Chapter 124 - Foreign Friends
Unedited
Shi Kun didn’t know a single thing as to how the oracle-welcoming ceremony was done, but he was extremely excited. Not only did he take out a silver-grey suit he had always hidden in a box to wear, his subordinates had also changed beyond recognition, and he even specially sent over a set of gorgeous clothes to Yu Xuguang.
Although Yu Xuguang was dressed as a woman, they had mainly messed with his voice, hair, and face. The clothes he usually wore were just sports clothes that were convenient for battle.
Speaking of, if he disguised himself like this pre-apocalypse, perhaps he would have been seen through in a short time, but now, there was no lack of women who were even more powerful and rougher than men, so the others also thought that he was quite normal.
His skin was even in a better condition compared to many of those women who were often exposed to the elements…
Probably because he didn’t need to act coquettish, Yu Xuguang wasn’t opposed towards disguising himself as a woman, and sometimes would even forget he was a ‘woman’, up until he saw these clothes.
He used to be ridiculed by his elder sister for having a straight man’s aesthetics, which he had firmly denied, thinking that his aesthetics were perfectly normal. But now, after closely examining this set of clothes, he had to admit that a straight man’s aesthetic was quite horrifying.
What’s with these tights, red tweed skirt, and light yellow coat? Hehe!
He liked seeing other people dress in bright colours, but that definitely didn’t mean he wanted to dress brightly himself.
Moreover, Shi Kun even said that if he didn’t wear it, he wouldn’t bring her out!
Although Shi Kun just said it because he wanted to see him change clothes, Yu Xuguang still gritted his teeth and put on the clothes. If he insisted on not wearing it, he would probably still be able to partic.i.p.ate in the ceremony with Shi Kun, but Shi Kun most likely wouldn’t allow Nie Yi and the others to go… And they all wanted to check out the ceremony.
It was nothing when Yu Xuguang put on the clothes, but after the man in their team who knew makeup dug out cotton from the inside of a quilt and stuffed it in the female underwear he was wearing, shaved his face gain, then helped his fix his brows and put on light makeup, he instantly turned into a tall and large beauty, and was even the type that Shi Kun liked the most.
“Nie shao, do you guys have some sort of plan?” Looking at his greatly changed self in the mirror, Yu Xuguang spoke.
“I want to save two people,” Nie Yi said. He didn’t conceal it either, and directly explained what he was going to do. “Shi Kun cares about you a lot, and will probably take you away when the ceremony ends and he leaves. You’ll leave with him, then provide us support from outside. We’ll stay behind, then immediately come to you after saving them.”
“Nie shao, we all have some ammunition on us. Do you guys also want to hide some on you?” Yu Xuguang opened his luggage and showed it to Nie Yi.
Yu Xuguang and his men had brought the best ammunition from B City secure base, and they were all compact and convenient to carry. Nie Yi studied them. Thinking about how, if Shi Kun and the others left early, they could possibly save them by tonight, he took two to keep on him. Seeing this, the others also concealed some on themselves.
Yu Xuguang also wanted to do this, but suddenly remembered that he wasn’t wearing loose clothes like the rest, so much that there was simply nowhere he could hide anything… In the end, he gritted his teeth and simply took out the cottons on his chest, shoved in bombs, and put the cotton back in.
His chest instantly became much larger.
When they went downstairs, Shi Kun and his people were eating. Seeing Yu Xuguang, Shi Kun’s eyes were practically glowing, his gaze stuck on Yu Xuguang. “Your figure is surprisingly good!”
“Something like figure is directly tied to the size of your underwear!” Yu Xuguang said unhappily. The undergarments he wore today had a very thick sponge; even if he didn’t stuff in cotton, he would still have b.o.o.bs even if he was flat. But after stuffing things…
Yu Xuguang spoke quite frankly, but Shi Kun was very amused. “Don’t worry, even if you’re flat, I won’t hate it!”
“…” Yu Xuguang simply couldn’t understand how there were people constantly thinking about hitting on women even during the apocalypse… However, as the son of a small secure base chief, Shi Kun lived life extremely comfortably and he probably hadn’t experienced much of the cruelty of the apocalypse.
After everyone tidied up and waited for half an hour more, the guide they had previously met came to pick them up, then brought them towards the inner city.
Where they headed wasn’t the place where Nie Yi and Qi Jingchen had previously climbed the wall, but the other side of the inner city. Upon reaching there, Nie Yi realised that the place had a huge plaza that could hold quite a lot of people.
This plaza was large and was near the side of the inner city; it also had a stage about a metre taller than other places. Just this stage was enough to fit a few hundred dancing people.
The podium took up a lot of s.p.a.ce, and several chairs were arranged on both sides. At the center was a platform, which should be where the S City secure base people gave their speeches.
The stage was already surrounded by many shadow guards, standing about six metres away from where the people supervising needed to be, not approaching, nor did anyone dare to approach.
“Every secure base can send a representative and two bodyguards.” The guide pointed at the chairs placed on both sides on the stage while speaking.
Shi Kun nodded. Their secure base representative was naturally himself. As for the two bodyguards…
“Can I go with you to take a look?” Yu Xuguang suddenly asked, and even gave Shi Kun a smile.
“Of course you can.” Shi Kun suddenly felt overwhelmed by favour; it had to be known that though he had been wholeheartedly fawning over Yu Xuguang, Yu Xuguang simply didn’t give him a chance, and was even the strongest among those not in his team when it came to killing zombies outside the cityk2026; Him diligently courting Yu Xuguang was honestly because of Yu Xuguang’s strength as well.
Yu Xuguang gave Shi Kun another smile and walked up the stage together with Shi Kun. When they went up, someone came to verify their ident.i.ties, and even checked their abilities, making them go through a security check channel.
Yu Xuguang was stunned upon seeing this; he had two bombs hidden in his chest! He was very careful when walking through the security check, and his heart was constantly raised. However, nothing happened at all.
Who knew what sort of advanced technology the bomb B City had given to him was… Yu Xuguang followed behind Shi Kun up the stage, and finally relaxed.
Shi Kun had a seat, but Yu Xuguang had not, and could only stand behind Shi Kun.
Of course, his treatment was already considered pretty good. Nie Yi and the others not only had to stand, they also had to squeeze between tons of people.
Now it was already the beginning of spring, but the entire world didn’t have blooming flowers like the springs of the past. Even the crops grown in gla.s.s greenhouses by the secure base and watered by water ability users didn’t have much growth.
This made many people extremely worried. Some of the secure base leaders were even suffering from insomnia over this, but this didn’t include people from S City secure base.
Once the people who believed in the dark G.o.d saw the dark G.o.d scriptures, they firmly believed that as long as they went through transformation and became the dark G.o.d’s people, they would be able to adapt to this life in a world filled with darkness.
“I don’t know when I can apply to be an oracle!”
“Oracles aren’t afraid of zombies at all, and can even control zombies; as long as I become an oracle, I don’t have to be afraid anymore!”
“That’s right. What a pity we’re ordinary people; right now, only ability users can become oracles…”
…
Everyone was discussing spiritedly. When Nie Yi and Qi Jingchen heard the conversation, their expressions couldn’t help but turn grave.
Once the ten o clock bell sounded, some people dressed in black robes walked up the stage. At the same time, a woman in black robes floated over from afar… Who else could it be but Yao Mengzhi?
Both Nie Yi and Qi Jingchen were able to instantly guess the woman’s ident.i.ty. Once Qi Jingchen saw that woman’s face, his face even became slightly pinched.
In his last life, he had also once loathed this world. It was only after he killed everyone who had once harmed him that he felt that it was meaningless and then became disinclined to kill anyone anymore, but unexpectedly he had left out such an enemy. Back then, that woman had cut off quite a lot of his flesh.
Yao Mengzi’s ‘flight’ towards the stage was through her wind ability.
Presently, wind ability users haven’t learnt such a move yet. Bubbling black mist also covered her body, making people feel that this was a divine skill.
The fanatical believers all knelt down upon seeing this. Those who originally weren’t fanatical believers had no choice but to kneel as well. For a time, there was a magnificent wave of people kneeling in the plaza.
Nie Yi and Qi Jingchen shared a look, and both knelt on one knee.
Qi Jingchen could sense the anger emanating from Nie Yi. He didn’t dare console Nie Yi with his ability and could only caress Nie Yi with his spiritual strength bit by bit to comfort him.
Yao Mengzi had already begun speaking onstage. She was a wind ability user, and her resounding voice transmitted into the ears of everyone present through her ability, allowing the believers to become even more fanatical. Her face also turned even more satisfied.
She once personally witnessed certain religions being so well-received at the start of the apocalypse in her last life. To possess power as soon as possible, she delivered some scriptures she had thought of in her last life and began spreading the Dark G.o.d Cult.
The name was a little simple, but wasn’t it precisely such a name that was easiest to remember? What a pity that the ability Qi Jingchen awakened to was different from in their last life, so much that she ended up being exposed ahead of time.
If back then Qi Jingchen had awakened to a dark ability or simply did not awaken at all, she just had to kill Yu Xuguang and could have stayed hidden for a very long time!
She spoke for quite a while, then recited a part of the scripture before saying, “This time, there’s altogether 40 oracles. Which secure base they’ll go to will be decided by themselves.”
As she spoke, a few black-robed people walked onto the stage. Yao Mengzi also swept her gaze across those small secure base people.
Yu Xuguang lowered his head, not daring to let Yao Mengzi see his appearance for fear of her discovering his ident.i.ty. However, when Yao Mengzi didn’t notice him at all, he also felt a little frustrated and disappointed.
He once was deeply in love with Yao Mengzi. Regardless of how much Yao Mengzi changed, he felt that he would still be able to recognise her. However, he was now standing so near, yet Yao Mengzi was completely unaware.
This feeling came very suddenly, and Yao Mengzi swiftly suppressed it before looking at the oracles.
These oracles should all be clear-headed, but their appearances… weren’t all that different from shadow guards.
“Before the oracles select their mainstay, we shall conduct a sacrifice.” Yao Mengzi’s voice rang out once more. “G.o.d will bless all his people, but G.o.d despises those who disobey him. He will kill them, and we should help them die, allowing their souls to enter h.e.l.l and receive G.o.d’s punishment. G.o.d will make them have faith in G.o.d, then be reborn.
“G.o.d requires the offering of soul sacrifices, and those disrespecting G.o.d will offer their own flesh and blood,” Yao Mengzi continued. Following her words, four people were brought up.
There was a smile on her face and her eyes swept across the area. She knew that Nie Yi and Qi Jingchen were very possible below her, watching all of this.
Her mood suddenly improved.
The four that were brought up were all men. The weather was still very cold right now, but they were only wearing briefs, revealing the scars marring their upper bodies.
They were all people Nie Yi recognised! Aside from the two past friends he had previously seen in the metal cages at the entrance, there were also two of his former schoolmates.
The emotions Qi Jingchen had pacified fell into disorder once more. Nie Yi suddenly realised that perhaps Yao Mengzi had long known he was here!
Yao Mengzi did this because she wanted him to make a move at a crowded, public place!
If it was in his last life, Nie Yi definitely would attack without hesitation. Even if it were a trap, he would still charge in. After all, while he wasn’t a good person, he wouldn’t consider implicating others.
But now, when thinking of Qi Jingchen, he couldn’t help hesitating.
His life was bound to Qi Jingchen’s.
While Nie Yi was silent, the situation onstage had changed once more.
Four people went onstage at some unknown time and were unexpectedly holding knives. Then, they began peeling off the flesh on the arms of those four people. Their movements were extremely slow, and the cut flesh was a very thin slice. They even caught the pouring blood with cups.
While other people didn’t understand the meaning of this, Qi Jingchen did.
In his last life, wasn’t he treated precisely like this?
But when he saw this scene, he unexpectedly wasn’t too angry— After all, all of that was the past. His life had already gone through a complete change.
But even if he wasn’t angry, there were some things that had to be done.
Qi Jingchen knew of Nie Yi’s apprehensions. However, he wasn’t willing to watch helplessly as other people were implicated by them either.
Yao Mengzi wanted them to come out, but so what if they did as she wanted? Was he, Qi Jingchen, afraid of this?
Moreover, Yao Mengzi was now at the scene. If he and Nie Yi went for it, they would be able to capture her, and perhaps be able to control the battle situation… Even if his ability had changed, he still had his fighting abilities.
Qi Jingchen made a decision and was about to get up when the rumble of a helicopter suddenly rang out. Immediately after, three helicopters appeared above them and began circling around, finally even stopping at an empty s.p.a.ce by the stage.
With the ceremony suddenly interrupted, Yao Mengzi looked at the three helicopters with a frown. Then, she saw a young person emerging from the first helicopter that landed, who was looking at the stage.
Yao Mengzi didn’t recognise this youth, but Yu Xuguang onstage recognised them in a glance. The person before him was one of the people he had once guided in B City; his name was Shi Shiqing, ranked a lieutenant colonel, and was very powerful.
Why would this person be here? Yu Xuguang was astonished, while behind two helicopters emerged a group of foreigners with varied hair colours.
After the apocalypse struck, those stuck overseas basically had no way of returning, and the foreigners left in this country also had no way of going home. However, these foreigners seemed different…
“h.e.l.lo, we’re diplomats from Country O; I hear your base has a way to resolve zombies?” One extremely handsome young man in the group took a few steps forward, looking at the obvious leader, Yao Mengzi.
His Mandarin was more or less a little nonstandard, but his voice was extremely nice to hear. Paired with such a handsome face, he looked very alluring, but this obviously didn’t include Yao Mengzi.
Yao Mengzi merely felt unhappy when looking at this handsome foreigner. With her original plan suddenly interrupted halfway, her mood had already worsened.
But… If her teachings could be propagated… Even if it couldn’t, each of these people were powerful masters, and were good experiment materials, right?
“May G.o.d bless you… You can wait at the side for the ceremony to be finished,” Yao Mengzi said.
As she spoke, the shadow guards she was controlling had already moved over several stools to set onstage. These people moved in unison, just like marionettes, and looked hair-raising.
When the foreigners saw the present situation, although they didn’t understand what Yao Mengzi was planning to do, they still found a seat to sit down on. However, they clearly hadn’t learned that they should shut their mouths in such a situation.
“What are they doing?”
“Bloodletting? Why would they do that?”
“We shouldn’t harm our fellow humans any more!”
“All the surrounding soldiers look a bit like zombies, did you guys notice?”
“My G.o.d! Those people are simply identical to zombies!”
…
These people were speaking English, and their voices were soft, but as a top student, Yao Mengzi could understand every word.
There wasn’t the slightest change in her expression, and she merely said with a cold tone, “Continue the ceremony.”
The four continued their actions, peeling off another thin layer of flesh with their knives.
The injured four were all crying out from fear. Yao Mengzi had a way to shut their mouths, but didn’t do so, allowing their voices to echo into the distance.
“My G.o.d!” A brown-haired woman couldn’t help exclaiming.
“That’s too cruel; what crime did they commit?” another said.
“Shi! Why would they do this?” Someone even looked at Shi Shiqing who had brought them over.
“Do they truly have a way to resolve the apocalypse?” another asked.
When Shi Shiqing heard these people’s words, he felt a little awkward. Honestly, these foreigners were duped by them into coming…
After Yu Xuguang and the others reached S City, there had been no news, and Nie Yi and Qi Jingchen couldn’t be found either. The people of B City secure base were getting increasingly anxious, and decided to dispatch some people to S City secure base. However, they were also worried that it would be dangerous here and those who left would have taken a one-way trip once again.
At this time, a few helicopters arrived at the B City secure base. It was a group of people from O Country. They came to B City secure base because they wanted to know if their side had a way to fend off the apocalypse; this was related to how B City secure base had previously informed nearby nations of the way to cultivate their abilities.
However, B City secure base had no way of going against the apocalypse. Currently, all their hopes rested on Qi Jingchen… Recalling that Qi Jingchen might be near S City secure base, they simply found someone to lead the way for these people, then told them they could find a way to resolve the apocalypse in S City secure base.
These foreigners were thus brought here by Shi Shiqing…
Faced with their interrogations, Shi Shiqing didn’t know how to respond for a time. Turning his head, he unexpectedly met the gaze of a woman standing at the side. This woman also looked a little familiar.
Hold on, what woman? Wasn’t that Yu Xuguang? Shi Shiqing was stunned for a moment.
He had a pretty good relationship with Yu Xuguang, and honestly came here to find Yu Xuguang. However, he honestly didn’t think he would meet him at such a time…
Baobao Notes
A translation note: While Mengzhi and the foreigners both say G.o.d, the chinese version is slightly different. Mengzhi’s G.o.d is 神, which could mean any G.o.d, like in greek or roman mythology. However, the foreigners say 上帝, G.o.d, which means there’s only one G.o.d like in christianity and catholicism.