C23 Chapter 23

"Bang, bang, bang!" A violent pounding echoed from the door on the second floor, in the corner room—Liu Yi's quarters. He had been clutching a crystal nucleus, eager to unlock superhuman abilities, but now he was frantically slamming against the door.

The banging was intermingled with the guttural roars of zombies. Liu Yi had already surrendered his human consciousness; he was driven by the scent of humans outside, a scent he desperately craved.

Jiang Ruan's expression was somber as she turned to Zeng Qiang, "Deal with it yourself—the zombie in that room." Indeed, Jiang Ruan could no longer detect even a hint of humanity in that person, a scent she was all too familiar with.

The revelation stunned everyone; Liu Yi had become a zombie. Disbelief painted Zeng Qiang's face; he had assumed that failing to become superpowered would merely drain a significant amount of energy, not that the cost would be life itself.

Jiang Ruan refused to dwell on the matter. With a dismissive chuckle, she turned and headed back to bed.

Subsequently, not just Liu Yi, but Zhu Zhengyan and another man succumbed to the agony and transformed into zombies.

Zeng Qiang, heartbroken, erected an earthen wall, while Faang Yu assisted with his ice thorns, precisely piercing the zombies' skulls and causing the crystal nuclei to tumble out.

But after felling three zombies, both Zeng Qiang and Faang Yu were spent, their strength depleted, foreheads slick with sweat, bodies weakened.

With only Lu Ming and himself remaining from the original five men in his squad, Zeng Qiang realized he had to strategize for his own sake. Short on numbers, how could he possibly stand up to Faang Yu?

As he mulled this over, Zeng Qiang swiftly gathered the crystal nuclei from the ground, pocketing them. Faang Yu, however, showed no interest in the nuclei. It was Zeng Qiang's actions that were truly contemptible.

The night was restless. Having lost his subordinates, Zeng Qiang's only hope was for Lu Ming to awaken his superpower. Should that happen, their team would boast three superpowered individuals, finally able to command Faang Yu.

As dawn broke the next day, Jiang Ruan awoke early while the rest of the group continued to sleep, likely exhausted from the previous night's endeavors.

Ascending to the rooftop, Jiang Ruan found a small stool to sit on and surveyed the area. The national highway was in clear view, and the path ahead promised to be much clearer; several cars had plunged off the nearby cliff, leaving the road relatively unobstructed.

With confidence, she thought they would surely make it to A City without issue today. So engrossed was she in her thoughts that she didn't notice Faang Yu approaching from behind.

"What brings Miss Jiang to the rooftop at this hour?" Faang Yu, who had also risen with the sun, had come up to check the day's route and was surprised to find Jiang Ruan already there.

Jiang Ruan snapped out of her reverie and gave Faang Yu a sidelong glance. "Planning our route," she replied.

Faang Yu's voice carried a deep sincerity as he spoke, "I've been told about the incident in the bamboo forest. I owe you my gratitude for your assistance, Miss Jiang. Should you ever need anything from me in the future, don't hesitate to ask. I'll make it happen." Jiang Ruan had saved his brother, and to Faang Yu, repaying her with his life wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Unaware of how significant she had become in Faang Yu's eyes, Jiang Ruan didn't dwell on it, simply stating, "They're my partners, too."

Faang Yu was so moved by her words that he was at a loss for words, feeling his heart pound as if struck by an unseen force.

Jiang Ruan turned her gaze toward the woods nearby, where a few zombies had emerged. "The crystal nucleus can grant people superpowers, but it can also turn them into horrific zombies. Liu Dajun and the others have decent abilities; if they could become superpowered, it would be a great asset to us." With her mental energy, she effortlessly dispersed the approaching undead.

This entire exchange went unnoticed by the others, including Faang Yu, who remained oblivious to Jiang Ruan's subtle display of power.