripped on the ground that grew up in a plant. That plant would exude a faint sweet fragrance, the fruit was even more crispy and tasty, sweet but not sticky. At the time when Long Zhanye left the Evil Dragon Mountain while carrying Huo Zaiyuan, they just happened to meet such a fruit, hence they removed several bunches of the fruit to give them to Huo Zaiyuan as snacks. Afterwards the little child continuously ate them and ate them to the point of addiction, always remembering the haw fruit¡¯s flavor.

    Long Zhanye carefully smelled again, determining that apart from the characteristic grass and trees smell of the forest, there weren¡¯t any other fragrances, which made him couldn¡¯t help but lightly frown. In the capacity of a Dragon Clan, his sense of smell was of course more powerful than average people. After Huo Zaiyuan regained his true self and was blocked within the body by the Taoism component (?), he had to get a new method of cultivating in order to lift the ban, this was also his reason of wanting to send him in the Taoist Sect, thus, the current little child was merely a normal child and nothing more, unexpectedly his (Huo Zaiyuan) sense of smell was even sharper than his (Long Zhanye).

    En... there must be really something over there.

    ¡°Okay, in this case let¡¯s go over and take a look. What¡¯s the thing that emits this fragrance¡±

    ¡°Haw fruit! Haw fruit!¡± the little child¡¯s eyes shined, his drool already flowing out from his mouth.

    ¡°Not necessarily a haw fruit... only the Evil Dragon Mountain has it...¡± Long Zhanye whispered.

    The two walked and talked, arriving in a long route¡¯s section, to one¡¯s surprise they came in front of a small hill, all black and all over grew all sorts of vine branches vegetation

    ¡°Sweet scent; haw fruit; there aren¡¯t....¡± looking at the dark hill, Huo Zaiyuan pursed his lips in disappointment, and then stared pitifully at Long Zhanye.

    Just when Long Zhanye wanted to comfort him, the left side of the small hill suddenly flashed a shadow¡­

 CH 187

    The shadow¡¯s speed was extremely fast, but still it didn¡¯t escape from Long Zhanye¡¯s eyes. He slightly narrowed his eyes, faint golden grains twinkled from the pupils, inky black scales covering the left side of his face. The thing hiding behind the small hill was absolutely more terrible than that fang boa they previously met. Who could have thought that, in this inferior region of the Ferocious Beast Forest, unexpectedly existed such formidable creatures... However... he still didn¡¯t put them in his eyes...

    When Long Zhanye was attentively on guard, behind the small hill a figure slowly exited, very light steps, sharp claws armored with hooks, the ground¡¯s soil was turned upside and down... it actually appeared to be a cat. One ought to say that it was a low level Wind Speed Cat Spiritual Beast, its body diffused a faint cyan veined pattern. Although the speed of this low level Wind Speed Cat was fast, but its attacks were not strong, and the thing staying behind the small hill, however, made Long Zhanye¡¯s acute perception feel it was different. The Wind Speed Cat wasn¡¯t likely to possess such a powerful qi breath, so the Wind Speed Cat before their eyes was quite odd.

    ¡°Zhan strong... m¨¡o (cat, chinese pinyin, I will leave this cuz it sounds better)¡± the little hand tightly tugged onto Long Zhanye¡¯s jacket, Huo Zaiyuan lightly called out.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I am here¡± while gently patting Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s back to reassure him, Long Zhanye softly coaxed him, after his (Long Zhanye) gaze fixated onto the small hill, a head was showed (still the cat), its two eyes ruthlessly stared at the two people, a Wind Speed Cat revealing a ferocious expression.

    The little one¡¯s perception was becoming more and more sharp, ng, this was a good sign.

    ¡°Gugu... meowww!¡± suddenly, the Wind Speed Cat produced a screaming sound, the figure, quick like a storm, rushed towards Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan direction. The speed of this Wind Speed Cat was faster than the average, and the momentum was even more powerful, but for Long Zhanye, it was merely a Wind Speed Cat and nothing more. He lightly squinted his eyes, amidst Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s cry of alarm, Long Zhanye slowly raised his hand to give a slap, in the next second the arriving Wind Speed Cat was sent out flying.

    One could only assume to see a Wind Speed Cat flying in midair forming a beautiful arc, its four limbs stepped on and again it faced towards Long Zhanye to attack him. Glaring at the Wind Speed Cat, Long Zhanye raised his hand in a flash, along a strong shadow flew out from his hand, he quickly tied the Wind Speed Cat, pulled its body and immediately tossed it around, he fiercely slammed it on the tree trunk and threw it out again. No matter how strong and fast this Wind Speed Cat was, Long Zhanye¡¯s nasty way of attack threw it into confusion and disorientation.

    Looking at the fallen Wind Speed Cat resembling a lump rag cat before his feet, Long Zhanye laughed evilly. The Dragon Scale used by him to pull turned out to be a whip, which he later used to drag that Wind Speed Cat when he had to walk towards the small hill. In the end, what was that thing which made the Wind Speed Cat become so fierce?

    ¡°Zhanye, this perfume...¡± while approaching the small hill, Huo Zaiyuan turned his head to look at that protruding hill and extended his hand to point at it.

    ¡°This is a stone, how can it smell, yi?¡± Long Zhanye observed the little one¡¯s gluttonous expression, he couldn¡¯t help but gently smile, when his hand was reaching for the stone, he suddenly exclaimed in a low voice: ¡°Not right!, this isn¡¯t an ordinary stone¡±

    Mumbling, Long Zhanye stretched his hand to move away those thick layers of long vine plants covering the stone, exposing the true features of the stone. The dark shiny black crystal, at the touch it was ice-cold, the surface was smooth... it was the most rare Energy Stone ever in the cultivation boundary, but it was something that Long Zhanye was extremely familiar with. Because in those years he was banished into the Spiritual Pool sealed by the Dragon Clan... in order to guard the stone¡¯s small hole, they used this type of spar. The spar possessed the ability to block any efficacy of qi breath and other functions. Those years this seal was one of the methods of his formation, this spar blocked his Dragon qi, as a result, after ten thousand years, he wasn¡¯t able to discover that this seal was connected to the Spiritual Pool.

    ¡°Zhanye, the stone... fragrance below¡± Huo Zaiyuan imitated Long Zhanye and touched the black crystal with his small hand too, even his small face was close to the crystal. Seeing the shiny appearance of the black crystal, the little child happily smiled.

    ¡°Ng... this thing is made of a very special material, not easy to crumble¡± Long Zhanye knocked on the crystal, his sight fell on his own Dragon Scale turned into a whip, which immobilized the Wind Speed Cat, tied up like a Z¨°ngzi (chinese food: https://images.app.goo.gl/fgAk85GauBThvZjj9). It was no wonder that this low level Spiritual Beast could have such a speed and a fierce momentum, it was obvious that underneath this spar something was sealed. But the qi of this thing flew down from the spar through a crack, and then it was found by the cat, therefore it decided to occupy this place.

    In the end what was the thing under the black spar, it really made him feel incomparably curious...

    ¡°Hard, hard... move away, move away...¡± Huo Zaiyuan wouldn¡¯t think so much like Long Zhanye, hearing that the spar couldn¡¯t be destroyed, he thought of shifting it away, supporting the spar with his hands, he exerted himself to push it, his face reddened, but the spar didn¡¯t move. This made Long Zhanye laugh.

    ¡°Hehe, how can it be easy to move it away, don¡¯t be worried¡± Long Zhanye chuckled, he put down Huo Zaiyuan and then he passed the Dragon Scaled Whip in his hand to him: ¡°Take it, I will first prepare an Isolating Boundary¡±

    ¡°Okay¡± Huo Zaiyuan held the Dragon Scaled Whip, perceiving the coolness and comfort from the centre of his hands, made him feel very comfortable. Obediently staying by Long Zhanye¡¯s side, his attention was captured by the passing away Wind Speed Cat, tied up like a Z¨°ngzi: ¡°M¨¡om¨¡o...¡±

    When the Dragon Scaled Whip was in the hands of Long Zhanye, the trembling Wind Speed Cat thrown on the ground would continue to shiver, but when it was Huo Zaiyuan the one holding the Dragon Scaled Whip instead, it unexpectedly stopped shivering. Using his dull blue eyes to look at Huo Zaiyuan, in the moment this child extended his hand to touch its head, its cat eyes slightly squinted, but surprisingly it didn¡¯t have any signs of getting violent.

    Long Zhanye used his own Dragon Scale as a medium to lay out an isolated boundary, just in case something below the black spar would fly out. When he finished to arrange the Isolating Boundary, Long Zhanye, looking at Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s direction, discovered that when Huo Zaiyuan was stroking the Wind Speed Cat¡¯s head with his ¡®paw¡¯, there was a splendid smile on his face. Confronting him (Long Zhanye), the fur of the cat¡¯s whole body were on guard, right now the cat totally resembled a domestic cat, allowing the little child¡¯s soft hand to stroke its head, letting out a cosy purr.

    ¡°What¡¯s up? Little Yuan likes this silly cat?¡± Long Zhanye squatted down next to the little child, observing the original relaxed Wind Speed Cat, abruptly jump away, the Dragon Scaled Whip binding its body made him stumble on the ground, its image was rather stupid, it completely didn¡¯t have the previous sort of momentum.

    ¡°M¨¡om¨¡o, I like it, Zhanye, take m¨¡om¨¡o with us¡±

    ¡°Little Yuan likes it, then let¡¯s take it away¡± caressing the little child¡¯s head, he looked strangely at the Wind Speed Cat¡¯s body, which made the sensitive Wind Speed Cat can¡¯t help but make its whole body¡¯s fur erect.

    A person for their entire life could contract three types of Spiritual Beast, and the life and death of the same life could only be once (1), when there was a marriage in the human boundary (2), Long Zhanye used his own Dragon Soul to set a Life Contract with Huo Zaiyuan. And it was certainly absolutely impossible to bind this Wind Speed Cat with Huo Zaiyuan through a contract... no matter if it was a normal contract or a Life Contract, to be able to bind a Life Contract with Huo Zaiyuan, there was only one person, him, Long Zhanye.

    He placed his two fingers on the Wind Speed Cat¡¯s forehead, and caught sight of a black twinkle. The Dragon Scaled Whip tying up the Wind Speed Cat slowly loosened, the scared Wind Speed Cat of a moment ago, was now lovingly lying on the ground, it seemed like it was bowing before Long Zhanye.

    ¡°Get up¡± Long Zhanye said with indifference, he extended his arms to embrace Huo Zaiyuan, and then he raised his left hand, gently saying: ¡±Little Yuan, please watch ge¡±

    Afterwards, Long Zhanye, across Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s surprised face, took that black spar, which couldn¡¯t be moved neither broken, in the space. Suddenly, within the Isolating Boundary, golden rays of light emitted, dense Spiritual qi directly hit their faces.

    ¡°Fragrance...! Fragrance...!¡± looking at those golden rays of light, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s whole body tried to pounce over, fortunately Long Zhanye was holding him tightly.

    ¡°That is...¡± staring at those golden rays, Long Zhanye witnessed the Wind Speed Cat throwing itself in the bright and dazzling pit hole. When all of them vanished in the pit, that previously black spar taken in the space, once again settled itself exactly above the pit hole. Under the pit there was a passage, even if it wasn¡¯t illuminated, it didn¡¯t appear dim at all, very dazzling. The dense Spiritual qi filled the entire passage, Long Zhanye didn¡¯t have much feelings, but both Huo Zaiyuan and the Wind Speed Cat were feeling a little high.

    ¡°I truly never expected that, this place actually contains Spiritual Resin... truly a treasure¡± Long Zhanye whispered, he put Huo Zaiyuan on the back of the Wind Speed Cat, letting him ride it. And then he stretched his fingers to test the wall (3), a piece of curry cold object fell in his hands.

    Spiritual Resin, it was qi breath which merged together for thousand years and more, forming a resin-like material. Extremely precious... if impure Spiritual Resin emerged in the Cultivation Boundary, it would likely cause a storm. To his surprise, the Spiritual Resin here wasn¡¯t impure, and from the touch and qi breath contained in here, Long Zhanye was sure that it was a very, very rare ten thousand years Spiritual Resin.

    ¡°Fragrant...! Fragrant...!¡± sitting on the back of the Wind Speed Cat, Huo Zaiyuan observed the Spiritual Resin in Long Zhanye¡¯s hands. With sparkling eyes, Huo Zaiyuan stretched his hands forward to ask for some Spiritual Resin.

    ¡°En, here, for you, don¡¯t put it in your mouth oh¡± he gave the Spiritual Resin to Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye caressed his (Huo Zaiyuan) head, and when he saw his baby nodding while holding the Spiritual Resin, only then he his heart was settled (let go of worries).

    Although the little one¡¯s age was small, so there were many things he couldn¡¯t understand, but he was quite well-behaved and obedient.

    ¡°Zhanye, there is still a lot of fragrance¡± holding the Spiritual Resin, looking far away into the passage, Huo Zaiyuan said in a small voice.

    ¡°Little Yuan likes it, then let¡¯s take all the fragrances away, alright?¡± the corners of his mouth revealed a crafty smile, obviously Long Zhanye wouldn¡¯t give up this passage¡¯s very rare and superb product.

    Possessing this ten thousand years Spiritual Resin, in the future when Huo Zaiyuan would step on the Taoism path, he would get twice the result with half the effort.

 CH 188

    Long Zhanye¡¯s past ¡®looting¡¯ weren¡¯t a few, like that Spiritual Red Jade¡¯s Nine Peach of Immortality (that Immortal Peach Tree in little Yuan¡¯s space), or those numerous Secret Mountain Village¡¯s ¡®Secret Illusion of Earth Boundary¡¯ (the land in the space) and so on... therefore, to empty this ten-thousand years Spiritual Resin in this passage was naturally an easy thing to do.

    The condensation inside the component (1), the black qi-flow from the body roamed everywhere, Long Zhanye slowly extended his hand to stick it on his own belly (what is he doing?), after that he moved his hand upward (omg) and lastly, he opened his mouth... (what the...) he spitted out a sparkling golden ray pearl from his mouth (black lines). The Gold Pearl was very dazzling, the moment Long Zhanye threw it forward, it instantly turned into a Gold Dragon, quickly flying everywhere, wherever it went, the whole amount of Spiritual Resin vanished without a trace, not even a drop was left out. Look, Huo Zaiyuan and the Wind Speed Cat were dumbstruck.

    After the Dragon Pearl absorbed the whole ten-thousand years Spiritual Resin, it flew back into Long Zhanye¡¯s hands. The original glistening tunnel gradually dimmed, but however at the end of the passage still remained some glistening gold.

    ¡°Zhanye, still sparkling¡± Huo Zaiyuan raised his hand to indicate that shining place.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go over to take a look, my Dragon Pearl might have missed that Spiritual Resin¡± he reached his hands to embrace Huo Zaiyuan and walked over towards the shining place, leisurely followed by the Wind Speed Cat.

    Two people and one cat arrived at the shining place and unexpectedly found out that it wasn¡¯t the Spiritual Resin, instead it was a crystal floating in midair. The Spiritual qi emitted by the golden crystal was way richer than the ten thousand years Spiritual Resin.

    When Long Zhanye slowly stretched his hand to pick that crystal up, it suddenly dodged him. Long Zhanye lightly squinted his eyes, he abruptly extended his hand to grasp that crystal. The golden crystal seemed to be extremely afraid of him, while it was struggling inside his hand, Long Zhanye stuffed him in the Dragon Pearl¡¯s space.

    ¡°It can move, Zhanye, what was that?¡±

    ¡°¨¨... it should be the fragrance¡¯s essence to practice Taoism... Let¡¯s leave this place first, the fragrance will be handled by little Lu¡± Long Zhanye said and took the Spiritual Resin away from the little child¡¯s hands.

    Although he set the Isolating Boundary up just recently, but the spiritual power diffused by the Spiritual Resin was in truth too powerful, it was hard to tell if in the Spiritual Beast Forest there would be any other Taoist cultivators. The moment they would be discovered, they would again attract unnecessary troubles.

    ¡°En en¡± Huo Zaiyuan nodded his head, he stretched his hand to hug Long Zhanye¡¯s shoulder.

    Two people and one cat left the tunnel. In passing, Long Zhanye even took that peculiar black spar away.

    Soon after, several Taoist shadows quickly flashed, they appeared at the place where the Spiritual Resin was.

    ¡°It¡¯s right here!, that rich Spiritual qi, it came from here!¡±

    ¡°Senior brother (senior male fellow apprentice), there¡¯s a tunnel here, and Spiritual qi remaining traces!¡±

    ¡°Go!, let¡¯s go inside!¡±

    After the Wind Speed Cat absorbed the power given by Long Zhanye, its previous height of half a person increased by two meters. Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan were sitting on its back, and they quickly left the Ferocious Beast Forest.

    The Wind Speed Cat was very fast, climbing hills and going through the water without any pressure.

    After half a day, they were already appearing at the outside of the capital city wall, where a crowd of people were clustering around. Long Zhanye, hugging Huo Zaiyuan, jumped down from the back of the Wind Speed Cat, and then he touched its body to send it in the space.

    Linwan village¡¯s residents weren¡¯t a lot, it was Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s first time seeing a place crowded like this. On the street a lot of street vendors were selling ¡®grotesque¡¯ articles from their stalls, their shouts intertwined with the chattering noise of the people, extraordinarily bustling.

    ¡°Zhanye, where are we?¡± Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s beautiful eyes were wide open and brimming with curiosity.

    ¡°Tianyin city, the city of Tianyin Immortal Palace. We are going to spend the night here, tomorrow we are going to look for a person¡± Long Zhanye slightly smirked, in his eyes flashed a cunning light ¡°Little Yuan should remember this place ¨®¡±

    ¡°En en¡± the little child didn¡¯t understand what Long Zhanye meant by saying this, but he cleverly nodded his head. As long as Long Zhanye made him remember, then he will remember too, because he was a clever child.

    Hugging Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye entered in an inn with pipa carvings hanging on the doorway, after that a smiling and delicate girl, wearing a pink silk dress, came forward to greet them, she bended her body a little bit: ¡°Dear guests, let me ask, are you here for snacks or for a stay?¡±

    ¡°Stay¡±

    ¡°Then please follow this servant¡±

    After Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan ate their dinner, they comfortably soaked in the hot bath and then lay down on the soft and warm bed, pleasantly falling asleep.

    Until very late at night, a group of people arrived at the outside of the inn. The leading man had a red face because of anger: ¡°Damn it!, there is absolutely nothing that can be hidden, if not the Spiritual qi wouldn¡¯t have been that strong¡±

    ¡°The Tracking Mouse followed the qi smell traces till Tianyin City, but the smell dissolved¡± another person was holding a glittering and translucent Tracking Mouse, his eyebrows furrowing tightly.

    ¡°Heng!, the man who took the treasure away must be here! Let¡¯s stay here today!, let the Spiritual Mouse pay attention to that qi smell!¡±

    ¡°Yes!, Senior brother!¡±

    The group also entered in the inn with pipa carvings.

    The early morning sunlight shone through the unlocked window, illuminating the cozy bed, casting light upon the two figures, one big and one small, laying down on the bed.

    The handsome black-colored hair of the big one, his arms were circling around the little one in his embrace, the little one¡¯s hand was tightly clutching onto the man¡¯s jacket... because he was sleeping soundly, on his pale face appeared a faint pink color, his silver hair shimmered brightly under the soft sunshines.

    ¡°Ng...¡±

    A low and gentle breath came out, like some sort of fan with plumes softly blinking, the sleeping child suddenly turned his body to sit up, he rubbed his misty eyes and made a big yawn.

    ¡°Had enough sleep?¡± when Huo Zaiyuan was moving Long Zhanye had already opened his eyes, looking at the cute Huo Zaiyuan, a pampering smile emerged from his eyes.

    ¡°En en¡± nodding his head, Huo Zaiyuan shifted his small buttocks, and then fell down on Long Zhanye¡¯s body, showing a bright smile on his face: ¡°Zhanye, hungry¡±

    ¡°En, then let¡¯s get up. What does little Yuan want to eat?¡± Long Zhanye sat up while holding Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s plump waist.

    ¡°I... I want to eat the red round dumplings in the bowl that big sister (I guess the servant) gave us yesterday... fragrant and sweet¡± Huo Zaiyuan thought while replying seriously.

    ¡°That was a small dish, the small dish is round and flat. The bowl is big and round¡± Long Zhanye listened at the little child¡¯s cute words, amusing him: ¡°And, that red round dumpling is called ¡®Taohuasu¡¯ (Peach Blossom Short Pastry)¡±

    T¨¢ohu¨¡s¨±

    ¡°Peach Blossom Pastries... delicious!¡±

    ¡°En... if little Yuan likes them, wait till we get to this place, tell that person you want a lot of Peach Blossom Pastries, we put them in the Bamboo House and we can eat them for a long time¡±

    ¡°Who is that person?¡± Huo Zaiyuan turned his face, his big eyes revealed curiosity.

    ¡°Simply that person a¡±

    The two whispered throughout the day, and then they went to wash and dress themselves.

    After finishing the breakfast, Long Zhanye held Huo Zaiyuan and departed from the inn, several men at the back went out to follow the glittering and translucent Tracking Mouse running in the crowd of people.

    ¡°Big bird!¡± Huo Zaiyuan happily shouted and showed the huge multi-colored bird with his finger.

    ¡°That is the mount towards Tianyin Immortal Palace, called Spiritual Sound Bird, it can sing... we are going to sit on it to search for that person¡± Long Zhanye supported the little child¡¯s back, afraid he (Huo Zaiyuan) would lose balance for being over-excited.

    ¡°Can it fly up to the sky?¡±

    ¡°Yes, because the Tianyin Immortal Palace is on the sky, then we have to use this Spiritual Sound Bird to go there¡± Long Zhanye looked at Huo Zaiyuan, pondering for a short while, and then opened his mouth again: ¡°Ng, in the past little Yuan actually didn¡¯t need to sit on the Spiritual Sound Bird¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because little Yuan was able to fly before, so didn¡¯t need to¡± at one side Long Zhanye was talking, on the other side he fished out a Spirit Spar to hand it over to the Hundred Spiritual Bird watchman.

    ¡°I can¡¯t fly, Zhanye is lying!¡±

    ¡°No one is lying to you¡± with a soft leap, Long Zhanye jumped on the Spiritual Sound Bird¡¯s back. He laughed: ¡°Let¡¯s wait till little Yuan grows up, and then you will be able to fly!¡±

    ¡°En en, I will grow up very quickly, and then take Zhanye with me to fly together¡± the little child¡¯s eyes were bursting with raging flames.

    ¡°Hehe... I will wait¡±

    When the Hundred Spiritual Bird took off, it flew over the high mountains, over the seas... always towards the sky...

    A few hours later, a magnificent building suspended in the middle of the sky appeared before their eyes. The Hundred Spiritual Bird landed on the Tianyin Immortal Palace¡¯s Spiritual Bird¡¯s platform, hugging Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye jumped down from the bird¡¯s back and walked towards a familiar place.

    The magnificent building was really gorgeous, the female disciples of the Immortal Palace were beautiful, the male disciples handsome, the Spiritual Peach on the courtyard were blooming with pink flowers, pink colors were fluttering around, like in a fairyland.

    Long Zhanye, holding Huo Zaiyuan, stopped in a solemn and quiet place, where there was a senior Taoist priest¡¯s ladder, before the ladder there was a cliff, above the cliff there was a cylindrical mass spreading out music.

    ¡°What person arrived here? This place is Tianyin Immortal Palace¡¯s restricted area¡± two Taoist people, one in blue and one in purple, abruptly appeared. One person was holding a long guqin, the other person was carrying a pipa... they obstructed Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s front way.

    Facing the ones blocking the way, Long Zhanye wasn¡¯t angry, in his hands instantly appeared a letter, he passed it over: ¡°This deity came to visit an old friend, nothing more¡±

    The man holding the long guqin took the letter and saw the name on the envelope, his expression suddenly changed, he slightly bent his body towards Long Zhanye and then his figure quickly faded away.

    Shortly after, when the long guqin man appeared again, he reverently and respectfully said to Long Zhanye: ¡°The Palace Master is asking you in...¡±

 CH 189

    Vast and various petals falling in the gorgeous courtyard, fine gauzes fluttering in the wind.

    The luxurious pavilion was embed of all kinds of gems, occasionally a low laugh could be heard.

    ¡°Palace Master, please don¡¯t be like this...¡±

    ¡°Like this how?¡±

    ......

    Suddenly, a purple light quickly flashed and descended on the outside of the small pavilion, a man with a long guqin was holding a letter in his hand, he kneeled down on the ground: ¡°Ming Qin greets Palace Master¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± the one in the pavilion stopped moving and spoke indifferently, his magnetic voice was hoarse, kinda sexy, but at the same time he seemed to be a little bit displeased.

    Hearing his displeased tone, Ming Qin lowered his body and unhurriedly said: ¡°Outside the Palace there¡¯s someone who is asking to see Palace Master, besides that the letter presents a seal... and the signature on the seal is...¡±

    ¡°Whose?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s mister Tianqi¡¯s signature!¡± saying this, Ming Qin¡¯s kneels completely dropped on the ground (uhmm, if you have watched Chinese dramas, when spies, guards or servants, disciples report to their superiors, they assume a particular position: a kneel down and the other leg up at 90 degrees, hands in front of the face, one hand entirely curled and the other is extended above the curled one, head bowed down).

    The number one Taoist Tianqi of the Taoist Sect, Buddhist Sect¡¯s Lotus Monk Lian Xiang and Tianyin Palace Master were sworn friends... from the death of Tianqi to Great Master Lian Xiang disappearance... Palace Master suddenly shut off from the outside world... everything appeared unusual... even when Palace Master himself went out, in the Immortal Palace nobody dared to mention those two names in front of him.

    ¡°Tianqi? Interesting... the one sending the letter... who is he?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a black haired man wearing a black robe, he is carrying a five or six years old child¡±

    ¡°¨®... the letter¡±

    ¡°Yes¡± Ming Qin handed the letter over.

    The fine gauzes inside the pavilion suddenly emitted a silver thread, drawing the letter into the pavilion. Slender fingers slowly raised the letter, scratched the opening and then pulled out a black scale. Observing it, Tianyin Palace Master slightly squinted his eyes: ¡°It¡¯s actually him...¡±

    The people who were blocked outside the Palace¡¯s door, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan, never had traces of getting irritated from waiting. The little one reached his hand out and successfully caught a floating petal, he smiled brightly: ¡°Xi xi, Zhanye!, I caught it!, I caught it!¡±

    ¡°En, my little Yuan is the most amazing, catch more, let little Lu brew Taohuajiu (Peach Blossom Wine)¡±

    Peach Blossom Wine

    ¡°Okay¡± hearing Long Zhanye¡¯s words, Huo Zaiyuan laughed and, stretching his hand, he continued to catch the Peach Blossom floating petals, and didn¡¯t forget to command Long Zhanye: ¡°Over there!, here! There, this side! Haha! Caught it again!!¡±

    All along, the magnificent and solemn Tianyin Immortal Palace rarely heard the complacent, sweet and tinkling laugh of a child.

    A purple light flickered, the leaving Ming Qin once again appeared, he respectfully bent his body towards Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan: ¡°Palace Master is asking you in... dear guests, please follow this Ming Qin¡±

    ¡°Lead the way¡± Long Zhanye nodded his head, followed up and then said to the little child in his arms: ¡°That man is so slow, later on remember to shout him you want Peach Blossom Pastries¡±

    ¡°En en, I want Peach Blossom Pastries, put them in the Bamboo House¡±

    ¡°En en, little Yuan is the smartest¡±

    The one leading the way, Ming Qin, listened to the dialogue of the two people behind him, his mouth slightly shrinked... Those two... came to Tianyin Immortal Palace... was it because of... the Peach Blossom Pastries?!?

    Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan followed Ming Qin until they arrived in a courtyard, where fine gauzes were waving around, the gorgeous pavilion, the small bridge flowing water, a slightly cool breeze blowing... hanging above the edges of the long pathway, multi colored gems were turned into Wind Bells and were producing a crisp and beautiful sound.

    An handsome silver haired man wearing gorgeous gold and white brocades with a slender figure was sitting inside the pavilion, his joints were distinct, just like his white jade gentle hands holding a folding fan, all at once tapping on the white jade table, the ¡°dudu¡± sound matched perfectly with the Wind Bells, how harmonious!

    When he saw Long Zhanye and the child in his arms following Ming Qin, his long and thin eyes slightly narrowed: ¡°Ze ze, don¡¯t tell me that several big sects has broken through your dragon nest, so you came here to rely on this Master¡¯s help?¡±

    ¡°Heng!, haven¡¯t seen you for several thousand of years, Fan Yin... your mouth is still so vicious as before!¡± Long Zhanye slightly smirked, and then looking at his gorgeous brocades: ¡°And also, your taste on clothing haven¡¯t changed at all, still looking like gold that could move (I don¡¯t understand)¡±

    ¡°Compared to Your Excellency Evil (or Heretical, it¡¯s the same) Dragon, this Master¡¯s poisonous tongue efficacy is not as good as the fur (it should be Long Zhanye¡¯s ¡®dragon skin¡¯)¡± the outer corners of his eyes slightly raised, his gaze fell on the child in Long Zhanye¡¯s arms: ¡°Yo!, still hugging the child!... En, if my pitiful dear friend knew it!, he surely died with a grievance... just a short millenium!, you Evil Dragon went as far as to give birth to a child with a woman! En...¡± he said, slowly lifting his folding fan in his hand, provoking Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s delicate mandible: ¡°This look... there are indeed some similarities with this Master¡¯s dear friend... Your Excellency Evil Dragon, sure enough like these types!¡±

    ¡°You really need a spanking¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s mouth slightly drew out, immediately stuffing the child in the arms of the other man. Looking at the gorgeous and graceful man¡¯s flustered appearance when holding the child, in his heart he let out a wicked laugh.

    ¡°You!... This... You...¡±

    ¡°Open your eyes and see clearly!, who is this child!!¡± Long Zhanye saw Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s small and flat mouth (angry?) he picked a Peach Blossom Pastry from the table and gave it to him, when the little one met the delicious Peach Blossom Pastry, his eyes shined... at the moment, why would he still care if he was held by a stranger?

    After Fan Yin heard Long Zhanye¡¯s words, he narrowed his eyes and observed the little child in his arms, he suddenly raised his hand and placed it on the top of Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s head. A purple light flickered from the palm of his hand, after a short while, his face slightly changed.

    ¡°(Tian) Qi!¡±

    ¡°En heng!,¡± drinking a mouthful of scented tea, of which the fragrance permeated everywhere, Long Zhanye made a sound of agreement.

    ¡°How did it happen? In the end, which step went wrong? Lian Xiang he...¡±

    ¡°Little Buddhist Monk is fine, only our love misfortune didn¡¯t finish, he (Huo Zaiyuan) temporarily stayed in the human boundary. We were torn apart and came back to the cultivation boundary, my body was torn to shreds by the big and powerful strength when I was in the human boundary, and he went back to his childhood period¡± Long Zhanye fed Huo Zaiyuan a mouthful of scented tea, and wiped away traces of tea from his mouth: ¡°His name now is Huo Zaiyuan¡±

    Fan Yin looked at the child with a glint of distress in his eyes, he caressed his silver hair and then said: ¡°Returning to childhood? Ai... coming back alive is good¡±

    ¡°This expression filled of distress doesn¡¯t suit you even a little bit¡± Long Zhanye glanced at him and took Huo Zaiyuan back in his arms.

    ¡°Heng, this Master rarely becomes distressed, that¡¯s all. Oh, by the way, you this dragon tail, didn¡¯t just want to take my dear friend here in the Tianyin Immortal Palace for a stroll, right? Aren¡¯t you afraid that this Master will join the other six schools to surround you? Speak about your purpose, after speaking get out of here!¡± Fan Yin said, shaking his fan close to his face.

    ¡°Zeze, when it comes to heartlessness, Fan Yin you truly deserve it. Except for meeting you, I brought little Yuan in the Tianyin Immortal Palace to solve another matter... I want him to enter the Taoist Sect¡± it wasn¡¯t difficult to see that in fact, Long Zhanye didn¡¯t want Huo Zaiyuan to be involved with the Taoist Sect ever again, but he couldn¡¯t.

    To make Huo Zaiyuan recover, he once again had to enter the Taoist Sect and cultivate until he broke through the Essence (?)... so all the power and memory could be restored.

    Listening to Long Zhanye, Fain Yin¡¯s face showed a little change, coldly saying: ¡°Heng, since that group of dignified Taoists didn¡¯t try to save (Tian) Qi, this Master and the Taoist Sect don¡¯t have an intersection anymore... but, becoming a child is indeed troublesome. Although (Tian) Qi was hiding in the mountains, but he has to pay attention to the Taoist Sect more than anyone else. Ai, if you want him to enter then let him enter, he has never been willing to be a weak person¡±

    ¡°Of course I am aware of it, you have known each other for several thousand of years. He is aware that his gong ti (skill-body) lacks attributes, which is unique in the cultivation boundary. Supposing that he will enter the Taoist Sect at this point, it will certainly lead to a lot of unnecessary troubles. This child is still young and has no clue on how to hide his internal constitution/element. Once he will enter the training period, he will be easily exposed... And also, your Rare Book of Immortal Sound of the Tianyin Immortal Palace is enough to reverse his gong ti. When the time comes, I will let the flower spirit (little Lu was a flower? I don¡¯t remember) little Lu pour his own wood attribute in his body again, so Huo Zaiyuan will be a child who is going to possess Spiritual Wood basis¡±

    Listening to Long Zhanye, Fan Yin narrowed his eyes and slowly waved his fan: ¡°En, Your Excellency Evil Dragon is worthy of ¡®without wind there cannot be waves¡¯ idiom (or ¡®no smoke without fire¡¯ meaning: there must be a reason)... unexpectedly you could even think of such a method... The Rare Book of Immortal Sound plus the wood attributes of the Flower Spirit¡± Fan Yin smiled coldly, and then waved his hand: ¡°Lu (another chinese character, not the same as little Lu), go to this Master¡¯s studio and take the Rare Book of Immortal Sound here!¡±

    ¡°Yes¡± a soft sound came out but one couldn¡¯t even see a shadow, only the tinkling of the bells gradually distancing far away.

    Before too long, a young man wearing a white gown and holding a brocade box walked into the pavilion, his pretty and delicate face was full of respect: ¡°Palace Master¡±

    ¡°En, pass him the Rare Book of Immortal Sound and then see the guests out¡± Fan Yin raised his slender legs and gracefully took a teacup to drink scented tea, easily sending away the guarded Tianyin Immortal Palace¡¯s treasure: ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else then don¡¯t disturb me, I am still in seclusion¡±

    Long Zhanye straightforwardly accepted Fan Yin¡¯s generosity.

    ¡°And the Peach Blossom Pastries!¡± a certain small foodie remembered that they came here for food.

    As soon as this was said, the elegant and gorgeous Tianyin Palace Master shrinked his mouth without any image.

 CH 190

    In addition to robbing a Tianyin Immortal Palace guarded treasure, Huo Zaiyuan also robbed a big pile of Peach Blossom Pastries, broke off all the courtyard¡¯s Peach Blossom petals and then happily left. The angry Fan Yin threw out his graceful image and pointing at those two people he swore: ¡°Get lost!! The farthest!, the better! Don¡¯t ever come back here in Tianyin Immortal Palace!¡±

    So, in this way the two were temporarily classified as a rejected family by Tianyin Immortal Palace. Obviously the heartless Evil Dragon absolutely didn¡¯t care about those matters, anyway, the troubling thing was {1 ¡­} he just had to pull Fan Yin into the water.

    {1 ÈÎÍÏÈÎ×§ the missing part which I don¡¯t understand how to translate it, like: position of dragging?}

    Two people sitting on a Spiritual Sound Bird returned to the city, they entered again in the inn with pipa carvings where they previously stayed, but this time Long Zhanye didn¡¯t fish out a Spirit Spar, instead he directly pulled out a fully embed multi colored gem, a golden Order Token! The woman in service just took one look and became astonished, she respectfully led them in the most honored guest room.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t that room anymore, it¡¯s very fragrant here, it also looks nice¡± holding Long Zhanye¡¯s hand, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s big eyes stared at the fine gauzes fluttering in the middle of the room.

    ¡°Of course, that one of before was an ordinary room, the current one is Pipa Pavilion¡¯s honored guest room. Come and take a look!, later on when you see those shops with pipa, long guqin and bamboo flute at the doors, you can all enter, and then let them see this token¡±

    Long Zhanye used a cord of his clothes to tie the Order Token, he then hung it on the little one¡¯s neck, and hid it under his (Huo Zaiyuan) clothes: ¡°This must be covered¡±

    ¡°En en¡± Huo Zaiyuan nodded and facing his cute face to look at Long Zhanye: ¡°Zhanye, where did you get this?¡± he clearly remembered that before they didn¡¯t have any shiny and pretty token.

    ¡°¨¨¡­ this was a present given by Fan Yin¡± Long Zhanye was stopped by the little one¡¯s question, he slightly smiled, his gaze was directed elsewhere¡­ it was very obvious that this Order Token was picked up on the sly {to take advantage of a crisis for personal gain}, the word ¡®give¡¯ certainly differed .

    ¡°¨®¡± hearing that it was given by Fan Yin, Huo Zaiyuan patted the Order Token under the clothes, perfectly satisfied.

    Long Zhanye looked at the little child, hugged him and walked towards the soft and comfortable big bed, and then put him on the bed: ¡°Huo Zaiyuan, I have something to tell you, even though you are young, but you should carefully use your little brain to remember¡±

    From the moment they got to know each other, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s impression of Long Zhanye was that he {Long Zhanye} has always been tender towards himself, and so at the present, his expression was serious, his heart couldn¡¯t help but be moved. Opening his big eyes, he softly nodded.

    ¡°Two months later, it will be Taoist Sect¡¯s selecting the disciples day. In those two months, little Yuan can¡¯t play, every day you have to practice with me, all right?¡±

    ¡°What is practice?¡± his {Huo Zaiyuan} eyebrows slightly wrinkled, because he didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°Little Yuan said that you wanted to fly to Tianyin Immortal Palace, practicing is enough for little Yuan to fly like that Spiritual Sound Bird¡± Long Zhanye explained him by using words he {Huo Zaiyuan} could understand. According to him {Long Zhanye}, the little one was interested towards certain things, so he would work with devotion, strength that even ten cows couldn¡¯t be dragged, even though he returned to childhood, this kind of stubbornness permeated his blood and absolutely couldn¡¯t be changed.

    ¡°Haowa!, haowa (hurray!)! I want to practice, and grow the same wings of that Spiritual Sound Bird, and then fly!¡± his eyes brightened, patting his palms energetically.

    Looking at his innocent appearance, Long Zhanye felt that in his heart there was some kind of an urge to use a V8 {eh?} to shoot coming down, after he has waited for Huo Zaiyuan to recover his memory, go into exile/scatter once again¡­ But it¡¯s a pity that the cultivation boundary didn¡¯t have this high-tech product.

    ¡°¨¨, when practicing can¡¯t play¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t, I won¡¯t! I want to practice!, Zhanye teach me how to practice!, Teach me!¡± climbing onto Long Zhanye¡¯s lap, he extended his hands to hug those broad shoulders, and his soft mouth kissed him a few times on his handsome face.

    Enjoying that the little child threw himself in his arms and the kisses, Long Zhanye held his {Huo Zaiyuan}smooth waistline and fiercely turned over, pressing that little body under him {?_?}, in his black pupils flashed a glint: ¡°Besides you, who else would I teach? But before teaching you, I should first receive a little bit of tuition fee¡±

    Finished speaking, he lowered his head {(£þO£þ;)}, his warm lips blocked up the soft, slightly cold small mouth {(((o(*?¨Œ?*)o)))}.

    Huo Zaiyuan didn¡¯t know that those intimate things were done by lovers, he just felt that Long Zhanye¡¯s action of eating his small mouth was very bad, but the soft contact made him feel like he was eating fluffy Peach Blossom Pastries. He couldn¡¯t help but open his small mouth and bit on Long Zhanye¡¯s lip. A fishy sweet smell opened up between the two mouths, Long Zhanye stopped in pain. (Shouldn¡¯t this be called ¡®to bring trouble on oneself¡¯?)

    ¡­..

    Huo Zaiyuan was still very young, so couldn¡¯t understand the characters. Wishing him to understand the words on the Secret Book wasn¡¯t absolutely possible, thus Long Zhanye could only teach him one sentence per time, moreover he carefully guided him on his practice/cultivation, not knowing if the little child was really giftedly witty or if it was already deep in his soul from earlier on. Although at the beginning he {Huo Zaiyuan} was endlessly flurried, but he gradually became skilled. He merely used three days to be well versed in the first layer of the Immortal Sound Secret Book.

    Long Zhanye readily took the opportunity to hug the little one just like a burst of fierce kisses {?}.

    Although the ¡®introduction to cultivation¡¯ of the Immortal Sound Secret Book was a Tianyin Immortal Palace disciple¡¯s compulsory achievement study, but most of the disciples, if they wanted to complete this first layer of the Secret Book they needed at least a few months of time, even more. So, using three days to be well versed in the first layer¡­ Huo Zaiyuan was really a genius, how could it not make Long Zhanye feel moved. Huo Zaiyuan didn¡¯t know how awesome he was, but seeing Long Zhanye happy, he was also happy.

    In the Immortal Sound Secret Book, Huo Zaiyuan had to cultivate till the fourth layer before letting little Lu pour the wood attribute into his body and build a wood attribute Spiritual roots/basis, so they could achieve the ¡®pass fake imitation for genuine¡¯ effect. In those two months, at first Long Zhanye was quite worried that they couldn¡¯t arrive in time, but now this major event that busied his mind and heart was finally settled.

    After completing the ¡®introduction to cultivation¡¯ of the Immortal Sound Secret Book, the cultivator¡¯s body would experience some subtle changes, which all the Tianyin Immortal Palace disciples would have: Spiritual Light. The little one¡¯s was similar to a firefly, very beautiful. As long as one gathered the mind, one could call it out. Naturally Huo Zaiyuan was very fond of calling out his cultivated Spiritual Light, from time to time he would call it out to show it to Long Zhanye. His happy appearance was like getting a priceless treasure.

    Obviously the introduction of the Tianyin Immortal Palace¡¯s Rare Book was different from the introduction of the Taoist Sect¡¯s Rare Book. The most important characteristic of the Immortal Sound Secret Book cultivation was rhythm, therefore the second layer that Huo Zaiyuan had to practice was precisely how to control the Spiritual Power when playing a musical instrument. He carefully selected an instrument among a pile of musical instruments, and his final choice was a long guqin.

    In Long Zhanye¡¯s memory, in addition to loving practicing painting, collecting all sorts of writing brushes and practicing Taoism, Tianqi also had another hobby and that was playing the guqin. Except that at that time when they were getting along, he has never heard him¡­ but now¡­ He could finally listen. The little one was obviously very interested in the sounds production made by the long guqin. Playing day and night, there were several moments in which the noise reached the next door where guests were relaxing, they would charge to their room and curse loud and long at their door. Forced to, the inn¡¯s shopkeeper didn¡¯t dare to be reckless, because those two people possessed the Palace Master¡¯s Order Token. In the end the two people were invited to go into a quiet and remote place of the inn.

    No people no complains, the environment was quiet and secluded, it was certainly a great place to cultivate. At the beginning Huo Zaiyuan was unable to play a tune, he gradually controlled the Spiritual Power to play a simple melody¡­ and then quick and skillful melodies like elves/fairies dancing in the breeze. Often playing, all around the wind moved the cloud, leaves fluttered flowers spinning, in ten days he completed the first layer {wasn¡¯t it the second one?} of cultivation.

    No matter if it was Tianqi or the past Huo Zaiyuan, every time he cultivated he would always dump Long Zhanye aside, not in the least concerned. Therefore the previous Long Zhanye hated that Secret Book for cultivation the most, but now, staring at the little one¡¯s serious appearance, he was actually loving it deeply.

    Staying in the Pipa inn for two months, Huo Zaiyuan, under Long Zhanye¡¯s teaching, has successfully practiced till the fourth layer of the Immortal Sound Secret Book. Completely finishing the preparation for letting little Lu pour the wood attribute. However, when two people reentered the space, they were blinded by that glistening land in the space.

    ¡°How did this happen!?¡± this golden radiance, this rich Spiritual qi¡­ Long Zhanye didn¡¯t need to think and knew that this was the tunnel¡¯s Spiritual Resin that he has taken in the space when he was in the Ferocious Beast Forest two months ago. But he was unable to make sense of why the entire space transformed.

    The Spiritual Bamboo of the whole bamboo house, in comparison to before, thickened by twofolds, the Peach of Immortality Tree was even more tall and robust, the peaches were similar to soccer balls {£¨¡¥¦ê¡¥£©}, glistening and translucent, and the Spiritual Grass¡¯ seeds in the fields were full of vitality as if like several hundred years treasures.

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know how it happened either. After master¡¯s Dragon Pearl has returned to the Illusion Land/Boundary, it released numerous Spiritual qi¡­ and then, the Spiritual qi fused with the Illusion Land, and it became like this¡­¡± little Lu¡¯s face was innocent. At that time he must have been scared to make a big jump.

    ¡°¡­¡± having heard what was said, Long Zhanye remained silent.

    ¡°Master, but after the Spiritual Qi has blended with the soil, the land¡¯s quality has changed, this piece of land can grow Spiritual Grass, furthermore the Spiritual Grass growing speed is ten times faster¡±

    ¡°Ten times faster?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right¡­ After I have planted that Spiritual Grass that young master has previously excavated in the fields, in two months it already grew in a five hundred years Spiritual Grass¡­¡±

    [The space wants to defy the sky!]

 CH 191

    Looking at the lush and green rank-one, rank-two and some rank-three Spiritual Grasses in the fields, Long Zhanye sighed, not knowing if in his heart he ought to be happy or worried. When he originally poured the Spiritual Resin in the space, Long Zhanye thought that the Spiritual Resin would wait for Huo Zaiyuan to cultivate and elevate, advancing the speed of his inner Yuan, never expected that now¡­

    Ai, let it be, the ten thousand years old Spiritual Resin merging with the soil of the space was enough to speed up the growth of the Spiritual Grasses. And of particular time was the long-aged Spiritual Grass, practiced Cinnabar Medicine with Spiritual qi was even better. So, from now on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s advancement would be extremely effective¡­

    ¡°Master¡­¡± little Lu saw that Long Zhanye¡¯s face was like a changing palette, his heart and liver naturally wouldn¡¯t stop jumping ¡®bang bang bang¡¯, scared that his dear master would get angry and tear the space apart.

    ¡°¨¨¡­ it¡¯s nothing, tomorrow several sects are going to recruit disciples, after preparing, help little Yuan take in the wood attribute, and build the fake Spiritual root¡±

    ¡°Yes¡±

    Long Zhanye hugged Huo Zaiyuan and walked in the bamboo house, and after eating a meal together, he started to explain the following matter: ¡°Little Yuan, be good, the matter I am going to tell you, you will surely remember it, right?¡± Huo Zaiyuan was crouching before him, Long Zhanye¡¯s expression was incomparably earnest.

    ¡°En en, I will remember¡± in two months cultivation, Huo Zaiyuan took off the first layer of puerileness, in comparison to his previous innocent liveliness, he was now a lot calmer.

    Looking at the little one¡¯s twinkling eyes and smiling look, Long Zhanye couldn¡¯t bear to not kiss his forehead: ¡°First of all, little Yuan can¡¯t let other people know the fact that you have learned the Immortal Sound Secret Book, and obviously cannot play the guqin in front of others¡±

    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t let other people know, and won¡¯t play the guqin, only for Zhanye¡± hugging his {Long Zhanye} shoulders, Huo Zaiyuan said with a serious expression.

    ¡°En. And also, from tomorrow the big sects will recruit disciples at the Lingjiu Mountain {I remember the name was different}, I will take you there and let you enter the Taoist Sect. Over there you must diligently practice {Taoism}¡­¡± Long Zhanye didn¡¯t finish to talk, when he was resolutely grabbed by the little one¡¯s hands. Long Zhanye raised his face and met the little one¡¯s watery and big eyes, saw him pursing his lips, looking pitifully at him: ¡°Entering that Taoist Sect, Zhanye will go too?¡±

    Slowly lifting his hand, Long Zhanye looked at the little child¡¯s almost wanting to cry expression, in his heart emerged his unwillingness to let him go, his handsome face approached closer to softly kiss his lips: ¡°I can¡¯t go with you, because that place isn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Wuwu¡­ I don¡¯t want to! Zhanye must not not want me¡­¡± thowing himself in the familiar and warm arms, Huo Zaiyuan cried loudly, because he believed that he was going to be abandoned/discarded.

    ¡°Little blockhead, what nonsense are you saying, how could I be willing to leave you!¡± holding the little crying child, Long Zhanye gave out a low laughter: ¡°You must remember, regardless of what will happen, I will absolutely not want to not want you, because little Yuan is my everything, you are more important than anything else!¡±

    ¡°But¡­ but you want to send me in that Taoist Sect something¡­¡± the little one said, crying again a crashing sound and falling down. Looking at his expression¡­ wasn¡¯t it still very pitiful, the little hand tightly pulled Long Zhanye¡¯s clothes, not releasing.

    Long Zhanye supported the little one¡¯s smooth and round, short and small waistline, his handsome face leaned closer and softly kissed the tears strains on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s cheeks, and then said: ¡°Little Yuan didn¡¯t say you wanted to become powerful? Only if you enter the Taoist Sect, you will become stronger. After joining the Taoist Sect, although you will temporarily lose freedom, but if you cultivate diligently, get stronger¡­ inevitably there will be a day you will regain freedom once again¡±

    ¡°But if I enter I won¡¯t be able to see you¡­ I don¡¯t want to!¡±

    ¡°Naturally you won¡¯t be able to meet me, darling, how can I be willing to let you nest in the Taoist Sect for more than ten years¡­¡± Long Zhanye kissed Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s lips, and then lightly whispered: ¡°Every evening, I will go look for you¡±

    Z¨¦, lovers¡¯ midnight rendezvous something, it was truly emotional. Adult Long thought nastily in his heart. If the Taoist Priest knew, he would certainly split blood.

    ¡°Rea¡­ really?¡± listening to Long Zhanye¡¯s words, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s damp eyes looked at his {Long Zhanye} eyes, brimming with expectation, he waited for his positive answer.

    ¡°Of course, if there weren¡¯t any other alternatives, I would never separate from you for a moment¡± he stroked the little one¡¯s face, Long Zhanye slowly said: ¡°Although you are still young, but you have to remember all the time, I love you {?©¤©¤©¤£Ï£¨¨R?¨Q£©£Ï©¤©¤©¤©¤?}, towards your love, even more than my life¡±

    ¡®I love you¡¯, this sentence of love, obviously Huo Zaiyuan couldn¡¯t understand, Long Zhanye¡¯s deep love, he equally couldn¡¯t understand, the only thing he understood was that Long Zhanye will never abandon him, and it was already sufficient.

    The two chatted for a long time, little Lu was staying outside the house and heard perfectly clear the dialogue between the two, and then softly sighed. In his heart he was begging the Heaven, that after the two people has went through many trials, they would safely and steadily stay together, because he knew Long Zhanye wouldn¡¯t endure to afford to lose Huo Zaiyuan ever again.

    ¡­¡­

    Fake Spiritual roots weren¡¯t difficult to make, but to make it flawless, one must go through tribulation, and the prerequisite of this tribulation was exactly having a particular Spiritual Power enough to change any attribute. For example, the fourth layer in the Secret Book¡¯s introduction by Tianyin Immortal Palace, Huo Zaiyuan has already achieved this condition, the next step was letting little Lu pour his own wood attribute into his body, but on this critical juncture, he must bear the acute pain when changing the attribute. Although Long Zhanye loved the little one dearly, but facing this moment, he has to harden his heart: ¡°Little Yuan, when little Lu will pour the wood attribute to change the Spiritual root, the body will ache a lot. When it hurts just bite my shoulder, understood?¡± naked upper body, he was hugging Huo Zaiyuan, who wore unlined garments, Long Zhanye took pity and softly kissed his face, and then entered in the Dragon Pool/Pond.

    The Dragon Pool¡¯s water was mixed juice of the Peach of Immortality, the strong Spiritual qi was enough to mitigate the tremendous severe pain brought by the reversion of the Spiritual qi attribute. Hearing that it will hurt, Huo Zaiyuan seemed afraid, his hand tightly hold onto Long Zhanye, tepid embrace, familiar odor, just like an unusual magic, it reassured him. He nodded his head: ¡°En, I¡­ I am not scared¡± his small voice didn¡¯t contain even a little bit of conviction.

    Long Zhanye kissed him one time, looked at little Lu and then unenthusiastically said: ¡°Let¡¯s begin¡±

    Little Lu¡¯s facial expression was solemn, he lightly nodded his head and slowly opened his hands. He condensed within his body a powerful wood attribute Spiritual Power, a gorgeous flower slowly bloomed in his core. When he joined his two fingers and pointed at Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s back, a large power continuously entered.

    ¡°A- -¡°

    ¡­¡­

    Every three hundred years the six sects would assemble at the Lingjiu Mountain to recruit numerous disciples. Although they said ¡®to recruit numerous disciples¡¯, but when every sect each time recruited disciples, the number of people was limited¡­ and every sect¡¯s entrance requirements were all different. So, this time the Taoist Sect¡¯s entrance requirements were: 10 five hundred years old rank-one Spiritual Grasses, 5 three hundred years old rank-two Spiritual Grasses, 5 five hundred years old rank-three Spiritual Grasses or 10 top quality rank-three Spiritual Cinnabars.

    Maybe for other people some hundreds years old Spiritual Grasses would be difficult to get, but concerning Long Zhanye, it was merely a small matter. Previously, when they were in the Ferocious Beast Forest, they transplanted a large amount of Spiritual Grass. After the Spiritual Resin fused with the space¡¯s soil, in the period of two months the small Spiritual Grasses grew up in to a few hundreds years old Spiritual Grasses.

    Therefore, when signing up the name, in the moment Long Zhanye presented the Spiritual Grasses, it was especially generous. He wasn¡¯t a ¡®famous person¡¯ at all, but his movement very quickly drew the attention of many people. But too bad that the used to ¡®doing whatever one wanted to¡¯ of Long Zhanye didn¡¯t notice it. Hugging Huo Zaiyuan with his face buried in his arms, they distanced themselves.

    After the submission of Spiritual Grasses was completed, a Taoist disciple led Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan in a compound, and then handed over a ¡®Dao¡¯ {character} wood board to Long Zhanye, and after making clear of some details, he let them leave. The formal Taoist Sect¡¯s entrance would be tomorrow afternoon, thus Long Zhanye¡¯s next step was to prepare everything for the little child.

    Huo Zaiyuan owned the space, but he was still too young and didn¡¯t know how to hide things. When mixing up with Taoist people, if he was discovered that he had a mustard seed space, then it would cause an extreme commotion. Therefore, Long Zhanye took Huo Zaiyuan on a trip, went in a shop which sold hoard bags, bought a hoard bag which could be hung on the body for the little one, and after instructing him to use the hoard bag, Long Zhanye put in the hoard bag some of the little one¡¯s favorite and usual snacks, letting the child eat to his heart¡¯s content once in a while. At the same time, even though they had Taoist clothings after entering the Taoist Sect, but Long Zhanye still put three sets of plain clothes in the hoard bag. In this way the lowest level hoard bag was basically already full.

    The little one couldn¡¯t understand what was the difference between the hoard bag and the space, towards the fact that the hoard bag on his body could load many things, he actually really liked it. Towards Long Zhanye showing off for a while, his laugh was like a flower. Long Zhanye kept playing with the little child for an afternoon, and then randomly found a lodge to stay in. After stepping in the space for a night, in the early morning of the second day they ate a sumptuous meal and then the child was sent in the Taoist Sect.

    Huo Zaiyuan, officially became a Taoist disciple.

    [Little Yuan entered in the Taoist Sect, the child is up to end, the following will be ten years later, gaga~~ Otherwise restraining xiaogong {top} Long wouldn¡¯t be good!!]

 CH 192

    Ten years later

    ¡°Zhanye that idiot! Idiot! Heng¡­ we obviously made a promise, I broke through the third layer of fusion phase, {I guess it¡¯s a step of practicing Taoism}, now can¡¯t even see a shadow, so annoying, annoying!¡­¡± silver hair hanging down loosely, a youngster wearing simple clothes was clutching a soft quilt. He resolutely threw the quilt on the bed, in his heart he was exactly thinking that at once he should give that hateful man a vicious beating.

    Heng, it was better to fully beat his head¡­ right, that¡¯s right.

    ¡°Hehe, tell me who is that idiot¡± a low laughter unexpectedly came in, along with a tall and thin shadow of a human figure dropping from somewhere. Swift in action, a man panting with rage fell down on the bed. Tepid lips went closer and blocked those soft sweet red lips, and gave the other side a scorching kiss {(o^^o)}.

    ¡°Wu¡­ go¡­ go away!¡­ swind¡­ swindler!¡± a pair of hands refused the strong chest, Huo Zaiyuan wanted to avoid the other one¡¯s kisses, but still couldn¡¯t jump away, because he was being rashly attacked by the other person¡¯s enclosure strategy.

    The refusing hands gradually hugged the other person tightly, the two lips were glued to each other, they lingered together. Not seeing for two months, the heart was stuffed full with the memories of the other person¡­ obviously they made an appointment, but the other person has been late for quite a few days, it would be a wonder if he didn¡¯t get angry.

    ¡°Darling, when did I ever deceived you?¡± releasing those sweet red lips, Long Zhanye softly licked the remaining sweetness on his lips, he narrowed his eyes and then looked at the other one¡¯s very red face, under his body.

    ¡°You!¡­ you clearly said that if I broke through the third layer of fusion phase within two months, you would come back and find me¡­ now it has been two months and ten days already¡­¡± ruthlessly staring at the man on top of him, Huo Zaiyuan raised his hand to poke on the other side¡¯s chest. Even though in his heart he was very angry, but he couldn¡¯t stand to have a heavy hand {to beat?}.

    Reaching his hand to hold the slim waistline, Long Zhanye suddenly turned his body over, letting Huo Zaiyuan lie on his own body. He caressed his soft silver hair, and then said: ¡°You used ten years of time to break through the third layer {of fusion phase}, regarding common cultivators, it¡¯s extraordinarily quick. If other people knew, it will certainly cause unnecessary troubles, ai¡­ that¡¯s why I returned to the Evil Dragon Mountain, and excavated Spiritual Rocks under the Spiritual Pond to forge a bracelet for you. This bracelet is able to confine you Spiritual Power, preserving you on the consacrate initial stage of ranking¡±

    About the bracelet that Huo Zaiyuan was wearing now, the workmanship looked rough, but if one examined carefully, one would unexpectedly find it exquisite: the material was ancient brown, the texture moist and smooth¡­ Huo Zaiyuan truly liked it.

    When he first entered the Taoist Sect, he was still a small bean, couldn¡¯t understand anything. How his senior brother and senior uncle taught him to cultivate, was how he cultivated. After practicing and practicing, he noticed that among the disciples who entered the Taoist Sect in the same period, his capability was the most outstanding, but at that moment he was already more than ten years old, so he started to understand. In addition, with the dialogues he had with Long Zhanye, little by little he became aware that he was different from the other common Taoist disciples.

    ¡­¡­

    Therefore, when cultivating, he was really restrained, not seeking for too much fame and matching with the other disciples¡¯ cultivation speed. Other people were cultivating desperately, hoping that they would still get stronger by a tad bit, Huo Zaiyuan instead was refraining himself desperately, not letting his cultivation advance too quickly.

    So ten years went by, the other contemporary disciples were still at the second layer of circling picture, as for him he suddenly was at the third layer of fusion phase. If he still went on this way, he would have to continuously cover it up, and Long Zhanye¡¯s bracelet very clearly arrived in time.

    ¡°Heng, this time I will forgive you then¡± Huo Zaiyuan leaned on those familiar arms, holding tightly Long Zhanye¡¯s waist: ¡°Zhanye, half a month ago I passed the Taoist test/exam, now I already became a Taoist basic disciple and have my own bedroom¡­ can you or not¡­¡±

    The Taoist Sect stipulated that, the new disciples had to stay in the same room with a total of twenty people, therefore in those ten years¡¯ innumerable nights, he has secretly left the bedroom in the middle of the night to have a ¡®lovers¡¯ midnight rendezvous¡¯ with Long Zhanye. After passing the test half a month ago, he became a Taoist basic disciple and obtained his own bedroom. Obviously this bedroom¡¯s conditions weren¡¯t good at all, but he didn¡¯t care about it.

    ¡°I can. If at that time that group of small radish wasn¡¯t in the way, I would hate to be unable to stick with you day and night¡± Long Zhanye kissed on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s face. This wasn¡¯t a lie. Although it was kind of exciting to play ¡®lovers¡¯ midnight rendezvous¡¯, but towards Huo Zaiyuan, he hated to be unable to bind him by his side all the time, keeping him close to him.

    ¡°Hehe¡± hearing Long Zhanye¡¯s words, it caused Huo Zaiyuan to smile, he pinched his face and got closer for a kiss: ¡°Zhanye, I dreamt again!¡±

    Since after entering in the Taoist Sect and started practicing, whenever he advanced by a layer, he would have a dream. In the dream sometimes emerged a silver haired man who had the demeanor of a transcendent being {note 1}, and other times a black haired man wearing knitted clothes, his hand was holding a youngster with a ¡®Dao¡¯ mark/sign¡­ From Long Zhanye¡¯s mouth, he learned many things about those two people, and that they were all related to him. In the dreams he was getting to see everything he has forgotten.

    {note 1: the author wrote µÀ¹ÇÏÉ·ç which doesn¡¯t make sense, I guess she wanted to use this idiom ÏÉ·çµÀ¹Ç but somehow exchanged the two pairs of characters}

    ¡°En, which dream did you have this time?¡±

    ¡°Not mine, ¨¨!¡­ Zhanye¡¯s dream. I saw that you were wearing very strange clothes, and then you rushed out from a small alley. Behind you there were many many monsters¡­ ¨¨! Quite handsome¡± recalling his dream, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s face slightly reddened.

    ¡°That was in the Human Boundary, the first time we met {I don¡¯t remember how they met}¡± thinking of that time, Long Zhanye slightly smirked, a glint flashed in his gentle and soft eyes: ¡°The first time I met you, you looked like a startled kitty, puffing up his fur and guarding against me¡±

    Looking at Long Zhanye¡¯s gentle and soft eyes, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but feel some sourness, even though he knew that the person Long Zhanye was talking about was himself, he couldn¡¯t help but being jealous/envious {quack!}. Handsome black eyes slightly narrowed, he abruptly made Long Zhanye fall down on the bed, and then seriously looked at him.

    ¡°¨¨¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ in the end you like the past me or my current self!¡± Huo Zaiyuan didn¡¯t know how to hide things. In front of Long Zhanye, if he had something to say then he would say it, thus whatever he thought in his heart, he would say it without the slightest hesitation and never felt bashful.

    Long Zhanye was dumbfounded by this question, he opened his eyes wide and then a laugh gushed out: ¡°Hehe, little thing, you are jealous!¡±

    Looking at his smiley face, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s face turned crimson. He clenched his hands and ferociously gave him some fists: ¡°I¡­ I am jealous! How¡­ what!, you dare to have this idea!!¡±

    ¡°No no, I don¡¯t dare to!!¡± seeing that not only Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s face was enraged, but even his eyes were red, Long Zhanye took him closer, his tepid tongue licked on those soft and sweet red lips and then gave him a kiss: ¡°Little fool, how can you be jealous of yourself, no matter if it was Tianqi, or the past Huo Zaiyuan or the one in my heart, you have always been an unvarying existence¡±

    Hearing his tender speech, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s heart moved, he threw himself in his arms and hugged him tightly: ¡°I always believed that¡­ you liked me because previously I was Tianqi or that past Huo Zaiyuan¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference? You are you, isn¡¯t it right¡­¡±

    ¡°But every time I see you thinking of the past me, here it doesn¡¯t feel well¡± Huo Zaiyuan indicated his chest, and then softly said: ¡°Sometimes I think that, if I didn¡¯t remember the past things, in that case¡­ wouldn¡¯t you not like me¡­¡±

    Listening to Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s words, Long Zhanye was slightly stupefied. He suddenly recalled that apparently from the beginning he has given the little one a big pressure, he sighed and then tightly hugged him: ¡°Little fool, even though you wouldn¡¯t remember, I would still like you. Although those memories were wonderful, but if you don¡¯t want to remember, then it¡¯s enough if I am the only one remembering¡­ I wish to stay with you¡­ so don¡¯t pressure yourself¡±

    ¡°Zhanye¡­¡±

    ¡°Ze, if it wasn¡¯t because your body needed to cultivate through the Taoist Sect gong {skill} method, I really can¡¯t bear to not immediately throw you down¡­ I will eat you clean, not letting you misunderstand anymore!!¡±

    {Errr, my intuition says that Long Zhanye wants to papapa Huo Zaiyuan, but can¡¯t}

    Long Zhanye threw him on the bed and then fiercely kissed him.

    [Already understood he is jealous!!]

 CH 193

    In the early morning, a gentle sunshine came from the open window. On the not very spacious bed of the simple and crude bedroom, two people were tightly hugging each other. Silver hair and black hair were twined together, the scene looks incomparably warm and harmonious.

    Feathers {?} gently blinked, Huo Zaiyuan opened his eyes, in front of him there was a handsome face, his mouth couldn¡¯t help but get nearer and a soft kiss landed on those tight smooth lips.

    ¡°Awake?¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t even open, he softly gnawed Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s red lips. Hugging his slim waist, he turned his body over so that Huo Zaiyuan was lying on his body.

    ¡°En¡± leaning on Long Zhanye¡¯s chest, listening to his steady heartbeats, Huo Zaiyuan slightly smiled.

    The two people didn¡¯t speak anymore, quietly enjoying this early morning¡¯s tranquility. Suddenly, a knock came through the bedroom¡¯s outside door, a sharp and clear voice said: ¡°Junior Huo, did you get up?¡±

    Clearly Huo Zaiyuan never thought that someone would come to shout him if he has gotten up, he instantly stood up like a cat with exploding fur: ¡°¨¨¡­! Got¡­ got up!¡± on one side he was talking, on the other side he was pushing the excellent moving not moving Long Zhanye, still lying on the bed. When he saw that the tall and thin figure slowly disappeared from the bed, he finally went to open the door.

    ¡°Junior Huo¡± outside the door stood a youngster wearing a gray robe, strong features, upright and foursquare face. Looking at Huo Zaiyuan, in his eyes surfaced a glint of suspiciousness: ¡°Yesterday¡¯s bedroom switch¡­ did you sleep well?¡±

    ¡°En, not bad. Senior Lu {another chinese character again}, did you look for me for something?¡± Huo Zaiyuan showed a query expression.

    ¡°¨¨¡­ almost forgot!, senior teacher said that now we are already Taoist basic disciples, some days later he will teach us the art of making Pills of Immortality, and stated that the fully deserving first choice on teaching us the art of making Pills of Immortality in the Cultivation Boundary, is the Spiritual Red Jade. So after three days, Spiritual Red Jade¡¯s elder Jin Dan will conduct a lecture on how to concoct Pills of Immortality! For this reason, senior teacher sent me, junior Huo, senior Xu and junior Gu {four people} to follow senior Dan Xia and together leave for Spiritual Red Jade! Tomorrow midday we will assemble at the Crane {bird} platform!!¡± the more senior Lu spoke, the more excited he became: ¡°Junior Huo¡­! We have been here for ten years, this is the first time we are going to leave the Taoist Sect, therefore I am feeling very excited¡­ and plus, senior Dan Xia said that, if we return earlier, then he will let us stroll in the market!¡±

    Huo Zaiyuan listened the other one¡¯s pitter-patter for a while, and finally knew what the report was about. His gong ti was peculiar, his level of advancement when practicing, in comparison to other contemporary disciples¡¯, was extremely quick. Although when practicing he would use Cinnabar medicine, but he didn¡¯t know the art of making Immortality Pills. The Spiritual Grasses that he has excavated ten years ago in the Ferocious Beast Forest with Long Zhanye and of which have been planted in the space¡¯s fields¡­ who knows how much they have aged. Hearing that they would begin to learn the art of making Pills of Immortality, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but be moved. If the Spiritual Grasses in the space could act as aid on refining the Cinnabar medicine, then his advancement speed would be even more fast/quick¡­

    The meta infancy {oh! This must be the condition that Huo Zaiyuan is having now!}

    All he had to do was to recollect all his past memories. Although every time Long Zhanye would talk about their past, but his eyes revealed tenderness and his {Huo Zaiyuan} heart would always feel jealous. But he equally wanted to recall those forgotten memories, all the past memories of him and Long Zhanye¡­

    ¡°Understood. Senior Lu, thanks for coming here and telling me those news, I will carefully go to prepare things¡± Huo Zaiyuan showed a brilliant smile: ¡°Go and take a rest, let¡¯s meet tomorrow at noon¡± finished speaking, he unhurriedly closed the door.

    Suddenly, behind his body appeared a hand, it embraced Huo Zaiyuan and a low and magnetic voice came out: ¡°Darling, towards other people your smile is very splendid, I am feeling jealous!¡± he then softly kissed on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s nape.

    Numbness spread all over his body, making Huo Zaiyuan tremble. He turned his face to glance at the person behind him, and then got closer: ¡°What the heck are you thinking? Did you hear the matter just now, tomorrow I have to leave the Taoist Sect for Spiritual Red Jade, do you want to come or not?¡± Right now his cultivation level was low, in no way he could tell how impressive Long Zhanye was¡­ however, in those ten years, he {Long Zhanye} has freely entered and left the Taoist Sect like a cloudlike master, so he has never been discovered¡­ enough to show that his cultivation level was extremely high¡­ en, and he also heard that the past him was super amazing and that Long Zhanye was more amazing than the past him¡­ then, didn¡¯t it mean that Long Zhanye was much stronger than the Taoist Sect¡¯s chief!? Aiya, thinking in such a way, he felt that liking this person was extremely extraordinary!

    Seeing that Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s smile was even more brilliant, Long Zhanye raised his eyebrows, his handsome face got nearer and then he slowly said: ¡°Little fool, who are you thinking of? Laughing to you heart¡¯s content¡±

    ¡°I am thinking of you¡± his without the slightest hesitation answer pleased Long Zhanye¡¯s dragon heart a lot, he resolutely gave him a kiss.

    Long Zhanye still stayed in Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s bedroom for a night, but on the second day he didn¡¯t wait for Huo Zaiyuan to wake up and already left. After Huo Zaiyuan woke up he touched the slightly cold place beside him, he felt a little bit gloomy. This was the first that Long Zhanye has left before he has woken up¡­ leaving so urgently, could it be that there was something?

    ¡°Heng, he went away without saying anything¡­ next time he comes, see how I will deal with you!¡± on one hand Huo Zaiyuan grumbled, on the other hand he started to pack things for the gathering.

    The Taoist Temple was on the peak of a bottomless Jade Void. The means used to enter or to leave the Taoist Temple was riding the huge Spiritual Cranes raised by the Taoist Temple. Obviously if a cultivator¡¯s level was high enough to have their own flying tools or flying Spiritual Beasts, they could ride the flying tools or flying Spiritual Beasts to climb over the Jade Void edge.

    Huo Zaiyuan didn¡¯t arrive that early, when he arrived at the Crane platform, besides senior Dan Xia who reached here first and was going to guide them to Spiritual Red Jade, there was another pretty and delicate youngster with a fair complexion. This youngster¡¯s name was Xu Ruoming, he entered in the Taoist Sect in the same period as Huo Zaiyuan, and among the contemporary disciples, his performance has been very remarkable, but he has never showed a good face towards Huo Zaiyuan. Huo Zaiyuan has always been an easygoing person, and the relationships between junior and senior brothers were very good, but he didn¡¯t know why but it seemed as if with Xu Ruoming they found each other disagreeable. Xu Ruoming didn¡¯t show him a good face, and he didn¡¯t like to chat with Xu Ruoming.

    In the course of the time, between the fellow disciples appeared a strange phenomenon: Xu Ruoming and him seemed to have divided into two factions, those two factions would always fight openly and maneuver covertly. They normally helped the seniors and gave compliments to people. Furthermore, which reward they got by doing daily homework assigned by teachers, who was ranking the fastest, who was even better in the matches to compare notes¡­ everything was contented. Huo Zaiyuan was helpless, always feeling that he has been inexplicably pulled in this vicious circle.

    ¡°Greetings, senior Dan Xia¡± towards senior Dan Xia, Huo Zaiyuan gave an extremely polite greeting. Looking at the one who wouldn¡¯t show face and neither look at himself of Xu Ruoming, it was directly neglecting the other person. Anyway, they have been ¡®bad friends¡¯ for a long time already, between fellow apprentices, this wasn¡¯t a secret anymore, plus, he didn¡¯t want to use his hot face to stand before the other one¡¯s cold buttocks.

    ¡°En, hello, little junior brother¡± senior Dan Xia smiled: ¡°Yesterday I didn¡¯t see you, so I sent junior Lu to inform you. About the details, does junior brother know them?¡±

    ¡°En, yes. Thanks senior brother for your concern¡±

    ¡°Senior Dan Xia, it hasn¡¯t been easy for junior Huo to pass the Taoist basic disciple test. Yesterday¡¯s bedroom assignment, he must have been rested well, look how junior Huo is so full of vigor today¡± Xu Ruoming said from the side.

    By listening it plainly, they seemed just some weak remarks, but through Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s ears, what he heard were weird and mocking hints, this made him feel incomparably low.

    The newly arrived disciples had to pass the test before becoming basic disciples, and the disciples who didn¡¯t pass the test must abandon the Taoist Sect and from that moment on, they could be regarded as ordinary people or they could continue cultivating a scattered cultivation, it was their choice. Huo Zaiyuan has passed the test, and naturally Xu Ruoming passed the test too, it was just that the test results hadn¡¯t been announced yet. And the seniors said that this time the basic disciple test was quite difficult, plus Huo Zaiyuan and Xu Ruoming¡¯s basic disciple test results were excellent in all the categories, so it was understandable that when Xu Ruoming saw him just now, he didn¡¯t show him a good face at all.

    ¡°That¡¯s only natural. Senior and junior brothers have been sleeping and eating together for ten years, suddenly getting a single bedroom, it certainly feels new. Senior Xu, don¡¯t you also look happy and healthy?¡± Huo Zaiyuan showed a smiley expression. Ze, his small face really made him feel uneasy/uncomfortable, who the hell was he messing with.

    ¡°Heng¡± Xu Ruoming hummed coldly, his face was very unsightly: ¡°You¡­¡±

    When Xu Ruoming was in the moment of saying something, a clear and sharp sound could be heard, interrupting his {Xu Ruoming} speech. Senior Lu ran towards them, with a brilliant face: ¡°Junior Huo, you came early!¡±

    ¡°Greetings, senior Lu¡± Huo Zaiyuan softly smiled. Concerning this good-natured cheerful senior brother, in his heart he liked him quite a lot.

    ¡°Greetings, junior Huo¡± a lukewarm voice sounded out, a very thin figure appeared behind senior Lu, this person looked at Huo Zaiyuan and then he smiled with craftiness.

 CH 194

    ¡°Greetings, junior Huo¡± a youngster¡¯s limpid and clear voice sounded out, Huo Zaiyuan still didn¡¯t have time to react when he was held by the other person¡¯s warm arms, there was a languid smiling expression on his face. His fine mandible leaned on his {Huo Zaiyuan} shoulder.

    When the youngster leaned on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s shoulder, Xu Ruoming¡¯s face complexions abruptly changed, shouting angrily: ¡°Gu Linyuan¡­! You¡­! What do you mean?! Let him go!! Being inferior?!!¡±

    ¡°Senior brother, how can say you that? Senior teacher has always taught us that we should friendly help each other¡­ and, I am not your servant¡­ this ¡°being inferior¡±¡­ heng heng!¡± Gu Linyuan remained unmoved. Hugging Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s shoulder, they went towards the tall and huge Spiritual Cranes: ¡°Junior Huo, we¡¯ve been here for ten years, this is the first we¡¯re going to leave Jade Void Mountain, if we finish to listen to the Spiritual Red Jade¡¯s lectures earlier, then let¡¯s go together and take a stroll in the market!¡±

    Listening to his words, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s mouth slightly drew in. He quietly hit on his stomach with his elbow and then whispered: ¡°You this guy, you left in the early morning without saying anything just to do this?! Then where did you sent that Gu Linyuan?¡± As early as when Gu Linyuan leaned on him, Huo Zaiyuan already felt that he was Long Zhanye, so towards his intimate hug, he didn¡¯t resist at all.

    Long Zhanye took a quick look at the people walking behind them, and then got closer to Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s ear and then softly mumbled something. Afterwards, he met Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s face, which suddenly changed: ¡°You¡­!¡±

    ¡°I did nothing!¡± afraid that Huo Zaiyuan would misunderstand, Long Zhanye quickly spit out this sentence, showing a face full of innocence.

    ¡°No¡­ I mean, where did you take the ¡®corpse¡¯?¡± even though Long Zhanye wouldn¡¯t answer, but he still believed from the bottom of his heart that he {Long Zhanye} wouldn¡¯t randomly kill people.

    ¡°Little Lu dragged him behind the mountain and buried him, so right now I am Gu Linyuan¡± slightly bending his eyebrows, Long Zhanye laughed joyfully: ¡°Dear junior brother, in the future, we will help each other more¡±

    ¡°If you get discovered, I won¡¯t care¡±

    ¡°Hehe¡­ who is going to be able to find out? Even if your sect chief was before me, I wouldn¡¯t even put him in my eyes¡± Long Zhanye lightly hummed, and then raised his chin.

    Looking at the proud expression of the person next to him, Huo Zaiyuan hit him again on his stomach.

    The bickering between the two people made Xu Ruoming¡¯s face more dark. He tightly clenched his fists. Damn it, Gu Linyuan should die/be dead¡­

    Five people riding the Spiritual Cranes left the Jade Void Mountain. After two hours, they arrived at the nearest ¡®Taoist primary town¡¯, at the foot of the Jade Void Mountain. Some people were tired and hungry. Senior Dan Xia led them in a guest house where they were going to temporarily stay.

    ¡°Junior Huo, that guy surnamed Gu, for what reason approached you?¡± when the opportunity came, Lu Rong walked before Huo Zaiyuan and asked him a question, his face revealing a discontented expression.

    ¡°¨¨¡­! No reasons! I just¡­¡± seeing the youngster¡¯s discontented face, Huo Zaiyuan didn¡¯t know how he had to reply.

    The previous Gu Linyuan, because his appearance was very well-received among the fellow disciples, he and Huo Zaiyuan even more weren¡¯t of the same group. His relationship with Xu Ruoming was very ambiguous, and today Long Zhanye replaced Gu Linyuan and acted intimate with him. It wasn¡¯t surprising that Lu Rong wasn¡¯t happy, and Xu Ruoming¡¯s face was even darker.

    ¡°Junior Huo, that mean guy approaching you mustn¡¯t be a good thing. Heng, from what I see, it¡¯s Xu Ruoming that thought of some trick and wanted to make us suffer again¡± looking at the hesitating Huo Zaiyuan, Lu Rong believed that that ¡®Gu Linyuan¡¯ must have said something to Huo Zaiyuan, deceiving him. His mood worsened: ¡°Junior Huo, senior Dan Xia let us search for our bedroom, two people for each bedroom, how about we¡­¡±

    ¡°Junior Huo stays with me in a bedroom. Senior Lu, please don¡¯t inconvenience yourself¡± walking silently, ¡®Gu Linyuan¡¯ suddenly appeared, he embraced Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s shoulder, didn¡¯t wait for Lu Rong to react and already left.

    Seeing that Huo Zaiyuan was being hugged by ¡®Gu Linyuan¡¯ to walk towards their bedroom, Lu Rong suddenly thought of something and quickly chased after them: ¡°Gu Linyuan! What are you going to do to junior Huo?¡±

    Gu Linyuan, who just walked and didn¡¯t say anything, tightly clenched his hand, a pungent glint flickered through his eyes. Long Zhanye pulled Huo Zaiyuan inside the bedroom, didn¡¯t wait for Lu Rong to reach them when he ¡®pa!¡¯, ferociously closed the door. No matter how much Lu Rong shouted to open the door from the outside, he would be ignored.

    Lifting the finger to draw, the isolating fruit {why fruit?} quickly formed, Lu Rong¡¯s beating the door and shouting noises were instantly and completely cut off. ¡®Gu Linyuan¡¯¡¯s body resumed Long Zhanye¡¯s appearances.

    ¡°In this way you are going to raise the other disciples¡¯ suspicions!¡± staying in the room, Huo Zaiyuan looked at the other man: ¡°My relationship with that Gu Linyuan originally wasn¡¯t good, how can you suddenly replace him and be friendly with me!¡±

    ¡°As if I would care¡± Long Zhanye snorted. He immediately took Huo Zaiyuan in his arms: ¡°That idiot Lu, must have bad intentions towards you. How can I just sit and watch, at first I wanted to beat him up, and then draw out his memory and toss him away from the Taoist Sect. When replacing, I never expected that this ¡®Gu Linyuan¡¯ would have such a short life, that he suddenly died in his bedroom, so I tackled on this difficult job and replaced him. En, however, this Gu¡¯s looks, are indeed not bad. At least he¡¯s much more good-looking than that monkey Lu¡±

    Listening to his complains, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s mouth twitched. Is there such a cold-shoulder/disliked person like you¡­ Obviously, Huo Zaiyuan absolutely wouldn¡¯t say this, or else this jealous person may be knocked down.

    ¡°Fine, since you want to replace Gu Linyuan, then be more careful. He and Xu Ruoming have always been good friends. You suddenly ignored him, maybe something will happen. Today I saw that he was very angry¡± although Huo Zaiyuan and Xu Ruoming found each other disagreeable, normally Xu Ruoming would ridicule him openly and mock him secretly, but he {Huo Zaiyuan} has never took him seriously. But now, Long Zhanye suddenly disguised himself as ¡®Gu Linyuan¡¯ and was being friendly with him¡­ wasn¡¯t it clear that they were snatching his friend away?

    ¡°Good friends, en¡­¡± Long Zhanye seemed lost in thoughts.

    ¡°What, something wrong?¡±

    ¡°En, didn¡¯t I say it before, Gu¡¯s sudden death¡­ I think I know what happened¡±

    ¡°Ai?!¡±

    ¡°Previously I checked Gu¡¯s body, and found out that his essential Yang {ya know, Yin and Yang} was over-drained so he died. I originally considered that he provoked something unclean¡­ now thinking carefully, demons and ghosts cannot silently infiltrate in this Taoist temple and absorb a small disciple¡¯s essential Yang¡­ therefore, the only possibility is succumbing to carnal desires¡±

    ¡°Succumbing¡­ succumbing to carnal desires?¡± hearing those words, Huo Zaiyuan opened his eyes wide, his fair skin reddened: ¡°You are saying¡­ that Gu Linyuan with someone¡­ That¡­ that¡­¡±

    ¡°Little Yuan guessed right¡± Long Zhanye looked at Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s red face, smiled and touched his chin: ¡°He made love with someone¡­ but couldn¡¯t control. In the end he succumbed to carnal desires, his essential Yang depleted and suddenly died¡±

    ¡°Is¡­ how is this possible? If he died, then that¡­ that¡­ that person¡­ with him¡±

    ¡°The other one won¡¯t necessarily die. From all the signs¡­ it seems that this Gu was certainly on the top, and the one on the bottom was the receiver¡­ even if he over-used the essential Yang, he would be continuously replenished by Gu¡¯s essential Yang¡± Long Zhanye stroked his chin, lightly narrowing his eyes. He looked strangely at Huo Zaiyuan, scared that the other one¡¯s whole body was upturned.

    ¡°You¡­ what are you looking at?! Scoundrel!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± laughing, he pulled Huo Zaiyuan is his arms and then slowly said: ¡°Do you know the reason why the Taoist Sect requested that all the young disciples must avoid immorality?¡±

    ¡°We are cultivating gong fa {skill method} and that¡­¡±

    ¡°This is the first reason. Taoist Sect¡¯s primary gong fa belongs to the lad¡¯s gong. It needs a virgin body to cultivate, obviously after losing virginity, it will waste the inner essence, but they won¡¯t die. The Taoist Sect requested the disciples to avoid immorality because they are afraid that they won¡¯t be able to control themselves and drain their inner essence, just like that Gu guy¡± Long Zhanye patiently explained to the person in his arms. He nastily smirked: ¡°This Gu guy, is really worthy of his name {note1}, died because of the chrysanthemum, playing tricks and being romantic¡± pff¡­ it seems that something strange has infiltrated/sneaked in.

    {note1: Gu, in this case, means gorge, valley, cereal, grain, millet, unhusked rice¡­ where is the match?}

    This sentence¡­ Huo Zaiyuan widened his moist and bright eyes, it was very clear that he was brimming with dissatisfaction. He looked at Long Zhanye¡¯s flirtatious eyes: ¡°What?! Having this admiring look!, you want to play tricks and be romantic too?!¡±

    ¡°Of course!!¡± answering without the slightest hesitation, not waiting for Huo Zaiyuan to respond, Long Zhanye immediately threw him on the bed, his slender fingers slipped on the small and delicate chin: ¡°However, the target is limited to you. Come on, darling, I will love you dearly!¡±

    Huo Zaiyuan looked at the one pressing on him. Long Zhanye expression was of a rogue, ruffian, rascal, eager pervert¡­ his mouth twitched, his white face became slightly red: ¡°Get away!¡± a punch flied, the other one dodged, Huo Zaiyuan hid in the space.

    Looking at the vanishing figure, Long Zhanye stroked on his ¡®beaten¡¯ face, showing a doting smile: ¡°So cute¡±

 CH 195

    How the other three people were, Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye didn¡¯t know, these two were comfortably sleeping together in the space. On the second day, they woke up feeling refreshed {note1}.

    {note1: ÉñÇåÆøË¬}

    Facing Xu Ruoming¡¯s black hair, Huo Zaiyuan pretended to not see him. Through senior Dan Xia¡¯s guiding, they rented a Spiritual Beast Aircraft from the Spiritual Beast Station. They flew towards Yudan Spirit. The Spiritual Beast Aircraft flew in the sky for a day, during the night, they finally reached the Yudan Spirit¡¯s aircraft platform.

    On the Yudan Spirit¡¯s aircraft platform, a disciple was waiting for them. When he saw that the Spiritual Beast Aircraft landed, he rapidly came over. Opening the doors, the first person to come out was precisely senior Dan Xia, he was holding an invitation letter and passed it over to the receiving disciple. The receiving disciple took the invitation letter and looked at it, and then he respectfully nodded his head: ¡°Dear Taoist Sect¡¯s guests, please follow Xuan Xu. The guest rooms were already prepared for you long ago¡±

    Leaving for the guest rooms with Xuan Xu, Long Zhanye carried Huo Zaiyuan and again walked into a bedroom. The other three people were rejected outside the door. Senior Dan Xia didn¡¯t have the slightest amount of unusualness, he still had a gentle and soft smile. Looking at the four junior brothers, Lu Rong seemed worried, Xu Ruoming seemed so angry that it felt like he wanted to kill someone.

    In the early morning of the second day, the Yudan Spirit disciple led the five people in the Yudan Spirit¡¯s Morning Lessons Courtyard. Dan Xia took the other four people to sit on the left seats. At this moment, in the Morning Lessons Courtyard, besides the many Yudan Spirit disciples, there were other sect¡¯s disciples, thus the whole Morning Lessons Courtyard was very noisy.

    ¡°Cough cough!¡± suddenly, a coughing resounded in the Morning Lessons Courtyard, the original noise instantly quietened down.

    They just saw a Yudan Spirit¡¯s disciple wearing a light green robe, holding a pile of books and walking in the Morning Lessons Courtyard. After putting the books on the short table, he retreated. A three generations big elder entered in the Morning Lessons Courtyard, looking at him he seemed to have some special demeanor of a transcendent being {note2}.

    {note2: this idiom is now correct! ÏÉ·çµÀ¹Ç}

    ¡°Heaven!, that gray haired elder is the founder of the Yudan Spirit for three generations, Ling Dan! Legend says, this Dan was already coming to an end, how come¡­¡±

    ¡°I heard that, a few millenium ago, an evil spirit brought disasters upon lives. The Yudan Spirit¡¯s guarded treasure has been stolen, the third generation founder experienced a heavy injury too¡­¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened!¡±

    ¡°No wonder¡­¡±

    Sitting at one side of Huo Zaiyuan heard the other people¡¯s murmurs, he slowly turned his face to look at the calm and collected Long Zhanye sitting with legs crossed on the cattail grass. He slightly got closer and whispered: ¡°Are they talking about you?¡±

    ¡°It must be me, you think that other than your husband who is this capable, who else could it be?¡± Long Zhanye answered complacently, as if it was a glorious matter.

    ¡°Nonsense, my husband what¡­¡± listening to Long Zhanye¡¯s words, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s face slightly reddened. This guy, always bullying him in this way¡­ heng, wait after he has restored his gong ti, then he will certainly give him a beating.

    The lecture began. The third elder wasn¡¯t only worthy of being the famous third elder founder, but even explaining how to make Pills of Immortality benefitted all the people in the Morning Lessons Courtyard. This lecture lasted for one day and one night, and still a lot of people wished to continue.

    ¡°Yudan Spirit is truly worthy of being the most awesome sect in the Cultivation Boundary on making Pills of Immortality! I never expected that they could be concocted in such a way! After returning, I have to try that elder¡¯s method!¡± Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s eyes shined.

    ¡°Feel free to try then. I won¡¯t mind helping you by eating the Spiritual Cinnabars¡± looking at the little guy brimming with joy, Long Zhanye¡¯s eyes showed a doting look, it was very clear that before he has served Tianqi as a white mouse and ate many Immortality Pills that Tianqi has tested.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will absolutely make the best use of everything¡± Huo Zaiyuan patted on Long Zhanye¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°You are really willing to part with me¡±

    ¡°This is a must¡±

    While the two were playfully quarreling, a low laugh suddenly could be heard. Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye quickly turned their faces towards the direction where the laugh came from, and saw an old and gray haired elder with a demeanor of a transcendent being caressing his own shining white beard, he was smilingly looking at those two people. This old man wasn¡¯t someone else, but that Yudan Spirit¡¯s third generation founder.

    ¡°Greetings, third founder grandpa¡± Huo Zaiyuan bent over to make his salutations, he tugged at Long Zhanye to greet together.

    ¡°Good, greetings¡± the third ancestor walked on the other two people¡¯s side, his smile diminished and then softly sighed: ¡°Although Yudan Spirit is good at the art of making Immortality Pills, but from now on this art must be passed on to you this group of excellent children¡±

    ¡°You third founder held this lecture, because you won¡¯t live for that long?¡± Long Zhanye said while looking at the third ancestor.

    ¡°Zhan!¡­ senior Gu!¡± Huo Zaiyuan jumped because he was scared of his straightforward and disrespectful speech, he tugged at Long Zhanye and pushed him behind his body, and showing a bright smile: ¡°Hehe¡­ third founder grandpa, please don¡¯t be offended, he¡­ ¨¨!¡­¡± Long Zhanye this idiot! How can he talk in this way! If he made the third founder angry, then what were they supposed to do¡­!

    ¡°Hehe¡­ it¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright¡­ this small Taoist friend is really frank and outspoken!¡± very clearly the third founder didn¡¯t put Long Zhanye¡¯s words to heart, he lightly rubbed his white beard and slowly said: ¡°I got old, dying of illness is a normal thing¡­ this old man has lived enough too¡±

    ¡°Then is there anything in your heart that is unreconciled, ng¡­¡±

    ¡°Senior Gu!, you can¡¯t be so disrespectful towards third founder grandpa!¡± Huo Zaiyuan vigorously covered Long Zhanye¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright¡­¡± he was still smiling kindly, and didn¡¯t have any thought of blaming: ¡°Correct, my heart indeed is not unreconciled. The matter of losing the Yudan Spirit¡¯s guarded treasure, did you hear it too? That treasure was exactly lost from my hands¡­¡±

    ¡°Then do you hate it? Do you hate the person who snatched your treasure away?¡± being taught by Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye finally didn¡¯t dare to speak rudely.

    ¡°Yes, obviously I hate it, but¡­ a millenium has passed, this hatred already blew away like wind, it flew away like running water¡­ hatred, what¡¯s the use? Even if the treasure and Yudan Spirit were brought together by fate, when that time comes, when it returns¡­ but this old man regrets that I will never see that treasure once again¡± the old man sighed.

    ¡°Founder grandpa please don¡¯t say these, you will certainly live enough to see the Yudan Spirit¡¯s treasure again¡± Huo Zaiyuan resolutely said, firmly holding his hands.

    ¡°Hehe, I hope so. Even if I had some years left and could see the treasure, I would die without any regrets¡±

    Inside the space, Huo Zaiyuan sat cross-legged in front of the Flat Peach Immortal Tree, from time to time he would caress that thick and solid peach tree trunk, his face distressed. Flat Peach Immortal Tree¡¯s roots already spread through the whole space¡¯s underground, in addition it blended with the Spiritual Resin of ten years ago, the Flat Peach Immortal Tree grew even more thick and strong. Probably the roots now already penetrated more deeply, and wanting to give the Flat Peach Immortal Tree to Yudan Spirit¡­ then he had to dig out¡­: ¡°A¡­! What to do!!!¡±

    ¡°Master, this¡­ are there really no problems? Master Huo has been worryingly sitting before the peach tree for six hours, moreover, if he still clutch his hair, he will soon become bald¡­¡± with troubled heart, Luer looked at the distressed person outside the house.

    ¡°The Flat Peach Immortal Tree¡¯s roots already went deep in the ground, so much to cover the whole space, even if he returned it to Yudan Spirit, he is also powerless¡± the excellent Long Zhanye cupped his hands, looking at the distressed person, not far away. He slightly smirked.

    Looking at Long Zhanye¡¯s expression, Luer¡¯s mouth twitched, murmuring in his heart ¡®Master, stop it! You just want to see young master making a fool of himself¡¯.

    ¡°Zhanye!¡± in the end the distressed person reached his limit, Huo Zaiyuan looked at the man leaning on the door of the bamboo house. Pursing his lips he threw himself over, his eyes gleaming with tears¡­ that expression was so pitiful¡­

    ¡°Good, good¡­ don¡¯t cry¡± holding Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s thin waist, the handsome face got closer, intimately kissing those soft and fair cheeks, soft and red lips.

    ¡°Zhanye, you must have a solution, right? This tree was stolen by you from Yudan Spirit, so let¡¯s return it, alright? If not that founder grandpa won¡¯t be happy!¡±

    Hugging Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye slightly narrowed his eyes and slowly said: ¡°En¡­ actually there are some solutions, but I can¡¯t remember, how about you kiss me, perhaps I will start to remember¡­¡±

    Luer looked at the two people kissing each other very sweetly, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh¡­ ¡®My poor and simple young master, tricked again¡¯

    ¡­¡­

    After the lecture finished and each big sect left one after another, on a certain day, three things appeared in the third elder founder¡¯s bedroom. Immortal Peaches like glistening and translucent soccer balls bound with golden soil, Peach Tree seeds like bean sprouts in a basket of bamboo, and on one side there was also a letter.

    The letter was written in a flamboyant way and so arrogantly:

    ¡°The old man wants to die, how can it be easy, the Peaches of Immortality have been returned, from now on, this deity and Yudan Spirit have no more debts¡±

 CH 196

    The streets on the bottom of the Jade Void Mountain were bustling: children¡®s happy laugh, vendors¡¯ shouts and pedestrians¡¯ chatting were intertwined together. Long Zhanye led Huo Zaiyuan on the street alley by hand, shaking off those people following behind them very easily, Lu Rong and Xu Ruoming.

    ¡°Z¨¦, so annoying. Disappointedly following us is one of its kind¡± Long Zhanye hummed with a look of despise. He then lowered his head to look at Huo Zaiyuan in his arms and slowly said: ¡°Darling, you truly can attract mosquitoes and flies. It seems that from now on I have to watch closer¡± pff, something has sneaked in again {this sentence¡­ what does it mean??? àÛ£¬ºÃÏñÓÖÓÐÊ²Ã´¶«Î÷»ì½øÈ¥ÁË}

    ¡®Attracting mosquitoes and flies¡¯¡­ Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s mouth twitched. He ferociously glared at him: ¡°Why are you saying this, that Xu Ruoming was provoked by you!¡± Heng, the idea of beating him was nerve-wracking: ¡°Idiot! Misunderstanding what! I only treat Lu Rong as a senior brother, nothing more¡­¡± Huo Zaiyuan said. On his face appeared a faint blush {note1¡­}: ¡°When I was younger I couldn¡¯t understand. But now I have grown up¡­ my heart is small, enough for you. If another person was stuffed in, then it would be too forced¡± Huo Zaiyuan abruptly expressed himself clearly.

    {note1¡­: missing part ÓðôåÇá´¹}

    Long Zhanye was moved, he hugged him very tightly: ¡°I know, because you can only be mine. Even if there could be another person in you heart, I have some ways to eliminate him¡±

    ¡°Hehe, very rare to see¡­ you wouldn¡¯t have confidence in yourself¡± Huo Zaiyuan laughed and kissed on his {Lzy} cheek and then led him over the street outside the alley.

    ¡°I¡®m not kidding¡±

    ¡°I know you are very serious¡± Huo Zaiyuan smiled: ¡°That¡­ such an excellent man like you, Zhanye¡­ How could I like someone else?¡± finished saying, his small ears reddened, obviously because he felt bashful.

    Long Zhanye¡¯s face reddened too, he hugged that person who made his heart miss a beat for love. His mouth got closer and kissed those sweet lips.

    This was Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s first time strolling the market from when he left the Taoist Sect, therefore he was extremely interested towards many things. Glancing at this stall, staring at that stall. His face was brimming with happiness.

    Lzy was behind him, looking at that person bouncing vivaciously, he was swayed from his {Hzy} happiness. A pampering glint flashed in his eyes.

    This scene¡­ he would never have thought it in the past¡­

    But this simple and warm scene¡­ they have gone through two worlds, he and Huo Zaiyuan have just come together thus he absolutely wouldn¡¯t destroy it¡­ No matter the price, this time, he will properly take care of him.

    ¡°Doctor! I beg you! I beg you! Save my child!!!!¡± suddenly, from the front came the suffering voice of a woman, arousing Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye¡¯s attention. The two gazes followed the sound of weeping and they saw a woman full of tears holding a child in her bosom and kneeling on the ground. She was kowtowing before an uncle wearing common middle aged clothes, her forehead was heavily leaning on the ground, she already knocked till some blood flowed out. All around there were many people pointing and discussing.

    ¡°Madam, it isn¡¯t because I don¡¯t agree to treat your child, rather¡­ this child¡¯s condition¡­ I suppose that elixirs aren¡¯t effective¡± that middle aged doctor felt embarrassed, and then lightly shook his head.

    ¡°No! It can¡¯t be! Doctor, you are someone who helps people! How can you not be able to save my child! I beg you! Save my child! If you want money, just say it! My husband has money, I will pay you! I beg you!, save my child!¡± and again, she knocked her forehead on the ground.

    ¡°She is Ming Caizhu¡¯s wife¡­¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t she give birth to a child for Ming Caizhu. How did this happen?¡±

    ¡°I heard that the child madam Ming has given birth to is evil. Up to now he hasn¡¯t cried, made noise and laughed. Always silent like a blockhead. And some people said that he is an idiot. Ming Caizhu even invited the most outstanding doctors and they were all helpless. And because the birth was difficult, madam Ming became infertile. The elder madam Ming was very enraged and forced Ming Caizhu to take a new wife¡±

    ¡°Madam Ming and Ming Caizhu have always loved each other, how could¡­¡±

    ¡°So what? Madam Ming¡¯s child is an idiot. How can the Ming family tolerate this kind of child¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±

    There were all sorts of comments within the crowd. Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan heard everybody¡¯s speech. Huo Zaiyuan looked at that madam Ming kneeling on the ground seeking for help: ¡°She¡­ is so pitiful. Zhanye, you have a lot of experience, why don¡¯t you take a look at that child¡±

    Long Zhanye glanced at Huo Zaiyuan, smiled and the nodded: ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take a look¡± he didn¡¯t know the art of healing, but since Huo Zaiyuan said to go, then he will go to see. If he could help this child, then he could win the beauty¡¯s heart. If he couldn¡¯t do anything, he wouldn¡¯t be at loss either.

    The two crossed the crowd and arrived at the madam¡¯s side. When Huo Zaiyuan saw the dull expression of the child in madam Ming¡¯s bosom, a low cry escaped from his mouth. And Long Zhanye¡¯s face was astonished. He then squat down and untied the brocade used to wrap up the child.

    ¡°You¡­!¡± madam Ming was very surprised by the sudden appearance of those two youngsters.

    After finishing examining the child, Long Zhanye said with a grave expression: ¡°Madam, this doctor indeed can¡¯t cure your child, is it possible to go somewhere else to talk?¡±

    Madam Ming looked at Long Zhanye and then Huo Zaiyuan. After a short period of contemplation, she slightly bit her lips and then nodded as if she determined something: ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go to the Ming Huang {Phoenix} guest house ahead of us¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡± Long Zhanye nodded his head too.

    Huo Zaiyuan supported madam Ming with his hands and then they walked in the Ming Huang guest house.

    Ming Huang guest house was the Ming family¡¯s property. Madam Ming took the two people in a private room. When she wanted to order the most sumptuous food from the waiter, she was stopped by Huo Zaiyuan.

    ¡°Madam, we aren¡¯t hungry. Your son¡¯s problem is more important¡±

    ¡°Dear guests¡­ you¡­ do you perhaps know how to treat my child? Please help me! I don¡¯t care if my husband needs maids or concubines, I want my child to grow healthily, nothing more!¡­ no matter how much money you want, everything is okay¡­ just please cure my child!¡± she kneeled down.

    ¡°Madam¡­ don¡¯t¡­ please sit down¡± Huo Zaiyuan promptly reacted. This pitiful woman was already covered by scars on her forehead, he was moved.

    This was a mother-son situation, this kind of maternal love was really great¡­

    ¡°Madam, when you were giving birth to the child, did something unusual happen?¡± Long Zhanye was sitting next to madam Ming, he raised the teapot and gave a cup of tea to Huo Zaiyuan.

    Madam Ming¡¯s expression was originally restless. When she heard Long Zhanye¡¯s words, she became dumbfounded and then nodded her head: ¡°Yes, yes! Something unusual certainly happened. This child is a premature baby, ten days before an assassin sneaked into the Ming household. I was wounded by that assassin, I moved and vomited. The child was born earlier than expected¡­ but after a day and night of trying to give birth, the child still didn¡¯t come out¡­ a dangerous situation¡­ when I almost lost my life, the child finally was born. Until later, the family realized that the child was abnormal. He won¡¯t cry, make noise and laugh¡­ his expression is very lifeless. We searched everywhere for doctors who could help us¡± madam Ming started to cry again.

    ¡°The broken sword {note2}¡­ madam, can I have a look?¡± Huo Zaiyuan pondered and then asked.

    {note 2: eh?}

    ¡°Several days ago, my husband recruited a Buddhist/Taoist to drive the evil spirits away from my child. He declared that the broken sword was ominous and wanted to let us discard it¡­ I didn¡¯t approve his suggestion at all, so I secretly took the broken sword and hid it in a secret place of the garden. Could you follow me into the Ming household?¡±

    ¡°Might as well, madam, please lead the way¡± Huo Zaiyuan nodded while smiling.

    Madam Ming led Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan into the Ming household. In the garden, in the middle of the flower terrace, they found the broken sword wrapped in a block cloth.

    The broken sword was a double edged sword, it didn¡¯t have the hilt. Fine lines were craved on the blade. It was a soaring dragon¡¯s tail.

    ¡°Indeed it¡¯s him¡±

    ¡°Zhanye, do you know what is this?¡± Huo Zaiyuan slowly touched the broken blade, he couldn¡¯t understand why, but touching the sword felt very familiar. What a strange feeling.

    ¡°This is a legendary celestial sword, it¡¯s called ¡ª ¡ª Yin Liu Ying {silver flowing shadow}. Madam, this isn¡¯t an evil sword, but a tool to protect your son¡±

 CH 197

    ¡°A celestial sword¡­ Yin Liuying¡­¡± listening to Long Zhanye¡¯s words, madam Ming¡¯s eyes widened. Never expected that the reason of this broken sword would be that shocking. She gasped, but with difficulty she found her voice again: ¡°Then¡­ what¡¯s the relationship between this broken sword and my son?¡±

    Long Zhanye looked at madam Ming and then at the child in her bosom: ¡°Your birth¡¯s day has been very hard, almost losing two lives. This broken sword suddenly appeared, you and your child absorbed the remaining Spiritual qi, which protected the heart and veins. Only in this way the child was born. Pity that this sword was already broken. The sword¡¯s qi saved you and your child¡¯s lives, thus half of his soul is in a sleeping state. That¡¯s why he would show up a dull expression¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ then what to do!, benefactor, you are so knowledgeable, please save my child!¡± madam Ming stopped talking, dropped on her kneels on the ground and then deeply knocked her head before Long Zhanye.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a difficult task neither an easy one¡± Long Zhanye softly sighed. He combined his fingers to draw, an Isolating Boundary instantly emerged. Facing Huo Zaiyuan he said: ¡°Little Yuan, take that sword case and a Spiritual Resin stone out¡±

    ¡°¨¨, okay¡± Huo Zaiyuan nodded and waved his arm over the table. An exquisite sword case and a piece of golden shiny Spiritual Resin stone appeared on the table.

    Long Zhanye put the broken sword and the Spiritual Resin in the case and closed the case. He waved his hand and a hoard jade pendant appeared within it. He took the case inside the jade pendant and handed it over to madam Ming: ¡°Wear this jade pendant on the child¡¯s body. Remember, never take it off¡±

    ¡°Yes¡± she gratefully accepted the jade pendant and impatiently tied it on her child¡¯s body.

    When the jade pendant got in contact with the body, the previous dull expression of the baby suddenly showed a clear laugh. Madam Ming was extremely happy!: ¡°My child!¡­ yes!, he can finally laugh!¡±

    ¡°Madam, this won¡¯t be a long-time solution. To completely settle your son¡¯s problem, you must find the other half of that sword. Only by repairing the broken sword, your son will return to normal. The stone¡¯s energy is enough to comfort your son¡¯s dormant soul, but the day when the Spiritual qi will be used up will eventually come¡­ I don¡¯t need to explain myself¡±

    Madam Ming listened to Long Zhanye¡¯s words. Her smile gradually vanished. She bit her lip while looking at her child in the bosom: ¡°I know, no matter how much big the price, I will find the other half of the broken sword¡­ it¡¯s just that¡­ I don¡¯t know how it looks¡±

    ¡°Take out paper and ink. I will draw it for you¡±

    After madam Ming has called someone to take in paper and ink, Long Zhanye started to paint with the black ink. After wasting his gong fu {kung fu}, he finally finished. When Huo Zaiyuan and madam Ming got closer to that painting, their expressions stiffened.

    ¡°This¡­ dear guest¡­ this drawing¡­¡±

    ¡°What? Are there any problems?¡± Long Zhanye raised his face and looked at madam Ming with a reluctant expression.

    ¡°¨¨¡­ that, no¡­¡± looking at Long Zhanye, madam Ming swallowed back in her stomach the words she was going to blurt out.

    ¡°Zhanye, you¡­ are you sure that what you drew is¡­ a sword?¡± Huo Zaiyuan weakly asked while staring at those curved black strokes on the paper. His mouth twitched.

    ¡°¡­¡± if someone else was the one saying it, Long Zhanye would definitely become mad and break their bones into ashes without the slightest hesitation. But right now the problem was that he {Hzy} was his most treasured person. Let alone putting a face, he wouldn¡¯t bear to talk loudly/raise his voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s better if I do it¡­ describe me how this sword looks like¡± softly laughing, Huo Zaiyuan took the brush from Long Zhanye¡¯s hand.

    Madam Ming asked a servant to bring another piece of paper. Long Zhanye described Liu Ying Sword¡¯s appearance. Huo Zaiyuan started to paint one stroke after another, he very quickly drew a lifelike sword on the paper.

    ¡°Exactly like this¡± Long Zhanye nodded with satisfaction while looking at the picture and then placed his hand on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Truly awesome, absolutely perfect¡±

    Madam Ming received the paper from Long Zhanye, looked at it and then nodded: ¡°Thanks dear guests, I will dispatch people to find it¡±

    ¡°Madam Ming is too polite. It¡¯s late now, we are leaving¡±

    After the two waved at madam Ming and left the Ming household, they walked on the main street. Huo Zaiyuan turned his face to look at Long Zhanye. His eyes were opened wide. He wanted to say something but didn¡¯t know how to say it.

    ¡°You want to ask me about that sword and child¡¯s matter, right?¡± experiencing three lives, Long Zhanye understood Huo Zaiyuan more than anyone else. From his {Hzy} eyes and action, he {Lzy} already knew the other one¡¯s thoughts. Looking at his black eyes blinking, he understood what he wanted to ask.

    ¡°En¡­ that child was already dead during the difficult birth¡­ he is still alive because of that broken sword which attached to his soul¡­ because of the broken sword, the soul decreased by half, causing the child to become dull. And you want that madam to look for the other half of the broken sword to find his other half soul¡± Huo Zaiyuan softly said, pursing his lips up: ¡°And the Taoist of the sword, should be the past me¡­ right? Because when I was painting, there was an impression from the recess of my memories, although very dim¡±

    ¡°Correct, that was your or the past Tianqi¡¯s sword, and the soul of your sword is your disciple Yin Liuying. The most powerful Liuying Sword cast by a great master in the Cultivation Boundary, and the materials used were: the most hard stones of the Dragon Clan and your disciple flesh¡± Long Zhanye explained and then rubbed Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s hair: ¡°From a little devil to a sword soul, you always felt remorse and blamed yourself, now he unexpectedly became a person, isn¡¯t it good?¡±

    ¡°Although I don¡¯t remember the past, but when I saw that baby, there was an unspeakable feeling in my heart¡­ regarding this, I think I am happy¡± Huo Zaiyuan smiled: ¡°Zhanye, we are going to search for the other half of the sword for madam Ming, right?¡±

    ¡°Without a doubt, although that little devil provoked me and I loathe him, but he is your disciple¡±

    Looking at Long Zhanye nodding his head in agreement without hesitating, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s heart was happy and moved. His face reddened and leading him by hand: ¡°Being able to stay with you is really good¡­¡±

    Having a person like you, what else can ask for? {note1}

    {note1: this is a saying µÃ¾ýÈç´Ë£¬·ò¸´ºÎÇó}

    Because it was too early, the two people didn¡¯t intend to return in the guest house and confront Lu Rong and Xu Ruoming. Thus, after stopping in a noddles booth, they went to Groceries Market next door.

    Why was it called ¡®Groceries Market¡¯? Because in this market everything could be bought, there was any kind of stuff, therefore this market would attract a lot of customers.

    Although Long Zhanye was very familiar with the Cultivation Boundary, but before he met Tianqi, he only liked to destroy. He didn¡¯t spare a glance at this small market in a small alley. Afterwards he fell in love with Tianqi. Giving their special status, he couldn¡¯t wander around as he wished, therefore this Groceries Market was something new for him.

    Not only there were a lot of shops in the Groceries Market, but there were even more small cultivator¡¯s stalls selling Spiritual Grass, cinnabar medicine, spars, weapons¡­ on the street. The number couldn¡¯t be counted. The two people would travel back and forth between the stalls. In fact they found many new and strange things.

    ¡°Zhanye, next time we set off, let¡¯s come here too¡± scooping out many small toys, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s mood was very good.

    Leaving the Taoist Sect was unforeseen. But after stepping in the Taoist Sect again, he was afraid that what was awaiting him was the real ¡®Spiritual silent period¡¯, when he could leave the Taoist Sect for practice {note2}.

    {note2: eh¡­ Õâ´ÎÀë¿ªµÀÃÅÊÇ¸öÒâÍâ£¬µ±ËûÔÙ´ÎÌ¤ÈëµÀÃÅÖ®ºó£¬ÅÂÊÇµÈËûÕæÕýµÄ¡°Áé¼ÅÆÚ¡±Âú£¬¿ÉÒÔÀë¿ªµÀÃÅÐÞÁ¶µÄÊ±ºòÁË¡£}

    ¡°Wherever you, I will always stay with you¡± Long Zhanye gently laughed. He combed his scattered hair.

    The two continued to stroll in the market. When they prepared to leave, Long Zhanye¡¯s step abruptly stopped. Huo Zaiyuan didn¡¯t know why so he followed his gaze. He raised his eyebrow and saw a muddy and stained¡­ incense burner?

    ¡°Zhanye, what¡®s the matter?¡± that dirty incense burner¡­ it seemed like it didn¡¯t have anything appealing?

    ¡°Be good and wait for me¡± Long Zhanye patted his {Hzy} back and then squatted down to ask the stall vendor: ¡°How much does the incense burner cost?¡±

    When trading cultivators didn¡¯t use money, but Spiritual Spars. For example, regarding a cultivator, 5 Spiritual Spars was the same as 5 coins ¡ª ¡ª extremely convenient.

    After Long Zhanye handed 5 Spiritual Spars over to the stall vendor, took the incense burner and then they left.

    Things that made Long Zhanye interested were a few, Huo Zaiyuan couldn¡¯t help but be curious when he saw him buying a dirty and muddy incense burner. Could it be that that muddy incense burner was a treasure? Very curious ¨®¡­

    The two returned in the guest house and closed the door. Long Zhanye dragged Huo Zaiyuan in the space. When he was cleaning the muddy incense burner, restoring it to its original form, Long Zhanye smiled: ¡°Little Yuan, we cleaned a treasure!¡±

 CH 198

    Long Zhanye smiled while touching the incense burner with his slender fingers: ¡°Little Yuan, we cleaned a treasure¡±

    Huo Zaiyuan looked at the happy Long Zhanye with a puzzled expression, he rested his chin in his hand and said: ¡°This incense burner doesn¡¯t seem special¡±

    ¡°Incense, incense burner¡­¡± listening to Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s words, Long Zhanye¡¯s mouth twitched: ¡°Little fool, this furnace is a celestial utensil ranking Pills of Immortality furnace. That stall vendor wasn¡¯t able to recognize it and sold it off like trash¡±

    ¡°Celestial utensil!!¡± Huo Zaiyuan was stirred up, his eyes were glistening.

    ¡°That¡¯s only natural, if not how could I have bought this kind of thing¡± he put the furnace in Huo Zaiyuan arms and then hugged him: ¡°With a good furnace, your success rate will increase by a lot, and the speed of your practice will be quick¡±

    ¡°En¡± Huo Zaiyuan nodded his head and held his {Lzy} waist: ¡°I will try hard to advance, so we can resume my memory¡±

    ¡­¡­

    On the next day, senior brother Dan Xia led them back to the Jade Void Mountain. Huo Zaiyuan and the replaced Gu Linyuan (Long Zhanye), Xu Ruoming and Lu Rong were busy doing this and doing that. After half a month, it was over. Incited by Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan entered in the space, shut off from the outside world and started to concoct Pills of Immortality, rising other Taoist Sect people¡¯s doubts. Long Zhanye would magically change in Gu Linyuan and be busy with Huo Zaiyuan. They never dropped any homework assigned by the teacher. In this way, time slipped away. In the blink of an eye five years passed.

    In those five years, thanks to the pills, from the third layer Huo Zaiyuan finally broke through the Spiritual silent phase/period, very close to the gold cinnabar phase {stage is better but I will correct later}. In the gold cinnabar phase, because the Taoist internal alchemy needed a great amount of Spiritual qi, even absorbing the Spiritual qi in the space, he was afraid that he couldn¡¯t bear this price, therefore Huo Zaiyuan left the space before than planned.

    {So difficult to translate¡­}

    Five years were nothing but a moment a glory for the Taoists. From refining qi phase to spiritual silent phase, Huo Zaiyuan only used 15 years. If not for his special gong ti and returning to childhood, 15 years wouldn¡¯t be enough to break trough the heartbeat phase {?}. Leaving the aptitude out, that pace was even more unable to do anything. His special gong ti, coupled with hundreds years old Spiritual Grass and cinnabar medicines of the best quality helped him pass through the Spiritual silent phase. Supposing to break through the gold cinnabar phase, reaching the Yuan¡­ now it still wasn¡¯t sufficient. He must seek for more superb cinnabar methods and higher ranked Spiritual Grass¡­ and then he could.

    {So, normally Taoists wouldn¡¯t be able to advance so quickly, but because Huo Zaiyuan has some special features, he was able to. But Huo Zaiyuan still has to rank up higher, so he need the best materials}

    A feeling of impulsiveness/restlessness was brewing in the bottom of his heart, Huo Zaiyuan couldn¡¯t help but frown, his heart in turmoil¡­ haste brings no success¡­ don¡¯t think about it anymore, if he went on in this way, he may be bewitched by his demons, landing in the witchcraft¡­ After repetitively trying to calm down his restless heart with attention, Huo Zaiyuan spitted out impure qi. And then he sat-crossed on a stone bed to cultivate for 5 whole years, therefore when he got up, there were no traces of fatigue. He was in high spirits and came down from the stone bed.

    From when he broke through the third layer, Huo Zaiyuan recalled many past experiences related to the past Huo Zaiyuan, although memories of Tianqi were still hazy, but it was enough¡­

    As soon as he left the cave, a majestic shadow quickly pounced over him. In those five years, Huo Zaiyuan wasn¡¯t the only one cultivating. Even the Wind Speed Cat thrown inside the space by Long Zhanye¡­ from the height of one meter, without Long Zhanye¡¯s strength, the Wind Speed Cat grew up to more than two meters. Faint cyan patterns were circulating on its body, showing that its cultivation surpassed any other Wind Speed Cat.

    ¡°Hehe, be good ¨®, Zhanye and Luer have come back?¡±

    ¡°Meow¡± the Wind Speed Cat licked Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s face, and then shook its head: the two people still haven¡¯t returned.

    Five years ago, when Huo Zaiyuan decided to cultivate in the space in seclusion, Luer left the space for the Ming household, not assured about the reincarnated Liuying¡­ after five years, he didn¡¯t know if they found Liuying Sword¡¯s other half or not. Five years ago he wouldn¡¯t have cared about Liuying Sword, but now he has already recalled many memories, as a result he had some memories of the sword¡­ he sighed when he thought about the cute appearance of his disciple.

    En, he wasn¡¯t certain on when he could leave the Jade Void Mountain again, at that time¡­ he must take a look¡­ Five years, he didn¡¯t know how much that child has matured, en¡­ five years, they should be the same, soft and plump¡­

    While Huo Zaiyuan was thinking about his disciple, a shadow flickered in the space and Long Zhanye appeared. When he saw Huo Zaiyuan standing on the Bamboo House door, he smiled and then threw himself over.

    Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s mouth twitched when he saw a Taoist disciple wearing an orange robe throwing himself over with a happy smile.

    ¡°Little Yuan!!¡± Long Zhanye kissed on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s cheek. Afterwards he realized that the one in his embrace was looking at him with surprised eyes: ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Zhan¡­ Zhanye¡± Huo Zaiyuan was curious and laughed. He held Long Zhanye¡¯s waist: ¡°What happened? Why you are wearing those disciple clothes?¡±

    In general, disciples of the Jade Void Mountain wore common clothes, except for extraordinary disciples or when there was a large-scale event in the sect. At this moment Long Zhanye was wearing disciple clothes, no wonder Huo Zaiyuan was surprised.

    ¡°Half a month later, the second most dangerous Boundary of the Cultivation Boundary will open/be unsealed. Right now the sect is holding a competition, the winner can get the opportunity to enter in the dangerous Boundary. I want you to reach the gold cinnabar phase and get prepared to enter in the Boundary and fetch some Spiritual Grass¡± Long Zhanye was emitting some dim lights from his body and gave a soft kiss on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s face: ¡°I was convinced you would continue with cultivating in the space, why did you suddenly come out¡±

    ¡°I wanted to reach the gold cinnabar phase, but I don¡¯t have Spiritual Cinnabar aiding me, therefore¡­¡± Huo Zaiyuan showed his tongue.

    ¡°En, can¡¯t be hasty when practicing. You are already extremely amazing. Just in time, the dangerous Boundary has opened, how about we go together and take a stroll, it¡¯s going to be our honeymoon¡­¡± Long Zhanye made a crafty smile: ¡°When we got married in the Human Boundary we couldn¡¯t spend our honeymoon, we were exploded by the zombie and arrived here¡±

    ¡°I still haven¡¯t restored my memory, and definetely don¡¯t remember being married with you¡­ who¡­ who wants to spend the honeymoon with you¡± Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s face reddened even more, pushed Huo Zaiyuan away and then entered in the Bamboo House.

    Being shy.

    ¡°Ai¡­ you aren¡¯t acknowledging it, this isn¡¯t right¡± Long Zhanye followed him in the Bamboo House, hugged him and the immediately kissed on those red lips.

    In those five years, Long Zhanye has longed for Huo Zaiyuan a lot, so right now, how could he let go of the person who just went out in front of him. He sighed heavily, pulled down his Taoist clothes to hold Huo Zaiyuan, and then quickly walked towards the Dragon Pool.

    Very well behaved Huo Zaiyuan wore the clothes and then exited from seclusion {?}, Long Zhanye didn¡¯t need to magically change into him to deceive the public, this time he transformed into Gu Linyuan and together with Huo Zaiyuan, they happily left the space.

    After five years the Jade Void Mountain didn¡¯t have many changes, Huo Zaiyuan was still familiar with it, but Huo Zaiyuan sharply realized that¡­ his fellow disciples were a little but different towards him, he just needed to appear together with Gu Linyuan (Long Zhanye) and the would always hide away.

    ¡°What have you done in those five years?¡± looking at the disciple sitting and standing far away from him, Huo Zaiyuan faced Long Zhanye sitting next to him.

    ¡°What have I done? What¡¯s up?¡± a certain innocent face opened his mouth and took a bite of the bun with vegetables, and then exclaimed: ¡°Ai, I have eaten Taoist Sect¡¯s vegetables for many years and still can¡¯t get used to it¡±

    ¡°Zhanye!!¡± Huo Zaiyuan rarely would burst into rage: ¡°Don¡¯t divert the attention, this is useless towards me!¡±

    Look, the naive child has become clever, wanting to change topic, adult Long obviously wasn¡¯t effective: ¡°¨¨, it seems so ¨®¡± Long Zhanye paused, licked his lips and then slowly said: ¡°Darling, what could I have done, I can¡¯t beat them with your appearance, it¡¯s clearly their problem, I am really innocent¡±

    ¡°En, it seems so¡± Huo Zaiyuan carefully thought, feeling that Long Zhanye¡¯s words made sense. He nodded his head and then plead: ¡°I am sorry, I misunderstood you¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I won¡¯t take it seriously, quickly eat, the competition is in this afternoon¡± Long Zhanye laughed and showed his tongue.

    It¡¯s better for Huo Zaiyuan to not know what he {Lzy} has done in those five years la.

 CH 199

    The two people were eating veggie buns by themselves and soon after they wiped out the meat buns in their stomach, when a loud shout sounded out: ¡°The Sect Chief arrived¡ª ¡ª¡°

    Those words made the calm Long Zhanye frown. In those five years, Long Zhanye took turns in replacing Huo Zaiyuan and Gu Linyuan and appearing before everybody, never falling in a trap. Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s appearance couldn¡¯t be moved, Gu Linyuan¡¯s looks were the less meticulous, he gradually changed into himself so now, implicating the changes was unnecessary {?}. Nobody found out that Gu Linyuan was fake.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Huo Zaiyuan saw him frown: ¡°Are the veggie buns not tasty? In fact, you don¡¯t need to force yourself in eating veggie buns like me¡±

    Long Zhanye¡¯s real body was a real dragon, even if he replaced Gu Linyuan and pretended to be a Taoist Sect¡¯s disciple, but they weren¡¯t the same after all. In those five years, this man who liked meat has consumed many veggie and meat buns, it has been truly though for him.

    ¡°Nope, I just never expected for this person to come¡± Long Zhanye gazed deeply at the immortal man dressed in white being surrounded by a crowd of reverent and respectful Taoist disciples. He coldly hummed. From Long Zhanye¡¯s attitude it was clear how much dislike there was when he said ¡®this person¡¯.

    ¡°Who? The Sect Chief?¡± Huo Zaiyuan looked at Long Zhanye who was in a bad mood, he raised his head to look at the crowd, however, he still had to see when he was pulled in Long Zhanye¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Not allowed to look, what is good about that dignified guy¡±

    Looking at the even more unsightly face of Long Zhanye, Huo Zaiyuan didn¡¯t know why but an unusual feeling emerged in his heart. He couldn¡¯t help any more but softly laugh.

    ¡°You¡­ you are still laughing!!¡± Long Zhanye looked at his {Hzy} flowery splendid smiling expression and bent over.

    The two people were sitting in an unnoticeable corner, plus the mysterious Taoist Sect Chief appeared so who would pay attention to those two people¡¯s every movement.

    It has been thousands of years since the Chief Feng Chen has taken over the Taoist Sect. Ever since ¡®that matter¡¯, he has lived in the sect in seclusion, therefore he obtained the title of ¡®mysterious¡¯ from an earlier time. He didn¡¯t know why today there was a feeling which was hard to describe. A trusted disciple perceived his own master¡¯s uneasiness and conveniently told him that, because the ¡®dangerous¡¯ Boundary was open, the sect was holding a competition. Two hundred disciples signed to fight over {note1}. Feng Chen carefully considered it and thought of taking advantage of this moment to relieve boredom, so he ushered his disciple to leave his own residence.

    {note2: honestly I don¡¯t understand if there¡¯s a problem with numbers or I don¡¯t understand. All the disciples under certain phase can join, but only 200 people can enter in the Dangerous Boundary¡­ I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s correct}

    Arriving at the Taoist Sect competition ¡®Martial Exchange Platform¡¯, through the Taoist disciples¡¯ cries of respect, Feng Chen suddenly felt a deep gaze from the crowd. He has felt this kind of gaze once throughout his thousands years of cultivation, and that was¡­ when he subconsciously turned his face to search that deep gaze, like wind it disappeared¡­

    Could it be him?

    No, it can¡¯t be. After that man caused havoc in the six big sects, he jumped from the snowy peak, the noise was gone¡­ how can he be here, this was the Taoist Sect.

    ¡°Ma¡­ master?¡± Feng Yan didn¡¯t know why his indifferent and conducting himself in society of a master would show a dejected expression in this way. He swept a glance at the Taoist disciples, approached Feng Chen to softly call him out. He has never seen his master with this expression¡­ it looked like he has lost something important and won¡¯t get it anymore¡­

    ¡°Nothing¡± Feng Chen promptly recovered from his thoughts, his mouth displayed his habitual indifferent smile: ¡°En¡­ the competition is almost starting, let¡¯s go¡±

    ¡°Yes¡±

    This time, in the Taoist Sect only 200 disciples could proceed for the Dangerous Boundary. The Sect stipulated that, disciples in the first layer of heartbeat phase and under couldn¡¯t take part in the competition. Among Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s fellow apprentices, there were some with better aptitude who reached heartbeat phase first, second layer. He already successfully reached the Spiritual silent phase third layer, his spiritual power was confined by the bracelet. Normally his spiritual power should be at the first layer of the heartbeat phase, which was too outstanding. Just now it was enough to join the competition.

    {ps I know the chaos with the phase, I thought the layers were the stages}

    This time the competing Taoist Sect¡¯s disciples were divided in ranks. Several thousands people separated in fifty sites, one-on-one. After a day only few hundreds were left. Obviously Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan were also in the competition list. It was just that they were all confronting little fellow apprentices {losers}, many people were knocked down from the platform. It didn¡¯t cause a sensation. Therefore Huo Zaiyuan was sitting on a mat and it was his first time that he saw such a competition. He really enjoyed it. Long Zhanye wasn¡¯t interested, he leaned on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s body and fell asleep.

    While the Chief was watching at the competition between disciples, he felt like they were small children scuffling. Feng Chen didn¡¯t watch for a long time and led his disciple away. Before leaving, he heard his disciple¡¯s indistinct question: ¡°Master, will you still come at tomorrow¡¯s competition?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡± he had nothing to do anyway, tomorrow he will walk around again.

    En, it seemed that being the Sect Chief was in fact being very ridiculous¡­ in the future the cultivating disciples needed more strength.

    The first day of competition concluded when the sun set down. The Martial Exchange Platform disciples didn¡¯t even need an hour that they dispersed, the disciples who would join tomorrow¡¯s competition were even more quick on returning in their bedrooms, getting ready for tomorrow¡¯s competition. Today was the first competition, and it was in each category of the Taoist Sect¡¯s martial arts and gong fu, absolutely a gong fu where they used fists and feet. But in the second competition they were allowed to carry weapons and ritual implements.

    While the other disciples were filled with concerns, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan were clearly unperturbed. After they returned in the bedroom, they comfortably bathed together and then entered in the space.

    ¡°Zhanye¡­ tomorrow we can carry weapons and ritual implements, you¡­ won¡¯t have problems?¡±

    Long Zhanye didn¡¯t belong to the Taoist Sect, someone who didn¡¯t know the Taoist Sect¡¯s laws and with all the gong ti in his body¡­ the Chief didn¡¯t scan attentively¡­ today¡¯s competition, Huo Zaiyuan was very scared to look at him straightforwardly punching those fellow disciples¡­

    But tomorrow they could carry weapons and ritual implements, moreover today¡¯s qualified disciples were all Taoist Sect¡¯s excellent disciples. If Long Zhanye wanted to easily beat them dizzy, then it would be a little troublesome. And doing this would be extremely showy.

    ¡°Hehe, so what if I have weapons, although I don¡¯t understand the Taoists¡¯ laws, but I can still act with that Taoist Sect¡¯s fencing style. Tomorrow I will fool and deceive and it will be alright¡± Long Zhanye wasn¡¯t anxious at all.

    It didn¡¯t matter if it was in the past standing in the army in the Human Boundary or now replacing Gu Linyuan in the Taoist Sect, his understanding towards martial arts was high. Taoist Sect¡¯s disciples were outstanding, but for him they weren¡¯t worth mentioning. It was a real thing. A finger could break them, deceiving wasn¡¯t difficult.

    ¡°Alright, I¡®m not worried about your words, but I could have some problems. I cultivated for many years that I¡¯m not proficient in this style¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s easy. I will teach you¡± Long Zhanye waved his hand, a Taoist Sect¡¯s disciple common long sword appeared, and then it was handed over to Huo Zaiyuan.

    Huo Zaiyuan nodded his head and reached his hand to take the long sword. He frowned: ¡°It¡¯s lighter¡±

    Hearing Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s words, Long Zhanye chuckled and hugged his {Hzy} waist: ¡°Well, of course. This sword is broken and decaying iron, how can it be in par with your Liuying Sword. En¡­ little devil already reincarnated, this time we are conveniently going in the Dangerous Boundary to look for some material suited for forging. I will rebuild a long sword for you. En¡­ If we can¡¯t find anything, then at worst I will secretly sneak in the Dragon Clan, mine stones¡­¡± a glint of craftiness flashed in his eyes, it wasn¡¯t difficult to tell that leaving for the Dragon Clan to steal was something he would do with pleasure.

    Noticing that glint, although Huo Zaiyuan still haven¡¯t remembered everything but in those years he has gotten along with Long Zhanye. In addition there were many documents in the Taoist Sect concerning the defying dragon, Long Zhanye was absolutely an intolerant existence for the Immortals World and the Cultivation Boundary. Hiding in the Taoist Sect was already very risky¡­ if he left for the Dragon Clan to steal treasures again and was discovered, then he ought to¡­

    ¡°No! I don¡¯t want you to be in danger only because of a sword, you told me you would protect me¡± Huo Zaiyuan hugged him back and covered his face in his {Lzy} arms: ¡°I only need to break through the Yuan phase and then we will live in seclusion, okay? Even inside the space, I won¡¯t complain¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay, I will wait for you to break through the Yuan phase and then we will leave. We will live in seclusion together¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s face was gentle and soft.

    Dragons love freedom and soaring in the sky¡­ but he was the defying dragon, he wasn¡¯t allowed in the sky, only having the person in his arms¡­ three lives, and he {Hzy} was holding this heaven defying existence without the slightest hesitation. Wherever they went he {Lzy} was happy¡­ After the two people sweetly sticked together, Long Zhanye started to instruct Huo Zaiyuan how to use the sword.

 CH 200

    Long Zhanye¡¯s Dragon Pearl was the space¡¯s medium, although he shared the space together with Huo Zaiyuan but he had one more special ability than Huo Zaiyuan ¡ª ¡ª time manipulation. After slowing the time, Long Zhanye started to teach Huo Zaiyuan how to use the sword. Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s capability to grasp the Taoist Sect¡¯s sword was good, he didn¡¯t need much time. He fully learned five years of sword, matching it with his spiritual silence¡¯s third layer gong ti. The Taoist Sect¡¯s younger generation couldn¡¯t be blocked {?}.

    After practicing the sword, they comfortably bathed together and then held each other when sleeping. They slept trough the night till dawn.

    Although yesterday¡¯s competition removed several thousands of people, but the Martial Exchange Platform didn¡¯t reduce. Not even two hours passed that thousands of disciples were quickly reduced to 400, and those 400 disciples were all known. The lowest one already broke through the heartbeat phase, some reached the second layer of Spiritual silent phase, many the third layer.

    Concerning the last 400 people, the sect consented numerous disciples¡¯ requests to cut to 10 sites competing together. So they drew lots for the battle. The winner could choose a quota of people to leave for the Dangerous Boundary.

    Long Zhanye drew the fifth site, third turn label. Huo Zaiyuan instead drew the tenth site, tenth turn label. As if they wouldn¡¯t take turns in the competition, the two sat down together on yesterday¡¯s seat to watch the competition. Compared to yesterday¡¯s ¡®all show and no go¡¯, today there was something worth seeing. Hugging Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye picked faults with the sites¡¯ competitions, often making Huo Zaiyuan laugh.

    Although the competition was intense, but very quickly it was Long Zhanye¡¯s turn, and his opponent was a Taoist Sect¡¯s Left Palace Hall¡¯s heartbeat phase third layer disciple (Jade Void Mountain¡¯s Taoist Sect is divided into: Left Palace Hall, Center Palace Hall, Right Palace Hall, Center Palace Hall¡¯s disciples are the most outstanding, followed by Left Palace Hall. Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye were both small disciples). The embodied Gu Linyuan (Long Zhanye) was at the heartbeat phase second layer, therefore that Left Palace Hall¡¯s disciple very clearly didn¡¯t put that ¡®small disciple¡¯ in his eyes. He had a look of despise: ¡°Small junior brother, it isn¡¯t that senior brother didn¡¯t remind you, take advantage of the fact that the competition hasn¡¯t started yet, quickly admit defeat and scram¡±

    Long Zhanye was holding the sword, supporting the point on the competition¡¯s platform. He heard the words full of despise, he gathered his hair. That indifferent expression, that relaxed appearance¡­ it was clear that he didn¡¯t take him seriously.

    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t overestimate your strength!!¡± Left Palace Hall¡¯s disciple saw that Long Zhanye treated his words as a puff of wind passing his ears. He felt that he {Lzy} was looking down on him. He lowered his head and waved his right hand. A little bell with overflowing Spiritual qi appeared in his hand. He pointed his left hand high up in the air to draw: ¡°Since you won¡¯t listen to your senior brother¡¯s advice, then don¡¯t blame me for bullying you!!¡± A swift and fierce Taoist seal was shot towards Long Zhanye.

    ¡°Z¨¦¡± Long Zhanye looked at that swift and fierce Taoist seal going towards him, he softly hummed and quickly dodged the seal, and then went to attack that Left Palace Hall disciple.

    There were two types of Taoist cultivation: the first type was martial arts, the other one was internal energy (like a master of sutra). The little bell that that Left Palace Hall disciple was holding was an internal energy ritual implement. But Long Zhanye didn¡¯t understand the Taoist Sect¡¯s laws therefore he chose a sword. Martial arts¡¯ disciples fought closely, so they had a lot of stamina. The internal energy was a distant battle, the stamina was low. Each had their own characteristics. Obviously people could cultivate both, like the Taoist Sect¡¯s legend ¡ª ¡ª Tianqi {note1}, Taoist Sect¡¯s Chief Feng Chen¡­

    {note1: cough cough! I have a loss of memory, what was his name? Tian qizi, Huo Tianqi or Tian Qi?}

    The Left Palace Hall disciple looked at Long Zhanye¡¯s sword quickly attacking him, his face abruptly changed, he drew a ¡®Withdraw¡¯ and evaded very fast. Long Zhanye wasn¡¯t worried when he saw the opponent dodging, he smiled, suddenly turned and attacked the disciple again. On the competition site, one could see two people moving quickly, striking and chasing. Of course, this was what other people saw, sitting outside the competition platform, what Huo Zaiyuan saw was different: ¡°Truly bad intentioned¡± he covered his laugh.

    Huo Zaiyuan looked at the two quick flashing silhouettes. Towards Huo Zaiyuan, who was at the Spiritual silent phase, the two people¡¯s chasing wasn¡¯t quick at all. His eyes were able to keep up with that fast speed, therefore he saw clearly that disciple had a red face and was breathing heavily when being chased by Long Zhanye. Long Zhanye¡¯s face was still calm and relaxed as before.

    Internal energy gong ti was originally weak, confronting the enemy that close meant to quit {?}. Long Zhanye was afraid that Taoist Sect¡¯s higher ups would notice that something was wrong, so he used this chasing method. The two people have moved for quite a long time, that Left Palace Hall¡¯s disciple speed gradually decreased. At the same time, Long Zhanye¡¯s speed suddenly quickened, he rotated his sword and knocked all the disciple¡¯s stamina down with the hilt of the sword. It was followed by a heavy sound of falling on the ground. That Left Palace Hall disciple tumbled on the ground and fainted.

    In the meantime, a shout came out from the whole site. After declaring the competition¡¯s results, that Left Palace Hall disciple was carried away. Long Zhanye just laughed on platform and then went to Huo Zaiyuan straight away: ¡°Darling, I¡¯m amazing, right?¡± with a demanding a reward expression.

    ¡°Amazing¡± since this is what he wanted to hear, Huo Zaiyuan said it.

    Long Zhanye looked at Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s serious face, he couldn¡¯t help but hug him and kissed a few times on his fair and soft face. His gaze fell on the label that he {Hzy} was grasping tightly: ¡°What¡¯s up? Are you scared?¡±

    ¡°¨¨, no¡­ no. I¡¯m just a little nervous¡± without the past memories, he was just a normal disciple who entered in the Taoist Sect from a young age, and also he has never fought with anyone, so he will inevitably feel nervous.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, no matter who is your opponent, I believe in little Yuan¡¯s strength¡± Long Zhanye rubbed his {Hzy} soft silver hair.

    In the Cultivation Boundary only high ranked cultivators possessed silver hair. Huo Zaiyuan had it from when he was young¡­

    In outsiders¡¯ eyes it seemed like the youngster was losing colors, but for Long Zhanye this wasn¡¯t true. Yuan and the body united. Passing through the cracks back and forth caused him {Hzy} to return to his childhood, so his cultivation was sealed. Only by resuming the memories he would become the first man of the Taoist Sect, but he won¡¯t make it happen, he won¡¯t let Taoist Sect¡¯s people know Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s existence.

    Only two ranks left: gold cinnabar phase and Yuan phase.

    ¡°Zhan¡­ Zhanye?¡± Huo Zaiyuan called out while looking at the man lost in thought: ¡°What are you thinking of?¡±

    Wasn¡¯t he alright a moment ago? How come he suddenly was blank?

    ¡°¨¨, no¡­ nothing¡± Long Zhanye shook his head and then swept a glance at the competition site: ¡°Soon it will be your turn, go. I will be right here looking at you¡±

    ¡°En¡±

    ¡­

    Enemies were bound to meet on a narrow end, Huo Zaiyuan deeply felt it, because he would never have thought that this time his opponent of the match would unexpectedly be ¡ª ¡ª Xu Ruoming.

    Huo Zaiyuan shut off for five years, it passed in a flash when he opened his eyes, therefore, his memories of Xu Ruoming were of five years ago. But looking at the gloomy face holding a long sword standing opposite him, Huo Zaiyuan wouldn¡¯t naively believe that his relationship with Xu Ruoming has eased up.

    ¡°Heng, Heaven is truly helping me, I never expected that the opponent I drew would be you. Huo Zaiyuan, even if you kowtow and admit defeat, I will definitely not let you!!¡± Xu Ruoming showed a cold smile. He pointed his sword at Huo Zaiyuan: ¡°Heartbeat phase first layer layer like wants to beat a heartbeat phase second layer like me¡­ what a wishful thinking!¡±

    Towards Xu Ruoming¡¯s deep hostility, Huo Zaiyuan felt extremely innocent and helpless. He waved his hand, a silver light flickered and a long sword appeared in his hand: ¡°Right¡­ wishful thinking¡­ I have been thinking wishfully from when I was young, senior brother Xu¡±

    Those gentle words, like a blasting fuse instantly ignited Xu Ruoming¡¯s fury. Along with a loud shout, he leapt in the air to attack him.

    Huo Zaiyuan didn¡¯t retreat and met the opponent head on with the sword. The swords intersected, a formidable Taoist Yuan qi radiated, the competition site was flowing with swift and fierce qi. The two swords were extremely quick, intersecting numerous times, but there was no victory or defeat. Facing Xu Ruoming¡¯s violent attacks, Huo Zaiyuan was focused. At the same time, he couldn¡¯t refrain himself from praising this person¡¯s exceptionally good talent. Huo Zaiyuan returned to his childhood, his cultivation already reached Spiritual silent phase third layer and he was personally guided by Long Zhanye on how to use the sword¡­

    Xu Ruoming was able to fiercely strike back even under attack¡­ look at that youngster¡¯s ferocious face, his swift and fierce swordsmanship¡­

    He didn¡¯t know, but there was a peculiar feeling from the bottom of Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s heart. He felt that there were more rooms of development for this guys, he could be more powerful. He was looking forward for this youngster¡¯s growth¡­ and also, he couldn¡¯t let him win. He narrowed his eyes. Powerful qi erupted from his own body. His hair band broke, the white Taoist robe flew, Huo Zaiyuan combined the two finger of his left hand, the long sword slipped out his hand, circling his body.

    Clang clang clang ¡ª ¡ª some noise, the swords intersected, the powerful qi assaulted Xu Ruoming who was then shot outside the competition site.

    ¡°Senior brother Xu, you lost¡± soft voice, exquisite facial features, floating silver hair, white robe fluttering in the wind, the whole body silver circulating, the slender youngster was exuding was one kind of a transcendent being.

    At the same time, the Taoist Sect¡¯s Chief Feng Chen sitting on a mat witnessed the scene. He abruptly stood up with an amazed expression.

    This disciple¡­

 CH 201

    ¡°Huo Zaiyuan wins!¡± the elder responsible for the judgement shouted loudly. Huo Zaiyuan successfully obtained the place to leave for the Dangerous Boundary. He slowly inserted the long sword in the sword case and then indifferently looked at the lifeless Xu Ruoming sitting outside the competition site. He didn¡¯t say anything and slowly turned to walk away.

    After he left the site, the other competition sites still continued to compete. The fights were heated, but he and Long Zhanye didn¡¯t have the mood to watch the competition. The two departed from Martial Exchange Platform, not noticing that from a certain distance, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s figure was closely followed by a line of sight until he disappeared.

    ¡°Sect Chief?¡± elder Li Zong looked at the Sect Chief, who abruptly stood up and had an astonished expression.

    ¡°Nothing¡± Feng Chen shook his head and unhurriedly sat down, his gaze still deep as before. What he was thinking, it looked like only he himself knew.

    As soon as Huo Zaiyuan walked in the room, he was dragged in the space by Long Zhanye. He didn¡¯t wait for him to ask, that warm lips approached and then he firmly kissed on those soft red lips.

    ¡°W¨²¡­¡±

    After an intense touching, Long Zhanye finally released him. The two forehead counterbalanced, Long Zhanye¡¯s serene gaze, he stared at the person before him: ¡°I didn¡¯t even know you could control the sword¡±

    The technique of controlling the sword was to mix the sword with the inner martial arts. The Taoist Sect¡¯s disciples knew it, therefore it wasn¡¯t odd to see it happening in the competition. Huo Zaiyuan has shut off for five years, and Long Zhanye has taught him the most common way to use the sword, never thought of relying on the sword. Unexpectedly he {Hzy} was capable of controlling the sword.

    Could it be that Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s talent was outstanding or returning to childhood was awesome¡­

    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t know it too. But¡­ but it worked¡± Huo Zaiyuan whispered.

    At that time he didn¡¯t want to let Xu Ruoming win, and simply¡­

    Looking at Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s innocent face, Long Zhanye softly sighed and then stretched his hand to rub his hair: ¡°Although it¡¯s early, but¡­ little Yuan, after going to the Dangerous Boundary, let¡¯s leave the Taoist Sect, alright?¡±

    This was the first competition. Apart from controlling the sword, Huo Zaiyuan could thoroughly smash the tranquil Taoist Sect. Because Taoist Sect¡¯s senior disciples were unable to tell the difference of that technique, but the Taoist Sect¡¯s Chief Feng Chen absolutely couldn¡¯t not see it, this was once one of the Tianqi¡¯s unique skills. It was quick and took people by surprise.

    Huo Zaiyuan had no idea why Long Zhanye would suddenly raise such a question, but concerning him, Long Zhanye was excellent in anything. He was almost at the gold cinnabar phase. The bracelet would be unable to resist the inner body¡¯s powerful Spiritual qi, inevitably there will be a day when he will be exposed. Since this was the case, then they were going to leave: ¡°Alright¡±

    Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s immediate consent made Long Zhanye happy. He hugged him and resolutely kissed him. They two were sweetly lovey-dovey.

    Taoist private Pavilion

    ¡°Master, the matter that you asked this disciple to investigate, was already completed. Please check¡± Feng Yan was respectfully kneeling on the ground. He was holding a piece of paper envelope in his hands.

    Before a window, looking at the carefree moving bamboo leaves outside the window, silver hair casually hanging down, a white robed Feng Chen slowly turned his body. He extended his hand to take that paper envelope and then opened it up: ¡°He is a small disciple? White haired master¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, but according to the small disciple¡¯s teacher¡¯s words, this small disciple is on the top of cultivation, has outstanding talent and is extremely studious¡± Feng Yan looked at his master¡¯s serious and gloomy expression, really not understanding what he was thinking.

    ¡°Outstanding talent¡­ oh, this resembles ¡®him¡¯ a lot¡­ but what a pity, this child has Wood Spiritual Roots¡± gathering the inner Yuan, he burned the paper, reducing it to ashes.

    Concerning Feng Chen¡¯s worried heart, Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye both were doing whatever they wanted to. Since they decided to go, obviously they had to put the bedrooms¡¯ things in order. And it wasn¡¯t difficult at all because they had the space. On the day they had to leave for the Dangerous Boundary, this bedroom was tidied up, not even a piece was left.

    The Prison Immortal Dangerous Boundary was the place where they were going. It was said that in this Dangerous Boundary resided many vicious strange animals. Several millenium ago some ancestors exhausted their inner Yuan to seal the Dangerous Boundary. Those ancestors died and the boundary was called Prison Immortal Dangerous Boundary. After millenniums the boundary somewhat loosened. Striving for a bigger power in the Taoist immortal cultivation, the Taoists didn¡¯t hesitate to enter in the Dangerous Boundary and obviously, the people who were able to come out were a few.

    The more dangerous the Dangerous Boundary, the better it was for Long Zhanye. Since they wished to leave the Taoist Sect, then ¡®faking death¡¯ would ¡®convince people¡¯. The cultivation wasn¡¯t high enough and dying in the Dangerous Boundary was an exceptionally good reason. Moreover, towards common cultivators it was perhaps a place filled with danger. But towards Long Zhanye, it was a treasure for Huo Zaiyuan to collect Spiritual Grass and increase the cultivation¡­ Breaking through the gold cinnabar phase wasn¡¯t bad. But when breaking through the Yuan phase, besides selecting a place with abundant Spiritual qi, they would cause to change the sky and thunder would fall, arousing the other cultivators¡¯ attention. When this moment came, it would truly be troublesome.

    Thinking in such a way, Long Zhanye immediately decided to settle in the Dangerous Boundary with Huo Zaiyuan¡­ Anyway, they had the space, even if they stayed here and waited for several thousand years it wouldn¡¯t be that¡­

    On the day they set off, Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan along with other disciples, rode the Spiritual Cranes and left the Jade Void Mountain. After half a month of journey, the Taoist disciples already arrived at the outside of the Dangerous Boundary. Due to the seal, they couldn¡¯t see the situation inside. Only some hazy nothingness.

    ¡°Indeed it¡¯s an ancient boundary. Not even a little bit of qi breath was let out¡± Long Zhanye looked at that piece of mistiness in front of him, and then continued: ¡°Z¨¦, this is even better¡±

    ¡°What?¡± standing by his side, Huo Zaiyuan was obviously fascinated by the Dangerous Boundary and didn¡¯t clearly hear Long Zhanye¡¯s whisper.

    ¡°Nothing¡±

    This time the Taoist disciples weren¡¯t the only the one entering in the Dangerous Boundary. There were the other six sect¡¯s disciples too. It didn¡¯t need a long time that Flying Spiritual Beasts¡¯s noise reached them. Some sect¡¯s seniors revealed an hypocritical smile. After inquiring about their well-being, they just set a campsite on the spot, waiting for the boundary to loosen. On the surface the sects were amicably getting along, but even before they entered in the Dangerous Boundary, they were already secretly rushing forth behind their back {?}.

    Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye always disliked troubles, so they both put up a small tent and hid in the rear area. Every day the sun would rise and interdependently set down. The life was certainly comfortable. Until one person appeared, breaking their tranquility.

    ¡°Here, take a bite. Eating that sour and hard fruit the whole day, what to do if you get sick¡­¡± using a big leaf to wrap a roasted and tender chicken, Long Zhanye moved it closer to Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s front. Giving the chicken, he softly coaxed: ¡°Don¡¯t become ill even before entering in the Dangerous Boundary¡±

    ¡°Chi, what are you saying. This wild fruit is sweet and sour, the taste isn¡¯t bad, moreover I have my own immortality pills. You better fill your stomach with this roasted chicken. I can¡¯t eat meat¡± Huo Zaiyuan was amused by Long Zhanye, and pushed away the roasted chicken. His body already got used to the Taoist Sect¡¯s vegetable and tofu diet, so meaty meals¡­ it¡¯s been a long time since he thought about it.

    Long Zhanye¡¯s scented roasted chicken really baffled him.

    ¡°En, roasted chicken is really fragrant. I will change it in this for you¡± a crisp and soft voice sounded out, followed by a fragrance fluttering around. An elegant man wearing a green robe walked over, holding a small pack wrapped in a brocade in his hands.

    This person quietly appeared, frightening Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan who weren¡¯t scared of heaven and earth. Luckily their den was far away from the other people and didn¡¯t attract attention. But when Long Zhanye looked clearly at the other person, his heart slowly calmed: ¡°Z¨¦z¨¦, why are you here. Your Excellency Palace Master unexpectedly dared to send you out from Tianyin Immortal Palace. Ya, it¡¯s raining red in Heaven¡± Long Zhanye ridiculed.

    ¡°Your Excellency, how could you ridicule Lu. Palace Master had an incredible foresight, predicting that the Dangerous Boundary would loosen. Your Excellency and Sir would certainly try to come here, so he let Lu to properly take care of the whole journey¡±

    Long Zhanye took the pack in Lu¡¯s hands, and then gave him the roasted chicken. He glared at him: ¡°Don¡¯t call Your Excellency and Sir, right now I am Gu Linyuan. He is Huo Zaiyuan, if it was heard by someone else, this Excellency and Sir will get in trouble¡±

    Lu was Fan Yin¡¯s palace disciple and lover. His identity was extraordinary. He got authentic skills from Fan Yin, and because of Huo Zaiyuan, Fan Yin unexpectedly sent his lover over. Indeed a good friend.

    ¡°Lu is the most stupid, hehe¡­ Your¡­ elder brother Long and elder brother Huo, call Lu: Fan Hua. Leaving for the Dangerous Boundary, I went to find you, my identity is confidential¡± in other words, Fan Yin instructed Lu to come with the Tianyin public disciple here.

    ¡°Fan Yin is considerate. After I regained my memory, I will thank him personally. En¡­ Those Tianyin Immortal Palace¡¯s Peach Blossom Pastries are still fragrant¡± eating a Peach Blossom Pastry, Huo Zaiyuan nodded.

    ¡°If elder brother Huo likes it then it¡¯s good¡± breaking a chicken leg, he passed it to Long Zhanye and then took a bite.

    The three people hid far away, eating and drinking. They passed the evening in this way. On the second day, the dawn was around the corner, the Dangerous Boundary loosened.

    When Huo Zaiyuan together with other people were entering in the Dangerous Boundary, thousands miles away, strange figures appeared in the Linwan Village¡¯s Evil Dragon Mountain: ¡°The seal opened, Dragon qi has already dispersed a long time ago¡±

    ¡°Search! We must find ¡®him¡¯ at any cost!¡±

 CH 202

    The boundary loosened, and the gap would last for an hour. After a month, this gap would open again. This pattern has always been like this, it has never changed in the past thousands years, therefore, the people of the seven big sects entered in the Dangerous Boundary feeling at ease. While the gap was slowly forming, the seven big sects and some scattered cultivators (not belonging to a sect) who were waiting for a long time quickly mounted their Spiritual Beasts and Spiritual tools. One after another, they began to rush in the Dangerous Boundary.

    ¡°Z¨¦z¨¦. So anxious to throw their lives away!¡± a Tianyin Immortal Palace disciple refined like a banished mortal was wearing flowery brocade clothes. Shaking lightly the folding fan in his hand, he spoke words filled of sneer while smiling: ¡°Good. The ferocious beasts in the boundary are also hungry, they can eat now¡±

    The last person heard the Tianyin Immortal Palace disciple¡¯s words and laughed. A ghost mask was hanging on his head, he was wearing a black armor and two daggers were hanging on his waist. The man laughed sardonically, and then moved closer to that disciple: ¡°Then Your Excellency, how much time they have to eat, so we can safely enter inside?¡±

    ¡°Not urgent, not urgent. Let¡¯s walk slowly¡±

    ¡°Haha ¨C -¡°

    Huo Zaiyuan, Long Zhanye and Lu were following after everyone, and were calmly entering in the gap of the boundary.

    ¡°It feels like strolling¡± hearing the laughter and chatting of the people in front, Huo Zaiyuan left an extremely pertinent comment.

    He thought that there would be an intense scene, he would never have expected that¡­

    ¡°In this situation, it¡¯s like what senior brother has said. Walking fast, dying fast. Look, the last people are trying to live till they can and enter in the boundary after those ones who want to quickly get in¡± Lu was waving his feather fan with a faint smile.

    ¡°Why?¡± facing this kind of situation, Huo Zaiyuan didn¡¯t have enough experience so couldn¡¯t match other people.

    ¡°Because the group of people who have rushed in will draw away the greater part of rare animals. Naturally not all the beasts would be that stupid. Some would continue to guard their territories and wait for the right opportunity to act. All the sisters {?} who have entered in the boundary will have to separate, if not they are going to be surrounded¡± Long Zhanye stretched his hand to hug Huo Zaiyuan, and then said: ¡°Wait for your memory to recover and those people won¡¯t be able to stop you¡±

    ¡°En, I will work hard¡± Huo Zaiyuan vigorously nodded his head.

    ¡°Good¡±

    Everyone reaching the boundary, called their Spiritual Beasts and tools out and left.

    Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye called out Wind Speed Cat from the space, Lu summoned a two meters long purple jade flute, jumped on it and turned north.

    They didn¡¯t completely realize that, when they called out the Wind Speed Cat, a glittering and translucent small mouse suddenly erected his tail and let out a creaking sound.

    ¡°Senior brother, the mouse has reacted and discovered a target!!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Although we don¡¯t know what it is, but the mouse must have felt our prey, chase it!!¡±

    Seven, eight people turned their head and ran towards the direction where the mouse was going.

    The Wind Speed Cat stretched its four limbs and nimbly ran among the trees, following after Lu who was sitting on the jade flute. After the three people have distanced from the gap of the boundary, they ascertained that nobody was around and looked for a place to stop.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin from here¡± Long Zhanye held Huo Zaiyuan and jumped down from the Wind Speed Cat. And then he put the Wind Speed Cat in the space.

    Lu was still sitting on the jade flute. He softly nodded his head: ¡°Your Excellency, Sir¡­ The things you said before entering were true? This place seems normal, but the hidden danger is extreme¡±

    ¡°The most dangerous place is at the same time the safest. If we continued to stay in the Taoist Sect, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s skills would be discovered and attract troubles¡­ you also know, no matter if it¡¯s the Immortal World or Cultivation Boundary, they all don¡¯t stand me. Tianqi was involved because of me, and we died at the bottom of the snow peak¡­ we are people who shouldn¡¯t exist¡± Long Zhanye tightly grasped Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Lu, I know that you and Fan Yin really care about me. Even without my memory, I know that by choosing him, I won¡¯t ever have regrets¡± holding Long Zhanye¡¯s hand, Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s expression was extremely firm.

    ¡°Ai, since you are talking like this, then I won¡¯t persuade you anymore. Palace Master knew what you were going to do, so he sent me here. And, also for fetching Spiritual Grass¡± his hand flashed and a parchment appeared.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°This is a handwritten Spirit Elixir recipe¡± Lu handed the parchment over to Huo Zaiyuan.

    Huo Zaiyuan looked at his mysterious look, and then at the parchment, dumbfounded.

    ¡°This is¡­ Xianping Elixir prescription. Fan Yin is a well-known writer, he unexpectedly found this thing. But the Spiritual Grass is demanding¡± Huo Zaiyuan very carefully counted the number of Spiritual Grasses on the prescription, pursing bis brows.

    ¡°What is¡­ Spirit Elixir?¡± although Long Zhanye was acquainted with many things of the Cultivation Boundary, but he had no idea on what Spirit Elixir was because he never needed it.

    ¡°This thing, if I want to break through the Yuan phase, I will get twice the result with half the effort¡± Huo Zaiyuan turned his face and gave a kiss on Long Zhanye¡¯s cheek. Sure enough, looking at Long Zhanye¡¯s frown made him wild with joy.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and find them!¡± holding Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s thin waist, Long Zhanye¡¯s eyes glistened.

    Lu was following behind and smiled while looking at the two lovey-dovey couple before him.

    It was like the Palace Master has said: as long as sir was there, this Dragon wouldn¡¯t bring trouble. Just only that matter¡­

    En. Maybe staying in this place and hiding from other people could be a good thing for them. After all, his Palace Master, because of the folk recipe, has sold¡­ him out.

    Except for the ferocious beasts and the precipitous terrain in this boundary, there were also some other characteristics: Three Natures Fire and Ice. One third was dry desert and lava, one third ice and snow and the last part a densely wooded place.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel much colder now?¡± Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s whole body was covered by goosebumps.

    In this journey, Long Zhanye was here to protect him, so all the ferocious beasts were easily dealt with. They didn¡¯t meet any other people in the forest, therefore Huo Zaiyuan has plundered and put many Spiritual Grasses in the space; as for the Spiritual Grasses Lu needed, he only fetched the seeds.

    After several millenniums, the boundary would open only once. The Spiritual Grasses¡¯ ranks and age were extremely high: the lowest Spiritual Grass they saw was of 2000 years old, so Huo Zaiyuan was smiling very happily.

    ¡°We are getting near to the Bingtian-xuedi {ice and snow}. According to what¡¯s written on the folk recipe, Snow Lotus, Icy Snow Crystal and Spiritual Crystal Flower all grow where the snow is present, so we must take a look around¡± Lu already put his flute away and right now was walking. Even though he was protecting his body through gong ti, but the more he walked, the colder it was, so much that his body was trembling.

    ¡°The Spiritual qi contained in this Elixir is extremely great. Even if the materials weren¡¯t sufficient, but the semi-finished products would probably be enough for the ranking. Snow Lotus, Cotton Rose and Fire Lotus are all Soul Grasses, so they complement and balance each other¡± Huo Zaiyuan said while recalling the folk recipe¡¯s description.

    ¡°This place isn¡¯t only cold, but the power here is strong too; you two, be careful¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s expression was unchanged as before, as if he didn¡¯t feel cold at all.

    ¡°En¡± the other two people nodded their heads.

    The three people continued to walk forward. After not long, they stepped inside a snowy place. The wind was whistling like a sharp knife cutting through people¡¯s clothes. By good fortune, they all weren¡¯t ordinary people, or else their flesh would be already split by the whistling wind.

    ¡°Stay behind me and be careful. The wind is a little strange¡± Long Zhanye¡¯s face was faintly covered by Dragon Scales, and his clothes were also dragon-scale like, therefore he wasn¡¯t hurt by the wind.

    ¡°En¡± Huo Zaiyuan was following behind him. In order to resist the whistling wind, his body was emitting silver lights.

    Among the three, Long Zhanye was the most powerful, followed by Lu and Huo Zaiyuan was the weakest. That¡¯s why he was staying between them.

    Lu¡¯s body was surrounded by a halo. His feather fan has been changed into a guqin, his fingers softly plucked on the strings and a nice warming sound came out.

    This was the Tianyin Immortal Palace¡¯s ability to manipulate the Five Elements through tuning.

    Even though the ice was very smooth, the three walked deeper in the snow-land without any problems. However, a transparent blue figure flashed by and Long Zhanye abruptly extended his hand.

    ¡°A- -¡°

    A transparent figure of a woman screamed harshly, while falling on the ground and fragmenting into pieces. At the same time, the three people were surrounded by numerous snowy monsters.

 CH 203

    Nobody knew when those countless translucent monsters with woody expressions and sharp icy claws showed up.

    ¡°What are those things?¡± Huo Zaiyuan asked with a cautious expression, while waving his left hand, where a jade brush circling quickly, appeared. He didn¡¯t possess any rituals, and the only Spiritual Power tool he had was the Jade Brush in his hand.

    ¡°The whole Cultivation Boundary has never met such strange creatures. It must be a specialty of this territory¡± Lu wasn¡¯t anxious. His long guqin swirled around his body, using his leg as a support (?).

    ¡°Snow Goblins. Ten millions years old snow creatures, which turned into demons. We are walking in Bingtian-xuedi, which means that we entered in their domain¡± Long Zhanye explained. The back of his hands was almost covered by black scales. He slowly stretched open his hands: ¡°Snow Goblins wouldn¡¯t randomly attack people, so there must be someone among them who has become clever and is controlling them. If we can catch that Snow Goblin, then they will step aside¡±

    ¡°Understood¡± Huo Zaiyuan nodded: ¡°I and Zhanye will fight together. Lu, watch out any abnormal moves from the goblins¡±

    Ever since returning in the Cultivation Boundary, it was Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s first time fighting with Long Zhanye. He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt excited¡­

    ¡°No problem¡± Lu moved his thin fingers, and a melodious guqin sound floated. The sound quickly spread for more than ten meters, transforming into a golden boundary, which protected them from not only the goblins¡¯ attacks, but also from other unknown things.

    After everything was ready, Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye started to charge forward. They both leapt swiftly between the goblins, followed by quick movements. Compared to Long Zhanye¡¯s destructive powers, Huo Zaiyuan looked gentler. The twinkling Jade Brush continued to circle, eliminating and making the Snow Goblins collapse¡­

    While the two were attacking, the goblins were also flowing endlessly, until Lu shifted his hand and noticed something odd among the Snow Goblins, so he raised his left knee, making the guqin soar high in the sky, with the sound still active.

    ¡°Dong!¡± the sound hit the ground. Lu supported the guqin with one hand while condensing the strings in his inner Yuan with the other one. The strings loosened, and a green light quickly surged towards a certain direction. In a flash, all the Snow Goblins were turned into ice cubes, followed by a ear-piercing yell, which gradually dispersed. Thus, the Snow Goblins slowly dispersed, and the snow land regained its previous quiet.

    ¡°They were indeed controlled¡± Long Zhanye stated. His sharp pointed nails and scales quickly disappeared. He turned his body to walk towards Huo Zaiyuan, who was frowning while looking at his own brush: ¡°Little Yuan, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a little strange¡± Huo Zaiyuan whispered, while making his brush disappear with a gesture of his hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s so strange? I didn¡¯t sense any other danger¡± Long Zhanye stopped by Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s side and then stretched his arms to hug him. He squinted his eyes, spreading and covering everywhere with his Spiritual Mark.

    Bingtian-xuedi was certainly hiding other creatures, however, he didn¡¯t perceive any other stuff which was dangerous or odd. Some even detected his existence and were avoiding him.

    ¡°No¡­ I feel like my gongti has increased¡­ ¨¨, not really¡­¡±

    As soon as he entered in the snow land, his body was shivering from the cold. No matter how he used his gongti, his Spiritual Power or the inner Yuan to resist this piercing cold, it wasn¡¯t much effective. However, whenever he killed a Snow Goblin, he felt like something was flowing in his inner Yuan. His gongti also started to work, letting the Spiritual Power circulate in his gongti.

    After checking that Huo Zaiyuan didn¡¯t have any anomaly again and again, Long Zhanye finally lay down his worries and held his waist.

    ¡°Same with me. After battling with the Snow Goblins, my gongti increased, although just by little¡± Lu approached them while holding the guqin.

    His level was almost near the Heti stage, so he didn¡¯t know how much it really increased compared to Huo Zaiyuan, who was near Golden Cinnabar stage. Therefore, Huo Zaiyuan has clearly felt the increase in power and traces of Spiritual qi flowing.

    ¡°It seems that this place isn¡¯t only unusual and dangerous, but it¡¯s also a good location where cultivators can practice. Those cultivators who sealed the Dangerous Boundary had other intentions¡± Long Zhanye sneered.

    The Cultivation Boundary people were even more complicated than the Human Boundary ones. In order to become immortal, those cultivators¡¯ method was really¡­ z¨¦z¨¦, the invincible Dragon felt disappointed.

    ¡°Who knows¡± Lu shrugged his shoulders, clearly not interested in investigating this matter.

    The three people continued to search for the ingredients on the Bingtian-xuedi. In those ten days, they encountered every type of icy monsters, evils beasts, strange animals¡­ furthermore, they found three kinds of snowy Spiritual Grasses needed on the Xianpin folk recipe. Obviously, Huo Zaiyuan has also plundered many rare Spiritual Grasses, transplanting them in the space, so that they would grow in a suitable environment. Long Zhanye transferred an iceberg inside the space.

    Afterwards, the three of them walked inside a torrid and blazing region¡­ and it was in this moment that a change occurred in Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s body.

    After they successfully knocked down an eighth ranked Lava Beast, the Spiritual Power inside Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s body abruptly condensed, an omen sign before Golden Cinnabar stage. They were forced to find and stay in a relatively hidden place where they let Huo Zaiyuan advance, and then they would plan what to do next.

    Huo Zaiyuan was sitting with his legs crossed inside a secluded cavern, surrounded by warm air. His hair and clothes were already dampened by sweat, but he couldn¡¯t do much. He was slowly guiding the Spiritual qi in his body and condensing it, doing it for almost 15 days.

    ¡­¡­

    ¡°How is sir?¡±

    On the the third day Huo Zaiyuan went in seclusion to break through Golden Cinnabar stage, Lu looked for the other Tianyin Immortal Palace disciples. Operating with them wasn¡¯t easy like with Long Zhanye. After 15 days, his clothes were full of holes, his face ripped with blood scars¡­ the disciples were also cutting a sorry figure, and lost their usual calm and elegance.

    ¡°No sign of activity. Apart from the fact that 5 days are left before the Dangerous Boundary¡¯s gap closes, and since little Yuan is advancing here, then we don¡¯t have any intentions to leave this place¡± Long Zhanye pointed at the cave wall with a unperturbed expression. It was clear that he didn¡¯t even think of separating from this place.

    ¡°Lu knows, Lu will return to the Palace Master and explain sir¡¯s situation. Even though there is still Your Excellency here to protect him, but I still have a warning: the danger here is extremely high. Previously, I and my disciples almost lost our lives here. I hope that sir and Your Excellency can take shelter and take care of yourselves¡±

    ¡°I know. Oh, right, what about the Taoist Sect?¡± Taoist Sect disciples were falling short, and if he and Huo Zaiyuan both ¡®died¡¯ in the Dangerous Boundary, then it would be awesome. However, if one disciple was still alive, then it would lead to suspiciousness.

    ¡°Right, my disciples also payed attention to the Taoist Sect. Half of the 200 people have died¡±

    ¡°Very good¡± Long Zhanye nodded his head, pleased: ¡°Quickly go away. Be careful and take this. The power isn¡¯t high, but it should be enough to protect you¡± Long Zhanye handed over a black scale to Lu.

    The black scale contained his Dragon qi, which was enough to scare low level beasts away¡­ naturally, it would also attract powerful beasts, but with the premise that they were of his same level.

    ¡°Thank you, Your Excellency¡±

    After the Tianyin Immortal Palace disciples left, Long Zhanye looked at the cave with a light smile. He sat crossed on the ground, and closed his eyes to meditate.

    He wasn¡¯t a cultivator. In fact, if he didn¡¯t fall in love with Huo Zaiyuan, he would be unable to patiently wait on the same place. They were asking him to die. But because of his lover, he was willing to not only wait for half a year, but also protect him for a lifetime. Obviously, his lifetime was extremely long, long, long¡­

    However, Long Zhanye wouldn¡¯t wait for a lifetime, because he didn¡¯t know that, by handing his black scale over to Lu, he has completely exposed his whereabouts, also attracting the person he wanted to see the least.

    ¡­¡­

    When the gap was about to disappear, Lu lead his disciples in time, all thanks to the dragon scale given by Long Zhanye, which scared half the beasts away. So, compared to other sects disciples, who were wounded in every way when they were leaving the Dangerous Boundary, they only had some small cuts on their bodies, which weren¡¯t worth the mentioning.

    However, when they were a step away from the exit, several people wearing black robes appeared and blocked their way: ¡°On your body¡­ there is his smell¡±

 CH 204

    ¡°I can smell his scent on your body¡± the black robed man pointed at Lu, his voice a little raucous.

    Lu, who was holding the long guqin, frowned: ¡°What are you saying? ¡®His scent¡¯? Your power¡­¡±

    ¡°Humph! Where does this person come from? Can¡¯t you see? We have just stepped out from a life-threatening situation! We are only carrying Spiritual Grasses, do you want to rob us?!?¡± An impatient voice arose. Lu was suddenly being pushed away by a handsome man wearing slightly adorned purple robes. He walked out, staring at those few unexpected visitors with a taunting expression.

    ¡°No, we¡­ please don¡¯t misunderstand us¡­¡±

    ¡°Humph! Since it was a misunderstanding, why aren¡¯t you still getting out of the away?! A bunch of problematic guys!¡±

    Observing the alert looks of the Tianyin Immortal Palace disciples, the three black robed men slowly left.

    After the three people disappeared, Lu, who was being shielded by the disciples, softly sighed. He then turned his head to watch at the boundary gradually closing itself. At long last, he set his worries aside.

    The Dangerous Boundary was finally sealed again. If those people couldn¡¯t get in, it was better for His Excellency and Sir to stay there, so that they wouldn¡¯t be found and wouldn¡¯t be in danger anymore.

    ¡°What are you looking at!? What¡¯s so good looking about this forsaken forest?!! We almost died!!! Quick! Let¡¯s go!!¡±

    Following their departure on the Flying Implements, those few black robed men, who were supposed to have already left, returned again. In an instant, three shadows swiftly broke through the closed gap, which has been just closed, of the boundary, entering in the Dangerous Boundary.

    {***}

    Huo Zaiyuan has sat crossed in the cave for more than 20 days. The torrid heat, which at the beginning was hard to endure, now became bearable. The Spiritual power filled inside his body, has now been absorbed in his Dantian {acupunture}.

    Maybe it was also thanks to the dense Spiritual qi of the Dangerous Boundary, because when absorbing the Spiritual qi in his Dantian, half of the Spiritual qi contained in the air has been pulled inside him.

    Thus, the Spiritual qi got richer and richer, beginning to form Dan. Huo Zaiyuan believed that, like small grains of rice slowly increasing into pearls, which condensed into marbles, a formidable power has circulated¡­ consequently, some incomplete memories followed by.

    The Evil Dragon¡­ no¡­ Zhanye¡­

    {***}

    After the Dragon Soul returned to his real body, the hot temperature and the lack of water plus food didn¡¯t bother Long Zhanye anymore. Eating was merely for accompanying the gluttonous Huo Zaiyuan.

    After sitting for more than 20 days, Long Zhanye suddenly detected a violent and sudden surge of Spiritual qi.

    Long Zhanye abruptly opened his eyes and looked at the cave, comprehending that Huo Zaiyuan has successfully reached the Golden Cinnabar Stage.

    However, a few shadows flickered behind Long Zhanye. The happy Long Zhanye suddenly frowned. He then turned his head to look at the figures behind him with a killing expression.

    ¡°Long Ya greets His Highness¡±

    ¡°Long Yue greets His Highness¡±

    Two people respectfully bowed to him.

    Long Zhanye slightly glowered, on guard. His gaze slowly wandered until it fell to the mysterious black robed man standing upright behind the two greeting people.

    ¡°Who could have thought I would be able to meet you again, my child¡± the man¡¯s voice was imposing and calm, clearly showing his extraordinary identity.

    Long Zhanye reacted as if he has heard a funny joke, making him laugh out loud: ¡°Haha¡­ your child. Heaven, I am so old now. But this is my first time hearing such nonsense¡± Long Zhanye glared at the trio of people, still continuing to laugh: ¡°I don¡¯t have neither father nor mother. How can I have become your child? Tsk!¡±

    ¡°You¡­! Impudent! What have you learned by staying in the Dangerous Boundary??!?¡± the man shouted. Suddenly, thunders were heard and a lightning flashed through the sunny sky.

    Upon seeing this, Long Zhanye slightly scowled. Pitch-black scales slowly covered his body. Afterwards, a powerful force spread, instantly pressuring that omnipresent dragon cry.

    With the appearance of those people, even though their black clothes and hoods covered them well, Long Zhanye could clearly feel that that person of the Dragon Clan was the same as him and could really be his so-called father¡­

    So what? He didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°I always have been abandoned. Who teaches me, who raises me¡­ Tsk! It is not your Immortal Boundary or your Honorable Dragon Clan¡¯s business! Ge lost!¡± As soon as he finished to talk, he lifted his hand. An immense power swept across the group, making the man step a few steps back, and the two other people to fly backwards and crash on the ground.

    Long Zhanye¡¯s expression was cold and detached. There wasn¡¯t even a trace of pity in his eyes.

    ¡°You¡­!¡±

    Long Zhanye¡¯s scornful attitude has clearly angered the black robed man, who abruptly opened his hands. The air began to whirl rapidly, forming red spheres which converged on his palms.

    ¡°Ha!¡± two powerful spheres were propelled towards Long Zhanye.

    A golden flash passed through Long Zhanye¡¯s eyes. Abnormal black air flocked together. Black scales emerged on his hands and face, and golden horns grew on his head. When he was about to attack, a silver ray suddenly flashed from the cave behind him.

    The two spheres were blocked by the silver ray, and forcefully repelled onto the mountainous and deserted area, producing a violent explosion. However, it was sufficient to show how powerful the silver ray was.

    ¡°Troublesome. How can you be so rude towards an Elder¡± a youngster with silvery hair floating like wind and fluttering white robe, appeared behind Long Zhanye. His tone was blameful, but his speech contained a faint smile.

    ¡°Little Yuan, are you alright?¡± a moment before Long Zhanye was a murderous man (dragon?), the moment later, he turned his body with glistening eyes and hugged the newly arrived person.

    ¡°Nothing. I am fine¡± Huo Zaiyuan looked at Long Zhanye¡¯s shiny black scales on his face and those golden horns¡­ he couldn¡¯t help but extend his hand to stroke them. He recalled that, this person would transform himself whenever he was angry. Fortunately, he has just arrived in time to stop him.

    ¡°Good! Let¡¯s go!¡± Long Zhanye gently kissed on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s hair, letting him caress his horns. And then, they started to walk away.

    ¡°Halt! You¡­!¡±

    ¡°Elder, what is your identity? This small Taoist knows that he is angry. This small Taoist has stopped him once, but won¡¯t do it twice. If you continue to oppose him, he will have to kill you¡± Huo Zaiyuan paused his steps. He then turned his body to look at the black robed man: ¡°You abandoned him. You sealed him. You tortured him. You made him suffer, alone. Even if he had to pass away, but he was merely a child! As a father, how could you be that heartless!!¡±

    The black robed man was dumbfounded, unable to utter a word. He kept looking at the black and white pair slowly leaving.

    ¡°Master¡­¡±

    ¡°His Highness¡­ he¡­ truly is¡­¡±

    The other two grey {!!!!} robed people, who have just been sent flying, returned by the black robed man¡¯s side, confused. The words they spoke betrayed their anxiousness.

    {A PERSONAL NOTE FOR ME!!!!}

    {***}

    The couple left the torrid area and returned to the pleasing atmosphere of the forest.

    ¡°Zhanye. I am hungry¡± Huo Zaiyuan rubbed his tummy while looking at Long Zhanye with watery eyes.

    Long Zhanye only wished to push him down and love him dearly: ¡°What would you like to eat? I will go and prepare it¡± Long Zhanye took him and put him on a huge stone.

    After breaking through the Golden Core {RIGHT TERM!!!} Stage, eating food wasn¡¯t necessary anymore. But Huo Zaiyuan was used to eating three meals per day, that was why he didn¡¯t find it strange at all that he was hungry.

    {personal note for me!!!}

    Since there was a strand of Long Zhanye¡¯s Dragon Soul in Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s body, when Long Zhanye would go away, nobody here would dare to approach Huo Zaiyuan.

    ¡°I want to eat Fragrant Mushrooms Soup¡­ Didn¡¯t we previously find some mushrooms in the forest? Go pick some, okay?¡± Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s eyes were glimmering: ¡°Of course, you can pick some more! They are also a specialty of the Dangerous Boundary! Or you can go out to buy them, however they must be quite expensive!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± listening to Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s miser speech, Long Zhanye faintly smirked: ¡°Fine. I will go pick those mushrooms for you. Wait for me here. If you are very hungry, enter in the space and drink some peach juice¡± Long Zhanye kissed Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s mouth, and then instantly disappeared. Not even a trace of him could be seen.

    Making sure that Long Zhanye has really left, Huo Zaiyuan softly groaned, spitting blood: ¡°Dragon Clan¡¯s power is indeed formidable¡­¡±

    When he was in the cave, after reaching the Golden Core Stage, his Spiritual qi was still unstable. Afterwards, he heard a dragon yell. Even though Long Zhanye has overcome the blow, but it was clear that his own gongti has received an injury. Because he was concerned about Long Zhanye, when Long Zhanye was almost receiving another attack, Huo Zaiyuan was afraid that he himself would die. Using his inner yuan to block that attack has further aggravated his gongti¡¯s injury¡­

    Huo Zaiyuan raised his hand towards his aching chest. He breathed heavily for a few times and then sat crossed, ready to treat his inner injury with his Spiritual qi.

    Suddenly, three figures flashed before him. They didn¡¯t wait for him to react that they had already made him faint. Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s slim body gently fell down.

    ¡°Humph! Since the though methods won¡¯t make him return in the Dragon Clan, then let¡¯s see if he will obediently come back himself now! Put down the token and the letter! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    One person placed a golden token of a soaring dragon and a letter with golden dragon patterns on the stone, the other one carried Huo Zaiyuan on his shoulder.

    Three shadows quickly vanished away.

 CH 205

    ¡°I can smell his scent on your body¡± the black robed man pointed at Lu, his voice a little raucous.

    Lu, who was holding the long guqin, frowned: ¡°What are you saying? ¡®His scent¡¯? Your power¡­¡±

    ¡°Humph! Where does this person come from? Can¡¯t you see? We have just stepped out from a life-threatening situation! We are only carrying Spiritual Grasses, do you want to rob us?!?¡± An impatient voice arose. Lu was suddenly being pushed away by a handsome man wearing slightly adorned purple robes. He walked out, staring at those few unexpected visitors with a taunting expression.

    ¡°No, we¡­ please don¡¯t misunderstand us¡­¡±

    ¡°Humph! Since it was a misunderstanding, why aren¡¯t you still getting out of the away?! A bunch of problematic guys!¡±

    Observing the alert looks of the Tianyin Immortal Palace disciples, the three black robed men slowly left.

    After the three people disappeared, Lu, who was being shielded by the disciples, softly sighed. He then turned his head to watch at the boundary gradually closing itself. At long last, he set his worries aside.

    The Dangerous Boundary was finally sealed again. If those people couldn¡¯t get in, it was better for His Excellency and Sir to stay there, so that they wouldn¡¯t be found and wouldn¡¯t be in danger anymore.

    ¡°What are you looking at!? What¡¯s so good looking about this forsaken forest?!! We almost died!!! Quick! Let¡¯s go!!¡±

    Following their departure on the Flying Implements, those few black robed men, who were supposed to have already left, returned again. In an instant, three shadows swiftly broke through the closed gap, which has been just closed, of the boundary, entering in the Dangerous Boundary.

    {***}

    Huo Zaiyuan has sat crossed in the cave for more than 20 days. The torrid heat, which at the beginning was hard to endure, now became bearable. The Spiritual power filled inside his body, has now been absorbed in his Dantian {acupunture}.

    Maybe it was also thanks to the dense Spiritual qi of the Dangerous Boundary, because when absorbing the Spiritual qi in his Dantian, half of the Spiritual qi contained in the air has been pulled inside him.

    Thus, the Spiritual qi got richer and richer, beginning to form Dan. Huo Zaiyuan believed that, like small grains of rice slowly increasing into pearls, which condensed into marbles, a formidable power has circulated¡­ consequently, some incomplete memories followed by.

    The Evil Dragon¡­ no¡­ Zhanye¡­

    {***}

    After the Dragon Soul returned to his real body, the hot temperature and the lack of water plus food didn¡¯t bother Long Zhanye anymore. Eating was merely for accompanying the gluttonous Huo Zaiyuan.

    After sitting for more than 20 days, Long Zhanye suddenly detected a violent and sudden surge of Spiritual qi.

    Long Zhanye abruptly opened his eyes and looked at the cave, comprehending that Huo Zaiyuan has successfully reached the Golden Cinnabar Stage.

    However, a few shadows flickered behind Long Zhanye. The happy Long Zhanye suddenly frowned. He then turned his head to look at the figures behind him with a killing expression.

    ¡°Long Ya greets His Highness¡±

    ¡°Long Yue greets His Highness¡±

    Two people respectfully bowed to him.

    Long Zhanye slightly glowered, on guard. His gaze slowly wandered until it fell to the mysterious black robed man standing upright behind the two greeting people.

    ¡°Who could have thought I would be able to meet you again, my child¡± the man¡¯s voice was imposing and calm, clearly showing his extraordinary identity.

    Long Zhanye reacted as if he has heard a funny joke, making him laugh out loud: ¡°Haha¡­ your child. Heaven, I am so old now. But this is my first time hearing such nonsense¡± Long Zhanye glared at the trio of people, still continuing to laugh: ¡°I don¡¯t have neither father nor mother. How can I have become your child? Tsk!¡±

    ¡°You¡­! Impudent! What have you learned by staying in the Dangerous Boundary??!?¡± the man shouted. Suddenly, thunders were heard and a lightning flashed through the sunny sky.

    Upon seeing this, Long Zhanye slightly scowled. Pitch-black scales slowly covered his body. Afterwards, a powerful force spread, instantly pressuring that omnipresent dragon cry.

    With the appearance of those people, even though their black clothes and hoods covered them well, Long Zhanye could clearly feel that that person of the Dragon Clan was the same as him and could really be his so-called father¡­

    So what? He didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°I always have been abandoned. Who teaches me, who raises me¡­ Tsk! It is not your Immortal Boundary or your Honorable Dragon Clan¡¯s business! Ge lost!¡± As soon as he finished to talk, he lifted his hand. An immense power swept across the group, making the man step a few steps back, and the two other people to fly backwards and crash on the ground.

    Long Zhanye¡¯s expression was cold and detached. There wasn¡¯t even a trace of pity in his eyes.

    ¡°You¡­!¡±

    Long Zhanye¡¯s scornful attitude has clearly angered the black robed man, who abruptly opened his hands. The air began to whirl rapidly, forming red spheres which converged on his palms.

    ¡°Ha!¡± two powerful spheres were propelled towards Long Zhanye.

    A golden flash passed through Long Zhanye¡¯s eyes. Abnormal black air flocked together. Black scales emerged on his hands and face, and golden horns grew on his head. When he was about to attack, a silver ray suddenly flashed from the cave behind him.

    The two spheres were blocked by the silver ray, and forcefully repelled onto the mountainous and deserted area, producing a violent explosion. However, it was sufficient to show how powerful the silver ray was.

    ¡°Troublesome. How can you be so rude towards an Elder¡± a youngster with silvery hair floating like wind and fluttering white robe, appeared behind Long Zhanye. His tone was blameful, but his speech contained a faint smile.

    ¡°Little Yuan, are you alright?¡± a moment before Long Zhanye was a murderous man (dragon?), the moment later, he turned his body with glistening eyes and hugged the newly arrived person.

    ¡°Nothing. I am fine¡± Huo Zaiyuan looked at Long Zhanye¡¯s shiny black scales on his face and those golden horns¡­ he couldn¡¯t help but extend his hand to stroke them. He recalled that, this person would transform himself whenever he was angry. Fortunately, he has just arrived in time to stop him.

    ¡°Good! Let¡¯s go!¡± Long Zhanye gently kissed on Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s hair, letting him caress his horns. And then, they started to walk away.

    ¡°Halt! You¡­!¡±

    ¡°Elder, what is your identity? This small Taoist knows that he is angry. This small Taoist has stopped him once, but won¡¯t do it twice. If you continue to oppose him, he will have to kill you¡± Huo Zaiyuan paused his steps. He then turned his body to look at the black robed man: ¡°You abandoned him. You sealed him. You tortured him. You made him suffer, alone. Even if he had to pass away, but he was merely a child! As a father, how could you be that heartless!!¡±

    The black robed man was dumbfounded, unable to utter a word. He kept looking at the black and white pair slowly leaving.

    ¡°Master¡­¡±

    ¡°His Highness¡­ he¡­ truly is¡­¡±

    The other two grey {!!!!} robed people, who have just been sent flying, returned by the black robed man¡¯s side, confused. The words they spoke betrayed their anxiousness.

    {A PERSONAL NOTE FOR ME!!!!}

    {***}

    The couple left the torrid area and returned to the pleasing atmosphere of the forest.

    ¡°Zhanye. I am hungry¡± Huo Zaiyuan rubbed his tummy while looking at Long Zhanye with watery eyes.

    Long Zhanye only wished to push him down and love him dearly: ¡°What would you like to eat? I will go and prepare it¡± Long Zhanye took him and put him on a huge stone.

    After breaking through the Golden Core {RIGHT TERM!!!} Stage, eating food wasn¡¯t necessary anymore. But Huo Zaiyuan was used to eating three meals per day, that was why he didn¡¯t find it strange at all that he was hungry.

    {personal note for me!!!}

    Since there was a strand of Long Zhanye¡¯s Dragon Soul in Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s body, when Long Zhanye would go away, nobody here would dare to approach Huo Zaiyuan.

    ¡°I want to eat Fragrant Mushrooms Soup¡­ Didn¡¯t we previously find some mushrooms in the forest? Go pick some, okay?¡± Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s eyes were glimmering: ¡°Of course, you can pick some more! They are also a specialty of the Dangerous Boundary! Or you can go out to buy them, however they must be quite expensive!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± listening to Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s miser speech, Long Zhanye faintly smirked: ¡°Fine. I will go pick those mushrooms for you. Wait for me here. If you are very hungry, enter in the space and drink some peach juice¡± Long Zhanye kissed Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s mouth, and then instantly disappeared. Not even a trace of him could be seen.

    Making sure that Long Zhanye has really left, Huo Zaiyuan softly groaned, spitting blood: ¡°Dragon Clan¡¯s power is indeed formidable¡­¡±

    When he was in the cave, after reaching the Golden Core Stage, his Spiritual qi was still unstable. Afterwards, he heard a dragon yell. Even though Long Zhanye has overcome the blow, but it was clear that his own gongti has received an injury. Because he was concerned about Long Zhanye, when Long Zhanye was almost receiving another attack, Huo Zaiyuan was afraid that he himself would die. Using his inner yuan to block that attack has further aggravated his gongti¡¯s injury¡­

    Huo Zaiyuan raised his hand towards his aching chest. He breathed heavily for a few times and then sat crossed, ready to treat his inner injury with his Spiritual qi.

    Suddenly, three figures flashed before him. They didn¡¯t wait for him to react that they had already made him faint. Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s slim body gently fell down.

    ¡°Humph! Since the though methods won¡¯t make him return in the Dragon Clan, then let¡¯s see if he will obediently come back himself now! Put down the token and the letter! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    One person placed a golden token of a soaring dragon and a letter with golden dragon patterns on the stone, the other one carried Huo Zaiyuan on his shoulder.

    Three shadows quickly vanished away.

 CH 206.1

    Golden Dragon Blood (The End)

    ¡­¡­

    Two people were sitting in a dusky prison cell. One was unperturbed and had silver hair, plus was wearing Taoist robe. The other one was smiley, had white hair with dragon horns and white clothes.

    ¡°En. I never thought that this jailer¡¯s tea would be so sweet¡± Huo Zaiyuan gently nodded his head after drinking a mouthful from the teacup in his hand.

    ¡°Haha¡­ You are actually very calm. Do you think he will try to find you?¡± a person sitting in the corner raised his head and bursted into laughter. He passively looked on Huo Zaiyuan, and then added: ¡°Being forsaken by his own clan from birth¡­ he must deeply hate this place¡­ Why would he come back?¡±

    ¡°Are you acquainted with Zhanye?¡± Huo Zaiyuan asked.

    ¡°Zhanye¡­ haha¡­ worthy of the Evil Dragon. This murderous sounding name, really suits him¡± the man laughed again: ¡°Of course I know him. I am his only kin left in this world. His mother was an elder relative of mine, the Dragon Clan¡¯s Temple Priestess. And I was the Temple Chief. After his birth, it was said he would be the traitor, thus he has been abandoned in the Cultivation Boundary. Because the Dragon Concubine thought I would sacrifice the whole clan for him, she ordered to kill his mother. As for me, I was imprisoned¡­ and so¡­¡± while speaking, strong sorrow and hatred appeared in the man¡¯s eyes.

    Huo Zaiyuan stared at him, frowning. Afterwards, he got up and sat down by the man¡¯s side. He stretched his hand to hug his shoulder: ¡°Zhanye will come. But before that, we must leave this place¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± the man turned his head to look at Huo Zaiyuan, and suddenly lowered his voice: ¡°Little child, even if he would come to rescue us, this prison is surrounded by Dragon Clan¡¯s Secret Boundary. Except for the Golden Dragon Emperor, nobody else can break this jail¡­ or else, why do you think this erudite Temple Chief has been imprisoned here? Haha!¡±

    ¡°So only the Golden Dragon Emperor can?¡± Huo Zaiyuan looked at the jailer flashing through the golden rays pillars (?).

    ¡°The Golden Dragon Emperor¡¯s throne can be inherited by the one who has his own blood. Unfortunately, his blood doesn¡¯t match with those of the commoners¡¯. Average dragons can only breed one child throughout their lives¡­ as for the emperor¡­ ten times more. And among those children, only one carries the Golden Dragon Blood. The current Golden Dragon Emperor has thirteen sons. Pity that I, his nephew, rank fourth in seniority. Anyway, the Golden Dragon Blood will manifest whenever the child reaches adulthood, but all the thirteen sons, after growing up, didn¡¯t inherit the Golden Dragon Blood¡­ Only the abandoned child¡­ ha! So ridiculous¡± the man snorted in despise.

    ¡°If Zhanye is the Golden Dragon¡¯s successor, then I can break this cellar, because¡­¡± Huo Zaiyuan slowly pointed at the space between the eyebrows: ¡°A strand of his dragon soul is inside my body¡±

    The man was dumbfounded.

    Huo Zaiyuan and Long Zhanye got married in the Human Boundary. And being married in the Cultivation or Immortal Boundary meant that one¡¯s own soul and life were being handed over the partner. On the night of marriage, they settled an agreement.

    ¡°I see. No wonder he would come to save you. That¡¯s good. Since destiny allowed this Temple Chief Long Qi to reappear under the sun one day, then Long Qi is forced to comply with the destiny¡± Long Qi slightly smiled. His jubilant expression was like moon shining through the night.

    Huo Zaiyuan also smiled, while looking at him: ¡°If we want to get out, then we must be quick. Otherwise if Zhanye gets here, he will really become the invincible Evil Dragon¡±

    Long Zhanye and he have been together for three worlds. Even though, in the Human Boundary, the commander grandpa Long has tried to correct Long Zhanye¡¯s twisted character, but his cruelty didn¡¯t fade a little bit. After his dragon soul returned to him, although he was righteousness persisted, but his cruelty became even more apparent. Luckily, Long Zhanye didn¡¯t forget his agreement with him ¡ª don¡¯t randomly kill.

    However, right now Huo Zaiyuan has been captured by his clan. Long Zhanye must have thought that they have injured him, thus getting angry and losing his mind¡­ ahia¡­ He hoped there was still enough time to stop him.

    Long Qi was extremely familiar with the deployments¡¯ tactics. With Long Qi¡¯s lead, Huo Zaiyuan quickly undid the boundary. When only two layers were left, a dragon cry could be heard not far away, followed by a violent explosion.

    ¡°Darn!¡± Long Qi¡¯s expression suddenly changed.

    ¡°Quick!¡±

    The two accelerated the speed, knowing that Long Zhanye would kill the entire clan for real.

    ¡­¡­

    Floating golden hair. Black robe. Shiny golden dragon scales covering the face. And a savage expression. Long Zhanye¡¯s whole body emitted a murderous aura. He looked at the golden robed person in the Main Hall, ferociously saying: ¡°Return him to me!¡±

    The solemn Golden Dragon Emperor observed the golden scales covering Long Zhanye¡¯s fierce face, and then said: ¡°Thou carry the Golden Dragon Blood, how could We stop thee. Come here, come by Our side. Thou will become the most supreme Golden Dragon Emperor of the Dragon Clan. For Our¡­¡±

    {tl: errr¡­}

    Boom!

    Long Zhanye suddenly moved. He attacked the Golden Dragon Emperor with a killing intent. The latter was sent flying, and collided into the palace. The pedestal of the palace collapsed.

    Not waiting for the Golden Dragon Emperor to defend himself, Long Zhanye turned into a golden shadow and swiftly charged towards the Golden Dragon Emperor. He ruthlessly clutched the neck, and then dragged him closer: ¡°I will ask you again, where is he¡­?¡±

    Golden Dragon Emperor didn¡¯t expect that Long Zhanye would be that strong. After he slowly opened his mouth, he spitted out: ¡°That cultivator has died already¡­ Ah!¡ª¡°

    Golden Dragon Emperor suddenly shouted because of the pain. Long Zhanye¡¯s sharp claws abruptly stabbed his chest. Afterwards, he pulled out a golden shiny pearl: ¡°Since it is like this, then let the whole clan be buried with him!¡­¡± Long Zhanye coldly said. He threw the ragged and twitching body of the Golden Dragon Emperor on the ground.

    ¡°No¡­ You can¡¯t¡­!¡± looking at Long Zhanye turning his body to leave, Golden Dragon Emperor tried to crawl from the ground. However, he was strengthless, since his golden pearl has been forcefully seized.

    In addition to Long Zhanye¡¯s hate for his clan, Huo Zaiyuan has been captured, so right now his desire to kill, which has been suppressed for a long time, was taking form. His face wore a crazed look. Holding the golden shiny dragon pearl in his hand, Long Zhanye opened his arms and slowly soared in the sky.

    Die! All of you! Die¡­!

 CH 206.2

    While his body was floating in midair, the palace¡¯s guards turned into dragons and then flew towards him.

    Afterwards, golden rays shined from Long Zhanye¡¯s body. A golden dragon appeared, it raised its head and yelled. Piece by piece, the golden rays dispersed. At the same time, the guards fell down.

    {tl: I am not sure I got this paragraph right¡­ it was too complicated!}

    Meanwhile, all the dragons of the Dragon Clan felt an immense pressuring power, belonging to Golden Dragon Emperor, from above. This kind of power couldn¡¯t be resisted by them.

    ¡°Uncle Long Qi!!!¡± Huo Zaiyuan cried out in alarm.

    Long Qi suddenly fell down, trembling: ¡°Nothing¡­! Quick¡­ Stop him!¡­ Or it will be too late!¡±

    Huo Zaiyuan looked at Long Qi, and then at the other dragons lying on the ground, discovering that Long Zhanye¡¯s power didn¡¯t work on him. Maybe because he wasn¡¯t a dragon¡­ or because of the life agreement¡­?

    But now, Huo Zaiyuan didn¡¯t care about it that much, because he had to stop Long Zhanye from exterminating the entire clan!

    ¡°Zhanye!! ¡­ Zhanye!!!¡± tiptoeing on the ground, Huo Zaiyuan quickly rushed towards Long Zhanye¡¯s direction.

    {tl: get naked!}

    However, Long Zhanye, who was being blinded by hatred, didn¡¯t hear Huo Zaiyuan¡¯s callings at all. His power became stronger and stronger. Golden rays quickly spread, covering the whole clan.

    Looking at the slender figure full of killing intent suspended in midair, Huo Zaiyuan knew that calling his name wouldn¡¯t make his consciousness come back.

    So, the only solution was¡­

    Huo Zaiyuan sighed deeply. And then, a silver shadow flashed towards Long Zhanye.

    Those golden rays covering the sky were sharp like blade. Even though Huo Zaiyuan tried to avoid them in order to approach Long Zhanye, but he still received a few wounds. Softly groaning for the pain, Huo Zaiyuan suddenly felt a sharper pain. He stopped moving: ¡°Zhanye¡­¡± he could only stretch his hand and tear an angle of Long Zhanye¡¯ clothes before falling down.

    He wasn¡¯t able to stop him¡­

    As Huo Zaiyuan was quickly falling down, a translucent drop of water fell on Long Zhanye¡¯s face. Small drops of tepid water were thrown in a turbulent lake like small stones.

    Yuanzi¡­

    When golden rays suddenly appeared in the sky, the entire Dragon Clan was convinced that they would be exterminated, thus closed their eyes waiting for their death. However, after a while has passed, the death they expected didn¡¯t come. Opening their eyes again, the whole world was surrounded by golden rays (?).

    Outside the palace, a bloody body tightly protected a slender body. He kept on whispering: ¡°Yuanzi¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡± Huo Zaiyuan rubbed his own body. Body dripping with blood, golden dragon scales coming off¡­ his heart was also pain, his eyes hot.

    ¡°Yuanzi, don¡¯t cry. It doesn¡¯t hurt. Let¡¯s return in the Cultivation Boundary¡± Long Zhanye cleaned his rolling tears. Meanwhile, the golden rays gradually dimmed. Long Zhanye resumed his human body. Although he was covered by blood, but he never let Huo Zaiyuan go.

    ¡°You are the next successor of the Dragon Clan¡­¡±

    ¡°Enough¡± a cold voice interrupted Golden Dragon Emperor¡¯s words. And then, Long Qi came trippingly. He stopped before Long Zhanye and Huo Zaiyuan: ¡°Golden Dragon Emperor, do you wish for the Dragon Clan to be killed?!¡±

    Golden Dragon Emperor looked at the new arrived person with amazed eyes: ¡°Temple Chief¡­ Temple Chief, how could you be here?¡±

    ¡°From the moment you gave up on this child, Golden Dragon Blood has been long cut off! Me offering sacrifices and the dragon¡¯s future position didn¡¯t have any connections. I invited you to speak highly of the Doctor, or else, you wouldn¡¯t have had one successor only¡± Long Qi looked at the Dragon Emperor, and then turned into a silver dragon: ¡°Children, come up¡±

    {tl: I am confused too¡­}

    Long Zhanye looked at Huo Zaiyuan, who was slightly smiling. He then nodded his head, hug his body and jumped on the silver dragon.

    While carrying two people on his back, Long Qi soared in the sky, leaving the Dragon Clan¡­ Going anywhere. No matter if the were in the Immortal Boundary, Cultivation Boundary or even Human Boundary, there weren¡¯t traces of them anymore.

    However, after a certain number of years, someone caught sight of a flying silver dragon on a mountain peak.

    500 years later, on Qingtian Mountain Peak, in the Cultivation Boundary¡­

    A bamboo house situated in a bamboo forest, a spiritual pond near a small pavilion and a small bridge where water flowed.

    ¡°Tsk, I always thought that the flavor of boiled bamboo leaves from the green bamboos is extremely delicate. Lian Xiang, do you also think so?¡± wearing gorgeous robes of the Tianyin Immortal Palace¡¯s Palace Master, the elegant Fan Yi was holding a cup of tea in his hands.

    ¡°En¡± wearing Buddhist clothes, Lian Xiang indifferently nodded.

    ¡°If you like it, then when it¡¯s departure time, let¡¯s bring some back¡± Mo Junfan hugged Lian Xiang¡¯s waist with doting eyes.

    It seemed that it was Lian Xiang¡¯s first time being here, then what about Fan Yi?

    ¡°Hey! Stop it! I asked you here to take a look at Huo Zaiyuan! Not to drink tea!!¡± a frowning and angry Long Zhanye walked out from the small pavilion.

    ¡°Ahi! Stupid dragon, didn¡¯t I invite the best Doctor, Shao Yao, in the world? What¡¯s the hurry!!¡± Fan Yi said.

    ¡°But¡­¡± when Long Zhanye was about to say something else, a green figure appeared before the Bamboo House¡¯s door: ¡°Doctor! How is Yuanzi?¡±

    Shao Yao looked at the worried Long Zhanye wiping his sweat: ¡°That¡­ Senior dragon, calm down, don¡¯t be too agitated¡±

    Looking at Shao Yao, Long Zhanye¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He then nodded his head: ¡°You¡­ tell me!¡±

    ¡°¨¨¡­ I should¡­ Congratulations! You became a father, because he is¡­ two months pregnant!¡±

    ¡°Puu¡­!¡±

    ¡°Clang¡ª¡°

    In the small pavilion, Fan Yi spitted the tea out, while Lian Xiang¡¯s teacup fell on the ground.

    Clearly, nobody, including the great doctor Shao Yao, would have expected this type of pregnancy. But this was the result after she has diagnosed for ten times.

    Meanwhile the bamboo house on the Qingtian Peak was in chaos, thousand miles away, a silver haired figure was standing on the Xuetian Peak. He raised his head and looked at the stars in the dark sky: ¡°the Nascent Soul stage caused a return to his original body¡­ mixed with Golden Dragon Blood of the Dragon Clan¡­ the Dragon Clan¡¯s hope¡­ However, it has nothing to do with me. The Cultivation Boundary isn¡¯t a funny place¡­ En, I will listen to my nephew¡¯s suggestion and take a look in the Human Boundary¡± afterwards, the person turned into a silver dragon, and jumped down from the Xuetian Peak¡­

    THE END!