Is this what a zombie is?

66. We arrived just in time.

He was led into a magnificent underground palace, but Ai Yi couldn't say exactly where it was.

There are so many habitable places on the surface of the earth, and there are still many that he hasn't been to. He hasn't really studied the underground places.

Judging from its scale and structure, Ai Yi guessed that it was the mausoleum of some unfortunate emperor.

Now, however, Li Lianying has usurped the position and transformed it into his headquarters.

The underground palace was a maze of crisscrossing passageways and towering palaces, leaving Ai completely disoriented and unable to remember the way or even tell which direction to take.

I can clearly distinguish left from right, but I only have a general idea of ​​east, west, south, and north. How do I actually tell them apart?

Left is east, right is west, up is north, down is south, but what is the reference point again?

Li Lianying, leaning on his dragon-headed cane, led Ai Yi to a side hall.

Inside the hall, eight exquisite cradles were neatly arranged.

In each cradle lay a baby boy, only a few months old. Several women dressed in Qing Dynasty palace maid attire were numbly caring for them, feeding them and changing their diapers.

"What...what are you doing grabbing so many babies?" Upon seeing this, a terrifying thought immediately flashed through Ai's mind: "Could it be...that you've been practicing some kind of evil magic by eating babies to survive until now and maintain this appearance?"

As he spoke, he retreated repeatedly with a look of terror on his face, as if he had seen some kind of monstrous demon.

A rare look of helplessness appeared on Li Lianying's face. He really couldn't understand whose temperament this cheap master had taken after.

Which of the ancestors of the Aisin Gioro family wasn't an outstanding person, a person with deep cunning, and none of them were simple?

His father, Edward, was steady and experienced, never showing his emotions, and his mother was a well-known businesswoman. Yet Ai Yi didn't inherit any of these qualities.

"Your Majesty is joking." Li Lianying's voice was still dry. "This old servant has no need to use such insidious methods to prolong life. Besides, the effectiveness of such methods is negligible. In fact, apart from wantonly committing murder and damaging one's virtue, they are not of much use."

"Wow, I didn't expect you to have such self-awareness. So, by capturing these babies, are you trying to train assassins, or even just any kind of killer?"

Ai thought of another possibility. That's how it's portrayed in TV dramas, so it's not impossible.

Li Lianying shook his head and gave the answer directly.

"In fact, they... just like you, Master, all possess the destiny of the Purple Star Emperor."

"Originally, this old servant intended to refine them as provisions for you, Master, to help you ascend to the heavens and transform into a true dragon emperor. However..." A hint of fanaticism flashed in Li Lianying's cloudy eyes, "Master, you are a genius, and you have actually cultivated the aura of a true dragon on your own."

"In that case, they are useless."

Ai Yi keenly sensed the undisguised killing intent in Li Lianying's words, and his expression changed instantly.

"Useless?" His heart tightened, and he instinctively stepped in front of the cradles. "So, you want to get rid of them?"

"Of course." Li Lianying's reply was matter-of-fact, as if he were talking about a trivial matter. "Useless things naturally have no reason to exist, don't they, Master?"

These words made Ai Yi take the matter seriously.

He took a deep breath, straightened his back, and looked directly into Li Lianying's eyes.

"Since you acknowledge me as your master, I will now give you my first command."

"Don't hurt them. Send them back safely." Ai Yi's voice wasn't loud, but every word was firm and resolute. "What kind of emperor game do you want to play? I'll risk my life to play along with you to the very end and see what tricks you can come up with."

Li Lianying was slightly taken aback, then the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a playful smile.

"This old servant... just likes you, Master. When you speak to me like this, that's how a master should act."

He tapped his dragon-headed cane lightly on the ground and bowed slightly.

"Since Master has given the order, this old servant will obey. However, we can only safely return them to their respective parents after the great task is completed."

"Until then, please rest well here, Master. Your needs will be met by your servants."

"I'm right here. If you're going to do something, hurry up. Do you expect me to pick an auspicious day to dawdle?"

It was just a casual remark.

To everyone's surprise, Li Lianying nodded seriously, looking at him with the same eyes one would use to look at an ignorant child.

"What you say is absolutely right, Master."

"Ascension to the throne is a momentous ceremony that re-establishes heaven and earth and recreates the universe. How can it be taken lightly? Naturally, an auspicious day must be chosen to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, announce to all people, and change the national title and era name... All of these must be prepared carefully."

This is the difference in thinking between the two. Ai Yi didn't take it seriously, didn't agree with it from the bottom of her heart, and regarded it as a child's game.

He found it absurd, but Li Lianying was extremely serious and had grand ambitions.

……

"Where can I find Attorney Luo?"

After parting ways with Chen Gang, Jiang Chen did not make a phone call. Instead, he walked along and whispered to the cat on his shoulder.

He and Attorney Luo are now unregistered, their original identity information has been cancelled, and without the cell phone Ai Yi provided for them, things are somewhat inconvenient.

Cat yawned lazily and sniffed the air carefully.

At this moment, Cat's extraordinary sense of smell came into play again, allowing him to find people by their scent.

"Go that way."

Cat Master pointed in the direction of the city's outskirts, and following Cat Master's guidance, Jiang Chen ran towards the outskirts.

After undergoing body tempering, his physical abilities far surpassed those of ordinary people. He could run silently, yet his speed was astonishing. In the night, he was like a blurry ghost, weaving through the steel jungle of the city.

More than half an hour later, the figures of a person and a cat appeared in an extremely remote suburb.

Before us lies a vast private estate.

The tall wrought iron gates were wide open, and the brightly lit European-style villa deep in the manor stood out in the dead of night.

It looked so luxurious and tranquil, but this tranquility was tinged with a deathly stillness.

There wasn't a sound in the manor, not even the chirping of insects or birds; it was as silent as a tomb.

Jiang Chen frowned deeply, but without the slightest hesitation, he stepped straight into the open door.

"Looks like we've come at just the right time," Cat Master's voice carried a hint of excitement, as if he were enjoying a good show. "This is going to be interesting."

Jiang Chen ignored its gloating and scanned his surroundings warily.

In the villa's hall, more than a dozen corpses lay scattered about.

The deceased were dressed in expensive designer clothes and wore luxury watches. Next to their bodies were several open suitcases filled with bundles of cash, gold bars, and passports from different countries.

Judging from their posture, these people are clearly preparing to flee overnight and transfer their assets.