Chapter Sixty-Two

Ma Yi swiftly flicked his arms a few times, and drops of black blood entered their mouths.

“Boss, give me a drop too, will you?” Iron Pillar had seen Copperhead’s half-devoured body, after swallowing the blood, sprout writhing tentacles that swiftly formed muscles and skin. In just a few minutes, Copperhead was as good as new.

Ma Yi shot him a glare but said nothing. This stuff would lock their power at a tier below his own; for now, that was fine, but in the future, if Ma Yi couldn’t improve, neither could they. Ma Yi was counting on Iron Pillar to become strong enough to stand by his side one day.

Seeing Ma Yi’s look, Iron Pillar scratched his bald head helplessly and fell silent. If Ma Yi refused, there must be a reason—he’d ask when no one was around.

The Rat King poked his sneaky head out from a hole in the ground. Among the top fighters in the villa district, he’d taken the least damage—at the first sign of trouble, he’d burrowed underground and only surfaced when he sensed familiar auras.

“From now on, your name is Husky,” Ma Yi declared after glancing at the two-headed Corpse King. After swallowing Ma Yi’s blood, he needn’t worry about their betrayal; in an instant, Ma Yi could claim their lives.

“Yes, Husky understands. My name is Husky now.” The two-headed Corpse King prostrated himself, answering dutifully. The moment he swallowed the black blood, he felt the immense energy contained within.

“Who is she?” Ruhu asked, eyeing the silent woman perched on Ma Yi’s shoulder, unable to hide her jealousy.

“I am Master’s maid. Pleased to meet you, Madam,” Li Li responded swiftly before Ma Yi could speak.

“Oh, all right then.” Having spent so much time with Liu Wen and Liu Xue, Ruhu understood the role of a maid—something like a servant, a slave to the master. Especially after hearing Li Li call her “Madam,” any fleeting grievance vanished.

With everything settled, Ma Yi finally took a careful look at Ruhu, enough to make her a little nervous.

In both beauty and figure, Ruhu surpassed the female Corpse King by several grades. If the Corpse King was a wildflower kissed by morning dew, Ruhu was a red rose glowing in the sunset.

“Come down, all of you.” Ma Yi set them down, and under the watchful eyes of the high-ranking zombies, he slowly transformed into a 1.7-meter-tall human. The warriors around marveled at the sight.

“Why were you staring at me just now?” Ruhu’s gaze brimmed with curiosity, yet she found Ma Yi’s look unfamiliar.

“Let’s talk as we walk. While I was away, due to certain circumstances, I lost my memory. I only remember your names; your faces, I can’t recall. I want to imprint your features in my mind, so I’ll never forget again.” Walking among the corpses, Ma Yi recounted his experiences after losing his memory, though he omitted how close he had come to death.

“You must have suffered. But you came back, so our waiting and longing weren’t in vain.” Ruhu pulled Ma Yi into an embrace. He was just the right height for her chest, and for a moment, he felt smothered, but he let her hold him tight, letting her pour out all that longing.

Ma Yi’s return dispelled the crisis that had threatened the villa district. Even Husky, the two-headed Corpse King on the verge of a breakthrough, was now under his command, not to mention over a dozen top-tier fighters. The district’s strength had more than doubled.

Those who drank Ma Yi’s blood not only healed but began to evolve rapidly, thanks to the essence in his blood. Husky was first to break through, followed by the gravely injured Windchaser. Iron Pillar lingered at the mountain’s base, watching the warriors evolve, while Ma Yi led Ruhu and Li Li up toward the villa.

The fighting had reached a fever pitch since dawn, and even the top fighters had left their posts. Liu Wen wanted to go see but was stopped by an S5-ranked guard—it was too dangerous outside. If even Ruhu lacked confidence, Liu Wen shouldn’t risk it. The guard had told Liu Wen that if defeat became inevitable, they’d take her and Liu Xue’s family and break out, so the sisters packed light, ready to flee at a moment’s notice.

Liu Xue, usually carefree, became anxious after hearing her sister’s explanation. Their parents sat sadly in the hall; the villa had become their home, and leaving in such times meant facing the unknown.

The sisters’ small bags were packed, protective leather armor donned. Liu Xue hadn’t forgotten Ma Yi’s spear, which she kept near the sofa, within easy reach in case of a fight.

The front door opened and both sisters, startled, looked over. Relief washed over them when they saw it was Ruhu. For now, they were safe, and their pounding hearts could finally settle.

Ruhu glanced oddly at the tense family, then gave a mysterious smile, puzzling the sisters. Slowly, she stepped aside, revealing the man behind her—short, dressed in black tactical gear—standing quietly. Everyone in the hall was stunned.

Liu Xue stared at him in confusion. He seemed vaguely familiar, not bad looking, his features decent enough, though a bit short. Who was he? A relative perhaps? Why did she have no memory of him? Liu Wen’s parents were also bewildered by the special-forces-looking man at the door.

Liu Wen froze. Then, tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Jie, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Liu Xue nudged her sister, puzzled by her reaction, while the man stood there, unashamedly appraising the sisters.

Ma Yi stood quietly, watching the woman on the sofa break into tears, and slowly, a figure surfaced in his mind—a lively, if modest, wedding. He stood smoking at the staircase, watching the bustling scene. A woman in red, arm in arm with another man, toasted the guests. Her beauty pained him, a mere bystander, with unspoken agony at the world’s injustice. The woman, the center of the celebration, never noticed the young man watching her from afar.

Gradually, Ma Yi’s once-foggy memories sharpened, and the woman’s face overlapped with the crying woman on the sofa. It was her—Liu Wen, the married woman he’d secretly loved.

Ma Yi wanted to go to her, to comfort her, but suddenly he was afraid, just like the first time he’d seen Liu Wen—only daring to watch from afar. He forced himself to speak: “I’m back.”

His voice was dry and hoarse, even he felt discomfort in his throat, swallowing hard to ease it.

Suddenly, Liu Wen leapt to her feet and rushed toward him. Just as everyone expected a long-awaited embrace, a resounding slap landed on Ma Yi’s cheek, the sound echoing through the hall.

“Ah!” Liu Xue stared in disbelief. In all her life, she’d never seen her sister angry, let alone hit someone. She was dumbfounded, as were her parents, though the older couple seemed to guess the reason.

“Master!” Li Li cried out, wanting to go to him, but Ruhu held her back. Only then did Li Li remember this woman was her master’s wife. She watched, heart aching—since following Ma Yi, she’d never seen him so stunned, never seen anyone strike him. Everyone else greeted Ma Yi with utmost respect, barely daring to breathe in his presence. Now, he’d been struck, and by such a beautiful woman.

“Does it hurt?” Liu Wen, after hitting him, gently stroked the place she’d slapped. Her tear-stained eyes searched his face, drinking in every detail.

“I’m back.” Ma Yi didn’t answer her question. Right now, saying it hurt or didn’t hurt would be wrong. He simply spoke softly.

“Why didn’t you tell me before you left? Do you know how worried I was? You bastard!” Liu Wen’s lips quivered, her beautiful face contorting as she wrapped her long arms tightly around his neck and sobbed anew. Months of forced strength crumbled the moment she saw Ma Yi again.

Ma Yi stood there silently, patting her back gently, whispering, “I’m sorry, I was wrong, don’t cry, it won’t happen again.”

“Ah, at last you’re back!” Chen Fang, Liu Wen’s mother, wiped away her tears. Her son-in-law had finally returned.

“Yes, the heaviness in my heart vanished the moment I saw this boy walk in,” said Liu Guoliang, Liu Wen’s father, pulling his wife close with a laugh.

“Hmph, you forget the first time you met him, you put on such airs, like an interrogator from the old days,” Chen Fang teased.

“It’s all in the past, all in the past,” Liu Guoliang replied awkwardly.