Chapter 38: Unafraid of Zombies, Conspiracy
Zhang Huaiyuan also noticed the player he had sensed earlier.
Seeing Su Ning holding a bow and arrow and watching them warily, he quickly spoke up, “Friend, we mean no harm.” As he spoke, he deliberately spread his hands to show he had no weapon.
Although Zhang Huaiyuan claimed they meant no harm, Su Ning could feel the hostility in the eyes of the others.
Especially the man named Li Lian — the look in his eyes was like he was set on claiming her, which made Su Ning feel deeply disgusted. Still, she kept her face calm and cautious.
After all, they were strong, and she was weak. She didn’t want to provoke a conflict unnecessarily.
Li Lian swaggered up to Su Ning, a malicious smile hanging on his lips. “Little beauty, let me introduce myself. I’m Li Lian. This place seems pretty nice — mind letting us use it for a while? Of course, as a reward, I can protect you well during the rest of the instance!”
As he spoke, he even deliberately blew on his machine gun, as if showing off how powerful he was.
Su Ning sneered inwardly — she didn’t need protection from someone like him!
But on the surface, she pretended to be scared, lowered her head, and said in a soft voice, “Alright then… you guys can use it.” She looked pitiful and weak.
In fact, she was very clear in her mind: if any of them dared lay a hand on her, her scavenger’s backpack still held a large number of insects ready to be unleashed on them.
With a single command, those insects could swarm and devour these arrogant fools in an instant.
Li Lian wore a smug smile and announced loudly, “My power is extremely strong. With me here, these zombies are no threat at all!”
Su Ning looked at him — like a peacock flaunting its feathers — and thought to herself, This guy looks ordinary. He probably had some sudden awakening, reversed his fate, and now thinks he’s untouchable.
Su Ning sneered inside, but outwardly kept up her “delicate flower” act and softly said, “Zhang Li.” Then, she ignored Li Lian and turned to pack her things.
Li Lian stared at her back with greed and desire in his eyes. He licked his lips and muttered, “Such a little cutie.” He had already decided he would keep this woman by his side and enjoy her.
How could a strong man not have a few women around him?
Meanwhile, Zhang Huaiyuan frowned and quietly said to Li Lian, “Brother Lian, now’s not the time for this. Once we grab those supplies, she won’t be able to run anyway.” He knew Li Lian’s nature and didn’t care about such matters. But Li Lian didn’t respond — he just smiled faintly.
Su Ning’s heart sank. She realized she might not be able to leave easily. She tried to walk toward the door, but three others blocked her path. Li Lian walked over with a gentle tone, saying, “It’s late. It’s dangerous outside. Xiao Li, I think it’s safer if you stay with us.”
Su Ning silently stared at him and said nothing. She gave up on forcing her way out and returned to her spot.
She stared at the squirming corpse worm in her hand, and a bold plan suddenly formed in her mind. She realized that instead of simply killing these people, it might be more advantageous to turn them into zombies she could control. After all, her body had now perfectly fused with the zombie virus — she could wield its power.
The thought made her secretly delighted. She knew this plan could not only get her out of the current crisis, but might also give her an edge in future battles. So she began preparing to carry it out.
A confident, cunning glint appeared in Su Ning’s eyes as she gently stroked the corpse worm in her hand, as if whispering some secret to it.
As she moved, the corpse worm seemed to sense her determination and grew more active.
At that moment, Su Ning’s profile showed a unique status!
[Player: Su Ning]
Status: Zombie Virus Mode
Due to her innate ability “Toxic Scavenger,” her body contains a powerful zombie virus. In this state, she can freely move among zombies without being attacked.
With her ability to absorb and fuse with the zombie virus, Su Ning now no longer feared threats from the zombies in the Corpse Hell.
She smiled slightly and praised, “Toxic Scavenger really is powerful.”
Meanwhile, Zhang Huaiyuan was making plans for what came next.
“I used my ability to scout earlier — there’s a space beneath the fallen base. I suspect it contains a lot of supplies. We should plan to secure it.”
Minion No. 1 said, “Even if there are supplies, we can’t take them now.”
Zhang Huaiyuan suddenly grinned, “Did you forget this instance has a kill mission? If we kill 100,000 zombies, we get a planting space!”
Minion No. 1 perked up. “That’s right! If the boss makes a move, all these zombies can be wiped out.”
Li Lian polished his machine gun and smiled, “Leave it to me. Don’t worry.”
“But there’s still a problem — how do we gather more zombies?”
Though their firepower was strong, the zombies weren’t as numerous as expected.
Su Ning listened to their conversation. These men made no attempt to hide anything.
Suddenly, she spoke up. “You want to gather zombies? Would you believe me if I said I had a way?”
Zhang Huaiyuan was curious. “You have a way? What is it?”
Su Ning pulled out her bow and, under their watchful eyes, aimed at a distant Screecher zombie.
This time, instead of killing it, she shot it in the chest.
The attacked Screecher let out a piercing cry. The sound stunned Zhang Huaiyuan and the others.
Then something unbelievable happened: zombies that had been scattered nearby began to converge rapidly. Within a short time, dozens had gathered.
Su Ning explained, “This seemingly ordinary female zombie — once she screams, she draws zombies from around her. If you want to attract more, start with this type.”
Li Lian was thrilled, thinking Su Ning was finally acting sensibly and supporting his plans. He wondered if this beauty had been won over by his power.
But Zhang Huaiyuan frowned, staring intently at Su Ning, trying to understand her true intentions.
Even though no open conflict had broken out yet, it was obvious these men had impure thoughts about her. So why would Su Ning offer them help now?
“Could it be… she thinks that if enough zombies gather, we won’t be able to handle them?” Zhang Huaiyuan smirked.
“If that’s the case, it’s really too bad — Brother Lian’s ability is the one that fears numbers the least.”
(End of Chapter.)
