The next morning, Rui was woken by a urgent knock on her door. It was Li Na, her face pale, a police report in her hand.
"Zhou Lin escaped," she said, pushing the paper into Rui's hands. "Broke out of Chengdu Maximum Security Prison last night. Used a talisman to melt the bars—Xuanqing-style. Witnesses saw him heading toward the abandoned textile warehouse—the same one where we found the Earth Zombies."
Ye and Dao Feng were already in the hallway, their bags packed. Qingyunzi stood beside them, his expression serious. "Zhou Lin has the last vial of zombie king energy. He's going to use it on himself—to become the new zombie king."
They drove to the warehouse, the car windows down, the wind carrying the scent of rain. The warehouse was a gray, dilapidated building on the edge of the city, its windows broken, its walls covered in graffiti. Li Na parked a block away, and they approached on foot, their weapons ready.
"The warehouse has three floors," Li Na whispered. "My team will cover the first two. You take the third—where the energy is most concentrated."
They slipped through the back door, the floor creaking under their feet. The first two floors were empty, but the air grew colder as they climbed the stairs to the third. Rui's peachwood pendant glowed bright blue, and she heard the whispers—angry, hungry, full of rage.
"He's here," she said.
The third floor was a large, open space. In the center, Zhou Lin stood, a vial of black liquid in his hand. His eyes were wild, his hair matted, his clothes torn. The zombie king's energy swirled around him, a dark aura that made Rui's skin crawl.
"Finally," Zhou Lin said, turning to them. "I've been waiting for you. To watch you die when I become the new king."
Qingyunzi stepped forward, his voice steady. "Zhou, stop this. The zombie king's energy will consume you. It won't make you powerful—it'll turn you into a monster."
Zhou laughed, a bitter sound. "Monster? I've been called worse. You exiled me, called me greedy, weak. But today, I'll show you. I'll show everyone who's really in control."
He uncorked the vial and drank the liquid in one gulp. His body convulsed, his skin turning gray, his nails growing into black claws. His eyes glowed red, and a roar erupted from his throat—deep, guttural, inhuman. He was becoming the zombie king.
"Now!" Qingyunzi yelled.
Ye charged forward, his peachwood sword swinging. The blade cut Zhou's arm, and black blood oozed out, smoking when it hit the floor. Dao Feng swung the Xuanqing Whisk, a burst of silver light wrapping around Zhou's legs, trapping him. Rui sent a surge of medium energy—bright blue, pure—hitting Zhou in the chest. He screamed, staggering back.
Zhou lunged at Ye, his claws extended. Ye dodged, but Zhou's nail grazed his shoulder, leaving a deep gash. Rui yelled, sending another burst of energy, and Dao Feng pulled Ye out of the way.
"Use the whisk!" Dao Feng yelled, throwing the relic to Ye. "Only Xuanqing blood can seal him!"
Ye caught the whisk, cutting his palm with his sword. He pressed his bleeding hand to the whisk's handle, and a burst of golden light exploded. He swung it, the silver bristles glowing, and the light hit Zhou square in the chest.
Zhou screamed, his body beginning to dissolve. "I'll be back!" he yelled, before vanishing into black smoke.
The warehouse went quiet. Ye collapsed to his knees, his shoulder bleeding heavily. Rui rushed to him, pulling a first-aid kit from her bag. She dabbed iodine on the wound, her hands shaking.
"Are you okay?" she said, her voice tight.
Ye smiled, wincing. "Just a scratch. Nothing I can't handle."
Qingyunzi helped him stand, clapping him on the back. "Well done, Shaoyang. You've made Xuanqing proud."
They walked out of the warehouse, the sun breaking through the clouds. Li Na and her team were waiting, their faces relieved. "It's over," Li Na said. "Zhou Lin's gone. The energy's gone."
That night, they flew back to New York. Lao Guo was waiting for them at the airport, a pot of soup in his hands. "Heard you had a big fight," he said, grinning. "Made your favorite—chicken and ginseng. For healing."
They ate at the funeral parlor, sitting around the counter, the Xuanqing Whisk resting safely on a shelf. Lao Guo told stories of Chinatown while they were gone—how the elders had burned joss paper for their safety, how a stray cat had moved into the antique shop, how Mike had accidentally knocked over a display case of talismans.
"We'll take the whisk back to Xuanqing next month," Ye said, looking at Rui. "Master says we can stay as long as we want. Watch the sunrise, walk the mountain trails, eat Master's terrible rice wine."
Rui smiled. "I can't wait."
As the night ended, Ye walked Rui to her apartment. They stood outside her door, the street quiet. "I love you," he said, leaning in to kiss her.
"I love you too," she said.
They held each other, knowing the future was bright. They had each other. They had family. And no matter what dangers came next, they'd face them—together.