Chapter 142: Disappearance

I do not know how much time had passed when I drifted back from a hazy half-sleep. Opening my eyes, I found myself lying on a bed. The room was exceptionally humid, its walls built of bluestone, and the floor was still not entirely dry. This was the newly constructed cottage the tactician had ordered built for me.

Wait a moment. Wasn't I just fighting an advanced zombie? How could I be lying in bed? My mind felt completely blank as I struggled to recall what had just happened. I remembered the zombie seemed to have injured me. Right, my shoulder—my shoulder was gone. I quickly pulled back the quilt and discovered that my left shoulder was completely intact and undamaged. The Frost Sword stood upright by the head of the bed. I called out twice, but received no response, so I simply tossed aside the quilt and got out of bed.

The moment my feet touched the floor, a wave of dizziness washed over me. I hurriedly steadied myself against the table to avoid falling over. This sensation was much like the lightheadedness I used to feel after donating blood, and right now, I felt an intense craving for water. Only someone who had suffered severe blood loss would feel such an urgent desire for water. Could it be that the scene I had just recalled was real?

What was going on with that zombie's eyes? I remembered being captivated by its gaze back then, and after that, I could remember nothing at all until Qin Tian ran over from a distance and called out my name, which brought me back to my senses. Where was the zombie? Was it dead or alive?

I picked up the teapot on the table, only to find it bone dry. Damn it all! Swaying from side to side, I pushed open the door and called out Qin Tian's name, but no one answered.

My room was situated behind a cluster of other dwellings, with a large open space in front of the doorway. I had instructed the tactician to build a two-meter-high wall around this open area. Having grown accustomed to life in the twenty-first century, I still preferred a modern architectural design. Usually, when they had business, they would call out from outside the main gate; without my explicit command, no one dared to enter. I pushed the gate open, and a gust of wind swept in, kicking up a flurry of dust across the ground. I rubbed my eyes, which were stung by the flying sand, only to see the tactician leading a group of people clearing away the corpses of the zombies.

I walked quickly toward the crowd. The tactician spotted me and hurried forward to steady me, saying, "Lord Yu, you're awake! Oh? Your arm..."

I glanced down at my arm, thinking that what I had remembered must have been real after all. Qin Tian had brought me back, and my arm had regenerated through my innate healing ability.

I said to the tactician, "I'm fine. I have regenerative powers. Did someone carry me back? Where is he?"

The tactician's mouth dropped into an O-shape, and he was speechless for a long time. Just then, someone called out, "Old Li." The moment I heard it, I knew it was Qin Tian. I quickly responded, and Qin Tian walked over from behind me. I landed a punch on his chest: "Good lad, did you take care of that zombie?"

Qin Tian chuckled and returned the punch: "I let it get away! If I'd arrived even a moment later, you would have been torn to pieces!"

Qin Tian was right. At the time, that zombie had detached my entire arm with a single strike. Just thinking about it made my blood run cold!

"All right, out with it. How do you want me to thank you?" Qin Tian was half a head taller than me, so I tilted my head up and asked with a smile.

"There's no need for thanks. Are you going to treat me like an outsider? However..."

Qin Tian hesitated, stopping mid-sentence. I knew right away he had a favor to ask. Based on my understanding of him, this fellow was rather thick-skinned; minor requests were usually blurted out immediately. This hesitation meant the matter was likely quite tricky. I intentionally kept silent, waiting for him to bring it up himself.

Seeing that I remained quiet, Qin Tian gave an awkward cough. "To be honest with you, Old Li! Your brother here has a favor to ask. Will you help me or not?"

"Help, of course I'll help, I must help. Tell me what it is." I brushed Qin Tian's arm off my shoulder and spoke with a straight face.

"Good brother!" Qin Tian patted my shoulder.

"But this matter is rather difficult to handle, and even somewhat dangerous..." Qin Tian wiped the smile from his face as he spoke to me. Our eyes met, and I caught a hint of genuine seriousness in his gaze.

"Let's hear it. Just for the fact that you saved my life earlier, I'd risk my life to help you!" I tapped Qin Tian's chest with the back of my hand. The tactician nearby saw us talking and turned away to direct the Feathered People in clearing the corpses.

Qin Tian smiled and said, "Business is business. I didn't save you expecting a reward; I genuinely need your help, and you're the only one I can turn to."

"Then go ahead, what is it?"

Qin Tian fell silent for a brief moment, as if making a very difficult resolution. "I want you to come with me on a trip to the World Alliance."

Going to the World Alliance? That happened to be where I was headed anyway, since I had promised the vixen that I would rescue her husband. Now that Qin Tian said he wanted to go, it was precisely what I wanted. With a freakishly powerful martial artist like Qin Tian around, why would I fear Chu Jun? Still, I wanted to know Qin Tian's motive for going, so I feigned reluctance and asked, "This is no trivial matter. What business do you have at the World Alliance?"

"Come off it, Old Li! Since when did you start talking in such a flowery, literary tone? My purpose this time is to rescue Leng Wushuang, and furthermore..."

"Leng Wushuang again?" Before Qin Tian could finish, I interrupted him. What sort of charm did this woman Leng Wushuang possess to utterly bewitch Qin Tian like this? You had to remember that members of the Azure Dragon Gang had perished under a single glance from Leng Wushuang. Could a brother's life really be worth less than a woman? There was nothing wrong with loving someone—I had once loved a woman deeply myself—but sometimes one had to look at the bigger picture!

Seeing me cut him off, Qin Tian hurriedly spoke up, "Don't rush, Old Li, listen to me until the end."

"After you left, Chu Jun arrived shortly afterward with his men. His objective was to capture the Wind God. As long as the Wind God's faction acknowledged their fault and apologized, the matter would be settled. But Chu Jun had one condition: he demanded that the Wind God's younger sister, Yan'er, serve him. Although, given Chu Jun's status and position, he wasn't short of beauties—and countless stunning women would find it hard even to get close to him—he specifically chose Yan'er. Do you know why?" Qin Tian asked me solemnly.

"Cut the nonsense and get straight to the point!" I gave Qin Tian an icy glare, having a vague premonition that things might be even worse than I had imagined. Seeing that I was about to lose my temper, Qin Tian continued, "Naturally, the Wind God refused. Everyone could see that Chu Jun was deliberately making things difficult for the Wind God, yet no one dared to step forward and speak up. A few of us from our side were also present. We didn't want to provoke Chu Jun, so we kept our mouths shut. We thought the Wind God was doomed, but to everyone's surprise, Chu Jun merely chuckled and left with his men. That night, I quietly approached Leng Wushuang's room, only hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Even if she attacked me, I wouldn't have fought back. I did see her, but unfortunately, I accidentally stepped on a withered branch and alerted the guards. Fearing that Chu Jun would appear—and I couldn't beat him—I slipped away. I returned to the inn and went to sleep. The next morning, I discovered that all of them had vanished."

"Them? Who are you referring to?"

"Our people. Every single one of them has disappeared!" Qin Tian said with absolute finality.