Chapter One Hundred and Eleven: Facing White Ember

"Generating random task based on host's current environment and events..."
Random Task: [Escape or Kill & Confront]
Reward upon success: 3,000 Genetic Points
Consequence of failure: Unknown
Task Description: Does the host remember an "old acquaintance"? Whether they are friend or foe, the past grievances, and the balance between life and death—everything depends on a single thought.
Note: This is an important prerequisite task and an event with a high degree of uncertainty. It will influence future developments and the host's current destiny. Please be sure to follow your heart and make a quick decision.

Cao Fusheng quickly scanned the information in his mind. This was his first bidirectional task, and also an event where the consequence of failure was unknown.
What was the significance of this important prerequisite task?
To have the system single it out and claim it would influence future developments meant something.
Especially the name of the task: Escape or Kill.
Why call it "Escape or Kill"? Who exactly was coming? Which "old acquaintance" was it?

Cao Fusheng let out a long, heavy breath. Continuing to run was not his style, and simply running wouldn't solve anything. The pursuer was extremely fast and would catch up sooner or later.
Having made up his mind, Cao Fusheng took a firm step forward, standing at the end of the underground pipe, his eyes locked straight ahead.
He wanted to see what this "old acquaintance" looked like and what they intended by chasing him.

As if sensing that Cao Fusheng was no longer trying to flee, the person behind him deliberately slowed their pace, the sound of rapid running shifting into a leisurely stroll.
"Brother! Do you still remember that dashing white outfit?"
The voice came from afar before the person was even visible.
Adding the echo from the pipe walls, Cao Fusheng heard it with absolute clarity, and the voice felt somewhat familiar.

"You’re quite the expert at playing god and ghost, but I wonder how much real substance you actually have."
Cao Fusheng narrowed his eyes. He had a faint idea of who this might be—or, more accurately, what kind of zombie it was.
A zombie that had once shattered his perception of reality.
Moreover, the gunshot from earlier had been deafening; ordinary firearms could not produce such an effect. Only heavy weaponry could, such as the Wave God Sniper Cannon.

"Clack..."
"Clack..."
Footsteps echoed from the other end. Bai Ye’s figure finally appeared in Cao Fusheng’s line of sight. He still wore that unsettling smile on his face. "Long time no see! If we’re being technical, I’m actually your benefactor. If I hadn't thrown you into the reactor, would your ears have healed so quickly?"

Cao Fusheng retorted mockingly, "What? You want me to thank you? Create a blood feud and then expect gratitude? You really are thick-skinned."
"No, no, no, that’s not what I meant. You must understand that I’ve never held any malice toward you. After all, you are my proudest test subjects." Bai Ye had the missing Wave God Sniper Cannon slung over his shoulder, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, though the smoke leaked out from the side of his cheek.

Cao Fusheng said coldly, "Does smoking like that feel good? Leaking as you puff? Still, you look much better than before. At least your mouth isn't split all the way to your ears. It seems you’ve put quite a bit of effort into yourself since you ran away that day."

"How can you say that? Running away? I was just too lazy to brawl with you. Otherwise, do you really think the two of you, plus a dying mutant, could have handled me? You just chopped off one of my arms. Look, it grew back—it’s nothing to worry about!" Bai Ye deliberately extended his arm for Cao Fusheng to see clearly. The newly grown limb was not only free of decay but appeared smooth and jade-like.
It looked just like a woman’s arm.

"Oh, right. Where is that little girl who was with you? You look a bit pale, so I suppose she’s gone. What a pity; she was my most outstanding masterpiece. How could she just vanish like that?"
"You’re a corpse. Why are you so curious about the affairs of the living?"
"That’s not fair to say. What do you mean I’m a corpse? Yes, my body has physically died, but my consciousness and memories haven't lost a shred of detail. I am still me; those low-functioning idiots can’t be compared to me." Bai Ye sighed. "I originally thought I wasn't the only one in this world, but after wandering for a while, I’ve realized it—I’m the only damn zombie who still retains their memories and consciousness from when they were alive. Even Heaven doesn't want to take me."

Cao Fusheng said indifferently, "No, the world is vast and full of wonders. Have you traveled the whole world? Have you seen every single zombie? Perhaps you’re just a frog at the bottom of a well, imagining things out of thin air."
He then deliberately took a few steps forward and asked, "I have a question. How did you find me, and what do you want by chasing me?"

The Bai Ye before him was no longer the one from the chemical plant. The Bai Ye at the plant had given him the feeling that he could be fought, but this one had clearly undergone several evolutions.
For instance, the ability to absorb the marsh gas from the pipes was something an ordinary zombie couldn't do; even a Level 3 zombie wouldn't have such an ability.
Bai Ye was the only bizarre zombie whose strength couldn't be confirmed by a simple rating.

"Find you? That’s simple. I just followed your scent. As it happens, I’ve eaten a few disgusting kin lately, and my nose has become a bit sharper. When I passed the pipe entrance, I smelled that familiar scent. I thought about it, and hey! It was likely you, so here I am. As for why I’m chasing you... I haven't decided yet. I’ll just catch you first and see."

Cao Fusheng sneered, "Well, you’ve caught up now. So what? I bet you want to kill me."
He didn't actually sense any killing intent from Bai Ye, but since the other party was a zombie with strange abilities, it was reasonable that he wouldn't sense it even if it were there.
As for why he was so certain, it was purely because of the task the system had just issued: Escape or Kill. The consequence of failure was likely a devastating price to pay.

Bai Ye pretended to ponder, making a clicking sound with his tongue. Just as he spat out the cigarette butt, the situation changed instantly!
With lightning speed, Bai Ye took the Wave God Sniper Cannon off his shoulder and, without aiming, fired a shot!
"Bang!"
The movement was fluid and instantaneous, with no warning whatsoever. The thirty-pound sniper cannon seemed to have no weight in his hands.

Cao Fusheng had noticed the sharpness in Bai Ye’s eyes the moment he spat out the cigarette and realized the other was about to strike. Almost instantly, he dodged, darting around the corner of the pipe.
If they were at close range, Cao Fusheng wouldn't be afraid—he had disarmed opponents many times before—but this was clearly not possible now. There was a full hundred meters of distance between them.
This distance didn't give him enough of a chance to close in, and there was no guarantee that Bai Ye didn't have other hidden abilities.