Chapter Forty-Six: The Great Battle Looms

Whether it was humans, zombies, or mutated beasts, all were truly insignificant in the vastness of this universe.

In that fleeting instant, Ma Yi felt a chill run through his entire body. His own conjecture had startled him so much that he almost jumped out of his skin. Yet, even if his guess were correct, he might never leave this place for the rest of his life, and thus would never be able to prove it.

The Zombie Empress was indeed worthy of her title, for her close-combat skills were sharp and intuitive. She was quite satisfied with this new technique, and now her confidence in taking revenge on the other side had grown even stronger.

Ma Yi sat atop a boulder, with Li Li standing behind him, her slender fingers gently massaging his temples. She didn’t know what had caused his sudden headache, but it didn’t stop her from faithfully performing her duties as his servant.

Even though Ma Yi now possessed such a powerful body, the inexplicable pain in his head made him curious about himself. As the pain slowly subsided, Ma Yi noticed that everything in his field of vision seemed different. Where once he could see objects five or six miles away, they now appeared before him with crystal clarity, as if they were within arm’s reach.

More importantly, as his eyesight sharpened, Ma Yi’s body began to grow. It was as if his vital meridians had suddenly been unblocked.

Li Li, still kneading Ma Yi’s temples, suddenly sensed something amiss. Looking down, she was utterly shocked. Ma Yi, who had been just under a meter tall, was now visibly growing before her eyes—one meter, one point one, one point three.

The Zombie Empress also paused in her training, gazing at Ma Yi who had closed his eyes, seemingly savoring the sensation. The tiny form that once resembled a bean sprout was now shooting up rapidly.

One point seven meters—the height Ma Yi had once possessed—he now reached in a flash.

He exhaled a breath of turbid air and opened his eyes, examining himself. His body was well-proportioned, his muscles not overly pronounced. He seemed even a bit less imposing than a first-level mutant. Yet as Ma Yi slowly clenched his fists, he felt as though he held air itself in his grasp. Each finger trembled rhythmically, radiating an aura of mystery. What had he done? What had he realized? Thinking back, Ma Yi couldn’t recall having done anything or gained any insight.

Li Li, looking at the young man before her, remembered that Ma Yi had once told her he used to have a normal body, though for reasons unknown he had shrunk. Perhaps this was his original form. Though he wasn’t especially handsome, his appearance and bearing now exuded a calm and unshakable strength.

The Zombie Empress cared nothing for Ma Yi’s change in height; what mattered was the new feeling he gave her. If before, Ma Yi had been a rushing river she admired and envied, now he was a surging ocean, so vast she could no longer feel envy—only awe. The aura of lofty dominance lingered in her heart, much as she herself might feel when looking down at an ordinary zombie.

Ma Yi looked down, satisfied, at his restored form and nodded with approval. Since his amnesia, even his body had shrunk along with his memories; now, not only had it returned, it had doubled in size. This pleased him greatly.

Li Li gazed at Ma Yi, mesmerized. Now, besides his composure, there was a subtle, indescribable quality about him, one that truly captivated her.

Ma Yi rose and moved about, reacquainting himself with his restored body. He was now more than twice as strong as before.

Moreover, Ma Yi could now transform at will, shifting between a battle form and his normal appearance as he pleased.

In his transformed state, his power increased severalfold. He had never imagined that gaining strength could be so effortless. The sudden breakthrough brought undeniable joy, and he now sensed certain special abilities—gifts from that bizarre eyeball.

Not only could Ma Yi rapidly heal his body, but his blood now contained a peculiar substance—spores, perhaps—that could turn a zombie or any living being into his progeny, endowing them with formidable regenerative abilities. Severed limbs could regrow. The only drawback was that those healed by his blood—whether human or zombie—would never surpass his own strength.

These spores hidden in Ma Yi’s blood were under his control. Once inside another being, they would quickly take root and sprout, even influencing the host’s mind, compelling them to respect and even worship Ma Yi. After all, he was their source. With a mere thought, Ma Yi could trigger these spores to explode from within, turning their host into a living time bomb.

The Zombie Empress watched Ma Yi. In her perception, though he stood only one point seven meters tall, an immense darkness radiated from him, so intense it distorted the surrounding space. Had Ma Yi not withdrawn his aura, even she might have been compelled to kneel and worship.

Centered on the mountaintop, every zombie—regardless of type—cowered in terror on the ground. This oppressive presence was overwhelming, unlike the Empress’s raw power. Ma Yi’s aura carried an ancestral dominance, making the zombies feel utterly crushed; they could not even lift their heads.

Higher-level zombies nearby watched Ma Yi warily. Though his energy had receded, they had witnessed his transformation. They were no fools like the common undead below; displaying obedience was now their best strategy.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you all? Get up,” Ma Yi called out, turning to see the zombies prostrated on the ground. Only Li Li and the Zombie Empress remained standing before him. At his words, the zombies struggled to their feet, though their trembling muscles betrayed their anxiety.

“Just carry on as before,” Ma Yi reassured them, realizing his change had clearly exerted a greater influence on the zombies. For now, he had no intention of recruiting followers. It was best to help Li Li take her revenge and return quickly to P City, avoiding further complications.

“You’re truly terrifying,” the Zombie Empress muttered, flustered, prompting a silly grin from Ma Yi. He couldn’t tell whether it was his newfound strength or her discomfort that amused him more.

At last, with the determination to settle everything in one decisive battle, the Zombie Empress set out with her mighty horde of millions.

Ma Yi’s approach was far more relaxed. Two J4s carried a makeshift palanquin, on which Ma Yi lounged at the rear of the procession. He beckoned Li Li to join him, her light weight no burden to the J4s in the least.

The Zombie Empress sat upon the shoulder of a J5, placing herself in the center of the horde to ensure its orderly advance. Along the way, whether mutated beasts or insects, all gave way before the countless zombies. Occasionally, a bold beast or insect would attack the edge of the horde, only to be swiftly dispatched by the S-class zombies lurking along the perimeter.

Even at rest, the horde covered four or five kilometers of ground. When in motion, it stretched nearly twenty kilometers. The vanguard had already advanced twenty li ahead, while the rear was just setting out among the forested hills. Ma Yi, only now departing, gained a true sense of what a horde of a million looked like. No wonder ancient armies were organized in units of ten thousand; anything larger was simply unmanageable.

Meanwhile, the distant Southern Base soon received reports from its scouts. The base was thrown into chaos. Unlike Changfeng Base, the Southern Base boasted nearly six hundred thousand inhabitants, with only half being mutants; most had been absorbed from subordinate settlements. Not long ago, the base had endured attacks from mutated beasts and an onslaught of insects.

In the command center, seven or eight leaders convened. Despite the approaching horde of millions of zombies, these decision-makers remained calm.

The common mutants and civilians might not understand, but these leaders knew well: the Southern Base still possessed over a dozen high-end long-range weapons. If the situation became truly dire, a single strike could change the tide of battle. Moreover, as one of the top-tier bases, they possessed formidable combat power.

Their so-called top-level warriors were almost unbelievable. In less than a year since the apocalypse, these elite bases had managed to cultivate mutants up to level seven. Their classification system had nine levels; level nine mutants were no longer considered evolutionary beings, but akin to legendary immortals of myth.

The Southern Base had trained two hundred teams of special forces, martial artists, and fighters—yet in the end, only five survived. These five had consumed enough soul fragments to elevate thirty thousand mutants to level four, and thus broke through to the legendary seventh level.

Level six, the grandmaster class, was also formidable. The elder who had beaten the Zombie Empress before was a level six grandmaster—able to walk on air. Within the great bases, mutants were strictly ranked: level one were mere menials, level two barely skilled, level three fighters, level four elites, level five masters, level six grandmasters, and level seven legends.

Even levels eight and nine had been named: Overlord and Mythic, respectively—a testament to humanity’s deep study of evolution, for mutants were their last line of defense against all outside threats.

Orders flew from the command room. Massive numbers of mutants assembled on and outside the city walls, fully prepared for battle. Forty percent were soldiers, their discipline evident as tens of thousands stood silent, methodically cleaning their weapons. In the front lines, howitzers and heavy machine guns were neatly arrayed, with crates of ammunition stacked nearby. On the walls, anti-aircraft guns were aimed downward, ready to cover retreating mutant troops.

All preparations were complete. No non-combatant was allowed to move about inside the base; violators would be executed on the spot under martial law. Snipers manned the watchtowers—not to repel zombies, but to prevent any internal unrest among the civilians.

The final preparations had been made. The storm was about to break.