3.11

"Give Ru Lan to me."

Everyone was shocked with Ling Kai's demand. They thought that Ling Kai would demand to give the city to him, or human sacrifice. Because this powerful zombie king had defeated their president.

Although President Ru had exterminated 90% of the zombies, the rest of the people couldn't fight the last 10%, especially when Ling Kai was still very much alive. Maybe because they had been well protected by their president, that they didn't have individual strength. They relied on him too much.

Thus, when Ling Kai asked for them to hand their president, they were all silenced. Nobody dared to fight and protect their president.

Ling Kai sneered at these bunch of cowards. They were all shows, but no strength. They relied on Ru Lan too much, yet, when Ru Lan was now in his weakest, nobody wanted to protect him.

'It must have been hard to be Ru Lan, to have everyone adore you, but nobody cares for you…'

'Maybe we are not so different. Everyone fears me, and nobody cares for me…'

Since nobody was brave enough to fight Ling Kai, his only obstacle was Bi He who tightly clenched Ru Lan's body. He could just kill Bi He right now, but if Ru Lan woke up and found out that Bi He was dead… Ling Kai didn't want to see his reaction.

"This city is full of cowards. Everyone relies on President Ru so much that they become a parasite, hanging on a big tree," Ling Kai sneered. Even after such an insult, nobody was angry enough to stand up and take charge.

Ling Kai crouched in front of Bi He and unconscious Ru Lan. He asked Bi He for the second time, "Give Ru Lan to me."

Bi He lowered his gaze, maybe because he was instinctively afraid of Ling Kai's gaze, "If… if I give Ru Lan to you, will you spare everyone in the city?"

"Oh? I thought you would be harder to negotiate," Ling Kai pinched Bi He's chin with his thumb and raised his chin, so Bi He couldn't avoid his eyes, "Why don't you fight more for your lover? Ru Lan protects you many times, but you will let him go like this? I'm starting to doubt your sincerity for him."

"… Ru Lan prioritizes his people over himself. You can take him and disappear forever… I'm sure Ru Lan wouldn't mind. As long as the city is safe…" Bi He said.

Ling Kai's scrutinizing gaze made Bi He uncomfortable, after a moment, Ling Kai snorted, "You are just like the rest of those cowards. You will take control over the city to replace him, and all of you will soon forget about your heroic President Ru."

Ling Kai released his pinch and separated Bi He and Ru Lan with his wind. Ling Kai carried Ru Lan in his embrace, he stared at the strong feature of mighty President Ru, then gazed condescendingly at the people, "I will ask you once more, do you want me to take President Ru and never comes back, or do you want to sacrifice yourself for him? If someone in here wants to sacrifice themselves for President Ru, then come forward and I will turn you into a rotting zombie."

Silence perturbed the air after Ling Kai delivered his ultimatum. Nobody dared to move an inch from their position, including Vice President Bi He.

He waited if someone was brave enough to volunteer, but everybody wanted to persevere their life. Ling Kai stared pitifully at unconscious Ru Lan.

'Ru Lan, I wonder what you would think if you can see this? You risked your life to protect your people, but they don't want to protect you. You are like a candle that lights up the dark room, but once you die out, nobody will care for you anymore.'

'I can take care of you better than any of them.'

[Pupa: Ding! Fatemeter increases to 50%.]

[Pupa: Ding! Breakmeter increases to 25%.]

"Then I will leave. I will never return to this city full of cowards, good luck with your city, President Bi He," Ling Kai said. He disappeared with Ru Lan's body.

The zombies all slowly melted into puddles of blood and rotten flesh with their glowing brain beads. Bi He stared at the mess and then commanded, "Collect the brain beads, it is valuable for trading. Remember, this is Ru Lan's wish for us to stay alive."

"Yes, President Bi!"

With that, everybody started collecting the brain beads and proceeded as if President Ru was just a remnant of memory for them.

***

[Pupa: How long will you stay unconscious? It's been two weeks since that day.]

[I'm a sleeping beauty you know. Maybe I will have more sleep before I get the kiss from my prince charming.]

[Pupa: Bi He is now standing naked in front of you, doing striptease for you to see.]

Yunyu opened his eyes immediately. His eyes observed around, trying to find the naked Bi He. But all he saw was a room with low ceiling and few humble furniture. Aside from him lying on the bed, nobody was in the room.

[You lied to me!]

[Pupa: Because that is the only way for you to wake up, pervert.]

[Ugh, where am I anyway?]

Before the system could answer, the door was opened and Ling Kai came in with a bowl of warm porridge and meat. He was surprised when he saw Ru Lan finally opened his eyes. It had been two weeks since he captured Ru Lan. They went to many abandoned locations until Ling Kai decided to settle in a place where he first regained his consciousness as a zombie.

"Ah, you finally woke up," Ling Kai said. He smiled and put down the porridge. He sat on the edge of the bed, "Are you uncomfortable? It's been two weeks."

Ru Lan glared at Ling Kai and tried to move his body, but he felt muscle ache all over. Which was understandable, because he would feel this after exhausting too much power without the help of Bi He's healing ability.

"Ah, I will relieve the pain," Ling Kai touched Ru Lan's ankle and the trace of cooling energy reduced the muscle ache. Ru Lan watched Ling Kai suspiciously, he didn't know what was in Ling Kai's head right now, but he felt that Ling Kai was different.

"What did you do when I was unconscious?" Ru Lan asked.

"I… I just brought you to this place…" Ling Kai said. He didn't know what to say anymore. He wanted to say that Duran City was full of cowards that didn't value Ru Lan. But he didn't want Ru Lan to get hurt.

"What happened with my people? Did you kill everyone?" Ru Lan raised his finger and his hand trembled, he tried hard to create a ball of electricity, but because he was too exhausted, the ball of electricity popped every three seconds.

Ling Kai covered Ru Lan's hand with his and said, "They are all safe, I didn't hurt anyone. I just… took your body and ran away…"

Yunyu felt that something was amiss. Ling Kai was a ruthless man, how could he spare a city after that much confrontation. However, when he asked the system, he got the same answer.

[Pupa: Duran City is well and prosperous, nothing has changed since your disappearance. Ling Kai didn't do anything to them, you should learn more about him.]

Yunyu still couldn't believe that Ling Kai would spare them. Did he threaten to kill Ru Lan while he was unconscious? Did he ravage the whole city before taking his body and disappear only for fun? At least, his people should be desperately trying to save him from Ling Kai, and he was worried that Bi He might've died after trying to save him.

[What are the current meters?]

[Pupa: Breakmeter 30%. Fatemeter 55%. Yunyu, I will repeat this over and over. Ling Kai is not heartless.]