C1 Zombie!

"These Rank 1 zombies are hideous."

Perched cross-legged on a building's ledge, Jiang Loong peered down at the trio of zombies shuffling below, his expression one of utter contempt.

He had been on this Earth for a month, having traversed time and space.

Five centuries prior, the planet was rocked by a massive crisis when a lethal purple mist permeated the atmosphere.

Humans exposed to the mist transformed into zombies, while animals became fearsome mutated beasts.

The emergence of zombies and mutated beasts shattered the ecological balance, unleashing chaos across the globe.

Within a mere month, they had turned Earth into their playground.

The handful of survivors who avoided the purple haze began a genetic evolution, developing various abilities and becoming formidable Evolvers, also known as genetic warriors.

The remnants of humanity established bases of varying sizes and some larger organizations, relying on these individuals.

Now, 500 years later, humans have once again emerged on Earth.

Just five days prior, a grain town near Jiang Loong's base fell under attack by mutated zombies.

To clarify the situation, the base issued a high-reward mission.

Jiang Loong, who had yet to become an Evolver, was enticed by the bounty's offer of a Zombie Energy Crystal. He geared up and set out to investigate.

Upon arrival with his group, they were ambushed by zombies.

He was the sole survivor; the rest fell victim to the undead.

After spending a night in hiding, Jiang Loong discovered the mutated zombies had vacated the town.

Only a few lower-level zombies roamed aimlessly, prompting him to consider escaping the town.

As the granary of Base City, he found ample food in several rooms, ensuring he wouldn't starve anytime soon.

Yet without the security of the base, the constant threat of zombie attacks loomed, robbing him of peaceful sleep.

Surveying the area, Jiang Loong noticed many zombies still lingering in the distance.

These were the town's former defenders, among them even Evolvers.

Zombies, by nature, would remain where they had lived for extended periods unless disturbed.

If that was the case, then the town was likely peppered with over a hundred zombies, lurking in every nook and cranny.

At the moment, Jiang Loong was just an ordinary human. Without any high-level zombies around, he might stand a chance to make a break for it.

But his odds of making it out alive were slim, so staying put seemed like the better option.

For now, this place was a safe haven. Maybe, just maybe, the zombies would move on in a few days.

Suddenly, a noise at the door caught his attention.

Jiang Loong leaped from the window and crept towards the sound. Peering through the door's convex lens, a shiver ran down his spine.

Two zombies stood outside.

He took a closer look and realized they were female zombies, their necks and arms riddled with gaping holes that painted a gruesome picture.

"Sticking together as friends, even in undeath," he muttered under his breath, a mix of sarcasm and pity in his tone.

Shaking off the thought, Jiang Loong turned to scavenge for anything that might aid his escape.

Trapped on the fifth floor, his escape was far from straightforward.

Even if he managed to slip out the window, other zombies could be waiting.

Grabbing a steel rebar, a flicker of merciless determination crossed his face.

These two seemed like nothing more than low-level zombies.

If he could just take them out, he'd live to see another day.

And if not, well, he wasn't afraid to die trying.

With this resolve, Jiang Loong tiptoed to the door, pressing his back against it as he waited for the zombies to approach.

Zombies might amble slowly, but that wasn't their chase speed.

Once they spotted a human, their sprint could match that of any grown adult.

So, he bided his time, waiting for the right moment.

Half a minute later, the door creaked open, revealing the head of a zombie.

Without a moment's hesitation, Jiang Loong swung the steel bar down with all his might.

The zombie's head buckled under the force.

He continued to swing relentlessly. With each strike, the zombie's head hung by a thread.

But Jiang Loong didn't let up.

He knew zombies didn't feel pain and weren't easily killed. Until he was certain they were dead, he couldn't afford to stop his assault.

Another zombie caught Jiang Loong's scent and charged at him with a ghastly howl.

But Jiang Loong stepped back just in time, nimbly avoiding the oncoming zombie.

These lower-tier zombies were basic hunters, oblivious to the rope lying in wait beneath them.

It charged, its foot snagging the rope, and suddenly, it was dangling midair.

Jiang Loong had set this simple trap earlier—how else could he risk sleeping?

Now, the trap had proven its worth.

"Quiet down!"

Hearing the zombie's wails, Jiang Loong gripped his steel bar, ready to finish it off before it drew more of its kind.

That's when an electronic voice echoed in his head.

"Host, congratulations on binding the Zombie Synthesis System."

"The system has detected zombies available for synthesis. Would you like to proceed?"

System?

Jiang Loong paused, then it clicked—he had a system.

"Synthesize."

With that command, the two zombies before him vanished into thin air.

A semi-transparent screen materialized before him, displaying two zombies, each marked with a "1" above their heads.

"Host, simply slide the icons together to synthesize."

The process was straightforward!

He eyed the control panel, decisively swiped his finger across the screen, and merged the two zombies.

"Do you wish to synthesize them?"

The screen prompted for confirmation once more.

"Yes."

He hit the button, and with a burst of golden light, the two zombies fused into one, now marked with a "2."

"Two Level One zombies make a Level Two zombie?"

Jiang Loong stared at the shimmering "2," momentarily taken aback.

For five centuries, the taxonomy of zombies had been meticulously defined.

Mutated zombies were tantamount to Rank 1. Beneath that, there were ten sub-levels.

Each rank comprised ten levels, with those above Rank 10 known as Corpse Kings—monstrous beings on par with a level 100 zombie.

Yet, he might never encounter such zombies.

As Jiang Loong pondered, a beginner's tip popped up before him.

To synthesize a zombie, it must be alive and subdued.

The zombies synthesized by Jiang Loong were unfailingly obedient to his commands. However, they would always take up space unless Jiang Loong decided to eliminate them. Their appearance was entirely at the whim of Jiang Loong's thoughts.

Each zombie, based on its level, would daily bestow upon Jiang Loong a treasure chest. A Rank 1 zombie yielded a Rank 1 treasure chest each day, a Level Two zombie produced a Level Two treasure chest, and a Level Three zombie presented a Level Three treasure chest. The contents of these chests varied, potentially containing everyday items, weapons, mutated zombies, or Mutated Beast Energy Crystals.

In essence, the treasure chests were a source of a wide array of items for Jiang Loong. The Mutated Beast Energy Crystal, in particular, was a valuable item that could significantly enhance an Evolver's cultivation speed.

The mutated zombies, with their unique abilities, were a guaranteed source of attribute points for Jiang Loong. The nature of the points he received was directly linked to the zombies' strengths. Strength points came from zombies with immense power, while speed points came from the swift ones. If fortune smiled upon him, he might even come across the rare Genome Points, capable of directly altering his genetic makeup.

Additionally, each zombie synthesis provided the Synthetic Space with experience. Once the Synthetic Space accumulated enough experience, it could level up, unlocking additional slots for storing more zombies.

Mutated zombies possessed the intelligence of a child, whereas the Corpse King's intellect matched that of an adult. During the synthesis process, Jiang Loong had the freedom to preserve the intelligence level of any zombie he chose.

Upon reviewing the newcomer's guide, Jiang Loong couldn't help but express his awe. The Zombie Synthesis System was truly formidable. He was thrilled to have such a potent tool at his disposal, especially in a world fraught with peril where he stood alone, with only himself to depend on.

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