Inside Bing Shi's tent, Ziek was comfortably seated on an armchair, his arms outstretched in a silent invitation for Bing Shi to join him on his lap. "While I'm away, find refuge in Fu Lian's base."

The more both of them accepted that he was Xuan Mu, the more memories of Bing Shi flooded into his mind.

Bing Shi's immediate response was one of denial, "No way. Locked with so many shrimps? Do you want me to go insane?"

Ziek's hold on her tightened, his plea earnest. "Please. Do this for me," his final words were almost a mere whisper, barely audible against the canvas of the tent.

"Trust me, if I had even a sliver of doubt, I'd be in hiding already," Bing Shi's reassurance was accompanied by a warm pat on his arms and a gentle chuckle in her voice. "Why is it that just as we are getting closer, something always conspires to keep us apart?"

A discreet knock on the door disrupted their exchange, and the intrusion was met with a playful retort from Bing Shi. "You see?" Her laughter carried a hint of shared amusement.

Ziek's restraint was palpable; he suppressed a curse under his breath. As he felt her squirm within his embrace, he reluctantly released her, a resigned sigh escaping him, "After all of this, let's get even closer."

Standing up, Bing Shi secured her gas mask in place, her movements deliberate, "Sure, if we survive."

"We will," a chilling resolve gleamed in his obsidian eyes, briefly unveiling a hidden malevolence.

· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

On the vast field, many eyes were locked on the quartet, their looks filled with respect. The platform the four people stood on elevated them, giving off an air of power and authority.

Bing Shi voiced her thoughts, "Should I encourage everyone to find a purpose in life? A will to fight, when all we ever do is trying to survive? It was always do or die. Yet, if we endure a bit longer, just a tad longer, a miracle will occur. It always does." She gestured toward the three miraculous individuals.

In her characteristically reserved manner, Fu Lian stepped forward, her typically icy demeanor softened by her determination. "I've witnessed the unfathomable, survived the impossible." Her words, though few, carried an undeniable weight. "This much I vow—no matter what arises, I will conquer, time and time again."

Yi Zen's speech was brief, devoid of ornamentation. "This is not war. We don't wait for our enemy to surrender. There is no mercy. No forgiveness. No saving. It's their loss, or ours. Nothing in between." 

Ren Han's words were stark and unwavering. "Their defeat is fucking certain. Victory belongs to us. I know you all are hungry for some damn proof, so just fuckin' consider me as that proof."

The crowd's collective response was one of awe and reverence, their whispers echoing admiration for the strength and power emanating from those before them.

· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

Back at the base, a chorus of protests erupted when Bing Shi vehemently rejected to hide inside Fu Lian's space. 

Acknowledging the futility of persuading her, Yi Zen took an audacious step. In hushed tones, he instructed Fu Lian, "Take her into your space," their conversation shielded from the crowd's ears.

Fu Lian nodded in understanding.

But what did Bing Shi do?! When she saw Yi Zen and Fu Lian walking toward her, she stretched out her hand toward a nearby soldier. The soldier started to bump the barrier around his head, gasping for air. Panic gripped another soldier as he found himself robbed of his sensory perceptions—no light, no sound, no scent.

Terror rippled through the onlookers as they looked around for the culprit.

"It was me," Bing Shi's voice rang out, her grip on the soldiers released. A triumphant smile played on her lips. "I'm not as weak as you thought, huh?"

"Why keep this hidden until now?" Yi Zen's once-composed expression grew dark.

Bing Shi shrugged off her shoulders, "To find and trap my enemies," she waved at Fu Lian, "Thank you for providing shelter for those in need. Those little ones are our future."

"You don't need to thank me," Fu Lian took out a few bottles of her magical bottles and a box with sweet potatoes, handing them to Bing Shi, "Take it."

Grinning, Bing Shi accepted the offerings with delight. "How thoughtful. Thank you, my dear sister-in-law."

Before Fu Lian could send Bing Shi inside her space, Bing Shi flew high into the sky.

"I'm in a hurry. Bye-byeee ♪♫,"  her words lingered as she soared away from the base.

Now, everyone doubted Bing Shi's fighting skills. Did she really didn't know how to fight? They thought about the times when she'd always run away from the combat like a scared chicken.

· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

As the looming threat of the zombie horde grew, Yi Zen's and Ren Han's factions weren't content to wait for the danger to knock on their doorsteps. No, they took a proactive stance, initiating a relentless pursuit of the zombie emperor.

Not slacking down, they were on high alert at all times. That zombie emperor or emperors could appear among them at any time.

Ren Han boosted everyone's morale by unleashing a calculated strike that vaporized countless zombies in a single, seismic explosion. However, it came at a cost—he had to give up on all the potential gains.

His audacious move undoubtedly cast him in the role of the strongest ability user.

Or did it?

Enter Yi Zen, who unveiled his stash of weaponry, unleashing a symphony of destruction that emphasized his own might.

Bing Shi was right. Humans were the craziest! 

· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

Across all the bases, weariness was setting in. Humans needed rest, unlike the tireless zombies they faced. Every four hours, fresh citizens replaced the exhausted ones on the front lines.

The conflict drew nearer to the heart of the Central city, the battleground a swirling chaos. The struggle continued day and night, with the undead relentlessly advancing. 

The zombie emperor's and empresses' tactics only worsened the situation – employing void gates around the Central City to summon the undead from all corners of the globe.

["Kuro, where might be the zombie emperor?"]

[I don't know.]

Amidst the turmoil, Bing Shi perched on Kuro's head. She shifted her approach from defense to offense. With careful observation, she targeted special zombies—those with superhuman speed, flight, or teleportation abilities. She used her barrier to gather them before a group of fire-wielders, who engulfed the undead horde in flames.

But the zombies seemed endless. No matter how many fell, their numbers didn't waver. Bing Shi watched, helpless, as citizen after citizen succumbed to the unrelenting attack.

In another part of the battle, individuals took on hundreds of zombies on their own. They usually fought alone or with a wind user.

These monsters, who might have a few screws loose, mostly came from the combat bases. Earth users were burrowing zombies deep under the ground; Fire users were dissolving and melting all bodies with their heat manipulation; Water users were drying those corpses until they became dust.

But wait, there was more! Amidst the sea of zombies, there was Yi Zen and Ren Han, standing out like a couple of neon flamingos in a sea of undead. 

In the name of safety, they maintained a huge distance from the bases, because the scope of their power's influence was so remarkably vast that its effects could be felt even from miles away.

Food from Fu Qin and water from Fu Lian enabled them to fight without a break.