Chapter 218: The Crawling Entity
Guan Zining was recovering well. Apart from avoiding strenuous activities, she had no major issues moving around normally.
Su Tao lifted her shirt slightly to check her abdomen. There wasn’t a single scar—nothing to indicate that she had once been cut open.
She even still had her abs.
Still, Su Tao couldn’t help but feel worried and reached out to touch her stomach again.
Guan Zining swatted her hand away.
“Stop touching me! I’m really fine now. Dr. Zhong, can I leave yet? The organization needs me.”
Su Tao, Zhong Gaoyi, and Chen Xi all spoke at the same time: “No!”
Guan Zining widened her eyes in protest.
Zhong Gaoyi spoke seriously:
“You might look fine, but your internal organs haven’t fully healed yet. I need to treat you once more tomorrow. If you don’t believe me, go ahead and try running a marathon right now—your intestines will fall out of your rectum by the time you finish.”
Guan Zining: “…” Terrified.
Su Tao also felt her scalp tingle at the thought. She comforted Guan Zining and even promised to take her to her shooting range in a day or two so she could burn off some energy by handling guns.
Guan Zining immediately put on her coat, grabbed her gun, and got ready to leave.
The two of them spent the entire morning at the shooting range, going through a significant amount of ammunition.
Guan Zining put down her gun and stared at Su Tao in disbelief.
“How the hell did you train? Your accuracy is even better than mine, and I’ve been training in the military for over ten years!”
Su Tao shrugged. “Talent, I guess.”
Privately, she didn’t want to reveal that she was about to awaken a new ability.
Publicly, it was known that her ability was construction—that everything in Taoyang was built thanks to her powers. Everyone believed that.
If it became widely known that she had other abilities, the existence of the system might be exposed.
Guan Zining didn’t believe her but didn’t push further.
In times like these, who didn’t have their own secrets?
They had another match, and Su Tao won again.
Guan Zining threw her gun aside. “I give up. No more. Let’s go eat.”
After finishing their meal, Pei Dong personally drove over to pick up Guan Zining.
Guan Zining immediately perked up and got in the car without hesitation, her face radiating “The organization needs me! I’m honored and proud!”
Su Tao asked, “Is something wrong? Zining hasn’t fully recovered yet.”
Guan Zining insisted, “I’m fine.”
Pei Dong explained, “Hekang’s research team wants to meet her to ask about the Crawling Entity. Also, we need to borrow someone from you—the one who recreated the battlefield scene for us last time. If it’s convenient, please bring him along. We’ll wait for you here.”
Su Tao agreed without hesitation.
Fifteen minutes later, Xu Qi, who had been unpacking at his new home, jogged over. The group got into the car and headed to the Dongyang Research Institute.
On the way, Su Tao asked him if he was settling into Taoyang.
Xu Qi sighed emotionally. “This place is so much better than where we used to live. The furniture is brand new too. My wife keeps complaining that I was useless all those years—working so hard but still living in a run-down house. She keeps asking why we didn’t come to Taoyang sooner.”
Su Tao laughed. “So moving actually caused some marital conflicts for you?”
Xu Qi chuckled. “Happy conflicts.”
Before long, the car stopped.
The group passed through multiple security gates, underwent two rounds of inspections, and finally arrived at the research lab.
Shen Wencheng and several doctors from the Dongyang Institute were already waiting. After introductions, they headed straight to the specimen room.
As they walked, Dr. Jiao, the institute’s director, explained:
“We found something in the ruins of the collapsed city wall in Shuifu District. We suspect it might be part of the Crawling Entity’s body. Since Vice Officer Guan is the only one who has seen it before, we wanted to ask her to confirm.”
Shen Wencheng turned to Su Tao. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, he asked,
“Boss Su, if possible, could Mr. Xu recreate the scene for us again? That would give us a clearer understanding of the Crawling Entity.”
Su Tao nodded.
Dr. Jiao unlocked another door, leading the group into the specimen room.
The room was illuminated by a cold blue light. Along one wall, dozens of samples were preserved in light blue liquid—various body parts of different zombies.
Su Tao even spotted a severed limb from a Blood Scythe.
Guan Zining’s attention was instantly drawn to one of the samples. She rushed forward, pressing her face against the glass.
Before Dr. Jiao or Shen Wencheng could ask anything, she spoke with a grim expression.
“This is that bastard’s tail barb!”
The researchers nearby immediately started jotting down notes at full speed.
Shen Wencheng pressed on, “What other distinguishing features did it have?”
Guan Zining thought back carefully and described in detail the texture and sensation of touching the Crawling Entity.
Xu Qi then recreated the scene from that day.
Everyone watching felt a chill run down their spines.
Dr. Jiao furrowed his brows.
“Based on the DNA we extracted, the Crawling Entity is a type of zombie. Its regenerative abilities are extremely strong—not just its tail, but possibly its limbs and even its head can regenerate. We haven’t identified any weaknesses yet, nor can we determine whether it’s an evolved zombie or a variant like the Bone Wings, which possesses intelligence.”
Shen Wencheng adjusted his glasses.
“Exactly. If we had a live specimen, we might be able to analyze it and find a way to kill it.”
The room fell silent.
They wanted to capture one alive for research.
And it was obvious that researchers wouldn’t be the ones putting their lives on the line.
It would fall on the City Defense Army or, more likely, the battle-hardened Pioneering Force.
Pei Dong’s expression darkened, but he said nothing.
Guan Zining couldn’t hold back and snapped, “Easy for you all to say! That thing is nearly impossible to kill, incredibly fast, and has no known weak spots. Whoever goes after it is walking into a death trap!”
Dr. Jiao looked embarrassed and fell silent.
Shen Wencheng remained composed. “If capturing one can lead to discovering its weakness and saving more lives, then some sacrifices are inevitable.”
Pei Dong responded, “I’ll report this to the old commander and let him make the decision.”
Shen Wencheng nodded. “Commander Xing will consider the bigger picture.”
Su Tao had a bad feeling about this.
Sure enough, that night, Guan Zining told her that the old commander had assigned the mission to Shi Zijin.
Guan Zining’s chest rose and fell with frustration.
“I knew this would end up on Major General Shi’s shoulders. He was the one who killed the first Blood Scythe, he was the one who fought off the Bone Wings, and now it’s him again.”
She ran her hand through her hair in frustration.
“But there’s no one else who can do it. When the old commander asked if he was willing, he accepted the mission without hesitation.”
Su Tao leaned quietly against the clinic doorway, gazing out at Taoyang’s tranquil moonlit sky.
She could give so many people peace, happiness, and freedom from the horrors of the apocalypse.
But she couldn’t give him safety, relief, or an escape from responsibility.
