Chapter 669: A World Beyond Intervention
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming looked at the familiar face before him, his mind adrift with countless thoughts.
He wanted to say he would never consume flesh and blood again but feared that once said, Xiao Niu would know he had done so in the past and be disappointed.
He wanted to say he had finally found her, yet he understood he was nothing more than a failure.
He was nothing, just a subordinate to his past self in this world, where all actions depended on that past self.
He wasn’t Zhang Yiming; he was Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming, without the right to interfere in Zhang Yiming’s world...
"No way, you’re the class monitor, what are you afraid of?" Bai Xiqin said with a face of utter calm.
The class monitor was a top student and also the student council president, appearing warm and sunny, yet action-oriented, handling everything in the class and the student council in an orderly manner.
No one questioned his capability, nor did anyone doubt his character.
Such a person, Bai Xiqin believed he could control himself.
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming, upon hearing Bai Xiqin’s response, was transfixed by her serene face.
He thought that if she were to live in the world of the future, even if not by his side, the future world wouldn’t become a purgatory.
He would become the friendliest Zombie Emperor, never setting foot in any human safe zone.
However...
A hint of harshness flashed in Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming’s eyes as he slowly turned his face away, refusing to look into Bai Xiqin’s eyes.
Afraid that the harshness in his eyes would frighten Bai Xiqin.
Unfortunately... some self-righteous humans always sought out their own doom.
Those people, whether in the past or present, must die.
Even though he doesn’t belong here, even though he will forever be controlled by his past self.
He would not let those people go.
"What were you just about to say?"
Bai Xiqin noticed Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming’s emotions were somewhat unstable and changed the topic.
Sure enough, hearing Bai Xiqin’s voice, the harshness emanating from Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming subsided considerably.
"I was just about to say that this isn’t a cat, but a Chenghuang Divine Beast recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, capable of traversing time and space." Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming enunciated each word.
Once, Bai Xiqin wouldn’t have believed a single word, but with Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming and her future grandparents having returned to the present, she believed it.
Yet she still widened her eyes in shock.
"This chubby cat?"
Bai Xiqin incredulously pointed at the plump cat, feeling it was strange.
This cat ate a lot, its claws were quite painful too; she really hadn’t seen anything divine about it!
After all, it hung out with that bunch of fierce beasts in the space, looking much the same.
That bunch seemed a bit out of sorts.
"Hmm, that’s why you shouldn’t let others discover it, otherwise it would bring danger," Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming earnestly said.
In the future world, human Superpower Users expended great effort to locate Chenghuang, almost entering a mutual destruction mode.
It was only when Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming appeared and killed them all that he stopped them from slaughtering each other.
Hiding one’s achievements and fame.
"Definitely dangerous, then we won’t let it appear before others." Bai Xiqin curiously asked, "How can it take us to travel through time and space? How does it bring someone to their designated time?"
This was something Bai Xiqin was quite curious about.
"Grasp the neck."
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming thought for a while and uttered three words, adding a sentence for clarity,
"If it doesn’t cooperate, kill it."
That was indeed what he did, and after traversing, he still killed Chenghuang.
Such malevolent behavior.
Bai Xiqin: ...
Chenghuang: ...
"...Like this?"
Bai Yifan silently placed one hand on Chenghuang’s neck, exerting a bit of pressure.
Chenghuang: ...
"It probably requires specific time and conditions!" Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming stroked his chin, looking at the ethereal stars in the sky and said,
"The world indeed has two sides of Yin and Yang, besides our familiar Earth, there’s another Earth. These two Earths thrive separately in different spaces, Chenghuang is the key; it can traverse time and space within one Earth, journey to the past and future, and might even take us to another Earth we are unfamiliar with, where another version of us lives a different life."
"Another us?" Bai Yifan blinked, fingers silently applying more pressure, "So how do you go? Is my grasping posture correct?"
Chenghuang: ...
Bai Yifan really wanted to see the self on another Earth.
Don’t know if that other Earth has schools, or (brave) cute (and strong) big sisters...
Whether they are as unfortunate as himself, once losing something precious and invaluable outside of their own world.
"It’s probably very difficult!" Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming shook his head, "Being able to go back to the past is already satisfied for me, I don’t want to see another self on another Earth.
He understood, heaven wouldn’t be particularly kind to him, giving him a particularly perfect life.
Also understanding that in this world, the past self is oneself, the past self influences the future self, it’s the same self.
And on another Earth, that self isn’t himself anymore, they could be considered as two people, leading different lives.
Perhaps, that Earth’s self hadn’t found Chenghuang, and has even destroyed the world, who knows.
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming’s mouth curled into a bitter smile, if he couldn’t return to the past, he genuinely wanted to turn the world into a realm of the living dead.
Those humans, unworthy of life.
"Brother Zhang how do you know so much? Even about the existence of two Earths? Could it be the other Earth hasn’t had an apocalypse and is doing just fine?"
Bai Yifan, with both hands squeezing Chenghuang’s neck, tiredly tried lifting Chenghuang, hoping for something special to happen.
Chenghuang silently rolled its eyes, its thick paws flailing in the air.
Having such a brainless owner, really like a divine punishment.
"Even though I look the same as that Zhang Yiming, in reality, I’ve survived ten years longer in the apocalypse, naturally knowing more," Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming said.
Zombies seem utterly blank, yet High Rank Zombies have incredible learning abilities.
As long as you turn a knowledgeable scholar into a zombie, it easily learns their lifelong knowledge.
Regarding time-travel, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming was particularly attentive, not missing any brain wave signals from the zombie high command within any safe base.
This let him know Chenghuang not only can return to the past but also find the long-rumored other Earth.
To another Earth, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming isn’t interested, he only wanted to return to the past, to find Xiao Niu and let her live.
"Brother Zhang is amazing!"
Bai Yifan pinched Chenghuang for a long time, no strange events occurring, eventually hoisted the inert Chenghuang onto his shoulder, giving Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming a thumbs-up.
Hearing Bai Yifan’s praise, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming gently shook his head.
He didn’t want to be so amazing, just wanted to become an ordinary person, nothing more.
Unfortunately... fate was never in his favor.
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming felt increasingly regretful in his heart, he shouldn’t have done so many bad things, having heard that heaven always favors the kind.
However, fortunately, he could still look one more time, do something within his means.
And his past self would continually protect, never allowing something like Xiao Niu detonating herself to happen.
Absolutely, never.
If history repeats, he would definitely not restrain himself, letting everyone, all worlds... be buried with them.
"It’s getting dark, how about having dinner together?"
Bai Xiqin noticed, the future Xiao Ming classmate seemed more irritable, quick to overflow with hostility.
"...Is it okay?"
The hostility radiating from Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming quickly disappeared again, his eyes carrying a hint of reservation.