Chapter 37: We Meet Again

As I moved along, a sense of excitement surged within me. It was clear that these zombified animals were vastly different from ordinary zombie humans. Among them, Dahuang acted like the king of beasts, with every call met by a thousand responses.

With the beast king Dahuang leading the way, I no longer had to worry about my mental energy being insufficient; I didn't need to waste any effort controlling this pack.

However, after this recent enhancement of my abilities, the bond between me and the zombie tiger Dahuang seemed to transcend a simple mental connection. It felt more like a resonance of souls, an indescribable, intuitive understanding.

I pondered to myself, realizing there were still many unsolved mysteries about my own being waiting to be explored. Once I rescued Xu Hanfeng and the others, I would have to head to the Southern Military District to unravel these secrets one by one.

...

Before long, we moved like ghosts, cresting the rolling mountains on the outskirts. The night sky in the distance looked like a piece of black satin, dotted with a few faint, flickering lights.

"We're finally here!" I whispered.

I remembered when I encountered the Jiang Family's Base No. 8, their towering sentry posts had stood like specters in the night; this base was surely no different.

"Air units, prepare to strike!" I commanded. My voice was as cold as a winter wind sweeping across a wasteland, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!" The zombified birds in the sky seemed to hear the summons. They spread their decaying wings and dove forward, moving with the speed of an arrow released from a bow, tearing through the eerily quiet night sky.

The guards on the sentry tower were clearly caught off guard by the sudden assault. With a muffled grunt, one man was struck by the powerful impact and sent flying like a kite with a broken string, plummeting into the darkness below with a heavy thud.

Seeing this, the guard on the adjacent tower turned pale. He frantically grabbed his walkie-talkie, his voice laced with unconcealable terror: "Report to headquarters! A large number of animals have appeared! Repeat, a large number of animals have appeared!"

Before he could finish, a swarm of zombie pigeons descended upon him, flapping their wings and letting out chilling, guttural coos. The guard’s eyes widened as if he had seen the most terrifying thing in the world; his body trembled involuntarily before he was swallowed by the flock.

I waved my hand, signaling the other zombie units to continue the assault. This night raid had only just begun.

***

The butler pounded on Jiang Yunjie’s door, his voice filled with anxiety and unease. "Third Young Master, Third Young Master, he’s here!" No sooner had the words left his lips than a burst of hurried footsteps echoed from inside the room.

The door was yanked open with a bang. Jiang Yunjie stood in the doorway, his expression cold and grim. He gritted his teeth and cursed, "He certainly knows how to pick his moments—playing a sneak attack in the middle of the night?"

"Gather everyone at the front gate!" With that, he turned and strode toward the command center, his steps vigorous and firm. His retreating silhouette radiated an air of unquestionable resolve and courage.

Above the base's main gate, the floodlights blazed, turning the night as bright as day. The mercenaries had already assembled, fully armed and grim-faced. They stood straight, like an impenetrable wall.

Jiang Yunjie scanned the area. Five machine guns were neatly mounted, their dark barrels gleaming coldly under the lights. Three light tanks within the base stood ready for battle, their massive frames exuding an overbearing dominance, while the remaining mercenaries waited for orders.

"Listen up, everyone!" Jiang Yunjie’s voice boomed, echoing through the night. "Prepare to intercept! Don't let a single enemy leave alive!" His words were sharp and powerful, like a military order that ignited the blood and fighting spirit of the mercenaries. In an instant, the base was thick with a murderous atmosphere, everyone poised to face the impending clash.

***

"Jiang Yunjie, we meet again!"

Out of the darkness, a figure riding a massive zombie tiger appeared before the gates of the Jiang Family's Survivor Base No. 9, like a knight returned from hell.

The searchlight beams locked onto me, casting the silhouettes of myself and the zombie tiger into sharp relief.

Standing before the gate, Jiang Yunjie curled his lip into a playful smile, though his eyes flickered with caution. "You really do know how to surprise me! Where did you find such a big tiger?" he asked, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"That’s none of your concern—it’s here to send you to your grave!" I replied coldly from atop the tiger, my tone brimming with mockery.

With that, I gently patted the spine of the zombie tiger beneath me. Sensing my battle intent, the beast let out a low growl that made the surrounding air tremble.

Jiang Yunjie’s smile didn't waver, but a glint of malice flashed in his eyes. "I thank you for the gift; this mount will be mine soon enough. Also, you said you were bringing a pack of animals to perform? Where are they?" he said leisurely, as if everything were under his control.

"Hahahaha—"

I suddenly burst into loud laughter, the sound echoing harshly through the night air. Then, my expression shifted, turning as dark as the sky before a storm.

"Boys! You must be hungry! Enjoy your feast!"

I waved my hand, as if conducting a silent symphony.

In the darkness, a series of rustling sounds erupted, and a wave of black shadows surged out like ghosts. In the pitch-black sky, the zombie birds launched their attack first, flapping their wings and shrieking as they dove toward the base gate.

The machine gunners on the gate began firing wildly into the sky, bullets raining down in a disorganized spray, clearly shaken by the suddenness of the scene.

Jiang Yunjie hadn't expected me to be able to mobilize so many zombie animals. His face turned deathly pale, his eyes filled with horror.

He retreated frantically, shouting, "Fire! Get them down for me!" Yet his commands seemed weak and futile, as the zombie birds in the sky had already seized total dominance.

Watching the air units move as if through empty land, an indescribable sense of exhilaration welled up inside me.

I leaned forward slightly, crossing my arms over my chest in an "X" shape. My gaze was steady and profound as I looked straight ahead. "Wakanda forever!"

"Charge!"

"Ram the gate! Slaughter anyone holding a weapon!"

I roared, my voice filled with resolution and dominance.

Dahuang, beneath me, let out a deafening roar. Carrying me, he lunged forward like a bolt of black lightning, charging straight at the base gate. The gate groaned and buckled under the violent impact of the zombie tiger and the pack of zombie dogs.

In the sky, the zombie crows and birds blotted out the light. Their piercing shrieks tore through the silence, and the sound of their wings beating was like the drumbeats of death—ominous and urgent.

On the ground, the pack of zombie dogs and other creatures surged forward like a black tide. Hunger glinted in their eyes, their sharp fangs gleaming in the moonlight; every leap was accompanied by the sound of tearing air.

Inside the base, the light tanks roared as they rolled into the fray...