Chapter Seventy-One: Following

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PS: Sorry for the late update, we had a basketball game at noon today!

After a full day’s journey, the three were exhausted. All around them stretched barren mountains and wilds—there wasn’t a single sign of human or zombie life.

“Let’s rest for a bit. I’ll go ahead and check the terrain. If it’s suitable, we’ll make camp here. It’s getting late…” Yue Qi had clearly become the backbone of the trio; his suggestions were rarely met with opposition.

“What do you think, Brother Xin?” To everyone’s surprise, Yue Qi actually sought Xin Zi’s opinion today, his gaze lingering on him with a half-smile.

“Me? Whatever you all decide…” Xin Zi gave Yue Qi a startled glance, then dropped his gaze again, lost in thought. Of the three, only Xin Zi carried any baggage—their companions’ belongings were stored in their spatial bracelets. Judging by his state, Xin Zi was clearly the most worn out.

“Very well…” A fleeting look of disappointment crossed Yue Qi’s eyes. He had wanted to see just how capable the son of the man known as the greatest strategist in the world truly was.

The sun had already dipped below the mountains, and a chill wind arose. Overhead, the dense trees, battered by the passage of time, shed their leaves in autumn; they fluttered down like butterflies, drifting gently to the earth.

The fire had already been lit.

Yue Qi and his companions were skilled and bold, unconcerned by the threat of zombies. Yue Qi had already scouted the terrain nearby; even if zombies did appear, they had ample escape routes.

The sight of roasted venison, golden and dripping with savory juices, made Xin Zi’s mouth water uncontrollably. Yue Qi truly had a knack for preparing game, and his bracelet contained plenty more of these fresh, well-prepared delicacies. Even better, Yue Qi had discovered a secret of the spatial bracelet: it preserved freshness.

Of course, Bai Lian explained that the space inside was completely isolated—a vacuum, really—so it would be odd if things didn’t stay fresh. Yue Qi was delighted by this; it meant they’d have a steady supply of fresh food on their journey.

The deer was large, and Yue Qi divided it into three portions. Paired with dry rations, the three ate heartily. Xin Zi, abandoning all scholarly airs, devoured his meal with gusto, his mouth slick with oil.

“Ahh… I’m stuffed!” Xin Zi patted his stomach in satisfaction, casting a pleased look at Yue Qi. In this post-apocalyptic world, having a bodyguard who could also cook was a true blessing!

“By the way, have you heard of a place nearby called the Dragon Burial Pit?” Xin Zi asked suddenly, turning to Yue Qi and Bai Lian after their meal.

“Dragon Burial Pit?” Yue Qi, nearly illiterate, had never heard of it. Bai Lian, however, gave Xin Zi a surprised look, put down the last piece of venison, and asked, “You mean the pit where animals turn to bones overnight?”

“That’s right!” Xin Zi’s excitement grew, seeing that Bai Lian was familiar with the tale. “I heard it doesn’t affect people, but if any animal enters, it’s reduced to bones by dawn. It’s said that Yun Xiao, the current head of the Three Pure Ones, investigated it as a disciple but found nothing.”

“Oh? I hadn’t heard that part,” Bai Lian admitted, all the more impressed by Xin Zi’s knowledge.

“Indeed! Since we’ll be passing by anyway, why don’t we take a detour and have a look?” Xin Zi suggested eagerly, then glanced at Yue Qi with a trace of doubt. “But, Brother Yue, I’ve heard that the Dragon Burial Pit can affect a cultivator’s spiritual power. I wonder if that’s true.”

“It can affect spiritual power?” Now Yue Qi was intrigued. He turned to Bai Lian: “Why not check it out? Who knows, we might find some treasure…”

His words had barely faded when a rustling came from the woods!

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“Who’s there?!” Yue Qi sprang to his feet, sword in hand, his gaze sharp as he stared toward the thicket. He readied a fire talisman, clearly prepared to set the woods ablaze if the intruder didn’t reveal themselves.

“Hey, hey, wait, Qi! It’s me!” called a familiar voice, and two shadowy figures gradually emerged in the firelight.

“Yun Sheng? Yu Qi?” Now it was Yue Qi’s turn to be surprised. How could they have run into these two—could it be…?

A sudden suspicion flashed through Yue Qi. He fixed Yun Sheng with a probing look. “Yun Sheng, were you following us?”

“Don’t say it like that, makes it sound so unpleasant!” Yun Sheng laughed, trying to cover his embarrassment at being discovered.

“You see, Yu Qi? It’s your fault! If not for you, we wouldn’t have been caught!” Seeing Yue Qi’s unfriendly expression, Yun Sheng hastily tried to deflect blame onto Yang Yu Qi.

“How is it my fault? Wasn’t it you whose stomach started growling as soon as you smelled the food? I just wanted a bite, that’s all!” Yu Qi pouted at Yun Sheng.

“Alright, alright, my fault!” Yu Qi’s expression was irresistible, and Yun Sheng quickly surrendered.

Ever since Yu Qi woke from her illness, Yun Sheng had cared for her, and their relationship had grown ever closer. Although Yu Qi still didn’t remember who Yun Sheng was, her attitude toward him was no longer cold or fearful.

“Wait! You still haven’t told me how you followed us!” Having grown up together, Yue Qi easily saw through Yun Sheng’s attempt to change the subject and fixed him with a mischievous look, forcing him to confess.

“Well, Qi, I knew if I asked to come along, you’d never agree, right?” Yun Sheng looked at Yue Qi’s expression and spoke with a long face.

“Of course not! You think we’re out here for a sightseeing tour? The camp is much safer. Besides, we don’t even know what dangers we’ll face out here. You can’t even protect yourself, not to mention you have Yu Qi with you. How can I possibly let you both tag along?” Yue Qi’s words were stern, his eyes full of reproach.

“Who says I can’t protect myself? I’ve trained with Yue Liang for so long—I can handle an ordinary zombie!” Yun Sheng puffed up his chest, trying to sound confident.

“And Yu Qi? What about her? If danger comes, are you just going to leave her behind?” Yue Qi glanced over at Yang Yu Qi, who was happily munching on food Bai Lian had given her.

“Well… that’s what you’re here for!” Yun Sheng replied, grinning slyly at Yue Qi and waggling his eyebrows.

“Get out of here! Don’t look at me like that—it’s disgusting!” Yue Qi, defeated, nonetheless spoke seriously: “Since you’re set on coming, don’t expect to be idle these next few days. I’ll have Lian teach you some things. We haven’t run into any zombies so far, but if we do encounter a horde, I won’t be able to watch out for you both!”

“Alright!” Seeing Yue Qi’s serious expression, Yun Sheng sobered and nodded.

“There’s just no dealing with you. Go ahead and eat—I’ll make you something.” Yue Qi glanced at Yun Sheng with resignation and fetched more food from his bracelet. The three had at least eaten at noon, but from the look of Yun Sheng, he hadn’t eaten all day.

“I can’t help it. I figured if you had a breakthrough on the road, you could help detoxify Yu Qi. I couldn’t wait for you to return!” Yun Sheng took the dry rations from Yue Qi and wolfed them down.

“Oh, please. Even if I wanted to reach that level, it’d take three to five years at least. Am I not coming back in all that time? Are you cursing me to die out here?” Yue Qi said, swatting Yun Sheng on the head with a twig.

For some reason, a flicker of envy passed through Xin Zi’s eyes, as if he longed for friends like Yue Qi’s, even in these troubled times. The thought brought a shadow of loneliness to his face.

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“How could I? But to be honest, even though the world’s dangerous now, I still want to see it. If I spent my whole life holed up in Yue Manor, the farthest I’d ever get is Qinghe Town. Now there’s a chance, even if it’s risky, it’s worth it…” Yun Sheng said, stuffing his mouth with rations and washing it down with cold water.

Yue Qi shook his head, helpless in the face of Yun Sheng’s determination. But he was his brother, after all. If his brother had a request, he would do all he could.

The night passed without incident—no zombies disturbed their meal or sleep. The group made do, bedding down around the fire. The most shameless of all was Yue Qi, who produced bedding from his bracelet and cast a sly look at the others.

The next morning.

Mid-Autumn had passed, and a chill mist hung in the air. It was cold, and everyone had to wear extra layers.

“Do you think we can reach the Dragon Burial Pit today?” Yue Qi asked Xin Zi, who was still bleary-eyed.

“No way. At our pace, it’ll take three to five days at least…” Xin Zi shot Yue Qi a look.

“Dragon Burial Pit? What are you talking about?” Yun Sheng asked, curious.

Yue Qi gave him a brief explanation, and Yun Sheng’s interest was piqued.

“That’s disgusting…” Yang Yu Qi blurted out. For a girl with a child’s mind, a place where so many animals had died was truly unsettling.

“Uh…” Yun Sheng heard and felt awkward, not knowing whether to comfort her or not.

“Haha, let’s just get moving, or we’ll fall behind schedule!” Seeing his friend flustered, Yue Qi was delighted and quickly urged everyone onward.

“By the way, Yun Sheng!” Yue Qi suddenly remembered something and pulled out a few first-tier scrolls and some mid-grade spirit stones from his bracelet. “Here, take these. If something happens and I can’t get to you in time, throw these—might save your life!”

“That’s… that’s not fair!” Xin Zi glared at Yue Qi. “Why don’t I get any?!”

“You’re the son of the second master of the Sword Manor. Don’t tell me you’re short on supplies—sort it out yourself!” Yue Qi grinned, delighted at Xin Zi’s reaction.

Amid laughter and chatter, the group set off once more. Their next destination: the nearby Dragon Burial Pit!