Chapter 6 – Mutation Zombie

After the initial shock, Ling Mo felt a surge of joy!

Since Ye Lian’s eyes could return to a normal human appearance, it indicated that his hypothesis might actually be achievable! As the Virus evolves, there’s a chance that Ye Lian could gradually regain her sanity…

However, after her eyes returned to normal, the evolution of the Virus within Ye Lian’s body noticeably slowed down. Three days passed, and despite hunting over a hundred Zombies, Ye Lian’s strength only improved slightly. The mental changes Ling Mo had hoped for did not materialize at all.

On the bright side, Ling Mo himself experienced some significant changes. As his Psychic Power grew stronger, Ling Mo attempted to control other Zombies while partially controlling Ye Lian. Surprisingly, after a few failures, he succeeded. The more he practiced, the more proficient he became with his Puppet Control Ability.

Moreover, his combat skills were also improving. Although his movements weren’t as swift as Ye Lian’s, his rational mind allowed him to react more flexibly. Now, he felt confident that he could ensure his own safety even if Ye Lian broke free from his control.

However, Ling Mo soon realized a rather frustrating problem: he had run out of food supplies…

Previously, he relied entirely on his Zombie Puppets for fighting and gathering food, so his own consumption was minimal. But as he began participating in battles himself, his physical exertion increased, and so did his food intake.

This area was originally a suburb, and when the Apocalypse broke out, most of the food had already been looted. The remaining supplies were quite limited. After repeated searches by Survivors, finding any food here had become exceedingly difficult.

After coming up empty-handed in two small supermarkets, Ling Mo finally decided to head to the city center with Ye Lian.

Compared to this suburban area, the city center had much more abundant resources. However, due to the large population, the number of Zombies there was likely staggering…

If it weren’t for Ye Lian’s presence, Ling Mo might have considered retreating to the countryside or mountains. But doing so would likely cause Ye Lian to starve to death.

The Zombie-infested city was the best place for both Ye Lian and Ling Mo to continue evolving.

However, before heading to the city center, careful preparations were necessary. Suitable transportation, portable food, and weapons…

Ling Mo had already prepared a bicycle, food, and transportation. But weapons were a bit of a headache for him.

Ordinary household knives quickly became chipped or dull, making them quite impractical. A suitable knife was clearly necessary.

“Right, Wang Lin’s family makes Handmade Knives…”

Wang Lin was a young girl who lived in the same building as Ling Mo. She had a pretty face, and whenever they ran into each other, Ling Mo couldn’t help but take a few extra glances. However, after the Apocalypse broke out, he hadn’t seen her since. Thinking about her now, he felt a pang of sadness. A delicate girl like her, even if she hadn’t mutated and had somehow survived, was probably having a tough time…

Early in the morning, Ling Mo packed his sorted belongings, took Ye Lian, and headed to Wang Lin’s Handmade Knife shop.

Even though Ling Mo deliberately chose safer routes, they still had to kill at least a dozen Zombies before finally reaching the shop, which had long since been abandoned.

Blood splattered on the glass display window, the shattered glass door, and the dark interior of the shop all looked quite intimidating. But in the Apocalypse, this was a common sight.

In such situations, it was natural to let Ye Lian go in first. Although she would attack Zombies, they wouldn’t actively attack her.

Fortunately, there were no Zombies inside the shop, and both Ye Lian and Ling Mo entered without any trouble.

The shop had many knives, but they were all for display and not sharpened. However, Ling Mo had once come here on a friend’s request and knew that the shop actually had sharpened knives, though they weren’t displayed for sale.

“I remember the workshop should be back here…”

Ling Mo moved behind the counter to a security door and twisted the handle, only to realize that something was off.

Normally, such a door would open with a pull, but when Ling Mo twisted the handle, he found it was locked.

Could it be that someone had taken refuge in the Workshop? If so, there might be survivors inside! Maybe even Wang Lin was still alive, right in there!

With this thought, Ling Mo became excited. He quickly knocked on the door softly and called out in a low voice, “Is anyone in there?”

“Bang!”

After a moment of silence, a thud came from inside, as if something had been knocked over.

“Someone’s in there!”

Ling Mo was stunned for a moment, then knocked harder on the door. However, only the sound of clattering came from inside; there was no indication the door would open.

Could it be that the person inside was too weak from hunger? But listening to the sounds from within, Ling Mo felt a sense of foreboding. Regardless, to get the knives inside, opening the door was essential.

Ling Mo’s strength alone wasn’t enough to kick down the security door, but with Ye Lian’s help, it was no problem.

With a dull thud, the door was forced open slightly, and before Ling Mo could fully open it, a hand reached out from inside.

At the first sight of the hand, Ling Mo’s pupils involuntarily contracted. At a glance, it seemed normal, but the faintly red nails and the creaking sound as they scratched the metal door were unmistakably similar to Ye Lian’s!

Could there be a Mutation Zombie inside as well?!

Although he had suspected it, actually encountering a Mutation Zombie other than Ye Lian was still shocking for Ling Mo.

And judging by the size of the hand, it likely belonged to a man, which meant Wang Lin’s chances of survival were slim…

The thought of this hand’s owner possibly tearing Wang Lin to pieces and stuffing her remains into his stomach made Ling Mo’s anger surge. He swung his Sharp Knife down with a clang, severing half the hand. Blood splattered everywhere as the door was finally forced open.

What lay beyond the door was a gruesome scene.

The small Workshop was a grisly sight, with bloodstains and torn clothing covering the walls and floor, and human bones scattered everywhere. Two intact corpses lay face down, exposing their hollow Hindbrains.

The only living being was a young man who had been knocked to the ground by the door. As soon as he hit the floor, he sprang up like lightning, transforming into a dark blur as he lunged directly at Ling Mo.

This was Ling Mo’s first direct encounter with a Mutation Zombie’s attack. The speed was so incredible that it left no time to react. If it had been the old Ling Mo, he would have likely been taken down instantly, meeting a swift death. However, the improved Ling Mo remained exceptionally calm.

Though the Mutation Zombie was fast, Ling Mo’s reaction time was also quick. Almost simultaneously with the Zombie’s movement, Ling Mo acted.

He took a half-step back, sidestepped, and swung his Sharp Knife in the direction of the oncoming Zombie.

“Slash!”

A spray of blood erupted as they crossed paths, and Ling Mo completed a ninety-degree turn in the process. He slashed the Mutation Zombie’s abdomen with his Sharp Knife, then swiftly lifted it upward and brought it down with force.

If it had been an ordinary Zombie, this seamless attack would have surely struck true. But the Mutation Zombie was incredibly fast. As Ling Mo turned, the Zombie ducked and spun around, not only dodging Ling Mo’s downward swing but also crashing into him, reaching for his chest.

If the Zombie’s powerful fingers managed to grab him, it would be more than just a superficial wound. At this angle, Ye Lian wouldn’t be able to assist either.

“You’re asking for death!”

At this critical moment, a surge of Frenzy and ferocity erupted within Ling Mo. Instead of dodging, he twisted his wrist and slashed downward again. Simultaneously, he raised his knee sharply, striking the Mutation Zombie’s chin and causing a momentary hesitation in its movements.

In a fight, even a fraction of a second’s hesitation can be fatal. In that brief moment, Ling Mo’s Sharp Knife plunged forcefully into the Zombie’s hindbrain.

“Crack!”

A soft sound signaled the Zombie’s sudden halt, and Ling Mo gritted his teeth, twisting the knife with all his might.

“Snap!”

With a sharp crack, the knife blade broke off, but the part embedded in the Mutation Zombie’s body finished the job.

Holding the broken knife, Ling Mo felt all his strength drain away, and he began gasping for breath.