Chapter 69 – The Perfect Trap

The large door stood ajar, and each gust of wind caused it to creak softly. Through the narrow gap, one could see not only the dust-covered floor and furniture but also the horrifying traces of slaughter.

This was a common sight in most shops after the Apocalypse. Compared to the desolate streets, these dark, abandoned stores were even more alarming and frightening.

Maybe behind the counter, maybe under the shelves, or even in the corner behind the door, a zombie might be lurking quietly. The moment someone approaches, the zombie would pounce like lightning. By the time the danger is realized, the person would already be torn apart…

No one dared to approach these places recklessly. The open shop doors seemed like gaping maws ready to devour anyone, filling people with dread.

Yin Huang Bar, located on Red Light Street near X City University, was a typical example of this.

From the outside, there was nothing suspicious at all.

Considering that this place never operated during the day, there were very few zombies inside, making the emergence of a Mutation Zombie unlikely.

However, there was still the possibility of an Advanced Zombie hiding inside. The one they encountered at New Era Square had already learned to conceal its presence and find optimal ambush points.

Even ordinary wild animals understand ambush tactics, let alone zombies with actual awareness.

Though infected and stripped of their humanity, zombies, as a new species, were gradually evolving their own systems and behaviors. This was a conclusion Ling Mo had drawn from his observations.

The Advanced Zombie inside was very good at hiding and could kill instantly. Ling Mo didn’t dare to let Ye Lian or Xia Na venture inside.

He first spent some time in a nearby shop to find a small-statured zombie. After controlling it, he used it as bait and sent it into Yin Huang Bar.

As the bait, under Ling Mo’s control, approached the spot where the scouting Zombie Puppet had been killed, Ling Mo and his group quietly followed, maintaining a distance of about ten meters.

Through the bait’s vision, Ling Mo soon saw the fallen scouting Zombie Puppet. To his surprise, it hadn’t been eaten, and the body was completely intact.

Zombies never kill their prey without feeding. Attacking humans is instinct, but attacking their own kind is always because of hunger. How could it pass up on such a feast? Ling Mo sensed something was amiss.

Given that there might be an Advanced Zombie hiding inside, Ling Mo didn’t have the bait conceal itself. On the contrary, his goal was to lure out the Advanced Zombie that was prone to ambushing, so the more noise, the better.

Seeing that the doors of several private rooms near the Zombie Puppet’s body were tightly shut, Ling Mo decided to go all out. He controlled the bait to kick open one of the room doors.

“Bang!”

The first room was empty, but with such a loud noise, even a deaf Advanced Zombie should have heard it. After kicking open the door, Ling Mo immediately had the bait press against the wall and vigilantly scan the surroundings.

Still, there was no movement… Ling Mo found this increasingly suspicious. He slowly maneuvered the bait, inching it towards the next room.

Just as the bait turned towards the door, Ling Mo, watching from afar, saw with his own eyes a figure dart out from a distant room.

The figure appeared small and thin, but moved with incredible speed. Upon rushing out, it leaped high and, with a flash of cold light, stabbed the bait’s hindbrain.

As the bait fell, the figure landed as well, stepping on the bait’s back and forcefully pulling out the weapon.

A survivor! Ling Mo was astonished. He hadn’t expected a survivor to be hiding here. This place hardly seemed suitable as a hideout…

But upon reflection, he realized he had made an assumption. He thought only a stronger zombie could silently take out the Zombie Puppet. But in reality, any survivor still alive must have some skills. Even the group led by the Bald Man remained vigilant, possessed a certain ruthlessness, and had considerable strength.

This figure remained calm in the face of a door-kicking zombie and knew how to seize the opportunity. Most importantly, when the moment for an ambush arrived, the person didn’t hesitate at all.

A slight hesitation would have allowed Ling Mo to control the bait and dodge. However, Ling Mo was caught off guard, and by the time he realized what was happening, the bait had already been killed.

After taking down the second zombie, the figure didn’t retreat back to the private room. Instead, they cautiously hugged the wall, moving towards the entrance.

Seeing this person getting closer, Ling Mo felt a headache coming on. They were just following the bait, not hiding well. There weren’t many hiding spots in a bar like this. Judging by this person’s actions, they seemed intent on inspecting the entrance, and would inevitably discover Ling Mo’s group halfway there. Rather than being found hiding, it might be better to come out on his own terms.

As for the bait… who would suspect he had a connection with the zombies? Although following a zombie with two girls might seem odd, as long as he didn’t mention it, no one would likely guess the truth.

With this in mind, Ling Mo reluctantly stood up. “Hey…”

To his surprise, as soon as he showed himself, the figure immediately noticed him. They pressed against the wall and quickly pulled something from their pocket, hurling it at Ling Mo.

Seeing a dark object flying towards his face, Ling Mo didn’t mind. He casually swung his short knife, intending to deflect it.

But to his shock, as soon as his short knife made contact with the object, a burst of red mist exploded.

“Ah!”

Ling Mo let out a scream. His eyes immediately shut tight, and his nose and throat felt like they were on fire, causing immense discomfort.

Fortunately, Ye Lian and Xia Na were a bit further away and weren’t affected.

Chili powder! The object turned out to be chili powder wrapped in a tissue. The moment the short knife struck it, the powder scattered everywhere!

This was a perfect trap, effective even against zombies. Ling Mo had never seen anyone use it before, let alone become a victim himself!

After being hit, Ling Mo immediately forced himself to endure the discomfort and pressed against the corner, holding his Short Knife defensively in front of him.

As expected, the figure, seeing that Ling Mo was affected, charged without hesitation. Like an agile monkey, they leapt towards Ling Mo in just a few steps, raising their weapon high and stabbing fiercely at his chest.

But just as the person raised their arm, a cold gleam flashed before their eyes, and they felt a chilling touch on their neck.

Although Ling Mo’s eyes were blinded, he could see everything through Xia Na and Ye Lian’s vision!

Moreover, even without his control, Xia Na wouldn’t let anyone harm him. In fact, if Ling Mo hadn’t restrained Xia Na’s actions a bit, this person’s head would already be severed.

With the blade pressed against their neck, even causing a slight pain, the person’s raised arm halted mid-air. Their previously calm eyes now revealed a sudden panic.

As they tried to move, Xia Na stepped on their foot. The immense strength twisted their expression in pain, but they didn’t dare to move, only letting out a suppressed scream.

Xia Na, who had no sympathy for humans, was unperturbed by the screams. Instead, she slowly twisted her ankle, causing the Survivor to break out in a cold sweat, feeling as if their foot might be crushed.

Only then did the Survivor realize that they weren’t attacking a Zombie, but a human—a very tough one at that.

If just this girl was this strong…