Chapter 325- Cultured Villain vs. Humanoid Weapon (30)
As expected, no matter the world, Mu Jin’s man always had an extraordinary possessiveness, something Mu Jin found he quite enjoyed.
This time, the group sent by Lecheng Base wasn’t large, totaling only about twenty individuals. However, their strength was evident; even the weakest among them was already at level three. It seemed that high-level ability users were more numerous and powerful at Lecheng Base.
Still, Mu Jin didn’t give it much thought. After all, he alone could hold his own against ten opponents.
What’s more, he was accompanied by the protagonist Jian Mingyuan and his own Jian Minghui, both of whom were level-five ability users. With Lou Bin and Shi Haoyu having reached level four, Mu Jin was confident that, if a conflict arose, they could easily overpower the group from Lecheng Base.
After the formal welcome, as everyone made their way to the main conference building, a man walking past Mu Jin caught his attention.
This man stayed close to Pei Zijin, wearing a gray hoodie and a mask that concealed his face entirely. Mu Jin couldn’t discern his appearance but noted that he was tall, just slightly shorter than Jian Minghui, with a lean build.
The man remained silent the entire time, but the moment Mu Jin noticed him, a chill ran through him.
If not for the man passing so close, Mu Jin might not have even realized he was there. For someone to escape his notice right in front of him could only mean one of two things: either they were incredibly weak, or they were exceptionally strong.
What’s more, Mu Jin couldn’t gauge his strength at all—a realization that set his guard on high alert.
Truckloads of grain were being transported into Pingcheng Base, and Jian Zhengqing naturally offered a warm welcome to the visitors from Lecheng Base.
However, as discussions turned to the specifics of resource exchanges and collaboration, Mu Jin quickly lost interest. Noticing that there were plenty of people accompanying them, he decided there was no need to stay. Jian Minghui, equally indifferent to matters of power, accompanied Mu Jin and Lou Bin as they left.
Since their residences were together, they walked as a group. As Mu Jin glanced at Lou Bin beside him, he suddenly remembered that Shi Haoyu had also been notified about today. He was supposed to join them in welcoming the team from Lecheng Base.
However, there had been no sign of him all day. Mu Jin casually asked Lou Bin, “Lou Bin, where’s Haoyu? Why haven’t we seen him today?”
Hearing the question, Lou Bin scratched his head with a slightly troubled expression. “Haoyu’s been acting a bit off since last night. When I asked him about it, he just said it was nothing. This morning, I noticed his face was flushed, so I checked his forehead and found he had a fever. I told him to stay home to rest.”
“But there’s no need to worry. On my way out, I stopped by the infirmary and grabbed some fever medicine. Once I get back and give him a few pills, he should be fine.”
Mu Jin nodded at Lou Bin’s response, but when he turned, he saw an unmistakable look of concern on Jian Minghui’s face.
Mu Jin understood this reaction. After all, ability users generally had excellent physical resilience. Once their abilities awakened, minor illnesses like fevers and colds were almost unheard of. With Shi Haoyu suddenly falling ill—and reportedly with a high fever—it was only natural for Jian Minghui to worry about the possibility of a more serious condition.
Knowing his lover’s concerns, Mu Jin, who was well-versed in medicine and remedies, was more than willing to ease his partner’s worries.
He suggested that Lou Bin head home first, then took Jian Minghui to the canteen. Using a significant amount of contribution points, Mu Jin exchanged for several rare fruits—hard to come by in the apocalypse—saying they could bring them to visit Shi Haoyu.
Seeing this, Jian Minghui immediately understood that Mu Jin was trying to soothe his feelings. Overjoyed, he nodded with appreciation.
However, when Mu Jin finally saw Shi Haoyu, he realized the situation was far more complex than he initially thought.
The fever appeared to be just a symptom. From Mu Jin’s perspective, it seemed as though Shi Haoyu’s vitality was being drained away.
Mu Jin couldn’t understand why such a thing would happen, but he observed that the energy within Shi Haoyu’s body was gradually dissipating. For an ordinary person, this condition would likely lead to death within days.
Fortunately, Shi Haoyu was an ability user, and his naturally strong physique was helping him hold on. Still, Mu Jin couldn’t fathom who would go to such lengths to target him in this way.
Reflecting on their interactions over the past days, Shi Haoyu hadn’t exhibited any unusual behavior. He was reliable, trustworthy, and deeply loyal to Jian Minghui. With these qualities in mind, Mu Jin couldn’t bring himself to ignore what was happening to Jian Minghui’s subordinate.
Thus, while Lou Bin was administering the fever medicine to Shi Haoyu, Mu Jin discreetly infused him with a strand of energy.
Mu Jin’s intention was to investigate the root cause of Shi Haoyu’s condition, hoping to trace the source and uncover the culprit behind this attack.
To his surprise, as soon as Mu Jin’s energy made contact with Shi Haoyu, the latter’s body gave a noticeable shudder. Immediately afterward, Mu Jin sensed a presence—an external force—that had been leeching Shi Haoyu’s vitality. The force surfaced briefly, its energy lines becoming discernible, before dissipating completely in an instant.
The sheer fragility of the opponent’s mechanism puzzled Mu Jin. It felt as though whoever was responsible feared detection, retreating the moment they sensed any interference.
Regardless of the true intentions behind the attack, one thing was certain: Shi Haoyu was now out of danger, and Mu Jin’s timely intervention had made all the difference.
Feeling relieved, Mu Jin turned to Jian Minghui and nodded, offering a reassuring, “He’s fine now.”
Jian Minghui let out a sigh of relief after hearing Mu Jin’s reassurance. He had unwavering faith in his lover’s judgment.
Meanwhile, after being well-received by Jian Zhengqing, the group from Lecheng Base had their fill of food and drink before retiring to the accommodations prepared for them.
Late into the night, after ensuring everyone was settled, Pei Zijin walked quietly to the door of the most spacious bedroom on the third floor’s right side. He raised his hand and knocked softly.
It was a long while before he heard the sound of the door lock turning. Pei Zijin took a deep breath and pushed the door open, revealing the man who had been wearing a hat and mask earlier. Now, with both removed, the man sat quietly on the edge of the bed.
His waist-length hair draped casually over his shoulders, and his previously disguised black irises had returned to their natural, striking red color.
The man’s ethereal, almost divine beauty made Pei Zijin’s breath hitch. He quickly suppressed his admiration, knowing the man disliked such gazes directed at him.
Forcing a smile, Pei Zijin did his best to present himself in the most favorable light, though it seemed to make no difference. The man before him remained completely indifferent.
Pei Zijin took another deep breath and said respectfully, “Your Majesty, this is Pingcheng Base. The ability users who welcomed us earlier are all exceptionally strong.”
“Additionally, their stockpile of firearms, ammunition, and advanced weaponry is substantial, making them the most powerful force in the northern region. I believe that once we take over Pingcheng Base, Lecheng Base will gain the strength to conquer and unify the other bases in no time.”
After speaking, Pei Zijin kept his eyes fixed on the man, awaiting a response. Yet, the man merely nodded, his expression unchanged and devoid of any visible emotion.
Pei Zijin clenched his teeth in frustration but had no choice but to accept it. He turned and left the room, a bitter taste lingering in his mouth.
Pei Zijin always addressed the Zombie Emperor with the utmost respect, referring to him as Your Majesty. The Zombie Emperor was notoriously taciturn, rarely speaking, and had never disclosed his name.
At first, when this powerful Zombie Emperor sought him out, Pei Zijin was consumed by fear. Despite the Emperor’s otherworldly, almost divine beauty, it was clear he was not human but an undead creature.
Fortunately, the Emperor did not immediately tear out his throat. Instead, after capturing Pei Zijin, he simply stared at him for an uncomfortably long time.
Pei Zijin had no idea what the Zombie Emperor did to him, but in an instant, his ability rose from Level 2 to Level 4, making him one of the most powerful ability users in Lecheng Base.
This transformation left Pei Zijin ecstatic. He cared little whether the Emperor was human or zombie; as long as he could grow stronger, he was more than willing to serve under the Zombie Emperor’s command.
Initially, Pei Zijin assumed the Emperor’s unusual attitude toward him indicated some special interest. However, over time, it became clear this was not the case. Apart from issuing occasional orders, the Emperor would sometimes fix his gaze on Pei Zijin, as though looking past him toward someone else entirely.
Whenever Pei Zijin asked if the Emperor had any specific demands, the Zombie Emperor only ever gave one answer: to go to places where humans gathered.
Pei Zijin couldn’t fathom why a zombie would be so intent on entering human settlements without preying on them. Yet, he knew one thing with certainty—without the Zombie Emperor, he would be nothing.
Even if the Zombie Emperor only saw him as a tool, Pei Zijin was determined to cling tightly to the Emperor’s power. Moreover, the Zombie Emperor seemed to have no interest in power himself, leaving all the affairs to Pei Zijin and allowing him to gain immense influence at Lecheng Base in a very short time.
This fueled Pei Zijin’s ambition, and he began to fantasize about using the Zombie Emperor to become the ruler of all humanity. After all, this was the apocalypse, a time of chaos, and chaos often gives rise to heroes. He realized that becoming the ruler of humanity was not entirely impossible.
However, Pei Zijin still had one lingering question: who exactly was the Zombie Emperor searching for?
Was it someone who looked like him? The thought of being a mere substitute for someone else filled Pei Zijin with a strong sense of impending danger.
Although the Zombie Emperor possessed immense power, he had never intentionally harmed ordinary humans. While he was indifferent to human life, he didn’t seem to take pleasure in killing, which Pei Zijin found odd.
It seemed as though the Emperor was simply searching for something, but he didn’t mind Pei Zijin using his power to act.
But Pei Zijin knew that he wasn’t the person the Emperor was truly looking for. If he were, he could have simply told the Zombie Emperor and commanded the zombies to overwhelm the base. Taking over any base would be effortless.
However, despite Pei Zijin’s indirect hints, the Zombie Emperor paid no attention to his suggestions. No matter how much he spoke, the Emperor only occasionally stared at him in silence, which left Pei Zijin feeling deeply frustrated.
Not sure i like the way the author is handling the Shadow, it seems it was rly solved by itself adding a love interest out of nowhere, which, ok good for the pitiful creature but it almost killed them so many times