Chapter 191 – Escape from Impasse

Being chased by two zombies and having no choice but to run for your life feels incredibly humiliating!

At least, Ling Mo hadn’t experienced this in a long time.

“Bang! Bang!”

The fat zombie’s large frame and unusually swift movements caused it to keep crashing into things as it chased after them.

Following closely was the tentacle zombie, attracting yet another; the two zombies hounded the group relentlessly, giving them no time to catch their breath.

After Old Luo’s death, Ling Mo and his group found themselves completely on the defensive.

They had no idea which way to go or where they might find temporary refuge.

But it seemed that hiding would be futile anyway; most of the doors around here couldn’t withstand the zombies’ frantic pounding.

Aside from their variation, their physical strength also surpassed that of ordinary zombies, even stronger than mutation zombies in some cases.

Ling Mo speculated that, in terms of sheer power, these zombies had almost reached the level of advanced zombies.

But their low Intelligence was a major weakness.

If it weren’t for their eagerness to outpace each other, causing them to slow down slightly, the group might have already been caught.

However, the enclosed space meant that being cornered was only a matter of time.

Moreover, one of the group members, Zhang Haoyu, was seriously injured; his stomach had been punctured by the tentacle, leaving a small wound that Old Wang had hastily bandaged. He now supported Zhang Haoyu as they fled.

Whether Zhang Haoyu would undergo any variation or how long he could hold on, no one knew for sure.

Meng Jiayu was resolute in not abandoning Zhang Haoyu: “We must not leave him behind, at least not until he shows signs of variation!”

“He might not necessarily undergo variation,” Old Wang tried to reassure her. “Look, the sucker only releases fluids into the body after it opens up. It might paralyze the person or, like a spider, dissolve the flesh.”

2 pulled out a piece of the tentacle from his pocket as if performing a magic trick. His expression was the most relaxed among the group, and he even smiled. “Due to Sister Na’s swift actions, this tentacle didn’t get a chance to open its sucker. So, in other words, it’s currently just a… chopstick? Sticking it in shouldn’t cause any harm.”

Zhang Haoyu’s forehead was drenched in cold sweat, and his whole body trembled. Yet, 2 cheerfully assured him that it was nothing…

Ling Mo frowned and glanced at 2, asking, “Didn’t I throw that thing away?”

“Hey, it’s a souvenir I picked up from the Tentacle Monster girl…”

“If there’s a chance he might not mutate, then that’s good news. Hang in there! Once we get out of this mess and back to the Base, you’ll be fine!” Meng Jiayu hastily encouraged Zhang Haoyu. She was also supporting Zhang Haoyu, and although her own body was weak, she bore half the weight of a grown man, which was no small feat.

Even though she was at her limit, she bit her lip and held on, continuously urging Zhang Haoyu to stay conscious.

Ling Mo felt a slight pang in his heart; he hadn’t interacted much with his wealthy cousin before, and he had always seen her as someone high and mighty. But now, he realized she was actually a kind and courageous girl…

“I can’t die here, no matter what!” he vowed to himself.

The deafening sound of the pursuing zombies drew closer, and Ling Mo anxiously observed Ye Lian and the three girls, as well as his own recovery state.

His stamina was slowly returning, but his Psychic Power was recovering even faster.

Ye Lian and the three girls had stopped talking ever since they began running for their lives, focusing instead on conserving their energy.

Ling Mo noticed that Stella’s information about the Virus was partially accurate.

Previously, Ye Lian and the others needed to be still or move slightly to conserve energy and recover strength.

Yet now, even while running, Ling Mo could sense through their Psychic Link that their bodies were in a state of heightened activity.

It felt as if an internal engine boosted their energy recovery.

“The mother hive… Is this the effect of the Virus mother hive?”

Ling Mo quickly realized that this was likely because their bodies were producing more Virus.

Perhaps, after sustaining injuries or depleting their energy, the mother hive would automatically speed up Virus production to protect the host.

The Virus, fatal to ordinary humans, turned them into mindless monsters. For Ye Lian and the three girls, however, it was the source of their strength and the best medicine for regaining their sanity.

Even a minute amount of the Virus could act like a stimulant for ordinary people. It was hard to imagine the scene when a large amount of Virus accumulated in Ye Lian and the others.

Ling Mo himself felt conflicted about how to regard the Virus.

“Bang!”

At that moment, a Tentacle suddenly struck the wall behind Ling Mo.

They were at a corner. The Tentacle that looked soft had shot out like a bullet when tensed…

Looking at the newly formed dent in the wall, Ling Mo felt a chill run down his spine.

“Up ahead, there’s a door!” Old Wang shouted.

They hurriedly rushed inside and quickly shut the door behind them. Any delay was welcome.

But after running roughly a hundred meters, Ling Mo realized with a shock that their luck was truly running out…

They had entered a large Laboratory. In the flashlight’s beam, scattered bones covered the floor.

A strong scent of blood mixed with a putrid stench hit them, making them nauseous.

Blood had coagulated on the floor like a carpet, making every step uncomfortable.

The Laboratory’s door was an electric one, incredibly thick, likely impossible for those two Zombies to break through.

“Damn, we’ve run straight into their nest…”

Ling Mo thought their luck had truly run out. There was no other exit; a tough battle seemed inevitable.

At this point, everyone calmed down.

Meng Jiayu helped Zhang Haoyu to a corner, pulled out her Short Knife, and stood guard in front of him.

Old Wang began checking his magazines, while even 2 rubbed his temples, as if trying to boost his spirits.

Ling Mo felt his Psychic Power had mostly recovered. Although Ye Lian and the three girls were not at their peak, their strong Psychic Fluctuations suggested accelerated Virus production.

Ling Mo concluded, “It seems like the mother hive speeds up Virus production to help them recover quickly from injuries or stamina depletion.”

As the deafening sounds of the pursuing Zombies grew nearer, the stage was set for a dire confrontation.

Xia Na’s lips curled into a faint smile as she twisted her neck. Holding her Scythe, she stood at the front.

To her rear and side was Old Wang, his gun aimed squarely at the corridor.

Ye Lian silently positioned herself by the door. Given that she specialized in close-quarters combat, the closer she was, the better.

In the dim light, Li Yalin’s eyes seemed even more snake-like. Ling Mo thought that the mother hive in her brain might also have been influenced by Venom.

The Venom had mutated, likely because the Virus had completely transformed the snake from the inside out. Thus, the secreted Venom was a product of this mutation.

Ling Mo wondered if the Leader-Level Zombie, Ban Yue, might undergo a similar transformation. However, her situation differed from Li Yalin’s. Ban Yue had injected pure Venom through a bite, which likely was far more potent.

As for the Venom Ling Mo had spilled on Ban Yue… who knew what problems might arise after some time—like Virus evaporation or reduced concentration…

It had been nearly eight minutes since this all began…

“Bang!”

A sudden loud crash broke the silence, followed by a series of rapid impacts.

Old Wang’s finger was already on the trigger. Ling Mo stood behind Xia Na, his Psychic Tentacles fully deployed in front of her.

While Ye Lian and the others engaged in close combat, Ling Mo’s Psychic Tentacles were devoted to shielding them from harm.

Simultaneously, he took his Crossbow Bolt. As he gritted his teeth and lifted his right arm, a wave of sharp pain struck, accompanied by a warm flow down his shoulder.

“Zhao Zhi, the suffering you’ve put me through, I’ll repay a hundredfold! Damn you for trying to use us as Nutrients!”

Cursing in his mind, Ling Mo finally raised the Crossbow Bolt.

“Bang!”

Following a final muffled crash, the door fell heavily to the ground.

Emerging first were several Tentacles, appearing soft but filled with hidden lethality.

These Tentacles seemed to signal a greeting from the Tentacle Monster girl.

In reality, though, this was a deadly signal.

Simultaneously, the heavy footsteps of the fat Zombie echoed.

“Stay alert,” Ling Mo cautioned.

Old Wang didn’t even bother wiping the sweat off his face. He squinted his eyes, holding his breath and concentrating on the Tentacles.

The moment the mutated female Zombie charged out, the gunfire erupted!

But unfortunately, none of the shots hit their target!

In the eerie silence, the mutated female Zombie swiftly approached, with Old Wang constantly pulling the trigger and the accompanying gunshots ringing out.

However, the strength of the mutated female Zombie was indeed formidable!

She could swing herself directly using the ceiling lights wrapped in her Tentacles!

Aside from one bullet that hit her shoulder, the rest all missed!

Old Wang’s assault Rifle had a relatively slow fire rate. After five or six shots, the Tentacle Monster girl had reached the doorway, swinging herself inside with her Tentacles hooked onto the doorframe.

At such close range, shooting was no longer an option, especially with the poor lighting.

Xia Na was the first to act. She fiercely swung her Scythe once, then tucked it behind her. She leaped out with both feet, and as she jumped high into the air, her Scythe swung down swiftly!

Ye Lian approached directly from the side. As the mutated female Zombie began to fall, Ye Lian appeared behind her, her Tiger Claw aiming straight for the Zombie’s calf.

Li Yalin remained still. Her eyes were fixed on the fat Zombie following closely behind.

In mid-air, the mutated female Zombie’s Tentacles that were wrapped around her wrists fanned out like spider legs.

The Tentacles coiled towards Xia Na and her Scythe.

At this critical moment, Ling Mo, who had been prepared for a while, also made his move!

“Think just because I’m injured and seemingly useless, I won’t have any combat power?”

The Crossbow Bolt was reserved for the fat Zombie, but the Psychic Tentacle was intended for the Tentacle Monster girl.

Invisible versus visible!

The Psychic Tentacle shot out, aiming to intercept the Tentacles that were targeting Xia Na. Ling Mo’s concentrated effort gave his team the critical edge they needed.

In the flurry of movements and attacks, both Xia Na’s Scythe and Ye Lian’s Tiger Claw closed in on their marks, while Ling Mo’s Psychic Tentacle provided the invaluable shield to deflect the initial threat.

“Hang on, everyone!” Ling Mo shouted, pushing his Psychic Power to the limit.