Chapter 693: The Peaches Are Ripe
The bus wasn’t moving fast, so that Leng Yebai could keep up.
Fan Liping frequently glanced at the rearview mirror, afraid they might turn somewhere else.
From his angle, he could only see Leng Yebai riding a bicycle, his demeanor as cold as ever.
Fan Liping knew that beneath this cool facade lay a foolish soul.
Fan Liping then shifted his gaze to the interior rearview mirror, which showed the scene inside the bus.
Even if the bus was cleaned every day, it was still filled with a decaying odor, and despite scrubbing, some black marks remained on the floor near the bus door.
Not just on the floor; on the seats, handles, and even the windows were traces of black blood or small pieces of decayed flesh.
These were the remnants left by zombies.
The cozy scenes that Zhang Yiming wanted, similar to the Bai Family’s bus, were ultimately unattainable.
Fan Liping sighed softly.
As a human father of a Zombie King, he viewed the apocalypse outbreak as extremely unfortunate for the surviving humans due to the threat to their safety and risk of death.
But for those who turned into zombies, it was even more unfortunate.
Becoming a zombie was not their choice, nor was it their wish; they too were victims of this apocalypse.
Zombies with human memories, in particular, suffered the most.
They had to give up what they loved and endure the influence of the bloodthirsty and violent emotions in their minds.
Either they indulge their nature and completely succumb.
Or they restrain their instincts and forever respect the boundary in their hearts, not touching flesh.
Fan Liping realized that perhaps only Zhang Yiming could so masterfully control himself and not devour flesh.
It’s an instinct, and the higher the rank, the stronger the bloodthirsty impulses running rampant in a zombie’s mind.
Fan Liping found it hard to imagine how Zhang Yiming endured the torment day and night.
On the bus, only Fan Liping was driving, there were no other zombies.
Yet, as they drove, no zombies rushed toward the bus.
Even with Leng Yebai’s three-fleshed bodies exposed to the air, no zombie dared to encroach.
The bus carried the scents of Zhang Yiming and Fan Tangtang.
Just the lingering scent was enough to keep most zombies at bay.
The bus traveled unimpeded, bringing Bai Xiqin and the others directly to Sheep Village.
The village of Zombie King Li Mucheng.
Zombie King Li Mucheng was recruited by Zhang Yiming, and this area was now Zhang Yiming’s territory.
Today, the village looked as quiet as ever.
It was just too quiet; besides the usual lack of zombie roars and human activity, even the chirping of birds was absent.
"Why does the village feel different from before?"
Bai Yifan looked at the village before him, always feeling a sense of noise within it.
Even though it was excessively quiet, Bai Yifan felt it was incredibly noisy, a feeling indescribable and unclear.
"That guy’s brainwaves are a bit chaotic, be careful and don’t be careless,"
Leng Yebai said.
He had once turned into a zombie and contended for control over zombies with Wang Ge using zombie brainwaves.
After becoming human again, Leng Yebai lost control over brainwaves, but he could still vaguely sense some of the energy in brainwaves.
"Why is Brother Zhang, who can always perfectly control himself, acting like this today?"
Bai Yifan scratched his head, not feeling too afraid, just curious.
Leng Yebai paused, then rode his bicycle into the village.
Leng Yebai sensed that as they entered the village, the chaotic brainwaves within seemed to become more and more tranquil.
It was that guy intentionally suppressing his brainwaves, trying to calm himself down.
Leng Yebai subconsciously slowed his cycling speed, gliding slowly toward the bus.
He was giving Zhang Yiming time.
He was also giving him dignity.
Leng Yebai and Zhang Yiming had the kind of relationship where they couldn’t stand each other and wanted to kill each other.
Yet they also admitted that they would never actually kill each other.
In fact, they would even actively help each other, so as not to leave one another too embarrassed.
They were both romantic rivals and friends.
When Leng Yebai learned Zhang Yiming was a zombie, he did not choose to broadcast it to the world and would keep it a secret for him.
After Leng Yebai became a zombie, Zhang Yiming would also help him.
They indeed couldn’t stand each other, yet they had to treat each other as friends for Xiao Niu’s sake.
They might not admit it verbally, but they did trust each other a lot.
The chaotic brainwaves floating in the village gradually settled down.
When Leng Yebai and the others followed Fan Liping to the Zombie King Li Mucheng’s house, the chaotic brainwaves completely disappeared.
"Xiao Niu, Xiao Fan, why are you here?"
Before Fan Liping could open the door, Zhang Yiming opened it with a smiling face.
A faint smile on his face, without a trace of hostility.
He only greeted Bai Yifan and Bai Xiqin, completely ignoring Leng Yebai’s presence.
Leng Yebai snorted coldly, indifferent.
After all, he acted as if he hadn’t seen Zhang Yiming, without any friendly expression toward him.
Seeing such a gentle Zhang Yiming, Fan Liping was stunned.
When he left, Zhang Yiming’s face was gloomy and terrifying, nothing like this sunny, warm smile.
This change was so rapid.
"Tangtang kept saying he missed Sister Tu, so I brought them over."
Fan Liping certainly wouldn’t say it was because he noticed Zhang Yiming was emotionally disturbed that he brought Bai Xiqin and the others over.
"Hmm, then Xiao Niu, come in and sit down! The peaches in the yard are ripe, I’ll pick some for you later."
Zhang Yiming’s eyebrows curved as he stepped aside to let them enter the yard.
The backyard of Zombie King Li Mucheng’s house was an ordinary farmhouse courtyard, with a lime-paved ground leaving a small patch for a peach tree to grow.
July and August were when peaches ripened.
Since Zombie King Li Mucheng fed on flesh, the peaches in the yard, weighted and blushing, were left unpicked.
Zhang Yiming turned toward the peach tree, picking several peaches into his arms.
It was only then that Bai Xiqin noticed he had been wearing gloves the whole time.
"I’ll wash these; Xiao Niu, you all sit in the living room first."
Zhang Yiming gave a gentle smile, then headed toward the kitchen.
Bai Xiqin and the others entered the living room and sat on the sofa.
"Is Brother Zhang forcing himself to smile?"
Bai Yifan whispered.
He could feel that today’s Brother Zhang seemed different from the past Brother Zhang.
Even though the same warm, sunny smile was on his face, this smile seemed like a facade.
"There’s nothing different, go play with Fan Tangtang!"
Bai Xiqin patted Bai Yifan’s shoulder and shook his head at him.
Bai Xiqin and the others knew that Zhang Yiming’s emotions were a bit off today.
Zhang Yiming also knew why Bai Xiqin and the others were really called over by Fan Liping.
They tacitly understood each other.
Saying it would be too awkward, and it couldn’t be explained clearly.
Zhang Yiming didn’t want to expose his vulnerable side, nor did he want to explain why his emotions suddenly became unstable.
Bai Xiqin didn’t want to expose Zhang Yiming’s scars.
But...
There was something Bai Xiqin was very concerned about.
What was causing Zhang Yiming’s emotional instability?
Recalling the zombie activity in the past two days, Bai Xiqin felt a twinge in her heart.
Could it be... has he gained some memories that don’t belong to him?
Just like her grandparents.