Chapter 84—Migration

by Bocchan13

No good deed was selfless. Song Yu’s accommodation for the new arrivals during the winter months wasn’t going to be cheap. Ming Ze understood that perfectly. In exchange for them to settle their base in Song Yu’s territory alongside wood, coal, and basic necessities; they had to do labor for Song Yu in the spring.

To the people who had already lost everything, they weren’t afraid to work hard. Song Yu could only express that the labor would be intensive and hard. Since Song Yu was letting people in, he talked with Lan Zhou about expanding their small base.

“I don’t want to be a base leader like how I was back then. But I also don’t want people to suffer. Isn’t that too contradictory? Want to help, but not the responsibility?”

Lan Zhou was also concerned. He knew little about Ming Ze’s base, if there was anyone corrupt or hateful there who could compromise all of Song Yu’s hard work. But they did need workers…and protection.

The rate of zombie leveling up was getting faster and faster, and despite being one of the most powerful ability users, Lan Zhou could not win by himself. With more people, there would be more protection. The incident with the mole was also fresh in his mind. Lan Zhou felt so powerless in the face of catastrophe.

The labor work was partly a truth and a lie. What Lan Zhou and Song Yu both wanted was a small army. During the winter, they could absorb Ming Ze’s base into theirs and in the spring, start working on making them into soldiers.

Song Yu still had nightmares, Lan Zhou could feel his anxiety getting higher with each passing day. Lan Zhou could only hold him close to his chest and comfort him. Song Yu was afraid that he would let people down again.

His past trauma would always be a wall that separated them, but it also brought them closer. Song Yu needed to feel safe, and Lan Zhou needed to protect. Both of them fit like puzzle pieces, trying their best to stay together.

When Ming Ze agreed to bring the base over, they settled to come in a weeks’ time. Unlike Song Yu who had a vehicle, the people were coming on foot. Almost 100 people including women and children had to pack up everything they owned and wear it on their backs.

Song Yu’s kindness was not unlimited, and he understood that the more he gave, the more people’s greed took root, so he never offered to help them on their journey and Ming Ze never asked.

Once they agreed on the time, Ming Ze left with a glimmer in her eyes. Song Yu sighed as leaned on Lan Zhou’s shoulder. An Wei and Yu Hong were still there with Du Win discussing about the food shortage for this winter.

An Wei’s sightless eyes moved towards Song Yu’s direction, his lips pale.

“Song Yu?

“Yeah?”

“The zombie hoard is on trajectory to my base within the next two weeks. I’ve send out eight squads and none of them came back…what do you think I should do?”

Song Yu tapped his fingers on Lan Zhou’s shoulder; thoughts swirling.

“If you also migrated with Ming Ze, the zombie hoard might change their route to where there is a higher density of people, causing Ming Ze’s move to be pointless, but if you continue to stay there, you will be razed to the ground…”

Song Yu looked at Lan Zhou who slowly shook his head.

“The best thing to do is eliminate the hoard.”

An Wei sighed and rubbed his temples. He looked more gaunt than before, but that was no surprise since there was a food shortage.

“How many people are in your base?”

“400 something, including…babies.”

“Babies?”

“Yeah,”

Song Yu could only ponder more. Lan Zhou on the other hand looked at Yu Hong.

Yu Hong had been the quietest out of everyone. He looked to be in a healthy state, but there were deep blue depressions under his eyes from lack of sleep.

“Have you seen the Zombie King?”

Yu Hong looked up after realizing Lan Zhou was talking to him, “Yeah.”

“Any thoughts about it? Its powers? It speed?”

Yu Hong had been there when Ming Ze’s base was ambushed, and saw just how strong the zombie king was. He could only shiver.

“That thing…is probably a Level 10 and might level up more. I’ve never…I’ve never seen anything like it.” Yu Hong shivered unconditionally, “It’s entire body was black like sludge…its scream was so high pitch, it broke several eardrums within a 1 mile radius. Although it wasn’t fast, it felt like…it felt like an ability user.”

Song Yu and Lan Zhou both looked at each other in confusion. There had never been a Zombie King in their previous life. Not even after 25 years. When did this appear?

“Ming Ze was able to fight it, but wasn’t able to discern its capabilities. By the time she was a 1 vs. 1 with it, the entire base was destroyed and the zombie hoard retreated. It was like a deliberate bait on her. Once they retreated, she immediately split the 95 people two ways: Du Win and An Wei.”

Song Yu could see just how dangerous this entity was.

“They will slow down exponentially in the winter; they might even freeze before reaching An Wei’s base.” Song Yu looked towards An Wei, “How many ice ability users do you have?”

“Three.”

Song Yu closed his eyes, before looking at Yu Hong. “And you?”

Yu Hong looked at Song Yu, hearing the dissociative tone.

“Eight.”

“Ming Ze said she had one, and our group has two.”

Song Yu’s thoughts raced as his heartbeat picked up.

“We can start winter early.”

…

The four bases contributed in this endeavor. While the zombie hoard was approaching, the 14 ice/ water ability users would infect the ground, trees, and air with ice and frost. With the drastic change in weather, the virus inside the zombies were in constant state of hibernation, causing the zombies to be dull and slow.

Winter was usually the best time to kill zombies, but it also affected the ability users as well, who experienced lethargy and frostbite.

Song Yu and Lan Zhou let the base leaders to themselves to discuss the best thing to do while Song Yu continued his talk with Du Win.

“You said my aura is blinding white and its getting brighter, but I don’t have any symptoms of upgrading. I’m still at level 10.”

Du Win stroked his white mustache in consternation, his eyes glancing at Song Yu.

“Is there something you’re not telling me? You’re a space ability user, but you must be a variant right? What is it?”

Song Yu closed his mouth, his eyes averting from Du Win’s.

“I don’t see how that’s relevant.” Du Win scoffed and spit on the floor next to him.

“That’s everything kiddo, your main ability might not be upgrading, but your variant ability might be.”

Song Yu and Lan Zhou confusedly looked at Du Win.

“That’s impossible. A variant is a part of the main ability. How can it upgrade faster than the main ability?”

“Not impossible, but extremely rare. Variant abilities are a manifestation from the main ability, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be independent. You exercise your ability like any other muscle, but you also consciously use your variant ability if its more useful. If you exercise your variant ability over your main ability, what kind of results do you get? A jacked variant and a slim main. However, since the main and variant abilities are usually interlinked, separation during use is almost never done.”

Song Yu finally understood.

He had a space ability…and the pure ability was something added on. But ever since he came back in time, he never had a need for his space ability to carry things like Wang Cheng, but he has over time used his pure ability for everyday use. His space was a level 10, but his pure ability….might be on the course of a breakthrough.

“And the lack of symptoms? What about that?”

“Since your variant ability us upgrading, the symptoms will appear as a backlash, so be very careful during this time. I’ve never experienced this first hand, but I can assure you that my eyes don’t lie.”

Song Yu thanked Du Win and they left after taking some gas. Song Yu subconsciously purified the gas in the space, so that it wouldn’t expire. Thinking about this, Song Yu looked to Lan Zhou.

“If my pure ability is upgrading…does that mean…it can purify the zombie virus?”

Lan Zhou didn’t look at Song Yu but took his hand off the shift stick to clasp his. He held Song Yu’s hand all the way back to their home.