Following.
The Fengmen Zombie translated Zhang Wei’s notes, which indeed contained much about the Dragon Locking Well. Most of it detailed people coveting the well, and the sacrifices the family made, losing many people and eradicating those forces. Some of these conflicts were as significant as the Apocalypse explosion.
During this.
Zhang Wei’s ancestors also paid a heavy price, with Zhang Zhuojun’s generation suffering the most.
“My name is Zhang Zhuojun, the thirteenth-generation patriarch of the Dragon Locking Zhang family. My descendants, if you are reading this, please, you must restore the family to its former glory, do not let the family line end. Also… tell future generations that Uncle Zhang Zhan did not betray the family.”
“He returned to protect the family in the end, and died fighting for it. Do not forget the clansmen and elders who died alongside him.”
“I know this might sound irresponsible, but there’s no other way. Do not blame your ancestors for leaving you a mess, for leaving a family in turmoil. It’s just that the enemies were too strong, and too many people grew greedy for the secrets of the Dragon Locking Well.”
The Fengmen Zombie continued translating for Zhang Wei.
When he reached two-thirds of the way through the pages, reading Zhang Zhuojun’s notes, the Fengmen Zombie’s heart trembled.
This was not only because Zhang Zhuojun mentioned himself in his words, but also because of the longing for himself in Zhang Zhuojun’s writing. Furthermore, in Zhang Zhuojun’s account, too many unforgettable and tragic memories flashed through his mind.
The Fengmen Zombie remembered.
Why he went to that plain, and why he died fighting on that plain.
“The enemies this time are the most powerful I have ever known. They have gathered many people, and their strength is immense, enough to easily destroy any major power. They want to obtain the secrets of the Dragon Locking Well.”
“To protect this Dragon Locking Well, to prevent the secrets of the Dragon Locking Well from being revealed, and to uphold our family’s honor, my parents, my elders, and even my uncle Zhang Zhan, who had defected from the family, returned. They brought back the forces they had cultivated, and fought together for protection.”
“I was too young and had no right to participate in that battle. I stayed behind at home with the women, children, and elderly. To this day, I will never forget the sight of Uncle Zhang Zhan and all the elders setting off, a mighty force that, in my eyes, could overturn anything.”
“But when I saw them return, there were only scattered individuals, a dozen or so, and each one was incomplete, each one stained with blood, whether their own or others’. I knew that even if we won, there was no cause for celebration.”
“I did not see my parents, nor my uncle Zhang Zhan. I didn’t even see anyone from the forces Uncle Zhang Zhan brought.”
“Through the elders who returned, I learned that in that battle, Uncle Zhang Zhan led his men to the front lines. His forces were powerful and became the key to victory, but they paid the price. Uncle Zhang Zhan, along with the people he brought, all died in that battle.”
“So.”
“After deliberation by the remaining elders in the clan, Zhang Zhan’s name was restored to the family’s honor, and his name and image were carved onto the glorious stone murals.”
“I took over as the family patriarch. I did my best to repair and rebuild the family. Although everyone in the clan said I did a good job, and the family improved considerably, I don’t think it was that good because it didn’t return to its former strength.”
“I hope future generations can pick up this patched-up mess and continue to grow stronger, continue to protect. And if, one day, there is no longer a need to protect, please go to the Dragon Locking Well and retrieve the bodies of Uncle Zhang Zhan and the others. I know their bodies were used as keys to open the Dragon Locking Well.”
They say crocodiles have no tears.
And zombies even less so.
But at this moment, Zhang Wei knew very well that zombies could cry. Tears flowed from the Fengmen Zombie’s eyes, as cold as his body, but Zhang Wei understood that while the tears were cold, the Fengmen Zombie’s heart was filled with warmth.
“It seems Ancestor Zhuojun has never forgotten his promise to you, Grandpa, and has grown to become the patriarch.”
Zhang Wei felt a sense of melancholy and emotion.
The secrets of the Dragon Locking Well were far greater than he had imagined. In almost every era, there were people or forces coveting the Dragon Locking Well. Even now, with most of its secrets buried, there were still those who coveted it.
At this moment.
Zhang Wei did not urge the Fengmen Zombie to continue translating the notes. He watched as the Fengmen Zombie gently stroked Zhang Zhuojun’s handwriting on the notes.
After a long while.
The Fengmen Zombie finally recovered. He did not wipe away his tears and continued, “There is only this much from Zhuojun’s part. The rest is from later generations. The handwriting has changed, and I can’t understand it well, so I might not be able to translate it. Zhang Wei, you’ll need to find someone to translate it. But it’s probably unnecessary, as it should all be about defending against invasions of the Dragon Locking Well.”
“After all, if there were secrets of the Dragon Locking Well in the notes, your later generations wouldn’t be unaware of them.”
Zhang Wei nodded:
“It’s alright, I’ll find someone to translate it later. By the way, Grandpa, I have a question for you.”
“You want to ask why I betrayed the family, don’t you?”
The Fengmen Zombie, sensing what Zhang Wei wanted to ask, spoke first.
Zhang Wei nodded lightly.
Regarding the Fengmen Zombie’s betrayal, the Fengmen Zombie had mentioned it yesterday. Now, from the notes of the past patriarchs, it could be confirmed that the Fengmen Zombie did indeed betray the family, but the honor he brought to the family compensated for his betrayal.
“Grandpa, how much of your memory has been restored? I don’t know if you have any memories of your betrayal.”
“My memories have basically all been restored.”
The Fengmen Zombie closed the notes and handed them back to Zhang Wei:
“My father and mother died, killed by enemies during one of the protections of the Dragon Locking Well. At that time, I wavered. Guarding something unknown for hundreds of years, and losing both my parents for it, I couldn’t understand it, and I hated it.”
“I wanted to end this damned guardianship, this Dragon Locking Well that, under the guise of protection, was actually a family shackle. So I defected from the family, wanting to open the Dragon Locking Well. As long as it was opened, the family would no longer need to guard it, and there would be no more casualties, no more orphans like me who lost their parents.”
“Zhuojun knew this. When I left home, I told Zhuojun. But when the family’s survival was at stake, I still couldn’t let go. I still returned, to complete that damned guardianship with the family, because… I love my home, and I don’t want it to be destroyed.”
“Later, I was thrown into the Dragon Locking Well by the enemies. Although we resisted, the enemies were not completely wiped out, and they continued to try to open the Dragon Locking Well.”
Just then.
Zhang Wei glanced at the notes in his hand and said,
“Later, it must have been that Zhuojun, Ancestor, led people to kill all the enemies, otherwise the Dragon Locking Well should have been opened at that time.”
“Likely, but even if Zhuojun didn’t kill them, they wouldn’t have been able to open it, because the cost of opening it was immense. Even though I defected from the family at that time and contributed many bodies to opening the Dragon Locking Well, it was still far from enough. The quantity was enormous.”
“However…”
“The Dragon Locking Well is about to be opened. The enemies of my era couldn’t do it, but someone in this generation has.”
The Fengmen Zombie’s tone shifted as he spoke the latter part, his zombie eyes filled with solemnity.
Zhang Wei then understood and said:
“Grandpa, are you referring to the Senluo Division?”
…