Chapter 89 – Who Doesn't Want to Be Human?
"Gather up! Everyone to the tavern—now!"
Li Yingling stomped down hard, crushing a skull beneath her boot as she glared coldly at the rotting corpses before her.
"Eat your brain! Eat your brain!"
The corpses turned their empty gazes toward her, raising their decayed arms as they prepared to lunge.
Yuan Kong was just about to open his mouth to translate when—
A sharp arc of sword light split one of the corpses clean in half. Li Yingling stepped forward, her sword pressed against the creature's skull, slicing into it with deliberate slowness. The razor-sharp spiritual energy tore through rotting flesh like a knife carving meat.
"This isn't a discussion, and it's not a request—it's an order." Her cold snort cut through the silence as her eyes swept across the rest of the corpses.
"If any of you who can still crawl aren't there in two incense sticks' time, don't blame me for cutting you into pieces."
The corpses, who moments ago were ready to attack, froze. Trembling violently, they began to turn around as though to flee.
Yuan Kong stared speechlessly at Li Yingling's icy expression.
With that kind of presence... did she even need a translator?
Another slash of sword energy ripped through the air, blasting a nearby corpse into powder.
"You're going the wrong way," Li Yingling said flatly.
"If you dare not show up—try it. I'll hunt you down myself."
Her tone was calm, but it carried the weight of absolute conviction. "Run if you want. Let's see how far you get."
After beheading another corpse with a single stroke, she turned on her heel and headed toward the next target.
Behind her, the remaining corpses stood in confusion, twitching awkwardly.
After a long moment, they exchanged hollow glances—and began to shuffle obediently in the same direction.
Yuan Kong followed closely behind Li Yingling.
He was supposed to translate, but so far, he hadn't uttered a single word.
Truthfully, Li Yingling didn't need one.
Kick in the door. Threaten. Slice.
As the pattern repeated, her movements grew faster, smoother, more precise.
By the time she had finished combing through the small village—after cutting down nearly a quarter of its undead population—every living corpse was accounted for.
Now she stood behind the last group, driving them forward toward the tavern.
No one questioned why the corpses obeyed so readily—because this woman truly would mince them alive.
Yuan Kong followed in silence, not daring to speak.
His senior brother had been right—women from the lower mountains were tigers.
When the final group of corpses was herded into place, Yuan Kong froze in horror at the scene before the tavern.
A massive iron cauldron had been set up, blazing with fire underneath, oil inside bubbling violently.
A wooden rack was suspended above the cauldron, and the tavern owner—bound hand and foot—hung upside down from it.
Each splash of hot oil that spattered against his face drew another wretched scream.
The gathered corpses prostrated themselves silently, not daring to move, listening to his cries echo through the street.
Clearly, these ancient cadaver puppets had already been "taught" a lesson.
The village chief cowered in a corner of the tavern, head bowed, trembling, not uttering a word.
It seemed… not only did Li Yingling not need a translator—Chu Xingchen didn't either.
Seeing this, Yuan Kong couldn't help but feel grateful he had gone with Li Yingling instead.
In his eyes, the scene was grotesquely calm beneath the blazing sunlight: the tavern owner dangling above a vat of boiling oil, screaming in agony; a crowd of terrified villagers kneeling and shaking on the floor.
And at the center—Chu Xingchen stood before the cauldron, stirring the oil gently with a large ladle, a tranquil smile resting on his face.
From a distance, he looked every bit the tyrant reveling in his cruelty.
No wonder his senior brother had said: you must always see the truth of things—before you judge the act.
Li Yingling led Yuan Kong to stand before Chu Xingchen, cupping her hands respectfully.
"Master, they're basically all here. The few missing can be dealt with later."
Chu Xingchen nodded in satisfaction, his gaze sweeping across the open square where countless walking corpses knelt trembling.
"Village Chief, bring out the Ultimate Administrative Code for Peach Blossom Village that I drafted."
The village chief, sitting inside the tavern, scrambled to his feet, snatched up the sheet of rice paper resting atop a coffin, and hurried over to Chu Xingchen's side.
Chu Xingchen inclined his head slightly. "Read."
The village chief glanced at the document, took a deep breath, and began to recite:
"Regulation One: All acts of fighting, assault, theft, verbal abuse, or any behavior deemed to possess negative value are strictly prohibited."
"Regulation Two: Effective immediately, all production activities are to resume. Any collapsed or damaged houses must be rebuilt, all contamination must be cleansed, and idleness or negligence is forbidden."
"Regulation Three: All orders from the supreme authority must be obeyed. Questioning or spreading malicious slander against any superior is strictly forbidden."
"Regulation Four: Obedience is your foremost duty. Any form of disobedience will be regarded as the highest crime."
When the recitation ended, the village chief quietly retreated behind Chu Xingchen.
Chu Xingchen clapped softly. "You've all lived too long in chaos and filth, forgotten what it means to be human. But don't be afraid—I'm here to teach you again."
His tone shifted as his eyes turned to the tavern owner dangling above the cauldron.
"I still prefer to see you as people—but only if you wish to be treated as such."
"As for those who don't see themselves as human, then don't blame me for treating you accordingly."
As his voice fell, the tavern owner was dropped headfirst into the boiling cauldron.
A burst of smoke and heat filled the air as the man thrashed violently, trapped by a layer of spiritual power that sealed him inside.
No matter how he screamed, clawed, or rolled, he could not escape.
Chu Xingchen's face remained calm as he pointed at the cauldron.
"This man—utterly heartless—broke the limbs of villagers, enslaving them to labor for him."
"I hear many of you suffered under his cruelty. But today, things are different."
"Where there is oppression—there will be resistance!"
"If you yearn for peace, order, and happiness—then I am your strongest shield."
"If you crave chaos, slaughter, and corruption—then I am your worst nightmare."
"Peach Blossom Village must change. Haven't you had enough of living in the filth?"
"From this moment onward, everything will start anew—until you live in the world you truly deserve!"
With each word he spoke, the struggling man's movements weakened, until at last the oil churned into a deep, crimson hue.
Chu Xingchen gestured toward the cauldron, his gaze steady.
"Now—tell me your choice."
Silence reigned for a heartbeat, then a corpse suddenly roared, voice guttural and hateful.
"Kill you! Kill you!"
"Dig out your heart and liver!"
Li Yingling instinctively reached for her sword, but Yuan Kong quickly raised a hand to stop her.
"They're saying—"
"What they're saying doesn't matter," Chu Xingchen interrupted coldly. "Anyone who still sees themselves as human—go to the village gate now. Clean up the nearest ruins. Rebuild. Start over."
"As for those who don't—jump into this cauldron, and join what's already inside."
The village chief's mouth hung open as he stared at Chu Xingchen in stunned silence.
Because really—after hearing that—who the hell wouldn't want to be human?
Hey readers! If you're eager to dive into advanced chapters, consider joining our Patreon. By joining, you'll get access to 20 chapters ahead and enjoy 14 new chapters per week. Plus, we have 3 more exciting fics with the same chapter release rate, giving you a total of 42 chapters per week! Join now and keep the adventure going!
Patreon: https://patreon.com/Alex_Cruise