Although they are ability users, but they just can't always rely on their ability since their energy can be exhausted. So, Hu Feng suggested for everyone to train using weapons and also close combat. And Qi Ming became the test subject, which made him resent Hu Feng at first.

  But, unlike what everyone expected that two tigers can't occupy one mountain, Hu Feng and Qi Ming gradually became friends instead. And everyone in the Rolling Thunder Team became proficient with guns, especially the non-ability users Tang Xiu, Wu Heng and Mu Qi who are now staying in the base with Wen Yan since this trip is more dangerous than their previous trips because they have to cross the entire country to go to these sects in order to find more clues about the apocalypse which is related to the cultivation world.

  The bus once again moved after they eliminated all the zombies.

  "Luo Ye. Can you tell us about this shixiong of yours?" Qi Ming asked after a while.

  "It's fine." Luo Ye nodded. "Luo Ming-shixiong was picked up by the sect leader when he was young, unlike I who grew up in the sect after my father, who left the sect and met my mother, left me who was a newly-born child and asked the sect to take care of me since he can't take care of both my mother, who was ill, and I, who is just a baby." He spoke.

  Everyone fell silent. Although Luo Ye's life might be common, but it is still tragic since both his parents abandoned him, leaving him grow up without them.

  "Luo Ming-shixiong was an orphan. When the sect leader picked him up, Luo Ming-shixiong was being beaten up by thugs." Luo Ye continued. "Luo Ming-shixiong, in order to survive, worked for them to deliver drugs. Maybe something happened and he made a mistake, so those thugs beat him up. That was when the sect leader found him." He said.

  Everyone heaved a sigh. Both these fellow disciples are very tragic!

  "But, Luo Ming-shixiong is very talented in cultivation." Luo Ye spoke with a smile. "There were only the two of us disciples in the sect. As expected, at first, there are disagreements since both of us, although orphans, grew up differently since I lived in a secure environment while Luo Ming-shixiong has to contradict his conscience, test his morality every day in order to live." He smiled bitterly in behalf of Luo Ming. "But, fortunately, everything gradually changed." He said. "We finally see eye to eye and our disagreements became less. Until, finally…" his smile faded and his voice trailed off.

  Everyone then understood, since Xi Kai has already told them that Luo Ming started to behave strangely.

  "Five years ago, shixiong… he started distancing himself from me." Luo Ye said as his eyes reddened. "He started to keep secrets, and we meet less." His voice trembled. "Then, five years ago, that happened. I feel like I don't know him anymore." His tears fell and he closed his eyes tight.

  A heavy atmosphere fell and no one spoke. Qi Ning rubbed Luo Ye's back to comfort him while Hu Feng gave him a bottle of water and a pack of tissue for him to wipe his tears.

  "What do you think?" Qi Ming whispered as he sat behind Yi Bing.

  "The problem lies in his sudden change." Yi Bing answered. "If we will know why he changed, and what exactly happened five years ago that started the apocalypse, then we might be able to save the world." He said.

  Qi Ming smiled and didn't speak since he agrees with what Yi Bing said. Darkness started to envelop the surroundings as the sun set behind the mountain.

  …


  "Wait." Huo Ling spoke as Yi Bing drove.

  "What is it?" Hu Feng asked. They had just finished eating their dinner inside the bus because the wind is very cold tonight. "Do you want me to drive?" he asked as he placed the empty cup of noodles inside the trash can.

  "No." Yi Bing answered.

  "Then what is it?" Qi Ming asked as he stood behind them.

  "Zombies." Huo Ling spoke. "Many of them… around a hundred." He added.

  Qi Ming and Hu Feng were stunned. "WHAT?!" Qi Ming exclaimed.

  "This road…" Yi Bing spoke. "Luo Ye, do you not recognize it?" he asked as the bus slowed down.

  "Huh?" Luo Ye muttered.

  "He doesn't recognize the road since he has never gone outside the mountain." Huo Ling answered. "Luo Ye. We are near your home." He told him.

  "Really?!" Luo Ye exclaimed.

  "En. That's right… we have to pass by this area to reach the X District." Hu Feng spoke as he looked at the map.

  "There were no zombies in this area before…" Huo Ling spoke as he recalled. "And I thought it was because of the mist surrounding the mountain that kept the zombies away… wait!" he exclaimed as his eyes widened in shock.

  "What is it?" Hu Feng asked.

  "There is no mist!" Huo Ling answered as he squinted to look outside in the darkness.

  "'mist'?" the Rolling Thunder Team spoke.

  "There is still a mist here surrounding the mountain when we left. Now…" Yi Bing's eyes narrowed as he looked at the zombies approaching them.

  Luo Ye gasped. "I have to go home!" he said an tried to open the door.

  "You can't!" Hu Feng said and the Rolling Thunder Team immediately pulled Luo Ye back before they locked the door tight. "We still don't know what happened to your mountain." He told him. "Calm down!" he added.

  "But… but - !" Luo Ye looked at the top of the mountain that is now visible because the mist which is a concealing spell is no longer there.

  "Bastards!" a loud voice yelled which made the whole mountain almost shook. "What do you think are you doing with my shidi?!" it asked.

  Everyone's eyes widened and they all covered their ears. "'shidi'?!" they exclaimed. The next second, they heard a loud bang outside as if something has landed. They all turned and looked outside, only to see a large number of zombies were killed!

  "This voice…" Luo Ye's pupils shrank. "Shixiong?!" he exclaimed in shock and immediately looked outside the window to see. "Shixiong… shixiong!" he called.

  "'shixiong'?!" they all exclaimed.

  "SHIDI!" the man outside called as he cut down the zombies with his longsword.

  Luo Ye's tears fell but his eyes are bright because of joy. "Shixiong… shixiong!" he called.

  "Wait…" everyone muttered and looked at each other. "'shixiong'… could it be - ?!" their eyes widened in shock. "LUO MING?!?!" they exclaimed and looked outside.

  "… it's really him." Yi Bing spoke when he recognized the person outside.

  "What is he doing here? Shouldn't he be…?" Huo Ling asked as he sharply inhaled.

  "There is only one way to find out." Yi Bing said and opened the door, hitting the zombies outside before he jumped out of the bus and then closed the door. Huo Ling followed him outside.

  "AH! Yi Bing! Huo Ling! What are you two doing?!" Qi Ming asked when they saw the two people went outside.

  Yi Bing and Huo Ling didn't answer and took out a sword each from their own space.

  Everyone inside the bus were shocked. "…. When did they store a sword in their space?! Why didn't we see it?!" they exclaimed.

  "Should we help them?" Hu Feng asked as they watched Huo Ling's and Yi Bing's swords glowed.

  Huo Ling's sword glowed red-orange, as if the blade was enveloped by fire while Yi Bing's sword glowed silvery-white, as if the blade is made of ice! The two started cutting down the zombies using their sword which left everyone inside the bus stunned.

  "… why are they so good?" they asked. And, they can even use swords?! They thought.

  "Who… cultivators?!" Luo Ming exclaimed when he saw Yi Bing and Huo Ling. His eyes narrowed and killing intent flashed. "So there are still left of you alive!" he said as he cut down all the zombies around him in one move. "So you were the ones who took my shidi away from the sect!" he said as he ran towards Yi Bing and Huo Ling.

  Yi Bing and Huo Ling saw Luo Ming coming and Yi Bing immediately pushed Huo Ling away before he blocked Luo Ming's sword.

  "Yi Bing!" Huo Ling called and was about to approach them but he was held back by the zombies. "Qi Ming! Hu Feng! Kill all the zombies first! It is really Luo Ming!" he shouted.

  "Alright!" Qi Ming said and turned to the Rolling Thunder Team while Hu Feng already jumped outside and stared shooting the zombies down. "Qi Ning. Watch over Luo Ye! Don't let him leave the bus! Zuo Li! Lin An! Follow me and Hu Feng!" he said.

  "Yes!" they all answered.

  "No! I want to go to shixiong!" Luo Ye said as was about to follow them outside but found out that he can't open the door. How do you open the door? He thought as he hit the door, but it didn't open.