Chapter 666: So Be It
In the azure waters, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming lay face up, wearing a stern expression, indifferent and unruffled.
Letting the seawater gradually push him towards the shore, drifting with the tide.
Clearly, he and Zhang Yiming were the same person, the same face.
Even with the same cold expression.
Yet, the face of Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming seemed even colder by three degrees.
Pushed to the shore, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming did not immediately sit up, just absentmindedly stared at the sky, seemingly dazed.
As if the entire world had only him left.
No one could hurt him, and no one could pull him out of his own thoughts.
"Brother Zhang, why are you here today too?"
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming squinted his eyes, just being pushed to shore when he heard a familiar, clear voice.
Composed himself, finally seeing the boy in front of him, it was Bai Yifan.
Xiao Niu’s younger brother.
Bai Yifan half-squatted on the ground, noticing Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming moved, his worried expression quickly faded away.
Brother Zhang is so powerful, he should be fine.
"Meow――"
The white cat in Bai Yifan’s arms, as Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming opened his eyes, its ready-to-attack bristled fur instantly drooped.
Trembling, it hid in Bai Yifan’s arms, only daring to let out a weak meow.
Especially when meeting Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming’s gloomy eyes, the fat on the white cat quivered.
Bai Yifan didn’t understand why the white cat was shaking, only thinking it was because Brother Zhang’s aura was too overwhelming.
"Xiao Fan? Why are you here?"
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming suddenly sat up from the beach, not even glancing at the white cat in Bai Yifan’s arms, his eyes filled with hostility quickly scanned the beach.
Finally landing on a blue and white bus.
The hostile eyes instantly softened, his face still showed no expression, but his aura diminished significantly.
Asura from hell had stepped into the human world, stained with the trivialities of life.
At this moment, he was probably as gentle and sunny as the Zhang Yiming who hadn’t tasted the scent of flesh.
Meanwhile, Bai Xiqin and Leng Yebai also noticed the anomaly on the beach, walking down from the bus, quickly heading in this direction.
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming instinctively touched his clothing, then pressed on the invisible scars beneath.
Soaked too long in the seawater, even the large wound on his stomach had stopped bleeding.
The originally black blood on his clothes was washed clean by the seawater.
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming looked down, relieved it wasn’t dirty.
"Brother Leng’s father went to the sea, we’re waiting here for him!" Bai Yifan pointed in the direction Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming floated from, asking, "Brother Zhang also floated over from there, did you happen to see Brother Leng’s dad?"
"No, he’s probably short-lived."
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming gave a wicked smile, recalling the scene at sea, his expression towards Leng Yebai somewhat schadenfreude.
He was very displeased with Leng Yebai, even wanted to kill him.
The words he blurted were exactly what he thought inside.
However, the moment he spoke them, he regretted it.
Because he saw the surprise on Bai Yifan and Bai Xiqin’s faces.
He remembered, his former self would probably never speak so hurtfully.
Nor joke about someone else’s father’s life, even if that person was his rival in love.
"You, you, you wouldn’t be the future Brother Zhang, would you?"
Only then did Bai Yifan suddenly realize, wasn’t the current Brother Zhang supposed to be in Sheep Village dealing with those captive humans?
Even if he didn’t personally handle it, he wouldn’t have floated to the sea and back in just one day.
The most crucial point is, Brother Zhang wouldn’t have this wicked smile, nor speak such hurtful words.
At this moment, Bai Xiqin and Leng Yebai also arrived before Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming,
"Did he tell you?"
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming instinctively avoided Bai Xiqin’s gaze, a bitter smile on his lips.
Oh well.
He was destined to be the loser.
He was destined to gain nothing in this world, only able to watch.
So be it.
This way, his past self could command him without any scruples.
And he could do all he needs to do without reservation.
At the cost of his life, to help his past self.
All of it, he does willingly.
Because he understands, whether it’s him, or his past self, all share the same goal.
"Yes, it was Zhang Yiming who told us!"
Leng Yebai nodded with a cold face, his expression showed no sign of guilt.
Bai Yifan silently stroked the trembling white cat in his arms, his face slightly twitching.
If I’m not mistaken, it was Leng Yebai who told us about Brother Zhang having two existences, now and future, as well as grandpa and grandma.
Leng Yebai isn’t a zombie now, and Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming doesn’t know what Leng Yebai is thinking, assuming he’d guessed right.
Because he understands, his past self wouldn’t easily lie to Xiao Niu, as long as Xiao Niu asked, he would tell.
Both his past and present self would speak.
"As you can see, I’m from the future, a rather unfriendly future."
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming reluctantly pulled his lips into a smile, his eyes lingered on Bai Xiqin’s face for a moment.
Not seeing any disdain or fear in her expression, he exhaled lightly.
That’s good!
Not despised, nor frightened her.
"Where did you come from? What’s over there?"
Bai Xiqin curiously looked at Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming, feeling an inexplicable sense of kinship.
After all, it’s the same as having once existed in the same timeline.
She, future grandparents, Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming, all hailed from that unfriendly future back to the present.
"It’s particularly dangerous there, you mustn’t go." Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming, hearing Bai Xiqin inquire about the sea, quickly spoke, "If you have things to handle, come find me or that Zhang Yiming, do not act on your own!"
Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming was anxious.
His face inadvertently revealing his worry for Bai Xiqin.
This worry unrestrained, without a trace of control.
What differs him from Zhang Yiming.
One suppressing everything internally, one exposing all emotions outwardly.
It’s not that Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming doesn’t know restraint, it’s that in those ten years of future life, he no longer knew how to perfectly restrain himself.
In the future, he indulged himself immensely.
Bloodlust meant devouring flesh and blood, unrestricted, with no concern for his image.
Even newborn infants could become his food.
Detesting humans meant commanding zombie hordes to attack safety bases, not for consumption, just for venting.
Just loved watching them die in agony.
He hadn’t known restraint in a very, very long time.
After arriving here, he seemed to revert to the cautious and restrained Zhang Yiming.
Yet always with differences.
Zhang Yiming struggled greatly to restrain himself from devouring flesh.
For Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming, he needed ten times the restraint to control himself compared to Zhang Yiming.
For a Zombie Emperor who had tasted flesh, how immense must the restraint be to stop himself from devouring flesh, from embracing the longed-for figure before him?
Only Zombie Emperor Zhang Yiming knows, only he can understand.
Even with an exaggeratedly tense expression on his face, it’s the result of his effort to restrain.
What he wished to offer the one before him, was his life.