Chapter 044 Hidden Master

　　"I’m not entirely sure myself. It was only after the Lord got Dabai as his steed that he noticed this trait of the zombies. Those who don’t raise livestock would hardly stumble across it, and I doubt many bother to dig deeper into it," Youyou said as she slid the wooden bolt shut.

　　"Wait, Youyou. You said regular zombies won’t attack animals—does that mean there are unusual ones?" Chu Mufan caught the implication in her words and wondered if zombies came in different tiers or types, asking curiously.

　　"Mhm, Brother Chu. I only heard this from the scavenging teams who venture outside often. At first, all the undead they encountered were ordinary zombies, and the greatest threat was massive hordes. But over the past two years, they’ve found more powerful, far smarter zombies popping up in various regions!

　　Everyone calls them mutated zombies. Word has it they even possess territorial instincts just like wild animals. If a mutated zombie is spotted in an area, its roaming range and territory get marked on the maps so survivors can steer clear of these tough, dangerous foes." Youyou nodded and answered.

　　Chu Mufan was utterly stunned by this news. Though he had never laid eyes on a living zombie, the very idea that the undead could mutate left him gaping in shock!

　　If the zombies outside kept evolving and growing stronger, life would only grow harsher and bleaker for all survivors!

　　Seeing that dusk was drawing near, Youyou led Chu Mufan back up the mountain to the main camp. His legs felt far steadier on the return trip than they had going downhill, and the pair reached the camp in just over forty minutes, right in time for the evening meal.

　　Dinner was another communal feast, yet the Lord was absent this time. Free from his watchful gaze, the crowd relaxed fully, eating, drinking and merrily carousing without restraint. Once Mark finished his chores, he hurried over to sit beside Youyou. The three of them had grown close, exchanging lighthearted jokes and laughter now and then.

　　……

　　Chu Mufan rose at dawn the next day. After washing up, he stretched his limbs; his body felt noticeably stronger than it had the day before. Each morning these past few days, he could sense his strength growing steadily overnight.

　　Before the catastrophe, he’d spent a fair while lifting weights at a gym, watching his muscles fill out little by little—but never had he felt such tangible, day-by-day gains in power. He wondered if the sensation was merely all in his head...

　　He knocked out a handful of simple push-ups, sit-ups and squats inside his room, just as Youyou arrived with breakfast. Once they finished eating, Chu Mufan insisted on heading to the livestock farm to see Dabai and practice riding. Unable to dissuade him, Youyou agreed to accompany him once more...

　　The mountain air was crisp and nippy in the early morning. Both of them felt the chill, so they made a game of racing each other to the farm halfway down the slope...

　　Chu Mufan kept pace well at first, but within minutes he was gasping for breath, drained of stamina. Clearly his cardiovascular endurance still needed plenty of training...

　　Youyou slowed down to match his pace, and they chatted as they walked. The journey took them a little over forty minutes this time...

　　They had arrived exceptionally early; the guards stationed in the sheds were still asleep, save for one young sentry on duty. He recognized Youyou at a glance, greeted her quietly, and let her and Chu Mufan pass through a side gate.

　　From their vantage point, they could see numerous cattle and sheep already let out to graze. Uncle Zhang must have woken at the crack of dawn to tend the herd...

　　They stood on the upper part of the farm’s sloped ground, with an unobstructed view of all the livestock sheds below.

　　At the entrance to the cattle pen, a large yellow ox was stubbornly trying to barge inside. The burly Uncle Zhang pushed it back, yet the ox refused to yield, determined to squeeze through the doorway. Man, and beast stood locked in a stalemate...

　　This was a fully grown bull, large in stature with two short, stubby horns. Annoyed by being shoved, it stamped its hind legs hard against the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust before charging headfirst at Uncle Zhang. The impact sent him staggering several steps, yet he somehow kept his footing and did not fall!

　　Now Uncle Zhang’s temper flared. He planted his feet wide, hunching his massive frame into a wrestler’s stance. He gripped each of the bull’s horns in one hand, forcing its head backward a few paces!

　　The bull was equally bullheaded; the harder Zhang pushed, the more fiercely it resisted. Its hooves dug deep into the dirt, the veins on its hind legs bulging as it braced every muscle against the pressure!

　　Growing frustrated with the stubborn ox, Uncle Zhang resolved to teach the beast a lesson. He planted his feet firmly, leaning his full upper weight down onto the bull’s head. His hands clamped tight on the horns, legs locked rigidly straight, the force of his stance piling small mounds of dirt beneath his soles! Man, and beast remained locked in struggle, and little by little, the bull’s head was forced lower toward the ground!

　　Once he had it pinned steady, Uncle Zhang pushed off with his legs, executing a fluid, agile side sweep. In one smooth motion, he hauled the bull’s head tight beneath one armpit! One hand gripped a horn firmly, while his other thick arm coiled around the ox’s neck in an unyielding hold! He leaned his full weight sideways atop the bull’s skull, trapping its head immobile against the dirt beneath his bulky frame! The full-grown yellow bull strained and thrashed with all its might, yet could not shift Uncle Zhang an inch—it had been completely subdued!

　　Chu Mufan and Youyou stood transfixed by the sight. That sharp, nimble sidestepping move looked utterly incongruous on such a heavyset man!

　　“So, Uncle Zhang’s a hidden master!” Though his own body was still frail, Chu Mufan had a sharp eye and good judgment. He instantly recognized the man’s extraordinary skill, gaping in awe.

　　“I know! I never imagined Uncle Zhang was this capable. It’s strange—no one’s ever mentioned he’s such a formidable fighter,” Youyou echoed, equally dumbfounded.

　　Chu Mufan had assumed Youyou, who spent so much time around the livestock yard, would know about the bear-like man’s prowess. If a mere cattle herder possessed such skill, this camp truly hid countless unsung talents!

　　To his surprise, Youyou knew nothing of it either. It was clear the burly giant had deliberately concealed his strength. Chu Mufan wondered aloud, “What? You didn’t know either? Does he mean to hide how powerful he really is?”

　　“Moo… Moo!” Trapped beneath Uncle Zhang’s weight, the bull let out a low, defeated bellow, conceding defeat. Uncle Zhang eased his hold and stood upright! Chu Mufan quickly tugged Youyou into a secluded corner to stay out of sight...

　　As soon as he rose, Uncle Zhang glanced toward the guards’ outer shed. Satisfied no one had witnessed the scuffle, he brushed dust off his clothes. Tamed at last, the ox grew docile and wandered off to graze with the rest of the herd at the farm’s edge. Uncle Zhang tidied himself before unlocking the other sheds to release the remaining livestock to feed...

　　Chu Mufan and Youyou lingered in their hiding spot for a good while before strolling openly toward the stables...

　　They crossed paths with Uncle Zhang along the way. Chu Mufan greeted him warmly, and the stout man recognized him right away. They exchanged a few words in their shared Hubei dialect before going their separate ways...

　　Chu Mufan barely knew the bear-like man and could not fathom why he hid his true strength. With his own body still weak and untrained, he dared not expose the secret outright. He resolved to get to know Uncle Zhang better first, to gauge his character before drawing any conclusions...

　　The pair reached the stable, and Dabai whinnied excitedly at their arrival. Youyou fitted the saddle and bridle, then helped Chu Mufan mount the white stallion...