My Cherry Will Explode in the Apocalypse – CH98

Chapter 98: The Bizarre Zombie

When the vehicle slowly drove into the research and development base, chimneys and factory buildings stood densely packed everywhere, looking quite spectacular. However, the R&D base—which should have been brightly lit—was shrouded in darkness without a single light in sight. The concrete walls looked weathered and dilapidated, and the glass doors of the factory buildings lay shattered across the ground, making the place appear utterly desolate.

According to the clues provided by Regiment Commander Jiang, the manufacturing workshop for the snow patrol vehicle was located in the largest factory building behind the experimental building in Zone B of the R&D base.

“So… where is Zone B?” Song Chengshu stopped the car. Because of the heavy snowfall, everything around them was a vast expanse of white. All the signs were buried under ice and snow—they couldn’t see where Zone B was, nor where the experimental building stood.

“Let’s drive around once,” Zhan Yun said. “Have Cheng Jiao and Zhao Bing use their abilities to clear the snow off the outer walls of the buildings and the signboards.”

“Alright.”

As soon as they got out of the car, a blast of icy wind hit them. Even though Cheng Jiao and Zhao Bing were wrapped in thick coats, wearing masks and gloves, and scarves wound tightly around their necks, they still couldn’t help shivering when they stepped out. They had never experienced such cold weather before—the wind cutting against their skin felt like knives scraping over it.

The two of them trembled as they got out of the car. One used flames to melt the ice and snow on the signboards, while the other used strong winds to blow away the snow covering the building walls, revealing the buried markings.

However, the zombies within the R&D base had also caught the scent of food and began slowly gathering toward them. The thick snow hindered their movement, greatly slowing them down.

Zhan Yun and the others didn’t hesitate. They took out their guns and began firing. After this period of real combat, even Zhang Shuoliang, Wu Jing, and Zheng Jiahe—who had never touched a gun before the apocalypse—had become quite accurate. These scattered zombies were quickly taken down.

“This is Zone C. Zone B is over there.” After identifying the direction, Cheng Jiao and Zhao Bing immediately got back into the car and headed toward Zone B.

But Yu Dongdong’s body grew increasingly stiff. His intuition told him that the zombie which had made him feel such danger was nearby.

Unfamiliar with the terrain, their vehicle circled twice between Zones C and B before finally stopping outside the side entrance of the experimental building in Zone B. They needed to enter the building, pass through a long corridor, and only then could they reach the factory behind it.

Seeing the sky gradually darkening, Zhan Yun didn’t want to waste time. He simply got out of the car, stored the two George Patton vehicles into his space, and prepared to pass through the experimental building to reach the factory behind it to find the snow patrol vehicle. With Su Ruizhe, a spatial ability user, with them, once they found the vehicle, it would be easy to take it out.

Everyone held flashlights in their hands and cautiously entered the experimental building.

The moment they stepped inside, they saw several completely decomposed corpses collapsed at the entrance, dried blood all over the floor, and scattered, mutilated limbs. The sight was horrifying.

“Brother, be careful…” Yu Dongdong reached out and tugged on the corner of Su Ruizhe’s down jacket.

“Don’t worry. Stay close to us.” Su Ruizhe patted the child’s head and followed closely behind Zhan Yun into the experimental building. Although the apocalypse had broken out at night, many people had been working overtime at the R&D base. It wouldn’t be strange if some zombies were hiding in this building.

The interior of the building was extremely quiet. Their footsteps seemed amplified several times over, sounding especially loud. Wherever the flashlight beams landed, there was either thick dust or smeared bloodstains, creating an eerie, spine-chilling atmosphere.

Just as they were about to pass through the building and enter the long, narrow corridor, they suddenly heard a ?? sound—something fell from above and landed squarely not far from them.

“What is that?!” Several people instantly changed expressions and shone their flashlights toward the unidentified lump, only to discover that it was a segment of rotting intestines, disgustingly grotesque.

Zheng Jiahe instinctively looked up—and met a pair of blood-red eyes, which gave him a fright.

“There’s a zombie—”

There was no need for Zheng Jiahe to warn them. Zhan Yun instantly activated his ability, using gravity to push everyone away, barely avoiding the zombie that leaped down from the second floor.

This zombie looked utterly miserable. From its left shoulder down to its abdomen, all the flesh had been completely gnawed away, with bite marks still visible in places. Its left hand was gone as well, leaving only a bare stump of arm bone, while the right half of its body remained intact… Clearly, before dying, it had been attacked by other zombies and bitten to death.

However, the exposed bone of its left arm was not the usual grayish-white, but instead shone with a jade-like luster, looking hard and sharp—like a blade—instinctively making one feel danger.

“Everyone, be careful. This is a Level Three zombie,” Zhan Yun said gravely.

Although it was only Level Three, Zhan Yun could feel the oppressive pressure it brought. If this zombie were to absorb enough energy, it would likely evolve into a Level Four very quickly.

Just as Zhan Yun assumed a combat stance, the zombie suddenly retreated, its entire figure melting into the darkness. They immediately swept their flashlights in all directions, but couldn’t find the fleeing zombie.

This showed that the zombie was extremely fast and agile.

“Dongdong, can you find that zombie?” Zhan Yun looked at Yu Dongdong.

“I’ll try.” Yu Dongdong closed his eyes and began searching the area with his mental power. His psychic force spread outward like a vast net.

Suddenly, Yu Dongdong snapped his eyes open. Before he could say anything, he lunged toward Su Ruizhe, the chubby child in his thick down jacket crashing into him like a little cannonball and knocking Su Ruizhe off balance.

At the same time, a sharp bone blade thrust out from the wall, barely grazing Su Ruizhe’s neck. If it weren’t for Yu Dongdong’s sudden tackle, Su Ruizhe might already have been decapitated.

Zhang Shuoliang narrowed his eyes and reached toward the direction the bone blade had come from. Using his earth ability, he instantly caused that section of the wall to collapse—but the zombie was still nowhere to be seen.

Clearly, this zombie was far from ordinary. It possessed an extremely strange ability.

“It… moves very fast…” Yu Dongdong’s small face was tense, his head constantly turning in all directions as he desperately tried to lock onto the zombie’s position.

The others also looked around in confusion, but there were only walls—nothing else in sight.

“Careful!” Yu Dongdong forcefully shoved Su Ruizhe again. Fortunately, Su Ruizhe was relatively slim, allowing the child to push him aside.

A gleaming bone blade instantly stabbed out, then retracted again, brushing past Su Ruizhe’s feet.

“What’s going on?! Has that zombie set its sights on Xiao Zhe?!” The fact that it had attacked Su Ruizhe twice in a row made such a guess unavoidable.

“Just like how we can use zombie crystal cores, zombies can also level up by consuming the flesh and blood of ability users. Xiao Zhe is the highest-level among us—maybe that zombie really has its eye on him,” Zhan Yun said solemnly.

Su Ruizhe agreed. Passive defense wouldn’t do. He took out a large pile of nuts from his space and used his ability to transform them directly into nut armor, covering his entire body. The style resembled Western knight armor, though the color was rather ugly—a nut’s distinctive earthy yellow.

After that, Su Ruizhe transformed a smaller set of armor and put it on Yu Dongdong as well.

Zhang Shuoliang activated his ability again, hardening and solidifying the ground beneath their feet, hoping to prevent the zombie from freely moving through it.

But his preparations were useless. The zombie launched another surprise attack from beneath the floor, but it was blocked by Su Ruizhe’s armor. Even so, Su Ruizhe could feel cracks forming at the bottom of his armor. This was armor transformed from a Level Four ability, yet a single strike from a Level Three zombie had cracked it—showing just how terrifying the zombie’s attack power was.

“Damn… is that zombie some kind of Earth-Traveling Immortal?” Zheng Jiahe couldn’t help muttering after it attacked repeatedly through walls and floors.

“Shut up!” Cheng Jiao immediately glared at him. Was this really the time for jokes?

Zheng Jiahe shrank his neck and once again vigilantly scanned the surroundings.

Just as everyone was focused on guarding Su Ruizhe, Zhan Yun suddenly sensed danger. He instinctively used his gravity ability to lift himself into the air—and a bone blade shot out from the ground, following his upward movement.

After failing three times to attack Su Ruizhe, the zombie had turned its attention to Zhan Yun, whose ability level was second only to Su Ruizhe in the team.

Everyone was instantly alarmed. This zombie’s attacks were impossible to guard against. If Zhan Yun hadn’t reacted in time and taken to the air, he would have been impaled. If the zombie were to switch targets again, would the rest of them be able to dodge?

For a moment, everyone’s faces went pale.

Author’s Note: [A Little Side Skit on the Road]

Regiment Commander Jiang, eyes brimming with tears: “My golden thigh is heading north and abandoning me!”

Little Zhan Yun: “What nonsense are you spouting?! Speak properly! Hey! Don’t hug my wife! I’ll beat you up!”

Regiment Commander Jiang: “Golden thigh! The outside world is complicated! If you get hurt, please come back! This is your warmest harbor! I am your strongest support! I’m willing to fight the whole world for you!”

Little Zhan Yun: “Say that again! Say that again! See if I don’t beat you to death! Alright, Xiao Zhe, let’s go. Never come back!”

Little Su Zhe: “Emmm, okay!”

Regiment Commander Jiang: “Golden thigh, are you really going to be so heartless and abandon me? I… ah! Help!”

Zheng Jiahe: “Commander Jiang seems to have gone crazy from the shock of our departure.”

Doctor Song: “To be precise, he went crazy from the shock of Xiao Zhe leaving.”

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