Chapter 26: An Ziyou

Chapter Twenty-Six

Mo Chen’s power as a level-four ability wielder was unleashed to its fullest, and the whip crackling with electricity lashed fiercely across Huang Shiqi’s body, paying special attention to certain parts. The victim’s screams echoed throughout the room, so harrowing that even the men who had previously been lost in their drug-induced stupor were jolted awake, their intoxication dissipating instantly.

Mei watched, amazed, as Mo Chen vented his anger on Huang Shiqi with graceful movements that betrayed no hint of brutality. To prevent disruption, Mo Chen quietly set up a barrier around himself.

“Ah Chen, that’s enough, don’t kill him! You should leave some for Yang Hao to have his turn, shouldn’t you?” Mei intervened when she judged that Huang Shiqi had suffered enough.

Considering that the Huang family still held supplies hidden somewhere, it would be unwise to kill him outright. Mo Chen finally relented, tossing aside the whip and walking over to Mei.

“Stop staring, the more you look at filthy things, the more likely you’ll get a stye!” Mo Chen blocked Mei’s view once again.

“I know, his body’s nothing to look at, and his face is even worse. I’m not interested!” Mei replied, annoyed.

Mo Chen was momentarily lost for words at her remark, only managing to say after a while, “Let’s go! We should head back.”

“What about these people?” Mei asked casually.

“They’ve got hands and feet; if they want to leave, nothing’s stopping them. Why should we care?” Mo Chen had no sympathy for the abducted men, nor did he despise them. He simply ignored their plight.

“Oh!” Mei shrugged indifferently and followed him toward the exit.

Just as they reached the door, a weak cry for help sounded behind them: “Please, save me!”

“That voice sounds so familiar! I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere before!” Mei paused, looking to Mo Chen for confirmation.

Mo Chen only looked puzzled. “Familiar? I didn’t notice anything.”

Ignoring him, Mei deftly sent several razor-thin blades of light toward the only man in the room who was bound, slicing through his ropes.

The man collapsed to the floor, struggling to rise, his head bowed as he murmured, “Thank you.”

Hearing his dry, hoarse voice again, Mei finally recalled who he was.

“So it’s you!” she exclaimed, then turned to Mo Chen, who still looked confused. “He’s the one we heard that night!”

With that, Mo Chen remembered. The man who had chosen to starve and fight zombies rather than submit to Huang Shiqi—a man of admirable backbone.

In an era where integrity was worth less than a bun, his refusal to give in was impressive.

Seeing that Mei intended to help him, Mo Chen walked over and draped a piece of clothing over the man’s shoulders.

“Can you move?”

“Yes, I can!” The man was stunned but quickly responded.

“Clean yourself up a bit. We’ll be leaving soon.” Knowing the man still had lingering effects in his system, Mo Chen tossed him the clothes and turned away, giving him space.

The man hadn’t expected them to take him along. Holding the clothes, he thanked them again and retreated to a corner to clean himself.

Fearing they might get impatient, he hurried, roughly and swiftly, soon dressed and standing before them, ready to follow, head lowered, his hair hiding his face.

Mei and Mo Chen paid no attention to the other men in the room, nor did they worry about being exposed by them. With Yang Hao about to take action, it mattered little if their presence was revealed.

After leaving the Huang residence, they regrouped with Ye Jingxuan. His pale face told them his experience had been far from pleasant.

Ye Jingxuan glanced at the newcomer, saying nothing. Ever since he’d learned what kind of man Huang Jue was, he found nothing odd about his son's proclivities. As the saying goes, with a crooked beam atop, the rafters below will follow; with such a father, how could the son turn out well?

The four walked back in silence, returning to where Mei and Mo Chen stayed.

Once Ye Jingxuan’s wounds healed, he went to the base for testing and received an apartment—one conveniently situated on the floor above Mei and Mo Chen.

Upon returning, they found Mo Chen’s room had been broken into, the door ajar and the place a mess. Tables and chairs had been smashed, likely by someone venting their frustration after finding nothing valuable.

“The door won’t close anymore, let’s go to my place,” Mei said after inspecting the damage.

Her own room had suffered some damage, but the door could still be closed. So Mei and Mo Chen, along with the rescued man, went to her apartment, while Ye Jingxuan headed upstairs.

The first thing Mei did was enter the bathroom, fill a large tub with water, and drop a red stone in. Once the water was hot, she indulged in a luxurious bath.

Emerging in clean clothes, she was surprised to find someone else in the apartment.

“Uh, Brother Ye, did your door break too?”

“Yes,” Ye Jingxuan nodded.

He hadn’t wanted to intrude, given that space was limited and Mei’s apartment now had three occupants. But as he’d gone downstairs to dispose of trash, Mo Chen, returning from outside, had pulled him in.

“Just stay here, then. Ah Chen has plenty of stuff in his space, so we can easily get another set of bedding. There's hot water in the bathroom—would you like a bath?” Mei offered without concern.

A bath?

Ye Jingxuan was tempted. In the apocalypse, bathing was a luxury. The base provided barely enough water for basic needs, let alone a proper bath. Being able to wipe oneself down was already fortunate enough; bathing felt like a memory from another life.

Mo Chen, thanks to Mei, bathed regularly. Though dirty from recent days, he could wait, so he let Ye Jingxuan go first.

Mo Chen’s space only held clothes in his own size, and Ye Jingxuan was half a head taller, making Mo Chen’s clothes unsuitable. Fortunately, Mei was a compulsive collector who had emptied many clothing stores, her space filled with outfits of all styles and sizes.

With Mo Chen’s cover, Mei provided Ye Jingxuan with a complete change of clothes, inside and out, and did the same for the man they had rescued.

“In a bit, you go clean yourself up, change into fresh clothes, and have a good sleep. When you wake up, it’ll all be over,” Mei said, placing a cup of hot water before the man, gently encouraging him.

Truthfully, she didn’t think what he’d suffered was all that terrible. What Huang Shiqi did to him paled in comparison to the methods nobles used on their purchased slaves—far less cruel, far more merciful. She treated it lightly, her attitude casual.

“Thank you.” The man drank, grateful. He could think of nothing else to offer them but thanks.

“Your voice… Are you An Ziyou?” Hearing him again, Mei finally realized why his voice had seemed so familiar.

An Ziyou instinctively looked up when she spoke his name. He hadn’t expected anyone to recognize him by voice, and saw surprise and even delight in her eyes, but no contempt or scorn. Even after seeing him at his lowest, she treated him naturally, which warmed his heart.

“Yes, I am,” An Ziyou admitted, nodding.

“No wonder your voice sounded familiar! An Ziyou, I’m Mei. I really love your songs! Your voice is distinctive, and every song you sing is wonderful. If your voice weren’t so hoarse now, I would have recognized you sooner!” Mei was genuinely pleased.

She truly adored his voice, downloading all his songs and carrying them everywhere to listen whenever she liked.

She’d never imagined she’d meet him in person, so now she was a little excited.

“I’m glad you enjoy my music!” Mei’s attitude reminded An Ziyou of his fans before the apocalypse, making him feel at ease.

Noticing his altered voice, Mei frowned slightly, went to the kitchen, poured a fresh glass of water, and added a drop from a crystal vial before handing it to An Ziyou.

Mo Chen watched Mei, rarely so enthusiastic, and couldn’t help but marvel at how fans behave after meeting their idols. Still, Mei was far more rational than the pre-apocalypse fans, so he merely observed without comment.

Mei and An Ziyou didn’t discuss anything but music. Mei was skilled with instruments and possessed unique insights into musical theory. After hearing An Ziyou’s songs, she’d become fascinated by the diversity of music in this world.

But music required leisure, and since arriving here, neither she nor anyone else had time for it. Now, having met someone who understood music, she couldn’t help but talk more.

An Ziyou had assumed she was just a fangirl, but after chatting, he realized she was accomplished in music, her insights and understanding surprising him. He quickly regarded her as a kindred spirit, and his voice gradually returned to normal, his demeanor relaxed.

When Ye Jingxuan finished his bath, he found Mei and the rescued man engrossed in lively conversation. He wondered if they were old friends.

“Brother Ye, finished your bath?” Mei, though absorbed in conversation, still paid attention to others in the room. Seeing Ye Jingxuan was done, she paused her discussion and went with Mo Chen to tidy up the bathroom.

“What do you plan to do with An Ziyou?” Mo Chen asked, watching Mei change the water and tub.

“What do you mean?” Mei tossed the red stone into the water and looked up, puzzled.

“Are you planning to let him travel with us, or leave him at the base?”

“I haven’t thought about it yet.” She’d been so caught up in conversation she hadn’t considered what to do. After thinking it over, she replied, “I’ll check his abilities tomorrow. If he has potential and wants to come, he can join us. If not, he can stay at the base. I’ll ask Yang Hao to look after him—no one will dare bother him again.”

Seeing Mei’s rational approach, Mo Chen said nothing more.

He’d worried she might impulsively bring An Ziyou along. They faced dangers from more than mere ordinary forces; an extra burden meant greater risk and trouble.

After everyone had bathed, Mo Chen brought out beds and bedding. Ye Jingxuan and An Ziyou settled into soft beds with clean quilts, feeling as if they’d stepped into another world.

When would this damned apocalypse finally end?