Chapter 66

Chapter 66

That wasn't all. After Cheng Zhiyu summoned what looked like a fireball plant, Little Roll, which had been coiled around his wrist, also joined the fight.

Yang Kai had seen Little Roll before. In his impression, Little Roll could only toss people around playfully, with no real killing power.

However, this time, Little Roll suddenly grew several times larger, and its vines thickened considerably.

Countless thorns sprouted from the vines, and a multitude of vines whipped out, slicing the zombies apart.

Yes, literally slicing them apart.

Yang Kai watched as a piece of a zombie came flying toward him and hurriedly dodged out of the way.

Cheng Zhiyu warned, "Little Roll!"

Little Roll, which had been deliberately trying to scare Yang Kai, immediately behaved itself, and no more zombie body parts went flying toward anyone.

Yang Kai thought that was the end of it, but to his surprise, Cheng Zhiyu summoned a cactus next.

After appearing, the cactus grew to three or four meters tall and began firing spikes wildly at the zombies.

Yang Kai: I'm numb.

If Cheng Zhiyu had used any one of these during their fight, he wouldn't have stood a chance.

Though, even without them, he didn't stand a chance against Cheng Zhiyu.

At that moment, the weapon in Cheng Zhiyu’s hands suddenly changed. Upon closer look, it was a machine gun.

The zombies were clustered together, which worked to his advantage. With a burst of gunfire, a large group of them dropped instantly.

Suddenly, the area in front of the base, once swarming with zombies, was cleared out.

Everyone: Awesome!

Even Lin Kang cracked a smile. Someone even found the time to approach Cheng Zhiyu and ask, "Dude, what exactly is your Superhuman ability? That was way too fast!"

Cheng Zhiyu took the opportunity to explain, "Plant-type, but mine is a bit different from others. Maybe it mutated."

"Abilities can mutate too?" someone nearby exclaimed in shock.

"Should I send you out to fight zombies instead?" a cold voice interjected from the side.

Cheng Mo was glaring gloomily. Talking was one thing, but getting so close to Zhi Yu was another. He was already in a bad mood!

The speaker immediately shrank back. Yeah, this one was even more intimidating—definitely not someone to mess with.

Cheng Zhiyu gave Cheng Mo a helpless look.

The latter drooped the corners of his mouth, looking thoroughly sulky.

"The zombie leader has appeared!" someone shouted.

It seemed the zombie leader could no longer sit back and watch, as it launched an attack itself. One Superhuman was knocked right off the wall by it and nearly killed.

Based on its abilities, it was estimated to be a Level 4 zombie.

Cheng Zhiyu breathed a sigh of relief. Level 4 zombies were tough to deal with, but with Xiao Er around—now at Level 5—it was manageable.

Sure enough, Xiao Er immediately went to attack the Level 4 zombie. However, the zombie was Water-based, which made things somewhat difficult for Xiao Er, who was Fire-based.

"Difficult" here meant it couldn’t be resolved instantly, but the two were still trading blows.

Those who had turned pale with fear at the sight of the Level 4 zombie: "!!!"

Seems like there was no need to be afraid after all!

While dealing with the regular zombies, they nervously watched Xiao Er’s battle.

Fortunately, the Level 4 zombie was eventually injured and seemed intent on fleeing.

Cheng Zhiyu immediately called out, "Don’t let it escape!"

Higher-level zombies had developed some intelligence, and they were afraid it might hold a grudge. If it escaped, their lives would never be peaceful again.

Xiao Er frantically blocked its escape. Enraged, the zombie launched a reckless attack on the base.

Cheng Mo raised his hand, and a barrier made of water formed outside the base. The water projectiles shot by the zombie were neutralized by the water barrier, silently merging into it and losing their offensive power.

Distracted by its reckless assault on the base, the zombie was caught off guard, giving Xiao Er an opening.

Xiao Er solidified its form, turning into a fireball, and with a "boom," exploded at the zombie’s location, leaving a large crater.

The zombie’s body was torn apart, but its head remained intact, still trying to fight back. Xiao Er, however, gave it no chance, snuffing out its last trace of life.

Instantly, cheers erupted throughout the base. With the high-level zombie eliminated, the remaining zombies, now leaderless, scattered. The Superhumans quickly finished them off.

Lin Kang walked up to Cheng Zhiyu, his expression complex. "Thank you for this."

Cheng Zhiyu smiled. "I’m also a part of this base. There are people here I want to protect too."

Lin Kang was momentarily stunned, then broke into a smile as well. "Alright, everyone has worked hard for so long. Let’s all head back and get some rest for now."

"The rain seems to have stopped!" someone exclaimed joyfully.

Cheng Zhiyu looked up at the sky. Sunlight broke through the clouds—the storm had passed, and the sky had cleared.

Everyone was exhausted from the ordeal, and having been drenched in rain all day, even the toughest of them needed to be cautious. Catching a cold would be the last thing they needed.

Cheng’s father and the others had helped deliver supplies and were also soaked. Cheng’s mother prepared a large pot of ginger soup with meatballs, which could both ward off the cold and fill their stomachs.

"Mmm, delicious!" Zhou Min was popping meatballs one after another.

Tian Manman finished a bowl and immediately went for a second helping, also grabbing a bowl for Tian Qiao.

The soup was piping hot and incredibly savory. With each sip, warmth spread through their bodies.

They were ravenous. Even Cheng Zhiyan put away several large bowls.

Cheng’s mother watched them with concern. Once they were done eating, she shooed them off to rest. "Go to sleep now. We’ll take care of the cleanup."

Aunt Tian nodded in agreement. "Yes, go to sleep right away."

Everyone nodded wearily, feeling dizzy and unsteady on their feet as they returned to their respective rooms.

After a shower, Cheng Zhiyu collapsed into bed and fell asleep instantly.

Cheng Mo held him close. "Zhi Yu..."

"Still feeling wronged, huh?" Cheng Zhiyu gently stroked his face, closed his eyes, and murmured, "Yeah."

Cheng Mo looked up to see that he had fallen asleep, then leaned down to give a soft kiss at the corner of his lips before closing his own eyes.

By the time they woke, it was already the next day. After a full night’s rest, he felt refreshed and energized. Outside, the sun was shining brightly—finally, the rain had stopped.

The rain had stopped, and fortunately, it hadn’t caused any major disasters. The village became lively again—some people fixed their leaky roofs themselves, while those who couldn’t sought help from others. Everyone was bustling with activity.

Still, the rain wasn’t entirely a bad thing. The ground wasn't dry anymore; it was thoroughly moist.

But because it was too wet, we couldn’t plant anything just yet. They’d have to wait a few more days.

Cheng Zhiyu and the others decided to check on the fawn. After such prolonged rain, the fawn didn't even have a cave to shelter from the wind and rain, and they weren’t sure how it was doing.

Fortunately, when they arrived, the fawn was still lively, though covered in mud. It trotted over and rubbed against Cheng Zhiyu, smearing mud all over him.

Cheng Zhiyu: "…"

He fed the fawn some mutated cabbage.

Zhou Min, standing nearby, suggested, "Should we build it a shelter from the rain?"

Previously, during hot weather, the fawn would rest in the shade of rocks, but that clearly didn’t offer protection from the rain. It must have been drenched for days, looking all pitiful.

Cheng Zhiyu chuckled. "Couldn’t you find somewhere to take cover from the rain?"

The fawn looked even more wronged, letting out soft "yōu yōu" cries.

Lin Jiashu translated, "It says it’s afraid the tiger will come and steal its territory."

Tian Qiao asked, "That tiger still hasn’t given up?"

Lin Jiashu replied, "The fawn says the tiger comes by from time to time to check, but because it’s injured, it hasn’t made a move yet."

It seemed the tiger was quite determined to claim this area.

But the fawn clearly considered this place its home too and wasn't giving it up. Given that, they decided to build a shelter where it could take cover from wind and rain.

For convenience, they used local materials—they cut down a tree for the roof and gathered stones to pave the floor, making it much cleaner.

The fawn seemed especially happy about soon having a new "home," stretching its neck to nuzzle up to them, looking at one person then another.

Stones found in the wild were never perfectly square, but with Tian Manman around, he simply and roughly shaped them.

Tian Manman, with his great strength and the large blade given by Cheng Zhiyu, cut through the stones as if they were tofu. With one strike, even the most irregular stones became square and even.

Since the fawn didn’t seem to like confined spaces, they decided to build a shed instead—a roof overhead to keep the rain out, and a neat stone path below for comfortable resting.

They cut the felled tree into logs of the same thickness and length, making four pillars to support the structure on all sides. They specifically chose sturdy, rot-resistant wood.

Then they cut several wooden planks, nailing them together to form the roof. To make it sturdier, besides the horizontal roof planks, they added a pitched roof on top, forming an A-frame shape.

As Superhumans, this small task was easy. They chatted while working, and in no time, the shed for the fawn was complete.

They even specially made a bed out of dry grass where the fawn could sleep.

The fawn seemed to love its new home, trotting around happily and letting out cheerful "yōu yōu" calls.

As the sun set, everyone grew hungry and said goodbye to the fawn, returning to the base.

Back home, the family had already prepared a delicious meal. After eating their fill, they felt perfectly content.

Just as they were about to sleep, someone knocked on the door.

Cheng Zhiyu's father, who was nearby, went to answer. After a brief exchange at the door, he turned around and said, "Zhi Yu, come out for a moment."

Cheng Zhiyu and the others stepped out to find a young man standing at the door. He had handsome features—it was Zhou Lan, whom Cheng Zhiyu remembered was in charge of the base’s supply distribution.

"I heard you weren’t at the base this afternoon," Zhou Lan explained why he had come so late. "I thought I’d wait until you returned to drop this off."

Tian Qiao eyed the bag in Zhou Lan’s hand and asked curiously, "What is it?"

Zhou Lan said, "Crystal cores. Captain Lin sent people to dig them out—it took a whole day."

During the zombie horde attack, there were too many zombies to deal with at once, so they hadn’t had time to retrieve the crystal cores then. After the zombies were eliminated, they were exhausted. Captain Lin had people guard the area, and after a night’s rest, he tasked Zhou Lan with digging out the cores.

This batch of crystal cores was enormous, hauled directly in sacks. As key players in defending the base, Cheng Zhiyu and his team naturally received a sizable share.

"Thank you for delivering these personally," Cheng Zhiyu said, accepting the bag without counting its contents.

"Just doing my part," Zhou Lan said with a smile. Then he added, "You have no idea—after yesterday’s battle, you’ve become quite famous. Everyone admires you now."

Cheng Zhiyu smiled faintly.

"Haha, I admire you too," Zhou Lan said, looking at Cheng Zhiyu with a hint of shyness.

Cheng Mo narrowed his eyes, reached out, and draped an arm over Cheng Zhiyu’s shoulder. "It’s late. Let’s not talk about trivial matters."

Zhou Lan quickly apologized, "Sorry, I was just too excited to see you. I forgot how late it was. I’ll take my leave now."

Cheng Zhiyu nodded. "Take care."

After Zhou Lan left and everyone closed the door, Cheng Mo said, "Stay away from that guy from now on. He seems shady."

His eyes kept staring at Zhi Yu—if it weren’t for fear of upsetting Zhi Yu...

In any case, Cheng Mo was speaking entirely from personal feelings.

Zhou Min watched from the side: Haha.

Tian Qiao asked, puzzled, "Huh? He’s not a good person? Should we inform Captain Lin? I remember he’s in charge of resources."

Cheng Zhiyu sighed. "Don’t listen to him."

He tossed the bag of crystal cores to Tian Qiao and said, "Pick out what you can use. Give the rest to me."

Back in their room, Cheng Mo didn’t bring up Zhou Lan again—it wasn’t necessary. He didn’t see him as a threat at all.

There were more important matters to attend to...

He glanced at Cheng Zhiyu: "Zhi Yu..."

Cheng Zhiyu coughed lightly and quickly lay down, closing his eyes, worried he’d be tempted again. "I’m still worn out from yesterday and haven't recovered yet. Let’s get some sleep."

Cheng Mo stared at him intensely: "Cheng Zhiyu, you're lying."

Cheng Zhiyu: "I’m really tired. I'm going to sleep now."

After saying that, he even pretended to yawn.

Cheng Mo: "..."

Feeling hurt, he mumbled: "Zhi Yu, was it really that bad? You won't even give me a chance."

Cheng Zhiyu closed his eyes and didn't respond, afraid he’d cave again. Oh god, this isn’t some small thing.

He needed to seriously think about his relationship with Cheng Mo. Until he figured it out, he couldn't let himself give in again.

Still, he couldn't help but say: "It's not about that. I'm just a pretty low-key person. Let's just sleep."

I have simple desires, so stop thinking about such things!

Cheng Mo’s expression fell. It seemed he really did that poorly, to the point that he made Zhi Yu "become ‘low-key’."

He felt a sense of urgency. This couldn't go on. What if Zhi Yu really stopped liking him...

Cheng Mo pursed his lips and silently lay down next to Cheng Zhiyu.

Cheng Zhiyu had been pretending at first, but eventually, he fell asleep.

Completely unaware that Cheng Mo had slipped under the covers and moved lower.

When Cheng Zhiyu woke up, he felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. He looked down and saw Cheng Mo lying there, giving a gentle lick before taking him in.

Cheng Zhiyu: "!!!"

He almost wondered if he was dreaming.

Cheng Mo even slyly summoned fluffy ears and a tail.

Cheng Zhiyu clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force. His voice trembled: "You... let go of me!"

Cheng Mo looked up, murmuring: "Zhi Yu is enjoying it."

This time, he was pretty sure because he could see Cheng Zhiyu's expression. How could that expression mean discomfort?

He kept going.

Whether it was the emotional or physical impact, it was overwhelming. Cheng Zhiyu finished unusually fast.

Cheng Mo's face was a mess. His naturally wheat-colored skin made it especially noticeable.

Cheng Zhiyu's mind went blank for a second. When he came to, he hurriedly said: "Spit it out—it’s dirty."

Cheng Mo cleaned up and even wiped Cheng Zhiyu, with a smile: "How could anything of Zhi Yu's be dirty?"

Cheng Zhiyu: "..." He thought: Ahhh!

He suspected Cheng Mo was messing with him on purpose. Those black, fluffy ears were still out, and as Cheng Mo moved closer to him, the ears twitched slightly, as if inviting touch.

Cheng Zhiyu couldn’t help thinking of what had just happened. His Adam's apple bobbed, and frustrated, he clenched his legs. Damn it, he was getting aroused again.

Cheng Mo let out a soft laugh, his ears twitching again.

He was done for. Cheng Zhiyu couldn't resist anymore and reached out to touch those ears.

The ears in his palm seemed tickled by the touch and twitched, the sensation brushing against his palm and making him shiver.

Cheng Zhiyu couldn't help but pinch them.

Cheng Mo's eyes turned slightly red, and his breathing grew heavier: "Zhi Yu, this area is very sensitive. Don't pinch it randomly."

Cheng Zhiyu didn't know what came over him, but he teasingly gave another pinch: "I was sleeping just fine. What were you doing?"

"I wanted to make you feel good, but you kept rejecting me." Cheng Mo held him tightly, and Cheng Zhiyu could clearly feel his arousal.

Cheng Zhiyu's Adam's apple bobbed again. His fingers felt like they were burning, and he quickly pulled his hand back.

However, Cheng Mo soon grabbed his hand and guided it downward.

"Since I helped you, shouldn't you return the favor?" Cheng Mo said, now sounding justified.

Cheng Zhiyu looked at his face and those eyes and found himself unable to refuse. Pressing his lips together, he let Cheng Mo have his way.

It was just that the process felt incredibly long.

When it was over, Cheng Mo's eyes were slightly wet again.

Cheng Zhiyu knew this meant Cheng Mo had enjoyed it. For some reason, his heart was beating unusually fast.

He felt that this couldn't go on. He needed to rethink his relationship with Cheng Mo.

Since avoiding the problem wouldn't solve it, he had to face it head-on.

"Zhi Yu? Cheng Zhiyu! Why are you spacing out?" Cheng Mo sounded very dissatisfied.

Spacing out at a time like this? Was he not good-looking enough?

Cheng Zhiyu coughed lightly: "It's nothing."

Cheng Mo narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything. He wiped Cheng Zhiyu's hands clean, cleaned himself up, and then held Cheng Zhiyu comfortably.

He took Cheng Zhiyu's hand and placed it on himself, coughing lightly: "Zhi Yu, feel free to touch if you want."

Cheng Zhiyu gritted his teeth and gently pinched. Cheng Mo let out a soft moan and whispered: "Zhi Yu, where you're pinching..."

Cheng Zhiyu raised an eyebrow: "What? Didn't you say I could touch wherever I want?"

Cheng Mo felt like Cheng Zhiyu had suddenly changed. His heart raced, and his throat felt unusually dry, as if craving something.

His gaze fell on Cheng Zhiyu's lips, and for the first time, he leaned in and kissed them, just a light touch: "If you like it, do as you please."

Cheng Zhiyu thought he could take the initiative, but in an instant, his face flushed red again.

Cheng Mo, how could he suddenly kiss him on the lips?

Before, he had only kissed the corner of his mouth. Though it carried a hint of ambiguity, it wasn't as impactful as a direct kiss.

"Do you know what kind of relationship allows this?" Cheng Zhiyu wanted to press his lips together but, remembering something, blushed and seized the opportunity to ask.

“Our kind of relationship,” Cheng Mo said. “No one else can have this with you but me.”

Cheng Mo said possessively, “Anyway, no one else is allowed to kiss you but me.”

Cheng Zhiyu replied, “My future… boyfriend can.”

Cheng Mo looked like he’d been struck by lightning. “Cheng Zhiyu, you want to get a boyfriend?”

Cheng Zhiyu looked at Cheng Mo. “Yes.”

Cheng Mo asked, “Then what about me?”

Cheng Zhiyu: “…” Did it ever occur to you that the boyfriend might be you?

Just as Cheng Zhiyu was left speechless, Cheng Mo suddenly said with a serious expression, “Cheng Zhiyu, can I be your boyfriend?”

Cheng Zhiyu blinked. Wow, just a moment ago we were at 1%, and now it’s jumped straight to 99%!

He had been racking his brain trying to figure out how to explain to Cheng Mo that their behavior wasn’t exactly normal and that they needed to make things official first.

And now, Cheng Mo finally got it?

Seeing that Cheng Zhiyu hadn’t spoken for a while, Cheng Mo grew anxious, his brow furrowing. “You’re not going to agree?”

Cheng Zhiyu’s throat went dry. He asked seriously, “Do you know what a boyfriend is?”

Cheng Mo wasn’t actually foolish. He had been putting so much effort into tempting Cheng Zhiyu before—wasn’t it all to make the other like him?

Someone you like is your boyfriend.

If he became Cheng Zhiyu’s boyfriend, it would mean Cheng Zhiyu liked him.

Just the thought of it filled Cheng Mo’s eyes with happiness.

However, Cheng Mo sat up, flustered. “Isn’t this a bit too informal?”

He started thinking about what he should do now. Unfortunately, in the past, his life had only revolved around training and improving his abilities. He had never cared about romance and only remembered that he should give a gift.

Yes, a gift.

Cheng Mo got up, ready to go find a gift for Cheng Zhiyu. That would increase the chances of Cheng Zhiyu agreeing to be his boyfriend.

Seeing him about to rush out the door, Cheng Zhiyu thought for a moment and realized what he was planning. He quickly stopped him. “No need, you don’t need to get anything.”

Cheng Mo objected, “But…”

Cheng Zhiyu said with a sigh, “If you give me a gift, then shouldn’t I give you one too? That’s too complicated to keep exchanging gifts.”

Cheng Mo simply said, “Zhi Yu, you don’t have to give me anything. I’m willing to be your boyfriend.”

Cheng Zhiyu pinched Cheng Mo’s cheek, annoyed. “Then am I not willing too?”

Cheng Mo was stunned, his handsome face looking a bit dazed.

Cheng Zhiyu laughed at him. “I’m willing too.”

Cheng Mo felt lightheaded for a moment—happiness had come too suddenly.

Cheng Zhiyu waved a hand in front of his eyes. “Are you in shock?”

Cheng Mo grabbed his hand. “This feels like a dream.”

Just as Cheng Zhiyu was about to laugh, he heard Cheng Mo say, “Zhi Yu, can you do something to make me feel like this is real?”

Cheng Zhiyu was puzzled. “What way?”

Cheng Mo said, “Kiss me. You said it yourself—boyfriends can kiss.”

As he spoke, he leaned in closer. Cheng Zhiyu’s eyelashes fluttered, and he unconsciously held his breath.

Their lips met, the warm touch sending a shiver through both of them. Cheng Zhiyu hoped for more, but Cheng Mo pulled away, looking satisfied.

Cheng Zhiyu: “?” That’s it?

In his eyes, Cheng Mo had plenty of tricks—having Cheng Zhiyu touch him, touching Cheng Zhiyu, touching each other—but now it was just a simple kiss? Not even a real one?

Well, maybe it was all instinct before, and touching each other felt good.

Cheng Zhiyu’s Adam's apple moved. Fine, he’d teach him then. He tugged on Cheng Mo’s collar, pulling him closer, and gently slipped his tongue in. Cheng Mo seemed to sense something and, as if naturally skilled, began to claim the breath from Cheng Zhiyu’s mouth.

Cheng Mo had seen others hugging closely before and found it gross, never wanted to look twice. Only now did he realize—was this what kissing was really like?

He loved it.

In the end, Cheng Zhiyu’s mouth was numb before they finally pulled apart.

But as soon as he recovered, Cheng Mo leaned in again. Cheng Zhiyu raised a hand to stop him. “That’s enough for now.”

Cheng Mo looked disappointed, but he gave in. He’d listen to his boyfriend.

Boyfriend… He. The corners of his lips curled up.

Cheng Mo felt he couldn’t do this half-way with Cheng Zhiyu. He took out an object that looked like a token and placed it in Cheng Zhiyu’s hand.

He couldn’t tell what it was made from—the material was unusual, somewhere between metal and jade, yet it glowed with a light neither material had. It was engraved with a winged… dog? Cheng Zhiyu was puzzled. “What is this?”

Cheng Mo said, “It’s a token of my Winged Tribe.”

He then added, somewhat embarrassed, “It doesn’t mean anything here… I really regret not bringing my wealth with me.”

In truth, tokens of the Winged Tribe were rarely given to others—only to those who were extremely important.

After all, possessing such a token lets you get away with almost anything, and its symbolic meaning was extraordinary.

But Cheng Mo still felt he wasn’t giving Cheng Zhiyu enough. Cheng Zhiyu should have the best of everything.

Cheng Zhiyu, however, was speechless, finally realizing that Cheng Mo might not actually be a dog or a dog demon.