Chapter Eighty-Five: The Ointment

When the eastern sky began to lighten with the first pale dawn, our group had already returned to the agency.

Seated in the living room on the second floor, I brewed a strong cup of tea for Chen Chuyi. He smoked quietly, leafing through a tome titled "The Corpse Scriptures," which documented the transformations of zombies.

Chen Chuyi explained that the corpse-burier we encountered this time belonged to a type of ancient corpse. These ancient corpses were formidable in their own right, their flesh having undergone extraordinary experiences over long periods, making them terrifying beyond measure.

Xiyue was one such ancient corpse, having absorbed the essence of the moon and undergone a sudden mutation. Within her body flowed a mysterious, unfathomable power: magic. This force was linked to a group known as cultivators from ancient times, but after countless years, such power had vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a few rare beings who possessed magic—akin to non-renewable resources like petroleum.

The corpse-burier and the Vajra Soul we previously encountered both had traces of magical encounters, which made them so difficult to deal with. As for Li Lina, who fled from us last night, she was still a zombie but had absorbed nearly all the blood essence from the entire building, instantly becoming incredibly powerful. She even drained the corpse blood from Elder Zhou in the Zhou family estate, completely absorbing the latent power he had accumulated. This sudden surge elevated Li Lina beyond an ordinary zombie to the realm of a corpse king. (The temporary classification of zombies runs: Mao Zombie, Red-haired Zombie, Flying Zombie, Corpse King, Corpse Emperor, Corpse God.)

Chen Chuyi sighed deeply, then stubbed out his cigarette.

"Li Lina is extremely dangerous. Although injured, we must find her as soon as possible. In about ten days, we will reunite with our senior brother and head to Maimai Village. There’s much to prepare."

I nodded.

"Grandpa Chen, do you have any news about Maimai Village? Tell me!"

Apart from the dream I once entered, I had no other information about Maimai Village. Moreover, I sensed that my connection to the village was far from simple.

"I can only say that Maimai Village is a place familiar to you, and a place that will change your destiny."

"And our main purpose in going to Maimai Village is to uncover the mystery of your birth. Perhaps then you will understand who arranged the original Life Blood Array within your body."

A wave of confusion surged in my heart. Had Chen Chuyi not mentioned it, I might have been spared this feeling, but now, I felt as if I had fallen into a vast whirlpool—an oppressive sensation that weighed heavily on my chest, yet left me utterly helpless.

Outside, the sky grew ever brighter. I saw a ray of sunlight illuminate Water Cabinet Street. A new day had arrived.

Yet, we were all drowsy. Although Xiyue had barely fought last night, she told me that without using the Tears of the Vast Sea even once, her magic would greatly diminish. She needed several days to recuperate, so she had long since retreated to her room, sitting silently in meditation.

I didn’t disturb her, instead retreating to my own room. I removed my pants. My goodness, the kick Li Lina delivered last night still throbbed painfully. Just as I feared, the swelling was so severe it was almost unbearable to look at.

Lying on the bed, I stretched into a star shape, which eased the pain slightly.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open. Grandpa Chen appeared, carrying a box of ointment. I barely had time to pull the covers over myself.

I glanced at Chen Chuyi, who frowned, then looked at my swollen member. My face flushed crimson with embarrassment, and the drowsiness vanished instantly.

"Grandpa Chen, why didn’t you knock?"

Chen Chuyi stepped forward with a grin, "What’s the big deal? It’s not like I haven’t seen it before. I’m just concerned about your health, so I brought you the most precious ointment from Canglong Mountain. It’s a secret formula personally crafted by our founder. One application and you’ll be healed completely!"

He then approached me step by step. Hastily, I yanked the blanket up to cover my shameful part.

"Don’t be shy. Come, let me apply it for you. You can’t be short on manpower these days!"

I felt exasperated and quickly sat up, waving him off.

"Grandpa Chen, no need. I can do it myself."

No, this wouldn’t do. I was still a pure young man. Having an old man, even one as experienced as Grandpa Chen, touching me with ointment was somewhat upsetting.

"You can’t rub it evenly yourself? Such a child, and shy too?"

Sweat beaded on my forehead. How had I never realized Grandpa Chen had this kind of fetish?

I quickly dodged and reached out.

"Grandpa Chen, just give me the ointment!"

Seeing he couldn’t persuade me, Chen Chuyi smiled faintly and handed me the ointment.

"Remember, apply sparingly. This stuff is potent."

I acknowledged him.

After Chen Chuyi left the room, I sniffed the ointment—it was indeed a fine remedy.

I locked the door and returned to the bed. My member still throbbed faintly from previous movement.

...

When I awoke, it was already afternoon. The ointment worked well, though I probably applied too much, as my entire member now felt an intense heat, which was quite vexing.

"Up now, Xiao Dong. Come have something to eat!"

I responded and walked to the dining table beside the living room, grabbing a still-warm steamed bun and eating heartily—I was indeed hungry.

"Grandpa Chen, any news on Li Lina?"

Chen Chuyi lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply.

"I just woke up too and haven’t received any calls. Probably no new leads yet."

I nodded.

That evening, Chen Chuyi and I went out for a walk, inquiring about wandering spirits. We found none of significance.

At midnight, Chen Chuyi led me to several buildings on Water Cabinet Street, where I met Yinyin’s mother. I was deeply ashamed, for I still had no clue where Yinyin had ended up.

When the woman asked, I recounted everything that had happened these days. She didn’t respond with tears or pleas as I had imagined, but remained calm.

She said, "A wise man once said that Yinyin has great fortune; she is a spirit of destiny. Could you takeI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.