TL: Moonlit

Wen Qingling said, “According to what you said, is the reason why the strength of civilized zombies cannot continue to improve because the energy obtained from the blood anemone is insufficient?”

Wen Qingling had already noticed that the faster his advancement and the higher his level, the greater the gap between him and the civilized zombies. They could no longer keep up with his pace as they did before. After reaching a strength comparable to a Level 3 evolved zombie, they seemed to have encountered a bottleneck. No matter what they did, they couldn’t continue to improve.

Wen Qingling had been unable to figure out the reason behind this. After Old Zhu’s analysis, he suddenly thought of the possibility of “insufficient cell energy.” Otherwise, it couldn’t explain why he couldn’t increase his strength through bloodline connection anymore.

Old Zhu said, “That could be the reason. I can only determine the specifics after further research. However, it is highly likely that the problem lies in cell energy. Your blood energy is extremely powerful. With just a drop of blood, a blood anemone can grow. During its growth, the blood anemone absorbs powerful substances from the environment, making the power in your blood milder. When civilized zombies directly consume the transformed blood anemone, their strength becomes stronger, but there is a peak. Once the energy from that drop of blood is depleted, their strength will no longer increase. The cells, strengthened by the energy, will plateau at that peak.”

Wen Qingling asked, “Is it still possible to further strengthen it? Or can I directly use my blood?”

“You must never do that,” Old Zhu quickly interrupted him. “Your blood is extremely dangerous, powerful yet unstable. It’s highly prone to mutation. The fact that you were able to transform into something resembling a human with the blood anemone and not a monster is already a stroke of luck. Please don’t take any more risks.”

Wen Qingling: …

In fact, blood zombies were just mis-transformed monsters, and there was also Xu Shengfei…

Wen Qingling thought of a possibility. If his blood was really so unstable and prone to mutation, could Xu Shengfei’s condition be the result of another mutation of his blood?

Old Zhu repeatedly cautioned, “Remember, your blood is extremely special. It’s best not to let yourself bleed. Your flesh and blood can either save the world or destroy it. Keep that in mind.”

Wen Qingling said, “But you’re an expert who can produce three results at once. Can’t you find a way to cure my mutation?”

Old Zhu replied, “Producing three results at once is just a matter of ‘one anemone, three uses.’ The tentacles can extract an antidote, the surface of the tentacles and blood anemone can produce vaccines, and the blood anemone’s liquid can be made into a transformation agent. As long as there is blood anemone, these are not challenging.”

Wen Qingling nodded, understanding Old Zhu’s explanation. He urged Old Zhu to make the transformation agent as soon as possible and contribute to civilization. Even if the transformed individuals were “new humans,” he accepted it. After all, they had a faint connection with him through their blood. Since he became their father, even if the children didn’t resemble him, he had to accept them. He couldn’t just abandon them, right?

With the experimental detoxification agent and vaccines, Wen Qingling left the research facility, planning to find human subjects to test them on.

“I’ll go with you,” Xiao Hen said as he got in the car.

“Aren’t you busy?” Wen Qingling looked at him with a gaze that said, ‘Is it appropriate for an employee to take a day off in front of the boss?’

Xiao Hen felt helpless and said, “In theory, you should be the busiest person. Now everyone is busy, and you’re the least occupied. Does it seem right for you to ask me if I’m busy?”

Wen Qingling started the car and said, “It’s very appropriate. After all, I’m the lord of the city.”Xiao Hen accepted defeat and said, “I’ll be your mobile refrigerator. The temperature outside is too high and could affect the activity of the vaccines. The space-time in the car is constant, so I’ll help you store them.”

Wen Qingling raised an eyebrow, giving him full marks for this response. He handed the box containing the medicine to the mobile refrigerator.

The two of them drove out of the city and headed to the Xiang County base. When looking for test subjects, they couldn’t just give benefits to outsiders. The Xiang County base was the best place to go.

Xiao Hen said, “If you want someone to be transformed at a high level, a high-level person must personally use their blood for the transformation. After Ji Rong and Shi Chong were transformed, their personal strength could rival that of a Level 4 evolved “Grotesque”. Even if they encountered a Level 5 evolved “Corpse Mountain”, they would probably still be able to retreat unscathed.”

Xiao Hen didn’t mention He Lin because his strength was indeed not high. Like other civilized zombies, he could only fight against Level 3 evolved zombies at most.

Wen Qingling said, “I almost forgot. Your blood composition is more complex than mine. Let Old Zhu draw some blood from you when he has the chance and study it thoroughly. There might be unexpected breakthroughs.”

Silence fell inside the car again. After a long time, Xiao Hen finally said, “Now I feel that becoming a zombie is also a kind of luck.”

Wen Qingling replied, “Do you think it’s lucky for them to mindlessly hunt and be hunted? You have quite an unusual taste.”

Xiao Hen looked at him with gentle eyes and said, “Because you are their redemption.”

The news about the “new humans” would have a tremendous impact on the surviving humans. The human lifespan problem that human scientists had been unable to solve was resolved just like that. “New humans” had long lifespans, excellent physical conditions, and each of them had the strength to overpower a Level 1 evolved zombie. Moreover, these were just ordinary “new humans.” If Old Zhu could develop a transformation agent for evolved zombies, their strength would only become stronger.

Not only that, but the detoxification agent, vaccines, and transformation agent, any one of these achievements being made known would drive humans crazy.

These are their dawn in the apocalypse, the hope of humanity. They estimate that they will spare no expense to obtain the detoxification agent and vaccines.

This time, Wen Qingling did not refute Xiao Hen. He was willing to become the redemption of the zombies.

Wen Qingling did not go to the Xiang County base, but directly drove the car to the county town. Along the way, it was deserted, without a single zombie in sight. Only when they reached the outskirts of the county town did they see some people active. They were busy building walls. There were indeed no zombies in Xiang County at the moment. If they couldn’t enclose Xiang County as soon as possible, it was possible for zombies and dangerous creatures from other places to come running.

The closer they got to the center of the county town, the more people they discovered. They were clearing abandoned vehicles, cleaning the streets, and cleaning houses. Everyone was joyful, their faces devoid of the numbness and misery of the past. In their eyes, there was only the light of hope. Life had a direction, and they were willing to endure any fatigue.

Wen Qingling dispersed his mental power and heard conversations from all around.

“Before the apocalypse, we couldn’t afford to buy houses. Now we can pick any house in the entire county town, haha!”

“Fortunately, we were originally from the Xiang County base, so the rent isn’t expensive for us. We can even pick houses first. I heard that when other survivors come in the future, the rent will be this much.” The person speaking gestured with their fingers.

…

“I don’t know when the land will be divided. The food the leader brought back is so satisfying. From now on, our base will be a big base with houses and food. We don’t have to wander anymore.”…

“I’m not kidding. The fact that our base became a subsidiary base of the civilized city is the best thing the leader has done. With the protection of the civilized city, what else do we have to fear?”

“The civilized city is really that powerful?” someone asked in confusion.

“You just joined the base, right?”

The person who asked repeatedly confirmed, saying they had just recently fled here.

“To tell you the truth, the city lord of the civilized city has the ability to control zombies. All the zombies in Xiang County were taken away by Lord Wen. Otherwise, how could we have moved to the county town? And, I also heard that Lord Wen can cure infected individuals.”

“You’re talking nonsense, right? I haven’t heard of a zombie virus vaccine being developed, so how can infected individuals be cured?”

“You may not believe it, but our Deputy Chief Wen was bitten by a zombie before. She almost turned into a zombie. It was the leader who brought Deputy Chief Wen to Lord Wen, and that’s how she was saved. It’s a true story. If you don’t believe it, you can go and ask Deputy Chief Wen yourself.”

“…The leader has already taken people over there. Notify others not to go there. There are corpse beasts roaming around, very dangerous. Some people have already been eaten. Go and inform quickly.”

Corpse beasts?

Wen Qingling expanded his mental power and discovered Chang Boheng and the others in the west of the county town. At the same time, he also spotted a massive, heavily decayed corpse beast accompanied by several small and delicately-sized corpse dogs. From their appearances, they should be corpse dogs.

An evolved corpse dog beast, bringing a group of little corpse dogs to wreak havoc in Xiang County.

Wen Qingling clicked his tongue in disappointment. If it were regular zombie dogs, he might have been able to influence them with his psychic power, using his dominant aura to intimidate them into submission. However, with the evolved zombie dog beast leading them, interspecies communication was completely blocked, leaving no room for negotiation.

Evolved zombie beasts were even more terrifying when they went berserk compared to evolved zombie humans. They would even prey on evolved zombies and humans to gain strength, making them exceptionally ferocious and unreasonable. However, the appearance of evolved zombie beasts was more difficult than that of evolved zombies and humans, so it could be considered good news.

“What’s wrong?” Xiao Hen immediately looked alertly at Wen Qingling.

Wen Qingling accelerated the car towards the western city. “Zombie dog beasts are causing trouble.”

Xiao Hen was also surprised. It was more difficult for zombie beasts to evolve than for zombies and humans. They often encountered evolved zombies and humans, but evolved zombie beasts were not as common. These animals were already fierce before the apocalypse, and after evolving in the apocalypse, carrying the virus within them, they became killing machines wherever they went. Moreover, zombie beasts would eat anything—humans, zombies, and other zombie beasts of the same kind. As long as it could be swallowed, they wouldn’t let anything go.

When Wen Qingling used his psychic power to investigate, he was immediately detected by Miao Bo. It was the most intense moment of the battle, and this useless guy could only hide in the car. Fang Shenlong and Chang Boheng were both outside fighting the zombie dogs.

Miao Bo knew that Wen Qingling had arrived, so he opened a gap in the car window and shouted, “Lord Wen is here… Holy shit!”

Before he could finish his sentence, a zombie dog pounced at him, almost biting his nose. Its long black tongue flung onto the car window, smearing it with black saliva, accompanied by a nauseating stench that nearly made Miao Bo vomit.

Upon hearing that Lord Wen had arrived, the people outside fought even more vigorously. Xiong Shu, who was originally hiding in the car and commanding the zombie wolves from a distance, immediately jumped out of the car when he heard that the boss was coming. He bravely joined the battle, determined not to be cowardly in front of the boss.

A few powerful ability users like Chang Boheng were besieging the evolved zombie dog beast. Once they took down this big fellow, the pack of zombie dogs would be without a leader, making it easier to deal with them.

The evolved zombie dog beast had a massive body, running rampant throughout the area, with decaying blood and flesh flying everywhere. It had no sense of how infected it was and the people attacking it dared not approach too closely. They also had to be wary of the flying blobs of decaying blood and flesh that could hit them at any moment, leaving them helpless and in a very sorry state.

People with firearms shot from a distance, but the bullets had no effect on the decaying flesh. As long as its head was intact, it could continue its rampage.