Chapter 31

Chapter 31

001.

"Aaah..." The black beast tried to remind him, but it didn't dare to make too much noise. It could only watch as Feng Yimo ran further down the wrong path.

As Feng Yimo disappeared among the buildings, the black beast got up from the ground and returned to the Gym. It peered into the large hole it had created.

The Corpse King's corpse and the four awakened zombies' bodies were carelessly thrown in the lush grass. Feng Yimo had no interest in them at all.

The black beast looked back in the direction where Feng Yimo had gone before squeezing into the Gym.

The opening was a bit small, only enough for its head to fit through. It pushed its rear end in and struggled for some time before finally managing to get inside.

Once inside the Gym, the black beast leaped over the outer seats and circled around the central court, stopping in front of the four awakened zombies' corpses.

It ate those four awakened zombies' corpses.

After a zombie initially awakens, it needs to eat constantly, acquiring energy through feeding to continuously evolve until it ultimately becomes a Corpse King.

It belonged to the earliest batch that evolved into Corpse Kings. That made it believe for a long time that it was invincible, or at least one of the most powerful among its kind.

Until it met Feng Yimo.

After eating the four awakened zombies, the black beast approached the humanoid Corpse King's corpse.

Even though it was dead, the Corpse King's body still emitted an overwhelming pressure that made its fur stand on end. The vast disparity left it feeling deeply shaken.

It suddenly thought of Feng Yimo.

If it had faced this Corpse King, it would have surely lost. It had nearly been controlled by him before, but Feng Yimo had easily killed him.

It had always assumed that Feng Yimo, like it, was a Corpse King, just more powerful. But Feng Yimo had effortlessly killed this Corpse King—was Feng Yimo far beyond its level?

"Mmm..." With a whimper, the black beast hesitated for a moment before deciding not to eat the Corpse King's corpse.

Outside the city, in the mountains and fields.

After finishing his share of food, Ji Yanqing looked at the others sitting in the field.

Everyone had finished their meals. The small amount of food gave them a sense of fullness after being in a state of extreme hunger for so long, which brought satisfaction to their faces.

Though they were still in disarray, the despair and pain in their brows had eased somewhat.

Ji Yanqing stood up. "We'll set up camp nearby tonight. Look for a suitable place."

Upon hearing this, everyone got up.

They were familiar with finding places to set up camp and quickly dispersed around the area.

Just outside the city was a forest. There weren't many trees in the forest, mainly various terraces and vegetable plots of different heights. Near the city, the vegetable plots were planted with various vegetables, but the rice paddies near the mountains were mostly abandoned.

The paddy field they were standing in was like this. Judging from the weeds growing inside and the traces of the terrace being washed away by rain, it seemed to have been converted back to forest about a year before the virus outbreak.

Soon, someone found a suitable spot to set up camp about five hundred meters ahead. The location was under the canopy of a giant tree, with terraces taller than a person on both sides and a steep mountain wall fifty to sixty meters away on one side.

The two terraces and the mountain wall acted like three solid walls, effectively blocking the view and providing a certain level of security.

Ji Yanqing went over to confirm it. After determining that the place was indeed suitable for setting up camp, he instructed the group to gather branches and other materials nearby while it was still light out to reinforce the area.

It snowed at night in these mountains, and the temperature could drop to minus twenty degrees Celsius at its lowest. They couldn't just endure the snowstorm.

The group moved quickly.

Ji Yanqing watched for a while. Seeing that everything was proceeding smoothly, he took an axe and circled around a bit further to ensure there were no zombies nearby.

The area was filled with uneven terraces and forests, but there were no zombies in the forest.

Ten minutes later, when Ji Yanqing returned, Xia Shenshu had already treated Lan Zi's wound and was eating.

The reopening of the wound and excessive blood loss made Lan Zi's already pale face even worse. Lying on the ground, she looked like a dead corpse, her face devoid of any color.

Seeing Ji Yanqing examining Lan Zi, Xia Shenshu, who was eating, said with a muffled voice, "The wound is infected. She'll probably run a fever tonight."

Ji Yanqing's handsome eyebrows furrowed slightly, showing concern.

"We've done everything we can."

Ji Yanqing didn't say anything.

Xia Shenshu looked at Ji Yanqing. "Do you want me to bandage your wound?"

Ji Yanqing instinctively reached up to touch the wound on his forehead, but lowered his hand before it touched it; his hands were also injured.

Ji Yanqing shook his head.

Xia Shenshu took out the first-aid kit. "Sit here."

Ji Yanqing looked over and saw that Xia Shenshu had already opened the kit himself, so he walked over and sat down.

Xia Shenshu looked at Ji Yanqing.

Ji Yanqing's hair color was lighter, and combined with his natural curls, it made his already youthful face look even more delicate and pretty, like a beautiful doll in a display window.

Ji Yanqing himself knew that his face wasn't suited for the role of "leader," so he had always worn goggles that covered half of his face.

Xia Shenshu carefully lifted the bloodied hair on the left side of Ji Yanqing's forehead to see the wound beneath his bangs, and the smile on his face faded.

Ji Yanqing's forehead was severely injured. Something sharp must have struck it hard, possibly leaving a mark on the skull.

The sharp object ran down his forehead and abruptly stopped above his eyebrow bone.

Ji Yanqing's fallen goggles protected him; without them, he surely would have lost his left eye.

"Doesn't hurt?" Xia Shenshu suddenly recalled the sight of Ji Yanqing's back. Ji Yanqing was very thin, and with new and old scars on his back, it was painful to look at.

Ji Yanqing shook his head lightly. "Not much pain."

Xia Shenshu was speechless. He took disinfectant water and carefully disinfected Ji Yanqing's wound.

When the disinfectant touched the wound, Ji Yanqing's body trembled slightly, and Xia Shenshu immediately became even gentler in his movements.

How could such a deep wound not hurt?

Ji Yanqing always looked after Ji'an and Ji Le well, always feeling that they were still young. If it were before, they would definitely be the family's treasures. But he himself was only university-aged. If it were before, which parents wouldn't dote on and protect their child?

After treating the wound on his forehead, Xia Shenshu also checked Ji Yanqing's hands.

Originally slender and fair-skinned, Ji Yanqing's hands were covered in large and small wounds on the backs and palms. Especially at the base of his thumbs, the axe had split open both of his hands there.

After Xia Shenshu helped disinfect all the wounds and applied medicine, he prepared to give Ji Yanqing an injection of antibiotics, but Ji Yanqing refused.

Their supply of medicine was limited.

Xia Shenshu knew he couldn't persuade Ji Yanqing and didn't insist.

After bandaging the wounds, Ji Yanqing looked at Ji'an and Ji Le beside Xia Shenshu.

The two little ones were sitting on the ground.

Ji Le was solemnly watching Ji'an, making sure he ate his share of food and took his medicine, a task Ji Yanqing had given him earlier.

When Ji Yanqing looked over, Ji'an had already finished eating and was holding the bowl to drink his medicine.

Ji Yanqing stepped forward and, after Ji'an finished his medicine, reached out to touch Ji'an's forehead. Feeling the heat radiating from his palm, he sighed silently.

Seeing this, Ji Le imitated him and seriously reached out to touch Ji'an's head.

"Go to sleep," said Ji Yanqing.

Ji'an obediently lay down.

Ji Yanqing looked at Ji Le, who was watching Ji'an sleep intently.

Ji Yanqing ruffled Ji Le's hair and got up to check on the camp.

If they walked the whole way, it would take until nightfall to leave the city, but with the time they spent in the vehicle and their full-speed escape, they left the city earlier than expected. It was only a little past four in the afternoon.

By five-thirty, when the sun was about to set, everyone finally built a simple ten-square-meter shack along the field ridge.

They found dry branches that had fallen from nearby trees and inserted them on either side of the field ridge to form two walls, then reinforced them with backpacks inside. Finally, they used more branches and sheets to create a simple roof.

After the shelter was built, Ji Yanqing and Xia Shenshu moved Lan Zi inside. She had completely passed out.

Following Lan Zi, Ji Yanqing carried Ji'an in and laid him down next to her.

After doing this, Ji Yanqing instructed everyone to take their allotted portions of food and water.

As the group silently finished their meals, the sky grew completely dark.

The starless and moonless sky resembled a massive black stone slab, dark and heavy, creating the illusion that one couldn't even straighten their back.

With the darkness came a chill.

The rapidly dropping temperature allowed the night wind to take away the warmth from everyone's bodies, and within half an hour, they began to feel their limbs turn cold.

For the night watch, Ji Yanqing thought for a moment and arranged two teams of four people each.

One team would guard the first half of the night, and the other the second half. Three people would stand guard about a hundred meters away, while one person would stay outside the shelter.

Although they had escaped the city, no one knew if the Corpse King would send zombies to search around it. It was better to be safe.

After arranging everything, Ji Yanqing lifted the sheet serving as the door curtain and entered the shelter.

The shelter was about ten square meters, too small for their group of thirty to lie down and sleep. Therefore, except for those severely injured, everyone else had to sit.

Lan Zi was placed further inside, next to two other severely injured individuals. Xia Shenshu sat with Ji'an and Ji Le by Lan Zi's side, leaving an empty spot for him.

Ji Yanqing went over.

Inside the shelter, it was quiet, and within ten minutes, some people had fallen asleep, their light snores audible.

Everyone was exhausted after the day's events.

After sitting down, Ji Yanqing quickly fell into a drowsy state, but just as he was about to fall asleep, he woke up due to the cold and pain.

At around eight o'clock in the evening, snow started falling, further lowering the already low temperature. The chill in the air felt like countless sharp needles piercing his body and wounds.

Especially the wounds, which screamed in agony under the low temperatures.

After squinting for a while, Ji Yanqing opened his eyes. Ji'an and Ji Le, sleeping beside him, were also restless. The seemingly sturdy walls made of branches and backpacks were full of gaps, allowing the cold wind to continuously enter the shelter.

Ji Yanqing unzipped his coat and carefully picked up the two little ones onto his lap, then fastened the buttons outside the zipper.

Held in his arms and feeling warmth, the two little ones, who were already sleeping uneasily, opened their eyes one after the other, still half-asleep.

Upon waking up and seeing Ji Yanqing's face through sleepy eyes, the two little ones pressed their heads against his not-too-wide yet warm and comforting chest.

"Dad..." Ji'an murmured sleepily.

"Hmm?"

"I really like you." Ji'an's voice was soft and drowsy, sounding sweet enough to melt one's heart.

"I like you too." Ji Le followed up with a soft voice, as if afraid that Ji Yanqing might not know he liked him if he spoke too late.

The corner of Ji Yanqing's mouth curved upwards. He gently rubbed his chin against the two little ones' foreheads, which he had gradually warmed up. "I like you both too."

Being held, being told they were liked, and having their foreheads rubbed, the two little ones were overjoyed. Not knowing how to express their feelings, they leaned against Ji Yanqing's chest, tightly holding onto his clothes.

Ji Le leaned against Ji Yanqing's chest, looking at the other small face right in front of him, their foreheads touching. He whispered to Ji'an, "Brother, I like you too."

Hearing this, Ji'an's long eyelashes fluttered as he lifted his gaze.

In front of him, Ji Le's ears were red. His pale but clean cheeks had two small dimples, and he was smiling happily.

Ji'an felt a pang in his nose and warmth in his eyes as he took Ji Le's hand.

He also liked Ji Le.

He wanted to tell Ji Le that he liked him too, but he couldn't speak. His nose was so sore that the pain spread all the way to his throat. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he would start crying.

Ji Le didn't know that he was about to turn into a zombie.

Once he turned into a zombie, he wouldn't be able to be held by Ji Yanqing anymore or hold hands with Ji Le every day. Once he turned into a zombie, Ji Yanqing might even chop off his head with an axe.

"Does it hurt?" Ji Le looked at Ji'an with moist, worried eyes, his own eyes reddening as he saw Ji'an's distress.

Ji Yanqing heard the commotion and looked down.

"I'm going to sleep." Ji'an buried his head in Ji Yanqing's chest, hiding his reddened eyes.

"Haha..." A faint laugh echoed.

Ji Yanqing and the others were startled and looked towards the source of the sound.

Lan Zi, lying beside Xia Shenshu, had her eyes closed but a faint smile on her face.

She couldn't sleep either; she had been woken up by pain. Although Xia Shenshu had given her painkillers, they weren't enough to alleviate the agony of her wounds in the freezing cold.

Ji Yanqing glanced at the two little ones hiding in his arms. "Go to sleep now."

The two little ones exchanged glances, holding hands under the clothes, and closed their eyes.

Ji Yanqing's embrace was warm, making their already sleepy nerves relax quickly and allowing them to fall asleep soon after.

The night was bitterly cold, and when the sky just began to brighten the next morning, everyone got up to move around nearby to generate some heat to warm their bodies.

Ji Yanqing got up and took the two little ones for a walk around the campsite. After confirming that there were no abnormalities during the night watch, he distributed food and water among the group.

Eating could also help restore body temperature.

After ensuring everyone had received their share of food and water, Ji Yanqing took Xia Shenshu and Lan Zi's portions into the house. Inside, Xia Shenshu was giving Lan Zi an injection.

Lan Zi had started running a high fever in the middle of the night.

Her injuries were severe. It was already a miracle that she had managed to wake up before. With another bout of fever and the extreme weather, everything became much more difficult.

Since they had decided to rest here for the day, after eating, everyone except those assigned to keep watch found a place to sit or lie down to rest.

Although there was still little conversation in the camp and the atmosphere remained somewhat heavy, it was better than before.

Around six or seven in the morning, as the sun gradually rose, the snow on the ground melted quickly, replaced by intense heat. The group, who had been shivering from the cold just a few hours earlier, started taking off their clothes due to the unbearable heat.

By eight or nine o'clock, the temperature had reached over thirty degrees, almost forty.

The group, who had taken off their coats, had to put them back on because direct exposure to the sun would cause their bodies to lose moisture rapidly, potentially leading to death from overheating.

At ten o'clock, as the heat intensified, the group sought shelter in the sparse forest near the field, each finding a spot to hide.

Even under the trees, where the temperature was slightly lower but still well above fifty degrees, everyone became drowsy and their consciousness blurred.

Lan Zi woke up from her coma around noon when the weather started to cool down.

Xia Shenshu brought over water and food, watching her eat and then giving her some water to drink.

Despite still having a fever, Lan Zi seemed to have good spirits after eating and drinking.

Around two o'clock, Ji Yanqing called several people in the team who were relatively in better condition to join him in heading to the outskirts of the city.

Initially, he hadn't planned to return, considering that all the zombies in the city might be under the control of the zombie king at the hospital, acting as its spies. If discovered, the zombie king might come after them. However, after thinking about it for the whole morning, he decided to take the risk.

The nighttime temperatures were extremely low. In such harsh conditions, where even a common cold could be fatal, if they didn't find ways to stay warm, they would likely die from illness before being bitten by zombies.

Upon reaching the outskirts of the city, Ji Yanqing didn't immediately lead the group into the dangerous area. Instead, he entered several buildings on the outermost edge alone to check.

After confirming that there were no zombies around or inside the buildings, he signaled for the group hiding in the forest to approach quickly.

The buildings on the outskirts resembled a small town, mostly three- or four-story self-built houses, many of which were old. Many families in these buildings lived off farming, with agricultural tools still stored in their yards and kitchens.

After entering the houses, Ji Yanqing quickly dispersed the group to search. Their primary goal was blankets and coats, while food and water were secondary.

Indeed, they didn't find any food or water in the buildings, as this area close to the outskirts of the city was relatively safe and had been visited many times before.

Fortunately, items like blankets and coats were rarely of interest to others. After entering two houses, they quickly found over ten beds of varying thicknesses and more than thirty coats.

Carrying the pile of blankets and clothes, the group returned quickly.

Ji Yanqing was the last to leave. After ensuring everyone had entered the forest, he swiftly ascended to the top floor of the building and gazed into the city from above.

As far as his eyes could see, the entire city lay desolate.

In the midst of this desolation, there was no sign of Feng Yimo.

It had been a full day since they parted ways with Feng Yimo. Night would fall in a few hours, and at dawn the next day, they would set off.

After ten minutes of trekking through the forest, the group returned to camp.

Upon seeing them, those waiting at the camp hurried forward to take the items they had found. Coats were distributed, while blankets and sheets were used to reinforce the shelter.

Half an hour later, the camp had been fortified into a nest made of various blankets and cotton padding.

The strange forest, abandoned farmland, and the giant nest composed of blankets and cotton—it all seemed bizarre and surreal, yet it also exuded a sense of warmth.

Looking at the nest, Ji Yanqing momentarily entertained the thought that it wouldn't be bad to settle down here.

Clearly, he wasn't the only one with such thoughts. Many people in the camp stared at the nest, lost in reverie, some even tearing up as they recalled the past.

Seeing their red-rimmed eyes, Ji Yanqing suddenly remembered what Xia Shenshu had said before.

Form the Survival Team, then lead the team to build a paradise, constantly reinforcing it until it can truly be called home.

Ji Yanqing took a deep breath.

Ji Yanqing looked over at Xia Shenshu and Lan Zi. Despite still running a fever, Lan Zi appeared in good spirits. She sat on a field embankment listening to Xia Shenshu, who was teaching her how to shoot.

More accurately, Xia Shenshu was attempting to teach her aiming and long-range shooting by throwing stones.

Although luck played a significant role in Lan Zi's three shots that hit the awakened zombie, the fact remained that she had killed one. After some contemplation, Xia Shenshu decided to teach her some sniping techniques.

If Lan Zi truly had a knack for it, their team would gain a sniper, which would be a great boon for them.

"Do you see the white flower near the tree at the foot of the hill? Aim for that," Xia Shenshu said, pointing to a spot nearly thirty meters away.

"How long do I need to practice?" Lan Zi asked.

Xia Shenshu couldn't help but smile. "When you can hit it, let me know."

Nine out of ten expert marksmen hone their skills through countless rounds of ammunition; the remaining one does so with even more. Lan Zi hadn't received formal training and was using stones, so hitting the target wouldn't be easy.

Unfortunately, they had too few bullets that were too precious to waste, as each bullet could mean the difference between life and death. This method was the best he could offer to teach Lan Zi.

Lan Zi located the flower Xia Shenshu mentioned and nodded. She bent down to pick a small pebble about the size of her thumb from the ground nearby.

"Take your time; it won't be easy," Xia Shenshu said as he turned to walk away.

*Swish.*

"Lan Zi called out to Xia Shenshu.

Xia Shenshu, who was just about to leave, turned back and looked at Lan Zi in confusion.

Lan Zi pointed toward the flower, which was gently swaying beside the tree.

Xia Shenshu paused, surprise flickering in his eyes. Several people resting nearby also looked their way.

Many had been eavesdropping on Xia Shenshu teaching Lan Zi sniping, as everyone wanted to learn more survival skills.

"Try again."

Lan Zi nodded and picked up another small stone. She aimed and threw.

The thumb-sized stone struck the swaying flower precisely, leaving only half of its petals intact.

Having hit the target, Lan Zi looked up.

Witnessing Lan Zi's success firsthand, Xia Shenshu's expression was quite remarkable, as if he had drunk water containing a frog with a human face that loudly sang, "Xia Shenshu is adorable."

After a moment, Xia Shenshu rubbed his nose and looked seriously into Lan Zi's eyes. "Have you ever learned to use a gun before?"

Lan Zi shook her head.

Before the virus outbreak, ordinary people had little opportunity to learn about guns or even see real ones.

Xia Shenshu took a deep breath. His gaze toward Lan Zi became complex. He became less casual and more serious. He scanned the surroundings and selected a more distant target for her.

The previous target was only twenty meters away, but the new one was twice as far.

The farther the target, the harder it was to aim. This time, Lan Zi missed.

Xia Shenshu saw this and secretly sighed in relief.

He didn't leave but squatted down to carefully explain the differences between using a gun and throwing stones, as well as the key points and tips to keep in mind when using a gun.

After that, Xia Shenshu took Lan Zi's gun and meticulously explained the function of each component and the disassembly and assembly process.

As Xia Shenshu began his lesson, many people shamelessly gathered around to watch.

Xia Shenshu didn't shoo them away. Instead, under favorable conditions, he even elaborated further.

Though they currently had only four guns, one of which was a pistol, which was insufficient for a Survival Team,

since Ji Yanqing had already decided to form the Survival Team, their team would inevitably grow, and the number of firearms would increase. Learning to use guns was inevitable.

Ji Yanqing listened in as well, but his attention was somewhat unfocused. As the temperature dropped and night fell, the time for them to depart drew closer.

There were now thirty-four of them. The once sizable stockpile of food, which resembled a small mountain, could sustain them for at most two more days under the rapid consumption of thirty-four people.

Water was also limited, enough for only two days at most.

They could endure the lack of food, but without water, they could barely last another day before death became inevitable. This meant they had to replenish their water supply within the next three days, including tomorrow.

If Feng Yimo didn't return by dawn tomorrow, he would have no choice but to consider leaving him behind; they couldn't afford to wait any longer here.

003.

Nightfall arrived swiftly, accompanied by a biting chill.

After eating, everyone except the night watch retreated into the makeshift nest they had created with blankets and sheets.

The walls, now lined with blankets and sheets, blocked out the cold wind, and the floor no longer felt icy. Although the air inside was somewhat stuffy, the cold was effectively kept at bay.

Sitting amidst the bedding, even knowing this respite was temporary, the expressions on the faces of these ragtag survivors softened slightly.

As they drifted off to sleep, many of the furrowed brows that had become habitual relaxed.

Perhaps the only ones not as cheerful as the previous night were Ji'an and Ji Le, because with the room no longer cold, Ji Yanqing wouldn't hold them while sleeping. The disappointment was evident on the faces of the two youngsters.

Ji Yanqing noticed and sighed, but still pulled the two youngsters into his embrace.

Even if just for a moment, he hoped to shield them from the harshness of this world.

Held close, the two youngsters' ears turned red with excitement, their eyes—clearly defined in black and white—filled with moisture.

They snuggled against Ji Yanqing's chest, feeling the warmth emanating from his body and inhaling his scent. Soon, the two youngsters fell asleep.

"You're going to spoil them," Lan Zi murmured softly as she lay down beside Ji Yanqing.

"Hmm..." Ji Yanqing rubbed his cheek against Ji'an's feverish forehead. His fever hadn't subsided.

A normal person with a fever over 39 degrees Celsius would be in serious trouble, and Ji'an's temperature had definitely surpassed that mark and persisted for several days.

Lan Zi hesitated, ultimately saying nothing more.

This world was already cruel enough; there was no need to etch its harshness onto their faces every moment.

Ji Yanqing sighed silently, pulling his clothes tighter around Ji'an and Ji Le. The warmth from the two youngsters made it feel like he was holding two small heaters.

Before closing his eyes, Ji Yanqing glanced in the direction of the city, a faint worry lingering deep within his gaze.

They would set out after dawn, leaving little time for Feng Yimo.

Under the cover of night, within the city.

Perched atop the Gym roof, the black beast, having finished devouring the corpses of the four awakened zombies, belched, feeling a strong sense of fullness spread throughout its body.

It watched as a tiny figure passed by the Gym for the fourth time, contemplating whether to call out and correct the figure's direction.

Its furry head tilted to one side, still pondering when Feng Yimo disappeared once again among the buildings.

"Burp..."

Suddenly, it felt a sense of relief that it hadn't greedily consumed the corpse of the zombie king. If it had, it would surely have burst from being too full.

That zombie king was on a different level of existence compared to itself.

"Burp..."

Feeling the persistent sensation of fullness in every limb and bone, it experienced a strange feeling—it might reach a critical point and break through after digesting the four awakened zombies.

Until now, it hadn't known that there could be an even stronger existence beyond a zombie king.

"Burp..."

Three hours later, the large black head turned, watching as Feng Yimo passed by the Gym for the fifth time.

Its fluffy tail flicked as it seriously considered a question: Was there a connection between Feng Yimo's poor sense of direction and his evolution?

If all beings that evolved to the highest level ended up like Feng Yimo, it would have to reconsider whether it wanted to evolve at all.

Perhaps something had gone wrong during Feng Yimo's own evolution?

After all, the zombie king who died in the Gym didn't seem to have such problems.

No, that wasn't necessarily true. After all, he had been successfully evolved for only a moment before Feng Yimo killed him, never even leaving the Gym.

The large black head turned, watching Feng Yimo disappear to the left and reappear from the right.

"Ao."

Feng Yimo, hearing the noise, cast a cold glance at the large black dog perched atop the Gym. His brow furrowed, his mood sour.

After killing the zombie king yesterday, he had intended to find Ji Yanqing. But following the sounds to the outskirts of the city and searching the area, he hadn't found Ji Yanqing.

Had Ji Yanqing left?

Feng Yimo doubted it. Given Ji Yanqing's character, he would likely wait outside for a day, only leaving if Feng Yimo didn't show up within that time.

Ji Yanqing was such a peculiar person.

He could have simply left, but he wouldn't.

Ji Yanqing had indeed sent signals before.

But if Ji Yanqing hadn't left, why couldn't he find him?

Feng Yimo suddenly recalled the incident with Ji'an and Ji Le.

Before Ji'an and Ji Le, he had no clear destination, so he always went straight. Along the way, he encountered many strange things, but he had never come across a city he couldn't leave, let alone one where he knew his target's location but could never find it.

He clearly marked the spot where Ji'an and Ji Le were.

He hadn't even figured out what was going on with that city before, and now Ji Yanqing seemed to have vanished from this one...

In Feng Yimo's cold, dark eyes lay a faint confusion.

Could there be something wrong with this city?

"Ao..." The black beast let out an inquisitive growl.

Don't you feel something is off?

Just as Feng Yimo was about to pass by the Gym for the seventh time, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. He turned around and looked coldly at the giant beast above the Gym.

He suddenly remembered something, something he had been overlooking.

"Ao..."

Don't you think this place looks familiar?

Feng Yimo lowered his gaze and looked at the long sword in his hand. He drew the blade.

The tall, nearly man-sized sword's cold edge glinted with a faint blue light in the darkness—a sign of lethal intent.

"Ao?"

Feng Yimo's deep, dark eyes were like ancient, mysterious pools, revealing no emotion, yet sending a chill down one’s spine inexplicably.

Feng Yimo looked coldly at the black beast before him.

He hadn't noticed before, but at this moment, he realized that both times—when Ji'an and Ji Le were involved and now—the beast was present.

"Ao!" Sensing the icy killing intent in the air and seeing Feng Yimo approach, the black beast's fur stood on end. It leaped up and bounded away.

"It really is you."

"???"

"Stay still."

Feng Yimo raised his sword.

After a brief pause, the black beast tucked its puffed-up tail between its legs and took off running.

Almost simultaneously, Feng Yimo's ghostly figure swiftly pursued it.

"Ao!" Seeing this, the black beast looked back and instantly ran faster, its whole body bristling. It put all its effort into dashing forward frantically.

"Clang!"

Feng Yimo's sword struck a nearby building, cleanly slicing through it. Just a moment ago, the black beast's tail had been next to that building.

"Ao!" A deafening roar echoed through the darkness.

In the forest, everyone was jolted awake by the roar.

After a brief moment of shock, everyone scrambled to their feet in panic.

Ji Yanqing left Ji'an and Ji Le temporarily in Lan Zi's care and quickly dodged the crowd, rushing out of the house to look toward the city.

"It seems to be the same beast Corpse King from before." Xia Shenshu, who had been patrolling nearby, had returned at some point.

"It's the same beast Corpse King from before!" a voice called from above.

Both Ji Yanqing and Xia Shenshu looked up. Someone had climbed a tree not far from them and was looking out from a higher vantage point.

That tree must have been planted just before the virus outbreak. Its rapid growth over the past half-year made it larger than a person could encircle with their arms, but compared to the other trees around it, it was still much smaller and easier to climb.

"What's happening?" Xia Shenshu asked, looking up.

"It seems to be fighting someone. It might be the Corpse King from the hospital..." The person hesitated, "It's hard to say. It keeps running and knocking down buildings."

Xia Shenshu frowned; the description was too vague.

He looked at the tree, considering whether to climb it for a better view. As he did, he noticed someone clinging to the trunk like a frog.

It was Ji Yanqing, trying to climb the tree to see the situation in the city for himself. Despite being able to wield an axe weighing seventy or eighty pounds and keep up with awakened zombies, he clearly didn't know how to climb a tree.

For every three steps up, he slid back two. After several attempts, he was almost sitting on the ground.

When Ji'an and Ji Le, who had followed the commotion outside, saw this, they ran up to help. They pushed Ji Yanqing's legs and bottom, trying to lift him up.

Seeing this, Xia Shenshu couldn't help but rub his forehead, momentarily losing his sense of urgency.

As Xia Shenshu was distracted, the voice from above sounded again, now filled with tension and fear. "It's coming! It's coming this way!"

"What?" Xia Shenshu snapped back to attention.

"The beast Corpse King is running towards us!" The person in the tree said while sliding down quickly.

Almost simultaneously, a loud noise erupted from the direction of the city.

The sound was already close, almost at the city's edge.

"Damn!" Xia Shenshu cursed.

Ji Yanqing's cold voice echoed in the darkness. "Pack up and run!"

Hearing this, the panicked group immediately sprang into action. They rushed back to the room they had previously wrapped in blankets. Quickly dismantling the bedding, they swiftly grabbed their backpacks and slung them over their shoulders.

"There seems to be someone..." said the person who jumped down from the tree.

"A person?" Ji Yanqing thought of Feng Yimo's face.

Has Feng Yimo arrived?

Xia Shenshu also thought of Feng Yimo first. His eyelids twitched fiercely as he picked up Ji Le, preparing to run. "Did that guy bring the wild beast corpse king?"

"Not exactly..." The man who had jumped off the tree was uncertain. "He was behind the wild beast corpse king."

It was too dark around them, and the distance was too great for him to see clearly. For a moment, he even had the strange illusion that the wild beast corpse king was being chased by Feng Yimo.

"Behind?" Xia Shenshu was taken aback. He couldn't imagine what that scene would look like.

"You go ahead. I'll check it out!" Ji Yanqing pushed Ji'an into Xia Shenshu's arms.

With these words, Ji Yanqing dashed directly towards the city.

Their brief delay allowed the continuous roars to draw near. They could even feel the ground tremble from the wild beast's movement.

Xia Shenshu glanced at Ji Yanqing's disappearing silhouette in the darkness, gritted his teeth, and led the others in the opposite direction, one person in each hand.

Ji Yanqing swiftly weaved through the forest. In no time, he appeared before the trees at the edge of the city.

Almost simultaneously with his arrival at the forest's edge, a massive black wild beast leaped over his head.

Instinctively, Ji Yanqing looked up and saw the beast's enormous body. His heart tightened.

When he lowered his gaze, a figure was charging towards him from ahead.

"Feng Yimo?" Ji Yanqing called out. "This way!"

Feng Yimo, who was running towards him, paused momentarily before heading towards Ji Yanqing.

As soon as he got close, Ji Yanqing turned and led the way back towards Xia Shenshu and the others. "Stay close to me."

Feng Yimo glanced at the black wild beast, whose four paws were frantically moving as it ran far away. He sheathed his sword and matched Ji Yanqing's pace.

Ji Yanqing moved incredibly fast, quickly distancing themselves from the city's outskirts.

After running some distance and catching a glimpse of Xia Shenshu and the others ahead, Ji Yanqing frowned and looked in the direction the wild beast had gone.

The wild beast corpse king had leaped over his head and continued running forward. In a short while, it had become very distant from them.

"Ji Yanqing?" Ahead, Lan Zi spotted Ji Yanqing in the woods.

Lan Zi's group also noticed that the wild beast seemed unaware of their presence, so they slowed down.

"What happened?" Xia Shenshu stopped.

"I'm not sure." Ji Yanqing shook his head.

After quickly approaching, Ji Yanqing stopped and looked again in the direction the wild beast had gone.

The wild beast had already reached the distant mountains. The trees there were too tall, obscuring their view of the situation.

It had been a false alarm. The people who had just been sleeping wore expressions of confusion.

Ji Yanqing looked at Feng Yimo beside him.

In the darkness, Feng Yimo was also gazing in the direction the wild beast had left. His dark eyes were deep, as usual, showing no trace of fear on his face.

Ji Yanqing furrowed his brow and began to get angry. "What's going on with you?"

Feng Yimo shifted his gaze to Ji Yanqing.

"You left without saying anything."

"I did say something," Feng Yimo replied, confused. He had said he would return.

"That's your idea of saying something?" Ji Yanqing, who was already somewhat angry, felt all his worry transform into burning rage. "You said you'd come back, but when? Where were you going? What were you doing? Do you know that the city is full of awakened zombies, and there's even a corpse king? Do you know how worried I was when you suddenly took off?"

Ji Yanqing grew angrier the more he thought about it.

He had been constantly worried about whether something might happen to Feng Yimo. Now it seemed his worries were misplaced. He should have just left Feng Yimo behind instead of waiting here.

He had even agonized over what to do if Feng Yimo didn't return before dawn.

Feng Yimo was now part of their team, and he didn't want to leave him behind. However, he couldn't make dozens of people wait with him.

He had been troubled and worried, but Feng Yimo hadn't given it a second thought.

Feng Yimo was taken aback. "You were worried about me?"

For some reason, Feng Yimo's mood suddenly improved. Without even realizing it, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, forming a faint smile.

"Are you happy?"

Ji Yanqing became even angrier that Feng Yimo could still smile at a time like this.

Feng Yimo didn't understand why Ji Yanqing was suddenly so angry and fierce, but he didn't dislike the feeling. Under the unfamiliar sensation, he lowered his head.

"In the future, don't leave the team without my permission. If you need to go somewhere, you must report it to me in advance." Ji Yanqing spoke with authority.

Since they were now part of the same team, he felt responsible for Feng Yimo.

"Hmm." With his deep, dark eyes, Feng Yimo glanced at the fierce Ji Yanqing and obediently nodded, taking note.

Seeing Feng Yimo's docile demeanor under reprimand, some of the fury burning in Ji Yanqing's brows dissipated.

"Ji Yanqing." Xia Shenshu reminded from the side.

Ji Yanqing looked towards where the beast had departed, then cast a glance at the others still in the woods, their faces filled with terror. "Let's go."

They didn't know what had happened to the beast, the Corpse King, but they were certain that there was no going back now.

Ji Yanqing took the lead, heading forward.

As soon as he started walking, a roar echoed through the sky from the distant mountains.

"Aooh!" The black beast hugged its tail, looking at the bare tip that had been chopped off, utterly heartbroken.