Chapter 57 - Regression
"No reply yet?" Qi Shan asked Yi Bing.
"None." Yi Bing answered. One week have already passed. In between the worlds, space and time are irregular. Thus, even if Yi Bing and Qi Shan knows this fact, but they wouldn't know the time difference nor they can calculate the time. Even with Ling Er and Ling San's space abilities, and Ling Ba's time abilities, they can't transcend the time and space in between the worlds.
Lei Shan and Qi Shan already recruited 1,000 ability user zombies while 500 non-ability user zombies. Their speed of development is slow since some of the zombies have their body rotted and they died – again. Some were caught and secretly hid by the government to investigate the cause of their revival while some who have higher intelligence were hiding. Thus, he only managed to recruit 1500 zombies. They are currently hiding on the abandoned building Qi Shan have prepared beforehand. It has concealment wards on all sides so no one would see the 1500 zombies inside the building..
"I wonder what have happened…" Qi Shan said, his face confused. "It must be something big. Even Gu Shi can't be contacted." He said.
Yi Bing nodded. "You should focus on your task now." He told him.
Qi Shan grinned. "You, too." He said. "You have your hands full." He added and looked at Huo Ling who was now digging soil.
A vein popped on Yi Bing's head. He didn't answer and instead just walked towards Huo Ling, then he picked him up by the back of his clothes. "Ah!" Huo Ling exclaimed and waved his hands and feet, his face looked like he was loathed to part from the soul.
Yi Bing's face was as dark as the storm. He dragged Huo Ling inside the building. Qi Shan just watched them on the side, enjoying the show while Lei Shan was sitting at the front, doing a long staring contest with the zombie ability users. It was eerily quiet and looked frightening, as if they were having a cult meeting. The only lacking is black cloaks over their head and markings on the walls and floor.
"Pa! PA!" Huo Ling's palm hit the floor repeatedly, expressing his displeasure after Yi Bing parted him from the soil. "PA!" a loud slap was heard when Huo Ling slapped the old table on the side.
Yi Bing's face is as dark as the bottom of the pot and ice covered the walls and the floor, including the ceiling. However, it's as if Huo Ling can't see it. He continued to stomp his feet on the floor, creating smoke-filled dust that floated in the air. It was still not enough. Huo Ling punched the walls!
Yi Bing gritted his teeth when he saw Huo Ling's knuckles were bruised and some of his skin was scratched. He immediately froze Huo Ling's fists and pulled him away from the walls. "Stop." He told him.
Huo Ling violently shook his head. Yi Bing was afraid Huo Ling's head would fall off thus he immediately held Huo Ling's head to stop him. Seeing that he can't move his head, Huo Ling moved his body instead to twist off his neck. Yi Bing guessed his intention and he immediately frozen Huo Ling's neck and body to stop him from moving. "Hmph!" Huo Ling frowned when he can't do what he wanted to do anymore after his body was rendered immobile.
If Huo Ling could, his cheeks would have already puffed up. Yi Bing saw his stiff expression since he couldn't, and felt his anger was dissipated. Huo Ling's mind was regressing, Yi Bing noticed it. Qi Shan could only guess after the result since he isn't like Yi Bing who already knew Huo Ling and been with Huo Ling before. They don't know how this happened. But, as days continued, Huo Ling was acting like a child. Huo Ling digging the soil is the proof. Yi Bing asked Lei Shan again to try communicating with Huo Ling, but to no avail. Lei Shan still said the same thing – there was something blocking him from getting through Huo Ling's mind. Thus, they could only give up.
While Qi Shan was recruiting zombies with Lei Shan, Yi Bing's whole time was focused on Huo Ling. He is afraid Huo Ling would suddenly show up before people and be caught by the government to be experimented on. Thus, he couldn't keep his eyes off of Huo Ling even for just one second. One time he did, Huo Ling disappeared. It took him for a long time to find Huo Ling. When he asked Qi Shan to use his earth ability to survey the surrounding, they found Huo Ling at the bottom of the pond, staring at the frogs and fishes at the bottom of it. When Yi Bing fished out Huo Ling, there was a snake that wrapped itself around Huo Ling's ankle. The snake was unfortunate since Yi Bing had frozen it. It shouldn't have latched on Huo Ling!
Yi Bing, in order to dry off Huo Ling, he frozen the water all over Huo Ling's body and then cracked them. Then, he asked him to change his clothes. However, one hour already passed and Huo Ling still didn't come out of the room. When Yi Bing finally decided to check on him, he found Huo Ling was wringing the clothes and bit it like it's a baguette. Yi Bing almost frozen the whole room. He was emanating cold air, literally, as he approached Huo Ling. He borrowed a clothes' iron from the staff and ironed Huo Ling's clothes flat. Then, without scruples, he personally undressed Huo Ling, then immediately dressed him up. Yi Bing, of course, didn't dare looked where it's inappropriate. However, the only wound he saw on Huo Ling's body is the wound on his head. Huo Ling is too clean and fair. Yi Bing, when Huo Ling was still communicative before, heard from Huo Ling about Jin Yu's story of his (HL) life. Thus, Yi Bing knew Huo Ling is a young master of a former wealthy family. Huo Ling never experienced the hardships of life until his family died, and he was forced to poverty and looked for a job. However, he still hasn't accomplished landing a job when he unfortunately died.
"Stop giving me headaches." He told Huo Ling after he cleaned Huo Ling's hands and fingers, including his nails, with a damp cloth. If there is anything that's great about Yi Bing, he is very meticulous and attentive of everything. Thus, Huo Ling's nails were also cleaned together with his fingers and hands. "If you will disappear one day, how will I find you?" he asked Huo Ling. He knew Huo Ling wouldn't understand him, but he still asked anyway. Yesterday, Huo Ling disappeared again. As usual, Yi Bing asked Qi Shan to look for Huo Ling. However, they were shocked of what they found out.
Qi Shan couldn't detect Huo Ling's presence.