Chapter Sixty: Counterattack

In front of Ma Yi, Li Li boldly unzipped her jacket and made adjustments, the pale fullness spilling out halfway. Ma Yi took in the sight, shook his head with a wry smile. He admitted it was impossible not to be tempted, but after all he’d been through, he was no longer the same reclusive young man as before; his resolve was strong.

“Does it look good?” Li Li suddenly asked, her gaze flirtatious as she pressed her arms together, enhancing her allure. She smiled, watching Ma Yi as he turned his head toward the campfire.

“Hm?” Ma Yi glanced back in confusion, his heart pounding as he took in Li Li’s seductive pose.

“Not bad,” he replied calmly. She was his own, after all; he had nothing to worry about.

“Is that so?” Li Li laughed softly and moved closer to Ma Yi.

“We’ll be home tomorrow. Let’s rest well tonight,” Ma Yi said with quiet resignation as Li Li leaned against him. Aside from anticipation for returning home, he feared everything might simply be his own imagination.

“Mhm, I just want to hold you, my master,” Li Li murmured sweetly, embracing Ma Yi’s arm and resting her head on his shoulder. Tomorrow would mark the end of their time alone together; now, Li Li simply wanted to stay with him for even a second longer.

She wondered to herself: since meeting Ma Yi, had she fallen in love with him? Not exactly—he was a man worth relying on, someone she felt safe with. Her heart was comforted, and perhaps she liked him a little, but it wasn’t the kind of love that sweeps one away.

Inside the villa, the sisters shared a bed. Liu Xue slept soundly, while Liu Wen remained anxious about the situation outside. Before nightfall, Liu Wen went out again. Compared to the daytime skirmishes, the zombies were even more active at night, and some higher-level zombies had begun to mingle among the attacking horde.

The battle had reached halfway up the mountainside from the base. The villa’s defenders had lost all their sub-level three evolved zombies, while the twin-headed corpse king’s side had lost at least a third of its ordinary zombies.

Ruhua sat at the main gate of the villa district, with Iron Pillar standing beside her. For zombies, rest was optional; the ongoing deaths only increased the food demand for those coming after. As long as food was plentiful, zombies could fight endlessly.

“How many fighters do we have left?” Ruhua observed the battlefield, wary of a surprise attack from higher-level zombies, and glanced at Iron Pillar. At this point, only Ma Yi’s little brother was clear-minded enough to help her analyze the battle.

“We’re okay for now. No deaths among those above level three, and with food to spare, we can hold our ground unless their higher-level fighters show up. Still, those wounded in surprise attacks won’t make it till dawn.” Iron Pillar had just circled the small mountain to ensure no high-level zombies had broken through. All level four golden warriors were now concentrated in the villa district, forming concentric defensive rings around Ma Yi’s mountaintop villa. Nearby, six purple-gold patterned zombies sat calmly, the last line of defense to ensure the villa’s safety.

“Are we being too passive? If he were here, wouldn’t we have struck first already?” Ruhua looked at the warriors who’d lost much combat power, feeling uncertain. The defensive orders were hers, but now it seemed they were at a disadvantage; most low-level fighters were dead, and over time, their side would surely be worn down.

“Probably. No idea how the boss is doing. If he were here, he’d probably crush them outright. If it comes to it, we can try counterattacking tomorrow. I refuse to believe we can’t beat him with our group.” Iron Pillar glanced at their opponents’ high-level fighters. The other side had only two or three more level five warriors than theirs; their top-tier strength was about equal, except that the twin-headed corpse king was somewhat stronger. Otherwise, the high-level combat power was closely matched.

If it were only their corpse king, the villa’s purple-gold warriors might be able to take it together. But now, both sides were balanced at the top, and the other side had two or three more. Even with martial arts and fighting technique, their numbers only just made up the difference; gaining a real advantage seemed unlikely. After all, their corpse king was no pushover.

“Alright, after dawn we’ll counterattack. Better to risk everything than be whittled away. The corpse king is mine; leave two behind to guard the villa, send everyone else to battle.” Ruhua nodded, determined. If they couldn’t win, they’d fight desperately; in such a state, their combat power would be boosted, hopefully enough to drive the enemy back.

Iron Pillar gave no reply, only nodded, then quietly issued orders. Ruhua was the boss’s woman, but despite her words about taking on the twin-headed corpse king herself, Iron Pillar remained uneasy. He discussed with Hammer and the others: once the fight started, protect her at all costs. If things went badly, Whirlwind and the villa’s guardians would be responsible for escaping with the boss’s woman, while Iron Pillar and the rest would cover the retreat.

With plans made, the top-tier fighters waited in silence, escape routes agreed upon: westward, since the boss had left in that direction. Unbeknownst to them, Ma Yi was currently in the south, soon to return.

The night passed in relentless attrition. As dawn broke, Ruhua sprang up from her stone seat, high-level warriors gathered behind her: Iron Pillar, Hammer, Fatty, Whirlwind, several J5 warriors, even Rat King was pulled into the vanguard.

“Attack!” Ruhua shrieked. The villa’s warriors instantly shifted from defense to offense, their speed surging. Ruhua led the charge, plunging into the dense zombie horde. Limbs and torsos flew in all directions as the nine high-level fighters tore through the swarm like tigers descending a mountain, dragons entering the sea, pushing straight toward the twin-headed corpse king in the hope of settling the score quickly.

The twin-headed corpse king, previously subdued, was suddenly invigorated. Both heads roared in unison, dancing with excitement, its massive body shoving aside the J5 zombies encircling it, gleefully rushing to meet the challenge. The level five zombies hurried after, and the two sides clashed at the foot of the mountain. All low-level zombies moved aside, even those attacking the villa stopped, watching the battle below.

The twin-headed corpse king, nearly at the next evolutionary tier, stood over six meters tall, while Iron Pillar approached eight meters. Massive, tank-like bodies collided, joints grinding with ear-splitting sounds; dull blows resounded from their fists. Ruhua circled the enormous corpse king, slashing its body with her tail blade and claws, leaving faint wounds.

Yet the twin-headed corpse king, facing Ruhua’s relentless attacks, grew only more excited, licking its lips with both tongues, its dual heads brimming with thrill.

Dawn arrived. Because Ma Yi was eager to return home, he woke promptly. People are strange: when you long for something, your mind wakes you on time; when you’re indifferent, your biological clock ignores you.

There wasn’t much to pack; everything was in the car. Ma Yi washed his face, checked his reflection in the rearview mirror. Not bad—the smooth scalp, entirely hairless, lent him a fierce look, but he was more handsome than before.

“How do I look? Anything out of place?” Ma Yi asked Li Li, who inspected him. The wrinkles pressed into his clothes overnight had been carefully smoothed out.

“No, Master, you’re as handsome as ever,” Li Li replied with a smile. Now a second-level evolver, her confidence had grown. Ma Yi had always looked after her, and Spirit Shard consistently provided for her. Perhaps, one day, she might become a high-level evolver herself.

“Alright, let’s head out.” Ma Yi grinned, as happy as a child. Now, only a hundred kilometers remained to P City. Having left the earthquake zone, the road was still cracked but increasingly smooth. What was expected to be a two-hour journey took only an hour and a half before they reached the city’s border.

Crossing into P City, Ma Yi was instantly reminded of this north-south road that pierced the city—a coincidence, as the villa district lay right beside it. As long as he drove north, he’d quickly reach the villa, his home drawing ever nearer.

The car accelerated: one hundred ten kilometers an hour, one hundred twenty, until it roared at one hundred eighty.

“Screech—!” The brakes shrieked. Ma Yi remained still in his seat, while Li Li, even strapped in, was hurled forward, then slammed back into her seat.

Through the windshield, Ma Yi saw zombies standing fifty meters ahead. The entire view was filled with them.

“Hm? Do I have so many subordinates at home now?” Ma Yi, now no longer the towering figure he once was, found his shorter stature limiting his view.

“Are these all yours?” Li Li asked curiously, gazing at the mass of zombies stretching out of sight, much like the female corpse king.