Chapter Seventy-Two: The Cinema

In the early morning, taking advantage of the cover of night, Wujue quietly left the supermarket, bidding farewell to the mother and her son. Before his departure, he left behind for Xiaohu a concise martial manual, written overnight, hoping it would help him grow into a reliable young man.

He took some fresh water, bread, and a local map with him as he slipped away from the rooftop. According to the map, this was a small town near City C, and he would have to travel more than a hundred li to reach the destination where he had agreed to meet Xiaoyang and the others.

Guided by the map, Wujue set out toward City C. After a day of rest, his body had recovered considerably, and he found himself looking forward to reuniting with his teammates. The town was not large, so he quickened his pace and soon crossed over half its expanse. Along the way, he encountered the occasional zombie, which he avoided when possible, only fighting when there was no other choice.

To avoid attracting greater chaos, Wujue dispatched his foes with blunt weapons. After some time, he began to notice something odd—the town seemed completely unguarded, with no sign of the Heavenly Execution Clan at all.

Could it be that this place had merely been infected, without any intention of control?

Puzzled, Wujue continued on, when suddenly a poster by the roadside caught his eye—a group of monks stood guarding a temple, with a caption announcing the screening of “The New Shaolin Temple,” starring the megastar Jackie Chan.

He was not well-versed in the world of cinema, but the attire of the figures intrigued him; their costumes resembled those of Daling Temple, yet with subtle differences. On closer inspection, he realized this must be the very cinema Xiao Han had once mentioned.

His curiosity satisfied, he was about to leave when voices from within reached his ears. Summoning his courage, Wujue entered, and saw that in the darkness of the theater, a fight scene was playing on the screen. The place was eerily empty, with not a soul in sight, yet Wujue could sense the presence of others.

He called out, “Who’s there?”

A figure stirred among the seats, hissing, “Keep your voice down—don’t disturb her.”

In the darkness, Wujue discerned two people seated in the middle rows. One stood, signaling him to keep quiet, while the other remained slumped in her seat, unmoving save for the faintest moans.

The fact that anyone was watching a movie at this hour struck Wujue as peculiar, but he held his tongue. The one who had signaled approached him quietly, and as he drew near, his form shifted in the shadows, gradually revealing a familiar face.

It was Huron.

Huron shook his head. “Wujue, I sensed your return long ago.”

Wujue was surprised and delighted, but the strangeness of the situation deepened his concern. In a low voice, he asked, “What’s going on here?”

Huron drew him aside and they sat. “Do you see the girl, Shauna, sitting in the center? She, like me, is a traveler from another world. Her clan, too, was destroyed by the Heavenly Execution Clan, and she barely escaped to Earth to hide.”

“But unlike me, she never sought vengeance. She chose instead to disguise herself as an ordinary person, living a simple life. Until the Heavenly Execution Clan tracked her here—she was possessed by one of them, and now she’s left crippled, unable to move.”

Wujue was stunned; he hadn’t expected the woman in the middle to be one of Huron’s kind—a female alien.

“How did you two meet?” he wondered, certain there must be a remarkable story behind it.

Huron sighed. “It was the day after we parted ways. I stumbled upon this place by chance and sensed something strange. Zombies wandered the theater, yet she lay there, as if dead, and none dared approach her—they seemed indifferent to her presence.”

“Then I discovered Shauna possesses psychic abilities. She can influence the zombies’ actions, preventing them from attacking her body. Still, her strength is nearly spent.”

Huron had been summoned by Shauna’s psychic call, and as they communicated, he was deeply moved by her—a girl content to live quietly, a rarity in his tumultuous life.

“You know, as a Martial Saint of the Divine Martial Clan, my life has been steeped in bloodshed—especially after my people were slaughtered, leaving only hatred in my heart. Yet Shauna is so ordinary, possessing a peace I’ve never known. Do you know what she loved most in life? Watching movies. Countless tales of love, the joys and sorrows of humanity. I have little to offer, except to accompany her through one film after another, until her final farewell.”

Wujue was moved. “Such fateful encounters still exist in this world. For you two to meet—what fortune across three lifetimes. So, you’ll stay here, then?”

“Yes, my friend,” Huron nodded. “I know I shouldn’t, not now, but I can’t bear to leave her.”

Wujue said no more. He patted Huron on the shoulder. “Then do what you must. The Heavenly Execution Clan—I’ll deal with them.”

With these few words, their understanding was complete. Wujue took his leave and exited the theater, continuing on his journey.

After walking a dozen meters, he looked back at the unremarkable cinema, a strange sense of happiness stirring within him.

Suddenly, a black shadow leapt atop the wall, creeping toward the theater. Wujue sensed a chilling killing intent—these zombies were unlike the others.

Could the Heavenly Execution Clan be targeting Shauna within the theater?

Alarmed, he hurried back. On the way, two savage zombies lunged at him.

Without hesitation, Wujue swung his club, cracking one’s skull—a single blow flattening its head so thoroughly that the club was stuck fast. The creature’s twisted face gripped the club even as another pounced at him. Clearly, these were no ordinary foes.

Wujue remained unfazed; with a powerful palm strike and a swift change of stance, he sent both monstrosities flying with crisp, decisive blows.

He then dashed forward, gracefully evading more zombies, and reached the cinema door. Turning, he shut the doors behind him and called out, “Huron, the zombies are attacking!”

Huron sprang to his feet. “I sensed them already! Why have you returned?”

Wujue flipped on the theater lights with a smile. “When a brother’s in trouble, how could I walk away? You stay and let Shauna finish the last movie of her life. I’ll guard your sanctuary.”

Outside, something slammed against the door, making it shudder with each blow. Footsteps sounded above—the zombies were growing impatient.

The End of Days: Divine Martial—Chapter Seventy-Two: Cinema.