Seeing the murderous intent in Ye Fei's gaze, the young boy's body shuddered. His face turned pale as he bit his lip, retreating step by step until he collapsed onto the bed.
Ye Fei's hair, matted with a woman's blood, hung disheveled around her face, making her resemble a demon from hell. She approached the boy, gripping a blood-stained butcher knife.
The boy trembled uncontrollably, tears welling up in his eyes. Overwhelmed by fear, he burst into tears.
The sound of his childish sobbing seemed to touch a soft spot in Ye Fei's heart. The piercing killing intent in her eyes suddenly subsided as she stared silently at the crying boy. After a long pause, her grip on the knife loosened, and it fell to the ground with a clang.
Suddenly drained of all strength, she turned and walked toward You Qian, who lay on the ground.
The moment she turned, the boy abruptly stopped crying. His eyes lit up with a fierce hatred. Seizing the fallen knife, he charged at her back with all his might!
Ye Fei's mind was wholly preoccupied with You Qian at the time. When she heard the sound behind her, she turned in shock, only to see the glint of a blade flashing before her!
Thud!
Blood splattered!
The boy's movements froze. He stood there, holding the knife high, his wide eyes filled with hatred that twisted his innocent face. That intense loathing pierced deeply into Ye Fei's heart.
A knife was embedded in the boy's temple.
A throwing knife!
The door creaked open, and Chen Chao and Fan Xiangyu appeared at the entrance. Chen Chao glanced at Ye Fei before saying to Fan Xiangyu, "Get You Qian out and treat his wounds. Don't let them worsen."
Fan Xiangyu, with her enhanced sense of smell, caught faint traces of excrement and urine amidst the pungent stench of blood. Covering her nose lightly, she issued commands to two special corpses.
The corpses immediately entered the room, lifted You Qian from the ground, and carried him out. Outside in a narrow alley, Fan Xiangyu laid him on an empty street, rummaged through his backpack, and found some bandages to wrap his head.
In the dimly lit house, only Chen Chao and Ye Fei remained.
Ye Fei stared blankly at the boy's face.
Chen Chao walked over to the boy, pulled the knife from his head, and let the blood gush from the wound. He wiped the blade clean on the boy's body before stowing it back in his dimensional space.
As he prepared to leave, he noticed Ye Fei bending down to pick up the butcher knife.
Chen Chao frowned slightly, ready to speak, but stopped as Ye Fei suddenly pressed the blade against her face and slashed down forcefully!
Blood trickled down her pale, delicate cheek from the sharp cut.
Chen Chao frowned. "What are you doing?"
Ye Fei lowered her head, letting the knife fall from her hand with a clang. Her expression was obscured, and after a moment of silence, she chuckled softly. "I just realized something."
"What's that?" Chen Chao asked.
Ye Fei remained silent for a while before shaking her head. When she raised her head again, she was smiling. The blood streak on her face, coupled with her smile, formed a hauntingly beautiful image. "Nothing. I just want to remember this lesson. From now on, I'll live under a new name."
Chen Chao frowned slightly. "Does a name matter so much?"
Ye Fei nodded earnestly and then smiled. "I want to live for myself, for my beliefs. Since the world is now in an apocalypse, and civilization has plunged into darkness... my new name shall be Black Moon."
Black Moon?
Chen Chao froze, his pupils dilating. He stared at Ye Fei in disbelief. "You've already awakened as an evolved human. Do you know what your special ability is?"
"Special ability?" Ye Fei pondered briefly, then nodded. "Yes, it's 'enhancement.' It seems to amplify my physical strength."
As expected...
Chen Chao was stunned. His gaze toward her turned complicated.
Black Moon—an insignificant name now—would become a fearsome title in the future. Whether among the undead, mutant beasts, or sea monsters, everyone knew her as the Reaper!
Black Moon, the Reaper!
Unlike other legendary figures from the early days of the apocalypse, Black Moon rose to prominence two decades later. According to records, she had been an unremarkable second lieutenant in an Eastern base city before her rise, achieving only minor accomplishments.
But when she finally emerged, she took the world by storm. Her first feat of fame was slaying an A-rank king beast outside a base city.
Though this achievement paled in comparison to figures like Chu Shanhe, it was only the beginning. Over the next three months, she traversed the globe, conquering feared forbidden zones and slaying powerful creatures. Among her victims was the "Silver Hand" Lord, one of the undead world's three overlords, a feat that shook the world!
She rose like a comet, only to fall just as swiftly. At the height of her fame, she ventured alone into the sea...
And never returned. Years later, her weapon was recovered from the belly of a sea monster. Through the broken intelligent system of her blade, the world learned of her demise.
Though her time was short, her achievements were unparalleled. She was the only person to have a statue erected in the undead world!
Chen Chao never imagined such a renowned figure would appear before him, let alone plead to follow him. If not for her abilities matching those attributed to Black Moon, he would've dismissed it as coincidence.
But the "enhancement" ability was one of the rarest, known to only three individuals globally—the strongest being Black Moon herself!
Enhancement, a supreme anomaly, wasn't limited to boosting one's strength. Ye Fei hadn't yet uncovered its true potential.
Who could've guessed that the infamous "Reaper" Black Moon, feared by all, had once been such a kind-hearted girl?
Chen Chao stood motionless for a long time. Suddenly, he realized something.
Black Moon—a figure meant to rise two decades later—was now here, ahead of time. His influence had altered her destiny!
"The butterfly effect..." Chen Chao thought of the golden crocodile. If not for him, perhaps the golden lion and the super crocodile wouldn't have fought. If the golden crocodile's emergence was due to him, how far-reaching would its effects be?
"Perhaps it won't even take ten years for adult king beasts to appear on land..." Chen Chao took a deep breath. No matter what, he had to strengthen himself quickly!
Stepping out the door, he saw You Qian awake outside, chatting with Fan Xiangyu. Waving, he said, "Let's go. Head to the capital."
...