Chapter 163 – The Symbol of Death

“Yang Jia, they…”

Ouyang Lian bit her lip, staring intently at the sword-swinging Ling Mo, and said quietly.

“Shhh, don’t make any noise. Although they don’t seem to want to attack us right now, it’s better not to provoke them. They don’t seem easy to deal with.”

Yang Jia quickly pulled Ouyang Lian closer to him and spoke to her softly.

“But…”

Ouyang Lian’s gaze shifted from Ling Mo to Xia Na, then to Ye Lian and Li Yalin, who stood not far away, and finally back to Ling Mo.

“He seems really strong…”

“Hmm? What did you say?” Yang Jia didn’t catch Ouyang Lian’s murmur and asked quickly.

Ouyang Lian just shook her head and whispered, “It’s nothing.”

“Alright, just stay calm and don’t be scared. It’ll be fine once they leave,” Yang Jia reassured her.

At this moment, Xia Na had also found three other weapons, one of which was another replica she had ordered from a craftsman—a long-handled scythe.

This weapon would actually be quite effective for chopping zombies, but the survivors didn’t take it because of its weight… at least when Ling Mo tried to lift it, it looked impressive just holding it, but swinging it freely was ten times harder than wielding his Tang Sword.

The most exaggerated thing was that this scythe was actually sharpened, with a razor-sharp crescent blade that looked terrifyingly lethal.

Xia Na, holding it almost as tall as herself, had apparently made it for some purpose.

“It’s for collection,” Xia Na looked very pleased with the long-handled scythe in her hand. “I usually display this in my room. Isn’t it beautiful? Hmpf, these people even ransacked my room… Anyway, I watched a lot of movies before and really liked it. Now I like it even more. The scythe is a symbol of the passage of time and also a symbol of death. Ling-Ge, don’t you think that’s interesting?”

Indeed, a girl brought up around swords and martial arts would have different tastes from ordinary people.

“I just see it as very dangerous. Besides, can you really use your swordsmanship with this?”

“Of course I can. Haven’t you heard of ‘adapt and apply’?”

“Alright, if you like it, go ahead and use it,” Ling Mo said.

Among the other two weapons, one was a claw-like contraption that could be worn like a glove, with dimensions that seemed suited for a woman. When Ye Lian slid her hand into it, the size was just right.

This weapon wasn’t suitable for survivors, but for Ye Lian, it was quite handy. The long, sharp blades, each about a foot long, were perfect for zombies who liked to tear their prey apart.

The only downside was that this contraption was incomplete and not fully sharpened.

But with Ye Lian’s strength, this wasn’t a significant issue, and in the future, Xia Na could always help sharpen it fully.

The other weapon was an extremely sharp dagger with an unusual design. When used, all five fingers could slide through it, with the blade wrapping around the entire wrist and extending outwards.

This was clearly another of Xia Na’s innovations. In close combat, this unique blade would inflict substantial damage on enemies since it didn’t require any special technique—just the ability to swing one’s arm flexibly.

However, like the claw, survivors couldn’t use this effectively as such close combat with zombies was exceedingly dangerous.

“Here, Senior Sister, this is for you.” Ling Mo walked to the door and handed the weapon to Li Yalin.

She took it in her hand, examined it curiously for a moment, and then figured out how to hold it properly.

It was clear that having a weapon excited her. During the days she had spent with Ling Mo and the others, she had shown great interest in their weapons. Now that she had one of her own, she was quite satisfied.

“That’s about it. There’s nothing else worth taking.”

Ling Mo was fairly content with the result. After sheathing his Tang Sword, he spoke.

Xia Na nodded. Although this was her home, she didn’t have anything to be nostalgic about.

Yang Jia felt a wave of relief wash over him when he heard Ling Mo mention leaving.

Ouyang Lian, on the other hand, seemed like she wanted to say something. But seeing the looks from the three girls, she hesitantly stepped back a bit, too afraid to speak up.

“Although things were a bit unpleasant earlier, now that we’ve got what we wanted, you don’t need to be worried. We’ll leave now,” Ling Mo said. There were plenty of villas in the vicinity; there was no need to stay here with these survivors.

Moreover, the survivors had companions. When those companions returned, it could lead to another conflict… Yang Jia nodded repeatedly. He hadn’t expected Ling Mo’s group to actually intend to leave immediately after grabbing the weapons, and it took a moment for him to process this.

Of course, most of what filled his heart was relief. Ling Mo’s group seemed exceedingly powerful to him.

However, just as Ling Mo’s group opened the door of the villa and stepped outside, they were met with a shocking sight.

A dozen survivors were running frantically towards them, with dozens of zombies in hot pursuit. Leading the charge were several mutation zombies.

The zombies were extremely fast, their savage expressions and frenzied eyes were utterly terrifying.

Yang Jia and Ouyang Lian had been standing on the stairs, seeing Ling Mo and the others off, but were stunned the moment the door opened, their faces showing astonishment.

“Lian Lian, stay here,” Yang Jia said, quickly running down the stairs. But before he could reach the door, he heard shouts from outside.

“Hurry up! Faster!”

Ling Mo also hadn’t expected to encounter these survivors in such a situation. He instructed Ye Lian and the three girls to retreat back indoors, making way for the group of survivors.

In such a crisis, the survivors couldn’t be bothered about the strangers at the entrance and dashed inside desperately.

However, a few stragglers were caught by the pursuing zombies. One in particular was violently tackled by a mutation zombie, hitting the ground hard.

The man had injuries on his legs, but even after being tackled, he reacted quickly, rolling on the ground with the mutation zombie in an attempt to break free.

But his strength was no match for the mutation zombie. A blood-curdling scream was heard as the zombie tore one of his arms clean off.

What made Ling Mo’s eyes widen was seeing a few survivors, who were almost safe in the garden, turn back without hesitation to rescue their fallen companion.

One agile girl wielding a spear plunged it into the abdomen of the mutation zombie, giving a fierce shout as she hurled it backward. The momentum caused it to crash into two other zombies behind it.

“Impressive…” Ling Mo murmured.

However, the girl had used up all her strength. As she pulled out her spear, two more zombies rushed at her from behind.

Just as despair washed over her face, Ling Mo raised his crossbow. It was his first time using one, but it was much easier to aim than a gun.

“Whoosh, whoosh!”

Two bolts whistled through the air. One missed the mark, but the other grazed the girl’s cheek and struck the zombie directly in front of her.

The sudden appearance of the crossbow bolt jolted the girl awake. Her companions arrived just in time to fend off the remaining zombie.

“Get inside, quick!”

As the group retreated back into the villa, the shocked Yang Jia hurried to shut the door with the help of the previously returned survivors. They quickly shoved a heavy wooden cabinet in front of it.

“Bang!”

No sooner had they closed the door than a series of loud thuds shook it. Dust and plaster fell as the door trembled from the impact.

Several survivors pressed against the cabinet, panting heavily, their faces pale.

Meanwhile, the man whose arm had been torn off continued to moan in pain.

A stern-looking man glanced at him before pulling out a dagger. In one swift motion, he severed the man’s remaining arm at the shoulder.

“Ah! Ah!!” The man crumpled to the floor, screaming in agony.

Ouyang Lian, standing on the stairs, raised her hand to cover her eyes at the gruesome sight. However, her expression suggested she wasn’t deeply frightened.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” the stern man said decisively. He fished out a cloth strip, tying it tightly above the man’s wound. His eyes then scanned the room until they locked onto Yang Jia. “Yang Jia, quickly, get the first-aid kit.”

Although he noticed Ling Mo and the other unfamiliar faces, there was no time to inquire about them now.

The room quickly descended into chaos. Some survivors intuitively began barricading the windows, while others shut the doors to places like the utility room.

The maddening sounds of zombies roaring and slamming against the door outside could drive anyone insane. Although Ling Mo could easily have Ye Lian and the three girls rush out and take care of all the zombies, the shock this would bring to the ordinary survivors might be no less overwhelming than being trapped by zombies at the door.

Some survivors had already made their way upstairs, seemingly planning to deal with the zombies from the upper windows.

As long as the door held and the zombies didn’t find another way in, they were relatively safe here.

But suddenly, Ling Mo’s gaze locked onto a corner of the staircase closest to the ground floor.

There, stood a floor-to-ceiling window with Ouyang Lian right by it.

Given the chaotic situation, all the survivors were either too exhausted to move, tending to their wounded companion, or busy barricading against the zombies. No one had the time to notice the little girl.

What drew Ling Mo’s attention to that spot was a brief glimpse of a shadow at the edge of his vision.

As Ling Mo fixed his stare on the window, the shadow reappeared!

A zombie! And this time, it had reached the window and crashed right through it!

“Crash!”

The sound of shattering glass filled the room, and in an instant, the bewildered Ouyang Lian disappeared.

“Damn it!”

It was a mutation zombie—its speed was startling. But as it dragged Ouyang Lian away, Ling Mo sprang into action.

He swiftly slung the crossbow over his back, drew his Tang sword, and leaped through the broken window, landing on the grass outside.

The scene outside was chaotic. The zombie was hauling Ouyang Lian away at an alarming speed. Without missing a beat, Ling Mo lunged forward, his Tang sword ready to strike.