Chapter 39 – A Small Mark on You

Watching Ling Mo and his two companions leave from the upstairs window, Wang Lin’s lips curled into a strange smile. “Let’s see where you run off to now…”

Behind her, Song Tian rubbed his temples, looking a bit troubled. “You marked him, didn’t you?”

“Mind your own business!” Wang Lin snapped, giving him a sharp look before slyly winking. “If you won’t help me, I’ll find my own way.”

Unbeknownst to Ling Mo, as he walked out of the Ginkgo Community, Wang Lin had silently placed a small mark on him…

It wasn’t until they had left the Survivor Camp far behind that Ling Mo finally relaxed. He wiped his forehead with his hand and looked at his palm, which was covered in cold sweat.

Beside him, Xia Na’s eyes had a faint red glow… It was incredibly difficult to keep Xia Na under control.

“Xia Na, what exactly is your condition now…” Ling Mo looked deeply into Xia Na’s eyes.

The moment they met Wang Lin, Xia Na’s emotions had fluctuated. If Ling Mo hadn’t forcibly controlled her, she likely would have given them away.

In hindsight, his decision to meet with Wang Lin seemed hasty, but considering the outcome, it had turned out well.

Having settled Liu Yuhao and shaken off the burden that was Wang Cheng, Ling Mo was now left with only two female zombies, Ye Lian and Xia Na. One was a Mutation Zombie evolving stronger by the day, while the other retained a sliver of sanity, teetering between being a zombie and a human.

It was truly worrisome…

On the other hand, without others around, Ling Mo felt a bit more at ease. When others were present, he could never fully utilize his abilities…

But the most pressing matter now wasn’t hunting Mutation Zombies; it was finding a suitable place to settle down. A place like the No. 3 High School community was definitely unsuitable. Once Ye Lian consumed the Virus Gel and started evolving, he would be significantly affected. If they encountered another situation like this morning, he would be as good as dead. So this new hideout had to be well-hidden.

Ling Mo touched the Virus Gel in his pocket, a smile tugging at his lips. With Ye Lian and Xia Na by his side, he jogged down the street and soon turned onto a desolate road.

He wasn’t familiar with the area, but he knew that by following these kinds of streets, he would eventually find a suitable spot.

Being in a bustling area, the road was lined with shops on either side, with residential buildings above. Zombies appeared intermittently, but with Ye Lian clearing the way, they were taken down before they could react.

Still, Ling Mo wasn’t bold enough to walk openly down the street. He cautiously stayed in the shadows, moving stealthily.

There were suitable places nearby, but they were too close to the Ginkgo Community and didn’t feel safe enough for Ling Mo. For others, a Survivor Camp like that would be an ideal refuge. But for Ling Mo, controlling two zombies while blending in with a large group of people was far more dangerous than fighting zombies.

After crossing the street, a square came into view. Ling Mo had visited this newly built square a few times before. It was surrounded by shops and even had a large hotel.

Ling Mo observed from a distance for a while and then set his sights on a two-story building near the river. The ground floor was a shop, while the second floor housed a teahouse. What caught Ling Mo’s eye was the narrow staircase leading to the teahouse and the iron door that could be securely locked. The building was also spaced apart from the neighboring ones, and with a shallow river at the back, there was an escape route even if they were surrounded.

Most importantly, its location was quite secluded and inconspicuous…

Carefully approaching the building, Ling Mo sent Ye Lian into the shop on the first floor. As expected, there were two zombies inside. These ordinary zombies wouldn’t attack Ye Lian, and after some thought, Ling Mo decided not to eliminate them. Leaving two Mutation Zombies there would deter any unsuspecting Survivors from exploring the upstairs.

Xia Na, naturally, wouldn’t attract the zombies’ attention either. Ling Mo, on the other hand, held his breath and used Ye Lian to create a small distraction. As the zombies were drawn to the noise, he quickly made his way up the stairs.

Xia Na searched the entire Teahouse and found a total of three Zombies. She quickly dispatched two of them, but the last one went berserk as soon as it spotted Ling Mo. The Teahouse was filled with obstacles, which hindered the Zombie’s movements. Just as it got blocked by a tea table, Xia Na caught up from behind and thrust her Long Knife downward.

This method of attack was far less skillful than the formidable techniques Xia Na exhibited when she had self-awareness. However, it was faster and more powerful. The knife plunged straight through the Zombie, killing it instantly.

While technique is important, when one’s strength reaches a certain level, such straightforward attacks can be equally impressive.

Moreover, Ling Mo had a vague sense that Mutation meant humans were driven entirely by instinct, which in turn unlocked their physical potential. The downside, however, was glaringly obvious: they lacked tactical awareness and understanding of strategic retreat.

For instance, when Xia Na was conscious, Ling Mo might outperform her in killing Zombies. But in a direct confrontation, he probably wouldn’t be her match. Despite his overall improvements, his combat skills were self-taught through practical experience and were no match for Xia Na’s refined knife techniques.

Although the mutated Xia Na seemed stronger, Ling Mo felt that if he faced her in this state, he could easily evade her attacks even if he couldn’t defeat her.

As for evolution… Evolution is what makes Zombies truly powerful! After evolving, Ye Lian showed signs of emerging consciousness! Mutation might turn humans into complete monsters, but evolution could transform Zombies into intelligent monsters!

What kind of terrifying killing machine would a bloodthirsty monster with intelligence become?

This thought only flickered in Ling Mo’s mind briefly before he refocused on the more pressing matters at hand.

After rummaging through the Teahouse’s counter, Ling Mo found a large lock, presumably for securing the iron door downstairs.

He controlled Ye Lian to lock the door and then had Xia Na help him throw the Zombie corpses out the window into the river behind. As for the bloodstains on the floor… they would just have to overlook those.

Although the Teahouse didn’t have beds, there were plenty of two-seater sofas that could be used to make do.

After locking the door and barricading the staircase with heavy furniture, Ling Mo finally allowed himself a small smile and took out the Virus Gel from his pocket.

However, as soon as he pulled out the Gel, his expression turned a bit strange: “What’s going on?”