Volume One, Chapter 48: Jiang Chen’s Fury (Double-Length Chapter)

Fang Longcheng glanced around and whispered, “Let’s find a place to hide first, then call Jiang Chen.”

Everyone except Xue Qi was wounded to varying degrees; to fight again, they needed to break through the enemy’s defenses. Without breaking defenses, even those at the Vajra level would struggle to defeat the zombie.

After some estimation, Fang Longcheng calculated that the zombie was already at the third to fifth stage of Vajra, an exceptional strength.

They couldn’t hide in the village—it was the zombie’s territory. As for why they didn’t flee, the zombie’s dynamic vision was terrifyingly acute; it could quickly track their movements. Most of them were injured, and Fang Longcheng dared not gamble.

“Chong Li, I’m sorry. We misjudged the zombie’s strength,” Xu Congcong immediately apologized.

Xue Qi retorted, “Exorcising evil is her responsibility. What’s it got to do with us? It’s not like we forced her to come!”

Fang Longcheng snapped, “Enough! Contact headquarters for reinforcements immediately. We rest for now.”

Chong Li quietly packed her things. Supported by the others, they made their way to an abandoned field, the ground covered in tall wild grass that hid them from sight.

Under the moonlight, Chong Li took out a red cord, weaving it into layered patterns of the Eight Trigrams around them.

Black Dragon, battered from the fight, collapsed weakly into Xu Congcong’s arms. Their combat strength was pitiful now—none could face the zombie again.

Chong Li did not contact Jiang Chen. She was resolved to stake her life, to die with the zombie.

As she set up the formation, she brought out all her best techniques, waiting for the zombie’s arrival.

Within the Eight Trigrams, she deployed a double formation, an invention of her master, Qingfeng Daoist; each layer more powerful than the last.

Xue Qi tried to contact headquarters with the communicator, but what should have taken minutes dragged on for half an hour without success, puzzling Fang Longcheng.

Their eyes met unwittingly. Xue Qi said, “Sorry, Captain. The communicator’s been smashed.”

Fang Longcheng inhaled deeply, suppressing his anger.

If they died, so be it—sacrificing for the country was honorable—but Chong Li was different. They had brought her out without Jiang Chen’s consent. If anything happened to her, even death would not redeem them.

Click—

Click—

As the familiar sound echoed nearby, Fang Longcheng knew that tonight’s battle would end only in victory or death. Nothing else.

The zombie was near; they had no options left.

“Chong Li, please take Congcong and Black Dragon and leave. Xue Qi and I will hold him off. Tell Jiang Chen for me—sorry.” Fang Longcheng, a man who had always acted with a clear conscience, was determined to die with a good name.

Chong Li replied, “No. If I leave, you’ll have even less chance. Let Miss Xu take Black Dragon away; I’ll stay with you and hold him here.”

Fang Longcheng decided instantly, “Congcong, take Black Dragon and go. If we fall, just say it was my poor command.”

Xu Congcong’s tears streamed silently, but she did not hesitate—she turned and helped Black Dragon away.

Sentimentality had no place in battle, even for a girl like her.

Fang Longcheng glanced over his shoulder, sighing heavily. “Don’t move. Xue Qi, deal with the old woman. I’ll distract the zombie; everyone else, leave!”

Old Lady Mei now stood behind the group, leaning on her cane, their front blocked by the zombie. Without knowing it, they had been surrounded.

The battle was imminent—no words wasted, no hesitation, only a race for the initiative.

Fang Longcheng charged forward. His aim was to draw the zombie away, creating space for the others to escape—his duty as captain.

Meanwhile, Xue Qi drew his dagger and lunged at Old Lady Mei. Despite her age, when she crouched defensively, Xue Qi sensed something was wrong—her stance was nothing like an old woman’s.

Old Lady Mei swung her cane, its force slicing through the air. Xue Qi couldn’t dodge, so he blocked with his dagger. Sparks flew as metal met wood.

The solid cane shook Xue Qi back. Old Lady Mei gave him no respite; she understood the principle of pressing the advantage, and she was no exception.

From the start, Chong Li had circled, searching for an opening. Her direct combat was mediocre; her skills relied on Daoist arts.

Chong Li knew if she helped one of them, the other would be overwhelmed. The zombie and Old Lady Mei held back, waiting for her to act.

Xue Qi, sweating profusely as he fought the old woman, cursed inwardly. Who could’ve guessed that in such a tiny village, not only was there a zombie, but the old woman could even match his strength?

Chong Li gritted her teeth and decided to help Xue Qi first. She gripped her longsword and swept in from the side, Old Lady Mei raising her cane to block.

On the other side, Fang Longcheng found he could hold his own against the zombie at first, but when Chong Li aided Xue Qi, the zombie entered another state—like it had taken a stimulant.

Bang—

Several attacks came in quick succession, formless and chaotic, relying solely on brute strength to batter Fang Longcheng.

The zombie broke free from Fang Longcheng’s entanglement and leapt directly at the group.

Chong Li, forced into action, gripped a talisman and chanted, “Sun and Moon shine, Dragon and Tiger clash, Heavenly Soldiers descend!”

A yellow talisman shot out; instantly it split into nearly ten Heavenly Soldiers.

But they were only talismans, not real beings—only a temporary delay. She pulled Xue Qi into the Eight Trigrams array, then Fang Longcheng, while Xu Congcong, still searching for an escape, failed to break through.

Seconds later, the Heavenly Soldiers summoned by the talisman were torn to shreds, left as scraps.

Chong Li knew the burden was hers alone now. “Primordial Qi, All Laws as One.”

As the inner formation activated, Chong Li felt her strength draining away, as if her life force were being siphoned.

She had overestimated herself; the consumption of the double Eight Trigrams array was overwhelming. She could only maintain a bare defense, unable to unleash her full power.

Old Lady Mei and the zombie joined forces, exchanged a quick word, and the zombie charged straight in.

This array did not have the defensive power of the Vajra or Northern Dipper formations. After a few heavy blows, it became obviously unstable.

Old Lady Mei snarled, “Crash into them, harder! Their blood must be delicious. Eat their flesh and your power will increase even more.”

Weakness enveloped Chong Li. She knelt, barely able to sustain the formation.

Xue Qi said, “We’re doomed. At this rate we won’t hold out much longer. Should’ve gambled on running, maybe we’d have survived.”

Bang—

The last explosion knocked the zombie to the ground with tremendous force.

Yet even so, its body had not been breached.

Despair—deep, utter despair. Of their team, only one was at Vajra, the rest merely at True Qi; still, they could not break through this creature’s defenses.

Chong Li prepared for a final stand. Even Xu Congcong, whose combat ability was not strong, readied herself.

The zombie stood, each leap jarring the nerves of the group.

Beep beep—

Not far away, a Wuling van with high beams burst out from the grass, moving at shocking speed.

It looked for all the world like an off-road vehicle now.

Its performance was explosive.

The door opened, and Jiang Chen, dressed in patient’s clothing, stepped out.

His appearance was out of place among the group, but somehow, his arrival eased the oppressive atmosphere.

In the driver’s seat, Li Jing Beast held an IV bottle; Jiang Chen looked more like a fugitive patient.

Old Lady Mei frowned at Jiang Chen. Jiang Chen pointed at the zombie and said, “Die on your own, or I’ll help you. Choose.”

Old Lady Mei felt nothing unusual around her, but the young man’s presence was so overwhelming it seemed he could decide their fate in a single thought.

“Young man, perhaps there’s some misunderstanding between us. Maybe we can—”

Jiang Chen cut her off, “Damn it, you talk too much. Are you dying or not? If not, I’ll help you.”

Old Lady Mei: “So there’s nothing to discuss?”

Jiang Chen wondered if she was crazy. “Discuss a password? Go die!”

No one could stop Jiang Chen when he was angry; only killing would steady his Dao heart.

As he spoke, Jiang Chen flung a talisman. The zombie, remembering past encounters, knew it couldn’t let the talisman activate, so it lunged directly to tear it apart.

Chong Li, seeing the color of the talisman, was shocked. “Is that a purple talisman?”

Xue Qi asked, “What’s a purple talisman?”

Chong Li began to explain, but Jiang Chen interrupted, “A purple talisman that can buy your life…”

As he spoke, the zombie touched the purple talisman. In an instant, not only was the talisman undamaged, it transformed as soon as the zombie made contact. Thunder roared across heaven and earth.

“Ah—”

With a hoarse scream, lightning silently split the clouds above the moonlit night.

First, a pale purple bolt; then, one after another, each thicker than the last, the final one nearly a meter wide.

The zombie—whom they could not subdue—was finally breached by the purple talisman; its clothes were pierced and shredded.

As the thunder talisman dissipated, it was clear the zombie could not survive.

Old Lady Mei shrieked and rushed forward. Li Jing Beast wanted to stop her, but realizing he was helpless, retreated.

The wounded group could not prevent Old Lady Mei from leaving; they watched her carry away the zombie’s body.

Jiang Chen could have stopped them, but after exhausting himself saving others last time, he had not yet recovered, so he let her go.

With the zombie gone, Old Lady Mei could no longer do harm. Soon, a full search would have her apprehended.

Meanwhile, Su Yike arrived late in her car. Jiang Chen pulled out the needle from his arm and walked into the field.

Li Jing Beast rushed over and hugged Chong Li tightly. Tears streamed from Chong Li’s eyes.

Jiang Chen surveyed the members of Institute 509, a mocking look in his eyes.

Fang Longcheng knew his command had failed and lowered his head, intending to apologize later.

Xu Congcong and Black Dragon had nothing to say; they were grateful for their rescue.

Su Yike supported Jiang Chen, worried he might collapse again.

Xue Qi said, “Why didn’t you use that purple talisman to capture them all at once? Do you realize letting that old woman go will harm so many people?”

Fang Longcheng was stunned. He tried to pull Xue Qi back, but Xue Qi stubbornly stood before Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen patted Su Yike’s hand, signaling her to release him. She let go but held onto his sleeve.

“So you think I’m wrong?” Jiang Chen smiled.

Xue Qi’s momentum didn’t falter. “Aren’t you? You shouldn’t have let her go!”

Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes, nodding lightly. Xue Qi pressed on, “Don’t think I’m afraid of you just because you’re strong. What you did was wrong!”

Fang Longcheng realized trouble was brewing and made one last attempt to pull Xue Qi back, but before he could move, Xue Qi flew like a kite with a broken string.

Previously barely injured, Xue Qi now spat blood in torrents.

Fang Longcheng, unable to intervene, shielded Jiang Chen.

With a casual wave, Fang Longcheng was smashed into the ground. Jiang Chen said coldly, “I’ll deal with you later. If any of you dare block me, your whole team will die.”

Fang Longcheng lay on the ground, too weak to sit up.

Xu Congcong tried to plead with Li Jing Beast, but he simply said, “You should be glad my brother’s not your enemy.”

Xue Qi knelt, struggling to rise. Jiang Chen grabbed him with one hand, lifting him easily. “I’ve indulged you, let you think you can speak to me this way?”

“I don’t care about your unauthorized actions, but you brought my little junior sister for your own purposes—no need for me to spell it out. You wanted me to cover for you, to make Chong Li your talisman. You’re dreaming.”

Xue Qi, still coughing blood, his lips trembling, protested, “I... I’m a hero of Daxia. You can’t treat me like this!”

Jiang Chen threw him to the ground, indifferent to his injuries, then kicked him again, leaving him nearly unconscious.

“When I was seventeen, I alone blocked two thousand mercenaries at the Daxia border to assist in evacuating citizens. What were you doing then?”

“When I was sixteen, undercover in the Beautiful Country’s science department, destroying thirteen biochemical weapons labs. What were you doing then?”

“When I was negotiating with the flood dragon at the bottom of the Dragon Well, what were you doing?”

As Xue Qi was about to lose consciousness, Jiang Chen said, “Send your regional director to apologize, or I’ll pay him a personal visit!”