C9 Strengthening

In the kitchen, Jiang Feng and Urendir were soaked with sweat, each grappling with the searing pain that pushed their bodies to the brink. Clenching their teeth, they managed to suppress any sound from escaping their lips.

The cacophony of zombies ravaging furniture just outside sent waves of tension through their every nerve; there was no respite, no part of them untouched by fear.

One of the zombies lumbered to the kitchen's edge, its head lolling from side to side.

"Hahaha..." it growled, a deep, animalistic rumble.

In a sudden burst of ferocity, the zombie seized the door and, with a sharp "snap," wrenched it from its hinges, flinging it aside. Spotting three victims, it let out an exuberant roar at Jiang Feng and his companions, showering Jiang Wei and Jiang Feng with a vile spray of saliva.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang!"

True to form, even in the throes of agony, Urendir managed to fire her weapon. She executed a headshot on the advancing zombie before it could strike.

But the pain made her aim falter; it took emptying her entire magazine to land the fatal shot. Meanwhile, the commotion had drawn the attention of other zombies in the house, and those nearby charged toward the kitchen once more.

Jiang Feng was consumed with rage. He hadn't anticipated such a dire turn of events, not on the very first day. The thought of dying now was intolerable, utterly unacceptable...

Instinctively, he shut his eyes tight, his jaw set in a fierce grimace...

"Don't come any closer!" Jiang Wei's voice thundered in a furious shout.

At her command, flames erupted from her hands, surging forth with a force that sent the first four zombies hurtling through the air.

They slammed against the wall, only to be engulfed by the relentless fire.

The sight ignited a spark of hope in Jiang Feng's chest. But the victory was short-lived; only four zombies had fallen, and more were quickly bearing down on them.

The perilous situation was far from over, and the fiery aura that had encircled Jiang Wei was now fading.

"Jiang Wei, the flames! Do it again!" Jiang Feng cried out in desperation.

Jiang Wei mustered all her might, yet no flames emerged.

Cursed luck! They had been so close to a breakthrough, yet death seemed inescapable. Jiang Feng's eyes blazed with fury.

Another zombie lunged at Jiang Wei, its claws poised to shred her to pieces.

"No!" Jiang Feng yelled.

In the nick of time, a black figure darted in front of Jiang Wei, seizing the zombie's wrist. With a swift flick, it hurled the creature into the living room's television.

The impact obliterated the big-screen TV, sending shards flying like a burst of celestial blossoms to every corner of the room.

Jiang Feng's eyes were wide with astonishment. Time seemed to crawl as he could discern the elegant arcs traced by the flying fragments.

A look of shock and disbelief painted Jiang Feng's face, for standing resolutely before him was none other than Urendir.

Wasting no time, Urendir charged at the advancing horde. Her right fist hammered down on the nearest zombie's face, sending it crashing into the floor with such force that the ground splintered and the whole house trembled.

The dim-witted zombies, oblivious to the disparity in strength, continued their assault on Urendir without fear or hesitation.

Urendir's whirlwind kick met a burly zombie with unapologetic force, matching the ferocity of her previous punch.

The zombie was catapulted into the wall, its face grotesquely misshapen, teeth scattering like broken glass.

Urendir then swiftly drew her dagger and decapitated the zombie to her right in a blur of motion.

Immediately, she launched the dagger at another zombie closing in from behind. The blade pierced the zombie's left palm and, with the force of the throw, pinned it against the wall. Despite its tenacious vitality and indifference to pain, the zombie struggled to free the dagger.

Urendir wouldn't allow it. She delivered a stunning straight kick to the zombie's heart with a resounding thud. The blow was more potent than any before, causing the zombie's heart to burst and its eyes to bulge from the shockwave that even cracked the wall behind it.

As Urendir withdrew her leg, the zombie collapsed.

Jiang Feng was utterly amazed. Urendir's prowess was unmatched—her actions fluid and graceful, yet packed with devastating power. Most horrifying of all, Urendir had targeted not the brain, but the heart, and that alone was enough to slay the robust zombie. Her striking power was truly fearsome.

Urendir turned slowly to meet Jiang Feng's gaze, offering him a smile. "It worked. My heartache is gone, and I'm brimming with strength. I feel like I've gained at least three times the power I had before."

Jiang Feng managed a wry smile. "Cut the act. I'm still in agony here."

Without hesitation, Urendir rushed to Jiang Feng's side, helping him to his feet, then took Jiang Wei's hand, ready to leave the room.

"We should retrieve our guns; they might come in handy," Jiang Feng suggested.

"Right, good idea."

Ten minutes later, they cautiously made their way back to Jiang Feng's home, double-locking the door behind them and breathing a collective sigh of relief.

Urendir gently eased Jiang Feng onto the bed, encouraging him to rest. "How do you feel? Any better?"

"Yeah, it's improving slowly. Not as excruciating as before."

As Urendir dabbed at the sweat on Jiang Feng's forehead with a towel, she inquired, "What caused such intense heart pain?"

"It could be the method of radiation. Typically, it's administered directly through the bloodstream—quick and efficient. But we were exposed through our digestive system. The digestive system had to process and convert the harmful radiation into our bloodstream, overloading our organs, particularly the heart. It wasn't until our transformation was complete, and our organs were enhanced, that the pain subsided. You seem to have a much higher physical tolerance than me, though. Your transformation was significantly quicker."

"Really? That's quite the explanation."

"Just speculating," Jiang Feng said with a light laugh.

At that moment, Jiang Feng caught sight of Jiang Wei looking at him with a forlorn expression.

"Jiang Wei, what's on your mind?"

"Dad, I'll be strong in the future. I'm going to get stronger. I don't want to go through losing you again."

Jiang Feng felt a surge of pride at his child's resolve, amazed at the thought of having such an exceptional child in the future.

He tenderly stroked little Jiang Wei's head. "After this ordeal, my confidence in you has only grown. And," he lifted his gaze to Urendir, "your sister is an absolute force to be reckoned with. Together, we're going to make history."

"You're describing me as 'terrifying'?" Urendir was at a loss for words.

"Haha, I was complimenting you."

"Okay, so what's next?"

"Nothing more for now. Just turn off the lights and get some sleep—we've finished the first phase quite well. But before you hit the hay, could you move that big wardrobe in front of the security door? Just as a precaution."

Urendir strode over to the wardrobe Jiang Feng had indicated. With a gentle effort, she easily lifted it and blocked the door. The whole process was a breeze.

"Who knew becoming a new human would make me this strong," Urendir remarked, examining her palms.

"Well, it's not quite that simple. Newly transformed biohumans and zombies are roughly on the same level, though individual differences do exist. Let's just say you're exceptionally gifted. Now get some rest. You haven't slept at all today, and you need to recharge."

At 1:30 AM, the trio turned off the lights and settled into a peaceful slumber under the faint moonlight. Jiang Feng, Urendir, and Jiang Wei all drifted off without a hitch. Despite the end of the world, they harbored a deep sense of optimism and hope for what lay ahead.

Who else could enjoy such a restful night's sleep but them?

Around 7 AM the following morning, Jiang Feng, who had been sleeping on the floor, groggily opened his eyes and glanced toward the bed. Jiang Wei was still there, sound asleep.

Turning over, Jiang Feng was startled to see another figure seated at the computer desk. Focusing, he realized it was Urendir.

"Wow, what are you doing in my room?" Jiang Feng blurted out, sitting up abruptly.

"Is there a problem? You didn't close your door."

"No, it's not that. It's just... waking up to find a woman in front of me is quite a shock. I'm still not used to this post-apocalyptic life. Anyway, what time did you get up?"

"At 6. Seems like us biohumans only need about five hours of sleep."

"Hehe, everyone's different, I guess. I've been asleep for nearly six hours and still don't feel fully rested," Jiang Feng said with a yawn and a wry smile.

"Go ahead and get some more sleep. I'm going to keep studying this guide. It says that by noon, the water and power will be cut off, leaving us without any utilities. We need to commit this guide to memory as quickly as possible."

"Memorizing tens of thousands of words is impossible, and even if I did, I'd probably forget or mix them up. That's why I copied it all down on paper yesterday."

"Still, the more familiar we are with it, the better. Anything else?" Urendir hesitated.

"What else is there?"

"I've seen your handwritten version of the survival guide. The handwriting is pretty bad."

"Uh... Haha, just make do with it," Jiang Feng replied with a wry smile.

"I'm going to rewrite it."

"Wow, thank you so much! I'll make breakfast for you then."

Jiang Feng woke up Little Jiang Wei and took her to the kitchen.

30 minutes later...

Jiang Feng approached Urendir, "Hey, stop reading for now and come have some breakfast."

"Okay." Urendir glanced at Jiang Feng, noticing the hopeful look in his eyes, and headed to the kitchen.

Upon arriving, Urendir was astonished.

Expecting just bread and biscuits, she was surprised to find milk, juice, hot fried eggs, green bean soup, bread, porridge, and even fried dough sticks – a veritable feast.

"Isn't this a bit much? Did you make all this?"

"Of course. Sit down and see how you like it." Jiang Feng pulled out a chair for Urendir.

Urendir took a seat, served herself some porridge, and began to eat.

"The food's really good. How are you so skilled? I wouldn't even know where to start with these dishes," Urendir commented between bites.

"Haha, with my parents gone, I've had to learn everything on my own. I can't afford to be sloppy with food."

Jiang Feng's laugh was genuine and clear, and Little Jiang Wei joined in. Urendir offered a polite chuckle, understanding that Jiang Feng's laughter was forged from many tears.

By eight in the morning, the trio was geared up and ready for action. They planned to embark on the second phase of their mission, aiming to eliminate as many zombies as possible while staying safe. After all, the biochemical soldiers could rapidly grow stronger through combat.