Chapter 55: Handsome Cousin
Amelia looked at her stunned cousin and smirked mischievously. "I just saved you little cousin, however would you repay me?" She looked at his face covered in blood but it doesn't diminish his charm at all. Instead it makes him more alluring like the tragic beauty in stories.
"What do you want?" Liang Fei went back to his cold expression.
"You." She said smiling. Liang Fei became scared after hearing her words. He looked at the gleaming saber in her hand and swallowed. His heart beating at an accelerated pace making him slightly breathless.
"Eh? I just want you and your team to move to my base and work for me. What naughty things are you thinking cousin?" Amelia's pleasant laugh made Liang Fei come down. But the tip of his ears are red even as his expression doesn't change.
The rest of the Liang family came closer too but they felt awkward after they refused to save him at that time. Liang Fei looked at them but he wasn't disappointed in his heart, this family of his is not ideal anyways all he is passionate about is science.
Looking back at Amelia who seems to suddenly be engulfed in a layer of mystery. "What's a demon lord?" He asked her.
"Someone who is cultivating a powerful unorthodox cultivation technique." She answered calmly.
"Unorthodox?" Liang Fei asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It is a technique that doesn't use natural heaven and earth but uses things like human sacrifices. Most importantly it is considered evil practice in some part of the world." Amelia said honestly.
"Do you consider it evil?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Evil is relative. If he uses my body as a sacrifice then I'll call him evil. Most people who call others evil are just inexperienced. If you know what's its like to be powerless while those with power take everything from you. You will do anything to become powerful, strength is strength no matter where its comes from." Amelia chuckled at his eyes that became stern after hearing her.
"But...just because I understand him doesn't mean I won't fight back if he ever cross my path."
"Why did you fight him just now? We don't know each other that well." The voice is still cold but there is genuine curiosity in it.
"I want you to move to my base and develop medicine there." Amelia said straightforwardly.
"I'll think about it." He is tempted. Further more he doesn't feel safe in this base anymore.
"That sort of hatred will not die down. Think fast I'm leaving first light." Amelia warned. She turns to face the Liang family.
"Cough cough."
Amelia looked at the man standing there with a straight back and a probing expression.
"Fei Fei, it's good that you are okay. Niece Amelia, thanks to you this time." Fei looked at this father of his and tried not to gag in disgust. He didn't even show his face earlier even the miserable old man was brave enough to plead for mercy while facing a ruthless man.
He just nodded to acknowledge him and turned to Amelia "I'll go discuss with my team and their family members. I hope your base will be able to accommodate them all."
"Don't worry about this, but I have to worn you that I do not permit forced human experiments. Think it through before coming." Amelia said to him.
A visible frown graced his face at her words. Amelia understood that she may be asking too much from the young man but her home can not be a place filled with bad karma just so a doctor calls it science.
"Second brother, why are you ignoring father? He had been so worried about you just now." Liang Hau said with teary eyes.
"Are you perhaps blaming our father for not offering his life to save yours?" She continued to speak but Liang Fei didn't even look at her. His eyes kept staring at Amelia with his lips in a strange light. No one knows what is on his mind.
"Cousin ~" Amelia looked back at him with smiling eyes. "Are you finding my heroic posture very handsome and irresistible?" She stood straight, her long hair blowing in the air, the pale skin shining in the lights and the blue eyes making people want to pamper her. It was meant to be a joke but she stunned people nonetheless.
"I'll be going first light out, if you are coming with me find me at the base hotel ~" She disappeared after whispering those words to Liang Fei. Amelia didn't want to be entangled with the Liang family who treat her like an extra burden when she came. Now that they know of her worth they are probably going to warm up to her but she is not interested.
When she entered her room she found someone sitting on her bed. Frowning, she erected a barrier around herself but no attacks came through. Adjusting to the darkness of the room she recognized who is the person sitting one her bed.
"What does the base leader mean by coming into my room uninvited in the middle of the night?" Amelia asked the man who hasn't said anything since she came inside.
"Miss Amelia, it says here you have a high level healing ability from your plant type supernatural power. Is this true?" He tossed a file to her and she hurriedly caught it after retracting her barrier.
She quickly opened the file, the more she read the more uneasy she became. There is not everything about her in the file but most of the things there are all true. Her eyes narrowed dangerously looking at the handsome middle aged man in front of her.
Amelia doesn't know if it is because the people are inside a novel but all these men are all so attractive. Tsk, and the information in her hand has her feeling out of sorts.
"I ofcourse investigated the woman who built the giant wall on her own and only took a few weeks doing it. Imagine my surprise when I found out it was built by your pet, a giant snake." Qing Ze stood up and looked at Amelia with interest.
"I didn't want to disturb your visit but my family encountered an accident today and everyone but me is sure to die if they are not healed properly." His eyes looked at her with sincerity and a bit of pleading but his tone didn't change from start to finish.
"What would I get from this endeavor I wonder?" She asked him still looking at the pictures of her base before construction, during and after. This man must have excellent information intelligence working under him.
"I will pay however many crystal nuclei you want." The man said.
"That won't be necessary. I want something else." She said with a smirk. There is an abundance of a special metal ore in this region but stealing it will take years.
If she could get it somehow, she can make better....everything. from the cars to equipment and most importantly she can make retractable armor. That is why the ore will be mined in her territory in the future, but it is not as much as in the central provinces.
"Well, just let me know whatever it is I'll pay it." The man said without flinching.
"How generous. Lead the way." She went out after him. They walked in silence, she didn't waste anymore time and healed the three severely injured people and left saying she will contact the base leader about the specifics of her request.
Amelia woke up to the sound of knockin on the door. She yawned and opened only to find Liang Fei, looking at him standing there she knew he is not coming to Jiangkang base with her.
"I have a life here." He said to explain but Amelia waved him.
"I understand." She shut the door and went back to sleeping. After healing the Qing family members she felt like this trip was worth it since she will get a special metal ore to mine soon.
That day Amelia left the central base. Liang Fei didn't know if the decision he made was the right one but seeing as Amelia didn't seem interested in getting him to change his mind he decided to continue living in the central base where he can conduct human experiments.
There is also another reason he doesn't want to leave. His heart has already been firmly captured by a man he can not have entirely. If he leaves, he may never see that face again.
The same day he was called into the base leader's office. "I heard your cousin asked you to join her in the Jiangkang base and you refused?" The base leader has the aura of authority that accumulates after a long time of ordering people. Even a calm person like Liang Fei can't help but be flustered at being in his presence.
Not to mention this is not the only reason for his agitation upon seeing the clean and handsome face of the base leader. He bites his lips and approaches steadily. The man is wearing a long winter coat that covers him up to his knees.
Its intensifies the powerful aura of the base leader making Liang Fei tremble. "Qing Ze...did you only call me for this?" He stands in front him, the comparison between them shows how the base leader has wider shoulders and thick bulging muscles than the scholarly Liang Fei.
Seeing him not answering his question, Liang Fei rolls his eyes at the man. His hand reaches and firmly grasps the other man's strong arm and starts caressing it. Even through the high quality winter coat, Qing Ze can feel the caress⁰. He knows Liang Fei is comforting him about his family's incident last night.
"She doesn't want me to do human experiments so I declined her offer." Liang Fei said leaning on the man's broad chest unbuttoning the coat and nestling inside like a coquettish cat. Qing Ze instinctively wraps his rms around him with a pampering expression.
"I....I am glad you're safe Fei Fei." The base leader whispers in the younger man's ear while gently rubbing his back. He was very worried about him initially, he might not show it but he cares for his little lover.
"Do you know why Qing Xuan targeted you?" Qing Ze asked solemnly.
"I have never met him before last night. Could he know about us? He did injure all the family members." Liang Fei said in response. It made sense.
The base leader took out a file and gave it to Liang Fei. In the file it is explained that thousands of people who didn't have the gene to awaken were miraculously awakened not once but a couple of times already in that base and no one can find out how it happened.
The average power level of the people working as soldiers in that base would skyrocket as soon as they became part of the base army. There are many casses of people getting bitten by zombies but they are always rescued and fed some sort of medicine, they will miraculously be cured after drinking it.
Liang Fei had his eyes glued on the words in the file. He is in disbelief, but he knows the base leader has probably authenticated this information. Instead of doubting its authenticity he regretted refusing her offer for a moment but the feeling passed quickly.
"Your cousin has a high probability to lead this era into prosperity. In times like these, strength is everything and she can offer it to people. Who wouldn't want to be led by her?" The handsome middle aged man said to a stunned Liang Fei.
"I thought the ones to lead us are the Qin family?" Liang Fei said in response.
"I believe the Qin family is powerful but they're too hang up on what was. Blinded by their past glory they don't see the problem. I have always has a suspicion that the disaster of the zombie virus is only the beginning." Qing Ze said with certainty.
"Are you saying whatever is coming Amelia will face it calmly? Leader, she is only 17 years at most." Liang Fei is surprised by the level of trust in Amelia's abilities.
"She is not ready yet, but she has immense potential. The reason I called you here is to ask you to try and keep a friendly relationship with her. Make sure she is not angered by your rejection. Powerful people hate to be denied what they want but this will also help us see what kind os person she is." Qing Ze said too much at once, he is known for this cold and aloof demeanor but today he has spoken so many words.
Liang Fei suddenly puts the folder on the table and his hands move with familiarity towards the man's broad chest. He caresses it rubbing his lower body on the man's thighs. His hands went to unbutton the shirt and started kissing Qing Ze's kin. The room became engulfed in an ambiguous atmosphere.
Breathless because of the sudden assault, The last shred of awareness makes Qing Ze pushed Liang Fei out of his embrace. "Fei Fei"...he uttered hoarsely, looking at Liang Fei's hooded eyes.
"I forget myself, sorry." Liang Fei seeing his hesitation blames himself for being too abrupt. He mades no move to proceed with the act. Qing Ze becomes uneasy with Liang Fei's actions.
Usually he would resist but Liang Fei would burn hotter and eventually the two of them would find themselves in a passionate lustful session which will almost always end with Qing Ze feeling remorseful for cheating on his wife and tends to treat Liang Fei cooly until he can't take it anymore and calls him into his office again.
Liang Fei is almost always the one who can't take his hands off Qing Ze and in a pampering manner Qing Ze indulges him until he is overcome with guilt and this cycle repeats itself going on forever.
But today, Liang Fei flipped the script and behaved differently making Qing Ze un able to follow up. He decides to ignore the uncomfortable feeling and recover from his haze. Just as the place almost became awkward Liang Fei bowed and asked to be excused.
The change is so sudden that Qing Ze becomes flustered. He looks at the young man who has regained his cold expression and looks back at him like they are strangers. Liang Fei will only show him this face when there are outsiders around.
"Are you angered by me for something?" Qing Ze breaks character and asks the younger man.
"No, I think It is best we maintain a professional relationship from now on." Liang Fei said with a flat tone. He is the only person who knows that the base leader is bisexual just like himself, perhaps that is why he couldn't help himself everytime he saw this man. That loneliness in the man's eyes reminded himself of what he would see in his own eyes in the mirror everyday.
"Why?" Qing Ze finds himself asking.
"There is no future." Liang Fei said with uncertainty. The man is married to a vicious woman who is very annoying. All sorts of problems would surface if she ever found out of their relationship. Qing Ze is handsome and that aura of power is very attractive making Liang Fei longs to have him for himself even if it is just for a while.
However, being attacked by a devilish handsome man and being protected by the fairy like Amelia, he realized that beautiful is nice to see but when it is accompanied by real power it is intoxicating.
His experience should have scared him but it also fueled his desire for actual strength even more. This is why he had decided to stay so he can press on his research and obtain power to protect himself.
"I understand." Qing Ze is not someone who is able to speak clearly about his feelings so he just agreed. This decision inevitably costs him in the future.
Liang Fei is aware of how Qing Ze has been treating him in the past year and had also come here to see one last time if their relationship was worth him losing his time over it.
Finding the results he knows it is time for him to dedicate himself on his research. This decision changed the future events. Liang Fei has gotten his hands on a subject that can improve other people's abilities.
In near future he will find a way to improve his own powers and become independent and self reliant. The previous incident will serve as a way to motivate him. That feeling like he is an ant in front of the enemy is etched on his subconscious mind.
....
Amelia got home and didn't waste time to review several plans of the base. With the barrier on, there is increased need for structural construction.
The urgent is the wall that will seperate the enormous forests and the rest of the territory. This way, hunters can enter and leave in a controlled manner allowing the base to restrict entry if there is danger and also use the forest as training grounds, gather resources and not to mention the tens of mines inside.
There will be a barrier in the future but Amelia has decided to only put it up during an emergency such as a beast uprising or a beast wave. The forest is very big so the plan is to construct the wall and a few gates as soon as possible. The territory is large enough to have sufficient space even though one third of it is made up of forests.
The barrier is peculiar in a way that weather is able to enter but attacks and living things are unable to enter. As a result, winter is still freezing inside and there is snow on the ground. The base can control the barrier to shield against weather but it consumes more power.
The structure is built using earth abilities and then covered in metal paste. The high level of supernatural powers in Jiangkang base ensures the process doesn't take too much time to finish. There are four large forests and eight relatively smaller one plus the joint mountains from which Amelia took her first spirit stone mine.
The wall will cover the mountains but the villages will be outside of it. Amelia has established the system of allowing villagers to own the land and pay a portion of grain to the county which will intern pay it to the base.
The farmers will have the right to own land. This privilege is not extended to many, almost no one will have their own land with in the territory it all belongs to Amelia.
There is the farmers, their governing county, the training accadamies, the several governments structures, the cities and the monumental gates where the barriers allow entry and exit. The layed out overall map is breathtaking. Apparently the little lords worked together on it and Amelia couldn't be anymore proud.
With no more wories, Amelia goes into seclusion. She wantes to build her foundation establishment realm before coming out this time so she doesn't know how long it will take.
...
In the deep mountains, an exhilarating battle is takeing place. The man is tall and large to be twice the size of regular men but the giant lizard he is fighting is easily 5 times his own size. It can shoot fire through the mouth and has very hard scales comparable to grade three armor along with its long sharp claws.
The battle has been going on for an entire afternoon. The man finally subdued the lizard by surprising it with changing weapons in mid air from a spear to a heavy long sword successfully slicing off the lizard's head.
He quick takes out a flask opening it towards the blood, a blue light shines toward the wound and a miraculous scene appears. The blood stops flowing to the ground and instead follows the light and into the flask. The most magical part is that many liters of blood enters the flask that looks to be only about 500ml.
Sweating, the man proceeds to putting the dead animal that is no longer bleeding into his space ring and walks towards the direction of the county.
It is called a county but the truth is the place is very morden and large. It is safe to call it a city but it is called the county because it is where the farmers are governed and also where the hunters sell their loot.
The man is soon confronted by a large set of gates. The county is also behind a separate barrier and city wall that is meant to serve as a separate area incase there is a situation. A fee is required for entry and the man pays it.
Outside the county is green and more environmentally friendly. Although the infrastructure is impacable from the housing of the farmers to the main road and the occasional stone tables and chairs on the side of the road and small markets allong the way. The outline somehow blends with the overall picture as if made by the same person. Proving the conjecture that the Jiangkang territory belongs to one person.
The only odd thing outside the county are the many hovering vehicles in the air going to and from other destinations but upon entering the county, there is no hovering vehicles in the air. In fact, they are forbidden wherever people reside.
The county is clean and has open space. It is easy to find your way and the places are clearly defined. The man quickly finds a hotel and books himself a room and orders food while he waits on an open area with other customers eating and chatting.
"Old Lin I am happy your grand daughter was accepted in the accadamy, if only my useless grandson could be half as talented as your granddaughter." The other man sighs but there is no malice.
"That little girl defied her father who had already arranged a marriage for her with the county magistrate's nephew. But that boy has a violent behavior and is often arrested by the guardians, he doesn't even spare women." Old Lin said to his friend who expressed shock at his son's heartlessness.
"On her 16th birthday she boarded the accadamy bus after a series of medical examinations. She said she was taking a chance but she unexpectedly passed. Hahaha..." He explained with a good mood.
The base has built many structures and established an order on a bigger scale than before. Then a series of recruitment campaigns took place. By the end of winter, which was 8 months after Amelia went into seclusion.
The base started encouraging farmers to go back home and revealed the policies that governs the farmers and how they can even sell their food outside the Jiangkang territory after they have paid their quarterly price.
To be a fair leader, the farmers are allocated land as per each person who is 16 years of age regardless of gender. There are rules about the minimum amount of land that should be cultivated every season.
Just like that, life got comfortable and the mines were constructed, miners were hired but the Zhu twins made the mining job very easy by designing a lot of mining machines that ultimately made the required quantity of miners reduce by a considerable amount.
The new retractable armor suit with various weapons systems were out of the factory a year later and an immediate continuous production of the suit took place inside Amelia's building in the Island. A subsequent training programme with the battle suit took place for senior students in the accadamy.
Mental power is freely improved for all the guardians so they had been training with the suit on the desolate nearby Islands from the beginning but at that time they were still using the old armor. This was Amelia's instruction.
The guardians were specifically recruited to be the elite. After they pass normal combat and weaponry training, those who do exceptionally well will be selected for the classified training in another Island with slightly worse conditions that the prison Island. Zhu twins used Zhu Li's alien knowledge to produce powerful fighters and commanders who can lead armies into battle. All that is missing now is space ships and war ships.
.....
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