Chapter 52.9 [Zombie (Awakened)] Decisive Action
[Zombie (Awakened)] Decisive Action:
After Bai Xue, the junior sister, tested them and confirmed that the ghouls showed no reaction to us, we blended into the ghoul’s procession.
“They’re walking so slowly.”
“Why don’t we squeeze to the front?”
“It’s best not to act rashly. Although I’ve tested them with my magic, I can’t guarantee they won’t react to something else.
And they’re all muttering to themselves, making me feel uncomfortable.
Even Miss Akiko’s corpse could only control the movement of corpses, but these ghouls were like brainwashed sheep, completely losing their minds and becoming puppets unable to move freely.
And why were there ‘only’ ghouls? Was it a specific targeting?
If only the ghouls were targeted, then why wasn’t Little Xun’er affected… Was she deliberately excluded?
Juncheng’s… Hmm, it shouldn’t be him. Since the Principal and Mom both said Juncheng was dying, it shouldn’t be me.
The only ones not present were Juncheng and Lianbing – so, was it all Lianbing? Did the disaster of death witch that the Principal mentioned refer to Lianbing? Did she lose control of her emotions due to Juncheng’s death and awaken?
Of course, there were also those who gained great power after death by becoming undead, but such individuals usually had strong obsessions and paid a corresponding price.
Juncheng didn’t seem like someone with obsessions.
Given his personality, he was probably thinking about very trivial things before he died. Like, ‘Am I dying? I’m still a virgin… What a terrible ending, wait, don’t show the credits, I’m about to throw popcorn!’ Things like that, so funny they’d be considered last words.
Although he’s showing some “potential” now, he’s fundamentally an ordinary guy.
It’s really my fault for getting him entangled in these messy affairs.
I bear a lot of responsibility for him being dragged into this this time, so I can’t let him die here like this.
If it were the outside world, death would be irrecoverable; the soul would be gone, unable to be saved. But in here, in this sealed world…
Death doesn’t mean the end!
The undead pilgrimage ends here. Further ahead lies a deeper realm….
The ghouls behind us kept pushing us forward, so we quickly moved aside, temporarily halting our steps.
Inside was pitch black, the black fog so dense it was almost like a ‘domain’, yet it gave me a sense of familiarity.
I really wanted to step into it. I felt like this was where I should be… Yes, this is the ‘our’ destination, the destination of death….
“Wait! Senior Li Nai! Wake up!”
That voice pierced my ears, and a sharp pain shot through my head. I frowned, covered my ears with my hands, and shook my head a few times before coming to my senses.
“…What?”
“….You’re finally awake… Class Monitor, you were just now muttering something like these ghouls, and no matter how we pulled, we couldn’t stop you.”
It was only then that I realized I was standing at the edge of the black domain. Junior Sister Bai was holding my waist, trying to pull me back, and Lanhua and Xueqing were holding my arms.
Huh? What happened to me just now? Did I go mad?
Wow, is it that scary? Even I was almost brainwashed…
“It seems it’s not simple inside… Are we still going in?”
“Yes, we still have to go in, but I think it’s better if Senior Li Nai doesn’t. After all, you’re a zombie, a fellow creature to these undead. It seems you’re affected just like them.”
“No! I’m going!”
It should be said that I am indispensable!
I’m here with the mission to save Juncheng! How can I back down because of something like this!
“But…”
“Don’t stop me! I have to go! No matter what you say, I’m going!”
“Alright then… Let’s go in holding hands, shall we?”
“Yes, this way we can avoid being lost too.”
As a result, even facing such unknown fear, not a single person said they would back out.
I really envy you, Juncheng, for having people who care about you and worry about you so much.
After making up our minds, we held hands and entered the pitch-black domain together.
As my entire body sank into the darkness, my feet lost their footing, and I felt myself floating somewhere. The others had also disappeared.
It was as if… no, it was more like being in space.
Freed from the constraints of gravity, my body became incredibly free.
Then, even desires were freed from restraint, and my thoughts became scattered.
I’m so hungry. I want to eat. I’m so tired, sleepy. I feel drained. I don’t want to study. I don’t want to write. I don’t want to work. I want to have fun. I want to go out and find food. I don’t want to live anymore.”
I don’t want to stay here anymore…
Not being hindered, not being looked down upon, not being discriminated against.
Here, anyone can truly express themselves.
Something that can’t be expressed in the outside world can be expressed in this world.
Exposing desires without any disguise.
Finally, faced with death, what everyone wants is ‘release’.
“Freedom.” “Death.” “Freedom.” “Death.”
“Freedom.” “Death.”
The two repeated words spun, turning into a vortex.
Hope, desire, longing, wish, expectation, aspiration, reliance, anticipation.
The gap between life and death.
Gradually shortening limbs.
Gradually darkening thoughts.
Gradually blurring memories of life.
Although faded, they don’t disappear even as time passes. They are hidden in that place for a long time.
“Come back! You’ll die!”
“…I’m sorry.”
“…No! You idiot… Why! Why give up! If I were there, you wouldn’t have become a zombie!”
“…I’ve always been jealous, jealous of her you speak of… If only I could be remembered by you, then dying would be fine…”
So you knew my real name a long time ago.
You fickle bastard, you lied to me until the end… I hate you…
Suddenly woke up.
I sat up, covering my cheeks, sweat beading on my forehead. The shock was still lingering in my heart.
Was that just now…
My memory?
My memory before I became a zombie?
The person talking to me, could it be…
“Oh? There are still undead who can wake up here…”
“…Uncle Skeleton King!”
I had met him a few times before. He was the leader of the Outer Zone. If it weren’t for Uncle Skeleton King, the unawakened undead would have caused chaos in the Inner Zone, and there would be no order whatsoever.
At this moment, Uncle Skeleton King no longer exuded the regal aura he had when I last saw him. He looked like a dying old man, feeble…
“Uncle! What happened to you! By the way, where are the others?!”
I quickly looked around. Seeing that Lanhua and the others were sleeping soundly beside me and seemed unharmed, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Looking around the environment again, it was truly bizarre. The sky was shrouded in black fog, the ice layer was dyed black, and beneath the ice layer were corpses and skeletons.
Ghosts danced in the air, holding hands and dancing. Souls transformed into butterflies and flew towards the center.
“I see. No wonder you could wake up… You are like our Lord.”
“What? You mean…”
“I returned the Heart of the Undead to our Lord, thus granting her the ability to control death.”
I didn’t need further explanation. I knew who Uncle Skeleton King’s ‘Our Lord’ referred to.
The ghouls who entered this place all walked towards there, then died one by one, their souls transforming into butterflies and flying towards the center. Their bodies, after becoming corpses, still walked forward like walking dead, intertwining with the soul butterflies as they spiraled towards the center.
Then they began to merge together.
Thus, the world of the abyss was born.
On that sheet of ice:
She was embracing a corpse, extending one hand, beckoning something…
“Come… Over here…”
It was Lianbing.
“This… is the entrance.”
Something seemed to have changed.
The most obvious was her expression. Lianbing, in the past, always maintained a smile no matter what.
Before I interacted with her, I always felt that smile was like a fake mask, keeping people at a distance.
I used to think perhaps that was how a young lady would be, someone not easily approached, a rose on a high mountain.
But after interacting with her through Juncheng, I learned that she was actually a very kind person, considerate, and gentle.
If I were a boy, I would surely have fallen for her.
But now she was completely different.
Looking expressionlessly as all living beings died at her feet, then turned into skeletons, and fell into the endless abyss.
“This is simply—”
“It’s like inducing them to death…”
SF Light Novel
Uncle Skeleton King said from the side.
“When obsessions reach their culmination, they are ‘realized’ as ‘death’. For us undead…”
“We’re already dead! Why do we have to die again!”
I just don’t understand! At least I don’t want to fall into this black ocean beneath the ice after being inexplicably brainwashed!
“However, you chose another path. Is complete death better? Or is it better to live in a state worse than death? Life and death…”
“…is difficult to resolve, difficult to distinguish.”
“Don’t say such difficult things at a time like this! What is she doing?!”
“Our Lord is performing the Art of Soul Reversal, defying the principle that the living must perish. She is collecting corpses and souls, intending to revive that young man.”
“Art of Soul Reversal?!”
What she’s doing is different from mine. It’s a complete reversal of life and death… Wait, is this even possible?! This is too overpowered, who is the protagonist anyway!
“However, this is a technique to defy fate and is difficult to achieve… If she fails, Our Lord may continue to spread her domain and attempt it repeatedly until she succeeds, turning this place into a land of death.”
“Isn’t that super terrible!”
Why use such a terrifying method! There are simpler ways!
“I’m going to stop her!”
“Then take my Soul Fire. My soul has carried the Heart of the Undead for many years. With it, you won’t be tempted by death.”
“I was also at my limit. Consider this a farewell gift.”
I thought Uncle would stop me, but to my surprise, not only did he not stop me, he even gave me his Soul Fire.
I’m not one to waver, so I didn’t refuse and directly took the round soul from Uncle and swallowed it.
It tasted good, like mochi.
“…You’re quite blunt…”
“Heh, thanks, Uncle. I’ll build you a grave and bury your bones properly later~”
“…I’d rather… disintegrate…”
That’s fine too!
Then, wait for me, Lianbing, no, Lianbing!
As the protagonist, I’m going to persuade you!
Ah, could there be a yuri development?
Heh, that might not be bad either.
Hehe! Juncheng, I’m going to cheat on you!
