When Huang Wen reunited with the rest of survivors from Nan An, they welcomed him as a hero. His decision to face the danger alone in order to give them more time to escape was spread through those who were assigned as rear guard.

Zhang Tian Yi and Chen Wu Xuang who were close to Huang Wen of course didn't hide his heroic deed.

As a result, Huang Wen earned a special place in the mind and heart of survivors from Nan An, including Chen Yao's and Xia Yue's family.

Unfortunately the problem with gas, could not be avoided. Now, they had to travel on foot. It was hard for the children and the elderly. The news from Huang Wen raised their spirit, but their journey was far from over. Everyone must carry their own supplies. Only those who were assigned as guard exempted from such work.

Since they must accommodate the slowest among them, which is children and the elderly, they predicted it would take at least three days to cover this last few tens of kilometers. The good thing was, before Huang Wen came, they traveled in fear. Now after they learned Wang Shi's death and the fact that the horde of zombies from Nan An wouldn't be able to chase them, they traveled with a lighter heart.

Little they knew about the current situation at Fuzhou.

------ o ------

Mean while in the Xichan Temple, Zhang Hu was facing a dire situation. Every man under his leadership asked him to flee from Fuzhou now.

"Master Zhang Hu, if we allow that bastard Feng Jin to take hold over Nanping then hundred thousand people who entrusted their lives in your hand would not have a place to stay. They lost their homes at Fuzhou and denied their future at Nanping.",said Yue Rang.

They just finished sending everyone toward Nanping and now people began to persuade Zhang Hu to leave Fuzhou and lead them to Nanping. Zhang Hu didn't answer right away. His eyes searched for his daughter. When Zhang Xuan's eyes met her father's eyes, she sighed and hung her head.

Zhang Hu sighed and opened his mouth, ready to convey his decision when Zhang Xuan spoke, "Father, you should go. Do not tarry, you shouldn't waste time here."

"How about you?", Zhang Hu asked.

Zhang Xuan didn't lift her head when she said, "I will wait for him here."

"How could I leave you here?", Zhang Hu growled.

"How could you ask me to leave him?", Zhang Xuan asked and then added, "I wouldn't blame you if you prioritize the lives of hundred thousand people before the life of few but wouldn't it be a hypocrisy if you're ready to sacrifice other, but not one of your own."

"But you will sacrifice your life for nothing, the moment the demons invaded, how are you going to survive here in Fuzhou? What if he heard of what happened here in Fuzhou and decided to stay away from Fuzhou, won't you be waiting for nothing?", Zhang Hu argued.

"He won't, even if demons rule over Fuzhou, he will come to look for us.", answered Zhang Xuan.

"But he will use his brain and decided that we must leave Fuzhou to save ourselves, that's when he will begin to search for other cities and likely he will arrive at Nanping.", said Zhang Hu.

"Probably, but without information from the Grand Elder, we will never know about the gate from the demon realm is going to open. There is a good chance that the demon's invasion catch us unprepared and we're trapped in our base. He will consider that possibility too. Knowing his personality, he will try to sneak into the city and check the base before he looks for us at another city.", Zhang Xuan stubbornly argued back.

Zhang Hu gritted his teeth and then sighed, "Okay...., I won't force you to come with me. You better take care of yourself."

Zhang Xuan nodded, tears began to form in her eyes.

Zhang Hu smiled bitterly, "I guess I had no choice. Don't hate your father for leaving you behind."

"Come, come here.", said Zhang Hu as he opened his arm.

 Zhang Xuan ran to her father and threw herself to his arm. Everyone felt sad as they saw the scene between father and daughter. It was to their surprise when suddenly Zhang Hu, locked on Zhang Xuan's hands and lifted her to his shoulder and walked away.

Zhang Hu shouted to Chen Yao and Xia Yue, "Chen Yao! Xia Yue! Hurry come with me. We don't have time to waste here."

"Father what you think you're doing?", Zhang Xuan tried to struggle free from her father's hold.

"I'm saving your life!", said Zhang Hu sharp.

Zhang Xuan might be stronger than an ordinary man, but Zhang Hu was far stronger. Once he had his hand on Zhang Xuan, she couldn't free herself from Zhang Hu. She exerted all of her strength, but in front of Zhang Hu it meant nothing.

Zhang Hu bowed politely to the Grand Elder, "Grand Elder, forgive me for my rudeness. I'm leaving to Nanping now."

The Grand Elder nodded his head and smiled, "Go... you must hurry. Else your enemies will take the advantage. Yue Guang, you go with him, lead our people to safety and return when you have the strength to take back Fuzhou."

Yue Guang bowed to his father, "I understand.... farewell father..."

Chen Yao and Xia Yue looked at each other. The development of the situation was too fast. Those who were with Zhang Hu at this time, were all capable men who had the wit to adapt quickly to any changes. Before the girls could say anything, few of them had surrounded the girls and they had no choice but obediently followed Zhang Hu.

Once Zhang Hu made a decision, he would not waste time by hesitating.

Within minutes, all of them already in their cars and jeeps, ran through the street of Fuzhou toward the provincial road, that would bring them to Nanping.

Once they were in the car, it was impossible for the girls to escape. Despite the space, they were gathered to sit in the middle, on each side was Zhang Hu's strongest men. No one dared to do anything indecent, but no one dared to give them space to escape either. Even if they cried their eyes out, no one dared to show even the smallest hint of sympathy. Zhang Xuan knew his father too well to try anything. She could only sit sullenly and accepted the fact that she was going to go to Nanping.

Zhang Hu himself, chose to ride a Kawasaki Ninja, which could reach over 200 km/hour. Alone he blasted through the road, passing through those who left Fuzhou earlier than him.

People in the bused and trucks were shocked to see someone rode a motorcycle and sped past them but those who guard the long convoys still calm and seemed already expected it to happen. It became something to talk about as they spent hours on the road doing nothing. Sometimes there was a guard who revealed the identity of the rider and people began to talk about Zhang Hu. The news of Feng Jin's betrayal then, followed shortly, since the passengers kept asking if there was any reason for Zhang Hu to race like a street racer.

It took Zhang Hu few minutes over an hour to reach Fan Zheng at front.

"Brother, so how things going in Fuzhou?", Fan Zheng quickly approached him as he arrived.

Zhang Hu said, "Everyone is on the way to Nanping, not one survivor left in Fuzhou but now we don't have enough supplies for more than three days. Feng Jin took all of his supplies and left from Fuzhou through Minjiang River probably toward Nanping."

"We can't let him arrived first then.", said Fan Zheng.

"Yes, that's why I come here as soon as I can. First let's secure Zhanghu town, at least we would have a temporary base to prepare our men before we move to Nanping. If Feng Jin even arrived at Zhanghu town first, then we really have no foothold at all. Our hundred thousand of people would be like a handful of sand that were thrown to the wind.", Zhang Hu replied.

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"Why don't we set our base at Minqing? It's just few kilometers from here.", Fan Zheng asked.

Zhang Hu shook his head, "Too close to Fuzhou, we don't know whether we could reach Nanping faster than Feng Jin or not. If we set our base at Zhanghuban or Bantouchun, then even if we fail to enter Nanping, we still quite safe from the high level demon from Fuzhou."

Fan Zheng sighed, "Alright then, what do you want us to do?"

"Let me lead 300 armed men to Zhanghu town. We will race there and not stop at all until we reach Zhanghu town. While you will lead our people at your own pace, don't forget to gather supplies whenever you pass towns and villages. If you find any survivors, try to make them integrate with us peacefully.", said Zhang Hu.

"If we take more people, then our thin supplies will be even stretched more.", said Fan Zheng.

Zhang Hu nodded his head, "So be it, let it be known the difference between Zhang Hu and Feng Jin. He who took all the supplies for himself and his army. While we take the people and give them protection and provision."

Fan Zheng took a deep breath and nodded his head, "Well, let's hope we're betting on the right horse."

Zhang Hu clenched his jaw, "We shouldn't do things half heartedly, less we lose our people and lose military strength as well. Feng Jin chose military strength over people. He left us with no other choice."

Fan Zheng nodded his head, "Go have some rest, the next group should arrive this hour and you will get your 300 men."

Zhang Hu nodded and went to sleep in the nearest tent. He didn't have to say anything. Zhang Hu knew Fan Zheng would put everything in order. He didn't need to express his gratitude or apologizing for all the trouble either. They knew each other well.

When Fan Zheng woke him, Zhang Hu knew that there were 300 men, well armed and supplied, ready to follow his command.

Zhang Hu yawned and stretched his body, "Well, see you at Zhanghu town then."

"I'll see you later.", Fan Zheng nodded and smiled.

Zhang Hu turned around to see one of his men and laughed, "Huo Dun, so you're going to come with me?"

"Yes, Master Zhang.", answered the man.

"Okay then, let's go. We'll show those bastards not to mess with us.", said Zhang Hu as he strode toward his men.

It was hours of the journey even if they tried to push their speed to the limit, every once in a while they must cleared the road from wreckage and car debris. After six hours on the road without any rest, they arrived at Zhanghu town. There were several small and big villages around Zhanghu town.

Zhang Hu didn't waste time to clear the area from zombies and demons. He went right through the centre of the town and from there, began to clear the area as his base. He methodically cleared one area, by one area, as soon as he cleared an area, he will set a security post on the roads passing that area. Since it was relatively smaller compared to Fuzhou and with his men who were at level 8 on average and many above 10, they cleared the area quickly.

The most important factor that made them secure the town fast, was Zhang Hu's aura. After receiving the Grand Elder's soul essence, Zhang Hu gave tremendous pressure over all the zombies and demons. It was even greater than Huang Wen who got the aura after consumed Baihu and Youshe.

The Grand Elder's level wasn't below the high level demon in the first place, even as the Grand Elder gave it voluntarily and only gave part of his soul to Zhang Hu, it was even richer and stronger than Baihu's soul essence combined with Youshe.

Zhang Hu distributed over 100 of his men to secure the road toward Zhanghu town and assigned the other 200 men to secure the coast line. Now, even if Feng Ji arrived with his men, he would find it hard to land on the shores o Zhanghu town. He even set several machine guns along the coast. Feng Jin might be able to take the town if he really wanted it, since Zhang Hu only defended the shore with 200 men but he would sacrifice many of his men.

"Keep your eyes open!", Zhang Hu moved from one post to another post, once in a while he would shout to keep the spirit of his men.

They didn't have to wait for a long time. After all Feng Jin also raced with time and wanted to arrive at Nanping as soon as possible. There was other coastal town such as Minqing, Xiongjian, Shuikou and Huangtian along Mingjian river, but he didn't stop there in order to gain advantage over Zhang Hu's people. Even though Zhang Hu's men went through the land where they would often find the road blocked, while Feng Jin went through the river, but Zhang Hu's men left Fuzhou more than half day earlier compared to Feng Jin.

That was why Feng Jin decided to wait until they were half way to Nanping, and that happened to be Zhanghu town.

"Ratatatatatatat !"

Feng Jin was prepared to land on the harbor at Zhanghu town, when he heard the sound of machine gun shooting at his ship. Bullets were buzzing through them. Some of his men were shot, although none killed from the attack, since they were still quite far from the shore.

Feng Jin cursed and ran to a safer position, "Damned! Who the hell is this bastard?"

He didn't need to wait to get his answer, for he could hear Zhang Hu laughed and shouted, "Ha ha ha ha ha ! Fengjin bastard! You devil! You abandoned your people and grabbed all of their supplies! Come here, you shit! Let me put holes on your body!"

Few more machine guns shooting his ships for another few seconds. Zhang Hu didn't want to waste much of their ammunition, he just wanted to scare Feng Jin away from Zhanghu Town.

Feng Jin who now, knew that they still quite far from the shooting range of Zhang Hu's men, went to the hull and shouted back, "Damn you Zhang Hu!!!! I'll pay you ten fold for this!! Don't even dream on reaching Nanping!!!"

He was going to shout some more when suddenly he heard a buzzing sound and felt a sharp and searing pain in his left cheek and went through his ear lobe.

Feng Jin screamed like a dead pig as he threw himself to the floor. A bullet grazed his cheek and pierce through his ear lobe, one or two inches more to the right and he would be dead.

"Damn! Damn! Damn! Hurry. Quickly leave this cursed place!", he yelled at his men.

"Ha ha ha ha ! Watch for your head bastard!", shouted Zhang Hu, it was one of Zhang Tian Yi's men who carried a sniper rifle who tried to shoot Feng Jin.

Zhang Hu's men roared obscenities toward Feng Jin, who stayed hidden after his close experience with death. Zhang Hu still laughed and shouted for a while. Until the last of Feng Jin's ship disappeared from their sight. No one from Feng Jin shot back, since Zhang Hu's men were well positioned, with little to be seen from the river while they could watch all Feng Jin's armada easily.

Zhang Hu silently sighed, "Ah... too bad, just few inches more..."

"Okay, man... let's cleared the town for our families!", after he was sure that Feng Jin would not dare to come back, he gave order for his men to prepare the town for their people.

They carefully check the residences area, village by the village, complex by complex. They caught several thugs and executed them right away. They found several group of survivors and put them on a special location. Zhang Hu didn't have time to check on their story right now and preferred to disarm them all and then keep them at one location, under the watch of his men. But those who actually tried to oppose him, were killed without any questions.

Within a few hours, he secured the entire town.