Chapter 34: Bastard Part 1

The scene suddenly became chaotic.

A-Liang’s side had around ten people, but they were all ordinary folk. Even A-Liang was just a bit stronger than average. In terms of numbers, A-Liang’s group had the upper hand, but in terms of superpowers…

Jiang Ye was incredibly fast, landing punches that took out several at once. No one dared approach Bai Tao; the closer they got, the more they foamed at the mouth, convulsed, and collapsed. Bai Chen Zhu glanced at Jiang Ye and Bai Tao, who were holding off ten opponents each, then grabbed Zhou Zhuo Hua, who was dodging attacks, and turned to run.

At that moment, the zombie, tied up tightly, watched its food escape and went berserk. It snapped the iron chains binding it, sending the links flying and heavily injuring several people nearby.

The zombie let out a guttural grrr from its throat and charged toward Bai Chen Zhu. Anyone in its path was torn in half or riddled with holes.

“Dad—stop!” Tang Jie chased after it in disbelief, stepping over a floor covered in flesh and blood. He couldn’t fathom why the blood-soaked chains, which had always worked before, were useless against it.

Bai Chen Zhu shoved Zhou Zhuo Hua aside and used the recoil to dodge just as the zombie lunged, narrowly avoiding its claws.

Tang Jie drew the knife from his waist.

“What, even after the backlash, you still won’t repent?” Bai Chen Zhu didn’t want to deal with both the zombie and Tang Jie at once, so he tried to turn the latter against his side.

“What backlash? It just wants to eat you.” Tang Jie unsheathed the knife and gritted his teeth. “Surrender, and at least I’ll guarantee your life.”

This zombie’s strength and speed far exceeded a normal person’s. Bai Chen Zhu struggled through several dodges. Though he wouldn’t get reinfected repeatedly, judging by the zombie’s drooling hunger, getting caught would likely leave him as mangled as the limb fragments behind it.

“I can give you far more than you imagine. Stop struggling!” Tang Jie raised his trembling knife toward the dodging Bai Chen Zhu. “Think about it—a world without zombies! All you need to do is supply some blood on schedule. Isn’t that better than scraping by out here?”

Bai Chen Zhu kicked the zombie right into Tang Jie. Tang Jie’s face paled as he dodged, and the zombie hit empty air.

It seemed the zombie was only interested in Bai Chen Zhu. Even when closest to Tang Jie, it relentlessly got back up and pursued him.

Bai Chen Zhu repeated his trick and climbed a tree. But this wasn’t the zombie dog from before; it immediately followed him up.

This wouldn’t do; he’d get caught eventually. Bai Chen Zhu gauged the distance to the ground and leaped down.

Just as he jumped, Tang Jie swiftly positioned himself at the base of the tree and raised his knife. The blade gleamed sharply, and Bai Chen Zhu’s pupils contracted.

As he hurtled toward Tang Jie, with the knife tip about to pierce his chest and abdomen, Tang Jie was suddenly shoved aside by a powerful force. Bai Chen Zhu crashed into the underbrush.

Zhou Zhuo Hua flipped onto Tang Jie. Before he could speak, she rained a flurry of punches on him. “Idiot!”

“Sister Zhuo Hua, mmph…” Zhou Zhuo Hua’s punch dazed him.

“You forced my hand!” Tang Jie’s eyes turned bloodshot as he flipped over and grabbed her throat. But Zhou Zhuo Hua struck ruthlessly too, targeting vital acupoints as she mounted him again.

As the two grappled, Zhou Zhuo Hua was suddenly yanked back by the collar with overwhelming force.

The next second, the zombie arrived, drawn by Bai Chen Zhu. Bai Chen Zhu pulled Zhou Zhuo Hua aside, and the zombie pounced precisely onto Tang Jie.

Screams echoed through the villa, mingled with chewing sounds.

The zombie rose, its mouth full of hot blood. It panted with grrrs, its murky eyes shifting, ignoring the man on the ground whose face had been half bitten off.

The gruesome sight was hard to stomach. Zhou Zhuo Hua covered her mouth in shock and retreated in lingering fear.

Disfigured? One eye blinded? Bai Chen Zhu had no time for pity or remorse. The zombie caught his mental power scent again, so he turned and ran.

Zhou Zhuo Hua took two steps toward the wailing Tang Jie when Jiang Ye caught up, covered in dust and blood, looking disheveled. He panted as he asked her, “Where’s Bai Chen Zhu?”

She scanned the surroundings and realized both Bai Chen Zhu and the zombie were gone.

Bai Chen Zhu paid them no mind. He ran in another direction—he had no idea which—until they were completely out of sight. Only then did he realize he’d separated from the main group.

The zombie still chased him. Bai Chen Zhu knew it was because of the mental threads on him that he couldn’t fully retract; that was why the zombie locked onto him so precisely.

Spotting an artificial lake ahead, he pinched his nose and jumped in, hoping the water would mask his scent somewhat.

The current washed the bloodstains from his clothes. His hair and hems floated upward from buoyancy. He swam a couple of strokes in the lake, then froze, not daring to move.

The zombie had jumped in after him but lost track of its prey, even though it was right there, just two or three meters away. It flailed blindly, kicking everywhere like it was sightless.

Bai Chen Zhu feared his movements would disturb the water and alert it, so he held his breath and stayed still.

Zombies couldn’t think, swim, or hold their breath. As time passed, it began to drown. Its fingers pointed upward in instinctual struggle, its limbs twisting grotesquely. Its already hideous body became even more unbearable to look at.

Bai Chen Zhu watched coldly as it went from frantic thrashing to lifelessly sinking to the lake bottom, eyes wide in death.

After some time, Bai Chen Zhu gritted his teeth as his vision blurred. When he tried to swim up, his unhealed calf cramped, hindering him.

Done for. The word flashed in Bai Chen Zhu’s mind. Water filled his mouth and nose, stinging bitterly. His hands instinctively reached for the surface.

A strong arm grabbed his hand.

Bai Chen Zhu opened his eyes to see a backlit figure in the sunlight—achingly familiar.

In that instant, all anger and resentment vanished. Only the scorching warmth in his palm remained. Before his survival instinct, that person filled his heart and eyes.

“Cough cough cough!” As soon as he surfaced, Bai Chen Zhu coughed uncontrollably, his lungs aching like they might burst.

Jiang Ye tried to wipe the water from him, but Bai Chen Zhu slapped his hand away.

Bai Chen Zhu shook his head, splashing water on the three of them.

Zhou Zhuo Hua let out a relieved breath. “Good, you’re okay. You scared us to death.” Bai Tao’s throat hurt too much to speak, so she nodded vigorously beside her.

Bai Chen Zhu laboriously climbed ashore. Looking around, everyone was battered and filthy, and with no one else in sight, he knew they were safe for now.

“B-back.” His throat burned from coughing; each word triggered more.

He didn’t care about A-Liang and the others’ fates—Jiang Ye would handle cleanup. From last night until now, he’d been on edge without respite. Now he just wanted to change clothes and rest properly.

Bai Chen Zhu woke the next morning.

Sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains, rousing him. Zhou Zhuo Hua had properly bandaged his leg. He got up, opened the window, and saw Tang Jie, A-Liang, and the surviving others tied to trees outside.

It screamed Jiang Ye’s style.

Without Tang Father’s intimidation, zombies began wandering the neighborhood freely, terrifying the captives. But their mouths were gagged, leaving them trembling silently.

Bai Chen Zhu stared at Tang Jie for a while, noting the flush on his face. His fingertips tapped the windowsill one by one as he recalled the bite.

Ordinary people risked reinfection from zombie contact, and what they’d turn into—ability user or zombie—no one knew.

His ever-present backpack sat by the bed, fully stocked.

Bai Chen Zhu stretched lazily, stood at the window, and gazed at the bag for a long time.

This backpack had followed him from home from the start, through all their wanderings. Now its surface was mottled; even scrubbing wouldn’t restore it.

And he wasn’t the newcomer he once was.

He’d thought traveling with Jiang Ye meant companionship, but now he saw they weren’t from the same world. The world was vast, yet he had no place in it. His heart suddenly felt empty.

Bai Chen Zhu washed his face, shouldered the bag, and descended the stairs through the back door. He strolled casually, as if just going for a walk and returning by mealtime.

But minutes later, Jiang Ye’s voice called out.

Jiang Ye’s senses were sharp; Bai Chen Zhu hadn’t expected to slip past him.

“What are you doing?” Bai Chen Zhu turned and asked.

“Where are you going?” Jiang Ye approached and grabbed his backpack strap.

Bai Chen Zhu frowned coldly at him. “My legs, my choice.”

“It’s not safe out there.”