The zombie still bared its fangs and claws. However, since it could not eat, its strange appearance carried a hint of helpless rage—almost comical in its frustration.
Bang—
Bang—
A few minutes later, the sound of gunfire from Zhao Lei’s group could be heard in the distance.
Huang Qian and Lu Ningzhou exchanged a glance, then used their powers to raise barriers and shield their backs.
Cheng Jing turned in the direction of the shots.
“Niannian, go ahead and try it.”
“Alright.”
Jiang Nian nodded, but didn’t act immediately. He stared intently at the zombie.
“My purification power is effective against the zombie virus, but it’s not lethal on its own. Just burning it off like this won’t solve the problem. I’ve been thinking of a way we can try.”
He’d actually been considering this earlier. If they hadn’t been worried about Yang Kai, they would have already left the workshop by now.
“What way? We can’t risk it if it’s dangerous,” Cheng Jing said, his voice calm but firm.
Cheng Jing asked, his voice calm but firm. He trusted Jiang Nian, but he wasn’t about to let him take reckless chances.
“Don’t worry. It isn’t dangerous.”
Jiang Nian could guess what Cheng Jing was thinking and reassured him with a serious look.
“Based on the fundamental theory of superpower attributes, purification is a supplementary-type ability. These attributes usually have a positive effect on other powers, and sometimes they can be used as a medium, like a buff in a game.”
He paused, then continued.
“In other words, most offensive powers are at least somewhat compatible with supplementary ones. At the very least, they won’t clash.”
“…”
“That’s right. So the rebound doesn’t work on your power.”
Huang Qian nodded thoughtfully. This was basic superpower science—something they’d all studied after joining the base. Countries that specialized in support-type abilities often produced users who were the weakest and strongest.
Jiang Nian raised his right hand. Since he was wearing fingerless gloves, a blue-white halo of power glimmered at his fingertips when he summoned it. Then, he laid out the plan he had been formulating.
“In this case, if Brother Jing and I use our powers together, we should be able to damage the zombie.”
“Do you mean to have me channel my lightning and fire through your purification power as a conduit?”
Cheng Jing immediately grasped the idea. After thinking it through, he decided it was worth trying.
“Yes, in theory, it should allow us to channel my purification power through your attacks. So I’d like to test it.”
Once he finished, Jiang Nian looked over at Huang Qian and Lu Ningzhou.
“You two, your job is to handle anything that rebounds in case Brother Jing’s power bounces back.”
The idea made sense, but they all knew it was unwise to take success for granted. They had to be prepared for anything.
Even though he’d lived two lives, Jiang Nian still didn’t fully understand the limits of his own power. Every opportunity to test it mattered.
“No problem.”
Huang Qian and Lu Ningzhou agreed in unison. Their plant and earth attributes were best suited for containing any backlash from Cheng Jing’s powers.
Since the risk was low, Cheng Jing nodded.
“If anything seems wrong, we’ll stop immediately. Safety first.”
“Of course.”
Jiang Nian smiled, stepped behind him, and gently took his left hand. First, Jiang Nian spread a layer of purification energy around Cheng Jing’s entire body. Then, he transmitted it down through the floor, guiding it toward the zombie.
Cheng Jing seized the moment and wove lightning and fire into the blue-white halo of purification.
With a crackle of electricity, the three energies rapidly merged.
Hissss—
Boom!
Flames and lightning erupted more than two meters high, wrapped in a shimmering blue-white glow. This strangely beautiful yet perilous sight illuminated the workshop as brightly as day.
A wave of heat surged over them, and finally, the zombie in the chemical pool sensed true danger. It roared and stretched out its twisted arms to grab the burning serpent of power. The moment it touched it, however, the purifying lightning swallowed the zombie whole.
As the combined attack fully engulfed the creature, Cheng Jing pulled Jiang Nian behind him protectively and drew back his hand.
Jiang Nian patted his back.
“Don’t tense up, Brother Jing. It’s fine. Trust me.”
Meanwhile, Huang Qian and Lu Ningzhou quickly raised protective walls in front of them and waited.
Time crawled by.
Yet, the purification-infused lightning and fire didn’t rebound at all. Their theory was correct—Cheng Jing’s attack passed straight through their defense and hit the zombie head-on.
No one spoke, but a collective sense of relief settled over them.
From now on, if they faced a situation like this again, they wouldn’t be so helpless.
Huang Qian watched the roiling flames, excitement bright in her eyes.
Still, the zombie’s dual-attribute abilities were formidable. Even after burning for so long, it still managed to thrash and howl.
Raaaagh—
“…”
Its furious, piercing wails echoed through the vast building.
Zhao Lei and the others, who had just reached the far end of the workshop, couldn’t help but glance back as they whispered:
“Honestly, I was worried, but it sounds like Brother Cheng pulled it off…”
“Seems like it. That sounds like a death throe to me.”
“Brother Cheng’s incredible!”
“… ”
Yang Kai didn’t join the chatter. He simply looked back at the unnatural color of the flames and lightning.
After a long moment, he let out a quiet sigh and tried to reassure himself.
As the “uninvited transfer student,” it was only natural that the others weren’t ready to accept him yet.
“… ”
The burning continued for nearly half an hour before the mutant zombie’s screams finally faded and ceased.
All that remained was a pile of ash.
The concrete of the chemical pool was scorched and discolored in places, melted in others.
In the wreckage, they found a heap of half-melted chains and dozens of crystal cores, some from ordinary zombies and others from mutants.
Apparently, the perverse creature they’d faced had devoured many of its own kind.
Perhaps because of that, its core wasn’t the usual dual-colored crystal. Instead, it was a murky red-black and still exuded a thick, bloody stench, even after the intense heat had sterilized it.
Huang Qian picked up the cores and counted them:
Fifty-seven in total. Judging by the reports, about half of the people trapped in there had been eaten by the creature with the blood-colored crystal.
“…”
Jiang Nian held the dark core for a long while, then asked in a quiet voice that made everyone’s scalp prickle,
“If zombies mutate by eating each other’s cores, would mutants mutate again if they ate each other’s cores, too?”
It was basically a question of homology.
“…”
The other three stared at him in shock, a chill creeping up their spines.
Jiang Nian handed the ominous core to Huang Qian for safekeeping, then added,
“The chances are probably high. We should stay alert.”
Cannibalism was always a possibility during a disaster, but they weren’t at that level of desperation yet. It wasn’t something you wanted to think about unless you had to.
Human evil knows no limits.
Just imagining what would happen if some lunatic ever awakened an ability that let them devour their own kind and mutate further was terrifying enough.
“…”
“Yeah.”
Cheng Jing gave a solemn nod. Huang Qian and Lu Ningzhou agreed.
Boom!
A deep crash from up ahead pulled them from their thoughts.
It was the sound of Zhao Lei’s group forcing open the far door of the workshop—they must have finished their sweep.
Sure enough, Huang Qian’s phone rang a moment later.
Zhao Lei reported in a loud, clear voice that they had completed their part of the mission and asked about their status.
“We’re done here, too. We’re heading out now. Just wait for us outside.”
Huang Qian hung up with a relieved smile on her face.
Cheng Jing did one last careful inspection of the chemical pool to make sure nothing was overlooked or hidden.
Then, the four of them gathered and walked toward the exit where Zhao Lei and the others were waiting.
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