C24 The Source of the Stench

Before dusk, Lee Yuanhong and Lee Luoxia made it back to the third floor of the hospital's rear building. They quickly established a secure perimeter and then brought out food to replenish everyone's energy, especially the three recently rescued individuals who needed to regain their strength quickly. If they delayed any longer, they risked being trapped in the hospital with no way out.

That evening, Lee Yuanhong made a point of staying with the soldiers as he intended to begin synthesizing the Evolution Liquid that very night. In the quiet of the night, he retrieved the Evolution Liquid extractor from his storage space, gazing at the 2-meter-long, 1-meter-tall piece of sci-fi machinery that stood before him—the key to unlocking his superhuman life. He quietly summoned Yiling and inquired, "How does this machine work?"

Yiling, equally excited, instructed, "Place the Crystal Core into the top groove, then seal it with the lid. Next, press the switch on the side, and the extraction will start. Oh, and don't forget to set a container under the outlet to catch the Evolution Liquid."

Lee Yuanhong frantically searched for a suitable container and eventually settled on a large teacup, though he worried it might be too small. But venturing out in the dead of night was too risky; stumbling upon a zombie nest would be disastrous.

With everything in place, Lee Yuanhong, filled with anticipation, placed ten first-level Crystal Cores into the machine and activated the switch. The machine began to hum softly and radiate warmth. The wait was agonizing. Although only a quarter of an hour had passed, he had paced around the machine over a hundred times.

Just when Lee Yuanhong thought he might collapse from dizziness, there was a sharp 'pop', and a cool liquid began to pour from the outlet into the teacup. The quantity was meager, barely half a test tube's worth, barely covering the bottom of the oversized cup. Despite the disappointing amount, Lee Yuanhong couldn't contain his excitement. He lifted the teacup, tilted his head back, and downed the liquid in one gulp.

As the Evolution Liquid slid down into his stomach, he initially felt a refreshing coolness, followed by a wave of comfort. But soon, a warm current surged within him, and aches began to spread throughout his body. The discomfort escalated to a deep, bone-piercing pain, and eventually, his head felt as if it were in the grip of a tightening band. Moments later, Lee Yuanhong lost consciousness.

When Lee Yuanhong came to, it was already the following morning. To his surprise, he was sprawled on the concrete floor, with soldiers standing by, their faces etched with stern seriousness, seemingly indifferent to his plight. Annoyed, Lee Yuanhong scrambled to his feet and demanded, "Why didn't you lift me onto a bed when you saw me pass out?"

Lu Yi snapped to attention and responded, "Our orders were clear: ensure the safety of the commander. Your fainting is a typical reaction to the Evolution Liquid, not warranting our intervention. We must adhere strictly to our commands."

Lee Yuanhong smacked his forehead, realizing he had nearly forgotten how these soldiers wouldn't budge without explicit instructions.

Setting aside the thought of these obstinate soldiers, he stowed the Evolution Liquid extraction machine and reviewed his post-evolution attributes:

Name: Lee Yuanhong Age: 32

Level: 1

Skills: Beginner Traps, Truth Eye Level 0

Status: Good

Health Points: 20 Magic Points: 30

Defense: 1 Spirit: 3 Attack Power: 3

Strength: 3 Speed: 3

Physique: 2 Wisdom: 5

The numbers seemed disappointingly low. And what was this new Traps skill? Puzzled, Lee Yuanhong summoned Yiling and inquired, "Why do my attributes still seem so weak after evolving? Is there a mistake? And this Traps skill—when did I learn that?"

Yiling answered with a nonchalant shrug, "Your low values simply reflect your poor foundation. How did I ever end up with someone like you? It's like a talent cursed by the heavens—or rather, a flower planted in manure. As for the Traps skill, it's something you've developed on your own from repeatedly tripping up zombies. The higher the skill level, the more damage and durability your traps will have. With Beginner Traps, you'll get a 5% increase in trap damage and a 3% boost in durability."

"So, I figured it out myself? Seems I'm pretty clever," Lee Yuanhong said, smirking at his own ingenuity.

Yiling scoffed with disdain and vanished back into the watch.

Lee Yuanhong was still basking in a sense of self-contentment when a crisp voice startled him from behind, "Who are you talking to? It almost sounds like there's a girl here."

Turning around, Yuanhong caught sight of Lee Luoxia at the ward's entrance, peering curiously inside.

"Oh, it's nobody, just me and Lu Yi figuring out our way back," he replied.

"Really? Maybe I heard wrong," Luoxia mused as she stepped into the room. But immediately, her face twisted in disgust, "What's that stench? It's awful! Have you two been up to no good in here?"

Yuanhong sniffed the air, confused, and was hit by an overpowering odor. Glancing out the window, he wondered, "Could that be the stench of zombies? Why is it so overpowering?"

Luoxia tiptoed around the room, wary of stepping on something unpleasant. Eventually, her gaze settled on Yuanhong with a mix of confusion and annoyance. Pinching her nose, she exclaimed, "When's the last time you showered? Or did you develop dementia overnight?" With that, she dashed out of the room.

Watching Luoxia's retreating figure, Yuanhong was puzzled. "Dementia? What's she talking about?" It was only then that he noticed his clothes had turned into a crusty, blackened shell clinging to his body. The pungent smell was emanating from him. Caught up in the bliss of his recent upgrade, he hadn't noticed his own odor.

Without delay, Yuanhong retrieved a set of combat gear from his space and quickly changed. He balled up the unrecognizable clothes and tossed them out the back window. By chance, they landed on the head of a wandering zombie, which immediately stiffened and collapsed, lifeless. Yuanhong couldn't help but stick out his tongue at the scene, surprised by the deadly potency of his discarded garments.

Yuanhong, with Lu Yi in tow, made his way to Dr. Han's room. Dr. Han was already on his feet. Though he still seemed unsteady, walking was no longer an issue for him. By his side stood his young son, no more than five or six years old, yet his face bore an unusual determination. As Yuanhong entered, the boy positioned himself protectively in front of his mother, eyeing Yuanhong with a cautious gaze.

Lee Yuanhong approached the youngster and crouched down to make eye contact. After a moment, he smiled and asked, "What's your name, buddy?"

The little guy fixed his gaze on Lee Yuanhong and replied, "Mommy said not to talk to strangers. I don't know you, so I'm not telling!"

Just then, Dr. Han, standing nearby, affectionately stroked the child's head and reassured him, "Xiaopeng, Uncle is here to rescue us. He's one of the good guys."

"Did Daddy send you? Where is he?" Huang Xiaopeng asked, his face brimming with hope as he looked at Lee Yuanhong.

"Your dad has some very important work to do. Once we get your mom to safety, you'll see him!" Lee Yuanhong reluctantly borrowed a line from a TV show.

"Is Daddy catching the bad guys?"

"That's right. Your dad's dealing with a really nasty villain, and because he's so tough, your dad can't be here. But we're going outside soon, and there are lots of bad people out there. Does that scare you?"

"Not at all! Dad says I'm a big boy, and big boys aren't afraid of anything. A big boy has to protect his mom and not be scared of the baddies!"

Lee Yuanhong patted the little guy's head and then stood up, turning to Dr. Han. "We'll be heading out shortly. How are you feeling? We're going to encounter quite a few zombies, so it's crucial we don't run off or scream. Everything okay with you, Dr. Han?"

After pondering for a moment, Dr. Han replied, "You mean those reanimated corpses outside, right? If so, we'll manage. The three of us aren't fully recovered; we can't run very fast and might need some extra help from you."

"That's not a problem. Oh, and one more thing—put on masks before we go. That way, if you get frightened, you won't scream too loudly. Sound good?"

"Sounds good!" Dr. Han agreed.

Lee Yuanhong then noticed Dr. Han's attire—a form-fitting doctor's uniform that accentuated her figure, paired with high heels that lent an air of elegance to her already mature charm. While he found her appearance attractive, he shook his head internally and advised, "Dr. Han, it would be best for you and Nurse Wang to change. That outfit won't do for running outside, and it could be very dangerous if we run into trouble."

Upon hearing the request, Dr. Han nodded promptly and started to look for a fresh set of clothes.

Once the trio was prepared, the group was all set to depart. But Lee Yuanhong couldn't help but notice that Lee Luoxia was deliberately keeping her distance from him, even going so far as to cover her nose and dismiss him at times. Internally, Lee Yuanhong lamented, "Do I really smell that bad?"