CHAPTER 1145: SECTION 707: HOMETOWN (4)

Leaving the courtyard, Malin turned his head and saw the zombie kneeling before him, its thick carapace full of scars.

· Are we also considered life in your eyes?

It lifted its head, its scarlet eyes filled with confusion and puzzlement. Although it didn’t know what answer Malin would give, its courage had brought it before Malin.

"...If you and your kind consider yourselves human, then you are life in my eyes. Anything that can communicate, can converse, can coexist peacefully, is life in my eyes and has the right to exist on this planet beneath our feet...Get up, do you have a name?"

It stood up, shook its head somewhat doubtfully.

This zombie, twisted by Chaos, now regenerated with Spiritual Energy and reignited the flame of intelligence, didn’t know what it was, only instinctively felt the desire to survive.

"Fate has given you an opportunity..." Malin thought for a moment and finally gave this zombie a surname.

"Surname Shen it is."

Malin gave this zombie a name: "Since you’ve awakened Spiritual Energy and gained wisdom, you should also understand who appeared here just now. Remember, I don’t need your faith; this city... if you can restore it to its former glory, it will be your home. Maybe one day, you will have conflicts with humans again, but that will definitely be after Chaos has vanished. Seize your own future."

Everyone’s future belongs to themselves, every step, every choice, every stride... all these together constitute the destiny of the future.

This zombie, somewhat understanding but not fully, bowed and stepped back, then began summoning its kind with its howls.

Malin walked down the street, and zombies made way for him upon seeing him. At the top of the dock, Malin saw the Giant Salamander, which also noticed him. Facing off with thousands of zombies on the shore, it let out a cry. Malin jumped off the dock, passing through the gap cleared by the awestruck zombies, and patted its large head: "Remember, the zombies in this area are no longer your food. They have a wise leader now, go hunt elsewhere."

· Where...here food...most plentiful.

The Giant Salamander seemed to eat a lot, even thinking became strenuous.

Malin sighed, he took out a saddle and put it on the Giant Salamander, then jumped on it: "Let’s go, I’ll take you to New Hangzhou, where there will definitely be better food."

At worst, Malin would let Sage Yu raise this big fellow, New Hangzhou’s resources probably wouldn’t find it a burden to keep such a Madame Hydrangea.

· Better to eat? Better than them?

Combining eating with flavor, this Madame quickly perked up, its question making Malin smile and nod: "Yes, so let’s go."

Having said that, as Madame Hydrangea swam towards the center of the river, Malin looked towards the shore with emotion, he saw more and more zombies, observing their squatting or standing figures.

These zombies, who regained intelligence, were they human or zombies? Ultimately, Malin couldn’t categorize them, but one thing was certain, being human or a zombie wasn’t about whether they could speak or act human-like.

It was about whether they could live like a human, whether they had the desire to live together with humans, to join hands with them.

Then Malin saw a small zombie jumping onto the head of a big zombie, holding... a very tattered flag.

It was the flag of Earth’s Union.

Malin finally smiled and waved at the little one.

And it waved back at Malin, then jumped down to the big one’s feet, where the zombie Malin had seen before was standing. Although its carapace made standing difficult, Malin already knew its choice—they had become human, even if they couldn’t stand on the earth like humans, even if they still had a carapace, they now thought and acted like humans.

We are all life on this planet beneath our feet, even if we do not look alike, at least we are all Earthlings.

· May ideals forever remain in our hearts, may hope eternally sustain our journey, may wisdom forever illuminate our path.

May every life no longer suffer this endless misery.

......

Late at night, Madame Hydrangea guided Malin out of the Dark Zone. The advantage of waterways over land routes was safety. Malin saw various demons on land multiple times from the water, even several Legendary Undead. Although they feared Malin, Madame Hydrangea seemed unfazed. Malin even asked Madame, only to understand that these spirits couldn’t harm them, so over time, they maintained peace with each other.

As for Malin...hah, Malin was never afraid of these things. Back when Malin was an Apprentice, he could take down a banshee with a Revolver, let alone now. Legendary Undead tried to avoid Malin—if they had the confidence, they would have troubled Malin long ago, their hatred for the living made that clear.

The only reason they kept a respectful distance from Malin was because of his power.