Chapter 14: The Tiger Breaks into the Sheepfold

“Are you testing me? Or testing humanity?” Li Ye’s eyes deepened with a shadowy intensity, and a faint smile curved at the corner of his lips.

Suddenly, he found himself grateful that he had spared that mutant back then.

At some unknown point, following rules and conventions no longer stirred his soul.

Ten years of surviving the apocalypse had weighed heavily on his spirit, like a deep, ancient well—ordinary matters barely touched his heart.

Having experienced rebirth for the past three years, Li Ye had delved even deeper into this well, its depths now reserved only for guarding and growing stronger.

The experience gained from rebirth left him fearless—not arrogance, but numbness.

Now, a small stone had been cast into this well, sending ripples through its long-calm waters.

“Interesting. This mutant truly delights me.”

“Commander Shen, have the soldiers form a human shield. I’m going to slaughter those mutants.”

“Consider this my gesture of goodwill toward our cooperation.”

Li Ye stepped in front of Shen Zhihong, ignoring his reaction, and strode calmly into the red mist.

Commander Shen was momentarily stunned but instinctively obeyed, immediately issuing orders.

Unable to contain his curiosity, he led several guards to follow Li Ye at a brisk pace.

He wanted to see what kind of power the man who had manifested a miracle in the command office truly possessed.

And to witness the extraordinary realm—what it truly meant to be beyond the ordinary.

...

“Ah! Fall back, quickly!”

“Retreat into the military zone! At a time like this, stop searching bodies, just get us inside!”

“No way! Someone said the gates of the military zone are closed.”

“Have they abandoned us?!”

“We’re being left behind?! I told you this military zone is unreliable!”

“No military zone would refuse food to its people!”

Shouts and terrified screams erupted, chaos breaking out among the dense crowd even before the zombies attacked.

Blood and flesh splattered, filling the air with a nauseating stench.

By rough estimate, nearly a hundred had already been infected, and the spread was ongoing.

Groups of soldiers hurried to the frontlines where the zombies gathered.

Two by two, they held up blast shields, gradually forming a semi-circle strong enough to hold back the newly transformed zombies.

“Everyone, fall back a little. Watch your step when fleeing—don’t run into the zombie horde!”

On the second day of the apocalypse, the zombies had become far more active, though still no match for the strong soldiers.

Unfortunately, limited visibility prevented them from forming a proper encirclement.

“Damn it! A few zombies slipped through!”

“Watch out!”

Bang… bang, bang!

Heavy blasts sounded from where the zombies had vanished.

Three decapitated mutant bodies flew to the feet of the soldiers.

“Who’s there?!”

“You’re doing well. From here on, leave it to me.”

A calm voice emerged from the mist, revealing a shadowy figure gradually taking shape—a young man in a coat.

“What’s a civilian doing here? Get back! It’s dangerous!”

The soldiers, seeing what appeared to be an ordinary person wandering about, ignored his somewhat pretentious words and scolded him.

Li Ye shrugged helplessly, then casually raised his right arm.

Within a radius of over ten meters, the sky flickered abruptly, as if a playful god were toggling the circuit breakers of this world.

Patting the dazed soldier on the shoulder, Li Ye strode toward the zombie horde.

As the atmosphere shifted wildly, even the red mist seemed to grow restless.

The zombies turned toward Li Ye, as if recognizing a common enemy.

Li Ye warmed up simply.

It is said that martial artists always harbor a bit of malice in their hearts.

Today, he intended to kill with relish!

Drawing on the remnants of last night’s dream, a halo of light gradually solidified in Li Ye’s hand.

At a glance, it was unmistakably a key-shaped longsword.

Its blade twisted in three spirals, like three swords entwined together.

Weighing the sword with dissatisfaction, he murmured, “All form, no substance.”

In the dream, the sword radiated golden light of order, a mere wisp of which could have obliterated him instantly.

Setting aside such thoughts, Li Ye deftly spun two or three sword blossoms, moving with the ease of a seasoned swordsman.

Weapons are extensions of one’s limbs.

Once ancient martial skills reach a certain level, no matter how ornate the weapon, it becomes as natural as a mere tool in one’s hands.

The zombies charged toward Li Ye.

An ordinary person faced with this scene would tremble, collapse, and lose all will to resist.

But Li Ye wore a twisted smile, sword in hand, charging forward.

His figure sliced through the air like a blade, unstoppable and resolute.

This was destined to be a one-sided massacre.

Shen Zhihong, wearing infrared night-vision goggles, silently watched the figure rampaging through the zombie horde.

For some reason, the thought of the military cooperating with such a divine being filled him with unease.

Li Ye’s prophetic performance instilled fear in him.

...

The dancing light became Li Ye’s lethal weapon, beheading any zombie attempting to escape his domain in an instant.

The soldiers holding blast shields suddenly found their burden eased.

Risking their lives, they watched helplessly as the number of zombies dwindled rapidly.

The flickering sunlight cast a shadow upon the red mist.

Stab, slash, crush, cloud, flick—one sword technique after another played out like a movie before the soldiers’ eyes.

Each imposing move severed the heads of the attacking zombies.

Beneath the dazzling stance, pus, severed limbs, and zombie heads exploded outward like geysers.

Under that man’s sword, these gruesome red mist mutants seemed nothing more than weak, defenseless lambs.

The tall man who had previously “seen” Li Ye stood at the rear of the battlefield, adjusting his slipping black-rimmed glasses and swallowing hard.

He had thought his “clairvoyant” ability was strong, once mistaking Li Ye’s sudden disappearance for encountering a kindred spirit.

But now, witnessing this scene, he realized how naive he had been.

A tiger entering a sheepfold—nothing more.