Chapter 58: The Tide of Corpses

The corpse beneath my legs abruptly ceased its wailing. That punch sent it straight to the Western Paradise. But why was there a corpse lying here? Was the person I saw playing soccer earlier even human?

There was no time to ponder further. First, I had to help Ho Bing, the Fourth Lord, and the equipment down from above. I washed my hands in a puddle; that punch had left them filthy, but thankfully the rain was still falling.

The Fourth Lord stepped forward to sniff the corpse, then let out a couple of mournful sounds and tugged at my pants leg with his teeth. Perplexed by his behavior, I allowed him to pull me back to the corpse. I examined it closely.

What was this? The brain fluid was still moving.

I muttered, “Impossible... When humans turn into corpses, their consciousness dies—the brain is gone, only the part that controls the body keeps functioning. Why is the brain fluid still squirming, as if alive?”

Ho Bing, startled by my observation, crouched down and shone his flashlight briefly over it. “Brother Cao, what’s going on? Is it not dead? The brain fluid seems to be gathering together on its own.” He spoke in a hushed tone, and quickly switched off the light, afraid of attracting attention.

I looked gravely toward the distant factory. The towering storage tanks, dozens of meters high, were too numerous to count. Could these mutations be related to the chemical gases?

“No, I’m certain it’s dead. Its head was shattered by my punch. Even if the brain fluid gathers, without a vessel, it can’t survive.” As I spoke, I paused. So what was with the restless brain fluid?

Moreover, I hadn’t heard the notification sound in my mind that signified a kill. Could it be...?

I lifted my foot and stomped on the slowly gathering brain fluid, splattering it everywhere.

“Host has killed [Level 1 Corpse]. Gene value +1.”

“It really wasn’t dead until the brain fluid was completely destroyed. This chemical plant won’t be easy to handle. Still, with its head smashed, it shouldn’t be able to move even if alive—a vegetable, essentially.” I voiced my suspicion.

After a moment, I added, “Maybe because it’s low-level, the ability isn’t obvious yet.”

“Either way, we must enter the factory district. Only inside can we uncover the cause of these corpse mutations, and check whether the chemicals in there are enough to trigger a massive explosion.” I pulled Ho Bing along as we advanced.

The spot where we jumped from the window was right at the corner of the residential area, not easily visible from the front.

At last, as we drew near, I used advanced vision to survey the workers on the soccer field.

Just as Ho Bing had said—these weren’t workers, but a crowd of the living dead. Yet they looked somewhat different. They weren’t kicking a soccer ball, but another corpse’s head.

These creatures seemed almost intelligent, with smug grins on their faces.

You’re kicking your own kind! Is there no shame in this?

I glanced around. Within the kilometer-wide quarantine zone, the corpses weren’t few, but not too many either—at most a dozen scattered about, just enough to dispatch them all.

Cold weapons would be more convenient, and wouldn’t cause too much commotion.

As usual, I had already bound the composite titanium blade to my arm with bandages. The handle was designed to be slip-resistant, but I was used to securing it this way. With the bandages, I could even throw and retrieve the blade—a skill I had perfected long ago.

Sadly, since unlocking dual wielding, I hadn’t had a chance to try it. With only one suitable weapon, it was a pity; two composite titanium blades would have made things interesting.

With two blades, no one could escape alive.

I strode across the field at a furious pace, reaching the center in almost no time. A few casual swings, and their heads rolled.

The blade was so sharp that it sliced through flesh and bone without a sound, as easily as cutting paper.

Sure enough, even with their heads gone, the rotten mouths still snapped at me. It seemed this chemical plant was a boon for them. What could be inside to make them so hard to kill?

I finished them off one by one, waiting for the notification in my mind before I relaxed.

“To be safe, we’ll sneak toward the factory district from here. Don’t make a sound or show any light. Hold onto me.”

Along the quarantine zone wall, I led Ho Bing and the Fourth Lord, moving stealthily and constantly checking our surroundings.

It took nearly twenty minutes to cross the kilometer-long quarantine zone, proceeding with utmost caution.

Scattered throughout were at least a hundred corpses in total.

I chose not to provoke them further. If the chemicals in the factory were sufficient, they would all be under my control soon enough.

They would all be mine.

“Phew... We finally made it. Just one step from the inside—if we open this door.” I fixed my gaze on the massive iron gate, attempting to use my vision to peer inside.

But after a while, dizziness set in. I couldn’t see through the door at all.

Then, perhaps I could listen?

I pressed my ear against the iron gate. If I couldn’t see, perhaps I could hear.

The Fourth Lord stood at my feet, his fur bristling all over.

Something was wrong!

Since he had followed me, he had never reacted like this.

“Bang! Boom!”

A tremendous sound exploded through the iron gate, my ear pressed right against it—combined with my heightened pain sensitivity.

The noise was like ten thousand thunderclaps.

I fell to the ground in agony, biting my lips to avoid crying out.

I forced myself not to scream, clutching my ears as blood streamed from within.

Ho Bing’s anxious face hovered over me, saying something I couldn’t hear.

I was deaf.

In a daze, I saw the Fourth Lord crouched and baring his teeth at the heavy iron gate, which even my vision couldn’t penetrate.

It must at least be explosion-proof.

I mustered my strength and told Ho Bing, “Let’s leave... find a safe place... hide...”

I knew I was speaking, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t hear my own voice. I pointed to my ear to show I couldn’t hear.

My eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and at last I collapsed into unconsciousness.