Chapter 56: The Mysterious Visitor
“Hiss!”
A pack of intermediate-tier zombies suddenly swarmed into the abandoned vegetable market, violently interrupting Chen Ke just as she was about to sink her teeth into Lin Han’s throat.
As the personal chef to the supreme Zombie Kings, Chen Ke held an exceptionally unique status within the local hierarchy. Consequently, the invading group treated her with a striking amount of submissive caution.
“Hiss!” Chen Ke bared her decaying fangs and let out an angry, territorial roar, clearly dissatisfied by the interruption.
Under the intensive cognitive conditioning of the two Golden-Eyed Zombie Kings, the local undead had slowly begun to develop a rudimentary framework of logical thinking, alongside a growing instinct to worship raw intelligence. They had marched into the market explicitly to debate a massive tactical crisis with Chen Ke. After all, she still possessed half a working human brain; while her analytical processing fell slightly short of the deceased Kings’ thresholds, it vastly eclipsed their own primitive instincts.
The lesser zombies were completely devoid of strategic concepts, but they knew Chen Ke might actually cook up a viable solution.
An intermediate-tier variant rattled out the grim data: both of their supreme Zombie Kings were officially dead. Following their catastrophic failure to capture the humans and the mutant pigeon fleet at the city limits, the two Kings had initially ordered a full retreat toward the southern sector. However, entirely unwilling to let their evolutionary fuel escape, they had broken off from the main horde to pursue the human vanguard through a narrow municipal shortcut.
There, they had been violently ambushed by a colossal, mutated bird carrying two riders—a man and a woman—perched confidently on its back.
Chen Ke’s brow furrowed tightly as she processed the report. A massive avian variant capable of supporting multiple humans could only be Ruan Fanfan’s high-tier parrot; she had analyzed the creature multiple times back when she was still stationed at Base No. 27.
“Hiss…”
The scout rattled on. The human male on the bird’s back had smelled incredibly delicious, but his raw combat capacity was terrifying. With a single, fluid strike, his opening salvo had instantly vaporized more than half of the frontline primary zombies. He had aggressively launched a barrage of thick, thorny botanical vines that tore violently through the center of the horde. To make matters worse, the jagged spikes anchoring the vines could spontaneously detach from the stems, rocket-firing in all directions like automated shrapnel to completely paralyze any walker caught in the blast radius. Naturally, the Zombie Kings’ advanced biological frames had easily absorbed the kinetic impact of the thorns.
However, because the human combatant was anchored to the back of a high-altitude flying variant, the Zombie Kings had been physically incapable of landing a clean blow or manipulating the terrain to bring him down. Witnessing the rapid, catastrophic depletion of their frontline forces, the Bald Zombie King had frantically ordered a tactical evacuation.
But how could land-bound variants ever hope to out-maneuver an airborne predator? The human wielding the vines had unleashed a colossal, barbed botanical net from above, securely trapping the dense clusters of the retreating horde, before methodically mowing down the defenseless zombies below using a high-powered laser rifle. Trapped in those lethal parameters, the two legendary Zombie Kings had been executed with remarkable, terrifying ease. Furthermore, the human’s trajectory had been specifically calibrated to liquidate the leadership; his laser fire had relentlessly pierced their torsos, leaving behind dozens of smoldering holes.
The absolute second the Zombie Kings’ life signatures flatlined, the mysterious sniper had instantly terminated his assault, callously letting the remaining low-tier stragglers scatter into the ruins as he looked down at them with pure, aristocratic disdain.
Chen Ke’s asymmetrical face contorted into a grotesque, twisted grin. She didn’t give a single damn about the tactical breakdown of how her masters had been dismantled; in reality, she was ecstatic that the two tyrannical monsters were finally dead. With them out of the equation, there wasn’t a single soul left on the planet who could ruthlessly torture her system. Staring down at the paralyzed, expectant intermediate zombies gathered before her, a bold, predatory ambition ignited in her mind: she would seize absolute command of the local horde and guide the zombie race to its absolute evolution.
“Hiss!”
After rapidly analyzing their operational assets, Chen Ke hissed out a series of commands, ordering the intermediate vanguard to deploy into the blocks to harvest the remaining mutant pigeon flocks and systematically consolidate their numbers over the coming days.
The zombies proved to be incredibly compliant, promptly melting back into the shadows per her directives. Re-anchor your cells. Consolidate power. If we cross paths with an airborne threat of that caliber down the line, we will officially understand how to neutralize the vector.
One particularly skeptical zombie with a slightly advanced neural path grunted to its neighbor as they walked: Hold on… isn’t she technically still fifty percent raw food? Why exactly are we validating her authority?
The secondary walker shot back: Do you possess the cognitive processing power required to run the logistics for this entire district? Shut it.
The absolute millisecond the intermediate variants cleared the vegetable market, Chen Ke whirled her cloudy eye back toward Lin Han, letting out a wet, mocking chuckle.
Lin Han’s skin broke out into a violent wave of goosebumps. He closed his eyes, frantically screaming internal prayers to every deity he could conjure, but it was entirely useless. Chen Ke unhinged her jaw, exposing her yellowed fangs as she lunged full-tilt at his throat.
Desperate to survive, Lin Han pushed his internal reserves to the absolute limit to trigger a spatial shield, but his elemental core was so severely depleted that the resulting black hole materialized as nothing more than a tiny, pathetic speck the size of a sesame seed. He clamped his eyes shut, his heart completely dead as he accepted his execution.
Chen Ke violently pried his eyelids open with her rotting fingers. “You are going to watch your own blood being drained dry with your own eyes,” she rasped. “And the second your heart stops, I am going to meticulously chop off your hands and feet, processing your torso into a dried, brain-dead human pig corpse.”
Before she could even finalize the threat, a heavy, thorn-covered botanical vine violently whipped through the air, striking Chen Ke square across the chest. The razor-sharp spikes penetrated deeply into her bone structure, instantly locking her neural paths and rendering her completely incapable of movement.
Lin Han peeked through his eyelashes, his gaze locking onto the silhouette standing directly behind her. A massive wave of pure, unadulterated hope flooded his chest.
The vine-wielder… the hyper-velocity sniper from the highway! Seeing that the half-zombie was fully pinned by the thorns, the mysterious warrior stepped forward, casually drawing a combat blade to sever Lin Han’s iron bonds.
Right as the chains clattered to the dirt, Chen Ke’s advanced regenerative systems kicked in. With a sudden, explosive burst of kinetic strength, she wrenched herself free from the spikes and vaulted straight onto the vaulted roof line of the market. The sniper reacted instantly, launching a secondary wave of vines to ensnare her, but she cleanly dodged the trajectory, slipping through a shattered glass skylight and vanishing into the night within a heartbeat.
“That variant’s biological composition is remarkably advanced,” the man muttered aloud, staring up at the empty skylight, his eyes narrowing in deep thought. “To systematically purge a paralytic neurotoxin from the bone marrow in less than thirty seconds… fascinating.”
Lin Han collapsed against the pillar, gasping for breath. “Thank you… thank you for saving my life, sir.”
“Save your praise. I am merely clearing a standard invoice for an elite client,” the man replied flatly, his eyes remaining glued to the roof line, completely refusing to grant Lin Han a single look. “Get your system back to the perimeter blocks immediately. Commander Wan Youzhi is currently waiting for your status report at the bunker.”
“Are you… aren’t you going to escort me back to Base No. 27?” Lin Han asked, his voice shaking.
“Why on earth would I waste my operational hours visiting such a monumentally boring, low-tier stronghold?” the man countered smoothly.
Lin Han: “…”
A few hours blended away into the dark timeline, resetting the scene inside God’s Supermarket.
Ruan Fanfan was currently clutching a brand-new, plush winter comforter to her chest, stubbornly refusing to occupy the same residential room as Song Yuqing.
“Is the structural layout of my quarters not elite enough for your tastes?” Song Yuqing asked, her hands on her hips. “Why are you throwing a tantrum to sleep in the adjacent suite? What exactly do you think is waiting for you next door?”
“She’s clearly plotting to execute some highly covert, shady business in the dark hours!” Liu Xiaona chimed in sarcastically, leaning against the doorframe as he aggressively crunched on a fresh cucumber.
“I am absolutely not!” Ruan Fanfan shrieked, her cheeks flushing.
In truth, she was thoroughly terrified that if she shared a room with the store manager, Song Yuqing would wait until she was fast asleep to forcefully stuff those anomalous red berries down her throat, ruthlessly siphoning every single one of her classified wasteland secrets.
If Song Yuqing had any telepathic inkling of the ridiculous paranoia running through her friend’s brain, her heart would have genuinely broken.
Right as Ruan Fanfan turned around to storm out into the hallway, she violently collided head-first into a tall, broad chest. The absolute second her eyes locked onto the man’s features, her entire body went completely rigid, her tongue tying itself into a knot.
“You… who exactly authorized your entry into this compound?!” she stammered, frantically throwing a glance over her shoulder to ensure Song Yuqing could hear her loud, defensive shouting.
Song Yuqing stepped into the corridor, her analytical gaze locking onto the interloper. He was clad entirely in tactical black apparel—heavy cargo pants, a reinforced combat shirt—and appeared to be roughly twenty-four or twenty-five years old. His facial structure was exceptionally sharp, highly three-dimensional, and framed by a prominent jawline; he was undeniably handsome. Trailed loosely behind his right flank was a single, robust botanical vine, wrapped securely around a neat stack of five fresh zombie carcasses whose skulls had been cleanly hollowed out.
The stranger cast a brief, completely indifferent glance at a trembling Ruan Fanfan before offering a perfectly polite, aristocratic nod. “My apologies for breaching your perimeter unannounced.”
He stepped cleanly past her silhouette, striding confidently into the bright interior of the supermarket.
“My sources indicated this multi-dimensional hub features a fully functional coffee lounge?” he asked, his cool eyes smoothly scanning the staff gathered on the floor. “Excuse me, who holds the executive title of store manager here? I require a premium espresso.”
“That would be me,” Song Yuqing said, taking a calculated step forward. Even though the global timeline was locked in an artificial midnight, her internal clock screamed that it was well past standard sleeping hours. Drinking a high-powered espresso right before crashing out? This guy is remarkably bold. “Are you looking to initialize an order immediately?”
“Correct.”
“Is it an absolute survival emergency to consume caffeine this exact second? Are your eyes completely incapable of tracking the fact that our team is currently packing down to sleep?” Ruan Fanfan grumbled, aggressively adjusting her comforter as she shot the stranger an unamused look.
“Ah. I see your point. My deepest apologies; my operational schedule runs on a slightly alternative chronological matrix than standard baselines,” the man replied smoothly, his tone laced with a gentleman’s courtesy.
“Think nothing of it,” Song Yuqing smiled, gesturing toward the stairs. “Leave your raw carcasses right here on the floorboards; I’ll personally escort you up to the second tier.”
As Song Yuqing guided the mysterious visitor toward the spiral staircase, Gaha silently emerged from the back quarters, anchoring their rear flank. Song Yuqing kept her focus forward, remembering that the commercial layout of Passing By Coffee House was linked to her private workspace.
Down on the first floor, Liu Xiaona stepped over to the cargo, effortlessly hoisting the first zombie carcass by the ankle to chuck it straight through the automated security gate.
“Ding~ Total of five primary-tier walker units logged into data accounts.”
Liu Xiaona raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. Judging by the man’s terrifyingly calm, oppressive aura, she had fully expected the carcasses he brought to trade to be highly mutated, elite-tier variants. Instead, they were just standard, baseline walkers.
Hearing the automated terminal chime from the lower floor, the man paused on the stairs, glancing down over his shoulder just as Ruan Fanfan leveled a sharp, highly suspicious glare right at his face.
The stranger let out a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
“May I inquire as to your name, sir?” Song Yuqing asked as they reached the landing.
“Zhang Lei,” he replied smoothly. “The Lei forged from three stones.”
“I am Song Yuqing, the executive store manager. And this is my head clerk, Gaha.”
Zhang Lei executed a perfectly polite, respectful nod directly toward the zombie girl.
“How exactly did your radar lock onto our precise coordinates? Knowledge of our coffee lounge is remarkably scarce in this sector.”
“Pure word-of-mouth intelligence,” Zhang Lei answered casually. “While operating in the outer grid, my path crossed with a scavenger vanguard who had previously cleared an invoice at your counter.”
“Gaha…” Gaha murmured softly, her gray pupils widening as she wondered if he was referring to Nanjiao’s departing convoy.
“Is your associate an active variant of the infected?” Zhang Lei asked. His tone remained perfectly refined and courteous on the surface, but a sudden, violent flash of intense, calculated vigilance cut through his eyes as he looked at Gaha.
“You can lower your guard; she is a core employee and possesses absolutely zero desire to consume human flesh,” Song Yuqing reassured him smoothly. “If her physical proximity triggers an unmanageable amount of anxiety for your system, I can easily instruct her to clear the floor.”
Gaha immediately shot her manager a thoroughly pitiful, heartbreaking look. Fortunately for her feelings, Zhang Lei didn’t press the issue. He simply adjusted his collar and took a seat at the polished hardwood bar counter.
Pitter-patter… pitter-patter.
Ruan Fanfan came scurrying up the spiral staircase, her small winter boots tapping rapidly against the steps as she burst into the lounge. “Change of plans! I require a premium drink immediately as well!”
Song Yuqing tilted her head, her expression deadpan. “I thought your system was on the verge of absolute collapse from exhaustion?”
“I am deeply concerned regarding your personal safety when you are locked in an isolated room with a strange human male,” Ruan Fanfan huffed, aggressively planting herself on the adjacent stool.
Song Yuqing: …
“My deepest apologies, Mr. Zhang,” the manager sighed, rubbing her temples. “My associate operates on a somewhat erratic psychological spectrum.”
“Think nothing of it. A high-density environment always fosters a more vibrant corporate energy,” Zhang Lei smiled smoothly, embodying the absolute grace of an old-world aristocrat. He exuded an incredibly friendly, approachable charm, yet his very posture radiated a heavy, suffocating layer of invisible authority that put everyone on high alert.
Song Yuqing stepped behind the automated taps to initialize his order. Zhang Lei delicately accepted the steaming porcelain cup, raising the fluid toward the light fixtures to meticulously analyze the rich, deep color of the brew.
“Tell me, Manager Song,” Zhang Lei murmured, his cool eyes shifting over the rim of the cup to lock onto her face. “Does your establishment’s intelligence database happen to possess any data regarding an anomalous zombie currently operating in this town… one who still retains exactly half of its human features?”
