Chapter 70 The Grand Theater
Bai Chenzhu had a rare good night's sleep, and when he woke up, some of his fatigue had disappeared.
In comparison, the temperature beside me was frighteningly hot.
Bai Chenzhu's half-open eyes immediately snapped awake, and she got up to touch Jiang Ye's forehead.
Jiang Ye buried the lower half of his face in the blanket and coughed weakly twice.
"What have you been doing so late at night?" Bai Chenzhu pinched his cheek hard. "Tell me! What were you doing! How did you get a fever again?"
Jiang Ye refused to answer the question and buried his reddened face in the blanket to escape. Bai Chenzhu laughed and ignored him, going to wash up first.
Looking at his broad back, Jiang Ye vaguely thought that it really felt like being controlled by his wife.
After washing his face and calming down, Bai Chenzhu noticed some extra cookies, bread, and mineral water on the table, packed in a dirty bag. He looked at it again and again, confirming that Jiang Ye had gone out to find food while he was asleep last night.
"Am I starving you?" Bai Chenzhu couldn't help but lift the blanket and ask.
"No," Jiang Ye said, his eyes flickering.
Bai Chenzhu didn't say anything, just stared at him coldly, "You better be hungry, or you'll run off and wander around while I'm asleep again."
Under his extremely imposing gaze, Jiang Ye had no choice but to raise his hands in surrender. "Where have we been wandering around? I was a little hungry, you know I have a big appetite now, I just went to check out the surrounding area. We might have to change our destination."
The last sentence, using a serious topic, successfully attracted Bai Chenzhu's attention: "Why change the destination?"
Jiang Ye said seriously, "Last night, I noticed that the zombies were gathering downstream of the river."
Bai Chenzhu understood immediately, "You mean the monster is downstream?"
“More than that.” Jiang Ye paused for a moment. “I suspect that there are other beings there besides monsters, such as humans or non-humans.”
He told Bai Chenzhu about the monster collar.
Bai Chenzhu tried hard to recall.
When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Jiang Ye blocking his way, followed by those bluish-gray eyes and the enormous body. As for the monster's neck, he didn't really notice it.
But if the monster has a collar, wouldn't that be equivalent to being kept in captivity? And if someone keeps a monster in captivity and drives it to attack ordinary people, then the other people who were separated from them might also end up downstream.
Bai Chenzhu realized the seriousness of the matter. He nodded and agreed to Jiang Ye's suggestion, "We should go and investigate."
Just as Jiang Ye breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he had successfully passed the test, Bai Chenzhu suddenly turned around and asked, "But what about the debt for you sneaking out to eat behind my back?"
"What stealing? You're innocent! That's not true!" Jiang Ye, who had just calmed down, suddenly became angry again and begged for forgiveness.
Bai Chenzhu wasn't going to let him off the hook. He narrowed his eyes. "We'll follow the zombies tonight and take a look. Now, you get some rest. If the fire starts burning again..."
Jiang Ye looked at him nervously.
Bai Chenzhu thought for a long time, but couldn't think of anything that could threaten Jiang Ye. However, he couldn't let Jiang Ye go unchecked; if Jiang Ye were to become mentally impaired from the burns, it would do him no good.
His gaze fell on Jiang Ye's wrinkled clothes. Yes, Jiang Ye loved to wear brightly colored clothes, and Bai Chenzhu had found it an eyesore from the very first time they met.
Bai Chenzhu's face turned cold. "I'm throwing away all those fancy clothes of yours!"
Jiang Ye's eyes widened, and he let out a pitiful cry, "No—"
Bai Chenzhu was always helpless with Jiang Ye, not understanding how a person could have so much energy. He simply pressed Jiang Ye's head into the bed with a pillow, leaving no room for argument, "Shut up! Go to sleep!"
"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"
——
Jiang Ye's recovery ability is indeed strong. Under Bai Chenzhu's watch, he did nothing but eat and sleep all day and was not able to leave the house to cause trouble. By evening, his injuries had healed by about 70-80%, he was no longer bleeding, and there was no fever on his body.
As for Bai Chenzhu, he only had minor injuries from the stones and strange fish, which had already scabbed over and did not affect his movements.
As evening approached, they found two backpacks, filled them with some food and water, and left the house. Before leaving, Bai Chenzhu thought for a moment, then took two face masks and stuffed them into his pocket.
That night, the scene of zombies moving eerily in the same direction reappeared.
Fortunately, the buildings along the river are always very close together, unlike the apartment complex where Bai Chenzhu used to live. Here, the buildings are either so close together that there is no ventilation, or there is only a narrow alleyway that can only allow one person to pass through.
So they went straight to the rooftop and slowly followed the direction where the zombies were gathering. After getting used to it, Bai Chenzhu could cross the balcony smoothly on her own without Jiang Ye's help.
Countless zombies swarmed down the streets like a river, heading downstream from the ancient city of Deer Cry. There, there was a very famous theater.
The theater in Luming Ancient City was considered exceptional at the time. Visiting the ancient city without seeing that famous play would be a regret.
But it is quite unbelievable that in the long-abandoned ancient city, a theater about thirty or forty meters high is still lit up and bustling with people.
Several people were standing on the protruding balcony on the second floor in front of the theater.
Bai Chenzhu hid on the balcony of the nearest house, staring in astonishment at the winged figures.
They wore strange, form-fitting clothing, had tentacles on their heads, wings on their backs, and oddly colored eyes and hair. Bai Chenzhu felt in his pocket and pulled out the translator he had stolen.
"Be careful? Ha. What's there to be afraid of with those stupid natives? Our technology is destroyed, our nation is dead, who will find us? Once we've dealt with these natives, we can go home!"
"But if we do that, Lord Kula will be angry!"
The short insectoid in the middle shoved the person next to him, "The Insect God is above us, what right does it have to be angry! Being so timid and afraid of this and that, how could the Cosmic Alliance possibly come to such a lowly planet!"
...
Bai Chenzhu put the earphones into Jiang Ye's ears, wanting him to hear the group's shameless remarks, but Jiang Ye waved his hand, "You use them, I can understand the gist of it."
Bai Chenzhu looked at him in surprise.
Jiang Ye smiled and gestured a small distance with two fingers, "Just a little bit, level four in insect language."
That's a very vivid metaphor.
Bai Chenzhu: ...
Bai Chenzhu, who was at level zero in the Insect Language class, put her headphones back on.
They were still talking, but Bai Chenzhu only heard a few vague words before realizing that it was the short man in the middle who was using his mental power to drive away the zombies.
The zombies poured into the theater from the entrance, and the place became lively.
Once they had attracted enough zombies, the Zerg flew into the theater and closed the doors.
Jiang Ye nudged Bai Chenzhu and pointed to the small balcony on the second floor of the theater, where there were glass windows that offered a view of the theater's interior.
Bai Chenzhu nodded, and the two of them cautiously crouched down and went to the balcony.
Two heads peeked out from behind the glass window. The warm light from the theater shone on Bai Chenzhu, who squinted as he looked into the theater.
The theater, with its stage on the north side, tiered seating on the south side, and aisle-style seating on the east and west sides, was once a uniquely designed theater, but it has now been almost completely destroyed and converted into a bloody and violent arena.
On the east side of the theater, there was a large iron cage containing about a hundred dusty-looking people, men, women, and children.
To the south was a partially intact audience seating area, where about a few dozen Zerg sat high above, looking towards the stage.
The main character on the stage to the north was none other than the giant monster they had seen that day!
The theater trapped it, and it also trapped the horde of corpses.
The monster was extremely tall, its body as imposing as a small mountain, with bulging muscles and a ferocious appearance. It went mad in the zombie horde, tearing at the zombies' limbs and devouring their brains, turning the first floor of the theater into its own personal kitchen.
It's like a battle between a lion king and a cub.
No doubt about it.
Bai Chenzhu looked around and found an iron door leading into the small balcony. He tugged at Jiang Ye, who was intently looking inside. Jiang Ye suddenly grabbed his finger and said in a deep voice, "Sister Zhuohua is inside!"
"What did you say?" Bai Chenzhu's pupils shrank suddenly. Following the direction he pointed, in the large iron cage in the opposite corridor, amidst the dense crowd of people, he saw Zhou Zhuohua, Bai Tao, and Tang Zhao!
Fortunately, although they looked somewhat dirty, they did not show any signs of serious injury.
Bai Chenzhu quickly thought of a way to save the people. "Iron cage, find the key!"
Jiang Ye shook his head. "Their cages are unusual."
Bai Chenzhu was about to ask him what was so unusual about it,
Just then, they saw a Zergling stand up, fly from the stands to the east corridor, and accurately grab a human through the iron cage bars.
The human, whose arm was being held, struggled frantically. The Zerg gently flapped its wings, its wingtips touching the lock, and the cage opened.
The human punched and kicked him, but the Zerg endured it all. He grabbed the man by the neck, pulled him out of the iron cage, and lifted him into the air. The Zerg looked him up and down, nodding and smiling as if he were looking at a hen that was ready to lay eggs.
The short insectoid they had just seen was perhaps too lazy to get up, so they amplified their voices remotely using their mental power, "How is he today?"
And clearly, this is not about caring about humanity.
The Zerg, who had captured the human, said, "They're stronger than yesterday."
"Sure enough, their evolution is based on fear, hahaha!" The short man laughed unrestrainedly, and the others joined in the laughter.
Bai Chenzhu pressed the translator by his ear, but sensed something was wrong. He said to Jiang Ye, "That human is a superhuman."
Jiang Ye quickly turned his head, "Are you sure?"
“I’m sure. His mental strength doesn’t lie.” Bai Chenzhu nodded.
This proves that the Zerg are already aware of the existence of the Psionicists.
The next second, amidst the human's cries of agony, the Zerg broke his arm and threw him directly onto the first floor.
The superhuman screamed and yelled, unable to control his limbs in mid-air, and landed with a dull thud.
The mental energy fluctuations of zombies and superhumans are not on the same level. Therefore, the giant monster immediately locked onto the superhuman and charged towards him.
The scene that followed was predictable: amidst the black grime, a warm, bright red hue was added.
Bai Chenzhu couldn't bear to watch any longer. He turned to look at Jiang Ye and saw that the man was clenching his fists. He quickly grabbed Jiang Ye's arm tightly and said, "Calm down! We can't save him."
Are the two of them going up to deliver food to the monster?
Jiang Ye's tense body relaxed slightly, and he shook his head, "Don't worry, I'm not that impulsive."
Even if Bai Chenzhu didn't stop him, he wouldn't rush in.
"Eat! Get stronger! Become the 'king' of these monsters!" The short man stood up, looking down excitedly, his gray eyes burning with fervor. "Then, go and attack those bases! Kill them all, wipe them all out! Hahaha..."
Its mental power caused the monster to react violently. It couldn't wait to enjoy an even more delicious meal. Then, unsatisfied, it roared and smashed the tables and chairs at the feet of the Zerg audience, wishing it could devour the short Zerg.
Dozens of insectoids got up and went to the iron cage to select superhumans.
During this time, Bai Chenzhu was on tenterhooks, fearing that Zhuo Hua and the other two would be captured by the insectoids, and that he and Jiang Ye would really not know how to rescue them!
Fortunately, Bai Tao didn't seem to have revealed her powerful mental abilities; she hid them well. Zhou Zhuohua, on the other hand, was an ordinary person, as was Tang Zhao…
A Zergling grabbed Tang Zhao, and Bai Chenzhu gripped Jiang Ye's clothes tightly, wanting to seize the opportunity and call for Jiang Ye to save him.
Tang Zhao scratched at the Zerg creature like a kitten, but couldn't even break its skin. His face filled with anger and despair, he roared, "Let me go!"
"So weak." The Zerg abandoned him.
Luckily, that kid was quick-witted. Bai Chenzhu breathed a sigh of relief.
Jiang Ye said, "My clothes are all wrinkled."
Bai Chenzhu was taken aback and loosened his clothes.
Jiang Ye tilted his head, scrutinizing Bai Chenzhu's expression. "Does this mean you trust me?"
His eyes gleamed with pride. "Looking at it this way, you really do like me."
Bai Chenzhu: ...
His tense mood suddenly disappeared, but he felt an itch to hit Jiang Ye.
The Zerg selected about twenty or thirty people and fed them to the monster all at once.
The monsters' attention was diverted; they no longer stared at the unreachable, diminutive insectoids, but instead chased after the humans in the arena. The fearful and desperate faces of the humans fleeing in all directions provided the insectoids with the greatest amusement.
Bai Chenzhu didn't want to watch anymore, but she had no choice but to keep watching.
——
Dawn was approaching, and the stage was filled with the remains of zombies and humans. The monster, having eaten its fill, lay lazily on the stage.
The play had ended, and the Zerg opened the doors on the first floor, then flew out of the theater one after another.
Bai Chenzhu and Jiang Ye hid and watched helplessly as they flew into the mountains like a swarm of moths. They flew far enough that they disappeared in no time.
Not long after they left, the giant monster staggered to its feet and chased after them—or rather, chased after the mental energy of the short insectoid race.
Jiang Ye turned to Bai Chenzhu and asked, "Can you still sense them?"
The short insectoid was male, and its mental strength was the highest among the insects. Bai Chenzhu carefully sensed it and thought, "It's beyond my perception range."
That means we've left at least half of the ancient city.
Seeing Jiang Ye about to go inside, Bai Chenzhu quickly pulled out a mask. "Put this on, just in case."
These humans are certainly in a terrible situation, but they also have to protect themselves.
The two opened the balcony door and walked openly onto the corridor.
The sounds of insults and cries of agony vanished the moment they entered.
"A person! It's a person!"
"Help! We need to be saved!"
"You should hurry up and leave, they'll be back tonight!"
...
A cacophony of voices erupted, hundreds of mouths uttering different sounds, various dialects bursting forth, and even infighting broke out.
Bai Chenzhu and Jiang Ye, with a clear goal in mind, walked up to the cage where Zhou Zhuohua was. Zhou Zhuohua looked at them with a flickering gaze, then pulled back Tang Zhao and Bai Tao, who were eagerly about to rush over, hesitating whether to go forward.
Bai Chenzhu shook his head at her almost imperceptibly.
Exposing their relationship at this point would only get Zhuohua and the others into trouble with this group. People will do anything to survive. Besides, they're not so noble as to claim they can save everyone.
Bai Chenzhu examined the lock; there was a smooth-touch material on it, the one he had seen the Zerg use their wings to open the door last night.
In other words, without wings, they cannot unlock the door normally.
Jiang Ye touched the fence. "It's too noisy. Send someone out to talk to us."
The crowd chattered for a moment, and then someone stepped forward.
The man wasn't Sister Zhuohua or her group; he was pushed out by the crowd. He was about forty years old, tall, with a serious face and deep furrows between his brows. He was wearing wrinkled clothes, but there were several people vaguely guarding him.
He must have some prestige among the crowd, because when he spoke, the people around him mostly fell silent.
"Hello, I am Liang Zhi, the manager of the ancient city."
"Liang Zhi? Didn't you abandon the city and flee long ago?" Bai Chenzhu sensed something was off. He remembered that at the gas station, those men complained that the city's administrators had run away immediately. If the administrators hadn't run away, the city wouldn't have fallen into a zombie city so quickly.
He was wearing a mask that covered his well-defined jawline, revealing only his phoenix eyes. His voice was muffled, and he was fair-skinned. Jiang Ye was still throwing a tantrum on the ground in the evening, wanting to braid his hair into a side braid.
So much so that Liang Zhi looked at the tall, long-haired man in front of him and shook his head, saying, "That's not how it is! Miss, you've misunderstood. We were arrested by this group of arrogant thugs."
Bai Chenzhu: ...
"Cough cough cough!" Jiang Ye chuckled sullenly, raising his hand to block Bai Chenzhu, who was about to explode in anger.
Bai Chenzhu glanced at him, then tightened his grip on Jiang Ye's wrist with such force that he almost broke Jiang Ye's wrist bone. But at the last moment, Bai Chenzhu loosened his grip and simply pushed his arm away coldly.
Jiang Ye withdrew his hand and looked back at Bai Chenzhu innocently, but his dark eyes clearly held amusement as if he were watching a show.
The next second, when he looked at Liang Zhi, the smile in his eyes vanished completely, and he got back to the point, "Alright, let me ask you, are all the people here superhumans?"
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