“That’s right, how did you know, sister… Could it be that you’re already underground?!”
Ning Xuan’s surprised voice came through.
“Yes, we’re investigating the source of the zombie horde to see if there’s anything we can do in advance,”
Ning Yu replied, as the zombies below began to stir again.
More zombies emerged from the passageway where the previous group had come from. These zombies, however, were more like the ordinary ones.
Their bodies were draped with rotting flesh and decaying organs, their faces twisted and horrifying, mouths agape.
They moved chaotically in this direction, as if drawn by something.
The laborer zombies, who had been bathing in the black flames, stepped aside, almost as if they were finishing a soak in a hot spring and making room for others.
They moved back in an orderly manner, waiting for the newcomers to take their places.
“What’s the purpose of this?”
Ning Yu observed the bizarre scene below, feeling increasingly uneasy.
“This was originally prepared for the so-called final ritual, but Chen Xing tampered with it and corrupted it.”
“Right now, the only known effect is that it serves as a source of power for Chen Xing.”
“So, sister, you’ll need to find a way to destroy these corrupted mechanical altars.”
Ning Xuan explained, then added,
“I’ll head underground from here as well and assist you.”
Ning Yu noticed that the ordinary zombies bathing in the black flames were undergoing startling changes.
Their rotting bodies were slowly healing, though not in a healthy way, as their skin tone remained unchanged.
However, the decaying flesh and organs were returning to their original positions, and other damaged parts of their bodies were being repaired.
Most importantly, there was a shift in their gaze.
From a ravenous craving for flesh, to confusion, and then to a faint glimmer of clarity.
The zombies closest to the altar began to look around, observing their fellow zombie brethren.
“It seems its effects go beyond that,”
Ning Yu glanced at Shen Yiyue, who was equally stunned, and spoke to Ning Xuan.
“What’s going on, sister? Did you see something? Is there any danger?”
Ning Xuan grew tense upon hearing Ning Yu’s words.
“No, don’t worry. It’s just that the ordinary zombies, after being bathed by this altar, seem to be gaining self-awareness.”
Soon, more and more zombies below began to awaken, as if rousing from a long slumber. Though their bodies remained kneeling, they started looking around like the ones in front.
The laborer zombies, who already possessed self-awareness, approached them and began babbling in some kind of language.
It wasn’t human language, though. Ning Yu could hear the syllables but couldn’t understand them.
The ability to communicate through language was undoubtedly a hallmark of intelligent beings. Compared to the mindless, flesh-craving zombies, these self-aware ones were far more terrifying.
“How could this be? What is Chen Xing trying to achieve?”
Ning Xuan sounded astonished.
Ning Yu pondered the question for a moment before responding,
“I have a theory. Chen Xing might be trying to create a new species through these zombies.”
“Transforming humans into zombies, and then turning zombies back into a new kind of human—a new breed of humanity?”
“They will undoubtedly become Chen Xing’s loyal servants, and intelligent ones at that.”
Suddenly, the signal began to distort, a sign that the [Long-Range One-Time Communication Device] was about to run out of time.
“We’re out of time, sister. Take care. I’ll send you the map of the underground facility.”
Ning Xuan’s voice came through in fragments.
“You take care too. We’ll meet there.”
Ning Yu replied, and at the same time, an image was transmitted through the [Long-Range One-Time Communication Device].
The image was a map filled with intricate passages and square nodes, each labeled with a number.
If she wasn’t mistaken, these nodes represented the altars below, as they were all identical and needed to be distinguished by their numbers.
The coordinates Ning Xuan had sent earlier were in the same format as these numbers.
In other words, they needed to head to one of the countless altars to receive the ‘assistance’ provided by Lacy.
“Should we destroy the altar down there?”
Ning Yu looked at the horde of zombies below. Though they had gained intelligence, their combat abilities were still far inferior to a few mutated Gluttons.
“I’ll go down first. You stay up here and act according to the situation.”
Ning Yu instructed Shen Yiyue, who had set up a machine gun and sniper rifle above, ready to pick off targets or unleash a barrage of fire at any moment.
The two had already discussed hand signals, and as soon as Ning Yu made the corresponding gesture, Shen Yiyue would join her in the attack.
“Thud.”
A clear sound of footsteps landing echoed through the empty space.
The zombies still bathing in the black flames turned their heads, and the laborer zombies also shifted their gazes toward Ning Yu as she landed.
In her right hand, she held Blood Kite, which glowed faintly red, exuding a chilling aura of killing intent.
“Ugh…”
“Roar!!!”
The ordinary zombies on the outskirts of the altar, who hadn’t fully bathed in the flames, sensed the allure of fresh flesh and began howling, charging toward Ning Yu.
Interestingly, the zombies in the middle hesitated. At first, they turned around, seemingly tempted to attack Ning Yu, but halfway through, they seemed to wake up.
After a moment of hesitation, they turned back and knelt down, continuing to receive the black flames’ baptism, no longer interested in Ning Yu.
Facing the oncoming zombies, Ning Yu loosened her grip on Blood Kite.
The blade floated downward, then hovered in the air, emitting a faint hum.
“Swoosh!”
It moved too fast for the naked eye to follow, like a game of bingo, neatly slicing off the heads of all the approaching zombies in a single, precise cut.
Ning Yu’s control over Blood Kite was becoming increasingly refined.
The zombies driven by their hunger didn’t even get close to Ning Yu before they all collapsed to the ground.
Seeing this, Ning Yu turned her attention to the self-aware laborer zombies.
As expected.
They all began to retreat, almost pressing against the walls, looking at each other and babbling as if discussing something.
They chattered among themselves, but not one dared to attack Ning Yu.
or! A blessing for those who struggle with love, a guidebook for dating novices. Quickly match with your dream goddess! Complete walkthroughs earn rewards, and perfect walkthroughs unlock limited achievements!】 Shen Yi, an ordinary office worker, accidentally downloads a mini-game called Dating Simulator. The mini-game is simple: randomly search for dating targets, simulate dates, and receive rewards upon successful confession. Rewards include but are not limited to money, attributes, and skills. The higher the evaluation, the better the rewards, with perfect ratings unlocking mysterious achievements. Shen Yi plans to use this mysterious mini-game to continuously pursue targets and improve himself, making his life better and better. ...... However, after several successful walkthroughs, Shen Yi suddenly notices something strange - the targets he previously simulated dating seem to be searching for him in real life?
Heart] Chen Yi traversed the cultivation world for eight hundred years, charging his way to the Tribulation Transcendence stage. Just as he was outwitting his 81st Heavenly Tribulation to ascend to immortality, he was suddenly pulled into a chat group called the "Multiverse Transmigrators Support Group." To his surprise, the group was filled with nothing but fresh-faced newbies who had just transmigrated. [Help! I transmigrated into a disgraced concubine in the cold palace, and the tyrant emperor is about to execute me!] [I ended up as a cannon-fodder villain, and the protagonist is still chasing me—WTF!] [I woke up as the protagonist’s father, but I’m about to be sacrificed in a ritual! What do I do? Urgent!!!] Chen Yi stared at the chaotic flood of desperate pleas in the group and fell into deep thought. "Seriously? You drag me into a newbie transmigrator chat group… only after I’m one step away from becoming an immortal?"
Explosive Plot Song Gua crossed over into another world, bringing along a whole crew of his doppelgangers—all of them mischief-makers. This was a world where everyone could choose a class. Song Gua became a "Bondweaver," capable of borrowing power, while his doppelgangers took on a wide variety of classes, covering just about everything. The number of doppelgangers grew day by day, each one a talented individual with a charming way of speaking. Under Song Gua's brilliant leadership, they would "greet" each other daily and engage in friendly "sparring," pulling off one major scheme after another on Earth. Sometimes they were bandits—stealing bosses, plundering mines, snatching resources. Sometimes they were saviors—descending like divine warriors to face world bosses threatening to massacre cities. Sometimes they even went undercover, infiltrating various major factions to stir up trouble from within, keeping their enemies constantly on edge. To prevent their doppelganger abilities from being exposed, Song Gua made them wear masks with mahjong tile patterns and don Taoist robes in various colors. "Remember, in front of outsiders, call me 'The Dice.'" "Got it! Boss!" "Not 'Boss'—it's 'The Dice.' Think about the vibe, pay attention to the vibe." "Yes! Boss!" "For crying out loud..." From then on, whenever they appeared, they would have their own theme song playing: ~Hey~ paying respects at the mountain stronghold at night~ whose arm is draped over whose shoulder~ gather your courage and follow along...
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
