The Great Worm Lich

Ah Zhuang seemed to listen to his Third Uncle. Although he still looked mad, he brought Zhang Lisheng, Tina and the rest onto the wobbly deck obediently and took them to the two cabins that were next to each other at the cabin head. There were ’11’ and ’12’ written in white paint on the metal doors.

“There are only two empty rooms on this boat and they happened to be able to accommodate three people each. One of you would have to stay in the storeroom if there’s one more person. Oh, yea brother, we’ve been talking for so long but I still don’t know your name. Let me introduce myself first, my name’s Xiong Zhuangming. I’m a Year 2 business management student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.”

“Brother Xiong, my name’s Zhang Lisheng,” Zhang Lisheng pointed at Tina, Trish and the rest to introduce them one by one, “She’s Tina, this is Trish, her…”

“Did you just called me Brother Xiong? Your Sichuan slang’s just too funny. You don’t have to introduce the rest, I’m guessing they won’t be talking to me throughout their few days of staying on the boat judging by their current IQ. I’m lending you my satellite phone, use it as you wish. You guys can arrange the rooms yourself and take care of each other. It’s all men on this boat, we have no nannies to serve you guys. I’m going to watch the wood for my dad now. Oh yea, the little door at the room’s far end is the bathroom. There’s a shower in there, go wash away the stench on your body. I’ll get them to send you guys food later.”

Ah Zhuang then took out a rectangular phone with only ten numbers on it from his pocket after he spoke. He shoved it into Zhang Lisheng’s hand then left after turning around.

“What a kind person,” Zhang Lisheng mumbled as he watched Ah Zhuang leaving. He then called his mother’s phone. It had just rung twice and someone picked it up in panic. Zhang Lisheng spoke first, “Mom, it’s me Lisheng. I had been camping in the jungle these few days and there was no signal. I borrowed a friend’s satellite phone to talk to you just in case you’re worried. How are you?”

“Oh baby, I was worried sick these few days. I would go to Amazon to look for you if you haven’t contacted me…”

“Mom, I’m in the Amazon’s ancient rainforest doing science expedition, of course, it’s impossible for me to be in touch all of the time. Don’t worry, I’m safe. Alright, my friends are calling me. We’re categorizing the specimen we collected today by the bonfire, this is what we always do. I’m saying this one more time, don’t worry about me, I’m safe. I’ll be back in New York in less than three weeks, goodbye mom.”

“So, so… Goodbye baby,” Lili said unwillingly. Zhang Lisheng hung up the phone and looked at Tina and Trish before him, “It’s a satellite phone, do you guys need to call anybody?”

“Lisheng, I would like to talk to my parents. They must be worried sick. I think Trish would want to talk to her brother. I don’t understand how did the flood spoil the satellite phones in our backpacks. Otherwise, we would return to Tuikano much earlier.”

“Satellite phone’s can’t do teleportation. Alright, use the phone to call your family. I’m going to take a shower in the room. Remember, only tell the overall situation on the phone, the details…”

“Don’t worry Lisheng, we lie better than you do. Oh yeah, it’s inconvenient for Trish and me to take care of Shittu and Walter since they’re a man. Could you help?”

“Of course not, I’m not their nannies. But you could put them in the same room as me. Actually, they don’t need any special care because they would eat and drink automatically when they see food and water,” Zhang Lisheng walked into cabin No.11 as he spoke.

“You’ve no chivalry Zhang Lisheng…” He heard Tina’s complaint before closing the door. He smiled without caring much and passed by three connected hammocks while carrying his backpack. He walked into the bathroom at the far end of the cabin and took a hot shower with ease. He then washed the clothes he was wearing with soap and put them back on right away after squeezing them dry.

Walking out of the bathroom, Zhang Lisheng noticed there was a shallow basket placed on the tiny cabin’s floor. There were piping hot steamed buns and a thermos. The buns were filled with meat only, the oil from the fats would drip when one ate it but it was not oily. There was egg drop soup in the thermos, the smell of the yellow egg drop was tantalizing.

The food was simple but delicious, Zhang Lisheng was eating clumsily. After eating, he exhaled out of relief and comfort then began planning his next step. He figured Tina and Trish would bring Sheila and the rest who were lost out of Tuikano and back to New York to fix them after they returned from the rainforest to the city. However, Zhang Lisheng did not want to return home empty-handed from a treasure mountain.

He could refine another wizard worm under his command since he broke through to Rank-4 Wizard. Amazon had the most insects and reptiles in the whole world. Finding a suitable one to refine into wizard worm was much easier than doing it back in New York. Just when he was thinking about something suitable to be refined, the giant hornet with hollowed spikes on its mouth and tail appeared in Zhang Lisheng’s head all of the sudden.

Unfortunately, it was impossible for him to look for that strange giant hornet now, he got rid of that thought after thinking about it. In the end, Zhang Lisheng decided to refine both wizard worms again after sending Tina and Trish back to the city. After familiarizing himself with the new witchcraft incantation, he would return to the Amazon jungle alone to hunt for a worm at his peak performance. He must pick out a powerful wizard worm before the winter holiday ended.

He walked out of the cabin with the shallow basket after making up his mind. Although the clothes on him were still wet, Zhang Lisheng felt very different from last night after washing himself clean and inhaling the fresh Amazon air on the deck. Recalling the longing of living a simple life in an ancient jungle back then, he mumbled while forcing a smile, “Seems like living comfortably in the jungle requires much more resources than living in a city. At least a place to cultivate safely is a must. It’s not as simple as I imagined at all, no wonder those ancient wizards would put in so much effort to be some leader of a tribe. Without money and labor…”

When Zhang Lisheng was talking to himself, a big, dark silhouette came out of the dark corner on the deck all of the sudden while complaining, “What are you talking about, brother? Why are you speaking English even when you’re talking to yourself? Your English is as fluent as those characters in American movies but your Mandarin’s horrible. Don’t tell me you’re one of the spies in the Chinese team that the Americans sent.”

“Brother, can’t you see that I have been practicing it often?” Realizing it was Xiong Zhuangming, Zhang Lisheng replied casually, “Your satellite phone is with Tina, I’m just going…”

He kind of like this guy of his own kind who had a straightforward character but a kind heart.

“Don’t worry about my phone, let the American babes use it as they wish. I just want to see if you’re sleeping already, if not I would like to talk to you.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

“I want to talk to you about how you got your American visa. I’m considering this seriously, I’m thinking of studying in America next year with my own ability, even if it’s just being an exchange student for half a year.”

“Why do you want to go there? Apart from making easy money, there’s nothing much in America.”

“Brother, you look like this but you’re one of the tourists in Amazon with two guys and three girls. How is that nothing much! I don’t want to waste my youth away, I’ll just get myself a green card and then come back. It’ll be easier for me to get out of the country in the future too,” Xiong Zhuangming peeped at the skinny Zhang Lisheng with the help of the moonlight and said, “Can you share your experience? You won’t lose anything anyway.”

“My mom is an American Chinese, and I was born in an American hospital so although I grew up in Western Sichuan, I…”

“You.. you… you… my a**! You hold an American passport because you’re born in America!”

“Yes.”

“Why are we still chatting? Forget about it, go rest. You should sleep early since you’ve just escaped danger.”

“Uhh brother, I still have to return this shallow basket in the kitchen.”

“You’re meticulous, I’ll help you. Go to sleep, go,” Xiong Zhuangming snatched the shallow basket from Zhang Lisheng’s hand after saying that and walked away in big steps. Zhang Lisheng was stunned, he turned around and was planning to go back to his cabin. He thought about it before entering and decided to knock on the cabin next door. There was no sound after knocking for a long time. Figuring that the two ladies might be sleeping already, Zhang Lisheng did not proceed to knock and returned to his cabin.

He sat on the floor after locking the door, he took out Mountoad from his backpack and began cultivating a secret method. It was his first time cultivating since he broke through to Rank-4 Wizard. Just when he silenced his mind, the images of the Demon’s hand had completely appeared and was outlined in Zhang Lisheng’s head.

The images of the Demon’s legs had a blurry shadow appearing as it began internal and external circulation with Zhang Lisheng following his wizard worm exhaling black smoke. He looked like he was unaware of his cultivation. He looked like he was sleeping but he was not, he looked like he was awake but he was not. Just when the sun rose the next morning, he woke up from the door’s knocking noise.

“Lisheng, Lisheng, are you awake?”

“I am, give me a minute,” Zhang Lisheng put away Mountoad quickly and opened the door after washing up. Tina and Trish stood outside the door, they had washed their clothes, and their clothes were already quite clean. However, they looked paler now compared to the time when they were in the jungle, “Good morning Tina and Trish. What’s wrong? You guys don’t look so good.”

“Good morning Lisheng. We vomited the whole night, this boat’s too shaky. Luckily Trish managed to talk to Hatton last night. We should be able to return to Tuikano soon.”

“We should be able to return to Tuikano soon? Does Trish’s muscular brother know where this boat is so he could pick us with a plane?”

“Yes, there are not many Chinese companies that do logging in the Amazon jungle’s land that they bought so it’s easy to locate the route. If they departed last night, I’m guessing Hatton should be able to find us later in the afternoon. Perhaps we’re sleeping in Paradise Hotel’s bed tonight.”

“I was joking just now, I’m surprised to find that Mr. Hatton can really fly a plane but is rushing necessary?” Zhang Lisheng said after a moment of being stunned.

“Of course it’s necessary, Trish and I are done with this sh*tty place. We’ve sworn that we will never step foot in such a tropical country anymore.”

Zhang Lisheng smiled helplessly hearing Tina’s raging swear. He subsequently said in all seriousness, “If Mr. Hatton could make it here in the afternoon, we should now make up an excuse to explain the conditions of Sheila and the rest.”