Chapter 49: The Five Supremes

Ma Bi and Zeng Hongsen were both utterly transfixed by Zhao Liying’s gaze.

“Idol, hello! Can I have your autograph?” Zeng Hongsen, barely able to contain his excitement and fervor at seeing Zhao Liying right before his eyes, hurriedly pulled the massive broadsword from his back and held it out to her.

The sight startled both Zhao Liying and Hua Qianyu. The blade was smeared with blood, nauseating to look at.

“Uh…” Hua Qianyu couldn’t help feeling queasy. “At least wash the sword before you ask my sister to sign it. It’s disgusting.”

“Alright, I’ll clean it.” Embarrassed, Zeng Hongsen turned and hurried away.

Ma Bi, meanwhile, pulled out a scarf. “Idol, could you sign this for me?”

“Sure, but I don’t have a pen.” Zhao Liying had lost hers in the room earlier.

“Oh, I’ll go find one.” Ma Bi smiled and dashed off.

He then turned to Luffy with deference. “Boss, we’ve searched the hotel. There are three more survivors. The rest, over two hundred, are all dead.”

“We can arrange for the survivors to come with us, but they’ll have to learn to kill zombies. Otherwise, we won’t let them join.” Luffy turned to Zhao Liying and spoke seriously. “You’ll have to do the same. I won’t feed freeloaders. I can give you power, and someone will teach you how to fight zombies.”

He continued in earnest, “If you want to live, you must kill zombies. Once we reach the safe zone, you’re free to leave, or you can stay with me if you wish.”

“Alright!” Zhao Liying had thought long and hard while confined—was she supposed to wait for death? Being rescued was a blessing; at least they didn’t have to await the end.

“I want to fight, too,” Hua Qianyu declared with adorable determination.

“Good. Then you must be brave. Even though you’re my idol, I’ll treat you no differently. Here, two doses of Body Tempering Elixir for each of you. It’ll strengthen your constitution. In the future, you can pay back with zombie crystals.”

Luffy exchanged two vials of Body Tempering Elixir for Zhao Liying and Hua Qianyu, then started down the stairs.

Just then, Zeng Hongsen came running up, his broadsword now gleaming clean.

“Boss!” Zeng Hongsen greeted Luffy respectfully.

“Why are you so worked up? You think Zhao Liying will like you?” Luffy shot him a glance and continued down.

“Idol, your autograph,” Zeng Hongsen said with a silly grin.

“No pen,” Zhao Liying replied with a smile, following after the group.

“Oh!” Zeng Hongsen was left speechless—he hadn’t thought of that.

Downstairs, Luffy addressed Zeng Shuna, “Teach Zhao Liying and Hua Qianyu some combat techniques.”

“Understood!” Zeng Shuna nodded.

Many boys rushed over, clamoring for Zeng Shuna’s autograph. She truly deserved her title as the nation’s goddess—even in the apocalypse, such fervent fans were rare.

After gathering supplies, the group stored everything in space rings.

Ma Bi soon returned with a pen for Zhao Liying to sign, clearly a group of fools in their devotion.

Standing aside, Luffy watched as Liu Yanmeng approached, her words sweet as orchids. “Master, you teased me last night and then ignored me. Aren’t you awful?”

“Please, did I tease you? You’re just fantasizing,” Luffy retorted, rolling his eyes. Just then, Little Dragon Girl strode over.

“Oh, so you’re flirting with Liu Yanmeng now? Shameless! I offered myself to you, and you refused, yet you chase after that stinky snake spirit!” Little Dragon Girl huffed, clearly annoyed.

“What did you say? Say it again?” Liu Yanmeng glared at her.

“Snake spirit!”

Little Dragon Girl was not intimidated in the least.

“You… Go to hell!” Liu Yanmeng flung her hand, sending several snakes darting at Little Dragon Girl.

“Tsk, tsk…” Luffy shook his head and looked away. Meanwhile, everyone had finished collecting autographs. Zeng Shuna handed Zhao Liying and Hua Qianyu their Body Tempering Elixir, while Ma Bi instructed five men to drink theirs.

The group donned armor, ready to depart.

“All right, let’s move out,” Luffy commanded, heading outside. Little Dragon Girl darted away, continuing her squabble with Liu Yanmeng.

“Boss, will they be alright if they keep fighting like that?” Zeng Hongsen whispered, twirling his broadsword.

“What could happen? Don’t worry about them. They’re brimming with energy. When they’re tired, they’ll come back,” Luffy replied as he led the way. Suddenly, a horde of zombies surged forward. Zeng Hongsen, Ma Bi, and Zeng Shuna led the charge, wiping them out and harvesting their crystal nuclei, demonstrating the process for the newcomers. Luffy kept heading toward Jiuzhou City.

The sky was overcast, the rain long since ceased, leaving the ground slick and damp.

Heading south, the group walked all day until they reached a school.

A sinister aura hung over the campus, dense with zombies. The sight was so dreadful that Luffy frowned. What had happened here? It was reminiscent of that town they encountered, but this time the horror had taken hold of a school.

Could there be some hidden secret inside? Was it, like before, harboring something valuable? The thought tempted Luffy.

“They’ve arrived.”

On the gloomy school balcony, two figures in black robes stood watching the entrance. One, a young man named Zhou Yin, carried a massive blade on his back and spoke in a cold voice.

“That guy destroyed our sacred beast last time—he’s got some skill. The elders are furious. They immediately sent our cult’s Five Absolutes to kill him. He should feel honored. He’ll sense the aura here is like that in the town and will definitely enter.”

A woman in a black robe, her voice icy, a pitch-black bow slung over her shoulder, spoke. Her name was Sun Li.

“Heh… Once he comes in, he’s dead.” Another woman in black, a sword on her back, landed beside Sun Li and placed a hand on her shoulder. Her name was Tang Wu.

“If he could kill a weakened sacred beast, he’s no simple foe. We should be careful.” A thin man with a long spear appeared beside Zhou Yin and spoke coldly. His name was Tang Liang.

“With the Five Absolutes assembled, he’s doomed,” rumbled a tall, burly man in black, hefting a giant iron hammer. At least two meters tall, his name was Wu Pang.

“With the Five Absolutes here, even our cult’s elders wouldn’t be our match. Yet the elders are watching this boy closely,” Zhou Yin sneered.

“Who cares? He’s just a second-tier nobody. I can finish him off in an instant,” Sun Li said softly.

…

…

Outside the school, a few kilometers away, Luffy told the group, “Set up camp here and rest. I’ll go check out the situation at the school.”

“All right, boss. Be careful,” Zeng Hongsen said with concern.

Ma Bi and Zeng Shuna began organizing the group.

“He dares to come alone? Quite bold,” Wu Pang remarked coldly.

“Better that he comes alone. If they all came, it would be troublesome,” Sun Li replied.

Votes, votes, rewards, rewards.

(End of chapter)