《Kali Yuga》Chapter 19. Huang Wen - Zhang Xuan.
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As he promised, on the third day Huang Wen went to Zhang Hu's base but he was losing his self confidence along the way. The last few days changed him, in a way he was a different man. He used to feel that he wasn't as good as other people. He was smart, but there were others who were smarter than him. He was quite good at sport, but far from a star in the field, just so so.
He was surely didn't think that he was good looking and even worse he always attended school where everyone else was richer than him.
He kept telling himself that he had nothing to be ashamed of, but deep inside he was always felt inferior compared to other.
Until that day, when people died like flies and he survived. People who were smarter, stronger, faster, better looking and richer than him, they died and he survived. He wasn't only survived, but he survived like a hero coming out of some action movie.
That feeling still there when he met Zhang Xuan, Chen Yao and Xia Yue.
He still had that confidence when he helped Zhang Xuan to find her parents. But when he saw Zhang Xuan's father in action, all his confidence crumbled. Zhang Hu might not have some supra natural power. Huang Wen who had reached level 19 by that time, could faintly sense such thing. Even if Zhang Hu was among those who gain experience from killing zombies. With his speed and strength, it was obvious that he was on the lower level.
Zhang Hu was fighting as a man, not as a super hero, but that was exactly what made him shone that day.
He was leading men to save his daughter, fighting against hordes of zombies without any supra natural power. When he saw Zhang Xuan, he charged forward only with his own strength without relying on someone else power.
When Huang Wen saw, how those men revered him, Huang Wen admitted that he was nothing compared to Zhang Hu.
'This is what a real man is.', that's the thought that kept appearing on his mind.
He suddenly felt all his confidence was vain. He was bragging over a borrowed power. He began to hate this special power, but at the same time he desperate to keep it, because he would be nothing without it.
That was why, the best thing happened during those three days was when he suddenly gained the Martial Art skill after studying and practicing for days. It gave him the confidence he needed in order to face Zhang Hu.
Now that he was getting closer to the meeting with Zhang Hu, he felt like a boy who went for his first date. Worried about how Zhang Hu will judge him, thinking how he should present himself before Zhang Hu and many other things. Zhang Xuan didn't even appear in his mind at that time. It was Zhang Hu that bothered him much.
By the time, he could see the base from afar. He stopped.
He stood there and watched. He didn't know why, but he began to look for a better place to see the base better. He found a tall building and went to its roof top. From there, he looked at the base, from one ends to another end.
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He felt smaller and smaller. It was truly a big base. He could see how Zhang Hu arranged his defense line. He also saw the base bustling activity.
"There must be thousands of people live in there...."
"While I'm busy at improving my level, killing zombies, he had been here, create a place where thousands of people could live, safe from all those zombies and demon...."
His thought was quite close from the truth. The base would not be there without Zhang Hu and those who live in that base right now, probably died without Zhang Hu and there was one thing that they didn't know. It was Zhang Hu aura that kept all the demons away from the base.
Perhaps it was a rarity even among those who became president and such especially in the modern times. They won an election through ads, well prepared speech, they were even taught how to perform and all. There was nothing like that in the past, but once in a while, there were people whose presence could move others to follow them. Whose presence brought fear to its opponent.
Zhang Hu was such a man. Perhaps he instinctively developed it during his time as a leader in the underworld. He knew how to put fear in the heart of his opponent, merely by his presence. He knew how to incite people's emotion. He did it all naturally as part of him. Fan Zheng might be the brain and the one who thought of the plan, but Zhang Hu was the one who made others believe and obey.
He was sitting on that roof top, looking at the base. Many thoughts passed his mind. He tried to gather his courage and stood. He decided to go and meet the girls, but then his feet refused to follow his mind.
Huang Wen thought that it was his fear. He didn't know that aside from his own fear, the demons within him acknowledge Zhang Hu's power and trembled at the thought of going to enter the base.
They could sense how the faith of each person who lived in that base toward Zhang Hu formed an invisible force. Huang Wen couldn't see it, even if he used his third eye, since his third eye's level was too low. The demons couldn't see it either but both Huang Wen and the demons could feel the pressure.
Mean while, Zhang Xuan was worrying about Huang Wen. He promised to come on the third day, but as the sun went higher and higher, they were yet to see him.
She couldn't stay in one place and kept checking toward one entrance to another.
Finally Chen Yao said, "Come, let's hunt some zombies."
Zhang Xuan hesitated.
"Who know maybe we find him busy with hunting demons out there.", said Chen Yao.
And Zhang Xuan knew why Chen Yao suggested that idea, she nodded gratefully, "Okay.. Let's go."
"We should go to the south then", said Xia Yue.
Soon those three girls went out the base carrying their katanas. Chen Yao was equipped by Baihu's glove, Xia Yue was equipped by Baihu's boot and Zhang Xuan wore Baihu's armor. They were traveling in less than two kilometers away from the base when Xia Yue pointed at Huang Wen who was staring at the base from the top of the tallest building in that neighborhood.
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"Look! Look! Don't you think that person looks like him?", she shouted excitedly for she was the first to notice.
"Don't be a moron... how could we know it's him from this place?", Chen Yao tried to squint her eyes.
"No...no...no... look at the sword on his back.", said Xia Yue.
After a while Chen Yao said, "Well... it does look like his sword... Should we check?"
Zhang Xuan frowned, "Hmmm... let's try to check it but be careful... "
They carefully approached that building, the closer they were, the more they certain that it was Huang Wen. Zhang Xuan couldn't hide her excitement. Her cheek flushed with a tint of red. Woman liked to brush their cheek with such color when they do, their make up. But nothing could beat when its naturally happened.
Chen Yao elbowed Xia Yue to look at it and both of them giggling.
Of course, Zhang Xuan knew why and she blushed even more but since they didn't say anything, how could she defend herself from their teasing. She increased her speed.
"Should we go with you to see him or you want us to wait here?", asked Chen Yao with an innocent expression.
Zhang Xuan bit her lips, "You two... of course you should come with me. Why would I want you to wait here?"
"Yes, yes, we better come with Big Sister Zhang, otherwise... Big Sister Chen, do you remember how long we had to wait for them to come back when they hunted zombies back then? If we let them see each other alone, how long do you think we would have to wait here?", Xia Yue didn't let that chance slip away.
Chen Yao and Xia Yue laughed at that. Zhang Xuan stomped her feet but said nothing. She tried to look angry but couldn't hold her smile. Finally she just laughed with them. Quickly they climbed the stairs and went to see Huang Wen.
"Hey! Lover boy! Don't you know it? We are all waiting for you!", Chen Yao was the first to shout when they finally saw him.
Zhang Xuan couldn't say anything but her expression spoke more than 1000 words. Huang Wen was surprised. He turned to see them. When he saw Zhang Xuan all his worries were gone. There she was. Maybe he couldn't be compared to Zhang Hu but there was Zhang Xuan who loved him for who he was.
He smiled and apologized, "Uh... sorry... I just looked at your father's base and... man... I lose all my confidence at meeting your father. Is it your father who did this all?", Huang Wen answered honestly.
Zhang Xuan couldn't hide, how proud she was of her father, "Yes, well of course everyone did the work, but my father and uncle Fan Zheng were the one who led them to make this happened. First my father saved many people who were visiting the memorial hall that day. Then he formed a team of rescuers, to rescue Uncle Fan Zheng and his family."
"With Uncle Fan Zheng at his side, he began to secure food and other necessities stocks, weapons from the city police station, saved the family of the other survivors there, etc.", Zhang Xuan's eyes shone with pride when she told Huang Wen all these.
Chen Yao and Xia Yue quietly nodded to confirm her story.
"Your father and his friend, they're not ordinary people. Mind if you tell me their background? Or it's supposed to be some secret?", Huang Wen asked casually.
"Hmm... not many people knew this... even Chen Yao and Xia Yue's parents don't know about this.", Zhang Xuan didn't answer right away.
"You both know?", Huang Wen asked to Chen Yao and Xia Yue.
Xia Yue nodded while Chen Yao answered, "Of course we know about it, we three are closer than real sisters."
Huang Wen secretly envied at those three. He never had such a close friend. Not that he blamed anyone about it. If he wanted to blame someone, then he will blame his own personality. It never really bothered him though, but it also would be a lie if he said that he never wanted such close friendship. Perhaps that was the reason why he wanted to be part of them three.
'Perhaps I unconsciously looked for such relation, to have someone you can trust and rely on.', he silently thought to himself.
Zhang Xuan waited a bit but since it seemed Huang Wen wouldn't ask her more.
She decided to tell him, "My father and Uncle Fan Zheng, used to be leader of some underworld organization back then in their youth."
"Underworld organization?", Huang Wen raised one of his eyebrows.
He whistled and thought to himself, 'Phuii.... this Zhang Xuan certainly have such unique background. Crap! If he knew about me and his daughter...'
"Hmph... aren't you regretted it now? You're messing with the wrong people.", Chen Yao was taunting Huang Wen.
Huang Wen sighed and shook his head as if he was regretting all that happened a few days ago.
But then he smiled and said, "Nah... because I have her now... why I should regret it?"
Zhang Xuan couldn't be happier than that, she pretended to pout, "Aw... look you go for three days and it seems you're getting better at talking. Are you seeing another girl out there?"
Huang Wen laughed, "Of course not... "
"Oh... please stop it...", Chen Yao lamented.
"Yes... right. It hurt my eye so bad...", said Xia Yue joined in.
Huang Wen and Zhang Xuan just laughed, they were too happy to see each other to be bothered by those two.
"C'mon let's go now, or are you going to say that you still want to avoid my father?", Zhang Xuan took his hand and asked.
"No... no.. When I saw you, I know I must see your father.", Huang Wen answered with such determination that warmed Zhang Xuan's heart.
"Aw... let's get going Xia Yue... I can't stand these lovey-dovey anymore.", Chen Yao pulled Xia Yue away.
Laughing all the way, they walked together to the base.
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