Chapter Seventy-Four: The Cycle of Cause and Effect

Everyone agreed that Chen Yi’s idea was the most rational. Under the assault of the acid rain, the Kunpeng’s skin had suffered some damage, but its skeleton remained perfectly intact, proving that it could indeed be used to build a shelter.

However, with both the large and small Kunpeng present, carrying out such a plan under their watchful gaze seemed nearly impossible.

Just as Chen Yi was at a loss, a man with a limp pushed his way through the crowd, cautiously approaching.

“I think I can understand the language of animals!”

Chen Yi immediately turned around.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!” The old man nodded gently. “Ever since I was exposed to that beam of light earlier, I’ve been able to hear voices. But I was afraid you’d think I was a monster, so I kept it to myself.”

Lu Kai and Hu Sanhan exchanged helpless looks.

“Old man, you should’ve said something sooner. Then we wouldn’t be stuck here, not knowing what to do.”

“Don’t blame him,” Chen Yi gestured to Hu Sanhan. “In times like these, anything can happen. It’s natural for the old man to have his doubts.”

With that, Chen Yi stepped forward to help him walk. “Try to express our apologies, and tell the large Kunpeng that we need to survive and ask for its help.”

The old man nodded, then he and Chen Yi approached the Kunpeng, speaking in a language no one else understood.

Chen Yi’s hand gripped his double-edged blade tightly. He couldn’t be sure the old man wouldn’t turn against him at the last moment, but keeping his guard up couldn’t hurt.

So, Chen Yi watched the Kunpeng and the old man intently.

After ten minutes, the giant Kunpeng began to move.

Chen Yi stepped back quickly, but the old man waved him down.

“Don’t be nervous. Lord Kunpeng is going to bid farewell to his wife and wants me to convey that he hopes to help us. However, since they are mammals, they can’t stay out of the water for long and can only assist at critical moments!”

“Is that true?” Hu Sanhan and Lu Kai stared at the old man in surprise.

“You’re not just making this up, are you?”

“No,” the old man replied with unwavering eyes, showing no fear or anxiety. “What would I gain from lying? When the time comes, we’ll all die in this apocalypse. Lord Kunpeng said that if he hadn’t seen us spare the young Kunpeng, he would have killed us all!”

Chen Yi was startled, looking up to meet the Kunpeng’s determined gaze.

Now he understood—the large Kunpeng hadn’t been absent; it had simply been waiting for the right moment.

If they had chosen to kill the young Kunpeng, their fate would have been utter annihilation.

So, although they had killed the mother Kunpeng, they’d been forgiven by the large Kunpeng.

That was close.

Chu Yunxi frowned slightly. If they had hesitated at all or changed their decision, none of them would be alive now.

Everything, it seemed, was predestined—how true that was.

Chen Yi steadied himself and looked again at the old man.

“You’re sure the Kunpeng has agreed to let us use his wife’s body to build a shelter?”

The old man turned to the Kunpeng again, muttering a few words.

Soon, they saw the giant Kunpeng plunge into the sea, swimming toward the distant horizon.

Chen Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief, joyfully patting the old man’s shoulder.

“Well done, your skill is truly impressive. Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to communicate with zombies next!”

“Don’t joke about that!” the old man chuckled at Chen Yi. “I prefer animals. Even these giant creatures—if you can understand their needs, the problems disappear.”

Chen Yi nodded. “Then I’ll leave this matter to you from now on.”

With the large Kunpeng appeased, the remaining dozens of survivors found renewed hope.

Following Chen Yi, they began dismantling the enormous Kunpeng skeleton.

The plan was good, but in practice, it was extremely difficult.

The Kunpeng’s hide was incredibly tough. Although the acid rain had corroded it somewhat, it hadn’t penetrated the surface, making the task of cutting through its flesh and skin a complex one.

“Why don’t we hollow out the Kunpeng’s innards and use its body as a defensive stronghold?” Chen Yi’s suggestion immediately lit up everyone’s faces, but accomplishing such a feat was easier said than done.

This magnetic Kunpeng was massive—just its surface weight had to be measured in tons. For just a handful of them...

Just as they were at a loss, Lu Kai suddenly closed his eyes.

Chen Yi and the others watched in astonishment as the giant Kunpeng before them began to expand, swelling like an inflated ball.

Then, utilizing his black hole object transfer ability, Lu Kai relocated all the Kunpeng’s organs to a distant pit in under ten seconds.

From afar, it looked like another small mountain.

With its organs removed, the Kunpeng collapsed.

Lu Kai opened his eyes again, but was so exhausted he couldn’t stand.

Chen Yi approached, frowning at his breathless state.

“You can’t use spatial movement again for a while. Don’t think the black hole ability can be used endlessly. If you deplete your own energy, it will devour you!”

“Really?” Hu Sanhan gasped.

“Chen Yi, how do you know all this?”

Chen Yi’s eyes grew serious.

“I can’t explain everything that led to this, but I can tell everyone plainly—it’s not as simple as you think. Any power gained, if overused all at once, will backfire.”

His words sent a chill through the group, who had believed their newfound abilities could change their destinies.

So all their schemes had only put themselves at risk?

This realization made everyone’s spine tingle, and they abandoned any thoughts of playing clever.

Chen Yi swept his gaze over those around him and spoke again.

“In moments of crisis, I hope we can work together, so our efforts won’t be wasted. Sometimes, overconfidence comes with a terrible price.”

“Alright, we’ll follow your lead!”

Though Lu Kai was weak, fortunately his mental strength hadn’t suffered during the transfer, and with some rest, he recovered quickly.

Chen Yi surveyed the hollowed Kunpeng, considering how to rid it of the stench of blood.

Since they’d be staying here for a long time, they had to be prepared.

“There’s plenty of mint leaves on this island. Why not use them to clean the place up first? Then we can return to the underground shelter we built before—it's cramped, but it’ll fit us all!”

Chu Yunxi proposed, then looked to Chen Yi.

“What do you think?”