Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Corpse Beast

"The virus is too strong; they can't handle it, so transformation is impossible," Huahua stared at the dead rooster, reminding Ma Yi.

"So it wasn't that they didn't get infected, but that they were too weak to transform? That's possible?" Ma Yi looked at Huahua, waiting for her explanation.

"When the antibodies realized they couldn't fight the virus, they simply shut down all blood vessels and muscles in the body, causing instant death," Huahua explained, somewhat muddled, but Ma Yi understood.

It was like discovering an enemy at the gates and sealing the city shut; in the end, neither escaping nor letting the enemy in, you starve to death inside your own walls.

"There is one way—infect the spine, go straight for the central system," Huahua pondered, then walked to a trembling Tang dog, opened a wound on its back with her tail blade. Whirlwind rushed over, piercing the exposed bone with a claw.

Everyone's eyes fixed on the low-howling Tang dog. Time ticked by with no reaction. Huahua frowned and reopened the wound with her tail blade, then squeezed out a drop of orange blood with her hand and let it drip into the small hole on the dog’s spine—a hole she had just made.

Suddenly, the dog collapsed, trembling violently. Its yellow fur started to fall out, skin first rotting, then gradually regenerating. Its wails continued, bones cracking audibly. Originally a meter tall and two meters long, it quickly grew to a meter and a half in height and three meters in length. Its fangs jutted out, limbs thickened, claws dug into the ground, cracking stones beneath its feet.

"Did it work?" Ma Yi stared at the now more ferocious Tang dog, glancing with both nervousness and awe at the stunned Huahua.

"It seems so," Huahua wasn't entirely sure, inspecting the beast again. The transformation was ongoing, but from a spiritual level, she could already faintly sense its presence.

"Let me try!" Ma Yi grew excited. It made sense for the queen’s blood to have such power, but what about himself? What if he succeeded—would he also have the abilities of a Corpse King? Even if it failed, he would not be discouraged; after all, he was the Corpse King's man.

Another Tang dog was forced down in the same manner. Ma Yi bit his finger, squeezed out a drop of yellow blood, and dripped it into the prepared wound. The dog was silent for a few seconds—enough to make Ma Yi awkward—then it thrashed in agony, more violently than before, tearing up the ground as it rolled. Its bones snapped, body curling into a ball, which grew larger. Limbs extended, now only bone, with worm-like blood vessels shooting out and quickly attaching themselves to the skeleton.

"It worked!" Huahua sensed the change as it happened.

Relieved and a little proud of his newly created zombie dog, Ma Yi thought he must possess the potential of a king as well. The Tang dog had doubled in size, lacking skin but covered in a hard, crocodile-like keratin. Its fangs jutted from its mouth, and with each breath, two small vortexes of air puffed from its nostrils. The appearance was fierce and commanding—if he hadn't done it himself, Ma Yi might have mistaken it for some evolved horse.

"This one’s mine," Huahua ran over and clung to Ma Yi, demanding the big dog for herself.

"What’s mine is yours," Ma Yi replied happily, delighted by his newfound power to create Corpse Beasts.

Whirlwind’s attempt was unsuccessful, as was Hammer’s with another mutant beast. But Iron Pillar surprised Ma Yi—he too could assimilate beasts, though those he created were slightly weaker than Huahua’s. Who would have thought Iron Pillar also had the qualifications of a king?

"Wow, brother-in-law, did you find a mutant horse?" Liu Xue's eyes sparkled as she watched the little yellow creature beside Ma Yi.

"This is a dog," Ma Yi laughed. It was the last Tang dog, which he had assimilated himself, intending to give it to the lively girl. After feeding it a piece of Beast King meat, the pup transformed into a silver-white beast, faintly tinged with gold, as if it might become a Golden-class beast at any moment. Such a fierce animal at Liu Xue’s side could save her life in a critical moment.

"I want to ride it!" Liu Xue rushed over. The big yellow dog was obedient and, although now a corpse beast, even smarter than before.

"Girls should be gentle. Too much rough play and you’ll get damaged—who’ll want you then?" In high spirits, Ma Yi joked, even teasing her with a risqué remark.

"If no one wants me, I’ll pester you! I’m telling my sister you’re teasing me!" Liu Xue, thinking she’d caught Ma Yi out, darted inside to tattle.

From then on, the job of assimilating mutant beasts was left to Iron Pillar. They didn’t need to be strong at first—evolution would come in time.

Ma Yi began to envision his army of corpse beasts, invincible wherever it marched.

Liu Xue’s complaints didn’t bother Liu Wen. The little girl was always lively, and her parents discussed all their plans with her. As the older sister, Liu Wen knew that to protect her family, she had to adapt—and though her sister tried to hide it, she saw right through her.

"I’ll make you a saddle tomorrow. It was meant for you anyway—you’re not as calm as your sister and always want to run around. This big dog can protect you," Ma Yi said as he entered the room, finding Liu Xue already coaxing her sister to ask for the big dog.

"Really? Yay!" Liu Xue cheered at Ma Yi’s promise, showering him with praise: how great, kind, and loving he was.

"Enough, no need for flattery. Take it outside and get used to it," Ma Yi, embarrassed by her compliments, hurried to quiet her down.

"There won’t be any danger, right?" Liu Wen asked, smoothing Ma Yi’s shirt. Even at nearly five meters tall, Ma Yi was still shorter than Iron Pillar by a meter, but to Liu Wen, he was a giant. She stood before him like a child.

"No worries, I’ve already disciplined it. Besides, Huahua will be watching," Ma Yi said, sitting on a stone bench and pulling Liu Wen onto his lap.

"Good," Liu Wen replied, rolling her eyes at his mischievous hands, first checking outside, then inside before letting herself relax against him.

With her new companion, Liu Xue was like a whirlwind, while Huahua followed closely behind on the black beast, watching fondly as Liu Xue brandished her spear like a young general. She truly doted on her little sister.

With Whirlwind leading the S-unit out hunting for mutant beasts, the rodents had finished tunneling behind Nanshan Villa. All corpse beasts would be assimilated here by Iron Pillar—failures would simply be eaten.

Within a week, the army of corpse beasts surpassed two hundred, each species with its special use. This was Ma Yi’s secret force—the fewer who knew, the better. It wasn’t his own men he didn’t trust, but rather the lucky ones who always gossiped about him. Lately, they’d been acting suspiciously. If they ever truly threatened him, Ma Yi would not hesitate to destroy them all.

Liu Jing told Ma Yi they were thinking of leaving for some gathering point. If they left, they’d surely spread rumors. Any trouble that could be avoided, Ma Yi would avoid; if trouble came, he would fight. His greatest concern was long-range weapons.

Ma Yi’s body had changed again recently, shrinking by ten centimeters in a week. He couldn’t pretend not to worry. His plans to go out had to be postponed until his body stabilized.

July brought even more stifling heat. Chen Yuanshan came with Chen Liang to see Ma Yi.

"Brother Ant," Chen Yuanshan’s expression was uneasy, and Chen Liang looked tense.

"Go ahead, when are you planning to leave?" Ma Yi asked, noticing Chen Yuanshan’s improved health—he must hold a good position among the survivors.

"Next week, I guess. I don’t really want to go, but my nephew wants to see the world. It’s just the two of us left. I worry, so I want to go with him," Chen Yuanshan studied Ma Yi’s face, hoping for a clue, but was disappointed. Ma Yi was no longer the impulsive man he’d first met. If you thought you could read him so easily, you’d be naïve.

"It’s good to see the world. Reading ten thousand books can’t compare to walking ten thousand miles. It’ll be good for you," Ma Yi replied. He had no particular feelings toward Chen Liang; to him, the man was almost a stranger.

"Sigh, my life was saved by you, Brother Ant. I ought to serve you loyally."

"Don’t be so formal. Meeting was fate, and I’m still young and healthy—no need for you to serve me," Ma Yi interrupted, annoyed. If these survivors owed him, Ma Yi could let it go. But if he ever wanted repayment, they would have nowhere to hide.

"Yes, yes, Brother Ant, you’re a hero and need no one like me," Chen Yuanshan quickly changed tack.

"Alright, say what you came to say," Ma Yi said, growing impatient.

"The others want me to ask if you could spare a few men to escort us part of the way," Chen Yuanshan lowered his head, surprised by his own audacity. Not only did he want to leave, but he also shamelessly asked Ma Yi for an escort.