Chapter Twenty-Six: Wang Jian

After the group had moved on, Yue Qi and Bai Lian finally emerged from the thicket nearby.

“Why didn’t we come out just now and go to town with them…” Bai Lian, trailing a step behind Yue Qi, glanced at his profile and asked.

“We can’t be sure if they’re good people or not. Besides, we just need to get some medicine—it doesn’t have to be so complicated. When it comes to other survivors… it’s best to avoid them if possible. People are unpredictable!” Yue Qi shook his head, a sigh in his voice at Bai Lian’s innocence. Still, she was much improved; if it had been the old Bai Lian, she might have marched right out to greet those five already…

“Well, then… how about we quietly follow them? At least we won’t get lost,” Bai Lian suggested.

“That’s a good idea… but…” Yue Qi suddenly grinned mischievously. “Sister Lian, when did you get so obedient? Is it because you’ve fallen for my dashing, charming, utterly irresistible looks, and can’t help but fall in love with me?”

“Wha—?!” Clearly, Bai Lian’s mind didn’t leap as swiftly as Yue Qi’s. After a moment’s contemplation, she finally understood his meaning. Her cheeks flushed, and she flicked his forehead in retaliation. Unexpectedly, she said nothing in response—not a word of protest.

It wasn’t that Bai Lian didn’t want to speak; it was just that, as Yue Qi voiced those words, a faint tremor stirred in her previously calm heart. It was her first time spending so long with a man. She wasn’t sure if this counted as liking someone, but she certainly enjoyed being with Yue Qi. She felt happy around him, and when he went off alone to scout or fight zombies, she worried for him, and felt a pang in her heart…

“She didn’t say anything!” Yue Qi was equally unsettled. “Could it be that Sister Lian really does like me?!”

He had spoken boldly just to test the predictions of his fourth sister and third brother, but in truth, he harbored a faint hope himself…

The two of them fell into a silent hush, each sensing the thoughts churning in the other’s mind. Whenever their eyes met, it was as though pricked by a needle, and they would quickly avert their gaze. Even so, they made their way without incident to Qinghe Town.

As expected, Qinghe Town was still and lifeless, devoid of vitality. As for the five survivors they’d seen ahead, their whereabouts were now unknown. Yue Qi and Bai Lian, preoccupied by their own awkwardness, seemed to have forgotten all about them…

“What now? Are we just going to keep walking like this?” Bai Lian, sword in hand, dispatched a zombie that lunged at her, throwing out the question. In the dark, it was hard to see, but her face was already flushed red—like a ripe apple, all the more alluring.

“Well… I don’t know. But let’s hurry and find the medicine, then get back to Yang Family Village. If we take too long, something might go wrong…” Yue Qi replied after a moment’s thought.

Bai Lian nodded. Perhaps because they were at the edge of town, they’d barely encountered any zombies. This, in a place as populous as Qinghe, seemed almost like a stroke of luck.

But in truth, luck had nothing to do with it. Yue Qi and Bai Lian had been following the five others, who had cleared out the zombies ahead of them. Naturally, those coming up behind would meet few, if any. If a stray one appeared, it was likely a new arrival that slipped through the net…

“Boss, there seem to be more and more zombies in town. We had to fight our way through just to get back!” One of the five—burly, bearded, and fierce-looking—spoke, panting hard from exhaustion.

“It’s not just that there are more,” another, older man sighed, “they’re getting tougher as well. Back then, the two of us could handle one easily. Now… sigh…”

“But Boss is still the best. Every time a zombie pops up, he’s the first to charge in, and look—still fresh as ever!” the bearded man laughed, glancing at the leader with open admiration.

“Enough talk. Big Brother’s already helped us clear out so many zombies and left this Qinghe Town in my care. Now, all we need to do is finish off any that stray in. If we still end up eaten by zombies… it’d be a disgrace to my brother’s name,” the man called Boss said, his expression darkening.

His name was Wang Jian, and his brother was Wang Chao. The two had lived in Qingzhou, both from martial families, and their skills were not lacking.

By fortune, when the mutation occurred, the brothers remained unaffected, though their parents and family all turned into zombies. Wang Chao was decisive and ruthless; the very next day, he rallied all survivors to fight off the zombies in Qingzhou. Thanks to their family’s influence and their prowess, many responded to the call.

Once the zombies were beaten back, the brothers’ reputation soared. They gathered the area’s survivors, and Wang Chao naturally became the local strongman.

But good times didn’t last. Though Qingzhou was prosperous, food stocks were limited and dwindled with every meal. With no arable land nearby, the brothers set their sights on Qinghe Town, not far from Qingzhou—a bustling place with ample land. Wang Chao led a large group to clear out the zombies there and put his brother Wang Jian in charge of Qinghe Town.

“But Boss, we’ve pretty much searched the area. There shouldn’t be many zombies left. When can we start farming? There’s not much food left in the town or the county, and we’ve got over a hundred mouths to feed…” a scruffy man with shaggy hair asked.

“Not yet,” Wang Jian shook his head. “Qinghe Town isn’t like Qingzhou. We don’t have sturdy walls for protection. Even if we farm, it has to be within a limited range, inside our defenses. Otherwise, if zombies attack, the consequences would be unthinkable.”

The others nodded thoughtfully. Though Wang Jian looked rough, he was clearly a careful thinker.

“So what do you suggest, Boss? Chao gave us a deadline…” At the mention of Wang Chao, the scruffy man grew uneasy.

“We can’t rush this,” Wang Jian said after some thought. “If we can’t make it in time, I’ll talk to my brother. We’ve all survived this long—we can’t gamble with our lives for a few crops. Our top priority is still patrolling the town. Not a single zombie must slip through.”

“But Boss, why not send more people? There’s just five of us every day—this is far too inefficient!” the bearded man complained anxiously.

Wang Jian let out a long sigh and forced a wry smile. “You know as well as I do—most of the survivors are women and children. We don’t have many fighters. If we send everyone out, what if our camp is discovered by zombies? Er Gou, you need to think things through before you act!”

“All right, Boss, the wind’s picking up. Let’s get inside. Speaking of which, Chao really knows how to look after us—those girls inside… Tsk, tsk, they’re real beauties! Local girls from Qingzhou are a far cry from the ones back in our old village—like heaven and earth…” The older man leered, giving Wang Jian a knowing look.

“Listen to yourself! Have you never seen a woman before? Tonight you’re on guard duty—not a hair on those girls’ heads will you touch, or you’ll be too worn out to get up tomorrow!” Wang Jian gave him a hard slap on the head, not holding back in the least.

“Ha! Serves you right, Old Yang! That’s what you get for running your mouth,” the others jeered, not a shred of sympathy in their eyes, only mocking amusement.

“Hey, Boss, come on… I’ve been this way since I was a kid, can’t just change overnight… Boss!” Old Yang pleaded, but Wang Jian ignored him. Knowing his boss’s mind was set, Old Yang could only sigh in resignation.

At the entrance to the town, an unknown little animal let out a couple of soft cries, and with that, two dark silhouettes appeared—none other than Yue Qi and Bai Lian.

“This is odd—there really aren’t any zombies. Are we really that lucky?” The small flame flickering at Yue Qi’s fingertips cast a faint glow, illuminating the road ahead.

“Don’t you think it might have to do with those survivors?” Bai Lian asked, surveying the empty streets behind him.

“No way! Those survivors could take out this many zombies? Come on, a whole town’s worth of people—even if only half turned, I couldn’t finish them off even if I drained all my power!” Yue Qi boasted. In this apocalypse, he was entitled to a little pride for his magical abilities.

“So what do we do now? We can’t just stand here forever, and we’ve never been to Qinghe before—we don’t even know where the pharmacy is!” Bai Lian ignored his bravado and pressed on.

“How about we find somewhere to stay for the night and figure it out tomorrow…” Yue Qi suggested, unable to think of a better plan.

Bai Lian didn’t reply. Suddenly, a zombie lunged from the darkness behind, but before its head could fully appear, Bai Lian’s sword had already struck it down. She gave a soft snort and strode ahead.

“What a violent woman…” Yue Qi shuddered at her ruthlessness, then hurried to keep up.

ps: Not long now before something big happens! If you’re reading, please add to your favorites and recommend!