Chapter 272 – The Face Hidden Under the Hood

On an eerily silent street, a dozen zombies wandered aimlessly among the abandoned vehicles, swaying slowly and mindlessly.

A cold wind blew through, causing a shaky billboard to emit a faint creaking sound.

A bloodstained bag was suddenly lifted by the wind, spinning and falling to the ground, only to be stepped on by a foot.

The nearest zombie immediately turned its head, its twisted face showing a pair of wide, red eyes. It leaped forward like a frenzied beast, vaulting over the car.

“Raaaah!”

The zombie let out a meaningless growl from its throat, arms outstretched as it pounced from the car roof.

“Swish!”

A Tang Sword sliced upward, and a gush of blood spurted out. The zombie crashed heavily to the ground.

Even though it hadn’t breathed its last, the zombie still struggled, reaching out towards a nearby foot.

Li Yalin glanced down, showing no intention of dodging. Instead, she expressionlessly raised her foot and stomped down hard with her high heel on the zombie’s hand.

The zombie twitched a few times with its other hand, then went still.

At that moment, Xia Na had already nimbly jumped onto the roof of a car, scythe in hand. She agilely leaped from one car to the next.

The other zombies turned their heads and frantically charged forward.

They clambered onto the abandoned cars, scrambling and sprinting, their throats emitting constant guttural growls.

Li Wei clung tightly to Zhang Er’s shoulder, watching the scene in terror.

Ye Lian also leapt onto another car, just like Xia Na, using the rooftops to quickly approach the zombies.

As they advanced, zombies fell one after another during their mad dash, sometimes running several more meters after being struck before collapsing to the ground.

“Amazing…!”

Zhang Er’s eyes shone as he watched Ye Lian and Xia Na move like agile spirits through the blood mist, swiftly and deftly cutting down the zombies time and time again.

Xia Na’s attacks were very direct, and the zombies seemed to freeze momentarily when they got close to her, as if they were scared. However, with Xia Na’s speed, most people wouldn’t notice this brief hesitation.

Ye Lian, on the other hand, could effortlessly leap back and forth without needing any support. Every time she jumped over a zombie’s head, it was as if she were attached to a steel cable, able to easily roll or turn in mid-air. Her Tiger Claw would slash down from tricky angles, delivering fatal wounds.

“Amazing. It’s not just Ling Mo who’s impressive; these three women are terrifyingly strong!”

Zhang Er clenched his fists tightly, then shifted his gaze to Ling Mo.

Ling Mo was slowly walking along the street when suddenly, a zombie burst out from a nearby store, seemingly about to pounce on him.

But then, the zombie suddenly lost its balance and stumbled to the side. At the same time, Ling Mo’s Tang Sword had already slashed into it.

“When we go out to gather food, we have to be extremely cautious, but they can just cut their way through like this. It’s so cool!”

Compared to the excited Zhang Er, Li Wei next to him wished she could cover her eyes.

She trembled slightly and muttered, “It’s terrifying… They’re scarier than the zombies…”

What they didn’t notice was Ling Mo’s exasperated expression.

“Ever since I got Black Silk, I haven’t been this exhausted. Killing zombies takes a lot of physical and psychic power! And Zhang Er, could you please stop staring at me like that? It’s giving me so much pressure! I can’t even slack off!”

Ling Mo turned his head slightly and once again met Zhang Er’s excited gaze, making his scalp tingle.

To avoid attracting the attention of another team, Ling Mo had to keep Black Silk following closely behind him to prevent any accidental collisions, which would be a huge hassle.

A few minutes later, along with the dozen or so zombies that had rushed out from the store, nearly thirty zombies in total were completely wiped out. Ling Mo jumped onto a sedan and looked into the distance.

“The International Building… It should be around here somewhere, right? It’s a pity it’s not on the map. Su Qianrou only mentioned the street name.”

They had been walking along this street for over twenty minutes but still hadn’t reached the rendezvous point, which left Ling Mo feeling a bit frustrated.

Although this area wasn’t exactly a bustling downtown, the terrain was highly complex, with a maze of streets and alleys, and towering buildings everywhere.

The so-called International Building, despite its grand name, was just one among many buildings, without any special markings.

“This is clearly a test of my abilities. Someone with weaker skills wouldn’t be able to navigate such a complex area. To find that building, fighting zombies is inevitable. I knew that a woman who could reach the position of Chief of Staff wouldn’t be simple—she sets traps without leaving a trace…”

After muttering a few words, Ling Mo jumped down from the car and waved to Li Yalin.

She turned to glance at Li Wei and Zhang Er, smiling slightly. “Let’s go.”

At the same time, she raised her hand and gently ran a delicate finger along Li Wei’s neck.

The sharp nail caused a slight prickling sensation, making Li Wei shudder as if she had been electrocuted.

Even Zhang Er immediately restrained his gaze, nervously glancing at Li Yalin.

But as soon as he met Li Yalin’s sinister gaze, a chill ran up his spine.

“…Zhang Er, I suddenly think Ling Mo is a bit better…” Li Wei said, her eyes reddening and her body trembling.

Zhang Er looked at Li Yalin’s back, then at Ye Lian and Xia Na, who had cold expressions and blood-stained weapons. He quickly and emphatically nodded, “Yeah!”

As Ling Mo and his group traversed the desolate streets, another team, carrying backpacks and wielding weapons, was rapidly approaching a nearby building.

One of the young men tightly gripped the arm of the person in front, his eyes closed and his brow furrowed.

Despite having his eyes closed, the guidance from the man in front ensured their speed was not slower than anyone else’s.

“Captain.”

A few minutes later, the young man slightly opened his eyes and said, “It’s just ahead.”

When he opened his eyes, they looked very strange, as if there were lingering images in his pupils, but they quickly disappeared.

“Thanks for your hard work. How are you feeling?” asked the person running at the front.

This captain was dressed in a gray tracksuit, with a hood covering their head. Apart from the backpack, they carried nothing else.

“Still okay,” the young man replied, rubbing the corner of his eye.

His eyes were bloodshot, with heavy dark circles, making him look like he hadn’t slept well for a long time.

“Your ability is crucial for us. Don’t use it anymore today.”

The hooded captain turned slightly, revealing an extraordinarily beautiful profile.

About twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with thin lips, a high nose bridge, and a healthy wheat-colored complexion. Her eyes were long and slightly upturned, giving off a very cold and elegant vibe.

A strand of black hair fell out from the edge of the hood, adding a touch of feminine allure to her otherwise concealed appearance.

“Have you found our collaborator?” she asked again.

The young man shook his head. “No, it seems they haven’t reached the designated location yet.”

“Well, this area is quite complex. It’s normal not to find them. I guess Chief of Staff Su didn’t give him the exact address. After all, we’ve only heard about his abilities from Sun Zeya’s report. Knowing Chief of Staff Su, she might give him a little challenge.”

She spoke with a calm expression.

A tall team member, however, snorted in dissatisfaction. “They might be done for already… But we are the strongest of the three search and rescue teams. Why did Chief of Staff Su send an outsider to cooperate with us?”

“Both of the other teams have disappeared. Don’t be too complacent. Besides, Chief of Staff Su must have her reasons,” the young man said with a frown.

“They were probably too careless! X City’s zombie count is high. If they got surrounded, losing contact is quite normal,” another team member interjected.

“We still don’t know the situation. Forget the other team; isn’t Team Tom quite capable?” the young man said, rubbing his eyes again.

The team member sneered but eventually glanced warily at the hooded woman ahead and then fell silent.

The hooded woman withdrew her gaze from him and tucked the strand of hair behind her ear.

Her eyes reflected a hint of seriousness.