"If you can still move, you have to work. You canât just eat and drink for free!"
Old Tao smiled lightly, trembling as he walked towards the door.
"Itâs the first time Iâve seen zombies working. If the elderly donât mind us getting in the way, of course we should go and have a look."
Bai Anhai looked curious.
Everyone in the Bai Family has seen the Zombie King working.
But seeing zombies working? Thatâs really rare.
"If you donât mind, then letâs go and take a look together!" said Old Tao.
Everyone in Taovillage treats zombies as an important part of the family.
Old Tao didnât mind letting outsiders see the harmonious coexistence between humans and zombies. He even wanted everyone to understand that zombies arenât just containers for crystal cores.
Only, no outsider had ever appreciated this, treating them as venomous creatures to avoid.
Whether others mind, the Bai Family doesnât really know, but the Bai Family truly doesnât mind.
Some people followed Old Tao out the door, where several zombies with faces full of rotting flesh were already standing.
Their gaze was vacant, looking in one direction, showing no expression, neither sadness nor joy.
Every zombie was dressed cleanly, only their slightly blackened teeth bore traces of blood red.
These were marks left from their "lunch.".
As soon as Old Tao came out, the zombies started moving.
Old Tao and the Bai Family were now at the back of the zombie group, with cleanly dressed zombies joining the group every now and then, all heading outside the village.
Some villagers watched their zombies walk from the doorway, seeing them off into the distance.
Just like parents sending their children to school.
The villagers had little reaction to the Bai Family walking alongside Old Tao.
They were indifferent to others from outside the village hating Taovillage.
After all, having family by their side was what mattered most, othersâ opinions were irrelevant.
Not every villager in Taovillage could accept zombies as family; those who couldnât already left the village, leaving only those who couldnât part with family bonds.
They were prepared to be eyed suspiciously by others.
Most villagers were simple, holding a wait-and-see attitude as long as the Bai Family hasnât shown disdain for them.
Heavy footsteps echoed from all around the village, the zombie group growing stronger.
By the time they reached the edge of the village, the group already numbered over a hundred zombies.
"Grandpa, what work are they going to do?"
Bai Yifan curiously glanced at the stiff-limbed zombies.
They only seemed more animated when tearing flesh, their movements more frequent.
Most of the time, they were foolish, even struggling to hold a hoe!
"Anything, planting trees, watering, protecting the villageâtheyâre capable of a lot."
Old Taoâs wrinkled eyelids curved slightly, showing pride.
Zombies are like newborn children.
Without teaching, theyâll never learn.
When taught, they might forgetâitâs okayâall children are alike, teaching them again is fine.
The elderly have lived for a century; patience is his richest virtue.
Without children all his life, he watched these zombies grow up, considering them his children.
As a parent, teaching children to learn new things demands the most patience.
"Planting trees?" Bai Yifan glanced at the rows of peach trees, somewhat incredulous, "They planted all these?"
The entire village was enveloped in a sea of peach blossoms, planting so many trees would have been a huge undertaking.
"Yes! All planted by them!"
Old Tao, smiling with squinting eyes, extended his fingers, green light spilling from his dry fingertips, falling onto the peach trees on either side.
The faintly pink peach trees swayed gently in the breeze, seemingly grateful for the touch of vibrant life.
Bai Yifan was dumbfounded.
He couldnât imagine what the scene of zombies planting peach trees would be like.
After walking a bit further.
The zombie group ahead suddenly stopped, standing still on the open ground, waiting for the Corpse Kingâs command.
On the open ground, there were already-dug pits, hoes, and peach tree saplings waiting to be planted.
Centered on Old Tao, a powerful brainwave emanated, accessible only to zombies.
The zombie group started moving, splitting into two teams.
One team had more zombies, consisting of elderly zombies or child zombies.
Another smaller team was of youth zombies, appearing strong, with even a few possessing superpowers.
The elderly and weak zombies bent down rigidly, taking five minutes to grasp the hoes with stiff fingers.
Their movements were slow, seemingly lacking strength.
The hoe hit the ground, barely making a shallow pit.
Even weaker than the strength of an eight-year-old child.
Zombies seem naturally inept at labor, only adept at consuming flesh.
When devouring flesh, their unleashed power could firmly grasp an adultâs body.
While digging pits to plant trees, half a day is spent to make one pit.
Some were digging pits.
Some were trembling, carrying bowls to water.
Some lay on the ground, preparing to push soil to bury saplings.
Every zombie worked with hollow, expressionless eyes, appearing distracted.
The Bai Family watched the working zombies with interest, suddenly having a bold thought.
These zombiesâ work efficiency wasnât high, but it was better than nothing. Accumulate enough and it could be a substantial workforce.
But the premise is, the family has to have someone whoâs a zombie.
Bai Zhengxuan looked at Bai Anhai.
Bai Anhai looked at Bai Yifan.
Bai Yifan looked at Leng Yebai.
Leng Yebai looked up at the sky.
"Why arenât they working? Are they slacking?"
Leng Yebai shifted the topic.
Always feeling his position is likely to be replaced by Zhang Yiming, that zombie leader!
Ha, whatâs good about zombies!
Heâs so capable, single-handedly surpassing a group of zombies!
"Heh heh!"
A zombie from the strong group seemed to understand Leng Yebaiâs words, grinned at him.
This group of zombies not only appeared strong but clearly had surpassed the ranks of ordinary zombies.
"Tie Zhu, take them with you!"
Old Tao smiled kindly, nodding at a zombie named Tie Zhu.
A youth zombie understood Old Taoâs words, rasping twice. The zombies beside it promptly followed in its footsteps.
This group numbered about twenty zombies, moving quickly, their presence distinct from regular zombies, disappearing in no time.
"Tie Zhu is my favorite among the youth here and will protect Taovillage in the future."
Old Tao watched the direction where the zombies vanished, his voice somewhat desolate.
He didnât know how long he would continue to "live."
He understood that if he were to "die," the village zombies would become bloodthirsty and frenzied like those elsewhere.
He wouldnât allow such a thing to occur.
What he could do was cultivate a successor, foster the next Zombie King.
He trusted Tie Zhuâs character, believing that once Tie Zhu gained consciousness, it would guard the village like him.
The villageâs best crystal cores were given to Tie Zhu, aiming for it to quickly gain awareness.
One day he would fade away, the next Zombie King continuing his will.