Chapter 80 I Can Do It Too
The thief, confident of victory, retreated step by step, holding Bai Tao hostage.
Bai Chenzhu coldly watched his movements, then suddenly spoke up: "Why don't you look behind you?"
"Hmph! Don't think I don't know what tricks you're up to." The thief turned the tables, believing that Bai Chenzhu was trying to lure him into turning his head so he could attack him when he wasn't paying attention.
Bai Tao made two muffled noises, but her struggles were forcefully suppressed.
The thief looked at Bai Chenzhu, who remained as still as a mountain, and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and his scalp tingle. He realized that Bai Chenzhu was staring straight at his back, as if there really was something there.
How could there be anything there? When he first arrived, there was clearly nothing there; the zombies were all on the other side of the bridge.
Besides, he's a superhuman with exceptional hearing and sight!
He whirled around, only to be confronted by a rotting face, a skull with two bloody holes, half its teeth protruding, its mouth agape, a foul-smelling, bloody maw looming before him—
The thief could have easily dodged with his skills, but at the crucial moment, his mind suddenly went blank, as if he had been forcibly shut down. By the time he realized what was happening, the zombie had already bitten his shoulder. He screamed, pushed Bai Tao away, and pulled out a knife from his waist, plunging it into the zombie's temple.
But how could a zombie know what pain is? Its teeth gripped the thief's shoulder tightly, tearing off a piece of flesh.
How is that possible?!
The bridge, which was originally only occupied by them, was suddenly filled with a dozen or so zombies. Some crawled on the ground, while others limped across, all reaching out their hands to fight for their prey.
Where did these zombies come from?! Why didn't he notice them at all?!
The thief had no time to investigate further. He clutched his bloodied shoulder and screamed as he ran in the opposite direction. As he passed by, he was tripped by Bai Chenzhu's outstretched long leg and fell to the ground. The pursuing zombies pounced on the thief.
Bai Chenzhu took a few steps back to avoid the zombies, barely managed to pull Bai Tao along, and ran back.
Just as they were about to leave the bridge, they unexpectedly ran into five people chasing after them.
Behind them were zombies and thieves, and in front were the thieves' five accomplices. Bai Chenzhu turned Bai Tao's head and tore off the seal from her mouth.
Even with the utmost care, red marks were still left on her face. Bai Tao gasped for breath and touched the swollen lower half of her face.
Bai Chenzhu raised an eyebrow and invited, "Everyone, would you like to hear a song?"
"No, no." Seeing that things were going badly, the five men turned and ran, leaving their 'big brother' behind.
Bai Tao was angry, anxious, and scared. She turned back to look at the thief entangled with the zombie and said in a hoarse voice, "Let's go quickly."
Bai Chenzhu untied the ropes binding her hands, and the two ran back together.
It was still that alley with few monsters; only their footsteps echoed through it. Bai Tao would occasionally turn her head to look behind her.
Seeing that no one or any corpse was chasing her, she breathed a sigh of relief and slowed her pace.
Bai Chenzhu asked, "What? Are you scared?"
Bai Tao nodded, then shook her head. "Brother Bai, I just..."
She hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.
Bai Chenzhu raised an eyebrow, surprised that Bai Tao, who was always outspoken, would do something like this. "Just say what you have to say."
Although Bai Tao wasn't as sensitive to mental energy as Bai Chenzhu, she could still sense it. Therefore, among those present, she was the one who understood best what Bai Chenzhu had done.
Whether it's luring zombies in silently or using mental power to control thieves...
Bai Tao touched his throat, his mind a jumbled mess. "So far, we've called the strongest zombie the 'Zombie King,' but they mostly fight alone and only devour other zombies; they're just stronger individuals. But my mental power can influence superhumans and control the appearance of zombies, making me even stronger than the Zombie King..."
She suddenly realized what she was saying and covered her mouth.
Bai Chenzhu didn't speak.
Bai Tao swallowed hard, lubricating her dry, sore throat, and waved her hands frantically, "I was just saying it offhand."
Bai Chenzhu understood, her phoenix eyes filled with mockery, "So in your eyes, I'm so powerful that I can command a horde of corpses?"
Bai Tao was taken aback, shook her head, and hurriedly opened her mouth to explain.
"Shh." Bai Chenzhu raised a finger to her lips, a half-smile on her face. "I know you don't mean anything by it, so there's no need to explain further."
Bai Tao nodded anxiously.
Bai Chenzhu tapped her on the head. "Speaking of mental strength, Bai Tao, have you been slacking off lately?"
Bai Tao felt a sense of panic, like being called on by a teacher to answer a question, when she was called on by her full name. She tried to change the subject and laughed, "Is...is that so?"
“Of course I do. Do you remember when we first met? You were very cautious, clever, and intelligent back then. But now you've been kidnapped by these superhumans, and nobody even noticed,” Bai Chenzhu stated the facts.
Bai Chenzhu continued, "Your voice is a way of using your superpowers, but it is also your weakness." He raised his hand and suddenly covered Bai Tao's mouth.
"See, as long as we find a way to make you speechless, you'll be no different from an ordinary person."
Startled, Bai Tao quickly grabbed his forearm. "Brother Bai, could you teach me how to use my mental power silently?"
——
When they returned to the house, the other three were there. Jiang Ye brought back a large table, and Tang Zhao and Zhou Zhuohua spread out the newly found supplies on the table and sorted them out one by one. Jiang Ye, on the other hand, sank into the sofa like an old man.
"Where did you go?" Jiang Ye asked, looking directly at Bai Chenzhu.
Bai Chenzhu truthfully replied, "Bai Tao has been kidnapped."
"What?" Tang Zhao looked up in disbelief.
Zhou Zhuohua frowned, her gaze falling on Bai Tao.
"Weren't you all going to find Bai Tao for dinner together?" Bai Chenzhu asked, puzzled by their attitude, crossing his arms and observing from the side. "Didn't you notice she was kidnapped?"
Bai Tao scratched her head awkwardly, "Brother Bai, I said I had already eaten and would come back by myself after the farewell party. Tang Zhao felt unwell after listening to my singing, so he and Sister Zhuohua left to find supplies. But I didn't expect to be hit with a stick as soon as I stepped out the door..."
This could be a big deal or a small one. Zhou Zhuohua quickly came over, grabbed her shoulders, turned her around, and checked the back of her head. "Let me see."
Fortunately, there was nothing seriously wrong, but it hurt. Bai Tao gasped, her face contorted in pain. The lower half of her face was injured by the bandage, and it was still slightly red and swollen.
Bai Chenzhu patted Jiang Ye on the shoulder, and Jiang Ye moved to the side. Bai Chenzhu naturally sat down next to Jiang Ye. "You're pretty quick. You've taken care of the table issue too."
Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow, somewhat proudly.
Tang Zhao scratched his head. The rectangular table in front of him didn't seem as comfortable as the original round table at all. His eyes were full of doubt. "By the way, why did you change the original table out of the blue?"
This problem… Bai Chenzhu looked away and secretly nudged Jiang Ye’s waist with his elbow. “Jiang Ye, Bai Tao can’t speak because those people have her mouth covered, so she can’t use her powers. Is there any other way to let her use her powers? Give me some advice.”
Faced with Bai Tao's expectant gaze, Jiang Ye fell silent. He thought for a long time before finally saying, "Try not to travel alone in the future."
Bai Tao looked at the two of them, looking utterly lost.
"Don't be like that, Miss." Tang Zhao noticed her low spirits and brandished his fist fiercely. "I almost forgot! We have to go teach those people a lesson!"
Bai Chenzhu shook his head. "The leader was eaten by zombies, and the others ran away. They had backpacks with them, so they probably won't dare to return to the ancient city. And the city lord won't pay for their actions."
Zhou Zhuohua said firmly, "Whether they come back or not is their business. We have to make our stance clear and not let Bai Tao be coveted by others."
Jiang Ye made a decision: "Let's go together after dinner."
Tang Zhao put his arm around Bai Tao's shoulder and comforted her, "It's okay, it was just an accident. Zhuohua and I found some noodles, let's have noodles tonight."
He thought for a moment, then said, "I'll add an egg for you! To reward your voice after today."
Bai Tao looked at this and that, nodding gratefully, "Yes!"
——
After finishing dinner and returning to his room, Bai Chenzhu turned to look at Jiang Ye as soon as he closed the door.
Jiang Ye knew what he was going to ask, sighed, and spread his hands innocently, "I'm not hiding anything, I really don't know. In her past life, she always controlled her mental power with her voice. Attacking the brain, catalyzing the zombification process, or catalyzing the upgrade of superpowers are her abilities, and the method of using these abilities is similar to 'word magic.' You know the 'word' in 'word magic,' so at the very least, it requires using your mouth, right?"
“But I don’t think it’s that simple.” Bai Chenzhu pulled over a small stool, sat on the stool by the window with his legs crossed, and looked up at Jiang Ye. “The matter of Bai Tao reminds me of other ability users I’ve met before.”
"For example, my 'aunt' can use words and expressions to bewitch people and make them feel good about her. And there's that skeleton man in Jinqiu Village, who has no contact with us at all, yet can affect our five senses."
"The most obvious one is me." Bai Chenzhu pointed at himself, doubting himself. "I don't think I used my voice, did I?"
Jiang Ye, who had observed carefully, said, "I have some guesses."
Bai Chenzhu became interested. "Tell me about it?"
Jiang Ye stood diagonally against the wardrobe: "You didn't go into Jinqiu Village's dorm, so you don't know that his loudspeaker was always on, so in a sense, he also influences people through sound, well, his snoring while sleeping counts too. As for you..."
Jiang Ye looked at the ceiling, then suddenly bent down and placed his hands on the back of the chair behind Bai Chenzhu. His gaze was direct and frank, aiming to penetrate people's hearts.
"What are you looking at?" Bai Chenzhu's heart pounded uncontrollably. Under that gaze, he had the illusion of being stripped naked.
"Your eyes are beautiful." Jiang Ye touched the corner of his eye. "I said that to you the second time we met, didn't I?"
That happened a few months ago. Bai Chenzhu's pupils contracted sharply. At that time, he hadn't even realized he had a special ability; he was just wondering why he could always feel lightheaded and 'see' things in reality. "You knew so early?"
"I guessed." Jiang Ye pressed his fingertip against the small mole at the corner of his eye. "Haven't you noticed that you always look at the other person when you use your powers? Occasionally you even try to imitate Bai Tao by using your voice, but unfortunately the results aren't ideal."
"Besides that, how do you explain my ability to 'see' mental energy and lure zombies with it?" Bai Chenzhu followed his train of thought. "I can't possibly be a clairvoyant, can I?"
“First of all, your mental power is your second pair of eyes.” Jiang Ye smiled. “That’s what makes you different from ordinary people. Like Bai Tao, she uses her mental power as a weapon. The most difficult thing for her is how to ‘release’ her mental power and how to use it.”
"Do you remember? Your body was very weak at first, and the problem was how to 'bring back' your spiritual power. Your spiritual power could always drift very far and bring back a lot of information to you."
"Secondly, the spiritual power of any living being will attract various mutants. You just took advantage of this and can easily relinquish your spiritual power. Just like a dandelion, you can control the direction in which your seeds fly and also scatter them anywhere you can see."
"So, probing, controlling, and seducing are your three most commonly used techniques," Jiang Ye said, straightening up.
"How should I teach Bai Tao? Can Bai Tao teach me how to stimulate the brain?" This was Bai Chenzhu's first thought, since he and Jiang Ye initially discussed Bai Tao's issue.
Jiang Ye shrugged. "I can't teach you. The nature of your mental powers is different. If you let her investigate, she can indiscriminately throw 'knives' at me. If you let her control, she'll only control people to death. As for seduction, do you remember the blood-stained handkerchief I gave you that time? You saw with your own eyes how much pain the mutant who ate the white peach blood suffered."
Bai Chenzhu seemed to be deep in thought.
“In her past life, she had many followers, who were also her bodyguards in a sense. As long as no one could get close to her, she was fearless.” Jiang Ye tried to sift through his unpleasant memories to find some information.
Bai Chenzhu remained silent.
Jiang Ye tilted his head in confusion, then raised his finger and gently hooked his chin as if teasing a cat. "What's wrong? You don't seem very happy."
Bai Chenzhu nodded honestly, "I don't want to be a 'support,' I want to be a 'damage dealer.'"
Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow. "I didn't say you were a pure support. Aren't you quite good at 'control'? You fooled me at first."
It was about him running away. Bai Chenzhu blinked. "Is that true?"
Jiang Ye pulled hard on his face, "Pretend!"
Bai Chenzhu smiled, her eyes crinkling, "Then... Jiang Ye, can I control you?"
Jiang Ye was surprised that Bai Chenzhu had such an idea. He asked uncertainly, "What do you want to do?"
Bai Chenzhu looked up at the person in front of him and suddenly said defiantly, "Bai Tao can attack the brain, and so can I."
After saying that, he pulled Jiang Ye towards him, and Jiang Ye had no choice but to bend over.
Bai Chenzhu cupped his face in her hands, their foreheads touching.
This was Bai Chenzhu's second time entering Jiang Ye's spiritual sea. Unlike the first time, he was not met with resistance and opposition. This time, he did not fall. Instead, after passing through the barrier, he landed steadily on the scorched earth.
The sky was a mixture of black and red, dotted with fragments, while lava rolled across the ground, leaving behind ruins and not a single human figure.
Bai Chenzhu was not surprised at all, and even felt that it was much better than before - at least there would be no more 'meteors' knocking him down.
He walked along, taking in the chaotic and devastated post-apocalyptic landscape.
If what they encountered in reality was a 'man-made disaster,' then in Jiang Ye's mind it was a 'natural disaster.'
Everything was so quiet, except for the slow rolling of the lava and the crackling of the leaping flames.
The scorching fire distorted the air, and waves of heat washed over us.
Things were different now, and Bai Chenzhu naturally took advantage of the situation, not only wanting to linger in Jiang Ye's mental world but also trying to find his master. He looked around, "Jiang Ye?"
Is Jiang Ye here?
"Eno?"
He walked for a long time, and the scenery around him was very similar, always the same apocalyptic scene.
Bai Chenzhu stopped, closed his eyes, and his body transformed into countless points of light, searching for the master of his spiritual sea.
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