Chapter Ninety-Four: Migration

Back at Yang Zhenwu and the others’ camp, Yue Qi and his group stood in a corner of a large hall.

Calling it a hall was a bit of an exaggeration; it was merely a tent made of some unknown fabric, inside which a dozen or so people stood uncomfortably crowded.

Yue Qi appeared indifferent. After he had killed the zombies, Yang Zhenwu had invited him to eat as a gesture of gratitude for saving their lives. Yue Qi gladly accepted. After wandering through the forest for so many days, it had been tough on him. They couldn’t prepare proper meals—only dry rations—since there was no stove; even if they had ingredients, cooking was impossible.

Yang Zhenwu sat at the center of the tent, his heart uneasy and restless. Ever since witnessing Yue Qi’s prowess in killing the zombies, Yang held nothing but deep respect for him. This feeling wasn’t unique to Yang alone; everyone who had seen the scene glanced at Yue Qi with gratitude in their eyes.

“Brother Yue Qi...” Yang Zhenwu had previously asked their names, but now felt somewhat reserved addressing him. He had heard that cultivators were lofty and aloof. Having lived in Changlong Town his entire life, Yang had only met two cultivators twice—passing through their area—and both had been haughty. He was unsure how this young man before him would behave.

“Brother Yang, is there something you need?” Yue Qi found the atmosphere amusing. He was just an unremarkable junior, the only special thing about him being that he was a cultivator. To ease everyone’s tension, he called Yang Zhenwu “big brother,” a fitting address since Yang had a family.

“Well... it’s nothing much. I just wanted to ask if you’re hungry, Brother Yue...” Yang Zhenwu’s body shuddered slightly at the use of “Brother Yue.” The cultivator seemed approachable, free of any airs.

“I’m fine. Thank you for your concern, Brother Yang...” Yue Qi smiled lightly, amused by Yang’s personality. He wondered how such a man became the camp leader.

Eating was important, yet the meal was quiet. The camp forbade alcohol to prevent attacks by zombies under the influence—better safe than sorry.

After several rounds of tea, it was clear everyone was full. Perhaps due to the day's exhaustion, Yang Zhenwu abandoned any thought of rationing. Everyone ate freely, but beneath their smiles lingered a trace of sorrow.

“Let us raise our cups of tea to those brothers who have passed!” Yang Zhenwu looked around, leading everyone to stand and drink the tea in one gulp.

Everyone, including Yue Qi and his companions, followed suit. The deceased were gone, and this was a small act of remembrance.

“Now, for the second cup, let us toast to Brother Yue, who saved all our lives. Without him, we wouldn’t be sitting here today, and our families and friends in the camp would have perished at the hands of those monsters!” Yang Zhenwu poured another cup and drank it down.

Yue Qi remained silent, sitting with Bai Lian beside him. His companions Xin Zi and Yue Yunsheng were also invited. Though the camp’s rations were scarce, Yang Zhenwu never begrudged his benefactor.

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Hearing Yang’s words, Yue Qi felt a flush of embarrassment. He hadn’t set out to save them intentionally. Had he not encountered them by chance, he wouldn’t have bothered. In this world, it wasn’t uncommon for someone to save a life only to be repaid with ingratitude. Yue Qi just wanted a peaceful journey to Mount Sanqing, to see if there was any rescue, then return to the forest to serve his master and live out his days with Bai Lian.

“Brother Yang, your words embarrass me...” Yue Qi finished his tea to hide his unease before changing the subject. “However, there is one thing I wish to advise you on...”

“Oh? Brother Yue, speak freely. As long as it’s within my power, I will never refuse!” Yang Zhenwu patted his chest confidently. Even if Yue Qi requested supplies, he would comply. There is an old saying: one must repay a drop of kindness with a fountain of gratitude. Such a life-saving favor certainly deserves all assistance.

“It’s not a request,” Yue Qi said, shaking his head. “I just want to tell Brother Yang that this camp isn’t very safe. You must have seen the last three zombies—the mutated ones. If I hadn’t been here today, to be honest, just one zombie could have wiped out the entire camp!”

Yue Qi spoke bluntly, but it was a sincere warning. Whether they heeded it was their own choice.

Yang Zhenwu gave a bitter smile. “I know all too well how unsafe this camp is. Not to mention those few zombies we encountered later, even the ordinary ones, if in great numbers, are hard to withstand. But we have no choice—we lack the fortified walls and moats of large cities. If the zombies discover us, our only option is to fight to the death. So many have already died because of this...”

Yue Qi frowned; this was indeed a grave problem. Qinghe Town had managed to build a fortified camp thanks to geographical advantages and continuous resource support from Qingzhou. If Changlong Town had a large city nearby to provide defensive equipment and supplies, it would be a much safer place.

“Have you ever considered relocating all the people of Changlong Town to nearby Changzhou?” Xin Zi, who had been silent for some time, suddenly spoke. Yue Qi nearly forgot about this strategist among them.

“Of course we have,” Cao Nan replied. He had been silent before, fearing he had offended Yue Qi. “Unlike Brother Wu, who is a native of this town, we come from a nearby military camp. When the disaster struck, we tried to flee to Changzhou. After all, its walls are tall and thick, offering much stronger defense. But we couldn’t make it—the roads were swarming with zombies. Even the survivors from our military camp couldn’t get through, let alone the elderly, women, and children of Changlong Town.”

“Do you know if there are any survivors in Changzhou?” Xin Zi asked thoughtfully, his face expressionless.

“We don’t know for sure, but we believe there must be some...” Yang Zhenwu pondered before answering.

“Oh? Why do you think so?” Yue Qi was curious about what Xin Zi meant.

“Let me explain,” Cao Nan said, glancing at Yang Zhenwu. “Some people escaped from Changzhou to here. They said that on the night the disaster occurred, Changzhou city closed its gates, refusing to let anyone in despite the pleas. Those who stayed inside heard sounds of fighting and killing, and fires burned at night. But now, after all this time, Brother Wu can’t be sure if there are survivors inside.”

Though Cao Nan said this, Yang Zhenwu thought otherwise. He was certain there were survivors inside Changzhou, but those who abandoned others chilled him to the bone. Yang feared that if he took people there and the city refused to open its gates, there would be nothing he could do.

---

“I see...” Xin Zi nodded thoughtfully, then turned to Yue Qi. “Brother Yue, if possible, we should make a trip to Changzhou.”

“Go to Changzhou? Why?” Yue Qi had some knowledge of the area; Changzhou was not on the route to Mount Sanqing.

“Changzhou is a large city nearby. More importantly, it houses a branch of the Cangjian Manor...” Xin Zi said, somewhat sheepishly. This matter was entirely for his own benefit.

“Very well, then we shall go to Changzhou...” Having grown close to Xin Zi, the others agreed. The journey to Mount Sanqing was not as urgent. It was better to first gather news there.

“Thank you, brother...” Xin Zi’s eyes glimmered with fleeting emotion before he quickly reverted to his usual cynical demeanor.

“In that case, Brother Yang, if you trust me, I can lead you all to Changzhou...” Yue Qi considered it and decided to do Yang a favor.

“This...” Yang Zhenwu hesitated before speaking bitterly. “It’s not that we don’t want to go, but what if we reach the city gates and they refuse to open for us? We can’t exactly fly in on wings.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. Leave it to me. Just have the people in the camp prepare what they need. We’ll set out in three days!” Before Yue Qi could speak, Xin Zi eagerly interjected.

Yang Zhenwu glanced at Yue Qi, unsure if he agreed. Though the camp was dangerous, Yang preferred to stay.

“Let’s follow Brother Xin’s plan. We’ll leave in three days. Brother Yang, whether you wish to join us is up to you. I will do my best to keep you safe along the way...” Seeing Yang’s unease, Yue Qi said gently. Forcing anyone against their will would only bring gossip.

“Alright then. I’ll inform everyone...” Yang Zhenwu clenched his teeth and spoke to Yue Qi.

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[Note: From now on, updates will be regular. I plan to start a new story but hope this one won’t be abandoned.]