Perhaps their good luck had been used up in the morning, as until after 3pm in the afternoon, the two had not come across a single airdrop box. In the process, they had accidentally startled some zombies and been chased twice, but fortunately both were agile and narrowly escaped.
Of course, it wasn't without reward either. They had managed to obtain a full 32 first-order variant crystals. With the two mutants working together, it was practically an extradimensional attack at this stage. Adding to Wan Qianya's lucky halo, if this continued, Xiao Jun had high hopes of reaching the second order soon.
"Brother Jun, look, there's an airdrop box over there!"
In the middle of the wide road, a box sat right there. The two observed it from afar and confirmed that it was undoubtedly an airdrop box.
"Wait, something's off."
Xiao Jun stopped Wan Qianya and not only did they not go forwards, but actually retreated further back.
"Brother Jun, what's wrong? Don't we want that box?"
Wan Qianya was a bit puzzled. Although the box was in the middle of the road, there were only five or six zombies shambling about over there. With their strength, a few slashes would take care of them.
"Those zombies are newly mutated. Something's wrong with this place."
Xiao Jun's expression was grave as his eyes remained fixed on that direction, trying to discern something.
Newly mutated? Under Xiao Jun's guidance, Wan Qianya also had some understanding about this apocalypse. Newly mutated meant they were all living people who got infected and turned into zombies.
"Were they also trying to touch the box and got infected?"
Xiao Jun nodded.
Things were definitely not as simple on the surface as they seemed, but no matter how much he racked his brains, he couldn't figure out what bizarre thing it was during the early apocalypse.
After observing for a while, Xiao Jun didn't notice anything else out of the ordinary, but a trace of unease still lingered in his heart.
"Let's go. We'll detour around here."
The first important rule of surviving the apocalypse: be cautious.
The second important rule of surviving the apocalypse: don't be curious.
The curious had all become fertilizer for the zombies.
Wan Qianya didn't object, just felt it a pity to miss out on a box. This was still the first box they had encountered that afternoon; who knew if there might be good stuff inside.
The uneasy feeling seemed to grow heavier. Xiao Jun hesitated no more and pulled Wan Qianya to retreat.
Although reluctantly, Wan Qianya could only follow Xiao Jun to leave. As they departed, she couldn't help but take another longing look back at the airdrop box's direction...
"Brother Jun, be careful!"
Xiao Jun reflexively slashed backhandedly and a dark shadow flashed by, missing its mark.
"Qianya, are you alright?"
That shadow's speed had been too fast just now. Before Wan Qianya could react, she had been knocked down.
"I'm... cough cough... fine."
On Wan Qianya's chest was a distinct claw mark. If not for the high-tech combat uniform, this strike would have directly taken her life.
"Damn, why did this accursed thing have to appear now!"
"Stay back, don't come over here!"
To Xiao Jun's left stood a zombie, just staring at him. His earlier unease had all stemmed from it.
It was a second order zombie. Its fingers had already evolved into sharp claws.
Second order zombies were stronger, also possessed simple intelligence, and were unaffected by sunlight - the same in day and night.
According to Xiao Jun's experience from his previous life, such things shouldn't have appeared until a month into the apocalypse. Could it be the butterfly effect from his own rebirth?
But his opponent would not give him time to ponder this problem. A second wave of attacks came after the first missed strike.
In pure strength, second order zombies were superior to second order mutants by a bit. If not for Xiao Jun having taken high-level variant serum, even the first strike might have been unblockable.
There was no evading this. He could only fight with all his might!
Gripping his steel knives tightly, Xiao Jun took the initiative to attack first.
He had to grab this zombie's attention so Wan Qianya could run to safety.
Xiao Jun was originally an ex-serviceman. Combined with six years of struggling through the apocalypse, his blade techniques had become self-developed.
Using his left to block and right to attack, the 60+ kg steel knives danced impenetrably in his hands.
"This beast's strength is too great."
After an exchange, Xiao Jun rolled his shoulders. Both hands felt a little numb from the vibrations, if this continued, he likely wouldn't be its match.
By now Wan Qianya had run to the end of the road and hid at a street corner, watching the situation here nervously. Although she was very confident in Xiao Jun's strength, she couldn't help but break out in cold sweat for him now. She had truly felt the approach of death in that earlier blow.
Another bout. Xiao Jun seemed to have fallen into disadvantage, forced into passive defense by the zombie without chance to counterattack.
No good. I have to go help him! Wan Qianya grew even more anxious in her heart. She desperately wanted to dash out directly but her inner self refused to allow it.
Gripping her dagger tightly, it was as if doing so could give her some sense of security.
Wan Qianya crept forward slowly towards the battlefield.
Now was an excellent opportunity. The zombie's weakness was its head; the same for zombies of any order.
Xiao Jun also noticed Wan Qianya's actions, but no longer had the spare attention to stop her.
5 meters!
At this distance, Wan Qianya could erupt with full power in the next second and appear behind the zombie.
Yet she still didn't choose to strike, edging even closer.
3 meters!
Wan Qianya's legs abruptly exerted strength. The wind sounds alerted the zombie.
It shifted sideways as the dagger stabbed into its shoulder-neck area.
"Bang!"
Wan Qianya flew out once more. Fortunately, at the critical moment, her body had twisted in an unbelievable posture to evade the lethal strike at her head, using her chest to block this blow instead.
"Die!"
The steel knife hacked ruthlessly at the back of the zombie's head.
"Qianya."
Xiao Jun checked her all over carefully two or three times before feeling assured that she had no injuries.
"I'm... cough cough... fine, just... cough... chest almost caved in! You won't stop liking me later because of this right."
Xiao Jun didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What was this girl thinking, even if they got smaller he could still massage them back.
He took out a first-order variant crystal for Wan Qianya to ingest. This item could not only be used to level up, but also to treat injuries and illness.
Next was time to reap the spoils.
He should have gotten the world's first second order zombie kill right? Too bad there were no achievements or anything.
Letting Wan Qianya recover here for the moment, Xiao Jun ran over and slaughtered all the zombies next to the airdrop box.
The corpses and box would be left for the goddess of luck herself, Wan Qianya, to check - things like this still needed her own hands to touch before they worked.