Chapter 23

The trap had worked. Zhou Yun placed a beast trap at both the front door of the house and the restaurant’s main entrance, harvesting two to three zombies almost every day.

Guan Yuanfeng had now developed a technique to shoot zombies with arrows, piercing their skulls without damaging the brain’s crystal nucleus.

Zhou Yun had gathered more and more crystal nuclei. With fewer detours, he had made rapid progress in his abilities.

By the standards of his previous life, his abilities should have reached the third level by now. However, due to his previous experience, he wielded his abilities with much greater skill, far surpassing the expected level.

The ability rating system had been agreed upon after much research and discussion among top ability users. It evaluated the solidity of the crystal nucleus inside the body, the strength of ability attacks, and the consistency of ability output.

It could be said that, relying solely on absorbing crystal nuclei, most ability users could reach the third level or even the peak of the third level. However, to reach the fourth level, extensive practical combat and the individual’s physical condition were required.

There were very few fifth-level strong individuals, and most of them were attackers.

In his previous life, as a support-type ability user with both water and wood abilities at level five, he had been a notable figure, even though he tried to stay low-key.

But now, most ability users were still in the experimental stage, with only Zhou Yun advancing rapidly due to his experience from his previous life. He had wasted no crystal nuclei, and his ability level grew quickly.

To advance his abilities as quickly as possible, he spent long hours every day in the nursery.

He constantly infused his abilities into various medicinal seedlings, using them until they were depleted, then absorbing the crystal nuclei to replenish them. The mutated seafood in the restaurant had all been consumed by Zhou Yun.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. The drought showed no signs of letting up, and the broadcast no longer had any content; all frequencies only emitted static. The world seemed to have suddenly fallen into silence.

Guan Yuanfeng knew that the spaceship headed for Mars had already departed, carrying the elite humans from Earth.

The remaining people were scattered across different locations, but not all were fortunate enough to find safety like them.

Blue Star had completely descended into a lawless, civilization-less society—a jungle ruled by the strong.

When he used the drone to discover that there were no living people in the neighborhood, an overwhelming sense of loneliness surged within him.

It felt as though they were the only two living humans in this apocalypse. Would they stay here for the rest of their lives?

Guan Yuanfeng didn’t discuss this with Zhou Yun, but he had a vague feeling that even if he did, Zhou Yun wouldn’t care.

Zhou Yun was someone who didn’t care about others’ opinions at all. Guan Yuanfeng could imagine that the old Zhou Yun would have struggled to integrate into collective life. He was smart, confident, rational, mature, and only cared to please himself.

If their balconies weren’t so close, Zhou Yun might not have even noticed him. When Zhou Yun was focused on planting vegetables and cooking, there was a sense of isolation, as if he were in a world of his own.

Guan Yuanfeng placed the radio, which could no longer receive any signals, on the table and saw Zhou Yun walking out of his room, holding a crystal nucleus to show him. “Brother Guan, I discovered that the power in the crystal nucleus can be absorbed by abilities.”

Guan Yuanfeng raised an eyebrow, disapproving, his voice turning serious. “Why so reckless?”

That was something from a zombie’s brain—who knew if it might infect them with the zombie virus?

Zhou Yun, however, opened his palm and gestured for him to relax. “Don’t worry. There are no side effects. In fact, it helps improve my abilities. Look.”

Guan Yuanfeng watched as the crystal-clear blue crystal slowly faded in front of his eyes, becoming dull, lifeless glass, and then shattered into dust.

Zhou Yun rarely displayed his abilities in front of him, so this almost magical action was quite unexpected.

Zhou Yun summoned a giant water ball, as big as a washbasin. Guan Yuanfeng, speechless, watched as the ball floated.

Zhou Yun smiled. “See? It’s much larger than the ones I could summon before.”

He clenched his fist, and the round water ball flew forward, landing on the flowerpot with lotus leaves on the windowsill, where it dissolved into droplets, watering the lotus leaves.

“Not only is the summoned water ball much larger, but the control over the ability is also more precise. Plus, with daily meditation and practicing Baduanjin, I can feel the distinct flow of abilities through my body’s meridians.”

Zhou Yun looked at Guan Yuanfeng. “So, you should practice Baduanjin with me more. I think practicing this really helps. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll awaken an ability.”

Guan Yuanfeng helplessly said, “It’s not like I’m not learning, I am seriously learning, aren’t I?”

Zhou Yun thought to himself, but you don’t believe you can become an ability user.

He looked at Guan Yuanfeng, who, although diligent with archery and at ease with their interactions, had a growing look of melancholy day by day.

He was a hero imprisoned by himself.

He had a strong sense of responsibility and deep-rooted altruism, and his overly strong attachment to honor, social recognition, and belonging made him vulnerable to manipulation in the apocalypse.

His own advancement was still too slow. He needed to reach the peak of Tier 3 quickly, or better yet, break into Tier 4, to better awaken Guan Yuanfeng’s ability.

But after reaching Tier 3, absorbing crystal cores had a much slower effect on level progression. He had to spend a lot of time in the nursery, meaning his time with Guan Yuanfeng became limited.

Actually, Guan Yuanfeng’s understanding wasn’t wrong. After the red fog, no more naturally mutated people had appeared.

Only newborns born to ability users had a chance of being ability users themselves…

But human desires are endless. Zhou Yun didn’t realize that from the beginning, there had been people secretly researching how to transplant abilities, until he himself became the prey.

Their experimental subjects weren’t limited to mutated plants and animals, as mutations were rare at the beginning of the apocalypse.

The initial goal of their experiments was to transplant abilities between ability users.

And because he possessed the rare dual abilities of Tier 5, Zhou Yun became the experimental subject, the one whose abilities were coveted and stripped away.

He was the only one who reached Tier 5 in Wood abilities, so no one knew that Wood abilities had the power to graft.

Had they treated him well from the start, he could have helped them try to awaken abilities, but they were too greedy, thinking there was nothing they couldn’t take.

Guan Yuanfeng asked him, “What do you want to eat tonight?”

Zhou Yun showed interest in food: “How about shrimp paste taro? The restaurant has pre-cut frozen taro, which can’t be planted anymore, we should deal with it quickly. This dish has a unique flavor.”

He carefully described the flavor of shrimp paste: “Shrimp paste, which we used in stir-fries before, you might not have noticed. It’s made from fermented shrimp, salty and umami, perfect for stewing tofu, steaming fish, stir-frying vegetables, or mixing with noodles. It’s great with taro as well, simple to make but special.” He had several cans of Arctic shrimp paste, which was perfect for side dishes.

“And we just harvested some red taro stems. This variety won’t leave your mouth numb. After removing the flowers inside, peel and stir-fry with eggplant, then steam it. It’s soft and delicious.”

His appearance had always been good, but after awakening his abilities, his skin had taken on a jade-like sheen. His eyes were pitch black, his lashes distinct, and his nose high. His lips were rosy, his hair thick and black. When he spoke, he seemed full of energy, radiant.

Guan Yuanfeng, already highly observant, had noticed this before, and now finally confirmed, “You seem to have become more handsome. Does awakening abilities also enhance the physical condition?”

He remembered the scorching heat from earlier. Though he was now disabled, his physical abilities had far surpassed ordinary people.

He nearly suffered from heatstroke, while Zhou Yun ran up and down without any issue, suggesting that Zhou Yun had likely awakened his abilities by that time.

Zhou Yun turned to him, his eyes bright: “Yes, I’ve been monitoring the changes in my physical condition. My strength is increasing, my speed on the treadmill has improved, and my endurance has increased. I can run 5 kilometers without much fatigue. I’ve measured my temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure—temperature is normal, heart rate a bit faster than usual, and blood pressure is normal.”

He continued, calmly evaluating his body: “My metabolism seems to have accelerated, my appetite is greater, but I need less sleep. After overusing my abilities, I need rest to recover.”

He stood up: “I’ve gained some height and weight, but it’s not significant.” He walked to the side and poured a glass of water for Guan Yuanfeng.

Guan Yuanfeng’s gaze unintentionally fell on his tall body, broad shoulders, slim waist, long legs, and smooth, firm skin. Under his thin clothing, there wasn’t a hint of excess fat, and he appeared full of vitality.

Despite the sweltering heat, Zhou Yun was cool and sweat-free. His smooth, delicate hands, when gripping Guan Yuanfeng’s arm, were even cooler than his body temperature. Perhaps it was a special trait of his Water ability.

This was… the human form after evolution’s selection.

And himself, he was the one meant to be eliminated, unable to adapt to the harsh conditions of the apocalypse.

Zhou Yun encouraged him: “So, keep practicing the Eight-Section Brocade. Maybe one day you’ll awaken abilities too.”

Guan Yuanfeng replied casually, but in his heart, he knew he would never awaken abilities.

He did it only to avoid disappointing Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun was undoubtedly a good person, but Guan Yuanfeng still couldn’t accept becoming weak, becoming a burden.

Having left the military, lost his legs, and without any abilities, he felt like he had no value.

Even in this post-apocalyptic world, he seemed to have begun to psychologically depend on Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun was content with his own company, not afraid of loneliness. Living apart from others didn’t make him feel isolated.

He was carefree and detached, calm and adaptable. He grew plants, listened to music, exercised, read books, and studied medicine. His life was rich and fulfilling.

He was a person who could truly enjoy solitude, a lone traveler at heart. He didn’t need companions, and his abilities were more than enough for him to survive alone in the apocalypse.

The person afraid of loneliness was himself. The urge to get closer to Zhou Yun stemmed from his own weakness.

He hated his fragile mindset, despised his surrender and weakness. Guan Yuanfeng, like an observer, almost coldly realized his deteriorating state of mind.

The evolution of the world had discarded ordinary people. What was he still holding on to?

The once unbreakable, strong-willed captain had become a thing of the past. His future was to huddle in someone else’s shelter, a useless person, eating and waiting for death.

That night, Zhou Yun was woken up by Comet. In the dark, Comet was whining and tugging at his sleeve, looking very anxious.

He got up and followed Comet across the rooftop to Guan Yuanfeng’s room. It was stuffy inside, and Zhou Yun tried to turn on the light, but he realized the power was out. No wonder the air conditioner had stopped.

After his abilities awakened, his vision, including his ability to see in the dark, had greatly improved. Even without the light, he could see that Guan Yuanfeng was lying motionless in bed. He reached over and felt his forehead; it was burning hot.

Zhou Yun wanted to give Guan Yuanfeng some water, but he found that the water was also shut off, and the thermos was empty.

After the power went out, the pressure pump couldn’t function, so naturally, the water supply had also stopped.

He looked outside; the world beyond the window was pitch black, with no streetlights.

Over a month into the apocalypse, all backup power devices had probably finally reached their limits, and the power had been completely cut off.

On his side, the electricity had long been modified to connect to solar and wind power systems, so he hadn’t noticed the power outage.

The power had lasted longer than Zhou Yun had imagined. In his past life, when they left, the neighborhood still hadn’t lost power, but it was already extremely difficult to endure in the scorching heat.

Perhaps the military had been maintaining power and other basic infrastructure, but once the ship to Mars left Blue Star, order could no longer be maintained.

When exactly had the power gone out? Guan Yuanfeng didn’t say anything. Perhaps his body was still unwell, and he had no phone signal to ask for help.

Fortunately, there was still Comet. Zhou Yun saw Guan Yuanfeng’s prosthetic limb by the bedside and sighed inwardly.

Guan Yuanfeng was too indifferent and neglectful of his own needs.

Zhou Yun extended his palm and formed a thin sheet of ice, a significant milestone for water-type ability users reaching the third level: the ability to turn water into ice and use it for combat.

He hadn’t expected leveling up to be this simple and natural.

Zhou Yun held the ice block up for a moment, then placed it into Guan Yuanfeng’s mouth. However, Guan Yuanfeng only stirred slightly, not waking up.

Zhou Yun lifted the burning hot Guan Yuanfeng and carried him. Guan Yuanfeng had lost the use of his legs starting from the thighs, so he was very light, and since Zhou Yun’s physical condition had improved greatly after awakening his abilities, it wasn’t difficult to carry him.

As they passed through the rooftop, the sky was full of stars, and the night was as calm as water, but the temperature didn’t drop; it was still warm.

Such hot weather quickly led to the death of uncared-for crops. The food and survival crises in the apocalypse were unprecedented, and the human population on Blue Star rapidly decreased.

Until humans discovered their abilities and, through absorbing crystal cores, were able to level up their abilities to fight against zombies.

Humans found a new way forward.

Water-type ability users produced clean water, while fire, lightning, and other combat-type ability users easily wiped out zombies. Earth-type ability users built high platforms and strong walls, and ability users united to gradually form bases.

Ordinary people with medical, agricultural, and other professional skills were also gathered to research abilities, zombies, mutated plants, and animals.

Some people exhausted themselves for survival, others schemed for power, and some made selfless contributions for humanity’s future.

Guan Yuanfeng’s hot breath hit Zhou Yun’s neck, and Zhou Yun suddenly recalled the tall, upright corpse he had seen in his past life, submerged in preservative liquid, its limbs intact but devoid of breath.

He had given everything for humanity but had never received the honor and respect he deserved.

At this moment, his survival was the best outcome. Zhou Yun needed to trigger his abilities quickly and find a way to help him regenerate his severed limbs.

This person had already lost the will to live. Some people, once they’re no longer needed, easily give up on themselves.

——

In his past life, he had been fragile and helpless. Guan Yuanfeng, in order to protect him, probably contacted his teammates and escorted him to the nearest base, after which he had signed a voluntary participation agreement for the experiments.

He hadn’t expected that in this life, as he prepared everything, it would lead to Guan Yuanfeng losing the will to survive.

Zhou Yun would fight to the last moment for the safety of this unfamiliar neighbor and even for a dog, contacting his teammates, yet he was indifferent to his own safety and survival.

Zhou Yun carried Guan Yuanfeng to the room next to his own. This had been his mother’s room, and it had remained empty after her passing.

After returning from his rebirth, he had planned for Guan Yuanfeng to stay here, so he had already tidied up the room. The power and water hadn’t been cut off in the neighborhood before, so it was hard to mention.

He placed Guan Yuanfeng on the bed, turned on the air conditioner to cool the room, and created an ice block in his hand to wipe Guan Yuanfeng’s body and cool him down. Then he got an IV drip and set it up for Guan Yuanfeng.

Guan Yuanfeng’s hands were large, with thick, rough calluses on his palms. His knuckles were strong, but his skin had an unhealthy bluish-gray tone, with prominent veins, especially on his little finger, and deep lines on his palms, showing clear signs of blood deficiency.

Zhou Yun selected a thin indwelling needle, inserted it into the back of his hand, connected the IV bag, and adjusted his hand before sitting down to read a book nearby.

The IV drip took effect quickly. Soon, Guan Yuanfeng’s body temperature dropped. Zhou Yun checked his pulse and gave him another bag of saline.

When Guan Yuanfeng woke up, the first thing he saw was Zhou Yun’s side profile, with his eyelashes lowered as he read. The room was dim, but the air smelled of rice porridge.

He moved slightly and felt his body sore and heavy. Zhou Yun immediately turned to look at him and gently pressed his hand. “Don’t move. You’re still receiving the drip.”

Guan Yuanfeng slowly regained his awareness, feeling some guilt. “Sorry, I disturbed your rest.”

Zhou Yun smiled. “No need to apologize. You’re the patient. When I was sick, you took care of me.”

He looked up at the IV drip bag. “It should take about fifteen more minutes. I’ll go serve the porridge. Is there anything else you want to eat?”

Guan Yuanfeng replied, “Porridge is fine.”

Zhou Yun knew he would respond like that. He was someone who didn’t mind what came his way, and his indifference to his own needs was the root cause.

He said, “The power and water are out on your side. I took the liberty of bringing your suitcase over. I’m not good at electrical work, so I suggest you stay here. This room has always been vacant. I occasionally come here to practice writing and read. Please feel at ease staying here.”

Guan Yuanfeng knew this was inevitable. In the post-apocalyptic world, resources like water and electricity were scarce, and there was no need to stay in separate rooms. He didn’t refuse: “Sorry for the trouble.”

Zhou Yun said, “No trouble at all. It’s the end of the world. There are just the two of us. We should take care of each other.”

Guan Yuanfeng watched him walk out. He propped himself up on his elbow and realized there was a railing by the bed. The head of the bed had a bell and an IV stand, indicating it was a medical care bed. It was likely the room of Zhou Yun’s late mother. Zhou Yun probably didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable, so he didn’t mention it, only saying it was unoccupied.

Guan Yuanfeng remembered the elevator Zhou Yun had shown him earlier. He recalled what Zhou Yun had said about quitting his job in a big city to care for his sick mother. Now it seemed like he had indeed been meticulous in his care.

He sat up and saw his prosthetic limbs and wheelchair neatly placed on a wicker bench by the bed. His body felt weak, and he didn’t have the strength to put on the prosthetics. His original shirt had already been changed, replaced with another clean outfit from his luggage.

He remembered that before he lost consciousness, he had been drenched in sweat. Zhou Yun must have moved him and cleaned him up, changing his clothes, seeing his entire body, including his missing limbs.

There was no need to pretend or wear prosthetics to make it harder for Zhou Yun to take care of him.

He thought back to the embarrassment of relying on medical staff for everything—eating, drinking, and going to the bathroom—while in the hospital.

He glanced at the room, which was similarly laid out to the one opposite, but it was clear this was the master bedroom. It had an ensuite bathroom, floor-to-ceiling windows with curtains, and a balcony outside.

The room was neatly arranged. Apart from the bed, wardrobe, and dresser, there was a long yellow pinewood desk in front of the window.

The desk was wider and longer than usual, with a pot of lush green asparagus fern on it. Next to it was a pen holder with scrolls, and an array of brushes of various sizes hung on a brush rack. The inkstone and water basin on one side were all very traditional. On the wall behind the desk hung a calligraphy scroll.

Guan Yuanfeng didn’t have any expertise in calligraphy, but he could tell that the characters were fluid and graceful, with a sense of elegance and distant beauty. The first two characters on the scroll looked like “Dong Jun.”

Zhou Yun entered with a tray. Seeing him looking at the calligraphy, he assumed he was bored and asked, “Would you like to read a book, or should I bring in the TV and play a movie for you?”

Guan Yuanfeng shook his head. “I was just admiring the calligraphy. Did you write it yourself? What does it say?” He felt the characters resembled Zhou Yun—graceful and light.

Zhou Yun replied, “Yes, it’s a piece by Qu Yuan, ‘Dong Jun’ from ‘Nine Songs.'”

Guan Yuanfeng nodded, then looked up at the IV drip, which was almost finished. Zhou Yun removed the needle, packed up the IV tubing, and pressed a button on the side of the bed. Half of the head of the bed slowly rose, transforming his position from lying down to sitting up, with armrests on both sides.

Guan Yuanfeng used the armrests to sit up and said, “I’ll go wash up in the bathroom.”

Zhou Yun noticed his difficulty in getting up, so he helped him without stopping him. He guided him to the bathroom, saying, “There’s a lower sink specially built here, and the bathroom and bathtub have been adapted for elderly care.”

He showed him how to use everything, and Guan Yuanfeng saw that Zhou Yun had thoughtfully brought his towel, cup, toothbrush, and other items. The sink, bathroom cabinets, bathtub, and toilet were all set at a height suitable for a wheelchair, and the bathroom door had clearly been widened.

He couldn’t help but think about his own house across the hall. His family knew about his disability but never thought to make the house more accessible for him…

Of course, those people were probably no longer around. This was the first time he had met someone who took such meticulous care of their family, so considerate in every way.

If it weren’t for the apocalypse, Zhou Yun’s future wife and children would definitely be very happy.

He thanked Zhou Yun, who had again thoughtfully closed the bathroom door after him, saying, “Call me if you need anything. There’s also an emergency button in the bathroom.”

After washing up, Guan Yuanfeng returned to the bed. On the bedside table was a bowl of light meat porridge, steamed millet cake, a plate of pickled vegetables, and a plate of sliced salted duck eggs, the yolks rich and perfectly cured.

Guan Yuanfeng picked up the chopsticks and ate slowly. He still didn’t have much appetite, but not wanting to trouble Zhou Yun, he finished everything.

The military dog, Comet, was happily chewing on a bone near the door.

However, Guan Yuanfeng knew that military dogs ate more than regular dogs, and their diet mainly consisted of meat. Combined with his own appetite, they consumed an incredible amount of food daily.

They were surrounded by zombies and couldn’t take a single step outside. They had to stay in for long periods. Though Zhou Yun kept animals and grew vegetables, the 200,000 yuan he had given before the apocalypse was essentially worthless now.

He realized that his constant self-pity was unnecessary. In the past, when he had all his limbs, he had never been so resigned.

He also knew that Zhou Yun was a generous and friendly person, treating him humbly, like a gentleman.

But… feelings of self-loathing would continuously prick at him like needles when someone took care of him, preventing him from accepting the kindness.

Just then, Zhou Yun came in, holding a vase with a bouquet of clematis flowers. Seeing that Guan Yuanfeng was about to get out of bed, he hurriedly said, “Don’t move, just rest. I’ll clean up. Don’t worry about it; we have a dishwasher, but we didn’t use it much before because there weren’t many dishes.”

He took the meal plates away and gently helped him lie back down. “Rest well. If you’re bored, you can watch a movie or read.”

Guan Yuanfeng obediently lay back down. Zhou Yun sat at the bedside. “I’ll check your pulse; it’s time to change the prescription.”

Guan Yuanfeng placed his wrist on the pillow, and Zhou Yun took his pulse. His fingers were long and strong, pressing into the skin with a powerful presence.

Zhou Yun didn’t notice that Guan Yuanfeng was lost in thought. After focusing on his pulse, he sighed. “Relax, the weather is too hot, and your heart fire is too strong. I’ll add some calming herbs to your medicine.”

He took out a needle pouch again: “Let me give you acupuncture on your back.”

Guan Yuanfeng took off his clothes, and Zhou Yun took the needle, walking behind him. He picked up the needle, infused it with wood-based supernatural power, found the acupoints, and inserted it: “You need to practice breathing and calming your mind as I taught you, find your inner energy.”

Guan Yuanfeng casually responded: “I have it.” But how can one calm their mind?

When he was alone, the past and the future rushed into his mind, and his body was also filled with various pains and discomforts. How could he find peace of mind?

He admired Zhou Yun for staying calm and steady even in such a chaotic end-of-world situation, continuing to plant his vegetables and raise his fish.

Looking at the refined doctor, calmly chopping zombies without a change in expression. Now that his supernatural ability had awakened, with his water-based power, at least he didn’t have to worry about food and water…

—–

In this apocalyptic world, Blue Star was evolving, and ordinary people without abilities were destined to be eliminated by nature.

Guan Yuanfeng’s mind was filled with countless thoughts and distractions.

But these days had been so peaceful. Although he knew that once he left the iron gate and this building, he would immediately be devoured by zombies.

And outside, unseen, there must be countless people fighting zombies, with countless weak ones dying.

He was able to enjoy this peaceful life without worrying about food and water thanks to Zhou Yun—however, he would rather be like his comrades, either dying gloriously on the frontlines fighting zombies, burning his blood and cutting off zombie heads, or building a base with his teammates in the rescue base, doing his best, instead of living here like a useless person, unable to take a single step out of this building, both his soul and body imprisoned in a wheelchair.

He had originally felt anxious and self-loathing, but for some reason, when Zhou Yun inserted the needle, it felt as though a cool sensation was being injected into his acupoints, and his mind suddenly became calm.

After the acupuncture, he was supposed to wait for about half an hour. Zhou Yun helped him lie down, covered him with a thin blanket, and casually picked up a book to read.

Guan Yuanfeng saw Zhou Yun sitting in the rattan chair, looking down at the book, with a leisurely posture but focused expression. He casually asked, “What book are you reading?”

Zhou Yun raised the book to show him its lead-gray checkered cover: “Sartre’s The Words.”

The cover looked so serious, like one of those academic books. Guan Yuanfeng asked Zhou Yun, “Is it interesting? The title doesn’t sound like a novel.”

Zhou Yun replied, “Hmm, it’s autobiographical. I like his delicate, almost murmured confessions. He himself said he wrote the book to ‘explain my madness, the cause of my neurosis.'”

Guan Yuanfeng: “…” It sounds like a very neurotic madness. “Is he very famous?”

Zhou Yun said, “Hmm… he’s a very famous philosopher. There’s a famous line, ‘Hell is other people,’ from a script he wrote. Very well-known.”

Guan Yuanfeng had actually heard this phrase before: “I’ve heard of it.”

Zhou Yun seemed to have become a bit more talkative and continued with interest: “Actually, in contrast to ‘Hell is other people,’ there’s another line from this book: ‘In my isolated island in the sky, I am first-rate, unparalleled.'”

He flipped to Chapter 5 quickly and read aloud, “But once placed among the common people, I fall drastically, becoming the lowest.”

Guan Yuanfeng: “…” He looked at Zhou Yun’s profile, his long eyelashes, his bright eyes, focused on the book. It was clear that he really liked the book and resonated deeply with it.

It reminded him of the time when they were watching a movie and Zhou Yun had suddenly said those obscure, philosophical words. He really was a man with an artistic temperament.

Zhou Yun seemed to patiently explain to him: “When a person is only themselves, they are infinitely powerful, but once they communicate and interact with others, their value seems to be judged by others. Once they care about others’ opinions and crave recognition, others become the prison for their self, and that is why ‘Hell is other people.'”

Guan Yuanfeng, being an altruist, would probably find it hard to accept such a mindset. But Zhou Yun was very willing to discuss and share his thoughts.

Guan Yuanfeng, however, felt awkward and found it hard to continue discussing such a philosophical and obscure topic. After all, continuing would make him seem like a poser, trying too hard to find a topic to talk about. He could only respond half-heartedly.

Perhaps because he was truly mentally exhausted, he soon felt drowsy.

In his dream, he felt Zhou Yun pulling the needles out, turning him over, and he tried to open his eyes to turn by himself, but his eyelids were heavy, and sleepiness enveloped him.

After the acupuncture, his mind felt calm and peaceful. All the bothersome thoughts seemed to be cast aside, and the only thing on his mind was the urge to sleep. He soon fell asleep again.

When he woke up, it was already evening. The window showed distant mountains bathed in golden light. He stared for a while before realizing where he was—Zhou Yun’s house.

His room was on the west side, cold and damp with poor lighting. But this master bedroom had a beautiful view, spacious and well-ventilated, with a view of green mountains and trees.

He got up and felt that he had sweated a lot. His body felt much lighter. Zhou Yun’s medical skills were really impressive.

He glanced at the prosthetic leg but didn’t force himself to wear it. He only put on loose shorts, sat in the wheelchair, and pushed the door open. The Comet, lying by the door, immediately followed him.

He didn’t see Zhou Yun in the room, so he guessed he had gone up to the rooftop to tend to his plants and herbs.

On the table was a bowl of mung bean and kelp porridge, obviously left for him. He had just had a fever, and it was exactly what he needed. He drank it in a few sips, washed the bowl, and wheeled himself to the rooftop.

On the rooftop, the scorching heat of the day had not completely dissipated, but it was much cooler. The restless chickens, ducks, and geese were already out of their coop, digging for bugs in the garden.

He glanced at the fishpond nearby, where the electric eel swam leisurely. He always felt that having such a large pond just for one electric eel was not like Zhou Yun’s style.

In the other two lotus fish tanks, dozens of fish were squeezed together, jumping up and down. He had seen Zhou Yun catch fish from there to cook, but in the other, deeper, and larger rectangular luxury fishpond, there was only one electric eel swimming comfortably, with fake mountains and banyan trees planted around it.

Zhou Yun was not on the rooftop here; it seemed he had gone to the neighboring rooftop to tend to his precious medicinal seedlings in the dome restaurant.

These past few days, he had watched those medicinal seedlings grow from sprouting to flourishing, and he couldn’t help but admire them. The restaurant was also equipped with many devices, which Zhou Yun treasured. He spent most of his time in the medicinal garden, which had been converted from the restaurant’s dome, lingering there for hours each day.

He didn’t disturb Zhou Yun, as when Zhou Yun was working, he was fully immersed in it. Interrupting him would only be a distraction.

He took a packet of fish food and scattered some into the fish tank. As the fish rushed to grab the food, he suddenly saw a shadow cast over the water’s surface. The sound of wind rustling followed, and the comet by his side suddenly began barking wildly in alarm.

He quickly turned his head and saw a massive eagle circling above the rooftop. It was enormous, with wide wings, sharp claws, and a hooked beak, its piercing gaze fixed on the chickens below on the rooftop.

His heart raced, and that instinct for battle drove him to quickly wheel himself toward the attic to grab a bow and arrow.

Outside, the eagle dived rapidly from the sky, heading straight for a rooster digging in the garden.

The electronic high-voltage pulse fence on the balcony momentarily halted the eagle, but the current had no effect on such a giant bird. The immense kinetic energy from its speed easily broke through the fence, and the eagle landed on the rooftop in a flash.

The chickens scattered in fear, but the eagle’s claws had already firmly grabbed one.

In the blink of an eye, the comet leaped and bit the eagle’s leg.

The comet, a trained military dog with a large build, immediately engaged in a fierce struggle with the eagle on the rooftop.

The eagle’s claws were like daggers, and with one swipe, they left deep, bloody gashes on the comet’s body.

At the door, he pulled back the bow, his arm muscles tensing, eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, he fired an arrow straight at the eagle’s heart.

The arrow shot through the eagle’s body at incredible speed, causing it to screech in pain. Miraculously, the eagle continued to fly, lifting off with the arrow still embedded in its body.

He had never seen a giant eagle fly after being shot with an arrow. It soared higher, flapping its wings angrily, screeching loudly.

He quickly drew another arrow and shot again.

The eagle flapped its wings forcefully, creating a gust of wind that pushed the arrow back toward him. The wind sliced through his skin, and blood splattered as the arrow whizzed past, narrowly missing him.

Unprepared, he almost lost his grip on the longbow but instinctively turned to shield himself from the wind. Just then, he saw the comet run in front of him, blocking him. The arrow passed through the comet’s body.

His eyes widened in horror, but before he could react, several transparent ice blades shot through the eagle’s body and wings. Blood splattered as the eagle’s body was pierced by multiple holes.

The eagle, heavily wounded, screeched and prepared to dive toward him. A figure stepped in front of him, swinging a blade, severing one of the eagle’s wings.

He looked up and saw Zhou Yun, holding a sickle, his eyes cold as he stared at the giant eagle, which had lost its balance and was struggling on the rooftop, flapping its wings in pain. Zhou Yun’s demeanor was starkly different from his usual calm and peaceful self.

The dying eagle let out a shrill cry, and small tornadoes suddenly rose from the balcony, shaking flowerpots and scattering the newly planted seedlings.

Zhou Yun coldly watched the scene, extending his hand. A wave of water surged from his palm, as if alive, and wrapped around the giant eagle. It suddenly froze, encasing the eagle in a huge block of ice. The tornadoes disappeared, leaving the rooftop in chaos.

The massive ice block stood on the balcony, and though a cold mist emanated from it, the powerful eagle was completely frozen inside, its golden-brown feathers and sharp claws still visible through the transparent ice.

He gazed at the scene in front of him, like something from a magical movie, silent for a long time. The only thought in his mind was:

Is supernatural power really this strong?

He stared at Zhou Yun, who stood there, his eyes slightly narrowed. In his left hand, he still held the sickle, and his right hand, having just wielded such powerful abilities, hung loosely at his side, fingers long and elegant. His face was cold as jade.

Behind him, the wind howled and the endless clouds stretched out. He stood like a king surveying the battlefield, tall and imposing, exuding an aura of dominance.

“On my aerial island, I am unparalleled,” Zhou Yun said coldly. “There is no one like me.”